My sister, who is just about finished with nursing school, asked me a question that stumped me.
"What did you do for your pinning ceremony?"
"Hm," I thought. "I have no idea!"
I vaguely remember myself and my classmates having a loved one place our pin but beyond that I have almost no memory of my pinning ceremony. Granted, it was 10 years ago, but I felt a little sad that the event hadn't made more of an impression on me.
After doing some reading ...

I have a ritual of listening to National Public Radio www.npr.org on my way to and from work. Each time I listen to NPR, I either learn something new or am compelled to look at some aspect of my life in a new way. Last week, one of their reports stood out even more than usual. The story http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...ryId=100346538
by Nell Greenfieldboyce was on a video produced by a NASA astronaut for a NASA management retreat. The movie focuses on certain behaviors at the agency ...

Putting on a happy face isn't always easy. And, with the current economic crisis, finding something to smile about can be a challenge.
But there is help for the 'Gloomy Guses' out there. Recently a friend told me about a book called "Happy for No Reason" by Marci Shimoff. Based on research in positive psychology and neurophysiology, the book presents a seven-step program to help readers increase their happiness.
I haven't yet cracked open the book but I did meander over ...

Last week at this time I was among the masses of people in DC trying to find an entrance to the mall to watch the inauguration of President Barack Obama. I never made it to the actual mall but I was able to get a view of the crowd packed into the Capitol for the swearing-in ceremony.
I was lucky to be there and witness history and it is a day I will never forget. But there is one thing keeps running in my mind since the trip and it's something that happened about 40 years ago.
During ...

Well, as luck would have it I realized that I forgot my cell phone at home. But fortunately for me I realized it before I left for my trip. My darling husband is saving the day and bringing me that essential piece of technology before I head out. Hopefully, that will be the smallest SNAFU of my trip.
I'm leaving on the bus with the Chicago Chapter of the National Black Nurses Association in about 40 minutes. We're heading out from 87th Street and the Dan Ryan Expressway for an all night drive ...

Yes, I'm a member of Generation X, but I admit I'm not as tech-savvy as many of my generational counterparts. While they're upgrading to iPhones, I'm doing good if I remember to charge the battery in my phone. When our IT department gave me a new work Blackberry I left it in its box in my desk drawer for at least two weeks because "it scared me."
But, thanks to a work assignment, I'll be able to consider myself one of the tech-savvy crowd.
On Monday, Jan. 19, I'll be traveling ...

Magic 8 Balls or daily horoscopes aren’t my only means of predicting how my day will turn out. My morning commute is actually a much more accurate way to predict the future than peering through cloudy blue liquid for an answer of "Outlook not so good." My trip to work is just half an hour but my mood for the day can be determined within 10 minutes of my drive. My mood on any given day depends on one thing. Whether I see "The Finger Shaker" or not.
Who is the mysterious ...

During my four days at the ENA conference, I ate out for every meal. The only things that influenced my restaurant decision were price and what I was in the mood for at that meal. If I wanted Mexican food I could have it. Same for Chinese, Pizza, or sandwiches.
Mealtime is not so simple for Nona Narvaez’s son. He has a plethora of food allergies including milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, beef, pork, sunflower seeds, and peas. His allergists advise that he also avoid fish and shellfish. ...

Employee engagement is an important factor in a business’s success. In his keynote address at ENA, Joseph Michelli, PhD, spoke about how high employee satisfaction correlates with high quality patient care. Satisfied employees contribute also to higher earning potential, improved patient safety, and lower claims potential.
But how do you know if employees feel engaged?
Gallup’s Q12 tool http://gmj.gallup.com/content/811/Feedback-Real.aspx is one way to find out.
Twelve simple ...

So a fish walks into a Starbucks…..
Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke doesn’t it? But fish, coffee, and the Ritz-Carlton all have something in common. They are examples of customer service at its best.
During his keynote presentation, Creating the Ultimate Patient Experience, Joseph Michelli, PhD http://www.josephmichelli.com/ shared concepts that contribute to excellent patient and customer care.
Though the Pike Place Fish Market, Starbucks, and Ritz-Carlton don’t care ...

It’s inspiring to meet nurses who excel in their profession and it always brings me joy when they are recognized by their peers. These outstanding emergency nurses (and in some cases public servants) were no exception. Thanks to their peers and the ENA for celebrating their accomplishments and expertise.

The recipients of the Emergency Nurses Association 2008 Awards were:


Judith C. Kelleher Award
Kathleen E. Carlson, RN, MSN, CEN

Behind ...

You thought it was 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, didn’t you? Try 60 East Broadway, Bloomington, Minn. No, the White House hasn’t been relocated to the Great White North. That’s the Mall of America’s address and ENA president Denise King’s home away from home during the conference.

Actually, King has been hard at work during the conference but she jokingly showed up “late” to her welcome address with bags from a shopping excursion in hand.

King’s humor was a great lead-in ...

On Thursday, I was able to take in the ENA’s Welcome, Keynote Address, and Awards presentation before manning our booth at the conference. We all know emergency nurses don’t waste time getting down to business and this session was no exception.

But how much can you really learn in a mere two hours? More than you thought possible when you’re with a group of emergency nurses. I learned about the association’s goals and priorities from ENA president Denise King, RN. I learned the names ...

Hi to all reading this blog! Let me introduce myself for those who don’t know me. I’m Jennifer Thew, RN, editorial director for the Heartland and Greater Chicago regions of NurseWeek and Nursing Spectrum.

Right now I’m typing this from the Emergency Nurses’ Association’s annual conference in Minneapolis and this is the first time I’ve ever blogged! Why start at a major nursing conference? The staff here at Gannett Heatlhcare Group (which includes Nursing Spectrum, NurseWeek, and Nurse.com) ...