We  are thrilled and amazed at the response so far to our Nursing Think Tank invitation!  We initially envisioned a “small group” – perhaps a dozen!  But clearly, we were wrong!  So here is an update for everyone who is interested in this project, whether you can participate in person or not!  If you have not yet read through the initial invitation, please do before you read the rest of this post!  Also notice that there is a “Nursing Activism Think Tank” menu on the right sidebar of all NurseManifest pages, with links to everything related to this project!  Here are the latest tidbits, including how you can be involved if you can’t participate, and how to make sure you are all set to participate if you can!

• We may need to limit the number of participants to about 50; once we reach that number we will develop a waiting list, with preliminary confirmation by May 1, and final confirmation by July 1.  If this is necessary, we will organize the “cut off” on a “first come” basis.
• The way to get on the “participant list” is to complete the “Interest form.” This is not a “registration” in the traditional sense – it is what we say it is – your declaration of interest in attending and how certain you feel now about being able to be there!  There are several options to indicate how certain you are about being able to actually attend – so even if you have reservations about whether or not you can do this, but you are interested in doing so, send us your interest form as soon as possible.
• We are inviting people who can to donate to a fund to help nurses who might not be able to participate without some financial assistance – so if you can donate, please do!  Of course we have a form for this, and you can use any major credit card.
• If you want to participate but money is an issue, there is a place on the interest form to let us know!   We will divide up the donation fund among everyone who needs assistance, and will let everyone know how this is going to work out by May 1.  We are not “judging” financial need or merit – if you tell us you need assistance, you are on the list!
• Speaking of “sponsorship” – we gratefully acknowledge the University of Amherst College of Nursing – they are generously providing the space for our gathering at no cost!  We will post more information about the exact location closer to the date, but rest assured that the College and the University will be a terrific site, and will do all they can to help us make this event a big success!
• We will be sending periodic detailed information to everyone who indicates your interest – including information about the other people interested in participating in your region, so that you can arrange car pools or connect for any other reason.  For those arriving at either Hartford-Springfield or Boston Logan airport, we will facilitate transportation to Amherst; there may be a fee involved for this but we will help make this as affordable as possible.
• Follow this blog to have updates delivered to your email inbox – and also to keep pace with the “Inspiration for Activism” series that we are posting between now and the end of July.  If you have a nurse activist to suggest, please use our form to send us the information we need.
• Most important – still have questions? Let us know!  Use our contact form for the Nursing Activism Think Tank

Leading up to our July 30-31 Nursing Activism Think Tank, we are planning a series of blog posts featuring nurse activists – historical or contemporary figures, some well-known and others not so well-known, whose record of activism serves as inspiration for all of us going forward.  You can be part of this project, whether you attend the July gathering or not!  Please send us the details using our online form, and we will make sure to post this information as part of this series!

Watch for the first post in the series on Wednesday February 14th!

If you missed the post about the gathering in July, you can always find the link in the “Blog Home” submenu, and in the right sidebar on any page on this site, along with other pages and forms related to this event!

Recently a blog post appeared on the American Journal of Nursing’s blog “Off the Charts” by Juliana Paradisi titled “Comforting Our Patients: The Importance of Well-Chosen Words.”  Her message is right on track, and deserves not only reading, but reflecting on the many ways that the words we use – both personally and professionally – profoundly effect every aspect of our lives.

One of the most important messages in Paradisi’s post is the importance of practice – something that also appears my work with Maeona Kramer on the development of aesthetic knowing (see chapter 6 in the 10th Edition).  There we call this “rehearsal” and describe how important it is for nurses to envision and rehearse both the words and movements that form aesthetic nursing practice. One way to do this is the share a story recounting what happened in a particular situation – particularly a situation that did not go so well.  Then imagine different ways the scenario might have played out, discussing alternative story lines and endings and rehearsing them with your peers.

The importance of words also comes into play in “peace and power” processes, particularly the process of critical reflection – a process that emphasizes not only what we say but how we say it. Critical reflection also requires practice – practice that can happen in real time, in every day situations once you mentally prepare to do it!  You use critical reflection to let people around you know that you are having second thoughts, or ideas about a situation, and when something happens that brings forth negative feelings and conflict.  Here is how you present your reflection:

• I feel … focus on your own feelings without blaming others
• When (or about) … describe factually what happened when your feelings came to the surface.
• I want .. describe what you envision happening next, even if it seems impossible to happen.
• Because … name the value that you share with those around you – your shared hopes, intentions, desires.

Those of us who have practiced this kind of reflection and have used it for even the most simple of challenges (someone leaves a mess around the house, someone is always late, etc.) knows the power of using words in this way!

I welcome other ideas and thoughts – even sharing your ideas here is a way to practice!  In this time when words that harm are used so freely and publicly, I believe that as nurses we can change the world – by simply learning and practicing how to use our words to heal, to comfort, the bring about peace!