education

I was so excited to see this article today! My first thought was, “Wow! They are finally teaching physicians to be more like nurses!” These principles are the very same ones I learned in nursing school twenty years ago. Did you? Do we still use them in nursing? Healthcare has evolved over those twenty years, and I must admit I have not been in a bedside nursing role for most of them. So I can’t really say if nurses in hospitals are using effective communication skills, patient-centered language and the like. In diabetes education (a multidisciplinary specialty) we are still pushing for improvements in these areas.

And patients are demanding this change! Patients are being asked (required?) to be more “engaged” in their health care, and many want to be. We are evolving into a health care system of connections, and away from the assembly-line, “do what you’re told” mentality. If this is ever going to be effective, we all have to play ball – nurses, physicians, patients, and everyone else.

Let’s do this!!

I have spent the past few days in Louisville, KY, attending the various events at the AHNA conference. It has been a great experience to be with so many like-minded nurses who are committed to self-care, healing, and being empowered in their nursing practice. Many of us believe that the “being” with patients is the art of our nursing practice, and AHNA supports us in building holistic practices that facilitate the “being with” process.

The day here starts with the option of attending a self-care modality, such as yoga or chi gong. Nurses stroll through a vending area, where they can learn about various healing modalities, and buy books on healing and holism or purchase healing souvenirs such as candles, jewelry, and hand labyrinths. We have the opportunity to sign up for treatments such as Reiki, massage, and cranio-sacral therapy. The key-note speakers have included leaders such as Dr. Joan Borysenko, who shared with us her thoughts on burn-out and self-care healing.We are also able to take a class on the art of bodybuilding along with a whole open discussion on real prohormones

The poster area is a great place to see the research that nurses are doing around holistic modalities and how Continue reading →