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I was on stage for only a brief time. As coordinator of a regional nursing event, I was charged with reviewing guidelines and introducing a visiting speaker. It was exhilarating to simultaneously connect with a roomful of health care professionals. I felt recharged and empowered, part of something larger than the individual bedside.
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It was like being the warm-up act at a rock concert, well sort of.
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One day I was in scrubs and tennis shoes. The next I was in a pressed suit and uncomfortable shoes. In fact, I went through two pairs of hose that morning before someone gently chided me, â??No one wears pantyhose anymore.â? Still I stood fast in my nylons, convinced that they were the only thing protecting my feet from friction blisters.
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Although public speaking may seem foreign to some bedside nurses, the fact is that we speak to the public every working day. We provide daily education to patients and families. We present structured and informal reports throughout our shifts, and inevitably at shift change. We provide inservices, serve on committees, and routinely make announcements over the intercom, or to waiting rooms full of strangers. While bedside nurses are not typically dressed in formal attire, we all communicate with groups of individuals every day.
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Were you surprised at the amount of public speaking and group projects that you encountered while in nursing school? School is the perfect time to hone presentation skills. After graduation, as you start work in a clinic or at the bedside, you will continue to sharpen your communication skills.
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Are you thinking, why would a nurse want to step away from bedside and pick up a microphone, or a pen? Perhaps it starts with a desire to stay still for a moment. We all need time to reflect and to share our experiences. And what nurse doesnâ??t dream of occasionally chucking our scrubs for a more polished look? It is natural for health care professionals to crave professional connections outside of our usual workstations.
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I also believe that all nurses have stories to share and passions to pursue. Many of us long to share our ideas with other nurses. As professional nurses, most of us seek professional development and validation. Who doesnâ??t want to enhance own education and experience? Most of us believe we can use our bedside experience to contribute to the education of our peers.
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We see so much in our daily roles! Why not stand up and be heard? Itâ??s not like we have to permanently abandon the bedside in order to share our ideas and experiences. We may simply wish to step away long enough to address a wider audience. Whether we congregate with other professionals as part of hospital-wide committees, professional organizations, or make the time to network (as with NurseConnect!) it is important for us to share our experiences with others.
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Professional networking provides us with the chance to share universal joys, unique sorrows, and personal passions. It lets us connect with others outside of our usual â??box.â? And, it will likely enhance the care we provide when we do return to the bedside â?? renewed, rejuvenated, and with bursting with expanded perspective and renewed knowledge.
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Do you think nurses are natural educators, writers or speakers? What motivates you to pursue the company of other professionals?
From Bedside to Podium: Sharing Our ExperienceOriginally from: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NursingAndCareer/~3/2Akla2epv1g/BlogPostDetail.aspx
View this post on my blog: http://travelnursesuccess.com/from-bedside-to-podium-sharing-our-experience
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