Remember, change is always inevitable ~ Dr. Maggie
Monday, February 24, 2014
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Managing Change: An Online MSN Degree Can Help
Managing change
is an essential part of nursing administration and executive nurse leadership;
however, change is easier said than done.
Take the “Tolerance for Change”
assessment found at http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073381225/student_view0/chapter14/self-assessment_14_2.html
Understanding your own “me” issues related to change can help you with
fostering the change process in others. Several change theories have been
developed to assist you with needed change in your workplace or in your own
life.
One of my
favorite change theories is Lewin’s theory of unfreezing and refreezing of
behavior. His model indicates that
people need to “unfreeze” learned behavior patterns, change to the new
behavior, then refreeze the new
behaviors into their daily activities. I
once read it takes 21 x of doing something before it becomes a habit, which
fits nicely into Lewin’s theory of change. One of the most difficult aspects of
change is taking that first step.
Helping others
change with that first step is a key skill of nursing leaders. Getting individuals to see the reason(s) for
change can promote initial behaviors toward desired change. For example, changing a procedure such as
shift change reporting processes requires a broad understanding of the need for
change. Typically, if a nursing leader
can foster staff agreement regarding the change, the leader can then begin to
garner ideas from their staff to implement the change. By including the staff in brainstorming ideas
to initiate change, staff will feel more ownership in the change.
Dr. Maggie
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Communication with Online MSN Degree Faculty
Often life
“happens” with a personal or work-related crisis. When in an online MSN degree program, it is
important for students to have strong communication with their online teachers.
Our busy lives guarantee that a crisis will occur during school at the worst
possible time. It is not a matter of “if”,
but a matter of when! Working ahead, if
possible, is the best safeguard against looming catastrophes in our lives. More importantly, when something happens
which may be an obstacle to our course work, it is imperative to contact
faculty as soon as possible regarding the situation. Even if you might meet a
due date, ask for the extension anyway, you can always not use the extension,
but at least you are covered.
Via Email or
phone, have a friend or family members call the faculty to inform them of a “personal
situation” affecting the ability to do course work for a few days. Details are not needed if you feel you’d like
to keep them to yourself. What is needed
is a definitive time frame for your absence from class and when you will resume
coursework so that an appropriate extension is requested. Remember, most MSN programs will only grant
incompletes if 75% of work is completed
for a course. Keep in mind that you are then
responsible for past course work to make
up PLUS current course work, which may cause undue stress-so try to avoid
incompletes where possible.
Communication
with faculty regarding course content or assignment questions is associated
with important timing of those questions.
Be sure to ask about assignment questions at least a week in advance of
an assignment due date to allow for faculty response time to incorporate the
information in your assignment. Email or the Q& A discussion area are the
best ways to ask your questions. If you
have a complex issue or lack understanding of a majority of an assignment,
setting up a conference call with faculty is the best way to handle those types
of complex questions, as email may become too cumbersome. In addition, for those of you who might be
auditory learners, one phone call can be more helpful than a dozen emails when
it comes to getting the answers you need.
Dr. Maggie
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Statistics Help and Online MSN Degree Programs
An
understanding of basic, and even some intermediate, statistics helps the online
master of science in nursing science degree student evaluate clinical research
for reliability and clinical applicability. A terrific resource to augment any text or
material from a graduate statistic course is :
Donnelly,
R.A. (2010). The complete idiot's guide to statistics. 2nd ed. New York, New York: The Penguin Group.
The
book explains in layman’s terms statistical principles, and when to apply them
with simple examples. At the very least
I recommend this book to use as a resource when evaluating research for use to
determine if a change in nursing practice is warranted.
Dr. Maggie
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Executive Nurse Leader vs. Nursing Administration: Online MSN Degree Programs
I am often
asked what the difference is between a nurse executive leader and a nurse
administrator. In answering this
question, the term “leader “ can be a differentiating factor. A leader does what is right, a nurse manager does
all the right things. The American
Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) is the foremost authority on what
skills/competencies make an effective nurse leader. The website below has a list of all of the
competencies.
The AONE is
also holding their annual meeting in Orlando, FL March 12-15, 2014 at the
Orlando Convention center South Building with accommodations at the Orlando
Convention Center Hilton or the Rosen Center.
Student registration rates are $350 until Feb. 3 with a student ID and
$425 up to Mar. 7. Details are at the site below.
One of the best
ways to help you decide if nursing leadership is for you, is to attend an
industry conference like the one mentioned above and, or, conduct an informational interview with an
individual who does the job you think you’d like to also do. Leaders are not necessarily born, but can be
made with education such as an Online Masters in Nursing Degree.
Dr. Maggie
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Online Master of Science in Nursing Degree Research Course Survival
Nursing research classes at the Masters in Nursing level can
be intimidating. A student may wonder
why research and the examination of research design would be important. As a Masters prepared nurse, you may be
responsible for implementing changes in patient care or patient care operations
including policy and procedures.
Understanding various articles and interpreting the information found in
the literature for credibility and applicability is critical. A nursing research class can help with this
analysis of existing research.
Approach a graduate level research course from the perspective
of a goal for the class is to understand the research process and learn how to
analyze research for credibility and applicability in your workplace. When going over course content be sure to ask
your instructor questions if something is unclear. Use Google to find out more about a
particular topic to expand your learning.
Most of all, allow the time it takes for you to learn the course
concepts. Like any learning, some course
content will come easier than other
course content. Be sure to do some extra
"asking" or Google searches about the topics you find confusing. Often times there are some classmates who
seem to "get it" and I encourage you to tap into those individuals
and ask their ideas about things you may be unsure of. Bottom line as with any course, you will get
out of a course what you put into the course.
Dr. Maggie
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
New Year’s Resolutions: Getting that MSN Online Degree
Now that the Holidays have come and gone, getting to those
New Year’s resolutions has become a priority.
Many resolutions stem from the desire for self-improvement and, or the
desire to fulfill a life-long dream. If
one of your resolutions is to further your nursing education and complete a
Masters in Nursing Degree, some online MSN programs offer high quality, a
strong reputation, and the opportunity to learn and grow in the nursing
profession.
When investigating an online MSN
program, several areas and criteria should be used to select an online MSN
program to further your nursing education.
A good place to start is the 2014 published report from US News and
World Report rankings of online MSN programs, which can be found at:
Many well established, traditional campus programs, now
offer online programs. Select a program
you can be proud of putting on your resume. Lastly, look for the mission and
values of the MSN program, and ask yourself if these values and the mission of
the program align with your own values and beliefs. Chances are faculty in programs with similar
values to your own will be a good “fit”.
Happy 2014!
Dr. Maggie
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