I was recently in a meeting where nurses tearfully shared the burden that they feel in meeting (or failing to meet) the priorities and expectations set forth by leadership and healthcare in general. The underlying sentiment of their stories was, “my best isn’t good enough.” I could hear their disappointment in themselves, in addition to […]

The UAMS Resource Nurse Program was implemented in 2008 with the express purpose of improving patient outcomes through the engagement of clinical nurses in quality improvement projects.  This program started with a focus on infection prevention, skin care, pain, safety, and diabetes for inpatient nurses for 6-month terms.  Over the course of 15 years, the […]

Shared governance is a core tenet of nursing excellence and is a strong mechanism for bringing about change in an organization.   Shared governance is possible when an organization recognizes that nurses have the autonomy and accountability to make decisions about issues that impact nursing practice and patient care.  It is also the venue to bring […]

I first wrote about the importance of shared governance in February 2021.  Shared governance is a core tenet of nursing excellence and is a strong mechanism for bringing about change in an organization.   Shared governance is possible when an organization recognizes that nurses have the autonomy and accountability to make decisions about issues that impact […]

This year marks the 21st consecutive year that nurses have been voted the most honest and ethical profession in an annual Gallup poll. 79% of US adults voted that nurses had “high” or “very high” honest and ethical standards, ranking higher than 17 other professions. In sharp contrast, only 9% of Americans polled voted that […]

Two sisters were swimming off the coast of North Wales in Barmouth.  Both were skilled swimmers, having taken lessons at school, but as the girls played, they were carried out farther and farther until they were pulled out to sea.  On the beach, their mother, who could not swim, watched in horror as her daughters […]

As we close out 2022, I wanted to provide an update on where we are with the Journey to Magnet at UAMS! Our Magnet Writing Team has been busy writing up the stories of Nursing Excellence from across UAMS Health.  We have completed 36 stories about Nursing Excellence at UAMS, which represents 35% of the […]

Research – to some, an overwhelming word.  I think it’s because we conjure up images in our mind about white coats and laboratories, or elite scholars with high-ranking degrees.  But, at the risk of oversimplifying, research is really just investigating causes, effects, and the relationships between variables.  The purpose of research is to contribute new […]

One of the best benefits of a career in nursing is the opportunity to advance in skill, knowledge, expertise, and role. In 2011, the Institute of Medicine (IOM, now National Academy of Medicine) published a key report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, in which they called on the profession of nursing to […]

It’s almost that time again – time for Annual Performance Evaluations. Evaluation of our practice and performance is a hallmark sign of the autonomy and accountability we have for our professional practice. The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) notes that annual evaluations should consist of a self-evaluation, a manager performance evaluation, a peer evaluation, and […]