Registered Nursing Position Indiana

Nurses, Go for the Gold!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010 by Sherry Holden, BSN, RN, Associate Partner

Like most of you, I have been watching the Olympics. Every venue has its awe - except Curling. I don’t seem as thrilled about a broom and a stone as I do watching Shaun White fly out of the half pipe! I suppose the badgers and the Canadians would disagree. I imagine that is part of the lure of the Games - we all have our preferences. One thing I am acutely aware of is the training and commitment required of each of these athletes. It is truly amazing. I heard the interview with Apolo Anton Ohno regarding his regime and agreed with Brian Williams’ over-all assessment when he said, “These people have DNA that the rest of us do not have”! Apolo not only talked about his preparation but he talked about his goals. He has daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly goals that culminate with the ultimate prize that happens every four years.

I’ve been thinking about goals. Without them, it seems life just happens. In reality, perhaps I could be a curler in the next Olympics - if I start soon. Or, maybe, I could just get my life in order and have a goal for the day! Clarian has been presenting Forums this month about our accomplishments and goals on the road to preeminence and I have the new Joint Commission goals ever present on my name tag. Every day when I arrive at work, I set up a care of plan for each patient that contains two goals for the day. It seems everyone has goals but me.

I did a random, non-scientific pole of my peers the other day and asked the simple question, “What is your goal for today”? Responses:

Survive - be happy - keep my patient from falling.
Get through the day! Keep my sickle cell happy and my other patient’s wife from being mad at me.
To leave here and go home happy.
Get out on time.
To be organized and not become stressed-out.
Do no harm.

I guess I am a bit naïve. I thought someone would say, “I have been reviewing the Synergy Model for Patient Care and my goal for the day, probably the week, is to enhance my communication skills and become consciously aware of the manner in which I interact with people.” That didn’t happen. I didn’t even come up with that idea until right now. But, I think it is a stellar goal.

This whole goal business has me thinking, planning and pondering. For starters, I have set my retirement date. It will come before the next Winter Olympics; the next Magnet Review; and the end of the Mayan calendar. But, sadly, I will not see the day that 4-medicine has all private rooms! So, what do I want to accomplish? My time is limited. Lately, I have had goals like those above: be safe, get out on time, survive! I’m wondering if there isn’t something more? What is it that I would like to do before I end a nursing career spanning four decades?

And, my questions to you are the same, whether your career is just starting, waning, or coasting: What are your goals? What do you want to accomplish? Is there something more? What is it that you really want to do? I say, go for the Gold!

Sherry

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nursing Position Indiana.

I Wonder What the Parrot Says

Thursday, January 7, 2010 by Sherry Holden, BSN, RN, Associate Partner

Monday was a Mad-Hatter Day; a perpetual swirl of activity. I had a patient who verified throughout the day the reason I am not a psych nurse; a very bizarre admission; a very productive discharge; and one who taxed my vocal chords for twelve hours. Nonetheless, she turned out to be the highlight of my day.

Miss M. is 75 years old. She has progressive COPD and was admitted for a severe Upper Respiratory Infection - tough combination. In addition to her hearing loss, her eyesight is compromised due to cataracts and glaucoma. In this case, my Synergy mindset was thinking discharge-predictability-involvement in care. Every opportunity I had throughout the day, I asked questions that would allow me to have insight into that plan of care. I learned she has four doting daughters, two spoiled grandsons, a parrot and two dogs. She lives with one of her daughters in a situation that is very comfortable for both of them. She is tethered to oxygen but can do a few jobs at home in the course of the day, including caring for the animals. She is fiercely independent, has a wonderful sense of humor and a very realistic concept of living and dying. In time, she should be good to return home. I felt pretty smug about having a discharge plan ten minutes before it happens: one little accomplishment for me.

Per usual, at the end of my shift, I was re-hashing the day, looking for the positive, the negative, and the possibilities that could make things better for the next shift. Then, like a ton of bricks, a moment of “latent curiosity” hit me: I wonder what the parrot says? Miss M. is very attached to her parrot. She has had him for a long time. Dogs can yip and cats make a lot of weird sounds, but a parrot talks - a much better companion for a life of limitations. You can bet, if I get another opportunity, I’m going to know what the parrot knows.

Sometimes, we think we are asking all the right questions, when in reality we are missing the obvious.

Sherry

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nursing Position Indiana.

I Miss Your Mustache

Wednesday, December 9, 2009 by Sherry Holden, BSN, RN, Associate Partner

I find people very interesting. The big dichotomy of humanity is that we are all very different and very much the same. All one has to do to prove that theory is watch and listen. It will not require a government grant to collect a large amount of data nor a team of experts to publish the results. A few days on 4-Medicine at IU will suffice. Last week I had two fun encounters that have swirled in my head regarding people and how we relate to one another.

I had a patient who was quite ill and had no definitive diagnosis. We finally decided to put her in respiratory isolation for a few days until some things had been ruled out, or in, whatever your preference. I was in her room when she called her husband to inform him not to visit that evening for safety reasons. Her closing comment to him was, “I love you and I miss your mustache!” The other situation involved a man who was admitted for twenty-four hours with chest pain. When his wife came to take him home, her parting comment to me was, “I’m glad he is coming home. I miss his noise.”

So the question is, "What do we like about one another enough to miss?" I have been thinking about many people in this context: family, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances. I love my children and grandchildren dearly, but what is there that I really like about each of them? I have friends that I went to kindergarten with fifty years ago. Why have we maintained a life long connection? I enjoy the people I work with every day. Why? When I arrive, why am I glad to see the people of the night and always happy to work with the people of the day? I especially like the banter in the med room. Uncensored! When I gave report yesterday I told my replacement, “You will really like this patient.” What was there about that person that I liked enough to feel confident that someone else would like them too? Do I just like people who are like me or do I like people who are really different than I am? In order to answer that question, I have to know what I like about me.

The reality is this: there are many people that I genuinely like; more and more I am discerning why. And, that adds a richness to my life. However, at this moment, I am not sure what I think about mustaches and noise.

Sherry

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nursing Position Indiana.

Nursing Recruitment Lesson: Don't Take Vacation When Hiring Student Nurse Externs

Tuesday, November 3, 2009 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team

The past month has been one of the most challenging times for me since I started working in Nurse Recruitment at Clarian nearly a year ago. I’ve been given a new and amazing support specialist; and I took on responsibility for recruiting Student Nurse Externs (SNEs) in addition to Critical Care nurses, LifeLine nurses and ER or emergency nurses.

I put out a “call” for those who had been on the student nurse waiting list since Feb/Mar and contacted our Clarian nursing scholarship recipients to measure interest for 29 positions that I was asked to fill. Wow! The response was tremendous, and the candidates had to compile and provide a portfolio of four documents before we determined their availability for interview.

I took a week’s vacation while deep in the throes of this work and came back to the most stressful week I’ve had in Nurse Recruitment! Getting everything organized, setting up over 50 interviews (for student nurses alone! This did not count the RN positions!), catching up on an e-mail in box that was to its limit and voice mails that filled my box to capacity literally gave me a headache that lasted for three days!

After eight days of catching up and a couple of extra long work days that required some work at home, I finally did it! I caught up! What a sense of accomplishment as well as what fun getting to meet and help place these eager SNEs into their very first nursing positions.

Lesson learned: NO vacation during the peek SNE hiring months!! Tee hee (of course my vacation was planned well in advance of my taking on this responsibility). After six years spent as a nursing manager, I have learned to just accept that it is always hard to get away and always hard when you come back. From the recruitment perspective though, it was much more challenging because my job is customer service and many things just waited on me to return and pick up where I left off!

Julie

Julie Ruschhaupt, BS, RN, Clarian Health Nurse Recruiter
JRuschhaupt@clarian.org
317-278-7082

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nursing Position Indiana.

Search for available Nursing Jobs at Clarian Health by Nurse Specialty.

Medical-Surgical Nurses Make a World of Difference

Tuesday, November 3, 2009 by Sherry Holden, BSN, RN, Associate Partner

November 1-7 is designated Medical-Surgical Nurses Week. This is a time set aside to celebrate and appreciate Med-Surg nurses. When I first became involved in the Academy of Medical Surgical Nurses and became aware of this week, I wondered why we needed another week in addition to Nurses Week in the spring. Over time I have grown to appreciate the difference.

During Nurses Week, I set aside a bit of time to reflect on why I became a nurse. During this period of time, I think about why I am a medicine nurse. Why did I choose this specialty, and why in the world have I stayed with it for forty-two years?!? Medical nursing is never really a comfort zone. Just when you think you know something, it changes. There are many specialties that are more glamorous than medicine. And there are many places in the system where people don’t have to work at such a crazy pace or have an odd appreciation for chaos.

Over the years I have done many interesting things within the framework of medical nursing, and I have had opportunities to do numerous things in other areas, but have never made the leap. Four years ago, after my round with cancer, I was sure I would never be able to keep up with 4-medicine again. I interviewed several places and was offered a couple of very interesting jobs, but I couldn’t make the move; just couldn’t imagine myself without liver patients!

Medicine is always a challenge. It is about critical thinking, honing one’s senses and developing keen assessment skills. It’s about team-work at its finest. Many years ago I referred to medicine as the “theater of dependency.” We like to think of ourselves as very independent practitioners, but in reality we rely on each other constantly. Medicine nurses have very distinctive personalities - need I say more? Let’s just consider IU 4-medicine for a brief moment... (How wild and whacky was that?!?) I guess medical nursing gets in your blood. Over the years, I have had three criteria for staying the course in any position I have held: am I learning, am I having fun, and am I making a difference. If all of those things are operational, I am pretty content. Medical nursing has been a place of satisfaction for me.

I was pleased with the slogan for this year: "Medical-Surgical Nurses: Making a World of Difference." Medicine Nurses share an umbrella with Surgical Nurses. Somewhere along the line, I have made a distinction because I am pretty much a pure medical nurse. I hope I haven’t slighted any surgical nurses in this blog, because I can tell you right now, I have a great appreciation for what you do. Actually, I pretty amazed at what you do! I think you know that as truth because when I float to your areas a lot of hand holding occurs to get me through. For some reason it is hard for me to wrap my brain around all that cutting and pasting! So, to all of my colleagues in Medical-Surgical Nursing, enjoy the week, share your stories. re-commit to your specialty and never doubt for one moment that you indeed “make a world of difference.”

And, if you are out there as an “undecided,” consider Medical-Surgical Nursing, because it could make a world of difference in your life, too.

Sherry

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nursing Position Indiana.

Boom Boom... Pow!

Saturday, October 10, 2009 by Tracy Davis, BSN, RN, CCRN, Pediatric Critical Care

With all due respect to the Black Eyed Peas, that is kind of what life has felt like for me lately! My life as an Interim Clinical Manager is quite busy. As I think about it though, it is not like my previous roles left a lot of down time. This is just a very different kind of busy. I love rounding on our families. It is when I get to see all of the kids and parents at once, hear their stories, and really get to know them. It is a compelling time. Even if it is a child with a short length of stay, I know I can learn something from their story. It is what I truly love. I know that I can answer questions that will help fill in the gaps, or maybe just repeat the same information so it sinks in a little better. Each interaction means something to both of us. I think if I feel that, surely a parent does, too. I have a different role with my staff now. I would like to think it is helpful to them that someone who knows how important responsiveness is, will be “taking care of them.” They know I take the responsibility seriously. So as more things, more responsibilities come at me like they are shot out of a cannon, (hence the “boom boom pow”), I say... bring it.

Tracy

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nursing Position Indiana.

Search for available Nursing Jobs at Clarian Health by Nurse Specialty.

Healthcare is an Ever-Changing Domain

Thursday, August 27, 2009 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team

This past Friday we had our bi-monthly meeting for Nurse Recruitment. It was highlighted by saying farewell to one of our best Support Specialists as she embarks for her new position as a Student Nurse Extern at University Hospital. It is a real joy to see staff with previous careers choose the nursing profession; it is like we “grow our own!”

We also received news that we are reorganizing our Service Lines. This was a little bit of a shock to some of our staff members but change is a certainty and is just part of our everyday operations. When I was in Nursing School one of the things that was constantly “drilled” in our heads is that healthcare is an ever-changing domain and you must prepare yourself for this culture. I’m glad that I have not become “entrenched” or inflexible after fifteen years of tenure. I welcome anything that makes us better and that enables us as a department or as an organization to provide better service to our internal as well as our external customers.

Julie

Julie Ruschhaupt, BS, RN, Clarian Health Nurse Recruiter
JRuschhaupt@clarian.org
317-278-7082

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nursing Position Indiana.

Search for available Nursing Jobs at Clarian Health by Nurse Specialty

Join a Nursing Organization - It’s a Gift You Give Yourself

Tuesday, August 18, 2009 by Sherry Holden, BSN, RN, Associate Partner

Last week, 4-Medicine at Clarian-IU hosted the August meeting of the Central Indiana Chapter of the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses. Our guest speaker was Dr. James Watkins, Associate Professor of Medicine at the IU School of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology. In keeping with the education tenet of the organization’s mission, the presentation was on Pancreatitis: Cause, Current Treatment and Specific Care. When one cares for this specific population on a daily basis it is interesting to note that “just when you think you know something, you don’t.” I was fascinated with treatments on the horizon for this disease and a bit surprised with what I don’t know regarding the pancreas. I guess that is the necessity of “continuing education.”

The Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses is the “only national professional nursing specialty organization dedicated to adult health medical surgical nurses.” It was formed in 1991 with the goal of nurturing medical-surgical nurses as they advance their careers. Their motto is “Nurses Nurturing Nurses” and the organization is available to assist with everything from education to research to networking to legislation. They provide a journal, newsletter and an endless resource of information on their website at AMSN.org.

There are 50 Chapters throughout the United States and local chapters are designed to provide educational meetings with CEU’s, networking opportunities, professional support, volunteer leadership opportunities and input into national issues and program planning. The Indiana Chapter includes a local charity emphasis at each meeting. Last week school supplies were given to the Riley School at the Riley Hospital for Children. Each year AMSN members convene for a national convention. This year the convention will be held in Washington D.C., September 9-14. They have also designated a time of celebration each fall as Medical-Surgical Nurse’s Week. This year it will be held November 1-7 and entitled Medical-Surgical Nurses: Making a World of Difference.

I provide this information because I am a major proponent for professional nurses aligning themselves with a professional organization in their area of specialty. These organizations are the voice of nursing and will hopefully have input in health care decisions that effect nursing in the present upheaval. Membership seems to me to be timely. I have had the privilege of attending four national conventions - I hope I can attend at least one more! I went to my first convention in Florida as a recruiter representative and enjoyed it so much I joined on the spot. I also had the privilege of doing a Synergy Poster Presentation at the Chicago Convention. Someday I would like to be a presenter, but so far they haven’t jumped at my ideas for a break-out session!

Let me encourage every nurse to join a nursing organization - it’s a gift you give yourself. The things I have learned, people I have met and places I have been have added greatly to my career and my respect for medical-surgical nursing.

Sherry

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nursing Position Indiana.

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Nurses Rounding for Outcomes... How Fun!

Monday, July 6, 2009 by Tracy Davis, BSN, RN, CCRN, Pediatric Critical Care

As part of our approach to improving patient and family satisfaction, we “round” on our families in the Pediatric Critical Care Unit daily. Every family, every day. I have found that it is one of my very favorite things to do. Anyone that knows me would not be surprised to hear this, as a part of rounding involves talking. But an even bigger part involves listening. It is really an underrated skill, and often an underused skill.

I have found with most of our families, after I introduce myself, and ask a simple question such as, “We always want to provide the very best care possible for your child. How well are we doing with that?” I just need to stop talking and start listening. I have said many times that there is no time that a parent feels more helpless than when their child is critically ill or injured.

Having a person listen to their fears, perhaps listen to the story of how their child came to be in our care, and to show the genuine care and concern that we have, is invaluable. Often there are tears shed, and a hug is needed, or perhaps an arm around a shoulder. Parents are often pleasantly surprised that we come in to round on them, to just check in on them and make sure their immediate needs are being met, as well as those of their child. They are always grateful. Even when they know we may not be able to tell them what they really want to hear….that the beautiful child lying in that bed will be fully restored to the same child they previously were. They do know that we will give every effort we have to try and make that happen, though.

After they have seen us the first day, they look forward to a return visit the next day, as I tell them I will see them tomorrow. I suppose it is the promise that not only will I keep my word, but it is the opportunity for them to tell me of their child’s progress, and share the ups and downs of this ride they did not ask for. Rounding is just one more great opportunity to make a lasting connection with our families. If by doing it we improve our patient satisfaction, what an outstanding bonus!

Tracy

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nursing Position Indiana.

Julie Ruschhaupt, BS, RN, Clarian Health Nurse Recruiter

Wednesday, July 1, 2009 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team

Julie entered nursing as a second career in search of a way to give back to the community and as a personal path to fulfillment, after having lived the glamorous but somewhat empty life as a manager in a retail jewelry store.

"Nursing has given me the opportunity to use my God given gifts to both directly help patients and their families and also to support other nurses and physicians who do. This is not a job, it is an identity and an enthusiasm for wanting to make a moment in time the best it can be for someone in need. "

Julie graduated from IUPUI, so despite the short walk to the Clarian campus, her professional path to nurse recruitment includes CV Critical Care and Manager of the Resource Pool.

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nursing Position Indiana.

Riding a School Bus Again and Eating Ham & Cheese on a Cracker

Sunday, May 31, 2009 by Tracy Davis, BSN, RN, CCRN, Pediatric Critical Care

In the past two weeks I have had the pleasure of going on my children’s end-of-the-year field trips. The first was to my son’s 5th grade trip to an Indianapolis Indians baseball game. It was a positively gloriously sunny day, as if we had ordered it. About 75 degrees, blue skies, light breeze, all was right with the world. The second trip was my daughter’s 1st grade trip to the Indianapolis Zoo. This was a bit of a different trip. Overcast the whole day, light rain occasionally, cool at about 63 degrees, not a thought of sunshine.

Both trips were made on “the big Twinkie” as someone once called the school bus. When I was shorter, like under 5’ 5” I fit in those seats much better. Now at just over 6 feet it is a little different ride. But it does not matter. Because over my many years of caring for these ill and injured children that I do, I know one thing: Appreciate and treasure every moment. They come and go way too fast.

It is the precious opportunity to be with my children that matters. Not the fact that I have seen the same dolphin tricks over and over. Not that the Lunchable I am about to eat is not quite gourmet. It is the fact that it is a true gift that I get to spend the entire day with my beautiful children that counts. The looks on their faces when I arrive in their classrooms ready to board that bus is all I need. As nurses we make a difference every day. Sometimes in big ways, sometimes small. The same is true of parents, on a bus, eating ham and cheese on a cracker.

Tracy

To become a Registered Nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nursing Position Indiana.

I'm Just a Nurse

Friday, May 29, 2009 by Terry J. Stigdon, RN, CPN, CPEN, Senior Partner

When I am out and about and someone I do not know finds out that I am a nurse, I’m asked where I work. I take a deep breath and say, “Riley Hospital.” I brace myself for what comes next… "Riley?!? I don’t know HOW you work there! You must be an angel!" I typically respond with, "Hardly an angel. It’s a great place to work. I receive so much more than I give." I’ve worked at Riley for almost 11 years. I started in the Pediatric ICU, and then transitioned to the Emergency Dept.

During this time, I’ve had the privilege to learn more about people than I ever imagined. When you try to explain to an anxious family what they can expect when their child comes out of the OR into the PICU, it is a huge responsibility to be forthcoming, yet compassionate in your delivery. You need to be realistic, but not scare the bejeebies out of them. Most importantly, you learn to meet them where they are and take it from there. In the ED, you are charged with supporting families in the exact instant their lives change forever. In an instant, their child is a paraplegic. In an instant, their child is diagnosed with cancer. In an instant, their child is gone…forever.

From these families, I’ve learned that no one word is adequate, yet more than one can be too much. I don’t know how they feel, but I do know how blessed it feels to be given that moment with them. That moment that lets these vulnerable people know they are not alone. I’ve been given hugs, kisses and even slobbery “raspberries” by patients; all of this usually before I come at them with a needle. I’ve received toddler head butts, pre-school kicks in the shin and baby feet in the chest. Even through this, I give what I can in an attempt to make that time in a kid and his/her family’s life just a smidgen better.

So, no, I’m not an angel. I’m "just" a nurse. And like I mentioned before, I receive so much more than I could ever possibly give.

Terry

To apply for a Registered Nurse position at Clarian, visit Registered Nursing Position Indiana.

Registered Nurses Show Respect By Telling The Truth

Saturday, May 2, 2009 by Lucia D. Wocial, PhD, RN, CCNS, Clarian Nurse Ethicist

This is your first time to care for Ms. X. You hear in report that Ms. X’s family does not want her to know she has a terminal condition. This should raise in your mind a number of questions: Why does the family know the diagnosis before the patient? Is Ms. X capable of understanding what her diagnosis means? Can she make decisions for herself? Honoring the family’s request for secrecy means that you, the nurse, may not speak honestly with Ms. X, even if she asks you a direct question.

When we look to ethics for answers we are trying to determine the right action to take. Values tell us why we do what we do. At Clarian, respect is a core value. We show respect by telling the truth. Honesty is the foundation for a trusting relationship with patients and their families. Respecting patients means we support their right to participate in all decisions about their care, unless there are legitimate, compelling reasons to hide the truth.

The nurse caring for Ms. X must uncover the nature of the family’s request: Is the request based on a cultural tradition? Has Ms. X told her doctor she wants her family to make decisions for her? If the information in report is accurate and the physicians and others taking care of Ms. X endorse withholding information from her, there must be documented evidence of the plan and the process followed to arrive at it.

There are circumstances when not offering the truth to a patient is how we respect them, but the evidence for the ethics of this action must be clear to all who care for Ms X. The Clarian core value of respect suggests we could not ask our employees to be dishonest with a patient if asked a direct question, no matter what a family member believes is best for the patient.

It is one thing not to disclose information, based on knowing a patient. It is quite another to lie.

Lucia Wocial, PhD, RN
Clarian Health Nurse Ethicist

To join the Registered Nurses at Clarian, visit Registered Nursing Position Indiana

A Happy Holiday Should Include Tradition with Some Discipline Thrown In

Sunday, April 12, 2009 by Sherry Holden, BSN, RN, Associate Partner

Working this week, I had a new awareness and appreciation regarding my patients who live with chronic illness. Many of them have End Stage Liver Disease, Eng Stage Renal Disease, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, hypertension… A major part of their treatment includes alteration in diet: sodium, sugar, fat, cholesterol, etc. All the things most of us tend to enjoy in excess. The fine tuning that has to happen for these people to achieve a degree of wellness is incredible. This includes a daily dose of discipline and compliance: what a hard pill to swallow. But, without that combination, there is always a price to pay.

As nurses, we have a major role to play in educating patients and families regarding diet, compliance and consequences. Above all, we need to be supportive. Outcomes are paramount in all of these situations.

From experience, I am well aware that there are certain times of the year when discipline and compliance are not on the menu: holidays! It is very difficult for people to maintain in the midst of celebration, family gatherings and bounty. I am a Norwegian-Ukrainian and it is pretty incredible to me what we can conjure-up in the name of tradition and I can assure you that none of it involves discipline!

As I think of Easter Sunday, my family and my patients, perhaps, the idea of “sampling vs. indulgence” is a good food option for all of us. In reality, we all could use a bit more discipline and obedience in our lives. Have a wonderful holiday; but be good to yourself.

Happy Easter! Happy Spring!

Sherry

To join the Registered Nurses at Clarian, visit Registered Nursing Position Indiana

Proud to be a Registered Nurse at Clarian Health

Saturday, March 7, 2009 by Sherry Holden, BSN, RN, Associate Partner

Last week was an exciting week at Clarian Health; maybe the better terminology would be exhilarating week, We had planned, prepared and primped for our Magnet Visit. My best analogy of such an event is “a reviewing of the troops”. I remember years ago I attended a military graduation. Each company was required to perform for the top brass. EVERY individual in EVERY company was scrutinized for perfection. It was an amazing display of excellence. Upon review, the general saluted his troops and they responded with a “roar”. I’m assuming it signified a mixture of relief, success, accomplishment and pride. I have never forgotten the sights and sounds of that day.

Four years ago Clarian achieved Magnet Recognition, granted to approximately 1% of the hospitals in the country. This program was designed by the American Nurses Credentialing Center to reward nursing excellence. Key words for me that signify Magnet are quality, innovation, achievement, vision and accomplishment. I also like their review process which requires a detailed document showcasing nursing, followed by an on-site visit. Magnet appraisers from all over the country converged on us last week and I would like to think we exhibited “an amazing display of excellence!”

The appraisers came to my unit. Night staff nurses throughout the system attended a breakfast and day nurses went to a luncheon. These events were designed to receive input from the bedside nurse. The reports came back that the encounters were open and honest. I was pleased to represent my unit along with our shift coordinator as we reviewed our unit and then discussed my favorite topic, The Synergy Model of Nursing, and my colleague presented her online communities page. She created and maintains this page and it is a wealth of information for the unit. She was very articulate and knowledgeable. In my busy day, this was a time for me to think about my unit: the patients, the hard work, our accomplishments and the contributions every one makes every day.

In the afternoon I was invited to attend a session on Recruitment, Retention and Reward. It was a stellar group comprised of every level of management I could personally imagine, staff nurses, students and a financial consultant, representing all Clarian Hospitals in Indianapolis. I knew many of these people from committee work, but listening to their stories and contributions made me want to stand and shout BRAVO! BRAVO!. I did, however, maintain some degree of decorum!

Late that evening, as I was mulling over the day, I was overwhelmed with a great sense of pride. I am proud and humbled to be a nurse. I am proud that my hospital upholds excellence as a standard and I am very proud of my colleagues.

Sherry

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