Sunitha Dharman, DNP, RN’s Post

Be a nurse I thought, seems like an OK job. I was lost and confused about what to do when all my friends went to university. I wasn't going because everyone else was, I was sure there was a different way. So nursing seemed like an option. I didn't regret it once. Sure there were some terrible days, moments of love/hate with the work. Never able to answer the 'where will you be in 5 years' question, I've stayed curious, followed what looked challenging, interesting or a bit different. Saying yes probably more times than I should have. It's been a ride. Now I'm building on that foundation as I support and help healthcare leaders (and yes, a lot of nurses) to manage the demands and complexity of thier work so they can feel excited and hopeful about what they do. In honour of International Nurses Day, I'm offering coaching/mentoring/supervision sessions for nurse leaders. If you don't get that type of support or development, consider this the sign you've been looking for. One day left to get into the draw for a free coaching session. All you have to do is comment 'nurse' below and you are in the draw. #nursing #healthcareleadership Hi, I'm Katie. 😀 🔸 I help healthcare leaders juggle the demands and complexity of their roles so they can feel excited and hopeful about their work 🔸 Click follow for ideas and inspiration.

Case Study: Transitioning from Nursing to Care Management Step 1: Self-Assessment and Education Emily, a seasoned nurse, found herself burnt out and dissatisfied with her current job in a hectic hospital setting. Emily evaluated her skills, passions, and career goals, discovering a strong interest in patient advocacy and healthcare coordination. With a clear direction in mind, Emily enrolled in the 'Master' Care Management Online Course. Through self-paced modules and interactive assignments, Emily gained confidence in her ability to transition to a new career path. Step 2: Networking and Skill Development Emily began networking with professionals in the care management field. Through these connections, Emily gained valuable insights into the day-to-day responsibilities of care managers and learned about the flexibility of working from home, creating her own hours and being her own boss. Step 3: Securing a Position and Thriving in Care Management After months of networking and skill development, Emily landed her dream job as a care manager at a community healthcare organization. Her background in nursing, coupled with her newly acquired knowledge in care management, made her a valuable asset to the team. In her role, Emily worked closely with patients, healthcare providers, and community resources to ensure coordinated care. Emily's transition to care management brought her a renewed sense of purpose and fulfillment. She found joy in advocating for patients, coordinating their care plans, and empowering them to take control of their health. With a healthier work-life balance and a sense of professional satisfaction, Emily thrived in her new career, proving that with dedication and determination, it's possible to successfully transition from nursing to care management. By following these steps, nurses like Emily can navigate the transition to a rewarding career in care management with confidence and success. JOIN NOW: https://lnkd.in/ev8XCkM2 #nurses #caremanager #softnursing #remotenursing #HealthcareCareer

The polar opposite. In school we are taught to heed the warning, "Nurses eat their young." In practice we are taught to celebrate the motivational statement, "I am a nurse...I can do anything for [enter parameter]." Nurses can do anything they set their mind to. #nursesonlinkedin - am I right? Shout out to y'all. We are natural innovators and are great at not only finding the workflow and process inefficiencies-but problem solving and finding solutions to them as well. We innovate, trouble shoot, and create or solve work arounds 27 times a day. I was reviewing the Ted Talk by Rebecca Love RN, MSN, FIEL, who has been gracious enough to help mentor my career journey. In her TedTalk, she discusses nurses in roles not at the bedside exclusively. I believe we are destined to fail at best practice in healthcare innovation and change if we continue to place the value of RNs at the bedside alone. We can do anything...and you can see the output from that mindset. This article places some nice food for thought. https://lnkd.in/gYzCp48t Still trying to find my correct place as an RN innovating outside of bedside medicine. #nursesonlinkedin #nursesinnovators #innovation #healthcare

Imagine having the freedom to work on your own terms. Selecting clients who resonate with your passion, and making a significant impact on lives every day. For many nurses reaching a point in their career where fulfillment becomes the driving force is a pivotal moment. It's about transforming healthcare ideas into tangible solutions, yet the path from idea to implementation can seem daunting. As #nurses , we often find ourselves at the crossroads of being overworked, underappreciated, and seeking a change. Whether you're exploring options within nursing or beyond, the transition to becoming an independent nurse consultant could be the answer. In my journey as a Consultant in Care Management (#ccm), the realization that I could be paid to solve clients' problems was transformative. It's about leveraging your expertise to identify and address profitable priorities for healthcare organizations, thereby saving or generating money while enhancing patient care. The first step towards this entrepreneurial journey is recognizing your value as a subject matter expert in your chosen specialty. As an independent nurse consultant, you embody the entrepreneur spirit, offering solutions that not only improve #healthcare outcomes but also pave the way for your professional and personal growth. If you're ready to take control of your career and make a meaningful difference, remember that your #nursing expertise is a powerful foundation for consultancy. Let's embrace this journey together, turning our knowledge into action that benefits both our clients and the broader healthcare landscape. #innovation #nurseentrepreneur

So excited to bring you part 2 of my blog with Excelerant Consulting, LLC called "How to Attract and Retain Great Nurses." I share some insights continuing around the current #workforce crisis and some stats on how this is affecting (hurting) hospitals financially, as well as some interesting things I uncovered around how to retain staff and keep them engaged and how Magnet™ certification helps drive this engagement which can lead to better #patientexperience and better #patientoutcomes. If your organization is exploring this, or struggling with #staffretention, especially in your #nursing workforce, please reach out to me for more info on how to tackle! #workforcesolutions #engagement #medtech #purchasedservices

What do you see when you close your eyes and imagine what a nurse looks like? Many people see a nurse in white scrubs at the bedside caring for an ill #patient. While this is part of the #nursing profession, we, as a whole, are so much more! What if we could change that perception and have people imagine nurses working in new settings, in laboratories testing new products and theories, running #businesses, and a million other ways to innovate solutions that improve #patientoutcomes, enhance efficiency, and elevate standards of care? Nurses are Natural Innovators! We use: ⏺ Empathy, Insight, and our close relationships with #patients to understand needs that others might overlook. ⏺ Adaptability to foster a mindset that embraces change. ⏺ Collaborative Spirit to bring together various perspectives to solve complex problems. How can we continue to encourage and foster innovation among nurses to advance the future of #nursing? Encourage nurses from the bedside to the boardroom to: ⏺ Share Their Ideas: Whether it's a new way to improve patient comfort or a workflow enhancement, ideas have the power to improve the future. ⏺ Embrace Lifelong Learning: Staying curious and open to learning new technologies or methodologies that can improve patient care. ⏺ Build a Supportive Network: Collaborating with colleagues, participating in professional forums, and seeking mentorship to refine and implement innovative ideas is a powerful way to think about old problems in new ways. Nurses are the #innovators healthcare needs today for a sustainable tomorrow! #nursesonlinkedin #healthcareonlinkedin

💡 Leadership in Healthcare: Beyond the Basics 💡 Effective leadership in healthcare goes beyond managing tasks, it's about inspiring change and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. I've learned that empathy, communication, and resilience stand out as key leadership qualities. What traits do you value most in healthcare leaders? #HealthcareLeadership #ProfessionalDevelopment #nursesonlinkedin

Why Socialization Matters in Nursing As nurses, we are always learning, adapting, and evolving. In healthcare, we face constant changes—whether it's new technology, updated protocols, or shifts in patient care models. With all of these demands, it's easy to forget the importance of how we onboard and socialize new team members into our ever-evolving environment. Socialization is more than just showing new hires the ropes; it’s about integrating them into the fabric of our teams, ensuring that they understand their role and feel confident and accepted. Strong socialization builds a foundation for success for individual nurses and the entire team. When socialization is adequate, nurses are better equipped to navigate their roles, feel more engaged, and deliver better patient care. But socialization isn’t just for new nurses. Established team members also benefit from a thoughtful approach to changing management. The Socialization Kit serves as a tool to foster role clarity, boost self-efficacy, and enhance social acceptance across the team. It provides a structured yet adaptable approach that helps everyone—from recent grads to seasoned professionals—stay aligned, connected, and confident in their work. 🗨️ Reflection: Think back to your early days in nursing. What was one key lesson you learned during your onboarding or socialization that has stayed with you throughout your career? Was it a mentor’s guidance? A shared experience with your colleagues? Or perhaps a moment when you felt truly part of the team? Sharing these stories can help remind us of the value of solid socialization and onboarding. Focusing on effective socialization improves individual performance and fosters a culture of excellence and collaboration. This, in turn, leads to better patient outcomes, higher job satisfaction, and lower turnover rates—a win for everyone involved. Let’s start the conversation: What socialization practices have you found most helpful in your nursing journey? How can we, as leaders, ensure that we’re continually fostering environments where our teams can thrive? #NursingLeadership #NursingExcellence #HealthcareInnovation #Socialization #NursingTeams #PatientCare #TeamBuilding #NurseMentorship

"Imagine yourself exactly where you want to be in five years." This is a line from one of the guided meditation and affirmation resources I use. Today, my mind wandered into a place of imagining where #nursing would be in five years if it progressed the way so many of the #nursesonlinked talk about. Here is what I came up with: 1. Nurse-led care models would be at the forefront of our #healthcare system so that holistic care would be supported through coordination, education, and # #patient advocacy. 2. Nurses would have the data they need to make data-driven decisions that contribute to evidence-based practice. 3. #APRNs would be fully utilized in their specialized areas to provide primary care, manage chronic conditions, and perform complex procedures. And #nursing would be a billing service across all care delivery systems. 4. Nurse #leaders and managers would have their place at the leadership tables to inform strategic decisions and foster a culture of respect and open communication across all healthcare professions and practice areas. 5. Technology would empower nurses by providing cutting-edge technology to streamline #worflows, improve documentation, and enhance patient education. And everyone would acknowledge that #AI and technology is not a replacement for #human nursing care. The good news is that this isn't fantasy! We are on our way to unlocking a future where the entire healthcare system thrives! What does a nurse-empowered healthcare system look like to you? #Supportnurses #healthcareonlinkedin #futureofhealthcare #imagineit

As a Band 6 nurse in a dynamic acutes dialysis unit, I often find it hard to ask my colleagues for feedback. I know I should and every leader should. But feedbavk can be brital hey! Who wants a scorecard? Not me ha ha. Today however, I needed to come up with a Good News Folder in our department. My role was simple, ask colleagues what we are doing right and where we need to improve. Everything was fresh and dandy until I asked one of the healthcare assistants (equivalent of Certified Nurse Assistants in USA) the same questions. She was happy with a lot of things but she also highlighted others she felt we could do better at. I was not planning for this to be a feedback session but she said , "...I wish all nurses would communicate like you do when one makes a mistake. Whenever any of us does something wrong, you turn it into a teaching session. I remember when you called me to show you what I thought was wrong with that machine. You did not jot castigate me for not lining it properly but you helped me troubleshoot and I have never made the same mistake again..." This "machine" incident had left my brain in all honesty. The machine she was referring to is a hemodialysis machine which she had not properly inserted the bloodlines into (we call this lining the machine) a while back. Where someone had reported her for being "incompetent," I had taken her to the machine and together we had "discovered " the problem and she had fixed it herself. My teaching style, as I have been taught by various renal bodies in the UK is no longer about "telling" people what to do but "empowering" them to discover what to do. Adult learning encourages self initiative. I employ these tactics in my day to day leadership journey. I was not expecting feedback today but I am glad I did. Sometimes I doubt myself as a nurse, as a leader but such moments help me remember that I actually might be doing something good after all! Here is to more good things ✨️ #nursesonlinkedin #nurseblogger #nurseleadership #feedback #teamwork #communicationskills #nurselife #nhs #dialysis