Unscripted Week 2 (April 13-26)

Unscripted: Because living life they way someone else wants you too just isn't cool.

Accomplishments:

• Received mentoring from veteran nurse bloggers re: my blog, guest hosting, and monetizing blog. Can we say grow, growing, growing pains :)
•  Spoke with friends who have graciously agreed to help me with editing. Thank you girls!
• Attended One Spark with hubby and met a lot of great entrepreneurs such as: Nubian Falls Farm and JaxFLonline.com, It's Your Turn! Turning Timer, and many more. Very cool that this  started in my hometown and the first two ladies I've known since high school:)
• Promoted Blog and Upcoming Book: What They Didn't Teach You or I In Nursing School: Lessons Learned Beyond the Classroom. Thanks for helping me with marketing The Associates Consortium,LLC team! ( My Families company and  it was defiantly a family promoting affair at the event, thanks family!)
•  Continued Planning Nurses Week Celebration being held May 6-12,2013.
•  Decided to focus more on quality of post vs.quantity/holding myself to a rigid posting schedule each week.   
• Today Typing Manuscript  for Upcoming Book: What They Didn't Teach You or I In Nursing School: Lessons Learned Beyond the Classroom.

Take Care
~Raqui

Raqui Thursdays: Renewing After Tragedy

This week I wish I had something profound to say but I don't.  I will say last week was very reflective for this blog audience and myself as the tragedies in Boston, Texas, and globally unfolded.

It seems every week there are tragedies and it is really disheartening . That's why I started New Beginnings; because even in our own lives as husbands, wives, daughters, parents, sisters, bothers, medical professionals, and caregivers we regularly experience personal tragedies. So what do we do?

I don't have the answers. For some when life gets crazy , myself included,  we turn more to our spiritual  side,  I find myself  drawing closer to HIM by digging deeper in the bible, praying, mediating, and in fellowship with other believers. For others it may included talking with family, friends, or just going to the pool. I have done these too! There really is no right answer but two things are certain tragedy and having to deal with them.

However you choose to deal with tragedy choose something. You're worth it! What will you do this Thursday to renew?

Take Care
~Raqui

Alternative Nursing Career: Nurse Coaching

Keith Carlson, RN, BSN, CPC

April,2013

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As the profession of coaching continues to develop and expand, many organizations and individuals are sharing their definition of what it means to be a coach in the 21^st-century. Additionally, various organizations are jockeying for position as the certifying bodies for a plethora of established and emerging coaching specialties.

The Emergence of The Nurse Coach
 

Within the world of coaching, the role of the “nurse coach” has gained traction among nurses, health care leaders, and organizations within the nursing profession. Although what it means to be a nurse coach is a notion still up for debate, many nurses have already embraced coaching as a career path, or they have added coaching skills as another tool in their professional toolbox.

The International Coaching Federation (ICF), a leader in the coaching field, defines coaching as “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”

The ICF definition hints that coaching is a partnership, and it indeed can involve a very creative process in which the coach assists clients in identifying goals, setting goals, and then examining the process by which these goals are met, not met, or refined. Unlike psychotherapy or counseling, coaches do not focus on pathology, diagnosis or treatment, but rather steer the conversation towards a goal-oriented process of self-discovery and personal change. That said, well-meaning coaches will refer clients with major mental illness or acute psychological conditions to qualified professionals for appropriate treatment.

The Nurse Coach Role

In the course of their education, training and professional experience, nurses inherently learn to use coaching techniques to empower patients towards decisions that maximize self-care and wellness. Nurses may use motivational interviewing and other techniques to assist patients in identifying their areas of challenge and develop strategies for change. Likewise, the nurse coach uses motivational techniques and skills to empower clients to set healthy and life-supporting personal and professional goals.

According to the American Holistic Nurse Credentialing Center (AHNCC), “the nurse coach role is defined as a skilled, purposeful, results-oriented, and structured relationship-centered interaction with clients provided by Registered Nurses in any setting or specialty area of practice for the purpose of promoting achievement of client goals. The Nurse Coach role integrates a holistic perspective and acknowledges that individual change begins from within before it can be manifested and sustained externally. The Nurse Coach role has roots in Florence Nightingale’s legacy, nursing history and theories, and the social sciences.”

Certification

Some nurses pursue certification as coaches through a variety of organizations that offer certification and training, including but not limited to life coaching, health and wellness coaching, spiritual coaching, group coaching, and career coaching.

Since coaching is not a profession requiring licensing or certification at this time, any individual with or without proper training can offer services as a coach. Consumers of coaching are advised to assess a prospective coach’s credentials and level of training, although some untrained coaches may indeed have personal experience and expertise gleaned through non-traditional avenues of study.

Coaching Continues to Grow
 
With the ever-increasing cost of healthcare, certain healthcare organizations (including insurance companies and hospitals) are hiring nurses to serve as wellness coaches for clients and patients. Coaching within the mainstream medical system is seen as a potential low-cost method for containing the cost of care, and organizations and insurance companies are realizing that nurses in particular are suited to such a role.

Meanwhile, many nurses—myself included—have sought certification and training as coaches through various organizations and certifying bodies (or not) and begun entrepreneurial ventures as professional coaches. As the field expands and the number of nurse coaches multiplies, specific trainings and certifications may be factors that distinguish one nurse coach from another, as well as the target market or client niche that individual coaches pursue.

There is no mistaking the fact that coaching has become part of the culture, and coaches are now offering a very wide variety of services and specialties. There is also no doubt that nurses have seen the writing on the wall and are jumping on the coaching bandwagon with great fervor and interest.

The coaching profession may not be for everyone, but many of us nurses are finding coaching to be a viable means to creating a stream of income apart from working within the mainstream healthcare system, while others are using coaching within that system itself.

Coaching will continue to grow, and nurses will certainly continue to explore the ways in which nursing and coaching intersect. And there is no doubt in my mind that the value of coaching for individuals, organizations and society as a whole will only continue to accelerate and expand in the years to come.

Keith Carlson, RN, BSN, CPC has been a nurse since 1996. He is the well-known blogger behind the award-winning nursing blog, Digital Doorway, and is the founder of Nurse Keith Coaching and NurseKeith.com. Keith is an editorial contributor for Working Nurse Magazine and LPNtoBSNonline.org, and has been a featured author in several non-fiction nursing books by Kaplan Publishing. Keith is the co-host and co-founder of RN.FM Radio, the newest Internet radio station devoted to the nursing profession. His passion as a coach is helping nurses find balance and satisfaction in their personal and professional lives by preventing burnout and
fostering optimal health and well-being.

Unscripted Week 1 (April 6-12)

A week or so ago I discovered LeaRae Keyes nursing entrepreneurship 365 blog project in which she  daily post what she is doing to grow her business.  I have already found her other venues an invaluable resource.

Anyways, I decided to try my own version. Write (yes I meant to do this) now as you have seen and or heard about I’m working on a book for nurses 0 to 5 years in their career entitled: What They Didn’t Teach You or I in Nursing School: Lessons Learned Outside the Classroom. This book gives ten practical lessons I wish I would have learned before I crossed the graduation stage but that I am glad to have learned sooner rather than later.  

While I’m not planning to post what I’m doing every day,I will post a recap of what I did weekly to further the goals of publishing my book, increasing my blogger audience, and creating passive income. These blog post will be entitled unscripted as I seem to have a knack for following my own star.

Accomplishments:

·         Reconnected with alumni community and sent follow up emails.

·         Confirmed conference call regarding monetizing blog with another successful nursing blog

·         Spoke with IT professional about online brand consistency with face to face meeting this weekend

·         Encouraged another author by reading and providing feedback for a current project

·         Established a goal for myself to post a Nurse Life Lesson, Rauqi Thursday, and Unscripted weekly

Placing this online for all you to see keeps me accountable and more likely to follow through, there is something about others knowing your goal that strengthens your resolve to succeed. What unscripted actions will you take this week? I would love to hear from you…sometimes I feel like I’m talking to myself but I know you are listening J

~Raqui

 

Thanks!

I just want to take a moment to say Thank you. To whom may you ask?  YOU!!!!Thank you for all the visitors of this site.  Your support does not go unnoticed and I especially want to thank
our friends outside the US. It is wonderful to see the message of Hope, Encouragement, and New Beginnings are reaching places I have never been. Germany, Russia, The United Kingdom (Is it you Princess Kate:) , South Korea, France, Turkey, Belgium, Japan, and Canada! Thank you Thank you Thank you! I truly appreciate it.  God is truly awesome! I pray that New Beginnings travels all around the world and back again. I also pray I get to meet some of you online via your comments, through email at raquiwardrn@gmail.com, or maybe in person. You all make it worth it!!

Update 4/25/13

Welcome Finland, Ireland, Mexico, Poland, and India! Thank you all so much for visiting us. Hope to see you again real soon. Hope this blog inspires you.

Update 12/21/13
I just want to again want to  express my sincere gratitude to my international fam. I really appreciate your visiting me and it does not go unnoticed. Recently we had visitors from Saudi Arabia!

Take Care,

~Raqui

Alternative Nursing Career: Nurse Entrepreneurship

By LeaRae Keyes, BSN, RN, PHN, CCM

There has never been a better time for a nurse to become a nurse entrepreneur than right now. Nurses are able to sell their services and expertise in ways that didn't seem possible in the past. Some of the businesses that nurses are creating include: legal nurse consulting, case management, wellness coach, life care planner, patient advocate, sexual assault nursing, and inventor. These titles are only a few of the businesses that nurses are creating. The opportunities are only limited by the nurse’s imagination, his/her ability to identify an eager target market, and the nurse’s ability to sell to this eager market.

Many nurses want to be in their own business but just don’t know how to get started. At www.nurse-entrepreneur-network.com you can get a free downloadable “Checklist For Starting Your Nurse Entrepreneur Business” by signing up for the free weekly tips. If you decide you don’t want to receive the tips it is an easy process to remove yourself from this list. For those of you who might like a brief overview I will list a few of the steps that are important when you start your own business. These steps are as follows:

·         Decide on a product or service

·         Determine your business model (how you will make money with your endeavor)

·         Identity an eager target market

·         Verify that your target market will in fact buy your product or service

·         Confirm at what price points your target market will purchase your product or service

·         Establish a legal structure for your nurse entrepreneur business

·         Register your name for your nurse entrepreneur business

·         Obtain a tax identification number

·         Create your nurse entrepreneur business plan

·         Develop your nurse entrepreneur marketing plan

·         Determine your criteria for hiring and using the services of the following professionals:

o   Accountant

o   Attorney

o   Banker

o   Insurance Agent

o   Coach

·         Evaluate how you will finance your nurse entrepreneur start up

·         Create your web presence

·         Now it’s time to begin selling your product or service!

Don’t let fear keep you from getting started. Every day you delay starting your nurse entrepreneur business is an opportunity lost.

If you want even more ideas on starting your nurse entrepreneur business check out the Nurse Entrepreneur Network at www.nurse-entrepreneur-network.com. You can sign up for free weekly tips. If you choose to become a member of the website, I am sure that you will find lots of useful information including the 12 month sample marketing plans. Wishing you success as you pursue your best alternative to traditional nursing!

Submitted by LeaRae Keyes, BSN, RN, PHN, CCM who is the Executive Director of the Nurse Entrepreneur Network, a subscription website for nurses in business or nurses who want to be in their own business.  Ms. Keyes provides coaching and information for nurses and nurse entrepreneurs. Check out her nurse entrepreneurship blog at http://nurseentrepreneur.wordpress.com/

With over 25 years of experience in sales, marketing, product development, intrapreneuring, and entrepreneuring she helps budding entrepreneurs start, develop, and grow their businesses. If you would like more information about the Nurse Entrepreneur Network or the services offered by LeaRae Keyes visit http://www.nurse-entrepreneur-network.com

                                                                                 

Resurrecting Your Nursing Career

 By: Tina Lanciault RN

Are you feeling burnout, exhausted, overwhelmed or just don’t care about yourself or your patients?

Yes, unfortunately these feelings do exist at some point in a nurse’s career path.

Some nurses choose to get out of the professional all together and others stay in these unsatisfying jobs that leave them drained at the end of the day with nothing to give to themselves or their loved ones.

So what can nurses do? How can you resurrect your nursing career, reignite that feeling of excitement and ready for whatever the day had to offer? Remember your first nursing job, how motivated you were and couldn’t wait to get out there and help people.

It’s time to get those feeling back!

But knowing what direction to take in your nursing career can be challenging. There’s no chart or blueprint that maps it out for you. Only you can put the pieces together because every nurse will be different in what she has to offer.

So here are 3 tips for figuring this out.

First - Get very clear on what you have to offer. This means what are your skills, personality traits, your expertise, interests, knowledge and experiences. These all play a role in the kind of nursing job you should be choosing for yourself.

Second – Be aware of what you need from you work. This is where your personality traits, your values and interests come in. Don’t take a job that puts you into a work environment you really don’t want to be in. This is a sure way to burnout quickly.

Third – Learn as much as you can about your nursing career options. There are so many opportunities now for nurses that there should be no reason for any nurse to leave the profession. If you love technology and working with software programs then nursing informatics is for you. Or maybe you want to get into marketing and sales; you could work for a pharmaceutical company or medical equipment company.  Maybe you have an idea for a product or service that is needed in your area and you want to start a business, go for it! Becoming a nurse entrepreneur is one of the fastest growing career choices for nurses today.

Take some time, sit down and write out what you want out of your nursing career and include your personal life values into the big picture. What would be your ideal nursing job?

I believe once you get started brainstorming ideas for your nursing career you’ll become excited again, which is a great way to resurrect your joy of being a nurse.

Tina Lanciault RN helps other nurses find their niche in nursing by sharing her experiences, resources and insights about alternative nursing careers. Learn what opportunities are available to you at any stage of your nursing career @ http://differenttypesofnursing.com