May is a big month for nurses. In fact, the month of May is all about nurses. Let’s dive into community-based care (CBC) nursing news in this May CBC News Round-Up.
National Nurses Week
National Nurses Week (May 6th to May 12th) is a time to recognize and honor the vital contributions of nurses to the healthcare system and society at large. The Week highlights the dedication, compassion, and expertise that nurses bring to their profession and serves as an opportunity to acknowledge their extraordinary efforts in resident care, advocacy, and education, often under challenging conditions.
National Nurses Week also aims to inspire future generations to join this essential and rewarding field, a sentiment that is echoed here at NurseLearn.
This celebratory week is rounded out on May 12th by commemorating the birthday of a nurse who forever changed the face of nursing, Florence Nightingale.
“The Lady with the Lamp” – and so much more
Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) is often referred to as “The Lady with the Lamp”, a nickname given to her for her tireless nighttime rounds tending to wounded English soldiers during the Crimean War of the mid 1800s.
A manager and trainer of army nurses at the time, Nightingale is known for her insistence on improving hygiene and sanitation conditions on battleground medical sites and reportedly reducing mortality rates among the wounded from 42% to 2%.
Implementing seemingly small or intuitive life-saving practices, such as regular handwashing between patient care, made Nightingale a national hero. Her prioritization of sanitation and the patient health outcomes that resulted earned her an additional moniker, the founder of modern nursing.
It is thanks to Nightingale’s dedication to improving hygiene and sanitation practices, as well as being an early proponent of evidence-based and data-informed practice, that modern nursing practice is what it is today.
The nursing profession would not be what it is today–or as lifesaving as it is today–without Nightingale’s influence on shaping the standards of Western healthcare. Happy birthday Florence Nightingale!
Florence Nightingale
“Let us never consider ourselves finished nurses. We must be learning all our lives”
Nurse Recognition in Oregon
Can this month get any more nurse-centered? It surely can!
This May 2024, the Governor of Oregon declared May 6th through 12th Oregon Nurses Week.
This recognition of nurses at the state level validates the importance of the national Week and acknowledges the profound impact that nurses have in the state of Oregon.
Oregon State Board of Nursing Executive Director Rachel Prusak commented on the significance of the Oregon Nurses Week Proclamation:
“Nurses have always been the backbone of human existence. From birth to the final moments of life, a nurse is often there, providing comfort, care, and advocacy.”
LIMITED: Free Mentorship, Training, and Support for Nurses
Nurses looking for guidance in navigating community-based settings, we are here for you! NurseLearn is now accepting applications to our next cohort of the Enhanced Program.
The Enhanced Program is a free, 6-month education and training program for nurses in–or interested in–community-based care (CBC) nursing in settings like assisted living, residential care facilities, memory care, and adult foster homes.
Participants in the Program receive access to an array of CBC-specialized courses, 1:1 support and mentorship from experienced CBC nurses, insight from CBC experts and thought leaders, and access to an online community platform that brings together CBC nurses from across the state.
Enhanced Program Participant
“I’m learning things I didn’t even know I didn’t know about community nursing.”
Build your confidence and self-assuredness in your role as a CBC nurse and join the Enhanced Program. Apply today at nurselearn.com/odhs–limited spots are available!
Sunriver Adventures with LeadingAge Oregon
This month, NurseLearn participated in LeadingAge Oregon’s three-day annual conference in Sunriver, Oregon.
It was great to connect with community-based care (CBC) nurses, facility administrators, and community staff about the challenges, accomplishments, and needs in community-based and long-term care settings.
We kicked off the conference with a round of various games and challenges. NurseLearn hosted a giant community-based-care-nursing themed crossword puzzle (or, CrossLearn NurseWord, as we called it) for lovers of daily crosswords.
The catch? Teams could only type in their answers using their non-dominant hand (it’s harder than it sounds, okay?!).
Community-based care staff gather around the NurseLearn table to unscramble community-based care clues.
Want to try your hand at our CBC-themed crossword? Play here.
Want to try your hand at our CBC-themed crossword? Play here.
And, in true NurseLearn fashion, we could not have attended this trade show without hosting yet another an epic game. At a previous conference, attendees gave their all at our mini golf game. This time around, it was indoor darts’ time to shine.
While we believe in the power of fun, at its core, NurseLearn is all about critical education. On the final day of the conference, NurseLearn’s CEO, Cynthia McDaniel, took the stage to deliver a presentation on how to conduct a root cause analysis.
What does survey look for when they are checking a facility’s root cause analysis? How do you develop an analysis that properly identifies the changes that need to be made in order to prevent future incidents? These are the sorts of questions Cynthia addressed in the presentation.
This presentation is one more example of Cynthia’s continuing effort to empower the community-based care sector with critical knowledge and information.
It is exactly that spirit of community education that birthed NurseLearn in the first place–a desire to help community nurses feel confident in their roles by empowering them with the knowledge and skills to thrive.
The NurseLearn team rounded out the conference taking in the beautiful scenery and landscape of Sunriver.
Thank you to LeadingAge Oregon for hosting an incredible opportunity for members of the community-based care sector to connect with each other. That connection is so important.
And, for those who weren’t there, we hope to see you next year!
OSBN & OCN Nursing Wellness Webinar
On Thursday, May 30th, the Oregon State Board of Nursing and the Oregon Center for Nursing hosted a public webinar on nurse wellbeing and mental health.
They invited nurses to attend to explore the real struggles of nursing professionals in the face of mental health challenges and substance use disorders and discover resources available to support the mental health of Oregon nurses.
Be sure to follow the Oregon Center for Nursing on social media and register to their weekly Friday Nurse Huddles (open to all Oregon nurses) to stay up to date with future workforce events.