New to Twitter? Join me for a practice chat with @ONSGKCC Feb 23!

A big reason I love social media is because the channels are a perfect opportunity to leverage awareness of all the innovative and creative work being done by people in my tribe.

I especially enjoy leveraging the brand of fellow #Nursepreneurs, #MakerNurses and Nurse Bloggers.  It’s why I created a weekly newsletter #NurseBlogLove.  It goes out every Friday and showcases posts from fellow Nurses. You can sign up in the box just to the right of this post.

I would love to share your news, product, blog, or story, too!  Just shoot me an email to let me know what cool things you are up to.

Join Me on Twitter Tuesday, Feb 23!

I am very excited to be leading a ‘Teach A Nurse To Tweet’ skills session with members of the Greater Kansas City Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society on Feb 23.

created by @KandidlyKatie

We will be flexing our social media muscles in a practice chat session. If you’ve never participated in a Twitter chat, this is your chance! It will be a fun, informal chance to practice with a friendly group….and make new friends!

We’ll start at 7 pm Central, and the hashtag is #onsgkcc.

If you don’t have a Twitter account yet- check out my post Teach A Nurse To Tweet, you’ll find some quick pointers to get you set up in no time!

If you want to learn more about Twitter chats, my friends at Buffer have a marrvy guide on Twitter chats. You’ll want to check it out!

New to Twitter? Want to practice chat? Join @ONSGKCC & @thesocialnurse 2-23 at 7pm. #onsgkcc

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I’ll be posting a cool graphic on Twitter about the chat, so make sure to follow me at either @thesocialnurse or @cbushrn. (Shout out to my amazing DIL Katie Bush AKA @KandidlyKatie for the graphic.  She’s the creative brains behind all of the marrvy graphics you see here. #SheRocks)

If you or your group are interested in a Twitter skills session too, just email….or give me a call at (316-789-4304).

Hope to ‘see’ you Tuesday!

8 Reasons Nurses Need a LinkedIn Profile

Why is  LinkedIn so important to nurses? Because, dear friends, relationships lead to success!
No matter how technical the world gets, opportunities still happen through people.   As my Dad always told me, “It’s not always what you know, its who you know.”
We have so many ways to stay in touch with people we would have never connected with 20 or even 10 years ago. A robust online network via LinkedIn can connect us with others who can promote our research or healthcare projects and consumers who can buy our products or services.

I’m online a lot, but am very picky about where I spend my time. I have a marrvy 3 year old granddaughter to play with! I am a business owner that loves what I do and could be online all the time. I love my community and could volunteer in many areas. I am blessed with many options and with those options come decisions.

No matter how technical the world gets, opportunities still happen through people

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In my opinion, for online connection and professional branding, LinkedIn is near the top. It is a great place to find and be found.

I tell all my colleagues and clients if they are not on LinkedIn, they need to be and now. I often work with early to advanced career nurses who are establishing their professional brand or in a career transition.  I coach them to get started and begin a profile today! I am happy to work with them & fine tune that profile. I give the same advice to nurse researchers or entrepreneurs….or really anyone who provides a product or service.  And what product is more important than Brand You?!

Ready?  Let’s explore the 8 reasons I believe nurses should have a presence on LinkedIn.

 

1. Dig your well before you’re thirsty.

I remember reading Harvey Mackay’s book back in the early days of my career.  Mackay suggests in the book, “Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty”  that you should always have options lined up in the event that things don’t work out. Let’s face it, the healthcare climate is always changing. Different practice environments and models of care may favor those with an unusual element to their background. The evolution of the healthcare environment may force you to change what you do. Think about your skill sets and what you’ve accomplished – how does that define you? LinkedIn is a good place to showcase that part of you.

2. LinkedIn is one element of your digital footprint that you control.

Too many healthcare folks are not concerned with their professional digital footprint. That is, the record of stuff that appears when you conduct a vanity search on Google or Bing. In fact, it’s been suggested that Google has replaced the CV. When I search myself I find interviews  long  forgotten that never made my CV. And unlike other searchable sources, the information on LinkedIn is in your control. Think about LinkedIn as home plate for your personal brand. If you don’t think of yourself as a personal brand, perhaps you should. LinkedIn will force the issue for you.

LinkedIn is one element of your digital footprint that you control. @thesocialnurse #NurseBlogLove

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3. It’s a place to park your CV.

Even if you’re not planning to go anywhere, hospital administrators, colleagues and other members of your world should have a place to go to learn a little bit about you. Even if you’re not a career climber, others need to see what you’ve done, where you’ve been, or what you’re into. If you don’t maintain any kind of digital property (blog, Twitter feed), think of LinkedIn as your professional anchor online.

4. Remember, it’s a tool, not a game.

While there are some who look to amass as many connections as possible….I use it as a place to collect and track the relationships I’ve developed or want to develop further. I want to be able to point to everyone in my network and tell you how I have engaged with them. If a person randomly wants to connect with me and we have not worked together, met at a meeting, served on a panel together or connected in a meaningful way in the social space, I probably won’t reciprocate. It’s just how I use LinkedIn.

Nurses: Think of LinkedIn as your professional anchor online. @thesocialnurse #nurseup

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5. Keep up with your professional world.

As the numbers of people in your real network grow, LinkedIn provides a great way to keep tabs on career moves. Social channels give us the opportunity to grow our network of connections, meet new people, and reconnect with past associates. Because LinkedIn is targeted to professionals, it is the perfect opportunity to make online connections that can extend your network of peers and colleagues. By connecting with those you have worked with, you can keep up to date on the latest industry information posted by others, keep in touch with peers who could send you referrals, and position yourself as a prime contact in your industry.

Consider LinkedIn “home plate” for your personal brand. @thesocialnurse #NurseBlogLove

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6. Are You Credible?

It is fair to say that nowadays no credible job seeker can afford to be without a decent LinkedIn profile. A good LinkedIn profile adds credibility to your professional reputation, whereas a poor LinkedIn profile can mean that a recruiter, or possible new business contact, overlooks you, in turn for somebody who stands out more.

7. Sharing Your Expertise

As a health care professional, your expert reputation is extremely important. With a LinkedIn profile you can put your expertise on display. Profiles are designed to resemble resumes, so you can highlight your entire educational and professional background, including any training, certifications, industry memberships, or awards you have received.

Joining LinkedIn Groups is also an avenue to share and obtain information. Groups provide a forum to share information, tips, and news with groups of professionals who have similar specialties and interests. Joining and actively participating in these groups is an excellent way to contribute your knowledge and learn from others.

8. Give & Get Recommendations!

In the world of social media—and in the world in general— there is sometimes a lingering sense of doubt as to whether people really are who they say they are and if they are reputable and professional. Recommendations on your LinkedIn profile not only add proof to your credentials and social identity but can speak volumes about your reputation.

Don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations from those you have worked with. In the world of LinkedIn, this is not considered a schmarmy practice.  

And don’t forget leave recommendations for others! Not only is it courteous; it places your name and a link to your page on other users’ profiles, extending your visibility.

There you have it, eight quick reasons to use LinkedIn as a reputation building or job attraction tool. Make it a regular practice to get on LinkedIn at least once a week for 15-30 minutes. Stay active and continue to build your network. You will be glad you put in the time.   Now….Head on over to LinkedIn and let’s get connected!


Learn More online!

Get Social Health, a social media consultancy, podcast and training company for healthcare and The Social Nurse are excited to partner in offering:

Social Media Training Courses for The Social Nurse as part of the Get Social Health Academy, an online learning platform.  Specifically designed for healthcare, the courses provide training and education about the use of social media in healthcare. The courses are written and produced by Janet Kennedy, host of the Get Social Podcast.

Get Social Health Academy courses cover a wide variety of topics including HIPAA and Social Media Policies, Online Reputation Management, Facebook for Healthcare Practices and Staff Training among others.

LinkedIn for Healthcare Professionals

Reputation management starts with a solid LinkedIn profile. Our online course gives you a section by section guide to maximizing your presence on the number one online business network.

Full Price: $97        The Social Nurse Discount Price: $77  

(To Register - Just click on the image below!)

LinkedIn for HCP

#NurseBlogLove : Nurse Blog Carnival Top 10 in 2015

This was a big year for me.

It’s the year I FINALLY decided to launch my blog.  It’s the year I decided to truly invest myself in my love of writing and creating.  It’s the year I began a journey to discover how I can weave my talents for connecting, coaching, writing and curating into a business paradigm.

Nurse Blog Carnival

Before I launched The Social Nurse this fall, I spent the last 4 years learning, reading, watching, following and connecting via Twitter with some truly marrvy nurse bloggers.  Today, I am excited and humbled to be joining a truly stellar group of nurse bloggers in  The Nurse Blog Carnival organized by Brittney Wilson at The Nerdy Nurse.  Something not even on my radar 4 years ago!

What the Heck is a Blog Carnival?

A blog carnival is a series of blog posts hosted on different, related blogs which “… contain links to other articles covering a specific topic. Most blog carnivals are hosted by a rotating list of frequent contributors to the carnival, and serve to both generate new posts by contributors and highlight new bloggers posting matter in that subject area.” (thanks to The Nerdy Nurse for the marrvy description)

This month, our host is Beth Hawkes (aka Nurse Beth) at nursecode.com and the topic is “Top 10 Posts for 2015”.  I hope you take the time to check out the most popular posts by some of the top nurse bloggers!  Feel free to show some #NurseBlogLove and leave a comment or share via social media while you are at it!

Here are the Top Posts for 2015 from The Social Nurse  -

Positively Deviant Nurses…..Why Not?

This post shares the concept of Positive Deviance in nursing practice and how important it is for members of ‘the most trusted profession’ to think outside of the box and advocate for positive change.  You will want to take a moment and check out a few of the comments to the post.  I was happy to see I am not alone in my willingness to question the status quo!

Patient Voices: What Matters Most

One of the reasons I love Twitter is the fact I am able to participate in chats led by patients and advocates.  These are vibrant communities which give me access to patient voices from around the globe.  This post describes key takeaways from a cancer chat called #Ctalk and how employing evidence-based tools to collect patient reported outcomes can help us learn what matters most to patients and co-design a care plan to meet those needs.

Today’s Nurse and the 5 C’s of Social Media Success

Nurses are reporting a re-invigoration, an increased sense of pride and a feeling of empowerment by connecting with each other via social media channels. We share stories, observations and are having credible debate. Let’s share information that’s meaningful, and use social platforms to build networks, develop relationships and share ideas!

Get Your Hashtag On!

The hashtag is the butt of many jokes and can be one of the most complex features of Twitter for new users to understand. In this post I shared a few tips for locating & using healthcare hashtags.  Plus, a really cool infographic highlighting some hashtag history.

Teach A Nurse To Tweet

When nursing colleagues contact me and say, “Please teach me about social media!”…I often start with Twitter.  This post hits the basics and will help you get started in a jiffy!  You will want to read the post to learn about my favorite resource for locating healthcare hashtags, chats and conferences, too!

Brand You: 3 Tips to Jumpstart Your Professional Brand Now!

Take it from ‘MulletMom’:  Branding is not just for products!  Branding helps define who you are, how you are great, and why you should be sought out. In this post, I share 3 ways you can get started with your Brand You efforts.  (Note-  I first wrote a version of this as a guest blogger in 2012….it holds even more importance now than ever before!)

4 Ways You Can Build a Personal Learning Network on Twitter

I am passionate about helping nurses advance their clinical practice by learning how to master digital tools.  I want nurses to discover tools which have the potential to exponentially change the way they think and feel about their career and their clinical practice!  When I speak to individual nurses, teams and associations…I still hear a lot of expressions of reluctance and fear regarding social media and its relevance in daily nursing practice.  I wrote this post to help nurses understand that Twitter is a credible and extremely valuable resource for professional development…and not just about ‘what we had for lunch’.  A version of this post first appeared in the print version of Oncology Nursing News in December 2015…and I am making a lot of new friends as a result!

Where’s Your Happy Place?

Everyone experiences times when they feel overwhelmed. Over extended. Over it all. And, when times are tough, we all need a little boost.  In this short post, I share why my garden is my “Happy Place”and how it brings me back to feeling centered.

Yes….that’s 8, not 10. Hey, I’m new at this…a girl’s gotta start somewhere, right?  😀

 


This post was written as part of the Nurse Blog Carnival.

More posts on this topic can be found at http://nursecode.com. If you are interested in participating find out more details and sign up.

Want an example of the type of posts included in the carnival? Head on over to The Nerdy Nurse and check out this list of previously written blog posts for the carnival and scheduled topics and bloggers.

Positively Deviant Nurses - Why Not?

Pretty sure my mom would say my questioning the status quo started at a very young age . . .”If I said the moon was white, you would say it was black…just to be different.” I recall feeling frustrated when my kindergarten teacher did not want me to ‘color outside the lines.’

Why not?

positive_ladybirds__0In high school, when all the girls in my class took Home Ec, I signed up for the guy stuff: agriculture, drafting, and woodworking. Pretty sure the fact I was the only girl in a class full of guys had something to do with it, also.

Why not?

My first “big girl” job out of college, part of my work as ‘Communications Director’ for the HR department was to write and edit the monthly HR magazine. Big title. No autonomy.

One section was dedicated to employees celebrating milestone anniversaries. The mag design was from the 50s and the “stories” were BORING. My boss did not want me to discover and report the cool facts which made these folks awesome and unique. He demanded I send them a boring questionnaire and use only those responses to create the stories. It was completely embarrassing and the joke of the company.

It made me cringe.

I followed his paradigm for 6 months and repeatedly made my case for bringing the little magazine into the New Age. His response? “We have done it this way for 30 years. We are not going to change.” Sound familiar?

Then one day, I decided to change it anyway. I figured what was the worst thing that could happen? I would get fired. In my 22-year-old mind, that was no big deal… I could always find another job.

Why not?

The result? He was mad. REALLY mad. Red-Face-Cigar-Smoke-Blowing-Mad.

Remember, folks, this was the 80s…every smoker lit up at work.

Thankfully, the company president and my fellow employees loved it. I did not get fired. In fact, as a result, my position was moved under the marketing and publications department, and I became a member of the communications team, where I had a super awesome mentor.

Looking back to the HR job in 1984 . . . that experience was when I first learned that questioning the status quo can create career opportunities and add value to an organization.

Over the course of my career, I have learned that not a lot of people question the status quo. I learned I am not afraid to question and am able to bring value to any organization or project I am a part of, as a result. Thankfully, because of that early mentor’s subsequent coaching, I also learned how to be “Positively Deviant,” without getting fired.

What is positive deviance and how does it apply to nursing? @thesocialnurse

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What is positive deviance and how does it apply to nursing?

Positive deviance is bending or tweaking rules or guidelines in the interest of improving patient care. I found a great article by Jodie Gary PhD, RN in the American Journal of Nursing. Through her work, Gary developed a nice operational definition:

“Positive deviance is intentional and honorable behavior that departs or differs from an established norm; contains elements of innovation, creativity, adaptability, or a combination thereof; and involves risk for the nurse.”

According to Gary, the concept can offer nurses a basis for decision-making when the normal, expected actions collide with a nurse’s view of the right thing to do.

I believe all nurses are innovators and scientists. By the very foundation of the nursing process, we are trained in quality improvement. We are the original “Real Time Gap Analysis” people. Our industry is in the midst of disruption. Your idea just might be the solution.

Why Not?

When you hear others tell you why you can’t do something, remember that other people have no idea what you are capable of. They are basing your ideas on their experiences, capabilities, and viewpoints of the world.

They have no idea how you think, what you can do, and what you believe.

If you listen to these naysayers, cracks will appear and begin to shatter your dreams away. My solution for negating this crazy thinking? State my dreams and desires, then follow it up with a simple . . . Why not?

Sometimes my “why not” has fallen into a massive failure. But, this is life. No one is perfect. Everyone fails somewhere. My focus then becomes turning the failures into lessons and moving forward.

That’s why when someone tells me they have an idea to change a process, or reinvent themselves in their career, my response is always: “Sounds great! “

It’s not my place to tell them they can’t. It’s my place to help them believe that anything is possible.

Why Not?