Happy Holidays To All!

To my beloved readers,

I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your encouragement, readership, comments and obvious passion for the best in nursing and healthcare. It's my joy to continue to bring Digital Doorway to you as its eighth anniversary approaches in January of 2013!

Meanwhile, my coaching practice at Nurse Keith Coaching will be marching into its second exciting year, and I'm thrilled to be developing new programs and initiatives that will deliver even more benefits to nurses seeking self-renewal and enhanced wellness.

As I take a blogging break until the New Year dawns, please feel free to read my most recent newsletter for my year-end wrap-up.

Thank you for being here, thanks for returning time and again, and please come back and visit me in 2013!

With gratitude,

Nurse Keith

Of Tragedy, Courage, Compassion and Love

America has been in the grip of grief and shock since news of the senseless and violent massacre in Newtown, Connecticut. The loss of so many innocent children is difficult to comprehend, and we mourn with those who are bereft of their loved ones.

Hang in There, Nurses--The Tsunami is Coming!

Many new nurses and nursing students are voicing a great deal of concern over the lack of positions and competitive salaries in the current job market. While this may be disconcerting to some, I encourage all nurses to hang in there as we wait for the economy to rebound and the "Silver Tsunami" to reach its peak.

Nursing and Social Media

Social media is central to many of our lives in this most technologically oriented century, and nurses are no exception. Nurses' use of social media has boomed, and the benefits of this explosion are still being measured.

25 Outstanding Medical Blogs By Nurses

I am honored and humbled that Digital Doorway has been chosen by KwikMed.org as one of 25 outstanding medical blogs by nurses.

Coaching For the Future of Nursing

Sometimes, when I tell people that I'm a coach who coaches nurses, they ask me why nurses need coaching in the first place. I tell them that nurses are the backbone of the healthcare industry, and that healthy, happy nurses are the key to successful outcomes and happy patients! Nurses are key to the delivery of care, so it serves to maintain a healthy nursing workforce that can withstand the stress of nursing and the demands of the profession.

Book Review: "Last Acts of Kindness"

Judith Redwing Keysarr is the Director of Palliative and End of Life Care of Jewish Family and Children’s Services of the San Fransisco Bay Area. Her book, “Last Acts of Kindness: Lessons for the Living From the Bedsides of the Dying” was recognized as the American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year in 2011. Ms. Keysarr will appear as our guest onRN.FM Radio on Monday, November 26th, 2012. (As always, I received no compensation for this book review.) 

A Nurse Mensch Is Something to Be

According to the annual poll by Gallup, nurses are the most trusted professionals in the United States, and those of us who love nurses understand why. We're the backbone of the healthcare system, and we interface with consumers more than any other members of the healthcare team. But when it comes to being the best we can be, the notion of being a "nurse mensch" is one worth exploring.

Magnet Hospital Study Says So Much

A recent study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing shows a dramatically lower mortality rate and better patient outcomes at Magnet hospitals. The authors concluded that these results are largely due to "measured nursing characteristics". It's yet another feather in nurses' (non-existent) caps.

Book Review: "The Comfort Garden: Tales From the Trauma Unit"

Once in a while, a book comes along that makes one look long and hard at one's own relationship with work, the role of the caregiver, and the ways in which caring for others can take a toll on one's own personal and professional life. Laurie Barkin's "The Comfort Garden: Tales From the Trauma Unit" is a heartbreaking, inspiring and deeply thoughtful book that has done just that for me--and so much more.

Nurses Know the Score

Recently, a study funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (and recently published in the journal Research in Nursing and Health) demonstrates very clearly that nurses are excellent judges of the quality of care delivered in the facilities where they are employed. In fact, the study concludes that nurses' honesty and keen perception of what actually goes on in their workplaces could (and perhaps should, I would add) be a source of useful information regarding patient outcomes, quality of care, and other important factors.

A Grieving Ode to Tina

With the recent loss of my 17-year-old dog just under a week ago, I am, of course, quite conscious of the issues of loss and grief once again. Whether it's human loss or the loss of a beloved pet, the pain can run deep as we ride the waves that grief delivers to our doorstep.

Patients and Self-Advocacy

Several recent studies have brought to light some disturbing issues regarding patients, medical providers, and the relationships between them. These studies underscore the importance of positive relationships between patients and providers, and how important it is that healthcare consumers feel empowered to advocate for themselves.

Martine Ehrenclou and "The Take-Charge Patient"

Martine Ehrenclou is a well-known and talented writer whose books "Critical Conditions" and "The Take-Charge Patient" have received well-deserved attention and praise. I have been happy to become acquainted with Martine through our connections on social media, and I'm happy to provide this review of "The Take-Charge Patient", published by Lemon Grove Press in 2012. As always, I received no compensation for this post other than a review copy of the author's book.

Nursing: More Than Meets The Eye

Many of my online endeavors put me in contact with a growing number of nurses, and what strikes me most is that nurses are an incredibly diverse, passionate, talented and interesting group of people. I'm honored to be a nurse, and find the profession simply blossoming with richness and diversity.

August Greetings From Nurse Keith

The August newsletter from Nurse Keith Coaching is now available online for those who would like the latest Nurse Keith news. Please click here to read the online version, and feel free to sign up for my mailing list at NurseKeith.com. Thank you!

RN.FM Radio Continues to Grow!

For those of you who have been following the evolution of RN.FM Radio--our Internet radio station focused on nursing, nurses and nurse entrepreneurs--we continue to grow and expand the scope of the show concurrent with our growth as hosts and producers.

The Consequences of Nurse Burnout

So, my friends, the votes are in and the verdict is clear. Nurse burnout has real consequences and a ripple effect that is far-reaching and pervasive. Now that we clearly know that the impact is real, just what will we do about it?

Work-Life Balance and You

I'm honored to be this week's featured guest blogger on the Georgetown University School of Nursing blog, and I'd like to take this opportunity to share the link to the post as well as some excerpts from the post itself. The subject is work-life balance for nurses, and many of you may relate to this common challenge faced by nurses and healthcare professionals.

Book Review: "Minding the Bedside"

Jerome Stone, a Registered Nurse, researcher, author and practitioner of meditation, has shared his vision of the intersection of nursing, meditation and mindfulness in his excellent book, "Minding the Bedside: Nursing From the Heart of the Awakened Mind". The following is a review posted in advance of his appearance on RN.FM Radio.

Of Doctors, Humility and Humanity

Just recently, someone I know entered medical school with great hopes, expectations and vision for a future in medicine, and what I'm hearing about his initial experiences brings me great joy and hope. 

Of Tragedy, Heroism and Recovery

In the wake of the recent mass shooting in Aurora, Colorado, our hearts indeed go out to the victims, their families and loved ones, and the many people impacted by this horrific and inexplicably nefarious event. When senseless terror such as this is visited on innocent citizens, it is a shocking reminder of the ways in which violence can tear open the heart of a community—and a nation—in a matter of moments. 

Nurse Self Care: The Secret Ingredient

In my coaching practice, I talk to so many nurses who seem to burn out and hate their work when they don't put their own needs first. Nurses appear to have an ingrained sense that they must subjugate their own needs to the needs of their patients and loved ones. This is a belief and a practice that must change in order to prevent burnout and increase work-life balance and satisfaction.

Digital Doorway Wins Accolades

Once in a while, Digital Doorway wins attention and praise that brings me professional pride coupled with humility. This month, Digital Doorway has received such attention from three separate organizations, and I'd like to share those with you, my readers.

Nurses' Occupational Health

This week, Laura Wenger of Practice Greenhealth and The Healthier Hospitals Initiative stated on RN.FM Radio that nurses have the highest rate of occupational asthma in the United States. I was taken aback by this simple statement, and have been thinking about this statistic ever since.