What happens when we try to implement a change on a large organizational level? Usually one (or all) of three things:

We’re blocked by the red tape of institutional policy; we come up against some very serious heavy-hitter hierarchical politics; we’re told “there’s just no funding for that”.

OK, the way I see it these objections create an adventurous crossroads.

We can:

Stop, doing nothing at all. Try harder, believing we will get our way if we just force it. Or take a whole new approach, finding a new route around the nay-sayers and negative nancies.

I vote for option 3.

At my own organization, when I wanted to bring Reiki to the nursing staff, my friend and I tried all sorts of things and then finally landed on the grass roots approach.

Instead of top-down decision making that stifles nursing’s progress, we empowered ourselves and our colleagues to implement some epic shifts- from the bottom-up.

So I’m hosting an event called the Art of Nursing this May during Nurse’s Week. And I’ve crafted two ways for people to join us and participate.

One way is to register as an individual nurse/nursing student. The other is for organizations to invest in the program, gifting participation to their nursing staff as a celebration of Nurse’s Week.

While I thought that the organizational option was an ingenious one; it’s not exactly working out that way.

Which is fine by me, because as I said above, I have a choice. I can forget about it, force it or flow with it. I choose flow.

I was driving home from work the other day and I got a really awesome vision. I pulled over just to do the math on my cell phone calculator.

I took the price of an organizational ticket and divided it by the price of the individual ticket and you know what I came up with?

23.33333333

HA! What does that mean? It means that if you just get a group of 24 nurses together; it would make more sense for you to join the Art of Nursing at the organizational level.

Back to my Reiki story for a moment. My friend and I had no support; we didn’t know what to do first, second or third. We just kept approaching it as a grass roots effort.

We created a networking group, holding monthly meetings for like-minded nurses to gather. We’ve created Reiki classes and Reiki shares, ways for nurses to nourish and take care of themselves. We’ve now got an email list of over 50 names; have taught 3 Reiki I classes; and have a waiting list of over 2 dozen nurses wanting to take our next course.

We didn’t know what to do but we had a vision.

We believed in ourselves and worked together. We flowed with our desires and made it happen.

If you want to join us this May for the Art of Nursing event, do you know 23 other nurses who would want to join you? Now before you start in with all of the self-imposed objections (I don’t have time; I don’t know that many people; no one would want to join me), pause.

Exhale. Let that go.

If you want something, if you want this, you can and will have it.

Be the voice of leadership, the vision of change. Think outside-the-box. Get creative.

How many nurses are on your unit? How about your sister unit that you always borrow supplies from? How about your professional organization’s local chapter?

I bet you know 23 other nurses who would join you for the Art of Nursing.

It’s going to be a really awesome event!

(I know because we started recording some of the interviews and man, I am impressed! These speakers know their stuff, have a LOT to share, and are passionate about this program).

My goal for this program is for you to be able to finally leave work feeling like you were able to do nursing work. Not the support roles’ job; not fixing the ancillary departments; not following behind the providers. Do nursing work.

Work to your degree. Instead of answering phones, running for supplies or stuffing mailboxes- actually provide safe care, quality care that you are proud of every day.

No more going home, worrying about work and losing sleep over the guilt that you feel for not being able to do your job.

Leaving work feeling joy. Leaving work feeling proud. Leaving work feeling grateful.

You are a nurse. You provide excellent care. Now let’s get back to the Art of Nursing. Let’s take back control of our practice. Let’s bring our voice to the table. Let’s feel great about what we do!

I can’t wait for you to join me. If you need help brainstorming how to find 23 nurses who will join you, feel free to contact me at support@elizabethscala.com or (410) 929-0081. I want this for you! I want to help. I am here if you have any questions at all.