Paper Gator: National Magnet Conference

NATIONAL MAGNET CONFERENCE 2010

We arrived in Phoenix to find we are staying at The Buttes Resort. This is a picture about 6:00 am from the dining area at breakfast. It was an awesome sunrise.

Beth Koon and I submitted a poster under the category of Structural Empowerment. Now if you know me I never want to do anything unless I can win or at least give it every bit of energy even if it causes a near death experience .....well we wanted to do this awesome poster that would appeal to all 5 senses ---we had it all planned out- nothing ever works the way you plan does it???????we could not get sound cards that would hold our caring
messages, then the cost of all that chocolate for the attendees, getting the singing bowl to Phoenix---- it was all sooooo complicated. We just regrouped and decided to scale back and keep it simple -----Guess what----------
WE WON!

We got in late to Phoenix so Beth and I had to go very early to the convention center the next morning in order to register our poster and get it hung for presentation. We were not due back at our poster until 1PM. We were aware there were awards for the posters but did not have any idea when these would be given only that they would be announced in the conference the next day. Beth arrived before me so she was first to see the winning ribbon on the poster when she came to our 1pm poster session. When I walked up Sally Raiden our Magnet Coordinator was ready with her camera waiting for my reaction when I saw the ribbon. You can see it first hand here. Sorry no one had their cell phone video on. I run with a low tech crew.(Sorry gang)Maybe someone will get a Flip video for Christmas.(Hint for Robert) The other picture is the announcement of the poster awards that was made during the conference. Who knows maybe next year I will be chosen to do an actual presentation. A poster at Magnet this year-- Speaking at ENA Leadership in Portland in Feb.2011- Magnet in Baltimore sounds possible.

Now for icing on the cake. JEAN WATSON COMES TO VIEW THE POSTER.
Jean and Maryjo Schreiber (CNO at Winter Haven Hospital)have been friends for years and we have been using Jean's Caring Theory
for about 20 years and we are one of Jean's Caritas Hospitals. MaryJo has the pleasure of hosting the International Caring Consortium for Jean next Spring. Jean is AWESOME! There is no other way to describe her. Our poster used all her Caritas factors to drive our customer service and empower our staff through a customer service team made up of staff, management and board members.

DAISY
Another great thing about the Magnet Conference is I get to see Bonnie Barnes and
her wonderful family. They have a great foundation that allows us to recognize excellence in nursing. I coordinate this great award at our facility and it is one of the most meaningful things in my life.
This is something that I can't explain but from the minute I heard about it I knew I had to be part of it and share it. It is something that when I tell these stories or talk about this special award-it makes me so proud to be a nurse.IT IS JUST THAT SPECIAL> and so is Bonnie.
Meet her once and you will feel the same way. This family has done a wonderful thing for nursing.

Here is some of the group on the last day right before Jean's closing address.
Debi-AVP Critical Care Services, Ruthie- ARNP Critical Care, Mary Jo- CNO, Sally- Magnet Coord, Beth- Q.I. Analyst-my poster co-presentor, Karen-RN Ortho and our Shared Governance Leader, and ME AVP-Emergency Services.

Next picture
Karen, Tracy-Unit Manager of our Nursery We went to a reception at the Sheraton downtown.
Great roof top views.

JEAN WATSON