happynurses

valuing staff

An item in the Nursing Standard last week stated that doctors have 40 times more money invested in their post-qualification training than nurses....40 TIMES!!!

Then I go to work and find an email saying that all non-mandatory training for nurses is suspended.......and they wonder why nurses are demoralised. Our measly one-fortieth of the doctors' training budget is cut to nil, except those training days we have to do to remain safe practitioners.

How do they expect innovative, educated nurses to stay in this environment? With many nurses now graduates, and with some very transferable skills, they could be looking at mass exodus...who knows? Most nurses still want to be nurses, but they want to feel valued and have some kind of career progression, and to be treated the same as medical staff.

Start to point out these discrepancies! Be assertive, happynurses.

inspirational nurses

This week's edition of the Nursing Standard contains lots of inspiring stories of nurses who are doing a variety of projects to make lives better for their patients and colleagues.

Nurses have helped to reduce the waiting times for diagnoses, improved health promotion, worked abroad in the developing world, set up new systems to improve patient care and standards, and are thinking of and implementing innovative and simple solutions to challenges.

Aren't nurses great?!

Buy it, read it and feel proud to be a nurses, happynurses!

Re-birth

Here is my lovely Auntie on her 70th birthday a few weeks ago. Who would have thought it? My Mum was also 70 last year and it got me thinking...how would I like my life to be at that age?

Easter and Spring are times of re-birth and new starts, so this is a great season to look at this question for yourself. Take some time this week, and write a vision of how you want  your life to be at 70.

What would you love to have done in your life? What memories would you want to be in your photo album? What do you need to do NOW to get to that point?

What would you like to be looking back on, and forward to, at 70, happynurses?

Contact me for coaching if you need some help deciding, are drawing a blank, or just don't know where to start.......

surprises....

It just goes to show - you never know what's round the corner....

I went to another 4networking business breakfast meeting today, and was thinking of not renewing my membership after the 2 month trial as I have met everyone I think I need for the next stage, and then today I got some great leads for potential projects/ talks/ workshops etc.

It is easy to assume things from the outcomes of the past without giving each new experience a chance.

What are you making assumptions about? What or who have you 'given up' on that would benefit from a second chance, happynurses?

Human voices

I spent this weekend at a singing workshop in Dorset, with Tonalis, which might be your idea of a horrible way to spend your time!

However I really had a wonderful few days. I stayed with an old buddy and her family, and did some more business networking as well as singing so 'twas a good mix of business and pleasure! I felt relaxed, cared for and looked after, as well as musically inspired.

We sang all sorts of songs from around the world - all acapella with between 4 and 7 parts. We also had a chance to play some Japanese-inspired instruments and really experience many totally different types of singing and music.

It reminded me how musical I am and how much I enjoy singing and making and listening to music, so I am going to make it far more important in my life.

What do you love to do that you want to make more important in YOUR life, happynurses?

The continuing story.......

So, the membership site is still not working and therefore not 'live'......aaaarrrggghh!

We are still waiting for the US tech guys to sort out the glitch in the paypal system.

However I am not letting it get me down, and am cracking on with the next stage of the happynurses story.

I have been meeting some great people and have had 1:1 meetings with individuals who can help me to organise, fund and grow the happynurses vision. I am looking at getting some form of grant to get me to the next stage of growth, then I can get more funds to get staff, happynurses HQ and really get coaching and nursing together big time!

I have had 10 new sign-ups in 2 days thanks to an article in Practice Nursing, and the first 'happydays' at Chapel Spa are ready to go too.

Sign up to get all the latest info, happynurses!

Gratitude part 3!

Here is another gratitude list - when you have read and enjoyed it, do your own and keep going until you have writers/typists cramp!

• The sun is shining and the park looks beautiful
• My bedroom is newly decorated and looks wonderful
• I have a sewing machine to make some cushion covers and try to adapt a window blind
• My flatmate Liz is the perfect lodger - fun, caring, thoughtful and she bought me a Take That calender yesterday for the princely sum of 5p!
• I have found someone to organise my accounts and bookkeeping and also to formulate my ideas and vision into a structured plan
• I have the radio on and the music is great
• I have a delicious apple to crunch on
• I live near town so will pop in later to get some thread to make the cushion covers
• I have submitted my e-book to the US nurses site and the Nursing Standard for review
• I have had some great feedback on it so far
• I have some exciting ideas to do with happynurses
• I have taken control of my health and been to see my GP about some issues
• I have access to the Internet to help me to communicate, find info and make decisions
• My Mum and I had a nice morning for Mother's day and visited a wonderful craft centre in the Forest of Dean, Taurus Crafts
• I bought some lovely chilli and lime dark choc there.......yum
• I have some delicious tea bags so a spoilt for choice when it comes to cuppa tea time
• I am off to Dorset next week to network, gossip, stay in an old castle and go to a singing weekend with one of my best buddies
• I have clean drinking water
• We are still in one piece despite 2 earthquakes
• The leaseholder is actually getting some of the jobs done in my block - newly painted door today
• I have heard from one of my clients to plan our next session
• My website is nearly ready - just a glitch to sort out
• The happynurses membership site looks wonderful and fun and colourful
• This blog is connecting every time I try it at present
• I can now send my newsletter out as tiscali have sorted the access problem
• I have a great movie to watch later
• I am going to speak to loads of my friends and family this weekend and have a good catch-up
• I have a photo and article going into Nursing Standard in the next 2 weeks with an outline of my career to date and a communication case study
• This will expose me to 73 000 nurses
• My sister met a nurse who was fed up this week, so another referral....
• This afternoon I am planning my amazing life from here to the next phase
• It's Friday!
• I am doing a reading at one of my buddies weddings (Matt)
• I am off to Austria this month, all being well health-wise, for a relationship seminar
• I am still looking for a man and posted a question on a business forum as a 'dare'!
• I have a bit of a crush on Peter Jones (I had a dream.....)
• I have just found his own website too....mmmm!
• I have a bit of a crush on all of Take That and can now immerse myself thanks to my new calender!
• I heard about a woman in the US doing coaching from a camper van which lit the spark for me again.....must look into sponsorship for the next tour.....
• I have been de-cluttering and feel fresh and airy now, with some more stuff to give to charity/ recycle
• I have the option to earn loads helping nurses with their finances via a new scheme
• I have lots of friends and family supporting me
• I have a great coach, Amy who is really helping me
• I love this blog, and when it is attached to the happynurses site I hope lots of nurses will enjoy reading it

That's about all, but my head is still constructing items, I just won't bore you with any more!

Do your own gratitude list, happynurses!

Action days!

Hello and welcome to the action-packed happynurses blog update.

I have felt rather frustrated this week, as due to technical glitches the website is still not ready for release and I am getting really fed up with waiting. I have also had some tests for some health issues and feel I am just waiting for others to help me/ tell me what is happening/ get things working.

One of the best ways I find for me to deal with this is to allow myself to feel miserable for a bit (one day max). No alcohol or any artificial ways to 'cope'. Feel those grumpy feelings! Then I need a PLAN. There are things I can't do anything about, and things I can, so those are what I am focussing on.

I had an evening of watching a movie with one of my fave actors - Gael Garcia Bernal - and making notes of all the odd jobs and tasks I could get done today to move my life and business forward so today is an ACTION DAY!!

I got up early, and sorted out my bedroom as I have redecorated and am now only putting the things back that I really want, none of the clutter. I have moved the furniture around and it is like having a new room - it looks much more spacious and is more colourful, light and creative. I painted it in 'natural calico' and purple with neutral, white and pink accessories. It looks lush! '

I am now looking at all my business and marketing plans so that I have a clear plan of action once the site is ready to go.

The e-book is all done and has been submitted to the Nursing Standard for book review, with a request from one of the editors for an article to go with it. I have asked a US nurses' website if they want to offer it to their 230,000 members for an affiliate payment on each book sold, and am looking at getting a publishing deal via a friend for a hard-copy workbook.

I still have a huge list of things to do today, and will let you know how I got on!

What would you put on a list for your 'Action day', happynurses?