Page 4 • <strong>Rhode</strong> <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Nurse</strong> <strong>August</strong>, September, October <strong>2022</strong> I am a Nursing Conference Junkie Leigh Hubbard, MS, RN President, ANA-RI I remember my Nursing Research course in my Bachelor’s program at UMass Dartmouth. It was a mandatory course within the curriculum, but I remember thinking, this is silly – I want to care for people, not do research! I tucked the info from that course into a corner of my brain and got to work. For the first few years I busied myself with getting into the practice of nursing, refining my assessment skills, trying not to do harm, learning how to be a good colleague, and teaching those coming on after me. As I became more comfortable with the basics, I felt a tug toward improving the systems and workplaces that I was a part of. I remember thinking, what would happen if we changed this a bit, or refined this process, or asked nurses about this scenario? There was a desire to learn what other similar institutions were doing – how were they handling staffing deficits and medication errors? How were they coping with the unexpected death of a patient? How were other institutions reducing post-surgical complications or admission rates? I began using my institution’s library (Because back then there was an actual place where nursing journals were sitting on shelves) and looking for information. It was in the front and back of those journals I discovered invitations to attend conferences. Then I remembered my research class. I attended my first conference in Boston in 2008. It was an adolescent health conference, with a track in sexual health, which was the area of nursing I was practicing at that time. I paid a few hundred dollars, requested the time off of work, and took the train from Providence to Boston. I heard incredible speakers and met incredible people. I learned of alternative ways to ask questions in a way that carried less judgment and would help put my youthful patients at ease. I learned about assessment tools I hadn’t seen before, and I learned of up-and-coming technology and medications that were going to be emerging in the near future. It was an injection East Bay Community Action Program (EBCAP) is seeking experienced Registered <strong>Nurse</strong>s, <strong>Nurse</strong> Practitioners, and Physician Assistants to join our agency at various locations. All positions are offering sign-on bonuses of up to $2,500 for select positions! We are seeking highly professional and motivated individuals who enjoy working with clients in a community health setting. Come join our expanding dynamic multidisciplinary team and provide comprehensive patient care using a care team model. To learn more about career opportunities, visit www.ebcap.org/careers or email careers@ebcap.org. For Full Time Employees Working 30 – 40 hours per week, EBCAP provides a comprehensive compensation and benefits package that includes heavily subsidized medical and dental insurance plans (BCBSRI), supplemental vision insurance, voluntary medical and dependent care flexible spending accounts, up to 3% company matching 403(b) retirement plan, employer-paid life insurance & long term disability, generous paid time off that includes vacation/holidays/personal days/sick time, mileage reimbursement, tuition reimbursement, opportunities for center-paid training/CEUs, employee assistance programs, and more! EBCAP is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer committed to providing a diverse work environment. of professionalism, innovation, and inspiration. As my nursing career evolved, I sought out conferences and ways to physically connect with others instead of just reading a paper and doing a continuing education quiz. When I met my mentor, the Director of one of my programs, they shared this tidbit: “Submit abstracts. You have things that you are doing that other institutions should know about. And don’t submit alone – always include a colleague. We never do anything alone in nursing.” I thought, no… everyone knows this stuff. Everyone is doing this. What I’m doing isn’t special. And also, Writing an abstract is hard! What if it gets rejected? Ultimately, she encouraged me to submit a 250 word abstract about our program’s successful perioperative transfusion reduction initiative. I logged onto the website, followed the instructions, wrote our story, found a few trusted colleagues to edit and then incorporated their feedback. I hit the ‘submit’ button and waited two months. I remember receiving the email informing me that our abstract was accepted! I was so excited and also validated in the work we were doing for our patients – now we would be able to share with others and potentially positively impact care on a larger scale! My institution offered a professional development benefit, so had I attended, the conference would have been paid for but the hotel and flight would have been on me, and I would have had to take PTO to attend. Because I had an accepted abstract, however, my institution was willing to pay for the conference, hotel, and flight. I was sold. With this conference I not only got a dose of innovation and inspiration but I also had the financial support of my institution. I was tasked with being an ambassador for our organization and presenting this great information, but I wasn’t left to do this on my own. I received help organizing my presentation, working on timing, and considering and preparing for questions the audience may ask. The conference itself was thrilling, as was presenting to a group of supportive peers. I now submit abstracts regularly. Some don’t get accepted and some do. Some are related to outcomes and data, and others are related to nursing collaboration with other disciplines, or how to manage angry patients, or care for people who use drugs. More recently I worked with a systems designer and researcher and submitted an abstract to the Design Research Society International conference. It was an entirely different experience attending a conference as one of the only healthcare professionals in a huge room with creatives and designers, many of whom were designing tech, systems, and policy for healthcare. I met people who worked for the United Nations, aiming to reduce antibiotic resistance in rural India in females with urinary symptoms, people designing adaptive equipment Founded in 1971, CODAC is RI’s oldest and largest non-profit, outpatient provider of treatment for Opioid Use Disorder. With 7 community-based locations, as well as 3 correctional facilities, CODAC is well-positioned to deliver services wherever they are needed across the state. CODAC is Hiring for Medication <strong>Nurse</strong>s (LPNs) We are looking for dedicated nurses who are looking to make a difference in a patient’s life. Our medication nurses are responsible for dosing patients who are struggling with opioid addiction, as well as providing support and guidance as they journey to recovery. We offer a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits and a generous time off package. Hours are 5am to 2pm, Monday -Friday, and occasional weekends. Flexibility to float between sites is required. Applicants must have a valid RI Nursing license and be fully vaccinated against Covid-19. Check us out at: www.codacinc.org Interested candidates can contact Jessica Perry at 401-461-5056 or jperry@codacinc.org for people who had suffered a stroke, people designing for wellness and aiming to end stigma surrounding mental health disorders through a redesign of algorithms associated with stock imagery. Fascinating! I have never been to a conference that I felt wasn’t worth going to, and the network of people that I have met have come in handy long after the closing keynote speaker. From those relationships, I have hosted nurses from other hospitals who want to see what we are doing, and I have visited hospitals and spoken with nurses who have extended the offer. I’ve emailed simple questions and received examples of policies that I’ve used when developing new programs or researching alternative ways of doing. I’ve connected my colleagues with my connections and fostered interstate institutional collaborations. This, to me, is how great ideas are spread, when we remove the silo and have opportunities to connect and learn outside of our usual four walls. If you say to yourself, “I don’t have time, and I don’t have anything to add….,” it’s likely not true, but that’s okay – just attend. Attend a regional conference and use that professional development stipend which is a benefit likely offered by your employer. Or think about the things you do, the workarounds or the gaps in care or practice that you have solved. Talk with your manager or nurse educator about what it would take to measure the effects of an action or to write up the improvement. You may think, “I don’t know what conference to attend…” If you subscribe to a journal, seek out their annual conference or check the ANA website for upcoming conferences. Google it! Specialty organizations usually have, at minimum, annual offerings, but many have local or regional miniconferences that may be available. If you think, “I can’t take the time off…” when planned for (and many of these are scheduled up to a year in advance), it’s easier to request the time, and if you let your manager know how your attendance will improve your practice or the practice on your unit, then they are likely to work to support you if possible. If you are scared to go alone, know that nurses are pretty good at talking to people and making others feel welcomed. By getting slightly outside of your comfort zone, by stretching, you will grow. Through this personal growth, learning, and networking, we find common ground, solutions to problems, and return to our daily work professionally revitalized. ** Have you been to a conference you found particularly exciting/valuable? We would love to hear from you ! Use THIS LINK and in the Subject: “Conference Junkie” Happy Conferencing! Leigh Hubbard’s nursing work includes Managing a LGBTQ and sexual health clinic, surgical services, program development and management, regulatory readiness, and ambulatory care and management. She has worked in surgical intensive care, neurosurgery, oncology, and women’s health. She finds great joy in smoothing transitions within healthcare through process improvement and helping to guide RNs and other healthcare staff members through unsure, challenging circumstances. She feels that “professional growth spurts” abound when a person or team innovate and find connection. Leigh Hubbard is also the President of the American <strong>Nurse</strong>s Association in <strong>Rhode</strong> <strong>Island</strong> and the Strategic Design Fellow at RISD Center for Complexity. She is a founding member of Mainstay RI, a small think tank dedicated to opioid overdose care redesign. She is an active member of Grace Episcopal Church in Downtown Providence, where she sings soprano in the choir with her two children.
<strong>August</strong>, September, October <strong>2022</strong> <strong>Rhode</strong> <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Nurse</strong> • Page 5 ANA-RI Annual Meeting Summary
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