Bloom where you are Planted, Nurse Coach!

Congratulations!  You’ve dedicated yourself, your time and your passion to successfully complete your Nurse Coach certification program.  Perhaps you’ve even taken it a step further and passed the American Holistic Nurse Credentialing Corporation’s (AHNCC) Nurse Coach board certification.

NC-BC/HWNC-BC LOOKS SO GOOD ON YOU!

You’ve been practicing Nurse Coach skills on your family, friends, colleagues and you feel REALLY great about your decision to pursue health and wellness coaching as a Nurse, and are excited to see the positive shifts in the people you’ve partnered with!  You are gaining confidence and are ready to take the next step in your professional career. Now what do you do?

YOU KNOW NURSE COACHING WILL HELP PEOPLE

You know Nurse Coaching will help people realize the power they have over their health, and have been dreaming about owning your own Nurse Coaching practice.  A colleague has taken the first steps to open her business, but you are not in a position to quit your well-paying Nursing job… yet.

You have a mortgage to pay, a daughter starting college next year, and your spouse had his hours cut at work.  You are the bread winner, and cannot afford to quit your well-established, well paying clinical position.  Plus, your seniority allows you to pick your schedule and paid time off.  So, what do you do?

BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED NURSE COACH!

You bloom where you are planted Nurse Coach!

What does this phrase even mean?  It means, learn to find gratitude where you are now, and thrive despite the challenges you face.

Easier said than done?

Perhaps, but what if you could learn to support your soul in your present practice while still aligning with your Nurse Coach vision, no matter where you work?

Here are some tips to help you Bloom wherever you are planted, so you thrive, no matter the circumstances.

YOU ARE ENOUGH

Believe that you are enough! Theodore Roosevelt said, “Comparison is the thief of joy”.  Sometimes comparison can lead to wishing one has something one doesn’t have. You may perceive another has more opportunity, more schooling, more money, better looks, a happier life and on and on… You may even craft a story that your life is less than.  NOT TRUE!

You are a work in progress (all of us are!).  Every day, you strive to do your best, you work hard, you care for patients and your family, and yourself.  You are amazing and deserve only the best. You are enough.

USE YOUR NURSE COACH EXPERTISE WHERE YOU WORK.

No matter what roof you are under, use your Nurse Coach expertise where you work. You are an expert! Many Nurse Coaches use their expertise at the bedside, providing laser coaching or Brief Actions Plans with patients. No matter the setting, you transform lives.

I bet you’ve been using Nurse Coach techniques on your family, friends and co-workers too! It’s become part of your being and it needs to be shared and expressed!

IF YOU DON’T LIKE SOMETHING, CHANGE IT.

Maya Angelou said, “If you don’t like something, change it.  If you can’t change it, change your attitude about it”.

Have you worked with a co-worker who constantly complains?  It is hard.  Under that attitude it’s easy to feel heavy, overwhelmed and overworked as your positive energy is sucked from your spirit.

Have you worked with a positive co-worker?  It is easy.  With a positive outlook, tasks are simpler to complete, communication flows, and work is fun!

Which attitude do you share?

A wise colleague courageously reminds others, “Complaining is not conversation”. Use complaining energy to focus on crafting solutions, or at minimum find something fun or inspiring to focus on instead.

GET CONNECTED

Get connected! You deserve to be listened to and heard and belong to a group of fellow Nurse Coaches! Stay connected to other Nurse Coaches doing similar work.  Join a Facebook Group filled with Nurse Coaches like, Nurse Coach Connection, join a Mastermind of inspiring Nurse Coaches, attend a Healing Circle, reach out to a friend via phone, send an email expressing gratitude for a colleague’s work. What other things could you try to stay connected with your heart?

USE SIMPLE MOMENTS OF SKILL TO INFUSE HOPE INTO YOUR PATIENTS.

Use simple moments of skill to infuse hope into your patients.  For example, hanging an IV antibiotic.  Instead of just hanging a bag of medicine, consider what else you can infuse alongside that medicine.  While you’re hanging the bag, breathe deeply and focus your intention on the healing properties of the drug and what it could mean to your patient.  Alongside amoxicillin, perhaps it’s hope and patience, alongside clindamycin, perhaps it’s love and healing, or alongside levofloxacin, perhaps it is energy and peace.

Notice how you feel when you bring the power of presence to what you do.

CONNECT WITH YOUR CHIEF NURSE EXECUTIVE

Connect with your Chief Nurse Executive to explain Nurse Coaching.  Go to this meeting with a plan of action. Share how Nurse Coaching could be used to benefit your organization.  Do you work with stressed out colleagues close to burn out that need your help? Is there a cardiac outpatient clinic that wants to improve their patient satisfaction scores?  How about calming anxiously waiting Emergency Department patients and families? Could you offer mentorship to new Nurse graduates? What inspires you to share your obvious gifts with your organization? Go do that.

OFFER NURSE COACHING ON YOUR UNIT

Offer Nurse Coaching on your unit. Facilitate staff lunch and learns on your favorite topics.  Everyone loves health and wellness topics that benefit them; like, Mindfulness Practices, Eating for Energy, or Self-Care on the Go!  Lead awareness practices at staff meetings.  Offer one to one brief Nurse Coaching sessions. Start a Healing Circle to support colleagues in grief.

BE A SELF-CARE ROLE MODEL

Be a self-care role model!  Everyone can use a role model for things they want and need to do!  Use self-care examples to positively influence your co-workers, like deep breathing, treating your self like a Health Champion, or owning your voice.

When someone sees you taking a break and owning your own care- they will take notice!  Talk to colleagues during breaks about self-care strategies they could try with you- like deep breathing, a body scan, or a quick walk outside together.

WRITE FOR A JOURNAL OR A BLOG

Your heart and voice needs to be expressed! Articulate in written word through a journal article or a blog.  Share your story.

What called you to become a Nurse Coach?  How have you seen patients transform through your deep listening and presence?  Why do you feel Nurse Coaching will reshape healthcare?  How will you use Nurse Coaching at your place of practice?

All of your ideas, and getting them into the Universe for others to witness will allow you bloom where you are- and spread the Nurse Coaching word. Click here for an example of two ICU Nurse Coaches who partnered to write an article for American Nurses Association Beginning’s magazine.

USE #NURSECOACH ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Yes! Social media is important for spreading the work of Nurse Coaching.  Use #nursecoach and share the work of Nurse Coaching on social media.

When I began Nurse Coaching in 2013, no one used the noun “Nurse Coach”, so I began using the hashtag #nursecoach, as a means to get the term recognized. I recall thinking, “…if I don’t use it, who will??” In the beginning, I was the only one using it.  Now- it’s an actual hashtag category on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook- follow it- you’ll see!

YOU HAVE INFLUENCE

Amazing Nurse Coach, you have influence over how, when and where you use your Nurse Coach expertise.  It is up to you to share your incredibly powerful voice.  Use it to bring awareness to the work you (and we) do and the influence you have.  If you stay silent, no one will hear and people will miss out on your authentic love, passion, ability and healing. And people need you, now more than ever!

MANY WAYS TO BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED, NURSE COACH!

There are many, many ways to Bloom Where You are Planted… I’ve covered,

• You are enough

• Use your Nurse Coach expertise where you work

• If you don’t like something, change it

• Get connected

• Use simple moments of skill to infuse hope into your patients

• Connect with your Chief Nurse Executive

• Offer Nurse Coaching on your unit

• Write for a journal or a blog

• Be a self-care role model

• Use #nursecoach on Social Media

• You have influence

If you are stuck, let me help you get unstuck! Send me an email so I can help, sometimes one conversation is all you need to get you blooming in your best direction.

You are loved,

xo Nicole