2024 Nursing Conference Grant Winning Essays
The questions for this year’s application cycle were as follows:
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Please describe how you will share what you learn at this conference with colleagues.
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How will you incorporate what you learn from this educational offering into your practice?
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How will this conference advance your long-term career goals (beyond the attainment of continuing education hour requirements)?
Essays were lightly edited for grammar, flow, and readability.
Patricia Mueller
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Essay 1: Knowledge will be shared at monthly staff meeting on educational sessions attended. My plan will be to take extensive notes and gather information packets and post them on each unit. I will also be writing a post conference blog and send it to all staff and relate the information to our unit. Some of the topic I will expand on during the monthly meeting education sessions. The plan will be to work with all staff that attends to get different perspectives. We do have unit bulletin boards. After the conference I will create a post conference section. Here I will post the blog, note from conference and vendor pamphlets gathered. My hope is that this will excite staff and allow us to engage in conversation on new knowledge gained. Plans will also include training sessions. This is an opportunity for staff to get hands on experience Training sessions will be held quarterly. I will present several options of knowledge learned and allow each unit a choice on which training sessions would be most helpful. I will be engaging different staff each month to assist with sessions and education talks to help build more engagement and team building. Lastly, I will set up vendor demonstrations for the unit.
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Essay 2: Attending the SGNA national conference allows me to incorporate in technology and updated best practices into our gastroenterology clinic and endoscopy center. Knowledge gained is shared through process changes and educational sessions. Many leaders attend this conference, which allows for conversation to help work through unit inefficiencies and staffing challenges. This conference 3 full days of education speakers and vendor presenting the latest technology. We get the opportunity to ask questions and find opportunities to better care for our unit. I can get contacts and submit for needs. Although practices across the nation are different much can be gained by learning how others worked through challenges. This year information gained a shared were improve process for impatient colonoscopy preps, adaptation of our nurse navigator position, assistance with putting together a grant proposal and process changes to our motility program. Other staff from each unit also attend which is great for team building and knowledge sharing with each other. I encourage new staff to attend after being on the unit for year. We do provide a very robust orientation but the more education our staff can get the better they can education and be advocates for our community. Plans for after attending 2025 conference will have each person that attends the conference, including myself will be each person present on a topic learned at our monthly staff meeting.
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Essay 3: This conference will assist in advancing with my long-term career goals by strengthening my leadership experience. I have been in a leadership role for the last six years. Through is time I have grown in my role but feel I have so much more to learn. I am very active on both units and enjoy being there for all the staff. I have attended this conference for the last 3 years and every year I feel it makes me a strong leader every time. I gained so much insight by networking with other nurse in leadership in Gastroenterology. Building a strong network involves attending professional association events, such as the National SGNA conference to pursuing additional education. Most leader attendees have several years of experience and look to all of them as mentors. It allows me opportunity for professional development. I want to strengthen my skills in effective communication, decision-making, problem solving skill and learning better ways to manage and motivating my teams. The world of Gastroenterology is always changing and being a great leader means being adaptable and open to change, this conference is a great opportunity to seek different changes and implement onto my units. As I continue in role, I am ready to take my leadership to the next level, attending this conference provides awesome opportunities in working toward my goals.
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