Speaker: Cecelia Fernan, Associate Professor, Nevada State University
What new learning strategies & resources have you implemented to prepare nurses with stronger skills in leadership, well-being, & self-care?
Cecelia Fernan: I incorporated an emotional intelligence exercise into my class following a discussion and conflict resolution and negotiation at work. But before taking an emotion, the emotional Intelligence online survey, students were asked to watch a video on why emotional intelligence is essential. Students then reflect on the results of their survey and create a minute plan of action and what they can do to build their resilience and prevent burnout as nurse leaders. They are then to write in their reflective journal and how they can improve their emotional intelligence and what leadership behavior and skills have they learned from the exercise. Later in the semester before it ends, students were asked to develop their personalized self-care plans where they can include self-care activities that can be incorporated in their daily and weekly routines.
What AACN Essentials competencies are you preparing nurses with these new learning strategies?
Cecelia Fernan: With the students doing their emotional intelligence online survey and then creating a mini plan of action to improve their emotional intelligence skills, and also designing their personalized self-care plan, students were developing their AACN Essentials domains 10.1a: demonstrate healthy self-care behaviors that promote wellness and resiliency, 10.2a: engage in guided and spontaneous reflection of one's practice, and 10.3f: modify one's own leadership behaviors based on guided self reflection.
What have been the greatest successes or surprises you have had during the implementation of these new learning strategies?
Cecelia Fernan: Students were excited to know their emotional intelligence course and they demonstrated an eagerness to reflect on what strategies and practices they could do to improve their emotional intelligence. And because they already created a mini plan of a action in class, their reflective journal entries and their personalized self-care plans were detailed in with in depth explanations of why certain practices and activities were needed.
What partnerships or collaborations are your nursing school leveraging to extend & sustain the integration of your school’s new curriculum?
Cecelia Fernan: The emotional Intelligence survey that the students use for this exercise was actually a free emotional intelligence survey online. As of now, we don't have a budget for emotional intelligence survey. And so hopefully in the future, we would have one.
How do you envision these new skills and competencies benefiting nurses entering professional practice and the healthcare system as a whole?
Cecelia Fernan: As student nurses, they are already aware of the importance of emotional intelligence and consistent self-care to relate and understand others and as well as to manage their stress better. They are practicing consistent self-care that they acquired as students in this class. These are important skills to enhance their resilience as nurses in the future. As nurse leaders, they have demonstrated a commitment to providing nurses with working environments that promote self-care practices.
