What is your point of view on the nursing continuing education that
you provide? Many educators view their continuing education
offerings as a necessary part of their jobs – it's important to do,
but not important enough to obsess about. So we have an inservice
that is thrown together with the expectation that if people will just
pay attention they might get something out of it. The idea of
putting on an inservice that is exciting and compels your nurses to
change their practice is rarely considered. Your point of view about
your educational offerings can make the difference between a boring
presentation and an empowering experience.

In other words, what is the experience you want your nurses to have?
Starbucks changed the entire experience of drinking coffee. Gulping
down a cup of coffee from the local 7Eleven just doesn't cut it
anymore. Starbucks opened our eyes to variety, and brought us back
to a simpler time when people would slow down and chat over a cup of
java. This is all about design, Starbucks carefully planned the
experience that they want you to have when you enter their store. It
is no accident that there is a fire burning in the fireplace on cold
winter mornings.

Design at the very basic level is about what you stand for. If you
stand for empowering your nurses to become extraordinary, then your
educational offerings should reflect that. Everything is important;
from the font you use on written materials to the tone of your voice
during a presentation. Like the fireplace at Starbucks, you will
send a message. Neglecting design will also send a message. Have
you ever walking into a store that is filthy? How did you feel about
it? Did you want to hang around and enjoy the atmosphere?

Design is your trademark, it is your expression of the experience you
want your nurses to have. Don't let it go unnoticed, unappreciated,
or dismissed entirely. Design tells your nurses whether you care
about them and to what extent you are willing to help them to become
extraordinary. Take some time this week to appreciate design. It is
all around you. Notice what design features you like and which ones
are distracting, uncomfortable, or distasteful. Think about your
design and consider what you could do differently; because if you pay
close attention to design you will be able to empower your nurses to
become extraordinary!

Best wishes,

David W. Woodruff, MSN, RN-BC, CNS, CEN
President, Ed4Nurses, Inc.
www.Ed4Nurses.com
www.dwoodruff.com