“Nurses aren’t martyrs. We are compassionate problem-solving scientists who take care of our communities.”
Taofiki GS
I caught that from a Tweet, and it went on…
“Martyr mentality does not help our patients nor advance the nursing profession…”
Wise words there.
The 21st-century innovative culture is founded on the solid foundations of community.
A network of individuals who are walking the same path as you are, facing similar challenges, and ready to commit to an identical cause.
In this modern world, we believe more in the laboratory filled with people thinking towards the same or similar directions. The innovative journey is not a solo one, it’s a journey for the whole pack. A together adventure.
“Innovation is creativity, imagination & original thinking.”
Innovative communities should be made up of men and women who know what it takes to make a difference.
They are people willing to grow, sacrifice, and connect. In their passion, you can sense the sincerity, the desire to contribute their own quota to the advancement of the human species.
I know that you may have your own idea of what innovation is or should be. But for me, I see innovation beyond the world of business, entrepreneurship, and recognition.
A lot of us run into the world of innovation and discovery because we want to be recognized. This is a good desire, but it is temporal and shallow.
There should be something deeper than you just seeking recognition. Something eternal, a permanent longing from the very depth of your soul to punch a permanent dent into the hard surface of time itself.
I write about innovation, nursing innovation to be more precise, and it is my utmost desire that this art of mine, inspires more nurses all over the world to enter the innovative race, with one desire in their hearts; the hunger to do more…
To do more in their respective duty posts; either as clinical nurses, or digital nurses, or research nurses or nurses who have found their way into the higher echelons of political communities – in government, and the legislature or even in space or on Mars – wherever they find themselves, to let them know that there is always more they can or should be doing.
We should be thinking innovation, until the day that we drop dead until our mortal bodies expire, then, until then can we say we stop thinking, for it now rests on the works that we have left behind to continue to preach our legacy to those who come across them here in the confines of time.
On Nursing Innovation
We will hardly bring you definitions in this article, or statistics or research or anything similar, (I would have loved to) all you will encounter here are the musings in my heart.
I will strive to inspire you, to squeeze out the innovative juice resting dormant on the inside.
When I interact with my colleagues, either at work, in the clinical areas, or online, through the various platforms that I am a member of and the few ones that I lead, I am always presented with a particular feeling.
I can’t help but notice that many nurses have the desire to do more, but a lot of things keep pulling them back.
“Something eternal, a permanent longing from the very depth of your soul to punch a permanent dent into the hard surface of time itself.”
Many feel that they have nothing to offer.
They think that the world of innovation is preserved for a selected group of geniuses, who are a ready-made intelligent breed of professionals.
Innovation to them is hard work, it’s not their business. They want to remain in their corner, where they can enjoy the results of the intellectual struggles of other professionals in the healthcare community.
But it should not be so. I always say this in my articles/essays/blog posts, that Nurses are the closest to the patients, and this proximity, allows them to detect areas where improvements can and should be made, and these opportunities are channels where the tool of innovation can be used, it has almost become a sort of cliche peculiar to me and my writing, especially when I write about nursing innovation.
You are expected to do more, and not stand aside, dying a spectator.
They should watch you, as you take the stage to show the world what you can do with all that compassion, intelligence, and energy stored in your heart.
We need more nursing communities that are dedicated to advocating for the development of an innovative culture among nurses.
You can’t do it all alone. You are not batman, even batman now joins the justice league.
You need the cocoon of community, wrapped around your ideas. Like an incubator, designed to nurture your ideas as it takes shape inside your heart.
We have a lot of ideas around us today that will not survive the stress, simply because these ideas were exposed to the world too soon.
A good idea that is not immersed in the nutrient of community will find it difficult to survive out there, because it’s tough out here, really tough.
Do You Love The Background?
Are we designed to remain the humble servant of the healthcare community? Working and toiling, they only hear our footsteps, but no one hears our voices? The invincible connecting chain of every healthcare community, but no one seems to be able to understand what we really do.
They see what we do, but they can’t understand, because others pride on our efforts, that’s the truth. It’s a team, but our own struggles are not recognized, not given the degree of recognition that befits it.
Do we love the background? No, we don’t. We are the ones who have decided to remain there because we are not confident of what we are or what we can do!
Some say that we shouldn’t make a lot of noise – let’s just get the work done and be over with it.
This kind of mentality does not survive long in the heart of a true innovator. Because they are like fire that can not be hidden, their impact must be felt. What is an idea if it dies with you? Hidden in your tomb, as you rot away, six feet below the ground.
Better a rejected idea, or one that did not survive, than one that follows its creator to the grave.
An Ideal Community For Nursing Innovation?
It’s very difficult trying to break through minds that have been conditioned to think that they have nothing to offer.
I must confess. I write out of my little experience with Nurses. They are so busy trying to get the job done. Many burn out, get tired, end up frustrated and die (not like, die – die), they just blank out.
Do you know what makes the job even more difficult? Trying to inspire Nurses in Africa to innovate.
The poor environment has mixed with the ancient cultures that have naturally conditioned the minds of Nurses, to think within their uniforms (I wonder where that came from).
“Better a rejected idea, or one that did not survive, than one that follows its creator to the grave.”
I lead a team of highly inspired nurses here at Care City/Carecode. They want to do more. But, I still find myself pushing them. Well, those who do not lead, may not understand what I am saying, but those who have the opportunity to lead will definitely understand my plight.
It’s fun, fighting to make sure they discover that they are made for more. It’s what I can do for three more centuries if the world does not come to an end tomorrow, but there is no time. We have to act now!
An ideal innovative society is built around the ethos of community, friendship, and camaraderie.
We have very few of them around us today, where people with ideas come together to share & grow, to connect and strengthen the belief that they have in their ideas.
Let Your Ideas Enjoy The Life That You Are Enjoying
You must fight for your ideas. Allow those ideas to breathe, even if for just a month.
Give them a chance…
To shine. You never can tell who gets inspired by your mere decision to not give up.
Someone is watching you. You have an audience. And the only way you will succeed out here is to enter the innovative fold, to find a community that cares. A community that is ready to walk with you.
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If you don’t mind, at Care City, we are striving to build an innovative nursing community. You can join us.
To be a part of what we are doing, send us a mail here, or to make it easy for you, send us a Whatsapp message or just send me a DM on Twitter.
You can do more, you were built for more.
Join us, for a day digital health webinar with ZACRAC. Registration is free, and we have very limited slots. To register, send us a direct message, via WhatsApp, here.
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