Make men's health a priority!

I was standing in line at the grocer’s recently when I overheard a mother telling her son he needed more exercise, or he would end up looking like his “overweight father.” She continued, saying, “You know, your father never exercises, eats horrible, and his doctor has told him to change, or else.” Trying to be inconspicuous, I looked over at her son, and observed a young man, clearly struggling with his weight, eating a large candy bar. Looking over at me, the mother said, “My son is too young to have health problems.”

While these types of conversations can feel awkward and never come off with perfection, they are necessary if we are going to positively influence younger and older men to strive for good health. Well, this mother’s timing was impeccable, because June is Men’s Health Month! (Men’s Health Week, which begins Monday, 9 June 2014, concludes on Father’s Day, as observed in the United States.) I shared with her how a male friend had gained so much weight he developed diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.

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I also told her my story had a happy ending because my friend began exercising, lost weight, and his cholesterol and blood sugar returned to normal levels. Amazed, she concurred that more men need to pay attention to their health. Of course, I took the opportunity to inform her that June is, indeed, Men’s Health Month, and that community events would be held, such as health fairs, that specifically target men’s health.

As you think about the men in your families and communities, let’s do more than just encourage them to check out all the activities in June that target men’s health. We need to go with them and support their efforts to be screened early for potential health problems.

For Reflections on Nursing Leadership (RNL), published by the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International. Comments are moderated. Those that promote products or services will not be posted.

Mental illness is not a dirty word!

Have you ever felt embarrassed about seeking out counseling or therapy? Or were uncomfortable about sharing with friends or family that you needed mental health support? I have worked in the mental health field for a number of years and remain concerned about the persisting stigma toward those seeking mental health treatment. I also wonder how many people suffer in silence due to the fear of disclosing that they need such treatment.

As nurses, we invest a great deal of time educating individuals to get yearly physical health screening, but how often do health providers ask about our mental health during those yearly exams? We have all witnessed tragedies across this nation that result from lack of mental health interventions. There is no question that ignoring symptoms of mental distress is not wise and usually results in poor outcomes.

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Without question, nurses, through daily encounters with patients in both in- and outpatient settings, are well positioned to address the mental health of those patients. Each year, thousands of students across the United States are trained in the art and science of psychiatric nursing. We emphasize the importance of developing a therapeutic relationship with clients and understanding the origin and treatment of mental health problems. Additionally, students are made aware of the impact of stigma on individuals who experience mental distress. So, nursing has an effective platform from which to address mental health issues.

Strategically, it would be great if more RNs specializing in mental health were present in larger numbers in educational settings from kindergarten through college, because early prevention is an effective approach for detecting and treating symptoms of mental illness. Just as we promote yearly screening for diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol, we should invest the same energy in screening for mental illness. Each of us should commit today to encouraging friends, families, and colleagues to seek out yearly mental health screenings.

For Reflections on Nursing Leadership (RNL), published by the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International. Comments are moderated. Those that promote products or services will not be posted.

Don't be afraid of change!

Have you ever wanted to pursue a dream but, when it came down to making a decision, you started to second-guess yourself and changed your mind? I know that feeling all too well; it’s fear of change. A wise person once told me, “Never get too comfortable in one spot because, if you do, you will wear a hole in the ground and start to sink.”

It made me think, Am I really afraid of change? Would I defer my dream because pursuing it would disrupt my comfort zone? I am of the opinion that, to truly maximize our potential, we must be willing to put ourselves out there and take risks, not recklessly, but after careful deliberation.

I think that wise person was telling me not to let my fear of disrupting the status quo be the deciding factor. If I give in to fear to avoid discomfort, I may miss out on a golden opportunity. We all have a purpose, and the pathway to bringing one’s purpose to fruition varies.

Facing a decision? Weigh the pros and cons carefully, and don't let fear keep you from moving outside your comfort zone. Opportunity may be showing you the next road to travel.

For Reflections on Nursing Leadership (RNL), published by the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International. Comments are moderated. Those that promote products or services will not be posted.

Take the high road!

We know disagreements are inevitable, but when they occur, we are often offended that our opinion isn’t accepted. Think of the last time you had a difference of opinion with a colleague, family member, or friend. Usually, there is a lot of emotion and, before the conversation ends, both parties to the disagreement want to feel vindicated—that he or she, by force of argument, has been proven right, the other person proven wrong.

Why is it so important to us that one be right, the other wrong? Why is it either/or? Is it possible that neither is right—or wrong—and we just see things differently? Usually, in the heat of the moment we are unable to be this reflective, because our emotional selves have pushed our intellectual selves into the back seat.

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A wise friend of mine once told me to always take the high road, which doesn’t mean you’re admitting to being wrong, but rather you are taking the initiative in choosing to agree to disagree. Now, I know what you are thinking: What if they are truly wrong? Well, they may or may not be, but until the other person has a sudden burst of insight, it is a waste of energy to continue the debate.

Being reflective in the heat of the moment is difficult, perhaps even impossible. So, after you have shared your point of view, and the recipient wants to continue rehashing or debating, simply take the high road by saying, “We can agree on at least one thing—we both have different perspectives, so let me reflect on yours."

I am not suggesting that this will resolve all difficult discourse, but I know one thing for sure, taking the high road will change the subject. Give it a try.

For Reflections on Nursing Leadership (RNL), published by the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International. Comments are moderated. Those that promote products or services will not be posted.

We debated; now what?

I recently completed jury duty for a three-month trial, during which I witnessed a complexity of human interaction that will stay with me for years to come. Like most of the jurors, I prayed I would not be picked but, to my surprise, I was selected. I came to embrace the experience because it reaffirmed for me that, no matter how passionate we feel about our perceptions, others can listen to the same information and come to completely different conclusions. It may sound simplistic, but it is this reality that causes an impasse in our everyday discourse.

The experience reminded me of how often we find ourselves at odds with others who see or perceive the world differently from us—and how challenging this can be when we are certain about the veracity of our perceptions, their accordance with truth.

During our deliberations, we conceptually mapped out the evidence, yet our interpretations differed, which created passionate debates. This process illuminated to me how important it is for us not to interpret another's disagreement as some referendum on our intellectual ability. Like most of the jurors, I found it extremely challenging to remain neutral as we navigated through the morass of evidence. However, I found new strength in learning to really listen without prejudice and to bracket others' opinions without personalizing them.


As we interact with our colleagues, friends, or family, it is more important to listen to them than to be so focused on being “right.” Like jurors, we may come to the same conclusion, or we may not. The important thing for us to remember is, we can all hear the same information and come to different interpretations. And if we do, it is best to be at peace with our differences rather than allow them to divide us. The experience provided me insight into creating a pathway to walk away in peace after healthy debate has occurred. I plan to practice this every day, and hope you do, too!

For Reflections on Nursing Leadership (RNL), published by the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International.

For men in nursing

This past year, I had the wonderful opportunity to collaborate with the book-publishing editorial team at the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) and male nurse leaders across the country to produce my just-released book, Man Up! A Practical Guide for Men in Nursing. When STTI approached me last year to oversee this work, I was thrilled, because it meant I would have the chance to collaborate with fabulous male nurse leaders nationwide.

A must-read for anyone seeking to navigate the exciting maze of the nursing profession, we tackle issues in this book that range from choosing a specialty to implementing diversity and administrative leadership—in both academic and service settings—and provide step-by-step strategies for maximizing the endless opportunities our noble profession has to offer. Each chapter will inspire you and your colleagues to break unhealthy traditions to forge new pathways that benefit nurses, here and abroad.

I dedicated this book to my grandmother, who exemplified courage and leadership, and if she were living today, she would be proud of this accomplishment. As my grandmother inspired me, I hope my book will inspire men to consider leadership in both academic and service settings, as well as in national nursing organizations where, still to date, we are poorly represented. Choosing a career in nursing opened doors for me, but even after gaining entrance, I observed institutional “glass ceilings” that benefit a few, but not the many. I hope this book will keep the issue of equity for men in nursing “front page news.”

I am so proud to have led this extraordinary effort, and I encourage you to spread the word about Man Up! A Practical Guide for Men in Nursing—to students, clinicians, administrators, academicians and your families.

For Reflections on Nursing Leadership (RNL), published by the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International.

Sometimes, we just need to chill!

Do you find yourself spinning sometimes on that never-ending spinning wheel? I’m guessing your answer is yes. Every one of us, whether we work in academia or the clinical arena, finds ourselves often simply overwhelmed by work overload. The demands of our profession exceed our capacity to manage work-related stressors. It is amazing how many of us fail to realize the high cost of not taking care of ourselves and, conversely, that the investment we make in our mental and physical health yields rich dividends.

The recent loss of a colleague reminded me just how important it is for us to invest in our mental and physical health. We are no good to anyone if we cannot take care of ourselves. It is incumbent upon us to refresh ourselves through activities that rejuvenate our inner spirit. Sometimes, we just need to chill!

For Reflections on Nursing Leadership (RNL), published by the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International.