Wednesday 26 March 2008

Tuesday 25 March 2008

Friday 21 March 2008

Replacing Paper Based Training With Hi-Tech Help, UK Nursing

Nurses making more than 75,000 medical visits a year to enable often seriously ill people to be cared for at home are being given hi-tech help by University experts.

Healthcare at Home Limited provides private medical care for more than 5,000 patients a year around the UK, including those needing treatment for acute and chronic illnesses.

It is currently developing an online training and advice centre to replace the paper based system currently used by its 150 specialist nurses - thanks to IT experts at the University of Derby.

The software system developed with the University's Innovation 4 Learning (I4L) team will eventually mean that regular changes to training materials and policies will no longer require time spent reprinting and distributing paper-based information to nursing staff across the UK.

Staff will instead get their updates by logging on at home or in one of Healthcare at Home's regional offices. The company is based in Burton-Upon-Trent, Staffordshire.

Terry Fox, Business Development Manager for the University's I4L team, said: "In the changing world of home healthcare, you can imagine the difficulties inherent in constantly having to update the guidance for so many staff.

"With the latest version of our intelligent shell system (ISS) - called Intelligent Mobile Communication - that we've developed for Healthcare at Home, the company's staff can receive the latest training and clinical information anywhere in the world."

Healthcare at Home treats private and NHS patients using specialist nurses. The majority of patients are referred to it by consultants in specialities including oncology, orthopaedics, respiratory medicine, rheumatology, endocrinology, neurology, gastroenterology, cardiology and renal.

Procedures such as delivering intravenous antibiotics, blood transfusions, chemotherapy and related support therapies are routinely administered to patients in their own homes, or even at work. For consultants, this provides a safe, clinically proven and highly effective treatment option.

Danny Bouckley, Head of Human Resources for Healthcare at Home, added: "Collaborating with the University of Derby on this project has been a great experience.

"The new system, due to launch in March, means that our employees can keep up to date with the latest information no matter where they are."

The University's I4L team has a track record of providing innovative IT ideas for healthcare providers.

It has previously helped develop two online assessment and e-learning packages called Safe Prescribing for New Doctors and Medicines Administration for Nurses, currently in use by East Midlands hospitals, which test medical staff on their knowledge over the prescribing of drugs combinations for patients and the likely effects on patients.

About The University of Derby: The University of Derby is a thriving institution inspired by a dedication to quality and opportunity. It is an innovator in flexible modular study and e-learning solutions tailoring programmes to students' needs.

The University is home to a diverse community of over 20,000 students from the UK and overseas. Subjects offered to students include a wide range of disciplines in Arts, Design and Technology; Business, Computing and Law; and Education, Health and Sciences, all leaders in their field.

In the Teaching Quality Information (TQI) National Student Survey for 2007, Law at the University of Derby was top in the UK for student satisfaction. The Law course also rated first in the UK for Personal Development, Teaching and Academic Support.

The Learning Through Work team in the School of Flexible and Partnership Learning won the prestigious 2006 Times Higher Education Supplement Award for 'Most Imaginative Use Of Distance Learning'. The team has an enviable track record of delivering higher education courses to employees. Last year the University was shortlisted for the award of 'University of the Year' alongside five others.

The University of Derby Students' Union, a number of research centres and academic schools, including The Derbyshire Business School, are all based at the Kedleston Road site. Facilities include our new £1.5m Clinical Skills Suite and a pioneering computer games development suite.

The UK's first dedicated site for arts, design and technology was opened by Sir Richard Branson, President of Virgin Atlantic, in autumn 2007. It forms just one part of a £55m estates investment strategy that is creating a University Quarter for Derby, building on the success of our multiple award winning £23m campus in the Peak District spa town of Buxton.

The Devonshire Campus at Buxton is the result of five years of careful restoration. Teaching there commenced in September 2005 and the Devonshire was opened officially by Their Royal Highnesses Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall in February 2006. The building's centrepiece is a magnificent Dome, larger than St Paul's in London - its facilities are among the finest in Europe.

All our schools and faculties enjoy links with household names such as Rolls-Royce and Toyota. The University Quarter in Derby incorporates sites at Kedleston Road, Markeaton Street and Britannia Mill to the west of Derby city centre.

Derby achieved University status in 1992. In 2006 it won an 'Improving Working Lives' award sponsored by the Times Higher Education Supplement. Professor John Coyne has been the University's Vice-Chancellor since the summer of 2004. For more information check out their website at: http://www.derby.ac.uk

Today Is A Beautiful Day

Today Is A Beautiful Day

Wednesday 19 March 2008

Persistence

Persistence

Tuesday 18 March 2008

It's time to own the choices you make

You know, reading the news about the Mills-McCartney divorce settlement has me nodding my head.

I understand why the media, the tabloids especially, seems to be biased against Heather Mills; she doesn't seem to want to own the choices she's made.

She misrepresented herself in court. She failed to get proper legal representation when she could have afforded to do so. And she expected an outrageous amount of money from her soon-to-be ex. Not only that, but she tried to blame him for her stalled career. What's so stalled about it? She was invited to perform on the reality TV show, "Dancing With the Stars"? I'm sure she was paid for that.

There's no use trying to understand why she's done or complained about any of this. She'll have to reconcile that in her own time. But for those of us watching and seeing all of this play out in the media, we can learn a few lessons. And if she were to ever read this blog, here's some specific advice to Heather: Take responsibility for your own decisions.

The thing is, we get married because we want to. It's a choice. Sometimes, we're not aware enough to know what's really happening in our lives, and we make foolish choices about getting married, and to whom. Sometimes, our future mates don't reveal important past histories to us, histories that if we'd known about beforehand might have led us to a different decision. Sometimes, we don't want to know the truth; we want to make up our own because it sounds better. Sometimes, we just don't have all the facts to make the best decision we might otherwise make. Whatever the case, once you have all of those facts in order, or enough of them, it's in your best interests to own the choice you made in the past so you don't make the same ones in the future.

To do anything else is a disserve to only one person: You.

I feel sorry for Heather Mills. I really do. To read that she's bashing the English court system, that she's bashing her husband's attorney, and that, during a court proceeding, she decided to pour a glass of water over the top of this same attorney's head, it's clear to me that she has some anger issues to deal with. These people do not care about that. It's time for Heather to get some professional help and pay someone to help her begin her healing process, to help her let go of that anger, and to find out how she can take responsibility for her future in such a way that this anger will not color her decisions any further.

Otherise, she'll continue to live with her crazy behavior. It may subside a bit, but it'll be there, waiting to rear its ugly head the next time she feels she's been wronged.

That could happen soon enough, as she's been ordered to return paintings that the musical artist Paul McCartney himself actually painted. He let her keep the ones he gave her--That's nice of you, Paul--but he would like the rest returned to him. The court agreed. Reading what I have, I wouldn't be surprised if she returned them alright, but returned them destroyed.

My advice: Heather, if you're even a bit tempted to do harm to this man's property, I suggest you don't.

I can say this because I had a similar experience, on a much smaller scale, of course. I also had to return a very expensive piece of artwork to my husband. We'd purchased it together. I'd known about the artist for years. I'd followed his work. It was fun, and we had a few pieces. But this one, in particular was quite valuable, worth nearly $20,000. Because I had a contact, we were able to meet with the artist in person and buy the painting for half the list price. Of course, during my own divorce settlement, my husband at the time wanted that painting and several other valuable pieces of property. It's not unreasonable that he would. In the course of the divisions, I agreed he could have this painting.

But I will say that I did have my moment of regret about that, sort of. I mean, there were times when I wanted to run a knife through the canvas. That painting's image represented a fantasy dance, and I felt like that's what my ex had been doing in his secret life. I felt like that painting represented his fantasy life, the life he'd been living without me. It almost symbolized a slap in my face, I thought. It was a hurtful reminder. So, in truth, I was glad to be rid of it. If I thought for a minute that it had really meant something to him on an aesthetic level, I might very well have slashed the painting. But I'm glad I didn't. I knew that painting meant nothing more to him than the dollars it was worth. He doesn't appreciate art in that way. He simply appreciates its monetary value. But having studied art theory in college and having written about it in my own career, I know a painting is worth far more than its price. And more importantly, I knew my integrity was worth more than either of the two. So, yes, I was tempted. But, no, I did not succumb.

And this is the kind of information I processed from the seat of my bike. When I was out there riding, I was giving myself time to consider my choices carefully. I always wanted to come out ahead, with no regret, with my dignity intact.

If Heather Mills is not careful, she'll forget there are more important things than how much money you can reap from a marriage or a divorce. It looks to me as though she's pretty set for life, though. She was awarded $50 million. That's nothing to cry about, and it's not worth the trouble she'd find herself in if she enacted any kind of revenge.

And this is not to discount any of her allegations that she was mistreated by McCartney. If she was, then she'll have to deal with that on her own. As will he. But if that was just more of her misrepresentation, then it would be worth her time to take personal inventory of who she really is and who she really wants to be. The two might not be the same.

All my best,
Jackie

Classic Quotes on Leadership & Success

Classic Quotes on Leadership & Success

Monday 17 March 2008

It's okay to slow down for success

I've been working on a lot of volunteer work lately. And when I say a lot, I mean that the work is taking up far too much time than I have time for. BUT, it is work that I willingly agreed to do and work that I want to do. So I'm finding time to fit it all in, anyway.

The problem is that I am also finding that I haven't been doing my personal best. I've failed to communicate to some key people information they needed to know earlier than this week. Because of that, I missed a deadline, they missed a deadline, and an additional person will be behind on her schedule.

I'm sure you've had moments, or even days, like this. You want to do it all. You even kid yourself into thinking you actually have the time. Bah!

You know you don't.

I'm realizing that now, as I find myself fighting this sinus infection. In between fits of coughing, blowing my nose into the bazillionth tissue, and keeping track of how many doses I take of this and that--and when--I'm also trying to stay on top of this volunteer work. It mostly involves an upcoming conference. But at the same time, I'm suposed to be on the road working on my travel guide book.

I'm too ill to be on the road, so the give and take here means that I'll be a little behind on the book as well. That's not my personal best, and it's not the quickest route to my success, either.

I'm really having to live a bit of quiet choas as I shift my attention to the conference. I'm organizing and moderating a panel of four speakers, as well as organizing volunteers to host what's called the Green Room. That's the waiting room where panelists/speakers hang out before they present. There's not much to either of these things really. The hard part is organizing the people involved. And that's not bad at all. But it would have gone much smoother if I had started earlier. But I wasn't planning my time effectively. And now I'm sick, and this is what I'm left with--not enough time to do it all.

So what now?

Forgive myself my defects. Yes, I can do that. Hey, I'm only human, right?! Then get to work. Yes, I can do that as well. I'm now busy dealing with one piece of each of the projects at a time. My mind--with its stuffy sinuses getting in the way--doesn't want to take in too much all at once. So I'm having to channel all that patience I talk about and work slowly, deliberately, and cautiously. Otherwise, I might make a mistake while sending out e-mails. I'm being forced to remember that it's a good thing to slow down for success.

When you're in a hurry, or feel rushed to complete something or to get somewhere, can you remember to slow down before you're forced to slow down? You know you're going to get there. It might take a few minutes longer, but you will reach your destination. You will complete that project. You will achieve your goal.

Think of it as taking the crazy times and taming them. If you don't take control of it first, your body will do it for you. It will act as its own reminder if you don't. And then you'll be left with something worse than a head cold.

Next time you recognize that you've overscheduled yourself, like I have, remember to slow the pace down. Start saying no to the next projects that are offered to you, and give yourself time to tackle what's already in front of you. If you can do that, trust me, your sinuses will thank you for it.

All my best,
Jackie

Secret #120 Keep a Firm Grasp on Your Free Time

Favorite activities of Americans in ’07, according to a Harris Poll, were
* reading
* TV watching
* spending time with friends and family.

All 3 have dropped since ’04:
* 35% cited reading in ’04, down to 29% in ’07
* TV watching dropped from 21% to 18%
* spending time with friends and family fell from 20% to 14%.

The question is: To WHAT are we losing our free time?

What do YOU think? Where is all our free time going?

Sunday 16 March 2008

Sick days

So I've had a sinus infection since the Tuesday after my daughter's wedding. It hit me fast and has decided to stick around for a while. I finally had to go see a doctor for an antibiotic prescription. After only one day on medicine, I'm feeling better but not enough to post much...

Other than a reminder to take care of yourself.

It feels good to take an active step in your healing, whether that's from a cold or something much larger. And let others step in to help when they can. My daughter's come to my house to check on me a few times, and to get her mail and wedding packages, and she's even taken me out to lunch--before what I thought was just a cold turned into an infection. And my BF is the one who actually took me to the doctor and has been bringing me food, including coffee when I ran out, several cans of soup, and dinner countless number of times. It feels good to take care of yourself, and it feels even better to be taken care of sometimes.

Be open to the generosity of the people in your life. Go ahead and ask for what you need.

This is just a reminder to take care of yourself in whatever way works. You're worth it.

All my best,
Jackie

Friday 14 March 2008

The Spitzer Scandal

I'd love to meet in person with the wife of the now former governor of New York. What Eliot Spitzer did to his wife is unimaginable to those who've never lived through the conversations and thoughts that must be going on in their home right now.

For those of you who haven't yet read the news, Spitzer has reportedly been having extramarital affairs with prostitutes for what may be the last ten years of their marriage. My guess is that the progression began much earlier, but that's only speculation, and it's only based on what's been reported in the news. So who knows? He knows, but it's not likely that anyone else aside from him will ever know the truth. It may be too painful for him even to reveal.

If he's experiencing what one of my former husband's experienced, these liasons are part of a serious addiction that he needs to address with serious mental health treatment. It's a sad story. The saddest thing about it is that he probably has no idea how his behavior really has affected his wife and three daughters all this time. My ex gave me one of those old platitudes when he confessed his other life to me: What you don't know won't hurt you. He was very wrong about that.

Because it's not just about the prostitution, or about the thought that he may not have used condoms--Spitzer, reportedly, didn't like to--it's more about the mental games he most likely played with his family in order to be able to live this kind of a double life.

You have to read books, such as Patrick Carnes' Out of the Shadows, or another of his books, Don't Call It Love, and even Gail Saltz's book Anatomy of a Secret Life, in order to even begin to understand how the addictive personality affects not only the addicted but also the people he or she come home to at night. I spent several years reading books like these so I could understand how a husband could hurt his wife in this way. The betrayal is so far-reaching, and the pain is so deep. In the beginning you feel as if you'll never know anything else. In the beginning you don't know what to feel. You can't feel. Even that even hurts too much.

The people who comment on the news reports, saying things like, "She should divorce him immediately," well, they don't know what it's like to be hit with a punch like this. The shock is a life saver, really. That is what will get her through these most horrible days of her life thus far. And if she's lucky, he'll really be sorry. He'll be able to apologize with some kind of authenticity. I never got that. That is the hardest thing to overcome in a situation like this.

So I'd love to score the magazine interview with Silda. Because I've been through what she's going through now--maybe not to the same extent--I'd know what questions to ask her. I'd know how to give her the empathy that she needs. And I'd want to share with her my BIKE story.

I know it would help her, when she's ready.

We cannot judge the women who stand by their men in these instances because, unless you've been through something this traumatic, you have no idea what they're trying to hold onto. In this instance, we're talking about more than 20 years of a marriage, a partnership that was supposed to be built on a bond, not on a betrayal.

If I could talk to Silda for just a few moments, I'd let her know that she will find her identity again. Because that's what she's lost. I know she's a bright and powerful women in her own right. So was I. That doesn't mean you can't lose yourself in your husband's life. You can. When you give up a piece of you, as she did, so that he can have his career, you've given up more than you'll ever know, that is, if he's the type of man who will do what these men do. They are too afraid to reveal who they really are, they are afraid to be vulnerable, they don't know how to live an authentic life. So they mask themselves behind a job that puts them in extreme power and wealth--and allows them to travel--and then they dial the prostitutes because they can't handle the stress. Then, they can't handle what they've done. And the wife becomes nonexistent in a way. But she's not. She's there to help. She's probably been there the entire time. But they stave off the stress in a most unhealthy way. And that secret? It hurts. For the wife, oddly enough, once the truth is revealed, it hurts a lot less.

If only these men would use their letter E. With BIKE, that's the Expressive voice. If only they would speak up...

Writers Block ...

I've had a bad case of writers block this past while but I have been doing lots of research for my book..


Its all hard work let me tell you. Writing a book is no joke! Thankfully I have an understanding publisher.

Hope you are all well....

Allen

Writers Block ...

I've had a bad case of writers block this past while but I have been doing lots of research for my book..


Its all hard work let me tell you. Writing a book is no joke! Thankfully I have an understanding publisher.

Hope you are all well....

Allen

Beautiful Positive Quotes

Beautiful Positive Quotes

Thursday 13 March 2008

When do you "get over it?"

After reading the wedding post, Michelle asks in her guest comment, "When is the right time to move on and get over it?" She wants her husband's ex to do that, so, I imagine, her life can be less angst-filled when her new family is around her spouse's former one (or at the least the former wife).

That's a tough question to answer because no one has the answer. It resides within the individual. No one can force you, me, an ex, or a current spouse to get over the hurt caused from a broken relationship. What makes it easier is contrition on the part of the abuser, the one who cheated, if that's what occured in the relationship prior to the break up. But if that doesn't happen authentically, or if you never get that, then it's really dependent on time.

Besides, the term "getting over it" can imply that one's feelings do not count. But they do. Everyone's on all sides of the equation. The challenge really is to be able to arrive at some level of understanding about the feelings of all parties involved. And that also takes time, patience, and the desire to move forward with one's own life.

I'm not sure if anyone ever "gets over" being hurt by someone who was supposed to have loved them wholely and unconditionally but didn't or couldn't.

In the end, we all must just work to do our own individual best. If an ex continues to be angry, that's not your call. And it's not even about you. It's about the ex deciding to hang onto a feeling that isn't productive for her or him without realizing it. It's most likely not a conscious choice but an imbedded one. A few counseling sessions could help overcome that. But again, that's not your call. It's great when everyone involved in, for example, a blended family all gets along and there are no hurt feelings pushing just below the surface of the required get-togethers, but my guess is that's really very rare.

In my own recent situation, I knew I just wanted to get through the days involved and let my daughter have the most wonderful wedding she could have, despite the angst everyone knew was out there. It was not the time to push any of that out in the open. And for me, there may never come that day. I may never get the contrituion I know I deserve. I've learned to accept that and be okay with it. It's not about me; it's about him, or her, or whomever.

That's what Michelle will have to do--accept that her husband's ex is angry, and that the ex will have to come to terms with that in her own time, that her anger is about her, not anyone else, not really. That's how the ex has chosen to deal. It might not be the healthiest choice, but it might just be the best she can do for now. Michelle will have to have patience and understanding that the ex may never "get over it," or when she does, it's not going to be on Michelle's timeframe.

For you, Michelle, and for others in a similar situation, time will be your friend, patience will be your lover, and understanding will be your life partner. You might try looking at it that way. Your objective, you see, is to put the perspective where it belongs--on your behavior. How do you behave when you're around the ex? Just be who you are. Don't try to be the ex wife's friend, don't try to be your husband's children's mother. Just be you. Determine who that is, and be okay with that. And understand that the ex may see you as the person who came between her and her husband, her family. Were you? Only you can answer that. But if you can come to some understanding and truth about how you wound up where you are, that might help you greatly. You might also benefit from a few counseling sessions. I'll always advocate that. I know it can work wonders.

In my view, the term, "getting over it" is really a poor one. I've been through divorce twice, death of a loved one many times, and so much else. I don't know that you ever "get over it." If you're smart and can get in touch with your spiritual side, you become aware of things you can do to move yourself past the pain and worry less about what others are doing. But the loss is always there. There will always be reminders. With time, the loss hurts less and less. With patience, you accept the fact that your feelings exist and will change. With understanding, you learn to love who you are where you are, no matter what, and you are more apt to do the same with and for others.

Keep in mind that we all deserve to feel what we feel. No one should get to determine for anyone else how long it takes to feel a feeling. So cry if this hurts you, and keep crying for as long as you need to, want to, or care to. Journal if you need to spill your guts. Let your husband know what you need from him to make sure you feel secure in your relationship. And take the time to respect that other people in your life have feelings about what's going on, too, especially if they feel forced about being where they are. That's often the case with divorces. Someone feels forced out, and you may not be aware of the unresolved issues. You only know the one side. And there's never just one side, not when two people are involved.

So to answer your question: when do you get over it? Three words: time, patience, understanding.

And while you're waiting or processing this, get on a bike. It'll help you ride out your own angst. That should make you feel better.

All my best,
Jackie

The Picture of Peace

The Picture of Peace

Tuesday 11 March 2008

Isn't it lovely?

The wedding turned out better than expected. All the in-laws were there, including the exes. So it was a good time to test exactly how well you can stand up when you'd rather sit down. Everything went well. Amazingly enough, there were no crazy drunks coming out of the woodwork.

At the end of it all, however, I knew I'd had enough of dealing with my ex. My bet is my daughter's new MIL--and I know her well--had had enough as well. But there were no cat fights or dog fights or anything even remotely brawlish.

It was all good.

And my daughter looked absolutely lovely, stunning even, in her ivory gown with the green trim. She was definitely princess for a day.

And don't all women deserve to feel that grand?

On the days when you're not feeling like a princess--or a prince, if you're male--what kinds of things do you do to pull yourself back up? Do you have a personal prescription that comes in handy. I'm not talking Rx. I'm referring to something that you actually do. We can't all go and get married every time we're feeling less than the princesses we know we really are. So what do you do?

Here's a list to get you thinking about your own nurturing methods:

Exercise--I love to ride my bike, obviously, and I love going for long walks up the mountain near my home. It gives me the time I need to free my mind or concentrate on something that needs more mental attention.

Nails--I'm not big on manicures, but I think I'm going to start filing and painting them more often. I like when they look nice. But I haven't taken much time to focus on that. So, instead of just rubbing this beeswax cuticle ointment on my nails that I like, I'm going to spend more time taking care of my nails. It's relaxing.

Food--I am not the best cook. I'm not even a consistent cook, but I find that when I plan a meal in advance and buy all the ingredients, I really enjoy the process of putting it all together. The finished product? Even better. I love home cooked meals.

Books--I'm an avid reader. Books, magazines and newspapers are some of my greatest friends. I know that reading a book (novel, self-help, anything that interests me) can always put me in a relaxing mood. This kind of escape also allows my creative mind to process new ideas for stories to pitch to editors.

Movies--I'm a picky movie-goer. I don't just want to go to the movies. I want to be entertained, without the gore or too much suspense. So I'll go see a comedy or a drama of some sort, or watch old movies on TV. Crying during a movie is a good way to release pent-up stress you may not even have known you had.

My son came home for his sister's wedding and told me something that really thrilled me. He told me he'd been playing a lot of basketball again, that he was back to drawing (He's really good at pencil drawing.) again, and that he was writing a lot and playing around with writing some comedy sketches. I told him, "That's wonderful. You're returning to your childhood passions." His response, "Yeah, I think you're right. And I'm happy."

There are a number of ways to nurture the mind, body and soul. Experimenting with your childhood interests, especially, will help you find what works best for you. When you make self-nurturing a daily habit, you'll naturally know the answer to this question:

Isn't life lovely?

All my best,
Jackie

Monday 10 March 2008

*Secret #119 Plan Your Finish NOW

For the last several presidential elections, political pundits have been talking about the critical importance of the final 72 hours of a campaign. That is, after spending millions of dollars and countless hours of energy campaigning all over the United States, the fate of an election often boils down to the last 72 hours. In a presidential race in these days, if you snooze—or even let up just a little during the last 72 hours—you could very well lose!

To truly finish this life well, you must run strong all the way to the end.

Starting well is beneficial. Staying the course is critical. But it's the way you finish that becomes your legacy. No matter what age or season of life you're in right now, finishing this life well is something to which you should give some careful thought and intentional planning. The Challenge of Finishing Well is a twenty-eight page interactive workbook that is designed to help you wrestle with what it means for you to finish well in God's eyes. It's ideal for small groups or for use as a personal half or full day retreat.

The spiritual racetrack of life is littered with the broken lives of those who had great starts, were more talented, smarter, stronger, and even more pious than most of us— but for one reason or another—they did NOT finish well. Way too many of us finish poorly like Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived: “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God…” (1 Kings 11:4). The danger for us is that "as we grow old," our hearts could grow cold—and we may turn after other gods (including the god of self and comfort). If it can happen to Solomon, it can happen to any of us. But it doesn't have to... if--right now--you'll dare to accept The Challenge of Finishing Well.

Saturday 8 March 2008

New Study Shows Emotional Intelligence Reduces Stress and Predicts 66% of Key Success Factors in Healthcare

Researchers found that healthcare professionals high in emotional intelligence are far more effective in a number of key performance areas including stress management, showing that these skills are critical for healthcare professionals - and especially those in leadership positions. Over 66% of performance is predicted by emotional intelligence, rising to nearly 80% for more senior team members.

San Francisco (PRWEB) February 26, 2008 -- While stress is a challenge to almost everyone, the way doctors and nurses cope with stress can be a matter of life and death. Fortunately new research reveals one key for dealing with the pressure: emotional intelligence.

In a study conducted with the obstetrics department of a major urban hospital in Bologna, Italy, the healthcare professionals high in emotional intelligence scored far better in an assessment of job performance and life success. The highest performers scored an average of over 30% better on the "Six Seconds Emotional Intelligence Assessment (http://6seconds.org/sei/)," a powerful measure of essential competencies for being smart with feelings.

Study coauthor Lorenzo Fariselli, manager of research for Six Seconds Italy, explained the importance of the finding: "Stress is increasingly challenging for organizations and professionals worldwide, but it's been unclear how to most effectively manage this problem. Now we know that emotional intelligence is one of the most important ingredients for professionals to effectively cope and thrive in a challenging work environment." The White Paper of findings entitled "Stress, Emotional Intelligence and Performance in Healthcare (http://6seconds.org/sei/wp-stress.php)" is online.

The study also found that the power of EQ, or emotional intelligence, was even greater for the most senior team members. While on average EQ explains over 66% of the variation in performance scores, for the most senior team members that increases to nearly 80%. In other words, the more senior you are, the more important it is to be an expert with emotions.

Joshua Freedman is Chief Operating Officer of Six Seconds and one of the world's leading authorities on the development of emotional intelligence. "Around the globe we've seen that emotional intelligence is the difference that makes the difference. Leaders who choose to be emotionally intelligent create mission success and drive value," Freedman says.

Freedman says many organizations view EQ as an investment they might make when they have the resources, but he offers a different suggestion: "EQ is most essential in times of stress and challenge; training in this area is a 'life ring,' not an 'investment.'" He is quick to point out that developing these skills isn't a major expense in time and resource - "We're not talking about implementing some expensive or complex new system. EQ is something to be - a little more each week."

Emotional intelligence (abbreviated "EQ" for "emotional quotient") continues to gain attention around the world as an essential asset for success in work and life. The science grows from research by Peter Salovey (Yale University) and John Mayer (University of New Hampshire) who published their first papers in 1990 showing how we have intelligence with emotions. EQ was popularized in the mid 1990s by New York Times science writer Daniel Goleman. To help people understand how to develop and apply this breakthrough concept, Six Seconds was established in 1997.

Six Seconds, The Emotional Intelligence Network (http://6seconds.org/), is the world-leading resource for emotional intelligence development with offices in six countries and over 1500 certified practitioners world-wide. A not-for-profit organization, Six Seconds advocates for the importance of EQ and supports change agents making a positive difference in every sector of society (see http://www.6seconds.org/ for more).

Tuesday 4 March 2008

Heparin Is Recalled

The Food and Drug Administration is issuing this update to inform the public that Baxter Healthcare Corporation has extended its recall of multi-dose vials of heparin sodium for injection to also include single-dose vials of heparin sodium for injection.

As a precautionary measure Baxter is also recalling its heparin lock flush products. The heparin source manufacturer for lock flush solutions is the same as that for Baxter’s heparin sodium for injection. Alternate heparin manufacturers are expected to be able to increase heparin production sufficiently to supply the US market.

Since FDA learned of the adverse events associated with the Baxter multi-dose heparin vials, the Drug Shortages Team at FDA has been working closely with APP, the other supplier in the US for heparin multi-dose and single-dose vials, to determine their manufacturing capacity. With the verification that APP can now adequately supply the US market Baxter is voluntarily recalling all of its multi-dose and single-dose vials. FDA has also confirmed that there are multiple U.S. suppliers of heparin lock flush products with substantial inventory, making a shortage of these products unlikely.

The recall notice issued by Baxter provides instructions to healthcare providers and institutions regarding the identification and disposition of their product they may have in their inventories. The only Baxter heparin-containing products that will remain on the market are large volume parenteral solutions containing 200 Units of heparin per 100 cc in 500 and 1000 cc total volume bags. No adverse events have been reported in relation to the large volume solution. The heparin source manufacturer for the large volume solution is different from that of the products being recalled.

On February 11, 2008, the FDA issued a public health advisory informing the public about reports of serious adverse events in patients who received bolus injections of heparin sodium primarily from multi-dose vials manufactured by Baxter Healthcare Corporation. A description of the clinical settings and characteristics of the cases of serious adverse events that resulted in the public health advisory can be found at http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/advisory/heparin.htm.

The underlying cause of adverse events reported for Baxter’s heparin sodium is still unknown and remains under investigation. FDA investigators and scientists are working independently and in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Baxter to discover the underlying cause of the adverse events.

FDA continues to monitor its post-marketing safety database for additional cases in the US and abroad related to heparin usage. Health care providers are encouraged to report all allergic-type reactions to any heparin infusion to FDA’s MedWatch on line at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/report/hcp.htm, by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178, by mail using the postage-paid address form provided on line, or by telephone to 1-800-FDA-1088.

Monday 3 March 2008

Speaking of weddings...

I know when I need to slow down and focus, and it's time to do that. So, I'll be taking the rest of the week off to take care of wedding business prior to the big day. We have lots to do over here to make sure the day is perfect for my daughter and soon to be son-in-law.

I'll see you back here next Tuesday night, most likely. That's when the last of my houseguests go back home. It'll be quiet around here again, and I'll have a moment to post some good thoughts.

Make it a great week, everyone!
Jackie

Secret #118 De-File

Did you know that 80% of papers filed are never needed, used, or seen again?

Filing Acid Test: Ask yourself, "What would happen if I couldn't find this piece of paper again?"

Saturday 1 March 2008

Weddings--the second generation

My daughter's getting married next week. We've been quite busy around here these last few days with final wedding preparations, including cleaning up in time for guest arrival.

The beauty of that is that my office is neat again. I can see there's a real floor down there, and the piles are put away. It's a good feeling to relinguish myself of the excess paper.

However, during hectic times like these, it's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle and forget to breathe. Between cleaning the house, scheduling the carpet cleaner, meeting with my daughter to discuss wedding plans and what bills need to be paid--NOW--and also trying to fit a little work in between, I keep catching myself forgetting to breathe.

When I observe this, it's a nice reminder for me to get outside, take advantage of the warm weather, and go for a long walk.

Breathing comes easier when you let it happen. The next time you catch yourself getting worked up about whatever stresser is going on in your life--even if it's good stress, like the kind that comes with wedding planning--and if the weather's nice enough, remember to give yourself a break. Consider going for a walk. It's a simple and healthy way to relax your mind, body and soul.

Walking is also good way to connect with who you are when you're not in turmoil. Even if you give yourself just ten or fifteen minutes, when you recognize you need it, give yourself that necessary break from what's bugging you.

Remember, BIKE puts you on the path toward being able to notice more quickly what it is you need and then taking action. That walk is more than just a walk, it's part of the journey that feeds your soul. While you're out there, you may notice the flowers that are blooming. Maybe you'll take time to see the different color variations in the sky. Remember when you were a kid and you'd look for faces in the clouds? If there are clouds in your path, look up and find a face. What does it look like? Who does it remind you of? For just a few moments, let yourself get lost in the beauty of nature. Take the mental images back home with you, or back to your office, and be glad that you gave yourself this time. It should put a smile on your face.

Remember, BIKE brings you to awareness. Let yourself be aware of the good things going on in your life.

Enjoy!
Jackie