There is a vulnerability in writing that sometimes smacks me across the face, but even if it stings, I believe it is an act of independence and a creative outlet. For many years, my creativity was expressed through the arts. In fact, I studied art therapy before I became a nurse. I loved all modalities, especially ceramics. I even dabbled in painting and printmaking. My daughters each have my canvases in their respective homes and workspaces. I am honored that they wanted to have my art, made four decades ago, some even more. I look at my artwork and wonder if I could possibly do anything even remotely close now.
Back to writing though, I am looking to grow some school nurse bloggers. My blog is almost seven years old. I have written close to 1,000 entries and still continue to find topics to share. Some of my blogs have been widely embraced, others markedly ignored. I had the most visitors at the height of COVID, according to the analytics. What I do know is that no matter how many or how few readers I have, the act of writing is helpful to my mental health. I work out social issues, personal reflections, and work challenges and hopefully also inspire other school nurses to not feel as alone or isolated as we are known to be.
Blogging can have a significant impact on your school nursing practice. Here are 6 ways writing can positively impact your practice:
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Sharing Knowledge and Information: Blogging allows you to share your expertise and knowledge with your school community and beyond. By writing about various health topics relevant to school nursing, you can educate students, parents, and other healthcare professionals about important health issues, preventive measures, and general healthcare information.
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Building Trust and Credibility: Consistently providing valuable and accurate information through your blog helps you establish yourself as a trusted authority in the field of school nursing. By sharing evidence-based practices, personal experiences, and relevant resources, you can enhance your professional credibility and gain the trust of your readers.
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Networking and Collaboration: Blogging provides an opportunity to connect with other school nurses, healthcare professionals, educators, and researchers who share similar interests. By engaging with your readers through comments, social media, and collaboration opportunities, you can build a network of like-minded professionals, exchange ideas, and foster collaboration on research projects or initiatives aimed at improving school health. I have kept track of all of the doors that have been opened for me because of blogging, or who I met through social media related to my posts.
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Reflection and Professional Growth: Maintaining a blog requires you to reflect on your experiences, challenges, and successes as a school nurse. By regularly documenting your thoughts and experiences, you can deepen your understanding of the profession, identify areas for improvement, and explore innovative strategies to enhance your practice. This reflective process can contribute to your ongoing professional development. Remember you are not boasting, you are educating the public about the full scope of our practice.
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Advocacy and Policy Influence: Through your blog, you can raise awareness about important healthcare issues affecting students and advocate for necessary changes. By sharing real-life stories, data, and research, you can influence public opinion, policymakers, and education authorities to prioritize the health and well-being of students in schools. Your blog can serve as a platform to discuss policies, legislation, and initiatives that can positively impact school health.
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Community Engagement: Blogging allows you to engage with your local community, including parents, teachers, and students. By writing about community health events, school health programs, and resources available, you can foster a sense of community involvement and encourage collaboration between different stakeholders in promoting health and well-being.
Remember to adhere to ethical guidelines and maintain student/staff confidentiality while sharing experiences on your blog. Blogging can be a powerful tool to enhance your school nursing practice, but it is important to balance personal insights with professional responsibilities and ethical considerations. That can sometimes be more of a tightrope, but well worth exploring.
Let me know how I can help you get started! If you want to dip one toe into the blogging ocean, I invite you to submit a guest blog to The Relentless School Nurse and I will publish it on my blog. Write to me at: relentlessschoolnurse@gmail.com
