The red bird flew to the transom and peered in at me. It sat there as I sobbed. I looked up, and it looked at me as if to say, ‘It will be OK.” Many times, the red bird would appear when I was going through times of sadness or deep reflection.

I remember once, as I strolled through the botanical gardens on my mother’s birthday, the red bird’s appearance. I stopped at a beautiful planting of dahlias, engrossed in thought as dahlias were my mother’s favorite flower. I felt the sensation of being watched, and there was the red bird. It was sitting on a twig, watching me. It stayed there for several minutes and then flew away. It reappeared when I entered the rose garden, my mother’s second favorite flower. 

Another time, I had been painting and suddenly was needed on an unscheduled Zoom call. I hurried in and grabbed the first thing in my closet, which happened to be my mother’s favorite blouse. I threw it over my painting clothes and jumped on the call. Shortly afterwards the red bird landed on the deck, walked over to the French doors, peered up at me and started squawking loudly, staring right at me. The red bird was so loud that those on the Zoom call asked what the noise was about. 

Several weeks after my father passed, I was sitting on my back deck, once again consumed in grief. The red bird landed on the chair next to me as I gazed out on the body of water my home looked upon. The red bird was calm, peering at me, then gently flew to my shoulder. It sat there only for a few seconds, but I swear it gave me a kiss on the check. 

The red bird continued to be a healing presence to me as I worked through my grief and pain of losing both parents in a relatively short time. As time marched on, the red bird would appear on meaningful dates. Its beauty and meaning touched me deeply each time I encountered it. 

Several years later, I moved to another state where the red bird does not migrate or live. I knew that the red bird would not appear any further to me. In October, my husband and I rented through a vacation website a condo at the beach to celebrate our wedding anniversary. 

We arrived late at night and did only what was needed to unpack, pushing out everything until the next day. In the morning, I discovered the coffee pot and soon had that precious dark fluid brewing. Once done, I reached into the cupboard and grabbed the closest mug. I almost dropped it as I turned the mug to look at the front. There was the red bird.

You might think the red bird moments were coincidental; maybe they were. I know that every time the red bird appeared, it was a time when I was feeling lost, or I was needing support. 

As I have shared my stories of the red bird with leaders, their faces often soften, and their eyes glisten. The red bird, for me, was a connection to the profound loss of my parents. One leader I spoke with quietly said, I wish I had a red bird to feel connected again. 

Did the red bird find me, or was I looking for it in my longing to seek meaning and understanding? I believe it is a little of both. What I know is that the red bird symbolizes the deep need we all carry in our hearts — the need for connection. 

This time of the year is a time for reflection. What is your red bird that connects you again or more deeply to purpose and meaning? 

Martie L. Moore, MAOM, RN, CPHQ, is the President/CEO of M2WL Consulting. She has been an executive healthcare leader for more than 20 years. She has served on advisory boards for the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel, American Nurses Association, Dean’s Advisory Board at the University of Central Florida College of Nursing and Sigma, International Honor Society for Nursing. She was honored by Saint Martin’s University with an honorary doctorate degree for her service and accomplishments in advancing healthcare.

The opinions expressed in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News guest submissions are the author’s and are not necessarily those of McKnight’s Long-Term Care News or its editors.

Have a column idea? See our submission guidelines here.

As seasons change, so does the tree. It changed from a lush green to a golden hue. The tree no longer needed to provide shade for the cooling fall days; now, it provided beauty. As I paused and looked at the tree, I thought it looked like the sun had reached down and gave it a kiss of pure gold.

One day, an older woman was sitting on the bench when I stopped and paused to look at the tree. She smiled at my expression of wonderment. It is so beautiful, like liquid gold, I pronounced. She smiled and said it was lovely. As the days went onward, I would see the older woman more and more. Leaves were now on the ground, gently falling. I mentioned to her that it was sad to see the tree changing. She smiled and nodded but said nothing further.

One day, after a storm, I noticed all the leaves were gone. The tree was barren. I stopped and stared up at the tree with a feeling of sadness. The older woman interrupted my thoughts. She was calling to me to look at something. She pointed to the tree and said, that is what I have been waiting to see.

Looking up again, I saw the nest that the squirrels had made. They were scampering along the tree branches, busy at work, preparing for winter. The older woman stood next to me and quietly said.

“It is easy to look at something and only see what you want to see. You saw the leaves. I saw the workers of the tree. They were far more interesting to me”.

As I walked to my meeting, I replayed her words in my mind, “It is easy to look at something and only see what you want to see. You saw the leaves. I saw the workers of the tree. They were far more interesting to me.” I was not curious beyond what was in front of me. I did not see the workers of the tree.

As I thought about the tree, it dawned on me that it was symbolic for leaders. The tree gave me the following:

• Refrain from allowing yourself to see only what you want to see. Be curious and ask others for their insight, for their views. Keep curious until the complete picture is genuinely understood.
• The workers of the tree are the most interesting. Employees are an organization’s greatest asset, yet many times are taken for granted. Sight unseen until they leave. Don’t let them go. Be engaged with employees. Be interested.
• I saw the leaves and color, she saw the workers of the tree, and together, we saw the tree … it takes different viewpoints to discover what is true and what is real.

Today, as I walked under the tree, it swayed in the light wind as if to say, “Wait for what I will share with you next!”

 Martie L. Moore, MAOM, RN, CPHQ, is the President/CEO of M2WL Consulting. She has been an executive healthcare leader for more than 20 years. She has served on advisory boards for the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel, American Nurses Association, Dean’s Advisory Board at the University of Central Florida College of Nursing and Sigma, International Honor Society for Nursing. She was honored by Saint Martin’s University with an honorary doctorate degree for her service and accomplishments in advancing healthcare.

The opinions expressed in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News guest submissions are the author’s and are not necessarily those of McKnight’s Long-Term Care News or its editors.

Have a column idea? See our submission guidelines here.

In the past, I have participated when an organ donor is wheeled into the operating room. We would gather along the hallways, heads bowed, eyes brimmed over with tears as we knew so well — that to arrive to this moment, the loved ones had to have walked a profound valley in their decision-making. The honoring of giving life, the recognition of the decision of the loved ones to donate — that is why we are there.

This moment was very different. The drums were softly banged as he was wheeled into the room. He was covered in a beautiful quilt, recognizing his service in the Navy. He wore his favorite hat as he lay in the middle of the room. Stories were told, and Ave Maria was sung a cappella in the native tongue of her ancestors. As I looked around the room, I noticed several nursing students witnessing the same beauty of honoring an individual that I was seeing.

As the time together gently came to an end. The drums beat again, escorting him down the hallway to the waiting car. As he was loaded into the car and the door was shut, the drums loudly resounded one last time. One last beat to recognize a life and a passing.

As I turned, I was taken aback by how many people were standing there. Employees had come from all over the building, and every department was represented. Some knew him, some did not. But they all knew that this was important. An employee captured my arm and said, “This is why I work here.” “We are a family, and we are a community. We laugh together, and we cry.” Quietly, she said again, “This is why I work here.”

Later that day, I saw the student nurses in a conference room. I asked them what their thoughts were about the walk-out. Amazing and beautiful were adjectives mentioned. One of the soon-to-be nurses asked if that happens in all places when someone dies. I acknowledged that it does not, but it should.

The beauty of the walk-out honored not just the passing of an exceptional man but the deep connection of human beings to one another. I reflected on the ceremony later that I was blessed to witness that day. 

Let me share with you:

Nothing is more beautiful than people being together in the spirit of love.

We all long for deeper connections and meaning to our work. To find it is a special gift to be cherished. 

The questions I asked myself and will ask you are: 

How can we create this sense of community and love in our organizations? 

How can we honor those we are called to serve throughout their journey, including their passing?

It can be done, as I witnessed on this special day. 

Martie L. Moore, MAOM, RN, CPHQ, is the President/CEO of M2WL Consulting. She has been an executive healthcare leader for more than 20 years. She has served on advisory boards for the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel and the American Nurses Association, and she currently serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board at the University of Central Florida College of Nursing and Sigma, International Honor Society for Nursing. She was honored by Saint Martin’s University with an honorary doctorate degree for her service and accomplishments in advancing healthcare.

The opinions expressed in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News guest submissions are the author’s and are not necessarily those of McKnight’s Long-Term Care News or its editors.

Have a column idea? See our submission guidelines here.

Today’s environment in healthcare feels like a tsunami. Most leaders think the wave is too big, and they cannot get on top of it and ride it to the shore. Except for one administrator that I had the pleasure of working with, as she supported her organization through incredible change. 

In interviewing her as part of the assessment I would be doing for her, I noticed that she was unshakable in her vision and passion for those she served. I laid my pen down and asked her how she had such strength in her leadership. 

She smiled and said she always looks to her North Star to remind her of the path forward. She shared that the North Star, also known as Polaris, is always in the exact location in the sky every night from dusk to dawn, neither rising nor setting.

I asked her to tell me more. She shared that travelers used the North Star to guide them across the oceans. The star always pointed the way, even in the most turbulent seas. By the look on my face, she knew that I was thinking she wasn’t a sea captain. She laughed and said she was the ship’s captain in many ways. She had accountability for the safety and care of her residents and employees. She ensured policies were followed and measures taken to do the best job — every day. She laughed and said sometimes it felt like she was turning the Titanic in a bathtub. She suddenly became serious, removing her glasses and leaning forward, “Frankly, the work is exhausting, and when I feel myself faltering, I look to my North Star.”

As a creative individual, I immediately had a mental picture of her standing on a vista, looking up to the sky, and in truth, she might do that. But in further conversations with her, I heard about how she knew her purpose and how she used it to ground her leadership. When the world was swirling, she maintained her eye on the present, grounded in who she was and what she believed.

Looking to your North Star is knowing your purpose. The deeper meaning of purpose, which makes it all worthwhile, is more than just helping yourself thrive and succeed. The most successful and fulfilled people know that they have a role in making life easier and better for  everyone. 

The Harvard Business Review wrote in the 2012 article “What Wise Leaders Always Follow” the following:

“We have a choice in creating the life that we desire. With our judgment, choices, actions we take, we change the course of our future and steer our destiny, moment by moment. Wisdom is not about focusing on the future but rather about acting in the present, aligned with our North Star.” 

The last statement is worth reading again: “Wisdom is not about focusing on the future but rather about acting in the present, aligned with our North Star.” 

Acting in the present, aligned with purpose, we lead forward.

Martie L. Moore, MAOM, RN, CPHQ, is the President/CEO of M2WL Consulting. She has been an executive healthcare leader for more than 20 years. She has served on advisory boards for the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel and the American Nurses Association, and she currently serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board at the University of Central Florida College of Nursing and Sigma, International Honor Society for Nursing. She was honored by Saint Martin’s University with an honorary doctorate degree for her service and accomplishments in advancing healthcare.

The opinions expressed in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News guest submissions are the author’s and are not necessarily those of McKnight’s Long-Term Care News or its editors.

Have a column idea? See our submission guidelines here.

He went on to say that is the only way that innovation emerges. Another person interrupted and said that the past is filled with insights and learnings; why would we not lean into the past? That was the foundation for the lively debate that resulted in no resolution with each person’s perspective remaining, just that: their perspective. 

The explosion of interest in artificial intelligence, technological changes and other advances makes leaders feel that their only view is forward with a sense of urgency as they navigate their organizations through the changes coming at them. An administrator recently told me, “Nothing in the past interests me. I only want to look ahead.”

While forward-looking is critical for strategic planning and navigating an organization through the changes we face in healthcare, much can be learned by looking backward.

Think about great leaders you admire in history. They are the perfect example of backward-looking to inform the future. History recounts the decisions, actions and impact of their leadership. 

Abraham Lincoln continues to be one of the most studied leaders of the past. He is known for putting the best people in key leadership roles, even if they were his rivals or challengers. Descriptors of his qualities are as follows: 

1. Humble and self-assured: When Lincoln ran in 1860, he wasn’t expected to win, but he did. He was expected to seek revenge on those who wanted the presidential role. He didn’t. Instead, he put them in positions where he knew they had strengths and would benefit the greater good of the country.
2. Humorous: Lincoln had a fabulous sense of humor. He many times used a self-deprecating storytelling style. He used his humor to build relationships with both allies and opponents alike.
3. Powerful writer and orator: He was highly skilled in conveying important messages in a personal way. A way that people could understand and support.
4. Empathetic: Lincoln’s empathetic skills gave him insight into the motivation, hardships, and needs of those he encountered. People felt that he genuinely cared, and he did.
5. Visionary: He knew that he needed to be forward-looking in navigating the issues facing him and work towards healing the nation.
6. Present: Lincoln was present to his troops, being a visible and accessible leader. He listened and made sure that the troops’ needs were met. He knew that what they were doing was harder than what he was facing. He conveyed his appreciation for their sacrifice. He knew that for some it would be the ultimate sacrifice — their life. 

Lincoln knew that he needed to be forward-looking. He knew that he needed to sell his vision and meet people where they were in their views, without judgment. He knew that it would be hard, but to not move forward would be even harder.

He was humble and used humor and storytelling skills to clarify the why of his vision and how he planned to lead the people forward. He was present to his people. His leadership traits are the same ones that are effective by leaders throughout history. When you look to the past, themes of leadership traits emerge amongst the greatest leaders in history. The traits are eerily similar to what Lincoln exhibited.

Healthcare is undergoing tremendous challenges and changes. But so was the nation during the time of Lincoln’s leadership. The traits he exhibited are the same traits that are needed in today’s leaders. People long for a leader who is present, empathetic, visionary and can communicate the pathway forward.

Conscious or unconscious, the past does influence the future. What can you use and learn from the past to inform your leadership ability for the future?

Martie L. Moore, MAOM, RN, CPHQ, is the President/CEO of M2WL Consulting. She has been an executive healthcare leader for more than 20 years. She has served on advisory boards for the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel and the American Nurses Association, and she currently serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board at the University of Central Florida College of Nursing and Sigma, International Honor Society for Nursing. She was honored by Saint Martin’s University with an honorary doctorate degree for her service and accomplishments in advancing healthcare.

The opinions expressed in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News guest submissions are the author’s and are not necessarily those of McKnight’s Long-Term Care News or its editors.

Have a column idea? See our submission guidelines here.

He uses toast-making to help people understand the nodes and links within a system. He asks individuals to draw how to make toast. 

Most individuals draw a loaf of bread in a bag, butter and a toaster. Occasionally, a creative individual will outline the car or grocery store in the background where the individual purchased the loaf. 

When he asks people to work together, the system of how to make toast emerges. People start to think about how toast is an output or outcome. It is the final product. What does it take to make toast? Suddenly the system of process and production becomes visual. Nodes and links were identified as the system of making toast was designed. Nodes represent the things in a system, and links illustrate interactions and influences. 

Wujec says, “I’m convinced that those who see their world as movable nodes and links really have an edge.” 

The work that he is leading is called business visualization. The wicked problem is the headliner. Then using a considerable wall and a whole lot of Post-it Notes, solutions and actions become more evident. 

A leader asked me to help them solve a wicked problem. I shared that the best way to solve problems is to make toast. While he was not 100% sure what that meant, he trusted me and the process. As the team gathered, I had sheets of paper plastered up on the walls of the conference rooms. In the middle of the tables were Post-it Notes, pencils, markers, crayons, reams of white paper and squeeze balls. The squeeze balls are for those who want to jump immediately to solutions. I ask them to put their energy into the ball instead of what they think is the correct answer. 

A dominant voice often pronounces the answer, limiting others to see other possibilities. 

As we worked together to make toast, creative energy was bubbling up. Teams gathered to think about how toast becomes toast. Some went upstream to the fields of wheat and the start of bread. Others focused on the milling of the grain into flour. A few refined the purchasing process for the consumer. They were thinking in terms of a system — looking and nodes and links.

We were ready to tackle the wicked problem. Before we dove into the activity, I worked through the following:

1. When tackling a wicked problem, the first question is whether everyone agrees that this is the wicked problem. 
2. When defining the wicked problem, call out biases that might be underlying in individual minds. When I pushed further, it came out that people did not believe that the wicked problem was solvable. 
3. Think upstream/downstream of the wicked problem. Remember, wicked problems are made up of nodes and links. Like toast, there are processes before the bread becomes toast and indeed after the toast is consumed.

After we agreed upon not only what was the wicked problem but also whether it could be solved, we dove in. At my one year check-in with the facility, the wicked problem was solved. They had achieved their desired reductions in pressure injuries. 

Since my time with them, they have developed their own facilitators for wicked problem discovery. They call themselves “WPTs = Wicked Problem Terminators.”

Do you have a wicked problem? Ever consider how to make toast? 

Martie L. Moore, MAOM, RN, CPHQ, is the president/CEO of M2WL Consulting. She has been an executive healthcare leader for more than 20 years. She has served on advisory boards for the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel and the American Nurses Association, and she currently serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board at the University of Central Florida College of Nursing and Sigma, International Honor Society for Nursing. She was honored by Saint Martin’s University with an honorary doctorate degree for her service and accomplishments in advancing healthcare.

The opinions expressed in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News guest submissions are the author’s and are not necessarily those of McKnight’s Long-Term Care News or its editors.

Have a column idea? See our submission guidelines here.

Next to me was an older adult who, by my calculation, was on her seventh time telling her story. As I listened to what was happening, I recognized that it was mindless listening. Mindless listening is when our mind goes on autopilot; we ask repetitive questions, not registering the answers for future use. Mindless listening is many times done by providers while filling in fields on a computer screen.

My room partner was suffering and did not have someone with her. As I listened to her eighth time recounting why she was there, it hit me that she had a urinary tract infection (UTI). One of those in the older adult can manifest itself beyond pain, frequency and urgency. Underlying UTI often causes confusion, lethargy, falls and other symptoms. In older females, the loss of protection of estrogen is because of menopause. A good estrogen supply creates a low acidic pH in the vagina.

Additionally, as estrogen levels drop, that causes the skin and tissue between the urethra and the opening of the vagina to get thinner and drier, and lose acidity. That low acidic pH creates an environment that is hostile to pathogen growth. Bacteria growth occurs at a pH of 6.0. Most bathing wipes are pH neutral or 7.0. Soap and water are pH neutral to alkaline 8.5+. We also know that pathogens that live in the gut are the causative of UTIs. It is the perfect storm for the older female to be plagued by UTIs.

The top five offending pathogens for UTIs are: 

1. Escherichia coli
2. Klebsiella spp. (pneumoniae, oxytoca)
3. Pseudomonas aeruginosa
4. Enterococcus faecalis
5. Proteus spp.

E. coli is the most common, but Klebsiella and others are making their presence known as contenders for UTIs. Carbapenem-resistants’ are also increasing in Klebsiella, Ecoli, and Pseudomonas, leading me to the story’s end.

As my roommate lay on the stretcher in pain, our mutual doctor walked into the room. You know it is not a social call when you hear the glass door open in your room. The doctor walked over to my roommate and, in a matter-of-fact tone, stated that she did have a UTI. I, of course, was saying under my breath, “I knew it!” They were going to take a watch-and-see approach. The doctor told her to follow up with her primary care doctor. They did not want to prescribe antibiotics as this could be chronic, and the research shows that antibiotics are ineffective against chronic UTIs. 

Yes, they were going to send her to her residence without treatment. We can only imagine what might have happened if the nurse had not intervened. She reminded the doctor that the patient lived alone, was recently widowed, and is in considerable pain. She gently brought him to develop a course of treatment. 

Later when the same nurse was taking care of me, I asked her what that was about. The research does not support his statement of nontreatment when it is acute and symptomatic. She shook her head and stated that he was new to practice. She laughed and said, “Don’t worry — we will get him trained soon.” She added that he doesn’t understand how to treat older adults. 

The World Health Organization declared that ageism is the most accepted prejudice in healthcare. As I lay there staring at the glass doors, I thought about the “what ifs.” What if the nurse did not intervene? What if the doctor sent this lovely older woman home to suffer, and she did not understand what to do as the bacteria raced through her body? 

Was it ageism or being misinformed? Was it a little of both? As the same doctor examined me, I asked him where he learned how to treat chronic UTIs. He shared that he had attended a lecture last week and the speaker shared her research in the field. 

I know the speaker and, once home, asked her about the presentation. Yes, she shared information about chronic UTIs in the older adult, but did not say to not treat and take a watch-and-see approach when the individual is acute and symptomatic. The doctor misunderstood what the presenter said about chronic UTIs. 

The famous poet Nikki Giovanni stated, “I’m glad I understand that while language is a gift, listening is a responsibility.” 

Listening IS a responsibility. Listening with an unbiased mind and heart is our highest responsibility in caring for those we serve. 

Listening is more than a part of a conversation. Listening and discerning all the information that influences our actions is a greater part of that responsibility. 

Martie L. Moore, MAOM, RN, CPHQ, is the president/CEO of M2WL Consulting. She has been an executive healthcare leader for more than 20 years. She has served on advisory boards for the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel and the American Nurses Association, and she currently serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board at the University of Central Florida College of Nursing and Sigma, International Honor Society for Nursing. She was honored by Saint Martin’s University with an honorary doctorate degree for her service and accomplishments in advancing healthcare.

The opinions expressed in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News guest submissions are the author’s and are not necessarily those of McKnight’s Long-Term Care News or its editors.

Have a column idea? See our submission guidelines here.

The answers started immediately; opinions fling out like fairy dust. When the dust finally settled, out of the one hundred and eight answers, one person took the time and researched what the print might be. That one person bravely put it out there that it might be something different from the many comments. 

Like seagulls on an unattended sandwich, they flocked against the lone commenter. When the dust finally settled again, the individual who posted the question and picture thanked the one individual who had taken the time to research the problem. The person did know what they were talking about and was right about what animal had made the print. The individual who posted the answer did their research, called experts, and thoughtfully put together an answer to help the individual who was asking. 

The rest of the commenters were confident in their responses but drew upon their experience or opinions. When an alternative answer was presented, they immediately were defensive and justified their response. Comments such as, “you do not know what you are talking about” or my least favorite, “well, that is just your opinion, and your opinion means nothing.”

My contribution was, “I do not know, but would not want to meet whatever it is in the woods at night.” Clearly my contribution was not helpful. But I really would not want to meet the animal anytime. The prints left behind were big and appeared that they could do some damage if irritated. 

You might ask why am I sharing this observation with you? Because the behaviors exhibited on social media are being duplicated daily within healthcare settings across the nation. An issue is poised, individuals immediately give their thoughts or opinions based on knowledge, experience and biases. There is rarely exploration of causations, influencers and unknown reasons for the issue. Exploration is defined as, “the action of traveling in or through an unfamiliar area in order to learn about it.”

I recently had an administrator tell me that he did not have time to do exploration on quality issues. He was there to make decisions based upon his judgment and experience. Except, his facility was being cited for the same issues, every survey. The plans that had been put into place, were ineffective. 

When something is not improving, it is because assumptions are flawed. 

Additionally, many times strategies are limited to a perceived course of action based on the assumptions. That same administrator told me to stay in my swim lane and let him address the issues. My swim lane was to address the workforce issues. The administrator forgot that a swim lane is just part of a greater body of water that comprises the whole. The workforce issues were directly correlated to the quality issues. 

The stumbling of the administrator was the same stumbling of the social media posts; defensive posturing, inability to see beyond their own confidence in their knowledge, experience and yes, biases. Very few issues are one dimensional in context, yet many times that is what we try to make them. 

Always look for causations beyond the most obvious. 

When you feel your confidence surge like the phases of a pandemic, ask yourself, “What do I really know…?” Then ask yourself, “What do I not know…?” Research has demonstrated that when we engage our brain, the brain becomes more expansive. By asking questions, listening and exploring the multifocal causations that might have influenced the issue, you are discovering true causation, which leads to the most productive actions. 

In case you are wondering, the print in the dirt was made by an oversized lynx with unusually large pads. Typically, not seen around the area of the individual posting the picture. Most felt that it was a bear, because of the large pads. My response was absolutely correct: not something I want to meet in the woods at night or during the daylight. 

Martie L. Moore, MAOM, RN, CPHQ, is the President/CEO of M2WL Consulting. She has been an executive healthcare leader for more than 20 years. She has served on advisory boards for the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel and the American Nurses Association, and she currently serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board at the University of Central Florida College of Nursing and Sigma, International Honor Society for Nursing. She was honored by Saint Martin’s University with an honorary doctorate degree for her service and accomplishments in advancing healthcare.

The opinions expressed in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News guest submissions are the author’s and are not necessarily those of McKnight’s Long-Term Care News or its editors.

The manager shared his background and said, if I could clone Jess, I would. He is a power of one. 

‘The Power of One’ is the theory that one person can change the future, that one person’s actions can actually change the lives of many. 

A dear friend of mine found out the power of one, in a hard way. He and his family were planning for upcoming graduations and a wedding. Through a workplace exposure, he contracted SARS-CoV-2. It started with him, the power of one. Unknowingly, he exposed his family which altered the course of their plans. He called me and said, “It is a horrible feeling to know that you were the one”. At the time, I had not thought much about being the one. As I heard the pain in his voice and the worry, I thought of the power of one. The power of one unintentionally impacting the many. 

“The Power of One” has been a movie, a book, and for Jess, a choice. Jess was born without hands and is hearing impaired. The manager shared that when Jess applied, he immediately thought, he cannot do this job. Jess as if reading his mind, asked him to give him a month. A month to prove that yes, he could do the job. The manager lowered his head and said, I almost told him, no. The manager went on to say that he the manager, was the one with limitations. He only saw the disability and not the ability. The power of one individual’s perspective draped over another individual. 

In the past week, I was on a Zoom call with clinical leaders from all different settings and locations. The opening was a roundtable with check-ins and updates. Staffing and fiscal constraints, technological upgrades and leadership turnover were the most dominant themes amongst the attendees.

You could see the faces and shoulders slump as they acknowledged how deeply they understood what the other was saying. Then one voice said, “I have some great news to share.” The individual went on to share their great news and I watched as the faces changed. The conversation became lively, ideas were shared around the individual’s great news. People were engaged and afterwards said, it was the best meeting. The power of one giving the many a chance to dream of the what if. 

As leaders, we are the power of one. Through our actions we will unintentionally impact others. We will drape our perspectives, biases and judgements over others. We will create the moment that others can dream alongside us. It is how we utilize our power of one. That is our choice.

When I had a moment to talk with Jess, he responded to my question, with a question.

I asked him how he was able to be so present to the tasks before him. He asked, how can you not be? 

Every day when he rises, he makes the choice of helping one person have a better day than they were having before they interacted with Jess. He smiled and said, “it just takes one person to change the day for another.” 

How will you use the power of you? The Power of One!

Martie L. Moore, MAOM, RN, CPHQ, is the President/CEO of M2WL Consulting. She has been an executive healthcare leader for more than 20 years. She has served on advisory boards for the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel and the American Nurses Association, and she currently serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board at the University of Central Florida College of Nursing and Sigma, International Honor Society for Nursing. She was honored by Saint Martin’s University with an honorary doctorate degree for her service and accomplishments in advancing healthcare.

The opinions expressed in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News guest submissions are the author’s and are not necessarily those of McKnight’s Long-Term Care News or its editors.

Most in line were looking at their phones but took the time to affirm the wait. The elderly woman in front of me and I continued to small talk until openings became available. I met up with her again at the air dryer. I washed my hands, and as I held them under the high-powered dryer, the skin was forcefully blown away from my bones, and I saw my mother’s hands. 

I was lost in memories when I heard a voice say, “You have such lovely hands, nothing like my old, shriveled hands.” I looked up and into the eyes of the lady I had been chatting with beforehand. I looked down at her hands, and thought of my mother’s and said, “I would give anything to hold the hand of the woman I hold in my heart that had hands like yours, hands that told the story of loving and living.”

I first was introduced to the blessing of hands as a young nurse working in a faith-based hospital. I was fresh out of college and eager to be a “real Nurse.”

I failed to appreciate or understand the significance of the ceremony. I failed to see that my hands would pump a heart back to life, that my hands would administer agents that would attack cancer cells, or even that they would comfort another as we sat together in silence. I saw them in a utilitarian mode. A means to an end to get the work done. It was later into my career, as a nurse leader, that their symbolism and their meaning had clarity. 

It was a spontaneous moment, one of the spiritual support leaders approached us and said, “I would like to bless your hands as the burden that you carry as leaders is heavy.”

The blessing went something like this:

“When we reach our hand out to provide care, to do our work, as part of the care of others, we are saying to others, you are important to us, and you are cared for by the efforts of many who value you and your needs.

Holding your hands in front you observe their appearance and think of all that you do with your hands each day which contributes to the needs of our patients (residents) physically, spiritually and emotionally.

You have chosen to bless others with your hands in the work you do. Now we are going to bless your hands in recognition of the sacredness of what you do every day. 

Blessings and appreciation for the healing touch these hands have brought to others.”     — Sr. Mary Lou Palas, SC

After that moment, I was left with a desire to understand better the hands that served so many. I observed how others’ made such a difference every day. I started verbally speaking to my observations and my appreciation. 

Take a moment to reflect on this statement: “When we reach our hand out to provide care, to do our work as part of the care of others, we are saying to others, ‘You are important to us.’”

I would add that we are truly saying you are important to me. 

May 12 is Florence Nightingale’s birthday. Celebrations are usually scheduled around her birthday to honor caregivers. This year, pause for a moment and ponder upon the symbolism of hands that deliver care. It is only through the hands of many that care, and compassion is rendered. 

Take the time to convey the message that those hands are important to you not only through your celebrations, but every day. That is what the blessing of the hands taught me: to be grateful for the hands of many and the work that they do. 

Martie L. Moore, MAOM, RN, CPHQ, is the President/CEO of M2WL Consulting. She has been an executive healthcare leader for more than 20 years. She has served on advisory boards for the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel and the American Nurses Association, and she currently serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board at the University of Central Florida College of Nursing and Sigma, International Honor Society for Nursing. She was honored by Saint Martin’s University with an honorary doctorate degree for her service and accomplishments in advancing healthcare.

The opinions expressed in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News guest submissions are the author’s and are not necessarily those of McKnight’s Long-Term Care News or its editors.