Forensic Healthcare Online

This week over at the sustainability site, a few things for you to peruse:

• A great handwashing poster that made me smile, particularly timely since my house is currently germ-central
• A look at the challenges of asking for help and some of the opinions out there on how best to do it
• And of course, a reminder about our current giveaway here at FHO.

Speaking of which, please don’t forget to add your comment to the giveaway post to be eligible for the Sexual Assault Quick Reference, courtesy of G.W. Medical Publishing. It’s a perfect size for use in the clinical arena (did I mention it has photos?), or a fantastic gift to giveaway to a member of your team (say, the person who did the most cases in ’09 or took the most call). And please keep in mind, eligibility is not limited to US and Canadian readers, so for all of my international readers (I see you in my stats, so I know you’re out there), please include your comments, too. Deadline to enter is November 25th at 12pm ET.

Bonne chance and have a great weekend!

I’m in Philadelphia and then heading on to Maine this weekend for a DV course we’re teaching up there next week, so things are (and will continue to be) light over at the sustainability site. However, there are a couple things from this week you might find interesting:

• A succession planning webinar, for those of you in (or striving to be in) leadership positions. It’s a critical piece of the work that doesn’t get discussed as much as it should.
• A post about difficult conversations over at the Harvard Business site. It seems like we started talking a lot about ethical communication at the IAFN Assembly in Dallas last year, and the idea has continued to really stick with me. I love that the focus of the post referenced here is about being ambushed by angry confrontation, since it’s a situation most of us don’t handle as gracefully as we’d like.
• The press release regarding the Justice for Survivors of Sexual Assault Act, introduced by Senators Franken, Grassley, Feinstein and Hatch.

It’s a beautiful, sunny day here in Philly, and while I’ll spend most of the day over at the ASC meeting (we’re doing an interesting panel as one of the closing sessions), I have been assured that there will be good Cuban food and a mojito waiting for me at the end of the day. Hope such rewards are in store for you, as well. Have a great weekend!

Late getting to this post today–I’ve been wandering the state engaging in some pretty interesting conversations, which means a long night trying to catch up (I confess I took time out for homemade Chinese dumplings, made with great love, if not great skill by my husband). What does this have to do with the sustainability site? Not a thing–so I suppose I should get to it:

• A reminder about some of the great online courses offered by the Foundation Center–this one on finding funders [Pam B.: this may be a good resource in response to your question]
• More conversation about rehiring former employees
• Info about using Facebook Causes to potentially support your program

A word about next week–Tuesday I will be heading to the ATL for the IAFN Annual Assembly. While my good intentions are to keep regular posts going throughout the week, there’s an excellent chance I may miss a day or two. Posts that go up (with the exception of Monday’s) will be special posts from the conference–I hope to recap the best of what I see and hear. For those of you who will be there, please come by and say hello–you’ll find me at the NSVRC booth in the exhibit hall or at a couple of the sessions (including one I’m doing on using technology for education). Looking forward to seeing people there, chaotic as it will be.

To those heading to the Assembly, safe travels. And to all our readers–have a great (warm and dry) weekend!

Sorry for the lack of wrap-up last week–things were fairly hectic and the Sustainability site got a bit neglected. We’re back this week, though, and you’ll find some good stuff there:

• A reminder to check up on the continuing conversation over at the OVC web forum. While I still have yet to hear back from colleagues on a couple questions I put out there for more nuanced feedback, I have been able to get to the majority of posted questions.
• A great piece on leadership and being an energizer for your team
• A webcast of Dr. Rebecca Campbell speaking about the impact of SANE programs on the criminal justice system. There are 4 videos altogether.

Today’s a call day for me, and I’m stuck in my windowless office at the DOVE Program. But that may be okay, because it is a cold and rainy day here in the CLE. Hope it’s a bit more hospitable wherever you are…

Just back from a terrific trip to CO Springs/Alamosa (where, among other things, I got a tour of the gorgeous Memorial program and also ate my weight in Mexican food). We were also busy over at the Sustainability site this week:

• A reminder about the Victim Privacy webinar being hosted by SAFE TA on Oct. 13th  (also posted here)
• Information about the hands-on, day-long leadership and program management workshop we’re doing at IAFN next month: there are still a handful of spots left, so if you’re interested, please register soon. The session will be capped at 45 participants (plus table faculty)
• Two great posts on critical management issues: delivering praise and managing pessimists on your team

It may have been snowing in Colorado this week, but it’s gorgeous and sunny in the 216, and I’m actually home for a sustained period of time (3 weeks!). So I’m very much looking forward to my weekend. Hope yours is a good one, too!

Much of the content on the sustainability site this week was pretty self-centered, I must say. But hopefully it’s useful, so, if you’ll indulge me:

• The slides from the session I did at NSAC on sustainability are posted here under Conference Handouts (click here to go to them directly). They’ll be available for 30 days (after that, by request).
• I’ll be hosting a web forum on sustainability for OVC Sept. 30th from 2-3pm
• A fantastic (and relatively brief) tool for managers of all stripes: a guide to effective communication that has some great recommendations for delivering bad news, holding meetings that don’t waste people’s times, and much more.

I’m off to the wilds of Colorado this weekend and will be working from there most of next week. I’ll try and keep posts pretty regular, assuming my connectivity is reasonable. Have a great weekend!

It’s a great week at the sustainability site. First off, I’m so excited to be able to bring you a new Friday Coordinator Q&A with Emily Huggins in York, PA (thanks, Emily!). In addition:

• A terrific piece on why leaders should lighten up that I think is pretty relevant
• And an interesting way to look at what your website says about you and your program’s mission

Next week is the NSAC conference in Alexandria. I’ll be presenting a couple sessions there and am looking forward to seeing many of you. Please stop by the AEquitas booth or snag me after a session and say hello if you’ll be there.

Have a safe and happy holiday weekend!

Well, people, this is my last week of being at home for the next month. I”ve had two uninterrupted weeks with the family, but this weekend, it’s back on the road for me. Assuming that the Navy base I’ll be on allows me internet access (and you just never know), there shouldn’t be any interruption in posts next week. In the meantime, check out what’s happening over at the sustainability site:

• a webinar from the Family Justice Center Alliance on setting up foundations and 501(c)3′s
• an interesting piece over at the Huffington Post on handling conflict
• and some unfortunate words many of us seem to live by (I’m talking to you, Val P)

I’m going to try and cut out a bit early today to enjoy this last day of summer break with my kiddo; there’s a wedding anniversary to celebrate tonight (you’ll have to ask Rob which number–I never get it right), and Sally’s birthday in Harrisburg this weekend. All in all, it’s shaping up to be a fantastic weekend. Hope yours will be, too. See you back here on Monday.

It’s been an insanely busy week, but a really good one. And there’s some great stuff over at the sustainability site this week. Aside from an evaluation webinar happening today over at OVC (I hope I’ll be able to share archived materials soon), you’ll also find:

• An interesting article on boomerang recruiting that gives some food for thought
• Information we’ve been waiting for for some time: study results from Dr. Rebecca Campbell and colleagues on the impact of SANE programs on the criminal justice system. It’s great information to add to the healthcare-related data she’s already published, to provide a well-rounded picture of why SANE programs work.

It’s going to definitely be a working weekend for me, but hopefully not for my friend Tara, who just passed her FNP boards. Considering she was sweating the exam in Oregon last week, allow me to be the first to say, “I told you so!” (oh, yeah, and congratulations…). Enjoy the fishing, Tara–you earned it.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

I’m sorry to say, but it’s been a slow week over at the sustainability site–mostly because I was on a site visit this week for the project in Oregon. Posts were light, sadly. I’m hoping next week we might have the next bulletin, so cross your fingers. In the meantime:

• More announcements about our new prosecution institute (and check out our upcoming training events here)
• An online SANE course beginning next month, if you’re one of the many trying to figure out creative new ways to get new nurses trained

It’s looking like a gorgeous couple of days here in the 216, and for once I have no travel planned for a couple of weeks. Going to try and get in a little R&R. Hope you’ll be doing the same. Enjoy your weekend!

It’s been a terrific week out here in the mountains, but it’s just about time to go home (and then turn right back around and head to Oregon). I confess, I tried to get a new clinical guide up this week, but the mountains beckoned and it didn’t happen. Next week, I promise. In the meantime, check out what’s happening over at the sustainability site:

• A newly-released webinar from Robert Wood Johnson on generating media coverage
• Some basic guidelines for successful planning, in anticipation of our next project bulletin
• A few resources on emergency contraception:choosing progestin-only pills over combined ones, single-dosing Plan B, and more

It’s my last day here, so I’m going to enjoy one last trail run. Have a great weekend everyone! See you back here next week from the Pacific Northwest.

There’s been a lot of activity over at the Sustainability site this week, in large part due to the release of our 1st project bulletin, Sustainability 101: Long Range Thinking for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program Managers. Thanks to everyone who’s sent me lovely comments about the report. Stay tuned, because our 2nd one, on writing business plans for SANE programs, will be released in a few weeks. Other happenings this week:

• A fantastic (and brief) blog post on a few easy ways to make your employees happy
• More publicity for the IAFN management/leadership session we’re doing in the ATL
• And we’re back with a new Friday Q&A, this week with Shalotta Sharp from Cuba, AL (BTW, if you’d like to be featured–and bring some nice publicity to your program–please contact me)

Next week, I’ll have some good stuff for you: our monthly Articles of Note, where we look at what’s recently published in the peer-reviewed literature; and a new clinical guide on, well, I’m not giving it away just yet. Let’s say for those of you doing DV/IPV clinical work in particular, this one should pique your interest.

I’m happy to report I’m heading to Colorado tomorrow for a week of decompression. I’ll still be working, of course (although I’m taking a couple days off), but I will be at altitude, surrounded by mountains in the high country, which chills me out like nothing else can. Hope you’ll be finding a similar source of serenity yourselves–MW, I’m talking to you, my friend.

Enjoy your weekend!

What an incredible week we’ve had at both sites. So much traffic, I am frankly a bit stunned. If you haven’t been over to the sustainability site, here’s what you’ll find this week

• Leadership and self-confidence, as discussed over at HarvardBusiness.org
• A pretty relevant article on nursing retention (and recruitment)
• Our semi-regular Friday Coordinator Q&A with Linda Rossman

And of course, don’t forget, we’re having our 1st giveaway on this site. Just leave me a comment here about why you do this work and Monday I’ll choose the winner of the Forensic Nursing Scope &  Standards, hot off the press. If you’re training forensic nurses as part of your job, this is a seriously invaluable tool, folks.

This week was a good one at the Sustainability site. We’re back with a new Coordinator Q&A, and a couple additional goodies for all you program managers out there:

• A brief post on getting your needs met, something we all could learn to manage a bit better, I think
• A cross-post that was unbelievably popular on this site: Jen Pierce-Weeks’ guest post on evaluating SANE trainers (seriously–the traffic on this was incredible)
• The Friday Q&A with Traci Jones from Cheyenne, WY. Thanks, Traci!

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

I’m back from the desert and looking forward to a long weekend. I’m going to take part of the day off, so just an abbreviated warp-up (wow, now that’s a typo!) wrap-up today. Because I was gone all week, only a couple things on the sustainability site:

• A fascinating article about the current freefall of the Memphis SANE program–heartbreaking when you run a national sustainability project
• A beginner’s guide to online marketing and fundraising webinar announcement

Have a safe and happy 4th for all of my American readers (and for my Canadian readers, a belated happy Canada Day!). I’ll be back Monday with new content, the July edition of Articles of Note, and a big announcement!