“How to Succeed With Squared Away – A Focus on Well-Being”
Read “How to Succeed With Squared Away – A Focus on Well-Being” to motivate yourself either on your pathway to success or just taking the first steps. Learn “a non-traditional path,” a leader’s vision, and “The Wellness Wheel.”
Review by Phillip Gary Smith
To learn how to succeed from a very bright person, one has to find that bright soul.
The ETSU podcast from Advancing Nursing on Spotify is undoubtedly a go-to podcast for navigating the dynamic landscape of the nursing profession. Without intention, the matters discussed apply to various careers outside of nursing, hospitals, or health. They can help a great majority of individuals. Why? They are insights from a true talent and leader, Dr Roslyn Robinson.
Dr. Robinson shares her experience and learning from a pathway to success. Her direction is much more conceptualized than “do it this way.” For example, she explodes the theory that one must follow a specific regimen forever to be successful. The information from Dr. Robinson comes from real-world experiences while staying in tune with her passion. You may just discover yours.
Dr. Christy Hall, the podcast host, brings Dr. Robinson’s career into real meaning, which overlaps any number of careers. She opens the door as host, and Dr. Robinson fills the room with insights and perceptions based on her lifelong journey to achieve the position of Chief Nurse Officer at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) Health, Associate Dean for Practice and Community Partnership, and Interim Executive Director for the Center of Nursing Advancement.
As Dr. Hall comments, the passion to reach this level was achieved on “a non-traditional path.” This is by a pipeline that most would never see, consider, or believe could occur. Only a leader would have this vision.
Some decades ago, Dr. Robinson began as a student nurse working in a plasma pheresis facility, where she learned techniques and, importantly, saw the business side of things. She progressed with more types of careers that nursing offers as she performed her service on the neurological floor.
She stepped forward and took a higher management step in the plasma industry, which was just beginning to soar.
“The breakthrough of plasmapheresis can be attributed to its effectiveness in treating a wide variety of disorders, particularly those of the immune system. The procedure involves separating the blood, exchanging the plasma, and returning the other components, primarily red blood cells, to the patient.”
(Neurology Journals, January 17, 2011, Evidence-based guideline update: Plasmapheresis in neurologic disorders).
So, as a nursing student, then a nurse, and with educational courses and business experience earned, she then acted as a general supervisor on her path to management.
Here are her degrees: A BSN in Nursing, a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, an MBA in Business Administration, and a Ph.D. in Business Administration specializing in Healthcare Administration.
Why these degrees? Dr. Robinson recognized the need to learn more in Business to fulfill a passion for healthcare operations management and oversight.
This focus allowed her to recognize that the nurse’s well-being wasn’t on the table, not being discussed. That became a key for her to ensure a nurse became a successful nurse. Post-pandemic, their facilities and courses became more aware of nurses’ physical and mental attitudes.
Additionally, “You’ve got to take care of yourself, what I call ‘Squared Away.’ ” That includes the expansive geography of one’s habits, health, happiness, and love.
Her “most profound” degree wasn’t initially intentional. She kept adding credit hours in psychology that occupied her mind and, ultimately, the outcome of decisions and thoughts.
Dr. Robinson suggests, “Leadership understands that for a person to be influential, (one should) focus while using foundations of critical thinking where you interpret the facts, evidence, and observations versus shooting from the hip.” A successful leader in any field must relate to invoking critical thought.
A key takeaway: Onboarding a new hire requires Dr. Robinson’s “circular model,” whether flexible hours, passion, income, and so forth are identified as that person’s needs. “You can’t treat every employee the same. Identify their needs at that moment in time.”
Not only do new hires have needs, but so do doctors, professors, and heads of departments. Using her “Wellness Wheel,” one’s overall physical and mental health can be considered before entering the workplace.
Although constructed for nursing and healthcare, this podcast interview with Dr. Robinson reveals a strategy for individual growth, regardless of industry or need. Further, growing a business and hiring/retaining staff can propel her insights and experience.
The podcast contains further insights into these thoughts and lessons. They are applicable in life and your life. Use that 24 minutes to complete your personal Wellness Wheel.
Listen to Advancing Nursing on Spotify. Welcome to Advancing Nursing, your go-to podcast for navigating the dynamic landscape of the nursing profession. Join us weekly as we delve into the real-world experiences of seasoned nursing professionals, offering invaluable insights and strategies for success in an ever-evolving field.
Each episode invites you to explore compelling stories and practical advice tailored to enhancing nurse well-being, optimizing recruitment and retention efforts, pioneering innovative teaching methodologies, and leveraging cutting-edge data and technology. Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner, a nursing student, a healthcare leader or executive, or involved in academia, there’s something here for everyone.
Advancing Nursing is sponsored by The Center for Nursing Advancement, an innovative initiative uniting academic and clinical nursing, healthcare leadership, and governmental agencies to tackle the pressing challenges facing the nursing profession and healthcare industry.
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/aaa0bb4f-dcff-43e2-b8bc-48fda94b07c8/advancing-nursing
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Giyr4TFT0UVNF0VOY0tNT
