Second Annual Nursing Leadership Congress

Abstract

In September 2006, 75 nurse executives met in Asheville, N.C., to develop practical tools and recommendations for "Building the Foundation for a Culture of Safety," the theme of the second annual Nursing Leadership Congress. The Congress is sponsored by McKesson and Intel in collaboration with the American Organization of Nurse Executives, Institute for Safe Medication Practices, National Patient Safety Foundation, and Joint Commission Resources. Plenary speakers included David Marx, JD, president of Outcome Engineering and an expert on helping organizations create a "just culture." Representatives from Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota in Minneapolis/St Paul and Overlook Hospital in Summit, N.J., touched on several aspects of patient safety, from developing a road map and engaging physicians to workload management and rapid response teams. Researcher Monique Lambert, PhD, shared highlights of studies that Intel is conducting aimed at maximizing the benefits of technology in clinical work practice while minimizing the risk of introducing new sources of errors. Joseph Grenny shared techniques outlined in his 2 best-selling books on "crucial conversations" and "crucial confrontations." The cornerstone of the Nursing Leadership Congress is the roundtables. This year, participants broke into groups to brainstorm around 5 topics: disclosure and team building, reflections of culture in large-scale clinical implementations, measuring change, effecting change, and mentoring. This article presents highlights from both the plenary sessions and roundtables.