Using a Professional Writing Retreat to Enhance Professional Publications, Presentations, and Research Development With Staff Nurses

Abstract

This article presents the outcomes of a structured writing retreat used with a group of professional nurses from a Magnet-designated hospital. The purpose of the retreat was to enhance nurses' ability to prepare poster presentations, develop manuscripts for peer-reviewed journal submissions, and design new research studies. This staff development retreat can serve as an exemplar for other hospitals desiring to increase dissemination of best practice.

Changing the Publication Culture From “Nice to Do” to “Need to Do”: Implications for Nurse Leaders in Acute Care Settings

“…Expectations for publications can be woven into job descriptions for APRNs. Nurse executives can also promote a culture of publication by including manuscript development in leadership goals (Horstman & Theeke, ). Requiring mid‐level nurse leaders to set annual goals of one publication per year for their departments is a first step.…”

“…These discussions can decrease fear associated with publication and stimulate curiosity. Some have found providing education in the format of an off‐site writing retreat effective in motivating nurses to publish (Horstman & Theeke, ; Jackson, ). Retreats can also be a fun way to enhance peer relationships between novice and experienced writers.…”

“…To help mid-level nurse leaders meet this goal, nurse leaders can recruit nurses who are involved in clinical advancement programs or those who have been involved with a unit project (Horstman & Theeke, 2012). Individuals who have completed a poster presentation should also be encouraged to transform the presentation into a manuscript (Miller & Lewis, 2008).…”

“…Networking within the organization can connect clinical nurses with a writing mentor or writing group to provide writing experiences. Writing experiences through mentoring have been successful in increasing publications among clinical nurses (Batcheller et al, 2012;Gee, 2011;Horstman & Theeke, 2012;Jackson, 2009;Shatzer et al, 2010). Some have found that writing groups created by shared clinical interests have been successful at increasing publications in hospital settings (Salas-Lopez et al, 2011).…”

The hidden benefits of writing retreats: Academic development and social interaction for nurses

“…Additionally, the writing retreat can be of great value to develop the individual's writing process and knowledge, and to contribute to the development of professional collegial relationships. [10] Support and guidance provided by senior staff within writing groups or at writing retreats promotes and creates informal mentoring opportunities [11][12][13][14][15] thus contributing to the academic's informal learning process. Mentoring can lessen the individual's anxieties about writing and assist in improving their confidence level.…”