Organizational Skills, Time Management, and Setting Priorities: Essential Components of a Successful Organization!
Lynn C. Parsons, DSN, RN, CNA
Introduction
This will be my last editorial column, as I will be rotating off of the SCI Nursing Editorial Board after serving for six years. I wish the new Editorial Board well and want to express my strong desire to maintain excellence—a standard that was established by Susan Thomason, our immediate past editor, who will also be rotating off the Editorial Board at the conclusion of this term of service. Excellence in nursing scholarship, practice initiatives, research-based (data-based) interventions, and leadership strategies are components of the SCI Nursing journal that our membership has come to expect. The purpose of this final editorial is to share my conviction that the journal’s success is everyone’s responsibility.
Mission and Goals
The mission statement of the American Association of Spinal Cord Injury Nursing (AASCIN) provides the guiding principles for our organization:
AASCIN promotes quality care for individuals with SCI by advancing SCI nursing practice through education, research, advocacy, health care policy, and collaboration with consumers and health care delivery systems. The major goals of AASCIN are:
• Promote and enhance the nursing care of individuals with SCI
• Develop and promote education and research related to SCI
• Provide educational opportunities for nurses who specialize in SCI
• Facilitate the exchange of information and collaboration with other professionals involved in SCI care
• Serve as a resource to individuals and organizations providing nursing and health care to further knowledge in the care of individuals with SCI
• Recognize nurses committed to the care of individuals with SCI
• Advance SCI nursing practice as a specialty practice. (AASCIN, n.d.)
In keeping with AASCIN’s mission and established goals, it takes all of the membership working together to make our mission a reality-versus words on paper. How many times have you tried a new practice initiative? How many times have you been involved in a research trial for prevention of urinary tract infections (UTI) or prevention of skin breakdown; tried a new staffing initiative for SCI rehabilitation settings; or implemented a new patient care intervention? One way to get published is to write a case study on an interesting patient you have cared for in the clinical setting. This is a great way for a new author to get started in the publishing process and these are the types of topics and events we would like to report on in our journal.
We are all busy! We live in a technologically savvy world. Some have come to the conclusion that our fast-paced world, with its new technologies, has increased our ability to give and get information and, at the same time, created more work for us. That brings me to the question, how can more SCI nurses, and nurses practicing in rehabilitation settings, become involved in writing for our journal? I have concluded that three criteria are essential to make this happen: being organized; having excellent time- management skills; and having the wherewithal to develop and execute your professional priorities. This editorial will explore these three concepts and prepare the AASCIN membership to become more involved in the success of our organization’s journal, SCI Nursing.
Organizational Skills
I know people who spend so much of their time trying to get organized that they have little time to produce. I bet you do, too! Below are some strategies that have had positive effects for highly productive nurses (Table 1). These tactics may enhance your objectives to become a published author much earlier than you anticipate!
One of the most effective approaches to becoming a first- time author is to find an experienced writing mentor. This person can help you develop your topic ideas, complete rough drafts, divide your manuscript in sections, check your research design and methodologies, and proof your work.
Editing your manuscript is extremely important. As an Editorial Board member I readily see writing errors, grammar and punctuation problems, flawed research methodologies, and faulty logic; I cannot, however, often see my own errors. This is not because I feel superior; rather, it is because, like most writers, I am too close to my own work and therefore cannot see where a problem may exist. Many experienced authors have reported that they, too, are often “too close” to their own work. It is always a good strategy to have another experienced writer review and edit your work regardless of how experienced you are. It is helpful to the author, the Editor, and Editorial Board if you have someone edit your manuscript before you submit it for publication consideration.
Table 1. Strategies Employed to Enhance Productivity.
Strategy: Desired Outcome
Surround yourself with highly productive, goal-oriented people: Working in a synergistic environment motivates people to be efficient and produce.
Have current technology available. Most computer software programs have spell check, grammar check, and thesaurus to help a writer edit a manuscript. Some software programs will automatically organize a manuscript (paper) in the required journal format, e.g. American Psychological Association (APA), American Medical Association (AMA), Chicago Manual, and so forth.Be a “team” person: Two or more authors can get more work done than one person working alone.
Have a co-author or multiple authors: Nurse leaders who value nursing science, cutting edge treatment modalities, and value experience and education will groom other nurses that value these same concepts. Nurses working in this environment will feel valued and appreciated and are less likely to leave, and are more likely to be productive members of the organization.
Be in a motivating environment: There are many workshops and seminars devoted to teaching nurses how to write for publication. Instructors for these sessions will help a potential authors identify their interest area(s), develop the main thrust of an article, and help outline the major components (headings) of a manuscript. Attendees will leave with a great start on a future publication!
Attend a workshop: The annual AASCIN conference usually has platform and poster presentations. It is always a good idea to participate in these sessions, and witness first hand that everyone was a first-time author at one point in their career. These sessions can be very motivational!
Attend the AASCIN platform and poster presentations on the publishing process: Some AASCIN members are university professors and have access to university writing centers. Frequently these centers are staffed by English professors, graduate students that are experienced writers, and personnel that are experts in the various formats, such as APA, AMA, etc. Partner with university professors and take advantage of their writing experience and the resources available to them at their universities.
Seek assistance from university writing centers. Consult with any member of the AASCIN Editorial Board: Members of the Editorial Board for SCI Nursing would like to mentor future writers. There are opportunities to write for several columns in the journal and this is considered a good first step in writing for publication. Column editors will work one-on-one with prospective authors.
Time Management
Time is one of the most precious resources that nurses possess. Today’s work environment is mired with the cliché of “doing more with less.” Human resources and nurses are being stretched in their nursing role. It is more important than ever that nurses have excellent time- management skills in order to accomplish as much as they can within a regular work day.
Time management, in short, is how we go about getting things done. Most people go to the grocery store once a week and have a shopping list. This same concept can be applied to writing for publication. If one of your goals is writing for publication, write it down and place it in a location you can see the note and be reminded of your goal.
Nurses are busy professionals. Therefore, excellent time management methods are essential to becoming a highly productive health care professional. The reader is referred to Table 2 to learn effective time management strategies to incorporate into their daily practice routines.
Table 2. Time Management Mechanisms.
Strategy: Expected Outcome
Delegate: Effective delegation strategies allow the delegator to have more time to accomplish other tasks that cannot be delegated, such as developing a manuscript for publication.
Identify how “you” use your time. Do a time assessment log for a few days to give you a clear picture of how you spend your time: Critically review how you expend time. Eliminate “timewasters” in your day. More efficient use of time gives the nurse more time to write for publication.
Write your goals on paper. Establish a “to do” list: Being reminded of your goals will facilitate meeting them. Crossing off items on your “to do” list will facilitate accomplishing your goal of having a publishable manuscript.
Prioritize your goals: Prioritize items in order of importance. People tend to complete high priority tasks. You will most likely succeed in meeting your goal of publishing by making manuscript submission to SCI Nursing a top priority.
Get things done through others: Often there are others in your work group that you can delegate to. In academe, for example, there are student workers and graduate assistants who can do computer literature searches, thereby saving the author time to complete other tasks.
Barriers to Effective Time Management
There are many things that can keep a busy professional nurse from meeting his or her personal and career goals. Ask other nurses what the key to their publishing success is and I doubt you will hear be spontaneous. Managing time requires self-discipline. Everyone needs to be aware of barriers to effective management. A few of the major barriers to managing time well are:
• Socializing. Socializing is a normal event, but often conversations that extend beyond a few statements can take precious time away from accomplishing high(er) level goals. Socializing should take place on scheduled breaks or meal breaks. Use work time to work! Writing for publication is work!
• Procrastination. Procrastination is when a person consistently delays attending to a task and it is very detrimental to the accomplishment of goals. If this is a problem for you, research supports that doing a project in pieces would be helpful. Therefore, when writing for publication, do it in definitive pieces. Something as small as writing the topic sentence or introductory paragraph would be a good start for a person who procrastinates.
• Professional Jealousy. This occurs when your colleague(s) do not want you to get ahead. It often arises when a nurse goes further in school for an advanced degree. The same situation can occur when you are a successful author, or are trying to become one. If possible, avoid these individuals. Their negative influence is not helpful.
• Inability to Say No. This occurs when responsible nurses are asked to serve on extra committees, work extra shifts, and take on special projects. You are not the only nurse at your workplace. Remember your priority list and that your number one goal is writing for publication.
Much more can be accomplished when a nurse manages time well. As you progress in your career trajectory, major accomplishments-such as being a published author-will make you stand out in your professional discipline!
Development and Execution of Professional Priorities
Once skills of organization and time management are refined, it is time to execute (put into action) your professional priorities. If you are a systems manager, you will have methodical strategies for goal accomplishment. The schematic representation in Figure 1 illustrates this phenomenon for a nurse with a goal of being a published author in SCI Nursing.
Figure 1. Schematic Representation for Publishing Using a Systems Management Approach.
Input → Throughput → Output
Develop manuscript theme → Write the manuscript (ms) in pieces
Obtain a writing mentor/partner → Incorporate revision(s) recommended by your writing mentor/partner → Submit ms for publication
Consult with Editorial Board member with your idea(s) → Submit your ms to SCI Nursing.
Use current technology → Review your revisions and make corrections
Final Outcome — publishable manuscript in SCI Nursing.
There are many persons in various roles that can help you accomplish your goal of becoming a published author. The Editorial Board for the SCI Nursing journal is always eager to help. If you have an idea for publication, a query letter to the Editor is a good first step. The Editor can assist you or refer you to a member of the Editorial Board with similar interests.
If you practice in a hospital, hospice, long-term care center, or another health care agency, there are nurse educators that can help you develop your publication ideas. Additionally, they can help you obtain resources, whether personnel or other resources, such as technology, to assist in accomplishing your professional priorities. If you are faculty in a college or university setting, there are many resources available that are comparable to those in health care agencies. Frequently, there are writing centers, experienced authors, and well-equipped libraries to provide needed resources. Take advantage of all available resources as this will go a long way toward attaining your professional priorities.
Summary
I hope every member of the AASCIN will take a renewed responsibility for the success of our journal, SCI Nursing. Some nursing journals have ceased publishing because they do not have enough manuscripts in their repertoire. There are hundreds of nursing journals that find themselves in this difficult place.
There are over 1,000 members in AASCIN! It is everyone’s responsibility to see that our journal and our organization succeed! Part of your involvement in this specialty professional organization is sharing your expertise-whatever that particular expertise may be. I look forward to reading your articles in future issues of SCI Nursing.
References
American Association of Spinal Cord Injury Nurses (n.d.). Mission statement and goals. Retrieved February 21, 2005 from: http//www.aascin.org.
Lynn C. Parsons, DSN, RN, CNA, is Associate Editor of SCI Nursing, and Professor and Director of the Middle Tennessee State University School of Nursing, Murfreesboro, Tennessee.