In this episode of the MGMA Women in Healthcare Podcast, host Adrienne Lloyd sits down with Tiffany Gibson, founder of New Nurse Academy. Their conversation is filled with insights on nursing, the importance of emotional intelligence, and strategies for nurses and healthcare leaders to navigate the challenges of the modern healthcare system.
Redefining the "New Nurse" Mindset
Tiffany Gibson's journey in nursing has been marked by a shift from the hospital setting to the world of nursing education. She explains how this transition allowed her to "fall in love with nursing all over again" and ultimately led to the creation of New Nurse Academy, which aims to cultivate a "new nurse mindset" in the face of the changing healthcare landscape.
“How we do things in nursing has to be different because healthcare is shifting,” Tiffany says. There’s a lot happening in our world before and after COVID. And so now New Nurse Academy is creating that new nurse mindset, creating the new nurse and helping nurses show up differently in healthcare.
Addressing Burnout and the Need for Emotional Intelligence
One of the key topics discussed is the issue of burnout, which Tiffany believes has become a catch-all term that fails to capture the nuances of the challenges nurses face. She emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence, which she sees as the foundation for managing stress, building resilience, and maintaining work-life harmony.
"Burnout is the red flag, but there was a yellow flag and an orange flag beforehand," Tiffany explains. "How can we identify things before they start to spiral and get out of control?”
Developing Non-Negotiable Boundaries and Priorities
Tiffany introduces the concept of the "Alignment Factor," a four-step process that helps nurses and healthcare leaders establish their core values, desires, and non-negotiable boundaries. By understanding their essence, heart's desires, and guiding principles, individuals can make decisions that align with their true selves, ultimately leading to a more fulfilling and sustainable career.
"Creating your boundaries and your non-negotiables is really set on your values," Tiffany highlights. "Your values are your North Star and once you understand and identify your values, then it's easy for you to say no to things that don't align with your values."
Four key steps of the "Alignment Factor:"
- Understanding your essence, your energetics, and your human design – how you were organically supposed to show up in the world.
- Knowing your heart's desires, your core desires – what your ideal life would look like with no restrictions.
- Identifying your values, as they are the guiding principles that shape your boundaries and non-negotiables.
- Creating your boundaries and non-negotiables based on your values, which serve as your "North Star" to help you make decisions aligned with living the life you want.
The Role of Trauma-Informed Leadership
Tiffany emphasizes the need for healthcare leaders to adopt a trauma-informed approach, which puts the individual needs of their team members at the forefront. She believes this shift in perspective can foster stronger connections, improve retention, and ultimately enhance the quality of care provided.
"If leaders can really form a connection and get a little bit of vulnerability from their team, their team would move mountains for the leader, which will help everything," Tiffany says. "It will help the metrics, it will help the numbers, it will help retention … ultimately it would improve the care that we give.”
Embracing the Lessons of the Past
Tiffany's own experiences, both positive and negative, have shaped her approach as a consultant and coach. She believes that her personal journey, filled with personal and professional challenges, have equipped her with a deeper understanding and empathy that she can now share with the nurses she supports.
As Tiffany reflects, "I think I wouldn’t want to change anything. Because [of] divine timing, I had to go through those things in those seasons of my life to get me to where I am now, to speak on it from a personal level."
Conclusion
By embracing emotional intelligence, establishing non-negotiable boundaries, and adopting a trauma-informed approach to leadership, the nursing community can work towards a more sustainable and fulfilling future. As Tiffany emphasizes, the key lies in centering the individual needs of nurses and empowering them to show up as their authentic selves, ultimately enhancing the quality of care they provide.
Resources Mentioned in the Episode:
Books & Additional Resources Mentioned:
Dare to Lead by Brené Brown – A book on embracing vulnerability and leading with courage.
The Confidence Code by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman – A guide to understanding and building confidence in professional settings.
Harvard Business Review Articles on Leadership & Inclusion – Recommended for strategies on fostering diverse leadership teams.
MGMA on Workforce Diversity & Inclusion – Available through MGMA’s official website.
The Women in Healthcare Podcast:
To see other episodes of the Women in Healthcare Podcast, watch the video versions on YouTube, or apply to be on an upcoming episode, please visit:
MGMA Resources:
Explore Related Content
