Professional Presence and Influence
Caroline Lambert
Western Governors University

Professional Presence and Influence A. Professional Presence Discovery of a person’s authentic self and the impact on health and healing is as unique

as our own fingerprints. The lifelong journey that reveals our true authenticity establishes who we are as humans and how we relate to others. My professional presence as a nurse is guided by my own distinctive life experiences. I have learned more from my numerous personal failures than I have from my triumphs. By taking time for introspection along my personal life journey, I understand what drives me and ignites my true passion. To me, nursing is considerably more than a profession—it is, in essence, a calling. I chose nursing to make a genuine difference in people’s lives and discovered along my path that nursing has profoundly impacted me as a human being. I believe that you must persevere through life’s trials and tribulations to attain your authenticity. To be an impactful leader in your life’s profession, you must understand the many and subtle nuances of the self. This self-awareness guides your professional presence as a human caring for your patients in a touching human way. Your everyday life experiences influence who you become in the future. Once you discover what inspires your soul, and you are expressing your truest self, your gifts of influence and guiding presence will shine through.
Larry Dossey, MD defines the history of medicine into three models of healing spanning three eras of time. (Dossey, n.d.) Widespread beliefs about health and illness in the medical community during Era I in the late 1800’s were primarily focused on the physical body versus conquering the root cause of disease. Medicine was thought to be wholly scientific and mechanical in nature. The role of nursing revolved around providing comfort care. Managing physical signs and symptoms of illness with surgical or pharmaceutical interventions was the hallmark of this era. “Traditional allopathic methods of healing treat the immediate situation with interventions that manage the symptoms, without eradicating the root cause of suffering.” (Koerner, 2011, p. 135) The mind-body connection was not yet a consideration when formulating a plan to heal. Eradicating a person’s physical illness whether by surgery or medication was the focus in this era of medicine.
According to Dr. Dossey, Era II begins after the end of World War II in the early 1950’s. (Dossey, n.d.) Era II is the awakening of the concept of mind-body medicine in which a person’s thoughts significantly influence their own healing. The concept of mind and body awareness developed, and evidence in this second era supported this newfound psychosomatic approach to medicine and healing. The mind can indeed influence the body. This was a profound fundamental change in the model of healing from Era I during which doctors believed that the mind and body were independent entities. Physicians practicing in Era II embraced the notion that feelings and emotions can influence the body’s physiologic response. What a progression from the single-minded thinking prevalent in Era I. Similarities in treatment modalities in both eras overlap in that curing the physical body has a significant impact on health and wellness.
How do I define health and healing? My personal beliefs and attitudes about health align closely with Dr. Andrew Weil’s thoughts regarding health and wholeness. “Far from being simply the absence of disease, health is a dynamic and harmonious equilibrium of all the elements and forces making up and surrounding a human being.” (Weil, 2004, p. 51) Our health as humans is tremendously complex and dynamic. Our bodies’ ability to heal is remarkable. I believe in the superpower of positive thinking. In my opinion, your level of optimism predicts your degree of health and happiness traveling your life’s pathway. All illness has components of physical and emotional suffering. According to Weil, “all illness is psychosomatic” (Weil, 2004, p. 57) referring to the physical and mental facets or body-mind relationship. Of course, our genetic make-up affects our own distinctive ability to ward off disease. My belief is that every person is capable of healing their own unique physical, emotional and spiritual body. The self-discovery of what works for you as an individual and implementing this plan for living is paramount for prime health and quality of life.
Compared to conventional medicine practiced in Era I, the body-mind principles employed in Era II closely resemble my own belief system about health and healing. Healing illness without addressing the inherent cause of the problem potentially leads to yet another ailment and so on. Health is a lifelong balance of identifying what works for you personally to maintain the equilibrium. I believe that healing is not solely connected to the physical body but includes the strong belief that healing is possible and facilitating that from ones’ own thoughts. Adopting healthy behaviors such as making proper dietary choices, making physical fitness a priority, and effectively managing stress is of vital importance for lifelong health and wellness.
My diverse experience as a baccalaureate-prepared nurse includes work as a Clinical Sales Specialist in the medical device and biotech Fortune 50 world, and hands-on clinical experience recovering post open heart surgery patients in a CVICU. Currently, I practice as Clinical Nurse Educator in Adult Critical Care for Sacred Heart Hospital, a 400 bed Level II trauma center in Pensacola Florida. I feel that this position is a glove fit for me. Helping new graduate and inexperienced critical care nurses achieve their professional goals in the intensive care setting fulfills me. My door is always open for just-in-time educational opportunities to facilitate learning. I strive to manifest a mindful professional presence at work, but the nature of the physical environment is overly distracted. My office is located in the middle of a 20-bed surgical intensive care unit where an abundance of highly technical and ear piercing medical device alarms resound continuously. My intent is to be fully present instead of mindlessly rushing from meeting to meeting and from task to task. I remind myself to slow down, breathe and be fully present. A mindful strategy I am trying is “See As If For the First or Last Time” (Horn, 2015, p. 2). This strategy employs simply stopping in the middle of chaos and viewing the beauty of the present as if it were the very first or last time, therefore redirecting yourself back to a mindful presence. I am continuously reminding myself of this valuable tactic.

B. Personality Preferences

Custom Keirsey Temperament Report for Caroline Lambert | Your Keirsey Temperament Sorter Results indicates that your personality type is that of the
Idealists (NF), as a temperament, are passionately concerned with personal growth and development. Idealists strive to discover who they are and how they can become their best possible self -- always this quest for self-knowledge and self-improvement drives their imagination. And they want to help others make the journey. Idealists are naturally drawn to working with people, and whether in education or counseling, in social services or personnel work, in journalism or the ministry, they are gifted at helping others find their way in life, often inspiring them to grow as individuals and to fulfill their potentials.Idealists are sure that friendly cooperation is the best way for people to achieve their goals. Conflict and confrontation upset them because they seem to put up angry barriers between people. Idealists dream of creating harmonious, even caring personal relations, and they have a unique talent for helping people get along with each other and work together for the good of all. Such interpersonal harmony might be a romantic ideal, but then Idealists are incurable romantics who prefer to focus on what might be, rather than what is. The real, practical world is only a starting place for Idealists; they believe that life is filled with possibilities waiting to be realized, rich with meanings calling out to be understood. This idea of a mystical or spiritual dimension to life, the "not visible" or the "not yet" that can only be known through intuition or by a leap of faith, is far more important to Idealists than the world of material things.Highly ethical in their actions, Idealists hold themselves to a strict standard of personal integrity. They must be true to themselves and to others, and they can be quite hard on themselves when they are dishonest, or when they are false or insincere. More often, however, Idealists are the very soul of kindness. Particularly in their personal relationships, Idealists are without question filled with love and good will. They believe in giving of themselves to help others; they cherish a few warm, sensitive friendships; they strive for a special rapport with their children; and in marriage they wish to find a "soulmate," someone with whom they can bond emotionally and spiritually, sharing their deepest feelings and their complex inner worlds.Idealists are relatively rare, making up no more than 15 to 20 percent of the population. But their ability to inspire people with their enthusiasm and their idealism has given them influence far beyond their numbers. | | | The Keirsey Temperament Sorter KTS-II revealed that I am an Idealist. This is not surprising to me, as I have previously typed out as an Idealist, specifically an ENFP Champion. The idealist temperament defines the essence of who I am personal and professionally. According to Keirsey, Idealists “are gifted at helping others find their way in life, often inspiring them to grow as individuals and to fulfill their potentials.” (Keirsey, n.d.) As a clinical nurse educator, I feel a calling to inspire others to achieve their dreams. My thirst for self- knowledge and discovery of true potential rings true in the temperament of an Idealist. I am the consummate nurturer in my personal relationships. I am extremely blessed to be married to my soulmate, my best friend, and the one person that makes feel alive. I am grateful for the deeply connected sacred bond that we share. Creating harmonious relationships, personally or in the workplace is my second nature. My colleagues tell me that I’m warm and well-liked with an uncanny intuition when it comes to helping others grow and develop their individual talents. The warm and friendly Idealist in me avoids conflict at all costs. I have worked on projects with teammates of the Rational temperament and found that communication is difficult. My perception of a Rational colleague is that they are distant, cool and aloof. Their strong-willed tendencies frequently have the potential to hurt my Idealist thin skinned feelings and clash with my all-important seeking of emotional and spiritual bonding. When problem-solving as a team effort working on a group project, I perceive that Rational personality types make decisions impersonally and authoritatively. Of course, this does not bode well with my mantra for the good of the group as an Idealist temperament. C. Mindfulness Practice

Four Aspects of My Whole Person Goals to Maintain Balance/Plan for Achievement * Physical 1. Maintain my body’s muscle mass -Perform core building exercises 3 times a week -Strength training in my gym 30 minutes 2/week -Walking for 30 minutes at least 3 times a week 2. Maintain adequate hydration to perfuse organs -Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water per day, -Monitor the color of my urine ensuring that it is pale or light straw colored * Vital/Rhythmic 1. Maintain optimum energy level -Sleep at least 7-8 hours per night so that vital Circadian rhythm is not disrupted -Maintain a recommended weight by eating a nutritious and balanced diet 2. Minimize stress as evidenced by cortisol levels -Incorporate rhythmic deep breathing exercises daily and as needed to relax -Master a stress management skill such as relaxation imagery or tension-relaxation contrasting and adopt as my own * Mental/Emotional 1. Maintain social activities -Engage in community events -Pursue hobbies and interests with passion -Strengthen family bonds 2. Maintain mental health -Engage in intellectually stimulating activities of interest - Seek out preventative mental health services such as depression screening as needed * Biographical/Spiritual 1. Aspire to lead an authentic life every day -Connect with my inner self by observing nature for a few minutes daily -Practice being true to myself by meditation and prayer daily 2. Practice the concept of selflessness -Mindful practice of giving not taking -Continue to do what I love which is teaching and helping new nurses find their gifts |

D. Healing Environments

Samueli Institute, a non-profit research organization, empowers healthcare systems to transform healing based on the concept of an Optimal Healing Environment. (Samueli & Samueli, 2015) An optimal healing environment is an evidence-based framework for healthcare delivery that focuses on “all aspects of the patient experience – physical, emotional, spiritual, behavioral and environmental.” (Samueli & Samueli, 2015) The Optimal Healing Environment is comprised of four elements of healing: Internal, Interpersonal, Behavioral and External. The internal domain consists of “Healing Intention” and “Personal Wholeness.” To develop healing intention, one must look inwardly at our thoughts and create the intention to heal; therefore, the belief manifests healing from within. Wholeness of the person arises when the body, mind and spirit align in perfect balance. The interpersonal environment emphasizes the importance of healing relationships and a health care system that creates a healing environment. The behavioral domain centers on patient-focused care models that promote healthy lifestyles as part of their core values. Lastly, the external element of optimal healing environments offers alternative healing therapies such as music, art, and nature. Ecologically minded organizations that promote stewardship of resources and sustainment of the planet represent the external domain. (Samueli & Samueli, 2015) Carolinas Medical Center-Mercy (CMC-Mercy) is a tertiary health care facility in North Carolina that fosters an optimal healing environment via their patient-centered care mission. Alternative healing therapies available for patients include massage, live music, organic food and nutrition, arts and entertainment, and aromatherapy optimizing the internal and external aspects of the healing environment. CMC-Mercy is a Planetree designated patient-centric hospital that focuses on personalizing the healing process for families and patients. ("The Mercy Experience," 2015) Non-traditional offerings such as cookie baking and a pet visitation policy round out the extra niceties that reinforce the human interpersonal touch. Smoking cessation classes are offered to manage addiction and address the behavioral aspect of healing. The cafeteria boasts an environmentally friendly recycling program reducing their carbon footprint. The mission of Griffin Hospital in Derby, Connecticut is “to provide personalized, humanistic, consumer-driven healthcare in a healing environment.” ("Mission," n.d.) Griffin Hospital incorporates the Planetree model of patient-centered care encouraging family interaction as part of the interpersonal environment. The design of units includes family/patient dayrooms and residential style kitchens for family meal prep and dining. ("Mission," n.d.) Collaboration between patients, families and physicians is encouraged with comfortable lounge style conference rooms which fit into an ideal behavioral environment. Spirit lifting design incorporates natural elements such as a large saltwater aquarium and a soothing water feature. These healing spaces provide the optimal external environment for meeting the human needs of patients. Alternative therapies include aromatherapy, acupuncture, and Reiki beneficial in healing the whole person addressing the internal environment. My employer, Sacred Heart Hospital has implemented several components supporting the Optimal Healing Environment concept described by Samueli Institute. (Samueli & Samueli, 2015) Sacred Heart Hospital embraces a patient-centered care model committed to excellence. Spiritual care is fundamental to the identity of my Catholic faith-based hospital system. It is an essential part of treating the whole person: body, spirit, and mind. A new initiative at my hospital is Quiet Hour from two to four in the afternoon each day. Lights are dimmed, nurses and visitors are encouraged to speak softly to promote a quiet healing environment to enhance the patient experience. This quiet time initiative is evidence based to foster recovery and mirrors the goal of building healing spaces in the external environment. (Samueli & Samueli, 2015). Next month, Sacred Heart will be rolling out a new alternative healing therapy, C.A.R.E. (Continuous Ambient Relaxation Environment) that uses nature guided imagery and music to boost the healing process. (Mazer & Smith, 2015) My holistic belief in healing will guide my professional presence in launching this relaxation initiative that addresses the behavioral environment of optimum healing. Applying the insights gained from researching Optimal Healing Environments, Working with my leadership team, I will promote these therapies focusing on treatment of the whole person. I am fortunate to work for an organization that supports creating an advanced healing environment for the patients and families in my community. Each person must look deep within their soul to uncover their passion and what innately drives them. This is your defining life purpose. Once you discover your very own truth or self-awareness, elation and happiness abounds. From self-awareness and through mindful presence, you will achieve success fulfilling your life dreams. Creating a professional presence by enjoying your life’s purpose reflects outwardly inspiring others to achieve their goals.

References
Dossey, L. (n.d.). A conversation about the future of medicine. Retrieved from www.dosseydossey.com
Griffin health: Mission and values. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.griffinhealth.org/Mission-Values.aspx
Horn, S. (2015). Strategies to improve your concentration. Retrieved from http://altmedicine.about.com/od/optimumhealthessentials/a/Concentration_2.htm
Keirsey Temperament Sorter-II. (n.d.). Retrieved October 31, 2015, from http://www.keirsey.com/sorter/personal_page.aspx
Koerner, J. G. (2011). Healing Presence: The Essence of Nursing (2nd ed.). [ProQuest ebrary]. Retrieved from
Mazer, S., & Smith, D. (2015). C.A.R.E. with guided imagery. Retrieved from http://www.healinghealth.com/care-channel-relaxation-programming/with-guided-imagery/
Samueli, S., & Samueli, H. (2015). Optimal healing environments. Retrieved from www.samueliinstitute.org/research-areas/optimal-healing-environments/ohe-framework
The Mercy Experience. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.carolinashealthcare.org/cmc-mercy-experience
Weil, A. (2004). Health and healing: The philosophy of integrative medicine and optimum health (“Rev” ed.). [ProQuest ebrary]. Retrieved from