Nursing

I would like to get experience doing presentations. I am just a staff nurse, and I know most presenters have advanced degrees and positions. My goal is someday to present at a national conference. How do I start?

Don't put yourself down because you are "just a staff nurse." Many staff nurses, including you, have a lot to offer but hesitate because they think they need an advanced degree to be a good speaker. An advanced degree or position or a beautiful, interactive PowerPoint presentation won't make you a good speaker—practice and experience will. So start small. Find a topic or aspect of nursing that you are passionate about, and offer to present an in-service workshop at a staff meeting. A case study presentation is a good way to start. Good speakers often can find creative ways to make even a dull topic interesting. Ask yourself what you liked about some of the best speakers you have heard. Practice your talk for a few of your colleagues, and get feedback on improving it. Practice it until you are comfortable presenting it, and don't read it. Work with the educator on your unit or in the hospital, and ask for ideas on speaking. After you do your presentation, hand out an evaluation form and get feedback on how you can make it better. Join a professional organization and offer your topic for a local seminar. Attend seminars on how to present. Another good way to become a presenter is first to write an article on a topic of your choice for your department newsletter. It is easy to turn an article into a lecture—or a lecture into an article! And don't ever say "I am just a staff nurse!"