The conference
A big shout out goes to CMSA for seeking and implementing feedback from previous conferences. I had the “privilege” of setting up the Harmony booth and, in doing so, was able to meet several people on the CMSA team. I learned the conference schedule was adjusted based on feedback they received from past conference attendees. Following through on the suggestions made a world of difference.
Instead of random 30-minute windows, there were two dedicated sessions each day. This not only gave attendees more time to meet with exhibitors, but provided them with the chance to have meaningful dialogue with everyone they hoped to make contact with at the show. It was a win-win for everyone involved — and a great example of what can be accomplished with common sense communication and feedback. Thank you CMSA!
I connected with many RN’s coming from a Veterans Affairs background — Thank you for your service! — with about half of them approaching retirement and showing interest in interim (temp) assignments down the road. That was music to my ears because it helps me build a network of people potentially coming into a shrinking labor market. On the downside, this is an example of a disturbing trend across the profession — that our veteran nurses are also leaving the industry sooner rather than later.
The keynote speaker
Kai Knight, a classical violinist turned composer as well as innovator and entrepreneur, was awesome!
His talk really pulled in the listener, both with his playing the violin and providing metaphorical insights from the world of music that anyone can use to create personal or collective change.
The overall message? Whether you’re a CEO, a doctor, a student, a parent, or an athlete, you are the composer of your own world. You are at this very moment engaged in the performance of your life. You have the ability to direct that performance, guided by your very own unique wisdom.
In our life and work, will we be the performer or the artist? Will we seek to simply check off the right boxes and collect a paycheck? Or, will we use our work as a platform to make a difference for the people we serve?
