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The Wrap - Previewing Nurses Week 2025

·20 min·2 clips

A nurse's inclusive hair project doubled patient satisfaction—here's what changed.

This episode previews Michigan Medicine's Nursing at Michigan Poster Day, an annual conference showcasing nursing innovation. Host Jeremy Fowles is joined by four nursing leaders: Clinical Nursing Director Katie Johnson, Chief Nurse Executive Julie Ishak, Clinical Nurse Specialist Megan Johnson, and Nurse Recruiter Laura Shakarian. The event is scheduled for May 6th at the Towsley Center, featuring 48 poster displays and 14 concurrent podium presentations. A key component is the recognition ceremony for Nurse Evidence-Based Practice Fellows, who present year-long projects addressing clinical challenges. Presentation categories include Access Safety and Patient Experience, as well as Staff Experience and Nurse Well-Being. Megan Johnson shares her past poster on providing inclusive hair products for diverse patients and her current project titled "Caring About the Caregiver." The event offers Continuing Education credits, includes food and raffles, and serves as the official kickoff for Nurses Week 2025. Laura Shakarian's recruitment department supports the event and will gather nurse feedback for future Nurses Week programming, which includes bus trips and a large event at Michigan Stadium. A major insight is how the event fuels practical innovation, as Megan's 2023 networking led to a collaboration creating a virtual escape room for pressure injury identification. The keynote speaker will share her journey from presenting at Poster Day to presenting on a national platform. The planning emphasizes community building, giving bedside nurses a voice to share solutions that improve patient outcomes. An interesting reveal is that the poster session directly coincides with the first day of Nurses Week, creating a combined celebration of professional development and staff appreciation. The episode highlights that projects like inclusive hair care have demonstrated a measurable correlation with increased patient satisfaction. The tone is collegial and promotional, focused on informing and encouraging staff attendance in a conversational interview style. The hosts and guests share a clear sense of institutional pride and enthusiasm for nurse-led initiatives. This episode is ideal for Michigan Medicine nursing staff interested in professional development, event details, or seeing examples of peer-led quality improvement. Listeners seeking broad healthcare commentary or external clinical debates should skip this internally-focused preview.

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