Karsh Nursing Scholars Day 2024

 

This year, the Nursing Research and Innovation Council is taking things up a notch with a full-day conference and a mini hackathon planned for the annual Karsh Nursing Scholars Day. The celebration highlights nursing research and innovation across Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital.

Mel Nedder, MSN, RN, CCRN-CMC, NPD-BC, co-chair of the council, shared some of the highlights with Heart & Science. More information, including registration, is available on Vitals.

Can you share what Karsh Nursing Scholars Day is all about for anyone who hasn’t attended in past years?
It’s a wonderful celebration of all that our nurses are doing in research and innovation. The event began in 2019 with support from Estrellita Karsh, a longtime friend of the Department of Nursing and the hospital. With her vision and generosity, we established this annual event to both celebrate nursing research and innovation and inspire those not yet participating in these efforts to do so.

What’s new this year that you’re most excited about?
I’m excited for all of it! We’re expanding on what we’ve done in past years and going bigger and better. Typically, Karsh Nursing Scholars Day has been a half-day. This year, we have a keynote speaker, podium presentations, a research and poster fair, and a guided hackathon as part of a full-day conference.

What will the hackathon involve?
The hackathon is a new spin on the pitch fest that was part of the event in prior years. With the pitch fest, nurses came to the event with a presentation on a project they wanted to pursue and competed for funding. The hackathon is going to be a fun and engaging way for people to work in small groups to solve a problem. We’ll be providing tools and help from experts to support nurses in brainstorming ideas. At the end of the session, the groups will pitch their solutions to the other groups.

Can you give us the details on registration?
Yes. Because this is now a conference, nurses can use a conference day to attend and professional development dollars for the registration fee and other recognized expenses. Contact hours will be provided. The event will be at Assembly Row in Somerville, with a light breakfast, snacks and lunch included. All details are available on Vitals.

What would you say to a nurse who hasn’t yet participated in research or innovation?
This is the event for you! It’s inspiring to see the breadth of work being done by your colleagues, and you’ll get a sense of the many resources we offer to support nurses at every phase of the process. Every nurse can be an innovator. You understand the experience of our patients and the unique challenges they may face and, chances are, you’ve had a “what if…” moment where you thought of a new way to do something. Join us to see what’s possible with your ideas and our resources!