The ability to influence: An interview with Mary Beth Kingston, RN, MSN, NEA-BC [Podcast]

It’s all the time interesting to find out about the various profession paths for nurses. During a recent conversation with Mary Beth Kingston, chief nursing officer at Advocate Aurora Health in Milwaukee, I learned concerning the changes her profession has brought over 41 years as a nurse, in addition to her big leap from Philadelphia to Milwaukee just six years ago to just accept your current management position.

I used to be impressed by Ms. Kingston’s typical day as a Chief Nursing Officer, though we all know that in nursing there is de facto no such thing as a “typical day.” Much of her time is spent specializing in patient safety, quality of care, patient experience and staffing issues; ensuring staff are well educated and engaged; and collaboration with joint management teams. She cooperated with Coalition of Nurses on Management Boards (NOBC), each through its involvement in American Nurse Leadership Organization (AONE), a member organization of which he’s currently President-Elect, and thru Aurora Health’s sponsorship of NOBC.

Her best advice in the case of board membership? When someone taps you on the shoulder and says, “I think you’d be good at ____,” listen. Sometimes others see qualities and skills that you could not recognize in yourself.

Please hearken to our entire conversation Here.

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