I encourage nurses to take better care of their lives and show them how to do it.

My name is Matt. I’m a nurse on a journey to learn what it means to take better care of myself and on a mission to bring as many nurses with me as possible.

 

To book me for your event email me at matt@restoringnurses.com

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KEYNOTES

What I Do, Not Who I Am

In nursing, as with many other professions, our job can tend to take over our identity. Most of us would not say that our identity as a nurse is more important than being a parent or spouse. However, we often live our lives in such a way that shows that we may actually be placing that identity as a nurse higher than the other pieces of who we are.  It’s not the sort of thing that we try to do. In fact, most of us don’t even think about it till we find ourselves considering leaving our job or even our field. In that moment many of us will be faced with the frightening question, “Without this, who am I.”

Early in my working life I swore that I would never be like that. I would never let my job identify me. Then it happened. I was miserable in my job and considering not longer working as a nurse. I felt empty at the very thought of no longer being a nurse. If Matt’s not a nurse, then who is he?

In this talk, listeners will be challenged to look deep within themselves to consider who they really are. They’ll be led on a journey of discovery that starts with connecting with their true identity, leads them to consider what parts of themselves are most important, and ends with them identifying what really matters and building healthy boundaries to protect those things.

The Restored Nurse

Based on my book, The Restored Nurse, this talk helps nurses understand that caring for themselves is not selfish and, in fact, will help them care for the people they care about and for. Nurses are amazing at caring for everyone else, but often fail to care for themselves, many even feeling guilty at the very thought of caring for themselves. In this talk I help nurses reconnect with the parts of themselves that are most important. From there I explain why each of my 6 Pillars is vital to building the life they want to live. Most of all, this talk gives nurses permission to take care of themselves. The truth is that they don’t need me to give that permission, but they often feel like they can’t do it and I want to assure them that they can, and should. 

Empty Chapters

I like to think of our lives as if they were books. Our past experiences fill pages in chapters that tell the story of our lives up to this point. This is followed by empty pages waiting for the stories our life has yet to tell. Those past chapters are filled with interactions with a great many people. Likewise, we hold chapters in the books of the people we have interacted with. As nurses, we get to be part of some of the most difficult chapters in people’s lives. We also get to be part of some of the most beautiful. In both cases, the work that we do has a real impact on the lives of people. Some of which we may never even see again. For experienced nurses struggling with burnout or discouragement, this talk can be a great reminder of the difference that they make every day. For nursing students, this talk can give them a vision of what the future holds as they step into the most rigorous academic work they have likely ever done. For new nurses, this talk welcomes them into the profession and sets a vision for the stories they will write in people’s lives.

Workshops

What I Do, Not Who I Am

Similar to my keynote with the same title, in this interactive workshop, I will lead listeners through the process talked about in the keynote. 
We will explore who they are beyond their job. From there we work together to put those pieces in a healthy order of importance. Lastly, attendees will use the list they just compiled and ordered to identify healthy boundaries that will help them protect the things that matter most to them.
 

The Restored Nurse

Based on my book, The Restored Nurse, this talk helps nurses see why caring for themselves is not only good for themselves, but is also good for the people they care about and care for and even for the nursing industry. 

Nurses do a great job of caring for everyone but themselves. Some nurses may be really good at caring for their physical health but neglect their mental health. Others may be mentally healthy but struggle to walk up a single flight of stairs. Still, others may struggle with other areas of personal health.
 
We are far too complex to focus one are of our health and believe that others will not suffer. 
 
6 Pillars of a Restored Life
  • Work Health
  • Physical Health
  • Mental Health
  • Spiritual Health
  • Relational Health
  • Financial Health