More than 200 nurses from throughout the region, including students in Northwest Missouri State University nursing programs, gathered April 7 for the inaugural Northwest Missouri Nursing Collaborative Conference. (Photos by Lauren Adams/Northwest Missouri State University)

April 15, 2022

Northwest, Mosaic partner to help nurses build grit, grace, resilience

More than 200 nurses from throughout the region, including students in Northwest Missouri State University nursing programs, came together April 7 for a day of learning and supporting each other during the inaugural Northwest Missouri Nursing Collaborative Conference.

Dr. Brooke McAtee, the director of nursing programs at Northwest, and Lacy Auffert, a clinical education specialist with Mosaic Medical Center-Maryville, developed the conference as a collaboration of the two organizations. The day-long conference at the Event Center at Mozingo Lake Recreation Park included a series of breakout sessions and a keynote session with Dr. Tim Crowley, who shared ideas for showing grit, grace and gratitude to help the nurses thrive during uncertain times.

Dr. Tim Crowley provided a keynote address and led a breakout session during the nursing conference. Crowley served as director of personal development and counseling services at Northwest from 2007 to 2013.

Having navigated the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, McAtee said the conference was an opportunity for nurses to reflect, hear each other’s stories and refocus on ways they can provide care to others.

“I just hope that they have filled their cups, which I think is so important – that they felt like they were loved on and that they can go back and just continue to give back to others,” McAtee said of the conference’s attendees. “They laughed, we had a lot of great teamwork and fun with each other, and I’m hoping that inspires them to say, ‘OK, I can go back and do my job, care for people and give back to myself, too,’ which is important.”

Andrea Schuelke, a student in Northwest’s RN-MSN program and North Central Missouri College nursing instructor, was among the conference attendees. A nurse since 2006, Schuelke hoped her students left the conference with tools they can employ when they encounter the stresses of nursing.

“That first nursing job is hard and, in the environment now, I feel like they need that toolbox,” Schuelke said. “They’ve got to learn how to have grit and grace and laughter and taking care of themselves because we want to keep them in the field, and they’re going to need those tools entering into a stressful time.”

For Rachel Peter, a student in Northwest’s RN-BSN program and a nurse at Wellness Services, said she appreciated the opportunity to connect with peers and rejuvenate.

“For us to be the best caregivers that we can be we have to put ourselves as our priority, and as nurses in the healthcare field I don’t feel like we always do that,” she said. “It’s crucial for our community and the area nurses to reconnect and network.”