Let’s Get to Know Each Other!

[Nurse Policy Cafe]

We’d love to get to know you! Feel free to share a bit about your nursing journey, where you're from, and what brought you to the Nurse Policy Entrepreneur Café. Whether you’re just starting or are an experienced nurse leader, your story is valuable to our community. We look forward to learning from each other and building connections ✨

[Grace Kistner]

Hi everyone!

I'm Grace Kistner. I've been in health care and promotion since 2007, and a nurse since 2013. My clinical training and expertise has been in ICU / critical care, but I have passion and extensive experience in global health. This journey has taken me on paths focusing on planetary and environmental health, policy, and leadership development. I fiercely believe in sustainability, advocacy, justice, and empowerment and that all nurses, at all levels, and in all settings are well-poised to be full partners in healthcare reform. As we reimagine a brighter future together, I welcome any opportunity for accessible group-leadership and networking to support our refinement to be these change agents.

I am happy to learn with you all at the Cafe and in the NPE Community!

Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn, too

[omconflenti3]

Hey everyone! My name is Ongelique Conflenti, and I’ve been a registered nurse for about 8 years. My career began at the bedside in Los Angeles, where I honed my clinical expertise on a cardiothoracic surgery step-down unit. Later this month, I’ll be starting an exciting new role as an RN Coordinator for a Lung Cancer Screening Program in New York City. This opportunity allows me to focus on the prevention side of lung cancer, delivering life-saving early detection and prevention services to underserved communities across the city.

In addition to my clinical work, I’ve always been deeply passionate about global health. Over the years, I’ve volunteered in Ecuador and Guatemala, collaborating with local partners and communities to expand access to primary care. My dedication to addressing global health disparities led me to earn a Master of Science in Advanced Nursing from the University of Edinburgh. There, I focused on leadership, global health, and research, culminating in a dissertation exploring nurses’ attitudes toward climate change and its relationship to nursing practice and education.

I’m deeply committed to global health advocacy, sustainable development, and empowering nurses as change agents for climate action. I’m also passionate about driving meaningful change through health policy engagement and look forward to continuing to learn and grow in this area through the NPE Café and Community!

Let's connect on LinkedIn 🤗 

[Nikol Hamilton]

Hello all!
My name is Nikol Hamilton and I have been an RN for 24 years, 15 of which has been in APRN specialties x 2. I am currently in southern Arkansas and own a private practice for integrative psychiatry for women that includes forensic nurse consultations, mediations, and equine therapy. I serve as a faculty member at a state organization for LPN to RN students in which I teach health policy. My policy history started years ago when I had the privilege to be awarded a Call on Congress Ambassadorship for Colon Cancer Awarenss as a "One Million Strong" model for Capital Hill Day for lobbying for younger screening in CRC awareness. I was able to secure the "BLUE STAR STATE" status for Arkansas as March is now recognized consistently as CRC awareness month and also organized a 50K Get Your Rear in Gear 5k for fundraising for the inflatable colon as a community outreach educational tool.
As a member and chapter leader of a nurse honor guard, the process regarding nurse recognition and historical perspectives of nursing are paramount to my interests as well to lobby for philanthropic support to archive protection for our histories statewide, nationally and globally. 

I am excited to be here and learn more about the role of nurse diplomacy and the NPE definition to continue being a champion for change. 
Welcome everyone and find me on linkedin as well too: LinkedIn Nurse Nikol

Nikol Hamilton, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC, LNC, FCN

[Michael Polacek]

Hi Nikol!

Glad you are jumping in. I hope that you are able to benefit from the resources and discussions so that you can advance your "hot button." 

Michael

[Michael Polacek]

Hello My Fellow Thought Leaders!

I began human care in 1979 while working in a Roseburg Oregon group home for developmentally disabled adults. I was a CNA for over 20 years, then an LPN for almost ten, then as a geezer of 50yo I became a Nurse. Mostly, these work experiences were related to mental and emotional healthcare in schools, the state hospital, acute care, and corrections as security as well as direct human care. While in the Peace Corps, I lived with the Maya in a remote area of Central America for two years as a teacher instructor, have traveled to over twenty countries and lived in three--I love the adventure of diverse cultures and peoples. My hot button is suicide prevention (I am a QPR instructor), trauma informed science, and workplace violence prevention (was certified in CPI). Of course, none of those issues stand alone, because they are severely restrained or enhanced by policy. Typically, policy is made and implemented by non-nurses so my ability to succeed was hampered by suboptimal policy developed through the lens of knowledge deficit specifically because the Nurses' perspective is not included. 

My vision is for the nurse not only to be the most trusted profession, but the most respected thought leader and healthcare reformer regardless of the topic.

Cheers,

Michael