Nursing Salons

The idea of a nursing salon is where a group people get together, who are mostly nurses, and  they engage in conversations of nursing topics. This gives nurses and others the opportunities to talk about challenges, passions, and new things that come about in nursing. Mostly it is just about whatever anyone wants to talk about, and what is on their mind at that particular time. Nursing salons are meant to be free conversation, informal, and stress free. A lot of the people that come to these nursing salons are nurses but anyone can attend. Most of the people that attend these nursing salons are people who hear it from word of  mouth or from their work place. Salons are usually held monthly, and are usually on different nights allowing more accommodations for everyone. Salon meetings can go in-between two to four hours long, and the hosts usually provide water, pop, wine, tea, coffee, dinner, dessert and hospitality.  People who attend these meetings can include a huge mix examples include registered nurses, clinical nurse specialists, nurse practioners, DNP's, and graduate nursing students from all over twin cities. This diversity that emerges because of this is amazing, and great outcomes and networking come about because of it.

            The Nursing Salons came about because of a lady named Marie Manthey. She states in her website that she developed the concept of nursing salons because she loved the concept of nurses getting together in thoughtful conversation and talking about the nursing profession. Marie Manthey is a very experienced nurse where she had spent 25 years as a nurse in the hospital serving as nurse and many other positions including a vice president. After that she spent another 25 years where she developed a consulting company where they come up with new idea to make the profession better and better (Manthey, 2007, n.p). Sigma Theta Tau International is the honor society of nursing, which the University of Minnesota is affiliated with Zeta chapters and the nursing salons. For the Zeta chapter nursing students, faculty, and alumni are all able to apply for their membership, along with other nurses who are working in the area. In the Zeta chapter they are members who are “interested in promoting excellence in practice, research and education. They are always learning and developing professionally and desiring connection with like-minded nurses in the state and around the world,” (Sigma Theta Tau International, n.p, 2012). Michael Petty who is the host of a lot of the nursing salons was the past Zeta chapter’s president.

            The last meeting I attended was around a year ago. It was a GREAT experience and I can't wait to go again. Most importantly I learned the significance of this event to the nursing field and how great of an impact these salons can have on the nursing profession. These salons can get nurses out of struggling times, and allow them to vent to people who understand exactly what they are going through. Sometimes venting to family members who aren’t in the same profession is not enough. 

For more information, go to the Zeta Chapter of STTI website (www.nursing.umn.edu/stti/events) and be sure to either RSVP at least 24 hours in advance or call them so they know you are coming.