Virtual Meetings: Reflecting on Lessons Learned From the Past Year to Create a Systematic Approach to More Effective Meetings.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic caused tremendous disruption to health care operations across the United States in 2020. The enormous number of people living under some form of government restriction or lockdown required organizations to shift processes, and employees had to embrace a culture of working from home. Unsurprisingly, the demand for videoconferencing surged as a result. However, because of the abrupt pivot to facilitating many business processes, such as meetings, remotely, leaders needed to accept virtual conferencing as the "new normal" for the foreseeable future. This article uses the nursing process to assist nurse leaders in planning and implementing virtual meetings and addresses lessons learned during the past year of using videoconferencing. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2021;52(9):423-428.].

Strategies for effective meetings.

This article provides basic strategies for conducting effective meetings and providing committee chairs and members with a sense of accomplishment. Health care professionals can become easily frustrated regarding the need to attend meetings. They may perceive that attending a meeting is a waste of their valuable time, that nothing is ever accomplished, and that their input is not valued. Committee leaders need to use effective strategies to enhance each committee member's sense of accomplishment.

A cognitive behavioral course for at-risk senior nursing students preparing to take the NCLEX.

For some nursing students, the stress of preparing for and taking the NCLEX can lead to maladaptive behaviors such as poor test performance and inadequate preparation. A different approach to NCLEX preparation for at-risk seniors is described. A 3-credit course that combines cognitive behavioral techniques, metacognitive strategies, test-taking strategies, and simulated NCLEX experience with practice questions is presented. Students also develop an individualized plan of preparation from graduation until they take the NCLEX.