Kathleen Bartholomew

Before turning to healthcare as a career in 1994, Kathleen Bartholomew held positions in marketing, business, communications and teaching.  It was these experiences that allowed her to look at the culture of healthcare from a unique perspective and speak poignantly to the issues affecting providers and the challenges facing health care organizations today.

Kathleen Bartholomew, RN, MN has been a national speaker for the past 15 years.

For her Master’s Thesis she authored “Speak Your Truth: Proven Strategies for Effective Nurse-Physician Communication”.  In 2010 she was nominated by Health Leaders Media as one of the top 20 people changing healthcare in America, specifically for calling attention to the impact of disruptive behavior on patient care, and the need for better physician-nurse communication.

In December of 2005, Kathleen resigned her position as manager of a 57 bed orthopedic and spine unit in order to write, “Ending Nurse to Nurse Hostility” (2006) which offered the first comprehensive and compassionate look at the etiology, impact and solutions of horizontal violence on patients as well as the profession of Nursing.

Kathleen’s passion for creating healthy work environments is infectious. As a guest Op Ed writer for The Seattle Times, Kathleen is a outspoken consumer advocate; and as a guest on NPR’s “The People’s Pharmacy” she calls for rapid improvement in hospital safety. As a health care culture expert, Kathleen speaks internationally to hospital boards, the military, senior leadership and staff about patient safety, communication, leadership and power.  With her husband, John J. Nance, she co-authored, “Charting the Course: Launching Patient-Centric Healthcare” in 2012 which is the sequel to “Why Hospitals Should Fly” 2008; as well as “The Dauntless Nurse” with Martha Griffin and Arna Robins.

From the bedside to the boardroom Kathleen applies research to practice with humor and an ethical call to excellence that ignites and inspires health caregivers and leaders to unprecedented levels of excellence.

The Dauntless Nurse: Building Confidence and Resilience

America needs nurses who are bold and intrepid; who have the confidence and skill to represent this noble profession. And at no other time in history have their voices been so desperately needed. While hospital based errors are the third leading cause of death in America, recent surveys show the vast majority of nurses still avoid difficult or uncomfortable conversations. Nurses are not as competent in their communication skills as they are in their clinical skills. In addition, a Press Ganey study of over 3000 hospitals shows that the no factor impacted HCHAP scores more than nurse communication.

Ultimately, the skill and confidence with which we our everyday conversations will pave the way to a future time when our patients are safe, our voices are heard, and the skills and knowledge of this incredible profession valued and utilized.

1. Explain two reasons we need nurses who are dauntless.
2. Assess your confidence level in mastering challenging conversations.
3. Identify a conversation that you have been avoiding and apply the DESC model
4. Discuss how and why courage pays a critical role in becoming dauntless.

"A heartfelt thank you for delivering two key addresses while with us in Fox Valley - Theda Care was fortunate to have our staff hear you. Many bits and pieces of your work have been heard in hallway conversations and many concepts repeated in staff meetings the rest of the week. I thank you and do hope our paths cross again!" — Deb Doyle, Theda Care

"On behalf of the Professional Development Committee of MOLN, thank you for speaking at our Fall Conference. You shared a wealth of information with us regarding our role and responsibilities as nursing leaders. You helped us identify the culture we work in and what we can do to make it safe..." — Mary Mattsen, Minnesota Nurse Leaders

"Kathleen's work illuminates and defines a murky and omnipresent problem that has a strangle hold on the heart of the nursing profession." — Chancey Boye, RN