Media Portrayals of Nurses Put Us All at Risk. Here's How We Can Improve Them

Avoid Health Care Errors and Save Lives: Improve Public Understanding of Nursing

Chief Nursing Officers: Let Us Help You Increase Retention

The Value of Nursing: How Do We Reach Our Potential

Physicians and Medical Students: Reduce Health Care Errors—With Nurses as Your Partners!

Special Nurses Week Presentation: Celebrate Nurses by Building Understanding of Nursing!

In-Depth Four-Part Presentation on Nursing in the Media: How Nurses Can Improve Their Media Image, Strengthen the Profession, and Improve Patient Care

Sandy will speak at Saint Anselm College's 26th Annual Conference for Nurse Educators at the Sea Crest Beach Hotel in North Falmouth, Massachusetts on May 31, 2018. The conference title is "Clinicians and Educators: Partnering to Develop Competence." Sandy's presentation is "Power of Persuasion: Challenging Media Portrayals of Nurses," and she will speak from 12:30 - 2 pm. ...see the flyer...

Sandy will deliver the Keynote and Endnote presentations at the Oregon Student Nurses' Association's Annual Convention at the Holiday Inn Portland (Wilsonville) on February 3, 2018. Keynote: How the Media's Portrayal of Nursing Puts Patients at Risk. Endnote: Increasing Public Understanding of Nursing to Strengthen the Profession and Protect Our Patients. ...see the flyer...

 
Manitoba Nurses Union
Annual General Meeting
          April 27, 2017
          Victoria Inn
          Winnepeg, Manitoba, Canada
          flyer

 
International Association of Risk Management in Medicine
5th World Congress of Clinical Safety
Smart Hospitals and Healthcare: Health Care Management & Leadership, Risk, Quality, and Productivity
Host -- Panel on Nursing Safety
          September 21, 2016
          Harvard University Medical School
          Joseph B. Martin Conference Center
          Boston, Massachusetts

 
Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
Graduation Ceremony
Graduation Speaker
          July 22, 2016
          Shriver Hall, Homewood Campus
          See the speech

 
Rally for National Nurse-to-Patient Ratios
Speaker
          May 12, 2016
          National Mall, Washington DC
          contact: Melissa Brown
          flyer

Partners in Education and Integration of Internationally Educated Nurses 10th National Conference
Keynote speaker
          April 28-29, 2016
          Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
          contact: Pat Woods
          flyer 

Allen College Pi Kappa Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau Induction Ceremony
          April 12, 2016, 5:30-7:00 pm
          Waterloo, Iowa
          contact: Sarah Steele
          flyer
 

University of Houston School of Nursing
          April 7-8, 2016
          Sugarland, Texas
          contact: Danielle Quintana,
          flyer April 7
          flyer April 8

American Association of Colleges of Nursing,
Nursing Advancement Professionals Annual Conference
Keynote speaker
          March 17, 2016, 8:45-10:15 am
          The Fairmont Hotel
          2401 M Street, NW
          Washington, DC 20037
          contact: Jenny Carrick
          see brochure
 

Luther College
          Decorah, Iowa
          November 19, 2015, 7:30 pm
          contact: Jayme Nelson
 

King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital - International Nursing Symposium, Saudi Arabia
Keynote Speaker
          November 11, and 12, 2015
          contacts: Kevin Pillay, Juanita Hill, Jubie Paner, Ilyani Abd Hanip
          Program
 

New Jersey State Nurses Convention
Keynote Speaker
          October 14, 2015, 11:15 am - 12:30 pm
          Bally's Casino and Resort
          1900 Pacific Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
          contact: Barbara Chamberlain and Deb Hartwell
          see the flyer
 

Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
          September 16, 2015
          Baltimore Maryland
          contact: Patricia Davidson, Erika Juengst
          see the flyer
 

DePaul University
          May 13-14, 2015
          Chicago, Illinois
          contact: Bill Cody
          event posting
 

Duquesne University          
          Thursday, April 16, 2015, 6:30 - 8:00 pm
          Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
          contact: Cindy Walters, Missy Mazzullo
          see the flyer
           

Enoch Pratt Central Library
Sandy and Harry Summers will be guest speakers
          Monday, October 27, 2014, 6:30 - 8:00 pm
          Poe Room (2nd floor)
          Enoch Pratt Central Library
          400 Cathedral St.
          Baltimore MD 21201
          contact: Judy Cooper
           listen to the podcast
 

Midday with Dan Rodricks, Baltimore's NPR station
Sandy and Harry Summers will be guests
          Monday, October 27, 2014,12:00 - 1:00 pm EDT
          Listen to the podcast on WYPR
 

University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Guest Speaker
          Friday, August 8, 2014
          contact: Patrice Hester or Carolyn Yucha
          see the flyer
 

Pennsylvania Emergency Nurses Association State Conference
Keynote Speaker
          Friday, June 6, 2014, 1:15 pm  See the brochure
          State College, Pennsylvania
          contacts: Allen Fasnacht
 

Peace Health Conference
Keynote Speaker
          Cowlitz Expo Center
          Longview, Washington 98632
          Friday, May 9, 2014
          contact: Melissa Selzler
 

University of Ontario Institute of Technology
Keynote Speaker
          Faculty of Health Sciences
          2000 Simcoe Street North
          Oshawa ON, L1H 7K4 (Toronto) Canada
          Friday, March 21, 2014
          contact: Sue Coffey, Holly McPherson and Corinne Rose
 

Dawson College Humanities and Public Life Annual Conference
Keynote Speaker
          Westmount, Quebec, Canada
          Monday, October 21, 2013
          contact: Fiona Hanley
          See the flyer
 

Angelo State University Annual Conference
Keynote Speaker
          San Angelo, Texas
          Friday, October 18, 2013
          contact: Mimi Baugh
          See the flyer
 

Registered Nurses Association in Michigan (RN-AIM) Annual Conference
Keynote Speaker
          Traverse City, Michigan
          Thursday, September 26, 2013
          contact: MaryLee Pakieser and Jane Miller
          See the flyer
 

Fairfield University School of Nursing
Speaker, Guest Lecture
           Wednesday, July 31, 2013
          Fairfield, Connecticut  
          See the invitational flyer
 

27th Annual Wisconsin Nurses Association Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Forum Pharmacology & Clinical Update
Keynote Speaker
           Monona Terrace and Convention Center
          Madison, Wisconsin 
          Friday May 3, 2013
          contact: Megan Leadholm, Gina Bryan, and Teresa Prattke
 

Health Care Without Harm and partner Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments
Guest Speaker
          Magnet Status: What it is, what it is not, and what it could be
          Online presentation
          April 9, 2013
          contact: Mary Margaret Thomas

"Sandy hosted a truly engaging, critical discussion for nurses and a unique perspective... This information would be valuable to share with any nurse at every level of practice." -- Mary Margaret Thomas

California School Nurses Organization
63rd Annual Conference
Keynote Speaker
          San Diego, California
          Town and Country Resort Hotel
          500 Hotel Circle North
          San Diego, California 92108 
          February 9, 2013, morning
          contact: Kathy Ryan
 

Biennial Nursing Research Conference
The University of Windsor
Keynote Speaker
          Windsor, Ontario, Canada  
          September 29, 2012, morning
          contact: Maher El-Masri

From conference host Dr. El-Masri: "Thank you for your inspiring and much needed talk. I wasn't exactly sure what you were going to present when I invited you to speak, but you said everything I hoped you would say. My words don't do justice to the impact that your talk had on our participants. Thanks a million Sandy, for your contribution to our conference and advocacy on behalf of all nurses."

XV International Research Nursing Conference
Encuentro Internacional de Investigación en Enfermería
Keynote Speaker
          Madrid, Spain  
          November 16, 2011
          contact: Teresa Moreno Casbas
 

University of New Mexico Hospital
Nursing Research Conference
Keynote Speaker
          Albuquerque, New Mexico   
          October 28, 2011
          contact: Adrienne Fugett

From conference host Adrienne Fugett: "Thank you for being our keynote. I feel so passionate about setting the record straight for the nursing profession. Changing cultures, and paradigms is not an easy task, but we all must be a part of it. I continue to receive compliments from the nurses regarding your presentation, they really enjoyed it! Thanks for all the work you do Sandy!!"
 

Bronson Methodist Hospital
"Dinner and a CEU"
Speaker
          Kalamazoo, MI
          October 13, 2011
          contact: Charlotte Rensberger
 

Minnesota Nurses Association, 2nd District
Keynote Speaker
          Duluth, Minnesota   
          October 1, 2011
          contact: Rosemary Dahl
 

Maryville University Sigma Theta Tau Meeting
Guest Speaker
          St. Louis, Missouri   
          September 15, 2011
          contact: Shawn Pohlman
 

Nursing Spectrum / NurseWeek Webinar
How the Media Portrays Nurses: Does it Really Matter?
Speaker
          Online
          June 23, 2011
          contact: Jennifer Chaikin
   

UCLA
Symposium on Media Images & Screen Representations of Nurses
Keynote Speaker
          Los Angeles, California    map
          May 12, 2011
          contact: MarySue V. Heilemann

From symposium host MarySue Heilemann: "We have received a great deal of positive feedback from those in attendance at the May 12th conference, signaling a wonderful increase of interest in the topic. Part of the reason that this event was so successful was your presentation, your input, and your presence at the symposium.

Therefore, I want to specifically express my gratitude for all that you did to help create this inaugural event, Sandy. No doubt we made history on May 12 at UCLA as we brought together film scholars, film makers, media scholars, as well as leaders, practitioners, activists, researchers, and scholars from nursing, to focus specifically on the issue of nurses and the media. It was absolutely fantastic to watch you bring the audience to the height of attention through your analysis of depictions of nurses on television, film, and media advertisements. The media clips you chose were extremely effective. Your careful analysis and critique of the various ways that television shows depicted nurses brought new insight to an audience that was hungry to learn. It is easy to see that your devoted scholarship on these issues has produced new knowledge; your work is timely and important. The entirety of your presentation on May 12th gave perspective to the overall situation of the impact of these images in the US and internationally. This is a valuable contribution to our understanding and a novel point reflecting your unique scholarship related to these issues. Indeed, it was our honor to be able to hear your ideas first hand on May 12th. I know that many attendees lined up to talk to you throughout the day and we are so glad that you took the time to entertain their questions and comments. Many thanks!

On behalf of Dean Courtney Lyder and the UCLA School of Nursing, I would like to thank you for the crucial role you played at our inaugural UCLA conference, “Media Images and Screen Representations and of Nurses.” Thank you for making this a priority, for not only putting your fine mind into preparation for our event but your heart and soul as well, and for following through with a fantastic presentation, from start to finish!" see the full letter...
 

Reston Hospital Center
Nurses Week Celebration Dinner
Speaker
          Reston, Virginia    map
          May 10, 2011
          contact: Mary P. Ganger

 
The Truth About Nursing's First Annual Conference
Empowering Nurses and Improving Care Through Better Understanding of Nursing
Keynote Speaker
          New Orleans, Louisiana    map
          April 15-17, 2011
          contact: The Truth About Nursing
 

University of Arkansas Guest Speaker
          Online seminar
          November 23, 2010
          contact: Lepaine Sharp-McHenry
 

Memorial Hospital West
Guest Speaker
          Pembroke Pines, Florida    map
          October 27, 2010
          contact: Donna Merolle
 

Connecticut Nurses Association
Annual Convention
Keynote Speaker
          Cromwell, Connecticut    map
          October 21, 2010
          contact: Carole Bergeron
 

Southern Connecticut State University
Guest Speaker
          New Haven, Connecticut    map
          October 20, 2010
          contact: Mary Ann Glendon
 

Advance for Nurses Web seminar: "Who are nurses to the rest of the world?"
Guest Speaker
           September 15, 2010
          contact: Gail Guterl
          Listen to the web archive
 

George Washington University School of Nursing Guest Speaker
          Washington, D.C.
          July 20, 2010
          contact: Kate Driscoll Malliarakis
 

Pace University Lienhard School of Nursing Guest Speaker
          Online seminar
          July 2, 2010
          contact: Marilyn Jaffe-Ruiz
 

University of Maryland School of Nursing at Shady Grove Guest Speaker
          Shady Grove, Maryland
          March 8, 2010
          contact: Janey Roth
 

Maryland Hospital Association
Guest Speaker
          February 26, 2010
          6820 Deerpath Road
          Elkridge, MD 21075    map
          contact: Jeanne DeCosmo

 
Vermont State Nurses Association
Joint Lay Community / Nursing Presentation
Guest Speaker           Stowe, Vermont
          November 11, 2009
          contact: Marcia Bosek
 

American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordinators 2009 Convention
Keynote Speaker
          Sheraton Baltimore City Center Hotel
          Baltimore, Maryland  map
          October 22, 2009
          contact: Diane Carter and Amy Cavanagh

Children's Hospital Association of Texas Conference
Keynote Speaker
          Corpus Christi, Texas
          October 9, 2009
          contact: Yvonne Serna
          brochure

 
South Dakota Nurses Association Annual Conference
Keynote Speaker
          Ramkota Inn, Sioux Falls, South Dakota map
          October 4, 2009
          contact: Ardelle Kleinsasser

University of Nevada at Las Vegas
Guest Speaker
          4505 Maryland Parkway           Las Vegas, Nevada directions
          August 11, 2009
          contact: Tony Allen or Carolyn Yucha
          See the press release

Nevada Nurses Association
Guest Speaker
          University of Reno         
          Reno, Nevada
          August 10, 2009
          contact: Betty Razor
 

Parkland Health & Hospital System Nurses Week Celebration
Keynote Speaker
          5201 Harry Hines Blvd.           Dallas, Texas 75235 directions
          May 4, 2009
          contact: Jackie Brock

National Nursing Staff Development Organization (NNSDO) 2008 Convention
Keynote Speaker
          Hilton Minneapolis
          1001 Marquette Avenue
          Minneapolis, Minnesota 55403 map
          July 11, 2008
          contact: Anita Cormier and Leslie Long

Norman Regional Hospital
Guest Speaker
          Norman, Oklahoma 73071 map
          May 9, 2008
          contact: LeAnn Richardson and Gayle Sturgis

York College School of Nursing
Guest Speaker
          441 Country Club Road
          York, Pennsylvania 17403 map
          April 17, 2008
          contact: Katie Lynn Keller
 

MEDITECH Nurse Informatics Conference
Keynote Speaker
          MEDITECH Circle
          Westwood, MA 02090  map and directions
          April 10, 2008
          contact: Sharon Collins

New Jersey Student Nurses Association 56th Annual Convention
Keynote Speaker
          Taj Mahal
          1000 Boardwalk
          Atlantic City, New Jersey 08401 map
          February 21, 2008
          contact: Lisa Teppert

Maryland Association of Nursing Students 28th Annual Convention
Guest Speaker
          Universities of Shady Grove Conference Center
          9630 Guldesky Drive
          Shady Grove, Maryland 20850 map
          January 19, 2008
          contact: Ramya Parthasarathy

Drexel University College of Nursing and Health Professions
Guest Speaker
          Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
          November 30, 2007
          contact: Barbara Celia, RN, EdD

Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
Guest Speaker
          Baltimore, Maryland
          November 5, 2007
          contact: Melissa Latorra

Nurses in Motion: "Fighting De-Nursification"

July 18, 2007 -- Barbara Ficarra's Internet video program "Nurses in Motion" recently featured an extended interview with Truth About Nursing director Sandy Summers, RN, MSN, MPH. Summers and Ficarra discussed the causes and effects of the poor public understanding of nursing, especially as seen in the mass media. Summers argued that nurses' inaccurate public image is a key factor in the critical nursing shortage, affecting the level of resources directed to nursing practice, education and research. She also addressed barriers nurses face in speaking up about their work and its value. watch the video...

University of Maryland School of Nursing at Shady Grove
Guest Speaker
          Shady Grove, Maryland
          April 16, 2007
          contact: Theresa Robinson

X2HN Women's Healthcare Network Conference
First Annual Conference
Speaker
          Santa Barbara, California
          January 12, 2007
          contact: Gale Wilson-Steele

University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Nursing
Speaker
          Los Angeles, California
          January 11, 2007
          contact: MarySue Heilemann

Nursing Organizations Alliance
2006 Fall Summit
Keynote Speaker
          Memphis, Tennessee
          November 17, 2006
          contact: Karen Stanley and Ben Swartz
 

University of Connecticut School of Nursing
SIgma Theta Tau, Mu Chapter Lecture
Speaker
          Storrs, Connecticut
          November 2, 2006
          contact: Art Engler
 

University of Maryland School of Nursing
Edmunds Endowed Lecture
Speaker
          Baltimore, Maryland
          October 4, 2006
          contact: Christine Ward and Gail Doerr
 

Japanese Nursing Federation
Presentation Speaker
          Johns Hopkins Univ. School of Nursing
          Baltimore, Maryland
          September 14, 2006
          contact: Michael Yoo
 

AWHONN Annual Conference
Legislative Luncheon Speaker
          Baltimore, Maryland
          June 26, 2006
          contact: Debra Livramento
 

The World Congress
Leadership Summit for Senior Healthcare and Nurse Executives
Panelist, "The Status of Magnet – Updates and Initiatives"
          Chicago, Illinois
          June 15, 2006
          contact: Mary Young
 

St. Paul's Hospital
Guest Speaker
          Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
          May 26, 2006
          contact: Candy Garrassimo

Sigma Theta Tau Xi Eta Chapter Annual Spring Dinner
Guest Speaker   
          Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
          May 25, 2006
          contact: Joan Reiter

Langara College and University of Victoria
Guest Speaker, Faculty and Student Lectures
          Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
          May 25, 2006
          contact: Pat Woods

Health in 30 radio show with Barbara Ficarra, WRCR
Guest
          Nanuet, New York
          May 5, 2006, 5:30pm EST

University of Maryland School of Nursing
Guest Speaker
          Baltimore, Maryland
          April 17, 2006
          contact: Jennifer Jones

HealthStyles radio show with Diana Mason, WBAI
Guest
          New York, New York
          April 14, 2006, 1pm EST
          tune in by clicking here

National Student Nurses Association Annual Convention
Guest Speaker--Communications Seminar
          Baltimore, Maryland
          April 5, 2006

Southern Connecticut State University
Guest Speaker
          New Haven, Connecticut
          April 3, 2006
          contact: Marenda Weaver

Emergency Nurses Association New Jersey Chapter Annual Meeting
Keynote Speaker
          Atlantic City, New Jersey
          March 16, 2006
          contact: Anna Mannino

University of Portland School of Nursing and
Sigma Theta Tau Omicron Upsilon Chapter
          Portland, Oregon
          October 13, 2005
          contacts: Terry Misener, Susan Moscato

Sigma Theta Tau Rho Psi Chapter Annual Banquet
Distinguished Lecturer
          Savannah, Georgia
          October 9, 2005
          contact: Anita Nivens

New York State Nurses Association Annual Meeting
Endnote Speaker
          Atlantic City, New Jersey
          October 2, 2005
          contact: Ellen Ellis

University of Maryland School of Nursing
Speaker
          Baltimore, Maryland
          September 30, 2005
          contacts: Barbara Smith, Sandra Murphy

American Assembly for Men in Nursing
Speaker
          30th Annual Meeting
          Tucson, Arizona, University of Arizona College of Nursing
          December 3, 2004

Arizona State University School of Nursing
Speaker
          Tempe, Arizona
          December 2, 2004

Nursing Cooperative Media Summit, Panelist
          Oncology Nurses Association
          Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
          October 13-14, 2004

International Radiation Oncology Annual Conference
          Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Sheraton Society Hill Hotel
          April 27, 2004

American Association for Critical Care Nurses, Chesapeake Bay Chapter Annual Conference
          Baltimore, Maryland, Shepard Pratt Hospital
          March 11, 2004

Nursing Spectrum Career Expo
          Baltimore Maryland, Baltimore Convention Center
          October 21, 2003

Liaison of Maryland Nursing Organizations
          Baltimore, Maryland
          October 14, 2003

Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing Seminars
          Baltimore, Maryland
          September 22, 24 and 30, 2004

Hadassah Nursing Council Meeting
          Rockville, Maryland
          May 15, 2003

Maryland Hospital Association Legislative Group Meeting
          Baltimore, Maryland
          February 24, 2003