In last week’s article, we explored how mutual appreciation lays the foundation for scenius—a thriving culture of shared creativity and collective brilliance.
If you missed it, you can catch up HERE.
This week, let’s move to the second principle: the rapid exchange of tools and techniques.
Kevin Kelly writes, “As soon as something is invented, it is flaunted and then shared. Ideas flow quickly because they are flowing inside a common language and sensibility.”
This rapid exchange of ideas can be a catalyst for inspiration and motivation. It’s not just about creating an excellent classroom activity or figuring out a clear way to organize clinical schedules—it’s about sharing them, often before they are perfected.
In my experience with nursing education and in acute care settings, time usually feels very tight, and progress can seem slow. Building this kind of fast-paced exchange can be an uphill battle. So, let’s look at small ways we can create this type of momentum by actively sharing our work (even in its imperfect form) in the classroom, in clinical settings, and in our professional communities.
📚 In the Classroom: Build a Community of Sharing
Scenius in the classroom isn’t just about the educator sharing tools—it’s about creating a culture where students share what’s working for them, too. One way to spark this is by intentionally building moments of peer-to-peer exchange.
- While walking around the classroom during group discussions, notice students who are strong note-takers. You know the ones, they will often use highlighters and different color pens 😉 But ask if you can share their notes with the class on the document camera. If they are willing, maybe they can discuss their strategy.
- During the first few weeks of the semester, introduce a recurring segment called “What’s Helping Me Learn.” Once a week, set aside 10 minutes for 2–3 students to share something that’s helping them study, remember, or understand the material. It could be a mnemonic they created, a visual they sketched, a favorite NCLEX-question app, or even a playlist they use to focus.
You can collect these and post them to your LMS or a shared document, so students can revisit and contribute to them. Not only does this validate different types of learners, but it gives students a voice and a chance to see each other as resources.
When students start saying, “I used your tip on this week’s quiz!” or “Can I get a copy of that chart you made?”—you’ll know the scenius is taking root.
🩺 In Clinical: Teach a Trick
Clinical days are often jam-packed. I usually don’t take a proper lunch break, and my to-do list can start to feel a bit overwhelming.
But post-conference has a different vibe. Just removing ourselves from the unit to a quiet space and taking a deep breath, you can feel the energy shift from hectic to more reflective.
So instead of rehashing patient scenarios or reviewing pathophysiology, try this activity to encourage the rapid exchange of ideas during post-conference:
Coordinate a “trick swap” by asking,
“What was one small strategy you used today that helped you stay organized or care for a patient more effectively?
One student might share how they organized their brain sheet differently. Another might describe a simple mnemonic they learned from a nurse on the floor. Another may explain a new piece of equipment, like the bladder scanner, that they used.
Instead of simply reflecting on how their day went, asking students to do a “trick swap” creates a real, tangible tool that they can share with others. When these ideas are shared aloud and appreciated, they spread. You’ll often hear someone say, “I’m going to try that tomorrow.”
💡 Instead of each student quietly reinventing the wheel, they’re learning how to borrow, remix, and pass on good ideas and helpful knowledge.
👩🏫 Among Educators: Don't Wait for Perfect
One of the biggest obstacles to creating scenius in our professional nurse educator communities is perfectionism—feeling like a tool, worksheet, or strategy has to be completely finished before it’s worth sharing. But the rapid exchange principle invites us to share while we’re still figuring it out.
For example, imagine you tried a new format for a medication review game. There were great teaching points, but the worksheet you used is a bit unpolished. Instead of shelving it until next semester to make improvements, you upload the template to a shared folder in your department or email it to a few colleagues with a note: “This isn’t perfect, but feel free to try it with your student groups. It sparked some great discussion, and I am open to your ideas to make it better!”
Suddenly, your “unfinished” idea becomes a springboard. A colleague adds a visual element, another turns it into a Kahoot game, and someone else uses it for a completely different topic. That’s how tools become adaptable, practical, and alive.
⼮ Keep the Flow Going
Scenius doesn’t come from hoarding great ideas—it comes from moving them. Rapid exchange means we stop waiting for the perfect moment and start trusting that when we share early and often, others will help shape what we’ve started. You, as part of this community, are especially important! Your input, your ideas, and your experiences are what make this rapid exchange possible and beneficial for all.
🎧 My Scenius Plan
In the spirit of scenius, I'll be releasing the first episode of the Learning Lab RN podcast on Thursday this week.
I don’t have everything complete yet … it's actually quite messy behind the scenes here. But the seed of the idea is there, and I am excited to plant it 🌱.
I have conducted interviews with a few outstanding nurse educators who have developed creative and innovative tools that have been successful in their classrooms and clinical settings. And we’re sharing the ideas with all of you! There will also be an invitation to purchase the tool, technique, or template for your use, with half of all sales going directly to the educator. These teaching ideas are practical, easy to implement, and can save you time, energy, and mental bandwidth.
I hope you will tune in on Thursday for our first episode about clinical loitering tickets!
Because when our collective teaching knowledge is shared, ideas grow. And we all get better, faster, together.
See you next week, or maybe earlier if you tune in Thursday! 🕶️
