CONNIE MERRITT

RN, BSN, PHN

NATIONAL HEALTHCARE KEYNOTE SPEAKER, HORSE WHISPERER IN TRAINING

Bringing hope to post-COVID healthcare teams like only an RN with horse sense can and giving them powerful new perspectives and tools for recovering from the events of these fraught times.

I speak to people in healthcare who crave the joy they once had in their work and life. Through the survival skills of horses, I give the audience a fresh perspective so they can…

• Be more present (and pleasant) for their patients, their co-workers, and themselves
• Build greater trust with their care team and ancillary staff
• Create a kinder, more compassionate work environment
• Have hope and stay in a career they felt a calling to pursue (and worked hard to achieve!)

Here’s the truth.

Working in healthcare has its own unique set of highs and lows.

And unless you’ve been in the trenches, it’s hard to empathize with the rigors and frustrations of this audience. Especially considering the devastation we’ve endured in the path of COVID.

While there are legions of great motivational speakers who can tell inspiring stories, wouldn’t it be more meaningful to hear from someone who’s felt their joy and pain firsthand?

Ready to light up your audience?

My talk inspires leaders, nurses, and other team members feeling burnout to get back in the game.

Not with motivational happy talk.

Instead, I engage them with survival secrets horses have lived by for over 56 million years. I call them “Horse Wisdoms” that can help healthcare professionals get their spark back for this noble calling.

Audiences leave empowered to find hope and a way through the pressure, stress, and grief that come with the job and life in the new reality, post-COVID.

Whether you’re here because you…

• Are saddled with the huge responsibility of planning a major event, and you want “a sure thing” for your keynote
• Are looking for a relevant, inspiring talk that offers hope in the post-COVID healthcare workplace
• Want the best possible outcome for patients. (You know it starts with a happy, motivated staff but how do you reignite their passion for the work?)

…Not to worry, I can help you. Let me be your “Motivational Spark-er.”

Why Clients Seek Me Out

For more than 25 years, I’ve spoken to the nation’s top healthcare companies, organizations, and associations—many are repeat clients—so I know what resonates (and what doesn’t) with these audiences.

I’m a geek when it comes to researching healthcare trends and human behavior. I sprinkle in what I learn to keep my topics current and relevant.

I got my BSN and PHN, then spent my nursing career in Critical Care and the Emergency Department. I was even a village nurse in French-speaking Switzerland. Been in the trenches? Check.

Through my book from McGraw-Hill, Too Busy for Your Own Good, I’ve helped millions of people live in the present, enjoy what matters most, and get more done without multi-tasking.

I’ve had my share, and then some, of personal challenges and losses. They keep my storytelling true, compelling, and inspiring.

On a Personal Note or Two...

• I’m fluent in French. Which means I can’t resist a warm, buttery croissant.
• When I was nine years old, I kept all the books and banking for my dad’s business. Budgets and spreadsheets don’t scare me.
• I’ve mentored three young women through college, so Millennials don’t scare me either.
• I’m a licensed pilot. On my first cross-country solo flight, I nearly had a mid-air collision with a California condor. That scared me.
• When I’m not on the speaking trail, you can find me hanging out with my Quarter Horse, Trio, or doing volunteer equine therapy for veterans with PTSD.

My mission is to help people keep their spark and thrive in a career that fills the soul. Let’s chat about moving your audience beyond burnout -- and rekindling their passion for caring.