10 Simple Steps to Copyright Your Nursing Invention

For the love of Sake & Sushi: Tatsu, May 2024

In this post, I would just like to share 10 simple steps I have taken towards materializing this nursing idea. I’ll disclose again that I am simply sharing my own journey along the way and this advice is not a promise that this blueprint guarantees results although I haven’t seen failures so far. I think failure is giving up at any point in the journey and even that is a lesson of its own. I would like to document the journey since I have only seen growth and lessons. Like with anything else in life, I think consistency in the work is key.

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To make the blogging an adventure, I have decided to keep including pictures of candid moments around the time of each post. Some are from travel, from my favorite restaurants, a moment in time, etc.

Here are 8 steps I have taken so far:

  1. Decided to put my DNP project into practice (already approved to be evidence-based)
  2. Found someone in the nursing world who has ‘done it’. An entrepreneur who invented and commercialized an informatics type tool. Reached out and have met with them 3 times virtually in the past 15 months. Took notes on all advice, which included to find the office at my job that assists with copyrights so that I could protect my work and be guided.
  3. Per the advice, found the department at my academic institution that helps with copyrighting inventions and technology. I met with my liaison about once monthly since a year ago. I advised to use the copyright statement in all presentations involving my work. I can only present internally until further notice.
  4. Found an analyst in my organization to work with in assisting with the analytical building of the tool. We have been working together for almost a year now.
  5. Presented my DNP project and idea to multiple leaders over the span of 6 months or so. I chose to start ‘at the top’. This one can be tricky if you come across a leader that is less than interested in helping you grow and further disseminate your project.
  6. Obtained clearance from IRB office and signed all HIPAA agreements necessary.
  7. I offered as much help as possible to leaders in other units in helping with their effort towards pressure injury prevention (while putting my idea to work). The key on this one is offer your sincere help with no expectations of anything in return. Your work and efforts will speak for themselves, and this is the way to gaining buy-in.
  8. Stay consistent. When peers and leaders see positive results that clearly include your involvement, you have gained the buy-in and this leads to further expansion of your work.
  9. The next step is to validate the data from the analytical tool. I found a Biostatistical data department and obtained the quote for their services. I am in the process of figuring out funding options: grants, department budget, out-of-pocket pay (this will be my last option). I also reached out to our Career Development department to see if they can guide me into finding internal resources.
  10. My next step is to create a table with dated interventions on my side to provide the statistician with a clear view of how these impacted the data.