There’s a phrase we use often in coaching: messy action.

It means moving forward before everything is perfectly figured out.

Before the proposal is polished.

Before you know exactly what to say.

Before you have all the answers.

Before you feel completely confident that you’re ready.

Because if we wait for all of those things to happen first, we may be waiting for a very long time.

Sometimes, the next step is simply to do something that gets the ball moving.

What Messy Action Looks Like in Hospital-Based Nurse Coaching

I see this come up frequently with nurse coaches who want to bring coaching into healthcare organizations.

There can be a tendency to think we need to have the entire program figured out before we approach anyone.

What will the program look like?

Who will participate?

How will we measure outcomes?

Where will the funding come from?

What will leadership say?

What if they say no?

Those are important questions. Eventually.

But they don’t all need answers before you take your first step.

Your messy action might simply be sending an email to your Chief Nursing Officer and asking for 20 minutes to talk about nurse coaching.

It might be catching your nurse director in the hallway and saying, “I’ve been thinking about how coaching could support some of what we’re seeing with our nurses. Could we talk about it sometime?”

It might be volunteering for a well-being or retention committee.

It might be sharing an article with a leader.

Or it might be opening a blank document and finally writing down the idea that has been living in your head for the past six months.

None of those things creates a hospital-based nurse coaching program overnight.

But they create movement.

And movement matters.

Courage Often Comes After the First Step

I also don’t want to minimize how uncomfortable some of these seemingly small actions can feel.

Sending that email can take courage.

Walking up to a nursing leader and talking about an idea you care deeply about can feel vulnerable.

Putting yourself out there when you don’t know how someone will respond can be scary.

We sometimes assume we need to become confident enough before we do those things.

But coaching has taught me something different:

Courage doesn’t always come first. Sometimes action does.

You take the step while your stomach is doing a few flips.

You have the conversation even though you stumble over your words.

You send the imperfect email.

And then you do it again.

Over time and with repetition, you develop greater competence and confidence.

The conversation that once felt terrifying becomes a little easier. You learn what questions leaders ask. You get clearer about how to explain coaching. You understand your organization better. You begin gathering examples and evidence.

And suddenly, you realize you aren’t standing in the same place anymore.

🌱 You’ve been building the path by walking it.

The NURSE Framework and Messy Action

This is also where I see the NURSE Framework come to life.

N – Notice: What are you waiting for? What thoughts, fears, or expectations are keeping you from moving?

U – Understand: Get curious. Do you truly need more information before taking the next step, or are you waiting to feel completely comfortable?

R – Respond: Choose one intentional action you can take with what you know right now.

S – Support: Who or what could support you as you take that step? A fellow nurse coach? A mentor? A resource? A community of people doing similar work?

E – Empower: Recognize that every small action gives you new information, experience, and confidence to choose what comes next.

Messy action doesn’t mean acting recklessly or without thought.

It means not requiring perfection before allowing yourself to begin.

What’s Your Messy Action?

If hospital-based nurse coaching is work you feel called toward, you don’t need to know exactly what the finished version looks like today.

You just need to identify the next step.

Maybe it’s an email.

A conversation.

A committee.

A meeting.

A rough draft.

A question.

Something small enough that you can actually do it, but meaningful enough that it creates movement.

So instead of asking yourself:

Am I ready?

Try asking:

What is one messy action I can take toward this work?

Then take it.

You can build the competence, confidence, and courage along the way. 💛

Need a Place to Start?

If you’re thinking, “Okay, but what exactly should my first step be?” I created the free Hospital-Based Nurse Coaching Starter Pack for exactly that reason.

It’s designed to help you begin exploring what nurse coaching could look like within a healthcare organization and give you practical resources to start moving your idea forward.

And maybe downloading it is your messy action for today. 🌱

👉 Get the free Hospital-Based Nurse Coaching Starter Pack:
Hospital-Based Nurse Coaching Starter Pack

You don’t need the whole path figured out.

Just take the next step.