AAN President's Pages
A story, serendipity, and the power to act
In my first column for Nursing Outlook as President, I wrote about the power that a story can have on us, both emotionally and intellectually. I chose this topic because reflection is the first theme of the Academy's 50th Anniversary arch. Now, as 2022 comes to a close, I want to share a few reflections from fellows of the American Academy of Nursing who have chosen to honor me with their story.Can we calm the sea? A reflection on steadying the nursing workforce
“The breaking of a wave cannot explain the whole sea.” ― Vladimir NabokovIf not us, then who? nursing and climate change
Nursing has a critical role in addressing the looming public health challenge of climate change and its associated—and inequitable—adverse health consequences. The nursing profession is essential in communicating with patients, families, communities, and societies, as well as legislators and policymakers, to recognize and respond to climate change. The Academy's policy role positions us to take on the important work from the unique perspective of nurses as scientists, educators, caregivers, managers, and leaders as we identify and implement collective solutions.Bolstering our commitment to equity and anti-oppression
I agree with the Academy's Diversity and Inclusivity (D&I) Committee: equity, diversity, and inclusivity must live not only within our organization and across our Fellowship but also be reflected in our work. Our newly adopted Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (EDI) Statement (Academy, 2021), coupled with our strategic plan, will serve as our North Star, advancing our vision of healthy lives for all people. This is hard work, and we must do it: taking an active stance every day to dismantle oppressive and racist practices, wherever they occur in our professional environments, our communities, or globally.To learn: The power of reflection
Reflection can take many forms—writing, journaling, taking a long walk, daydreaming, talking with friends or colleagues—and it can provide us with insights that bring clarity and wisdom. It can spur a new direction or lead to a resolution for change. Reflection can also bring forth a wide range of emotions. Unlike the other kind of reflection— where light, sound, heat, or an image is sent back and not absorbed— our reflections often bring with them strongly felt sentiments. As the American Academy of Nursing (Academy) launches this first year of a three-year, 50th Anniversary commemoration, our theme for 2022 is reflection.What's in a Story? Looking Back to Move Forward
For those who do not know me well, know that story telling is a strong part of who I am. From my perspective, stories honor not only a moment in time but also the people involved. Stories help us contextualize and emotionally connect to an experience outside of ourselves. As we go through life, we know that some stories bring us joy, while others caused us pain. It is the experience of this range of emotions, particularly through personal retellings, that is so important to build our character, heal our scars, and create meaningful human connections.The presidential partnership: leaving a trail
The words change and transition are used frequently to describe a shift in focus or organizational necessity. However, as leaders, we know these words are not synonyms. According to the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL, 2020), “Change is defined as the situations and occurrences that impact organizations and individuals (CCL, 2020).” Change encompasses the adaptation from the previous way of doing things to the new way and should be met with flexibility. “Transition is the internal psychological process of adapting to a new situation, (CCL, 2020).New Questions, More Questions, The Same Questions: How Covid - 19 is Impacting the Profession
Alpha, Beta, Delta, and now the Mu variant continue to cloud how we will see past the grip the pandemic has on the public's health, safety, and economic stability. Variants create more questions. And while we are building a tool chest filled with knowledge, each time one variant spreads across a country, the path forward is never immediately clear. What remains certain for the profession— amongst this uncertainty— is that attention must be placed on investing in the nursing workforce. From supporting nurses’ physical, mental, and emotional health to considering education and training in the future, there is a need to refocus and seek more data.Sustaining Visibility: Environment, Perception, and Equity
Being visible, or the state of being seen by another person, is dependent upon two main factors. The first is the environment through which the object or person is being viewed, and the second is the ability of the viewer to perceive and acknowledge the object or person's presence. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, the visibility of nurses was perhaps never clearer. The media depicted powerful imagery of nurses on the frontlines, reinforcing the impact of the profession. The environment that nurses and other health professionals found themselves in allowed them to step into the forefront of the public eye amid mass anxiety, uncertainty, and frustration.Beyond Physical Healing: Centering on Mental and Emotional Health
As the country continues its COVID-19 vaccine rollout efforts, Americans are eagerly and anxiously tracking vaccine availability and vaccination rates in their states. To date, 47% of the total U.S. population has received at least one vaccine dose, and 37% are fully vaccinated (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). The exact timeframe when the U.S. is expected to reach herd immunity varies, with some experts cautiously optimistic that we will reach a turning point this summer (Conlen, 2021).Trust Science and Inspire Hope: Our Duty of Care
At the stroke of midnight on December 31, 2020, we ushered in 2021. While the celebratory nature of the calendar change is nothing new, this year, it seems to offer more hope. As scientists, researchers, and leaders in practice and academia, we know that nothing miraculous happened overnight. Yet, the start of a new year brings an opportunity for a new perspective, a new approach, and a renewed effort.Aging in America: How COVID-19 Will Change Care, Coverage, and Compassion
While it is a smaller population that has survived the Great Depression (1929-1939), the Great Recession (2007-2009), and now the devastating financial impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, this group of older Americans has experienced tremendous stress and, at the same time, shown incredible resilience. I reflect on these monumental economic downturns as a concrete social determinant of health—directly impacting access to quality health care. As if the vulnerability for contracting the virus and suffering serious illness associated with SARS-CoV-2 was not enough, older adults are also having to navigate a world of considerable uncertainty in most aspects of life.Public health nursing: Leading in communities to uphold dignity and further progress
Public health. We have heard this repeated over and over again by politicians, health experts, and media commentators. Over the past few months, the combined negative impact the coronavirus pandemic and systemic racism has had on the public's health has reached a more acute level of global concern. Health inequity has been repeatedly highlighted by researchers and the body of evidence continues to grow. This time it seems different, or at least it must be different. This time, more people are listening, more people want to understand, and the calls for action grow louder by the day.The Epicenter We Need: Science
The global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has continued and will continue to change the course of healthcare, emergency preparedness, and every aspect of how we live and engage in our communities. When the first outbreak occurred in China, Wuhan was considered the epicenter of the virus with the most concentrated number of cases. As COVID-19 spread around the world, Italy became another nation stricken with the contagion's deadly impact and the northern region of Lombardy became its epicenter (Horowitz et al., 2020).Leadership Evolution: The Academy's Sustained and Growing Contribution
Leadership is a fascinating concept. Some will say that you are born with it, while others will say it has to be developed. And there are still others who will say it is both. From my experience, and what the American Academy of Nursing (Academy) believes, all great leaders need development. In preparing for this column, I reflected on the Academy's leadership focus. As I mentioned in my last Nursing Outlook message, it is important that our Academy Fellows and colleagues who read this journal understand our signature initiatives.Risk and Reward: The Innovation Behind Academy's Edge Runners
For nearly five decades, the American Academy of Nursing (Academy) has looked to the horizon in our efforts to advance health equity and champion wellness. At its core, the organization has invested in nursing knowledge by inducting thought leaders and change agents as Fellows. Over the years, the organization's vision to be a leading voice for change has been bolstered by the advent of initiatives that elevate the best work within the profession and maximize its public reach. These initiatives have become inseparable from the work of the Academy and serve as critical platforms for dissemination, impact, and influence.Fluidity: Creating seamless leadership transitions
There are many ways to describe leadership transitions—passing the baton, handing over the gavel, or a changing of the guard. At the Academy's Transforming Health, Driving Policy conference, our roles shifted from President and President-Elect to President and Immediate Past President. Over the past year, we have worked closely together to prepare for this moment. The Academy has been in what we like to describe as a positive state of flux. Positive from the perspective that we have been able to grow as an organization in our approaches, evaluation methods, and strategies.Giving voice when barriers are in place: Academy's continued response to the U.S. migrant crisis
Heart wrenching. Maddening. Implausible. Any of these words and more can describe the emotions of so many Academy fellows who have written to me and other members of the leadership team expressing their deepest concern with the treatment of migrant individuals at the United States’ southern border. The American Academy of Nursing (Academy), like so many of our partner organizations, is utterly dismayed by the inhuman treatment of children, women, and men who are attempting to enter our country. Health professionals and citizens alike are pained by the recent media reports of children dying in custody, the lack of consistent medical care, and quite simply an unacceptable lack of basic hygiene (Romero et.President's Message To Mold the Future, Change is Evident
Eleanor Roosevelt once stated “The future is literally in our hands to mold as we like. But we cannot wait until tomorrow. Tomorrow is now.” As the profession, stakeholders in health, and partners across industry look to the future of health care, the American Academy of Nursing (Academy) recognizes that the opportunity is now to add its voice for positive change.President Message
In March of 2019, the Board of Directors approved the American Academy of Nursing's Policy Priorities for 2019-2020. The process began by seeking insights from the organization's Expert Panels (EPs). With 24 EPs, the organization has a wealth of knowledge that is broadly defined, but also includes specific bodies of research and practice that help inform policy at the institutional, state, and federal levels. Last year, in an attempt to narrow the organization's focus, the Board selected particular policy priorities that were key drivers in only a few select areas.Moving to Impact: Creating Policy Alignment
With over 2,700 fellows, the American Academy of Nursing's intellectual capital is vast. Adding the expertise of the honorary fellows yields infinite networks that create a depth and breadth of knowledge which encompasses nearly all healthcare issues and much beyond that scope as well. This is the true strength of the association. At the same time, that broad scope begs the question: can we do it all? This challenge is particularly relevant when it comes to policy matters. The world of policy is saturated with equally expert views that may be consistent, similar, or contrary to that of the Academy.The opioid crisis
The Academy Board of Directors identified five areas of priority including violence prevention, reproductive rights, opioid addiction, environmental health, toxic stress in children, and violence prevention. This month's message focuses on the Opioid crisis. I am pleased to co-author it with Madeline A. Naegle, PhD, CNS-PMH, BC, FAAN.Environmental Health: The Future Will Ask, “What Did You Do?”
The Academy Board has prioritized five areas for policy consideration and advancement; they include:Global maternal mortality rate declines—Except in America
The broad topics I will address this issue fall under Reproductive Rights and our value of social justice. The Academy stated mission and vision on policy and advocacy work is based on using the best available scientific evidence. This allows us to lend objectivity to complex, emotionally charged issues, such as maternal morbidity and mortality. It is out of that weighted objectivity that valid recommendations for modifying clinical practice can come. I will cite the negative consequences that occur when the available evidence is not consistently embedded in practice.A public health crisis: Recommendations to reduce gun violence in America
The Academy Board of Directors has identified five areas of priority including:Reducing toxic stress experienced by children living in poverty
In my last President's Message I shared the five policy areas set by the Academy Board of Directors. They are:Mindfulness and the work of the academy
Mindfulness has become an important concept to help ensure the safety and high reliability of the clinical practice of healthcare professionals. Mindfulness based interventions have been used successfully to decrease stress and burnout in nurses and physicians. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) describes mindfulness as assuming an aware, non-judgmental, present state of mind. It is the habit or practice of being in the moment.
