National Nurses Week (May 6-12) is celebrated annually to recognize nurses and nurse educators for their contributions to health care. This year, the American Nurses Association established the theme “Nurses: Advocating, Leading, Caring.” As an aspiring nurse, this theme holds special meaning for me.
Advocating to provide the best possible patient care is the cornerstone of what it means to be a nurse. This can mean going out of the way when time is short, or having a difficult conversation when it might be easier to look the other way. For a nurse, the patient is always the center of the care process, and the patient’s whole being is important. “Caring” is a term that is synonymous with “nursing” and is the primary reason I and many others enter into nursing school. We genuinely care about others, and we want to make a positive difference in their life.
Registered nursing has experienced a dramatic evolution in the past few years, thanks in part to nurse leaders advocating to advance the profession. These nurses and nurse educators have built the foundation for future nurses like me to practice to the full extent of the profession — leading and caring to the best of our ability.
I am grateful to enter a profession that encourages me to achieve higher levels of education, hone diverse specializations, collaborate with health care providers and help shape the future of health care. The future of nursing is a bright one, and I look forward to fulfilling my role, advocating, leading and caring in my community.
— Wendy Froman, president, Student Nurses Association, Chamberlain College of Nursing, Chicago Campus
