We must remember that we have a social contract with society that outlines the expectations between us.
We must uphold this relationship and muster up our power even when we are overwhelmed.
In a speech to the 2002 graduating class at Brown, former US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said, ”As you pursue your paths in life, leave tracks…Do your part to help move society to the place you would like to be for the health and well-being of generations that follow your own.” There are so many ways that you can leave tracks. Whether it’s how you provide care for your patients, the various ways you support your co-workers, or the consideration and encouragement you give to the new-to-practice nurses, you leave an impact. You leave a track. You leave a mark on every life you touch. It is up to you to decide what mark you leave.
We must work diligently to improve the health and well-being of everyone in our community. As part of that work, we put immense effort into passing the APRN Transition to Practice legislation, nurses shared stories about their patients with legislators, including information about what would happen to these patients if APRNs lost access to their physician supervisor. Legislators heard compelling stories about the financial burden of this supervision and its restrictive impact on APRN practice. Although the governor ultimately chose not to sign the bill into law, your voices made a difference. We will continue to persevere and push forward.
Sharing stories is one of the most powerful ways to influence others: colleagues, supervisors, legislators, and the public. Through storytelling, we can show that nurses are not just statistics. Each of you matters, and people must acknowledge the reality you have conveyed and take action.
At the Annual ONA Convention this past September, we had the privilege of hearing powerful stories from nurses about their experiences with racism and its lasting impact. While conversations about racism can be challenging, they are essential. This is not just an issue affecting individual nurses or our profession—racism affects the patients we serve as well. Addressing it and understanding how to be an ally is everybody’s work.
ONA remains committed to amplifying the voices of all nurses, from those who are new to practice to those with years of experience. We are dedicated to providing the resources and support that nurses need to thrive in their work, while also ensuring that this critical issue stays at the forefront of our efforts to advance the nursing profession. We are excited about the opportunities we have in bringing groups together such as the Emerging Nurses and our Indigenous Nurses chapter along with the Advance Practice Nurses. Recently the board approved a new chapter focused on Innovation and Technology chaired by LaToya Smith that will launch shortly. We are also working on a new leader program so keep an eye out for more information in the coming year. ONA will continue our efforts in advancing nursing by creating tools and resources that will assist every one of you in fostering innovation and advocacy. In the words of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, we will leave our track, and it will take all of us working together, lifting our voices, to ensure that it is an exceptional one.
