Editor's
Note
A community of caring
Advancing
the profession through a network of nurses
JoEllen Koerner,
Ph.D., MSN, RN, FAAN
Midwest Edition Editor
September
18, 2000
What
is your definition of community? For some it is a geographic
area marked by physical boundaries of terrain (Midwest Region).
For others it is a cultural landscape of shared values and
beliefs (German work ethic coupled with Mennonite spirituality).
Still others define community as a collection of individuals
committed to a common work (professional discipline of nursing).
Nursing
theorist Rosemary Parse expands our notion of community
as "our predecessors, our successors, and our contemporaries,"
including those who have gone before as well as those who
follow. Definition of community is as diverse as its membership.
How many communities do you belong to and why? How many
include your nursing colleagues?
NurseWeek
is a magazine with a compelling vision and mission, a soul.
Its creation was inspired by the founder’s late sister,
Diane Cooper, MSN, a graduate of Cook County Hospital School
of Nursing in Chicago. A masterful nursing educator, her
passing was celebrated with many touching stories about
her life and its contribution to patients, students and
the community she served. Her inspiring brothers wanted
to extend her contribution to the larger nursing world.
NurseWeek was created and is committed to connecting
and enhancing the community of nursing across the country
and beyond by creating a forum for information, education
and communication.
What
creates a strong and vibrant community? It begins with a
shared purpose. Helping people find meaning in illness while
enhancing their self-care capacity in the face of physical,
mental and spiritual challenges is a universal nursing mandate.
Because our practice is science-based, timely information
and updates from the field are needed to provide quality
patient care. NurseWeek will offer you information
links and CEUs to help you stay current in your practice.
Community
membership requires a depth of connection and commitment
to each other’s well being. A dynamic NurseWeek editorial
staff across the country will report issues and actions
as they happen, keeping you connected to your colleagues
nationwide. An advisory board comprised of people in your
area will give guidance on local and regional issues as
well. The context in which we work is unique; NurseWeek
will not lose sight of that reality.
Stewardship
is another quality within a vibrant community. As we exercise
our right to vote, NurseWeek has gathered up health
issues facing the profession, offering you a framework in
which to consider the candidates for office. While choice
remains our most important democratic privilege, informed
choice ensures accuracy in the decision. You will continue
to find frameworks, guiding principles and other decision-supporting
materials to help manage your busy life with focus and clarity.
A group
of committed individuals who become connected in a psychological
and spiritual way begin to live in perpetual community,
a community of the heart. A sense of wholeness guides behavior
and it becomes semi-permeable, inviting collaboration and
partnership. This is the vision NurseWeek has for
you. Browse, read, write or call – join in the dialogue any
way you can. We are eager to invite you to share in the
collective wisdom of the nursing community.
