On the Mend
As America begins the healing process, nurses step up to offer their support

By Beth Ulrich, Ed.D, RN, South Central Editor
October 1, 2001

Defining moments change our lives forever. Three weeks ago, we as a nation sank to the bottom of Abraham Maslow's hierarchy. We have only just begun the slow ascent back to the top. Most people believe that in order to successfully survive, the best thing we can do is to return as close as possible to what was normal before Sept. 11.

Al Siebert, Ph.D., author of The Survivor Personality, says that survivors have a learning/coping reaction to adversity rather than a victim reaction. Learning from the attacks on our country and recovering quickly will help America as well as all of us as individuals.

On a more basic level, showing the people who perpetrated this tragedy that they cannot destroy or divide us is reason enough to move forward. It's a shame that it took terrorists to bring America together, but now the togetherness of Americans has become a hallmark of this event. Flags fly everywhere. Patriotic songs play and everyone knows the words.

An increasing number of people are realizing that our differences are much less important than our similarities. "We Shall Overcome," once sung by some of our citizens seeking rights and respect, now is sung by all as a message to those who would question our resolve.

It has been particularly gratifying over the recent weeks to see how nurses have come forward to support each other. At NurseWeek, we have received hundreds of e-mails and letters from around the country and the world at our offices as well as at nurseweek.com.

Nursing has so much to offer, now more than ever. We all start by becoming nurses and then we use our talents and desires to build on that foundation. We've covered nurses in different roles in this issue of NurseWeek. There is an interview with the first lady of Texas, Anita Perry, who is a nurse of vast expertise and now of even broader influence. We have a story on Florence Nightingale from an unlikely source-Country Joe McDonald. Traveler and registry nursing, a specialty in itself if done right, is profiled in our cover story. In another article, we look at nurses who have become chief operating officers and chief executive officers and how their nursing backgrounds affect their present roles.

Later this week, NurseWeek will recognize 60 nurse finalists from Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas at our Nursing Excellence Awards in Dallas. You will have a chance to read their stories in the next issue of NurseWeek and I can promise you that you will feel deep pride in nursing when you do.

As a final note, many of our nurse colleagues are part of the reserves who are being called to duty. They could well end up on the front lines of this war and in harm's way. Let's keep them in our thoughts and prayers.

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