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Editor's
Note
Gold standards
Recognize
the contributions of a colleague with a Nursing Excellence Nomination
Carol Bradley,
MSN, RN, California Editor
November 19 , 2001

Sometimes as
nurses, we take what we do each day for granted. In a recent conversation
with a woman, I was reminded that patients do not take us for granted.
No one appreciates nurses more than someone who has, fortunately
or unfortunately, found themselves in need of our services.
In this instance,
the woman had become intimately familiar with nurses due to an acute
health crisis that resulted in multiple hospitalizations. In our
conversation, she eloquently articulated what it was that nurses
did for her and how she valued their vital role in reclaiming her
health. She is now back to work as a writer and in the process of
thanking those nurses by writing about their work and the importance
of our profession's contribution to society. Recognition comes in
many forms.
Recognizing
the contributions of nurses is an important value of NurseWeek,
too. One of the most important activities that NurseWeek
sponsors is the annual Nursing Excellence Awards, which recognizes
outstanding nurses for their professional achievements and contributions
to nursing throughout California. There is no question that this
event is a favorite of mine and the most rewarding of all the professional
activities that I participate in on behalf of NurseWeek.
Next year's
event is scheduled for April 12 in Los Angeles. The success of this
event depends on you and the support of our nursing community. You
and your colleagues are the ones who know best where we can find
those nurses to recognize at this ceremony. We need your help to
find those special nurses whose work deserves celebration and has
earned a spotlight.
Once again,
we will recognize nurses in the following areas: advancing the profession,
clinical care, community service, innovation, leadership, mentoring,
patient advocacy and teaching. We would like to have more than 500
nominations for our selection committee to review.
Please help
us by nominating one of the special nurses you know. A nomination
form is available by clicking
here. The deadline for nominations is March 1. However,
please send your nominations in early.
Most important,
I want to tell you about our special goal for next year's event.
We would like
to use the 2002 event to involve, inform and engage the health care
community as well as the public about nursing. We want to provide
a showcase for the diverse and vital roles that nurses play in today's
society. We hope that we will have your support, as well as help
from your employer, nursing organizations and others interested
in and concerned about health care in California.
Next year, while
we expect the room once again to be packed with exceptional nurses
from across the state, we also would like to have representatives
from the health care industry, our state government and others who
can bear witness to and help us celebrate the wonders of nursing.
It is about time that we shared our stories with others.
It will be a
night to remember. With your help, next year's celebration of nursing
will be all that we hope it can be.
What
do you think?
Email us at
editor@nurseweek.com
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