It is with great excitement that I assume the role of regional vice president and editor of NurseWeek's Great Lakes edition. As a resident of Michigan and with many ties to Ohio, I look forward to working and hearing from all of you. As you know, NurseWeek's provides a balance of both regional and national issues of interest to nurses, and with the Great Lakes edition we have the opportunity to showcase not only the many nursing success stories in the region, but also to bring you news from across the country that might enhance your practice.

My own career in nursing has shaped my beliefs about the profession. I have served as a staff nurse, manager and executive, worked on several university faculties and worked as a consultant for a variety of health care organizations. All of these experiences have taught me that the best solutions are not always the easiest ones and that the cumulative knowledge of many professionals is required to develop innovative approaches to nursing's many challenges. Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to be mentored by other nurses who shared their expertise with me and I have, in turn, worked to mentor others.

So now, as a part of NurseWeek's's focus on the success of nurses, I hope you will let me know your thoughts and-just as important-your needs as a nurse that we can address. Because 1.2 million nurses read NurseWeek's, we have a forum that can influence not only our own profession, but also others who are engaged in helping to find solutions for this complex health care environment.

I am sure that you, like me, know nurses who deserve to have their accomplishments showcased, not only for their own effort but also so that the profession knows that such attainments exist. We are notorious for serving well but modestly declining to be singled out for recognition. Thus, our opportunities to celebrate our achievements go largely unnoticed. This must change as we work to enhance the image of our profession and to ensure that nursing's accomplishments are acknowledged.

You have an opportunity to acknowledge and recognize those nurses who consistently go above and beyond the call of duty. The annual NurseWeek's Nursing Excellence Awards for the Great Lakes and Midwest region will take place Aug. 23. We will have a formal awards banquet in Chicago to honor an elite group of nurses that has demonstrated excellence in the profession. These nurses will be nominated by you, your peers, your patients and others who know of their outstanding contributions to nursing and health care in a variety of settings.

We expect there will be winners from acute, long-term and subacute care-and from all sizes of institutions and settings. Their accomplishments will be as varied as their roles-clinicians, educators, researchers, leaders and more.

Nominations will be considered in eight categories: Advancing the Profession, Community Service, Leadership, Patient Advocacy, Clinical Care, Innovation/Creativity, Mentoring and Teaching. We want you to take a few minutes and nominate a nurse whom you believe exemplifies excellence in our profession.

To nominate a nurse, just click here. Let's be sure that the outstanding nurses from the Great Lakes will be celebrated for their contributions.