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The fourth California Nursing Summit on Sept. 13 in
Sacramento attracted more than 600 of the state's present
and future nursing leaders from practice and academe.
The highlights of this year's event were the keynote
presentation by Mary Foley, MSN, RN, president of the
American Nurses Association, on its plan "Nursing's
Agenda for the Future" [nursingworld.org/naf] and
the final report from the California Strategic Planning
Committee for Nursing, a 10-year effort to provide a
systematic measure of California's nursing workforce
needs, by Karen Sechrist, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, director
of research for the American Association of Critical-Care
Nurses. The committee's work is being shifted to the
California Board of Registered Nursing.
Other speakers from across the state highlighted the
innovative and successful initiatives that are contributing
to the increase in nursing school enrollment statewide.
I hope many of you will consider involving your organizations
in similar partnerships with local schools. The summit
also featured a discussion of the efforts to improve
work environments and nurse retention within hospitals.
Nurses and nurse leaders generally agree that improving
the work environment remains our highest priority to
ensure nursing's future.
Data from the recent NURSEWEEK/AONE study were presented,
comparing the views of California's nurses to those
of our nation, highlighting both the common and unique
characteristics of our state's nurses. You can view
or download this presentation at www.nurseweek.com/ednote/calnurses.html.
If you were not able to attend the summit, a videotape
of the proceedings is available through the Association
of California Nurse Leaders.
I also would like to recognize the many contributions
that individual nurse leaders and health care organizations
have made to support the important work described at
the nursing summit. Although much of what California
nurse leaders have accomplished in the last decade has
been assisted by the financial support of many health
care systems, individual hospitals and foundations,
these contributions would not have been forthcoming
without the support of key nursing leaders.
Despite the challenges of the last decade, nursing
leaders in every region of the state have been hard
at work addressing the needs of our profession. When
one looks out across the nation, California nursing
leadership has consistently been in front of many major
initiatives; however, there is still a long road to
travel.
It's time to build upon these early efforts and the
legacy of yesterday's leaders, and demand more action,
more money and more influence. To do this, our efforts
need to be directed outside the nursing community, to
elected representatives, to health system leadership,
our physician colleagues, our patients and the media.
Talking to each other has served its purpose; now it
is time to get others engaged and take ownership in
our challenges.
Discuss this and other topics with your colleagues
at www.nurseweek.com/rnvillage.
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