With the holiday season well under way, families and friends devote more time to each other than usual compared to the rest of the year. We make special efforts to attend celebrations, gather for parties and decorate our homes and workplaces to be festive. It is also a time when we are reminded that many people in our communities are unable to meet their basic needs for food, housing and health care. I am sure the majority of us find ways to contribute to the well-being of others.

As nurses we see the unmet needs of people each day and spend considerable time locating support services for our patients and neighbors. I am sure that you experience the difficulty of finding and coordinating these services despite being a professional who knows many of the ins and outs of the health care system. So it is difficult to imagine that a person with health needs would be able to access the services without considerable assistance.

When we look at the complexity of care, it is clear that our patient populations are increasingly diverse. Whether the patient is in the hospital, at home or in the doctor's office, we are constantly challenged to recognize and be sensitive to the unique needs of individuals from different cultures. Just as we work hard to respect the cultural diversity of our nurses, we must be respectful of the beliefs of culturally diverse patient populations if we are to be successful in caring for them and their families. If it is important to us, we will need to devote more resources to support nurses as they work to practice culturally sensitive nursing.

In this month's issue, we also focus on home health nursing. When you read about the complex roles that home health nurses play, it is clear that they must be highly skilled and highly resourceful to bring nursing care to their clients. With ever-decreasing reimbursement, these nurses must accomplish more with less and ensure that their limited time with patients will set the stage for as much improvement in health status as possible.

All of us who have watched the shortening of hospital stays realize that we are sending people home quicker and sicker, thus raising the requirements for care after discharge. The huge variation in nursing care needs, coupled with the additional needs of the elderly or children, requires that home health nurses be able to independently plan care and coordinate services. I think you will be inspired by their stories and gain understanding of their critical roles in health care.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season. Take the time to appreciate the little things in life. Remember all of the contributions you have made to others' lives and feel good about that. As we make plans for 2003, we hope for peace on earth, stability in our lives and the opportunity to make a difference for others. Best wishes for the holidays and the new year.

Discuss this and other topics with your colleagues at www.nurseweek.com/rnvillage