Nurses face some serious challenges today - an aging work force (about 50 percent of RNs are older than 46), a critical shortage of workers (800,000 new nurses are needed by 2020) and a growing demand for nursing faculty and educational programs.
Despite the problems, the majority of nurses are proud and excited to be part of a dynamic and evolving profession that offers them so many opportunities.
"From an intellectual standpoint, we're moving forward as a profession and coming into our own," said Mary Gullatte, RN, MN, ANP, AOCN, FAAMA, director of nursing for oncology services at Emory Healthcare. "Nurses are proving to be phenomenal leaders in all aspects of health care. More nurses are serving in advance practices and are doctoral degree-prepared than ever before."
There always will be nurses who practice at the bedside giving direct patient care, but a growing variety of career paths are taking nurses into jobs in business, law, education, industry, government and the military. You'll read about some of those roles in this month's cover story.
You'll also read about hospice nurses whose goal is to improve the quality of living, ease the pain and alleviate suffering for patients and their families at the end of life.
You'll see a story about sexual assault nurse examiners - specially-trained registered nurses who use their assessment and clinical skills to help victims after a rape. Many SANEs work on call with rape crisis centers, hospitals and law enforcement agencies in addition to their regular nursing jobs, as a service to their communities.
"Nurses can do whatever they want to do," said Robbin Moore, RN, MBA, CEO of Northlake Medical Center. "It's still one of the best career opportunities because every day you have a chance to make an impact on someone else's life.
"Nursing is in every aspect of my life," she said. "I'm the one my fatherin- law called when he was diagnosed with cancer. I'm a nurse 24/7."
That statement reminded me of how often I've called on the skills and advice of my best friend, a nurse and manager of a pediatric practice. Who else would tell me if this rash is something to worry about, or open up the office on Christmas Eve to give my kids a strep test?
Nurses who are CEOs, deans or research epidemiologists also generously serve as the personal health care experts for their families and friends. They interpret medical diagnoses, answer questions we forgot to ask the doctor and listen to our worst fears. They volunteer for support groups, blood drives and health fairs.
This month, we salute and honor the nearly 2.7 million RNs in the United States as we celebrate National Nurses Week, May 6-12. No doubt you'll see lots of nursing stories in the news, but I invite you to join me in a more personal celebration.
Make it a point, this month, to thank the nurses you know for all the ways they touch and improve our lives.