ANA\C The Nursing Voice Spring 2019

8  . The Nursing Voice . Spring 2019 Nursing Practice Director’s Summary By Christine Tarver, DNP, RN, CNS, NEA-BC—Nursing Practice Director As I complete my second decade as a registered nurse, I am struck by how fortunate I am to have chosen this career. From my earliest memory I wanted to be a nurse, as evidenced by my uneven block letters in my kindergarten memory book—filling in the blank of “what I want to be when I grow up” with two words: a nurse. My father, being practical, asked that I become a hospital volunteer to be sure I could work in a hospital setting. The day I turned 15, I applied to be a “candy striper,” entered the medical center near my home town, and never turned back. From a teenage volunteer who delivered mail, flowers, and patients themselves in a red and white striped uniform; to night shift new grad in the acute care, to an educator and nursing faculty, to a CNS to a manager, and finally a nursing director in a magnet program; it is a career that gives much more than it requires. I profess, nursing is the greatest profession in the world. Why? The chance to improve the lives of human beings is an honor, the ability to connect with persons from the tiniest neonate to the oldest living adult is unparalleled. The growth and career opportunities for an RN are almost endless and reach to every corner of the world. The opportunity to serve as the ANA\C Nursing Practice Director since 2017 is a lifetime highlight. As part of the ANA\C board we have worked to build our membership, strengthen our policies and procedures, and promote nursing in California. We have reached out to other California nursing organizations, (ACNL for example), to unite our efforts in promoting the profession of nursing and improving healthcare for all. We are only beginning to see the opportunities for professional nursing organizations to 2019 Board Summaries collaborate and support nursing and healthcare enhancements, and we hope to continue this work into the coming years. As nurses, we are uniquely positioned as the most trusted profession. We can honor this distinction by always keeping our decisions based on: What is best for the patient? What would the patient want? What can improve health for our fellow humans? I am proud that as a team member I have helped to develop improved patient outcomes by: Developing evidence-based guidelines in skin care that result in reduced pressure injuries Researching strategies to reduce pain Developing guidelines that enhanced recognition of patient deterioration Supporting enhancements in diabetes and anticoagulation care Improving care of specific patient populations (i.e. Seniors, LGBTQ) Enhancing the staff work environment for all Mentoring nursing students to carry on our legacy and contribute to safe patient care I can’t wait to see what happens next! Reflect on your nursing practice, pat yourself on your back for your accomplishments, and set a course for what is next for you!