Welcome back to Nurses On the Move, where we shine a light on impressive nurses who go above and beyond in their profession and who serve as a role model to those around them.

Last week, you were introduced to Anne Dabrow Woods MSN, RN, CRNP, ANP-BC , the Chief Nurse for Wolters Kluwer Health/Medical Research and the publisher of the American Journal of Nursing and the Joanna Briggs Resources and Karen Innocent DNP, RN, CRNP, ANP-BC, CMSRN, the Executive Director of Continuing Education for Wolters Kluwer Health and the lead nurse planner of Lippincott’s continuing nursing education provider unit.

This week, discover what these Nurses On the Move see happening for the future of nursing and learn their best piece of advice to new nurses.

Q: What do you envision for the future of nursing?

Anne: Nursing will be the solution to the healthcare problems around the world. People need education on conditions, diseases, prevention, wellness, and how to optimize their life living with chronic diseases – that’s all nursing. As we switch to a wellness/holistic model of care, nursing will be the profession leading the charge, working hand in hand with the patient and other healthcare professionals to optimize quality, cost-effective care.

Karen: As the health delivery model continues to place an emphasis on health promotion rather than illness, there will be more career opportunities for nurses in primary care, ambulatory care centers, rehabilitation, and home care.

Q: For a nurse starting out, what would be your number one piece of advice?

Anne: It’s okay not to know everything, you just need to know where to find the answer. Confidence is not about knowing everything; it's about having the wisdom to know when and where to find the answers.

Karen: Find an area you like. Take time in your career to change your setting to find something more comfortable. New nurses need to adjust to the workload and stress level…but they need to know it does improve with their experience. Things won’t be as difficult.

Q: What do you see as a major obstacle/problem in the current nursing environment? 

Anne: As nurses, we don’t speak with one voice and don’t realize the importance of lifelong learning and education to move the profession forward and improve patient care.

Karen: Most nurses are employed by hospitals and have competing priorities. Feeling busy and overwhelmed is a problem. We need time management and prioritization skills.

Q: What do you hope for this Nurses On the Move blog? What types of nurses would you enjoy shining a light on?

Anne: I would like to see nurses that are making a difference in institutions, patient lives, and the community, that aren’t afraid to stretch beyond their comfort zone and really move the bar on healthcare excellence.

Karen: My hopes for the Nurses On the Move blog are to motivate nurses to pursue certifications and/or advanced degrees, to provide encouragement and support to newer nurses, and to highlight the accomplishments of nurses who are doing great things every day.

Do you know a great candidate to be featured for Nurses On the Move? We want to know about the nurses who are advancing the profession and inspiring others to do the same. We will feature a new nurse every month. Email your submissions to [email protected].