I've had many thoughts about how to celebrate HHN's 20th year:
Is it a birthday or anniversary issue? 2002 marks our 20th year of publication, bimonthly for its first 13 years, and monthly since 1996. It's our publication anniversary. Yet, as HHN's original publisher, Kenneth Simms, noted in the premiere issue (see cover on this page), the idea had been born more than 1 year before. The journal's "birth" was "to fill a void for a specialty nursing journal directed to the growing number of professionals involved in the care and treatment of the patient at home."
Thus, this editorial celebrates our birthday, and the entire issue celebrates our anniversary!
Shouldn't we wait until the journal's 25 year of publication and celebrate its Silver Anniversary!
Being in home care for the past 30 years, I feel as if our work time should be measured in dog years. We work like dogs, pleasing our patients, their families, our thousands of regulators, accrediting bodies, legislators, colleagues, and (hopefully) ourselves. I found that the rule of 7s for measuring a dog's age is incorrect. The correct chart appears below.
So...we're really celebrating our 98th year of publishing! Now, tell me how old do you feel in home care dog years?
How should we celebrate our anniversary?
With the help of our wonderful Editorial Board, we have published jewels from our previous issues throughout the year. There's been an "old but still new" article in each 2002 issue marked with a special icon. We also decided to dedicate the October 2002 issue to the celebration of home care nursing.
You'll find in this issue an examination of our history; comments from your colleagues who've made home care their career for 20+ years; an interview with Marilyn Liota, a "lifer," who's worked for one agency for her entire 50-year career; an article published 13 years ago that's been revised but remains relevant today; writings from the wonderful nurses who went before us; and part 1 of a survey of how clinical practice has changed since PPS.
All this material and the many historic nursing-related images will hopefully motivate you to sit down, kick up your feet, and reflect on why we're here. With all that's happened over the past few years and all that's promised ahead, we need to celebrate home care by learning more about and celebrating our wonderful profession.
As Mr. Simms said in the first issue,
"How changes in medical care affect the providers of patient care will be an ongoing editorial obligation of this journal. We will offer current, practical information and relevant articles on patient management, education, legal issues, continuing education and unique situations relevant to this specialty of nursing."
Just wait until you see us celebrate our 25th anniversary!
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