What comes to mind when you think of a shared vision in nursing? Peter Senge, in his book The Fifth Discipline, describes a shared vision as "a force in people's hearts, a force of impressive power...At its simplest level, a shared vision is the answer to the question, 'What do we want to create?'" What a powerful statement!
As healthcare professionals, we strive for a patient-centered vision that promotes a culture of safety. We communicate this vision with others in our field by using a multidisciplinary approach that welcomes all aspects of patient care. This way of caring for others embraces adjunctive therapy; spiritual awareness; nutrition; physical therapy; family and caregiver support; mindful listening; and interviewing patients to understanding their wants, goals, and desires. It must encompass the whole organization-all leaders, all service lines-as we approach our patients and their loved ones holistically and respectfully.
The world we practice in as professionals is ever changing and evolving. Technologic advancement is moving at lightning speed as we become more innovative, process driven, and electronically savvy. But nothing can replace the human touch and watchful eye of a disciplined and educated professional who understands that for all of this progress to be truly appreciated, it must be utilized with care and never at the loss of human interaction. This is what nursing brings to the table.
Nursing truly is a force of impressive power! A force that wants to create a better, safer healthcare culture that incorporates all facets of care from birth to death. Where do we start? We begin at both the top and the bottom-from the executive suite to the point of care at the bedside-and meet with our patient at the core.
I'm sure you've all heard the old saying "it takes a village." Well it does, at least when the village is an entire organization. No service line, no medical procedure, no department can achieve true holistic care or a safe culture on its own. Together we endeavor to wed technology and science with compassion, empathy, understanding, and open mindedness. The goal is to unite all healthcare practitioners in a shared vision of safe, patient-centered, holistic care.
In this special Nurses Week issue, we highlight the art and discipline of nursing, from columns on nurse residency programs (page 6), handoff best practices (page 10), and shared governance (page 55) to features on nurse-sensitive indicators (page 20) and leadership (page 26). Also join us as we celebrate your dedication in the exclusive "Telling Our Story" feature (page 14).
The American Nurses Association's theme for Nurses Week 2016 is "Culture of Safety: It Starts with You." Turn the page to get going!