I don't often write to journals I subscribe to, but after reading the January issue of AJN and the editorial, I felt compelled to write in agreement. I was horrified to read about the nurse who wouldn't subscribe to AJN because she only wanted "factual" information. Maureen Shawn Kennedy's response was timely and concise.

We've just had the Golden Globe Awards, where sexual harassment was acknowledged like never before. The mental stability of our president is being questioned by many, including some in his own political party. We remain in a state of uncertainty over the Affordable Care Act. And one can't overlook the "big Christmas present" of enormous tax cuts for corporations at the expense of the middle class.

It is naive at best and cruel at worst not to consider the political climate when we provide care to our patients. This is not merely "cocktail and dinner party" discussion but relevant to every health care provider. I have been an oncology nurse for 34 years and have to say that this past year has been one of the most difficult for me personally. My family and some colleagues are divided, and the number of topics we can no longer discuss seems to increase on a routine basis. I see division at extremes I have not previously experienced, and I am old enough to remember the Nixon presidency.

This issue of AJN addressed 2017 in a comprehensive, unbiased way and provided a summary of key issues that we faced in the first year of the Trump administration. Thank you.

Jessica Brodbeck, MSN, RN, AOCNS

Peabody, MA