There's something about getting ready to launch a new journal-in this case, the one you're holding in your hands right now-that makes us reminisce about our own nursing careers. Drawing on our past experiences, we've found, helps us focus on what our readers would want in a brand-new publication.
So one day, while kicking around ideas for the first issue of LPN2005, we started talking about nurses who've mentored and inspired us along the way. The more we talked, the more obvious it became that these nurses had a lot in common. Invariably, they were nurses who had superb clinical skills, strong rapport with patients and their families, a mastery of the facility's policies and procedures, a willingness to share their knowledge, and the respect of the rest of the health care team.
Not surprisingly, these clinical leaders were often LPNs or LVNs.
Your value to the team
Over the years, we've had the chance to witness first-hand the vital role LPNs and LVNs have on the health care team. These nurses seemed to know everything about their patients-likes, dislikes, history, family, and so much more. It's no wonder other practitioners relied heavily on them when it came time to make patient care decisions.
That's why we're so passionate about the launch of LPN2005: We want you to be a clinical leader too. We want this journal to be your indispensable tool as you master the high-level skills today's practical nursing demands-and earn the respect you deserve from your colleagues.
Our goal-in fact, our mission-is to help you prepare to take an active role in planning, implementing, and evaluating your patients' nursing care. After all, at nearly 1 million strong, LPNs and LVNs are part of the lifeblood of direct patient care across the care continuum.
On the horizon
So what do we have in store for you in LPN2005?
For starters, we'll give you plenty of clinical advice to help you quickly become proficient at evaluating your patient's response to your interventions[horizontal ellipsis]carrying out difficult procedures[horizontal ellipsis]performing advanced dosage calculations[horizontal ellipsis]documenting your observations and actions no matter how complicated the task[horizontal ellipsis]and much more. Because we know you're very involved in educating your patients and their caregivers, we'll also make sure each issue contains a patient teaching guide on a common disease state (it's hypertension in this issue).
Your career is important to you too. So we'll keep you up-to-date on what's happening in practice around the country[horizontal ellipsis]how to find money to go back to school[horizontal ellipsis]and what salaries practical nurses are earning-and that'll help you make smart decisions about your future. We'll also test your knowledge with at least one continuing education feature per issue.
Finally, we're going right to the experts to help us understand the needs and challenges of today's practical nurses. Our editorial advisory board is packed with LPNs, LVNs, and RNs involved in educating practical nurses. They'll point us in the right direction, and they'll be your voice in LPN2005.
It's all about you
We've designed LPN2005 expressly for you. So take a look. Have we hit the mark? How can we make your new journal better? Drop us a line at [email protected] or [email protected] and let us know what you think.
In the meantime, sit back, turn the page, and find out what's waiting for you in the premier issue of LPN2005.
Lisa R. Hathaway RN, BSN
Clinical Editor, LPN2005, Ambler, Pa.
Anne Woods RN, CRNP, APRN,BC, MSN
Clinical Director of Journals, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Ambler, Pa.