In January 2020, Australia was experiencing devastating wildfires. The U.S. military killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani via drone. In response, Iran launched two missiles at military bases in Iraq injuring American soldiers. Tensions between the United States and Middle East were escalating. All of this was in the first 8 days of the year. It looked like the year was off to a horrible start-an annus horribilis.
In the coming days and weeks, the United Kingdom withdrew from the European Union. President Trump was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives, but later acquitted in the Senate. The Summer 2020 Olympics scheduled for Tokyo were cancelled. Oh yeah, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also announced they were stepping away from their duties as senior royals.
In all seriousness though, let us not forget what happened on January 7. This was the day that the World Health Organization was notified by China of a new, novel coronavirus. In the coming weeks, the virus was named SARS-CoV-2 and the disease it causes was named COVID-19. On January 11, China announced its first death and 9 days later, on January 20, the United States had its first case in the state of Washington.
Months later, by early September, when this editorial was written, there were over 27 million cases worldwide with nearly 900,000 deaths, with the United States leading the way in both infections and deaths due to a failure in leadership. Because of the pandemic, we have also seen major disruptions in global travel. Educational systems have been transformed. The global economy came to a halt. Millions of persons become unemployed. Longstanding social and health inequities were revealed.
Similarly, let us not forget the month of May. May 25 was a pivotal day in raising awareness associated with the legacy of racial injustice in the United States. On this day, George Floyd was killed by police officers in Minneapolis after having a knee to his neck for 8 minutes, 46 seconds-the Minneapolis Police Department later reported that it was a minute less[horizontal ellipsis]but does it really matter? May also resulted in the release of the video footage of three White men killing Ahmaud Arbery, and then, we have Breonna Taylor, Atatiana Jefferson, Botham Jean, and too many others. 2020, like years before it, has witnessed disproportionate rates of Black Americans being killed by the police. This must stop.
Of the 43.5 million health care workers in the world, nurses and midwives account for almost half of the health workforce at 20.7 million (WHO, n.d.). For nursing and midwifery, 2020 was supposed to be a remarkable or auspicious year-an annus mirabilis. After all, 2020 was declared the Year of the Nurse and Midwife by the World Health Organization. As the largest cadre of health care workers globally, nurses have been at the forefront of prevention, care, and treatment for persons with SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. Simultaneously, they have also witnessed the legacies of homicide and violence plaguing the United States.
As I look forward to 2021, I hope for an annus mirablis. I hope for racial equity. I hope for an effective SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. I hope for an uncontested Presidential election. I hope for routine.
As such, I would challenge each of us-as nurses or midwives, as humans-to recommit to making a difference, to making our communities and the world a more just and equitable place, and to being kinder toward our fellow citizens, ourselves. Regardless of who won the U.S. Presidential election, it is our responsibility as citizens to be involved, to raise our voices, and to share our expertise as nurses, as nurse practitioners, and as nurse midwives.
"Inherent in nursing is a respect for human rights, including cultural rights, the right to life and choice, to dignity and to be treated with respect. Nursing care is respectful of and unrestricted by considerations of age, colour, creed, culture, disability or illness, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, politics, race or social status" (p. 1), according to the International Council of Nurses Code of Ethics for Nurses (2012). As you think about 2021, I would ask you to spend some time thinking about and promoting human rights and racial justice. Please consider participating in a 21-day racial equity challenge available through a variety of organizations including the American Bar Association (available at https://www.americanbar.org/groups/labor_law/membership/equal_opportunity/) or through the Michigan League for Public Policy (available at https://mlpp.org/21-day-racial-equity-challenge/).
Let us not forget that we still have much work to do in relation to HIV. Too many people learn they are living with HIV annually-1.7 million in 2019 (HIV.gov, 2020). With 38 million people living with HIV around the world, they count on nurses and midwives for their HIV care-care that is respectful, that promotes dignity, and that supports their culture. As nurses and midwives, we still have considerable work to do. 12.6 million people worldwide are still waiting for antiretroviral therapy. In addition, COVID-19 has resulted in antiretroviral therapy disruptions in 36 countries and disruptions in HIV testing, HIV viral load monitoring, services to key populations, voluntary male medical circumcision, and numerous other essential services (WHO, 2020).
2021 is not the time to be defeated. It is the time to be strong, to be heard! 2021 is the year to be not just at the table but to be at the head of the table, leading that meeting, that committee, and that community coalition. 2021, and every year, is the year of the nurse and the midwife. Thank you for being a nurse, a nurse midwife, and a nurse practitioner. Thank you for being an HIV nurse. Thank you for making a difference every day. May 2021 be an annus mirablis for us all.
Disclosures
The authors report no real or perceived vested interests related to this article that could be construed as a conflict of interest.
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