Many years ago I ran for an elected office in a nursing organization. My motto was to make "The Wise Choice." As is always true, multiple, complex issues faced the association. Although I teach about the future, I have no crystal ball or secret connection to some seer. So, what I pledged was my heart, my head, and my eyes. Today, I would alter that to my heart, my head, and my voice.
The reason I chose those body elements was because they have a special meaning that leads to solid decisions. The heart most commonly symbolizes a human-to-human connection. If we do not have that connection, we are likely to be ineffective in our roles. It is hard for nurses to talk about caring at the core and not be able to demonstrate caring for those we serve: students, colleagues, or patients. The heart suggests that one person cares enough about another person to receive messages - good or bad. The point is that we are receptive to those we represent in any endeavor. Hearing stories is also important. Stories are the qualitative data we have to illustrate the quantitative data we have.
The head is equally important. The head represents all of the evidence we have on which to base decisions. That combination of taking experiences and facts together allows for richer decisions than if only one or the other were possible.
In my original version, I pledged I would engage my eyes to see what was happening. The eyes can provide context that can influence a decision or an approach. They are another source of intake of information that gets us to better decisions. But I now think we need to substitute - or add - the important aspect of voice.
I did not use the word voice at first because I was expected to be thoughtful and shape policy that someone else would use to take action. I would use voice today because it represents the action piece that must occur to create a solid pathway for influencing policy. Voice may be activated at the most focal area: our workplaces; or it may be activated on the broadest perspective: nationally or internationally.
Unless your journals are stacking up, you are reading this message as we look forward to summer. If you are in a year-round program or position, this time frame has little significance. If, however, you are in a role where work gears up for fall, I hope you will think about your pledge to nursing education.
We have the opportunity to commit our hearts, heads, and voices to addressing numerous issues and to resolving some. The key, in my view, is that we must pledge our voices to create unity through expression of diversity, to create action through exploration of possibilities, and to create answers through resolving issues that have been with us for decades. Our patients, our colleagues, our students-all are counting on us.
We must pledge our voices to create unity through expression of diversity, to create action through exploration of possibilities, and to create answers through resolving issues that have been with us for decades. Our patients, our colleagues, our students, all are counting on us.