How sad that in today's society "virtuous" is the equivalent of "archaic and sexist." How foolish to pressure nurses to be ashamed of the greatest tools they have. Needing to justify everything we do so we look smart will not bring job satisfaction or nurse retention. Education alone doesn't provide everything a patient needs. Education and knowledge, hand in hand with caring and compassion, make for the best nurses and the highest quality patient care.

Those who continue to insist that nurses be lauded only for book smarts and degrees may one day find themselves treated by overly educated nurses devoid of all caring, kindness, and compassion.

Julia Hauret, BSN

Monrovia, MD