I have been reading Nursing for many years. I appreciate all the information that helped me be an effective nurse operating above and beyond the status quo.

I retired in 2022 after 32 years of a successful career as a night-shift direct care nurse in a large university hospital. The hospital is a designated cancer center with Magnet designation. I was deeply involved in building a strong nursing culture over the years. I could no longer tolerate the lack of administrative support over the past several years to provide excellent care.

As you mentioned in your editorial, "Why call it nonproductive time?" once the financial folks started making all the staffing decisions, it was a downward spiral. COVID was the last straw. My health was starting to suffer.

I feel bad for my fellow nurses and, more important, the patients that are not getting the best care they deserve. Unfortunately, I see increased substance abuse taking its toll on nurses in an attempt to cope with the current healthcare system.

Your editorials are spot on, especially "Why call it nonproductive time?"1. Nurses are the backbone of the hospital's operations. When patients and families learn of these realities, things change. The public must demand changes.

Keep up the great work, increasing awareness.

- Cheryl Sims, RN

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