Diana Mason's tribute to the book The Soul of Leadership: Journeys in Leadership and Achievement with Distinguished African American Nurses was beautiful (On the Cover, May) and partly responds to her editorial asking why more nurses don't pursue advanced degrees.

As a nurse for over 30 years, I began my career with a bachelor's degree and did not pursue an advanced degree because I loved bedside nursing. Advancing education is not always practical, especially given current salaries. If all experienced bedside nurses were to pursue master's degrees and leave the bedside, we would all suffer: institutions are not willing to pay an NP to work at the bedside.

Diane Dengate

Ferndale, MI