Letter from Justin Gill, WSNA president
Our values remain focused on serving our members, our profession, and our patients in the best way we can.
October 14, 2024 • 1 minute, 26 seconds to read
This story was published in the Fall 2024 issue of The Washington Nurse.
In this final print column for The Washington Nurse, my goal is to focus on looking ahead and embracing change to meet the demands of the future.
Most nurses would agree that we live in uncertain times which pose challenges for our profession and the healthcare system: consolidations among large health systems, prevalence of disinformation, political unrest, and artificial intelligence.
Some of these challenges involve making decisions on changing the way that things have been done in the past. I personally recall my time starting out as a new graduate nurse at Skagit Valley Hospital in 2012, and I remember how many new practices were implemented in my first year.
Nurses are well-prepared to be leaders in change implementation because we are present at every level of care delivery.
Over the past decade, information has been moving faster and is easier to access, while the platforms and modalities used for getting information may impact how this information is perceived or manipulated.
While change may sometimes seem daunting, nurses have an essential role to play in ensuring that these changes put patients, nurses, and our health system first.
In our public discourse, society has grown more divided, with a diminishing baseline of agreed-upon facts. Our politics has become more personal and has navigated away from objective decision making.
Almost every aspect of these changing times can benefit from nursing. Our ability to think critically, compassionately, and lead with ethics and values will stand the test of time. These are qualities that we need more of in our society.
While this moment marks the last President’s column for the print version of The Washington Nurse, it will also mark the start of a new innovative modality to keep our members informed of events.
I look forward to embracing this change and continuing communication in a way that is more applicable, equitable, and environmentally friendly.
The Washington Nurse has been an important benefit of membership through its print version. I’m excited to embrace these changes that will maintain its relevancy to our membership in the years ahead.
Our values remain focused on serving our members, our profession, and our patients in the best way we can.