The last few weeks have been a whirlwind! I have attended a think tank on the professional identity formation of nurses in which I had the honor to collaborate with 49 other nurse leaders across education, legislation, and practice. Last week was AMSN’s National Convention and what a wonderful experience that was! More than 1,300 nurses gathered to discuss, learn, and network. It was 3 days filled with plenty of joy, comradery, and hard work.

The practice of nursing constantly evolves. Traditionally, nurses have always been at the bedside of those who suffered from illnesses or injuries. The minds (knowledge) and hands of nurses were the tools they used to facilitate healing in the patients to whom they provided care. With all the innovations in technology, nurses have increasingly become surrounded by equipment that helps support and improve the patient’s health and wellness. It is undeniable that technology has made an incredibly positive impact on patient care.

Robin’s column this month referenced the important role coaching and mentoring played in her career and personal development. I was also fortunate to have many wonderful peer coaches during my nursing career and I am forever grateful for the relationships I was able to build and cultivate over that time. AMSN feels connection is a critical component of the value we bring to medical-surgical nurses.

I’ve been very blessed in my professional career due, in large part, to the mentors and coaches I’ve had along the way. During my initial training and then later as an academic colleague, faculty members Sandra Gottschalk, Beryl Dinges and Michele Unrein provided encouragement and guidance, accepting no less than the very best I could do. Each of these leaders instilled a love of the nursing profession in me and sparked my interest in nursing leadership.

Robin’s column this month speaks to the critical role nurses play in legislation impacting health care access and cost, the workplace, and workforce issues. For many years AMSN has had a legislative team of volunteers addressing legislative issues of importance to medical-surgical nurses. They’ve written position statements on topics relevant to med-surg nurses, they have signed on to letters from other nursing organizations and they tried to stay abreast of policy and legislative activities.

I recently reflected on the amazing journey I’ve experienced throughout my nursing career. One of the many highlights was my experience as a participant in the Nurse in Washington Internship (NIWI) program sponsored by the Nursing Organizations Alliance.

The International Council of Nurses (ICN) Congress was an inspirational and educational conference attended by thousands of nurses from around the world. It certainly was enlightening to recognize that nurses around the world face some collective opportunities and challenges. As you read in President Robin Hertel’s ‘Robin’s Nest’, one focus of the conference was the importance of the social determinants of health (SDOH) in managing the health of our patients.

I recently attended the International Council of Nurses Congress Conference, held in Singapore this month. It was a gathering of more than 5,000 nurses from over 120 countries. Discussions and poster presentations over four days involved many of the issues nurses face on a daily basis, including safe staffing, workplace safety, quality, and the healthcare model.

In May, AMSN and MSNCB CEO Terri Hinkley, EdD, MBA, BScN, RN received her Doctorate in Human and Organizational Learning from George Washington University. The Human & Organizational Learning curriculum focuses on organizational issues such as strategic change, transformational leadership, individual and group learning processes, organizational development, and global and international issues. The degree helped Hinkley to develop a more critical lens with which to see the nursing community and its issues and challenges.

Dictionary.com defines pursuit as: the act of pursuing; an effort to secure or attain a goal; a quest; and any occupation, pastime, or the like in which a person is engaged regularly or customarily. They define excellence as the fact or state of excelling. The pursuit of excellence in nursing is indeed a quest that is accomplished by thoughtfully looking at ones environment and then strategically thinking about how to make a positive difference.