Our smartphones have this funny little emoticon that shrugs its shoulders: “Who knows?” or an apathetic “What are you gonna do?” An image perfect for the times, right?
Forget it. Instead, we need an emoticon that throws its shoulders back, thrusts its chest and chin forward, and declares, “We can get through this.”
These are uncertain times in America and in the health care industry for sure. The Affordable Care Act, a program that has extended medical coverage to so many needy Americans, could disappear or change dramatically. And international connections so carefully woven through years of trust building and hard, hard work are at risk because of xenophobia. Extraordinary opportunities will be missed if the many great health care minds from across the world are prevented from meeting in person and innovating freely. And federal funding, so crucial to lifesaving advances, is always a worry.
We don’t do politics around here. We do healing. We do nurturing. And importantly, we do mentoring to nursing caregivers and leaders of tomorrow. They will face challenging times in their careers. They are looking at us to lead today, to be part of the solution. And so, the Deans’ Nursing Policy Coalition—made up of the top private research nursing schools—has let it be known in a letter to our congressional leaders from both parties that it is ready to help and to be heard on whatever system is chosen to replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and other essential health coverage programs.
Read the full article on The Huffington Post.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: PATRICIA M. DAVIDSON
Patricia M. Davidson, PhD, MEd, RN, is dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and a fellow of the Australian College of Nursing, the American Heart Association, the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association, and the American Academy of Nursing. She is counsel general of the International Council on Women’s Health Issues and actively involved in the international activities of Sigma Theta Tau International. Follow her on Twitter (@nursingdean).