Update 12/22/23:
I happily updated the graphic of this post, originally published in February of 2023, after the release of Taking Action: 10 Top Priorities to Promote Health Equity and Well-Being in Nursing. It seems this compendium received two prestigious awards, the 2023 AJN Book of the Year in two categories! So it seems appropriate to update this blog post with the new cover that includes two glorious gold medals! I am so proud to have contributed “Pandemic School Nursing—Another Front Line,” to this collection of stories about nursing advocacy.
Here is the message shared by co-editor Dr. Susan Hassmiller, announcing the awards:
Was absolutely and amazingly SUPRISED and DELIGHTED to find out yesterday that our little treasure of a book was awarded two first place honors as an AJN BOOK OF THE YEAR (Health Care Administration and History/Public Policy).I could not be prouder of this effort, my co-editor, Gaea Daniel, and mostly the amazing assortment of highly diverse contributors who took the time to share their advice and stories. OF COURSE it is because of these contributing authors that this book is so vital and popular and received the most prestigious book awards in nursing – Sue Hassmiller
I don’t think I would have ever predicted adding writer to my list of descriptors when I began my nursing career more than thirty-eight years ago. The Relentless School Nurse grew out of a desire to describe the scope of school nursing practice. Blogging has opened many interesting doors and enticing opportunities to collaborate on exciting projects that I could never have imagined. Contributing to the newly released book, Taking Action: 10 Top Priorities to Promote Health Equity and Well-Being in Nursing, has been an honor and professional highlight for me. My deepest appreciation goes to Dr. Susan Hassmiller for being a champion of school nursing and extending her generous hand to me in so many ways.
Taking Action: 10 Top Priorities to Promote Health Equity and Well Being in Nursing is a collection of essays, perspective pieces, and poetry that describes the depth of our nursing profession in this artful and personal compendium. The breadth of topics included in the 10 chapters of this book is stunning. Nursing has reached its own tipping point after a crippling pandemic, reckoning with racism within our ranks, and a history of silence, we have come roaring back to address our most pressing issues in order to find a way forward that is equitable and just. “Taking Action” is a call to move forward with clarity and transparency, no longer silent or complacent about what matters most. The top 10 priorities examined in the book have multiple essays in each chapter. These are the topics examined:
- Health Equity
- Education Reform
- Diversity and Mentorship
- Care Delivery: Quality, Safety, Access
- Multi-Sector Collaboration
- Preparing for Disasters and Public Health Emergencies
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- Nurse Well-Being: Compassion for Self and Others
- Global Stewardship
- Nursing’s Voice in Leading Change
- Bonus Afterword: History as a Guide to Envision a More Equitable and Just Future
Through the generosity of Sigma, you can preview Chapter 3 – Diversity and Mentorship: Chapter3 Taking Action
My essay “Pandemic School Nursing—Another Front Line” is in Chapter 10: Nursing’s Voice in Leading Change. Here is a link to order the book: Taking Action: Top 10 Priorities to Promote Health Equity and Well-Being in Nursing Taking Action: Top 10 Priorities to Promote Health Equity and Well-Being in Nursing spotlights 10 critical themes through data, essays, discussion points, and action items, equipping readers to move beyond conversation to action.
Remember years ago I commented to you that school nursing was like an octopus with so many responsibilities to reach out and touch…Now I think it is bigger than those 8 tenacles. You have attained all of them.