Welcome to the Golden Age of Nursing

We were so proud to have Dr. Donna Shalala, a revered public servant and current president of the University of Miami, speak to our graduates at Commencement last week. As chair of the Committee on the Future of Nursing for the Institute of Medicine, Dr. Shalala emphasized that healthcare systems around the world are poised to benefit from the expertise of nurses at a higher and more expansive level than ever.

With the passage of the 2010 Affordable Health Care Act, the discipline of nursing is front and center. We must seize the moment by investing in nurse scientists and advancing the scholarly field of nursing science. Scholarship in nursing is vital for developing and translating best practices for quality care. The objective of a research career is to provide the evidence for equitable, quality healthcare for all populations. Of course the ultimate goal is to develop policies and practice standards that positively influence the care of all people.

To achieve that, academic and practice institutions must uphold and fortify their research mission.

On a recent visit to Universidad de Costa Rica, I spoke about creating a culture of scholarship. In sum, the keys are:

• Practice – Having an engaged and well-supported practice program
• PhD Education – Preparing nurses for the highest level of competency and integrity
• Passion for the Discipline – Inculcating a strong identity and integrating research and practice
• Post-Doctoral Education – Supporting novice scholars
• Protecting Researchers – Providing time, mentorship and support
• Productive Communities – Creating environments that value scholarship, mentoring, and intellectual engagement
• Partnerships – Creating local, national and global relationships, and clinical-academic partnerships
• Policies -- Knowing and influencing healthcare priorities and research agendas and using media to market findings.

We are on the threshold of the Golden Age of Nursing. Today’s graduates are beginning their nursing careers at the best possible time. Let us ensure that every door is open to them and to every nurse scientist.