Who Cares? (We do!)
It’s a trait that draws many of us to psychiatric-mental health nursing and a singular strength that defines our profession: caring. It sets us apart, fosters trust, and supports the positive outcomes we seek to achieve.
Unfortunately, we also find ourselves in a sped-up digital world that too often seems driven by the financial bottom line and sterile data. How can we ensure care excellence in a system that is not always built to support our work?
PMH nurses are situated at every point on the care continuum and in settings across communities. We grapple with the complex factors associated with providing care to human beings. Who could be better equipped and positioned than us to smooth the way and make the entire experience of seeking care easy, inviting, more personal, and ultimately effective?
As your new APNA President, I invite you to join me in thinking expansively about opportunities for shaping care excellence. My Presidential theme, “Empowered to Innovate and Collaborate: PMH Nurses Shaping Care Excellence,” highlights how your experiences can also pertain to larger populations and inform the work of your colleagues. The Call for Abstracts for the APNA 39th Annual Conference will open in January, so consider sharing your work in this venue! By collaborating with our community and sharing our innovations, we truly shape care excellence!
Joyce M. Shea, DNSc, APRN, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN
President
American Psychiatric Nurses Association
Published November 2024
>>Contribute to the APNA PMH knowledge-base! Call for abstracts opens in January.
