title: We must not forget what we once knew: an exemplar for helping nurses reconnect with their history and rediscover their passion for nursing.
abstract: Whether it is adhering to the latest regulatory requirements, measuring performance, evaluating the patient's experience of care, or preventing pressure ulcers, nothing is more vital to the success of any initiative than the requisite skill and observations of a professional nurse. Yet, for many nurses, getting through the day can be a struggle. Feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, and scattered, reshaping the identity and passion once recognized as an individual's "calling" to professional nursing leads to poor outcomes for nurses and patients alike. Nursing was not intended to be such a struggle, and many "new" performance indicators contain elements that have been recognized as proper nursing practice throughout the history of the profession. Nurses must be reminded of their rich history and the teachings of Florence Nightingale. This article summarizes one hospital's experience with a newly developed tool used during nursing orientation. While connecting past and present, both standards and expectations for nursing practice are communicated, leaving nurses feeling supported, validated, and energized.
authors.affiliation: South Nassau Communities Hospital, Oceanside, New York 11572, USA. gkearney@snch.org
authors.forename: Gina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kearney
mesh_terms: D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000266:history; D004739:England; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D018939:Holistic Nursing / Q000266:history*; D006801:Humans; D016294:Models, Nursing; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000266:history*; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012944:Social Support