ANA Smartbrief: Editor’s Viewpoint

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Here is a recap of the advances and challenges nursing has faced during the year 2009.  Also is a list of links to some of the most viewed stories of 2009 (some have been featured here before).  As the year ends, it is always a good thing to reflect on what has transpired during the year to prepare you for setting new goals for the coming year.

Enjoy!  May the year 2010 be a wonderful adventure full of challenges and triumphs!

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Looking back at 2009

Rebecca M. Patton, MSN, RN, CNOR ANA President

2009 has been a year of change and challenges for nurses, and through it all, ANA has worked diligently to be a unifying force for the nursing community. Today, as in days past, it is our members who guide ANA as it works to be the voice of nursing.

Health care reform has been at the forefront of America’s political and policy discussion this year. I am proud that ANA played and continues to play a significant role in representing the interests of nurses and the patients we serve.

ANA has a long-standing commitment to promoting nursing quality as a means of improving patient safety. In 2009 we renewed that commitment by launching the “Handle with Care Recognition Program” to award health care facilities with comprehensive safe patient handling programs.

ANA was gratified to see another quality measure, NDNQI®, reach the milestone of 1,500 participating U.S. hospitals, a number which represents 25% of the all the nation’s hospitals. This unique database continues to experience steady growth, and is a proven, invaluable resource for nurses.

I would like to thank our members for their hard work and their support and to wish them continued success in the New Year.

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The Year’s Top Ten

Top 10 news stories clicked by SmartBrief readers in the past year.

• U.S. News lists hospitals with best nursing care (10/20)

• Data ranks RN salary levels nationwide (2/26)

• U.S. News releases best hospitals rankings (7/15)

• Bad behavior common among nurses, doctors, survey finds (11/4)

• WHO issues new guidelines on hand hygiene in health care (5/6)

• HHS releases $13.4M in loan repayments for nurses (8/13)

• CDC issues guidelines to protect against flu spread (10/15)

• Fastest-growing nurse specialties (3/10)

• WHO official: H1N1 flu spreading at “unbelievable” speed (8/29)

• Swine flu a “call to duty” for nurses nationwide (4/28)

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Favorite Quotes:

It is our responsibilities, not ourselves, that we should take seriously.” —Peter Ustinov, British actor and writer There is a real difference between managing and leading. … Managing winds up being the allocation of resources against tasks. Leadership focuses on people. My definition of a leader is someone who helps people succeed.” —Carol Bartz, Yahoo! CEO If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.” —Nora Roberts, American author If you’re walking down the right path and you’re willing to keep walking, eventually you’ll make progress.” —Barack Obama He who has the fastest golf cart never has a bad lie.” —Mickey Mantle, National Baseball Hall of Famer

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• Q & A: Fighting Ohio’s nursing shortage (medcitynews.com)
• 20 Online Resources for Current and Future Nurses (islandmedstudent.com)
• Flu Shots Now Available for 2009 Seasonal Influenza at MD Now Urgent Care Centers in Palm Beach County, Florida. (prweb.com)
• HCPro, Inc. Announces Winners of the 2009 Nursing Image Awards (prweb.com)