EDITORIAL
Embracing the Future and Learning from the Past When a catastrophic event occurs in our lives, we tend to remember where we were and what we were doing. Such was the case for me when I heard that President Kennedy was shot. I was a student in 5th grade and had just returned from lunch. Television news was starting to come into its own and in one week we witnessed the Kennedy shooting, the shock and grief associated with his death, this funeral, and the mourning of our country with the loss of this young and vibrant leader who held so much promise for our nation. As we mark the 50th anniversary of this event, I am reminded how much has changed, but how some of the fundamental components of what we do have remained the same in healthcare and rehabilitation. If you viewed the footage of Parkland Hospital in Dallas where President Kennedy was taken after the shooting, you will realize how essential care aspects such as triaging, training, and teamwork remain pivotal to our practice. However, when viewing the events of November 1963, it also is readily apparent that the evidence guiding our practice has significantly improved as well as the technology, forensics, impact of social media, and other skills and resources now available to us. What if President Kennedy had survived his injuries? Coordinated and comprehensive care would have been required with rehabilitation playing a central role in promoting his highest level of functioning while considering the needs of his family. Based on the data provided, even if he had survived, it is likely that he would have had numerous long-term limitations that would have demanded our continuous expertise. Despite the advances in rehabilitation nursing practice that have occurred in the last 50 years, The Joint Commission (2012) and American Nurses Association (2012) still acknowledge that care coordination enabling greater quality of life, safety, and efficient and effective care outcomes remains elusive in most healthcare settings. In this issue, rehabilitation nurses are demonstrating how they are responding to this challenge. For instance, the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN) is reminding everyone that rehabilitation is a process, practice, and philosophynot just a care setting. Given that our practice has no global boundaries, we have a professional responsibility to © 2013 Association of Rehabilitation Nurses Rehabilitation Nursing 2014, 39, 1–2
our discipline and practice to educate others regarding our essential role and how we are responsive to the healthcare policy, societal needs, technoElaine T. Miller, PhD, logical advances, and other RN, CRRN, FAHA, forces affecting our practice. FAAN, Editor Plus, for the sustained provision of coordinated and effective care for our patients, we need to achieve greater work-life balance and recognize that shift work and long work hours can contribute to fatigue-related errors and injuries along with a higher prevalence of obesity and chronic diseases such as obesity, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular diseases (Caruso, 2014). Safe patient handling also must remain in the forefront of our thinking and maintaining the training and policies that will reduce staff-related injuries, which Theis & Finkelstein (2014) discovered, can be decreased by as much as 50%. Another essential consideration as we look to the future is moving out of our comfort zone and examining how, for instance, creative educational strategies can contribute to effective patient and family discharge preparation and the evaluation of the state of the science when rehabilitation occurs outside hospital walls (i.e., home-based pulmonary rehabilitation). All of us experience devastating or life-changing events in our lives that alter how we view the world and what we subsequently do. Yet, it is important to learn from the past and reflect on what has happened, but also not be afraid to seek new professional avenues to advance our practice while maintaining work-life balance. Elaine T. Miller PhD, RN, CRRN, FAHA, FAAN Editor References American Nurses Association. (2012). The value of nursing care coordination. Silver Spring, MD: Author. Caruso, C.C. (2013). Negative impacts of shiftwork and long work hours. Rehabilitation Nursing, 39(1), 16–25.
1
Editorial
Theis, J.L., & Finkelstein, M.J. (2013). Long-term effects of safe patient handling program on staff injuries. Rehabilitation Nursing, 39(1), 26–35.
2
The Joint Commission. (2012). Transitions of care: the need for a more effective approach to continuing patient care. Oakbrook Terrace, IL: Author.
© 2013 Association of Rehabilitation Nurses Rehabilitation Nursing 2014, 39, 1–2
Embracing the Future and Learning from the Past When a catastrophic event occurs in our lives, we tend to remember where we were and what we were doing. Such was the case for me when I heard that President Kennedy was shot. I was a student in 5th grade and had just returned from lunch. Television news was starting to come into its own and in one week we witnessed the Kennedy shooting, the shock and grief associated with his death, this funeral, and the mourning of our country with the loss of this young and vibrant leader who held so much promise for our nation. As we mark the 50th anniversary of this event, I am reminded how much has changed, but how some of the fundamental components of what we do have remained the same in healthcare and rehabilitation. If you viewed the footage of Parkland Hospital in Dallas where President Kennedy was taken after the shooting, you will realize how essential care aspects such as triaging, training, and teamwork remain pivotal to our practice. However, when viewing the events of November 1963, it also is readily apparent that the evidence guiding our practice has significantly improved as well as the technology, forensics, impact of social media, and other skills and resources now available to us. What if President Kennedy had survived his injuries? Coordinated and comprehensive care would have been required with rehabilitation playing a central role in promoting his highest level of functioning while considering the needs of his family. Based on the data provided, even if he had survived, it is likely that he would have had numerous long-term limitations that would have demanded our continuous expertise. Despite the advances in rehabilitation nursing practice that have occurred in the last 50 years, The Joint Commission (2012) and American Nurses Association (2012) still acknowledge that care coordination enabling greater quality of life, safety, and efficient and effective care outcomes remains elusive in most healthcare settings. In this issue, rehabilitation nurses are demonstrating how they are responding to this challenge. For instance, the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN) is reminding everyone that rehabilitation is a process, practice, and philosophynot just a care setting. Given that our practice has no global boundaries, we have a professional responsibility to © 2013 Association of Rehabilitation Nurses Rehabilitation Nursing 2014, 39, 1–2
our discipline and practice to educate others regarding our essential role and how we are responsive to the healthcare policy, societal needs, technoElaine T. Miller, PhD, logical advances, and other RN, CRRN, FAHA, forces affecting our practice. FAAN, Editor Plus, for the sustained provision of coordinated and effective care for our patients, we need to achieve greater work-life balance and recognize that shift work and long work hours can contribute to fatigue-related errors and injuries along with a higher prevalence of obesity and chronic diseases such as obesity, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular diseases (Caruso, 2014). Safe patient handling also must remain in the forefront of our thinking and maintaining the training and policies that will reduce staff-related injuries, which Theis & Finkelstein (2014) discovered, can be decreased by as much as 50%. Another essential consideration as we look to the future is moving out of our comfort zone and examining how, for instance, creative educational strategies can contribute to effective patient and family discharge preparation and the evaluation of the state of the science when rehabilitation occurs outside hospital walls (i.e., home-based pulmonary rehabilitation). All of us experience devastating or life-changing events in our lives that alter how we view the world and what we subsequently do. Yet, it is important to learn from the past and reflect on what has happened, but also not be afraid to seek new professional avenues to advance our practice while maintaining work-life balance. Elaine T. Miller PhD, RN, CRRN, FAHA, FAAN Editor References American Nurses Association. (2012). The value of nursing care coordination. Silver Spring, MD: Author. Caruso, C.C. (2013). Negative impacts of shiftwork and long work hours. Rehabilitation Nursing, 39(1), 16–25.
1
Editorial
Theis, J.L., & Finkelstein, M.J. (2013). Long-term effects of safe patient handling program on staff injuries. Rehabilitation Nursing, 39(1), 26–35.
2
The Joint Commission. (2012). Transitions of care: the need for a more effective approach to continuing patient care. Oakbrook Terrace, IL: Author.
© 2013 Association of Rehabilitation Nurses Rehabilitation Nursing 2014, 39, 1–2
