EDITORIAL

Why Passion Counts! Passion, or a strong motivation, combined with tenacity, fuels successful people. Countless highly passionate individuals have transformed our lives, such as Thomas Edison, Steve Jobs of Apple Inc., who created the iPhone and iPad, and Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, who changed our connectivity with others on a global scale. In nursing, we have numerous trail blazers who have elevated nursing practice such as Audrey Nelson (national/ international leader and champion of Safe Patient Handling), Abiana Doll (founding member and past president of the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses), Linda Pierce (creator of the Caring Web), Nancy Bergstrom and Barbara Braden (developers of Braden Scale for Predicting Pressure Score Risk), Margaret Grey (designer of feasible interventions to improve teen diabetes self-management coping skills), and Linda Aiken (researcher who documented the link between inadequate nurse staffing and increased risks for patients). As we reflect on nursing, is our passion and pride still evident, energizing us to move forward? When reflecting upon rehabilitation nurses and their practice areas, we see much motivation, creativity, and collaboration as we assist patients and their families achieve their highest level of functioning. Unfortunately, some nurses appear to have lost their vision, enthusiasm, and commitment to go the extra mile. Perhaps they feel stuck or distraught because they do not possess the knowledge, abilities, and confidence to transform adverse work situations into more productive and positive ones. Sometimes nurses feel they are overworked, marginalized, undervalued, or just victims of their circumstances (e.g., inadequate staffing, long work hours, monotony of work, etc.). Have these nurses lost sight of the passion for what sparks their resourcefulness and renews their joy associated with nursing practice and their work setting? When passion is incorporated into our work situation, it is both life changing and energizing, along with creat-

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ing the thrill of discovery and accomplishment. In addition, it helps keep us focused on long-term gains versus short-term difficulties. Even though a strong motivation to succeed is prized, Elaine T. Miller, PhD, the outcomes we desire may RN, CRRN, FAAN, be a long time in coming. FAHA Thomas Edison is a good illustration. It wasn’t until the 1,000th version of the light bulb that he experienced his desired outcome. When your nursing career needs some invigoration, reflect on what topics and issues are your passions. By getting in touch with your passions and incorporating them in your workplace, a frustrating or unfulfilling situation can be transformed into one that engenders enthusiasm and pride, while spurring us onward to making things better for our patients, their families, our fellow staff members and organization. If you have lost your enthusiasm for rehabilitation nursing or work situation, start today and explore the possibility of combining your passions (e.g., sensitivity to culturally diverse groups, blending social media with patient education, use of complementary therapies to reduce stress or discomfort, fall prevention, creative strategies to encourage clients’ self-management of long-term care needs, maximizing the care transition process between settings) to your work situation. Or take on a new challenge or class that pushes you beyond your normal comfort zone. If you are already incorporating your passion in your work, I applaud you and encourage you to mentor others and serve as a role model. Elaine T. Miller, PhD, RN, CRRN, FAAN, FAHA Editor

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Why passion counts!

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