5 minute read
Writing A New Chapter
My Story and Creating Ours Together
President’s Notes
By Amy McCarthy, DNP, RNC-MNN, NE-BC
HELLO TEXAS NURSES!
As I begin my term as president, I want to start off by thanking you for the trust you have placed in me to lead. I am excited to see what we will accomplish together over the next two years!
Relationships mean a lot to me. I love connecting with others and hearing their stories. It’s one of the things I am most excited to do in this role—to listen to, and learn from, all of you. I look forward to discussing your ideas and working together to better TNA for all nurses. So what’s my story? I’m a first-generation Indian American, a millennial, born and raised in Dallas, TX. I’ve spent most of my career in Women’s & Infants, helping to create programs that fully support women from conception to postpartum. Today, I focus on creating environments where nurses can thrive and removing barriers that stop nurses from practicing to the full scope of their license. I believe nurses must insert themselves in new spaces and ensure the nursing voice is considered in our ever-changing landscape of healthcare. It was with this in mind that I recently accepted the position of inaugural Chief Nursing Officer for Hippocratic AI. I’m excited to work with this team to create generative AI tools to augment the nurse’s role, decrease the burden placed on nursing, and ultimately create healthier communities. I also hope to use this knowledge to better inform and educate nurses on AI in healthcare while ensuring thoughtful and intentional implementation of these technologies. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my incredible support system. My husband Nick and I have been together for 17 years, and together we have 17-year-old son, Mikey, and puppy, Jakey. They, along with friends and mentors, have been an instrumental part of this journey.
There’s a lot to learn from a person’s story. It helps you understand who they are, what’s important to them and how to create a space where they feel valued. For associations to thrive, they must create spaces where nurses feel welcomed, where their ideas can flourish, and most importantly, where they feel safe. Texas nurses, our work moving forward must be centered on creating a space for ALL We are stronger together, more innovative together and we make change at a more rapid pace, united together. As nurses, we are the fiercest advocates for our patients, but when it comes to each other, we can be downright hostile. We must do better. Failure to work together leads to further fragmentation, toxicity and incivility in nursing. It leads to more nurses walking away from the profession. It leads to us repeating history as opposed to charting a new path forward, unified as one voice.
Our goal moving forward must be to break out of this pattern and write a new chapter focused on solutions to these issues—a chapter that showcases that inclusivity is at the heart of all that we do. Where the conversation around the mental health of our nurses becomes a priority and we ensure that Texas nurses do not suffer in silence. Where nurses feel safe at work, and where their clinical expertise is utilized in shaping our care systems. Where nurses play an active role in designing and implementing the technology that helps remove the burdens so many feel in their roles. A chapter where nurses of all ages become actively involved in our association and find a place where they feel valued, respected and empowered to change our profession.
While there is a lot to accomplish, I believe we must dream big to do big things. And if anyone can do big things, it’s Texas nurses. From creating the Nurse Friendly Program (that later became the Pathway to Excellence), to advocating to have safe harbor, whistleblower and workplace violence protections, Texas nurses have led the nation in redesigning our care environments and advocating for stronger policies and safer workspaces. We have the power and expertise to enact change in our communities and healthcare systems, but we MUST believe that we can. We must be able to tell our story in a way that ensures those outside of nursing understand the value we bring to all healthcare conversations. We are and have been way more than superheroes in blue scrubs. It’s only when we can speak as one strong voice that the change we so badly seek will start to occur.
As we embark on this journey together, I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes: “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
Texas nurses, I believe this is our moment. This is our opportunity to create a new chapter of history. It won’t be easy work. But it is within our reach. Thank you for all the work you are currently doing to improve the health of your communities and work environments, and for the immense honor and privilege it is to serve alongside you as the next president of the Texas Nurses Association.
