GAMECOCK
The CONnection News and Views from the University of South Carolina COLLEGE OF NURSING
September 2013
WOW: We Can Do Better!
Inside This Issue Students’ Corner................2-3 Faculty & Staff Notes.........4-6 Sigma Theta Tau.................6 Upcoming Events................7 Alumni & Development.....8-9 NO LIMITS............................10
Send Inquiries or Newsletter items to: Jan Johnson jnjohnso@mailbox.sc.edu
My thinking on this began in my early days here at USC as I looked across our second floor patio and observed students (sometimes even our own) smoking. Yes, smoking, in front of the College of Nursing (CON). What a contradiction! These observations ignited conversations about the CON’s role in promoting health and wellness amongst ourselves, across campus, and beyond. There are many health promoting opportunities that perhaps we have become complacent about, too busy, or have just not prioritized. Hence, WOW. Working On Wellness is a theme I wish to launch both personally and as the Dean of the College of Nursing. Whether a nursing student, faculty, staff, or alumni in any work setting, let’s start by taking better care of ourselves. We experience stress on a daily basis, have little time, and are just too busy caring for others that we often neglect ourselves. Restful sleep, exercise, healthy eating, and preventive health screenings should be part of our routine as well, not just our patients and our family members. Admittedly, I am a WOP (“work in progress”) with my own WOW, but I can do better. Gamecock nurses can advocate for WOW in our work environments. Are our environments’ tobacco-free? Do we have access to healthy foods? What’s in our vending machines? Do we have access to walking areas and flexibility in our schedules to take a break? Although we are making progress at USC and many other environments, we can do better. In this new academic year, I will be initiating a WOW task force and invite students, faculty, staff, alumni, and others to participate. On September 18, 2013, the College of Nursing will launch our first campus-wide event with the screening of the Sundance award winning documentary, ESCAPE FIRE. During this evening, we will join hundreds of other universities around the country who will initiate discussions about health and wellness for our campus and our healthcare systems. Professor Erin McKinney is leading an interprofessional task group on campus to sponsor this event. We will also work with the implementation of the campus becoming completely Tobacco Free in January, 2014. However, this is just a start. We are making positive strides, but we still have a lot to do. As individuals, as GAMECOCK nurses, and our discipline of nursing, we can do better! Let’s begin WOW together and make a difference in each of our work, study, and play environments in our state and across the globe. Jeannette O. Andrews PhD, RN, FAAN Dean & Professor j.andrews@sc.edu
www.sc.edu/nursing www.facebook.com/USCNursing - LIKE US!