Over the last 100 years, the environment in which health care is practiced has changed considerably, as has the need for strengthening nursing education. Several factors, such as an aging population, an increasing awareness of economics, and more complex technologies, have contributed to these changes. In this rapidly changing environment, technological competence alone is no longer adequate; rather a broader knowledge base is required (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2005; Association of California Nurse Leaders, 2000). Along with this broader knowledge base, today's nurses' education needs to include creative decision-making, critical-thinking, and managerial skills needed for dealing with a diverse and multicultural workforce and patient population. In addition, nurses should also be familiar with such broad ranging topics as cost-benefit analysis and ethical decision-making.
Education has been considered the way to keep nursing growing in the direction it has taken in the last 20 years. Practice has continued to evolve with increased specialization, greater demands related to technology, paperwork, and responsibility for coordinating and supervising care provided by other workers. The orthopaedic nursing specialty must keep abreast with the changes in our profession. We are accountable as nurses within our specialty. We must be prepared to give evidence of quality care.
The mission of the National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses (NAON) to advance the specialty of orthopaedic nursing through excellence in research, education, and nursing practice speaks to its commitment to support and advance the practice of orthopaedic nursing. This association has given you something to identify with an organization to relate your professional needs to. It attempts to meet your defined needs through this Journal, local chapter workshops, annual meetings, and all its educational resources.
As nurses, you have the responsibility of providing the optimum care to your patients by our own hand as well as guiding those other members of the health team to give their best. The continuous update of knowledge and skills needed by you to meet the demands of your profession can be found in the resources that NAON offers from the Core Curriculum for Orthopaedic Nursing to the new fourth edition of An Introduction to Orthopaedic Nursing to a full range of orthopaedic online courses. Practice Guidelines and the evidenced-based Practice Points and the specific evidence-based reference Smart Cards are also available for use by any nurse. The topics at annual meetings (NAON Congress and the AAOS [American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons] nursing course) also offer a diverse range of educational topics on ethical issues, management skills, multicultural practice issues, and humor and its effect on health to name a few. The trend in continuing education in nursing today gives NAON the opportunity to serve all orthopaedic nurses, and as you review NAON's Resource Guide, you will find a wealth of resources for your continuing education.
Nowhere in the world is there such a fast-changing profession as nursing is today. Medicine always improves and advances; so is nursing. You must have the stamina to change as the tides flow in nursing. The National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses will help to direct the interest of orthopaedic nursing. It needs to hear from you, its members, about the future needs and looks to you, its members, for the future of quality orthopaedic nursing and patient outcomes.
"Education is the spice of life to keep the ruts from appearing. Keep up with your profession and the real world."