F r o m   t h e   D e a n

Weathering the Storm

Several years ago, my husband, Jerry, and I decided to take a sailing vacation to explore the shores of Wisconsin and Michigan. We packed up our young children, Jessica and Matthew, and our dog, Karma, and set sail on Lake Superior. Knowing that Lake Superior can be a very dangerous body of water, we carefully monitored the weather conditions to assure our safety. Despite this, late one night, and out of radio range, we encountered a sudden and severe storm. For several hours, Jerry and I struggled to manage sails, keep on course, and avoid being swamped by increasingly huge waves. At various points, I went down below to check on the children and dog, who were taking turns throwing up. I recall looking up through the companionway where Jerry was at the helm. The waves that I could see behind him were much higher than his head. What began as a pleasure trip suddenly became one of our biggest challenges as a couple. I will never forget that night—or the lessons it taught.

These lessons apply to all of us as we move forward. Among the most important are: Never lose sight of where you are going. Take precautions when you can but know that nothing is fail-safe. Keep your bearings. Remember that you must sometimes ride the waves and that it might take longer than you thought to get where you are going. Know when to take your sails in—some power shouldn't be harnessed. Use lifelines when you need to. Work closely with those around you. And remember that each person is critical to the well-being of everyone.

We all face new and unexpected challenges, and nursing is no exception. With the momentous changes in health care today, virtually every nurse is being asked to lead people, manage resources, and in many instances, develop new initiatives and programs in hospital and community settings. To better prepare nurses for these roles, the School of Nursing is offering new master's programs in health care leadership and public health nursing leadership. Our new doctoral program has enrolled several nursing scholars who will address the significant questions of practice through research. All of these students are bright, courageous, idealistic, and creative. We hope they come away with a larger capacity to do good, a stronger network of colleagues and friends, and a greater love for education as a force for social change.

Marla Salmon, ScD, RN, FAAN
Dean, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing