Letter from the president

As 2024 comes to a close, there is so much to reflect on before we chart our path as a profession and an organization in 2025.

The ground has shifted significantly in the healthcare world: Care delivery models continue to change, consolidations of large systems continue to occur, and nurses continually face challenges in their work settings. Additionally, our national and statewide political dynamics will change significantly in the upcoming year.

While I understand that it may be tempting to sit back and stay quiet or be ambivalent about the future, I firmly believe that we must find a moment dig deep and realize that nurses were built to be problem solvers.

Nurses are the ones that move quickly when we see emergent threats to our patients. We are the ones that listen to people of all demographic backgrounds and advocate for them in the complicated and complex world of healthcare. We are the ones who see the consequences of unsafe staffing, inequities in care access, and the impact of the social determinants of health.

We should continue to lead and advocate for the causes and values that we know are right in every arena, from the bedside to the public arena. While we need to always be willing to work and communicate with all groups, that doesn’t mean we need to change our core values to meet the needs of competing or opposing groups. We are accountable to our profession and patients.

 The reason why I have been so proud to be a member of WSNA is because I see WSNA as solidly loyal to the values of the nursing profession and the labor movement. The values and motivation that drive my own ability to care for patients in my urgent care clinic are reflected in the priorities and actions of this organization.

We don’t back down from challenges. We support each other and move forward as a collective force that is laser focused on the task in front of us.

Let’s recognize and process where we are and what we need to face in the coming year, while simultaneously finding that courage that we all carry to keep moving forward. I recognize this path won’t be easy, but as WSNA president I will remain committed to leaning into our challenges by standing up for our priorities. I try my best to show that our profession is visible, respected, and trusted to lead in every venue.

Now more than ever, we need to stand together and face our challenges with the same courage and values that we leverage in our day-to-day work. This includes speaking up, not just when it is convenient but when it is necessary to protect the interests of our patients and our colleagues.