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Share Your Story

We want to hear from you! Are you a nurse who was inspired to pursue your nursing career in part by the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future? Tell us how the Campaign inspired you by sending in your story and e-mail and telephone contact information to nursingnotes@gcigroup.com. With your approval, we may feature your story in future Campaign communications.

Why is it "Time to Talk?"

Discussing the Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Over the last 10 years, the number of Americans using complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has risen dramatically due to societal changes in beliefs, values and philosophical attitudes.

According to recent research conducted by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and other organizations, nearly 50 percent of all adults age 18 or older reported using some form of CAM during their lifetime. In the past year, people aged 50-59 were among the most likely to report using this form of care.

To ensure safe, coordinated care between conventional and alternative medicine practices, NCCAM has launched an educational campaign called "Time to Talk," aimed at encouraging dialogue between health care professionals and patients regarding the use of CAM.

CAM includes a range of diverse medical and health care systems, practices and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine, including but not limited to herbal supplements, meditation, chiropractic care and acupuncture.

"It is very important for health care providers, particularly nurses who are on the frontlines of patient contact, to be aware of complementary and alternative medicine approaches and how patients may be combining them with other treatments," explained Dr. Josephine Briggs, director of NCCAM. "By creating an open dialogue about CAM use with their patients, clinicians can ensure that they are providing safe, quality health care."

Discussing patients' interest and use of CAM minimizes risks of interactions with conventional treatments, and it also enables informed decision-making and more fully integrated care.

"In order to coordinate dialogue with patients and families about complementary care, it is important for nurses and health care providers to understand holistic approaches and how CAM methods assist patients in the healing process," explained Cindy Bultena, RN and Patient Care Executive at Woodwinds Health Campus in Woodbury, Minn. "Understanding complementary medicine practices helps develop that critical relationship with patients, listening carefully to their concerns, and proactively asking about their interest in or questions related to alternative health management approaches."

To learn more about the "Time to Talk" campaign or NCCAM, visit http://nccam.nih.gov/timetotalk/.  


Holistic nurses take a "whole-person" approach to treatment.

Healing the Whole Body

As members of the nursing profession, holistic nurses address medical and psychosocial concerns by taking a "whole-person" approach to treatment, including the interconnectedness of body, mind, emotion, spirit, culture, relationships and environment.

Holistic nurses practice in numerous settings, including ambulatory care, acute care, home care, private practitioner offices, wellness and complementary care centers, women's health centers, psychiatric mental health facilities and schools. Whether employed by health care organizations or self-employed, they focus on treating physiological, psychological, and spiritual needs through a combination of conventional and alternative medical practices.

"The holistic nursing philosophy comes directly from Florence Nightingale, who was considered to be the first holistic nurse," said Dr. Carla Mariano, immediate past president of the American Holistic Nurses Association. "She believed in care that focused on unity, wellness, and the interrelationship of human beings, events and their environment. Today's holistic nurses seek to implement the same values in order to provide patients and families with comprehensive, humanistic health care, health counseling, health promotion and disease prevention."

Holistic nurses consider each patient's subjective experience, health beliefs and values as they develop and guide an individual's therapeutic plan.

To learn more about holistic nursing, visit http://www.ahna.org/.

Johnson & Johnson/AACN Minority Nurse Faculty Scholars Selected

Congratulations to five new Minority Nurse Faculty Scholars! In an effort to alleviate the growing shortage of nurse educators and promote diversity, the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) launched the Minority Nurse Faculty Scholarship in September 2007. The Scholarship provides financial and professional support to full-time minority students enrolled in graduate nursing programs who plan to work as nursing faculty upon graduation. Johnson & Johnson and AACN are pleased to announce the following students who have been awarded scholarships, including:

Julius Kehinde, Ph.D. candidate,
Medical University of South Carolina

Shevellanie Lott, Ph.D. candidate,
Hampton University

Melanie Phipps-Morgan, Ph.D. candidate,
University of New Mexico

Danita Potter, Ph.D. candidate,
University of New Mexico

Wanda Thompson, Ph.D. candidate,
University of North Carolina at Greensboro

For more information, visit http://www.aacn.nche.edu/.


Promise of Nursing scholarship funds are available for qualified applicants attending nursing programs in select regions throughout the country.

For more information about eligibility, the application process and available funds in your region, visit http://www.nsna.org/.

MARY HINES
Certified Pediatric Nurse
Colorado Springs Health Partners
Colorado Springs, Colo.


Q: Why did you decide to pursue nursing as a career?
A: Nursing was a calling for me. I think I knew I was going to be a nurse when I was 6 years old and never changed my mind. No one in my family had ever been a nurse, but as a young child I remember bandaging my brother and my animals. I always felt the need to care for others.

Q: Who or what was your inspiration for becoming a holistic nurse?
A: Good role models who valued education and nursing inspired me to become a nurse. I had nurse mentors who helped me achieve my goals and dreams. The famous caring theorist, Dr. Jean Watson, was a guiding mentor who introduced me to holistic nursing. She introduced me to the ideas that a person is a whole being, that the mind and body are connected and that caring is the core component for connecting with patients.

Q: What advice would you offer to individuals interested in becoming a holistic nurse?
A: Do it! Holistic nursing opens a whole new world of possibilities. Holistic nursing is based on helping people reach their full potential as healthy, whole beings and advocating for their physical, psychological and spiritual needs. In doing so, you learn not only to care for the patient but for yourself and others around you. It is very fulfilling, insightful work.

Q: How has nursing impacted your life?
A: Nursing took me from a life of poverty to a life of possibility. The wonderful way that I am able to connect with people would not be possible in any other profession. I am with patients in the most vulnerable times and am able to advocate for them in ways no other profession can.

Nursing has been the precious thread that has refined, enriched and strengthened my life. The tapestry of my career as a nurse, researcher and educator reflects the eclectic experiences that have been guided by a philosophy of caring and reflective practice.

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