President’s Message
November, 2000

For the next two months I will be departing from my original plan, in regards to the president’s message.

This month our Nation celebrates Thanksgiving. The day when the Pilgrims and the Native Americans put aside any language, cultural, religious, and lifestyle differences and sat down together and shared a meal. They gave thanks for what little they had and that they were able to make friends with a people that were so different than anyone they have ever encountered. As Perioperative Registered Nurses we deal with this every day. More and more people of different cultures are passing through our doors, and there are fewer of us to take care of them. The nursing shortage is starting to take its toll on all of us. We are asked to do more with less and the stress level is rising. So, during this holiday, remember that the person you are taking care of may not have much, they are ill, scared, worried about family, finances, even living another day. But, they are thankful for you, their nurse to get them through.

Happy Thanksgiving
Nanette Hamley-Hanauer
President

Copyright © 1998, Chapter 1016
URL: http://www.afn.org/~afn06072/