Dear Gator Nurses,

The theme at the UF College of Nursing this year is all about collaboration. As you will read in the cover story, our nurses are experts at collaborating with interdisciplinary researchers to advance health care and science.  But did you know our college is also committed to collaborating with each other in order to find joy in the workplace? The Institute for Healthcare Improvement published a white paper that provides the framework for “Improving Joy in Work.” The framework outlines four steps for leaders to implement in their workplace that include engaging staff, identifying impediment to joy, committing that joy in work is a shared responsibility and using improvement science to test approaches in your organization. Since reading this white paper, I have committed to finding and implementing joy at the College of Nursing. As dean, I make an effort to provide opportunities for faculty and staff to not only grow professionally but also to take time out and appreciate one another personally. I hope that you all are able to collaborate to find joy in your work as Gator Nurses and within your families and communities too.

The foundation of nursing is finding joy in improving the health of individuals. As a profession, we collaborate to provide a path for improving the health and well-being of our country’s population. You are probably familiar with the 2009 Future of Nursing report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Institute of Medicine that set recommendations to be met by 2020 for nursing practice and education. Fast forward 10 years to present day when the National Academy of Medicine is picking up and extending this work for the next decade. The Future of Nursing 2020-2030 is a consensus study that will inform how the role of the nurse is integral in helping our nation create a culture of health and reduce health disparities. I encourage you to look into this project and examine how you can collaborate on improving individual, family and community health in your role.

Speaking of joy and improvements, you may have noticed a few aesthetic changes to this issue of The Gator Nurse. As part of our vision at the college to “transform health through innovative practice, preeminent research, and exceptional academic programs,” we are also making an effort to assess how we can improve the experience of our alumni and friends. That assessment has led to a redesign of our magazine, in a fresh, modern style. In addition, if you find your way over to the College of Nursing’s website, you will see that our website has a new look too. We hope that these changes are attractive, easier to navigate and a true interpretation of what Gator Nursing represents.

So, please, sit back, relax and enjoy reading about the newest accomplishments of our talented faculty, students and alumni. The next issue will be fully online in the summer. If you have an update or comment to share, I encourage you to reach out to College of Nursing Director of Communications Anna Hoffman at asuggs@ufl.edu or 352-273-6395.

With joy,

Anna M. McDaniel, PhD, RN, FAAN
Dean and the Linda Harman Aiken Professor