LETTER SUBMISSION
Letters to the editor should be submitted via fax or
e-mail to James Mattson, Editor, Reflections on Nursing
Leadership. |
TO THE EDITOR Cindy Bullard, RN, MS I appreciated Jo Rycroft-Malone’s article, “The case of the singing man,” in the most recent issue. Beyond good nursing care, there may have been—and probably were—other forces at work in the singing man’s healing. Music (including singing and chanting) has been documented to increase endorphins, regulate stress-related hormones (such as ACTH), increase circulation and boost immune function. And it sounds as if there was a mind shift, also. Don Campbell’s The Mozart Effect is an excellent introduction to the power of music on our patients. Introducing effective music at the bedside is a nursing intervention with many benefits. Susan Casler, MS, RNC, FNP Thank you so much and congratulations on the continued excellence of Reflections on Nursing Leadership (RNL). I read every issue cover to cover, where I usually cull through most of my other professional journals and newsletters/magazines. That is a real compliment to the quality of RNL. Thanks also for the article titled “The power of nursing” by Colleen Stainton. Mimi Secor, MS, FNP I enjoyed Dr. Meehan’s recent article, “In the shadows of nursing history.” It is extremely difficult to know your profession if you do not understand where its roots lie. I started out my nursing career under the tutelage of the Sisters of Charity. While the technical and physical were taught, it was the patient who always remained at the center of our education. In addition, we learned every aspect of hospital care. This included not only nutrition classes, but also using our biochemistry knowledge during rotations to plan dietary meals for our patients. While I do not wish to be seen as pining for the days of diploma schools, this exposure to all aspects of hospital management created a core sense of what we were about. At the time, we had no clue as to why we had to rotate through dietary. After 25 years as a nurse, I must say that past experience makes me a better nurse. As Meehan so aptly points out, nurses have a diverse and proud history that sometimes is overshadowed by Florence Nightingale. Nursing can claim leaders such as Mary Breckinridge and Virginia Henderson, truly two giants among many, who should be treasured for their abilities to make us better nurses. Renee E. Therriault, RN, MA, CCRN Special thanks for giving my article such a great title. I wondered if you might also mention that nurses who would like to know more about nursing history could visit the Web site of the American Association for the History of Nursing at www.aahn.org. Therese C. Meehan, RGN, PhD |
I
was so drawn to your cover photo of Sue Thomas Hegyvary—that
absolutely can-do stance tempered by the hint of a smile. I could
not wait to read the article about her, and I wasn’t disappointed
in the least. What an encouraging, uplifting and fascinating story.
Kudos to you on another well-done piece.