When AACN President Amanda Bettencourt announced Starting Now as AACN’s theme, it felt like she was signaling the start of a revolution — a revolution of hope. She encouraged a “collective act of ethical visualization,” where a new constitution defines that everything we do as nurses is rooted in what’s important for patients and families, the profession of nursing and our individual well-being. “Changing my mindset meant I had to start with myself. And starting with ourselves is the first step each of us needs to take,” she said. Own your power, Starting Now.
In her NTI address, AACN President-elect Terry Davis discusses the profound sea change we have experienced in nursing and says that there is more change to come. “Someone must drive that change. If not us, then who? Who do you trust with such a profound responsibility? What happens next is too important to let others decide. Together we are so extraordinary. Rising Together we will lift each other up, advance our journey and manifest the future of healthcare.”