Warm greetings to our second-degree nurses
You are a unique and wonderful part of today’s world of nursing. You have come from diverse backgrounds, some that seem a world away from nursing. For many of you, a career in nursing is a life dream that was put on hold for a variety of reasons. For others, you really “saw” nursing for the first time by realizing the potential of nursing to make a difference in people’s lives when you or someone dear to you became a patient. Some of you left lucrative careers to come to this field. Having worked and made a living in another field, you chose to take a different direction, a path that would change your life in almost every way.
Coming into nursing has brought you challenges no doubt, as we all cope with the rising costs of health care, funding cutbacks that affect staffing and other areas, and complicated and difficult patient situations. On especially hard days, you may even question your decision to become a nurse. You may feel that you have given all that any human can possibly give and that you have received little in return. Your patience and your values have been tested many times. And then you find that your care has truly impacted someone’s life, and you remember why you became a nurse.
Each of you brings knowledge, wisdom, life experience, and new perspectives to the career you have chosen, and you want to make a difference. Your influence can be seen in every area of health care. As you move through your new life journey, we hope you’ll remember that Emory’s nursing alumni are here to support and encourage you. You are one of our own. We know and value what you bring to all of us, and we hope you know that you will always have a connection here. We wish for each of you a life of health and healing. We are very proud of you.
Sally Lehr 65N 76MN
President, Nurses Alumni Association
