Defining Nurses' Lounge Magazine

This past weekend I spoke with a nurse who complained about the nursing magazines she received. She was not one of our readers, so I can understand why she would want to reduce the amount of paper she sends to the recycling bin. However, let me share with you my goals for Nurses' Lounge magazine so that you can understand how Nurses' Lounge is a unique publication. Since I started with the magazine, my goal has been to make a positive contribution to the profession by validating, empowering and informing our readers.

To validate we seek to recognize those in the field who stand out among their peers for striving for excellence, or simply demonstrate through story how nursing is truly the best career choice for those looking to care for others. For example, this month we feature Dian Adams on page six who recently joined Medical Center of Arlington as CNO, and we tell the story of unit secretary Alicia Garza on page four whose life was saved by her coworkers when she called in sick with a headache that turned out to be a subarachnoid hemorrhage in her brain. 

To empower we want to show nurses that they have the ability to take charge of their present and future, whether personally, such as the nurses on page 14 who are taking charge of their future by attending online classes for advanced degrees; or like Deb Taylor on page 20, who decided she wanted to reclaim her life by losing more than 170 lbs. in less than a year. She is truly an inspiration.

To inform, we strive to provide topics that will contribute to the nursing profession. We are fortunate to have assistance in meeting this goal from UTA, who provides our CE articles (page 23) each month to help you expand your professional knowledge while earning CE credit at the same time.

So far, the positive feedback and reception our magazine has received makes me feel that we are meeting our goals. Please remember that we are here for you, so if you have an idea for a story or if you would like to contribute one yourself, please drop me a note at aarmstrong@nurseslounge.com.