President's Message: January/February 2024

Remembering our Past; Envisioning our Future

Linda D. Scott, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FNAP, FAAN

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2024.102109

Milestone anniversaries, important decisions, or momentous occasions seem to be key drivers for individuals and organizations to begin reflecting on their past. As is the case with the American Academy of Nursing’s (Academy’s) 50th year, the organization had the opportunity to reflect by capturing stories and celebrating a truly remarkable history of advancing health policy through the generation, synthesis, and dissemination of nursing knowledge. And therein lies the purpose of the Academy, the dissemination of nursing knowledge. To that end, many would argue that dissemination alone is not enough; we must measure the impact of our dissemination. A sentiment that many leaders drive home is that action without impact does not produce results. However, every action, no matter the size, does have an impact. Look no further than Sir Isaac Newton's third law that “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” They may present as big waves of change that usher in new policy or as tiny ripples that allow an individual to be heard because a difficult conversation occurred. The Academy’s actions span the full spectrum, and the question that must be answered is how do we value, and digest, each of those reactions?