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by Jon D. Barganier Let me make a disclosure right out of the chute, I worked for a pharmaceutical company for twenty plus years and in the pharmaceutical industry in general for most of my professional life, which is about forty years. I am biased toward that industry like I am biased toward nursing because I believe both have improved and/or prolonged the lives of millions of people during the past century. Penicillin and countless other antibiotics, insulin, oncology drugs, …

by Jon D. Barganier Twenty-something years ago, I was asked by legendary and Hall of Fame Public Health nurse, Ruth Harrell, to speak to a leadership group within ASNA about leadership. If memory serves me correctly, Ruth was the president of ASNA at that time. Prior to that invitation by Ruth to speak, I had told her a story that I had used when I was affiliated with the Alabama State Employees Association that had several leadership principles in it …

As you may know, 2020 continues to be a tumultuous year. The COVID-19 pandemic, social unrest, economic uncertainty, and natural disasters have impacted us all. However, there are those whose job requires them to be placed in the midst of this strife. Alabama’s first responders and frontline workers go to work each day with fear and concern for themselves and their families. Yet, those emotions are pushed aside and their focus is placed solely on serving and saving the citizens …

The Alabama State Nurses Association (ASNA) has inducted Lindsey Harris, DNP, FNP-BC to be the organization’s president, making her the first person of color to hold the position since ASNA formed 107 year ago. “This is truly an honor and I am thankful for the opportunity to serve,” said Harris. “It is very important to be a part of a professional organization in your field. ASNA represents all nurses in the state of Alabama. I wanted to be a part …

by John C. Ziegler MA. D. MIN, ASNA Executive Director Late last year, the American Nurses Association announced that its theme for 2020 would be; “2020 The Year of the Nurse.” Appropriately, 2020 also commemorated the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth. When the theme was introduced, who could have imagined that 2020 would indeed be the “Year of the Nurse” for an entirely different reason? By January, numerous celebrations and special events were well into the planning stages when …