In my observations as I walk the halls, visit clinics and units, and as I attend DAISY and BEE award presentations, I hear stories of nurses taking time away from the tasks to listen, to talk, to learn, to build trust, to essentially become a very important part of their patient and families’ life story. Nurses do on shift what people strive to do in a lifetime. The connections nurses make linger well beyond the admission or clinic visit. This is excellence beyond the task.
I experienced this firsthand on MLK Day during my “getting to know you and UAMS” meeting with our CNO. We talked about her vision for my role, her expectations for UAMS nursing, and the organizational context I needed to succeed. She shared valuable UAMS insights that will help me as I continue to get acclimated. But of everything we discussed, the time we spent talking about family meant the most. That’s when it was confirmed, I was sitting with someone who understands that people come before positions, that relationships fuel excellence. I’m grateful to work alongside a current CNO and a previous ACNO who are now in leadership positions but have never lost sight of what it means to be a nurse. They are both what I consider a nurses’ nurse. This is how culture is built: when leaders practice the presence they expect from all of us.
This is true clinical nurse presence, being fully present with our patients and families through conversation, eye contact, and genuine connection. These aren’t extras when time allows. They’re essential to healing and the foundation of the trust patients place in us. It’s worth reminding ourselves, “The tasks will always be there.” The moments we create with patients are what make the difference. When we take time to be present, we’re not stepping away from our work…we’re doing our most important work.
And yet, excellence requires more than presence alone; it also requires knowledge. As we look ahead to March and Certified Nurses Day on March 19th, we have an opportunity to celebrate the vast number of nurses who hold a national certification here at UAMS. This is one-way nurses demonstrate their commitment to knowledge. Certification is a powerful commitment to specialized expertise and staying current in your field. It’s one way we show our dedication to evidence-based practice and continuous learning. Whether through certification, advanced degrees, years of experience, or ongoing education, we all find ways to deepen our knowledge and sharpen our skills. Excellence takes many forms. What matters is the commitment, the choice to never stop learning, growing, and elevating our practice. Certification is one valuable path among many.
This balance of knowledge and compassion reflects what ANCC calls Exemplary Professional Practice, a core component of the Magnet Model. We are certified AND compassionate. We are experts AND empathetic. We pursue excellence AND we practice presence. Both matter.
Jean Watson, a renowned nursing theorist, reminds us: “Caring is the essence of nursing.” When we pursue certification or advanced education, we care for our patients by ensuring we have current knowledge. When we practice presence, we care for them as whole human beings.
This month, I’m asking you to do two things. First, complete the certification survey we’ve provided so we can recognize every certified nurse at UAMS. Second, if you’re considering certification in your specialty, take that next step. The journey is worth it.
And to every nurse: Keep practicing presence. Keep taking those extra moments. Keep seeing the person, not just the patient. That’s excellence beyond the task. Be proud. You’ve earned it.
