As we come to the end of 2021, I want to thank each of you for everything you do for your patients and each other every day.  No matter what setting you work in, your job has not been easy.

Cardiac and respiratory monitoring of patients in medical-surgical units (MSUs) is minimal, even though approximately 40 percent of medical-surgical patients experience an acute respiratory event.1

As you have likely heard or seen, the much-anticipated Future of Nursing 2020-2030 report "Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity" was released last week by the National Academy of Medicine (NAM).

We are still working our way through this pandemic, and no one deserves to set aside some time to celebrate more than nurses. I hope you and your medical-surgical colleagues are showered with gratitude, find time and activities to rejuvenate, and receive an immense amount of meaningful recognition.

AMSN’s tagline is Compassion, Commitment, Connection, and we know medical-surgical nurses display these traits every day. Medical-surgical nurses show empathy and compassion to patients and their family members every shift they work.

It is amazing to think that AMSN has been supporting and educating medical-surgical nurses for three decades.

We have officially said goodbye to 2020. It is a year that will not be forgotten, and while it was a very difficult year, I find myself looking for the silver lining as we move into 2021.

As I begin my term as AMSN’s President, I want to thank Robin Hertel for her service as our President for the past two years.