To the AMSN members, my name is Marisa Streelman, and I am excited to begin my presidency for AMSN in 2023. When I started attending meetings and volunteering for AMSN I did not see myself in this position. However, my engagement in nursing has continued to grow with the work I have done with AMSN, and this has led me to continue to be a leader for medical-surgical nurses.

I remember when we used to be excited for a new year because it always indicated a fresh start, a new opportunity, and a time to consider what we might like to change or accomplish with our personal and/or professional lives. I have seen a lot of memes on social media telling us to sneak into 2023 quietly so we do not draw attention to ourselves given the past three years we’ve experienced.

I cannot believe it is already time for 2022 to come to a close. It has been a whirlwind of activities for me in my first year as your president and I know there will be more growth and opportunities for all of us in 2023.

Taking Control of Your Career Did you know that the current nursing vacancy rate is approximately 17%? That figure is up over 7% from last year, with over 80% of hospitals having a RN vacancy rate of over 10%, while it is taking approximately 3 months to find a nurse to fill a vacancy1.

This month marks the end of my two-year term as AMSN’s President. It has been a challenging two years, but also very rewarding, and I am so thankful to have served in this role.

AMSN is no stranger to the current economic climate, and we understand that you face tough financial decisions just as we do. AMSN Membership dues will be increasing to $99 as of January 1, 2023. This member dues increase will not affect the New to Practice Membership.

November 1st of each year is Medical-Surgical Nurses Day. Since then, we’ve been celebrating medical-surgical nurses from around the country and the world during Medical-Surgical Nurses Week from November 1-7th.

It is already November—we are fully into fall, planning for the holiday season, and we get to celebrate Medical-Surgical Nurses Week! 

Happy October everyone! I hope everyone has a safe and festive month, and I do hope that there is not a shortage of chocolate for Halloween as stated before in the national news!

The 31st Annual AMSN Convention Wow. Just wow. I just returned home from AMSN’s 31st annual convention in San Antonio and it was incredible to be with our members and attendees in person!