The compendium of extraordinary operational skills required, the lack of recognition about the exact nature of nursing work, and deeply imbedded negative mind-sets result in staff nurses experiencing guilt and anger rather than the satisfaction of knowing they made a difference in someone’s life because of the nursing care they gave. A change of mind-set from entitlement thinking to entrepreneurial thinking, with an emphasis on maximizing available resources, will empower nurses to understand that they have the right and the responsibility to decide what to do and what not to do when there is more work to do than time available.

In regularly scheduled, informal gatherings of nurses and others who care about the nursing profession, participants find support, encouragement, enlightenment, and hope.

A history of discrimination against racial and religious minorities at the University of Minnesota, maintained by powerful administrators who were subsequently honored with named buildings, was reflected in acts and patterns of racism in admissions and housing, within the School of Nursing. This article recounts well-documented examples of racial bias, particularly the story of Frances Mchie Rains, the first nurse of color to graduate from the University of Minnesota School of Nursing and a pioneer in overcoming racial barriers.

Since its development in the 1960s, primary nursing has become the model of care delivery in many health care settings. Over time, myths have developed about primary nursing’s relevance in environments with high acuity, varying skill mixes, diverse staffing patterns, and short lengths of stay. This article addresses those myths.