December, 2003

Reserve nurse serves her patients and her country

For Edna Boyd-Davis, the U.S. Army Reserves has been the best place to be a nurse - and an officer.

In a recent ceremony at the U.S. Army Reserve Headquarters at Fort McPherson, Boyd-Davis was promoted to colonel, a rank just below brigadier general.

As chief nurse in charge of Reserves Unit 3297, and now as a colonel, the Riverdale resident oversees 150 nurses whose mission includes filling vacancies at hospitals across the country when other nurse reservists are called to active duty. Full Article

The healing hands of spirituality

A patient dies and the only family member arrives too late to say goodbye.

A neonatal intensive care team whisks a baby away from the delivery room, leaving the mother and father alone to grapple with the implications of their son's problems.

An elderly woman keeps a vigil by her comatose husband day after day, with few people acknowledging her presence.

A woman learns that her brain tumor is inoperable.

Each scenario presents an opportunity for a nurse to bridge the subject of spirituality to either the patient or the family member. Full Article

in this issue

• Bringing spirituality to the bedside
• As new year approaches, commit to take care of yourself
• Getting CHANCES
• Nurses work to improve child care in Georgia
• Emory joins national effort to grow ranks
• Program helps nurses get acclimated to work setting
• No-fault reporting may reduce errors, increase patient safety
• MCG nursing school gets board approval
• Georgia Nurses Association honors outstanding nurses at conference
• Medicare changes could affect rehab patient care
• Face the obstacle in the mirror
• Savannah is site for annual GLN education conference
• West Georgia nursing grads pass NCLEX