The world is flat

摘要

Having recently returned from another inspiring trip to China, I am struck by how far and wide INS' influence has reached. It is clear to me that there is a universal longing for information about our specialty and how infusion nurses can create better outcomes for their patients.Whenever I am invited to speak overseas, I am gratified to see the positive changes in health care delivery and the status of nurses. Years ago, in some countries, nurses were not even allowed to place steel needles; now they're placing peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) and central lines. Infusion nursing was not recognized as a stand-alone specialty; now many health care professionals and regulatory bodies, such as ministries of health, welcome the changes that nurses have brought about. Nurses everywhere have helped to promote our specialty and garner the respect it deserves by attending INS national meetings; seeking out INS' resources and applying their directives to clinical practice—particularly the Infusion Nursing Standards of Practice—creating infusion teams; and promoting leadership from within their ranks.