By: Dr. Cole Edmonson, DNP, RN, FACHE, NEA-BC, FAAN We are on track in this country to have more mass shootings this year than in 2017 (Gunviolence.org, 2018). That is clearly unacceptable. Although, it’s not about the numbers, it’s about people, and people are not statistics. The numbers speak to the ever increasing plague of gun violence on individuals, families, communities, and our country. Thirty-four mass shootings (Gunviolence.org) in the first month-and-a half of 2018, Meadow, Alaina, and Peter; these are only a few the names of those who have paid the highest of prices for the lack of effective gun control measures and mental health resources in this country, a deadly combination when a lack of resources and control measures collide. Of course, these are not the only two factors in the serious epidemic we are facing, which the students of Parkland have so eloquently captured and challenged us to act; "the time for thoughts and prayers has passed." It is not that acts of sympathy and empathy don’t help the survivors, but they certainly do not help those victims who payed the ultimate price with their lives. If we can get upstream in this epidemic, perhaps we will need less reactive measures or even be able to eliminate the need for the words "victim" and "survivor" from our language in relation to gun violence.

The 2017 Excellence in Leadership Award Recipient was announced at the 2018 TONE Annual Conference. Dr. Rebecca Hunter was presented the award by Dr. Paula Webb, TONE President.

February 23, Texas Board of Nursing Update A mainstay and welcomed session at our annual conference is the update from the Texas Board of Nursing. Dr. Kristen Benton DNP, RN, Director of Nursing, presented the update again this year. Her presentation had three main objectives; discuss implications of the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC), describe recent trends and regulatory updates relevant to nurse executives and discuss future regulatory activities of the Texas Board of Nursing. Dr. Benton’s slide presentation is available on the TONE website.

By: Cynthia Plonien DNP, RN, CENP The purpose of this article is to raise the awareness of the next generational cohort - Generation Z - now graduating from higher education and stepping through the doorway of nursing into healthcare organizations. The past decade has seen a flurry of research and advisement on how to recruit, retain, and train a Millennial. It seems just when there is a working plan with one generation, it is time for the next generation to emerge. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (Jenkins, 2017), Generation Z, individuals born between 1995 - 2012, make up 25 percent of the population. At 72.8 million strong, it is a generation not to be ignored (Stillman & Stillman, 2017). Failure to recognize the uniqueness of this generation or treat them as Millennials will poses a huge risk to organizations. The time to know and understand Generation Z is now.

Nurse.com Excellent nurse managers possess strong leadership and communication skills and create a vibrant culture of teamwork and trust among their staff.

Institute for Healthcare Improvement Nurses play a pivotal role in quality and safety, but chief quality leaders are often physicians. Petrina McGrath, RN, is an exception.

Smartbrief The same mental disciplines this author learned at the FBI academy can be applied to corporate and private life. They produce successful people who can land on their feet when confronted with the unknown.

Webinar - The Important Role of Nursing Leadership in Valid and Reliable Electronic Clinical Quality Tuesday, April 3, 2018 12:00 - 1:00 pm CST

Employ the power of online professional networking! Nurses Lounge is all about bringing nursing professionals together in a way that advances our profession. Join TONE’s Lounge today! The cost is free but the value is PRICELESS!

Your destination for exciting Nurse Executive job opportunities and the best resource for qualified candidates within the Nurse Executive Industry. Visit the TONE Career Center today!

CNN Hospitals and other medical facilities are getting so desperate to recruit and retain nurses that they are offering many pricey perks and incentives.

Health IT Analytics The Healthy Nevada Project will combine genomics, environmental, and clinical data to foster better population health across the state.

D Magazine A U.K.-based mental health care innovator that combines artificial intelligence, data, and the millennial generation’s love of texting has landed in Dallas to establish its U.S. expansion.

Health Leaders Media The American Society of Anesthesiologists has developed a list of pre- and post-surgery tips to limit confusion for older patients.

Nurse.com Nurse learns valuable lessons about end-of-life care from a patient and her family.

Nurse.org Dealing with not-so-pleasant smells is common in the nursing profession. Here are 5 tips to deal with them.

RegisteredNursing.org The College of Nursing is one of the newest colleges at the University of Houston – earning its college designation within the last year – but it has rapidly excelled and become home to the best nursing program in the state of Texas, according to RegisteredNursing.org.

Caller Times The VA outpatient clinic in Corpus Christi had extensive damage from Hurricane Harvey. It reopened March 19 after being completely gutted and having a redesign. As part of the redesign, the core area groups doctors, nurses and social workers in teams.