Beth Wathen Shines a Light for Nurses with ‘ Rooted in Strength ’ Philosophy
In 1988 , Beth Wathen , MSN , RN , CCRN-K , watched a wildfire rage through Yellowstone National Park . At the time , she associated the event with loss and destruction . But when Wathen endured a series of personal tragedies soon after — including the death of her first husband — the meaning of the fire changed . She began to see that , like the beautiful flowers that grow in the ashes of a fire , humans can also heal themselves .
Wathen ’ s mantra , “ rooted in strength ,” was born .
“ For me , [ this idea ] was very related to my own personal loss back then ,” Wathen says “ and recognizing and understanding the things that rooted me in strength .”
Three years later , Wathen found roots at Children ’ s Hospital Colorado as a clinical nurse specialist and nurse practitioner for the Department of Surgery . Now , she serves as the Codes Program Coordinator , but Wathen has remained true to her philosophy both personally and professionally over the past three decades .
“ It ’ s got a very profound meaning in how I view nurses and what we ’ ve been through in the past — coming back and relying on those roots to get you through those tough times ,” Wathen says .
She received an opportunity to apply this idea at a national level beginning in the summer of 2020 , when she became president-elect of the American Association of Critical- Care Nurses ( AACN ). As the largest specialty nursing organization in the world , AACN has over 130,000 members and represents the interests of more than a half million acute and critical care nurses .
When faced with dwindling nursing workforces , low morale and an ongoing pandemic , Wathen did what she always does in the face of a challenge . She went searching for roots . During her presidential year , Wathen had the privilege of holding virtual conversations with nurses around the country .
She spent this time asking nurses a series of questions : “ What are the things that fill your cup , that give you strength , that root you ? Why did you get into the profession of nursing
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