[Music] Welcome to Nursing EDge Unscripted Saga where we use stories to connect the past to the present and then our future as we reimagine our teaching and learning. As we celebrate the NLN Year of the Nurse Educator we pay tribute to extraordinary nurses who've made significant contributions to nursing education. We dive into the stories of nurse educators who recognized a need, challenged traditional customs, and influenced transformative change. Welcome to part two of our discussion concerning Dr. Luther Christman, one of the most significant nurse reformers of the 20th century. In part one, we discussed Dr. Christman's early life and nascent nursing career highlighting his beginnings into the fields of academia and advocacy as well as his experience of being a male nurse in a predominantly female-dominated profession. Let's continue to explore Dr. Christman's life in academia where he challenged many long-held beliefs in order to propel and advance the nursing profession forward. Throughout his nursing career, Dr. Christman was a tireless champion for nursing reform within the areas of academia and clinical practice. He believed that these reforms not only benefited nurses but also the patients they served. While he advocated for many causes during his nursing career, there were two issues that truly captured Dr. Christman's attention and where he subsequently
focused much of his efforts. These were:
increasing the diversity of nurses by attracting more men and minorities into the profession and raising the standards for nursing education. As a male nurse, Dr. Christman was in the minority of his chosen profession, an experience that actually provided a unique perspective on how the lack of diversity amongst nurses impacted society.
In his own words:
Dr. Christman also strongly believed in elevating the educational level of the nursing profession. In fact, he advocated for a bachelor's degree requirement for all nurses, lamented the weak clinical content in many nursing PhD programs, and called for the further establishment of doctor of nursing practice or DNP programs. He also promoted the idea that nurse leaders should maintain clinical practice. His unification model, which he developed while serving as the dean of The Rush University College of Nursing, promotes the idea that nursing faculty or nursing leaders should possess joint responsibilities in both academia and clinical practice.
As Dr Chrisman wrote in 1998:
Dr. Christman attempted to address what he believed was the lack of knowledge at the bedside or in primary care nursing through the promotion of the clinical nurse specialist role. Indeed, through his practice, research, and publications, he sought to relay the value of the clinical nurse specialist especially as it relates to patient care. A true reformer, Dr. Christman felt that nursing could not stay mired in its past but instead must adapt to new technologies and a changing society. His ideas, which at times were controversial, caused some to view him as an educational maverick. Yet, Dr. Christman remained steadfast in his beliefs, a determined advocate for the advancement of the profession increasing diversity and knowledge as well as achieving a future for nursing that
he felt was possible. As he wrote:
And so the Saga continues and may our Saga continue as we bring to a close this episode of Nursing EDge Unscripted Saga. Thank you for joining us