A Message from Our Chief Nursing Officer
To our esteemed Cone Health nurses, our academic partners and those considering a future in this extraordinary profession – this report is for you.
Every day, across every setting, I have the privilege of witnessing something remarkable: the quiet, unwavering power of nurses. It is the power to see and treat a patient as a whole person. In moments of uncertainty, nurses have the power to bring clarity, compassion and clinical excellence. And now we name it even more boldly – this is the courage to soar.
At Cone Health, nursing is not simply a workforce. It is the infrastructure of care. It is the connective tissue that holds together safety, quality, experience and outcomes. From the bedside to the boardroom, our nurses are shaping decisions, advancing innovation and ensuring that our promise – to be right here with you – is not just words, but a lived experience for every patient, every family and every colleague.
Courage to soar means stepping forward when the path is not yet clear. It means leading through complexity, advocating with conviction and choosing excellence even when it is hard. I see it in our new graduate nurses finding their voice, in our experienced nurses mentoring and lifting others, and in our leaders reimagining what is possible for the future of care.
To our nursing schools, thank you for preparing the next generation of leaders our profession and our health system so deeply need. To those considering this path, know that nursing will ask much of you, but it will give even more in return: purpose, impact and the opportunity to change lives every single day.
And to our Cone Health nurses, this report reflects your work, your voice and your legacy.
This is the power of nurses. This is the courage to soar, and there is nothing more transformative.
With gratitude and appreciation,
Vi-Anne Antrum, DNP, RN, MBA, NEA–BC, CENP, FACHE
System-wide Chief Nursing Officer, Cone Health
