Reflecting on 10 years gone and 10 years on

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Reflective practice is increasingly gaining eminence in health professions. It is used to promote personal and professional development to ultimately improve patient care. On a day-to-day basis it can have a powerful and empowering effect for the individual to develop their practice and ensure life-long learning. But what if we allow our minds even more freedom and reminisce about the past and dream of future achievements. A luxury we do not often afford ourselves.

Anniversaries are times for reminiscence and it is the 10th anniversary of this journal. During the year the journal will produce special features to celebrate and report on events. As with many people I cannot believe how quick this time has gone. The 10 years have presented me, as editor, with many opportunities and wonderful memories of people and places. I am hoping that my dream of providing an avenue for orthopaedic nurses worldwide to get their work published has been fulfilled. In particular we have tried to support new writers by easing their fears of publishing as they have much of worth to share with their professional colleagues. An increasing proportion of articles are now being submitted to the journal by other health care professionals such as surgeons and physiotherapists and from more diverse parts of the globe. My initial desires of producing a journal for orthopaedic nurses and other related professions have been realised. The journal now firmly belongs to its readers and contributors as I strongly believe that ownership should be in your hands. But I also need to thank and publicly show my appreciation for the hard work and commitment that all the Board and Panel members have put into the journal of these past years.

Future dreams are what keep us all motivated and ‘alive’. Our dedication in caring for those whose freedom and ability to move is affected temporarily or permanently unites us as professionals. I hope the journal will continue to play an expanding role in uniting the family of orthopaedics. Electronic access to information will increase its use and affect further our evidence based approach. Gazing into the future I find it difficult to predict the exact nature of orthopaedic nursing in 10 years time but I am certain that the journal of orthopaedic nursing will be at the forefront in supporting practice improvement.

Ten years gone and 10 years on is something to celebrate. As nurses we often neglect to congratulate ourselves on our success and fail to appreciate our sacrifices in caring for others. I would finally like to say well done and congratulations to all orthopaedic nurses and health care professionals and offer a welcome and farewell to those who have and will enter practice during this time and those who have left or will be leaving in the next 10 years. The future looks bright laid on the foundations of the past and built on the humanity of our family of orthopaedics.