On Thursday, the 5th of October 1922, the Indiana Secretary of State approved the application from six nursing students at the Indiana University Training School for Nurses to form Sigma Theta Tau, a nursing honor society. As you might remember from your induction ceremony, Sigma Theta Tau’s six founders were Elizabeth Russell Belford, Edith Moore Copeland, Marie Hippensteel Lingeman, Dorothy Garrigus Adams, Elizabeth McWilliams Miller, and Mary Tolle Wright, all aided by their teacher and director, Ethel Palmer Clarke.
If my math is correct, this means that as of Tuesday, 5 October 2021, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, or simply Sigma, officially begins its 100th year. Let the enormity of that statement sink in for a moment: 100 years celebrating nursing excellence. What a milestone for our organization!
During my biennium as Sigma president, I have learned much about our founders by spending time in the founder’s room at our headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, and reading through the inspirational and rich archives. I have presented at many virtual inductions to our newest members on Sigma’s history and the love, courage, and honor of the founders that I have come to deeply appreciate through reading the written historical documents and archived speeches from our founders—especially from reading through the writing and speeches of Mary Tolle Wright. This Founders Day, I encourage you to do the same. Take a moment, pause, and consider Sigma’s impact over the last century and learn more about our founders and our global values. Please take time to reflect on the contributions of the hundreds of thousands of nurses that have served and continue to serve as leaders and members of our great organization. Consider the collective impact that Sigma members have made on the health and well-being of patients and communities, academia, colleagues and the nursing profession, and global healthcare. If I let my mind wander with this notion, I am in awe of Sigma’s past, inspired by the present, and envision a bright and bountiful future.
Parallel pandemics
Like all of you, my thoughts about the past are influenced by today’s challenging and unprecedented world events. And, though much has changed, I find there are distinct parallels between the years preceding Sigma’s founding and the years leading up to its 100th anniversary. I’m mindful of the fact our founders’ lived experience included the 1918 influenza pandemic, which lasted through 1920, and I have no doubt that event shaped their personal journeys just as the current pandemic is shaping ours.
Now, as then, we are in the midst of a global healthcare crisis overburdening our profession, our colleagues, our families, our friends, and our communities. And, although the last century has brought tremendous advances in healthcare—including the development and production of vaccines—we still see vast differences in different country and regional capabilities in vaccine acquisition and administration. We still see health inequities and misaligned public policies affecting quality care, treatment, and access. We still see hospitals and health systems being overwhelmed. We still see too many people suffering and dying.
Added to and complicating the current pandemic is an unrelenting barrage of misinformation and conspiracy theories. On a daily basis, we see people who would rather trust a TikTok video than science and evidence-based information. This can be dispiriting and evoke widespread distrust. The onslaught of climate crises, COVID-19 variants, lack of PPE, staffing shortages, and resistance to evidence and science has had a cumulative effect that takes a huge toll. We live in an environment where the daily inputs to our mind, body, and soul can be overwhelming.
It is in the context of this environment, when I think of Sigma’s founders, I am in awe of their vision, purpose, and resolve.
These six women had seen the worst effects of war, disaster, and disease as they chose to pursue nursing careers. World War I, which ended in 1919, had exacerbated the influenza pandemic and contributed to a worldwide nursing shortage. Then, as now, there were deep inequities in access to healthcare and ability to provide it. Then, as now, climate factors influenced the spread of disease. Then, as now, there was resistance to acceptance of public health mitigation strategies and misinformation spread by the public.
Rather than be discouraged, Sigma’s founders saw an opportunity to champion nursing and the role of women as leaders in society; to reflect and act on the tenets of love, courage, and honor; and to recognize and reward excellence in nursing. The way I see it, they created a way to infuse joy into what was—and still is—the challenging, rewarding, and exciting journey of a career in nursing.
Could the founders have imagined how their positive message and creative vision would resonate with nurses, nurse educators, and nursing students? Could they have imagined how Sigma would grow, evolve and adapt, and thrive to become the global organization it is today? Could the founders have foreseen that, a century on, another global pandemic would plunge the world—and our profession—again into crisis?
Love, courage, honor ... and joy
I know the last two years have been unrelenting. I know nurses have been called upon to do the seemingly impossible … and sometimes the unthinkable. I know nurses are tired. I know some are resentful. I know some are angry right now. And I also recognize the backlash against mere words of support when so much more is needed. But, even when it’s difficult to find the right words and correct misaligned policies, recognition and support are still important, necessary sentiments. Recognition says, “We see you.” Support says, “We’re here for you and are taking action, knowing that the demands on you are unbearable.”
I personally believe the need for Sigma’s recognition and support of nurses is as great and relevant today as it was 100 years ago. I believe that infusing joy is a necessary pathway to long-term success and sustainability of the profession. And I believe that love, courage, and honor still matter.
I have a deep, abiding respect for the love, courage, and honor Sigma represents. And I take great pride in the way Sigma recognizes and supports nurses regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, belief system, or nursing specialty. Sigma has always seen nursing as one profession. We have always been more about what unites us than what divides us. And we can thank our six visionary founders for firmly establishing this world view.
Happy Founders Day, my friends and colleagues. Here’s to our 100th year ... and the next 100.
With much gratitude and love,
Richard Ricciardi, PhD, CRNP, FAANP, FAAN
President
You can read more about Sigma’s beginnings in this blog post from Indiana University’s bicentennial celebration.