Written by Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, Chief Nursing Officer, AAPACN
Lessons from My Backyard: Thrive. Evolve. Lead.
As the Chief Nursing Officer at AAPACN, I spend much of my time thinking about nurses. How to support them, how to help them grow, and how to strengthen the care they provide to residents every day.
But some of the most meaningful lessons I’ve learned about nursing didn’t come from a meeting, a conference, or a textbook.
They came from my backyard.
Early in the morning, before the day begins, I like to sit on my porch with a cup of coffee and watch the wildlife that wanders through my neighborhood. Deer quietly graze in the field, a bobcat slips silently along the tree line, and occasionally a black bear strolls through as if it owns the place. And high above it all, an eagle circles slowly in the sky.
At first, I was simply enjoying the view.
But over time, I realized something unexpected.
The wildlife outside my window had a lot to teach about nursing and about how nurses Thrive. Evolve. Lead.
Each animal seemed to carry its own quiet lesson.
The Deer: Learning to Thrive
The first lesson often comes from the deer.
One morning, a doe stepped cautiously into my yard with two fawns behind her. Every movement was slow, careful, and protective. The fawns stayed close, learning where it was safe to step.
I noticed something right away: the deer never rush. Well, unless a wolf is chasing them.
Most of the time, they move gently and patiently through their world, aware of everything around them. The fawns watch their mother closely, learning how to navigate their environment and how to thrive in it.
Watching them reminded me of residents entering a care community.
They are stepping into unfamiliar territory. New routines, new people, new surroundings.
Just like the fawns.
If the deer could speak, I imagine they might say:
Move gently.
Speak softly.
Earn trust.
When nurses approach residents with patience and compassion, residents begin to feel safe. They begin to regain confidence. They begin to thrive.
Some of the best nurses I know don’t rush into rooms simply checking off tasks. They pause. They listen. They kneel down to eye level.
Just like the deer, they understand that thriving begins with trust.
The Bobcat: Learning to Evolve
Not long after the deer wander through, another visitor sometimes appears, much quieter and harder to spot.
The neighborhood bobcat.
One morning, I noticed it sitting near the fence.
It wasn’t moving.
Just watching.
For a long time.
I remember laughing quietly and saying, “You’re doing a lot of nothing.”
But the bobcat wasn’t doing “nothing” at all. It was noticing everything. The wind, the birds, the slightest rustle in the grass.
The bobcat survives by adapting. It studies its surroundings and adjusts its movements based on what it observes.
And that reminded me of something important about nursing.
Great nurses constantly evolve. They learn from experience. They sharpen their clinical instincts. They adapt to new information and changing resident needs.
They notice things others might miss:
- subtle changes in breathing
- a resident who is quieter than usual
- a tray returned untouched
- a shift in mood
Like the bobcat, they understand that observation leads to insight.
And insight leads to better care.
Nursing evolves not only through education, but through curiosity, awareness, and lifelong learning.
The Bears: Learning to Lead
Then there are the bears. Bears are surprisingly quiet visitors.
Sometimes I don’t even realize one has come through the yard until I see the tracks later. But every now and then, I’ll spot a mother bear moving slowly through the trees with her cubs nearby.
Mother bears have a remarkable way of protecting their young. If they sense danger, they will often send the cubs up a tree where they are safe. Then the mother stays nearby, watching carefully and bringing food to them when it’s safe.
She is calm. Watchful. Protective.
Watching this always makes me think about leadership in nursing.
Leadership isn’t always loud or obvious. In fact, some of the strongest leaders are the quiet ones. The ones who are always watching, always thinking ahead, and always working to keep others safe.
Nurses lead every day when they:
- question an order that doesn’t seem right
- catch a medication error
- protect a resident’s dignity
- speak up for someone who may not be able to speak for themselves
Like the mother bear protecting her cubs, nurses create safety for the people who depend on them.
They anticipate risks.
They stay vigilant.
They make sure those in their care have what they need.
True leadership in nursing is often quiet.
But it is steady, protective, and deeply committed.
The Eagle: Seeing the Bigger Picture
And then there is the eagle.
While the other animals move across the ground, the eagle reminds me to look up.
High in the sky, I noticed a bald eagle soaring above the trees. It glided effortlessly on the wind, far above the deer in the meadow and the bobcat in the brush.
From that height, the eagle could see everything.
The whole landscape.
That view reminded me of another essential lesson for nurses—perspective.
Great nurses rise above the moment-to-moment tasks and see the whole person.
They see:
- the resident’s medical needs
- their emotional well-being
- their family connections
- their life story
- their hopes and fears
Like the eagle, nurses understand the importance of stepping back and seeing the bigger picture.
When nurses see the whole person, they help residents not only survive, but truly live.
My Reflection
Over time, I realized that the wildlife around my porch had been teaching me something all along.
Nature thrives through balance.
It evolves through observation and learning.
And it leads through strength and protection.
One morning I wrote a note that I later shared with nurses:
The deer teach us how to help others thrive.
The bobcat teaches us how to evolve through awareness and learning.
The bear teaches us how to lead with courage and protection.
The eagle reminds us to see the bigger picture.
And nursing calls us to be all of these things.
Great nurses are not just task-doers.
They are compassionate guides.
Curious learners.
Courageous advocates.
And thoughtful leaders.
Just like the wildlife outside my porch.
And as Nurses Week approaches, I’m reminded how fitting that message feels.
Nurses help residents thrive through compassion.
They evolve through learning and experience.
And they lead every day by advocating for the people entrusted to their care.
Nurses Week is a time to celebrate the extraordinary impact nurses have, not only in moments of crisis, but in the quiet, everyday acts of kindness, observation, protection, and leadership that change lives.
Just like the lessons from the deer, the bobcat, the bear, and the eagle, nursing reminds us that the most powerful care often comes from patience, awareness, courage, and perspective.
And for that, during Nurses Week and every week, I am deeply grateful for the nurses who help others Thrive. Evolve. Lead.