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The Legend of the Cockcroft Tree
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Once upon a chaotic time in health care, a wise and
learned nurse decided to endow her colleagues with the
opportunity to network and grow together to develop skills
and strengths with which to lead the professional into the
next century. She turned to the beloved institution she
had guided so well decades before, and challenged them to
develop a program to provide such an experience for the
nurses of South Carolina, the nation, and the world. |
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A
group came together to envision this program, and dreamed
big dreams, and identified the core skills needed to face
the tough times ahead. They searched for content, and
teachers, time frames, and projects, and finally began
searching for the inaugural class – a group of twelve. |
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These
twelve gathered in the spring of the year, and began to
nest in a young tree, where they would be nurtured and
grow for the next year. They found the roots of the tree
to run deep and strong, providing tradition and grounding
and support. The young branches reached skyward, with new
foliage unfolding, promising much growth and comfortable
shade in the heat of the summer. Among the many branches
were found books full of knowledge, complicated and
puzzling, but chronicling all of the types of conflict,
any of which sounded familiar, and approaches and
solutions that were sorely needed. |
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The tree bore fruit
from the labor of many, signifying the vast experience
brought to the tree, and the hope of many harvests for the
future. There also was found Flo’s lamp, reminding all of
the mission of caring professionalism that is nursing. A
heart representing the compassion and love for humankind
hung in the upper branches. A new symbol, the butterfly,
flew to the tree representing transformation of past,
present, and future Fellows. |
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At the
very top were nested the twelve, who by the following
spring were ready to take flight into the tumultuous world
of health care, armed with their newfound knowledge, honed
skills and experience, and strong network of support from
their benefactor, teachers, and each other. They welcomed
the new fledgling group, and set out to build a tradition
of nursing leadership, always mindful of their beginning
at the roots of the Cockcroft tree. |
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To obtain information about
the
Center for Nursing Leadership and the Amy V. Cockcroft
Nursing Leadership Program,
contact:
Diane Scott, Administrative Specialist, Rm 204, (803)777-3468,
ScottDH@gwm.sc.edu
or
Lydia Zager - MSN, RN, BC, Director, Center for Nursing Leadership, (803)777-7637,
lrzager@gwm.sc.edu
Return
to Cockcroft Alumni Table of Contents |
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