Learning Objective #1: Identify strategies used by historical nursing leaders that can be utlizied in today's health care environment

Learning Objective #2: Identify current and emerging professional challenges that may be addressed from an historical perspective

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"Intellectuals ought to study the past not for the pleasure they find in so doing, but to derive lessons from it." Cheikh Anta Diop For too long, nursing history has been at best, a curious and at times amusing re-telling of favorite 'tales (or TALL tales) from the field' and at worst a subject to be endured by nursing students in their programs. Seldom have we utilized the opportunity to identify and explore specific decisions, communications, manipulations, actions and strategies used by historical icons such as Nightingale, Barton, Wald, Breckenridge and so many others to achieve their caregiving, political and social aims. There are many useful, timely and innovative tactics used by these luminaries that can and should be recalled and re-used by nurses today. How did Nightingale 'get her way' in the Crimea? What was her power base and how did she use it? How did Barton escape being tried for treason? Who did she know and what did she do? What drove Wald to become so politically active, influential and successful? Why does the Breckenridge's Frontier Nursing Service survive today? The answers to these questions and more will be included in this presentation. Most importantly, specific strategies used by these historical leaders will be discussed and shown to be applicable, even innovative in navigating the health care arena today and in positioning nursing for the future.