Leading on the Edge of Insanity

COVID-19 has officially consumed every nurse leader's time and efforts. The purpose of this article is to share early learnings from the West Coast of the United States, where the first US case was cared for. In this article, I describe the emerging principles allowing us to respond to an unprecedented crisis: prevent, protect, and control. By the time this crisis is over, I do not doubt that we will have additional science and experience to support our frontline nurses and our nurse leaders. That said, I felt it was important to share our expertise in real time for others to benefit from. I would also point out that writing about what you are feeling is cathartic—I encourage my colleagues to join me in writing about what you are experiencing.