Revitalize to survive

The important topic of the future of nursing directs members of the profession to consider that future critically. This paper advocates a future-building rather than a future-entering approach as nursing encounters the third millennium. That view is prompted by candid statements, gathered through a national survey of Australian nurse academics, which indicate that the term 'nursing in the future' could be an oxymoron. Discussion reports on and reflects upon deficits to systems of support for scholarly nursing, a current state of exhaustion amongst members of the profession and the perceived existence of inappropriate attitudes to professional responsibilities. The voices of study participants give rich suggestions for the way forward to professional revitalisation. Recommendations include adoption of new paradigms for nursing's identity and creation of means by which the voices of all nurses may be encouraged to participate in discourse concerning nursing's future in health care provision.