In healthcare design, we often talk about innovation - new models of care, new technologies, new environments. But innovation without legacy is fragile. What endures are the values, wisdom, and relationships that we carry forward and intentionally pass on. At the intersection of care and design, legacy is not about what we leave behind when we step away, but instead about what we build with others while we are still deeply engaged. The mere act of co-creation is a form of self-advocacy, a demonstration of our commitment to the specialty of healthcare design and the unique space we hold as individuals to touch the lives of many through curated selection of design elements which tell the story of that community for decades to come.
Nurses are uniquely positioned as stewards of healthcare environments. We translate lived clinical experience into spaces that support dignity, safety, equity, and healing. Over the course of a career, that knowledge accumulates: lessons learned from patients, from communities, from mistakes, and from moments of quiet success. When this wisdom is shared - through mentorship, collaboration, and allyship - it becomes a powerful force multiplier for the next generation of nurse designers and healthcare leaders.
Legacy, then, is not passive. It is an active practice. It requires intention about how we spend our time, where we lend our voices, and whom we choose to support. Too often, nurses, particularly those mid- to late-career, carry immense institutional knowledge but are pulled into endless “important” tasks that dilute what matters most. This is where tools like legacy mapping can be transformative.
Legacy mapping invites nurses to step back and ask: What do I want to be better in healthcare because of my efforts? What do I want to be known for? By visualizing current activities alongside long-term intentions, legacy mapping helps focus energy toward meaningful contributions, whether that is advancing trauma-informed design, mentoring emerging professionals, shaping policy, or embedding equity into the built environment. Just as importantly, it helps identify what no longer serves that purpose, creating permission to let go and make space for deeper impact.
