In January, Linden Texas native Richard Bowden suffered a mild stroke. Within minutes, medics had taken the 68-year-old to the local hospital emergency room, less than a block from his house. "They checked me out real good," said the former city councilor, whose East Texas community of nearly 2,000 has relied on the Linden hospital since the 1960s. Shortly after returning home, Bowden learned he would outlast the hospital itself: the facility was about to close because there weren't enough patients. "It blindsided me," he said. "It's 15 miles to the next hospital. Out in the country, that seems like a long way." Small, rural hospitals like Linden have always struggled to remain viable, but things are getting worse, fast.
In a social media landscape shaped by hashtags, algorithms, and viral posts, nurse leaders must decide: Will they let the narrative spiral, or can they adapt and join the conversation?
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