What is change? Change is a natural phenomenon that occurs over time (Whitehead, Weiss, & Tappen, 2007). Change is an inevitable theme in all realities. Change can occur expectedly or unexpectedly and can potentially lead to new opportunities. Change can impact any individual or environment. In particular, change occurs constantly in the healthcare environment. A nursing student transitioning into a nursing role in healthcare reflects a drastic change in itself. Who Moved My Cheese?, by Spencer Johnson, vividly portrays the complexities of the process of change through the use of four characters. Johnson (1998) introduces two mice, Sniff and Scurry, and two "little people", who live in a "maze". ” and go in search of “cheese”, to achieve nourishment and happiness. Johnson (1998) uses the two mice and the two “little people” to show the characters' reactions and coping mechanisms to change: Johnson uses “moving the cheese” throughout the book as a metaphor for change. The characters have their own individual responses to losing or moving the cheese. Mice easily cope with change and adapt, using their instincts when responding to the moving cheese (Johnson, 1998, p. 32). They prepare to change or move the cheese, in case they have to go looking for it, always being equipped with their running gear. Furthermore, the mice spend no time analyzing why the change occurred; instead they immediately sniff and rush to find their “new cheese” (Johnson, 1998). In contrast, the “little people,” Hem and Haw, have overbearing human beliefs and emotions that cloud their judgment and make it difficult for them to adapt to change (Johnson, 1998, p. 27). Hem and Haw react emotionally... middle of paper... and can surface opportunities or new cheeses, only if they look for them. The new cheese does not always present itself, but it is all to be discovered. Cheese will often be moved, so it is important to adapt to the change when looking for a new cheese. How an individual interprets change is directly determined by attitude. A change can potentially open a door, only if you allow it. Works Cited Johnson, S. (1998). Who moved my cheese? New York, NY: Sons of G. P. Putnam. Sullivan, E. J. (2004). Becoming influential: A guide for nurses. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.Whitehead, D. K., Weiss, S. A., & Tappen, R. M. (2010). Essentials of nursing and management. Philadelphia, PA: Davis.Zerwekh, J., & Garneau, A.Z. (2012). Nursing today: transitions and trends. (7th ed.). Phoenix, Arizona: Elsevier Saunders.