Special Interest Groups

Description: The Academic Nursing Center SIG addresses issues related to the growth and sustainability of academic nursing centers (ANCs) and discusses other related topics for faculty.  This SIG organized a preconference session at the NONPF 2004 annual meeting.

Key Issues:
1.  Sustainability - fiscal stability, operational issues, patient caseloads and profiles - of ANCs.
2.   Balancing the mission of the ANC with the need to be financially stable when financial support from schools of nursing and other sources is unreliable.
3.   The need for a common ANC database and data repository.

Members: Susan Beidler, Ramona Benkert, Michael Bleich, Deborah Booton-Hiser, Ruth Brewer, Kathy Dontje, Betty Dornbrook, Megan Eagle, Linda Farrand, Kathryn
Fiandt, Melinda Jenkins, Ellen Long-Middleton, Maria Mangini, Julie Marfell, Lucy Marion, Jane Martin, Lori Martin-Plank, Nelda New, Jamie Newland, Grace Newsome, Meg Noyes, Joanne Pohl, Rosanne Pruitt, Lenore Resick, Kay Roberts, Sharon Strang, Diana Taylor, Madeline Turkeltaub, Deborah Vincent, Karen Wolf, Martha Worcester

Acute Care SIG

Description: The Acute Care SIG is a special interest group that addresses issues related to Acute Care Nurse Practitioner education and practice.  This SIG did preliminary work in identifying entry-level competencies and has served as a resource to the National Panel currently finalizing consensus-based competencies for the Acute Care NP.

Key Issues:
1. Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Specialty Competencies: The National Panel has completed the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner specialty competencies, a project spearheaded by the ACNP SIG and facilitated by NONPF.  The Acute Care SIG is now working to promote dissemination, implementation and evaluation of the competencies.
2.  The Acute Care SIG is extending efforts to increase Acute Care NP faculty presence at the national meeting, and increase educational offerings and posters relevant to Acute Care NP education and practice.

Members:  Deborah Becker, Linda Briggs, Phyllis Collins, Susan Corbridge, Deborah D'Avolio, Janie Heath, Jeanne Mary Hopple, Marilyn Hravnak, Therese Jamison, Vicky Janos, Ruth Kleinpell, Cynthia Kociszewski, Kerry Kosmoski-Goepfert, Kathy Lauer, Gail Lis, Kathy Magdic, Sheila Melander, Linda Miers, Kathleen Miller, Sandy Nebl, Geralyn Ochs, Joanne Pohl, Bunny Pozehl, Carmen Ramirez, Jacqueline Rhoads, Erika Schwelnus, Linda Sikora, Julie Stanik-Hutt, Frances Strodtbeck, Mary van Soeren, Carol Lynn Thompson, Maureen Wilder, Janet Wyatt, Theresa Pluth Yeo

Description: The Distance Learning SIG addresses issues related to the development and design of NP distance learning programs, innovations in technology, and informatics for NP practice.  This SIG developed the Guidelines for Distance Learning in Nurse Practitioner Education and organized a preconference session at the NONPF 2002 annual meeting.

Key Issues:
1.  Creating a common definition of distance learning
2.  Developing a mentoring system to assist faculty developing new distance learning programs and a course to teach the basics of distance teaching/learning
3.  Accruing information on various methods of distance learning
4.  Exploring issues of authorship and intellectual property
5.  Developing a directory of NP programs that offer distance learning

Members: Cheryl Ahern-Lehmann, Marilynn Albert, Cathy Arvidson, Barbara Berner, Mary Ann Best, Deborah Booton-Hiser, Merilee Briggs-Mead, Kathleen Charters, Carla Dieter, Jane Dresser, Sharon Ewing, Catherine Ferrario, Cynthia Fitzgerald, Mary Germain, Elizabeth Virginia Gilbert, Edward Gruber, Rhonda Hensley, Roberta Hoebeke,  Barbara Hoglund, Jennie Humbert, Barbara Johnston, Catherine Juve, Veronica Kane, Patrica Keane, Beth Kelsey, Nola Lowther, Julie Marfell, Jane Martin, Margaret McAllister, Jacqueline McGrath, Leigh Ann McInnis, Renee McLeod, Emily Merrill, Contance Morrison, Mary Neiheisel, Mary Nichols, Lynn Ann O'Malley, Joanne Pohl, Leigh Ann Poole, Lorraine Reiser, Lenore Resick, Jacqueline Rhoads, Marla Roesmann, Heather Sands, Esther Sangster-Gormley, Kathleen Schachman, Barbara Schaffner, Gretchen Schumacher, Aruna Mary Thampy, Sherry Ward, Brigid Warren, Betsy Weiner, Angela Williams, Janet Wills, Laura Willsher       

Description: The topics of interest include issues such as giving bad news, advance directives, hospice, palliative care, symptom management, spirituality, family and interdisciplinary communication and care. End of life issues arise with all age groups and yet little has been included in curricula for NP students on end of life.

Key Issues:
1.  Disseminate ELNEC training to interested NP faculty and assist faculty with resources for teaching strategies and materials as they include end of life training in their programs.
2.  Propose a pre-conference on end of life issues for the annual conference in 2006
3.  Ethical issues regarding end of life in early Alzheimer's disease, placement issues for elderly including hospice care and palliative care, and family communication regarding death of a child

Members:  Candace Berardinelli, Susan Breakwell, Alice, Conway, Sharon Dudley-Brown, Deborah Dunn, Pamela Fordham, Deb Kern, Ruth Palan Lopez, Maria Mangini, Lori Martin-Plank, Joanne Pohl, Lynn Wimett

Description: The Gerontological Nurse Practitioner SIG addresses issues related to gerontological content for NPs and the GNP role.  This SIG held its first meeting in April 2004.

Key Issues:
1.  Explore opportunities for networking among faculty of GNP programs.
2.  Foster greater marketing of GNP programs to potential APN students.
3.  Enhance liaison with the National Conference of Gerontological Nurse Practitioners (NCGNP).

Members: Carolyn Auerhahn, Brenda Bergman-Evans, Lynn Chilton, Trudy Dewaters, Laurie Dodge, Nancy Fishwick, MJ Hendersen, Kathleen Jett, Laurie Kennedy-Malone, Catharine Kopac, Liz Macera, Maria Main, Mamie Montague, Joanne Pohl, Linda Sullivan, Fay Whitney, M. Catherine Wollman

Description:  The International SIG is group of stateside and international faculty who have been involved with APN education and practice in the international arena. This faculty is interested in promoting quality APN education internationally and developing content in APN curricula about such factors as international health problems, policy, cultural beliefs and practices.

Key Issues:
1.  Identify completed or in progress research and/or scholarship (either clinical or theoretical) in which members of the SIG are involved that address international health, education, nursing practice, disease/illness/wellness entities, elder/maternal-child/women’s health.
2.  Identify the curriculum needs in APN programs necessary to improve knowledge about global health and the political, social, and environmental factors that affect the health of immigrants from the international arena.
3.  Identify the curriculum needs in APN programs necessary to improve the knowledge and skills of the APN to assess, diagnose and manage immigrant health problems.
4.  Identify funding opportunities bodies and eligibility criteria for faculty (e.g., Fulbright Fellowship).

Members: Michelle Beauchesne, Susan Denman, Suzanne Doucette, Elizabeth Downes, Sharon Dudley-Brown, Rosemary Goodyear, Elaine Gustafson, M.J. Henderson, Anita Hunter, Karen Ivantic-Doucette, Gayla Jewell, Laima Karosas, Lori Martin-Plank, Patricia Maybee, Renee McLeod, Patrice Nicholas, Linda Norman, Joanne Pohl, Randolph Rasch, Esther Sangster-Gormley, Gretchen Schumacher, Lorna Schumann, Seon Ae Yeo, Phyllis Arn Zimmer

Description: The Program Director SIG addresses issues related to program administration and funding and other related topics.  This SIG held its first meeting in April 2004.

Key Issues:
1.  Program Requirements and Competencies
2.  Faculty shortage and need for qualified faculty
3.  Fluctuating enrollment

Members: Janyce Agruss, Kathryn Anderson, Toni Barnett, Claudia Barone, Kathleen Lent Becker, Dorie Beres, Barbara Berner, Judi Berry, Mary Bowen, Susan Braun, Debra Brown, Geri Budd, Janice Unruh Davidson, Nancy Fitzmaurice, Donna Freeborn, Pamela Giles, Thomasine Gurberski, Rhonda Hensley, Susan Houde, Rhonda Johnston, Jean Kelley, Kathleen Lamaute, Kathleen Lasala, Diane Lauver, Julie Marfell, Carolyn Maynard, Renee McLeod, Emily Merrill, Linda J. Miers, Kathleen Miller, Victoria Neiderhauser, Nancy O'Connor, Joanne Pohl, Marydelle Polk, Marva Price, Rosanne Pruitt,  Randolph Rasch, Loretta Reinhart, Alice Running, Melinda Rush, Carol Savrin, Pat Smart, Linda Sullivan

Description: The Psychiatric Mental Health Special Interest Group addresses issues related to Psychiatric-Mental health nurse practitioner education and practice.  This SIG initiated development of the PMHNP competencies, served as a resource to the National Panel that identified the consensus-based competencies, and organized a symposium on implementation of the competencies for the NONPF 2004 annual meeting.

Key Issues:
1.  Discussion of CNS as PMHNP
2.  Regulatory issues regarding what states expect if you carry the NP designation versus the CNS.
3.  Questions regarding content of post-masters programs for NPs who wish to become PMHNPs, as well as for PsychCNSs' who wish to become PMHNP
4.  Current ANCC certification for Family PMHNP requirements
5.  Accreditation issues related to CCNE adopting the Criteria for Evaluation

Members:  Susan Adams, Margaret Brackley, Jeanne Cartier, Margery Chisholm, Ann Marie Collins, Geraldine Collins-Bride, Kathleen Delaney, Jane Dresser, Janyce Dyer, Janice Goodman, Judith Haber, Darlene Jelinek, Constance Morrison, Nelda New, Beth Phoenix, Joanne Pohl, Gail Ray, Nancy Ross, Ester Ruiz, Deborah Shelton, Rebekah Shephard, Diane Snow, Marsha Snyder, Mark Soucy, Sandra Talley, Deborah Walker, Kathleen Wheeler, Gretchen Zunkel