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Diane Viens, DNSC, CFNP
President, NONPF

The Mentor, Volume 13, Number 2, 2002

What better way to kick off my presidency than during the outstanding NONPF 28th Annual Meeting, held April 11-14, 2002, in the city of Minneapolis. With one of our highest attendance, this meeting reaffirmed for me the strength of the organization and the many positive attributes that have made me willing to have a leadership role in NONPF. The plenary sessions highlighted issues on the national level, and the breakout educational sessions showcased the work and innovations of faculty who continue to promote quality nurse practitioner education. I observed the ongoing eagerness for knowledge and information by faculty as they searched for the latest resources in the exhibit hall and saw many of the attendees engaged in impromptu, small group discussions in public areas. The meeting offered a wonderful way to network and share ideas about advanced practice education. I was impressed with the shared commitment to preparing highly qualified clinicians for the future. First time attendees and our long-time supporters came together to make the meeting a valuable experience for everyone. I reflected on all of this as I took the gavel that Lucy Marion passed to me at the close of the business meeting and began my term as president of NONPF.

Following Lucy Marion as president is stepping into big shoes! Lucy was the first two-year president of the organization and set a high standard of excellence as a leader.  Throughout her term, she maintained a high level of energy and commitment to advancing the goals of the organization. Her frequent slogan "the big don't eat the small, the fast eat the slow" emphasized the potential for NONPF to look beyond our perceived limitations of size and resources to our actual potential.  She successfully infused Gladwell's "tipping point" theory into select organizational projects to demonstrate a model for a small organization to achieve broad, widespread influence.   By raising the bar for the organization, she similarly raised the standard of our products and ultimately the quality of nurse practitioner education.

As I accepted the gavel at the podium, I looked out on the audience and saw many of my predecessors and mentors and recognized their legacy in making NONPF the leader in NP education. It is phenomenal and heartwarming that so many of them continue to join us at the annual meeting - ten of the past presidents were in Minneapolis - and to continue to stay active in NONPF activities. These pioneers in NP education are valuable resources to the current and future leadership of NONPF. As we continue to mentor and attract young and new faculty within the organization, we have the opportunity to link the organizational and professional history through our past leaders with the faculty who will be our future.   I look forward to exploring opportunities for strengthening this linkage.

NONPF will continue to build on our strong foundation, and I will work with the Board of Directors and membership to move us forward towards a third decade of leadership in nurse practitioner education.

To this end, I have identified various priorities of my tenure:

  • Ensure the sustainability of the organization. While it certainly must be a priority to increase the assets and financial reserves of the organization to support our increasing activities, this objective is not the single aspect of sustainability for NONPF. The other side is building the membership and the pool of faculty candidates in advanced practice nursing education. At the institutional level, we are experiencing the impact of the faculty shortage on program capabilities. With the increasing retirement of faculty, this shortage becomes more acute and has significant implications for the future of this organization. We must work with our APN colleagues to increase the numbers of qualified faculty to ensure the sustainability of our educational programs and also the future leadership for NONPF.
  • Advance the strategic plan. The organization's plan outlines our goals and activities, and I am committed to moving NONPF towards successful attainment of all goals by the end of the plan in 2003. Over the next year, I will also work with the Board to track trends in higher education, nursing, health professions education, and health care to guide our formulation of the organization's next 3-year strategic plan.
  • Increase NONPF's visibility at global levels. I will promote NONPF's increased participation in coalitions and special initiatives on issues that impact advanced practice nursing education. Through our collaborative activities, we have the opportunity to promote advance practice nursing education at the national and international levels within nursing and health care.
  • Provide expertise in shaping new paradigms in NP education. NONPF will continue to identify and promote new paradigms, and we recognize that innovations will also initiate outside our direct activities. Our members have the collective expertise to evaluate and develop new educational designs and pathways for advanced practice nurses. As well, we will continue our role in establishing the competencies for nurse practitioners at entry and advanced levels.
  • Launch and expand the consultation program.  Q-NONPF, our consultation program for quality nurse practitioner education, is a valuable resource to faculty and educational programs interested in maintaining quality.  Under the valued leadership of Chuckie Hanson, this program will be soon available widely to NP programs.  The NONPF Board is committed to expanding all levels of this program to their fullest potential to meet the needs of our members in promoting excellence.

I think that it is worth emphasizing how in NONPF the members truly lead and manage the activities of the organization. Members volunteer countless hours to the committee and special task force activities, as well as to representing NONPF in various external projects. This high level of volunteerism is invaluable to developing the resources for faculty to maintain quality educational programs. I encourage all members to be active within NONPF, to be part of the global voice for NP education, and to be our future. I would be happy to talk with you and engage in dialogue about advanced practice nursing issues. I look forward and feel privileged to work with you as your President over these next two years.