Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future Renews Support for Faculty Leadership & Mentoring Program
National League for Nursing and NLN Foundation for Nursing Education Will Again Team Up to Select Next Group of Mentors
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New York, NY — June 18, 2009 — The National League for Nursing and the NLN Foundation for Nursing Education have again received a generous grant from the Johnson & Johnson- Campaign for Nursings Future. For the third time, the Faculty Leadership & Mentoring Program will provide a transformative experience for seasoned and emerging leaders in nursing education. Via the selective application process, a new cohort of faculty will be chosen to serve as mentors and protégés and matched in accordance with their interests and experience.
The program began in early 2007 with a group of five pairs. Over the course of two years, each pair completes a leadership development project, and the entire group of 10 produces a collaborative project related to leadership in nursing education. It is hoped these will help transform the future of nursing education, according to Patricia Young, PhD, RN, a professor at the Minnesota State University Mankato School of Nursing who has served as program director.
The inaugural cohort presented a qualitative research study on becoming a nurse educator-leader at the 2008 NLN Education Summit. They also presented at the NLN Leadership Conference in New Orleans in January 2009 when several of the mentor-protégé pairs staffed breakout sessions. Results of their group project will be presented at the 2009 NLN Education Summit, to be held in Philadelphia, September 23 - 26.
Selection of protégés is competitive; for the second cohort, announced in November, about 50 nurse educators submitted applications for the five available slots. Among the criteria applicants were required to meet were demonstrated evidence of teaching effectiveness and a clear rationale for specific leadership development goals. Mentors were chosen from among the fellows of the NLN Academy of Nursing Education, recognized visionary leaders committed to fostering excellence in nursing education.
"We are so pleased that Johnson & Johnson recognizes the value this program brings to nurturing the future leaders in nursing education as reflected in its decision to renew the grant for another year," noted Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN, the CEO of the NLN and the NLN Foundation. "And we are indeed fortunate to have todays leaders in nursing education, our NLN fellows, as enthusiastic, supportive mentors. I am confident that this program will lead to real innovation in nursing education, which will, ultimately, benefit all nursing students and therefore, the patients who rely on their professional preparation."
Speaking of the programs success thus far, NLN president Dr. Elaine Tagliareni noted, "The program fits with the NLN strategic plan to create leadership opportunities for nurse educators and to build diversity in the nurse educator workforce. The protégés learn a great deal from their mentors, and everyone in the group learns from one another. The diversity of academic programs and diversity of geographic areas represented by the mentor-protégé pairs contribute to understanding different perspectives of leadership, as do the differing backgrounds and skill sets of the individuals."
Reporters/Editors: To arrange interviews with awardees, please contact Karen R. Klestzick, chief communications officer, at 212-812-0376 or kklestzick@nln.org.
Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing is the premier organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education offering faculty development, networking opportunities, testing services, nursing research grants, and public policy initiatives to its 30,000 individual and 1,200 institutional members.
The mission of the NLN Foundation for Nursing Education is to raise, steward, and distribute funds that promote excellence in nursing education to build a strong and diverse nursing workforce.
The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursings Future is a public-awareness campaign designed to enhance the image of the nursing profession, recruit new nurses and nurse faculty, and help retain nurses currently in the profession. Working in cooperation with various professional nursing organizations, schools, hospitals, and other health care groups and providers, the campaign focuses on promoting opportunities within nursing as well as increasing awareness of the value of the nursing profession to our overall society and health care community. For more information visit: www.campaignfornursing.com.