Nurse Educators in Arizona Establish Affiliated League for Nursing Expanding, NLN's National Network of Regional Constituent Associations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New York, NY — February 23, 2010 — Bringing to 23 the number of active constituent leagues around the US, the Arizona League for Nursing (AzLN) is the latest group of state-based nurse educators to join forces to support the mission of the NLN.

"We are delighted to welcome this new league into the NLN fold and look forward to raising our profile in the state of Arizona. And we thank the visionary nurse educators there who have taken the lead in organizing the group, demonstrating their commitment to the NLNs mission and core values of caring, integrity, diversity, and excellence," noted NLN president Dr. Cathleen Shultz. Added CEO Dr. Beverly Malone, "The League looks forward to working with our colleagues in Arizona to create programs and services to strengthen their community of nurse educators."

Karen J. Saewert, PhD, RN, CPHQ, CNE, a clinical associate professor and director of E-3: Evaluation & Educational Excellence at Arizona State University College of Nursing and Health Innovation in Phoenix, will serve as the first president of the AzLN board. The other members of the inaugural executive team are: president-elect, Dawna L. Cato, RN, MSNEd, assistant professor at Franklin Pierce University in Goodyear; secretary, T.J. Land, RN, BSN, CCRN, a clinical educator/student and nursing extern site coordinator at Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center in Sun City West; and treasurer, E. Gary Gum, MSN, RN, FCN, nursing program administrator at Brown Mackie College in Phoenix.

The impetus for the new constituent league came in response to an invitation from the NLN to nurse educators in Arizona to support the work of the NLN. An inaugural meeting, held on the campus of Arizona State University, attracted nurse educators from across the state. The groups first board meeting is planned for April.

In addition to strengthening the relationship of Arizona nurse educators to the NLN, a key goal of the AzLN is to provide an avenue for collaboration with one another and with the states nurses and other professional groups and associations to promote excellence in nursing and nursing education at the local and national levels. Interest has already been expressed in exploring joint educational activities with the Arizona Nurses Associations Nurse Educator Chapter and with the Greater Phoenix Area Chapter of the ANA.

Constituent leagues operate under the umbrella of the NLNs Constituent Organization Advisory Council, promoting excellence in nursing education to create a strong and diverse nursing workforce through statewide, regional, and local conferences, advocacy, and other professional activities that address issues of particular interest to nurse educators in their respective geographic locales.

Nurse educators: If there is no constituent league in your area and you have an interested group of nurse educators, please contact Tish Hess, director, membership and excellence initiatives at 212-812-0374; thess@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.