June 14, 2017 | NLN CEO Update on ICN

In February, the NLN Board of Governors approved the latest in the NLN Vision Series, a Living Document titled "A Vision for Expanding US Nursing Education for Global Health Engagement." This statement contains a very simple sentence: "Being a global citizen has become part of the contemporary professional role." It goes on to say that "the NLN vision is to act as a catalyst to strengthen nursing education’s capacity to prepare nurses for the development of viable, comprehensive, and culturally appropriate care in a global context."

When you have a few minutes, I hope you will take the time to (re)read this remarkable document. In the meantime, let me share with you some of the highlights of the NLN global experience at the International Council of Nurses (ICN) Quadrennial Congress, which took place two weeks ago in Barcelona, Spain. I can assure you, colleagues, that spending time in the fascinating city of Barcelona was a treat indeed. But what went on during the meetings, concurrent sessions, and receptions was extraordinary. The NLN and our members are actively engaged in preparing nurses to "advance the health of our nation and the global community," and as global citizens, we have an increasingly important role to play.

Let me be more specific. The NLN was represented in four important concurrent sessions.

• Dr. Judith Halstead, executive director of the NLN CNEA, spoke on “Addressing Gaps in Global Nursing Education Standards.”
• Drs. Linda Christensen and Larry Simmons discussed “Pathways to Become a National League for Nursing Certified Nurse Educator” and reported that the brochures they brought with them quickly disappeared – there is great interest in certification among our international colleagues.
• Dr. Susan Forneris, Excelsior deputy director of the NLN Center for Innovation in Simulation and Technology, joined Dr. Mary Anne Rizzolo, now an NLN consultant, in a discussion of “Guidelines for Evaluating Clinical Competencies of Learners with Simulation.”
• Mary Anne presented on “Innovation in Undergraduate Education” while Sue presented two posters, on the NLN Transition Model and “Preparing Faculty for Simulation Education: An International Development Model.”

NLN leadership in the area of simulation was on further display during an invitation-only mini-symposium, “Simulation in Nursing Education," followed by a reception that we co-hosted along with the ICN, Laerdal Medical, and Jhpiego, an international, nonprofit health organization affiliated with the Johns Hopkins University that works with health experts, governments, and community leaders to train health care workers, strengthen health systems, and improve the delivery of care. I was on the panel along with Dr. Jill White, ICN associate director of global education; Frances McConville, WHO technical officer of midwifery training; and Dr. Leslie Mancuso, president and CEO of Jhpiego. We discussed how simulation-based training is used for enhanced patient safety and for curriculum and faculty development and, with a series of simulation case demonstrations, we highlighted its potential for saving lives in maternal-child health. For those interested in the global impact of simulation, it was an awe-inspiring session. (I invite you to see a two-minute summary.)

What else? Well, we hosted a wonderful networking reception co-sponsored with Laerdal Medical. NLN president Dr. Anne Bavier; Dr. Virginia Adams, director of the NLN Center for Diversity and Global Initiatives; and our NLN colleagues joined Laerdal chairman Tore Laerdal as we greeted a wonderful group of nurses from all parts of the globe. We are excited that American Nurses Association president Dr. Pamela F. Cipriano was elected to the ICN Executive Board as first vice president, and my colleague and friend, Annette Kennedy (Ireland), was inducted as the new ICN president. And we are intrigued by the future of the ICN Education Network, which is transitioning into an ICN Global Alliance for Education and Research. I will keep you informed as details emerge.

As you can surely tell, colleagues, participation at the ICN Congress was an exciting and overwhelming experience. Challenges to international collaboration abound, but nursing’s potential role is limitless. I am proud to be a nurse every day, but when I’m in collaboration with so many nurses on the world stage, I am humbled. It’s great to be home.

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Next Issue of the NLN Member Update: Wednesday, July 12, 2017. View previous issues of NLN Member Update »