November 1, 2017 | NLN CEO Update on NLN Publications

The terrorist attack yesterday in New York City that left eight dead has hit me and other members of the NLN staff particularly hard. Lower Manhattan was home to the NLN for many years, including during the attacks on September 11, 2001. Our hearts go out to all victims and their families, with thanks to the nurses and first responders. New York City remains a wonderful place, full of resilience and strength. We the NLN, care for you NYC.

The saying goes, when one door closes, another opens. That, colleagues, is very true for the NLN. We have a constant cycle of professional development opportunities, so if you miss one be sure to keep your eyes open. New opportunities happen all the time.

This upcoming weekend, 12 nurse faculty will convene at NLN headquarters to take part in the NLN Scholarly Writing Retreat (SWR). This program is much more than a retreat. It’s an opportunity for faculty to effectively articulate the breadth and depth of their understanding of their subject matter and improve their scholarly writing abilities. Participants have been working for several weeks now – since the day they were notified of their acceptance into the program. With Dr. Leslie Nicoll, editor of CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, they have done the work needed to prepare for writing a scholarly publication: They have selected target journals; crafted outlines; and written their first drafts. This weekend they will finalize their work and submit their manuscripts for publication. Along the way, these educators have been given a detailed overview of the publication process and techniques to use for future publications. Should their submitted manuscripts require revision, Leslie will help manage that process until success is achieved. Graduates of the SWR – housed in the NLN | Chamberlain University College of Nursing Center for the Advancement of the Science of Nursing Education - were surveyed in 2014 about their accomplishments. At that time, 80 percent had succeeded in having their initial manuscripts published in their first or second choice of journals, and 61 percent had already submitted additional manuscripts for publication. I continue to be amazed at this program’s success.

It is too late to be part of a Scholarly Writing Retreat for 2017, but another door is about to open. Applications are now being accepted for our next retreat, June 9-10, 2018. This retreat will be led by Dr. Marilyn Oermann, who established the format for the program when it began in 2008.

Note that I described Marilyn and Leslie’s role at the Scholarly Writing Retreat as a mentor role. The emphasis on mentorship is what distinguishes a great deal of what we do here at the NLN, and it is an important aspect of the NLN Leadership Institute, which recently closed the application period for 2018 but will reopen in the spring for 2019. We are beginning to see graduates of the Leadership Institute take on important roles at the NLN. Graduates of the Executive Leadership in Nursing Education and Practice and LEAD programs are involved as members of the NLN Nominating Committee, the CNE Board of Commissioners, the CNEA Board of Commissioners, and as CNEA onsite program evaluators. The contributors to the NLN TEQ blog series are all graduates of the NLN Leadership Development Program for Simulation Educators and provide faculty development to programs nationally though our Simulation Education Solutions for Nursing (SESN) program.

I am always grateful to the nurse leaders who mentored me at various stages in my career. I know that I would not be in the position I am in today if it were not for those who saw potential in me that I frequently could not see, and guided me along the way. So, mentorship, along with nursing leadership, are very close to my heart.

If you are thinking about leadership and about your future role in nursing education, be sure to take a look at the NLN Bookstore and scan our numerous publications, available with a generous discount for members. We published three new books in 2017. Roving Leadership: Breaking Through the Boundaries, co-authored by Sal Tagliareni, PhD, and Janice Brewington, PhD, RN, FAAN, director of the NLN Center for Transformational Leadership, is a short, practical book packed with wisdom. Janice and Sal are great storytellers and through stories they will help you find ways to empower yourself - and your staff - to overcome organizational obstacles and transcend barriers to success.

Look also at Designing & Creating a Culture of Care for Students & Faculty: The Chamberlain University College of Nursing Model, written by Chamberlain president Dr. Susan Groenwald. The Chamberlain College of Nursing is an NLN Center of Excellence, recognized for promoting the pedagogical expertise of faculty. Susan outlines effective approaches to faculty development and will help you avoid common pitfalls as you work to adapt your institution to create a caring model for students and faculty.

The third book we published in 2017 is another monograph, Critical Conversations: The NLN Guide for Teaching Thinking, by Susan Gross Forneris, PhD, RN, CNE, CHSE-A, Excelsior deputy director of the NLN Center for Innovation in Simulation Technology, and Mary Fey, PhD, RN, CHSE-A, associate director of the Simulation Educator Training Program at the Center for Medical Simulation in Boston. Sue and Mary provide a guide for helping students learn to think deeply and critically in any setting. Grounded in educational theory, this is a practical and concise publication that will help you shift the way your see your role in the teaching/learning process.

As I noted, we have many more publications available, and a constant stream of faculty development opportunities in many formats. Our goal is to promote excellence in nursing education, and we do that through you – helping you reach your leadership potential. At the NLN we build bridges of collaboration with faculty, deans, universities, corporate institutions, and with you, to extend communication, technology, educational research, and learning. We are marching toward our explosive 125th anniversary in 2018, seeing lights and possibilities shining in the distance.

Researchers using light simulation in bid to stop Alzheimer’s disease developing. Learn More. What is a high-stakes assessment in simulation education? Learn More. First General Surgery Virtual Residency Program To Allow Training Anytime Learn More. #NLNTEQ Now Accepting Applications for Nursing Education Research Grants Apply Today.

Next Issue of the NLN Member Update: Wednesday, November 15, 2017. View previous issues of NLN Member Update »