November 26 - The Biennial Survey / Notes from the Chamberlain Center

As you read this message, colleagues, some of you will be rolling out pie dough, some will be dicing onions and celery for your traditional turkey stuffing (and others, like me, will be preparing to enjoy the feast) – no one multitasks like a nurse educator. But busy as you are, I hope you will wipe your hands and read today's NLN Member Update. As always, I have lots to share.

First I want to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving. There is no other American holiday quite like it. I hope yours is peaceful and satisfying, and, of course, healthy. I try to take a brisk walk before and after our Thanksgiving feast.

Shortly after Thanksgiving, colleagues, those of you who are deans, directors, or nursing department chairs will receive an invitation to participate in the 2014 NLN Biennial Survey of Schools of Nursing (formerly known as the NLN Annual Survey of Schools of Nursing). I know completing these surveys is no one's favorite task, but the cumulative results from the NLN survey, from all schools of nursing, are extremely important to public policy planners. Policy makers use the NLN's workforce data as they design legislation, approve budgets, and formulate long-range educational goals.

The NLN must provide trustworthy, comprehensive, and current data to communicate what you already know: that the shortage of nurses and nurse educators poses a real challenge to our current health care system. But we offer more than data. We need you to communicate with your representatives in Washington about the importance of adequate funding ($251 million) for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs at the Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA). As reported in November's NLN Nursing Education Policy Newsletter, members of Congress are now working to determine how to fund the government for fiscal year (FY) 2015, including Title VIII funding for the education of nurses, nurse faculty, and nurse researchers. As an NLN member, you are a leader in nursing education – and Congress needs to hear from you.

Now I want to direct your attention back to the Professional Development and Lifelong Learning Bulletin you received last Thursday, November 20. Doesn't it look great? I've spoken about this in the past – we have so much going on at the NLN that it is a constant struggle to find efficient, attractive ways to get our message across without bombarding you with competing messages.

For the November 20th bulletin, we decided to spotlight the work of the NLN | Chamberlain College of Nursing Center for the Advancement of the Science of Nursing Education, the first national center committed to leadership in building the discipline of nursing through scientific inquiry. Under the direction of Dr. Betty Dennis, there is a lot going on:

• Our NLN Research in Nursing Education Grants program is now accepting proposals for the 2015 grant funding cycle — the deadline is February 19, 2015. We have prepared a comprehensive Q&A to help you with your application. And we also offer an archived webinar, "Critical Points in Submitting Successful Nursing Education Research Proposals" by Dr. Barbara Patterson, chair of the NLN Research Review Panel, and Dr. Angela McNelis, a member of the panel. These resources will help you prepare the best possible application.
• Rolling applications are now open for our amazing Scholarly Writing Retreats. Three are scheduled for 2015 in Chicago (April 24-26), Denver (June 26-28), and Dallas (November 13-15), with January 9 the deadline for the Chicago retreat. It is important to understand that these retreats are, in essence, a yearlong mentorship experience, with groups limited to 10 participants. From the day your application is accepted, you will be guided through the writing process, from topic, to journal selection, to the preparation of a manuscript ready for a submission to peer-reviewed journal. Results of a survey of past participants are published in the Headlines from the NLN in Nursing Education Perspectives, Vol. 35, No. 5. As in past years, journal editors and authors Dr. Marilyn Oermann and Dr. Leslie Nicoll will lead the three retreats. Let me extend a big thank you to Pocket Nurse for their generous support for our Scholarly Writing Retreats.
• Nursing Education Perspectives is planning a special September–October issue on the use of simulation in nursing education (our Summit edition). Dr. Pam Jeffries, who is serving as guest editor, is looking for multisite research studies on the use of simulation experiences in nursing education. The editors are also seeking Research Briefs, pilot studies on the use of simulation, and strategies for using simulation for the Innovation Center. Review the Author Guidelines and submit your manuscript by April 1, 2015. Goodness, we're already into next year. We as nurse educators have to stay at the top of our game.

There, I think that's enough to digest for now. But before I close, let me mention Giving Tuesday, a movement started in 2012 as a response to the commercialization and consumerism in the post-Thanksgiving season. This year Giving Tuesday is December 2, a perfect day to remember the NLN Foundation for Nursing Education. Think about those research grants I mentioned earlier ... your gift to the NLN Foundation will help us in our efforts to support the science of nursing education while increasing the scholarships funds we are able to offer to nursing students. Thank you in advance for your generosity.

And again, have a wonderful Thanksgiving. We truly have so much to be grateful for ... Just think about being part of the most respected and trusted profession – the profession that produced the nurses of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas who treated Thomas Eric Duncan, the first Ebola patient diagnosed in America. Nina Pham and Amber Joy Vinson, who contracted the disease, and John Mulligan, Sidia Rose, Richard Townsend, and Krista Schaefer, featured in an interview on 60 Minutes – as well as many others whose names we do not know – showed the world what caring, integrity, diversity, and excellence are all about. We know that these courageous nurses represent nursing at its best.

All best wishes,


Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN
Chief Executive Officer