October 17, 2018 | NLN CEO Update on NLN Toolkits, Vision Statement and Elections

Does your school of nursing take advantage of the NLN toolkits? I hope you do and I would like to encourage you to review our offerings today. We provide a wide variety of informative toolkits that cover: public policy advocacy, effective professional education, preparation for global experiences, diversity and inclusion, and innovation in curriculum design. We continue the standard of excellence in this area with our newest toolkit: "Nursing Leaders in the Military Serving as Faculty." This offering can be adopted by all types of academic and practice institutions. It's a wonderful piece of work, designed to help institutions avoid the pitfalls and maximize the opportunities in recruiting and mentoring military nurse officers for a second career in academia.

Given the critical need for a diverse pool of highly skilled nurse faculty, former military officers present a largely untapped resource for schools of nursing. The toolkit offers practical guidance for managing the processes of recruitment, hiring, and assimilation through the examination of schools of nursing requirements, norms, and expectations. It outlines the differences between academic and military cultures, as well as the similarities in attitudes and skill sets. I want to thank the authors for their excellent and comprehensive work: Drs. Patricia Allen and Myrna Armstrong of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and Dr. Donna Lake of East Carolina University College of Nursing. Myrna and Donna write from experience — Myrna served as a colonel in the US Army Reserve and Donna was a colonel in the US Air Force Nurse Corp. Their voices and experiences shine throughout, making this another compelling and essential read. Take advantage of the opportunity to add excellent faculty to your staff now and for the future.

Another new must-read from the NLN is the Healthful Work Environment Toolkit, a revision of work first published in 2005. The original toolkit was developed in response to findings from a national study of faculty role satisfaction. Needless to say, there has been a lot of research in the last 15 years that has furthered our understanding of job satisfaction. We have a better comprehension of the factors that lead to satisfaction, as well as those that lead to dissatisfaction and affect faculty retention. The toolkit has sections on fostering safe, civil, and collegial learning environments; faculty salaries and benefits; faculty workload; role development and mentorship; as well as scholarship and leadership. Each is based on current research, and each includes a list of well-chosen resources. We owe special thanks to Dr. Susan Luparell of Montana State University for her leadership in updating this toolkit.

I am excited to report that November 8–9, Susan will conduct the workshop "How to Improve the Health of Your Learning Environment: Fostering Civility among Students and Faculty." This workshop is designed to equip educators with tangible strategies to cultivate civility within the learning environment and adeptly manage difficult student situations. Novices and seasoned faculty alike will gain valuable tips that can be effectively implemented in our schools. The NLN is eager to welcome attendees to our Washington, DC office for this workshop. Colleagues, I recommend that you not miss this one. Register today!

Along with the updated toolkit, the NLN has issued an important new Vision Statement, "A Vision for Creating Community to Build a Civil and Healthy Academic Work Environment." The statement discusses the attributes of civility — being fully present, respecting one another, honoring differences — and our role in generating a national dialogue directed toward embedding a culture of civility into the vision, mission, and shared values of your nursing program. As always, we offer specific recommendations for individual faculty and the leadership of schools of nursing. These will help as you work with students in the classroom and interact with colleagues in engaging conversations. We lay out a series of recommendations that include faculty development and support for research studies to identify best practices and evidence-based strategies to foster and sustain civility in academic environments.

I imagine that like me, you are longing for civility in the public sphere and overall respect for human dignity. We hope that we can all talk to each other, not at each other. We are therefore calling for a cultural transformation in schools of nursing to co-create and implement civility and inclusiveness strategies as well as interventions among nurse educators and, by extension, nursing students. Let the NLN help you create and sustain a culture of civility and respect in your nursing program that enables faculty, staff, and students to thrive and develop the skills necessary to transform clinical practice environments.

Let me stop here and say that our hearts and minds are with everyone affected by Hurricane Michael as well as with those still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Florence and aftereffects brought on by Michael. In the great tradition of nursing, we stood ready to assist when these hurricanes hit. Nurses, nurse educators, and nursing students are continuing our service to society by volunteering with the American Red Cross' relief operations. And then we have to remember the nurses, first responders, and other health care providers working in hospitals, clinics, and community centers to support patients, families, and entire communities during and after these disasters. Let me be one of many to say THANK YOU. Thank you for your time, energy, and readiness to ensure the health and well-being of those we serve.

I must remind you of the importance of voting in this year's midterm elections. You can apply for an absentee ballot if needed, vote early if allowed, or vote on Election Day (Tuesday, November 6). The same applies to your students, who may not have voting at the top of their to-do list. In fact, the NLN has an election coming up in spring 2019. We are seeking nominations for notable openings on the NLN Nominations Committee, Certification Commission, and Board of Governors: president-elect, secretary, and governor-at-large. We need strong individuals in leadership positions who exemplify our core values of caring, integrity, diversity/inclusion, and excellence. Nominate a colleague or put your own name forward.

Before closing, I need to share with you that one of our heroes has left us. Dr. Colleen Conway-Welch died on October 12, following a courageous battle with cancer. Colleen was the dean of nursing at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing for 29 years. Dr. Linda Norman, presently dean of nursing at Vanderbilt, said it best: "Colleen has long been the role model for nurse leaders, always putting other people first and inspiring others to excellence. Vanderbilt and the nursing profession have lost a passionate advocate and visionary."

On a personal note, Colleen chaired the search committee that found me in London and lured me back across the Atlantic to this most wonderful position at the National League for Nursing. Colleen, I salute you as an innovative educator and a star whose light will continue to shine in the lives of every nurse touched by your greatness.

Read how Escape Rooms are being used to teach nursing and pharmacy students teamwork, Learn More. Don't miss the latest article from #NLNTEQ on Best Practices – Simulation Consortia Part 1, Read More. Five ways nurses can earn extra income from their skillset and time, Read More. What You Need to Know About the Nurse Licensure Compact Changes, Learn More.

Next Issue of the NLN Member Update: Wednesday, October 31, 2018. View previous issues of NLN Member Update »