May, 2012
It has been a privilege and honor to serve as your President for the past year. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the ASTDN team that worked with me to achieve the goals that I set last May 2011. The Board members: Clair Millet, Lisette Osborne, Tom Engle, Julie McMahon, Bobbie Bagley, Juanita Graham, John Hankins and our very capable contract ASTDN staff Karen O'Brien, Janet DeVeny-Edwards, and John McDaniel.
We hope to see many of you next week in Austin, Texas at our annual 2012 meeting. You will hear presentations and reports of the organizational progress that has been made due to the dedication and efforts of many ASTDN members. This will be a historic meeting as it is the last ASTDN annual meeting as we begin a new national public health nursing organization, the Association of Public Health Nurses (APHN).
I would like to provide my final report on my Presidential goals.
Increasing organizational funding opportunities
Our Executive Director, Karen O'Brien has worked tirelessly with the Board and Resource Development workgroup to secure funding for our organization. Since my last report ASTDN has been awarded two new grants. We are awaiting word on the RWJF grant that was submitted with ACHNE but the good news is that our submission has moved to the next phase in the review process. You will hear more details on funding opportunities at the annual meeting next week in Texas.
Fostering existing and establishing new public health partnerships & collaborations
Your ASTDN Executive Committee members continue to participate on several national meeting calls to represent and be the voice of public health nursing.
ASTDN members continue to lead and/or participate in several key PHN projects and initiatives such as Dr. Joy Reed who is the vice chair of the PHN Scope and Standards of Practice workgroup; ASTDN members Michelle Cravetz, Dr. Susan Swider and David Reyes and Dr. Joyce Krothe worked on creating PHN competencies that are now available and posted on the ASTDN website.
ASTDN Public Health Nurse Leaders are continuing to be asked to attend forums and national meetings. We need to be at the table and be visible as often as possible either in person or via conference call.
Enhancing communication
Several enhancements have been made to the ASTDN website with the assistance of Glenda Kelly, Communications Coordinator, Janet DeVeny - Edwards, ASTDN's Administrative Assistant and John McDaniel, ASTDN's webmaster. The Members Only" section began in October 2011 and has been loaded with useful information such as Executive Committee monthly meeting minutes and reports as well as the annual meeting documents and much more. Please log in and check it out if you have not done so already.
We held another series of seven (7) regional membership calls the week of April 9th.
I am very happy to report that public health nursing was highlighted in a second American Nurse newsletter article "HHS announces new health promotion, disease prevention strategy" that was published in Jan/Feb 2012.
Expanding ASTDN membership.
Bobbie Bagley, Membership Committee Chairperson and the committee worked hard this past year to ensure that all states and territories have an ASTDN member. Work will continue in this area as we change to APHN with new membership categories effective July 1, 2012.
Our two new regional representatives Barbara Dingfelder from CT and LuAnne McNichols from MN are doing a wonderful job. We have two new regional representative vacancies in the South Central and Mid Atlantic regions. Please let us know if you are interested in helping as a regional representative.
Pursuing and offering PHN Leadership educational opportunities
Two successful Nurse Family Partnership webinars were held on January 5 and February 2, 2012. The webinar archives and the slides are posted on the ASTDN website Home page.
On April 11, 2012 ASTDN hosted a PHN educational webinar entitled "All Out for Excellence: Certification and Degree Completion for Public Health Nurses". My thanks to our speakers: Dr. Lisa Campbell, Michelle Cravetz and Dr. Christine Vandenhouten. The goal was to increase awareness of the APHN-BC exam. We encourage more PHNs to sit for this exam in the next several months.
In closing, please consider sharing your expertise with your PHN organization. We all need to take an active role to be able to grow APHN into the future.
I am very thankful for my wonderful public health nursing colleagues and friends from across the country. I have seen their dedication to public health and public health nursing and I am continually inspired.
The foundation has been set this year as we move from ASTDN to APHN. I know that our organization will be in very capable hands as Lisette Osborne begins her Presidency at the close of our annual meeting on May 9, 2012. Lisette is knowledgeable and has many skills that APHN and its members will benefit from. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Lisette and working with her this past year.
My best wishes to you in the future!
