- Email: [email protected]
Make a Difference
From the AANP President Make a Difference
H
ow would you change the world if you had a magic wand or unlimited funds? Most of us had dreams of saving the world when we entered the health care field. Then reality hits. No one goes into the NP profession with the idea of treating patients or colleagues badly, but it happens. Payback and stress play a role in this behavior. I would ask each of us to change that dynamic. Each day (even the hard ones), let’s focus on the good things people are doing. Nurse practitioners (NPs) are amazing people and have the lives of patients in our hands every day. This is a daunting thought when we stop to ponder it and when we reflect on how our skills and knowledge were attained. Remember when someone took the time to teach you that task, that procedure, that concept that made things fall into place? Remember how the mastery of something made you feel? Be the mentor that you had (or wished you had). This will transcend to our patients as we partner with them on their health care journeys and improve health outcomes. I challenge each of us to care for ourselves as well. This is often difficult, with hectic schedules and stressors every day. We are no different than our patients and should partner with each other to follow healthy habits that include nutritious food choices, regular exercise and adequate sleep. (I am talking to myself as much as I am to each of you.) Long-term change does not happen overnight. Determination can wane when stress is high. Staying with a plan or goal takes continued dedication and friends to keep you focused. This is true with any endeavor. The NP profession is changing, as well. It is growing rapidly and has been recognized as one of the best jobs by US News and World Report. Care about your profession by insisting on our best—in education, research, health policy and practice. To this end, everybody wins. “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” Jackie Robinson Cindy Cooke, DNP, FNP-C, FAANP
The mission of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), a full-service national professional membership organization for NPs of all specialties, is to lead NPs in transforming patient-centered health care. AANP is governed by an elected board of directors composed of an executive committee, 11 regional directors, and a member at large. AANP Office of Government Affairs 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 525 Alexandria, VA 22314 Phone: (703) 740-2529 Fax: (703) 740-2533 [email protected] www.aanp.org
AANP Administrative Office PO Box 12846 Austin, TX 78711 Phone: (512) 442-4262 Fax: (512) 442-6469 [email protected] www.aanp.org
Executive Committee President Cindy Cooke, DNP, FNP-C, FAANP Immediate Past President Kenneth P. Miller, PhD, FNP, FAAN, FAANP Treasurer Joyce M. Knestrick, PhD, CRNP, FAANP Recording Secretary Cynthia J. Edwards-Tuttle, MSN, FNP-BC, FAANP Member at Large Jean Aertker, DNP, APRN-BC, FAANP
Regional Directors Region 1 e CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT Nancy C. O’Rourke, MSN, ANP, FAANP Region 2 e NJ, NY, Puerto Rico Donald Gardenier, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN Region 3 e DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV Susan Schrand, MSN, CRNP Region 4 e KY, NC, SC, TN Deborah C. Varnam, MSN, FNP-BC, FAANP Region 5 e IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI Kevin Ballard, DNP, FNP-C, FAANP Region 6 e AR, LA, OK, TX Sophie Thomas, FNP-BC, PPCNP-BC, FAANP Region 7 e IA, KS, MO, NE Kathleen Haycraft, DNP, FNP/PNP-BC, FAANP Region 8 e CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY Deanna Babb, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP Region 9 e AZ, CA, HI, NM, NV, Pacific US Territories Karen Ketner, DNP, FNP Region 10 e AK, ID, OR, WA Tracy Klein, PhD, FNP, FAANP, FAAN Region 11 e AL, FL, GA, Caribbean US Territories Jean Aertker, DNP, ARNP-BC, FAANP
Executive Staff David E. Hebert, JD Chief Executive Officer Diane Bohman, MBA, PHR VP, Human Resources Jac Greene, BA VP, Information Technology Taynin Kopanos, DNP, NP VP, State Government Affairs Nancy McMurrey, BA VP, Communications and Member Services Diane L. Padden, PhD, CRNP, FAANP VP, Research, Education, and Professional Practice MaryAnne Sapio, BS VP, Federal Government Affairs Debbie Smithey, BBA VP, Finance and Membership Jan Towers, PhD, NP-C, FAAN, FAANP Senior Policy Consultant Joann Washington VP, Conferences and Meetings
1555-4155/16/$ see front matter © 2016 Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2016.03.020
www.npjournal.org
The Journal for Nurse Practitioners - JNP
A17
H
ow would you change the world if you had a magic wand or unlimited funds? Most of us had dreams of saving the world when we entered the health care field. Then reality hits. No one goes into the NP profession with the idea of treating patients or colleagues badly, but it happens. Payback and stress play a role in this behavior. I would ask each of us to change that dynamic. Each day (even the hard ones), let’s focus on the good things people are doing. Nurse practitioners (NPs) are amazing people and have the lives of patients in our hands every day. This is a daunting thought when we stop to ponder it and when we reflect on how our skills and knowledge were attained. Remember when someone took the time to teach you that task, that procedure, that concept that made things fall into place? Remember how the mastery of something made you feel? Be the mentor that you had (or wished you had). This will transcend to our patients as we partner with them on their health care journeys and improve health outcomes. I challenge each of us to care for ourselves as well. This is often difficult, with hectic schedules and stressors every day. We are no different than our patients and should partner with each other to follow healthy habits that include nutritious food choices, regular exercise and adequate sleep. (I am talking to myself as much as I am to each of you.) Long-term change does not happen overnight. Determination can wane when stress is high. Staying with a plan or goal takes continued dedication and friends to keep you focused. This is true with any endeavor. The NP profession is changing, as well. It is growing rapidly and has been recognized as one of the best jobs by US News and World Report. Care about your profession by insisting on our best—in education, research, health policy and practice. To this end, everybody wins. “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” Jackie Robinson Cindy Cooke, DNP, FNP-C, FAANP
The mission of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), a full-service national professional membership organization for NPs of all specialties, is to lead NPs in transforming patient-centered health care. AANP is governed by an elected board of directors composed of an executive committee, 11 regional directors, and a member at large. AANP Office of Government Affairs 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 525 Alexandria, VA 22314 Phone: (703) 740-2529 Fax: (703) 740-2533 [email protected] www.aanp.org
AANP Administrative Office PO Box 12846 Austin, TX 78711 Phone: (512) 442-4262 Fax: (512) 442-6469 [email protected] www.aanp.org
Executive Committee President Cindy Cooke, DNP, FNP-C, FAANP Immediate Past President Kenneth P. Miller, PhD, FNP, FAAN, FAANP Treasurer Joyce M. Knestrick, PhD, CRNP, FAANP Recording Secretary Cynthia J. Edwards-Tuttle, MSN, FNP-BC, FAANP Member at Large Jean Aertker, DNP, APRN-BC, FAANP
Regional Directors Region 1 e CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT Nancy C. O’Rourke, MSN, ANP, FAANP Region 2 e NJ, NY, Puerto Rico Donald Gardenier, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN Region 3 e DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV Susan Schrand, MSN, CRNP Region 4 e KY, NC, SC, TN Deborah C. Varnam, MSN, FNP-BC, FAANP Region 5 e IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI Kevin Ballard, DNP, FNP-C, FAANP Region 6 e AR, LA, OK, TX Sophie Thomas, FNP-BC, PPCNP-BC, FAANP Region 7 e IA, KS, MO, NE Kathleen Haycraft, DNP, FNP/PNP-BC, FAANP Region 8 e CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY Deanna Babb, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP Region 9 e AZ, CA, HI, NM, NV, Pacific US Territories Karen Ketner, DNP, FNP Region 10 e AK, ID, OR, WA Tracy Klein, PhD, FNP, FAANP, FAAN Region 11 e AL, FL, GA, Caribbean US Territories Jean Aertker, DNP, ARNP-BC, FAANP
Executive Staff David E. Hebert, JD Chief Executive Officer Diane Bohman, MBA, PHR VP, Human Resources Jac Greene, BA VP, Information Technology Taynin Kopanos, DNP, NP VP, State Government Affairs Nancy McMurrey, BA VP, Communications and Member Services Diane L. Padden, PhD, CRNP, FAANP VP, Research, Education, and Professional Practice MaryAnne Sapio, BS VP, Federal Government Affairs Debbie Smithey, BBA VP, Finance and Membership Jan Towers, PhD, NP-C, FAAN, FAANP Senior Policy Consultant Joann Washington VP, Conferences and Meetings
1555-4155/16/$ see front matter © 2016 Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2016.03.020
www.npjournal.org
The Journal for Nurse Practitioners - JNP
A17