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Dear OADN Members:

I hope everyone had the opportunity to take a breath and enjoy the holiday season over the past few weeks. Unfortunately, I know from member communications that many of you have been impacted by the Omicron variant. However, the positive news is the illness has been less severe.  I know all of us have been impacted in one way or another, but as we enter 2022 may we celebrate a new year with new beginnings.

It is often customary for the first communication of the new year to reflect on the past year’s work and provide perspective for the year ahead of the organization. I would like to briefly continue with this tradition by highlighting some of OADN’s work while emphasizing that this work is only possible due to the dedication of OADN members. It is difficult in a limited message to share all that has occurred, but I would like to focus on a few high points.

The world of simulation changed dramatically during the pandemic, as the shift was made to the high demand for virtual simulation. Throughout 2021, the OADN Virtual Simulation Task Force under the leadership of OADN member Dr. Rebecca Cockrell developed a structured and objective resource to assist nursing educators in identifying products that augment or replace clinical experiences. The OADN Simulation Task Force members’ creation of this database of virtual simulation product reviews is unprecedented in nursing education. The success of this initiative is unparalleled with tireless efforts and consistent dedication to the project through the task force members who provided this valuable resource to OADN members.

Disturbing events in our country raised awareness of the impact that racial and social injustice has on Americans’ health and well-being and as a result, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force was formed. The OADN Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force members developed a bold position paper with actionable items. The actions once again keep in mind the need to assist OADN members by “providing learning opportunities for nursing faculty and students that critically examine the social determinants of health, the social mission of nursing, and the needs of under-resourced communities.”  The OADN Board of Directors unanimously endorsed this exceptional paper that was authored by OADN members:  Dr. Anna Valdez, Patrick McMurray, Dr. Angela Millan, Dr. Justin Fontenot, Dr. Tyler Sturdivant, Dr. Sharon Goldfarb, Lorrie Davis-Dick, and Deonna Thompson.

Throughout 2021 the OADN COVID Task Force members continued to focus on the trends driving changes resulting from the pandemic, as well as the tools needed to undertake new challenges. The Task Force recognized the unique set of challenges and opportunities faced by ADN educators and created a repository that included resources for online teaching, updates in regulations, changes in clinical placements, and important nursing education tool kits. This committed group of OADN members meets monthly to assess the ever-changing environment in nursing education. The Task Force is now focusing on the Future of Nursing 2020-2030 recommendations to influence and innovate specifically as it relates to Recommendation 8 which in part states the “nursing profession should strengthen and protect the nursing workforce during the response to such public health emergencies as the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters, including those related to climate change.”

The OADN Research Committee is a long-standing committee of OADN and over the years has done exceptional work including publication. The OADN Research Committee members understand the many areas of research needed for ADN education. Consequently, this enthusiastic and devoted committee has decided to undertake a major project on ADN Faculty Salary and Workforce Shortage. Collection of this data is critical as OADN pursue strategies to address this nationwide issue. The committee is currently developing a survey with plans for dissemination in early 2022. We are hopeful all OADN members will participate.

As you look back at this message you will notice the words, “OADN members” emphasized throughout. OADN would not be the thriving organization it is today if it were not for the continued support from each of you. Each of you has persevered and made a difference as you educate nursing students. YOUR impact as an OADN member continues to advance the profession.  My new year message is not about what OADN has accomplished but about what you have helped us accomplish. “Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.” – Helen Keller

I want to wish each of you a healthy, adventurous, and a year full of laughter.

 

 

Donna Meyer, MSN, RN, ANEF, FAADN, FAAN
Chief Executive Officer, OADN

Dear OADN Members:

As I traveled home from the OADN Annual Convention in Austin, I reflected on how thrilled I was to see so many of you in person and have the opportunity to meet and speak with you directly. It was inspiring to hear your stories and learn about your experiences over the past 20 months. I believe we have truly risen to the challenge and demonstrated the ability “to Move Beyond 2020,” with each of you being a testament to overcoming adversity. All the exceptional presentations showed resilience, creativity, and a steadfast determination to provide the best possible learning environment for each student to be successful at a critically challenging time when competent nurses are desperately needed.

I was amazed by the faculty and student poster presentations this year. It was so exciting to see the winning students called to the stage at the Town Hall Meeting to receive their monetary awards. Thank you to OADN’s exclusive compliance partner CastleBranch for such a generous donation that enabled OADN to recognize the demanding work of the superior faculty and student poster presenters. In particular, the student poster presentations provided a wonderful learning experience for the students, and it will surely be a memorable event as they continue their education and advance their careers in the nursing profession.

Another terrific opportunity at the Convention this year was the Leadership Workshop, Your Leadership Journey: Invest in Yourself! I spoke with several of you who participated, and you all provided incredibly positive feedback about this wonderful professional leadership opportunity. As you may know, this initiative was part of our strategic plan for the past year. Mary Dickow, OADN Director of Leadership Development, assembled a wonderful group of speakers to help provide information and essential skills every leader needs to be successful when navigating their professional journey. We announced the new OADN Leadership Institute, accepting applications for two (10 participant) cohorts in 2022. The OADN Leadership Institute will be a four-month cohort-based program and will provide participants with an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas, and share perspectives through mentoring, virtual seminars, roundtable discussions, and peer-to-peer coaching in a supportive environment. The application cycle runs from November 29, 2021, through January 10, 2022. Contact Mary at mary.dickow@oadn.org for more information.

I would like to thank everyone who was able to attend the OADN Convention, both in person and virtually. We deeply appreciate your support and welcome the opportunity to provide resources that will assist you in your daily work. Our goal is for you to walk away from every OADN event with the most valuable, up-to-date information and resources you can apply to your program as soon as you return home.

Thank you again for trusting me to represent you as your OADN President. I will continue to do my best to work with the OADN Board of Directors and staff to advocate for your interests and help advance OADN. As we move into this busy time of the year with semesters ending, family responsibilities, and holiday commitments, I hope you can find some time to take care of yourself. As I have stated in previous messages, we cannot continue to help others if we do not take care of ourselves!

 

 

 

My wish is that you and your families have a blessed holiday season!

Please take care,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Laura Schmidt, DNP, FNP-BC
President, OADN

Dear OADN Members:

As you know, OADN has always been committed to promoting best practices in nursing education and supporting academic progression within the profession. Support for all pathways into the nursing profession is critically important now more than ever if we hope to meet the current nursing workforce demands facing our country and continue to make a positive impact on the health and well-being of the communities we serve. As an active member of the leadership alliance, OADN has been very engaged in the advancement of nursing academic progression through the National Education Progression in Nursing (NEPIN) Collaborative, NEPIN: National Education in Nursing Collaborative – Academic Progression: fostering collaboration to ensure that nurses have access to higher levels of education and achievement. (nepincollaborative.org)

Last week, NEPIN released a groundbreaking report that includes key information regarding Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) enrollment and graduation data. I believe you will find the information in this report timely as leaders in ADN education. The Trends in Nursing Academic Progression 2016-2020 report is the culmination of years of commitment and hard work by nursing leaders and health care stakeholders who share a common goal of delivering successful patient outcomes from a well-equipped and sufficiently supported nursing workforce. This outstanding report, which is the first of its kind at the national level, will serve as a single data source to equitably interpret current trends in nursing academic progression. The data sheds light on a five-year period and highlights many success stories, including a 23% increase in ADN to BSN enrollments as well as an increase of 13% to 27% in the number of ADNs graduating with a BSN. The report also includes critical information on the important work ADN programs have done to remove barriers to access and support academic progression among a diverse student population. NEPIN’s Executive Director, Tina Lear, acknowledges that with all the success there is still more work to do, “our mission is not complete, and I encourage you to visit our website to see the important work to date as well as ongoing projects that could benefit from your expertise – as nursing education leaders – to further the commitment to academic progression across the country.”

Another way NEPIN is advancing excellence in nursing education is through its innovative Quality Designation Program for Accredited Nursing Programs. Lear explains, “The NEPIN Quality Designation is a wonderful opportunity for accredited nursing programs to be recognized for their strategic plans that enhance, empower, and encourage students to achieve a higher level of education. I highly encourage you to look at the application and consider applying for this prestigious acknowledgement to aid in the effort to advance nurses to higher degrees and create a workforce that optimizes the health of all Americans.” The application and additional information can be found at Quality Designation – NEPIN: National Education in Nursing Collaborative (nepincollaborative.org)

As nursing education leaders, we understand how vitally important ADN programs are to producing a highly trained, skilled, and diverse nursing workforce in this country. It is imperative that we share our knowledge and the recent NEPIN findings within our communities as we continue to advocate for community college nursing programs that are graduating more than 50% of the nursing workforce in our country. The NEPIN Trends Report provides indisputable evidence that clearly shows ADN graduates are committed to academic progression as many ADN graduates continue to the BSN or a higher advanced degree.

For the health of our profession and the communities we serve, we must continue our efforts to promote a nursing pipeline of qualified and diverse professionals. Thank you for all you do as leaders to mentor and support your students and faculty as they progress on their academic journey and prepare to realize their full potential. The future of our profession and the health of our nation depend on it.

Please take care,

 

 

Donna Meyer, MSN, RN, ANEF, FAADN, FAAN
CEO, OADN

Dear OADN Members:

When the OADN 2021 Convention theme was originally announced, my initial thought was overwhelming excitement at the prospect of being able to move forward and leave much of what we experienced in 2020 behind us. As we all know, we are still being confronted with many challenges from last year, but it is time “to Move Beyond 2020” and look to the future. For this reason, I am elated about the idea of seeing so many of you at the face-to-face OADN Convention this November 18th – 21st in Austin, Texas. It will be a time for us to reconnect as much as possible, learn from one another and share our stories together. OADN has always been a strong, vibrant community of sharing and supportive nurse educators, and the 2021 Convention will bring us together at a time when we need that support the most. I know many of you are faced with travel restrictions, budget constraints, as well personal choices that preclude you from attending this year and that is all understandable. But, rest assured, when the ribbon is cut for the opening of the keynote session, ALL OF YOU will be with us whether in the ballroom or from a distance.

This year’s Convention is filled with exceptional workshops and general sessions, beginning with the keynote, Meaningful Recognition and Resilience: The Evidence is Clear, presented by Bonnie and Mark Barnes from the DAISY Foundation. Dr. Phil Dickison, Dr. Tim Bristol and Karin Sherrill will share the latest on the NextGen NCLEX and innovative strategies to assist with student success. From Foster Care to PhD: Why Faculty Should Always Root for the Underdog will be an inspiring, personal journey delivered by Dr. Sharrica Miller. In this age of increased simulation and the need for inclusivity, Dr. Desiree Díaz will present Leveraging Simulation to Address Societal Needs and Elicit Change. Additionally, there will be an abundance of concurrent sessions to choose from and an extensive exhibit hall to view the latest, most innovative products and services. Finally, Dr. Anna Valdez will moderate a stimulating closing panel at Convention entitled, Achieving Equity: Reimagining the Future of Associate Degree Nursing Education.

The OADN Board and staff will continue to monitor the trends in Austin, and we are working with our host hotel, Austin Marriott Downtown, to implement all necessary event and meeting space safety precautions. A set of COVID-19 Safety Protocols are available on the 2021 Convention website: The Power of Nursing Education to Move Beyond 2020. The health, safety and well-being of everyone attending this year’s Convention is our top priority, which is why we are asking all attendees to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 and wear a mask in all indoor meeting spaces. Please review the COVID-19 Safety Protocols carefully and check back regularly for updates to the Convention website.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is a major priority for OADN, from the formation of the DEI Task Force to the release of the OADN Position Statement on Racial and Social Equity and the corresponding webinar to be held on October 19th. OADN also actively participates on the ANA Commission to Address Racism in Nursing, and OADN recently launched a very important research study, Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Among ADN Educators. I would like to personally request your participation in this critically important study examining ADN faculty understanding about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Just like you, I am frequently asked to complete surveys so I understand they can be burdensome at times. However, participation in this study is critical as it will assist in the associate degree nursing (ADN) voice being included in this significant, growing body of research. Additionally, findings from this study can be used to guide future OADN initiatives that are focused specifically on the needs of ADN faculty rather than taking our cues and directions from other organizations. You can learn more about the study and find the link to participate at Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Among ADN Nurse Educators – (oadn.org)

In closing, please remember how important and valued each of you are to OADN and know that we will persevere together on our journey to advance excellence in nursing education even through these extraordinary times. Please take care, do one special thing for yourself, and acknowledge how much you have done for the next generation of nurses.

Take care,

 

 

Donna Meyer, MSN, RN, ANEF, FAADN, FAAN
CEO, OADN