NCC Sends Letter to Appropriators Reiterating FY 2021 Funding Request
On June 22, sixty-one Nursing Community Coalition members signed onto letters to the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies reiterating our shared funding requests of at least $278 million for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs and at least $182 million for the National Institute of Nursing Research for Fiscal Year 2021, as well as, supplemental funding to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Members of the Nursing Community Coalition stand united in the fight against racial inequality and injustice. We call for America to be better and pledge to do all we can in that cause. Read NCC member organization’s individual statements here.
On June 4, the Nursing Community Coalition released a statement expressing our deep concern with the President’s decision to terminate the U.S. relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO) and strongly urging the President to reconsider.
(May 2020) – Shiv Gaglani, the co-founder and CEO of Osmosis, hosted OADN CEO Donna Meyer to discuss the realities facing early-career nurses and discuss the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the nursing workforce.
“Community college nursing education is essential for the health of the country.”
In these challenging COVID-19 times our nation has embraced nurses as the heroes among us. We often look to our heroes and leaders for guidance. Now, more than ever nurse leaders are being recognized for their important role in leading through crisis and beyond. As we celebrate Nurses Week 2020 Sharon Goldfarb had the opportunity to talk with Donna Meyer, CEO, Organization for Associate Degree Nursing about her pathway, the profession and the role nurses play in the health of our communities.
Her Nursing Journey:
At sixteen, Donna Meyer volunteered as a candy-striper at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis. This rewarding experience had a profound influence on her career path. Like so many college students, Donna wanted to find a major to “save the world” and after considering psychology, her sister, a nurse, implored her to consider nursing. She enrolled in Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville and began working as a patient care technician at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. After graduating with her BSN she was hired as a staff nurse. The work was very fulfilling. Donna admitted that when working with the children and their families she often “received more from them than she gave,” as they provided her with continued inspiration. Her clinical excellence did not go unnoticed and she was soon precepting student nurses. She found the mentoring experience gratifying and loved seeing the moment when a student’s lightbulb went off. It was clear then that her path would be to become a nurse educator.
When Donna was hired at Lewis and Clark Community College she did not realize it would be a life-changing transition. The college had a bold, visionary President with an institutional culture that supported the faculty and innovation. The passion and dedication of the nursing faculty to support student success was a culture that matched Donna’s core values. During her tenure, Donna developed the first community college based, nurse-managed, interprofessional clinic for a rural community in the nation, with a mobile unit to boot. She also assisted in creating an ADN college program in a Navajo community.
After her tenure as a faculty member, Donna was appointed Director of Nursing and enjoyed the administrative role. Her talent was evident, and Donna became Dean of Health Professions at the community college. Active in nursing organizations, Donna achieved prominent roles in both Sigma chapter of Epsilon Eta and the Illinois OADN chapter. A mentor encouraged her to run for the board of directors of the Organization for Associate Degree Nursing (OADN). After two terms, Donna became president of OADN and served from 2011-2014. In 2015, Donna became OADN’s first Chief Executive Officer, and she was inducted as a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing in 2019.
OADN Today:
“It is important to support each other; we are stronger together.”
Donna has charted a meteoric trajectory for OADN and associate degree nursing today. She has overseen dramatic growth in the organization, adding membership and garnering important attention to the vital contributions of associate degree nursing graduates. Donna uses her platform as a frequent national speaker to elevate the voice of the associate degree nurse at national professional nursing meetings and other convenings of healthcare leaders. OADN members were thrilled to see her give testimony at the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine for the inaugural meeting of the Future of Nursing 2020-2030 Consensus Study Committee. See her remarks here.
Donna continues to work on thoughtful strategies for academic progression for the associate degree nursing student. She also wants to help associate degree nursing faculty, dean’s and directors be more empowered as leaders recognizing that guidance, support, and mentorship are essential for nurse educators. As our leadership grows, and we model leadership for the future nursing workforce, the role of professional nurses will continue to evolve. “In a perfect world,” Donna states, “we would see nurses playing a more vibrant role in ambulatory care settings; nurses are the key to a better health care system, and RN’s should be utilized to the full scope of their practice.”
Social Mission
“Social mission is about making health not only better but fairer—more just, reliable, and universal. It focuses on the purpose of education in the health professions, the ethical dimension of what it is to be a teaching institution and to whom the institution is accountable.” Fitzhugh Mullan
Donna is also translating her work nationally through the George Washington University Mullan Institute’s Committee on Social Mission in Health Education and spear-heading the Social Mission in Associate Degree Nursing Education. “Community college nursing is the community it serv
es,” Donna asserts. “Social Mission is the very essence of the nursing profession. Our historical roots lay in the work Florence Nightingale accomplished 200 years ago, the roots of nursing in the Red Cross. We must always acknowledge that the social determinants of health and population health are the heart of nursing and open-up the dialogue to be strategic in promoting health equity across the nation. Nursing is positioned to tackle issues of educational disparities, food deserts, access to clean water, and social determinants of health to meet this challenge.” One way of achieving this, Donna suggests, is to emphasize the importance service community projects as part of associate degree nursing curriculum.
Donna’s Advice
“Nevertheless, she persisted”
Donna has embraced this motto and is reminded every day by a bracelet she wears with the quote engraved. Her advice to all is “Be true to yourself, be compassionate, and support each other.” With Donna’s energy, vision, wisdom, and intelligence, OADN has a dynamic leader shaping the future of nursing. What better time than now to support the future of the nursing profession and support OADN by becoming a member.
Join OADN today and support Donna Meyer’s vision and mission: Join Here
AJN clinical editor Betsy Todd speaks with Donna Meyer, chief executive officer of the Organization for Associate Degree Nursing, about new collaborations that strengthen AD nursing education, and how AD education fits into the larger picture of the future of nursing. This podcast is part of the AJN series on the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, recorded in January 2020.
Celebrating the Life of Judi Crume
OADN Mourns the Passing of Past President
It is with sincere sympathy that the OADN Board of Directors shares that Judi Crume, OADN President from 2010-2011 passed away on April 14 in Phoenix, Arizona. Judi served on the OADN Board of Directors from 2008 – 2010, and was nationally elected to the position of OADN President in 2010. Judi was passionate about nursing education, specifically academic progression for associate degree nursing graduates.
Judi graduated from Ohio County High School and earned a BSN from Murray State University and an MSN from the University of Kentucky. She thoroughly enjoyed being a student and considered herself a life-long learner receiving a PhD in Philosophy, Public Administration, and Public Policy from Auburn University.
Judi held many different positions during her nursing career including Vanderbilt Hospital (Nashville, TN) and St. Joseph’s Hospital (Phoenix, AZ). She served as Chief of the Arizona Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, Executive Officer of the Alabama Board of Nursing, as the Associate Executive Director of the Arizona Board of Nursing, Nursing Chair at Estrella Mountain Community College, Nursing Administrator at Maricopa Community College District, Dean of Nursing at Arizona College, as well as consulting work throughout the years. She was a passionate patient care advocate, and fought to ensure that all nurses have the opportunity to advance in their educational journey.
Please, join us in remembering Judi Crume’s life and legacy.
(April 8, 2020) OADN welcomes The World Health Organization’s State of the World’s Nursing 2020: Investing in Education, Jobs and Leadership Report. This report, which coincides with the 2020 International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, take on new meaning during the unprecedented global conronavirus pandemic. The report’s recommendations “to invest in a massive acceleration of nursing education, create at least 6 million new nursing jobs by 2030 and strengthen nurse leadership” are amplified in the current crisis. At a time when the public is reminded about the critical role of nurses as frontline care providers, this report underscores the extreme importance that all nurses work to their level of preparation and education to better ensure population health outcomes.
OADN was pleased to be involved in a planning meeting in 2019 that brought together United States Nursing Leaders to discuss State of the World’s Nursing (SoWN) report. The focus of the meeting was to discuss the data collection needed to drive policy decisions and investment in nursing for the report. This report is focused on the entire global society and thus it is interesting that many of the challenges United States nursing programs confront are also seen worldwide. The report specifically states there should be an “investment in nursing faculty, availability of clinical placement sites and accessibility of programs to attract a diverse student body.”
National, state, and local leaders, both nurses and non-nurses, can prevent or mitigate future global health crisis by implenting the report’s reccomendations.
On April 28, Fifty-seven members of the Nursing Community Coalition sent a letter to House and Senate Leadership thanking them for their work to combat COVID-19 and outlining additional priorities for any future COVID-19 legislative package.
On April 23, sixty members of the Nursing Community Coalition signed on to written testimony submitted to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education requesting $278 million for the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs and $182 million for the National Institute for Nursing Research for Fiscal Year 2021.
Events & Meetings:
The Nursing Community Coalition held their monthly meeting on April 21, 2020
As we celebrate National Public Health Week from April 6 to 12, we want to thank all of our #PublicHealth nurses and workforce for their steadfast commitment to the health of patients and communities across the country. #NCCNurseoftheWeek#NPHW PC: Lindsey Wasson/Reuter pic.twitter.com/qCyW4o30b9
On March 27, the Nursing Community Coalition released a statement thanking Congress and the Administration for their quick and decisive action to pass and sign into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The NCC is also proud to see many of our shared priorities within this legislation, including:
Ensuring Safety for our Patients and Nurses;
Reauthorizing the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs;
Authorizing NPs and CNSs to certify home health care services;
Strengthening the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps to include a Ready Reserve Corps; among others.
On March 24, Forty Senators signed onto a Senate Dear Colleague letter circulated by Senate Nursing Caucus Co-Chair, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) requesting $278 million for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021.
On March 23, fifty-eight Nursing Community Coalition members signed onto written testimony submitted to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies. The testimony featured the coalition’s funding requests of at least $278 million for the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs and at least $182 million for the National Institute for Nursing Research for Fiscal Year 2021.
On March 19, the Nursing Community Coalition Steering Committee sent a letter to House and Senate Leadership outlining the NCC’s shared priorities for any COVID-19 legislative package.
On March 13, more than 100 Representatives signed onto a bipartisan House Dear Colleague letter circulated by Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Rodney Davis (R-IL), and Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) requesting $278 million for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs in FY 2021.
NCC Sends Appropriations Request to House and Senate LHHS-ED Appropriations Subcommittees
On March 2, fifty-seven Nursing Community Coalition members signed onto letters to the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies outlining the funding requests levels of at least $278 million for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs and at least $182 million for the National Institute of Nursing Research for FY 2021.
#ICYMI: View the remarks of the @WhiteHouse meeting as nursing leaders from the Nursing Community Coalition met with the Administration on how to ensure the health and safety of our #nursing workforce during the #COVID19 public health challenge bit.ly/2Wnrl44
On January 17, 53 members of the Nursing Community Coalition (NCC) signed onto a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) providing requested feedback on removing Scope of Practice barriers, particularly in regards to Section 5 of the President’s recent Executive Order (EO) #13890 on Protecting and Improving Medicare for Our Nation’s Seniors.
The NCC provides an annual scholarship to cover the cost of registration plus hotel and travel expenses for the Nurse in Washington Internship (NIWI) conference offered by the Nursing Organizations Alliance. All nurses and nursing students that are a member of a Nursing Community Coalition member organization are eligible for this scholarship. Applications are due no later than February 3, 2020. For more information, as well as to apply, please click here.
NCC Nurse of the Week
Throughout the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife the NCC will be highlighting a Nurse of the Week on our twitter feed. Check out @RN_Community to see past nurses we have featured and stay tuned to see all of the upcoming Nurses of the Week! If your organization has a nurse that you would like us to highlight, please email rstevenson@thenursingcommunity.org and we will be sure to feature them!
Events & Meetings:
The Nursing Community Coalition held their monthly meeting on January 7, 2020
In honor of the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth, 2020 has been named the #YearoftheNurseandMidwife! During the #YearoftheNurse we will be highlighting nurses who have made a deep and lasting impact on nursing education, practice, and research.
In these challenging COVID-19 times our nation has embraced nurses as the heroes among us. We often look to our heroes and leaders for guidance. Now, more than ever nurse leaders are being recognized for their important role in leading through crisis and beyond. As we celebrate Nurses Week 2020 Sharon Goldfarb had the opportunity to talk with Donna Meyer, CEO, Organization for Associate Degree Nursing about her pathway, the profession and the role nurses play in the health of our communities.
At sixteen, Donna Meyer volunteered as a candy-striper at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis. This rewarding experience had a profound influence on her career path. Like so many college students, Donna wanted to find a major to “save the world” and after considering psychology, her sister, a nurse, implored her to consider nursing. She enrolled in Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville and began working as a patient care technician at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. After graduating with her BSN she was hired as a staff nurse. The work was very fulfilling. Donna admitted that when working with the children and their families she often “received more from them than she gave,” as they provided her with continued inspiration. Her clinical excellence did not go unnoticed and she was soon precepting student nurses. She found the mentoring experience gratifying and loved seeing the moment when a student’s lightbulb went off. It was clear then that her path would be to become a nurse educator.
