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2024 Update: Theta Pi Chapter at Itawamba Community College

Itawamba Stress Ball Table
Itawamba Stress Ball Table

We’re excited to deliver an update from one of our provisional chapters at Itawamba Community College in Tupelo, Mississippi.

The provisional class completed two separate service-learning projects. For one of the projects, the students held a booth for mental health awareness at two college campuses. The students reached out to local contacts for printed materials on mental health and mental health resources. They also had materials and made stress balls with those who stopped by.

Itawamba Health Fair Simulation Exercise
Itawamba Health Fair Simulation Exercise

Members also joined the efforts to implement a health science recruitment event for high school students. The Alpha Delta Nu provisional members were integral in playing multiple simulation experiences for the high schoolers to watch to gain insight into the roles and responsibilities of registered nurses.

We look forward to more events in the coming school year and celebrating the Theta Pi chapters outreach and scholarship.

School: Itawamba Community College, Tupelo, Mississippi

Chapter: Theta Pi

Faculty Advisor: Lauren Asters

Dr. Anna Maria Valdez: Leading the Charge for Diversity in Nursing

Dr. Anna Maria Valdez, past editor-in-chief of the OADN Journal, Teaching and Learning in Nursing, and a professor and the Chair of Nursing at Sonoma State University in California, has been extensively involved in national discussions about building a diverse nursing workforce. Dr. Valdez, with her background in emergency nursing and as a patient fighting Lupus, brings a unique energy and perspective to the public square.

Dr. Anna ValdezA Health Challenge and a Career Pivot

About two decades ago, Anna faced her own health battle: Lupus. While fighting the disease, she was also working 12 hour days in the emergency room. Eventually, that part of her career had to end, so she forged a new path in academia, eventually earning her PhD, becoming a professor and department chair, editor of two journals, and even a popular voice on social media.

But even as Dr. Valdez’s career evolved and thrived, her background gave her unique insight into how careers can be propelled or derailed by racism. Dr. Valdez’s mother is black and her father is white and she’s keenly aware of how different she and her father have been treated relative to her mother. She also believes that had she not been perceived as white, she might have been guided into an LVN track instead of encouraged to start her RN degree.

Making a Difference Nationally

In 2021, Dr. Valdez was invited to join the National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing. As part of the Commission, she became a subject matter expert and contributed to the foundational “Racism in Nursing” report. This work has been a significant step toward understanding how the legacy of racism impacts health outcomes. The report details how the history, policies, practices, and even research within nursing is affected by the legacy of racism and racist viewpoints and expectations.  Anna was also selected to participate in the documentary feature called “Everybody’s Work“, a film sponsored by SHIFT Nursing to amplify the report and help reach a wider audience.

“At the end of the day, my goal is that for all human beings, we see their humanity. We see their basic human rights are intact and that they’re treated with dignity”

An Influential Voice on Social Media

Dr. Valdez’s impact goes beyond academic and professional circles. In both 2022 and 2023, she was recognized as one of the top 30 nurse influencers to follow on social media. Her posts reach a wide audience and keep the important conversation about anti-racism in nursing alive both online and offline.

With her dedication to anti-racism, Dr. Valdez plans to keep leading discussions on how to make the nursing profession more inclusive and fair for everyone. Her efforts are helping to shape a better future for nursing.

OADN Appoints Public Board Directors Larissa Africa and Marilyn McGhee

The Organization for Associate Degree Nursing Board of Directors is proud to announce the appointment of two distinguished Public Directors: Larissa Africa, MBA, BSN, FAONL, FAAN, and Marilyn McGhee, Ph.D.

“OADN is honored to welcome Larissa Africa and Dr. Marilyn McGhee to our Board of Directors. Larissa’s extensive experience as a nurse executive and her leadership at Versant Healthcare Competency Solutions will be invaluable to our mission. Dr. McGhee’s diverse background, spanning military service, academia, and development, brings a unique and rich perspective to our board. Their combined expertise will greatly enhance our efforts to advance associate degree nursing education and support the success of our students and programs.” – Dr. Karen LaMartina, President, OADN.

Larissa Africa brings over 20 years of exemplary experience as a nurse executive in the healthcare industry and within health systems to the OADN Board of Directors. Larisa is the President and Chief Executive Officer for Versant Healthcare Competency Solutions, showcasing her leadership and commitment to advancing healthcare competency.  Larissa’s term began on June 2024.

Dr. Marilyn McGhee contributes over 30 years of diverse experience and leadership to the OADN Board of Directors, stemming from her military service, various roles within the College of Nursing at Florida State University, and her recent position as Director of Development at Rutgers University Foundation. Dr. McGhee offers a unique and valuable perspective as a non-nurse in a nurse-centric educational focus area, enriching the board with her extensive expertise and innovative insights.  Dr. McGhee’s term will begin in January 2025.

Nursing Community Monthly Roundup – June 2024

OADN continues our federal advocacy on your behalf as a member of the Nursing Community Coalition, where we work to ensure that nurses are supported and that nursing education is funded.

NCC Thanks Congress for Introducing a Resolution Honoring and Recognizing National Nurses Week 2024
On June 7, all sixty-four members of the Nursing Community Coalition (NCC) signed onto a letter thanking the leadership of the House and Senate Nursing Caucuses, along with 27 bipartisan members in the House and Senate, for introducing S.Res.676 and H.Res.1208 – a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Nurses Week, to be observed from May 6 through May 12, 2024.

2024 Update: Eta Gamma Chapter at Mott Community College

Eta Gamma Chapter at Mott Community College

Our chapter is small but very active. Students accepted into the honor society are committed to supporting the community and our fellow students. To best meet this criterion for our chapter, we have been offering free tutoring and support services two days a week since the start of our chapter in 2019. Our idea was that if we can help our current students reach their goal of becoming nurses, we are helping both Mott Community College students and the community since most of them will work in the Flint area after graduation.

Through a collaborative effort with Versiti Blood Centers, the Mott Community College Alpha Delta Nu Chapter collected enough blood products to save 150 lives! This allowed students to give back to the community in a new way. The students enjoyed this opportunity, and we are expanding on this project to increase this partnership to sponsor three blood drives per year.

Mott Blood Drive Table

OADN Voices: June Leadership Message

 

The Vital Role of Associate Degree Nursing Programs in Supporting the Nursing Workforce

 

Dear OADN Members:

The math is simple: the United States has over 1100 associate degree nursing education programs. In 2023, these made up 44.7% (83,387) of new nursing graduates in the United States (National Council of State Boards of Nursing, 2024). Furthermore, 40% of these nurses go on to higher levels of education (Smiley, et al., 2023), including baccalaureate programs and beyond, to nurse anesthetists, nurse educators, nurse midwives, and nurse scientists, to name a few.

Associate degree nursing graduates are vital to supplying and maintaining the nursing workforce in our country. ADN education programs provide a more rapid influx of qualified nurses to mitigate staffing shortages, attract a diverse population to contribute to a more equitable healthcare system, and educate residents who tend to stay in their local areas, especially rural areas. But you know this! Or you wouldn’t already be part of OADN.

So please allow me to highlight something our country needs from you besides all the wonderful things you’re currently doing:

WE NEED MORE NURSES FROM ASSOCIATE DEGREE NURSING EDUCATION PROGRAMS!

We’re in a nursing shortage! The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the employment of registered nurses will grow significantly, with an estimated need for 193,100 new RNs each year through 2032 to fill new positions and replace retiring nurses (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2024). In 2023, there were only 186,350 RN Candidates to take the NLCEX® across the US (National Council of State Boards of Nursing, 2024). That means that if ALL these graduates became RNs, we would still be short by 6,750 nurses to meet the 2023 demand, let alone the pent-up demand from not meeting these needs in previous years, which would cause this number to grow exponentially.

ADN programs are essential in meeting this growing demand. The country needs YOU to do something. Ask yourself:

  • Can you increase the number of new nurses you create for your state by about 7-8% annually?
  • What do you need to be able to add students, add a clinical group, increase simulation capacity, or change up your teaching model to grow your successful graduates?
  • How do you get enough support for a greater number of students who may not be as qualified as previous groups of students?
  • Can you innovate and teach differently to maximize the use of expert faculty and learning during limited in-person clinical experiences?

These are all hard questions. We know that many ADN programs need more faculty and competitive pay for faculty. Your programs often lack enough clinical space, enough simulation expertise, and enough student support budget dollars. ADN programs are less researched than BSN and above education programs. Students often need more funds and support to focus on their education full-time. And this is EXACTLY why we have OADN.

OADN brings people from ADN programs together to solve these big problems. OADN is your voice nationwide to help our federal and state governments understand what ADN programs need. OADN brings ADN experts like you to the table to gather best practices and disseminate them nationwide. OADN supports new ADN program leaders and promotes the value of ADN nursing education. The annual convention brings ADN educators and leaders together to learn about innovations happening in practice around the nation.

That being said, OADN is all of you. Please consider joining OADN committees, attending the convention, presenting at a future convention, and implementing some of the innovations OADN highlights. OADN will benefit you, and the nation needs your expertise.

Jennifer Eccles PhD, MSN, MEd, RN, FAADN
Director, At-Large, OADN Board of Directors

 

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. (2024, April 17). Registered Nurses. Retrieved May 29, 2024, from Occupational Outlook Handbook: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm#tab-6

National Council of State Boards of Nursing. (2024). NCLEX Statistics from NCSBN: 2023. Retrieved from https://www.ncsbn.org/publications/2023_NCLEX_Pass_Rates

Smiley, R. A., Allgeyer, R. L., Shobo, Y., Lyons, K. C., Letourneau, R., Zhong, E., . . . Alexander, M. (2023, April). The 2022 National Nursing Workforce Survey. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 14(1, Supplement 2), S1-S90. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/S2155-8256(23)00047-9

Nursing Community Monthly Roundup – May 2024

OADN continues our federal advocacy on your behalf as a member of the Nursing Community Coalition, where we work to ensure that nurses are supported and that nursing education is funded.

43 Senators Support FY 2025 Funding for Title VIII in Senate Dear Colleague Letter
On May 14, forty-three Senators signed onto a Senate Dear Colleague letter requesting $530 million for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs in FY 2025.

NCC Thank a Nurse Reception
On May 8, the Nursing Community Coalition (NCC) hosted a “Thank a Nurse” Reception on Capitol Hill. Attendees were joined by congressional staff and three members of Congress. For additional photos and information, see below and visit the NCC’s Events page.

2024 Call For Nominations: Board Of Directors & Nominating Committee

2024 CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: MAY 14th – JULY 15th

OADN SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND NOMINATING COMMITTEE

 

Dear OADN Members,

Are you looking for an opportunity to share your passion for nursing education?  As the only national organization exclusively advocating for community college nursing education and the associate degree pathway, OADN needs your unique talents, perspectives, and expertise to help strengthen our collective voice for associate degree nursing education. OADN membership is one of the most meaningful ways we show our support for one another, create community, promote our continual learning and growth, protect our shared interests and values, and strengthen our professional identity together. Serving at the national level on the OADN Board of Directors or Nominating Committee offers an opportunity to enhance your own member experience with OADN and create a lasting impact on associate degree nursing education.

We currently have three (4) open positions on the OADN Board of Directors: At-Large Director (any region); Director, Western Region; Director, Northeast Region; and Director, Southwest Region. In addition, there is one (1) open position on the OADN Nominating Committee.

The term for Regional Directors is two years. Board positions take effect at the upcoming OADN Convention, October 31st – November 2nd, 2024. Board Directors, including all officers, regional directors, public directors, and the at-large director, shall participate in developing and implementing the strategic plan, serve as Board Liaisons to committees and workgroups, and carry out other responsibilities as delegated by the Board of Directors. Regional Directors shall be residents of the designated regions, respectively. Board commitment includes attendance at monthly virtual meetings and 2 face-to-face meetings, funded by OADN, at locations to be determined annually. 

The term of service for the Nominating Committee Member is two years. Nominating Committee members review and recommend candidates for offices to the Board of Directors in accordance with OADN Bylaws and an established timeline. The Nominating Committee meets via virtual meetings. This committee is a great leadership opportunity to expand your involvement with OADN.

The Annual Call for Nominations process is hosted on Survey Monkey. Click here to complete the required candidate application. If you don’t have a Survey Monkey account, please create a free account and follow the instructions to complete all online application components. The 2024 OADN Call for Nominations Application Submission Deadline is July 15, 2024.

On a personal note, I have developed professionally through my individual and organizational membership of OADN, which has provided multiple opportunities to learn and network with others across the country. Please consider running for one of the open 2024 OADN Board of Director or Nominating Committee positions and/or look for other ways to become more involved in OADN.  Doing so will advance community college nursing education and the associate degree pathway. OADN has been and will continue to be our champion and trusted resource in nursing education. OADN needs your help to further our important advocacy work for associate degree nursing. Together, we can support OADN’s vision of expanding networks that promote leadership, collaboration, and advocacy, further enriching associate degree nursing education and the communities we serve.

Kindly,

Jennifer E. Smith, RN, MSN, MBA, CV-BC, CNE
2024 Chair
OADN Nominating Committee 

Candidate Online Application Checklist

  • Candidate Statement: Max. 250 words (Uploaded in Survey Monkey).
  • Candidate Letter of Support: Submit one (1) letter of support from a colleague for the candidate’s nomination.
  • Candidate Letter of Support from College President or Dean (Required for candidates applying for a Board of Director position ONLY): Submit one (1) letter of support from your college President or Dean acknowledging the time commitment for monthly virtual meetings and two (2) face-to-face meetings per year.
  • Candidate Professional Resume or CV: Submit your current curriculum vitae (CV) or professional resume.
  • Candidate Headshot Photo: Submit an electronic photo of your headshot for inclusion with the ballot. Candidate headshot should be between 400 x 400 at a minimum, to 7,680 (w) x 4,320 (h) in PNG or JPEG file. 

Incomplete applications or late submissions will not be accepted. Please carefully review all application instructions in the Survey Monkey. For additional questions regarding the 2022 OADN Call for Nominations, please contact Mary Dickow, Director of Leadership Development, at mary.dickow@oadn.org.

Foundation Scholarship, Award, and Grant Application Deadline Approaches

The 2024 Foundation Scholarship, Award, and Grant deadline is June 1.  These opportunities can make a major difference in the life of a nurse educator, and here is a portion of a 2023 recipient’s story.

“While finishing my MSN, I was approached by a patient’s family member who said she thought I would be a great educator.  Honestly, I had never considered teaching, but I was ready for a challenge.  After graduating, I was offered a teaching position at the Technical College of the Lowcountry (yep, my alma mater).  Five years passed and I moved into the nursing program director position.  From the time I started in academia, I knew I wanted the CNE designation.  For me, the CNE symbolizes being the best of the best in nursing education.  Unfortunately, I found it cost-prohibitive and put that goal on the back burner.  Then the opportunity to apply for the Castlebranch Professional Development Scholarship came, and I was so thrilled to be a recipient!!  I used the scholarship to purchase various study materials and to pay for the exam.  I found the exam to very rigorous and thorough, more so than I predicted.

Now that I can use the CNE designation, it speaks volumes for what can be accomplished no matter your starting point in nursing.  My background and upbringing were a barrier to being successful, but the ADN opportunity at my community college paved the way.  I still live in my small rural community and seek out opportunities to tell my story to those who may face similar circumstances:  no money, poor support systems, and unfair labels.  WE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL no matter where we start.  What matters is where we finish and how we help the next ones in line behind us.”

Vandy Amason is the Nursing Program Director at Low Country Technical College in Beaufort, South Carolina.

The awarding of these prestigious scholarships, awards, and grants is another amazing benefit of your OADN membership.  Please consider applying!

Applications and Nominations due June 1.  Access all forms and criteria on the OADN Foundation landing page.

Nursing Community Monthly Roundup – April 2024

OADN continues our federal advocacy on your behalf as a member of the Nursing Community Coalition, where we work to ensure that nurses are supported and that nursing education is funded.

NCC Sends Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Appropriations Requests to House and Senate LHHS-ED Appropriations Subcommittees
Fifty-seven members of the Nursing Community Coalition (NCC) signed onto a letter to the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies outlining the funding requests of at least $530 million for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs and at least $210 million for the National Institute of Nursing Research for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025.