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September 21, 2022 | XXVI, Issue Number 15
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Did you see the announcement, colleagues? We have five honorees to be forever known as NLN Nurse Educators of the Year for 2022, the Year of the Nurse Educator. I have been told that the selection process was particularly difficult, with numerous nominees, from all parts of the country, representing the four core values of the NLN: integrity, caring, diversity and inclusion, and above all, excellence.
But five names did rise to the top, and I am truly delighted to present them here. These descriptions are very brief. There is more to read in the news release we sent you last week, and of course, all five will be recognized at the NLN Education Summit, which opens one week from today in Las Vegas.
- First in alphabetical order is Dr. Linda Flynn, dean and professor at the Rutgers University School of Nursing, in New Jersey, a school with a large and diverse student body. Under Dr. Flynn’s leadership, the school actively works against racism and bias in its institutional practices, curricula, classrooms, and interactions, building clinical partnerships and advancing interprofessional education.
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Dr. Jessica Ochs is an associate professor at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts, where she inspires passion for nursing through her clinical work, volunteer work, and service to the nursing profession. Dr. Ochs’ nominator tells how she brings patient stories to life and engages students in global conversation about the health care system, the environment, and the legal system.
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Dr. Tammy Spencer is an associate professor and assistant dean at the University of Colorado College of Nursing in Aurora. Her nominator cited the power of Dr. Spencer’s voice during the pandemic, when nurses were desperately needed in the workforce. She lobbied for the governor to issue an executive order to decrease the clinical hours needed for undergraduates to graduate and led the rapid pivot to online education.
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Dr. Aluem Tark is associate professor of nursing and assistant dean at the Helene Fuld College of Nursing in New York City. A student wrote that she “became a role model to me, and to my classmates, and I strive to be more like her, every single day.” Dr. Tark leads a challenging remediation course, inspiring students to continue in their studies, while actively participating in research and scholarly publications.
- Finally, Dr. Cheryl Taylor is known to many of us as NLN consultant to the National Student Nurses’ Association. She is associate professor of nursing at Southern University and A&M College, and one of her students wrote, “Most students can only dream of having a professor like Dr. Cheryl Taylor.” This student told how she reached out for help after her first exam and Dr. Taylor responded, working with her to develop test-taking strategies and set achievable goals. “I know I came to nursing school with a lot of odds against me and with disabilities,” this student wrote. “Dr. Taylor motivated me, improved my style of studying and helped me to reach for my goals and dreams in a better way.“ She is a true teacher.
More Ways to Honor Nurse Educators
In her Message From the NLN Chair in the September-October issue of Nursing Education Perspectives (NEP), Dr. Kathleen Poindexter writes about “The Transformative Power of Innovative and Inspirational Nurse Educators.” She encourages all academic and professional organizations to join with the NLN in recognizing those outstanding nurse educators within their organizations. She further suggests partnering with the Daisy Foundation on their “award for extraordinary faculty,” dedicated to the recognition of faculty for their contributions and commitment to educating nurses. |
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I agree with Kathleen – it is important that we all amplify our voices and find ways to recognize nurse educators at all times. Kathleen concludes her column with this enjoinder: “During the remainder of 2022, the Year of the Nurse Educator, take advantage of the opportunities available on the NLN website to validate the work of outstanding nurse educators. Share your story on our Beyond a Nurse Educator Wall. And take the NLN Leadership Pledge.”
When 2022 is in the past, nurse educators will continue to go above and beyond, sharing their love of nursing, mentoring and inspiring future nurses and those engaged in the challenging transition to practice, and seeking innovative ways to help students develop clinical judgment and “think like a nurse.” There is really nothing quite like being a nurse educator. |
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Read the Special NEP Issue
Changing gears, let me direct your attention to the rest of the September-October issue of NEP. Each year this issue is designated a special issue with guest editors taking over for the usual editorial staff: Dr. Barbara Patterson, editor-in-chief; Research Briefs editor Dr. Bette Mariani; and Innovation Center editor Dr. Donna Badowski. For 2022, NLN Board of Governors member Dr. Audrey Beauvais, her colleague at Fairfield University Dr. Linda Rooney, and Emerging Technologies Center editor Dr. Karen Frith took on the task of selecting manuscripts for “Nursing Education in a Time of Crisis.” They did a brilliant job, and you will find the research articles and innovations extremely absorbing.
In their editorial, “Be Prepared: Continuity of Operations for Times of Crisis,” the guest editors point out that the COVID-19 pandemic represented one type of crisis–tornadoes, hurricanes, and cyberattacks are others—and it is important that all nursing programs have a continuity of operations plan (COOP) in place. The editors provide an overview of emergency preparedness, describe a typical COOP, and offer a list of reliable resources. In her Emerging Technologies Center column, Karen provides further information for developing an information technology systems continuity plan. You will want to review and hold on to both of these important articles.
NLN Treasurer Dr. Anne Krouse and colleagues at Widener University, along with Dr. Bette Mariani of Villanova University, surveyed Pennsylvania nursing program administrators about their experience of rapid disruption during the pandemic and developed a Four Cs of Disaster Planning framework that can help schools adapt to new learning environment realities. You will find their article, “Nurse Faculty Administrators’ Experiences of Communication, Cooperation, Coordination, and Collaboration During Educational Disruption,” extremely interesting.
Another research article you must not miss was written by Dr. Roxanne Amerson and colleagues at the Clemson University School of Nursing in South Carolina: “Nursing Faculty’s Perceptions of Climate Change and Sustainability.“ The researchers gathered data from 21 schools of nursing and found evidence of a lack of climate content in the nursing curriculum and the need for further study and collaborative action. This is something we will discuss in depth next week at the NLN Summit. I am very glad to have this research in hand as we take on the challenge of “Healthy Planet, Healthy People: Leading the Way Through Education, Practice, and Policy.”
NEP is an exceptional benefit of NLN membership. Be sure to sign up for eTOC alerts. And, special issue themes have been announced for 2023, 2024, and 2025 as follows: 2023, “Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Nursing Education” with guest editors Drs. Sandra Davis, Cheryl Green, and Steven Palazzo; 2024, “Addressing Mental Health in Nursing Education,” with guest editors Drs. Audrey Beauvais (again! thank you, Audrey) and Jeffrey S. Jones; and 2025, “Clinical Education in Academic Learning Environment” with guest editors Drs. Jennie De Gagne and Rebecca G. Davis.
And note, also, that for three years now, a committee of the NEP Editorial Board has selected the Best Article for the three main sections of NEP, with the authors recognized at the Summit. This year we will recognize. Dr. Todd Tartavoulle for “Educating Nursing Students About Delivering Culturally Sensitive Care to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning/Queer, Intersex, Plus Patients: The Impact of an Advocacy Program on Knowledge and Attitudes”; Dr. Jessica E. Gay for her Research Brief, “Classroom Concepts in the Clinical Setting: Student Perceptions of Concept Cards”; and Dr Kathi Katz for “An Innovative Model Integrating an Academic-Practice Partnership in an RN-BSN Program.” |
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Congratulations to these authors and those recognized for honorable mention. Are you interested in publishing in NEP? Meet the editors at the Summit during Session 3I, next Thursday at 8:15 a.m. in the St. Thomas room at the Mirage Hotel. They will answer all your questions.
There, I’ve given you a lot of information to chew on. But as they say, there’s more. The American Heart Association (AHA) has a brand-new Intelligo Professional Education Hub™, a digital continuing education platform that delivers evidenced-based telehealth courses and certificate programs developed by the American Board of Telehealth, a national entity powered by the AHA. |
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And NLN members who purchase courses from the hub will receive an inaugural 20 percent discount. That is good news indeed. To use the discount, once you’re on the Shopping Cart page, enter NLN20 in the Discount Code box and press the Apply button before continuing to the checkout page.
Finally, our hearts go out to the American citizens of the island of Puerto Rico, which has been devastated by Hurricane Fiona. The NLN will make a donation to the American Red Cross to support their relief efforts.
Due to the Summit, our next issue of the Member Update will be Wednesday, October 19. Be careful and travel safely. I will be so excited to see you at the Summit. |
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© 2022 National League for Nursing. All rights reserved.
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