From the Desk of the
Executive Director

Dear fellow members,

It is with great anticipation and awe that I assume the position of Executive Director of this significant and historic association. While you can expect to see a great many changes in the coming months and years, you can be assured that NAPNES’ founding principals are strong and will guide all my actions.

As you may be aware, the Board of Directors appoints the Executive Director. I work for them and by extension I work for you. My job is to carry out the broad mandates of the Board of Directors and members of this organization. I am truly honored to be given this opportunity and pledge to work, like my predecessors, tirelessly to help promote, protect, and advance practical and vocational nursing.

Speaking of my predecessors, I want all of you to know that Helen Larsen, the outgoing Executive Director is not leaving NAPNES. In fact, Helen recruited me for this position. The Executive Director hires all the staff at NAPNES and my first staffing decision was to make Helen our Chief Financial Officer and Director of Regulatory Affairs. So don’t worry about saying goodbye to Helen just yet. She will continue to be a powerful voice in our organization.

I would also like to welcome Janice Bova as our new Administrative Assistant. Chances are quite good that you will be speaking to Janice when you call the office. Please be sure to welcome her to the organization.

Let me take a couple of lines and tell you a little about myself. I started in healthcare more than 20 years ago (that’s all I admit to). I am an LPN with experience in med/surg, ICU, LTC, education, human resources, and management. I have practiced my profession in Florida, Washington, D.C., and Virginia. In 1996, I created an online business that became quite successful. About 18 months ago, I redesigned the NAPNES website and have been expanding its service and presence ever since. This was done on a volunteer basis.

So what are some of the changes that you can expect in the coming months and years? My plans are as follows:
· Add online Continuing Education offerings at our website (www.napnes.org)
· Recruit and develop schools of practical nursing into the membership of NAPNES
· To work with external organizations to expand the certifications available to LPNs (Med-Surg, Infusion Therapy, Dermatology, First Responders)
· To update our current certifications and standards
· Create a certification for Practical Nursing educators
· Establish new relationships with external organization
· To bridge gaps between RN organizations and NAPNES

These are big projects. Some can happen quickly and with minimal effort. Some are quite substantial and will take a considerable amount of time and effort, not just on my part, but yours as well. It is not enough to just be a member. You must be a member that works for the organization. Just what do I mean by that? Well, there are many ways to participate. The easiest and one of the most effective is to communicate with us. When we do a survey, let us hear from you. When we do something you like, let us hear from you. When we do something you don’t like, let us hear from you.

IT IS CRITICAL THAT YOU ATTEND OUR CONVENTIONS!

When we hold our conventions, we are voting on agenda items that will guide us for the next two years. By attending the convention, you become a significant part of the management of NAPNES. It allows you to participate in setting the goals, priorities and direction in which the organization will proceed. It is a bit costly, but it’s a lot of fun, and if you qualify the expenses are tax deductible.

At the last board meeting, details for the date and location of the 2007 convention were set. We will be holding the convention at the Adams Mark in St. Louis, MO from May 4-9. It is a five star hotel in the most picturesque setting of St. Louis. We have negotiated an outstanding price and we need to make sure we have maximum attendance. With some of our new online payment technology, it is possible for us to allow you to make monthly installments on the cost of your attendance. So my first question for you is just that. Would it be helpful to you if we allowed you to make monthly payments? Here’s an example (and these are just example numbers). Let’s say the cost for you to attend would be $500.00. There are now 16 months before the convention. We could set-up and automatic payment plan so that you would pay just $31.25 per month. Then come May 2007 all of your convention fees would be paid. Let us hear from you. If you’d like us to set-up such a program, we can do so immediately.

Another critical way that you can work for NAPNES is to be involved on committees and/or the Board of Directors. To meet some of our new goals we will be expanding some committees and creating new ones. Look for your opportunity to get involved and then volunteer. With today’s technology, you don’t have to travel to be involved. We will be taking advantage of the Internet and telephone technologies to hold virtual meetings. All you have to do is be home on the scheduled date and time and be prepared with your report. NAPNES will take care of the rest.

Finally, it is important for every member of NAPNES to be part of our membership drives. Look for our membership incentive for this quarter later in this issue of JPN. We plan to reward members who bring us new members. In each issue we will highlight members who have brought us the most new members and offer great rewards to everyone who brings us new members. This will be an ongoing effort, so start talking to your colleagues, and friends.

I am very much looking forward to this opportunity to make a difference for nurses everywhere. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact me any time, because as you know, every nurse counts.

Pat Mahan, LPN
Executive Director