AANN | American Association of Neuroscience Nurses

Contents

Leadership Message

Association News

CNRN Corner

Foundation Corner

Printer-Friendly Version

Striving for Excellence Together

As I begin my term as president of the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses (AANN), I look forward to what the year will hold for us. In the year ahead, we will continue to build on the momentum of the association’s vision and venture. I have the privilege of working with our board members, committee and task force chairs, team members, chapter leaders, special focus group (SFG) facilitators, and staff to advance our professional association. As we work together, our collaborative efforts will continue to focus on strong business performance, development of products to meet member needs, and a membership campaign to attract new members and retain current members.

     Our commitment to using more electronic media will be seen through a number of improvements, including a renewed Web site and this electronic newsletter. AANN will continue its collaboration with other professional associations and organizations committed to neuroscience. As we renew our old relationships and embark on new ones, I would like to see more AANN members representing the association within these organizations. Through these collaborations, we will enhance the awareness of the value of neuroscience nursing.
    AANN’s membership has the nurturing and enthusiastic personalities to mentor and encourage other colleagues not only to pursue excellence in the care of their patients, but also to foster the collaboration and recruitment of fellow professionals in the healthcare arena. We have been very successful fostering teamwork and collaboration, but we must not let our momentum slow. We must continue to raise the present standards of patient care and skill levels to strive for excellence. We must mentor novice nurses while fostering independent and critical-thinking skills through empowering and nurturing nursing staff to help guide the ever-evolving nursing and healthcare arenas.
    It is our responsibility as neuroscience nurses to increase awareness of AANN so that our association is identified as a leader in education and standards of patient care through consistent patient outcomes and collaborative relationships within the neuroscience community.
    I look forward to working with AANN leaders to serve you, the membership, throughout the coming year. Please let me know how we are doing and what we might do to serve you better. To paraphrase JNN Editor Susan Carroll in her first editorial, “In Pursuit of Excellence,” take time to remember our passionate pursuit of excellence and art—don’t settle for the expected and the mediocre. Aim for rave reviews!

Kathleen H. Baker, MBA BSN RN CCRN CNRN CNA-BC
AANN President

AANN Welcomes 2008–2009 Board of Directors

The 2008–2009 Board of Directors: (back row, left to right) Susan Fowler, Glenna Dowling, Linda Littlejohns, Lynn Goodloe, Bonita Gordon, Stephen Roberts, Sandra Brettler, and Executive Director Stacy Sochacki; (front row, left to right) Kathy Helmick, Kathy Baker, Cathy Cartwright

The American Association of Neuroscience Nurses (AANN) is proud to announce the 2008–2009 Board of Directors:
President: Kathleen Baker, MBA BSN RN CCRN CNRN CNA-BC
President-Elect: Cathy Cartwright, MSN RN PCNS
Immediate Past President: Susan Fowler, PhD RN CNRN
Secretary-Treasurer: Kathy Helmick, MS RN CNRN CRNP
Directors-at-Large: Sandra Brettler, MSN RN CCRN CNRN; Glenna Dowling, PhD MSN RN FAAN; Lynn Goodloe, MSN CNRN CNA BC; Bonita Gordon, MSN RN ANP BC CNRN; Linda Littlejohns, MSN RN CCRN CNRN; and Stephen Roberts, PhD RN CNRN CCRN.

Joining the board this year are two experienced and highly motivated directors-at-large: Sandra Brettler and Linda Littlejohns. Sandra Brettler is a nurse with 23 years’ experience, 18 of which have been in the field of neuroscience. “Having been a neuroscience patient after a neck fracture from a car accident, I feel I am in a unique position to help this organization grow,” she explained. “I am determined to expand the depth and breadth of neuroscience nursing in as many ways as possible, as I feel so connected to these patients and the nurses that care for them. I have been blessed to be a part of such a phenomenal organization, and my desire is to share my passion with as many nurses—neuro or not—as I can.”
Linda Littlejohns is a neuroscience clinical nurse specialist, accomplished author, and international lecturer. Her loyalty to the membership is parallel to her devotion to education, and she holds a personal goal that includes “ensuring AANN is meeting the needs of [its] current members. Education is the foundation for good practice,” she stated. “I intend to be actively involved in promoting evidence-based practice for the management of patients across the continuum of care.”