Fellows of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP)

The Fellows of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP) invite AANP members to apply to the FAANP Mentoring Program.  FAANP members are NP leaders, recognized for contributions in a range of areas including clinical practice, research, teaching, and health policy.  Priority initiatives of FAANP include the development of leadership and mentorship programs for nurse practitioners and nurse practitioner students. The Mentoring Program provides a means through which FAANP can put this intent into action and contribute to the development of other NPs.
   

Any active AANP member is eligible to apply to be mentored through the FAANP Mentoring Program. A limited number of applicants will be selected, based on a review of a submitted application, which includes identification of specific goals and related plan of action, description of experience and qualities, and professional references. Applicants may be novice NPs or have significant experience with an identified plan for development in a new area. Selected mentees will be paired with a member of FAANP who has volunteered to assist them with development in their area of interest. 

The FAANP Mentoring Program is a one-year program.  During this period the mentors will serve as a guide or coach, assisting their mentees to achieve their identified plans of action and goals.  While applicants may request a specific FAANP mentor, there is no guarantee that the requested Fellow will be available or able to participate.  A list of current Fellows of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners is located in the FAANP section of the AANP website.

A mentoring process involves a formalized relationship, mutually beneficial to both participants.  For success, both participants must share mutual respect and trust, as well as a commitment to  the project.  Mentors will have extensive knowledge, experience, and contacts in their field and have expressed willingness to contribute to the development of others, through formal and supported experience. They will contribute to mentee development by sharing experience, knowledge, passion, connections, and/or influence. Successful mentees will have qualities such as flexibility, resourcefulness, and organization skills, as well as a passion for their identified area of growth.  

The formalized mentoring activities will vary depending on the specified expected outcomes and goals.  The mentor and mentee pairs will establish a plan to work together, including communication strategies.  Throughout the process, the relationship and ongoing communication will be supported by FAANP.

The mentoring experience will begin with an orientation session held by phone conference In mid-May, followed by a face-to-face meeting, scheduled during the AANP National Conference, in Phoenix, AZ, June 23-27, 2010.  During the orientation session, ground rules and expectations will be reviewed and the mentee/mentor pairs will "meet" by phone.  During the face-to-face meeting in June, the pairs will have a chance to meet one another and begin work on the mentorship projects.  After meeting during the conference, the cohort of selected pairs will be able to communicate and share their progress through the year, participating in a Mentoring Program listserv. 

Quarterly progress reports will be required.  The final report will include an evaluation of the mentoring relationship and program.  During the 2011 AANP National Conference, mentees will have an opportunity to share the outcomes of their project through a poster.

The 2010 FAANP Mentoring Program application is available by logging into the online services section of www.aanp.org.  From there, the application is listed in the left-hand menu.  The online application includes a more detailed time-line for the one-year program. Questions should be referred to AANP's director of research & education, Dr. Mary Jo Goolsby, at mjgoolsby@aanp.org