1. Invitation to the White House

2. Grateful Patient "Gives"

3. It Takes Volunteers

4. Award Recipients Announced

5. New Directions

6. Honors Dinner

7. Waiting Room

8. Board, Staff & Supporters

9. Donate Today

Susan Matthews, Miki Macdonald, and Michelle Obama
take a break from their group discussion on the future
of health care for a quick photo.

It was a trip of a lifetime for two AANP members when Susan Matthews and Miki Macdonald were invited for a discussion last fall on the Affordable Health Care Act (AHCA) with Michelle Obama and White House policy advisors.

"It was the biggest honor I have experienced in my professional life," shared Matthews, AANP's state representative for Kentucky. "We were thanked for our role in health care, and Mrs. Obama emphasized future participation in reform," she added.

Both Matthews and Macdonald conveyed talking points near to the hearts of AANP members when they asked Obama and the policy leaders to establish national guidelines, increasing health care effectiveness and allowing NPs to issue Medicare orders for patient home health and hospice needs.

"We applauded the AHCA for providing better patient access to health care, and were able to speak to specific needs within the current system," reported Macdonald.  "It was very exciting, and to be there with other nurses, addressing such a significant topic, was a peak experience - and it was work," she explained.

The high level meeting was preceded by a tour of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Building, the East Wing of the White House and other points of interest. After the small round-table discussion, they joined Mrs. Obama on a conference call with over 5,000 nurses across the country to discuss the AHCA and benefits of reform.

For more information and to view segments of the discussion, you can visit: www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/10/19/nurses-speak-out .

Often, patients ask how they can show appreciation, and
Mary Ellen Roberts had the answer that benefited NPs
and future patient care.

"What can I do for you" was a frequent question from the patient who received care from the Belleville, New Jersey clinic co-owned by Mary Ellen Roberts, NP. "It's my job" was Roberts' standard reply, until one day she added, "Give back to my profession. Support nurse practitioners' education and programming."

An AANP member since 1989 and experienced board member, Roberts was well aware of the need and value of NP services. Yet even Roberts was surprised to later learn the extent of the patient's gratitude when the will revealed a gift of $50,000 of which the majority of funds went to the AANP Foundation.

"I believe in my profession and feel that we all need to give back" explains Roberts, who personally supports the Foundation's Scholarship and Grant Program and suggests that others do the same. Whether it is a grateful patient or an established NP, Robert says, "the profession has given a great deal, and we need to reciprocate."

She encourages members to donate themselves and points out the potential if each of the 30,000 AANP members gave $20 a year to the Foundation. Or, she suggests, look at the $100 plus in member savings for conference registration and other benefits, and donate that amount back. Roberts urges, "We should not take for granted the Association and Foundation's steady support. It has made so much possible."

For more information on patient gifts, wills and trusts, contact the Foundation Director, Kay Todd at ktodd@aanp.org.

Leadership Update

When the AANP Foundation Board of Directors held our December meeting in Philadelphia, we were all struck by the fact that, even though tremendous activity took place in 2010, we have an even more ambitious calendar in front of us for 2011.

As a group, we took stock of our current skill sets, welcomed our newest board member Dee Swanson, and we took time to prioritize needs for new board member slots. We elected officers for 2011 (click here for a complete listing), and we worked hard on aligning program activity with the new strategic plan, strategizing on how to succeed with our aggressive fundraising goals for long-term growth.

Thomas A. Mackey, PhD,

FNP-BC, FAAN, FAANP

Board President

While the mission of the Foundation is what drives me, it was also due to the warm, collegial working relationships that I accepted another one-year term as President. As the board planned for the next 12 months, I thought of the well-used phrase "it takes a village" and thought that for the Foundation to realize its new potential "it takes volunteers."

And here is where the Foundation is rich. The board feels surrounded by professional, generous, and perceptive members. Our responsibility is to design and focus organizational growth, but only through volunteer and staff efforts can this ambitious vision become a reality. And that is happening.

In just a few short months, new Foundation committees have formed to further plan and implement their respective areas of responsibility. We now have the following active, volunteer committees - Humanitarian, Scholarship and Grant Review, Honor's Dinner, Nominating, Marketing and Public Relations - each operating on an aspect of the strategic plan.

It is only due to this expanded and shared workforce that we dare to embark on this journey, and I have no doubt, we will all succeed.

Each year, hundreds of American Academy of Nurse Practitioner members quietly and generously provide outstanding work and service. In order to recognize some of these individuals, the AANP Foundation's first annual "Honors Dinner" will be held June 23 at the 2011 National Conference in Las Vegas.

In addition to those honored for exceptional service, the dinner will acknowledge 2010 scholarship and research grant awardees. All funds raised from sponsors and attendees will support AANPF humanitarian scholarships, assisting with domestic and foreign volunteer work.

Two awards will be given for international humanitarian work. The first will acknowledge member excellence in disaster relief or other volunteer efforts where short-term (one month or less) volunteer services have been provided in clinical experience, leadership, or education.

The second International Humanitarian Award will recognize long-term (over one month) contributions. This award will honor a member who has demonstrated altruism, vision, leadership, and dedication - making a lasting difference.

Eligibility for both of the International Humanitarian Awards requires current membership in AANP and demonstrated effort in at least two of the following categories: Directed, provided or developed services that affected a large number of people or a special population; Contributed volunteer or vocational effort exhibiting uniqueness and innovation; Advanced the NP profession; Demonstrated a substantial and positive impact on the health of a special community or patient group.

The third "Domestic Humanitarian Award" will go to a NP who has made a substantial and positive impact on the health of a special community or patient group within the United States.

Nominations (self-nominations are allowed) should be made in writing no later than March 11, 2011 and include a letter (maximum 2 pages, double-spaced) explaining how the candidate meets the award criteria, and any pertinent data (limited to two additional pages) including tools, teaching displays, pictures, or other material to support the nomination letter.  Letters and supporting materials should be emailed to  the AANP Foundation, Attn: Margaret Crump at Foundation@aanp.org.

Who is out there, what is next?  The Waiting Room is a column to provide interesting and beneficial information to Foundation readers.  Submissions will be used based on space and member interest and can be sent to mkarns@aanp.org.

A December meeting of the AANP Foundation Board of Directors and the Corporate Council was held at the Sheraton Society Hill hotel in Philadelphia. The board worked over a two day period to take the Foundation's vision of national and international work and move it towards reality. It was a combination of seizing opportunities, innovation, and focusing on outcomes.                      

The Corporate Council meeting, which followed the board meeting, was well attended by industry supporters. In addition to reporting, the primary goal was one of increased input in order to drive future Foundation direction.

The Foundation's first financial, estate, and legal planning seminar was held in December at the Austin offices. Participants attending the free presentation received professional advice, tailored handouts, and were able to have their questions answered. Future seminars are planned around the country.

A major boost to the Foundation's Scholarship and Grant Program has been given by Johnson & Johnson, in the amount of $50,000.

As the Foundation grows, committee volunteers are stepping up and into new roles. Welcome to Kimberley Tiller and Sandra Ryan as the newest Marketing/PR Committee members. The Foundation's inaugural Honors Award Committee is fortunate to have an experienced chairperson in Carla Duryee, with supportive help from Dee Swanson, Carolyn Sabatini, Dixie Harms, Marsha Plant Jackson, Kimberley Tiller, Debra Danforth and Mona Counts.

This month, Kim Evans, APRN will celebrate the grand opening of her Integrative Medicine Practice in Louisville, KY. Kim works with six other wellness practitioners offering yoga, nutritional counseling, Amma Therapy, quantum feedback, life coaching, massage therapy and counseling, all under one operation.

Innovation best describes the new NP-owned practice "Primary Care @ Home" that makes house calls servicing eight counties in Kentucky.  Jackie Wright, Deloris Jacobs, and Angela Clater focus on frail, elderly patients that are unable to get to their doctor.

The NP Practice Site Survey is currently underway. If you have not yet received this survey, look for it to arrive soon. The Practice Site Survey will collect data on NPs and their practice sites that is critical to identifying their roles in meeting community healthcare needs. It takes less than five minutes to complete online or by mail.

Special discount for AANP members - The Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI), developed by CMS, is a voluntary reporting program that provides a financial incentive to NPs who report data on quality measures for covered services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries. AANP has partnered with CECity (a CMS qualified registry for PQRI reporting) to offer our members a $50 discount on the PQRIwizard, an online tool that offers a simple way to quality for the PQRI program. To get started, sign in at AANP member login at aanp.org.

A joint education effort is underway between AANP and the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) to raise the level of awareness within the supplement industry and with consumers about the valuable role of nurse practitioners in the quest for good health. The initiative will include fact sheets, press releases, website information and outreach to consumers.

AANP Foundation Board of Directors

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