International Specialty Interest Group

I am humbled and excited to serve as a co-chair of the AANP International SIG. I moved to the United States from Japan to pursue nursing after learning the differences in nursing education available back in the mid-1980s. Japan offered only a handful of BSN nursing programs at that time, and the concept of advanced practice did not exist. I completed my BSN in 1991 and worked in adult critical care full force. Then I found a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in the mid-1990s. I became a neonatal nurse practitioner (NNP) in 2002 and further completed my DNP in 2013.

As a transplant from another culture, I understand firsthand the international differences in nursing climate, varying scope of practice patterns and the uniqueness of legislation governing the nursing environment — especially for advanced practice nursing. After becoming an NNP in 2002, I began active engagements with health professionals in Japan by publishing articles, reaching out to build a network, speaking at various national and regional conferences and conducting global research to benchmark what neonatal nurses and APNs do globally through the Council of International Neonatal Nurses (COINN). I made specific efforts to promote and advocate for the advancement of the NP role in Japan over the last 15 years, and I had the privilege of mentoring NP pioneers. I have had the joy of observing NPs cultivating their field with innovations to meet the specific needs of their population foci or communities. It has been a great honor to have teaching opportunities in Japanese universities to introduce the potential of the NP role at both undergraduate and graduate levels. I plan to continue these collaborations with global NP pioneers or educators.

I am currently working as an NNP in Nashville, Tennessee, while serving on the board of COINN (actively involved in the Neonatal Advanced Practice Committee). I also serve on the Health Equity and Diversity Advisory Board at the Vermont Oxford Network, which is the largest network of NICUs, connecting more than 1,000 NICUs globally. Besides being an active member of AANP, I am active at the National Association of Neonatal Nurse as well as the National Association of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners. My life’s mission has become to maintain a keen awareness of our global colleagues and to capture collaborative opportunities to promote and advance us at all levels. I have been truly fortunate to have had numerous mentors and colleagues in my life who accelerated my professional growth. I look forward to engaging with global colleagues and future leaders during the next two years of my appointment as a co-chair of the international SIG at AANP.

Dr. Cathy St. Pierre is a family nurse practitioner (FNP) with extensive experience in research, practice and academia. She has been nationally certified as an FNP since 1982. She is currently the Associate Chief Nurse of Research and a Nurse Practitioner at the ENRM VA Hospital in Bedford, Massachusetts. Dr. St. Pierre’s career path has primarily focused on serving the needs of various underserved populations, including: "pediatric and elderly populations living in poverty, high-risk adolescents and aging veterans, including those experiencing homelessness and displaced international refugees. I recently volunteered as a medical provider working in a medical mission in Guaimaca, Honduras. All of these experiences have shaped my interest in global and international health efforts. For the past three years, I have worked on the International sub-committee of AANP and look forward to serving as the Co-chair of the new inaugural International SIG for AANP in 2019. Please join us as we move this SIG to the next level!"