2022 International Advanced Practice Nurse Ambassadors Named
Media Contact: Bryan Black
International relationship building and information sharing among advanced practice nurses (APNs) advances nursing globally.
AUSTIN, TEXAS — The American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) is pleased to announce three International APN Ambassadors, who have been selected to participate in an exclusive learning opportunity. The AANP International Ambassadors Program was established to provide nurse practitioners (NPs) and other nurses from countries with emerging NP or APN roles the ability to establish relationships with each other, AANP members and NP leaders; be mentored; gain new perspectives about the NP role; and accelerate the development of APN roles within their countries.
Congratulations to the 2022 AANP International APN Ambassadors, Evelyn Amoako, BSc, RN, MPH, of Ghana; Patricija Lunežnik, RN, MS, of Slovenia; and Wentao Zhou, APN, PhD, Adv Dip Neuroscience, Grad Dip High Edu, of Singapore, who will receive scholarships and travel stipends to attend the 2022 AANP National Conference in Orlando, Florida.
- Amoako is a preceptor and mentor who brings more than 13 years of nursing experience to her role as the Deputy Director of Nursing Services at the St. Dominic Hospital in Akwatia, Ghana. With interests in nursing education, HIV, cervical cancer prevention and stigma-related issues, Amoako hopes to pursue her Ph.D. and teach nursing at the university level.
- Lunežnik is a masters-prepared RN and first-year Ph.D. student at the University of Maribor Faculty of Health sciences researching the APN role in chronic disease management — a field that is just beginning to emerge in Slovenia. By writing guidelines to support the implementation of the APN role within family practices, Lunežnik hopes to help spur the development of the APN role in her country.
- Zhou is an associate professor and program director for the Master of Nursing program at Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies at the National University of Singapore — the only accredited master’s degree program for APNs in Singapore. A neuroscience APN, Zhou treats patients with neuro-disability conditions at Singapore National Neuroscience Institute.
“The 2022 ambassadors bring extremely valuable experiences and perspectives that will enrich our understanding of the APN role as it continues to develop internationally,” said AANP President April N. Kapu, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, FAANP, FCCM, FAAN. “Since the last cohort of ambassadors was selected in 2019, AANP has eagerly awaited a return to face-to-face learning with the hope of continuing this important program and highlighting the vital contributions APNs make to the health of patients worldwide. Please join AANP in commending the new ambassadors on their outstanding achievements. We look forward to meeting these remarkable nurses in person — or virtually — this June.”
As AANP continues its commitment to empowering all NPs to advance accessible, person-centered, equitable, high-quality health care for diverse communities through practice, education, advocacy, research and leadership, it recognizes the importance of advanced practice nursing worldwide. Looking toward a bright future for APNs and their patients worldwide, AANP is exploring ways to increase its global impact by building relationships within the international APN community and increasing the rich diversity of experiences and perspectives from which NP practice can benefit.
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The American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) is the largest professional membership organization for nurse practitioners (NPs) of all specialties. It represents the interests of the more than 325,000 licensed NPs in the U.S. AANP provides legislative leadership at the local, state and national levels, advancing health policy; promoting excellence in practice, education and research; and establishing standards that best serve NPs’ patients and other health care consumers. To locate an NP in your community, visit npfinder.com. For more information about NPs, visit aanp.org.