Support your National Nurse

We have seen a flurry of excitement and action since RN Magazine’s editor, Marya Ostrowski, came out with a resounding editorial in support of a National Nurse. Also, we want to thank each one of you who signed up to receive our newsletter, and for forwarding it to others so that they too may learn about our proposal for an Office of the National Nurse.

The National Nurse Team (Teri, Terri, and Alisa) have been inundated with a number of requests, including speaking engagements, the possibility of video streaming our conference presentations on our website, adding information about how to successfully lobby our elected representatives about the National Nurse, and the day to day work of maintaining the website, adding to our research/reference base, and writing these newsletters.

We feel we now must turn to you and ask you to consider making a donation to The National Nursing Network Organization so we can continue our efforts. Soon, you will see a link on www.nationalnurse.org in the upper left hand corner, so you can make a secure on line donation using your credit card. Or, you may make a check addressed to the National Nursing Network Organization and mail it c/o Teri Mills 20564 SW 98th Court Tualatin, OR 97062. Please Do NOT address the checks to Teri.

We have deliberately set up the beginnings of a C-4, which means your contributions are NOT tax-deductible. We originally had considered a C-3, but the rules are strictly no lobbying with this type of corporation.

Even if you are unable to give financial support to this effort, we appreciate your requests for posters and other materials. It is rewarding to receive emails from students who are telling their professors about the National Nurse (as is the case from a PhD student at TWU in Houston, Texas) or faculty including information about the National Nurse in their educational setting (Nebraska Methodist College and College of New Rochelle, NY were two among several that we heard from).

As you might remember, Alisa and Teri will be speaking to the Portland Community College chapter of the American Association of Women in Community Colleges. Later this month, Lillian Gonzalez, a registered nurse from Nevada, will be joining Alisa and Teri in keynoting the OR Student Nurses Association (OSNA) dinner and then all three will present forums at the OSNA Convention on February 19th. We are very much looking forward to these events.

Next on our agenda is the conference at Mt. Wachusett Community College in Gardner, Massachusetts. We would like to encourage any nurse and interested member of the public to attend this free event that will take place on Friday, March 31st, 2006 from 10 am to 1 pm. Please email teri@nationalnurse.info for more information if you would like to come hear about the National Nurse proposal. We will be sure to take time to listen to your feedback and answer your questions.

We still anticipate reading about the National Nurse in many publications this month so stay tuned to www.nationalnurse.org because we will announce these on the website once they come out.

Finally, we understand that several groups are considering resolutions in support of a National Nurse at their meetings, conferences, and conventions. If you are interested in writing a resolution and need assistance, please email Teri.

Thank you very much for your emails. We enjoy reading your comments and make an effort to reply back when possible.

Until our next newsletter,

Teri Mills, Alisa Schneider, and Terri Polick
The National Nurse Team
www.nationalnurse.org