Send an Email to ISPN

Message from the President

Dear ISPN Members:
Greeting to you all! Hope your summer has gone well. There are many issues to update involving ISPN. First of all, the annual conference in Montreal, in April was stupendous with a beautiful setting and city. More importantly, the interactions and energy that flowed between attendees was wonderful to watch. Every time I attend a conference I'm struck by the importance of professional connections with colleagues. So many of us work in settings where we are a nurse alone or one of only a few doing the advanced practice work. These connections are always strengthened by the conference and the work we do.

The following summarizes some of the issues discussed at the conference and in subsequent months:

APRN Consensus Group: One of our members, Edna Hamera (also an ISPN member), has represented APNA on the APRN Concensus Group looking at APRN roles and competencies. Even though ISPN was previously represented on this group, this had stopped a few years ago. The Board of Directors voted and agreed that Noreen Thompson will be representing ISPN at this group's meetings. She will report back to the board.

Military issues: A newspaper article was published in a Seattle paper that detailed the Army's plan to add mental health personnel to deal with the issues presented by soldiers. Dr. E. Ritchie, interviewed for the article, omitted nurses from the list of providers. I have sent letters to her and to Assistant Secretary of Defense, S. Ward Casscells. These will be published on the website. I have not received a response but will include this as well when I receive it. APNA also sent letters of concern about the lack of inclusion of nurses as mental health providers.

ANCC Content Expert Panel: The ANCC is forming a content Expert Panel around the adult psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner exam proposed to include competencies for both PMH clinical nurse specialists and nurse practitioners. Four of the eight positions were offered to APNA and their leadership has asked that an ISPN member be one of their four. An email call was sent out to ISPN members eligible to be on the panel (credentialed in last 10 years) and several members responded. Applications are being reviewed and the decision will be posted.

Revision of ISPN website: The ISPN website is in dire need of revising. Several members have volunteered to help with this and a web designer is involved with this process. Input from membership is welcomed.

Increasing fiscal and membership base: As always we want to maintain and grow our membership and increase sponsorship of various activities. This will grow our fiscal base and insure long term liability.

I want to conclude this column with the announcement that the 2008 ISPN Conference will be in Louisville, Kentucky on April 9-12, 2008. This is an exciting year for us since 2008 marks the 10th anniversary of ISPN. One of the exciting additions to this meeting will the introduction of a pre-conference on psychopharmacology issues across the lifespan. ISPN members have indicated in many forums that they need as much psychopharmacology information as they can get and the board of directors heard this loud and clear. Please plan to attend this conference in beautiful Kentucky!

We are coming out of a turbulent time in ISPN's history. I am confident that the next two years will see a time of growth and increased presence around the changes influencing psychiatric mental health nursing practice. I hope we can continue our ongoing collaboration with APNA, ANCC and other like nursing groups as important changes are made to titlement and credentialing. Nurses are a powerful force in providing care but we need to harness that power and authority and influence political and care issues in a concerted, organized manner.

I cannot say enough how much I've appreciated the supportive responses from ISPN members. I am always confident that if I put out a call for opinions or volunteers I will hear from you. We are a strong, vibrant group of advanced practice nurses who have a significant voice. I hope to make this voice even stronger in the coming months.

Have a wonderful fall and please don't hesitate to contact me with comments or questions.

Geri Pearson, President, ISPN
Email: pearsong@psychiatry.uchc.edu

Return to the Top   

Copyright© 2000 International Society of
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses
All rights reserved.
Developed and hosted by ProAccess, Inc.
Questions and comments to webmaster@proaccess.net