Executive Director's Report

It is a raw, rainy February, turning to March day as I sit writing this piece. Even though we have had some really warm weather and many of the early spring flowers have already poked their heads out, today feels like winter. It is the kind of day that would be good for curling up with a wonderful book and a cup of hot tea. But, SCNA is too busy with a number of exciting projects and doing the work of the organization for that to take place.

SCNA was one of a group of hosts of a very successful breakfast meeting for members of the General Assembly to show our support for the inclusion of more money in the SC budget to support the Critical Nurses Needs Initiative, especially to support money for faculty salaries. The turn out from SCNA was excellent, and I truly thank all of you who took time to join us and to talk with the members of the General Assembly who attended. Of really special note was the work done by the various colleges and universities that took part. Not only did they have good faculty presence, but they brought with them students who were well prepared to talk with the legislators as well. One group was so good that I recommended extra credit to the Dean!

There is also much going on at the national level of your organization. ANA is preparing to hold the biennial House of Delegates. As a part of this, a wide variety of proposed Bylaw changes are wending their way through the process that will end up on the floor of the House in June. There are quite a few major changes proposed and your SCNA Delegation, both Delegates and Alternates, have been reviewing the proposals to date. The April Board of Directors meeting for SCNA will also be spending some time looking at the proposals. Coincidental with all of these Bylaws proposals are the expiration of the agreements between ANA and the two AOMs of the organization. The agreements that designate the two current AOMs as, The Center for American Nurses and The United American Nurses, will both expire at the end of the day on June 30, 2008. Work has begun to discuss the future of the Center in relationship to ANA and other interesting ideas for the future. Stay tuned, it promises to be an exciting and fascinating time.

May brings the traditional celebration of Nurses Week! I hope that for each of you it will be a time to reflect on the reasons why you chose nursing, and to truly understand your great importance and value to the delivery of healthcare in our nation and the entire world. I hope it will also be a time to celebrate your own personal joy at being a nurse. HAPPY NURSES WEEK!

Judith Curfman

Thompson, IOM Executive Director and Lobbyist

Copyright South Carolina Nurses' Association Apr-Jun 2008
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