By Jane McCurley, TONL
What an amazing world we live in. To know that we can affect the lives of so many people, as nursing leaders, we find our calling in adaptability, resilience, and innovation in healthcare.
Together with my colleagues at TONL, I look forward to the challenges, opportunities, and shared inspiration we will encounter in 2021-2022. As I assume the role of President, I would like to extend my deep appreciation to my predecessor, Dr. Timothy Howell, for his leadership and contributions. I would also like to thank members of the Executive Committee and the Board 2018-2020. We will continue to strive on the foundation of advocacy and influential exceptional care.
I am inspired by the achievements and exponential growth that our organization has achieved. I am honored to highlight just a few accomplishments! TONE became TONL, expanded our annual conference to a second site in Houston, implemented TONL Hero and TONL Forum. In February 2020, Texas hosted a multi-organization Inaugural Summit, “The Future of Nursing in Texas: Stakeholders Moving Towards Alignment.” Dr. Paula Webb, Past President, was instrumental in leading this strategic priority of academic partnership and collaborative support. Subsequently, a summit occurred in July to explore ideas in education and practice that can address current and future issues with new graduates’ transition to practice. Dr. Webb received the 2019 Excellence in Nursing Leadership Award presented at our annual conference.
July also brought several pre-work sessions with board members to prepare for the annual strategic planning session. Annual surveys were analyzed to determine principal and essential themes to consider. Our amazing CMP management partners led us through this with their usual expertise and attention to detail. This hard work was completed and our 2021-2022 goals emerged. I am looking forward to continuing the important and impactful work in fulfilling our mission.
One of our key strategic initiatives is to define a nurse leader. Nursing leadership is a broad description of words that can be further described in many facets. It is truly a calling to reflect and recognize the collaborative experiences, shared ideas, innovative strategies, empowering relationships, and the fruition of this love. Leading the way, showing the way, and learning from one another are essential components in leadership traits. Empowering and engaging leaders is the ongoing opportunity that we rise to meet.
Defining diversity vs inclusion, ensuring communications are meeting member needs, developing Chapter leadership programs, and academic partnership and collaboration support continue to be a part of our strategic plan.
One strategic opportunity we would like to highlight is the expansion of in-group membership. Nursing leaders work among us, and recognizing this is crucial to the future of this organization. Awareness to organizations such as ours provides invaluable support. Key purposes and characteristics include expansion of ideas, innovative projects, legislative topics, promotion of educational programs, nursing practice, healthcare in Texas, and collaboration with other nursing organizations.
Our annual conference in 2021 is currently in the planning session, and will be a virtual platform as are many things in our world today. While we will miss the in person networking, virtual conferences allow us to extend our audience to those who may have been unable to travel.
In 2021, the 87th Texas Legislators will be in session, from January through May. Each session provides tremendous opportunity to leverage our nursing expertise to advocate for our profession and the healthcare bills in Texas. In 2022, San Antonio will host the AONL Annual Conference. Our very own Dr. Pam Bradshaw is on the Planning Committee, so I know it will be spectacular! Let us plan to show them that Texas is the biggest and best state by increasing our membership, but also by achieving our strategies to affect nurse leaders across Texas.
The TONL Board extends a heartfelt thank you for all you do each day. We hope you will continue your commitment to our professional organization. We encourage you to be active in your local Chapters and to find opportunities to serve as we strive to live out our mission, meet our objectives, and demonstrate success in meeting our strategic priorities.