Letter from President Jane Nelson Worel MS, APRN-BC, APNP
I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve as the 2009-2010 President of the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA). Over a decade ago, I joined PCNA because of its mission to be “the leading nursing organization dedicated to preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD) through assessing risk, facilitating lifestyle changes, and guiding individuals to achieve treatment goals.” Immediately I felt at home, having truly identified with the organization’s stated mission and goals. That same year, I registered for my first PCNA Annual Symposium and was thoroughly impressed with the quality of speakers and the level of professionalism exhibited by everyone associated with PCNA. Later I became involved with my local chapter – the Great Plains Region of the PCNA – and eventually honed my leadership skills as co-chair of the chapter. Six years ago, I was nominated to become a member of the PCNA Board of Directors. Having the opportunity to work even more closely with the PCNA staff and board members has furthered my commitment to helping the organization move forward its mission and goals and to ensure that nurses have the information, tools and the professional pathways to be leaders in CVD risk reduction.
During the past year, PCNA has been involved with a number of web-based educational programs that have proven to be very successful. These programs addressed timely topics such as motivating patients to exercise and the management of women with cardio-metabolic syndrome. They were attended by thousands of health care providers interested in advancing their knowledge of CVD risk reduction strategies. Web-based education allows attendees to receive high quality continuing education in a convenient and cost effective manner – sitting at your office or home computer listening to well-known experts while viewing their slides on your computer screen. PCNA will likely continue to use this new format for continuing education programs as it clearly expands our educational reach. We are also committed to continue our tradition of offering high quality face-to-face programs (Annual Symposium, Regional and Chapter Programs) that have the added value of professional networking and relationship building.
PCNA will continue to provide professional education through printed material and educational products such as the Pocket Guide “National Guidelines and Tools for Cardiovascular Risk Reduction” which will be revised this year in order to stay current with national guidelines updates. The Online Forms Guide has also recently been updated to include new forms for helping patients with lifestyle change as well as medication adherence. In response to suggestions from members, we are also considering the development of educational products to address timely concerns such as the obesity epidemic and improved management of hypertension. We hope that throughout the year, you frequently visit the PCNA website to learn about new educational products and opportunities as well as to provide your thoughts and suggestions on how PCNA can better serve your educational needs.
Last year, PCNA invested significant resources to a web site redesign. Feedback from members and other stake-holders was used to make the site more visually appealing as well as intuitive to use. The new web site includes a daily news stream that provides users with quick access to current and late-breaking CVD and health related information. To aide members with career planning and professional networking PCNA has partnered with HealtheCareers, a healthcare job site, as well as LinkedIn.com, an online community that provides a member-only networking forum. Throughout the year we will be monitoring the use of these resources and, as always, invite your feedback regarding its benefits as well as any concerns you have related to the web site, the career site or the on-line community.
Looking forward, the 2009-2010 year presents a number of challenges and opportunities for us as individuals, nurses, PCNA members and leaders. Health care costs continue to rise while the economic downturn has lead to increasing unemployment and growing numbers of uninsured Americans. We are beginning to learn what plans our new President, his Administration, and the new Congress have in mind with regard to health care reform. President Obama’s agenda includes, in his own words "a historic commitment to comprehensive health care reform" and a pledge to provide "quality, affordable health care for every American." The plan includes the investment in preventive care as a primary means both to improve public health and to reduce health care costs. I look forward to the journey ahead and hope that we all can contribute to a new system of health care that will indeed place increased value on prevention and the contribution that nurses can make in improved public health, decreased health care disparity and improved health care outcomes. I hope that you will join me on the journey.
Sincerely yours,
Jane Nelson Worel MS, APRN-BC, APNP