Item: Major Association Accomplishments

Annual Membership Meeting Minutes May 22, 2007

Item: Call to Order AACN President Mary Fran Tracy called the meeting to order at noon (EDT)

Item: Major Association Accomplishments The contributions of the AACN board of Directors, National Office staff and volunteers were acknowledged, and printed materials highlighting the year’s achievements were distributed.

Volunteer Group Accomplishments

Advanced Practice Work Group The Advanced Practice Work Group met to evaluate the learning needs of advanced practice members and identified gaps that could be filled by programming at the Advanced Practice Institute for 2007:  Selected abstracts from those submitted that matched an identified API content need  Determined essential topics for API 2007 that were not represented  Sought speakers with expertise to fill underrepresented content areas  Integrated a multidisciplinary faculty for API  Identified appropriate content for pharmacology CNE credit

Ethics Work Group The Ethics Work Group identified strategies to provide the bedside clinician with education on palliative care in the acute and critical care setting:  Systematically reviewed external and internal palliative care education resources  Determined content for online palliative care education resources for acute and critical care beside nurses  Developed education content for the online resource, including a palliative care self-assessment resource; families and palliative care critical care nurse talking points; and symptom management education resource, which included a self-assessment quiz, frequently asked questions and a management algorithm for delirium, pain, dyspnea and anxiety, and provided links to appropriate online resources

Healthy Work Environment Work Group The Healthy Work Environment Work Group identified leading strategies to make nurse leaders aware of the AACN Standards for Establishing and Sustaining Healthy Work Environments and to engage nurse leaders in guiding implementation of the Standards in their organizations. Identified priority strategies are to:  Provide development resources to teach nurse leaders to effectively lead change in a turbulent environment  Provide clear steps for how to begin implementing the Standards, including examples and best practices of how others have done this  Create the case, including talking points, to help nurse leaders influence colleagues at all levels – from the executive rungs to peers, to the bedside nursing staff

NTI Work Group The experienced and diverse NTI Work Group selected the most appropriate program topics for a robust, innovative program to enrich the educational experience of all NTI attendees:  Analyzed the program evaluation from the previous year’s NTI and reviewed newly submitted abstracts to ensure cutting-edge, relevant information and program enhancement  Systematically reviewed issues, different perspectives and unexpected events that can be opportunities for additional program content needs  Provided a direct link to AACN Web site visitors who wanted to ask questions about the NTI, offer recommendations or make comments directly to a group member  Attended NTI 2007 as a member of the on-site staff, including presenting at the “NTI First- Timers Orientation” and “How to Be an AACN Speaker” sessions

Research Work Group The Research Work Group focused its attention on the AACN Practice Alerts, including strengthening the current Alerts:  Reviewed and developed a plan to update current Practice Alerts  Prepared a template to ensure consistency in Practice Alert format and content  Identified a process for identifying and inviting authors to address age-specific content  Identified contents for a Tool Kit, including a Practice Alert Implementation Checklist  Published an “Ask the Experts” article in the April 2007 issue of Critical Care Nurse, clearly differentiating among Practice Alerts, Protocols for Practice and the Procedure Manuals

Association Strengths and Accomplishments

Healthy Work Environments  Enhanced Web space to provide richer, more interactive resources, including a Speakers Bureau, implementation consultants and a discussion forum  Released the Critical Care Environment Survey in partnership with Nursing Spectrum and Bernard Hodes; landmark survey was first to provide data specific to critical care units and the environments in which critical care nurses work  Continued partnerships for development of resources and educational programs to assist healthcare professionals in implementing the AACN Standards for Establishing and Sustaining Healthy Work Environments

Practice, Education and E-Learning  Launched Nurses in Healthcare Management and Business Leaders (NIHMBL) listserv for nurse managers to connect and share information; nearly 500 members to date  Released two new AACN Protocols for Practice – 2nd edition of Creating Healing Environments and Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues in Critical Care  Launched Essentials of Nurse Manager Orientation (ENMO) in partnership with the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE); first comprehensive, Web-based program for new frontline managers, assistant managers, charge nurses and aspiring managers  Released updated Practice Alerts to include lifespan-appropriate research and practice recommendations  Awarded $76,357 in evidence-based grants to help advance and promote the science of acute and critical care nursing  Awarded 39 units the Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence, bringing the total number of units achieving Beacon status to 80; launched Beacon Award categories for progressive care units and for pediatric critical care units  Offered 353 concurrent, mastery and general sessions at NTI/API 2007, as well as 42 preconferences, more than 100 exhibit CE sessions and 12 sunrise sessions  Ensured that the voice of acute and critical care nurses was prominent on a number of levels through liaison activities, collaboration and the sharing of expertise; examples available online at www.aacn.org > public policy > liaison activities  Published Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Scope and Standards of Practice Publications  Hired Peter Morris as new physician co-editor of the American Journal of Critical Care (AJCC) to succeed Christopher Bryan-Brown, now founding co-editor  Introduced redesigned AJCC, including new and enhanced features  More than tripled subscriptions to AACN Advanced Critical Care launched last spring; now more than 4,000 subscribers  Increased subscribers to Critical Care Newsline e-newsletter to more than 90,000

Certification  Conducted a job analysis to better understand the emerging and evolving practice of nurses working in the remote ICU environment; subsequently created the CCRN-E renewal status for nurses working exclusively in these remote units  Completed pilot testing for new ACNPC certification program for acute care nurse practitioners  Launched Renewal by Synergy CERPs program to integrate the AACN Synergy Model for Patient Care into AACN Certification Corporation renewal programs; changes aimed at making certification and recertification requirements more consistent in framework and emphasis, and better prepare certificants for the future  Experienced double-digit growth in CCRN and PCCN certificants; CCRN renewal rate at record level  Launched Online Exam Registration  Obtained VA Approval for Exam Reimbursement

Item: Small Group Discussions President Tracy explained a new meeting format under which members participated in small group discussions led by board members as well as representatives of the National Office leadership team. The discussions focused on three questions:

. What does AACN do best to support you in your professional work? . What can AACN do differently to better support you professionally? . If AACN could do one thing that would absolutely delight you as a member, what would it be?

Representatives of each group then reported the results of their discussions. In addition to citing programs and resources such as NTI, publications, Practice Alerts, ongoing evidence-based research and CE opportunities, responses to the question regarding what AACN does best included accessible leadership and responsive staff, recognition, affordable membership, standard-setting, collaboration and promotion of proactive solutions to nursing issues. Areas cited in response to the question regarding what AACN could do differently included better student outreach resources and help in retaining novice nurses, getting more young nurses involved, more support for advanced practice roles, more encouragement of pay incentives for certification, expanded opportunities for volunteers, and improved technological and Web resources. With respect to the member delight question, the groups reported suggestions ranging from waiving the fee for certification exams to free or discounted NTI registration based on various attendance or membership milestones and automatic chapter membership with national dues.

Item: On the Horizon Noting that AACN has experienced an increase in membership and secured a level of financial security, President Tracy provided an overview of programs that are on the horizon:

On the Horizon

. Major redesign of the Web site to provide richer content and a more user-friendly navigational system that will give you access to the resources you need when you need them . A major upgrade of ECCO to incorporate enhanced functionality and updated content . Launch of ACNPC certification exam for nurse practitioners in acute and critical care . Unlimited free CE credits for AACN members

Tracy also announced newly elected members of the AACN Nominating Committee and AACN Board of Directors for 2007-08:

President-elect Caryl Goodyear-Bruch

AACN Board of Directors Linda Bucher Ski Lower John Whitcomb

AACN Nominating Committee Terri Kiss Kathy Peavy Jan Powers

Item: Meeting Adjourned There being no further business, President Tracy adjourned the meeting at 1:15 p.m.