Happy Monday to All!!

UAPRN Members, Followers, and Others

I must extend a very, very grateful and appreciative acknowledgement to Ms. Jill Nielsen for sending me this invaluable resource over the weekend. The resource is MAG's e-newsletter that focuses primarily on the legislative activities of MAG during our current General Assembly session. I found it extremely insightful and very informative. After reading this newsletter, I decided to subscribe to it, and I encourage you all to consider it for your own personal and professional growth. However, it brought up an important topic and goal that I want all of us to consider as one of our "new year's resolutions" for professional development - the artful skills of debate required for any effective leader. 

As I perused the website, one reading stood out in my mind that was foreign to me-the state capital's sponsored program, "Doctor of the Day Volunteer". (Now this is where one of my 2016 resolutions kicks in to play.) Have any of you heard of this program before? Why have APRNs never been considered for participation?

I would like each of you to read my attachment. I have synthesize most of the information in a concise manner which should take you all no more than 8 to 10 minutes to review. I want you to pay special attention to numbered sections 2,3,5, 8,and 10.

I am not going to give my opinion just yet,as to avoid bias from you. I greatly value your opinions on these healthcare concerns and would like to hear from you about them. In fact, what very, very, very, very few of you whom have ever replied back to my requests have resulted in my growth by challenging me to look at the issue in an entirely different way. Hence, your opinion has broadened my knowledge and forced me to view the issue in a different way. That sole purpose is one of the main objectives of a debate!

With that being stated, I must enforce the following debate "ground rules": 1) All opinions are welcomed; 2) Respect one another's opinions; 3) Do not play "cow boy and indian" debate tactics through mudslinging or name calling; 4) Thoroughly think through your opinions before posting them; 5) Approach this request from your state president with an "open mind" and a flexible demeanor.......please!

One very important lesson that I have learned over these past 3 years as your state president is this. When dealing with political concerns in Washington or in Atlanta, it is vital that you know all the facts when presenting your opinion or debating your interpretation/cause. A knee-jerk boisterous response is never appreciated as one looses his/her credability when this takes place. However, if brittled and tamed, that passion, commitment, and desire have the potential of becoming quite effective within our profession. Those are important characteristics of a true APRN. More importantly, it is crucial when expressing your opinion or debating your interpretation/cause that you fully understand the opinions and interpretations of your opponent or opposing side.

For most of us, that may require some effort as this skill requires time to develop; and in some ways requires a paradigm shift in your way of thinking. I encourage you all to watch the presidential debates and when you do, look for this important skill. A great recent example that I observed recently was the Republican response to the Presidential State of the Union Address last week. The youngest governor in our country represented her state of South Carolina and her party extremely well as she executed this debate skill quite effectively. I encourage you to view her 3 minute response as such an important skill. 
In our personal world I believe that when someone can adopt such an important skill or philosophy, he/she has the potential of evolving into becoming a truly effective APRN leader !!!

Thank you again Jill Nielsen. I guess that is why she is the recipient of the 2015 UAPRN State Leadership Award !!

I welcome your opinions. Unfortunately, this site will not allow me to attach this document so I am going to cut and past the Word document in Part II of this announcement. Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

James F. Lawrence, Ph.D. APRN BC CPS CHPN FAANP

UAPRN State President