Please Join Me in Congratulating Ms. Jill Nielsen!!

Last month, I received such a true blessing as I was reminded how truly dedicated many of our UAPRN members are. I "bribed" Dana Hickman, your Forsyth/Gwinnett UAPRN chapter president, to accompany me to the beautiful mountains of Georgia on a very special mission. Dana and I travelled to Blue Ridge, Georgia where we were hosted by the North Georgia Mountain UAPRN chapter. Although this chapter is a smaller chapter, they often remind me of what UAPRN truly represents- unifying APRNs of all specialities in promoting the very highest quality health care to Georgians. Few other places in our state are so challenging as it is in the rural mountain areas surrounding this UAPRN chapter. Yet, Jill Nielsen has proven year after year that she can provide a high-quality health care to Georgians from this area that is second to none!

In addition to her clinical expertise in diabetes management that Georgians drive from great distances to receive specifically from her, Jill has been one of the major influences that have kept this UAPRN chapter alive and thriving for many years !! 

Thus,  your UAPRN state executive board  of directors proudly nominated her this year for the 2015 state leadership award.

On a personal note, I will state that I have known Jill for three years. Without hesitancy, I can say with the utmost sincerity that she inspires me to be a better APRN and more importantly, a better human being! Holding true to her great leadership style and grace, she reminds all of us of the announcement below that includes:

Right now Congress is setting the health care agenda for the rest of 2015, we must call on them to support the Home Health Planning and Improvement Act (S. 578/H.R. 1342). Members of Congress need to understand that nurse practitioners must be able to certify the assessments for home health services. This will increase access to care and reduce needless costs and delays to the millions of patients that choose to receive their care from a nurse practitioner.

Now is the time, to come together to make certain that our voices are heard so that this legislation is given the priority it deserves. We ask that each of you use this link to contact your Members of Congress today to ask them to support the Home Health Planning and Improvement Act (S. 578/H.R. 1342) and that they urge the committees of jurisdiction to take action on these bills. Additionally, please share this link with other NPs and anyone else who is in support of removing barriers to practice for nurse practitioners.

Click the link below to log in and send your message:
https://www.votervoice.net/BroadcastLinks/SOc8OuJ5CAEpweDxwvw3VQ

Please join me in congratulating Ms. Jill Nielsen  the 2015 UAPRN state leadership award recipient and and one of Georgia's most valued healthcare providers!!  

Thank you also to all of the North Georgia Mountain UAPRN chapter members who were in attendance while I presented this award and for showing Dana and myself such a wonderfully exciting evening.

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

UAPRN State President