Special Interest Groups (SIGs)

Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are formal groups within NONPF formed for the purpose of providing additional opportunities for participation within the organization and networking among faculty.  SIGs facilitate communication within the organization on topics of interest to members.  As well, they provide a ready list of identified members with an interest and expertise in a particular area.  Members of NONPF can join SIGs for $15 each.  Please see the Membership page for more information on joining SIGs. 

For an overview of the NONPF SIG structure click here.
 

Chairperson: Ramona Benkert

Co-chairperson: Patricia Dennehy

Description: The Academic Nursing Center SIG addresses issues related to the growth and sustainability of academic nursing centers (ANCs) and discusses other related topics for faculty.  This SIG organized a preconference session at the NONPF 2004 annual meeting.

Key Issues:
1.  Sustainability - fiscal stability, operational issues, patient caseloads and profiles - of ANCs.
2.   Balancing the mission of the ANC with the need to be financially stable when financial support from schools of nursing and other sources is unreliable.
3.   The need for a common ANC database and data repository.
 

Description: The Acute Care SIG is a special interest group that addresses issues related to Acute Care Nurse Practitioner education and practice.  This SIG did preliminary work in identifying entry-level competencies and has served as a resource to the National Panel currently finalizing consensus-based competencies for the Acute Care NP.

Key Issues:
1. Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Specialty Competencies: The National Panel has completed the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner specialty competencies, a project spearheaded by the ACNP SIG and facilitated by NONPF.  The Acute Care SIG is now working to promote dissemination, implementation and evaluation of the competencies.
2.  The Acute Care SIG is extending efforts to increase Acute Care NP faculty presence at the national meeting, and increase educational offerings and posters relevant to Acute Care NP education and practice.
 

Chairperson: Joyce Knestrick

Description: The Distance Learning SIG addresses issues related to the development and design of NP distance learning programs, innovations in technology, and informatics for NP practice.  This SIG developed the Guidelines for Distance Learning in Nurse Practitioner Education and organized a preconference session at the NONPF 2002 annual meeting.

Key Issues:
1.  Creating a common definition of distance learning
2.  Developing a mentoring system to assist faculty developing new distance learning programs and a course to teach the basics of distance teaching/learning
3.  Accruing information on various methods of distance learning
4.  Exploring issues of authorship and intellectual property
5.  Developing a directory of NP programs that offer distance learning
 

Description: The Gerontological Nurse Practitioner SIG addresses issues related to gerontological content for NPs and the GNP role.  This SIG held its first meeting in April 2004.

Key Issues:
1.  Explore opportunities for networking among faculty of GNP programs.
2.  Foster greater marketing of GNP programs to potential APN students.
3.  Enhance liaison with the National Conference of Gerontological Nurse Practitioners (NCGNP).
 

Chairperson: Patricia Krauskopf

Description:  The International SIG is a group of national and international faculty involved in APN education, research and practice in the global nursing community. The members of this group focus on collaborating across borders, oceans and continents in an effort to enhance the preparation of APNs in their own nation. The overall goal is to facilitate dialogue about global health issues that affect education and practice of the APN in the international community through the sharing of ideas, materials, methods, outcomes and contextual or collegial exchange.  The SIG collaborates closely with the Global Advancement Committee.
 
Key Issues:
1. International APN education, research and practice
2. APN program guidelines for improved global health care
3. Collaboration and collegial exchange to enhance APN preparation
 

Description: The Program Director SIG addresses issues related to program administration and funding and other related topics.  This SIG held its first meeting in April 2004.

Key Issues:
1.  Program Requirements and Competencies
2.  Faculty shortage and need for qualified faculty
3.  Fluctuating enrollment
 

Chairperson: Mary Weber

Co-Chairperson: Susan Adams

Description: The Psychiatric Mental Health Special Interest Group addresses issues related to Psychiatric-Mental health nurse practitioner education and practice.  This SIG initiated development of the PMHNP competencies, served as a resource to the National Panel that identified the consensus-based competencies, and organized a symposium on implementation of the competencies for the NONPF 2004 annual meeting.

Key Issues:
1.  Discussion of CNS as PMHNP
2.  Regulatory issues regarding what states expect if you carry the NP designation versus the CNS.
3.  Questions regarding content of post-masters programs for NPs who wish to become PMHNPs, as well as for PsychCNSs' who wish to become PMHNP
4.  Current ANCC certification for Family PMHNP requirements
5.  Accreditation issues related to CCNE adopting the Criteria for Evaluation
 

Research SIG                                                                                                              

Chairperson: Susan Buchholz

Co-Chairperson: Joan Bloch

Description: The Research SIG addresses issues related to nurse practitioner research and the research needs of nurse practitioner faculty members. The Research SIG formed in 2007 after the NONPF Board restructured and the Research Committee was dissolved. The Research SIG seeks to promote participation and excellence in clinical scholarship of all NONPF members.

Key Issues:

1. Provide a forum for nurse practitioner faculty who conduct or are interested in conducting research.

2.   2. Collaborate among Research SIG members for designing future research projects together.

3.   3. Present timely research symposiums at the annual NONPF meeting.

4.   4. Provide assistance to NONPF for abstract and proposal reviews.

5.   5. Discuss methods to conduct research successfully as nurse practitioner faculty.

National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF)
900 19th Street, NW  Suite 200B
Washington, DC 20006
tel: (202) 289-8044 ● fax: (202) 384-1444
nonpf@nonpf.org

President: Mary Anne Dumas, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, FAANP