Dear Eileen,

I want to commend you on your article “On Not Being Heard,” which appeared in the March/April 2010 issue of NP World News. Your observations and the resulting deductions were that as nurse practitioners (NPs) we need to reach out beyond our usual circle of family and healthcare-related friends if we are to advocate for the NP role. Your conclusions are very accurate.

Like you, I decided that I needed to expand my reach in order to be a true advocate for the NP profession. Last year, I applied for and was accepted into a women’s leadership program called “Leadership California” (www.leadershipcalifornia.org). This group consists of successful women from all types of industries in California who have the common goals of developing the qualities of leadership and exhibiting determination. The mission of the group is to “move women from success to significance.” Since joining the group, I have had the opportunity to explain my role to 60 women who were unfamiliar with the NP role or had misconceptions about our scope of practice. These women work in many different industries, including aerospace, government, insurance, software, wine, and public relations. My tipping point for applying to the program occurred after reading an article in the Wall Street Journal last fall about members of a networking club who had met for over 40 years. Their motto was “sameness does not learn from sameness.” So, I encourage all NPs to identify opportunities to network outside of their comfort zone because the rewards are there.

Sincerely,
Jill Olmstead, MSN, NP-C
Immediate Past President, California Association for Nurse Practitioners
American College for Nurse Practitioners Practice Committee Chair