AMSN Volunteer Units
Chapter Development Committee
Overall Purpose and Objectives
1. Assists the Chapters in chapter development and maintenance.
2. Coordinates the annual Chapter Achievement Awards.
3. Communicates on a regular basis with chapters.
Committee Function and Time Commitment
Local AMSN chapters play an important part in the success of AMSN, so an active Chapter Development Committee is a vital support component to chapters and AMSN.
The Chair of the Chapter Development Committee reviews all petitions for new chapters and grants official AMSN Chapter Charters.
Summer is always a busy time for this committee. The Chapter Development Committee reviews all Chapter Achievement Reports submitted annually to select the winners of the annual Chapter Achievement awards. This occurs in July and early August so that awards can be presented at the AMSN Annual Convention in September or October.
During the Annual Convention, the Chair of the Chapter Development Committee hosts an invitational breakfast for Chapter Presidents. The committee prepares and presents topics of interest to the attending Chapter Presidents at the breakfast. Committee members are encouraged to attend.
During other times of the year, the Chapter Development Committee may be working on special projects designed to assist chapters or surveys to determine chapter needs in certain areas. Committee members may also communicate occasionally with chapter officers to provide encouragement, ideas, or experience or to solicit chapter articles for the MedSurg Matters Newsletter.
Although there are no special skills required to participate in this committee, experience as an officer in a local chapter would be helpful.
Committee Communication
Communication between Chair, Board Liaison and Committee Members is via email, with several evening conference calls throughout the year.Additionally, the committee will have a meeting at the AMSN annual convention. Members are encouraged to attend the convention to meet other committee members and chapter officers.
Clinical Practice Committee
The AMSN Clinical Practice Committee is a dynamic and essential volunteer unit of AMSN. The Clinical Practice Committee serves to maintain the standards of clinical practice for the medical surgical nurse, and to develop statements that guide and support safe and effective nursing practice. The committee also accepts inquiries from the AMSN membership and provides guidance upholding the national clinical standard and the position of AMSN on specific clinical issues. The committee also has the honor of selecting the recipients of the Clinical Leadership and Clinical Practice Awards and presenting these prestigious awards at the AMSN Annual Convention. The committee is also responsible for reviewing and updating the AMSN Scope and Standards as needed.
The Clinical Practice Committee consists of medical-surgical nurses from novice to expert to allow for a broad perspective when developing clinical standard positions. Members are sought from different regions as well to assure that issues of concern and current challenges are discussed and addressed. The success of this committee requires that each member recognizes that their commitment and contribution is vital to success.
The committee meets in person for an hour during the Annual Convention. All Clinical Practice Commitee members are encouraged to attend the Annual Convention as goodwill ambassadors for the clinical practice leadership.
Ask a Clinical Question
Do you need help with your clinical practice questions? The Clinical Practice Committee has suggestions of resources for you to try or you can send them your questions.
Legislative Policies and Issues Committee
Function
The Legislative Policies & Issues Committee supports AMSN’s strategic plan to address adult health care issues in the legislative arena through advocacy and influence of AMSN. With this goal in mind the objective of the committee for 2009-2010 is to increase medical-surgical nurses' involvement in legislative arenas related to adult health care.
Time Commitment
The time commitment for the committee members is approximately 1 - 2 hours per month. The preferred method of communication for the committee is e-mail.
The committee meets for one hour during the annual convention. Any interested AMSN member is encouraged to attend.
Goals
Strategies that will be used by the committee in implementing its objectives are:
1. Provide information to members regarding legislative issues of interest to medical-surgical nurses.
2. Provide education to AMSN members regarding the legislative process, health care reform, and other legislative issues.
3. Provide legislative information to AMSN Chapters and other individuals as requested.
4. Further develop nurses' involvement in legislative issues through web-based social networking.
Resources
Posts Resources and Links for member education.
MedSurg Matters! Newsletter Committee
The Newsletter Committee is responsible for seeking items of interest as well as writing for AMSN's newsletter, MedSurg Matters! One responsibility of the committee is to contact other committee chairs and chapter presidents to assist with soliciting articles from these groups. When articles are submitted for publication, the committee members will review them for relevance, currency, and accuracy. Topics of interest are available on our manuscript wish list.
Nurses Nurturing Nurses (N3) Mentoring Program
Medical-surgical nursing is the foundation of all nursing practice. By developing the N3 program, AMSN has fulfilled an important goal within the association's strategic plan: to help each nurse reach the highest levels of professional practice and personal development. This program is based on the Nursing Theory of Human Caring by Dr. Jean Watson, "Caring is the essence of nursing and the most central and unifying focus for nursing practice. Nursing has always held a human-care and caring stance in regard to people with health-illness concerns."
Mentoring
AMSN would like all nurses, especially new graduates, to look at medical-surgical nursing as a nurturing profession where they will be welcomed with open arms. To that end, AMSN has implemented the N3 Mentoring Program.
The N3 Mentoring Program for new nurses is based on a framework for the passage of wisdom, caring, and confidence between new and experienced nurses. New nurses (mentees) are paired with experienced professional nurses (mentors) during their first transitional year in the nursing workforce.
The N3 Mentoring Program is offered in two formats. Click on the following links to learn more about the individual programs:
· The Online N3 Mentoring Program (open to all AMSN members)
· The Hospital-Based N3 Mentoring Program
Program Objectives
· Developing supportive and encouraging relationships
· Guiding new nurses in their professional, personal and interpersonal growth
· Promoting mutuality and sharing based on the needs of colleagues
· Communicating information concerning expectations, learning opportunities, and stressors
Purpose
A new nursing graduate entering the field envisions an exciting career of quality care and personal fulfillment. However, a nursing shortage, heavy workloads, and a lack of support have led over half of all new nurses to leave their first professional nursing job in less than a year. Determined to reverse this alarming trend, the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN) developed the Nurses Nurturing Nurses (N3) Mentoring Program. There is a great deal of literature documenting the importance of strategies that enhance relationship-building efforts so as to create connectedness between people and allow individuals to provide emotional and professional support to each other. The N3 program is designed to keep new nurses happy and in the field by nurturing them personally and professionally.
N3 Benefits
Mentoring involves a relationship where there is a personal, one-to-one nurturing between the mentor and the mentee. N3 promotes socialization and support in medical-surgical nursing.
Mentors often find a tremendous amount of personal and professional satisfaction in this nurturing relationship. And mentees are not only encouraged in their new role, but also contribute to the future growth of medical-surgical nursing. Institutions participating in the program gain a nursing staff that is loyal because they are satisfied with their jobs and with the facility. Retaining nurses contributes to the future growth of medical-surgical nurses and saves institutions money.
This program is based on the Nursing Theory of Human Caring by Dr. Jean Watson.
"Caring is the essence of nursing and the most central and unifying focus for nursing practice."
"Nursing has always held a human-care and caring stance in regard to people with health-illness concerns."
Program Planning Committee
The program planning committee is charged with the education component of AMSN's annual convention. The members are charged with gathering information from medical-surgical nurses about the topics of most interest. Evaluations from previous conventions, reviewing submitted abstracts, and brainstorming ideas with the other committee members are done to determine session topics. Committee members then contact potential and confirmed speakers to present those topics at the next convention.
Scholarship & Awards Committee
The Academy of Medical Surgical Nurses (AMSN) Foundation was established in 2003 to advance the medical-surgical nursing specialty through scholarships, research grants, and professional development awards. The AMSN Foundation has now been replaced with the Scholarship & Awards Committee.
Mission
The mission of the Scholarship & Awards Committee is to advance the medical-surgical nursing practice.
Goal
To be the principal resource for the advancement of medical-surgical nursing practice.
Purpose
The purpose of the Scholarship & Awards Committee is to:
· Promote evidenced-based standards of medical-surgical nursing practice, education, and research to support optimal patient care.
· Advance the nursing profession through educational activities that foster personal and professional growth.
· Provide opportunities for nurses pursuing careers in medical-surgical nursing practice.
· Recognize excellence in medical-surgical nursing practice, education, and research.
Awards
The Scholarship & Awards Committee grants awards in the following categories.
Career Mobility Scholarships / Provides financial assistance for a member(s) of AMSN to further his/her education: LPN to RN, RN to BSN, RN to MSN, or MSN to Doctorate.CMSRN Certification Grant / Provides an opportunity for a member(s) of AMSN to become certified as a Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN) by providing the funding for registration required for the exam.
Clinical Practice / Recognizes an AMSN member for outstanding professional achievement and contributions as a medical-surgical registered nurse
Clinical Leadership / Recognizes an AMSN member for outstanding professional achievement and leadership within the medical-surgical clinical setting.
Competence in Aging Award / Honors a member of AMSN who displays excellence in providing care to older adults, serves as a role model, and mentor to other healthcare providers.
Convention Grant / Provides an opportunity for a member(s) of AMSN to acquire knowledge, and expertise in the specialty of medical-surgical nursing by attending the AMSN Annual Convention.
Nurse in Washington Internship (NIWI) Grant / Provides an opportunity for a member of AMSN to attend the Nurse in Washington Internship.
Nursing Research Grant / Provides an opportunity for a member(s) of AMSN to conduct a research activity that will promote theoretically based adult health practice.
Programs to support AMSN Scholarship & Awards
Round-Up Campaign
Remembrance Campaign
Matching Gifts Campaign
The financial support is essential to ensure the Scholarship & Awards programs and activities for nurses and the nursing profession. We endeavor to raise money through solicitation of our members and others who are willing to support our mission. We are pleased to accept any philanthropic and memorial contributions from individuals and organizations.
Your gift is crucial to success of the Scholarship & Awards Committee. To contribute, complete our online donation form. You may also mail a check or credit card contribution to the address below. Please make your check payable (US Funds) to AMSN.