14 American Nurse Today Volume 11, Number 11 AmericanNurseToday.com

Inside ANAFROM YOUR ANA PRESIDENT AND ANF CHAIR

THIS YEAR, the American Nurses Association (ANA)Enterprise embarked on a 12-month campaign dedicat-ed to providing registered nurses (RNs) with informa-tion and resources to attain and maintain a culture ofsafety within their practice and work environments.

Many of the advances we shared on the safety andquality front are attributable directly to the efforts ofour colleagues in research—whether it’s addressingtransitions in care, emerging infections, or healthcareworker fatigue. Nurses engaging in scientific study notonly have the ability to identify gaps in care and prac-tice; they also possess the expertise to turn their find-ings into relevant, evidence-based policies and proto-cols. We all rely on their work to make our work andprofession better. However, nurses who conduct re-search cannot succeed without our support.

ANA and the American Nurses Foundation have a 60-year partnership and a shared commitment tobuilding an extensive and varied body of nursing research and, in turn, improving healthcare access,practice, and delivery in many fundamental ways. Oneof the Foundation’s marquee initiatives is the NursingResearch Grants (NRG) Program. Every year, the Foun-dation provides funds to beginner and experiencednurse researchers to conduct studies that contribute toadvancing nursing science and enhancing patient care.A new component of the NRG program is aimed specif-ically at supporting research that leads to improving thequality of care provided in clinical settings, as well asthe integral role nurses play in designing better care.

So far the NRG program has supported nearly 1,000scholars. Their contributions are significant and wide-ranging, determining factors that influence nurse satis-faction, healthcare reimbursement, and the care of pa-tients ranging from neonates to individuals at the endof their lives. The full measure of the scholars’ workcan be found online at www.givetonursing.org. Thisyear, the Foundation is awarding over $250,000 tomore than 25 scholars, who undoubtedly will maketheir own mark on our profession and health care.

Also this year, the Foundation has the privilege oflaunching two new research-focused funding sourcesthat will promote quality care and a culture of safety.The first honors Margaret L. McClure, EdD, RN, FAAN,one of four nurses who conducted the groundbreaking

1983 research that identified factors in the work envi-ronment that lead to attracting and retaining highlyqualified nurses. That study resulted in creation of theMagnet Recognition Program®, which is managed byour partner organization, the American Nurses Creden-tialing Center, and continues to carry out the goal of en-suring safe patient care through excellent nursing care.The new Margaret L. McClure Nursing Care EndowmentFund focuses on her passion: research that examinesthe delivery of nursing care in clinical institutions.

The Foundation’s second new source is a researchfund created by Bea Kalisch, PhD, RN, FAAN. A formerDistinguished National Academy of Medicine NurseScholar (a position funded through a partnership of theFoundation, ANA, and the American Academy of Nurs-ing), Kalisch is renowned for her research on the im-pact of missed nursing care, as well as teamwork. Herfund will support nurse-led research on quality care—with a preference on teamwork.

Beyond its research program, the Foundation sup-ports a range of leadership building and other initia-tives and offers several key ways to contribute to itswork, including one that allows every donor to pub-licly recognize an inspirational nurse who has made adifference in his or her life. Hundreds of nurses haverecognized their colleagues through the Honor a Nurseprogram since the Foundation partnered with Lippin-cott Solutions in 2014.

Finally, everyone can play a role in advancing theart and science of nursing by visiting www.givetonursing.org and making a contribution to the Founda-tion before this year comes to a close. No amount isinsignificant, especially if it allows ANA and the Foun-dation to continue our efforts to give patients and nurs-es safe, quality environments.

Pamela F. Cipriano, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN President, American Nurses Association

Tim Porter-O’Grady, DM, EdD, APRN, FAANChair, American Nurses Foundation Board of Trustees

Contribute to buildingnursing research andenhancing safe, quality practice