Some institutions function as if professional development were a luxury.

Some institutions function as if professional development were a luxury. I could not disagree more. For example, we all know that professional development is absolutely essential in health care settings, where patients, families, and other members of the health care team expect nurses to be well-developed providers of care, knowledge, support, and inspiration.

In education, especially in nursing education, there is an equivalent need. The health care environment is changing so rapidly that there is no doubt that the way nursing was taught when I was a student, teacher, and dean is no longer acceptable. To prepare today's nursing workforce, we must continue to hone our skills as faculty and strive for excellence.

As the voice for nursing education, the NLN has been promoting this message, and I am pleased to report that it is being heard. I am sure of that when I see our record registration figures for the upcoming NLN Education Summit in Phoenix and the many faculty development workshops and audio-web conferences we offer throughout the year.

But as we have evaluated our faculty development opportunities, we have been concerned about the need to personalize our services, to bring faculty development expertise to campuses in all parts of the country. One facet of our approach is a new initiative that will be launched at the Summit, the NLN Speaker/Consultant Bureau.

As you consider the eight Core Competencies of Nurse Educators -found on the NLN website at www.nln.org/facultydevelopment/pdf/corecompetencies.pdf--think about where you and your colleagues can use assistance. The NLN Speaker/Consultant Bureau is based on these competencies. After you identify where you need support, for example, in curriculum redesign, you will be able to choose from a series of workshops designed to meet specific objectives. Our approach to matching consultants and schools is structured the same way.

Naturally, if you are a teacher with an identified area of expertise and have experience as a consultant or speaker, we will want to hear from you. A committee, consisting of fellows of the new NLN Academy of Nursing Education, is being formed to review applications. Start thinking about how you can share your expertise with your colleagues and take a leadership role as we collectively work to bring about excellence in nursing education. Our many faculty development opportunities, and other ways to be involved with the NLN, are outlined in Professional Opportunities 2007-2008, now available online at www.nln.org/aboutnln/ProfOpportunities/POB.pdf.

Colleagues, this is such an exciting time to be a teacher of nurses. Our mission is clear, and we have given a great deal of thought to how we must proceed. I am confident that you will join the NLN as we bring the best practices of nursing education to all campuses here in the United States and, yes, to schools of nursing around the world. Spread the good news. Invite others to join the NLN, the organization where transforming nursing education is our business.

And colleagues, I am looking forward to seeing you at the Summit, the most exciting faculty development opportunity available--it's less than three weeks away.

With all my best wishes,

Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN

Chief Executive Officer