NEW LEADERSHIP OFFERINGS AT OADN!

By Mary Dickow, MPA, FAAN | Director of Strategic Initiatives | Organization for Associate Degree Nursing (OADN)
Bridges, Volume XIII – Issue 4, November 2019

At the 2019 Convention, OADN worked in partnership with the ACEN to deliver a full-day session entitled Be the Leader You Would Follow: Essentials for Great Leadership in Nursing. That session drew enormous interest from nurse educators attracted to this full-day, interactive experience. It provided the participants the opportunity to work on personal leadership development plans as well as to gain valuable tools and resources to take back to their programs to address real-time solutions. Other sessions offered on Professional Identity in Nursing and Critical Conversations were two of the highest attended breakout sessions, targeting important issues for nurse educators. OADN remains committed to staying engaged with the leadership pulse by paying attention to the current trends that affect nursing education and contributing to the success of nurse educators.

OADN understands the challenges and hurdles nurse educators face every day. With a goal to prepare them with the tools to address these challenges, OADN is planning to offer new leadership development opportunities to identify solutions. An exciting leadership development track is in the works for the 2020 Convention with topics such as mentoring, goal setting, and succession planning. As the only national nursing organization representing ADN programs, we have a responsibility to offer a strong leadership platform for new directors and faculty aspiring to lead. Everything OADN does to better prepare nurse educators is a reflection on the students and the communities surrounding the many community colleges across the nation. OADN is ready now more than ever to contribute to the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve the vision of creating healthier communities—one nurse leader at a time.

Working with national leaders such as the ACEN, OADN is in the process of developing webinars and pop-up sessions on hot topics in leadership to offer throughout the year. In addition, OADN is exploring ways to incorporate what was gained from the recent membership survey to demonstrate a commitment to taking what nurse educators say they need, then creating valuable content to address those needs. As OADN continues to grow, it is essential to acknowledge the importance of growing and mentoring new leaders while providing unique opportunities for the more seasoned leaders as well. OADN is committed to developing successful nurse leaders with a vision for 2020 and beyond!