Welcome From the President

Dear Nurse Practitioner Colleagues,

The Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners is a dynamic and evolving professional organization with over 1600 members. Our mission is to promote the advancement and professional development of nurse practitioners in order to improve the health care of citizens of the Commonwealth. Our board of directors and standing committees are actively engaged in efforts supporting this mission. We invite you to join our professional organization if you are not already a member or continue your membership to support this important work.

Membership is a proactive way to stay involved in activities and initiatives promoting recognition and advancement of the role of nurse practitioners. Applications are available either online or by printed copy. Students and retired nurse practitioners are offered membership at a reduced rate of half off.

Benefits of membership include:

• Coordinated statewide legislative advocacy with a paid lobbyist in Richmond to promote access to care, reimbursement parity and choice for healthcare consumers
• Continuing professional development of nurse practitioners through local chapter meetings and our annual statewide conference
• Representation of nurse practitioners with professional, community and governmental groups
• Job opportunity announcements in the Members Only section of website
• Electronic newsletter
• Website business listing in Find an NP
• Discounted legal review of Employment Contract
• New Professional Liability Insurance at 2M/6M aggregate offered by Marsh
• New Eligibility for VCNP Nurse Practitioner Educational Scholarship Award

It is not too late to plan to attend the 2012 Annual Conference at The Homestead, Hot Springs, Virginia. Our meeting starts on Thursday, March 8th and runs through Sunday, March 11th. This is our first year at this beautiful historic national landmark. Our program planning committee has developed another outstanding program designed to update your clinical knowledge and skills and provide an opportunity to learn about current practice issues, emerging healthcare trends and policy issues. The conference also provides an opportunity to network with over 450 nurse practitioner colleagues from across the state.

A consensus bill to increase access to health care for citizens of the Commonwealth and minimize oversight obstacles for nurse practitioner care has been introduced in the 2012 General Assembly by VCNP and the Medical Society of Virginia (MSV). Delegate John O'Bannon, M.D. is patron of the HB 346. This bill is a result of months of dialogue between the leadership of VCNP and the MSV in response to recommendations emerging out of the Virginia Health Reform Initiative (VHRI) Capacity Taskforce to address systemic challenges of access to health care including current and projected shortages of primary care physicians and the geographic maldistribution of healthcare providers throughout the state. We need the support of every nurse practitioner to be successful with passage of this important legislative initiative. You can stay informed by reviewing the Legislative Updates link on the website. Our public relations initiative has been effective in increasing the visibility of the role that nurse practitioners play in delivery of safe, high-quality health care. We will continue public relations efforts to promote this important work.

The VCNP is a volunteer organization, and we are seeking volunteers interested in influencing and advancing the organization. Volunteers are vital so I urge each of you to consider sharing your talents and service with active involvement either at the regional or state level.

Sincerely,
Cynthia Fagan, RN, MSN, FNP-BC
President

Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners
250 West Main Street, Suite 100
Charlottesville, VA 22902
(434) 977-3716
(434) 979-2439 fax

General VCNP Information:  vcnp@vcnp.net