The goal of establishing a global voice and vision for the future of nursing got a serious boost as Sigma Theta Tau International announced the creation of the Global Advisory Panel on the Future of Nursing, or GAPFON, chaired by Johns Hopkins School of Nursing Dean Emerita Martha N. Hill, PhD, RN, FAAN. The international panel held its inaugural meeting March 27-29 in Basel, Switzerland.
“GAPFON will be a catalyst to stimulate partnerships and collaborations to advance global health outcomes,” says Hill, who led the top-ranked Hopkins School of Nursing for more than a decade. “I look forward to working with nurses, other health professionals, and key stakeholders who are committed to improving global health domestically and internationally.”
The initial GAPFON meeting, an intense three-day discussion on strategies to influence global health, identified as key issues the need for reform, advocacy, and innovations in leadership, policy, practice, education, and work environments.
“It is imperative that global nurse leaders work together to develop a unified voice and vision for the future of nursing worldwide,” says Hester C. Klopper, PhD, MBA, RN, president of STTI, the Honor Society of Nursing, and a GAPFON member. “The Global Advisory Panel on the Future of Nursing will be a vehicle for thought leaders to share information, develop and influence policy, and advance this profession to influence global health.”
GAPFON will hold a series of regional meetings of leaders from key stakeholder groups, including representatives from around the globe, to obtain knowledge and social, economic, cultural, and political insight. These will provide the basis for an action plan.
GAPFON also includes:
- Rowaida Al-Ma’Aitah, PhD, Senator, Jordan Nursing Council and the Upper Parliament of Jordan
- Cathy Catrambone, PhD, RN, FAAN, Associate Professor, Rush University College of Nursing, Chicago, IL
- Eric Lu Shek Chan, DMgt, RN, FACN, Principal Nursing Officer, Hospital Authority, Kowloon, Hong Kong
- John Daly, PhD, RN, FACN, FAAN, Dean and Professor, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Leslie Mancuso, PhD, RN, FAAN, President and CEO, Jhpiego, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
- Isabel Mendes, PhD, RN, Professor, University of Sao Paulo at Ribeirao Preto College of Nursing, Brazil
- Mary E. Norton, EdD, APN-C, Associate Dean and Professor, Global Academic Initiatives, Felician College, The Franciscan College of New Jersey
- Anne Marie Rafferty, CBE, FRCN, FAAN, Professor of Nursing Policy, King’s College, London, United Kingdom
- Judith Shamian, PhD, RN, LLD, President, International Council of Nurses, Ottawa, Canada
- Wichit Srisuphan, DrPH, RN, Emerita Professor, Thailand Nursing and Midwifery Council
- Roger Watson, PhD, RN, FAAN, Professor of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Social Care, University of Hull, United Kingdom
- Lynda Wilson, PhD, RN, FAAN, Assistant Dean and Professor, International Affairs, University of Alabama Birmingham School of Nursing, Alabama
- Patricia E. Thompson, EdD, RN, FAAN, Chief Executive Officer, STTI, Indianapolis, IN
- Cynthia Vlasich, MBA, BSN, RN, Director, Education and Leadership, STTI, Indianapolis, IN
- K. Joanne McGlown, PhD, RN, MHHA, Director, Global Business Development, STTI, Indianapolis, IN
- Stephanie L. Ferguson, PhD, RN, FAAN, International Health Care Consultant, Amherst, VA