It is hard to believe it has been a year. As my tenure as the STN President comes to a close, I cannot help but be excited about what the future holds. Although this will be my last President's message, it is not the end of my STN journey. My journey as President began in Portland, along the Oregon Trail. What a wonderful place to begin our work for the program year. The energy and excitement that we began with among our members have carried throughout the year. My first President's message, "Oh the Places You'll Go," focused on our agenda for the year. Our journey has taken the STN to many different places, all the while solidifying our place as the premier organization for trauma nurses.
MEMBERSHIP-STRENGTH OF OUR ORGANIZATION
You, our members, remain the strength of our organization. Over the last year, we had the opportunity to refresh our mission statement: To promote optimal nursing care to all people globally. This statement is important to help keep us grounded as we move forward. Our vision for the STN is to be the premier global nursing organization across the trauma continuum. Both our mission and our vision are rooted at the core of our organization, our members. Our goals, and the opportunity to complete our strategic plan, have been established to assist us in ensuring we stay on track to meet the needs of our members.
INTERNATIONAL FOOTPRINT-EXPANDING OUR REACH
Over the last year, we continued to see growth in our international endeavors. The STN led the nursing content at the World Trauma Congress, was key in providing nursing content at the Pan-American Trauma Congress, and was active during the European Society for Trauma and Emergency Surgery meeting, just to name a few. Our TOPIC courses are expanding to New Zealand, Australia, and Brazil. ATCN held 150 courses outside of the United States. Our growth does not stop here in the United States but rather continues across the globe.
OPTIMAL CLINICAL CARE-ENSURING THE RIGHT RESOURCES
Clinical care remains the foundation for trauma nursing. One of our main goals moving forward is to provide exceptional education and resources for trauma professionals. Our program year begins and ends with our annual meeting, which has been a staple to our educational programming. This is just one of the ways we are working to provide relevant, evidence-based content to our members. Our organization is home to several programs, which have been the pillars on which the STN was built. Last year TOPIC held 25 courses, while ATCN held 389 courses across the country. Our TCRN review site courses were launched, and we held 11 courses during our inaugural year. Our webinars continued to be a valuable resource for our members, with nine different topics shared. Supporting our clinicians will continue to be a large part of what we do moving forward.
SUPPORT TRAUMA PROGRAM LEADERSHIP
Our organization originated as the home for trauma program leaders. We have continued to build on the foundation that was laid by our founders. We continue to strive to support trauma program leaders and provide the best possible resources. Our trauma program manager study has provided us with valuable information that will be used to support these leaders. Our leadership committee launched the inaugural Business Writing Course over the past year. They also revamped our successful Leadership Institute. We are currently offering a course and will offer an additional course again in the fall. Providing leadership opportunities for all of our members is an important goal we intend to meet.
THANK YOU
The success of the STN is a direct result of numerous people. I learned a long time ago that when you start to thank individuals, you inevitably miss someone. With that, I would like to personally thank the STN professional staff and countless volunteers. Without all of your efforts, we would not have made the progress that we made. You have made the STN what it is today, and I am excited for what the future holds. You are in good hands. Our board and incoming leaders have a great vision for the future. I would also like to thank my organization, Nemours/Alfred I DuPont Hospital for Children. The support of all of my teams (Trauma Program, Critical Care Transport Team, and Emergency Services) has been overwhelming. Your support over the last year has been tremendous. I also want to thank my family. You continue to encourage, support, guide, and most importantly keep me straight. You are always there, no matter what, and I hope I continue to make all of you proud.
Thank you to our members, for the opportunity to serve as your President. It has been an honor and a privilege to represent such a phenomenal group of individuals. Although this may be my last message, this is not goodbye. I look forward to what the future of the STN holds. Thank you for being a part of the STN journey. Together, we have been able to achieve great things. Our journey from good to great is well on its way. "And will you succeed? Yes, you will indeed! (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed)" (Seuss, 1990).
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