Hello colleagues, and welcome March! It's starting to warm up and hopefully you can now write the correct year and date without thinking. For United Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (UAPRN) of Georgia, this month promises to be busy. We will be wrapping up the legislative session as well as gearing up for spring events, including local fundraisers and chapter-led community outreach. Don't forget to register for the UAPRN Healthcare Summit happening May 13-14 (visit http://uaprnofga.org to register).
Each March, my family plants seeds for all the flowers and vegetables we grow in the summer. We have fun picking out different types of tomatoes, zucchini, and zinnias, and nurturing the little plants into adulthood. My girls can hardly wait to see what colors and shapes arrive in the summer! Planting seeds takes some forethought and time. It's an investment that does not pay dividends until months later. But the fruits and blooms in summer are worth the work.
So, let's talk about ways we can plant seeds now to invest in our well-being both individually and as an organization. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on all of us. As advanced practice nurses, we can get so caught up in helping others-as well as just surviving our jobs-that we often overlook our own needs. Take some time this month to invest in yourself. Think about things that you want to change in your life. Making a list of goals is a great way to focus your attention. For instance, I bought a planner for 2022 - something I have not done in 3 years. Sitting down and writing things out by hand brings clarity to my goals. It allows me to intentionally invest in my future. Instead of the "shoulds" that you could be doing, think about setting small goals with intention to invest in yourself and your future. You will reap the benefits sooner than you think!
Let's also invest in our organization. UAPRN is a nonprofit organization with many opportunities for professional growth and empowerment. We have our political action committee toward which you can donate even as little as a dollar. However, investing doesn't always have to involve money. We have many opportunities for members to volunteer their time and talents through chapter and state leadership as well as committees and events.
If you ever want to publish, think of submitting to The Nurse Practitioner journal for consideration. Meeting students and preceptors through chapter events is another great way to network and grow our profession. Any kind of participation not only benefits your resume and marketability, but also invests in our healthcare community and the ability for us to create change on a larger scale. I hope this has inspired you to intentionally invest in yourself and us. If you have any concerns or questions, feel free to contact me at the email below. Here's to intentional investing and reaping rewards in 2022!
Ashley Blackmon, MS, CHFN, CCRN, APRN, FNP-CUAPRN
PRESIDENT [email protected]