American Nurses Association Elects Patton
ANA delegates elect officers and other board members
Washington, DC - Delegates of the American Nurses Association (ANA) elected Rebecca M. Patton, MSN, RN, CNOR, of Lakewood, Ohio, to serve a two-year term as president of the nation's leading professional nursing organization representing the major health policy, practice, and workplace issues of registered nurses (RNs) in the United States. A slate of 31 candidates vied for 12 leadership positions during ANA's 2006 elections. Patton and other nurse leaders were elected during the ANA House of Delegates meeting, held June 23-25, in Washington, DC.
Patton is director of perioperative services for EMH Regional Healthcare System, Elyria, Ohio. She has a bachelor's of science in nursing and a master's of science in psychiatric and mental health nursing. Previously, she was director of nursing for University Hospitals Health System from June 2000 through November 2001.
Patton has held numerous ANA positions including treasurer (1998-2002), board of directors member (1994-1998) and delegate to the ANA House of Delegates (2003-2005). In addition, she has served in several Ohio Nurses Association (ONA) positions, including ONA first vice president (1990-1992), ONA delegate (2005-2006) and ONA finance committee member (2003-2005). Other offices and appointments include director, Board of Greater Cleveland Nurses Association (1984-1988), and an Association of PeriOperative Registered Nurses task force appointment on competencies (1999-2000).
Elected to serve two-year terms as officers of the board were Debbie Hatmaker, PhD, RN, of Bishop, GA, chief programs officer, Georgia Nurses Association, who was elected first vice president; Kathy Player, EdD, RN, of Phoenix, AZ, dean, Ken Blanchard College of Business, Grand Canyon University, who was elected second vice president; Susan Foley Pierce, PhD, RN, of Oak Island, NC, professor of nursing, school of nursing, University of North Carolina, who was elected secretary; and Anne McNamara, PhD, RN, of Phoenix, AZ, nursing faculty chair, Rio Salado College, who was elected treasurer.
The director-at-large board members elected include Elizabeth Dietz, EdD, RN, CS-NP, of Sunnyvale, CA, professor/nurse practitioner, school of nursing, San Jose State University; Linda Gobis, JD, RN, FNP, of Butte des Morts, WI; Mary Maryland, PhD, APRN,BC, ANP, of Oak Park, IL, nurse practitioner, Jackson Park Hospital and Medical Center; and Margarete Lieb Zalon, PhD, RN, APRN,BC, of Waymart, PA, professor, department of nursing, University of Scranton.
The director-at-large staff nurse members include Barbara Crane, RN, CCRN, of Smithtown, NY, critical-care nurse, St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center; and Kate Steenberg, RN, BSN, CCRN, of Clinton, MT, flight nurse, St. Patrick Hospital.
Elected to the Nominating Committee were Muriel Shore, EdD, RN, of Fairfield, NJ, Felician College; Betty Smith-Campbell, PhD, RN, of Andover, KS, associate professor, school of nursing, Wichita State University (who will serve as chair); and Cathalene Teahan, RN, BC, MSN, CNS, of Snellville, GA, a public policy consultant.
Remaining on the ANA Board until 2008 are Ernest Grant, MSN, RN, of Chapel Hill, NC, nursing education clinician, University of North Carolina Health Care-North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center; Linda Warino, BSN, RN, CPAN, of Canfield, Ohio, executive director, Dist. 3, Ohio Nurses Association and staff nurse, Forum Health, North Campus; Ann Converso, RN, of Lawtons, NY, staff nurse, Veterans Administration of Western New York Health Care System; Patricia Koenig, BSN, RN, of Ramsey, MN, RN/staff nurse, Allina Corp./Mercy Hospital.
Thirty-five nurses also were elected to the Congress of Nursing Practice and Economics; details regarding these election results will be available shortly.
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The ANA is the only full-service professional organization representing the nation's 2.9 million registered nurses through its 54 constituent member nurses associations. The ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the rights of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.