Beth Phelps, APRN, DNP, CNP, began her term as the ANA-Illinois Board Secretary in 2021. “The timing was right. It just fit exactly with what I’d been wanting to do. It was perfect,” says Beth. Current Work in Urgent Care, Teaching Beth is an acute care nurse practitioner at Springfield Clinic in Springfield, Illinois. She’s…
2022 Bylaws Forums – Registration Opens
Call for Member Volunteers – Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee
The ANA-Illinois Board of Directors is issuing a call for appointments for the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee. The board recently approved the development of this new standing committee based on the recommendations from the Expert Panel on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Committee – (1/2 of those appointed will serve…
2022 Award Winners: 40 Under 40 Emerging Nurse Leaders
The Illinois Nurses Foundation is proud to announce the 2022 40 under 40 Emerging Nurse Leaders Award winners. This award was established in 2015 by the Illinois Nurses Foundation to highlight and celebrate young nurse leaders. It celebrates those who are impacting health care and the nursing profession today and who will undoubtedly shape the…
Member Highlight: Sarah Ailey: Dismantling Disability Discrimination Through Participatory Action
Sarah Ailey, PhD RN FAAN, is a professor in the College of Nursing at Rush University Medical Center, which “has a history of being on the forefront of healthcare for people with disabilities.” “I’m a mother of a 46-year-old son with intellectual disabilities, so there’s that aspect of it. I have that family advocate role.…
Shortages Update: Nursing & Faculty
As we recapped here, in late March, ANA-Illinois Executive Director Susan Swart, EdD, MS, RN, CAE, addressed the nursing shortage with the Illinois Senate Health Committee. During her meeting with the committee, she ran through the projected shortage of nurses in Illinois and also provided them with ideas on how to combat it. Illinois is,…
ANA-Illinois: Healthcare Legislation in “Build Back Better”
After two quick victories with the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, President Biden’s legislative agenda is now stalled in the Senate. Because of the Democrats’ narrow majority in the upper chamber (a 50/50 split with Vice President Kamala Harris able to cast tie-breaking votes), they originally planned to pass much of their…
2022 Annual Awards Program – Nominations Open
One of the greatest honors is to be recognized by peers and experts for the outstanding quality of work and contributions that are made. ANA-Illinois is providing opportunities for such recognition through our annual recognition awards. Nominations are open through August 31st. Awards will be presented during the Virtual Professional Issues Conference on November 5th.…
ANA-Illinois Member Highlight: Dana Merk on Using Survivorship for Good
Dana Merk was completing her bachelor’s in theatre at DePaul University when her life took a dramatic turn. “My senior year I’m applying to ABSN programs and in December of my senior year, December 2003, I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. I had to withdraw from school, have my treatment. Thankfully, I’m here. It’s…
2022 ANA-Illinois Election Call for Consents
The ANA-Illinois Nominating Committee is seeking nominees for the ANA-Illinois Board of Directors for 2022. Nominations are now being accepted for the following three positions: Vice President Treasurer 2 Directors 1 Director – Recent Graduate (to serve within 5 years post-graduation from a prelicensure RN program) 3 Nominating Committee Members 1 ANA Representatives 1 Alternate ANA…