Nursing & Healthcare News
Meet Beverly Malone of the NLN
Talking with the president and CEO of the National League for Nursing
National League for Nursing
Originally founded back in 1893, the National League for Nursing (NLN) was the nation’s first nursing association. Its mission is to promote excellence in nursing education and build a strong nursing workforce.
NLN President and CEO Beverly Malone, RN, Ph.D., FAAN, has led the organization since 2007. During her tenure, the NLN has amplified its influence on nursing education through the NLN Commission on Nursing Education Accreditation; expanded nurse educator certification programs; and their efforts with the NLN Centers for Nursing Education. She is also building partnerships with other organizations, both nationally and globally.
Addressing the Educator Shortage
Malone says the No. 1 question the NLN has been fielding since the COVID pandemic began is how to tackle the nursing shortage, which she says is ultimately an educator shortage.
“We simply lack enough nurse educators and clinical placements to handle the number of qualified applications our nursing programs receive each year,” she says.
Adding more educators will take more funding. Federal funding for nursing education and faculty support programs is on the current administration’s budgetary chopping block, which would make the shortage worse. “The reality is that federal funding for these programs is vital,” she says. “The lack of nurse educators leads to a lack of nurses at the bedside.”
Reasons to Join
Nurse educators can benefit greatly from joining the NLN. “The NLN is the gateway to career progression for nurse educators,” Malone advises.
There are research grant and scholarship opportunities, and members are eligible for discounts on the organization’s programs and events. This includes the NLN Education Summit, which will be held in Orlando, Florida, this September. (This year’s timely theme is “The Challenge: Unraveling the Mysteries of AI.”)
For more information about the NLN, visit their website, nln.org.
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