New committee member

Published: 24 September 2012

As a newly appointed committee member I am delighted to be able to contribute to the work of the ANP Forum. I work at Birmingham City University delivering the MSc Advanced Practice programme and the Non-Medical Prescribing course.

Supporting talented and experienced nurses to grow in confidence and overcome hurdles to develop as advanced practitioners is a privilege. I see firsthand the excellent work they do by improving services and patient outcomes. We now need to ensure the work of ANPs across the country is acknowledged and valued. Measuring patient outcomes and raising the profile is important but also ensuring standards, competence and patient safety in the current debate around regulation is vital.

My clinical background as an ANP is in general practice and I worked in primary care for more than 15 years before moving to Birmingham City University. I still work in a local GP surgery as an ANP to maintain clinical practice. General practice is facing enormous changes over the next few years but these should be seized as opportunities for advanced practice. We need to work with our GP colleagues through these challenging times.

I am also involved with the Association for Advanced Practice Educators (AANPE) who have always worked closely with the forum. Do access the AANPE website for current activities and lots of useful information. If your local universities who deliver advanced practice programmes are not members, please encourage them to join!

Look out for next year’s AANPE conference in Worcester on 1 March and I hope to meet many of you there.
 
Sue Shortland
Senior Lecturer/Advanced Nurse Practitioner
MSc Advanced Practice/ Non Medical Prescribing
121 Ravensbury House
City South Campus
Westbourne Road
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 3TN
 
Phone: 0121 331 6157