Maryland Nurses Association ~ District 5  

Montgomery and Prince George's Counties

See District Webpage at www.md5nurse.com

George Paul, President - president@md5nurse.com

Dear Sir or Madam:

This is my opportunity to announce the change in leadership and to welcome the membership to become a participative part of the organization. I wish to thank Pat Kelly for her splendid leadership of in bringing us through the past two years with great judgment and insightful direction to the feedback of the membership. It is now my turn to take the standard for the next two years. I therefore solicit your input and feedback for the future. As Pat has stated your input is essential for planning: if you are not satisfied with the response to nursing issues you may contact us with your input either directly by telephone, or please log into our website and register your input (http: MNA District 5.com). This is a request for your ideas on best practices, how would you want us to solve nursing problems, represent you and offer you new alternatives in developing health issues for future generations.

We are asking you members to be considered for key positions to insure nursing as a professional voice in healthcare, an advocate for the needy and bring nurses back to choose MNA membership. Nursing does exceptionally well in care of others but little in caring for members; it is time now to join together and get ourselves into shape for the future. Times have changed, healthcare is considered and industry and we need to be looked at as industry leaders.

Watch us members become the ambassadors for our profession. This past year we have had several activities among which there was an educational program on genetics, a tour of healthcare windows at the National Cathedral in Washington and recently members joined the ?Light the Night Walk? of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. We collected a great deal of financial support for the Society and have received a letter of thanks from that organization. Many of our members are participating in the ?State of Maryland?s Commission on the Crisis in Nursing?giving District Five good statewide visibility. The Maryland Nurses Association Political Action Committee (PAC) has several new members who are participating, including Barbara Curtis who has been a district member for years and is person after which the ANA PAC National Award is named. One of these members will be calling you this year on contributing to the PAC. The support does help in gaining visibility with legislators and assists in addressing nursing issues which are now bogged down in the Legislature.

I encourage each and every one of you to join with us in our efforts both big and small to insure the health of future generations, take the time to be an active member, serve as the patient advocate and a visible nursing advocate. Have a personal goal, be concept-drive, connective-driven and competence driven.

Sincerely,

George Paul RN
President MNA District Five

District 5 Meeting Schedule for 2008