Development of a local advanced practice nurse coalition.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Practice
• Healthcare Administration
• Community Health

Background:

• Rural areas present unique challenges for professional networking among advanced practice nurses (APNs).
• Establishing collaborative structures is crucial for APN professional development and advocacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document the process and experiences of developing an advanced practice nurse (APN) Coalition in a rural setting.
• To provide insights into the formation of local APN networks.

Main Methods:

• A selective review of relevant literature was conducted.
• Internal documents detailing the organizational framework of the newly formed APN Coalition were analyzed.

Main Results:

• The development of a local APN Coalition was successfully achieved.
• A clear organizational structure was established for the coalition.

Conclusions:

• Local APN coalitions serve as a foundation for building professional connections.
• These local networks can expand to influence state and national nursing organizations.
• The study provides guidelines and a template for establishing similar APN coalitions.