A Message from WIN's President - May 2025
WIN PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Dear WIN Members,
It was nice to see you at the Annual WIN Conference in Spokane last month. Great job, Program Committee, abstract reviewers, presenters, attendees, and sponsors. The WIN President’s Message is a new and exciting way of connecting, so let’s give it a try.
Did you notice that new federal policy shifts and executive orders riffed on our 2025 WIN Conference theme? Instead of redesigning nursing for new frontiers in health, we see federal changes that are redesigning health and healthcare access, and now the new frontier is how nurses will respond. The WIN Board of Governors is responding. Let me tell you how.
1. WIN remains committed our mission
We continue to honor our mission—Connecting a diverse community of nurses in the West to improve health through excellence in nursing research, practice, and education. Connections we form to share our dedication, expertise, and passion keep excellence alive. We connect most profoundly during our conference. But it is not enough. We plan to connect more intentionally throughout the year. Look for regular website updates, emails, this new President’s Message, and mid-year webinars.
2. WIN partners with other organizations in pursuit of our vision
Our vision drives us: all people have the opportunity to achieve their best health and wellbeing. We partner with the other three nursing research societies in the U.S.: ENRS, SNRS, and MNRS, as well as the Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science. What WIN brings to that collaborative work is a commitment, as stated proudly on the WIN website, to all people. The inclusivity of our vision aligns with the ANA Code of Ethics: We practice “with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and unique attributes of every person.” A few years ago, the WIN membership adopted a diversity statement that states “equity must be the central priority” in advancing health for all people. We know that “without widespread structural change to dismantle institutional racism and discrimination of any kind, equity cannot be realized” in achieving health and wellbeing for all people.
3. WIN builds capacity to achieve our goals
We set goals as an organization to improve the health of the public through nursing research, practice, and education. One of our goals is to develop nurse leaders from diverse populations in the West. To pursue that goal, the Board of Governors established a Task Force just weeks ago to outline a proposed structure for a WIN Leadership Academy. Stay tuned as we develop and then share these plans with you in the coming months.
United in purpose and unwavering in our resolve, WIN will stand with you as we respond to rapid change, overcome challenges, and transform turmoil into opportunity.
Warmest regards,
Lauren Clark, RN, PhD, FAAN
President, Western Institute of Nursing