Campaign Message
The experiences I encounter in my role as nurse practitioner qualify me as a candidate for membership on the Nomination Council. I remain actively engaged as a nurse practitioner through clinical practice and graduate nursing academics which provide a wide range of opportunity from health care settings, diverse organizations, professional committees, and community nonprofits for achieving effective outcomes while advancing the role of nurse practitioners. My dedication to the nurse practitioner role would continue with professional contributions to and relationships with members of AANP. Effective communication, collaboration, team building, professionalism, and decision making in assessing organizational and committee procedures are skills I can contribute to the AANP s Nomination Council.
Bio Sketch
Kathleen Hirthler DNP, CRNP, FNP-BC, associate professor of nursing at Wilkes University, is a nationally board-certified family nurse practitioner with clinical and scholarship interests in adult health, chronic disease management, nursing self-care, and nursing informatics. Currently, her clinical practice is at Volunteers in Medicine, a clinic for the working uninsured in Luzerne County, PA. She is the recipient of the Volunteers in Medicine Health Care Provider award for 2023. Dr. Hirthler joined Wilkes in 2010 and serves in a variety of roles. In 2018 the University recognized her with the President s Award for Excellence in Innovation due to efforts in developing five new graduate nursing programs including the University s first PhD. In addition, in 2023 she was the recipient of the AANP State Award for Excellence in clinical practice in Pennsylvania. Dr. Hirthler is an on-site evaluator for the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, a member of NONPF Finance, Capital Development, and Marketing Committee, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, the Pennsylvania Coalition of Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Practitioners of Northeastern Pennsylvania, and Sigma Theta Tau International. In her community she serves as Secretary of the Board for the Cancer Wellness Center of NEPA and Vice President for VIM.
Biggest Challenge Facing Nurse Practitioners and How AANP Can Help
The biggest challenge facing NPs in the delivery of healthcare is the state by state granting of independent practice for NPs. The Consensus Model for APRN Regulation: Licensure, Accreditation, Certification, and Education (LACE) and now the AACN Essentials (2024) and competency-based education have provided effective models for clarification on the scope and role for NPs. In states where independent practice is not granted, NPs are forced to move to other states to provide services aligned with independent practice. In turn, this creates inequity for access to care for various populations. Furthermore, healthcare providers are exposed in states to the diverse roles of NPs as dictated by state mandates which can easily create role confusion of NPs. This has potential for limiting opportunities for NPs on interprofessional, physician led teams. It is clear in correspondences that AANP is active with state NP organizations in support of independent practice. It is vital for AANP to continue this support to states where challenges exist. The level of engagement noted by AANP is obvious and appreciated by those like me who live in a state that continues diligently to gain independent practice.
Describe, in detail, leadership and other professional skills that you will bring to AANP and provide at least one initiative or outcome that occurred because of these skills.
My nursing career has afforded me extensive opportunity, of which I am most grateful, to develop a slate of leadership skills which ultimately, I believe have impacted quality NP care to individuals/families and the community at large. My professional leadership strengths include active listening, decision-making and problem-solving for realizing visions of innovations, collaboration, and motivation of employees. Cumulatively the years of opportunity enhanced my leadership skills toward academic outcomes at Wilkes University and being recognized in 2018 with the University President s Award for Excellence in Innovation in promoting programs, ideas, and sustainable practices. This was granted due to the development of five new graduate nursing programs at Wilkes including the University s first PhD along with negotiating a team of faculty and professional nursing staff in support of the strategy and operations of the programming. The graduate nursing program continues to expand with this professional team commitment. A humbling moment in turn was receiving the 2023 AANP State Award for Excellence in clinical practice in Pennsylvania due to the promotion of national NP education.
If Elected, I Propose to Advance the AANP Mission as Follows
A position on the Nomination Council would enable me to advance AANP s mission and strategic plan by promoting candidates for nomination and election into leadership roles who support and advocate for NPs in providing high-quality health care as members of interprofessional teams. In conducting a comprehensive vetting process qualified candidates would be selected who can achieve advancing the mission and goals of the strategic plan through identified leadership skills. Therefore, the contribution towards advancement and strategy is ensuring a slate of candidates which is diverse for advancing NPs with my priority focus on Goal B: Reputation, Authority and Expertise. I am proposing that this will occur through consistent application of my proven leadership skills while modeling the mission of AANP in the role of NP professionally and personally.