State Liaison Candidate
Campaign Message
I am running to represent the state of Arizona because as a professor at the University of Arizona and a graduate of Arizona State University, I believe that I am in an ideal position to successfully advocate for excellence in NP education, practice and research. I believe that NP advocacy in Arizona is about ensuring continued NP professional autonomy, promoting the exceptional reputation of NPs by maintaining standards of excellence in professional training, making sure that NPs are compensated fairly compared to other types of providers, and advancing the profiles and impact of NP researchers. I will be an accessible servant leader, dedicated to pursuing the best interests of my constituents in Arizona.
Bio Sketch
Rachel Adler is Professor of Nursing at the University of AZ. She received her PhD in anthropology in 2000 from Arizona State University and became an NP in 2018. She is currently credentialed as an NP in both Psychiatric Mental Health and Adult Gerontology Primary Care. Her current nursing practice is in psycho-oncology at The University of Arizona Cancer Center. Her program of research is aimed at making impact by discovering culturally appropriate interventions to promote the psychosocial well-being of cancer survivors. She has broad clinical and research experience with vulnerable populations such as men and intimate partners living with prostate cancer, veterans with urogenital combat injuries, Latino immigrants, homeless populations, and both incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals. Dr. Adler has academic leadership experience as department chair, developing and leading academic programs, chairing personnel and search committees, serving as faculty union representative and faculty senator. As an NP she served as legislative ambassador for the Texas Nurse Practitioner organization and is currently on the AANP Research Committee. Rachel Adler is dedicated to advocacy that advances the NP profession at a state and national level.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing NPs in the delivery of health care over the next decade? How should AANP address this issue to support NPs and the populations they serve?
The main challenge is to break through barriers that prevent our colleagues from practicing to the full extent of their training. I recently had the fortunate opportunity to relocate from a restricted practice state (TX) to full practice Arizona, but I am well aware that not all NPs have the ability to move from one state to another. Arizona was successful and has a duty to advocate at a national level to make every state a full practice state. This is key to advancing the NP profession and reducing obstacles to delivering outstanding care to the populations we serve.
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.
I have leadership skills that I developed in academia by serving in both elected and appointed roles. As a member of the AANP Research Committee I published an oped in the JNP advocating for research funding parity for NPs. As a legislative ambassador of Texas Nurse Practitioners I won a public election as a party delegate and attended the state convention. I advocated to have full practice authority reinstated to the party platform after it had been removed by a committee hostile to NPs. Full practice authority for NPs is now part of both party platforms in Texas.
Identify one major challenge that could impact your ability to fulfill the responsibilities of the position you are seeking. How do you plan to manage this challenge to be successful?
As a professor I have a demanding career as a researcher, teacher and clinician and I have many demands on my time. I will manage this challenge by leveraging my academic role to perform the work of the AZ state liaison--providing outreach to fellow faculty and to students both in my program and throughout the state of Arizona. It is important to me to be accessible for my constituents and I will prioritize the AZ State Liaison position to ensure that I am available to meet their needs.
AANP’s mission is to empower all NPs to advance accessible, person-centered, equitable, high-quality health care for diverse communities through practice, education, advocacy, research, and leadership. If elected, how do you propose to advance AANP's mission and strategic plan?
I commit to advance the AANP strategic plan, especially in promoting the exceptional reputation, authority and expertise of NPs in Arizona. As a nurse educator, researcher, and academic leader I am in a key position to make an impact in how the profession is viewed at both state and national levels. I will also assume a public facing role in advocating for the AANP as the leading resource for NP practice, education, advocacy, research and leadership in health care in the state of Arizona.