I don’t typically post live events on my site, but I will certainly promote the 2017 Leadership and Lobby Days, what with the current political climate and all (and also, full disclosure, I helped plan this event). I’m particularly excited about it because it is an opportunity for forensic nurses to develop their own voice, whether for lobbying (which we’ll do on the 2nd day), seeking support for programs from funders or hospital administrators, or letting community members and organizations know about existing or expanding services. While IAFN has had an annual Lobby Day for several years, this is the first time we are adding an education component (complete with 6 CEs), focused on topics we don’t usually cover at the annual conference.
The Leadership Training has a fantastic agenda (DOC)–we’ll be working with communications professionals to build our capacity around messaging and storytelling, a skill that’s critical in a variety of professional settings. It will be interactive, relevant and besides the obvious educational benefits, provide a terrific opportunity to network with colleagues from all over the country (and ideally, the globe–more on that in a minute).
The goal is to have 100 forensic nurses here in DC for the training day, and on the Hill on day 2 (hence the hashtag #100ForensicRNs), speaking to legislators and their staff about the issues important to us and our patients. To that end, a couple things to note:
- If you don’t know how to go about setting up appointments with your legislators (or even who they are), it’s covered.
- Don’t feel comfortable lobbying on your own? We’ll be pairing people up with mentors if they so choose (I’ve mentored folks the last couple years and it’s a blast to watch folks discover their own voice in this process).
- Not living in the US? This is still a great opportunity to learn with your peers and visit your embassy to discuss the issues front and center in your country.
- Not sure about schlepping to DC for this? I have 3 words for you: Cherry Blossom Festival. This is taking place in the heart of cherry blossom season, and with the training on a Monday and Tuesday, it’s a perfect excuse to come in the weekend before and enjoy the city at its best.
- And last, but certainly not least, I’ll be hosting a casual get together Tuesday evening after Lobby Day for folks who are sticking around, to debrief, enjoy each other’s company, and give everyone a chance to see Sasha 🙂
Hope to see you this spring!