History

The History of CGEAN

Historical Highlights

• Established in 1970 in response to a need for collegial relationships with nurse educators focused on nursing administration
• Research awards initiated in 1989 and continue through today
• First Bylaws were adopted in 1985
• Articles of Incorporation as a 501c3 non-profit organization filed in the state of Washington in 2013
• CGEAN’s mission focuses on 1) shaping graduate academic education for nursing administration and leadership; 2) promoting research in the field of nursing administration and leadership; and 3) uniting nurse educators and practice leaders focused on nursing administration and leadership education and research. 
• Monthly Board of Directors meetings and biennial membership meetings support and promote the work of the organization
• The website to document CGEAN’s ongoing work is www.cgean.org

Historical Detail

The Council on Graduate Education for Administration in Nursing (CGEAN) has existed since 1970.  CGEAN began in response to a need for collegial relationships with other nurse educators whose focus was nursing administration.  In part this was due to the fact that often such programs had limited faculty and thus intellectual exchange about the discipline was challenging.  At this time there were no national guidelines for nursing education related to leadership and administration.

Helen Weber, a faculty member at the University of Indiana, was able to undertake a project that began the linkages nationwide for nurse educators who focused on nursing administration.  The first meeting was held in 1970 in conjunction with the American Nurses Association’s convention and was attended by eight (8) faculty from across the country.  At that time, only 27 university-based schools of nursing nationwide had programs in nursing service administration.  Faculty concerns related to curriculum content, textbooks, and pedagogical methods were critical foci of the small group of educators that met for several years while attending another national nursing meeting.  After holding semi-annual meetings for two (2) years, the members decided to hold only one meeting per year during either the annual American Nurses Association or the National League for Nursing meetings. 

Thanks to Dr. Theresa L. Carroll, formerly Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the University of Texas Health Science Center- Houston, much of CGEAN’s early years were documented through a report, The History of CGEAN, 1970-1990.  This report was shared with the membership at its 1992 meeting and with Sigma Theta Tau International in Madrid, Spain in 1995.  Subsequently, several CGEAN records were archived at the Center for Nursing History at the University of Pennsylvania. 

In 1971, 22 nursing faculty became charter members of the Council on Graduate Education for Administration in Nursing (CGEAN) and membership dues ($5/person) were collected.  From 1971- 1985 CGEAN was governed by Rules of Procedure.  These were reviewed annually and revised as necessary.  The first formal Bylaws were adopted at an annual meeting in 1985.  These bylaws were developed by the Rules of Procedures Committee chaired by Dr. Carroll mentioned above.  By 1990, after intensive membership recruitment including development of a formal brochure about CGEAN and the design of a logo, the membership had grown to an all-time high of 171 members.  Records indicate that as of 6/1/1989 the organization had amassed $6,819.62 in retained earnings from 18 years of dues collection.  In this same year, a committee was formed to draft guidelines for issuing a research award to one or more nurse scientists in the field of nursing administration.  These awards were paid for using CGEAN dues and member contributions.  Research funding for a CGEAN Scholar was directed to the American Nurses Foundation (ANF) and given at their annual meetings.

Since the development of bylaws in 1985, CGEAN has been governed by a Board of Directors and has held regular board meetings via conference calls.  Additionally, if board members are at other national nursing meetings they often connect in person.  There is always a board meeting and a member business meeting during the INARC sessions.   Since members of the board are scattered around the US and since there was no physical office prior to 2012, CGEAN records have been kept by individual treasurers and secretaries. 

CGEAN has operated as an autonomous organization, fully dependent upon the good will and volunteering of nurse educators that served on its Board of Directors.  At no time were dues collected from members used for any purpose other than to provide educational programming for members, to support research in nursing administration and leadership, and to offer some minimal travel funding for the presidents to attend AONE meetings.  All retained funds have been invested for the purpose of meeting CGEAN’s mission and strategic goals.    As the organization underwent an extensive bylaws revision in 2013, the potential for additional members and for additional refocusing is possible.  This is an outgrowth of the Strategic Plan developed for the period 2010-2014, which was built around the Institute of Medicine’s report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health.  An in-depth consideration of this report resulted in the idea that CGEAN should encompass undergraduate leadership also.  In part this idea arose from the fact that many graduate faculty in leadership and administration also taught this content in undergraduate programs and in part from the idea of senior leaders supporting emerging leaders would enhance the leadership of both groups.  Strategic planning for 2015-2018 will begin at the end of this year. 

To support the treasurer in management of membership records, the website and dues payment, CGEAN contracted with two independent contractors to provide website management and membership record management.  As membership growth continued, the board decided to move these support services from independent contractors to a business that could better meet CGEAN’s growing needs as a professional organization.  In 2012 after reviewing and interviewing numerous management firms, SBI Management Services was selected to be the new provider of financial, marketing and website services.  By the spring of 2013 all management support had been transferred to SBI.  In the process of this transition, the board was informed by SBI that CGEAN needed to formalize the organization through the development and filing of Articles of Incorporation and to apply for 501C3 status as a nonprofit organization devoted to the advancement of education and research in nursing leadership.  In 2013 the Articles of Incorporation were filed in the state of Washington. 

Minutes and newsletters illustrate three key issues that have consistently been the focus of the Councils’ time and effort:  1) shaping graduate academic education for nursing administration and leadership; 2) promoting research in the field of nursing administration and leadership; and 3) providing a network for visibility and voice of nurse educators and practice leaders focused on nursing administration and leadership education and research.  The organization has consistently worked to achieve these objectives since its inception.  The lists below highlights CGEAN’s significant actions:

Shaping graduate academic education for nursing administration and leadership:

• Several early position statements about education for hospital nurse administrators were drafted by CGEAN members and published in various nursing journals. 
• In 1986 the Council published the first edition of Guidelines for Educational Preparation in Nursing Administration.   A 2^nd edition was published in 1992.
• In 1990 the CGEAN Instructional Resource Survey was created and made available to members to provide information on educational tools and textbooks pertinent to the teaching of nursing administration.
• By 1988, the editor of the Journal of Nursing Administration (JONA), a prominent, peer-reviewed nursing journal, provided the opportunity for CGEAN to publish a quarterly column.
• From 1992 to the current year, a column in JONA, authored by a CGEAN member or committee, has been a regular feature in the journal.
• In 1993, under the guidance of Dr. Jane Aroian from Northeastern University, the Council provided content to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) on essential management content for BSN education.
• In 1994, Dr. Jackie Dienemann headed a Council committee and drafted recommendations to the AACN on the Essentials of Masters Level Education for Nursing Systems Administration.  The Council has subsequently made recommendations to the AACN whenever revisions were considered.
• In 1996, CGEAN made substantive contributions to the AACN Position Paper on Nursing Administration Education. 
• In 2003, CGEAN formed a taskforce to review the essentials documents from the AACN to provide input for the BSN and MSN Essentials for Education.
• In 2003, CGEAN negotiated to provide a Journal of Nursing Administration (JONA) subscription to all members of the Council.  Dues were increased to cover the cost of the subscription.
• In 2005, a joint American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) and CGEAN task force was formed to review nursing administration curricula needs.  In 2006 the taskforce wrote two articles on the future of nursing administration curricula and published them in JONA 36(10 & 11). 
• In 2007 the Council surveyed members to determine what documents graduate faculty were using to guide doctoral and master’s program development.  Results were shared with the membership.
• In 2007, Dr. Mary Tilbury chaired a taskforce developed to explore the Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree and its implications for nursing administration graduate programs. 
• In 2010 Dr. Ida Androwich chaired a Council taskforce to determine recommendations on clinical experiences and intensity for nursing administration graduate students.  A position paper is posted on the CGEAN website and an article was published in JONA.
• In 2010 Drs. Dori Sullivan and Bea Kalisch headed a taskforce on Educational Preparation of Nurse Managers and Nurse Executives.  A formal position paper was written and can be found on the CGEAN website. 
• At the 2010 AONE annual meeting, CGEAN participated on a panel discussing education of nurse executives and managers. 
• In 2011, the Council negotiated with the AACN to not require the three P’s (physical assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacology) for graduate education in nursing administration.
• In 2013, the president of CGEAN became co-chair of the American Nurses Association (ANA)’s committee charged with the revision of the ANA Scope and Standards for Nursing Administration. 

Promoting research in the field of nursing administration and leadership:

• In 1989, Dr. Barbara Mark from Virginia Commonwealth University hosted the 1^st National Nursing Administration Research Conference (NARC).  This conference allowed graduate students in nursing administration to submit abstracts and provide presentations and posters related to their research. 
• Annual NARC meetings were held from 1989 – 1993.  Subsequently from 1995-2005 these meetings were biennial, meeting during the odd years.  In 2007 these meetings were renamed, the International Nursing Administration Research Conference (INARC), since nursing administration educators and researchers from Canada, England, Australia and other countries were making presentations and submitting poster abstracts. 
• Research awards in the sum of $3500 were given annually for a CGEAN Scholar through the American Nurses Foundation (ANF).  Recipients were chosen based on a competitive application process.  These research awards were given from 1988 – 1996. 
• In 1997 the decision was made to transition the annual research award for a CGEAN scholar from distribution through the ANF to directly awarding the research grants every other year during the Council on Graduate Education for Administration in Nursing’s annual business meeting.  The inaugural award was given in 1997 for $1000.  Additionally, a new seed grant research award was instituted to provide $1000 in funding for a new researcher or a pilot study.  These awards have always been based on a competitive application process.
• In 1998 the first dissertation research award was given for $2000 to a PhD student focused on nursing administration research. 
• In 1998 the Council received its first request to use the listserv for research purposes.  Approval was granted to Dr. Lillian Eriksen for this purpose.
• In 2012 CGEAN held two webinars to focus on research needs in administrative nursing.  These featured Dr. Peter Buerhaus as a speaker and facilitator of discussion. 
• In 2000 CGEAN collaborated with UNC Chapel Hill to create a searchable instrument databased for nursing administration research tools.  The searchable database was housed on the CGEAN website.
• In 2012 CGEAN began an annual research presentation at the AONE conference.  The session is called INARC at AONE and selection of the presenter is based on a competitive review of abstracts submitted to CGEAN.
• In 2012 CGEAN issued its first research grant awards in a year when the INARC conference was not held.  This competitive process was overseen by the Research Committee and based upon abstract submission.
• In 2013, to avoid ongoing conflicting dates with the Biennial Sigma Theta Tau International meetings, the Board of Directors moved to switch the biennial meetings from the odd year to the even year.  The first even year INARC is scheduled for the fall of 2014. 

Providing a network for visibility and voice of nurse educators and practice leaders focused on nursing administration and leadership education and research:

• Annual meetings were held by the Council members as early as 1971 in conjunction with other national meetings.  This continues today in the form of Meetings of Convenience (MoCs) held at national nursing venues thus providing members several networking opportunities annually.  The MoCs are in addition to the larger Nursing Administration Research Conferences co-sponsored by the Council.
• From 1989 until 1995 a membership directory was created and distributed to CGEAN members to promote networking related to education and research.  In 1995, with the advent of computerization, a listserv was developed that replaced the manual membership directory.
• In 1994, Dr. Luther Christman, developed a CGEAN International Reference Guide to provide members with guidelines for international travel and networking with educators in nursing administration from around the globe.
• In 1994 CGEAN joined the National Organization Liaison Forum (NOLF), a group comprised of representatives of major nursing organizations in the US
• In 1995, CGEAN was given a seat on the board of JONA.  CGEAN members were recommended and selection was determined by JONA.  This continues to be a practice in 2014. 
• In 1995 representation by American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) and the Council was established on each organization’s research committees.
• In 1996 the Council supported a National Delphi Study on Nursing Administration Research Priorities funded by UNC-Chapel Hill and directed by Drs. Mary Lynn and Sheila Englebardt.  Results of the study were published in JONA.
• In 1996 the Council developed its first organizational website, providing an electronic bulletin board for members.  The website was hosted by the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Nursing.
• In 2007 the Council entered into an affiliate relationship with the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE).  The purpose of this collaboration was to advance nursing leadership practice, education, and research.  Subsequently, the President of the Council has attended an annual affiliate meeting with state nursing leadership groups. 
• In 2009 the Council established a twitter account.
• In 2011, the president of CGEAN participated in the National League of Nursing (NLN) invitational conference on nursing education research. 
• In 2012 at the Annual meeting for business, the Council’s name was changed from the Council on Graduate Education for Administration in Nursing to its acronym, CGEAN.  This was done to allow for inclusion of nurse educators who teach leadership at any level as well as those who teach nursing administration, or formal leadership roles.