Message from the Chair

Maria Jackson, R.N., NPG Chair

• The NPG has been in existence for 10 years and has more than 600 members. Our purpose is to foster the goals of ASRM within the practice of professional nursing. We are committed to improving patient care and providing a forum for networking and exchanging information among nurses. We are proud to have representatives on the Practice Committee, the Membership Committee, the Patient Education Committee and the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology.

• With the help of an unrestricted grant from Organon Pharmaceuticals USA, our web site has grown and offers our members networking capabilities through an active List-Serv and Message Board, as well as offering online learning and the opportunity to earn Continuing Education Units (CEU).

• Nursing education has always been a priority for the NPG since it is an integral part of professional development and enhances our ability to provide good patient care. Certification in reproductive medicine was discontinued in 1998, and since that time no formal text in REI nursing has been written or national standards of knowledge developed, despite the fact that many REI nurses came from other specialties and were interested in becoming certified. For these reasons, NPG has been working to develop an alternative to certification. This course of study would be available online through an accredited university, with clearly defined learning modules for the new nurse, as well as the experienced nurse, and have the capability to add courses as the field evolves. We are currently in the process of developing such a certificate course and hope to have the first installment ready by Fall 2007.

• Join us at the ASRM Annual Meeting in Washington DC in October 2007 to hear more about the exciting networking and educational opportunities available through NPG membership.