President's Message

Message from the CACNS Immediate Past President

Greetings CACNS members and colleagues. I hope you all enjoyed a nice holiday season with your loved ones and took some time for self-care. It has been my pleasure to serve as the CACNS President over the past year. As I transition into the role of Past President, I am grateful for the hard work of the CACNS Board this past year. I am also grateful to those of you who continue your CACNS membership and see the many benefits of staying connected with CNS colleagues across the state.

In July, I summarized CACNS activities for the first half of the year. We were just as busy in the second half of 2023 with the following:

• Hosted the Annual CACNS Symposium at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara with wonderful speakers from a variety of specialties.
• Further enhanced our new CACNS website through Nursing Network thanks to the leadership of Jason Leung.
• Developed a CACNS Speaker’s Bureau under the leadership of Pamela Jane Nye.
• Established a CACNS Prescriptive Authority Taskforce.

I would like to take a moment to thank four CACNS board members who resigned their duties this past year. We are sincerely grateful to Paddy Garvin Higgins, Peggy Kalowes, Garrett Chan, and Jamie Vincent for their time and expertise during their tenure with the organization.

I would like to welcome Pamela Jane Nye into her new role as CACNS President for 2024. Pamela has a wealth of CNS experience, especially in a non-traditional role as Nurse Entrepreneur. She has been a fantastic support as President-Elect this past year, and I know she will do great things as we continue to lead the way for CNSs in California.

Jennie Matays, DNP, RN, CCNS, CCRN

Message from the CACNS Incoming President

As we begin a new year, taking a moment to reflect upon the accomplishments of our members is essential. California CNSs have published, presented, led the entire country by way of example, and continue to serve as leaders among CNSs. Here are some important goals, in addition to those outlined by Jennie Matays, that I hold dear for 2024:

• Recognize and support collegiate programs teaching CNSs throughout California through the provision of skilled preceptors and willing speakers/presenters in these programs.
• Expand the role of the CNS through the acquisition of prescriptive authority for CNSs working in traditional roles and acknowledge the contributions of CNSs working in non-traditional roles (i.e., administrators, researchers, entrepreneurs, internal/external consultants, etc.).
• Provide CNS students and novices (<2 years experience) with opportunities to grow and expand through mentorship and networking with experts.

The healthcare world is changing, and CNSs, to remain viable, must change with it. We have the experience and resources to initiate change from the governmental level to boots on the ground in everyday practice to provide the highest quality practice through collaboration with our fellow Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) – Nurse Practitioners, Certified Nurse Midwives, and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists.

Pamela Jane Nye, MS, RN, CNS-BC, CNRN, SCRN