Meet your 2020 Candidates for Election. WCAPN Members will receive their official electronic ballot by email, September 4^th. The email will contain instructions on how to cast your vote. Voting will remain open until 5:00 pm on September 18^th. Election results will be announced at the annual meeting on Saturday, October 5^th in Lander.

President Elect

Alicia M. Le Pard, MSN, MBA, RN, APRN, FAANP

-Gillette

Current Position:
Nurse Practitioner/Owner, High Desert Healthcare, LLC

WCAPN can be positioned to be the voice of APRNs in Wyoming, both in promoting the profession and in positioning legislation to enhance the practice and performance of the multiple APRN roles within Wyoming. WCAPN offers a unique viewpoint to our AANP professional organizations promoting full authority practice in a frontier setting.

WCAPN faces challenges that are intertwined to the Wyoming spirit of independence. The communication pathway membership and miles inhibits the solidification and regular engagement of our membership base. This lack of a robust membership engagement leaves the organization vulnerable in benefit, voice and finances.

WCAPN enjoys the technological age where membership can be fluid and interactive from work, home and anywhere the Internet can be accessed. The time to improve member benefit with promotion of active engagement, improving access to continuing eduction, updated legislative actions, Board of Nursing and community specific information is NOW.

Secretary

Dr. Haley Marie Hays, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, ENP-C

-Cheyenne

Current Position: 
Emergency Nurse Practitioner, Cheyenne Regional Medical Center & Ivinson Hospital

Adjunct Faculty, Creighton University & Western Nebraska Community College

Currently, one theme that the United States battles is an overall lack of accessible health care. In the context of rural regions, this theme is amplified. The role of advance practice nurses (APNs) has helped close this gap, but also presents issues for both APNs and APN organizations. Specific to Wyoming Council for Advance Practice Nurses (WCAPN), APNs are faced by complex patients requiring higher acuity and management of care with often limited access to specialists, resulting in total care from APNs. This requires the WCAPN to help aid in the continued education, best evidence-based practices for Wyoming APNs. Many APNs in Wyoming face practice restrictions which could be related to facility bylaws, state practice acts or national involvement. The WCAPN can aid by advocating for full practice within an APNs scope of practice at the facility, state and national level. Furthermore, the current pandemic dilates these issues for WCAPN.

Director at Large (elect 2)

Dr. Ann Marie Hart, PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP

-Laramie

Current Position:

Professor and DNP Program Director, Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing, University of Wyoming

Over the last decade, the number of licensed APRNs in the U.S. has more than doubled. The fact that APRNs have reached a “tipping point” and are now recognized as valuable health professionals by both patients and health care providers alike says a lot about the APRNs’ competencies and determination. Having said this, APRNs still do not consistently have a seat at the table with physicians and policy-makers. Although Wyoming’s APRNs enjoy full scope of practice, all too often, they are hired as inexpensive physician substitutes, a practice that cheapens APRN practice and has the capacity to drive a wedge between APRNs and physicians. As such, it is critical that the WCAPN actively works to develop new and foster existing relationships with Wyoming’s physicians and legislators, as well as respected state health organizations such as the Wyoming Medical Society, the Wyoming Department of Health, and the Wyoming Primary Care Association.

Sarah-Anne Galloway, MSN, FNP

-Ten Sleep

Current Position:

Nurse Practitioner, Owner, Wild Rose Wellness

I am seeking the opportunity to be more active in my state professional organization.  I offer an innovative and enthusiastic perspective to my profession.  I am passionate about what I do as a nurse practitioner, and hope to pass that passion on to our professional community.  As a private practice owner, I bring the knowledge and experience of not only having worked for other organizations in Wyoming, but the opportunities that come with owning a practice as well.  The biggest issues impacting Wyoming APRNs include not losing the ground we have and the progress we have made, promoting multi-state licensure, and payment parity.  There are many other larger goals that are not yet achievable until some of these foundational issues are improved upon or changed.

Dr. Sara Becker, DNP, ACNP-BC, FNP-BC, RN

- Cody

Current Position:

Hospitalist Nurse Practitioner

I am seeking to serve on the WCAPN board to make APRNs in our state the best they can be. As cliché as it sounds, I want to help other APRNs. I want to bring my knowledge, expertise, passion, and energy for the nurse practitioner profession to an arena where I can be of benefit and can continue to grow and learn myself.

Wyoming has been a full practice authority (FPA) state for years now and one important issue for Wyoming is to ensure that our APRNs continue to demonstrate that we provide safe, high quality, competent care. Providing a high level of care is critical as it shows that we should continue to have FPA. Continuing to support quality education and safeguarding that we are practicing within our population focus are two ways to support advanced practice nurses and our independence.

Recognizing and acknowledging APRNs as a member of the healthcare team within a hospital and health care systems is an area for improvement within Wyoming. Having FPA has been a major step to have APRNs recognized as integral members of the health care system but a disparity still exists particularly within hospitals and health systems with antiquated bylaws limiting or restricting privileges, for example, admitting to the hospital. Addressing these barriers and advocating for the recognition of APRNs, getting us “a seat at the table” of patient care is important.

Expanding on telehealth capabilities in Wyoming for the advanced practice nurse is also an important issue. As a largely rural state, expanding and encouraging telehealth should be encouraged. Telehealth should be regulated and clearly defined so that the APRN can practice to their fullest scope and capability to meet the needs of our state.