SPECIAL SESSION: WHO Collaborating Centers Advancing Global Nursing Leadership and Fostering Collaboration

Description/Overview: The Johns Hopkins University Center for Global Nursing World Health Organization Collaborating Center (WHO CC) in collaboration with University of Technology Sydney's, WHO CC will present current and past accomplishments of their WHO CCs. There are a variety of forms for WHO CCs such as research institutes, parts of universities or academies, which are designated by the WHO to carry out activities that support WHO activities. Currently there are over 800 WHO collaborating centres in over 80 Member States working with WHO on areas such as nursing,midwifery, occupational health, communicable diseases, nutrition, mental health, chronic diseases , information and health technologies. This session will focus on WHO CC's that are nursing and midwifery specific. There will be a brief overview of the WHO CCs network’s global presence, the application/designation process and how a WHO CC is a key strategy for international nursing leadership development and collaboration. Examples from several Nursing and Midwifery WHO CCs representing each area of the world will be discussed. How these centers collaborate to advance global nursing leadership, research, and practice will demonstrate how WHO CCs can leverage relationships and scarce resources. The system of CC's is at the forefront of Global Nursing Leadership and Collaboration. The combined impact for nursing research, practice and education is monumental. Nursing and Midwifery WHO CCs collaborate with universities, ministries of health, governments, non-governmental organizations, and others to provide leadership, support and advocacy. This session will provide participants with strategies to improve their institutions global nursing activities, how to network with WHO CC to expand collaborative networks to advance nursing leadership globally.