CHAPTER SESSION: Amending Your Charter to Add a Practice Setting

*Not eligible for continuing nursing education contact hours

During the 2015 Biennial Convention House of Delegates, STTI chapter delegates voted to approve a new chapter model. The combined academic-practice at-large chapter model is an innovative chapter model that accelerates STTI’s ability to meet its vision and mission. The new model allows for the development of a chapter within a practice setting in conjunction with an established or newly established chapter within a traditional academic setting.

The new model is consistent with STTI’s vision: “… to be the global organization of choice for nursing” as the majority of STTI members worldwide work in practice, rather than academic, settings. The new model is consistent with STTI’s mission: “…advancing world health and celebrating nursing excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service.” The clinical chapter model will increase the ability of STTI to realize its vision and mission with increased proximity to patients and/or clients and healthcare delivery. The requirement that chapters in practice centers be affiliated with an academic chapter (or chapters) as part of an at-large status encourages cross-collaboration and partnerships among administrators, clinicians, educators, and researchers. Both academic and practice settings can benefit from the partnership. More and more, fruitful research, clinical practice developments, and educational innovations are occurring in both settings.

The academic-practice at-large chapter model is consistent with STTI’s strategic plan to be “intentionally global,” as this model offers increased opportunities for global development where STTI has yet to penetrate the market. In some countries, nursing education programs are embedded within hospital systems, making a practice-based chapter a viable option for them.

The academic-practice at-large chapter model offers additional opportunities to optimize STTI member recruitment and retention. Today’s practice settings are home to expert nurse leaders, clinicians, educators and researchers who are engaging in the scholarship of discovery, teaching, application, and integration. The partnering of academic and practice-based chapters will offer novel strategies for member recruitment and retention across the span of one’s career.

All new chapter charters and charter amendments must followed the process as outlined by STTI headquarters. The members of the chapter development team will be available to explain this process and answer questions that your chapter may have about changing your charter to allow for the addition of a practice setting.

*Not eligible for continuing nursing education contact hours