WV Organization for Nursing Leadership - WVONL

04/10/2026

Join us April 24th for our spring conference!
Registration and hotel reservation details: https://wvonl.org/2026-spring-conference/

04/06/2026

April is an important month for WVONL, so here are some important dates to keep in mind:

⭐Tomorrow, April 7th is World Health Day! This year’s topic, “Together for health. Stand with science,” celebrates the “power of scientific collaboration to protect the health of people, animals, plants, and the planet, spotlighting both scientific achievements and the multilateral cooperation needed to turn evidence into action.” (https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day/2026)

⭐This week (April 6-12) is National Public Health Week! “Ready. Set. Action! is this year’s theme. As we celebrate, take a moment to recognize how public health has improved our daily lives, safeguarded our families, expanded our life spans, and strengthened our communities. This week is also a chance to honor the public health workers who show up for us every day — and to advocate for policies and practices that promote good health for all.” (https://www.apha.org/initiatives/national-public-health-week)

⭐April 25 is National Drug Take Back Day which “aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.” (https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/takeback.html)

⭐April 24 is WVONL’s Spring Conference! Registration is open and we are excited to see everyone in a few short weeks! See our website (wvonl.org) for more info

Don’t forget that license renewal will be opening in May and you should be receiving reminder emails soon regarding deadlines!

04/02/2026

We had a blast in Chicago at the American Organization for Nursing Leadership Annual Conference! It was a privilege to be able to connect with and learn from other nurse leaders so thank you to everyone we met during this energizing experience!

Representing WVONL this year were our current President Jennifer Nestor, President-elect Chris Daniels, and Immediate Past President/Interim Treasurer Lya Stroupe. This year was particularly exciting for WVONL as Lya was inducted into the AONL Fellowship in recognition of her commitment and contribution to nursing leadership.

The conference opened with an amazing performance by the Leo High School Choir based in Chicago’s South Side who were America’s Got Talent Finalists in 2025.

We also heard from six wonderful keynote speakers who tackled the importance of perseverance, support networks, and advocacy in leadership.
⭐Broadcaster and Journalist Hoda Kotb shared powerful lessons on showing up with heart, even in life's most challenging seasons.
⭐North Carolina State Senator Gale Adcock MSN, RN, FAAN and North Dakota State Senator Kristin Roers FMSN, RN led a joint discussion on how clinical expertise and leadership experience shape effective advocacy.
⭐Film director and animator Saul Blinkoff ignited the room with powerful storytelling and a challenge to lead ourselves first.
⭐Senior Nursing Consultant at Stanford Health Care and CEO of Aspen Labs Network Christi Zuber PhD, MHA, RN, FAAN, challenged leaders to reclaim creativity, curiosity, and reflection as essential leadership skills in an AI-accelerated world.
⭐Rapper Speech Thomas explored how when we "do what you can with what we have and with the people around us" we can accomplish the extraordinary.

We look forward to seeing everyone in Phoenix next year!

04/01/2026

🌟 Did You Know? 🌟
113 years ago this month, the first national march on Washington was led by women, including many passionate nurses! Thousands gathered at the Capitol to fight for voting rights, paving the way for advocacy in nursing.

This historic event laid the foundation for the American Nurses Association’s (ANA) ongoing efforts to champion nurses' rights, patient safety, and quality care. It was also early inspiration for the launch of ANA’s RN Action—a resource hub empowering nurses to engage and take action at local and federal levels. Join us in honoring this significant moment in history! 💪



Photo Credit: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

04/01/2026

03/27/2026

Join us Friday, April 24th for our Spring Conference “Care, Lead, Inspire” where we will hear from our keynote speaker Shelia S. Price, DDS, EdD, FACD, Professor Emerita of Diagnostic Sciences and Associate Dean Emerita for Admissions, Recruitment & Access at the WVU School of Dentistry

Dr Price was the first female dentist to ascend academic rank from instructor to professor at the WVU School of Dentistry where she taught diagnostic sciences and preventive dentistry. She led admissions, recruitment, and multicultural programs within the school, striving to promote excellence in education and patient care while also increasing inclusivity and belonging efforts.

Registration is now open on our website: WVONL.org

03/17/2026

For Women’s History Month, WVONL wants to honor the women who have shaped the lives of countless people through their careers as nurses. Today, we want to highlight Ann Thomas as a revolutionary figure in nursing, as one of the first black nurses in Wheeling, as the first black nurse of Ohio County schools, and as a nurse who devoted her life to supporting her community.

Ann Prince Thomas moved to Wheeling when she was just six months old and would spend the rest of her life serving the community she grew up in. Following the desegregation of schools, she graduated from Wheeling High School in 1956. She worked as a nursing aide at North Wheeling Hospital, but when the hospital leadership did not want to support her attending nursing school, she left the hospital to attend the Ohio Valley General Hospital’s School of Nursing, becoming the first black student to attend and graduate from the school. After her graduation, she worked at Ohio Valley General Hospital for twelve years before transitioning to work for the Ohio County public schools for the next thirty years, retiring in 2001.

Over her life, she served on the boards of the Wheeling YWCA, Ohio Valley Medical Center, Wheeling Health Right, BB&T Bank, Laughlin Chapel, Housing Connection, the Regional Economic Development Authority, the West Virginia Regional Health Science and Technology Academy, and West Liberty University. She also served on the West Virginia Women’s Commission.

Read more about Ann here:
- https://www.ohiocountylibrary.org/history/5229
- https://www.ohiocountylibrary.org/history/the-wheeling-memory-project-ann-thomas/5040
Further reading:
- https://nealmuseum.wvu.edu/learn/2024/11/04/taking-care-of-their-own-african-american-hospitals-in-west-virginia-1900-1955

03/13/2026

The WV Legislative Session ends tomorrow (March 14) at midnight! The West Virginia Hospital Association's Legislative Team has done an amazing job advocating for healthcare across the state over the past 60 days, so let's highlight some important bills listed in their weekly update:

HB 5096 failed to advance out of the Senate Health Committee with a vote of 3-9. This bill would have removed personal care and intellectual developmental disabilities services from the Certificate of Need review process.

HB 5086, which stipulates peer support service protections against the suspension/denial of caregiver licensure based on the voluntary use of support systems/treatment and against compulsory testimony relating to privileged peer support information, has been passed by the Senate and sent to the House for approval.

HB 4198 is on its third reading in the Senate. This bill would require employers to electronically verify employee work eligibility as it relates to immigration/work authorization status. Employers who knowingly employ ineligible workers are subject to misdemeanor charges, license termination, and/or other penalties.

SB 570, which aims to designate $199 million worth of supplemental funds to the Rural Health Transformation Program, is on its third reading in the House.

For a more complete list of important legislation, refer to WVHA’s full March 13 update
Learn more here: wvha.org/newsroom/newsscan

03/09/2026

Ever wonder how you can get involved with WVONL? Here are some ways!

Learn more on our website: wvonl.org

03/09/2026

SB 956 (the Physician Assistant Bill) has been added to the House Health Committee agenda TODAY, Monday, March 9, 2026 at 3:30 PM.

What You, as a WV Nurse, Can Do:

- Please contact the House Health Committee Delegates on Monday morning March 9 and share the message below.
(Note: WV House Health Committee Delegates emails are attached in the link in comments & you can copy & paste BCC and contact everyone with one email).

Suggested Message for Nurses to Send

Subject:Please amend SB 956 to include the provisions of HB 5681 (the APRN BILL).

Body:

Hello Delegate,

I am a nurse in West Virginia, and I am asking for your support to please amend SB 956, the Physician Assistant bill, to include the provisions of HB 5681, the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) bill.

SB 956 passed the Senate unanimously (34-0) and in previous legislative sessions the APRN bill has passed the House of Delegates.

Removing the collaborative agreement requirement will allow APRNs to practice to the full extent of their education and training and help expand access to care across West Virginia, especially in rural communities (which is most of West Virginia).

Research supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and national health policy organizations consistently shows that care provided by Advanced Practice Registered Nurses is safe, effective, and comparable in quality to physician-provided care, with high levels of patient satisfaction and strong outcomes (Martin, Buck, & Zhong, Journal of Nursing Regulation, 2023).

As a nurse caring for patients in our state, (include your own language & stories here) I see firsthand the need to improve access to care.

Please support amending SB 956 to include the provisions of HB 5681 before the legislative session concludes.

Thank you for your service to West Virginia.

03/04/2026

As the weather begins to warm up, here are some things to keep in mind for March:

1- It’s Women’s History Month! In the United States, women make up 88% to 89% of nurses and 79.9% of all healthcare workers. So, this month, we want to honor all the amazing women who dedicate their lives to caring for and supporting others across West Virginia.

2- March 14 marks the end of the West Virginia Legislative Session. The West Virginia Nurses Association, which is working diligently to get legislation passed will be hosting their last update session next Tuesday, March 10th on Zoom at 7pm. Follow the WVNA for critical legislation updates in these last ten days.

3- The American Organization for Nursing Leadership is holding its annual conference in Chicago at the end of the month. Stay tuned for updates from WVONL’s own members who will be attending!

4- Registration for our Spring Conference, Care, Lead, Inspire is now open! Join other nursing leaders from across the state to learn more about advocacy, career development, communication, retention, and leadership! You can register and reserve a hotel room on our website.

03/02/2026

Let us take a moment to reintroduce ourselves!

As a chapter of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership, the West Virginia Organization for Nursing Leadership strives to advocate for the profession of nursing and the future of healthcare across the state of West Virginia. Since 1975, we have provided a vision for nursing leadership and continue to promote nursing leadership excellence through professional development, advocacy, and research to advance nursing practice and patient care. We also work to influence important legislation and public policies surrounding the nursing field and patient care issues. We are committed to improving patient care within our organizations and communities and working hard to meet the healthcare needs of our state.

Learn more here: wvonl.org