Dr. Bill BuronIn November 2013, Bill Buron, PhD, APRN, Clinical Assistant Professor and
Assistant Dean for Nursing at the College of Nursing NW Arkansas Program, began his term as Chair of the Hartford Gerontological Nursing Leaders (HGNL), assuming the helm from Casey Shillam, PhD, RN. I asked Bill, as leader of the 250-plus strong Hartford nursing organization, to reflect on the history of the HGNL and its future.
The work that HGNL does is vital, and what Dr. Buron has to say should be of interest to physicians, social workers, and everyone else who is working to improve the health of older adults.
A new member recently asked me: “What is HGNL and when did it begin?” As I only had a limited amount of time to respond, I proceeded to give her my one-minute elevator speech.
“HGNL [formerly Building Academic Gerontological Nursing Capacity (BAGNC)] began in 2009 as a small group of passionate scholars and fellows sitting around a table at the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) meeting in Atlanta. Our vision at that time was to create a sustainable network of gerontological nursing scholars who had the capacity to create and influence positive change in gerontological health care. Since then, we have grown to over 250 members and we are active in advancing gerontological nursing research, practice, and education.”
Recently, I have been reflecting on our inception, where we have gone, and where we are going. I believe that the seeds for HGNL began with John and George Hartford in the late 1920s and their interest in doing “the greatest good for the greatest number” of people. Guided by this philosophy, the John A. Hartford Foundation supported broad initiatives to advance modern medicine, such as dialysis, cataract surgery, and innovations for organ transplantation, to name a few.
In the continuing spirit of doing the greatest good, in 1979 the Hartford Foundation promoted the career development of young physicians and encouraged them to develop research careers. In the late ’70s, as the Trustees considered new areas of interest, they recalled another piece of advice from John and George: “It is necessary to carve from the whole vast spectrum of human needs one small band that the heart and mind together tell you is the area in which you can make your best contribution.”
Following a short program to contain health care costs and promote quality, the Foundation began the Aging and Health program—“its current and only focus”—as a response to the demographic shift to an aging American population. The Foundation saw the potential they were seeking in nursing.
So, as we now reflect on our past, we thank John and George Hartford and the Foundation they started for planting the BAGNC seeds as the core of our growing and increasingly active HGNL. This rapidly growing organization of nursing scholars is now working together, through numerous initiatives, to realize the dreams of John and George and the Foundation.
Through our cherished professional HGNL relationships and new collaborations, we are active in writing manuscripts, presenting symposia, delivering webinars, developing policy statements, and helping our members develop as professional gerontological nursing leaders. We value a close collaborative partnership with the National Hartford Centers of Gerontological Nursing Excellence as a collective resource and voice for geronotological nursing and the clients that we serve.
As we progress deeper into 2014, I encourage each of our members to reflect on and consider the impact that the Hartford Foundation has had on your career. Consider the support that you have received for your research, the programs that you attended, the relationships that you have built. In a time of research cuts, would any of this have been possible without Hartford?
Without Hartford, we wouldn’t have HGNL or the National Centers. We wouldn’t have our national network of mentors. Where would you be in your career without Hartford?
As we are all aware, in 2015, the Hartford Foundation will no longer support gerontological nursing as they have in the past.
Opportunity is knocking …now is the time to engage and support gerontological nursing through HGNL and the National Centers like never before. Lead like Hartford developed you to lead. Collaborate and create new knowledge like Hartford developed you to create new knowledge. Continue to advance the field of gerontological nursing like Hartford developed you to advance the field.
The members of HGNL are highly honored that Hartford invested millions in gerontological nursing. Now, we must continue to give back to their legacy and passionately promote our mission. Please join and actively participate in one of our HGNL committees and donate to the National Centers today. Now is the time to show that anything is possible through HGNL!
And to the John A. Hartford Foundation: On behalf of HGNL, thank you for supporting our leaders and mentors in gerontological nursing. Like compounding interest over time, your investment is realized far and wide and continues to roll over and positively impact future mentors, scholars, leaders, and the gerontological clients we serve. We have no doubt that you have made your best contribution … and our best is yet to come!
The Hartford Foundation recognizes our grantees, including the HGNL, are responsible for advancing our mission to improve the health of older Americans and for this, we are enormously grateful. Thank you, Bill. Thank you, HGNL.