As we come towards the end of another busy year, I am delighted to welcome you to the November/December edition of the IAANMP Advanced Practice Supplement.
This has been an exciting period for the IAANMP and for advanced practice in Ireland. In September, Caroline Fraser and I had the privilege of representing the Association at the International Council of Nurses Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse Network Conference in Nashville, alongside a strong Irish delegation.
It was particularly encouraging to see Irish advanced practitioners contributing through research, presentations, posters, professional leadership, and international collaboration. Our own IAANMP e-poster: ‘Driving excellence in advanced practice: The role and impact of the IAANMP’, gave us an opportunity to showcase the work of the Association internationally and to strengthen our links with the wider advanced practice community.
Our attention now turns to the IAANMP Annual Conference on 6 November in the Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise. This year’s theme, ‘Advanced practice in Ireland: Transforming care, measuring impact, expanding access, and shaping the future’, reflects many of the priorities currently facing our profession.
The programme brings together advanced practitioners, healthcare leaders, policymakers, academics, and clinical innovators, and will provide an important opportunity for us to learn from one another and, importantly, to contribute to the conversation about the future direction of advanced practice in Ireland.
As Chair, one of my priorities has been ensuring that IAANMP continues to provide a strong professional voice for ANPs and AMPs. Advanced practice is about much more than expert clinical care. Our members are leading services, undertaking research, educating colleagues, developing new models of care, and improving access for patients across the health service. Nashville reinforced the importance of enabling advanced practitioners to work to their full scope, while strengthening leadership, research, and our involvement in policy and service development.
I would also like to take this opportunity to personally thank Theresa Lowry Lehnen, who will step down from the IAANMP committee at our AGM in November. Theresa has given an enormous amount of time, energy, and commitment to the Association, particularly through her work in developing and leading the IAANMP Advanced Practice Supplement. On behalf of myself, the committee, and our members, I want to sincerely thank Theresa for everything she has contributed and wish her every success for the future.
Finally, thank you to our committee, our members, and everyone who has contributed to IAANMP throughout 2026. I look forward to welcoming many of you to Portlaoise in November and to continuing our work together to strengthen the visibility, influence, and impact of advanced nursing and midwifery practice in Ireland.
Our annual general meeting will take place following the conference, when we will welcome and celebrate our incoming IAANMP committee. This year marks an important transition for the Association, as several members of our current committee have completed their terms and will be stepping away.
I would like to sincerely thank each of them for their dedication, hard work, and commitment to advancing nursing and midwifery practice in Ireland. It has been a privilege to work alongside such passionate colleagues and I am immensely proud of what we have achieved together.
As we prepare to welcome new committee members, I encourage anyone with an interest in leadership, professional development, or shaping the future of advanced practice to consider getting involved. Please get in touch if you would like to learn more about joining the committee. I look forward to celebrating the contributions of our outgoing members, welcoming new colleagues, and seeing IAANMP continue to grow and develop.
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