Celebrating 40 Years of the Midwest Nursing Research Society

Authors

Patricia E. Hershberger, The University of Illinois at ChicagoFollow
Christine A. Wynd, Mount Carmel College of Nursing
Laurie K. Glass, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Karen M. O'Connell, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Joyce J. Fitzpatrick, Case Western Reserve University
Nancy Bergstrom, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Sally Lechlitner Lusk, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2017

Citation

Western Journal of Nursing Research 2017, Vol. 39(5) 609– 621

Comments

© The Author(s) 2017

This document is a U.S. government work and is not subject to copyright in the United States.

DOI: 10.1177/0193945916688880

Abstract

The Midwest Nursing Research Society (MNRS) recently held its 40th annual conference and celebrated four decades of nursing research in the Midwest. MNRS continues to be one of the largest nursing research societies in the United States. Over the years, a vast majority of programmatic initiatives included education and tangible support for novice and experienced nurse researchers. In this article, the background for development of MNRS is reviewed with examination of driving forces that led to its creation. Three past presidents, Dr. Joyce Fitzpatrick, the first President of MNRS (1980- 1981); Dr. Nancy Bergstrom, the eighth President (1993-1995); and Dr. Sally Lusk, the 14th President (2005-2007), discuss challenges, opportunities, and the exceptional progress made toward fostering excellence in nursing research for the Midwest and contributing to nursing science on a national and global scale. Lessons from the past as well as opportunities for the future are addressed.