Vi-Anne Antrum
Vi-Anne Antrum
- MSN, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FACHECredentials: MSN, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE
Place of Employment: Olean General Hospital
Which Nursing Organizations are you currently a member of: AONE, Sigma Theta Tau, NYONEL, AMSN
Board(s) currently serving on: Healthcare Executive Forum Inc., AMSN Chapter #604, Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology
Tell us about your journey to the boardroom. What inspired you to seek a leadership position?
My journey to the boardroom was guided by having a mentor outside of nursing at the time; my Chief Operating Officer. He saw a great deal of potential in me and was serving as the ACHE Regent for my area. He invited me to attend the Board of Directors meeting for my local chapter, Healthcare Executive Forum, and sponsored my place on the Board. This experience ignited a fire in me to serve at higher levels within the organization. I went on to serve as Program Committee Chair, President-elect, President, and am currently serving as Immediate Past President. This was my first foray into the boardroom. It opened doors for me to serve on several national committees for ACHE and collaborate with colleagues from many different disciplines within healthcare. This experience gave me the confidence to start a chapter of AMSN in Western New York. I was elected to serve as the inaugural President and guide the formation of an enduring foundation to build on. This chapter is thriving with a robust membership, programming and networking opportunities, and activities that promote professionalism and lifelong learning in practice. I am proud to say that there are now front line nurses leading the way and helping guide the organization. It is a wonderful way to “compete by day and collaborate by night” as nurses from across the region unite around a common vision and cause. This is nursing at its finest!
What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as a leader?
I am currently completing a DNP program in systems level leadership through Thomas Edison State University. I regularly attend conferences and maintain two certifications. Being a board member is a different level of leadership and requires ongoing education, development, and introspection. You are tasked with fiduciary responsibilities for the organization(s) you serve. You set the strategy, vision, and insure the continued sustainability of the organization itself.
What impact have you had serving on a board? Example?
My impact has been varied depending on the Board referenced. I have had the opportunity to chair several boards which has allowed me to help interview and place new board members. This has allowed me to actively seek out diversity and include a variety of skill sets to help the organization succeed. I have had the opportunity to work on committees with people from a variety of industries including the finance and workforce development committees.
What advice would you give someone going into a board leadership position for the first time?
My advice to someone entering a board leadership position would be to make sure you can commit the time it takes to serve the organization and educate yourself on what is entailed in being a board member. I would tell anyone choosing to sit at the board table, make sure your voice is heard. This is not the time to be a passive participant.
What are a few resources you would recommend to someone looking to gain insight into becoming a better leader and eventually obtaining a board position?
Networking in professional circles is a great way to obtain a board leadership position. Volunteer service is another great way to make connections that could lead to a board seat. AONE has some excellent resources including the executive competency assessment that can help develop skills that will allow someone to be successful in the board room. Board leadership requires a commitment to be a visible and active participant in the community.
Why do you feel it is important for nurses to serve on boards?
Nurses bring an ethical and moral perspective to the board room. Nurses are some of the most innovative and creative problem solvers I have ever seen in my life. This is an excellent asset to bring to any board. Nurses work in a profession deeply rooted in service which makes the synergy of serving on a board a natural extension of the profession.
What do you think is the most significant barrier to nurses serving on boards?
The most significant barrier to nurses serving on boards is the lack of access to information about available opportunities. I believe more sponsors are needed to help nurses get their start in board leadership.
Boards: Healthcare Executive Forum, Inc., AMSN Chapter #604, Buffalo Center for Arts and TechnologyContinue Reading
The Nurses on Boards Coalition (NOBC) represents national nursing and other organizations working to build healthier communities in America by increasing nurses’ presence on corporate, health-related, and other boards, panels, and commissions.