Written by Cathy (CJ) Carter-Snell, AFN President, PhD, RN, SANE-A, DF-AFN

Spring always brings with it the sense of a fresh start. I get the same feeling with the Academy of Forensic Nursing as we move ahead. This is our chance to tidy up and refresh the organization for members. We want to reflect members’ voices and be transparent and collaborative in our actions, both within the organization and in conjunction with related organizations.

Bylaws Update

Recently we have undertaken the process of bylaw revision, a huge endeavour. AFN has grown and learned a lot as an organization—and these new bylaws reflect that. We are grateful to our lawyer for the template and to our amazing Bylaws Committee for their continued work. A huge “thank you” to the members who provided their feedback on the draft bylaws. Your input is now back with the Bylaws Committee, where they are hard at work collating and discussing all of the thoughtful comments. Next, they will make recommendations for changes to the Board, and then the revised bylaws will then be circulated to the membership for a vote.

Bylaws are meant to be brief principles for the operation of an organization. It’s the policies that give us more details. The next step, then, will be revising exiting policies or creating new policies and procedures that complement our new bylaws. When those have been prepared, the policies will also be posted for members’ comments on the website.

AFN leadership wants to make sure members have timely access to the information they need—so we will continue to post annual reports, bylaws, and policies on the website. Notifications of these updates will be published in the monthly newsletter, Academy News.

Member Survey

The AFN Strategic Plan lists a member survey as one of its top priorities. We continue to grow and expand our membership and, with time, members’ needs change and shift. A survey will help us gauge how AFN can best meet your needs. Watch for the survey in next few months and be sure to take that opportunity to let us know what you need from your organization.

Your Home for Forensic Education

Many of you are exploring your options for obtaining certification through providers such as the Emergency Nursing Association (ENA) and the Forensic Nursing Certification Board (FNCB). These are separate organizations operating independently of AFN, so please reach out to them directly for your certification needs.

While AFN does not offer certification, we are an ANCC NCPD-Accredited provider of education. Our educational programs may help you meet the criteria to complete the certification examinations, as well as help support the continuation and growth of your practice.

AFN has long been established as your home for forensic nursing education and evidence-informed information for practice. We make this accessible through our free, live webinars for members, and our open-access journal, the Journal of the Academy of Forensic Nursing (JAFN). We also offer AFN Intensives—multi-part webinars focused on specific topics.

If there are topics you would like addressed, please reach out to the chair of our Education Committee, Natalie Evenson, or any of the Board of Directors members listed on the website. Almost all of us in AFN are volunteers, but we work hard to ensure your membership money is spent wisely and meets your needs.

This is your organization. We hope to hear from you, either one-on-one or through the survey. Have a wonderful Spring season, and here’s to a renewed start!