Lessons from past presidents of the American association of neuroscience nurses

The American Association of Neurosurgical Nurses (AANN) was founded in 1968. The organization was a suggestion from a committee composed of nurses and physicians formed by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. In preparation for celebrating the 40th anniversary of AANN, an exploratory descriptive study was conducted. Past presidents of the organization sat for videotaped interviews that were later transcribed and analyzed. The four main lessons learned from this group of 17 dynamic individuals include (1) multiple pathways to neuroscience nursing, (2) passion and commitment, (3) mentorship, and (4) continuing education. Describing the lessons learned from the past presidents of this organization gives voice to these dynamic leaders and helps preserve the collective memory of this subspecialty organization as it looks ahead for where it is going.