March 2023 — Deerfield Beach, FL — Watson Caring Science Institute, a non-profit 501C3 Caring Science nursing education and professional development organization seeks two Board members with specific knowledge and expertise who can help us while we develop and grow our programs to serve nurses, care givers and society as a whole.
Board member with Nursing Leadership & Educational Expertise
Watson Caring Science Institute (WCSI) is seeking a Board member with a strong dynamic educational background who can champion and develop our unique educational programs. Ideally, someone with previous board member experience, and who can take responsibility for leading the organization’s educational expertise and who brings significant organizational and strategic knowledge to the Board.
Board member with Non-Profit and Philanthropy Expertise
In addition, WCSI is seeking a Board member with a strong background in non-profits and philanthropic experience who can champion and develop our growing organization. Ideally, someone with previous board member experience, and who can take responsibility for leading the organization’s non-profit fundraising and who brings significant organizational and strategic knowledge to the Board.
As a self-sufficient organization, WCSI is in a strong position to capitalize on its successes and any additional funds acquired by the organization are directly translated into organizational development. This represents an exciting opportunity for the new Board to make a substantial difference, not only to the way in which WCSI is run, but to the discipline of Nursing, nationally, and globally.
DEADLINE for applications: June 1st 2023
Duties & Responsibilities
This is a voluntary position with an initial three-year term.
The Board shares collective responsibility for the organization’s strategy and maintains oversight over its activities, ensuring that WCSI remains true to its mission, and strives to achieve the goals for which it was set-up. These duties include:
- To ensure that the organization complies with its governing document (by-laws), 501C3 law, company law and any other relevant company compliance
- To ensure that the organization pursues its objects as defined in its governing document
- To contribute actively to the Board of Directors in giving clear strategic direction to the organization, defining goals and evaluating performance against agreed targets
- To assess and manage risks
- To ensure the organization utilizes resources effectively
- To recruit and appoint executives and monitor their performance
- To safeguard the good name and values of the organization
- To ensure the financial stability of the organization
Each Board member is expected to use any specific skill, knowledge or experience they have to help the organization achieve its goals. This will involve:
- Attending approximately four Board meetings per year via zoom; one of which is an onsite strategy weekend (usually November before Thanksgiving) and at least one WCSI-hosted onsite event or Board meeting per year
- Board members with educational backgrounds will be part of the WCSI education sub-committee and may be asked to attend other zoom meetings
- Board members with non-profit organizational development expertise will work closely with the development sub-committee and may be asked to attend other zoom meetings
- Scrutinizing board papers
- Leading discussions
- Guiding and supporting founder, executive director, employees, and faculty contractors
- Acting as an ambassador for the organization in the community and within healthcare settings
- Providing leadership and guidance on new initiatives
- Contributing on other issues in which the board member has special expertise
Personal Specification
The primary aim is to add new Board members with leadership, organizational, and educational expertise, which will provide a solid backbone to the Board’s already strong and dedicated governance, and leadership functions.
Board member with Nursing Leadership and Educational Expertise
The Board member with leadership and educational expertise must have a wide range of experience in education, both in ontological framework as well as pedagogical and praxis as well as knowledge and understanding of Watson’s Caring Science and Theory of Human Caring. Understanding of: the US and Global educational landscape; futuristic educational models; current and future needs of the health sector, such as leadership skills.
Board member with Non-Profit and Philanthropy Expertise
The Board member with non-profit and philanthropy expertise may come from a wide variety of professional backgrounds within the non-profit world, including development, finance, fundraising, PR/communications and marketing, or business consultancy. Our Board has identified the need for our organization to develop this aspect of our business, which is currently underutilized.
Essential
- Current or past relevant practice (see above)
- Commitment to the aims, principles, and mission of WCSI
- Ability to think creatively and strategically
- Ability to understand and accept their responsibilities and liabilities as Board member
- Interest in and understanding of our mission, our challenges, positioning, clients, and our practice
- Effective communication skills and willingness to participate actively in discussion
- Acting as champion to WCSI, proactively considering generation of income
Desirable
- Knowledge of relevant/local funders to charities
- Expertise/experience in generating charitable income or donations, ideally through successful applications for funding from trusts, foundations, and other grant-giving bodies
- Previous experience as an organization Board member
What we can offer you
In return for your time and expertise, we offer you the experience of being part of an exciting model for nurses and other caring mission led professionals. Board members contribute to an internationally successful creative inspiring organization at a crucial stage in its development. Together we will support nurses, hospitals, families, communities, and the planet.
Application & Contact
DEADLINE June 1st 2023
We invite potential Board members to attend a meeting before they commit in order to get a feel for whether it’s right for them.
If you have any questions call Julie Watson on +561-460-0187
Please send an email with your CV to julie@watsoncaringscience.org including:
- Your interest in WCSI referring to any experience relevant to the Board position
- Any experience you have in governance in an organization, private or public
- Your goals and what you would hope to contribute as a Board member of WCSI
Further Information About WCSI
About WCSI
Watson Caring Science Institute is an international non-profit 501C(3) organization that advances the unitary philosophies, theories and practices of Caring Science, developed by Dr. Jean Watson, Ph.D., RN, AHN-BC, FAAN, LL (AAN). Caring Science is a transdisciplinary approach that incorporates the art and science of nursing and includes concepts from the fields of philosophy, ethics, ecology and mind-body-spirit medicine.
Mission
- Transform the current institutional healthcare model to a more humanistic caring model
- Improve patients, their families/communities perception of care received in hospitals/organizations
- Advance the theory and philosophy of Watson’s Caring Science through the 10 Caritas Processes® to explicitly bring caring and compassion back into healthcare
- Reduce staff turnover; offering nurses and caregivers an ethical and moral framework in which to base their work and life
- Give voice to nursing and nurses and advocate for the profession
We do this by supporting visionary leadership, mobilizing, educating, and engaging nurses, institutions and other care givers within a professional practice model for human caring in which to base their practice.
Our work has been proven to reduce nursing staff turnover (a huge financial burden) and dramatically improve patient’s perception of care (references available on request).
Focusing on research, education, practice, legacy and leadership, Watson Caring Science Institute aims to deepen the development and understanding of Caring Science and Caritas Practices, to dramatically transform patient/family experiences of caring and healing in schools, hospitals, the wider community, and our planet.
Services
Affiliate System — We offer a unique partnership agreement with our Affiliates and Distinguished Affiliates – blue chip hospitals and nursing schools – embedding a culture of care within their systems through using Watson’s Caring Science theory.
Professional Development Educational Programs — We offer a variety of programs for nurses, nurse leaders, nursing schools and hospitals but available to all caring professionals and/or mission-led organizations: Caritas Coach Education Program®, Caritas Leadership Program™, Watson Caring Science Postdoctoral and Senior Scholars Program. Affiliates receive a significant discount. We also offer free global programs throughout the year.
Caritas Consultancy — Dr. Watson and our WCSI Caritas Consultants are experts at implementing Watson’s Caring Science Theory into practice for both individuals and organizations. Affiliates receive a significant discount.
Research & Measurement — We offer 7 measurement tools, Watson Caritas Measures™, to assess perspectives of caring practices regarding care for: Patient, Leader, Preceptor, Co-worker, Self, Leader-Self, and Organization. Our Watson Caritas Patient Score® may be incorporated within your Qualtrics and Press Ganey patient scores at no cost.
WCSI LIA — We are growing exponentially in Latino-Iberoamérica (LIA) to Spanish/Portuguese speakers. Webinars/zooms offered throughout the year.
WCSI Global — We support our Global Contacts, to help nurses and nursing unite and expand shared values, philosophies, theories, and commitments to advance human caring, healing, health and peace for our world.
Caritas Communitas Conference — We host an annual onsite conference to share learning experiences and practices from the Caritas Community, as well as, offer experiential artistic workshops / healing modalities and a fundraising dinner with Jean Watson.
Membership Program — We provide an annual membership subscription that provides exclusive access to resources and discounts.
Lotus Library – We have a publication imprint of Watson Caring Science Institute which follows the philosophy of Watson’s Caring Science, through books written by nurses and care givers; giving voice and language to the caring experiences often hidden, ignored, or dismissed.
The Caring Store – We host an online store offering books, gifts and resources, the proceeds of which supports our mission.
Financial and Charitable Context
Most income generated by the organization comes from our Affiliation Program and our educational courses. We are completely self-sufficient and have grown rapidly over the last three years. We wish to develop our income streams and utilize our 501C3 standing to support our core costs and develop our offer.
Current Situation
Total income in 2022 was $ 1.1M. This was an increase of income of $361k over 2021.
Board Members
The current Board has a wide range of capabilities including organization leadership and governance, Nurse Leadership and hospital administration expertise as well as financial, and strategy experience. The board is extremely committed to and passionate about furthering the development of and access to Watson’s Caring Science and theory of Human Caring.
Executive Board:
- Barbara Brewer, President and Chair of the Board (research lead)
- Karen Drenkard, Vice Chair (policy lead)
- Brooks Turkel, Treasurer
- Grissel Hernandez, Secretary
- Other Board members:
- Julie Watson (Executive Director WCSI)
- Jim D’Alfonso (Nominating Committee Chair leadership and legacy lead)
Advisory Board Member
Chris Byrne
Honorary Board Member
Jean Watson, Founder, Director WCSI
Equalities Statement
We are proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.