Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action Communications Toolkit

How to Use Campaign Messages 1
How to Use Campaign Messages
A message is defined as the most important point you want
to make.A message platform or framework outlines and organizes a campaign’s
or organization’s most important points—the “what, why, and how” of its mission
or work. Use these messages when speaking to the media, giving a presentation,
conducting a meeting, or creating materials to promote your Action Coalition work.
With more than 50 state Action Coalitions and dozens of national and regional
partners, it is important to “speak with one voice” for our message to resonate.
Effective messages are clear (understandable), concise
(short), contrasting (how you are different), and
convincing (yes, we agree with what you are saying).
When you talk about the campaign, you probably
speak to a variety of audiences. Good speakers first
consider who their audience is, what matters to them,
andhowtogetthemtocareabouttheirissue/campaign.
Simply put, why does your work matter—not to you,
but to your audience?
Think about it this way:
A patient has just learned that she has been diagnosed
with breast cancer. What do you say? What is
important for her to know? What do you want her to
do? In all likelihood, you instinctively do three things:
•• Empathize with her and provide emotional support.
•• Discuss her treatment options.
•• Help her plan. What should she do next? Do you
share any tips from your years of experience?
This is similar to communicating messages. You want
to convey clear and consistent points that will help
you to:
1. Connectwithyouraudience:Explain the
problems/ challenges that need to be addressed.
2. Putyourworkincontext: What is the Campaign
for Action trying to do, and how will it solve these
problems?
3. Make“yourcase”forwhythismatters: Don’t
talk about what matters to you—talk about why
this work should matter to them—e.g., to increase
access, to contain costs, to improve quality.
4. Generatesupport:What do you want them to do?
And, whenever you can add your own personal
stories or examples to the messaging, you will be
more effective. Communications research shows
that people are much more likely to remember a
story than a laundry list of ideas.

So, how do you use these messages?
•• Incorporate these messages into your materials—
your presentations, your letters to stakeholders, your
website page, and any other media or marketing
materials you have developed—as appropriate.
•• Keep these messages in mind when you write
press releasesandplanevents.Doestherelease
communicate at least three of these messages?
Does your event underscore or illustrate at least
one of the messaging points?
•• Use this messaging when you conduct media
interviews, give presentations, conduct coalition
meetings, or write a letter to the editor.
(continued)
Anytime you talk about the campaign, you should weave these messages
in wherever and whenever possible.

(continued)
Frequently Asked Questions
We understand that it’s not that simple. The following FAQs will help you better understand how to
use the overarching Campaign messages when you communicate about your work and the Campaign.
1. “But this is not exactly how I say it. Do I have
to use the messages verbatim?”
Think of messaging like the frame of a house.
You choose the siding, the type of windows,
the color. These messages should be the
foundation of what you communicate.
Incorporate them as best you can in a way that
works for you. Think about how you are
communicating your work. Is it resonating?
Are you explaining your efforts in ways your
audiences can understand or relate to?
2. “What might work in New York does not
necessarily work in Texas.”
We understand that. Here again, you will need
to customize, but this messaging was developed
to reach as broad an audience as possible.
When everyone speaks with one voice, our
message is more likely to get through.
3. “There are a lot of messages here. When I do an
interview, they only quote one or two sentences.
Which ones should I use?”
Select the best two or three messages that will
work for your interview. Depending on the
topic or the event, think about the three most
important points you want people to
remember. Then focus on and repeat those
messages/points.
4. “I am very comfortable talking to patients,
but talking to the media is scary.”
You might not have felt comfortable talking to
patients when you first started, but with practice,
it became second nature. Think about how you
approach talking to patients. Do you consider
how they might be feeling? Do you consider
what really matters to them? Do you consider
how to help them understand their diagnosis
and treatment? All these rules apply when
talking to the media or making presentations.
Try to help your audience understand why
your work matters, and why the changes you
are working for are important. Think not in
terms of the nursing profession, but about what
your work will mean for patients.
5. “Who are these messages designed to reach?
Issues that are important to the nursing or
health provider community are not the same
as issues that are important to the business
community or to funders.”
Again, this messaging was developed to reach
as broad an audience as possible. We also
provide a set of talking points tailored for a few
key audiences: hospitals, physicians, and funders.
You should customize this messaging for the
audience you are speaking with. Think about
why this work matters to them. How can your
work help them achieve their goals or address
their challenges?

Campaign for Action Key Messages 4
Future of Nursing: Campaign
for Action Key Messages
Health care is undergoing a much-needed transformation to serve more patients, better.
•• Our nation faces pressing health care challenges—an aging and more diverse population, more patients
with more chronic conditions, millions more insured, soaring costs, and a shortage of providers.
•• We can address these challenges—now—by maximizing the use of nurses. That means preparing
nurses/nursing to meet the health care demands of today and tomorrow.
•• As the largest segment of the health care workforce—and the ones who spend the most time with
patients and their families—nurses are vital to the successful transformation of health care.
* Nurses are at the center of many of the innovations we rely on to increase access, improve
quality, and contain costs.
* Nurses with strong clinical and leadership skills can help promote wellness, develop
new models of care, manage coordination of care, and help hospitals to reduce medical
errors and re-hospitalizations.
The Campaign for Action is working to improve health care through nursing.
•• The Campaign for Action is working to prepare nurses/nursing to address our nation’s most pressing
health care challenges—access, quality, and cost.
* We are working to make sure patients get the care they need, when and where they need it.
•• A joint initiative of AARP and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Campaign for Action has
organized 50 state Action Coalitions to help implement the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) evidence-
based recommendations on the future of nursing. We continue to mobilize and invite diverse health
care stakeholders to join us.
•• The Campaign for Action provides a voice and a vehicle for nurses at all levels to lead/manage system
change, in partnership with others.
To meet growing health care demands/challenges, we need to change how nurses are educated, trained,
and practice.
•• Nurses will need to provide care to more people, with more chronic conditions, from more culturally diverse
backgrounds. Nursing must be ready to meet growing demands; this includes preparing nurses to
practice in new ways and in different settings, with more diverse populations.
•• We need more nurses with bachelor and graduate degrees to manage increasingly complex health
system challenges, in a range of settings (ambulatory, community, home) and to teach the next
generation of nurses.

•• Outdated barriers limit fully qualified nurses and others from giving care to people who need it. We
must change laws, regulations and organizational policies that restrict advance practice registered
nurses (APRNs) and other skilled providers from practicing to the full extent of their education
and training.
Our goal is to ensure that patients get the care they need, when and where they need it.
•• Leadership: To meet the needs of patients, we need to prepare the next generation of nurses to meet
greater demands/challenges, and position nurses to lead/manage system change.
•• Barriers to Practice and Care: Expand access to care by maximizing the use of nurses. We need to remove
outdated laws, regulations, and policies that prevent nurses from practicing to the full extent of their
education and training OR providing care they are fully qualified to provide.
•• Workforce Diversity: Recruit and train the nursing workforce to provide culturally competent care
in a variety of settings to more aging and ethnically diverse patients with more chronic illness.
* Nursing needs to reflect the changing demographics of the U.S. population to meet workforce
demands, provide culturally appropriate care, and address health disparities.
* Racial and ethnic minorities make up 30 percent of the population, but only 10 percent
of nurses.
•• Education and Training: Prepare our nursing workforce for the future by strengthening education and
training. Enable nurses to manage patient care in an increasingly complex system with new models of
care and in a variety of settings.
* A more highly educated nursing workforce can lead system improvements and improve quality,
accountability, and coordination of care.
* More nurses with bachelor and graduate degrees can manage system change and prepare the
next generation of nurses.
•• Interprofessional Collaboration: Improve quality and coordination of health care by promoting a
team-based approach to education and practice. Encourage greater collaboration among all health
professionals to significantly improve patient care.
* Examples include the need to reduce medical errors, hospital-based infections and re-admissions.
for Action Key Messages (continued)

for Action Key Messages (continued)
Join us to improve patient care and guide/lead system change.
•• The success of this effort will depend on the willingness of diverse health care stakeholders to come
together as leaders to expand access, improve quality, and contain costs.
•• We invite you to join us and/or your state Action Coalition. You can learn about our progress and find
out what each state is working on at www.CampaignforAction.org.
•• Be part of the discussion. Join our Campaign. Shape the future of health care for all Americans.

Specific Audience Talking Points 7
Specific Audience Talking Points
When paired with the Campaign for Action key messages, these talking points are
intended to help you communicate about the Campaign more clearly in terms that
resonate with specific audiences. Hospitals, physicians and funders are important to
your Action Coalition’s success, and you’ll be more effective if your messages can
resonate with each of these groups. We’ve provided the following talking points as a
guide for your Action Coalition to use in helping these audiences understand why your
work matters and how it affects them. You should incorporate real-world examples and
stories that help illustrate these messages whenever possible.
HOSPITALS
Nurses are essential partners to hospitals’ efforts to improve quality and safety, and
to meet increased patient demand.
•• Hospitals can better manage an influx of older and sicker patients and millions more insured if we
maximize the role of nurses.
•• The Campaign for Action is working to meet increased patient demand and control health care costs by
positioning nurses to bridge gaps in our health care workforce and ensuring that all providers can
practice at the top of their education and training.
•• As hospitals face new payment and reimbursement systems, more highly educated nurses are better
positioned to implement best practices, help manage complex systems in a variety of settings, and
achieve measurable results.
When nurses’ opinions are valued, we can reduce medical errors, readmission rates, fatalities, and costs.
•• The Campaign for Action is working to position nurses as valued partners in health care improvement.
When nurses are encouraged to speak up, we see reductions in medical errors, readmission rates, falls,
and fatalities, all of which directly affect a hospital’s bottom line.
•• Hospitals that don’t include nurses on their boards are missing out on the frontline clinical perspective
only nurses can provide.
A more educated nursing workforce can deliver more efficient, coordinated health care.
•• The Campaign for Action is working to strengthen education and training so nurses are positioned to
make maximum contributions to tomorrow’s health care teams and deliver highly coordinated care.
•• Studies show that a more highly educated nursing workforce leads to care improvements in acute care
settings, including in lower mortality and morbidity rates.

Specific Audience Talking Points(continued)
•• Hospitals looking for a competitive advantage should consider hiring a more highly educated nursing
workforce.
Hospitals that implement the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations on nursing will be
leaders in health care delivery.
•• The Campaign for Action can help you to improve health care delivery quickly and efficiently by
implementing the IOM’s evidence-based recommendations on nursing. You can also make important
changes now by ensuring that your board has at least one nurse.
•• Hospitals can meet increased patient demand by removing institutional barriers to advanced practice
registered nurse (APRN) care, credentialing APRNs to the full extent of their education and training,
and providing admitting privileges to nurse practitioners and nurse midwives.
•• Join the Campaign for Action and become a force for change to make nurses a valued partner in health
care improvements.

PHYSICIANS
Nurses can be essential partners with physicians in expanding access to care, ensuring quality and
safety, and using limited resources wisely.
•• We can meet increased demand for patient care more efficiently if we reexamine our roles and
responsibilities and maximize our time and skills.
•• New payment and reimbursement systems mean we need to rethink how we deliver care. One of the
ways we can improve health care delivery is to use nurses and physicians more effectively.
•• The Campaign for Action is working with physicians, nurses, and other health care stakeholders to
manage the influx of more aging, and sicker patients, and to provide quality care for patients when and
where they need it.
We need to think less about the professions and more about the patients.
•• With increased demand and provider shortages, we need to be smarter about how we use our resources
and how we train, recruit, and retain physicians and nurses who can care for patients when and where
they need it.
•• When nurses are valued members of the health care team, we are all better able to improve quality and
safety, and reduce medical errors and costs.
•• It’s about transforming health care by using nurses more effectively and positioning nurses to help
manage complex systems in a variety of settings.
When we put patients first, we all win.
•• Health care transformation has left the station. If physicians and nurses join together to put patients
first, we will all win.
•• With more and sicker patients and a shortage of providers, all clinicians need to be able to practice at
the top of their education and training.
•• To better meet the needs of patients, we need to change how providers are educated, trained, and
practice. That means interprofessional education and collaboration, better coordinated care, and a
partnership between physicians and nurses that enables all of us to use our skills and resources
more wisely.
We encourage physicians to support the Campaign for Action.
•• Join the movement. Visit www.campaignforaction.org, read the evidence-based Institute of Medicine
report on the future of nursing, and get involved.

•• Participate in your state Action Coalition. For the sake of better patient care, help us to remove
practice barriers, strengthen nurse education and training, and promote interprofessional
collaboration.
•• Value nurses in your everyday practice and benefit from their unique insights and perspectives.

FUNDERS
PLEASE NOTE: This messaging will depend entirely on which funder you are approaching. Please be
sure to check the mission and priorities of the funder, and tailor your messaging and “ask” accordingly.
We’re working to change health care to better meet the needs of patients and populations.
•• Our state/community is grappling with an aging and sicker population, more patients needing care,
soaring health care costs, and a provider shortage. The Campaign for Action is working to expand our
ability to provide care, improve quality, and control costs.
•• As the largest group of frontline health care providers and the ones who spend the most time with
patients, nurses are essential to any effort to improve health care delivery and public health.
•• The Campaign for Action is working to prepare and position nurses to transform health care, improve
public health coordination, and recruit and train the next generation of nurses.
The Campaign for Action is working to prepare nurses to expand access to care, improve quality, and
contain costs.
•• To expand access to care, the Campaign for Action is working to remove outdated barriers that limit
fully qualified nurses from providing primary and preventive care.
•• As we face severe primary care shortages, we need nurse practitioners who can provide care in
underserved areas and a more diverse nursing workforce to provide culturally competent care.
•• We need to bring together a diverse set of stakeholders—nurses, physicians, other providers, hospitals,
health care systems, insurers, employers, consumers, and the business community—to work in the best
interest of patients and populations.
Nurses must be prepared to help the health care system of the future move into the community.
•• The Campaign for Action is helping to rethink health care delivery and advocating evidence-based
Institute of Medicine recommendations on the future of nursing.
•• People want and need to stay in their homes whenever possible; when not able to do so, they need to be
able to access quality care close to home.
•• To better manage more patients with more chronic conditions in more complex health care systems,
we need to change how nurses are educated, trained, and practice.

Here’s how you can help:
•• If you are interested in improving patient care, access to health care, reducing medical errors,
advancing nurse leadership, strengthening nurse education and training, promoting health care teams,
or recruiting a more diverse culturally competent nursing workforce, we should talk.
•• Learn more at www.campaignforaction.org and see what is happening across the country through our
state Action Coalitions and in our online community.
Other Ideas
•• If you approach a community-based foundation, make sure to connect your Campaign work to how it
will help your local community.
•• An Action Coalition in Wisconsin won funding from a local foundation that had nothing to do with
health or health care, but was very interested in diversity, leadership, and economic development. The
Action Coalition framed its project in those terms and was successful.
•• Check the following for possible funding or in-kind support:
* Office of Rural Health
* Corporations
* Large employers
* In-kind support
* Communications counsel
Updated February 2013

Creating Effective Media Materials 1
Creating Effective Media Materials
The media can help build support for the Campaign and
promote the work of your Action Coalition.You face a lot of
competition, so your materials need to be timely, clear, concise, and eye-catching.
Whether you have an event to promote, a new partner to announce, or you’ve reached
a milestone in your program, you must decide what information to send and how best
to send it to a journalist, a broadcast reporter, or a producer.
There are a number of different ways to send
information to the media. Your approach will vary
depending on the audience you want to reach. This
document will help you decide which materials are
best to use for the news you want to share.
The list below describes several commonly used
media outreach materials, and the “how to” sections
that follow will help you create each one on your own.
Press release. A news announcement issued to the
media that summarizes an organization’s event, data
findings, collaboration, development, or new project.
It is usually distributed through a newswire or directly
to reporters via a pitch letter.
Pitch letter. An email to reporters, editors, or
producers providing them with a story idea, news
angle, or potential spokesperson for publication. A
pitch letter is designed to pique a reporter’s interest
and encourage him or her to cover a specific story or
topic. It is also helpful to include a press release or
media advisory pasted at the bottom of the email.
Letter to the Editor. A timely letter written on
behalf of an individual or organization in response to
a recently published story or article. Letters are
drafted to support or refute a position taken by a
reporter or contributor and should include examples
or current events to support the presented claim.
Op-ed. An article submitted to the media
that expresses the opinion of an individual or
organization in response to a current event or issue.
Each news outlet has a preferred method of
receiving op-eds, so be sure to check that
organization’s guidelines before submitting.
Media advisory. A brief announcement that
describes an upcoming event or activity. This
document should be short, easy to read, and should
feature key points of interest, including the who,
what, when, where, why, and how,
plus contact information for media inquiries.

How to Write and Distribute
a Press Release
A press release is a statement prepared for distribution to
the mediathat publicizes something newsworthy. Most journalists regard press
releases as a valuable starting point for preparing a story. While some news organizations
run press releases verbatim, most use them to gain an overview of the facts. Then they
choose the angle they want to pursue. When preparing to write a press release, consider
whether your announcement will provide something of value to the media:
•• Is the information timely, or are you releasing new or surprising data or information?
•• Does the news affect a large number of people in the community?
•• Do you have a notable spokesperson involved in your work?
•• Have you reached a major milestone in your project?
These questions will help you determine the
newsworthiness of your announcement. Should you
decide to go this route, below are some important
items to include in your release:
Dateline and Contact. This section at the top of
the page contains the “For Immediate Release” or
“Embargoed Until” date, as well as contact
information for the person a reporter should
consider a source for more details or for scheduling
an interview. This should include name, phone
number, and email address for the media relations
contact person.
Embargo. This note that appears before the date of
release tells journalists not to leak or print the story
before a particular deadline. This is typically used
for product announcements and for studies that are
due to be published in scientific journals. If you
would like to provide
a press release to a reporter and not have the
information go public until a certain date, you can
create an embargo by writing “Embargoed Until”
before the release date. The phrase “For Immediate
Release,” which is often found at the top of a press
release, indicates that the information in the release
is not embargoed.
Headline. The first line of text in the press release
that deals with the topic is the headline. It tells a
reporter what the press release is about and why this
news matters. It can be a very effective tool to gain
the attention of the journalist, so make your
headline compelling and relevant. It should be
descriptive but not too long—somewhere in the
range of 100 characters. It should be formatted in
title case, that is, each word of four letters or more
should have the first letter capitalized. Acronyms,
of course, can be all caps.

How to Write and Distribute
a Press Release (continued)
Body—dateline. Begin the first line of your
press release with the originating city of the
news described.
Body—lead. This is your introductory paragraph,
where the “meat” of the press release begins. The
first few sentences should provide answers to the
questions who, what, when, where, and why this
story matters.
Body—details. Here, after the introduction, give
explanation, statistics, and background that support
the claims you’ve made in the introductory paragraph.
The body should be at least 3000 characters, or 500
words, and should have a minimum of two
paragraphs. Each paragraph should be between
5 and 8 lines long. Leave a blank line after each
paragraph for good visibility. And try to include
one or more quotes from key spokespersons or
people who provide credibility and support for
the case you make.
Boilerplate. The boilerplate acts as an “about”
statement, and is used repeatedly and consistently.
It is generally a short section providing background
information on the organization(s) issuing the
press release.
See sample press release on next page

Sample Press Release
NEWS RELEASE CONTACT: Linda Tieman,(206) 878-1200
August 20, 2012 Lisa Lederer, (202) 371-1999
Washington State One of Just Nine States Selected for Grant to
Build a More Highly Educated Nursing Workforce
Focus in Washington State Will be on Increasing the Proportion of BSN Nurses to 80 Percent
Princeton, N.J. —The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) today announced that Washington State is one of nine
states chosen for a two-year, $300,000 grant to advance state and regional strategies aimed at creating a more highly
educated, diverse nursing workforce. The funding is through a new RWJF program, Academic Progression in Nursing
(APIN).
In addition to Washington State, those chosen for the new grants are California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Montana, New
Mexico, New York, North Carolina, and Texas. Coalitions in each state will now work with academic institutions and
employers on implementing sophisticated strategies to help nurses get higher degrees in order to improve patient care and
help fill faculty and advanced practice nursing roles. In particular, the states will encourage strong partnerships between
community colleges and universities to make it easier for nurses to transition to higher degrees.
The emphasis in Washington State will be on increasing the number of nurses with a bachelor of science in nursing
(BSN) or higher degree to 80 percent. “This work is transformative. We’ve had the right people for years and have been
making progress, but this grant will really help us make sustainable change,” said Linda Tieman, RN, MN, FACHE,
executive director of the Washington Center for Nursing. Currently, 51 percent of Washington State nurses have a BSN
or higher degree. “We’ve got work to do. But it’s work we enjoy doing.”
APIN is run by the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) on behalf of the Tri-Council for Nursing,
consisting of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the National League for Nursing, American Nurses
Association, and AONE, which is leading the $4.3 million, Phase I two-year initiative.
In its groundbreaking report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, the Institute of Medicine
(IOM) recommended that 80 percent of the nursing workforce be prepared at the baccalaureate level or higher by the year
2020. At present, about half of nurses in the United States have baccalaureate or higher degrees. While acknowledging
the contributions of Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses and associate-degree-prepared Registered Nurses
to health care, the IOM report says that a better-educated nursing workforce is needed to ensure that our nation’s
population has access to high-quality, patient-centered care.
“The nation needs a well-educated nursing workforce to ensure an adequate supply of public health and primary care
providers, improve care for patients living with chronic illness, and in other ways meet the needs of our aging and
increasingly diverse population,” said Pamela Austin Thompson, MS, RN, CENP, FAAN, national program director for
APIN, chief executive officer of AONE, and senior vice president for nursing at the American Hospital Association. “We
have great confidence in the nine states that will receive these grants to implement bold and effective strategies that will
work in their states and create models that other states can utilize.”
RWJF is also helping advance recommendations in the IOM report by supporting The Future of Nursing: Campaign for
Action. The Campaign for Action is a collaborative effort to advance solutions to challenges facing the nursing profession
in order to improve quality and transform the way Americans receive health care. It is coordinated through the Center to
Release date/Status
Headline
Dateline
Supporting
quote
Supporting
quote
Lead

Sample Press Release(continued)
Champion Nursing in America, an initiative of AARP, the AARP Foundation, and RWJF. It supports 49 state-based
Action Coalitions around the country, and Action Coalitions are leading the APIN work in each of the nine funded states.
“Our state Action Coalitions are bringing nursing and other key leaders together to ensure that nurses have critical
competencies, including leadership, cultural competence, interprofessional collaboration, and quality and safety, and to
increase the diversity of the nursing workforce,” said RWJF Senior Adviser for Nursing Susan B. Hassmiller, PhD, RN,
FAAN. “We are pleased to be able to provide financial support to nine of the Action Coalitions that are doing highly
effective work on academic progression. Advancing a more highly educated, diverse workforce where nurses are able to
practice to the top of their education and training is essential to achieving the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s
mission to improve health and health care in this country.”
The Washington Center for Nursing
The Washington Center for Nursing’s mission is to contribute to the health and wellness of people in Washington State
by ensuring that there is an adequate nursing workforce to meet the current and future health care needs of our
population.
About the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the
nation’s largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care, the Foundation works with a diverse group
of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, measurable, and timely change. For 40
years the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that
affect the health and health care of those it serves. When it comes to helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the
care they need, the Foundation expects to make a difference in your lifetime. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org.
Follow the Foundation on Twitter www.rwjf.org/twitter or Facebook www.rwjf.org/facebook.
About the Tri-Council for Nursing
The Tri-Council for Nursing is an alliance of four autonomous nursing organizations each focused on leadership for
education, practice, and research. The four organizations are the: American Association of Colleges of Nursing;
American Nurses Association; American Organization of Nurse Executives; and the National League for Nursing. While
each organization has its own constituent membership and unique mission, they are united by common values and
convene regularly for the purpose of dialogue and consensus building, to provide stewardship within the profession of
nursing. These organizations represent nurses in practice, nurse executive,s and nursing educators. The Tri-Council’s
diverse interests encompass the nursing work environment, health care legislation and policy, quality of health care,
nursing education, practice, research, and leadership across all segments of the health delivery system.
Boilerplate

How to Draft a Pitch Letter
There is intense competition today for media coverage.To
generate media interest in your activities, you will need to think about how to “package”
or “sell” your efforts before drafting a pitch letter or a press release. Consider:
•• What’s the news?
•• Why does it matter?
•• Why should people care?
The top-of-mind answers you might give may not be
the answers you need for reporters. In other words,
there is a difference between “inside baseball”—
stories that may be of interest to the trade or industry
press (e.g., nursing magazines)—and what might be
of interest to your local paper, especially if you live
in a major media market.
The Campaign for Action is focused on five basic
issue areas as outlined in the Institute of Medicine’s
Future of Nursing report. To generate media interest,
you will need to frame your work in terms of why it
matters to patients, or how what you are doing is
addressing major health care challenges, such as
access, cost, and quality/safety. No matter what you
focus on, you will need a local angle, for example:
•• Are advance practice registered nurses (APRNs)
solving a provider shortage in your state? Or,
is your state suffering from a provider shortage
that APRNs could solve, if practice barriers
were removed?
•• Do you have a nursing school in your state? If so,
what will the proposed education changes mean
for that institution? More jobs?
•• Are any of the hospitals in your state changing
hiring requirements for nurses, e.g., requiring
bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degrees?
What is your involvement, and what is the local
reaction to these changes?
Once you have your angle and story idea and the
reporter’s contact information, you are ready to
write a pitch letter.
A pitch letter is designed to pique a reporter’s
interest and encourage him or her to cover a specific
story or topic. A pitch letter must contain basic facts
about the newsworthy item and provide substantial
reasons for the reporter to cover the story. A pitch
letter should not tell the entire story (your press
release will do that), but rather should offer an
interesting angle and key spokespersons who are
available to speak on the subject. You should not
pitch multiple stories at once. It’s a good idea to
monitor news coverage and pitch to a relevant
reporter at the appropriate time.
Pitch letters should be distributed via email and
personalized to the reporter if possible. A late-
morning distribution time is recommended, because

How to Draft a Pitch Letter (continued)
reporters have already had their daily planning
meetings, but are not yet deeply involved in other
stories and are not scrambling to meet four or five
o’clock deadlines.
Here are some tips to help assure that a reporter will
read your pitch letter:
Start with an attention-grabbing subject line.
Reporters receive hundreds of emails and unsolicited
pitches a day, and the subject line is the first thing
they notice. There are a number of ways you can
make your subject line eye-catching. Connect your
topic to a current news trend, if possible. If you’re
pitching a story about a new partnership, why does
it matter? What is your goal? If your story involves a
well-known organization or location that will
resonate with the reporter, be sure to put that into
the subject line. Don’t mislead by promising the
“first ever” if it’s not (reporters are often wary of
those kinds of claims anyway). Take some time to
craft a short, attention-getting subject line that will
make the reporter want to open your email. And
keep it short and sweet.
Get to the point. Don’t bury your lead in the body
of your email. Pique the reporter’s interest in the
first sentence. Give the reporter something that will
make him say either, “Gee, I never knew,” or “That’s
a fantastic story.”
Make it personal. Your pitch letter should contain
basic information, but your primary objective is to
deliver a relevant and customized angle to specific
reporters. Do your homework and research your
target. What stories has this reporter filed in the
past? Has she covered nursing or other relevant
health care issues? If so, when? Were the stories
positive, negative, or neutral in tone? Which
source(s) did she quote? Never miss an opportunity
to compliment a reporter on a story she wrote that
you liked.
Take your time. The process of finding the right
targets, reviewing their recent work, and then
writing, rewriting, editing, thinking, and proofing
takes time, but in the end, the payoff is getting your
story covered.
See sample pitch letter on next page

Sample Pitch Letter
Sample Media Pitch E-mail
Story Idea: Campaign Update. It’s been more than two years since the Institute of Medicine released its
landmark report on the future of nursing. What goals or issue areas is your Action Coalition working on?
What are the most pressing needs in your state? What is the trend in terms of home care? Have there been
any high-profile stories about medical errors or unmet needs? Is your state experiencing a population
influx? How are health care needs being met or not? Customize the pitch below according to the
questions or issues you are dealing with in your state.
Sample Pitch
SUBJ: Reinventing the Modern Nurse
Greetings [NAME],
Two years ago, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) issued a landmark report on the future of nursing that
received widespread attention—including in your paper [CHECK THIS AND SEND TO
APPROPRIATE REPORTER, NEWS, OR HEALTH EDITOR. CITE THE ARTICLE TITLE AND
DATE].
The report outlined strategies to address the increasing demands on our health care system, including an
aging and sicker population, millions more insured thanks to health care reform, a shortage of primary
care providers, and the soaring cost of care.
Here in [STATE], we are working to implement the IOM’s recommendations. As the lead/co-lead of our
state’s Action Coalition on behalf of the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action (a joint initiative of the
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation® and AARP™), we believe that nurses are uniquely qualified to
address many of the challenges facing our health care system, both quickly and cost-efficiently.
We are working to:
• Expand access to primary care by removing outdated barriers that prevent advance practice
registered nurses (APRNs) such as nurse practitioners from providing care to the full extent of
their education and training;
• Improve the coordination of care by adopting more team-based approaches to care in medical
education and practice;
• Strengthen nurse education to increase the number of nursing faculty and the number of advanced
degree nurses who can manage leadership roles;
• Recruit a more diverse nursing workforce to provide culturally competent care and to help
address health disparities.
I would be more than happy to discuss some possible story ideas on our work here in [STATE] and the
progress we are making to improve access to care for all our residents.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to speaking with you.
Sincerely,
[NAME]

How to Write and Submit
a Letter to the Editor
Submitting a letter to the editor is an effective way for you
to comment on a specific issue being covered in the press, and to present
yourself as an expert or spokesperson on that issue. A letter to the editor responds to a
news article, editorial, or opinion piece that has already appeared in the newspaper. It
should provide new information, a correction, or a different perspective than the original
article. It also provides an opportunity to connect with the media in lieu of any newsworthy
announcement or event.
Here are some tips to help get you started.
Take a Position. Take a stand either in favor of or
in opposition to an opinion expressed by the editorial
or article that prompted your letter, or offer new
information or a perspective that was not included
in the article. Use your research or your organization’s
talking points to back up your position.
Be Specific. Focus on a particular issue that the
article or opinion piece raised. You risk diluting
the letter’s overall impact if you address more than
one issue.
Be Brief. Keep your letter to one or two paragraphs.
If you find that you have a lot more to say, consider
submitting an op-ed article to the paper. (For more
information, see the tip sheet, “How to Write and
Place an Op-Ed” in the “Resources” section at
RWJFLeaders.org.)
Cite the Original Article. In the first or second
sentence of your letter, mention the title and date of
the article your letter is responding to: e.g., “Dear
Editor: Your recent coverage of the issue of the
uninsured (“Health Care in America,” June 13,
2012) was a thoughtful piece…”
Say Thank You. If the coverage was particularly
good, you could open your letter by thanking
or congratulating the reporter or newspaper for
their work.
Edit and Try Again. Write and edit your letter
carefully. If the letter isn’t published, consider
submitting it to the comment thread at the end of
the original piece in the online edition. In some
cases, comment threads attract more readers than
the letters to the editor.
See sample letter to the editor on next page

Sample Letter to the Editor
Nursing programs are about quality care, equity
Commentary
By Walter Bumphus, Published June 29, 2012
Editor’s note: The following is a letter to the editor to the New York Times pertaining to a June 24 article on requirements for
nursing students.
Dear Editor:
Because the nation’s community colleges currently prepare more than half of all new nurses, we read with interest your recent
coverage of the growth in BSN programs at four-year colleges (Perez-Pena, Richard, "More Stringent Requirements Send Nurses
Back to School," New York Times, June 24, A13).
The writer gives compelling context for an urgent national problem, a problem that will become worse over the coming decades
as an additional 32 million people strain the capacity of our health care system. An estimated 848,000 new nurses will be needed
by 2020 to ensure quality of care for our families and communities. In fact, research recently released by Georgetown
University’s Center on Education and Workforce indicates at least a 29 percent shortfall in professionally trained nurses.
Community college nursing programs–either alone or in partnership with four-year institutions–remain critical to meeting the
nation’s need. Your article presents a number of contradictory and somewhat unclear assertions. It suggests that BSN educated
nurses are preferred, but then notes that “such policies are limited to a small fraction of hospitals.” It cites surveys purported to
show that most hospitals would rather hire BSN nurses, but it does not document that research. It quotes administrators who
imply community college educated nurses may be “limited to nonhospital settings," without explaining the clear and prevailing
trend that much of our health care is increasingly moving to community and public settings.
A further and key point that the article does not address relates to equitable access to health care careers. The shift in our nation’s
demographic makeup is well documented, with minority populations projected to represent a growing percentage of the nation’s
workforce. Community colleges provide the greatest diversity to the nursing workforce and are the typical gateway to practice for
the highest percentage of minority students. In addition, in remote and rural communities, which typically face greater challenges
in attracting and retaining adequate numbers of nurses, community colleges provide an essential pipeline to the nursing
profession and thus to quality of care in those communities.
Because we are dealing with human lives and not just an issue of supply and demand, understanding the factors underlying the
nursing shortage is complex. Devising strategies to address that shortage while also protecting access and equity for students who
would hope to enter the profession requires greater support for all nursing programs. Community colleges are key—both to the
mathematical and the human equations.
Bumphus is CEO and president of the American Association of Community Colleges.

How to Write and Place an Op-ed
An op-ed—the term stands for “opposite the editorial
page”—is an opinion essay written by either a newspaper’s staff columnist
or an outside contributor. Writing and placing an op-ed is a potential means for
promoting your work on behalf of your Action Coalition or the broader Campaign for
Action and for raising awareness of an issue among policy-makers and the public. Here
are some suggestions for writing and placing an op-ed:
Say Something New. Stay abreast of the paper’s
angle on the subject you want to address. If you
provide a new angle, your submission may receive
more consideration.
Stay Focused. Hone in on one angle of the issue.
Include relevant examples and statistics, provide
succinct interpretations of their significance, and
if possible, close with a “call to action.”
Address Your Target Audience. Decide whom
you want to reach and consider their interests as
you write. What are their needs, concerns, and
likely objections to your points?
Avoid Jargon. Do not use technical or “insider”
language. If a specific term is absolutely necessary,
define it for a lay audience.
Edit Your Work. Submit a carefully written piece,
keeping in mind that newspapers reserve the right
to edit it further (usually for length and clarity).
Newspapers generally limit op-eds to between 700
and 800 words. It is a good idea to ask a friend or
someone outside your field to review the article for
typos and basic understanding before you submit it.
Follow the Paper’s Guidelines. Major newspapers
expect exclusivity and will not consider op-eds that
have been submitted to, posted to, or published by
other news outlets, including blogs. Papers typically
publish on their websites their terms and conditions
for accepting op-eds.
See sample op-ed on next page

Sample Op-ed
Local View: Time is right to address nursing shortage
JANUARY 11, 2012 11:57 PM • BY JULIANN SEBASTIAN / FOR THE LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR
The shortage of nurses poses a threat to the health of Nebraskans.
As Nebraska's population ages, one of the most important factors in maintaining our
quality of life is to have an adequate number of well-qualified nurses.
Nurses make up the largest segment of the health professions workforce, providing
essential services in every sector of health care -- from homes, schools and workplaces,
to hospitals, clinics and nursing homes.
Unfortunately, Nebraska is facing a growing shortage of nurses, and areas of our state
are already experiencing an impact on the health of our citizens.
The Nebraska Center for Nursing estimates that by the year 2020, the state will have a
shortage of more than 3,800 nurses, or more than triple the current shortage. Right now,
73 of Nebraska's 93 counties have fewer nurses than the national standard. Rural
areas, in particular, are hit hard.
This shortage is significant because research shows that the ratio of nurses to patients
is related to the quality of care, including patient mortality, hospital infections and falls.
In addition, it's important to have nurses with bachelor's degrees or higher available to
provide direct care services.
These nurses provide care coordination for people who are at high risk for health
problems, helping patients make the important transition from hospital to home, and
helping people stay healthy at home.
We also need more advanced practice registered nurses -- such as nurse practitioners -
- to provide care to people with common and recurring illnesses. Nurse practitioners
work with physicians and other health professionals, giving patients the best of inter-
professional team care.
Increasing the number of nurses in Nebraska will not only lead to healthier communities,
it also will strengthen local economies. Nurses contribute to the economic success of a
community. Nurses pay taxes and purchase homes, goods and services. They provide
a workforce that allows communities to retain their own medical clinics, hospitals and
nursing homes. In turn, the availability of high-quality, affordable health care contributes

Sample Op-ed
to workforce productivity and provides a recruitment advantage to attract and retain
businesses.
The growing shortage of nurses is not for lack of interest among students. In Nebraska,
402 qualified applicants were turned away from baccalaureate and graduate nursing
programs in 2010, including 50 to 60 percent of the qualified applicants to our Kearney
and Lincoln programs.
We cannot accept more students, however, for two primary reasons: We lack adequate
space to accommodate their instruction, and we do not have enough faculty to teach
them.
At the UNMC College of Nursing, we have been making progress toward addressing
this issue over the past few years, adding a fifth division of the college in Norfolk in 2010
and expanding our Omaha facilities last year. We must do more.
Helping build a talented workforce for Nebraska is one of the university's highest
priorities, and there is a clear need across Nebraska for more nurses and nurse
educators. It's important to note that 76 percent of UNMC's BSN nursing graduates
have chosen to remain in Nebraska, with 44 percent of our respondents practicing in
rural areas.
Expanded space for our high-demand programs in Lincoln and Kearney would give
more students the opportunity to pursue the career they desire, improve health,
contribute to job growth and spur economies across Nebraska.
One solution lies with an initiative that has been a top priority for the University of
Nebraska since 2008 and that will be considered by the Legislature this year: a new
facility to house the Lincoln division of the College of Nursing on the UNL campus,
replacing an inadequate rental facility in a former downtown department store. This
would allow our Lincoln division to expand by 64 students per year, with an emphasis on
graduate programs so we can increase the numbers of future faculty and advanced
practice nurses.
The state of Nebraska has a great opportunity now to contribute to a healthier
population and a healthier economy by investing in expanded nursing education in key
areas of the state.
Juliann Sebastian is dean of the College of Nursing at the University of Nebraska
Medical Center.

How to Write a Media Advisory
Action Coalitions are encouraged to host speaking
engagements, site visits, and other eventsthat highlight local
action and support for the Campaign for Action. In-person meetings are a great
opportunity for Action Coalitions to engage local communities, organizations,
and state leaders in an effort to advance campaign goals.
A media advisory is designed to provide important
facts about an upcoming event so that reporters
can make decisions about whether or how they’ll
cover it. The advisory should outline the key
elements of the event that are most important to
the media, including:
Logistical information. Include the date, time,
and location.
Purpose. Include a teaser about why the event is
happening and what information the reporters can
expect to get by attending or tuning in.
Key speakers. Include the names and titles of
specific newsmakers attending and/or participating
in the event.
Interview opportunities. Include information
about scheduled times and locations for one-on-one
interviews with speakers or panelists.
Contact information. Include a name and phone
number of the person reporters can call for more
information.
NOTE: With budget cuts to news staffs, it may be
difficult to encourage media to actually attend your
event. In that case, a media advisory can be used to
promote either a conference call (also known as a
“telebriefing”) between members of the news media
and your spokespersons or a live webcast of the
event. Be sure to include information about how to
log on or call in.
See sample media advisory on next page

MEDIA ADVISORY CONTACT: Gretchen Wright or Johanna Díaz
February 23, 2011 (202) 371-1999
Emily Dodd for The College of New Jersey
(609) 771-3066
Advancing Health and Nursing: New Jersey’s Campaign for Action
New Jersey Health Experts to Discuss Plans to Expand, Improve, and Advance Nursing and
Health Care for All New Jersey Residents
Leading experts on nursing and health care in New Jersey will discuss a groundbreaking campaign to improve health care
delivery, increase access to health care, and hold the line on costs across the state. The effort is part of the Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation’s Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action. New Jersey is one of only five states to participate in the
pilot phase of the Campaign.
The forum will be held:
10am – 11:30am, February 25, 2011
Mildred and Ernest E. Mayo Concert Hall
Music Building, The College of New Jersey
2000 Pennington Road
Ewing
Speakers will include:
Susan Hassmiller, PhD, RN, FAAN, senior adviser for nursing, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Edna Cadmus, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, clinical professor and director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program–
Leadership Track, Rutgers University College of Nursing
Mary Ann Christopher, MSN, RN, FAAN, president, Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey, national advisory chair,
New Jersey Nursing Initiative
David Knowlton, president and CEO, New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute, former deputy commissioner, New Jersey
Department of Health
Speakers will address the ways in which the New Jersey Regional Action Coalition is piloting efforts to:
• Strengthen the team-based system to allow all health providers to deliver care that complements the expertise of
their colleagues;
• Allow all health providers to deliver the care they are trained to deliver;
• Improve nursing education to meet the needs and demands of changing populations;
• Empower and prepare nurses to lead, which will help improve care delivery; and
• Improve workforce data collection and analysis.
# # # #
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the
nation’s largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, we work with
a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful, and timely
change. For more than 35 years we’ve brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the
problems that affect the health and health care of those we serve. When it comes to helping Americans lead healthier lives
and get the care they need, we expect to make a difference in your lifetime. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org.
2010 was the 40th anniversary of the first baccalaureate nursing class at The College of New Jersey. The School of
Nursing has a rich history of faculty, students, and alumni leaders who have contributed to the school, the College, and
the nursing profession through education, practice and research, health care delivery, and health policy.
Sample Media Advisory

Introduction to Traditional Media Outreach 1
Introduction to Traditional
Media Outreach
The media can serve as an important tool to build support for
the Campaign and promote the work of your Action Coalition. Local and national
media can help raise broader public awareness of your issues, prompting action and
influencing decision-making that can help move the Campaign for Action forward.
The growing media landscape has opened opportunities
to talk about the Campaign in print and broadcast
news, as well as online and through social media. This
document focuses on traditional media, including print
and broadcast (TV and radio) news. To make use of
these channels, it is important to consider the tone and
content specific to the news outlet you choose and to
tailor your information for specific audiences.
Many Action Coalitions have generated media coverage
in local newspapers that highlight accomplishments,
publicize meetings and events, and provide commentary
on news articles about nursing and health care. By
offering something “newsworthy” to a media outlet,
Action Coalitions can reach a wider audience, educate
stakeholders, and in some cases, create new partnerships.
Reaching out to media may feel daunting at first, and it
can be time consuming—but the benefits this outreach
can yield are well worth the effort.

How to Tell if It’s News
When you know what reporters consider newsworthy and
prepare your messages accordingly, you can increase the odds of your research making
the news.
So what makes a good story?
A number of factors help determine
newsworthiness. The more items in this
list that apply to your work, the greater
potential interest it may hold for a media
outlet.
•• Timeliness. Is your work related in some way to a
recent news topic or a new issue? For example, can
you tie the need to expand access to Advanced
Practice Nurses to the Affordable Care Act and the
anticipated increase in need for primary care
providers? Perhaps Nurses Week offers opportunities
for a timely news hook.
•• Discovery or novelty. Are you working in a way that
is new or surprising? Is there something significantly
differentaboutyourapproachto nursing (or education,
interprofessional collaboration, or leadership) from
others in the field?
•• Magnitude. Are many people involved with or
affected by your work? Are the lessons learned from
your approach relevant to a large and growing
number of people, or to a small, segmented population?
•• Human interest. Can you provide personal
stories that would highlight your work and make
it more compelling?
•• Notable spokesperson. Does your work address an
issue that has caught the eye of a well-known public
figure? The involvement of such a person can do
wonders for getting an issue into
the press.
•• Milestones. Can you tie your story to the anniversary
of the IOM report on the Future of Nursing
(October 5) or a national observance day?
•• Visuals. Think about anything visual you can use in
your presentation, materials, or interview. Can your
television interview be conducted in a hospital or
health care setting rather than in your office? If you
are working in the field of nurse education, can the
story be filmed in a classroom?
•• Practical information. Has your work led to action
steps or recommendations that other states or systems
could use to address the same nursing issue?
The communications team at CCNA is available to help you determine whether an
event or other content is newsworthy or to help you modify it to increase the interest of
the news media.
When considering what topics to
cover, reporters, editors and
producers ask themselves questions
such as:
ü Will our readers/listeners/ viewers
be interested?
ü How does it affect our audience?
ü Does it make a good story?

Deciding Which Media Outlet Is Right
Before approaching a news outlet, you want to be sure to understand
your message, the “hook” in the story, and which outlets are likely to cover this kind
of information.
For widely read publications like daily state newspapers,
consider submitting an editorial piece. Opinion
editorials and letters to the editor have a much greater
chance of publication than a hard news story, especially
when signed by a leading local health expert. Consider
also writing a letter to the editor of a specialty
publication, especially one that targets your state’s
business, education, or health community.
Your Action Coalition may also seek outreach
opportunities with broadcast news on television and
radio. Radio is sometimes easier to connect with than
TV, because talk radio stations, both AM and FM, often
look for brief news stories that have a large local angle.
In addition, many local universities and colleges have
radio stations, and some National Public Radio affiliates
are found on the campuses of academic institutions.
Network TV news affiliates like your local ABC, NBC,
CBS and FOX stations may cover a story if they believe
it has a large impact on local viewers. These stations,
in addition to your local public television station, may
host a weekly segment or interview show on community
affairs. Take a look or a listen to your local TV and radio
stations and make a note of the range of opportunities
available within each news outlet.

Building Your List of Media Contacts
Once you’ve decided on the story you want to promote and the best
media outlets to reach, the next step is finding out who to “pitch” for your story.
Consider which newspapers, radio, or TV stations you
read, listen to, or watch for local and state business
news. There is a good chance that your target audiences
are reading, listening to and watching the same news
outlets. Take a moment and write down these news
sources. Most media outlets have websites, so you can go
there to find out which programs may be appropriate for
your message.
You can also use Google to determine media outlets in
your area. For example, to find local talk radio stations
in your area, Google “talk radio” and your city and state
(e.g., “talk radio Ventura County, Calif.”). Or, to determine
affiliates in your area, Google “ABC affiliate” and city
and state (e.g., “ABC affiliate Ventura County, Calif.”).
For each contact you find for your media list, be sure to
include the name, phone number and email address.
Then, think about the kinds of reporters and editors
who would be interested in your story. Those covering
health and health care might be interested, but you also
want to be thinking of additional topics or audiences
relevant to the work of your coalition such as education,
aging issues, or policy and legislative news.
The next step is to get the name and contact information
of those reporters and editors. Scan the state’s
newspapers (or look on their websites) to see which
reporter is covering which type of issue. Also, many
academic institutions and libraries have access to
LexisNexis, a service that provides synopses of past
articles by topic. To find out the names of the editors
(those in charge of a section of the newspaper), you
might need to contact the paper directly. TV and radio
stations have producers who make the decisions about
which stories to cover. Their names may be on the
stations’ websites or you may need to call the station to
find out that information.
Talk to members in your Action Coalition in case they
already have this information. Often, universities and
large corporations already have media lists developed
and may be willing to share them with you. The media
or public relations department at such institutions can
often be invaluable in helping you build your contact list.

Getting Started with Social Media 1
Getting Started with Social Media
Over the past decade, social media has emerged as an extremely influential tool for
communications. It has become the rule, not the exception, when conducting outreach
activities. Social networks and platforms—such as blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and video
applications—give participating audiences an immediate, interactive place to discuss
and share items of interest. Engaging in social media can help your Action Coalition to:
•• Disseminate information and achievements to
online audiences.
•• Ask your stakeholders to take action.
•• Connect to other organizations.
•• Build grassroots efforts through local
social networks.
•• Keep advocates up-to-date on local and
national progress.
•• Solicit feedback and ideas from people or
organizations in your community.
Connecting with your audience online can help
you gain exposure to the communities you value
most—whether they’re nursing students, health
care professionals, policy-makers, bloggers, or
community organizations—and offer them a way
to engage with your Action Coalition and the
Campaign for Action. Through social media, you can
tap into a network of individuals to advance your
shared goals toward transforming health care, and
you can build a community and engage friends and
followers like never before.
With all the momentum behind the ever-growing
world of social media, it’s easy to forget a few
important concepts.
Social media is just one of the tools in your
communications toolkit. Used correctly, social
media can help you expand the reach of your other
communications efforts such as websites, press
materials, newsletters, and e-blasts by distributing
your messages in a fast and easily accessible way that
allows for viral distribution.
Social media is a two-way street. While you may be
excited to push your message out, you’ll likely be
searching for content to share as well as monitoring,
reviewing, and responding to questions and
comments from others. If you use social media only
to get your messages out and ignore what others are
saying, you’re not embracing the purpose of social
media and you may alienate your audience.
Although most social media platforms and tools
are free to use, your time is not. It will take time
to learn a new technology, adapt to a new way of
communicating (in some cases, such as tweeting
where many words are abbreviated), find ways to
grow your social media presence, and engage with
others on social media on a regular basis. Making
the investment will be well worth the return—a
robust online community to engage with and help
advance your efforts!

Creating a Facebook page or a Twitter account
for your Action Coalition is just one part of
establishing a communications strategy and
managing your social media channels. In a perfect
world, you would have a robust social media strategy
that aligns with the overall goals and objectives of
your communications plan, which then ties into
your strategic action plan. We understand that not
every Action Coalition has a communications plan
in place, and that’s okay. Now is still a good time to
learn about how to use social media and how it can
benefit your Action Coalition’s work. You can dip
your toe in the water without fully diving in!
To help you prepare, we’ve included a quick
reference guide to familiarize you with social media
tools and terminology. Although not all-inclusive,
the list will help you get started. Further in this
module, you’ll also learn how to communicate via
social media with the Campaign and its partners,
and you’ll see step-by-step guides to creating a
Facebook page and Twitter account for your
Action Coalition.
Getting Started with Social Media
(continued)

Social Media Glossary
Web 2.0—ThecurrentlandscapeforInternet
technologyandusability,whichallowsuserstointeract
andexchangeinformationoveravirtualcommunity.
ExamplesincludesocialnetworkingsiteslikeFacebook,
blogsliketheHuffingtonPost,wikislikeWikipedia,
videosharingsiteslikeYouTube,hostedservicesand
Webapplications.
Social media—Platforms or tools (often online or
accessed via mobile device) that allow and encourage
communication and content sharing through easily
accessible Web-based publishing technologies. Social
mediacantakemanydifferentforms,includingInternet
forums and blogs among others.
Social network—Incomputing,aWeb-basedplatform
that connects individuals, groups, organizations, and
communities with one another through a variety of
shared interests, ideas, and knowledge. Most social
networking sites allow privacy settings to limit the
amount of information that is shared with other users.
Social networks include Facebook, Twitter, and
LinkedIn among others.
Facebook—A social networking site that allows users
to connect and engage with other users through profile,
fan, and event pages. Participants manage a profile page
to publicize interests and work/study information and
have the option to update their profiles with comments,
sharedlinks,posts,and“likes.”Facebookfanpagesallow
organizations to promote information and events and
keepsupportersorconstituentsengagedintheiractivities.
Twitter—A social network built around micro-
blogging that allows users to post and read “tweets,”
text containing no more than 140 characters in length.
Users can “follow” and “be followed” by other users,
allowing them to repost another author’s tweet and
sharepersonaltweetswithindividualsandorganizations
in their network.
LinkedIn—The leading online professional directory
ofindividualsandcompanies,providingaccesstopeople,
jobs,news,andupdates.Professionalscansendmessages,
posts links, add skills, give and receive individual
endorsements on LinkedIn members’ skills, and more.
Those who are already using Twitter can set up their
LinkedIn updates to appear in their Twitter feed and
vice versa, so the two networks complement each other.
Organizations can use a “company” page to build
visibility for their brand.
Google Plus (or Google+)—A social networking
service (owned and operated by Google) that has been
described as an information network where people can
share and follow interests rather than a purely social
site such as Facebook. Unlike conventional social
networks that are generally accessed through a single
website, Google+ has been described by Google as a
“social layer” consisting of not just a single site, but
rather an overarching “layer” that covers many of its
online properties. Companies can form communities,
categorize content, and gain visibility using this service.
Instagram—An online photo-sharing and social
networking service that enables its users to take
pictures, apply digital filters to them, and share them
on a variety of social networking services, such as
media sites including Facebook or Twitter.
Pinterest—A virtual bulletin board for saving and
sharing Web pages of interest. Pinterest allows users to
createanddisplayboardsofinterests,creatinganidentity
through links, pictures, words, and ideas. Nonprofits
and other organizations can use Pinterest to tell their
story using images that link to relevant content.

Social Media Glossary (continued)
Podcast—A channel through which digital audio
and video files can be broadcast over the Internet and
downloaded to a mobile device or personal computer.
Podcasts can be standalone files or part of a series;
subscribers often learn of a new podcast through an
RSS feed.
Blog—A Web-based log that allows individuals to
share items of interest publicly. Blogs can have a
neutral tone or provide commentary on recent news.
They can be created in an open or closed platform,
allowing the author to control who can view
information. Blogs also often allow for comments
from readers, engendering a conversation among a
variety of individuals. A few examples include the
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Human
Capital Blog, the New York Times Well blog, and the
American Journal of Nursing’s Off the Charts blog.
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds—A way to
stream information, including news, music, video, and
events, from one website to another. This Web feed
format allows users to subscribe to a variety of online
content sources and have the information organized
with other content into one combined feed. RSS feeds
areusedtopublishreal-timeinformation to subscribers.
All modern Web browsers include the ability to
access RSS feeds.
Discussion forum—A website similar to a message
board that allows users to discuss topics and ideas
with several users. Discussion forums can be private or
public, allowing users to view a conversation and
engage in it if they wish. The Campaign for Action
Online Community is a good example of a discussion
forum, where Action Coalitions and Campaign staff
can post discussion topics in addition to resources.

Social Media Snapshots
Facebook
Below is a screenshot of the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action Facebook page. The bar at the top
includesaccesstopeople,messages,notifications,accountsettings,andasearchbartofindotherFacebookaccounts.
The large image is called a “cover photo.” The smaller box to the left is for a profile picture or other image
(such as a logo) can go. The space underneath includes links to photos, links to Facebook users who “like”
the organization, and links to the welcome page and a listing of events.
Below that, the screen is separated into two columns. The column on right shows what other people have
posted to the Facebook page; the column on left includes space to write and upload a post and shows the
organization’s posts.

Social Media Snapshots (continued)
Twitter
Below is a screenshot of what you’ll see when you log in to a Twitter account. You can see tweets from people
@FutureofNursing follows on the right side under “Tweets.” The top box on left shows how many times
@FutureofNursing has tweeted, how many individuals @FutureofNursing follows, and how many people
are following the account. Twitter also suggests users to follow and items that are “trending” in real time.
Across the top bar, you can access various settings, view and update your profile, search for individuals or
subjects, and compose a tweet.

Pinterest
Below is a screenshot of what you’ll see when log in to a Pinterest account. The main image in the middle of
the page is a “pin.” When you click on the image, you are taken to a website for related information. Above
the image, you have options to “like” the pin or “repin” it to your own bulletin board. The larger bulletin
board on left (“Passion for elder care,”) is where the account holder houses that pin and other, related pins.
In the far right column, you can see options to share the pin via other social media channels, including
Twitter and Facebook.

LinkedIn
Below is what you’ll see when you log in to a LinkedIn account. Across the top, you can access your profile,
connections/contacts, and professional groups you’re a part of, for example. You can search for companies
to find their pages. Below is the company page for the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, which someone
can follow by clicking the yellow “Follow” button at the top right. Following allows you to see more
updates and posts from the group.

How to Create a Facebook
Organization Page
Creating a Facebook page for your Action Coalition is an easy and cost-effective way to
create an online presence, promote your cause, publicize events, and engage a broad
audience. As you build “fans” for your page, these people can become conduits who can
help spread the word about your coalition and the specific nursing workforce issues you
are addressing.
To create a Facebook organization page, follow the
steps below:
1. Have an official representative of your Action
Coalition log in to his or her personal Facebook
account* to create the page.
2. *If you do not have a personal Facebook account,
see step 3.
3. Once logged in, go to http://www.facebook.com/
pages/create.php to begin creating your page.
4. If you do not have an existing personal account, you
can create a personal page by providing an email and
password to obtain administrative authority. We
recommend storing this login information
somewhere safe so you can remember how to access
Facebook or allow another coalition member or staff
support to log in.
5. You will be asked to select your type of organization.
We recommend selecting “Company, Organization,
or Institution.” Then you will see a drop-down list
with organization options. Facebook has already
established a category for Health/Medical/
Pharmaceuticals, so we suggest using that
designation. In the “Name” box, type in the name of
your Action Coalition, agree to the Facebook terms,
and then click “Get Started
6. Once the page is created, upload a profile picture
that is unique to your organization and uses
branding consistent with your website and other
materials.ThiscouldbeyourActionCoalition logo.
7. Fill in the “About” tab with the organization’s
mission, goals, and other information that you want
community members, stakeholders, and potential
stakeholders to see.
8. Fill in the “Facebook Web Address” tab with a
unique Facebook Web address. Facebook will
already have a suggestion waiting.
9. Skip “Enable Ads” tab.
10. “Status Update” section of your page to share new
information, coalition updates, upcoming events,
new partnership announcements, and pictures. Keep
these status updates brief, and when possible link to a
resource or in-depth news item on your Action
Coalition website or on Web pages of the Campaign
for Action and RWJF.
11. Update your Facebook page at least twice weekly.
Remember that social media networks are
constantly being updated, so you have to stay
current to stay relevant.
12. Create a photo album, if desired, with pictures from
past events if available; keep a camera on hand at
future events to create and update your photo
albums.
13. Use the “Search” tool within Facebook to find
like-minded organizations and individuals. You may
want to start by searching your Action Coalition
partners, other state Action Coalitions, local health
experts, the Center to Champion Nursing in
America, and RWJF. You can “like” fan pages and
“friend” organizations that you want to be affiliated
with.
14. Interact with other users by commenting and
“liking” relevant posts; respond to comments and
“likes” when received.

How to Create a
Twitter Organization Page
Twitter is a social networking site that provides users with the ability to share information
in 140 characters or less. You can use your Twitter account to post news about your
Action Coalition, information about upcoming events, or updates on the nursing
world. The brief, micro-blog format and ease of mobile posting allow you to post and
follow up-to-the-minute news. Maintaining a Twitter account will help you to:
•• Listen to what key stakeholders are saying about
nursing issues and the work of your Action Coalition.
•• Promote your work within and connect to a
wider audience.
•• Monitor a variety of topics simultaneously that are of
interest to your Action Coalition.
•• Expand the reach of your work via your followers’
networks and beyond.
•• Participate in discussions involving the
nursing community.
•• Build a community of advocates of nurses and
non-nurses interested in your work.
TocreateaTwitterorganizationpage,followthestepsbelow:
1. To start, visit https://www.twitter.com/ to sign up.
2. Think about what you want to call your Twitter
account or “handle.” Remember that social media is
another way to reinforce your Action Coalition’s
name and brand. Consider using your state
abbreviation and the campaign acronym in your
handle name. Keep in mind that shorter is better
when it comes to your handle—it’s easier to
remember and uses fewer characters, making it
easier for others to retweet you.
3. Once you have decided on a handle name, enter it in
along with an email address and a desired password.
Then click “Create my Account.”
4. Follow the Twitter prompt; to build your timeline,
you must begin to follow people.
5. To set up your profile information, upload an image
for your picture and a quick bio. You can use a photo
or upload your Action Coalition’s logo if you have
one. An image is a must; followers tend to view
accounts with images as more credible.
6. Under the “ME” tab, you can update information
specific to your coalition, including:
7. Updatelocationwithyourorganization’sgeographicinfo.
8. Update “Web” with your actual website URL.
9. Update bio with a brief description of your Action
Coalition in no more than 160 characters
(including spaces).
10. Make sure to click “Save” before moving on to the
next step.
11. Now that your profile is complete, it’s time to tweet!
A tweet is a message of no more than 140 characters
that briefly tells your followers about a piece of news
oritemofinterest.JustaswithFacebook,werecommend
tweeting relatively frequently about news, initiatives,
successes, and other important bits of information.

How to Create a
Twitter Organization Page (continued)
12. You should also use what is called a hashtag (#) to
feature key words. Hashtags allow you to search
easily for tweets that specifically deal with that
topic, and it helps individuals who do not follow you
to find your tweets. For example, the Future of
Nursing Twitter account uses the hashtag
#futureRN when tweeting about items related to
the Institute of Medicine report or Campaign for
Action. This allows us to see who else on Twitter is
talking about the report. We encourage you to also
use the #futureRN hashtag in your tweets.
13. To find other users in the fields (health care,
education, etc.) in which you wish to engage, you
can search for those organizations directly in
twitter, or you can peruse their websites for mention
of a twitter account. If you want to subscribe to
their twitter and read their tweets, click “follow.”
All tweets from that organization will now appear
on your home feed.
14. To better understand how to use specific Twitter
functions, remember the following:
•• Use the “@” mention function to tweet back
and forth with other users.
•• Use the “retweet” function to post another
user’s tweet on your account.
•• Use the “list” function to create and organize
followers into lists or groups by category.
15. Be sure to promote your Twitter handle in your
email signature, on your business card, on your
Action Coalition’s website, and in Campaign
materials. When it comes to gaining followers and
growing your network, promotion is key!

Tips to Get Started
Pick one or two platforms to start with
(and see how they’re being used).
With a multitude of platforms to choose from,
selecting which social media channels you’ll use
might feel overwhelming. A good way to start is to
select no more than one or two platforms—perhaps
Facebook and LinkedIn—and find out if the
people you’d want to reach are using those
platforms. You can find this out by visiting websites
and reviewing promotional materials to search for
icons and links directly to social media channels.
Unless people are using a private or protected
account, you can directly access their Facebook page
and/or Twitter feed. You can see how often they post
messages (several times a day? daily? weekly? rarely?)
and whom they interact with (organizations similar
to your Action Coalition? local policymakers?
members of the media?) to get a better sense of how
they’re using the platform.
A simple way to inform your decision on which
platform(s) to start using is to consider how you (or
the person who will be in charge of social media for
your Action Coalition) will use the platform. What
kinds of posts will you share? With a limited
character count, Twitter might be a good way to
share quick news bites and provide facts and stats. If
you want to engage audiences in conversations and
have more discussions on nursing issues, share lots
of photos or videos, perhaps Facebook might work
best. Keep in mindthatwithalimitedcharacter
countandothernuances specific to the platform,
Twitter generally has a steeper learning curve than
Facebook. Many find Facebook morestraightforward
and easier to manage and maintain, especially if
they’re brand new to using social media.
Regardless of where you start, there’s no right or
wrong way to select a platform or to engage with
others—understanding how you’ll use social media
will help you make an informed decision.
Listen to the chatter.
Listening and observing how others
interact through social media can be a
great way to get started. You can get a
sense of what people and
organizations are saying, doing and promoting by
searching for certain topics and finding the
conversation stream. On Twitter, you can search by
using a hashtag (#), which allows you to easily
search for tweets that deal with a specific topic. Try a
hashtag such as #nursing or #futureRN (the
hashtag for the Institute of Medicine’s Future of
Nursing report) to see what people are saying about
these topics and who is doing the talking.
If you already have a Facebook account (even a
personal one), you can search for Facebook pages
related to nurses and nursing issues. Keep in mind
that you’ll want to keep yourpersonalaccountseparate
fromaprofessionalaccountso don’t rush to “like”
something from your personal account or to join a
conversation until you have decided whethertouse
yourpersonalaccountorcreateaprofessional one.
Consider time and staffing.
Although social media is meant to be a
quickandinformalwayofcommunicating,
managing a social media presence is more
involved than many think. It takes time to build
your social media presence, cultivate “likes” and
followers, and plan your short- and long-term
messages. Even without a fully developed strategy,
you can determine a process for posting and
responding on social media.

Tips to Get Started (continued)
Many organizations have a full-time position
dedicated to managing social media. Given staffing
and resources, that may not be realistic for your
Action Coalition. If that’s the case, it’s even more
important to think through your process and strategy
so you can plan ahead and aren’t scrambling to think
of each tweet or post. If staff capacity is limited, you
might want to consider bringing on an unpaid
college intern or recent graduate from a
communications or journalism program to help you
get started. You or another staff member will need to
provide oversight to that intern to be sure each post
accurately presents your Action Coalition’s brand
and messaging. You also could develop a social media
policy or guidelines for use to avoid undesirable
situations. By doing a simple online search, you’ll be
able to find various organizations’ social media
policies, which you can adapt for your needs.
Explore!
Further in this guide you’ll see specific steps for
setting up a Facebook page and Twitter account.
There are also plenty of tutorials available online,
and new social media tools become available on a
regular basis. If you’re not sure how to do something
with social media, chances are you can find out just
by typing your question into a search engine. You also
can ask a fellow Action Coalition or your grantee
liaisonforresourcesorassistance.Socialmediaisn’t going
away, so now’s as good a time as any to give it a try!

Social Media Platforms
The Campaign for Action and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation each have a social media presence.
We encourage Action Coalitions to connect with these social networks and engage with us online. The
chart below outlines the goals of each organizational presence and how each is utilized.
Additionally, the Campaign for Action website (www.campaignforaction.org/community) has a robust
online community, promoting active discussion and information-sharing to bring all members of the
Campaign together. We urge Action Coalitions to promote the online community to their members and
join the conversation.
Campaign for Action Robert Wood Johnson Foundation:
Initiative on the Future of Nursing
Purpose Provides the voice for Campaign activities,
engagement, and assistance to expand
the Campaign’s community and reach.
Shares information and promotes engagement
with RWJF’s continued support of the research
agenda set forth by the IOM report and
implementation of the recommendations through
all of RWJF’s nursing initiatives.
Platforms Twitter: @Campaign4Action
Facebook: www.facebook.com/
campaignforaction
Twitter: @FutureofNursing
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
futureofnursing

Hosting an Action Coalition Event 1
Hosting an Action Coalition Event
Hosting an event can be a great opportunity for your Action Coalition to engage local
communities, organizations, funders, and state leaders as well as to increase support to
advance the work of the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action.
When planning an event, consider what the
purpose of your gathering will be. Will this be an
informal meeting of your steering committee? An
informational meeting to inform stakeholders about
your progress? A supportive rally meant to engage
diverse stakeholders to help advance your work? Or
will it be a convening of nursing and other health
professional leaders to brainstorm new ways to
advance Campaign goals? No matter who your
audience is, or how large or small your event will be,
strategic planning in advance will help you achieve
your goal and manage expectations along the way.

Planning an Event:
Strategic Planning Questions
Effective planning will help ensure that your event targets the right audience and gets
you the results you want. When thinking about hosting an event, you should consider
several questions. You might not be able to answer all of these right away, but it’s
important to think about them before your event.
Goals and Objectives:
•• Whatdoyouhopetoachieveasaresultofthisevent?
•• What do you want attendees to take away from
this experience?
•• Is an event the best or most appropriate way to
achieve your goals?
•• How will this event strengthen or advance your
Campaign efforts and address the pillars or focus
of your Campaign work?
•• Will there be next steps or actions that you want
participants to take? If so, how will you track them?
Planning and Production:
•• Have you consulted with your Campaign liaison
or the Center to Champion Nursing in America
(CCNA) to determine how they might provide
support or counsel?
•• Are there opportunities for your coalition
partners to help develop the event, promote it,
or even host it at their offices? Can you align
with another organization that is hosting an
event to consolidate resources and potentially
increase attendance?
•• What is the best date and location for your event?
Have you checked local community calendars to
determine any conflicts or opportunities?
•• What are your budgetary constraints? Does your
budget permit offering light beverages and
snacks, which can be a great way to keep
participants satisfied and engaged?
•• How will this event be archived? Does it make
sense to hire a photographer or videographer?
•• Have you considered web-streaming and
recording your event so audiences outside the
area can participate in or view the event?
Depending on the goal of the event, having a
video archive could help extend your impact.
•• What is your post-event strategy? Will attendees
be asked to join a listserv? Will they be asked to
engage their organizations as members of your
Action Coalition? What is the “ask”? How will
you ensure that attendees engage or do what you
are asking? How will you measure success?
•• How will participants provide feedback or
evaluate the event? Will you provide a
questionnaire as a handout?
•• Consider managing your event planning and
logistics by assembling a team and recruiting
student interns as additional support. Remember,
you can tap into technology such as Constant
Contact or Survey Monkey to help you with
organization and tracking event invitations.

Planning an Event:
Strategic Planning Questions (continued)
Communications and Marketing:
•• Who is your audience?
•• What is your event’s primary message? How
does it tie into the Campaign for Action messages?
Connect with your Campaign liaison to get the
latest campaign messages.
•• Will you present something new or groundbreaking
that local media may cover? If so, consider inviting
select reporters to attend (remember, a meeting
itself is generally not considered newsworthy).
•• How will you promote this event, and what
resources do you need to help you get the
word out?
•• Do your event materials (invitations,
advisory, agenda, etc.) match the Campaign
branding guidelines?
•• Have you considered distributing Campaign
flyers or backgrounders? Have you consulted
with your Campaign liaison to discuss what is
available from the national office?
•• If you plan to have speakers, who are your best
candidates? For example, if you are working
toward education progression, can you include a
local nursing school dean, student, or professor?
•• If there are multiple speakers, what are their roles
and what is expected of them?
•• Will speakers only be asking to give oral
presentations, or will you plan to have slide
presentations?
•• Will copies of presentations be available to
participants after the event?
•• If you are inviting local or state businesses,
policy-makers, and leaders, would you like a
representative from the Campaign to present?
If so, fill out the Speaking Request Form,
available from CCNA.
•• Is there a personal story someone can tell or a
story you can capture and share on your website?
•• Once you’re ready to promote your event,
make sure to reference the toolkit modules
“Introduction to Traditional Media Outreach”
and “Creating Effective Media Materials.”
There are many considerations when planning an
event, and the questions above are a good starting
point. But make sure to contact your Campaign
liaison for additional support. The sample event-
planning timeline and agenda included in this
document will help you put some of these ideas
into action.

Building Your Audience
Whether you are celebrating your Action Coalition’s achievements or raising awareness
of planned future activities, events can be an excellent way to engage and build your
audience, as well as to solicit ideas and input to help your Action Coalition find
innovative approaches to advancing the IOM recommendations. We suggest inviting a
diverse group of dynamic attendees that reflect the many target audiences of your
specific activities. Most importantly, be sure to invite any support staff who have
participated or helped you since the start of your program.
Consider the following stakeholders when
developing your event outreach list:
•• Philanthropic, community, and other
potential program partners and funders
•• Hospital leaders and executives, including,
but not limited to, the CEOs and CNOs of
local hospitals and health care systems
•• Frontline nursing staff
•• Local business stakeholders, including the
local Chamber of Commerce, business owners,
and chairs of businesses and boards
•• Other health care organizations and associations,
such as your state hospital association
•• Public health and policy leaders
•• State chapter organizations, including AARP
and professional medical associations
•• Disease advocacy groups and caregiving groups
•• National State Nurses Association, nursing
associations within your state, including state
chapters of minority nursing associations and
other diversity organizations
•• Local nursing school programs, nursing
students, and new RNs
•• A representative from the mayor’s office
•• Directors of local foundations. Begin by
visiting the Forum of Regional Associations
of Grantmakers at www.givingforum.org
for potential funders in your state.
•• Community organizers and health leaders
(Department of Workforce Development,
Workforce Investment, and Department
of Labor)
•• Local chapter of the National League of Cities
(State Municipal League)
•• Local print, television, and radio media
(if appropriate)
•• Physicians and other health care providers and
leaders in your area.
•• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grantees,
scholars, and fellows (CCNA can facilitate
connections)
It may not be appropriate to invite all of these
stakeholders to each event, and there may be others
you wish to invite who are not listed. Depending on
the topic area discussed (e.g., education, leadership,
scope of practice) or the type of event, some individuals
and organizations will have greater interest in some
topics versus others. They will also have more influence
on one topic over another. Make some strategic
decisions about whom you wish to invite, why their
presence is important, and what outcome their
attendance can help you achieve.

What Makes an Event Newsworthy?
If your event is newsworthy, you will want to invite and engage media in order to reach
a wider audience and gain additional support for your AC’s work. Remember, not all
events are newsworthy in and of themselves—and that’s okay. However, when you
know what reporters are looking for and prepare your event accordingly, it can increase
the odds of obtaining media coverage.
Here are some criteria to help you determine if an event is “newsworthy”:
Discovery or Novelty Is your event focused on sharing information that is new or surprising?
Are you looking at an existing problem—such as the growing nursing
shortage—in a new way?
Timeliness Is your event related in some way to a topic or concern of the moment?
What health care issues are trending in the news? Does your event
address how nurses can have a role in reducing hospital readmissions?
Will it address the imminent nursing shortage?
Magnitude Is your event relevant to a large group of stakeholders? Are there several
local nursing organizations, hospitals, or health care systems that would
benefit from the information being shared at this event? Does it have
national impact?
Human Interest Can you provide patient stories that would highlight your work and make
it more compelling? For example, sharing the patient’s perspective on how
a nurse practitioner made a critical care decision that impacted the quality
of her care can go further than simply talking about how nurses should
have a larger role in decision-making.
Notable Spokesperson Does your event address an issue that has caught the eye of a well-known
public figure? Can you engage the participation of a high profile
spokesperson? The involvement of such a person—on a local, regional
or national level—can do wonders for getting an issue into the headlines.
You can also consider a prominent leader in health care, or a national
spokesperson from the Campaign for Action.
Milestones Does your event have an important historical marker or anniversary,
either locally or nationally? For example, your event might be tied to
the anniversary celebration of a major public health initiative or during
National Nurses Week.

Once you decide that your event is newsworthy, you’ll want to make sure to promote it
so members of the media can attend or cover the event. The following list contains
elements that will help make your event more media-friendly—from the early planning
phase to post-event follow up.
Scheduling. If possible, try to hold your event in
the morning so reporters can meet their deadlines.
Avoid Mondays and Fridays, as people tend to be
out of the office those days, if they take a long
weekend. Do your research to find out what other
events are taking place in your community that
might be competing for media attention.
Community counts. While the issues the Campaign
for Action addresses are of national concern, they also
make an impact within your community. Even if
the topic at hand has a national impact, make sure to
highlight the local connection, so reporters in your
area will want to cover the story. Your speakers and
materials must all reflect the situation in your state.
Know the media. As you refine your media list, try
to do some cursory research on the key reporters.
(See the Building Your List of Media Contacts
section of the “Introduction to Traditional Media”
document for more information.) Have they covered
this issue before? What stories on health and on
workforce have they covered? You can find this
information out by checking the stories they have
written or produced on the newspaper’s, radio
station’s, or TV station’s website. You can also find
great opportunities to promote your story to non-
profit media outlets online. Do they have nurses in
their families? Don’t limit the targets to health
editors. Consider the business editor, photo desk,
calendar editor, and editorial page editor. With
budget cuts to newsroom staff, it may be difficult
to encourage media to actually attend your event.
If this is the case, you could consider holding a
conference call (also known as a telebriefing)
between members of the news media and your
spokespersons. If you have interesting and important
data to present, you may wish to consider a webinar
or webcast format. Is there someone’s personal story
they could cover?
Media advisory. Be sure to prepare a shortened
version of the press release that tells the who, what,
when, where, and why in an outline form. These
alerts are used to remind the media about your event.
Make sure to type “Media Advisory” in large print
across the top of your page. Media advisories can be
faxed or issued one week before an event to give
editors time to assess the story. Be clear in stating
who is available for interviews. Make follow-up calls
a day or two before the event. (See “Creating
Effective Media Materials” for more details.)
Handouts. Generally, you should consider
distributing a press kit that might contain a
press release with key information; fact sheets
or backgrounders that amplify the content and
context of the press conference; copies of any
prepared statements by speakers; and biographies
on key spokespeople.
Promoting Your Event

Promoting Your Event (continued)
Rehearsal. Do a walk-through either by phone
or prior to the conference, so speakers know the
logistics and timing of their role. Arrive early to
situate speakers, canvass the logistics, organize
materials, set up media/stakeholder sign-ins, etc.
Follow-up. After the event, send thank you notes
to the VIPs who attended, along with a suitable
photo, if you like. Many of those speakers represent
other entities that have communications channels
on which they will run the story/photo. Distribute
press kits to key media who were unable to attend
the press conference. Track media coverage and
monitor the press. Don’t forget there are many
places where you can publish highlights of your
event and the stories you heard. You can then post
them on your website, your partnered nursing
association website, the Campaign for Action
website, and on social media.
See sample even planning timeline on next page

Sample Event Planning Timeline
Below is a chronological timeline and tracking sheet for you to use throughout the planning
process. Feel free to use this as a guide to help your planning, and add to it to meet your own needs.
To Do Complete By Coalition Lead Date Completed
Invitations and Pre-Planning
VENUE
Research meeting venues, obtain price
quotes, and check availability.
12 weeks prior
Confirm venue and put down deposit. 10 weeks prior
Confirm parking for participants. 3 weeks prior
INVITATIONS
Identify and invite speakers/panelists and
determine if there is a need for someone
from RWJF or CCNA to attend. If so, use
the Speaking Request Form.
12 weeks prior
Note: High level
speakers may require
more lead time—
especially if travel
is involved.
Finalize invitation language. 7 weeks prior
Finalize guest list. 7 weeks prior
Confirm speaker/panelist attendance. 6 weeks prior
Send presentation guidelines and
questions to speakers/panelists.
6 weeks prior
Send invitation to guest list. Post event
flyers and start promoting via social
media channels.
6 weeks prior
Track RSVPs and provide the event team
with periodic updates.
Ongoing
Schedule conference call with speakers/
panelists to discuss presentation and any
questions. Identify presenter needs and
presentation styles. Identify deadlines for
presentations to be submitted.
4 weeks prior
Resend invitation to invitees that have not
RSVP’d.
3 weeks prior

Sample Event Planning Timeline(continued)
MATERIALS
Draft conference materials and event
program.
6 weeks prior
Confirm event materials and print. 2 weeks prior
EVENT PLANNING CHECKLIST
• Determine what A/V and meeting needs
you require (examples below):
• Microphones (roving, lavaliere)
• Easels
• Laptop/projector/remote
• Teleconference
• Phone line
• Internet
• Number of signs and location
• Podium
• Tables (materials, registration, panelists)
• Panelist name cards
• Seating (theater or classroom)
• Food and beverage (including dietary
needs
4 weeks prior
Confirm contract details. 3 weeks prior
Confirm A/V and meeting needs with the
venue.
3 weeks prior
Give estimated number for food/beverage
as RSVPs come in.
2 weeks prior (or when
venue requires)
Confirm number for food/beverage. 2 days prior
DAY OF EVENT
Test A/V functionality Day of
Coordinate with photographer to identify
VIPs and photo opportunities onsite. If
you don’t have a photographer, consider
designating a staff member to take photos
to post on social media.
Day of
Confirm parking situation with venue. Day of
Complete payment with venue. Day of

Sample Event Planning Timeline(continued)
POST EVENT WRAP-UP
Follow up with any questions or requests
that came up during the meeting.
2 days after
Send thank you notes to speakers/
panelists and potential funders for their
participation.
1 week after
Return any leftover materials or signage to
the appropriate person.
1 week after

Sample Event Agenda
Town Hall:
Partner with Nurses for a Healthy California
August 4, 2011
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
UC Davis Cancer Center Auditorium
Sacramento, CA
11 a.m. Registration & Lunch
11:30 a.m. Welcome Heather M. Young, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N.
Associate Vice Chancellor for Nursing,
UC Davis
Betty Irene Moore
School of Nursing Dean and Professor
11:40 a.m. Exemplars of Nursing Helen Thomson, R.N.
Nurse in Politics
Kim Van Ysseldyk, N.P.
Nurse Geneticist
11:50 a.m. The Campaign for Action Susan B. Hassmiller, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Senior Adviser for Nursing
Noon Discussion: Identify Priorities to Im-
prove California’s Health
Facilitator:
Deborah Ward, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N.
Betty Irene Moore
School of Nursing, UC Davis
Associate Dean
Distinguished Panel:
Susan B. Hassmiller, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N., senior adviser for nursing, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Terry Hill, M.D., F.A.C.P., vice president, Medical Group Services, Hill Physicians Medical Group
Helen Thomson, R.N., former Yolo County Supervisor and California State Assemblywoman
Anita Creamer, senior reporter for older adults and aging issues, Sacramento Bee
Jeannine English, M.B.A., C.P.A., national board member, AARP

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