Growing up in a very small community at a time when opportunities for women were limited, Jan Lanier was a shy person and never felt like she fit the typical mold. When Jan first started her nursing career over 48 years ago, she was “forced” to work outside her comfort zone and it taught her that she could do that. Over the years, Jan slowly ventured further and further away from what felt comfortable and gained confidence that she could do anything by working hard enough.
Jan has been retired for 4 years from the Ohio Nurses Association where she was the Deputy Executive Officer. She has been a registered nurse for over 48 years and an attorney for 20 years. Since Jan retired, she has acted as a consultant to various health care institutions and schools of nursing regarding the laws and rules affecting nursing practice. Jan is also a lecturer with the College of Nursing at The Ohio State University teaching health policy to graduate students. The majority of Jan’s career has focused on advocacy, primarily at the state level. “I was instrumental in developing Nurses Day at the Statehouse, an annual event that brings hundreds of nurses to Capitol Square to meet with lawmakers. I developed liaison programs that prepare nurses to develop ongoing relationships with their elected officials and provide the support the nurses needed to be successful advocates for their patients and their profession.”
With everything that Jan has done, she is most proud of her family. “All of them are incredible individuals who are not only successful in their careers but also contribute to their communities. My family members have faced some very intense challenges: serious illness, financial shortfalls, long-term disabilities, etc. BUT through it all they have found a way to get through it without breaking. I am inspired each day by the way they have approached those challenges.”
Jan is currently involved with Nurturing the Nursing Profession Scholarships, which provides scholarships to deserving nursing students and nurses who wish to advance their education. She is Secretary of the Board and Chair of the Scholarship Committee. Jan is also a teammate with Team Heart & Sole, a group that matches children (champions) with runners/walkers (teammates). They enter races that allow the champions the opportunity to experience “the thrill of victory.” Jan says “I am blessed with incredible energy and passion, a wonderful family and friends. I think when you enjoy what you are doing it is not hard to find time to do things that matter. I get huge rewards from everything I do, so really being involved has never been optional in my mind. I also know the importance of stepping back and finding time to refresh the page so to speak. I walk, often just me and my iPod, and those walks allow me to keep in touch with myself in a pressure-free environment.”
Jan plans to keep working with Nurturing the Nursing Profession Scholarships to make information about the scholarships more readily available and help the organization increase its fundraising capacity. She will also continue her involvement with Team Heart & Sole to find more teammates to race with the champions and perhaps encourage other communities to start a similar program. For more information on both organizations visit www.nnpsfund.org and www.teamheartsole.org.