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Our History

The idea of establishing a pediatric specialty organization began to take hold in the mid-1980s, under the leadership of Dr. Cecily Betz and in cooperation with many pediatric nursing leaders.

Following the Key Aspects of Comfort: Pain, Fatigue, and Nausea conference, pediatric staff nurses, educators, and researchers met and discussed the need to improve the care of infants and children in pain. Strong collegiality emerged from the conference and spilled into an unplanned dinner with passionate pediatric participants.

Following the 1990 Contemporary Forums annual conference on Nursing Care of the Hospitalized Child in Anaheim, CA, the Society of Pediatric Nurses (SPN) founding members established the framework for the society. SPN has grown to over 3,600 members since its inception in 1990 and continues to expand

SPN Past Presidents

1990-1992      Margaret Miles, PhD, RN


1992-1994      Marion Broome, PhD, RN, FAAN


1994-1996      Doris Biester, PhD, RN


1996-1998      Mary Perkins, RN, DNSc


1998-2000     Sheila Rucki, PhD, PCNS, BC


2000-2002    Vicky Bowden, DNSc, RN


2002-2004    Linda Lewandowski, PhD, RN, FAAN


2004-2006    Barbara Woodring, EdD, RN


2006-2008    Sandra Mott, PhD, RN-BC, CPN


2008-2010     Lynn Mohr, PhD, APRN, PCNS-BC, CPN, FCNS


2010-2012      Debra Arnow, DNP, RN, NE-BC


2012-2014      Myra Huth, PhD, RN, FAAN


2014-2016     Shirley Wiggins, PhD, RN


2016-2018      Kristen Straka, DNP, RN, CPN, NEA-BC


2018-2020     Michele Habich, DNP, APN/CNS, CPN


2020-2022    LaDonna Kay Northington, DNS, RN-BC