Robin founded Robin Schaeffer Consulting, LLC to provide her expertise in addressing complex nursing issues. Her past experiences combined with her reach into both the nursing and public communities make her the ideal person to build teams and connect stakeholders towards a common goal.

Robin Schaeffer has been a practicing nurse for over 40 years. Most recently, she served as the Executive Director of the Arizona Nurses Association from 2010-2020. Her diverse career includes hospital nursing, community nursing, nursing education and executive level nursing leadership. She is highly regarded by her peers as a positive influence in nursing leadership due to her ability to inspire, encourage, and develop nurses.

Robin has a proven track record for convening small and large groups to address complex nursing-related issues. Below are two examples of Robin’s work:

• Arizona Action Coalition, State Co-Lead (2012-2019):
  Oversight over 8 different committees that focused on the Institute of Medicine’s report: The Future of Nursing; Leading Change, Advancing Health.

  Some state-based outcomes include:

  • Access to Care/Patient Safety
    • Removed scope of practice barriers for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Midwife, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist) allowing them to practice to the full extent of their education and training (Successful legislation)
    • Increased the number of Arizona nurses with a baccalaureate degree in nursing (BSN) and created a seamless partnership between community colleges and universities to facilitate associate degree nurses earning a BSN
  • Workforce
    • Created the infrastructure for collection and analysis of interprofessional health care workforce data to address supply and demand. This included nursing and non-nursing stakeholders in Arizona. (Successful legislation followed).
• COVID-19 Pandemic (2019-2021)
  • Early in the pandemic, Robin created the Arizona Nurses Rapid Response Team, a group of 46 nurses from state-wide representing various nursing jobs and groups of nurses. The team met weekly to identify and address nurse-related issues.
  • Nurse Well-Being was an issue that continually rose to the top. Robin secured a national grant from the American Nurses Foundation to pilot RNconnect 2 Wellbeing, a text messaging platform to deliver supportive, positive and uplifting messages linked to tools and resources for Arizona nurses. The pilot was so successful that it was rolled out nationally by the American Nurses Association.

Robin has been an active committee member and contributor on state and county-wide committees and workgroups to include:

• Maricopa County Board of Health, District 2 (2020-2021)
• COVID-19 State Disaster Medical Advisory Committee (2019-2021)
• Maricopa County Workforce Development Board (2014-2019)
• Legislative Ad-Hoc Committee on Healthcare Workforce (2016-2017)
• Education Committee, Arizona State Board of Nursing (2010-2015)
• Governor’s Council for Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response, Ebola focus (2014)
• Nurse Liaison, Governor Brewer’s strategy team on Medicaid expansion (2013)

Robin has been recognized for her contributions to nursing and healthcare including:

• Marla Weston Leadership Award (2021)
  • for significant contributions to nursing practice and policy through leadership that embodies the ability to hear and listen to wide ranging needs and ideas and foster collaboration among multiple stakeholders to bring about solutions that advance the nursing profession or promote the health of Arizonans.
• Women Achievers of Arizona (2020)
  • Recognized by the Arizona Capitol Times in the Healthcare Services area for experience, institutional knowledge and dedication to the nursing profession.
• March of Dimes Legend in Nursing (2016)
  • This award category is rare and recognizes a nurse who has dedicated his or her life to making outstanding contributions to building the nursing profession in Arizona.