Three Decades of Professional Nursing Leadership: The Impact of the Community Health Nurses of Canada.

In 1987, six Canadian community health nursing leaders recognized the need for a national body to represent and advocate for the diverse practice of community health nursing and the health of communities. Their vision and action three decades ago resulted in the formation of the Community Health Nurses of Canada (CHNC), a national professional nursing association. This paper will describe the development of CHNC from an early vision to a recognized centre of excellence for community health nursing in Canada.