Jill Toliver, FNP and Gretchen Moen, PNP Owners, Nurse Practitioners Mendota Health, Eagan, MN

What are your "Pearls of Wisdom"?

• Finding the right business partner and having staff on board who truly believe in the idea is key. The staff members actually sought the owners out when they heard of the idea. Trust in one other is also important.
  
  
• Having the consulting firm as the administrator and the one who kept the timeline was vital. Gretchen and Jill were fully capable of handling all of the tasks, but could never have had the time necessary to complete them. Nor would they have been able to support themselves financially in the interim. If they had not hired the firm, they believe they would have had to take at least a year off prior to the clinics opening in order to bring everything together. Instead, Gretchen left her recent position on September 11 and Jill left hers on October 4, 2002.
  
  
• Planning and timing-Gretchen has had this idea in her mind for over five years however, Gretchen believes that five years ago she wouldn't have succeeded, as the climate wasn't right. She believes NPs have been the "invisible providers" for too long and that they are finally beginning to receive the recognition they deserve. Gretchen and Jill believe the time has come for NPs to come together as a collective voice.