AACN to Launch First Critical Care Survey
Participation Will Help Effect Needed Change
What
percentage of hospitals in the U.S. has
policies on end-of-life care or on open
visitation? Do hospitals that financially
support and recognize certification have
higher JCAHO scores or a lower rate of
central line infections? How many hospitals
offer self-scheduling? Are you curious about
the answers to these questions? So are we.
For the
first time, we will be able to answer some
of the most important questions about the
environment in which critical care nurses
practice. No group�including AACN�has done
such comprehensive research on what the
nation�s critical care settings look like.
Yet, having and utilizing this data are
essential for all of us in critical care to
effect the change we need to make our
environments healing and humane for both
patients and nurses.
Chief
nursing officers in every hospital in
America will receive an invitation to
participate in this landmark survey. In
appreciation of the effort, each
participating hospital will receive a free
copy of the key findings. These findings
will provide important national benchmarks
to which single units can compare
themselves. Such benchmarks will help units
identify areas where they significantly
differ from the norm. This differentiation
may strongly indicate an area for
improvement or one in which the unit excels.
The survey,
which will be repeated every six months,
will feed a growing, permanent database that
has more than 100 measurement variables.
This database will not only inform AACN of
the unmet needs present in critical care
units, but also provide AACN with the data
necessary to have a bold voice to influence
change in the workplace, in clinical
practice and in the regulations that impact
critical care nurses and their patients.
If you are
serious about the need for positive change
in the factors that impact your workplace
environment and the care of your patients,
be bold and work with your CNO or nurse
manager to ensure that your institution
participates in this unprecedented project.
We hope you will take the time to contribute
to creating the future that we all envision.
Nurses
Must Be Heard on Issues Related to Quality
of Care, Patient Outcomes
Study
Cites Impact of Nurse Staffing
Recently
published research that links nurse staffing
levels not only to saving lives and money,
but also to staff retention makes
significant headway toward compiling the
types of evidence-based data that AACN
believes are needed to address the myriad
issues facing healthcare today.
The research
was published in the Oct. 23-30 issue of the
Journal of the American Medical Association
in an article titled �Hospital Nurse
Staffing and Patient Mortality, Nurse
Burnout, and Job Dissatisfaction.�
The study,
which involved approximately 10,000 nurses
and more than 232,000 surgical patients at
168 Pennsylvania hospitals, correlates
nurses� patient loads with increased risk of
death among patients. The researchers found
that, for surgical patients, the risk of
death increases by 7% with each additional
patient over four in a nurse�s workload. On
a national scale, staffing differences of
this magnitude could result in as many as
20,000 unnecessary deaths annually.
Another
finding indicates that each additional
patient per nurse translates to a 23%
increased risk of nurse burnout and a 15%
increased risk of job dissatisfaction. Among
nurses expressing high burnout and
dissatisfaction, 43% said they intend to
leave their jobs within the next year,
compared to 11% who said they plan to leave,
but do not feel burned out or dissatisfied.
With the
cost of replacing a hospital specialty nurse
estimated at approximately $64,000,
retention has a significant impact on
increasing hospital costs.
�AACN
believes strongly that nurses must be at the
forefront in addressing these and other
issues related to the quality of care and
patient outcomes,� said AACN President
Connie Barden, RN, MSN, CCNS, CCRN.
�However, nurses� knowledge is too often
underrecognized and underutilized.�
�Meeting
patient and family needs must be the driving
force in determining staffing, and the key
to determining appropriate staffing levels
is to match nurses� competencies and skills
to the specific needs of patients.
Unfortunately, minimum staffing ratios, such
as those mandated in California,
oversimplify the complexity of nursing care
and fail to consider the vital interplay
between patient needs and nurse
competencies,� said AACN CEO Wanda Johanson,
RN, MN.
As part of
its strategies to address nurse retention
and protect quality patient care, AACN
encourages research into the relationship of
nurse practice, patient care outcomes and
staffing issues. In fact, AACN believes that
requiring healthcare facilities to use
reliable tools to determine staffing based
on each patient�s acuity and the skills
required to deliver the care to meet each
patient�s needs should be a priority in
addressing these types of workplace issues.
AACN�s full
position on staffing issues can be found
online in a statement titled �Maintaining
Patient-Focused Care in an Environment of
Nursing Staff Shortages and Financial
Constraints.� The AACN Staffing Blueprint
(Item #300117) is another valuable resource
for dealing with these types of issues.
Number
of Sites Using Essentials of Critical Care
Orientation Program Continues to Grow
AACN�s online Essentials
of Critical Care Orientation education
program continues to gain momentum in the
marketplace, with more than a dozen sites
now actively using the program.
According to
Wendy Berke, AACN�s director of professional
practice, ECCO was built to offer the
broadest applicability across institutions.
Although specific treatment protocols may
vary by site and geographical region, the
fundamental elements of treating critically
ill patients remain constant, she noted.
�A thorough
understanding of anatomy and physiology and
the most common disorders that cause a
patient to present to a critical care unit
are foundational to patient care,� Berke
said. �That�s what this program provides in
an easy-to-use format that accommodates
various learning styles.�
The strength
of this strategy to focus on the
fundamentals of caring for critically ill
patients is evident as hospitals across the
country implement ECCO. Following are the
latest hospitals to secure access to the
program:
� Atlantic
City Medical Center, Atlantic City, N.J.
� DuBois
Regional Medical Center, DuBois, Pa. (one of
the beta test sites)
� Lee
Memorial Health System, Ft. Myers, Fla.
� NorthWest
MedStar, Spokane, Wash.
� Regional
Health Occupations Resource Center-Butte
College, Chico, Calif.
� St. Claire
Hospital in Tacoma, Wash.
� Stanford
University Medical Center, Stanford, Calif.
� VA
Hospital, Miami, Fla.
The other
hospitals that have purchased ECCO are
Denton Regional Medical Center, Denton,
Texas; Harris Methodist Ft. Worth, Ft.
Worth, Texas; Sherman Hospital, Elgin, Ill.;
U.S. Naval Hospital, Yokosuka, Japan; and VA
Hospital, West Palm Beach, Fla.
To find out
if ECCO is right for your institution�s
critical care orientation needs, check out
AACN�s Web site at
http://www.aacn.org,
or contact AACN at (800) 394-5995, ext.
8870; e-mail
ecco@aacn.org.
Why
Choose ECCO?
Paul St.
Laurent, RN, BSN, CCRN, critical care
educator at Denton Regional Medical Center,
said he was looking for a program with
flexibility when he chose ECCO.
�In the
past, we have had critical care internships
geared toward new graduates entering
critical care for the first time,� St.
Laurent explained. �These were held twice a
year to coordinate with nursing school
graduation. The problem was what to do
during the �in between� times.�
St. Laurent
said an applicant with little or no ICU
experience usually would be asked to wait
for the next internship and offered a
position on a medical-surgical unit in the
meantime.
�Many times,
these nurses would go elsewhere, and we
would lose a potentially valuable employee,�
he said.
�ECCO allows
us to hire at any time, whether or not an
internship is scheduled. Each nurse can work
on the assigned modules at his or her own
pace. The need for formal classes is greatly
reduced, and the educator can work with each
nurse on an individual basis to provide the
instruction needed.
�Computer-assisted instruction is very cost
effective when compared to formal classes,�
he added. �It would be cost-prohibitive to
have a 16-week internship for two to three
people.�
In addition,
ECCO answered the need to provide a
refresher course for experienced applicants
who had been away from the bedside for an
extended period of time, St. Laurent said.
�We can
assign them certain modules which pertain to
those areas that need improvement,� St.
Laurent said.
ECCO is also
a great recruiting tool for either new or
experienced nurses, he said.
�What I like
most about it is the flexibility it gives us
as a facility and the fact that it allows us
to hire potentially exceptional nurses who
we may have lost in the past.�
St. Laurent
noted that the multimedia aspects of ECCO
make it very interactive for the learner. He
said he also likes the tracking features,
which allow the educator to monitor the
nurse�s individual progress and to identify
which areas need further attention.
Scholarships Help to Defray Expenses of
Attending the NTI
Are you
headed for San Antonio, Texas, and AACN�s
National Teaching Institute and Critical
Care Exposition in May? Why not apply for an
NTI continuing education scholarship?
Applications are due by Feb. 1.
The NTI is
scheduled for May 17 through 22. Following
is information that is available about these
scholarships.
Vision
Partners
The AACN
Vision Partners program grants $1,000 each
to 10 pairs of NTI participants. One partner
must be an AACN member, who will share the
NTI experience and benefits of AACN
membership with the other partner, a
nonmember who has not previously attended
the NTI. The nonmember also receives a
one-year AACN membership.
The
nonmember partner should be able to share a
different perspective with his or her
partner, such as a different cultural or
ethnic viewpoint or another discipline or
clinical practice along the continuum.
The Vision
Partners scholarship application asks the
partners to describe how they expect to
benefit from the learning experience and
networking at NTI. They will also commit to
continuing to develop the partnership after
they return to their workplaces.
Dale
Medical Products Scholarships
Dale Medical
Products, Inc., continues to support
education scholarships for AACN members who
are striving to balance their professional
lives with family obligations. Applicants
must demonstrate that
without the
scholarship assistance they would be unable
to attend the conference. Applicants
describe how attending the NTI or API will
assist them in reaching their professional
goals.
RN.com
Scholarships
RN.com will
support a new series of continuing education
scholarship for nurses from groups that are
underrepresented in nursing, including
ethnic minorities, and for nurses who have
developed successful programs involving
underrepresented groups.
Applicants
must describe how attending the NTI or API
will help further their professional goals
and demonstrate that they would not be able
to attend the conference without the
assistance.
To obtain an
application (Item #1099), call (800)
899-2226; Fax on Demand at (800) 222-6329;
online at at
http://www.aacn.org.
Make
Note of the Deadlines
Please
remember that print publications, such as
AACN News, require greater production and
distribution turnaround time than the
fast-paced electronic media. As a result,
the deadline to submit information to AACN
News is approximately 30 days prior to the
month of publication. Each issue is printed
before the end of the prior month, and the
mailing cycle can take up to two weeks. In
the meantime, information that warrants more
immediate distribution is posted on our Web
site at
http://www.aacn.org.
Scene
and Heard
AACN
continues to seek visibility for our
profession and the organization. Following
is an update on recent outreach efforts:
Our Voice
in the Media
� A letter
to the editor and a response were posted in
the Oct. 29 online issue of nursinghands.com.
The letter concerned the difficulty in
attaining the proper nurse-patient ratio in
the ICU and the challenges of being a
floating nurse. The nursing hands.com
response by Nancy Mooney, RN. MA, ONC,
addressed the benefits of becoming certified
as a CCRN and of joining a professional
organization like AACN. She also referred to
AACN�s position statement titled
�Maintaining Patient-Focused Care in an
Environment of Nursing Staff Shortages and
Financial Constraints,� which is available
online at
http://www.aacn.org.
� Janice
Weber, RN, MSN, AACN public policy
specialist, was quoted in an article titled
�Nursing Shortage Can Have Deadly
Consequences� that appeared in the Oct. 22
issue of HealthScout News. The article
reported on research recently published in
the Journal of the American Medical
Association that patients whose nurses are
overworked are more likely to die from
postoperative complications.
� The Oct.
14 issue of Advance for Nurses, Greater
Philadelphia, announced AACN�s launch of the
Essentials of Critical Care Orientation, a
Web-based educational tool for novice
nurses. The issue also included information
about Marie Boland, RN. BSN, CCRN,
treasurer-elect of the Lehigh Valley Chapter
of AACN, speaking on advanced directives and
living wills at an event at a shopping mall
in Bethlehem, Pa.
� The
October issue of RN magazine featured
excerpts from AACN News, including the
�President�s Note� column by AACN President
Connie Barden, RN, MSN, CCNS, CCRN, in which
she discussed how to craft an effective
message about nursing. Also included in the
AACN Update was information on ECCO, the
online PDA Center and the new Philips
Medical Systems-AACN Outcomes for Clinical
Excellence Research Grant.
� An article
in the October issue of ED Nursing noted
that AACN offers scholarships for staff to
attend educational meetings. The information
was included in an article titled �Update on
New Law to Combat Nursing Shortage,� which
was in regard to the Nurse Reinvestment Act.
� The
October issue of Nursing Management featured
the fifth article in the Progressive Care
Series, which is endorsed exclusively by
AACN. The article, titled �Follow the Rules
to Safer Care Delivery,� was written by
Karen Toby Haghenbeck, RNC, PhD, CCRN. She
discussed using regulations and standards as
a checklist for the care of PCU patients.
AACN was cited as a source for guidelines
and position statements.
� The
October issue of Nursing Management also
featured an editorial titled �Delve Deep
Into the Heart of Leadership� by Editor in
Chief Melissa A. Fitzpatrick, RN, MSN, FAAN,
a past president of AACN. In the editorial,
Fitzpatrick encouraged Nursing Management
2002 participants to attend programs and
networking sessions sponsored by AACN. The
issue also included a �Guide to Specialty
Certifications,� with contact information
for AACN Certification Corporation, and
�Peer Watch,� which listed AACN�s 2002-03
board members.
� An article
titled �Enhancing the Accuracy of
Hemodynamic Monitoring,� which appeared in
the October issue of the Journal of Nursing
Care Quality, noted that a performance
improvement project at St. Francis Hospital,
Milwaukee, Wis., began with an assessment of
its nursing practice. The test questions
reflected current standards as identified by
AACN, research and the bedside monitor
manufacturer.
Our Voice
at the Table
� Justine
Medina, RN, MS, AACN practice and research
director, attended the ICU Clinical Advisory
Panel Meeting of the Joint Commission on
Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations,
in Rosemont, Ill., on Sept. 20. The
objective of the meeting was to identify the
initial set of ICU core measures. The panel
focused on identifying interrelated measures
that will provide a comprehensive assessment
of the quality of care provided to the ICU
patient. The selected measures are scheduled
to be available for public comment and
revision by JCAHO this winter.
� AACN
President Connie Barden, RN, MSN, CCNS, CCRN,
visited the �electronic ICU� at Sentara
Hospitals, Norfolk, Va., on Sept. 25. In
addition to visiting with staff, many of
whom are AACN members and CCRNs, she was
given a tour and explanation of how the
electronic ICU can monitor up to 50 patients
in hospitals 25 miles away.
� Linda
Bell, RN, MSN, AACN clinical practice
specialist, and AACN Board Treasurer Dave
Hanson, RN, BSN, CCRN, EMT-P, represented
AACN at the Hill-Rom �Patient Room of the
Future Panel Discussion,� in Cincinnati,
Ohio, Sept. 26 through 28. The purpose of
the meeting was to discuss the present and
future state of inpatient care models,
including universal care, transitional
critical care and acuity adaptability. The
panel brought together nurse and physician
leaders from across the country who already
have or who are currently redesigning their
patient care environments.
� Medina
attended the Interagency Collaborative on
Nursing Statistics meeting in Washington,
D.C., on Oct. 3 and 4. At the meeting,
participants focused on the role of ICONS in
the National Nursing Sample Survey,
discussed the 2000 survey and reviewed the
next survey scheduled for 2004. In addition,
the ICONS group conducted a gap analysis
regarding statistics in the domain of
nursing, nurses, nursing education, and the
nursing workplace and workforce. The
analysis will drive the work of the group to
influence those gathering nursing data in
the United States.
� Barden
spoke at the biannual �Wealth of Knowledge,�
three-chapter symposium on Oct. 3 and 4 in
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Her topics were �Bold
Voices: Our Future, Let�s Talk� and �IABP:
Tricks and Troubleshooting.� Approximately
400 area critical care nurses attended the
seminar, which is in its 12th year. Program
committee members presented a special
tribute to Barden, who is one of the
founders of this seminar.
� CEO Wanda
Johanson, RN, MSN, and Certification
Director Carol Hartigan, RN, MA, represented
AACN Certification Corporation at the
Alliance for Nursing Accreditation meeting
in Washington, D.C. Oct. 24. The meeting was
cohosted by the American Association of
Colleges of Nursing and the National
Certification Board for Pediatric Nurse
Practitioners and Nurses. This group of
advanced practice certifying bodies, faculty
organizations and accreditors met to discuss
trends and issues involving advanced
practice education, regulation and practice.
Topics included an updated statement on
distance education policies, the newly
released Nurse Practitioner Primary Care
Competencies in Specialty Areas: Adult,
Family, Gerontological, Pediatric, and
Women�s Health, and revision of the 1997
Criteria for Evaluation of Nurse
Practitioner Programs.
� AACN board
member Rebecca Long, RN, MS, CCRN, CNS,
spoke at the Southern California Clinical
Nurse Specialists Clinical and Legal Updates
Conference on Nov. 1 at Children�s Hospital
of Orange County, Calif. Her topic was
�Public Policy From Home to the Hill: What
Inquiring Minds Want to Know!� Long
presented an overview of recent activity at
the state and federal level regarding CNS
practice and discussed the pros and cons of
the California staffing law and the federal
response to the nursing shortage.
If you or
your chapter is planning to reach out to the
media or other groups to promote critical
care nursing, we�d like to know. E-mail your
information to
aacnnews@aacn.org.
Watch
for NTI Registration Brochure
The
registration brochure for NTI 2003, May 17
through 22 in San Antonio, Texas, will be
mailed in January. In the meantime, visit
the AACN Web site at
http://www.aacn.org.
Member
Recruitment Campaign Hits 1,802 Mark in
October
AACN�s
Critical Links membership recruitment
campaign continues at a brisk pace, with a
total of 1,802 new members recruited as of
the end of October. The number includes 572
new members recruited during October, 393 by
individual recruiters and 179 by chapters.
Substantially boosting the totals was
Cynthia A. Noe, RN, BSN, of Albany, Ga., who
recruited 38 new members during October to
soar into the lead with a total of 50 new
members recruited since the campaign began
May 1.
Two other
recruiters, Caroline Axt, RN, MS, of
Oakland, Calif., and Julie N. Liberio, RN,
MSN, CCRN, of Naperville, Ill., also added
significant numbers to their totals during
October. Axt recruited 15 new members to
bring her total to 31 and Liberio recruited
14 new members to bring her total to 25.
In addition,
two recruiters made their debut in the
campaign with impressive numbers. Terri A.
Madden, RN, BSN, CCRN, of Rantoul, Kan.,
recruited 14 new members during October, and
Ngozi I. Moneke, RNC, BSN, CCRN, of
Freeport, N.Y., recruited 11.
The
Rewards
The
individual recruiting the most new members
by the time the campaign ends April 30 will
receive a $500 American Express gift
certificate.
All
individual campaign participants receive an
AACN pocket reference when they recruit
their first new member. After that,
individual recruiters receive $25 gift
certificates toward the purchase of AACN
resources when they recruit five new members
and $50 AACN gift certificates when they
recruit 10 new members. Each month, members
who have recruited at least one new member
during the month are also entered into a
monthly drawing for a $100 American Express
gift certificate.
The
individual winner in the monthly drawing for
October was Kristin Ruud, RN.
In addition
to the $500 American Express gift
certificate, the top individual recruiter is
eligible for the first-, second- and
third-place prize drawings for (1st prize)
round-trip tickets for two to anywhere in
the continental U.S., including a five-day,
four-night hotel stay; (2nd prize)
round-trip tickets for two to anywhere in
the continental U.S.; and (3rd prize)
four-day, three-night hotel accommodations
at a Marriott Hotel.
All the
recruiters need to do is make certain that
their name and AACN member number are
included on the new members� application
forms.
Who
Recruited New Members During October?
Maxine Elaine Alabi, RN, BS, BSN
Gladys B. Alarva, RN, MS, CCRN
Kristine A. Albanese, RN, ADN
Judith R. Alleyne-Atherly, RN, BSN,
CCRN
Debra Alvarez, RN, ADN
Paula Jeanne Anderson, RN, ADN
Jean
Arrants, RN, BS, BSN, CCRN
Deborah Nell Ashton, RN, BS, BSN, CS
Natalie Auerbach, RN, ADN, BS
Caroline Axt, RN, MS
Nicole Bailey, RN, BSN
Earvin L. Baker, RN, BS, BSN
Stephanie A. Baker, RN
Linda I. Ball, RN, BSN, CCRN, CEN
David Banahan, RN, BS, BSN
Linda C Barton, RN, ADN
Lydia C. Bautista, RN, BSN, CCRN
Annarhiza S. Bautista
Editha A. Bendico, RN, BS, BSN, CCRN
Kathleen S. Bennett, RN, CCRN
Angela J. Bentley, RN, MS, BA, CCRN
Michael F. Beshel, RN, BSN, CCRN,
CEN
Susan T. Borglund, RN, MSN
Elaine B. Boseman, RNC, CCRN, CLNC
Marylee R. Bressie, RN, CNS, MSN,
CCRN, CEN
Cheryl Brewer, RN, ADN
Angela D. Brewin, RN, BSN, CCRN
Tina
Marie Brown, RN, ADN, AA
Kathleen M. Burton, RN, BSN
Nancy L. Busby, RN, ADN
Paula Bussard, RN, ADN
Nancy Cabrera, RN, ADN, AA
Annette I. Calcote, RN, MS, CEN
Julie Ann Callison, RN, ADN
Kathy Campbell, RN, ADN, AA
Jo
Ann Carr, RN, BSN, CCRN
Nancy M. Case, RN
Annabel E. Chi-Esmero, RN
Charlene Y. Chua, RN, BS, BSN
Carol Ann Compton, RN, BS, BSN
Pamela H Cook, RN, ADN, BS
Bobbie Cooley, RN
Karen L. Cullinane, RN, ADN
Denise Cherie Danigelis, RN, ADN, AA
Brad
Danks, RN, BS, BSN
Lori
A. Daughenbaugh, RN, BSN, CCRN
Diane B. Davis, RN |
Laurie A. Dean, RN, CCRN
Patricia Carol DeBusk, RN, BSN, MA
Jean
Marie Deffner, RN, MSN, BA
Edmond A. Dube, RN, ADN, AA
Miriam Edouard, RN, BS, BSN
Peggy Lynn Ennis, RN
Joanna Fesler, RN, BS, BSN
Deborah A. Fischer, RN, MSN, CCRN,
CNRN
Camilla Dawn Fisher, RN, BSN, MSN,
CCRN
Dorothy J. Flowers, RN, BSN
Laura Ford, RN
Franklin Robert Frazier, RN, BS, BSN
Anna
E. Gabriel, RN, MA
Arthur H. Gillaspy, RN, ADN
Sylvia Gomez, RNC, BSN, CCRN
Brent M. Grady, RN, ADN, BS, BSN,
CEN
Kathryn Marie Green, RN, ADN, BA
Jill
Green, RN, CCRN
Jackie Grigg, RN, ADN, CCRN
Tarja Hamalainen, RN, MN, MS, MSN
Karen Lee Hammond, RN, BS, BSN
Maria Molar Haque, RN, BS, BSN, CCRN
Angelyn J. Harper, RN, ADN, AA, CCRN
Jane
L. Hartman, RN, MS, CCRN
Carmalina Camper Hembrey, RN, BS,
BSN
Michelle Hensley, RN, ADN
Carol M. Hinkle, RN, MSN, BA, CCRN
Thom
N. Hipp, RN, BSN
Elizabeth J. Hobbs, RN, ADN, AA
Annette Margaret Hoffman, RN, ADN
L.
Nicolle Holtke, RN, ADN
Jana
W. Hough, RN, BSN, CCRN
Patricia A Jaidane, RN, ADN, AA
Karen L. Johnson, RN, CCRN
Cynthia R. Johnson, RN, BSN, MBA
Jimmy L. Jones, RN
Lauretta M. Joseph, RN, MSN, CCRN,
NP
Rachel A. Joseph, RN, BSN, CCRN
Patricia M. Juarez, RN, MS, CCRN,
CCNS
Allison L. Kaiser, RN
Louisa K. Kamatuka, RN, MSN, CCRN,
CS
Janine M. Kaufman Schindler, RN
Patricia Anne Kelly, RN, BSN, CCRN
Laura A. Kemmet, RN, ADN, AA
Lori
E. Kennedy, RN, BSN, CCRN
Elizabeth A. Kenyon, RN, BSN, CCRN
Kathleen J. King, RN, MSN, CCRN |
Farahangiz Z. Kirkland, RN, BSN, MEd,
CCRN
Debra L. Knight, RN, BSN
Marcia Ann Kummer, RN, AA, CCRN
Joanne M. Kuszaj, RN, MSN, CCRN
Lori
Ms. LaLonde-Wade, RN, MN, MS, ACNP,
NP
Jennifer S. Lanham, RN, BS, BSN,
CCRN
Marie Elena Larosa, RN, ADN
Eunice F. Lasala, RN, MS, MSN, CCRN
Sherry L. Lea, RN, ADN
Doris V. Levin, RN, MS, CNA
Margaret E. Lewis, RN, BSN
Julie N. Liberio, RN, MSN, CCRN
Lynda C. Liles, RN, MBA, CCRN
Danielle Louise Lillis, RN, BS, BSN
Cynthia A. Lockhart, RN, MS, CCRN
Judith Ski Lower, RN, MSN, CCRN,
CNRN
Diana MacCaskie
Terri A. Madden, RN, BSN, CCRN
Jacqueline D. Maillet, RN, ADN, CEN
Lily
May V. Marifosque, RN, BSN, CCRN
Jason A. Martin, RN, CCRN
Lourdes M. Maulit, RN, BSN
Deidra McCorkle, RN, ADN
Gina
J. McGinn, RN, BSN, CCRN
Carla M. Menge, RN, CCRN
Shirlien A. Metersky, RN, MSN, CCRN
Paula A. Miller, RN, ADN, CCRN
Katerina Moklak, RN, BS, BSN, CCRN
Ngozi I. Moneke, RNC, BSN, CCRN
Laura Frances Monette, RN, MS, MSN
Carolyn A. Mooney, RN, ADN, CCRN
Bonita L. Moore, RN, BS, BSN, CCRN
Pamela W. Morgan, RN, MSN, CS
Jennifer Renee Morris, RN
Janette K. Moss, RN, MSN
Roe
Mulvihill, RN, MN, MBA
Deborah Murdell, RN, MN, MS, NP
Annette M. Nelson, RN, BS, CCRN
Linda J. Nicholson, RN, BSN, AA,
CCRN
Cynthia A. Noe, RN, BSN
Lena
J. Norris, RN, BSN, CCRN
Mary
I. O'Connor, RN, MSN
Trisha Ofstad, RN, BS, BSN
Mike
Oleszczuk, RN, BS, BSN
Terri L. Oster, RN, BS, BSN
Angeles A. Otradovec, RN, ADN
William L. Owens, RN, ADN, AA, CCRN |
Kathleen Klein Peavy, RN, MS, CCRN
Dorothy Rose Phelps, RN, BS, CCRN
Michele Quinlan, RN, BSN
Jennifer L. Randolph
Evelyn L. Rash, RN, ADN, CCRN
Norma M. Rivera, RN, BSN
Elin
Roberts, RN, MSN, CCRN
Edward Rodriguez, RN, LPN, BS, BSN
Barbara C. Rogers, RN, BSN
Susan K. Rossetti, RN, BSN, CCRN
Kristin Ruud, RN
Deborah Sauer, RN, MN, MS, CS
Rodora R. Sayles, RN, BSN
Elizabeth C. Schaefer, RN, BSN
Leslie Ann Schubert, RN, ADN, AA
Camille R. Sheldon, RN, ADN, CCRN
Monica Conroy Simpson, RN, MSN, CCRN
Jodi
Snyder, RN, BSN, CCRN
Sheila B. Sobretodo, RN, BSN, CCRN
Stephanie Spees, RN, MSN, CCRN
Sonia G. Springer, RN, BS, BSN
Anna
Marie Starostovic, RN, ADN
Mary
Stephens, RN, MSN, CS
Theresa Stevens, RN, MS, CCRN, CCNS
Doris J. Strother, RN, MSN, CRNP
Shannon L. Strouse, RN, BSN
Margaret M. Sullivan, RN
Brenda L. Swant, RN, BSN
Jessica Erin Tadlock, RN, ADN, BS
Patricia M. Tanzi, RN
Yvonne Thelwell, RN
Beverly B. Tidwell, RN, DSN, CCNS
Beth
Tremblay, RN, BS, BSN
Jane
L. Valdez, RN, BS
Barbara J. Van Horn, RN, BSN, CCRN
Diana L. Vance, RN, BSN, CCRN
Laurie Vincent
Greta Vladinov, RN, BS, BSN
Jon
Weaver, RN
Karen R. Willard, RN, BSN
Sue
A. Williams, RN, BSN, CCRN
Felecia S. Williams, RN, BSN, CCRN
Pamela G. Willingham, RN, MS, CCRN
Jack
G. Wilson, RN, BSN
Susan M Wolka, RN, RT, ADN
Joy
L. Yglecias, RN, BSN, AA, CCRN
Polly Zahrt, RN, BSN |
Who Is
Leading the Campaign?
20 Plus
New Members
Cynthia A.
Noe, RN, BSN 50
Caroline Axt,
RN, MS 31
Julie N.
Liberio, RN, MSN, CCRN 25
Kathleen M.
Richuso, RN, MSN 20
15-20 New
Members
Jackie Grigg,
RN, ADN, CCRN 16
Lauretta M.
Joseph, RN, MSN, CCRN, NP 15
Beverly C.
Maloney, RN, CNS, MSN, AA, CCRN 15
10-15 New
Members
Terri A.
Madden, RN, BSN, CCRN 14
Sharon
McSorley, RN, BSN 14
Victoria L.
Robinson, RN, BSN, CCRN 14
Michael F.
Beshel, RN, BSN, CCRN, CEN13
Elaine B.
Boseman, RN, CCRN, CLNC 13
Cynthia A.
Phelps, RN, BSN, CCRN 13
Kathryn A.
Steinke, RNC, MS 13
Doris J.
Strother, RN, MSN, CRNP 13
Diane M.
Casperson, RN, BSN, CCRN 12
Peggy Lynn
Ennis, RN 12
Paulita D.
Narag, RN, ADN, CCRN 12
Yvonne
Thelwell, RN 12
Mary A.
Bryant, RN, MSN, MBA, CCRN 11
Ngozi I.
Moneke, RNC, BSN, CCRN 11
Donna B.
Sabash, RN, BSN, CCRN 11
Pam
Zinnecker, RN, CCRN 11
Lydia C.
Bautista, RN, BSN, CCRN 10
Anne M.
Klahre, RN, BS, BSN 10
Sylvia B.
Naldoza, RN, BSN, CCRN 10
Teresa T.
Solberg, RN, MS, MSN, CCRN 10
5-10 New
Members
Maria Molar
Haque, RN, BS, BSN, CCRN 9
Susan M.
Roberti, RN 9
Theresa
Stevens, RN, MS, CCRN, CCNS 9
Annarhiza S.
Bautista 8
Carol M.
Hinkle, RN, MSN, BA, CCRN 8
Nancy D.
King, RN, MSN, CCRN, ANP, NP 8
Joni S.
Herman, RN 7
Erin Irene
Hutchison, RN 7
Allison L.
Kaiser, RN 7
Marcia Ann
Kummer, RN, AA, CCRN 7
Pauline J.
McNeece, RN, MSN, CCRN 7
Lindsey
Shank, RN, BSN, CCRN 7
Stephanie A.
Baker, RN 6
Marylee R.
Bressie, RN, CNS, MSN, CCRN, CEN 6
Denise
Guaglianone-Buonocore, RN, MSN, CCRN,
CS,ACNP, APRN 6
Kathleen M.
Burton, RN, BSN 6
Patricia E.
Casey, RN, MSN, MS 6
Therisa B.
Davis, RN 6
Dorothea S.
Murphy, RN, CCRN, CNRN 6
Kathleen
Klein Peavy, RN, MS, CCRN 6
Jennifer L.
Randolph 6
Susan K.
Rossetti, RN, BSN, CCRN 6
Kristin Ruud,
RN 6
Elizabeth C.
Schaefer, RN, BSN 6
Holly L.
Weber-Johnson, RN, BSN 6
Joan F.
Baker, RN, MSN, CCRN, CNRN 5
Philicia J.
Bianco, RN 5
Laurie A.
Dean, RN, CCRN 5
Anthony E.
Farmer, RN, MSN 5
Dorothy J.
Flowers, RN, BSN 5
Jana W.
Hough, RN, BSN, CCRN 5
Jacqueline
J. Johnson, RN, MA 5
Lori E.
Kennedy, RN, BSN, CCRN 5
Geneva D.
Llewellyn, RN, CNS, MSN, CCRN 5
Julie A.
McCorkle, RN, BSN, MS, ACNP 5
Sandra
Mejia, RN 5
Inocencia G.
Mendoza, RN, BSN 5
Wendi Nopper,
RN 5
Elin
Roberts, RN, MSN, CCRN 5
Lynn Smith
Schnautz, RN, MSN, CCRN, CCNS 5
Marcia J.
Stahovich, RN, ADN, CCRN 5
Pamela G.
Willingham, RN, MS, CCRN 5
Procedure Manual Now Available on CD-ROM
The AACN
Procedure Manual for Critical Care is now
available on CD-ROM. This comprehensive
manual encompasses 135 of today�s key
critical care nursing procedures, including
22 performed by advanced practice nurses.
The CD-ROM
includes the full text of the book and
follows its organization for easy
navigation. Each procedure features a
consistent, step-by-step format that
provides up-to-date, research-based
information and supporting rationales.
The
electronic format enables users to customize
critical care procedures to their
institution�s unique needs. Headers and
footers can also be customized with an
institution�s information, logo or
disclaimer. In addition, users can save
different versions of each procedure and
print all or part of each procedure.
For more
information, contact Karen Lieb at (215)
238-2223; e-mail,
k.lieb@elsevier.com.
On the
Road
AACN
frequently takes its show on the road, as
representatives of the AACN National Office
exhibit at conferences throughout the
country. Following is an upcoming exhibit:
Jan. 30-Feb.
3 Society of Critical Care Medicine, San
Antonio, Texas
If you are
attending this conference, stop by the AACN
exhibit to visit with your National Office
team. AACN exhibits to promote the
association�s presence, increase
professional visibility and service our
constituents through products and services.
For
the Record
Heidi Gilroy
of Houston, Texas, was pictured in a
photograph in the October 2002 issue of AACN
News that depicted some of the recipients of
the AACN-sponsored National Student Nurses
Association scholarships. The person
pictured was misidentified.
Myth
Versus Fact: Setting the Record Straight
Myth: I
don�t need professional liability protection
because only those who are already insured
are sued.
Fact: A
charge of negligence could render you
penniless and damage your career. A lawsuit
can be brought against anyone.
Do you
supervise others? Follow doctors� orders?
Administer medicine? If so, you are at risk
of being sued for malpractice.
As a
professional provider, you have devoted
years to study and training. Your skills and
experience are constantly being tested�by
emergency decisions, stress conditions and
difficult patients or clients. How you
respond can determine your professional
reputation and your future.
Under such
circumstances, it is easy for something to
go wrong. A malpractice suit or a charge of
negligence, regardless of whether justified,
could mean an end to your career. That is
why it is advisable for you to carry your
own insurance.
AACN
sponsors a professional liability insurance
plan for its members. For additional
information, contact Marsh Affinity Group
Services, a service of Seabury & Smith, 1440
Renaissance Dr., Park Ridge, Ill.
60068-1400; phone, (800) 503-9230.
Scholarship Appreciation
Each year,
AACN awards approximately $150,000 in
academic and continuing education
scholarships. The recipients represent
diverse needs and backgrounds. Following are
excerpts from just some of the many
communications AACN received from recipients
of 2001-02 scholarships.
AACN has
been an important part of my nursing career.
The scholarship will ease the financial
burden of my academic pursuits.
Renee Rosiek,
RN, MSN
Durham, N.C.
I truly
appreciate not only the great financial
help, but also the moral support and
encouragement to succeed and strive for
excellence as I advance in my nursing
career.
Gina M.
Jamero, RN, BSN
Boston,
Mass.
Please know
how honored I am to receive this
scholarship. I hope my critical care nursing
experience and future endeavors will reflect
my commitment to AACN.
Emily
Timmreck
Charlottesville, Va.
Soundbites
Make your
voice�and the voice of critical care
nursing�heard by participating in the Voice
Project, an effort by AACN to amplify the
voice of nursing in public forums. This
initiative is tied to the theme of AACN
President Connie Barden, RN, MSN, CCNS, CCRN,
�Bold Voices�Fearless and Essential.�
Q. If you
had the opportunity to communicate to the
world why critical care nurses are
essential, what would you say?
There are
times when the split second level of
experience and intuition of an experienced
critical care nurse is essential for good
clinical outcomes and patient safety.
Glennese T.
Harper, RN, BSN
Birmingham,
Ala.
Q. What do
you do to continually renew your passion for
nursing?
Attend
educational conferences and seeing the
difference I make in my patient�s condition
or observing a smile on my patient�s face
because of something I said or did.
Kathryn M.
Kater, RN, MSN, NP
Pembroke
Pines, Fla.
To
participate in the Voice Project, visit the
AACN Web site at
http://www.aacn.org.
Currents
Critical
Care, Trauma and Emergency Medicine
The 41st
annual Symposium on Critical Care, Trauma,
and Emergency Medicine will be presented by
the Institute of Critical Care Medicine and
The Keck School of Medicine, University of
Southern California, on Feb. 24 and 28 at
the Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas, Nev. To
register or request additional information,
contact Medical Media Communications, Inc.,
Attn: Daphne Pantaleon-Project Coordinator,
15951 Los Gatos Blvd., Suite 15, Los Gatos,
CA 95032 ; phone, (888) 788-7820 or (408)
356-8320; fax, (408) 356-8392; e-mail,
dpantaleon@boronlepore.com;
Web site;
http://www.medicalmedia.net.
Leadership Excellence
A forum
titled �Leadership Excellence: Challenges in
Neonatal, Obstetric, and Pediatric Nursing
Management� is scheduled for Feb. 20 through
22 in Miami, Fla. Additional information is
available online at
forums.com
or by e-mailing
info@cforums.com.
Neuroscience Symposium
The 2003
Northwest Neuroscience Symposium for Nurses
and Other Allied Health Care Professionals
will be presented by Northwest Health Care
Symposiums and Oregon Neurosurgery
Specialists on March 6 and 7 in Eugene, Ore.
For more information, contact Northwest
Health Care Symposiums, P.O. Box 71263,
Eugene, Oregon 97401, or Sara Rhudy, RN,
BSN, CCRN, at (541) 554-9555; e-mail,
NWNeuro@aol.com.
Focus on
Research
The �Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability
Act: Implications for Research, Education
and Clinical Practice� is the title of a
program that will be presented by the Acute
Care Research Section of the Midwest Nursing
Research Society on April 4 in Grand Rapids,
Mich. For more information, contact Susan
Hickey, MNRS Administrator, 10200 W. 44th
Ave., Suite #304, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033;
phone, (720) 898-4831; e-mail,
shickey@resourcenter.com,
or Renee Twibell, section chair, at
rtwibell@bsu.edu.
Information
printed in �Currents� is provided as a
service to interested readers and does not
imply endorsement by AACN or AACN
Certification Corporation.
Coming
in the January Issue of the American Journal
of Critical Care
� Factors to
Consider When Analyzing 12-Lead
Electrocardiograms for Evidence of Acute
Myocardial Ischemia
� Heart
Period Variability of Intubated
Very-Low-Birth-Weight Infants During
Incubator Care and Maternal Holding
� Comparing
Basic Knowledge in Critical Care Nursing
Between Nurses From the United States and
Nurses From Other Countries
� Use of
Heliox to Avoid Intubation in a Child With
Acute Severe Asthma and Hypercapnia
Subscriptions to Critical Care Nurse and the
American Journal of Critical Care are
included in AACN membership dues.
New AJCC
Associate Editor to Add Commentary on
Research
Beginning
with the January 2003 issue, commentary to
help readers understand the clinical
relevance and applicability of research
presented will be added to selected articles
published in the American Journal of
Critical Care.
Providing
the insight is new Associate Editor Mary Jo
Grap, RN, PhD, ACNP, from Virginia
Commonwealth University School of Nursing,
Richmond, Va. Grap has extensive expertise
as a critical care clinician, clinical and
academic teaching experience, effective
nursing research skills, a commitment to the
profession, and a passion for mentoring
students and clinicians.
AACN and the
editors of AJCC are eager for feedback on
whether these commentaries are helpful.
Please share your responses via e-mail at
either
ajcc@aacn.org
or
AJCC@sonnet.ucla.edu,
fax at (949) 362-2049 or mail to AJCC, 101
Columbia, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656.
Looking Ahead
December
2002
Dec. 31
Deadline to apply for the 3-Person Discount
to take the CCRN certification exam. To be
eligible for the discount, applications must
be accompanied by the �3-Person Discount
Flyer,� which is included with the
application materials. The flyer can also be
printed from the AACN Certification
Corporation Web site at www.certcorp.org, or
requested by
calling (800) 899-2226 or e-mailing
certcorp@aacn.org.
January 2003
Jan. 15
Deadline to apply for the Philips Medical
Systems-AACN Outcomes for Clinical
Excellence Research Grant. To obtain a
grants handbook, visit the AACN Web site at
http://www.aacn.org
> Clinical
Practice > Research or call AACN Fax on
Demand at (800) 222-6329. Request Document
#1013.
Jan. 15
Deadline to apply for the AACN Clinical
Inquiry Grant. To obtain a grants handbook,
visit the AACN Web site at
http://www.aacn.org
or call
AACN Fax on Demand at (800) 222-6329.
Request Document #1013.
February
2003
Feb. 1
Deadline to apply for NTI continuing
education scholarships. To receive an
application, call (800) 899-2226 or AACN Fax
on Demand at (800) 222-6329. Request Item
#1099. The
application is also available online at
http://www.aacn.org.
Feb. 1
Deadline to apply for the Datex-Ohmeda-AACN
Research Grant. To obtain a grants handbook,
visit the AACN Web site at
http://www.aacn.org
or call AACN Fax on Demand at (800)
222-6329. Request Document #1013.
Feb. 1
Deadline to apply for the AACN Critical Care
Grant. To obtain a grants handbook, visit
the AACN Web site at
http://www.aacn.org
or call
AACN Fax on Demand at (800) 222-6329.
Request Document #1013.
Feb. 1
Deadline to apply for the AACN Mentorship
Grant. To obtain a grants handbook, visit
the AACN Web site at
http://www.aacn.org
or call AACN
Fax on Demand at (800) 222-6329. Request
Document #1013.
Feb. 1
Deadline to apply for the AACN Certification
Corporation Research Grant. To obtain a
grants handbook, visit the AACN Web site at
http://www.aacn.org
or call AACN Fax on Demand at (800)
222-6329. Request Document #1013.
What
Mark Will You Leave on the World?
One of the
most valuable contributions that you can
make to the profession of critical care
nursing is volunteering to participate on a
national volunteer group of the American
Association of Critical-Care Nurses. As a
member of a national volunteer group, you
have the opportunity to share your
perspective, knowledge and expertise, while
directly influencing, shaping and defining
the practice of critical care nursing and
the healthcare profession. Compelled by its
vision�a vision of a healthcare system
driven by the needs of patients and families
where critical care nurses make their
optimal contribution�AACN is committed to
providing comprehensive resources for the
development of nurses as leaders in both
their volunteer and clinical settings,
further optimizing the contributions nurses
make to patient well-being in an
increasingly complex healthcare environment.
As a member of AACN, you help influence the
future practice of critical care nursing
every day. Why not take the next step and
volunteer? What mark do you want to leave on
the world of critical care nursing?
Volunteer
Are you
interested in becoming a national volunteer
for AACN? Would you like to have a hand in
shaping the way in which colleagues and the
general public understand our healthcare
system and the critical care nursing
profession? Would you like to contribute to
ensuring excellence in education, research
and practice for critical care nurses? By
contributing your time and expertise to a
volunteer group, you assist the association
in remaining one of the boldest voices in
the healthcare arena, further realizing our
vision of a healthcare system driven by the
needs of patients and their families in
which critical care nurses make their
optimal contribution. Become an inspiration
to other nurses and healthcare
professionals. Make a difference and
volunteer with AACN today!
Volunteers
are asked to uphold a commitment to AACN�s
mission, vision, values and ethic of care
and to provide skill and accountability for
achieving their group outcomes. Volunteers
should be knowledgeable in the area of
specialty of the volunteer group to which
they are applying, and demonstrate currency
in acute and critical care nursing practice,
as well as a keen awareness of emerging
trends.
To
volunteer, obtain an application online at
http://www.aacn.org.
The deadline
to apply for these volunteer opportunities
is March 1. These volunteer terms are
effective from July 1, 2003, through June
30, 2004.
If none of
the volunteer opportunities listed here
appeal to you, be assured that there are
more to come. Watch AACN News and the
volunteer area of the AACN Web site for more
information on forthcoming opportunities.
For
additional information, call (800) 899-2226
or visit the AACN Web site.
Work
Groups
Serving on
Work Groups requires travel for face-to-face
meetings, conference call participation and
e-mail correspondence.
Advanced
Practice Work Group
Members of
the Advanced Practice Work Group will review
and make recommendations regarding resources
to support advanced nursing practice,
including Web pages, journals and catalog
products. Members will also help evaluate
topics and speakers for the Advanced
Practice Institute at the National Teaching
Institute and write advanced practice
articles for AACN News. Members will
continue to develop the Advanced Practice
Institute based on a gap analysis and review
the Call for Abstracts to provide advanced
clinical topics with patient management and
pharmacology focus.
As an
example of the important work this group
does, last year�s group reviewed the Scope
of Practice and Standards of Professional
Performance for the Acute and Critical Care
Clinical Nurse Specialist and supporting
documentation and made recommendations for
the development of an advanced practice
mentoring database.
Ethics
Work Group
Members of
the Ethics Work Group will identify or
produce resources related to the top ethical
issues consistently identified by previous
groups:
� Informed
consent, advanced directives and advocacy
�
End-of-life care and decision making and
symptom management at the end of life.
� Moral
distress (caregiver stress versus
environmental stressors)
As an
example of the important work this group
does, last year�s group developed the Family
Conference pocket reference and reviewed and
updated the Ethics Committee Handbook.
National
Teaching Institute Work Group
Members of
the NTI Work Group will review and analyze
evaluation and program data from NTI 2003 in
San Antonio, Texas, and review NTI abstract
submissions to make recommendations for
program topics and sessions for NTI 2004 in
Orlando, Fla. In addition, members will be
part of the onsite staff for NTI 2004, where
they will present an orientation for NTI
first-timers and a session on how to become
an AACN NTI speaker.
Public
Policy Work Group
Members of
the Public Policy Work Group will help
assess, develop and disseminate legislative
and regulatory resources for priority
issues, including:
� The
nursing shortage
� Patient
safety and rights
� Work and
practice environment
In addition,
members will assist in identifying and
analyzing legislative trends related to
critical care nursing and the nursing
profession and assist with NTI Public Policy
sessions and activities.
As an
example of the important work this group
does, last year�s group assisted in the
drafting of three new fact sheets��Nurse
Advocacy,� �Prescription Drug Coverage� and
�Medical Errors��and outlined a tool kit for
chapters and members to use to promote the
value of nursing, recruitment and retention.
Research
Work Group
Members of
the Research Work Group will identify,
prioritize and produce evidence-based
practice alerts, position statements, fact
sheets and other materials regarding AACN�s
platforms:
� Excellence
in critical care nursing practice is driven
by the needs of the patients and their
families.
� Critical
care work environments must be safe,
healing, humane and respectful to promote
the creation of cultures of inquiry, broad
sharing and evidence-based practice.
Review
Panels
Members of
AACN Review Panels will review, evaluate and
assist in the selection of AACN awards,
grants and scholarship recipients. In
addition, they will critique articles and
develop questions for continuing education
units. Members will also review appeals to
certification and recertification regulatory
processes. Members of these groups are
selected based on professional interests and
specific expertise related to content.
Members will be asked to respond to written
materials, participate in conference calls
and correspond via email. The following
Review Panels are available:
� Awards
�
Distinguished Research Lecturer
� NTI
Abstracts
� Research &
Creative Solutions Abstract
� Research
Grants
�
Scholarship
Learning
Partners
Serving as a
Learning Partner requires travel for
face-to-face meetings, conference call
participation and e-mail correspondence.
Board
Learning Partners
The Board
Learning Partners Program consists of
sponsorship by AACN for four selected
members to attend AACN board meetings in
November and April. In addition to the
opportunity to attend and participate in the
board meetings, Learning Partners may be
asked to gather data prior to the meeting to
inform discussions and strategic agendas.
Members will be expected to provide feedback
and communicate to the membership regarding
their experiences, including providing
information to their constituents from these
meetings.
Advisory
Teams
Serving on
advisory teams requires conference call
participation and e-mail correspondence.
AACN
Board Advisory Team
Members of
the Board Advisory Team are engaged in an
ongoing process of systematically collecting
and validating data to identify trends,
issues, different perspectives and
unexpected events that may prove
opportunistic or challenging to the future
of the Association. The Board Advisory Team
is a critical vehicle for collecting data
and assisting the board in keeping a finger
on the pulse of AACN membership and the
practice environment. Before each board
meeting, the Board Advisory Team will be
asked to survey their constituents regarding
key strategic questions and report their
findings in a series of conference calls and
e-mails.
Education
Advisory Team:
Members of
the Education Advisory Team will oversee the
Process Improvement Plan for the AACN
Provider Unit for nursing continuing
education activities, including reviewing
the needs assessment and evaluations for
compliance with process, structure and
outcomes as defined in the AACN Education
Standards. In addition, members will make
recommendations for improvement as needed.
Chapter
Advisory Team
Members of
the Chapter Advisory Team support and
advocate AACN�s mission, vision and values,
in turn, fostering the development of new
chapter leaders. Chapter Advisers work to
assist chapters in making their optimal
contribution and respond to requests from
the association for input on chapter
operations and regional issues. In addition,
members ensure effective communication among
the AACN Board of Directors, the National
Office and the chapters. The AACN board and
National Office will rely on the Chapter
Advisers to annually assess, evaluate and
communicate the changing environments of
chapters within their assigned regions.
Chapter Advisers will be expected to:
� Serve as
AACN liaison and spokesperson to AACN
chapters and leaders in their regions.
� Establish
an ongoing mechanism for communication with
chapter presidents and other chapter leaders
as deemed appropriate and necessary. Chapter
Advisers will communicate with chapters on a
quarterly basis.
� Work in
partnership with AACN staff to identify
individual chapter strengths and needs so
that the National Office and Chapter
Advisers can effectively support and service
new and existing chapters.
� Develop
and mentor local chapter leaders for future
chapter and national leadership roles.
Chapter
Adviser positions require travel, conference
call participation and e-mail
correspondence. To be considered for this
position, candidates must have served as a
chapter president. Chapter Advisers are
needed in the following regions:
� Region 4
(Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia and
West Virginia)
� Region 5
(North and South Carolina)
� Region 6
(Alabama and Georgia)
� Region 10
(Illinois)
� Region 15
(Oklahoma and Texas)
� Region 17
(Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and
Utah)
� Region 19
(California)
AACN
Certification Corporation Appeals Panels
AACN
Certification Corporation offers volunteer
opportunities for both CCRN (adult,
neonatal, or pediatric) and CCNS
certification examination appeals panels.
Members will be asked to review and
deliberate all appeals, primarily through
written, electronic and conference call
correspondence |
