Staffing Standards Proposed: California
First to Mandate Ratios
Attention is
on California as the state moves through the
precedent-setting process of establishing
minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios
mandated by legislation enacted late in
1999. The ratios proposed by Gov. Gray Davis
(see chart, page 18) were released in
January, following delays caused by the
continued controversy that surrounded the
issue.
The
regulations, which are to be phased in, are
scheduled to take effect in July 2003.
Initially hospitals must provide no less
than one licensed nurse for every two to six
patients, depending on the unit. The state’s
Department of Health Services supported
nurse-to-patient ratios of 1 to 2 in
critical care units and 1 to 5 in
medical-surgical units. The proposed
standards also limit nurses in emergency
rooms to one trauma patient, pediatric
nurses to four patients and obstetrics
nurses to two mothers in labor.
The proposal
could be amended following statewide public
hearings and a public comment period.
Nurses
unions and consumer advocates applauded the
proposal as a step toward promoting patient
safety and reducing the nursing shortage. In
the meantime, nurses and legislators
nationwide are closely following the
developments in California.
In the
meantime, a bill that would establish even
more stringent nurse-to-patient ratios has
been introduced in the Florida Senate. The
bill would also ban mandatory overtime for
direct-care nurses. The Florida Hospital
Association is opposing the legislation on
the grounds that hospitals need the
flexibility to determine staffing based on
the condition and needs of patients, and the
experience and education mix of the patient
care team.
The
important link between nurse staffing and
positive patient outcomes is becoming
clearly delineated in nursing and medical
literature. Although specific ratios can
potentially impact patient safety, enhance
positive patient outcomes and contribute
toward safe nursing practice, AACN cautions
that ratios alone are not the answer.
AACN’s
concern is that fixed numerical ratios do
not capture the complexity of patient needs
and the skills of the caregivers. The
nurse-to-patient ratio should recognize
patient acuity and the required intensity of
nursing care. Staffing decisions must be
based on the specific needs of patients,
provider competencies and organizational
priorities.
AACN is also
concerned that mandated minimum ratios could
become staffing ceilings, which do not allow
for flexibility when patient acuity demands
higher nurse-to-patient ratios.
The proposed
rules also face practical barriers, most
significantly a statewide shortage of
nurses. According to the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, California, with
544 nurses per 100,000 residents, ranks 49th
among states in its share of registered
nurses. To meet the new requirements,
several thousand new nurses will be needed,
which poses a challenge on both the
recruitment and financial fronts.
Although
Davis has announced plans to allocate $60
million to train 5,100 nurses in the next
three years, other issues also must be
addressed. For example, hospitals must
improve the workplace environment through
strategies that build a culture of value and
support for nurses. AACN believes that
recruitment and retention efforts will fail
unless issues such as appropriate staffing
and support; mandatory overtime; competitive
salaries; and lack of recognition of value,
expertise and autonomy are addressed.
AACN is
currently working with other national
nursing organizations and congressional
leaders to support legislation that will
address the nursing shortage and improve
workplace conditions. AACN supports the
Nurse Reinvestment Act (S. 1864), the
Registered Nurses and Patients Protection
Act (HR 1289) and the Safe Nursing and
Patient Care Act of 2001 (S. 1686).
AACN is also
a member of the steering committee for a
Call to the Profession collaboration
involving nearly 100 nursing organizations
to implement a strategic plan to address
nursing shortages and staffing.
In addition,
as a member of the Nurses for a Healthier
Tomorrow coalition, AACN is contributing to
a national campaign to promote the
profession of nursing.
AACN’s
Staffing Blueprint: Constructing Your
Staffing Solutions provides a comprehensive
look at the association’s recommendations
with regard to staffing. To obtain a copy,
visit the AACN Web site at www.aacn.org >
Bookstore or call (800) 899-2226. Request
Item #300117. The price is $26 ($35
nonmembers), plus shipping and handling. In
addition, the AACN “Nursing Shortage
Backgrounder” is available online.
Mandatory
Overtime
On another
front, nurses will no longer be forced to
work overtime at New Jersey healthcare
facilities except during emergencies, under
legislation signed into law by Gov. Donald
DiFrancesco. New Jersey joins Maine and
Oregon in banning mandatory overtime for
nurses, though similar legislation has been
introduced in 16 other states.
“This signed
legislation will give nurses an opportunity
to make the decision as to whether they can
safely deliver quality patient care,”
commented Andrea Aughenbaugh, RN, CEO of the
New Jersey State Nurses Association, which,
with other groups, had pushed for the new
legislation since 1998.
AACN
believes that mandatory overtime is not an
acceptable practice and that nurses should
have the right to refuse an overtime
assignment if it is beyond their capacity to
provide optimal care.
California Proposed Nurse-to-Patient Ratios
|
Hospital Unit |
Ratio |
|
ICU |
1:2* |
|
Operating room |
1:1* |
|
Neonatal ICU |
1:2* |
|
Intermediate care nursery |
1:4* |
|
Well-baby nursery |
1:8* |
Postpartum
(When multiple births, the number of
newborns and number of mothers shall
never exceed 8 per nurse) |
1:8
(1:4
couplets; 1:6 mothers only) |
|
Labor & delivery |
1:2 |
|
Postanesthesia care unit |
1:2 |
Emergency departments
(Not
including triage, radio or other
specialty nurse) |
1:4
(1:2
critical care; 1:1 trauma) |
|
Burn
unit |
1:2 |
|
Pediatrics |
1:4 |
|
Step-down/telemetry |
1:4 |
|
Specialty care (oncology) |
1:5 |
|
Telemetry unit |
1:5 |
|
General medical-surgical
|
1:6
(initially)
1:5
(phased in) |
|
Behavioral health psychiatric units |
1:6 |
|
Mixed units |
1:6
(initially)
1:5
(phased in) |
|
*These units currently have minimum
nurse-to-patient ratios in statute
and/or regulations. |
 |
Recruitment Effort Tops 1,700 New AACN
Members
Campaign
Ends April 1
Inspired by
a chapter session she attended at AACN’s
2001 National Teaching Institute and
Critical Care Exposition, Melissa L. Drain,
RN, CCRN, began a personal crusade to
encourage her staff to become involved as
members of AACN. In the process, she found
herself among those leading in AACN’s
Critical Links member-get-a-member
recruitment campaign. In fact, as of the end
of January, Drain had single-handedly
recruited 29 new members—and was ready to
add more.
Overall, a
total of 1,724 new members have been
recruited between May 1, 2001, and Jan. 31,
2002—1172 by individual recruiters and 552
by chapters.
With the
campaign set to end April 1, several
participants had recruited 20 new members or
more. Leading the charge at the end of
January was Darlene Legge, RN, BSN, CCRN,
whose total stood at 31. Others were Peggy
Lynn Ennis, RN, with 26 new members; Michele
Quinlan, RN, BSN, with 25 new members;
Margaret Riley, RN, BSN, CCRN, with 23 new
members; and Carol Guyette, RN, BSN, CCRN,
Nancy D. King, RN, MSN, CCRN, NP, and
Annette M. Mtangi, RN, ADN, CCRN, with 21
new members each.
The top
individual recruiter will receive $500 or an
American Express gift certificate and is
also eligible for the first-, second- and
third-place prize drawings:
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.
3rd
Prize—Four-days, three-nights hotel
accommodations at a Marriott Hotel
In addition,
each recruiter receives a pocket reference.
Those who recruit five or more members
receive a $25 AACN gift certificate good
toward the purchase of AACN resources or,
for recruiting 10 or more new members, a $50
AACN gift certificate. Several members have
already received a $100 American Express
gift certificate in the monthly drawing
among members who recruited new members
during the month.
Drain said
her motivation has nothing to do with the
rewards that recruiters are eligible to
receive. Instead, she said she was simply
convinced that more nurses need to be
involved professionally.
As the nurse
manager for critical care, emergency room
and acute care services at Wellstar Paulding
Hospital in Dallas, Ga., Drain attributes
her success to a one-on-one approach with
her staff.
“My personal
goal is to get everyone involved,” she said.
“We shouldn’t keep everything inside our
institution and not share the good things
that are going on with others. We can also
learn about what others are doing.”
She said she
doesn’t plan to discontinue her recruitment
efforts just because the campaign is over.
Drain is
also president of the newly formed Northwest
Georgia Chapter of AACN, which has added 19
new members since the Critical Links
campaign began in May 2001. In the chapter
campaign, the neighboring Atlanta Area
Chapter had taken a substantial lead, with
59 new members reported at the end of
January. Coincidentally, the Atlanta chapter
is the host chapter for the 2002 National
Teaching Institute and Critical Care
Exposition.
In addition
to a $250 gift certificate toward the
purchase of AACN resources, chapters
reporting the largest increase in membership
numbers or the largest percentage increase
will receive special recognition at NTI 2002
in Atlanta, Ga. Each month, chapters that
recruit new members are also entered into a
drawing for one complimentary registration
for NTI 2002.
Below are
the cumulative totals for members recruiting
new members during January, as well as those
who have accumulated five or more new
members and cumulative totals for chapters
since the campaign began.
Who Has
Recruited New Members?
Recruiter # Recruited
Ismael J. Abregonde, RN, BSN 7
Lillian Aguirre, RN, ADN, CCRN 4
Beckie Arnold, RN, BS, CCRN 1
Kathleen Arnold, RN, MS, CNA 3
Judith Ascenzi, RN, MSN 6
Perrilynn A. Baldelli, RN, MSN, CCRN
8
Christy Baginski, RN, BSN, CCRN 1
Karen Balyeat, RN, BSN, CCRN 1
Janet Barney, RN, BSN, CCRN 1
Shirley Baymiller, RN, MA 1
Mary
Bell, RN, BSN, CCRN 1
Michael Beshel, RN, BSN, CCRN, CEN
15
Catherine Blair, RN, MS, CCRN 1
Michael C. Blanchard, RN 6
Lisa
M. Boldrighini 5
Laura Bratcher, RN, MSN 2
Eileen Briening, RN, MS, CCRN, CCNS
1
Kathleen M. Burton, RN, BSN 5
Karen Cabezudo, RN, EdD, CCRN 1
Ann
Marie Carpenter, RN, BSN, CCRN 17
Maggie Carriker, RN, MN, CCRN, 2
CPNP,
CEN
Eileen Caulfield, RN, BS, BSN, CCRN
1
Michael Chalot, RN, ADN, CCRN 6
Sasipa Charnchaichujit, RN 8
Marcia Chorba, RN, CCRN 1
Stephanie Christian, RN, MS, CNA 1
Susan Cline, RN, BSN, CCRN 2
Katherine Colbert, RN, ADN, CCRN 5
Michelle Collins, RN, CNS, MSN, CCRN
1
K.
Gail Coordsen, RN, MS 1
Kathleen Corban, RN, BSN, CCRN 5
Cynthia G. Cox, RN, BSN 7
Sue
Ann Crisp, RN, BSN, BS 8
Eva
M. Crosby, RN 9
Karen Cullinane, RN, BSN, CCRN 1
Kimberly Curtin, RN, PhD, CCRN 1
Melissa L. Drain, RN, CCRN 29
Anne
C. Dunn, RN, BSN, CCRN 7
Julie Dutton, RN, ADN, AA, CCRN, CEN
1
Peggy Lynn Ennis, RN 26
Anthony Farmer, RN, ADN 4
Jamie Fitzpatrick, RN, BSN, CCRN 1
Myrna Fontillas-Boehm 6
Patricia Forsyth, RN, MSN, CCRN, 1
APRN,
CEN
Carla J. Freeman, RN, BSN, CCRN 11
Frances Gedell, RN, MA, CCRN 1
Lita
T. Gorman, RN, BSN, CCRN, CEN 6
Mary
Kathryn Graham, RN, BSN 5
Jackie Grigg, RN, ADN, CCRN 8 |
Recruiter # Recruited
Carol Guyette, RN, BSN, CCRN 21
Charlene A. Haley-Moyer,
RN,
MS, CCRN 5
Robert Hammond, RN, BSN,
CCRN,
CEN 1
Lucinda Harmon, RN, AA, CCRN 1
Kathy Hayes, RN, BSN 1
Lori
Hendrickx, RN, BSN, CNRN 1
Michelle L. Henrickson, RN, BSN 5
Susan Hollowell, RN, BSN, CCRN 1
Mary
Holtschneider, RN, BSN, MPA 6
Zondra Hull, RN 6
Jan
Jeffery, RN, BS, MSN, CCRN, CS 1
Patricia Jennings, RN, ADN, CCRN 5
Lauretta M. Joseph, RN, CCRN 13
Rosemarie Juergensen,
RN,
BSN, CCRN 1
Louisa K. Kamatuka,
RN,
MSN, CCRN, CS 5
Beryle E. Keegan, RN, BSN, CCRN 9
Lori
E. Kennedy, RN, BSN, CCRN 7
Nancy D. King, RN, MSN, CCRN, NP 21
Debra Kruk, RNC, BSN, AA 1
Veronica Lawrence, RN, ADN, BA 1
Virginia Ledbetter, RN, MSN 1
Darlene Legge, RN, BSN, CCRN 31
Geneva Llewellyn, RN, MSN, 3
CCRN,
CS
Louise Lowe, RN, BSN 1
Barbara Magrew, RN, CCRN 1
Michele L. Manning,
RN,
MSN, CCRN, CS 6
Polly Marinelli, RN, CCRN 8
Martie C. Mattson 7
Lenora Maze 1
James Mears, RN 6
Ruth
Melvin, RN, BSN, CEN 8
Michael Merrick, RN 1
Arlene Messina, RN, ADN 5
Katherine H. Miller, RN, ADN 10
Leanna Miller 1
Jacqueline Morgan, RN, CNS,
MSN,
CCRN 1
Annette M. Mtangi, RN, ADN, CCRN 21
Dorothy Muskovin, RN, BSN 1
Paulita D. Narag, RN, ADN, CCRN 8
Amanda L. Newman 5
Donna O’Neill, RN, ADN 2
Rochelle Pelachick, RN, BSN 1
Diane Pemberton, RN, ADN 1
Dorothy Rose Phelps, RN, BS, CCRN 9 |
Recruiter # Recruited
Michele Quinlan, RN, BSN 25
Elizabeth Randazzo, RN, ADN, CCRN 4
Jeff
Reece, RN, BSN 7
Carol Reitz-Barlow 5
Margaret Riley, RN, BSN, CCRN 23
Catherine Rodgers, RN, MSN 1
Barbara Schnakenberg, RN 5
Lynn
Schnautz, RN, MSN, CCRN 16
Lindsey Shank, RN, BSN, CCRN 9
Janis Smith-Love, RN, BSN 1
Cynthia Steinbach, RN, BSN, CCRN 5
Janice Stevens,
RN,
BSN, CCRN, CNRN 5
Theresa Stevens, RN 2
Eric
Stewart, RN 1
Mary
C. Stewart, RN, BSN, MBA 13
Marjorie A. Stock, RN, ADN, CCRN 5
Yvonne Thelwell, RN 19
Linda S. Thomas, RN, MSN, CCRN 6
Mary
Fran Tracy, RN, PhD, CCRN 2
Connie Trowbridge, RN 1
Julie Valasek, RN 2
Holly L. Weber-Johnson, RN, BSN 11
Barbara Wiles, RN, BSN, CCRN 5
Felecia Williams 1
Jana
Woller Hough, RN, BSN 9
Susan Wright, RN 1
Pam
Zinnecker, RN, CCRN 6
Chapters
Albemarkle Area Chapter 6
Anchorage Chapter 5
Atlanta Area Chapter 59
Brooklyn Chapter 24
Broward County Chapter 11
Carolina Dogwood Chapter 7
Central New York Chapter 1
Fairbanks North Star Chapter 3
First Coast Chapter 3
Chesapeake Bay Chapter 1
Greater Akron Area Chapter 2
Greater Birmingham Chapter 5
Greater Austin Area Chapter 12
Greater Chicago Area Chapter 1
Greater East Texas Chapter 13
Greater Evansville Chapter 28
Greater Flint Area Chapter 8
Greater Louisville Chapter 21
Greater Miami Area Chapter 21
Greater Mid Cities Chapter 1
Greater Milwaukee Area Chapter 22
Greater Phoenix Area Chapter 5 |
Greater Raleigh Area Chapter 5
Greater Tulsa Area Chapter 21
Head
of the Lakes Chapter 5
Heart of Acadiana Chapter 8
Heart of the Piedmont Chapter 35
Metropolitan Orlando Chapter 3
Minot Roughrider Chapter 11
Mobile Bay Area Chapter 6
Montana Big Sky Chapter 6
North Central Florida Chapter 33
North Central Wisconsin Chapter 5
North Valley Chapter 1
Northeast Indiana Chapter 7
Northwest Chicago Area Chapter 1
Northwest Georgia Chapter 19
Pacific Crest Regional Chapter 34
Palmetto Chapter 8
Pennisula Chapter 12
Piedmont Carolinas Chapter 2
Siouxland Chapter 5
Smoky Hill Chapter 5
South Carolina Mid State Chapter 10
Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter 15
Southern Maine Chapter 2
Spokane Chapter 5
Tennessee Valley Chapter 3
Triangle Chapter 1
Vermont Green Mountain 21
West
Michigan Chapter 3
White River Chapter 2
December Rewards
Congratulations to the reward
recipients in our monthly membership
campaign drawings for January. Each
month, one chapter receives a
complimentary registration to NTI
2002, and one individual receives a
$100 American Express gift
certificate. The recipients are
randomly selected from those who
recruited at least one new member
during the month.
The
recipients in January were:
•
Chapter—West Michigan Chapter
•
Individual—Dorothy Muskovin, RN |
To obtain
Critical Links recruitment forms, call (800)
899-2226. Request Item #1316. Or, visit the
AACN Web site
Cast
Your Vote in AACN Election
Candidates
for the FY03 AACN Board of Directors and
AACN Nominating Committee have been
announced. Ballots are being mailed to AACN
members this month, along with additional
information about the candidates. If you
have not received a ballot by March 8, call
Jan Buffington at (800) 394-5995, ext. 307.
Members can
return the paper ballot or vote online at
www.aacn.org/election. Click on the “Vote”
icon and follow the instructions. However,
to use the online voting process, you will
need your AACN membership number and your
election validation number, both of which
are printed on the paper ballot you receive.
Returned ballots must be received and online
voting completed by midnight on April 8.
Only regular AACN members are eligible to
vote. All terms begin July 1, 2002.
The
president-elect will serve a one-year term
before assuming the presidency July 1, 2003.
The three-year terms of the directors run
through June 30, 2005. The Nominating
Committee members serve one year, through
June 30, 2003.
Following
are the 2002-03 candidates for the AACN
Board of Directors and the AACN Nominating
Committee:
AACN
Board of Directors
President-Elect
1-Year
Term
Dorrie
Fontaine, RN, DNSc, FAAN
Washington,
D.C.
Director
3-Year
Term
(Vote for
4)
Nancy T.
Blake, RN, MN, CCRN, CNAA
Valencia,
Calif.
Suzanne M.
Burns, RN, MSN, CCRN, ACNP, FAAN
Ruckersville, Va.
Janie Heath,
RN, MSN, CCRN, ACNP, ANP
Alexandra,
Va.
Deborah B.
Laughon, RN, BSN, MS, CCRN
Lakeland,
Fla.
Sheila
Melander, RN, DSN, ACNP-CS, FCCM
Owensboro,
Ky.
Carol Ann
Puz, RN, BSN, CCRN
Pittsburgh,
Pa.
When the
newly elected members of the AACN Board of
Directors take office July 1, 2002, they
will join incoming President Connie Barden,
RN, MSN, CCNS, CCRN, and returning directors
Debbie Brinker, RN, MSN, CCNS, CCRN, Bertie
Chuong, RN, MS, CCRN, M. Dave Hanson, RN,
BSN, CCRN, EMT-P, Rebecca E. Long, RN, MS,
CNS, Kathleen McCauley, RN, PhD, CS, FAAN,
Mary Fran Tracy, RN, PhD, CCRN, and Susan
Yeager, RN, MS, CCRN.
Completing
their terms on the AACN Board of Directors
will be President Michael L. Williams, RN,
MSN, CCRN, Treasurer Jessica P. Palmer, RN,
MSN, and Secretary Lori Hedrickx, RN, EdD,
CCRN. Carol Puz, who was elected last year,
has served one year on the board.
AACN
Nominating Committee
1-Year
Term (Vote for 3)
Jodi Rogers,
RNC, MS, CCRN, CNS
Dayton, Ohio
Joyce Marie
Simones, RN, MS
St. Cloud,
Minn.
Celeste
Smith, RN, BSN, CCRN
Katy, Texas
Linda
Tamburri, RNC, MS, CCRN, CNS
Long Valley,
N.J.
Charlene
(Charlie) Winters, RN, DNSc, CS
Missoula,
Mont.
Extensive Evaluation Process Goes Into
Developing AACN Slates of Candidates
Members of the AACN
Nominating Committee for 2001-02 were (from
left, seated)
Mary Holtschneider, Patricia A. McGaffigan
and Lillian V. Ananian and (from left,
standing)
Dave Hanson, Denise Thornby, Beth Glassford,
Sandra Cunningham, Lori D. Hendrickx,
Debbie Brinker, Michael Day and MaryLou
Warren.
By Mary
Holtschneider, RN, BSN, MPA
2001-02
AACN Nominating Committee
In this
issue of AACN News, you will find the list
of candidates for positions on the AACN
Board of Directors and AACN Nominating
Committee for 2002-03. These candidates are
presented after extensive review and
evaluation by the 2001-02 AACN Nominating
Committee, chaired by immediate past
President Denise C. Thornby, RN, MS.
The AACN
Nominating Committee is comprised of elected
and appointed members, as well as
representatives of the AACN and AACN
Certification Corporation boards of
directors. It is charged with evaluating
nominees for national AACN leadership
positions and creating a ballot of
candidates that will best meet the needs of
the organization at this time. Positions to
be elected this year are four directors of
the AACN board and three members of the
Nominating Committee. In addition, two
candidates to fill open positions on the
AACN Certification Corporation Board of
Directors have been recommended to the AACN
Board of Directors. These appointments will
be announced in the June issue of AACN News.
Once the
ballot is presented, the responsibility lies
with you, the members of AACN, to vote for
the candidates you believe will best
represent you and critical care nursing in
these leadership positions. Why should you
vote, and what should you look for when
considering a candidate’s qualifications?
All the
candidates are highly qualified. The
Nominating Committee is confident that each
has the leadership skills and knowledge and
experience with the organization to be
effective in these positions. Before casting
your vote, closely review the essays that
the candidates wrote, their involvement with
AACN at the local and national levels, their
workplace experiences and their areas of
practice.
You may not
know these candidates personally. That’s why
they are asked to write the essay on a
current nursing issue that is important to
them. These essays can give you insight into
their individual beliefs and ideas. In
addition, their AACN-related knowledge and
experience will be evident as you read about
their volunteer activities.
We are all
aware of the many difficult issues that face
nursing today. As a leader in critical care
nursing, AACN’s position at the forefront of
these issues continues to strengthen. To
maintain this position, AACN must have
strong leaders with diverse backgrounds, who
are able to represent the issues of
importance to the members. This can be
accomplished if our members thoughtfully
consider the candidates and make informed
voting choices.
AACN is your
professional association. This is your
opportunity to have a voice and influence in
making it the best it can be! As we have
clearly seen in recent history, every vote
counts!
Members of
the AACN Nominating Committee for 2001-02
are Denise Thornby, RN, MS (chair), Sandra
Cunningham, RN, MS, CCNS, CCRN, CS, Michael
Day, RN, MSN, CCRN, and Mary Holtschneider,
RN, BSN, MPA. Debbie Brinker, RN, MSN, CCNS,
CCRN, Dave Hanson, RN, BSN, CCRN, EMT-P, and
Lori D. Hendrickx, RN, EdD, CCRN. Brinker,
Hanson and Hedrickx represent the AACN Board
of Directors.
Representing
the AACN Certification Corporation Board of
Directors are immediate past Chair Patricia
A. McGaffigan, RN, MS, current Director Beth
Glassford, RN, MSHA, and appointed members
Lillian V. Ananian, RN, MSN, and MaryLou
Warren, RN, MSN, CCRN.
Weapons of Mass Destruction: Session Focuses
on What Nurses Must Know to Respond
The best
defense in reducing casualties brought on by
weapons of mass destruction is the ability
of community leaders and healthcare
professionals to mount a prompt, focused and
effective response. As the largest group of
healthcare professionals in the country,
nurses play an important role in responding
to and managing these events and their
casualties.
Weapons of
mass destruction are biological and chemical
agents that pose a threat to health, safety,
food supply, property or the environment.
The terrorist attacks on the World Trade
Center and the Pentagon and subsequent
events demonstrate the lethality of these
weapons.
To help
critical care nurses prepare for their role
in such tragic events, AACN’s 2002 National
Teaching Institute and Critical Care
Exposition will offer a concurrent session
titled “Biological and Chemical Weapons of
Mass Destruction—Medical Issues and
Response.” This session will focus on what
nurses need to know before and during a WMD
event, how to respond within their local
communities, and how to care for
contaminated casualties.
NTI 2002 is
scheduled for May 4 through 9 in Atlanta,
Ga. The WMD sessions are scheduled for the
afternoon of Monday, May 6.
For more
information, contact AACN Program
Development Specialist Bonnie Baker, RN, at
(800) 809-2273, ext. 537; e-mail,
bonnie.baker@aacn.org.
Help
Spread the Word: AACN-CCRN Ambassadors to
Network Across the Country
An envoy of
critical care nurses will spread the word
about AACN and AACN Certification
Corporation under a newly launched program
that seeks to establish a strong, grassroots
network of liaisons in every institution and
nursing school in the country.
Called
AACN-CCRN ambassadors, this corps will be
made up of AACN members, CCRNs and CCNSs who
want to strengthen their connection to AACN
and certification at the national level and
to help connect their local communities with
the important work of the association. To
assist in this effort, AACN will develop an
array of resources for recruiting new
members and promoting the value of
certification.
AACN-CCRN
ambassadors will also serve as conduits for
receiving and relaying up-to-date
information to their coworkers, managers,
administrators and units. They will receive
regular communication regarding AACN
resources, services, positions and goals.
In addition,
these volunteers will be a valuable link in
furthering AACN’s mission and vision by
connecting with other critical care nurses
in their communities and promoting the value
of nursing in a range of settings, including
community and school health and career
fairs. They can also play a role in
coordinating visits to their areas by
representatives of AACN’s national
leadership team.
As the “eyes
and ears” of critical care nursing,
AACN-CCRN ambassadors can communicate to the
national leadership the common questions,
misperceptions or challenges they hear from
their colleagues.
If you are
interested in becoming an AACN-CCRN
ambassador, you can sign up online at
http://www.aacn.org
> Membership > Volunteer Opportunities.
Don’t
Miss Out on Silent Auction; Proceeds Benefit
Scholarship Fund
Plan to be a
part of the fun-filled Silent Auction to
raise money for the AACN Scholarship Fund.
The auction is scheduled during AACN’s
National Teaching Institute and Critical
Care Exposition, May 4 through 9, 2002, in
Atlanta, Ga.
In addition
to bidding on the unique array of auction
items, you may want to donate a product,
service or special item yourself. If you are
uncertain about what you could donate,
consider simply making a financial
contribution, and AACN will purchase a
distinctive auction gift on your behalf.
Because AACN
is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt charitable
organization, contributions to the Silent
Auction may be tax deductible to the extent
provided by law. All donations are
recognized in the auction catalog, which is
distributed to NTI participants.
For more
information, contact Darval Bonelli at (800)
394-5995, ext. 531; e-mail,
development@aacn.org.
The donation form can be obtained online at
http://www.aacn.org
> NTI > Silent Auction.
Apply
for an AACN Educational Advancement
Scholarship Award: Applications Due by April
1
April 1 is
the deadline to apply for BSN and Graduate
Completion Educational Advancement
Scholarships of $1,500 per academic year.
The funds
may be applied toward tuition, fees, books
and supplies, as long as the recipient is
continuously enrolled in a baccalaureate or
graduate program accredited by the state
board of nursing in the recipient’s state.
Applicants
for these scholarships must be RNs, be
members of AACN and have a cumulative GPA of
3.0 or better. They must be currently
working in critical care or have worked in
critical care for at least one year in the
last three years. At least 20% of the awards
are allocated to qualified ethnic minority
applicants.
Applicants
for the BSN Completion Scholarship must have
junior- or upper-division status for the
fall semester. Applicants for the Graduate
Completion Scholarship must be currently
enrolled in a planned course of graduate
study that leads to a master’s or doctoral
degree.
For more
information or to obtain an application for
an Educational Advancement Scholarship, call
(800) 899-2226 and request Item #1017, or
visit the AACN Web site at
http://www.aacn.org
> Membership > Awards, Grants, Scholarships.
March
14 Deadline to Submit Speaker Proposals for
NTI 2003
March 14,
2002, is the deadline to submit speaker
proposal abstracts for AACN’s National
Teaching Institute in 2003 in San Antonio,
Texas. In addition to clinical and other
educational topics, proposals that address
the skills critical care nurses need to
influence their practice and the care of
critically ill patients are encouraged. NTI
2003 is scheduled for May 17 through 22,
2003.
Speaker
proposal packets, including Learning
Connection forms, can be obtained by calling
AACN Fax on Demand at (800) 222-6329
(Request Document #6019) or by visiting the
AACN Web site.
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 the schedule of
upcoming exhibits:
April 3-7,
2002 National Student Nurses Convention,
Association 50th Anniversary
Philadelphia, Pa.
April 7-10,
2002 Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter
Trends
Conference
Philadelphia, Pa.
If you are
attending these conferences, stop by the
AACN exhibit to visit with your National
Office team.
The
Janus View
Editor’s
note: All that we do is rooted in our past,
and we have much to learn from the leaders
who have gone before us, paved the way and
laid the foundation. To strengthen this
connection, current members of the AACN
Board of Directors are interviewing some of
our past leaders for a series of articles
that will appear in AACN News. This month,
board member Carol Puz, RN, BSN, CCRN,
interviews Nancie Urban, RN, MSN, a past
member of the AACN Board of Directors.
Urban, who was a board member from 1989 to
1992, is director of care coordination for
United Healthcare of Wisconsin.
Puz: What
lessons did you learn from your experience
as a member of the AACN Board of Directors?
Urban: The
lessons I learned actually were rooted at
the local level in involvement and
leadership roles with my local AACN chapter.
I learned early that leading volunteers is a
unique challenge that demands respect for
people’s time and talents. At the national
level, I developed the skills and strength
to step back and look beyond a specific
issue or personal view and consider how each
decision contributes to the larger goal of
meeting the needs of critically ill patients
and serving the needs of critical care
nurses. I also learned that we all have
something to contribute, and that our
various experiences and skills enable us to
make a difference. As a first-year board
member, I had the opportunity to be a member
of the Strategic Planning Committee.
Surrounded by many of my AACN “heroes,”
including Suzanne White, Chris Breu, Linda
Serle, Joanne Disch, Sarah Sanford and Ann
Evans, I thought, “What can I possibly
contribute to this group?” I felt
tremendously unworthy in such incredible
company. However
, I found
that my relative naiveté with respect to the
politics of a large organization like AACN
allowed me to see some issues in a less
complicated way—a way that was more “real”
in some respects to the membership but still
in line with the mission of the
organization. With the encouragement of my
heroes, I realized that, to help achieve a
better outcome, I could and should challenge
the thinking of others and that my
perspective had value as well.
Puz: What do
you consider to be the most significant
accomplishments during your tenure on the
board?
Urban: As an
AACN liaison to the American Nurses
Association initiative to develop the
Standards of Clinical Practice, I was
privileged to serve on the task force that
authored these standards. This charge to
establish the standards that would serve as
the professional expectation for any nurse
in any specialty was a humbling experience.
I was proud that I could help shift the
thinking from standards as goals to which a
nurse should aspire to standards as minimum
expectations for which all nurses should be
accountable. Years later, I discovered that
this experience transcended professional
boundaries, when I used the ANA standards as
the framework for creating practice
standards for a group of cardiologists and
cardiac surgeons. I also had the opportunity
to vote wholeheartedly for approval of the
current AACN vision statement: a healthcare
system driven by the needs of patients and
families where critical care nurses can make
their optimal contribution. This simple and
succinct statement clearly articulates
a profound
belief of mine and captures the cornerstone
of our practice. I have used this vision
statement throughout my career and have
found many ways to make it come alive.
Puz: What
issue did you address in your statement as a
candidate for the AACN Board of Directors?
Urban: I
wrote about change, not just the speed of
change but the need to embrace instead of
resist it. I believe that you must get in
front and lead change instead of reacting to
it, whether in your personal or professional
lives. I find this to be as critically
important today as it was then.
Puz: How
were you able to balance your volunteer and
leadership activities with the rest of your
life?
Urban: The
name of the game is substituting one major
time commitment for another, prioritizing
and judiciously applying the word “no.” You
have to decide what is really important in
your life at the time and be clear about
what you are doing and why. I had to find
ways to help others help me. At work, I had
to be forthright about developing the people
around me and make certain they would be
able to handle things when I was gone. The
plus was that this helped me to focus on
ways to contribute toward the development of
others, which has always brought me great
joy. I also have an extremely supportive
family that has always taken pride in my
professional efforts and been eager to offer
me loving support.
Puz: In
these unsettled times in healthcare, do you
still think that belonging to a professional
organization such as AACN is important for
nurses?
Urban: There
is a certain sense of confidence that comes
with aligning yourself with a professional
organization that has its mission, vision
and values in order. Nurses today often feel
powerless and victimized by the system.
Professional organizations can give nursing
issues a powerful voice and help the
individual nurse find the courage to speak
up and even take a risk that results in a
positive change for her, for her patients or
for her organization. AACN has that voice
and the ability to help nurses grow in
skills and confidence to add their voice to
the chorus.
Puz: Have
you stayed connected with AACN since you
left the board?
Urban:
Although being as active as I was in the
past has been difficult the past five years,
I still try to contribute at both the local
and national levels. The last few years I
have focused a great deal of time on finding
ways to weave AACN’s vision into my various
jobs. I also try to stay tuned into
information from AACN.
Puz: One of
AACN’s major initiatives is to promote the
image of nursing and encourage nurses to be
the “voice” of critical care. How do you
think we are doing?
Urban: I
think that the images presented by AACN
around this initiative are characteristic of
the association’s talent for taking its
message to the membership in a multisensory
way. These graphics subtly add to and bring
texture to the messages. The theme related
to giving voice is critically important.
Nurses must be encouraged to tell their
stories, and AACN plays a pivotal role in
ensuring that they are heard. In light of
the worsening nursing shortage and the fact
that many nurses are aging and likely to
need access to good nursing care sooner than
they think, any effort to give voice to the
unique and noble work of nurses is extremely
important.
Puz: How
have you related what you learned from your
AACN experiences to other aspects of your
career?
Urban: I
have had many interesting and rewarding
opportunities since my term on the board of
directors, including the chance to design
care delivery systems in hospitals and with
a physician group that demonstrate the AACN
vision. Ironically, my current role as
director of care coordination for United
Healthcare of Wisconsin has been my most
successful opportunity to truly make the
AACN vision come alive. Our entire focus is
to drive the healthcare system to meet the
needs of the patient, using the entire
continuum of care to do so. This is why I
believe that it is important for AACN to
stretch beyond the traditional definition of
critical care. There are critically ill
patients at all points along the continuum
of care, and tremendous opportunity for
critical care nurses at each point as well.
There is a reason why home-care agencies,
clinics, skilled facilities and an HMO like
UnitedHealthcare are eager to hire nurses
with critical care experience. Critical care
nursing is provided just about everywhere—in
emergency
departments, traditional ICUs, step-down
areas, progressive care areas, long-term
acute care facilities, clinics, physicians’
offices and even patients’ own living rooms.
Who except AACN can reach out to critical
care nurses no matter where they work? AACN
has a unique perspective to embrace the
bigger mission, including the continuum of
care and to support nurses throughout the
continuum. The core skills of critical care
nursing must never be discounted or
dismissed, though expansion beyond the
traditional walls of the ICU is necessary.
AACN
Annual Meeting
You are
invited to join the American Association of
Critical-Care Nurses National Leadership
Team at the Annual Meeting and Forum
Tuesday, May
7, 2002
Noon - 1:15
p.m.
Georgia
World Congress Center
Atlanta, Ga.
In this
informative hour, you will learn about
AACN’s strategic plan for the future, which
includes important initiatives and efforts
to meet the needs of our members. AACN
committee chairs will also relate the
accomplishments of their volunteer groups.
As a valued
member, we hope you’ll take this opportunity
to ask questions, present ideas and share
comments directly with AACN President
Michael Williams, RN, MSN, CCRN, and CEO
Wanda Johanson, RN, MS.
You may also
submit questions and comments in writing and
place them in one of the special drop boxes
located throughout the Georgia World
Congress Center no later than 6 p.m. on
Monday, May 6.
By attending
the Annual Meeting, you will be entered into
a drawing to win these valuable prizes:
• Free
registration for NTI 2003 in San Antonio,
Texas
• Practice
Resources
• Free
Membership
• AACN
Recognition products
In the
Circle: Award Recognizes Outstanding
Community Service
Editor’s
note: The following excerpts are from
exemplars submitted in connection with the
Seabury & Smith Community Service Award, a
part of AACN’s Circle of Excellence
recognition program. Cosponsored by Marsh
Affinity Group Services, a service of
Seabury & Smith, this award recognizes
significant service by acute and critical
care nurses, as individuals or in groups,
who make a contribution to their community.
The recipients could choose between a
complimentary registration to NTI 2001 in
Anaheim, Calif., or up to $500 toward
speaker fees for an educational symposium.
Ruby
Jensen, RN, BSN, CNA
Texas
City, Texas
University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston
The “Heart
to Heart” Galveston Island Cardiac Support
Group, led by Ruby Jensen and sponsored by
the University of Texas Medical Branch, was
formed in 1996 to fill a need for
psychosocial and educational support of
patients with heart disease, their families
and friends. The group’s purpose is both to
promote heart-healthy lifestyles and to
share fellowship with other heart patients.
The group
membership has grown steadily over the last
five years. The monthly meetings, which are
free and easily accessible, include
heart-healthy snacks. Meetings are
structured around a speaker presentation
that is followed by open discussion and an
exchange of ideas. These presentations have
included programs on diet, stress reduction,
exercise and medication compliance, as well
as diverse subjects such as herbal essence
therapy, supplemental health insurance,
legal issues and the Patient
Self-determination Act. Each year before
Thanksgiving and Christmas, members are
treated to a cooking demonstration and
luncheon that stress the importance of
healthy eating during the holidays.
The success
of this group relies on the exchange of
ideas among members. The group supports
itself by offering practical ideas and
advice about the challenges of adhering to
the self-discipline needed to control heart
disease. This one-on-one support is the
strength of the program and keeps the
participants coming back.
Marcella
L. Rogan, RN, BSN
Indianapolis, Ind.
Clarion
Health Partners
Opportunities to provide health education to
members of the community are present in many
situations.
As a care
coordinator, I meet families who have
questions about the problems their loved
ones are experiencing. However, they don't
necessarily think about their own health.
Many people fail to seek medical care
because they are resigned to suffering from
an ailment that they believe “runs in the
family.” Economics or apathy may be the
reasons others do not seek care. Inquiry and
interview can often provide the opportunity
to provide information.
The same is
true in the church community. As a parish
nurse, I am able to provide health education
and information to my church family. It is
important to be aware of the top killers and
concerns in the community. For example,
African-Americans are more prone to heart
disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes. By
focusing on those diseases, educational
programs and screenings can be made
available to disseminate information about
preventative care. Many national
organizations have developed special
programs and are willing to provide
brochures and other information to support
these efforts. Helping individuals have a
clear understanding of the importance of
preventing illness and seeking early
treatment is an essential step toward
becoming better stewards of our bodies,
God’s masterpiece.
Parish
nursing allows me to share God’s blessing of
knowledge and ability with the community.
Siouxland
Chapter
Sioux
Falls, S.D.
The
Siouxland Chapter of AACN has been generous
in volunteering service to Berakhah House, a
residence for people living with AIDS.
Following are some examples of these
services:
• Providing
prepared meals for the residents
• Delivering
and preparing food for the residents’
evening meal. Some of the nurses joined the
residents for dinner when time permitted.
• Donating
food, including nonperishable products,
cookies, cakes, bars, pies and snacks
• Devoting
time to sit with residents who are very ill
or dying. The nurses’ expertise provide
comfort to the resident and family, as well
as respite to the caregiver.
• Providing
back-up call for questions or consultation
when the main care provider needed to be
away from the residence
• Helping
with daily household duties
• Inviting
staff from Berakhah to speak at chapter
meetings
• Providing
monetary support
Scene
and Heard
AACN President Michael L.
Williams, (right) participated in a news
conference to discuss workplace shortages.
Joining Williams at the
event, during the Society of Critical Care
Medicine’s annual meeting
were (from left) Sydney Bramen, president of
the American College
of Chest Physicians; Peter Angood, an SCCM
representative; outgoing
SCCM President Ann Thompson; and Sharon
Rounds, secretary-treasurer
of the American Thoracic Society.
AACN
continues to seek visibility for our
profession and the organization. Following
is an update on recent outreach efforts:
Media
Highlights
• The
January 2002 issue of RN Magazine included
information about AACN’s NTI scholarships,
the call for volunteers to serve on
national-level committees and available
research grants, as well as excerpts from
the AACN News monthly “President’s Note”
column by President Michael L. Williams, RN,
MSN, CCRN. The December 2001 issue featured
information on disaster preparedness
sessions being offered at AACN’s National
Teaching Institute and Critical Care
Exposition, May 4 through 9, 2002, in
Atlanta, Ga.
• Randy
Bauler, AACN’s director of exhibits and
sponsorships, was recognized at
International Association for Exhibition
Management annual meeting in Chicago in
December 2001 and in the December
association publication for achieving his
certification in exhibition management from
the IAEM.
Our Voice
at the Table
• AACN
President Williams was joined by
President-elect Connie Barden, RN, MSN, CCNS,
CCRN, immediate Past President Denise
Thornby, RN, MS, and CEO Wanda Johanson, RN,
MN, in attending the Society of Critical
Care Medicine’s 31st Critical Care Congress
in San Diego in January 2002. In addition to
attending educational and nursing council
meetings, they participated in on-site
meetings with leaders of SCCM, the American
College of Chest Physicians and the American
Thoracic Society. The four associations have
joined forces to increase awareness of and
work toward solutions to the growing
shortage of critical care professionals and
have coauthored The Critical Care Workforce
Partnership Position Statement: the Aging of
the US Population and Increased Need for
Critical Care Services. At the meeting,
Williams, spoke at a session on the nursing
shortage and was a panel member for a news
conference on the issue.
• Nancy L.
Munro, RN, MN, CCRN, ACNP, a past member of
the AACN Board of Directors, represented the
association at a Department of Labor event
in Washington, D.C., that was geared toward
attracting displaced workers to the nursing
profession.
• Several
AACN board and staff members attended
Johnson & Johnson’s reception in February
2002 to honor nurses. The reception kicked
off Johnson & Johnson’s “Campaign for
Nursing’s Future,” which includes a
nationwide advertising campaign honoring
America’s nursing professionals; a Web site
dedicated to nursing recruitment and
providing unique scholarship information; a
national scholarship fund for nursing
students and faculty; and plans to help
address retention.
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 so that we
can highlight your efforts in future
columns. Send your information to
aacnnews@aacn.org.
Public
Policy Update
Issue:
Funding for Nursing Programs
Background:
Nursing programs were spared in the Bush
administration’s proposed FY02 budget for
the Department of Health and Human Services.
Proposed are a $5 million increase in the
Nursing Education Act to address the nursing
shortage and a 13% increase for the National
Institutes of Health, including $13 million
in additional funding for the National
Institute of Nursing Research. However,
budget cuts are recommended for the Health
Resources and Services Administration that
would eliminate $213 million or 60% of
HRSA’s current funding for other health
professions.
HHS
Secretary Tommy G. Thompson noted that the
Bush plan includes $191.5 million, $44
million more than last year to strengthen
the National Health Service Corps, which
supports doctors and clinicians who serve in
rural and inner-city areas that lack
adequate access to care. The increased
funding would cover scholarships or loan
assistance to approximately 1,800
physicians, dentists and other clinicians to
practice in underserved areas.
The
president’s budget also includes $15
million, 50% more, to expand the Nursing
Education Loan Repayment program and help
address the nation’s growing need for
nursing professionals. The increase would
support 800 new nursing education loan
agreements. The program repays the education
loans of nurses who agree to work for two
years in designated public or nonprofit
health facilities that face a critical
shortage of nurses.
“The nursing
shortage in our country is severe and as the
demand for healthcare grows, it's absolutely
critical that we encourage more of our
nation’s top students to choose careers in
nursing,” Thompson said. “These funds will
help ease the emerging shortage of qualified
nurses available to provide essential
healthcare services in many underserved
communities nationwide.”
Issue:
Congressional Agenda
Background:
Medicare reform and a new prescription drug
benefit; the “patients’ bill of rights’’ and
helping the uninsured remain at the top of
the agenda for the second session of the
107th Congress, according to top staffers
who addressed the National Health Policy
Conference in Washington, D.C., in January.
In addition, business that was put aside in
the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks
will be addressed. Congress must also renew
the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, which
expires this year. And, although both the
House and Senate passed sweeping
bioterrorism bills at the end of the last
session, a conference committee must
reconcile those measures.
The Senate
will debate a cloning ban bill, while the
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Committee works on legislation to
reauthorize and expand the nation’s
community health centers and to address the
continuing problem of medical errors, said
Dean Rosen, top health aide to Sen. Bill
Frist (R-Tenn.).
Medicare and
the uninsured will be the focus of the
congressional “money” committees, according
to Democratic and Republican aides to the
House Ways and Means and Senate Finance
committees. However, both parties continued
to disagree about how to address the issues.
Liz Fowler,
health staffer for Senate Finance Committee
Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), said she
expects the Senate to re-start negotiations
over the economic stimulus bill that
floundered last year when Republicans and
Democrats failed to agree on how to help
those who have lost their jobs keep their
health coverage.
The aides
agreed that 2002 will be particularly
challenging in light of the fact that the
federal budget surplus has evaporated.
Budget politics are likely to drive any
action taken on the issues of the uninsured
and Medicare prescription drug coverage.
Rosen added that he is optimistic lawmakers
will find common ground.
Issue:
Nursing Awareness
Status:
Americans are acutely aware of the national
nursing shortage and believe it’s a serious
problem, according to a national poll
released by Vanderbilt University Medical
Center’s School of Nursing and Center for
Health Services Research. The poll found
that more than eight in 10 Americans are
aware of the nursing shortage, nearly
two-thirds recognize it as a major problem
or crisis, and 93% believe it jeopardizes
quality of care.
The poll
also found that 97% of Americans view nurses
and the nursing profession favorably, and
83% would encourage a loved one to pursue a
career in nursing. However, the study found
a general lack of knowledge of the nursing
profession and the opportunities it
presents.
The
telephone poll of 1,005 American adults was
commissioned by Johnson & Johnson, which
recently launched a $20 million national
advertising and recruitment campaign aimed
at attracting more people into nursing.
The
initiative will include recruitment
brochures, posters and videos for 20,000
high schools and 1,500 nursing schools and
nursing organizations; scholarship funds for
students and nursing faculty; and a
multicity scholarship fund-raising campaign.
Also included are a Web site (www.discovernursing.com)
about the benefits of nursing careers and
featuring searchable links to hundreds of
nursing scholarships and more than 1,000
accredited nursing programs, and a national
advertising campaign to celebrate nurses and
their contributions. Future plans include
addressing ways to retain nurses in
hospitals.
Issue:
Workforce Shortage
Background:
A recently released report, titled “Acute
Care Hospital Survey of RN Vacancies and
Turnover Rates in 2000,” by the American
Organization of Nurse Executives finds that
vacancy rates for registered nurses range
from 14.6% in critical care to 6.5% for
nurse managers. Nurse executives at nearly
700 hospitals participated in the survey.
Respondents said the RN shortage is
contributing to emergency department
overcrowding (51%), diversions for more than
four hours a week (26%), higher costs to
deliver care (69%), bed closures (25%),
increased waiting time for surgeries (11%),
and reduced or eliminated services (6%).
They cited increased and competitive
salaries, educational opportunities,
improvements in staff satisfaction and
input, bonuses, and flexible scheduling as
the most effective recruitment and retention
methods.
Another
report, “The Healthcare Workforce Shortage
and Its Implications for America’s
Hospitals,” indicates that the country’s
healthcare workforce shortage is becoming
worse, which is increasing staffing costs
and affecting access to care. The study,
conducted for AHA, Association of American
Medical Colleges, Federation of American
Hospitals, and National Association of
Public Hospitals and Health Systems, found
double-digit vacancy rates for registered
nurses, imaging technicians, pharmacists,
licensed practical nurses and nursing
assistants. More than one in seven hospitals
reported an RN vacancy rate of more than
20%, and six of 10 hospitals said nurse
recruitment had become more difficult in the
past two years. More than half the hospitals
surveyed said the cost of recruiting and
retaining RNs is increasing, with 56% using
agency or traveling nurses to fill vacancies
and 41% paying sign-on bonuses.
Issue:
Patient Safety
Status: The
Agency for Health Research Quality is
sponsoring research at healthcare facilities
and organizations in geographically diverse
locations to help develop innovative
approaches for improving patient safety.
Under the $50 million patient safety
research initiative announced by HHS
Secretary Thompson in October, several
projects will study different aspects of how
to improve teamwork among health
professionals to reduce harm to patients.
For example, a $1.4 million project to
create a Center of Excellence in Patient
Safety Research at the University of Texas
Medical School in Houston will apply lessons
from crew resource management in aviation to
create stronger teamwork in healthcare.
Another $168,000 project at the University
of Chicago will examine how to improve
communication and other aspects of teamwork.
Issue:
End-of-Life Care
Background:
A number of states are addressing
end-of-life care issues through legislation.
In Michigan, Gov. John Engler approved a
package of 12 end-of-life care-related bills
passed by the state legislature late last
year. In Kentucky, the House of
Representatives approved a concurrent
resolution (HCR 26) to establish a 24-member
task force to study barriers to quality,
end-of-life care and strategies to improve
access to quality care throughout the state.
In New Jersey, State Assemblyman Wilfredo
Carabello (D-29) introduced two measures to
improve hospice and palliative care (A.R.17)
and (A.B.351). In Colorado, State
Representative Mark Larson (R-59) introduced
a joint resolution (H.J.R.1002) that would
establish an interim legislative committee
to study the quality and availability of
palliative care. In Mississippi, State
Representative Bobby Moak (D-53) introduced
a bill titled the “Pain Relief Act” (HB
553), which has been referred to the House
Committee on Public Health and Welfare. In
Minnesota, th
e Commission
on End of Life Care released a report with
guidelines for improving care and
recommendations for public policy, education
and access to care.
Coming
Up in the April Issue of Critical Care Nurse
• The
Experience of Clinical Research in One
Medical ICU
• Using
Ambulatory Electrocardiography After Cardiac
Surgery
• Drug-Herb
Interactions (CE article)
• Monitoring
Arterial Blood Pressure
• Using
Carvedilol in Heart Failure
Subscriptions to Critical Care Nurse and the
American Journal of Critical Care are
included in AACN membership dues.
Looking Ahead
March
2002
March 11
Deadline to apply to take the
paper-and-pencil version of the CCRN or CCNS
certification exam on May 6, 2002, in
Atlanta, Ga. For more information or to
obtain application
materials,
call (800) 899-2226.
March 14
Deadline to submit speaker proposal
abstracts for NTI 2003 in San Antonio,
Texas. To obtain a speaker proposal packet,
call AACN Fax on Demand at (800) 222-6329
(Request
Document
#6019), or visit the AACN Web site
March 26
Early bird deadline to receive discount on
NTI registration. To register, call (800)
899-2226 or visit the AACN Web site.
April
2002
April 1 The
Critical Links Member-Get-A-Member campaign
ends. To obtain recruitment campaign forms,
call (800) 899-2226. Request Item #1316. Or,
visit the AACN Web site.
April 1
Deadline to apply for BSN and Graduate
Completion Educational Advancement
Scholarships. To obtain an application, call
(800) 899-2226 and request Item #1017, or
visit the
AACN Web
site.
April 8
Deadline to vote for AACN Board of Directors
and AACN Nominating Committee candidates for
2002-03. Return the paper ballot you
received in the mail or cast your ballot
online at
http://www.aacn.org.
May 2002
May 1-31
National Critical Care Awareness and
Recognition Month. To obtain a catalog, call
(800) 899-2226. Request Item #0001. For more
information or to order, visit
www.imprintmall.com/criticalcare
online or call (800) 822-1923.
May 1
Deadline to apply for AACN-sponsored
American Nurses Foundation Research Grant.
To obtain an application, contact the
American Nurses Foundation/NRG00, 600
Maryland
Avenue, SW,
Suite 100W, Washington, DC 20024-2571;
phone, (202) 651-7298; e-mail,
anf@ana.org;
Web site,
http://www.nursingworld.org/anf.
May 4-9
National Teaching Institute and Critical
Care Exposition, Atlanta, Ga. To register,
call (800) 899-2226 or visit the AACN Web
site.
May 7 AACN
Annual Meeting and Forum, Tuesday, noon to
1:15 p.m., Georgia World Congress Center,
Atlanta, Ga.
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