New Member Numbers Rising
New member
numbers continued to build as individuals
and chapters stepped up recruitment
activities during July. In fact, 181 new
members were recruited during the month—134
by 74 individuals and 47 by 38 chapters—for
a total of 621 new members since the
campaign began May 1. The campaign ends
April 30.
In addition
to helping AACN strengthen its collective
voice and sharing the myriad benefits of
membership with their colleagues, member and
chapter recruiters are eligible for valuable
rewards. In the end, the individual
recruiting the most new members during the
campaign receives a $500 American Express
gift certificate, and the chapters reporting
the largest increase in membership numbers
or the largest percentage increase receive a
$250 gift certificate toward the purchase of
AACN resources. But that’s not all:
Individual Rewards
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.
All the
recruiters need to do is make certain that
their name and AACN member number are
included on the new members’ application
forms.
In addition
to the $500 American Express gift
certificate, the top individual recruiter is
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-day, three-night hotel accommodations
at a Marriott Hotel.
Chapter
Rewards
In addition
to the $250 gift certificate, chapters
reporting the largest increase in membership
numbers or the largest percentage increase
will receive special recognition at NTI 2003
in San Antonio, Texas. Each month, chapters
that recruit new members will also be
entered into a drawing for a complimentary
registration for NTI 2003.
The
Leaders
Beverly C.
Maloney, RN, AA, MSN, CNS, of Bay Village,
Ohio, continued to lead the rally among the
individual recruiters, with 15 new members
recruited. Close behind were Cynthia A.
Phelps, RN, BSN, CCRN, of Salt Lake City,
Utah, with 13 new members; Diane M.
Casperson, RN, BSN, CCRN, of Beresford, S.D,
with 12; Lauretta M. Joseph, RN, MSN, CCRN,
NP, of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Yvonne Thelwell,
RN, of Miami, Fla., both with 11; and
Kathleen M. Richuso, RN, MSN, of Chapel
Hill, N.C., with 10.
Among the
chapters, the Greater Miami Chapter
skyrocketed into the lead, with a total of
25 new members recruited. The Lake Erie
Chapter was at 18 new members, and the
Brooklyn Chapter was at 11.
The
individuals participating in the campaign
during June, as well as those who have
recruited five or more total, are listed
below. Cumulative totals for chapters are
also listed.
Who
Recruited New Members During July?
Mary
Alford, RN, BSN, CCRN 2
Joan
Baker, RN, MSN, CCRN, CNRN 5
Marion Beaufait, RN, BSN, CCRN 1
Stacy Bennett, RN, ADN, AA 1
Michael Beshel, RN, BSN, CCRN, CEN 8
Philicia Bianco, RN 1
Nancy Blake, RN, MN, CCRN, CNAA 2
Michael Blanchard, RN 1
Amy
Brower, RN, ADN 2
Denise Buonocore, RN, MSN, CCRN, 6
CS
BSN, APRN
Michele Caballer, RN, BSN 1
Luz
Carilimdiliman, RN 1
Patricia Casey, RN, MSN, MS 5
Diane Casperson, RN, BSN, CCRN 12
Lydia Chamberlain, RN, BSN 1
Susan Cline, RN, BSN 1
Michelle Collins, RN, BSN 3
Elizabeth Conboy, RN, BSN 1
Damon Cottrell, RN, MS, CCRN, CCNS,
1
CS,
CEN
Therisa Davis, RN 4
Anne
Dunn, RN, BSN, CCRN 1
Anthony Farmer, RN, MSN 1
Mary
Beth Flynn, RN, CNS, MS, CCRN 1
Virginia Forshee, RN 1
Lynda Francis 1
Carla Freeman, RN, BSN, CCRN 1
Becki L. Fuzi, RN, MSN 1
Julianne Gerstbrein, RN, MSN, BA,
CCRN 1
Sylvia Gomez, RNC, BSN, CCRN 1
Chris Hilbish, RN, BSN, CCRN 2
Carol Hinkle, RN, MSN, BA, CCRN 1
Simone Hughes, RN, MSN 3
Erin
Hutchison, RN 7 |
Rosa
Jaranilla, RN, BSN, BS 1
Jacqueline Johnson, RN, MA 5
Lauretta Joseph, RN, MSN, CCRN, NP
11
Patricia Juarez, RN, MS, CCRN, CCNS
1
Frances Kenney, RN, BSN 1
Nancy King, RN, MSN, CCRN, ANP, NP 8
Diana Kizer, RN, MA 4
Anne
Klahre, RN 9
Paul
Ladwig, BSN, EMT-P 1
Julie Lau, RN, BSN, CCRN 1
Victoria Lindgren, RN, MSN, CCRN 1
Louise Lowe, RN, ADN, AA 1
Rosita Maley, RN, MN, CCRN 2
Karen Malik, RN 1
Beverly Maloney, RN, CNS, MSN, AA 15
Catherine Maloney, RN, CCRN 1
Angela Martin, RN, MS 1
Julie McCorkle, RN, BSN, MS BSN 2
Pauline McNeece, RN, MSN, CCRN 7
Ruth
Melvin, RN, BSN, CCRN 1
Inocencia Mendoza, RN, BSN 4
Shirley Mercier 1
Carla Morning, RN 1
Dorothea Murphy, RN, CCRN, CNRN 6
Jennifer Nagtalon, RN, BSN 1
Paulita Narag, RN, ADN, CCRN 7
Kathleen Peavy, RN, MS, CCRN 1
Leonard Pettyjohn, RN 1
Cynthia Phelps, RN, BSN, CCRN 13
Hurd
Pittman, RN, MSN, CCRN 1
Kevin Reed, RN, MSN, CNA 4
Kathleen Richuso, RN, MSN 10 |
Kathryn Roberts, RN, MSN, CCRN 1
Barbara Rogers, RN, BSN 1
Donna Sabash, RN, BSN, CCRN 6
Dennis Samson, RN, BSN 1
Lindsey Shank, RN, BSN, CCRN 6
Beverly Shelton, RN 2
Margaret Silberger, RN, MSN, CEN 1
Debra Sipes-Fears, RN, ADN 1
Ruth
Smelter, RN, BSN, CCRN 1
Marcia Strow, RN, MS, AA, CCRN 1
Maria Suarez, RN 1
Mildred Swan, RN, CCRN 1
Yvonne Thelwell, RN 11
Karen Thomason, RN, MSN, CCRN 1
Annella Trent, RN, ADN 1
Karen Vrabel, RN 1
Irma
Williams, RN, CCRN 1
Pam
Zinnecker, RN, CCRN 7 |
Rewards
for July
Congratulations to Amy Brower, RN, ADN, the
recipient of our reward drawing for July.
Each month, one individual will receive a
$100 American Express gift certificate. The
recipients are randomly selected.
Chapters
Atlanta Area Chapter 9
Brooklyn Chapter 11
Broward County Chapter 6
Central Pennsylvania Chapter 6
Chesapeake Bay Chapter 1
Dallas County Chapter 1
Emerald Coast Chapter 1
Greater Birmingham Chapter 1
Greater East Texas Chapter 1
Greater Miami Area Chapter 25
Greater Washington Area Chapter 7
Indiana Hoosier South Central
Chapter 1
Lake
Erie Chapter 18
Los
Angeles Chapter 1 |
Mobile Bay Area Chapter 1
Montana Big Sky Chapter 7
Northwest Georgia Chapter 5
Peninsula Chapter 6
Piedmont Carolinas Chapter 1
Rochester Chapter 5
South Central Connecticut Chapter 1
Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter 9
Three Rivers Chapter 1
Triangle Chapter 9
West
Michigan Chapter 1
West
Texas Chapter 1
White River Chapter 1 |
Reward
Winners for July
Congratulations to the White River Chapter,
the winner of the monthly reward drawing for
July. Each month, one chapter will receive
one complimentary registration for NTI 2003.
The recipients are randomly selected from
among chapters that recruit at least one new
member during the month.
ECCO
Provides Solid Orientation for Novice Nurses
in Critical Care
An
Internet-based educational program designed
to provide a strong foundation in the
fundamentals of critical care nursing to
novice nurses who want to care for
critically ill patients was unveiled last
month by AACN.
Called
Essentials of Critical Care Orientation, the
program consists of modules that present a
detailed review of each body system’s
anatomy and physiology, along with the
normal state for that system and a
discussion of the most common disorders that
would cause a patient to become critically
ill.
Built around
sound educational principles, the program
provides a variety of opportunities to
enrich the experience of learning the
concepts presented. The program’s management
tools enable the nurse manager or educator
to track a student’s progress through each
module and to review a variety of module
test-score reports.
The program,
which has completed a successful beta test
cycle, is now available for institutional
purchase.
Helping to
make this new educational resource possible
were content reviewers, exam item writers
and institutional beta test sites that
partnered with AACN to ensure the highest
level of quality for this program. We would
like to thank the following individuals and
institutions for their contributions during
the various stages of program development:
Beta Test
Sites
Banner
Health System
Baystate
Medical Center
CareAlliance
Health Services
DuBois
Regional Medical Center
Lancaster
Regional Medical Center
Medflight of
Ohio
Naval
Medical Hospital San Diego
Phoebe
Putney Memorial Hospital
Content
Reviewers
Lee
Albanese, RN, MSN, CNN, CNS, FNP
Andee Alsip,
RN, MSN, AA, CNRN
Jacqueline
Banasik, RN, MSN, PhD
Deborah
Barnes, RN, MSN, CCRN
Beverly
Carlson, RN, CNS, MS, CCRN
Roberta
Emerson, RN, MN, PhD, CCRN
Margo Lundh,
RN, MSN, MBA, NP
Kathleen
Stacy, RN, CNS, MSN, CCRN
Exam Item
Writers
Dawn
Blake-Holmes, RN, MSN, CCRN, CNS
Kim Brown,
RN, MSN, CS-FNP, CEN
Donna
Caretti, RN, MSN
Diane DePew,
RN, DSN
Deborah
Drummonds, RN, MS, CCRN, CEN
Anna Easter,
RN, PhD, CS
E. Coleen
Fritsche, RN, MS, CCRN, ACNP
Ruth
Kleinpel-Nowell, RN, PhD, CCRN, CS
Sharon Kumm,
RN, MN, MS, CCRN
Margo Lundh,
RN, MSN, MBA, NP
Karen March,
RN, MSN, CCRN, CS
Beth Martin,
RN, MSN, CCNS, CS, CNRN
Barbara
Ogden, RN, MSN, CCRN
Theresa
Posani, RN, CNS, MS, CCRN, CCNS
Elliot
Stetson, RN, BS, MSN, CCRN
Therese
Verklan, RNC, PhD, CCNS
Lovetta
Wargo, RRT
For more
information about this program, visit the
AACN Web site at
http://www.aacn.org
and click on the Essentials of Critical Care
Orientation icon, call (800) 394-5995, ext.
8870 or e-mail ecco@aacn.org.
Added
Convenience—Conduct Your AACN Business
Online
Conducting
business with AACN is about to get easier.
The convenience of online “e-business” will
be available this month at
http://www.aacn.org.
In addition
to ordering products, registering for
conferences, and ordering and renewing
subscriptions online, members and customers
can update their personal demographic
information and check on the status of their
orders.
Here’s what
you need:
• An ID
number—AACN will assign each user an ID
number that, along with a password, allows
access to the system. For members, the ID
number is the same as their membership
number. Nonmembers who have purchased
products or registered for conferences have
also been assigned a number, which appears
on materials they have received. New
nonmember users will be assigned an
identification number the first time they
order or register.
• A
password—This is up to the first 15
characters of the user’s last name.
For
assistance with problems logging on, call
(800) 899-2226 or
e-mail info@aacn.org
Practice Resources Available for Your PDA
Visit AACN’s
new PDA Center online at
http://www.aacn.org
to find out about the latest in AACN
resources and educational tutorials for
personal digital assistant devices.
Tutorials
AACN has
developed three tutorials to help you
understand the usefulness and convenience of
the PDA in your nursing practice. Each
tutorial contains actual screen images from
PDA software applications and depicts
detailed information on numerous clinical
nursing software programs that will
complement and enhance your efficiency in
caring for patients at the bedside.
• “Choosing
a PDA for Nursing Practice” presents
information on selecting the PDA that is
right for you.
• “PDA
Software for Clinical Nursing Practice”
explores the abundance of nursing software
programs specific to critical care and
advanced nursing practice.
•
“Griffith’s 5-Minute Clinical Consult and
Davis’ Drug Guide for Nurses” takes you
through a clinical scenario and demonstrates
the comprehensive content contained in these
PDA applications.
Practice
for the CCRN Exam
And, you can
now purchase the Practice CCRN Adult,
Neonatal and Pediatric Exam Questions for
PDA. Designed for devices using Palm OS
operating systems, these programs allow you
to tailor your learning in a variety of
ways. You may customize your test by
selecting a specific category, such as
cardiovascular, renal, pulmonary and
Synergy, or take the entire practice exam in
sequential or random order. Your results are
not only depicted as both a percentage and
number of correct answers, but also sorted
by clinical category to provide immediate
feedback on your performance and areas for
further study.
Each
practice exam PDA software program is $22
and is immediately downloadable from the
AACN PDA Center.
Get
Updated Legislative News
Check out
the new State Net database and CapWiz
Legislative Action Center, available on the
AACN Web site at
http://www.aacn.org.
To access this new public policy resource,
click on the AACN Public Policy icon >
Legislative Information > State Net or
Legislative Action Center.
State Net
allows AACN members to download or view the
status and a brief summary of pertinent
nursing legislation. The CapWiz Legislative
Action Center, powered by Capitol Advantage,
allows members to connect with elected
officials, agencies and organizations. Users
may e-mail members of Congress, the
president and other government officials;
find their legislators by a ZIP code or name
search; and find out how their legislators
voted on identified issues.
In
Commemoration of Sept. 11: AACN Pays Tribute
to Nurses Who Care Every Day in Every Way
Keenly aware
of the unique contribution that nurses make
every day, and especially in extreme
circumstances, AACN has sought ways to honor
the noble work that our members do. At the
Opening Session of the National Teaching
Institute and Critical Care Exposition in
May, AACN paid tribute to those whose lives
were forever affected by the events of Sept.
11. The poem that appears below was written
by AACN Marketing Specialist Kris Pleimann
and presented to a full house of more than
8,000 NTI participants.
To extend
this tribute beyond NTI, AACN purchased
advertising space for this month in leading
nursing journals to commemorate the
anniversary of Sept. 11. The ad will reach
an estimated audience of half a million
nurses. This heartfelt message was created
to honor the strength and depth of caring
that our members demonstrated then as
always.
What Do
You Do?
What do you
do?
When you
wake up on a
September
morning,
and your
world is rocked,
peace and
hope
are
threatened.
What do you
do?
You
grieve,
give of your
time,
nurse,
share your
life blood,
care,
honor your
fellow nurses.
You live.
When tragedy
strikes,
what
survives?
Hope
Compassion
Community
Nurses
You
The American
Association of
Critical-Care Nurses is proud to
honor you,
the nurses.
For all that
you give, and for being one constant in
a world of
change.
Together we
honor
those whose
lives were lost,
those whose
lives were changed
forever, and
those who continue
to defend
our freedom.
Never
forget.
—Kris
Pleimann
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”
Following
are just a few of the responses contributed
to date:
Q. If you
had the opportunity to communicate to the
world why critical care nurses are
essential, what would you say?
There are
moments in life when everything you love and
value is threatened, and your life is
totally out of control. You are at a
crossroad between what was and what will
possibly never be again. The death of
dreams. Those moments can happen at the
bedside. Everyone needs a savior personified
to bring you back from the abyss or to help
you transition to the other side. This is a
nurse.
Belinda
Heisler, RN, BSN, AA, CCRN
Jupiter,
Fla.
With the
current technology advancing at such an
astounding rate, the ability to render
healthcare in the more acute phases of an
accident or illness is impacted
significantly. The broad base of knowledge
and the experience that comes with the
critical care nurse is essential in the
administration of such technology. Without
these specially trained nurses, advanced
practice skills and technologies would have
little impact on the future of patients’
outcome. I am proud to be one of those
nurses.
Lea
Lineberry, RN, CCRN, CNRN
Roanoke, Va.
Critical
care nurses are essential because they are
uniquely positioned to apply the art and
science of nursing to patients and families
dealing with crisis. What an honor it is to
have this life work.
Linder
Bucher, RN, DNSc
Marlton,
N.J.
To
participate in the Voice Project, visit the
AACN Web site at
http://www.aacn.org
> Voice Project. A variety of questions will
be posed throughout the coming year, and the
responses of members will be used in several
ways, including as part of AACN’s messaging
to the media, legislators and other key
healthcare influencers. Some responses will
appear in promotional materials or AACN
publications, including in a new monthly
feature “Soundbites” in AACN News.
AACN/CCRN
Ambassadors Provide Important Links
AACN/CCRN
Ambassadors act as liaisons between their
communities, institutions, medical
facilities and other settings and AACN’s
National Office in an effort to recruit new
members, to introduce AACN standards and
protocols, and to promote the value of
certification and the value of nursing. This
group also receives and relays up-to-date
information to their coworkers, managers,
administrators and units.
AACN/CCRN
Ambassadors do not need to be AACN members
or current CCRNs. AACN/CCRN Ambassadors are
entitled to 5 Category O CERPs per year
toward recertification of the CCRN
credential (up to 15 CERPs per renewal
period).
Sign up
online at
http://www.aacn.org
> Membership > Volunteer Opportunities to
become part of the AACN/CCRN Ambassadors
network.
Public
Policy Update
The
Issues
1. Nursing
Shortage: JCAHO Panel Offers Solutions to
the Nursing Shortage
2. Nursing
Shortage: State Policymakers Call for
Studies On Nursing Shortage in 2002 Laws
3. Patients’
Rights: White House Patients’ Rights
Compromise Fails
4. Pain
Management: Improving Care for the Dying
Through Public Policy
AACN seeks
to proactively influence healthcare
decisions by promoting healthy, healing,
humane and ethical environments to
positively impact the health of the public
and the advancement of quality critical
care. The course of action for AACN’s public
policy agenda is to have direct influence on
policymakers through our members and to
educate the public and professionals to
influence policy and policymakers. Following
are some of the public policy issues AACN is
following:
JCAHO
Panel Offers Solutions to the Nursing
Shortage
Status:
A
special expert roundtable of the Joint
Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare
Organizations has concluded that the
healthcare industry must implement solutions
to the nursing shortage before patient care
is further compromised. The panel identified
three strategies to fight the problems
causing the shortage:
1. Transform
the workplace to give nurses the
independence and support they need to do
their work well, thereby creating a culture
of professional satisfaction and encouraging
retention. Set staffing levels that take
into account the complexities of patients’
needs and nurses’ skills must also be part
of the solution. Adopt zero-tolerance
policies for abusive behaviors by physicians
and other providers.
2. Bolster
nursing education to ensure that new
graduates are better prepared to care for
fragile patients. This means reinvigoration
of nursing schools by funding new faculty
positions and giving incentives to nurses to
seek advanced degrees. It also means
creating standardized postgraduate nursing
residency programs. Increased federal
funding for nursing education is also needed
to encourage greater interest in the
profession.
3. Make new
federal money available as an incentive to
hospitals to invest in nursing services.
Continued receipt of these monies should be
conditioned on achievement of
evidence-based, nursing-sensitive goals,
including patient outcomes.
According to
the panel, inadequate nurse staffing has
been a factor in 24% of the 1,609 cases
reported since 1997 that involved death,
injury or permanent loss of function.
More
optimistically, the report cites 50
hospitals nationwide that have avoided or
overcome shortages and are considered
nursing “magnets.” More federal money and
improving the work environment for nurses
can help other hospitals follow suit, the
report adds.
AACN’s
Position:
AACN believes that this report strengthens
AACN’s recommendations and that of the
nursing community by further validating the
threat the nursing shortage poses to patient
safety and the quality of healthcare. In
addition, the report underscores the need to
address all of the fundamental causes of the
shortage.
State
Policymakers Call for Studies on Nursing
Shortage
Status:
Instead of enacting new nurse education
funding programs, state legislators are
seeking additional information on solutions
to the nursing shortage during their current
legislative sessions, according to report by
the National Conference of State
Legislatures Health Policy Tracking Service.
The increased focus on research into the
nursing shortage is aimed partly at more
appropriately targeting state funding.
The approach
is in contrast to 2001, when scholarship and
loan repayment programs topped the list of
legislative action, the report says. The
focus has now shifted from nursing education
incentives to conducting studies and
creating workforce centers to collect and
analyze data on the nursing workforce. Five
states have enacted legislation establishing
these centers or directing state agencies to
carry out the research. However, eight
states have adopted legislation setting up
or expanding scholarship, grant, loan and
loan repayment programs during 2002. In
total, 19 bills designed to address the
problem have been enacted in 14 states, and
28 bills have passed at least one
legislative chamber in various states.
Implications:
Although education incentives appear to be
effective tools to attract people to the
profession, the long-term effect will be
minimal if new nurses become dissatisfied
with their work and pursue other careers
because the work place environment is
unattractive. If hospitals and other
employers are to retain current workers and
attract those who have left nursing back
into the profession, workplace reforms are
needed.
For more
information on AACN’s recommendations for
workplace reform, refer to AACN’s “Nursing
Shortage Backgrounder” statement at
http://www.aacn.org.
White
House Compromise on Patients’ Rights Fails
Status:
Patients’ rights legislation passed in the
House and Senate last year will move to
conference committee this month, following a
breakdown in compromise negotiations with
the White House. Many of those involved in
the debate now believe that a patients’ bill
of rights will not be enacted in the current
session.
Administration and Senate negotiators
primarily were at odds over setting an
acceptable economic damages cap. The House
bill, passed in August 2001, includes a $1.5
million cap on both punitive damages and
noneconomic damages. Senate-passed
legislation caps punitive awards at $5
million, but leaves noneconomic damage
awards open.
In addition
to the damages issue, White House and Senate
negotiators failed to reach agreement on the
issue of “rebuttable presumption,” where a
decision against the patient by an external
review panel would prevent the patient from
pursuing a court case. Preemption of state
laws in the Republican bill also proved to
be a sticking point in the negotiations, as
was the prevention of class action suits
against insurers.
AACN’s
Position:
AACN has endorsed the bipartisan Patients’
Bill of Rights.
Pain
Management Improves Care for the Dying
Status:
The State Initiatives in End-of-Life Care
policy brief series has released an
audiotape program that explains current
challenges in pain management. Titled
“Heart-to-Heart: Improving Care for the
Dying through Public Policy: Part I—Pain
Management,” the program offers concrete
policy solutions to overcome the challenges.
The program features leading experts in a
convenient audiotape format. The price is
$12, plus shipping and handling. Three
additional audio programs on policy
leadership, pediatric end-of-life care and
diversity are planned. For more information
or to order, visit the Partnership for
Caring Web site at
> Store Products > Order Form > Audio
Heart-to-Heart
or call
(800) 989-9455.
Latest
Reports Available Online
• HRSA –
“Projected Supply, Demand and Shortages of
Nurses: 2002 –2020”
bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/rnproject
• JCAHO –
“Healthcare at the Crossroads”
http://www.jcaho.org/News+Room/Press+Kits/
• California
Healthcare Foundation—“The Nursing
Shortage—Can Technology Help?”
http://www.chcf.org/documents/ihealth/NursingShortageTechnology.pdf
Are
Nurse-to-Patient Ratios Headed Your Way?
Which states
are considering legislation regarding nurse
staffing levels?
• Florida,
Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, New Jersey and
Rhode Island are considering legislation
that would require nurse-to-patient ratios
in hospitals and other healthcare
facilities.
• Virginia
is considering ratios for nurses in
operating rooms.
•
Connecticut is considering a
nurse-to-radiological technologist ratio.
• Minnesota,
Mississippi, New York, Ohio, South Carolina
and West Virginia are looking at legislation
to address nurse-to-pupil ratios in schools.
Source: ANA
For more
information about these and other issues,
visit the AACN Web site at
http://www.aacn.org
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 this month, board
member Rebecca E. Long, RN, MS, CCRN, CNS,
interviewed Joan Vitello-Cicciu, RN, PhD,
FAAN, who was president of AACN during its
25th silver anniversary year in 1994-95.
Vitello-Cicciu, who also served on the AACN
Board of Directors from 1991 through 1993,
is now vice president of patient care
services at St. Ann’s Hospital, Fall River,
Mass.
Long: What
are some of the lessons you learned from
your experience as a member of the AACN
Board of Directors and subsequently as
association president?
Vitello-Cicciu: I learned many lessons on
this awesome and inspired journey.
For
instance, I learned to view healthcare in
new ways. I truly lived the belief of the
French philosopher who stated that the real
voyage of discovery is not in seeking new
landscapes but in looking through new eyes.
I was able to see nursing as part of a
larger system, not merely a body part. I saw
the differences between an illness model and
a wellness model.
I also
learned how to be a successful leader within
a volunteer organization. For example, I
learned how to work effectively with diverse
groups of individuals and organizations from
across the nation. Working effectively with
AACN committees was also an important
lesson. At the same time, I learned a great
deal about our members and how I could help
to motivate others.
Long: What
do you consider to be your greatest
accomplishments during your tenure on the
board?
Vitello-Cicciu: I was pleased to be a part
of the development of the Alternative
Therapies journal. I learned a great deal
about the role of complementary therapies
and how important this aspect of ‘medicine’
is to nursing. I believe I played a role in
helping others understand how integral it
was to patient care. Later, I was able to
introduce massage therapy and music therapy
into my own work environment.
I also
believe I was successful in helping members
understand how to put our vision into
action. My presidential-year theme revolved
around the patient being a beacon of light.
Applying that same beacon to various realms,
both professional and personal, results in a
vision-driven life with the patient at the
center. I promoted AACN as a “lighthouse” in
the professional realm. Through involvement,
knowledge is shared and connections are made
to help provide a light to those voyaging.
In the personal realm, the values of caring,
commitment, collaboration, and communication
helped to provide that beacon of light to
promote safe passage for all.
Long: What
was the most challenging aspect of serving
as president?
Vitello-Cicciu: Certainly, balancing my
responsibilities to AACN and maintaining my
professional role as a CNS was challenging.
Because my institution was downsizing at the
time, I had to do a lot of juggling. I
applied an adage that I have heard Charles
Swindoll speak of—that 90% of your attitude
is how you respond to things. Although I
could not change external forces in
healthcare, I could adjust my attitude
toward them.
Understanding the difference between
governance and operations was essential
within a large organization. To help, I
tried to maintain a strong connection with
the members, national office staff and board
members.
Long: What
was the most exciting aspect of serving in
this role?
Vitello-Cicciu: As president of a large,
not-for-profit organization, I was
challenged to learn about nursing as a
system at an international level. I was able
to share critical care nursing with people
from all over the world. I also learned
about public policy and the role that AACN
has within this forum.
Long: What
was the most rewarding aspect of serving in
this role?
Vitello-Cicciu: Being a spokesperson for the
organization in many different forums was a
wonderful opportunity. Meeting and being
energized for members was also incredible. I
found myself encouraging others to stay
focused on values. To encourage this, I
placed providing a safe and peaceful voyage
for patients at the center of many of my
messages. Leaving a legacy of creativity and
vision was extremely important to me.
Long:
Describe your current role.
Vitello-Cicciu: I am the vice president for
patient care services in a community
hospital. In this position for less than a
year, I find that I enjoy working within a
smaller community system. I am proud to be
associated with a hospital that provides
excellent nursing care, which was an
important consideration when I decided to
enter this hospital administration after
receiving my PhD last July.
I’m also
teaching a course titled “Managing Teams for
the 21st Century” in the School of
Management at Bentley College, Waltham,
Mass. In addition, I taught a thesis seminar
the past two semesters at the School of
Nursing at Regis College, Westin, Mass., and
was a visiting faculty member for a
leadership course sponsored by the
University of Southern Maine, Portland.
Teaching is an important part of my
professional career. and I hope to continue
to teach in my present leadership role.
Long: How do
you balance your volunteer and leadership
activities with the rest of your life?
Vitello-Cicciu: I constantly strive to stay
focused on what’s important. Family and
friendships mean a great deal.
Each year, I
participate in a weekend reunion of a group
of other professional women. It’s a network
and think tank, truly is like the Big Chill!
Many of them are past leaders within AACN.
We have shared our celebrations, as well as
our tragedies. I cannot put a price on these
relationships and the incredible network of
friends that I have through this group.
Long: In
these unsettled times in healthcare, do you
still think it is important for nurses to
belong to organizations such as AACN?
Vitello-Cicciu: I think it’s more important
now than ever. Volunteerism can help to set
standards of practice and help a nurse to
become more professionally developed. AACN
can give a profound sense of meaning to
those nurses who are struggling with who
they are as critical care nurses. Some of
the relationships formed through chapter or
national participation can evolve into
lifelong friendships. I believe AACN can
provide safe refuge to nurses who are out
there struggling in these challenging times.
Joan
Vitello-Cicciu’s graduation was a family
affair. Here she
s surrounded by her husband, daughter and
son-in-law,
grandchildren, aunt, sisters, nieces, and
brothers and sisters
in law, as well as long-time friends.
Scene
and Heard
AACN
continues to seek visibility for our
profession and the organization. Following
is an update on recent outreach efforts:
Media
Highlights
• On July
20, AACN President-elect Dorrie Fontaine,
RN, DNSc, FAAN, was the guest on
“Viewpoint,” a one-hour, morning program on
KWMR-AM radio in Marin County, Calif. She
was interviewed about the nursing shortage
and AACN’s involvement in promoting a
resolution.
• An article
in the June 24 issue of PR Week quoted Chris
Foster, vice president of healthcare
practice for AACN’s public relations agency
of Fleishman-Hillard, about the coverage his
firm obtained for critical care nurses
working in burn units following the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks. In the article, titled
“Media Roundup—Managed Care Presents Healthy
Challenge for Media,” Foster noted that the
nursing shortage is also receiving
significant media attention.
• As part of
its “AACN Update” section, the July issue of
RN magazine featured excerpts from the AACN
News “President’s Note” column by 2001-02
AACN President Michael Williams, RN, MSN,
CCRN. The section also listed incoming
President Connie Barden, RN, MSN, CCNS, CCRN,
and other new board members for the 2002-03
terms that began July 1. Information on
grants and awards, and CNS standards also
appeared.
• An article
titled “Working Together to Meet Patient and
Family Needs: Learn How You Can Use the
Synergy Model to Match Nursing Skills with
Patient Skills” appeared in the July issue
of Nursing2002. The article was written by
Barbara Pope, RN, CCN, MSN, critical care
clinical nurse specialist at Presbyterian
Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pa., and
president of the Southeastern Pennsylvania
Chapter of AACN. The Synergy Model, which
was developed by AACN Certification
Corporation as a foundation for critical
care nursing certification, seeks to match
patient and family characteristics with the
nurse’s skills.
• The
announcement of AACN’s new president and
board members for 2002-03 appeared in the
July 1 edition of Nurses.com and in the July
22 issue of Advance for Nurses. The “Faces &
Places” section of the July 15 issue of
NurseWeek noted Fontaine’s election as AACN
president-elect and highlighted her work
experience.
• In the
“President’s Message” that appeared in the
July issue of Clinical Nurse Specialist, Sue
Davidson, RN, MSN, president of the National
Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists,
said her organization plans to enhance their
relationship with AACN. In the May issue,
Dave Hanson, RN, BSN, CCRN, EMT-P, was
recognized for achieving a position on the
AACN Board of Directors.
• The
“Perspectives in Leadership” section of the
July 15 issue of Nursing Spectrum included
excerpts from the speech delivered by Barden
at NTI 2002 in Atlanta, Ga. In the same
issue, past AACN president Denise Thornby,
RN, MS, was quoted in an article titled “A
Right Brain Approach to Critical Thinking.”
Thornby said, “If we are to truly create
environments where every critical care nurse
can make his or her optimal contribution,
all of us must be skilled in interpersonal
relationships and have a degree of emotional
intelligence.”
• The July
21 issue of the Knoxville News Sentinel
included a letter to the editor by Jackie W.
Palmer, RN, CEN, the Region 11 Chapter
Advisory Team representative. Palmer’s
letter, which responded to an article about
the nursing shortage that appeared in the
Los Angeles Times on June 9, described
working conditions as the issue at the
center of the shortage and stressed the
importance of retaining experienced nurses,
not just attracting new ones. She also
reiterated AACN’s mission statement and
noted that AACN “works tirelessly to ensure
that nursing is represented at the tables
where decisions impacting our patients and
our workplace are made.”
• The last
of three articles that AACN Marketing
Director Dana Woods wrote for the Journal of
Nursing Administration was published in the
July/August issue. Titled “Realizing Your
Marketing Influence, Part 3: Using
Certification as a Marketing Tool,” the
article offered dialogue around how
certification is an integral part of a
system’s recruitment and retention plan, as
well as a point of differentiation for
hospitals in this competitive environment.
Our Voice
at the Table
• On June
18, Barden attended a CCRN celebration
dinner sponsored by the Metropolitan Orlando
Chapter and spoke about “Certification:
Achieving Excellence in Nursing Practice.”
• June 19
through 21, AACN Clinical Practice
Specialist Katie Schatz, RN, MSN, NP-C,
attended the End of Life Nursing Education
Consortium’s “train the trainer program” in
Chapel Hill, N.C. AACN will use that
information to produce articles and
educational offerings to promote end-of life
care.
• Barden and
Williams were joined by AACN CEO Wanda
Johanson, RN, MN, in attending the American
Nurses Association House of Delegates and
Annual Convention in Philadelphia, Pa., June
28 through July 2. Major areas of interest
for AACN were proposals to allow
organizational affiliate members, such as
AACN, to have a vote in the House of
Delegates and an item addressing the
possibility of separating from ANA the labor
entities of the United American Nurses and
the Committee on Workplace Advocacy. Neither
issue was resolved, and discussion will
continue throughout the year. During the
educational portion of the conference,
Williams and Barden presented two sessions
on “Clinical Practice Trends Affecting Acute
and Critical Care Nursing.” They also met
with leaders from other specialty nursing
organizations.
• On July 18
and 19, Ramón Lavandero, RN, MSN, MA, AACN’s
director of development and strategic
alliances, attended the National Association
of Hispanic Nurses annual Conference in
Miami, Fla. Lavandero spoke about “Synergy:
A Universal Model Where Patients’
Characteristics Drive Nurses’ Competencies.”
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.
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:
Sept. 18-22
Emergency Nurses Association, New Orleans,
La.
Oct. 10-12
American College of Nurse Practitioners,
Albuquerque, N.M.
Oct. 13-16
Nursing Management Congress, Dallas, Texas
If you are
attending one of these conferences, stop by
the AACN exhibit to visit with your National
Office team.
Coming
in October in Critical Care Nurse
• Anthrax as
a Biological Weapon: An Old Disease That
Poses a New Threat
• Listeria
Endocarditis: Using Antibiotic
Desensitization
•
Beating-Heart CABG Surgery
• Developing
an Educational Consortium
Subscriptions to Critical Care Nurse and the
American Journal of Critical Care are
included in AACN membership dues.
Order
From the AACN Resource Catalog During
September and Receive a Calculator Free
Receive a
free AACN pocket calculator with any
purchase from the AACN Resource Catalog
during September. However, only telephone or
mail orders are eligible. Online orders are
exempt. To receive this gift, you must
mention that you read about this special
offer in AACN News when ordering your items
by telephone at (800) 899-2226. If you are
ordering by mail, simply add Item #001613 to
your order to have this free gift included
with your merchandise. Don’t delay. This
offer expires on Sept. 30, or while supplies
last.
Looking Ahead
September
2002
Sept. 30
Deadline to apply for special 3-Person
Discount to take the CCRN examination. The
flyer, which must accompany the group
application, can be printed from the AACN
Certification Corporation Web site at
http://www.certcorp.org,
or requested by calling (800) 899-2226 or
e-mailing
certcorp@aacn.org.
October
2002
Oct.. 1
Deadline to submit applications for AACN
Clinical Practice 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.
Oct.. 1
Deadline to submit applications for AACN-Sigma
Theta Tau 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.
Oct.. 1
Deadline to submit applications for
Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Grant. To
Obtain a grants handbook, visit the AACN Web
site or call AACN Fax-on-Demand at (800)
222-6329. Request Document #1013.
December
2002
Dec. 1
Deadline to apply for the AACN Distinguished
Research Lecture Award for 2004. For more
information, contact Clinical Practice
Associate Dolores Curry at (800) 394-5995,
ext.
377; e-mail,
dolores.curry@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
or call AACN Fax-on-Demand at (800)
222-6329. Request Document #1013. |
