AACN
Promotes Solutions to Nursing Shortage
Written Testimony Submitted to VA
Subcommittee
If critically
ill patients and their families are to
receive optimal care, their nurses' must
work in healthy environments staffed by
sufficient numbers of expert clinicians who
base their practice on the ethics and values
of the nursing profession, and on accepted
evidence-based standards for clinical
practice. These environments must be safe,
healing, humane and respectful of the
rights, responsibilities, needs and
contributions of everyone involved.
That was the
position AACN promoted to the U.S. House of
Representatives Committee on Veterans
Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and
Investigation regarding the impact of the
nursing shortage and proposed solutions.
In a written
statement submitted Oct. 2, AACN noted that
the nursing shortage is more pronounced and
expected to worsen in specialty areas, such
as critical care.
"Having the
appropriate number and mix of nurses is a
critical factor in achieving positive
patient outcomes in any healthcare setting,"
the statement read. "It is especially
essential for patients who are critically
ill. For these patients, and for the nurses
who care for them, we must work together to
mitigate the potentially devastating effects
of this nursing shortage."
The complexity
of the issue requires the combined efforts
of all stakeholders in the healthcare
industry to identify and implement
strategies that will increase the supply of
registered nurses and nurse educators, the
statement continued.
As an active
participant in forums collaborating to
combat staffing shortages, including
Nursing's Agenda for the Future and the
Framing Options for Critical Care in the
United States (FOCCUS) task force, AACN
shared the following recommendations that
have emerged from these efforts:
� Adopt
characteristics of excellence as defined by
national recognition programs such as
Baldrige, AACN Beacon Awards, and Magnet
Recognition Program to foster a workplace
that respects and empowers nurses.
� Support nurse
managers and executives, providing training
where it is needed.
� Transform
nursing work positively through the use of
information and ergonomic technologies
� Set staffing
levels based on nurse competency and skill
mix relative to patient mix and acuity.
� Adopt zero
tolerance policies for abusive behaviors.
� Foster an
environment of professionalism by supporting
continuing education and certification.
Noting that the
nurse turnover rate in VA facilities is
significantly lower than the national
average, AACN commended the Department of
Veterans Affairs for its culture of
retention.
"We respectfully
urge the department to maintain current
initiatives in those areas � where it has
begun work and to initiate work in those
areas where attention and resources may not
yet be focused.
AACN believes
that creating healthy work environments is
the one factor upon which rests the success
of all other solutions to mitigating the
nursing shortage. In response, it has made a
Healthy Work Environment Initiative its top
strategic priority.
As part of this
initiative, AACN is seeking to underscore
the danger that toxic work environments pose
to patients, mobilize nurses in identifying
the biggest challenges in their environments
and encourage nurses to engage their
colleagues in finding and implementing
solutions to these challenges. Following are
the interrelated areas that AACN believes
must be addressed if a hospital is to create
and maintain a healthy work environment:
� Effective
communication
� Effective
collaboration
� Meaningful
recognition of nurses' unique contribution
� Nurses'
participation in decisions that impact
patient care
� Appropriate
staffing
Critical
Links Campaign at Halfway Point
Campaign
Tops 2,000 New Members Recruited
AACN's Critical
Links membership drive reached the halfway
point in October, with 2,204 new members
recruited to date. The campaign ends April
1.
Caroline Axt,
RN, MS, of Oakland, Calif., continued to
lead in AACN's Critical Links membership
campaign as the recruitment drive passed the
halfway point in October. Axt's total of 39
new members recruited held steady during the
month, when chapters and individuals
recruited a total of 433 new members.
The overall
effort took the totals to 2,204 new members
recruited since the campaign began May 1.
Ngozi I. Moneke,
RN-BC, BSN, CCRN, of Freeport, N.Y., added
nine new members during October to move into
a close second place with 34 new members
recruited.
Others at the
top of the leader board were Delmar
Imperial-Aubin, RN, BSN, of Houston, Texas,
with 28 new members recruited; Kathleen M.
Richuso, RN, MS, MSN, of Chapel Hill, N.C.,
with 26; Catherine P. Rodgers, RN, ADN, CCRN,
of South Daytona, Fla., with 25; Carol A.
Grube, RN, of Saxton, Pa., with 25;
Stephanie C. Westbrook, RN, of Greenville,
N.C., with 24; and Lori Ann Cox, RN, MSN,
CCRN, ACNP, NP, of Johnstown, Pa., with 23.
Rewards Await
Recruiters
The top
individual recruiter when the campaign ends
March 31 will receive a $500 American
Express gift certificate. All individual
campaign participants receive an AACN pocket
reference when they recruit their first new
member. After that, individual recruiters
receive $25 gift certificates toward the
purchase of AACN resources when they recruit
five new members and $50 AACN gift
certificates when they recruit 10 new
members.
Each month,
members who have recruited at least one new
member during the month are also entered
into a drawing for a $100 American Express
gift certificate. Receiving the American
Express gift certificate in the drawing for
October was Doris J. Strother, RN, MN, MS,
NP, of Birmingham, Ala.
In addition, all
recruiters are eligible for prize drawings
that offer round-trip tickets for two to
anywhere in the continental United States,
including a five-day, four-night hotel stay;
round-trip tickets for two to anywhere in
the continental United States; and four-day,
three-night hotel accommodations in the
continental U.S.
Note: To
participate, recruiters must include their
membership numbers on the referral line of
the membership application. Individuals who
also want their chapters to receive credit
must include the chapter name.
Who Has
Recruited New Members So Far?
Charlotte R.
Abbott, Sakinah Abdulkhabir, Jennifer E.
Abfalter, Mary Therese Crisostomo Acfalle,
Eleanor Wilson Adamo, Christine E. Adams,
Janet M. Adams, Rachel S. Addy, Geraldine
Santos Aguila, Tammy M. Ahmed, Bethanne
Algie, Fe Neri Almendras, Luis E. Almendras,
Maria E. Alsop, Heidi Alton, Libby Leininger
Anderson, Marie Anderson, Marlo Scott
Anderson, Lois K. Andrews, Amy E. Antalick,
Antonio L. Apostol, Judith Leigh Armstrong,
Sharon Irene Armstrong, Betty Arnold,
Kathleen Arnold, Kristina R.
Arrington-Cherry, Dennis Scott Arthur,
Judith A. Ascenzi, Ange Assion, Ponrathi
Rosalind Athilingam, Angela Marie Aucoin,
Karen K. Austin, Caroline Axt
Julie M. Baar,
Rebekah L. Backowski, Louise Baclasky,
Crystal G. Badgett, Dina Bailey, Luz Tabago
Bailey, Mary Ann L. Bailey, Stephanie A.
Baker, Marietta R. Balaan, Linda I. Ball,
Rachel S. Ball, Shirleyann Balucanag, Rachel
Banks, Christine M. Banta, Michelle L.
Barkley, Beth Barranco, Jill E. Barrow,
Tonya Marie Bartow, Jennifer A. Basler,
Kathryn Basnight, Sheila A. Batiste, Susan
L. Baughman, Lydia C. Bautista, Sherry E.
Baxter, Alyce H.N. Beard, Kathleen Marilyn
Bechtel, Jeffrey Reed Beck, Judi Beckman-Friedson,
Jennifer Beckwith, Traci Beebe, Shelly S.
Begue, Linda Majo Belkas, Sue A. Benson,
John Bergen, Kim B. Bernhardt-Tindal,
Annette Berning, Cristina B. Berthelot,
Michael F. Beshel, Karen Christina Bishop,
Sandra J. Bixler, Mara L. Black, Michael C.
Blanchard, Zenaida D. Blanco, Cathy L.
Blonski, Laura B. Boehm, Monica Bologna,
Jeanne Ann Bolton, Charmaine Bond, Cynthia
L. Bond, Janis E. Boterf, Darlene A.
Boudreaux, Pamela M. Bowser, E. Lois Boyd,
Becky L. Braddock, Celeste Braly, Cyndy E.
Brasher, Marylee R. Bressie, Deborah L.
Briese, Elizabeth A. Bright, Sue Bright,
Hugh Brooks, Josee Brousseau, Anne H. Brown,
T. Lynn Brown, Terry L. Brown, Holly J.
Brunacini, Sandra A. Brunner, Megan E.
Brunson, Matthew D. Bryant, Angela Dawn
Bryant-Blount, Kelli M. Buchanan-Cassino,
Linda Bucher, Christopher Brian Bucklew,
Shelly A. Buck-Williams, Suzan L. Buetow,
Mona Ruth Bullard, Barbara M. Bundage, Linda
Louise Bunten, Larry Wayne Buntley, Marsha
D. Buntley, Denise Buonocore, Laura Jean
Burns, Kathleen M. Burton, Marilyn L. Byrne
Jean Gruber
Cabral, Karen M.
Campano, Margie Lynn Campbell, Richard A.
Campbell, Ofelia Alcala Canela, Alisa R.
Caple, Catherine Caprio, Neal E. Carey,
Yolanda W. Carilimdiliman, Allison Cecelia
Carlson, Beverly Ann Carlson, Richard M.
Carpenter, Maggie D. Carriker, Darlene
Carroll, Dawn M. Caruss, Denae Case, Nancy
M. Case, Diane M. Casperson, Robert William
Cass, Lydia G. Casteel, Laura Elizabeth
Caster, Debra Ann Catrambone, Pauline I.
Caum, Julie Cavaner, Lauren M. Chadwick,
Pamela J. Chapman, Margaret A. Chiappalone,
Belinda A Childers, Jody L. Choate, Mi-jin
Choe, Marcia L. Chorba, Deborah Anne
Chouinard, Eun-joo Chung, Kim Cibulka,
Monica Davila Cintron, Florina L. Cirujales,
Deirdre M. Citro, Kathryn V. Clark, Kimberly
A. Clark, Patricia Clark, Sara A. Clark,
Sheri Lee Cleaves, Karen Y. Cliburn, Tracy
L. Cline, Carol Cloud, Evelyn C. Coen,
Denise Cole-Ouzounian, Jean Marie Collins,
Marty J. Collins-Johnson, John P. Compton,
Diane Lynn Cook, Virginia S. Cook, Beverly
Cope, Josephine Corcega Delgado, Erin K.
Core, Kelly Cornacchione, Randy J. Cornell,
Patricia L. Cortez, Lisa L. Cossaboon, Kim
Costello, Verna Jeanne Cotton, Michelle
Marie Coughlin, Susan B. Covert, Laurene M.
Cox, Lori Ann Cox, Stephanie L. Cranfield,
Kim L. Crawford, Judith Marie Cremers, Mills
E. Crosland, Marcus F. Crossan, Kelly C.
Cullinane, Kathleen D. Culver, Cindy L.
Cunningham, Bonnie L. Curtis, Teresa K.
Cuthair, Jessica Czop
Lori A.
Daughenbaugh, Ann Marie Davis, Martha K.
Davis, Mary C. Day, Michael George Decker,
Tammy Sue Dees, Carla J. Degges, Maria Emily
DeGuzman, Violeta C. Del Rosario, Alice Dela
Cruz, Jaime C. Dela Cruz, Lilia L. Dela
Cruz, Connie Deloach, Genevieve F. Deltieure,
Mary W. Dent, Glenn E. DePoy, Heather
DeSalvo, Sandra S. Deschane, Kathy Dibbens,
Diana Leslie Dietz, Crystal Diane Diggs,
Julie Leraun Dobbs, Ricchi S. Domingo, Linda
A. Donovan, Deri C. Dority, Sandra Douglas,
Brenda G. Downs, Karen A. Droter, Victor A.
Duarte, Michele Angela Dudley, Michael John
Duffy, Linda F. Dunbar, Gail W. Duncan, Anne
C. Dunn, Barbara M. Eachus, Kimberly S.
Earl, Susan M. Earnhart, Fe Valledor Eguaras,
Shirley M. Eiben, Marie A. Eidam, Grace A.
Elaro, Sarah G. Elchos, Tonya L. Ellis,
Karen L. Ellmers, Jean A. Endryck, Gretchen
Lorraine Ennis, Deborah L. Erickson,
Michelle A. Ernzen, Tracy Ann Esopa, Linda
Ethier, Melissa S. Evans, Robyn S. Evans,
Tracy R. Evans, Zorena Ewing
Madeline Faisca,
B. Yvonne Fankhanel, Anthony E. Farmer, Bev
Farmer, Maria Pilar Farzad, Beverly J.
Felder, Arieta R. Fernandez, Ferdinand C.
Ferrer, Jocelyn C. Fiedler, Marian A.
Finehirsh, Lora S. Fink, Kathleen L. Finn,
Deborah A. Fischer, Manuel A. Fish, Mary
Jane Fleener, Nathalie M. Fleureau, Dorothy
J. Flowers, Kelly Renee Flowers, Nancy M.
Foley, Melissa Dawn Foltz, Sara Ford,
Barbara A. Foster, Kathy A. Foster, Deslin
Francois, Shantha V. Franks, Laura Leigh
Frantz, Jennifer Lynn Franzwa, Kimberly C.
Fritz, Kirsten F. Fritz, Nicholas E.
Frusciante, Satomi Fujii, Becki L. Fuzi,
Fred Gabriele, Karen A. Gaertner, Kathleen
S. Gallichio, Vicki J. Galyean, Theresa Ann
Ganoe, Maria Haydee Ramirez Garcia, Tara J.
Garcia, Beverly E. Gay, Devon A. Geidner,
Serena Geiger, Jane P. Gensaya, Stephanie D.
Geraci, Patricia Ann Giesler, Jo Anne
Gillispie, Lisa N. Gingerich, Jill S.
Girard, Joan Marie Gleason-Scott, Barbara J.
Glenn, Deborah Gloskey, Sylvia Gomez,
Barbara A. Goodwin, Laurie Arnold Gorby,
Mark C. Gosling, Shaunda R. Goss, Rose A.
Goure, Katherine A. Green, Kim Green,
Deborah L. Greenlaw, Karen Grevious, Rhonda
L. Grose, Timothy Joseph Groth, Carol A.
Grube, Sharon V. Grupp
Claudia A. Haile,
Charlene A. Haley-Moyer, Lois Hamill, Karen
J. Hamilton, Karen L. Hamilton, Leslie A.
Hammond, Tamara K. Hand, Joy Hansel, Kim
Hanson, Maria Molar Haque, Tara L. Hardinge,
Kathy Hare, Lucinda S. Harmon, Evelyn M.
Harris, Janet Harris, Patricia L. Harth,
Kathleen Hartmann, Billie J. Hauanio,
Cynthia Hawkins, Dawna Hawksworth, Tod A.
Hazlett, Jeanne M. Heatlie, Donna J. Hegle,
Derrick Michael Heldt, Richard A. Hemphill,
Ma. Thelma C. Herrera, Noni Heywood, Peggy
Jean Hicks, Cynthia S. Hielscher, Shawna L.
Higgins, Alisa Marie Hilinski, Christopher
D. Hillman, Laurie Hinz Gover, Mary D.
Hoagland, Kimberly S. Hoang, Davy Dwayne
Hobson, Deborah B. Hobson, Diane L. Hockett,
Alfred Edward Hocking, Paula Hofmeister,
Jeni Kate Holley, Kathryn Lee Holling, Vicki
L. Holman, Steven Jay Hooker, Ellen Faith
Hopkins, Michael J. Hoskin, Jana W. Hough,
Fred Kenneth House, Paula P. House, Veronica
Hudson, Helen Catherine Hughes, Zondra Hull,
Carolyn M. Hunsche, Cheryce G. Hunsinger,
Aaron C. Huston, Brian Hyland, Tina O.
Ikwuezunma, Delmar Imperial-Aubin, Michael
James Ingalsby, Paula A. Innis, Jean C.
Isaac, Kathryn A. Jackson, Christy L. Jacobi,
Annie P. James, Joseph Janosy, Christopher
O. Jenner, Rhonda Rae Jensen, Robert F.
Jezyk, Grace A. Johnson, Jeremy Johnson,
Jodie G. Johnson, Kathleen M. Johnson,
Barbara L. Johnston, Pamela J. Joines,
Michelle M. Jonas, Delia Sablaya Jones,
Melissa Douglass Jones, Messalina Charisse
Jordan, Rachel A. Joseph, Mary M. Joyce,
Meredith M. Joyner, Patricia M. Juarez,
Cynthia V. Jugo, Basem M. Jumaa, Michelle A.
Jurgensen
Marsha K. Kadner,
Jennifer P. Kahler, Darcy Kalles, Kathleen
M. Keane, Marilyn Keefe, Beryl E. Keegan,
Melissa Keeton, Linda Kehn, Robert J. Kelly,
Jodie L. Kennedy, Lori E. Kennedy, Frances
Ann Kenney, Marcia Kent, Donna S. Kerner,
Diane Myers Kessler, Karen A.Swisher Kesten,
Patricia H. Kettle, Jennifer Ann Keuth,
Becky Allyn Kiely, Jennifer A. Kilgore,
Mabel Kuupua Kim, Ok Kum Kim, Betty C. King,
Janis D. King, Kathleen J. King, Nancy D.
King, Nancy C. King, Rachelle M. King, Anne
M. Klahre, Marlene M. Klein, Janet A. Kloos,
Kelly Marie Knapp, Debra L. Knight, Lori
Susan Koethe, Terra E Koroll, Mary Grace
Kostenblatt, Holly A. Kraft, Grant Carla
Krahl, Dawn Kregel, Allan S. Kristiansen,
Lisa N. Lacasse, Arnold Suguitan Lagoc,
Deborah Lee Lalinde, Lou Ellen Anne Lallier,
Mary Ann Lambert, Michelle Lambert-Webb,
Lisa Lea Lampkin, Sheila A. Lanciault,
Rhonda Lanclos, Julia E. Langan, Constance
May Lanphear, Karen E. Lantier, Jennifer A.
Larkin, Jose Ramil R. Lasala, MonicaPilar
Lawrence, Scott M. Lawson, Maria A. Laxina,
Bonnie L. Ledvina, Celeste Lynnette Lee,
Patricia M. Lee, Melanie Jane Leepers,
Peachy Delaflor Legayada, Mary T. Leidner,
Patricia A. Lello, Kathy Renee Leonardo,
Dawn LeQuatte, Jo M. Lerner, C. Preston
Lewis, Robin L. Lillibridge, Kristi Anne
Link, Janet M. Linton, Laura L. Lipp, Rena
N. Litt, Theresa D. Loan, Cynthia A.
Lockhart, Julie F. Locquiao, Karen J.
London, Linda J. Lopazanski, Judith A. Losi,
Sarah Elizabeth Love, Lisa Lovette, Terry L.
Lucas, Maria Morena A. Luna, Tracey Lund,
Kari Marie Lutz, Becky Le Ly, Nhieu Thanh
Ly, Maxine E. Lyons
Karen M. Mack,
Holly Macklay, Pamela S. Mages, Laura Diane
Magos, Anne L. Maguire, Regina E. Mailey,
Beverly C. Maloney, Laura Mamchur, Michele
L. Manning, Neal E. Manuel, Loretta A.
Marcantonio, Midge A. Marcy-Brennan, Lori E.
Markham, Nicole A. Marks, Juliette Marrin,
Amy S. Martin, Carolyn Ann Martin, Cindy
Leigh Martin, Elizabeth Martin, Virginia M.
Mason, Kelley Anne Mathews, Fe E. Matthews,
Lindsey A. Maynard, Lenora M. Maze, Pamela
J. McCabe, Christina McCarter Cantey,
Kathleen A. McCarthy, Kathleen M. McCarthy,
Michelle Kelly Mccauley, Patricia A.
McCauley, Elizabeth McClure, Katrina D.
McCurley, Kelly Marie Mccutcheon, Ryan W.
McDonald, Jodi Patricia Mcduffie, Heather
McEachren, Michael T. McEvoy, L. Jennifer
McFarlane, Elizabeth L. McGarr, Cinthia Ann
McGarry, La Donna Dale McGohan, J. Patrick
Mcgovern, Sharon Lynne Mcgregor, Jeannie
Theresa Mcgurran, Tracie Lynn Mckay, Joyce
E. McKinney, Pauline J. McNeece, Dennise C.L.
McPherson, Patricia A. McQuade, Theresa M.
Meeks, Kirsten Meister, Darla J. Melander,
Alpha Michele Rosario Mendoza, Maria T.
Mendoza, Ann L. Mercer, N. Lynne Mercer,
Alyson Faye Messina, Cary J. Metternich,
Sharon Evelyn Meyers, Raul G. Meza, Lorraine
Micheletti, Joann Mickelson, Dylan K.
Miller, Jennifer L. Miller, Julie S. Miller,
Leanna R. Miller, Patricia Miller, Kevin C.
Millet, Cassidy R. Mincer, Margaret M.
Mirabella, Jaclyn Melissa Mitchell, William
Carson Mize, Magdalena Ella Monahan, Rachel
E. Monday, Ngozi I. Moneke, Jeri Linda
Monical, Barbara A. Montagnino, Lori A.
Monte Besselman, Dianna L Moone, Kelly
Moore, Laurie E. Moore, Mary Grace Moore,
Susan Marie Morella, Jacqueline Ann Morgan,
Jennifer L. Moser, Alice B. Moulton, Theresa
Mulherin, Michelle Munro
Paulita D. Narag,
Ami Nelson, Kirsten Nelson, Adalynn Celine
Nesjan, Minnie Marcel Newbegin, Joseph R.
Newsome, Sharon M. Newton, Rose Mary Nguyen,
Linda J. Nicholson, Jayne Nickell, Bradley
Dean Nielsen, Aminah Nitura, Sheri A.
Norman, Vivian F. Norman, Nicole M Norris,
Laura L. Northstrum, Immanuel U. Nwalupue,
Christina Dale Nye, Silvia E. Oakes, Michele
Jennette Oakins, Rita C. O'Keefe, Louisa P.
Olmo, Lauren Deborah O'neil, Meghan A.
O'Neil, Jeannette Orr, Marie L. Ortaliz,
Cathy S. Osgood, Daisy L. Ostrowicki, Angela
Dawn Ott, Amy J. Ottman, LaDeana Kaye
Oueslati, Kathryn Owens, Catherine Pachorro,
Gloria Palawar, Stephanie L. Palm, Vickie S.
Palm, Deborah Panozzo Nelson, Julie Parisien,
Michael Pasquale, Jennifer L. Patterson,
Kathleen Klein Peavy, Trina M. Pecina, Dawn
M. Peets, Pamela Ann Peine, D. Lyn Penton-Cooper,
Evelyn De Peralta, Molena Peregrino,
Elizabeth M. Perpetua, Nicole Ann Peter,
Janet Peterson, Mary A. Pezzuto, Leslee
Pfaff, Melissa L Pfeiffer, Leslie Vito Pham,
Thu Lan Pham, Dorothy R. Phelps, Kelly M.
Piasecki, Theresa Picione, Laura K. Pierce,
James Edgar Pittman, Lorraine Plaikner,
Colleen O. Planchon, Pamela Pleiter, Dawn
Plouffe, Elizabeth A. Pollock, Erin Porter,
Jodie R. Porter, Jeannette M. Powers, Susan
Pozzuto, Cynthia Gail Price, Gail A.
Principe, Lori L. Profota, Debra L.
Pronitis-Ruotolo, Sofia S. Puerto, Lynn M.
Purcel, Mary Lou Quattlebaum, Debra L.
Queen, Juan R. Quintero, Kenneth Lee Quiroga,
Jennifer L.
Rabalais, Melissa Radosevich, Rosalynn G.
Rafols, Carol A. Rauen, Melinda N. Ray,
Diane L. Razo, Cache Reed, Rhonda Reed, Rita
Christina Regan, Kelly D. Reynolds, Marilyn
Rich, Celeste B. Richards, Deborah Elaine
Richards, Don D. Richards, Irma N.
Richardson, Kathleen M. Richuso, Vicki A.
Riddle, Sheri Ann Riggs, Helen T. Roach,
Alina Mihaela Robert, Susan M. Roberti, Elin
Roberts, Allyson Crawford Robertson, Frank
Johnny Robinson, Faith Joy Rodenhouse,
Catherine P. Rodgers, Sophia C. Rodgers,
Aimee Johanna Rodriguez, Marlyn Deborah
Rodriguez, Barbara C. Rogers, Margaret R.
Rollins, Laureta Anton Rosario, David G.
Rotz, Michael John Rouse, Marisue Rowe,
Cecilee Marie Ruesch, Nancy J. Russ,
Charlotte M. Ryan
Donna B. Sabash,
Denese Terese Sabatino, Jonathan C. Sague,
Lilibeth R. Sagun, Sarah O. Sanburn, Rachel
Sanchez, Virginia R. Sanders, Mary Karen
Sands, Catherine M. Saniuk, Mercedes C.
Sarmiento, Ma Geraldine Sarte, Barbara E.
Sayre, Gail A. Schaefer, Dawn M. Scherer,
Nancy M. Schildt, Russell N. Schivley, Dee
D. Schultz, Patrick Schultz, Frances E.
Scott, Lynn A. Scott, Sylvia S. Sebastian,
Rebecca Jean Seiler, Bridgett Byrd Sellars,
John T. Selph, Christina K. Sentz, Susan B.
Sepples, Teresa J. Seright, Detra Sessions,
Rose B. Shaffer, Linda M. Shain, Lindsey
Shank, David John Shea, Cate Sheahan
Morrison, Patricia A. Shipsey, Audrey C.
Short, Amy Brighetta Shyshnyak, Leeann
Sievers, Lynn M. Simko, Eunice K. Simmons,
Nancy R. Simpson, Milarosa Tubang Sinahon,
Anita M. Siscoe-Hapshie, Robelisa Nillo
Sistoso, Karen Slak, Kimberly A. Slattery,
Patricia A. Smart, Barbara A. Smith, Barbara
A. Smith, Brian Smith, Cheryl Frances Smith,
Demeetria Smith, Frances Moon Smith, Jean H.
Smith, Lisa Wentworth Smith, Rhonda Smith,
Sharnel A. Smith, Stacey E. Smith, Tamara L.
Smith, Virginia Smith, Lynn Smith Schnautz,
Paulette Smith-Kimble, Tanya Elizabeth
Snider, Jovita C. Solomon-Duarte, Lynn
Sonderman, Edward Sonnen, Katrina J. Souza,
Diane Jean Spenner, Heather Sperling, Tracy
Adele Spies, Mary Michel Spiro, Laurel D.
Spooner, Pamela I. Spooner, Erin Lynn
Springer, Terri Lea Stampher, Pat D.
Stanton, Angela R. Starkweather, Ellen
Stein, Elaine E. Steinke, Stacy E. Stelling,
Diane J. Stempek, Julie S. Stenger, Barb
Stettner, Elaine T. Stevens, Janice L.
Stevens, Jeanette R. Stevens, Carlette H.
Stewart, Mary C. Stewart, Melinda Stibal,
Doug Stobbe, Alexandra Lynne Stone, Barbara
M. Stone, Doris J. Strother, Brenda F.
Styles, Annabelle Tukay Suguitan, Brenda
Sullivan, Teresa Sullivan, Amy Marie
Summers, Grace Suner
Clare Marie
Tack, Gloria Morales Taduran, Brenda L.
Taft, Christine M. Tanner, Patricia M. Tanzi,
Amy Taylor, Edna Victoria Taylor, Susan
Taylor, Viviane L. Teixeira, Roxanne
Telford, Gerry Tenn, Linda L. Terrano, Cathy
Jo Thalken, Yvonne L. Thelwell, Martin L.
Thiede, Anne Louise Thompson, Nancy
Thompson, Scott David Thompson, Miriam Cacha
Tivar, Susan K. Tokh, Kathryn I. Toliver,
Thelma J Torri, Suzanne B. Tovar, Gina M.
Traina, Debbie Travis, Storm L. Treanor,
Stacey E. Trefts, Rebecca L. Trenkamp,
Jennifer Trevena, Jason L. Tricker, Nicole
L. Trieste, Charlene T. Trimeloni, Michele
S. Trinka, Teresa M. Truckenmiller, Jason
Trudell, Barbara J. Trushaw, Melissa Tsay,
Irene D. Turner, Jackie Turner, Linda L.
Turner, Robert G. Turner, Janette F.
Ursolino, Ozzie Uruena, Jean L. Uy, Regina
M. Vachon, Janine Vallen, Monica Van Staden,
Johnnilynn Vanboxtel, Debra M. Vanderkamp,
Lynnith A. Velasco, Leslie L. Vermilio,
Richard W. Vitrano, Valerie S. Vogeler,
Ashley E. Voght
Leah Carla
Wacksman, Annette Walblay, Christie
Margrette Walden, David Scott Walker, Maria
R. Wallace, Elissa Marie Walsh, Kathryn Mary
Walsh, Chris Claire Walsvik, Linda Walter,
Sherry L. Walter, Billie Jean Walters,
Jennifer M. Walters, Mary Kate Wargo, Cheryl
Warren, Brian Scot Wasem, Barbara J.
Washington-Knight, Eileen V. Weatherby,
Sharman L. Weaver, Rebecca M. Webb, Holly L.
Weber-Johnson, John Crawford Welch, Candice
Renae Wells, Nancy E. Werren, Jennifer Lynn
Wessol, Paula Katrina West, Sharon L. West,
Stephanie C. Westbrook, Christine G.
Westphal, Jane C. Whalen, Arllys B. Wheeler,
Jennifer L. White, Melissa W. Whittington,
Steve Brian Widmar, Barbara G. Wiles, Linda
Carole Wilkins, Sue A. Williams, Suzanne
Williams, Vicky M. Williams, Douglas A.
Willis, Naomi Dolores Willis, Jackie G.
Wilson, Patricia L. Wilson, Susan J. Wirth,
Jeanne W. Woelfel, Julie M. Wojtkowski,
Barbara S. Wolfe, Maureen Wood, Michelle E.
Woodham, LuAnn Woods, Kathleen B. Wright,
Christine Elaine Wynns, Larraine A. Yeager,
Jackie S. Yon, Linda Isabel Young, Erwin
Yson, Cynthia L. Zaletel, Kathryn Zarnesky,
Jerry Zebrowski, Michael A. Zeiler, Mary
Jane Zellinger, Julie Lynn Zepnick, April Yi
Yu Zhuang, Elaine Zimmerman, Pam Zinnecker,
Carolyn Zinnerman, Karen R. Zwerneman.
NTI
Housing Bureau Now Open
You can now reserve your hotel for NTI 2004
in Orlando, Fla. The list of available
hotels, as well as rates and descriptions of
the properties, are available on the
NTI Web
site. NTI 2004 is scheduled for May 15
through 20 in Orlando, Fla.
Silent
Auction Is a Fun Way to Grow the Scholarship
Endowment
Popular
Event Returns at NTI 2004 in Orlando
As you look
ahead to Orlando, Fla., and AACN's 2004
National Teaching Institute and Critical
Care Exposition, you will want to also be
thinking about one of the most popular and
fun NTI events-the Silent Auction.
Set to enter its
fourth year, the Silent Auction is just one
of the ways that funds are raised for the
AACN Scholarship Endowment Fund.
AACN awards
$150,000 in academic and continuing
education scholarships each year. These
include the BSN Completion and Graduate
Educational Advancement Scholarships. AACN
also supports scholarships awarded through
the National Student Nurses Association to
beginning nursing students.
If you would
like to donate a gift to the silent auction
or have questions, contact the silent
auction coordinator at (800) 394-5995, ext
8994, or e-mail
.
Contributions Support Educational
Scholarships for Critical Care Nurses
AACN's annual
appeal for donations to support scholarships
for critical care nurses is under way. The
AACN Scholarship Endowment was established
three years ago and has become one of the
association's signature initiatives. The
goal of the endowment is to reach a maturity
level of $2 million to become a
self-sustaining funding source. The
scholarships will then be funded by the
dividends of investments and interest
instead of from AACN's operating budget.
For more than 20
years, AACN has supported members' education
at every step of their professional
career-whether they are completing a college
degree, a graduate degree or obtaining
continuing education. Included are Vision
Partners scholarships that pair first-time
National Teaching Institute and Critical
Care Exposition attendees with experienced
NTI participants. In addition, AACN is the
National Student Nurses Association
Foundation's largest single scholarship
sponsor, funding 10 of its
entry-into-nursing scholarships.
In recognition
of their generous support to this
scholarship effort, donors of $50 or more
will be invited to attend the President's
Reception at NTI 2004 in Orlando, Fla., in
May. This annual, invitational event
celebrates the accomplishments and financial
support of AACN's members, sponsors and
special invited guests.
If you would
like to help support the AACN Scholarship
Endowment, call (800) 394-5995: e-mail,
Continuing
Education Scholarships Apply to NTI
Do you plan to
attend AACN's National Teaching Institute
and Critical Care Exposition, May 15 through
20 in Orlando, Fla.? Why not apply for an
NTI continuing education scholarship? Three
types of scholarships are available.
Applications are due by Feb. 1.
Following is
information about these scholarships.
Vision
Partners
The AACN Vision
Partners program grants $1,000 each to 10
pairs of NTI participants. One partner must
be an AACN member, who will share the NTI
experience and benefits of AACN membership
with the other partner, a nonmember who has
not previously attended the NTI. The
nonmember also receives a one-year AACN
membership.
The nonmember
partner should be able to share a different
perspective with his or her partner, such as
a different cultural or ethnic viewpoint or
another discipline or clinical practice
along the continuum.
The Vision
Partners scholarship application asks the
partners to describe how they expect to
benefit from the learning experience and
networking at NTI. They will also commit to
continuing to develop the partnership after
they return to their workplaces.
Dale Medical
Products Scholarships
Dale Medical
Products, Inc., continues to support
education scholarships for AACN members who
are striving to balance their professional
lives and family obligations with their
pursuit of graduate degrees. Applicants must
demonstrate that without the scholarship
assistance they would be unable to attend
the conference and describe how attending
the NTI or API will assist them in reaching
their professional goals.
Submit
Abstracts Online for NTI 2005
The online
abstract submission for NTI 2005 is now
live. The process is easy to follow and
allows the national office staff to more
efficiently collate the abstracts for
review. For additional information about
online abstract submission, contact AACN
Program Development Specialist Bonnie Baker,
RN, MHA, at (800) 394-5995, ext. 537;
e-mail,
ECCO
Helped Hospital System Standardize Education
MedCath
Corporation, LLC has 11 hospitals, each
licensed as general acute care with a
specific focus on serving the unique needs
of patients with cardiovascular diseases.
When the education coordinators within the
affiliated hospitals wanted to standardize
their educational curriculum, they looked to
AACN's Essentials of Critical Care
Orientation (ECCO) as one way to accomplish
this.
The first
hospital within the system to begin using
the ECCO program was Arizona's Tucson Heart
Hospital. Its clinical educator, Lisa
Barnett, RN, shared that she was excited
about the program, because it would allow
her to spend more time on hospital-specific
procedures and equipment and less time on
lectures.
"Using ECCO
enables me to be more hands-on than with
previous courses, because I spend less time
reviewing material like anatomy and
physiology," said Barnett. "I spend a lot
less time preparing for the course, because
the content in the ECCO program is very
thorough."
Barnett provided
valuable insight to the other educators
preparing to implement it. The first group
of orientees met for six hours two days a
week, spending four hours on computer
learning and two on skills labs or
reinforcing materials. Barnett was available
during the computer time to answer questions
as necessary. The orientees spent an
additional two, 12-hour shifts each week
with a preceptor in the ICU. The total
orientation lasted eight weeks, but Barnett
did not feel that 16 shifts at the bedside
were sufficient to fully orient them to the
ICU. The next group of orientees will have
additional shifts in their orientation.
"Having the
nurses work at the bedside at the same time
they were taking class was beneficial,"
Barnett noted. "Even though ECCO is
standardizing the orientation curriculum,
it's also flexible enough to meet each
hospital's own needs. An educator at another
hospital in the system is giving orientees
the choice to use ECCO at home or at the
hospital and is scheduling a different
number of hours for the whole orientation
process."
Wanting to
determine if using ECCO was beneficial when
compared with the traditional program,
Barnett said that the Tucson Heart Hospital
orientees were given the Basic Knowledge
Assessment Tool (BKAT) before and after
using ECCO as a way to measure whether
learning took place. Although not everyone
achieved an 80% score, all test takers saw
an increase in their scores. The hospital
also conducted an educator and student
evaluation of the program to critique
different parts of the program, including
using this kind of Internet-based education
program as a methodology.
"Participants
ranged from new grads to 20 years of nursing
experience, including experience in the
ICU." Barnett said. "Such a broad range of
age and experience meant lots of different
perspectives about computer-based learning."
In general, the
orientees liked advancing through the
content at their own pace, the freedom to do
it at home, the ability to listen to or turn
off the audio track as desired, and the
immediate feedback on the module exam,
including being referred to the exact slide
within the content for reviewing the correct
answer. The graphics and the support
materials and charts that helped clarify
information were also liked.
"We shared our
feedback with the corporate office, and now
other facilities are using ECCO," said
Barnett.
Barnett likes
the fact that both a new grad and a seasoned
ICU nurse can benefit from using ECCO.
"The material
may be new or may reinforce already known
concepts to achieve further understanding,"
she said.
Because part of
our mission, vision and values is
high-quality care and continuing education,
we hope to utilize ECCO for all our nurses."
HealthStream
Joins ECCO Partnership
AACN is pleased
to announce that the ECCO program is now
available through HealthStream, a leading
provider of e-learning solutions in
healthcare.
"We are
delighted to be entering into this
relationship as it will enable us to greatly
extend the reach of this vital educational
tool," said Wendy Berke, AACN's director of
Professional Practice.
"The addition of
AACN's 64-contact-hour Essentials of
Critical Care Orientation to HealthStream's
library delivers a much-anticipated,
high-caliber program of study to our
hospital customers, who collectively
represent 730,000 healthcare professionals,"
said HealthStream CEO Robert A. Frist Jr.
"We are pleased to offer the ECCO program to
the healthcare professionals in our network
of hospitals."
For more
information about purchasing ECCO through
HealthStream, talk to your hospital's
representative or call HealthStream at (615)
301-3127.
Share Your
Experience With ECCO
Have you enjoyed
using the ECCO program? We want to hear from
you! Call us at (800) 394-5995, ext. 8870,
or e-mail us at
Healthcare
Professionals Embrace Patient-Focused Care
AACN joined
hundreds of other healthcare providers in
taking the Patient-Focused Care Pledge
instituted by the American College of Chest
Physicians. The pledge, introduced at ACCP's
international scientific assembly in
Orlando, Fla., forms the foundation for an
initiative specifically designed to help
hospitals, healthcare systems and healthcare
education programs develop interdisciplinary
models of patient-focused care.
"As medical
professionals, we have been listening to the
concerns of our patients, patient advocacy
organizations and government institutions
regarding the deficiencies of modern
American medicine," said ACCP President
Richard S. Irwin, MD, FCCP. "We are in the
midst of a healthcare revolution, and it is
time for all who provide healthcare to
practice patient-focused care and recapture
the respect and goodwill of the American
public."
"This important
initiative driven by our partners and
colleagues at ACCP is a call to all
physicians, nurses and other critical care
professionals that our practice must
continue to be centered around patient and
family needs, even in these turbulent times
for healthcare," said AACN president Dorrie
Fontaine, RN, DNSc, FAAN. "Escalating
financial pressures and alarming workforce
shortages make it imperative that physicians
and nurses actively work together to
establish new patient-focused practice
models. The combined efforts of AACN and
ACCP will establish a strong leadership
force in effecting meaningful change in our
hospitals and heath systems on behalf of the
critically ill patients we serve."
The pledge
states:
The American
College of Chest Physicians Patient-Focused
Care Pledge: I will strive to provide
patient-focused care wherever and whenever I
have the privilege of caring for patients. I
will also work to ensure that all healthcare
systems in which I provide care are patient
focused. Patient-focused care is
compassionate, sensitive to the everyday and
special needs of patients and their
families, and based upon the best available
evidence. It is interdisciplinary, safe and
monitored. To ensure the provision of
patient-focused care in my professional
environments, I shall willingly embrace the
concepts of lifelong learning and continuous
quality improvement.
Scene and
Heard
AACN continues
to seek visibility for our profession and
the organization. Following is an update on
recent outreach efforts.
Our Voice in
the Media
Journal of
Nursing Administration and Nursing
Management (October 2003)-An article titled
"The e-learning answer," by Wendy Berke, RN,
BSN, MHA, AACN director of professional
practice and Tina Wiseman, AACN education
resources specialist, appeared in the
premier issue of "IT Solutions," a
supplement to the October 2003 issue.
"Rather than waiting for a scheduled lecture
to occur, staff members can turn to
e-learning programs-available every day, any
hour. The �just-in-time' nature of
e-learning means specialized training is
available at the moment it's needed," the
authors advised.
ED Management
(October 2003)- "Support Grows for More
Family Access" was the title of an article
that was also featured in the Thomson
American Health Consultants Hot Topics,
NurseZone and NurseLinx. The article noted
that "very few hospitals have policies that
allow family access during resuscitation and
other treatment in the ED, even though
research has shown that the public
overwhelmingly desires it and a growing
number of emergency physicians and nurses
support the idea." AACN President Dorrie
Fontaine, RN, DNSc, FAAN, was quoted as
saying that she sees a trend toward more
willingness among clinicians to accommodate
families in the ED, which she said was
consistent with other efforts to allow
families in treatment areas.
Indiana Business
Journal (Oct. 6, 2003)-An article titled
"Clarian Health unveils nursing practice
model; Hospitals will reaffirm importance of
patient care" featured the promotion of 62
nurses under a new nursing practice model at
Clarian Health Partners. The healthcare
system wants nurses to sharpen their focus
on patients, and will reward those who do so
under the Synergy Model. The new practice
model takes into consideration two sides of
nursing: patient care and mentoring,
according to Ramon Lavandero, RN, MSN, MA,
FAAN, AACN director of development and
strategic alliances. AACN worked with
Clarian to develop the model. Clarian is the
first healthcare system in the country to
implement the Synergy Model across its
system, Lavandero said.
Nursing2003
(October 2003)-Fontaine was interviewed for
an "Issues in Nursing" article titled
"Mandatory nurse/patient ratios: a good idea
or not?" Noting that AACN is opposed to
legislated nurse-patient ratios for critical
and acute care units, Fontaine explained
that they fail to account for daily, even
hourly, variations in patient acuity, staff
skill and expertise, hospital resources, and
support services. "It's not just about the
number of available nurses," she said.
"Equally important is the expertise and
experience of those nurses. The competency
of available nurses can't be mandated by
legislated ratios."
Holtschneider
QST (November
2003)-Mary Holtschneider, RN, BSN, MPA, a
member of the AACN Board of Directors, was
quoted in the National Association of
Amateur Radio journal in an article titled
"EmComm Classes Make the Grade: ARRL
emergency communications courses provide
students with the right tools to begin
participating effectively in emergency
public service work." Holtschneider noted
that "hams just can't show up at a hospital
or event site during a disaster without a
predetermined emergency communications plan
in place, preferably cemented by a
memorandum of understanding." She suggested
that hams interested in public service get
involved with emergency nets and the
National Traffic System, and participate in
practices and drills.
Multimedia-
"Medical Professionals Embrace
Patient-Focused Care Revolution" was the
title of an Oct. 26, 2003, news release that
was featured in several publications,
including the Los Angeles Times and
NurseWeek, as well as on CBS MarketWatch and
Yahoo.
Our Voice at
the Table
AACN
President-elect Kathy McCauley, RN, PhD, CS,
FAAN, and CEO Wanda Johanson, RN, MN, met in
Chicago, Ill., with the leadership of the
American College of Chest Physicians,
American Thoracic Society and Society of
Critical Care Medicine to discuss mutual
concerns regarding the shortage of critical
care nurses and physicians, and to determine
priorities and prepare a joint message to
legislators and policymakers. AACN is taking
the lead in defining how all four
associations can address the nursing
shortage through their respective
organizations and through joint federal
advocacy efforts.
Johanson
attended the Nursing Leadership Academy for
Palliative and End-of-life Care, a
collaborative of representatives from 44
nursing organizations dedicated to ensuring
all patients who need palliative care
receive it. The group explored practice
models to continue their work to integrate
palliative and end-of-life care into the
fabric of their associations.
Carol Hartigan,
RN, AACN Certification Corporation director,
and Roberta Kaplow, RN, PhD, CCNS, CCRN, a
member of the AACN Certification Corporation
Board of Directors, attended the American
Board of Nursing Specialties meeting in
Pittsburgh, Pa. Issues addressed included
continuation of the ABNS research agenda to
establish the value of certification and
further discussion of the issues related to
specialty vs. subspecialty certification.
Fontaine spoke
to 300 nurses at the Cleveland (Ohio) Clinic
regarding critical care in an era of nursing
shortages and family presence at the end of
life. She also toured the ICUs at this
recently designated Magnet hospital.
Fontaine was the
keynote speaker at the first pediatric
conference at Stanford University Medical
Center's Lucile Packard Children's Hospital,
Palo Alto, Calif. Her presentation was
titled "Rising Above: Reaching the Rainbow."
"Rising Above:
Creating Possibilities for Critical Care
Nursing," was the title of a keynote address
Fontaine delivered to more than 100 nurses
at the Currents symposium in Lafayette, La.
In addition, she worked with Tina Covington,
RN, MN, CCRN, CS, the Region 12 AACN Chapter
Advisory Team representative, to facilitate
a six-hour leadership conference for chapter
leaders in that region. Fontaine also toured
the ICUs at Lafayette General Hospital,
which was recently designated a Magnet
facility.
Yeager
AACN board
member Susan Yeager, RN, MS, CCRN, was the
closing keynote speaker at Advances in
Critical Care Nursing, an educational
conference for critical care nurses in
Columbus, Ind. Her speech, titled "Rootin'
Around," focused on ways to renew the
passion for nursing, personally and in the
workplace.
Goodyear-Bruch
AACN board
member Caryl Goodyear-Bruch, RN, MSN, CCRN,
spoke to the Pi Eta Chapter of Sigma Theta
Tau International at Graceland University in
Independence, Mo. Her presentation, titled
"Evidence-Based Practice: Transformation
Into Useful Practice," stressed that basic
practice on the most current research is
vital for efficiency, quality and outcomes.
She also discussed ways to promote clinical
inquiry and translate research findings into
a package that nurses can use to direct
care.
Heath
AACN board
member Janie Heath, RN, MS, CCRN, ANP, ACNP,
spoke to the Hill City Chapter of AACN in
Lynchburg, Va. Her speech, titled "Political
Action in Critical Care Nursing Practice:
Spheres of Influence for Healthcare Policy,"
encouraged the approximately 200 critical
care providers in attendance to find their
inner "political will" and identify
strategies to influence policy-making
decisions.
Johanson and
Hartigan represented AACN Certification
Corporation at the Accreditation Alliance
Meeting of the American Association of
Colleges of Nursing in Washington, D.C. The
group meets semi-annually to ensure
consistency in standards for accreditation
of advanced practice nursing academic
programs and in linking the education of
advance practice nurses with their
certification and licensure requirements.
While attending
the annual meeting of the American College
of Chest Physicians in Orlando, Fla.,
Fontaine, McCauley and Johanson participated
in a joint meeting with the leaders of ACCP,
the American Thoracic Society and the
Society of Critical Care Medicine to define
joint advocacy and organizational
initiatives to address access and quality
issues and workforce shortages. At the
request of AACN, all three of the physician
societies enthusiastically supported signing
on to the Americans for Nursing Shortage
Relief Alliance agenda. The alliance
advocates at the federal level for funding
to increase and sustain the nursing
workforce. During a panel presentation with
the leadership group, Fontaine addressed
AACN initiatives around recruitment and
retention of nurses and supporting
excellence in practice. She urged the
membership of the medical societies to join
with AACN in creating healthy work
environments, to look for new, more
effective models of collaborative practice,
and to establish zero tolerance for abusive
behaviors.
If you or your
chapter has reached out to the media or
other groups to promote critical care
nursing, we'd like to know. E-mail your
information to
Online
Neonatal and Pediatric Courses Available
New
Internet-based courses to prepare for
neonatal and pediatric critical care nursing
roles will be offered beginning in January
2004 by Indiana University School of
Nursing.
The three-credit
didactic component consists of 10 online
modules that may be taken from any location.
The project is
funded in part by a grant of nearly $1
million from the "Learning Anytime Anywhere
Partnership," a project of FIPSE, the U.S.
Department of Education Fund for the
Improvement of Postsecondary Education. AACN,
Clarian Health Partners and IUSON have
provided additional support for the $2.1
million project. Courses were developed by
national content experts directed by IUSON.
NTI Audio
Tapes and CDs Offer CE Credit
AACN has
released more than 50 cutting-edge topics
from NTI 2003 as CE-approved audio tapes and
audio CDs. Choose from an assortment of
cardiovascular, pulmonary, ethics,
leadership, neurology, pediatrics and
multisystem selections. By purchasing a
"bundle" of the selections, you can save
20%.
To obtain the
list of topics and an order form, call AACN
FAX on Demand at (800) 222-6329 and request
Document #6052. The form is also available
online.
Sepsis
Education Program Available
Identification
and Management of the Patient With Severe
Sepsis," AACN's national sepsis education
program for nurses, is now available in a
self-paced CD-ROM format. Funded by an
unrestricted educational grant from Eli
Lilly and Company, this program is sponsored
by AACN and is accredited for 5.0 contact
hours of CE credit for single users.
Narrated by
clinical expert Barbara McLean, RN, MN, CCRN,
CCNS-NP, FCCM, the new program offers
clinicians a comprehensive view of the
latest information on the diagnosis and care
of patients with severe sepsis.
The 170-page,
audio/slide CD-ROM study guide includes
pathophysiology of severe sepsis;
identification of acute organ system
dysfunction; antibiotics, source control and
monitoring in severe sepsis, including
investigational and newly approved
therapies; hemodynamic, ventilatory, renal
and other aspects of care; and nursing care
of patients with severe sepsis. Case studies
are also included in the presentation.
To order this
cutting-edge learning program for only the
$7.50 shipping and handling fee, call (800)
899-2226 and request Item #004060.
Quantities are limited.
Do You
Receive AACN's New Electronic Newsletter?
In an effort to
provide the most up-to-date information in
the timeliest manner, AACN now offers an
electronic newsletter. Called Critical Care
Newsline, this communication vehicle will be
delivered weekly to the inboxes of members
and others interested in the issues and
concerns that affect nurses and the nursing
profession.
If you have not
received Critical Care Newsline, it's
probably because we don't have your current
e-mail address. To receive Critical Care
Newsline, simply e-mail your current address
to
Are You
Committed to Healthy Work Environments?
Are you
committed to healthy work environments? Join
the growing number of critical care nurses
who have pledged to help achieve just that
by signing the "Act Boldly" commitment card
online.
In her
presidential address at the opening session
of NTI 2003 in San Antonio, Texas, outgoing
President Connie Barden, RN, MSN, CCNS, CCRN,
urged participants to publicly promise to
make a difference in sustaining healthy work
environments by signing a card citing the
following commitments:
� I will
identify the most pressing challenge in my
immediate work environment.
� I will
initiate the dialogue with my colleagues to
find solutions to this challenge.
� I will remain
actively involved in the solutions until
they are working.
AACN is
continuing this effort by allowing members
to make their pledges online.
Coming Up
in the January Issue of the American Journal
of Critical Care
� Using
Bispectral Index Monitoring to Detect
Potential Breakthrough Awareness and Limit
Duration of Neuromuscular Blockade
� Effects of
Acuity-Adaptable Rooms on Flow of Patients
and Delivery of Care
� Oral Health
and Care in the Intensive Care Unit: State
of the Science
� Comparison of
3 Methods of Detecting Acute Respiratory
Distress Syndrome: Clinical Screening, Chart
Review, and Diagnostic Coding
Subscriptions to
Critical Care Nurse and the American Journal
of Critical Care are included in AACN
membership dues.
Looking
Ahead
January 2004
January 15
Deadline to submit nominations for the AACN
Clinical Inquiry Grant. For more
information, visit the AACN Web site. To
find out more about AACN's research
priorities and grant opportunities, visit
the AACN Web site.
January 15
Deadline to submit nominations for the AACN
End-of-Life Palliative Care Small Projects
Grant. For more information, visit the AACN
Web site.
February 2004
February 1
Deadline to submit applications for
continuing education scholarships to attend
the 2004 NTI and Critical Care Exposition in
Orlando,
Fla. To obtain
an application (Item #1099), call (800)
899-2226;
May 2004
May 15-20
National Teaching Institute and Critical
Care Exposition in Orlando, Fla. For more
information, visit the NTI Web site.
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