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Nursing Schools Receive Pulse Oximeter
Donations
AACN-AONE-Nellcor Collaboration
The clinical skills laboratories for nurses
at approximately 125 institutions have received a donation of state-of-the-art
oxygen monitoring equipment and additional educational resources valued at more
than $5,000, thanks to a national collaboration of two nursing associations and
a leading healthcare technology manufacturer.
AACN and the American Organization of Nurse
Executives have partnered with Nellcor/Tyco Healthcare to donate
advanced-technology Nellcor pulse oximeters and educational resources to 125
schools of nursing in 48 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. Virgin
Islands.
The donation provides Nellcor N-395 Pulse
Oximeters and educational materials to schools selected by AACN and AONE. Each
selected school will also have access to the expertise of Nellcor's field-based
team of hospital clinical consultants. Pulse oximeters, which are used routinely
in critical care units and increasingly in many other patient care areas, offer
a cost-effective way to noninvasively measure a patient's heart rate and the
amount of oxygen in the blood.
"In these days of very limited budgets for
education, the purchase of expensive state-of-the-art equipment is a luxury,"
said Barbara Nubile, RN, MSN, division assistant dean at Yavapai College,
Prescott, Ariz., one of the schools benefiting from the donation. "We are most
grateful for the generosity and partnership of Nellcor, AACN and AONE."
"At a time when the entire healthcare
continuum is strapped for resources, generosity like Nellcor's is sorely
needed," said AACN President Dorrie Fontaine, RN, DNSc, FAAN. "We were frankly
overwhelmed by requests for technology and training materials and are pleased to
accommodate nursing programs with this initial donation. Incorporating
sophisticated technology into the core education of new nurses will help ensure
the safety and efficacy of nursing care."
"This program is a classic demonstration of
how professional organizations and industry can work together to create a
lasting impact," commented AONE President Rita Turley, RN, MS. "Nellcor's
generous support of education and technology will impact an entire generation of
nurses and the countless patients for whom they care over the course of their
careers."
"We are very pleased at the reception to
our partnership with the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses and the
American Organization of Nurse Executives," said Chris Jones, Nellcor's vice
president of marketing. "Clinical education has been a cornerstone of our
company for over 20 years. We are proud to support the nurses in every stage of
their careers-from education to clinical practice."
Schools Receiving Pulse Oximeters
Partial list of schools. Additional schools
will be listed in September and October.
Alabama-Auburn University-Montgomery
Alaska-University of Alaska-Anchorage
Arizona-Grand Canyon University
Arkansas-University of Arkansas for Medical
Sciences
California-Sacramento City College,
Saddleback College
Colorado-Colorado State University
Connecticut-Naugatuck Valley Community
College
Delaware-University of Delaware
District of Columbia-Catholic University of
America
Florida-Florida Agricultural & Mechanical
University
Georgia-Clayton College & State University
Hawaii-Hawaii Pacific University
Idaho-Boise State University
Illinois-Governors State University
Indiana-Indiana University
Iowa-Mount Mercy College
Kansas-Kansas Wesleyan University
Kentucky-Bellarmine University
Louisiana-Grambling State University
Maine-Husson College
Maryland-Johns Hopkins University
Massachusetts-Boston College
Michigan-Calvin College
Minnesota-College of St. Scholastica
Mississippi-Delta State University
Missouri-Jewish Hospital
Montana-Montana State University
Nebraska-University of Nebraska Medical
Center
Nevada-Great Basin College
New Hampshire-New Hampshire Community
Technical College-Claremont
New Jersey-Rutgers-Camden College of Arts &
Sciences
New Mexico-New Mexico State University
New York-Herbert H. Lehman College of CUNY
North Carolina-Haywood Community
College-Southwest Community College-Tri-County Community College Consortium
North Carolina-A&T State University
North Dakota-University of Mary
Ohio-Ohio State University
Oregon-Mount Hood Community College
Pennsylvania-Duquesne University, Edinboro
University of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg Area Community College
Rhode Island-Rhode Island College
South Dakota-Augustana College
Tennessee-Middle Tennessee State University
Texas-Texas Christian University
Utah-Brigham Young University
Vermont-Castleton State College
Virgin Islands-University of the Virgin
Islands
Virginia-University of Virginia
Washington-Northwest College
West Virginia-Marshall University
Wisconsin-Bellin College of Nursing
Wyoming-University of Wyoming
I
Membership Drive Nears 1,000 Mark
Individuals, Chapters Earn Rewards
AACN's Critical Links membership campaign
neared the 1,000 new-member mark in its third month as individual and chapter
recruiters welcomed 380 of their colleagues during July. The number brings the
total recruited since the campaign began May 1 to 908, with 379 individuals and
53 chapters participating to date.
Ngozi I. Moneke, RN-BC, BSN, CCRN, of
Freeport, N.Y., continued to lead the campaign with 24 new members recruited,
but Caroline Axt, RN, MS, of Oakland, Calif., was close behind with 21 new
members recruited. Both added 11 new members to their recruited totals during
July.
Four members jumped into the campaign for
the first time in July by recruiting 10 new members each. They are Lori Ann Cox,
RN, MSN, CCRN, ACNP, NP, of Johnstown, Pa.; Maureen Wood, RN, BSN, of Newport,
R.I.; Kirsten F. Fritz, RN, of New York, N.Y.; and Kathleen L. Finn, RN, MS, EdD,
of North Easton, Mass.
Others who had recruited five or more new
members by the end of July are:
15 Kathleen M. Richuso, RN, MS, MSN, of
Chapel Hill, N.C.
13 Catherine P. Rodgers, RN, ADN, CCRN, of
South Daytona, Fla.
11 Lori Ann Cox, RN, MSN, CCRN, ACNP, NP,
of Johnstown, Pa., and Linda J. Lopazanski, RN, CCRN, of Fords, N.J.
9 Jean A. Endryck, RN, BS, BSN, MN, MS, FNP,
NP, of Valatie, N.Y.; Julie S. Miller, RN, BSN, CCRN, of Tyler, Texas; and
Barbara M. Eachus, RN, BSN, CCRN, of Philadelphia, Pa.
8 Victor A. Duarte, RN, of Fort Collins,
Colo.
7 Christina McCarter Cantey, RN, BSN, of
Huntsville, Ala.; Maria A. Laxina, RN, MA, MS, CCRN, of Nutley, N.J.; Dawn
Kregel, RN, BS, BSN, of Denton, Texas; Teresa J. Seright, RN, ADN, CCRN, of
Minot, S.D.; and Dawn LeQuatte, RN, of Denver, Colo.
6 Betty C. King, RN, MSN, AA, of Encino,
Calif.; Cathy L. Blonski, RN, of Danbury, Conn.; Marisue Rowe, RN, ADN, of
Jacksonville, Ark.; and Cynthia L. Bond, RN, of Biloxi, Miss.
5 Jeanne Ann Bolton, RN, BS, BSN, CCRN, of
Westland, Mich.; Barbara M. Bundage, RN, MSN, of Long Beach, Calif.; Ann L.
Mercer, RN, CCRN, of Lake Worth, Fla.; Diane M. Casperson, RN, BSN, CCRN, of
Beresford, S.D.; Joseph R. Newsome, RN, MN, MS, CCNS, of Steger, Ill.; and
Rachel Banks, RN, of Miramar, Fla.
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 monthly drawing
for a $100 American Express gift certificate.
Receiving the American Express gift
certificate in the drawing for July was Louisa P. Olmo, RN, ADN, of Baldwin
Park, Calif.
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-nights 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.
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.
Academically Based Online Critical
Care Courses Available
Adult, neonatal and pediatric Web-based
courses are now available to individual students and nursing programs. Developed
through the collaboration of AACN, Indiana University School of Nursing and
Clarian Health Partners, each instructor-facilitated course offers comprehensive
content, clinical practicum with an onsite preceptor and a virtual center of
best practices.
Appropriate for Generic BSN and Degree
Completion
The new courses are especially appropriate
as elective or core courses in both generic and degree-completion BSN programs.
Nurses preparing for graduate study also will find them valuable. They are
currently offered by Indiana University for academic credit or continuing
education contact hours. Participants who successfully complete the clinical
practicum receive a certificate upon completion.
Each course consists of two three-credit
components that can be taken separately or together. A three-credit didactic
course facilitated by faculty offers 10 online modules of comprehensive critical
care content that includes critical thinking vignettes, learning activities, and
modular and comprehensive exams. A three-credit clinical practicum with a local
preceptor is backed by resources from the virtual center of best practices with
links to Web sites and nurse researchers. Online preceptor orientation is also
available.
Available to Other Schools
Through an institutional pricing option,
nursing schools also can offer the courses. "We know that collegiate schools of
nursing have very high demand for this content," explained Diane Billings, RN,
EdD, FAAN, co-project director and Indiana University associate dean for
teaching, learning and information resources. "The extensive resources needed to
develop online courses of this quality aren't often available, so we're offering
schools the ability of presenting the courses using their own faculty and
distance learning services."
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. Clarian, IUSON and AACN have provided additional
support for the $2.1 million project. Courses were developed by national content
experts directed by IUSON.
For individual student enrollment, visit
.
To inquire about offering the courses in your nursing school, contact Karen
Wagner, Center for Teaching and Lifelong Learning, at (317) 274-4274; e-mail,
critcare@iupui.edu.
NTI Rates High Among Attendees in San
Antonio
The best NTI ever? That's what many people
are saying after AACN's 30th annual National Teaching Institute and Critical
Care Exposition in May in San Antonio, Texas.
More than 6,300, an increase of 14% from
the 2002 conference, attended the event, held for the first time in San Antonio.
Those in attendance had the chance to hear keynote speeches from then AACN
President Connie Barden, RN, MSN, CCNS, CCRN, and then President-elect Dorrie
Fontaine, RN, DNSc, FAAN, as well as Robert David Hall, star of the hit TV show
CSI, and speaker/author Amanda Gore. Attendees at NTI also were entertained by
comedian/actor Dana Carvey and many danced to the tunes of Neil Diamond,
performed by tribute band Super Diamond.
Of course, education was at the heart of
NTI, with participants earning CE credits on a wide variety of topics. They also
had the chance to tour the exhibitor hall to check out the latest in medical
innovations while exploring numerous career opportunities. Perhaps most
importantly, more than 3,000 of the attendees took up Barden's challenge to use
their "Bold Voices" and sign AACN's commitment card, pledging to stand up and be
heard in the noble profession of nursing.
This year's NTI also enjoyed strong media
coverage, with Fontaine being interviewed by National Public Radio.
Participant evaluations indicated that 99%
of the attendees rated the program as "good" or "excellent," with 99.6% stating
that they would recommend NTI to a colleague. Those who didn't have the chance
to attend this year will want to check out the opportunities for NTI 2004,
scheduled May 15 through 20 in Orlando, Fla.
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.
Cost Saving Cited in Decision to
Implement ECCO Program
SICU Piloted Approach at UCSD Medical
Center
Taking a break from orientation with
ECCO at UCSD Medical Center
are (from left, seated) Geraldine Sarte, Diane Gaeta and Michelle
McCoy and (from left, standing) Deborah Snyder and Laura Dibsie.
UCSD Medical Center is the primary hospital
for the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. The region's
only academic medical center offers both primary care and specialized services,
and serves as San Diego County's only Level I Trauma Center. The surgical ICU
has pioneered the implementation of the Essentials of Critical Care Orientation
(ECCO) program within this institution. Deborah Snyder, RN, MSN, CCRN, was the
manager of the SICU at the time the program was implemented (she now serves as
the trauma program manager) and spearheaded the effort to win approval to pilot
the program within this unit.
Snyder and colleague Laura Dibsie, RN, MSN,
CCRN, clinical nurse specialist for the SICU, heard about ECCO from various
sources, including through articles that have appeared in AACN News. They began
investigating the program and discussing ways in which utilizing ECCO could
benefit the entire organization.
Because e-learning was a new concept within
the UCSD Medical Center, they proposed piloting the program within their unit to
evaluate its effectiveness and determine whether efficiencies could be gained.
Snyder created a cost-benefit analysis to compare the cost of purchasing ECCO to
the cost of the current training method, based on the number of nurses hired
each year. She also looked at nonproductive versus productive time, overall
orientation and training time, and the amount of money lost when a nurse is
released before the end of the probationary period.
Determining the Savings
Using 20 people as the benchmark to
complete the initial comparison figures, she determined that using ECCO in the
initial orientation would save $503, including costs such as books, licensing
agreement, headsets and salaries. Over a year, the savings accrued per
orientation would be approximately $20,000 if no employees left.
"Cost savings is one of the most important
aspects in the current environment of healthcare," said Snyder. "Showing that we
would be able to save money by using this high quality program garnered a lot of
agreement and interest. The senior management team, including the CEO, said to
go for it and do it as a pilot in the SICU."
Snyder and Dibsie also believed that a
change was needed to facilitate the learning style of younger and less
experienced critical care nurses, to conserve the time of the CNS in presenting
didactic lectures, to allow flexibility in the learning format offered new
hires, and to provide the orientee the ability to repeatedly use the modules
when additional learning needs arose.
Snyder and Dibsie expressed concern about
the initial time commitment required to successfully implement the ECCO program.
Dibsie created a schedule that can now be used with each orientation rotation,
thus reducing the time investment for each subsequent orientation.
"The schedule reflects the order of content
acquisition. Students know which modules should be completed on certain days and
when the module exams are due," she explained.
Because students must learn certain
concepts right away, the cardiovascular module was divided into several
sections.
"Initial concepts include the basics of
cardiovascular, pulmonary and PACEP. The next thing they see is every system is
connected so the multisystem module comes next and the content of the other
modules follows thereafter to coincide with the students' experience at the
bedside," said Dibsie.
Balancing With Clinical Time
Because of limited computer training space,
the focus of the six-week orientation was staggered between the e-learning
program and clinical time. The first two weeks are focused solely on working
through modules of the ECCO program, with subsequent weeks rotating between
clinical and ECCO.
"With this model, we have seen evidence of
learning taking place," Dibsie said. "For instance, one student who spent two
24-hour weeks working through the ECCO program then spent three days in a row
with the sickest patient on the unit and was readily pulling up concepts from
her learning experience."
The pre- and post-test mechanisms are a way
to measure learning. Students average between 30% and 50% on the pre-test and in
the 80% range on the post-test. They are encouraged to write notes about which
questions they missed on the post-test and why, and print copies of the test
results for use as a reference for discussions with their educator as well as
for their personal use.
Dibsie and Snyder agreed that the
flexibility offered by ECCO allowed them to fill vacancies sooner and eliminate
contract labor, which costs more than hiring new graduates.
"I also think this method of education will
be similar to what they're just leaving in the school environment, so they're
comfortable and encouraged by this kind of learning," said Dibsie.
Human resources staff were also
incorporated into implementing the program.
"The interview process was changed to look
at independent learners and determine those candidates who are self-accountable,
so the quality of our hires may be getting better," said Snyder.
Setting aside time to work within the ECCO
program prior to students using it helped Snyder and Dibsie master the program
before introducing it to the first group of students. In addition, they said
that starting with a small group of students is ideal, because it allows time to
modify the implementation plan if warranted.
Enhancing With Resources
Their students are scheduled to access the
program at the hospital primarily when the CNS or one of the key program
administrators is working. This gives the students access to a resource if they
have questions. Although formal classroom time is not scheduled, the CNS meets
with the students for approximately two hours each day to determine if they are
on track with their learning and to offer various blended learning opportunities
to apply the information. Dibsie indicated this proximity to the learners has
allowed her to intervene sooner, which may help to cut losses in staff down the
road.
Dibsie also recommended purchasing AACN's
Case Studies in Critical Care Nursing, 2nd Ed. by S. Drake Melander. The review
of case studies reinforces the pathophysiology and theory learned from the
modules and allows the learners to see how concepts will apply to direct patient
care activities. It also fosters the beginnings of critical thinking.
Dedicating one person to thoroughly knowing
the ECCO program has also helped to ensure smooth implementation. At UCSD
Medical Center, a dedicated informatics nurse has acted as technical liaison for
the program, freeing the educators to focus on concept acquisition.
For more information about ECCO, call (800)
394-5995, ext. 8870; e-mail, ecco@aacn.org.
61 Educational Advancement
Scholarships Awarded
Congratulations to the recipients of AACN
Educational Advancement Scholarships for the 2003-04 academic year. The 61
scholarships of $1,500 each have been awarded to nurses at 53 schools in 23
states and the District of Columbia. The program continues AACN's 20-year
history of supporting registered nurse members enrolled in a baccalaureate or
graduate degree program in nursing. These scholarships are in addition to the 10
entry into nursing scholarships AACN awards each year through the National
Students Nurses Association.
Congratulations to the Graduate
Recipients
Kathleen A. Ahern-Gould, RN, MSN, BA, CCRN,
Boston College, Connell School of Nursing; Michael D. Aldridge, RN, CCRN,
University of Texas, Austin; John Louis Arbour, RN, ADN, CCRN, University of
Texas Health Science Center; Beth A. Bednarz Pruski, RN, BS, BSN, Catholic
University of America; Christine A. Boev, RN, BSN, CCRN, Georgia College and
State University, Macon, Ga.; Nicole R. Borem, RN, BSN, Evanston
Northwestern-DePaul University; Kristina G. Bowen, RN, BS, BSN, University of
South Carolina; Kathryn R. Carlovsky, RN, BS, BSN, University of Illinois; Mara
L. Carpenter, RN, BSN, CCRN, CHE, University of Scranton; Laurie K. Carson, RN,
BSN, AA, Azusa Pacific University; Patricia A. Daansen, RN, BSN, CCRN, St. John
Fisher College
Lisa G. Elles-Borrson, RN, BSN, CCRN,
University of Missouri-St. Louis; Valerie S. Eschiti, RN, MS, MSN, CS, Texas
Woman's University; Susan Ford, MS, MSN, APRN, University of Illinois-Chicago;
Julia J. Freeman, RN, BSN, CCRN, Felician College; Timothy B. Guin, RN, East
Carolina University; Kimberly A. Guth, RN, BSN, CCRN, Northeastern University;
Karla J. Hanson, RN, BSN, South Dakota State University; Amy Hart, RN, BSN,
University of Phoenix; Susan Henry, RN, ADN, CCRN, University of San Diego;
Cecile Jimenez, RN, CCRN, Georgetown University; Lucy Ha Yon Joo-Castro, RN, BS,
BSN, Ball State University- School of Nursing; Jennifer Kawi, RN, BS, BSN, CCRN,
University of Nevada-Las Vegas; Laura E. Kenny, RN, BSN, University of
California, San Francisco; Yolanda G. Keys, RN, BSN University of Texas Health
Services Center; Tari Kovacs, RN, BS, BSN, CNRN, Catholic University of America;
Jennifer B. Kremer, RN, BSN, CCRN, EMT-P, Indiana University; Jennifer E. Lows,
RN, BSN, CCRN, Oregon Health & Science University; Karen Martin, RN, Medical
College of Ohio; Staci D. Martin, RN, BSN, CCRN, Akron University; Jennifer L.
Moran, RN, BSN, University of Maryland
Tina R. O'Neal, RN, ADN, CCRN, University
of Texas Health Science Center; DaiWai M. Olson, RN, BS, BSN, University of
North Carolina; Elizabeth Hange Paul, RN, University of Akron; Kim M. Reiser,
RN, BSN, Northeastern University; Tricia I. Roesch, RN, BSN, University of
Pittsburgh; Christopher M. Scovil, RN, BSN, Mayo School of Health Related
Sciences; Julie K. Shaw, RN, ADN, CCRN, University of Iowa; Sarah K. Shingleton,
RN, BSN, CCRN, University of Colorado Health Science Center; Kathryn R. Small,
RN, BS, CCRN, University of Massachusetts-Worcester; Randy Turnacliff, RN, ADN,
BA, CCRN, St. Mary's University; Cynthia Tobin Walsh, RN, BSN, CCRN, University
of Phoenix; Jacqueline A. Weaver, RN, BSN, CCRN, Widener University; Kelly L.
Wiltse, RN, BSN, University of Pittsburgh; Kristin Wittersheim, RN, BS, BSN,
Emory University; Daniel Takeo Wong, RN, BSN Samuel Merritt College Hayward CA;
Diane Yorke, RN, MSN, MBA, University of North Carolina; Penny P. Zimmerman, RN,
BSN, University of South Carolina
Congratulations to the BSN Recipients
Linda C Barton, RN, ADN, Curry College;
Tamara Capik, RN, ADN, CCRN, Humboldt State University; Natasha R. DeHosse, RN,
ADN, University of Southern Indiana; Cynthia J. Gallant, RN, ADN, CCRN,
Framingham State College; Debbie L. Geibel, RN, ADN, CCRN, Creighton University
School of Nursing; Anne M. Maihofer, RN, ADN, University of Michigan School of
Nursing; Karen L. Napikoski, RN, AA, CCRN, Mount Aloysius College; Myra L.
Popernack, RN, CCRN, Immaculata University; Barbara A. Roll, RN, BA, Ashland
University; Mary G. Sayler, RN, ADN, CCRN, University of Detroit Mercy; Michele
M. Teresko, RN, CCRN, DeSales University; Elisabeth K. Thoma, RN, ADN, CCRN,
University of New England; Michael Alan Torn, RN, ADN, CCRN, University of
Phoenix.
Applications for the next round of
Educational Advancement Scholarships are due April 1. The application is
available online.
Named Scholarships Honor 6 AACN
Leaders
Contributions Sustain Commitment to
Education
Eleven of the educational advancement
scholarships awarded for the 2003-04 academic year are named to honor five of
the association's national leaders. Each scholarship represents a contribution
to the AACN Scholarship Endowment of $1,500 or more by the individual or gifts
received in their honor. Following are the named scholarships and the
individuals receiving them:
In Honor of Connie Barden, RN, MSN, CCNS
CCRN
Immediate Past President, AACN
DaiWai M. Olson, University of North
Carolina-Chapel Hill
Diane Yorke, University of North
Carolina-Chapel Hill
In Honor of Suzanne M. Burns, RN, MSN, RRT,
ACNP, CCRN, FAAN, FCCM
Director, AACN Board of Directors
Beth A. Bednarz Pruski, Catholic University
of America
Christine A. Boev, Georgia College & State
University
Cecile Jimenez, Georgetown University
Tari Kovacs, Catholic University of America
In Honor of M. Dave Hanson, RN MSN, CCRN,
EMT-P
Treasurer, AACN Board of Directors
Jennifer B. Kremer, Indiana University
School of Nursing
Michael Alan Torn, University of Phoenix
In Honor of Wanda L. Johanson, RN, MN
Chief Executive Officer, AACN
Lucy Ha Yon Yoo-Castro, Ball State
University
In Honor of Roberta Kaplow, RN, PhD
Director, AACN Certification Corporation
Board of Directors
Kristin Wittersheim, Emory University
In Honor of Barbara Gill-MacArthur, RN, MN,
MS, FAAN
Past Chair, AACN Certification Corporation
Board
Kristina G. Bowen, University of South
Carolina
Since the first educational advancement
scholarships were awarded in 1984, AACN has been in the forefront of supporting
critical care nurses to continue their academic education. The Scholarship
Endowment also supports continuing education scholarships for nurses to attend
AACN's annual National Teaching Institute and Critical Care Exposition.
Funds to support these scholarships are
allocated in the association's operating budget each year and offset in part by
gifts from individual donors and industry. In 2001, the AACN Board of Directors
established a separate scholarship reserve fund to ensure the program's
existence for the future. In time, it will become a self-sustaining fund that
supports the association's scholarships each year.
To date, individual gifts and fund-raising
events, including the NTI silent auction, have contributed more than $215,000
toward the endowment's $2 million goal. A scholarship is named during the year
of donation for each gift to the Scholarship Endowment of $1,500 or more
contributed by an individual or in their honor.
To support the AACN Scholarship Endowment,
contact the AACN Development Office, 101 Columbia, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656.
Donations are tax deductible. For additional information, call (800) 394-5995,
ext. 333; e-mail, development@aacn.org.
Scene and Heard
AACN continues to seek visibility for our
profession and the organization. Following is an update on recent outreach
efforts.
Our Voice in the Media
Roll Call (July 14, 2003)-Roll Call carried
an ad urging Congress to fund the Nurse Reinvestment Act. The ad was sponsored
by the American Hospital Association and nine other healthcare associations,
including AACN. In urging Congress to "act today," the ad emphasizes, "Patients
need nurses ... but the nursing shortage continues." The ad can be viewed online
at www.aha.org > 2003 Advocacy Agenda > Key Issues > Workforce Shortage > What's
New > News Items > Fund the Nurse Reinvestment Act Ad.
Los Angeles Times (July 21, 2003)-An
article titled "Alone in the ER: People receiving invasive or lifesaving
treatment often want loved ones present, but many hospitals limit access"
appeared in the Los Angeles Times. This article included information about a
study cosponsored by AACN and the Emergency Nurses Association and published in
the May issue of the American Journal of Critical Care and the June issue of the
Journal of Emergency Medicine. In expanding on the news release, the Los Angeles
Times included quotes from other healthcare industry sources. A life-threatening
illness or injury is frightening enough; having a loved one present can make the
ordeal less terrifying. It can also ensure better care because relatives,
partners or close friends frequently provide crucial information and a health
history to doctors and nurses, the article noted. AACN President Dorrie
Fontaine, RN, DNSc, FAAN, a co-author of the study, was quoted in the article as
saying, "Three-quarters or more of the American public wants to be there with
their loved one during CPR and invasive procedures … Changing demographics and
changing definitions of family make the need for such policies all the greater,
say nurses' groups and patients' advocates."
SSM Online (July 7, 2003)-The Association
of Operating Room Nurses' SSM Online noted that AACN and nine other nursing
associations have urged the U.S. Department of Labor to exempt healthcare
professionals from a proposed regulation that would eliminate overtime pay for a
large number of nurses. The article, titled "Nation's Top Nursing Groups Urge
Labor Department to Exempt Health Care Professionals from Regulation that Would
Allow Mandatory Overtime Without Additional Pay," notes that the groups are
concerned the regulation would exacerbate an already dangerous shortage of
nurses in the United States. "If this occurs, these situations will create
extreme dissatisfaction, likely resulting in the loss of more experienced nurses
from the healthcare system," the groups are quoted as warning.
Health Care Strategic Management (July
2003)-Health Care Strategic Management included an article on the new Web-based,
CCRN adult certification examination self-assessment tool (www.certcorp.org >
Products & Courses > CCRN-Adult Self-Assessment Practice Exam). The article
explained that the 50-question practice examination is designed to provide
timely and essential feedback to candidates pursuing CCRN certification.
ANG Newspapers (July 6, 2003)-An article
titled "RX for the Nursing Shortage" was published by newspapers in the ANG
group, including the Oakland Tribune, San Mateo County Times, Alameda
Times-Star, Argus and Tri-Valley Herald, as well as online at Nurses.com and on
the California Nurses Association Web site. Although applicants to nursing
schools are at an all-time high, the drop-out rate averages 20%, the article
noted. The article quoted AACN Clinical Practice Specialist Linda Bell, RN, MS,
MSN, who said, "Strong math and science skills are key to nursing because the
profession has evolved into a highly technical and specialized field. Patients
rarely come in with just one disease anymore. They are a conglomerate of their
medical history."
Baltimore Sun (July 27, 2003)-Justine
Medina, RN, MS, AACN practice and research director, was quoted in a Baltimore
Sun article titled "Baltimore-Area Hospital Adds Nurse Practitioner Shifts in
Intensive Care Unit." Because of the shortage of critical care physicians,
Harford Memorial Hospital, Havre de Grace, Md., now uses a nurse practitioner
for about half of the evening shifts in the ICU. "Harford Memorial is lucky to
have had so much intensivist coverage," Medina said. "There are really good
models in which patient care does not suffer if there is clear communication
about roles, about expectations. The key thread is the respectful team
environment."
Nursing Management (July 2003)-Nursing
Management published the results of its "Salary Survey 2003." The survey
indicated that certification boosts salary and that the nurse leaders who are
CCRN certified (25.8%) earn the highest average salary of all certifications at
$74,280.
Advance for Nurses (June 23, 2003)-An
article titled "American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Names 2003 Award
Recipients" was featured in Advance for Nurses. The article listed the
recipients of AACN's 2003 Circle of Excellence Awards, a program that recognizes
contributions and achievements related to the association's mission.
Our Voice at the Table
Houston Gulf Coast Chapter Transitional
Leadership Retreat-M. Dave Hanson, RN, MSN, CCRN, EMT-P, treasurer of the AACN
Board of Directors, updated attendees about the work being done at the national
AACN office and challenged participants to make their optimal contribution as
chapter members. Hanson's topics were three-fold: "AACN: the Voice of Critical
Care," "Working Together as a Team to Create a Realistic and Successful Chapter
Budget" and "Rising Above to Create Effective Messages: Using Your Bold Voice to
Deliver Those Messages."
Medical Society Fund Raising Network-Ramón
Lavandero, RN, MSN, MA, FAAN, director of Development & Strategic Alliances at
AACN, and Randy Bauler, AACN's exhibits and sponsorships director, attended the
summer meeting in Los Angeles, where AACN was recognized as a prominent leader
in the nursing and healthcare association arena. The network is a group of
healthcare association executives who are responsible for resource development
and industry relations activities. During the meeting, Lavandero participated as
a panelist in a presentation on how different organizations coordinate their
industry relations agenda.
National Student Leadership Conference-AACN
board member Janie Heath, RN, MS, CCRN, ACNP, ANP, spoke in Washington, D.C., to
300 high school students from across the United States. Heath's speech, titled
"Critical Care Nursing Rocks," was an overview of nursing and what makes
critical care nurses different. She used real-life scenarios to demonstrate how
critical care nurses have a 24-hour, 7-day a week responsibility to intervene
with the most vulnerable, unstable and complex, critically ill patients.
AACN board member Janie Heath shared her
views on
critical care nursing with students participating in the
National Student Leadership Conference.
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
Judy.Wilkin@aacn.org.
PDA Center
PDA Version of Drug Guide Released
You can now purchase Lippincott Williams
and Wilkins' 2003 Nursing Drug Guide through the AACN PDA Center. And, through
Sept. 30, you can save 15% when you purchase the latest AACN Clinical
Reference/Drug Guide Bundle. In addition to the Nursing Drug Guide, you will
receive Griffith's 5-minute Clinical Consult for only $99. This new bundle is
available in either Palm OS or Pocket PC formats. To order online, visit
www.aacn.org > Bookstore > AACN PDA Center > Special's and What's New.
Fees Discounted for AACN Members
Attending Nursing Management Congress
AACN members can take advantage of
discounted registration fees for Nursing Management Congress 2003, scheduled for
Oct. 26 through 29 in San Diego, Calif.
AACN is one of six professional nursing
associations that supports this conference on excellence in nursing leadership.
Participants can earn up to 32.2 contact hours of Category O continuing
education recognition points.
AACN is the sponsor of two of the sessions.
One session, titled "Executive Toolkit for the Procurement of E-Learning
Programs," will feature Wendy J. Berke, RN, BSN, MHA, AACN's director of
professional practice. "Safeguarding the Patient and the Profession: the Value
of Critical Care Nurse Certification" is the title of the other program, which
will be presented by Beth A. Glassford, RN, MSHA, CHE, immediate past
secretary-treasurer of the AACN Certification Corporation Board of Directors.
The conference brochure is available on the
AACN Web site.
What's Coming Up in the October Issue
of Critical Care Nurse?
• Chemical Warfare: Toxicity of Nerve
Agents
• HIV Disease and Aging
• Resiliency of Accomplished Critical Care
Nurses in a Natural Disaster
• New Graduates: A Precious Critical Care
Resource
• Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension and
Preeclampsia
Subscriptions to Critical Care Nurse and
the American Journal of Critical Care are included in AACN membership dues.
Looking Ahead
October 2003
October 1 Deadline to submit proposals for
the AACN Evidence-Based Practice Grant. To find out more about AACN's research
priorities and grant
opportunities, visit the AACN Web site. The
grants handbook is also available from AACN Fax on
Demand at (800) 222-6329. Request Document #1013.
October 1 Deadline to apply for the AACN
Clinical Practice Grant. To find out more about AACN's research priorities and
grant opportunities, visit the AACN
Web site. The grants handbook is also available from AACN Fax on Demand at (800)
222-6329. Request Document #1013.
October 1 Deadline to apply for the AACN-Sigma
Theta Tau Critical Care Grant. To find out more about AACN's research priorities
and grant opportunities, visit the AACN Web site.
The grants handbook is also available from AACN Fax on Demand at (800) 222-6329.
Request Document #1013.
December 2003
December 1 Deadline to submit nominations
for the 2005 AACN Distinguished Research Lecturer Award. For more information,
contact Research Associate
Dolores Curry at (800) 394-5995, ext. 377; e-mail,
dolores.curry@aacn.org.
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