Member Recruitment Campaign Tops 1,500 Mark
at Year's End
Drive for
Rewards Ends April 1
From Oregon
to Texas to Georgia, some AACN members and
chapters have more than taken to heart the
concept that they can truly make a
difference by strengthening their
association�one member at a time. They are
building impressive numbers in AACN�s
Critical Links Member-Get-a-Member campaign,
which ends April 1, 2002.
Between May
1 and Dec. 31, 2001, a total of 1,541 new
members had been recruited�1,049 by
individual recruiters and 492 by chapters.
Four of the individual recruiters had
already recruited more than 20 new members
each by the end of 2001.
Leading the
individual totals with 29 new members
recruited was Melissa Drain, RN, DNSc, CCRN,
from Wellstar Paulding Hospital in Dallas,
Ga. She is also president of the newly
formed North/West Georgia Chapter.
Drain was
formerly the assistant manager of critical
care nursing at Wellstar Cobb Hospital in
Austell, Ga., where another member
recruiter, Michele Quinlan, RN, BSN, had
chalked up 20 members. Quinlan, who is
treasurer of the Atlanta Area Chapter of
AACN, attributed her recruitment success
partly to a concerted chapter effort to
�beef up� membership. She said the fact that
hers is the host chapter for AACN�s National
Teaching Institute and Critical Care
Exposition, May 4 through 9, 2002, in
Atlanta, was an added plus in the
recruitment effort.
Halfway
across the country in Dallas, Texas, Darlene
Legge, RN, BSN, CCRN, had recruited 26 new
members by the end of the year�and is
actively pursuing others. Her success
actually represents the fruits of a two-year
effort to bring telemetry nurses at her
institution into the critical care fold.
Legge, who
is manager of pacemaker and
electrophysiology for the Heart Center at
Baylor University Medical Center, explained
that, though the five telemetry floors are
like mini-ICUs, the telemetry nurses felt
that they really didn�t fit anywhere.
�I wanted to
give them an additional sense of belonging,�
she said.
Legge said
the Dallas County Chapter of AACN, of which
she is president, has scheduled a CCRN
review course for April to encourage these
telemetry nurses to become certified.
And, in
Medford, Ore., Peggy Lynn Ennis, RN, has
recruited 26 new members.
In the
process, these recruiters are enhancing
their chances to earn valuable rewards,
because they are entered into a drawing each
time their names and AACN membership numbers
appear on the new member application forms.
In fact, everyone who is participating in
this membership drive received an AACN
pocket reference when they recruited just
one new member.
Following is
additional information about the rewards
that await member recruiters.
Individual Rewards
The reward
for the top individual recruiter overall is
$500 or an American Express gift
certificate. The top recruiter is also
eligible for the first-, second- and
third-place prize drawings:
1st
Prize�Round-trip tickets for two to anywhere
in the continental U.S., including a
five-day, four-night hotel stay.
2nd
Prize�Round-trip tickets for two to anywhere
in the continental U.S.
3rd
Prize�Four-days, three-nights hotel
accommodations at a Marriott Hotel.
In addition
to the pocket reference members receive for
recruiting their first new member,
recruiting five new members earns them a $25
gift certificate toward the purchase of AACN
resources. They receive a $50 AACN gift
certificate for recruiting 10 new members.
Each month,
members who have recruited at least one new
member in the month are also entered into a
monthly drawing for a $100 American Express
gift certificate.
Chapter
Rewards
In addition
to a $250 gift certificate toward the
purchase of AACN resources, chapters
reporting the largest increase in membership
numbers or the largest percentage increase
will receive special recognition at NTI 2002
in Atlanta, Ga. Each month, chapters that
recruit new members are also entered into a
drawing for one complimentary registration
for NTI 2002.
Adding Up
In December
alone, a total of 67 individual members
recruited a total of 156 new members, and 17
chapters recruited 84 new members.
The top
recruiters, both individuals and chapters,
will be recognized at NTI 2002, May 4
through 9 in Atlanta, Ga.
Following
are the cumulative totals for members
recruiting new members during December, as
well as those who have accumulated five or
more new members, and cumulative totals for
chapters since the campaign began in May
2001.
Who Has
Added a Critical Link?
Recruiter # Recruited
Ismael J. Abregonde, RN, BSN 5
Carlen Abernethy, RN, BSN 1
Kathleen Arnold, RN, MS, CNA 2
Judith Ascenzi, RN, MSN 6
Perrilynn A. Baldelli, RN, MSN, CCRN
5
Kimberly L. Barrett, RN, BSN, CCRN 2
Patricia L. Bellamy, RN, ADN, BS,
CCRN 1
Angela J. Bentley, RN, MS, BA, CCRN
2
Michael Beshel, RN, BSN, CCRN, CEN
14
Michael C. Blanchard, RN 6
Lisa
M. Boldrighini 5
Sheryl A. Burke, RN, ADN, AA, CCRN 2
Ann
Marie Carpenter, RN, BSN, CCRN 10
Diane M. Casperson, RN, BSN, CCRN 2
Michael Chalot, RN, ADN, CCRN 7
Susan Chamness, RN 1
Sasipa Charnchaichujit, RN 8
Katherine Colbert, RN, ADN, CCRN 6
Claire A. Collins, RN, BSN, BS 1
Kathleen Corban, RN, BSN, CCRN 5
Bonnie J. Corcoran, RN, MS, CCRN 2
Cynthia G. Cox, RN, BSN 7
Sue
Ann Crisp, RN, BSN, BS 8
Eva
M. Crosby, RN 9
Judith C. Dobke 4
Melissa L. Drain, RN, DNSc, CCRN 29
Karen A. Droter, RN, BSN, CCRN 1
Deborah J. Duncan, RN, MSN 1
Anne
C. Dunn, RN, BSN, CCRN 7
Peggy Lynn Ennis, RN 26
Patricia A. Fischer, RN, BSN, CCRN 1
Dorrie K. Fontaine, RN, DNSc, FAAN 2
Myrna Fontillas-Boehm 6
Carla J. Freeman, RN, BSN, CCRN 10
Dorcas O. Giwa, RN 1
Lita
T. Gorman, RN, BSN, CCRN, CEN 6
Mary
Kathryn Graham, RN, BSN 1
Greg
R. Grainger 1
Lisa
C. Gregory, RN, BSN 1
Jackie Grigg, RN, ADN, CCRN 8
Carol Guyette, RN, BSN, CCRN 13
Charlene A. Haley-Moyer,
RN,
MS, CCRN 5
Margaret B. Harvey, RN, ACNP, CS 1
Michelle L. Henrickson, RN, BSN 5
Judi
Hensley, RN 1
Dinah Mullinax High, RN, BSN, BS 1
Mary
Holtschneider, RN, BSN, MPA 5
Carol A. Hughes, RN, MS, AA, CCRN 1
Zondra Hull, RN 6
Mary
H. Jansson, RN 4
Patricia Jennings, RN, ADN, CCRN 5
Kimmith M. Jones, RN, MS, CCRN 1
Deanna Jones, RN, BSN, BA, CCRN 1
Lauretta M. Joseph, RN, CCRN 6 |
Recruiter # RecruitedLouisa K.
Kamatuka,
RN,
MSN, CCRN, CS 1
Mary
Kearney, RN, BS 1
Sharon N. Kearney,
RN,
BS, BSN, CCRN 1
Lori
E. Kennedy, RN, BSN, CCRN 7
Nancy D. King, RN, MSN, CCRN, NP 18
Deborah J. Laughlin, RN, MSN 2
Virginia Ledbetter, RN, MSN 1
Darlene Legge, RN, BSN, CCRN 26
Gayle A. Lucas, RN, BS, CCRN 2
Rachelle D. Lyons, RN, CCRN 1
Beth
Macioce-Quinn, RN, BSN, CCRN 1
Michele L. Manning,
RN,
MSN, CCRN, CS 6
Loretta Anne Marcantonio,
RN,
ADN, BA 2
Lily
May V. Marifosque,
RN,
BSN, CCRN 1
Martie C. Mattson 7
James Mears, RN 6
Marlene Merdes, RN 3
Arlene Messina, RN, ADN 5
Katherine H. Miller, RN, ADN 10
Steven Mooney, RN, MSN, CCRN, RCIS 1
Annette M. Mtangi, RN, ADN, CCRN 21
Fran
E. Myers, RN, PhD, CCRN 1
Paulita D. Narag, RN, ADN, CCRN 7
Linda L. Nesheim,
RN,
ADN, BS, CCRN 1
Amanda L. Newman 5
Susan D. Parsons, RN, MN, PhD 1
Renee N. Perkins, RN 3
Dorothy Rose Phelps, RN, BS, CCRN 9
Barbara B. Pope, RN, MSN, CCRN 1
Michele Quinlan, RN, BSN 20
Jeff
Reece, RN, BSN 7
Carol Reitz-Barlow 5
Margaret Riley, RN, BSN, CCRN 19
Carol Samsel, RN, BS 1
Kimberli L. Sandberg,
RN,
BSN, CCRN 1
Cherry Schilling, RN, BSN, CCRN 1
Barbara Schnakenberg, RN 5
Lynn
Schnautz, RN, MSN, CCRN 16
Karen Selman, RN 2
Lindsey Shank, RN, BSN, CCRN 3
J.
D. Sharma, RN, BSN 1
Janet R. Silke, RN 4
Cynthia Steinbach, RN, BSN, CCRN 5
Janice Stevens,
RN,
BSN, CCRN, CNRN 5
Mary
C. Stewart, RN, BSN, MBA 12
Marjorie A. Stock, RN, ADN, CCRN 5
Mary
L. Surgalski, RN, BSN, CCRN 1 |
Recruiter #Recruited
Yvonne Thelwell, RN 16
Linda S. Thomas, RN, MSN, CCRN 6
Joan
M. Tome, RN, BSN 1
Mary
Fran Tracy, RN, PhD, CCRN 1
Ryan
M. Vincenzo, RN 1
Holly L. Weber-Johnson, RN, BSN 11
Barbara Wiles, RN, BSN, CCRN 5
Vicky Willis, RN 2
Jana
Woller Hough, RN, BSN 9
Pam
Zinnecker, RN, CCRN 5
Tina
I. Zito, RN, BSN 1
Chapters
Albemarkle Area Chapter 6
Anchorage Chapter 5
Atlanta Area Chapter 59
Brooklyn Chapter 11
Broward County Chapter 5
Carolina Dogwood Chapter 7
Central New York Chapter 1
Fairbanks North Star Chapter 3
First Coast Chapter 3
Chesapeake Bay Chapter 1
Greater Akron Area Chapter 1
Greater Birmingham Chapter 5
Greater Austin Area Chapter 12
Greater Chicago Area Chapter 1
Greater East Texas Chapter 13
Greater Evansville Chapter 28
Greater Flint Area Chapter 8
Greater Louisville Chapter 21
Greater Miami Area Chapter 19
Greater Mid Cities Chapter 1
Greater Milwaukee Area Chapter 22
Greater Phoenix Area Chapter 5
Greater Raleigh Area Chapter 5
Greater Tulsa Area Chapter 16
Head
of the Lakes Chapter 5
Heart of Acadiana Chapter 8
Heart of the Piedmont Chapter 32
Minot Roughrider Chapter 11
Mobile Bay Area Chapter 5
Montana Big Sky Chapter 7
North Central Florida Chapter 24
North Central Wisconsin Chapter 5
North/West Georgia Chapter 14
Northeast Indiana Chapter 7
Pacific Crest Regional Chapter 35
Palmetto Chapter 8
Pennisula Chapter 12
Piedmont Carolinas Chapter 2
Siouxland Chapter 5
Smoky Hill Chapter 5
South Carolina Mid State Chapter 10
Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter 15
Southern Maine Chapter 1
Spokane Chapter 5
Vermont Green Mountain 13
White River Chapter 1 |
December
Rewards
Congratulations to the reward recipients in
our monthly membership campaign drawings for
December. Each month, one chapter will
receive a complimentary registration to NTI
2002, and one individual will receive a $100
American Express gift certificate. The
recipients are randomly selected from those
who recruited at least one new member during
the month.
The
recipients in December were:
�
Chapter�Greater Flint Area Chapter
�
Individual�Jackie Grigg, RN, ADN, CCRN
To obtain
Critical Links recruitment forms, call (800)
899-2226. Request Item #1316.
Specialty Nursing Organizations Unite to
Strengthen Voice
NFSNO and
NOLF Formally Pursue Collaborative Efforts
Two
long-standing coalitions of nursing
organizations have united to create an even
stronger voice for nurses in addressing
vital practice and health policy issues.
Called the
Nursing Organizations Alliance, the new
group represents the merging of the National
Federation for Specialty Nursing
Organizations and the Nursing Organizations
Liaison Forum, an entity of the American
Nurses Association. Its mission is �to
increase nursing�s visibility and impact on
health through communication, collaboration
and advocacy.�
As a
long-standing member of both NOLF and NFSNO,
AACN supports the creation of this alliance
and its mission. In fact, AACN, which headed
the first NFSNO meeting in 1973, has
remained an active leader in developing and
promoting specialty nursing practice. In
maintaining a leadership role in NOLF,
several past presidents of AACN have served
on the NOLF Board.
�Bringing
these two powerful associations together
will further strengthen the role and
contributions specialty nursing practice can
have in improving and protecting patient
care,� said AACN President Michael L.
Williams, RN, MSN, CCRN, who was joined by
President-elect Connie Barden, RN, MSN, CCNS,
CCRN, and CEO Wanda Johanson, RN, MN, at the
Nov. 17, 2001, meeting where the vote to
create the alliance was taken.
�It was
inspiring to watch the collaboration and
synergy in the room as the process evolved
and the organizations arrived at the final
decision to merge,� Barden added. �The
opportunities for the future with this
unified approach are awesome.
NOLF and
NFSNO have been holding joint meetings for a
few years and working together to advance
many key issues, including healthcare reform
and funding of the federal Nurse Education
Act.
ANA
President Mary Foley, RN, MS, said the
merger is a natural evolution of this
partnership.
�We look
forward to being part of a strong and
effective alliance,� she said.
Specifically, NFSNO members agreed to
dissolve their organization. Although NOLF
members also signed on to the alliance, NOLF
will continue to operate until the ANA House
of Delegates meets in June 2002 to revise
its bylaws. The Nursing Organizations
Alliance seeks to work with the ANA to
identify opportunities to strengthen
specialty nursing and to promote
partnerships that enhance the public�s
well-being.
A group of
specialty organizations established NFSNO in
1973 to address practice and leadership
issues specific to specialty nursing. ANA
created NOLF in 1982 to provide a formal
structure in which national nursing
specialty organizations and ANA could
discuss professional and national health
policy concerns and promote concerted action
on key issues. Many specialty organizations
belonged to both groups.
Membership
in the alliance is open to any nursing
organization whose focus is to address
current and emerging nursing and healthcare
issues. Structural nursing components of a
multidisciplinary organization are also
welcome to join.
Patricia
Seifert, RN, MSN, CNOR, CRNFA, FAAN, a
member of AACN and a past president of the
Association of periOperative Registered
Nurses, was elected to serve as leader of
the coordinating team that will
operationalize the alliance structure.
�Given the
nursing shortage and other crucial issues
facing the profession today, we need a
united approach to ensure there are enough
skilled specialty nurses to provide the kind
of care patients need now and in the
future.� Seifert said. �By working together
more effectively, the Alliance will achieve
its mission to increase nursing�s visibility
and impact on health.�
In addition
to Seifert, six other individuals
representing a diverse group of
organizations were elected to serve on the
coordinating team. They include: Susan
Shelander, RN, CPAN, treasurer of the
coordinating team; American Society of Peri
Anesthesia Nurses Belinda Puetz, RN, PhD,
secretary of the coordinating team; Puetz &
Associates, Inc. Michael Desjardins, RN,
president, National Student Nurses
Association Brenda Dugger, RN, MA, CRNI, CNA,
president, Infusion Nurses Society Mary
Jagim, RN, BSN, CEN, president, Emergency
Nurses Association; and Edward Latham, RN,
past president, National Gerontological
Nursing Association.
To ensure
continuity, Anne Manton, RN, PhD, FAAN,
co-chairperson of NOLF and a past president
or the Emergency Nurses Association, will
participate on the team as the ANA/NOLF
liaison.
The
coordinating team will provide leadership
for the programs of the alliance including
the Nurse in Washington Internship program.
ANA will staff the organization during this
transition phase. It is expected that the
alliance will convene its first official
meeting in fall 2002.
New
Membership Category for Retired or Disabled
Members
A new
membership category is now available to AACN
members who are no longer practicing because
they are permanently retired or disabled.
The one-year fee for a membership in this
category is $52.
Retired or
disabled members will continue to receive
the standard discounts, publications and
other benefits associated with regular AACN
membership. However, they will not be
eligible to vote, hold office or serve on
committees.
This new
membership category was approved by the AACN
Board of Directors following surveys of past
AACN members who indicated that the reason
they had not renewed their memberships was
because they were retired.
Adding the
disabled or retired option brings the AACN
membership categories to six. In addition to
the regular, active membership, which is
open to any RN who is in good standing with
his or her licensing agency, AACN offers
affiliate, student, emeritus and
international memberships.
For more
information about membership in AACN,
including special group and multiyear
discounts and the easy-pay plan, call (800)
899-2226
International Study Tour Set for Europe
Belgium,
Germany, France and Switzerland are on the
itinerary for AACN�s Study Tour to Europe,
scheduled for Sept. 27 through Oct. 8, 2002.
This cross-cultural learning experience
promotes collaborative learning,
professional sharing and networking.
Participants
can earn up to 14 hours of continuing
education credit during the tour.
In addition,
sight-seeing sidetrips are planned in
Brussels, Belgium; Heidelberg, Germany;
Strasbourg, France; and Geneva, Switzerland.
Departures
to Brussels on Sept. 27 are available from
New York, Boston, Atlanta, Chicago,
Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, San
Francisco and Miami.
For more
information about this Study Tour to Europe,
call (949) 673-3596; fax, (949) 673-1007;
e-mail,
interportltd@msn.com.
Seeking Visibility? NTI Sponsorships Still
Available
Is your
employer seeking greater visibility in a
nationwide network of critical care nurses?
Suggest sponsorship of an educational
program or event at AACN�s National Teaching
Institute and Critical Care Exposition as a
good way to attract attention and greater
awareness of products or services.
A number of
sponsorship opportunities in a variety of
cost ranges are still available for NTI
2002, May 4 through 9 in Atlanta, Ga. For
example, sponsorships of two general session
speakers and the Certification Luncheon
speaker are open. Each of these sessions
attracts audiences of between 2,000 and
4,000 NTI participants. Organizations can
also sponsor one of three new Red Cross
Disaster Training preconferences or
cosponsor the popular public policy sunrise
session.
For more
information about these or other NTI
sponsorship opportunities, contact AACN
Exhibit and Sponsorship Director Randy
Bauler at (800) 394-5995, ext. 366.
On the
Road
AACN
frequently takes its show on the road, as
representatives of the AACN National Office
exhibit at conferences throughout the
country. Following is the schedule of
upcoming exhibits:
April 3-7,
2002�National Student Nurses Association
50th Anniversary Con vetnion Philadelphia,
Pa.
April 7-10,
2002�Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter
Trends Conference Philadelphia, Pa.
If you are
attending these conferences, stop by the
AACN exhibit to visit with your National
Office team.
Timeshare
A Place
for Volunteers
The hundreds
of AACN members who volunteer each year to
serve on national committees play major
roles in influencing the practice of
critical care nursing. This �Timeshare�
feature is designed to highlight the
significant contributions these volunteers
make and to keep you up to date on what�s
going on in the world of AACN advisory
teams, work groups, review panels, appeals
panels, think tanks and task forces.
AACN invites
all its volunteers�past and present�to share
their experiences, to describe what
volunteering means to them.
AACN has
also enhanced the volunteer section of its
Web site. Visit this area frequently to find
out what your colleagues are saying about
their volunteer opportunities.
In the
meantime, send your stories and comments to
AACN, Attn: Volunteer Services, 101
Columbia, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656-4109; fax,
(949) 448-5541; e-mail,
stephanie.demiris@aacn.org.
March
14 Deadline to Submit NTI 2003 Speaker
Proposals
March 14,
2002, is the deadline to submit speaker
proposal abstracts for AACN�s National
Teaching Institute in 2003 in San Antonio,
Texas. In addition to clinical and other
educational topics, proposals that address
the skills critical care nurses need to
influence their practice and the care of
critically ill patients are encouraged. NTI
2003 is scheduled for May 17 through 22,
2003.
Learning
Connections Mentor Sessions
Nurses
interested in presenting at NTI 2003 can get
some help through Learning Connections
speaker mentor opportunities that pair
novice and experienced speakers.
Five special
Learning Connection NTI sessions are
scheduled each year. The novice and mentor
must be identified in the submitted speaker
proposal abstracts.
Speaker
proposal packets, including Learning
Connection forms, can be obtained by calling
AACN Fax on Demand at (800) 222-6329
(Request Document #6019) or by visiting the
AACN Web site.
Make a
Difference! Volunteer Opportunities Abound
March 1,
2002, is the deadline to apply for volunteer
opportunities with AACN and AACN
Certification Corporation, for terms
effective from July 1, 2002, to June 30,
2003.
To apply,
simply complete and return the application
online. Include a cover letter addressing
the contributions you believe would enhance
the work of the volunteer group to which you
are applying. If you are applying for more
than one volunteer position, include a cover
letter for each volunteer group. In
addition, submit a copy of your curriculum
vitae and/or resume.
Return the
application and all required documents to:
AACN, Attn: Volunteer Services, 101
Columbia, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656-4109; fax,
(949) 448-5541.
Don�t
Miss Out on AACN�s Second Silent Auction
Plan to be a
part of the fun-filled Silent Auction to
raise funds for the AACN Scholarship Fund.
The auction is scheduled during AACN�s
National Teaching Institute and Critical
Care Exposition, May 4 through 9, 2002, in
Atlanta, Ga.
In addition
to bidding on the unique array of auction
items, you may want to donate a product,
service or special item yourself. If you are
uncertain about what you could donate,
consider simply making a financial
contribution, and AACN will purchase a
distinctive auction gift on your behalf.
Because AACN
is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt charitable
organization, contributions to the Silent
Auction may be tax deductible to the extent
provided by law. All donations are
recognized in the auction catalog, which is
distributed to NTI participants.
For more
information, contact Darval Bonelli at (800)
394-5995, ext. 531; e-mail,
development@aacn.org.
Support Nursing Education Through
Scholarships
Long before
the growing nursing shortage that faces
healthcare today, AACN was in the forefront
to support the educational endeavors of
critical care nurses through scholarship
funds. This initiative, which began with
five scholarships in 1983, awarded 100
scholarships to nurses at 68 colleges or
universities in 30 states and Canada during
the past year.
In addition
to providing academic scholarships for
nursing students who are not yet licensed
and for undergraduate and graduate nursing
students, the fund supports continuing
education scholarships for nurses to attend
AACN�s annual National Teaching Institute
and Critical Care Exposition.
Although
money to support these scholarships has come
from AACN operating funds, offset by gifts
from individuals or industry partners, the
AACN Board of Directors has now approved
establishing a separate reserve fund. The
goal is to build this endowment to the level
at which it could be fully sustained by
investment revenue, thus protecting it from
economic fluctuations.
The fund was
created with the transfer of approximately
$46,000 in contributions received during
FY01. Included in this amount are funds
raised in AACN�s first Silent Auction and in
a contest to win a Hyundai Santa Fe SUV,
both in conjunction with NTI 2001 in
Anaheim, Calif., as well as individual and
corporate gifts. Both fund-raising events
are scheduled to continue at NTI 2002, May 4
through 9 in Atlanta, Ga.
In addition,
individual gifts are being invited to help
AACN achieve its $2 million, self-sustaining
Scholarship Fund goal. If you would like to
contribute to this scholarship effort, call
(800) 394-5995, ext. 531; e-mail,
development@aacn.org.
Apply
by April 1 for BSN or Graduate Scholarships
April 1 is
the deadline to apply for BSN and Graduate
Completion Educational Advancement
Scholarships of $1,500 per academic year.
The funds
may be applied toward tuition, fees, books
and supplies, as long as the recipient is
continuously enrolled in a baccalaureate or
graduate program accredited by the state
board of nursing in the recipient�s state.
Applicants
for these scholarships must be RNs, be
members of AACN and have a cumulative GPA of
3.0 or better. They must be currently
working in critical care or have worked in
critical care for at least one year in the
last three years. At least 20% of the awards
are allocated to qualified ethnic minority
applicants.
Applicants
for the BSN Completion Scholarship must have
junior- or upper-division status for the
fall semester. Applicants for the Graduate
Completion Scholarship must be currently
enrolled in a planned course of graduate
study that leads to a master�s or doctoral
degree.
For more
information or to obtain an application for
an Educational Advancement Scholarship, call
(800) 899-2226 and request Item #1017.
Public
Policy Update
Nursing Shortage
Issue:
Legislation proposed regarding the
nationwide nursing shortage.
Background:
The U.S. House and Senate have passed
different versions of legislation to address
nursing shortage and retention issues. A
joint conference committee was scheduled to
work out the differences and return a
consensus bill to both chambers for final
approval. Because the differences were not
great, they were expected to be reconciled
quickly.
H.R. 3487
would authorize public service
announcements, as well as grants to state
and local campaigns, that advertise and
promote the nursing profession. This bill
also would provide scholarships and loan
forgiveness to nursing students who commit
to serving in certain health facilities. In
addition, the bill would provide for a
General Accounting Office study to determine
if there is a shortage of nursing school
faculty. If the report found that a shortage
exists, the GAO would study methods to
address this shortage. Finally, the House
bill would require the GAO to conduct a
study to determine differences in the hiring
of nurses between nonprofit, private
entities and for-profit, private entities.
S. 1864
would authorize $136 million in nursing
scholarships and �other incentives.� The
bill would allocate $40 million for a
National Nurse Service Corps, which would
offer tuition and living expenses for
nursing students who agree to work �in areas
where the shortage is most critical�; $57
million for �mid-career training� and for
grants to improve nurses� working
conditions; $20 million for scholarships,
loans and stipends for nursing school
faculty; and $18 million to begin recruiting
high school students. The Senate bill would
also establish incentives for nurses to
pursue training and education to help them
move up the professional ladder. The bill
would provide grants for internships and
residency programs and loan forgiveness for
nurses who agree to teach. Instead of the
study called for in the House bill, the
Senate version would allot $750,000 to
create a national commission to assist
Congress in finding ways to address nursing
recruitment and retention problems. It would
also award grants to entities to carry out
and evaluate best practices in nursing care.
Both the
House and Senate have also passed bills to
expand the nursing programs at Veterans
Administration hospitals. In addition, the
Labor-Health and Human Services
appropriations bill for fiscal year 2002,
already approved by both the House and
Senate, includes $10.2 million for nursing
loan repayments for nurses practicing in
critical shortage areas or facilities.
AACN
Position: AACN supports this legislation and
continues collaborative efforts with other
nursing organizations to advocate for
reconciliation of these bills in committee.
For information on how to contact your U.S.
senator or representative, visit
www.thomas.loc.gov online. This government
site lists e-mail addresses and telephone
numbers, as well as information about bills
and the legislative process. When writing or
calling, include bill names and numbers.
Vacancy
Rates
Issue:
Survey finds high turnover and vacancy rates
among U.S. nurses.
Background:
More than 100,000 nursing professionals are
needed to fill vacant positions in nursing
homes across the United States, according to
survey findings recently released by the
American Health Care Association. As U.S.
unemployment continues to rise, these
findings present �real positive issues: we
have a pool of jobs that are available,��
AHCA President Charles H. Roadman, told
Reuters Health. In a Dec. 22, 2001, article,
the Baltimore Sun reported that 125,000
nursing positions remain unfilled
nationwide.
According to
the survey findings, the highest average
national vacancy rate, 18%, was reported
among registered nurses. However, this rate
varied widely between states, from a low of
12% in North Dakota to a high of 24% in
Utah. Next in demand, with a vacancy rate of
14%, were licensed practical nurses (and
licensed vocational nurses, followed by
certified nurse assistants, with a 12%
vacancy rate. Vacancy rates for LPNs/LVNs
varied from as low as 7% in North Dakota to
a high of 21% in New Mexico, while rates for
CNAs varied from 4% in Hawaii to 18% in
Nevada.
Although
demand for CNAs is lowest, they have the
highest annual turnover rate, at 76%. The
turnover rate among RNs is 55.5% and for
LPNs 52%. Again, turnover rates for all of
the positions varied widely between states,
from a 21% turnover rate for nurse
assistants in Hawaii, for example, to a
133.5% turnover rate for nurse assistants in
Oklahoma.
A number of
factors may be responsible for lower vacancy
rates and higher turnover rates among
nursing assistants in comparison to the
other nursing positions, the survey
indicates. These factors may include the
larger pool of nursing assistants in
comparison to LPNs and RNs, and the fact
that nurse assistants need only two to four
weeks of schooling in comparison to one or
two years for LPNs and two to four years for
RNs. In addition, many nurse assistants are
trained by nursing facilities, whereas LPNs
and RNs require outside training.
However,
nurses overall are leaving one facility for
another because of the increasing hours of
overtime they are expected to work, the
difficulty of the job and the inadequate pay
rate. It has also become more difficult to
recruit RNs and LPNs in comparison to a year
ago, according to reports from approximately
three-quarters of the survey respondents.
About 60% said that recruiting nurse
assistants has become more difficult.
�It is a
multifaceted problem, but one that is a
public policy problem,�� Roadman said. As
the baby-boomer generation ages, the U.S.
needs to debate the issue of �how to take
care of both our elderly and our young,�� he
added.
The findings
are based on a survey of nearly 6,000 U.S.
nursing homes.
Nurse
Mentors
Issue: High
patient acuity and the shortage of nurse
mentors contribute to an increased
probability that new nurses will leave their
first professional nursing position within
the first year.
Background:
To address this concern, the Academy of
Medical-Surgical Nurses has launched a
mentorship program to guide new nurses in
their professional, personal and
interpersonal growth. The ultimate goals are
to support the new nurse during the
transition from student to professional
nurse and foster job satisfaction and
retention. The �Nurses Nurturing Nurses�
program is designed for experienced nurses
to pass along their wisdom, caring and
confidence to new nurses. To promote open
dialogue between mentor and mentee,
experienced nurse mentors who are not
working in the same clinical environment as
the new nurse are selected to guide the new
nurse�s transition to professional nursing
over a 12-month period. The Academy of
Medical-Surgical Nurses is seeking
healthcare agencies or inpatient facilities
interested in participating in this project.
For more information, call (856) 256-2323 or
visit the academy Web site at
www.medsurgnurse.org.
Retraining
Issue: As
part of a strategy to ease the nursing
shortage, the U.S. Department of Labor plans
to re-train unemployed workers for
healthcare jobs.
Background:
To ease the shortage of healthcare workers
and aid people who have recently lost their
jobs, hospital operator HCA and the U.S.
Department of Labor are sponsoring a $10
million initiative that will provide
financial assistance to those willing to
seek a career in healthcare.
Initially,
the program will be offered in six
areas�Dallas, Houston, Denver, Tampa/St.
Petersburg and southern Florida�where HCA
has a large presence and where significant
numbers of people have lost their jobs since
the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World
Trade Center and the Pentagon. The
initiative will provide scholarships and
financial assistance for people who want to
become registered nurses, licensed practical
nurses, surgical technicians, radiology
technologists or certified nursing
assistants. Warren May, a spokesperson for
the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation,
said that participants who successfully
complete training will be guaranteed a job
in an HCA hospital. Loans will be forgiven
for participants who work in the facility
for a length of time equivalent to their
training period. Although the program is
aimed at people who lost jobs as a result of
the Sept. 11 attacks, HCA CEO Jack Bovender
said, �anyone can apply� for the assistance.
HCA and the government will evenly split the
cost of the effort.
Overtime
Issue: New
Jersey legislation bans mandatory overtime.
Background:
Acting New Jersey Gov. Donald T. DiFrancesco
has signed a measure (S. 2093) banning
healthcare facilities from requiring nurses
and other hourly healthcare employees from
working overtime except in emergencies,
beginning in 2003. The legislation will
prohibit healthcare facilities from
requiring hourly employees to work more than
40 hours a week except in emergency
situations. The bill pertains to employees
involved in direct patient care or clinical
services, with the exception of physicians.
Andrea
Aughenbaugh, RN, CEO for the New Jersey
State Nurses Association, said that NJSNA
and many other organizations involved in
healthcare have worked hard to see that this
legislation was passed to ensure that
patient care and nursing care are at their
optimum levels.
According to
Aughenbaugh, a key factor of the legislation
gives nurses an opportunity to make the
decision as to whether they can safely
deliver quality patient care. New Jersey
Hospital Association spokesperson Ron
Czajkowski said the final bill was an
improvement over earlier versions because it
allows mandatory overtime if facilities can
show they exhausted reasonable efforts to
obtain staffing through available
volunteers, per diem or temporary staffing
sources, and more flexibly defines the
exemption for emergencies.
AACN�s
Position: AACN opposes mandatory overtime
and supports both federal and state
legislation to ban this practice and will
continue to work to educate the public on
the negative impact that mandatory overtime
can have on patient safety.
Enrollments
Issue: A
recently reported increase in nursing
enrollments at U.S. colleges and
universities is insufficient to meet the
projected need for new nurses.
Background:
According to the results of an annual survey
released by the American Association of
Colleges of Nursing, enrollments in
entry-level baccalaureate programs in
nursing increased in fall 2001. Although
this increase ends a six-year period of
decline, the number of students in the
educational pipeline is still insufficient
to meet the projected demand for a million
new nurses over the next 10 years. The
survey found that total enrollment in all
nursing programs leading to the
baccalaureate degree was 106,557 in 2001. By
comparison, total enrollment in 1995, the
year enrollments began to dip, was 127,683
for all baccalaureate programs.
Although
generic baccalaureate programs experienced
enrollment increases this year, programs
that enable registered nurses prepared with
a diploma or associate�s degree to earn a
bachelor�s degree continued to decline. From
2000 to 2001, enrollments in
RN-to-baccalaureate programs declined 3.9%,
continuing the downward slide identified
last year when enrollments fell 7.2% from
1999 to 2000. Enrollment levels in graduate
and higher degree programs in nursing are
struggling to remain at current levels, with
master�s degree programs down 0.1% and
doctoral programs up 1.5% from 2000 to 2001.
Conversely, post-doctoral programs saw a
significant increase of 39.2%, representing
a jump from 51 to 71 students.
AACN�s
Position: AACN will continue to direct its
efforts toward recruitment into the
profession by advocating for legislation
that benefits nursing education and
continuing to seek solutions to this
healthcare crisis through our collaborative
involvement in the �Call to the
Professions,� the Nurses for a Healthier
Tomorrow Coalition and the ANSR alliance.
Bioterrorism
Issue:
Federal bioterrorism bill passed.
Background:
The House of Representatives has passed The
Public Health Security and Bioterrorism
Response Act (H.R. 3448) by a 418-2 vote,
which will, among other things, provide
funding and assistance to local hospitals
and healthcare facilities in preparing for
and responding to bioterrorist attacks.
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman
Billy Tauzin, R-La., and ranking minority
member John Dingell, D-Mich., introduced the
bill. The bill includes provisions that will
educate and train healthcare personnel;
establish grants addressing shortages of
health professional emergency responders;
create a national system of verification of
credentials for volunteers; enhance
preparedness through grants allowing local
facilities to purchase supplies; and remove
certain Medicare, Medicaid and State
Children�s Health Insurance Program
requirements during emergencies. President
Bush praised the measure and called on the
Senate to reach a bipartisan agreement on a
stalled bioterrorism measure offered by Sens.
Bill
Frist (R-Tenn.),
and Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.)
AACN
Position: AACN supports this legislation and
other efforts to provide funding for
hospitals and healthcare facilities in
preparing for, and responding to,
bioterrorist attacks.
For more
information about these and other issues,
visit the AACN Web site.
Seabury & Smith Adds Marsh Name
Seabury &
Smith, AACN's insurance program
administrator, is adopting a new name, Marsh
Affinity Group Services, a service of
Seabury & Smith. The company will notify
AACN members as correspondence begins
bearing the Marsh name. However, members
will not be affected by the change. All
telephone numbers will remain the same.
Currents
Palliative Care Presentations
The Center
for the Advancement of Palliative Care has
posted presentations from its Management
Seminar Training Series, �Planning a
Hospital-Based Palliative Care Program� on
its Web site (http://www.capcmssm.org).
The presentations include �Palliative Care
in Hospitals: Making the Case,� �Creating a
Compelling Business Case for Palliative
Care� and �Program Development: Needs
Assessment.�
Nurses
House on the Web
Nurses House
has revised its Web site (http://www.NursesHouse.org)
to improve communications with nurses in
need and individuals who want to help their
colleagues in nursing throughout the nation.
Now, nurses facing dire financial
circumstances can apply for assistance on
the Web site and receive application
materials via e-mail. In addition,
individuals wanting to send personal gifts
and memorials to Nurses House can use their
credit cards to make secure contributions on
the Web site.
American
Cancer Society Grants
Several
research and training grants are available
for beginning and senior investigators
through the American Cancer Society. The
following Research Scholar Grants are
available: Psychosocial and Behavioral
Research and Health Services and Health
Services and Health Policy and Outcomes
Research. Annual application deadlines for
these grants are April 1 and Oct. 15. In
addition, Clinical Research Training Grants
for Junior Faculty and Postdoctoral
Fellowships are available. Annual
application deadlines are March 1 and Oct.
1. For additional information or application
materials, call (404) 329-7558; e-mail,
grants@cancer.org;
Web site,
http://www.cancer.org.
Information
printed in �Currents� is provided as a
service to interested readers and does not
imply endorsement by AACN or AACN
Certification Corporation.
Coming
in the March Issue of the American Journal
of Critical Care
� Nursing,
public deaths, and the tobacco industry.
� Family
presence in the trauma/resuscitation room.
� Hospital
experiences of young adults with congenital
heart disease.
� Case
Study: Accidental carbon monoxide poisoning
with severe cardiorespiratory compromise in
two pediatric patients.
� Bacterial
growth in secretions and suctioning
equipment of orally intubated patients.
Subscriptions to Critical Care Nurse and the
American Journal of Critical Care are
included in AACN membership dues.
Looking Ahead
March
2002
March 1
Deadline to apply to serve on national AACN
volunteer committees for 2002-03. To apply,
visit the AACN Web site at
http://www.aacn.org
.
March 1
Deadline to submit applications for the
Circle of Excellence President�s Award for
Chapters. To obtain an award application,
call (800) 899-2226.
Request Item
#1011. Or, visit the AACN Web site.
March 1
Deadline to submit applications for the AACN
Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Grant. To
obtain an application, call (800) 899-2226
and request
Item #1013,
or visit the AACN Web site.
March 14
Deadline to submit speaker proposal
abstracts for NTI 2003 in San Antonio,
Texas. To obtain a speaker proposal packet,
call AACN Fax on Demand
at (800)
222-6329 (Request Document #6019), or visit
the AACN Web site.
March 11
Deadline to apply to take the
paper-and-pencil version of the CCRN or CCNS
certification exam on May 6, 2002, in
Atlanta, Ga. For more
information
or to obtain application materials, call
(800) 899-2226.
March 26
Early bird deadline to receive discount on
NTI registration. To register, call (800)
899-2226.
April
2002
April 1 The
Critical Links Member-Get-A-Member campaign
ends. To obtain recruitment campaign forms,
call (800) 899-2226. Request Item #1316. Or,
visit the
AACN Web site.
April 1
Deadline to apply for BSN and Graduate
Completion Educational Advancement
Scholarships. To obtain an application, call
(800) 899-2226 and
request Item
#1017, or visit the AACN Web site.
May
2002
May 4-9
National Teaching Institute and Critical
Care Exposition, Atlanta, Ga., To register,
call (800) 899-2226.
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