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Volume 8 • No. 4 October 2011

Circulation 18,500 to every Registered Nurse, Licensed Practical Nurse and Student Nurse in Rhode IslandThe Official Publication of the Rhode Island State Nurses AssociationFirst-Ever Nursing Charter School

in the Country, R.I. Nurses Institute Middle College, Celebrates Opening

Page 9

News from ANA

Page 9-10

President’s Message

Rhode Island State Nurses Association

150 Washington Street, Suite 415

Providence, Rhode Island 02903

RISNA has MOVED!!!

Cathy E. Duquette, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, CPHQPresident Rhode Island State Nurses Association

We are currently living and practicing nursing in very turbulent times. Our political arena is divided. Since our current healthcare system is not sustainable, healthcare reform is a certainty. But, the manner in which healthcare will be reformed is the subject of heated debate. As we gear up for yet another Presidential election, the debate will get even hotter.

You may be thinking, what does this have to do with me? As professional registered nurses, the time is now to come together, step up to the plate and contribute to finding the best solution.

From my perspective, our profession can contribute in several key arenas. A few of them are access to care; quality of care; and cost-effectiveness of care.

Millions of Americans have very limited access to healthcare. Access for them is oftentimes limited to their local hospital emergency department, where they may go only after their condition has worsened to a point of unnecessary severity. Without access to primary care, millions of Americans unnecessarily use some of the most expensive healthcare resources available. How can nursing help this? We can help this by creating more advanced practice nurses who can provide primary care either independently in nurse-run clinics or in collaboration with physicians and other healthcare providers across multiple settings. Primary care delivered by nurse practitioners is both safe and effective1. And evidence exists that demonstrates that nurse practitioners more frequently adhere to recommended care guidelines than their physician counterparts in similar settings. Several nurses have told me that they always thought about going back to school to become an advanced practice nurse but they haven’t taken the time to make it happen yet. Are you one of them? If so, take action and be part of the future where you can make a difference in access to healthcare for those who need it most.

As a collective 3.1 million professionals, we have much to offer in addressing quality of care.

Nursing: Part of the Solution

As nurses, we are the quality safety net for the patients and clients we serve. Whether one looks at the multitude of nurse-sensitive outcomes such as pressure ulcers, falls, pain management or other measures of quality care sensitive to nursing and other healthcare providers, the nurse is oftentimes the one who is in the position to ensure that safe care or recommended care is provided. As nurses, we need to constantly focus on the quality impact that our interventions have and we need to work to improve the sophistication with which we articulate our impact on quality. How well can you talk about your impact on the quality of care that you provide to your patients, clients or their families?

As the largest group of professional healthcare providers working in various healthcare delivery settings, our daily decisions greatly impact the cost-effectiveness of healthcare. Whether we decide to bring only what we know we will need into that patient’s room or exam room or if we decide to put off something that could be done now for later, each decision we make has the opportunity to add unnecessary cost to the care we provide. These seemingly insignificant added costs can add up quickly. As of 2009, approximately 1.5 million nurses worked in general medical and surgical hospitals2. As an overly simplistic example, if each nurse in this setting alone focused his or her awareness of the impact of supply-use decisions on cost-effective care and worked to reduce $5 per week in unnecessary supply use; the savings would be $7.5 million per week or $390 million per year. If the same nurse did this only 4 times per week, these savings would increase to more than $1.5 billion per year. Regardless of your setting, think about how you might be able to do things a little differently and what the savings could be.

As nurses, we see opportunities to improve access, quality of care and cost-effectiveness every day. Our experiences as nurses and nursing leaders, position us well to be in the forefront of decision-making about healthcare reform both locally and nationally. Our profession and our nursing leaders are working through our professional association–RISNA and ANA–to be part of the solution. I ask that you do your part too. In addition to joining us in these efforts, stop and think about what your actions can do for our future and how well you can describe nursing’s contribution.

1. American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 2010 Fact Sheet. Access online at: http://www.aanp.org/NR/rdonlyres/34E7FF57-E071-4014-B554-FF02B82FF2F2/0/QualityofNPPractice4pages.pdf

2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, (2010, May). Occupational Employment and Wages for 2009. Access online at http://www.bls.gov/oes

Visit us online Anytime...

Anywhere...

www.risnarn.org

Page 2 • Rhode Island Nurse October, November, December 2011

Rhode Island NurseMission Statement

The Rhode Island State Nurses Association (RISNA), a constituent member of the American Nurses Association (ANA), is the authority on matters concerning the profession of nursing and nursing practice in the State of Rhode Island. RISNA is dedicated to the promotion, advancement and protection of nursing thereby improving the quality of and access to health care in Rhode Island.

We stand united in excellence by:❖ Providing leadership in defining standards of nursing

practice;❖ Representing the nursing profession in state and local

affairs, and;❖ Providing and coordinating information on nursing

and health care for nurses and the Rhode Island community.

Executive DirectorDonna M. Policastro, RNP

PresidentCathy E. Duquette, PhD, RN, CPHQ, NEA-BC

1st Vice PresidentValerie Ann Martin, MSN, RN, NE-BC, FACHE

2nd Vice PresidentCatherine Graziano, RN, PhD

SecretaryCynthia Boehm, RN

TreasurerLinda Damon, RN, MSN, MHA

Board of DirectorsCharles Alexandre, PhD, RN

Debra Cardente, RNDonna DiPrete, RN, BSNLynne Dunphy, NP, PhD

Robin Iannuccilli, RN, BSN, CNORNancy Lancaster, MBA, BSN

Anne Neuville, MSN, FNPMarianne Quinlan, SN

Cabinet on Nursing Education (CONE) Susan Sienkiewicz, RN, MA

Cabinet on Nursing Practice (CONP)Co-Chairs

Jean Taft, MS, RN-BCNicole Piermont, MS, APRN, CNS

Nurse Practioner Council Co-Chairs Marianne Hurley, RNP

Advanced Practice Psych CNS Council Ginette Ferszt, PCNS

Education Consultant Denise Henry, RN, BSN, MS, RLNC, CPHQ

PublisherRhode Island Nurse is published quarterly every

January, April, July and October by Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc.

For advertising rates and information, please contact Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc., 517 Washington Street, PO Box 216, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613, (800) 626-4081, sales@aldpub.com. RISNA and the Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc. reserve the right to reject any advertisement. Responsibility for errors in advertising is limited to corrections in the next issue or refund of price of advertisement.

Acceptance of advertising does not imply endorsement or approval by the Rhode Island State Nurses Association of products advertised, the advertisers, or the claims made. Rejection of an advertisement does not imply a product offered for advertising is without merit, or that the manufacturer lacks integrity, or that this association disapproves of the product or its use. RISNA and the Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc. shall not be held liable for any consequences resulting from purchase or use of an advertiser’s product. Articles appearing in this publication express the opinions of the authors; they do not necessarily reflect views of the staff, board, or membership of RISNA or those of the national or local associations.

Rhode Island State Nurses Association150 Washington Street, Suite 415Providence, Rhode Island 02903

Tel: 401-331-5644Fax: 401-331-5646

NP Council NewsNews from the RI Nurse Practitioner Council

Published by:Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc.

www.risnarn.org

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL:

CHAIR Marianne HurleyC0-CHAIR Therese Rochon

View From the ChairDear Fellow NPs:

The new year began with our Annual meeting at the Waterman Grille on September 12th, sponsored by Covidien, with Dr. Lawrence Kirshenbaum speaking on Pain Management.

We used this opportunity to congratulate and honor Cheryl Fitzgerald, RNP as recipient of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioner (AANP) State Award for Excellence and to Marie Ghazal, RN for the State NP Advocate Award. Cheryl has been an NP for 35 years and has given so much to the profession! Marie has been an advocate of NPs and such a needed voice in community health in Rhode Island. Nominations for this year’s awardee and advocate are due by October 24th. RI has many incredible NPs and advocates who support our role. If there is someone you would like to nominate, go to aanp.org as applications are able to be submitted online.

Members of the NP council committees were introduced with a brief statement of what they do for the Council. The rest of the time was for networking, something we often leave little time for. We need to get to know our colleagues, how we can refer to each other, how new NPs may need help in the maze of a new role, how students fit in to the bigger picture as they move forward, and how we can all make a difference for each other not only on the state level, but also at the federal level.

Our Educational Day is being finalized, with April in Newport being the goal. Mary Cabral has been diligently working on coordinating dates, school vacations, speakers, and sponsors. No easy job for one person working full time and doing this on her “off” hours, so any volunteer help would be greatly appreciated. The topics will be Wound Care or Suturing in the AM and the afternoon will be an update by a Representative of AANP.

Two issues that are currently being followed and discussed at length include the APRN Consensus Model and The IOM Report on the Future of Nursing.

The APRN Consensus Model was presented by Terry Rochon at one of our Council Meetings and was presented in the April-May issue of RI Nurse.

This is a national initiative that will affect all NPs, nurse anesthetists, and clinical nurse specialists. RISNA has formed a task force that will study this model and how it will be rolled out in RI. There will be more information on this in the coming year as this will affect us all.

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) and Robert Woods Johnson (RWJ) Report on the Future of Nursing is basically looking at the future of nursing. Important issues include:

1. Advance practice registered nurses should practice to the full extent of their education and training. Limits on scope of practice need to be removed by state, federal, health care, and insurance organizations.

2. Expand opportunities for improved collaborative efforts by removing inappropriate oversight by physicians.

3. Effective workforce planning and policy making require better data collection and information infrastructure.

4. Improved education system is needed which includes transition to practice and lifelong learning.

The report will have great implications for nurse practitioners and how their roles will improve access to care without increasing cost. The NP Council has formed a committee to author a white paper response to this report as each state may have different processes that need to be followed. We hope to have this white paper response available by the end of the year.

As you can see this will be a busy year and will require much communication with all professional committees, AANP and RISNA. Please consider joining our monthly meetings and taking part on one of the committees, or simply come to listen to how the future of nursing is in our hands as well. There are many changes coming and the voices of all will assure that the changes made reflect the needs of RI Nurse Practitioners.

NP Council News continued on page 3

ExceptionalCare for Body &

Soul

For complete job description and to apply online visit:

www.chartercare.org

200 High Service Ave.North Providence, RI 02904

Clinical ManagerEmergency Room

Maintains 24 hour accountability for the delivery of quality, cost-effective services of the Emergency Room in compliance with all regulatory and licensing standards. Collaborates with other nurse leaders and reports directly to the Director of Nursing Operations.

+ Bachelors Degree required. MSN or commitment to complete.

+ Seven to ten years Emergency Room experience with a minimum of three years relevant managerial experience.

+ Working knowledge/competence with national standards

+ Current RI RN licensure required

October, November, December 2011 Rhode Island Nurse • Page 3

NP SPOTLIGHTCheryl A. Fitzgerald Named the 2011 RI Nurse

Practitioner of the YearWarren, RI,–Cheryl A. Fitzgerald, MSN, RNP has

been selected as the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) 2011 Rhode Island Nurse Practitioner of the Year. Ms. Fitzgerald is one of only 54 such recipients of the AANP State Award for Excellence named annually, chosen from more than 140,000 Nurse Practitioners–one from each of the 50 states as well as Samoa, Guam, Pacific Islands, and Puerto Rico.

This prestigious peer selected award is given to a nurse practitioner who demonstrates excellence in practice, research, NP education and community affairs; each of which Ms. Fitzgerald has been actively involved in. A formal awards ceremony was held in June, in Las Vegas, Nevada at the AANP Annual National Conference and a state awards ceremony was held in September at the Rhode Island Nurse Practitioner Council’s annual dinner meeting.

Cheryl has been a Nurse Practitioner since 1976 when she received her certification as an Adult Medical Nurse Practitioner from the University of Rhode Island. She graduated from the University of Rhode Island with her bachelors degree in 1967 then went on to earn her masters degree in nursing education in 1975. She began practicing as an NP with the VA Medical Center in Providence, RI as a medical and gerontological nurse practitioner. She has maintained practice in the field of gerontology since her certification as an NP.

Ms. Fitzgerald’s primary practice is located at Elmhurst Extended Care Facility where she currently serves as the Director of Clinical Services. Cheryl is also working with the Bayer Institute for Health Care Communication, Inc., which serves to advance the quality of healthcare by optimizing the experience and process of healthcare communication. She has been instrumental in various positions in the VA Medical Center throughout the many years of her career.

Ms. Fitzgerald served in both the US Army Reserve and Navy Reserve Nursing Corps including positions as Commanding Officer, Executive Officer and Training Officer. Cheryl is an Assistant Professor in the CON at URI and an Adjunct Clinical Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Health. She is member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, National Gerontological NP Association, American Geriatrics Society, RI Aging 2000 Coalition, Rhode Island State Nurses Association, and the Rhode Island Nurse Practitioner Council. She is a highly regarded author and presenter and is truly an advocate for the importance of quality gerontological care in Rhode Island.

Marie Ghazal Named 2011 RI Nurse Practitioner Advocate of the Year

Providence, RI.–Marie Ghazal has been awarded the distinguished Rhode Island State Award for Nurse Practitioner Advocate 2011 through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). This honor recognizes the effects of individuals, other than NPs, who have made a significant contribution toward increasing the awareness and acceptance of the nurse practitioner.

Marie Ghazal is a proven leader in the health care field, highly respected for over 34 years of

dedication and service to improving health care and reducing health disparities for Rhode Island’s most vulnerable residents. Throughout her career, Marie has demonstrated her commitment to the mission of providing health care access to all. Through her accomplishments as a registered nurse, health center director, administrator and now Chief Executive Officer of the Rhode Island Free Clinic (RIFC), Marie exemplifies a strong leader contributing to the national dialogue on collaborations, community partnerships and a healthy, robust, cost-effective health care delivery system.

As CEO of the RIFC, Marie leads the clinic’s volunteer provider/community partnership model; a model that dictates health care for more uninsured and working poor will be realized though increasing volunteers and strategic community partnerships and alliances. An investment in RIFC promotes healthy patients, active volunteer service, and health care professionals trained in a dynamic community based clinic. A compilation of Marie’s experience includes:

BUSINESS LEADER• Providence Business News, 2011 Woman

Industry Leader in Health Care• Harvard Business School, 2011 Scholarship

Recipient, Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management

• RI Health Care Reform Commission & Lt.Governor Elizabeth Roberts Community HealthCare Providers Leadership Council–2011

• Rhode Island Quality Institute BoardMember–2006 to present

NP Council News continued on page 4

NP Council News continued from page 2

THE STRENGTH TO HEAL

and focus on what matters the most.

When you become a nurse and Officer on the U.S. Army Reserve Health Care Team, you’ll be able to continue to work in your community and serve when needed. You’ll be surrounded by health care professionals who share your passion for roviding quality patient care. You may also be eligible for financial benefits, including pay incentives and up to $50,000 for nursing school loans.

© 2010. Paid for by the United States Army. All rights reserved.

To learn more, call 1-877-406-9942 or visitwww.healthcare.goarmy.com/p364.

ATTENTION HOSPITAL NURSES• Are you tired of working evenings, nights and weekends?• Would you like to spend more time with your family and friends?• Would you like a job with day shift, M-F hours?• Would you like to work in a friendly, professional environment, with an

excellent salary and benefits?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you owe it to yourself to check out:

BLACKSTONE VALLEY COMMUNITY HEALTH CARE

We are a private, non-profit, community health center with three locations in the Pawtucket area.

You will be part of a healthcare team which utilizes the latest technology to provide primary care services to a population which needs and deserves the best possible care. You will work with other healthcare professionals who believe in “giving back” to the community. And, you will get to do it in a way which also allows you to have a life.

We are currently looking for:

Registered NursesNurse Managers

Nurse Case Managers

E-mail your resume to: humanresources@bvchc.org BVCHC is an equal opportunity employer, but being bi-lingual is a plus.

Page 4 • Rhode Island Nurse October, November, December 2011

• RI Special Senate Commission Appointee toStudy Costs, Containment, Efficiency and Transparency in the Delivery of Quality Patient Care and Access by Hospitals - 2011

• RI Medicaid Medical Care AdvisoryCommittee–2009 to present

• LeadershipRhodeIsland-1995Class

HEALTH ADVOCATE• AmericanAcademyofNursePractitioner2011

Advocate Award for RI–national award for significant contribution to the status of health care delivery and practice of nurse practitioners in RI

• TopNursingAlumniAward,UniversityofRhodeIsland–2004

• President’s Award, Rhode Island StateNurses–2003

• Semi-Finalist,RobertWoodJohnsonExecutiveNurse Fellow–2002

COMMUNITY CATALYST• Vice President of Patient Care and Chief

Nursing Officer for the Providence Community Health Centers (PCHC) for nearly 20 years

• Spear-headed major programs including theoperation of the:

• HealthCenterfortheHomelessat Crossroads of RI • DentalClinicforlow-incomechildrenand women who are pregnant • METSchool-BasedHealthCenter • RhodeIslandSexually-TransmittedDisease Clinic • FamilyPlanningServicesandother programs for inner- city residents• Director of the Central Falls Health Center,

securing federal funding for the merger of the Central Falls and Pawtucket Health Centers, 1986-1990.

Marie has been instrumental in the advocacy for RI NPs and the members of the RI NP Council, in

conjunction with the AANP, are so grateful for all her efforts and support. Thank you Marie and keep up the great work in our community!

We want to recognize you! If you have any noteworthy news or updates (i.e. publications, promotions, new job appointments, etc) please email Allison at thejedsons@aol.com so we can spread the news and give you due accolades!

We are still looking for NPs to write a piece for our on-going series: “A Day in the Life of an NP.” If you’d like to provide the rest of the world a sneak peek into your typical (or not so typical) day, please email Allison to learn more. We have had nothing but positive responses on the previous NPs who have shared their “day.”

We are experiencing some issues with our NP Council website and are working to try to figure out these issues. If you have any problems or questions with the NP website, please email Cindy at clbuckley16@verizon.net

RemindersANA/RISNA members receive discounts

on malpractice insurance. Go to http://www.seaburychicago.com/cwp.asp?assn=ANA-CMA for more information.

Don’t forget the many benefits of joining the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) such as daily SmartBrief, an electronic newsletter delivered daily, Monday–Friday, to your email address. AANP SmartBrief compiles essential healthcare news and information from media sources around the country and delivers them to you in a clear and concise format, with links to the news sources.

AANP’s newest benefit is the NP Finder, a comprehensive list of all AANP member nurse practitioners and their various practice sites. This NP Finder database was developed to provide AANP members with the exclusive opportunity to market their practices to consumers seeking highly qualified healthcare providers. The AANP plans to debut this service to consumers in early September.

Green ColumnSylvia Weber

RISNA continues to work on our environmental agenda and also works with other organizations and coalitions. Besides being a member of the Environmental Council of RI, Health Care Without Harm and Toxic Information Project, we joined with several organizations and Brown University to address issues related to a safe and healthy workplace environment.

We participated in a conference at Brown University on healthy hospitals and this new coalition is continuing to meet and address the workplace environment. We are also meeting with several organizations and legislators to address the disposal of and possible re-use of unused medication. Holly Carpenter from the ANA Environmental Division will be assisting us.

We continue to work with Robert Vanderslice, Director of Environment, at the Department of Health, on project to improve the environment of the people of Rhode Island. The coalition that was created after the 50 States United conference continues to be active as we assist each other in improving the environment we live in.

Our Environmental Affairs Committee continues to grow and meets about monthly to establish and accomplish our priorities for 2011. The webinar series that we collaborated with the Connecticut and New York Nurses Associations on climate change, environmental health, chemical reform and advocacy is still available on the NY State Nurses Association web-site. There are many wonderful web-sites about environmental issues and, if you’re interested, I would be happy to forward them to you. For more local information you can check out the ECRI site at www.environmentcouncliri.org.

We are looking for volunteers to assist us with our ambitious goals and students who would like to join us for class credit are more than welcome. So far the committee is having a wonderful and productive year. Please feel free to call me, 461-6508, and please consider joining us in protecting the environment we are borrowing from our children and grandchildren.

If you are due for NP recertification and were certified by ANCC before 1994, the AANP will grant you reciprocity; the cost is $95.oo for AANP members. Also remember that the RI NP Council is a member of the AANP and as such generates many member benefits including reduced membership fees.

MembershipWe are always looking for new faces and fresh

ideas! As a reminder, we are currently looking for those who are interested in becoming active in the executive committee and/or helping on sub-committees. If you would like to become more active, please email Mimi Poirier at mimirnp@cox.net and watch your email for our monthly meeting schedules for date and time.

Meetings are scheduled for the first Monday of the month, meet at Kent Hospital, Trowbridge Building, Room 5B and generally last no more than 1 ½ hours. Dinner is usually provided as well to keep our minds productive! Please consider taking some time out of your busy lives to help advance RI nurse practitioners.

Reminder: If you are not on the NP list-serv, general information about the mailing list is at: http://risnarn.org/mailman/listinfo/risnalistserv01_risnarn.org

Please take a moment to sign up! If you are not a RISNA member, please go the RISNA website to begin or renew your membership. RISNA membership benefits RI nurses in so many ways and it will ensure you receive emails on information of importance to your NP practice in Rhode Island.

NP Council News continued from page 3

NEW Online PharmacologyUpdate Education Offerings

1. Prescribing Controlled Substances2. An Evidence-based Blitz3. Exploring the Top 20 Drugs4. What’s Hot and What to Watch5. PSYCHOpharmacology6. Top Pediatric Prescriptions7. Top Drugs in Acute Care (coming soon)

Also Available

Certification Review/Clinical Update

Live Courses&

Home Study Audio CDContinuing Education Packages

www.NPcourses.com

Celebrating 125 YearsCaring Through The Ages

Nurse ManagerSkilled/Sub acute wing

Full-time position with on call duties

Join an innovative team committed to providing high quality care. Saint Elizabeth Manor, a leader in providing long term and rehabilitation care is looking for a Nurse Manager for our skilled and short term rehab unit. Applicant must be an RN with long term care and progressive nursing leadership experience. We offer excellent wages and benefits including health, dental, life insurance, on-site subsidized day care, tuition reimbursement, assistance with tuition loan repayment, and pension! If you are interested please call Kim Amaral @ 401-253-2300 x101 or send resume’ to Saint Elizabeth Manor, One Dawn Hill, Bristol, RI 02809, Attn: Kim Amaral, or email resume to kamaral@stelizabethcommunity.com EOE.

ThisVA Medical Center provides high-quality healthcare to veterans residing inRI and southern MA. The staff consists of over 900 employees who complete thehealthcare delivery team of professional, technical and support personnel.

ProvidenceVA Medical Center

Nurse Practitioner for OrthopedicsFull-Time - MSN from an NLNAC/CCNE accredited college with currentANCC or other nationally recognized certification as anAdult, Family orGerontological Nurse Practitioner. Active, current, full and unrestrictedAdvancedPractice Nurse license with prescriptive privileges in Rhode Island. Recent expe-rience in caring for orthopedic patients in an outpatient setting preferred

Benefits package includes 5 weeks of vacation, up to 5% matching on 401(k)type plan, free on-site parking, and a competitive salary scale.Please send resume to vhapronurserecruiter@va.gov.U.S. citizens only.An Equal Opportunity Employer

Earn Your Degree From Home!

NETWORKEarn your NLNAC-accredited degree with the help of The College Network™ and its partner universities.

Flexible • Convenient • Affordable• LPN to AS in Nursing (RN)

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Marilyn BouRamia (401) 499-7558 marilyn.bouramia@collegenetwork.com

October, November, December 2011 Rhode Island Nurse • Page 5

Page 6 • Rhode Island Nurse October, November, December 2011

Students Represent Rhode Island at

Leadership Conferenceby Sarah Satterlee, SNARI Treasurer

This summer, the Student Nurses’ Association of Rhode Island attended the National Student Nurses Association Northeast Leadership Conference to gain a better understanding of organizational leadership. The conference, held on July 29, was hosted by Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York City. Four SNARI members attended the conference, representing Rhode Island among NSNA leaders from across the Eastern US.

While at Mt. Sinai, the students learned how to strengthen membership in the state and school chapters, while getting and in-depth presentation on NSNA’s mission and programs. They received information on the progress of various NSNA committees and how to help them achieve outcomes by extending national missions into state and school activities. Included in the conference agenda was an optional tour of a Mt. Sinai medical unit. By taking advantage of this incredible opportunity, the Rhode Island students were able to see the inner workings of one of New York’s most prominent hospitals. SNARI would like to thank both NSNA and Mt. Sinai for hosting them in this program.

SNARI has a busy year ahead. Included in this year’s agenda are several community service opportunities such as a voter registration drive and volunteering with organizations like the March of Dimes and Toys for Tots. The annual SNARI convention will take place in March. Last years convention was a huge success thanks to the many vendors, participants, and speakers, and SNARI is looking forward to reaching out to even more student nurses this year.

For more information on SNARI, monthly meetings, and how to join, please visit www.snari.org or like the facebook page at www.facebook.com/snarhodeisland.

Marie Ghazal, CEORhode Island Free Clinic

“I’d rather be preparing for an opportunity that never

happens than have an opportunity and I am not

prepared.”–Whitney M. Young, Jr.

If you work in a nonprofit organizat ion, hospi ta l , school, college, or other social service agency, you know times are difficult as demand for services continue to increase and revenues decline. Nonprofits deliver essentials social services that benefit the greater welfare of society from providing health care to supporting the arts, to many other causes. The mission of providing value to others is at the core of a nonprofit and is what motivates many who work in them.

In these challenging times, how do leaders in nonprofits improve the performance of their organizations and help their communities? The Harvard Business School’s (HBS) Executive Education Program in Cambridge is dedicated to just this–providing nonprofit executives with training to address the challenges. Specifically, the HBS Social Enterprise Initiative was created to address an expanding demand among nonprofit organizations and other social enterprises for management skills and a corresponding need among business leaders and corporations for more effective means of involvement with the social sector. It focuses on social purpose enterprises and undertakings, which encompasses nonprofit organizations or for-profit companies with an embedded social purpose, as well as the activities of business corporations aimed at benefiting their communities.

Nursing Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations and in the Community

The Harvard Business School Association of Southeastern New England recently awarded me and Kelly Ramirez, Executive Director of Social Ventures Partners Rhode Island, a full scholarship to attend HBS, Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management (SPNM). It is a week long residential program, taught by senior business school faculty at the Boston campus and includes participants from a distinguished international pool of 153 leaders from across the world. The curriculum focuses on: nonprofit strategic challenge, building strategy for high performance, bridging mission and markets, leading change, leadership strategy, and execution. As a result of this intense experience, leaders are better prepared to improve the performance of their organizations, advance their mission, diversify networks, consider new ventures, and overall create a culture of high expectations with their staff and board.

As nurses, what can you do to advance the mission of your organization? Firsthand, do you know your organization’s mission and are you committed to it? I encourage more nurses to take actions in their organizations and in their community. If you work in a nonprofit, continue to focus on the mission and what you do to provide value to others. In your community, find a volunteer opportunity that aligns with your values and ethics and sign on. You might also consider serving on a nonprofit board in an organization that you have a passion for. You can make a difference and your involvement will influence others as well. Your actions are needed now more than ever in nonprofit organizations, whether they are in the health care system to ensure access for all or to support other areas of value to society.

**I am grateful to the HBS Association of Southeastern New England for this tremendous opportunity to improve the work of the Rhode Island Free Clinic and service to Rhode Island’s uninsured.

EOE

When you know, you choose Roger Williams!Imagine working in a smaller, friendlier setting where everyone on

the team is focused on positive patient outcomes.Roger Williams Medical Center is a community-based teaching

hospital where employees know each other by name, practice teamwork, demonstrate mutual respect, and smile!

Through our Nursing Center for Practice and Education we emphasize professional development and education. Computerized documentation, evidence-based practice, clinical resource groups, and peer review all contribute to personal growth and success.

Competitive wages, comprehensive benefits, in a friendly environment.

Behavioral HealthAddiction and Psych Nurses

Full Time RN PositionsPlease visit www.rwmc.org for a current

list of job openings! Fax resumes to 401-456-6898,

email resumes to kwhitaker@rwmc.org.

Tockwotton Home is providing person-centered individualized care to our households of 21 elders. Does this interest you? Are you hard working and compassionate? We are looking for dedicated LPNs and RNs for per diem hours. We are also hiring part-time medication technicians for 7am-1pm and 4pm-9pm shifts!!!

For more information contact: Sandy Botelho75 East Street, Providence, RI 02903

Phone (401) 272-5280, Fax (401) 421-0550e-mail: sbotelho@tockwotton.org

We Salute our Nurses for all They do!

Full-time opening. Assist and enable a child/family to receive the services authorized under the Infant Toddler Home Visiting Program/Early Intervention. Must be a licensed RN by the RI DOH. Minimum 3 years experience in public health or community based care. Excellent benefits, training, and flexible schedules. Send resume to: Family Service of Rhode Island, P.O. Box 6688, Providence, RI 02940-6688, e-mail: careers@familyserviceri.org or visit our website at: www.familyserviceri.org. EOE

F O R B R I G H T E R F U T U R E S

Registered Nurse – Early Intervention

“ConneCting Communities to Quality Care”

www.providencechc.org

The Providence Community Health Centers, Inc. (PCHC), operates 5 community health centers in inner-city Providence, RI. Our centers serve a multicultural population of 36,000+ patients providing primary care in Family Practice, Pediatric, Internal Medicine and Ob/Gyn.

PCHC is a well-run, fast-growing and progressive organization. Colleagues include 10 advance practice nurses, 9 family physicians, 8 internists, 7 pediatricians and 6 ob-gyn doctors.

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October, November, December 2011 Rhode Island Nurse • Page 7

Rhode Island Nurses Institute News

by Annette Fonteneau

I am very excited to report that the RINI Middle College Charter School will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony on August 29, 2011 to commemorate the opening of the country’s first nursing charter school. Dr. Rob Pilkington, our Middle College’s director will welcome over 100 students through the doors in our inaugural year set to begin on September 7, 2011.

The members of the board along with supporters of RINI have worked tirelessly to make this charter school a reality and I am honored and privileged to be a part of this amazing organization. Congratulations to all those involved!

The RINI fourth annual charity golf tournament held on August 8, 2011 at the Alpine Country Club was a smashing success. Over 100 golfers enjoyed a wonderful day of golf, food and fun. The course was absolutely beautiful and we owe a debt of gratitude to Neil Bucci, a wonderful friend of nursing who secured this venue.

I would like to thank our silver sponsors Cubic Applications, Inc. and Siemens for their incredible generosity. Many local companies in the community sponsored tee signs and raffle prizes. Members of the golf committee and other nurse volunteers spent countless hours acquiring gift baskets, silent auction items and door prizes for this event.

Thank you Anita Creamer, Lucille Massemino, Jackie Albrikes, Michael Kpea, Shelly Gardiner and all our volunteers for their commitment to making this event such a success.

NSNA Conference 2011

Government Relations

Sylvia Weber

This past July Donna and I had the opportunity to attend a meeting of the ANA-PAC Board of Trustees. Donna, who was treasurer, completed her term on the Board and I was beginning my term as a newly elected member.

The ANA-PAC is reviewing our legislative priorities as they relate to the upcoming elections. Both the ANA-PAC and RISNA-PAC will be active in the electoral process and I encourage you to contribute to both to enhance our position.

On the State level we continue to work on health care reform; improvement of access to affordable health care; insurance re-imbursement for needed services, especially parity for people with chronic illnesses and disabilities; non-discrimination for re-imbursement of qualified health care providers; protection of pregnant inmates; public health issues; and environmental health issues including work place safety.

This year we introduced 1 bill to expand background checks for newly licensed nurses and nurses transferring from another state. The bill was passed and signed into law.

We continue to be in contact with Congressmen Ciciline and Langevin and Senators Reed and Whitehouse about our local and national concerns. We also work with other organizations on issues that are a priority for RISNA, are a part of several coalitions and have testified/taken positions on many bills.

In September Donna and I are attending the ANA national lobbyist meeting in Washington, D.C. As of now 38 states will be represented. Please contact us if there is an issue that you would like to share your opinion on.

Being at the State House and attending committee hearings is an experience that everyone should have, even if it’s only once, and I would enjoy showing you around. Several people have taken me up on the offer and have enjoyed it.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns, and/or ideas you may have that relate to government relations. You may also consider joining our active and fun committee.

by Susan Sienkiewicz, MA, RNChair, Cabinet on Nursing Education

“Development of A Continuing Education Program: Part 1, The Object of Objectives” (The RI Nurse, July 2010), focused on the first step in instructional design, proper development of content objectives. Part 2, The Contents of Content Outlines (The RI Nurse, January 2011) addressed the importance of creating a logically organized topical outline from which flows a well-organized continuing education program. Part 3, The Construction of Effective Instruction (The RI Nurse, April 2011) focused on the selection of appropriate teaching methodologies. The next and final step in the development of a continuing education program is evaluation. Although the evaluation process is retrospective, the purpose is future-oriented. To evaluate something is to determine its value. Learning the value of a continuing education program will assist the planner/s and presenter/s in making decisions regarding future program development. Thus, evaluation is a means to improve program performance.

No continuing education program is complete until it is systematically evaluated. Program evaluation tools should include appraisal of:

• Thetopicpresented• Objectiveachievement• Teachingmethodologies/effectivenessof

instruction• Resources• Overalllearnersatisfaction

The topic presented should be relevant to the participant’s learning needs and to the content objectives. Suggestions for future topics should also be included on an evaluation tool. The learner should have the opportunity to rate the extent to which the program objectives were met. Methods of instruction, too should be rated, for their appropriateness and relevance to the objectives and content. Evaluation of resources should include appraisal of: physical facilities, handouts, technological support (if applicable), etc. Program evaluation results should be reviewed by both the planner and presenter. The degree to which the program evaluation parameters are positively perceived will determine overall participant satisfaction and should drive the planning of future program development.

The Object of Objectives stressed the need for objectives to be SMART, i.e., Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely. The Contents of Content Outlines, likewise, pointed out that the content outline should be SMART: a Specific listing of topics, More than a restatement of the objectives, Arranged logically, Relevant, Timely. In addition, The Construction of Effective Instruction proposed that teaching strategies should be SMART, i.e. Selected according to learning outcome, Motivating, Active/interactive, Relevant, and Timely. Finally, a quality continuing education program includes a SMART evaluation plan, one that appraises: Satisfaction of the participant, Methodology, Achievement of objectives, Resources, and the Topic addressed, and seeks suggestions for future topics.

NOTE: Development of A Continuing Education Program: Parts 1-4 will be posted on the RISNA website, www.risnarn.org.

Development of A Continuing Education

Program: Part 4 The Value of Evaluation

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Page 8 • Rhode Island Nurse October, November, December 2011

Written by Executive Committee

Future Directions of the PMH APRN RoleThe American Psychiatric Nurses Association

(APNA) and the International Society of Psychiatric Nurses (ISPN) have recommended that future Psychiatric Mental Health Advanced Practice Nurses be prepared as Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners across the Lifespan. The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) is considering eliminating the Adult and Child/Adolescent PMHCNS certifying examinations in 2014. This information has not yet been posted on their website. PMHCNSs who are currently practicing will be grandfathered in their own states and will be able to continue to recertify using the current process. It is imperative that PMHCNS’ continue to recertify in a timely manner. If anyone’s certification lapses, the certifying examination will no longer be available. As more information comes forward, I will continue to disseminate it in this publication. Please feel free to contact me by email if you have any questions.

Best regards to all, Ginette Ferszt (ggf@uri.edu)

News About Some of the RI PMH PCNS’s

Aflague, J. M. & Ferszt, G. G. (2010).Suicide assessment by psychiatric nurses: A phenomenographic study. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 31:248-256.

Alison Dwyer, MS, RN, has completed 200 hour teacher training program in June and plans to teach trauma-sensitive yoga to clients in my therapy practice this fall.

Ginette G. Ferszt, PhD, RN, will be presenting, Navigating the Challenges of Conducting Research in Women’s Correctional Facilities, at the American Public Health Association Conference in October, 2011. This topic will be published in Nurse Educator this fall.

Joyce Hickey, MA, RN, has joined Ginette Ferszt as a volunteer at the RI State Women’s Correctional Facilities providing counseling.

Christiana Rosa, MS, RN, continues to serve on the RI Board of Nurse Examiners.

Feature ArticleUnderstanding Depression

and Anxiety in Celiac Patients

Gabriele Hughes, MS, RN, PMHCNS-BC

“Anger’s my meat; I sup upon myself,And so shall starve with feeding.”

~William Shakespeare, Coriolanus,Act IV, Scene II, 50-51

Since Gee’s classic description of “the coeliac affection” in 1888, much has been learned about Celiac Disease (CD) and we now know that it is hardly the “rare” disease as it was once considered. CD is also known as celiac sprue, gluten-intolerance or sprue. One percent of people worldwide are affected by CD. Estimates show that at least 1 in 100 people in the United States have CD but 97 percent remain undiagnosed. Years ago CD was a childhood disease, and one that one could “grow out of.” Today we know that it is a permanent condition, while it may be present from birth, and occurs in genetically susceptible families, CD can strike at any age.

Gluten is the name given to a number of different proteins (gliadin is the protein found in wheat, hordein is the protein in barley, secalin is the protein in rye and avenin is the protein in oats) which cause the immune reaction in celiac. Many recent studies indicate that the protein found in oats may not be harmful to most people with CD. However, there is concern that the oats may be contaminated with wheat during the milling and processing. Gluten is the substance in flour that forms the structure of dough, the “glue” that holds the product together and is also the leavening ingredient. When these proteins are present in the diet of someone with CD, they become toxic and cause damage to the small intestine causing inflammation, a flattening or wasting away of the villi that line the intestines. The role of the villi is to absorb essential nutrients freed by the digestive process and it is this process that is compromised in patients with CD, subsequently causing malabsorption of food and nutrients, nutrient deficiency and subsequent disease (i.e. iron deficiency anemia, decreased bone density, unintentional weight loss, poor absorption of folate and iron, vitamin B12 deficiency, mouth ulcers, nausea, bloating, depression, deficiency in tryptophan which is necessary for the body’s

production of serotonin, extreme fatigue, anxiety, diarrhea, and flatulence, just to name a few). Exposure to gluten can be extremely painful, exposure to a single grain of gluten can cause a violent reaction that can last for hours, and can take days from which to recover.

In many studies, children and adults with CD had higher rates of depression than patients without celiac disease. A study conducted by Addolorato et al., reported that one year of gluten-free diet (GFD) failed significantly to affect depressive symptoms. According to their findings the presence of depression after introduction of the GFD could be related to the reduction in the quality of life in celiac patients. Some studies attribute the relationship between CD and depression to the psychological implications of having a chronic disease with a restrictive diet, sudden lifestyle changes or dietary compliance.

Many patients with CD have difficulty with healthy eating and can develop an aversion to food, which means that they would rather not eat at all then risk gluten-exposure. Weight loss and malnutrition continues, even when they eliminate gluten from their diet, because these patients are struggling with how to react and adapt to it. There is a definite sense of loss, their favorite foods are no longer an option, and food choices feel like a “life sentence,” not just like a “temporary confinement.” There are many gluten-free foods now available, but they are expensive, many simply do not taste good and few are satisfying to eat. Some patients may spend hours in the grocery store, but leave with only a small bag of groceries and no idea of what to eat for dinner and may experience the so called “Celiac Meltdown!” Shopping can become overwhelming and time consuming. CD patients have to read every label and “trust” that the food companies are honest with their listings of ingredients. Questioning the manufacturers of food and restaurant staff can become embarrassing and it is not unusual to be told that something is GF when it actually is not. “Mistakes” with a GF diet have terrible consequences, which most people with CD cannot fully understand. The irony with CD is that the better one sticks to the diet, the more sensitive the patient becomes to gluten.

The social implications for CD are at times overwhelming. Eating with family and friends, or a night out at a restaurant and travelling becomes a challenge. Events like weddings, holiday gatherings, birthday parties are no longer a happy, stress free experience, since the majority of food at these events is not gluten free (GF). Packing food to these occasions is a must and many people who do not have CD can be very insensitive, eat delicious food in front of the person with CD and ask “can’t you just try a little bite”, or state “this is so delicious.”

It is recommended that patients are referred to a nutritionist for education about GF food items. Referrals to CD support groups should also be made, they are considered beneficial by providing the opportunity for emotional and psychological support and serving as a source of information for GF products available locally. CD is related to psychological stress in many ways. Some patients can adapt and cope, but many patients struggle and at times may become overwhelmed. For some patients following a strict GFD is sufficient, for others, counseling by a knowledgeable and sensitive professional, and/or pharmacological treatment is necessary.

Patients with CD need to be empowered to be able to be assertive about their needs and their health. People with Celiac disease are their own best advocates and with the assistance of all health care professionals, particularly nurses, more public awareness must be raised to improve the life of people who are living life gluten-free.

ReferencesAddolorate G. et al. Anxiety and depression in adult

untreated celiac subjects and in patients affected by bowel disease: a personality “trait” or a reactive illness? Hepatogastroenterology. 1996 Nov-Dec; 43(12):1513-7.

PCNS Council News

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October, November, December 2011 Rhode Island Nurse • Page 9

Over 130 students enrolled in the 10th and 11th grades now in class

PROVIDENCE, R.I.–Students, parents, staff and supporters of the R.I. Nurses Institute (RINI) Middle College Charter School, joined by local elected and appointed officials, today held a ribbon-cutting and opening event to celebrate the start of its inaugural year. The first public tours of the school immediately followed the ribbon-cutting event.

The school allows secondary students interested in nursing and health care to earn a high school degree and college credit. The school opened its doors on September 7th, and is serving over 130 students in its inaugural year.

The charter public school welcomed 3 new faculty members to its administrative team: Robert Pilkington, Ed.D., superintendent; Pamela McCue, academic dean and chief nursing officer; and Keith Oliveira, director of admissions and family engagement.

“We are thrilled to officially open the doors of the Rhode Island Nurses Institute Middle College Charter School,” said Dr. Robert Pilkington, superintendent. “We are committed to providing more choice and an innovative educational option to young Rhode Islanders who are interested in a career in nursing, and who hail from communities that are traditionally underrepresented in our state’s colleges and universities.”

Proposed by the R.I. Nurses Institute and given final approval this summer by the R.I. board of regents, the Middle College Charter School is designed to immerse high school students in the setting and structure of a college learning environment. The school’s curriculum challenges students to earn a high school diploma, Certified Nursing Assistant’s (CNA) credential, and will help better prepare students for a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing.

The RINI Middle College Charter School has a statewide acceptance policy and enrolls students from any city or town in Rhode Island. Every qualifying applicant is required to have passed 9th grade English and math and be heading into the 10th grade. Although the school is a statewide public school of choice with blind admissions policies, specific efforts have been made to target recruitment to students from demographics that are traditionally underrepresented in Rhode Island’s colleges and universities. The four-year degree that students earn includes eight semesters of work, as well as summer sessions and January intercession, and provides concentrated study in writing, math, computer, capstone projects, portfolio compilation, career exploration and study skills.

Courses taken at the colleges are determined by the students’ readiness and interest, as well as approval by the college or university. Courses taken at the college level count for credit at both institutions, and are taught at both the RINI Middle College Charter School campus as well as local college campuses. The goal for each student is to gain entrance to a college of nursing (two- or four-year institution) and to arrive on campus with their general education requirements fulfilled.

R.I. Nurses Institute (RINI) Middle College Charter School

The RINI Middle College Charter School exists to immerse each student in the setting and structure of a college, learning under the guidance of industry practitioners and with a concentration in health care professional opportunities. The school will offer each student the opportunity to gain a high school degree while attending a supportive, small secondary school. For more information or to complete an application, visit www.tomorrowsnurses.org.

First-Ever Nursing Charter School in the Country, R.I. Nurses Institute Middle College, Celebrates Opening

ANA Pledges to Help Patients Improve

Care Through Use of Electronic Health

Information Association Joins National Consumer eHealth

Program Launch

SILVER SPRING, MD–The American Nurses Association (ANA) pledged to educate consumers about the benefits of electronic health information, as part of a national campaign launched today to engage consumers in improving their own health through information technology.

ANA made a formal pledge to develop educational materials on health information technology for registered nurses to share with consumers, in support of the Consumer eHealth Program established by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The ANA initiative will help people understand the benefits of using their electronic health records to prevent illness and manage chronic conditions, and to track history of immunizations, clinical exams and hospitalizations.

Health information technology provides a platform for capturing and sharing standardized data, such as lab results, tests, treatment history, medication profiles and basic medical information.

“Health information technology can improve care by ensuring that care is based on evidence. It also allows health care professionals from different clinical settings and disciplines to communicate effectively about a patient’s care to avoid duplication of services and ensure nothing important is missed through a lost paper trail or failed memory,” said ANA President Karen Daley, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN. “This unique platform for compiling and analyzing data also supports one of the strongest tenets of nursing—educating the health care consumer.”

ANA will ask nurses to submit examples of innovative use of health information technology in their practices, including methods they employ to engage patients in the use of that technology to improve their health, such as patient portals. ANA intends to share such models with ONC to demonstrate nursing’s effectiveness in developing consumer-oriented health information technology strategies.

ANA has long recognized the importance of using standardized data and information technology to improve the quality of care. ANA began promoting the broad use of health information technology in the 1990s, designating nursing informatics as a nursing specialty and publishing the first scope and standards of practice documents for that specialty. Nursing informatics integrates nursing science, computer science and information science to manage and communicate data, information, knowledge and wisdom in nursing practice.

In 1998, ANA established the National Database for Nursing Quality Indicators® (NDNQI®), the nation’s only comprehensive database allowing hospitals to compare nursing performance measures at the unit level. For example, a hospital can compare its rate of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers in intensive care units to similar units at other NDNQI-participating hospitals in the region, state or nation, providing a benchmark for performance and quality of care.

ANA values its relationship and partnership with health care consumers and their families and is well-positioned to create opportunities that will further engage consumers in improving their own health through information technology.

Page 10 • Rhode Island Nurse October, November, December 2011

SILVER SPRING, MD–The American Nurses Association (ANA) announced the election results for the new members and officers of ANA’s Political Action Committee (ANA-PAC) Board of Trustees. The ANA-PAC works to raise funds from ANA members and supports candidates for federal office who have demonstrated their belief in ANA’s legislative agenda.

ANA-PAC board officers are elected to serve a one-year term. The new board will establish the presidential endorsement task force and has set a goal of raising one million dollars for the 2011-12 election cycle.

Newly elected ANA-PAC Board of Trustees officers are as follows: Lori Lioce, DNP, FNP-BC, NP-C; chair

Lioce is a nurse practitioner at Huntsville Hospital Emergency Department and a clinical assistant professor at University of Alabama-Huntsville, College of Nursing. A member of the Alabama State Nurses Association, Lioce completed a four-year term on the ANA Congress on Nursing Practice and Economics (CNPE) in 2010 and serves as the immediate past president for the Nurse Practitioner Alliance of Alabama. Lioce has served as vice-chair of the ANA-PAC Board of Trustees since 2008.

Linda Easterly, MSA, BSN, RN; vice chair Easterly is the chief nursing officer of Parkway

Medical Center in Decatur, AL. A member of the Alabama State Nurses Association, Easterly served in the U.S. Air Force for more than seven years and her previous positions include chief nurse at Barrow Regional Medical Center in Winder, GA; director of the Occupational Health & Wellness program forHouston Healthcare in Kathleen, GA; past president of the Georgia Nurses Association; and past member of the Georgia Board of Nursing.

Linda Gural, RN, CCRN; secretaryGural is a past president and current member

of the New Jersey State Nurses Association and an ANA board member. Gural has served as

secretary and president for the Institute for Nursing, the foundation of the New Jersey State Nurses Association. She works as an intensive care nurse at Community Medical Center in Toms River, NJ.

Jennifer Davis, BSN, RN; treasurerDavis earned her BSN from the University of Akron

and currently serves on the ANA Board of Directors and is the president of the Wayne-Holmes-Medina District Nurses Association. She is a member of the Ohio Nurses Association, a past president of the National Student Nurses Association, and co-chair of the Student Network for the International Council of Nurses.

Other members of C/SNAs elected and appointed to serve are as follows: Board members

* Barbara Crane, RN, CCRN, member; New York State Nurses Association

* Elisabeth Deitz, EdD, RN, CS-NP; member, ANA/California

Sallie Eissler, MSN, CPNP, member, Virginia Nurses Association

Debbie Dawson Hatmaker, PhD, RN-BC, SANE-A; member, Georgia Nurses Association

* Carrie Houser James, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CCE; member, South Carolina Nurses Association

Sara McCumber, MS, RN, CNP, CNS, member; Wisconsin Nurses Association

Sylvia Weber, MS, RN, CNS, member; Rhode Island State Nurses Association

*Denotes an ANA board member appointed to the ANA-PAC board.

The ANA is the only full-service professional organization representing the interests of the nation’s 3.1 million registered nurses through its constituent and state nurses associations and its organizational affiliates. The ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the rights of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.

New ANA-PAC Board Members Elected

ANA Releases New Social Networking

Principles Utilizes social media to inform nurses

about guidelines

SILVER SPRING, MD–Given the pervasiveness of social media, the American Nurses Association (ANA) has released its Principles for Social Networking and the Nurse: Guidance for the Registered Nurse, a resource to guide nurses and nursing students in how they maintain professional standards in new media environments.

“The principles are informed by professional foundational documents including the Code of Ethics for Nurses and standards of practice. Nurses and nursing students have an obligation to understand the nature, benefits, and potential consequences of participating in social networking,” said ANA President Karen A. Daley, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN. “These principles provide guidelines for nurses, who have a responsibility to maintain professional standards in a world in which communication is ever-changing.”

The number of individuals using social networking is growing at an astounding rate. Facebook reports that there are 150 million accounts in the United States while Twitter manages more than 140 million ‘tweets’ daily. Nurses face risks when they use social media inappropriately, including disciplinary action by the state board of nursing, loss of employment and legal consequences.

ANA’s e-publication, ANA’s Principles for Social Networking and the Nurse provides guidance to registered nurses on using social networking media in a way that protects patients’ privacy and confidentiality. The publication also provides guidance to registered nurses on how to maintain, when using social networking media, the nine provisions of the Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements; the standards found in Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice; and nurses’ responsibility to society as defined in Nursing’s Social Policy Statement: The Essence of the Profession.

This publication is available as a downloadable, searchable PDF, which is compatible with most e-readers. It is free to ANA members on the Members-Only Section of www.nursingworld.org. Non-members may order the publication at www.nursesbooks.org.ISBN-13: 978-1-55810-426-6Non-members $3.95Members: Free

In addition to the principles, ANA has developed a downloadable tip card as well as several opportunities for nurses to discuss issues related to social media including a day-long Facebook discussion on Sept. 16, and a Twitter chat Sept. 23 at 1 p.m. EDT, (#anachat). ANA is also conducting a social media webinar scheduled for Oct. 25 featuring Nancy Specter, PhD, RN, director of Regulatory Innovations for the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) and Jennifer Mensik, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, ANA board member and administrator for Nursing and Patient Care Services at St. Luke’s Health System in Boise, ID. Additional details and sign up information about the webinar will be available on ANA’s social networking page.

The ANA is the only full-service professional organization representing the interests of the nation’s 3.1 million registered nurses through its constituent and state nurses associations and its organizational affiliates. The ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the rights of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.

Association Joins National “Care About Your Care” Campaign

SILVER SPRING, MD–The American Nurses Association (ANA) has signed on as a partner with the “Care About Your Care” campaign, a national initiative to increase awareness about how critically important it is that Americans take an active role in managing their health and making informed health care decisions.

Convened by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the campaign is supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency

ANA Supports Efforts to Empower Americans to Get Better Health Care

for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. A key element of the effort is a new website, www.CareAboutYourCare.org, which includes extensive resources to help Americans understand, identify and receive high-quality health care.

“For more than 100 years, the American Nurses Association has been committed to improving the quality of health care and ensuring patient safety,” said ANA President Karen Daley, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN. “ANA is pleased to support the Care About Your Care campaign to help empower consumers to be active participants in their health care and to make informed choices.”

Nurses play a key role in the delivery of quality health care and successful patient outcomes.

An example is the Magnet Recognition Program®. Managed by ANA’s subsidiary, the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), Magnet recognition is the gold standard for nursing excellence. By choosing a hospital with Magnet status, patients can have confidence in the overall quality of a hospital and know they are going to receive excellent nursing care.

There are more than 389 health care facilities across the U.S. that have earned Magnet status. Research shows that Magnet hospitals:

• Consistentlydeliverbetterpatientoutcomes• Have shorter lengths of patients stays, lower

death rates • Improvepatientsafetyandsatisfaction

For more information about the Magnet Recognition Program and to locate a facility in your area, visit www.nursecredentialing.org/Magnet.aspx.

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October, November, December 2011 Rhode Island Nurse • Page 11

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Page 12 • Rhode Island Nurse October, November, December 2011

THE NATION NEEDS MORE ADVANCED PRACTICE NURSES.

WE’RE MAKING THAT HAPPEN.

The Health Reform Act requires more nurses with higher-level education. From Acute Care and Family NP to Adult-Gerontology CNS/NP, Education and Administration to DNP

and PhD, URI’s College of Nursing Graduate Program is perfectly positioned to take your career to the next level. At URI you’ll find everything you need to be part of the nation’s health reform.

uri.edu/nursing