VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." -Marcel Proust
Successful organizations possess the ability to adapt to the changing environment, while staying true to their mission. Over the past 2 years, the Board of Directors and leadership have spent considerable time assessing the strengths and opportunities of the association. We are committed to being the professional organization that represents the specialty of Palliative Nursing. In 2013, the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) developed a vision statement, "To Transform the Care and Culture of Serious Illness," and also revised our mission statement, "To Advance Expert Care in Serious Illness." We also affirmed the Pillars of Education, Leadership, Advocacy, and Research.
In January 2014, the HPNA, National Board for Certification of Hospice and Palliative Nurses (NBCHPN), and the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation (HPNF) Boards held a joint retreat. The purpose of the retreat was for the 3 organizations to identify key opportunities and strategies to work more "in alliance" and identify common strategic objectives. During the first quarter of 2014, the 3 organizations adopted a formal charter. The charter delineates the process and identifies opportunities for enhanced collaboration and synergy among the 3 organizations. A Joint Strategy Council has been established. The Council membership consists of 2 representatives from each of the organizations and the CEO and COO. Both NBCHPN and HPNF formally adopted the HPNA Mission and Vision.
The organizations have agreed upon the Pillars as being Leadership, Advocacy, Research, and Education (HPNA and HFNF) and Competence (NBCHPN). Each organization has also developed descriptive language related to each of their Pillars. This language demonstrates how the work of each organization will contribute to and support the shared Mission and Vision. The Joint Strategy Council met in April to develop the process for joint strategic planning and to identify the areas of shared strategic planning for the 2015 Strategic Plan. The Council has agreed that the 3 organizations will collaborate on developing strategies related to branding, image, and communication. Other areas targeted for collaborative efforts are research and growth strategies.
As the health care environment is rapidly changing around us, we are looking at our organizations with "new eyes" and a keen sense of focus. This focus will enable us to develop and implement strategic initiatives that promote and support the work of hospice and palliative nurses and promote the valuable contributions of palliative nursing within our health care system.
Sally Welsh, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CEO
HPNA's 8th ANNUAL CLINICAL PRACTICE FORUM
The HPNA's Clinical Practice Forum is scheduled for September 18 to 20 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Clinical and Professional Issues in Hospice and Palliative Care, offers preconferences, certification review courses, poster presentations, and educational sessions presented by content expert speakers. HPNA is delighted to announce Betty Ferrell, PhD, MA, RN, CHPN, FAAN, FPCN, as the keynote speaker. She will present "Models of Leadership: Nurses Who Transform Care." This session will describe the qualities needed by nurses who will lead and change cultures of care in the future delivery of health care.
HPNA contacted the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association to collaborate on this conference. The Saturday morning plenary, "Geriatric-Palliative Care: State of the Science and Implications for Practice," will be presented by Katy Lanz, DNP, ANPGNP, ACHPN. There will also be case studies presented by a panel of geriatric-palliative care practitioners related to the management of the unique needs of the geriatric palliative care patient.
New this year: As requested by past conference attendees, the Clinical Practice Forum will have specialized tracks for the advanced practice nurse and the registered nurse. These tracks will include sessions that focus on the specific needs of their level of professional practice.
Back by popular demand: The APRN Certification Review Course and the RN Certification Review course, which will take place on Thursday, September 18. Each course is designed to increase the hospice and palliative nurses' knowledge of general palliative nursing and to assist the nurses in preparing for the specialty certification examination.
The deadline for the discounted registration rate of $325/member and $425/nonmember is August 8, 2014. Preconference and certification review course are an additional charge. Registration is easy to arrange online at http://www.hpna.org (see the Announcements on the right side of the page.) Contact Nancy Lynn at 412-787-9301 or mailto:[email protected] with questions. We hope to see you there.
Pittsburgh is one of the world's great cities, and there's no better time to visit than when the fall foliage is in full color. The conference home will be the Sheraton Station Square Hotel, which is Pittsburgh's only riverfront hotel. Adjacent to shops, restaurants, and nightclubs, and close to the downtown corporate and retail centers, the hotel is only a short walk from the Station Square Dock, where a collection of premier riverboats offers sightseeing, dining, and dancing cruises along Pittsburgh's 3 rivers. The hotel is also near the historic Monongahela Incline.
2014 HPNA RESEARCH SCHOLARS
The HPNA is pleased to announce its 2014 Research Scholars. Three HPNA members will be attending their first Kathleen Foley Palliative Care Retreat: Judith Adams, a postdoctoral at the Durham VA; Stewart Bond, a Boston College faculty member; and Jennifer Seaman, a doctoral student at the University of Pittsburgh. Nick Dionne-Odom, now a postdoctoral at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, will be returning to attend his second retreat. Judith's research focuses on improving communication between intensive care unit staff nurses and family members of seriously ill patients. Stewart studies delirium in advanced cancer patients, particularly those in the outpatient or home setting. Jennifer investigates ways to integrate palliative care principles in critical care nursing practice. And Nick is building a program of research related to family caregiver quality of life and decision making while caring for individuals with life-limiting illness.
EXPRESSIONS FEATURES THE INSPIRATIONAL WORKS FROM HPNA MEMBERS
"HPNA Expressions is very inspiring, and I feel privileged to be part of such a wonderful organization and profession." -Quote from a current member of HPNA
Have you written a poem or story about palliative nursing and would like to share it with other HPNA members? Have you written a narrative that depicts hospice and palliative nurses? The HPNA National Office would like to hear from you!
All HPNA members have an opportunity to feature their creative works through HPNA's online journal, Expressions. In Expressions, HPNA members' creative works are posted in an electronic publication for viewing on the HPNA Web site. You can read the entire Expressions publication on the HPNA Web site at http://www.hpna.org.
If you would like your personal work featured, please send your submission to the Director of Membership, Chad Reilly, at mailto:[email protected] in the National Office. You can also mail your creative works to the HPNA National Office, One Penn Center West, Suite 229, Pittsburgh, PA 15276.
CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE 2015 AMERICAN ACADEMY OF HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE MEDICINE (AAHPM)/HPNA ANNUAL ASSEMBLY
Calls for the 2015 AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly to be held February 25 to 28, 2015, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:
* July 1 to August 1, 2014: Second call for papers and posters
* October 1 to November 3, 2014: Third call for interdisciplinary case conference submissions
All proposals must be submitted via http://www.aahpm.org.
DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS
Reminder: The deadline for applications for the Fellow in Palliative Care Nursing (FPCN) credential is September 2, 2014. Providing this recognition is a way for HPNA to support excellence in the areas of education, management, advanced practice, and research. Applicants for recognition as a Fellow should be current HPNA members with 5 years of active participation who are licensed as a registered nurse and currently engaged in leadership that advances the field of palliative nursing. Contact Karen Michael at 412-787-9301 for more information and to submit your application. Recipients will be recognized at the 2015 AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and listed under the "Leadership" section of the HPNA Web site.
2014 ELNEC-TRAIN-THE-TRAINER COURSES
The End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) project is a national educational initiative to improve palliative care. The course provides nurses with education in palliative care preparing them to teach the information to practicing nurses and other health care professionals. ELNEC trainers are given tools to provide this specialized care and to positively impact the lives of patients and families facing serious illness or the end of life.
HPNA collaborates with the ELNEC project (administered by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Washington, DC, and the City of Hope, Los Angeles, California) to offer the following ELNEC Train-the-Trainer Courses in the remainder of 2014:
* ELNEC-Core in Chicago, Illinois
July 29-30, 2014
* ELNEC-Pediatric Palliative Care in Chicago, Illinois
July 29-30, 2014
* ELNEC-Core in Lake Buena Vista (Orlando), Florida
October 21-22, 2014
To view all upcoming 2014 courses, please visit http://www.aacn.nche.edu/ELNEC/ or http://www.HPNA.org.
NBCHPN DECEMBER TESTING
Examination applications for the December 2014 testing window will be accepted beginning September 1, 2014. The paper application deadline is October 15, and online applications are accepted until November 15, 2014. Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) must apply using the paper application.
To apply online or download the Candidate Handbook, visit our Web site, http://www.nbchpn.org.
NBCHPN EMPLOYER SUPPORTER PROGRAM
The NBCHPN Employer Supporter Program was initiated in 2001. The purpose of the program is to acknowledge those employers who demonstrate sustained support for the certification of their staff.
Agencies are asked to send in a form annually, reporting on the ways they support certification. The information shared with the National Office staff during the past year revealed a wide range of support and recognition the agencies provide to registered nurses, pediatric registered nurses, licensed practical/vocational nurses, nursing assistants, advanced practice nurses, administrators, and professionals working in perinatal loss care. These include financial support, formal recognition, and professional activities.
The Employer of the Year Award recipient is selected from active members of this program. The award is presented annually during the NBCHPN Certification Recognition Luncheon at the AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly.
Currently, there are 110 employers that have acknowledged that they support NBCHPN certification. The complete listing of agencies is available on the NBCHPN Web site, http://www.nbchpn.org, under the "Employer Information" section.
If your agency is interested in becoming a member of the NBCHPN Employer Supporter Program, please contact us at mailto:[email protected] or 412-787-1057.
NBCHPN 2014 ITEM WRITER WORKSHOP (IWW)
Learn more about item writing by attending the workshop "Secrets of Competency Testing: Writing Items for Hospice and Palliative Certification Exams." NBCHPN, with expert assistance from Applied Measurement Professionals of Olathe, Kansas, offers a unique opportunity for you to make a direct contribution to developing the certification examinations. Individuals who have a strong knowledge base in hospice and palliative care are welcome. Expertise in item writing or test development is not required.
The workshop is offered as a free 3-part course: the first 2 parts must be done online, and the third and last parts are a live webinar. The next live webinar for part 3 is scheduled for Wednesday, October 8, from 3:00 to 4:30 pm ET.
Upon completion of all 3 courses and the posttest and evaluation, you will receive 3.5 contact hours. Nursing assistants will receive a certificate of participation.
Full details are posted at http://www.nbchpn.org under "Resources."
NBCHPN 2015 RECERTIFICATION
NBCHPN launches online Hospice and Palliative Accrual for Recertification (HPAR). You will now be able to administer your recertification with the new online platform called LearningBuilder. You can document your professional development activities; view your status, next steps for renewal, and key dates; submit your completed HPAR application online; and receive approval of recertification. In addition to the new system, the HPAR process has gone through some changes related to the categories, accrual time, and number of points awarded for HPAR. Notifications and information will be communicated to all certificants. Visit the NBCHPN Web site, http://www.nbchpn.org, and use the Certificant Login button to ensure that your contact e-mail and mailing address are current.
NBCHPN CANDIDATES: TAKE A SELF-ASSESSMENT EXAM IN PREPARATION FOR YOUR CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION!
Self-assessment Exams (SAEs) are learning tools available as Web tests on the Internet. They serve as practice tools to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a candidate who is interested in the certification and recertification process in hospice and palliative care nursing. Five SAEs are offered through the HPNF (http://www.hpnf.org):
Hospice and Palliative Advanced Practice Registered Nurse SAE (APRN SAE)
Hospice and Palliative Registered Nurse SAE (RN SAE)
Hospice and Palliative Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse SAE (LP/VN SAE)
Hospice and Palliative Nursing Assistant SAE (NA SAE)
Hospice and Palliative Care Administrator SAE (ADM SAE)
HPNF DID YOU KNOW?
Round 2 of HPNF Scholarships, Grants, and Awards Just Around the Corner
The work each of you does is profound, and HPNF wants to provide resources to assist you! HPNF is committed to providing HPNA members and NBCHPN(R) certificants with scholarships for education, conferences, and certification along with nursing research grants and leadership awards. The foundation is dedicated to raising funds toward this end and depends on the generous spirit of JHPN readers. We are reaching out to you and asking that you make a donation to the HPNF 2014 Annual Fund Drive so that we may continue to support the professional development of hospice and palliative nurses. Please visit http://www.hpnf.org/DONATEnow, or call 412-787-9301, and we will personally assist you.
Congratulations to the awardees of Round 1 of 2014 HPNF scholarships, grants, and awards! Awardees are listed at http://www.hpnf.org. Awards will include Certification Scholarships for all levels of NBCHPN certification and recertification, Conference Scholarships for the HPNA Clinical Practice Forum, and the coveted Judy Lentz Scholarship for the Advancement of Palliative Care in Oncology Nursing! Your application will be due by December 1, 2014.
The recipients of the 2014 Chapter Education Grants will be presented at the Saturday Awards Dinner of HPNA Leadership Weekend. The purpose of these grants is to support the education and membership expansion projects of the selected chartered chapters. Also to be announced are the Star Chapter Awards given to all of the many HPNA chapters who support HPNF through donations during the past year. This year we will have a new Star award, the Four Star Chapter, inaugurated by San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, for those who give $1000 or more! Thank you, San Francisco Bay Area, for your endorsement and challenge! Did you know? You can find all Chapter Grant and Star Chapter Award recipients recognized on the HPNF home page, http://www.hpnf.org.
HPNF is looking forward to seeing many of you at the HPNA Clinical Practice Forum, September 18 to 20, 2014. We are a proud gold sponsor of this highly acclaimed conference for the second consecutive year! Foundation staff will be available to provide information about its scholarship, grant, and award opportunities as well as about our fund raising and giving circles. The 2014 A Key 2 Your Heart cases will be available for purchase, as long as inventory lasts. These are always a favorite keepsake!!! And their sales help to support HPNF scholarships, grants, and awards!
To learn more about HPNF and to join in our efforts to raise funds for the professional development of HPNA members and NBCHPN(R) certificants, please visit http://www.hpnf.org. Click on the DONATE NOW button to make your gift.
~ Advancing expert care in serious illness, please remember HPNF in your will and estate planning. ~