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  1. Walker, Jane PhD, RN Newsletter Editor

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NACNS Updates

The 2006 annual NACNS conference "CNS Leadership: Soaring to New Heights" was held in Salt Lake City from March 15 to March 18. With over 330 attendees, the conference was successful and provided multiple opportunities for learning and networking. NACNS and the Board of Directors gratefully acknowledge and thank the following conference sponsors, exhibitors and contributors for their support.

 

SPONSORS

 

KCI

 

Mayo Clinic

 

Northside Hospital

 

Zoll Medical, Inc.

 

Hoag Hospital

 

EXHIBITORS

 

Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins

 

Sharp Healthcare

 

Scios

 

Optivox

 

Kaiser Permanente

 

Pepid

 

CTL Consulting

 

Silver Oak Search Consultants

 

Calmoseptine

 

Texas Health Resources

 

The Gideons

 

Stanford Hospital & Clinics

 

Lantiseptic Division, Summit Industries, Inc.

 

Coastal Training Technologies

 

University of Wisconsin Hospital

 

Wolfe Tory Medical

 

IVS/InTeleCare

 

Saunders/Mosby

 

Edwards Life Sciences

 

Sunrise Hospital

 

Technicuff Corp.

 

Fairview Health Services

 

Medtronic

 

Kadlec Medical

 

Allina

 

Via Health-Rochester General Hospital

 

Hill-Rom

 

Clarian Health Partners

 

Tri Line Medical

 

Dale Medical

 

Sage Products

 

ANCC

 

Department of Veterans Affairs

 

A Fashion Hayvn

 

CONTRIBUTORS

 

Reuel Deppen

 

Automated Graphic Systems

 

MandT Bank

 

Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation, Inc

 

2006 Affiliate of the Year: Special Report

Thank You From the California CNS Network. For this issue, we would like to briefly outline the history of the California CNS Network. Our group started in 1988 at Kaiser Fontana as the Southern California CNS Network. There was no national CNS organization at that time. Our meeting format consisted of an education topic, networking, and business meeting at rotating southern California sites. Topics and issues at that time include Case Management and documentation of CNS worth (a recurrent theme). Additional topics included patient care delivery systems, CNS role adjustment, new graduate preceptorship, collaborative practice, legislative and legal issues, and a panel on private practice. A telephone committee did our marketing. Remember, at that time, there were no Web sites or cell phones, and e-mail was not common outside of the University setting.

 

1992 saw the publication of the Southern California CNS "Connections," which has been published consistently since then. The format is very much the same today. Membership dues of $20 a year started in 1992 and were raised to $35 a year in 2005. In 1993, we published our first Bylaws, had our first annual workshop, and had 107 members.

 

Then came the Dark Ages. To get a historical perspective, at this time, UCLA and many other academic organizations lost nursing education programs and cut many CNS programs. At the state level, bill AB 518 (Woodruff) granted State Board recognition of the CNS role, providing title protection. By 1994 the financial ramifications of managed care were present. CNSs were struggling to retain their positions and many CNS positions were cut. Graduates from CNS programs (including me) had difficulty finding CNS positions. Under managed care, 1RN would take care of 14 patients. In response, Mary Lask, a past CNS Network chair, published an article in our newsletter titled "The incredible shrinking nurse."

 

Fast-forward to 2006, and we have mandated nursing staff ratios. The CNS Connection goes out electronically and our primary mode of communication is via e-mail. Connection topics include the nursing shortage, California minimum staffing levels, the CNL, DNP, and NCSBN. Our Membership stands at 300+, and we are the NACNS Affiliate of the year! Our members contribute to the mounting evidence of CNS value in implementing safe patient care, improving system functionality, and increasing nursing satisfaction.

 

Most of our Board Members have been with our organization from the start. I extend a hearty thank you to my fellow California Board and all our accomplished members for making this possible.

 

Officers:

 

Bonnie de los Santos, Chair elect

 

Paddy Garvin, Membership

 

Flora Tomoyasu, Corresponding

 

Renee Pozza, Treasurer

 

Directors:

 

Cathy Tucker, Los Angeles

 

Ginger Pierson, Orange County

 

Patti Radovich, Riverside

 

Paddy Garvin, San Bernardino

 

Mary Beth Parr, San Diego

 

Committee Chairs:

 

Cathy Tucker, Program Liaison

 

Geri Westad, Hospital Liaison

 

Ginger Pierson - Legislative

 

Bonnie de los Santos, Evelyn McLaughlin - Marketing

 

Stacey Fridley - Corresponding

 

Margaret Talley/Ken Guther - Webmaster

 

Submitted by Margaret Talley, RN, CNS, Chair California CNS Network.

 

News From Our Affiliates

The South East Clinical Nurse Specialists (SECNSs), Georgia Affiliate

Congratulations to St. Joseph's/Candler (SJ/C) in Savannah, Georgia! SJ/C was redesignated as a Magnet facility for nursing excellence by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) in March. About 880 nurses on the 2 hospital campuses, including 9 Clinical Nurse Specialists, celebrated the news. The distinction puts SJ/C in the top 3% for excellent nursing performance of the nearly 6,000 hospitals in the United States.

 

The effort was led by Dr Susan Howell, EdD, RN, CNS, AOCN, Director of Professional Practice at SJ/C. Clinical Nurse Specialists played a vital leadership role in the redesignation process by participating on the Nursing Council for Excellence and by serving as Magnet Force leaders. Paul Hinchey, President and CEO of SJ/C, attributed the redesignation to these nursing professionals and staff who are focused on utilizing best practices that result in the best outcomes for patients.

 

In 2002, SJ/C became the 44th facility in the United States and the second facility in Georgia to be designated with the Magnet status. Today, Savannah's St. Joseph's/Candler is 1 of 4 Magnet hospitals in the state including St. Joseph's Hospital in Atlanta, University Hospital in Augusta, and Medical Center of Central Georgia in Macon.

 

Betty Canfield, BSN, RN, and Sarah Tressler, BSN, RN, recently attended the NACNS Conference in Salt Lake City. Betty and Sarah are Graduate CNS students at Armstrong Atlantic State University (AASU) and will graduate in the Fall, 2006. They have been asked by the NACNS Board to be on an advisory committee for the NACNS Web site to contribute ideas for the student links. Betty currently works as a Nurse Clinician on the Oncology/Diabetes Unit at St. Joseph's Hospital in Savannah, Georgia. Sarah works as the Team Coordinator for the SICU at Southeast Georgia Health System in Brunswick, Georgia.

 

Our president, Marion Mann, MSN, RN, CNS, also attended the National Conference where she presented, "Focus on the Patient and the Money will Come." Her presentation illustrated how evidence-based practice can lead to improved financial and clinical outcomes.

 

Respectfully submitted by Marion Mann, MSN, RN, CNS, President, SECNS.

  
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Committee Reports

Marketing and Communications

The Marketing and Communications Committee continues to work on projects related to promoting the role of the Clinical Nurse Specialist. Students from the Savannah College of Art and Design are working on CNS branding and a CNS brochure. Students from Purdue North Central are working on a business plan.

 

We have completed a Corporate Membership Letter to promote the growth and development of NACNS. In addition, 2 of our members are writing articles that will be submitted to the CNS journal to promote the purchase of the NACNS Statement on Clinical Nurse Specialist Practice and Education.

 

Respectfully submitted by Co-Chairs Marion Mann and Melanie Kalman.

 

Board Member Farewells and Introductions

The changing of the guard within the NACNS Board took place immediately after the NACNS conference ended. The Board said "thank you" and "good bye" to 2 Board members, Angela Clark and Barbara Hazard Munro. Angela served on the Board for 5 years as Vice President, President-Elect, President, and Past President. During her tenure on the Board, she co-chaired the Statement Task Force to produce the 2004 Statement and was the author of and Co-PI on the Hartford Grant. She always provided well thought-out analyses of issues and gave valuable input into a variety of NACNS papers and documents. We will miss her leadership and her insight.

 

Barbara Hazard Munro served on the Board as a Director for 2 years. In this role, she served as the Board representative to the Research Committee and as a Board representative to the CNS Foundation. Additionally, she has served for many years as an associate editor of Clinical Nurse Specialist. Her leadership in these endeavors is greatly appreciated.

 

Other Board members changed their positions from the past year or 2 and moved into new roles. Theresa Murray left her position as Vice President and was elected to the position of President-Elect. Sue Sendelbach moved from her position as a Director to assume the position of Vice President. Finally, the Board welcomes new Directors, Melanie Duffy and Patricia Ebright. Following is a listing of all current Board members and their terms.

 

PRESIDENT, TERM-3/02/2007

 

Kelly A. Goudreau, DSN, RN, CNS

 

Director of Education

 

Portland VA Medical Center

 

Portland, OR

 

PRESIDENT-ELECT, TERM-3/02/2007

 

Theresa M. Murray, RN, MSN, CCRN, CCNS

 

Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist

 

Community Health Network

 

Indianapolis, IN

 

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT, TERM-3/02/2007

 

Kathleen M. Baldwin, PhD, RN, CNS, ANP, GNP

 

Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in Nursing

 

Texas Christian University

 

Harris School of Nursing

 

Ft. Worth, TX

 

VICE PRESIDENT, TERM-3/02/2007*

 

Sue Ellen Sendelbach, PhD, RN, CCNS, FAHA

 

Clinical Nurse Researcher and Clinical Nurse Specialist

 

Abbott Northwester Hospital

 

Minneapolis, MN

 

*Elected to 2-year Board term 2006-2008. Appointed to 1-year VP term, 2006-2007.

 

SECRETARY, TERM-3/02/2008

 

Jane Walker, PhD, RN

 

Associate Professor and Graduate Program Coordinator

 

School of Nursing

 

Purdue University Calumet

 

Hammond, IN

 

TREASURER, TERM-3/02/2008

 

Peggy Gerard, DNSc, RN

 

Professor and Dean, School of Nursing

 

Purdue University Calumet

 

Hammond, IN

 

MEMBER, TERM-3/02/2007

 

Susan Dresser, RN, MSN, CCRN, CNS

 

Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist

 

St. Anthony Heart Hospital

 

Oklahoma City, OK

 

MEMBER, TERM-3/02/2008

 

Melanie Duffy, MSN, RN, CCRN, CCNS

 

Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist

 

Pinnacle Health System

 

Harrisburg, PA

 

MEMBER, TERM-3/02/2007*

 

Patricia Ebright, DNS, MSN, BSN

 

Assistant Professor

 

Department of Adult Health

 

Indiana University School of Nursing

 

*Appointed to the Board to fill Sue Sendelbach's 2006 Board position.

 

MEMBER, TERM-3/02/2007

 

Linda D. Urden, DNSc, RN, CNA, FAAN

 

Executive Director, Nursing Quality, Education & Research

 

Palomar Pomerado Health System

 

Escondido, CA

 

Clinical Professor

 

University of San Diego

 

San Diego, CA

 

EX OFFICIO

 

Janet S. Fulton, PhD, RN

 

Associate Professor

 

Indiana University School of Nursing

 

Indianapolis, IN 46202

 

STAFF

 

Christine Carson Filipovich, MSN, RN

 

Executive Director

 

2090 Linglestown Rd. Suite 107

 

Harrisburg, PA 17110

 

Telephone: 717-234-6799

 

Fax: 717-234-6798

 

E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

 

News From the Clinical Nurse Specialist Foundation

The Clinical Nurse Specialist Foundation has had a very productive year. Thanks to the support of many members at our Inaugural Gala, we had received pledges of over $60,000. Included in this are the 38 people who have donated at least $1,000 who are participating in our 1,000 for $1,000 campaign. At the 2006 Gala, we are excited to report that we have 16 more 1,000 for $1,000 donors and that we raised $25,000 at this year's Gala! Thank you so much for your support.

 

We are proud to announce the awarding of our first scholarship. The award winner is Anita Langston. She is in the Post-Master's Certificate Clinical Nurse Specialist Program at Union University. Ms Langston is a clinical instructor at the University of Memphis. We hope to be able to provide more scholarships in the future with your generous help.

 

The Foundation has met monthly to work on many areas, including fundraising, scholarship, and Board development. We want to thank Barbara Hazard, NACNS Board representative, and Kathleen Vollman, member-at-large, who are both leaving the CNS Foundation Board. We thank them for their commitment and hard work in starting this Foundation. We are pleased to have Linda Urden joining the Board as the newest NACNS Board representative.

 

We completed an all-day Board session in Salt Lake City, and we hosted the 2nd annual CNS Foundation Gala Friday, March 17th, where the theme was Dreamin' Green. Please let us know if you, or someone you know, are interested in the Board or one of its committees.

 

We encourage you to visit the NACNS Web site http://www.nacns.org for more information on the Foundation. Please go to the Foundation section of the Web site where you can view our case statement. There is also the opportunity to make donations through the Web site to the Foundation.

 

Lastly, the Foundation management is now with Professional Nursing Resources, Inc, the same company that manages NACNS. We are pleased to bring the management of the Foundation into the company that does an excellent job with NACNS. We look forward to a long relationship with Chris Filipovich and her team. Please note that our address has changed to Clinical Nurse Specialist Foundation, 2090 Linglestown Road, Suite 107, Harrisburg, PA 17110, 717-234-6799,http://www.nacns.org.

 

We look forward to serving you throughout this year and in the future. Please help us to support Clinical Nurse Specialists through your participation and financial support.

 

Submitted by Patti Smith, MSN, RNC, CNS Foundation Coordinator.

 

Member Recognition

Carol Brueggen, MS, RN, CNS, AOCNS, has been recognized as the 2006 Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse of the Year. This award is sponsored by the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation. Ms Brueggen is being recognized for her commitment to oncology nursing and oncology nursing certification. She has supported numerous oncology certification initiatives and has contributed to both professional and public cancer education. Her consistent dedication to oncology care throughout her career merits this prestigious award. Ms Brueggen received her award during the annual Oncology Nursing Congress, held in Boston, MA, on May 5, 2006.

 

Susan Davis, RN, APRN, BC, CRN, CNRN, received the 2006 Excellence in Neuroscience Nursing Education Award. This award is given in recognition of excellence in the use of innovative and creative approaches to designing and teaching educational offerings related to neuroscience nursing. She received the award on April 23 during the 2006 annual conference of the American Association of Neuroscience Nursing. Ms Davis is employed at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, MO.

 

Patricia Ebright, DNS, RN, was recognized in the Indianapolis Business Journal (IBJ) as a Health Care Hero for her work in implementing the Safe Passage Program at Clarian Health Partners. For the past 6 years, the IBJ has recognized people in the healthcare field by seeking nominees for Health Care Heroes. In the category representing nurses and allied health personnel, Dr Ebright was selected as a finalist through recognition by patients and peers for exemplary performance.

 

Patty Finch-Guthrie, PhD, RN, APRN-BC, was recently interviewed by the Minneapolis Star Tribune for an article in the newspaper's job section titled "Clinical Nurse Specialists are in Demand." Dr Guthrie, who is a geriatric CNS and the Director of Clinical Practice, Innovation, and Research at North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale, MN, provided an excellent overview of CNS practice. She also provided exemplars of CNS influence and discussed outcomes of CNS practice.

 

Ann Mayo, DNSc, RN, received the "Building Academic Geriatric Nursing Capacity Postdoctoral Fellow Award" from the American Academy of Nursing, with support from the John A. Hartford Foundation and The Atlantic Philanthropies. The partnership between the Hartford Foundation and The Atlantic Philanthropies aims to improve the effectiveness and affordability of care to the elderly and to disadvantaged and vulnerable populations. Dr Mayo is currently working at the UCSF School of Nursing in the Department of Physiological Nursing. Her mentor is Dr Margaret Wallhagen, Director of the UCSF Hartford Center for Nursing Excellence. She has 3 facets to her program: academic, research, and clinical. She attends geriatric and research courses at UCSF and will conduct a research study while in the program. Her topic will be "Health Care Decision-Making among Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment." Additionally, she attends the UCSF Memory and Aging Center Clinic where she is part of a multidisciplinary team and conducts family/caregiver assessments.

 

Tess Sierzant, MS, RN, CNRN, a clinical nurse specialist in neuroscience and employed at St. Joseph's Hospital in St. Paul, MN, recently participated in a series of TV interviews for the television stations, KARE and WCCO. The interviews focused on the topic of stroke and were in response to the hospitalization in Minnesota of professional baseball player, Kirby Puckett. Ms Sierzant participated in 4 separate interviews and provided information on the different kinds of stroke, signs and symptoms of stroke, risk factors, and prevention. She also participated in a telephone bank made available by KARE after the evening news broadcasts for viewers wanting more information about strokes.

 

News Briefs

Theresa M. Murray Selected Clinical Nurse Specialist of the Year

The National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) selected Theresa M. Murray, MSN, RN, CCRN, CNS, to receive the 2005 Clinical Nurse Specialist of the Year Award. Ms Murray is a critical care clinical nurse specialist at Community Health Network in Indianapolis, IN.

 

This award, presented to Ms Murray during the NACNS Conference Awards Luncheon in Salt Lake City, UT, is given to a CNS who demonstrates outstanding professional achievement and exemplary practice with respect to patient care, nurses, and healthcare delivery systems. Ms Murray is well recognized for excellence in patient care, for mentoring and leading nurses, and for her abilities to effect change with the healthcare system. Her dedication to safe, high-quality patient care has inspired her to identify and implement best practices. For example, through her efforts, Ms Murray changed the practice of caring for ventilated patients in her institution, resulting in the elimination of ventilator-associated pneumonia. She continues to positively impact patient care on a daily basis and fully exemplifies the ideals of the CNS of the year award.

 

Janet Bingle Selected to Receive the Brenda Lyon Leadership Award

Janet Bingle, MS, RN, CNS, was selected to receive the 2005 Lyon Leadership Award. She received this award during the NACNS Conference Awards Luncheon in Salt Lake City. This award is given to NACNS members whose leadership activities have had a major impact on CNS practice and the association. Ms Bingle has been an exceptional leader for CNSs and NACNS and has been a strong voice in promoting CNS practice. She has held multiple leadership roles within NACNS. She is a past president of NACNS and is currently Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Clinical Nurse Specialist Foundation. She has frequently represented NACNS in a variety of national forums and has contributed much to advance CNS practice.

 

In addition to her leadership activities for NACNS, Ms Bingle, a CNS in Nursing Care of the Adult, is the Chief Nursing Officer for the Community Health Network in Indianapolis and also holds the title of Vice President for Clinical Standards, Education and Research. She has long exemplified the best in CNS practice. Her constant mentorship and support have enabled the CNSs at the Community Health Network reach their full potential.

 

Lisa Hopp Selected as the Recipient of the Sue B. Davidson Service Award

Lisa Hopp, PhD, RN, received the 2005 Davison Service Award. She received this award during the NACNS Conference Awards Luncheon. This award is given to NACNS members who have generously donated their time and energies in service to NACNS and CNSs. In addition to her full-time position as an associate professor in the graduate program at Purdue University Calumet's School of Nursing, Dr Hopp has selflessly volunteered to take on the role of NACNS web-editor.

 

Through her creativity and efforts, and with the technical assistance of instructional design specialist, Jill Ullmann, she has enhanced the visibility of NACNS. She has also developed mechanisms to provide CNSs the timely information they need to enhance their practice and understand pertinent issues. She has worked very hard to make the Web site relevant and easy to navigate and continues to investigate methods and strategies to populate the site with appropriate material and links. She is always willing to take on any task asked of her by the Board, and her work is always first rate. Through her voluntary efforts, Dr Hopp has helped to advance CNS practice and NACNS.

 

California CNS Network Selected CNS Affiliate of the Year

The California CNS Network was selected to receive the 2005 CNS Affiliate of the Year Award. The affiliate received this award during the NACNS Conference Awards Luncheon in Salt Lake City. This award is given to recognize outstanding NACNS affiliates. Affiliates that receive this award demonstrate: sustained growth of NACNS members; offer innovative continuing education opportunities that focus on CNS practice; develop CNS leadership in the local, regional and/or national arenas; and contribute to the growth of NACNS. In addition, at least one member of the affiliate has contributed an article to the CNS journal on a topic of interest to CNSs. The California CNS Network has fully met the eligibility criteria and is a model of excellence for NACNS affiliates. We congratulate the California CNS network for their enthusiasm and outstanding work.

 

AACN Publishes Statement in Support of CNSs

NACNS extends heartfelt thanks to the members of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing for their Statement of Support for CNSs. This very important endorsement recognizes the critical role that the CNS plays in assuring quality, safe, cost-effective patient care and further validates the importance of the role in the patient care setting. This acknowledgement of support for the role is appreciated by the NACNS.

 

NACNS Task Force to Create Alternate Vision of CNS Regulation

At the NACNS conference held in March, President Kelly Goudreau announced the formation of a task force for the purpose of drafting an alternate vision of CNS regulation. This task force will be composed of past presidents, NACNS members, and NACNS student members. The goal will be to have the vision completed in time for the APRN roundtable to be held in August.

 

Section Description

NACNS Statement on Clinical Nurse Specialist Practice and Education,Second Edition

 

This document articulates the core competencies requisite to CNS practice, outlines the outcomes of CNS practice, and provides direction to schools of nursing regarding the preparation of CNSs. Endorsed by the National League for Nursing and American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) as "a comprehensive reflection of the contemporary role that Clinical Nurse Specialists play in the delivery of quality nursing care," this updated version contains information for contemporary clinical nurse specialist practice and education. You can purchase your copy through the NACNS Office at a cost of $25 per copy for members of NACNS and $45 per copy for nonmembers. Discounts are offered on purchases of 15 copies or more. Contact the NACNS Office today to order your copy of the Statement.