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On February 14, 2007 (Valentine's Day), more than 221 individuals attended the HPNA preconferences sessions. The "Will You Help Me Die?" session has been recorded and is available as an MP3 downloadable CD Rom. If you are interested in purchasing this recording, please contact the National Office at 412-787-9301. Later that evening, the Foundation held the first 2007 Florence Wald Dinner for 27 individuals. What a wonderful evening it was!

 

Beginning at 7AM Thursday with the chapters meeting, the AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly began. More than 35 individuals attended the chapters meeting. With 23 chapters and 10 provisional groups, our local level energy is expanding. We are striving to achieve our stated goal of a chapter in every state by 2012. At 8AM, the full assembly convened. With more than 1700 in the room, it was quite impressive. As you may remember, the eastern part of the country had endured a massive snowstorm. We were most concerned that many individuals would be unable to travel to Salt Lake City. Our worries were for naught. Although several individuals were affected, most were successful. Never underestimate the power of hospice and palliative health professionals!

 

The "2007 Leading the Way Award" was awarded to Pamela Hinds, PhD, MSN, RN, FAAN. Pam was one of the individuals unable to get to the conference, which made us all very sad. We honored her in her absence. Dr. Hinds is the Director, Division of Nursing Research, at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. Pam has more than 25 years' experience in research, is widely published, and has been the recipient of numerous awards. HPNA is very proud of the work that Pam has done in pediatric end-of-life care and was honored to acknowledge her accomplishments.

 

Thursday continued to be a very busy day, with the NBCHPN(R) certification luncheon, the HPNA Board of Directors meeting, and the AAHPM reception followed by the wonderful event at the Hard Rock Cafe, where Dr. Perry Fine and his Blue Healers Band entertained more than 300 individuals. A fun night was had by all.

 

Friday morning, Janet Snapp, President of HPNA, presented the 2007 Distinguished Career Achievement Award to Elizabeth Pitorak, MSN, CNS, CHPN. As one of the past presidents of HPNA, Elizabeth received the 2006 Leading the Way Award. Elizabeth has been a very accomplished leader in the field of hospice nursing, having started the Hospice of the Western Reserve. She is the current president of the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation.

 

After the Friday morning concurrent sessions, the HPNA Annual Membership Meeting was held, with more than 250 members in attendance. The highlights of 2006 were reported, the financials were reported, and many awards were given, starting with the 2007 Innovation in End-of-Life Nursing Award to Jill Bixby, NP, MA, BSN, for her outstanding play entitled "B.O.A.T.I.N.G (Before Offering Another Treatment, Identify New Goals)." Diana Hershey, RN, CHPN, won the 2007 Marion Ryan Artistry Award for a portfolio of creative work that includes photographs of patients, a grief journal, and songs composed for dying patients. Garrett Chan, PhD, APRN, BC-PCM, CEN, was awarded the HPNA New Investigator Award, which recognized his work with end-of-life care in the Emergency Department. Gina Santucci, MSN, RN, received the 2007 Outstanding Research Abstract Poster Award, which highlighted the topic "Nurses' Assessment of Pediatric Palliative Care: A Hospital-wide Survey."

 

Elizabeth Pitorak, President of HPNF, awarded the Madalon Amenta Writing Award to Kerstin McSteen, MS, APRN, BC-PCM, for her article "The Role of the Nurse As Advocate in Ethically Difficult Care Situations With Dying Patients," which was published in Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing in August/September, 2006, and the 2007 PDIA Nursing Leadership Award to Jan Jahner, BA, BSN, CHPN, to recognize her work in advancing the field through her creation of a statewide panel to promote further development of palliative care programs and knowledge in palliative care for smaller rural communities.

 

Charters were presented to six new chapters: Chapter of San Diego, Chapter of Texas Midwest, Magnolia Chapter of New Orleans, Triangle Chapter of North Carolina, Chapter of Central New Jersey, and the Chapter of the Boston Area.

 

The final piece of business was to recognize eight individuals for going above and beyond in terms of HPNA volunteerism. These individuals are Meg Campbell, Patrick Coyne, Connie Dahlin, Jill Laird, Judith Paice, Joan Panke, Marilyn Smith-Stoner, and Rose Viriani. We want to thank every person who offers assistance in any way. We are so grateful for all of the more than 200 volunteers who have helped in 2006. HPNA's growth has been rapid, and your input, time, and dedication to our specialty have resulted in this growth. The entire conference was outstanding. We hope that you will mark your calendars for January 30 to February 2, 2008, when the 2008 AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly will be held in Tampa Bay, FL. Please plan to join us there.

 

Awesome Support for Fundraising Events

A smorgasbord of four fundraising activities, all planned by outgoing Director of Development Connie Cavrich, was held at the Annual Assembly. New to the Assembly were the Key to Your Heart, the Wall of Honor, and the Jewelry Raffle. The Massage Event was a back-by-popular-demand event. Volunteer massage therapists were scarce in Salt Lake City, but we had wholehearted and wonderfully strong support from Rick DiMauro and Jeremy Greco. That event pulled in $259 from 36 happy and relaxed patrons (most of whom gave a donation greater than suggested)!

 

The Key to Your Heart cases drew many "oohs" and "aahs" from Assembly guests because of their beautiful design. The most common comment other than "What great a gift idea they are!" was "Wow, they look so much better up close than on the Web page!" We sold out of the supply at the Assembly and took orders from stock at the national office. The Wall of Honor was just that: a way to spotlight donors who gave monetary contributions at the Assembly without the expectation of receiving anything in return. There were 11 contributors, and the Wall brought in $620. The event with the most buzz was the Jewelry Raffle. Thirty-four beautiful pieces of jewelry and decorative items were donated by board members of HPNA, HPNF, and NBCHPN. They all glittered and glinted in the display case next to the HPNA information booth. Traffic picked up at the booth steadily throughout the conference as word spread of this amazing jewelry display. In total, $5,614 was raised for the work of the Foundation. Thanks to all who participated and made these events a whopping success!

  
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Catch Up with Key to Your Heart Cases

The popular Key to Your Heart cases are still available for a $20 donation. Used for giving to a special someone or as a special thank you, the heart-shaped metal cases are made with gold tone and enamel, studded with "diamonds," and topped with a blue butterfly. They come with three keys inside that declare your friendship and love. The cases are shipped to you in a white satin-lined 3" square box made of light aqua handmade paper with a self-bow in a complementary light celery color. Both the box and the heart case are inscribed with the HPNF logo. See a photo on the HPNF Web site at http://www.hpnf.org. Orders can be placed online or by calling HPNF at 412-787-9301.

 

Coming Soon

Keeping in mind that 2006 was the 20th Anniversary of HPNA and that a successful 20/20 membership campaign was launched, plans are being made for the April appeal. We would again like to focus on the participation of all HPNA members. Keep your eye on your mailboxes and visualize how you might contribute in April 2007.

 

Save the Date

HPNA Clinical Practice Forum: Managing Non-Cancer Patients. Friday, September 7 and Saturday, September 8, 2007 at the Hilton Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. For more information, please visit the Web site at http://www.hpna.org or call the National Office at 412-787-9301.

 

NBCHPN(R) 2007 Certificant of the Year Awards

The National Board for Certification of Hospice and Palliative Nurses (NBCHPN(R)) announced its 2007 Certificant of the Year Awards during the Certification Luncheon in Salt Lake City, UT on February 15, 2007.

 

Connie Dahlin, MSN, APRN, BC-PCM, has been announced as the recipient of the 2007 Advanced Practice Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse of the Year Award (ACHPN(R)). "I can think of no better candidate for this award than Connie," said Betty Ferrell, PhD, FAAN, Research Scientist at City of Hope. "As an APN, she epitomizes scholarship, leadership and clinical excellence. She is a dedicated nurse, and her life and work honor advanced practice nursing, continually raising the bar for the field."

 

Hazel Jackson, APRN, BC, RN-C, CHPN(R), has been announced as the 2007 recipient of the Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse of the Year Award (CHPN(R)). "Hazel is innovative and proactive in the care of patients and their families," said Phyllis Campbell, RN. "Through shared knowledge and educational tools, she has been indispensable in helping the Atlanta and other VAMCs improve their end-of-life care for veterans."

 

Charlene Kranitz, LPN, CHPLN(R), has been announced as the 2007 recipient of the first Certified Hospice and Palliative Licensed Nurse of the Year Award (CHPLN(R)). "Charlene is the type of employee that makes my job easy," said Kathleen Dahl, RN, Supervisor of Peace Hospice of Montana. "he is compassionate, an active listener, considerate, understanding, accepting, sincere, and encouraging. She's an ideal hospice nurse."

 

Roger Parrott, CNA, CHPNA(TM), has been announced as the 2007 recipient of the Certified Hospice and Palliative Nursing Assistant of the Year Award (CHPNA(TM)). "Roger's enthusiasm and zest for hospice care is unquestionable," said Maggie Welsh, RN, BSN, Director of Clinical Services at Hospice of the Valley in Phoenix. "Ask him about hospice and his face lights up as he tells you what it means to him and how it has affected his life both personally and professionally."

 

6th Annual Certification Recognition Event

The National Board for Certification of Hospice and Palliative Nurses held its 6th Annual Certification Recognition Event on February 15, 2007 in Salt Lake City, UT during the AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly. The recognition event was very well received and provided a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge certified nurses and nursing assistants and allow interested, noncertified individuals an opportunity to familiarize themselves with hospice and palliative specialty certification and the value that it holds. More than 220 individuals attended the recognition luncheon event this year. The recognition event agenda included introducing the NBCHPN(R) Board of Directors, a 30-minute presentation entitled "The Value of Certification: A National Study," by Jeanne Martinez, RN, MPH, CHPN(R), the announcement of the 2007 NBCHPN(R) Certificant of the Year Awards, an acknowledgment for the 2006 NBCHPN(R) Employer of the Year recipient (Columbus Hospice, GA), and a prize drawing in which certification scholarships were given to five lucky individuals attending the luncheon. The presentation given by Jeanne Martinez enforced the value and validity of our certification determined by a national study through the American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABNS).

 

Accreditation Requirements Fulfilled

NBCHPN(R) is proud to announce that they have successfully fulfilled the American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABNS) accreditation requirements for the advanced certified hospice and palliative nurses program and have fulfilled the reaccreditation requirements for the certified hospice and palliative nurses program. Both accreditations are valid through February 2012.

 

2008 Call for Nominations for Board and Examination Development Committee Members

The NBCHPN(R) welcomes nominations for available positions for the Board of Directors and the four Examination Development Committees for 2008. If you or someone you know is certified and interested in serving your profession and is committed to end-of-life care, please contact the National Office by phone at 412-787-1057, by fax at 412-787-9305, or by e-mail at [email protected] for an application packet. Completed application packets are due June 1, 2007. Great care is taken to select candidates from both hospice and palliative care backgrounds who represent various geographic areas of the country and have clinical expertise and management and academic expertise. It is very important that a sufficient number of qualified applicants apply to ensure the ongoing leadership for the certification process and accomplishment of the goals of the organization.

 

Upcoming Deadlines

June 1st is quickly approaching and is the deadline for several opportunities with NBCHPN(R).

 

* Applications for open Board and EDC positions

 

* Nominations for Certificant of the Year Awards

 

* Employer supporter update form due (eligibility for Employer of the Year Award)

 

* Certification scholarship applications

 

 

Computer-based Testing Implemented

NBCHPN(R) is pleased to announce the conversion to computer-based testing (CBT), which will begin in 2008 for all four hospice and palliative specialty nursing examinations: advanced practice registered nurse, generalist registered nurse, licensed practical/vocational nurse, and nursing assistant. Applied Measurement Professionals, Inc. (AMP) will continue to be the professional testing company contracted by NBCHPN(R) to assist in CBT. AMP has provided CBT to more than 800,000 examination candidates over the past 8 years. Both NBCHPN(R) Board and AMP are excited about this opportunity for our specialty certification candidates.

 

There are advantages offered by CBT, the most notable of which are as follows:

  
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* Ease of scheduling and testing dates. Individuals may schedule to test by appointment for a date and time that is convenient for them within the four published testing date intervals determined by NBCHPN(R).

 

* Choice of test center locations. More than 150 state-of-the art test center locations are currently available throughout the US compared to more than 75 cities that currently host a paper-and-pencil test.

 

* Privacy and security of an individual computer workstation supported by staff that is trained, courteous, and helpful.

 

* Receipt of a score report immediately upon completion of the examination.

 

 

More information regarding CBT testing for NBCHPN(R) will be available in upcoming Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing issues, certification newsletters, and on our Web site at http://www.nbchpn.org.