Nursingmatters August 2014
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Volume 25, Number 8
www.nursingmattersonline.com
InsIde: non-partisan redistricting reform in Wisconsin
3 double the number of nurses with doctoral degrees by 2020
4 WnA’s ‘nurses Caring for nurses’ celebrates 20th anniversary
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WnA goes to Washington, joins AnA assembly Capitalizing on the theme of “Nurses Leading the Way,” representatives from the Wisconsin Nurses Association (WNA) visited Capitol Hill and joined 350 representatives and observers to the American Nurses Association’s (ANA) Membership Assembly June 10 to 15. Represented by WNA President Lea Acord, Ellen Murphy and nonvoting member, Executive Director Gina Dennik-Champion, WNA participated in dialogue forums to offer strategies on three key topics: nurses’ full practice authority, access to palliative care and high-performing interprofessional teams. Assembly representatives subsequently voted on specific recommendations for the ANA Board of Directors to consider. Before participating in Membership Assembly, the WNA representatives visited Reps. Paul Ryan, Sean Duffy, Reid Ribble and Mark Pocan, in addition to Sens. Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson, to advocate for safer nurse staffing, expansion of safe patient handling and mobility programs, removal of restrictions that prevent certain nurses from certifying patients for a home health benefit and ordering durable medical equipment, and the removal of barriers that restrict nurses and APRNs from practicing to their fullest scope of practice. At Membership Assembly, the first forum addressed “Scope of Practice – Full Practice Authority for All RNs.” Participants engaged in table discussions around legislation mandating physician supervision of APRNs over a certain period of time before APRNs could gain full practice authority; major practice barriers
PHOTO BY RON GOGSWELL
WNA Executive Director Gina DennikChampion and WNA President Lea Acord with Mark Pocan.
for RNs; and potential strategies to move past “turf battles” as new roles and categories of health care workers evolve. Representatives voted to recommended that ANA support interprofessional education; practice and research to promote the full scope of RN practice; encourage nursing research to compare full practice authority states, transition to APRN practice states, and restricted APRN states; educate the public, policy makers and other health professionals about emerging roles and overlapping responsibilities; and support eliminating practice agreements between APRNs and physicians. In the second forum, they tackled “Integration of Palliative Care into Health Care Delivery Systems: Removing Barriers, Improving Access.” After sharing information, Assembly representatives formally voted on recommendations asking ANA to promote and support payment models to improve access to palliative and hospice care, including nursing care provided by both RNs and APRNs; advocate for compre-
WNA Executive Director Gina DennikChampion and WNA President Lea Acord with Sean Duffy.
hensive integration of palliative and hospice care education at all levels of nursing educational programs and professional development programs; and support developing and expanding models of nursing care that include advanced care planning for early identification and support of patients’ preferences for palliative and hospice services. The final forum explored highperforming, interprofessional teams, and Assembly representatives ultimately recommended asking ANA to consider educating nurses about the application and impact of evolving patient-centered, team-based care models on patient outcomes, and identify metrics that evaluate the impact of high-performing, interdisciplinary health care teams on patient outcomes.n
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Nursingmatters Nursingmatters is published monthly by Capital Newspapers. Editorial and business offices are located at
1901 Fish Hatchery Road, Madison, WI 53713 FAX 608-250-4155
August • 2014
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stop complaining, start doing By Kaye Lillesand, editor
Send change of address information to: Nursingmatters 1901 Fish Hatchery Rd. Madison, WI 53713 Editor ......................................... Kaye Lillesand, MSN 608-222-4774 • kayelillesand@gmail.com Managing Editor ......................Teresa Bryan Peneguy 608-250-4166 • tpaprock@madison.com Recruitment Sales Manager .................... Sheryl Barry 608-252-6379 • sbarry@madison.com Art Director ....................................... Wendy McClure 608-252-6267 • wmcclure@madison.com Publications Division Manager............... Matt Meyers 608-252-6235 • mmeyers@madison.com Nursingmatters is dedicated to supporting and fostering the growth of professional nursing. Your comments are encouraged and appreciated. Email editorial submissions to klillesand@sbcglobal.net. Call 608-252-6264 for advertising rates. Every precaution is taken to ensure accuracy, but the publisher cannot accept responsibility for the correctness or accuracy of information herein or for any opinion expressed. The publisher will return material submitted when requested; however, we cannot guarantee the safety of artwork, photographs or manuscripts while in transit or while in our possession.
EDITORIAL BOARD Vivien DeBack, RN, Ph.D., Emeritus Nurse Consultant Empowering Change, Greenfield, WI Bonnie Allbaugh, RN, MSN Madison, WI Cathy Andrews, Ph.D., RN Associate Professor (Retired) Edgewood College, Madison, WI Kristin Baird, RN, BSN, MSH President Baird Consulting, Inc., Fort Atkinson, WI Joyce Berning, BSN Mineral Point, WI Mary Greeneway, BSN, RN-BC Clinical Education Coordinator Aurora Medical Center, Manitowoc County Mary LaBelle, RN Staff Nurse Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital Milwaukee, WI Cynthia Wheeler Retired NuRSINGmatters Advertising Executive, Madison, WI Deanna Blanchard, MSN Nursing Education Specialist at uW Health Oregon, WI Claire Meisenheimer, RN, Ph.D. Professor, UW-Oshkosh College of Nursing Oshkosh, WI Steve Ohly, ANP Community Health Program Manager St. Lukes Madison Street Outreach Clinic Milwaukee, WI Joyce Smith, RN, CFNP Family Nurse Practitioner Marshfield Clinic, Riverview Center Eau Claire, WI Karen Witt, RN, MSN Associate Professor uW-Eau Claire School of Nursing, Eau Claire, WI © 2014 Capital Newspapers
Nursingmatters
Kaye Lillesand
“There can be no complaining without responsibility,” someone once said to me. I thought it was very appropriate for an election year. What is the connection,
you ask? Think about this. Where are decisions made about such things as licensure, prescriptive authority, entry into practice, reimbursement for nurses, cutbacks in Medicare and Medicaid (look at what is happening in Wisconsin today), and money for education and research? Decisions like these directly affect a nurse’s practice on a daily basis. These decisions impact what nurses can do, how and what they are paid, how their work setting is staffed, whether there is money for education and how much research is done. Who makes these decisions? Our elected officials! So let us choose to use our energy in a positive way by accepting our responsibility rather than in a negative way by complaining. As professionals, what is our responsibility to our elected officials? There are many responsibilities, but two of them
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edITORIAL seem to leap right out at me. First, it is our responsibility to help the legislators understand the tremendous contribution that professional nurses make to the health of this nation. We must tell our stories. We must show how our work helps people to attain and maintain high-level wellness, how we prevent illness, how we heal body, mind and spirit rather than just cure a body. We have a responsibility to demonstrate, with “facts and figures” and with “anecdotal notes,” how we have saved this nation billions of dollars by teaching people good nutrition; good exercise habits; how to cope with chronic illness; how to breastfeed properly; how to avoid getting pregnant; how to deal with grief and loss; how to deal with stress; how to maintain balance in our lives; how to parent; how to get through the “passages” in our lives in a positive manner; etc., etc., etc. When the legislators understand the facts, they will make decisions that will support professional nursing practice. We are, INDISPUTABLY, the best solution to this nation’s
health care crisis. We just have to get the word out. We have to value what we do enough to take action. Second, it is our responsibility to get those candidates who understand and value nursing’s contribution to society elected. It is not enough just to vote. The best way to get to know a candidate and to have his/her ear after an election is to work on the campaign. There are many ways you can help: hold fundraisers, distribute literature, make calls, help with mailings, give and get money, and many more. It is really fun to get caught up in the fervor of the campaign. Better yet, encourage nurses to run for office, local, state, or national! If nurses get elected, it will help us get our value articulated in the legislature. I still hear nurses say, “I’m not political,” or “I don’t like getting politically involved.” Getting involved is not a matter of whether one “likes it” or not. IT IS A MATTER OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY. If you choose not to accept this responsibility, your forfeit the right to complain!
Concordia announces new dean for its school of nursing tor since 1992. Concordia University Wisconsin “I was attracted to Concordia (CUW), in Mequon, has announced because of its very strong nursing proa new dean of its School of Nursing. gram and the excellent reputation of Dr. Sharon Chappy will take over the the University, the School of top position in the School of Nursing and its graduates,” Nursing beginning August 1. said Chappy. “I was ready to Dr. Chappy most recently move my career to the next served as the Graduate level and Concordia’s Core Program Director and Values match my personal Assistant Dean of the School and professional beliefs.” of Nursing at University As the Chief Nursing Wisconsin-Oshkosh where Officer of the University, she also taught as a professor. Currently, Chappy serves Dr. Sharon Chappy Chappy will provide leadership for all academic proas the Research Editor of grams within nursing, including all the “AORN Journal” and is an active member of the Association of periOp- graduate, undergraduate, and certificate programs. She will be a visionary erative Registered Nurses (AORN). leader in the dynamic world of health She specializes in perioperative nurscare education and innovative, delivering and has been an academic educa-
ing high quality nursing education in the most efficient and convenient way possible for students. “During my career, I have established strong collegial relationships with nurses, academics, and health care agency leaders across the state and beyond. I look forward to building on those relationships as Dean of the School of Nursing, as well as developing new partnerships in the greater Milwaukee area,” said Chappy. “I look forward to continuing the successes that the School has in place and building upon the excellence already established here.” Dr. Chappy will take over for Dr. Carol Ott who became Interim Dean of the School of Nursing at CUW earlier this year.n
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Why nurses (and all citizens) should know and care about non-partisan redistricting reform in Wisconsin By Jay Heck
Wisconsin nurses, like all citizens, are deeply affected by decisions made by their elected representatives in the Wisconsin Jay Heck Legislature and in the U.S. House of Representatives on public policy matters important to nurses. It follows that whom those elected officials are, and how they were elected, is critically important in determining what public policy is advanced and what is rejected in both Madison and in Washington, D.C. But it is a good bet that not many nurses (and not many other citizens) know or care much about non-partisan redistricting reform in Wisconsin. After all, redistricting – or “gerrymandering” as it is often
called – is an activity that seems to matter only to political “insiders.” It is a process undertaken in total secrecy and directed by partisan leaders with taxpayer money with no information about what they were doing available to the public or with any public input. But that is exactly the problem – on every count! The U.S. and Wisconsin Constitutions mandate that every 10 years, following the Census, that states reconfigure the district boundaries for congressional and state legislative districts to reflect the changes and movement of the population in each state that occurred during the previous decade. But this process can, and has, become increasingly partisan and unfair and has a significant detrimental effect on citizens of all political persuasions and on public policy. The 2011 redistricting process
was the most hyper-partisan, secretive, expensive and outrageous in Wisconsin’s history. Majority Republicans, in less than a week, introduced and rammed through the Legislature their new, secretly-drawn state legislative and congressional district maps – designed to ensure them majorities in the Wisconsin Legislature and in Wisconsin’s eight-member U.S. House delegation for the decade. And they charged the taxpayers of Wisconsin over $2.1 million to create far fewer competitive general elections for the State Senate, State Assembly and for the U.S. House of Representatives. Republican legislators even had to sign “secrecy oaths” during the process to keep their gerrymandering from the press and public. The same thing happened in our neighboring state of Illinois. But there, the process was totally con-
trolled by partisan Democrats. In both Wisconsin and Illinois, the citizens were the losers. In Wisconsin, we now have only 15 of 99 competitive Assembly districts, 4 of 33 competitive State Senate districts and none (zero) of our eight U.S. House districts are competitive. That is a travesty and it is greatly diminishes the power of you, the voter, to effect change. The problem when legislators choose their voters in a partisan redistricting process, rather than voters picking their legislators – as it should be, is that legislators seek to create “safe” seats, particularly for members of their own party, in districts devoid of competition. Legislators who occupy safe districts are not and do not have to be as responsive, or even have to listen continued on page 6
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Nursingmatters
The Wisconsin nursing Workforce:
double the number of nurses with doctoral degrees by 2020 Welcome to the sixth in a series of articles presented by the Wisconsin Center for Nursing (WCN) on its 2013 report, “The Wisconsin Nursing Workforce: Status and Recommendations.” Each article contains a unique issue in Wisconsin with recommendations and strategies to address it. The relevant key message from “The Institute of Medicine Future of Nursing Report (2011)” is also included. Consider actions your organization can take to address these issues to avoid a future nursing workforce shortage in our state.
IOM report key message: Nurses should achieve higher lev-
els of education and training through an improved education system that promotes seamless academic progression toward 80 percent of work force with BSNs and double the number of nurses at the doctoral level by 2020.
Wisconsin issue: Currently, 0.6 percent of Wisconsin nurses hold a doctoral degree in nursing. To assure an adequate faculty supply, along with increasing diversity, Wisconsin will need to double the number of nurses with doctoral degrees by 2020.
Recommendation: Remove salary inequities for nurse faculty to provide market competition between practice and education to recruit /retain faculty and researchers.
strategies: 1. Explore and expand creative public-
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private funding models to support additional nurse faculty positions to increase student enrollment. 2. Increase dual faculty positions between two educational institutions, or an educational programs and a clinical agency. 3. Actively recruit faculty from underrepresented groups. 4. Expand and enhance loan forgiveness and traineeship programs for nursing faculty. A critical resource affecting schools to educate an adequate future supply of nurses is the availability of faculty. The dearth of qualified nursing faculty is impeding the ability of many nursing schools to maintain and expand current enrollments at a time when nursing programs must attempt to dramatically increase enrollments. This is due to several factors. Currently, the mean age of Wisconsin nursing faculty is 58, and 33 percent plan to retire in four years or less. Additionally, dwindling resources has impacted the ability of nursing schools to pay salaries adequate to compete for enough nursing faculty to teach the next generation of nurses. Scarce resources also have decreased the number of graduate students able to make a commitment to doctoral education, thus decreasing the profession’s ability to educate the next generation of faculty. A trend in nursing education nationally and in Wisconsin is the transition from master level preparation to doctoral level preparation for APRNs. Several new Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs were initiated in both public and private universities in the past three years. Reported graduates from DNP programs numbered only 10 in 2010 and 12 in 2011, but a significant increase is projected for 2015 and beyond. Wisconsin Ph.D. nursing programs showed significant increases in program capacity measures from 2010 to 2011. Qualified applicants almost doubled from 20 to 38, the number of admitted students
increased from 18 to 36, and new enrollees increased from 16 to 31. Although the number of graduates decreased from 29 to 25, the increased enrollment is projected to result in an increased number of graduates in future years. The major challenge in meeting the nursing supply gap in Wisconsin is the capacity of nursing schools in the state to admit qualified applicants. There is a high interest in nursing across the state and a large pool of qualified applicants to nursing programs. However, recent data indicate that insufficient capacity in nursing second degree programs resulted in 61 percent rejected applicants. Throughout the past decade, there have been many more qualified applicants to nursing education programs than can be admitted due to limited capacity. Innovative exemplars in Wisconsin are beginning to emerge to address the critical need to increase numbers of faculty. A $3.2 million initiative, Nurses for Wisconsin, was funded in November 2013 through a UW System Economic Development Incentive Grant. This program, led by UW-Eau Claire College of Nursing and Health Sciences and with nursing programs at UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee and UW Oshkosh, offers pre-doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships to support students pursuing a Ph.D. or DNP, and loan forgiveness to new faculty, in exchange for a three-year teaching obligation. The program has already awarded over $1 million to individuals committed to joining the nurse educator work force in Wisconsin. For more information on Nurses for Wisconsin, go to http://www.uwec. edu/nursesforwisconsin/. The complete report is available for free download at http://www. wisconsincenterfornursing.org/workforce_report.html.n Watch for upcoming articles in this series, “Improve Retention of New Nurses,” in the September 2014 issue of Nursingmatters.
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August • 2014
Cipriano elected President of American nurses Association Washington in 1981. She previously Representatives at the American served two terms on the Nurses Association’s ANA Board of Directors, (ANA) Membership including one term as treaAssembly recently elected surer, and has served for Pamela Cipriano, Ph.D., more than 30 years on state RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, of and national committees Charlottesville, Va., to serve for ANA and the American as president of the profesAcademy of Nursing. sional association that repFrom 2010 to 2011, resents the interests of the Cipriano served as the nation’s 3.1 million regisPamela Cipriano Distinguished Nurse tered nurses (RNs). Scholar in Residence at the Institute The voting representatives of of Medicine, where she helped study ANA’s Membership Assembly also the safety of health informationelected three other members to serve technology assisted care. She curas officers of the 10-member board rently chairs the Task Force on of directors. Care Coordination at the American Cipriano, senior director at Academy of Nursing. Galloway Consulting, which helps “This is indeed the most impreshospital groups, health care payers sive honor in my entire career. I look and providers improve their operaforward to working with you to serve tions, outcomes and profits, succeeds nurses, improve the safety and quality Karen A. Daley, Ph.D., RN, FAAN. of care for our patients, and continue Cipriano, who is also a research assoto transform our nation’s health,” ciate professor at the University of Cipriano told 350 nurses attending Virginia School of Nursing, served ANA’s annual Membership Assembly, as the inaugural editor-in-chief of the association’s governing body. ANA’s official journal, American Elected as officers were Vice Nurse Today, and is a member of the President Cindy R. Balkstra, MS, Virginia Nurses Association. RN, ACNS-BC, Georgia Nurses Cipriano oversaw more than Association; Secretary Patricia 3,000 University of Virginia Health Travis, Ph.D., RN, CCRP, Maryland Systems employees as the chief cliniNurses Association; and Treasurer cal officer and chief nursing officer. Gingy Harshey-Meade, MSN, She earned her doctorate in execuRN, CAE, NEA-BC, Ohio Nurses tive nursing administration from Association and Indiana State Nurses the University of Utah in 1992 and Association. Jesse M. L. Kennedy, a master’s of science in physiologiRN, Oregon Nurses Association, was cal nursing from the University of
elected to serve as a director-at-large, recent nursing school graduate. Remaining on the board to complete their terms are Devyn K. Denton, RN, Oklahoma Nurses Association; Andrea Gregg, DSN, RN, Florida Nurses Association; Faith Jones, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, Wyoming Nurses Association; and director-at-large staff nurse members, Linda Gural, RN, CCRN, New
Come see What Is Possible here. Froedtert Health’s strong partnership with the Medical College of Wisconsin has benefited patients, health care professionals and the region since 1980. With three hospitals and more than 30 primary and specialty care health centers and clinics, the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health network provides a work environment where medical and non-clinical professionals can feel encouraged, respected, valued and highly regarded. We currently have the following opportunities available:
MCU – Registered Nurses – Night Shift Wound Care Registered Nurses St. Joseph’s Hospital – West Bend, Wisconsin
Medicine/Oncology Registered Nurses Operating Room Registered Nurses Froedtert Hospital – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
nurses urge lawmakers on Lobby day More than 200 registered nurses met with congressional representatives June 12 in Silver Spring, Md. to advocate for safer nurse staffing, expansion of safe patient handling and mobility programs and removal of restrictions that prevent certain nurses from certifying patients for a home health benefit and ordering durable medical equipment. The Capitol Hill visits were organized for the American Nurses Association’s (ANA) annual Lobby Day, which leads into the association’s two-day Membership Assembly, ANA’s governing body.
“If there’s one thing I know for certain, it’s that when nurses talk, Washington listens,” ANA’s then-President Karen A. Daley, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, told RNs from state nurses associations before they fanned out on Capitol Hill. “Whether you are advocating for legislation to advance safe staffing, or working to remove barriers that prevent consumers from benefitting from advanced practice registered nurses’ full scope of practice, be proud that we speak with one strong voice for nursing.” continued on page 12
Jersey State Nurses Association and Gayle M. Peterson, RN-BC, ANA Massachusetts. Elected to serve on the Nominations and Elections Committee are Edward Briggs, DNP, ARNP, Florida Nurses Association; Linda Beechinor, DNP, RN, APRNBC, Individual Member Division; and Elissa E. Brown, MSN, RN, PMHCNS-BC, ANA\California.n
Emergency Department Registered Nurses Community Memorial Hospital – Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin To learn more about the Froedtert & the Medical College health network and to apply, please visit froedtert.com./careers We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. As a federal contractor/subcontractor, we take affirmative action in employment based on race, sex, disability and status as a protected veteran. We welcome protected veterans to share their priority consideration status with us at 414-777-1680. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform preemployment substance abuse testing.
froedtert.com/careers
August • 2014
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Nursingmatters
AnA calls for women’s health care protections The American Nurses Association (ANA) has issued the following statement, attributable to ANA President Pamela F. Cipriano, Ph.D., RN, NEA-BC, FAAN: “The American Nurses Association (ANA) is disappointed in (the recent) ruling from the Supreme Court of the United States in Burwell vs. Hobby Lobby. “This ruling circumvents the health care reform law the Supreme Court upheld in 2012 and allows closely held, for-profit employers to interfere with the patient-health care provider relationship and deny access to coverage that protects the health and well-being of women and their families. “The Court stated that the decision only covers the contraceptive mandate and does not mean that every religious objection will prevail over insurance coverage mandates, such as those for blood transfusions and vaccinations. ANA hopes that other employers will take note of that and are not emboldened in their effort to limit
PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR RESEARCH PurPose: To describe the experiences of registered nurses who were not initially successful on the NCLEX-RN, then subsequently passed. InclusIon crIterIa: 1) Currently be a registered nurse 2) Not initially successful once or more than once on the NCLEX-RN in the last three years 3) Proficient in speaking and reading English IntervIew: As a participant in this study, you will be interviewed about your thoughts, feelings, opinions, beliefs, memories, images, impressions, and ideas about your experiences taking the NCLEX-RN more than once. tIme: Your participation would involve a one-time interview lasting approximately 1-2 hours that will be audiotaped, transcribed, and deidentified. IncentIve: In appreciation for your time, you will receive $25.00 gift card upon completion of the interview. contact InformatIon: Tammy Kasprovich Marquette University College of Nursing PhD student via email
tammy.kasprovich@marquette.edu This study has been reviewed by and received IRB approval through Marquette University Office of Research Compliance.
coverage. “The Affordable Care Act (ACA) sought to provide millions of Americans with access to basic health care and preventive services, including contraception, an essential component to women’s health. However, this ruling places an unfair burden on some women, particularly those with lower incomes, who may not be able to access medically appropriate contraceptive care due to the additional expense. “When employers are allowed to interfere with private health care decisions, it endangers the health and well-being of employees and the general public. “ANA calls upon the federal government to act quickly to pro-
Redistrcting reform continued from page 3
to all of their constituents because if they have no fear of losing in a general election, they can ignore the concerns of citizens with whom they disagree. There is none of the accountability and search for bipartisan solutions that are critical for a legislator who represents a competitive district. The bottom line is that now in Wisconsin, the overwhelming majority of state legislators and Members of the U.S. House of Representatives can ignore you and your concerns if they don’t agree with you. Why? Because they have “safe” seats and need to please only those of their own political party and philosophy. That is not democracy. The 2011 gerrymandering process has polarized Wisconsin politics in a way we have never seen before and has made for an ideological, dismissive and unresponsive Legislature bent on achieving only their own narrow, divisive agenda instead of working in the interest of all Wisconsinites in a bipartisan, reasonable and cooperative manner. Redistricting reform would greatly help to reduce this hyper-partisan
PHOTO BY NICHOLAS EARHARDT
vide needed access to the services that will be denied because of this ruling.”n
ANA represents the interests of the nation’s 3.1 million registered nurses.
polarization because it would force legislators to be more responsive to all of their constituents through more competitive general elections instead of just to the most extreme voters of their political base in primary elections – as is increasingly the case now. Fortunately there is a solution to this problem. During the 2013-2014 legislative session a measure was introduced that would remove the redistricting process from the direct control of partisan legislative leaders and delegate the redrawing of new district boundaries after the next Census (in 2020) to the non-partisan state Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB), without partisan considerations. The Legislature could only vote the new maps created by the LRB up or down without amendment – they could not interfere or change the district line drawn by the LRB. This plan was put into effect in Iowa in 1981 and elections in Iowa are competitive, legislators are much more responsive to all of their constituents, it costs the taxpayers of Iowa next to nothing and Iowans have confidence in their elections and elected officials. For an Iowa-type redistricting process to be in effect in Wisconsin
for 2021, we need to get it passed and enacted into law next year because the closer we draw toward the 2020 Census, the more difficult it becomes to get the necessary support from legislators to change the system. The good news is that almost every newspaper editorial board in Wisconsin supports non-partisan redistricting reform and thousands of citizens now realize how important it is to every other concern that they have. Obviously, this includes the concerns of Wisconsin nurses. You can send a powerful message to candidates for the Wisconsin Legislature and for Congress this year by telling them that you support a non-partisan redistricting process for Wisconsin like the one Iowa has. This common sense, fundamental reform will enhance and greatly empower the voice and concern of nurses in Wisconsin – and the voices of all Wisconsin citizens.n Jay Heck is the state director of Common Cause in Wisconsin, the state’s largest non-partisan political reform advocacy organization with nearly 3,000 members. Contact them at (608) 256-2686, commoncausewisconsin.org, or ccwisjwh@ itis.com.
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August • 2014
Reprint in a series written by Signe Cooper and introduced by Laurie Glass in March Nursingmatters
Reflections of our Heritage Signe Skott Cooper’s legacy Ruth M. straub
Courage under fire – Army nurse survives Bataan bombings On July 9, 1942, Army Nurse Lt. The diary includes a poignant note. Ruth Straub was honored Her fiancé, Glen Adler, at a Red Cross Rally in whom she met on the Milwaukee. The rally paid ship on the way to the tribute to a heroic nurse Philippines, was acciand was designed to urge dently killed on Dec.10, even more nurse partici1941. A pilot stationed at pation in the war effort. Clark Field, he was hit by Over 800 uniformed an incoming plane when nurses marched into the he could not get out of Milwaukee Auditorium. the way. Her overwhelmStraub was presented ing sense of loss is felt an illuminated scroll throughout the diary. testimonial to her valor Living in what she Ruth Straub under fire at Bataan and describes as a “hobo Corregidor in the Philippine Islands. camp” in Bataan, the beds were Straub was a 1933 graduate of Mt. placed near a creek the nurses used Sinai Hospital School of Nursing in for bathing and laundry. She wrote Milwaukee, and took a post-graduate of a huge iguana that prowled around course at Michael Reese Hospital the beds at night, and rats that in Chicago before joining the Army chewed up clothes and bit one nurse, Nurse Corps on Dec. 31, 1936. After and a cobra that was killed just before serving in this country, she was sent it struck. to the Philippines, arriving in Manila Personnel were given five grains July 18, 1939. of quinine a day to prevent malaria, She was assigned to Sternberg but eventually the quinine gave out, Army Hospital in Manila for two and many suffered from malaria, as months before being transferred to well as malnutrition and dysentery. Fort Slotsenberg, 60 miles away. Just The food was dreadful, meals were before the war broke out, she was limited to two a day and she writes of sent back to Sternberg, and was there losing weight. when the Japanese bombed Manila During March the Japanese on Dec. 8, 1941. Twenty days later bombed the area continuously. she was evacuated to Bataan, and sent “Where is all the bravery I thought to Corregidor. I possessed?” she asked in the diary. Straub’s diary of her experiences On March 28: “Bombers getting very during this time was published in the close. Once this afternoon the bombs Pittsburg Post-Gazette in September whizzed right over our heads. After it 1942. The diary is a record of false was over we shook like leaves.” hope of rescue, incredible hardship, She noted that the Japanese exceptional courage and the will to bombed a hospital in Bataan clearly survive. marked with a huge red cross, apoloIn the beginning of her diary, gized, and then bombed it again with Straub wrote, “It’s good to have three distinct hits. something to occupy one’s mind On April 11, just before Bataan when all you hear is the whee of surrendered, the nurses were evacushells and you are always tight with ated to Corregidor, and she spent the hunger and your head is whirling next three weeks living and working with quinine.” in the tunnel hospital carved out of
the rock of Corregidor. She escaped from Corregidor three days before it fell, one of 13 women, a Navy wife, a Navy nurse, and 10 other Army nurses, chosen by lot to be evacuated by submarine to Australia, arriving 17 days later. In her diary she wrote, “What about those others? Would they get away?” (Sixty-six American nurses did not escape and were interned in Manila. See Marcia Gates’ story in Nursingmatters August 1992.) Straub returned to the United States in July. Following hospitalization for a bout of malaria, she was assigned to the Sixth Service Command for Army Nurse procure-
ment. In 1944 she was promoted to Captain while stationed at Kennedy General Hospital in Memphis, and was later promoted to Major. For her outstanding contributions as an Army nurse, she was awarded the Legion of Merit citation, the Bronze Star medal, the American Defense medal, and the Asian Pacific Campaign medal. She served with the Army Nurse Corps for 20 years. Ruth Straub died Sept. 6, 1994 in Littleton, Colo.. She was buried in the Fort Logan Cemetery in Colorado.n The author thanks Professor Beth Norman, New York University, for information about Ruth Straub.
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August • 2014
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Nursingmatters
WnA’s ‘nurses Caring for nurses’ celebrates 20th anniversary By Penny L. Mathison, RN, MS, CNS
Talks began in 1990 about establishing a peer assistance network to help nurses having problems with substance use disorders. Formal meetings at the Wisconsin Nurses Association (WNA) office began in 1993 between volunteers interested in the network and the WNA staff. In March 1994, an extensive two-day training for volunteers was conducted. Later that year, a Workplace Advocacy Grant was used to produce a video production called “Identification of Impaired Nursing Practice: the Puzzle of Chemical Dependency Identification.” (The video has since been replaced with an updated PowerPoint presentation.) The Peer Assistance Network (PAN), as it was called then, was off and running! PAN was officially a part of the Peer Assistance Program (PAP) of the WNA. After the Board of Nursing changed the name of its assistance program from the Impaired Professionals Procedure (IPP) to Professional Assistance Procedure (PAP), the WNA and PAN volunteers decided to change its name to Nurses Caring for Nurses (NCN), to avoid any confusion. This change was made in 2012. The purpose of the NCN program is: 1. To provide confidential support and advocacy for nurses who perceive a need for assistance in seeking treatment, remaining in recovery, or for work place reentry. 2. To serve as a resource for any nurse (LPN, RN, WNA members or nonmembers, student nurses), employer, family or friend concerning treatment options available. 3. To educate health care workers and to promote awareness and knowledge of substance use disorders, and to develop knowledge and skills in identification and needed and unneeded
reporting. 4. To educate others about NCN assistance for the dependent nurse and his/her employer. The NCN program functions within the Workforce Advocacy Program of the Wisconsin Nurses Association. WNA’s Nurses Caring for Nurses program does not provide counseling, intervention, treatment, or monitoring during recovery.
The need for the nCn program Chemical dependency, or substance use disorder, is a primary disease that is progressive, chronic, and can be fatal, if left untreated. It is an “equal opportunity illness,” affecting persons of all races, religions, sexes, economic circumstances, and occupations. Of course, nurses are included. The American Nurses Association (ANA) estimates 6 to 8 percent of RNs have a substance use disorder (SUD); other authorities put the rate at about the same as for the general population at 10 to 15 percent. This translates into approximately 155,000 RNs nationally. The goal of Wisconsin’s Professional Boards, under the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS), is to protect the public from those who attempt to provide services while impaired by alcohol or other drugs. The Boards also want to promote the rehabilitation of the licensees so they may return to confident, productive practice in their communities, and to deter others from engaging in similar conduct. Nursing practice is impaired when the individual is unable to meet the requirements of the Code of Ethics for Nursing and Standards of Practice because cognitive, interpersonal, and/or motor skills are affected by conditions of the individual in interaction with the environment. These factors include psychiatric illness and substance
use disorders. The Code of Ethics for Nursing states that nurses act “to safeguard the client and the public when health care and safety are affected by incompetent, unethical, or illegal practice by any person.” Nurses recognize that their first obligation is to protect the patient. Under Chapter N7 of the Wisconsin Statutes and Administrative Code, nurses have a responsibility to report any impaired practice that is witnessed. The nurse is obligated to notify his/ her supervisor. Hopefully, the nurse in question will be referred to the Employee Assistance Program for an assessment to determine the true nature of the problem and what type of treatment is needed. The employer is not required to notify the Board of Nursing in Wisconsin. Many employers seem to be confused about this. Part of the responsibilities for nurse administrators should include developing nursing department guidelines to manage impaired practice and re-entry of the recovering nurse, as well as following up with organization-wide education. They should also take an active interest in the development of Employee Assistance Programs. For nurses who are involved in misconduct, such as diversion of drugs, due to a SUD, they may self-refer to the Professional Assistance Procedure (PAP) of the Board of Nursing, or be referred by their employers. This program is an alternative to discipline by the Board of Nursing. It is important that the nurse ask for the PAP specifically when calling and not just talk to the Board of Nursing. The nurse must follow the established guideline. If the nurse needs treatment, she/he gets it. The nurse must sign a contract, obtain treatment, attend 12-Step programs, and provide random witnessed urine screens. The RN license may be restricted regarding
limitation to access of controlled substances. The nurse, supervisor, and therapist must each provide quarterly reports to the PAP liaison. If the nurse relapses, he or she may need to start over again, and may need to increase the frequency of urine screens. There may also be further limitations placed on the RN license. This is up to the liaison. The PAP does not provide treatment, but monitors participants progress in treatment with an approved treatment provider. Potential participants must complete an application and obtain a current assessment for a substance use disorder. For those motivated to self-report to the PAP, participation will be considered without referral for full investigation. If accepted into PAP, each participant is offered an agreement for participation containing a statement of facts which describes the basis for the referral and stating all requirements necessary to complete participation in the PAP successfully. Early identification is the goal; once “substantial harm” has been done, the PAP is not an option. For random urine screens, the client has to call in every day. If selected, the client has five hours to appear at the collection site. (The PAP used to be a two-year program, but in 2003, it expanded to a five year program.) Nurses who lose their jobs and health insurance face bigger hurdles because of the cost of obtaining treatment and providing urine screens. The cost for special chainof-custody urine screens is about $50 each. Each client is asked to provide about 64 random screens per year. If there is chronic noncompliance or the nurse drops out of the PAP, the case then goes before the full Board for disciplinary procedures by the Bureau of Enforcement. The majority of nurses are unaware of all of these particulars.
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That is why the Wisconsin Nurses Association NCN volunteers can be of so much assistance in providing guidance and answering questions. WNA NCN volunteers, Executive Director Gina DennikChampion, and consulting attorney Burt Wagner, have met with various members of the Board of Nursing and the PAP liaison on numerous occasions to clarify the role of the NCN volunteers and to offer suggestions and feedback. The WNA and its NCN program are not affiliated with the Wisconsin Board of Nursing.
How nCn works The WNA Executive Director conducts the process of intake and assignment of the client to a NCN volunteer and reviews each volunteer’s caseload to assure that both clients and volunteers are receiving the assistance necessary to carry out the program’s goals and objectives. When the Executive Director receives a call for assistance, she will determine the nature of the call and the type of assistance needed. All information received is handled confidentially. She will also complete the Initial Contact Form and determine if it is appropriate to refer the client to a NCN volunteer. Volunteers are chosen according to geographic proximity to the caller and the current caseload of the volunteer. The Executive Director will then obtain permission from the client to give his/her phone number to the NCN volunteer; she will call the volunteer with this information and the client’s first name only. The NCN volunteer will contact the client and determine needs and offer to provide support. The volunteer and client may make all contacts by phone or they may agree to meet for discussion at a neutral site. The client can refuse services from the volunteer for any reason without explanation. The NCN volunteer will provide support per WNA NCN volunteer guidelines. The NCN volunteer acts as a resource person for a nurse who wants to get involved in recovery or is newly recovering. The volunteer can direct the person
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to treatment options that are available, including AA/NA meetings, while suggesting helpful literature and providing encouragement and moral support. If the volunteer has questions about how best to assist the nurse seeking help, she/he may discuss the situation in a confidential manner with the WNA Executive Director. The NCN volunteer will provide an update of volunteer activities as part of the regularly scheduled WNA NCN Advisory Council meetings. The NCN volunteers usually meet face-to-face with the Executive Director at the WNA office in Madison on an annual basis. Other contact is made via conference calls two to three times annually, and as needed. Volunteers who have served on the NCN Advisory Council have come from many different backgrounds: nursing educators, middle management nurses, staff nurses, and nurse practitioners, to name a few. Besides working with clients who call for assistance, the NCN volunteers also do a lot of education: volunteers have visited schools of nursing, hospitals, nursing homes and other facilities that employ nurses to give in-servicing to the nursing students and facility personnel. Mailings have also been sent out across the state of Wisconsin to schools of nursing, including technical colleges, and nurse employers, i.e., human resources personnel. Contacts have also been made with AODA treatment providers. Volunteers may also staff an information booth about the NCN Program at nursing conventions/ workshops. A brochure was developed early-on and has been revised several times. A subcommittee of volunteers also developed a WNA Position Paper on Impaired Nursing Practice and Peer Assistance. Those involved in the WNA NCN program strongly believe that a nurse should not lose either job or license due to a substance use disorder if he or she is willing to seek treatment and continue with the
appropriate rehabilitative care.
Volunteers needed Due to several retirements and moves by former NCN volunteers, there is availability for volunteers. Anyone interested can contact WNA Executive Director Gina DennikChampion at (608) 221-0383 x. 202 or gina@wisconsinnurses.org. Volunteers must be RNs or LPNs from Wisconsin. WNA membership is not required.
nCn volunteer qualifications: 1. A nurse with a past or present personal or professional experience with drug or alcohol abuse or in the field of psych/mental health nursing. 2. A nurse in recovery for at least one year (individual exceptions will be considered). 3. A volunteer must have some level of knowledge about addiction to alcohol or other drugs and hold the belief that chemical dependence, or substance use disorder, is a disease and is treat-
able. The volunteer must also possess personal traits of openmindedness, empathy, patience, and be nonjudgmental. Good communication skills are essential. Training and orientation will be provided prior to any assignments being made. To view educational tools on impaired practice, visit the NCN affiliate page on WNA’s website, www.wisconsinnurses. org. If you are a school of nursing or organization interested in a formal presentation, contact WNA Communications Director Joe Vande Slunt at joe@wisconsinnurses.org.
Contributions: Persons wishing to offer financial support to NCN may do so through the Nurses Foundation of Wisconsin. Contributions should be made payable to the NFW and mailed to Nurses Foundation of Wisconsin, c/o Nurses Caring for Nurses, 6117 Monona Drive, Madison, WI 53716.
For more than 160 years, nurses have enjoyed a rewarding career at Columbia St. Mary’s. That includes all the benefits of a strong, stable organization. But our nurses are also part of a team of healthcare providers who receive our full support in delivering the highest quality and most personal care to their patients. And that means we’re not the only ones showing our appreciation for a job well done. How rewarding can it be to practice nursing at Columbia St. Mary’s? To begin to find out, visit PA S S I O N F O R PAT I E N T C A R E . O R G
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NM Bellin College faculty recognized at international conference Dr. Lori Kulju, of Bellin College, Green Bay, was awarded second place for her poster presentation at Dr. Lori Kulju the 13th Annual International Nursing Simulation/Learning Resource Centers Conference sponsored by The International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning on June 19 in Orlando. Dr. Kulju’s presentation was entitled “The Effect of Simulation on BSN Students’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Clinical Judgment Regarding Pain.” She was one of 96 poster presentations focusing on research, education, and practice. This was Dr. Kulju’s first time attending this
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conference, which is the primary venue for nursing simulation in the United States.
Bellin College organization earns national recognition Bellin College, in Green Bay, has announced that the Bellin College Chapter of the American Assembly for Men in Nursing (BAAMN) has earned the 2014 “Newcomer of the Year” award from the AAMN national organization. In a short period of time, the Chapter has demonstrated remarkable progress in membership recruitment, outreach and programming. BAAMN is being recognized for promoting positive role modeling for men in nursing and for encouraging more men into the profession. This Chapter was established in October 2013 and its goal is to provide resources, knowledge, and opportunities for individuals interested in gender equality and advo-
cating for men in nursing. The Bellin College chapter will serve as a place of social connectedness for nurses/ nursing students interested in promoting gender equality in nursing. If you are interested in promoting
gender equality in nursing, no matter what your gender, join this new and nationally-recognized organization. For more information contact Dr. Jason Mott at jason.mott@bellincollege.edu.n
Free Bellin program: Men in nursing and the Incivility in nursing
Recruiting Nursing Professionals?
Nursing matters Wisconsin’s professional publication for nurses can help. Nursingmatters is mailed or e-mailed directly to nurses, nursing students and nursing facilities throughout the State of Wisconsin.
Internet Bonus:
Ads placed in Nursingmatters are also posted on • www.nursingmattersonline.com and will be accessible through • Monster.com • Madison.com • WiscNews.com
To schedule your ad, contact Sheryl Barry • 608-252-6379 • sbarry@madison.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF FRASER VALLEY
Presented by Keith Rischer, RN, MA, CEN, CCRN and Jason Mott, Ph.D., RN 6 to 7:30 p.m. August 20 Bellin College, 3201 Eaton Road, Green Bay Tiered classroom, Room 113 This program will provide a framework for the history of men in nursing, current barriers facing men in nursing, ways to improve climate for men in nursing, and discuss the incivility in nursing. The target audience is nurse educators, other health care educators, nurses, and all other interested educators. About the speakers: Mr. Rischer has been a nurse since 1983 and currently works in the critical care float pool of a large metro hospital where he works between the ED, ICU and the circulating/rapid response team. He is a national speaker who has presented at the Elsevier Faculty Development Conference, Nurse Educators Institute, ATI National Nurse Educator Summit, as well as many other speaking engagements both in the US and Canada. Jason Mott is an instructor at Bellin College in both the traditional and 15-month program options. He teaches pathophysiology, nursing research, various laboratories, and various clinical groups. He has over 12 years of nursing experience and the founder of the Bellin College Chapter of the American Assembly for Men in Nursing (BAAMN). Registrations will be accepted between until August 15. For registration information, contact Jason Mott at (920) 433-6685 or Jason. Mott@bellincollege.edu. Space is limited; first-come, first served.n
Nurse Clinician 4 Department of Corrections We are currently recruiting for full time Nurse Clinician 4 to fill a vacancy at Columbia Correctional Institution in Portage. The NC4 functions as an expert in providing direct and indirect nursingcare to patients who have complex care needs. Actively participates as a member of the multidisciplinary team in assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating patient care. Identifies, develops and implements plans to meet the learning needs of inmate patients, staff, students and community agencies. Initiates and participates in research and quality improvement activities. Salary : $68,794 to $95,000 annually, depending on qualifications. Current licensure is required. Excellent benefits package to include: immediate coverage under the Wisconsin Retirement System, Health Plans available to meet your needs at low premiums, Sick Leave, Unused sick time converted to extended healthcarebenefitsuponretirement,paidvacation,4.5personaldays each year, paid legal holidays per year, Life insurance, Supplemental retirement saving program, and Worker’s compensation.
Application Information
Meriter–UnityPoint Health Lead RN – Cardiovascular Lab
Not only will you find career opportunities in the
Meriter–UnityPoint Health is a not-for-profit, 448-bed community hospital providing a wide-ranging scope of medical and surgical services, located in Madison, WI. The Cardiovascular Lead RN role is specialized, working in coordination with the management team to effectively run each line of service offered in the Cardiovascular Labs.The Cardiovascular Lead is a key contributor in all aspects of the Cardiovascular Labs day-to-day operations, educational opportunities, orientation, advancement for staff through the clinical ladder, blue standards and physician relationships. Qualifications: • Graduate of an accredited School of Nursing and current licensure as a Registered Nurse in the State of Wisconsin. • 5 years of Cardiovascular Lab experience • BLS Certification • ACLS Certification • Advanced certification in Cardiac, Electrophysiology or Vascular For more information about Meriter – UnityPoint Health and to apply visit www.meriter.com. Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer
classified section of Nursingmatters, you will also find them posted continually throughout the month on Nursingmatters online.com
For a detailed job description and application information, please see http://wisc.jobs JAC 1403484
Nursing Research Scientist – PhD Gundersen Health System in scenic La Crosse, Wisconsin is seeking a Nursing Research Scientist to lead evidencebased clinical research related to nursing practice, patient outcomes, nursing leadership and education. This opportunity offers flexibility to conduct research in area of personal scientific interest. Salaried position approximately 64 hours every two weeks. EEO/AA/Veterans/Disabilities Please visit our website and apply online at: http://www.gundersenhealth.org/ nursing-careers
CHARGE NURSE Mile Bluff Medical Center has a full time, 12 hour night shift charge position available in our Med/Surg department. Five years nursing experience required. Supervisory experience preferred, along with ACLS, BLS, PALS, NRP or must be obtained within one year of hire. Benefit package available. Mile Bluff Medical Center is a rural facility located in South Central Wisconsin on I90/94, 70 miles from Madison and LaCrosse. For more information on our facility, please visit our website at www.milebluff.com. Interested candidates may send resume to: Mile Bluff Medical Center Attn: Human Resources 1050 Division St. Mauston, WI 53948 (608) 847-1461 An Equal Opportunity Employer
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer
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UW Hospital eliminates restrictions on family visits University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics has eliminated restrictions on visiting and welcoming patients’ families and loved ones to be with patients 24 hours a day. UW Hospital joins other hospitals across the country in a national campaign, “Better Together: Partnering with Families,” spearheaded by the Institute for Patient- and FamilyCentered Care in Bethesda, MD, along with several partner organizations. The campaign aims to educate hospitals about the need to change restrictive visiting policies so that families are no longer treated as “visitors” but seen as essential members of the health care team. “We want to recognize hospitals that are takings steps to engage patients and family members as care partners,” said Beverley Johnson, President and CEO of IPFCC. “These hospitals understand how important it is to welcome families as partners instead of treating them as outsid-
ers who are interfering in their loved one’s care.” Rather than interfering, families and loved ones can actually help improve care. Studies show that having unlimited access to family and loved ones reduces complications and stress, and improves the patient’s experience of care in the hospital. The Joint Commission, the accrediting body for health systems, recommends that hospitals accommodate access to a patient’s support person to encourage safer care. The change includes addressing staff concerns about new policies, training staff, changing signage and website language to make families feel welcome, and assembling a planning team – including patient and family advisors, doctors, nurses, security personnel, receptionists, and everyone else affected – to lead the effort. While these new policies mean families have 24/7 access, that doesn’t mean there are no boundaries; safety and patient preference are
Lobby day
it would be “nonsensical” to gain the authority to sign home health care plans and certify patients for the benefit, but be prohibited from ordering necessary equipment for those same patients. Schumer agreed he would work to move such a bill as a co-sponsor if nurses could secure a lead sponsor in the Senate. Seven members of the Oregon Nurses Association urged a staff aide to Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) to support the same issues, noting that in many rural areas of Oregon, there are no physicians and APRNs serve as primary care providers. They also commended Merkley for sponsoring the RN Safe Staffing Act of 2013 (H.R. 1821) and supporting The Nurse and Health Care Worker Protection Act of 2013 (H.R. 2480), which would require health care facilities to implement safe patient handling and mobility programs. In association with Lobby Day, ANA also honored U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) for their advocacy and work on behalf of issues important to nurses and the health care system.n
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Six RNs from ANA-New York briefed Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY). As the co-sponsor of The Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act (H.R. 2504/ S. 1332), Schumer said he would be “pushing the home health bill pretty hard” and looking for an opportunity to offer it as an amendment to another health care bill with a good chance to advance. That bill would allow nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse midwives and physician assistants to certify home health services for Medicare patients. Current law requires a physician to sign home care plans, which can cause delays in care and lead to hospital readmissions. The ANA-New York contingent emphasized to Schumer that the restriction on advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) ordering durable medical equipment, such as oxygen equipment and blood glucose monitors, without a physician signature should be addressed at the same time. The nurses contended that
among the factors considered. Family members and loved ones are being encouraged to be involved in planning and decision-making and
in the transitions to home. For more information on the Better Together campaign, visit http://www. ipfcc.org/bettertogether/.n
Ansell announces winners of the HeRO nurse service Award Ansell, a global leader in protection solutions located in Iselin, N.J., has announced the winners of the 2014 Ansell HERO (Heal, Educate, Reach, and Overcome) Nurse Service Award, established to recognize nurses who have made lasting impressions on their peers, patients, profession and community. The 2014 contest was launched at the 61st annual AORN (Association of PeriOperative Registered Nurses) Congress held this spring in Chicago. The program began with nurses being nominated by their peers, followed by a voting period. The 10 nominees receiving the most votes from peers, friends, and family, were named the winners of the 2014 Ansell HERO Nurse Service Award. Each winner will receive a HERO Nurse Service Award Plaque, nursing reference book of their choice, and will have their story profiled at www.ansellhero.com. This year’s winners include: • Grace Gildea, RN, Overlook Medical Center, NJ • Patricia Decker Boniello, RN, Monmouth Medical Center, NJ • Betsy Ball, RN, Englewood Hospital, NJ • Marilyn Azuelo, BSN, RN, CNRN, Morristown Medical Center, NJ • Jodi Gauthier, RN, Case Manager, Hospice of Michigan • Linda Easter, Neurology Specialty Nurse, Arkansas Children’s Hospital • Rita Sanders, RN, Noble Hospital, MA • Jeanne LaFountain, RN, Educator & Lt Col in Air Force Reserves, Ross Heart Hospital (Ohio State University) and U.S. Air Force • Belva Dyer, Rehabilitation Specialty Nurse, Arkansas Children’s Hospital • Jennifer Butch, Nurse Manager, Operating Rooms, Penn State Hershey Medical Center In addition to highlighting outstanding nominees, this year’s program saw monumental jumps in participation. Year-over-year results rose by hundreds, and in some categories, thousands of percentage points. Votes came in at 32,172 – a 50,000 percent increase over last year. Total visits to the Ansell HERO website soared from 818 to 39,358. Overall nominations climbed from 20 to 81, and confirmed nominations rose from nine to 56. These numbers become even more impactful when you take into account that the 2013 program ran two months longer. “On behalf of everyone at Ansell, we would like to congratulate all of the nominees, especially the very deserving top 10,” says Anthony López, President and General Manager, Medical Solutions at Ansell. “Our appreciation and admiration for what nurses do is endless, and we are thrilled that this year’s program has received such exceptional exposure, so that these nurses can be widely recognized for their tireless contributions.” Stay tuned for more details on the 2015 HERO Nurse Service Award, including entry and nomination dates. To learn more about the 2014 winners, visit the Ansell Gallery of HEROs at www.ansellhero.com.n