“Nurses working together for a healthy West Virginia” · January, February, March 2019 Volume...
16
current resident or Presort Standard US Postage PAID Permit #14 Princeton, MN 55371 The official publication of the West Virginia Nurses Association Quarterly publication direct mailed to approximately 38,000 RNs & LPNs in West Virginia. “Nurses working together for a healthy West Virginia” WEST VIRGINIA NURSE January, February, March 2019 Volume 22 • No. 1 Inside: Outgoing President’s Address 2 Due Dates for Articles, News and Photos 2 Conferences and Meetings 3 WV Center for Nursing Appoints Lissa Gonzalez 3 2019 Health Policy and Legislation (HP&L) Position Statement 4-5 Too Early a Memory 6 Membership Corner 7 2019 WVNA Meeting Dates 7 40 over 40 Awards 8-9 Future of Nursing WV Update 10 Nancy Tyler Wins WVAHC’s Rockefeller Award 11 Opioid Epidemic: WV Nurses Respond 11 Career Sphere 12-13 The Entrepreneur’s Corner 14-15 2019 West Virginia Nurse Policy Summit (Unity Day) 15 Laure Marino, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, GNP-BC Hello Everyone and Happy New Year! It’s an honor and pleasure to be writing my first letter to the membership. Thank you for your support in the election; I look forward to working with you to advance the health of all West Virginians and to promote and protect our nursing practice. At the end of this article, you will find my contact information. Please put me in your phone, and then make a commitment to reach out to me. I welcome your calls and emails. Let’s talk about our mutual interests and goals and how we can work together to create a culture of health in our communities and state. There’s no greater force than a group of passionate nurses! There are two pressing topics on my mind right now: 1. to provide you with a ‘state of the organization’ report, and 2. to acknowledge the amazing accomplishments of my predecessor, Toni DiChiacchio, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP. Fortunately, I can accomplish both in the same message, as they are so inextricably linked. Thanks to Toni DiChiacchio’s leadership and vision, WVNA has made unprecedented strides in the past two years. Our financial processes have been streamlined, improving accountability. Our bills are paid; our budget is balanced. Election processes have been modernized, ensuring leadership stability as well as PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE mentorship for up-and-coming leaders. Toni recruited our dynamic Executive Director, Julie Huron, whose strong organizational skills and energy have increased the visibility of the WVNA, producing a 20% growth in membership. We now have a sophisticated website and strong social media presence. Toni’s policy acumen has directly benefited WV nurses in critical ways. She has advocated tirelessly for our profession and for people who need nursing care. She is highly respected by the WV legislature, known for her pragmatic approach to finding mutually satisfying solutions. While change is inevitable and her official term as President is coming to an end, I am delighted to report very good news that Toni DiChiacchio will continue to have a highly visible role with WVNA. As immediate Past President, she will be a valuable mentor and resource to me. In her new role as government liaison, she will also continue to represent WVNA at the WV legislature, and work with our elected representatives in advancing legislation that considers health and wellness. She will also continue to teach and train West Virginia Nurses Association nurses who have an interest in policy. On behalf of a grateful membership, I thank Toni for her dedication to WVNA. Laure Marino was installed as WVNA President on December 8, 2018, effective January 1, 2019. She obtained her doctorate in nursing practice with an emphasis in executive leadership from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Dr. Marino is a nurse practitioner, dual certified in family practice and gerontology. She is also an assistant professor with West Virginia University School of Nursing. Dr. Marino resides in Charleston and can be reached at (304) 419-1300 or [email protected]. Laure Marino To join, please go to and click “membership.” www.wvnurses.org You receive this paper because you are a nurse licensed in WV. HAVE YOU JOINED YOUR WV NURSES ASSOCIATION YET?
Transcript of “Nurses working together for a healthy West Virginia” · January, February, March 2019 Volume...
current resident or
Presort StandardUS Postage
PAIDPermit #14
Princeton, MN55371
The official publication of the West Virginia Nurses AssociationQuarterly publication direct mailed to approximately 38,000 RNs & LPNs in West Virginia.
“Nurses working together for a healthy West Virginia”
W E S T V I R G I N I A N U R S E
January, February, March 2019 Volume 22 • No. 1
Inside:Outgoing President’s Address . . . . . .2
Due Dates for Articles, News and Photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Conferences and Meetings . . . . . . . .3
WV Center for Nursing Appoints Lissa Gonzalez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
2019 Health Policy and Legislation (HP&L) Position Statement . . . . . . 4-5
Too Early a Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Membership Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
2019 WVNA Meeting Dates . . . . . . . .7
40 over 40 Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9
Future of Nursing WV Update . . . . .10
Nancy Tyler Wins WVAHC’s Rockefeller Award . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Opioid Epidemic: WV Nurses Respond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Career Sphere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-13
The Entrepreneur’s Corner . . . . . 14-15
2019 West Virginia Nurse Policy Summit (Unity Day) . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Laure Marino, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, GNP-BC
Hello Everyone and Happy New Year!
It’s an honor and pleasure to be writing my first letter to the membership. Thank you for your support in the election; I look forward to working with you to advance the health of all West Virginians and to promote and protect our nursing practice.
At the end of this article, you will find my contact information. Please put me in your phone, and then make a commitment to reach out to me. I welcome your calls and emails. Let’s talk about our mutual interests and goals and how we can work together to create a culture of health in our communities and state. There’s no greater force than a group of passionate nurses!
There are two pressing topics on my mind right now: 1. to provide you with a ‘state of the organization’
report, and 2. to acknowledge the amazing accomplishments
of my predecessor, Toni DiChiacchio, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP.
Fortunately, I can accomplish both in the same message, as they are so inextricably linked.
Thanks to Toni DiChiacchio’s leadership and vision, WVNA has made unprecedented strides in the past two years. Our financial processes have been streamlined, improving accountability. Our bills are paid; our budget is balanced. Election processes have been modernized, ensuring leadership stability as well as
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGEmentorship for up-and-coming leaders. Toni recruited our dynamic Executive Director, Julie Huron, whose strong organizational skills and energy have increased the visibility of the WVNA, producing a 20% growth in membership. We now have a sophisticated website and strong social media presence. Toni’s policy acumen has directly benefited WV nurses in critical ways. She has advocated tirelessly for our profession and for people who need nursing care. She is highly respected by the WV legislature, known for her pragmatic approach to finding mutually satisfying solutions.
While change is inevitable and her official term as President is coming to an end, I am delighted to report very good news that Toni DiChiacchio will continue to have a highly visible role with WVNA. As immediate Past President, she will be a valuable mentor and resource to me. In her new role as government liaison, she will also continue to represent WVNA at the WV legislature, and work with our elected representatives in advancing legislation that considers health and wellness. She will also continue to teach and train West Virginia Nurses Association nurses who have an interest in policy. On behalf of a grateful membership, I thank Toni for her dedication to WVNA.
Laure Marino was installed as WVNA President on December 8, 2018, effective January 1, 2019. She obtained her doctorate in nursing practice with an emphasis in executive leadership from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Dr. Marino is a nurse practitioner, dual certified in family practice and gerontology. She is also an assistant professor with West Virginia University School of Nursing. Dr. Marino resides in Charleston and can be reached at (304) 419-1300 or [email protected].
Laure Marino
To join, please go to
and click “membership.”
www.wvnurses.org
You receive this paper because you are a nurse
licensed in WV. HAVE YOU JOINED
YOUR WV NURSES
ASSOCIATION YET?
Page 2 West Virginia Nurse January, February, March 2019
West Virginia Nurse Official Publication of the
West Virginia Nurses Association
P.O. Box 1946 | Charleston, WV 25327Phone: 866.986.8773 or 866.WVNURSE
Email: [email protected]
Webpage: www.wvnurses.org
Published quarterly every January, April, July and October for the West Virginia Nurses Association, a constituent member of the American Nurses
Association.
The opinions contained herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Association.
WV Nurse reserves the right to edit all materials to its style and space requirements and to clarify presentations.
WVNA Mission StatementThe mission of WVNA is to empower the diverse voice of nurses in all settings toward unified focus of nursing knowledge, skill, and ability to promote the health & well-being of all West Virginians, through education, legislation, and health policy.
WVNA Executive BoardLaure Marino, President: [email protected]
Joyce Wilson, President-Elect: [email protected] Campbell, Vice President: [email protected]
Brenda Keefer, Treasurer: [email protected] Barker, Secretary: [email protected]
Toni DiChiacchio, Immediate Past President: [email protected] Casdorph, District Leader Representative:
Committee ChairsVacant position, APRN Congress Chair
Angy Nixon, Health Policy & Legislative Chair: [email protected]
Joyce Wilson, PAC Chair: [email protected] (Sam) Cotton, PAC Chair Ex Officio: [email protected]
Roger Carpenter, Continuing Education Chair:[email protected]
Vacant position, Membership ChairAila Accad, Nominating Chair: [email protected] Glasko-Tully, Nursing Workforce Initiative:
[email protected] Hovatter, ANA Membership Assembly Delegate:
WVNA StaffJulie Absher Huron, Executive Director
WV Nurse StaffMoira Tannenbaum, Editor
West Virginia Nurse Copy Submission GuidelinesAll WVNA members are encouraged to submit material for publication that is of interest to nurses. The material will be reviewed and may be edited for publication. There is no payment for articles published in the West Virginia Nurse.
Article submission is accepted in Microsoft Word or similar format.
Copy submission via email: Please attach a Microsoft Word (or similar) file to email. We ask that you not paste the text of article into email. Please do not embed photos in Word files; please send photos as separate JPEG files.
Please do not convert the file to a PDF. When sending pictures, please provide a description identifying the people in the pictures and note who the photographer was, if relevant.
Approximately 1,600 words equal a full page in the paper. This does not account for headlines, photos, special graphics, pull quotes, etc.
Submit material to:West Virginia Nurse
PO Box 1946, Charleston, WV 25327 Email: [email protected]
For advertising rates and information, please contact Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc., 517 Washington Street, PO Box 216, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613, (800) 626-4081, [email protected]. WVNA and the Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc. reserve the right to reject any advertisement. Responsibility for errors in advertising is limited to correction in the next issue or refund of price of advertisement.
Acceptance of advertising does not imply endorsement or approval by the West Virginia Nurses Association of products advertised, the advertisers, or the claims made. Rejection of an advertisement does not imply a product offered for advertising is without merit, or that the manufacturer lacks integrity, or that this association disapproves of the product or its use. WVNA and the Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc. shall not be held liable for any consequences resulting from purchase or use of an advertiser’s product. Articles appearing in this publication express the opinions of the authors; they do not necessarily reflect views of the staff, board, or membership of WVNA or those of the national or local associations.
Toni DiChiacchio
Toni DiChiacchio, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP / Immediate Past President
Happy New Year, West Virginia nurses – 2019 is off to a great start!
I am both grateful and excited about the leadership team taking the helm of the West Virginia Nurses Association (WVNA). Congratulations to our new President, Laure Marino; our first President-Elect, Joyce Wilson; Brenda Keefer, our re-elected Treasurer; and Teresa Hovatter, our newly elected delegate to ANA’s Membership Assembly. Together with Vice-President Denise Campbell and Secretary Kendra Barker, we have a powerhouse of intellect, energy, and experience on our executive board.
The icing on the cake is the incredible Executive Director WVNA has in Julie Huron. I cannot adequately express the level of passion and dedication Julie has toward the nurses, nursing students, and nursing profession in West Virginia. She is a true gem and we are so fortunate to have her.
As always, nurses are doing amazing things throughout the state, and Ann Bostic is a great example. A CRNA and board member of the West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses, Ann recently was the catalyst for the creation
Outgoing President ’s Address
of a WV chapter of the International Nurses Society on Addiction (IntNSA). As nurses, we are vastly aware of the impact addiction has had on our friends, families, and neighbors. I am certain that together our caring profession can have an incredibly positive impact on addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery in WV. Please read Ann’s article on WV IntNSA and consider joining us in the important work of this new organization. (See p. 11 of this issue.)
I am also delighted to recognize a historic announcement from the WV Legislature. Delegate Amy Summers (R-49), a registered nurse, has been selected as the Majority Leader of the House of Delegates. Nationally, she is only the second nurse to serve as a state house majority leader, following Erin Murphy in Minnesota, who served in this role from 2013-2015. Initially elected to her seat in 2014, Delegate Summers has been an incredible champion. In addition to ushering through many significant bills including – among others – improving access to APRN care, joining the Nurse Licensure Compact, and the creation of WV’s State Advisory Coalition on Palliative Care, Delegate Summers has served as a stellar example of leadership and political advocacy. She is bright and diligent with a fair-minded, rational approach to issues. Because of her dignity and respect for others, she can disagree without being disagreeable. Both caring and bold, she is motivated by doing her best for her constituents and for the state. It has been incredibly rewarding to work with her over the past three years and I am honored to know her as a friend and colleague. We are immensely proud of her success and wish her all the best as she assumes this important role in the House.
In closing, thank you for allowing me to represent our profession over the past two years as President of WVNA. It has been an tremendous pleasure to collaborate with so many great individuals who so fervently care about others. Whether advocating for the health, wellness, and comfort of West Virginians or for the profession of nursing in our state, you have inspired and enlightened me. I am full of gratitude for the nurses of West Virginia – for all that you are, all that you do, and all that you will continue to give.
Thank You for Having Me
Are you reading about these great events for nurses in W.Va. and asking yourself, “Well, why don’t they write about our organization’s event?” The answer is, we do want to write about it, but we didn’t know about it.
Do you have a photo of nurses and others in health care at a community event? This could be your golden opportunity: share some news with your fellow W.Va. nurses. Did you have a New Year’s Plan to be more involved with nursing? If you read through this issue, you’ll see it’s a theme here: we need your involvement in ways large or small.
Please send any pictures or news to your state nurses’ association – WVNA – with an explanation of who is in any picture you include. Email is best for article or photo submission.
Please contact us at [email protected] or (866) 986-8773 or 866-WVNURSE. The deadline for our next issue of WV Nurse (the April-May-June 2019 issue) is Monday, March 4, 2019.
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January, February, March 2019 West Virginia Nurse Page 3
Conferences and Meetings
Selected nursing and multidisciplinary conferences and meetings curated for you. A big thank you to those who have sent information about conferences. Be sure to tell us what you’re attending so we can spread the word to other WV nurses.
Meetings in West Virginia
February 19, 2019 (Wednesday)WV Nurse Policy SummitAlso known as WVNA Nurses Unity Day. Capitol Complex, Charlestonwww.wvnurses.org
March 16, 2019 (Saturday)WV ACNM AffiliateWesleyan College, BuckhannonSee “ACNM Connect WV” or [email protected]
March 16, 2019 (Saturday)WVSPANN Mid-Winter PeriAnesthesia Nursing ConferenceMartinsburghttps://wvspan.nursingnetwork.com/nursing-news
April 5, 2019 (Friday)Nursing Workforce SummitHendrickson Conference CenterSouth Charleston www.futureofnursingwv.org
April 11, 2019 (Thursday)AWHONN WV Chapter and Perinatal Conference“Bringing Evidence Based Knowledge to the Bedside of Mothers and Babies”www.wvperinatal.org
April 12-14, 2019 (Friday-Sunday)WV Association of Nurse-Anesthetists (WVANA)Annual Meeting The Greenbrier White Sulphur Springshttps://www.wvana.com/wvana-annual-meeting/
May 9, 2019 (Thursday)Safe Sleep for Babies / Annual Competency WorkshopMollohan Research CenterFairmontInfo: [email protected]
May 20-22, 2019 (Monday-Wednesday)Lamaze Childbirth Instructor SeminarWV Perinatal PartnershipCharlestonhttps://wvperinatal.org/event/teaching-you-to-teach-others-lamaze-childbirth-instructor-program-2/
June 19, 2019 (Wednesday)West Virginia Elder Abuse Awareness Day SeminarWV DHHRCharlestonhttps://dhhr.wv.gov/bcf/Services/Pages/Elder-Abuse-Awareness-Day.aspx
Meetings Beyond West Virginia
Selected conferences in “destination” locations. Enhance your professional practice by attending a conference with colleagues from around the U.S. and the world.
February 18-20, 2019 (Monday-Wednesday)Association of Camp Nursing (ACN)Gaylord OprylandNashville, Tenn.http://www.campnurse.org/
March 6-9, 2019 (Wednesday-Saturday)A Catalyst for Practice Change: The CNSNational Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS)SeaWorldOrlando, Fla. http://nacns.org/news-and-events/annual-conference/2019-annual-conference/
March 17-18, 2019 (Sunday-Monday)Virginia Section, AWHONNCharlottesville, Va.http://www.awhonnva.org/conference.htm
March 21-24, 2019 (Thursday-Sunday)American Association of Neuroscience Nurses (AANA)Annual Educational MeetingDenver, Colo.http://aann.org/
March 20-22, 2019 (Wednesday-Friday)Breastfeeding and Feminism International ConferenceChapel Hill, NChttp://breastfeedingandfeminism.org/
April 11-13, 2019 (Thursday-Saturday)Lamaze LivePittsburgh, Pa.https://www.lamazeinternational.org/page/lamazelive!-line-up
April 14-17, 2019 (Sunday-Wednesday)American Nephrology Nurses AssociationDallas, Texashttps://www.annanurse.org/
April 24-26, 2019 (Wednesday-Friday)ANA Quality and Innovation ConferenceOrlando, Fla.http://anaqiconference.org/
April 24-27, 2019 (Wednesday-Saturday)29th Annual ConferenceSociety of Pediatric Nurses (SPN)Washington, DChttp://www.pedsnurses.org/2019conference
May 18-22, 2019 (Saturday-Wednesday)64th Annual MeetingAmerican College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM)Washington, DCwww.midwife.org
June 8-12, 2019 (Saturday-Wednesday)Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses(AWHONN) National ConferenceAtlanta, Ga.https://awhonnconvention.org/
July 25-27, 2019 (Saturday-Monday)Philadelphia Trans Wellness ConferencePhiladelphia, Pa. https://www.mazzonicenter.org/trans-wellness
September 12-15, 2019 (Thursday-Sunday)American Association of Birth CentersAnnual Birth InstituteOrlando, Fla.www.birthcenters.org
Please keep us in the loop about conferences you are attending by dropping us a line at [email protected].
WV Center for Nursing Appoints
Lissa Gonzalez as its New Administrator
The Board of Directors of the West Virginia Center for Nursing has announced the appointment of Lissa Gonzalez, MSN, MBA, APRN, FNP-BC, as the Center’s administrator. Lissa joined the Center in late November 2018 after the retirement of the previous administrator Drema Pierson in July 2018.
“I am pleased to be offered this opportunity and excited to take the Center into its next chapter,” Gonzalez said.
While still maintaining programs such as the scholarship program, clinical scheduling, and junior nursing academy, Gonzalez wants to expand the Center’s mission with nursing workforce data.
“I hope to optimize our data and make it useful to assist in strategic nursing workforce planning and development. Our mission at the Center for Nursing is to improve the health and healthcare of all West Virginians through strategic nursing workforce planning and development,” Lissa said.
Lissa began her nursing career with her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Kentucky. She completed her master’s degree in nursing at the University of Pittsburgh and began working as a family nurse practitioner. While working as a nurse practitioner in primary care, she obtained another master’s degree, in business administration, from Ohio University. Lissa will continue a part-time clinical practice while working at the Center for Nursing.
The Center welcomes your feedback and support. You may contact Lissa at (304) 558-0838 or [email protected].
Special to West Virginia Nurse
Lissa Gonzalez, right, with Aila Accad
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!WVANA Annual Meeting
April 12 – 14, 2019The Greenbrier
For attendee & exhibitor pricing & registration visit
www.wvana.com
Page 4 West Virginia Nurse January, February, March 2019
2019 Health Policy and Legislation(HP&L) Position Statement
The goal of West Virginia Nurses Association (WVNA) is to support enactment and implementation of policy that will benefit the health and welfare of all citizens. The WVNA strives to provide information, advocacy, representation and protection for the state’s professional nurses. As part of the American Nurses Association (ANA), the organization establishes policies and goals for the profession that form the basis for nursing’s contribution to the advancement of health care policy.
I. PROFESSIONAL ISSUESWVNA supports regulatory legislation that:1. Assures the continued autonomy and authority of the West Virginia Board of
Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses (WVRNB);2. Supports Future of Nursing WV Action Coalition in implementing the Institute
of Medicine (IOM) recommendations (IOM, 2010, National Academy of Medicine, 2015);
3. Recognizes the full scope of practice and autonomy of RNs as established by professional licensure and delineated by professional organizations;
4. Promotes APRNs (certified registered nurse anesthetist, certified nurse practitioner, certified nurse-midwife, and clinical nurse specialist) as licensed independent practitioners, promotes full compensation for APRNs, prevents professional liability carriers from limiting coverage or restricting the full APRN scope of practice, prevents restraint of trade through collaborative requirements, and supports the APRN Compact to facilitate interstate practice (ACNM, 2011; NCSBN, 2014);
5. Supports APRNs in the autonomous management of opioid use disorder, including medically assisted treatments and therapies;
6. Improves health care access through modernizing statutory language, eliminating restrictions in nursing practice and prescriptive authority (AANP, 2015);
7. Promotes the use of appropriate scientifically correct and inclusive terminology in proposed legislation and health policy;
8. Promote full practice authority for APRNs within their educational standards of practice, specific to the national credentialing standards (NCSBN, 2012).
WVNA supports workplace initiatives that:1. Uphold individual nurses’ right to make moral-ethical decisions (ANA Code of
Ethics, 2015);2. Supports safe staffing initiatives determined by nurses, that take into account
patient acuity and that maximize standard quality outcomes;3. Recognize the RN as the coordinator for patient care;4. Provide flexible work schedules that lessen the risk of fatigue-related errors; 5. Prohibit forced overtime and fairly compensate RNs and other health care
providers utilizing traditional payment scales for overtime hours (ANA Code of Ethics, 2015);
6. Improve patient and staff safety with supplied devices to protect the patient and staff from injury;
7. Standardize policies and procedures, equipment and medication delivery systems, including but not limited to information technology, to provide seamless care to rural populations (e.g., telehealth);
8. Support unrestricted use of titles appropriate to educational degrees and credentials (e.g., doctor of nursing practice, DNP);
9. Each nurse has access to education for prevention of impairment.
II. HEALTH CARE DELIVERYWVNA supports a health care delivery system that:1. Encourages a culture of health through education, public awareness and the
full impact of the media;2. Aggressively addresses leading health indicators including physical activity,
responsible sexual behavior, maternal health, oral health, mental health, environmental quality, immunization, social determinants, access to health services, and prevention of substance abuse, obesity, tobacco use, injury and violence (Healthy People 2020, 2015);
3. Supports patient safety though adequate staffing patterns with RN supervision and appropriate delegation of licensed and unlicensed assistive nursing personnel;
4. Assures compliance with WV Code: “The legislature finds that regulation should be imposed on an occupation or profession only when necessary for the protection of public health and safety” (WV Code, Chapter 30-1A-1);
5. Promotes nurses practicing to the full extent of their education and competency. Modernizes state regulations to eliminate those that have anticompetitive effects with no contribution to the health and safety of the public (IOM, 2010; FTC, 2012);
6. Provides interprofessional person-centered care, employs evidence-based practice, applies quality improvement, and utilizes informatics (IOM, 2010; NAM, 2015);
7. Facilitates antibiotic stewardship by all who administer, receive, or prescribe antibiotics. Antimicrobial medications have transformed health care, but 20-50% are unnecessary or inappropriate. Patients exposed to unnecessary antibiotics are at risk for adverse events with no benefit, and can exacerbate antibiotic resistance, one of the most serious and growing threats to public health (CDC, 2014; National Quality Forum, 2016; WV DHHR, 2017; ANA, 2017).
WVNA supports public policies that:1. Promote equal access to quality, comprehensive health care for all West
Virginians;2. Promote a commitment to the principle that all persons are entitled to
affordable, readily accessible, high-quality health services (AHRQ, 2008; ACA, 2010);
3. Promote reimbursement parity for all health services, including but not limited to medications, complementary care, reproductive services, and mental health services (ACA, 2010);
4. Assure that quality supportive/palliative end-of-life care is accessible to all people, including effective symptom control, and psychosocial and spiritual support;
5. Maintain current West Virginia immunization standards and ongoing immunization guideline modifications as outlined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC, 2017);
6. Encourage senior West Virginians to maintain active, healthy, and independent lifestyles. Promote access to quality in-home long term or intermediate care when desired and needed;
7. Identify, report, and prevent elder abuse and neglect, including physical, mental, and financial abuse, and provide victim support (WV State Auditor’s Office, 2012);
8. Eradicate prescription drug abuse, reduce inappropriate prescribing and dispensing, and reduce opiate use and abuse in WV (WVNA, WV Office of the Attorney General, 2016).
9. Support the safe, regulated legal prescribing of therapeutic marijuana by all prescribing providers, as appropriate (ANA, 2016);
10. Recognize the importance of patient confidentiality, given the impact of social media on professional practice (ANA, 2012).
WVNA supports school health initiatives that:1. Support a minimum of one certified school nurse in every WV public school
building to promote health and wellness; manage students with acute and chronic diseases; provide drug prevention education and referrals; administer stock naloxone and epinephrine; and provide mental health services, support, and referrals to ensure an educated and healthy workforce for economic growth and development in WV (American Academy of Pediatrics Policy Statement, 2016);
2. Support the need for safe administration of insulin at school for students with diabetes – only a certified school nurse, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, parent/guardian, trained parent designee (not employed by the board of education), and/or student may legally administer insulin in the school setting (WVASN and WVCOSN Position Papers, 2014);
3. Promote the coordination and linkage of students to a health home including oral health through the certified school nurse;
4. Promote the role of the certified school nurse in the enrollment of children and families in comprehensive insurance programs which include oral health;
5. Recognize the certified school nurse as the coordinator of health care intervention with the authority to make appropriate health care task delegations and assignments within the educational setting and the nurse’s scope and ability;
6. Promote collaboration between the certified school nurse and school-based clinics for health promotion and disease management. (A certified school nurse covers all children enrolled in public school; the school-based clinic provides care only to established patients);
7. Recognize the certified school nurse as the professional who ensures quality
January, February, March 2019 West Virginia Nurse Page 5
health care instruction for pre-K through 12th grade students, including comprehensive, age-appropriate human sexuality education, as well as in asthma and diabetes care (WVDE School Nurse Needs Assessment, 2010);
8. Support certified school nurses’ pay parity within educational funding formula for teachers;
9. Promote the community school concept, which coordinates programs and services to support healthy lifestyles for students, staff, parents, and the community which each school serves (Communities in Schools; Coalition for Community Schools; CDC Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child, etc.).
III. PATIENT RIGHTSWVNA supports patients’ rights to:1. Health care as a basic human right;2. Safe, error-free health care environments; 3. Transparent information about nurse staffing patterns and patient outcome
benchmarks at health facilities (CMS Rules, 2014);4. Receive health care provided by nursing personnel consistent with their level
of acuity; 5. Privacy and confidentiality;6. Informed decision making about personal health, including end-of-life care
and reproductive health services, without coercion; 7. Information about all treatment options, including the comparative risks and
benefits, at the appropriate literacy level; 8. Designate APRNs as their primary licensed independent provider of healthcare.
IV. NURSING RETENTION AND RECRUITMENTWVNA supports strategies for retention and recruitment, including:1. Practices that promote a safe, professional work environment;2. Funding for undergraduate and graduate education for nurses, educational
opportunities for faculty, and nursing workforce redevelopment programs (ANA, 2010);
3. Incentives for nurse educators (RWJF, 2017);4. Modernizing policy to ensure that all nurses may practice to the full extent
of their education and certification (namely, to remove collaborative requirements, restrictive prescribing formularies, and restrictive signatory authority);
5. Reimbursement parity for APRN services;6. Peer monitoring and counseling that is confidential and compassionate to
protect the public and promote retention of recovering nurses in the workforce (ANA, 2010; WV Restore, 2015).
V. SOCIAL ISSUESWVNA supports the following:1. Education focusing on social justice issues;2. Hate crime legislation that protects vulnerable populations;3. Legislation focused on prevention of violence and bullying, particularly the
protection of vulnerable populations in all venues, including social media;4. Initiatives to screen for, educate about, and reduce public health risks,
including but not limited to unclean air and water, harmful additives and toxins, drug and alcohol impairment, distracted driving, sexually transmitted infections, sports injuries, and ATV/motorcycle helmet use;
5. Access to programs that identify and treat post-concussive head injuries from sports and other causes (CDC, 2015);
6. Public disclosure of and education about environmental health risks in homes, and in work, school, and other public settings (ANA, 2010);
7. Adequate funding to provide smoking prevention, cessation, and educational programs to eliminate tobacco use and environmental tobacco and smoke exposure (e.g., increasing the tobacco tax);
8. Education regarding the health benefits of breastfeeding (Baby-Friendly USA, 2016);
9. Ongoing recognition and support of WV nurse veterans;
10. Programs developed to identify and treat the high incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and post-concussive head injuries in the post-war veteran population (e.g., traumatic brain injury) (AANP, 2012);
11. Access to mental health services for all veterans with supportive opportunities for the highest quality of independent living (AANP, 2012);
12. Addressing the high incidence and low availability of mental health services (e.g., integrating mental and physical health services, telehealth, substance abuse treatment) (WV Perinatal Partnership, 2015);
13. Engaging community members and health professionals in threat preparedness efforts (WVREDI, 2015);
14. A realistic living minimum wage;15. Eradication of prescription drug abuse, inappropriate prescribing and
dispensing, and reduced opiate use and abuse in WV (WVNA, WV Office of the Attorney General, 2016).
16. The fundamental principle of respect for the inherent dignity, worth, unique attributes, and human rights of all individuals (ANA, 2015).
Get free resources at www.texasnurses.org/C4C.
CARE FOR THE CAREGIVER
With support fromJohnson & Johnson
Page 6 West Virginia Nurse January, February, March 2019
Too early a memory: Perinatal loss
Lee Ann Romeo, RNC-OB, CCE, CLC, Christy Orndorff, BSN, CHPPN, CPLC, and Shauna Lively, EdD, RN, LCCE /
Perinatal Bereavement Project
Normally joyous places, birthing suites are often filled with laughter and words of congratulations, as proud parents and grandparents welcome the newest member into their family. When loss occurs, the hurt, grief, and sorrow penetrate the hallways in a palpable wave – affecting not only the family but the health care team. Perinatal nurses have all been there, holding the lifeless form, trying to be strong for the family. Sometimes there is only a clot in a urine cup, but to some mothers, this may represent the loss of a hope or dream, the loss of a baby.
Perinatal bereavement is the grief associated with the loss of a baby via miscarriage, stillbirth, or death of a live-born baby. As with most births, the woman will remember the care that she received during this time for the rest of her life. Simpson (2016) writes that in one study, 73% of nurses reported missing nursing care, due to factors beyond a nurse’s control, such as staffing shortages or increased acuity of other patients. In the perinatal setting, such missed care could include missed opportunities to provide therapeutic care for the woman and her family, in part because we do not know what to do or what to say.
Studies show that emotional support, education, and provision of referrals for long-term follow up, such as a parents’ perinatal bereavement group, will assist the woman and her family to go through the normal stages of grief and be able to heal through time and the empathetic care rendered by nurses and other professionals.
West Virginia has a 7.3 infant mortality rate (CDC, 2018), meaning that 7.3 babies out of every thousand babies born live do not live to see their first birthday. Many of these are preterm babies who may live their short life in a hospital. Perinatal loss, on the other hand, may occur in surgical suites where an ectopic pregnancy is removed or in the emergency department when the woman presents with bleeding and cramping (Merrigan, 2018). Even though the miscarriage may occur early in pregnancy, it may be a substantial loss for the woman, and it may have a long-term impact upon her emotionally, spiritually, and culturally. Nurses and other providers need to provide expert health care and psychosocial care: perform the right tasks and say the right things.
As we remember from our textbooks, the terms “missed abortion” or “spontaneous abortion” have been used to describe a non-elective loss of pregnancy. Now, however, physician and nursing organizations have encouraged the use of “miscarriage” to denote the unintended pregnancy loss. Words such as “fetal demise,” “complete abortion,” and “termination” are stigmatized words and may be viewed by the woman and her family as harsh, implying that an abortion was sought or that the staff medicalized the death of their baby.
Answering nurses’ requests for more information, the West Virginia Perinatal Partnership formed the Perinatal Bereavement Team in 2018, whose purpose is to collaborate with all birthing facilities to establish access to resources and provide consistent quality care to bereaved families experiencing perinatal loss in the state
of West Virginia. An organized bereavement program offers support for parents, siblings, grandparents, extended family, community, and health care staff, which often begins before death and continues well beyond discharge. Bereavement support includes assisting with the difficult end-of-life decisions including goal setting; pain and symptom management; disposition of the body; identifying support systems and community resources; legacy building and memory-making (Levang, Limbo, & Zeigler, 2018; Sousou and Smart, 2015).
Nurses skilled in bereavement care will be available to every birthing hospital to provide hospital based education on the following key points: giving compassionate care in an uncomfortable situation; providing initial family care; acknowledging the importance of bereavement; helping create legacy and memory making; identifying tangible resources including information for parents, grandparents, siblings and staff; and completing appropriate current (albeit confusing) legal documentation on fetal death.
The team will provide a manual, West Virginia Perinatal Loss Guidelines for Care and Legal Paperwork, to each delivering facility. As anyone who has worked with an infant death knows, the legal paperwork is daunting, and disposition of the body can be costly and complex for families. The team has worked hard to make algorithms simple and easy to follow especially for those small hospitals who rarely have an infant loss. A website with links to resources is housed at www.wvperinatal.org. The Perinatal Bereavement Team is committed to providing ongoing consultation to those caring for bereaved families including nursing, ancillary staff, physicians and chaplaincy.
Members of the WV Perinatal Partnership Bereavement Team include:• Mary Meadows, RNC-OB & Alexandra French, RN, LCCE / Cabell Huntington
Hospital • Christy Orndorff, BSN, CHPPN, CPLC, Pediatric Supportive Care Nurse
Coordinator / WVU Medicine Children’s Hospital, Morgantown • Summer Hepler, BSN, RN / Greenbrier Valley Medical Center • Lee Ann Romeo, RNC-OB, CCE, CLC / United Hospital Center• Denise Smith, Perinatal Programs Director / Office of Maternal Child and
Family Health• Shauna Lively, EdD, RN, LCCE, Outreach Education Director / West Virginia
Perinatal Partnership
For more information, contact Shauna Lively at [email protected] or Christy Orndorff at [email protected].
ReferencesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2018). Infant mortality. Retrieved from
https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/MaternalInfantHealth/InfantMortality.htmLevang, E., Limbo, R., & Zeigler, T. R. (2018). Respectful disposition after miscarriage: Clinical
practice recommendations. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, 43 (1), 19-25. doi 10.1097/NMC.0000000000000389
Merrigan, J. L. (2018). Educating emergency department nurses about miscarriage. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, 43(1), 26-31. doi:10.1097/NMC.0000000000000391
Simpson, K. R. (2016). Missed nursing care in the perinatal setting. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, 41 (4), 260. doi:10.1097/NMC.0000000000000250
Sousou, J., and Smart, C. (2015). Care of the childbearing family with intrauterine fetal demise. Nursing for Women’s Health, 19 (3), 236–247. doi.org/10.1111/1751-486X.12205
January, February, March 2019 West Virginia Nurse Page 7
Julie Huron, BSH, LNHA / Executive Director
Happy New Year in 2019 to the nurses of West Virginia! With the new year upon us, we are in another season of change for the association. Our outgoing WVNA president, Dr. Toni DiChiacchio, moves into a new role as the WVNA immediate Past-President and also into the position of the new WVNA government liaison. I am personally a little sad to experience this change, mostly because Toni has become a great friend, fantastic boss, and a fierce mentor to me. The process of following our association’s bylaws means we hold elections, and the association officers change, every two years. This is how the West Virginia Nurses Association evolves and grows. Consider this your invitation to get involved, start joining us on our monthly calls, and add your voice to the conversation!
Membership Corner
Julie A. Huron
We welcome Dr. Laure Marino into the association’s Executive Board as our new WVNA president. Joyce Wilson is our President-Elect, Brenda Keefer has been re-elected to continue as our WVNA Treasurer, and we welcome Teresa Hovatter, BSN, RN, MSOL, TTS, as WVNA’s new voting representative to the ANA Membership Assembly.
I have been working with these nurses for a while and their involvement has been crucial to me and the WVNA. Our incoming President and President-Elect each bring a different perspective to the association, as they come from differing disciplines within nursing – but the message is the same: they are nursing advocates!
All WVNA members are advocates in one way or another. When you have time, you commit yourself and get involved; when you don’t, your contribution as an association member is all that is needed. But consider this – who do you want to determine and speak for you and create laws regarding how you practice as a nurse? Your local banker, physician, local business owner? Do you have a relationship established with your local legislators? If not, consider why and how to get involved
in change. Your membership and involvement with WVNA create the perfect route to take to establish yourself. We can help connect you, and believe me when I say this, your representatives do want to hear from you.
I am very happy to report that during every quarter of 2018 our membership has grown, and we want to include your voice! Nurses realize that WVNA helps to pass legislation that protects patients and nurses. WVNA has a lobbyist and now a WVNA government liaison (we consider this a full team now) who monitor the legislature and watch proposed legislation that could affect your ability to earn a living as a nurse in West Virginia and care for your patients. We hope you consider contributing to the lobbyist fund and we invite you to join in, however you have time! The relationships that we have fostered over the years – with our legislators, partners, stakeholders, and community allow numerous opportunities for WVNA members to connect, at the local, state, and national level.
I consider it an honor to work for nurses of West Virginia!
Please complete and return to:West Virginia Nurses Association | PO Box 1946 | Charleston, West Virginia 25327 | (p) 866.986.8773 or 866.WVNURSE
WVNA/ANA Membership Application
Contact Information
Payment Plans
PAYMENT DETAILS
RN or LPN License # Years Experience
$24.50
RNs who work or live in $151.00 Transfer*
Employed Full/Part Time $288.00 Transfer*
Join the WVNA APRN Council. For an additional $25 you can join this WVNA specialty group; An additional check should be included made payable to WVNA with APRN Council listed in the memo.
Join the external political action committee for nurses. An additional check for $25 should be included made payable to WVN-PAC.
Complete form in its entirety and send check or money order in the amount of $288.
$288.00 (Full) $149.00 (State Only)
2019 WVNA Meeting Dates
Tuesday, March 26, 2019, at 7 p.m. – 1st Quarter Board Meeting Conference Call.
Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at 7 p.m. – 2nd Quarter Board Meeting Conference Call.
Saturday, September 28, 2019 ~ 3 p.m. – Annual Membership Meeting and 3rd Quarter Board Meeting, Charleston Embassy Suites (prior to Future of Nursing West Virginia Gala)
Tuesday, November 19, 2019, at 7 p.m. – 4th Quarter Board Meeting Conference Call.
Every Tuesday during legislative season, we meet by phone from 7p.m.-8p.m.
Email notifications of meetings are sent to the current members of West Virginia Nurses Association, containing the call-in number and access code.
Currently hiring Registered Nurses in all specialties. New graduate nurses welcome.
We offer a great benefits package that includes:• Competitive Pay With BSN Recognition• Employee Tuition Reimbursement Program• Dependent Tuition Assistance Program• A Generous PTO Plan with Paid Holidays• 403B Retirement PlanIf qualified and interested, please apply online http://wvumedicine.org/camden-clark/We are an EOE. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability, veteran status or other protected status.
Human Resources: 304-424-2205
Page 8 West Virginia Nurse January, February, March 2019
Nurse Leader: 40 over 40 Awards
Aila Accad, MSN, RN / Owner, CEO
LifeQuest International, LLC
Pamela Alderman, EdD, MSN, BSN, AA,
RN Dean, Health Sciences, Univ of
Charleston
Nancy Atkins, MSN, APRN, WHNP-BC
Instructor, WVU School of
Nursing
Sandra BarillRN, Retired
Charleston Area Medical Ctr
Becky BrannonRN, BA, MBA /
Chief Nsg OfficerThomas Health
System
Peggy BurkhardtPhD, AHN-BC,
FNP, RN Assoc Prof Emerita, WVU School
of Nursing
Beth ClarkMSN, RN/Clinical Care
CoordinatorWVU Medicine
Martha Cook-CarterDHS , MSN, APRN,
CNM CEOFamilyCare HealthCtrs
Teresa CowanDHEd, ACNS-BC, Asst
Professor Dept Chair,
Univ of Charleston
Alvita NathanielPhD, APRN,FNP-BC,
FAANPProf & Chair/WVU
School of Nsg, Chas.
Jenny Craft RN, CCM, CMSRN,
CCRN Care Coordinator Lead,
KEPRO
Carl DealBSN, RN, Clinical Preceptor WVU
Medicine
Pamela DeiriggiPhD, APRN, PPCNP-
BC Assoc. Prof. Emerita, WVU
Tom GerencirBSN, RN, NE-BC
Nurse Mgr, Charleston Area Medical Ctr
Susie GoodallBSN, RN, CNML
Nurse Mgr, St. Mary’s Medical Ctr
Evelyn KlockeEdD, RN (Ret.)/Asst
Prof Emerita WVU Schl of Nsg/WVU Tech Dept
of Nsg
Loretta B. LongBSN, RN/CNA
InstructorMontgomery Gen Elderly Care Ctr
E. Jane MartinPhD, RN, FAAN Dean & Professor Emerita,
WVU
Linda McClungMSN, RN, NEA-BC
Nurse Mgr, Telemetry /
St. Mary’s Med Ctr
Susan NewfieldPhD, Assoc Prof/
PMHCNS-BC Chair, Fam Health Dept./
WVU Schl of Nursing
Karen HaloszkaRN, ACM / Director of Case Mgmt, Ohio Valley Medical Ctr
Betsy HartRN, CNOR
Charleston Area Medical Ctr
Lou Ann HartleyPhD, RN, NEA-BC, PAHM Pres, CEO/Hartley Healthcare
Connections
Barbara HatfieldRN, Retired
WV House of Delegates
Brenda IsaacBSN, RN, MA, NCSN/
Fmr. Chair, KCHD Lead School Nurse,
Kanawha County
Barbara NightengaleMSN, APRN, NNP-BCWVU Children’s, Dept
of Pediatrics
Dianna BranhamBSN, RN, NE-BC
Nurse Mgr, Charleston Area Medical Ctr
Jan KirbyRN, Employee Health Advocate St. Mary’s
Medical Ctr
In celebrating the contributions of exemplary WV nursing leaders, we are proud to feature these 40 dedicated and talented West Virginia nurses, every one of whom has served the people of the Mountain State and elsewhere – and the nursing profession itself – for at least 40 years.
At the Future of Nursing West Virginia Gala in Charleston on September 29, 2018, these 40 nurses received the Future of Nursing WV Nightingale Award. You can see many more pictures online at https://gregisaacswv.smugmug.com/Events/Future-of-Nursing-2018/.
January, February, March 2019 West Virginia Nurse Page 9
Nurse Leader: 40 over 40 Awards
Debbie NutterADN, RN / Staff Nurse
Pediatrics, United Hospital Ctr
Joyce RabanalBSN, RN
Immaculate Conception Nurse
Ministry
Janice L. SmithMSN, NNP-BC, RN,
Retired Charleston Area Medical Ctr
Tammy NimmoBSN, RN, MSHCA,
CNOR, NEA-BC Dir., Surg. Services, St.
Mary’s Med Ctr
Barbara NunleyPhD, RN/
Assoc Prof EmeritaWVU School of
Nursing
Teresa RitchieDNP, APRN, FNP-BCSenior Lecturer, WVU
School of Nursing
Linda RotruckMSN, RNRetired
Marilyn E. SmithPhD, PMHNP-BC/Clin Prof WVU School of
Nursing
Virginia SelanicDNP, FNP-BC
FamilyCare HealthCtrs
Theresa WhiteMSN, BSN, RN /
Volunteer Immaculate Conception Nurse
Ministry
Ruth Zika RN, retired
HospiceCare
Chris ZinnMSc, BSN, RN/Executive Dir
Hospice Council of WV
Hilary Moles, left, 2017 40 Under 40 award winner, bestows a Nightingale lamp on Loretta Long, right, 2018 40 Over 40 award winner.
Enhanced PRN rates in lieu of benefits and a Sign on Bonus offered!
Discover a retirement community where team members have a heart for providing exceptional care and have the desire to create a memorable experience for our seniors. We’re looking for dynamic licensed nurses who take pride in their work and enjoy working with seniors as part of a dedicated team. If you are looking for a rewarding career in more ways than one, join us in setting the new standard for service. We are currently offering sign on bonuses for LPN’s, RN’s, C.N.A.’s and CMA’s.
We are now hiring for:LPN’s (PRN) RN’s (FT 12 Hour Shift/PRN) C.N.A. (FT 12 Hour Shift/ PRN)CMA (PRN)Administrative Support Clerk (FT)
If you are interested in applying for a position, go to www.nationallutheran.org/careers. It takes the best people to create a great community! EEO employer.
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Our Mission is to treat every patient and each other like a member of our own family.
We offer a competitive benefit package including compensation based on experience, degree, and skill level; in-house education, tuition assistance, and NURSE Corps Loan Repayment site designee; Holiday, shift, and weekend incentives, free on-site parking and so much more!
Qualified individuals, who are a graduate of an accredited school of Nursing with a current registration with the Maryland Board of Nursing or have the ability to obtain before hire, may apply on-line at www.grmc-wvumedicine.org or contact:
Garrett Regional Medical CenterHuman Resources Department251 North Fourth StreetOakland, MD [email protected] P: 301-533-4325, F: 301-533-4328EOE H/V M/F
Page 10 West Virginia Nurse January, February, March 2019
Aila Accad, MSN, RN / Executive Director, FONWVThe Future of Nursing West Virginia Action Coalition (FONWV) is nurses and nursing
champions working together for a healthier West Virginia through strengthening nursing practice, education, and leadership. Here is an update on our progress and an invitation to join us toward creating a culture of health in West Virginia.
2019 Upcoming EventsNurse Entrepreneur Course / March 20, 2019Nursing Workforce Summit / April 5, 2019Awards Gala / September 28, 2019
FONWV’s Nurse Entrepreneur Course launched on October 10, 2018. Six nurses presented their exciting business proposals to members of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and nurse business coaches on November 14, 2018. (See photo above.) Six new nurse-owned health businesses will be launched by our graduates! The spring 2019 course will begin March 20. You can see all course information, view more photos, and enroll on the FONWV website.
Plans for a second WV Nursing Workforce Summit to take place on April 5, 2019, are underway. Featured will be presentations from the FONWV Action Teams and a World-Café-style brainstorming to create next steps for the future. You can see photos and download proceedings from last year’s Summit and register on our website www.FutureofNursingWV.org.
Here is an update on the work of our WV Nursing Workforce Summit Action Teams:
Retaining and Recruiting Nurses at the Bedside• Team Lead: Amy Bullington, MSN, RN • The team is developing how-to toolkits for nurse retention including
Shadowing, Retaining Millennials, Using Externs, Residency Programs, and more. The toolkits are on the FONWV website in development stage. If you have suggestions, please send them to Aila.
Expanding the Pipeline into Nursing• Team Lead: Lynda F. Turner, EdD, MSN, ACNS-BC, CNE • The team is developing a marketing approach to attract more students into
nursing. This includes both students from high school and non-traditional students from other professions. A “Faces of WV Nursing” poster campaign project has been launched, aimed at middle and high schools. (See the photo of Natalie Allen, BSN, RN below right, as an example of one poster so far.)
• The team is seeking photos of young nurses in various nursing roles to showcase on the posters. If you are interested, please e-mail your photo with your name, title of your position, name of your high school attended if in WV, and permission to use your photo to [email protected].
Facilitating the Pathways in Nursing Education• Team Lead: Pamela Alderman, EdD, MSN, RN, and Amy Bruce, MSN, RN, NE-BC • The team is working on approval for a centralized West Virginia nursing school
application, and evaluating peer coaching and mentoring models, as well as the possibility of earning college credit in high school in order to improve student retention through the pathways in nursing education.
Recruiting and Utilizing Nursing Faculty• Team Lead: Maryanne Capp, DNP, RN • The team conducted a survey of WV faculty to determine the motivation for
being a faculty member and challenges facing faculty. The results of the survey will be published in an upcoming white paper.
• Diversity Team Is engaged in attracting more students into nursing from diverse cultural backgrounds through presentations and the “Faces of WV Nursing” posters. They will also be soliciting diverse nominations for the upcoming 2019 40 under 40 Gala Awards.
• Faith Community Nursing Team (FCN), led by Angel Smothers, DNP, APRN, had a fall gathering October 12, 2018, at Blessed Sacrament Parish in South Charleston. Two student nurses attended who are doing a clinical rotation with FCNs in Morgantown (see photo below, center). The FCNs shared programs and learned more about funding sources. The next gathering will be in Parkersburg in spring 2019.
Awards Gala On September 29, 2018, forty nurses with over 40 years in the profession received
Nightingale Awards at the Future of Nursing West Virginia Awards Gala held at the Embassy Suites, Charleston. (See the photo of the Gala team below, left.) You can see more photos and descriptions of the awardees in this issue on pages 8-9 and online at http://www.futureofnursingwv.org/gala.
The 2019 Gala will be held Saturday, September 28, 2019, and feature the next 40 under 40 Emerging Nurse Leaders. Nominations are now open on the website.
Nurses on BoardsIf you are currently serving on a board, whether of a health care organization or
not, please register your board service with the National Nurses on Boards Coalition at https://www.nursesonboardscoalition.org/
As the Nurses on Boards Coalition tells us, “Nurses represent the largest segment of the health care workforce, are considered the most trustworthy of all professions and play a huge role on the frontlines of care in our schools, hospitals, community health centers, long-term care facilities, and other places. Their perspective and influence must be felt more at decision-making tables.”
In the next issue of WV Nurse, watch for an update by WVNA president Laure Marino, DNP, APRN, about West Virginia nurses who have registered their board service.
Graduate Nurses, Nurse Managers, and Preceptors The online Transition to Practice, Mentoring, Precepting, and Nurse Management
Courses have CEs available and are open for enrollment. You can see more about the courses on the FONWV website and enroll in a course at the http://www.carelearning.com/catalog.
Experienced and Retired NursesPlease register in the mentor directory on the website to support our next
generation of nurse leaders. There is no cost, you will have access to the online mentor course and materials, and you will be richly rewarded by the experience.
All FONWV meetings welcome nurses statewide by conference line and webinar. Call or e-mail Aila to discuss your interests.
You can see all the activities on the website www.futureofnursingwv.org. If you are interested in participating in any of the projects, please contact Aila at [email protected].
If you or your organization would like to support the work of the WV Action Coalition, or be a Gala Sponsor, contact Aila [email protected] or sign up on the website at www.FutureofNursingWV.org.
Also, join us on our social media sites:Facebook – look for Future of Nursing WVLinkedIn.com/in/FONWVTwitter.com/FONWV
(L to R): Hilary Moles, Sandra Barill, Nancy Atkins, Sandra Hugueley, Aila Accad,
Darrell Hugueley (master of ceremonies)
(Left) Jordan Smith and (right) Mikaela Atkinson
FUTURE OF NURSING W V UPDATE(L to R): Laure Marino, Todd Miller, Sue Leight, Heather O’Neal, Aila Accad, Heather Freas, Doug Spaulding,
Vicki Spurlock, Cindy Silvia, Carol Matheny, Toni DiChiacchio
January, February, March 2019 West Virginia Nurse Page 11
Opioid Epidemic: West Virginia Nurses RespondAnn Bostic, DNP, APRN, CRNA
West Virginia continues to suffer from the highest rate of drug overdose mortality in the nation. In 2017, the number of West Virginia drug overdose deaths climbed to more than 1,000 for the first time. More than 86% of those deaths involved opioids. This tragic epidemic has taken a significant toll on individuals, families, communities, and government resources. Despite massive statewide initiatives, there seems to be no end in sight. The World Health Organization tells us that by 2020, mental health disorders and substance use disorders (SUD) will surpass all physical diseases as a major cause of disability and death. Addiction is the most serious health problem facing West Virginia and our nation. It’s time for nurses to take action.
With more than 30,000 registered nurses in the state of W.Va., we must begin to ask ourselves, “What are we doing?” to combat this epidemic. Nurses touch more lives than any other health profession. We are on the frontlines of patient care in every health care setting and we are the most trusted of all health professions. We have the power to turn the tide on this opioid epidemic, and it’s time we step up and respond.
The International Nurses Society on Addictions (IntNSA) is a global organization established to promote leadership, professional development, and clinical practice in the field of addiction science. There are IntNSA chapters across the country and worldwide. Advanced specialty in addiction registered nursing is providing opportunities for nurses to take the lead in addiction science, and nurses across the country are becoming certified addiction registered nurses (CARNs and CARN-APs).
What Do Addiction Nurses Do?Addiction nurses save lives by globally impacting
the negative effects of alcohol and other drug use. Working across a full continuum of care including health promotion, prevention, treatment, and recovery, certified addiction registered nurses (CARNs) care for people every step of the way on their journey toward long-term recovery. Addiction nurses educate, advocate,
Ann Bostic, DNP, APRN, CRNA
and promote evidence-based practices that reduce the health burden of addiction. Addiction nurses challenge stigma and advocate for recovery.
What is Recovery?The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA) defines recovery from mental health and/or substance abuse disorders as:
The process of recovery is highly personal and occurs via many pathways. It may include clinical treatment, medications, faith-based pathways, peer support, family support, self-care, and other approaches. Recovery is characterized by continual growth and improvement in one’s health and wellness. Because setbacks are a natural part of life, resilience becomes a key component of recovery. Hope, the belief that one’s challenges and conditions can be overcome, is the foundation of recovery. A person’s recovery is built on his or her strengths, talents, coping abilities, resources, and inherent values. It is holistic, addresses the whole person and their community, and it is supported by peers, friends, and family members.
Expanding Addiction Services and Recovery SupportA West Virginia IntNSA chapter is being established
now and we want you to get involved. This chapter will provide support for licensed nurses in WV to become leaders in addiction science. IntNSA promotes leadership, professional development, and clinical expertise in addiction science. Through advocacy, collaboration, education, research, and policy development, IntNSA supports evidence-based care of individuals affected by addictions. IntNSA supports all pathways toward long-term recovery and provides a platform for nurses to be involved at every level.
How Can You Get Involved?If you are a nurse who cares about West Virginia, it’s
time to get involved. If you are a nurse who has been impacted by the devastating effects of addiction and
Nancy Tyler Wins WVAHC’s Rockefeller Award West Virginians for Affordable Health Care
(WVAHC)
West Virginians for Affordable Health Care (WVAHC) is honoring board member Nancy Tyler, JD, with the Rockefeller Award at its Annual Reception and Fundraising event. This prestigious award honors a lifetime of service in health policy. Nancy worked as counsel for the WV House of Delegates Health Committee for five years and worked as counsel for the WV House Finance Committee for seven years. She was primarily responsible for all health-related bills for the West Virginia Legislature. She has served as director of the WV Office of Health Facilities Licensure and Certification and has had many different positions in the health arena. She has had a long-term commitment to people with disabilities to enable them to be completely integrated into the community. Nancy currently works as a private healthcare consultant to continue this important work.
“The number of uninsured adults in
West Virginia has dropped from 29% to
9% in recent years, the largest improvement
of any state.”
The WVAHC reception will take place on April 18, 2019, from 6 pm-9 pm at the Charleston Woman’s Club. The theme this year is “Telling Our Story.” Thanks to Medicaid, the Affordable Care
Act, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), West Virginia can tell the proud story of the great strides we have made to reduce the number of uninsured people in West Virginia and to save lives. Several West Virginians will share their personal stories at the event.
The number of uninsured adults in West Virginia has dropped from 29% to 9% in recent years, the largest
A process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.”
you want to make a difference, it’s time to get involved. If you are a nurse currently caring for patients with SUD and you want to do more, its time to get involved. Join our WV-IntNSA Chapter and become part of a community of nurses who are responding to the opioid epidemic in this state.
IntNSA’s website is www.intnsa.orgWatch this video from IntNSA on YouTube for
more information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5hwUGf1fA8
Contact Ann Bostic DNP, APRN, CRNA / (304) 208-0707 / [email protected]
You can read more about Ann in another article in this issue of West Virginia Nurse, “The Entrepreneurs’ Corner,” on page 14 of this issue. In addition, Ann Bostic will be a featured speaker on February 19 at the WV Nurses Policy Summit. (See page 15).
improvement of any state. WVAHC works to educate consumers and legislators to protect the advances we have made and to advocate for continuing progress. Nurses are encouraged to lend their support and their voices to help us improve access to affordable health care. You can find out more about how to register or how to donate or sponsor at www.wvahc.org
West Virginians for Affordable Health Care is a tax-exempt, non-profit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to the achievement of high-quality, affordable health care for all West Virginians. Funding comes from public donations, membership dues, and grants. The organization is guided by a 17-member volunteer board.
Page 12 West Virginia Nurse January, February, March 2019
unit staffing and assignment guidelines. The American Nurses Association’s ANA’s Principles for Nurse Staffing 2nd ed. also is an excellent resource.
Review the assignment sheet or whiteboard used on your unit. It has clues to the information you need. It provides the framework for the assignment-making process, including staff constraints, additional duties that must be covered, and patient factors most important on your unit. Use the electronic health record (EHR) to generate various useful pieces of patient information. You also can use the census sheet, patient acuity list, or other documents of nursing activity, such as a generic hospital patient summary or a unit-specific patient report that includes important patient factors.
Depending on your unit, the shift, and the patient population, you’ll need to consider different factors when making assignments. Ask yourself these ques tions: What patient information is important for my unit? Does my unit generate a patient acuity or work load factor? What are the time-consuming tasks on my unit (medications, dressing changes, psychosocial support, total care, isolation)? Which patients require higher surveillance or monitoring?
Finally, always talk to the clinical nurses caring for the patients. Patient conditions change faster than they can be documented in the EHR, so rely on the clinical nurses
Career Sphere
8 steps for making effective nurse-patient assignments By Stephanie B. Allen, PhD, RN, NE-BC
Reprinted from American Nurse Today
Successful assignments require attention to the needs of both nurses and patients.
YOUR MANAGER wants you to learn how to make nurse -patient assignments. What? Already? When did you be came a senior nurse on your floor? But you’re up to the challenge and ready to learn the process.
Nurse-patient assignments help coordinate daily unit activities, matching nurses with patients to meet unit and patient needs for a specific length of time. If you are new to this challenge, try these eight tips as a guide for making nurse-patient assignments.
Find a mentor
Most nurses learn to make nurse-patient assignments from a colleague. Consider asking if you can observe your charge nurse make
assignments. Ask questions to learn what factors are taken into consideration for each assignment. Nurses who make assignments are aware of their importance and are serious in their efforts to consider every piece of information when making them. By asking questions, you’ll
better understand how priorities are set and the thought that’s given to each assignment. Making nurse-patient assignments is challenging, but with your mentor’s help, you’ll move from novice to competent in no time.
Gather your supplies (knowledge) Before completing any nursing task, you need to gather your supplies. In this case, that means knowledge. You’ll need information
about the unit, the nurses, and the patients. (See What you need to know.) Some of this information you already know, and some you’ll need to gather. But make sure you have everything you need before you begin making assignments. Missing and unknown information is dangerous and may jeopardize patient and staff safety.
The unit and its environment will set the foundation for your assignments. The environment (unit physical layout, average patient length of stay [LOS]) defines your process and assignment configuration (nurse-to-patient ratios). You’re probably familiar with your unit’s layout and patient flow, but do you know the average LOS or nurse-to-patient ratios? Do you know what time of day most admissions and discharges occur or the timing of certain daily activities? And do other nursing duties need to be covered (rapid response, on call to another unit)? Review your unit’s policy and procedures manual for
Before you make decisions about nurse-patient assignments, you need as much information as possible about your unit, nurses, and patients.
Common patient decision factors Demographics• Age• Cultural background • Gender• Language
Acuity• Chief complaint • Code status • Cognitive status • Comorbidities• Condition• Diagnosis • History• Lab work • Procedures • Type of surgery• Vital signs • Weight
Workload• Nursing interventions
What you need to know • Admissions, discharges,
transfers• Blood products• Chemotherapy• Drains • Dressing changes• End-of-life care • I.V. therapy • Lines • Medications• Phototherapy• Treatments
• Activities of daily living• Bowel incontinence• Feedings • Total care
Safety measures• Airway • Contact precautions • Dermatologic precautions • Fall precautions• Restraints• Surveillance
Psychosocial support• Emotional needs • Familial support • Intellectual needs
Care coordination• Consultations • Diagnostic tests • Orders • Health Care Provider visit
Common nurse decision factors Demographics• Culture/race• Gender• Generation/age • Personality
Preference• Request to be assigned/not
assigned to a patient
Competence• Certification• Education • Efficiency • Experience• Knowledge/knowledge deficit• Licensure• Orienting• Skills• Speed • Status (float, travel)
Part Time Registered NursePT RN needed for specialty medical practice in Beckley. Patient care and team work are top priority.
To apply please send cover letter and resume.
Fax to 304-346-0704, mail to PO Box 3970, Charleston, WV
25339-3970 or email to [email protected]. EOE
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January, February, March 2019 West Virginia Nurse Page 13
Choose your process Your nurse-patient assignment process may be
dictated by unit layout, patient census, or nurse-to-patient ratio. Most nurses use one of three assignment processes.
Area assignment This process involves assigning nurses and
patients to areas. If you work in the emergency department (ED) or postanesthesia care unit (PACU), you likely make nurse-patient assignments this way. A nurse is assigned to an area, such as triage in the ED or Beds 1 and 2 in the PACU, and then patients are assigned to each area throughout the shift.
Direct assignment The second option is to assign each nurse directly
to a patient. This process works best on units with a lower patient census and nurse-to-patient ratio. For example, on a higher-acuity unit, such as an intensive care unit, the nurse is matched with one or two patients, so a direct assignment is made.
Group assignment With the third option, you assign patients to groups
and then assign the nurse to a group. Bigger units have higher censuses and nurse-to-patient ratios (1:5 or 1:6). They also can have unique physical features or layouts that direct how assign ments are made. A unit might be separated by hallways, divided into pods, or just too large for one nurse to safely provide care to patients in rooms at opposite ends of the unit. So, grouping patients together based on unit geography and other acuity/workload factors may be the safest and most effective way to make assignments.
You also can combine processes. For example, in a labor and delivery unit, you can assign one nurse to the triage area (area process) while another nurse is as-signed to one or two specific patients (direct process). Unit characteristics direct your process for making assignments. Your process will remain the same unless your unit’s geography or patient characteristics (length of stay, nurse-patient ra tio) change.
to confirm each patient’s acuity and individual nurses’ workloads. Nurses want to be asked for input about their patients’ condition, and they’re your best resource.
Now ask yourself: How well do I know the other nurses on my unit? This knowledge is the last piece of information you need before you can make assignments. The names of the nurses assigned to the shift can be found on the unit schedule or a staffing list from a centralized staffing office. If you know the nurses and have worked with them, you’ll be able to determine who has the most and least experience, who’s been on the floor the longest, and who has specialty certifications. You’ll also want to keep in mind who the newest nurses are and who’s still on orientation.
Decide on the process Now that you’ve gathered the information you need, you’re ready to develop your plan for assigning nurses. This step usually combines
the unit layout with your patient flow. Nurses typically use one of three processes – area, direct, or group – to make assignments. (See Choose your process.)
Set priorities for the shift The purpose of nurse-patient assignments is to provide the best and safest care to patients, but other goals will compete for consideration and
priority. This is where making assignments gets difficult. You’ll need to consider continuity of care, new nurse orientation, patient requests and satisfaction, staff well-being, fairness, equal distribution of the workload, nurse development, and workload completion.
Make the assignments Grab your writing instrument and pencil in that first nurse’s name. This first match should satisfy your highest priority. For example, this
nurse and any other returning nurses are reassigned to
the patients they had on their previous shift. If, however, you have a complex patient with a higher-than-average acuity, you just assigned your best nurse to this patient. After you’ve satisfied your highest priority, move to your next highest priority and match nurses with unassigned patients and areas.
Sounds easy, right? Frequently, though, you’ll be faced with competing priorities that aren’t easy to rate, and completing the assignments may take a few tries. You want to satisfy as many of your priorities as you can while also delivering safe, quality nursing care to patients. You’ll shuffle, move, and change assignments many times before you’re satisfied that you’ve maximized your priorities and the potential for positive outcomes. Congratulate yourself – the nurse-patient assignments are finally made.
Adjust the assignments You just made the assignments, so why do you need to adjust them? The nurse-patient assignment list is a living, breathing document.
It involves people who are constantly changing – their conditions improve and deteriorate, they’re admitted and discharged, and their nursing needs can change in an instant. The assignment process requires constant evaluation and reevaluation of information and priorities. And that’s why the assignments are usually written in pencil on paper or in marker on a dry-erase board.
As the charge nurse, you must communicate with patients and staff throughout the shift and react to changing needs by updating assignments. Your goal is to ensure patients receive the best care possible; how that’s ac complished can change from minute to minute.
Evaluate successWhat’s the best way to eval uate the success of your nurse-patient assignments? Think back to your priorities and goals. Did all the patients
receive safe, quality care? Did you maintain continuity
of care? Did the new nurse get the best orientation experience? Were the assignments fair? Measure success based on patient and nurse outcomes.
Check in with the nurses and patients to get their feedback. Ask how the assignment went. Did everyone get his or her work done? Were all the patients’ needs met? What could have been done better? Get specifics. Transparency is key here. Explain your rationale for each assignment (including your focus on patient safety) and keep in mind that you have more information than the nurses. You’re directing activity across the entire unit, so you see the big picture. Your colleagues will be much more understanding when you share your perspective. When you speak with patients, ask about their experiences and if all their needs were met.
Keep practicingNurse-patient assignments never lose their complexity, but you’ll get better at recognizing potential pitfalls and maximizing patient and
nurse outcomes. Keep practicing and remember that good assignments contribute to nurses’ overall job satisfaction.
Stephanie B. Allen is an assistant professor at Pace University in Pleasantville, New York.
Selected references Allen SB. The nurse-patient assignment process: What clinical
nurses and patients think. MEDSURG Nurs. 2018;27(2):77-82. Allen SB. The nurse-patient assignment: Purposes and decision
factors. J Nurs Adm. 2015;45(12):628-35. Allen SB. Assignments matter: Results of a nurse-patient
assignment survey. MEDSURG Nurs [in press]. American Nurses Association (ANA). ANA‘s Principles for Nurse
Staffing. 2nd ed. Silver Spring, MD: ANA; 2012.
To access electronic copies of the West Virginia Nurse,
please visit
http://www.nursingald.com/publications
Page 14 West Virginia Nurse January, February, March 2019
The Entrepreneur’s CornerAnn Bostic, DNP, APRN, CRNA
Welcome to the sixth installment in the West Virginia Nurse series “Entrepreneur’s Corner.” Fostering the growth of nurse entrepreneurs is one of the key missions of Future of Nursing West Virginia (FONWV), a partner of WVNA.
This month’s installment features Ann Bostic, DNP, APRN, CRNA, who owns a business known as Independent Healthcare Providers Corp. Ann received her master’s of science in nurse anesthesia from WVU, and her doctorate in nursing practice also from WVU. You can read more about Ann in another article in this issue of West Virginia Nurse, “Opioid Epidemic: West Virginia Nurses Respond,” on page 11 of this issue.
I will never forget the nurse who inspired me to begin my nursing career. I was 18 years old, a recent high school graduate, and a young mother. I had no direction or plans for college and I was scared to death. I met a nurse who took time to share her experience with me. She was passionate about her work and proud to be a nurse. She inspired me and through her kind and gentle nature she gave me the courage to do what she had done and become a nurse.
I worked as a staff nurse for several years, climbing the clinical ladder at Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) and taking numerous opportunities to work in different departments. I was eager to learn everything I could about nursing. Working in the emergency department at CAMC, I met the nurse who inspired me to step once again out of my comfort zone. Her name was Annette Hightower. She was kind and gentle and took time to tell me about the work she did as a nurse anesthetist. I was inspired by her passion, and before long found myself applying for anesthesia school. At 35 years old with two sons in high school, I found myself preparing once again to venture into unknown territory, and once again I was scared to death.
Not long out of anesthesia school, a whole new world of opportunities opened
Ann Bostic, DNP, APRN, CRNA
to me, and I realized the significance of that one brief encounter in the emergency department. One nurse who shared her love for nurse anesthesia, inspired me to reach new heights and I was amazed once again. I was a nurse anesthetist facing new challenges and opportunities that I never dreamed possible. I wanted to learn every kind of anesthesia and I wanted to be autonomous and confident in my new role, so I went to work for a small rural hospital in WV where I was given this opportunity.
My business idea began to take shape in 2000. There were so many opportunities to practice as a CRNA and I wanted to travel and experience some of those opportunities. I learned that practicing as an Independent practitioner could afford me numerous benefits, including more autonomy, higher pay, greater flexibility in my schedule, and much-needed tax breaks.
In 2001, I created my business plan, formed my corporation and once again stepped out of my comfort zone. Over the next seven years, I traveled and worked in more than 30 hospitals from California to New York to Florida and even the Virgin Islands. I learned how to negotiate contracts, how to bill for my services, and how to be comfortable working in many different clinical settings.
At first, my business “Independent Healthcare Providers Corp.,” included only me providing anesthesia services. But before long, other CRNAs asked me to help them become independent practitioners, too. For some, it was frightening to leave the “security blanket” of hospital employment. There were many things to consider. Health insurance, life insurance, retirement, disability, malpractice, social security, and all of this was taken care of under the “security blanket” of employment. Independent practitioners must be willing to take on the responsibility of creating their own “security blanket.” For some this is an exciting challenge; for others it is a daunting task and way too much work.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2018), employer costs for compensation (wages and salaries) average about 68.3% of cost, and the benefits an employer provides average about 31.7% of cost. These numbers have been pretty consistent for a number of years. Thus, an independent practitioner must negotiate a salary that is 32% above their colleagues who are employed, in order to compensate for not receiving the benefits that an employee receives. One thing I learned as I was building my business was that employees did not appreciate the value of their benefits. As an independent practitioner, I was charging rates that were about 32% higher than the hourly rate of my employed colleagues, and it was
January, February, March 2019 West Virginia Nurse Page 15
hard for employees to understand that the additional hourly amount was really just compensation to cover the cost I would have had to pay to buy my own benefits.
In 2001, my company began negotiating contracts with hospitals and other health care facilities for the services of anesthesia. In most cases, we bill the hospital an hourly rate for the services provided and any travel expenses incurred, and we pay the CRNA for their service and travel. Our profit comes from fees we charge the hospital for recruiting the CRNA, coordinating the credentialing process, and keeping them engaged as a provider. In my business, I have also negotiated contracts in office settings that required me to bill insurance companies and patients directly for anesthesia services. This type of contract typically generates significantly more revenue, but it requires additional time and expense for the direct billing of services.
All the nurse anesthetists who work for me are independent practitioners. They take care of all their own benefits, they pay their social security, and cover their own malpractice. In return, they have the flexibility of working in several practice settings, the freedom to take time off whenever they want, the choice to work part time or full time, and they receive an hourly rate that is typically 30-40% higher than that of a hospital employee. In addition, they can choose to work in an anesthesia care team environment or in a more autonomous work environment where they are the sole anesthesia provider. Working as an independent practitioner is certainly not for everyone, but many who try it find the challenge quite invigorating.
As a nurse anesthetist and a business owner, my role is two-fold. I am a clinician as well as an entrepreneur. I must manage a very tight schedule and maneuver between an operating room and an office on a regular basis. When I go on vacation, my business goes with me. Much of the administrative work is done right from my laptop. Being a business owner has been exciting as well as exhausting, challenging as well as frustrating. In the beginning, I was completely overwhelmed, as my business grew from just one anesthesia provider to more than 50 in less than ten years.
Nurse anesthesia has been a wonderful career. Being self-employed as a nurse anesthetist and running a business that gives other nurse anesthetists the opportunity to be self-employed has been very rewarding. The knowledge and skills I have gained over the years has allowed me to offer additional business services, including consulting and continuing education.
There are many things I would probably do differently if I were to go back and start all over again. One thing for sure, I would ask for more help from others. I think it’s common for new business owners to become so attached to their business they want to do everything on their own. It’s so hard to ask others for help because, as the owner, you feel as if no one can do it as well as you can. Falling into this trap can set a business owner up for exhaustion and frustration, especially when the business begins to grow faster than what the owner is ready for. It’s important to ask for help.
It is also important to learn how to balance your life so that business does not become all you do. I have learned, over the years, to take much more time for family, friendships, exercise, yoga, recreation, and traveling for fun and adventure.
I believe a person’s success in business is not dependent on their business knowledge or how much money they have to start up a business. Success requires that a person have a vision for new opportunities and courage to step out of their comfort zone into unknown territory that may be very frightening. It requires a person to work extra hard and be willing to carry on despite exhaustion and frustration. It requires a person to take on challenges that frighten most people away. And it requires a nurse to be a leader and not a follower.
In my career I have been inspired by the passion of nursing leaders every step of the way. Those nurses who inspired me to go to the next level in my nursing career are my heroes. Those who inspired me to start my own business are also my heroes. In my business and in my profession, I hope to inspire other nurses to have the courage to step out of their comfort zones and reach for new opportunities. Opportunities are everywhere! Wherever there is an unmet need, there is an opportunity for business. I love to see nurses starting their own businesses, but more importantly, I love to see nurses passionate about their work. It is that passion that inspires others to seek out new challenges and really become the best they can be.
2019 West Virginia Nurse Policy Summitalso known as “Unity Day”
2019 West Virginia Nurse PolicySummit
All WV nurses are invited to join us for a policy day that will meet the needs of all
nurses across West Virginia!
This is a day for Nurses, Providers, Students & Legislators!
The event starts at the Embassy Suites, Charleston, WV & with ANA Enterprise CEO, Dr. Loressa Cole. 7 hours of CEUs have been applied for and many other
events are taking place.
Watch our website for details
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