HPNA Welcomes Newly Elected Board Members
The Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association is pleased to announce the following newly elected members to its Board of Directors; these five individuals will begin the 3-year term in January of 2011.
Todd Hultman, PhD, ACNP, ACHPN(R), who begins his second term on the HPNA Board of Directors is a palliative care nurse practitioner at Massachusetts General Hospital and currently serves as president-elect of the HPNA.
Beverly Paukstis, MS, RN, CHPN(R), CHPCA, who is director of hospice for Community Hospice of DC, VA, MD, and The Washington Home will be returning for her second term on the HPNA Board of Directors.
Judy Bartel, MSN, ACHPN(R), CHPCA, FPCN, will begin her first term of service and is director of clinical programs, Hospice of Western Reserve in Cleveland, OH. Judy has been involved with HPNA for many years, including presenting at regional and national conferences, coauthoring a chapter in the Core Curriculum for the Advanced Practice Hospice and Palliative Nurse, reviewing HPNA materials for publication and membership in the local chapter.
Barbara Cliff, PhD, RN, who will be returning to the HPNA Board of Directors for a second term is president/CEO of Windber Medical Center in Windber, PA, and also an adjunct assistant professor, Hospice Education, at Madonna University in Livonia, MI. She has extensive experience on nonprofit boards.
Jennifer Gentry, MSN, RN, ANP-BC, ACHPN(R), FPCN, is a nurse practitioner at Duke University Hospital Palliative Care Service and clinical associate at Duke University School of Nursing in Durham, NC. An active member of HPNA, Jennifer has led formation of the Triangle (NC) Chapter, served on the AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly Planning Committee, and was a member of the HPNA Education Services Committee.
2010 Alliance Summit
On June 18, 2010, six nursing specialists joined with the seven Alliance for Excellence in Hospice and Palliative Nursing Board of Trustees for the third annual 2010 Alliance Summit facilitated by Michela Perrone, PhD. Guest specialists included
* Donna Bednarski, MSN, RN, ANP-BC, CNN, CNP, American Nephrology Nurses Association;
* Marian Essey, BSN, RN, Celtic Healthcare representing Home Health Nurses;
* Terry Grimes, MN, RN-BC, FNP-BC, CCRN, American Society for Pain Management Nursing;
* Gail Lenehan, EdD, MSN, RN, FAEN, FAAN, Emergency Nurses Association;
* Nanci McLeskey, MC, MDiv, RN-BC, FNGNA, National Gerontological Nurses Association; and
* Sue Wingate, PhD, RN, CRNP, American Association of Heart Failure Nurses.
The objectives of the summit were to analyze current palliative care practices within the various nursing specialties, provide shared knowledge opportunities, and seek ways to collaborate in the future. Numerous valuable threads of discussion surfaced throughout the day providing excellent opportunities to collaborate around common concerns. These threads included educational gaps, pain management and the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) process, continued nursing competency, difficult conversations with patients and families, and transitions of care. Following small group sessions, the summit participants were able to offer outstanding recommendations for our future collaborative efforts in these areas.
The Alliance Board of Trustee members provided the following promises to the guest attendees:
* We will plan to swap exhibit booths at regional meetings.
* We will provide "live chat" education and offer access to HPNA Live Chats for members of each specialty.
* We will provide a publish-ready article for sharing in each specialty's e-newsletter.
* We will write a featured article in the HPNA E-newsletter about each specialty.
* We will cross-reference chapters to encourage collaborative learning on the local level.
* We will encourage specialties to direct their members to the free Patient/Family Teaching Sheets, Nursing Assistant TIP sheets, Quick Information Sheets, and Position Statements available on the HPNA Web site.
In return, the guest attendees offered many opportunities for collaboration such as
* being the guest speaker of an HPNA Live Chat,
* facilitating communication exchanges through listservs,
* exhibit booth swaps,
* providing opportunities for abstract/poster submissions,
* swapping Web site links,
* providing list of chapter contacts,
* sharing information about summit event with respective boards, and
* seeking opportunities for collaboration in the future.
The 2010 Summit was seen as the most successful to date. The level of guest commitment was exceptional, and the camaraderie was apparent, beginning with the early-morning walk along the Montour Trail and continuing throughout the day. The successful outcome of this summit was confirmed when the guests and board members alike proclaimed the value of the day and offered ongoing support and future strengthening of these initial collaborative efforts.
Congratulations to Our First Research Scholars Awardees!
The HPNA Board has announced that five members have been selected as the first group of HPNA Research Scholars:
* Abraham Brody, PhD, RN, GNP-BC
* Lisa Lindley, MS, RN
* Polly Mazanec, PhD, ACNP-BC, AOCN, FPCN
* Denice Sheehan PhD, RN
* Gail Towsley, PhD, NHA
The HPNA Research Scholars Program supported funding to participate in the Fourth Annual Kathleen Foley Palliative Care Retreat and Research Symposium of the National Palliative Care Research Center, cosponsored by AAHPM, American Cancer Society, and HPNA. The retreat was held October 12-14, 2010, in Sundance, UT. Also participating in the retreat were the recipients of National Palliative Care Research Center Pilot/Exploratory Grants and Career Development Awards and recipients of American Cancer Society Palliative Care Pilot/Exploratory Grant Awards. The goal of the retreat was to advance the scientific endeavors of those who are or will become independent investigators actively involved in palliative care research through development of attendees' individual works in progress and improvement of specific competencies and core methodologies essential to conducting palliative care research. The meeting format includes didactic lectures, small group discussion by topic area and/or discipline, mock study sections, poster presentations, and networking opportunities.
Applications for the 2011 HPNA Research Scholars Program can be found on the "Research" tab of the Web site, http://www.hpna.org. HPNA members whose membership has been in good standing for at least 1 year are invited to submit applications by January 15, 2011, to participate in the fall 2011 Kathleen Foley Palliative Care Retreat and Research Symposium.
HPNA Releases Drug Disposal Guidelines
HPNA has committed to providing best practice recommendations to assist our members in the development of a drug disposal policy in accordance with federal, state, and local guidelines as well as the Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Hospice Conditions of Participation.
The HPNA Board of Directors recently approved an additional education resource document entitled, "Recommendations for Safe Drug Disposal in the Home Setting."
The Recommendations include two supplemental resource documents:
* Medication Waste and Destruction Decision Tree
* Drug Waste and Destruction Log
The full document and supplements are available on the Education/Education Resources menu of the HPNA Web site, http://www.hpna.org.
Chapters Committee Chair, A Retrospective View
Over the past year, it has been my pleasure to serve as the Chapters Committee Chair and West Coast District Leader. As my term ends, I would like to share the committee's accomplishments over the past year. Your district leaders have met monthly via telephone conferences to discuss chapter and district issues; they have listened to the chapters they represent and brought your ideas, suggestions, and issues forward for discussion at the national level.
Those of you who are members of your local chapter can be assured your chapter leaders are communicating with your district leaders, who are in turn communicating with HPNA at the national level. Your voices have been heard, and the chapters committee has been busy this year evaluating and implementing chapters improvements, such as the following:
* Guidance now exists for chapters wishing to hold elections online.
* The chapters committee put together information in the chapter's central area to include tool kits to provide resources for chapter presidents, vice presidents, treasurers, and secretaries.
* A chapter listserv was started for chapter leaders to share information.
These dedicated district leaders are a crucial component to planning leadership weekend. Based on feedback from chapter representatives, district leaders have implemented various topics, and leadership weekend is more exciting every year.
The past year has brought tremendous growth in our chapter program: seven chapters were chartered, and 12 provisional groups were initiated since last year's leadership weekend, bringing our total to 42 chartered chapters. Interest in chapters has increased as more HPNA members attended chapter events at the AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly.
The chapters committee would like to thank all of the chapters and provisional groups who provided suggestions and recommendations for the program. Communication with the chapters enables the district leaders to represent the needs of our members through the chapter. I encourage all of you to join your local HPNA chapter or start one in your area.
Carma Erickson-Hurt, APRN, ACHPN(R)
Keeping Tabs on "The Hill"
With healthcare reform implementation in its beginning stages and important pieces of nursing legislation on the horizon, being an informed nursing advocate is more important than ever! Did you know that HPNA offers numerous ways to stay informed on the happenings in and around "The Beltway"? Log in to the Members Only area of the HPNA Web site to more fully take advantage of legislative materials and advocacy tools, free of charge! Some of the many options on the HPNA Web site include
* Active Legislation (in Members Only area of Web site)-updates on current legislation being followed by the Public Policy Committee and HPNA Board.
* Legislative Assistant Archive (in Members Only area of Web site)-archived HPNA e-newsletter with current news from Capitol Hill, delivered monthly to members of the Public Policy SIG and HPNA State Ambassadors.
* Public Policy Blog-news affecting hospice and palliative nursing in short, concise messages.
* Public Policy Resources-search for current legislative information, find key policy statistics, research nursing policy news, or contact your local and state legislators.
* State Ambassadors Program-the goal of State Ambassadors Program is to develop a group of HPNA members with interest and expertise in health policy.
HPNA Board Approves Updated Public Policy Guiding Principles
The HPNA Board of Directors recently approved updates to the HPNA Public Policy Guiding Principles. The changes were required to better address current topics in the field of hospice and palliative nursing. The revised guiding principles can be found below:
HPNA acts independently and with collaborating organizations to address hospice and palliative care issues at the national, state, local, and regional levels. HPNA bases its public policy positions and actions on the following guiding principles.
1. HPNA asserts that it is the responsibility and obligation of clinicians to address hospice/palliative care public policy and regulatory issues that impact the health-related quality of life of patients and caregivers living with progressive chronic and/or life-limiting illnesses and conditions.
2. HPNA takes a leadership and advocacy role to ensure equitable access to comprehensive palliative care as defined by the National Consensus Project Practice Clinical Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care, across the life span and illness continuums.
3. HPNA works independently and collaboratively to promote ethical and competent provision of hospice/palliative care based on the expressed goals of the patient and family/caregivers as the unit of care.
4. HPNA takes a leadership and advocacy role in regulatory issues and public education regarding the legitimate use and the misuse of prescription medication.
5. HPNA advocates for nursing workforce and professional education issues as they impact hospice/palliative care.
6. HPNA advocates for equitable funding for hospice/palliative care research.
7. HPNA supports improved access to comprehensive healthcare for appropriate management of physical and emotional symptoms that allows patients to achieve the highest quality of life through the relief of suffering in all of its manifestations.
HPNA E-Learning Opportunities
The webinars (online programs) allow for access to up-to-date, convenient, self-paced learning with real-time test grading and printing of your CE certificate. Continuing nursing education contact hours are awarded for each program.
The 20 educational programs offered are on a wide range of clinical and professional topics for those caring for persons with life-limiting illnesses. All members of the interdisciplinary team may find the information appropriate and helpful.
A sampling of the current topics available:
* Advance Care Planning
* Care for the Family Caregiver
* CMS Conditions of Participation/Eligibility
* Dying a Good Death: Terminal Dehydration and Anorexia
* Dying and Death in the Worlds of Children
* GI Symptoms in Hospice and Palliative Care Patients
* Issues Around Deactivating Cardiac Devices
* Opioids in Palliative Care
* Pain Management
* Palliative Care Algorithms and Protocols for Symptom Management
* Symptom Management: Heart Failure
* Veteran-Related Issues
HPNA members receive a discount! Access e-learning on your HPNA Members Only page in order to receive HPNA member pricing.
HPNF Scholarships and Grants Recipients
The Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation conferred nine scholarships during the June application period. Congratulations to the deserving recipients!
Conference Scholarships
Paula Forest
Lores Vlaminck
Academic Scholarships
Judith Adams
Elizabeth Anne Blackwell
Karen Peereboom
Joceyln Reeves
Certification Exam Scholarships
DeAnna Looper
Kimberly Frier
Cynthia Rohret
December HPNF Awards
December 1 is the next application deadline for HPNF scholarships. The Conference Scholarship reimburses the early-registration fee for HPNA nurse-members to the Annual Assembly in Vancouver. Five scholarships are available. HPNF also supports members who pay for the certification examination out of pocket. There are five Certification Exam Scholarships for those who pass the test taken in the June and September windows.
Please consider applying for one of these awards or encourage your colleagues, friends, and staff members to do so. Find all the information on the HPNF Web site, http://www.hpnf.org, or call 412-787-9301. Share this valuable information with your colleagues!
Annual Assembly Abstracts
Have you ever thought about submitting an abstract for the AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly? Would you like the opportunity to share your experiences and discoveries with your colleagues? If this is a professional goal for you, begin to explore the ways to succeed for the 2012 Annual Assembly to be held in Denver, CO. The call for abstracts will be posted in early 2011. It is not too early to begin the process to maximize the acceptance of your abstract submission. There are many resources available to you through HPNA.
Where to begin? According to Dr Maryjo Prince Paul, the place to begin is with an idea keeping in mind the key elements:
* What is the novel and compelling idea? "So What?" "Who Cares?"
* Does the topic identify a gap in the literature or the state of the science?
* Is it a clinical phenomenon that needs illuminated?
* Is it novel, a new idea that needs to be shared with others?
* Using Bloom's taxonomy of action verbs, do learning objectives match the content of the abstract?
According to Dr Prince Paul, you have to capture the reviewer with the first sentence-"at hello"! The first sentence drives the tone of the entire abstract; it determines the interest of the reader! Identifying the interdisciplinary team, reaching across institutions, and demonstrating collaboration are all very important. The word limit is 300 words, which can very challenging. The title should be "catchy," not "corny," and last-minute writing of the abstract usually produces "last place" in evaluating. Peer review is a must! Dr Prince Paul has offered to be that peer reviewer before the final reviewers have their opportunity. If you are interested in realizing your professional goal of submitting an abstract for a concurrent session, a workshop, scientific paper, or poster, visit the list of webinars on the Web site to learn more or notify us at the National Office so we can guide you to the many help lines that are already in place for you.
Call for Nominations
The HPNA Board Development and Leadership Committee is seeking nominations (including self-nominations) for individuals to serve on the Board of Directors. The association proudly serves as the voice for members providing quality hospice and palliative care nursing. We are seeking energetic, experienced, and passionate hospice and palliative nurses who will lead the provision of palliative nursing into the future.
Commitment and Eligibility
Applicants for the HPNA Board of Directors must have been a HPNA voting member for a minimum of 2 years and an active participant in the work of the organization.
Board terms are for 3 years. Director obligations include attendance at a minimum of four board meetings per year, active work on two committees, attendance at the Annual Membership Meeting, and other face-to-face and/or phone responsibilities that might be required. Further details are noted on the HPNA Web site.
Expenses related to board and committee participation are reimbursed. No other remuneration is provided.
Nomination Process
All applicants are required to provide the following information postmarked no later than March 1 to Chair, Nominating Committee, Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association, One Penn Center West, Suite 229, Pittsburgh, PA 15276.
1. Submit a letter stating willingness to serve on the HPNA Board of Directors. Included in this letter, of 250 words or less (which will be viewed by the HPNA membership if applicant is slated on the ballot), must be:
2.
* involvement in all HPNA local and national activities,
* specialized skills and/or experience the applicant expects to bring to the Board of Directors as these will further the mission of HPNA, and
* previous board experience including training and leadership classes, fiscal management, and/or marketing activities related to nonprofit organizations and their boards.
* Provide a professional resume, which must include the applicant's current mailing address, preferred telephone number, and e-address for contact related to HPNA Board application.
* Include two letters of recommendation. References may be contacted by the Board Leadership and Development Committee. If currently employed, one letter of recommendation must be from the applicant's employer. This letter must indicate the employer's support for the applicant's participation on the Board of Directors and the employer's specific agreement to the time commitment as outlined in the Commitment and Eligibility section of this information.
HPNA Welcomes Two New Local Chapters
Congratulations to two newly approved local chapters recently awarded charter by the HPNA Board of Directors! In addition to be acknowledged at the 2011 AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly in Vancouver, BC, Canada, the chapters will receive an official certificate of Chapter Charter at the 2011 HPNA Leadership Weekend:
Greater Palm Beach & Treasure Coast (FL) and the
OK-HPNA (Oklahoma City, OK)
HPNA now has 42 chapters across the United States! To contact an HPNA chapter in your local area, please visit the Chapter area of the HPNA Web site, http://www.hpna.org.
Record Numbers Attend Eighth Annual HPNA Leadership Weekend
Planned by the seven HPNA District Leaders and HPNA staff, the HPNA Leadership Weekend has become the marquee event of the year for the HPNA Chapters Program. This year, a total of 82 HPNA chapter/provisional group leaders participated.
The HPNA Board of Directors continues the commitment to provide financial support for one local chapter representative, a qualifying provisional group leader, and the Standing Association Committee chairs to attend-expense free! This dynamic and energizing weekend directly showcases the HPNA Board's ongoing support of membership involvement in HPNA leadership and provides opportunities to interface with the Board.
For chapter attendees, the intent of the Leadership Weekend is to share information about the chapter requirements and discover ways to improve local chapter/provisional groups. Interested in starting a chapter? Visit the "How to Start a Chapter" area of the Web site or e-mail Chad Reilly at [email protected].
Our 25th Anniversary Photo Album-Include Your memories!
Twenty-five years of HPNA! As we celebrate the 25th Anniversary in 2011, HPNA is looking for you to join in on the festivities! We particularly would like you to share your photos with us-from past conferences or highlights of your local chapter activities or an HPNA Leadership Weekend-as many as you would like! The 25th Anniversary Celebration will spread across the year, but to get you started in the festivities:
* 25th Anniversary Photo Album: Look for the link on the HPNA homepage! You can include your favorite photos in HPNA's official 25th Anniversary Photo Album via this online service through Flickr using the following directions:
Step 1: Prepare to send an e-mail to [email protected]
Step 2: Attach a jpeg file of the photo
Step 3: Type your name and credentials in the subject line of the e-mail.
Step 4: Type a short description (10-15 words in length) in the body of the e-mail.
Step 5: Send the e-mail!
Step 6: Finished! Your photo and personal description will soon be placed on a HPNA 25th Anniversary Slideshow, to be displayed on the Web site throughout 2011. Add your photo memories to our 25th Anniversary Photo Album!
New for Your 2011! Send HPNA Your Creative Works to HPNA's Expressions
Are you an HPNA member who has written a poem or story about hospice and palliative nursing and would like to share it with other members? Have you written a narrative that depicts hospice and palliative nursing? The HPNA National Office would like to hear from you! Beginning in January, 2011, you have an opportunity to have your creative works shared through HPNA's online journal, Expressions.
In Expressions, HPNA members' creative works will be posted in an electronic journal for viewing on the HPNA Web site. Send your submission to the Assistant Director of Membership, Chad Reilly, at [email protected], in the National Office. You can also mail creative works to the HPNA National Office, One Penn Center West, Suite 229, Pittsburgh, PA 15276.
Please note: All submissions must be mindful of maintaining confidentiality of all parties. Because of an anticipated large volume of submissions, CREATIVE WORKS WILL NOT BE RETURNED. Submitting copies of your work, not originals, is strongly encouraged. HPNA reserves the right to final decisions regarding what will be posted on our Web site. Expressions will be updated monthly.
Save the Date!
NBCHPN(R) will host its 10th Annual Certification Recognition Event during the 2011 Annual Assembly of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association in Vancouver, BC, Canada. The luncheon will be held on Thursday, February 17, 2011. Karen Kehl, PhD, RN, ACHPN(R), will be the keynote speaker. Seating is limited to the first 250 registrants. Registration details are posted on our Web site, http://www.nbchpn.org.
Hospice and Palliative Pediatric RN Exam is Coming!
The hospice and palliative pediatric RN examination will be available for the March 2011 testing window.
The Candidate Handbook and written application for the RN pediatric examination are available online by visiting our Web site, http://www.nbchpn.org.
For more information regarding the eligibility criteria, detailed content outline of the information covered on the exam, and recent role delineation study, please visit our Web site, http://www.nbchpn.org, and view the RN PEDS menu under the EXAMS tab.
Certification Renewal Information Available for APNs, RNs, and Administrators
The 2011 APRN HPAR (APRN Hospice and Palliative Accrual for Recertification) and 2011 RN HPAR (RN Hospice and Palliative Alternative Recertification) applications for renewal can be received in the National Office anytime after January 1 but must be received by March 1, 2011.
The 2012 Administrator HPAR application is now posted on our Web site for CHPCAs who are due to renew their certification in 2012.
All HPAR applications can be downloaded from our Web site, http://www.nbchpn.org.
CE Tracker Available!
What Is CE Tracker?
CE Tracker is a way to keep an all-inclusive record of your professional development accomplishments.
* CE Tracker is a FREE benefit for NBCHPN(R) certificants and HPNA members!
* Use this service to log your information for the APRN HPAR or RN HPAR certification renewal.
* For more information and to register, visit http://www.nbchpn.org, view RESOURCES, and click on the CE Tracker button.