CELEBRATING OUR 25TH ANNIVERSARY
In the summer 1993 issue of FANFARE (Vol. VIII No. 5), President Micki Tubbs reflected on her May 5, 1993, participation, along with HNA Vice President Madalon Amenta in a historic White House Rose Garden ceremony with President Clinton marking the beginning of National Nurses Week-the Association was just 6 years old at the time and represented nearly 1500 members across the United States.
The visibility and involvement of HPNA in activities on the national level has incrementally grown since that 1993 White House visit, to the point that the 2008 Standing Association Public Policy Committee recommended to the HPNA Board that we expand our presence through representation in Washington, DC. As you have read through our Legislative Alert's and HPNA e-Newsletters, HPNA is actively involved in a variety of ways on topics ranging from national healthcare reform to FDA regulation of controlled substances. Your comments to us through membership surveys and e-mails as well as through the HPNA State Ambassadors program continue to provide the HPNA Board with the information needed to make an impact on our legislators.
In a similar vein, HPNA has been involved in nursing research across the 25 years of our history. Early surveys of our membership included topics of spirituality and the determination of a need for a specialty certification examination. The HPNA Research Standing Association Committee was established in 2005 (an outgrowth of our 2001 Research Task Force). This committee was responsible for bringing the 2009 to 2012 HPNA Research Agenda to the HPNA Board of Directors and is now developing the second iteration of the agenda.
Over our 25 years as an association, our focus on the public policy/advocacy and research interests of our members has grown to be a more significant role. Please view the special Anniversary Web page at http://www.hpna.org for more details about the history of HPNA.
MEMBERSHIP FEES FOR 2012
As is done every 3 years, the HPNA Board had asked the Membership Committee to review the current membership fees, which have remained unchanged since 2006. Deliberative discussions included the current economic climate specific to salary freezes, a desire to keep fees affordable to grow membership both at the national and the chapter levels and the increased membership benefits over the past 5 years (a partial listing includes a second official journal [JPM online]; E-Learning courses; "Live Chats"; more publications; "presence in Washington, DC"; Research Scholars Program; initiation of the Clinical Practice Forum conferences; free CE-tracking professional portfolio; increase to eight issues of JHPN-see note below).
The Membership Committee provided proposed recommendations to the HPNA Board, which made a final determination of the 2012 fee structure announced in October 2011.
Renewing in advance of your current expiration date, to ensure 2011 fees, extends your membership beyond your current membership expiration date. As always, early membership renewals extend the existing membership expiration date.
INCREASED JHPN ISSUES IN 2012
The HPNA Board of Directors has approved increasing the number of published issues of the Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing from six issues per year to eight issues per year, beginning 2012. Increased journal visibility and the supportive efforts of the editor and the editorial staff have resulted in a greater number of manuscript submissions over the past 2 years. The HPNA Board is pleased by the increased number of quality manuscripts and voted to increase to eight issues per year to support one of the most valued HPNA membership benefits, the JHPN.
HPNA WELCOMES NEWLY ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS
The HPNA is pleased to announce the following newly elected members to its board of directors; these four individuals will begin the 3-year term in January of 2012:
Jody Chrastek, DNP, RN, CHPN; Maryjo Prince-Paul, PhD, APRN, ACHPN, FPCN; JoAnne Reifsnyder, PhD, ACHPN; and Barbara Usher, PhD, RN, GCNS-BC, ACHPN.
Jody Chrastek, DNP, RN, CHPN, will be serving her second term on the Board and is coordinator of Pain and Palliative Services for Children's Hospitals and Clinics in Minneapolis, MN. Dr Chrastek also serves as a Triage Nurse for Hospice and Home Care of North Memorial Medical Center and is an adjunct professor for Globe University in Richfield, MN. She has assisted HPNA with numerous pediatric-related educational events and publications.
Maryjo Prince-Paul, PhD, APRN, ACHPN, FPCN, who is a postdoctoral fellow at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH, will be serving her first term on the HPNA Board. Dr Prince-Paul's education includes bachelor's and master's degrees in nursing from Wright State University and Case Western Reserve University, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing. Currently, she is an assistant professor at Case Western Reserve University and Research Assistant at the Hospice Institute, Hospice of the Western Reserve in Cleveland, OH. She has an extensive record of presentations at national conferences and cochaired both the 2008 and the 2009 AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assemblies. She also received the Fellow in Palliative Care Nursing (FPCN) from HPNA in 2010.
JoAnne Reifsnyder, PhD, ACHPN, will be starting her second term on the HPNA Board of Directors. Dr Reifsnyder is currently senior vice president of Care Transitions at CareKinesis in Moorestown, NJ. She received her PhD in nursing from the University of Maryland at Baltimore and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania. During her first term with the Board, Dr Reifsnyder served on the Planning and Resource, Education Products, and Research Committees. She is also the current president-elect of HPNA.
Barbara Usher, PhD, RN, GCNS-BC, ACHPN, is a clinical nurse specialist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and an adjunct professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing. Ms Usher will be serving her first term on the Board of Directors for HPNA. She has extensive experience within the nonprofit sector and healthcare industries. Ms Usher is also a longstanding member of HPNA and a local member of the Southwest Pennsylvania Chapter.
"HPNA is extremely excited to welcome these four exceptional HPNA members to the Board of Directors," said Judy Lentz, MSN, RN, NHA, chief executive officer of HPNA. "The entire Board of Directors and I express our sincere gratitude to the HPNA membership, who participated in the 2011 election and elected such extraordinary individuals to join the Board in 2012."
2012 RESEARCH SCHOLARS AWARD
Keep an eye on the HPNA Web site later for information about the 2012 Research Scholars Program. Regular or student HPNA members, whose membership has been in good standing for at least 1 year, will be invited to submit applications to participate in the fall Kathleen Foley Palliative Care Retreat and Research Symposium. This retreat, organized by the National Palliative Care Research Center, is cosponsored by AAHPM, the American Cancer Society, and HPNA. It offers participants an opportunity to receive feedback on works in progress and develop additional competency in methodologies essential to conducting palliative care research.
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 palliative care nursing including hospice. 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 an 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 telephone 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 the chair, Nominating Committee, HPNA, 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 the applicant is slated on the ballot), must be the following:
* 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
* Previous board experience including training and leadership classes, fiscal management, and/or marketing activities related to nonprofit organizations and their boards
2. 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.
3. 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 employer's specific agreement to the time commitment as outlined in the Commitment and Eligibility section of this information.
HPNA ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT
The Annual HPNA Membership Meeting will be held on Friday, March 9, 2012, from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm at the Denver Convention Center in Denver, CO, during the 2012 AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly.
HPNA CHAPTERS CELEBRATE MILESTONE
Currently, there are now 50 HPNA Chapters across the United States! The tremendous growth of the HPNA Chapter program is unmistakable with over 1112 HPNA members now participating in a local chapter. For a full listing of HPNA Chapters and information on how to start a local chapter in your area, please visit our Web site at http://www.hpna.org.
HPNA THANKS ITS DISTRICT LEADERS
The HPNA would like to acknowledge four wonderful HPNA members and leaders who have graciously served as HPNA District Leaders and in turn members of the HPNA Chapters Committee over the past several years. The district leader role is one of mentoring, encouraging, and sometimes pleasantly policing the local provisional groups and chartered chapters in a designated geographic area. This is a 2-year voluntary position that complements the national office in efforts to support the HPNA membership in the growth and continued success of local chapters.
The district leaders who we would like to recognize at this time are as follows:
* Andrea Holtzer from New York, Northeast District Leader since 2009
* Kelli Gershon representing Texas, Southwest Central District Leader since 2007
* Patra Holland of North Carolina, Mideast District Leader since 2009
* Linda Freda from Florida, Southeast District Leader since 2009
In a continuing effort to enhance our support of the provisional groups and chapters, each of HPNA's seven districts is mentored by leaders from within the district.
Each district leader was truly a champion for the HPNA Chapters Program, providing ongoing support for the district, guiding the chapters committee, and visioning the future of the program. Thank you so much for your continued dedication to the entire nursing field and the HPNA.
HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE NURSES FOUNDATION
The Power of Conversations, the Passion of HPNF
Expressed by the nurses we seek to support, the value and the gratitude felt for the education, research, and leadership opportunities provided by the HPNF speak to the very essence of this foundation. The board of directors and our faithful donors feel infinite passion and fulfillment when advancing the 2011 HPNF Scholarships, Grants, and Awards.
Please join us in congratulating the following 2011 HPNF Scholarship, Grant, and Award Winners! The HPNF Certification Exam Scholarship winners are Genevieve Keeney, CNA, CHPNA, and Diane Stein, BSN, RN, CHPN. The HPNF Conference Scholarship winners for the 2011 Clinical Practice Forum are Lela Ruth Cooper, BSN, RN, CHPN, and Lillian Schorr, RN, CHPN. The HPNF Individual Education Scholarship winners include Lisa Mingo, CNA, CHPNA-associate's degree; Belena Adkins, RN, CHPN-bachelor's degree; Jennifer Rae Scheible, BSN, RN, CHPN-master's; and Deborah Lafond, MS, PNP-BC, CPON, CHPPN- doctorate. The 2011 HPNF Chapter Education Grants were conferred to the Central New Jersey, Middle Tennessee, San Francisco Bay Area, and West Central Florida Chapters of HPNA. The 2011 Sigma Theta Tau International/HPNF End of Life Nursing Care Research Grant recipient is Carol L. Pavlish, PhD. The Project Death in America/HPNF 2011 Nursing Leadership Award recipient is Sheila Grant, BSN, RN, CHPN.
Additional HPNF scholarships benefiting hospice and palliative nursing professionals are available. Please apply by December 1, 2011, for five conference scholarships for 2012 Annual Assembly and six certification examination scholarships!
During 2011, HPNF will confer three research grants, one leadership award, 26 scholarships for education and conferences, and six membership grants, for a total of 36 opportunities. In 2010, HPNF was able to provide education and conference scholarships to just 48% of applicants. We predict an increase in unmet scholarship need again this year! Please support the foundation; join us in enhancing nursing excellence and leading through giving. Visit http://www.hpnf.org and select DONATE NOW. And be on the lookout for our next appeals to hospices and for the end of year. Your generosity directly enhances nursing excellence!!
NBCHPN 2012 HPAR PACKETS AVAILABLE
The 2012 ACHPN, CHPN, CHPLN, and CHPCA HPAR packets are available and posted on our Web site, http://www.nbchpn.org. All 2012 certification renewals using HPAR must be received in the National Office between January 1 and March 1, 2012.
As a reminder, all APNs must renew their certification through the APRN HPAR process in the year they are due to renew.
The year 2012 is the first year that CHPLNs and CHPCAs have the option to renew their certification through the HPAR process.
If you have any questions about the HPAR process for any of our programs, please contact us at [email protected] or call 412-787-1057.
NBCHPN 2012 TESTING SCHEDULE
The 2012 computer-based testing schedule is the same as 2011. The four 2012 testing windows are March, June, September, and December. The testing schedule with application deadlines and instructions are posted in the Candidate Handbook, which is available on our Web site, http://www.nbchpn.org.
NBCHPN SAVE THE DATE!
The NBCHPN will host its 11th Annual Certification Recognition Event during the 2012 Annual Assembly of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and the HPNA in Denver, CO. The luncheon will be held on Thursday, March 8, 2012, from 1:15 to 2:45 PM. Bette Case DiLeonardi, PhD, MSN, RN-BC, will be the keynote speaker on the topic of continuing competence. Seating is limited to the first 250 registrants. Registration details will be posted on our Web site at http://www.nbchpn.org.
NEW NBCHPN EXAM! NEW TACKETTE!
The Hospice and Palliative Pediatric Registered Nurse certification examination is available! A CHPPN tackette is available! Order yours today!!
Tackettes make wonderful gifts for you or a colleague. Tackettes for each credential can be ordered through http://www.nbchpn.org or through the national office at 412-787-1057.
HPNA/NBCHPN CE TRACKING
A way to keep track of your professional development activities is through CE tracking. You can also use CE tracking for your HPAR application! For more information about CE tracking and how to access it, visit our Web site, http://www.nbchpn.org under the Resources menu.