HPNA CELEBRATES 30 YEARS IN 2016!
It is hard to believe, but 2016 marks the 30th anniversary of the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association. Founded in California in 1986 as the Hospice Nurses Association, we have grown continually since then. It took a few years until 1990 to reach 1000 members, but we passed the 5000-member mark in 2004 and the 10 000-member mark in 2010. The 11 500 current members enjoy the benefits that our organization offers, from e-learning and networking opportunities to discounts toward education and certification.
We will be celebrating this milestone throughout the upcoming year, and you can keep updated on upcoming events though our Web site at http://www.goHPNA.org.
2016 HPNA BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
The Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association Board of Directors is pleased to announce that the 2016 board officers are Virginia (Ginger) Marshall, MSN, ACNP-BC, ACHPN, FPCN, serving as president; Donna L. Morgan, BSN, RN, CHPN CHPCA, as president-elect; and Patrick Coyne, MSN, ACHPN, ACNS-BC, FAAN, FPCN, serving as secretary/treasurer.
Other board members include Joy Buck, PhD, RN, past president; Judy Bartel, MSN, ACHPN, CHPCA, FPCN; Joseph F. Ebberwein, BBA MPS; Jennifer Gentry, MSN, RN, ANP-BC GNP, ACHPN, FPCN; and Debra Wiegand, PhD, RN, CCRN, CHPN, FAHA, FPCN, FAAN.
HPNA BOARD OF DIRECTORS SEEKS NOMINATIONS
The HPNA Board Development and Leadership Committee is seeking nominations, including self-nominations, for individuals to serve on the HPNA Board of Directors for a 3-year term to begin January 2017. Full application details are available on the HPNA Web site. The application deadline is Monday, February 1, 2016.
HPNA ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT
The annual HPNA Membership Meeting will be held on Friday, March 11, 2016, in Chicago, Illinois, during the 2016 AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly.
2016 AAHPM/HPNA ANNUAL ASSEMBLY VISITS CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
We are only a few weeks away from this year's Annual Assembly of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) and the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association in beautiful Chicago, Illinois, on March 9 to 12, 2016.
The annual assembly is designed for nurses, physicians, and other health care providers interested in acquiring, maintaining, or expanding the skills needed to function effectively in the field of hospice and palliative care. As leaders in promoting excellence and advancing expert care in serious illness, HPNA and AAHPM combine their expertise to advance the field, thus meeting the shared goal of improving the quality of life for patients and families facing serious or life-threatening conditions. This annual 4-day event brings together nearly 3000 of your colleagues and peers to share research, clinical best practices, and practice-related guidance to advance the specialty and improve patient care.
You can register now for the 2016 AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly through our Web site at http://www.goHPNA.org, under "education" and "annual assembly," or at http://www.annualassembly.org.
FIVE PRECONFERENCES AT THE ANNUAL ASSEMBLY
This year, we will be presenting 5 preconferences on Wednesday, March 9, before the AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly in Chicago. These include 2 all-day certification review courses for ACHPNs and CHPNs mentioned below. A third preconference will run all day, whereas the fourth one will be in the morning, and the fifth one in the afternoon. The details for these preconferences are listed below.
Smooth Sailing in Advanced Illness Transitions of Care: Optimizing Medication Management From Palliative Care to Hospice Care
Mary Lynn McPherson, PharmD, BCPS, CPE
Wednesday, March 9, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Medications play a very large role in the management of chronic illnesses in advanced illness. The purpose of this all-day preconference is to wrestle with optimizing medication management in the most common advanced illnesses at the end of life including metabolic syndrome, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and other disease states. Particular attention will be paid to medication-related issues in transitions of care between palliative care and hospice care, including medication and dosage formulation selection, therapeutic goal setting, monitoring, and dosage titration aimed at optimizing symptom control.
Achy Breaky Heart: Palliative and Hospice Care in Advanced Cardiac Disease
Christine Westphal, APRN, ACNS-BC, ACHPN
Wednesday, March 9, 8:00 to 11:45 AM
This session will examine the palliative and hospice care of adult patients with select advanced cardiac diseases, such as heart failure, valve dysfunction, and malignant arrhythmias. A case base approach will focus on assessment and recommendations related to optimizing symptom management, improving quality of life, and supporting decision making related to the use of life-saving and/or life-prolonging therapies.
The Language We Cry In: The Cultural Diversity of the African Diaspora
Julie Tanner, BSN, RN-BC, CHPN, and Edda L. Fields-Black, PhD
Wednesday, March 9, 1:15 to 5:00 PM
You can speak another language; you can live in another culture. But to cry over your dead, you always go back to your mother tongue, the language you cry in. This session will detail factors that influence the diverse cultural values, beliefs, and traditions within the African Diaspora, adapt culturally effective care delivery techniques through utilization of cultural interviewing methods and case study discussions, and collaborate on constructing culturally effective plans for effective care delivery.
Dr Fields-Black is a specialist in early and precolonial African history whose research interests extend into the African Diaspora. Dr Fields-Black is the author of Deep Roots: Rice Farmers in West Africa and the African Diaspora, which examines inheritance, innovation, and borrowing, to fashion a theory of cultural change encompassing the diversity of communities, cultures, and forms of expression in the African Diaspora. Ms Tanner is a specialist in the Gullah-Geechee culture of the sea islands and the Carolina Gold Coast, where efforts are underway to reclaim the shared cultural inheritance of the southeastern low country rice industry as a basis for promoting community development and advancing the cause of human dignity.
More details about these preconferences and more information on the 2016 AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly are available through our Web site at http://www.goHPNA.org, under "education" and "annual assembly," or at http://www.annualassembly.org.
ACHPN, CHPN CERTIFICATION REVIEW COURSES AT THE ANNUAL ASSEMBLY
As in past years, HPNA will be presenting both ACHPN and CHPN Certification Review Courses before the start of the 2016 AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly. Both review courses will take place this year on Wednesday, March 9, from 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM.
Attendees of the ACHPN Certification Review Course will require a copy of Core Curriculum for the Advanced Practice Hospice and Palliative Registered Nurse, second edition, which is available at the HPNA Shop though our Web site, http://www.goHPNA.org. They will also need an ACHPN Candidate Handbook, available to download and print for free at http://www.goHPCC.org.
Attendees of the CHPN Certification Review Course will require a copy of Core Curriculum for the Hospice and Palliative Registered Nurse, fourth edition, which is available at the HPNA Shop though our Web site, http://www.goHPNA.org. They will also need a CHPN Candidate Handbook, available to download and print for free at http://www.goHPCC.org.
More details about these review courses and more information on the 2016 AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly are available through our Web site at http://www.goHPNA.org, under "education" and "annual assembly," or at http://www.annualassembly.org.
ELNEC DATES ANNOUNCED FOR 2016
HPNA and the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) have once again teamed up for a series of "Train-The-Trainer" educational events for 2016. There will be 3 ELNEC Core courses and 1 ELNEC Pediatric course offered throughout the year. The dates for the courses are as follows:
* May 24 to 25, Scottsdale, Arizona (Core Course)
* July 26 to 27, Charleston, South Carolina (Core and Pediatric Palliative Care Courses)
* October 18 to 19, Orlando, Florida (Core Course)
For more information and how to register, visit our Web site at http://www.goHPNA.org, then click on "education" and "ELNEC Train-the-Trainer" courses.
VISIT OUR ONLINE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
There are 4 additional online Special Interest Groups (SIGs) that are now available to members of the association. Each SIG approaches a variety of clinical and administrative topics found within a particular area of specialty. In addition, the SIGs help members in keeping current with industry trends by connecting with other HPNA members across the country. Members of SIGs are notified of new discussion threads by dedicated e-mail messages and/or online discussion boards found within the HPNA Member Portal. All 8 SIGs are as follows:
* ICU
* APN
* Pediatrics
* Bioethics
* Heart Failure
* Public Policy
* LPN/LVN
* Research
All active HPNA members are permitted to join an unlimited number of SIGs. To request to join any of the HPNA SIGs, simply login to the HPNA Member Portal (http://www.goHPNA.org), and select "Communities" for a complete listing of available SIGs.
SHARE YOUR STORY WITH THE WHAT I DID TODAY PROJECT
We are asking HPNA members to share their stories, experiences, and passion for the specialty of palliative nursing. As a member of HPNA, you are welcome to share how you positively impacted the lives of your patients, their families, and your community. It is the experiences we share that are truly the essence of our specialty.
The care you provide is very intense and personal-it makes a profound impact on those you serve. However, the demands can be extremely high, so we want you to share the rewards of your experiences with your colleagues, so we can all see the true impact "we" all make together and celebrate our unique contributions.
If you would like to share a story about your work, please e-mail the director of membership, Chad Reilly, at mailto:[email protected]. Even a few sentences can have a lasting impact on the professional lives of your colleagues. We look forward to receiving and sharing your stories very soon!
HPCC EXAMINATION SCHEDULE FOR 2016
Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC) announces that the 2016 computer-based testing schedule is the same as 2015. The four 2016 testing windows are March, June, September, and December. The testing schedule with application deadlines and instructions are posted in each candidate handbook, which is available on our Web site, http://www.goHPCC.org, under "certification."
See the following below for testing window dates and "received by" application deadlines for 2016.
2016 HPCC CERTIFICATION RENEWAL
All certificants whose certification expires in 2016 should visit the Web site http://www.goHPCC.org for details regarding renewal of certification. The 2016 Hospice and Palliative Accrual for Recertification (HPAR) information is available under "certification," then "certification and recertification" and "credential."
Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurses (ACHPNs) and Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurses (CHPNs) will use the online recertification process called LearningBuilder to submit their 2016 HPAR applications. Beginning in 2016, all CHPNs no longer have the option of testing for recertification and will be required to submit HPAR for renewal of certification.
All applications for renewal can be received in the national office anytime between January 1 and October 31, 2016. If you have any questions about the HPAR process for any of our programs, please contact us at mailto:[email protected] or call 412-787-1057.
HPCC CERTIFICATION REACTIVATION FOR ACHPNS AND CHPNS
Candidates who miss their deadline for recertification and meet the requirements for reactivation may use the LearningBuilder platform to submit for reactivation according to individualized adjustments for dates of submission. Reactivation by testing is not an option. Reactivation will be available for 3 years after expiration of a credential. Nurses may not use the credential after it expires but may use it again after being notified that their certification has been reactivated. Reactivation is NOT retroactive, and the certification period will begin when notified and continue for 4 years from that date. For example, if a nurse who was due to renew in 2015 missed the final deadline and applies for and is granted reactivation February 15, 2016, that certification will expire February 15, 2020.
For more details, please see the HPAR packet found at http://www.goHPCC.org under "certification," then "certification and recertification," "credential," and "recertification."
STAY CONNECTED
In an effort to maintain contact with you as a certificant, please ensure your e-mail address is current. E-mail us at mailto:[email protected] or call the national office.
HPCC BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The HPCC Board of Directors welcomes 3 new members to the 2016 Board of Directors.
* Amy Beasley, DNP RN CHPN, from Fosters, Alabama
* Kimberly Kidd, RN CHPN CHPCA, from Owosso, Oklahoma
* Stacy Smith, MLS BSN RN CHPPN, from Dallas, Texas
2016 ITEM WRITING WORKSHOP
Learn more about item writing by attending the workshop "Secrets of Competency Testing: Writing Items for Hospice and Palliative Certification Exams." The HPCC, with expert assistance from Applied Measurement Professionals of Olathe, Kansas, offers a unique opportunity for you to make a direct contribution to developing the certification examinations.
The workshop is offered as a 3-part course. The first 2 parts must be done online, but the third and last part is a live webinar. After completing the first 2 courses online, including posttest and evaluation, submit the online Item Writing Workshop Application for the third part. You can choose 1 of the following 3 dates for the live webinar:
* Wednesday, February 24, 2016, 3:00 to 4:30 PM ET
* Tuesday, June 28, 2016, 10:30 AM to noon ET
* Monday, October 24, 2016, 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM ET
Learn more about our Item Writing Workshop at http://www.goHPCC.org.
CERTIFIED IN PERINATAL LOSS CARE
The Certified in Perinatal Loss Care (CPLC) is designed for professionals in a health care role who provide care to individuals experiencing perinatal loss. Candidates applying for the CPLC examination must meet the following requirements:
* Hold a professional degree as a registered nurse, physician, psychologist, counselor, child life specialist, social worker, or chaplain and appropriate current, unrestrictive license in the United States or its territories.
* Have evidence of work in their profession and the area of perinatal loss care and/or bereavement support for a minimum of 2 years within the past 3 years.
To find out more about the CPLC, visit our Web site at http://www.goHPCC.org under the "certification" tab.
DID YOU KNOW? HPNF OFFERS RESEARCH GRANT AWARDS
The Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation offers 2 prestigious research grant awards, the Certification Research Grant and the End-of-Life Nursing Care Research Grant.
The Certification Research Grant has been offered by HPNF since 2009. The purpose of this grant is to help build a better understanding of the impact of palliative nursing certification on patient outcomes. Previous research has demonstrated that certified and noncertified nurses value certification. More recent research has begun to examine the impact of certification on patient outcomes. Studies done in the acute care setting suggest that care environments with a higher proportion of certified nurses have better patient outcomes. Replicating this research in the hospice or palliative care environment would advance our understanding of the value of palliative nursing certification. Proposal deadline is June 1. For further information, please visit our Web site at http://www.goHPNF.org, under "research" and "research grant opportunities."
The End-of-Life Nursing Care Research Grant is an HPNF collaboration with Sigma Theta Tau International Foundation for Nursing (STTI Foundation). Since 2004, Sigma Theta Tau International and HPNF have partnered to offer this annual research grant. With the goal of encouraging qualified nurses' contributions to the advancement of nursing care through research, 1 grant of up to $10 000 is awarded annually. Proposals for pilot and/or developmental research may be submitted. The application deadline for the award is April 1. For further information, please click on this link, http://www.nursingsociety.org/advance-elevate/research/research-grants/hospice-a.
Be sure to explore the HPNF Web site at http://www.goHPNF.org for information about these and other scholarships, grants, and awards. There you will find information about opportunities, application materials, and recipient announcements.
SUPPORT US THROUGH YOUR GIFTS
HPNF is able to provide these continuing educational opportunities though your kind and generous donations. Please consider a gift to help us continue to advance expert care, through our annual appeal or another one of our campaigns. Pay tribute to your entire nursing team, a colleague, a family member, or a friend. Just provide the name(s) of your honoree at the time of your donation. Your gift from $50 to $500, or whatever you can, supports nurses in attending these highly acclaimed conferences, earning specialty certification, attaining accredited degrees, and seeking evidence-based research. Visit our Web site to learn more at http://www.goHPNF.org. Thank you for your support!
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