TENTH ANNUAL HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE NURSES ASSOCIATION CLINICAL PRACTICE FORUM
Last-minute preparation and planning by the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) are taking place for the Tenth Annual HPNA Clinical Practice Forum, being held on Friday, September 30, and Saturday, October 1, 2016, at a brand new and historic location, the Omni William Penn Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Join us as we celebrate both the 10th anniversary of the Clinical Practice Forum and the 30th anniversary of HPNA.
This conference will provide state of the science information related to the practice of palliative nursing, which includes case presentations with interactive discussions. The Clinical Practice Forum focuses on current hospice and palliative care issues for both registered nurses and advanced practice nurses. There will be evidence-based presentations related to pain and symptom management, communication, regulations, and other related issues.
Highlights include the following:
* Opening plenary from Nessa Coyle on the "State of the Art and Science of Palliative Nursing: 30 Year Journey to the Present."
* Viewing and discussion with director Carolyn Jones on her project, "American Nurse." Ms Jones will also give a closing plenary titled "American Nurse and HOPE."
* A presentation on "Innovations in Meeting the Needs of a Community," focusing on work done with specialized populations. Presenters have worked with Hispanic, Lacota Indian, and other populations.
* Other presentations on end-stage organ failure, hot topics in bioethics, moral distress, and using telehealth to assess palliative wound care.
* Welcome celebration and reception for networking.
* Exhibits and poster presentations.
* 13.0 Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) credits are available to those attending the whole conference.
In addition, for those seeking either the Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (ACHPN) or the Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN) certification in the near future, we will be holding both ACHPN and CHPN Certification Review Courses as preconferences on Thursday, September 29, 2016.
For more information about the Tenth Annual Clinical Practice Forum and to find out how to register, please visit our Web site at http://www.goHPNA.org under "education" and "conferences."
ANNUAL ASSEMBLY RETURNS NEXT FEBRUARY TO PHOENIX, ARIZONA
We are only a few months away from the 2017 American Association of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM)/HPNA Annual Assembly, taking place on February 22-25 in Phoenix, Arizona. This is a key event in the hospice and palliative care field, and the warmth of the Southwest United States in the middle of February makes it even more inviting. We set a record number of attendees last year in Chicago, and we hope to do the same in 2017.
The AAHPM/HPNA 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 in hospice and palliative care, HPNA and AAHPM combine their expertise to advance the field, thus meeting the shared goal of improving quality of life for patients and families facing serious illness or life-threatening conditions.
This annual 3-day event brings together over 3000 of your colleagues and peers to share research, clinical best practices, and practice-related guidance to advance the specialty and improve patient care. To find out more about the AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly, visit the event Web site at http://annualassembly.org.
CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE 2017 AAHPM/HPNA ANNUAL ASSEMBLY
October brings the last call for proposals for the 2017 AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly as mentioned above, taking place on February 22 to 25 in a place where you would want to be in the winter months, Phoenix, Arizona. The last call is one for case submissions and takes place from October 3 through noon Pacific time on November 1, 2016. All proposals must be submitted to the AAHPM via the Annual Assembly Web site. For more information, details on what is needed for the submission, and to find out where to submit, please visit http://aahpm.org/assembly/case-sessions.
HPNA'S NEW CAREER WEB SITE TAKES OFF
It has been operating only for a few months, but the HPNA's new online career center and interactive job board is quickly gaining interest with HPNA members and also employers and career seekers in the hospice and palliative field.
Both members and nonmembers can use this new career center, which has given the organization an easy-to-use and highly targeted resource for online employment connections. Employers can post jobs online, search for qualified candidates based on specific job criteria, and create an online resume agent to e-mail qualified candidates daily. They also benefit from online reporting that provides job activity statistics.
For job seekers, the career center provides access to employers and jobs in hospice and the specialty of palliative care. In addition to posting resumes, job seekers can browse and view available jobs based on their criteria and save those jobs for later review if they choose. Job seekers can also create a search agent to provide email notifications of jobs that match their criteria.
A link to the career center can be found at the top of every page on the HPNA Web site at http://www.goHPNA.org.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2016 HPNA RESEARCH SCHOLARS
We are pleased to announce 2 new Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) Research Scholars for 2016 and a third returning HPNA Research Scholar who will be attending their first Kathleen M. Foley Palliative Care Retreat and Research Symposium this fall. This year's retreat will be held on October 25 to 27, at Chateau Frontenac, Old Quebec, Canada.
Our 2 new scholars include Esther R. Smith-Howell, PhD, RN, who is a Dean's Distinguished Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Rafael Romo, PhD, RN, PHN, who is a VA Quality Scholars Nurse Fellow at the San Francisco VA Medical Center in San Francisco, California. Our returning HPNA Research Scholar is Joan G. Carpenter, MN, CRNP, NP-C, GNP-BC, ACHPN, who is a Kirschstein National Research Service Award Pre-Doctoral Fellow and PhD candidate at the Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence in Hartford, Connecticut. Congratulations to all 3 HPNA Research Scholars!
DO NOT FORGET: E-LEARNING COURSES ARE INCLUDED WITH YOUR MEMBERSHIP
The HPNA E-Learning courses allows for access to up-to-date, convenient, self-paced learning, with continuing nursing education contact hours awarded to many programs. The courses are developed based on current health care trends, clinical issues related to care approaches for the patient and their family, and on practice issues related for and in collaboration with other members of the interprofessional team. Case-based scenarios may be included to use the nursing process in the management of the patient. Our professional presenters have the knowledge, experience, and expertise in the subject matter and are committed to promote quality care to persons with advanced illnesses.
Log in to the HPNA member portal for unlimited access to HPNA E-Learning courses. However, you must access the courses from the member portal to have full access.
STAY INFORMED ABOUT LEGISLATIVE ISSUES
Do you want to know more about what is going on within the Washington, DC, Beltway? Stay informed about legislative issues affecting your profession with the HPNA Federal and Legislative Round-Up, released exclusively through the HPNA member portal.
This newsletter for HPNA members only provides useful background information on issues, call-to-action advocacy messages, and status reports on evolving federal regulation and legislation that impacts our community. The HPNA Federal and Legislative Round-Up will provide you with the latest policy developments on Capitol Hill and within the federal agencies, which impact the field of hospice and palliative care.
Log in to the HPNA member portal, at the top of every page of our Web site at http://www.goHPNA.org, to read the latest HPNA Federal and Legislative Round-Up.
EXAMINATION VOUCHERS ARE AVAILABLE
The Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC) has worked together with PSI Services-Applied Professionals, Inc, the testing company that manages our certification examinations, to create a voucher program for those purchasing examinations.
Third parties will now be able to purchase examinations by paying the full examination fee in advance and receive a voucher code for the purchasers to disperse to examination candidates. Those candidates will be able to input the voucher code when applying for their individual examinations in lieu of providing payment.
This program is available immediately. For more information on how to purchase multiple certification examinations, please see the informational document on our Web site at http://www.goHPCC.org under "certification" or contact us directly either by e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at 412-787-1057.
HPCC EXAMINATION SCHEDULE FOR 2016
Below are the testing windows and application dates for the HPCC certification examinations for 2016. Examination applications for the December 2016 testing window are now being accepted. The paper application deadline is October 15, whereas online applications are accepted until November 15. To apply online or to download the candidate handbook for any certification, visit our Web site at http://www.goHPCC.org under the "certification" tab.
HPCC RECERTIFICATION
If you are due to renew your certification, visit the HPCC Web site at http://www.goHPCC.org under "certification." Choose your credential and the "recertification" tab to learn about your renewal requirements and options for renewal.
If Hospice and Palliative Accrual for Renewal (HPAR) is an option for your certification, please note that various enhancements of professional development activities have been incorporated into the HPAR process for all certificants. This should provide more opportunities to demonstrate continuing competence. In 2016, all ACHPN, CHPN, and Certified Hospice and Palliative Pediatric Nurse (CHPPN) recertifications are through HPAR, as testing for recertification is no longer an option for these credentials.
All HPAR submission, whether online or paper, have a due date of 8 weeks before the date of expiration of the certification. Those submitting HPAR in 2016 have until October 31, 2016, to collect points and complete and submit their recertification requirements without an additional fee. Submissions for HPAR will be accepted after that date, but with the added costs. Deadlines for 2016 recertification are quickly approaching, so be sure to visit our Web site for information on requirements and fees as soon as possible.
HPCC 2016 ITEM WRITER WORKSHOP
Learn more about item writing by attending the following workshop, "Secrets of Competency Testing: Writing Items for Hospice and Palliative Certification Exams." The HPCC, with expert assistance from PSI Services-Applied Measurement Professionals, Inc, offers a unique opportunity for you to make a direct contribution to developing the certification examinations. Individuals who have a strong knowledge base in hospice and palliative care are welcome. Expertise in item writing or test development is not required.
The workshop is offered as a 3-part course. The first 2 parts must be done online, whereas the third and last part is a live webinar. The third session is offered 3 times throughout the year. The next live webinar for part 3 is scheduled for Monday, October 24, 2016, from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM, ET.
Upon completion if all 3 courses and a posttest and evaluation, each participant will receive 3.5 contact hours. Nursing assistants will receive a certificate of participation. Full details are available at http://www.goHPCC.org under "certification" and "item writer workshop."
HPCC CELEBRATES HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE MONTH
November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, and we would like to honor the millions of nurses, nursing assistants, home care aides, therapists, social workers, and chaplains who make a significant difference for the patients and families they serve. Hospitals, home care agencies, and hospices across the country are reaching out to raise awareness about the highest quality car for people coping with serious illness.
Honor yourself or your certified nursing team members with a certification pin. The pins are available for purchase for all certificants in all 7 HPCC certifications. Wear your credential with pride! To order, please visit our Web site at http://www.goHPCC.org under "certification" and "resources," or call the national office at 412-787-1057 for further information.
CERTIFICATION IS TRANSFORMATIONAL APP
You know these facts. But do your patients and their families know?
* Certified nurses have demonstrated their knowledge through a rigorous examination, a process that includes qualifying by meeting practice or education eligibility criteria and then maintaining their credential through reassessment of that knowledge throughout their career.
* Certified nurses choose to seek certification, where they demonstrate their expertise, knowledge, and commitment.
* National certification is the only way to have nursing specialty knowledge validated by an impartial third party.
* Certified nurses must maintain their core specialty knowledge base and keep up with the changes in health care through ongoing targeted education and continuing competence assessments.
HPCC was pleased to help promote some of these points as a part of the 2015 national consumer awareness campaign-Certified Nurses Are Everywhere! This national public service announcement endeavor encompassed broadcast and cable television, Internet advertisements, and transit advertisements in major designated market areas across the country and helped promote the importance of certification.
As a continuation of this message, 2016 brought a new campaign, titled "Certification is Transformational." Nurses can talk about how certification has affected their nursing career, enhanced collegial and interprofessional relationships, improved the ability to effect change in the workplace and provide opportunities to serve as an advocate for quality and safe patient care.
The video stories that will be connected by the app will be shared on a video wall, social media, and on a variety of certifying organizations websites. Some of the stories will be edited into 1 cohesive message for the Certification Is Transformational message. So take a moment to download the app and share a story about how becoming certified has helped transform your career and has impacted your life.
The Certified Nurses app is free and available through iTunes and Google Play. For more information on the campaign, visit our Web site at http://www.goHPCC.com under "advocacy" to find out more.
NESSA COYLE PALLIATIVE NURSING LEADERSHIP FUND INTRODUCED
The Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation (HPNF) is proud to announce the creation of the Nessa Coyle Palliative Nursing Leadership Fund. The purpose of this fund, in honor of a pioneer in palliative nursing and the ultimate clinician scholar, is to develop and support leadership skills in hospice and palliative nurses, from the bedside to the boardroom.
Palliative nursing leadership is not only a fundamental aspect of health care reform but also a necessary ingredient of quality palliative care. Through enhanced palliative nursing leadership, the specialty of palliative nursing contributes to the realization of the Triple Aim in health care, namely, better care, better health, and lower cost.
For more detailed information on this new fund, please follow the link http://advancingexpertcare.org/nessa-coyle.
APPLY FOR THESE AVAILABLE SCHOLARSHIPS, GRANTS, AND AWARDS
HPNF has given financial assistance to many attendees of our conferences and educational programs, including the Annual Assembly, Clinical Practice Forum, HPNA-sponsored ELNEC classes, and more. These are the most current opportunities available:
* Certification scholarships-These are for those who are seeking HPCC certification or recertification during the year and are available all year long. Visit "certification" on our Web site for more information. Application deadlines will be on the first of every month.
* 2017 AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly Scholarships-There are 10 scholarships available for this year's Annual Assembly this February in Phoenix, Arizona. The application deadline for these scholarships is January 1, 2017.
* Judy Lentz Scholarship for the Advancement of Palliative Care in Oncology Nursing-This scholarship winner gets an AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly registration, travel expenses, plus a 1-year HPNA membership. The application deadline is on January 1, 2017.
There are plenty of opportunities available for hospice and palliative nurses to attend the programs that can help advance expert care in our field. Visit http://www.goHPNF.org for details, eligibility criteria, and application materials for all of our upcoming scholarships, grants, and awards.
HPNF NEEDS YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS
To bring you these scholarships, grants and awards, HPNF needs your support. Visit our Web site at http://www.goHPNF.org, where you can research our giving opportunities and donor circles. Or type in the following URL, https://www.hpnf.org/donate.aspx, to make your gift now. Thank you!