My Salt Lake City
The NACNS Convention is rapidly approaching and for the first time we are going to a winter playground. And, I know from first-hand experience that Salt Lake City is a wonderful winter playground that offers something for everyone. I lived there from 1994 to 1999 thanks to my husband's job transfer. It's a beautiful place and I thought I would take this opportunity to talk to you about the most beautiful place I have ever lived.
First, and probably foremost, there is the skiing. It is definitely world-class and well-known for deep powder. What is often not recognized about Utah skiing is that the resorts are so close to the city. There are 3 major canyons that go up into the mountains from Salt Lake, Parley's, Big Cottonwood, and Little Cottonwood. There are 8 major ski resorts accessed through those canyons. Parley's Canyon leads to Park City where you will find Deer Valley Ski Resort (38 miles from the airport), Park City Ski Resort (36 miles), and The Canyons Ski Resort (32 miles). Big Cottonwood Canyon leads to Brighton Ski Resort (35 miles) and Solitude Ski Resort (33 miles). And, Little Cottonwood Canyon leads to Alta Ski Resort (32 miles) and the flagship of Utah skiing, Snowbird (30 miles). We are staying a couple of miles closer to the airport. There are ski buses that run from downtown Salt Lake to all of these resorts, so you don't have to rent a four-wheel drive vehicle unless you want to rent one.
Going north to Ogden gives you access to Powder Mountain Ski Resort (56 miles from the airport) and Snowbasin (46 miles), home of the Olympic downhill courses. Going south to Provo gives you access to Sundance (55 miles) and a chance to see Robert Redford who owns it. You must have a vehicle to access these resorts from Salt Lake, there are no buses.
Other winter activities for nonskiers include: ice skating, hiking in the snow, sledding, and my all-time favorite, shopping! There is also a silver mine tour in Park City that I would highly recommend. The mine was scheduled for closure several years ago and a consortium of miners bought it. They turned it into a tourist attraction offering you the chance to ride a miner's elevator a couple of thousand feet down into the mountain and listen to a former miner tell you about mining. For those of you into genealogy, the Mormon Church offers one of the largest genealogical libraries in the world, located not far from our hotel. And, best of all, our hotel is connected to a major shopping mall!
Microbreweries abound in Salt Lake City, which surprised me because the state is "dry." So for those of you who are hops connoisseurs, there are some very interesting beers, ales, and stouts there. The climate in Salt Lake is also just right for candy making. So for you chocoholics, there are some excellent regional mom and pop candy-making companies.
Salt Lake City sits at 4,200 feet, so remember to push fluids to prevent altitude sickness. Surprisingly, it snows very little in Salt Lake proper most years. When it snows in the mountains, it usually rains in the valley. Temperatures begin rising in early March, so highs may range into the 50s or 60s while we are there. I think it is going to be a wonderful conference in magnificent surroundings, and I hope to see all of you there!
NACNS Board of Directors
PRESIDENT TERM - 3/15/2006
Kathleen M. Baldwin, PhD, RN, CEN, CCRN, ANP, GNP
Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in Nursing Texas Christian University Harris School of Nursing
VICE PRESIDENT TERM - 3/15/2006
Theresa M. Murray, RN, MSN, CCRN, CNS
Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist Community Health Network 1500 Ritter Ave. Indianapolis, IN 46219
SECRETARY TERM - 3/15/2006
Jane Walker, PhD, RN
Associate Professor and Graduate Program Coordinator School of Nursing Purdue University Calumet Hammond, IN
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Kelly A. Goudreau, DSN, RN, CNS
Director of Education Portland VA Medical Center P3EDUC 3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Road Portland, OR 97239
IMMEDIATE PAST-PRESIDENT TERM - 3/15/2006
Angela P. Clark, PhD, RN, CS, FAAN, FAHA
Associate Professor of Nursing University of Texas at Austin 1700 Red River Austin, TX 78701
TREASURER TERM - 3/15/2006
Peggy Gerard, DNSc, RN
Professor and Dean, School of Nursing Purdue University Calumet Hammond, IN
MEMBER TERM - 3/12/2007
Susan Dresser, RN, MSN, CCRN, CNS
Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist St. Anthony Heart Hospital 1000 N. Lee St. Oklahoma City, OK 73101
MEMBER TERM - 3/15/2006
Susan Sendelbach, PhD, RN, CCNS, FAHA
Nurse Researcher at Abbott Northwestern Hospital Minneapolis, MN
MEMBER TERM - 3/15/2006
Barbara Hazard, PhD, RN, FAAN
Dean William F. Connell School of Nursing Boston College, Cushing Hall 140 Commonwealth Ave. Chestnut Hill, MA 02467-3812
MEMBER TERM - 3/12/2007
Linda D. Urden, DNSc, RN, CNA, FAAN
Executive Director, Nursing Quality, Education & Research Palomar Pomerado Health System Escondido, California
Clinical Professor University of San Diego San Diego, California
STAFF
Christine Carson Filipovich, MSN, RN
Executive Director 2090 Linglestown Rd., Suite 107 Harrisburg, PA 17110
Phone: 717-234-6799
Fax: 717/234-6798
E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
NACNS Updates
Passing the Torch: Conference and Installment of New Officers
The Annual Conference is coming very soon! March 15-18, 2006 will see all of us at the Salt Lake City Marriott. The conference is always an exciting time as we see the latest and greatest achievements of our peers in their presentations and we see the next board of directors installed at the business meeting. You will soon see a ballot in your mail, if you have not seen one already! The Nominating Committee has been hard at work creating an excellent slate of candidates for your next board. Please take the time to get your ballot in and have your voice heard, but just as importantly, come to Salt Lake and see who your next board members will be!
News from the Affiliates
Montana-Members of the Montana Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (MACNS) held their summer meeting at the KwaTaqNuk Resort on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Polson, Montana, and their fall meeting on the campus of Montana State University. Chapter development and strategic planning continues to be a primary focus for this new affiliate. Considerable progress was made toward meeting the Chapter's 2005-2006 objectives: organizing a statewide database of practicing CNSs; determining strategies to improve statewide communication among CNSs; and developing materials to market the Chapter and recruit members. Members also reported on their efforts to enhance and promote the unique contributions of CNSs through presentations, publishing, and professional service. Linda Torma presented on "End-of-Life Issues in Critical Care" and Dale Mayer presented "Family Support After Sudden Death" at the critical care conference in Missoula, Montana; Linda Torma was appointed to the newly formed Montana Pain and Symptom Management Task Force charged with making recommendations to the legislature and other governing bodies on issues relating to pain management; Charlene Winters was appointed. to the American Association of Critical Care Nurses' Research and Creative Solutions Abstract Review Panel and to the Continuing Education Articles Review Panel; and Susan Luparell had a paper accepted for publication in the Journal of Nursing Education. Charlene A. Winters, DNSc, APRN, BC, CNS
Georgia-The South East Clinical Nurse Specialists (SECNSs) Georgia Affiliate has exciting news to share. Cindy Balkstra, Pulmonary CNS for St. Joseph's Candler Health System, Savannah, Georgia was recently elected to office in the Georgia Nurses Association. She will serve as President-elect and then President during a crucial time for the organization. Georgia Nurses celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the first organization for professional nurses in 2007. The Association voted this year to restructure in order to address the future. Cindy brings with her leadership skills which will be crucial in the transition to a new organization. Cindy has served in local, district, regional, and state positions of leadership with the Georgia Nurses Association. She is past president of the Respiratory Nurses Society and continues as a director and regional representative of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. She is an active member of Rho Psi Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International and was selected as one of the first Chiron Fellows in this International Leadership Program. Her leadership project focused on end-of-life care and she has continued her emphasis in this area at the state and national level. Cindy serves on the Magnet Recognition Team for her Facility which received Magnet status in 2003. Cindy continues active participation in CNS Organizations both locally, statewide, and at the national level. Savannah as well as the SECNSs Affiliate is delighted to commend Cindy for her achievements.
Sherry Warnock, SJCHS was recently elected Secretary for SECNSs. A critical care nurse, Sherry graduated with her Master's degree in 2003. She enjoys working with the elderly population as well as nursing students. In her spare time, she has a lot of hobbies that emphasize her creativity and she hopes to bring that energy to SECNSs to have a positive impact on the CNS practice in Georgia.
Marilyn O'Mallon, Assistant Professor at Armstrong Atlantic State University, has graciously agreed to a second year as Treasurer. In addition to teaching classes, she is the Clinical Coordinator and instructor for senior nursing students. Recently, she started working toward her Doctorate Degree. She is interested and specializes in Hospice/End of Life and Bereavement Care for patients and families. SECNSs is very fortunate to have her continued support.
Marion Mann is the new president for SECNSs. A CNS for Memorial Health University Medical Center, she is also involved with NACNS as the Co-Chair of the Marketing Committee. Her goal for 2006 is to bring the 3 Georgia affiliates together for a state meeting to work on advancing the practice of the Clinical Nurse Specialist in the state of Georgia.
In a community effort to improve care for pediatric patients, SECNSs members Sheri Carey, RN, MS, Melanie Howard, RN, MSN, Karen Hust, RN, MSN, and Priscilla Williams, RN, MSN recently collaborated on a community project for teaching and promoting intra-osseous infusion sites for pediatric patients when intravenous sites are not possible. Melanie and Karen practice at St. Joseph's/Candler Health System and Sheri and Priscilla practice at Memorial Health University Medical Center. Savannah is fortunate to have these dedicated clinical nurse specialists. Marion Mann, MSN, CNS, President SECNSs-Georgia Affiliate
Delaware-The Delaware Valley NACNS Networking Group (DVNG) held its fall meeting on November 16, 2005. The dinner meeting was well-attended by 40 CNSs and CNS students from across the region. Jo Anne Phillips, MSN, RN, CCRN, CCNS, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Patient Safety, practices at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and was the invited speaker. Jo Anne discussed the pivotal role of the CNS in safety systems improvement and shared information specific to a variety of cutting-edge patient safety ventures. Shari Baron, MSN, RN, CS presented an update on the current state of proposed House Bill 1063 specific to CNS title protection and Patti Zuzelo, EdD, APRN, BC, CNS (DVNG Group Leader; La Salle University), Elizabeth Bayley, PhD, RN (Widener University), and Anne Muller, MSN, RN, CNS, CRNP (Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania) encouraged participants to consider NACNS membership and to become politically active through PSNA/ANA. The conference participants received AACN CEs and enjoyed dinner and networking. A spring 2006 meeting is planned. Patti Zuzelo, EdD, APRN, BC, CNS, DVNG Group Leader, [email protected].
Committee Reports
Veterans Affairs Functional Statement Task Force-A task force of CNSs from across the VA has been convened to assess the current state of CNS position descriptions and to look at creation of a standardized functional statement that incorporates the NACNS Statement on Practice and Education (2004). The task force has met 3 times to date and work is progressing well. The board of directors would like to thank Kathi Ellstrom who is leading the task force.
Member Updates
Darrell Owens, PhD, ACHPN, has been appointed to his second term as a member of the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association Board of Directors. Dr Owens is Palliative Care Specialist/Advanced Practice Nurse for the University of Washington at Harborview Medical Center, a 350-bed safety-net teaching hospital serving a diverse population in Seattle, Washington. He is also Assistant Professor of Nursing at Seattle University. As palliative care faculty for the University of Washington, he directs the palliative care consult service, where he sees over 400 patients each year. He is also responsible for providing supervision and education for medical students and resident physicians who are completing a palliative care rotation. At Seattle University, he teaches graduate courses in spirituality and healthcare, as well as healthcare ethics and policy. Owens has presented and published extensively on the subject of palliative care. He authored Treatment of End Stage Non-Cancer Diagnoses: Hepatic Failure, which was released in August of this year. He is Associate Editor for The Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing, where he authors and coordinates the "Evidence for Practice" section. Congratulations!
Margo A. Halm, PhD, RN, CCRN, BC, published an article in the American Journal of Critical Care, in November of 2005. Her article "Family presence during resuscitation: A critical review of the literature" can be found in Volume 14, number 6 and provides an overview of the literature, an analysis of the research foundation of the studies conducted, and a discussion of the limitations of the literature on whether or not family should be allowed to stay during the resuscitation of their loved one. The article also offers continuing education credits. Dr Halm is a CNS researcher at the John Nasseff Heart Hospital of United Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Kelly A. Goudreau, DSN, RN, CNS was recently appointed to the American Nurses Credentialing Center Commission on Certification. Dr Goudreau has been a certified nurse herself since 1989 and maintains certification as a clinical nurse specialist in Medical-Surgical Nursing. She is also the President-Elect of NACNS and is the Director of Education at the Portland VA Medical Center in Portland, OR.
New Board Member Introductions
As the board cycles into a new year we are expecting a number of new board members. Watch this corner for the introduction of new members once the election has been completed and appointments finalized.
2006 CNS Foundation Gala
Be a sponsor of the CNS Foundation at the Gala to be held on March 17, 2006, in Salt Lake City, Utah, during the NACNS Conference. It's a wonderful opportunity to contribute to your personal name's or your hospital's name's recognition at a national level and an exclusive opportunity to recruit CNSs to your facility. The CNS Foundation's purposes include supporting the mission of NACNS, which is to make visible CNS contributions to cost-effective quality care and to promote research on the impact of CNS work as well as to generate scholarships for CNS students and CNS seeking doctoral preparation to become faculty for schools of nursing. During last year's Gala, we were able to raise an amazing $66,000 from CNS attendees at the conference- it's a compelling cause!! We are hopeful to be even more successful this year. We have Elite Sponsorship level (for hospitals or organizations) and Gold ($2,500) and Silver ($1,000) levels of sponsorship (see below). I hope that you give this opportunity serious consideration.
Elite Sponsor @ $5,000
Limited to three sponsors with unique opportunity to showcase quality nursing care and CNS work at institution and exclusive opportunity to recruit during Gala; program listing as Elite Sponsor and special recognition in CNS Journal (approx. 3,000 copies).
Gold Sponsor @ $2,500
Program listing and special podium recognition during Gala along with special recognition in CNS Journal.
Silver Sponsor @ $1,000
Program listing and special podium recognition.
All other donations are heartily welcomed no matter how small. All funds help support the further development of CNSs and the quality outcomes they provide to patients, their families, the nursing staff they support, and the healthcare system. Be a part of the legacy of hope and change.
Section Description
NACNS Statement on Clinical Nurse Specialist Practice and Education,Second Edition
This document articulates the core competencies requisite to CNS practice, outlines the outcomes of CNS practice, and provides direction to schools of nursing regarding the preparation of CNSs. Endorsed by the National League for Nursing and American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) as "a comprehensive reflection of the contemporary role that Clinical Nurse Specialists play in the delivery of quality nursing care," this updated version contains information for contemporary clinical nurse specialist practice and education. You can purchase your copy through the NACNS Office at a cost of $25 per copy for members of NACNS and $45 per copy for nonmembers. Discounts are offered on purchases of 15 copies or more. Contact the NACNS Office today to order your copy of the Statement.