STN STATE CHAIR PROFILE
Society of Trauma Nurses (STN) member Russell Wilshaw, RN, MS. Russell is the trauma outreach and injury prevention coordinator for University Health Care in Salt Lake City, Utah. Russell was appointed as the STN state chair for Utah in May 2007. I had the opportunity to meet with Russell at the 2008 annual meeting in New Orleans, and I asked him to share a few thoughts about injury prevention and the STN.
1. How do you see the role of trauma nurses changing in regard to injury prevention, over the next 5 to 10 years?
I see injury prevention making use of new technology. For example, we have numerous grade schools, junior high schools, and high schools in Salt Lake City. You can present injury prevention topics to numerous schools all at once via Web streaming. These presentations can be recorded and placed on your hospital's Web page, EMS agencies, organizations, and the general public to view these presentations.
2. What benefits do you think the STN has to offer trauma nurses in rural areas of the United States?
STN provides resources to rural trauma nurses such as conferences where you can network and find out how other nurses treat trauma patients. At the national conference, you can attend the Rural Trauma Special Interest Group. The Trauma Listserve provides rural nurses with a forum where they can ask questions to a large pool of experts and other rural nurses who face the same issues. Finally, you receive the Journal of Trauma, which addresses current trauma care.
STN LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
STN membership continues to grow, and with it, the needs for STN leaders. There are vacancies for region chairs in region 7 (states include Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska) and region 10 (states include Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington).
In addition, the following states and territories have state chair vacancies: Maine, Rhode Island, Puerto Rico, Delaware, West Virginia, Virgin Islands, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Arizona, Hawaii, and Alaska.
For more information about the state and region chairs, visit the membership page of the STN Web site, http://www.traumanurses.org/membership/state-and-regional-programs, or contact Janice Delgiorno, RN, STN membership chair at [email protected].
NEW MANAGEMENT FIRM FOR THE SOCIETY
The STN Board of Directors has selected Symbiotix Management Strategies (SMS) to replace The Center for Association Growth as the Association Management firm for the STN. The SMS was selected following a rigorous 5-month review process. A request for proposals was issued at the end of 2007 and 9 proposals were submitted. Of these, 4 firms were selected to be interviewed by the selection committee during the annual board of directors meeting in New Orleans. The selection committee was very impressed with the presentation given by Tim Rice, principal owner of the SMS, and his team. Sarah Clements, SMS Association Director, will serve as the executive director for the STN.
The SMS is a firm that exudes energy, innovative thinking, and a wealth of experience in the healthcare field. We are excited about the multiple strengths it brings to the table; one, in particular, is its experience with information technology. In the works will be a new look and Web site for the STN. The site will feature a number of changes including a member's-only page and a move to create better efficiencies online such as with our annual conference registration, member renewals, Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses program, and TOPIC course information and registration.
The board of directors, on behalf of the entire membership, extends our thanks and appreciation to Joyce Paschall, outgoing executive director with The Center for Association Growth, and her staff, for their hard work and dedication to the STN for the last 3 years.
STN INVITED TO PARTICIPATE ON AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS/AMERICAN TRAUMA SOCIETY TRAUMA DATA ADVISORY BOARD
The STN has been invited to participate on a newly formed Trauma Data Advisory Board, jointly sponsored by the American Trauma Society (ATS) and the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Committee on Trauma.
The ACS/ATS Trauma Data Advisory Board will develop and maintain the infrastructure required to answer any and all trauma data-related questions received by the ATS and the ACS, as will serve as national content experts on trauma data. Furthermore, the group will monitor changes, trends, and issues in the trauma community to provide guidance on matters such as data standardization, definitions, and analysis. This board will have national representation from the ATS, the ACS, trauma registrars, trauma coordinators/program managers, trauma physicians, National Trauma Data Bank, state trauma coordinators, injury epidemiologists, and trauma registry software vendors.
STN president, Amy Koestner, with the support from the board of directors has appointed STN past president, Heidi Hotz, RN, and former STN board member, Robbi Hartsock, RN, MSN, to represent the STN on the Trauma Data Advisory Board.