This month's editorial updates readers about the survey that the proposed "International Home Care Nurses Organization" (IHCNO) mentioned in prior issues of Home Healthcare Nurse. This would be a functional platform for communication and networking related to the many aspects and types of home care nursing and nurses. The IHCNO would seek to encompass all aspects of home care nursing (nurses working in) which would include Medicare home care, hospice at home, community-care services at home, Medicaid waiver models, and many more. All nurses who practice, serve, and teach in these settings would be welcomed to participate.
The big difference in this new entity is that it would be grassroot- and volunteer-driven. It will also have virtual capabilities. There would be no dues (at this time) and no management organization/structure. This unique model is based solely on self-governance and enthusiasm for our specialty and practice and the importance of the work we do. Like other successful grassroot programs, the intent is that the members really drive the scope of the organization. It would exist to serve you!!
The May and June issues of Home Healthcare Nurse had sections with the header "We Need Your Participation" that was a URL site for a survey tool related to IHCNO. Thank you to those who took the time and completed the Survey Monkey questions and gave us your thoughts!! This regional meeting idea was supported by the findings in the survey. Other survey findings, interestingly, the highest priority were for some kind of platform for communication and networking among home care nurses. Additional recommendations included a national meeting of interested nurses for educational programs (think the University of Michigan home care nurse meetings of years ago!!), a possible list serve and mentoring opportunities. (Mentoring may be more important than ever as home care becomes more complex and some of us boomers seek to retire before age 80!!)
It is time to move our collective idea forward. We would be interested in hearing from you, our readers, home care nurses who wish to identify a regional area in which they live or practice to host networking meetings. These could range from breakfast meetings to other ways to meet and communicate. If you are interested, e-mail Tina Marrelli at [email protected] or Elizabeth Madigan at [email protected].
Stay tuned for more information. We look forward to your thoughts and efforts!!
Sincerely,
Tina Marrelli, Editor, HHN, and Elizabeth Madigan, Editorial Board Member