Call for Nominations
The HPNA Board Development and Leadership Committee is seeking nominations (including self-nominations) for individuals to serve on the Board of Directors. The association proudly serves as the voice for members providing quality palliative care nursing, including hospice. We are seeking energetic, experienced, and passionate hospice and palliative nurses who will lead the provision of palliative nursing into the future.
The HPNA Mission Statement
Leading the way to promote excellence in the provision of palliative nursing care through leadership development, education, and the support of research in the field.
One of the benefits of belonging to a professional organization such as the HPNA is the opportunity to actively participate in a leadership position and positively impact the organization's strength and direction.
Commitment and Eligibility
Members who want to apply for the HPNA Board of Directors must have been an HPNA voting member for a minimum of 2 years.
Board terms are for 3 years. Director obligations include attendance at a minimum of four board meetings per year, active work on two committees, attendance at the Annual Assembly, and other face-to-face and/or telephone responsibilities that might be required.
Directors can expect board members to commit a minimum of one weekday (usually Friday) and two weekend days (Saturday and Sunday) for each of the four annual board meetings. Committee responsibilities usually include monthly conference calls. Board members can expect to spend a minimum of 1 hour on the conference call and additional time in preparation and reporting responsibilities.
Expenses related to board and committee participation are reimbursed. No other remuneration is provided.
Nomination Process
All applicants are required to:
1. Submit a letter stating willingness to serve on the HPNA Board of Directors. Included in this letter of 250 words or less (which will be viewed by the HPNA membership if the applicant is slated on the ballot) must be the following:
* Involvement in all HPNA local and national activities
* Specialized skills and/or experience that the applicant expects to bring to the Board of Directors as these will further the mission of the HPNA
* Previous board experience, including training and leadership classes, fiscal management, and/or marketing activities related to nonprofit organizations and their boards
2. A professional resume that must include the applicant's current mailing address, preferred telephone number, and e-mail address, for contact related to HPNA Board application
3. Two letters of recommendation. If currently employed, one letter of recommendation must be from the applicant's employer. This letter must indicate employer's support for the applicant's participation on the Board of Directors and employer's specific agreement to the time commitment as outlined in the "Commitment and Eligibility" section of this information. References may be contacted by the Board Leadership and Development Committee.
All information must be received in the National Office no later than March 1.
Information can be e-mailed to [email protected] or sent by US Mail to:
One Penn Center West
Suite 229
Pittsburgh, PA 15276-0100
Procedure for Notifying Applicants
All applicants will be notified by the chair of the Board Development and Leadership Committee regarding the status of their application once it is received and reviewed by the committee.
Procedure for Notifying Ballot-Slated Candidates
Following the election and confirmation of the ballot by the HPNA Board of Directors, the Chair of the Board Development and Leadership Committee will contact each candidate to inform him/her of the outcome of the election.
Newest Membership Benefits
The Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association has announced our new E-Learning learning management system (LMS) that also offers a CE-Tracker function!
E-Learning
Online programs allow access to up-to-date, convenient, self-paced learning with real-time test grading and printing of your CE certificate. The online programs have HPNA member and nonmember pricing. The educational programs have a wide range of clinical and professional topics for those professionals caring for persons with life-limiting illnesses in the specialty of palliative care. Nursing contact hours are awarded to the programs. Members of the interdisciplinary team may also find the information appropriate. The fees may vary according to the number of contact hours awarded per course/program.
For HPNA members, to receive HPNA member pricing, you must log in to "Members Only" to access the E-Learning Web site programs.
E-Learning Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What E-Learning options are offered?
The educational programs offered are on a wide range of clinical and professional topics for those caring for persons with life-limiting illnesses. Nursing contact hours are awarded for the programs. Members of the interdisciplinary team may also find the information appropriate and helpful.
Are the programs accredited by ANCC?
Yes, the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the PA State Nurses Association and accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
The Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association is also approved by the California Board of Registered Nurses, provider no. 7076, as a provider of continuing education for nurses.
Is there a fee for the online programs?
The online programs have HPNA member and nonmember pricing. The fee varies according to the number of contact hours awarded per program. HPNA members link through the "Members Only" area of the HPNA Web site to receive member pricing on these programs.
How do I pay for a course on your site? Is it secure?
After selecting the course, you will be asked to register (new user) or log in (returning user) and enter your credit card information. Payment is processed electronically using a credit card (VISA, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express). Credit card name and number, cardholder name, and expiration date are required for processing.
Once the credit card information is processed, a validation result will appear on the screen and a receipt will be e-mailed to you. We know that you are concerned about the security of using a credit card over the Internet. To this end, the company used as our server has purchased security certificates so that all information entered on the registration and payment pages is encrypted upon transfer over the Internet.
Note, your credit card information is not saved to your record and must be reentered each time you pay for a course.
I keep getting an error message when I try to register for a course, help!
An error usually occurs when a computer is set up not to accept cookies from a Web site. To correct this, click "Tools" from the menu bar when your Internet connection is open. Select "Internet Options" and then select "Privacy." Look at where your cookie settings are. Move the slide bar down to "Allow all cookies" and click "OK." After you register and your test is graded, return to this page and reset your cookie setting where it was.
What Internet browser is best for viewing programs?
Functionality is best achieved using Internet Explorer. You can download this browser free by going to the Microsoft Web site, http://www.microsoft.com. Click on "Search," enter "Download Internet Explorer," then choose the "Downloads Page." From here, select Internet Explorer. Some of the courses/programs have sound. Adobe Flash is required to view courses.
How do I get my test results?
After you select the course, submit payment, complete the course, and answer the test questions, the examination is graded immediately and the results are displayed on your screen automatically. If you pass the test, the correct answer is supplied for any incorrect answer given.
After completing an evaluation for the course, you are also given the option to generate a Certificate of Completion. To generate a certificate, click on the "Certificate" button. Print the certificate using your Internet browser print button.
CE Tracker
Keep an all-inclusive personal record of your professional development accomplishments. Add achievements to your CE Tracker, and courses completed online through the LMS will automatically be added.
There is no fee to use the CE Tracker.
Visit the "E-Learning" and "CE-Tracker" menu items on the HPNA Web site (http://www.hpna.org) for full details.
The HPNA Welcomes Newly Elected Board Members
The Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association is pleased to announce the following newly elected members to its Board of Directors: Susan Cox, RN, MSN, CHPN; Lorraine Bearrows, BA, RN, CHPCA, CHPN; and Mary Ersek, PhD, RN, FAAN. These three individuals will begin their 3-year terms in January 2010.
Susan Cox, RN, MSN, CHPN, who will be serving her second term on the HPNA Board of Directors, is vice president of clinical services for the Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro (HPCG) in Greensboro, NC. Ms Cox holds a master of science in nursing-nursing administration degree from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. She is a former member of the HPNA Chapters Committee and board liaison for the HPNA Public Policy Committee. Susan is a certified hospice and palliative care nurse (CHPN) and currently serves as president elect of the HPNA Board of Directors.
Lorraine Bearrows, BA, RN, CHPCA, CHPN, is the executive director of the Ogle County Hospice Association and Foundation in Oregon, IL. In addition to 16 years of hospice experience, Lorraine brings more than 25 years of board knowledge and related leadership positions to the HPNA. Currently, Ms Bearrows serves on the Illinois Department of Health Advisory Board and holds a legislative committee position with the Illinois Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. Ms Bearrows also served on the Hospice and Palliative Care Advisory Board for the Illinois Department of Public Health and the ethics committee of Rochelle Community Hospital.
Mary Ersek, PhD, RN, FAAN, is an associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing in Philadelphia, PA. Serving a second term on the HPNA Board of Directors, Dr Ersek currently holds the position of associate director for the Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence and the Center for Integrative Science in Aging at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr Ersek is a member of the Editorial Board for the Journal of Palliative Medicine and a member of the HPNA Annual Assembly Program Committee, Scientific Subcommittee.
2009 HPNA Leadership Weekend Review
The 7th Annual HPNA Leadership Weekend for Chapters and Provisional Groups held from July 17 to 19 in Pittsburgh, PA, was another outstanding event. More than 53 HPNA chapter members from 40 different HPNA chapters and provisional groups attended the event to learn about the chapter program, interact with HPNA staff, participate in discussions with district leaders, and personally network with the HPNA Board of Directors.
The intent of the Leadership Weekend is to share information about the HPNA integrated chapter model requirements and discover ways to improve local chapter/provisional groups in the areas of membership recruitment, leadership, programming, and communication. If you would like to make history and start your own local chapter of the HPNA, please visit the "How to Start a Chapter" area of the Web site or e-mail Chad Reilly at [email protected] for further information.
Clinical Practice Forum
On September 18 to 19, 2009, the third annual Clinical Practice Forum was held in Pittsburgh, PA, entitled "The Failing Heart: Integrating Palliative Care With Life-Sustaining Therapies." This conference was the initial activity coming out of the HPNA 2009-2012 Research Agenda. The event was very successful and provided an excellent forum for collaboration with nurses from other primary specialty areas. Seven faculty members came together to share their knowledge with more than 250 attendees. There will be additional spin-off educational products because of the valuable information shared at this event. As noted by President Meg Campbell, "We have enjoyed the benefits of three outstanding regional conferences over the past years and we look forward to planning for 2010."
HPNF News
HPNF Certification Scholarships
Certification scholarships reimburse nurses for the cost of taking the test. This HPNA member benefit is intended to fill the funding gap when employers do not cover examination test fees.
There is one scholarship for each nursing examination from CHPNA to ACHPN and the new CHPCA. Members must have taken the examination during the June, September, or November 2009 windows and provide proof of passing from the testing company to qualify. Applications for Fall Certification Exam Scholarships are due in the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation (HPNF) office on or before December 1.
Applications and more information can be found on the HPNF Web site at http://www.hpnf.org.
Annual Member Appeal Continues Through December 2009
New scholarships are added, values are increased. The Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation continues to make a positive impact in the lives of nurses working in hospice and palliative care and, by extension, for their patients and the US public.
We make progress in large part through donations from individuals. In fact, at the time, this article went to press in September, we were at 44% of our ambitious 2009 goal. By the time this reaches readers in November, the push will be on for end-of-year donations. Some donors plan to make their contribution in November or December, and we rely on their steadfastness in giving.
If you are a past donor who forgot to make or postponed your donation for 2009, won't you please help us by donating now to continue and increase the 33 scholarships, grants, and awards offered by HPNF? And if you have not become an HPNF donor yet, click on http://www.hpnf.org today to find out how to make it possible for nurses to achieve career milestones through education, research, and leadership.
Growing by Leaps and Bounds!
The AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly has been deemed so important by the HPNF Board of Directors that they unanimously increased the value of the HPNF Conference Scholarship from $200 to the full early-bird registration fee (a $425 value for Annual Assembly) in just the first year!
The board encourages HPNA members to take advantage of the conference scholarships as a terrific way to decrease costs for education.
The HPNF offers five scholarships to the AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly in March in Boston. This scholarship is a reimbursement of fees and will be presented at the conference.
Applications and information are available at http://www.hpnf.org. To qualify, members must first be registered to attend the conference. Winners will be notified early in 2010. Applications must be in the national office by December 1.
2010 NBCHPN(R) Certification Recognition Event
The NBCHPN(R) will host its 9th Annual Certification Recognition Event during the annual assembly of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association. The luncheon will be held on Thursday, March 4, 2010, from 1:15 to 2:45 PM in Boston, MA. David Swankin, president and CEO of Citizen Advocacy Center, will be the keynote speaker. Seating is limited to the first 250 registrants. Registration details will be posted on our Web site, http://www.nbchpn.org.
2010 APRN and RN HPAR Packets Available
The 2010 APRN and RN HPAR packets are available and are posted on our Web site, http://www.nbchpn.org. All 2010 renewals for certification using HPAR can be received in the national office anytime after January 1 but must be received by March 1, 2010.
As a reminder, all APNs must renew their certification through the APRN HPAR process in the year they are due to renew.
New in 2010, CHPNs may now renew their certification through RN HPAR every renewal cycle.
If you have any questions about the HPAR process, please contact us at [email protected] or call 412-787-1057.
CE Tracker Available!
What is CE Tracker?
CE Tracker is a way to keep an all-inclusive record of your professional development accomplishments.
* CE Tracker is a FREE benefit for NBCHPN certificants and HPNA members!
* Use this service to begin an APRN HPAR or RN HPAR log for NBCHPN certification renewal.
* For more information and to register, visit http://www.hpna.org and click the "CE Tracker" button.