January, February, March 2011 Vermont Nurse Connection • Page 1

current resident or

Presort StandardUS Postage

PAIDPermit #14

Princeton, MN55371

Volume 14 • Number 1 January, February, March 2011Vermont State Nurses’ Association Official Publication

North Country Career Center SalutesMiranda Ryan

Page 4

VSNA Trials New CE Site

Page 11

Inside...

IndexMovie Review: Outside the Popcorn Box . . . . . . 3

Kappa Tau “Heart of Leadership Dinner: . . . . . 3

Kappa Tau Research Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

The Future of Nursing: Leading Change,

Advancing Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Personal & Financial Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Student News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Continuing Education Opportunities . . . . . . . . . 6

Legislative and Committee on Government

Affairs Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

ANA/VSNA News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

VSNA Convention 2010 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Membership Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

AHEC Office of Nursing Workforce . . . . . . . . . 10

Vermont Nurse Connection

Quarterly Circulation 20,000 to all Registered Nurses, LPNs, LNAs, and Student Nurses in Vermont

President’s LetterRuth Elsa Baldwin RN

Greetings everyone! I would like to thank you; I am honored to serve as your VSNA President. My goals for this term of office are:

• To increase themembership in our Association.

• I would also like toopen dialogue regarding allowing LPNs to become affiliate mem­bers within the VSNA; they share commitment of service to our fellow human beings.

• I would also like to challenge states to adoptstandardized scope and standards of practice and nurse practice acts. Unification of nursing practice, state to state, would provide the nursing profession with a more solid foundation to serve others and ourselves. We share similar concerns and engaging in collaborative thinking would allow us to make the changes through united action, working together for the well­being of all, ensuring quality health care service.

Another concern that is of great interest to me is the well­being of our service men and women and their families; in particular, that they receive the mental health services they deserve before they return home from performing their servicetoourcountry.Thiswouldincludefamilycounselingto prepare spouses and children for the return of their loved one and for service men and women to come home and also receiveservicestoallowforabettertransition.Theydeserve

this preparation and respect, they did this for our country and we should in return care for them with honor and respect. As mentioned in a past VSNA President’s Letter, there are existing services to support soldiers and their families. Nurses should ensure our soldiers and families have access to available support services.

I welcome any thoughts on new changes or challenges that exist in our present time. I look forward to organizing, problem solving and taking action to create changes for a new beginning and encouraging the VSNA to become involved in projects promoting respect for the nursing profession.

I would like to thank all the members that have worked so hard to keep this invaluable association afloat. There has never been a time in history thatmembershipin a professional association is more relevant. We have the opportunity to grow stronger and combine our best interests and unite with a common voice of nursing to be able to pass resolutions addressing important issues reaffirming health care is a basic human right.

Every nurse is a leader and I appreciate the support, collaboration, and spirit of dedication that it takes to establish the foundation necessary to be the strongest possible voice for nursing. What can we do? Become informed by reading a wide range of resources. Join your professional nursing association and, if you are already a member, assist your colleagues in seeing the value of membership. Membership will arm us with a stronger united voice. Get involved. Volunteer to serve on a VSNA committee. Work on a political campaign. If you can’t devote that much time, attend the VSNA’s Nurses Day at the Statehouse. The next VSNA Nurses’ Day at theStatehouse will be Wednesday, April 20th, 2011. It is an opportunity to meet with your elected representatives, tell your story and influence your profession.

Ruth Elsa Baldwin

Vermont Board of Nursing WelcomesNew Executive Director

November 1, 2010—The Vermont Board of Nursingwelcomes Linda Davidson MS, APRN as the new Executive Director, and wishes farewell to Mary L. Botter PhD, RN. Linda Davidson graduated from Pace University as a Family Nurse Practitioner in 1994 and from the University of Vermont in 2010 as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Her work experience has been

in Primary Care with a specialty in Women’s Health and her job responsibilities throughout her career have included direct patient care, administration and oversight of clinical services, quality assurance and risk management.

Linda resides in Waterbury with her husband and three cats.

SAVE THE DATENurses’ Day at the

State HouseApril 20, 2011

Page 2 • Vermont Nurse Connection January, February, March 2011

Vermont Nurse ConnectionOfficial publication of the Vermont State Nurses’ Association,

a constituent member of the American Nurses Association. Published quarterly every January, April, July and October. Library subscription price is $18 per year. ISSN# 1529­4609.

Editorial OfficesVermont State Nurses’ Association, 100 Dorset Street, #13,

SouthBurlington,VT05403,PH: (802)651-8886,FAX(802)651-8998, E­mail: vtnurse@sover.net

Editors: Jean E. Graham and Eileen Girling

AdvertisingFor advertising rates and information, please contact Arthur L.

Davis Publishing Agency, Inc., 517 Washington Street, PO Box 216, CedarFalls, Iowa50613, (800)626-4081,sales@aldpub.com.VSNAand the Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc. reserve the right to reject any advertisement. Responsibility for errors in advertising is limited to corrections in the next issue or refund of price of advertisement.

Acceptance of advertising does not imply endorsement or approval by the Vermont State Nurses’ Association of products advertised, the advertisers, or the claims made. Rejection of an advertisement does not imply a product offered for advertising is without merit, or that the manufacturer lacks integrity, or that this association disapproves of the product or its use. VSNA and the Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc. shall not be held liable for any consequences resulting from purchase or use of an advertiser’s product. Articles appearing in this publication express the opinions of the authors; they do not necessarily reflect views of the staff, board, or membership of VSNA or those of the national or local associations.

ContentVermont State Nurses’ Association welcomes unsolicited

manuscripts and suggestions for articles. Manuscripts can be up to: •750wordsforapressrelease

•1500wordsforafeaturearticleManuscripts should be typed double­spaced and spell­checked

with only one space after a period and can be submitted:1) Aspaperhardcopy

2) AsaWordPerfectorMSWorddocumentfilesavedtoa31/2” disk or to CD­Rom or zip disk

3) Ore-mailedasaWordPerfectorMSWorddocumentfiletovtnurse@sover.net.

No faxes will be accepted. Authors’ names should be placed after title with credentials and affiliation. Please send a photograph of yourself if you are submitting a feature article.

All articles submitted to and/or published in Vermont Nurse Connection become the sole property of VSNA and may not be reprinted without permission.

All accepted manuscripts may undergo editorial revision to conform to the standards of the newsletter or to improve clarity.

TheVermont Nurse Connection is not a peer review publication. Articles appearing in this publication express the opinions of the authors; they do not necessarily reflect views of the staff, board, or membership of VSNA or those of the national or local association.

Copyright Policy Criteria for ArticlesThepolicy of theVSNAEditorialBoard is to retain copyright

privileges and control of articles published in the Vermont Nurse Connection unless the articles have been previously published or the author retains copyright.

VSNA Officers and Board of DirectorsPresident . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ruth Elsa BaldwinPast President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June BenoitPresident Elect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Vice President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carol HodgesSecretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Anne DouglasTreasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jen Botelho District 1 Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marcia BosekDistrict 2 Director . . . . . . . .Mollie Chamberlain & Katie ClarkDistrict 3 Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virginia UmlandVSN Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lorraine WelchVSNA Executive Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June Benoit

District PresidentsDistrict 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jill FedericoDistrict 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Catherine Ann GuyDistrict 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .VirginiaUmland(Director)

StaffBookkeeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Martha StewartLobbyist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Christie Steier

Committee ChairpersonsConvention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lorraine WelchEducation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deborah Hayward­SanguinettiGovernment Affairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christie SteierMembership. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ann LarameeNominating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vacantNursing Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vacantProgram Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Psychiatric Special Interest Group . . . . . . . . Maureen McGuireCongressional Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christie SteierSenate Coordinator for Leahy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Christie SteierSenate Coordinator for Sanders . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Christie SteierANA House of Delegates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June Benoit, Carol Hodges, Lorraine Welch, Ellen CeppetelliAlternate Delegates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richard Frank

VNC Editorial•JeanGrahamandEileenGirling

The VSNA wants you to take advantageof some of the networking and informational resources available on the Internet.

Current information about activities of the VSNA can be found by visiting the VSNA Website at: http://my.memberclicks.com/vsna or http://www.vsna­inc.org

Requests for additions or changes to the VSNA website should be communicated before the 1st of each month to the site’s webmaster at vtnurse@sover.net.

Also, as a VSNA member you are welcome to join the VSNA listserv . To become alistserv participant, send an e­mail message to the VSNA office at vtnurse@sover.net. In your message, please indicate that you wish to be part of the listserv and include your name, e­mail address, and your VSNA member number.

Hope to see you on the web!

Voices of Vermont Nurses

premiered at VSNA Convention 2000 and is available from the VSNA Office at:Vermont State Nurses’ Association

100 Dorset Street, #13 South Burlington, Vermont 05403

Price: $20 each book (plus $3.95 for postage and handling)

Make check or money order payable to:VERMONT STATE NURSES FOUNDATION

Name: _________________________________________

Address: _______________________________________

City: ___________________________________________

State: __________________ Zip: ___________________

Deadlines for the Vermont Nurse Connection

Are you interested in contributing an article to an upcoming issue of the Vermont Nurse Connection? If so, here is a list of submission deadlines for the next 2 issues:

Vol . 14 #2—January 24, 2011Vol . 14 #3—April 25, 2011

Articles may be sent to the editors of the Vermont Nurse Connection at:

Vermont State Nurses’ AssociationAttention: VNC100 Dorset Street, Suite 13South Burlington, VT 05403-6241Articles may also be submitted electronically to

vtnurse@sover.net .

If you wish to submit a “Letter to the Editor,” please address it to:

Vermont State Nurses’ AssociationAttn: Vermont Nurse Connection100 Dorset Street, #13SouthBurlington,VT05403

Please remember to include contact information, as letter authors may need to be contacted by the editors of the VNC for clarification. NOTE: Letters to theEditor reflect the opinions of the letter authors and should not be assumed to reflect the opinions of the Vermont State Nurses’ Association.

Jean Graham, Editor

January, February, March 2011 Vermont Nurse Connection • Page 3

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 9, 20115:00-7:30PM

WINDJAMMER RESTAURANTCome for an informal evening of conversation with

nursing colleagues. Everyone is welcome!

Dinner Menu:Caesar Salad

Baked Potato or Rice PilafSeasonal Vegetable

Choice of: Prime Rib, Broiled Salmon, Boston Scrod, Chicken Teriyaki, Vegetarian Option, or Chicken and

Shrimp Combo.Cheesecake with Strawberries

Coffee or TeaCash Bar

Check out our website for updateshttp://www.uvm.edu/~kappatau/

Registration opens January 1, 2011

Kappa Tau

Cordially invites you toOur annual

Kappa Tau Chapter ofSigma Theta TauResearch Night

WHEN: January 20, 2011 at 6pm

WHERE: 107 Rowell, University of Vermont

Robert Nash, Ed.D andAlexis Ressler, M.S., M.Ed., APRN present

Scholarly Personal Narrative: An alternative research methodology for nursing

Welcome to this new feature of the Vermont Nurse Connection in which movies are reviewed and considered with enhancement of nursing and professional practice in mind AND with a little bit of thinking “outside the popcorn box.”

About the Columnist: Sandra McBournie is Program Coordinator of a nursing continuing education department, nursing professor and movie lover. I began using movies to create discussion points with students and decided to start doing reviews for the NH Nurses Association (a constituent member oftheAmericanNursesAssociation).

Food, Inc. explores the root of the evil we call nourishment in this country. Everything to be believed about the quintessential American farmer, the effort of the Food and Drug Administration to protect us from harm, and eating chicken being better for you than eating beef will be challenged while watching Food, Inc. What can now be understood is that corn rules, food is poison, farmers are forced to be cruel to animals and the earth to survive, and the government agencies in place to protect you from harm are in cahoots with profit driven food corporations. Thestories covered in this documentary may force viewers to become the most disillusioned genetically modified food eating consumers in history.

Take for instance the story about the chicken farmerCarole Morrison, who is expected to grow a chicken from eggtofilet insixweeks.Thisrequiresanatmosphereforthe chickens that, well, isn’t very chicken like. No light, no room to move, and the inability to walk because they are so overgrown with steroids and an unnatural diet that their bodies are too heavy for their legs to carry them. When Carole who makes a measly $18,000/year raising and selling these chickens puts her foot down about this

Movie Review: Outside the Popcorn Boxchicken abuse and fights the giant corporation that buys her chicken meat about not allowing light into her chicken house, they cancel her contract.

ThenthereisthetragicstoryaboutanE.Colibreakoutthat caused the death of Barbara Kowalcyk’s young son and her subsequent plight to put a stop to any such future tragedies. The story behind the story; well it turns outthat the cows aren’t supposed to eat corn, which allows

unnatural bacteria to grow in their manure, which cows stand in up to their knee caps, unable to move, in an overcrowded corral. Nor is the rain water that runs through the feces filled cow farm supposed to be able to spill down into the spinach field next door. If you are wondering why we feed cows corn if it isn’t part of their native diet, the answer is simple: cheap corn equals cheap feed, equals cheap meat, equals more meat sold, equals big profits for the meat company. Where is the Food and Drug Administration while all this filth is running through farms you ask? Not doing inspections apparently, for according to Food, Inc., they performed approximately

40,000 less inspections in 2006 than they did in 1972.All these stories force the viewer to wonder about the

American food consumer’s lack of a relationship with their food; especially if that food once had eyes. Joel Salatin, a good old fashioned “natural” farmer in the film said “industrial food is not honest food” and he believes you can “meet the need without compromising integrity.” In other words the consumer should demand that we let cows act like cows, and chickens act like chickens and let food corporations either cowboy up or squander. We should buy more and locally grown, fresh, organic foods. Which begs another question the movie explores; “what if you can’t afford it?” Everyone knows the cheaper the food is theworse it is for you (think fast food), and this film

clearly points to big food business, with bigger profits, and gigantic heavy hands as the reason. Large food corporations respond by saying they are doing us a huge favor with the level of efficiency they provide and that America would have a food shortage if it wasn’t for their iron fisted national network. Food, Inc. sheds a beaming light on what now appears to be an obvious fact: efficiency equals bad food.

Is this corporation­farmer­consumer paradigm sounding familiar to caregivers reading this? Big business with big profits (pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies)forcing the middle man (nurse and other healthcareproviders)tomanipulatetheproduct(caregiving)atrisktotheconsumer(patient).IhighlyrecommendFood,Inc., ifnot for your own health and well­being, for the health and well­being of your patients.

Page 4 • Vermont Nurse Connection January, February, March 2011

The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing HealthSubmitted by: June M. Benoit MSN FNP,

Executive Director-VSNA, Inc.

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) is an independent,nonprofit interdisciplinary advisory body to the nation on issues impacting health. Established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, the IOM provides independent, objective, evidence­based advice to policy makers, health professionals, the private sector, and the public.The process of health care reformin the United States is unfolding; with the adoption of the Affordable Care Act millions of Americans will now have access to health insurance. This provides a uniqueopportunity to restructure our current health care system into one emphasizing patient centered care, commitment to quality, and collaboration—core components of nursing practice. In examining our current health care delivery systemandhealthcarereformefforts,TheIOMpartneredwith the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) tocreate the RWJF Initiative on the Future of Nursing at the IOM in 2008. TheRWJF has long-standing commitmentto ensuring our nursing workforce has the necessary capacity, skills, and competence, to meet the present and future health care needs of the public. This Committeewas charged with performing an in­depth analysis of our nursing profession and to make recommendations for

strengthening nursing to become full partners and leaders within health care reform and health care delivery systems.

ThispastOctober theCommittee released their reportwith the following four key messages:

• Nurses should practice to the full extent of theireducation and training.

• Nurses should achieve higher levels of educationand training through an improved education system that promotes seamless academic progression.

• Nurses should be full partners, with physiciansand other health care professionals, in redesigning health care in the United States.

• Effective workforce planning and policy makingrequire better data collection and information infrastructure.

The VSNA, along with other Constituent MemberAssociations (CMAs), and the American NursesAssociation supports this report. “We at ANA support the recommendations of the IOM report and are eager to partner with others in developing effective strategies to implement these ideas, which are reflective of ANA’s long standing work on behalf of the nursing profession,” ANA President Karen Daley PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN, commented. “This reportbolsters the case thatANAhaslong championed—that the full contributions of nurses and nursing are essential to the delivery of high quality, patient­focusedcare.The IOMrecommendations, alongwith the

adoptionoftheAffordableCareAct(ACA),servetocreatea unique opportunity to restructure our current health care system into one which emphasizes collaboration and a commitment to quality. We look forward to working alongside other key stakeholders to implement the changes needed to ensure we’re building a health care system that provides access to high quality care.”

TheReportidentifiedanumberofbarriersthatpreventnurses from being able to respond effectively to rapidly changing health care settings and an evolving health care system.Thesebarriersneedtobeovercometoensurethatnurses are well­positioned to lead change and advance health reform. The RWJF’s Initiative on the Future ofNursing organized a national conference November 30th through December 1st to discuss ways to implement the report’s recommendations. Five CMAs are currently involved in formal pilot projects with the RWJF to develop specific strategies addressing the IOM Recommendations. While not involved with a formal pilot project, the VSNA will engage other key nursing and health care stakeholders in Vermont to specifically address implementing these recommendations within our state.

For more information on the Future of Nursing Report, go to www.nursingworld.org or to read the full report: http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12956. You can also go to the RWJF Initiative on the Future of Nursing website—TheFutureofNursing.org.

North Country Career Center Salutes Miranda RyanTheNorthCountryCareerCenterisproudtoannounce

that Miranda Ryan, a recent graduate of the Health Careers Program, was awarded the Gold Medal in Nurse Assisting at the National SkillsUSA* competition held in Kansas City, Missouri.

Ryan was accompanied to Kansas City by Health Careers instructor, Celine Champine, who is elated with Miranda’s success. “I have seen such growth in Miranda over this past year. She is very patient­oriented and that mind set obviously came through in the competition,” commented Champine, adding, “I am so very proud of her and I am confident that she will reach her career goals in the nursing field.”

To place first atNationals, Ryan competedagainst twenty­five other state gold medalists who, like herself, had earned the right to represent their home state by placing first in their state. During the National Competition, Ryan had to demonstrate a variety of patient care skills, submit a resume, participate in a job interview, and take a written test on Nurse Assisting theory. Judging also included professional appearance and attitude, attributes whichInstructorTrembleycommentedonverypositively.

“She has a very professional, calm and consistent demeanor and this worked extremely well for her during this competition.”

“I never thought that I would go this far and I owe a lot to my great teachers, Celine Champine and Carol Trembley. They pushedme to compete and I realized that if I put my mind to it, I could do it,” said Ryan. “I hope this inspires other kids to try their best.”

Ryan is a 2010 graduate of the Health Careers Program at North Country Career Center. While in the program, Ryan earned credentialsinCPR,AED(AutomatedExternalDefibrillator), First Aid and LNA (LicensedNursingAssistant)licensure.Shealsoreceivedthree college credits from the Community College of Vermont in Medical Terminology.She plans to attend Southern Vermont College in Bennington in the fall and pursue a nursing degree. She is currently working at Bel­Aire Center in Newport and Wayne’s Snack Bar in Newport Center.

Contact Information: Celine Champine, Health Careers Instructor, celinechampine@

ncuhs.org

Miranda Ryan

January, February, March 2011 Vermont Nurse Connection • Page 5

Personal & Financial Health

by Susanne Gaddis, Ph.D.

Like an athlete in training for a major competition, it took several long years of study, self­discipline and financial sacrifice to train to be a RN. In order to study and pass your nursing exams, you made many disciplined decisions to dedicate your time, money and effort in order to achieve this goal. And now that you’ve achieved your admirable objective, do you find that you’re still showing that same steely resolve and fierce willpower in your job?

Pumping up your “willpower muscle” in your day­to­day career can mean a variety of things: Keeping timeliness a priority; making follow-through amust (nota maybe); giving co-workers extra help and effort in aneeded area, as well as many other will­powered efforts. And sometimes willpower even means flexing your “won’t power” brawn—using self­restraint, like saying “no thanks” to idle gossip and water cooler­rumors.

“Willpower can be defined as initiating activity, or the ability to do things that are difficult or frustrating. Won’t power is the ability to not initiate activity that you wish to do,“ explained Angela Duckworth, doctoral candidate at the University of Pennsylvania and advanced graduate student of nationally recognized “Authentic Happiness” guru Marty Seligman. “Everyone has an intuitive sense of whether or not a person has self­discipline. People can be disciplined about, say, working hard, but find themselves unable to resist other temptations, like procrastination, drinking, gambling and smoking.”

So ask yourself: “Do the goals that you currently have require “willpower” or “won’t power?”

Self­Control as Child’s PlayIt’s a scientific fact, self­control can be measured.

And it seems that this attribute can show up early in life, sometimes as young as four years of age.

Case in point: Self-control (or self-discipline, self-regulation)canbedefinedas theability todelay impulseintheserviceofagoal(aconquestofthereasoningbrainover the impulsive one; a sign of emotional intelligence).The importance of this trait to successwas shown in anexperiment begun in the 1960s by psychologist Walter Mischel at a preschool on the Stanford University campus.

Mischel told a room of preschoolers that they could have a single marshmallow treat right now. However, if they would wait while the experimenter ran an errand, they would be rewarded with two marshmallows. Some preschoolers grabbed the marshmallow immediately, yet others were able to wait (for whatmust have seemed anendless)20minutes.Tosustainthemselvesintheirstruggleforself-restraint,somecoveredtheireyes(sotheywouldn’tseethetemptation),othersrestedtheirheadsontheirarms,talked to themselves, sang, and some even tried to sleep. Thesedeterminedkidsgotthetwo-marshmallowreward.

The interesting part of this experiment came in thefollow-up studies. The children who as four-year-oldshad been able to wait for the two marshmallows were, as adolescents, still able to delay gratification in pursuing their goals.Theyweremore socially competent and self-assertive, and better able to cope with life’s frustrations. Conversely, the kids who grabbed the one marshmallow were, as adolescents, more likely to be stubborn, indecisive and stressed.

In general though, Duckworth explained infants and toddlers are not good at controlling themselves and the part of the brain that is implicated in self­control does not really fully mature in people until the early 20s.

Muscle Willpower: A Limited resourceIn the simplest of terms, self­control can be viewed as

a muscle. Roy F. Baumeister, Ph.D., a professor at Case Western Reserve University, explained that, like a muscle, if you try to constantly (and without respite), exert yourself­control, it won’t work. It will wear itself out. In other

words, you will fatigue the self­control muscle by over­using it. His recommendation is to exert, and then rest, and then exert, and then rest—in this way you may be able to become more self­disciplined by “growing” your strength.

“From a practical point of view, you can view the model of self­control as a limited resource,” Duckworth said, “If you’re a nurse in a stressful environment, doing things (both emotionally and physically) that you don’t wantto, well, after a long 10­hour shift, like any muscle that gets worn­out, you’re more likely to break a self­control mechanism—yell at your spouse, break your diet, and so on.Thinkaboutit:Mostpeopledon’tbreaktheirdietandraidtherefrigeratorat10a.m.inthemorning.Thisusuallyhappens at the end of the day when their ‘willpower muscle’ is much weaker.”

A great way to refill your “willpower reservoir” when the tank is running on empty is to catch a nap, listen to a joke, get a hug, watch a funny movie, etc. But there are times when relaxation, sleep, a change in scheduling or a “time out” is not possible. In these times, it may be viable to—rather than change your behavior—change your environment. “As a nurse, you can make an excuse to get out of a difficult conversation, decreasing your self­control demands. You can then postpone the meeting to a time when your self­control reserves are higher… If you’re at the ‘end of your rope,’ then don’t schedule an emotionally difficult session or workout,” Duckworth noted.

Implementation IntentionsIt is possible to double or even triple your chance of

achieving a specific goal if you pre-think (think ahead)and indicate how you are going to execute the goal. Peter Gollwitzer, Ph.D, does this by having people use specific how, where, when, what objectives, such as: “If _________ happens, then I will do _______________.” Now name five things that you need to do: “When it is ____________ I will do _________________.”

Gollwitzer has people delegate the initiation of goal­directed behavior to environmental stimuli by forming so­called implementation intentions. Again, he uses the: “If situation x is encountered, I will perform behavior y” theory. He has observed that forming implementation intentions helps in detecting, attending to, and recalling the critical situation. Moreover, in the presence of the critical situation the initiation of the specified goal­directed behavior is immediate, efficient, and does not need a conscious intent.

Forming implementation intentions can be used as an effective self­regulatory tool when it comes to resisting temptations, avoiding to stereotype members of an out­group, blocking unwanted goal pursuits and more. Plus, action control via implementation intentions seems to save a person’s self­regulatory resources.

Nine Steps to Develop More Self­ControlAccording to coping.org (www.coping.org), an onsite

manual for coping with a variety of life’s stressors (authored by: James J. Messina, Ph.D., & Constance M.Messina,Ph.D.), thereareninesteps to take inassessing,managing and developing your self­ control muscle:

(1). First, you need to identify the areas of your lifeyou need to gain more self­control: In your personal life? (balanced diet, love of self, self-esteem, compulsive and/or addictive behaviors [such as eating, shopping, cleaning, alcohol, drugs, sex, smoking, crisis­oriented activity, excessive activity, body image, etc.].

Or do you need to review your relationships with fixers, helpers, caretakers and enablers? (overdependency,manipulation, helplessness, lack of emotional boundaries, etc.) What about your work life? (time & stressmanagement, workaholism, fear of success, assertiveness, self­image as worker, self recognition of accomplishments, handling perfectionism) And finally, your community life? (need for support system, involvement with others,

Pump Up Your Self-Discipline Muscleby Flexing Your Will (and Won’t) Power

participation in clubs and activities, handling competition &leadership).

(2.)Onceyouhaveidentifiedthevariousissuesinwhichyou need to develop more self­control, then you need to identify which emotions tend to lead you to be more out of control. Use the list of emotions and feelings clusters to identify for each issue out of control, which emotions or feelings tend to exacerbate the loss of control.

Emotions that lead to being out of control

Emotion Feeling cluster

Boredom listless, unoccupied, restless, uneasy, a need for novelty, change, or excitement

Anger rage, hate, cheated, infuriated, spiteful, mean, mad, or envious

Guilt ashamed, miserable, remorse, blamed, distraught, or pain

Depression left out, ugly, empty, powerless, victimized, suffering, useless, low, sad, helpless, discouraged, or troubled

Anxiety overstressed, out of control, nervous, overwhelmed, uneasy, tense, pressured, panicked, troubled, confused, or shocked

Loneliness unwanted, unappreciated, left out, ignored, unloved, alone, hurt, neglected, ugly, or rejected

Fear afraid, tense, anxious, nervous, weak, worried, skeptical, frightened, threatened, panicked

Excitability eager, driven, energetic, capable, turned on, enthusiastic, motivated, or clever

Comfort proud, refreshed, appreciated, satisfied, accomplished, useful, respected, content, confident, full, calm, or relaxed

Happiness good, nice, glad, loved, pleased, wanted, wonderful, delighted, or beautiful

(Courtesy of coping.org)

(3.)Onceyouhaveidentifiedwhatfeelingsandemotionstend to exacerbate your loss of control, next identify what irrational beliefs lead to increased loss of control in each of these issues.

(4.) Then you need to identify new, rational, reality-based, healthy thinking, which will lead to your gaining control over these issues. Some self­affirmations are: “I am capable of controlling myself,” and: “I will take control of my behaviors,” and: “Changing old behaviors takes effort, time, and a motivation to change and I am willing to give all three of these to gain control of my life,” and: “I am a capable, lovable person who deserves to let go of the uncontrolled ways of my past so that I can grow, flourish, and be successful in my attempts to gain control in my life,” and finally: “I will make time for the work to develop my self­control.”

(5.) Once you have identified healthy self-talk, thenyou need to identify positive actions or behaviors that will assist you to develop self­control in your life. Such behaviors or actions are: stress reduction, improved time management planning and scheduling, an exercise program five to seven times a week, a balanced diet, altering relationships with people, places and things, keeping a personal journal, changing patterns/routines of daily life, avoid settings that arouse negative emotions, and watch out forHALT(Hungry,Angry,Lonely,Tired)situationswhichcould lead to a relapse of out­of­control behaviors.

(6.)Onceyouhaveidentifiedthesetofhealthyactionsthat assist the development of self­control, develop a plan of action for each issue.

(7.)Onceyourplansofactionaredeveloped,implementthem one at a time, taking one issue at a time to get under control.Todecidewhichissuestotakefirst,prioritizetheissues.

Will and Won’t Power continued on page 6

Page 6 • Vermont Nurse Connection January, February, March 2011

(8.)Onceyouhaveprioritized the issues tobeworkedon, begin to implement the plans of action to get them under your control.

(9.) If after a time you find that you are still out ofcontrol, then return to first step and begin again.

In the end, with time, effort and regular “exert­and­relax” muscle­toning workouts, your willpower and won’t power strength can be in powerfully pumped­up shape!

Susanne Gaddis, PhD, known as the Communications Doctor, is an acknowledged communications expert who has been speaking and teaching the art of effective and positive communication since 1989. With a specialized expertise in healthcare communication, Susanne delivers workshops, seminars, and keynote presentations across the United States. For more information, or to book Dr. Gaddis for an upcoming conference or event call 919­933­3237 or visit: www.communicationsdoctor.com.

Will and Won’t Power continued from page 5 Student NewsThe Vermont State Nurses’ Foundation

AnnouncesThe Arthur L . Davis Publishing Agency, Inc . 2011 Scholarship

Applications for the $1,000 scholarship are open to Vermont State Nurses’ Association members who are

currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate nursing program and who are active in a professional

nursing organization. Submit application by August 1, 2011. Please complete the application below and

submit it to:

Vermont State Nurses’ Foundation, Inc.

100 Dorset Street, Suite #13

SouthBurlington,VT05403

Name: ______________________________________________________________________________

Address: ____________________________________________________________________________

City: __________________________________ State _______________________ Zip ______________

Phone: ______________________________ E­mail: _________________________________________

Nursing Program and Degree Currently Enrolled in:

____________________________________________________________________________________

Briefly describe your activities in the Vermont State Nurses’ Association or other nursing organization

within the past three years:

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Continuing Education

Opportunities

Upcoming Educational Opportunities (Non-VSNA)

UVM College of MedicineThefollowingeducationaleventsaresponsoredby the

University of Vermont. For more information contact:Continuing Medical Education128 Lakeside Avenue, Suite 100Burlington,VT05401(802)656-2292http://cme.uvm.edu

Emergency Medicine UpdateDate: 02/02/2011­02/05/2011

Location:TheStoweflakeHotel&SpaStowe,VT

20th Annual Current Concepts & Controversies in Surgery

Date: 02/03/2011­02/05/2011Location:TheStoweflakeHotel&Spa

Stowe,VT

16th Annual Vermont Perspectives in AnesthesiaDate: 03/02/2011­03/06/2011

Location: Stowe Mountain LodgeStowe,VT

Vermont Blueprint for HealthDate: 04/11/2011

Location: Sheraton Burlington Hotel & Conference Center ­ Blueprint

Burlington,VT

2011 Vermont AHEC Geriatrics Conference Date: 04/12/2011

Location: Capitol PlazaMontpelier,VT

Vermont Summer Pediatric SeminarDate: 06/16/2011­06/19/2011

Location:TheEquinoxManchester,VT

January, February, March 2011 Vermont Nurse Connection • Page 7

General NewsResearch Round-Up

TheVNC welcomes the submission of nursing abstracts of publications,reports,thesesorotherscholarlywork.TheVNC is distributed to 25,000 readers, and it is a wonderful way to share your work and to keep us informed of the wealth of work that nurses are producing throughout Vermont.

The VNC Editorial Board encourages all nurses involved in practice, education, research, administration or other fields to submit their typed abstracts of 200­250 words with a cover letter with the following information:

• NameandCredentialsofAuthor:

• Telephone#:

• Emailaddress:

• PlaceofEmployment:

• Position:

• Educationalinstitution(ifstudent):*

• CurrentYearofStudy:

• Facultycontactperson:

Name:

Telephone#:

Email address:

• Date:

*Student Abstracts must be submitted by their school of nursing.

Abstracts may be e­mailed to vtnurse@sover.net, or a hardcopy can be sent to the VSNA, Inc, VNC Abstract, 100DorsetStreet,#13,SouthBurlington,VT05403.

Legislative and Committee onGovernment Affairs Update

Christie Steier RN, BSN

As many of you may already know, Margaret Luce has resigned from both her position as VSNA lobbyist and as Chair of the Committee on Government Affairs (CGA).For the past eight years, Margaret has worked tirelessly to ensure that Vermont nurses have had a voice in state legislative decisions that impact the nursing profession. I am honored to have the opportunity to step in and continue Margaret’s work as both the new lobbyist for the VSNA and as Chair of the CGA. Margaret’s shoes will be hard to fill but fortunately, she has agreed to stay on as a member of the CGA to offer guidance and support.

The 2011 state legislative session and the nationalpolitical landscape, both indicate that the CGA will be busy this coming year.TheVSNAand theCGAwill becalled upon to add input regarding a variety of issues important to nursing in 2011. Please sign on to the VSNA/Political Action web site for frequent updates on these issues as they arise and to add your input. Also, in early November2010,astaffingsurveywassentoutto700VTnurses. The response rate by the end of November wasphenomenal and we want to thank all of you that took the timetocompleteandreturnit.Theresultswillbeavailablesometime in early 2011. The VSNA and CGAwill thendecide how to proceed with addressing the issues using input from the survey.

To ensure that VT nurses are represented whenhealthcare policies are formulated we need all Vermont nurses to get involved in the dialogue—no matter what your clinical practice setting or expertise is. The CGAneeds to hear from all of you and we hope to be able to call on you when questions arise that you can help answer.

If you are interested in joining the CGA and/or you are willing to serve as a “resource person” for your particular area of practice, please contact me, (Christie Steier), viae­mail at steiers@comcast .net or by phone at 802-876-7445. Any amount of participation in the activities of the committee that your schedule will permit would be greatly appreciated. Most of the committee meetings are conducted by phone conference so travel is minimal. We are also hoping to increase use of the blog that has been set­up for the CGA on the VSNA web­site. Please sign­on to the VSNA web site at www.vsna­inc.org, right click on resources at the top of the page and then right click on political action. Follow the link provided to the blog and sign­up to get started joining in on the conversation and viewing updates.

Nurses are the largest and most trusted workforce in the American healthcare industry. We have the credentials to be one of the most influential voices in decisions regarding healthcare policy so let’s start speaking up a bit louder! We hope to hear from you soon.

American Academy of Nursing Supports Recommendations That all Public Health and Health Care Settings Develop a

System of Routine Testing for HIV Infection

Emerging and Infectious Diseases Expert Panel publishes policy brief recommending action steps for nurse leaders and helping identify

individuals who are unaware of their HIV serostatus

WASHINGTON—In conjunction with World AIDSDay, the American Academy of Nursing (AAN) ExpertPanel on Emerging and Infectious Diseases published a policy brief amplifying the public need for routine testing forHIV infection.Thepolicybrief calls for theadoptionof the 2006 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)recommendationssupportingroutineHIVtestinginall health care settings and streamlining the administrative operations of widespread testing.

The nursing profession, the largest segment of thehealth care workforce, historically has been at the forefront of solving health care issues that affect the community. Furthermore, the Academy’s policy brief touts the critical leadership role of nurses relative to implementing widespread infrastructure changes, which will ultimately decrease transmission of HIV and reduce the percentage of individuals infectedwithHIV(24-27percent)whoareunaware of their status.

The policy brief can be viewed at http://www.aannet.org/files/public/EIDPolicyBrief.pdf.

“HIV screening of individuals who do not know their HIV status is a critical element in the prevention of HIV transmission across families and communities,” said Emerging and Infectious Diseases Expert Panel Co­Chair Rosanna DeMarco, PhD, PHCNS­BC, ACRN, FAAN. “At the center of the solution are nurses willing to build consensus between neighborhoods, centers of health care, and health care providers to find the best solution to make routine testing a reality.”

Knowing one’s HIV serostatus helps infected individuals with HIV adopt risk­reduction behaviors and access life­prolonging medical treatment while helping uninfected individuals maintain behaviors that reduce the risk of infection. Despite these facts, 54 percent of new infections are driven by individuals unaware of their HIV status.

According to the brief, the 2006 CDC recommendations have not reached target benchmarks.

The AAN Expert Panel on Emerging and InfectiousDiseases cites numerous pieces of evidence that support scaling up testing efforts across health care settings. Utilizing nurses as an integral resource for carrying out the CDC target goals, the expert panel lists 10

recommendations to guide future implementation, among them:1)identifyingknowledgedeficitsamonghealthcareproviders, especially in primary care regarding the CDC recommendations;2)urgingnurses toget involvedwherestate legislation is pending that would change the written informed consent laws that currently exist; 3) creatinginstitutional interdisciplinary teams to develop specific implementation and evaluation plans to operationalize the CDC recommendations in hospitals and clinics; and 4) developing state-by-state coalitions to addressHIV testing issues with local legislators and health care decision­making bodies through the American Academy of Nursing, Association of Nurses in AIDS Care and the American Public Health Association.

The Emerging and Infectious Diseases Expert Panelis comprised of 52 nurse leaders in practice, research, education and administration. It is led by Co­Chairs DeMarco and Joe Burrage, Jr. PhD, RN, FAAN, and former Co­Chair Michael Relf, PhD, RN, APRN, BC, AACRN. Academy expert panels embody the organization’s mission to advance health policy through the generation, synthesis and dissemination of nursing knowledge.

“TheAmericanAcademyofNursingsalutestheworkofthe Emerging and Infectious Diseases Expert Panel,” said AAN CEO Cheryl G. Sullivan, MSES. “The leadershiprole nurses can provide across the country in advocating for the adoption of the 2006 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations to develop a system of routine testing for HIV infection would save countless lives.”

Learn more about World Aids Days at http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/en/WorldAIDS­Day.

###

The American Academy of Nursing (www.aannet.org) anticipates and tracks national and international trends in health care, while addressing resulting issues of health care knowledge and policy. The Academy’s mission is to serve the public and nursing profession by advancing health policy and practice through the generation, synthesis, and dissemination of nursing knowledge.

Page 8 • Vermont Nurse Connection January, February, March 2011

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Launches National Campaign to Advance Health through Nursing

Effort will Build on Recommendations ofLandmark Institute of Medicine Report

WASHINGTON—The Robert Wood JohnsonFoundation today announced the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, which will work to address the increased demand for care by using all the skills, talents, knowledge and experience of nurses. The unprecedentedinitiative was launched at the National Summit on Advancing Health through Nursing, where more than 600 top health leaders from around the country are coming together in Washington this week.

The purpose of the Campaign is to guide implementation of the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine’s landmark report Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, a report already believed to be as profound and lasting as medical education’s Flexner report.

“TheFoundationiscommittedtousingtheIOMFuture of Nursing report as it is intended to be used, as a roadmap for future direction and action,” said Risa Lavizzo­Mourey, President and CEO of RWJF. “We are doing this by convening leaders from all sectors, both public and private to join us as partners in this national movement to make these recommendations a reality.”

Summit participants—including the nation’s top health leaders from government, business, public health, academia and other sectors—will meet to discuss how to move forward with report recommendations pertaining to nursing education, inter­professional collaboration, scope of practice and leadership. Discussions will focus on:

• Preparingandenablingnursestoleadchange;

• Improvingnursingeducation;

• Removingbarrierstopractice;

• Creating an infrastructure for inter-professionalhealth care workforce data collection; and

• Fosteringinter-professionalcollaboration.

“ThisCampaign will transform our nation’s health care system so that all Americans have access to high­quality, patient­centered care where they live, work, learn and playandacrossthelifespan,“saidLavizzo-Mourey.“ThisInitiative is vital to the strength of our nation’s health, and will remain so for generations to come.” Sue Hassmiller, RWJF’s Senior Adviser for Nursing, will direct the Campaign for Action.

Additionally, nearly 100 other groups are holding events across the country to advance the recommendations of a recent report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, which was released by the Institute of Medicine(IOM)October5.

The Campaign will work closely with five states toinitiate implementation measures that can be successfully emulated by more states later. The Future of NursingRegionalActionCoalitions(RACs)involvedinthesepilotprograms will serve in long­term coalitions that will be used to move key nursing­related issues forward at the local,stateandnationallevels.Thestatesandsomeoftheiraffiliated groups are:

• California—BettyMooreSchoolofNursingat theUniversity of California, Davis; California Institute of Nursing and Health Care;

• New Jersey—New Jersey Chamber of Commerce;New Jersey Nursing Initiative

• NewYork—Institute forNursing;NewYork StateWorkforce Center; New York AARP Executive Council

• Michigan—MichiganHealthCouncil

• Mississippi—MississippiDepartmentofBudgetingand Administration; Nursing Workforce Center

Additionally, RWJF will work in collaboration with AARP to organize a nonpartisan coalition of partners dedicated to advancing the IOM committee’s recommendations. And, in addition to the Summit in Washington, and the RAC areas, nearly 100 Regional Awareness Meetings are taking place at universities across the country today where regional leaders will discuss and incorporate the key tasks reached today with an eye toward improvingcareintheircommunities.Theywillalsoviewthe Summit via a live webcast.

RWJF recently launched a new website that includes details on the research and data behind the recommendations from the IOM report; ideas, action steps and resources for organizations to become involved; and toolkits and template materials for leaders to advance the recommendations in their communities. Visit the new website at: http://thefutureofnursing.org/home

# # #

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation’s largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful and timely change. For more than 35 years the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. When it comes to helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need, the Foundation expects to make a difference in your lifetime. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org.

New Food System Principles Emphasize Health BenefitsPrinciples drafted by coalition of planning and health professionals advocates

for healthy, sustainable food systems

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Efforts to improve the healthand sustainability of the food system—from the local to global levels—was bolstered today with the release of the Principles of a Healthy, Sustainable Food System.

Theprincipleswerewrittenbyanewcoalitionbringingtogether the American Planning Association (APA), theAmerican Dietetic Association (ADA), American NursesAssociation (ANA) and the American Public HealthAssociation (APHA). For the first time, national leadersin the nursing, nutrition, planning, and public health professions worked collaboratively to create a shared platform for systems­wide food policy change

“These principles establish a foundation for thecoalition as we move forward advocating for improved food policies across all levels of the government,” said Kimberley Hodgson, MURP, MS, RD, manager of the American Planning Association’s Planning & Community Health Research Center. “Planners play an important role in removing barriers and developing plans and policies that support local food production in urban and rural areas, reduce food related pollution and waste, and improve access to healthy food.”

Endorsed by coalition members, the principles were written to support socially, economically and ecologically sustainable food systems that promote health—the current and future health of individuals, communities and the natural environment.

“The foodwe eat and howwe grow, produce,marketand distribute it have enormous implications for the public’s health,” said Georges Benjamin, MD, FACP, FACEP (E), executive director of the American PublicHealth Association. “A healthier, more sustainable approach to our food system would not only ensure better health outcomes, but would reduce our growing chronic disease burden, minimize the impact on the environment and workers, and more equitably distribute nutritious foods to all communities across the nation.”

Theprinciplesdefineahealthy,sustainablefoodsystemaround the key themes of health, sustainability, resilience, fairness, economics and transparency.

“ANA believes these principles demonstrate a clear vision of what ‘health food’ should be,” added ANA President Karen A. Daley, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN. “As health professionals, nurses have a responsibility to promote the health and safety of all people. That iswhyANA supports and advocates for an improved food safety regulatory system, sustainable food practices, elimination of food contaminants, better food labeling and fair labor practices; all of which these principles espouse.”

“Everyone has a fundamental right to the best quality of health care available, and this right includes access to healthy food from a sustainable food supply,” said registered dietitian and American Dietetic Association President Judith C. Rodriguez, PhD, RD, FADA, LDN. “ThroughADA’sofficialpositionpapersand through thedaily work of our members, ADA strongly encourages environmentally responsible practices that conserve natural resources, minimize the quantity of waste and support the ecological sustainability of the food system.”

Collaboration among the coalition organizations will enable greater communication and coordination between the nutrition, nursing, public health and planning professions, from the local to national levels.

The coalition plans to build upon the principles bycontinuing to advocate for improved food systems. Efforts are underway to coordinate with other health, nutrition and planning related organizations and to connect the food system interest groups of each organization.

About the Coalition

American Planning AssociationTheAmericanPlanningAssociationisanindependent,

not­for­profit educational organization that provides leadership in the development of vital communities. APA and its professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners, are dedicated to advancing the art, science and profession of good planning—physical, economic, and social—so as to create communities that offer better choices for where and how people work and

live. Members of APA help create communities of lasting value and encourage civic leaders, business interests and citizens to play a meaningful role in creating communities that enrich people’s lives. For more information, visit www.planning.org.

American Dietetic AssociationWith approximately 71,000 members, the American

Dietetic Association is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA is committed to improving the nation’s health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy.

Visit the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org.

American Nurses AssociationThe ANA is the only full-service professional

organization representing the interests of the nation’s 3.1 million registered nurses through its constituent member nurses associations and its organizational affiliates. The ANA advances the nursing profession by fosteringhigh standards of nursing practice, promoting the rights of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public. For more information, visit, www.nursingworld.org/.

American Public Health AssociationFounded in 1872, the APHA is the oldest, most diverse

organization of public health professionals in the world. The association aims to protect all Americans and theircommunities from preventable, serious health threats and strives to assure community­based health promotion and disease prevention activities and preventive health services are universally accessible in the United States. APHA represents a broad array of health providers, educators, environmentalists, policy­makers and health officials at all levels working both within and outside governmental organizations and educational institutions. More information is available at www.apha.org.

General News

January, February, March 2011 Vermont Nurse Connection • Page 9

ANA/VSNA NewsIn Recognition of Caring Honor a Nurse

Through a gift to the Vermont State NursesFoundation Scholarships for Nurses

Nursing continues to be the most trusted profession asindicatedinannualsurveys.Thisatteststothecollectivecontributions nurses make as they care for patients, families and communities. Efforts of individual nurses however need special recognition by colleagues, employers, patients, families and friends.

Is this an anniversary year for a colleague you admire?

Is this the way that you can thank a mentor?

Is this an opportunity for a patient or family to acknowledge excellent care given by a nurse?

Therearemanymilestonessuchasabirthdayorretirementtocelebrate.Thesearethetimesto:

Honor A NurseCelebration

Thehonorednursesandthepersonsnominatingthemwillbe recognized at the Vermont State Nurses’ Association Convention. The honored nurses each will receive acertificate identifying the reason for the honor. Thehonored nurses’ names will also appear in the Vermont Nurse Connection and on the VSNF website.

Although nominations are closed for the 2010 campaign, we hope you will consider contributing to the Honor A Nurse Campaign in 2011. The minimum suggesteddonation to the fund is $25.00 for an individual and $100.00foragroup(uptosix)nurses.Complete the information and mail your contribution to :

Vermont State Nurses’ Foundation100DorsetStreet,Suite13,S.Burlington,VT05403

VSNFisa501(c)3organization.

All contributions are tax deductible to thefull extent allowed by law.

I am honoring:

Name: _________________________________________

Address: _______________________________________

I am recognizing this nurse because: _________________

_______________________________________________

Nominator’s name : _______________________________

Address: _______________________________________

Please see future issues of the VNC forsubmission deadlines for the 2011 campaign .

As the health care environment becomes increasingly complex so does the importance of

continuing academic study for nurses . Vermont’s nurses recognize the need for advanced study as they progress in their

careers. Two nurses who are continuing their nursing education with support from

the VSNF scholarship fund in 2009 are:

Carmel Thomasand

Terry Powers Phaneuf

Congratulations

VSNA Convention 2010 Report

The Annual Vermont State Nurses Convention2010 was held on the evening of October 13 and the day of October 14th at the Hampton Inn in Colchester, Vermont. The topic for the program was Nurses Making a Difference for Patients in Need of Pain Management and/or Palliative Care .

The program featured a number of cliniciansincluding five, advanced practice nurses, a physician and a psychologist, physician assistant and a spiritual practitioner who shared state of the art practice and research on pain management. The programevaluations gave excellent ratings for the presentations, for the facility and for the learning experience. Theattendees rated the overall Convention experience very positively. Several evaluations commented on the small attendance by nurses. Attendance by nurses and student nurses was unusually small given the importance of the topic for clinical practice and the geographical location of a large number of nurses.

A sufficient number of VSNA members to make a quorum were not present for the business meeting so the meeting as stated in Robert’s Rules could not be held.

The date October 12 (evening) and October 13 (all day) was announced for the VSNA Convention 2011 to attendees, sponsors and exhibitors . Do save the date for Convention 2011 .

The2011ConventionPlanningCommitteewouldlike your input about topics and location for the next meeting. If you would like to be a part of the Convention Planning Committee don’t hesitate to contact them at vtnurses@sover.net.

Page 10 • Vermont Nurse Connection January, February, March 2011

ANA/VSNA NewsIS YOUR NURSING

ORGANIZATION PLANNINGAN EDUCATION PROGRAM?

CONSIDER APPLYING FOR CONTACT HOUR APPROVAL

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL THE VSNA OFFICE

@ (802) 651-8886

Vermont State Nurses’ Association, Inc. is accredited as an approver

of continuing education in nursingby the American

Nurses’ Credentialing Center’sCommission on Accreditation.

VSNA New Members:District 1:Brooke BentoPam KupiecJanet Manny

District 2:Bree MacKenzieLawren Williamson

District 3:Eileen BakerKaren GladeJillian GreenoTheresaHaywoodCarolyn KingsleyBrianna Seaver

Vermont State Nurses’Association, Inc.

The Voice for Vermont

Nurses

Providing:

•OpportunitytonetworkwithNurseProfessionals

•VSNAAnnualConvention

•VermontNurses’Dayatthe State House

•AnnualAwardsrecognizingindividualswhohavemadeoutstanding contributions tothenursingprofessionin Vermont.

•EducationPrograms

•ContactHourApproval

•Lobbying

•TheVermont Nurse Connection,ourofficialorganizationpublication

Purposes•Workfortheimprovementofhealth

standardsandtheavailabilityofhealthcareservicesforallpeople.

•Stimulateandpromoteprofessionaldevelopment.

•ServeVermontnursesastheconstituentassociationoftheAmericanNursesAssociation.

Thesepurposesshallbeunrestrictedbyconsiderationofnationality,race,creed,lifestyle,sexorage.

VSNA/ANAMembershipBenefits

Advocating for Nurses

AmericanNurseToday

CreditCardProgram

Education

OJIN:TheOnlineJournalofIssues in Nursing

PoliticalRepresentationinVermontandWashington,D.C.

Reducedliabilityinsuranceratesplusoptionsonlife,disability,retirement, auto.

ReducedfeesforworkshopsandconferenceswithContinuingEducationContactHours.

ReducedcostforANAcertification.

ReducedratesonANApublicationsincludingStandardsofPractice.

The American Nurse

TravelDiscounts

WorkplaceHealth

Date of Activity Status of Title of Activity Sponsoring Application Organization

26-March-10 Approved ClinicalTransformation&Implementation VermontInformation Training&Education Technology

4­May­10 Approved Vermont Cardiac Network Vermont Cardiac 2010 Spring Conference Network

15­ March ­10 Approved Professional Lactation Conference Lactation Consultant Association

29­April­10 Approved Infection Connection: Building the Future APIC New England

14­May­10 Approved Seminar for Bereavement Counselors Massachusetts Center for in Massachusetts SIDS

18­June­10 Pending Highlights of the Society of UVM, Vt Cancer Center Clinical Oncology

Contact Hour Approvals

VSNA Membership Application

_________________ Date of Application

__________________________________________________Last Name / First Name / M. Initial / Credentials

__________________________________________________Home Mailing Address

__________________________________________________City / State / Zip Code

__________________________________________________Home Phone Number

__________________________________________________Employer Name

__________________________________________________Employer Address

__________________________________________________Employer City, State, Zip Code

__________________________________________________Work Phone Number

__________________________________________________School of Nursing Graduation (Month/Year)

__________________________________________________RN License Number License State

__________________________________________________E-Mail Address

Preferred Mailing Address: ❑ Home ❑ Work

For Office Use:

District:

Exp: Amt. Enclosed:

Membership Investment

❑ VSNA MEMBERSHIP DUES V $99(Membership in VSNA only; make check payable to ANA)

❑ AMERICAN NURSES ASSOCIATION DUESMake check payable to VSNA

❑ Full Membership Dues M $268Employed: ❑ Full Time ❑ Part Time

❑ Reduced Membership R $134

❑ Full-time student ❑ Not Employed

❑ New Graduate (from basic nursing education program within 6 months of graduation, first year only)

❑ 62 years of age or older (not earning more than Social Security allows)

❑ Special Membership $67 (62 years of age or older and not employed or Totally Disabled)

Online Payment for credit cards only:

www.NursingWorld.org

Vermont State Nurses’Association, Inc.

100 Dorset Street, Ste. 13

South Burlington, VT 05403-6241

802-651-8886 800-540-9390

vtnurse@sover.net

www.vsna-inc.org

Note:State Nurses’ Association Dues are not deductible as charitable contributions for tax purposes but may be deductible as a business expense. The percentage of dues used for lobbying by SNA is not deductible as a business expense.

Vermont State Nurses’ Association, Inc. allots 20% of its dues for lobbying.

ANA Payment Options(please check plan:)

❑ Full Annual Payment: (payable to VSNA)

❑ Automatic Annual Credit Card Payment

❑ M: $268 ❑ R: $134 ❑ S: $67

❑ VISA ❑ Master Card

_______________________________________________Bank Card Number & Expiration Date

_______________________________________________Signature for Bank Card

❑ E-Pay (Monthly Electronic Payment Options)

❑ M: $22.84 ❑ R: $11.67 ❑ S: $6.09This is to authorize monthly electronic payments to

American Nurses Association, Inc. (ANA). By signing on the line, I authorize ANA to withdraw 1/12 of my annual dues

and any additional service fees from my account.

❑ Checking Please enclose a check for the first month’s payment, which will be drafted on or after the 15th day of each month using the account designated on the enclosed check.

❑ Credit Card Please complete the credit card information above and sign below and this credit card will be debited on or after the 1st of each month. *

_______________________________________________Monthly Electronic Deduction Authorization Signature

* By signing the Monthly Electronic Deduction Authorization or the Automatic Annual Credit Card Payment authorization, you are authorizing ANA to charge the amount by giving the undersigned thirty (30) days advance written notice. Undersigned may cancel this authorization upon receipt by ANA of written notification of termination twenty (20) days prior to deduction date designated above. Memberships will continue unless this notification is received. ANA will charge a $5.00 fee for any returned drafts or chargebacks.

❑ Online: www.NursingWorld.org(credit card only)

Specialty Organizations

Submitted by: Mary Val Palumbo DNP, APRNAHEC Nursing Workforce Research

University of Vermont

Vermont registered nurses and advanced practice nurses are relicensing on­line for the first time this year. Very soon you will receive a letter from the Vermont Board of Nursing explaining the process. At the same time, you will be invited to complete the biannual nurse workforce survey. This will be accomplished by making the extraeffort to go to www.choosenursingvt.org to take the survey.ThemajorityofVermontnurseshaveprovidedthisimportant workforce information for years, each time they have completed their relicensure application. This yearbegins a new era of online surveying and Vermont nurses are asked to continue their excellent participation rate. The information from this survey has been used to helpVermont nurses in many ways and this year it is extremely important due to shrinking resources.

Here are some examples of why YOUR participant in the 2011 RN/APRN Relicensure Survey is so important. Thesurveyresultsinform:

• Educatorsregardingnursingprogramofferings

• Employers planning for the next decade of theVermont nursing workforce

• Grant applicants seeking funds for a variety ofnursing projects

• Policymakersregardingfundingofloanrepaymentand other programs

• Nursesmakingevidence-basedcareerdecisions

Your work is very important to the future of healthcare in Vermont. So don’t forget to be counted! For more information you can contact Mary Val Palumbo DNP, APRN, Director of AHEC Nursing Workforce Research, at(802)656-0023ormpalumbo@uvm.edu.

Don’t Forget to Relicense and Be Counted

January, February, March 2011 Vermont Nurse Connection • Page 11

ANA/VSNA News2010 Membership Annual Update

TheMembershipCommitteeGoalshavebeento:• EnsurethatVSNAremainsrelevanttotheneedsof

Vermont nurses,• Retaincurrentmembers,andto• Attractnewmemberstotheorganization.Over the past year, we have maintained our VSNA

membership numbers, which in this given economy is quite an accomplishment. As of August, the total number of VSNA members was 261. Of these, 228 have dual membership (VSNA/ANA) and 33 are VSNA-onlymembers. To put this in perspective, the number ofmembers reflects a penetration of 3.76% in Vermont, about the sameas lastyear.The rangeofmarketpenetration isfrom0.92%to27.14%.Theaverageis7.76%.AsofAugust31, 2010, our market penetration ranks 22nd out of all CMAs. This includes union associated memberships sotheir numbers are high because of that connection and so their market penetration will be higher. 34 CMAs have market penetration below 4%. Of that group we rank 10th. Not too bad, for a small rural state!!

Strategies employed to meet our goals included:• Outreach to nursing students and long term care

facilities• Conductedasurveyatlastyear’sConventionwhich

guided the strategies used this year. One response included:

The top ranked ways to recruit more nurses to VSNA:A. Publicize the benefitsB. Be asked by a fellow colleagueC. Incentives like raffles, drawingsD. Other—Details of what VSNA does; Value of

investment in advancement of the profession of nursing; Name into drawing for free membership

following year; See effect on Legislation; Web contact; Speak to nursing schools; Promote state only membership to new graduates, other organizations.

• “AskMe About VSNA” Campaign We had our first “Ask Me About VSNA” button campaign the weeks of January 25th, April 12th, and August 23rd. We hope this gave you an opportunity to share the importance and dedication of the VSNA organization with colleagues and friends.

• District toDistrictMembershipCompetition. A free registration to this year’s Convention and one night’s stay at the Hampton Inn was given to the District with the greatest percent increase in new membership from December 2009 to September 2010.Thewinningdistrict raffled off the prize atConvention. The winning district and winningmember were announced at Convention 2010. ThankRichardFrankfordonating thenight’sstayat the Hampton.

The winner for this year’s Competition was District 1 with a 10 .9% increase in membership, adding 13 new members over the year . Hollie Shaner-McRae was the lucky winner from District 1!! District 2 had a 3 .33% increase adding 2 new members and District 3 had an 8 .75% increase adding 7 new members . Congratulations!!

TheMembershipCommitteewill continue to strive tomeet our goals. We look forward to serving you again.

Committee Members: June Benoit, Richard Frank, Michelle Wade, and Ann Laramee, Chair.

And two new members!! Welcome Lauren Bailey & TheresaHaywood

VSNA Trials New CE Site The Vermont State Nurses

Association is trialing use of an on­line site to offer Contact Hour content to our members. Our first offering, Perinatal Depression Screening, is available FREE OF CHARGE. Interested? Visit: http://vsnainc.moodlehub.com

We are also looking for nurse authors/educators who are interested in developing additional content. For more information, contact the VSNA at vtnurse@sover.net.

District 3 UpdateOur fall meetingwas held on Thursday, 11/4/2010, at

Rutland Regional Medical Center. We discussed plans for future district meetings and ways to encourage membership in the VSNA.

ThenextDistrict 3meetingswill be held onTuesday,March8,2011,at6:30pmattheBrattleboroVTCCampusand on Tuesday, May 24, 2011, at 6:30pm at the WhiteRiver Junction VA Hospital. The May meeting will beour Annual Meeting when the membership will elect new officers.

This winter our nominating committee will becontacting our membership as they work on developing a slate of officers for the district vote at our annual meeting. Please consider volunteering your time!

Please save the dates for our March and May meetings, and please make sure you log on to the VSNA website to update your contact information.