Rebecca M. Patton, MSN, RN, CNOR, president, American Nurses Association, along with other ANA representatives, had an opportunity to share ideas on healthcare reform with the Republican Platform Committee July 10.

The meeting was part of the Republican Platform Committee's effort to gather input from across the country as they work to establish their platform. Their new Web-based initiative launched July 11 creates a forum where "voters from all walks of life can provide ideas, submit comments and actively participate in the development of the 2008 Republican Party Platform."

It is a significant opportunity for nurses to make their voices heard on their vital role in health system reform, according to ANA.

"Registered nurses are the patient's advocate and a part of almost every healthcare service delivered today," Patton said. "We have the education and the expertise to contribute significantly to the national debate regarding health system reform.

"ANA supports the ultimate goal of guaranteed access to high quality, affordable healthcare for all. That ultimate goal is not a partisan issue; it is fundamental need for everyone in the U.S.," Patton continued. "ANA will continue to work with policymakers, industry leaders, providers, and consumers to build an affordable, high-quality healthcare system that meets the needs of everyone."

The Joint Commission and Joint Commission Resources (JCR) are now accepting proposals for presentations for the 2009 conference Hospital-Acquired Conditions: Solutions to Achieve Clinical and Financial Success. 

JCR is a not-for-profit affiliate of The Joint Commission.

Proposals for presentations at the spring 2009 conference should include practitioner-based, change-focused best practices. 

The focus of the session should be on new processes, technologies, techniques and/or tools, and creative and innovative ideas that have achieved sustained improvements in preventing hospital acquired conditions.

All proposals should be submitted for consideration by August 30, 2008.

 Presentation proposals must be submitted via online registration found at http://www.jcrinc.com/30442/. Confirmation of receipt of your submission will be sent via e-mail. 

Questions may be e-mailed to neverevents2009@jcrinc.com

Additional information about the conference and proposal guidelines can be found at http://www.jcrinc.com/29666/.

Maj. Gen. Patricia D. Horoho, MSN, RN, was sworn into office as the 23rd chief of the Army Nurse Corps during a ceremony July 11 in WRAMC's Wagner Sports Center. Horoho was also promoted to major general.

Earlier in the day, she relinquished command of the Walter Reed Health Care System to become the Army's top nurse. She will also command Madigan Army Medical Center at Fort Lewis, WA, and the Western Regional Medical Command.

Horoho said she will continue the legacy and tradition of past Army Nurse Corps chiefs and members of the Army Nurse Corps in providing the best care, and being an innovator and advocator for our nation's warriors, their Families and other beneficiaries of the Military Health System.

"In the next 100 days, we will develop and implement an Army Nurse Corps campaign plan . reflecting our mission, time and history in the U.S. Army Medical Department, Army and DoD (Department of Defense) contexts.

"It will anticipate a 15-year blueprint for a vibrant, relevant, flexible Army Nurse Corps. The plan will be driven by courage to do the right thing, innovation to meet the rapidly evolving war-fighting and medical demands of 21st century, and constant compassion for those we serve and whom we serve with."

Horoho's five major priorities will include warrior care, human capital, world class care, leader development and research.

Horoho had commanded the Walter Reed Health Care System from May of last year until her promotion July 11. Prior to that, she was deputy commander for nursing for WRAMC and NARMC for about a year.

She commanded DeWitt Health Care Network at Fort Belvoir, VA from 2004-2006. She was honored on Dec. 2, 2001, by Time Life publications for her actions on Sept. 11, 2001. On Sept. 14, 2002, she was among 15 nurses selected by the American Red Cross and Nursing Spectrum magazine to receive national recognition as a "nurse hero."

About Walter Reed Health Care System "Home of Warrior Care"

The Walter Reed Health Care System provides comprehensive health care for more than 150,000 Soldiers, other service members, Family members and retirees in the National Capital Area. Its hub is Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the clinical center of gravity of American military medicine.

For more information, visit www.wramc.amedd.army.mil.

A group of public and private organizations have come together to produce a unique, new training tool for all disciplines involved in sexual assault forensic examinations, according to the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN).

IAFN was part of a national working group that helped develop the tool and now fulfills orders.

Known as the Virtual Practicum, the interactive DVD allows users to work with leading experts in patient care and law enforcement in a virtual sexual assault forensic facility, gain real-time feedback on their skills, and personalize their training at their own computers and at their own pace.

"The Virtual Practicum is important for any professional who has a role in the response to sexual assault, from the nurses who care for patients initially and perform the forensic exam to attorneys who prosecute sexual assault cases," said Carey Goryl, IAFN's executive director.

"Users will benefit, whether [using it] to refresh or practice their clinical knowledge, prepare for courtroom testimony or investigate opportunities to provide services to the victims of sexual assault. The Practicum provides the latest training and information based on the National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations."

Goryl noted that a new federal requirement, effective in 2009, prohibits states from forcing a sexual assault victim to cooperate with law enforcement as a condition for receiving a medical forensic exam, nor can they require a victim to pay for the examination and evidence collection. The new requirement "once again calls attention to the critical need for well- and timely-trained professionals to perform these examinations," she said.

The National Protocol, developed by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, was published in 2004 and was designed as a guide for health care and criminal justice practitioners who respond to victims of sexual assault to assure competent, compassionate care, effective evidence collection, and response techniques that enhance treatment and support of victims as well as identification and punishment of sex offenders.

During the more than 12 hours of instruction in the Practicum, users can:

• address all aspects of sexual assault forensic exams, including interviewing, documentation and evidence collection;  
• assist trained professionals as they conduct sexual assault exams on victims portrayed by actors;
• prepare for SANE-A exam or recertification;
• earn 12.5 CNE credits or 12 CME credits; and
•  incorporate portions of the DVD into existing educational curriculums and community programs.

More than 1,500 copies of the practicum are already in the hands of practitioners, and the program has received praise from leading experts in the field of sexual assault forensic exams.

"The practicum is an extremely flexible learning tool that can help professionals at all experience levels," said Pat Speck, DNSc, FNP-BC, FAAN, FAAFS, DF-IAFN, SANE-A/P, an assistant professor and public health option coordinator at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center's College of Nursing in Memphis, TN.

"By including different types of victims, the training is valuable for those who don't perform sexual assault forensic exams often. It's important not only for forensic nurses and other members of the Sexual Assault Response Team, but also for other medical professionals who may be called on to perform an exam but don't have specific training or recent experience," Speck continued. "This will help to educate medical professionals about the most up-to-date techniques, which will assist in successful prosecutions of sexual assault perpetrators. It will help everyone involved provide better patient care."

The Joint Commission requires emergency and ambulatory care facilities to have established policies for identifying and assessing possible victims of rape and other sexual molestation, to train staff on these policies, and to define the facility's responsibilities related to the collection and preservation of evidentiary materials. The Virtual Practicum and National Protocol will help facilities better meet the requirements. 

For more information, visit http://samfe.dna.gov/operational_issues/facilities/servepatients/.

Ordering Information: To order the practicum, visit www.iafn.org/practicum or call 410-626-7805.  The price for the complete DVD is $25 for a single license, or $90 for the DVD with 12.5 CNE credits. Bulk pricing is available to enable state agencies, medical facilities, educational institutions and programs, and others to provide this training to all the professionals working within their systems.

CME credit is available through Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center at ccehs.dartmouth-hitchcock.org/eventinfo_249.html.

Healthcare professionals should increase influenza immunization rates by implementing key, practice-proven interventions and offering vaccine at every opportunity throughout the entire influenza season, conclude leading influenza experts in a July 2008 supplement to The American Journal of Medicine.

The experts assert the medical community is not taking advantage of routine office visits to immunize all recommended individuals against a disease that causes more than 200,000 hospitalizations and more than 36,000 deaths in the U.S. every year.

This year, more people are recommended for influenza vaccination than ever before - nearly 250 million Americans.

Although the supplement contributors each emphasize different aspects of influenza immunization, all underscore the need for vaccine to be offered by healthcare providers from October through January and beyond.

CDC Guidelines Supported

The recommendation supports guidelines from CDC and is aimed at reducing influenza-related illness and death, particularly among high-risk populations such as children, the elderly and those with chronic conditions.

"What we are really talking about is a paradigm shift," said William Schaffner, MD, chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, president-elect of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and guest editor of the journal supplement.

"As the number of people who need to get vaccinated has been expanded by public-health officials, so has the time-frame for vaccination. Vaccines given later in the year or even into the New Year are still beneficial in helping people avoid this serious illness."

Earlier this year, CDC expanded its recommendations for annual influenza immunization to include all children 6 months through 18 years of age. The new recommendation is to take effect as soon as feasible, but no later than the 2009-10 influenza season.

The change will add about 30 million children to the total number of people for whom CDC recommends annual influenza vaccination.

Schaffner added, "It is abundantly clear that we cannot vaccinate everyone in a two- to three-month vaccination window. Since influenza usually peaks around February in the U.S., vaccination given in December and later continues to be medically relevant."

In the supplement, Schaffner and Walter A. Orenstein, MD, associate director of Emory Vaccine Center at Emory University in Atlanta, report there is no shortage of influenza vaccine today and predict no shortages in the future because more vaccine manufacturers have entered the market. CDC estimates projected capacity for 2008-09 to be 143-146 million doses. Authors say the overriding issue now is to increase consumer demand for influenza vaccine.

Missed Vaccination Opportunities

In another paper included in the supplement, Gregory A. Poland, MD, Mayo Vaccine Research Group, Mary Lowell Leary Professor of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, and David R. Johnson, MD, MPH, director, Scientific and Medical Affairs, Sanofi Pasteur Inc., report healthcare providers are "missing important opportunities" to vaccinate people during office visits.

Based on insurance claims filed by 240,000 physicians from 2004 to 2007, the researchers found that 25 million people at high risk for complications from influenza visited doctors an average of 2.2 times each year between November and February, the usual peak of influenza season, but did not get vaccinated.

 The researchers urge stepped-up efforts by healthcare providers to take advantage of ongoing access to patients and vaccinate them starting when they make visits during the early fall when vaccine becomes available, and continuing throughout the influenza season.

Patricia K. Stinchfield, MS, RN, CPNP, Director of Infectious Disease, Immunology, Rheumatology and Infection Control, Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota urges healthcare providers to communicate a simple message, "All children need an influenza vaccine."

Among other steps to overcome barriers to vaccination, she recommends establishing weekend, evening or parallel track daytime "influenza only" vaccination clinics; issuing standing orders that allow nurses and other healthcare providers to vaccinate without direct doctor supervision; and increased reminder and recall efforts. These steps can apply both to pediatric and adult populations.

A survey reported in the supplement indicates that consumer cost is not a major barrier to adult immunization. In telephone interviews with 2,002 consumers, more than 80 percent of those who were behind on one of three immunizations (tetanus, influenza and pneumococcal) said cost was not a factor.

Rather, many had the mistaken belief that healthy people do not need vaccines, according to findings by Johnson and colleagues Kristin L. Nichol, MD, MPH, of the VA Medical Center and University of Minnesota and Kim Lipczynski, PhD, of Adelphi Research by Design of Philadelphia. The survey was commissioned by Sanofi Pasteur Inc.

Healthcare Workers Urged to Get Vaccinated

Many of the authors also stressed that the low influenza immunization rate in healthcareproviders is a serious problem. CDC recommends annual influenza vaccination for all healthcare providers, but rates hover around 40 percent in most years.

Schaffner calls on his colleagues to "view annual influenza vaccination as a professional responsibility."  He goes on to say that by getting vaccinated, healthcare providers can be positive role models, reduce the likelihood of getting sick themselves and, most importantly, avoid doing harm by infecting patients in their care.

Eight registered nurses from around the country have been awarded scholarships from the March of Dimes for graduate studies in the field of maternal-child nursing.

"These nurses are examples of the vision and dedication of nurses all over the country who work tirelessly to improve maternal and infant health," said Jennifer L. Howse, PhD, president of the March of Dimes. "The March of Dimes is proud to honor their achievements and to help them go on to make even greater contributions to their communities.''

The March of Dimes is awarding eight scholarships this year instead of the traditional four, thanks to a contribution from Evenflo and Proctor & Gamble Company.

The March of Dimes annual Graduate Nursing Scholarship was founded in 1997 to assist registered nurses enrolled in graduate programs in maternal-child nursing.

Each recipient receives $5,000 to continue their education.

The eight scholarship winners are:

Ashley Darcy, BSN, RN, a nurse from Philadelphia studying for a PhD at the University of Pennsylvania. Darcy is a neonatal nurse practitioner working in the neonatal ICU at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Her doctoral dissertation will focus on neurological and behavioral development of infants in the post-NICU environment. She plans to generate nursing interventions to optimize the health of premature infants.

Lorie Goshin, MSN, RN, a nurse from Brooklyn, NY who is working toward a doctorate in nursing science at Columbia University. Goshin has chosen to work with women in prison who have infants living with them in a prison nursery system. She has been tracking the developmental outcomes of the children through their first year of life. Her long-term career goals include completing independent nursing and multidisciplinary research, and teaching community and family health to nursing students.

Cynthia Jensen, BSN, RN, CCRN, a neonatal nurse-practitioner from Petaluma, CA studying for a master's degree at the University of California, San Francisco. Jensen plans to become a neonatal clinical nurse specialist with a minor in education. One of her goals is to explore the use of simulation-based education in neonatal resuscitation as part of clinical training for nurses. Simulation training is an extremely important new part of nursing education, and nursing will benefit from more highly educated nurses able to institute this methodology. She has also worked in the Congo.

Amy Law, MS, CNM, a nurse from Dublin, CA studying for a PhD at the University of California, San Francisco. She is also a practicing nurse-midwife working at Kaiser Permanente. Ms. Law is studying racial and ethnic disparities that influence the incidence of preterm birth.  She has practiced midwifery in impoverished regions of Mexico and Colombia.  She also led an international team engaged in community developmental activities throughout Mexico.

Ana Louisa Ralston, RN, a nurse from Washington, DC seeking an MSN in Nurse-Midwifery at Georgetown University.  Ralston's original bachelor's degree was in international relations, and she became a nurse as a second-degree student, reflecting a national trend of young people changing their careers and joining nursing. She previously served in the Peace Corps in the Philippines and in Paraguay, and is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.  Ralston intends to use her midwifery degree to help stem the tide of maternal mortality in developing countries, and then to work with migrant farm workers in the U.S., as well as to advocate for Medicaid and SCHIP programs.

Elizabeth Rosen, BSN, RN, a nurse from Topeka, KS and a candidate for a PhD in nursing from Kansas University. Rosen's career goals include conducting research specific to childbearing families, as well as teaching obstetrics and research in a school of nursing. During her clinical nursing career, Rosen has attended more than 2,500 births and was instrumental in the development of family centered maternity care in her community. She is a long-time volunteer for the March of Dimes, and has received numerous awards, including Nurse of the Year from the Kansas State Board of Nursing.

Erin Tenney, BSN, RN, of Bayfield, WI works at the Red Cliff Tribal Health Center in rural Wisconsin and is a candidate for a dual master's degree (nurse-midwifery and women's health nurse-practitioner) from the Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing. Tenney aims to improve women's health in the Native American and Hispanic communities. She has already developed a community-based doula network to provide labor support for women living on the reservation, and has become certified as a lactation consultant and childbirth educator. She also holds a certificate in nonprofit administration. As a nurse-midwife/nurse-practitioner in a rural setting, she will be able to provide health care for hundreds of women who would otherwise receive none.

Kristin VanderEnde, MSN, RN, CNM, of Decatur, GA is studying for a PhD in nursing from Emory University. VanderEnde is a nurse midwife who has worked in Kenya and in the Northern Mariana Islands, providing care for women in need. She plans to study the effects of partner violence on maternal and neonatal health, and will be collecting data for her doctorate among women in Bangladesh. She hopes to train nurses and nurse-midwives who have a vision to improve maternal-child health.

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide and its premier event, March for Babies, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.

For the latest resources and information, visit www.marchofdimes.com

With a gift that will help alleviate the nation's persistent nursing shortage, the Helene Fuld HealthTrust has awarded Howard University's Division of Nursing a $750,000 grant for nursing scholarships. 

The grant will be used to establish the Helene Fuld Health Trust Scholarship Fund for Baccalaureate Nursing Students at the school in Wshington, DC.

A total of $450,000 is earmarked for endowment with $300,000 to be awarded over the next 3 years in scholarships to students enrolled in the division's baccalaureate nursing program.

"This is going to assist in adding more nurses to the nursing workforce, and it will particularly help increase the number of underrepresented minority nurses," said Beatrice Adderley-Kelly, PhD, RN, dean and professor of the College of Pharmacy, Nursing and Allied Health Sciences.

The Council on Physician and Nurse Supply, an independent group of healthcare leaders, reported in March that 30,000 additional nurses should be graduated annually to meet the nation's healthcare needs, an expansion of 30 percent over the current number of annual nurse graduates.

For more information about the Howard University Division of Nursing, visit http://www.cpnahs.howard.edu/Nursing/index.htm.

An alert issued July 9 by the Joint Commission warns that rude language and hostile behavior among healthcare professionals goes beyond being unpleasant and poses a serious threat to patient safety and the overall quality of care.

Intimidating and disruptive behaviors are such a serious issue that, in addition to addressing it in the new Sentinel Event Alert, the Joint Commission is introducing new standards requiring more than 15,000 accredited healthcare organizations to create a code of conduct that defines acceptable and unacceptable behaviors and to establish a formal process for managing unacceptable behavior.

The new standards take effect Jan. 1, 2009, for hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, laboratories, ambulatory care facilities, and behavioral healthcare facilities across the country.

Healthcare leaders and caregivers have known for years that intimidating and disruptive behaviors are a serious problem. Verbal outbursts, condescending attitudes, refusing to take part in assigned duties and physical threats all create breakdowns in the teamwork, communication and collaboration necessary to deliver patient care.

The Institute for Safe Medication Practices found 40 percent of clinicians have kept quiet or remained passive during patient care events rather than question a known intimidator. To help put an end to once-accepted behaviors that put patients at risk, the Joint Commission Sentinel Event Alert urges healthcare organizations to take action.

"Most healthcare workers do their jobs with care, compassion and professionalism," says Mark R. Chassin, MD, MPP, MPH, president, The Joint Commission. "But sometimes professionalism breaks down and caregivers engage in behaviors that threaten patient safety. It is important for organizations to take a stand by clearly identifying such behaviors and refusing to tolerate them."

To help put an end to intimidating and disruptive behaviors among physicians, nurses, pharmacists, therapists, support staff and administrators, the Sentinel Event Alert recommends that healthcare organizations take 11 specific steps, including the following:

• Educate all healthcare team members about professional behavior, including training in basics such as being courteous during telephone interactions, business etiquette and general people skills;
• Hold all team members accountable for modeling desirable behaviors, and enforce the code of conduct consistently and equitably;
• Establish a comprehensive approach to addressing intimidating and disruptive behaviors that includes a zero tolerance policy; strong involvement and support from physician leadership; reducing fears of retribution against those who report intimidating and disruptive behaviors; empathizing with and apologizing to patients and families who are involved in or witness intimidating or disruptive behaviors;
• Determine how and when disciplinary actions should begin; and
• Develop a system to detect and receive reports of unprofessional behavior, and use non-confrontational interaction strategies to address intimidating and disruptive behaviors within the context of an organizational commitment to the health and well-being of all staff and patients.

Addressing unprofessional behavior among healthcare professionals is part of a series of Alerts issued by the Joint Commission. Previous Alerts have addressed pediatric medication errors, wrong-site surgery, medication mix-ups, healthcare-associated infections and patient suicides, among others. The complete list and text of past issues of Sentinel Event Alert can be found on the Joint Commission's Web site www.jointcommission.org  

Nephrology nurses in all roles will come together for the American Nephrology Nurses' Association (ANNA) Fall Meeting for Nephrology Nurses, Managers, and Advanced Practice Nurses, Sept. 27-29, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.

The meeting is designed for nephrology nurses who practice in a wide variety of settings. Attendees will discover tools to tackle the challenges of providing care to patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Education sessions will address the latest trends in nephrology nursing practice and treatment options, including such hot topics as diabetes management, islet cell transplantation and infectious diseases.

This year's program also incorporates topics requested by previous attendees, including trans-cultural issues, mental illness in CKD, pulmonary hypertension, legal issues and conflict resolution.

Participants will also network, attend special events and earn continuing nursing education credits. In the exhibit hall, attendees will meet with vendors displaying the industry's latest products, technologies and services.

More information about the ANNA Fall Meeting and a complete registration brochure are available on ANNA's Web site, www.annanurse.org.

Program

Two optional pre-conference workshops will be offered on Saturday, Sept. 27.

In Autoimmune Disease, participants will learn how autoimmune diseases affect renal function, implications for treatment options and long-term prognosis for these patients.

Tactical Planning for a State of Readiness will describe practice tools for meeting guidelines issued by the Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). 

Sonya Hardin, PhD, RN, CCRN, will open the conference later that day with the session, "Empowerment Through Caring and Self-Advocacy." Hardin will describe how to create a nurturing environment that empowers patients, staff and caregivers.

Concurrent sessions are organized by tracks (Advanced Practice, Clinical Practice, Management/Leadership and Hot Topics) and are scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 28, and Monday, Sept. 29.

Sessions include the following topics:

• Evidence-Based Principles for Optimizing the Management of Diabetes (preventing long-term diabetes complications with intensive glucose management)
• HIV and Hepatitis C in Transplantation (effects of the diseases on renal function)
• Cardiovascular Agents to Decrease Renal Disease (appropriate cardiovascular treatments for renal patients)
• Treatment of Mental Illness in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (prevalence and treatment options)
• Spirituality: Concerns in Chronic Disease (incorporating spirituality into the treatment plan)

Mary Ann Djonne, MEd, RN, will present the closing session, "Emotional Intelligence: Increasing Your Leadership and Clinical Effectiveness," an in-depth look at emotional intelligence and implications for clinical practice.

Special Events

The conference will feature several breakfast, lunch and dinner symposia sponsored by Amgen, Abbott Laboratories, Genzyme and Ortho Biotech Products, L.P.

Continuing Education

Attendees can earn up to 18.75 contact hours of continuing nursing education credit, plus an additional 3.0 contact hours for each of the optional pre-conference sessions. ANNA is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center-Commission on Accreditation (ANCC-COA).

Certification Exams

On Friday, Sept. 26, the Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission (NNCC) will offer the Certified Nephrology Nurse (CNN) exam, the Certified Dialysis Nurse (CDN) exam, the Certified Nephrology Nurse-Nurse Practitioner (CNN-NP) exam, and the Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician (CCHT) exam.

A separate registration fee and form are required for each exam. For more information, contact the NNCC National Office at 888-884-6622 or 856-256-2321. Applications may also be downloaded on the NNCC Web site, www.nncc-exam.org.

Registration

Complete information and an online registration brochure are available on ANNA's Web site, www.annanurse.org. For additional information, contact the ANNA National Office, East Holly Avenue, Box 56, Pitman, NJ, 08071-0056; phone 888-600-2662 or 856-256-2320; fax: 856-589-7493; or e-mail: anna@ajj.com.

The Joint Commission and the Urgent Care Association of America (UCAOA) have partnered "to provide quality oversight for urgent care clinics, which provide walk-in treatment for many injuries, illnesses and conditions ranging from minor sore throats to head injuries."

There are an estimated 8,000 urgent care centers in the U.S.

Both organizations currently provide accreditation for urgent care clinics, but in the new alliance the UCAOA will discontinue its accreditation program and focus its support on services available under the Joint Commission's ambulatory care accreditation program.

The collaboration will include development of quality standards specific to urgent care, targeted for introduction in 2010.

"Joint Commission accreditation encompasses an on site evaluation of an urgent care center's compliance with rigorous national standards," says Charles A. Mowll, executive vice president, the Joint Commission. "Achieving Joint Commission accreditation helps the urgent care center improve and provide the public with a marker of quality."

"Urgent care centers are an essential part of the health care system in communities across the U.S. and internationally - not only because of their ease of access but [also] their ability to treat a broad scope of illness and injury," says Lou Ellen Horwitz, executive director, Urgent Care Association of America. "Our collaboration with the Joint Commission will help us continue to focus our quality assurance efforts specifically on urgent care, but on a worldwide scale."

Many patients seek treatment at urgent care centers because a wide range of care is available, no appointment is required and the centers are open nights, weekends and holidays. Nurses, doctors, technologists and other healthcare professionals provide treatment for conditions such as allergies, sports injuries, sprains, colds and flu, back pain, and fractures.

The Joint Commission has been accrediting ambulatory organizations, including those providing urgent care, since 1975. The Urgent Care Association of America represents urgent care sites across the country and earlier this year joined the Joint Commission's Ambulatory Professional and Technical Advisory Committee to provide input on standards and other issues.

For more information about urgent care or ambulatory care accreditation, contact Michael Kulczycki, executive director, Ambulatory Care Accreditation, Joint Commission, at 630-792-5286 or mkulczycki@jointcommission.org.            

The Urgent Care Association of America was founded in 2004 to fill a need in the urgent care field for an association that existed not only to provide leadership, education and resources for the successful practice of urgent care, but to do so as a representative of its members. 

Founded in 2004, UCAOA represents more than 8,000 urgent care centers in the U.S. and additional centers across the world, including centers in Ireland and Jerusalem. UCAOA provides educational programs in clinical care and practice management, sponsors urgent care fellowship programs, funds industry research, publishes the Journal of Urgent Care Medicine and maintains an active online community for exchange of best practices among members. Learn more about UCAOA at www.ucaoa.org.

Founded in 1951, the Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more than 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the U.S., including more than 8,000 hospitals and home care organizations, and more than 6,300 other healthcare organizations that provide long term care, assisted living, behavioral healthcare, laboratory and ambulatory care services. Learn more about The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.

Pamela A. Thompson, MS, RN, FAAN, chief executive officer of the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE), has been named chair of the board of directors of the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF).

Thompson's appointment marks the first time an RN has been named in the role of NPSF chair. Thompson has served on the NPSF board since 1992.

Founded in 1997, the NPSF is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving patient safety and reducing medical errors through research, education and dissemination of programs.

"We're delighted with the appointment of [Thompson] to chair of the NPSF Board. Her deep professional experience and passionate commitment to patient safety brings valuable perspective to our board, said Diane C. Pinakiewicz, NPSF president. We're grateful for her staunch support and look forward to her contribution in this new role."

In addition to her role of CEO of AONE, Thompson also currently serves as part of the senior management team of the American Hospital Association (AHA). AONE is a subsidiary of AHA.  

Prior to joining AONE in 2000, Thompson was vice president for the Children's Hospital, Obstetrics, Psychiatric Services and Strategic Planning at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH.

She has long been involved in state and national association work and served as president of the New Hampshire Organization of Nurse Executives, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the New Hampshire Hospital Association, and was a Board member of AONE.

Founded in 1967, AONE is the national professional organization for nurses who design, facilitate, and manage care, with more than 6,300 international members. For more information, visit www.aone.org.

NPSF was founded in 1997 by the American Medical Association, CNA Health Pro and 3M, with significant support from the Schering-Plough Corporation. For more information, visit www.npsf.org.

The American Nephrology Nurses' Association (ANNA) has designated Sept. 14-20 "Nephrology Nurses Week" to encourage employers, patients and others to thank the nurses who work to save kidney patients' lives and improve care.

The event will be celebrated nationwide with activities recognizing and rewarding nephrology nurses. The theme for the week, "We Carry the Torch" symbolizes the light of hope and safety nephrology nurses foster for their patients.

Nephrology nurses care for patients of all ages who have, or are at risk for, kidney disease. They must understand every system in the body and be familiar with many complex disease processes. Because treatment often spans many years, nurses, patients and families develop strong relationships and close bonds.

This will be the 4th year for the weeklong celebration, which ANNA launched so those who work with - or receive care from - nephrology nurses could show their appreciation. As in previous years, activities will include special events, luncheons, education programs, special presentations and proclamations from local governments.

"One of the many unique aspects of nephrology nursing is the relationship that develops between nurses and patients," said ANNA President Sue Cary, MN, APRN, NP, CNN. "This is why the nurses are so passionate about being patient advocates and providing the best care possible."

In addition to appreciating nurses with events in their honor, Cary said ANNA promotes the event to spark interest in other nurses about the multifaceted career opportunities available in nephrology.

About 20 million Americans suffer from kidney disease. Of those patients, more than 400,000 experience kidney failure. Kidney disease affects all ages, races, cultures, social classes and religions.

The rising number of people with kidney disease is in part attributed to the country's obesity epidemic, an alarming trend that has led to more cases of diabetes and high blood pressure. These diseases are the leading causes of kidney failure.

More information about nephrology nurses, the Nephrology Nurses Week celebration and resources to enhance the recognition event, such as posters, pins and T-shirts are available at www.annanurse.org/NNW; 888-600-2662; and anna@ajj.com.

An American Nurses Association (ANA) House of Delegates resolution June 27 is boosting the efforts of at least two states to require new nurses entering the field to achieve their BSN in 10 years to maintain licensure.

The resolution passed at the biennial meeting of the ANA "gives an impetus" to our efforts, said Andrea Aughenbaugh, executive director of the New Jersey State Nurses Association.

The resolution shows ANA's support for this type of initiative in any state across the country that might propose this, commented Nancy Webber, communications director of the New York State Nurses Association. New Jersey and New York each have bills in their state legislatures proposing this measure. Pennsylvania is also considering a similar proposal.

The resolution, Educational Advancement for Registered Nurses, "recommends increasing the level of education required for continued registration as a registered professional nurse by requiring RNs to attain a bachelor's degree in nursing 10 years after initial licensure, while maintaining multiple entry points into the profession." The proposal would affect only new nurses entering the field. Nurses already working would not be affected.

The ANA resolution passed by an 85.5 percent vote of the membership, said Aughenbaugh. "Having the support of the ANA for this initiative is a boost; it strengthens the conversation."

Webber said the ANA resolution is a stamp of approval for any initiative of this kind across the country. New York's proposal has not made it out of committee. "NY will follow the path it was on, lobbying to push for passage of this legislation."

According to Patrick Kenny, EdD, RN, ACRN, APRN-PMH, NE-BC, president of the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association, a committee has been formed of all stakeholders including educators, on what issues would impact a BSN in 10 requirement in the state. "We're nowhere near legislation," Kenny said. "I would say it's several years away. We want to proceed cautiously."

The ANA noted the bill would significantly help to "enlarge the pool of potential nursing faculty" and that "increased numbers of registered professional nurses with a BSN are needed to address the ongoing challenges of an increasingly complex healthcare system and a critical nursing faculty shortage."

The Joint Commission's revised standards, rationales and elements of performance for 2009 are now available online. The standards take effect Jan. 1, 2009, and have been placed online to give all healthcare organizations time to become familiar with the new language, ordering and numbering.

The changes are part of the Standards Improvement Initiative (SII), launched in 2006 as part of the Joint Commission's ongoing quality improvement efforts. SII focuses on clarifying standards language, ensuring that standards are program-specific, deleting redundant and nonessential standards, and consolidating similar standards.

While no new requirements were added, chapter overviews, standards, introductions, rationales, and elements of performance were designed for ease of use. In the standards reorganization, requirements were split or consolidated. Standards have been renumbered and reordered to allow electronic sorting and to allow the addition of new requirements in the future.

"The Standards Improvement Initiative represents the Joint Commission's continuous commitment to make the standards clear, relevant, and applicable in the specific healthcare setting in which they are used," says Mark R. Chassin, MD, MPP, MPH, president, the Joint Commission. "These changes will better guide health care organizations in providing patients with the best care possible."

A history tracking report is available online to help organizations see what changes occurred from previous to revised standards. The history tracking allows users to see what happened to each standard, its new number, and how it changed.       

The Joint Commission sought extensive input from accredited and non-accredited healthcare organizations, advisory groups, payers, purchasers, consumers, governmental agencies, Joint Commission surveyors and other experts. Online surveys, interviews, meetings, and focus groups were all utilized to gather comments and suggestions.

The Joint Commission will engage in extensive education efforts and discussions in the coming months to assist organizations in understanding the changes.

Other important aspects of the Standards Improvement Initiative include:

• Phase I of the SII focused on the accreditation programs for hospitals, critical access hospitals, ambulatory care, office-based surgery, and home care organizations;
• SII's Phase II for behavioral health care, laboratory and long term care accreditation programs began in 2008 and the standards changes will take effect in January 2010. The Accreditation Participation Requirements, Life Safety Code, and Leadership chapters for these programs are online;
• Changes in the scoring and decision process will take place Jan. 1, 2009, for all accreditation and certification programs;
• Single-user license electronic "E-ditions" of the manuals will be provided for the first time;
• Color-coded tabs in print manuals distinguish standards and requirements from accreditation policies and procedures;
• Accreditation program-specific language used in all manuals;
• With E-ditions, ability to sort relevant standards and elements of performance applicable to the services provided by an individual organization;
• Links from certain EPs to associated requirements in other chapters; and
• Standards and EPs related to a focused area of improvement placed in relevant chapters.

 Additional details about the revisions are available on the Standards Improvement Initiative Web page.

AARP, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the U.S. Department of Labor were to convene a summit of stakeholders June 26 in Washington, DC, to identify solutions to the nurse faculty shortage forcing nursing schools to turn away thousands of qualified nursing candidates each year. 

The Nursing Education Capacity Summit includes 18 state teams brought together to share best practices to expand nursing education and to foster action in four key areas:

• strategic partnerships and resource alignment;
• policy and regulation;
• increasing faculty capacity and diversity;
• and education redesign.

 The state teams represent AL, CA, CO, FL, HI, IL, MA, MD, MI, MS, NC, ND, NJ, OR, SC, TX, VA and WI. Also participating in the summit is the Division of Nursing in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration.

"AARP recognizes the important role that states play; they are where the rubber meets the road in terms of healthcare delivery," said Susan Reinhard, senior vice president of the AARP Public Policy Institute and chief strategist for the Center to Champion Nursing in America,  a joint initiative of AARP, the AARP Foundation and RWJF.

"Nurses play a significant role in reducing medical errors and improving healthcare quality, which is why we urgently need to find solutions to address both the shortage of nurses and the shortage of faculty to educate them," Reinhard added.

"The time to simply talk about the problem is over," said Susan Hassmiller , RWJF senior program officer. "What's essential now is to fundamentally rethink how nurses are and should be educated and how they should be deployed in the workforce. The experiences of these states offer the best hope for achieving these goals."

A white paper, "Blowing Open the Bottleneck: Designing New Approaches to Increase Nurse Education Capacity" is to be released at the summit. The white paper highlights programs that are making progress in addressing both shortage and education capacity problems in nursing.

The white paper and more information about the summit can be found at the Center to Champion Nursing in America Web site:  and at the Department of Labor Web site: http://workforce3one.org/nursingsummit/.

More than 600 elected registered nurse delegates to the American Nurses Association (ANA) passed several proposals designed to improve nurse retention rates while simultaneously advancing the public's health at its House of Delegates meeting held in Washington, DC.

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