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OFFICIAL BULLETIN OF THE FLORIDA NURSES ASSOCIATION • ANNUAL STUDENT ISSUE Volume 62 • No. 1 CIRCULATION 242,000 TO EVERY REGISTERED NURSE & NURSING STUDENT IN FLORIDA March 2014

Inside this Issue

President’s Message. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Notes from the Executive Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

2014 Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

News from Headquarters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Student Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Legislative Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

LERC Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Regional News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-11

Partners in Nursing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12-13

Members in the News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Mission StatementServe and support all Registered

Nurses through professional development, advocacy and the

promotion of excellence at every level of professional nursing practice.

President’s Message

Edward Briggs, PhD, ARNP

The famous Apple Computer CEO Steve Jobs has been reported to have said that the goal of his company was to “create what people need before they know they need it and want before they knew they wanted it.” From this simple philosophy led innovations that changed the world. Take a moment, and consider life before the iPod, the iPhone, or the iPad. Today, these devices have become ubiquitous in our daily lives.

The innovation in these devices were neither conceptual, nor in the hardware. Portable MP3 players, smartphones, and tablet computers were already on the market with limited success. Apple’s true innovations were the intuitive interfaces, ease of use and consolidation of product and services coupled with uniform customer experiences and reliable products. Jobs understood that for a product to succeed it had to make the buyers life easier and more convenient. Jobs also understood that people would be willing to pay a premium for this convenience.

As nursing and healthcare search for innovations that can improve how we deliver care, I believe we can learn a great deal from Apple.

What’s Next, iNurse?Instead of implementing business models designed to increase throughput or compartmentalize healthcare delivery why not borrow from the Apple playbook and design models focused on intuitive user experience, consolidation of product and service, uniform experience, and prioritization of customer convenience? Why not give people what they need and want before they know it?

Such innovations in healthcare delivery could become a true paradigm shift. Creating an easy and intuitive “user interface” would provide our patients with improved understanding and control of their health and disease management. This could be accomplished through internet services for scheduling, information sharing, and patient support. The innovation of Telehealth could provide improved monitoring and treatment of chronic conditions without costs associated with office visits. Consolidation of services and “one stop shopping” could lead to improved satisfaction, compliance, and greater ease of use for the patient with reductions in waste and cost. Ensuring a uniform customer experience could improve customer satisfaction and reduce apprehension and confusion.

With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, there is a great opportunity for true innovation in healthcare delivery. Nurses are positioned to take great advantage of this opportunity and help move healthcare delivery away from the assembly line mentality and move us towards a client-centered treatment model. The coming years are a time for our imaginations to take flight and create the next “Apple” of healthcare. The true innovations will not come from the technologic innovations but from creating a healthcare delivery system that becomes ubiquitous for every user.

This September, the Florida Nurses Association will be holding our annual Membership Assembly dedicated to the subject of nursing innovation. The conference will look towards what new and creative ways of delivering care have been implemented and discuss ideas and trends in care delivery that can facilitate change. The conference will also be our members’ opportunity to guide the direction of our organization. So, I invite all our members to join us as we learn of new and unique changes in nursing care and perhaps discover what the “next big thing” might be.

Page 2 The Florida Nurse March 2014

Published by:Arthur L. Davis

Publishing Agency, Inc.

http://www.floridanurse.org

Owned and Published byFlorida Nurses Association

1235 E. Concord Street,Orlando, FL 32803-5403

P.O. Box 536985, Orlando, FL 32853-6985Telephone: (407) 896-3261

FAX: (407) 896-9042E-mail: info@floridanurse.org

Website: http://www.floridanurse.orgOffice Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,

Monday thru Friday

For advertising rates and information, please contact Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc., 517 Washington Street, PO Box 216, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613, (800) 626-4081, sales@aldpub.com. FNA and 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 Florida 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. FNA 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 FNA or those of the national or local associations.

Published quarterly, March, June, September, and December by FNA, a constituent member of the American Nurses Association.

Editor - Vicki Sumagpang, 1235 E. Concord St., Orlando, FL 32803-5403

Subscription available at $20.00 plus tax, per year. Members of FNA receive the newspaper as a benefit of membership.

COPIES of The Florida Nurse are available on 35mm microfilm, 106mm microfilm, article reprints and issue copies through Bell & Howell, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106

Board of Directors2013-2015

OfficersEdward Briggs, DNP, ARNP-C, President

Leah Kinnaird, EdD, MSN, RN, President ElectBarbara Russell, MPH, RN, CIC, Vice President

Monte Bean, MPN, RN, SecretaryLinda Howe, PhD, RN, Treasurer

DirectorsDaniel Berman, DBA/HCA, RN, FACHE

Sue Hartranft, PhD, ARNP Shirley Hill, BSN, BC, CCM Deborah Hogan, MPH, RN

Marsha Martin, RNDenise McNulty, DNP, ARNP

Patricia Posey-Goodwin, EdD, RNJill Tahmooressi, MSN, RN

FNA OfficeWilla Fuller, BSN, RN, Executive Director

Jeanie Demshar, Esq.,Dierector of Professional Practice Advocacy

Vicki Sumagpang, MSN, RN-BC,Director of Programs & Member Engagement

Alisa LaPolt, LobbyistRobert Levy & Associates, Lobbyist

Notes from theExecutive Director

Willa Fuller, RNExecutive Director

This year’s Membership Assembly is taking on a new face for 2014. The Board of Directors embraced the theme, Innovation and Creativity: Blueprint for the Future is meant to inspire, stimulate thought and promote action among nurses and nursing organizations. With a core idea of transforming healthcare, this conference will offer nationally known speakers, interactive sessions and local talent as well.

Instead of a two day meeting with business on both days, we will kick off the meeting with a Professional Issues Conference focused on the concepts of innovation and creativity in healthcare. We are thrilled to have Dr. Dan Pesut of the Katherine Densford International Center for Nursing Leadership at the University

Innovation is the Key to the Future: A Challenge to Nursing

Dr. Dan Pesut Dr. Teddie Potter Barbara Blakeney

of Minnesota Dr. Teddie Potter also of the University of Minnesota. They will be serving as the Keynote and Endnote respectively and will also be conducting interactive sessions with conference attendees on Innovation and Design Thinking. Dr. Pesut is also a former president of Sigma Theta Tau International. In addition, we will have Barbara Blakeney, Innovation Specialist in Care Delivery at Massachusetts General Hospital and former ANA President who will be sharing on staffing innovations and other related topics. We are planning a new concept with a hybrid poster session consisting of both traditional and electronic posters, which will be projected on a large screen.

In another exciting innovation, our business meeting on the second day of the conference will be free to FNA Members with the only cost being for meals and lodging. It is our hope that this reduction in cost will encourage more members to attend both the Professional Development Day and the business meeting to help shape the future of our organization. Additionally, rather than one complimentary student day, we will have slots for generic students on both days of the conference. We also hope to have an interactive innovation session focused solely on the future of the Florida Nurses Association. This is actually a session that was planned for last year and had to be pre-empted because the business took all of the allotted time. Members have requested that this be added to the agenda again.

We will return to our traditional peer recognition awards and we will also be adding three new Innovations Awards. One award will recognize an individual innovator, another will be awarded to an institution or facility that has instituted an innovation in health care delivery, and yet another will recognize innovations in creating a positive environment for nurses.

This conference, which will be held at the Florida Hotel and Conference Center promises to bring a different approach to our meeting with some surprises and fun additions.

The Reference Committee, chaired by Anne Peach is already discussing ideas so that we have substantive proposal for the meeting. If you have issues you would like to see brought forward for the FNA Agenda, now is the time to start thinking about writing a Reference Proposal. Please email Laurie Echols at info@floridanurse.org for the manual to assist you in doing so.

We are also seeking speakers who can present topics that fit with the theme. The information for submitting proposals will be going out in FNA email blasts by the time of this publication.

If you have some innovative ideas that you would like to see at the conference please submit those to Vickie Sumagpang at vsumagpang@floridanurse.org. We are looking forward to an exciting conference this year!

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March 2014 The Florida Nurse Page 3

News fromHeadquarters

ATTENTION FNA MEMBERS!

YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IS NEEDED. FNA communicates via email throughout the year. In order to receive all email updates, please send your personal email address along with your name and member number to membership@floridanurse.org as soon as possible.

MARCH 25 & 26 | 7:30 am – 5:00 pm*2014 FNA Lobby Days

Residence Inn Tallahassee Universities at the Capitol

600 W. Gaines Street, Tallahassee, FL 32304

APRIL 9 | 9:30am - 2:30 pm“Fit to Perform Safely,” Supervisor Skill Workshop – Speaker, Dr. Chris O’Neill

Jacksonville Marriott Hotel, 4670 Salisbury Rd., Jacksonville, FL

Cost: $30.00/includes Lunch and Conference Material. Seating will be limited; please register

early to ensure your spot.Contact information: Pamela Livingston at

1-800-840-2720, ext. 123 or plivingston@ipnfl.org

APRIL 10-12 | 7:30 am - 5:00 pmHaitian American Nurses Association,

Third Annual Leadership and Empowerment Convention: “Future of Nursing: Leading Change,

Advancing Health”Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus,

Downtown Miami, FLPlease visit www.hanaofflorida.org

APRIL 12 | 7:30 am - 3:30 pm2014 FNA North Central Region Conference:

Legal and Policy Issues for NursingConference Center at Advent Christian Village,

Dowling Park, FLhttp://www.acvillage.net

APRIL 26 | 8:00 am - 2:00 pm4th Annual South Region FNA Symposium and

Awards CeremonyKeynote Speaker: Pamela F. Cipriano, PhD, RN,

NEA-BC, FAAN, Editor of American Nurse Today “Lessons Learned: Representing Nursing (ANA, ANF & AAN) at the Institute of Medicine (IOM)”

Keynote speaker is sponsored by The Nurses Charitable Trust Signature Grand,

Davie, FL 33317

MAY 1-2 | 7:30 am - 5:00 pm2014 IPN/FNA Annual Conference

One Ocean Resort & Spa1 Ocean Blvd.

Atlantic Beach, FLNationally recognized speakers Karen Casey and Ann W. Smith, will be presenting on the topics of spirituality and healthy relationships for those in

recovery.Please visit www.lpnfl.org for more conference

details.

MAY 9 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pmFNA Open House

FNA Office, Orlando, FL

JUNE 5-8 | 7:30 am - 5:00 pm2014 FNA Clinical Excellence and Nurses Retreat

Safety Resort and Spa on Tampa Bay, Safety Harbor, FL

SEPTEMBER 10-11 2014 LERC Labor Institute

Florida Hotel and Conference Center, Orlando, FL

SEPTEMBER 12-13 | 7:30 am - 5:00 pm2014 Professional Development and FNA

Membership AssemblyFlorida Hotel and Conference Center, Orlando, FL

OCTOBER 4-5 | 7:30 am - 5:00 pm29th Annual National Nurses in Business

Association Embassy Suites, Kissimmee, FL

2014 Calendar of Events

Page 4 The Florida Nurse March 2014

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March 2014 The Florida Nurse Page 5

Student ForumBlake Lynch

FNSA President

Hello Florida Nurses!! My name is Blake Lynch and I am honored to be President of the Florida Nursing Students Association. I am excited to announce that throughout 2014 we will be celebrating the 60th anniversary of FNSA, the diamond year. The FNSA board began the New Year by holding our first 2014 board meeting at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Our main goal this year is to engage members. The board concluded the best way to accomplish this goal is to host our board meetings around the state of Florida. During the board meeting at UCF, we had attendees from Adventist Health, UCF, Valencia, and Seminole State who all engaged in the FNSA board discussions and decisions.

The FNSA team has been focused on preparing for Nursing Students Week and Lobby Days 2014. Florida Nursing Students Week took place on February 23 through March 1. The theme was, Comfort, Care, and Compassion: We Are the Future of Nursing. The goal of the week was to honor nursing students and to empower them to be proud of their chosen profession. Lobby Days is quickly approaching and we would love to see many schools represented at the event. The plan is to encourage two student representatives from each school to come together in Tallahassee to lobby for our patients and our profession.

FNSA represents over 4,000 nursing students throughout the entire state. My vision for FNSA this year is to make nursing students visible. I want to encourage students to be bold and to speak up about topics they are passionate about. I want to see students begin campaigns, start petitions, and hold events that better the health of all Florida individuals.

Blake Lynch is a 5th semester nursing student in the Seminole State and UCF Concurrent program. Throughout the program, he has been involved in the state and national nursing student associations. He lobbied alongside nursing professionals during Lobby Days 2013, served as a delegate during the FNSA annual convention, and presented a resolution at the national convention, which passed with 91% of students in favor. Lynch is also the founder of the Banned4Life Project. After completion of his BSN degree, he plans to apply for a dual master’s degree in nursing and public health.

Blake Lynch

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Page 6 The Florida Nurse March 2014

Barbara Lumpkin Institute Legislative

Symposium

The 2013 Barbara Lumpkin Institute Legislative Symposium was held on November 23, 2014. FNA wants to thank the Drury Inn and Suites Orlando for hosting the event and providing us with a hot breakfast to jump-start the meeting. Bob Levy, FNA Lobbyist; Edward Briggs, FNA President; and Leah Kinnaird, FNA President-Elect, spoke on the 2014 Legislative Climate and FNA Legislative Agenda. Alisa LaPolt, FNA Lobbyist, reviewed ACA and Medicaid updates. As FNA faces the 2014 Legislative Session, the attendees learned how to engage the media from Beth Watson, Sachs Media Group, as well as brushing up on communication strategies.

We receive many calls in the FNA office inquiring about work related issues, licensure questions, and job placements, just to name a few. The callers assume they are FNA members because they receive The Florida Nurse quarterly and are licensed through the Board of Nursing. This is a misconception by a large number of Florida nurses. ALL registered nurses in the state of Florida receive The Florida Nurse. Just because you have the publication in your hand does not make you a member of FNA nor does having a Florida State RN license. Now that you are informed, we hope that you will seriously consider becoming a member of FNA, if you are not already.

Full FNA member benefits include:• ANAmembership;• FNAandANAprofessionalpublications;

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FNA is devoted to its members. Each program and services is designed with member needs in mind. Take a few moments and visit www.floridanurse.org to become an FNA member. We look forward to adding your VOICE!

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March 2014 The Florida Nurse Page 7

Special intereSt GroupS

by Mary Gynn, RN, BSN, MSN/MS, MPH

Health care is changing dramatically for those who seek care and for those who deliver it. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is bringing health care coverage to millions of consumers who previously could not afford or did not want health insurance. Now, the health benefit experience is presenting them with a variety of choices and complexities to consider. Those choices will be difficult if they don’t have an understanding of what’s being said or written and they’re making those choices for the first time. Furthermore, the experience will be varied because of the diversity of consumers reflected by race, ethnicity, language, and culture.

Presently, consumers are overwhelmed by the flood of information and decisions that need to be made. Today’s consumers need simple, accessible, understandable health communications. Health literacy can play a huge role in ensuring safe, effective, and efficient care, giving consumers who pursue and utilize health care understandable provider-to-patient interactions, as well as knowledge about what self-care is and how self-management affects their health.

Questions Being Asked• Can health literacy improve long-term

health outcomes that affect quality of life?• Howwill individualswithvaryingdegrees

of health literacy respond to different settings they find themselves in?

• Does research show the usage of healthliteracy impacting a better long-term outcome, affording individuals the knowledge they need for self-management as more and more health care is headed in that direction?

• Are health institutions preparing theirhealth professionals to be aware that the “language of health” is key to individuals/ patients/clients and that the outcome is to live a healthier life?

• Are there evidence-based recommendationsfor helping people access, understand, and then use health recommendations given them?

• Are nurses being educated regarding evidence-based research around health literacy and how it can impact the health quality of patients who clearly understand what is being said to them?

The growing pressure on health systems is to reduce, ration, and delay health services to

contain health costs. However, people are living longer, creating more time for minor dysfunctions to develop into disabling chronic diseases. Improving health outcomes relies on patients’ full engagement in prevention, decision-making, and self-management activities. Self-management is good medicine! And health literacy – or people’s ability to obtain, process, communicate, and understand basic health information and services – is essential to those actions. Yet few Americans are proficient in understanding available health information or at self-management.

The Health Literate Care Model article cited in Health Education Behavior, December 2013, 40:6635-639. “The Public Health Journey: The Meaning and the Moment” by Howard Koh, Cindy Brach, Linda Harris, Michael Parchman, calls for approaching all patients with the assumption that they are at risk of not understanding their health conditions or how to deal with them. Health literacy then becomes a value that is used in all aspects of planning and clinical information systems. It would be infused in delivery system design, planning patient care, shared decision-making, and helping patients’ access community resources. The model also proposes a framework to track the impact of the Health Literate Care model on patient outcomes and quality of care.

Additionally, the literature is beginning to suggest and consider that the composition of America’s health care workforce needs redesigning, having closer linkages between the various health professions’ education and the delivery of care. Some proposed solutions focus on strengthening the primary care workforce, expanding the practices of nurses with advanced training, nurse-managed health centers, supporting and increasing the capacity of mental health caregivers, tracking future patient care needs, and changing provider interests that favor the status quo. All of these would include preventative health education and the health literacy concept.

As the health delivery system begins to drastically change before our eyes, as the education of health professionals continues to change, as technology affects health and health care, as new medications are discovered and as the cost of care continues to soar, to mention a few, today’s health care systems are undergoing massive change. Health literacy is a critical yet positive component of that change, where nurses in every setting will soon become key players.

Bioethics SIG Workplace Violence and

the Code of Ethics for Nurses

by Bernie Williams-McGuire, RN

“I heard you are doing a project about bullying in the workplace” she whispered ...“Can I tell you my story?” Tears welled up, and she looked nervous as she scanned the room. She told me how she never knew what to expect when she went to work. “You’d think nurses of all people would know how to take care of each other,” she said fiercely. Like she could see her bullies right in front of her and finally had the words to tell them how much it hurt when they:

Shut her out; undermined her work; played favorites; formed a clique like it was high school all over again; sneered and laughed; rolled their eyes. As though she couldn’t see them do it; as though she didn’t even matter; as though she wasn’t even there.

“How do you cope?” I asked her. She said “oh, I don’t work there anymore. It’s a pity – I was a good nurse.” (Croft & Cash, 2012, pp 226 – 227).

“Research shows that bullying is a severe problem for health care professionals” (Katrinli, Atabay, Gunay, & Guneri, 2010, p. 615) and for the past twenty or more years, workplace bullying in nursing has emerged as a frequent problem that violates the core values and ethical principles of the nursing profession. Also known as lateral or horizontal violence, it harms the physical and psychological well-being of those who are targeted (Katrinli et al., 2010).

(ANA, 2001, provision 1.5) provides direction concerning relationships with colleagues and others: “The principle of respect for persons extends to all individuals with whom the nurse interacts. The nurse maintains compassionate and caring relationships with colleagues and others with a commitment to fair treatment of individuals to integrity preserving compromise, and resolving conflict…The nurse treats colleagues, employees, assistance, and students with respect and compassion. This standard of conduct precludes any and all prejudicial actions, any form of harassment or threatening behavior, or disregard for the effect on one’s actions on others.”

Accepting workplace violence must change; senior nurses and managers must refuse to side with the perpetrator of lateral violence. This can be accomplished by working as a team and deciding on a shared set of values that promote staff empowerment and collaboration in an environment that encourages open and honest communication and fair and consistent treatment of all of the nursing staff (Longo, 2010).

American Nurses Association (ANA). (2001). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretative statements. Silver Spring, MD: Author http://www.nursingworld.org/codeofethics

Croft, R., & Cash, P. (2012). Deconstructing contributing factors to bullying and lateral violence in nursing using a postcolonial feminist lens. Contemporary Nurse: A Journal For The Australian Nursing Profession, 42(2), 226-242. doi:10.5172/conu.2012.42.2.226

Katrinli, A., Atabay, G., Gunay, G., & Guneri Cangarli, B. (2010). Nurses’ perceptions of individual and organizational political reasons for horizontal peer bullying. Nursing Ethics, 17(5), 614-627. doi:10.1177/0969733010368748

Longo, J. (2010). Combating disruptive behaviors: strategies to promote a healthy work environment. Online Journal Of Issues In Nursing, 15(1), 3.

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Page 8 The Florida Nurse March 2014

Alisa LaPolt

Alisa LapoltFNA Lobby Team

The 2014 session of the Florida Legislature is proving to be one of most significant to the state’s nursing profession in recent years.

From autonomous practice for nurse practitioners to telehealth, legislation that would modernize the state’s nursing profession is gaining unprecedented momentum.

“It’s been years since we’ve had this much attention focused on legislation affecting our nurses,” said Willa Fuller, Executive Director of the Florida Nurses Association (FNA). “We appreciate that policymakers are recognizing the vital role that nurses can play in healthcare during these changing and challenging times.”

Recognizing that Florida’s population is aging and individuals will require more care for chronic conditions, leadership in the state House of Representatives created a committee dedicated to reviewing the state’s healthcare workforce supply and demand. The House Select Committee on Health Care Workforce Innovation has put forth a sweeping bill that we believe will begin to address the need for 50,000 new registered nurses by 2025.

The committee bill would rename advanced practice nurses in Florida to “Advanced Practice Registered Nurses” (APRN) to be consistent with the title in other states. APRNs would have the ability to prescribe controlled substances and perform many of the same activities as physicians, so long as those activities are within the APRN’s scope of practice. This would include signing death certificates, initiating Baker Act proceedings and ordering home health and other services.

The bill also gives APNs who meet certain criteria the option of practicing without a collaborative agreement with a physician. These “Independent Advanced Practice Registered Nurses” must first spend at least three years as an APRN, complete

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FNA President Ed Briggs and President-elect Leah Kinnaird were among those who testified in favor of independent practice during January and February meetings of the committee. Former board member Bonnie Sklaren, who now chairs the FNA’s Political Action Committee (FNPAC) also testified.

Sen. Denise Grimsley, who is a nurse, is shepherding a similar bill in the Florida Senate that would also grant independent practice for nurses but allow them to prescribe certain controlled substances on a formulary.

The FNA lobbying team is also promoting the role of nurses in telehealth. Lawmakers in the House and Senate have filed bills that would allow health care practitioners to be reimbursed for telehealth services, but the legislation is facing opposition from the physician community, which wants to limit the bill to physicians only.

Please check the FNA website (www.floridanurse.org) for developments on these bills, as well as information about FNA Lobby Days at the state Capitol on Tuesday, March 25, and Wednesday, March 26.

The website also contains the FNA’s nine-point nursing education and workforce plan called the “Nursing Pipeline to Patients.” The recommendations, which have been shared with key legislators as well as the office of Gov. Rick Scott, call for increased nursing college faculty and clinical space as well as nursing internships.

LegisLative Update

March 2014 The Florida Nurse Page 9

LERC/PRofEssionaL PRaCtiCE advoCaCy

Jeanie Demshar

Jeanie M. Demshar

Is your workplace toxic? Defusing conflict to create a positive work environment.

I receive numerous calls from nurses and other health care professionals who are experiencing workplace bullying from coworkers and/or supervisors. Bullying can come in subtle or blatant forms. Conflict, which can be fleeting or constant, intense or mild, or personal or professional, challenges us all, and we often confront it on a daily basis in one form or another. If you have never experienced workplace bullying, or are in doubt about just how prevalent it is, just Google the terms “nurse bullying” and “nurse conflict.”

Perhaps you are a new nurse being bullied by your more senior coworkers. Or, you work with a nurse who knows it all and is hyper critical of your work. Maybe you’re the victim of vicious office gossip, or you’re the “outsider” in a world of workplace cliques and drama. Conflict exists on many levels and for many reasons. Tension may rain down from the top or stew from below, and we must all possess the knowledge and tools to handle conflicts that create a toxic work environment.

So, if you are victim of workplace bullying, what should you do? We will explore the different types of bullying and how you should respond in the next issue of The Florida Nurse.

If you have been a victim of bullying in the workplace and would like to share your experience and stories with me, I can be reached at 407-896-3261 or by email at jdemshar@floridanurse.org.

We salute all nurses during National Nurses Week and appreciate their

dedicated service

Start your future here!

Find the perfect nursing job that meets your needs at

nursingALD.com

Page 10 The Florida Nurse March 2014

Regional news

Shirley HillRegional Directorshill2000@att.net

Jill TahmooressiRegional DirectorJill.Tahmooressi@mch.com

Patricia Posey-GoodwinRegional Directorppgoodwin@uwf.edu

Dr. Dan BermanRegional Directordberman@healthcarefutureinnovations.net

Marsha MartinRegional Directormamartin74@aol.com

Volusia, Lake, Seminole, Orange, Osceola, Brevard, Flagler, Sumter Counties

Broward, Monroe, Miami-Dade Counties

Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, Washington, Jackson, Calhoun, Gulf, Liberty, Franklin, Bay Counties

Nassau, Baker, Duval, Clay, Putnam, St. Johns Counties

Leon, Wakulla, Jefferson, Madison, Taylor, Hamilton, Suwannee, Lafayette, Dixie, Columbia, Union, Gilchrist, Alachua, Levy, Marion, Gadsen, Citrus, Bradford Counties

East Central Region

I look at my calendar and it’s hard for me to believe we are in March 2014! This year is going fast!

I look at our region and wonder what is happening in each county/area. Our region has 8 counties covering a large area. I encourage meetings throughout our region so members can network with others in our nursing profession. It would be great if all members would embrace a non-member or student and show them what it means to be a member of this great organization.

I would like to know what our members want as a region. What can I do to assist members to become active? If you have thoughts please email me at shill2000@att.net with your desires and ideas. I will do my best to assist you to make this happen.

We have meetings scheduled at the FNA office in Orlando quarterly since this is a central location for this region. The next quarterly meeting is scheduled for May 15, 2014 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. I do encourage members to have meetings in other counties to network with others. Please let me know if I can assist, and check our website for updates.

North Central Region

I am pleased to announce that the North Central Regional Spring conference is being held again. It will be on Saturday April 12 at the Conference Center at the Advent Christian Village in Dowling Park, FL. The topics will include legal implications of documentation and the electronic medical record, the new contact hours requirement concerning the laws and rules of the Florida Board of Nursing, a legislative and policy update, and a poster session. I hope to see you there.

If you have any questions, concerns, suggestions, etc., please do not hesitate to contact me at MAMartin74@aol.com. I am hoping for any suggestions that will help make the Region more vibrant and active.

Thank you for your continued support of our Region and FNA.

Northeast Central Region

Hello, my name is Dr. Dan Berman and I am your NE Director and Board Member to the Florida Nurses Association. I am a Professor of Nursing at Walden University and I am the Chief Executive Officer for the Center for Healthcare Thinking and Innovations. I reside on Amelia Island in Fernandina Beach in Nassau County.

We have had an executive committee planning the activities for the year. The last meeting of the Executive Committee was Feb 8, 2014. We welcome anyone who wants to participate on this committee to contact me at dberman1@bellsouth.net.

We have three activities planned for this year. The first activity was held on February 22, 2014. We held a Dance and Social with line dancing, etc. taught by Dance Instructors. There was food, drink, and merriment. There were also opportunities to win gift certificates.

The second activity is April 12 with the location yet to be determined. This is a Saturday morning seminar with CEU to discuss legal issues in nursing including the new requirements for the legal continuing education for licensure. We have reserved as a speaker a healthcare attorney with multiple state board of nursing experience. The instructor will be Kennetha Julien, ESQ, of Ponte Vedra.

The third activity is in September, a legislative meeting with the location to be determined. This will be the joint program of many nursing organizations in our area. There will be legislators, city officials, and county officials to share your concerns about nursing and healthcare.

Northwest Region

The Northwest Region has been in the planning mode and looking for a few good nurses to help get the plans off the ground. As of this writing, planning for the February 15 mini conference in Pensacola is in progress. Sherri Sutton-Johnson from the Florida Board of Nursing will be speaking about nursing laws and rules; FNA president Edward Briggs, DNP, ARNP-C will address nursing and legislation, in preparation for Lobby Days. Three contact hours will be awarded. The next meeting is scheduled for Saturday, May 17th, so save the date. Watch the website for details about the May meeting and Join us at the Capital on March 25th and 26th for Lobby Days.

South Region

Mark your calendars for the 4th Annual South Region Florida Nurses Association Symposium and Awards Ceremony on Saturday, April 26, 2014. The event will be from 8:00 – 2:00pm at the Signature Grand in Davie, FL. We are excited that the featured keynote speaker will be Pamela F. Cipriano, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, Editor of American Nurse Today. She will be speaking on “Lessons Learned: Representing Nursing (ANA, ANF & AAN) at the Institute of Medicine (IOM).” The keynote speaker is sponsored by The Nurses Charitable Trust.

This event will provide 2 contact hours, nursing student mentorship and scholarships, professional networking, evidence-based poster sessions, vendor displays, and nurse awards. The nurse awards will be awarded for Registered Nurse Practice, Nurse Researcher, Advanced Practice Nurse, Nurse Educator, Community Service, Promoting an Environment of Excellence, Nurse Leader: Administration/Academia, and culminating with the distinguished South Region, FNA member Nurse of the Year award.

Please visit www.floridanurse.org for more information on poster abstract submissions, awards criteria and applications, and scholarships. We look forward to seeing you there.

Deborah HoganRegional Directorcapitallass@hotmail.com

Indian River, Okeechobee, St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach Counties

Southeast Region

Welcome to the Southeast Region! My name is Debbie Hogan, and I am proud to serve as your Southeast Region Director for the next two years. As a resident of Palm Beach County for the last 18 years, I work as a Public Health Nurse in Immunizations at Florida Health (your health department) in Palm Beach County. I have been active with the Florida Nurses Association since I moved to Florida, I serve as the President of the Healthcare Professionals Bargaining Unit, the union for state employees, and as Chair of the Labor & Employment Relations Council.

We began our first Southeast Region meeting as a phone call on 11/12/13 at 7pm. On this call we decided that we would have monthly calls at 8pm, for those who worked the 7-3 shift. We also talked about having a face-to-face meeting in December, and offering webinars on specific topics. In January, 8 people participated in our monthly phone call, and we discussed some possible plans

Southeast Region continued on page 11

March 2014 The Florida Nurse Page 11

Regional news

Denise McNultyRegional Directordmcnultyrn@cs.com

Sue HartranftRegional Directorsuehartranft@yahoo.com

Hendry, Glades, Lee, Collier, Charlotte Counties

Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsbourough, Polk, Manatee, Sarasota, Highlands, Citrus, DeSoto Counties

Southwest Region

Happy New Year! 2013 was a great year for the Southwest Region! We thank all of our loyal Members in Lee, Charlotte, Hendry, Glades, and Collier Counties for their support. Without our members, we would not have a Southwest Region.

Let us take a minute to reflect on our activities in 2013….a very productive year indeed!

On March 14, 2013, the FNA Southwest Region Royal Palm Coast Chapter hosted a dinner meeting at the Royal Palm Yacht Club in Fort Myers. Dr. Eric Goldsmith, Lee Memorial Health System, presented “Physicians & Nurses Working Together to Improve Healthcare in SW Florida – What Will It Take?” Seventy nurses attended.

West Central Region

The 31st annual Pinellas Legislative Forum was held on January 23, 2014. Plans for Nurses Week activities began in February. These activities include the traditional wine and cheese party and a Tampa Bay Ray’s game on May 10, 2014 Nurses Night. We are open to new ideas for the celebration.

We have openings on the Region leadership team and would love to have those positions filled by members outside of Pinellas County. The time commitment would vary. My goal is to set up monthly one-hour maximum conference calls for the leadership team to organize region activities. As your Region representative to the FNA Board of Directors, I am interested in hearing from you. Contact me at suehartranft@yahoo.com.

On April 4, 2013, the FNA Southwest Region Collier County Nurses Chapter co-hosted a special event with the Nurse Practitioner Council of Collier County and the Collier County Medical Society at the NCH Healthcare System in support of the Friendship Health Clinic in Naples. Dr. Allen Weiss, CEO of the NCH Healthcare System, presented “Changes in U.S. Healthcare: What Can We Expect in SW Florida?” Two hundred attended.

On May 9, 2013, the FNA Southwest Region Collier County Nurses Chapter hosted a dinner meeting at Moorings Park in Naples in honor of National Nurses Week. Judy Meissner, RN presented “Nurses, We Have Come a Long Way!” followed by a presentation from the Shelter for Abused Women and Children in Collier County entitled “SW FL Nurses: Violence against Women & Children in Our Community – The Real Story.” Nick Tate, author of the New York Times Bestseller, ObamaCare Survival Guide, did a book signing during cocktail hour. One hundred nurses attended.

On September 18, 2013, the FNA Southwest Region Royal Palm Coast Chapter hosted a dinner meeting at the Royal Palm Yacht Club in Fort Myers. Representative Heather Fitzenhagen, District 78, addressed the audience followed by a presentation entitled “Nurses: The Burden of Clostridium Difficile – DIFICID to the Rescue!” presented by Dr. Jeffrey Levenson, MD. Seventy nurses attended.

We are fortunate to have two local Chapters who work well together to provide opportunities for our members, which focus on networking, professional development, and membership development. The latest dinner meeting held at time of printing was January 30, 2014 in Naples.

for a Nurses Day activity. Regional conference calls are scheduled for the first Tuesday of every month at 8pm.

Because of the size of our Region, two meetings were scheduled in December: one on 12/14/13 in St. Lucie West, and one on 12/17/13 in West Palm Beach/Lantana area. At the meetings, we had Maria Seidel volunteer to be our Legislative Liaison, and Clare Good volunteered to be the Activities Director for the St. Lucie Area. We still have openings for other Activities Directors and Members at Large on the Council.

We are working to develop Webinars with contact hours on the latest Board of Nursing CE requirement for Nursing Rules, and one working with the League of Women Voters on an update of the Affordable Care Act.

Southeast Region continued from page 10

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Page 12 The Florida Nurse March 2014

Partners in nursing

Florida’s Demand for Nurses, 2013

In summer 2013, the Florida Center for Nursing surveyed six nurse employment settings (hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, public health departments, hospices, home health agencies, and skilled nursing facilities) to measure current demand and future need for nurses in Florida. The overall survey response rate was 25%, and included information on 70,304 nurses (62,538 RNs, 1,444 ARNPs, and 6,323 LPNs) and 19,151 CNAs.

Within the responding facilities, there were 14,036 separations from July 2012 to June 2013. Average turnover rates for direct care RNs were 19.6% in hospitals, 26.5% in hospices, and 60.4% in home health. The hospital turnover rate increased 3% since 2011.

We estimated the number of vacant nursing positions statewide as of June 30, 2013. Eighty percent of the skilled nursing facility survey respondents did not answer the questions on vacancies or growth, thus we were unable to calculate skilled nursing vacancies and growth. We estimated 9,111 RN vacancies statewide, almost 6,000 of which were in hospitals. Comparing 2011 to 2013, home health RN vacancies increased from 1,194 to 2,773. RN vacancy rates increased in hospitals, home health, and public health departments.

The survey asked respondents to estimate the total number of new nursing positions they intend to create through June 2014. The Center estimated that about 4,000 new RN positions will be created statewide in 2014 within the surveyed industries, and the majority of these will be in hospitals and home health.

Combined Vacancies (as of June 30, 2013) and Projected Growth (through 2014) for Registered Nurses by Industry

RN Vacancies(2013)

RN Growth(2014) Combined

Hospitals 5,981.7 784.5 6,766.2

Skilled Nursing Facilities Insufficient Data

Home Health 2,772.7 3,159.3 5,932.0

Public Health 54.5 13.0 67.5

Hospice 226.3 112.0 338.3

Psychiatric Hospital 76.0 94.0 170.0

Total (all groups) 9,111.2 4,162.8 13,274.0

Difficult to fill positions varied by industry. Positions in hospitals required experience (critical care nurse, operating room, emergency department). Positions requiring less experience were difficult to fill in other industries - home health, skilled nursing, and hospice reported a need for Staff RNs, nurse aides (i.e., home health aide, CNA, direct care assistant), and LPNs.

90% of hospitals, 85% of skilled nursing facilities, and 50% of public health departments reported hiring new graduate RNs. 71% of hospitals and 73% of psychiatric hospitals reported preferentially hiring BSN graduates. Most responding facilities reported they had some type of educational support for nurses to advance their education.

While the state and national economy is slowly improving, healthcare has remained a strong sector of employment throughout the recession. Economic factors will have an undetermined impact on the future employment growth of healthcare personnel in Florida. Nurse employers have a strong incentive to understand the potential growth drivers of the nurse workforce to strategically plan for the future.

Florida Coalition of Advanced Practice Nurses

Speakers BureauGeorge Byron Peraza-Smith, Gwendolyn Randall, Willa Fuller

The Florida Coalition of Advanced Practice Nurses (FLCAPN) is comprised of member groups (FNA, FNPN, FANP, FANA, FCNM), as well as, individual members of Advanced Practice Nursing that recognized the need to coalesce in their efforts to provided adequate healthcare to Floridians, to gain professional satisfaction, and to be able to fully utilize their expertise for which they were educated and trained. The Coalition’s charge of the past couple of years has been to create a unified voice of Advanced Practice in Florida. The mission of the coalition is to build a cohesive foundation of all APN stakeholders. The coalition is committed to promoting creative solutions using advanced practice nursing models to address the health care needs of all Floridians (FLCAPN, 2013).

The coalition has been working for several years on issues related to advanced nursing practice. One of the current projects includes a Speakers Bureau composed of advanced practice nurses who are available to speak to both nursing and lay groups. Speakers will educate these groups about advanced nursing practice here in Florida, as well as, on the coalition groups’ advocacy efforts. The groups of the Coalition have a goal of educating all ARNP’s and the public about the advocacy agenda related to advanced practice in Florida. The Coalition wishes to assemble regional “experts” to speak on this issue with a unified voice to ensure our issues are accurately communicated. The Coalition has developed a presentation slide set with speaker notes for Speakers to use. One of the most important aspects of the Coalition’s message is that unnecessary restrictions in practice create barriers to access to care for Florida’s Citizens.

Florida is currently the only state that does not allow nurse practitioners to prescribe controlled substances of any kind which is only one example of restrictions that hinder services to our patients. The Institute of Medicine Report on the Future of Nursing recommends that nurses and nurse practitioners be allowed to practice at the full extent of their education and training. Two Florida Senate studies have concluded that nurse practitioners are qualified to prescribe controlled substances.

If you are a nurse practitioner who is interested in either representing your region in the Speakers Bureau or having someone speak to your group about the work of the Coalition and associated groups, please contact Mai Kung (Coalition Co-Chair) at mai_kung@hotmail.com or George Byron Peraza-Smith (Co-Chair) at gbsmith@southuniversity.edu.

ReferencesFCAPN (2012). Strategic plan. Retrieved January 6, 2014 from https://

flcapn.enpnetwork.com/page/5871-strategic-plan-2008-2010

We appreciate our nurses for their dedication, passion and expert care of our patients. To learn more about us and opportunities, please visit www.cshospice.org

offered through a unique UF-UWF partnership.

• Web-based format• Limited travel to Gainesville• Generous scholarships

For more information on the program visit: http://admissions.nursing.ufl.edu QUESTIONS?Contact Dr. Tina MajorsUniversity of West Florida850-473-7764 | tmajors@uwf.edu

Are you interested in taking your career to a Higher Degree?

New ONLINE Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program

March 2014 The Florida Nurse Page 13

This unique program presented by Dr. Chris O’Neill will provide nursing supervisors with the tools to ensure patient safety by recognizing when a nurse’s fitness for duty may be in question. In addition, supervisors of licensees enrolled in licensee monitoring will learn how to support professionals through constructive performance improvement.

Learning modules are designed to help supervisors gain confidence in their ability to:

• Perform their role in performanceimprovement

• Supervise a licensee in a monitoringprogram

• Enforce their organization’s policies toprotect patient safety

• Take appropriate action sooner to reducerisk

Skills and knowledge include:• Documentingthefacts• Identifying risky behaviors that can lead

to unsafe practice

The Intervention Project for Nurses and Florida Nurses AssociationPresent

“FIT TO PERFORM SAFELY”Supervisor Skill Workshop

With speaker: Dr. Chris O’NeillApril 9, 2014

• Identifying the best course of actionbased on the level of risk

• Correcting substandard performanceissues early

• Redirectingsidetrackingbehaviors

The course will offer 4.0 contact hours of approved continuing education credit and meets the state training requirements for supervision of licensees enrolled in monitoring. Nurse supervisors, Employee Assistance Program Managers, and Risk Management Department Heads will benefit from this training.

This program has been evaluated with positive results published in the Advances in Nursing Science, Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 135-144.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:Chris O’Neill, RN, DMin, is a consultant

with the Oregon Addictions and Mental Health Division, implementing the Health Professionals Services Program. Chris also

Partners in nursing

directs a program for the Oregon Nurses Foundation called WorkHealthy Oregon, which conducted published evaluation research on both supervisor training and student nurse peer intervention for unsafe performance by colleagues.

Workshop Details:Date: April 9, 2014Where: Jacksonville Marriott Hotel, 4670

Salisbury Road, Jacksonville 32256Time: 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (Registration

begins at 9:00)Cost: $30.00 includes lunch and conference

materialsSeating will be limited; please register early

to ensure your spot.

For more information contact: Pamela Livingston at 800-840-2720, ext. 123 or plivingston@ipnfl.org

Page 14 The Florida Nurse March 2014

Now Hiring: Registered Nurses, LPNs, Phlebos, Home Health RNs, Surgery Nurses

Education and Experience: FL State Nursing license;2 year college degree; BSN preferred; must have 3-5 years

experience in the field; must hold both ACLS and BLS certification.

Venice Regional Bayfront Health a 312-bed regional healthcare system has been providing compassionate healthcare since 1951. Today Venice Regional Bayfront Health’s healthcare system focuses on providing health care that is cost effective, high quality and convenient for the many patients throughout the region.

Why consider choosing a career with us? We are committed to helping our employees achieve their goals. As a member of Venice Regional Bayfront Health, we are confident you will achieve more for your career with industry-leading programs that enhance care and promote superior outcome for patients. You will enjoy the support of a progressive group along with a comprehensive benefit package, competitive pay, and flexible schedule options to fit your lifestyle. If a long tradition of world-class caring is important to you, consider joining our team. You’ll feel right at home!

Venice Regional Bayfront Health is committed to recruiting and employing qualified candidates without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, veteran or disability status or any factor prohibited by law, and as such affirms in policy and practice to support and promote the concept of equal opportunity and affirmative action in all employment activities.

March 2014 The Florida Nurse Page 15

by: Theresa Morrison PhD, RN, CNS-BCPart Three of a Three Part Series

Are you prepared to answer the question, “Should I have the genetic test for… (fill in the blank)…..?” The public expects that as a nurse you will be able to use genomics information and understand the technology. This article is the third in a series to help you familiarize yourself with genomics, the “new” genetics. The first series, “The History of Genomics- What Nurses Need to Know” helped expand your knowledge of the history of genomics. The second, “The Nurse and Genomic Counseling” explored the nurse’s role in counseling (published in September and December 2013 issues of Florida Nurse).

Since the last article, a popular direct-to-consumer testing company, 23andMe, received a warning from the FDA, over concerns about test accuracy. The $99 saliva test kit provides the purchaser with a report on more than 240 health conditions and traits. The “report” is a simplistic statement such as, “about double the average for women of European ethnicity.” Remember from Series 1 that these types of tests examine fewer than a million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Scientists have identified about 10 million SNPs within our entire genome sequence of three billion nucleotides. Tests of the entire genome cost several thousand dollars, which is pushing the industry to working on standards for weighing risk factors and defining terminology.

So, when you are asked about testing you must be prepared to find the answer. Will the test help with the decision to pursue screenings that are more aggressive? There are about 20 highly predictive tests for genetic diseases, which can be treated. All are rare; the most common are hereditary breast cancer, cystic fibrosis, and genes for diseases that might pass on to a child. Testing for genetic diseases in adults before they cause symptoms, making a diagnosis in a person who has disease symptoms, and prescribing a type or dose of a medicine is early in its evolution. An exception would be oncology where pathology strains are highly predicative for several leukemia and lymphomas.

Newer less predictive genetic tests are rarely covered by insurance, as they are still in the early research stages. Most tests begin with research studies that have observed associations

Over 2,200 Genomic Tests- Be Prepared to Teach

between genomics and health. For example, Raffield et al. (2013) observed associations between several genetic risk scores and calcified atherosclerotic plaque suggesting a potential role for HDL-associated SNPs on subclinical cardiovascular disease risk in type 2 diabetes. But, nurses know, long-term potential health risks, such as environmental conditions and personal health habits, will always play a role. Current belief is that genes account for only 5 to 20 percent of the “cause.”

To find specific tests go to the Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) which provides a central location for voluntary submission of genetic test information by providers. You will find the test’s purpose, methodology and validity, and evidence of usefulness. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gtr/

When being asked about genomic tests that can show predisposition to liver diseases, Alzheimer disease, cardiac disease, or predicting success of weight-loss surgery, nurses must recognize there is no simple answer to, “Should I have the genetic test for….?”

• Healthsouth Rehabilitation Hospital andRasmussen College – Ocala Nursing Campus are committed to improving the health of the community by getting more great nurses into practice. To achieve this, Healthsouth Rehabilitation Hospital provided the Ocala campus of Rasmussen College School of Nursing $10,000 for student scholarships. Rasmussen is proud of the four students who received the scholarships.

L to R: Rasmussen School of Nursing, Karen Guty, Dean of Nursing;Healthsouth, Wendy Milam,

Chief Nursing Officer;Healthsouth, Ellen Witterstaeter, Chief

Executive OfficerStudents: Shannon Porterfield, Jocelyn Karcher,

Laura Arnold, Rachel Harrell;Rasmussen College, Pete Beasley,

Campus Director

• The University of North Florida is pleased to announce the start of an online RN-BSN program utilizing the 7-week carousel model in May 2014, offering both full and part time options. Additionally, the MSN-DNP program will be offered online starting in August 2014. Both programs are CCNE accredited.

Colleges & Universities

Royal Palm Beach, FL

Graduate Nursing Program Director Position

South University is seeking a Program Director for current and future graduate programs in Nursing. Requirements: a doctoral degree in nursing, a FL

ARNP license with specialization in Family Practice and national certification, current clinical practice and/

or teaching/administrative experience.

Nursing Faculty Position

Seeking a Full Time Faculty member to teach the Women’s Health components in both the BSN and MSN Programs. Applicants must have a terminal

degree in nursing and be licensed in FL as a Women’s Health ARNP or CNM. Current clinical practice

and/or teaching experience required. Please submit resumes to:

Priscilla Bartolone, DNS, RNProgram Director, Nursing

Email:pbartolone@southuniversity.eduPhone (561) 273-6399

Career OpportunitiesBroward College is a nationally ranked institution of higher education in Broward County, Florida, providing residents and non-residents with access to high-quality, affordable education.

Submit application: http://jobs.broward.eduCall (800) 682-3646 or 954-201-7388

Associate Dean, Academic Affairs (Nursing)Associate Deans provide leadership for all instructional programs which may include all or some of the courses within the associate of arts, associate in science, and associate in applied science degrees as well as vocational and technical certificates.Master’s Degree in Nursing with three years teaching experience in Nursing at the postsecondary level, with a history of demonstrated leadership roles in educational settings required. Doctorate in Higher Education, Nursing preferred.

Assistant Professor (2 positions)Full-time tenure track teaching. Master’s Degree in Nursing and Florida Registered Nursing License without restrictions required. Teaching experience in a college or post secondary institution is preferred. Committee work will be needed. Anticipatedhiredate:August2014. Minimum experience of five years of Medical-Surgical Hospital Clinical Experience required. Peds and/or Psych and/or OB clinical experience preferred.

Broward College is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from underrepresented groups, including

minorities, women and persons with disabilities.

Page 16 The Florida Nurse March 2014

Lunch at the White House

Patricia R. Messmer, PhD, RN-BC, FAAN, and Yamina Alvarez, DNP, RN, were invited to lunch at the White House on January 24, 2014. Ronny L. Jackson, MD, FAAEM (Physician to President Obama), mother-in-law, Sally Taylor Annable, RN, BSN, and Pat were classmates at Presbyterian Hospital and roommates, attending the RN-BSN program @ University of Pittsburgh. Pat and Yamina (former Army nurse) toured the medical facilities, seeing the high-tech critical care and emergency equipment/technology. Of the physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners and PAs, 1/3 is Navy, Army, and Air Force.

Left to right Jane Jackson (wife of Ronny and daughter of Sally), Ronny L. Jackson, Sally Taylor

Annable, Yamina Alvarez, and sitting, Patricia R. Messmer

MeMbers in the news

Dr. George Byron Smith

Dr. George Byron Smith is a long time member of FNA, has been elected Treasurer for the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association (GAPNA), and was installed on September 21, 2013 at the GAPNA Annual Conference in Chicago, IL. George is the immediate past treasurer of FNA and continues to serve on the Finance Committee. Dr. Smith is a gerontological nurse practitioner who specializes in gerontology primary care and geropsychiatry.

Dr. Patricia A. Quigley Dr. Patricia A. Quigley

received the 2013 Older Adult Falls Prevention Award from the Florida Department of Health. She has demonstrated a commitment to older adult falls prevention through her extensive research resulting in nine center grants totaling $12,844,000. She serves as the Associate Chief of Nursing/Research at the James A. Haley Veteran’s Hospital and the Associate Director of the Patient Safety Center of Inquiry in Tampa, FL. She teaches at Rush University College of Nursing, Department of Adult Health and Gerontological Nursing and the University of South Florida, College of Nursing.

Dr. George Byron Smith

Dr. Patricia A. Quigley

March 2014 The Florida Nurse Page 17

Eduardo Bustillo earned a Master’s of Science in Nursing from Florida Atlantic University, Masters of Business Administration/Health Services, and his Doctorate of Health Science from Nova Southeastern University. He is currently earning his Doctorate in Nursing Practice from Florida Atlantic University. He was the Vice President of Quality Management and Regulatory Compliance at Kendall Regional Medical Center in Miami, FL from September 2011–October 2013. He is currently a Nursing Program Director Consultant for Dade Medical College. He is a certified Healthcare Risk Manager.

Eduardo Bustillo

Reader EditorialNurses: The First Line of Defense

Eduardo J. Bustillo, RN, BSN, MSN, MBA/HSA, DHSc

I am very disappointed with the lack of education to the public during the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). ACA is finally here, but the public’s understanding of the law seems to be non-existent.

The lack of knowledge of the law’s concrete constituent is becoming a burden for nurses who are providing bedside care. Even though President Obama signed the law three years ago, the undoubtedly shocking extent of public ignorance regarding the ACA is being experienced in healthcare facilities at the present time. Stakeholders were not properly educated during this crucial period of elaboration. This is a political crisis and a serious threat to nurses who have to address the uninformed and misinformed patients about the law.

The ACA will benefit everyone, not just the currently uninsured; it is the lack of information that is creating a conflict between patients and healthcare providers. Unfortunately, bedside nurses are the first line of defense taking the irritation from the patients when a test or a medication is not approved. The lack of basic knowledge among the general public is affecting healthcare because the public is ignorant in practically almost all benefits.

In my opinion, I can foresee bedside nurses as the primary resource in educating patients about the health care law and how it affects or meet their needs.

In an effort to fill the information gap, healthcare facilities will need to roll out an outreach program to help patients gain knowledge on health insurance information. This information will also need to be available to the uninsured population. Nurses hold the key to educating patients about health care options and healing.

There is a great number of patients currently receiving care at acute care facilities lacking health insurance and they still do not understand the law and how it affects them. As the months go by, there is practically no evidence that truthful information about the ACA is successfully penetrating public awareness.

It is very difficult for nurses to provide bedside care and address questions that they can honestly not respond. Nurses have been vulnerably subjected to the misunderstanding regarding the policy that the public is experiencing. There are many members of the community unaware of the fundamental principles of the law, including those that are specifically generated to benefit them.

The reality of a vastly uninformed public, though, is simply inconsistent with the reality that nurses and healthcare facilities have to deal with providing accessible and affordable care to their patients. The public needs more information and help in evaluating the insurance configuration and the basics of the ACA.

The lack of knowledge creates a level of anxiety that is not beneficial for patients. Nurses find the need to decrease this level of anxiety so patients heal faster.

Page 18 The Florida Nurse March 2014

Workforce AdvocAcy

Dear Commissioner...Dear Commissioners,

I have been seeing more verbal abuse and threats from my patients. I am comfortable calling security, but what else can I do in the moment to de-escalate the situation to keep the patient safe?

~ Worried

Dear Worried,Your concern is understandable. First, ensure

your facility has a clear policy of zero tolerance for workplace violence, verbal and nonverbal threats, and related actions. Facilities with policies typically provide personal safety training on preventing and avoiding assaults and managing assaultive behavior.

Ask your Manager or Education Department if your facility offers any classes. If not go to https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3148/osha3148.html for information on preventing workplace violence in health care and social services.

In the meantime:Never turn your back on a potentially aggressive

patient, and always ensure you have an exit for a quick escape.

Use the “buddy system” when your personal safety has been threatened and you must perform a task such as medicating the patient.

Remember 80% of communication is non-verbal, so stay calm, speak slowly and politely, and keep your voice at a conversational level. Maintaining eye contact and showing empathy can help.

Don’t forget to document all conversations and patient concerns carefully.

Dear Commissioners, I am increasingly the target of verbally abusive,

threatening patients and their families. It seems to me that management is not backing me up. They are more worried about patient satisfaction scores. What can I do to get management’s attention?

~ Safe Workplace

Dear Safe Workplace,Every worker has the right to a safe workplace.

First, ensure that ALL incidents of inappropriate behaviors are reported per hospital policy and procedure. No excuses. This will help management recognize the true frequency and severity of abusive and threatening behaviors. Are there accountability measures in place for management, such as regularly reporting updates on actions taken to prevent future violence? If staff is not hearing about follow through and improvement plans, ask for reports. Does your workplace have a safety committee? This can be an effective way for frontline workers and managers to work together on violence prevention and satisfactory response to incidents. Review OSHA document “Preventing Workplace Violence for Healthcare and Social Service Workers” for guidelines (https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3148.pdf).

ANGELS OF MERCYby: Mario H. Casuga

Immaculate uniformSkills to heal and inform

Work unholy hoursAsking no favors

Never complaining Praises not considering

Keep harrowing aloneTill thankless job is borne

Mindless of adversityOnly aim is to serve humanity

Selfless angels of mercyMuch-loved nurses we commend thee

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Offer FIT (Fecal Immunochemical Test) as an Option to Boost Colorectal Cancer Screening. The FIT is more accurate for cancer, requires no diet or medication restrictions and is performed in the privacy of the patient’s home. FIT is a great way to increase colorectal cancer screening rates for patients at your clinic.

When compared to the commonly used guaiac FOBT methods, FIT has...o Increased patient compliance with fewer

samplesoHigher specificity/sensitivity

The FIT is ideal for patients age 50 and olderwho are at average risk for colorectal cancer.For more information

gettheFITfacts.comBeat Colorectal CancerA program of the Florida Department of Health

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March 2014 The Florida Nurse Page 19 Photography courtesy of NYS Dept. of Health and the NYS Tobacco Cessation Centers

Patients trust you. They need your guidance.

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Page 20 The Florida Nurse March 2014