President's Message
Program Committee Update
W-ONE Marketing Committee Update
Dues Increase Reminder
The Patient Care Committee Focuses on Patient Safety
Report - Legislative Committee W-ONE
Professional Development and Research Committee
Treasurer's Report: Fiscal Year End
W-ONE Board Members
W-ONE Committee Chairs
Member Checklist
Stay In Touch with W-ONE
President's Message
Happy New Year!
Here it is already the fourth week in January. Where oh where does the time go? This is my first opportunity as your president to share some of the exciting things that are happening with your organization W-ONE.
At the Board Retreat in November, we developed a strategic plan for 2001. Our major goals center around four key areas. They are: being a catalyst in defining and implementing creative recruitment and retention strategies aimed at addressing the nursing shortage; maintaining and building an interactive support role with WHA; collaborating with WNA; and increasing and diversifying our membership and continuing to build value for you in being a member.
Activity is already happening to move toward the achievement of each of these goals. At the January Board meeting, the Board approved the development of a new W-ONE committee whose activities will be focused on nursing recruitment and retention strategies. Jim Greer, a past president of W-ONE has agreed to chair this critical new group. I am certain Jim will be looking for members for his committee. Please contact him if you are interested.
Effective January 1, W-ONE is fortunate to have support service available from WHA. Our contact person is Mandy Kalepp. Mandy is the Office Manager at WHA. She has already proven herself to be a valuable resource. She also brings a real "can do" attitude to this position. The official mailing address and telephone number for W-ONE will now be the WHA address. The telephone number is 608/268-1806. If you are trying to connect with someone in W-ONE and are not sure whom to call, use this number. Also, if you have a colleague who is interested in joining W-ONE, the individual can call this same number for a membership application.
You may also be interested in knowing that W-ONE has members on the WHA Board, the WHA Council on Medical and Professional Affairs and the WHA Council on Public Policy. These are excellent opportunities for the voice of nursing leadership to be heard at the WHA level.
The combined W-ONE and WNA Legislative and Patient Care Committees continue to be active. The Legislative Committee is closely watching two issues. The first is the potential introduction of legislation to provide loan paybacks for nurses finishing either baccalaureate or associate degree nursing programs. That group is also monitoring the activity at the Board of Nursing level regarding the definition of Nurse Techs. I urge you to follow this last issue closely. Right now, with the efforts of Diane Peters from WHA, the Board of Nursing has been persuaded not to change the definition of a nurse tech. It is felt that this issue may surface again.
The Patient Care Committee’s key focus is working together and in collaboration with other groups on defining patient safety issues and implementing strategies to promote patient safety. It is our desire to be proactive in this arena rather than waiting for the legislature to mandate change for us.
Critical to all current and future efforts for W-ONE is your ongoing membership and the membership of new colleagues. The membership renewals are late in being distributed this year. You will still have the chance to renew. The plan was to have the renewal applications to you by the end of January. I also urge and ask you to contact a colleague in or out of your facility and encourage that person to join. W-ONE continues to be a personal and professional lifeline for me in these challenging times. We are also gaining more stature and opportunities with other groups to truly speak as the voice of nursing in our state.
I will close with a preview of things to come. The Marketing Committee with Faye Deich’s leadership is well into the development of a W-ONE web page. That will be a great chance for us to connect with those who may be potential members as well as keeping ourselves more closely connected and up to date.
The Professional Development Committee is currently taking applications for this year’s Professional Research grant. The application deadline is April 1. This is a $1,000 grant available to an organization or an individual. Please see the article from Ann Peck In this issue of the Horizons or call her at 715/623-2917. She can give you details and an application.
The Spring Conference is set for March 29 and 30 in La Crosse. The content looks excellent and I can hardly wait to see the entrants for the Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers contest! If you did not receive a conference brochure, call 608/268-1806 to have one sent to you.
See you at the Radisson in La Crosse in March!
Carolyn Friese, W-ONE President
Program Committee Update
The Program Committee would like to remind everyone of our spring conference to
be held March 28 through 30 entitled, "Round up Your Resources: Personal and
Professional."
At the program will be featured keynote speakers Tom Thibedeau, "The Time of Your Life" and Tom Jadin, "Survive and Thrive in Times of Change." We will also offer six breakout sessions:
* Generational Differences in the Workforce
* Career Planning
* Government Affairs Update (Including how to be politically active)
* Strategic Planning for a Very Uncertain Future
* Creativity
* Heart Health Maintenance
At this year’s conference, we will be able to grant CEAP credits, which are being offered through St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay. In addition to these topics, we are planning to have some fun with a Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers look alike contest (don’t forget your costume), dancing and door prizes for the best "Dolly" or "Kenny."
Registration is due March 16 (not April 16 as printed on the registration form).
Mark Bostwick
Chairperson, Program Committee
WONE Marketing
Committee Update (January 19, 2001)
Efforts are well underway to establish a web site for W-ONE members! Our site
is being developed in conjunction with AONE. Our goal is to have it available
in early February. It will include information related to membership,
conferences, resources, patient advocacy efforts, and much more. The web site
address will be announced very soon. You will also be able to find the web site
address at www.AONE.org
under the "Announcements" column.
A letter has been sent out to nursing organizations around the State of Wisconsin introducing our new President, Carolyn Friese, Assistant Administrator/Chief Nursing Officer, St. Vincent’s Hospital, Green Bay. This will let other colleagues in nursing know who our leader is and how to connect with our organization.
The Spring Conference is fast approaching! The Marketing Committee is pleased to now offer purchases available through Master Card. Checks and cash are still also welcome. Remember to bring any of your own hospital logo items for drawings as we "Lasso the Fun" in La Crosse!
Faye Deich
Dues Increase Reminder
At the Fall Conference Business Meeting and subsequent W-ONE Board Meeting, the
topic of clerical support from WHA was extensively discussed. There was great
support among the membership to enter into an agreement with WHA so that our
individual members are less burdened with the clerical duties of maintaining
membership data bases, receiving conference registrations, membership renewals
and sending out mailings. That will give them the time to be creative and put
in place new programs and agendas that will make a difference to our
association.
Therefore, when you receive your flyer for renewal of your membership this spring, you will note a dues increase from the previous $75 to $100.
Thank you again for your support of this decision. It will be important to the future of W-ONE.
The Patient Care
Committee Focuses on Patient Safety
The Patient Care Committee is actively developing criteria and an application
for a Patient Safety Award. The award is to recognize
nurses working together and/or with other healthcare providers on initiatives
that promote patient safety. We are looking for initiatives that are simple,
easily replicated and that have measurable outcomes. We expect applications
will show a wide array of processes and projects that enhance patient safety.
The efforts could be in creating a blame-free environment, decreasing falls,
decreasing medication errors or any other initiatives focused on patient
safety. The goal of the committee is to have the application and marketing
strategy ready by spring. Returned applications will be reviewed this summer.
All entries will be compiled and distributed to hospitals, members, etc. and
will also be shared at our W-ONE fall conference. The recognition of the
recipient will also occur in the fall. This is an exciting project for the
committee, shedding a positive light upon a topic that has gotten a lot of
negative publicity. The award and process will not only recognize those
focusing energy on patient safety, but will allow us an opportunity to share
wonderful ideas and practices that promote positive patient outcomes.
A member of the Patient Safety Committee will also be actively participating in statewide efforts being made by the Patient Safety Coalition.
If you have interest in joining this exciting committee, please call Betsy Benz at 920/431-3063 or e-mail bbenz@stvgb.org. Our meetings for 2001 are scheduled for February 15, August 14 and November 13. We meet in Madison at the WHA building from 10 am until around 2 pm.
The Patient Care Committee is also planning on discussing and communicating issues, practices and policies around artificial fingernails and healthcare workers. We look forward to sharing articles and other references on this topic with our members. Published below is a recent article written by the Nancy Lorenzoni, Infection Control Nurse at St Vincent Hospital in Green Bay.
HAND CARE UPDATE FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS
Hand washing is the most important and effective means of preventing the transmission of infection. Hand washing removes the majority of transient or "easily picked up" bacteria from your hands. There are certain areas on the hands that are more difficult to fully clean than others. The region of the fingernail is by far the area that continues to contain more bacteria than other hand surfaces, even after hand washing.
Artificial fingernails have become popular in the past few years. Recent scientific articles have been published that demonstrate the presence of increased numbers of bacteria in the subungual (under the nail) area of persons wearing artificial nails. In a recent study, potential pathogens were isolated from 92% of samples obtained from persons wearing artificial nails versus 62% of samples from persons with native nails. Long natural nails also harbor more bacteria than well-trimmed shorter nails (Hedderwick, McNeil, Lyons, and Kauffman 2000). Additionally, scientific articles have described outbreaks of bacteria where artificial nails worn by care providers may have been implicated in life threatening infections acquired by the patients (Moolenaar, et al. 2000).
Another important issue related to long nails is patient safety. Long nails can damage glove integrity and compromise the barrier that is intended to provide protection both to the wearer as well as to the patient. Additionally, potential harm can be done to patients if they are inadvertently injured by long or sharp nails.
Hand washing is one way that we protect our patients from infection. We’ve known this for years. Now there is growing evidence of an additional way to provide patient protection. Having short, trimmed nails (1/4 inch over the finger tip) is one more way that we can protect our patients from the risk of infection.
The Infection Control community has endorsed the most current scientific findings which recommend that those persons who provide patient care and have direct patient contact not wear artificial fingernails, and that natural nails be maintained in a short trimmed style.
Nancy M. Lorenzoni, RN, BSN, CIC
Infection Control Coordinator
St. Vincent Hospital
Green Bay, Wisconsin
References:
1. Hedderwick, S.A., McNeil, S. A., Lyons, M. J., Kauffman, C. A. "Pathogenic Organisms Associated with Artificial Fingernails Worn by Healthcare Workers." Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology 2000, vol. 21, No. 8, 505-509.
2. Moolenaar, R.L., et al. "A Prolonged Outbreak of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Did Staff Fingernails Play a Role in Disease Transmission?" Infection control and Hospital Epidemiology 2000, Vol 21, 80-85.
Report - Legislative Committee W-ONE
The Legislative Committee met on December 8, 2000 and has plans to meet
again on February 9, 2001. A major focus at this time is the legislation
introduced by Paul Ryan, a Congressman from Wisconsin’s First District near
Janesville. This bill is designed to preserve the use of the "single task"
worker in the nursing home setting. Following specific training and competency
assessment, these workers have been performing certain basic care-giving tasks
(feeding or transporting residents) for the past seven years in some Wisconsin
nursing homes.
The federal Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) which regulates the nation’s health care facilities, recently informed the state of Wisconsin that "single-task" personal care workers are, in its view, not qualified to perform the job for which they were trained and that Wisconsin’s "single-task" employee policy violates federal law. Since these tasks are performed as delegated nursing tasks, this affects the interpretation of the Wisconsin Nurse Practice Act.
According to Secretary Joe Leean of Wisconsin Health and Family Services, there have been no poor outcomes nor care violations related to Wisconsin’s "single-task" workers. It is with this premise that a group of representatives from W-ONE Legislative Committee, WHA, WNA and the nursing home association will be meeting with Congressman Ryan to further craft the bill. Since this bill affects the use of workers providing nursing care, as mentioned above, the issue of delegation and supervision within the Nurse Practice Act is part of the discussion.
The Legislative Committee will continue to work on this issue as well as other pertinent topics as the new Bush & McCallum administrations take office. Remember that individual voices are heard as well. Please take the time to know who your legislators are and be in touch with them. Write,
e-mail or fax letters to them indicating needs and concerns within your facility and healthcare settings at large, especially as they relate to specific concerns or pending legislation. Even if there are no "burning issues" at a given time, it is still appropriate and helpful to invite them to your facility and dialogue with them to heighten their awareness of health care needs, both financial and non.
Professional
Development and Research Committee
W-ONE is happy to offer again this year a research stipend of $1,000.
Registered nurses who are licensed by the State of Wisconsin and work in the
state are eligible to apply. Health Care institutions who have research
committees are also eligible. The research should be relevant to nursing
administration. Requests for forms should be mailed to:
Ann Peck
338 Edison Street
Antigo, WI 54409-1843
or e-mail: emerald1@antigopro.net
The deadline for applications is April 1, 2001.
The Professional Development and Research Committee is looking for members who can actively participate in the two to three meetings the committee has each year. The work of the committee includes advertising for applications for research grants and education stipends, then reviewing the applications to determine which one(s) will receive the grant or stipend. Interested parties may contact:
Ann Peck, Chairperson
338 Edison Street
Antigo, WI 54409-1843
or e-mail: emerald1@antigopro.net
Treasurer's Report:
Fiscal Year End
The W-ONE financial status for the end of the 2000 fiscal year (01/01/00 –
12/31/00) is as follows:
Current Accounts
W-ONE Checking Account – M&I Bank ——————————
$23,168.21
W-ONE Investment Account – Equico ———————————
$29,065.36
TOTAL
$52,233.57
Overall, for fiscal year 2000, we lost $497.23. There are still several outstanding bills that have not been included in this summary. Much of this was due to the increase in travel costs. This is beneficial to WONE as it indicates that more of our membership is actively taking part in committees. Our speaker fees were also over budget for the spring conference last year.
We have projected a break even budget for the next fiscal year (1/01 – 12/01).
Respectfully submitted,
Sue Straub, Treasurer
W-ONE Board of Directors 2001
President
Carolyn Friese
Assistant Administrator/Chief
Nursing Officer
St. Vincent Hospital
PO Box 13508
Green Bay, WI 54307-3508
Hospital: 920/433-8203
Fax: 920/431-3215
E-mail: carolyng@stvgb.org
President-Elect
Gerri Staffileno
Director, Patient Services
Columbia - St. Mary’s, Inc.
2350 North Lake Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53211
Hospital: 414/298-6748
Fax: 414/298-6712
E-mail:
gstaffil@columbia-stmarys.org
Secretary
Rosemary Ryan
Chief Nursing Service
Middleton Veterans Hospital
2500 Overlook Terrace
Madison, WI 53705
Hospital: 608/280-7080
Fax: 608/280-7186
E-mail: rosemary.ryan@med.va.gov
Treasurer
Sue Straub
Vice President, Patient Services
St. Michael Hospital
2400 West Villard Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53209
Hospital: 414/527-8118
Fax: 414/527-8461
Home: 414/258-2976
E-mail: straubsj@aol.com
Past President
Mary Lu Gerke
Administrative Director
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center
1910 South Avenue
La Crosse, WI 54601
Hospital: 608/785-0530 ext. 3162
Fax: 608/785-2181
E-mail: marylugerke@aol.com
Board Members
Beverly Hoege
Executive Vice President
Reedsburg Area Medical Center
2000 North Dewey Street
Reedsburg, WI 53959
Hospital: 608/524-6487
Fax: 608/524-6566
E-mail: bhoege@ramchealth.org
Shirley Larson
Division Manager
Zablocki VA Medical Center
5000 West National Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53295
Hospital: 414/384-2000 ext 42845
Fax: 414/383-8010
E-mail: shirley.larson@med.va.gov
Peggy Ose
Vice President-Patient Services
Riverview Hospital
PO Box 8080
Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495-8080
Hospital: 715/421-7427
Fax: 715/421-7551
E-mail: vpps@rhahealthcare.org
Diane Postler-Slattery
Chief Patient Care Executive
Wausau Hospital
333 Pine Ridge Boulevard
Wausau, WI 54401
Hospital: 715/847-2988
Fax: 715/847-2108
E-mail: dianes@waushosp.org
Faye Deich
Assistant Administrator
Sacred Heart Hospital
900 West Clairemont Avenue
E au Claire, WI 54701
Hospital: 715/839-4268
Fax: 715/839-4458
E-mail: fdeich@shec.hshs.org
Marti Klug
VP-Patient Care Services
Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital
791 Summit Avenue
Oconomowoc, WI 53066-3896
Hospital: 262/569-0201
Fax: 262/569-0336
E-mail: martha.klug@phci.org
W-ONE Committee Chairs 2001
Program
Chair: Mark Bostwick
Vice President, Patient Care Services
St. Clare Hospital and Health Service
707 14th Street
Baraboo, WI 53913
Hospital: 608/356-3888
Fax: 608/356-1367
E-mail: mark_bostwick@ssmhc.com
Bylaws
Patricia Van Acker
Director of Operations
Eagle River Memorial Hospital
201 Hospital Road
Eagle River, WI 54521
Hospital: 715/479-0326
Fax: 715/479-0395
E-mail: pva@newnorth.net
Legislative
Karen Lautermilch
Director, Patient Care Support
Wausau Hospital
333 Pine Ridge Boulevard
Wausau, WI 54401
Hospital: 715/847-2364
Fax: 715/847-2316
E-mail: karenla@waushosp.org
Professional Development and Research
Ann Peck
338 Edison Street
Antigo, WI 54409
Home: 715/623-2917
Fax: 715/627-1078
E-mail: emerald1@antigopro.net
Finance
Sue Straub
Vice President, Patient Services
St. Michael Hospital
2400 West Villard Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53209
Hospital: 414/527-8118
Fax: 414/527-8461
Home: 414/258-2976
E-mail: straubsj@aol.com
Marketing and Public Relations
Faye Deich
Assistant Administrator
Sacred Heart Hospital
900 West Clairemont Avenue
Eau Claire, WI 54701
Hospital: 715/839-4268
Fax: 715/839-4458
E-mail: fdeich@shec.hshs.org
Membership Committee
Chair: Jackie Mattinen-Lee
Director, ICU-CCU
Franciscan Skemp Healthcare
700 West Avenue South
La Crosse, WI 54601
Hospital: 608/785-0940
Fax: 608/791-9799
E-mail: lee.jacalyn@mayo.edu
Historian
Shirley Larson
Division Manager
Zablocki VA Medical Center
5000 West National Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53295
Hospital: 414/384-2000 ext. 42845
E-mail: shirley.larson@med.va.gov
Horizons
Editor: Peggy Ose
Vice President-Patient Services
Riverview Hospital
PO Box 8080
Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495-8080
Hospital: 715/421-7427
Fax: 715/421-7551
E-mail: vpps@rhahealthcare.org
Patient Care
Betsy Benz
St. Vincent Hospital
PO Box 13508
Green Bay, WI 54307
Hospital: 920/431-3063
Fax: 920/431-3249
E-mail: bbenz@stvgb.org
WHA Liaison
Diane Peters
Chief Patient Care Executive
5721 Odana Road
Madison, WI 53719-1289
Office: 608/274-1820
Fax: 608/274-8554
E-mail: dpeters@wha.org
WHA Contact
Mandy L. Kalepp
Office Administrator
Wisconsin Health and Hospital Association
5721 Odana Road
Madison, WI 53719-1289
Work: 608/274-1820
Fax: 608/274-8554
E-mail: mkalepp@wha.org
Member Checklist
Please contact Jackie Lee, 608/785-0940, whenever you have a change in either
employment or residential address to guarantee timely mailings.
Submit articles for publication in the next issue of Horizons to Peggy Ose, 715/421-7427.
If you are interested in being a part of a specific committee, contact the committee chair.
Stay in touch . . .
Please be sure to stay in touch. If your facility, phone number, e-mail address
or other information changes, be sure to notify Jackie Lee of the Membership
Committee (lee.jacalyn@mayo.edu).
If we don’t yet have your e-mail address, please communicate it to us as well.
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Horizons is published quarterly as the
newsletter of the Wisconsin Organization of Nurse Executives. Articles on
nursing, management and health care issues, and letters to the editor are
welcome.
Display and classified advertising are accepted. For information, contact the
editor.
W-ONE Board of Directors: President: Carolyn Friese; President-elect, Gerri Staffileno; Secretary, Rosemary Ryan; Treasurer, Sue Straub; Past President, Mary Lu Gerke
W-ONE Board Members: Beverly Hoege, Shirley Larson, Peggy Ose, Diane Postler-Slattery, Faye Deich, Marti Klug
Editor: Peggy Ose