current resident or

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage Paid

Princeton, MNPermit No. 14

Inside this IssuePresident’s Message. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

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

AONE Advocacy Day in Washington, DC . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Focus on Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

FNPAC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

American Cancer Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Calendar of Events 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Student Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8

Focus on New Grads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Region News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-11

Advocacy Days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Welcome New FNA Members!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Membership Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Infectious Disease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

OFFICIAL BULLETIN OF THE FLORIDA NURSES FOUNDATION Volume 66 • No. 4 CIRCULATION 314,000 TO EVERY REGISTERED NURSE & NURSING STUDENT IN FLORIDA December 2018

Mission StatementServe and support all Registered Nurses through professional development, advocacy

and the promotion of excellence in every area of professional nursing practice.

FNA does not endorse advertised products, services, or companies, nor any claims made in paid advertisements.

The Florida Nurse is proudly brought to you by FNA dues paying members.

President’s Message

Janegale Boyd

In 1995 I knew the Florida Nurses Association (FNA) was an organization for Registered Nurses. However, I had joined my specialty organization because I was working in a critical care environment. However, in a conversation over lunch with my friend Julia Pallentino, APRN, FNA Board Member and Barbara Lumpkin, RN, FNA Government

Relations Director they opened my mind to why being part of the FNA was important. FNA advocates for all nurses regardless of specialty or practice area!

So where are we and what will the future be?

• Umbrella Organization: FNA provides organizational support to groups such a Quality and Unity in Nursing Council (QUIN) and the Florida Nursing Students Association. This means we not only provide services to our members but also to the nursing education

Where are we as an Association?leaders and to our emerging “new” nurses. You could say we focus on the “big picture” because nursing is a big economic driving force in healthcare from the beginning of one’s nursing education to the leadership we provide in our State and nationally.

• Public Benefit: We promote the fact that nursing impacts every aspect of healthcare and represents the largest sector of health professionals in the United States. If you have received healthcare recently you have also had a personal benefit. In the report “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health” from 2010, the Robert Woods Johnson

Foundation (RWTF) and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) launched an initiative that accessible, high-quality care cannot be achieved without exceptional nursing care and leadership. The work in Florida to achieve those goals has continued through organizations such as the Florida Action Coalition, Florida Center for Nursing and FNA.

• Technology Platforms: The FNA is focused on creating platforms that support members’ needs. We recognized that today’s busy members use their smartphones to access

President’s Message continued on page 4

Page 2 The Florida Nurse December 2018

Owned and Published by,Florida 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 - Kaitlin Scarbary, 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 Directors2017–2019

Officers Janegale Boyd, RN, President

George Byron Peraza-Smith, DNP, RN, APRN, GNP, AGPCNP, President-Elect

Anne Peach, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, Vice PresidentBarbara Russell, MPH, RN, CIC, Secretary

Ann-Lynn Denker, PhD, RN, Treasurer

Region DirectorsJill Van Der Like, DNP, MSN, RNC, NorthwestJustin Wilkerson, BSN, RN-BC, CHPN, CCRN,

North CentralPamela Delano, MSN, MBA, RN, Northeast

Marti Hanuschik, MSN, RN, CCM, East CentralJanice Adams, DNP, MPA, RN, West CentralSusan Torres, MSN, RN, LHCRM, Southwest

Carmen “Vicky” Framil, DNP, ARNP, ANP-BC, SouthSoutheast -Vacant Position

Hannah McRoberts, BSN, RN, Director, Recent Graduates

FNA OfficeWilla Fuller, BSN, RN, Executive Director

John Berry, Jr., Director of Labor Relations & Government Affairs

Kaitlin Scarbary, Associate Director of Programs, Technology, and Membership Marketing

Executive DirectorNotes from the

Published by:Arthur L. Davis

Publishing Agency, Inc.

www.floridanurse.org

FL

Willa Fuller, RN

I have always been a “schoolie” and I have a few nurse schoolmates from my childhood and teen years who get this newsletter and would confirm that. When I am enrolled in school, I embrace what I am learning and I try to apply it to my work and my everyday

life. In my current educational journey, I am immersed in Caring Theory and through many classes I have been introduced and challenged to explore new ideas. In all of my work, the driving force is caring. Caring what happens to others, mainly nurses and the patients they serve is the motivating factor and the central purpose for this association. I feel that if you truly learn something it is infused into your daily existence. For example, as a nurse, I have been able to create connections with colleagues and patients over unrelated topics, such as a favorite painting (Humanities), favorite poem (high school English) or a mnemonic that got me through several algebra classes. Anyone remember FOIL for quadratic equations? I actually taught that to someone’s child who was doing homework while visiting in the hospital. That made me more of a hero than being her nurse! Everything we learn becomes a part of us and can probably be used in some aspects of our lives.

As for my graduate work, I find caring to be all-encompassing and something that everyone is imbued with. I know it may not always seem so, but the roots are there. BUT, what is unique is a deep scientific and philosophical exploration of caring as a concept and as a theory. It is compelling to examine all the different ways to define caring within nursing. In the book, Middle

Technology and Bureaucracy: Are these CARING Words?

Range Theory for Nursing by Dr. Mary Jane Smith and Dr. Patricia Liehr, caring is explored through theory development which allows caring to be viewed in the context of nursing as both a science and a practice.

An extremely compelling theory in the current healthcare environment is the Theory of Technological Caring proposed by Dr. Rossano Locsin. Healthcare has exploded in the area of technology in the past 30 years and nurses cannot escape the impact of this evolution, from IV pumps & controllers, to cardiac monitors and computerized health records, there is no question that technology is an indelible element of nursing care. As nurses, we learn to master it and use it to our advantage to care for patients. But where our CARING work can have greater impact is to make sure we have a voice in designing the technology we will be using in the future (or even re-designing existing technology) to meet our needs. Another relevant theory is The Theory of Bureaucratic Caring by Dr. Marilyn Ray. Most of us do not make the connection between bureaucracies and caring, but within a “caring” environment, such as a healthcare institution, leaders must figure out how to deliver CARE in a complex system, where many entities are competing for limited resources. I see this as the CARING work of nurses, not only the researchers, administrators and managers, but also the staff nurses who deliver hands on care. Right now they do that by participating on committees and unit councils, or just by sharing their input with leaders and administrators. These are the nurses who work to be a part of the solution.

The point I would like to make is that we cannot dismiss academics, theory and science in advancing nursing. When I hear nurses say, things like “those are just theory nurses” or “they are not in the “real world,” it is disturbing because the scientific work of nursing is what moved nursing from an apprenticeship model to a profession. It is what continues to enhance our legitimacy in concert with the daily work that nurses do. In order for us to continue to progress, all “factions” of nurses must embrace the other and work together to find solutions. We don’t even have to agree, in fact, some of the best work sometimes comes from conflict, collaboration and then compromise. I am a staff nurse at heart. I still miss the patient interaction, the joy of figuring out how to help someone and truly making a difference in patients’ lives. But my passion is also working to create a better work environment for nurses, through both advocacy, practice and science and we must work to place emphasis on the intersection between them so that nurses from all aspects of the profession value, care for and seek to understand each other. We are ONE, we just have to work hard to embrace that concept so we can be successful, TOGETHER.

December 2018 The Florida Nurse Page 3

News from HeadquartersNew Website and Membership Portal

Coming in January!The Board and Staff of FNA is excited to

announce the planned launch of our redesigned website and member portal in January. The new site will have a clean and updated look, streamlined navigation, and expanded functionality. Some of the new features will include:

• Enhanced member portal functions to join, renew, and manage your membership online

• Community Forum for connecting with special interest groups, committees, region members, and more

• Easier meeting and event registration• Access to members-only resources• Online store for FNA products• And much more!

The FNA Staff is working hard to ensure a seamless transition to the new software. Not only are we launching a new website, we are also transitioning to a completely new Association Management Software that will allow us to have better management of our membership database and provide new and improved features for our members to utilize. Watch your emails at the beginning of January for the official launch announcement and invitation to join the new platform. We invite you to partner with us by sharing feedback to make sure we are meeting your needs and exceeding your expectations.

AONE Advocacy Day in Washington, DCThe American Organization of Nurse Executives

(AONE) hosted their 4th annual AONE Advocacy Day in Washington D.C. September 5th, 2018. AONE’s mission, “To shape health care through innovative and expert nursing leadership” was evident among the more than 150 participants from 37 states who made the trip. Florida AONE advocates included strong representation from Versant®, whose mission is to “fundamentally transforms healthcare outcomes by developing the workforces’ ability to provide safe, efficient, competency-based care” and the Versant Center for the Advancement of Nursing®.

Tuesday evening September 4th started with participants gathering at a welcome reception with Rick Pollack, AHA President offering a warm welcome. The group networked with nurse leaders representing many and varied healthcare settings with a focus on providing access and safe care to patients. AONE fellows were in attendance sharing capstone projects and experiences from the current AONE Leadership consortium. Early the morning of September 5th Bob Dent, AONE president, provided a welcome and kick off for the day’s activities. Linda Knodel, Advocacy Committee Chair, provided an overview of what to expect while “on the hill.” Guidance was provided how to best use the 30-minute sessions that were scheduled with Florida legislative aides and representatives.

During senate and house meetings Advocacy participants presented five (5) specific requests to promote and support access to health care: (1) The Title VIII Nursing Reauthorization Act of 2017 was successfully passed in the House, but participants left a Senate message urging them to cosponsor the bill. This legislation reauthorizes and improves nurse workforce programs under Title VIII through 2022. (2) Both the Senate and House were asked to continue to fund Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs. These programs ensure there are qualified nurses in all healthcare settings. This includes advanced nursing education grants, faculty loan programs, and loan repayment programs. (3) New on this year’s agenda is a request to reduce administrative burden in healthcare—also known as regulatory relief. It was noted there are over 600 mandatory regulatory requirements resulting in costs of $39 billion each year that health organizations are required to manage. According to AONE, the goal of such an act would be to “reduce administrative burden to enable nurses to focus on patients, not paperwork, and reinvest resources to improving care, improving health, and reducing costs.” (4) Another new item on the request list is the Protecting Job Opportunities for Borrowers (JOBs) Act. Sponsored by Florida

Senator Marco Rubio and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, this act looks to protect professionals, such as nurses, from losing their license if they default on student loans. AONE strongly believes that licensing is a matter to be addressed by each state board of nursing. Lastly request (5) seeks support for nurses in the form of the Nursing Caucus. Currently there are 75 members from the House and seven members from the Senate. Unfortunately, Florida does not have representation in the Nursing Caucus. Congressmen Charlie Christ and Gus Bilirakis

were asked to represent Florida as members of the Nursing Caucus.

Time spent with legislative representatives provided an amazing experience to directly discuss healthcare policy at a national level. It is critical nurses have a voice and are being heard during these challenging times. We urge each of you to contact your local and state representatives to advocate for our profession by requesting their support for critically needed legislation. Using your voice to share your experiences really does make a difference!

Left to Right: Patty Deasy, MSN, RN, FNP (Versant); Michael Carman, Managing Partner

(Versant); Rep. Charlie Crist, 13th Congressional District of Florida; Cheryl Mallory, MSN, RN-BC

(Versant); Tammy Franqueiro, MSN, RN-BC, CENP (Versant); Steve Serneels (Versant)

Left to Right: Michael Carman, Managing Partner (Versant); Steve Serneels (Versant); Rep. Gus

Bilirakis, 12th Congressional District of Florida; Vicky Blackard, RN, BBA, CBN (Morton Plant

Mease); Cheryl Mallory, MSN, RN-BC (Versant); Tammy Franqueiro, MSN, RN-BC, CENP (Versant)

Page 4 The Florida Nurse December 2018

Focus on the FoundationFNA Member

Initiates Endowed Family Fund

The Florida Nurses Foundation built it’s growth based on endowed $10,000 funds meant to honor nurses for their contributions to the Florida Nurses Association or to create funds recognizing their local district.

We are pleased to announce the establishment of the Goodman-Lesnick Family Fund which Dr. Rhonda Goodman has initiated this past year. When asked why she and her family have chosen to embark on this generous endeavor, she responded,

“I was motivated to begin this scholarship because I remember what

it was like to want to go to college and not have the money. I would never have had the opportunity to attend college/nursing school were it not for people who gave money for scholarships. Unfortunately, I never knew the names of my benefactors, so I am unable to thank them for changing my life in such a significant manner.  The only way I can repay their kindness and generosity is to help along the next generation of nurses.”

The Trustees are grateful for contributions like this one to strengthen and grow the reach of our Foundation. This is an endowment that Dr. Goodman and her family will fund over time until the $10,000 threshold is met.

2019 Scholarship andGrant Cycle Important Dates

• January 1, 2019 – Scholarship application window opens

• June 1, 2019 – Application submission deadline

• August 2019 – Recipients announced• September 2019 – Award checks

distributed – recipients will have the opportunity to accept their award checks at Membership Assembly

Applications can be submitted online at www.floridanurse.org

2018 Scholarship & Grant RecipientsWe congratulate the following nurses and

nursing students on receiving a scholarship or grant from the Florida Nurses Foundation.

Research GrantBlanche Case Research Fund

• Susan Fowler, Orlando Health

ScholarshipsAgnes Naughton

• Joanna Paula Gabon, Florida Atlantic University

Charlotte Liddel (District 5 Charitable Trust)Hannah Harrington, Lake Sumter State College

District 14 Marcy Klosterman• Tara Melotek, Florida Atlantic University• Brittany Murray, Florida Atlantic University• Orisel Martinez, Florida Atlantic University

District 21 Lousie Fiske Memorial• Raquel Brown, Florida Atlantic University

District 4 Florida Nurses Scholarship• Crystal Williams, University of South Florida

District 46 Olive Ramsey• Alyssa King, University of South Florida

District 6 (formerly 18) Generic Scholarship Fund

• Kathlyn Vu, Southeastern University• Deyna Prudent, Rasmussen College• Kayla Costello, Santa Fe College• Michelle Gonzales, Barry University

District 8 Charlotte Anzalone• Alicia Hoekstra, ECPI University-Orlando

Edna Hicks• Regine Reaves, Florida Atlantic University

Eleanor Bindrum (District 5 Charitable Trust)• Amanda Thornton, Florida International

University

Frieda Norton District 5 Charitable Trust Grant• Susan Fowler, Orlando Health

Lillian Hulla, Friend of Nursing District 6 (formerly 18)

• Brittany Hamel, Adventist University of Health Science

Marion County (District 3)• Ciara Dauphinais, ECPI University• Michael Cooper, South University

Martha Russell• Tram Pham, University of South Florida

Mary York• Olivia Silvera, Florida Atlantic University• Jennifer Erickson, Nova Southeastern

University

Nina Brookins (District 5 Charitable Trust)• Adrienne Pless-Richter, Florida Southwestern

State College

Northeast FL Great 100• Rachel Predieri, University of North Florida• Angelica Canizares, University of North

Florida

Ruth Finamore• Suzanne Arnold, Florida Atlantic University

Undine Sams• Stephanie Jimmerson, Fortis Institute-

PensacolaRegistered NursesRelocate to beautiful North Florida,

and join a high-quality, multidisiplinary mental health treatment team

For more information contact: Kevin Bist, Recruiting Consultant

Kevin.bist@myflfamilies.com, Call or text 850-274-4287

Florida has no state income tax!

True work-life balance You should be here

Our hospitals have received the Florida Governor’s Sterling Award

for Organizational Excellence• Florida State Hospital, Chattahoochee

• North Florida Evaluation and Treatment Center, Gainesville • Northeast Florida State Hospital, Macclenny

The Best Benefits• Relocation reimbursement up to $5,000 (contingent on funding)

• Student loan forgiveness eligibility

• 34 Days of paid leave

• Educational leave opportunity

• Tuition fee waiver program

• Low-cost health insurance for you and your family

association information, register for education, keep up on the latest regulatory news, discuss ethics issues and to connect with other members. Thus, we identified what services the members want and need. So FNA is transforming many of the functions to technology platforms. We are going through this transition now so watch for the “launch announcements” for our new website coming in January!

• Collaboration: simply stated it means “to work jointly with others.” This past Legislative Session we were part of a coalition that achieved the passage of HB 1337 and HB 21. Both these Bills passed because the nursing organizations were in agreement about these issues. House Bill 1337 was based on a national model for regulation and practice of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses which was developed by Boards of Nursing and nursing stakeholders across the country. Having uniform regulatory standards for APRN’s to ensure patient safety is a must. The Bill addressed the title of “advanced practice registered nurse.” APRN was adopted to conform with national standards. Additionally,

it brought Clinical Nurse Specialist under the definition of APRN and provided for licensure of APRN’s instead of issuance of a “certificate.” HB 21 requires providers to complete two hours of CE for prescribing controlled substances for biennial renewal, places supply limitations on prescriptions of Schedule II opioids for acute pain and prohibits health insurers and managed care organizations from requiring prior authorization prior to medication assisted treatment services. We are stronger when we work together with other healthcare organizations!

• Relevance and Strategy: FNA will be releasing the new Strategic Plan in January, 2019. This was achieved with input from the members, intense work by the FNA Board with exceptional leadership provided by Anne Peach, Vice President of the FNA Board. Our future will be what we make it and achieve together.

As we close this year 2018, we wish you much professional success and thank you for the opportunity to represent the most trusted group of professionals - NURSES!

President’s Message continued from page 1

December 2018 The Florida Nurse Page 5

2018 FNPAC Candidate Endorsements and Election

ResultsEvery election year, the Florida Nurse’s Political Action Committee

(FNPAC) holds interviews with candidates seeking endorsement from the association. Only a select few are chosen for endorsement each election based on their alignment with FNA’s mission and goals. Below is a listing of the candidates that FNPAC chose to endorse in the 2018 mid-term election along with the results of their particular race.

Florida House of Representatives

District Candidate Party Result

24 Paul Renner R Won

30 Bob Cortes R Lost

32 Cynthia Brown D Lost

34 Ralph Massullo R Won

47 Anna Eskamani D Won

48 Amy Mercado D Won

49 Carlos Guillermo Smith D Won

50 Rene “Coach” Plasencia R Won

53 Randy Fine R Won

55 Cary Pigman R Won

64 James Grant R Won

65 Chris Sprowls R Won

69 Jennifer Webb D Won

82 MaryLynn Magar D Won

89 James Bonfiglio D *Recount

115 Jeffrey Soloman D Lost

Florida Senate

08 Keith Perry R Won

24 Jeff Brandes R Won

26 Catherine Price D Lost

fl

Page 6 The Florida Nurse December 2018

American Cancer Society

Calendar of Events 2019

Southeast Region Legislative Advocacy ProgramJanuary 11, 2019 – 9:30-11:30 amKeiser Flagship Campus, West Palm Beach, FL

Advocacy Days 101 WebinarMarch 5, 2019—Time TBDOnline

FNA Advocacy DaysMarch 13-14, 2019FL State Conference CenterTallahassee, FL

9th Annual South Region Symposium and Awards CeremonyApril 13, 2019Gulfstream Park, Hallandale Beach, FL

IPN/FNA Annual Conference “Moving Forward in the Nursing Profession”May 2-3, 2019Renaissance World Golf VillageSt. Augustine, FL

5th Annual FNA Research & Evidence-Based Practice ConferenceJuly 13, 2019Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, FL

Annual FNA Membership AssemblySeptember 12-14, 2019Mission Inn ResortHowie-in-the-Hills, FL

FNA Webinars Now Available on Demand!Go to mytablemesa.com/fna

We welcome all nursing students and Registered Nurses regardless of

membership status to all of our events unless otherwise noted.

For more events and registration information, please go to

www.floridanurse.org and click on the Conferences page.

Diet and Physical Activity:What’s the Cancer Connection?

How much do daily habits like diet and exercise affect your risk for cancer? Much more than you might think. Research has shown that poor diet and not being active are two key factors that can increase a person’s cancer risk.

Some of the most important things you can do to help reduce your cancer risk are:

• Get to and stay at a healthy weight throughout life.

• Be physically active.• Make healthy food choices.

Control your weight.Being overweight or obese increases the risk

of several cancers, including those of the breast (in women past menopause), colon and rectum, endometrium, esophagus, pancreas, and kidney.

One of the best ways to check if you are at a healthy weight is to check your Body Mass Index (BMI), a score based on the relationship between your height and weight. To reduce cancer risk, most people need to keep their BMIs below 25.

Be more active.Being active helps reduce your cancer risk

by helping with weight control. It can also help improve your hormone levels and the way your immune system works.

The latest recommendations for adults call for at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity each week, or an equivalent combination, preferably spread throughout the week.

Eat healthy foods.Choose foods and drinks in amounts that help

you get to and maintain a healthy weight.• Read food labels to become more aware of

portion sizes and calories. • Choose vegetables, whole fruit, legumes such

as peas and beans, and other low-calorie foods instead of calorie-dense foods such as French fries, potato and other chips, ice cream, donuts, and other sweets.

• Limit your intake of sugar-sweetened beverages such as soft drinks, sports drinks, and fruit-flavored drinks.

Limit how much processed meat and red meat you eat.

• Minimize your intake of processed meats such as bacon, sausage, lunch meats, and hot dogs.

• If you eat red meat, choose lean cuts and eat smaller portions.

• Prepare meat, poultry, and fish by baking, broiling, or poaching rather than by frying or charbroiling.

Eat at least 2½ cups of vegetables and fruits each day.

• Include vegetables and fruits at every meal and snack.

• Emphasize whole fruits and vegetables; choose 100% juice if you drink vegetable or fruit juices.

Choose whole grains instead of refined grain products.

Choose whole-grain breads, pasta, and cereals (such as barley and oats) instead of breads, cereals, and pasta made from refined grains, and brown rice instead of white rice.

If you drink alcohol, limit how muchPeople who drink alcohol should limit their

intake to no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. A drink of alcohol is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1½ ounces of 80-proof hard liquor. In terms of cancer risk, it is the amount of alcohol, not the type of alcoholic drink that is important.

Visit the American Cancer Society® website at cancer.org to learn more about diet, physical activity and cancer prevention. (Source: American Cancer Society)

December 2018 The Florida Nurse Page 7

Student ForumDear Florida Nurses,

It is very bittersweet that this will be my last article writing to all of you as FNSA President. I am so thankful for the opportunity to have served in this role representing the over 5,000 nursing students in this great state of ours. I look forward to graduating in just under 6 months in

May and to transition to being an RN and FNA member. Next edition, you will be introduced to my successor Ms. Abbygail Lapinski and hear about her vision and plan for FNSA over the next year.

Our Florida Nursing Student Association (FNSA) Annual Convention was a huge success! We had over 1,200 nursing students attend from across the state. I want to thank the FNA President-Elect, George Byron Smith who was in attendance for our House of Delegate Business meetings and gave words of welcome and encouragement to our students. I would also like to thank FNA staff members, Kaitlin Scarbary and Leslie Homsted who were instrumental in facilitating our registration and logistics of our convention.

A huge part of our Convention are our House of Delegates (HOD) meetings and Resolutions that are written by students discussed, debated and voted on. If you would like to read the resolutions in depth, they will be posted on our website (FNSA.net) under the Resolutions tab.

The following Resolutions were passed in the HOD meetings.

IN SUPPORT OF ADVOCATING FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH AND GENERAL SAFETY OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS SEPARATED FROM THEIR PARENTS AT THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER

IN SUPPORT OF INCREASING AWARENESS OF RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH SUICIDE IN PATIENTS WHO HAVE SCHIZOPHRENIA

IN SUPPORT OF INCREASING THE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION OF UNINTENTIONAL DROWNING RELATED INJURIES IN AT-RISK POPULATIONS

IN SUPPORT OF IMPLEMENTING LGBT INCLUSIVE OPTIONS ON MEDICAL INTAKE FORMS TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH SERVICES FOR SEXUAL AND GENDER MINORITIES

IN SUPPORT OF THE INCREASE AND CORRECT USE OF MEDICAL INTERPRETERS FOR LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY (LEP) PATIENTS

IN SUPPORT OF INCREASING AWARENESS REGARDING AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER IN THE HEALTH CARE SETTING

IN SUPPORT OF INCREASED NURSING EDUCATION REGARDING HUMAN TRAFFICKING

IN SUPPORT OF INCREASED EDUCATION ABOUT HEALTH DISPARITIES AMONG LGBTQ+ POPULATIONS WITHIN THE NURSING CURRICULUM

As you can see, our nursing students are looking at health disparities, political issues, lack of education in nursing curriculum or lack of awareness of important issues and are eager to come up with solutions. We learned how to advocate and to be active in legislation from all of you and we are honored to work towards change together. We are preparing for another large

group of students at FNA Advocacy Days in March and look forward to using our collective voice in Tallahassee.

As my graduation nears and I reflect on my journey in nursing school, I could not be more proud and humbled to be entering this profession.

The future of nursing is bright and as students, we are honored to join your ranks and continue to learn from you as we start off as novice nurses with SO MUCH to learn and absorb. Thank you for being patient, teaching us and showing us the way! We are looking forward to getting involved in FNA after we graduate and partner alongside all of you as we advocate for a healthier Florida and for our patients and our beloved profession. Thank you!

Ms. Sarah Thurlow is a rising nursing leader who is devoted to providing quality and compassionate healthcare to her future clients. She is enrolled at Florida Atlantic University and is pursuing a dual degree in Nursing (BSN) from the College of Nursing and Health Administration from the College of Business.

She is also enrolled in the Honors in the Major for Nursing at FAU and is currently undergoing undergraduate research related to nursing leadership in long-term care facilities. She is currently president of the Florida Nursing Student Association, which is the largest professional organization for nursing students in the state of Florida and serves on the Council of State Presidents Committee on the national level. After graduating in May 2019, she plans on working as a BSN prepared nurse in Florida striving to provide holistic, compassionate and competent care to her future patients.

Caring for Sean ProjectJenna Schuppener,

UF Undergraduate Research Scholar

As I reminisce back to my first days of nursing school, I vividly recall how bright-eyed and enthusiastic I was regarding every opportunity I could get my hands on. Everything from completing my initial physical assessment to inserting my first, much anticipated IV innervated my passion for nursing. While those skills are crucial, they pale in comparison to the importance of having compassion in the nursing field. Compassion is not a skill learned through textbooks, but rather through experiences (Caldwell, 2017)

When the opportunity to travel to Grenada on a study abroad program with the University of Florida College of Nursing arose, I leapt at the opportunity. I soon learned of the small developing country off the coast of South America, Grenada. I didn’t exactly know what I was getting myself into, but I knew the experience would be beneficial. A study from The Power of International Education found that studying abroad influences future careers by further developing intercultural skills, curiosity, flexibility, confidence, and self-awareness (Farrugia & Sanger, 2017). These attributes have transformed how I practice as a student nurse and allowed me to understand the notion of compassion. For instance, after participating in the study abroad program, I delve deeper into my patient’s history, concentrate on their emotional status, and search for the link between multifarious elements of clinical, social, physical, emotional, and cognitive health to more adequately understand my patient’s health status. All of this goes beyond caring, but my passion for nursing and my patients.

Grenada challenged me to see the world from a fresh perspective that emphasizes each patient’s unique situation. It pushed me to analyze my own practices as a nursing student, as it utilized a holistic approach rooted in the theories of humanism, holism, and the heart in the science of nursing (Valizadeh, Jasemi, Zamanzadeh, &

Keogh, 2017). The cornerstone of compassion is self-awareness. In order to understand and sympathize with your patient you must first take an introspective gaze into your own thoughts and feelings. Only then will you be able to adequately express your compassion for others (Caldwell, 2017).

Unbeknownst to myself, the most impactful experience of studying abroad began as I walked into the pediatric ward at St. George’s Hospital in Grenada. My eyes instantaneously fixated on a toddler sitting in a car seat on the floor. The Grenadian nurses encouraged me to hold the toddler as he was assessed by the doctors. I eagerly listened as the doctors discussed a litany of items such as microcephaly, clubfoot, missing appendages, developmental delays, long eye lashes, and visual impairment that affect this toddler. I learned about the defining characteristics of his rare genetic disorder: Cornelia de Lange Syndrome. As I cradled him in my arms, I could not help but think of all the obstacles my new friend, Sean, would have to overcome. It was at this time, that I dug deep within my being and began to feel a strong tie to Sean. Without compassion, Sean would simply be an interesting case that I experienced in Grenada.

Instead Sean inspired me to create the project “Caring for Sean.” The objective of the project is to provide holistic care for Sean by addressing

Jenna Schuppener

clinical, spiritual, and social needs. The main purpose of the project is to collect developmental felicitous toys for Sean that promote growth and autonomy. The goal is for each new UFCON cohort that travels to Grenada to contrive a service learning project that employs Erikson’s and Piaget’s theories to ensure the toys are developmentally appropriate for Sean. This will be accomplished by working in conjunction with his Grenadian social worker to understand the physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and communicative milestones Sean has reached. Granting these objectives may be challenging, however nurses are notorious for their resourcefulness and innovation when faced with an obstacle.

ReferencesCaldwell, M. (2017, January 30). How to Listen with

Compassion in the Classroom.  Greater Good Magazine. Retrieved September 19, 2018, from https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_to_listen_with_compassion_in_the_classroom

Farrugia, C., & Sanger, J. (2017). Gaining an Employment Edge: The Impact of Study Abroad on 21st Century Skills & Career Prospects in the United States. 1-22. Retrieved July 13, 2018, from https://www.iie.org/employability.

Valizadeh, L., Jasemi, M., Zamanzadeh, V., & Keogh, B. (2017). A concept analysis of holistic care by hybrid model.  Indian Journal of Palliative Care,23(1), 71. doi:10.4103/0973-1075.197960

Now accepting applicationsFull-time positions (3) to begin January 2019.

• Nursing Instructor- Practical (1) • Nursing Instructors-ADN (2)

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Page 8 The Florida Nurse December 2018

Student ForumThe Impact of Studying Abroad for UF Undergraduate

Nursing StudentsSusan Aguilar, Frances Ausley, Ysabele Barrios, Claire Cardillo, Lauren Harrington, Amy Koester, Tegan Pennington, Lauren Perna, Carly Reeves,

Jenna Schuppener, Heather Tomazin

The purpose of study abroad is to deepen the understanding, satisfy cultural curiosity, and enrich the experiential learning of the student. It is an opportunity to live beyond oneself in the pursuit of being a global citizen. Our multicultural society requires nurses to care for clients with a variety of cultural and religious values. Study abroad programs for nursing students allow them to be exposed to the differences of nursing, health and ways of living in other cultures. (Rolls, Inglis, & Kristy, 1997) The benefits of studying abroad are personal, cultural, social, experiential, and academic. Experiencing life from another culture’s perspective changes the way we view our own social constructs and norms and encourages us to challenge our ideologies, bias,’ and self-perceived limits. The emerging demographic of the United States is ever-changing, and therefore nurses must develop cultural sensitivity in order to provide truly patient-centered care. (Delpech, 2013).

In the spring of 2018, eleven nursing students from the University of Florida College of Nursing and one professor participated in an international study abroad program to Grenada located in the Caribbean. Grenada is a tri-island state comprising the islands of Grenada, Carriacou, and Petit Martinique. It is located in the Eastern Caribbean 100 miles off of the coast of Venezuela. The country’s economy is based on tourism and agriculture, and it is the world’s second largest producer of nutmeg and mace. Grenada was once British and gained its independence from the United Kingdom in 1974. Grenada currently has a democratic political government with a Westminster-style parliament. Grenada’s

population numbers about 104,000 (World Health Organization, 2012), comprising people of African, East Indian, and European descent, with people of African descent making up more than 75% of the population. Grenada’s Gross National Product per capita in 2017 was reported at $10,376 (World Bank, 2017).

A specific benefit of studying abroad in Grenada was interacting with the Grenadian nursing students and realizing we share similar struggles; notwithstanding, growing a greater appreciation for our differences – namely their limited resources and unrushed behavior. We experienced a glimpse in the lives of Grenadian nurses and were able to extrapolate from that experience techniques of patient interaction and nursing behavior that we thought would benefit us in our careers as nurses in the US. Specifically, what impressed us was the Grenadian nurses’ special attention to the therapeutic nurse-patient relationship and their innovation in the clinical setting to make up for the limited resources.

In Grenada, we took part in many activities and facilitated many public health services. We hosted a health education discussion with the Grenadian Disability Association, went door-to-door for home visits in a rural village, hosted two different public health fairs seeing over 500 patients, and gave presentations on various men’s and women’s health topics at an elderly care facility. We also had the privilege to shadow nurses at St. George’s hospital and work beside fellow Grenadian nursing students during public health fairs. In regard to cultural enrichment, we enjoyed the native cuisine daily, visited a cocoa and nutmeg plantation, spent time at the island’s world-famous beaches, and hiked through high altitude forest to view stunning waterfalls. Collectively, we were able to connect with each other through the shared challenges and successes of our activities

and we connected through the experience of the beautiful culture and people of Grenada.

We grew in our nursing skills such as taking blood pressure, blood sugar, and performing breast examinations and a skill so vital to our profession, therapeutic communication. Our group gained experience in cross cultural communication, specifically health communication, as we interviewed the patients we interacted with about their activities of daily life. We interviewed patients about their diet, exercise, social support, their knowledge of their own health issues, and their access to healthcare. Through these conversations, we gained confidence in performing interviews. We learned how to ask relevant and effective follow up questions to procure the most pertinent information from those we interviewed. Most importantly we learned how to provide personalized nursing care regardless of the patient population. This experience will forever be remembered by the eleven of us who participated who took the leap. We will take this experience and apply it to professional career as nurses, but more importantly, it will forever change us as people. Grenada was an experience that we will forever remember as an event that changed our perspective on healthcare, human interaction, and privilege. We cannot wait to return to visit.

ReferencesDelpech, P. A. (2013). Developing a Short-term

International Study-abroad Program: From Beginning to End. PRISM: A Journal of Regional Engagement, 2 (2). Retrieved October 1, 2018, from https://encompass.eku.edu/prism/vol2/iss2/5

Rolls, C., Inglis, A., & Kristy, S. (1997, December). Study abroad programs: Creating awareness of and changing attitudes to nursing, health and ways of living in other cultures. Retrieved October 1, 2018, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9511657

Legislative UpdateBe an Advocate

John Berry, Director of Labor Relations & Governmental Affairs

As the 2019 Legislative Session draws near, each of us should be thinking, how can I help to advance my profession, my practice? We can all start by taking a look at the Florida Nurses Association website. You’ll

see “Legislative Activities” on top of the right side of the page. Under the heading you’ll find the Association’s “Legislative Platform” which will list the issues the Association will be advocating for in the upcoming session, as well as how our members can contribute to the Florida Nurses Political Action Committee or “FNPAC.” Money that is contributed by our members to the FNPAC helps to elect candidates that are supportive of our legislative agenda.

We become advocates because we are passionate about a certain issue or cause that can personally affect us, or others that we know. There are no finer advocates than nurses when they are fighting for the treatment of their patients. But the fight doesn’t just end there. Nurses need to take that fight to the halls of the state legislature in Tallahassee. Legislators need to hear the personal stories from nurses on their daily fight in their health care institutions to insure that proper funding is provided to their facilities for patient care, for programs, and for their safety and their practice.

I know that as nurses you are the consummate professionals and display the utmost confidence in everything you do when advocating for your patients. But in unfamiliar surroundings such as a legislator’s office, it can make you feel a little uneasy. Start out by introducing yourself, and if you are a constituent, make sure that you say so. We may not feel it at times, but as constituents, our word carries a lot of weight. It’s because we

represent a vote, a family’s vote, a friend’s vote, a colleague’s vote and even an acquaintance’s vote. That is how you are viewed by a legislator. He or she knows that you have the power to put them in office or to vote them out. Tell them where you work, what your job title is and how long you’ve worked there as well. You are there to tell your story, to educate, to make an impact on that legislator so that he or she has the proper information and knows how they should be voting on a particular piece of legislation. Sometimes you might not get to speak with the elected official because they could be in session already that day or an already scheduled committee meeting. Although it’s great to speak with your representative, you shouldn’t be disappointed. There are plenty of legislative staff that are more versed on the subject matter than your representative is. When you’re finished with your meeting, thank them for their time and always leave them with information to review as well. Let them know that if they need anything further, you’d be available to answer any additional questions, so make sure you leave your contact information.

March 13th and 14th of 2019, are the Florida Nurses Association’s scheduled Advocacy Days. So mark your calendar, and keep an eye on additional information that will be coming out in a few months. Don’t leave it up to someone else to make your voice heard. Come to Tallahassee and let your voice be heard. Make a difference.

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December 2018 The Florida Nurse Page 9

Focus on New Grads

Hannah McRoberts, BSN, RN

I am so pleased to share that the New Graduate Networking event on October 17th was a great success! I want to thank the fantastic group of nurses who came and shared their experiences with us. We were able to discuss topics that are so important to new

graduates such as horizontal violence in the workplace, the challenges of time management, support for new graduate nurses in the hospital and coping with the stresses of being a nurse.

This group of brilliant new grads had a wonderful brainstorming session where they thought of solutions to the issues that they brought to the table. One suggestion that stood out to me was bringing in retired seasoned nurses to be a resource for new graduates. The resource nurse would act as a mentor that the new grads can form

a trusting relationship with in order to seek their advice and support during the stressful transition into their nursing career.

We also discussed getting involved in FNA and what we can do to improve their overall experience as a member. The group discussed their desire to establish regular new grad meetups to provide support for new nurses dealing with the stresses of transitioning from student to nurse. Attending Advocacy Days was also discussed as an opportunity for new grads to utilize their voice though FNA to discuss nursing issues with their legislators. We also touched on FNA’s new website coming January 2019 which will have a new grad discussion board that members can use to network with other members and discuss topics that are important to them. I look forward to hosting future new grad networking events and learning more of the issues that new grads are facing and ideas on how to improve the Florida nurse experience.

If you are a seasoned nurse and FNA Member who is interested in mentoring new nurses, please email Kaitlin Scarbary at kscarbary@floridanurse.org.

LERCState News

Health Care Professionals Unit

Deborah Hogan, MPH, BSN, RN,

FNA State Unit President, LERC Liaison Chair

On October 15, state employees participated in a webinar, “Health Care Professionals as Political Activists.” We discussed the importance of nurses and health care professionals educating Legislators about health

care concerns as well as practice issues, which is part of the employees’ rights as citizens of the state of Florida. Contacts can be made in person, or by letter, mail or email. Visits can be with the Legislator or with his/her Legislative aide and we need to share our concerns in a professional manner. We are the experts regarding the health care needs of our state and are an important educational resource.

Health Policy SIGThe HP-SIG is FNA’s leader of grass

roots initiatives for public policy change that enhances health and well-being of all Floridians. It encourages and supports all nurses to become engaged in the policy and legislative process to improve the health status of our communities and the practice and working environments of nurses. Conference call every second Tuesday of the month at 7:00pm.

Ethics SIGThe Ethics SIG’s mission is to promote the

highest standards of ethical practice, engage in collaborative activities that will expand the knowledge base of nurses regarding ethical issues, and provide readily available tools and resources that will help incorporate ethics into day-today nursing care. Conference call every

third Tuesday of the month at 8:00pm (except during summer and holiday months)

New Grad SIGBeginning in 2019, the New Grad SIG will be

starting monthly meetups in the East Central region for recent graduates to connect and engage around topics related to being a new nurse.

Nursing Research SIGThe Research SIG will facilitate FNA’s

5th Annual Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Conference on July 13, 2018 at Harry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando, FL. Abstract submissions can be submitted to Kaitlin Scarbary at kscarbary@floridanurse.org between March 1st and May 10th.

For more information on all of FNA’s Special Interest Groups, please go to www.floridanurse.org or email info@floridanurse.org.

SIG Meeting Dates 2019

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Page 10 The Florida Nurse December 2018

Region News

East Central Region Update

East Central Region Director Marti Hanuschik, had the opportunity with staff at Cirque Du Soleil to offer FNA members discount tickets for Crystal at Orlando Amway Center August 1-5. Two sets of tickets were given away and won by Mary Katherine Johnson and Mia L. Morris. Congratulations!

On August 23, 2018 Jessica Daly presented the Quarterly Meeting at FNA Headquarters and on Zoom. Jessica is a subject matter expert on Health Literacy and the Consumer Health Librarian for Orlando Health Hospital System. The program was well received and emphasized the importance of communication with your patient. One shared story was about a newly diagnosed diabetic administrating insulin to an orange and then eating the orange as no one communicated with the patient that administration using an orange was for practice. The meeting included FNA updates and one hour continuing education credit. Recording of the presentation is available at www.mytablemesa.com/fna.

The fourth quarter speaker, Tomas Lares, from Greater Orlando Human Trafficking Task Force presented the two-hour continuing education on November 15th at FNA Headquarters and on Zoom. Attendees learned that an estimated 20.9 million men, women, and children are trafficked for commercial sex or forced labor around the world today and greater Orlando ranks third in the United States for the number of reports to the national human-trafficking hotline. Recording of the presentation is available at www.mytablemesa.com/fna.

As Region Director, please let me hear from you for program suggestions as I schedule speakers and arrange the evening program along with tasty snacks. Your input would be appreciated. I’m looking for volunteers to help coordinate and facilitate local programs in the region as feedback indicates that members would like to network but not drive to Orlando. Please let me know about your professional accomplishments so you can be highlighted in a future TFN article.

Marti Hanuschik, MSN, RN, CCM FNA East Central Region Director e-mail: marti4edu@yahoo.com

North Central Region Update

Hello Florida Nurses! In the aftermath of the terrible destruction that followed hurricane Michael we bore witness to the both the terrible ravages of mother nature and the limitless kindness of strangers. I am profoundly grateful to all those who have volunteered their time, resources, or their thoughts and prayers to those who were affected by this terrible storm. One important thing I would like to recognize is that while most were hunkered down secure in their homes or evacuated to areas of safety there were many nurses and other healthcare providers that left their families to go to their respective facilities to be locked in so that the care of patients could continue. It is a reality I have witnessed myself as a bedside nurse. The work is often thankless, and many times overlooked. However, I would like to take this moment to thank each and every one of you for the tireless work you do for our patients every single day. Being a nurse is truly the greatest honor of my life and it is in times such as these that reaffirm my calling and most importantly reaffirm my faith in humanity. It is certain that the work to rebuild will continue for many months and even years to come. However, if there is one thing I have learned in my lifetime of being a Floridian, it is that we will rebuild, and we can count on our brothers and sisters across this great state to get through whatever is thrown at us. As always, it is an honor to serve the members of this association and I am always available via call/text at (352) 316-8049 or via email at justinrwilkerson@gmail.com to help in any way I can.

Northeast Region Update

What an exciting year it has been so far!Our Northeast Florida FNA Chapter was

proudly represented by volunteer nurses at the 9th Annual Surfers for Autism event, where they assisted children and their families hit the waves, stay safe in the sun and enjoy all the festivities that come with a beach day in Florida. Surfers for Autism’s mission to support advocacy, research, education and service-driven union of our neighbors are values held naturally by Registered Nurses in our community.

Our heavily attended continuing education event, Living Our Ethics: Civility & Self-care successfully equipped our Northeast Florida nurses with the skills and tools needed to truly practice resiliency, reflection, relaxation, and rejuvenation thanks to Mayo Clinic Florida, Mindful Motion Yoga, the Transcendental Meditation Center of Jax and Holly Gallup, a local RN who specializes in the holistic incorporation of essential oils to promote overall health and well-being.

Keep an eye out for our upcoming NE FL Regional service event!

Finally, a special ~congratulations~ to our local December nurse graduates! Welcome to the profession.

Northwest Region Update

Hello Northwest Region,

I hope you and yours are celebrating the end of 2018 with joy! I want to thank you for my first year as Northwest Region Director. I became more active in FNA as a region director to serve as a role model for nursing students, and felt that the choice was a fitting step for me after many years as Advisor for the Student Nurses Association at the University of West Florida. FNA provides inspiration for me as a nursing educator, and I cherish the connection to political advocacy. My first goal for 2019 is attending Advocacy Days at our Florida State Capitol. If you plan to attend, please reach out to me. I would appreciate meeting and discussing new ideas for our region in 2019.

First Family Nurse Practitioner Cohort at University of West Florida

December 2018 The Florida Nurse Page 11

Region News

South Region Update

On Monday, October 8th, FNA hosted a legislative forum at Miami Dade North Campus, which was well attended with guests from several universities and colleges including Barry University, St. Thomas University, Florida International University, Miami Dade College, Nova South Eastern University, and Florida Atlantic University. Additionally, members of Miami Black Nurses Association and Haitian American Nurses Association were present. The forum included a panel discussion among State House Representative Candidate for District 115, Dr. Jeffrey Solomon and representatives from State Senator Annette Taddeo’s office and State Senator Lauren Book. Over 80 nurses, nurse practitioners, educators and students participated in the open forum to discuss the FNA Legislative Agenda, how the ANA Political Action Coalition works and candidate’s healthcare policy positions.

Talking points on FNA’s legislative and Regulatory Policy Platform were discussed at length. Dr. Jeffrey Solomon and Senator Annette Taddeo’s representative, Ms. Kay Cook were in support of the efforts the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and the Florida Coalition of Advanced Practice Nurses to implement the consensus model vision for the regulation of advanced practice nursing in Florida. This includes supporting legislation to allow all nurses to practice within the full scope of their education.

FNA’s position to protect the rights, jobs, wages, pensions, and health care benefits for state-employed health care professionals was discussed along with support of safe practice environments and safe staffing ratios for all nurses and patients.

Support for FNA’s efforts to protect and promote health related initiatives that protect the physical and mental health of all Florida residents, including aiding those affected by the opioid drug crisis, end of life care, increased school health care, public health initiatives, preventive care, meaningful gun reform, and prison reform was expressed by the Dr. Jeffery Solomon and Ms. Kay Cook.

After the candidate forum, Patricia R. Messmer, PhD, RN-BC, FAAN from the American Nurse’s Association’s Political Action Committee (PAC) discussed how nurses can have their voices heard on important legislative issues. The ANA PAC is voluntarily funded by over 4,000 ANA members. In 2016, over $488k was raised, with 435,000 contributions made. Over 100 bipartisan candidates were supported, with 52 endorsements. Eighty three percent of the federal candidates endorsed won their elections, while 100% of endorsed incumbents won reelection.

Willa Fuller, Executive Director of FNA presented the 2018 FNA Legislative Platform. The ANA and FNA align on platform issues related to access to universal healthcare, including the expansion of Medicaid, advancements in home health care and the prohibiting of denial of

coverage for those with preexisting conditions. Support for safe staffing ratios, funding nurse workforce development programs and increasing the RN workforce to help decrease medical errors and prevent hospital acquired infections are also top priorities, along with enacting sensible gun legislation.

For further information regarding FNA and ANA legislative platforms, or how to become a member or become involved with PAC, please visit www.floridanurse.org.

Southeast Region Update

We want to thank the representatives from the Board of Nursing for participating in our statewide webinar discussing the “Nursing Compact” on November 13th. This Compact will allow licensure for our Florida nurses that work with clients in other states.  It is important information. We are currently working on a program on” Legislative Advocacy” scheduled for January 11th at Keiser Flagship Campus. Please watch for more details!

Southwest Region Update

The 9th Francine Gomberg Nursing Research & EBP Conference was held on October 24th & 25th at Florida SouthWestern State College. The SWFL Region collaborated with the conference planning committee in the selection of keynote speakers: Jim Nathan, Umut Dursun, and Dr. Aaron Wohl, selection of submitted poster presentations and podium presentations from the region’s nurses. Attendance at the conference was the highest ever in the 12 years of the conference’s history at 310 attendees.

Day one of the conference were three workshops: Creative writing; Cultural Diversity; Mental Health issues in SWFL. Early evaluations

West Central Region Update

The WCEN Fall meeting was held on October 24, 2018 at Banquet Masters, Clearwater, FL. Our Legislative summit included many local legislators for the evening discussion about nursing. President of Florida Nurses Association, Janegale Boyd, attended the meeting and discussed “Your Legislative Voice.” Our guest speaker, Edward Briggs MS DNP ARNP-BC, Co-Chair Florida Coalition of Advanced Practice Nurses, presented “Local & National Legislation Affecting Nursing: Preparing to Advocate for Change.”

WCEN also plans a Community Day in early 2019. This event will involve bringing the WCEN members and students together to participate in a community project. More details to follow.

Our next dinner meeting will be in April 2019. A webinar meeting will be held in February 2019.

Dr. Adams was invited to Keiser University Tampa Advisory Council to discuss West Central Region and FNA membership. She will also speak to the seniors about FNA membership in the spring.

EBP Award Recipient John Bruewer, RN

FNA SWFL Region donated the first gift

basket. Maria Gurny, RN was the winner!

of the speakers and content were excellent! The afternoon of day one the conference opened with 22 poster presentations and six podium presentations.

Day two was packed with three keynote speakers and six podium presentations, basket giveaways and poster presentation awards. FNA SWFL Region provided the EBP Award which was presented to John Bruewer RN and Nargas Abrahms, Lee Health Librarian.

Holiday Greetings

from the Boards and Staff of

the Florida Nurses Association

and Florida Nurses Foundation

Page 12 The Florida Nurse December 2018

Members in the News

In 2015 South Region Member and PNP, Dr. Audrey P. Miller and Mr. Jonathan Dotson, helped develop the 100: Nursing & Health Sciences Summer Academy that has since become an annual event. This summer academy, in collaboration with The Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences and 100 Black Men of South Florida, Inc., creates an opportunity for underserved, socioeconomically challenged, culturally diverse, minority students to be exposed to nursing and the health sciences through an intensive summer academy. The experiences provides life changing experiences, future possibilities and positive career decisions. The intent is to offer alternate career path choices that will improve the quality of lives through educational experiences in the healthcare profession.

Audrey P. Miller, PhD, MSN Ed, ARNP, PPCNP-BCDr. Audrey P. Miller is a Clinical Assistant

Professor of Nursing at FIU- Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences. Dr. Miller’s program of research is Oral Health and Preventive Health Care for underprivileged, underserved children. She developed an Oral Health Educational Program, researching post-knowledge in Head Start families.

Teri Chenot, Ed.D., MS, M.Ed., MSN, RN, CCE, Associate Professor, Keigwin School of Nursing at Jacksonville University, was appointed as a member on the National Steering Committee’s Subcommittee for Learning Systems.

The National Steering Committee consists of a group of key stakeholder organizations in health care and is chaired by Dr. Tejal Gandhi of IHI and Dr. Jeffrey Brady of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The goal of the National Steering Committee is to enable leading organizations to partner on the development of a National Action Plan for the Prevention of Health Care Harm, which will be released in mid-2019 and will define essential priorities for action and identify opportunities to collaboratively advance those strategies.

The objective of the subcommittee will be to review best practices and recommend specific actions for nationwide improvement to be included in the NAP released by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement in 2019.

Advocacy Days

Now Accepting 2019 BLI Advocacy Days Scholarship

Applications

The Barbara Lumpkin Institute is proud to provide scholarships to support FNA members to attend Advocacy Days (formerly known as Lobby Days). The purpose of the Barbara Lumpkin Institute is to educate nurses about public policy and to increase involvement by nurses in legislation action and advocacy. Recipients of the scholarship will receive waived registration for the conference and $250 in funds which may be used for travel and lodging for the event. Recipients will be asked to write a short piece about their experience for The Florida Nurse.

Application form can be found at www.floridanurse.org or requested by email. Please complete the form and submit to Leslie Homsted at receptionist@floridanurse.org or fax to 407-896-9042 by Friday, January 25, 2019. Scholarship recipient winners will be notified on Wednesday February 6, 2019.

FNA Advocacy Days is just around the corner! Advocacy Days is FNA’s annual event that empowers us as nurses to make a stand when it comes to legislative issues that affect our profession and the well-being of the patients we serve. Each Advocacy Days, we gather in Florida’s state capital during legislative session to equip ourselves with knowledge of current legislative issues and particular bills pertaining

to healthcare before embarking on one-on-one visits with our local legislators to discuss these issues. Advocacy Days is a great opportunity for both upcoming and seasoned nurses to get involved in advocacy work, regardless of whether they have prior experience in this realm or not. Please join us for the 2019 session March 13-14th in Tallahassee, FL. More information and online registration are available at www.floridanurse.org.

December 2018 The Florida Nurse Page 13

East Central

Claudette AllenJennifer BallMalena BullardJulie BurrLisanne ChiotaDebbie ConnerJennifer CoynerCornelia CrumRoobenstein DucrepinLatasha DuncanWieslaw FaliszewskiJacqueline GeorgeSwapna GopalDanielle HockeyKristine IsnardiLynda LatulipRosalyn LowryVicky LynnPatricia MaulDeana MontellaSarah MooreHaley NewkirkLola OrtegaPhyllis ParkerAmanda PhillipsGabriela RiveraElaine RobertsonCathy Robey-WilliamsElaika Ann SantosTera SchuttSusan SmithNatalie ThornhillTeresa ToledoJohn VedderMolly Wallis

North Central

Suzanne ArcherDebra Bryant-WetherellHenry BussenoTeresa CabanTonya Cumbest-GeerPamela LohneWilliam McFarlandVeronica McNicholsJennifer MerolaRoxanne PorozinskiShelly PottsLeah SadlerYoira Sanchez

Michiel TooneFrances Youmans

Northeast

Elisabeth BrownChelsea Brubeck-BridgesSandra BrumTerri BurnsNichole CrawfordHeather FeistLinda GenesVanessa KaralusHelen LandrevilleKelli MillerRachel NewberryShellye NutterKiesha ParkinsonEvelyn PeasleeAllyson SciulloNatalia TerrerosVashawna ThomasTara Wolff

Northwest

Stephanie BrownTina DuggerIuliia DumanChanel LockwoodRonda MeekerKeri MekaraKatrina OrendDoris RobertsLaura Worthylake

South

Ahmed AbdulhamedAbosede Adelfe-AbolyeDamaris AlicanoArce AlieskaGeraldine AlmoguerraDaylin AlpizarWasim AlsamahIslande AnnilusStephanie AntenorAndrea ArmengolGlenis ArtacheNancy AssaniJudeline AssezAnn Bailey

Nazila BarahmaniNicole BellAnna BeltranLeonora BeredoChandra BhramdatKenyanna BlaiseSalena BurgessSamantha CaballeroMelissa CharbonierJean kesner CharlesAbbdady CharlesIftikhar CheemaLeopold CheryLeslie CohenAltagracita CornetMaidalys CotoRobyn CrabtreeLea CrestodinaEmily CruzMaylin DavilaMiguel de la RuaMonique De VitoJessica DenisJunie DesireJessica DiazElena DichkoAna Diez SampedroSoana DorelusCharles DownsAmina DubuissonKarisma Ederlyn EboraLisa EdwardsClement EfobiINjideka EjinakaLaandro ElliottUrania EscalonaDanielli EstevaJoleesha FahieTracie FelicianoYenisleidy FerreraNathalie GermainMekedes GetachewJenice GodleyLauren GodwinGreta GonzalezArlett GonzalezJorge GonzalezAnnia Gonzalez MarullChristopher GuadalupeMatthew GuanzonHatice Hasman FugateAlexander HenselGema Hoeksema

Carla Hoo-ThomsCarol Johnson McGregorNancie JosephTimur KadirovHeather KerastarisShanell LindsaySamantha LopezKaylee LoweErica LuukkanenCatherine MacekEvelio Manteira BarbanMarien Marban FernandezLaura MarenusJohana Marti PinedaIdania MartinSheyla MasLourdes MasedaElena MazzelladiboscoCarmen McNicholJennifer MeloCharlotte MizutaLuis MoreraGaetan Brice Nana NoumiMauricio NavasLianet NegrinLino Neira ChehadeHoang NguyenRita OzomahJunith PetersonFrerot PierreGabrielle PierreJaime PinnockRashida PolkPhillip PorezKatherine PulgarinJocelyn QuintanaMaria QuintanaCrystal ReyesAshley Ritterjohanna rocheDaniel RodriguezDayana RodriguezStephen RodriguezTessie Rodriguez- LedesmaAnna RodriquezCindy rodriquezAlexandria RossJamelle RossPraveen Sah

Kirit SaigalWinnie Saint-FarYvette SalasAna Sanchez VillarrealManju SathyapalanSujamol ScariaBrandee SharpManoj ShuklaMasonya SimpsonElisa StiglitzJhon Suarez-PerezOlha TabachynskyStanley TanisIngrid ThompsonMilea ThompsonRaymonde VernetDaisy VieraFausta VirgileShena WheelerMaryori Zelaya Edgar

Southeast

Shirley BlotMaria BudylinaHazel CaneteCassandra CherryKarina Elizondo HaftKaren GilbertVladymir GratiaRobert HessTammy HotzAnna JacksonMegan Klyczek-LawnElizabeth KraskaAmy LevanBecky MaurancyAndres MoraMonique MoyaLaura OrlandiKhushboo PatelVictoria RyabovaMay SaifCarol Saint Hilaire

Southwest

Melissa BartholdFaith BrownDoreen DeStefanoAimee DolorfinoChelsea EmmerichSarah Gabua

Ayesha KeddoLynlee KoprivaAmanda LeddyDara MooreChristie MyersKathleen ParksJemma PatelTiara PhillipsRyan RigleyJessica RodriguezCorie TolarTammy Toney-ButlerJessica WayteMildred Williams

West Central

Pamala AngelusRyann BasiliereLois BineshtarighTamatha BrownDarlene CrookAmanda DanielsKaren DelmolinoGloria ElmoreCamilla FitzgeraldBonnie FullerKrystal HemingwayKathryn HollingsworthAdrienne HolmesNorissa HowardElizabeth JordanBrenda JuncoLouisana LouisJulia McHugh SmithKaren MillerDanielle MurrayDebra NixonHilda Obi-AnadiumeAlexandra PalmerJune RamseyBobbie SkukowskiNarlin SmithBarbara TurpinSherrri WeaverAislann Woody

Other

Alexandra AndreanSandra D Sturgeon

Welcome New FNA Members!

QUIN is still seeking professional nursing organizations interested in joining our coalition. We have grown from five to twenty over the past 25 years. We believe that communication and collaborative work creates unity in spite of our diversity in practice and interests. This is our strength. Meetings are quarterly with a calendar set in advance. You can designate one representative and a designee to attend in case the representative is not able to attend. Add your voice. For more information, email info@floridanurse.org

www.quincouncil.org

Also see our education website at www.choosewithcare.education. This is a great resource for individuals seeking information about nursing education.

Visit nursingALD.com today!Search job listings

in all 50 states, and filter by location and credentials.

Browse our online databaseof articles and content.

Find eventsfor nursing professionals in your area.

Your always-on resource for nursing jobs, research, and events.

Page 14 The Florida Nurse December 2018

Join

FN

A T

oday

!

FNLA Update Save the DateIPN/FNA Annual Conference

“Moving Forward in the Nursing Profession”

May 2-3, 2019Location: Renaissance World

Golf VillageSt. Augustine, FL

This years’ Conference theme is “Moving Forward in the Nursing Profession.” Our agenda will explore the current landscape of the nursing profession and next step plans for moving forward. Speakers will offer their knowledge and insight  about the current landscape in their professional setting and future plans for improvement. Our conference brings approximately 125 nurses, nurse educators, employers and treatment providers from all over Florida.

Please visit the IPN website for more information at www.ipnfl.org click on events and trainings or contact Pam Livingston at 1-800-840-2720 ext 123 or email plivingston@ipnfl.org.

We Need Mentors!The Florida Nurses Leadership Academy

(FNLA) is a partnership program of the Florida Nurses Association (FNA) and the Florida Nurses Foundation (FNF) with the purpose of developing future nursing leaders. The goal is to provide tools, education and opportunities to new graduates to assist them in becoming active members and skillful leaders in their professional organization.

The Participants (Associates) – A maximum of two (2) registered nurses will be selected from each of the eight (8) regions of the Florida Nurses Association, for a possible total of 16 associates each year. A new class of FNLA associates will be appointed each year and will be involved in

FNLA for a period of two years. In the first year, the associate will receive mentoring into potential leadership roles in the FNA. In the second year, the associate will transition to a mentor role for new associates. Membership in the FNLA is continuous for the life of FNA membership. Applications can be found at www.floridanurse.org. Please note: The 2017-2019 FNLA Associates receive complimentary registration to the 2019 Memberhship Assembly.

The Mentors – In addition to former FNLA Associates, the Academy seeks additional mentors to join their program who are FNA Members and have some experience in leadership roles. If you are interested in serving as a FNLA mentor, please email info@floridanurse.org.

South Lake HospitalYou PR♥MISE to take care of patients.We PR♥MISE to take care of you.

South Lake Hospital has Nursing Opportunities in the following areas:

ICU • Cath Lab OR • PACU • Same Day

CDU • PCU • EDIntermediate Cardiac Care

We offer competitive wages including shift differentials and clinical ladder, along with a dynamic benefits

package that includes: health, dental, vision, disability, life, 401k, paid time off, and on-site fitness center.

For a full listing of positions and to apply online, please visit: www.southlakehospital.comFor assistance, please contact Human Resources:

1900 Don Wickham Drive • Clermont, FL 34711 • 352.394.4071 Extension 7120Follow us on

Twitter @BCRNtoBSN

Take Your Career to the Next Level!

RN-BSN ProgramGet your degree online!

Earn your Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree – in 12 months

• Convenient and affordable classes• Full and part-time programs available

• Online and blended courseswww.broward.edu/bsn

954-201-4880Follow us on

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December 2018 The Florida Nurse Page 15

Infectious DiseaseThe Flu and You

Deborah Hogan, MPH, BSN, RN

As nurses, many of us are aware of the serious risks of Influenza disease:

• The peak time of infection is December through March, still to come this year.

• If infected, we are contagious from one day before to five days after, and for the 24 hours prior, we may be asymptomatic, but infectious.

• On average, only 43% of adults are getting vaccinated.

• Flu vaccine is recommended for everyone over six months of age.

In a recent report, a Call to Action (September, 2018) was issued emphasizing the importance of Flu vaccine protection for all those with chronic disease. It can be accessed at www.nfid.org/flu-chronic-health-conditions. Data showed that in spite of the risks, the rates of vaccine protection in high risk patients was low:

• Cardiovascular Disease - 46% coverage• Diabetes - 43% coverage• Obesity - 37%• Chronic Lung Disease - 30%

The data shows that reducing Influenza disease also decreases the impact of the inflammation it causes. Because this inflammatory process can last for several weeks, this can worsen chronic disease conditions, and even trigger a heart attack or stroke by the disruption of plaques. Vaccine protection can provide a 36% lower risk of stroke. According to Dr. Allen Taylor, Medstar Washington Hospital Center, “Flu vaccine for patients with heart disease can be as effective as quitting smoking.”

Influenza is also a major driver of morbidity and mortality in COPD patients. Recent data showed that 25% of those hospitalized for COPD exacerbation had the Flu.

For Diabetics, there is a six-fold risk of hospitalization due to Influenza infection and can result in long term disability.

As nurses, we owe it to ourselves, our families, our co-workers and our patients to get the Flu vaccine each year. According to Dr. Schaffner with the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, “getting the Flu vaccination is a socially responsible thing to do” to protect all those around us.

FNA Membership Assembly 2019

FNA’s Annual Membership Assembly is scheduled for September 12-14, 2019 at the Mission Inn Resort in Howie-in-the-Hills, FL. The theme will be “Creating Connections: Transforming the Future.” In this section, you’ll find everything you need to get prepared for 2019 Membership Assembly including Election Deadlines, Award Nominations, and more!

Election and Award Nomination Forms as well as Speaker Proposal Forms can be accessed at www.floridanurse.org. Completed forms can be submitted to Christopher de Sanctis at info@floridanurse.org.

Dates and Deadlines

January 2019: Election Nominations Open

Award Nominations Open

Speaker Proposals Open

March 2019: Call for Abstracts released in March TFN

March 31, 2019 Speaker Proposals Due

April 15, 2019: Deadline to submit election nominations for them to appear in June TFN (not final deadline)

May 31, 2019: Awards Nominations Due

June 2019: Official Call to Membership Assembly in TFN with Candidate Bios and Bylaws Notice

July 1, 2019: Last day for nominees to request campaign mailing ads

July 15, 2019: FINAL Nominations for Election Due

Abstract Submissions Due

August 1, 2019: Ballots sent to members

August 15, 2019: Final Day of Voting

Abstract acceptance notification

September 12-14: Membership Assembly - New Board is announced and sworn in

Are you a nurse who wants to be challenged, respected and rewarded?

UF Health Jacksonville has immediate openings for nurses with surgical operating room, open heart, labor & delivery and oncology experience.

UF Health Jacksonville is a Level 1 trauma, academic health center that provides a wide range of healthcare services for residents of northeast Florida and southeast Georgia. Together with our University of Florida colleagues and affiliates we offer a fast-paced environment on the leading edge of the latest treatments and technologies.

Our knowledge and expertise are unmatched. Yours, can be, too.

Apply today at UFHealthJax.org/nursing.

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Visit www.apalacheecenter.org or call Stephanie at 850-523-3212 for additional information.

NURSING OPPORTUNITIES IN TALLAHASSEE, FL

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