NGNA News
Article Outline
- Aging Gracefully: NGNA Web Site Gets a Facelift
- Counseling Points™—A New NGNA Publication!
- NGNA Committees and Task Forces: What Would We Do Without You!
- National Gerontological Nursing Week is October 1-8, 2005
- Be All That You Can Be: Become a Certified Gerontological Nurse
- Floods, Tornados, and Hurricanes
- Call for Abstracts: NGNA’s 2006 Annual Meeting
- The Medicare Modernization Act: Ready or Not, Act Two Begins January 1, 2006
Aging Gracefully: NGNA Web Site Gets a Facelift
A little nip here and a little tuck there, in June the National Gerontological Nursing Association (NGNA) unveiled a new look to our Web page. The Web page is now fully functional. Pictured here is a screen shot of what the new Web page looks like.
Counseling Points™—A New NGNA Publication!
As the role of the gerontological nurse in the care of the elderly continues to evolve and grow in importance, the way we communicate with patients must also evolve. The development of Counseling Points, a new publication, was spurred by this need. Counseling Points is an official publication of the National Gerontological Nursing Association (NGNA). The publication has been made possible thanks to an unrestricted educational grant from Janssen Medical Affairs.
These publications will bring together leading nurses in the field of gerontology who will share their knowledge and experience in a practical, hands-on way to help gerontological nurses enhance their communication and patient management skills to ensure better outcomes. The first in the series of four planned issues, Psychosis in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Roundtable Discussion, was published in May 2005. NGNA members receive a complementary copy of this publication as a part of their membership benefits. A limited number of copies are available for distribution upon request to the National Office. To request a copy of Psychosis in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Roundtable Discussion, please contact the NGNA National Office, ngna@puetzamc.com or (800) 723-0560.
Other issues that are currently underway include
NGNA Committees and Task Forces: What Would We Do Without You!
NGNA is a volunteer organization, run by and for gerontological nurses who give their time and talents to the organization for free. Yes, the old adage “you get more than you give,” is true. There are real benefits to participating actively in organizational activities, including gaining new knowledge and insights into providing state of the art care to older adults, improving health care for older adults, networking, leaving a legacy to the next generation of gerontological nurses, reconnecting with old friends and colleagues, and making new friends.
Committee and task force membership is a way for NGNA members to share their expertise and gain valuable networking contacts. In addition, participation on an NGNA committee or task force provides invaluable insight into the work of the association and is an important step for those who will want to participate in the leadership of the Society at the national level.
NGNA Committee and task force members reflect the broad interest and expertise of the NGNA membership. An annual call for volunteers is sent to the membership in the newsletter, is available at the annual convention and can be downloaded from the Web site, www.ngna.org. Committee appointments are made in January. Task Force appointments are made as the need arises.
NGNA has 6 standing committees that serve as the main operational body for the planning and execution of the activities of the association. All committees, with the exception of the Nominating Committee, are made up of volunteers. NGNA members may serve on one committee at a time.
The NGNA Board of Directors also establishes task forces to accomplish a specific activity. A task force reports directly to the board through the task force chair. Task forces are created from a pool of volunteers for special projects; task force members may also be solicited based on known experience or expertise. NGNA members may serve on a task force during their official appointment on a committee.
Most committee and task force business is conducted via e-mail or fax; however, committee and task forces members are asked to participate on conference calls as needed. A description of NGNA’s various committee and task force charges and a list of members for the 2005-2006 NGNA committees and task forces follows.
Chapter Development Committee
This committee works with forming chapters to assist them through the steps to becoming chartered. The committee is also responsible to help chartered NGNA Chapters maintain active status. Most committee business is conducted via e-mail; however, committee members are asked to participate on conference calls as needed.
Committee Chair
Kathy Long (acting Chair)
Committee Members
Eve Lewis
Jill Mitchell
Anne Cardinale
MaryAnne P. Shannon
Mary Cummins
Nancy Kollman
Sandra Stang
Patricia A. Robinson
Board Liaison
Barbara McCabe
Clinical Practice Committee
This committee develops the content for various projects as charged by the NGNA Board of Directors, including review of clinical poster abstracts submitted for the annual meeting and selecting the Innovations in Clinical Practice Award winner that is presented at the annual convention.
Committee Chair
Kay Cresci
Committee Members
Mary Jo Dagney
Audrey Cochran
Joanne Alderman
Sharon Dixon
Jane Campbell
Jennifer Lamb
Claire Hoffman
Sharon Dixon
Lauren Van Sanders
Marlene McCraw
Kimberly Hickey
Board Liaison
Jane Hannah
Education Committee
This committee develops the content for various projects as charged by the NGNA Board of Directors, including Innovations in Clinical Practice (ICP) Fast Fact Sheets (http://24.249.193.144/ngna/home.php?l=resources_lnk&x=2).
Committee Chair
Bronwynne Evans
Committee Members
Cheryl McCahon
Carol Williams
Denies Rohr
Mary Kirkpatrick
Inez Wendel
Sarah Jean Fisher
Esther Robinson
Patricia Tinkey
Nancy Jacobson
Patricia (Pat) A. O’Leary
Beth L. Holsinger
Nanci McLeskey
Kelly Politte
Margie Eckroth-Bucher
Board Liaison
Neva Crogan
Program Planning Committee
The most time-intensive NGNA committee, the Program Planning Committee is responsible for reviewing the abstracts and coordinating the annual NGNA Convention. The committee meets for monthly conference calls and communicates through e-mail and fax.
Chair
Deborah Kolb
Committee Members
Sandra Lee Bieganski
Karen Koren
Donna Pittman
Mary Ann Jarmulowicz
Teal Kuzma
Kimberly Hickey
Jacqueline Ford
Board Liaison
Martha Sparks
Research Committee
This committee reviews the research poster abstracts each year to identify the finalists and winner of the Judith Braun Award that is presented at the annual convention. The committee may be charged to review research grant proposals as a call for proposals is available.
Chair
Pamala Larsen
Committee Members
Mary Beth Buschman
Stacie Lyons
Patty Coleman
Judith Hertz
Harriet Duncan
Janice Crist
Barbara Raudonis
Peg Grey Vickery
Elizabeth K. Tanner
Dianne Thames
Craig A. Cookman
Dennis J. Cheek
Board Liaison
Victoria Schirm
Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee is the only NGNA committee with elected members. Committee members are responsible for recruiting eligible candidates for the annual election. Self-nomination for candidacy is encouraged, but many highly qualified and modest candidates need encouragement to run for office.
Committee Members
Deborah Marks Conley
Barbara Hammer
Florida Freeman
Rebecca Provine
Anne Tito
Awards Task Force
This task force is responsible for reviewing NGNA award and scholarship applications and making recommendations for awarding of the awards and scholarships to the NGNA Board of Directors.
Award Task Force Members
Dennis J. Cheek
Jean M. Gaines
Molly C. Morand
Karen Koren
Jennifer Lamb
Elder Abuse Position Statement Task Force
In May 2005, the NGNA Board of Directors formed a Task Force to prepare an NGNA positions statement on Elder Abuse.
Chair
Amy Cotton
Task Force Members
Joyce Ricci Gilette
Alice Dupler
Anne Cardinale
Mary Ellen Casey
Elizabeth Tanner
Ann Bucci
Dianne Thames
Jeanne St. Pierre
Kelly Acevedo
Mary Hibbert
Yvette W. Stokes Finney
Mary Feit
Deborah Angelo
Mary Ann Slaughter
For more information on the work of NGNA Committee’s and Task Forces, visit the NGNA Web site, www.ngna.org, or contact the NGNA National Office at ngna@puetzamc.com or toll free (800) 723-0560.
National Gerontological Nursing Week is October 1-8, 2005
This is a wonderful opportunity for gerontological nurses to be recognized by their employers and coworkers. The NGNA National Office has a flyer on “How to Organize and Celebrate National Gerontological Nurses Week.” Included with the flyer is a sample letter to your mayor that you can use to request that a proclamation be put forth to designate October 1-8, 2005, as National Gerontological Nurses Week in your own city.
Visit the resources page of the NGNA Web site, www.ngna.org, to download the flyer and sample letter to the mayor on “How to Organize and Celebrate National Gerontological Nurses Week.” While on the Web site, visit the online store for materials that are available to help celebrate the week. If you wish, you can contact the NGNA National Office at (800) 723-0560, or by e-mail, ngna@puetzamc.com to request information on “How to Organize and Celebrate National Gerontological Nurses Week.”
Be All That You Can Be: Become a Certified Gerontological Nurse
Nurses in gerontological practice at all levels have the opportunity to obtain certification in their specialty. NGNA has a collaborative relationship with the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), which offers 4 exams for the gerontological nurse: Generalist Gerontology for Associate and Diploma Nurses, Generalist Gerontology for BSN Nurses, Gerontological Nurse Practitioner, and Clinical Specialist in Gerontology. For information about test dates, fees, and eligibility, visit the ANCC Web site, www.nursingworld.org, or call ANCC at (800) 284-2378. Remember that NGNA members get a discount on registration fees, so make sure your NGNA membership card is available when you submit your application.
The Certification Examination for Practical and Vocational Nurses in Long Term Care (CEPN-LTC) is available for LPNs/LVNs. To request a candidate bulletin and a copy of the CEPN-LTC Test Plan, write to The National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Department SSD, 676 N. St. Clair Street, Suite 550, Chicago, IL 60611-2921.
Floods, Tornados, and Hurricanes
This section on how Hurricane Dennis affected our association management company, Puetz and Associates, was written almost 3 months ago, not knowing that shortly before publication we would be recovering from the most devastating natural disaster in modern times, Hurricane Katrina.
The loss of life and destruction are massive and continue to unfold everyday since the hurricane made landfall on August 29. As we review the proofs of this column, knowing that there is little time for updates, we would like to offer our sincere condolences to those affected by Hurricane Katrina. Recovery will continue for many months and for some take many years. As gerontological nurses, we all know the impact these events have on the elderly. We thank all of those nurses, their family, and friends who have assisted with the recovery and relief efforts. For more information on how to assist the victims of Hurricane Katrina, contact the American Red Cross at http://www.redcross.org/.
As many NGNA members already know, the National Office is located in Pensacola, Florida, an area known for its beautiful beaches and rich 440 years of history. Pensacola Beach is the hub of Santa Rosa Island, one of the longest barrier islands in the world. The Gulf Islands National Seashore covers much of the island, keeping beaches accessible to the public and preserving the area’s environment and history. Living in paradise, however, is not without its challenges. The Pensacola area has been hit by hurricanes 45 times in 135 years of tracking these storms.
In July 2005, Pensacola, while still recovering from hurricane Ivan which made landfall less than a year earlier, resulted in $14 billion in damage, claimed the lives of 54 people, and destroyed more than 7,000 homes, was hit yet again by hurricane Dennis. Fortunately, the damage sustained was much less; the storm resulted in evacuation of the area for several days and damage to the NGNA National Office. Staff members’ homes were minimally affected, but damage to the roof resulted in water damage in, of all places, the storage room. NGNA staff members were offline for several days due to power outages and cable damage.
NGNA would like to thank its members for their patience and understanding during these times when Mother Nature disrupts the day-to-day operations of the organization. We hope you will join us in commending Puetz and Associates, our management company, for getting the office open so quickly and working under challenging circumstances. We’re also glad staff and their families escaped injury!
Call for Abstracts: NGNA’s 2006 Annual Meeting
NGNA’s 2006 Annual Meeting will be held October 4-8, 2006, in Cincinnati, Ohio, at the Hyatt Regency Cincinnati. The deadline for submitting proposals for oral presentations is January 31, 2006, and the deadline for submitting abstracts for posters is March 1. For more details and instructions on how to submit a proposal or abstract go to www.ngna.org or call the National Office at (800) 723-0560. Research poster abstracts are eligible for the Judith V. Braun Research Award; clinical practice abstracts are eligible for the Innovations in Clinical Practice Award; accepted abstracts will be published in the NGNA Section in GN. This is a great way to share your experience and knowledge with fellow gerontological nurses.
The Medicare Modernization Act: Ready or Not, Act Two Begins January 1, 2006
An Outreach Toolkit (see http://www.cms.hhs.gov/partnerships/tools/materials/medicaretraining/MPDCoutreachkit.asp) is available to equip community-level organizations with the materials needed to provide clear, accurate information and assistance to their clients on the Medicare prescription drug coverage. The toolkit is developed with basic, straightforward information that can be easily conveyed to beneficiaries.
PII: S0197-4572(05)00225-9
doi:10.1016/j.gerinurse.2005.08.014
