inside president’s message · 2018-03-31 · mark at the national level of public health. for...

Catherine Coverston, PhD, RN

Thanks to Sharon Dingman and Peggy Anderson for facilitating The American Nurse screening event. As President I am grateful for their hard work. The event was sponsored by the Utah Nurses Association and the Utah Action Coalition for Health and the Utah Organization of Nurse Leaders. It included the first screening in Utah of the film The American Nurse. Following the screening there was a p a n e l d i s cu s s io n

Audrey Stevenson , PhD, MPH, MSN, FNP-BC was awarded the Theodore Beatty Award at the 2015 Utah Public Health Association Conference held last April. Dr. Stevenson is the immediate Past President of the UPHA and also a past President-elect of the Utah Nurses Association. Audrey’s day job is the Division Director of the Family Health Services for the Salt Lake County Health Department. Dr. Stevenson received the Theodore Beatty Award for her sustained service in public health. She is an acknowledged

leader, author, and speaker in public health with a special interest in pharmacology and the area of immunizations. (See her second article in our series on immunizations in this issue of the Utah Nurse.) The Beatty is Utah’s highest award for public health workers and, as nurses, we congratulate one of our own in earning this much-deserved and prestigious award! Thank you for your dedication and leadership!

The nomination for the Beatty Award offered further insight into Audrey’s professional life and contributions:

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The official newsletter of the Utah Nurses Association August,September,October2015 Volume24•Number3

www.utnurse.org

Quarterly publication direct mailed to approximately 30,000 RNs and LPNs in Utah.

President’s Messageincluding nurses in practice, leadership, education and new graduates. I am very excited to report that nearly a hundred nurses attended this event on May 6th. The film brings to light the depth of the roles and responsibilities of nurses and the impact on their patients and their own families. As nurses all of us in attendance could relate to the nurses in the documentary. The film touched a chord with many of us especially concerning the value of reflecting at the end of shift before returning home to our families. I believe this film has the potential to impact and improve the health of our nurses. Our board of directors is still in negotiations with the film’s associates hoping to obtain permission to use this film for educational showings and recruitment across the state. Please see the Membership column in this issue for more information. Again thank you to the participants and makers of the film and to the nurses here in Utah who worked hard to make the screening a success. Together we can improve the quality of nursing in Utah!

Utah Nurse Leader Honored by UPHA !!!

Audrey is a family nurse practitioner with bachelors and masters degrees in nursing as well as a master of public health and a doctorate in public health. She is also the author of several articles related to pharmacology and immunization. She has over 30 years of experience in clinical and public health settings. Audrey has been the Director of the Family Health Services of the Salt Lake County Health Department since 2001.

She has been an active member of the Utah Public Health Association for 32 years during which she served on many committees and organized two highly successful UPHA conferences. She has also been an active member of the Utah Nurses Association for many years.

While Dr. Stevenson spends most of her time with the Salt Lake County Health Department, she’s also made a mark at the national level of public health. For example, she serves on the board of CityMatCH, the national organization of Urban MCH leaders. In 2010, she was recognized by the American Nurses Association for her outstanding leadership and commitment to immunizations.

According to one of her nominators, “another of Audrey’s major contributions to public health is her pioneering work in ‘cocooning,’ the practice of protecting infants from vaccine-preventable diseases before the infant can be vaccinated, by immunizing the infant’s family and care givers. Cocooning has become standard practice in the MCH and vaccination world of public health across the country, and Audrey was instrumental in that effort.”

We are indeed fortunate to have such a dedicated public health nurse, Colleague, and role model as Audrey Stevenson is. Nurses do make a difference every day!

Audrey Stevenson

Catherine Coverston

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• Utah Nurse August, September, October 2015

2015 BOARD OF DIRECTORSPresident Catherine Coverston, PhD, RNPast President Kathleen, Kaufman, MS, RN First Vice President Peggy H. Anderson, DNP, MS, RNSecond Vice President Aimee McLean, RN, CCHPSecretary Alana Jacobs, PhD, APRNTreasurer Karen de la Cruz, MSN, AACNP/FNP, RN

DIRECTORS AT LARGESharon K. Dingman, DNP, MS, BSN, RNAmy Marie White, BSN, RN

STAFF MEMBERSOffice Manager Lisa TrimContinuing Education OpenLobbyist Justin StewartEditor Aimee McLean, RN

COMMITTEECHAIRS & LIAISONSBy-Laws Continuing Education OpenFinance Karen de la Cruz, MSN, AACNP/FNP, RNGovernment Relations Kathleen Kaufman, MS, RNMembership Sharon K. Dingman, DNP, MS, BSN, RN Nominating Ginette (Ginny) Pepper PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA Marguerite Brown, MS, RN Monte Roberts DNP, RN

UTAH NURSES FOUNDATIONPresident Marianne Craven, PhD(c), RN Kathleen Kaufman, MS, RN Catherine Coverston, PhD, RN

ANA MEMBERSHIP ASSEMBLY REPRESENTATIVESCatherine Coverston, PhD, RNDonna Richards, PhD, RN

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Editor and Publisher are not responsible nor liable for editorial or news content.

Utah Nurse is published four times a year, February, May, August, November, for the Utah Nurses Association, a constituent member of the American Nurses Association. Utah Nurse provides a forum for members to express their opinions. Views expressed are the responsibility of the authors and are not necessarily those of the members of the UNA.

Articles and letters for publication are welcomed by the editorial committee. UNA Editorial Committee reserves the right to accept of reject articles, advertisements, editorials, and letters for the Utah Nurse. The editorial committee reserves the right to edit articles, editorials, and letters.

Address editorial comments and inquiries to the following address: Utah Nurses Association, Attn: Editorial Committee 4505 S. Wasatch Blvd., Suite 330B Salt Lake City, UT 84124 [email protected], 801-272-4510

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Acceptance of advertising does not imply endorsement or approval by the Utah 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. UNA 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 UNA or those of the national or local associations.

PUBLICATIONThe Utah Nurse Publication Schedule for 2015

Issue Material Due to UNA OfficeNov/Dec/Jan 2015/16 September 8,2015

Guidelines for Article DevelopmentThe UNA welcomes articles for publication. There is no payment for articles published in the Utah Nurse.1. Articles should be microsoft word using a 12 point font.2. Article length should not exceed five (5) pages 8 x 113. All reference should be cited at the end of the article.4. Articles (if possible) should be submitted electronically.

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From the EditorAimee McLean, RN, CCHP

I sincerely hope that you enjoy this issue of the Utah Nurse! My goal as editor is to bring you content that expands your knowledge, creates a sense of community, and elicits excitement for our profession. In every issue you can look forward to columns from our President, our Governmental Affairs Committee, and our Membership Committee. In this issue you will also find the second article in our vaccination series. I continue to encourage letters to the editor! We all know how our contributing author Kathleen feels about Medicaid expansion, but what do you see in your practice? What have you experienced with your families? Let us know, lets get the discussion going on this and other important topics. I look forward to hearing from you!

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ContentThe Official Publication of the Utah Nursing Association

1 Utah Nurse Leader Honored by UPHA!!! 2 From the Editor 2 Nurses Day at the Legislature 2016 3 From the Membership Committee 5 Factors Influencing Immunization Rates in Utah 7 To Eat or Not to Eat? 8 Federal Legislation to Protect Patients, Nurses 9 GRC Committee News 10 In Memoriam

Attention UNA MembersYou can now find us on Facebook. Just search Utah Nurses Association and look for the page with the UNA logo. We will be posting updates for upcoming events and information on conventions in our blog.

From the Membership Committee

Contributing authorsSharon Dingman, DNP, MS, BSN, RN, Chair

Peggy Anderson, DNP, MSN, RNAngela York, SN, Intern

On May 6, 2015 Utah Nurses Association (UNA) partnered with the Utah Action Coalition for Health (UACH) and the Utah Organization of Nurse Leaders (UONL) in sponsoring the first screening in Utah of The American Nurse film at the Carmike, Wynnsong 12 Theater, in Provo, Utah. Following the screening, a panel of nurses from practice, leadership, education, and newly graduated nurses concluded the screening with a panel discussion on the role and value of nurses to health consumers. Over 90 nurses attended this screening. Those who attended indicated that the film was helpful in understanding the responsibilities nurses have to their patients and families. All nurse participants related to the nurses featured in the film and agreed that in their own roles as nurses, there is value in pausing to reflect at the end of a shift before returning to engage at home.

The UNA is presently in negotiations with The American Nurse representatives on behalf of UNA, UONL, UACH, HealthInsight, and others to obtain permission and access to the use of The American Nurse film for educational showings and conferences across the State of Utah in the near future. Membership of these organizations will be notified when The American Nurse film is available and how to obtain copies in the near future. For questions and information, please contact the membership committee. Once arrangements are completed, information will be available from each of the nursing organizations above.

The writers, producers, authors and illustrators of The American Nurse were presented with The Christopher Award in the Feature Films category (together with Selma and St. Vincent). The Christopher Awards honor and celebrate both sacred and secular works across a variety of media. The awards honor those who rise above their own wants and needs to act selflessly, regardless of the sacrifice involved, according to Tony Rossi, Director of Communications. “The American Nurse (Carolyn Jones Productions) goes beyond hospital walls to offer a moving, in-depth portrait of five nurses whose empathy

and selflessness lead them to serve those dealing with miscarriage, aging, war, poverty, and prison life.”

In other news, as a membership committee, we are excited to announce that the UNA has updated our website address to http://www.utnurse.org.

However, the former address http://www.utahnursesassociation.com/ still navigates to the website. This change has come in response to our continuing efforts to update our professional appearance online. We have updated our website domain to reflect those of our fellow state nursing organizations. More to come!

If you have any suggestions or opinions regarding these changes please let us know by writing to the membership committee at [email protected]

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Kathleen Kaufman, MS, RN

Recognizing Utah’s position as the state with the highest number of adolescent suicides and also a very high number of adult suicides, the State Legislature passed the following two bills in the 2015 General Session.

HB 364 Suicide Prevention Amendments, 2sub, (Eliason, S.) This bill amends State Board of Education and Division of Substance Abuse and

Mental Health program components for suicide prevention. It appropriates one time funding from various funds and distributes those funds to multiple programs in fiscal year 2015.

HB 209 Suicide Prevention Program Amendments, (J. Fawson) This bill modifies provisions related to suicide prevention training for behavioral

health professionals. Requires an individual to complete a course in suicide prevention in order to obtain or renew a license in a behavioral health profession.

HB 209 requires a broad number of behavioral health professionals to complete two hours of continuing education on suicide prevention when they get new licenses. Those behavioral health professionals listed in the bill include; therapeutic recreation specialist, Clinical social worker, certified social worker, social service worker, marriage and family therapist, clinical mental health counselor and certified advanced substance use disorder counselor. Clearly these individuals provide care for those who already have an issue related to overall mental health.

However nurses see people in many settings in which mental health issues may not be as expected. As frontline caregivers, nurses should review their knowledge and be vigilant in the work of suicide prevention. The Utah Nurse is initiating a series of articles on suicide prevention. Former State Representative Tim Cosgrove is contributing some basic information about identifying suicidal risk. He has served on the Executive Board for Utah Suicide Prevention, and as a patient advocate he has reviewed cases of suicides for over 14 years.

Suicide PreventionWritten by Tim Cosgrove

Since 2013 the leading cause of death for Utahns ages 10 to 17 is suicide. Suicide can be a difficult topic to discuss and address with others but everyone plays a role in suicide prevention.

Start with yourself and your own ideas about suicide. Be open; listen and validate feelings. Create a sense of connectedness.

Learn the Warning signs: There is Hope • A Change in interaction with family and friends• Recent disappointment or rejection• Sudden decline or improvement in academic performance.• Physical symptoms: changes in eating, changes in sleep patterns, chronic

headaches, stomach problems, menstrual irregularities.• Increased apathy.• Being expelled from school / fired from job.• Family problems / alienation.• Feeling embarrassed or humiliated in front of peers.• Victim of assault or bullying.

Reach Out: Asking the Suicide Question does not increase risk. Persuading someone not to end his or her life and to get help begins with the simple act of listening. Listening can be lifesaving.

• Giving Your full attention.• Not interrupting and only speaking when the other person has finished.• Not rushing to judgment or condemnation.• Taming your own fear so that you can focus on the other person.

Know where to get help:National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Suicidepreventionlifeline.org, and Veteran’s Crisis Line at: http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/

Tim Cosgrove works as a Child Advocate for Primary Children’s Hospital. He serves on the Executive Board for Utah Suicide Prevention overseeing and working to implement a state wide strategic plan to prevent suicide. Excerpts taken From QPR, Question, Persuade, Refer: http://www.qprinstitute.com/

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Audrey M. Stevenson, PhD, MPH, MSN, FNP-BC

History is filled with accounts of the pain and suffering caused by communicable diseases. Fortunately, over time, many vaccines have been developed in an effort to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with these vaccine-preventable diseases. The development of vaccines has been considered by many to be one of the most important public health interventions of the 20th century. Immunization programs have had a dramatic impact on reducing the number and severity of communicable disease outbreaks. Because of immunization programs, diseases such as smallpox and polio have been completely eradicated in the United States. However, many other vaccine-preventable diseases have persisted and, in some cases, have increased in their prevalence as the population is becoming less protected due to lowered immunity.

Public health practitioners are learning that although childhood vaccines do much to provide lifetime immunity to certain diseases, for other diseases such as pertussis, additional doses of vaccine are now recommended to prevent individuals with waning immunity from contracting these diseases. There are vaccines that are important at each age. Experience has taught that there is a direct correlation between immunization rates in communities and rates of vaccine-preventable diseases.

In Utah, vaccine rates for children are much better than the rates for adolescents or adults. For our Utah communities to be fully protected we need to ensure that all individuals are fully vaccinated with all appropriate vaccines.

Measuring immunization rates is important in identifying the number of individuals within a community protected against vaccine-preventable diseases. Such rates provide information about the effectiveness of immunization programs and efforts as well as the level of herd immunity within a community.

Several factors have been identified as impacting immunization rates in the United States. Kimmel, Burns, Wolfe, and Zimmerman (2007) categorized these barriers as barriers in systems, health-care provider barriers, and parent or patient barriers. The authors described system barriers as barriers that involve health-care organizations and economics. Health-care provider barriers include the provider’s personal and philosophical beliefs as well as inadequate knowledge of the vaccination schedule and contraindications. Parent or patient barriers include misunderstandings of the schedule of needed vaccines, concerns about relative benefits and risks of vaccines, and personal attitudes toward vaccines (Kimmel et al.).

IMMUNIZATION REGISTRIESSeveral system barriers impact immunization rates in

Utah. Some of these factors include the incomplete use of a centralized registry, lack of a universal vaccination record, vaccine supply shortages, vaccine costs, and complexity of the immunization schedule.

Immunization information systems (IIS) or immunization registries have been federally funded in the United States since 1994. In that same year, the Utah Statewide Immunization Information System (USIIS) was implemented. This computerized system is population based and collects immunization information on individuals in Utah by geographic region (Bartlett, Washington, Bryant, Thurston, & Perfili, 2007; Hinman, Urquhart, & Strikas, 2007). This information system is beneficial in determining the rates of vaccination in various regions within the state. Both nationally and in Utah, the IIS provides information on the immunization

status of children and over time is expanding to include information on adult vaccines.

One of the many values of having an immunization registry system is to enable both health-care providers and families the ability to access the most up-to-date vaccine record for each individual. This information assists both the family and health-care provider in determining the vaccine status of the individual. For the health-care provider, USIIS can provide a record of the vaccines the patient has previously received, not only from that office but any vaccines received from any source such as health department clinics, pharmacies or other health-care providers. USIIS can assist health-care providers in determining if vaccines should be offered at the time the individual is in the office. This information can reduce missed opportunities for administering vaccines during nontraditional visits such as utilizing a sick or urgent care appointment to educate families about the need for vaccines the individual is lacking and providing needed vaccines at the time of the visit rather than having the person reschedule an appointment to receive vaccines.

In Utah, there is not a universally used immunization record that families or individuals have. Individuals may receive some vaccines from a health-care provider, others from the local health department, and still others from pharmacies, urgent-care centers, or other sources. Receiving vaccines from different sources without a universal record system to merge all of the individual’s vaccine information could contribute either to duplication in receiving vaccines or mistimed or missed opportunities. Individuals receiving vaccines from different types of providers may not have a single centralized vaccine record if the vaccine information has not been entered into USIIS. The USIIS system can be queried for the vaccination history and provide information of previously administered vaccines from any source that downloads into the USIIS system.

IMMUNIZATION SCHEDULEAnother system barrier is the complexity of the

immunization schedule. Over the past many years the number of recommended vaccines has more than doubled. Individuals may rely on the provider or nurse to tell them what vaccines they need. We have an opportunity to help protect individuals by using each and every patient encounter as an opportunity to ask about the individual’s vaccine status. Have they received all of the recommended and needed vaccines for their age? In many situations an individual may think that they are up-to-date with all required and recommended vaccines when, in fact they are not. Nurses continue to be one of the most trusted professions in the United States. Studies have shown that patients are much more likely to be vaccinated when a provider or nurse recommends the vaccine. It is important that each nurse be familiar with the vaccines needed by each age group and use every patient encounter as an opportunity to promote vaccines.

One of the predictors of immunization levels is the support of the health-care provider and clinic staff in educating the family about the importance of immunizations and alleviating fears about potential benefits and risks (Gore et al., 1999). Missed opportunities present a significant barrier to adequate immunization by the age of 2 years. In a study by Bardenheier et al. (2004), the majority of children who were not up-to-date on vaccines had missing vaccines because of missed opportunities. They found that underimmunization at 3 months of age was a strong predictor for remaining underimmunized by the age of 2 years (Bardenheier et al.).

In another study, delayed receipt of the 2-month vaccines was a strong risk factor for lack of age-appropriate vaccines at age 2 years (Brenner, Simons-Morton, Bhasker, Das, & Clemens, 2001).

CDC has recommended the use of combination vaccines as a strategy to reduce the number of injections that an individual receives and as a strategy to ensure that individuals are getting all needed vaccines. Combination vaccines reduce the pain associated with receiving several injections at the same visit and can also reduce missed vaccines. Combination vaccines have been in use for many years and are available for adults and children. Vaccines such as the measles, mumps, and rubella or the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccines are combination vaccines that are familiar. However, other combination vaccines are available such as for (a) hepatitis A and hepatitis B and (b) measles, mumps, and rubella and varicella. Nurses need to instruct patients about the importance of completing a series when multiple doses are needed. For many vaccines, such as the HPV vaccine, the full efficacy of the vaccine is not reached until the vaccine series is complete.

Some families and health-care providers are concerned about the increasing number of vaccines being administered to young children. Families may be concerned that the infant’s immune system is inadequately developed to handle all of the vaccines administered over the first 2 years of life and that receiving so many vaccines could potentially overwhelm the child’s immune system. Some families may believe that the risks associated with the vaccine may be greater than the potential of contracting some of the more rare diseases such as diphtheria or polio. However, studies have not demonstrated that the vaccines weaken the immune system. In fact, the number of antigen’s that a child’s immune system is exposed to with the number of recommended vaccines is lower than the number of antigens that individuals encountered 40 or more years ago from naturally occurring infections (Offit et al., 2002)

MISSED OPPORTUNITIESA provider practice that significantly impacts

immunization rates is a missed opportunity. A missed opportunity is a health-care encounter in which an individual was eligible to receive an immunization but did not receive it. Some examples of missed opportunities are visits to the clinic by the family for a sick or urgent-care appointment. Few infectious disease illnesses would prevent an individual from receiving a vaccine. In addition, children accompanying another child in the family to an appointment could receive vaccines if the office is aware that they are due for vaccines.

ANTI-VACCINE INFORMATIONAlthough health-care providers have influence on

the decision to vaccinate an individual, the personal and philosophical beliefs of individuals are the most influential in the vaccination decision. Parents are known to be instrumental in whether children are up-to-date with vaccines. Addressing maternal concerns and fears regarding vaccines is an important factor in the timeliness of vaccine receipt in preschool-aged children (Luman, McCauley, Shefer, & Chu, 2003). Several factors can influence the parents’ decision to vaccinate. Among factors known to influence the decision are the parents’ understanding of the risks and benefits of vaccines, perceived threat from the disease, and information the

Factors Influencing Immunization Rates In Utah

Immunization Rates continued on page 6

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family has received from the media or other influences. Information regarding vaccines can be confusing for parents. In fact, many reputable-looking Web sites are antivaccine sites. The quality of the information from these sites is suspect.

In recent years, much publicity has been generated regarding possible links between vaccines and the development of autism or other neurological disorders. This information and other actual, unsubstantiated, or disproved vaccine safety concerns have resulted in parental fears and concerns regarding the safety of vaccines. Such fears may cause families to delay or decline having their children immunized.

For many families, the fear of adverse reactions or harm from vaccines outweighs concerns for the child contracting the disease. Some families may still believe that the immunity derived from contracting the disease is superior to the immunity that develops in response to the receipt of a vaccine (Chen & Hibbs, 1998). Contracting some diseases such as varicella generally provides lifetime immunity. However, in many cases these diseases can have serious complication

FAMILY SIZEFamily size impacts immunization rates. Utah families are larger than the family

size in most other states in the United States. In most studies, the second or greater child within a family was less likely to be adequately immunized by the age of 2 years than the first child in the family. Schulthies and Yoneoka (2007) examined USIIS data to determine the effect of birth order and other socioeconomic risk factors on Utah children’s immunization adequacy. According to their findings, the third or later child born into the same family is at an increased risk of being inadequately vaccinated between 19 and 35 months of age (Brenner et al., 2001; Cortese et al., 2004; Dombkowski, Lantz, & Freed, 2004; Reading, Surridge, & Adamson, 2004; Schulthies & Yoneoka, 2007).

EXEMPTION RATESExemption rates vary from state to state. All states in the United States allow

for medical exemptions. Religious exemptions are allowed in all but two states (i.e., Mississippi and West Virginia). Many states, including Utah, allow for philosophical exemptions. However, there is current legislative action in California that would remove the philosophical exemption. Although Utah allows exemptions for medical, religious, and philosophical reasons, the statewide exemption rate at the time of school entry is 4.4%. The average exemption rate throughout the United States is higher. Therefore, immunization exemptions do not appear to greatly impact immunization rates in Utah.

CONCLUSIONMany factors affect infant immunization rates in Utah. No single factor accounts for

all of the effects upon the immunization rates in Utah; rather, several factors impact immunization rates. These factors fall into three major categories: (a) system barriers, (b) health-care provider barriers, and (c) parent or patient barriers. Having a thorough understanding of the barriers that impact immunization rates helps families and health-care providers develop strategies in order to ensure that vaccines are provided according to the recommended immunization schedule so as to prevent delays in receiving vaccines.

Many such strategies would impact immunization rates in Utah. Ensuring that all immunization providers enter accurate and timely vaccine information into the USIIS program will improve the efficacy of this vaccine registry in providing an accurate record of each individual’s vaccine status. In addition, consistently using a universal vaccine record that could be utilized by both families and health-care providers would be beneficial in reducing missed opportunities and would provide information to assist families in understanding when vaccines are needed.

Health-care providers, nurses and families need to review the immunization record at each health-care encounter in order to identify needed vaccines that could be administered at the time of the health-care encounter. Health-care providers and nurses also need to reinforce the recommended intervals for patients to receive vaccines and to implement systems to remind families that they are due to receive vaccines. Education opportunities should be developed in the health-care provider’s office to provide information regarding the benefits and risks associated with recommended vaccines.

Finally, families need to receive accurate information regarding the safety of vaccines, resources for receiving vaccines, and recommended immunization schedule across the lifespan. Utah is a unique state in that family sizes are larger than elsewhere in the United States. In addition, Utah has a large population of fundamentalist groups and others that are opposed to vaccines. The challenge for both public and private health-care providers is to identify factors that affect individual family decisions regarding vaccines and to develop interventions that will ultimately improve vaccination rates across the state and protect the health of all Utahns.

ReferencesBardenheier, B. H., Yusuf, H. R., Rosenthal, J., Santoli, J. M., Shefer, A. M., Rickert, D. L. et al.

(2004). Factors associated with underimmunization at 3 months of age in four medically underserved areas. Public Health Reports, 119, 479-485.

Bartlett, D. L., Washington, M. L., Bryant, A., Thurston, N., & Perfili, C. A. (2007). Cost savings associated with using IIS for vaccines for children administrative tasks. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 13(6), 559-566.

Brenner, R. A., Simons-Morton, B. G., Bhasker, B., Das, A., & Clemens, J. D. (2001). Initiative immunization working group. Prevalence and predictors of immunizations among inner-city infants: A birth cohort study. Pediatrics, 108(3), 661-670.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015) Chen, R. T., & Hibbs, B. (1998). Vaccine safety: Current and future challenges. Pediatric Annals,

27(7), 445-454.Cortese, M. M., Diaz, P. S., Samala, U., Mennone, J. Z., Mihalek, E. F., Matuck, M. J. et al. (2004).

Underimmunization in Chicago children who dropped out of WIC. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 26(1), 29-33.

Dombkowski, K. J., Lantz, P. M., & Freed, G. L. (2004). Risk factors for delay in age-appropriate vaccination. Public Health Reports, 119, 144-155.

Hinman, A. R., Urquhart, G. A., & Strikas, R. A. (2007). Immunization information systems: National Vaccine Advisory Committee progress report. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 13(6), 553-558.

Immunization Coverage Report (2014) Retrieved May 28, 2015 from http://www.immunize-utah.org/pdf/2014ImmCovRpt/2014ImmunizationCoverageReport.pdf

Kimmel, S. R., Burns, I. T., Wolfe, R. M., & Zimmerman, R. K. (2007). Addressing immunization barriers, benefits, and risks. The Journal of Family Practice, 56(2), S61-S69.

Luman, E. T., McCauley, M. M., Shefer, A., & Chu, S. (2003). Maternal characteristics associated with vaccination of young children. Pediatrics, 111(5), 1215-1218.

National Vaccine Information Center (2015) State Law and Vaccine Requirements. Retrieved May 15, 2015 from http://www.nvic.org/vaccine-laws/state-vaccine-requirements.aspx

Offit, P. A., Quarles, J., Gerber, M. A., Hackett, C. J., Marcuse, E. K., Kollman, T. R. et al. (2002). Addressing parents’ concerns: Do multiple vaccines overwhelm or weaken the infant’s immune system? Pediatrics, 109(1), 124-128.

Reading, R., Surridge, H., & Adamson, R. (2004). Infant immunization and family size. Journal of Public Health, 26(4), 369-371.

Schulthies, S. K., & Yoneoka, Y. (2007). Birth order and other sociodemographic factors influencing immunization status of children in Utah: Immunization coverage report. Salt Lake City, UT: Utah Department of Health.

In Short: The Nurse Needs To:

* Be familiar with the vaccines needed by each age group and use every patient encounter as an opportunity to promote vaccines.

* Instruct patients on the importance of completing the vaccine series in situations where individuals need additional booster doses of a vaccine.

* Be aware that in most studies, the second or greater child within a family was less likely to be adequately immunized by the age of 2 years than the first child in the family.

* Ensure that all immunization providers enter accurate and timely vaccine information into the USIIS program to improve the efficacy of this vaccine registry in providing an accurate record of each individual’s vaccine status.

* Consistently use a universal vaccine record that could be utilized by both families and health-care providers to reduce missed opportunities

* Review the immunization record at each health-care encounter in order to identify needed vaccines that could be administered at that time

* Reinforce the recommended intervals for patients to receive vaccines and to implement systems to remind families to follow through.

* Develop educational opportunities in the health-care provider’s office to provide information regarding the benefits and risks associated with recommended vaccines.

Immunization Rates continued from page 5

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Reprinted from The American Nurse

Proposed federal dietary guidelines are calling for Americans to limit their consumption of added sugars, like those found in cookies, soft drinks and pastries, to 10 percent of their total daily caloric intake. The guidelines also lift, for most Americans, a restriction on their intake of dietary cholesterol in foods like eggs and shrimp.

Given changing recommendations and often conflicting research, it’s not surprising that some nurses and patients might be confused about what to eat and what not to eat. That said, most nurses know that heavy helpings of certain foods are a recipe for chronic conditions: obesity, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease, for example.

So what can nurses do to ensure that they remain or get healthy themselves, and be healthy role models and trusted advisers to their patients?

Nurses are people tooIn general, one-third of people in the United States

are overweight, and another one-third are obese, said Deborah Greenwood, PhD, RN, BC-ADM, CDE, FAADE, president of the American Association of Diabetes Educators, an organizational affiliate of the American Nurses Association. About 86 million have prediabetes.

Looking at the nurse population, the percentage of RNs who are obese or overweight is at least on par with the general public, which also puts them at greater risk for prediabetes or diabetes, she said.

RNs’ work environment is one major factor that contributes to their less than ideal health status.

“Shiftwork is the greatest culprit,” said Jane Nelson Worel, MS, ANP-BC, APNP, FPCNA, FAHA, a board member of the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association, an ANA organizational affiliate, and practitioner at Phases Primary Health Care for Women in Madison, WI. “It’s also hard to follow a healthy diet when you’re rotating shifts. Your eating patterns get in disarray, and you tend to grab high-sugar, high-fat snacks to stay awake and alert. And when your sleep is disturbed, you feel tired and not up for exercising.”

Then there is the stress of the job. Research has shown that stress hormones provoke people to want to eat – and often overeat – foods that have more sugar, fat or both. Research also has shown that working night shifts and rotating shifts can lead to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, gastrointestinal problems and metabolic syndrome, among other ill effects.

On the road to better healthNelson Worel sees the proposed federal guidelines

that call for limiting the intake of added sugars as a way to help everyone, including nurses, eat more wisely and become healthier.

“Fruit juices and fruit drinks are loaded with sugar and [are] high in calories, and some coffee drinks can have the equivalent of 10 [or more] teaspoons of sugar in one serving,” said Nelson Worel, whose primary care patients include nurses. Also, many people might think that choosing a low-fat snack is a good choice, but manufacturers replaced fat with sugar to survive the low-fat movement of the 1980s and 1990s.

As the program coordinator for Sutter Health Integrated Diabetes Education Network in Sacramento,

CA, Greenwood knows that reducing added sugars is important. But it’s only one component of good nutrition.

“In our diabetes prevention programs, we encourage people to focus on foods that are low in calories, low in refined sugars and low in saturated fat,” Greenwood said. “But really aiming for these goals is something everybody can benefit from.

“We also encourage people who are overweight or obese who are in these programs to reduce their weight by 5 to 7 percent and engage in 150 minutes a week of physical activity,” she said. “And because we individualize our plans, we can help people identify realistic goals that are attainable so they will be successful.”

Many hospitals have educational programs that can help nurses and other employees get healthier and reduce their risk for diabetes, and many of them are covered to varying degrees by insurance, Greenwood added.

Greenwood and Nelson Worel also offer other effective strategies to eat healthy and get healthy:

• Partner with someone who can help you stayaccountable — either a diabetes educator, a family member, a co-worker or a friend.

• Track daily food intake by either writing it downor by using a mobile app, which also can calculate total calories consumed and burned through physical activity.

• Bringyourownmealsandsnackstowork.• Advocate for 24/7 access to healthier choices in

employee cafeterias and in vending machines.

Additionally, Nelson Worel said, “Nurses need adequate break times, so they can go for a walk and get away from the stress.”

She also recommends that nurses seek out only reputable websites, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, for information on healthy eating, disease prevention and weight management — for their own use or to guide their patients.

“As for all the confusing messages, I’d encourage nurses to look at research critically,” she said. “Food studies often are population-based, not double-blind control studies.”

Finally, Greenwood believes it’s critical for nurses to be good role models for their patients and colleagues by eating right. Said Greenwood, “If you are eating right and

engaging in other healthy behaviors, you can bring people along with you [and everyone will be healthier].”

— Susan Trossman is the senior reporter for The American Nurse.

ResourcesANA’s HealthyNurse™ and Health Risk Assessment: www.

nursingworld.org/healthynursePreventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association’s heart healthy

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diabeteseducator.orgU.S. Department of Agriculture dietary guidelines and

MyPlate (replaced food pyramid): www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietaryguidelines

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov/healthyweight

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Reprinted from The American Nurse

U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and U.S. Reps. Lois Capps (D-CA) and David Joyce (R-OH) introduced on April 29 federal legislation that would require Medicare-participating hospitals to establish RN staffing plans using a committee, comprised of a majority of direct care nurses, to ensure patient safety, reduce readmissions and improve nurse retention.

Endorsed by the American Nurses Association, the “Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act” (H.R. 2083/ S. 1132) presents a balanced approach to ensure adequate RN staffing by recognizing that direct care nurses, working closely with managers, are best equipped to determine the staffing level for their patients. Without the necessary nurse coverage, patients risk longer hospital stays, increased infections, avoidable medication errors, falls, injuries and even death.

The sponsors of the bill chair the Congressional Nursing Caucus — Merkley in the Senate, and Capps and Joyce jointly in the House. The Nursing Caucus educates lawmakers on issues significant to the profession

Federal Legislation to Protect Patients, Nurses

It also includes these patient protection, reporting, investigation and enforcement provisions:

• RNswouldnotbeforcedtoworkinunitswheretheyare not trained or experienced without orientation.

• Procedures for receiving and investigatingcomplaints.

• PotentialforcivilmonetarypenaltiesimposedbytheSecretary of Health and Human Services for each known violation.

• Whistleblowerprotections.

• Publicreportingofstaffinginformation.

To learn more about and advocate for important nurse legislation, go to www.rnaction.org.

and patients, and the impact of nurses on the health care system.

“Optimal nurse staffing could mean the difference between a patient surviving or dying,” said ANA President Pamela F. Cipriano, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN. “Research tells us it’s that crucial. If you or your loved one were in the hospital, you’d want to be certain that the hospital was continually setting, evaluating and adjusting its nursing coverage to meet your changing needs and the conditions of all patients. That is what this legislation seeks to ensure.”

Research has shown that higher staffing levels by experienced RNs are linked to lower rates of patient falls, infections, medication errors and even death. One study showed the likelihood of overall patient mortality (in-hospital death) and mortality following a complication increases by 7 percent for each additional patient added to the average RN workload.

When unanticipated events happen in a hospital resulting in patient death, injury or permanent loss of function, inadequate nurse staffing is often cited as a contributing factor.In setting staffing plans, the legislation considers:

• RN educational preparation, professionalcertification and level of clinical experience.

• The number and capacity of available healthcare personnel, geography of a unit and available technology.

• Intensity,complexityandstabilityofpatients.

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GRC Committee NewsKathleen Kaufman, MS, RN, GRC Chair

We are now in the Interim Session of the Utah Legislature. During the Interim, legislators study and debate various topics that they may eventually act on as proposed bills during the General Session. The General Session occurs in January through mid-March in Utah. This Interim Session is the time in which YOU can most productively impact the education and reflection of the legislators. Now is the time to contact them about your concerns. Interim committee meetings usually occur on the third Wednesday of each month. You can go to the Internet at le.utah.gov to find the calendar and the agenda that is usually posted a day or two before the meeting. These meetings are open to the public and very interesting and educational. You are welcome to attend with me.

While much housekeeping and certain bills already in the pipeline will be discussed, this year the legislators on the Health and Human Services Committee will focus on four main areas of study which are outlined below. Two meetings of the Interim have already occurred. The May meeting introduced the four areas of study and did necessary housekeeping for the committee.

The June meeting on the 17th focused on presentations and testimony concerning the expansion of the Medicaid Preferred Drug List or PDL. The discussion is about whether to add more psychotropic drugs to the list. There are nine categories or classes of psych drugs and the class of sedatives was added to the PDL a few years ago without apparent problems.

There are many fears and concerns about adding more psych drugs for fear that this will disrupt current therapy or slow down initiation of new therapy for Medicaid patients. The argument for adding the drugs is

that Utah Department of Health can negotiate for lower prices for these very expensive prescription drugs. This “elephant in the room” was not dwelt on but it definitely was there. Several legislators want to be sure that any savings realized from an expanded PDL be routed only into the mental health care community, which is sorely underfunded. The outcome of the interim discussion at this point seems to indicate that committee members are willing to pursue the discussion. The topic of the Interim in July and August will be the legalization of medical marijuana.

2015 Legislative Priorities for Utah Interim Session

1. Expansion of the Medicaid Preferred Drug Lista. Proposal to study whether to authorize the

Department of Health to include all psychotropic and anti-psychotic drugs on the Medicaid program’s preferred drug list. (H.B. 156)

b. Benefit of this would be to allow DOH to solicit bids on best prices for the drugs, this cannot be done now due to their NON-presence on this preferred drug list. There is much anxiety pro and con this issue.

2. Medical Liabilitya. To study whether a health care provider should only

be responsible to the spouse, parent, or child of a patient for providing or failing to provide health care. (H.B. 405)

b. This proposal has support of UMA who wants to include all health care providers in this protection from liability and UMA has already reached out to UNA about collaborating on this bill. The bill

would still allow family to hold providers liable for care given.

3. Medical Marijuana a. To study whether to permit the possession, use, and

growing of medical cannabis (S.B. 259)b. Fairly self-explanatory – possibly has arisen now

due to the legalization of experimental CBD use for refractive seizures in epileptic patients which was passed last year.

4. Care for the Elderlya. Looking at caregiver support-to study how to

support individuals and agencies who provide or facilitate care for the elderly.

b. Also looking at continuous care facilities and studying how to regulate the industry. (H.B. 436)

c. Considering the Homecare Cottage as a possible option for long-term care for senior citizens.

(Compiled by Kathleen Kaufman based on first Interim Session meeting of the HHS Committee: 5-20-15)

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Continuing Education - Patients Deserve Nothing Less

Robin Schaeffer, MSN, RN, CAEMultistate Division Leader,

Western Multi-State Division

Health care is evolving quickly. During my 37 years as a nurse, I’ve seen our field change in ways I couldn’t have imagined. Technology, protocols, specialization and much more – nurses today have greater challenges than ever before when it comes to staying current.

That’s why Continuing Education (CE) is so important. The American Nurses Association has defined CE as “learning activities designed to augment the knowledge, skill and attitudes of nurses and therefore enrich the nurses’ contributions to quality healthcare.”1 CE is a simple and effective way to keep current and acquire additional skills and knowledge that are essential to our everyday practice of nursing.

Organizations that sponsor CE benefit by demonstrating to the public, to nursing professionals and to state licensing boards the organization’s commitment to high standards of performance and a well trained workforce. Ultimately, patients benefit most of all when nurses take it upon themselves to keep up-to-date with the latest in the nursing profession.

Nurse educators and trainers work hard to develop meaningful, needs based programs that merit approval to award continuing education credits.

Nurses who attend CE programs recognize their professional commitment to lifelong learning as well as fulfill their criteria for certification and re-certification in their specialty field of practice.

In 2014 the nurses associations of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho and Utah formed a nursing collaborative known as the Western Multi-State Division (WMSD). As an ANCC Accredited Approver of CE, the WMSD works across state lines to support nurses, educators, organizations and institutions acquire CE credits for their educational programs.

Ready to get started? Taking the next step is easy. Visit www.utnurse.org/Education to determine if your program is eligible for CE.

Nursing professionals are in high demand. Nurture your craft and stay ahead of the curve when it comes to the latest innovations in health care. Our patients deserve nothing less.

1. References available upon request.

Learn how to apply at www.utnurse.org/Education


IN MEMORIAMFrances Tierney Albrycht passed away on March 20,

2015. Fran graduated from Saint Francis Hospital School of Nursing in 1961 and spent many years as an emergency room nurse at Holy Cross Hospital. She was one of the original emergency room nurses at Jordan Valley Hospital. In her spare time she enjoyed being a Life Flight nurse and camp nurse.

Christine Kallmeyer passed away on February 26, 2015. She worked for many years as a nurse and administrator at Brigham City Community Hospital.

Lorraine Klemm passed away April 9, 2015. She graduated St. Marks School of Nursing. She worked at various Salt Lake City and Bountiful hospitals, later working as an office nurse for doctors Guyman and Clarke in Bountiful.

Urla Jean Lloyd Maxfield passed away March 22, 2015. She earned both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree in nursing from the University of Utah. After filling a number of public health and hospital nursing and administrative positions she completed her career with 22 years of service in the Bureau of Policy and Planning, Division of Medicaid Financing for the State of Utah, doing work she loved.

H. Marie McKee passed away April 24, 2015. She graduated from St. Benedicts Hospital School of Nursing in 1964. She began her nursing career at Dunn Nursing Home in Ogden. In 1967, and for the next 25 years, she worked for Hercules Aerospace (now Alliant Tech) as the Plant Supervisor and Occupational Health Nurse overseeing two medical clinics and hundreds of personnel. She also worked at St. Benedict’s Hospital as a part-time Charge Nurse in the Behavioral Health Unit. She then worked for Holy Cross Hospital, Genex Services, and Columbia Brigham City Hospital. While maintaining full time employment, she also held a second job for many years as a Field Nurse for the U. S. Department of Labor. She was a very accomplished woman and held many certifications. She was one of only a handful of Certified Occupational Health Nurses in the State. She also was a National E.M.T. Instructor, Certified in Spirometry and Audiometric, State Certified Intoxilizer Technician, and OWCP R.N. Certified.

Rochelle Mulder passed away March 11, 2015. Shelley received her LPN degree from Grand Rapids Junior College and worked in pediatric and geriatric nursing. She also directed a respite care program in Salt Lake City serving hundreds of individuals with intellectual disabilities in their homes for 12 years.

Doris Jenkins Pike was celebrated recently. Doris was a caring and dedicated nurse and a professor of nursing at the University of Utah.

Ellen Susanne Taylor passed away March 25, 2015. Ellen earned a Nursing Certificate from Weber State College and then earned a Baccalaureate Degree in nursing, summa cum laude, from Westminster College. Her nursing career was diverse, including positions at LDS Hospital, IHC, Huntsman Cancer Institute, Utah Cancer Specialists, Bayer Diagnostics (Convergys), and Sutter Physician Services.

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by Kathleen Kaufman MS, RN

(When the poor of France complained they had no bread to eat, Marie Antoinette told them to eat cake instead…are we prepared to do something similar regarding healthcare in Utah in 2015?)

Well…What is going on with expanding access to care for uninsured Utah citizens? By the time you read this, the “Committee of Six” should have made a recommendation to present to a special session of the Utah Legislature regarding their best ideas on how to use available Federal funds to increase access to health care for the poor of Utah. Their self-imposed deadline of July 31st has passed.

As I write this in mid-June, there is no news and the latest word is that public input will be of “no value” to the Committee of Six who is now wrestling with this problem. Well, this is a representative democracy and while the six men who are making these decisions may not value input from nurses, doctors, clergy, and the poor themselves, and we must somehow make them aware that this is not a dead or dormant need — that we are tired of casually throwing away millions of tax dollars that could be used to treat impoverished adult patients here in Utah.

By delaying two years we already have lost hundreds of millions of dollars that could have provided much treatment…and could have funded quite a few taxpayers’ jobs as well. (We are talking about healthcare for 72,000 adult human beings – enough to fill both Rice-Eccles Stadium at the U of U AND Merlin Olsen Field at the Maverik Stadium at USU. THINK about the number of people we are talking about....it’s big.)

The Special Session of the Legislature could be called with as little as 48 hours public notice. We need to be ready to act, in fact we can act now by contacting our legislators once again to give them our measured opinion. They could conceivably put pressure on Speaker of the House Greg Hughes, Representative Jim Dunnigan, and Senate President Niederhauser to do the right thing. Only people (such as many Utah legislators) who have guaranteed life-long good quality health care insurance can be callous enough to say, “Let’s not do anything.... We don’t have the time to deal appropriately with this problem.” This was the message during last year’s Interim when legislators were asked to deal with the problem. Do not let your legislator off the hook. If he or she has ten years in the legislature, they qualify for lifelong health insurance. Surely those in such an enviable position could try to remember (or imagine) what it was like to not be sure if their next job would have health insurance.

WHEN the Special Session is announced, it will be posted on the legislature’s website (www.le.utah.gov), the Utah Nurses Association’s website, the Cover the Gap Website (http://coverthegap.org/), and at the Utah Health Policy Project’s website (www.uhhp.org). BE READY TO ACT when the Session is called. If you are passionate about this issue, try to get the day(s) of the special session off from work and show up in a white top to sit in the Gallery. This will give a visual notice to the legislators of who is there to support a bill much like Healthy Utah. If you cannot get off work, send emails to both your state representative and your state senator – Better yet, call them NOW! Possible date of the Special Session might be as early as August 19th, the next Interim committee meeting day. Wear white and write!

Do you need some ideas of what to say? The coalition of many Utah organizations who support a Healthy Utah-type plan has come up with four principles that really address the heart of the issue on a policy level. Review these for some ideas:

Principle #1: Respect the Taxpayer. Return the maximum amount ($680 million/year) of Utah taxpayer dollars to strengthen healthcare access for Utah families.

Principle #2: Consider a Private Market Solution. Create choice and accountability with multiple coverage options which include private insurance, employer-based insurance, and Medicaid.

Principle #3: Close 100% of Utah’s Coverage Gap and Qualify for Enhanced Federal Funding. Extend eligibility to a level that qualifies for the maximum enhanced federal contributions and advance coverage plans with affordable and comprehensive health insurance which is accepted by all Utah providers, hospitals, and specialists.

Principle #4: Promote Personal Empowerment. Promote resources for beneficiaries to improve their employment status and to use the new health coverage to improve their overall health outcomes. (Retrieved from www.utahhealthpolicyproject.org on June 21, 2015) See the Utah Health Policy Project website for a more detailed discussion of these principles.

If YOU teach nursing students over the summer, or even in the fall, this is an issue that could be impacted by student advocacy efforts.

Medicaid Update:Do We Tell the Poor to “Eat Cake”

When it Comes to Healthcare Access?

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When Ronda was 12 years of age her mother died from a preventable death. Even though death is imminent at some time in all of our lives, losing a loved one at such a young age left an impression that motivated her to want to help prevent such tragedies when possible. It was this life event that propelled her into choosing Nursing as a career.

During nursing school at Weber State College it wasn’t until her Pediatric rotation that she found her niche and then she decided to get a bachelor’s degree in Child Development at the same time. Ronda then obtained her graduate degree as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at the University of California, San Francisco and returned to Utah to help develop the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program at the University of Utah. Ronda has always worked in Pediatrics since graduating with her RN degree through to her Doctorate of Nursing Practice.

Ronda has felt that her career choice as a Nurse has provided her with many opportunities to provide service. Professionally as a nurse practitioner she has been able to serve diverse populations not only abroad in three different countries but also locally.

Abroad Ronda has been on 4 medical missions to Ghana, Kenya and China. Locally she is the primary health care provider for many refugee patients in her private practice. Due to this work she saw a necessity to expand her volunteerism because of witnessing the great

Ronda Miller-Ernest

2015 Dare to Care Award Goes to Ronda Miller-Ernest, DNP, APRN,

PNP-BCneeds of so many people. So along with her 19 year old daughter who had been serving at her side since age 11 they began their own nonprofit 501(c) (3) Education for Generations in 2011. Education for Generations purpose is to promote health and education for underprivileged children, which provides them with opportunities to excel, so they can help their communities as well as their future generations. The organization also promotes volunteerism locally and abroad to increase awareness about helping others in need.

Education for Generations has built a school in rural Kenya, which currently has 300 students with a curriculum that focuses on empowerment and giving children the skills they need to be able to live well rounded successful lives. Self sustainability if one of the main goals for this school, therefore there is a garden to help with food, 3 cows for milking and a water well that not only provides for the needs of the school but is being sold to the surrounding community. Ronda feels education is critical to lift oneself out of poverty and be able to act independently without the constraints of reliance on others.

Education for Generations also provides needed household items to many refugee families who are relocated to Utah, as well as necessary funds for refugee children to participate in extracurricular learning. Ronda believes that by educating this generation of refugees their future generations will be a strong and contributing asset to the State of Utah.

Dr. Miller-Ernest received the award at the 21st Annual Honors for Nursing event on Monday, May 12, 2015. Congratulations Dr. Miller-Ernest.

Article reprinted from University of Utah’s College of Nursing website with permission. Original article at http://nursing.utah.edu/alumni/dare-to-care-award/2015.php.


Are you interested in advocating for nurses in Utah? Want to get involved but are not sure how? Here is your opportunity!!

The Utah Nurses Association is seeking to fill three board positions with elections held in October. We are seeking a diverse candidate pool for the offices of President-Elect, 2nd Vice President, and Secretary. This is a great opportunity to serve the nursing profession, and have your voice heard. Elected Officers will serve a two-year term, except for the President-Elect who will serve three years, one year as President-Elect, and two years as President beginning in January 2016, attend all meetings unless excused. You must be a member of UNA/ANA in order to apply for these positions. Summaries of the Office responsibilities are listed below. More information and applications are available by contacting Lisa Trim, Office Manager of the Utah Nurses Association at 801 272-4150. The deadline for nominees to submit their applications will be August 3, 2015.

PRESIDENT-ELECT1. Shall be a member of the House of Delegates and the

Board of Directors, and shall attend all scheduled meetings.

2. Shall automatically succeed the President in the event that the President is unable to fulfill the elected term of office.

3. Shall serve as a resource person to the Conference Committees

4. Shall accept assignment from the President5. Shall serve as a liaison to the Nominating

Committee

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Utah Nurses Association Seeks Board Members

SECOND VICE PRESIDENT1. Shall be a member of the House of Delegates and the


2. Editor of the Utah Nurse quarterly paper unless another editor is appointed.

3. Shall accept assignment from the President.4. Shall serve as a liaison to the Utah Nurses

Foundation.5. Shall serve as a liaison to the Membership

Committee.

SECRETARY1. Shall be a member of the House of Delegates and the


2. Shall assure the minutes are taken at each meeting and distributed to all members of the House of Delegates and Board of Directors. Review minutes prior to distribution.

3. Shall maintain the office record of term of office for officers and committee chairs of the organization. This shall be recorded annually in the Board of Directors minutes.

4. Shall accept assignment from the President.5. Shall serve as a liaison to the Nominating

Committee.

ANA/Membership Assembly DelegatesRepresent UNA at the annual ANA membership

Assembly in Washington DC.

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Nursing Grant-in-Aid ScholarshipsUtah Nurses Foundation – Guidelines

The guidelines listed below shall be followed to assist in ensuring the best possible coordination of efforts in receiving and processing nursing student requests for scholarships. Scholarships will be awarded for tuition and books only.

SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION• ScholarshipsmustbepostmarkedbyJune1orOctober1ofeachcalendaryeartobe

considered.• ApplicantswillreceivenoticeoftheBoard’srecommendationsbyJuly15andOctober15

of each calendar year. • Recipientsareonlyeligibletoreceivescholarshipstwice.• Applicantsmustabidebythecriterialistedbelow.

GENERAL SCHOLARSHIP CRITERIA The applicant must:• Haveacumulativegradepointaverage,whichisequivalent toa3.0orhigherona4.0

scale. • BeaUnitedStatescitizenandaresidentofUtah.• Havecompletedaminimumofonesemesterofcorenursingcoursespriortoapplication.• Ifastudentinundergraduatenursingprograms,beinvolvedintheschool’schapterofthe

National Student Nurses Association. • If a registered nurse completing a Baccalaureate Degree or an Advanced Nursing

Degree, be a member of Utah Nurses Association (state only) or a member of Utah Nurses Association/American Nurses Association.

• Submitapersonalnarrativedescribinghis/heranticipatedroleinnursinginthestateofUtah, which will be evaluated by the Scholarship Committee.

• Submitthreeoriginallettersofrecommendation.Letterssubmittedfromfacultyadvisorand employer must be originals addressed to the Utah Nurses Foundation Scholarship Committee.

• Beenrolledinsixcredithoursormorepersemestertobeconsidered.Preferencewillbegiven to applicants engaged in full-time study.

• Demonstrate a financial need. All of the applicant’s resources for financial aid(scholarships, loans, wages, gifts, etc.) must be clearly and correctly listed (and include dollar amounts and duration of each source of aid) on the application

• TheScholarshipCommitteeshallconsiderthefollowingprioritiesinmakingscholarshiprecommendations to the Board of Trustees¡ RNs pursuing BSN ¡Graduate and postgraduate nursing study ¡Formal nursing programs - advanced practice nurses ¡Students enrolled in undergraduate nursing programs

• TheApplicantisrequiredtosubmitthefollowingwiththecompletedapplicationform:• Copyofcurrentofficialtranscriptofgrades(nogradereports).• Threelettersofrecommendation.¡One must be from a faculty advisor and ¡One must be from an employer. (If the applicant has been unemployed for greater

than 1 year, one must be from someone who can address the applicant’s work ethic, either through volunteer service or some other form.)

¡At least one should reflect applicant’s commitment to nursing. ¡All must be in original form and must be ¡Signed and addressed to the UNF scholarship committee.

• NarrativestatementdescribingyouranticipatedroleinnursinginUtah,uponcompletionof the nursing program.

• Letterfromtheschoolverifyingtheapplicant’sacceptanceinthenursingprogram.• CopyofIDfromNationalStudentNursesAssociationorUtahNursesAssociationwith

membership number.

AGREEMENTIn the event of a scholarship award, the nursing student agrees to work for a Utah Health

Care Facility or Utah Educational Institution as a full-time employee for a period of one year, or part-time for a period of two years.

Student recipient agrees to join the Utah Nurses Association within 6 months of graduation at the advertised reduced rate.

If for any reason the educational program and/or work in Utah is not completed, the scholarship monies will be reimbursed to the Utah Nurses Foundation by the nursing student.

NURSING GRANT-IN-AID SCHOLARSHIPS

Application

Date: Name:

Present Address:

Street City State Zip

Permanent Address:

Street City State Zip

Telephone Number:

Home Work

Please indicate school of nursing to which you would apply a UNF scholarship.

Starting Date: Expected Graduation Date:

Current and previous nursing experience (if applicable) - Attach Resume

Where did you obtain your information about UNF and its scholarship program?

Reason for scholarship need. Description of scholarship amounts requested (itemize tuition and books for each quarter or semester as well as financial support available). Please use this format and attach to application.

Semester Expense Description Amount Requested Financial Support Available

$ $

Estimated total for academic year: $ $

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Formoreinformationonavailablepositionsandtoapply,visitwww.phs.org/careersorcontactournurserecruitersat(505)923-5239.

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With more than 80,000 RNs, APNs, LPNs/LVNs and nursing assistants, VA is the Nation’s largest employer of nurses. Join us in serving those who have unselfishly served our country.

At VA, you’ll be given the tools and training you need to provide our Veterans with the best care possible. You will have the chance to participate in research initiatives focused on enhancing health and preventing disease among our Nation’s heroes. And, you’ll be able to further your career through our various nursing leadership and clinical development programs.

What’s more, you will have the freedom to practice at any one of the over 1,400 VA medical facilities throughout the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and other U.S. territories—with only one active state license.

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VA nurses earn a competitive salary, plus many other benefits:• Generous annual and sick leave accrual • Shift/Weekend Differentials • Pension and Matching Funds for TSP (similar to 401k)• 10 Paid Federal Holidays a year• Health, Dental and Eye Benefits

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