Health Care Without Harm:
The Campaign for Environmentally Responsible Health Care 2005 Nurse Mini Grant
12/23/04
Health Care Without Harm is making available "mini grants" ranging from $500 to $5,000. These small grants are meant to provide initial funding for organizing new initiatives resulting from the Beldon funded March 2004 Commonweal meeting of nurses and environmentalists. The award will be for one year. Application Deadline: January 10, 2005. Guidelines and Application info [PDF file]
The ANA Christmas Carol
12/22/04
ANA sends best holiday wishes to all its members and other friends of nursing.
Sing Along Now
ANA Staffer Pens Article on Preventing Needlestick Injuries Among Healthcare Workers
12/21/04
The new special issue of the International Journal of Occupational &
Environmental Health contains an article entitled "Preventing Needlestick Injuries Among Healthcare Workers" by Susan Wilburn, BSN, MPH and Gerry Eljkemans, MD. Ms. Wilburn is a Senior Specialist for Occupational & Environmental Health at ANA and is on loan to the International Council of Nurses (ICN) to manage the WHO/ICN Needlestick Prevention Project. Read the article [PDF file]
Holiday Greetings from ANA's President
12/20/04
ANA President Barbara A. Blakeney extends greeting to NursingWorld visitors.
Read the message
Nurses Call for Action Aimed at Safer Needles
12/17/04
Speaking out on International AIDS Day, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) and the Standing Committee of Nurses in the EU (PCN) are calling for immediate EU action to provide safer needles in order to protect EU healthcare workers from the threat of HIV/AIDS and other blood-borne diseases. It is estimated that healthcare workers in Europe suffer one million needle stick injuries each year, of which 40% relate to nurses. When a health worker suffers an injury from a contaminated 'sharp', there is a risk of infection of hepatitis B for 1 in 3 workers, 1 in 30 health workers are at risk for hepatitis C and 1 in 300 for HIV.
To read press release, please go to http://www.icn.ch/PR15_04.htm.
The Spirit of Caring, Sharing & Giving
12/16/04
The American Nurses Foundation (ANF) thanks everyone who made contributions in 2004 that support ANF's programs of research and education that advance the nursing profession and promote the public health.
As the year ends, and ANF looks toward its 50th Anniversary - Advancing Nursing's Future, we are pleased to offer a variety of giving options including Online Giving, Vehicle Donations, BuyForCharity.com, Caring & Sharing Partnership, Matching Gifts, Pledges and more. Visit our Web site at www.ANFonline.org, and remember donations are tax-deductible. Contact ANF with questions about programs, giving options and special thank you gifts. Thank you from ANF -- your Foundation!
Stay tuned for 50th Anniversary celebration announcements
Securing nursing's legacy...Supporting nursing's future
Go to the ANF Web site
KaBloom Wants to Spread Good Cheer With Great Holiday
Savings
12/15/04
Christmas Bouquet - $32.99 (was $44.99)
The perfect bouquet for Christmas. A joyful gathering of 12 Red Roses and 10
long lasting White Alstroemeria. There are over 30 stems in this specially designed bouquet. SAVE $12! Order now
Call for Applications for CDC Health Policy Fellowship Notice - Deadline January 10, 2005
12/15/04
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCSH) and AcademyHealth request applications for the 2005 Health Policy Fellowship. This program brings visiting scholars in health services research-related disciplines to NCHS to collaborate on studies of interest to policymakers and the health services research community using NCHS data systems.
Applicants may be at any stage in their career from doctoral students (who must have completed course work and be at the dissertation phase of their program) to senior investigators. For further information and a copy of the Call for Applications which describes the application requirments, e-mail AcademyHealth at nchs@academyhealth.org
American Journal of Nursing and Gerontological Society Team Up to Improve Health Care Delivery to Seniors
12/14/04
The American Journal of Nursing (AJN) and the Gerontological Association of America (GSA) have formed an alliance to improve the quality of care given to the nation's older adults. A three-year project called "A New Look at the Old" will promote best practices and deliver the latest research information on caring for seniors to nurses and other health care professionals.
Thanks to two grants from The Atlantic Philanthropies (USA) Inc., totaling $700,000, the program includes a bimonthly series of nursing care of older adults to be published in AJN. The series will produce 15 evidence-based articles and columns, all of which, along with links to other resources and an ongoing online forum in care of older adults, can be accessed at www.NursingCenter.com/AJNolderadults. The grants also provide funding for PRIMEDIA Workplace Learning to produce broadcasts and other multimedia materials for facilities that provide care for older adults.
"A New Look at the Old" supports the Nurse Competence in Aging (NCA) initiative, which is funded by Atlantic Philanthropies and awarded to the American Nurses Association (ANA) through the American Nurses Foundation (ANF). NCA represents a strategic alliance among ANA, the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the John A. Hartford Foundation Institute for Geriatric Nursing, New York University, The Steinhardt School of Education, Division of Nursing.
American Nurses Foundation Promotes Stress - Free Holiday Shopping
12/13/04
Want to avoid the holiday crowds, the lines, traffic, tired feet? ANF says you can! All from the comfort of your computer. AND, support ANF's programs of research and education that advance the nursing profession and promote the public health.
Visit Buyforcharity.com today, register FREE, designate the American Nurses Foundation, then shop, shop, and shop some more...splurge on yourself! BuyForCharity.com gives you the opportunity to make online purchases from popular retailers with up to 35% of each purchase benefiting the American Nurses Foundation (ANF). When you shop BuyForCharity.com and designate the American Nurses Foundation, stores will send proceeds to ANF! Get your holiday shopping underway today by visiting Buyforcharity.com. ANF thanks you for your support! Questions, contact Holly Blackledge,
301-628-5228.
Visit BuyForCharity.com Now
ANF's 50th Anniversary - Celebrate with us in 2005!
Securing nursing's legacy...supporting nursing's future
2nd Advanced Training Institute in Health Behavior Theory - Applications Due by February 1, 2005
12/10/04
The National Cancer Institute will sponsor an intensive, 7-day workshop for early career investigators June 19-26, 2005 in Madison, Wisconsin. The objectives of the institute are to allow 25 attendees to extend their understanding of the assumptions underlying major types of health behavior theory, to explore how theories are tested and improved, and to examine how to use theories appropriately in designing interventions. Lead instructors include researchers Neil Weinstein, Rutgers University, Alex Rothman, University of Minnesota, Susan Curry, University of Illinois at Chicago, and Barbara Curbow, Johns Hopkins University.
Applicants from all disciplines are welcome to apply--eight different
disciplines were represented at the workshop held in 2004--and interest in
cancer is not required. You must have received a doctoral degree by the
beginning of the course and have completed at least one graduate level
course in the behavioral sciences and one graduate level course in
statistics. Participants must be U.S. citizens. There will be a $400
registration fee to participate in the institute. Travel, meals, and
lodging will be provided. More information and an application are available at www.scgcorp.com/ati2005.
New Online Continuing Education Independent Study Module Explores Nursing’s Agenda for the Future
12/09/04
Nursing faces yet another divergence between demand and supply that is evidenced in insufficient nurse staffing with significant implications for patient safety. Many believe this shortage of registered nurses is entrenched in long-standing problems related to the value and image of nursing and the limited role nursing has had in identifying priorities within health care delivery systems. Nursing’s Agenda for the Future is a plan which was created by broad representation of general nursing and nursing specialty organizations. This independent study module reviews the activities leading up to the development of this plan, presents the key areas of concern addressed in this plan, describes what has been accomplished since the publication of this plan in 2002 and outlines the work that lies ahead to bring to fruition the objectives which this collaborative plan/agenda has established. FREE for only a short time!
Go to the Online CE Catalog
Nurses Top List in Honesty and Ethics Again in Gallup Poll
12/09/04
The Gallup Organization's annual poll on professional honesty and ethical standards ranked nurses number one. Nurses have topped the list every year, except one, since they were added to the survey in 1999.
In the yearly poll of more than 1,000 adults, 79 percent of those surveyed rated the honesty and ethical standards of nurses "very high" or "high." Grade school teachers came in second (73 percent), followed by pharmacists (72 percent) and military officers (72 percent).
In general, the latest poll shows Americans continue to give high ratings to professionals in public service and public protection, including members of the healthcare professions.
Save $5.00 on ANA's Foundation of Nursing Package thru December 31
12/08/04
Need to order multiple copies of the Foundation package for staff members, educational courses or in preparation for an upcoming ANCC Certification exam? Now is the time to place your order and receive significant savings on this outstanding package. The special price during this special promotion is List $39.95/ANA Members $30.95. Use code 03FNDNHL to receive $5.00 savings. ANA Members must provide membership ID number to get the additional $5.00 off the original member price. This offer is not valid with any other discounts. Purchase orders are accepted on orders of $500 or more on ANA publications. Before you leave for your holiday vacation, go online and order today or call 1-800-637-0323.
ANA Supports Needlestick Safety at National Patient Safety Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
12/08/04
On November 18, 2004, ANA was represented at the 2nd Annual National Patient Safety Conference titled "Evidence Based Safe Nursing Practice: New Technology and the Prevention of Errors" in Philadelphia, PA. ANA staff in partnership with Annemarie Leyden, EdD, RN, an Expert Advisor to the ANA "Safe Needles Save Lives" campaign, participated in the conference to promote the importance of needlestick injury prevention programs to protect health care workers and improve patient safety. For more information, contact Butch de Castro at Bdecastro@ana.org or (301) 628-5138.
New ANA Ergonomics Brochure Outlines How to Adopt a Successful Safe-Patient-Handling Program
12/07/04
As part of the ongoing ANA Handle With Care campaign, ANA is excited to offer a new Handle With Care brochure in an online PDF file format as a resource guide and teaching tool to assist nurses as well as hospital managers and administrators in preventing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The brochure was produced in cooperation with the Patient Safety Center of Inquiry, Veterans Health Administration in Tampa, FL, and is supported by a grant from Johnson & Johnson.
More... | Brochure
ANA Launches Nationwide Educational Seminar Series Targeting Individual Nurses, Broadens Professional Membership Options
12/07/04
In an effort to better reach individual registered nurses (RNs) at the local level, the American Nurses Association (ANA) will be taking the organization's message on the road through one-day, single-topic educational seminars focusing on pressing nursing-related issues beginning in 2005.
Titled "ANA is Coming to You," the series will be offered at various locations around the country with seminars focusing on two to three "hot topics" in nursing. Potential seminar topics include health and safety issues, ethical behavior in the workplace, political activism and staffing issues. The seminars will be held in cooperation with ANA's state affiliates. More...
George W. Merck Fellowships in Health Care Improvement
12/06/04
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement has created the George W. Merck Fellowship program for individuals who are committed to advancing quality improvement and practice in the Fellowship’s principal areas of interest. The goal of program is to build a cadre of clinical leaders with the drive, experience, and skills to promote the spread of improvement nationally; and build organizational capability to drive quality improvement to dramatically higher levels of performance.
The Fellowship will provide a stipend of $50,000 a year for Senior fellows (individuals who will have substantial organizational leadership responsibility), and $30,000 a year for Junior fellows (individuals who have completed their clinical training and who will assume significant program responsibility). Nominees must reside in Boston during the Fellowship year.
The application deadline for the Merck Fellowship is 01/07/05. For questions about the program and application, contact merckfellows@ihi.org.
OJIN Partners with Medscape
12/06/04
The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing (OJIN) is pleased to announce a new partnership with Medscape. The journal is now a member of the Medscape Publisher's Circle, which will feature selected OJIN articles to registered Medscape users. More information about this partnership is available in the Kent State University press release at http://imagine.kent.edu/media/content/press.asp?id=380
2005 NACNS Conference--March 10-12, 2005
12/03/04
Register now for the 2005 National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) conference at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando Florida. Keynote speakers include Jeanette Ives Erickson, MS, RN, CNA, Senior Vice President for Patient Care and Chief Nurse Executive, Massachusetts General Hospital and Rhonda Adams Scott, PhD, RN, CS, Chief Nursing Officer, Grady Health System. This year's features include March 9 preconference sessions addressing CNS Regulation and the annual CNS Educators' Summit and a March 11 gala event celebrating the debut of the CNS Foundation and the 10th birthday of NACNS. Thirty concurrent sessions and 35 posters offer innovative nursing research and clinical improvement initiatives. To access the full conference brochure and register online, visit www.nacns.org, and click on the NACNS meetings section.
ANA President Blakeney to Serve on IOM Panel
12/02/04
ANA President Barbara Blakeney, MS, RN, has been invited by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to serve on a committee that will assess the current and future border quarantine functions and structure. The study, sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), will focus, among other things, on the role of U.S. quarantine stations as a public health intervention; the role federal agencies (e.g., Customs & Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) will play in working with the CDC’s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine at ports of entry; the role state and local health departments will play, such as disease surveillance and medical assessment and follow-up of newly arriving immigrants and refugees; and the appropriate types and number of health care professionals to staff quarantine sections.
The IOM is a nonprofit organization under the auspices of the National Academies of Science, specifically created to serve as adviser to the nation to improve health by providing unbiased, evidence-based, authoritative advice concerning health and science policy to policy-makers, professionals, leaders in every sector of society and the public at large.
To be asked to serve on an IOM board is a high honor; Blakeney is the first sitting president of ANA to serve on such a panel.
New Mural Celebrates ANA's History and Looks Forward to the Future
12/02/04
ANA is commissioning an historical and futuristic mural, a three-panel design illustrating nursing's past, present and future titled "We were, we are, we shall be." More...
Ovarian Cancer Does Have Early Warning Signs, Mayo Clinic and Olmsted Medical Center Find
12/01/04
Results from an Olmsted Medical Center and Mayo Clinic study analyzing symptoms recorded in the medical records of ovarian cancer patients suggest that ovarian cancer has early symptoms such as urinary incontinence and abdominal pain.
The most common symptom found in the records of the 107 ovarian cancer patients studied was crampy abdominal pain. Abdominal pain and urinary urgency, frequency or incontinence were the most commonly documented symptoms found in the early stages of ovarian cancer.
The study found the following factors associated with a longer time to diagnosis of patients' ovarian cancer: delays in women seeking medical care, health care system issues, competing medical conditions, physicians’ failure to follow up, and women not returning for follow-up.
The study was published in the October issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings,
at www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/Abstract.asp?AID=684&Abst=Abstract&UID=.
Press Releases
