NJSNA Election Results - Member Landing Page

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Princeton, MNPermit No. 14

Region News

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Continued Actions to Improve Nurse Workplace Environments in New Jersey

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The Official Publication of the New Jersey State Nurses Association/Institute for Nursing

Volume 52 • Number 1 Quarterly publication direct mailed to approximately 141,000 RNs and LPNs in New Jersey January 2022

Inside...

Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2CEO Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3IFN Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2021 Governor & Legislative Election Results . . . . . . . . . 5AAN Inducts Seven NJ Nurses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Region News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8The Importance of Practicing “Mindfulness” in Nursing 10Help INS Celebrate National IV Nurse Day . . . . . . . . . . 11 LPN Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Medication Administration by Unlicensed Assistive

Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Healthy Nurse Healthy New Jersey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14New Jersey Department of Children and Families . . . . . 16A Double Whammy: Widowhood and Covid 19 Pandemic . . 17Board of Director’s Meeting Attendance & Motions . . . . . . . 19

Index

Advocating--Positioning--and Educating New Jersey RNsBrought to you by NJSNA’s Dues-Paying Members. JOIN US TODAY!

Mary Ellen Levine, DNP. MSN, RN, CHPN, NJSNA President

“Every nurse was drawn to nursing

because of a desire to care, to serve, or

to help.”—Christina Feist-

Heilmeier, RN (University of St. Augustine, 2020)

Dear colleagues,It’s hard to believe a year has passed

since being installed as your president! Being a nurse over the past 12 months has

President’s rePortPresident’s rePort

Mary Ellen Levine

been a year of resilience and challenges. In this new year, thanks to the outgoing Board members whose tireless, voluntary service is appreciated and humbling! A warm welcome and congratulations to our newly elected members of the state and region boards. As a member of this association, I am grateful to be in service to you, the membership! I look forward to working together with our present Board on your behalf. NJSNA continuously advocates for nurses. Responding to the many issues that face our state, as the saying goes, with ‘many hands make light work.’

Do you have a strength or passion about your practice? NJSNA needs you! NJSNA has been looking inward to policies and procedures. The formation of a Policy and Procedure Taskforce,

President’s Report continued on page 2

State Ballot Vice President Amita Avadhani (R4)

Secretary Linda Gural (R6)

Committee on Nominations

Eleanor Dietrich-Withington (R6)Lois Greene (R3) Rachel Koshy (R1)Yolanda Jackson (R3)

Membership Assembly Rep

Susan Weaver (R1) Sheila Caldwell (R6) Jo Anne Penn (R6)

Director Tara Heagele (R4)

Congress on Policy/Practice

Laura Geron (R3)

Region 1 President-Elect Karen Kinsley

VP for Membership Alaina Scala-Brew

VP to the Institute Mary Anne Mara

VP to COPP Kathleen Vnenchak

Morris County Coordinator Francesca Nordin

Sussex County Coordinator Daria Napierkowski

Nominations Committee Jackie Galante Karen Kinsley

Region 2President Mary Jane Genuino

Treasurer Myla Passaporte

Region 3VP of Membership Alissa Walaszek

VP of Education Denise Warren

VP Congress on Policy & Practice

Stephanie Herr

Member-at-Large Essex Cty Rosemary Allen-Jenkins

NJSNA Election ResultsMember-at-Large Union Cty Lynda Arnold-Davis

Nominating Committee Carline Eliezer Marlene McLeod-DouseRosemary Rosales

Region 4Treasurer Hilda Aluko

VP of Membership Keisha Cogdell

President-Elect Kari Mastro

VP of Education Nowai L. Keleekai-Brapoh

Member at Large Somerset Cty

Marcia Nettingham

Member at Large Hunterdon Cty

Yvette Shangold

Region 5President-Elect Kristin Safedy

Gloucester County Representative Lisa Passero

Region 6President-Elect Terri Ivory

VP Membership Contrina Warren

VP Congress Taylor Rossi

Treasurer Eleanor Dietrich-Withington

VP Institute Barbara Blozen

Chairperson Atlantic County

Ellyn Hill

Chairperson Monmouth County

Helen Heinmets

Nomination Committee Cape May County

Keddi Koovits

Nomination Committee Atlantic County

Orsalia Palapanis

New Jersey Nurse & Institute for Nursing Newsletter January 2022

New Jersey NurseOfficial Publication of the

New Jersey State Nurses Association and Institute for Nursing1479 Pennington Road

Trenton, New Jersey 08618Phone: 609-883-5335 ext 111

Fax: 609-883-5343Email: [email protected]: www.njsna.org

NJSNA Mission StatementAdvance the practice of professional nursing by fostering quality

outcomes in education, practice and research

Institute for Nursing (IFN) Board of TrusteesDr. Sandra Foley, Chair, [email protected]

Daniel Misa, Treasurer, [email protected] Dr. Judy Schmidt, MAL, CEO, [email protected]

Dr. Dely Go, Vice Chair/MALRay Zarzar, Community Member/Secretary

Kristin Buckley, Community Member

Executive CommitteeDr Mary Ellen Levine, President, [email protected]. Sandra Foley, President-Elect, [email protected]

Regina Adams, Vice President, [email protected] Daniel Misa, Treasurer, [email protected]

Linda Gural, Secretary, [email protected]

Board of DirectorsJoAnne Penn, Director, [email protected]

Dr. Margaret Daingerfield, Director, [email protected] Dr. Ann Tritak, Director, [email protected]

Dr. Tara Heagele, Director, [email protected]. Susan Weaver, Chair COPP, [email protected]

Region PresidentsPatricia Baxter, Region 1, [email protected]

Dr. Mary Genuino, Region 2, [email protected] Rodgers, Region 3, [email protected]

Maureen Clark-Gallagher, Region 4, [email protected]. Barbara McCormick, Region 5, [email protected]

Renee White, Region 6, [email protected]

NJSNA/IFN StaffDr. Judy Schmidt, CEO, [email protected]

Debra Harwell, Deputy Director, [email protected] Ivory, Director of RAMP, [email protected]

Jennifer Chanti, Exec. Asst./Membership Administrator, [email protected] Santiago, Education Coordinator, [email protected]

Kortnei Jackson, Ed. Adm. Asst., [email protected] Edinger, RAMP Comm. Coord., [email protected]

Deborah Robles, RAMP Adm. Asst., [email protected] Gannon, RAMP Intake Spec., [email protected]

Benita James, RAMP Case Manager, [email protected] Peditto, RAMP Case Manager, [email protected]

Etha Westbrook, RAMP Case Manager, [email protected] Haviland, RAMP Case Manager, [email protected]

New Jersey Nurse StaffDr. Judy Schmidt, Editor

Jennifer Chanti, Managing EditorDr. Barbara Wright, Executive Editor

New Jersey Nurse Copy Submission Guidelines:All NJSNA members are encouraged to submit material for publication that is of interest to nurses. The New Jersey Nurse also welcomes unsolicited manuscripts. Article submission is preferred in MS Word format, Times New Roman font and can be up to 500 words. When sending pictures, please remember to label pictures clearly since the editors have no way of knowing who persons in the photos might be.Copy Submissions: Preferred submission is by email to the Managing Editor. Only use MS Word for test submission. Please do not embed photos in Word files, send photos as jpg files.Submit Materials to: New Jersey Nurse, Attention to Jennifer Chanti, Managing Editor at [email protected]

Advertising: for advertising rates and information please contact Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc., P.O. Box 216, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613 (800-626-4081), [email protected]. NJSNA and the Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc. reserve the right to reject any advertisement. Responsibility for errors in advertising is limited to corrections in the next issue or refund of price of advertisement.

Acceptance of advertising does not imply endorsement or approval by the New Jersey State 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. NJSNA 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 NJSNA or those of the national or local associations.

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a dedicated group of nurses, has been pouring over policies, re-writing, editing and in some cases developing policies and procedures, such as submitting a resolution. The Bylaws Committee, Congress on Policy and Practice, Interested Nurses Political Action Committee, Marijuana Task Force, Healthy Nurse Healthy NJ, Membership Committee, Legislative Committee, Joint Protocol Strategic Group, and Finance Committee, offers opportunity for service to the NJSNA membership and all NJ nurses. If you are not a member, visit NJSNA.org and join today!

Another important function of NJSNA is where nurses can and do make a difference in the legislative process. Over the past election cycle, political events were great to meet, assess, and bring nursing’s agenda to candidates. Moving forward, much needs to be accomplished including having bills renumbered, being actively involved, and meeting with your legislators. Some legislation includes the Nurse Title Protection bill and APN Full Practice/Access to Healthcare bill. Protection

President’s Report continued from page 1 of the title of nurse assures the public who their care providers are and the rigorous education and preparation process in place upheld by the Division of Consumer Affairs and New Jersey Board of Nursing. Another bill is access to healthcare and removal of the ‘joint protocol,’ or collaborative agreement required for Advanced Practice Nurses (APN) in New Jersey. This does more to hamper access and delay care by APNs who provide safe and effective patient care. Additionally, promotion of the nurses’ role in staffing policy, and so many other nursing and public safety bills is all our responsibility. As member of the Interested Nurses in Political Action Committee (INPAC) nurse, Anne Ugrovics stated so perfectly, “We need to have a strong political voice.”

Lastly, your attendance to the upcoming Annual Meeting, not short of at least 70 nurses, will be needed to vote on, for instance, changes to NJSNA Bylaws to keep our bylaws current.

NJSNA is your professional organization for registered nurses. Join us at the region and state meetings! Visit NJSNA.org, check your email and on NJSNA’s Facebook© page for more information.

ReferencesUgrovics, A. (2021). Are we prepared for November

2, 2021? Retrieved from the New Jersey Nurse, Volume 51, Number 3. Retrieved from https://as se t s .nu r s inga ld .com/up loads/pub l i c a t ion/pdf/2309/New_Jersey_Nurse_10_21.pdf

University of St. Augustine. (2020, October). 85 Nursing quotes: Words of wisdom for nurses. Retrieved from https://www.usa.edu/blog/nursing-quotes/

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January 2022 New Jersey Nurse & Institute for Nursing Newsletter

Judy Schmidt, CEO, DHA, MSN, RN

The New Jersey State Nurses Association continues to advocate for nursing and nursing practice in the State of New Jersey.

Political Updates:After the November

Elections the legislature will be in what is called “lame duck.” This legislative session ends mid-January 2022. Any bills not passed and signed by the Governor will “die” and need to be re-introduced in the next legislative session in January 2022. We are hoping that we may see movement on the Removal of the APN Joint Protocol Requirement either during lame duck or the first quarter of 2022. In addition, we are working on a senate sponsor for the “Nurse Title” bill.

The elections this year have been very interesting. We are grateful that our main nursing champions/bill sponsors were re-elected: Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz and Senator Joseph Vitale. For the results of the elections, please see the article by INPAC Member Ann Ugrovics.

The INPAC Committee, chaired by Keith Hovey, attended the NJ State League of Municipalities Conference in Mid-November. Committee members were able to network with both local and state office holders and prominent business leaders. Attending events such as this increases the visibility of NJSNA not only in the political arena but also in the business arena. This gives us the opportunity to recruit stakeholders that will support our nursing advocacy initiatives.

Legislation Watch:• Nurse Title Protection (A3829)

o Assembly bill introducedo Need a Senate Sponsoro NJSNA Board recommends support

Judith Schmidt

Ceo rePortCeo rePort

iFn rePortiFn rePort

Sandra Foley, DNP, RNChair, Institute for Nursing

“Caring and Sharing”…. Moving our mission forward. Everything begins with an idea!

Fundraising is just one way the IFN is fully committed and strives to fulfill its Mission by continuing to preserve the heritage, principles, values and practices of our healing profession through the support of scholarship, education and research.

The IFN Board of Trustees would like to thank each of you for your continued support of the “Caring and Sharing” 50/50 Raffle. Yes, you too have a chance to win up to $25,000. Follow this link to purchase your Caring and Sharing 50/50 Raffle tickets at $10 per chance Purchase a Caring and Sharing Raffle Ticket. The 50/50 Raffle Drawing will be held on Friday, May 6, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. at the Institute for Nursing, 1479 Pennington Road, Ewing Township, NJ.

Institute For Nursing Board of Trustees (BOT)In December 2021 we said good-bye and thanked

IFN Public Trustee Ray Zarzar for his six years of loyalty and service. Ray served as Secretary and as a member of the IFN Fundraising Committee. Ray’s acumen and keen business sense was an asset to each position he served on. Our sincere appreciation, gratitude and thanks for his time spent as an IFN Trustee.

The IFN BOT welcomes Public Trustee, Wayne Hall. Wayne brings his many years of business experience,

Sandy Foley

• Removal of APN/Physician Collaborating Agreement (A1760)o Assembly bill in Healtho NJSNA Board recommends support o Senator Vitale will be introducing bill by end

of November

• BSN in 10 (A1762-S1082)o Assembly bill in Regulated Professions

Committeeo Senate bill in Health Committeeo NJSNA Board recommends support

• Nurse Staffing Committees (A1791)o Assembly bill in Health Committeeso NJSNA Board recommends support

• Allows APNs in Psyche to sign involuntary commitment papers (A1781-S882)o Assembly bill in Health Committeeo Senate bill in Health Committeeo NJSNA Board recommends watch

Collaboration with the New Jersey Board of Nursing:

• All NJ Board of Nursing positions have been filled except two public members.

• Continuing to facilitate resolution to problems that NJSNA members and non-members are experiencing. NJSNA Executive Board met with leadership in the Division of Consumer Affairs to discuss issues that our members are having when contacting the board of nursing. This dialogue will remain open until resolutions are obtained.

• Executive Director/Secretary to the Board of Nursing Position posted in October.

• Multi-State Licenses are now available as of November 15th.

Collaboration with the American Nurses Association (ANA):

• Assisting the Healthy Nurse Health NJ group in the “RNConnect” Project through ANA to help nurses experiencing stress in the workplace.

• Collaborating with the ANA and NJ Department of Health “CDC’s Project Firstline” regarding infection prevention.

• Attended the “Commission on Racism Feedback” seminar. Commission members gave an update on their work and attendees were able to discuss various issues related to institutional racism in small work groups.

Collaboration with other organizations:NJSNA continues to network with and provide

valuable input into the following:• NJ Business and Industry Health Care Policy

Committee • NJ Pediatric Association Committee Meeting –

Clinicians for Climate Health.• Consortium of New Jersey Nurse Educators• ONL NJ Legislation and Advocacy Committee• Rutgers University School of Nursing Advisory

Committee • Kean University School of Nursing Advisory

Committee • Felician University School of Nursing Advisory

Committee• NJ Department of Health Professional Advisory

Committeeo Allocation of Scarce Resources (Staff, PPE,

and Ventilators)o Covid Testing o Vaccine Hesitancy o Vaccine Distribution plans for children and

young adultso Vaccinator Recruitment

• NJ Department of Health Commissioner, Judy Persichilli, and I discussed issues with Nurse Staffing in various environments including school nursing and possible solutions.

• Facilitated a breakout session at the New Jersey Nursing Initiative/ New Jersey Collaborating Center (NJIN/NJCC) “The Future of Nursing 2020-2030”. Four teams worked on selected recommendation from the Future of Nursing report focusing on nursing education, health equity and removal of practice barriers for RNs and APNs.

leadership, and philanthropic accomplishments as the General Manager of Garden State Honda. Wayne joined our team this month as we look forward to his vibrant and robust personality and energy.

IFN ScholarshipAttention All Student Nurses! The annual 2022

IFN Scholarship campaign has begun. The IFN’s Mission is committed to provide scholarships to the NJ nurses. We support the NJ student nurse who is currently pursuing their own aspirations by advancing their degree to fulfill their goals for career advancement.

For ALL Enrolled Student NursesIFN Scholarship

Deadline is March 15th, 2022To locate all scholarships that are offered along with the

applications follow this link https://njsna.org/scholarship/

2022 Diva and Don Gala EventMark your calendars for Spring 2022, specifically

April 7th for the next IFN Gala event. We look forward to the return of the Diva and Don Nursing Gala Event to celebrate excellence in nursing throughout the state of NJ. The event offers the opportunity for us to recognize the professional registered nurses who have demonstrated outstanding achievement and have been a positive influence on others. Nominees may be engaged in nursing practice, administration, education, or research in diverse settings, such as acute and long-term care, public health, private industry, schools, community health, and others.

Ongoing IFN Fundraising “Old York Cellars Winery and Vineyards”

Thanks to the hard work of IFN Trustee Kristin Buckley and DJ Levine, amateur photographer and graphic artist, who designed three wine labels to adorn each bottle of wine. Purchases from Old York Cellars Winery and Vineyards with the adorned IFN label and the Old York Cellars will have a portion of the sales benefit the IFN !

You can find more information for purchases on NJSNA.org or https://www.oldyorkcellars.com/

Save the date and purchase your Tickets today!

The IFN and New Jersey Devils have come together to show support to nurses, healthcare workers. Jess Narciso, NJ Devils Senior Account Executive, Group Events has secured a date for Nurse Recognition. Add March 10, 2022, to your calendar and we will see you there.

NJ Devils Nurses Night includes:• NJ Devils Nurses Night scrubs • A post-game photo on the ice for your group. • Special NJ Devils IFN seat pricing Nurses Night

Tickets• A portion of the ticket sales will help support

the IFN

RecognitionThe World Health Organization (WHO) had

deemed 2020 and 2021 the years of the Nurse and midwife. While in addition to the WHO’s esteemed recognition, nursing has been recognized as the most trusted profession over the past 19 years. Along with both of those honorable accolades, we supported and carried the world through a global pandemic. We are a team of resilient, passionate, and compassionate Professional Registered Nurses!

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Dr. Erica Edfort, DNP, NVRN-BC, RN-BC, FASRN, FAHA

When nurse educators identify students performing below the benchmark, we work tirelessly to assist the student to achieve success. We refer the student to the appropriate resources within the institutional setting (tutors, hosting review sessions, group study session, 1:1 meetings). All the efforts we put forth are student centered; however, not always, does this lead to a positive outcome. Some reasons for this phenomenon may be the students personal schedule (Nasr & Jackson-Harris, 2017). Students may very well take their academic responsibilities seriously; however, we all know that “life happens” outside of the educational realm. Students may not be able to revise their personal schedules related to their personal responsibilities (childcare, work, transportation, religious or cultural obligations). This may lead the student to fall behind in assignments, be late to class, or not have sufficient time to prepare for exams.

If we take a deeper look as to the reason students may not perform satisfactorily in a course or program, it may not only reflect their personal responsibilities, it may be due to their age, cultural background or education level–what is the students motivation to learn? Pizzolato et al (2017) identified that to understand the student’s role in the academic setting (success-oriented students) would further define the student’s goals and identify how their motivation to learn develops over time. They also investigated if the goals were flexible or are students unable to modify their goals according to their learning capabilities. Student motivation was identified not to only be reflective of a student’s classroom goal achievement but also on their roles outside the academic setting. The varied roles of a nursing student must be taken into consideration as we realize “adult students have full roles they play besides students, motivation to learn must be considered as one part of the broader motivation constellation.”

In addition to motivation to learn, stress may play a large part in the capability of students to perform successfully in the academic program. The cause of stress in both the classroom as well as in

Why didn’t our efforts make a difference? A nurse educator’s reflection on student success.

the clinical setting is a factor that may affect the student’s motivation to learn as well as their successful completion of an academic program. The fact that nursing students are fearful of making mistakes in the clinical setting puts an added burden on their success factor (Karabulut et al, 2021). Excessive stress levels may diminish a student’s attention span as well as a decrease in concentration during classroom instruction. This may lead to poor academic outcomes. Increased motivation will allow students to develop skills, retain theoretical knowledge and meet learning goals.

The learning needs of students must also be identified. Students learn at different levels, utilizing varied methods to learn as well as study. Strategies to assist students must be identified by faculty to augment student success. Welsh (2017) identified the importance of determining the learning needs of the students enables the developing of a resource network promoting student success. As faculty, learning needs must be identified by faculty and tutors alike to fashion individualized learning plans for students. Tutors may be bachelor’s or master’s prepared nurses in the education setting who do not teach but reinforce learning, provide review sessions, guide students as they attempt to learn new skills and techniques. Faculty, as master’s, PhD, DNP or EdD prepared nurses, take the lead in the learning process; however, work side by side with the tutors to enable student success.

Students must take responsibility for their action. Knowing what is required, following the established practices, protocols and policies of an academic institution are factors that many students learn early in their academic career. However, many students procrastinate when assignments are due which may lead to negative outcomes if external events prevent a student from completing the requirements of an academic course. Procrastination has a direct link to a lack of motivation to learn. Attia & Abdelwahid (2020) noted that academic procrastination is related to the learning environment related to assignments, studying, submission of assignments in a timely manner. Procrastination leads to poor performance on exams and assignments which may lead to negative student

outcomes. One of the recommendations from Attia & Abdelwahid is for educators to “understand students’ different capacities and hence must introduce subjects and topics in a way that all students can comprehend easily.”

The nurse educator must identify the needs of the student and bring them to his/her attention to enable academic success. These conversations, although sometimes difficult if the student is nearing unsuccessful completion of a course, are critical to the student’s academic success. Critical conversations, as noted by Castellani (2021) may occur when dealing with “under- or poor performance, confronting instances of unacceptable behavior, handling a grievance or disciplinary process, or dealing with sensitive personal issues.” A comfort level is necessary for all parties during a critical conversation. Depending on the circumstances, faculty may not be comfortable holding a critical conversation with a student. No matter what the issue, we as faculty, must take the lead to identify and discuss issues before they become unmanageable, and a student success plan is unable to be managed.

ReferencesAttia, N.M., & Abdelwahid, A.E. (2020). Grit, Self-

Regulation and Self-Efficacy as Predictors of Academic Procrastination among Nursing Students. International Journal of Nursing Education, 12(1). 130-135. DOI Number: 10.5958/0974-9357.2020.00029.X

Castellani, D. (2021). Critical Conversations: Why are they so hard? New Jersey Nurse, 51(3), 15.

Karabulut, N., Gurcayi, D., Yildiz, B.Z. (2021). Effect of Stress on Academic Motivation and Achievement of Students in Nursing Education. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 14(1), 370-384.

Nasr, P., Jackson-Harris, C. (2017). Paving the Path for Student Success- It is not all about the Student! Clinical Laboratory Science, 30(2), 90.

Pizzolato, J.E., Olson, A.B., Monje-Paulson, L.N. (2017). Finding Motivation to Learn: Exploring Achievement Goals in California Community College CalWORKs Students. Journal of Adult Development, 24, 295-307. DOI 10.1007/s10804-017-9267-8

Welsh, D. (2017). Academic Support Strategies for MedVet - BSN Students. Kentucky Nurse, 65(2): 19-19

Winifred Quinn Selected AAN Honorary Fellow

Each year honorary fellows are selected from outside the nursing profession. Winifred Quinn, PhD, Center to Champion Nursing in America, Director of Advocacy and Consumer Affairs since its inception in 2007, was inducted as an honorary fellow at the American Academy of Nursing 2021 ceremony. A Rutgers University graduate, Quinn's career began as a patient advocate at AARP New Jersey. In 2008, she was an advocate for full practice authority for advanced practice nurses in Colorado, believing that full practice authority was an access to care issue. Her efforts have expanded into nursing education and diversity. Quinn sees nurses as "the engineers of health care. There has been no time when that has been more evident than during the COVID-19 pandemic." Quinn's work embraces health equity, believing that the demographics of professional nurses must more closely match the patients receiving their care. Barbara Nichols, ANA past president, and a nominator of Quinn as an honorary fellow, said she was struck by Quinn's passion for diversity in nursing before others were focused on it. Nichols has shared that "(her) impact shows the importance of allies from outside the profession...we need champions besides nurses."

Winifred Quinn

The American Academy of Nursing named Susan Hassmiller, PhD, RN, FAAN, a Living Legend, at its Annual Policy Conference in Washington. on October 6, 2021. Hassmiller's prestigious award was made during the Conference at which the Academy Induction of 2021 Fellows was held on Oct. 8. Seven New Jersey nurses were among the 225 prominent nurses from 38 states and 17 countries who were inducted, "based on their contributions to advance the public's health," said AAN President Eileen Sullivan Marx. Winifred Quinn, PhD, Center to Champion Nursing in America, Director of Advocacy and Consumer Affairs, was selected as an Honorary Fellow; she was one of four honorees from outside the nursing profession.

Susan Hassmiller Named AAN Living Legend

Susan Hassmiller, PhD, RN, FAAN, is an international nurse leader, who has dedicated her professional career to the advancement of health equity and improving health through nursing. She is the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Senior Advisor for Nursing. Hassmiller served as the study director for the landmark 2010 Institute of Medicine Report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. She served as the director of the 10 year national campaign to improve health through nursing in partnership with AARP. Hassmiller's leadership, in collaboration with the Center to Champion Nursing

in America, has helped the nursing profession realize unprecedented gains: more diverse nurses attaining baccalaureate and doctoral degrees, millions more people having access to nurse practitioners, and over 10,000 nurses appointed to boards. As the National Academy of Medicine Senior Scholar in Residence and Senior Advisor to the President, she helped to develop the consensus study, The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity, a report that was recently launched and is being used worldwide. An advocate for nursing philanthropy, Hassmiller's leadership at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has helped secure over $450 million for nursing initiatives nationwide.

Hassmiller, an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine, American Academy of Nursing fellow, is a board member at Hackensack Meridian Health System, United Health Group Center for Clinical Advancement, Carrier Clinic, and the American Red Cross. A recipient of four honorary doctorates, she was awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal, the highest international award given to a nurse by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

A George Mason University PhD recipient. Hassmiller was awarded a MSN at the University of Nebraska, and MEd and BSN at Florida State University. Her hallmark hashtag is #LeaveNoNurseBehind which honors her beginning career as an Associate Degree nurse.

American Academy of Nursing Names Susan Hassmiller A Living Legend

Susan Hassmiller


Anne Duggan Ugrovics, MSN RNINPAC Member

The 2021 Election is completed. Some of the results were a surprise, others not so much. Here is a listing of the winners. GOP (Republican) DEM (Democrat) denote party affiliation. If the name is followed by (I) then the member has been elected for another term. If the name is followed by an * then NJSNA endorsed the member for election.

REGION 1Dist 21 Senate Jon Bramnick GOP

Assembly Nancy Munoz GOP (I) * Assembly Michele Matsikoudis GOP *

Dist 24 Senate Steve Oroho GOP (I) * Assembly Parker Space GOP (I) * Assembly Harold Wirths GOP (I) * Dist 25 Senate Anthony Bucco GOP (I) Assembly Aura Dunn GOP(I) * Assembly Brian Berger GOP (I) *Dist 27 Senate Richard Codey DEM (I) Assembly John McKeon DEM(I) * Mila Jasey DEM (!) *Dist 34 Senate Nia Gill DEM (I) * Assembly Thomas Giblin DEM (I) * Britnee Timerlake DEM (I) *Dist 35 Senate Nelida Pou DEM (I) * Assembly Benjie Wimberly DEM (I) * Assembly Shavonda Sumter DEM (I) *Dist 36 Senate Paul Sarlo DEM (I) Assembly Gary Schaer DEM (I) * Assembly Clinton Calabrese DEM (I)Dist 38 Senate Joseph Lagana DEM (I) * Assembly Lisa Swain DEM (I) * Assembly Chris Tully DEM (I) *Dist 39 Senate Holly Schepisi GOP (I) * Assembly Robert Auth GOP (I) Assembly Deanne De Fucci GOP (I) Dist 40 Senate Kristin Corrado (I) * Assembly Kevin Rooney GOP (I) * Assembly Christopher DePhillips GOP (I) *

REGION 2Dist 31 Senate Sandra Cunningham DEM (I) Assembly Angela McKnight DEM (I) * Assembly Brandon Vila GOP Dist 32 Senate Nicklos Sacco DEM (I) Assembly Angelica Jimenez DEM (I) * Assembly Pedro Mejia DEM (I) *Dist 33 Senate Brian Stack DEM (I) * Assembly Annette Chaparro DEM (I) Assembly Raj Mukherji DEM (I) Dist 35 Senate Nelida Pou DEM (I) * Assembly Benjie Wimberly DEM (I) * Assembly Shavonda Sunter DEM (I) *Dist 36 Senate Paul Sarlo DEM (I) Assembly Gary Schaer DEM (I) * Assembly Clinton Calabrese DEM (I)Dist 37 Senate Gordon Johnson DEM (I) * Assembly Ellen Park DEM Assembly Shama Haider DEMDist 38 Senate Joseph Lagana DEM (I) * Assembly Lisa Swain DEM (I) * Assembly Christopher Tully DEM (I) *Dist 39 Senate Holly Schepisi GOP (I) * Assembly Robert Auth GOP (I) Assembly Deanne DeFuccio GOP (I)Dist 40 Senate Kristan Corrado GOP (I) * Assembly Kevin Rooney GOP (I) * Assembly Christopher DePhillips GOP (I) *

REGION 3Dist 20 Senate Joseph Cryan DEM (I) * Assembly Annette Quijano DEM (I) * Assembly Reginald Atkins DEM (I) *

2021 Governor and Legislative Election ResultsDist 21 Senate Jon Bramnick GOP Assembly Nancy Munoz GOP (I) * Michele Matsikoudis GOP *Dist 27 Senate Richard Cody DEM (I) Assembly John MKeon DEM (I) * Assembly Mila Jasey DEM (I) *Dist 29 Senate Ronald Rice DEM (I) Assembly Eliana Pintor Marin DEM (I) * Assembly Sanique Speight DEM (I) *Dist 34 Senate Nia Gill DEM (I) * Assembly Thomas Giblin DEM (I) * Assembly Bretnee Timberlake DEM (I) *Dist 40 Senate Kristin Corrado GOP (I) * Assembly Kevin Rooney GOP (I) * Assembly Christopher DePhillips GOP (I) *

REGION 4Dist 12 Senate Samuel Thompson GOP (I) Assembly Ronald Dancer GOP (I) * Assembly Robert Clifton GOP (I) *Dist 14 Senate Linda Greenstein DEM (I) * Assembly Wayne DeAngelo DEM (I) * Assembly Daniel Benson DEM (I) * Dist 15 Senate Shirley Turner DEM (I) * Assembly Anthony Verrelli DEM (I) * Assembly Verlina Reynolds DEM (I) *Dist 16 Senate Andrew Zwicker DEM (I) * Assembly Roy Freiman DEM (I) * Assembly Sadaf Jaffer DEM *Dist 17 Senate Bob Smith DEM (I) Assembly Joseph Egan DEM (I) Assembly Joseph Danielson DEM (I)Dist 18 Senate Patrick Diegnan DEM (I) * Assembly Robert Karabinchak DEM (I) Assembly Sterly Stanley DEM (I) Dist 19 Senate Joseph Vitale DEM (I) * Assembly Craig Coughlin DEM (I) * Assembly Yvonne Lopez DEM (I) *Dist 21 Senate Jon Bramnick GOP Assembly Nancy Munoz GOP (I) * Assembly Michele Matsikoudis GOP (I) *Dist 25 Senate Anthony Bucco GOP (I) Assembly Aura Dunn GOP (I) * Assembly Brian Bergen GOP (I) *

REGION 5Dist 1 Senate Michael Testa GOP (I) Assembly Erick Simonsen GOP (I) Assembly Antwan McClellan GOP (I)Dist 3 Senate Edward Durr GOP Assembly Beth Sawyer GOP Assembly Patrick McCarthy GOPDist 4 Senate Fred Madden DEM (I) * Assembly Paul Moriarty DEM (I) * Assembly Gabriel Mosquera DEM (I) *Dist 5 Senate Nilsa Cruz-Perez DEM (I) * Assembly William Moen DEM (I) * Assembly William Spearman DEM (I) *Dist 6 Senate James Beach DEM (I) Assembly Louis Greenwald DEM (I) * Assembly Pamela Lampitt DEM (I) *Dist 7 Senate Troy Singleton DEM (I) * Assembly Carol Murphy DEM (I) * Assembly Herb Conaway DEM (I)

Dist 8 Senate Jean Stanfield DEM (I) * Assembly Michael Torrissi GOP Assembly Brandon Umba GOPDist 9 Senate David Wright DEM Assembly Brian Rumpf GOP (I) * Assembly DiAnne Gove GOP (I) *Dist 12 Senate Samuel Thompson GOP (I) Assembly Ronald Dancer GOP (I) * Assembly Robert Clifton GOP (I) *

REGION 6Dist 2 Senate Vince Polistina GOP Assembly Clair Swift GOP Assembly Don Guardian GOPDist 8 Senate Jean Stanfield GOP * Assembly Brandon Umba GOP Assembly Michael Torrissi GOPDist 9 Senate David Wright DEM Assembly Brian Rumpf GOP Assembly Brandon Umba GOPDist 10 Senate James Holzapfel GOP (I) * Assembly John Catalano GOP (I) * Assembly Gregory McGuckin GOP (I) *Dist 11 Senate Vin Gopal GOP (I) * Assembly Marilyn Piperno GOP Assembly Kimberly Eulner GOPDist 12 Senate Samuel Thompson GOP (I) Assembly Ronald Dancer GOP (I) * Assembly Robert Clifton GOP (I) *Dist 13 Senate Declan O’Scanlon GOP (I) Assembly Gerard Scharfenberger GOP (I) Assembly Vicky Flynn GOP Dist 30 Senate Robert Singer GOP (I) * Assembly Sean Kane GOP (I) * Assembly Edward Thomson GOP (I) *

Hats off to NJSNA INPAC and our Board of Trustees for supporting 97% of this year’s candidates who went on to win their seats. We could not have done this with out the help of our CEO Judy Schmidt and our Lobby firm Princeton Public Affairs.

Congratulations to each and every one of you for going out and voting. Governor Murphy won reelection by 65,375 votes. We now have 38 members of the state Senate and 56 members of the state Assembly who are supportive of the issues that are critical to our practice and profession

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ROBIN COGANMEd, RN, NCSNSchool NurseCamden City School DistrictNew Jersey

Robin Cogan, a Nationally Certified School Nurse (NCSN), has practiced for 21 years in the Camden City School District. She relentlessly advocates for school safety, gun violence prevention and champions healing centered schools. Cogan is the Legislative Co-chair for the New Jersey State School Nurses Association.

In January 2022, she will become the NJ State Director for the National Association of School Nurses. Cogan serves as a part-time lecturer at Rutgers University-Camden School of Nursing, where she teaches the next generation of school nurses. She is the creator of The Relentless School Nurse blog and also contributes to the My Nurse Influencer column for MyAmerican Nurse. Cogan's work was highlighted as a case study in the National Academy of Medicine’s Future of Nursing 2020-2030 Report.

Cogan is a Johnson & Johnson School Health Leadership Fellow and past Program Mentor. She is the honored recipient of multiple awards for her work in school nursing and population health including the 2019 and 2020 National Association of School Nurses President’s Award, 2018 NCSN School Nurse of the Year, 2017 Johnson & Johnson School Nurse of the Year, and the New Jersey Department of Health 2017 Population Health Hero Award. She was presented the 2018 Rutgers Camden Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award

CAROLINE DORSENPhD, FNP-BCAssociate Dean & Associate ProfessorRutgers UniversityNew Jersey

Caroline Dorsen is the Associate Dean of Clinical

Partnerships at Rutgers School of Nursing where she is an Associate Professor of Nursing and Public Health. Dorsen is a nurse scholar, educator, and clinician whose passion is the intersection of health and social justice. She is a nationally recognized expert and clinical scholar on sexual

and gender minority health who has authored or co-authored over 50 publications and received numerous awards for her writing. In recognition of her expertise as an educator, Dorsen was the 2020 recipient of the Dean’s Distinguished Teaching Award at NYU Meyers College of Nursing. In 2020, she was also the recipient of NYU’s MLK, Jr Faculty Award sponsored by the President and Provost for “exemplifying the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through teaching excellence, leadership, social justice activism, and community building.”

Dorsen serves as the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for Community Health Network, is Senior Associate Editor of the journal Annals of LGBTQ Public and Population Health and was Nursing Chair (2018-2020) of GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality. She sits on numerous diversity, equity and inclusion task forces, including ENRS and the HHS Office of Minority Health.

Dorsen received a BA in Anthropology from UC Berkeley, a BS in Nursing from NYU Meyers, a Master’s in Nursing from Yale School of Nursing, and a PhD in Nursing Research and Theory from NYU Meyers. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship in translational science at NYU Langone Health.

CAROLYN HAYESPhD, RN, NEA-BCChief Nursing OfficerRutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey/RWJBarnabas HealthNew Jersey

Carolyn Hayes currently serves as the Chief Nursing

Officer at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and the RWJBarnabas Health Oncology Service Line. In addition, Hayes is an associate professor in the Division of Nursing Science, at Rutgers School of Nursing. As a

cofounder, she continues to serve as the President and Executive Director of the Greater Boston Nursing Collective (GBNC). In past positions, she has served as a clinical nurse and in nursing administration at various academic medical centers in Chicago and Boston. Prior to leaving to partner with a local philanthropist to launch the GBNC, Hayes held the position of associate chief nurse for Oncology, Medical and Integrative Nursing at Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Hayes is also an alumnus of the Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellows Program. Her clinical and leadership practice, teaching, research and publications have been focused on integrative nursing, clinical ethics, leadership and end-of-life nursing care.

Hayes earned a BSN at Georgetown University, a Masters in Nursing Service Administration at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Doctorate in Philosophy at Boston College. She completed fellowships in Medical Ethics at Harvard Medical School, Nursing Administration at University of Chicago Hospitals and a Leadership Program at Harvard Business School.

AMANDA HESSELSPhD, MPH, RN, CIC, CPHQ, FAPICAssistant Professor; Nurse ScientistColumbia University, Hackensack Meridian HealthNew Jersey

Amanda Hessels is an Assistant Professor at Columbia

University, School of Nursing and a Nurse Scientist at Hackensack Meridian Health. With an exceptional nursing career spanning 25 years, Hessels is respected as a researcher, educator, and clinician. By bridging academia and the healthcare setting, she is distinctly capable of

identifying and addressing real-world problems and through leadership, innovation and action, she is creating a legacy that includes both scientific acumen and sensitivity to clinical operations and practice. The signature of her substantive sustained and lasting impact on nursing and health is a body of research at the intersection of patient safety and occupational health. By describing and quantifying the role of human factors, organizational and clinical practice predictors of healthcare associated infections and occupational health injuries her work has led to practice and policy change regionally, nationally, and internationally. Advancing these scientific breakthroughs and with current federal funding she is developing interventions to improve adherence to infection prevention practices. Hessels’ scholarly contributions are vast and include numerous Editorial Board positions nationally and internationally, leadership roles in national organizations, such as the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, and selected invitations and appointments to national scientific panels and committees.

Hessels earned a BSN degree from the University of Rochester, MSN and MPH degrees from the City University of New York, Hunter College, and PhD degree in nursing from Rutgers University, College of Nursing. She completed a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at Columbia University, School of Nursing.

OLGA JARRÍN MONTANERPhD, RNAssistant ProfessorRutgers UniversityNew Jersey

Olga Jarrín Montaner is an Assistant Professor at

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. She directs the Community Health and Aging Outcomes Laboratory which focuses on evaluating how environmental factors (including structural and systemic racism), other health system factors, and state policies shape racial/ethnic

disparities in access to health care services and health outcomes among Medicare beneficiaries living with dementia and other chronic illness. Jarrín Montaner leads two large NIH funded team science research projects focused on improving late life care quality and outcomes for people living with advanced illness including Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. These projects build on her ongoing work focused on the comparative effectiveness home health care on outcomes for racial/ethnic minority older adults living with chronic and advanced illness, originally started with a pathway to independence award from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The long-term goal of this program of research is to develop policy and practice recommendations to meet the needs of the racially and ethnically diverse population of older adults in the U.S. Jarrín Montaner’s earlier work conceptualizing an integral philosophy and definition of nursing has been cited in major nursing texts in the United States and Mexico, numerous doctoral dissertations, and peer-reviewed papers from six continents.

Jarrín Montaner earned a BS, MS, and PhD in Nursing Science from the University of Connecticut and completed postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Pennsylvania, supported by the National Institute of Nursing Research and the National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence.

American Academy of Nursing Inducts Seven NJ Nurses

AAN Inductees continued on page 7

http://caldwell.edu


MAUREEN A. MADDENDNP, RN, CPNP-AC, CCRN, FCCMProfessorRutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolNew Jersey

Maureen A. Madden is

a Professor of Pediatrics at the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

and a Nurse Practitioner in pediatric critical care at the Bristol Myers Squibb Children's Hospital in New Jersey. Madden is an experienced clinician and academician. As a highly recognized thought leader in four international professional organizations, she influenced interprofessional teams' preparation and promoted standards that improved health outcomes for critically ill and injured children. Madden has contributed to the development of new interprofessional educational models resulting in more equitable treatment of critically ill and injured children by preparing healthcare providers in underserved and less-resourced environments with the latest evidence-based management strategies and psychomotor skills. Her leadership pioneered the first multimodal international training program, known as the Pediatric Fundamentals of Critical Care Support (PFCCS) course. Madden has many publications and book chapters on topics in pediatric critical care and served as an invited speaker at many national and international conferences. Her expertise led to being an invited editor for the textbook Pediatric Acute Care 2nd edition, the development of interprofessional practice guidelines with the American College of Critical Care Medicine, and a selected leader for practice and education on the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Certification Board. She is a department editor and editorial board member for the Journal of Pediatric Health Care.

Madden received a BSN from Columbia University, MSN from the University of Pennsylvania, and DNP from Rutgers University.

LARIDER RUFFINDNP, APN, RN, ANP-BC, AGNP-C, CRNP, CTTSChair of the MSN & Post Master Certificate ProgramsStockton UniversityNew Jersey

Larider Ruffin is Chair of

the MSN and Post-Master Certificate programs at Stockton University. He is

the Chairman and CEO at Ruffin Associates Healthy Housecalls where he maintains clinical practice as an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner and Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist.

Ruffin chairs the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) Smoking and Vaping Advocacy Committee. As the inaugural chair, he led NBNA to adopt “NBNA No Tobacco Day” in support to the “World No Tobacco Day Initiative” to advocate for increased awareness of the negative impacts of smoking and vaping. He crafted the national tobacco policy agenda and led the NBNA tobacco awareness campaign with 95 NBNA chapters in 35 states.

As Professor of Nursing, Ruffin teaches and mentors NP students to become competent clinicians. He successfully developed a college level course entitled “Smoking and Vaping along the Continuum” to increase student’s awareness to the deleterious effects of smoking. Through federal, state, and local level advocacy, he pushes for policy solutions that stop tobacco industry’s predatory practices in underserved communities to decrease health disparities. He advocates for clinicians to treat smoking and vaping as chronic diseases. Ruffin’s extraordinary and sustained scholarly work has been disseminated in the US, Spain, France, and Haiti through various presentations, the development of regional, national, and international tobacco programs, as well as multiple peer-reviewed publications.

Dr. Ruffin earned a BSN from Rutgers University, MSN and Tobacco Treatment Specialization from University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey (now Rutgers), and DNP from Wilmington University.

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Region 1

Morris, Passaic, Sussex, Warren

Meghan Keaveney, BSN, RN, VP of Communication

The Region 1 Board Members would like to wish everyone a happy New Year. We look forward to find out the wonderful things 2022 has in store for the nursing profession. Our Region continues to proudly offer and provide assistance to a nursing

region newsregion news

student by sponsoring the Dr. Foley and Brian Foley scholarship. Please visit the NJSNA IFN website for more information. We continue to offer our Nightingale lamp notecards for purchase (pack of 10 for $20). Please contact President Parker ([email protected]) if interested in purchasing notecards. This fundraiser assists our region in our philanthropic endeavors.

Region 1 has started to safely attend community service events. Of those events members have attended Out of the Darkness Northwest New Jersey Walk to Fight Suicide. We hope to be able to participate in the Chester Science Fair and Autism Speaks events as we have done in past years. We continue to donate to various food banks in the area.

AccoladesThank you to Sheriff Gannon for presenting

at our October meeting about Hope One. Hope One is a mobile substance use and mental health disorder outreach that visits local communities in Morris County and surrounding communities to provide substance abuse counseling, resources, Narcan training and Naloxone kits. The website is as follows: https://www.morriscountynj.gov/Departments/Sheriff/Community-Programs/Hope-One

A special thank you for your commitment and service to Region 1 to our “retiring” board members: Josie Sanchez (Morris County Coordinator), Daria Napierkowski (Sussex County Coordinator), Lauren Krause (VP for Membership) and Dan Misa (Nominations Committee Chair) and Elisa Green (Nominations Committee Member). You have done an outstanding job supporting Region 1.

Business MeetingsWe had a wonderful and safe in-person

meeting in October at the Knights of Columbus in Hackettstown, Warren County.

Upcoming Meetings:We look forward to our upcoming meetings. Our

first meeting will be on January 22nd. This meeting will be virtual. The topic is Opiate Alternatives used in the field by paramedics presented by St. Joseph’s Mobile ICU. Access to the meeting will be communicated closer to the date. Then we meet March 19th in a Morris County Location. The presentation will be Verbal Abuse in the Outpatient Setting and Maintaining a Safe Work Environment for Nurses presented by Wendy Pritchett MSN, RN, OCN, and Karen Kinsley, BSN, RN, OCN. More information to follow.

NJSNA Election 2022We were excited to retain valuable members of

our Board of Directors with the installment of our new members. We look forward to another term with the returning and new members.

Social Media PresenceFollow our social media pages for the most up-to-

date for our events and news postings. Twitter and Instagram handles are @NJSNARegion1. Facebook link is as follows: https://www.facebook.com/NJSNARegion1/

Region 2

Bergen, HudsonMary Jane Genuino, DNP RN-BC

It is that time of year again. The air is crisp, and the hope for the future is brighter. We can smell pumpkin spice everywhere, and our lists are filled with ideas for gift-giving. It is a far cry from where we were a year ago—but it is exactly where we’re supposed to be—a place of hope and brighter beginnings.

Region 2 is gearing towards a packed 2022. A couple of projects are underway to provide more exposure for the region. A new nurse mentorship

committee will give our graduating nursing students an avenue to connect and be mentored by experienced members. With the current workforce shortage, we need our new nurses to stay and be empowered to persevere. It will not only benefit them, but it can positively impact patient outcomes, as well. An annual event is also in the planning stage to highlight our region’s best and brightest within their different field of specialty. The best and brightest–this is an excellent time to mention the accomplishments of some of our members. Fatima Sanchez was one of the awardees—unsung heroes, from Lisa’s Living Room, a non-profit organization for professional women of color. Kiki Magno was involved in spearheading a Zen room for the Emergency Department at Hackensack Medical Center. Latiema Merilus earned two certifications and is now double certified in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing through the ANCC and the Addictions Nursing Certification (CARN).

Region 2 had two educational events—one in September, which AbbVie Medical Affairs hosted. The topic was on the challenges in differentiating depression in today’s practice. It was well-attended and provided great insights into the current treatment and management trends of bipolar disorder and depression. We also had a webinar on October 14th with one of our own, Dr. Valera Hascup, Assistant Professor of Nursing at St. Peter’s University, who spoke about her recent study on “Incivility in Academia.” Her study was funded by the New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing via the George Hebert Award. Dr. Tess Medina, the current president of the Philippine Nurses Association of NJ, also spoke on “Resiliency and Preventing Burnout.” Both topics and presentations were well received and gave the participants a lot of good information to take and apply in their daily nursing practice. The plan is to provide educational offerings regularly utilizing the talents within our regions.

The past year or so has been challenging for most of us. As we near the end of 2021, we hope that 2022 will be the year for change and innovation—a year for hope and renewal. A year for our profession to shine further.

Region 3

Essex, Union CountiesElsie A. Rivera, DNP, APN. FNP-C

VP Communications

President’s Message: Lois Greene, DHA, MBA, BSN, RN, NEA-BC, CPPS, CPHRM

Hello please allow me to introduce myself my name is Lois Greene and I am your Region 3 president for 2022-2023. I have had the privilege of working with many of you in different capacities and I look forward to meeting many more of you in the future. If I have learned anything in nursing, it is that our connections are what makes us thrive. Connections make the work better and ultimately it is our connections that helped us thrive and grow as professionals. The year of the nurse was celebrated in both 2020 and 2021, and we can truly say were the most unforgettable years of our lives. Nurses in every professional environment have been stretched, challenged, and come out on the other side very different. I am so proud of being a part of this amazing community of professionals. The accomplishments of nurses are undeniable. This year I ask you to share with our community what helped you thrive? We will be collecting stories called “Pearls of the Pandemic.” In this space I am asking nurses from all over the region to share their resiliency strategies. The information may be sent by email, or you may drop your “pearls” via social media. What I would like to see is a sea of pearls that we can share widely that may turn into something bigger. My plan for Region 3 is simple. First, provide a network of colleagues that are available to each other. Secondly, provide a forum to share professional excellence. In this space

Dover Public Schools is a progressive, culturally diverse school district in Morris County serving approximately 3,400 students, Pre-K through grade 12 is currently accepting applications for the position of a District Head Nurse. This is a full-time, non-affiliated position with immediate availability.

Funding for this position will be supported by the Preschool Expansion Grant and ESSERS II Funds.Qualifications:Current License as a Registered Nurse (RN) in New JerseyValid New Jersey School Nurse Certificate preferredExperience in healthcare delivery in a public school setting

Essential Function:This position will oversee all aspects of nursing services in the Dover Schools and will serve as the primary contact with community health agencies. Other duties will include monitoring and health services of students in the district’s preschool program.

Application Procedure:To be considered for the position, apply online via Applitrack and complete all of the required components of the application.

https://www.applitrack.com/dover/onlineapp/Dover Public Schools is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer, and all qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.


region newsregion news

you may brainstorm and share your creative and innovative ideas and publish, publish, publish!! Finally, I would like Region 3 to be at the forefront of advocacy for the nursing profession. We have the opportunity to educate our colleagues, our community and decision makers. We get to promote the profession of nursing; advance the practice of nursing and advocate for nurses! Let’s do it together. Thank you for allowing me to serve.

In keeping with President Greene’s initiative to publish and share nursing knowledge, we congratulate Rachel Lyons for her publication: Lyons, R., Colbert, A., Browning, M., & Jakub, K. (2021). Urban greenspace use among adolescents and young adults: An integrative review. Public Health Nursing (In Press).

The Region 3 Board would like to extend our gratitude to all the nurses in our region for your continued commitment to our residents. We will continue to pursue opportunities to strengthen nursing networks to improve our membership during the upcoming year.

Members update your profile on the NJSNA website and stay informed. Follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn. [email protected]

Region 4

Bucks, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Somerset CountiesMaureen Clark-Gallagher MS, RN

President

The Region 4 Board continues to work for you. We thank you for all that you are doing for the nursing profession and the communities that we serve.

We continue to have monthly Board meetings. The meetings are held on the second Thursday of every month at 7 pm. The exception was the month of November as we had our annual meeting on November 13. The meetings are held via Zoom and we also have a good time. The more the merrier! Please contact me at [email protected] and I will send you the meeting link and agenda.

We hope you are enjoying the Region 4 newsletters. Region 4 members are automatically emailed the monthly newsletter. If you are not a member of Region 4 and would like to receive a copy, please email me and I will gladly email it to you.

We welcome your contributions and/or ideas on what you would like covered in the Newsletter. Please send us your accomplishments, photos, or anything else you deem relevant to nursing. We also encourage you to write an article for the Newsletter.

The Region 4 annual virtual meeting was held on November 13, 2021.

The speakers were Dr. Barbara Wright, a longtime NJSNA and Region 4 member and past NJ Assembly Woman, and Dr. Susan Reinhard, Senior Vice President and Director of AARP Public Policy Institute and Chief Strategist Center for the Champion Nursing in America and Family Caregiving Initiatives. The topic was “A Journey of Professional Nurses: Mentor and Mentee.” It was indeed a wonderful presentation and networking opportunity for Region 4 members and guests.

Kudos to Region 4 member Dr. Ana Maria Catanzaro, Associate Dean of the Thomas Edison State (TESU) W. Cary Edwards School of Nursing and Health Professions. Dr. Catanzaro was honored with the TESU Presidential Award for Distinguished Service for her contributions to the University to advance its mission and strategic plan and for her ongoing service to the local community by organizing TESU students and staff to help vaccinate more than 11,000 Trenton residents against COVID-19.

Region 4 members are encouraged to use the new MemberClicks membership website. We

are also working on a Microsite that will feature information from Region 4. Stay tuned for further information.

Please know that the Region 4 Board is here for you. Feel free to reach out to me or any member of the Region 4 Board.

Region 5

Burlington, Camden, Cumberland,

Gloucester, and SalemDr. Barbara McCormick, DNP, RN, CEN

NJSNA Region 5 President

The Board of Region 5 continues to thank all nurses in our Region for their relentless commitment to the health care of our fellow citizens. Together, you have made a difference, and we continue to keep you in our hearts and minds as this pandemic continues. Please take some time over this holiday season to celebrate with friends and family.

Dr. Barbara Chamberlain, PhD, RN was the recipient of the 2021 Philippine Nurses Association NJ (PNANJ) Legacy Award. Both Barbara Chamberlain and Barbara McCormick attended the

event on October 2nd, along with other NJSNA members. It was a wonderful event and kudos to PNANJ planners and participants!

Please follow our Facebook and Twitter pages for more info and please join us for our monthly Zoom meetings. We are looking for volunteers to join us in supporting all nurses.

Region 6

Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, Ocean

Jacqueline Bortu BSN, RNC-OB, CBC, C-ONQS, VP Communications

Region 6 Board Members are actively discussing how Region 6 can impact policy and better the community for nurses and all residents. Recent topics discussed included: recruitment initiatives to increase and unite the voice of our region, and holding town hall type discussions with the region’s political representatives to discuss pertinent nursing issues.

The Nominations Committee is looking for volunteers for NJSNA Region 6 Board positions each year. If you are interested in increasing your involvement in the NJSNA, please reach out to Denise Nash-Luckenbach for more information regarding these positions at [email protected]. Region 6 is especially looking for membership representation from Atlantic and Cape May Counties where membership has been historically less than the other counties. Every voice matters.

Please join our Facebook page, “New Jersey State Nurses Association Region 6.” Please check your emails for the latest updates and zoom links for membership meetings. We look forward to your input and participation. Invite your friends and consider joining a committee.

Region 6 members: If you did not receive an email blast from NJSNA about the Region’s educational meetings this year, please contact [email protected] to verify and update your membership information.

https://njsna.org


The Oversight Body (OSB) was established at the September 2020 meeting of the NJSNA Board of Directors meeting. The Oversight Body, an independent body, was the recommendation of the RAMP task force and the RAMP subcommittee of the same year. The OSB is a progression of the RAMP Advisory Board established with the New Jersey Board of Nursing, NJSNA, and the Institute for Nursing (IFN) in 2011. The purpose of the OSB is to secure and maintain trust in the operation of the Recovery and Monitoring Program (RAMP).

The mission of RAMP is to protect the public and support nurses with the disease of addiction who are engaged in their own wellness. RAMP achieves its mission through a treatment and recovery program for nurses, advocacy for nurses, education of nursing and consumer communities, and ongoing program evaluation to assure the implementation of best practices and outcomes.

Recommendations of the OSB assist with the improvements to RAMP protocols and participants services. A call went out for members of NJSNA who were interested in serving on the OSB to submit a consent to serve form and a resume. At the November 2020 NJSNA Board of Directors meeting eight NJSNA members were appointed to the OSB. These volunteer members are:

Eleanor Dietrich-Withington Co-Chair Linda Gural Co-Chair Heather AshfieldLisa Laphan-MoradMargaret Pipcheck Rosemary SmentkowskiDorothy Grandjean Smith Susan Rux

The first meeting of OSB was March 19, 2021. The OSB has met biweekly to review all RAMP documents. Based on the review the Body recommended the following updates: RAMP personnel job descriptions, update of policies and procedures, criteria for awarding scholarships, grievance procedure for participants in the RAMP program, evaluation of the program. Meetings were held with Terri Ivory Director of RAMP, Judy Schmidt CEO NJSNA, and Elizabeth Temple CEO of Birchwood, a provider of nurse support groups, in order to inform them of the results of the OSB reviews.

In October 2021, the OSB transitioned the meetings to occur monthly. Susan Rux is no longer a member of the Body therefore currently there are three positions available for qualified candidates to serve on the OSB. Call for appointment will go out March 1st, 2022. Interested NJSNA members in good standing should contact Jennifer Chanti at [email protected] for consent to serve form. Form and updated resume to be returned to NJSNA by April 15th, 2022. Materials submitted will be reviewed by the NJSNA board at the May 2022 meeting.

RAMP Oversight Body

Donna L. Castellani, MSN.Ed, RN, CNE

By its very demanding nature, the environment of healthcare requires the need for stress reduction and resilience building for its nurse workforce. The American Nurses Association’s Health Risk Appraisal report found that 82% of nurses believe they’re at a significant level of risk for illness due to workplace stress (Penque, 2019, para1). There has been a great deal of literature which speaks to the physiological and psychological benefits of incorporating the practice of “mindfulness” into our daily nursing practice. Mindfulness is claimed to have a proven reduction in stress, anxiety and burnout as well as enhancing resilience (van der Reit, et.al., 2018). Certainly, addressing the issues surrounding stress management in the work environment is crucial to help recruit and retain qualified professional nurses.

Workplace wellness initiatives often focus on decreasing an intuition’s employee health care while at the same time increasing productivity (Sos & Melton, 2020). However, stress and its effects also lead to increased absenteeism- adding additional stress for those who must now shoulder additional patient assignments. Occupational stress manifests itself in physical and psychological ways such as chronic fatigue, lack of concentration, “burn-out”, and emotional exhaustion (Sos & Melton, 2020). Managing work stress becomes important therefore not only to ensure patient safety, but to also to improve nurses’ overall health and job satisfaction. It is important that institutions look to incorporate stress management and mindfulness programs into their existing employee wellness programs.

One solution to this issue is to develop a program of “mindfulness.” Mindfulness has been described as “an awareness of the present moment” (Penque, 2019, para. 3). Nurses often encounter stressful situations during encounters with patients, families, and fellow healthcare team members. Developing a program of mindfulness may help foster self-compassion and serenity, as well as providing a means to put situations in perspective and promote positive responses to stress (Penque, 2019). Techniques such as focused breathing, meditation, focused visualization, taking a short walk down the hall or outside, or simply pausing for reflection can easily be employed during the workday to help cope with stressful situations or to deal with a build-up of stress. Such mindfulness techniques have been shown to be as effective as yoga in decreasing stress (Sosa & Melton, 2020). Mindfulness can help redirect negative thinking and reframe difficult situations (Penque, 2019). The more one practices mindfulness techniques, the more one can begin to separate negative emotions and gain better insight into the situation (Penque, 2019).

Nursing is an extremely stressful occupation. Stress is taking a toll on our nurse workforce. Developing and implementing mindfulness-based programs will help nurses develop the skills needed to manage workplace stress and improve their overall health and wellbeing. Mindfulness programs can be incorporated easily into existing wellness programs. This in turn will increase job satisfaction leading to increased productivity, patient safety, and staff retention, while decreasing absenteeism and burn-out. Mindfulness is a valuable tool in the nursing toolbox.

ReferencesPenque, S. (2019). Mindfulness to promote nurses’ well-being. Nursing Management 50(5):

38-44.Sos, T., & Melton, B. (2020). Incorporating mindfulness into Occupational Stress

Management programming for nursing staff. Workplace Health & Safety 63(4): 203-203

The Importance of Practicing “Mindfulness” in Nursing

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Susan H. Weaver, PhD, RN, CRNI, NEA-BC

National IV Nurse Day is every January 25th, a day to recognize infusion nurses. As infusion therapy has been a critical component in patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is especially important to recognize infusion nurses this year. While caring for patients with COVID-19, nurses—especially infusion nurses—have been challenged as never before.

The Infusion Nurses Society’s (INS) theme for this year, “Strong I(nitiatives), N(urses), S(tandards),” honors the characteristics that nurses exemplify. It also recognizes the importance of the 2021 Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice (the Standards) in infusion nurses’ practice. The Standards, which INS now releases every three years, are based on the most current evidence available, and infusion nurses are now incorporating the Standards into their organizations and clinical practice.

“While infusion nurses are integral members of the patient’s health care team, during the pandemic their clinical expertise has been invaluable as they have addressed some unusual circumstances such as insertion of peripherally inserted central catheters with patients in the prone position and management of infusion pumps outside of patients’ rooms. Especially on IV Nurse Day, INS acknowledges the contributions these nurses have made to patient care,” said Mary Alexander, MA, RN, CRNI®, CAE, FAAN, Chief Executive Officer of Infusion Nurses Society.

In 1980, the US House of Representatives designated January 25 as a day each year to honor and recognize the accomplishments of the nation’s infusion nurses—as well as a day to honor and recognize the National Intravenous Therapy Association, now known as Infusion Nurses Society. Then Massachusetts congressman Ed Markey called the specialty “a vital branch of our nation’s nursing profession.”

INS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the specialty practice of infusion nursing. The organization was founded more than 48 years ago to support infusion health care professionals by providing educational programs, establishing standards of practice, and disseminating research through its peer-reviewed publication, the Journal of Infusion Nursing. Today, INS has over 5,500 members in 33 different countries, and over 2,700 nurses certified in infusion nursing. As the premier association for infusion nursing, INS is dedicated to exceeding the public’s expectation of excellence by setting the standard for infusion care. The mission of INS is to develop and disseminate standards of practice, provide professional development opportunities and quality education programs, advance the specialty through evidence-based practice and research, promote the importance of certification, and advocate for the public, our patients.

So whether you have a certificate for completing an intravenous therapy course or specialize in infusion therapy and have obtained national certification as a certified registered nurse of infusion (CRNI®), all infusion nurses are recognized on IV Nurses Day. For more information about INS and to learn how to participate in their IV Nurses Day social media campaign, visit www.INS1.org.

Help INS Celebrate National IV Nurse Day

Gina Monk, BSN, RN, CCRN

Working through a pandemic is not something that can easily be taught. There is no way to prepare for the emotional, physical and spiritual distress that comes along with caring for innocent people all affected by the same evil. There is no way to teach how to handle the haunting memories you are left with once the units have been cleaned and normal work functions have resumed.

It is impossible to forget the sights of the units in which we worked so tirelessly. It is hard to know if we will ever be able to walk by a room without picturing the faces of patients we fought so hard for when they were unable to fight for themselves.

The truth is, no one really knows what we went through. It is impossible to describe the extreme physical and emotional exhaustion we felt after a shift of one emergency after another, or the heartbreak we felt every time a new patient came in because we knew the sequence of events that were about to occur. There is no way to describe the way we treated our patients with dignity even in the midst of chaos.

And in the peak of this chaos, we took nurses under our wings to teach them to care for the critically ill. Even though our spirits were weak and our bodies were tired, we stayed strong and positive for our newly trained nurses, because soon enough they too would understand the sheer panic, the fear and the heartbreak we had been experiencing all along.

But most of all… I will never be able to describe the moment that I realized that this was truly a pandemic… when I looked up and saw “DNR” written across a glass door. In this moment I knew that this pandemic was bigger than us, bigger than OMC, and bigger than the policies and procedures that were previously engrained in our minds. We were in survival mode. We were adaptive, creative and innovative when we had to be. Even though our spirits were breaking, and our bodies were tired, on my darkest moments, and on my hardest days, I would think back to the “DNR” written on the glass door and know that everything we were doing was for a purpose. It was not something that was taught, but something we knew we had to do. We were advocates when no one else could be. We were the ones who went in the rooms when nobody else would. We were the ones who adapted to the everchanging “rules,” even though no one knew what it actually looked like behind closed doors except for us.

COVID-19 hit us like a hurricane and the residue from the storm will never be fully washed away. And now, even though the “sun has come out,” there will always be a cloud of darkness that lingers above to remind us of a time that broke us, but somehow in the end made us more resilient than ever.

My Reflections About Nursing During COVID-19

Jacqueline A. Tierney, MSN, RN, CHPN Hospice and Palliative Care, Simon 3

Morristown Medical Center

I am a hospice and palliative care nurse. My calling is to comfort patients at the end of life, along with their families, and allow for a peaceful and dignified death. During the height of the COVID-19 crisis, I was tasked by my manager to aid in the opening of an off-site palliative care unit, for patients who required end-of-life care throughout our health system. I collaborated to secure staff who had been displaced from their usual practice areas. Once they were onboarded, I needed to determine their training needs, coordinate their schedule, and ensure they understood their new daily responsibilities. I worked closely with leadership, Informatics and Nursing Education to develop an innovative way to train the staff on donning PPE, charting in our EHR, administering comfort medications, and practicing the skill of communicating in unique and extreme circumstances.

As a practicing hospice nurse, the most difficult component of this was not being able to provide physical touch and comfort to patients and their families. We were restricted in the duration we were able to spend inside a patient’s room and family members were not permitted to visit at all. This provided a great deal of emotional distress for nurses and families, as they were unable to participate in their final days and hours and share their goodbyes. It was essential that I was able to convey to families that I was there to provide comfort to their loved ones, to bear witness to their passing, and that I was able to convey their love in their absence.

Communication was key and we instituted a plan, that the nurse would call the family scheduled intervals throughout each day, as well as offering regular opportunities to use video technology. We created a personalized narrative about each patient which alleviated a great deal of moral distress for all of us and enhanced our connections to our patients.

I felt that my greatest contribution to the staff was the gift of resiliency. When staff was experiencing the death of so many people, it was important that I stand with them at the bedside and help them to care for the patient, providing them with encouragement and support, and helping them to get off the unit to decompress when they needed it the most. We cried together and celebrated through group discussions, gatherings, and planting a “Garden of Souls” in remembrance of all those we lost.

Throughout this experience, I reflect that my purpose is to bring comfort to others at the end of life and in turn, I am comforted as well. Through the use of effective communication, collaboration, resilience, and innovation, we crafted a caring environment that brought together an amazing and dedicated group of nurses who provided the very best care to our patients when their families could not be by their side.

Reflections: Caring at End of Life During COVID-19

https://RCALighthouseNurses.com

http://RCARaritanBayNurses.com


By Wendy Jo Davis, LPN, CMCN, NJSNA LPN Forum

Chairperson

Happy New Year to All from the LPN Forum! 2022 will be an exciting year and I am happy to announce that we now have our Executive Committee in place–and we are ready to roll!

Please welcome the new Executive Committee Members of the FLPN:

Chairperson: Wendy Jo Davis, LPN, CMCNSecretary: Tiffany Hooper, LPNVice-Chairperson: Kimberlea Key, LPNTreasurer: Natalie Griffith, LPN

I would also like to send out a warm welcome to Lisa Golini, MSN, PhD(c), RN, Director of Clinical Operations: Practice and Education with the NJSNA/IFN. Lisa was also an LPN in her past life, and she has graciously offered us her services and time to assist the FLPN with continuing education, discussions and more! If there is a topic/discussion/theory/area in nursing that you would like to discuss–please reach out to the FLPN and we can coordinate with Lisa.

I am super-excited and look forward to working together this year with these motivated NJ LPNs and Lisa to promote the mission of the FLPN! The purpose of the NJSNA LPN Forum (FLPN) is to develop and provide a central space to enhance the role of Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) to assure that LPNs have the opportunity to practice nursing to the fullest extent of their scope of practice.

The mission of the FLPN shall be to: 1. Continue to develop and enhance the role of

LPNs in their delivery of nursing care in various settings.

2. Promote collaborative nursing discussions concerning nursing issues, patient care and nursing education.

3. Provide educational opportunities for the growth and development of LPNs.

4. Foster networking and mentoring opportunities among LPN members.

5. Promote activities that increase the visibility of the LPN role in New Jersey.

Ongoing FLPN Update & Building Plans:At the time of this writing, we now have 461 FLPN

Facebook members and 152 email subscribers!

Regional Contributors/Committees - We continue to establish multiple committees for planning upcoming projects like the membership drive, future in-person meetings, regional meetings, etc. (The FLPN will utilize the NJSNA Regions map). Volunteers listed on the FLPN Regions Map will be "hooked-in" to network with our respective NJSNA Regional Directors/members as well.

More regional contributors are always welcome and needed – just mark your name down on the FLPN Regions Map on Facebook or email the FLPN directly to be added to the list.

Membership Drive - NJ has 23,600+ LPNs! We need to reach as many LPNs as possible to build the FLPN so that all LPN voices may be heard!

**THE NEXT FLPN CONFERENCE CALL IS JANUARY 18, 2022 VIA ZOOM AT 7PM**

h t t p s : / / w w w . g o o g l e . c o m /url?q=https%3A%2F%2Frutgers.zoom.us%2Fj%2F95726553459%3Fpwd%3DdVVCelN4dnZRS3hEQ1FQZzV0VlYvQT09&sa=D&ust=1635986323842000&usg=AOvVaw3_7vJYMsgR62UcwhiLfRn4

Meeting ID: 957 2655 3459Password: 052683

One tap mobile+13017158592,,95726553459# US (Washington DC)+13126266799,,95726553459# US (Chicago)Join By Phone+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)

**OUR SPRING CONFERENCE CALL WILL BE HELD ON APRIL 6TH VIA ZOOM AT 7PM**

h t t p s : / / w w w . g o o g l e . c o m /url?q=https%3A%2F%2Frutgers.zoom.us%2Fj%2F97581761965%3Fpwd%3DZG03M2dnR1Y5R0RySFFtVEhQTVIwQT09&sa=D&ust=1635986517300000&usg=AOvVaw1whX-HtyVgL5g-s-Kx2KN1

Meeting ID: 975 8176 1965Password: 699729One tap mobile+16465588656,,97581761965# US (New York)+13017158592,,97581761965# US (Washington DC)Join By Phone+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

Use the links below to share the FLPN with your LPN/LPN Student colleagues!

Please join the "New Jersey State Nurses LPN Forum" Facebook group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/njLPNurses/

Please SUBSCRIBE for FLPN News/Updates on our current email platform at: https://njsna-lpn-forum.mailchimpsites.com

Questions/Comments? Email the FLPN directly at: [email protected]

http://tesu.edu/nursingdegree


Susan H. Weaver, PhD, RN, CRNI®, NEA-BC

The Congress on Policy and Practice has revised and updated the position statement on Medication Administration by Unlicensed Assistive Personnel. Linda Hassler, DNP, RN, GCNS-BC, CNE, FGNLA, (NJSNA Region 6 member and Assistant Professor, Baccalaureate Division at Rutgers University) and Reginaldo Antonio, MSN, RN (Director of Wellness, The Willows Assisted Living Facility) assisted COPP with this revision. Hassler, who updated the previous version of this position statement, explained “This position statement originated to inform nurses about the need for Certified Medication Aide (CMAs), particularly in assisted living residences, because initially nurses did not understand and were even against having CMAs.” Now available on the NJSNA website, this position statement provides information on the requirements to become a CMA and the registered nurse’s responsibility regarding delegation.

Medication Administration by Unlicensed Assistive Personnel

Statement:New Jersey State Nurses Association recognizes that according to New Jersey

(NJ) administrative code 8:36 - 9.2 (2013) medications can be administered by or given with the assistance of unlicensed assistive personnel in settings such as assisted living residences, comprehensive personal care homes, and assisted living programs.

New Jersey State Nurses Association supports medication administration or assisted self-administration by unlicensed assistive personnel when the assistive personnel obtain certification as a Certified Medication Aide (CMA) and the registered nurse (RN) who is delegating obtains the recommended education and adheres to the obligations related to delegation as outlined by the NJ Board of Nursing (BON).

Explanation of Issues:The NJ standards for assisted living residences, comprehensive personal

care homes, and assisted living programs specify to administer medications, CMAs must meet the following requirements: 1) have certification as a nurse aide (CNA), homemaker/home health aide (CHHA), or personal care assistant (PCA), 2) complete the 30-hour medication aide training course approved by the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH), and 3) successfully pass the NJDOH Certified Medication Aide standardized exam regarding medication administration by personal care assistants (NJ Admin Code 8 § 36 - 9.2, 2013). In order to maintain certification, the CMA must renew their certification and complete ten hours of continuing education every two years (NJ Admin Code 8 § 36 - 9.2 (d), 2013).

The NJ Board of Nursing (BON) administrative code 13:37 - 6.2 (2020), specifies that only a RN may delegate the medication administration task to a PCA/CHHA/CNA who has received verifiable education and demonstrated adequate knowledge, skill, and competency to perform the task of medication administration. Additionally, the NJ BON administrative code, 13:376.4 (2020) outlines the RNs’ obligations relating to delegations to a certified HHA or assistive person.

To assist facility trainers/instructors in preparing qualified PCAs, CHHAs, and CNAs to administer medications, under circumstances when the RN delegates the task, the NJDOH requires trainers to attend the Train-the-Trainer Workshop offered by the Health Care Association of New Jersey (HCANJ). The NJDOH has also developed the “Trainer Manual: A resource guide for medication administration" to prepare PCAs, CHHAs, and CNAs to administer medications in assisted living residences, comprehensive personal care homes, or assisted living programs (NJDOH, 2014). It is strongly recommended that RNs who delegate to CMAs attend the Train-the-Trainer Workshop offered by the HCANJ.

Explanation/Definition of TermsNote that a Certified Medication Aide (CMA) is different from a Certified

Medical Assistant. A certified medical assistant is a medical assistant who has achieved certification through the Certifying Board of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) and has been educated and tested in a wide scope of general, clinical, and administrative responsibilities.

Unlicensed assistive personnel are defined as those individuals who have not completed a nursing course of study and have not passed a licensing examination by the Board of Nursing.

Rationale:An essential element of assisted living is that residents are encouraged

to maintain their autonomy and to participate in self-care. To the extent that they are capable, residents in assisted living settings should self-administer their medications and keep their supply of medications in their own apartment/room. When residents are unable to independently self-administer medications, CMAs can supervise or assist the resident in taking the medications or administer the medications.

References:American Association of Medical Assistants. https://www.aama-ntl.org/medical-

assisting/what-is-a-cmaNJ Admin. Code tit. 8 § 36 - 9.2. (2013, December 23). https://nj.gov/health/

healthfacilities/documents/rfpappendixes/appendix_a.pdfNJ Admin. Code tit. 13 § 37-6.2 and 6.4 (2020, October 19). https://www.

njconsumeraffairs.gov/regulations/Chapter-37-New-Jersey-Board-of-Nursing.pdfNJ Department of Health. (n.d.) Certified Medication Aide.https://www.nj.gov/health/healthfacilities/certification-licensing/certified-medication-

aide/index.shtmlNJ Department of Health. (2014). Trainer Manual: A resource guide for medication

administration. https://www.nj.gov/health/healthfacilities/documents/rfpappendixes/appendix_d.pdf

Written by: Congress on Policy and PracticeFormulated: April 1993 - Legislative CommitteeRevised: January 2011, by Linda Hassler & Karla Tramutola, COPP membersRevised: June 2021, Congress on Policy and Practice, Susan H. Weaver, PhD, RN, Linda

Hassler, DNP, RN, and Reginaldo Antonio, MSN, RNApproved: September 14, 2021, Congress on Policy and PracticeAdopted: September 28, 2021, NJSNA Board of Directors

Medication Administration by Unlicensed Assistive Personnel

How will you help your community?MRC Volunteers support local public

health & emergency response efforts in the community.

Interested in joining?

Apply online:https://njlmn.njlincs.net/jsp/mrc-index.jsp

Somerset County Department of Health www.co.somerset.nj.us/health

908-231-7155

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https://jobs.rutgers.edu/postings/search


Lisa Ertle, BA, RN and the Healthy Nurse Healthy New Jersey Team

I love it when someone new comes to where I work. Sometimes it’s a brand-new nurse, a surgical technician, or someone who is hired to run the front desk. Occasionally I’ll have the pleasure of watching a new physician’s assistant or resident learn the ropes, or in some cases a medical device representative takes on a new territory—or even starts his or her first job out of college. One of my absolute favorites is the mid-career nurse who just got off of nights for the first time in 15 years because he wanted to be awake during the day to spend more time with his children and start taking classes.

I enjoy watching these change embracers learn and adjust to their new positions until they’ve got it down pat. All of them remind me that while the cocoon can be uncomfortable, the joy of transformation can far outweigh the struggles.

Last year, I watched one Healthy Nurse friend change jobs two times before she found the right fit. “I know it seems crazy, she said, “but I love what I do, and I know

One Step Closer to Where You’d Like to Be

healthy nurse healthy new Jerseyhealthy nurse healthy new Jersey

there is a place I can be happier.” Another left her job only a few years before retirement because the stress she was experiencing from the changes at her hospital were making her sick. One month out, both of them looked happier and more relaxed than I’d ever seen them. Job changes aren’t the only professional changes that inspire me. I watched another Healthy Nurse take on a volunteer political position because she wanted to be an advocate and leader for nurses in the state.

Three years ago, at age 46, I took an opportunity to learn the OR. Once I had gotten my bearings, I used the momentum from the job change to go back to school. Talk about growing pains! Once I got the hang of fully online classes, I really started to see how I could use what I was learning in my current work and beyond. There’s no denying I was somewhat trepidatious about taking on these new experiences, but I used the courage I saw in others to take my own leap of faith. My mentor from back in nursing school, after graduating with her DNP, reminded me that it’s never too late to go for it. Getting to the other side can be exhilarating. And often in hindsight, the struggle can be beautiful as well.

Healthy New Jersey Nurses, let’s make 2022 the year of changes that will ultimately bring us joy. They don’t have to be drastic. For example, if you’ve been unhappy with your job, set up some interviews to explore new work environments. Keep an open mind. If you would like to feel healthier, start with a short walk each day. If you are thinking of going back to school, and if time and finances allow, you can always take one class at a time. And then there’s diving right in. When you lack the courage to take a leap of faith, look to those around you who are in various stages of personal and professional growth. They can be great teachers.

Take good care of yourselves.

HNHNJ welcomes you to enhance our community by posting your favorite healthy ideas, recipes, workouts, meditations and the like to our New Jersey State Healthy Nurses Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1660211840668754/ and visit our HNHNJ site at https://njsna.org/healthy-nurse/ to read essays by nurses, for nurses and take the Healthy Nurse Pledge. For monthly challenges, visit https://www.healthynursehealthynation.org/

http://www.nj.gov/health/forms/dpf-663.pdf

mailto:pstbhs%40doh.nj.gov?subject=


Joanne Evans MEd, RN, PMHCNS-BC

Adapted from the Indiana Nurse Association Bulletin

Almost 2500 years ago, Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”. These words are still relevant today. Over 20,000 prescription drug products are approved for marketing and pharmaceutical companies benefit the most from people being sick.

There has been extensive research for well over 40 years showing how food can be used to treat and sometimes reverse many chronic diseases. What specifically is plant-based nutrition PBN? What does it include?

• Vegetables – dark greens, dark yellows and orange, sweet potato, etc.

• Whole Grains – pasta, rice, corn, whole grain bread, tortilla, etc.

• Fruit – whole fruit

• Legumes – beans, peas, lentils, tofu, soymilk, chickpeas, etc.

• Nuts and seeds

• Limited processed foods

• Avoiding oil, flour, and sugar

With over 3 million nurses we can make a dramatic change in health care for people if we share information about PBN. There seems to be many reasons nurses do not do this. Some feel they do not know enough and are worried they could not answer the patient’s questions; they think it is too difficult; do not know whom to refer patients to; think it may be too expensive to adhere to, and think patients may not be interested .

All the nurses who interviewed for Cultivating Seeds of Health with Plant-Based Nutrition, Nurses Share Educational Approaches to Prevent and Reverse Chronic Disease, learned about PBN after graduation from their nursing programs.

There are several groups available for nurses interested in learning more about PBN. Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine (PCRM) hosts the Nurses Nutrition Network, which provides educational programs for nurses (https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/nutrition-for-clinicians/nurses-nutrition-network).

The American College of Lifestyle Medicine has a nurse support group and provides educational presentations open to all nurses. https://lifestylemedicine.org/What-is-Lifestyle-Medicine.

Our patients need to have a choice on how they will resolve their chronic health issues, and nurses are well-positioned to educate patients on nutritional options to help prevent and possibly reverse many chronic diseases. Patients should be given all the options to make an educated decision about their health. Sometimes it starts with medications while they are making nutrition and lifestyle changes. Eventually, it may be the nutritional changes that reverse the chronic disease process. Let 2021 be the year of change!

Resources for learning about PBN are the following: • Campbell, T. C., & Campbell,T. The China Study. Startling implications

for diet, weight loss and long-term health.

• Greger, M. How not to die.

• Esselstyn, C. Prevent and reverse heart disease

Websites:• Dr. Greger - https://nutritionfacts.org

• Dr. McDougall - www.drmcdougall.com

• Forks Over Knives - https://www.forksoverknives.com/

• Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine – https://www.pcrm.org

Apps:• 21-Day Vegan Kickstart – PCRM

• Forks Over Knives

• Dr. Gregers’ Daily Dozen

Plant-based movies include:• Forks Over Knives – especially for diabetes, heart disease, and chronic

health issues

• Code Blue – focusing on medical training and health care system

• Game Changers - focus on vegan athletes

Will Your Next Prescription be for the Pharmacy or the

Farmacy?By Faith Atte, PhD, RN and

Renee Pevour, MS, RN

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a daylong training to reduce the stigma towards mental illness and increase a person's likelihood to refer others for support and professional help. Dr. Faith Ikarede Atte PhD, RN previously offered this content to William Paterson Nursing Students. However, to expand the reach Dr. Atte, Assistant Professor and her mentor Dr. Brenda Marshall, Professor, both faculty at the Department of Nursing at William Paterson University put together a training project – We Provide Mental Health Awareness (WP MHA) and were awarded a grant of $625,000 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). WP MHA is projected to reach over 3,000 individuals with the SAMHSA approved, evidence-based MHFA trainings (youth, teen and adult). This expansion will provide instruction for faculty, staff, and students and also include the community.

The program will offer first aid certification and will also offer a train the trainer component. Providing the MHFA trainer training to William Paterson University faculty, staff, students as well as the surrounding community members will increase the capacity to deliver MHFA to the even larger NJ community. The training will include assessment of suicide and self-harm thus increasing the understanding of the spectrum of mental illness and continuum of mental health to the diverse community of WPUNJ.

Given the recent pandemic of 2020 and its impact on mental health – WP MHA is timely and needed. This training can change the community awareness and attitudes toward challenges of mental illness and provide the needed skills for the diverse faculty, staff, students and community members to identify high risk behaviors that indicate the need for mental health services.

To obtain more information or schedule a session, contact Dr. Faith Ikarede Atte PhD, RN at [email protected]

Making a Difference in Mental Health on College Campus

and in NJ

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Help for Children, Women and Families, is Just a Phone Call AwayAs schools, retail businesses and places of employment advance economic

recovery from the pandemic, children and families may continue to struggle – afraid and not knowing how to take steps toward a new normal. Nurses are often the first line of contact with a child experiencing physical or mental health challenges, whether it occurs at school, requires an appointment with the pediatrician or results in a trip to a hospital emergency department.

You can connect them to important programs and needed supports through the New Jersey Department of Children and Families.

• The 2nd Floor Youth Helpline, http://www.2ndfloor.org/ accepts calls and text messages from young people, ages 10 to 24. 2nd Floor’s website has many resources that address the issues young people are facing.

• The Department of Children and Families’ Child Abuse Hotline, 1-877-652-2873, also serves as a resource for families who may benefit from referrals to social services.

• DCF’s Children’s System of Care, DCF | Children's System of Care (nj.gov) serves children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral health care challenges, children with developmental and intellectual disabilities, and children with substance use challenges and their families.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership, and for all you do to help New Jersey’s families be safe, healthy and connected.

Barbara Maher RN BSN NJ-CSNLead Nurse Rahway School District

Franklin School NursePresident, Union County School Nurses Association

Membership Chair and County Liaison NJSSNA

Are you tired of 12-hour shifts, being on call and working holidays and weekends? How would you like a career where your schedule matches that of your school age children? If that sounds interesting, then you should consider a career in school nursing. There is a huge need for school nurses and a gratifying career could be waiting for you. Along with an enviable schedule, school nursing provides generous compensation and a defined pension. But the benefits are not all material.

The dedication and energy that you bring as a school nurse can make a real difference in the lives of our children. It’s not uncommon that a school nurse is the primary or even the only health care provider a child sees. Families frequently need help navigating the various requirements for vaccinations and the pitfalls and confusion of government programs. From basic hygiene and nutrition to procuring dental care and eyeglasses, your efforts and skill can have a real tangible impact. The rapport you build with your kids is something you are likely to treasure for a lifetime.

School nurse certification programs are available at most NJ colleges. If you are tired of the rat race and are looking for a way to provide a significant and lasting contribution, please consider a career as a school nurse.

For more information, visit the New Jersey State School Nurses Association’s website @ www.njssna.org.

LOOKING FOR A CHANGE??

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Dr. Prisca Anuforo, DNP, CTN-A, RN, Executive Director

Kristal Suggs, B.A, Graduate AssistantSchool of Nursing, Kean University, Union New

Jersey

All correspondences should be sent to: Prisca Anuforo, DNP, CTN-A, RN

School of Nursing, Kean University, Union New Jersey, 07083

Email: [email protected]

The only certainty in life is that it must come to an end. How and when it comes to that end is unknown to humanity. When life ends, there is always someone left to mourn the loss. The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in over 700,000 deaths leaving children, widows, and widowers to mourn the loss of their loved ones. Widowhood is defined as the disruption of marriage due to the death of the spouse. A widow is a woman whose husband is deceased, while a widower is a man whose wife is dead (Cliffnotes, 2021). Widowhood affects Blacks and women at a higher rate than other groups (Umberson et al., 2017). In the United States, there are about 15,307,085 million widows in 2019 (Curtin, Tejada-Vera, & Anderson, 2021). This number is presumed to be much higher because of Covid-19 pandemic and bereaved individuals who lived together as partners but did not have an official marriage certificate.

Widowhood comes with grave consequences. The average life expectancy of widowed individuals is 15 years after the spouse has passed away (Curtin, S. C., Tejada-Vera B., 2019). Widowed adults had the highest age-adjusted death rates of all marital status groups, increasing 4% from 2010 to 2019 (Curtin,

A Double Whammy: Widowhood and Covid 19 Pandemic.

Tejada-Vera, & Anderson, 2021). Bereavement is ranked number 1 on the Holmes-Rahe Stress Inventory (American Institute of Stress, 2020), and because of social isolation imposed by COVID, the stress in this population is magnified. Widows are dying at a higher rate and are sicker than married couples. Compared to unmarried people, widows have the worst health and elevated mortality risk (Liu & Umberson, 2008). Men have the highest death rate within three months of bereavement, known as the widowhood effect. Within all gender and racial-ethnic subgroups, widowhood effects on mortality were largest for Hispanic men. Hispanic and Black women also suffered significant widowhood effects on mortality than the white women (Liu, Umberson, & Xu, 2020).

It appears from the statistics presented that widowhood is a death sentence sooner or later. As healthcare professionals, the plight of widows and widowers should be on our radar. Some interventions are known to improve wellness in widowhood. However, more needs to be done to improve the health and welfare of widows and widowers. The most effective way to overcome an illness is to prevent it from occurring in the first place. NINR supports research to promote long-term health, including healthy behaviors, and avoid disease and comorbidities across health conditions, settings, and the lifespan. Research supported in this area focuses on the physical, social, behavioral, and environmental causes of illness, determinants of health, and assessment of behaviors that lead to healthy lifestyle choices (Grady, 2017). Most of the available research on widowhood is from the social sciences. This article brings awareness to the health status in widowhood and a call to action to improve the health of widows

by nurses. We can mitigate these health conditions and improve lives. The widowed should not die because they lost a loved one.

ReferencesAmerican Institute of Stress. The Holmes Rahe Stress

Inventory. 2020. https://www.stress.org/holmes-rahe-stress-inventory-pdf.

Curtin, S. C., Tejada-Vera, B. & Anderson, R. N. (2021). Death Rates by Marital Status for Leading Causes of Death: United States, 2010–2019 National Vital Statistics Report Volume 70 no 10. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc:109161.

Cliffnotes. Widowhood. Retrieved October 30, 2021 h t t p s ://w w w.c l i f f s no te s .com/s t u dy - g u i de s/psychology/development-psychology/death-and-dying/widowhood).

Grady, P. A. (2017). Advancing Science, Improving Lives: NINR's New Strategic Plan and the Future of Nursing Science. Journal of Nursing Scholarship: an official publication of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, 49(3), 247-248. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12286

Liu H, Umberson DJ. (2008). The times they are a-changin’: Marital status and health differentials from 1972 to 2003. Journal of Health Social Behavior 49(3):239–53.

Liu, H., Umberson, D., & Xu, M. (2020). Widowhood and mortality: gender, race/ethnicity, and the role of economic resources. Annals of Epidemiology, 45, 69–75.e1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annepidem.2020.02.006

Umberson DJ, Olson JS, Crosnoe R, Liu H, Pudrovska T, Donnelly R. Death of family members as an overlooked source of racial disadvantage in the United States. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 2017;114(5):915–20.

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Judith T. Caruso, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE, ONL NJ NWESC Commission and Susan

Cholewka, MBA, Executive Director ONL NJ

Strong Interest Continues: Additional Hospitals Participate

Strong interest continues in New Jersey to create and sustain healthy work environments. In November 2021, the Organization of Nurse Leaders New Jersey (ONL NJ) welcomed six more hospitals into the statewide program for education and implementation of this statewide innovative Nurse Workplace Environment and Staffing Councils (NWESC), joining the 38 acute care hospitals (more than 50 percent of NJ hospitals) currently involved statewide. See exhibit 1 of the state map. This Cohort Group #5 includes the following additional hospitals:

• Holy Name Medical Center, Teaneck*• Atlantic Health System - Chilton Medical

Center, Pompton Plains*• Hackensack Meridian Health Southern Ocean

Medical Center, Manahawkin*• Hackensack Meridian Health Palisades Medical

Center, North Bergen*• Atlantic Health System - Overlook Medical

Center, Summit NJ*• Hackensack Meridian Health - Ocean

University Medical Center, Brick, NJ* * not included on the map

The series of three virtual education programs were scheduled for November 2021, January 2022 and March 2022. More than eleven existing hospitals with their own NWESC also sent council members for orientation and/or updates as desired. The six interdependent American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) Standards for Establishing and Sustaining Healthy Work Environments and

evidenced-based practices related to these standards for a healthy work environment were discussed in detail: skilled communication, authentic leadership, effective decision making, meaningful recognition, true collaboration, and appropriate staffing (AACN, 2016). Evidenced-based practices on personal, unit based, and organizational resiliency were also added to the conference content.

Research Continues: Work Environment Improves Qualitative research published from the original

cohort #1 in 2017 was reported from firsthand accounts described by clinical nurses of a healthy work environment (HWE) with the importance of teamwork, like a “symphony” working together, being valued and having meaningful recognition. The nurse managers stressed the importance of respect and collaboration across all discipline (Johansen, de Cordova & Weaver, 2021). A manuscript from the recent research based on the three years work of cohort #1 hospitals has been submitted and reports the continued improvement over time in the six standards for a HWE as measured by the AACN Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool (Connor et al., 2018).

National Interest Continues: Presentations Scheduled

There is national interest in this innovative statewide model for healthy work environments. A presentation by ONL NJ leaders regarding the statewide action plan implementing and sustaining healthy work environments is scheduled at the American Hospital Association Advancing Care national conference March 7-9, 2022 in Chicago. Additional abstracts have been submitted to the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN), the American Organization of Nurse Leaders

(AONL), and Sigma Theta Tau for presentations at conferences in 2022.

Healthy Work Environments in New Jersey: Future Plans

The ONL NJ NWESC Commission goal is to have a strong healthy work environment focus through NWESC in 90% of acute care hospitals by the end of 2022. Plans are already in place for the Cohort #6 to start their education in spring of 2022. Current and new NWESC members can also attend for education updates.

For more information, contact Susan Cholewka, executive director of ONL NJ, at [email protected].

References American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. (2016).

AACN standards for establishing and sustaining healthy work environment: a journey to excellence (2nd Ed.). Retrieved from https://www.aacn.org/nurs ing-excel lence/standards/aacn-s tandards-for-es tab l i sh ing-and-sus ta in ing-hea l thy -work-environments.

American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool. Aliso Viejo, CA: American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. ©AACN. All rights reserved. Modified with permission.

Connor, J. A., Ziniel, S. I., Porter, C., Doherty, D., Moonan, M., Dwyer, P., …Hickey, P. A. (2018). Use and calibration of the AACN Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool. American Journal of Critical Care, 27(5), 363-371.

Johansen, M., de Cordova, P., & Weaver, S. (2021). Exploration of the meaning of healthy work environment for nurses. Nurse Leader, 97(4), 383-389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2020.06.011

Ulrich, B., Barden, C., Cassidy, L., & Varn-Davis, N. (2019). Critical care nurse work environments 2018: Findings and implications. Critical Care Nurse, 39(2), 67–84.

Continued Actions to Improve Nurse Workplace Environments in New Jersey

Exhibit 1: NWESC Hospitals by County in NJ


Attendance & Motions for NJSNA September 28, 2021 Board of Director’s Meeting

Mary Ellen Levine – PresidentSandra Foley – President-ElectRegina Adams – Vice PresidentDaniel Misa – TreasurerLinda Gural – SecretaryMargaret Daingerfield – DirectorTara Heagle – DirectorJoAnne Penn – Director/Staff NurseSusan Weaver – COPP ChairPatricia Baxter – Region 1 PresidentMary Genuino – Region 2 PresidentNorma Rodgers – Region 3 PresidentMaureen Clark-Gallagher – Region 4 PresidentBarbara McCormick – Region 5 PresidentJudy Schmidt – CEOJennifer Chanti – Executive AssistantDebra Harwell – Deputy DirectorTerri Ivory – RAMP DirectorLisa Golini – Director Clinical OperationsLynne Stauffer – BookkeeperKathleen Gillespie – Immediate Past PresidentWendy Jo Davis – Chair LPN ForumBeth Knox – Bylaws Committee Chair

Motion #1 Agenda Motion passedMotion #2 Minutes Accept minutes from May, June, July

2021 as edited Motion passed.Motion #3 Treasurer Dan Misa presented three

RFP for Accountant Move that NJSNA/IFN BOD approve

Non-profit Accounting Solutions, LLC Motion passed, Treasurers report out

of committee and filed.Motion #4 Conflict of Interest Policy, Move that

Conflict-of-Interest Policy is approved with Correction, Approved with unanimous consent

Motion #5 Financial Philosophy, Policies, and Guidelines for the NJSNA and IFN Investment Portfolio, Move that Financial Philosophy is approved, Policy referred back to committee

Motion #6 Purchase of Services Policy Move that Purchase of Services

Policy be accepted with correction of NJSNA before CEO in Procedures #2, Adopted as edited

Motion #7 Resolutions Policy Move Archive Call for Resolutions

and Policy on resolution and approve Resolutions Policy, Policy referred back to committee and hold archiving to next meeting

Motion #8 Position Statement, Medication Administration by Unlicensed Assistive Personnel

Moved by Sue Weaver adoption by NJSNA Board of Directors.

Adoption as presentedMotion #9 Motion to break for lunch, Adopted

with unanimous consentMotion #10 Convention 2021, Motion to cancel

Convention 2021, Discussion

concerning fee for cancellation, annual meeting, and poster presentation, Motion passed

Motion #11 Call the Question Motion, Motion passed

Motion #12 Annual meeting, Motion to hold an annual meeting virtually, Motion passed

Motion #13 Move Annual Meeting, Motion to move the annual meeting to Spring of 2022

Motion passedMotion #14 Motion to move the discussion on

Motion 13 to after the discussion, Motion failed

Motion #15 LPN Schools, Motion to support the Home Health and Hospice to lift the moratorium on new LPN schools, Susan Weaver asked to wait until she does some research on the LPN schools

Motion #16 Motion to table Motion #15, Motion passed

Motion #17 Marijuana Task Force, Motion to appoint Rosemary Smentkowski to the Marijuana Task Force, Adopted without objection

Motion #18 Oversight Body, Motion to discharge member from the Oversight Body due to Absence, Adopted without objection

Motion #19 Adjournment 3:45pm

http://hofstra.edu/gradnursing


F. Patrick Robinson, PhD, RN, ACRN, CNE, FAANSherry L Roper, PhD, RN

Reprinted with permission from Illinois The Nursing Voice, June 2021 issue

The idea that gender is binary (male or female) and determined at birth predominates Western cultures. However, research evidence and lived experiences suggest that gender exists on a spectrum with many options. Some people identify as a gender different from their gender determined at birth (Deutsch, 2016). Our traditional understanding of gender, based on chromosomes and primary (genitalia) and secondary sex characteristics, is often called biological sex or gender (or sex) assigned at birth. Gender identity, on the other hand, is the innermost concept of self as male, female, a blend of both, or neither (Lambda Legal, 2016.).

The majority of people are cisgender, which occurs when gender assigned at birth and gender identity are the same. However, the best available data suggest that approximately 1.4 million adults do not self-identify with their gender assignments (e.g., someone assigned female at birth but identifies as male) (Flores et al., 2016). Transgender is an umbrella term for this population. A visibly growing segment of the U.S. population does not identify with the binary notion of gender. Nonbinary is a collective term for this population, but individuals may use terms such as genderqueer, gender fluid, or gender non-conforming.

There is no standard or correct way to be (or be seen as) transgender. Some people who are transgender choose gender-affirming hormone therapy to achieve masculinizing or feminizing effects; others do not. Surgery that revises genitals to conform to gender identity is a critical part of the transition for many people who are transgender (Deutsch et

Providing Competent, Supportive Care for People Who are Transgender

al., 2019). Others do not feel that genital surgery is a necessary part of transition but may opt for non-genital surgeries to produce desired characteristics, including breast augmentation or removal and body contouring procedures. In other words, the importance of therapy related to the quality of life varies by individual. Also, some people who are transgender may want these services but do not have access to them because they are (a) unavailable in the community; (b) not covered by insurance (even if the individual has insurance, and many do not), and (c) too expensive.

Remember: there is no one way to "be" transgender or cisgender. People choose to express their gender identities in personally satisfying ways, which may or may not match social expectations of what it means to look and behave as a male or female. Some transgender women choose not to wear makeup or dresses, and some cisgender men choose to wear their hair long and earrings.

Health Disparities in People Who are Transgender

Negative attitudes and discrimination toward the transgender community create inequalities that prevent the delivery of competent healthcare and elevate the risk for various health problems (Grant et al., 2011). In comparison to their cisgender counterparts, people who are transgender experience higher incidences of cancer, mental health challenges, and other health problems (Department of Health & Human Services, n.d.). For instance, transgender women, compared to all other populations, are at the highest risk of injury from violence and death by homicide. People who are transgender are also more likely to smoke, drink alcohol, use drugs, and engage in risk behaviors (Institute of Medicine, 2011).

Furthermore, discrimination and social stigma increase poverty and homelessness in people who are transgender (Safer et al., 2017). The inability to afford basic living needs may lead to employment in underground economies, such as survival sex work or the illegal drug trade, which place the person who is transgender at an even higher risk for violence, drug use, and sexually transmitted infections (Deutsch, 2016).

People who are transgender are more likely to rely on public health insurance or be uninsured than the general population. Even those insured report coverage gaps caused by low-cost coverage that does not include standard services for preventative, behavioral health, or gender-affirming therapies,

including hormones (Deutsch et al., 2019). Lack of access to comprehensive health care leads some people who are transgender to seek hormones from the community and social networks without clinical support and monitoring, putting them at additional risk for adverse reactions and complications.

Researchers suggest that healthcare providers' inability to deliver supportive and competent care serves as a powerful mechanism underlying health disparities (Fenway Institute, 2016). The experiences of people who are transgender are often not included in healthcare provider diversity and inclusiveness training. While transgender-related content in health professions basic education programs would effectively improve provider knowledge, skills, and attitudes, transgender health has not been prioritized in nursing education. The result is a nursing workforce inadequately prepared to care for people who are transgender (McDowell & Bower, 2016).

Nursing Care of People Who Are TransgenderCompetent, supportive transgender care requires

nurses to recognize potential biases and understand gender that may differ from their current beliefs and social norms. Honest reflection on these feelings is an essential step in providing competent transgender care. Using a lens of cultural humility, where cisgender nurses acknowledge that they do not adequately know about being transgender while also being open to learning, is helpful. In this spirit, open, transparent inquiry on the part of nurses when they do not know something (When I speak to your children, what name should I use to refer to you?) or how to proceed with care (I need to place a catheter into your bladder, and I know you have had gender-affirming surgery. Do you want to give me any special instructions?) can build trust.

While gender-affirming care such as hormones, androgen-blocking agents, and surgeries require specialist care management, nurses will encounter transgender patients in all healthcare areas. Assessing the history and current status of gender-affirming therapies is critical to inform safe care. For example, hormone-induced changes in muscle and bone mass, along with menstruation or amenorrhea, can alter gender-defined reference ranges for laboratory tests such as hemoglobin/hematocrit, alkaline phosphatase, and creatinine (Deutsch, 2016). Nurses should consider the gender assigned at birth (especially if it is the only gender information to which the lab has access) and gender-affirming therapy-induced physiological changes to make valid inferences about lab values. Nurses should also ensure that a complete history of the use of hormones and androgen blockers (including those obtained from non-licensed providers) is taken. Nurses should work with other providers to ensure that hormone therapy does not stop with hospitalization unless contraindicated by current pathology or prescribed medications. Abrupt cessation of hormone therapy can have a significant and negative impact on emotional and physiological health.

Systems-Level Policies, Processes, and Advocacy

Professional nurses can play a crucial role by advocating for policies and processes that promote safe, effective, and supportive care for people who

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are transgender. Misgendering a patient (making an incorrect assumption about gender identity) can cause emotional distress and erode patient-provider trust. Unfortunately, electronic health records (EHR) often do not support competent care for people who are transgender. For instance, healthcare providers should use a 2-step gender identification process (Deutsch, 2016). However, many do not, and EHR systems rarely provide prompts for the processor space for easy documentation and access to information derived from the process. Asking about a patient's current gender identity can result in several responses. The EHR should make checkboxes for a reasonable number of those responses, including male, female, transgender male, transgender female, and nonbinary. A fill-in-the-blank is needed for other identifies. The gender assigned at birth also requires options beyond male or female; people born with external genitalia, gonads, or both that do not conform to what is typically male or female (intersex) may have been identified incorrectly at birth. The EHR should provide an intersex option to this question. Some people who are transgender are uncomfortable revealing gender assigned at birth, so decline-to-state should be another option. Note that this process should be the standard for all patients, not just those assumed to be transgender.

People who are transgender may use names other than their legal names (Lambda Legal, 2016). Navigating a legal name change is complicated and costly. Some people who are transgender do not have the resources for a legal name change; for others, it may not be safe, given current social or legal circumstances. Using a patient's chosen name and pronouns is critical to patient-centered care. The EHR should prominently document the patient's chosen name and pronouns, which should also be used outside the EHR, including for appointments and prescriptions. Patients should only have to provide the information once, decreasing the need to correct providers and improving patient-provider relationships. EHRs should also contain an organ inventory, perhaps as part of surgical history, as providers will need to know about the presence or absence of reproductive and gonadal organs to inform

clinical decision-making. This information must be clear, unambiguous, and easily accessible in the EHR to inform care and prevent medical and surgical errors.

Nurses should work within governance processes to ensure that all institutional policies support transgender patients, staff, and visitors. Nondiscrimination statements should include gender identity. Policies about restrooms and staff changing rooms (usually labeled in gender-binary terms) should state that a person's gender identity rightly determines the room to be used and that that right should not require any proof (e.g., health provider confirmation) related to gender or gender identity. Finally, clear guidelines concerning non-private room assignments should include assigning roommates based on gender identity rather than gender assigned at birth.

Power to Make a DifferenceThe ANA Code of Ethics obligates nurses to

practice "compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and unique attributes of every person" (ANA, 2015, para 1). While some nurses may intentionally discriminate against people who are transgender, it is more likely that a lack of knowledge and experience leads to nursing actions that result in suboptimal care. Nurses play critical roles in transgender care by (a) providing supportive, affirming care, (b) creating an inclusive environment, and (c) leading interprofessional teams toward gender-affirming care. Education and a commitment to understanding the lived experiences of people who are transgender is, therefore, essential for all nurses.

ReferencesAmerican Nurses Association. (2015). What is the nursing

code of ethics? https://nurse.org/education/nursing-code-of-ethics/

Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (n.d.). Healthy people. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender health. https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-object ives/topic/ lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender-health

Deutsch, M.B. (2016). Guidelines for the primary and gender-affirming care of transgender and gender

nonbinary people (2nd ed.). Center of Excellence for Transgender Health, University of California at San Francisco. https://transcare.ucsf.edu/sites/transcare.ucsf.edu/files/Transgender-PGACG-6-17-16.pdf

Deutsch, M.B, Bowers, M.L., Radix, A., & Carmel, T.C. (2019). Transgender medical care in the United States: A historical perspective. In J.S. Schneider, V.M.B. Silenzio, & Erikson-Schroth, L. (Eds.). The GLMA Handbook on LGBT Health (1, 83-131). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.

Fenway Institute, National LGBT Health Education Center. (2016). Providing inclusive services and care for LGBT people. https://www.lgbtqiahealtheducation.org/publication/learning-guide/

Flores, A.R., Herman, J.L., Gates, G.J., & Brown, T.N.T. (2016). How many adults identify as transgender in the United States? UCLA School of Law, William Institute. https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/trans-adults-united-states/

Grant, J. M., Mottet, L. A., Tanis, J., Harrison, J., Herman, J. L., & Keisling, M. (2011). Injustice at every turn: A report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey. https://www.transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/resources/NTDS_Report.pdf

Institute of Medicine. (2011). The health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people: Building a foundation for better understanding. http://www.nationalacademies.org/hmd/Reports/2011/The-Health-of-Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-and-

Lambda Legal. (2016). Transgender rights toolkit. https://www.lambdalegal.org/issues/transgender-rights

McDowell, A. & Bower, K. (2016). Transgender health care for nurses: An innovative approach to diversifying nursing curricula to address health inequalities. Journal of Nursing Education, 55(8), 476-479. DOI 10.3928/01484834-20160715-11

Safer, J. D., Coleman, E., Feldman, J., Garofal, R., Hembree, W., Radix, A., & Sevelius, S. (2017). Barriers to health care for transgender individuals. Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Obesity, 23(2), 168-171. DOI: 10.1097/MED.0000000000000227

Singh, S., & Durso, L. E. (2017). Widespread discrimination continues to shape LGBT people's lives in both subtle and significant ways. Center for American Progress. https://www.americanprogress.org/ i s sues/ lgbt/news/2017/05/02/429529/widespread-discrimination-continues-shape-lgbt-peoples-lives-subtle-significant-ways/

Happy HolidaysHappy Holidaysfrom the Board of Directors and Staff of New Jersey State Nurses Association/

Institute for Nursing


Delores Jackson, PhD, MSN, BSN, ASN, RN

Reprinted with permission from Tennessee Nurse May 2021 issue

Dependency and Abuse of Opioids Prescribing opioids is not the problem. Opioids provide highly effective

pain management for acute pain originating from injury, surgery, cancer, and palliative or end-of-life-care. Appropriate prescribing achieves adequate pain control; reduces patient addiction risks, abuse, or toxicity; and minimizes drug diversion.

Nevertheless, abuse and overdose deaths are still problematic, although data indicate US healthcare providers are making headway; since 2012, prescription overdose deaths have been declining. There were 67,367 US drug overdose deaths in 2018, which represented a 4.1% decline from 2017. Seventy percent of US drug overdose cases involved opioids. But deaths from natural and semi-synthetic opioids such as those typically prescribed by primary care practitioners (hydrocodone, oxycodone, or codeine) actually declined 14% from 2017 to 2018. Tennessee deaths from prescribed opioids also declined in 2018.

Nursing RolesAll RNs contribute to safe care delivery, patient assessment, pain

management and education, whether working as an office RN, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), or Nurse Practitioner (NP) with advanced

Nursing Contributions for Safe & Effective Opioid Pain Management

practice credentials that include specialized pharmacology education with prescriptive authority.

The diversified roles of RNs extend beyond primary care to assorted direct patient care and leadership positions. As skilled educators and patient advocates, nurses help patients and families understand other pain management modalities such as physical therapy, psychological management options, complementary medicine and non-opioid management strategies to ease the burden of pain. The American Nurses Association (ANA) noted that in part, the current US crisis has been created by ineffective medical efforts to manage chronic pain. The ANA applauds nurses as key players for pain management by providing early recognition and pain interventions in primary care settings, including patient-centered, interdisciplinary and self-management strategies.

How Can Nurses Provide Safe Pain Management?Remove Barriers to Effective Pain Management

Several barriers exist that can impact effective pain management. Nurses can overcome these barriers by transforming their practice to eliminate key problems that interfere with adequate pain control.

1) At the clinical institution level, interdisciplinary teams can develop best practices for pain management, treatment plans and drug prescriptions.

2) Individually, nurses should expand their education by attending conferences, searching for current evidence-based practices via professional literature, and taking additional coursework (CEUs) on opioid prescription best practices. Best practice should include an interdisciplinary focus that includes mental health, behavioral health, and complementary or alternative pain management approaches.

3) Nurses must remain diligent to avoid cultural or societal stigma for those who report pain. It is our duty and responsibility to treat pain to promote an optimal quality of life and reduce suffering. Likewise, we must be cognizant that patient cultural barriers might exist that could impede the patient’s willingness to discuss pain.

4) Costs of pain management can be a barrier, particularly if we recommend or order treatment plans other than drug management. Some insurances will not pay for alternative or complementary medicine options, mental health services, or other care modalities outside drug regimens. Anti-inflammatory herbals may be useful, but not if the patient cannot afford these expensive nutritional supplements. Even rehabilitation services such as PT may be limited under many insurances and Medicare plans.

Know State Regulations for Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMP)

All 50 states have developed PDMPs. Access to PDMPs may determine if the patient has a history of using multiple doctors, frequent ER visits, or demonstrates other evidence of prior drug abuse such as frequent opioid prescriptions. The PDMP also records primary care prescription activity. It is the provider’s responsibility to know all state regulations and required reporting. Unfortunately, inconsistent data collection and non-standardized regulations have created confusion for providers and thus have not been as effective as hoped. Worse, in some cases, these regulations have thwarted some primary care providers’ desire to order opioids, which have caused fears that some patients’ pain management needs are not effectively met which could lead to patients seeking illicit pain relief strategies.

Other state or federal guidelines. To curb abuses, states mandate physical assessments prior to prescribing an opioid drug. To protect the public, prosecution immunity is enacted for citizens who attempt to assist a person who may have overdosed. Drug disposal, community education, and expanded naloxone distribution are other safety mechanisms set forth by legislation.

Create Treatment Plans that Include Addiction Risk AssessmentsNurses obtain thorough patient histories and should verify injury by usual

diagnostic assessments. Assessments should include level and intensity of pain; pain relief measures; how pain interferes with quality of life, such as its impacts on physical and psychological function; household support systems; and if pain is interfering with work, home relationships, mood, sleep, exercise, leisure activities, or food consumption.

Information from family members, the patient interview, and a thorough assessment include screening tools to define the patient’s addiction risks. Low-risk patients would receive the usual amount of monitoring and follow-up. As the risk increases, the level of monitoring and frequency of follow-up visits increase. Monitoring could include pill counts and urine drug screens. Higher risk patients should be referred to pain management clinics and always receive short acting opioid formulas.

Based on the patient’s history and family member accounts, the nurse determines if the patient demonstrates or verbalizes behaviors that might suggest high risk for drug addiction or abuse. Behaviors that might suggest a problematic return to normal daily activities include daytime sleeping instead of night; lack of usual family involvement and interactions; decreased appetite; poor hygiene and appearance, mood swings or volatility; and impaired functioning due to potential effects of drug use.

The decision to continue, alter, or stop opioid drug regimens is based on the patient’s progress in meeting treatment plan objectives while avoiding adverse behaviors suggestive of overdose or diversion. Satisfactory plan of care outcomes are improving pain levels, function, and quality of life.

http://desales.edu/nursing

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Commonwealth Fund Report

The Commonwealth Fund has conducted a recent study, "Achieving Racial and Ethnic Equity in US Health Care: A Scorecard of State Performance" (November 2021).The study reports that "profound racial and ethnic disparities in health and well-being have long been the norm in the United Sates" (p.1). Black and American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) people are more likely to die from treatable conditions, to die during or after pregnancy and to suffer serious pregnancy-related complications, and to lose children in infancy. They are also at higher risk for many chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. Racial and ethnic health inequities are impacted by issues unrelated to the health care system. In communities of color poverty rates are higher than average, residents work in lower paying jobs, and may live in higher risk environments.

In a state-by-state analysis, New Jersey data reported access to quality care and outcomes for Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, Americans, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans While White and Asian people ranked in 90th and 94th percentile higher than the median in the US, Hispanics were at 47% and Blacks at the 42% percentile. Deaths of Blacks before the age of 75 were notable, reported in relation to the population as 141 per 100,000, compared to Whites at 67 per 100,000, Hispanics at 55, and Asians at 37.

The data reported in the score care is the primarily from 2019 government sources, they do not account for the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic. Inequities reported in the study are likely to be worse.

Reference: The Commonwealth Fund (November, 2021). Achieving Racial and Ethnic Equity in

US: Health Care: A Scorecard of State Performance. New York, NY.Stainton, L.H. (November 18, 2021). NJ Faces Challenges on Healthcare Inequity for

Blacks, Hispanics, Healthcare Scoreboard Finds Spotlight.org

Achieving Racial and Ethnic Equity in US Health Care: A Scorecard of State

Performance

Opioid Prescription Patient Education by Nurses

1) Take opioid as prescribed, noting the importance of sticking with the dose regimen. Patients should know what to do if they miss a dose or if pain is not managed by the recommended doses.

2) Remind patients that the medication should not be crushed or chewed.

3) Warn patients of the dangers of using CNS depressants, including sedatives, alcohol, or illicit drugs.

4) Reinforce the fact that due to the addictive nature of the drugs, discontinuation should be accomplished by tapering the drug’s dosing with primary care provider assistance.

5) Drugs should never be shared. To avoid diversion, opioids should be locked up in a secure location.

6) Potential side effects include death due to respiratory depression.

7) The drug could impact one’s ability to drive, operate machines, or affect balance that could cause falls.

8) Instruct the patient on safe disposal of unused opioids. Many senior centers or primary care offices are depositories for unused drugs.

Community awareness. Nurses are often instrumental in providing community education. These educational sessions might be in schools, at hospitals, senior centers, or at other community locations. All aspects of opioid safety should be taught to interested key community members to heighten awareness.

Naloxone. Release of Naloxone (Narcan) toolkits to the general public, families of those who use opioids, and patients themselves has increased in the US over the last few years. These life-saving kits do not treat overdoses of benzodiazepines, stimulants, or barbiturates but do reverse the effects of opioids, including heroin and fentanyl, when the first symptoms of respiratory arrest or coma occur. Since 2019, Narcan can be dispensed for Tennessee individuals at risk of opiate-related overdose.

ConclusionThe ANA advocates for all RNs, APRNs and NPs to practice in the fullest

extent of their education and practice authority for the implementation of patient treatment plans and access to care to combat pain and the opioid crisis. The ANA promotes care delivery instead of litigation or legal actions against those who have fallen victim to this national epidemic.

Our Mission: To improve the health of the community by working collaboratively to provide high quality, efficient, safe and accessible

health care services with the utmost respect and compassion. We are actively searching for Nurses and LPNs in

all specialties along with many other positions. We offer the following competitive benefits along with new more competitive rates:

– Special Incentives:• $10,000 sign on bonus for Full Time RN positions • $5,000 Tuition reimbursement• $2,500 Referral Bonus

– Health and Welfare:• Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance • Short and Long Term Disability• Hospital paid Basic Life and Accidental Death Insurance• Hospital paid Travel Insurance• Health Care/Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts• A variety of Voluntary Benefits

– Retirement:• John Hancock 401k with an employer match

Come Join the East Orange General Hospital Family.

Apply On line at: https://www.evh.org/careers. For any additional questions, call the Human Resources

Department at: 973-672-4020

http://info.monmouth.edu/nursing

http://nursing.rutgers.edu

http://capitalhealth.org

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NJSNA Election Results - Member Landing Page

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