February  2008

In June 2003, discussions began with representatives of HPNA, NBCHPN and HPNF, and a consultant to discuss how we could collectively move forward to have a greater impact on communicating the value of providing excellent nursing care at the end of life for all Americans. Our unified vision is to ensure that all persons become aware of the impact of those with hospice and palliative nursing care knowledge and expertise and their ability to deliver high-quality end-of-life care. The desire to achieve this purpose has lead to the formation of the Alliance for Excellence in Hospice and Palliative Nursing.

The mission of the Alliance for Excellence in Hospice and Palliative Nursing is to serve as the unified voice in hospice and palliative nursing to integrate and coordinate end of life care with other members of the interdisciplinary team, to act as a visionary for specialty trending nursing issues, to be a primary resource fostering excellence in hospice and palliative nursing, and to advance end-of-life care for the benefit of the public at large.

Note:
Proceeds from the Registered Nurse and the Nursing Assistant Self Assessment Exams now benefit The Alliance.  You can find the Registered Nurse and Nursing Assistant Self Assessment Exams (SAE) on the AMP Web Site.   For further information on the SAEs link here.

HPNA Call for Nominations
HPNA is looking for energetic, experienced hospice and palliative nurses to serve on the board of directors. The association proudly serves as the voice for over 9,200 nurses providing quality end-of-life care.

Board terms are for three years. Director obligations include attendance at a minimum of four board meetings a year and active work on committees. Expenses related to board and committee participation are reimbursed. No other remuneration is offered. Applications must be received by March 1, 2008. Read More

Did you get your CE Certificate from the Annual Assembly?
Remember the evaluation forms and certificates for the AAHPM & HPNA are all online! You must complete the online evaluation in order to receive your continuing education certificate. If you have not completed the online conference evaluation, you have until February 19, 2008 to submit an evaluation. You may access the evaluation by logging on to www.aahpm.org and clicking on the “conference evaluations” link located on the home page. After submitting your evaluation online, you will immediately receive your official CME or CE certificate. You will not receive a paper copy of your certificate in the mail.

Generalist Clinical Review Train-the-Trainer workshop scheduled
A Generalist Clinical Review Train-the-Trainer program has been scheduled for Saturday, June 14th, 2008 at the Sheraton Atlantic City in Atlantic City, New Jersey. This one-day workshop is for experienced hospice and palliative Registered Nurses who wish to become HPNA Approved Educators. Presented in a Train-the-Trainer format, participants will be taught facilitation skills to prepare them to teach the Clinical Review. Link to Application

Newest product: Advanced Practice Palliative Nursing: A Guide to Practice and Business Issues
As the specialty of Advanced Practice Hospice and Palliative Nursing evolves, so does the need for tools and mechanisms to help those entering the field. Many APNs are new APNs in practice rather than new practitioners to the specialty. The decision was made to develop this toolkit that an Advanced Practice Hospice and Palliative APN can use as a reference for business practice issues. It serves not only as a check list, but also a way to get a sense of the issues, the requirements, and the considerations of practice. In particular, it is written by APNs who are in the specialty and who have knowledge and expertise to help guide the practice of our colleagues from novice to experts. This item can be purchased from HPNA online or by calling the National Office at 412-787-9301. Cost: $30.00 (HPNA members) or $35.00 non-members.

Upcoming weekly teleconferences: Must pre-register; call HPNA at 412-787-9301

**Professional Nurse Integrating Ethics into Clinical Practice (Wed. Mar. 12, 2008 12 noon ET).
Journal Club Admin of Morphine Sulfate Extended-Release Capsules via Gastrostomy... 
(Wed. Feb.20, 2008 3 pm ET)
Nursing Assistant End-of-Life Care for Veterans (Wed. Feb. 22, 2008 3 pm ET) 

**Please note: beginning in January, 2008 the APN and Clinical Nursing teleconferences are combined and this Professional Nurse Teleconference will be conducted on the second Wednesday of the month at 12 noon ET. Pharmacological information will be included as appropriate to the topic. 

Pain Special Interest Group
HPNA has received funding to begin a PAIN Special Interest Group (SIG). If you are an HPNA member and interested in joining this new SIG please contact email SIG@hpna.org. 

Additional information on your JHPN mailing label
Beginning in September, 2007 the mailing label on your Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing includes 'Renew mm/dd/yyyy' on the first line near the membership number. This month/day/year is your current HPNA membership expiration date. This is one more method we are implementing to inform members of the membership expiration date to encourage a timely renewal.

Newest posts on the HPNA website:

• Testimonials from current members

• Quality of Life Matters newsletter for this quarter (Feb, Mar, Apr 2008)

• Featured 'Product of the Month'

Save the Date:
HPNA Clinical Practice Forum: Caring for People Who Are Not Like Me
September 5-6, 2008
Pittsburgh, PA

Link to HPNA Monthly Update  

NBCHPN Celebrates 15 Years!
NBCHPN Celebrates Our 15th Anniversary in 2008! For in-depth information on the history of NBCHPN and for a list of the first exam passers of 1994 please visit our website, www.nbchpn.org.

CBT Application Reminder
The application window for the March 2008 computer based testing period is now closed. The application window for June 2008 testing will open March 1, 2008. Please view the current Candidate Handbook available at www.nbchpn.org for more information regarding computer based testing and application and testing deadlines.

HPAR Reminder- Deadline is March 1, 2008
Again as a reminder for any APN or RN that has a certification expiring in 2008 and is renewing their certification through the HPAR process (Hospice and Palliative Alternative Recertification, also known as renewal through the CEU process) applications must be RECEIVED in the National Office on or before March 1, 2008. Applications can be downloaded from our website, www.nbchpn.org. Select the appropriate tab at the top of the home page (either APN or RN) and then select ALTERNATIVE RECERTIFICATION from the pull down menu. If you have any questions about the HPAR process, please contact us at nbchpn@hpna.org. 

Link to NBCHPN Monthly Update

HPNF Celebrates 10th Anniversary!
Great start for 10th Anniversary year in Tampa! A new record of $6,905 was raised through the Jewelry Raffle, Key to Your Heart gift cases, Wall of Honor and our Tin for Ten events. Thanks to all who participated!

Help keep fundraising momentum going…. Email LauraR@hpna.org to participate in the 2008 Toucan Campaign. All you need to do is collect your loose change in a recycled soup can! Go ahead, be curious, click on the email link. This is our “Fun”draising event for 2008!

Key to Your Heart gift cases
• Our new 2008 Lavender Key to Your Heart case was very popular in Tampa! 
• We have a very limited supply of the 2007 Blue Butterfly Key to Your Heart case left. 
All cases are available for a $20 donation each. They are heart-shaped, hold three keys and come with their own description card and beautiful box. Together the two styles make the beginning of a beautiful collection! Contact 412-787-9301 with your orders!

HPNF/STTI End-Of-Life Nursing Care Research Grant is a collaborative grant of up to $10,000 offered each year. Deadline for applications is April 1. Proposals for pilot and/or developmental research may be submitted for the grant. More information is available online.


Click here to make a donation to HPNF

Link to HPNF homepage
 

National Healthcare Decisions Day
The National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) Initiative is a collaborative effort of national, state and community organizations committed to ensuring that all adults with decision-making capacity in the United States have the information and opportunity to communicate and document their healthcare decisions. For additional information about National Healthcare Decisions Day, visit www.nationalhealthcaredecisionsday.org.

A massive continuing education webinar event will occur on March 19, at 2:00pm. The title is: "National Healthcare Decisions Day 2008: the Law, the Talk and the Care." Our all-star panel is: 

• Ira Byock, M.D., Director of Palliative Medicine at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. 
• Betsy Clark, Ph.D., ACSW, M.P.H., the Executive Director of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). 
• Bill Colby, J.D., Senior Fellow with the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, the lawyer who represented the family of Nancy Cruzan in their family's right-to-die case, the first such case heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Call for Proposals: New Pediatric and Southern or Southwestern Regional Palliative Care Leadership Centers^SM 
The Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) is now accepting Letters of Intent and Institutional Support online for qualified candidates to become one of the Palliative Care Leadership Centers^SM - the nation’s premier training and mentoring initiative for palliative care program development and growth. 
The pediatric palliative care program applicants may be located anywhere in the continental U.S. while palliative care program applicants from the southern and southwestern regions of the U.S. must be located in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma or Texas.
The application process consists of two steps. Qualifying applicants are required to first submit Letters of Intent and Institutional Support by March 15, 2008. Programs selected for further consideration will then be invited to submit full proposals.

To learn more and apply, palliative care programs meeting the criteria above can go to www.capc.org/pclc-rfp

Call for Award Nominations
Drexel University College of Nursing & Health Professions has a long history of technological innovation. The Bayada Award for Technological Innovation in Nursing Education and Practice acknowledges nurses who have made a significant contribution to nursing education or practice via the development and/or adoption of a new technology. Application deadline is April 21, 2008.

THE AWARDS: Two $5,000 Cash Prizes
• One $5,000 prize was awarded to a nursing educator or a practicing nurse whose innovation leads to improved nursing education and student outcomes. 
• One $5,000 prize was given to a nurse educator or practicing nurse whose innovation leads to improved patient care and patient care outcomes. 

Link here for further information

HAVE YOU MOVED?