ANA Suspends New York State Nurses Assn. - 2/1/2012
ANA Suspends New York State Nurses Association for Dual Unionism
Following a hearing to consider charges of dual unionism, the American Nurses Association (ANA) has suspended the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) from constituent member status. Several individual members of NYSNA produced evidence for the hearing panel showing that some NYSNA board members brought in staff leaders of a competing union, provided them with access to proprietary information, and gave them complete control of the organization’s operations. ANA’s bylaws stipulate that engaging in “dual unionism” is cause for disciplinary action against a constituent member. The suspension was effective December 15, 2011, and will last one year.
“NYSNA’s members asked ANA to hold the NYSNA leadership accountable for bringing in a competing union, and the hearing panel found a clear violation of the bylaws, an action that threatens the viability of the association,” said ANA President Karen A. Daley, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN.
ANA has a federated model, meaning NYSNA is the organizational member of the national association. Therefore, disciplinary action is taken against the state association. Consequently, individual members of NYSNA also lose their ANA rights and benefits during the suspension period.
“We regret the impact this will have on loyal NYSNA members,” said Daley. “However, we could not ignore the evidence of a takeover. It is imperative that ANA enforce its bylaws and protect the rights of all of our members.”
ANA received an appeal of the disciplinary action from NYSNA on January 17. It is pending review by the ANA Board of Directors. More information is available online at www.nursingworld.org/nysnastatus
FNA Files Lawsuit Against Privatization - 1/26/2012
For more information, contact
Jeanie Demshar
407-896-3261
NURSES FILE LAWSUIT OVER PRISON HEALTH CARE CONTRACTING
Tallahassee, Fla. -- The Florida Nurses Association (FNA) has filed a lawsuit that challenges the state’s authority to privatize health care services in the state prison system.
The lawsuit filed earlier this week in Leon County Circuit Court contends that lawmakers exceeded their constitutional authority by using budget proviso language to make substantial changes to state law.
“We believe that any effort to turn thousands of state employee jobs over to private companies needs to be vetted by the public, with input from those workers,’’ said Jeanie Demshar, FNA Director of Labor Relations.
The Florida Legislature authorized the privatization of health care services in state prisons by placing language in the 2011-12 General Appropriations Act (SB 2000) late in the 2011 session with no opportunity for public input. The Department of Corrections is currently soliciting proposals from private vendors to provide health care services for the statewide prison system.
In its lawsuit, the FNA argues that the act of making substantial policy changes through state budget proviso language is a violation of the Florida Constitution. The lawsuit also states that the proviso alters a state law that requires state agencies to weigh the costs and benefits of privatization versus the continuation of state operations.
The FNA is especially concerned about legislation (SB 2036) that would eliminate a requirement currently in state law that requires state agencies to present to lawmakers a business case for outsourcing state jobs.
“FNA stands opposed to any privatization of the Department of Corrections’ health care obligations,” Demshar said. “Win or lose, we will continue to fight the proposed efforts to put more than 1,000 health care professionals out of work.”
FNA represents registered nurses, advanced registered nurse practitioners, behavioral analysts, behavioral specialists, dentists, dietitians, pharmacists, nutritionists, mental health consultants, psychologists, and speech language pathologists who work in agencies across the state, including the Departments of Health, Corrections, Education, Children and Families, Juvenile Justice, Agency for Health Care Administration, and Children’s Medical Services.
ANA Supports Adequate RN Staffing, APRN Recognitio - 12/20/2011
ANA Supports Adequate RN Staffing, APRN Recognition
In Comments to CMS on Hospital Conditions of Participation
SILVER SPRING, MD – The American Nurses Association (ANA) supports proposed changes in Medicare and Medicaid rules for hospitals that would support the work of millions of registered nurses (RNs) and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), allowing them to provide more efficient and higher quality care to patients.
In comments submitted Dec. 16 to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), ANA encourages CMS to work together to improve guidelines to ensure nurse staffing is adequate to provide high-quality care for Medicare and Medicaid patients. Recommendations include implementation of hospital-wide staffing plans that identify an appropriate number of RNs on each unit to meet patients’ needs; annual evaluation of staffing plans that analyze patient outcomes attributable to nursing care; and public posting of staffing plans.
ANA also advocates revisions that would enhance the ability of APRNs, such as nurse practitioners and certified nurse-midwives, to secure hospital clinical and admitting privileges and membership on medical staff. Such status would allow APRNs to work to the full extent of their education, skills and licensure, and provide more comprehensive care to patients. In the comments, ANA urges consistent recognition of the increasing role of APRNs.
ANA’s comments on CMS’ proposed changes to the Medicare/Medicaid “Conditions of Participation” — the guidelines hospitals must follow to qualify for involvement and reimbursement under the health programs — reflect changing trends in health care and aim to take full advantage of nurses’ capabilities. The conditions also serve as guidelines for the Joint Commission and other private accrediting bodies that evaluate hospitals. CMS proposed modifications to the rules in October to reflect changes in current practice, and took into account the Obama Administration initiative to reduce regulatory burdens.
In its comments, ANA urges CMS to retain consistent reporting requirements for all deaths related to the use of patient restraints, including soft wrist restraints, to assure that patients’ safety and rights are protected. Longstanding ANA policy states that “only when there is no other viable option should restraints be employed.”
ANA also backs these CMS proposals that directly affect nursing practice and patient care for the roughly 60 percent of all U.S. RNs who work in hospitals:
• Allowing the nursing care plan to be part of the interdiscliplinary care plan;
• Expanding the use of standing orders and protocols for nurses to give medications;
• Permitting patients to take their own medications under certain circumstances;
• Deleting the requirement for verbal orders to be signed within 48 hours; and
• Allowing flexibility for infection control programs, which nurses often lead.
# # #
The ANA is the only full-service professional organization representing the interests of the nation's 3.1 million registered nurses through its constituent and state nurses associations and its organizational affiliates. The ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the rights of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.
Changes to ARNP Certification - 10/30/2011
On behalf of ANCC, President Michael Evans and I wanted to send you a briefing on some major communication activity that is going to begin this Friday, October 28, 2011. We have been working for months on the execution of this communication plan within the ANCC and ANA team, including the certification, legal and marketing teams.
ANCC will begin to notify certified nurses about some upcoming changes to the Certification Program this week. These changes are being made to the ANCC certification exams in response to the new Consensus Model for APRN Regulation: Licensure, Accreditation, Certification & Education (APRN Consensus Model). As implementation of the new APRN Consensus Model progresses, ANCC has initiated plans to retire specific certification programs and develop certifications to more closely reflect the roles and populations required by the model regulations.
During this time of transition, we want to ensure that currently certified nurses know that they will be able to retain their existing credentials for as long as they renew their certification. We are sending a letter and an FAQ which we expect will answer most questions. The letters are individualized to each nurses situation. We have established a dedicated, staffed, toll-free number and e-mail box for nurses with questions specific to their situation. A copy of this FAQ, as well additional APRN resources can be found on the ANCC web site at: http://www.nursecredentialing.org/Certification/APRNCorner.aspx and is attached for your review.
We wanted to notify you ahead of time as this mailing will be going out to 98,000 certified nurses in the advanced practice arena (Nurse Practitioners and Clinical Nurse Specialists) and all of the impacted nurse faculty. We have worked closely and obtained feedback from stakeholders in all of the specialty areas and associations, the faculty, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the NLN, and other groups that are key colleagues with us. If you get calls from any concerned nurses or others, please direct any inquiries to me.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you for your support of ANCC and your engagement in this process.
Karen
Karen Drenkard, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
Executive Director
American Nurses Credentialing Center
karen.drenkard@ana.org
8515 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
(ph): 301-628-5280
(fax): 301-628-5217
DNP Capstone Project Request for FNA Member - 10/6/2011
Your participation is requested for a study surveying advanced practice nurses’ vitamin D screening and supplementation practices.
Inclusion criteria: Currently practicing adult, family, geriatric, school/college health, and women’s health certified nurse practitioners and certified nurse midwives who see adults over the age of 18 in their practice.
This survey is part of a DNP capstone project, required for graduation from the BSN to DNP program at the University of Florida, College of Nursing. It has been approved by IRB02 at UF, protocol # 2011-U-0878.
For any questions, please do not hesitate to contact:
Allison Bruner, RN, BSN
BSN-DNP, Family Nurse Practitioner student
acb@ufl.edu
352-262-7580
OR
Susan Schaffer, PhD
Clinical Associate Professor
sdschaf@ufl.edu
352-273-6366
Please use the URL below to participate in this short survey.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/86FJXLP
Florida Nurses Foundation Supports the Future of N - 10/5/2011
Recipients of This Year’s Scholarships and Grants are Announced
(ORLANDO/FL/SEPTEMBER 2011) – The Florida Nurses Foundation was established to promote professional development and the advancement of nursing through education and research. Each year, funds are provided to registered nurses and students for educational expenses. Applicants are evaluated and selected based on a combination of academic accomplishments, community involvement, and potential to benefit the field of nursing. All award winners will be recognized at the Florida Nurses Association Membership Assembly Foundation Luncheon on Friday, September 23 at the Hilton Orlando/Altamonte Springs
The recipients of FNF Scholarship Awards are:
Patricia Cantillo-Kodzis of Florida Southern College
Tiffany Lucania of Nova Southeastern University
Grace Corona of Nova Southeastern University
Sabrina Quintana of Florida State University
Lisa Fussell of Polk State College
Christina Pengelley of Florida International University
Merdijana Kurtic of University of South Florida
April Tremblay of University of West Florida
Kenia Pena of Nova Southeastern University
Deborah Brabham of Nova Southeastern University
Lebron Allen of Miami Dade College
Alexandra Copeland of St. Petersburg College
Jennifer St. Louis of Barry University
Immacula Nezier of Nova Southeastern University
Jennifer Bowie of University of Miami
Padmaksi Sutherland of University of Florida
Joanna Cifrian of University of Central Florida and Seminole State College
Lisa Strickland of University of Florida
Felicia Bueno of Valencia Community College
-more-
Racquel Wallace of South University
Alceste Laurenti of University of Florida
Christina Humphreys of The University of Tampa
Teresa Travieso of Florida International University
Steven Garth of Florida State College at Jacksonville
This year’s FNF Research Grant Awards will go to:
Kandis Natoli of University of Central Florida
Christina Amidei of University of Central Florida
Susan Quelly of University of Central Florida
Carmen Caicedo of Florida International University
Adriana Arcia of University of Miami
James Weidel of University of Miami
The FNA mission is to serve and support all registered nurses through professional development, advocacy, and the promotion of excellence at every level of professional nursing practice. For more information on FNA, please visit www.floridanurse.org. Inquiries about FNF research grants and scholarships should be directed to foundation@floridanurse.org.
For more information on FNA, please visit www.floridanurse.org. Inquiries about FNF research grants and scholarships should be directed to foundation@floridanurse.org.
ANA RELEASES NEW SOCIAL NETWORKING PRINCIPLES - 10/5/2011
ANA RELEASES NEW SOCIAL NETWORKING PRINCIPLES
Utilizes social media to inform nurses about guidelines
SILVER SPRING, MD – Given the pervasiveness of social media, the American Nurses Association (ANA) has released its Principles for Social Networking and the Nurse: Guidance for the Registered Nurse, a resource to guide nurses and nursing students in how they maintain professional standards in new media environments.
“The principles are informed by professional foundational documents including the Code of Ethics for Nurses and standards of practice. Nurses and nursing students have an obligation to understand the nature, benefits, and potential consequences of participating in social networking,” said ANA President Karen A. Daley, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN. “These principles provide guidelines for nurses, who have a responsibility to maintain professional standards in a world in which communication is ever-changing.”
The number of individuals using social networking is growing at an astounding rate. Facebook reports that there are 150 million accounts in the United States while Twitter manages more than 140 million ‘tweets’ daily. Nurses face risks when they use social media inappropriately, including disciplinary action by the state board of nursing, loss of employment and legal consequences.
ANA’s e-publication, ANA’s Principles for Social Networking and the Nurse provides guidance to registered nurses on using social networking media in a way that protects patients’ privacy and confidentiality. The publication also provides guidance to registered nurses on how to maintain, when using social networking media, the nine provisions of the Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements; the standards found in Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice; and nurses’ responsibility to society as defined in Nursing’s Social Policy Statement: The Essence of the Profession.
This publication is available as a downloadable, searchable PDF, which is compatible with most e-readers. It is free to ANA members on the Members-Only Section of www.nursingworld.org . Non-members may order the publication at www.nursesbooks.org .
ISBN-13: 978-1-55810-426-6
Non-members $3.95 Members: Free
FNA Needs Your Input - 10/5/2011
FNA is always trying to gather information about nurses and specific nursing groups.
NEW GRADS: Please click here to take a survey about your new graduate experience. FNA considers new graduates up to five years after graduation.
NURSE ENTREPRENEURS: Please click here to fill out a survey about your nurse entrepreneur experience. The FNA Board of Directors is working on recommendations of the Institute of Medicine Future of Nursing Report. One of the areas we are addressing related to nurse entrepreneurs and advanced practice nurse.
Each survey only takes about 10 minutes each. Your input is greatly needed and appreciated!
Future of Nursing Progress Report - 9/29/2011
First Year Progress Since the Release of the Institute of Medicine Report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health
The Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action is celebrating the first year of progress since the release of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. Learn more about the first year progress activities and announcements below and ways to share the first year progress with your colleagues.
21 New Action Coalitions Announced
Twenty-one state-based collaborations have been named Action Coalitions by the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, coordinated through the Center to Champion Nursing in America (CCNA), an initiative of AARP, the AARP Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), to ensure that all Americans have access to high-quality health care, with nurses contributing to the full extent of their capabilities. Action Coalitions work with the campaign to implement the recommendations of the 2010 landmark Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. Contact your state Action Coalition.
Read the full press release
Web Button
An image has been created for use on print materials and websites to show support for the one year of progress. Go to http://thefutureofnursing.org/1YrProgress_Button to download the button or access the HTML code to feature it on your website.
New Nursing Book from RWJF
The Nursing Profession: Development, Challenges, and Opportunities, the fifth and latest volume in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Health Policy Series, is intended as a resource for those who are interested in or touched by nursing. This important book, which complements the Institute of Medicine report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, opens with a comprehensive review of the nursing field by co-editor, Diana J. Mason, followed by 24 reprints of the most influential articles on nursing.
Learn more about the Health Policy Series.
#FutureRN Twitter Chat (10/5, 2 p.m.)
Please join us on Wednesday, October 5 from 2-3 p.m. ET for a special #FutureRN Twitter chat.
During the chat, Sue Hassmiller, director of the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, and colleagues from the Center to Champion Nursing in America will discuss the campaign's first year of progress and ideas for moving forward in three key Campaign areas:
Topic 1: Nursing Education- How do we bridge the gap to BSN and beyond?
Topic 2: Leadership- How can health care organizations play a larger role in positioning nurse leaders in their organizations?
Topic 3: Interprofessional Collaboration-How can education programs develop new models to prepare health care professionals for interprofessional practice in a new health care paradigm?
We will spend 20 minutes on each of the topics above, starting with nursing education. The chat will be a great opportunity to connect to campaign leadership and share the progress in your community. To tweet along and share your ideas and questions, remember to use #FutureRN in all of your messages to stay in the conversation. The chat will be moderated by @futureofnursing.
For more information on participating, go to http://thefutureofnursing.org/1YrProgress_Chat or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
About the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action
The Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action envisions a health care system where all Americans have access to high-quality care, with nurses contributing to the full extent of their capabilities. The campaign is coordinated through the Center to Champion Nursing in America, an initiative of AARP, the AARP Foundation, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and includes 36 state Action Coalitions and a wide range of health care providers, consumer advocates, policy-makers and the business, academic and philanthropic communities.
Public Ranks Nurses as Most Trusted Profession - 9/29/2011
For the 11th year, nurses were voted the most trusted profession in America in Gallup's annual survey that ranks professions for their honesty and ethical standards. Eighty-one percent of Americans believe nurses’ honesty and ethical standards are either "high" or "very high."
“It’s extremely gratifying to know that the public continues to hold the profession in such high esteem,” remarked ANA President Karen J. Daley, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN. “The public’s high regard for the profession, coupled with nurses’ education and skills, makes nurses well positioned to play a major role in the transformation of the nation’s health care system.”
Both the Accountable Care Act and the Institute of Medicine’s recently released report on the Future of Nursing call for a larger role for nurses in providing patient-centered care in a reformed health care system.
Since being included in the Gallup poll in 1999, nurses have received the highest ranking every year except in 2001, when fire fighters received top honors. Results were based on telephone interviews with more than 1,000 adults.
Resources for APRNs and Registered Nurses on Elect - 8/29/2011
Resources for APRNs and Registered Nurses on Electronic Records, e-prescribing, “Meaningful Use” and Tele-health
Bonuses for setting up electronic health records systems, penalties for not e-prescribing, “meaningful use”? Resources related to these topics are available:
Electronic Health Records (EHRs) - An APRN can be reimbursed for implementing an electronic health record system (EHR) if he or she attests to meeting the criteria related to Medicaid patient care provided with certified EHR products. Attestation directions are available at CMS along with other details. The URL to get started is https://www.cms.gov/ehrincentiveprograms/.
e-prescribing - The CMS incentives available for electronic prescribing (e-prescribing or eRx) are described at http://www.cms.gov/ERxIncentive/01_Overview.asp#TopOfPage
More than 4000 APRNs received Medicare e-prescribing bonuses from CMS for 2009:
http://nursingworld.org/DocumentVault/APRN-Resource-Section/Medicare-Bonuses-for-High-Quality-ePrescribing.aspx
NPs who directly bill Medicare Part B carriers may be subject to penalties for insufficient e-prescribing. To learn about this and avoid the penalties check on NursingWorld: http://www.nursingworld.org/npdirectbillupdate
Meaningful Use - The official site for describing “meaningful use” is that of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC):
http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/server.pt/community/healthit_hhs_gov__home/1204 and
http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/server.pt/community/healthit_hhs_gov__meaningful_use_announcement/2996. This site also can identify the Regional Extension Center (REC) for your location. RECs are designed to make sure that primary care clinicians get the help they need to select, implement, and use EHRs. The RECs will support and serve health care providers to help them quickly become adept and meaningful users of (EHRs). http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/server.pt/community/hit_extension_program/1495/home/17174
A nursing-specific website on Health IT has been established by the American College of Nurse Midwives: http://www.midwife.org/Health-Information-Technology. It also includes links to the ONIC and CMS sites. ACNM also includes some early data on those Medicaid payments for EHR implementation.
You can learn more about electronic medical records and earn CE credits by taking the ANA NURSE CE course, “The Electronic Health Record and Meaningful Use: Where Do We Go from Here?” by Pamela Cipriano, Ph.D., RN, NEA-BC,FAAN. More information is available at http://ananursece.healthstream.com/Pages/Product.aspx?ID=a6efce71-cdb7-e011-b8a9-001517135213&DisplayName=The%20Electronic%20Health%20Record%20and%20Meaningful%20Use:%20Where%20Do%20We%20Go%20From%20Here?
Tele-health – A good source for questions on tele-health or telemedicine is the American Telemedicine Association. Their URL is http://www.americantelemed.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=1.
ANA contacts: peter.mcmenamin@ana.org and carol.bickford@ana.org
ANA Develops a Research Toolkit - 8/29/2011
The American Nurses Association has developed a Research Toolkit that can be used in a multitude of ways. It can help nurses provide evidence-based care that promotes quality health outcomes for individuals, families, communities and health care systems. It can also assist in using research to shape health policy at the bedside, within an organization, and at the local, state and national level. The toolkit provides access to numerous resources to support nurses in practice, nurses interested in or engaged in research, nurse educators and students. ANA members can access a research repository with reviews of research articles. Visit the toolkit at http://www.nursingworld.org/research-toolkit.aspx.
Influenza Key Messaging Points - 8/26/2011
Influenza Key Messaging Points - August 2011
With the beginning of the 2011-2012 influenza season, the Bureau of Immunization would like to share additional vaccination messaging key points released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Messaging should center around recommendations for vaccination (highlighting those for healthcare personnel and children aged 6 months through 8 years), timing of vaccination and available vaccine products and indications.
Some highlights are presented below, but we ask that you read the attached document carefully so that a unified message is shared with our immunization partners and to the public. The document also serves as a good starting point for public information officers who are developing influenza press releases. CDC matte articles are found at http://www.cdc.gov/media/subtopic/matte.htm.
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Recommendations
On August 18, 2011, the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) Recommendations on the ¡°Prevention and Control of Influenza with Vaccines¡± for the 2011-2012 season were issued electronically in a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Early Release available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6033a3.htm?s_cid=mm6033a3_w.
o The 2011¨C2012 U.S. seasonal influenza vaccine virus strains are identical to those contained in the 2010¨C2011 vaccine.
o Vaccination of all persons aged ¡Ý6 months (adopted in 2010) continues to be recommended.
o Children aged 6 months through 8 years:
Experts have known for some time that children aged 6 months through 8 years require 2 doses of influenza vaccine during their first season of vaccination (administered a minimum of 4 weeks apart) to optimize immune response.
Because the 2011¨C2012 vaccine strains are unchanged from the 2010¨C2011 season, children in this age group who received at least 1 dose of the 2010¨C2011 seasonal vaccine will require only 1 dose of the 2011¨C2012 seasonal vaccine.
Children in this age group who did not receive at least one dose of the 2010-2011 vaccine, or for whom it is not certain whether the 2010-2011 was received, should receive 2 doses of the 2011-2012 seasonal vaccine.
o Pregnant Women:
On August 18, 2011, an MMWR article entitled "Influenza Vaccination Coverage among Pregnant Women in the United States for the 2010-11 Influenza Season" was issued electronically and is available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6032a2.htm?s_cid=mm6032a2_w.
This report found that for the 2010-11 season, 49% of pregnant women had received influenza vaccination: 32% during pregnancy and 17% before pregnancy or after delivery.
Women whose providers offered them a flu shot were five times more likely to get vaccinated than women who didn¡¯t receive a provider offer. However, four out of 10 women in this survey did not receive a provider offer, though they visited a provider at least one time.
o Healthcare personnel:
On August 18, 2011, an MMWR article entitled "Influenza Vaccination Coverage among Health Care Personnel--United States, August 2010-April 2011" was issued electronically and is available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6032a1.htm?s_cid=mm6032a1_w.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) recommend that all healthcare personnel (HCP) be vaccinated annually for influenza.
Influenza vaccination coverage among HCP is important for patient safety, and health care facilities should make vaccine readily accessible to all HCP as part of a comprehensive infection control program.
Near universal coverage (98.1%) was achieved among HCP who reported being subject to an employment requirement for vaccination; however, a small percentage of U.S. HCP (13%) reported being subject to such a requirement.
Timing of vaccination
o CDC recommends that influenza vaccination begin as soon as 2011-2012 flu vaccine becomes available and continue throughout the flu season. People should begin getting vaccinated as soon as vaccine becomes available in their community.
o It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against influenza virus infection. Influenza season can begin as early as October. Therefore, CDC recommends early vaccination to ensure that as many people as possible are protected before flu season begins.
The 2010-2011 influenza vaccine recommendations (available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5908a1.htm?s_cid=rr5908a1_w) should continue to be referenced for other information on influenza vaccines.
For more information and to receive updated press releases, please visit the CDC's Influenza Website at http://cdc.gov/flu, or the Bureau website at http://www.immunizeflorida.org/flu/index.htm.
Please distribute this important update to colleagues, members, coalitions, and partners who provide immunizations or who have an interest in the promotion of vaccines. Please place this information prominently on your website. Contact Laura Rutledge, RN, and Robert Griffin of my staff for questions regarding vaccine recommendations and Vaccines for Children issues, respectively, at (850) 245-4342.
Charles H. Alexander, Chief
Florida Dept. of Health/Bureau of Immunization
4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin A-11
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Mission: Promote, protect and improve the health of all people in Florida.
***********************************************************
Please note: Florida has a very broad public records law. Most written communications to or from state officials regarding state business are public records available to the public and media upon request. Your e-mail communications may therefore be subject to public disclosure.
Campaign for Action Research Grants Announced - 7/13/2011
The Institute of Medicine’s groundbreaking 2010 report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, maps out an ambitious national research agenda in support of its various policy recommendations. Earlier this year, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) announced that it would coordinate a unique, multi-funder initiative to identify, generate, synthesize and disseminate such research, and on June 10, RWJF began accepting three- to five-page proposals addressing the report’s research priorities. The effort is intended to contribute to the RWJF Campaign for Action’s goal of advancing comprehensive change in health care for patients and the nation.
Among the research questions identified in the report and eligible for funding:
How effective are various inter-professional education models?
What are the most effective policies to encourage supportive mentoring in nursing schools and in practice settings?
What concepts of behavioral economics offer the most promise for provider/provider interactions and patient/provider interactions?
What policy options can best address the goal of doubling the number of nurses with a doctorate by 2020?
Do states with broad nurse practice acts have better or poorer outcomes (e.g., health, health resource utilization) among patients with particular chronic illnesses like diabetes or asthma, or among underserved and Medicaid populations, than states with more restrictive practice acts?
Are there differences in documented care errors, never events or malpractice claims between states with independent APRN practice and those with barriers to independent practice?
What payment mechanisms would incentivize diffusion of care models in which nurses lead care programs or provide coordination and collaborative leadership?
What policies and incentives foster teamwork and professional collaboration?
What new technologies support nursing decision-making and care delivery?
RWJF will facilitate a screening and review process for the brief proposals, during which each will be reviewed and scored by at least one scholar from nursing and one scholar from another discipline. Proposals worthy of further consideration will then be examined by a range of funders (including RWJF, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the John A. Hartford Foundation, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation, the Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation and the Donaghue Foundation, among others), all of which have indicated an eagerness to support discovery and validation of information related to the eight IOM recommendations. In this way, applicants will have access to a broader range of potential funders than they would have in a typical application process.
RWJF will accept brief funding proposals through January 3, 2012. Proposals will be screened and reviewed on a rolling basis, and applicants will be informed of the status of their proposals within one month of submission.
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