President's Message - Arthur L Davis Publishing

Keynote Speaker 

Marla Weston, 

RN, PhD, 

FAAN CEO, 

American Nurses 

Association 

Save the Date 

RISNA Annual Business Meeting 

Page 6 

4th Annual Nightingale Gala 

Page 8 

Circulation 19,000 to every Registered Nurse, Licensed Practical Nurse and Student Nurse in Rhode Island 

The Official Publication of the Rhode Island State Nurses Association 

Volume 10 • No. 3 July 2013 

President’s Message 

Christine Gadbois 

As I write this first 

column as President 

of the RI State Nurses’ 

Association, I am struck 

by how fortunate I am to be able to represent 

such a strong and influential organization. We are 

blessed to have a core group of board members 

and staff who represent all of us nurses in RI in 

very positive ways. As I have worked more closely 

with our leadership team, I have learned firsthand 

how important the work of RISNA is to the nursing 

profession and to the public’s health. As the 

professional organization for the over 18,000 nurses 

in our state, RISNA is responsible to ensure that the 

public, our legislators and other stakeholders are 

knowledgeable regarding both the role of nurses 

and issues that affect the public health. With our 

leadership and advocacy, public policy can be 

shaped accordingly. We count on our executive 

director, board members and committee chairs 

to engage stakeholders from the community, 

health care organizations, the RI State Legislature, 

and others, in thoughtful discussion regarding 

the issues that are important to us as nurses. As 

practicing nurses, we know that we must advocate 

for individual patients and families, but we must also 

be reminded that we are counted on to advocate 

for the public health and for the profession of 

nursing. I encourage each of the 18,000 nurses who 

receive this publication to consider increasing their 

participation in RISNA advocacy and initiatives. 

Each nurse can start by logging on to the American 

Nurses Association web site today to learn more. 

Thank you, Chris. 

RI Certified School Nurse Teachers Select 

School Nurse Teacher of the Year 

Rhode Island Certified 

School Nurse Teachers 

(RICSNT) announced the 

School Nurse Teacher of the 

Year at their annual banquet 

on May 8, 2013 (National 

School Nurse Day) at the 

Quidnessett Country Club 

in North Kingstown. This 

year’s recipient is Marianne 

Adams, MEd, BS, RN, NCSN. 

She received her nursing 

degree from RI College and MEd and Certification 

in Guidance and Counseling from Providence 

College. Marianne is a nationally board certified 

school nurse and has been recognized for her many 

achievements and awards; including 2012 Fuel Up to 

Play60 Advisor of the Year for RI. 

Marianne has been a school nurse teacher at 

Narragansett Elementary School since September 

2012. Previously Marianne was employed at the 

Captain Isaac Paine School in Foster, RI for 16 years. 

Marianne is a member of Rhode Island Certified 

School Nurse Teachers as well as the National 

Association of School Nurses. 

Marianne has held many positions on the Board 

of Directors of RICSNT (since 1994) and served 

as President from 2009-2011. Marianne is also 

a member of RISNA, the R.I. School Counselor 

Association, and the Sigma Theta Tau International 

Honor Society of Nursing. 

Marianne is a dedicated professional whose 

emphasis is on the children and families that she 

serves. She goes above and beyond as a volunteer 

for community events such as the Mission of Mercy 

(free dental care), Feed 1000 (providing vaccinations) 

and Camp Surefire a diabetes summer camp for 

children and adolescents. RICSNT is pleased 

and proud to be associated with such a devoted 

professional! 

current resident or 

Presort Standard 

US Postage 

PAID 

Permit #14 

Princeton, MN 

55371 

BIG NEWS 

ON ITS WAY! 

ANA has performed extensive member research over the last year. 

We heard what you had to say and plan on making some big changes. 

ANA and the Rhode Island State Nurses Association are working together to bring you 

very exciting membership news soon. Check our website after August 1st for important 

details! www.risna.org

Page 2 • Rhode Island Nurse July, August, September 2013 

www.risna.org 

Published by: 

Arthur L. Davis 

Publishing Agency, Inc. 

Executive Director’s Column 

by Donna M. Policastro 

On March 1, 2013, the first multistate division of 

the American Nurses Association was formed. It is 

called the Northeast Multistate Division and consists 

of the following states: Maine, New Hampshire, 

Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Maryland. 

The formation of the multistate division model was 

approved by the ANA board of directors as a two 

year “pilot.” The ANA board of directors as well as 

the individual state nurses association boards will 

re-evaluate the division model in 2 years and will at 

that time decide if the model is sustainable. Each 

SNA will retain it’s own identity and board structure. 

Models for shared services are being explored and 

evaluated by the SNA’s. New membership initiatives, 

shared association management, group purchasing 

and developing a Multistate Division of Professional 

Development are examples of the new model. 

This writer has been chosen to lead the Northeast 

Multistate Division during the “pilot” phase. While 

still retaining the title of “Executive Director” of 

RISNA; many of the functions that fall under the 

Executive Director’s role will be filled by competent 

nurse leaders for the next 2 years. These are 

exciting times for both the state nurses associations 

and the multistate division. This is an era of 

transformational change that will insure the viability 

of the state associations. Increased membership 

and continued nursing advocacy are the key factors 

for success. But how do we continue to measure 

success? Here are just a few examples of how 

Rhode Island State Nurses has been successful this 

year. 

In 2012 the RISNA board of directors, 

approved the formation of an Advanced Practice 

Registered Nurse (APRN) Council with the specific 

function of bringing nurse practitioners, clinical 

nurse specialists and certified registered nurse 

anesthetists together to author legislation that would 

align, licensure, accreditation, certification and 

Medication Evaluations and Management 

Nurse Practitioner/CNS: 

PT to work in private outpatient psychiatry office, 

specializing in psychopharmacology. Duties will 

include medication monitoring and supportive 

care. Complete initial and ongoing training will 

be provided as well as in-depth supervision with 

physician backup. Competitive salary. 

Please fax or mail resume to: 401-823-9180 

Deborah Falco 

889 Centerville Rd., Warwick, RI 02886 or email 

to deborahfalco@cox.net 

Three Convenient Locations: 

889 Centerville Rd., Warwick, R.I. 02886 

154 Waterman St., Providence, R.I. 02906 

35 South County Commons Way, S. Kingstown, R.I. 02879 

Ph. 401-821-4100 ext. 19 (new appts) 

Fax 401-823-9180 

Updates From The Northeast 

Multistate Division Leader 

education for advanced practice nurses. This is a 

national initiative, however each state nurse practice 

act would need to be amended to accommodate 

this purpose. I am pleased to report that at the time 

of writing this column RISNA in collaboration with 

RIANA has been successful in passing the APRN 

Consensus Model bill in the House and the Senate 

and hopefully within the next few weeks will be 

heading to the Governor for his signature. Rhode 

Island will now become 1 of 15 states to pass this 

legislation. 

In April, Christine Gadbois, RISNA President 

addressed the Student Nurse Association of 

RI (SNARI) convention on the importance of 

membership in your professional association. On 

April 5, RISNA and the Rhode Island Institute for 

Nursing again combined their efforts to host the 4th 

Annual Nightingale Gala. Dayle Joseph and Sylvia 

Weber were inducted into the Nursing Hall of Fame. 

(Gala honorees and photos are also in this issue). 

RISNA is a co-lead of the Rhode Island Action 

Coalition, a partnership of nursing and business 

and lead by the Rhode Island Center for Nursing 

Excellence at the University of Rhode Island. I am 

pleased to announce that the RIAC and “Stepping 

Up” received grants from the Robert Wood Johnson 

Foundation (RIAC) and the Governor’s Workforce 

Board (Stepping Up) to design and implement 

a Nurse Residency Program which will begin in 

September, 2013. 

So, as you can see your professional nursing 

association has been very active in transforming 

the nursing profession in Rhode Island. Become 

part of this transformation: ANA HAS PERFORMED 

EXTENSIVE MEMBER RESEARCH OVER THE LAST 

YEAR. WE HEARD WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY AND 

PLAN ON MAKING SOME BIG CHANGES. ANA 

AND RISNA ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO BRING 

YOU VERY EXCITING MEMBERSHIP NEWS SOON. 

LOOK FOR YOUR NEXT NEWSLETTER FOR MORE 

INFORMATION. JOIN RISNA/ANA TODAY!!!!!! 

Our Oncology services are expanding and we 

have positions available for experienced 

Oncology Nurses 

Clinical Nurse Manager 

Bone Marrow Transplant/Medical Oncology 

Registered Nurse 

Full Time Positions – 36 hours/week 

12 hour shifts available 

ONS/Chemotherapy Certification Required. 

Please visit www.rwmc.org for a current 

list of job openings! 

Fax resumes to 401-456-6461 

Email resumes to julie.lange@chartercare.org 

www.rwmc.org 

EOE 

Rhode Island Nurse 

Mission Statement 

The Rhode Island State Nurses Association (RISNA), a constituent 

member of the American Nurses Association (ANA), is the authority on 

matters concerning the profession of nursing and nursing practice in the 

State of Rhode Island. RISNA is dedicated to the promotion, advancement 

and protection of nursing thereby improving the quality of and access to 

health care in Rhode Island. 

We stand united in excellence by: 

❖ Providing leadership in defining standards of nursing practice; 

❖ Representing the nursing profession in state and local affairs, and; 

❖ Providing and coordinating information on nursing and health care 

for nurses and the Rhode Island community. 

Executive Director 

Donna M. Policastro, RNP, ED 

President 

Christine Gadbois, RNBC, MSN, CDDN, PHCNS-BC 

Past President 

Cathy E. Duquette, PhD, RN, CPHQ, NEA-BC 

Vice President 

Linda Damon, RN, MSN, MHA 

Secretary 

Valerie Ann Martin, MSN, RN, NE-BC, FACHE 

Treasurer 

Peter J. Fontaine, RN 

Board of Directors 

Charles Alexandre, PhD, RN Nancy Lancaster, MBA, BSN 

Jessica Brier, MS, SPRN, CNS-BC Barbara Riley, RN, MS, NEA-BC 

Alicia Curtin, PhD, GNP-BC Anne Neuville, MSN, FNP 

Cabinet on Nursing Education (CONE) 

Kathleen Bergeron, MS, RN, CNS, CEN Joslin B. Leasca, DNP, RNP-BC 

Diane Gerardi, MSN, RN-BC Sandra Phillips, MS, RN, 

Eileen Gray, MSN, RN, CPNP CCRN, NE-BC 

Karen Haidemenos, MSN, RN 

CE Consultant 

Denise Henry, RN, BSN, MS, RLNC, CPHQ 

Cabinet on Nursing Practice (CONP) 

William E. Desmore, BSN, MA, CCHP 

Nominating Committee 

Diane Martins, PhD, RN 

Susan A. Whetstone 

Marianne Quinlan, RN, BSN 

Delegates 

Renee Cacchiotti, BSN, RN Peggy Matteson, PhD, RN 

Cathy Duquette, PhD, RN, CPHQ, Kathleen Phillips 

NEA-BC 

Jessica Wiley, RN, BSN 

Alternate Delegates 

Donna M. Policastro, RNP, ED Linda Damon, RN, MSN, MHA 

Government Affairs 

Anne Neuville, MSN, FNP (Chair) Sylvia Weber, MSN, PCNS 

Organizational Affiliates 

School Nurse: Linda Mendonca, RN, BSN, Med 

Nurse Anesthetists: Anne Tierney 

Developmental Disability Nurse’s Association: 

Christine Gadbois, RNBC, MSN, CDDN 

Chinese Nurse Association of America: Irene Qi 

Nurse Practitioner Council 

Marianne Hurley 

Advanced Practice Psych Clinical Nurse Specialists Council 

Ginette G. Ferszt 

Jill Moretti, PCNS (Co-Chair) 

Rhode Island Institute for Nursing 

Annette Fonteneau, MSN, RNP, DCNP Mary Dwyer (Past President) 

Publisher 

Rhode Island Nurse is published quarterly every January, April, July 

and October by Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc. 

For advertising rates and information, please contact Arthur L. Davis 

Publishing Agency, Inc., 517 Washington Street, PO Box 216, Cedar Falls, 

Iowa 50613, (800) 626-4081, sales@aldpub.com. RISNA 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 Rhode Island 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. RISNA 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 RISNA or those of the national or local 

associations. 

Rhode Island State Nurses Association 

1800D Mineral Spring Avenue, PO Box 299 

North Providence, Rhode Island 02904 

Tel: 401-331-5644 • Fax: 401-331-5646

July, August, September 2013 Rhode Island Nurse • Page 3 

NP Council News 

News from the RI Nurse Practitioner Council 

Rhode Island 

Nurses Institute 

News 

by Annette Fonteneau 

Our main focus for the year will be to increase 

the visibility of RINI. We cannot support our nurse 

colleagues and advance nursing education if no one 

knows who we are. The members of our board will 

be focused on strategies to get our message out to 

our fellow nurses, the community and raise funds to 

make our programs such as scholarship awards a 

reality. 

RINI is proud to support our fellow nurses by 

having several scholarship programs. The Hirst 

family has generously established the Nancy Hirst 

Memorial Scholarship fund in memory of their late 

mother that will benefit students who attend the 

RINI Middle College Charter School who wish to 

advance their careers in nursing. 

The Rhode Nurse Practitioner Council 

scholarship fund will be awarding $500 scholarships 

through RINI. These scholarships will be awarded to 

nurse practitioner students who are in their last year 

of a Nurse Practitioner academic program or NP 

students enrolled in a DNP or PhD program and who 

demonstrate academic achievement. Application 

forms will be published in this months’ edition of the 

Rhode Island Nurse and will be posted on the RINI 

website which is set to launch in June. 

The Rhode Island Nursing Institute is pleased to 

support our local community by making a donation 

to the Welcome Back Center’s Annual Meeting. The 

Center serves over 240 medical professionals who 

seek to resume their careers in the United States. 

They serve health care professionals from all over 

Rhode Island and many of their enrollees are nurses. 

The Center is a public-private partnership building 

bridges between a pool of underemployed health 

care professionals living in our community and the 

need for a more linguistically and culturally diverse 

health care workforce. 

RINI has also supported the Student Nurse 

Association of RI with a $1000.00 grant for their 

scholarship fund. 

RINI is a non-profit, charitable organization 

devoted exclusively to support and advance the 

profession of nursing and promote optimal health 

care for the citizens of our state. Because we are a 

501C3 organization, your entire donation is 100% 

tax deductible. Please consider donating to the 

institute and help us support your colleagues in 

nursing! Please consider making a donation today. 

You may mail your check to Rhode Island Institute 

for Nursing; 1800D Mineral Spring Avenue, PO Box 

299, North Providence, RI 02904. 

Marianne Hurley RNP 

Chair RI NP Council 

The new year started with elections in February. 

Marianne Hurley was re-elected Chair and Carol 

Garcia-Benoit was elected Secretary. 

Meetings have been held every other month 

and approved to start meeting four times a year in 

conjunction with educational endeavors at the same 

time. This was done to draw more attendees, and 

we will be starting this with the fall meeting. 

The June meeting was combined as an 

Educational/Award Presentation sponsored by 

RIMI (Rhode Island Medical Imaging) The topic 

was “Common Questions and Issues Related to 

Diagnostic Imaging – Update on Best Practices.” 

American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Awardees 

were recognized for 2012. They were Mary Cabral 

RNP/Award for Excellence and Dr. Dayle Joseph/ 

Advocate Award. 

Legislation has been closely followed and 

updated by Anne Neuville, our Government Liason. 

The APRN Consensus Model has been the focus 

of everyone’s attention as each state will define 

how their model will define APRN’s in their separate 

roles. We are lucky to have such devoted and strong 

leaders who have their eyes and ears on every piece 

of legislation out there. 

NP Scholarships through RINI/RI NP Council 

will be awarded in August. A notice will be posted 

to the list serve. Applications will be online on the 

RISNA website and considered through August 5th. 

Applicants must be an NP Student or a DNP/PhD 

student, a RISNA member, and a RI resident. 

Business meetings are open to RISNA members 

– if not a member, you can go the website and 

download an application to become one. We need 

your input as only you can help make changes that 

affect your profession…… 

RI NP Council is also a group member of the 

American Association (formerly Academy) of Nurse 

Practitioners – as a group member you receive $10 

off the membership fee and access to free online 

CE’s among other things…. 

We hope to see new faces as we move forward in 

our ever changing profession. Be on top of things, 

network with others, learn something new, and make 

a difference! 

We are located at: 

1800D Mineral Spring Avenue 

PO Box 299 

North Providence, RI 02904 

The above address is only a mailing 

address. RISNA is a virtual office with no 

physical location. 

Tel: (401) 331-5644 

Fax: (401) 331-5646 

Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-4pm


Helping Rhode Island’s 

Uninsured 

The RI Developmental Disabilities Nurses 

Association (RIDDNA) is a chapter of the national 

Developmental Disabilities Nurses Association. 

RIDDNA meets monthly at locations around the 

state. We encourage all nurses and health care 

professionals working with adults or children with 

intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) to 

join us. Continuing education units are offered at 

monthly meetings (free to members and at nominal 

charge to non-members). 

Recent in-services include a presentation on 

Effective Methods to assist individuals with Autism 

in handling and responding to emergencies by Beth 

Rimas, an EMT and Trainer for ALEC (Autism Law 

Enforcement Education Coalition) since 2006; and 

an in-service on Emotion Regulation Skills for those 

with DD/ID, presented by Julie F. Brown, LICSW, 

author of the ‘The Skills System Instructor’s Guide: 

An Emotion Regulation Skills Curriculum for All 

Learning Abilities’. 

RIDDNA hosted a day long “Ending Life Well” 

Conference at Ray Conference Center on Butler 

Hospital campus on June 20, 2013 addressing the 

needs of End of Life Care for those with Intellectual/ 

Developmental Disabilities. 

RIDDNA is excited to announce its support and 

close collaboration with the Living RIte Centers, 

a CMS grant funded interdisciplinary care model 

which serve adults with I/DD and/or Alzheimer’s 

like dementia and chronic health issues. For more 

information, please contact Sandra Fournier at 401- 

229-9700. 

Election of officers and Board members will be 

held at September’s meeting. 

For more information regarding the RIDDNA, 

membership or meeting location, please contact 

Sandy Fournier, Chair at sfournier@sevenhills.org or 

Sue (Ball) Joinson, Vice Chair at sjoinson@corliss. 

org Or visit our web page at http://ddna.org/chapter/ 

RI 

AMHC provides competitive pay and a supportive team environment. 

Our mission is to provide comprehensive mental health, substance 

abuse treatment services to Aroostook, Washington and Hancock 

County communities. 

❍ Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners 

Recruitment is underway for Master Level Psychiatric Nurses who are 

independently licensed in the State of Maine. Primary responsibilities 

are to provide psychiatric assessments and medications management, 

as well as consultation to multidisciplinary care teams. 

This position requires a Masters Degree that represents study in 

advanced clinical practice in a selected area of psychiatric nursing, and 

passing of a national certification examination. This position requires 

the individual to be independently licensed as an Advanced Practice 

Nurse by the Maine State at time of hire. AMHC is also NHSC approved 

employer. 

Salary commensurate with experience. Assistance also available for 

interview, relocation and licensure expense reimbursement. 

Please submit a letter of interest, resume to: 

Marie Ghazal, RN, MS, CEO 

Rhode Island Free Clinic 

Imagine you hear the story over and over again. 

It’s about a family member, neighbor, friend, or 

as I hear it, a desperate Rhode Islander who has 

no health care – and really wants to take care of 

himself or herself. Like Joe, a 60 year old taxi cab 

driver from Pawtucket, who lost his health insurance 

in 2004 and came to the Rhode Island Free Clinic 

for treatment for his diabetes, high blood pressure 

and high cholesterol. I recently met him at the Clinic 

during his visit with the diabetes nurse educator and 

heard about his challenge taking care of his diet 

when his driving schedule requires long hours that 

are often unpredictable. Joe is grateful for the Clinic 

services and preventive care he receives, and for his 

ability to stay healthy and drive his cab. 

Fortunately, beginning in 2014 more than half of 

the 126,000 uninsured Rhode Islanders like Joe will 

have options for purchasing health coverage. The 

Affordable Care Act, better known as ObamaCare, 

is closing the gap between the insured and 

uninsured. Yet, until we have universal healthcare 

– meaning that everyone has health care, not just 

the ability to purchase or receive health insurance – 

the work of the Free Clinic is far from done. We will 

still face the challenges of meeting the increasingly 

complicated healthcare needs of our uninsured 

family, friends, and neighbors like Joe. Conservative 

estimates are that at least 40,000 Rhode Islanders 

will remain without healthcare after 2014. 

Let’s put these 40,000 Rhode Islanders in 

context. This number equals the total populations 

of Barrington, Tiverton, Jamestown, and 

Little Compton combined, or the entire city of 

Woonsocket. They are everyday people between 

the ages of 27 and 64, too young to have Medicare, 

who get up in the morning and go to work, praying 

not to get sick or injured. They are wage earners 

making too much money to be on Medicaid, but not 

enough to buy health insurance. When there is not 

a cent to spare, and they are faced with a choice of 

paying their rent and feeding their families, or buying 

health insurance, the decision is clear. This sad and 

unhealthy story is one I hear every day at the Clinic. 

Rhode Island Free Clinic is the “safety net of 

safety nets” for low-income adults who have no 

means to pay for healthcare. By the time they 

come to the Clinic, patients are frequently already 

sick and many have not seen a doctor for years. If 

left untreated, their medical conditions worsen and 

consequently, require expensive ER and hospital 

admissions, or they die. 

As CEO of the Free Clinic, I am truly grateful 

that some of our patients will soon be covered by 

Medicaid, or will be able to purchase subsidized 

insurance after 2014. But the sad truth it that even 

with ObamaCare, most of our patients will fall 

through the cracks, not because they don’t care 

about their health, but because they simply cannot 

afford health care. 

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner 

Providence Psychology Services (PPS), a well-established group 

practice of psychologists, is seeking to add a psychiatric nurse 

practitioner to our group in order to better meet the treatment needs 

of our clients. The position is part-time to start, but can easily grow 

to full-time if desired. 

Applicants must be licensed or license-eligible in Rhode Island. 

To apply, forward a letter of interest, a CV, and 3 references or 

letters of recommendation to Dr. Joseph Trunzo at 

jtrunzo@providencepsychology.com. Feel free to call 

(401.273.3322 ext. 2) or e-mail with additional questions. 

www.providencepsychology.com 

Rhode Island Free Clinic is a nationallyrecognized 

model based entirely on volunteerism 

and philanthropy that receives no state or federal 

funding, fee for service or reimbursements of any 

kind, and meets a vital community need. It serves 

the most vulnerable Rhode Islanders: those who 

deserve healthcare just like you and me. They are 

the working poor who simply cannot buy health 

insurance on top of paying for food, housing, 

keeping warm in the winter, and buying gas to go to 

work. 

The Rhode Island Free Clinic’s model works, and 

patients like Joe are able to manage their health 

and keep their jobs, because of the generosity 

of hundreds of volunteer doctors, nurses, other 

health professionals, and charitable donations. 

Community partners like Lifespan and Care New 

England provide free laboratory, diagnostic, and 

specialty services; CVS Caremark fills generic 

prescriptions for Clinic patients; and many, many 

other medical, academic and charitable supporters 

provide donated resources. 

While there is growing support for the work we 

do, the demand for Clinic services far exceeds 

our current capacity. Throughout the years, many 

adults who qualify for and need Clinic care were 

turned away because of limited funding or too few 

volunteer doctors. As a result, the Clinic must use 

an equitable, but heart-breaking lottery each month 

to accept new patients. Those who are not chosen 

usually return for the next month’s lottery, hoping 

and praying to get in. They come as they are: sick 

and suffering, currently from 35 towns throughout 

Rhode Island. They have taken the first step to 

taking care of themselves – by coming to the Clinic 

in hopes of receiving healthcare. Why can’t we do 

more? 

Today, Rhode Island Free Clinic is an important 

free medical home for the uninsured working poor. 

The Clinic is more than urgent care. It’s not a drop 

in clinic. Our program, just like your doctors office, 

requires an appointment for primary care, but also 

offers preventive and wellness care, including 

onsite vision and physical therapy as well as many 

specialties. On the average, it costs the Clinic 

about $500 per patient per year for comprehensive 

healthcare. Patients see volunteer providers as often 

as needed to manage their health and improve their 

lives. The $500 is worth every penny, especially 

when the alternative is taxpayer dollars subsidizing 

far more expensive ER care, hospitalization for 

sicker patients. 

Dollars and cents aside, the question remains: 

how can responsible, caring people like you and 

me ignore sick Rhode Islanders who have no care? 

Our inspiring volunteer doctors, nurses, and medical 

professionals dedicate their time because it is the 

right thing to do. Rhode Island needs the Free Clinic 

to remain as an essential lifeline until every Rhode 

Islander has health care. We cannot let anyone fall 

through the cracks. 

SAVE THE DATE 

20th Annual Rehabilitation Conference 

“Traumatic Brain Injury” 

Friday, September 27, 2013 

CEUs/Contact Hours Pending 

*Special Student Rates* 

Register online at: www.snerc.com 

For more information call: 401.456.2323 

Ronald G. Thibodeau 

Assistant Director of Personnel Services 

AMHC 

P.O. Box 1018 

Caribou, Maine 04736 

Email to: Rthibodeau@amhc.org 

AMHC is a non-profit organization and an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

Infusion 

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We are a growing company and always looking for new talent, visit our website and check out our Careers page. 

www.careresourcegroup.com


Green Column 

Sylvia Weber, Co-Chair 

50 States United for Healthy Air: On May 13- 

15 I had the opportunity to attend this meeting for 

the second time. Our first meeting was 2 years 

ago. 9 organizations come together to address 

these issues: climate change, air quality, tail pipe 

emissions, unsafe disposal of toxic coal ash. ANA 

is one of the supporting organizations. All 50 states, 

2 Indian Nations and Puerto Rico was represented 

and you can see who attended and get updates 

on the web site for Earth Justice. Why the focus on 

healthy air? As the campaign post card says: we 

have a Left Lung and a Right Lung – our breathing 

is bipartisan. If we cannot breathe the air around us 

– we are DEAD! Unfortunately, this is happening in 

greater numbers. While there I had the opportunity 

to talk with people from Wyoming about the new 

illnesses, including brain lesions, that are a result 

of the combination of the gases escaping from 

hydraulic fracturing combining with the toxic fumes 

from the diesel trucks. States that are downwind 

are quite concerned. We are also very concerned 

about the recent White House policy that will allow 

hydraulic fracturing on federal land. Please spread 

the word to anyone you know in the US to contact 

their state and federal legislators to oppose these 

practices until there is full disclosure by the industry, 

research on risks and regulations formulated that 

will protect the health of all. Thank You! 

Future Programs: The Environmental Affairs 

Committee is planning several educational 

programs to bring to the staff of health care 

facilities. The programs will address environmental 

issues in the work place and in the community the 

people they serve live in. 

Coalitions: We continue to be involved with 

several coalitions that address environmental 

issues. Hospitals for a Healthy RI held a conference 

on March 21st. Kent Hospital received the 

environmental award for a hospital and The Miriam 

Hospital received an honorary award. I was honored 

to receive the environmental champion award. The 

Alliance for a Healthy RI established their goals 

for 2013. ECRI continues to be a resource for 

environmental programs and issues in RI. 

Legislation: We are continuing to work with 

Representative Handy and Senator Sosnowski 

in developing a resolution addressing hydraulic 

fracturing and the current information I learned from 

50 States United has been shared with them. This 

process for the resolution was started during the 

last legislative session. The ANA House of Delegates 

passed a similar resolution this past June based on 

the Pennsylvania Nurses Association resolution. We 

continue to work with a task force on legislation to 

address pharmaceutical waste in long term care. 

A bill was introduced by Representative Di Simone 

and is moving forward. 

We are looking for volunteers to assist us with our 

ambitious goals and students who would like to join 

us for class credit are more than welcome. So far 

the committee is having a wonderful and productive 

year. Please feel free to call me, 401-461-6508, 

and please consider joining us in protecting the 

environment we are borrowing from our children and 

grandchildren. 

Government Relations 

Sylvia Weber MSN, PCNS 

The Alliance for a Healthy RI continues to meet and 

educate policy makers, educators and the public about 

the harmful effects of sugar sweetened beverages. A 

multi-pronged approach has been established that 

includes education, procurement, excise tax and 

working with multiple organizations around these 

issues. The coalition has been addressing legislation 

that impacts the health of Rhode Islanders. 

Pam Mc Cue is the lobbyist for the consensus 

model legislation that was introduced this session. 

She worked with many groups and individuals to 

create legislation that is in accord with national 

recommendations, standards and scope of practice. 

The bill was unanimously voted out of the Senate on 

May 8th. The House will be voting on May 23rd. 

As the legislative session moves forward we 

continue to track bills that are related to health care and 

the environment. We have been tracking 73 bills and 

have given opinions on 24. 

Recently the Department of Health changed the 

rules and regulations for the approval of applications 

for medical marijuana. We are involved with several 

organizations and individual nurses to address these 

issues. We are also involved with other health care 

professionals to address some of our concerns about 

scope of practice. 

This scholarship is funded through the Rhode 

Island Nursing Institute and is awarded subject to 

available funding. Scholarships will be granted to nurse 

practitioner students who are in the last year of their 

nurse practitioner, DNP or PhD educational programs 

and demonstrate academic achievement. Recipients 

will be notified by mail in late August. 

Deadline for applications is August 5, 2013. 

Students interested in applying for scholarship funds 

should furnish the following: 

1. Curriculum vitae. 

2. Two letters of recommendation; one academic 

(from nursing faculty member or nurse 

leader) and one professional. Letters must be 

postmarked no later than August 5th. 

3. A short essay to include plan for the future of NP 

practice as well as inspiring factors to achieving 

NP certification. Please include anticipated date 

of graduation (December/May). 

4. DNP or PhD students; a short essay to include 

the impact of a DNP or PhD on the future of 

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Screening Saves Lives 

"Now THAT I understand." 

If you’re over 50, 

get tested for 

colorectal cancer. 

We continue to work with many coalitions on 

the tobacco control program, health care reform; 

improvement of access to affordable health care; 

insurance re-imbursement for needed services, 

especially parity for people with chronic illnesses and 

disabilities; non-discrimination for re-imbursement of 

qualified health care providers; public health issues; 

and environmental health issues including work place 

safety. 

We also continue to be in contact with 

Congressmen Ciciline and Langevin and Senators 

Reed and Whitehouse about our local and national 

concerns. Last week I was able to meet with their 

staff, Senator Whitehouse and Congressman Langevin 

on environmental issues and concerns. As I have 

mentioned in previous articles, it’s important for us to 

be very visible. 

Please consider contributing to our RISNA - PAC 

and the ANA – PAC and contact us if there is an issue 

that you would like to share your opinion on. Being at 

the State House and attending committee hearings 

is an experience that everyone should have, even if 

it’s only once, and I would enjoy showing you around. 

Several people have taken me up on the offer and 

have enjoyed it. Please feel free to contact me with any 

questions, concerns, and/or ideas you may have that 

relate to government relations, 401-461-6508. You may 

also consider joining our active and fun committee. 

Nurse Practitioner Council Scholarship Application 

nursing especially that of NP practice and 

accountability. 

5. Post graduate transcripts. 

6. Cover letter with all demographic information. 

Guidelines: 

• Students must continue to attend classes and 

maintain no lower than a 3.0 grade point average. 

Educational programs do not have to be located 

in Rhode Island. 

• Preference will be given to Rhode Island state 

residents who are members of RISNA and 

working in Rhode Island. 

Please forward information to: 

Rhode Island Nursing Institute 

NP Scholarship Award 

1800D Mineral Spring Avenue 

PO Box 299 

North Providence, RI 02904 

500 Waterfront Drive, East Providence 

Assisted Living – 

Memory Care Assisted Living 

Skilled Nursing – 

Short-term Rehab and Long-term Care


Mentorship as a Pathway to Nursing 

Mary E. Cloud, Ass’t Clinical Professor, 

URI College of Nursing; 

Elaine [Troub] Parker-Williams, MS, APRN, 

FNP-BC, DNP student URI College of Nursing; 

& Lynne M. Dunphy, Assoc Dean for External 

Affairs, Routhier Chair and Professor, 

URI College of Nursing 

Low representation of nurses of color in underserved 

communities is a persistent manifestation 

of health care disparities in RI. The CON at URI is 

committed to preparing increased numbers of 

under-represented undergraduate students for the 

nursing profession to help alleviate these disparities. 

In August of 2009, the CON was awarded a subcontract 

from Brown Univ to fund Southern RI 

Area Health Care Education Center (SRI-AHEC). 

AHECs are funded by Human Resources and 

Services Admin (HRSA). According the HRSA’s 

website, AHEC’s “enhance access to high-quality, 

culturally competent health care through academiccommunity 

partnerships that ultimately improve the 

distribution, diversity, and supply of the primary care 

health professions workforce.” 

The Pathways to Nursing program was created 

by the partnership of SRI AHEC & the CON to 

attract and retain students from economically, 

socially disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly 

from RI’s communities of color. The first cohort of 

Pathways students began the program in Sept 2010. 

Students were provided equipment support as well 

as supplemental instruction in the basic sciences, 

and a dedicated faculty member for advisement and 

support. Academic skills classes were added in the 

second year as a result of the identification of poor 

academic skills needed for success on the university 

level. 

Working with the Pathway students, we identified 

a need for role-models who have been successful 

in professional nursing and maintain a strong 

commitment to underserved populations. The 

provision of a mentor would ideally motivate and 

support the student to this desired goal. We see the 

mentor as being a source of inspiration and giving 

the students the opportunity to explore different 

paths within the profession. We are looking for 

mentors with passion and commitment to enter 

into such a relationship with the students. We are 

in the process of identifying potential mentors and 

establishing a training program for the mentors. 

Assisting us with the establishment of the program 

this summer is Elaine [Troub] Parker-Williams, 

currently a DNP student at URI College of Nursing. 

“I give them a story of myself,” says Elaine 

Parker-Williams, MS, APRN, FNP-BC, who identifies 

mentoring as a core personal commitment, 

something she is “called to do.” As Elaine explains 

it, she begins with finding out the desires and goals 

of the person, how they envision themselves as 

a nurse. “Then I find out what level of nursing they 

are striving for and how they see their role as a care 

provider and as a leader.” Elaine talked about the 

need to keep motivating these potential achievers, 

and the need to always be there for them. Working 

on herself as a positive and high-achieving role 

model, while important, is not as important as being 

a friend, forging a relationship. 

As a faculty member dedicated to working with 

Pathways students, I have found that the majority 

of under-represented students are first-generation 

to higher education students, and the first in their 

families to aspire to professional status. They 

are often burdened with family responsibilities, 

childcare, as well as financial stress. There is 

increasing recognition of this in the literature on 

working with under-represented populations. 

This work requires involvement of the family unit 

as well as the community – in other words, “it 

takes a village.” We suggest that work with one’s 

professional organization – like RISNA – provides 

a potential network of support and a window into 

the future through the path of professional nursing 

practice. A mentor gives meaningful guidance along 

this pathway. A mentor-mentee relationship helps 

keep the “eye on the prize” so to speak. 

We are actively seeking mentors. If this article 

strikes a responsive chord in you, consider 

becoming a mentor. You are needed to advance 

the nursing profession and our future, diverse 

workforce. We need a variety of voices, role-models, 

community-representation, practice backgrounds, 

and vision. If interested, you may contact Mary 

Cloud – mcloud@ds.uri.edu, or 401 874-2221. 

Formal training and small stipend will be provided. 

Now enrolling 

Classes Start Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013 

Learn the Skills of Medical Record 

Review and Legal Nurse Consulting 

Class Size Limited. Classes held 

Tuesdays from 6 to 9 pm 

for six weeks 

To enroll in September 

classes call 

1-800-583-0088 

Case Manager 

PCHC seeks an experienced Case Manager for Connect 

Care Program to provide screening/assessment and care 

coordination for moderate-high risk adults in a community 

health setting. The schedule is Monday-Friday (with 

occasional evening hours). Qualified candidates require a BSN 

and 3-5 years experience in behavioral health and/or case 

management. 

Staff Nurse 

PCHC seeks an experienced OBGYN and Internal Medicine 

Nurse. The schedule is Monday/Wednesday/Friday between 

8:00am - 5:00pm and Tuesday/Thursday between 11:00am - 

8:00pm. Qualified candidates require an ADN or BSN with 2-4 

years of hospital and/or ambulatory experience required. 

Please forward your resume to: 

Diana Christian, Staffing Supervisor 

dchristian@providencechc.org 

www.providencechc.org


R.I.’s First Statewide Nurse Residency Program Launched 

$600,000 project to assist unemployed/underemployed nurses and 

new nursing program graduates to improve patient care 

Media Contact: Dave Lavallee, 401-874-5862 

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – April 3, 2013 – The Rhode 

Island Action Coalition for the Future of Nursing, 

along with numerous public and private sector 

partners, today launched a more than $600,000 

statewide clinical nurse residency and mentoring 

program to provide participating nurses with 

additional skills and experience. Unemployed and 

underemployed nurses and new graduates from the 

state’s nursing programs will be eligible to enroll in 

the groundbreaking program. 

Rhode Island joins Connecticut as one of only 

two New England states and 20 nationally to 

receive funding from the Robert Wood Johnson 

Foundation’s “The Future of Nursing: Campaign for 

Action,” a $3 million joint initiative with the AARP, 

called the Future of Nursing State Implementation 

Program. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 

(RWJF) is committed to providing states, through 

their Action Coalitions, with the support they need 

to build a more highly educated, diverse nursing 

workforce that will improve health outcomes for 

patients, families and communities. The funding 

is also designed to help the nursing profession 

address the nation’s most pressing health care 

challenges — access, quality and cost. 

Rhode Island’s residency program is unusual 

in the United States, say state leaders, as most 

residency programs are affiliated with specific 

hospitals or agencies. The Rhode Island project 

will place graduates of the state’s nursing programs 

in practice settings ranging from nursing homes to 

community clinics, as well as traditional hospital 

settings across the state. Each nurse accepted into 

the program will receive a stipend and will practice 

at three different sites during a residency period 

lasting up to nine months. 

Backed by a $150,000 Robert Wood Johnson 

Foundation grant, the coalition also received critical 

support from a $247,363 Governor’s Workforce 

Board Partnership Grant to Stepping Up, a health 

care industry partner of the workforce board. Lynne 

Dunphy, professor and interim associate nursing 

dean at URI and co-leader of the state’s action 

coalition, and the URI Foundation successfully 

raised additional funds from the Rhode Island 

Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island 

and the Routhier Foundation. 

Other contributors included Rhode Island Center 

for Nursing Excellence (URI center), Rhode Island 

State Nurses Association, Rhode Island Nursing 

Institute, Lifespan, and Care New England. Each of 

the state’s nursing programs also contributed to the 

initiative. 

Officials from the University of Rhode Island, 

Governor’s Workforce Board, the Rhode Island 

Foundation, Routhier Foundation, URI Foundation, 

Blue Cross Blue Shield Rhode Island, Care 

New England, the Rhode Island State Nurses 

Association, and the nursing programs at the 

University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, 

the Community College of Rhode Island, Salve 

Regina University and St. Joseph’s Hospital 

announced the innovative collaboration at the Rhode 

Island Foundation headquarters this morning. 

Graduates of the five nursing programs (URI, RIC, 

CCRI, Salve Regina, and St. Joseph’s) will have a 

vehicle to enhance their practice skills so they can 

apply for positions that are in demand in Rhode 

Island. 

The program will begin recruiting in June and 

have its first residency placements by late Augustearly 

September. It is expected to accept 20 

students in the first year and 40 students in the 

second year. 

“In Rhode Island, health care is an important 

industry sector, and nursing is projected to be an 

in-demand occupation over the coming years,” said 

Governor Lincoln D. Chafee. “Initiatives such as 

the nurse residency project should help us better 

prepare our workforce for high-growth economic 

opportunities in our state.” 

Coalition members include most hospitals and 

their chief nursing officers, including the Veterans 

Affairs Hospital of Providence, the Rhode Island 

Department of Health, the Rhode Island Board 

of Nurse Registration and Nurse Education, the 

Hospital Association of Rhode Island and the AARP 

of Rhode Island. 

“Nurses play a vital role in the delivery of highquality 

health care in hospitals, long-term care 

settings, and community health centers,” said URI 

President David M. Dooley. “URI is committed to 

working with a wide array of partners, as evidenced 

here, to ensure Rhode Island’s nursing students and 

professionals have access to the best educators, 

tools, and resources. Working together, this venture 

will assist statewide efforts to make high-quality 

health care accessible and affordable for Rhode 

Islanders.” 

“Rhode Island College and its School of Nursing 

looks forward to working collaboratively with our 

partners in this initiative, which will provide an 

enhanced level of education and mentoring for our 

graduating nurses, “ said Nancy Carriuolo, president 

of Rhode Island College. “This new clinical nurse 

residency and mentoring program will also increase 

the opportunities available to our new and recent 

graduates, while also helping to improve the overall 

quality of care at health care facilities throughout 

Rhode Island.” 

“As Rhode Island and the rest of the nation 

begin to implement health care reform, there will 

be an emphasis on the continuum of care, which 

places tremendous importance on primary care, 

community care and long-term care,” said Dunphy, 

who also holds the Routhier Chair of Practice at URI. 

“We are going to be able to provide even more 

advanced training for our new nurses, individuals 

who possess fresh ideas and the latest in nursing 

practice education to improve health care in 

all venues, including visiting nurse programs, 

community health clinics, assisted living and longterm 

care facilities and hospitals.” 

In addition to Dunphy and Jay Spitulnik, 

organizational consultant for the Lifespan Learning 

Institute, the Action Coalition is also led by Donna 

Policastro, executive director of the Rhode Island 

State Nurses Association; Michael Paruta, director 

of Workforce Development for Care New England; 

and Sandra S. Phillips, director of education at Kent 

Hospital. 

Rhode Island Action Coalition for the Future 

of Nursing 

R.I. Governor Lincoln D. Chafee 

“In Rhode Island, health care is an important 

industry sector, and nursing is projected to be an 

in-demand occupation over the coming years. 

Initiatives such as the nurse residency project 

should help us better prepare our workforce for 

high-growth economic opportunities in our state.” 

David M. Dooley, president, University of Rhode 

Island 

“Nurses play a vital role in the delivery of highquality 

health care in hospitals, long-term care 

settings, and community health centers. URI is 

committed to working with a wide array of partners, 

as evidenced here, to ensure Rhode Island’s nursing 

students and professionals have access to the best 

educators, tools, and resources. Working together, 

this venture will assist statewide efforts to make 

high-quality health care accessible and affordable 

for Rhode Islanders.” 

Susan B. Hassmiller, Robert Wood Johnson 

Foundation senior advisor for nursing and director of 

the Campaign for Action 

“The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation applauds 

the Governor’s Workforce Board RI for recognizing 

the importance of nursing education and training. 

This significant award increases the impact of our 

existing investment in Rhode Island.” 

Nancy Carriuolo, president, Rhode Island College 

“Rhode Island College and its School of Nursing 

looks forward to working collaboratively with our 

partners in this initiative, which will provide an 

enhanced level of education and mentoring for 

our graduating nurses. This new clinical nurse 

residency and mentoring program will also increase 

the opportunities available to our new and recent 

graduates, while also helping to improve the overall 

quality of care at health care facilities throughout 

Rhode Island.” 

Peter Andruszkiewicz, president and chief executive 

officer for BCBSRI 

“We are grateful for the opportunity to support 

Rhode Island’s first statewide nurse residency 

program. Nurses play a critical role in the delivery 

of high-quality care and in facilitating effective 

transitions in care. One of the wonderful things 

about this initiative is that nurses will have the 

opportunity to hone their skills at training sites in 

community health centers and nursing homes as 

well as traditional hospital settings.”  

Neil D. Steinberg, president and chief executive 

officer of the Rhode Island Foundation 

“Investing in this first-of-its-kind program shows 

that together, we are investing in the future of 

our state’s health care professionals and quality 

heath care for all Rhode Islanders. The Rhode 

Island Foundation is proud to have supported this 

innovative program from its start and help leverage 

additional partners and funding. 

Pictured above, left to right, Michael Paruta, CNE, Governor Chafee, Donna Policastro, 

RI Nurse Association, Sandra Phillips, Education Kent Hospital, Jay Spitulnick, Lifespan, 

Neil Stienberg, RI Foundation, President David Dooley, URI, Peter Andruszkiewicz, BC/BS, 

Rick Brooks, Gov. Workforce Board, Dr. Lynne Dunphy, URI Interium Associate Dean and RWJ Fellow 

I’m not just a nurse. 

I’m inventing a new model of health care. 

Arlette, VA RN 

Apply Today: VAcareers.va.gov/nursing 

Follow VA Careers


April 5, 2013 

And the Honorees Are... 

Advanced Practice Nurse of the Year. . . . . . . . Rebecca Carley 

Clinical Nurse Educator of the Year . . . . . . . . . . Nancy Robin 

Clinical Practice Nurse of the Year . . . . . . . . Suzanne Roberts 

Nurse in a Non-Traditional Setting . . . . . . Mary Ella Dubreuil 

Nurse of the Year in Academic Setting . . . . . . . .Diane Martins 

Nursing Hall of Fame: 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sylvia Weber, RN, MSN 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dayle Joseph, RN, DsC 

The link below is for the viewing and purchase of pictures. 

http://beyondthebutterflybush.smugmug.com/Events/RISNA-Gala-2013/29032227_9qfsgc#!i=2469630434&k=F69TtgZ


American Nurses Association 

Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Bill Introduced In Congress 

Nurse staffing directly impacts patient safety; direct care nurses to drive staffing plans 

SILVER SPRING, MD – The American Nurses 

Association (ANA) applauds the introduction of federal 

legislation that empowers registered nurses (RNs) to 

drive staffing decisions in hospitals and, consequently, 

protect patients and improve the quality of care. 

The Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act of 2013 (H.R. 

1821), crafted with input from ANA, has sponsors from 

both political parties who co-chair the House Nursing 

Caucus – Reps. David Joyce (R-OH) and Lois Capps 

(D-CA), a nurse. 

“Nurse staffing has a direct impact on patient 

safety. We know that when there are appropriate nurse 

staffing levels, patient outcomes improve. Determining 

the appropriate number and mix of nursing staff is 

critical to the delivery of quality patient care,” said ANA 

President Karen A. Daley, PhD, RN, FAAN. “Federal 

legislation is necessary to increase protections for 

patients and ensure fair working conditions for nurses.” 

Research has shown that higher staffing levels by 

experienced RNs are linked to lower rates of patient 

falls, infections, medication errors, and even death. 

And when unanticipated events happen in a hospital 

resulting in patient death, injury, or permanent loss of 

function, inadequate nurse staffing often is cited as a 

contributing factor. 

The bill would require hospitals to establish 

committees that would create unit-by-unit nurse 

staffing plans based on multiple factors, such as 

the number of patients on the unit, severity of the 

patients’ conditions, experience and skill level of the 

RNs, availability of support staff, and technological 

resources. 

The safe staffing bill also would require hospitals 

that participate in Medicare to publicly report nurse 

staffing plans for each unit. It would place limits on the 

practice of “floating” nurses by ensuring that RNs are 

not forced to work on units if they lack the education 

and experience in that specialty. It also would hold 

hospitals accountable for safe nurse staffing by 

requiring the development of procedures for receiving 

and investigating complaints; allowing imposition of 

civil monetary penalties for knowing violations; and 

providing whistle-blower protections for those who file 

a complaint about staffing. 

ANA backed a similar staffing bill in the last 

Congress. This version includes requirements that a 

hospital’s staffing committee be comprised of at least 

55 percent direct care nurses or their representatives, 

and that the staffing plans must establish adjustable 

minimum nurse-to-patient ratios. 

Additionally, ANA has advocated for safe 

staffing conditions for the nation’s RNs through the 

development and updating of ANA’s Principles for 

Nurse Staffing, and implementation of a national 

nursing quality database program that correlates 

staffing to patient outcomes. 

To date, seven states have passed nurse safe 

staffing legislation that closely resembles ANA’s 

recommended approach to ensure safe staffing, 

utilizing a hospital-wide staffing committee in 

which direct care nurses have a voice in creating 

the appropriate staffing levels. Those states are 

Connecticut, Illinois, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, and 

Washington. 

For more information on ANA’s safe staffing 

legislative efforts, please visit www.RNAction.org. 

American Nurses Association to Release Safe Patient Handling and 

Mobility Interprofessional National Standards on June 26 

SILVER SPRING, MD – ANA’s latest breakthrough 

guide, Safe Patient Handling and Mobility 

Interprofessional National Standards, is expected 

to help reduce health care worker injuries and 

musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). These injuries, 

common among nurses and other healthcare workers, 

are often life-altering and career-ending. What’s 

more, improper handling of patients is expensive, 

costing the United States over $7 billion each year in 

worker compensation costs, medical bills, and staff 

replacements. 

ANA spearheaded the effort to develop national 

interdisciplinary safe patient handling and mobility 

(SPHM) standards to be applicable across the care 

continuum. The resulting document contains eight 

overarching SPHM standards of care organized into 

two parts: one addresses the responsibilities of the 

employer or health care organization, the other those 

of healthcare workers and ancillary/support staff, with 

descriptive comments accompanying each set. 

Suzy Harrington, PhD, RN, CCRN-CSC, Director of 

Health, Safety and Wellness at ANA noted, “ANA works 

to prevent injury and protect the health and safety 

of patients, nurses, and other health care workers 

through SPHM programs, resources, and advocacy. 

The programs, if properly implemented, can drastically 

reduce healthcare worker injuries, while improving 

quality of care.” 

The standards begin by establishing a culture of 

safety though establishing a comprehensive evaluation 

program. The expectation is the language in the 

standards can support organizational policy, regulation, 

and state and federal legislation. 

“Since ANA’s Handle with Care Campaign began 

in 2003, many health care facilities have adopted 

‘safe patient handling’ policies, and more than ten 

states have enacted laws or promulgated rules and 

regulations on safe patient handling. However, a lack 

consistency remains, and facilities have experienced 

challenges with implementing and sustaining these 

programs,” Harrington added. 

The inter-professional national standards are 

intended for nurses and health care workers in any 

clinical setting, level of practice, or specialty. To order 

this publication, go to www.nursesbooks.org. Press 

copies are available upon request by contacting: 

francine.bennett@ana.org. Please include name of 

publication, organization, reviewer name, and address 

information, including phone and e-mail address. 

Tools You Can Use and Upcoming SPHM Webinars 

For more information on ANA’s SPHM efforts and 

to find tools you can use to start your own SPHM 

program at your hospital or facility click here. ANA 

is hosting a Navigate Nurse webinar on June 19, in 

collaboration with the Association of Safe Patient 

Handling Professionals (ASPHP) and the American 

Association of Safe Patient Handling and Movement 

(AASPHM). Click here for more information on 

upcoming webinars. 

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American Nurses Association 

American Nurses Association Empowers Nurses to Create 

Solutions to Staffing Challenges 

Inaugural conference co-sponsored by the American Nurses Foundation 

SILVER SPRING, MD – Today’s complex, fastpaced 

health care system demands innovative 

thinking and fresh approaches to address longstanding 

nurse staffing issues. That’s why the 

American Nurses Association (ANA) is convening 

a unique staffing conference, Fostering Innovative 

Staffing Solutions, to empower nurses to discover, 

learn, and create inventive solutions to the complex 

challenge of determining and delivering appropriate 

nurse staffing. 

Co-hosted by the American Nurses Foundation 

(ANF), the conference will be grounded in the latest 

research and provide attendees with new tools, 

strategies, approaches, and other practical solutions 

to help nurses develop staffing plans that will elevate 

patient care and foster more efficient, affirming work 

environments. 

“We know that when there are appropriate nurse 

staffing levels, patient outcomes improve,” said 

ANA President Karen A. Daley, PhD, RN, FAAN. 

“Nurse staffing has long been a priority for ANA, 

and this conference will facilitate new conversations 

around these issues and arm nurses with the tools 

necessary to deliver exceptional patient care and 

develop more supportive work environments.” 

The day and a half conference takes place 

November 8-9, 2013 at the Washington Hilton in 

Washington, D.C. Conference attendees can expect 

engaging multimedia presentations from dynamic 

nurse staffing experts, idea generation activities, 

and stimulating discussions focused on real-life 

examples of specific staffing solutions. Attendees 

will also learn about the latest technological 

advances in staffing designed to optimize staff, 

reduce costs, and improve patient outcomes. 

In addition to engaging nurses around best 

practices and innovative staffing strategies and 

tools, ANA will solicit attendees’ input for an outline 

of the elements of a business case for staffing. This 

input will shape the final product. 

specialist at the Center for Innovation in Care 

Delivery in the Institute for Patient Care at 

Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston 

TOPIC: Building Leading Practices Through 

Leadership and Innovation 

• Sean Clarke, RN, PhD, FAAN, director of the 

McGill Nursing Collaborative 

TOPIC: Organizational Climate: Impact on 

Nurse Staffing and Patient Outcomes 

• Jennifer Mensik, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, 

FACHE, administrator for Nursing and Patient 

Care at St. Luke’s Health System, ANA board 

member, and author of “The Nurse Manager’s 

Guide to Innovative Staffing” 

TOPIC: Care Delivery Models: How and Why 

They Impact Care Delivery 

The 2013 ANA Staffing Conference is targeted 

to nurses involved in staffing decisions and nurses 

who may influence staffing decisions, such as 

CNOs, nurse managers, staff nurses on staffing 

committees, staffing coordinators, risk managers, 

and quality assurance managers. To register, please 

visit www.anastaffingconference.org. For additional 

information, please contact ANA by calling 800-274- 

4ANA (4262) or via email at meetings@ana.org. 

Featured conference speakers and topics include: 

• Barbara A. Blakeney, MS, RN, FNAP, past 

president of ANA and the current innovations 

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philosophy, culture, and these exciting 

career opportunities, apply online at: 

www.womenandinfants.org 

Equal Opportunity Employer 

Providence, RI 

We Touch Your Life 

Like No One Else. 

Celebrating 125 Years 

Caring Through The Ages 

The VNA of Rhode Island, 

a recognized leader in 

home health services for 

over 100 years. 

We offer the following nursing opportunities: 

Per Diem Home Care RNs 

F/T Cardiac/IV Home Care RN 

F/T Hospice Home Care RN 

Weekend Home Care RNs 

* Home care experience required * 

Forward resumes to: 

VNA of Rhode Island 

475 Kilvert Street 

Warwick, RI 02886 

Email: recruiting@vnari.org 

401-574-4900 

RN: Part time and per diem positions for Homecare RN. Per diem 

positions also available for Homecare and Community Wellness 

Clinics. 

RN/LPN Hospice: Part time and per diem positions for Hospice 

RNs. Also per diem on call evening RN/LPN positions available. 

VNS offers competitive rates, family friendly schedules and in-service training 

for all positions. Professionally licensed positions require licensure and 

minimum 1 year of experience. Resumes to: Human Resources, Visiting Nurse 

Services of Newport & Bristol Counties, 1184 East Main Rd., Portsmouth, RI 

02871. Fax: 401-682-7562. To apply for any of these positions or for more 

information on the Visiting Nurse Services of Newport & Bristol Counties, 

please visit our website @ www.vnsri.org. 

EOE 

RN 

Day and Evening 

Per Diem positions available 

Join an innovative team committed to providing 

high quality care. Saint Elizabeth Manor, a leader 

in providing long term and rehabilitation care is 

looking to hire for per diem positions. 

Current RI nursing license required. 

We offer excellent wages and benefits including health, 

dental, on-site subsidized day care, pension, etc. 

If you are interested please come in to complete an 

application or send resume’ to Saint Elizabeth 

Manor, One Dawn Hill, Bristol, RI 02809, 

Attn: Kim Amaral, or email resume to 

kamaral@stelizabethcommunity.com. 

EOE


Become a Foster Care Parent... 

A Child will thank you! 

You will receive: 

• Weekly tax-free payment to support the placement 

• Extensive training 

• 24/7 Team Support 

Contact Greg Wright 

Phone: 401-331-1350 ext. 3305 

E-mail: wrightgr@familyserviceri.org 

Visit our website at www.familyserviceri.org 

Through compassion and teamwork, 

our experienced staff creates a kind 

and caring atmosphere for patients 

and their loved ones. 

We are always seeking talented 

nursing professionals to join our team 

in Rhode Island: 

Simplify your nursing research... 

Read Rhode Island Nurse 

Online! 

nursingALD.com 

• RN Patient Care Manager 

• RN Case Manager 

• On Call RN 

• Hospice Aide – CNA 

Apply online at 

gentiva.com/careers 

or call 1.877.44HOSPICE 

(1.877.444.6774) 

for more information. 

Access Rhode Island Nurse as well as over 

5 years of 39 State Nurses Association and 

Board of Nursing Publications. 

Contact us at (800) 626-4081 for advertising 

information. 

AA/EOE M/F/D/V encouraged to apply 

Children’s Friend is a leading non-profit social service 

and early childhood education agency, with immediate 

openings for Bachelor’s prepared Registered 

Nurses to work in our community based nursing 

programs including the national renowned Nurse 

Family Partnership and Head Start programs. Staff 

nurses and nursing supervisors with maternal child 

health, obstetric, or pediatric experience required and 

bilingual (Spanish-English) candidates preferred. 

Children’s Friend offers a competitive salary and an 

excellent benefits package including health, dental, 

life, and long term disability insurance, a pension plan, 

eleven (11) paid holidays, and four (4) weeks vacation 

for full time employees. There are no rotating shifts, 

holiday work, or weekend shifts. For more information 

on this position, please visit our website at 

www.childrensfriendri.org. Apply on-line or send 

resume to Human Resources, Children’s Friend, 153 

Summer Street, Providence, RI 02903 

Children’s Friend is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

President's Message - Arthur L Davis Publishing

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