2016 NE Book of Reports

2016 Nebraska Nurses Association
MIG Oversight Committee
Lina Bostwick, EdD, RN, CNE
January 2016 brought about the implementation of Mutual Interest Groups following a great deal of
planning, communication, and action. Nebraska nurses, once again, gathered to meet and formulate
area specific goals while creating, naming, and applying for MIG status with the NNA.
The leadership of the following Nebraska Nurses has created the formation of our first NNA MIGs:
1) Tri-City: Douglass Haas, Rita Weber, and Pat Trausch;
2) Lincoln and Surrounding Area: Jan Tubbs; and Cathy Smith
3) Region 1: Connie Morrill, Alicia Kuntz, and Kim Smith.
Each MIG organized a spring nurses recognition and educational program during Nurses’ Week. Due
to scheduling conflicts, the MIG Oversight Committee has not met, but each Chair has received 1:1
guidance and materials for 2017.
CONTINUING EDUCATION APPROVAL COMMITTEE
Judi Dunn, MS, CPP, RN-BC
The Midwest Multistate Division Continuing Nursing Education Unit continues to grow and strive for
excellence in education for nurses. The CNE Executive Team expanded resources for Approved Provider
Units to include a password protected “Forum” on the MW MSD website. The Forum houses training
materials, modules, webinars, sample forms, examples of a variety of evaluations and suggestions for
best practices for units. Specific webinars were held on the recent ANCC transition from objectives
to learning outcomes. Monthly conference calls were instituted to allow Primary Nurse Planners to
dialogue with each other about common concerns and discuss how best to approach challenges. An
on-line monthly newsletter was also started that provides helpful hints, suggestions for improvement
and resources. So far in 2016 two Nebraska Approved Provider Units; Children’s Hospital and Medical
Center and Nebraska Methodist College were highlighted in newsletter articles for their outstanding
contributions to continuing nursing education. There are currently 19 MW MSD Approved Provider Units
in Nebraska.
An in person training workshop was held in August 2015, and another is being planned for August
2016. These live, interactive programs allow Approved Provider Unit staff to network with other similar
organizations as well as participate in educational training to enhance their current operations.
In 2016 the CNE Unit saw the formation of several new units’ – called systems, which are comprised of
a number of individual Approved Provider Unit’s coming together under one central structure to serve
a healthcare organization. This mirrors what we are seeing in healthcare today as larger healthcare
groups are merging to decrease cost and expand services.
ANCC released changes with the accreditation criteria that necessitated revisions and updates to all
MW MSD continuing education forms, and the Approved Provider Application. As can be expected,
training and resources were also developed to support these changes within the MW MSD.
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