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2020 Oklahoma Nurses Association
2020 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Convention Program
Convention Welcome ..........................3
2020 Convention Schedule ......................5
House of Delegates
Official Call to the House of Delegates. . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Agenda .....................................9
Standing Rules ...............................11
Bylaws .....................................15
Side by Side Bylaws Comparison ................23
ONA Dues Policy .............................28
2019 House of Delegates Minutes ...............29
2019 Resolution on Value Pricing ................36
ONA Board of Directors .........................37
ONA Committees ..............................38
ONA Bylaws - 2018 .............................39
ONA Legislative Agenda ........................43
ONA Region Map ..............................44
Organizational Affiliates & Organizational Sponsors ...45
2020 Annual Board Reports
President ...................................46
President-Elect ..............................48
Vice-President ...............................49
CEO Report .................................50
ONA Board of Directors Activity Report ...........52
ONA Strategic Plan and Dashboard ..............54
ONA Financial Report .........................61
Black Lives Matter Statement ..................63
Position Statement – Culture of Safety ............64
Position Statement – Moral Distress ..............66
Legislative Report ...........................68
Education Report ............................75
Membership Development Report ...............76
Nominating Report ...........................77
Region Reports ..............................78
Organizational Reports
Oklahoma Nursing Student Association Report .....82
Oklahoma State Council on Aging ...............83
Oklahoma Opioid Overdose Fatality Review Board ..84
Oklahoma Board of Nursing - Nursing Education &
Practice Committee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps Nurses .........86
Federal Transfer Center, Community Relations Board ..87
Oklahoma Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board. . . 88
Governor’s Health Workforce Subcommittee,
Governor’s Council on Workforce &
Economic Development .......................91
Oklahoma Health Care Workforce Center .........92
Oklahoma Health Care Authority Medical Advisory
Committee .................................93
Faith Community Nurses Association of Oklahoma ..94
AWOHNN .................................96
Nightingale Tribute ...........................97
www.oklahomanurses.org
Published by:
Arthur L. Davis
Publishing Agency, Inc.
Published for the
Oklahoma Nurses Association by:
Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc.
P.O. Box 216,
Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613
(319) 277-2414
Oklahoma Nurses Association 6608 N. Western, #627 Oklahoma City, OK 73116
www.OklahomaNurses.org | 405-840-3476 | ona@oklahomanurses.org
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LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
Oklahoma Nurses Association is the professional association representing the state’s registered
nurse population. ONA is involved in the shaping of public policy relating to health care, which is
consonant with the goals of nurses, nursing and public health. ONA is committed to ensuring that
the registered nurse is an essential provider in all practice settings and advocates for access to
quality health care services for all individuals.
The Mission of the Oklahoma Nurses Association is to empower nurses to improve health care in all
specialties and practice settings by working as a community of professional nurses.
Therefore, Oklahoma Nurses Association will support legislation and health care policy which:
• Facilitates the development of a system of health care delivery that emphasizes prevention,
health promotion and appropriate monitoring of quality and user satisfaction
• Supports a basic core of essential health care services that are accessible to all citizens of
Oklahoma
• Incorporates nurses at all levels of policy-making and decision making regarding the health care
system
• Assures funding to meet health care needs including recognition and remuneration for services
rendered by nurses
• Assures the delivery of health care by duly qualified providers as a means to protect the
consumer
• Recognizes the Oklahoma Board of Nursing as the sole regulatory authority for professional
nursing practice, including adequate resources for the agency
• Promotes funding for professional nursing education and research at both the basic and
advanced levels
2020 Legislative Priorities
• Improve Oklahomans’ Health Status
Advocate for legislation that promotes health: A healthy Oklahoman is a productive Oklahoman.
• Nursing Practice and Workforce
Support competent nursing practice by encouraging all licensed nursing professionals practice
to the full extent of their role.
• Governance
Preserve the Board of Nursing, a consolidated, non-appropriated board that provides oversight
and efficient, focused regulation of the nursing profession.
• Funding
Ensure adequate funding for vital health care-related services, including direct care, illness
prevention and health outcomes.
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ONA REGION MAP
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ONA Organizational Affiliates
Association of Oklahoma Nurse Practitioners
Association of Women’s Health, Obstetrics & NeoNatal Nurses
Oklahoma Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists
Oklahoma Association of Nurse Anesthetists
Oklahoma Faith Community Nurses
Oklahoma League of Nurses
Oklahoma State Council of Perioperative Nurses
Organizational Sponsors
Marie Mink Partners ($5,000)
Cherokee Nation Health Administration
INTEGRIS Health Systems
Mercy Health Center
OU Medical Center
Ascension/St. John Medical Center
Mary McDaniel Partners ($2500)
Oklahoma State University Medical Center
The Mission of the Oklahoma Nurses Association is to empower nurses to improve health care in
all specialties and practice settings by working as a community of professional nurses.
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PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Submitted by: Karen Ann Taylor, DNP, APRN-CNP, PMHNP-BC
Although 2020 was initially designated the "Year of the Nurse and Midwife" to celebrate nurses, it
soon turned into a global healthcare crisis that catapulted nurses into the spotlight. Being identified
as heroes is undoubtedly a befitting accolade for nurses, but we have always been heroes! "You see
more of us now, but we have been here all along" (Mason, 2020).
The past year has been both a challenge and an honor. In a year poised to celebrate nursing,
nurses faced a devastating virus, Covid-19, that challenged science and the provision of care.
Working with limited resources tested the resolve of our nursing workforce, but 2020, albeit a year
intended to honor nurses, turned out to be a year that showed society the value of nurses. Nurses
across the country received recognition as heroes because of their dedication, professionalism,
leadership, compassion, expertise, and the selfless care they provided to their patients in the
face of a devastating illness that wreaked havoc on health and the healthcare system. Although
the world was isolated, nurses rose up and in the face of self-risk, shortage of PPE, lack of clear
guidelines to care for the sick and dying, and inspired society to find a healing place. At their own
risk, our colleagues stayed by the side of their patients who were dying from a virus with no cure
and leveraged technology to promote family presence at the passing of a loved one. Sadness,
catastrophe, and death did not stop nursing from its course of promoting holistic care.
Despite the many restrictions posed by social isolation guidelines to stop the spread of the virus
and protect our state's health and welfare, the ONA continued to conduct Board meetings using
virtual technology beginning in late March. Although the Nurse of the Day program canceled,
members were encouraged to contact their legislators virtually to ask for the support of nursing,
healthcare, and health legislation. Before social isolation restrictions, Nurses Day at the Capitol
empowered student nurses and nurses to get involved in the legislative process and legislation.
In the morning session, attendees heard from ONA's lobbyist, legislative experts and legislators.
They participated in role-play to educate them about the legislative process and after lunch went to
the Capitol to meet with their legislators. It was a spectacular sight to see the many white coats in
and around the Capital building; I recall being asked by a visitor what nurses were doing and how
honored I felt to answer the question and be a nurse!
Regardless of the obstacles and challenges posed by Covid-19, ONA continues its support and
empowerment of nurses to advance nursing and improve healthcare across healthcare settings.
The ONA BOD continues to work and address all issues impacting nurses, nursing, health, and
healthcare delivery. Listed below are some ONA BOD efforts to support the Strategic Goals and
promote the mission and vision of the ONA:
• Engaging Members
• Going Green-The Oklahoma Nurse
• Call for Nominations
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• ONA Statement on Mask Ordinances
• Healthier Oklahoma Coalition to encourage #GotMask media event
• ONA virtual convention-Year of the Nurse: Celebrating Oklahoma Nurses
• Promoting a Culture of Wellness
• Position Statements
• Culture of Safety
• Moral Distress in Times of Crisis
• SB1290 Workplace Violence
• Networks of Support: Connecting Oklahoma Nurses
• ONA President's video message
• Empowering Nurses to Advance the Profession
• Nurse of the Day via a virtual platform
• Nurses Day at the Capitol
• ONA virtual convention
• Code of Ethics-nurses are advocates and obligated to speak up against racism,
discrimination and injustice
• ONSA dinner; NOD activities
As this is my last year as the ONA President, I want to say "thank you" for the privilege of being
your President and for all your support. I am confident that your current leaders will continue "to
foster high standards of nursing practice, promote the educational development of nurses, and
support professional nurses to the end that all people may have better health care…unrestricted
by consideration of age, color, creed, disability, gender, health status, lifestyle, nationality, race,
religion, or sexual orientation" (ONA Bylaws, 2018).
Be safe and keep well.
References:
Mason, D. (June 26,2020). Nurses lack representation in media: Recognize them for the
leaders that they are. USA Today Opinion. Retrieved from https://www.freep.com/story/
opinion/2020/06/26/nurses-leaders-medicine-but-overshadowed-media-column/3223242001/
ONA (October 24, 2018). Oklahoma Nurses Association Bylaws with Proposed Changes. Retrieved
from https://ona.nursingnetwork.com/page/74271-bylaws
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PRESIDENT-ELECT’S REPORT
Submitted by: Shelly Wells, PhD, MBA, MS, APRN-CNS, ANEF
My second year serving as President-Elect has been a busy one in these turbulent times during the
pandemic. I appreciate the work accomplished by our President Dr. Karen Taylor and the entire
Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Nurses Association.
In December 2019, I had the opportunity to attend the ANA Leadership Council Summit in
Alexandria Virginia. This group of nurse leaders from across the nation met to review the ANA
Strategic Plan, explore opportunities to strengthen the relationship between the American Nurses
Credentialing Center and the State Constituents, and prepare for the 2020 Membership Assembly.
We also engaged in discussions about the role of unconscious bias in nursing practice, the need
for increased nursing presence in the media, and ANA’s ongoing efforts to address nurse staffing
issues across the nation.
With the start of the Legislative session in February 2020, I was actively engaged with other nursing
leaders in the state advocating for the passage of SB 1290 – the Medical Provider Protection Act.
Senator Darrell Weaver, Representative Cynthia Row, Saints’ Hospital Lobbyist Jimmy Durant, and
our own Vickie White Rankin carefully shepherded the bill through the legislative process while the
legislature was in session.
In mid-March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit Oklahoma head-on and ONA was involved in
advocating for nursing and patients from the start. After ONA signed on to the March 19th Letter
to Governor Stitt requesting state-wide mandates for shutdowns and the need to increase PPE,
and the State’s Re-opening plan in late April, I was active in addressing multiple requests from the
Oklahoma City’s Channel 9 news, Tulsa World, and The Oklahoman. Resulting in no fewer than 10
daily and 5 weekly newspapers across the state regarding the ONA position considering the rapidly
developing pandemic situation. I continue to work with the ONA Board and other health care
leaders in the state as we continue to monitor and intervene in response to the pandemic.
On May 13, 2020, I had the honor to virtually accept the Proclamation declaring Nurses Week in
Tulsa from the Tulsa City Council and Mayor G.T. Bynum. A special thanks to Councilor Jeanne Cue
for making that proclamation possible.
Due to the pandemic, the annual ANA Membership Assembly was conducted virtually for the first
time in its history. Representing Oklahoma Nurses is always a privilege as was serving alongside
ONA President Dr. Karen Taylor and our elected Membership Assembly member, Dr. Angie
Kamermayer. Due to the virtual nature of the meeting only urgent business matters, including
addressing the ANA Dues Escalator implementation and the approval of the ANA Statement titled
Racial Justice for Communities of Color, were included. The election of national officers was held
virtually following the meeting.
Who had any idea that the 2020 International Year of the Nurse and Midwife would have had so
much in store to showcase nursing’s many strengths? It has certainly brought to the public’s eye
the importance of nursing and caring for people across the life spectrum in all aspects of health
care and cements nursing’s reputation as the most trusted profession. I look forward to serving
as President of the Oklahoma Nurses Association for these next two years. Thank you for your
ongoing confidence in me.
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VICE PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Submitted by: Angela Martindale PhD, RN
2020 The Year of the Nurse! I am sure none of us could have imagined what this year was going to
bring. I have gone through many emotions, from excitement to sadness to disappointment and,
ultimately, to acceptance and perseverance. This year has been a year of change and adaptation. I
am honored to say that nurses have the best ability to adapt and I have seen you all demonstrate
this on every level.
I celebrate you!
I see you stepping up and sacrificing to care for the public.
I celebrate you!
I am honored to be part of this profession and I am proud of each of you for all you do.
Year of the Nurse: Celebrating Oklahoma Nurses
This year started as a celebration for nurses all over the world and I believe nurses have been
and will be celebrated for decades to come. The theme for this year’s convention focuses on
celebrating you, your dedication, and your accomplishments.
This year, the ONA convention is one that will surely go down in history as we embark on our very
first virtual conference. Although we cannot join in-person, there are many exciting ways to interact
with each other virtually. The virtual convention will include poster presentations, brain breaks and
informative presentations from nurses across the state.
The convention committee has worked hard to provide the best possible platform for your
learning needs, and we look forward to seeing you virtually. You can receive more CEUs than from
previous conventions because you will have the ability to access all breakout presentations, poster
presentations and much more.
We will begin the convention with the awards ceremony, followed by our keynote speaker, Tena
Brown and her dynamic presentation on “How to be a positively unforgettable nurse.”
There are eight breakout sessions to attend and over twenty poster presentations.
Attendees are encouraged to participate in brain break sessions to “get a break” from the
demands of our everyday lives. There will be activities for everyone in all areas of nursing and we
look forward to engaging with each of you.
Every year a Convention Committee forms and performs the work of choosing a convention theme,
topics, speakers, and the schedule. We try hard to find volunteers from each region to serve on
the committee. The committee list is available in this program and I am grateful for their service in
helping plan this convention.
This year, a new task force formed, Ngage Values Task Force, aims to communicate the merit of
Ngage Management to the members of the Oklahoma Nurses Association. The report is in this
Book of Reports.
Thank you for all you do for the citizens of Oklahoma. I am excited to continue to serve you and
celebrate you!
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CEO’S REPORT
Submitted by: Jane Nelson, CAE
"Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement."
- Golda Meir
Last year at this time, the ONA Board decided to contract with Ngage Management for association
management services; and I could continue as ONA's CEO. This change has allowed ONA to
share best practices, innovations, and enhance strategy with our colleagues in Wyoming, Iowa,
and Michigan. This multi-state leveraging has strengthened ONA while letting us maintain our
Oklahoma identity.
"We do not need magic to change the world; we carry all the power we need inside ourselves
already: we have the power to imagine better."
- J.K. Rowling
This year, ONA has worked to imagine what "better" would look like for nurses as it advocated and
supported nurses. As detailed below, our support efforts guided our advocacy work, and our ability
to advocate was strengthened by "being at the table." Over the years, we have built connections,
participated in coalitions, and have been actively involved in emergency/disaster preparedness.
In our ongoing efforts to support nurses, ONA has developed a Nurse to Nurse Series, called
"Networks of Support: Connecting Oklahoma Nurses." We have also developed a PPE Survey
and collected and shared stories and pictures regarding the impact of nurses. These networks and
other initiatives, coupled with individual calls and social media posts, helped us to immediately
understand and communicate what nurses were facing. We heard CNOs, educators, nurse
managers, and frontline nurses share what they were experiencing. It gave us first-hand knowledge
that we used to advocate for nurses in the "Health Care Cabinet" and with the media. We
developed resources on our website, provided uplifting support with free Billboards, and a Buff
headband with a colorful heart graphic with "Nurse" written in different languages. These graphics
are part of the Board Activity Report in this Book of Reports.
One of the first calls I received early in the pandemic was from the Governor's office about getting
Retired Nurses back to work. Our fairly new Secretary of Health wanted to run the state's COVID
hotline 24/7 and needed additional staffing, so I redirected him to the Medical Reserve Corp
(OkMRC). ONA helped establish this medical volunteer network in the years following 9/11 so that
we had an organized and trained group of nurses ready to respond in disasters and pandemic.
ONA has a long history of collaborative work with the Oklahoma Hospital Association, longterm
care associations, pharmacists, and the medical groups –State Medical, Osteopathic, and
Academy of Family Physicians. We signed on to letters advising the Governor on policies such as
Shelter in Place/Stay at Home, Testing, PPE, elective surgeries, and face coverings policies. ONA
wrote a letter to encourage the Governor on relaxing APRN Scope of Practice. This letter was also
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signed by other nursing groups and the State Chamber. Our joint letters were featured in local
newspapers, and we hit Rachel Maddow in her report on Good and Bad things Governors were
doing.
As our Oklahoma communities considered plans for reopening their economies, we weighed
in with scientific and practical advice from the healthcare frontlines. We have continued these
partnerships as the Healthier Oklahoma Coalition. Our work has focused on educating the public
on ways to stop the spread of this virus by utilizing face masks, social/physical distancing, and hand
hygiene.
ONA continues to be concerned with the ongoing effects of our long-time nursing shortage. As
the media counts beds, we are talking about staffing! An empty bed has no utility unless there are
nurses, physicians, pharmacists, etc., to care for the patient in that bed!
ONA is concerned with the demands on nurses – the current situation seems to beg the question
of whether ongoing protocols will wear nurses out physically and emotionally. How do we ensure
that nurses on the frontlines getting the support and relief they need? Other issues that we need to
consider- what about education and clinical opportunities for nursing students? I am also concerned
about the long-term effects of this pandemic on our nursing workforce, financing our healthcare
system, and more.
ONA is working to ensure that we continue to develop resources and support for our members.
ONA knows nurses are dealing with a multitude of emotions: anger, frustration, exhaustion, and
disappointment regarding employment security during the pandemic. Developing solutions to
workforce issues will be a major focus of the year ahead. On a positive note, we look forward to
commemorating the Year of Nurse with a 200-year Birthday Celebration in honor of "Flo" at our
now virtual conference.
"What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make."
- Jane Goodall
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2020 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
OKLAHOMA NURSES ASSOCIATION
FINAL REPORT
Submitted by: Vickie White Rankin, Government and Public Relations Professional
Government Relations Consultant for Oklahoma Nurses Association
By the People Consulting
There is a predictable rhythm to every Oklahoma Legislative Session that includes a defined
schedule of hearing deadlines for introduction and hearing of bills throughout the legislative
process. Each year, the energy level reaches multiple crescendos, ebbing and flowing, the halls of
the Capitol humming variably with predictable activity. Even within a session's natural rhythm, a few
surprises inevitably arise. The 2020 Legislative Session was undoubtedly one of the most unusual,
and perhaps unpredictable, of all the thirty-four years of Oklahoma sessions I have experienced,
both as a legislator and Government Relations Professional.
The Second Session of the Oklahoma Legislature opened as routinely as most others, on the
first Monday in February 2020. Despite a slight economic downturn, in which the State Board of
Equalization had determined that there was $85.5 million less available for appropriation in FY21
than we had in FY20, the session looked otherwise hopeful, as Legislators filed 2,243 new pieces
of legislation. It appeared to be an optimistic session for health care, as many newly filed bills
addressed issues of importance to nurses. We could not imagine how much more important health
care would become in the ensuing weeks, nor how historic and impactful this unusual session would
ultimately be.
One month after the session's opening gavel fell on March 6, Oklahoma experienced its first case
of COVID-19. Within ten days, just as the Legislature completed its House of Origin Deadline,
active cases of coronavirus were confirmed within the halls of the Capitol. This extraordinary
situation led to an unparalleled and expeditious response by our Legislature and Governor. On
March 15, the Governor declared a State of Emergency pursuant to the Oklahoma Catastrophic
Health Emergency Powers Act passed in 2003. On the following day, the Oklahoma House and
Senate amended rules to allow the Legislature to continue certain necessary activities while
avoiding large gatherings, including proxy voting. With approximately 1,400 bills still alive, the
Legislature closed the building to the public and avoided convening the full bodies of both Houses
for a few weeks, to reduce the impact of a rapidly spreading Pandemic. As a result, hundreds of
live pieces of legislation lay unheard. The Legislature and Oklahomans became laser-focused upon
COVID-19, a growing budget shortfall, healthcare, and the burgeoning economic fallout of the
Pandemic.
On April 6, the Legislature returned for a single day to convene in an unprecedented Pandemic
Special Session to consider the Gubernatorial Declaration of a Catastrophic Health Emergency.
This instance is the first time a 2003 law designed to respond to biological warfare, and written
following the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, had ever been invoked. When
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the bill passed, no one truly imagined using it to fight a real Pandemic in their lifetime. On April 6,
2020, both the House and Senate provided support in a near-unanimous vote of approval, granting
the Governor greater executive authority to deal with COVID-19 during this extraordinary session.
On the same day, during the regular session, the Legislature had to address a rapidly deteriorating
budget and mid-fiscal year budget failure, as plummeting energy prices began to take their
considerable toll.
In the long three months from March 12 through June 12, Oklahoma's Governor Kevin Stitt would
issue no less than 31 Executive Orders related to COVID-19. Lobbying duties were expanded to
meet the ongoing needs created by the crisis. I remained actively involved in COVID health policy,
working to make a positive difference for nurses, monitoring and providing critical updates on vital
policy changes arising from these orders. The Executive Orders have addressed a myriad of issues,
not the least of which have been PPE, social distancing, business, and school closures, licensure,
long term care, and nursing home procedures, hospital-related issues, and many more. The need
to address COVID-19 has required new, intense, ongoing, direct government relations interactions
with local, city, and county health departments, mayors' offices, city councils, sheriffs and police
departments, state and local coalitions, state health leaders and health agencies. Our goal will
continue to be to support and protect nurses on the front lines and to care for Oklahomans, as
we strive to educate and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Nurses can remain informed through
Oklahoma Nurse Association updates and by monitoring important state and local changes in
data on the COVID-19 page of the Oklahoma State Department of Health website at https://
coronavirus.health.ok.gov, and through your local health departments.
SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT 2020 LEGISLATION
COVID-19 RELATED LEGISLATION
HB2938 Amends the current state statute to allow the Oklahoma State Department of Health to
release certain local public health data, such as that related to COVID-19, to protect the public's
health and well-being. This law became effective upon its signing by Governor Stitt on May 21,
2020.
SB 300 - The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Limited Liability Act by Senator Daniels and
Representative O'Donnell: Protects a health care provider or health care facility from civil liability
for any harm to a person with a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 caused by an act
that occurred during the treatment of the person, provided it was not the result of gross negligence
or willful misconduct. The provisions of the measure are to be in effect only until October 31, 2020,
or until such time as the Governor affirmatively concludes the emergency declaration, whichever is
later. Governor Stitt signed this bill into law on May 12, 2020, and it became effective immediately
upon signing.
SB 1947 – The COVID-19 Product Protection Act by Senator Pro Tempore Treat and Speaker
McCall: Provides civil immunity to anyone who develops, produces, labels, markets, sells, or
delivers third party or off-label cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment in response to
the COVID-19 public health emergency. The immunity applies only if the individual is not ordinarily
the manufacturer of these products. The immunity extends to any government entity, health care
facility, provider, business, or first responder, that uses or dispenses these products. Immunity will
be applicable to claims filed on or after the March 15, 2020. However, immunity will not apply
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to anyone who had knowledge of a product defect or who acts with deliberate indifference or
intention to cause harm. Governor Stitt signed this bill into law on May 21, 2020, and it became
effective immediately upon signing.
NURSES' SUCCESS IN 2020 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
In spite of COVID-19 and the six weeks-long shut-down of the Capitol, the Oklahoma Nurses'
Association experienced an extremely successful legislative session. There were 1400 bills still alive
when the Capitol was shut down due to COVID-19, shortly after the House of Origin deadline in
mid-March. With the loss of a critical phase of the normal legislative session, and the need to focus
on the Pandemic, the Catastrophic Health Emergency, and the related budget crisis, it became
readily apparent that there would not be time to hear a vast majority of live 2020 bills. Only a small
select handful of surviving bills in the House and Senate would be eventually be heard. In contrast,
others would be rewritten to address urgent emerging needs created by the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Below are some highlights of the 2020 legislation passed important to the Oklahoma Nurses
Association.
SB1290 – Healthcare Worker Protection Act by Senator Weaver and Representative Roe: Corrected
the upside-down penalty in pre-existing law, increasing the penalty for aggravated assault in the
healthcare workplace, so that Oklahoma healthcare workers who are assaulted while on the job
can be protected. It further requires that warning signs be posted, reading, "Warning: Assaulting
a Medical Professional Who Is Engaged in the Performance of His or Her Official Duties Is a
Serious Crime," and that an annual report of all such assaults be submitted to the Oklahoma State
Department of Health. Signed by Gov. Stitt May 20, 2020. Effective Date: November 1, 2020
SB1423 – Increase Age to Purchase Tobacco by Senator McCortney and Representative Wallace:
Increases the age for tobacco purchases from 18 to 21 to make Oklahoma state law consistent with
federal law, improving health and enforcement efforts. Signed by Governor Stitt on May 19, 2020.
Effective Date May 19, 2020.
SB1823 – Shepherd's Law by Senator Stanley and Rep. Roe: Makes Oklahoma the 35th state
that licenses Midwives. Provides that the Oklahoma Commissioner of Health has oversight over
the profession of Midwifery, and creates an Advisory Committee on Midwifery to assist the
Commissioner in defined responsibilities related to licensure, oversight, discipline, formulary,
routine tests, continuing education, etc. The Health Department (OSDH) will maintain a roster of
all licensed midwives in Oklahoma. Senator Stanley, an educator, and Representative Roe, a nurse
(APRN), responded to the parental request and public outcry following the tragic death of an
infant following a planned home delivery. SB1823, establishes licensure, providing oversight and
accountability while preserving parental choice. It requires Certified Professional Midwives and
Certified Midwives to be licensed pursuant to Oklahoma law, and related OSDH rules. It requires
all midwives, including lay midwives to provide an informed consent document that discloses their
licensure or lack thereof, that discloses whether or not they carry liability insurance, and that sets
forth a plan related to emergencies and complications, allowing the parents to preselect a hospital
in the event that emergency treatment and transportation to a hospital becomes necessary. Signed
by Gov. Stitt on May 18, 2020, Shephard's Law goes into effect on November 1, 2020.
SB1788 – Veterinary Nurse Bill by Sen. Casey and Rep. Kerbs: Sought to allow a Veterinary
Technician to be referred to as a "Registered Veterinary Nurse." However, the title Registered
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Nurse is protected under Oklahoma statutes, just as Veterinarians are not called "physicians" in our
statutes.
Registered nurses, even with their many qualifications, are not allowed to treat animals in veterinary
settings, nor are vet techs, allowed to treat humans in medical settings. Despite these facts, this
bill made it out of the Senate Agriculture and Wildlife Committee, with strong support from the
agricultural community and veterinarians. Oklahoma Nurses strongly opposed this bill once it
reached the floor of the Senate. This bill died on the Senate floor on the last day of bill deadline
for passage in the House of Origin, because the author was unable to obtain sufficient votes for
a hearing. There have been unsuccessful attempts to pass this bill in multiple other states, but we
may see this resurface again in the future.
SB801 – Nurse Anesthetist Bill by Senator Rosino and Representative McEntire: Provides that
nurse anesthetists may practice in collaboration with physicians. The Oklahoma Association of
Nurse Anesthetists worked diligently and with great care to negotiate language with key physician
organizations in order to develop agreed-upon language that would unite rather than divide
constituents of legislative leaders. Their bill passed both houses unanimously and serves as a model
for the manner in which health care professionals can successfully approach potential changes to
their practice acts. Signed by Gov. Stitt on May 1, 2020, this measure went into effect upon signing.
HB2587 – The Non-Discrimination in Healthcare Coverage Act by Representative Roberts and
Senator Daniels: Provides protections and certain rights to people with chronic illnesses, disabilities,
and advanced age, that may place them at higher risk. It prohibits reliance upon discriminatory
measures in the development of healthcare recommendations. It requires that state agencies
must consult with organizations representing older adults and the disabled before implementing
changes that impact them. The legislation further requires submission of an annual report to the
Legislature, which will also be posted on the state Medicaid website, outlining beneficiaries' access
to services, with emphasis on services for those with chronic illness, the disabled, and the elderly.
Signed by Gov. Stitt on May 21, 2020, this measure goes into effect on November 1, 2020.
STATE BUDGET AND IMPACT ON HEALTH CARE
The State Board of Equalization initially certified a shortfall of $85.5 million for FY21 over the
previous year, as the energy sector had already begun to dwindle, and other income to the
general revenue fund appeared to be dragging. Despite the slow economic picture, the session
began hopefully, until the COVID-19 Pandemic paralyzed the country and energy prices began
to plummet to record lows. This spring, the shortfall ballooned to $1.4 billion, as certified by the
State Board of Equalization. The House and Senate mobilized to mitigate the loss by reducing
the depth of potential cuts to state agencies, particularly critical care services and health care, for
the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2020. The use of one-time monies from the Rainy Day Fund and
Revenue Stabilization Fund made an enormous difference this year. As the Pandemic continues
its unmitigated spread, the state may face much deeper cuts impacting a wide array of needed
services in the 58th Legislative Session.
SB 1922 – The General Revenue Bill by Senator Thompson and Wallace: Provides for FY21
appropriations to state agencies, including health agencies. While this measure protects the
Oklahoma Health Care Authority by maintaining it at last year's appropriation level, some other
agencies are cut more deeply, since there was $1.4 billion less in revenue compared to the FY21
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budget. The good news is that agency appropriation reductions averaged only 4% in most cases,
and considerably better when compared to the much deeper across the board cuts initially
proposed by the Governor. Governor Stitt vetoed this bill. The Senate and House overrode the
Governor's veto, allowing the bill to become law, notwithstanding the Governor's veto. SB1922
Went into effect on July 1, 2020, the first day of the fiscal year.
SB1718 – Mental Health Parity Act – By Senator Montgomery and Representative Echols: Provides
parity in mental health insurance coverage by providing parallel coverage under Oklahoma state
law. This seeks to enhance Oklahoma enforcement of requirements for mental health care coverage
at a level comparable to that of physical health care, under health insurance plans authorized in
this state. Governor Stitt signed SB1718 on May 19, 2020. This measure will become effective on
November 1, 2020.
MEDICAID EXPANSION AND RELATED LEGISLATION
SQ 802 - On June 30, 2020, Oklahoma became the 37th state to pass Medicaid Expansion with
the passage of SQ802 by a vote of 50.48% to 49.52%. Medicaid Expansion covers Oklahoma
adults ages 18-64, earning 133% of the poverty level or less. Using federal poverty guidelines,
income below $17,236 annually would allow a single adult to be eligible for coverage, while adults
with a family of four would become eligible with an income under $35,535 annually. Under the
constitutional provisions of SQ802, the state of Oklahoma will now be required to pay for its'
portion of the cost (currently 10%), with the federal government paying the balance. Medicaid
Expansion will go into effect in Oklahoma on July 1, 2021. The Oklahoma legislature will have until
that date to develop a workable funding mechanism to pay the estimated $164 million to cover the
costs of the expansion.
SJR 27 - Redirects Majority of TSET Funds for Support of Medicaid by Senator David and
Representative Wallace: Provides for a future State Question that will allow Oklahomans to vote on
whether to redirect the majority of future Master Settlement Agreement payments from the TSET
endowment to the General Revenue Fund to support the state's expanded Medicaid program. SJR
27 would create a state question to redirect 75% of future lawsuit settlement payments away from
the voter created TSET endowment. The large corpus of TSET money will not be affected, and 25%
of TSET revenue will continue to go to TSET. 75% of future revenues coming into TSET could go to
support Medicaid. Passed House 81-17; Passed Senate 34-11; Direct to Secretary of State.
SB 1046 - SHOPP by Senator Thompson and Representative Wallace: Defines newly eligible
Medicaid populations, defines hardships, establishing Medicaid expansion subject to waiver
approval. An amendment allowed for privatized Medicaid managed care, ultimately leading to a
Gubernatorial veto of the bill. VETOED by Governor Stitt.
CMS Application Medicaid Expansion - Governor Stitt had submitted an official application to
CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services) during the 2020 Legislative session, seeking to
expand Oklahoma's Sooner Care Program by July 1, 2020. Recently, his administration officially
withdrew their (CMS) application, indicating that the Legislature has not provided a long-term
ongoing funding mechanism, despite Governor Stitt's veto of SB1046 in May.
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INTERIM STUDIES
Lobbying and Government Relations does not begin and end with the Legislative Session. It
is a year-round effort that requires ongoing communications with public officials and members
of the Legislature. Monitoring interim study activity is a crucial part of this process. Legislators
often request interim studies, whether to review an issue of interest in more depth, to appease a
constituent group in place of actually hearing a bill, or to draw press and legislative attention to an
issue prior to a legislative session. The list of approved 2020 Interim Studies below may give some
insight into areas the 2020 Legislature is interested in discussing. One must remember, however,
even an "approved" interim study is not guaranteed a hearing by the committee to which it is
assigned, particularly when COVID-19 continues to limit gatherings. We often see a reduction in
the number and length of actual hearings in an election year, as well. It is also important to note
that an interim study is not necessarily an indication that a related bill will (or won't) be filed or
actually heard once the session begins. It does, however, help us to prepare for the possibility
that certain subjects will be addressed in legislation in the coming session. Below is a list of the
interim studies assigned to House and Senate Committees that are most likely to be of interest or
consequence to ONA members and their interests.
Senate Approved Interim Studies of Interest to ONA
Senator Hicks – A Study of the Standards of Care and Coverage for Persons with Diabetes
Senator Howard – Medicaid Expansion and Prison / County Jail Housing and Health Care
Senator Jech – Department of Corrections Procedures During a Health Crisis
Senator McCortney – Medication-Assisted Treatment for Drug Addiction
House Approved Interim Studies of Interest to ONA
Representative Frix - A study of insurers that may terminate a preferred healthcare providers' innetwork
contract solely for making out-of-network referrals for their patients.
Representative Tammy West - A study to examine the lessons and best practices moving forward to
protect vulnerable adults in long-term care facilities from COVID-19.
Representative Bush - A study on medical-legal partnerships, formally pairing lawyers with health
professionals to address potential legal issues that complicate health outcomes.
Representative Munson - A study on how the accessibility of Loperamide has contributed to the
opioid epidemic.
Representative Josh West - A study to examine the regulations concerning data privacy in
Oklahoma.
Representative Kevin West - A study on the Catastrophic Health Emergency Powers Act.
Representative Caldwell - A study on possible coordination with CareerTech to implement a
program to train non-violent offenders to become CNAs to provide care for others in the Dept. of
Corrections custody who require hospice care.
Representative Roe - A study on rural emergency medical services (EMS) districts to explore
options to reduce the distance from ambulance services to rural areas.
Representative Moore - A study examining possible ways to address high health insurance costs,
examining guaranteed cost, group, individual, self-funded, and buying groups.
Representative Moore - A study on the mental health welfare of first responders.
Representative Caldwell - A study on the authority granted to municipalities during declared
emergencies.
Representative Roberts - A study on Oklahoma's pandemic preparedness.
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Representative Pittman - A study to identify best practices and tools to deal with various mental
health issues in communities of color.
Representative Echols - A study on the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Program.
SUMMARY
Despite the disruption of COVID-19, the 57th Session of the Oklahoma Legislature was extremely
successful for the Oklahoma Nurses Association. We passed our most important introduced bills,
protected funding for healthcare despite the budget shortfall, and defeated legislation adverse
to our interests. As we move forward into the 58th Legislative Session, we will face tremendous
challenges, ranging from issues related to Sars-CoV-2 (COVID-19), health insurance coverage,
issues affecting access to health and mental health care, long-term care, and legislative battles
over local governance versus centralized governance. We anticipate struggles over the manner
in which we administer and fund Medicaid expansion during a budget shortfall while protecting
funding for healthcare workforce education. Once again, we will have to deal with the issues of
privatized managed care and third-party insurers or MCO's applied to Medicaid. It is also clear
that Sars-CoV-2 may alter the legislative landscape and the economic horizon as the 58th session
convenes. We may yet face some of the most devastating health and economic consequences of
the COVID-19 Pandemic. When nurses join their association and become active and engaged in the
process, you each make a tremendous positive difference in your profession, in decisi0ons made
by your state and local governments, and in the health and lives of many thousands of Oklahomans
across generations.
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ONA EDUCATION REPORT
Submitted by: Vanessa Wright, PhD, MSN, RN
Applying for Approved Provider Status - Historically, Oklahoma Nurses Association (ONA) was
an Approved Provider of continuing nursing education through the Texas Nurses Association. This
allowed ONA to provide continuing education activities and Joint Provide with other entities in
Oklahoma to offer continuing education credits to nurses. As of June 30th, 2020, TNA discontinued
its ANCC CNE Approver Unit, requiring ONA to apply for Approved Provider Status with Midwest
Multistate Division (MWMSD). Approved provider status changed effective 07/27/2020. New
documentation forms are available to organizations and regions applying for CE contact hours.
Virtual Networking and Continuing Education - “Networks of Support: Connecting Oklahoma
Nurses” was an initiative that started in the Spring of 2020 to support Nurses during the shelter
at home phase of the pandemic. The weekly open forum facilitated by ONA leadership allowed
nurses to share stories and experiences with fellow nurse colleagues across the state. Oklahoma
Nurses Association determined to create an extension of the “Networks of Support” due to the
positive responses of those who participated. The potential evolution of the initiative includes
launching technology facilitated educational sessions for nurses. Some of the educational sessions
present nurses the opportunity to obtain continuing education credits.
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MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT REPORT
Submitted by: Brandi Payton, Membership Development Chair
The Membership Development Committee received no proposals for new Chapter development in
2020. No requests were made for Membership Development funds in 2020.
We have seen Region 5 reactivate under the leadership of Nakeda Hall, Region 5 President/
Representative. The committee continues to reach out to leaders and seek ways to engage Region
4 but has had some challenges in 2020 with a focus on the COVID pandemic. Despite the obstacles
that 2020 has given us with the COVID pandemic, ONA has seen a nearly 16% increase in overall
membership with approximately 225 new members from January to June 2020.
Regions 1, 2, and 3 continue to meet regularly, though with some postponements secondary to the
COVID pandemic.
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ONA NOMINATIONS REPORT
Submitted by: 2020 Nominations Committee
Samantha Mitchell, Ann Kappen, Kim Knox, Mikie Salazar, Velmarie Swing
The ONA Nominations Committee issued a call for the following offices on the ONA Website:
• Nominating Committee Members
• President-Elect
• Secretary-Treasurer
• Education Director
• Membership Development Director
• ANA Membership Assembly Representatives
Members that submitted a Consent to Serve and met the requirements set out by the ONA Bylaws
and Nominating Committee policies are listed below. We will announce election results at the
ONA House of Delegates, which will be held virtually on September 30.
Nominations Committee (2-year term) Elect Three
Denise Barnett, BSN, RN
Deborah Browning, RN, MSN, CENP
Tamara Hanks, MSN, APRN, PCNS-BC, CNOR
Rosalind Sims, BSN, MBA/HCM, RN, PCCN
President-Elect (2 years as President-Elect and 2 years as President)
Angie Kamermayer, DNP, APRN-CNS, NEA-BC
Secretary/Treasurer (2-year term) Elect One
Amber Garretson, MSN, APRN-CNS, CCRN
Joseph Catalano, RN, Ph D
Education Director (2-year term) Elect One
Susanna McDaniel, DNP, AGACNP-BC, CVRN-BC
Mindy Thompson, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, CNE
Vanessa Wright, Ph.D., MSN, RN
Membership Development Director (2-year term) Elect One
Amy Hutchens, Ph.D., RN, CNE
Lucas Richardson-Walker, BSN, RN
ANA Membership Assembly Representative (2-year term) Elect Three
Denise Barnett, BSN, RN
Joseph Catalano, RN, Ph D
Amber Garretson, MSN, APRN-CNS, CCRN
Angie Kamermayer, DNP, APRN-CNS, NEA-BC
Lucas Richardson-Walker, BSN, RN
Mikie Salazar, APRN, FNP
Rosalind Sims, BSN, MBA/HCM, RN, PCCN
Mindy Thompson, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, CNE
Shelly Wells, Ph.D., MBA, MS, APRN-CNS, ANEF (Current President-Elect)
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REGION 2 REPORT
Submitted by: Donna Fesler, MS, RN, CNEcl, Region 2 President
Region 2 remains active supporting nurses in and around Tulsa County despite the global
pandemic. We were able to start our 2019 fiscal year by having a great Transition Meeting with a
team-building activity of making scrapbook pages that provided a visual representation of how
we view ourselves as an individual, nurse, coworker, and any other roles. Stephanie Brixey led this
activity.
This past academic year provided some excellent topics and presenters to draw in all levels of
nurses. We hosted continuing education presentations in September with Angela Martindale’s
discussion on Investigations into Economic Class for nursing students. Jane and ONA helped
make this available via Zoom to other regions. Then in February, Patti Muller-Smith presented on
Compassionomics that inspired participants into a discussion. A huge thanks to Cathy Lovelace and
Gaye Rotramel for getting the CEs approved for these presentations.
We were able to sponsor some of the costs for Shelly Wells to attend the 2019 ANA Membership
Assembly to represent ONA. She does such a professional level of representation in all that she is
active in participating. We did not have any applicants for the stipends that we offer each year. Our
Directors At Large are in the process of reviewing the award nominations and will submit the ONA
Region 2 winners to ONA for nomination as well. We were not able to have an Awards Luncheon
this year to celebrate the accomplishments of our members, award winners, and graduating
student nurses. We are tentatively planning a recognition banquet in December if the pandemic is
no longer a threat to our nursing population by then.
The past year has been challenging for the Board of Directors. We appreciate the service and
leadership that Stephanie Brixey provided as President up until life demands moved her to resign
and Michelle Isaacs as Secretary prior to her resignation. Gaye Rotramel completed her term as
Program Coordinator-Elect. Still, due to health and other reasons, she decided that she would
not be able to fulfill the role of Program Coordinator. Their passion for ONA Region 2 inspired
many. Life Balance continues to be a challenge for many of us as we push through this pandemic.
We want to thank our outgoing Region Officers Patti Muller-Smith – Treasurer, Cathy Lovelace—
Program Coordinator, and Donna Calvin-- Directors at Large. We genuinely appreciate your hard
work in supporting our Region.
We look forward to the 2020-2021 year with our current officers: Donna Fesler – President, Interim
Secretary/Treasurer; Emma Kientz– President-Elect/ONA Representative; Dean Prentice--Program
Coordinator, Directors at Large – Larcile White, April Loeffler, Leisa Gebetsberger and Linda Lyons-
Coyle; and Vernita Alexander – Nominations Coordinator. All are excited and motivated to get the
next academic/fiscal year all planned with some excellent ideas to continue to support the nurses
of ONA Region 2.
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REGION 3 REPORT
Submitted by: Leslie Davis, MSN RN 2020-2021 President / Region 3 Representative
Region 3 had another great year. Meetings are held the second Thursday during the months of
September – May. This year’s meeting topics included: Non-diabetic foot care, new methods for
managing neuropathy, trends in dialysis care, innovative ways to combat lice, a review of human
trafficking, and a historical review of healthcare in Muskogee. We are always so appreciative
of learning new things from our many guest speakers. Meetings proceeded with precaution as
COVID-19 threatened our communities. We adapted to virtual meetings in the Spring months. Our
holiday humanitarian focus highlighted Dignity Matters, which serves women facing hardship by
supplying them with feminine hygiene or incontinence products. Region 3 also contributed to their
local installment of Habitat for Humanity.
Officer Installment for 2020-2021
President: Leslie Davis
Secretary: Laura Bircham
Treasurer: Catherine White
We look forward to another great year to serve the nurses in our region. We are prepared to adapt
virtually and maintain safe practices. We hope to grow our membership, establish a new chapter in
our region, conduct online meetings for expanded attendance, and offer CEUs.
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REGION 4 REPORT
Submitted by: Leslie Collins, DNP, MS, RN, Region 4 Representative
Hello, from Region 4 of ONA! Pat Thompson, Mikie Salazar, and I have been working hard to build
up our region, bringing existing members together, and welcoming new members! Our focus is on
reaching region 4 nurses in their home/working locations and seeing how ONA can help with their
needs and professional development. We will continue these efforts and hope to have a very active
region develop over the next couple of years. Thank you to Jane Nelson and Shelly Wells for their
support, resources, and guidance during this process. We would love ideas for building up activity
in regions; if you have them, please contact us!
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REGION 5 REPORT
Submitted by: Nakeda Hall, DNP, APRN-CNP, Region 5 President
We remain active and have some new active members and a few who have canceled. We plan
to reach out to new and old members to keep them updated on ONA. We have zoom meetings
scheduled for the rest of the year present with Nakeda Hall, Dayna Trusty, Denise, and Toni. We are
still looking to volunteer for activities.
Thank you
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OKLAHOMA NURSING STUDENT ASSOCIATION REPORT
Submitted by: Dean Prentice, Colonel, USAF (Ret), DHA, MA, BSN, NE-BC
Leadership Summit
The annual Leadership Summit was not held this year. The ONSA board evaluated the past few
years and decided not to hold one in 2020 and focus on surveying current members to determine
their needs. The ONSA board has put a lot of effort into the event with mixed results. The decision
was fruitful because the event would have been held after the state went into self-isolation.
Nurse’s Day at the Capitol
Again Nurse’s Day at the Capitol proved to be an educational journey for the nursing students
across the state. The discussion among the students from the morning activities was the event
provided new information on health policy and allowed them to understand the activities legislation
better. The Board of the ONSA assisted ONA in the registration process for the event and greatly
appreciated the dinner the night before.
National Convention
The NSNA National Convention was canceled this year due to COVID-19.
State Convention
This year the ONSA convention is undetermined. The Board is in discussions of moving it virtual or
canceling it altogether.
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OKLAHOMA STATE COUNCIL ON AGING
Submitted by: Anne W. Davis, PhD, RN State Council on Aging Advisor and Chair, Oklahoma
Long-term Care Ombudsman Program Advisory Committee
Did you know that 100 Oklahomans turn 60 every day and that there are more Oklahomans over 65
years than are 18 years or younger?! As a nurse serving as an advisor to Oklahoma's State Council
on Aging, I have been privileged to represent our profession at state council, Long-term Care
Ombudsman Advisory Committee, and at the Capitol. Of course, with COVID-19 restrictions, our
meetings have become either per Zoom or conference call. The State Council on Aging and Longterm
Care (LTC) Ombudsman Advisory meetings are scheduled quarterly. The LTC Ombudsman
group focuses on issues affecting residents in the long-term care settings, including the delivery of
advocacy services and complaint resolution through the Ombudsman Program. Meetings are open
to the public. Examples of recent issues discussed during the past year include, but are not limited
to:
• A major issue resulting from COVID-19 is the restriction of visitors, including family members
and volunteer ombudsmen, unless there is a compassionate reason to be with a resident. There
will hopefully be a change in these restrictions by the time this goes to press;
• Involuntary discharges from long-term care facilities remains a concern. Along with elder abuse,
neglect, and exploitation, involuntary discharges greatly influence resident health;
• Legislation impacting elders;
• Volunteers serving as long-term care ombudsman advocates in nursing homes are stable but
lower than those of previous years. The importance of volunteer ombudsmen who are onsite
in LTC facilities cannot be overemphasized. Bill Whited, Oklahoma's state LTC Ombudsman,
estimates that 99% of all complaint cases are resolved within the LTC Ombudsman process.
Monitoring bills that impact Aging Services programs require active vigilance and interventions.
Communicating with our state representatives and senators can be accomplished either in-person
or electronically. You are vital to the legislative process! To track a bill, simply go to http://www.
oklegislature.gov/BasicSearchForm.aspx. Nurses can and do make a difference in how our elected
representatives vote on bills; your voice is needed! Please: do not underestimate your potential to
influence your representatives!
A dedicated group representing Oklahoma's Aging Partnership, composed of the Alliance on
Aging, Oklahoma Silver Haired Legislator Alumni Association, and the State Council on Aging,
meets to plan activities, such as meeting with our legislators about specific bills and attending
committee meetings. I have come to greatly appreciate both legislators who listen and those
advocates, such as Jane Nelson, who spend many intense hours advocating for nurses and issues
which impact nurses.
Please email me (aiwdavis73@gmail.com) if you have questions or feedback related to the State
Council on Aging, especially the Long-term Care Ombudsman Advisory Committee, or information
in this report.
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OKLAHOMA OPIOID OVERDOSE
FATALITY REVIEW BOARD
Submitted by: Sheila St. Cyr, M.S., R.N., N.P.D.-B.C.
On May 8, 2018, Governor Mary Fallin signed HB 2798 to establish the Opioid Overdose Fatality
Review Board. The Review Board was a key legislative recommendation by the Oklahoma
Commission on Opioid Abuse and became law in November of 2018. The Board is comprised
of subject matter experts from the following areas: forensic medicine, law enforcement, criminal
justice, emergency medical services, public health, drug addiction treatment and recovery, and the
lived experience. The members meet quarterly to review cases and develop strategies to improve
the state's response to opioid overdoses by its citizens.
The Review Board met for the first time on January 29, 2019, to discuss the Board's goals and
procedures. The Board met three additional times in 2019 under the direction of Dr. Jason
Beaman, D.O., Chairman of the Board. Midwest City Policy Chief Brandon Clabes and Dr. Keven
Taubman, M.D., serve as co-Vice-Chairmen of the Board. Local experts provided education and
training on Oklahoma opioid overdose data and processes followed by the Office of the Chief
Medical Examiner of Oklahoma and law enforcement agencies where opioid overdose fatalities are
concerned. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner provided a list of Oklahoma decedents who
had unintentional opioid poisoning listed as the primary cause of death. The Board chose cases for
review from this list.
For cases reviewed, the Board staff performed an initial review of records. The information yielded
from the review was abstracted to detail a timeline of events that preceded the individual's death.
The cases were then presented to the Board where members performed a more comprehensive
review during the executive session. The Board members, from the data collected, were asked
to identify trends, opportunities for detection or intervention, and to develop recommendations
to prevent fatal opioid overdoses. For 2019, the Board reviewed 13 cases. These 13 cases of
unintentional opioid overdoses occurred between January 2018 and September 2019. A detailed
description of the demographics, cause of death by drug type, naloxone use, and other findings
and recommendations are found in the full Annual Report of the Oklahoma Opioid Overdose
Fatality Review Board 2019 (http://www.oag.ok.gov/Websites/oag/images/Final%20Fatality%20
Review%20Board%20Report%201-31-2020_.pdf).
The Board had their first meeting of 202O on January 17. There were two additional Board
meetings scheduled for April 17 and July 17. Due to the rising COVID rates and concern for
everyone's health and safety, these two meetings were canceled. Possible virtual platforms are
being explored to ensure the Board's progress, and case reviews can continue.
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OBN NURSING EDUCATION AND NURSING
PRACTICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Submitted by: Shelly Wells, PhD, MBA, MS, APRN-CNS, ANEF
The Nursing Education and Nursing Practice Advisory Committee (NENPAC) of the Oklahoma
Board of Nursing met twice since our last report. This committee consists of nurses engaged
in practice, education, and administration at all levels. The committee is charged with the
review of existing Board practice guidelines and rules to assure that best practice is followed.
Recommendations are forwarded to the Oklahoma Board of Nursing members for final approval.
The OBN website is updated after final approval is received.
This year, the committee voted to revise two practice guidelines as follows:
P#22: Placement of Nasogastric Tubes by Registered Nurses in Post Bariatric or Anatomy Altered
(Upper Gastrointestinal tract and Stomach) Surgical Patients. References were updated, and
language was added that "the nasogastric tubes are made of various materials and vary in diameter
and length."
P#14: Patient Assessment Guidelines: The references for this guideline were updated.
Other guidelines that were reviewed with no changes recommended included:
Meeting Requirements for Continuing Qualifications for Practice for License Renewal Guidelines
Employment of Nursing Students or Non-Licensed Graduates Guidelines
Determining Appropriate Faculty to Student Ratios in the Clinical Area in Board-Approved Nursing
Education Programs Guidelines
Nursing Competencies by Educational Level: Guidelines for Nursing Practice and Education in
Oklahoma
The customary summer meeting of the NENPAC did not meet due to the COVID-19 situation.
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OKLAHOMA MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS NURSES
Submitted by: Loren Stein, MSN, RNC-NIC, OKMRC Nurses Unit Coordinator
The Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps Nurses was one of the first MRC Units created in Oklahoma
and one of the first in the United States to be based within a professional organization. Nurses
represent the largest group of health care professionals in the state and within the OKMRC. The
OKMRC Nurses Unit works with other OKMRC county units to assist in recruiting, training, and
engaging nurse volunteers.
This summer, The Oklahoma MRC Nurses Unit once again sponsored a Summer Nursing Student
Externship in Public Health Emergency Preparedness & Response. This year is the 5th summer an
externship was offered. This year the externship was entirely virtual and offered over four weeks.
Seventeen nursing students from the Northwestern Oklahoma State University Charles Morton
Share Trust Nursing program and The University of Oklahoma Fran and Earl Ziegler College of
Nursing participated.
The focus of the externship was mass immunization. Before COVID-19, mass immunization seemed
like a good idea. Today, there is a public health landscape where mass immunizations will occur
as soon as there is a vaccine with enough available for such. The goal is to have training modules
that nursing programs incorporate into their curriculum that educate nursing students about public
health emergency preparedness and provide the training to allow nursing students to assist with
the local health department mass immunization program. The COVID Pandemic required changing
the format from in-person training to remote Zoom meetings and online training. It also spurred
the additional content on learning the characteristics of the COVID-19 disease, understanding the
development of the COVID-19 pandemic, and discussing societal challenges raised by COVID-19
and opportunities to address them.
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COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD OF THE
FEDERAL TRANSFER CENTER
Submitted by: Joseph T. Catalano, PhD, RN, Representative from ONA
The Federal Transfer Center (FTC) is a US federal prison facility for male and female inmates. It is
operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a division of the United States Department of Justice.
The FTC is located near the OKC airport and houses holdover offenders and parole violators who
have yet to be assigned to a permanent prison facility. Prisoners spend anywhere from a few hours
to weeks at the transfer center until they are moved on. The facility moves approximately 87,000
prisoners through the center every year, with an average daily turnover rate of 1,600. Almost every
prisoner who has moved anywhere in the US goes through the FTC. The FTC also maintains a small
resident population of prisoners who may be incarcerated for short periods instead of being sent to
a large federal prison.
As a federal prison, the FTC must meet many regulations and standards for accreditation by several
local and national agencies. One of the accreditation requirements is to meet with a varied group
of individuals from the public who are interested in the welfare of the inmates at the facility. In
response to this requirement, the FTC has established the Community Relations Board, which has
several individuals from healthcare, including a nurse, mental health, and a physician. There are also
members of local law enforcement and the FTC. Meetings are held every other month. This year
the prison underwent and received Federal Prison Board Certification for another ten years.
The meeting format consists of a presentation by an individual from one of the prison
departments, followed by a question and answer period from the members of the committee who
are attending. The presentations are always interesting and informative. Topics included gangs
in prisons, food, health care, mental health issues, technology, re-entry programs, and education.
Unfortunately, the meetings were discontinued because of the COVID-19 pandemic starting in
March. At this point, no future meetings are scheduled.
The community members are asked if they have any comments or observations that may improve
the care provided by the staff. They are also asked to present a short report on their activities and if
they have any questions.
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OKLAHOMA DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FATALITY
REVIEW BOARD
Submitted by: Janet Sullivan-Wilson, PhD, RN, Oklahoma Nurses Association Designee,
Donna L. Wong Professor in Nursing Science, Associate Director, RCGNE Community Based
Interdisciplinary Research Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing, University of Oklahoma
Health Sciences Center
MISSION of the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board:
The mission of the Oklahoma Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board is to reduce the number
of domestic violence-related deaths in Oklahoma. The Board will perform multidisciplinary case
reviews of statistical data and information derived from disciplines with jurisdiction and/or direct
involvement with the case to develop recommendations to improve policies, procedures, and
practices within the systems involved and between agencies that protect and serve victims of
domestic abuse. The Review Board is composed of eighteen (18) members (or designees).
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DEFINITIONS
22 § 60.1
PURPOSES:
1. The Oklahoma Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board shall review and study the fatalities
caused as a direct result of domestic violence acts and/or domestic violence is demonstrated to
have had a causative effect upon the death of an individual. The Board shall:
a) Conduct an in-depth review of domestic violence situations resulting in a fatality
b) Develop accurate statistical information of domestic violence-related fatalities
c) Make recommendations to improve access to protective services to those who may be living
in a dangerous domestic environment
d) Make recommendations to improve policies, procedure, and access to support systems that
serve victims of domestic violence
e) Carry out such duties and responsibilities as the Board shall designate
2. In fulfilling this purpose, the Board shall be guided by specific principles:
a) Case review and data analysis shall be for the purpose of resolving systemic issues.
Individual case management shall be specifically outside the purview of the Board.
b) The Board shall be inclusive, seeking input from and the expertise of the diverse agencies
and disciplines working to resolve domestic violence issues.
c) Collaboration, coordination, and communication shall be central to the operations of the
Board.
d) All activities shall be conducted in a manner respectful to victims of domestic violence and
the feelings of their families.
3. The Office of Attorney General shall promulgate policies and procedures to administer the
Board.
See 22O.S. 1601-1603§
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2020 Oklahoma Nurses Association
2019 Oklahoma Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board (ODVFRB) Activities:
1. The 2019 ODVFRB Annual Report of the Oklahoma Domestic Violence Fatality Review
Board analyzes 2018 Oklahoma domestic violence deaths. Please share this report with
interdisciplinary colleagues. In addition to the Board’s recommendations for Oklahoma, the
report describes major findings and gives professional resources. It is a wealth of information
about intimate partner violence homicides in Oklahoma and can be distributed widely.
http://www.oag.ok.gov/Websites/oag/images/2019%20DVFRB%20Annual%20Report%20-%20
Final.pdf
2018 ODVFRB Report findings at a glance:
o In 2018, there were 82 deaths in Oklahoma due to domestic violence.
o Leading causes of deaths: firearms (59%), followed by knife/cutting instruments, blunt
force, strangulation, and asphyxiation. Firearms were also the cause of death of the 9
(100%) perpetrators who committed suicide or died by law enforcement, bystander,
Good Samaritan intervention.
o Gender: In 2018, consistent with national data and previous years in Oklahoma, men
were more likely to be perpetrators, and women were more likely than men to be killed
by an intimate partner than by a non-intimate partner.
o 1,785 victims died in Oklahoma because of domestic violence between 1998 and 2018.
o The average age of all domestic violence victims was almost 38 years old; of all adult
victims, almost 44 years old
o Of the 88 victims, 63% were Caucasian, 14% African-American, 5% Naïve American 15%
Hispanic/Latino, 3% Asian, and 1% identified as “other.”
o Consistent with national data, firearms continue to be the most commonly used weapon
in domestic violence homicides
o The Review Board identified 14 children (
2020 Oklahoma Nurses Association
Wilson, with members of the LAP, began the work of submitting an OVW grant proposal related to
evaluation of the implementation fidelity of the Oklahoma Lethality Assessment Protocol. Criminal
justice interventions that work well in highly controlled research trials may fail to yield the same
outcomes when they transition to real-life settings if they are not performed as the original protocol
specified. The purpose of the proposal is to determine the extent to which the OK-LA (a National
Institute of Justice “promising practice”) adheres to or is consistent with the intended research
protocol now that it is legislated and transitioning into “real world” settings in Oklahoma.
4. Operation 922
Operation 922 is a new domestic violence legal initiative from the US Attorney Office of the
Western District of Oklahoma that says when a subject is in possession of a firearm while subject
to a Victim Protective Order, after a prior misdemeanor or conviction for domestic assault and
battery, or after a felony, the US Attorney can prosecute that firearms offense as a federal offense.
This strategy of prosecuting offenders with a criminal history of domestic violence including
misdemeanor convictions and those subject to a Victims Protective Order has proven to be
protective of victims because the initiative can prosecute these cases as federal firearms violations,
focusing on the illegal possession of the firearm and protects victims from the necessity to testify
about the specific abuse by the defendant.
5. Resources for Nurses: (See other resources in the Annual Report)
The Strangulation Training Institute provides onsite trainings in San Diego, CA, or other
locations as well as online trainings and an online library of reference materials. https://www.
strangulationtraininginstitute.com/. Trainings are available for healthcare professionals on a regular
basis
US Preventive Services Task Force recommends that clinicians screen for intimate partner violence
(IPV) in women of reproductive age and provide or refer women who screen positive to ongoing
support services. Several screening instruments can be used to screen women for IPV. The following
instruments accurately detect IPV in the past year among adult women: Humiliation, Afraid,
Rape, Kick (HARK); Hurt, Insult, Threaten, Scream (HITS); Extended–Hurt, Insult, Threaten, Scream
(E-HITS); Partner Violence Screen (PVS); and Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST). HARK includes
4 questions that assess emotional and physical IPV in the past year. HITS includes 4 items that
assess the frequency of IPV, and E-HITS includes an additional question to assess the frequency of
sexual violence. PVS includes 3 items that assess physical abuse and safety. WAST includes 8 items
that assess physical and emotional IPV.
https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/BrowseRec/Search?s=domestic+abuse
National Health Resource Center (HRC) on Domestic Violence, The Futures Without Violence,
provides numerous resources for health care providers use in the clinical area to screen, assess,
treat, and refer for intimate partner trauma. The HRC offers a number of multilingual, low-literacy
patient education safety cards that provide information on healthy and unhealthy relationships,
their impact on health, and list national referrals for support. The evidence-based safety card tool
was developed to help clinicians, and domestic violence/sexual assault (DV/SA) advocates open
conversations about DV/SA and healthy relationships with their clients. They are typically a 4-5
panel double-sided tool that folds into a 2.5 x 3-inch card (business-card sized)
https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/health/
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2020 Oklahoma Nurses Association
HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE SUBCOMMITTEE TO
THE GOVERNOR’S COUNCIL FOR WORKFORCE
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Submitted by: Shelly Wells, PhD, MBA, MS, APRN-CNS, ANEF
The Healthcare Workforce Subcommittee met twice this past year. The Subcommittee worked to
refine the ongoing group goals as follows:
Build capacity for health workforce data collection
Commit to strategic recruitment and retention strategies
Maximize the talent pipeline through public-private partnerships.
The COVID-19 pandemic shutdown slowed the work of the Subcommittee; however, there were
several positive outcomes related to goal #2 realized:
Passage and enactment of SB 1290 – Medical Care Provider Safety Act
Physician Manpower Training Commission Nursing Education Program qualifications and funding
was modified to emphasize training need for rural Oklahoma. The amounts of awards were
increased, and the "Doctor of Nursing Practice" was added to the types of programs that are
eligible.
Rural Health Projects Office in Enid, Oklahoma, was awarded a $75,000 Sector Grant to explore
the opportunity to develop a shared Nurse Residency Program for Oklahoma's rural hospitals. A
needs assessment was completed. A group of rural nursing leaders convened to identify necessary
components and partnership opportunities for a shared residency program for the state's smaller
rural and critical access hospitals.
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2020 Oklahoma Nurses Association
OKLAHOMA HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE CENTER
Submitted by: Lara Morris and Dr. Debbie Blanke
Although collaborations on healthcare workforce development have been a
direct effort in Oklahoma for over 20 years, in 2006, Senator Susan Paddack
and Representative Doug Cox co-authored Senate Bill 1394, which was
passed by the legislature and became effective November 1, 2006.
SB 1394 created the Oklahoma Health Care Workforce Resources Center (Resources Center)
to coordinate, facilitate, and communicate statewide efforts to meet the supply and demand
needs of Oklahoma's healthcare workforce. The initial focus for the Center includes health care
professionals in short supply, including nurses. The Resources Center was expected to focus on
1.) Data collection to support strategic decisions and policy recommendations regarding current
healthcare worker supply and demand, future supply and demand, and gap analyses; 2.) Education
and training ensure that Oklahoma's current education and training systems have the resources
and support necessary to produce the number of health care workers needed in both the short and
long term; 3.) Recruitment to increase the level of awareness among Oklahoma's youth and adults
of the opportunities available in health care, thereby increasing the number of individuals entering
health careers, and 4.) Retention to improve job satisfaction and retention rates for Oklahoma
health care employees.
The Resources Center in legislation has not appropriated any funding for these activities and
services. As a result, the Oklahoma Health Care Workforce Center (OHCWC) was created as a
public-private partnership in September 2011 with in-kind and monetary contributions from The
Oklahoma Hospital Association, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, the Oklahoma State
Regents for Higher Education, the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technical Education,
the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, and the OU Medical Center. As these funds
dwindled, the OHCWC developed a clinical placement portal that was licensed to a company to
provide an online clinical placement processing system for hospitals and colleges/universities to
schedule students in placement rotations for their educational programs. This small operation now
provides some of the meager funding that the OHCWC uses for its activities.
For 2020, the OHCWC has limited funding and no dedicated staff, so many of the activities
are organized through dedicated volunteers. They care deeply about ensuring Oklahoma has
an adequate, highly qualified health care workforce. To date, the OHCWC hosts the following
activities:
• The Simulation Conference. An annual event that provides professional development, training,
educational resources, and best practices to expand the use and capacity of simulated clinical
experiences for health care students. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the 2020 Simulation
Conference was canceled. However, plans are in development for a 2021 conference.
• Scholarships to Health Occupations Student Association participants from technology centers
across the state to attend conferences and professional development.
• Scholarships to associate degree nursing students near completion at Oklahoma colleges
participating in the Reach Higher Direct Complete program sponsored by the Oklahoma State
Regents for Higher Education.
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2020 Oklahoma Nurses Association
MEDICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF THE
OKLAHOMA HEALTH CARE AUTHORITY
Submitted by: Joseph T. Catalano, PhD, RN, Representative from ONA
The primary goal of the Medical Advisory Committee (MAC) is to offer recommendations to the
full Board of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority on healthcare-related issues, which in turn makes
recommendations to the Oklahoma Legislature. The MAC has meetings every other month, usually
on Thursday afternoon, and is composed of 26 representatives from almost all the areas of health
care, including but not limited to nursing, physical therapy, advanced practice providers, respiratory
therapy, radiology, mental health, and medicine. The meetings start by allowing the public to speak
to any issue they feel is important for the committee to hear. Each person is allowed two minutes
to talk to the healthcare topic they are interested in bringing before the committee. Depending on
the issues the committee is considering, some of the public presentations can be very lively. The
MAC members then have time to comment on the input from the public.
The second part of the meeting reviews the proposed changes in the laws and regulations that
the Health Care Authority handles. These can range in number from a few to several dozen. The
MAC votes to either approve the changes or not, generally these changes are in the wording and
language for the myriad of legislative regulations that govern the Health Care Authority and are
presented by the MAC staff. These are sent on to the governing Board of the Health Care Authority
for final approval.
This year has been very busy attempting to keep pace with the numerous changes made to
healthcare laws due to the elimination of key parts of the ACA by the Federal Government.
Because of the loss of Federal funds for key elements of state health care activities, monies were
reallocated from the state budget. However, some activities had to be eliminated. Mental health
care, once again, received major reductions in allocations. Recognition that Oklahoma still ranks
at the bottom of states in crucial healthcare indicators seems to have little effect on how the
legislature treats health care.
The Covid-19 virus pandemic brought an end to the face-to-face meeting in March 2020. The
meetings since that time have been virtual. The transmission platform is not the best, and in one
meeting, I was not able to connect at all. For now, all meetings will be virtual until the pandemic is
over.
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2020 Oklahoma Nurses Association
FAITH COMMUNITY NURSES ASSOCIATION OF
OKLAHOMA (FCNA OK)
Submitted by: Brenda Rice, Treasurer
Faith community nurses are licensed and registered nurses who
practice holistic health for self, individuals, and the community using
nursing knowledge combined with spiritual care. They function in
paid and unpaid positions as members of the pastoral team in various
religious faiths, cultures, and countries. The focus of their work is on the intentional care of the
spirit, assisting the members of the faith community to maintain and regain wholeness in body,
mind, and spirit.
Their practice is governed by:
The nurse practice act of their state
Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice
Faith Community Nursing: Scope and Standards
Code of Ethics with Interpretive Statements (for nurses) https://westberginstitute.org/philosophyof-parish-nursing/
Mission Statement FCNA OK
Preserve, support, and advance the professional practice of faith community nursing in Oklahoma.
The Purpose of FCNA OK is to preserve, support, and advance the professional practice of faith
community nursing in Oklahoma. Interested registered nurses and health ministers come together
to pray, witness, support, learn, and share in the context of faith and health. Faith community
nursing is a specialty practice recognized by the American Nurses Association. A faith community
nurse is a registered nurse who provides wholistic nursing care to faith community members of all
ages, reclaiming the healing ministry of the congregation.
This organization exists to share practice ideas in faith communities and to nurture personal
spiritual development. FCNA OK further supports the training, continuing education, certification,
and mentoring of Faith Community Nurses.
FCNA OK meets quarterly on the second Tuesday of January, April, July, and October from 10:00
a.m. to 3:00 p.m, in Oklahoma City or as happened in April and July 2020, by Zoom. Two hours
of CE are offered at each membership meeting on pertinent Faith Community Nursing topics.
The Annual Conference is on the first Friday of March, Oklahoma City, with approximately 8 CNEs
provided to nurses. Providing CNEs to nurses is very important to our membership. Many members
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2020 Oklahoma Nurses Association
are retired with no other direct source of obtaining pertinent continuing education for their faith
community nursing practice.
FCNA OK has members from over 18 different Christian denominations. Faith Community Nursing
represents all faith traditions. The membership has 75 members in 2020. For more information, see,
www.fcnaok.org or www.westberginstitute.org.
2020 Accomplishments
FCNAOK Annual Conference – "Healing Through The Arts: A Collage" March 6, 2020
Continuing Education program at FCNAOK quarterly general meetings
January 2020 - "Leading Longer, Healthier, and More Meaningful lives through Faith and Innovative
Brain Research"
April 2020 - " Each One Teach One: Stroke Care "
July 2020 – "Addressing a Congregation's Spiritual and Mental Health Needs using the FCN Scope
and Standards of Practice"
Scholarships provided by FCNAOK for the Faith Community Nursing.
Foundations Course participants at Oklahoma City University.
Scholarship fund for educational events for faith community nurses.
Small grants provided to congregations of members for COVID-19 related supplies.
Revised policies and procedures for the Association, updated web sites, use of Zoom meetings,
CNE policy.
2020 Officers
Laura Miller, President
Roberta Billy, Vice President
Lana Bollhouse, Treasurer
Brenda Rice, Secretary
Denise McGough, Spiritual Director
Membership fees are $65 /year.
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2020 Oklahoma Nurses Association
THE ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN’S HEALTH,
OBSTETRICS AND NEONATAL NURSES
Mission: The mission of AWHONN is to improve and promote
the health of women and newborns and to strengthen the nursing
profession through delivery of superior advocacy, research, education
and other professional and clinical resources to nurses and other health
care professionals.
AWHONN’s Purpose & Values
Core Purpose: AWHONN is an organization of nurses committed to the health of women and
newborns.
Core Values (as expressed in the acronym "CARING")
• Commitment to professional and social responsibility
• Accountability for personal and professional contributions
• Respect for diversity of and among colleagues and clients
• Integrity in exemplifying the highest standards in personal and professional behavior
• Nursing Excellence for quality outcomes in practice, education, research, advocacy and
management
• Generation of Knowledge to enhance the science and practice of nursing to improve the health
of women and newborns
Become an AWHONN member!
• AWHONN membership is representative of over 25,000 nurses in the US and Canada.
Oklahoma AWHONN includes over 400 members.
• AWHONN’s many nursing resources include patient education, continuing nursing education,
staff development, perinatal quality measures, annual nursing convention, and evidence-based
practice guidelines such as Women’s Health and Perinatal Nursing Care, Perinatal Staffing, Fetal
Monitoring, and Neonatal Skin Care.
• AWHONN produces Healthy Mom & Baby journal for patients and two nursing journals, Nursing
for Women’s Health and Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing (JOGNN). Both
nursing journals are included with AWHONN membership.
• AWHONN membership entitles you to many resources from the National organization, reduced
registration to the AWHONN Convention each June and Oklahoma Section Conference each
April, free continuing education webinars and meetings at Oklahoma AWHONN Chapter
events, and the opportunity to be a voice in the care of women’s health, obstetric and neonatal
patients in Oklahoma.
AWHONN Oklahoma holds an annual nursing conference. Over 150
Oklahoma nurses meet each April at the conference to learn, network and
reenergize every year.
For updates and more information, see our Oklahoma AWHONN website at
www.awhonnok.org.
2021 Oklahoma/Texas
Regional Conference
April 8-10th at WinStar
World Casino & Resort
Thackerville, OK
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