The Pelican News - October 2021

the 

Pelican News 

Vol. 77 | No. 4 

October 2021 

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE LSNA & LOUISIANA NURSES FOUNDATION 

Quarterly newsletter written for the 66,076 nurses in Louisiana 

Follow Us On 

INSIDE 

From Your President 

From Your President Page 1 

Executive Director’s Message Page 2 

Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) 

In Support of Essential Hospital Workers Page 2 

District News Pages 3-5 

Political timidity is Passe’ – It is our time Pages 6–7 

LNF Nurse Relief Fund Page 7 

LNF Gala Info & Sponsors Page 8 

Recommendation Letters Page 9 

How to transcend stress and 

soar as an early career nurse Pages 10-13 

Preparing for Financial Emergencies Pages 14-15 

current resident or 

Non-Profit Org. 

U.S. Postage Paid 

Princeton, MN 

Permit No. 14 

As I write, South 

Louisiana is preparing 

for the possible 

impact of a Category 

3 Hurricane. It seems 

hard to believe that we 

would be facing this 

threat amid what is now 

our fourth surge of the 

COVID-19 pandemic in 

Louisiana. We are vying 

with Florida for worst 

Ecoee Rooney COVID rates in the 

country. Between 80 – 

90% of the patients currently in ICUs for COVID 

remain unvaccinated. 

Now that the Pfizer vaccination has gained 

FDA approval this week, hospitals across the 

country are beginning to add the COVID-19 

vaccine as a requirement for employment and for 

faculty and students in clinicals. 

Many nurses have approached me telling me 

they are hearing more and more about resilience 

and feel that they are failing. We hear you, nurses. 

No one can ask you to focus on resilience while 

you are still facing trauma. Now is the time that 

we need to address our most immediate needs: 

support for our mental health and support 

resources in coping with our anxieties and 

exhaustion. 

Merriam-Webster defines resilience as “1: the 

capability of a strained body to recover its size 

and shape after deformation caused especially 

by compressive stress. 2: an ability to recover 

from or adjust easily to misfortune or change 

emotional resilience.” 1 According to the American 

Psychological Association, the prolonged stress 

experienced related to the pandemic over the 

last year and a half is seriously affecting mental 

and physical health, including weight gain, sleep 

habits, and alcohol use. 2 

The American Psychological Association 

recommends five actions to manage our stress 

which is where we should focus our energy 

and attention right now. These actions include 

self-soothing and affirmation strategies. 3 Selfsoothing 

and affirmation techniques allow us 

to focus on those things that we have control 

over (our breath, our physicality, our focus, and 

the need to affirm ourselves). In our profession, 

Nurses! 

we can be so hard on ourselves. The American 

Nurses Foundation COVID-19 Resource Center 

has published a series of surveys of nurses 

throughout the pandemic. In the Mental Health 

and Wellness Survey #2, 12,881 nurses’ average 

response to the statement “I put the health, 

safety, and wellness of my patients before that 

of my own” on a scale of 1-5 where 5 is strongly 

agree was 4.2 out of 5. 4 This is no surprise, 

considering how so many nurses still do not take 

breaks, eat, or use the bathroom, even, during 

some shifts. This is not a badge of honor, but 

a concern to our health, wellbeing, and safety 

when we consider how depleted so many nurses 

feel right now. In order for the survival of our 

profession, we need to focus on our immediate 

needs, learn how to combat anxiety by focusing 

only on those things over which we have control, 

and learn how to practice self-care during our 

workday in order to soothe our emotions, take 

pride in the care that we are able to provide, 

and support each other through kindness and 

collegiality. 

In the future, we will be able to focus on 

resilience; but not now, it’s too soon. 

Thank you, nurses, for everything you do 

every day for the people you serve. Whether you 

are at the bedside in hospitals serving patients 

in our ICUs or med surg areas, ED nurses, 

faculty serving students, public health, nursing 

home, quality, school nurses, procedural areas, 

administrators, entrepreneurs, forensic nurses, 

coordinating care services, or retired, society 

owes you a tremendous debt of gratitude for 

the way you have shown up since March, 2020. I 

admire and thank each of you, I see you, and I ask 

you to please, hang on, take care of yourselves, 

and each other. We will get through this together. 

1 

“Resilience.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, 

Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster. 

com/dictionary/resilience. Accessed 27 Aug. 2021. 

2 

American Psychological Association. (2021, March 

11). One year later, a new wave of pandemic health 

concerns. http://www.apa.org/news/press/ 

releases/stress/2021/one-year-pandemic-stress 

3 

American Psychological Association. (2021, 

January 15). COVID-19 stress management tools. 

http://www.apa.org/topics/covid-19/stressmanagement-tools 

4 

American Nurses Foundation ( 

Louisiana has a large list of nurses to keep updated and we want to reach you all. 

Please be sure to email lsna@lsna.org with address changes / corrections or if the nurse listed is no longer at this address. 

Subject Line: Pelican News Address Change / Removal – Last, First Name

Page 2 • Pelican News October, November, December 2021 

Executive Director’s Message 

This year continues to 

present unprecedented 

challenges to Louisiana 

Nurses. Most recently, in 

addition to facing the fourth 

wave of Covid, Hurricane Ida 

devastated much of South 

Louisiana. Some Louisiana 

nurses lost everything. 

Other nurses lost power for 

weeks. Many nurses had to 

live for a week or more at 

Thea Ducrow 

their hospitals. In the face 

of these adversities, nurses are helping others in 

amazing ways. Nurses are assisting nurses in finding 

housing. Nurses with electricity opened their homes 

Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) In 

Support of Essential Hospital Workers 

In response to the critical staffing shortages in acute care hospitals in the fourth surge of 

COVID-19, the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) in partnership with Louisiana 

Department of Health (LDH) today (Monday, August 16) opened the Child Care Assistance 

Program (CCAP) to support essential hospital personnel in Tier 1 or 2 hospital settings. 

These families can access subsidized care for children age 12 and under at Type III licensed 

childcare centers, or through registered and certified family childcare and in-home providers 

for 12 months by simply completing an application and providing a signed letter of employment 

and title. 

Effective today (Monday, August 16), families of essential hospital personnel in Tier 1 or 

2 hospital settings are eligible for CCAP and their applications will be expedited. Essential 

hospital personnel include the following titles: 

• Nurses, LPN, RN, APRN 

• Nursing Assistants - Medical Assistants, Aides, Personal Care Attendants 

• Therapists - OT, PT, Respiratory 

• Mental Health, Social Worker, Counselors 

• Emergency Medical Technicians 

• Laboratory Staff 

• Nutritional Staff 

• Janitorial Services 

• Other employees that provide direct care 

As of now, applications will be accepted through October 31, 2021. Interested families must 

complete the CCAP Pandemic Protective Services Crisis Application and submit a signed 

letter on hospital letterhead verifying title and employment. 

Upon approval, certification for child care services will be valid for 12 months. The 

Department will reassess applications as it continues to monitor the need. 

If essential hospital personnel need care during hours that do not fit traditional child care 

center hours such as night time care, they may have someone become a CCAP certified inhome 

provider and come into their home to provide care. 

For more information, please contact LDECCAP@la.gov. 

NursingALD.com 

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Baton Rouge, LA • 225-383-3796 

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Email: csullivan@keoghcox.com 

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to nurses without. Nurses are replacing some of the 

items nurses lost in the storm. I am thankful to work 

with such a caring, compassionate group. 

Lately, celebrations have been missing. The 

Louisiana Nurses Foundation and the Louisiana 

State Nurses Association are proud to announce 

the 2021 Virtual Nightingale Gala that will happen 

on Friday, October 22, 2021. Nominators submitted 

124 nominations for the best of the best nurses and 

healthcare facilities in Louisiana. The virtual gala will 

be held via Zoom webinar. While attendees may not 

get to see one other, they will be able to chat and 

cheer each other on. The celebration will continue. 

Each week for the next 20 weeks, one category and 

winner will be celebrated on social media. Join me in 

cheering others on since we are all in this together. 

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P: 225-605-3090 | F: 225-381-0163 

www.lsna.org 

LNF Board of Trustees 

President............................................................................... Denise Danna 

Vice-President.....................................................................Chad Sullivan 

Treasurer.........................................................................Barbara Morvant 

Secretary............................................................................. Barbara McGill 

Trustee.........................................................................Cynthia Prestholdt 

Trustee....................................................................Ahnyel Jones-Burkes 

Trustee..................................................................................Ecoee Rooney 

Trustee.............................................................................. Benita Chatmon 

Trustee....................................................................................Chad Sullivan 

LSNA Board of Directors 

Executive Board 

President..............................................................................Ecoee Rooney 

President-Elect.............................................................. Benita Chatmon 

Secretary..............................................................................Brandi Borden 

Treasurer.......................................................................... Denise Hancock 

Transition into Practice...................................................Austin Nelson 

Director of 

Clinical Practice, Health Policy.....................Ahnyel Jones-Burkes 

Membership, Recruitment, & Retention..............Shelley Upshaw 

Nursing Leadership & 

Professional Development............................................. Ken Cochran 

Organizational Advancement..........................Lxchelle Arceneaux 

Non-Voting Board Members 

Immediate Past-President...................................... Georgia Johnson 

LASN President.............................................................Christina Hebert 

LANPAC.........................................................................Patricia La Brosse 

LNF.......................................................................................... Denise Danna 

District Presidents 

Alexandria..........................................................................Debra Hickman 

Baton Rouge.................................................................... Yvonne Pellerin 

Northshore.................................................................... Georgia Johnson 

Lafayette.................................................................................. Elsie Meaux 

Lake Charles........................................................... Peggy Hershberger 

Monroe.................................................................................. Debra Walker 

New Orleans...................................................................... Kendra Barrier 

Ruston.................................................................................. Kathy Roberts 

Winnfield......................................................................................... VACANT 

Shreveport................................................................................ Lisa Wilhite 

Tangipahoa............................................................................. Laura Lucky 

Bayou........................................................................ Renata Schexnaydre 

Feliciana............................................................................ Yvonne Pellerin 

LSNA OFFICE STAFF 

Monday-Friday | CALL FOR APPOINTMENT 

Executive Director 

Thea Ducrow, Ph.D. | executivedirector@lsna.org 

Nurse Lead Planner 

Kim Cheramie 

cne@lsna.org 

Administrative Assistant 

Tiara Battieste | lsna@lsna.org 

Head of Finance Committee 

Denise Hancock, PhD, RN, LCCE 

Article Submission 

Submission Deadlines for 2021 Editions of the Pelican 

March 1, June 1, September 1 and December 1, 2021 

(submissions by end of the business day) 

We appreciate your continued cooperation in adhering to the 

submission guidelines so we can ensure the Pelican remains 

a professional, highly regarded publication and resource for 

all professional nurses in Louisiana. LSNA looks forward to 

hearing from you and if you know of anyone who would like to 

submit an article please forward this information to them. 

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING ARTICLES 

• Send all submissions to lsna@lsna.org 

• Subject line: Pelican News Submission: Name of Article 

• All submissions are subject to editing by the LSNA Executive 

Director 

• Only electronic submissions are accepted and they must be 

an attachment to an email (Microsoft Word only). 

• A submission cannot be in the body of an email 

• Must include the name of the author(s) and a title in the 

document. 

• All pictures must have a caption with names of all persons 

depicted. Names must be complete and submitted at time of 

picture 

• Pictures cannot be embedded in article; submit with the 

article but in a separate format (png,.tif, .jpg) 

• LSNA reserves the right to pull or edit any article / news 

submission for space and availability and/ or deadlines. 

• If requested, notification will be given to authors once the 

final draft of the Pelican has been submitted 

• LSNA does not accept monetary payment for articles 

• Any submissions after the deadline will be considered for the 

following issue 

Please email lsna@lsna.org with all inquiries regarding the 

Pelican News. 

Advertising 

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

Publishing Agency, Inc., PO Box 216, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613, (800) 626- 

4081, sales@aldpub. LSNA and the Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc. 

reserve the right to reject any advertisement. Responsibility for errors in 

advertising is limited to corrections in the next issue or refund of price of 

advertisement. 

Acceptance of advertising does not imply endorsement or approval by the 

Louisiana State Nurses Association of products advertised, the advertisers, 

or the claims made. Rejection of an advertisement does not imply a product 

offered for advertising is without merit, or that the manufacturer lacks 

integrity, or that this association disapproves of the product or its use. 

LSNA and the Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc. shall not be held liable 

for any consequences resulting from purchase or use of an advertiser’s 

product. Articles appearing in this publication express the opinions of 

the authors; they do not necessarily reflect views of the staff, board, or 

membership of LSNA or those of the national or local associations. 

Louisiana Pelican News is published quarterly every January, April, July 

and October and is the official publication of the Louisiana State Nurses 

Association, a constituent member of the American Nurses Association.

October, November, December 2021 Pelican News • Page 3 

District News 

What the COVID-19 Pandemic Taught Us: 

A Call for Your Lived Experiences 

Karen Loden, MN, RN (ret) 

Member BRDNA 

I have written a few articles for the Pelican 

News on the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 and the 

Baton Rouge District Nurses Association (BDNA) 

involvement in care for those patients. The archives 

of BRDNA briefly mention the care involved, but the 

major focus of the nurses was ensuring that patients 

received appropriate care from trained nurses. 

This was before the state board of nursing had 

mandatory licensure laws for professional nurses. 

Recently I read an article about lessons learned 

from the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918. It was 

a collection of journaling entries written by 

doctors, nurses, children and everyday people 

documenting their experiences with the flu. 

Interesting to note were the observations that life 

was completely changed with schools, churches, 

theaters closed and social activities cancelled. 

Americans were hesitant to follow the public health 

recommendations of face coverings, avoiding 

crowds, staying home, and wearing a facemask 

when using public transportation. Many of the 

comments entailed how the patients died. The 

Spanish flu was easily spread in the metropolitan 

areas of Philadelphia, Denver, Boston and San 

Francisco. Although the rural areas experienced the 

flu, they did not have the large number of illnesses 

and deaths. Some of this might be related to the 

difficulty in transportation in the rural areas as 

well as the living conditions. The largest number 

of recorded deaths were in the young and healthy, 

although the very young and elderly did get the 

flu and die from complications. In the notes, the 

lung congestion was the most common symptom 

mentioned followed quickly with ashen color (no 

one mentions cyanosis), with severe difficulty in 

breathing. Many mentioned throat problems and at 

the time warm compresses were applied, along with 

encouraging fluid intake. Almost all mentioned how 

quickly the infected person’s condition deteriorated. 

All of this made me think of how different the 

care of the patient with Spanish flu compared to 

the care of the patient with COVID-19. How much 

different is the nursing care from 1918 to 2020? 

Could nurses 50 years or 100 years from now 

benefit from our experiences with COVID. Would 

our practices evolve like those from 100 years ago? 

I believe this is an opportunity for the nurses in 

Louisiana to contribute to the legacy established 

by nurses over 100 years ago. To this end, I am 

proposing a series of edited articles with notes 

or journal entries by nurses who were involved in 

providing care during the pandemic. This would 

include new graduates as well as retired nurses. 

The following are suggestions for entry submission: 

1. How the pandemic changed my nursing 

practice 

2. How the pandemic changed my personal life 

3. Describe the most difficult COVID patient you 

cared for. 

4. Describe how you felt when your COVID 

patient was discharged 

5. Describe the most frequent symptoms 

patients with COVID experienced 

6. Describe how you coped with the number of 

patients that did not recover. 

7. Describe your experiences of providing care 

to patients who could not have family at the 

bedside due to visitation restrictions. 

You can submit a paragraph or two on one or more 

of the suggested above topics or one of your own. 

The entries should be submitted through email with 

Covid lessons in the subject line using either Microsoft 

Word or pdf file sent to kloden@bellsouth.net. Your 

entry could be anonymous if you prefer. There are 

deadlines for submission that are different than the 

ones listed in the Pelican because of the time required 

for organizing and editing. 

Deadlines for submission of your entries: 

- Nov. 17, 2021 

- Feb.15, 2022 

- May 18, 2022 

- Aug. 18, 2022 

- Nov. 17, 2022 

All the submitted material will be stored in the 

archives (LSNA and BRDNA). 

I am hoping many of you will share your 

experiences and expertise in caring for the Covid 

patient so that our profession continues to grow 

and remain the most trusted profession. I am 

encouraging all to write something, even if you 

feel you are not good at writing or expressing your 

thoughts on paper, because all of us contribute to 

the body of nursing knowledge and what you might 

consider insignificant could lead to the spark of a 

research project and improvement in patient care 

delivery.



Elsie Meaux, RN, BSN, MHA 

President- District IV 

Well, the summer didn’t slow us down at District IV !! 

The spring ended with the legislative session and 

our district had a presence at the State Capitol as 

we fought for the passage of House Bill 495 which 

was defeated in the Senate. Our district members 

communicated personally to Senator Fred Mills and 

Senator Gerald Boudreaux who were supporting the 

bill. Unfortunately, too many proposed amendments 

helped defeat the original bill. It was a great learning 

experience for several of our members and we plan to 

be there next year to help nursing’s voice to be heard. 

We were happy to finally get to have a full in person 

Elsie Meaux district meeting in July and it was very successful 

and well attended. We changed our venue to Zea’s 

restaurant in Lafayette and the program was very informative to our audience. 

The program was presented by District 4 member Mary O. Broussard and Office 

of Public Health representative Rene Stansbury with the topic: 

THE ROLE OF THE NURSE IN ADVANCING HEALTH EQUITY & BUILDING 

HEALTHY COMMUNITIES THROUGH COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS 

District IV News 

We were honored to have Dr. Tina Stefanski director of the Office of Public 

Health for District 4 as a special guest, she was able to share additional 

information with the audience. 

District 4 partnered with the Cajun Navy to host a Blood Drive on July 18th 

which was held in Moncus park in conjunction with the Farmer’s Market. We 

assisted with communications and advertising of the event with members Shelia 

Pritchett and Patricia Labrosse manning the District 4 table at the event. The 

goal of 20 units of blood was exceeded and we have agreed to assist them with 

another drive in the late fall. 

District 4 is excited to have a new board member join us. We would like to 

welcome Mona McCall and look forward to working with her. Our community 

Outreach committee has held its first meetings and thanks to Justin Fontenot 

and Cynthia Suire for heading this us. Karen Wyble has volunteered to chair our 

Advocacy and Public Policy committee and is in the process of getting it organized. 

Due in part to her collaboration with the Cajun Navy, our membership 

chairman, Shelia Pritchett was elected to the board of the Cajun Navy with a 

goal to consult and assist with the planning of a mobile disaster medical unit. 

Little did we know, a mere two weeks later, a disaster would hit our state. Shelia 

participated in calls staging supplies and personnel to deploy after Hurricane 

Ida passed and she has already made several trips to the Houma area to assist. 

We look forward to further collaboration on the Mobile unit with them and the 

realization of being able to provide medical assistance in any future disasters. 

We received donations from CereVe and LSNA that we will distributing to our 

nurses on the front lines. 

Our district is very proud of the tremendous efforts of all of our nurses and 

the many hours of work both paid and volunteered that are being done to help 

fight the Covid pandemic. We thank each and every one of you for all your hard 

work and sacrifices to serve the community. 

District 4 president, Elsie Meaux, discusses House Bill 495 with Senator 

Gerald Boudreaux on the floor of the Senate 

Shelia Pritchett and Patricia LaBrosse get ready to set up for 

Blood Drive on July 18th. 

Rene Stansbury makes presentation at July district meeting



Members and guests enjoying presentation at July meeting 

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Political timidity is Passe’ – It is our time 

Kathy Baldridge, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP, President Louisiana Association 

of Nurse Practitioners 

It is time to talk about politics. In case you haven’t realized it, politics is 

interwoven into the fabric of everything we do, including healthcare. Since the 

1940s, healthcare reformation has been a top objective and widely debated 

issue of every presidential administration. As it should be. Imagine if you can, 

trying to provide nursing care today with the same tools and resources used 

by nurses 100 years ago. Now try to imagine what healthcare will look like 

in the next 100 years. Surely it will not be the same as it is today! Financial 

pressures, mandates from regulatory agencies to improve quality and patient 

safety, advances in technology, workforce shortages, and changes in the 

patient population will bring unprecedented challenges to meet patient needs 

throughout the 21st century. And this begets reform. It is time. 

It is our time. Nursing is the largest, most diverse, highly trusted workforce in 

the healthcare system. And it is nursing that has primarily shouldered healthcare 

challenges and “rolled with the punches” of healthcare reform through the years. 

Over the past 17 months there has been an explosion of 

news stories and social media posts about nurses fighting 

the covid pandemic, being touted as heroes, while highlighting 

2020 as the “year of the nurse” and addressing the plight of the 

nursing shortage and its impact on access to care. Never has the impact and the 

need for political activism by nursing been more critical. It is past time. 

Now is the time for the largest, most diverse, and highly trusted workforce to 

find and unite our voice to influence public health policy. In the words of Loretta 

Ford, co-founder of the Nurse Practitioner profession, “political timidity is passe.” 

The days of ONLY advocating for patients at the bedside are gone. It is important 

that nurses unite, across employment settings and roles, to advocate for our 

profession, and to realize our full potential in shaping healthcare and improving 

access to patient care. It is time. It is our time. 

Uniting is the first step to successfully influencing public health policy. For 

example, the Louisiana Association of Nurse Practitioners (LANP) and Rep. Barry 

Ivey introduced HB495 which aimed to improve access to healthcare by removing 

regulatory barriers for APRNs. Throughout the 2021 legislative session, I heard 

stories of RNs and APRNs who were not in support of HB495. First, let me say that 

I admire these nurses because they found their voice! We already have enough 

opposition from the outside spreading false information about and demeaning 

our profession, that we don’t need opposition from the inside (RNs and APRNs). 

But what bothers me more than opposition, is the number of nurses who stood on 

the sidelines and did not get involved. Silence is unacceptable. It is time to stand 

united. When a collective voice is heard, one that advocates for healthcare reform, 

the advancement of the nursing profession, and the well-being of our patients 

our influence will know no bounds. Healthcare will never improve as long as we 

allow those outside the profession to make decisions for us. It is past time. It is 

our time. 

The second step to successfully influencing public health policy is education 

on the issue. Every single RN or APRN that I have communicated with who 

voiced opposition to removing regulatory barriers for APRNs, did so under 

false, misunderstood, or misguided information. Please, before opposing a 

bill that would advance our profession and improve access to care for patients, 

understand the issue. LANP has two resources to help you gain a better 

understanding of the issue: 

1. LANP Advocacy Resource Center has advocacy webinars, talking points, 

and fact sheets. https://lanp.enpnetwork.com/page/21491-advocacyresource-center 

2. Access to Care LA is a website that was created to discuss the access to care 

issue in Louisiana and how APRNs can be part of the solution. Here you can 

find what Full Practice Authority entails. http://www.accesstocarela.org/


For more than 18 months the requirement of NPs 

and CNMs to have a Collaborative Practice Agreement 

(CPA) with a physician has been suspended through 

Governor Edwards Executive Order (EO). This action 

has served to increase access to care for the citizens of 

LA during the pandemic. More than 95% of Louisiana 

is designated as a primary care health professional 

shortage area and 100% is considered a health 

professional shortage area for mental health providers. 

Louisiana consistently ranks between 48-50th in the 

U.S. Health Rankings for health outcomes and has one 

of the highest rates of maternal/infant mortality. Let’s 

face it, Louisiana was already in a healthcare crisis 

before the covid pandemic, a crisis that we can NEVER 

overcome unless we begin to improve access to care. 

Don’t you think it’s time? It is past time. 

We want to hear from you, too. Email us your 

stories of how removal of the CPA through the EO has 

impacted your practice, your profession, and/or your 

patients. Let us know how the inability to sign DNRs, 

Death Certificates, or La-Post forms has hindered 

your practice, your profession, and/or your patients. 

Email: lanphealthpolicy@gmail.com. Nurses, reach 

out to LSNA, what do you think needs to happen to 

retain, promote, and improve the nursing workforce in 

Louisiana? Don’t you think it’s time? It is past time. 

I will leave you with two of my favorite quotes 

from Florence Nightingale who laid the foundation 

for advocacy in the nursing profession, both at the 

bedside and through public policy. 

LNF NURSE RELIEF FUND 

The Nurse Relief Fund was established in 2005 by LSNA when contributions became pouring in 

in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. It was set up as a separate fund, but subsequently transferred 

to the Louisiana Nurses Foundation that had as one of its objectives,‘ Collect and distribute funds to 

assist nurses in financial need due to disaster or other crisis.’ 

Contributions to the fund can be made by going to www.lsna.org, and click on ‘Foundation 

Donation.” There they can make a donation and designate it for Nurse Relief fund. 

To apply for assistance go to www.lsna.org, and click on “Relief Application.” 

Following the ‘Great Floods of Louisiana,” the LNF used all of the funds remaining from Katrina 

donations and any recent contributions to assist nurses in the Baton Rouge and Southwest area. The 

need was so great, we had a large number of applications. We decided to give $500.00 to each of 

the most needy applicants as the best way to distribute the available funds. Of course, the more 

monies available through donations, the more we could do. We deeply appreciate any assistance in 

making the need and opportunity to contribute known. Reaching out to any business, corporate, 

or public contributors that may be in position to make a larger donations than our individual nurses 

would be of great assistance. 

Florence Nightingale: 

• “Nursing is a progressive art such that to stand 

still is to go backwards.” 

• “Rather, ten times, die in the surf, heralding the 

way to a new world, than stand idly on the shore.” 

The days of political timidity are over (passe). 

Only together can we make a significant impact 

on healthcare reform. For our profession, for our 

patients, for the future health of the state of Louisiana, 

let us stand as a united, educated front in pursuit 

of a common goal, improving access to care for all 

residents of Louisiana. 

It is time. DO NOT allow politics to continue to 

overshadow health policy reform. It is our time. 

To join our Team, 

apply @ Amedisys.com 

WE 

OUR CLINICIANS 

Louisiana School 

Nurse Organization 

(Affiliate of NASN) 

Through our specialized, evidence-based 

practice, we autonomously strive to protect 

and promote student health, facilitate optimal 

development, and advance academic success. 

Join LSNO today and help us forge the future 

of our profession @ www.lsno.org


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There is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. 

If only we’re brave enough to be it. - Amanda Gorman


Recommendation Letters 

Benita N. Chatmon, PhD, RN, CNE 

President-Elect, Louisiana State Nurses 

Association 

Assistant Dean for Clinical Nursing Education 

Denise Hancock, PhD, RN, NPD-BC, LCCE 

Treasurer, Louisiana State Nurses Association 

Director of Nursing Professional Development at 

Ochsner Medical Center – New Orleans 

During Membership Assembly 2021, delegates 

accepted two out of the five resolutions that focused 

on diversity, equity, and inclusion, emphasizing the 

importance of Louisiana State Nurses Association 

(LSNA) being an organization where differences, 

experiences of fairness, and belonging matters. The 

first resolution focused on Confronting Racism and 

Discrimination in Nursing With A Focus on Diversity 

and Inclusion to Promote a Healthier Louisiana, and the 

second resolution focused on Diversifying the Nursing 

Workforce. Several initiatives will have to take place 

towards developing key strategies to confront racism 

in the various systems we find it, as well as, create a 

more diversified workforce in Louisiana by reviewing 

and targeting areas that create barriers regarding 

diversity, equity, and inclusion. One area we would 

like to bring your attention to is the use of letter of 

recommendations. 

Letters of Recommendation are a commonly 

used component for admissions, promotion and 

advancement in nursing and other health care 

professions. Recommendations are often required 

as part of the application process for financial 

opportunities such as scholarships and awards, as well 

as appointments to positions of prestige on boards and 

committees. 

Several research studies have examined the usage of 

specific words or phrases in Letters of Recommendation 

and identified significant differences in how letter 

writers describe applicants based on gender and 

racial differences. Whether the bias is conscious 

or unconscious, letter writers have a tendency to 

choose language that implies certain stereotypical 

characteristics when describing a candidate. Implicit 

bias can then be communicated to the readers of 

recommendation letters, potentially causing an impact 

on decisions and supporting systems of inequity. 

Powers et al (2020) examined all 2625 Letters of 

Recommendation for 730 applicants to an academic 

orthopedic residency in 2018. The research team used 

a software program to analyze the text of the letters, 

searching for words that fit into defined categories. 

The results of the study confirmed gender and racebased 

differences in the words selected to describe 

candidates. 

• Applicants identifying as female were more 

likely to be described with communal words, 

like agreeable, caring, considerate, helpful, 

interpersonal, and warm. 

• White applicants were more likely to be 

described with “standout ”words like amazing, 

exceptional, remarkable, superb, outstanding, 

and unique. 

• Non-white applicants were more likely to 

be identified with “grindstone” words like 

dedicated, diligent, hardworking, organized 

and persistent. 

Similar findings emerge from a systematic review 

of gender bias in reference letters for residency and 

academic medicine. The following are summary 

statements from the abstract, published in the 

Postgraduate Medical Journal in June of this year. 

A total of 16 studies, involving 12,738 letters of 

recommendation written for 7074 applicants, 

were included. There were significant differences 

in how women were described in reference 

letters… Several studies noted that reference 

letters for women applicants had more frequent 

use of doubt raisers and mentions of applicant 

personal life and/or physical appearance. Only 

one study assessed the outcome of gendered 

language on application success, noting a higher 

residency match rate for men applicants. (Khan 

et al, 2021). 

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Given the developing body of evidence that 

unconscious bias may be present in recommendation 

letters the LSNA Board of Directors has decided to end 

the use of recommendation letters for applications. 

We encourage our members and the district nurses’ 

associations to follow suit. 

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force is 

the means by which LSNA will achieve the goal of a 

thriving nursing workforce where people do their best 

work. This work will no doubt push our profession 

forward and help us, both collectively and individually, 

to become our best selves. We are eager to begin the 

process with you. If you are interested in joining this 

taskforce, please contact lsna@lsna.org. 

References: 

Khan, S., Kirubarajan, A., Shamsheri, T., Clayton, A., 

& Mehta, G. (2021). Gender bias in reference 

letters for residency and academic medicine: a 

systematic review. Postgraduate medical journal, 

postgradmedj-2021-140045. Advance online publication. 

https://doi.org/10.1136/postgradmedj-2021-140045 

Powers, A., Gerull, K. M., Rothman, R., Klein, S. A., Wright, 

R. W., & Dy, C. J. (2020). Race- and Gender-Based 

Differences in Descriptions of Applicants in the Letters 

of Recommendation for Orthopaedic Surgery Residency. 

JB & JS open access, 5(3), e20.00023. https://doi. 

org/10.2106/JBJS.OA.20.00023 

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How to transcend stress and soar as an early career nurse 

Katherine O’Brien 

Reprinted with permission from 

American Nurse Journal | Volume 16, Number 7 

Nursing can be a stressful profession, especially 

for early career nurses, but the pandemic has 

magnified the challenges. The good news is that 

nurses are finding ways to minimize stress and gain 

confidence through peer and mentor support and by 

accessing mental health and well-being resources. 

Faith Ahuvia, BSN, RN, who works as an acute 

care nurse in a teaching hospital in Omaha, 

Nebraska, described the pandemic as the most 

stressful period in her life. Sarena Love, BSN, RN, 

CDS, shared that sentiment while she worked as an 

oncology nurse and later as a hospice case manager 

in Little Rock, Arkansas. 

Faith Ahuvia 

Challenges for both included working increased 

overtime, concerns about exposure to COVID-19 without adequate 

protection, and worrying about spreading the disease to patients or family 

members. 

New evidence gathered by the International Council of Nurses suggests 

that COVID-19 is causing mass trauma among the world’s nurses. In the 

United States, findings from the American Nurses Foundation Pulse on the 

Nation’s Nurses Survey showed that the strain has hit early career nurses 

harder than others—more than 80% report feeling exhausted, 71% report 

feeling overwhelmed, and 65% report being anxious or unable to relax 

(nursingworld.org/covid- 19-survey-series-results). 

“During the pandemic, nurses have been in 

constant fight or flight mode, always waiting for 

the next thing that’s going to happen,” said Tari 

Dilks, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, FAANP, director of 

the psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner 

graduate program at McNeese State University in 

Lake Charles, Louisiana. Dilks, who is immediate 

past-president of the American Psychiatric Nurses 

Association (APNA), a premier organizational 

affiliate of the American Nurses Association (ANA), 

believes that the next pandemic will be one of 

mental health. 

Tari Dilks 

Finding strength 

Ahuvia, an RN since 2016 and a Nebraska Nurses Association member, 

experienced intense isolation during the pandemic. She quarantined in a hotel 

whenever she thought she had COVID-19–related symptoms. At times, her 

young children, who didn’t understand social distancing, would cry because 

she couldn’t hug them. 

“One day when I came back from work, I sat in a corner in the garage 

and asked myself, ‘Why am I doing this? It is so painful.’” Soon after, this 

pain was interrupted by a thought about what initially motivated her to 

become a nurse. “At that point, I knew, instinctively, that there was nothing


more I would rather do than continue taking care 

of patients,” said Ahuvia, who sees nursing as 

her calling. “I knew that healthcare was where 

I needed to be, and I found strength from within 

to just keep going.” To nurture her faith, she 

attends church, reads the Bible, and prays with 

her family. 

Even before the pandemic, Ahuvia turned to 

the ANA Mentorship Program for support, finding 

a mentor who has inspired her to excel in nursing. 

“My mentor believes in me and that has helped me 

to believe more in myself,” she said, adding that, 

“being a novice nurse has a way of making you 

doubt yourself.” 

Among other things, Ahuvia’s mentor, Alita- 

Geri Carter MSN, RN, CPNP-PC, a Maryland Nurses 

Association member, has supported her in creating 

a healthy work-life balance, a crucial resilience 

ingredient because she’s the mother of four children 

between ages 2 and 10 and a part-time doctor 

of nursing (DNP) student. Carter also has helped 

her develop planning and time management skills, 

encouraging her to build exercise, relaxation, and 

family time into her schedule, even when times are 

tough. 

Coping in a pandemic 

Now, more than ever, 

mentors are an invaluable 

resource for early career 

nurses, according to Aaron 

Sebach, PhD, DNP, AGACNP- 

BC, FNP-BC, CNE, CNEcl, 

SFHM, a mentor in the virtual 

ANA Mentorship Program. 

“Nurses at all career levels 

have been stretched to 

unimaginable amounts with 

the pandemic. It takes a toll 

Aaron Sebach 

on any nurse, [but] particularly early career nurses 

who don’t have as much experience,” said Sebach, 

chair of the DNP program at Wilmington University in 

New Castle, Delaware. 

Online forums are a wonderful way for nurses 

across the country to come together to discuss 

topics, share best practices, and develop solutions, 

according to Sebach, who is also the online 

community manager for ANA’s Up and Comers 

Community. “It broadens the horizons of early 

career nurses and allows them to have a wider 

support network,” he said. 

ANA’s online communities have been an 

enormous support for Ahuvia, who contracted 

COVID-19 late last fall, passing it on to her husband. 

“The time I had COVID-19, I poured out my heart 

there. I found enormous encouragement from 

people,” she said. 

Moving beyond fear 

The stress and isolation of the pandemic 

was a catalyst for change for Love, who now 

works as a clinical documentation improvement 

specialist and will serve as the Region 5 director 

of the Arkansas Nurses Association beginning in 

November. 

Love’s first job as an RN in 2017 was in a nurse 

residency program in the oncology division of a 

research hospital, an environment in which she felt 

comfort- able asking questions. “It’s very common 

for young nurses to get thrown in [to nursing]. And 

it’s very scary because you know what you learned 

in the book, but this is real life, it’s real actual 

people, real families,” Love said. 

But with the pandemic, the atmosphere at her 

workplace changed drastically. “Everyone was 

scared and tense. It was palpable,” recalled Love, 

who was sometimes pulled to the COVID-19 unit. 

In the beginning, she noted, there was a shortage 

of N-95 masks in the hospital, which added to her 

stress. For almost a year, to cut down on the risk of 

infection, Love and her husband mostly stayed in 

separate parts of their home, often communicating 

with each other via text. Added to this, Love could 

not see friends or go to the gym during lockdown— 

two ways she had dealt with stress before the 

pandemic. 

Although she felt weighed down, Love was 

fortunate to have supportive friends. She also had 

How to Transcend Stress continued on page 12 

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How to Transcend Stress continued from page 11 

the insight to realize she needed help and the grit to follow through with some 

new wellness strategies. 

First, she connected with a counsellor from the employee assistance 

program. She also took up mindful- ness meditation, including pausing for 

Expressing emotions fully 

As for Ahuvia, she makes sure to keep connected to her emotions. Sometimes, 

when a patient is suffering and dying and she feels overwhelmed by the loss, she 

goes to the bathroom to cry, which then enables her to be present for her next 

patient. “Allow yourself to express the feelings deep inside,” she advised. 

Dilks said, “When nurses don’t have an outlet and stuff emotions down, they 

will come out eventually. Nurses need a place where they can go and express 

their feelings fully.” When people get overwhelmed, they might be tempted to use 

drugs, alcohol, or food to cope, instead of dealing with the underlying feelings, 

Dilks added. 

Sarena Love practices mindful meditation. 

“sacred” moments. Learning to breathe and to be present helps to calm her mind, 

especially when called to multitask, Love said. In addition, she makes a point of 

expressing gratitude for things people might normally take for granted, such as 

her rescue dog Mazzy, a 10-year-old pointer mix who helps ease her mind. 

Another change was joining ANA, where she found an online mentor who 

has helped her see her true potential. She also began sharing on the online ANA 

Community, which helps her feel less alone. In addition, she engages with the 

nursing community through the ANA Enterprise Healthy Nurse Healthy NationTM 

(HNHN.org). 

Love believes her new job takes advantage of her background in medical coding 

as well as nursing. “I feel like I’ve done a 360 with my life and tied it all together,” 

Love said. She advises new nurses to be open to new opportunities. “A beautiful 

thing about the nursing field is how many different things you can do. Just keep 

your eyes and ears open to different opportunities as you grow in your career.” 

Faith Ahuvia spending time with her family.


Nipping stress in the bud 

Identifying the signs of burnout before it advances is crucial. According to Dilks, 

signs include numbness, feeling disconnected, and getting irritated easily. 

For her part, Ahuvia knows her stress levels are too high when one of her 

children asks whether her “love tank” is empty. When “I am not hugging them as 

much, I’m not talking to them as much, then I know that something’s changing on 

the inside.” If she starts to become less interactive with patients or colleagues, she 

knows she needs to check in with close friends, supervisors, or her mentor. 

Sebach, a Maryland Nurses Association member, said, “I think nurses get into 

the profession and are excited about their new role, but 12-hour shifts can be 

very daunting over time. A mentor who can focus on identifying burnout and 

promoting self-care activities is critical.” 

To avoid burnout, nurses need to do something every day—even if only for 

10 minutes—just for themselves, Dilks said. She encourages early career nurses 

to build resiliency by talking to other nurses and to reach out for help if they’re 

feeling overwhelmed. 

“As a new nurse... get all the support that you can and allow [yourself] to be 

vulnerable, to learn, to ask questions,” Ahuvia said. “You can always soar above 

and beyond and come out of whatever challenging situation—be it COVID-19, 

be it anything—provided you have a supportive work environment, love what 

you do, have the right resources, and recognize when to utilize them.” 

— Katherine O’Brien is a freelance writer focused on health, nursing, and aging. 

Resources 

ANA Community (community.ana.org) ANA’s social network allows 

members to connect with nurse colleagues across the country. 

ANA Mentorship Program (mentorship.nursingworld.org) One-to-one 

mentoring relationships connect men- tees with nurses who have more 

professional experience. This unique online networking and career 

development opportunity is free and open only to ANA members. 

Enrollment for the class of 2021- 2022 will open in September. 

Healthy Nurse, Healthy NationTM (HNHN.org) 

This free nurse health, safety, and wellness initiative, is open to all to engage 

and inspire individual nurses and partner organizations to take action within 

five domains: activity, sleep, nutrition, quality of life, and safety. 

Well-Being Initiative (nursingworld.org/thewellbeinginitiative) These wellbeing 

tools and resources, developed by nurses to support nurses, were 

launched by the American Nurses Foundation in partnership with ANA, 

American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, American Psychiatric Nurses 

Association, Emergency Nurses Association, and Association of peri- 

Operative Registered Nurses. 

Online mentors provide support for early career nurses. 

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Preparing for Financial Emergencies 

Over the summer, my employer deposited its 

annual contribution of matching and retirement 

contributions into our 401(k) Plan. As a result, 

my work team and I started a conversation about 

investing and other financial planning decisions. 

Although I have substantial financial expertise in my 

background, I decided it was time to refresh for my 

own sake and to share with my team. 

I ordered and reviewed a handful of the topselling 

personal finance books. After looking at a few, 

my favorite book was Smart and Simple Financial 

Strategies for Busy People, from Jane Bryant Quinn. 

Quinn offers clear advice on types of insurance, 

student loans, college savings plans, selecting 401(k) 

investments and more. I recommend this book for 

anyone who wants easy-to-follow financial advice, 

and I applied some of Quinn’s tips right away to shop 

for a new auto insurance policy. 

How are nurses doing financially? It was hard to 

find reliable data, but I have heard most nurses rank 

themselves poorly on financial knowledge and that 

financial concerns contribute to overall stress levels. 

This was especially evident in 2020 as many nurses 

went from full-time employment with overtime 

during COVID-19 surges to reduced hours and layoffs 

when patient volume decreased. I’ve seen the trends 

of feast or famine in nursing work throughout my 

career. This volatility makes it important to set aside 

extra funds in good times, so you have a reserve for 

the harder times. 

One of the core recommendations in any 

financial strategy is to have an emergency reserve 

fund. What is an emergency reserve fund? It is 

a stash of cash that is maintained in a safe and 

stable place and is easily accessible in case of an 

emergency. Examples include funds held in a 

checking account, savings account, money market 

fund or other type of short-term investment. 

Money that is invested in any type of retirement 

plan is not an emergency reserve. Any investment 

that carries a penalty for withdrawals is not an 

emergency reserve. 

How much do most families have in cash reserves? 

The federal government surveys consumer finances 

and the last survey was completed pre-pandemic 

in 2019. Results indicated that the average family 

had $40,000 in cash between savings and checking 

accounts. This average number sounds like most 

families are in good condition. When you dive into 

the results by age, race, educational level, household 

size, and homeownership status there is great 

variability. 

• Older Americans tend to have more cash than 

younger ones. For people under age 35, the 

average balance was less than $10,000. 

• Single parents tend to have the smallest savings 

balance, while couples with no children have the 

largest. 

• White families have an average savings balance 

of $51,400 while black families have $8,600 and 

Hispanic have $16,700. 

• Families with a college degree have an average 

savings balance of $85,600 while those with 

only a high school diploma have $16,700. 

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The national results suggest that many families 

are at financial risk in case of extended periods of 

unemployment or other types of financial emergencies. 

Nurses are one of the largest occupational groups, so 

must be represented in this survey. 

How much should a person have in emergency 

reserve funds? Financial advisors often recommend 

3-6 months of average expenses for individuals 

and families. Personally, I aim for 6 months. I have 

experienced a number of disaster situations in the 

past and having easy access to cash reduces my 

stress level. Organizations also need to have a cash 

reserve, and that is something I monitor as Treasurer 

of the Louisiana State Nurses Association. Our state 

association maintains about 9 months of expenses in 

emergency reserves. 

How much do need to have in cash reserves? The 

first step is to figure out how much money you need 

every month to maintain your living situation. Multiple 

that monthly expense total by the number of months 

you’d like to keep on hand for an emergency reserve 

goal. 

• If you need $3,000/month to pay your living 

expenses - $3,000 x 6 months = $18,000 





If your emergency reserve isn’t where you want it to 

be, I am a fan of Quinn’s recommendation to automate 

your financial decisions. I have found this to work very 

well for me. Most employers will let you specify that a 

portion of your paycheck be deposited directly into a 

savings account. If you can do that, you’ll be surprised 

at how you don’t spend money that you don’t see! If 

that is not an option, you may be able arrange an 

automatic transfer from your checking account to a 

savings account or a money market fund. Start small if 

you need to, and then gradually increase the rate over 

time. 

There are new smart phone apps, like Acorns, that 

can help make saving habits invisible and automatic. 

I’ve tried a few of these but I stopped because of the 

transaction fees involved. Using payroll deduction 

option is usually a no cost option, so savings can grow 

faster. 

You’ve worked hard to become a nurse, and to do 

this job well. I hope you will set aside time to learn 

more, evaluate your financial well-being, and plan for 

the future. 

References 

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (2021). 

Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF). Retrieved from 

https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/scfindex.htm 

Quinn, J.B. (2014). Smart and simple financial strategies for 

busy people. Simon & Schuster. 

Denise Hancock, PhD, RN, NPD-BC, LCCE 

Dr. Hancock is a second-career nurse. She earned 

a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Oklahoma 

State University in 1991 and worked in financial services 

for 12 years. She was formerly a registered investment 

advisor and studied employee benefits through a 

certification program offered by the Wharton School 

of the University of Pennsylvania. After making 

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a decision to change career paths, Dr. Hancock 

completed her BSN at Oklahoma City University 

(2006), MSN from University of Oklahoma (2008) and 

PhD in Nursing Education and Administration from 

William Carey University (2015). She currently serves 

on the LSNA Board of Directors as Treasurer. She is 

employed full-time by Ochsner Health as Director of 

Nursing Professional Development at Ochsner Medical 

Center in New Orleans, and she is as an adjunct faculty 

member at William Carey University. 

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The Pelican News - October 2021

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