Vermont Nurse Connection - November 2021

Vermont Nurse 

Connection 

ANA-Vermont 

Official Publication 

Quarterly Publication sent to 19,500 Registered Nurses, 

Volume 25 • Number 1 LPNs, and LNAs in Vermont 

November, December 2021, January 2022 

Inside 

ANA Urges US Department of Health and 

Human Services to Declare Nurse Staffing 

Shortage a National Crisis 

Page 2 

Jessilyn Dolan, RN, CMT, CLD 

Dear Vermont Nursing Professionals and Students, 

It is with great pleasure and pride that I write to you as 

the new acting president for ANA-VT. 

I want to start by thanking former President Andrew 

Kehl for his service to ANA-VT and his continued service 

to our country in its time of need. Watching Andrew make 

the choice to care for critically ill patients in Africa, I am 

once again reminded of the selflessness and resilience of 

our Vermont nurses! 

As the foliage changes and seasons transition, I am 

feeling a sense of gratitude and empowerment after our 

September conference and annual meeting. Finding 

support amongst our colleagues, raising our voices to 

our state leaders, and bolstering our commitment to 

our patients and profession is crucial for successfully 

returning to a healthy and unmasked society, and I strive 

to be a beacon of hope, as we continue into another year of 

uncertainties and unknowns. 

Thanks to ANA-VT, the one thing I do know is that we 

are not alone, and that together, we are stronger than we 

are alone. I know, that sounds like a slogan, but it really is 

the truth. 

As we head towards the holidays and a new year, I 

want to remind you how much you are appreciated, wish 

you wonderful holidays, and inspire you to both grow and 

move mountains with us! 

Two goals I have for the coming year are to increase 

our membership numbers and amplify our advocacy 

voices. We need more nurses coming together and 

speaking loudly for ourselves, our colleagues, patients and 

the planet! 

Through collective engagement, education, and 

activism, I know that 2022 will bring much needed 

changes and support for us all. Whether by working on 

the front lines through the pandemic, advocating for 

environmental wellness, fighting for safe staffing and 

PPE, or acknowledging and educating ourselves on our 

needs and biases, I have no doubt that ANA-VT and 

Vermont nurses will rise to the occasion, and surpass my 

hopes and expectations, as they always do. 

Thank you for being a nurse and part of ANA-VT. 

Please don’t hesitate to reach out, share your story, join 

a committee, consider testifying with your expertise, or 

just connect with us and one another. 

Here’s wishing you health and happiness for the 

holidays and into the coming year. 

Juliette Carr Our Star is Chosen for Class of 

Rising Stars 

Page 3 

Annual ANA-Vermont Meeting: A Better Future 

with Compassion & Resilience 

Page 4 

Live with intention. Walk to 

the edge. Listen hard. Practice 

wellness. Play with abandon. 

Laugh. Choose with no regret. 

Appreciate your friends. 

Continue to learn. Do what 

you love. 

Live as if this is all there is. 

- Mary Anne Radmacher 

Healthcare professionals 

are challenged on a daily basis 

with a variety of stressors as 

they care for patients and their 

families. These job-related 

stresses can take a toll on the 

Seeking and Finding Balance 

Priscilla Smith- 

Trudeau 

mind and body which in turn may affect the quality of 

patient care and outcomes. Work-related stress may also 

impact job satisfaction, workforce stability, and safety in 

the healthcare environment. 1 Consequently, no matter how 

hard we try to do the best we can to manage these stressors 

there will inevitably be those times when the boundaries 

between work and life become blurred resulting in higher 

work-to-life conflicts and neglect of our well-being. Lu 

Tung-pin said: The human body is composed entirely 

of essence, energy and spirit. If you do not cherish your 

essence and dissipate it recklessly, it is like pouring water 

into a cracked cup. Instead of filling the cup, it will leak 

away until it is depleted to the last drop. If you do not 

cherish your energy and dissipate it carelessly, it is like 

putting incense on hot coals and continuously adding fuel 

to the fire until the incense has burned to ashes. If you do 

not cherish your spirit, and dissipate it indiscriminately, it 

is like setting a lamp out in the wind unprotected, letting 

the wind blow on the flame until it is extinguished. 2 

Life is balance; an inherently natural state. We all carry 

it within us: highs and lows, successes and failures, light 

Seeking and Finding Balance continued on page 6 

current resident or 

Presort Standard 

US Postage 

PAID 

Permit #14 

Princeton, MN 

55371 

Stay tuned…. 

Nurses Legislation Day will be coming in 

early spring 2022. 

Visit the ANA-Vermont website for updates.

Page 2 • Vermont Nurse Connection November, December 2021, January 2022 

ANA Urges US Department of Health and 

Human Services to Declare Nurse Staffing 

Shortage a National Crisis 

MEDIA CONTACTS: 

Shannon Mcclendon 

307-628-5391 

shannon.mcclendon@ana.org, 

Keziah Proctor 

307-628-5197 

kezia h.Qroctor@a na.or9. 

SILVER SPRINC, MD-The American Nurses 

Association (ANA), representing the interests of the 

nation's 4.2 million nurses, urges the U.S. Department of 

Health and Human Services (HHS) to declare the current 

and unsustainable nurse staffing shortage facing our 

country a national crisis. In a letter to HHS Secretary 

Xavier Becerra, ANA calls for the Administration to 

acknowledge and take concrete action to address the 

current crisis-level nurse staffing shortage that puts nurses' 

ability to care for patients in jeopardy. 

'The nation's health care delivery systems are 

overwhelmed, and nurses are tired and frustrated as 

this persistent pandemic rages on with no end in sight. 

Nurses alone cannot solve this longstanding issue 

and it is not our burden to carry," said ANA President 

Ernest Grant, PhD, RN, FAAN. "If we truly value the 

immeasurable contributions of the nursing workforce, then 

it is imperative that HHS utilize all available authorities to 

address this issue." 

ANA calls on the Administration to deploy these policy 

solutions to address the dire nurse staffing shortage crisis. 

HHS must: 

• Convene stakeholders to identify short- and 

long-term solutions to staffing challenges to face 

the demand of the COVID-19 pandemic response, 

ensure the nation's health care delivery system is 

best equipped to provide quality care for patients, 

and prepared for the future challenges. 

• Work with the Center for Medicare and 

Medicaid Services (CMS) on methodologies 

and approaches to promote payment equity 

for nursing services and remove unnecessary 

regulatory barriers to APRN practice. 

• Educate the nation on the importance of the 

COVID-19 vaccine to provide resources for 

If you wish to submit a “Letter to the Editor,” please 

address it to: 


Attn: Vermont Nurse Connection 

4 Carmichael Street, Suite 111, #215 

Essex, VT 05452 

Please remember to include contact information, 

as letter authors may need to be contacted by the 

editors of the VNC for clarification. NOTE: Letters to 

the Editor reflect the opinions of the letter authors 

and should not be assumed to reflect the opinions 

of the ANA-Vermont. 

Jean Graham, Editor 

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner 

Serving the Lamoille Valley. Where people and possibilities come together. 

LCMHS is a nonprofit organization providing quality developmental and behavioral 

health. We are hiring a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner as a member of our team to 

treat patients with mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders face to face, through 

telehealth from LCMHS offices, and/or from another remote location. Patients include 

children and adults, many of who may be persons with severe psychiatric challenges. 

A masters or doctorate degree from an accredited school of nursing plus postgraduate 

certification and license is required along with knowledge of substance use treatment 

and intellectual disabilities care. 

We offer our employees a wealth of benefits! 

Apply today at Jobs@Lamoille.org 

LCMHS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

widespread administration of the COVID-19 

vaccine and any subsequent boosters. 

• Sustain a nursing workforce that meets current 

and future staffing demands to ensure access to 

care for patients and prioritize the mental health of 

nurses and other health professionals. 

• Provide additional resources including 

recruitment and retention incentives that will 

attract students to the nursing profession and retain 

skilled nurses to meet the demands of patient care. 

"ANA stands ready to work with HHS and other 

stakeholders on a whole of government approach to 

ensure we have a strong nursing workforce today and 

in the future," said Dr. Grant. "Our nation must have a 

robust nursing workforce at peak health and wellness to 

administer COVID-19 vaccines, educate communities, 

and provide safe patient care for millions of Americans. 

We cannot be a healthy nation until we commit to address 

underlying, chronic nursing workforce challenges that 

have persisted for decades." 

The American Nurses Association (ANA) is the premier 

organization representing the interests of the nation's 4.3 

million registered nurses. ANA advances the profession by 

fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting a 

safe and ethical work environment, bolstering the health 

and wellness of nurses, and advocating on health care 

issues that affect nurses and the public. ANA is at the 

forefront of improving the quality of health care for all. 

For more information, visit www.nursingworld.org. 

Deadlines for the 

Vermont Nurse Connection 

Are you interested in contributing an article to an 

upcoming issue of the Vermont Nurse Connection? If so, 

here is a list of submission deadlines for the next 2 issues: 

Vol. 25 #2 – January 10, 2022 

Vol. 25 #3 – April 11, 2022 

Articles may be sent to the editors of the Vermont 

Nurse Connection at: 


Attention: VNC 



Articles may also be submitted electronically to 

vtnurse@ana-vermont.org. 

Voices of Vermont Nurses 

premiered at VSNA Convention 2000 and 

is available from the ANA-Vermont Office at: 

ANA - Vermont 



Price: $20 each book 

(plus $3.95 for postage and handling) 

Make check or money order payable to: 

VERMONT STATE NURSES FOUNDATION 

Name: _____________________________________ 

Address: ___________________________________ 

City: _______________________________________ 

State: __________________ Zip: _______________ 

Official publication of ANA-Vermont, a constituent member 

of the American Nurses Association. Published quarterly every 

January, April, July and October. Library subscription price is $20 

per year. ISSN# 1529-4609. 

Editorial Offices 

ANA-Vermont, 4 Carmichael Street, Suite 111, #215, Essex, VT 

05452, PH: (802) 651-8886, E-mail: vtnurse@ana-vermont.org 

Editor: Jean E. Graham 

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.com. ANA-Vermont 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 ANA-Vermont 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. ANA-Vermont 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 

ANA-Vermont or those of the national or local associations. 

Content 

ANA-Vermont welcomes unsolicited manuscripts and 

suggestions for articles. Manuscripts can be up to: 

• 750 words for a press release 

• 1500 words for a feature article 

Manuscripts should be typed double-spaced and spell-checked 

with only one space after a period and can be submitted: 

1) As paper hard copy 

2) As a Word Perfect or MS Word document file saved to a 

CD-Rom or zip disk 

3) Or e-mailed as a Word Perfect or MS Word document file to 

vtnurse@ana-vermont.org. 

No faxes will be accepted. Authors’ names should be placed after 

title with credentials and affiliation. Please send a photograph of 

yourself if you are submitting a feature article. 

All articles submitted to and/or published in Vermont Nurse 

Connection become the sole property of ANA-Vermont and may not 

be reprinted without permission. 

All accepted manuscripts may undergo editorial revision to conform 

to the standards of the newsletter or to improve clarity. 

The Vermont Nurse Connection is not a peer review publication. 

Articles appearing in this publication express the opinions of the 

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

or membership of ANA-Vermont or those of the national or local 

association. 

Copyright Policy Criteria for Articles 

The policy of the ANA-Vermont Editorial Board is to retain 

copyright privileges and control of articles published in the Vermont 

Nurse Connection unless the articles have been previously published 

or the author retains copyright. 

ANA-Vermont Officers and Board of Directors 

President ...................................Jessilyn Dolan 

Vice President ............................. Dionne Heyliger 

Secretary ...............................Samantha Gambero 

Treasurer ......................................Amy Swarr 

Director .................................Amy Visser-Lynch 

Director ....................................Michelle Wade 

Director .......................................... Vacant 

Delegate Membership Assembly .................Betsy Hassan 

Alternative Delegate ........................Cynthia Peterson 

ANA-Vermont Foundation Board 

President ....................................Carol Hodges 

Vice President ..............................Christina Olcott 

Treasurer ......................................Amy Swarr 

Secretary ..................................Christina Olcott 

Trustee .....................................Jessilyn Dolan 

Trustee ...................................Meredith Roberts 

Trustee .....................................Michelle Wade 

Trustee ........................................... Vacant 

Trustee ........................................... Vacant 

VNC Editor 

Jeannie Graham 

Committee Chairpersons 

Bylaws ........................................Amy Swarr 

Finance ........................................Amy Swarr 

Government Affairs ..........................Jessilyn Dolan 

Membership & Publicity ...................Amy Visser-Lynch 

Nominations & Elections ......................Michelle Wade 

Programs ......................................... Vacant 

Congressional Coordinator for Welch .........Meredith Roberts 

Senate Coordinator for Sanders ..............Meredith Roberts 

Senate Coordinator for Leahy ...............Meredith Roberts

November, December 2021, January 2022 Vermont Nurse Connection • Page 3 

Juliette Carr Our Star is Chosen 

for Class of Rising Stars 

Rising Stars Class of 2021 

Name Company City 

Aislyn Allen Kinney Insurance Agency Milton 

Seth Bowden Vermont Business Roundtable South Burlington 

Justin Brown Sheehey Furlong & Behm PC Burlington 

Mark Browning 

Stone & Browning Property 

Management LLC 

East Montpelier 

Alexis Burrall Union Mutual Waterbury 

Juliette Carr Old Ways Herbal South Newfane 

Brian Carroll 

Crosscut Creatives / Dos Gatos 

Filmworks 

Corinth 

Sarah Chadburn Community National Bank Newport 

Monica Chapman 

Hilary DelRoss 

Construction Management Direct & 

PuroClean 

VT Agency of Commerce and 

Community Development 

Burlington 

Waterbury 

Samba Diallo AIDS Project of Southern Vermont Brattleboro 

Eric Durocher Town of Dover, VT Newfane 

Susan Evans McClure Lake Champlain Maritime Museum Hinesburg 

Erin Evarts Lyric Theatre Company Colchester 

Alex Farrell 

State of VT, Dept of Housing & 

Community Development 

Burlington 

Conor Floyd Food Connects Bellows Falls 

Maribeth Fonda WSESU School District Brattleboro 

Thomas Franco Center on Rural Innovation Rutland 

Gregory Hewitt Deep Analytics LLC Northfield 

Adam Lamson UA Local 693 Waterbury Center 

Katherine Levasseur Vermont State Colleges Hinesburg 

Mikaela Lewis 

Southwestern VT Chamber of 

Commerce 

Shaftsbury 

Laura Mack lu.lu ice cream Vergennes 

John Miller Vermont Law School Waterbury 

Devon Neary 

Rutland Regional Planning 

Commission 

Rutland 

Heather Neuwirth Lovejoy Middlebury College Weybridge 

Cassidy Petit Hula Burlington 

Alison Powers Vermont Attorney General's Office Hinesburg 

Vanessa Robertson Facey Goss & McPhee P.C. West Rutland 

Zach Rounds Rescue Inc/Town of Vernon Vernon 

Brittany Schmidt River Bend Chiropractic Brattleboro 

Gillian Sewake Discover St. Johnsbury Peacham 

Kayla Silver Salt & Bubbles Wine Bar and Market Essex Junction 

Jennifer Sullivan McSoley McCoy & Co. Bridport 

Frances Sun Rutland Regional Medical Center Rutland 

Marie Teme Green Vision Cleansing Burlington 

Will Towne Spectrum Youth & Family Services Williston 

Bethany Wallace United Children's Services North 

Bennington 

Morgan Webster Common Good Vermont Essex Junction 

Blair Wolston VSECU Williston 

Juliette Carr, our legislative committee member, has been chosen as a 2021 Vermont 

Business Magazine Rising Star Award winner! 

Outstanding young leaders chosen for contributions to the Vermont economy and 

their community 

Vermont Business Magazine is proud to announce the winners of its Rising Stars 

recognition award. The list is comprised of 40 winners under the age of 40. Award 

recipients were selected by a panel of judges for their commitment to business growth, 

professional excellence, and involvement in their communities. 

“We are thrilled by the response to this initiative to recognize these up-and-coming 

leaders, especially during this pandemic. This is our twelfth year,” said VBM Publisher 

John Boutin. “We received over 130 outstanding nominations this year. The total number 

of honorees over the past 12 years totals 481.” 

“The five judges had a difficult time picking the top 40. These young professionals 

have chosen to make Vermont home. For these young professionals, it’s not just about 

business. It’s about them making a difference in their communities. These honorees over 

the years have stepped up as leaders, not only at their place of employment but also in 

their communities,” Boutin said. 

Vermont Business Magazine will honor Vermont's most accomplished young leaders 

at the Rising Stars special event on November 4th. Due to increases in COVID cases over 

the last month or so, we will decide soon on how the event will take place. 

The honorees will also be featured in the November issue of Vermont Business 

Magazine. 

FAST FACTS: Of the 40 honorees, there are 24 women and 16 men. There are 15 

from Chittenden County, seven from Windham County, six from Washington County, 

four from Rutland County, three from Addison County, two from Bennington County, 

one from Caledonia County, one from Orange County and one from Orleans County. 

Orleans Southwest 

Supervisory Union is 

seeking School Nurses 

for the 2021-2022 school year. 

If you are looking for work-life balance, weekends and holidays 

with your family, and a work environment where your nursing 

experience is valued and respected, please apply online 

through our website, OSSU.org, or directly on 

SchoolSpring, job ID 3712727.


Annual ANA-Vermont Meeting: 

A Better Future with Compassion & Resilience 

September 24th was ANA-Vermont’s Annual meeting 

and Conference. After a welcome from Executive Director 

Meredith Roberts, Acting President Jessilyn Dolan was 

introduced. Jessilyn is an RN specializing in maternal 

child health, substance use, mental health disorders and 

cannabis therapeutics. She sits on the Vermont forensics 

nursing program board and is a trained sexual assault 

nurse examiner. She worked as nurse coordinator at 

Lund family wellness center, a research nurse at UVM's 

College of Medicine, and is a board member for the 

Vermont Lactation Consultants Association. Before this, 

Jessilyn owned her own wellness center as an herbalist, 

certified massage therapist, energy and birth worker. She 

has also been a yoga and CPR instructor, a professor at 

CCV and faculty instructor for CAPPA, the Childbirth 

and Postpartum Association. During her opening address, 

Jessilyn discussed how RN Connect touched the lives 

of fellow nurses. She shared some inspiring videos and 

discussed the texts sent twice weekly. She then went on to 

introduce the newly elected officers for ANA-Vermont: 

• Dionne Heyliger Vice President 

• Samantha Gambero –Secretary 

• Betsy Hassan – Membership Assembly 

Representative 

• Michelle Wade - Director (and Nominations and 

Elections Committee Chair). 

Please see the article, ANA-Vermont Fall Election 

Results Announced, for more details about these new 

Board members. 

Prior president Andrew Kehl resigned after his 

deployment to Africa, though we at ANA-VT hope he will 

return to a leadership position in the future after his return. 

Jessilyn, our Vice President, became acting president after 

his departure. ANA Vermont is open to nominations for 

Board positions until a month before elections, and we are 

SFC Theodore P. Provost 

AMEDD Specialty Branch Manager 

theodore.p.provost.mil@mail.mil 

802-338-3405 

always looking for committee members. Please contact 

mwadern@gmail.com, or vtnurse@ana-vermont,org if 

interested. 

After Jessilyn, came keynote professional speaker 

Jason Michaels (Magician Extraordinaire), who is also 

a best-selling author, and international award-winning 

entertainer. He told the story of how he was diagnosed 

with Tourette’s Syndrome at age thirteen, and had to 

overcome impossible odds to become a professional 

speaker. Not only did he share his difficult story of 

growing up with Tourettes, even sharing videos of his 

“tics,” but he performed multiple card tricks and we 

watched him escaping from a strait-jacket. 

Following Jason Michaels, 

the Visiting Nurse and 

Hospice for Vermont and 

New Hampshire Panel 

presented nurse care strategies: 

Resilience Through Innovative 

Support and Team Work, 

sharing how they assisted 

in transforming compassion 

fatigue providing innovative 

support for front line staff; 

a new social work support 

model; a new care delivery 

model, and a venue for teams 

to share emotions and the 

human side of healthcare 

while bonding in the process. 

Danielle Pierotti PhD, CENP, 

VP President for Patient 

Care Services, whose work 

includes many original 

research collaborative groups, 

membership on Technical 

Expert Panels at CMS and 

other guideline developing 

groups, Chief Editor for the 

VNAA Clinical Procedure 

Manual; and voting member for the Post-Acute/Long Term 

Care Measure Application Partnership at the National 

Quality Forum, spoke first and last, sharing her vision for 

resiliency, discussing barriers and facilitating the team. 

Brianna White, MSN, RN, CPN, CCRN-K, CNL 

Manager of Clinical Quality and Care Management and 

advocate on the Commission of Government Affairs as 

well as a Johnson and Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellow, 

discussed the patient journey map that begins with first 

establishing care, developing a plan and goals, and 

actively working towards the goals to achieve them. She 

discussed the clinical nurse leader role in rural care and 

the importance of care coordination communication, and 

best practice for optimal outcomes, sharing how hospital 

readmissions were reduced 16% by their map which 

included a network of innovative support of many layers, 

and added triage nurses. 

Ericka Bergeron MSN, Director of Home Health, who 

was recognized as the New Hampshire Nurse Leader of 

the Year, shared about leveraging social work to address 

social determinants of health. After she discussed a virtual 

care roadmap and a care rounds platform that included 

community, action, resilience and education, she led a 

participatory exercise related to the pandemic impact. 

A legislative and yearly update was provided by 

Meredith Roberts, RN, PhD, who noted that despite the 

inability to meet face to face on legislative day, we met 

with key legislators via Zoom, including Lieutenant 

Governor Molly Gray, Senate President pro tempore Becca 

Balint, the first woman Senate President in Vermont, and 

Speaker of the House, Representative Jill Krowinski, who 

all thanked nurses on the front lines serving and stepping 

in when family members could not be present. They want 

to meet with us again before the legislative session opens. 

The Nurse Compact (S.48, now Act 64) was discussed 

and how Dr. Roberts testified to committees three times 

which resulted in passage of the bill and two amendments 

that include having the Office of Public Regulation report 

to the House Committee on Health Care and Government 

Operations Committee as well as the Senate Health and 

Welfare Committee on costs related to license fees and 

potential alternatives for financial support if there is a 

recommendation to increase nursing fees. If there is an 

increase needed, it is to only apply to compact license 

fees so individuals with a single state license would not 

be affected. ANA fights to keep licensure fees reasonable. 

Senator Ginny Lyons is one of our champions in the 

Senate, and we have two nurses in the legislature on the 

House side: Rep. Mari Cordes, and Rep. Leslie Goldman, 

on the House committee on Healthcare. 

H.104 – (now Act 21) considered the interstate practice 

of health care professionals using telehealth, and created 

the Facilitation of Interstate Practice Using Telehealth 

Working Group. ANA-VT is part of the Telehealth 

Working Group created by Act 21 of 2021 to compile and 

evaluate methods for facilitating the practice of health care 

professionals throughout the United States using telehealth 

modalities. The Working Group's report is due to the 

General Assembly by December 15, 2021. The sub-groups 

are: 

1. Telehealth Licenses 

2. National Licensure Compacts 

3. Regional Reciprocity Agreements 

4. Waiver of Licensure 

5. Other Policy Options & International Practice 

The group will be reporting their findings and research 

to the legislature in November. 

S.42 Now Act 37 establishes the Emergency Service 

Provider Wellness Commission after testimony by nurses, 

nurse legislators and EMS providers. 

H.183, an act relating to sexual violence became Act 68 

which will revise and clarify the laws concerning consent 

to sexual activity, require data collection and reporting of 

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information concerning reports of domestic and sexual 

violence, and establish the ten-member Intercollegiate 

Sexual Violence Prevention Council, which includes a 

SANE nurse. ANA-VT is part of the VT SANE Board. 

H. 210, now Act 33, addresses disparities and promotes 

equity in the health care system; establishing a 27 member 

Health Equity Advisory Commission “to promote 

health equity and eradicate health disparities among 

Vermonters,” and guides the formation of a state Office 

of Health Equity. Multiple other bills were discussed, and 

how, on National Hill day, the PPE in America Act, the 

CONNECT for Health Act, and the Workplace Violence 

Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers 

Act were supported. 

Dr. Roberts shared that our coalition with school nurse 

leaders helped to ensure nurse voices were present to 

provide insight on the best way for schools to open safely. 

The Coalition also includes Vermont Nurse Practitioners, 

and we fight to ensure their practice is protected. Mental 

health resources were discussed including, the grant 

that enabled Vermont nurses to receive the free resource 

RNconnect 2 Well-Being (in partnership with the 

American Nurses Foundation), as well as Luminos mental 

health support for free drop-in sessions to reduce stress. 

Dr. Roberts shared some of the efforts focused on 

by ANA this past year as they continued to advocate on 

behalf of nurses, including: 

• Press releases such as ANA’s stand that “Under no 

circumstances should a nurse be pressured to work 

when COVID-19 positive less than ten days, and 

employers should not retaliate against nor penalize a 

nurse for prioritizing self-care” and 

• Survey results revealed that over half of nurses felt 

exhausted, and 43% were overwhelmed and nearly 

¼ depressed. 

on nursing and now they are renowned for their skill in 

relaxing troubled patients. Their language of healing 

made them so popular that they had to train others in 

their techniques, which made nursing fun again for them, 

as well as benefiting patients. Their art of nursing was 

nurturing, giving techniques to nurses that could be used 

instantly, most at the bedside, and that encouraged success 

while giving control and improving relaxation. Their 

presentation included sharing such strategies as using 

tactile and auditory techniques, and using tools like BP 

cuffs in a beneficial way. These strategies can be easily 

incorporated without increasing the amount of time spent 

with the patient. 

Following Marc and Roger, the business aspect of the 

meeting began. Financial reporting was provided by ANA 

Treasurer Amy Swarr who discussed how costs have 

been cut, services shared with the NEMSD, and storage 

and projections explained. Membership has been stable 

with some growth under the stewardship of Membership 

Director Amy Visser-Lynch. Carol Hodges, Foundation 

President, provided the Foundation report and discussed 

the separation of the Foundation from ANA-VT as a 

collaborative effort to benefit members. 

Member discussion was facilitated by Executive 

Director Meredith Roberts. There was much concern 

over the nursing shortage and lack of sufficient students 

graduating to replace nurses who are fatigued and weary. 

How do we heal nursing? Stories and ideas were shared. 

How do we support one another? The idea of a multi-state 

plan came up, funding a task force, to look at the gaps and 

solutions, using the nursing pipeline workforce, and how 

our most talented students should be educated to go into 

nursing. Raising salaries will not help exhausted nurses 

work more hours or prevent burnout. ANA pledges to help. 

Highlights from the Membership Assembly included 

that universal health care coverage was endorsed around 

the nation, establishing a strategic initiative to integrate 

Precision Health and Genomics into nursing practice, and 

support for the full practice role of APRNs in nursing 

homes, removing barriers to APRN scope of practice. 

Our collaboration with the Vermont Climate Health 

Alliance was shared and an opportunity for participation. 

Safe staffing was confirmed as the top member priority, 

followed by climate and mental health, and telehealth. 

Eighty seven and a half percent of nurses responding to 

the survey felt vaccines should be mandated. Raffle items 

were then drawn. The winners were: Carolyn Stannard- 

Carlo, Amy Martone, Carmela Townsend, Nancy Noble, 

Sharon Laskevich, and Laura Lang. 

After a lunch break, 

Health Commissioner Mark 

Levine, MD, provided much 

information useful for nurses, 

such as how one vaccine dose 

is not adequate to protect you 

from the delta variant (below 

40% efficacy) and how we had 

the highest vaccination rates 

in the country for at least one 

dose, but our rates were not as 

shining in the 18-29 year old 

category. He noted that it was 

the unvaccinated that were 

filling the ICUs. He expected that the vaccine for children 

could be out by Halloween, but could not guarantee it, 

answering many questions about long covid that can affect 

up to 30% of the unvaccinated, breakthrough concerns 

and more. Dr. Levine’s presentation was followed by a 

relaxing guided meditation by Amy Visser-Lynch, CNO- 

Mt. Ascutney. 

• Inpatient Medical Surgical Unit 

• Charge RN- Emergency Room 

• Primary Care 

• Flex Pool RN 

• Operating Room 

• PACU 

• Maternal/Child Health 

• OB/GYN Practice 

• Cardiology Office 

Roger Woods, RN, CRNH, BCH, CI, and Marc 

Sacco, RN, CRNH, CEN, BCH, both Board Certified 

Hypnotist nurses, NLP Practitioners, with expertise 

in Emergency Medicine and Management, Disaster 

Preparedness, FEMA/Homeland Security and more were 

next. These authors of Verbal Medicine, the Language 

of Healers are the founders of “The Patient Whisperers” 

and they provided wonderful tips, sharing many stories. 

Learning their techniques changed their whole outlook


Seeking and Finding Balance continued from page 1 

and darkness. Finding and keeping life balance is not 

easy by any stretch of the imagination. It is fraught with 

trials, errors and starting over again. It’s being served 

and serving, taking and giving. 3 Whenever we’re out 

of balance, we feel “off,” as if something just isn’t right. 

Those bodily signals in and of themselves are messages 

urging us, often subtly, to get back to a more grounded 

state. While it’s true that we can (and often do) operate in 

an imbalanced state of being, it’s always less than ideal 

and, according to Ayurveda, the root of all illness. 4 

The challenge of work-life balance is without question one 

of the most significant struggles faced by modern man. 

- Stephen Covey 

People have an enormous capacity for both conscious 

and unconscious choices in their lives. Conscious 

choices involve awareness and skills such as discipline, 

persistence, goal setting, priority setting, action steps, 

knowledge of options and recognition of perceptions. We 

can enhance our awareness, knowledge and new skills, 

and be active participants in daily living, not passive 

observers who hope that life will be good to us. Being 

alive becomes more exciting, rewarding and fulfilling. 

Even when frustrations arise, the balanced person is 

Opportunity Awaits 

REGISTERED NURSES 

Emergency Department - all shifts 

Specialty Clinic - per diem 

Charge Nurse ED 

IPCU - Urgent Need! - all shifts 

One Day Surgery - full time 

Psychiatric Inpatient 

Adult Day Program 

To view all current job 

opportunities, and to 

apply please go to: 

www. 

springfieldhospital.org/ 

careers 

Equal Opportunity Employer 

Signs and Symptoms of Being Out of 

Balance 

Sense of failure and self-doubt. 

Feeling helpless, trapped, and defeated. 

Detachment, feeling alone in the world. 

Loss of motivation. 

Increasingly cynical and negative 

outlook. 

Decreased satisfaction and sense of 

accomplishment. 

Source: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/ 

burnout-prevention-and-recovery.htm 

able to recognize choices and decrease the barriers to 

maximize human potential. 5 Embracing a balanced 

lifestyle is the foundation of well-being, because it has 

immediate and long-term effects on our health and wellbeing. 

It incorporates elements such as developing and 

maintaining good physical health and fitness, maintaining 

an appropriate level of energy and vitality, having 

the ability to express creativity, enjoying emotional 

and psychological stability, engaging in harmonious 

relationships, developing effective stress management 

strategies and coping skills, attaining financial stability, as 

well as discovering a sense of purpose and meaning in life. 

If I want to retain my inner peace, I must be willing to 

consistently and persistently tend to the garden of my 

mind moment by moment. 

~ Jill Bolte Taylor Ph.D., My Stroke of Insight: 

A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey 

One of the reasons that finding work life balance is so 

challenging is our thought process. While our thoughts 

can be our allies, they can also be our greatest enemies. 

Limiting thoughts weaken and restrict you, keeping you 

from realizing your true potential; they hold you back 

and drain your personal power. Empowering thoughts 

give you strength and build your personal power. They 

strengthen your connection to your Higher Self. 6 My 

years of nursing have taught me that there is a place at the 

center of our being where we all know who we are, where 

we know undeniably that we are whole and complete and 

that we need both balance and imbalance. One cannot 

recognize balance without recognizing imbalance. When 

we strive for balance, we need to be gentle and forgiving 

of ourselves. The truth of the matter is that we can’t do it 

all. Trying to do it all is a set-up for a 24-hour guilt cycle. 

Instead of continually feeling guilty and stressed in your 

quest for balance, turn your attention toward doing the 

very best you can do every day with the time you have and 

whatever you do, don’t look back! 

There is nothing I ever need to have. There is nothing I 

ever need to do. I say NO to the demands of the world. I 

say YES to the longings of my own heart. 

- Jonathan Lockwood Huie 

Nurses have long been considered to be the backbone 

of the healthcare system and the link between the patient 

and the physician. Should finding a work-life balance be 

a priority? My answer is a resounding yes. If we want to 

be successful as human beings first and successful nurses 

second then we have to take care of our health and learn 

to work smarter not harder. Although “work-life balance” 

is hardly a new concept, nurses everywhere continue 

to debate how best to achieve it. No single technique 

works for everyone. The key is finding out what’s most 

important to you — in your personal life then your career 

and making sure you prioritize it in your daily plan. The 

most important thing to remember in the quest for worklife 

balance is that you may never achieve perfection, but 

it is well worth the effort to always seek and find balance 

personally and professionally. 

We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on 

our own ‘to do’ list. ~ Michelle Obama 

1 Van Bogaert, P., Kowalski, C., Weeks, S.M., Van Heusden, 

D., & Clarke, S.P. (2013). The relationship between nurse 

practice environment, nurse work characteristics, burnout 

and job outcome and quality of nursing care: a cross sectional 

survey. International Journal of Nursing Studies. 2013 

Dec;50(12):1667-77. 

2 Reid, D.P. (1998). The complete book of Chinese health & 

healing. New York: Barnes & Noble Books. 

3 Akradi, B. (2021). Seeking Balance - The intentional practice 

of exploring all sides of a situation can bring about a more 

centered perspective – and better quality of life. Retrieved 

July 8, 2021 from: https://experiencelife.lifetime.life/article/ 

seeking-balance/ https://chopra.com/articles/seeking-balancefinding-your-lifes-true-north 

4 Brady, A. (2020). Seeking Balance-Finding Your Life’s True 

North. Retrieved on August 30, 2021 from: https://chopra. 

com/articles/seeking-balance-finding-your-lifes-true-north 

5 Dossey, B. M., & Keegan, L. (2009). Chapter 9 Selfassessments. 

In Holistic nursing: A handbook for practice. 

Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett. 

6 Rivas, M., (2012), How to use hidden mind powers and 

ancient wisdom to create wealth and much more. Retrieved 

June 12, 2021 from: www.unlimitedinnerpower.com 

Priscilla Smith-Trudeau, MSM, RN, BSN, CRRN, 

HNB-BC is board certified in holistic nursing and board 

certified in rehabilitation nursing. She has been a nurse 

for over 40 years and understands the interconnectedness 

of body, mind and spirit. She brings a holistic, 

complementary and integrative focus to her practice. 

When Out of Balance Stop and 

breathe. 

Take inventory of your stressors. 

Say “no” to new commitments. 

Delegate where possible. 

Unplug frequently and daily. 

Set boundaries. 

Engage in healthy activities. 

Seek support. 

Practice gratitude. 

Source: https://consultqd.clevelandclinic.org/ninestrategies-alleviating-nurse-burnout/ 

The ANA-Vermont website has been updated: 

ANA-Vermont.org. We will continue to update and 

expand the website. 

Do you want to stay updated on the latest ANA-Vermont has to offer? 

Learn of webinars offered by the ANA? 

How you can earn CEU hours? 

‘Like Us’ on Facebook. Find us at 

https://www.facebook.com/VTNurses 

Questions regarding our social media and website? 

E-Mail: vtnurse@ana-vermont.org


Marilyn Rinker Leadership Scholarship Application 

Application – 2022 deadline: March 25, 2022 

Name: ______________________________________________________________ 

Address: _____________________________________________________________ 

Telephone #: _____________________ Email Address: _______________________ 

Vt RN Lic #______________________ VONL member since __________________ 

School of Nursing: _____________________________________________________ 

Currently in which year? 1 2 3 4 year of graduation (if applicable) ________________ 

Graduate school ________________________ 1st yr __________ 2nd year__________ 

expected date of graduation_______________ 

If employed in nursing, current employer ___________________________________ 

Currently receiving Financial Aid, Grants, Scholarships? Yes ________ No ________ 

If yes please list the sources_______________________________________________ 

Please attach to this form: 

1. Résumé 

2. Most recent transcript of grades demonstrating a cumulative average of 3.0 (B) 

3. A brief essay (500 words or less) describing nursing leadership experience and 

aspirations, community service experience, commitment to serve in Vermont, 

and financial need 

4. At least two (2) letters of recommendation (at least one academic and one work 

related) 

5. Evidence of acceptance in an accredited program leading to an advanced degree 

in nursing if not yet matriculated. 

I understand that if I receive an Advanced Degree Nurse Leaders 

Scholarship, I commit to practice nursing in Vermont for a minimum period 

of two years following graduation. 

Student signature: _______________________________ Date: __________________ 

Return application (with attached materials) before March 25, 2022 to: 

Martha Buck, VAHHS/VONL 

148 Main Street, Montpelier, VT 05602 

(802)223-3461/ext. 111 Martha@vahhs.org 

Marilyn Rinker Memorial 

Scholarship 

The Marilyn Rinker Memorial Scholarship Award was established by the Vermont 

Organization of Nurse Leaders in 2009 to honor Marilyn’s lifelong commitment and 

dedication to professional nursing practice, nursing education and leadership. Marilyn 

held many leadership positions during the course of her career such as Nursing 

Director for Medicine and Cardiology at Fletcher Allen Health Care (University of 

Vermont Medical Center); Oncology Clinical Coordinator at the Vermont Regional 

Cancer Center; Clinical Research Nurse and Educator in Vermont and Rhode Island; 

and, BSN Nursing Program Director at Norwich University. Marilyn also served as 

the Executive Director of the Vermont State Nurses’ Association and President of the 

Vermont Organization of Nurse Leaders. 

This award provides scholarship support in the amount of $1000 for a qualified 

registered nurse to participate in an approved course of study leading to an advanced 

degree with an emphasis in nursing leadership. 

Application Criteria for the Marilyn Rinker Memorial Award 

1. Current member of ONL 

2. Registered nurse or advanced practice registered nurse currently licensed in the 

state of VT* 

3. Demonstrated commitment to nursing leadership as evidenced by participation 

in professional seminars, organizations, work accomplishments, project, 

recommendations of peers 

4. Currently enrolled or accepted in an accredited program that will lead to an 

advanced degree in nursing 

5. Willingness to commit to completing the program as indicated by realistic 

timeframe. 

6. GPA of 3.0 or the equivalent 

7. Two (2) supportive professional recommendations 

8. A double-spaced, short essay (500 words or less) of the reasons this nominee 

should receive the award according to the criteria listed above 

9. Nominee’s current Curriculum Vitae 

Nominations must be submitted by March 25, 2022. Annual scholarship award 

announcement will be made at the member reception and awards gala at the ONL 

Annual Meeting. 

*Vermont RNs will receive first priority. Applicants from other states will be 

considered if there are no applicants from Vermont or the scholarship criteria are not 

met by applicants from Vermont. 

https://survey.zohopublic.com/zs/6AbihO 

The Arthur L. Davis 

Publishing Agency, Inc. 

2022 Scholarship 

Vermont State Nurses 

Foundation, Inc. 



(802) 651-8886 

Applications for the $1,000 scholarship are 

open to ANA-Vermont members who are 

currently enrolled in an undergraduate 

or graduate nursing program and who 

are active in a professional nursing 

organization. 

Submit your application by 

August 1, 2022 by filling 

out the online form: 

https://form.jotform.com/62006060892147 

Application for the 2022 

Pat & Frank Allen 

Scholarship 





(802) 651-8886 

The Pat & Frank Allen Scholarship is a 

$1500.00 award given to a registered 

nurse who is in a baccalaureate or higher 

degree accredited nursing program. 

Applications must be submitted by 

August 1, 2022. You do not have to be 

a member of ANA-Vermont but priority 

will be given to ANA-Vermont members, 

please go online to fill out the form: 

https://form.jotform.com/62006060892147 

Application for the 2022 

Judy Cohen Scholarship 





(802) 651-8886 

The Judy Cohen Scholarship is a $2,000 

award given to a registered nurse who 

is in a baccalaureate or higher degree 

accredited nursing program. 

Applications must be submitted by 

August 1, 2022. You do not have to be a 

member of ANA-Vermont but priority will 

be given to ANA-Vermont members. 

To apply for the scholarship, 

please fill out this form: 

https://form.jotform. 

com/62006060892147


The Importance of Respectful Maternity Care 

for Women of Color 

By Jamila K. Taylor 

This article originally appeared in AFT Health 

Care; reprinted with permission from 

Jamila Taylor. 

As the United States contends with a pivotal moment 

of reckoning on racial justice, inequitable treatment in 

healthcare has risen in the public consciousness¹—largely 

due to the disproportionately high rates of COVID-19 

among Black Americans and other communities of color.² 

Behind the statistics are personal stories of people of 

color, across geography, socioeconomic status, and health 

profile, who have been denied access to lifesaving care, 

even as their expressions of pain, discomfort, and illness 

have been ignored. For those of us working in health 

equity and who have studied the history of mistreatment of 

marginalized communities by the medical establishment, 

hearing and seeing these stories play out in the context 

of COVID-19 is not surprising. As devastating as these 

stories are, the commonalities are always Black and brown 

skin, mistreatment, and, far too often, premature death.³ 

Similarities can be seen in trends related to America’s 

maternal health crisis. Black and Native women are dying 

at alarmingly high rates due to preventable pregnancyrelated 

causes. According to the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention, non-Hispanic Black women are 

approximately three times more likely to experience 

maternal death than white women. 4 Native American and 

Alaska Native women are approximately two times more 

likely to die than white women. (This is in stark contrast 

to Hispanic, Latina, Asian, and Pacific Islander women, 

whose rates are quite similar to white women’s.) Most 

of these deaths are preventable and occur not just during 

delivery but up to a year after giving birth. Black women 

also have a 70 percent greater risk of experiencing severe 

maternal morbidity than white women. 5 

COVID-19 has made maternal health matters even 

worse. Based on preliminary data, pregnant women who 

fall ill due to COVID-19 are more likely to be admitted 

to the intensive care unit and receive invasive ventilation, 

and they are at increased risk of death compared with 

nonpregnant women. Black and Hispanic pregnant women 

are disproportionately likely to experience grave illness 

and complications due to COVID-19. 6 

Racial health disparities like these do not exist 

in a vacuum. Research has long shown that social 

determinants—such as the degree to which people can 

access affordable, safe housing and nutritious foods and 

whether they experience residential segregation, economic 

disadvantage, or exposure to environmental toxins—are 

important factors that practically dictate a person’s health 

and well-being. 7 Access to quality, respectful healthcare 

that is free of discrimination and bias is also critically 

important. Unfortunately, discrimination and bias based on 

race and gender have pervaded the healthcare experiences 

of women of color in the United States for centuries. 

Medical Mistreatment of Black and Native Women 

The medical mistreatment of Black and Native 

women is not a new phenomenon; it has been widespread 

since before our nation’s founding. For Black women, 

it can be traced as far back as the institution of slavery, 

when Black women’s bodies were used without consent 

for experimentation in the study of obstetrics and 

gynecology. 8 Slave owners actively sought the assistance 

of physicians in the management of Black women’s 

fertility. Particularly after the ban on importing enslaved 

people in 1808, slave owners had financial incentives 

to force enslaved women to have as many children as 

possible. Enslavers became familiar with new training 

practices and surgical procedures for reproductive organs 

developed by medical doctors by the mid-19th century. 

Coerced “breeding” of and medical experimentation on 

enslaved people were commonplace. 9 

Enslaved Black women were subjected to painful and 

injurious experimental surgeries on their reproductive 

organs. They were cut open and prodded with all types of 

surgical instruments without consent. It was during this 

period that falsehoods about Black people having “thicker 

skin” and a higher threshold for pain were first spread. 10 

While anesthesia was not used in most cases, morphine 

was sometimes used to drug enslaved Black women in 

order to make them docile and to reduce the screams that 

came with undergoing invasive vaginal surgeries. 11 Some 

became morphine dependent as a result. 

A doctor named Nathan Bozeman gained renown as 

a gynecologic surgeon due to his operations on enslaved 

Black women in Alabama. One 18-year-old enslaved girl 

became disabled and was rendered sterile as the result of 

one of his experimental surgeries, 12 but his disregard for 

enslaved women’s humanity seems to have had no impact 

on his reputation. 13 One need not look far to also learn of J. 

Marion Sims, known as the father of modern gynecology, 

a medical pioneer who employed harsh practices to 

restrain enslaved Black women during the repeated 

invasive gynecologic surgeries he conducted on them. 14 

It should be noted that the experimental procedures and 

drugs developed during this time period served to advance 

the study of gynecology in ways that would ultimately heal 

white women of most of their reproductive injuries and 

illnesses. But for women of color, these advances have too 

often been used to harm, not heal, as scientific advances 

have led to further exploitation. Decades after Bozeman 

and Sims partnered with enslavers, the end of slavery 

shifted the focus from expanding the enslaved Black 

population to minimizing the free Black population. Under 

the guise of the pseudoscience of eugenics—the pursuit of 

perfection of the (white) human race through controlling 

the reproduction of people perceived to be physically, 

intellectually, or morally “unfit” 15 —compulsory 

sterilization began to be used as a form of reproductive 

control over women of color and low-income women. 16 

Black and Native American women have been the main 

targets of this horrific practice. 

In the 1970s, extremely large numbers of Native 

American women suffered sterilizations* against their 

will. 18 Many of the forced sterilization procedures were 

performed by physicians associated with the Indian Health 

Service (IHS). For example, Native American girls as 

young as 15 years old entered an IHS hospital in Montana 

for appendectomies and instead received tubal ligations 

without their knowledge or consent. Their parents were 

also not informed of the procedures. The IHS would 

eventually be accused of sterilizing at least 25 percent of 

Native American women of reproductive age during the 

1970s. 19 

Meanwhile, Black women were also being forcibly 

sterilized in the southern and northern regions of the 

United States. In 1972, the Boston Globe reported that 

Boston City Hospital was conducting hysterectomies 

on Black patients at high rates. 20 Other incidents were 

reported at a New York municipal hospital where lowincome 

Black, Puerto Rican, and Native American women 

were targeted and given hysterectomies against their will. 

The procedure was so common in the South that it was 

referred to by the name “Mississippi appendectomy”—a 

term coined by civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer, who 

had undergone a forced sterilization herself. 21 At the time, 

hospitals had no policies requiring informed consent. 

Forced sterilizations of women of color are still 

occurring in the United States. As recently as September 

2020, multiple people came forward with allegations that 

women in the custody of a US Immigration and Customs 

Enforcement facility in Georgia were being sterilized 

without their consent. 22 

Medical mistreatment by way of nonconsensual 

experimental surgeries and forced sterilizations added 

to the centuries-long history of exploitation of Black and 

Native women. These experiences have caused some 

people of color to mistrust the medical establishment, 

which can make patients less likely to seek care when 

they need it. Even when people of color do seek care, 

they may not engage in dialogue about treatment plans 

or other healthcare issues in clinical settings. The lack of 

respectful care has persisted, leading to inferior treatment, 

misperceptions about the pain thresholds of women of 

color, † and poor health outcomes. 24 And while the medical 

experiences of the majority of women of color are safe and 

under the care of qualified physicians, nurses, and other 

healthcare professionals, discrimination and bias persist 

in ways that continue to have detrimental impacts. 25 These 

detrimental impacts have consequences for the maternity 

care women of color receive and the likelihood of Black 

and Native women experiencing pregnancy-related 

complications and death. 

Respectful Maternity Care 

Acknowledging the basic human rights of pregnant 

women and other pregnant and birthing people, such as 

transgender, nonbinary, and intersex people (who face


compounded barriers to accessing quality healthcare and 

birthing and parenting with dignity), is an imperative 

to realizing respectful maternity care for all. These 

basic rights envelop bodily autonomy, dignity, feelings, 

choices, and personal preferences in the provision of 

care. 26 Too often, healthcare providers focus solely on 

bodily safety and disease prevention. These are important, 

but respectful maternity care denotes the importance of 

thinking more broadly to intentionally center the most 

marginalized among us in order to address the higher 

rates of maternal mortality and morbidity among certain 

populations. Centering the most marginalized people 

also creates space for empathy and consideration of lived 

experience in how pregnant and birthing people are treated 

in medical settings. 

Women across racial and ethnic groups feel 

discriminated against in healthcare settings. 27 However, 

the intersection of race and gender for women of color 

means that multiple oppressions pervade their healthcare 

experiences (past and present) in ways that are quite 

different from the experiences of white women. The result 

often leads to feelings of invisibility and not being listened 

to by healthcare providers when expressions of pain and 

discomfort are made before, during, or after birth, as well 

as in the postpartum period. At times, it leads to poor 

maternal health outcomes and even death. 

Ignoring Black women’s pain in particular, which is 

grounded in racist stereotypes about how Black people 

feel and experience pain, has been highlighted as a 

factor in countless maternal health stories. Some of these 

include the stories of celebrities such as Serena Williams, 

who experienced complications after giving birth by 

cesarean section. Despite being a top athlete who is 

clearly in tune with her body and knowledgeable about her 

medical issues, she had challenges obtaining responsive 

postpartum care once she informed her healthcare team 

that she was experiencing shortness of breath. Williams 

also told them that she was worried about her health due 

to a history of experiencing blood clots. 28 Other stories are 

those of everyday Black women who succumbed to their 

complications after multiple requests for help, such as Dr. 

Shalon Irving, Kira Johnson, Amber Isaac, and a host of 

Medical Mistreatment Today: Three Stories 

Dr. Shalon Irving was an epidemiologist for the 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She 

had dedicated her career to eradicating structural 

inequality and addressing health disparities. After 

years of building a successful career in public 

health, she decided it was time to become a mother. 

Unfortunately, the new mother, in her mid-30s 

and highly educated with two master’s degrees 

and a PhD, would not be able to fully experience 

motherhood. Irving died of complications associated 

with high blood pressure on January 28, 2017, just 

three weeks after giving birth. In the weeks leading 

up to her passing, her blood pressure fluctuated, she 

experienced headaches and swelling in her limbs, and 

the incision at the site of her cesarean section became 

infected. Irving kept telling her nurses and doctors 

that something was seriously wrong. Her healthcare 

providers continued to pass off her complications as 

not serious enough for admittance to the hospital. 1 

Kira Johnson also died of preventable pregnancyrelated 

causes. She gave birth to a healthy baby boy 

on April 12, 2016, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center 

in Los Angeles. When her husband noticed blood in 

her catheter during recovery from a cesarean section, 

he did what any concerned husband would do—he 

notified Johnson’s medical team right away. His calls 

for help were ignored. It would be seven hours before 

Johnson would receive medical attention. Once she 

was finally examined, doctors cut open her abdomen 

and found three liters of blood. She died of postpartum 

hemorrhage. 2 

Amber Isaac died on April 21, 2020, just days 

after tweeting about “dealing with incompetent 

doctors at Montefiore.” 3 Like Irving and Johnson, 

Isaac had undergone a cesarean section. She felt 

mistreated at an original branch of Montefiore 

facilities in New York City, so she switched to another 

location. Isaac’s platelet levels started to fall due to 

the pregnancy-related condition known as HELLP 

syndrome.* Having to give birth during the early 

onset of COVID-19 in the United States, as well as 

experiencing lingering feelings of mistreatment by the 

medical system, Isaac sought options for a home birth 

with the assistance of a doula and midwife. When she 

others (see “Medical Mistreatment Today: Three Stories”). 

Access to timely, quality healthcare can help identify, 

manage, and treat health conditions that complicate 

pregnancy, can reduce the risk of poor health outcomes, 

and can reduce rates of maternal mortality and morbidity. 

While issues such as continuous perinatal support and 

health insurance coverage are important, so too is the 

ability to obtain respectful care. Recently developed 

evidence-based maternity care models offer guidance 

for healthcare providers who are ready to examine their 

practices. 

The JJ Way, created by Black British-trained midwife 

Jennie Joseph, is a maternity care model that centers the 

agency and choices of pregnant people by including them 

as partners in their own care team. To increase access to 

care, no one is turned away from its clinics based on lack 

of insurance coverage or the inability to pay. The JJ Way 

provides assistance in navigating the healthcare system 

along with personalized care plans that are practical and 

based on each individual’s lived experiences. These are all 

fundamental aspects of centering pregnant and birthing 

people in healthcare. A recent evaluation in Florida 

demonstrated that women who received maternity care 

through the JJ Way had lower preterm birth rates and 

better low-birth-weight outcomes than the general state 

population. Furthermore, among at-risk populations, low 

birth weights were greatly reduced and preterm birth 

disparities were eliminated. 29 

Mamatoto Village, a Black woman–led 

nongovernmental organization based in Washington, DC, 

also implements a model of care that centers the patients 

and their lived experiences. Patients served by Mamatoto 

Village receive comprehensive, culturally responsive 

services, including classes on childbirth, breastfeeding, 

and family wellness; access to community birth workers 

(whom Mamatoto also trains); and connections to family 

support resources. In 2017, a review of women served by 

Mamatoto Village found that 74 percent had vaginal births 

(more than 10 points higher than the citywide percentage), 

89 percent succeeded in breastfeeding (6 points higher 

than citywide), and 92 percent attended their six-week 

postpartum appointment. Best of all, there were no 

was found to have low platelet levels, her pregnancy 

was deemed high risk. She fought to get further 

information from her doctors and nurses about her 

condition and the potential impact on her pregnancy, 

but her calls were initially ignored. Once admitted to 

the hospital, Isaac was not allowed to have her partner 

or other support persons join her due to coronavirusrelated 

protocols limiting nonpatients in medical 

facilities at the time. Isaac was induced a month before 

her due date. Her heart stopped during the emergency 

cesarean section just as her infant was delivered. 4 

Irving, Johnson, and Isaac were all Black women. 

They all expressed pain, discomfort, and the feeling 

that something was not quite right to their medical 

teams. Their deaths, as well as the deaths of other 

people due to preventable pregnancy-related causes, 

should not be in vain. Healthcare providers can and 

should do more to implement and support models of 

care that center women of color, acknowledge their 

unique lived experiences, and incorporate diverse care 

teams that respect pregnant and parenting people. 

–J. K. T. 

*HELLP syndrome is a life-threatening pregnancy 

complication usually considered a variant of 

preeclampsia. More information about the condition may 

be found here: preeclampsia.org/hellp-syndrome. 

Endnotes 

1. N. Martin, “Black Mothers Keep Dying After Giving 

Birth. Shalon Irving’s Story Explains Why,” “All 

Things Considered,” NPR, December 7, 2017, npr. 

org/2017/12/07/568948782/black-mothers-keep-dyingafter-giving-birth-shalon-irvings-story-explains-why. 

2. A. Helm, “Kira Johnson Spoke 5 Languages, Raced Cars, 

Was Daughter in Law of Judge Glenda Hatchett. She Still 

Died in Childbirth,” The Root, October 19, 2018, theroot. 

com/kira-johnson-spoke-5-languages-raced-cars-wasdaughte-1829862323. 

3. T. Christian, “New York Woman Dies During Childbirth 

Days After Tweeting Concerns About Hospital Care,” 

Essence, April 29, 2020, essence.com/news/amber-isaacdies-childbirth-bronx-hospital-tweet. 

4. A. Villarreal, “New York Mother Dies After Raising 

Alarm on Hospital Neglect,” Guardian, May 2, 2020, 

theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/02/amber-roseisaac-new-york-childbirth-death. 

maternal or infant losses among those who received care 

under Mamatoto’s model. 30 

These models center pregnant and birthing people 

and their families by offering enhanced support from 

pregnancy through the postpartum period. Continuity 

of care is promoted by centralizing referrals for needed 

healthcare services, and concerted efforts are made 

to facilitate navigation of the health system and social 

services. 31 Patients under the care of these models also 

have the support of a team that includes physicians and 

nurses as well as doulas, postpartum care navigators, 

community health workers, and midwives. Ensuring 

racial and economic diversity within the care team is key 

because research demonstrates that it leads to better health 

outcomes for women and infants of color. 32 The team 

works collaboratively among themselves and with each 

patient to ensure optimal care and support that is grounded 

in cultural humility ‡ and centers the lived experiences of 

the individuals and families being served. 33 

Where We Go from Here 

The provision of respectful maternity care must be 

implemented broadly in order to ensure quality healthcare 

experiences and positive maternal health outcomes for all 

pregnant and birthing people. Black and Native women 

stand to gain the most under maternity care models that 

center the unique lived experiences of people of color and 

are intentional about ensuring a diverse care team that 

reflects their communities—those most heavily impacted 

by maternal mortality and morbidity. Care teams should 

consist of physicians, nurses, doulas, midwives, and 

community health workers. They must be adequately 

trained in cultural humility and antiracism so that they can 

approach each patient with a genuine interest in listening 

and learning. They must also be held accountable for 

providing pregnant and birthing people with quality care 

that is equitable and free from bias and discrimination. 

In addressing America’s maternal health crisis, the 

unique and profound history of medical mistreatment 

toward Black and Native women must not go 

unacknowledged. It is no coincidence that these women 

are among the most subjugated in this country. The 

blatant racism and sexism inherent in the past barbaric 

practices of exploitation, experimentation, and forced 

sterilizations have implications for today’s maternal 

health outcomes. Devaluation of these women because 

of their race led to ignoring their pain and discomfort, 

as well as a lack of respect for their basic human rights. 

Unfortunately, devaluation still pervades the healthcare 

system today, leading to needless pregnancy-related 

deaths and complications. The devaluation of Black and 

Native women must be dismantled in order to improve 

the nation’s maternal health outcomes, as well as the poor 

health outcomes we see mirrored along racial lines in the 

COVID-19 crisis. It starts with healthcare providers who 

commit to doing the work to rid themselves and their 

institutions of bias and racism toward women of color. 

Jamila K. Taylor, PhD, the director of healthcare 

reform and a senior fellow at The Century Foundation, 

leads research and policy efforts to achieve universal 

coverage and high-quality care. Taylor’s specialties are 

maternal health, reproductive justice, structural barriers 

to healthcare, racial and gender disparities in health 

outcomes, and the intersections of health and economic 

justice. Taylor also chairs the board of directors of 

Mamatoto Village. 

*This is just one example in the long history of denial and 

abuse of reproductive freedom for Native women in the 

United States, which has seen the same kinds of seemingly 

contradictory pendulum swings as the history of assaults 

on Black women’s reproductive freedoms. For instance, as 

the US government shifted from genocidal practices against 

Native peoples to forced assimilation, the Bureau of Indian 

Affairs pressured Native Americans to adopt Euro-American 

reproductive and birthing practices—including coercing 

Native women to carry every pregnancy to term, despite 

some Native peoples’ traditional use of abortion for family 

planning. 17 

†Beginning in the 18th century, in keeping with their myths 

about Black women, white doctors promoted the myth that 

Indigenous women experience less pain than white women 

during childbirth because of their proximity to nature.23 

‡Cultural humility is the ability to have an interpersonal 

viewpoint that is open to those with different cultural 

backgrounds. It focuses on a lifelong commitment to selfevaluation 

and self-critique by acknowledging that learning 

and commitment to embracing cultural differences are 

continual. 

Endnotes 

1. See, for example, E. Brochin, “Racism and Public Health—a 

New Announcement, a Growing Understanding,” 

The Importance of Respectful...continued on page 10


The Importance of Respectful...continued from page 9 

Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations, July 10, 2020, macdc. 

org/news/racism-and-public-health-%E2%80%93-new-announcement-growing-understanding. 

2. K. Mackey et al., “Racial and Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19–Related Infections, 

Hospitalizations, and Deaths: A Systematic Review,” Annals of Internal Medicine, December 

1, 2020. 

3. M. Rees, “Racism in Healthcare: What You Need to Know,” Medical News Today, September 

16, 2020, medicalnewstoday.com/articles/racism-in-healthcare. 

4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Pregnancy-Related Mortality Ratio by Race/ 

Ethnicity: 2014–2017,” Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System, cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/ 

maternal-mortality/pregnancy-mortality-surveillance-system.htm. 

5. K. Liese et al., “Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Severe Maternal Morbidity in the United 

States,” Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities 6, no. 4 (August 2019): 790–98. 

6. S. Ellington et al., “Characteristics of Women of Reproductive Age with Laboratory-Confirmed 

SARS-CoV-2 Infection by Pregnancy Status—United States, January 22–June 7, 2020,” 

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cdc.gov/ 

mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6925a1.htm?s_cid=mm6925a1_w. 

7. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, U.S. Department of Health and Human 

Services, “Determinants of Health,” healthypeople.gov/2020/about/foundation-healthmeasures/Determinants-of-Health#social. 

8. D. Owens and S. Fett, “Black Maternal and Infant Health: Historical Legacies of Slavery,” 

American Journal of Public Health 109, no. 10 (October 2019): 1342–45. 

9. J. Taylor, “Structural Racism and Maternal Health Among Black Women,” Journal of Law, 

Medicine & Ethics 48, no. 3 (2020): 506–17. 

10. K. Hoffman et al., “Racial Bias in Pain Assessment and Treatment Recommendations, and 

False Beliefs About Biological Differences Between Blacks and Whites,” Proceedings of the 

National Academy of Sciences 113, no. 16 (April 19, 2016): 4296–4301. 

11. Taylor, “Structural Racism.” 


13. N. Bozeman, “Nathan Bozeman,” in American Medical Biographies, ed. H. Kelly and W. 

Burrage (Baltimore: Norman, Remington Company, 1920), en.wikisource.org/wiki/American_ 

Medical_Biographies/Bozeman,_Nathan. 


15. K. Norrgard, “Human Testing, the Eugenics Movement, and IRBs,” Nature Education 1, no. 1 

(2008): 170. 

16. Norrgard, “Human Testing.” 

17. B. Theobald, Reproduction on the Reservation: Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Colonialism in the 

Long Twentieth Century (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2019), 39–41. 

18. J. Lawrence, “The Indian Health Service and the Sterilization of Native American Women,” 

American Indian Quarterly 24, no. 3 (Summer 2000): 400–19. 

19. Lawrence, “The Indian Health Service.” 


21. D. Roberts, Killing the Black Body: Race, Reproduction, and the Meaning of Liberty (New 

York: Vintage Books, 1998), 90–92. 

22. N. Narea, “The Outcry over ICE and Hysterectomies, Explained,” Vox, September 18, 

2020, vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/9/15/21437805/whistleblower-hysterectomiesnurse-irwin-ice; 

see also P. Nicolas and M. Fabiszak, “Forced Hysterectomies in 2020: How 

Did We Get Here?,” Globe Post, October 20, 2020, theglobepost.com/2020/10/20/forcedhysterectomies-2020. 

23. Theobald, Reproduction on the Reservation, 34–35. 

24. Hoffman et al., “Racial Bias.” 

25. D. Williams and T. Rucker, “Understanding and Addressing Racial Disparities in Health 

Care,” Health Care Financing Review 21, no. 4 (Summer 2000): 75–90. 

26. “Respectful Maternity Care: The Universal Rights of Childbearing Women,” White Ribbon 

Alliance, January 2012, who.int/woman_child_accountability/ierg/reports/2012_01S_ 

Respectful_Maternity_Care_Charter_The_Universal_Rights_of_Childbearing_Women.pdf. 

27. J. Taylor et al., “Eliminating Racial Disparities in Maternal and Infant Mortality: 

A Comprehensive Policy Blueprint,” Center for American Progress, May 2, 2019, 

americanprogress.org/issues/women/reports/2019/05/02/469186/eliminating-racial-disparitiesmaternal-infant-mortality. 

28. R. Haskell, “Serena Williams on Motherhood, Marriage, and Making Her Comeback,” Vogue, 

January 10, 2018, vogue.com/article/serena-williams-vogue-cover-interview-february-2018. 

29. Taylor et al., “Eliminating Racial Disparities.” 

30. Taylor et al., “Eliminating Racial Disparities.” 

31. J. Taylor, “Promoting Better Maternal Health Outcomes by Closing the Medicaid Postpartum 

Coverage Gap,” The Century Foundation, November 16, 2020, tcf.org/content/report/ 

promoting-better-maternal-health-outcomes-closing-medicaid-postpartum-coverage-gap. 

32. T. Chalhoub and K. Rimar, “The Health Care System and Racial Disparities in Maternal 

Mortality,” Center for American Progress, May 10, 2018, americanprogress.org/issues/women/ 

reports/2018/05/10/450577/health-care-system-racial-disparities-maternal-mortality. 

33. A. Waters and L. Asbill, “Reflections on Cultural Humility,” CYF News, American 

Psychological Association, August 2013, apa.org/pi/families/resources/newsletter/2013/08/ 

cultural-humility; and C. Sakala et al., Improving Our Maternity Care Now (Washington, DC: 

National Partnership for Women and Families, September 2020), nationalpartnership.org/ourwork/resources/health-care/maternity/improving-our-maternity-care-now.pdf. 

CLINICAL FACULTY 

CLINICAL SITE VISITORS 

Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Practitioner Clinical Faculty – REMOTE 

Seeking clinical faculty to remotely oversee clinical students in the online graduate Psychiatric Mental Health 

Nurse Practitioner Program. This is a rapidly expanding program requiring continuous adjunct faculty. 

Remote Clinical Site Visitor - Per Diem - $100/visit 

The Remote Clinical Site Visitor supports the clinical process by evaluating potential clinical sites and preceptors 

and facilitating discussion to ensure the clinical experience is meeting student learning outcomes and program 

goals. This remote visit would occur prior to the student placement in a clinical setting and as needed during the 

placement period. 

For further information and to apply: www.norwich.interviewexchange.com 

www.norwich.edu


EMERGENCY TEMPORARY STANDARD 

FACT SHEET 

COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing ETS 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration 

(OSHA) has issued an emergency temporary standard 

(ETS) to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission in 

the workplace. The ETS establishes binding requirements 

to protect unvaccinated employees of large employers 

(100 or more employees) from the risk of contracting 

COVID-19 in the workplace. 

The ETS is necessary to protect unvaccinated workers 

from the risk of contracting COVID-19 at work. The rule 

covers all employers with a total of 100 or more employees 

with a few exceptions described below. Covered employers 

must develop, implement, and enforce a mandatory 

COVID-19 vaccination policy, with an exception for 

employers that instead adopt a policy requiring employees 

to elect either to get vaccinated or to undergo regular 

COVID-19 testing and wear a face covering at work. This 

fact sheet highlights some of the additional requirements 

of the ETS; employers should consult the standard for full 

details. 

Which employers are covered by the ETS? 

• Private employers with 100 or more employees firmor 

corporate-wide. 

• In states with OSHA-approved State Plans, state 

and local-government employers, as well as private 

employers, with 100 or more employees will be 

covered by state occupational safety and health 

requirements. 

Which workplaces are not covered by the ETS? 

• Workplaces covered under the Safer Federal 

Workforce Task Force COVID-19 Workplace 

Safety: Guidance for Federal Contractors and 

subcontractors; and 

• Settings where any employee provides healthcare 

services or healthcare support services when subject 

to the requirements of the Healthcare ETS (§ 

1910.502). 

• Workplaces of employers who have fewer than 100 

employees in total. 

• Public employers in states without State Plans. 

If an employer is covered by the ETS, does that mean 

all of its employees must follow the provisions of this 

ETS? 

No. The requirements of the ETS do not apply to: 

• Employees who do not report to a workplace where 

other individuals are present. 

• Employees while working from home. 

• Employees who work exclusively outdoors. 

Nurse Survey Results – November 2021 

What does the ETS require employers to do? 

• Develop, implement, and enforce a mandatory 

COVID-19 vaccination policy, with an exception for 

employers that instead establish, implement, and enforce a 

policy allowing employees to elect either to get vaccinated 

or to undergo weekly COVID-19 testing and wear a face 

covering at the workplace. 

• Determine the vaccination status of each employee, 

obtain acceptable proof of vaccination from 

vaccinated employees, maintain records of each 

employee’s vaccination status, and maintain a roster 

of each employee’s vaccination status. 

• Support vaccination by providing employees 

reasonable time, including up to four hours of paid 

time, to receive each primary vaccination dose, and 

reasonable time and paid sick leave to recover from 

any side effects experienced following each primary 

vaccination dose. 

• Ensure that each employee who is not fully 

vaccinated is tested for COVID-19 at least weekly 

(if in the workplace at least once a week) or within 

7 days before returning to work (if away from the 

workplace for a week or longer). 

• Require employees to promptly provide notice 

when they receive a positive COVID-19 test or are 

diagnosed with COVID-19. 

• Immediately remove from the workplace any 

employee, regardless of vaccination status, who 

received a positive COVID-19 test or is diagnosed 

with COVID-19 by a licensed healthcare provider, 

and keep the employee out of the workplace until 

return to work criteria are met. 

• Ensure that each employee who is not fully 

vaccinated wears a face covering when indoors 

or when occupying a vehicle with another person 

for work purposes, except in certain limited 

circumstances. 

• Provide each employee with information, in a 

language and at a literacy level the employee 

understands, about the requirements of the ETS and 

workplace policies and procedures established to 

implement the ETS; vaccine efficacy, safety, and the 

benefits of being vaccinated (by providing the CDC 

document “Key Things to Know About COVID-19 

Vaccines”); protections against retaliation and 

discrimination; and laws that provide for criminal 

penalties for knowingly supplying false statements 

or documentation. 

• Report work-related COVID-19 fatalities to OSHA 

within 8 hours of learning about them, and workrelated 

COVID-19 in-patient hospitalizations 

within 24 hours of the employer learning about the 

hospitalization. 

• Make certain records available for examination 

and copying to an employee (and to anyone having 

written authorized consent of that employee) or an 

employee representative. 

When does it take effect? 

• Employers must comply with most provisions by 

30 days after the date of publication in the Federal 

Register 

• Employers must comply with the testing requirement 

by 60 days after the date of publication in the 

Federal Register 

This fact sheet highlights some of the requirements of 

the ETS; however employers should consult the standard 

for full details. Read the full text of the ETS at: www.osha. 

gov/coronavirus/ets2. 

Top Nurse Priorities: The top concern (86%) was the workforce crisis 

Additional Information 

Visit www.osha.gov/coronavirus for additional 

information on: 

• COVID-19 Laws and regulations 

• COVID-19 Enforcement policies 

• Compliance assistance materials and guidance 

• Worker’s Rights (including how/when to file a safety 

and health or whistleblower complaint). 

This Fact Sheet is intended to provide information 

about the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Act requires 

employers to comply with safety and health standards 

promulgated by OSHA or by a state with an OSHAapproved 

state plan. However, this Fact Sheet is not itself 

a standard or regulation, and it creates no new legal 

obligations.


Legislative Update October 2021 

At the Federal Level: 

The House and Senate have passed a resolution along 

with an extension of the debt ceiling that keeps America 

funded through Dec 3, 2021. 

Bipartisan Reconciliation Act: US House of 

Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi hopes to pass this 

bill by Halloween. 

In the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s 

jurisdiction, there are several nursing provisions that 

were included in the mark-up of the legislation that ANA 

supports: 

• FAAN Act, which includes $1 billion in funding for 

nursing education and faculty; 

• Various provisions of the “Momnibus;” 

• Funding for the Nurse Corps; and 

• Pandemic preparedness funding. 

H.R.5575 To amend title 38, United States Code, to 

increase the rate of pay for certain nurses and other 

medical positions of the Department of Veterans 

Affairs, and for other purposes. 

This is a newly introduced bill to the 117th US Congress 

to allow APRNs to have the caps lifted on salary levels. 

Letter to HHS Secretary on Staffing 

On September 1, ANA sent an open letter to HHS 

Secretary Xavier Becerra urging the Administration to 

declare the nurse staffing shortage a national crisis. We 

received notification from the HHS Chief of Staff that a 

formal response is upcoming. We will continue to fully 

engage with the Administration to help alleviate the issue. 

Additional asks included: 

• Convene stakeholders to identify short- and longterm 

solutions to staffing challenges; 

• Work with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid 

Services (CMS) on methodologies and approaches to 

promote payment equity; 

• Educate the nation on the importance of the 

COVID-19 vaccine; 

• Sustain a nursing workforce that meets current and 

future staffing demands; and 

• Provide additional resources including recruitment 

and retention incentives. 

Additionally, ANA worked with the Surgeon General 

Vivek Murthy to launch a campaign to combat health 

care misinformation, including misinformation about the 

COVID-19 vaccines. 

U.S. Cadet Nurse Corp 

The U.S. Cadet Nurse Corp language was included as 

an amendment in the National Defense Authorization Act 

(NDAA). The House passed the NDAA on Sept. 23 and 

it will now go to the Senate. NDAA is considered “must 

pass” legislation and the deadline to pass it is Dec. 31. 

Hispanic Nurses Resolution 

ANA supported a House resolution that would 

declare Sept. 22 as “National Hispanic Nurses Day.” 

The date chosen falls during Hispanic Heritage Month 

and recognizes the critical role diversity plays within 

the nursing profession. The resolution is led by Reps. 

Steven Horsford, Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, and Nanette Diaz 

Barragan. 

S. 610, the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider 

Protection Act – focuses on the reduction of burnout as 

well as suicide, in part through serving to increase access 

to behavioral and mental health service providers. Passed 

by the Senate, currently before the House. 

The ANA 2021 Leadership Summit will be held on 

December 7 – 9 from 4 pm EST to 8 pm EST each day. 

Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation and Immunizations 

Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation has added Mental 

Health to the domains: Physical Activity, Nutrition, Rest, 

Quality of Life, and Safety. 

Upcoming challenges: 

• Mindful Movement powered by Humana, began 

Oct. 11 (now ongoing, but you can still join) 

• Nutrition challenge, begins Nov. 8 

• At the Magnet/Pathway to Excellence Conference 

Nov. 11-13, 2021 

• Visit our HNHN virtual and physical booth. 

• Join the live, in person Tai Chi Event. 

• 2020-2021 Year 4 Highlights (HNHN’s annual 

report) compares nurse health prior to and during 

the pandemic 

It will be published in the October 2021 American 

Nurse journal and will be posted online after the 

publication. Highlights will be available at the Magnet/ 

PTE conference. Contact Holly Carpenter holly. 

carpenter@ana.org for questions 

Immunizations 

ANA reminds everyone to get their flu shot now if 

eligible if they have not already done so. 

ANA Flu Shot Fridays is an unbranded, educational 

campaign that ANA, in collaboration with Sanofi Pasteur, 

has launched. There is a toolkit to use complete with social 

media, graphics, and more available here https://www. 

webcargo.net/l/0KIi7jcI04/! 

Project Firstline 

ANA’s Project Firstline in collaboration with the 

Association of Professionals in Infection Control and 

Epidemiology (APIC) and School Nurses Associations 

offered three (3) webinars in October 2021: 

• How to Prepare for the Transmissible Fungus 

Candida Auris and Back to School Strategies to 

Reduce the Spread of COVID-19 in the K-12 School 

Setting: 

• Part I 

• Part 2 –see www.ANAProjectFirstline.org 

ANA Project Firstline invites you to subscribe to stay 

updated with the latest in infection prevention and control. 

OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard 

The Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) on 

Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 that was issued 

in June is set to expire at the end of six months unless 

renewed by the Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration (OSHA). In September, ANA sent a letter 

to the Department of Labor advocating for continuance of 

the ETS until a permanent standard is shared. The letter 

said that “OSHA should continue to use its authority to the 

fullest to ensure safety in the already-strained healthcare 

workforce, or risk exacerbating the workforce crisis 

further.” The Policy team is monitoring OSHA for any 

further actions, including additional emergency standards 

related to vaccines, that may have implications for nurse 

safety. 

Advocacy and Political Engagement 

The Advocacy and Engagement Team recently 

launched a campaign calling on Congress to prioritize 

nurses by investing in pandemic preparedness and 

addressing the immediate and long-term nursing shortage 

crisis. Nurse advocates led the charge by so far sending 

congressional members over 17,000 letters. Take Action 

now by sending a letter and sharing it with colleagues and 

your social networks. 

Be sure you are subscribed to RNAction to receive 

alerts on all our campaigns! 

ANA’s Advocacy and Engagement team continually 

strives to better learn and capitalize on the unique skills 

of its members for advocacy and engagement purposes. 

To better help inform us in this area, we are seeking your 

assistance to identify individuals in your state who might 

have strong political connections, social networks, deep 

policy or regulatory experience and/or advocacy skills. 

You are free to put forward yourself or others who possess 

these attributes. 

Pandemic preparedness link https://p2a.co/5KQIvuB 

Vermont State Policy/Legislative 

Nurse Licensure Compact 

The Nurse Compact (S.48, now Act 64) was passed 

after Executive Director Meredith Roberts testified to 

committees three times and several other individuals 

added their opinions. This also resulted in two 

amendments that include having the Office of Public 

Regulation report to the House Committee on Health Care 

and Government Operations Committee as well as the 

Senate Health and Welfare Committee on costs related to 

license fees and potential alternatives for financial support 

if there is a recommendation to increase nursing fees. If 

an increase in nursing fees is needed, it is to only apply to 

compact license fees so single state license nurses would 

not be affected. The compact begins in February 2022. 

In Alaska, SB 67 was introduced in early September 

regarding the state joining the NLC, but the bill failed to 

advance. However, there are now 38 states and territories 

in the Compact. Seven states are considering passage 

of the APRN compact, which is different from the RN 

compact. 

Telehealth 

H.104 – (now Act 21) considers the interstate practice 

of health care professionals using telehealth, and created 

the Facilitation of Interstate Practice Using Telehealth 

Working Group. ANA-Vermont is part of the Telehealth 

Working Group created by Act 21 of 2021 to compile and 

evaluate methods for facilitating the practice of health care 

professionals throughout the United States using telehealth 

modalities. The Working Group's report is due to the General 

Assembly by December 15, 2021. The sub-groups are: 

1. Telehealth Licenses 

2. National Licensure Compacts 

3. Regional Reciprocity Agreements 

4. Waiver of Licensure 

5. Other Policy Options & International Practice 

S.42 (Now Act 37) establishes the Emergency Service 

Provider Wellness Commission. The bill received 

testimony by nurses, nurse legislators and EMS providers. 

The Commission will identify where support agencies, 

or other community service systems could improve the 

physical and mental health outcomes of providers and 

identifies how Vermont can increase capacity of qualified 

clinicians in the treatment of emergency service providers. 

The commission will educate about best practices and 

strategies for the prevention and intervention for the 

effects of trauma experienced by providers. It also 

offers recommendations on how peer support services 

and qualified clinician services can be delivered. The 

commission of more than 20 includes the Commissioner 

of Health, and Mental Health, a clinician associated with 

a peer support program who has experience in treating 

workplace trauma, and a representative (appointed by the 

Vermont Association for Hospitals and Health Systems), 

and needs to include nurses. 

H.183, an act relating to sexual violence passed and 

is now Act 68. It proposes to revise and clarify the laws 

concerning consent to sexual activity, require data 

collection and reporting of information concerning 

reports of domestic and sexual violence, establishes the 

10 member Intercollegiate Sexual Violence Prevention 

Council (which includes a SANE nurse), and funds the 

expansion of forensic medical care for sexual assault 

patients within primary care and reproductive health care 

settings.


H.195 was signed into law. Act 17 relates to use of 

facial recognition technology by law enforcement in cases 

involving sexual exploitation of children. 

H.210 passed. Act 33 addresses disparities and 

promotes equity in the health care system. The House 

Committee on Healthcare received a presentation on 

healthcare disparities by Dr. Maria Mercedes Avila 

which included statistics on health disparities as well as 

suggestions for best practices to reduce disparities. This 

bill will establish a 27 member Health Equity Advisory 

Commission “to promote health equity and eradicate 

health disparities among Vermonters,” particularly people 

of color, LGBTQ individuals and people with disabilities, 

and will put the state on a path to creating an Office of 

Health Equity. The Health Commission will guide the 

formation of a state Office of Health Equity, shaping 

structure and duties, and setting standards for programs 

and grants. 

H.439 Budget bill, includes money for RN scholarships 

for students who commit to practice in VT. 

H. 315 (Act 9) included LPN workforce funding, adding 

40-45 LPN seats. 

H.225 An act relating to possession of a therapeutic 

dosage of buprenorphine passed the House and senate and 

is now Act 46. 

S.120 is to create the Joint Legislative Health Care 

Affordability Study Committee to explore opportunities 

to make healthcare more affordable. S.120 received a 

favorable report from the Health and Welfare Committee 

and was Referred to Committee on Rules per Temporary 

Senate Rule 44A and will receive testimony next session 

from providers. 

Cross Border Practice/Scope of Practice 

• Kentucky went into special session during 

September and extended the pandemic state of 

emergency until January 15th via HJR 1, including 

the continuation of all collaborative agreement 

exemptions. 

• New Hampshire LSR 2529 – pre-filed, involving the 

licensure of out-of-state health care professionals. 

Massachusetts is meeting regarding the scope of 

practice of APRNs being expanded. Massachusetts also 

applied for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) (https:// 

www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1319) 

funds to create a Center for Workplace Development. I 

have requested information about this from their ED. 

More on State based American Rescue Plan Act 

(ARPA) funding: 

- Kansas recently announced $50 million in available 

funding for hospitals to either provide premium 

pay or improve retention of nursing resources 

and support personnel, approved by the SPARK 

Executive Committee. This emergency funding is 

providing immediate support for Kansas hospitals 

to manage the current COVID-19 surge and address 

critical shortages in nurse staffing across the state. 

- Governor Jim Justice of West Virginia announced 

the Saving Our Care initiative which will provide 

“staffing assistance and financial help to hospitals 

and long-term care facilities like nursing homes and 

assisted living facilities to keep workforce levels up” 

(including nurses). The program will also provide 

financial assistance to hospitals that have to defer 

elective procedures” with further details to come. 

- Pre-filed bills in Florida (HB 17/SB 312) would 

revise the prohibition on prescribing controlled 

substances through use of telehealth to include only 

specified controlled substances. Another pre-filed 

legislation in Florida (SB 330) authorizes Medicaid 

to reimburse providers for certain remote evaluation 

and patient monitoring services. 

Our Federal Legislators keep hearing how nurses need 

to be considered equitably with physicians in decisions 

and funding concerning the practitioner workforce, 

and how school nurses not only care for students and 

adults in schools, but are spread thin following up with 

contact tracing, educating families, and similar activities. 

Increasing the workforce is critical. Nurse faculty cannot 

continue to receive less pay than nurses in acute settings, 

and we are invited to meet with them prior to the opening 

of the legislative session so they hear how nurses have 

been traumatized by seeing so many die. 

Vermont has been invited by our National ANA 

delegation, to provide feedback and information about 

nurse staffing shortages. During the listening sessions, 

we will be asked about qualitative and quantitative 

information for comprehensive understanding of the 

current issues. Questions will include: 

• Are you currently in a state/region/locality that is 

experiencing a nurse staffing shortage? 

• What are the underlying reasons for the shortage at 

this time? 

• What health care services have been impacted? 

What, if any, services are not currently being offered 

as a direct result of the nurse staffing shortage? 

• Can you quantify how many nurses are needed to 

be at an appropriate staffing level at facilities across 

your state? 

• Do you know if nurses are leaving the profession 

entirely? If yes, can you quantify the number of 

nurses leaving the profession entirely? 

• What actions have been taken to address the 

shortage? Are they working? 

• If no action has been taken, what could be done in 

the short term to mitigate the impact of the shortage? 

What are the barriers to implementing the solution? 

• What long term policy solutions are needed to 

address nurse staffing challenges? 

Please let us know about the scope of the problem, so 

we can share. Contact me at vtnurse@ana-vermont.org or 

talk to your favorite Board member.


ANA Vermont Fall Election Results Announced 

ANA-Vermont elections concluded September 23, 

2021. The Vice President, Secretary, a Director and the 

Representative to the Membership Assembly are elected in 

odd years, and serve for two years beginning in January 

2022 (after a mentoring period and after the annual 

meeting). The President, the Treasurer, and one Director 

shall be elected in even numbered years so will be on the 

2022 ballot (to start in 2023). A member of ANA- Vermont 

may declare as a candidate by writing to the Chair of the 

Nominations and Elections Committee mwadenp@gmail. 

com or Contact ANA-VT at vtnurse@ana-vermont.org. 

Please join me in welcoming: 

Dionne Heyliger – VP 

Dionne became a LPN in 

2011 and then became a RN 

(BSN) in 2015. She has put 

herself in positions where she 

can gain knowledge to enable 

her to advocate and safely care 

for her patients. In the past five 

years working at UVMMC 

as a neurology/neurosurgery 

nurse, she has seen how 

leadership positions can result 

in improved patient care and 

advocacy for improving nurse work environments. Prior 

to UVMMC she was a nurse at the LUND center and the 

Maple Leaf facility in Underhill, VT. She has also worked 

as an office nurse in a small family practice in Johnson, 

VT. 

She believes in life-long learning and in addition to 

continued education on how to best care for her patients, 

she now feels ready to advocate for nurses to ensure we 

reach our full potential on a larger scale. 

Her favorite activities are mountain biking and 

snowboarding. She also enjoys hiking with her two dogs 

and exploring all the terrain that Vermont has to offer. 

Samantha Gambero – Secretary 

Samantha Gambero is a Director of Nursing in a 100+ 

bed facility with over 20 multi-disciplinary staff. She is 

responsible for the overall operations and success of the 

long term care establishment. 

Prior to that she was a Director 

and Nurse Supervisor. She 

wants to be secretary of ANA- 

VT to bring her leadership 

perspective to an organization 

that promotes advancement, 

high standards, safety, and 

ethics for nurses and their 

patients. She wants to be a 

voice for all the nurses she has, 

will, and is working with. 

At a young age, Samantha 

developed a love and respect 

for nursing, as she grew up in a family full of healthcare 

workers. Which is why, even with the challenges of 

raising a special needs child and taking care of her ill 

Mom, she persisted and became an RN. However, she 

wasn’t satisfied with just attaining the degree. She had 

high expectations of herself and propelled herself into 

maintaining the highest GPA in her class, being inducted 

into the Nursing Honor Society and being elected 

Class President (Class President 2013-2014, Nursing 

Honor Society). After graduation, she took her passion 

directly into her career and quickly became a Nurse 

Supervisor and then a Director. She is responsible for 

the overall operations and success of her long term care 

establishment, and is most proud of her team building and 

employee growth initiatives. 

Betsy Hassan – Membership 

Assembly Representative 

Betsy Hassan, DNP, RN, 

NEA-BC, CPPS is the Chief 

Nursing Officer and Vice 

President of Patient Care 

Services at Rutland Regional 

Medical Center. However, she 

is transitioning to a new role 

at UVMMC as Director of 

Education and Professional 

Development. She feels a 

vested interest in representing 

Vermont nurses at the State, Regional, and National level. 

"Advocating for Vermont nurses and the profession 

related to workplace safety, evidence based patient care, 

and workforce development are paramount to our State." 

Betsy was born and raised in Rutland, Vermont. She 

returned to the area in 2016 as the Director of Nursing 

Excellence. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice from 

the MGH Institute of Health Professions, a Master of 

Science in Nursing and Bachelor of Science in Nursing 

from the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, and 

a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Vermont. Betsy 

holds specialty certification from the American Nurses 

Credentialing Center as a board certified Nurse Executive 

- Advanced, and as a Certified Professional in Patient 

Safety through the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. 

Betsy has served ANA-Vermont as Vice President and 

is a current representative to the Northeast Multi-State 

Division. Other activity: IHI, AACN, ACHE, Sigma Theta 

Tau (Nu Beta Chapter) 

Michelle Wade MSN/Ed, 

APRN, NP-C, ACNPAG-C 

Michelle was appointed 

Director when a vacancy 

occurred and now seeks 

formal election as director. 

She leads our ANA-VT 

Nominations Committee. 

She is the Vermont Nurse 

Practitioners Association 

(VNPA) President, is a VNPA 

conference committee member 

on the VNPA Nominations 

Committee, and is a AANP state Representative as well as 

on the AANP Awards Committee. 

She has knowledge of many nurse leaders, both as a 

clinician and faculty member. She hopes to assist students 

and nurses eager to serve but who do not know how to get 

started. 

IS YOUR NURSING ORGANIZATION 

PLANNING AN EDUCATION 

PROGRAM? 

CONSIDER APPLYING FOR CONTACT HOUR APPROVAL 

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL THE ANA-Vermont OFFICE 

@ (802) 651-8886 

The Northeast Multi-State Division, (NE-MSD) is accredited as an approver of 

continuing education in nursing by the American Nurses’ Credentialing Center’s 

Commission on Accreditation. 

ANA-Vermont New Members 

Catherine Amarante 

Shelby Chicoine 

Mary O. Clark 

Victoria Collingwood 

Brian Commins 

Jordice Corey 

Colleen Maureen Doyle 

Elise Gloeckner 

Laur Grande 

Jodi Hollingdrake 

Sandra Johnson-Long 

Sara W. Kelly 

Sharon Laskevich 

Alex Low 

Abigail J. Magwire 

Heather Marcoux 

Mary Jean 

Mueckenheim 

Shannon Murphy- 

Miller 

Gail Powers 

Mini Sharma 

Allison Shewmaker 

Donna Toohey 

Heather Trembley 

Debra Tuttle 

Taylor K. Wellington 

Martha Ming Whitfield 

CLINIC PRACTICE MANAGER 

White River Family Practice is looking for an experienced Registered 

Nurse or Advanced Associate Provider to manage our office. This is an 

exciting opportunity to lead an award- winning, NCQA-certified family 

medicine group into the next decade. We are a cohesive group of 5 

physicians, three nurse practitioners and 15 support staff committed 

to offering compassionate care. The relatively small size of the office 

allows us to provide care with a personal touch and to also be nimble 

enough to navigate the everchanging medical landscape efficiently. 

Management experience of a clinical team of 5 or more people is 

required. Salary is competitive and compensatory with level of medical 

training and managerial skills 

Please send your CV to Dr. Michael Lyons 

at Michael.l.lyons@dartmouth.edu 

NURSES 

Privately owned • 64 bed facility • 5 star quality rated 

We hope that employment here will not be just a “job,” but rather 

a place where you can enjoy the fulfillment of giving to those in 

need, a place to meet people and develop friendships, and a place 

where you can develop yourself and your abilities. 

We are medically advanced; draw blood, start IV’s, 

do PICC lines, wound care, etc. 

110 Fairfax Road • St. Albans, VT 05478 • Phone 802-752-1600 

www.franklincountyrehab.com


ANA-VT 

Membership Application 

Nursing continues to be the most trusted 

profession as indicated in annual surveys. This 

attests to the collective contributions nurses make 

as they care for patients, families and communities. 

Efforts of individual nurses however deserve special 

recognition by colleagues, employers, patients, 

families and friends. There are many reasons 

to Honor a Nurse such as: to thank a mentor, to 

acknowledge excellent care given by a nurse to a 

patient, to celebrate a milestone such as a birthday 

or retirement, or to recognize a promotion. Just 

think for a moment, you will know a nurse to honor. 

Celebration: The honored nurses and the persons 

nominating them will be recognized at the ANA- 

Vermont Convention in 2021. The honored nurses 

each will receive a certificate identifying the person 

recognizing her/him as well as the reason for the 

honor. Submit nominations by: September 1, 2021. 

All contributions are tax deductible to the full 

extent allowed by law. ANA-Vermont Foundation 

is a 501(c)3 organization. Nominations this year are 

online. 

Please go here to nominate someone: 

https://www.nursingworld.org/foundation/ 

donate/honor-a-nurse/ 

Evening Nurse 

The successful candidate will be an experienced Registered Nurse who 

will work with Kurn Hattin staff to protect and promote the health of 

our children, ages 5-15, during the hours of 1:00 – 9:00 PM, Monday 

through Friday. 

The position is responsible for directly administering medications during 

the evening hours and for medication documentation and inventories. 

You will conduct school screenings and physical assessments. 

Kurn Hattin provides a generous benefits package including health, 

dental, vision, life, and short term disability insurance. There is also paid 

time off and a retirement program. 

Please submit a resume and references along with your cover letter 

telling us why you would like to become part of our dedicated team. 

Your next opportunity is at the 

Vermont Veterans’ Home! 

We invite you to become part of our health-care team 

where we focus on resident-centered care fulfilling 

America’s promise to care for our country’s Veterans, 

their Spouses, and Gold Star Parents. Together we strive 

to create an environment that provides our residents with 

the dignity and respect that they so rightfully deserve. 

Nursing Employment Opportunities 

• Licensed Nursing Assistant – Job Posting ID #170 

• Licensed Practical Nurse – Job Posting ID #1964 

• Registered Nurse I – Job Posting ID #172 

• Registered Nurse II – Job Posting ID #176 

For more information, contact: 

Patricia.Crossman@vermont.gov or peruse the 

following websites: Vermont Veterans’ Home website: 

https://vvh.vermont.gov/ State of Vermont careers 

website: https://humanresources.vermont.gov/careers 

The State of Vermont offers an excellent total compensation package. To apply, you must use the online job application at 

https://careers.vermont.gov. For questions related to your application, please contact the Department of Human Resources Recruitment 

Services at (800) 640-1657 (voice) or (800) 253-0191 (TTY/Relay Service. The State of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Vermont Nurse Connection - November 2021

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