Georgia Nursing January 2022

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Page 2 • Georgia Nursing January, February, March 2022 GEORGIA NURSING Volume 82 • Number 1 Message from your new President-elect Happy New Year! It is my hope that you and your family had a fun, safe and healthy holiday season. Many families returned to celebrating in person while many families continue to mourn lost loved ones. From the bottom of our hearts, the Georgia Nurses Association (GNA) is thinking of each person who has been affected by the pandemic over the past two years. The news reminds us of the need to continue to protect ourselves and those who we cherish. It is not unusual to hear the great debate going on amongst friends, family members, coworkers, and the like. The decision to be vaccinated versus the choice to remain unvaccinated has divided the nation and abroad. Boosters have sparked even more debate. As the conspiracies and mistrust rage on, remember whatever you decide, your immune system is your first line of defense, especially in the winter months. Here are some tips you can use to keep your immune system in good condition: 1 Stop smoking if you are a smoker. 2 Make sure your diet consists of plant-based items such as fruits and vegetables. 3 Get moving! Stay active. 4 Take time to rest. Sleep is important to immunity. 5 Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer frequently. On another note, Georgia’s 2022 Legislative Session will commence on January 11th and conclude on day 40. The GNA has an ambitious legislative platform that we believe will address some of the priority needs of our profession. We welcome your feedback, your input, and your participation. Do not hesitate to contact us at the GNA office or by email with your questions or concerns. The board of directors are poised and ready to represent the nurses of Georgia under the “Gold Dome.” We will periodically send out calls for your participation as we work to better working conditions for nurses in Georgia. Your stories, your experiences, and your insight are all invaluable. As your newly elected President-Elect, I would like to thank each of you for your vote for me, I am forever grateful for your trust and belief in my skills and ability to serve in this capacity. With gratitude, Erica Mills, PhD, RN, NPD-BC President-Elect, Georgia Nurses Association Board of Directors 2021-2023 News from the Foundation The Georgia Nurses Foundation (GNF) awarded a Kathryn Chance Suggs Leonard Scholarship of $2,000 this year to Morgan Clark-Youngblood. Congratulations Morgan! The Georgia Nurses Foundation and Georgia Nurses Association Nursing Scholarship Awards provide financial assistance to qualified applicants who may be enrolled full- or parttime in an accredited nursing program. Interested students must have a GPA of at least a 2.5 (undergraduate) or 3.0 (graduate) on a 4.0 scale in prior nursing education. For more information, visit GeorgiaNurses.org. Communications Director: Charlotte Báez-Díaz GEORGIA NURSES FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES Wanda Jones, BSN, RN, MSN, FNP-BC, President Orlin Marquez, DNP, MBA, APRN, FNP-BC, Vice President Vacant, Secretary Shawn Little, CNE, DNP, RN, Treasurer Catherine Futch, RN, MN, NEA-BC, CHC, FACHE, Immediate Past President Evelyn M. Olenick, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, Member Sherry Sims, RN, Member Mary Gullatte, PhD, RN, ANP-BC, AOCN, FAAN, Member Natalie Jones, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, Member Gerald Hobbs, RN, Member Brenda B. Rowe, RN, MN, JD, Member Katelyn Little, RN, BSN, Member Dina Hewett, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, Member Matt Caseman, Ex-Officio Member GEORGIA NURSES ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS President - Dina Hewett, PhD, RN, NEA-BC President-Elect & ANA Delegate-At-Large Erica Mills, PhD, RN, NPD-BC Secretary & ANA Delegate-At-Large Barbara Austin, MN, RN Treasurer & 1st Alternate ANA Delegate-At-Large Rachel E. Myers, PhD, RN, CDCES Director of Leadership Development & 2nd ANA Delegate-At-Large Linda Morrow, DPN, MSN, MBA, NE-BC, CPHQ Director Legislation/Public Policy Elizabeth K. Bolton-Harris, DNP, ACNP-BC, CHFN Director Nursing Practice & Advocacy Joy L. King-Mark, DNP, MBA, APRN, NP-C Director Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Victoria Gordon, MSN, RN, CNM Director Staff Nurse Natasha Laibhen-Parkes, PhD, RN, CPN Director Membership Development Bree Becker, MSN, FNP-C, RNC-MNN Director New Graduate Emily Kathryn Lewis, BSN, RN GNF President Wanda Jones, BSN, RN, MSN, FNP-BC For advertising rates and information, please contact Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc., PO Box 216, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613, (800) 626-4081. GNF and the Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc. reserve the right to reject any advertisement. Responsibility for errors in advertising is limited to corrections in the next issue or refund of price of advertisement. Acceptance of advertising does not imply endorsement or approval by the Georgia Nurses Foundation 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. GNF 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 GNF or those of the national or local associations. Georgia Nursing is published quarterly every January, April, July and October for the Georgia Nurses Foundation, a constituent member of the American Nurses Association. GNA/GNF 3032 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta, GA 30329 www.georgianurses.org, gna@georgianurses.org (404) 325-5536 FOLLOW GNA GNF President Wanda Jones and Morgan @georgianurses facebook.com/ganurses @GeorgiaNurses Georgia Nurses Association
Calllliing A No Otheer. Liikee January, February, March 2022 Georgia Nursing • Page 3 CEO CORNER GNF PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Matt Caseman, GNA CEO As we head towards 2022, GNA continues to progress and evolve because of our members’ dedication and hard work. First and foremost, a new GNA Board of Directors was elected, and Dr. Dina Hewett took over as GNA President from Richard Lamphier. Dina has been a champion for the profession, and we are excited to have her leading Georgia’s oldest and largest professional nursing association. Richard, who fearlessly led GNA through the pandemic, a monumental task indeed, will not be going far from GNA. In fact, we are pleased to announce he will be the new Executive Director of our Peer Assistance Program (GNA-PAP) which received $150,000 in the state budget for a much-needed expansion. Established in the 1980s, GNA-PAP is nurses helping nurses with the disease of substance use disorder. Participants, who are drug tested weekly, meet in groups with a facilitator for many months until they get back on their feet. Thousands of Georgia’s nurses have been helped over the years through our PAP and I could not be prouder of its amazing success. Regarding legislative advocacy, lawmakers will be back in session in January and GNA will be working the hallways and corridors under the Gold Dome in Atlanta to advance our priorities. SB 19, and companion legislation HB 371, would require hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to utilize surgical smoke evacuation systems during surgical procedures. Smoke produced during surgery has been proven toxic and an extreme detriment to the health of our operating room nurses. Another focus during the 2022 legislative session is our APRNs. HB 340 would create a separate APRN license, allow APRNs and PAs to do Home Health Service orders, and allow the Board of Nursing to collect nursing workforce data. HB 369 would allow APRNs and PAs to write prescriptions for Schedule II in an emergency for an amount not to exceed five days. HB 369 also includes a section on allowing APRNs/PAs to authorize disability parking permits. Front and center is also the nursing shortage. GNA recently testified before the House Human Relations and Aging Committee on safe staffing and patient safety, and the need to recruit and retain bedside nurses. Georgia had the 5th worse nursing shortage in the country in 2019, and the pandemic has only exacerbated an already dire situation. GNA, along with other stakeholders, will be working to help ease the shortage during the 2022 General Assembly. Lastly, to honor our nurse legends from Georgia, the Georgia Nurses Foundation will be hosting the first annual Georgia Nursing Hall of Fame on February 10th in a ceremony at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital atrium and auditorium from 6 pm to 10 pm. The ten inaugural inductees have been announced and tickets for the ceremony are available for purchase on our website. Seating is limited. Please join us for what is sure to be a great night recognizing our state’s most accomplished nurses. We will also be holding an in-person annual conference in the Fall of 2022. Location and date have yet to be determined. With Zoom fatigue at an all-time high, I think many agree that it is long overdue that we gather face to face. As always, thank you for your continued support of GNA/GNF and everything you do for our community. New Beginnings Wanda Jones, MSN, FNP-BC, RN As I begin my second term as your GNF President, I am looking forward to the great things we will accomplish in the next two years. Several projects were started in the past two years but had to be put on hold due to COVID-19. I am so honored and privileged to know that the Georgia Nursing Hall of Fame Inaugural Inductees Ceremony will finally take place on February 10, 2022. Three judges outside of Georgia selected ten exemplary nurses who have met the required criteria for selection. These inductees will be the inaugural class for GNF’s Hall of Fame. It will be an exciting time to honor these nurses at Piedmont Hospital Marcus Heart Center. A limited number of tickets for this event, so please look on the GNA website for details to purchase your tickets. This will be a time we can honor these nurses who have made a difference for nurses and nursing in the state of Georgia, nationally and internationally. In addition, I am excited to report that the Georgia Center for Nursing Excellence (GCNE), led by Patricia Horton, RN, MN, MBA, CMC, CEEO, has acquired its articles of incorporation and is moving forward with various projects, starting with the hosting of the first Georgia Nursing Workforce Summit on January 20th and 21st. Please go to GCNE’s website (www.gcnex.org) to learn more about the 2022 Summit and other agenda items. Furthermore, GNF is planning on a golf tournament in the spring and Bobby Albert has committed to help us with this golf tournament. With our previous tournaments, before 2020, a fun time was had by all the participants. Lastly, we have a new diverse Board of Trustees that I am very honored to be able to work with. Their expertise and knowledge will only enhance the Foundation moving forward with new and innovative ideas. In closing, as I am writing this article, Thanksgiving is only a few days away. At this time of the year, we need to give thanks and blessings for our family, friends, work, health, and our freedom. I truly hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with their family and friends, ate lots of healthy food, and finally talked with one another.
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