Maryland Nurse Journal - April 2022

The 

MARYLAND 

Nurse Journal 

The Official Journal 

of the Maryland 

Nurses Association 

The State Nurses Association 

affiliated with the American 

Nurses Association, and 

Representing Maryland’s 

Professional Nurses 

since 1904 

Legislative 

Corner: 

Advocating for 

Change. Nursing 

Voices are Heard! 

Page 14-19 

Volume 23 • Issue 3 

May, June, July 2022 

Circulation 91,000 to all Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses and Student Nurses in Maryland 

President’s Message 

Inside this Issue... 

current resident or 

NEW: The 

Maryland Nurse 

Journal Offers 

Continuing 

Education. 

Page 20 

ANA/MNA News 

YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE: 2022 Nurses Month. . . . .4 

District 2 Focuses on School Nursing . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 

District 9’s Spring Meeting ....................8 

District 8’s Project (Support for the Clara Barton 

Memorial). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 

MNA District 5’s Nurse Well-Being 

Webinar Session. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 

Legislative Corner 

The APRN Licensure Compact: NPAM’s Position . . . .14 

Senator Ben Cardin Meets with Healthcare 

Representatives to Discuss the Pandemic .........16 

Coppin State University Student and Others 

Advocate for a Nurse in Every School . . . . . . . . . . . .17 

Nursing Organizations 

7th Annual NP Lobby Night Hosted by NPAM on 

January 25th ................................23 

Awards 

Dr. Melani Bell Awarded Maryland’s Top 100 Women 

Recipient. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 

NFM Announces Nursing Scholarships. . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 

Education .............................26-29 

Presort Standard 

US Postage 

PAID 

Permit #14 

Princeton, MN 

55371 

Nurses Month 2022, Black Health and 

Wellness, and MNA’s Legislative 

“Nurses Night” Out 

Dr. Christie 

Simon-Waterman, 

MNA President 

National Nurses Month 

May 6 – May 12, 2022, 

is National Nurses Week. 

May 6 is Nurses Day, 

when Americans celebrate 

the role of nurses in their 

lives. This year Nurses 

Week is expanding to 

make the entire month of 

May “Nurses Month!” 

What is special about 

Christie Simon- 

Waterman 

Nurses in 2022? In 2021, the American Nurses 

Association (ANA) theme was "Nurses Make a 

Difference.” This year, as we emerge cautiously from 

a prolonged, worldwide, deadly pandemic, we agree 

with that more than ever. Nurses have come through 

the fire, and we are growing in power. 

The 2022 theme of the International Council of 

Nurses (ICN) emphasizes the increasing awareness 

of the power of the nursing profession in creating 

an effective and just health care system: “Nurses: A 

Voice to Lead—Invest in nursing and respect rights 

to secure global health.” 

The 2022 theme of the American Association of 

Critical-Care Nurses (AACN, at https://www.aacn. 

org/) celebrates a special trait of nursing today: We 

are “Rooted in Strength.” AACN President Beth 

Wathan worded it this way: “Disruptive forces have 

led to countless changes in our everyday lives, and 

it has led to devastating loss.” But she describes this 

as an evolution “like a wildfire, and our recovery 

(is like) the new growth of wildflowers and 

evergreens after a fire.” 

Nurses have come through the fire, and we 

are growing in power. The 2022 Convention 

of the Maryland Nurse Association (MNA) 

reflects this in our theme, “Maryland Nurses 

RISE: Revitalize, Inspire, Succeed, Evolve.” 

We will come together again at the Maritime 

Institute in Linthicum this October to share 

how our challenges are making us strong and 

how we are making a difference. Go to MNA’s 

website https://mna.nursingnetwork.com/. You 

can learn what MNA and your MNA Districts 

are doing to celebrate nursing in 2022. 

A Special Black History Month 

February 2022 was a special Black History Month 

for nurses because of its theme, “Black Health and 

Wellness.” It called on all Americans to celebrate 

the health providers and scholars from the Black 

community. The timing of this theme is particularly 

appropriate, as we entered the third year of a 

pandemic that has magnified health care disparities 

and placed disproportionate burdens on Black 

patients and Black professionals. 

It is not surprising that the pandemic’s burden of 

illness and death has disproportionally impacted 

our minority population. The pandemic has added 

extreme stress to health care workers, especially 

nurses, who fight side by side with our patients for 

their lives. 

Both the ANA and MNA advocate for equity and 

have taken strong public positions against structural 

racism and other forms of oppression in our country 

and healthcare system. 

Inequities result in suffering and lower US 

health outcomes data. For nurses, especially Black 

nurses, who are more likely to be the caregivers 

serving minority communities, inequities create 

an environment of moral distress and can lead to 

“burnout” when they experience these barriers to 

quality care. 

During Black History Month this year, MNA 

honored our Black nurses' outsized sacrifices and 

contributions in all areas of caring, from clinical 

practice to the legislature. We remember our 20thcentury 

Black nursing leaders who inspired nurses 

and the nursing profession to take a leadership role in 

the struggle for equity. We remember Dr. Bernardine 

Lacey, who founded a nursing program at a major 

university, and Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, who became 

a Maryland Senator. They described their struggles 

for us, first to overcome discriminatory barriers from 

colleagues in a predominantly White profession who 

questioned their abilities, then to face bigoted patients 

who were uncomfortable with their care, and finally 

to promote change in our healthcare system. 

MNA empowers the voice of nurses. Nurses know 

how the healthcare system operates, and Black nurses 

know its inequities better than any other group. Our 

Black nursing leaders showed us that nurses could 

President’s Message continued on page 2

Page 2 • The Maryland Nurse Journal May, June, July 2022 

PUBLICATION 

The Maryland Nurse Journal Publication Schedule 

Issue 

Material Due to MNA 

July 2022 June 14, 2022 

The Maryland Nurse Journal, the official 

publication of the Maryland Nurses Association, is 

published quarterly with an annual subscription of 

$20.00. 

MISSION STATEMENT 

The Maryland Nurses Association, the voice of 

Nurses, advocates for excellence in nursing and the 

highest quality healthcare for all. 

Our core values: 

Courage, Respect, Integrity, 

Accountability, Inclusiveness 

Approved by MNA BOD, 2019 

President’s Message continued from page 1 

come through the fire and grow in power. Together 

nurses will improve access, equity, and the quality of 

care in the US. 

MNA’s Legislative Nurses Night Out 

Maryland Nurses Association’s 2022 “Nurses 

Legislative Night Out” on February 21 was attended 

by over 250 nurses, who united in advocating for 

nursing with our Maryland lawmakers. Once again, it 

was virtual via Zoom instead of on-site in Annapolis 

due to the pandemic. Three identified groups were 

among those who participated in Nurses Night: 

• Students from Howard Community College 

• Students from Coppin State University 

• Nurses from the University of Maryland 

Medical Center. 

The MNA Legislative Committee is always busy 

during the 90-day Legislative Session. This year, 

there was a landslide of bills proposing to change 

how nurses are licensed or how we deliver care, 

partly in response to the need for nurses highlighted 

by the pandemic. That kept your Legislative 

Committee and our MNA Lobbyist very busy, 

educating our state senators and delegates about the 

need to support some proposals and stop others. 

“Nurses Night” participants met some of MNA’s 

advocacy leaders, who described three bills that 

they have chosen in the 2022 Legislative Session as 

important for nurses to speak up about: SB 716 to 

create a Loan Assistance program for healthcare 

workers, SB 1208 with strategies to expand the 

healthcare workforce, and SB 856/HB 1004, for 

a full-time nurse in every Maryland school. I am 

especially excited about that proposal. That means 

that nurses would be protecting public health, 

providing care, reducing risk, managing chronic 

disease, counseling, and engaging in screening, 

referrals, follow-up, and surveillance in every 

community in Maryland. The presence of a full-time 

school nurse is associated with improved academic 

performance and improved health. This bill was 

introduced by two Registered Nurses who are now 

elected officials, Senator Addie Eckardt and Delegate 

Geraldine Valentino-Smith. 

A highlight of “Nurses Night” is always the 

presentation of MNA’s Legislator of the Year Award. 

The year Legislative Chair and MNA Past President, 

Dr. Charlotte Wood, presented MNA’s Legislator of 

the Year Awards to Delegate Joseline Pena-Melnick 

and Senator Melony Griffith. We thanked Delegate 

Pena-Melnick and Senator Griffith for their advocacy 

in support of a healthier Maryland. 

Special appreciation goes to our “Nurses Night” 

sponsor, Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency (ALD), 

the publisher of The Maryland Nurse Journal. 

ARTICLES AND SUBMISSIONS 

FOR PEER REVIEW 

The Maryland Nurse Journal is a refereed, peerreviewed 

journal that welcomes original research 

and other articles, opinions, and news items for 

publication. The editorial board reviews all material 

prior to acceptance. Once accepted, manuscripts 

become the property of The Maryland Nurse 

Journal. Articles may be used in print or online 

by the Maryland Nurses Association and archived 

online. It is standard practice for articles to be 

published in only one publication. If the submission 

has been previously distributed in any manner to 

any audience, please include this information with 

your submission. Once published, articles cannot be 

reproduced elsewhere without permission from the 

publisher. 

Preparing the Manuscript: 

1. All submissions must be submitted to 

TheMarylandNurse@gmail.com in WORD 

format with 12-point font and double spacing. 

2. A separate title page should be included and 

contain a suggested title and the name or names 

of the author(s), credentials, professional title, 

current position, e-mail, mailing address, and 

telephone contact, if applicable. 

3. Subheadings are encouraged throughout the 

article to enhance readability. 

4. Article length should not exceed five (5) 8 ½ X 

11 pages (1500-2000 words). 

5. All statements based on published findings 

or data should be referenced appropriately. 

References should be listed in the text and at 

the end of the article following the American 

Psychological Association (APA) 7th edition 

format and style (www.apastyle.org/elecref. 

html). A maximum of 15 references will be 

printed with the article. All references should be 

recent– published within the past 5 to 7 years– 

unless using a seminal text on a given subject. 

6. Articles should not mention product and service 

providers. 

7. Photos must be submitted as separate 

attachments. 

Editing: 

All submissions are edited for clarity, style, and 

conciseness. Scholarly submissions are double-blind 

peer-reviewed by at least two reviewers. Reviewers 

may return recommendations and comments to the 

authors if reviewers request significant clarification, 

verification, or amplification. Original publications 

may be reprinted in The Maryland Nurse Journal 

with written permission from the original author and/ 

or publishing company that owns the copyright. The 

same consideration is requested for authors who may 

have original articles published first in The Maryland 

Nurse Journal. 

Authors may review the article to be published 

in its final form. Authors may be requested to sign 

a release form prior to publication. The Maryland 

Nurses Association retains copyrights on published 

articles, subject to copyright laws and the signing of a 

copyright transfer and warranty agreement, and may 

transfer that right to a third party. 

The Maryland Nurse Journal attempts to select 

authors who are knowledgeable in their fields. 

The views and opinions expressed by authors are 

those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect 

the opinions or recommendations of the MNA, 

the Editors, the Editorial Board members, or the 

Publisher. Submissions must be sent electronically to 

TheMarylandNurse@gmail.com. 

Submissions must be sent electronically to 

TheMarylandNurse@gmail.com. 

If you are interested in reviewing, reporting, or writing 

for The Maryland Nurse, contact us. 

443-334-5110 

Contact us at TheMarylandNurse@gmail.com 

THE EDITORIAL BOARD 

OF THE MARYLAND NURSE JOURNAL 

Kristen McVerry, MSN, RN-BC, Editor-in-Chief 

Nayna Philipsen, PhD, MA, MSN, JD, RN, CFE, FACCE 

Beverly Lang, MScN, RN, ANP-BC, FAANP 

Linda Stierle, MSN, RN 

Kathleen Ogle, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, CNE 

MNA BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

President 

Immediate Past President 

Vice President 

Secretary 

Treasurer 

Treasurer-Elect 

District 1 

District 2 

District 3 

District 4 

District 5 

District 7 

District 8 

District 9 

OFFICERS 

DIRECTORS 

Christie Simon-Waterman, 

DNP, RN, CRNP, DWC, WCC 

Charlotte Wood, 

PhD, MSN, MBA, RN 

Melani Bell, DNP, RN 

Barbara Biedrzycki, PhD, 

MSN, RN, CRNP, AOCNP® 

Janice Agazio, PhD, RN, 

CRNP, FAANP, FAAN 

Nayna Philipsen, PhD, MA, 

MSN, JD, RN, CFE, FACCE 

Terrie Roth, MSN, MBA, APRN, FNP - BC 

Darlene Hinds-Jackson, DNP, RN, CRNP, CNE, FNP-BC 

Donna C. Downing-Corddry, BSN, RN 

Kim Poole, RN 

Nwamaka Oparaoji, DNP, MS, RN 

Sadie Parker, RN 

Jennifer Cooper, DNP, RN, PHNA-BC, CNE 

Kristen McVerry, MSN, RN-BC 

MNA DISTRICT PRESIDENTS 

District 1 

District 2 

District 3 

District 4 

District 5 

District 7 

District 8 

District 9 

Michelle Harvey, DNP, RN-BC 

Nancy S. Goldstein, DNP, ANP-BC, RNC 

Kimi Novak, DNP, MSN, MHA, RN 

Kim Poole, RN 

Lou Bartolo, DNP(c), MSN, RN 

Amanda Mullins, BSN, RN 

Debra Disbrow, DNP, RN, PCCN, ONC 

Cathy Gibson, BSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, CLC 

ANA MEMBERSHIP ASSEMBLY 

2022-2023 

MNA Member-At-Large First 

Donna Zankowsky, 

Voting Representative 

MPH, RN, FAACHN 

MNA Member-At-Large Second Linda Stierle, MSN, RN 

Voting Representative 

MNA Member-At-Large 

Rosemary Mortimer, 

First Non-Voting Alternate 

MS, MSEd, RN 

2021-2022 

MNA Officer First Voting 

Charlotte Wood, 

Representative 

PhD, MSN, MBA, RN 

MNA Officer Second Voting 

Janice Agazio, PhD, 

Representative 

RN, CRNP, FAANP, FAAN 

MNA Officer First 

Mary Jean Schumann, DNP, MBA, 

Non-voting Alternate 

RN, CPNP-PC, FAAN 

MNA Officer Second Barbara Biedrzycki, PhD, MSN, RN, 

Non-voting Alternate: 

CRNP, AOCNP® 

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. MNA 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 Maryland Nurses Association of products 

advertised, the advertisers, or the claims made. Rejection 

of an advertisement does not imply a product offered for 

advertising is without merit, or that the manufacturer lacks 

integrity, or that this association disapproves of the product 

or its use. MNA 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 MNA or those of the national or 

local associations. 

The Maryland Nurse Journal is published quarterly 

every January, April, July and October for the Maryland 

Nurses Association, a constituent member of the American 

Nurses Association, 6 Park Center Court, Suite 212, Owings 

Mills, MD 21117.

Thursday, April 28 | 5–8pm ET 

May, June, July 2022 The Maryland Nurse Journal • Page 3 

ANA/MNA News 

Bea Lamm: The Loss of a 

Western Maryland Nursing 

Leader 

MNA and the nursing profession lost a great friend and supporter when Naomi 

Elizabeth “Bea” Himmelwright Lamm, MS, EdD, RN died in her hometown of 

Cumberland, Maryland, MNA District 1, on January 23, 2022. 

Bea was appointed a Deputy Editor of The Maryland Nurse Journal in 2009 

and then a member of the Editorial Board until she could no longer contribute 

due to failing health. Bea was recognized as an exceptional organizer who ran 

a successful Silent Auction fundraiser for the MNA Convention and led similar 

efforts for multiple non-profit organizations in the Cumberland community. 

Bea’s love of healthcare began in her childhood home, where she heard 

about the day-to-day efforts of her father, a prominent Cumberland physician, 

to promote the health of his community. Bea studied at the University of 

Maryland School of Nursing in Baltimore, where she earned both her Bachelor’s 

degree in nursing and her Master’s as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Maternal- 

Child nursing. During those years, she worked in the Neo-Natal Intensive Care 

Unit at Baltimore City Hospital (later sold by the city to become today’s Johns 

Hopkins Bayview Medical Center). Bea also worked as a research assistant at the 

University of Maryland Baltimore’s School of Nursing to implement a funded 

faculty study of early parenting. 

After completing those degrees, Bea returned to serve the Cumberland 

area, where she managed the medical practice of her husband Bill, in addition 

to her multiple activities. One of Bea’s outstanding clinical achievements for 

Cumberland was to serve as the Coordinator of the University of Maryland 

School of Nursing Western Wellmobile, a nurse-run project introduced in the 

legislature by Delegate Marilyn Goldwater, RN, to improve access to care for 

underserved residents. The Wellmobile was Bea’s passion. Starting in 1994, it was 

at the forefront of addressing health disparities and health literacy challenges in 

Western Maryland. Despite a study presented by Dr. Rebecca Wiseman showing 

this initiative saved the state approximately $2.7 million per year in emergency 

room visits alone, this cost-saving measure closed in 2009. 

Bea Lamm chaired the Nursing Caucus for the University of Maryland at 

Western Maryland Health System for several years, working closely with Western 

Maryland Area Health Education Center (AHEC). In 2009 she was honored at 

the Western Maryland AHEC Annual Dinner at the Cumberland Country club as 

RN of the Year. 

Bea earned her doctoral degree in educational leadership from the University 

of West Virginia in 2011 and continued her service as an Assistant Professor at 

the University of Maryland School of Nursing, teaching both on-site and virtual 

classes until her retirement in 2019. 

Naomi “Bea” Lamm was a dedicated professional nurse who cared deeply for 

the health of her patients and her community. “To embrace the woes of the world, 

willingly, and offer hope, She was there.”- The Nightingale Tribute. 

Marie Ciarpella: 

40 Years of Service to MNA 

MNA honors our long-serving bookkeeper and Unsung Hero, Marie Ciarpella. 

MNA President Christie Simon-Waterman recalls the "honor of working with 

Marie" when she chaired the MNA Political Action Committee (PAC). Marie is 

a reliable presence, providing critical support to MNA through “thick and thin.” 

She has served through multiple moves, including Executive Directors, Boards, 

and Presidents. She has become the ad hoc MNA historian. On June 1, 2022 

Marie will celebrate forty years of service to MNA. Thank you, Marie! 

REGISTER NOW! 

National Nursing Virtual Career Fair 

Scan QR Code to Register


ANA/MNA News 

YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE: 2022 Nurses Month 

We are excited that National Nurses Week, traditionally celebrated from May 

6 to May 12 each year, is now a month-long celebration to expand opportunities 

to celebrate nurses and their unparalleled impact on health and health care. We 

are thrilled to share some of the activities planned on a state level. Please check 

MNA’s website regularly for member updates and activities that we will be 

hosting during the month dedicated to your service https://mna.nursingnetwork. 

com/nursing-events. 

MAY 1–7 The extraordinary stresses 

confronting you day-today takes a toll on your 

mental health and wellbeing, so it’s critical you 

are provided with authentic support systems and 

tools. Prioritize your self-care by engaging in 

healthy activities that target both your body and 

mind. During this self-care week, MNA will offer a healthy cooking class 

with renowned Chef Natalie Peters and Qigong with health and wellness 

coach Dixie Lincoln-Nichols. RSVP via MNA’s website. 

MAY 8–14 Raise visibility of the critical work 

nurses do and foster a greater understanding 

of the diversity of the nursing profession by 

honoring exemplary nurses and engaging 

with your community. This week MNA will 

recognize contributions of members’ to MNA 

and the nursing profession. Please check your emails and MNA’s social 

media sites during this week. 

MAY 15–21 As the largest group of health 

care professionals in the U.S., nurses provide 

care across all areas of the health care system 

and care settings. Focus on how you can excel 

and lead in your nursing career or inspire and 

help other nurses in their professional journey. 

Join us for our leadership meeting on Thursday, May 19, 2022, 7 PM – 8:30 

PM. Dr. Rachel Sherman, DNP, CRNP, FNP-BC, will discuss Navigating and 

Nurturing Yourself and Your Team Through Burnout. RSVP at this link: 

https://mna.nursingnetwork.com/nursing-events/137171-mna-leadershipmeeting-navigating-and-nurturing-yourself-and-your-team-throughburnout#!info 

The Nurse Support Program II (NSP II) provides Academic 

Nurse Educator Certification (ANEC) awards of $5,000 

to each full-time faculty who demonstrated excellence 

as an academic nurse educator through achieving and 

maintaining the National League for Nursing’s (NLN’s) 

Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) credential. 

FY 2022 Recipients: 

Cheryl Nelson | Allegany College of Maryland 

Brenda Owens | Allegany College of Maryland 

Myra Dennis | Anne Arundel Community College 

Jacqueline Hill | Bowie State University 

Denise Jarboe | Bowie State University 

Jill Buterbaugh | Frostburg State University 

Audra Houser | Frostburg State University 

Elizabeth “Faith” Andrews | Harford Community College 

Harolda Hedd | Howard Community College 

Kathi Johnson | Howard Community College 

Jennifer Mitchell | Notre Dame of Maryland University 

Karen Currie | Stevenson University 

Stacey Iobst | Towson University 

Ronald Piscotty, Jr. | University of Maryland | Baltimore 

Pamela Shumate | University of Maryland | Baltimore 

Nicole Smith | University of Maryland | Baltimore 

Rachel Loukota | Washington Adventist University 

Dhaya Nandipamu | Washington Adventist University 

Deana Kenney | Wor-Wic Community College 

MAY 22–31 Help promote nurses’ invaluable 

contributions by engaging with your community 

and educating them on what nurses do. The vital 

role of nurses as leaders in their organizations, 

on boards of directors, and as elected officials 

at the local, state, and federal levels is making 

a difference in improving the nation’s health. 

During this time, we will celebrate and acknowledge Maryland nurse leaders 

and visionaries who are making a difference in the community. Additionally, 

we will co-host a community educational event with Coppin State University 

on Tuesday, May 24th, 5:30 – 6:30 PM. Nurses in the Community Talk About 

“Breathing is Essential, a Lesson in Asthma and the Respiratory Distress of 

Anaphylaxis.” A link will be sent via email for MNA and community members 

to RSVP. 

ANA Celebrates 

Nurses Week 2022 

ANA selected the evergreen theme, Nurses Make a Difference to honor the 

varying roles of nurses and their positive impact on our lives. Nurses make a 

difference as trusted advocates who ensure individuals, families, and populations 

receive quality patient care and services. Nurses make a difference by influencing 

and shaping health policy decisions that ensure all Americans have access to 

high-quality, affordable health care coverage. 

ANA is excited to share a special event this year for National Nurses Month. 

ANA will be hosting YOU Make a Difference Free Live Event. Now more than 

ever, let’s agree that the world can’t survive these trying times without nurses. 

Nurses like you make a difference day in and day out. ANA wants to celebrate 

your commitment and shout out your stories on May 18, 2022. 

Because this event is bigger than recent National Nurses Month Webinars, 

we have selected a different platform to make sure that we have the technical 

capacity in place. Our team will make sure that you are registered for the event. 

Please be sure to register and invite your friends and colleagues by sharing this 

link: https://nursesmonth.org/you-make-a-difference/.


ANA/MNA News 

Honor a Nurse in MNA’s 119th 

Annual Convention Yearbook 

MNA’s 119th Annual 

Convention 

Would you like to honor a special nurse in your life? A mentor, an 

extraordinary colleague, someone who has provided exceptional service to you 

or a family member or in memory of a nurse who has passed. This year, through 

a small donation, you can honor a nurse in MNA’s Annual Convention Yearbook 

distributed to all attendees at the 119th Annual Convention. Please use the link 

below to process your payment and note the name of the person you are honoring. 

If you want to donate, you will be acknowledged for your contribution. Below are 

the donation levels to be included in the Annual Convention Yearbook: 

• Suzie Walking Bear Yellow Tail Level $101 - $250 

• Lillian Wald Level $25 - $100 

Please use this donation payment link and provide the name of the person you 

would like acknowledged in the reference box: https://secure.affinipay.com/pages/ 

maryland-nursesassociation/payments. A check can also be mailed to: 

Marie Ciaperella 

Maryland Nurses Association 

6 Park Center Court, Suite 212 

Owings Mills, MD 21117 

Please note the name of person you would like to recognize on the memo 

section of the check. 

The Maryland Nurses Association (MNA) Convention Committee is 

planning its 119th Annual Convention to be held October 6, 2022 and 

October 7, 2022. We are excited to announce that the convention will return 

to an in-person event after being held the last two years virtually due to the 

COVID-19 pandemic. We are also excited to share that this year’s theme will 

be “Maryland Nurses RISE: Revitalize, Inspire, Succeed, Evolve.” We look 

forward to presentations that will highlight the resilience of Maryland nurses, 

many of whom have been at the frontlines during the pandemic. 

The goals of the learning experiences are to: 

• Provide information on nursing innovation from all areas of nursing 

practice 

• Position Maryland nurses to be on the leading edge of healthcare 

practices 

The 2022 Convention will foster collaboration and provide a forum for 

peer-to-peer interactions among nurses and nursing students in Maryland. 

To support this year’s convention theme, “Maryland Nurses Rise: Revitalize, 

Inspire, Succeed, Evolve,” MNA seeks abstract submissions that reflect the 

multifaceted ideas and practices inherent in professional nursing. The Call 

for Abstracts can be found on the MNA website: https://mna.nursingnetwork. 

com/. 

The convention will feature an opening keynote by Patricia McMullen, 

PhD, JD, CNS, WHNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, Dean Emerita and Ordinary 

Professor at The Catholic University of America. We are planning for an 

additional keynote, several panel discussions, and the traditional hour-long 

concurrent sessions. We also look forward to the enhanced benefit of poster 

presentations and exhibitors. 

Maryland nurses and nursing students face a challenging practice and 

educational environment due to the concurrent issues of the COVID-19 

pandemic and staffing/supply shortages. These challenges require nurses and 

nursing students to adapt to increased patient acuity, increased nurse-patient 

ratios, risks for infection, as well as shortages of needed supplies, assistive 

personnel, and clinical training opportunities. 

Educational objectives for the convention are to: 

1. Discuss current nursing education and professional development practice 

2. Apply leadership and clinical interventions for various nursing practice 

areas 

3. Compare and contrast innovative quality and research improvements 

across the nursing spectrum 

Each year at MNA’s Annual Convention, MNA Awards and Nursing 

Foundation of Maryland (NFM) scholarships are presented. MNA Awards 

include The Outstanding Nurse Practice Award, The Outstanding Nurse 

Educator Award, The Outstanding Leadership Award, The Outstanding 

Advanced Practice Clinical Nurse Award, The Outstanding Dissemination 

of Information Award, The Outstanding Pathfinder Award, The Outstanding 

Mentoring Awards, and The Stierle Exemplary Service Award. The MNA 

Legislative Committee Award is given to a legislator who has significantly 

contributed or collaborated on nursing/health legislative issues in Maryland. 

Nomination forms for the MNA Awards and applications for the NFM 

scholarships can be found on the MNA website. We are looking forward to 

seeing everyone in person for an amazing event. We will notify members 

when registration opens, and a link will be posted on the MNA website. 

We look forward to seeing you at MNA’s 119th Annual Convention!


ANA/MNA News 

District 2 Focuses on School Nursing 

District 2 nurses examined the modern role of the 

school nurse at a virtual April educational seminar 

through an invited presentation by Mary Nasuta, 

MSN, RN, NCSN, Supervisor of Health Services - 

Harford County Public Schools and Past President 

of The Maryland Association of School Nurses, 

and Beth Shank, BSN, RN, NCSN, a school nurse 

at North Bend Elementary in Harford County. The 

Webinar closed with a legislative review from Public 

Policy Partners, MNA lobbyist. 

The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a 

Path to Achieve Health Equity notes that school 

nurses play a significant role in providing health 

care services, including care to under-resourced 

communities. (National Academies of Sciences, 

Engineering, and Medicine, 2021) 

Healthy children learn better. By helping students 

get and stay healthy, school health programs increase 

academic performance and can contribute to closing 

the achievement gap (Basch, 2011; Maughan, 2018) 

School nurses treat and help students manage 

chronic health conditions and disabilities; address 

injuries and urgent care needs; provide preventive 

and screening services, health education, 

immunizations, and psychosocial support; conduct 

behavioral assessments; and collaborate with health 

care providers, school staff, and the community to 

facilitate the holistic care each child needs (Council 

on School Health, 2008; HRSA, 2017; Lineberry and 

Ickes, 2015). 

Schools are not just educational institutions but a 

hub in their communities. 

A bill to provide a full-time school registered 

nurse in each public school was sponsored in the 

2022 Maryland Legislative Session by two nurse 

representatives, Senator Adelaide Eckardt, RN, and 

Delegate Geraldine Valentino-Smith, (HB 1004 and 

SB 0856, https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/ 

Legislation/Details/HB1004?ys=2022RS). 

The bill was not successful this year, but it has 

opened the door for nurses to become more informed 

and better prepared to inform our legislators about 

the role of the modern school nurse. The Maryland 

Nurses Association (MNA), The Council on School 

Health, and The National Association of School 

Nurses (NASN) have recommended that every school 

have access to a nurse. Still, nationally only 39.9 

percent of schools employed a full-time nurse in 2017. 

The remainder of schools (39.3 percent) employed a 

part-time nurse or did not employ a nurse at all (25.2 

percent) (Willgerodt, 2018). 

Schools are increasingly being recognized 

not just as core educational institutions but also 

as community-based assets that can be a central 

component of building healthy communities and 

successful students (Johnson, 2017). District 2 nurses 

are working to inform our communities about the 

access to multiple critical services provided by school 

nurses, and the advantages of extending them to all 

Marylanders. The recorded Webinar will be available 

on the District 2 website during May 2022 Nurses 

Month. mnadistrict2.org 

References: 

Basch, C., E. 2011. Healthier students are better learners: A 

missing link in school reforms to close the achievement 

gap. J Sch Health. 81(10):593-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1746- 

1561.2011.00632.x. 

Council on School Health, 2008. Role of the school nurse in 

providing school health services. American Academy of 

Pediatrics, 137 (6). https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/ 

article/137/6/e20160852/52405/Role-of-the-School-Nurse-in- 

Providing-School?searchresult=1 

HRSA. 2017. Health Equity Report 2017. https://www.hrsa.gov/ 

sites/default/files/hrsa/health-equity/2017-HRSA-healthequity-report.pdf 

Johnson, K. 2017. Healthy and ready to learn: School nurses 

improve equity and access. https://ojin.nursingworld.org/ 

MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/ 

OJIN/TableofContents/Vol-22-2017/No3-Sep-2017/Healthyand-Ready-to-Learn.html 

Lineberry, M., J., and Ickes, M., J. 2015. The role and impact of 

nurses in American elementary schools: a systematic review 

of the research. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24972802/). 

Maughan, 2018, Public School Nursing Practice in the 

United States. The Journal of School Nursing 34(3): 

DOI:10.1177/1059840517752456 https://www.researchgate. 

net/publication/322598395_Public_School_Nursing_ 

Practice_in_the_United_States. 

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 

2021. The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path 

to Achieve Health Equity. Washington, DC: The National 

Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25982. 

Willgerodt, M., A. 2018. Public school nursing practice 

in the United States. J Sch Nurs., 34(3): 232-244.doi: 

10.1177/1059840517752456.


ANA/MNA News 

District 9’s Spring Meeting 

District 9 is planning their Annual Spring and 

Fall Meetings. Members voted to hold the two 

meetings in person. Both meetings will have a 

speaker and Continuing Education opportunity. 

Please visit our website for Award and Scholarship 

opportunities: https://mnadistrict9.nursingnetwork. 

com/ Scholarships will be awarded in the Summer, 

and awards presented during the Fall Dinner 

Meeting. 

Please save the date for District 9’s first IN- 

PERSON event on Tuesday, May 10th! 

This will be a CE event with dinner. Guest 

speaker Janice Kilby, MN, MAN, RN, CNOR, 

will give a presentation on a culture of thanks 

and recognition: The power of recognition in the 

workplace. Participants will be asked to bring 

canned goods and non-perishable food items to 

donate to the local Good Shepherd Food Pantry. 

Visit the District 9 website for the opportunity to 

RSVP and reserve your seat! 

Janice O. Kilby has over 20 years of experience 

as a Registered Nurse. She holds a Master 

of Nursing degree from the University of 

Melbourne, Australia, and a Master of Arts 

in Nursing degree from the Ateneo de Davao 

University, Philippines. Her specialties include 

Perioperative Services, Nursing Education, 

Maternal and Child Nursing, and Quality & 

Patient Safety. She has served the National 

Council State Board of Nursing as an NCLEX 

Item Review Panelist three (3) times – in 2006, 

2014, and 2018. 

Janice is an RN Practice Consultant for the 

Regional Patient Care Services of Kaiser 

Permanente Mid-Atlantic States. In this role, she 

helps develop and oversee the implementation 

of clinical policies, protocols, procedures, and 

pathways for nurses and supports the nursing 

workforce region-wide. She leads the Mid- 

Atlantic States’ Sharps Safety Council and the 

Recognition Council & Inspiration Workgroup. 

She advocates for a safe, healthy, and joyful 

workplace. She was one of the esteemed 

speakers of the recently concluded AORN 

Global Surgical Conference and Leadership 

Summit held in New Orleans. Her experience 

as an RN for many years and across continents 

has given Janice not only a wealth of nursing 

experience but also a unique perspective on 

healthcare, both personally and professionally. 

To promote the organization in Charles, St. 

Mary’s, and Calvert Counties, District 9 designed 

t-shirts for members to purchase. Pictured are 

members during the March meeting sporting their 

new shirts. 

Janice Kilby 

New services! 

Care coordination 

Telepsychiatry 

Telecounseling 

All services are free - no insurance needed!


ANA/MNA News 

District 8 Project - Support for the Clara Barton Memorial 

(Frederick and Washington Counties) 

We are happy to announce that District 8 has come out of its dormant phase; in 

the past year and a half, most of our leadership was focused on pandemic issues 

and work schedules. Since January 2022, we have held monthly board meetings, 

and our leadership has committed to a project that will support our counties, the 

history of nursing, and receive national recognition. 

The Board members have committed to support the efforts of the Clara Barton 

Memorial Committee. The memorial will consist of a small public plaza with a 

monumental bronze sculpture, a figural grouping of Clara Barton giving aid 

to a fallen soldier. This memorial will be placed on the Cultural Trail near the 

Washington County Museum of Fine Arts in Hagerstown, MD. This location 

is within ten miles of where Clara Barton served as a nurse at the Battle of 

Antietam, breaking an important barrier and bringing much-needed medical 

supplies and an immediate response to care. 

The memorial’s purpose is to celebrate the life and contributions of the 

renowned Civil War nurse and the founder and leader of the American Red 

Cross. Many historians knew Clara Barton as the ‘Angel of the Battlefield.” This 

memorial will recognize the moment where Clara Barton broke the barrier for 

nurses to be present on the battlefield during the battle under fire at Antietam. 

The Memorial Committee has commissioned a nationally known sculptor, 

Toby Mendez, to create the sculpture. Toby is also a local resident of Washington 

County. Our Board met with Toby and members of the Memorial Committee on 

March 1st to hear detailed plans for this project. We are excited to be part of the 

ongoing planning and look forward to working with the committee and keeping 

the Maryland Nurses apprised of its progress and how each of you can support 

this project. 

For more information about this project go to: https://www.facebook.com/The- 

Clara-Barton-Memorial-109820614830161


ANA/MNA News 

2022 MNA & District Elections 

A Report from the MNA Committee on Nominations Chair 

The 2021 Maryland Nurses Association (MNA) 

and District election results were shared in November 

and December with their members at their respective 

annual membership meetings. 

It is time to start preparing for the 2022 MNA and 

District elections. The 2022 MNA Committee on 

Nominations (CON) had its first meeting on January 

11, 2022, to review the MNA Annual Election 

Process Timeline, the MNA CON Standing Rules, 

MNA positions to be elected in 2022, as well as the 

positions to be elected in each District in an evennumbered 

year. The MNA CON elected Linda Stierle 

as the Chair of the MNA CON. 

According to MNA Bylaws, the annual election 

must start No Later Than (NLT) 60 days before the 

annual membership meeting, which will be convened 

virtually on November 17, 2022. The MNA election 

must end NLT 30 days before the annual membership 

meeting. The 2022 MNA & District elections will 

start on September 15, 2022, and end on October 

15, 2022. 

There will be two MNA leadership opportunities 

for qualified members in 2022, which are: 

MNA President-Elect: Serve one year as 

President-Elect in 2023, then transition to President 

for two years (2024 –2025), and a final year as the 

Past President in 2026 for a total term of office of 

four years. The President shall: 

1) Serve as chairperson of the MNA Board of 

Directors (BOD) and the Executive Committee. 

2) Be the principle representative of the Association 

and serve as its spokesperson on policy and 

position established by the MNA BOD. 

3) Preside at all meetings of the Association. 

4) Serve as an ex-officio member of all 

committees except the CON. 

5) Delegate appropriate duties to the Chief Staff 

Officer (CSO). 

6) Annually appoint committee chairpersons with 

the approval of the MNA BOD. 

7) Represent MNA at the ANA Leadership 

Council. 

Secretary: Serve a two-year term starting in late 

2022 and ending in late 2024. The secretary shall: 

1) Record the proceedings of all MNA BOD, 

Executive Committee, annual membership, and 

special meetings to include the number of MNA 

members present at membership meetings and 

what percentage of the membership that number 

currently reflects. 

2) Provide each member of the MNA BOD 

and Executive Committee with a copy of the 

minutes. 

All candidates for MNA Offices must be a 

member in good standing of MNA & ANA and 

actively involved with District and/or State activities 

(committees and/or BOD) for the past three years. 

Please contact your District member of the MNA 

CON or the MNA CSO for details on responsibilities 

for each elected position and what must be included 

in the candidate package, which must be received by 

MNA NLT August 15, 2022. 

There will also be elections for two Officer 

Representatives to the ANA Membership Assembly 

for a 2-year term, (2023 – 2024). Each of the six 

current MNA Officers (President, Past President, 

Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Treasurer- 

Elect) will be asked if they want to be a candidate for 

these two elected positions. 

The MNA CON has an elected representative from 

each of the eight MNA Districts: District #1 – Terri 

Roth, District #2 – Linda Stierle, District #3 – Ellen 

Asbury, District #4 – Rosalie Griffith, District #5 – 

Carol Holness, District #7 – Bijoy Mahanti, District 

#8 – Mary Beachley, and District #9 – Tomeka Ray. 

Each of the Districts will also have leadership 

opportunities which will vary from one district to 

another according to their District Bylaws. They are 

as follows: 

DISTRICT ONE: 

President – Elect 

2 Directors 

Treasurer 

2 District Committee on Nominations Members 

DISTRICT TWO: 

President-Elect 

Vice-President 

Treasurer 

2 Directors 


DISTRICT THREE: 

Secretary 

Treasurer 

2 Directors 


DISTRICT FOUR: 


2 Directors 

MNA Committee on Nominations Member 


DISTRICT FIVE: 


2 Directors 

Treasurer - Elect 


DISTRICT SEVEN: 


2 Directors 

3 District Committee on Nominations Members


ANA/MNA News 

DISTRICT EIGHT: 

2 Directors 

MNA Committee on Nominations Member 


DISTRICT NINE: 


2 Directors 


BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DISTRICT 

ELECTED POSITIONS: 

President – Elect shall (4-year total commitment: 

1 year as President-Elect): 

1) Assume all President’s duties in the absence of 

the President. 

2) Become President for the remainder of the 

President’s unexpired term in the event that a 

vacancy occurs in the office of the President 

President shall (2-years as President): 

1) Serve as chairperson of the BOD and the 

Executive Committee. 

2) Be the principal representative of the District 

and serve as its spokesperson on policy and 

position established by the BOD. 

3) Preside at all meetings of the District. 

4) Serve as an ex-officio member of all 

committees except the Committee on 

Nominations. 

5) Annually appoint committee chairpersons with 

the approval of the BOD. 

6) Attend meetings of the District Presidents of the 

MNA. 

7) Prepare the Annual District Report for the MNA. 

Immediate Past President shall (1-year as Past 

President): 

1) Serve as a consultant to the President during the 

first year of the President’s term. 

2) Assume all duties of the President in the 

absence of the President. 

3) Become President for the remainder of the 

President’s first year in office in the event a 

vacancy occurs in the office of the President. 

Vice-president (when one is elected) shall: 

1) Assume duties of the President-Elect or 

immediate Past President in their absence. 

Secretary shall: 

1) Keep minutes of all meetings of the District and 

the BOD. 

2) Conduct general correspondence of the District 

and the BOD. 

3) Provide for the maintenance of all District 

meeting minutes and related documents in 

a place/manner accessible to District Board 

members. 

Treasurer shall: 

1) Be accountable for the District’s fiscal 

affairs and shall provide written reports and 

interpretation of such reports to the District 

BOD and members. 

2) Develop a District budget annually for BOD 

approval. 

3) Serve as a member of the MNA Committee on 

Finance. 

Each Director shall: 

1) In conjunction with their District President, 

provide written District Reports for the MNA 

BOD meetings. 

2) Provide feedback to the District BOD Meetings 

and members from MNA BOD and other 

meetings. 

Electing your association leaders at both the 

District and State levels of the organization is 

one of your fundamental rights in a membership 

organization. Since 2019, MNA and District elections 

have been electronic for members with a valid email 

address on file with ANA. This makes it much 

easier for members to exercise this basic right. 

Unfortunately, most members are not engaged in the 

election of their District and MNA leaders. In last 

year’s election, there were 4,546 eligible voters and 

only 309 cast a ballot in the 2021 MNA Elections, 

which is seven (7) percent of the eligible voters. This 

is consistent with past MNA elections, which have 

had less than 10 percent of members voting for many 

years. District election participation varied from 

a high of almost 20 percent to slightly less than six 

percent of the District’s membership. Smaller districts 

had higher voter participation percentages of their 

membership than the larger districts. MNA CON and 

District CON members will recruit candidates for 

District and state elected positions in 2022. Please 

exercise your right to elect the Association leadership 

in 2022 and consider being a candidate for a district 

or state leadership opportunity. 

Join Choptank Health’s dedicated team to provide 

services to a wide range of patients. 

Choptank Community Health System, Inc. (CCHS) is a 

private, non-profit Community Health Center providing 

primary health care services in Caroline, Dorchester, and 

Talbot Counties and the surrounding areas. 

We are currently hiring for RNs for our Family Practice 

locations across Maryland’s mid-shore counties of 

Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, and Talbot. 

Monday - Friday schedule. 

May be eligible for NHSC Loan Repayment. 

If you are interested in joining 

our dedicated team, 

please contact Sarah Worm at 

shenry@choptankhealth.org 

For more information or 

to apply, visit us at: 

www.choptankhealth.org 

La Plata, Maryland 

We have Opportunities for 

Registered Nurses & Nursing Leadership 

Family-Oriented. Community Minded. 

Start your next chapter with 

UM Charles Regional. 

UM Charles Regional offers competitive 

salaries, paid time off, paid holidays, tuition 

reimbursement, medical/dental/vision insurance, 

pension plan, free parking, and much more. 

Visit us online to apply. 

www.umms.org/charles/jobs 

EOE/AA including 

Veterans & Disabled


ANA/MNA News 

MNA District 5’s Nurse Well-Being 

Webinar Session 

Many have put off travel for the past two years 

due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As you begin to feel 

more comfortable traveling and start planning that 

much-needed respite for yourself and your family, 

please consider using your ANA/MNA personal 

travel discount benefit. 

According to ANA, travel discounts are the #1 

requested benefit program from members, so we 

have partnered with BookingCommunity to offer 

members hotel room rates that are discounted up to 

70% -- lower rates than you will find at any other 

online travel or hotel website. ANA/MNA members 

get access to amazing deals that are not available to 

the public at over 800,000 participating Hotels and 

Resorts Worldwide. Plan a trip and watch the savings 

grow – it pays to be an ANA/MNA member. 

Visit https://www.bookingcommunity.com/ 

anamembers to access these great, memberexclusive 

rates and book travel today. 

Visit the CDC travel website for guidelines and 

resources to assist with planning your next vacation 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/ 

index.html. 

Registered Nurse and 

Graduate Nurse Openings 

Garrett Regional Medical Center 

A Leapfrog Grade A & Top 20 Rural Hospital 

Competitive Pay and Benefits 

Full and Part-Time Positions 

Tuition Assistance and Loan Repayment 

Self-Scheduling and more! 

$15,000 Sign on Bonus* 

*Per eligibility guidelines and with three year service commitment 

Apply online: 

www.grmc-wvumedicine.org 

251 North Fourth Street, Oakland, MD 

District 5 hosted a second virtual event in their 

Nurse-Well Being Webinar Series, “Exploring 

Options to Maintain Passion for Nursing,” on 

February 2, 2022, at 7 pm. Dr. Melani Bell, MNA’s 

Vice President, facilitated the session and welcomed 

District 5 members, speakers, and other participants. 

Speakers included: 

Tracey Murray, Ph.D., DNP, CRNP, FNP-BC, 

RN, Professor and Dean of the College of Health 

Professions and Director of Health Centers at Coppin 

State University 

Linda B. Talley, MS, RN, NE-BC, FAAN, 

Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at 

Children’s National Hospital 

Admiral Aisha K. Mix, DNP, MPH, RN, Chief 

Nursing Officer for the United States Public Health 

Service 

Peggy Daw, DNP, RN-BC, CNE, Nurse Support 

Program II Outreach and Grants Management for 

Maryland Higher Education Commission. 

Topics and discussions addressed vacancy rates, 

diversity, equity, and workplace violence. 

Dr. Bell then presented panelists with a series of 

questions. 

“What is the first step a nurse can take if seeking 

advancement or professional change?” 

Responses included performing a self-assessment. 

Look five years down the road and deconstruct the 

path it will take to get there. 

Reflect on oneself, the skills one may possess, 

and those skills that are needed to be strengthened. 

You must research where you want to be. Network 

and reach out to someone in that current role and 

request to shadow them or have them mentor you. 

It is essential to identify your “why.” What is your 

ultimate goal, and why are you striving to achieve it? 

A great way to seek advancement is to join nursing 

professional organizations and network. Many 

organizations have formal mentoring opportunities, 

and you can always reach out to a role model and 

request mentoring support. 

“Look five years into the future, what do you envision 

for the nursing profession?” 

The responses were innovative and informative 

and included nurses going back to basics. In a hectic 

environment, exacerbated by a pandemic, we as 

nurses sometimes forget the basics or don’t have time 

for them. Individualizing patient care, comprehensive 

assessments, vital signs, and daily activities are 

simple measures to improve not only outcomes, but 

patient satisfaction. The panelists hope to see more 

nurse-driven protocols and nursing care models. As 

nursing grows in its profession, the panelists believe 

we will see more nurse entrepreneurs. Nurses will 

take initiatives to provide services needed in their 

communities. Nurses will speak up about equal 

pay and being compensated for services. We may 

even see avatars in homes to monitor and care 

for community members regarding technological 

advances. 

The robust discussion after the structured 

questions was engaging and informative. This is the 

time to revisit your “Why” and make goals to achieve 

the best version of you. Improving our skills and 

fueling our passion can bring ever-lasting results to 

oneself, patients and the profession of nursing. 

The panelists and participants provided valuable 

resources for nurses, accessed below. 

https://nam.edu/publications/the-future-ofnursing-2020-2030/ 

https://nursesupport.org/nurse-support-program-ii/ 

grants/statewide-initiatives/ 

www.leadnursingforward.org 

www.nursesupport.org 

ANA’s Mentoring Program: https://community.ana. 

org/pages/mentorprogram?ssopc=1


Nursing Organization 

Sigma Theta Tau’s 

2022 Creating Healthy Work Environments Conference 

Sigma held their annual Creating Healthy Work Environments conference 

on March 24-26th at the Renaissance Downtown in Washington DC and 

virtually March 31st and April 1st. The conference offered plenary sessions, 

concurrent sessions, poster presentations, wellness activities, and a hack-a- 

thon. The event was designed specifically to help leaders in both academic 

and clinical settings develop, implement, and maintain strategies to improve 

your organization's work environment. Participants met with more than 500 

nursing leaders and Sigma members to collaborate, engage, sustain, and 

advocate. 

Dr. Carole Liske, PhD, MS, RN, presented her Joy in Work research with 

two international research colleagues: Dr. Michael Joseph Dino (Philippines 

and Sigma 2021 International Researcher of the Year) and Dr. Naomi Tutticci 

(Australia). Dr. Liske is a Sigma International Board of Directors member and 

Chair of the Regional Chapter Coordinating Committee. 

Sigma will host the 2023 Creating Healthy Work Environments Conference 

in Austin, TX, from February 10-12, 2023.



The APRN Licensure Compact: NPAM’s Position 

Beverly Lang, MScN, RN, ANP-BC, FAANP 

Executive Director, NPAM 

Multistate licensure compacts are not a new idea. 

Physical Therapists (PTs), Physicians, Registered 

Nurses (RNs), and Licensed Practical Nurse (LPNs) 

have passed licensure compacts in multiple states. 

The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) allows RNs 

and LPNs to have one “multistate” license. It gives 

them the ability to practice in both their home state 

and other compact states. The goal of the NLC is 

to increase patient access to care while maintaining 

public protection at the state level. Most recently, the 

NLC became effective in New Jersey on November 15, 

2021. At this time, there are 39 states in the NLC. 

The NLC enables nurses to provide telehealth 

nursing services to patients located across the country 

without obtaining additional licenses. In the event of a 

disaster, nurses from multiple states can easily respond 

to supply vital services. Additionally, almost every 

nurse, including primary care nurses, case managers, 

transport nurses, school and hospice nurses, among 

many others, needs to routinely cross state boundaries 

to provide the public with access to nursing services, 

and a multistate license facilitates this process. More 

information on the NLC can be found at www.ncsbn. 

org/compact. 

Much interest has been paid to the APRN 

(Advanced Practice Registered Nurse) Compact for 

multistate licensure proposals since 2020, when the 

NCSBN met with stakeholders and approved the 

current compact proposal. Since that time, only two 

states have enacted legislation – North Dakota in 2020 

and Delaware in 2021. The APRN Compact proposal 

will be implemented when seven states have enacted 

the legislation. When implemented, the compact 

will allow an APRN to hold one multistate license 

with the privilege to practice in other compact states. 

Through the APRN Compact, APRNs will have the 

ability to travel from state to state to deliver care or 

provide telehealth services across state borders in other 

compact states. This could potentially increase patient 

access to high-quality care with the assurance that 

their practitioner has met rigorous uniform standards 

no matter where that care is provided. 

However, many APRNs and local, state, and 

national professional associations that represent 

APRNs are opposed to the APRN Compact and have 

raised concerns about several of the provisions of the 

APRN Compact proposal. The Compact Commission 

will be composed of the Executive Director or 

designee of each State Board of Nursing (BON) for 

each state that enacts the compact. Concerns have 

been raised about the lack of APRN representation on 

the Compact Commission and the lack of an Advisory 

Board consisting of APRNs to the NCSBN Compact 

Commission. Additionally, APRNs must complete 

2,080 hours of clinical practice prior to being eligible 

to have the APRN Compact added to their licensure 

and, there is no controlled substance authority within 

the APRN Compact – APRNs would follow the 

prescriptive authority of each state in which they 

practice, even if they have full prescriptive authority 

for schedule II – V drugs in their home state. How will 

the NCSBN address these issues? To date, there are no 

answers to my satisfaction, and I think that there are 

more questions than answers. 

It is also interesting to note that some state Boards 

of Nursing will have a substantial fiscal impact if 

the APRN Compact is enacted. In Maryland, there 

are substantial numbers of Nurse Practitioners and 

other APRNs who live in adjoining states such as 

Pennsylvania, Delaware, the District of Columbia, 

Virginia, and West Virginia, who hold a license in 

Maryland and cross state lines to practice in Maryland. 

If Maryland were to enact the APRN Compact, those 

APRNs would no longer be applying for licenses in 

Maryland, reducing revenue for the BON. 

The Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland 

(NPAM) Executive Committee, along with the 

Legislative Committee and the Executive Director, has 

studied the APRN Compact for multistate licensure 

proposals, and have attended presentations by NCSBN 

representatives to the Maryland Board of Nursing 

and have attended several meetings of stakeholders 

called by the MBON. Based on what we know now, 

including position statements published by other state 

NP associations, the American Association of Nurse 

Practitioners (AANP), and other interested APRN 

associations throughout the nation and in Maryland, 

NPAM has decided NOT to endorse the current APRN 

Compact based on several key points. You can read 

NPAM’s Position Statement on the NCSBN APRN 

Licensure Compact below. 

I encourage all APRNs to learn more about the 

APRN Compact and how it will affect you. You can 

We are 

hiring 

RN-LPN-GNA 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

find more information at www.aprncompact.com and 

www.ncsbn.org/compact. You can also visit the NPAM 

website at www.NPAMonline.org. 

NPAM Position Statement on NCSBN APRN 

Licensure Compact 

The NPAM does not endorse the APRN Compact 

for multistate licensure, adopted by the National 

Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) in 

August 2020. While NPAM supports the concept of a 

multistate licensure compact for APRNs to allow for 

ease of practice across state lines to address health 

care workforce needs, it is unfortunate that we cannot 

endorse the National Council of State Boards of 

Nursing's (NCSBN's) APRN Compact and all of the 

provisions. 

NPAM strongly opposes the inclusion of 2,080 

practice hours as a prerequisite for a multistate 

advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) license. 

The inclusion of practice hours is inconsistent with the 

evidence and is in direct conflict with the Consensus 

Model for APRN Regulation: licensure, accreditation, 

certification, and education, and sets a dangerous 

precedent. The evidence is clear. APRNs are prepared 

for safe entry to practice at the point of graduation 

from an accredited graduate program and after the 

successful passage of a national certification board 

examination. Including minimum practice hours as 

a requirement for a multistate APRN license creates 

unnecessary and costly regulations for all states and 

new challenges for the states currently working to 

retire similar barriers. 

Further, NPAM affirms the position that an APRN 

Compact must include an APRN advisory committee. 

Incorporating an APRN advisory committee would 

ensure that there are readily available resources and 

needed expertise to address the complexity and variety 

of practice issues. The current compact provides that 

the APRN compact administrators are composed of 

the head of each participating state licensing board or 

that person's designee. The compact administrators 

must have a full understanding of each APRN role, 

and the compact itself should require that a majority 

of the compact administrators be APRNs and that 

the compact include an APRN Advisory Committee, 

representing all four APRN roles, and include 

representation from accreditation, certification, 

education, and practice, as well. 

NPAM has played an instrumental role in 

advocating for and removing barriers to practice 

for Nurse Practitioners in Maryland since 1992. In 

2015 NPAM was successful in securing Full Practice 

Authority in Maryland. We have worked diligently to 

advocate for statutes that benefit nurse practitioners 

(NPs) and their patients and do not see any benefits 

of the current provisions of the APRN Compact as 

proposed by the NCSBN to Maryland NPs. Thus, we 

oppose the APRN Compact. 

Approved by NPAM Executive Committee 

11/10/2021 

NOW HIRING! 

Washington County 

Western Maryland 

Hospital Center 

Now Hiring: 

Geriatric Nursing 

Assistant 

Registered Nurse 

Licensed Practical Nurse 

Registered Nurse 

Supervisor 

8 hr. & 12 hr. 

compressed work 

schedules available!! 

APPLY ONLINE AT WORKFORMARYLAND.COM 

Contact the Office of Human Resources 

for questions at (301) 745-4690



What You Need to Know About the APRN Licensure Compact: 

Changing for the 21st Century 

Lorraine Diana, MS, RN, CRNP 

Legislative Co Chair, The Maryland Academy of 

Advanced Practice Clinicians (MAAPC) 

Nursing Compacts are not new to Maryland. 

Maryland has a long successful history with the 

Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) and was the first 

state to enact the NLC in 1999. In 2015 the NLC was 

modernized. Shortly after that, Maryland enacted 

the enhanced NLC to continue providing registered 

nurses and licensed practical nurses the mobility they 

have enjoyed for over 20 years. 

Compacts are the future of healthcare. 

With the NLC leading the way, interstate compacts 

for healthcare professionals have grown in popularity 

over the years. Physicians, psychologists, emergency 

medical services professionals, physical therapists, 

and many others have adopted interstate compacts 

to provide modern licensure to meet the growing 

demands of a more mobile health care environment. 

Another advanced practice provider, physician 

assistants, are in the process of adopting a compact. 

Currently, Maryland has compact licensure for 

registered and licensed practical nurses, professional 

counselors, physicians, physical therapists, and 

occupational therapists. With the Department 

of Defense partnering with the Council of State 

Governments to explore and provide funding for the 

development of compacts, it is expected the list of 

professionals adopting compacts will continue to 

grow. 

The Multistate License is a Choice 

An Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) 

may choose to obtain a multistate license or may 

prefer to continue to practice on their current single 

state license. The multistate privilege granted by the 

compact is a choice for licensees who may currently 

practice across state lines and for those who may do 

so in the future as cross-border practice continues to 

grow. Like Maryland physicians, physical therapists, 

registered nurses, and others, Maryland APRNs 

deserve to have the option to add the multistate 

privilege to their licenses. Over 9000 APRNs are 

practicing in Maryland, many of whom would benefit 

from the option of having a multistate license. 

APRNs have a long history of commitment to 

increasing access to high-quality healthcare and 

treating patients where they are when care is needed. 

Services should not be limited due to geographic, 

logistical, economic, or health system barriers. 

APRN Compact 101 

A compact is a statutory agreement between two 

or more states established to remedy a particular 

problem of multistate concern. In this case, the 

problem is the need to facilitate cross-border practice 

for APRNs for in-person, telephonic, and electronic 

practice. The APRN Licensure Compact provides for 

uniform license requirements that all licensees must 

meet to practice under the compact. 

Within the APRN Compact’s uniform licensure 

requirements are the APRN Consensus Model 

elements of graduate-level education, national 

certification, RN licensure, the umbrella APRN 

title, and the four recognized roles and respective 

population foci. In addition, the APRN must have 

an unencumbered license with no discipline and 

may not have current participation in an alternative 

to discipline program. Practice as a licensed APRN 

in any jurisdiction for 2,080 hours is required to 

obtain a multistate license, a policy compromise to 

accommodate a so-called transition to practice hours 

that have become prevalent across states, including 

Maryland’s 18-month mentorship with a qualified 

provider required for nurse practitioners. About 90% 

of APRNs will meet this practice hour requirement 

on day one, immediately mobilizing the APRN 

workforce in Maryland. 

Once a multistate license is obtained, a resident of 

a compact state is issued a valid license for practice 

in all Compact states. Though practice is mobilized 

across state lines, the home state maintains authority 

over the APRN’s license. A remote state may take 

adverse action against the licensee’s Privilege to 

Practice within that remote state. These features are 

critical for maintaining public protection. 

Practice under the APRN Compact mirrors the 

APRN Consensus Model. Multistate licensees 

can practice independently of a supervisory or 

collaborative relationship with a physician or other 

healthcare providers. Though the APRN Compact 

does not govern controlled substance prescribing, as 

that is under the authority of the Drug Enforcement 

Administration (DEA), the compact does provide 

for multistate licensees to prescribe non-controlled 

substances in both the home state and any party state 

to the compact. Codifying these elements of APRN 

practice and prescribing is key to advancing the safe 

and proven model for APRN practice and regulation. 

The governance of the APRN Compact is the 

responsibility of the APRN Compact Commission. 

The Commission is structured and carries identical 

powers as the NLC Commission. Each state party 

to the compact has one voting member on the 

Commission. Like the NLC, the commissioners are 

not required to be members of the profession for 

which the compact is governing. They must, however, 

be a regulator of that profession in the partystate 

of which they are representing. To the extent 

needed for the administration and operations of the 

APRN Compact, the Commission has rule-making 

authority limited to those areas. The Commission 

may not issue rules that impact a state’s scope of 

practice, state party laws, licensure requirements, or 

disciplinary processes. 

Benefits 

Interstate compacts enjoy support from a diverse 

group of stakeholders. This is due to the many 

regulatory, patient, and provider benefits of licensure 

mobility. 

Regulatory benefits 

• States can share complaints and investigative 

information. 

• Multiple states work together to assure patient 

safety. 

• States can locate, isolate, or limit their ability 

to practice or Privilege to Practice to keep the 

public safe. 

• States are required to participate in a 

coordinated licensure information system. 

What You Need to Know About the...continued on page 16



What You Need to Know About the...continued from page 15 

Benefits for patients and providers 

• The APRN Compact License reduces barriers to APRN services both inperson 

and remotely. Modern healthcare requires a modern licensure 

system. It expands the utilization of telehealth without unnecessary 

regulatory barriers. APRNs must be ready to participate in a workforce 

utilizing new technologies to reach patients, whether APRNs are practicing 

across state lines or patients living /traveling across state lines. 

• It improves continuity of care for patients, wherever the patients or their 

providers may travel to or relocate. This is especially true for those patients 

who live or work in other states and may access care via telehealth. 

• It increases access to care in rural and underserved areas, facilitating 

greater in-person and telehealth care for a state’s most vulnerable 

populations. 

• It promotes patient-provider choice. Patients across the country already 

choose APRNs for their high-quality care. The compact allows patients 

across the country to also seek the quality care provided by our APRNs. 

• It provides increased mobility for APRNs during pandemic surges and 

disasters. The COVID-19 pandemic made it clear that telehealth is here to 

stay. Patients want more flexibility, greater access to care, and providers 

must be ready to meet them where they are. Governors and legislatures 

across the country took emergency action to allow for the temporary 

mobility of providers during the COVID pandemic. A permanent solution is 

needed, and for healthcare professionals across the country, that solution is 

interstate licensure compacts. 

Benefits to APRN students and educators 

The APRN Compact expands options for possible clinical sites and preceptors 

for APRN students. To maintain a healthy APRN workforce, increasing access 

for students to quality preceptors and clinical sites is crucial. Faculty shortages 

are real, and states are looking to be proactive in addressing shortages. This 

Compact will help set up Maryland for the future. 

Benefits for military families 

• Allows military spouse APRNs to designate a home state and use the 

compact’s privilege to practice in compact states upon relocation. 

• Reduces financial burden of single state licensure fees and lost income 

incurred when waiting for additional licensure. 

• Military family accommodation policies factor into base housing and other 

military investment decisions. 

Who supports the APRN Licensure Compact? 

Boards of nursing, state nursing and APRN organizations, and individual 

APRNs lead the way in supporting the APRN Licensure Compact. In Maryland, 

the Board of Nursing (MBoN) has provided information about the Compact, 

supported legislation this year for the Compact to become law, and surveyed 

APRNs across the state regarding the Compact. They surveyed awareness and 

knowledge of the 18-month transition to practice for CRNPs in Maryland and the 

2080-hour practice requirement in the APRN Licensure Compact. The MBoN 

found that 92.57% of survey responders were in support of APRN Compact 

legislation in Maryland. 

The Maryland Academy of Advanced Practice Clinicians (MAAPC), 

the Chesapeake Bay Affiliate of the National Association of Clinical Nurse 

Specialists (CBANACNS), and the Maryland Association of Nurse Anesthetists 

(MANA) support passage of the APRN Licensure Compact. 

Delaware and North Dakota passed the APRN Licensure Compact into law 

in 2021. The Compact was recently passed unanimously in Utah, and upon the 

governor’s signature, Utah will become the third state to adopt it. In each of these 

states, the state nurses’ association supported and worked to ensure the enactment 

of the APRN Compact. Having the voice of state nurses’ associations was key 

in these states and will be key to the success of the APRN Compact across the 

country. 

For a continually updated list of national organizations who support the APRN 

Compact, visit https://aprncompact.com/ 

Conclusion 

Healthcare’s future depends on innovative solutions to increase access to 

care for all populations, particularly vulnerable inner city and rural populations. 

Health equity depends on our ability to move across state borders with a 

minimum of paperwork and cost while ensuring high quality, safe care for all. 

Maryland nurses and APRNs have led the way in progress for the nursing 

profession for many decades. The APRN Licensure Compact is one more step 

for APRNs in Maryland to eliminate barriers to practice and pave the way for our 

patients to have greater access to care. This is yet another opportunity for nurses 

and APRNs in Maryland to lead the way. 

For more information, please visit our website https://maapconline.enpnetwork. 

com under The APRN Licensure Compact. 

Senator Ben Cardin Meets with 

Healthcare Representatives to 

Discuss the Pandemic 

Senator Ben Cardin virtually met with Maryland and DC healthcare 

representatives on January 31st. The Senator started the meeting with a 

sincere thank-you to healthcare workers for their efforts in enduring the 

pandemic. He summarized how the pandemic had impacted staffing and 

mental health of workers and the utilization of telehealth. 

He informed participants that Congress has responded by allocating money 

to develop and distribute vaccines, provide resources to communities, and 

develop therapeutic drugs, education, masks, and testing. He said, "We do see 

a light at the end of the tunnel; we just don't know how long that tunnel will 

be." 

The Senator then opened the floor for healthcare representatives to share 

the struggles faced during this unprecedented time. 

Bob Atlas, President and CMO of Maryland Hospital Association, stated 

that there were 1700 people in hospitals with COVID, the same statistic 

seen in May 2020. He noted the challenges seen have evolved and are more 

complex than ever. Teams are exhausted. Hospitals in Maryland were facing 

staffing burdens before the pandemic, and job postings have been up 45% 

since January 2020. Maryland currently has 3,900 nursing vacancies, which 

translates to more extended Emergency Room (ER) times, delays in transfers, 

and diversion of ambulances. Hospitals now have beds and equipment to treat 

patients but no staff. Contract labor cost is estimated at $16 million a month 

and three times the pre-pandemic levels. 

David Marcozzi, MD, serves as the Chief Clinical Officer/Senior Vice 

President for the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) in 

Baltimore, MD, and as the COVID-19 Incident Commander for the University 

of Maryland Medical System and the University of Maryland, Baltimore's 

Unified Command. Dr. Marcozzi stated some hospitals implemented crisis 

standards of care due to the pandemic. The suspension of preventive and 

elective procedures has led to increased treatment due to preventative and 

early identification failure. The request of the Senator and government was to 

improve communication and preparedness. 

Deborah J. Baker, DNP, CRNP, Senior Vice President for Nursing, Vice 

President of Nursing and Patient Care Services at Johns Hopkins Health 

System provided that there needs to be more than a one-time response. The 

stress experienced on workforce cannot be overemphasized. One reoccurring 

theme among staff is having flexibility and a balance to care for family at 

home. Growth around travel/agency nursing used to meet the demand. Johns 

Hopkins has increased the amount spent on agency three-fold. The increased 

use of travel agency staff needs to be evaluated and certain aspects assessed 

including: Moral concerns, training cohesion, team work, quality of care, and 

technology useability. These factors may impact patient quality outcomes and 

the sustainability of hiring travel nurses is in question. 

Gene M. Ransom is the current CEO of MedChi, The Maryland 

State Medical Society. Gene recommended looking at long-term issues 

and solutions to address these issues. As leaders in healthcare, Gene 

recommended we spend time to reflect on what we have learned and have 

plans in place for the future. 

The floor was open for comments and suggestions. Many on the call 

addressed the mental health of both the communities and healthcare workers. 

The healthcare industry and the government are looking for solutions during 

this time. 

If you have any questions or concerns, they can be sent to: mdlocal@ 

cardin.senate.gov



Coppin State University Student and Others Advocate for a 

Nurse in Every School 

Front Row R-L: Senator A. Eckardt, Ms. S. Chitalia, Ms. T. Young, 

Ms. C. Kemp, Ms. M. Simmonds, Ms. R. Elliott, Ms. L. Elliott, 

2nd Row: Ms. C. Chmar, Ms. N. Austin, & Ms. P. Bird 

Charlotte M. Wood, PhD, MBA, MSN, RN 

Student nurse and soon to be Registered Nurse 

Michelle Simmonds, a senior nursing student 

at Coppin State University (CSU), testified to 

support legislation sponsored by Senator Adelaide 

C. Eckardt, Senate Bill (SB) 856, and Delegate 

Geraldine Valentino-Smith, House Bill (HB) 

1004 - Public Schools - Health Services - School 

Nurses. Dr. Charlotte M. Wood, the Chair of the 

MNA Legislative Committee and Professor at 

CSU, provided an opportunity for testimony as an 

experiential activity in her leadership class. Ms. 

Simmonds has an 11-year-old son with several 

health issues. Her resolute genuineness to testify and 

her passion to support this legislation has provided 

insight for our legislators from the perspective of a 

nursing student and parent. HB 1004/SB 856 supports 

every school having a school nurse and would give 

the school nurse the responsibility to: 

1. Ensure students have access to behavioral 

health services. This is especially important 

since there is an absolute crisis in children’s 

mental health. Because of skyrocketing youth 

suicide rates, our leading medical organizations 

in the field – the American Academy of 

Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and 

Adolescent Psychiatry, and Children’s Hospital 

Associations – have declared a “National 

Emergency in Children’s Mental Health.” 

2. Manage the care of chronic diseases of our 

students, especially since a growing number of 

children are suffering from chronic diseases 

such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, 

and asthma. Nationally, 25% of children 

have at least one chronic disease that must be 

managed beyond the home. 

3. Coordinate the health care services that keep 

children with complex medical conditions in 

schools. These include children with conditions 

with cerebral palsy, severe epilepsy, and 

multiple physical disabilities. These children 

deserve to be able to stay in school as much as 

any other child. 

4. Support parents in obtaining the basic health 

services that all children need. This means 

that school nurses would help ensure children 

get regular care from primary care providers, 

dentists, and behavioral health, when needed. 

Over the years, we have entrusted school nurses 

with keeping our children safe and healthy, yet 

they have been asked to take on more and more 

responsibility. However, we have not provided 

the resources needed to ensure that there is a nurse 

in every school. Data from the Maryland State 

Department of Education supports this legislation. 

In Maryland there is an average of 0.74 nurses in 

each school, and there are wide disparities in nurse 

staffing. In Prince George’s County, there are 0.95 

nurses in every school, but other counties are not so 

well positioned. The following counties have fewer 

nurses per school than the state average: Anne 

Arundel (0.62), Baltimore City (0.30), Calvert (0.72), 

Frederick (0.38), Garret (no RNs in the school 

system), Kent (0.40), Montgomery (0.57), Somerset 

(0.67), and Washington (0.36). 

When there is not a nurse on-site, schools rely on 

certified nursing assistants or even unlicensed school 

health aids. While these staff provide important 

support services, they are not a substitute for a nurse. 

Only the school nurse can complete an assessment, 

coordinate complex health services, manage chronic 

diseases, regularly administer medications, and 

integrate behavioral health services into the schools. 

Unfortunately, this bill requires a significant fiscal/ 

monetary investment, and we realize that funding 

streams are complex for both the state and local 

agencies related to school health. However, with what 

is happening to our youth today, this bill is the right 

thing to do because it places an investment in both 

our children and our future. 

Legislative Bills of Interest for the MNA 

Legislative Committee: 

SB 716: Maryland Health Care Workers Loan 

Assistance Program - Establishment and Funding, 

Sponsor: Senator Bryan Simonaire et al. 

HB 6 (SB 150): Maryland Medical Assistance 

Program - Dental Coverage for Adults, Sponsor: 

Delegate Bonnie Cullison 

HB 97: Workgroup on Black, Latino, 

Asian American Pacific Islander, and Other 

Underrepresented Behavioral Health Professionals, 

Sponsor: Delegate Marlon Amprey 

HB 167: Commission to Establish a Maryland 

Women Veterans Memorial, Sponsor: Delegate 

Heather Bagnall et al. 

HB 219 (SB 306): Dental Hygienists - Consultation 

Requirements - Health Care Practitioners, Sponsor: 

Delegate Ariana Kelly 

HB 276 (SB 513): Health Occupations - Clinical 

Nurse Specialists - Prescribing Authority, Sponsor 

Delegate Bonnie Cullison 

HB 282 (SB 316): Sales and Use Tax - Diapers – 

Exemption, Sponsor: Del. Dana Jones et al. 

HB 384: Public and Nonpublic Schools - 

Bronchodilator Availability and Use – Policy, 

Sponsor: Delegate Regina Boyce 

HB 407 (SB 407): Health Occupations - Health 

Care Staffing Shortage Emergency - Declaration and 

Licensing and Practice Requirements (Health Care 

Heroes Act of 2022), Sponsor: The Speaker et al. 

HB 533 (SB 523): Occupations and Professions 

- Licenses, Certificates, and Registration – 

Immigrants, Sponsors: Del. Joseline Pena-Melnyk et 

al. & Senator Cheryl Kagan 

HB 534 (SB 244): Maryland Medical Assistance 

Program - Self-Measured Blood Pressure Monitoring, 

Sponsors: Delegate Harry Bhandari et al. & Senator 

Brian Feldman 

HB 625 (SB 440): Commission to Study the Health 

Care Workforce Crisis in Maryland – Establishment, 

Sponsor: Delegate Ariana Kelly & Senator Pamela 

Beidle 

HB 626 (SB 669): Pregnant Person's Freedom Act 

of 2022, Sponsors: Delegate Nicole Williams et al. & 

Senator William Smith 

To research and obtain more detail, such as 

all sponsors, the status of the bill, a synopsis of 

the bill, the committee assignment, and whether 

the legislation was cross-filed, please go to the 

Maryland General Assembly’s website and enter the 

bill number from our list above. It will give you all 

of the information you require. Here’s the link to 

the Maryland General Assembly: https://mgaleg. 

maryland.gov/mgawebsite/ 

Visit nursingALD.com today! 

Search job listings 

in all 50 states, and filter by location and credentials. 

Browse our online database of articles and content. 

Find events for nursing professionals in your area. 

Your always-on resource for nursing jobs, research, and events.



MNA Nurses’ Legislative Night Out Testimony 

Cathy Gibson, BSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, CLC, 

District 9 President 

The Maryland Nurses Association (MNA) Nurses’ 

Legislative Night Out was held February 21, 2022, 

on Zoom. Over 200 nurses and nursing students 

attended with many Maryland legislators. I must 

admit that discussing bills with senators and delegates 

felt well outside my comfort zone! Fortunately, 

MNA sent participants handouts that reviewed the 

bills MNA identifies as a priority, which legislators 

are sponsoring these bills, and how to introduce 

ourselves. Each participant was given a schedule and 

zoom link to meet with a different legislator every 30 

minutes. The three priority bills include having a fulltime 

nurse in every school, loan assistance for health 

care workers, and healthcare workforce expansion. 

The evening started with opening remarks 

from MNA Past President and MNA Legislative 

Committee Chair Dr. Charlotte Wood. She reviewed 

the agenda and what MNA hoped to accomplish 

during the evening. MNA’s Legislators of the Year 

Awards were presented to Delegate Joseline Peña- 

Melnyk and Senator Melony Ghee Griffith. Both 

spoke about their passion for supporting nurses and 

their gratitude for what we do. The MNA Lobbyist 

Robyn Elliott spoke about all the work being done 

on behalf of nurses. Finally, Dr. Christie Simon- 

Waterman, MNA President, made her closing 

remarks. Participants were reminded how to 

introduce themselves to showcase our constituency. 

Our “job” was to connect with any of the priority 

bills and tell our perspective on why they are 

essential. 

We met with legislators in groups that varied in 

size, from five to 20 participants. Participants were 

from all areas of nursing and had different levels of 

experience. The legislators were engaged and eager 

to hear our perspectives. It was a very relaxed and 

respectful environment which made conversation 

easy. Having the tools MNA provided us ahead of 

time allowed us to speak knowledgeably about the 

priority bills. 

I connected with the legislators in my groups as a 

nurse and as a mother. Having sent a child to school 

with an anaphylactic peanut allergy, I cannot imagine 

what I would’ve done if there had not been a fulltime 

nurse in his school. The first delegate I met 

with shared that she has a child in first grade with 

the same issue and fully supported the bill for a fulltime 

nurse in every school. We discussed the loan 

assistance for healthcare workers bill, which proposes 

$35 million to help healthcare workers pay off student 

loan debt. Dr. Charlotte Wood shared that there are 

87,000 nurses in Maryland, and 70-80% have some 

student debt. There were a lot of discussions not 

just about the financial burden of having student 

loan debt but also the reluctance of nurses to further 

their education due to the expense involved. Finally, 

the bill to provide healthcare workforce expansion 

stirred a lot of discussion from the frontline, who, 

as we know, are suffering from massive workforce 

shortages. There are several aspects to this bill, 

including standardizing a process for nurse externs to 

help student nurses get more experience and creating 

a tax credit for preceptors to incentivize more nurses 

to serve in this role. This would increase the hands on 

the frontline while increasing clinical opportunities 

for students. Participants showed their support 

for each bill with their personal stories, current 

situations, and experiences. The legislators listened to 

each of us with appreciation and understanding. 

Jaqueline Patterson and Mikalah Mack stayed in 

the virtual background in the first “meeting room” 

for support throughout the evening. Participants could 

return to the “meeting room” if they had questions or 

trouble navigating where they needed to be. This level 

of support was so appreciated and helped the event 

of over 200 participants run smoothly. I can’t tell you 

how much I enjoyed the Nurses’ Legislative Night 

Out! MNA makes this annual event an easy platform 

to allow all Maryland nurses to be heard. There are 

87,000 of us. Next year, why not make your voice 

heard? 

Senator Melony Ghee Griffin 

Maryland Department of Health 

Office of Health Care Quality 

7120 Samuel Morse Drive, Columbia 

Be the catalyst that improves health care 

Use your nursing expertise to positively impact the lives of all Marylanders. 

Join the Maryland Department of Health’s Office of Health Care Quality 

as a nurse surveyor and enforce regulatory requirements 

in health care facilities and community-based programs 

OHCQ oversees the quality of care in 45 industries, including nursing homes, 

hospitals, home health, hospice, dialysis, ambulatory surgery centers, 

assisted living, adult medical day care, residential treatment centers, and 

programs serving individuals with developmental disabilities 

• Work-life balance • Choice of health plans with low deductibles 

• Prescription plan with low copays • Dental insurance 

• Flex spending account • State pension 

• State-of-the-art office design • Free gym access in office park 

• Hybrid telework schedule 

Search for keyword “surveyor nurse” at https://jobapscloud.com/MD/ 

Learn more about OHCQ at http://health.maryland.gov/ohcq/



Delegate Brooke Lierman and District 46 

Robyn Elliott (MNA Lobbyist) 

Delegate Kevin Hornberger and District 35 

Senator Christopher West and District 42 

Senator Sarah Elfreth and District 30 

Senator Paul Pinsky and District 22 

Delegate Christopher Adams and District 37 

District 13 

Delegate Mark Chang and District 32 

Senator Shelly Hettleman, Delegate Dana Stein 

and District 11 

Joseline A. Pena-Melnyk 

Opening remarks


Continuing Education 

The Maryland Clinical Simulation Resource Consortium 

Jasline Moreno MSN, RN, CHSE 

MCSRC Faculty Lead 

Objective: Describe key elements of the Maryland 

Clinical Simulation Resource Consortium 

Background 

The Maryland Clinical Simulation Resource 

Consortium (MCSRC) is a Nurse Support Program 

II (NSP II) funded initiative. The objective of this 

state-funded consortium is to increase the quantity 

and quality of simulation in Maryland (MD). MCSRC 

is housed at Montgomery College, located in Silver 

Spring, MD, and serves all 28 nursing programs 

across the state. The program originated in 2015 

and received a continuation grant in 2020. MCSRC 

is comprised of two faculty leads, Jasline Moreno 

and Raquel Bertiz; a program director, Monique 

Davis; and fifteen steering committee members. 

As of January 2022, the program has educated over 

three hundred nursing educators in the pedagogy of 

simulation. 

According to the Healthcare Simulation 

Standards of Best Practice TM , “the facilitator is 

key to participants' learning” (Persico et al., 2021). 

Therefore, all nursing faculty who serve as facilitators 

must be educated in this pedagogy. Unfortunately, 

access to simulation training is not equitable. 

Developing competent facilitators was a critical issue 

across the nation as many nursing programs started 

utilizing simulation-based education to substitute for 

clinical or to supplement their curriculum following 

the release of The National Council of State Board 

of Nursing (NCSBN) study findings (Hayden et 

al., 2014). MCSRC acknowledged these issues and 

developed a comprehensive program that continues to 

be accessible to all educators in Maryland. 

Train the Trainer 

The Maryland Clinical Simulation Resource 

Consortium is dedicated to training faculty in 

this teaching/learning strategy. A comprehensive 

curriculum grounded in experiential learning is 

delivered using the train the trainer model over a 

three-day period. Deans and directors can nominate 

educators that meet the established criteria. 

Nominations are accepted in the Fall of each year, 

and the courses are offered in the Spring. Educators 

can select to enter the Train the Trainer courses at a 

Simulation Education Leader I (SEL I) or Simulation 

Education Leader II (SEL II) level. The SEL I course 

is designed for educators who have not received any 

formal training in simulation, and the SEL II course 

is designed for educators who have received some 

formal training in the past. Educators transition from 

novice to expert level (Benner, 1984) in the pedagogy 

of simulation. Currently, there are four levels of 

training simulation education leaders (SEL) can 

engage in: 

• Simulation Educator Leader I (SEL I): Theory, 

Debriefing and Evaluation. 

• Simulation Education Leader II (SELI I): 

Theory, Curriculum Integration, Advanced and 

Debriefing and Advanced Evaluation. 

• Advancing Simulation Educator Leader II 

(ASEL II): Curriculum Integration, Advanced 

Debriefing, and Advanced Evaluation, 

• Advancing Simulation Education Leader III 

(ASEL III): Scholarship, Certification and 

Leadership 

• Advancing Simulation Education Leader IV 

(ASEL IV): Innovation and Scholarship 

Advancing Simulation Education Leader II, III, 

and IV (ASEL II, III, and IV) 

After completing the SEL I or SEL II courses, 

SELs (Simulation Education Leader) are invited to 

participate in Advancing Simulation Educator Leader 

(ASEL) courses. ASEL II and ASEL III are one-day 

courses offered twice a year, in the summer and the 

fall. ASEL II’s curriculum focuses on simulation 

theory, advanced debriefing and evaluation, and 

curriculum integration. ASEL III curriculum is 

centered around certification, scholarship, and 

leadership. ASEL IV is a new course developed 

to foster the spirit of innovation and scholarship. In 

this year-long course, SELs collaborate with other 

educators to identify a project of interest that would 

further the pedagogy of simulation in Maryland. 

MCSRC faculty serve as resources as SELs 

collaboratively work on their project over the year. 

Three synchronous meetings are facilitated via zoom. 

All Train the Trainer courses have been reviewed 

and approved by the Maryland Nurses Association 

(MNA) and the American Nurses Credentialing 

Center (ANCC), and participants are awarded nursing 

contact hours upon completion of the course. 

Other Educational Offerings 

MCSRC supplements its curriculum with a 

plethora of educational offerings. These include 

customized workshops, SIM N ARs (journal club), 

open forums, and open educational resources (OERs). 

MCSRC has five four-hour workshops that can be 

customized to meet the needs of its learners. The 

workshops can be requested by the institution and are 

delivered to the site. The five workshops are: 

1. Foundations in Simulation 

2. Debriefing Basics 

3. Advanced Debriefing 

4. Evaluations in Simulation 

5. Debriefing in the Classroom and Beyond 

MCSRC promotes scholarship through its’ Sim N 

Ars (journal club). Peer-reviewed journal articles are 

selected and discussed in a structured manner. The 

discussions are thoughtful and inform educators of 

current issues in simulation. Sim N Ars are facilitated 

via zoom bimonthly. 

MCSRC, in collaboration with Montgomery 

College’s Nursing Program, produces and maintains 

a simulation library. Currently, there are sixteen 

simulations on a variety of topics and eight 

Interprofessional Educational (IPE) simulations. The 

simulation library is an open educational resource 

utilized nationally and internationally. Organizations 

such as INACSL (International Nursing Association 

of Clinical and Simulation Learning) and OADN 

(Organization for Associate Degree Nursing) cited 

the simulation library as a recommended resource 

during the pandemic. 

Innovation during Disruption 

MCSRC pivoted during the pandemic to meet the 

needs of educators in Maryland. The consortium 

recognized a need for community and leadership 

and initiated virtual open forums during the 

unprecedented time. The open forums served as


Continuing Education 

a vehicle for collaboration and support. Leaders 

in simulation shared vital information focused on 

virtual simulations and provided standards of best 

practice. A segment was dedicated for open dialogue 

where educators from all parts of the state could 

participate in thoughtful discussions regarding their 

challenges and innovations. MCSRC continues to 

facilitate open forums to foster collaboration and 

open dialogue bimonthly. 

A Summer Speaker Series was also developed 

for the summer of 2020. The Summer Speaker 

Series hosted simulation leaders in Maryland. The 

speakers were experts in the field of simulation. 

They shared their knowledge, and provided guidance 

on navigating a situation none of us had ever faced 

before in nursing education. There was a total of 

six engaging sessions. All sessions were open to 

SELs and facilitated via zoom. These sessions were 

recorded and can be found on the MCSRC webpage. 

An asynchronous course called Virtual Clinical 101 

was developed as an open educational resource for 

educators in MD. This course provided foundational 

knowledge to many educators who were new to the 

pedagogy of simulation and faced the challenge of 

facilitating virtual clinical. Over 150 educators have 

participated in this asynchronous course and the 

feedback has been excellent. The course is housed on 

Montgomery College’s Blackboard page. 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, the mission of MCSRC is more 

relevant today than when it originated. The 

pandemic highlighted the need for educators to 

be knowledgeable in the pedagogy of simulation. 

Many nursing programs across the nation relied on 

simulation to meet their clinical objectives during the 

pandemic. Nursing programs continue to integrate 

simulation-based education into their curriculum. 

Every educator can utilize elements of this pedagogy 

(such as debriefing or psychological safety) in 

their teaching practice. The MCSRC is the state’s 

consortium, and will continue to support its educators 

through its’ professional development opportunities. 

References 

Benner, P. E. (1984). From novice to expert: Excellence and 

power in clinical nursing practice. 

Hayden, K., Smiley, R., Alexander, M., Kardong-Edgren, S., & 

Jeffries, P. (2014) The NCSBN National Simulation Study: A 

longitudinal, randomized, controlled study replacing clinical 

hours with simulation in prelicensure nursing education, 

Journal of Nursing Regulation, 5(2), S3-S40. https://doi. 

org/10.1016/S2155-8256(15)30062-4. 

Persico, L., Belle, A., DiGregorio, H., Wilson-Keates, B., 

& Shelton, C. (2021, September). Healthcare Simulation 

Standards of Best PracticeTM Facilitation. Clinical 

Simulation in Nursing, 58, 22-26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. 

ecns.2021.08.010. 

This journal article has been awarded 0.5 continuing 

nursing professional development hours. The authors 

and planning team have no conflicts of interest to 

disclose regarding the content in this article. There 

will be no discussion or promotion of commercial 

interests, products, or services. To receive continuing 

education credit (certificate) for this activity, you 

must read the article and answer all assessment 

and evaluation questions. Access the evaluation 

using the following address: https://forms.gle/ 

wQrdKdfJMqD2xVLDA 

1. The Maryland Clinical Simulation Resource 

Consortium (MCSRC) is 

a. a state-funded initiative to increase the use and 

quality of simulation. 

b. a private organization focused on increasing the 

use of simulation. 

c. a state-funded initiative to increase faculty 

knowledge on item writing. 

d. an initiative from Montgomery College to 

increase the use of simulation. 

2. The MCSRC’s Train the Trainer program accepts 

nominations in the ______ and the training takes 

place in the _______. 

a. Fall, Spring. 

b. Spring, Fall. 

c. Summer, Spring. 

d. Spring, Summer. 

3. The MCSRC’s customized workshops include the 

following topics (select all that apply): 

a. Foundations in Simulation 

b. Curriculum Integration 

c. Evaluation in Simulation 

d. Technology in Simulation 

e. Debriefing Basics 

4. The MCSRC educational offerings include the 

following (select all that apply): 

a. SimNARs 

b. Open Forums 

c. Fireside Chats 

d. Simulation Library 

e. Simulation Podcasts 

5. The MCSRC only provides educational offering to 

the universities in Maryland. (True/False) 

Nursing Opportunities 

Now Hiring Registered Nurses 

FT & PT Positions Available 

Position summary: Responsible for Assisting 

with the planning, directing and evaluating of 

the nursing service operations and ensuring the 

highest degree of quality resident care 

and services. 

Qualifications include: Valid license in the state 

of Maryland; AA in Nursing (BSN preferred) with at 

least 6 months Nursing experience - preferably in a 

LTC/AL environment or with geriatric population. 

Questions? Contact Krista Watts at 

kwatts@baywoodsofannapolis.com 

BayWoods of Annapolis 

7101 Bay Front Drive | Annapolis, MD 21403 

www.baywoodsofannapolis.com


An Ethic of Justice Viewed through the Lens of an Ethic of 

Care: How Nurse Leaders May Combat Workplace Bullying 

Gloria Matthews, DNP, RN, CNL, CDE 

University of Oklahoma Medical Center 

Valerie Eschiti, PhD, RN, AHN-BC, CHTP, CTN-A 

University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center 

Fran & Earl Ziegler College of Nursing, 

Lawton Campus 

Reprinted with permission from 

Oklahoma Nurse May 2021 issue 

The purpose of this paper is to present integration 

of two ethical approaches to combat workplace 

bullying within a clinical setting from an advance 

nursing practice leadership perspective. A description 

of ethic of care and ethic of justice is presented 

and critically appraised as it relates to managing 

workplace bullying. The importance of the 

application of the ethic of justice through the lens of 

the ethic of care will be elucidated. 

Description and Application to Workplace 

Bullying 

A failure of nursing leadership to address 

workplace bullying demonstrates a lack of 

compassion and organizational injustice. Bullying 

is the repeated and persistent, abusive mistreatment 

by one or more perpetrators towards one or more 

victims that is marked by threatening, humiliating 

or intimidating conduct, work interference, or 

verbal abuse (Fink-Samnick, 2018). Bullying is a 

systemic problem and reflects behavior patterns 

and surreptitious characteristics of a culture of 

violence that contributes to various expressions and 

manifestations of violence within an organization 

(Smit & Scherman, 2016). The Joint Commission 

(2008) notes that intimidating and disruptive 

behaviors contribute to medical errors, poor patient 

and staff satisfaction, staff turnover and poor 

collaborative work environments. 

Ethic of Care 

The ethic of care is a moral approach 

characterized by contextual, holistic empathy and 

is based on caring, strengthening and maintaining 

interpersonal relationships. It emphasizes the 

importance of insight gained from being open and 

receptive to the realities and needs of others (Simola, 

2003). The ethic of care aligns with the authentic, 

servant and transformational leaders who put 

followers’ interests above their own and influence 

Nurses Wanted—RN/LPN at international 

children’s summer camp. Professional staff. Four 

weeks ideal, some flexibility. 350 acres on private 

lake. Pediatric experience necessary. Competitive 

salary+room & board. 

Meg Kassen 

Hidden Valley Camp 

Freedom, ME 04941 

Phone: 800-922-6737 

meg@hiddenvalleycamp.com 

www.hiddenvalleycamp.com 

followers through building relationships, developing 

a collective vision, and attending to the needs and 

growth of their followers (Groves & LaRocca, 2011). 

Most occurrences of bullying are learned 

behaviors directed by reactions to stress and 

organizational norms and, therefore, can be 

unlearned (Berry et al, 2016). Leaders guided by 

an ethic of care model take decisive action when 

confronted with behaviors that do not adhere to 

expected conduct. In combating workplace bullying, 

effective leaders are proficient in communication 

and competent in coaching, staff development, 

maintaining high standards of conduct, and fostering 

an environment of trust and mutual respect (Parker, 

Harrington, Smith, Sellers, and Millenbach, 2016). 

Bullying is an attempt to intimidate and gain 

power over someone else. Structural empowerment 

is an effective technique to mitigate the effects and 

incidents of bullying (Lachman, 2014). Effective 

nurse empowerment can be obtained through shared 

governance to minimize power imbalances and 

enhance shared responsibility and transparency in 

decision making (Berry et al, 2016; Parker et al, 

2016). 

Skill development is an important weapon in the 

battle against bullying. Strategies such as cognitive 

rehearsal, skills-based training, and role-playing 

have been successful in raising staff awareness and 

combating bullying (Balevre, Balevre, & Chesire, 

2018; Parker et al., 2016). 

Normative leadership models such as 

transformational, servant and authentic leadership 

constructively address the bullying by modeling an 

ethic of care perspective and seeking to facilitate 

followers’ self-actualization. The assumption is that 

ethical leadership styles promote social cohesion, 

professionalism, and empowerment (Webster, 2016). 

Ethic of Justice 

The ethic of justice is a moral approach that is 

characterized by justice, fairness, reciprocity and 

the protection of individual rights. Individuals 

demonstrate impartiality and the ability to reason 

abstractly through the application of formal, logical 

and impartial rules (Simola, 2003). The ethic of 

justice aligns with the transactional leader who 

influences followers by control, reward and corrective 

transactions (Groves & LaRocca, 2011). 

Structural empowerment is gained through 

establishment of an ethical infrastructure that 

reinforces ethical principles and behavioral 

expectations of members of the organization 

(Einarsen, Mykletun, Einarsen, Skogstad, & Salin, 

2017). Aligned with the ethic of justice, organizations 

establish standardized policies, procedures and 

documents such as codes of ethics, procedures for 

handling complaints and zero tolerance policies 

(Einarsen et al., 2017). 

Hutchinson (2009) posits that rather than focusing 

on the individual, leaders should direct corrective 

measures towards the act of bullying itself and gain 

insight into work group and organizational factors 

that enable the behavior. The focus is on reintegration 

and restoration of social relationships within the 

context of a supportive group, such as a restorative 

circle, where the attention is placed on repairing harm 

rather than blame and punishment. 

Reflection on Integration of Ethical Approaches 

It is important for leaders to integrate the two 

ethical perspectives by distributing justice within a 

caring framework (Sorbello, 2008). Organizations 

and leaders must clarify and communicate that 

bullying is unacceptable. If corrective actions 

fail, termination is an acceptable consequence to 

continued behavior (Lee et al., 2014). At times, 

leaders must implement corrective actions and uphold 

values and policies set forth by the organization, 

but it is in the delivery and intent that determines a 

caring leader. 

Conclusion 

Combating bullying requires a multidimensional 

approach. By establishing a relationship-based ethics 

of care perspective, along with visible organizationalbased 

regulatory sanctions in communication and 

ethic of justice, organizations can create and sustain a 

respectful working environment for the prevention of 

workplace bullying. The integration of the divergent 

ethical perspectives of an ethic of care and an ethic 

of justice provides an environment of collegiality, 

transparency and support for improved patient-related 

and nurse-related outcomes. 

References 

Balevre, S. M., Balevre, P. S., & Chesire, D. 

J. (2018). Nursing professional development antibullying 

project. Journal for Nurses in Professional 

Development, 34(5), 277-282. https://doi.org/10.1097/ 

NND.0000000000000470 

Berry, P. A., Gillespie, G. L., Fisher, B. S., & 

Gormley, D. K. (2016). Recognizing, confronting, and 

eliminating workplace bullying. Workplace Health & 

Safety, 64(7), 337-341. https://doi.org/10.18291/njwls. 

v7i1.81398 

Einarsen, K., Mykletun, R. J., Einarsen, S. 

V., Skogstad, A., & Salin, D. (2017). Ethical 

infrastructure and successful handling of workplace 

bullying. Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies, 

7(1), 37–54. https://doi.org/10.18291/njwls.v7i1.81398 

Fink-Samnick, E. (2018). The new age of bullying 

and violence in health care: part 4: managing 

organizational cultures and beyond. Professional 

Case Management, 23(6), 294–306. https://doi. 

org/10.1097/NCM.0000000000000324 

Groves, K., & LaRocca, M. (2011). An empirical 

study of leader ethical values, transformational and 

transactional leadership, and follower attitudes toward 

corporate social responsibility. Journal of Business 

Ethics, 103(4), 511–528. https://doi.org/10.1007/ 

s10551-011-0877-y 

Hutchinson, M. (2009). Restorative approaches to 

workplace bullying: Educating nurses towards shared 

responsibility. Contemporary Nurse, 32(1–2), 147– 

155. https://doi.org/10.5172/conu.32.1-2.147 

Lachman, V. D. (2014). Ethical issues in the 

disruptive behaviors of incivility, bullying, and 

horizontal/lateral violence. Medsurg Nursing, 23(1), 

56-60. 

Parker, K. M., Harrington, A., Smith, C. M., 

Sellers, K. F., & Millenbach, L. (2016). Creating a 

nurse-led culture to minimize horizontal violence 

in the acute care setting: A multi-interventional 

approach. Journal for Nurses in Professional 

Development, 32(2), 56-63. https://doi.org/10.1097/ 

NND.0000000000000224 

Simola, S. (2003). Ethics of justice and 

care in corporate crisis management. Journal 

of Business Ethics, 46(4), 351-361. https://doi. 

org/10.1023/A:1025607928196 

Smit, B., & Scherman, V. (2016). A case for 

relational leadership and an ethics of care for 

counteracting bullying at schools. South African 

Journal of Education, 36(4), 1-9. http://www. 

sajournalofeducation.co.za/index.php/saje/article/ 

view/1312/668 

Sorbello, B. (2008). The nurse administrator as 

caring person: A synoptic analysis applying caring 

philosophy, Ray’s ethical theory of existential 

authenticity, the ethic of justice, and the ethic of care. 

International Journal of Human Caring, 12(1), 44-49. 

10.20467/1091-5710.12.1.44 

The Joint Commission. (2008). Behaviors that 

undermine a culture of safety. (Sentinel Event Alert, 

Issue 40). http://www.jointcommission.org/assets/1 

/18/SEA_40.pdf 

Webster, M. (2016). Challenging workplace 

bullying: the role of social work leadership integrity. 

Ethics & Social Welfare, 10(4), 316–332. https://doi.or 

g/10.1080/17496535.2016.1155633


Nursing Organizations 

7th Annual NP Lobby Night Hosted by NPAM on January 25th 

Senator Eckardt and Delegate Johnson Present 

Beverly Lang MScN, RN, ANP-BC, FAANP, Executive Director, NPAM, 

NPAMExDir@npedu.com. 

The Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland (NPAM) hosted the 7th 

Annual 2022 NP Lobby Night on Tuesday, January 25th, 2022, from 6:30 pm 

to 9:00 pm. This virtual event, planned by Claire Bode, NPAM Legislative 

Committee Chair and the Legislative Committee, provided attendees with 

valuable information about the legislative process. 

Thanks to our special guests, Senator Addie Eckardt, recipient of the AANP 

State Advocate Award for 2021, and Delegate Steve Johnson, sponsor of HB 

0049 Public Health – Emergency and Allergy Treatment Program – Nurse 

Practitioners. This bill, sponsored by NPAM, will add Nurse Practitioners (NPs) 

to the list of those who can prescribe and dispense auto-injectable epinephrine 

in the form of Epi-pens to certain certificate holders at youth camps. Thank you, 

Senator Eckardt and Delegate Johnson, for taking the time to attend this event 

and being so supportive of nurses and NPs! 

Janet Selway, one of the founding members of NPAM, Past-President, and 

member of the NPAM Legislative Committee, presented “Advocacy 101” and 

took us through the steps to be an effective advocate; Sarah Peters, NPAM 

Legislative Consultant, gave a tutorial on how to navigate the Maryland General 

Assembly website; Claire Bode, Legislative Committee Chair, Bill Pitcher, 

NPAM Legislative Consultant, Sarah Peters and a brave attendee, role-played an 

interaction with a legislator to demonstrate an effective “elevator speech”; and 

Dale Jafari and Kamala Via, Co-Chairs of the NPAM Political Action Committee 

(PAC), presented why we, as NPs, need to support the NPAM PAC. Finally, 

Taynin (Tay) Kopanos, DNP, NP, FAANP, VP of State Government Affairs, 

American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), presented the implications 

of the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Compact for Maryland and 

beyond. 

Claire Bode challenged attendees throughout the night with a series of trivia 

questions related to fun facts about Maryland and NPAM – thanks, Claire Bode, 

for thinking of all those trivia questions! Everyone learned a lot and laughed a bit 

- something we really need at this time! 

NPAM would like to thank the 89 registered attendees who participated in the 

7th Annual NP Lobby Night, and especially those who planned the event - Claire 

Bode, NPAM Legislative Chair and her Legislative Committee team, and to all of 

those who presented. 

If you were unable to attend this year, we look forward to seeing you next year 

in 2023! More information about NPAM can be obtained by visiting our home 

pages at www.NPAMOnLine.org, or calling us at 443-367-0277. If you are an NP 

in Maryland, we welcome you to join us!


Awards 

Dr. Melani Bell Awarded Maryland’s Top 100 Women Recipient 

Melani Bell, DNP, RN, 

MNA Vice President, has 

been announced as one of 

Maryland’s 100 Women 

for her achievements 

and dedication to her 

community and the 

nursing profession. 

Maryland’s Top 100 

Women recognizes highachieving 

Maryland 

women who are making 

an impact through their Melanie Bell 

leadership, community 

service and mentoring. Winners are selected by past 

Top 100 Women and business leaders. Three-time 

winners are inducted into the Circle of Excellence. 

AWARDS CELEBRATION: 

May 9, 2022 

UMD Riggs Alumni Center 

7801 Alumni Drive, College Park MD 20742 

4 p.m. — VIP Networking Reception 

4:30 p.m. — General Networking Reception 

5:30 p.m. — Awards Celebration 

6:30 p.m. — Networking Continues 

The evening includes hors d’oeuvres, bar, a light 

dinner, and dessert. 

Reserve your sponsorship now. Your sponsorship 

includes a table for your guests, multimedia 

marketing, logo usage and much more depending on 

the level your company selects. 

There is limited attendance including winners and 

sponsors. If space is available, tickets will go on sale 

for $175 each after April 11. 

For sponsorship information, contact 

shuettner@thedailyrecord.com 

For general event questions, contact 

events@thedailyrecord.com 

CERTIFIED GERIATRIC NURSING ASSISTANT 

INCREASED HOURLY R ATES!!!!!!!! 

The Residence at Vantage Point, formerly known as Columbia Vantage House 

is a senior living community in Columbia, MD seeks F/T & P/T CGNAs for ALL 

Shifts (7am-3:30pm) (3p-11:30p) & Nights (11p-7:30a) to work in our beautiful 

skilled and assisted living units. The hours can be perfect for a nursing student. 

We also offer a weekend differential. Successful candidate must be certified 

as a CGNA in MD, dependable & display excellent hospitality skills. Successful 

candidate would be eligible for both full or partial benefits (i.e. PTO, health, 

dental,vision,403b,etc.) 

If interested, EMAIL resume to: vphr@vantagepointresidences.org or 

FAX to 410-992-1304, or apply in person at 

5400 Vantage Point Road, Columbia MD 21044. EOE 

Winners of The Daily Record Maryland’s Top 100 

Women are as follows: 

**Roselyn Aker-Black: Dr. Roz’s Therapeutic and 

Coaching Services 

Heidi Anderson: University of Maryland Eastern 

Shore 

**Sandra Angello: Pohanka Automotive Group of 

Salisbury 

Amy E. Askew: Kramon & Graham P.A. 

Abimbola “Bola” Audena: MBA Growth Partners 

Josephine Bahn: Cozen O’Connor 

Candice Baldwin: Frederick Community College 

Karenthia Barber: Professional Development 

Associates LLC 

Del. Sandy Bartlett: Maryland House of Delegates 

Dr. Melani Bell: Health Resources & Services 

Administration 

Jane Belt: Quarry Ridge Corp. 

Brandi Blevins: Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital 

Debora Bossemeyer: Jhpiego 

Pamela Bohrer Brown: Baltimore Medical System 

Mary Bolt: Cecil College 

Laura Bouyea: Venable LLP 

The Hon. Monise Brown: Maryland Judiciary 

Cheryl Brown: Davis, Agnor, Rapaport & Skalny 

Angela Cabellon: Howard County Government 

Dr. Renee Carr: The Problem Solver LLC 

Sen. Jill Carter: Senate of Maryland 

Kris Caverly: T. Rowe Price 

Danesha Chisholm: Microsoft 

Betty Clark: Baltimore Design School 

Amy Coates Madsen: Maryland Association of 

Nonprofit Organizations 

Shana Cosgrove: Nyla Technology Solutions 

Lillian Cruz: Montgomery County Government 

Dionne Curbeam: Coppin State University 

Heidi Daniel: Enoch Pratt Free Library 

Yvette Diamond: Our Facets 

Melissa Drew: Holder Construction 

Rachel Druckenmiller: UNMUTED 

Laurie Duhan: Baltimore Gas and Electric Company 

Dr. Tracey L. Durant: Baltimore City Public Schools 

Donna Edwards: Maryland State and DC AFL-CIO 

Virna Elly: Think Systems Inc. 

Jill Feinberg: Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital 

Hannah Garagiola: Compass Government Relations/ 

Compass Public Relations 

Kimberly Groves: KCW Engineering Technologies 

Inc. 

Asma Hanif: Inge Benevolent Ministries 

Heather Hanline: Dove Center 

** Tina Hike-Hubbard: Baltimore City Public 

Schools 

Jacqueline Hill: Bowie State University 

** Aubreana Stephenson Holder: Federal 

Management Systems Inc. 

Lisa Ishii: Johns Hopkins Health System 

Julia Jasken: McDaniel College 

Karen Kahl: RK&K 

Alia Kemet: McCormick & Company 

Calandra Layne: United States Department of 

Defense 

Grace Lee: Maryland New Directions Inc. 

** Dottie Li: TransPacific Communications 

Del. Brooke Lierman: House of Delegates 

Jennifer Litchman: University of Maryland, 

Baltimore 

Rachel London: Maryland Developmental Disabilities 

Council 

Lisa Maragakis: Johns Hopkins University School of 

Medicine 

Michele Martz: UPMC Western Maryland 

Deanna McCray-James: Library of Congress 

Gracelyn McDermott: Kaiser Permanente Mid- 

Atlantic States 

Sharon Milbourne Washington: TidalHealth 

Peninsula Regional 

Morgan Miller: Cecil County Public Library 

Sharrarne Morton: Morton Media 

Marguerite Mugge: M&T Bank 

Marianne Navarro: LifeBridge Health 

Jeanette Nazarian: HCGH/Johns Hopkins Medicine 

Carla Nealy: City of Baltimore 

Beverly O’Bryant: Coppin State University 

Donna Parker: The University of Maryland School of 

Medicine 

Katrina Dixon Patterson: Department on Disability 

Services 

Melanie Perreault: Towson University 

** Joan Plisko: Plisko Sustainable Solutions LLC 

JaLynn Prince: Madison House Autism Foundation 

Jessica Quincosa: Community Legal Services of 

Prince George’s County Inc. 

** Gina Ramsey: Pink Dog Digital 

Stacey Rebbert: Harford Mutual Insurance Group 

Diane Richardson: Towson University 

Rebecca Rienzi: Pathfinders for Autism 

Erin Ritter: Casey Cares Foundation 

Ginger Robinson: Montgomery College 

Carissa Rodeheaver: First United Corporation and 

First United Bank & Trust 

Stacy Rodgers: Baltimore County Government 

Keiva Rodriques: MDOT Maryland Aviation 

Administration 

Lucy Rutishauser: Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. 

Helen Sabzevari: Precigen 

Dara Schnee: Baltimore Community Foundation 

Cynthia Shonaiya: Hord Coplan Macht 

Mara Sierocinski: Sandy Spring Bank 

Dr. Daphne Snowden: Delta Sigma Theta Sorority 

Inc. 

Jennifer Sproul: Maryland Center for Construction 

Education & Innovation 

Kym Taylor: Family Choice Healthcare 

** Faith Thomas: Baltimore County Department of 

Law 

Hadley Wesson: Johns Hopkins School of Medicine 

** Michele Whelley: Economic Alliance of Greater 

Baltimore 

Monica White: Baltimore City Department of 

Transportation 

Marsha Williams: Williams, McClernan, & Stack 

LLC 

Marketa Wills: Johns Hopkins Healthcare LLC 

Karsonya Wise Whitehead: Loyola University 

Maryland/WEAA 

Brenda Wolff: Montgomery County Board of 

Education 

** Michelle Wright: Certus Consulting LLC 

Nancy D. Young: UMBC: An Honors University in 


** Marlene Young: Delaplaine Foundation Inc. 

** Denotes Circle of Excellence, three-time winners 

of Maryland’s Top 100 Women


Awards 

Clinical Corner 

NFM Announces Nursing 

Scholarships 

Nursing Students Encouraged to Apply 

The Nursing Foundation of Maryland, Inc. (NFM) is pleased to announce to 

Maryland nursing students that multiple nursing scholarships will be awarded 

during the Maryland Nurses Association 119th Annual Convention to be held on 

October 6th & 7th, 2022. 

Eligibility requirements, scholarship application, and further details are 

available at: https://mna.nursingnetwork.com/page/78091-nursing-foundationof-maryland-annual-scholarships. 

The Nursing Foundation of Maryland, Inc. 

encourages all eligible nursing students to submit an application. 

The need to help students pursue nursing education is great, and the NFM is 

always looking to individuals and corporations to assist future nurses in their 

educational endeavors. If you are interested in sponsoring a nursing scholarship, 

please email the NFM at The.Nursing.Foundation.of.Maryland@gmail.com. 

Interested in helping the NFM fund a scholarship? You can make a donation to 

the Nursing Foundation of Maryland at no cost to you when you make a purchase 

from Amazon. Please use this link: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/33-1216733 to 

make a donation (at no cost to you) directly to the NFM based on your purchases. 

These donations directly support nursing students through scholarships. Last 

quarter AmazonSmile donated $24.58 to the Nursing Foundation of Maryland 

with only 36 shoppers. Imagine how much the donations would increase if 500 

shoppers used this link. AmazonSmile will donate 0.5% of the cost of eligible 

purchases to the NFM. Please support nursing scholarships through this no-cost 

to you donation opportunity through AmazonSmile. 

The Nursing Foundation of Maryland Trustees 

Washington Adventist 

University Faculty Honored 

and Recognized 

Washington Adventist University would like to formally recognize the 

following faculty for their accomplishments in scholarship and professional 

growth. 

NPS II Grant Awards 

Nellie McKenzie, PharmD, RPh, RN received the "Nurse Faculty Annual 

Recognition (NFAR). 

Rachel Loukota, MSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, CNE, was awarded "New Nurse 

Faculty Fellowship Nomination (NNFFN) and obtained her Certified Nurse 

Educator (CNE) certification. 

Certificated Nurse Educator - Excellence in Scholarship 

Rachel Loukota, MSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, CNE and Dhaya Nandipamu, DNP, 

MSN, APRN, FNP-C, CCRN, CNE earned the distinction of adding the initials 

of CNE behind their names because they passed the CNE examination. 

Nellie McKenzie Rachel Loukota Dhaya 

Nandipamu 

Thinking Outside the Box- 

Development of the Nursing 

Support Assistant Role 

Patricia Hall, BSN, RN, DN/CM, MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital, 

Clinical Coordinator Nursing Resources 

Like any other hospital within the United States, MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital 

(MSMH) in Leonardtown, MD, faced extreme hospital census, decreased nursing 

staff, and increased nurse/patient ratios due to the pandemic. The Nursing 

Support Assistant (NSA) role was created to assist nurses with non-clinical tasks. 

This role, in turn, would decrease the tasking workload on the nursing staff with 

such non-clinical tasks as: 

• Change beds 

• Fill water pitchers 

• Help set up rooms for patient admission 

• Strip rooms when patients are discharged 

• Take out trash 

• Deliver isolation trays to rooms 

• Take out dirty laundry 

• Put equipment or supplies away 

• Clean over bed tables to ensure that there is room for meal trays 

• Make copies or file paperwork 

• Take linen or supplies to rooms for tech or RN 

• Run errands/ take or retrieve equipment, papers, mail 

• Get wheelchairs/stretchers ready for patients when they are being 

discharged or going for a test 

• Help discharged patients get packed up 

• Check that bed alarms are on patients who have fall precautions 

• Make sure patients have call lights and telephones close by 

• Relieve Emergency Room Entrance Screeners for lunch breaks 

• Get deliveries from Emergency Room Entrance or Front entrance 

• Make sure isolation door hangers are full of the proper PPE 

• Transport specimens to the laboratory 

A job description was developed to be vetted and approved by the Chief 

Nursing Officer, Dawn Yeitrakis, MS, BSN, RN, NEA-BC, CEN, and Human 

Resources. The NSA job description was approved, and the position was 

budgeted as a temporary position. The NSA position has received numerous 

applicants, and the position has officially begun within the hospital setting. In 

review, the initiative has been successful and has had a positive impact within our 

hospital. 

The overall patient satisfaction with nursing care and overcall care increased 

because the patients felt that the hospital staff were timelier with meeting their 

needs when the call bell was used. The in-patient fall rate decreased within 

the hospital due to more frequent rounding being conducted on each patient, 

therefore, having a positive impact on MSMH Hospital Consumer Assessment of 

Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores. Additionally, the overall 

nurse job satisfaction increased because the nurses were able to spend more time 

with their patients doing quality care and education. 

During the recent spike of increased Omicron cases, MedStar Corporate 

collaborated with all MedStar hospitals to discuss plans and ideas on assisting our 

entire hospital staff. Dawn Yeitrakis shared the NSA initiative and the positive 

outcomes resulting. MedStar Corporate embraced this idea, and the role has 

now evolved into the Buddy System throughout the MedStar Hospitals. With the 

Buddy System, many of our non-clinical associates have signed up to work fourhour 

shifts to meet the patient and hospital needs. 

PRRINNCCEEE GGEEEOORRGGEEE'S CCOOUNNTY 

PU#-ICC SCC)OOOO-S


Education 

Dean’s Message: Leadership 

and Legacy of Black Nurses 

Sarah L. Szanton, PhD, RN 

Reprint with permission 

This month, we celebrate the accomplishments of our Black faculty and staff 

members, students, alumni, and members of our profession. And highlighted 

below are phenomenal African-American nurses who we recognize as "firsts" in 

our school, the university, and for accomplishments across the country. 

Gertrude Hodges, the first African-American graduate (1959) of the Johns 

Hopkins School of Nursing. She provided decades of health care, teaching, and 

mentoring as she inspired generations of Baltimore nurses. Still an icon in our 

school, there is a scholarship founded in her honor by the Black Student Nurses 

Association. 

Fannie Gaston-Johansson, professor emerita and the first American-American 

woman to be a tenured full professor at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Gaston- 

Johansson is an internationally renowned nurse educator, researcher, and clinical 

practitioner who focused on health disparities and the sensory and emotional 

components of pain. 

Lauren Underwood, the youngest African-American woman to serve in 

the United States House of Representatives and a 2009 graduate of our school. 

Congresswoman Underwood co-founded and co-chairs the Black Maternal 

Health Caucus. She was instrumental in implementing the Affordable Care Act 

during her service at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

We applaud these nurses and their work in the ongoing pursuit of social 

justice and health equity. At the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, we value their 

legacy and the legacy of our community members from all races, ethnicities, and 

backgrounds who make our school strong and diverse. 

ABOUT CHASE BREXTON HEALTH CARE: Founded in 1978 as a volunteer-run LGBTQ health clinic, today 

Chase Brexton Health Care is a Joint Commission accredited, Federally Qualified Health Center providing 

compassionate, quality health care that honors diversity, inspires wellness, and improves our communities. 

A collaborative, patient-centered team approach to healthcare enables us to provide life-changing care to 

more than 40,000 patients across seven locations in Maryland. Through our pediatrics, primary care, gender 

diverse care, behavioral health, dental, social work, and pharmacy, among many other services, Chase 

Brexton honors the founders of our organization by providing a welcoming and affirming space for all. 

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO WORK HERE: Have you ever gotten to march in a parade? At Chase Brexton Health Care, 

you can (except during pandemics)! From participating annually in Baltimore’s Pride to our outreach and 

nationally recognized efforts to end HIV to our daily work of being everyday average life-changers, our team 

is a diverse group of mission-focused individuals passionately dedicated to providing remarkable community 

health care. We believe healthier and happier people make our communities stronger – and we believe 

that’s true for patients and our team alike. So, while we help lift up others to live their healthiest possible 

lives, we help our team with the tools they need to live their happiest lives. 

Chase Brexton is seeking MD Licensed Nurses for our organization. 

We offer a Competitive Salary with a $5,000 Sign On Bonus with a 

two year commitment and a Comprehensive Benefit package. 

Apply on line by visiting our website – go to www.chasebrexton.org and 

can also email Janie Allen - Corporate Recruiter - jallen@chasebrexton.org. 

We look forward to assisting you with your next career move. 

The College of Southern 

Maryland Nursing Faculty Sara 

Cano and Robin Madera Earn 

More Than $100K to Support 

Research, Prepare Next Corps 

of Nurses 

Reprinted with permission from College of Southern Maryland Newsroom 

Two College of Southern Maryland (CSM) nursing 

faculty recently earned crucial support from the 

Maryland Nurse Support Program (NSP) that will help 

them, and CSM, better prepare CSM students to meet 

any challenge. 

CSM Associate Professor of Nursing Robin Madera 

and Acting Chair of Nursing Sara Cano each received 

a Nurse Educator Doctoral Grant (NEDG) given to 

nursing faculty members at Maryland higher education 

institutions who are engaged in, or recently completed, 

a dissertation or capstone project. The $100,000 award 

will help bolster both professors with their research 

and teaching. 

Sara Cano 

Cano also received a Nurse Faculty Annual 

Recognition (NFAR) award, which is given to a 

nursing faculty member who demonstrates excellence 

in teaching, engages in the life of the nursing program 

and college or university, and contributes to the 

profession as a nurse educator. 

“CSM is fortunate to have exemplary faculty 

leadership guiding the nursing program,” said CSM 

Dean of the School of Science and Health Laura Polk. 

“The past two years have been hard on the nursing 

profession, but the next generation of nurses are being 

well-prepared to succeed in this challenging time due 

to the strong nursing faculty support and instruction 

the program provides. These awards are an important Robin Madera 

recognition of the valuable work in which our faculty are engaged.” 

COVID-19 has shined the spotlight on the medical industry’s struggles to 

balance patient care and advocacy with their employees’ burnout and turnover 

created by the pandemic. It is a conundrum that college faculty from across the 

nation are researching and evaluating so they can better prepare the next corps of 

compassionate nurses and health care providers entering the bustling workforce 

to answer the call. 

“We can teach students hard skills, but we also need to work on the emotional 

preparation for nursing,” said Madera. “It is a physically, emotionally, and 

intellectually demanding job, and the pandemic has really emphasized the need 

for this kind of training.” 

The state of Maryland recognizes the need for an increase in highly educated 

nurses and an improved education system to address the nursing shortage that the 

state expects in the coming years, according to the state’s Department of Health 

webpage. The pandemic brought the need for skilled staff into sharp focus. One 

goal of the NSP is to increase the number of nurses with doctorates, who are 

needed to teach future generations of nurses and to conduct research that will 

become the basis for improvements in nursing science and practice. While 13 

percent of nurses hold a graduate degree, less than one percent have a doctoral 

degree. 

MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF 

JUVENILE SERVICES (DJS) 

DJS Offers Exciting Opportunities for Qualified, 

Competent Health Care Professionals 

Excellent Benefits/Competitive Salary/Safe Working Environment 

DJS is accepting applications for: 

REGISTERED NURSE CHARGE MED - Various Locations 

NURSE PRACTITIONER II/MIDWIFE - Baltimore County 

Candidates must possess a current license. Maryland is part of the Nurse Multi-State Licensing 

Compact. For detailed job bulletin on all requirements and application procedures to apply on 

line, go to djs.maryland.gov and click on Career Opportunities, then Apply Now. EOE 

Veterans and Bilingual Applicants 

are Encouraged to Apply


Education 

The Ann Ottney Cain Lecture in 

Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing 

The Shocking Truth about Job-Related Issues Leading to Suicide Amongst Nurses 

Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, Dean 

of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, 

welcomed attendees and honored guests to an eyeopening 

and interactive virtual webinar on March 

31st. Dr. Kirschling opened the event and shared 

that UMSON’s DNP program ranked #4 among 

public schools of nursing, and the MSN program 

ranked #9 among public schools. UMSON also 

ranked #2 among public schools of nursing for 

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. This 

ranking is pertinent to the information shared in 

the webinar and leads to introducing the event’s 

speakers. Dr. Kirschling introduced the speakers, Jane M. Kirschling 

Judy Davidson, DNP, RN, MCCM, FAAN; and 

Marie Manthey, PhD (Hon.), MNA, FAAN, FRCN (bios can be read at the 

end of the article). 

This webinar reviewed mental health risk among nurses, evidence-based 

approaches to risk detection and referral for treatment, and addressed how 

leadership can take action to reduce the risk of nurse suicide. 

Dr. Davidson enlightened the audience with statistics and information 

focused on nurse suicides and the risks of suicides. She polled the audience 

with a few questions regarding nurses’ suicide risks and addressed facts and 

hypotheses. As a result of the pandemic, there has been an increase in stress 

disorder, panic disorder, depression, and suicide. Based on prior experiences 

with Ebola and SARs, it is anticipated that we will see an increase in suicide 

and mental health disorders in nurses due to COVID-19. 

So which nurses may be more at risk of suicide? Studies have shown 

that even though emergency department (ED) nurses are exposed to more 

violence, this has no relation to the suicide rate. There is also an increase in 

medical-surgical nurses experiencing just as much violence as nurses in the 

ED. Younger nurses report more anxiety and suicide ideation, but this does 

not translate to suicide. There are many factors to account for this increase in 

anxiety. 

Dr. Davidson shared that the younger generation is the first generation 

to live their life with cell phones and constant technology. This connection 

has shown individuals to experience more anxiety and depression than other 

generations. Nurses are at higher risk of suicide than their physician partners, 

and nurses who experience job loss due to substance use investigation may be 

at a higher risk for suicide. Dr. Davidson stressed the importance of not only 

assessing and monitoring nurses with and at risk of substance use disorder 

(SUD), but to provide adequate services to these individuals. Substance 

use disorder is a medical condition, and the stigma and biases surrounding 

it can impede nurses from seeking help. Job loss due to investigations and 

being impaired on the job can lead to depression, and 92% of nurses who 

committed suicide were unemployed at the time of their death due to job 

problems. 

Facilities offer training and screening, which sometimes pose questions 

that make nurses afraid to share they have SUD or mental health issues. 

Creating supportive environments and offering appropriate resources to these 

nurses could make them successful in their wellness and hopefully decrease 

suicide among these nurses. 

Dr. Davidson introduced Dr. Marie Manthey, PhD (Hon.), MNA, FAAN, 

FRCN. At the early age of 5, Manthey knew she wanted to be a nurse. 

Manthey was alone in the hospital, and her nurse offered to color in her 

coloring book. 

A connection that sparked a passion and lasted a lifetime. Dr. Manthey 

shared her journey and struggles with being a nurse, mother, and wife; and 

how these stressors led to substance use. Manthey became the Chief Nursing 

Officer of two facilities. She was successful at work and contributed to 

significant initiatives. However, once she was home, decompression started 

with a drink, leading to a ten-year addiction. Manthey stated, “denial is the 

strongest symptom.” As she began to experience a loss of control, she knew 

she needed help. The belief around substance use was that it is a moral 

failure, and Manthey is working as hard as she can to change this belief. 

Towards the end of her alcoholism, Manthey “lost her moral compass.” This 

resulted in impaired judgment and impacted her career. Manthey was able 

to beat the odds and make a full recovery and has dedicated her efforts to 

helping others. 

The Nursing Peer Support Network has helped thousands of nurses into 

recovery and employment. Manthey believes that peer support is the most 

effective method to address the stigma of fear and shame. If you or someone 

you know is struggling with addiction, seek help and offer support. Small 

strides can make big changes and save a life. 

Judy Davidson, DNP, RN, MCCM, FAAN 

Davidson serves as a nurse scientist for the 

University of California San Diego, supporting 

nurses with project development, presentation, and 

publication. Her research focuses on workplace 

wellness and specifically mental health issues, 

suicide prevention, and suicide among health care 

professionals. Her team developed the first suicide 

prevention program for nurses, which has been 

awarded Edge Runner status by the American 

Academy of Nursing as a model for replication. 

Marie Manthey, PhD (Hon.), MNA, FAAN, 

Judy Davidson 

FRCN 

Founder and President emerita of Creative Health 

Care Management consultation company, Manthey 

has long been motivated by one passion: a focus on 

the nurse-patient relationship and its potential for 

healing. She earned her BSN and MS in Nursing 

Administration from the University of Minnesota, 

where she is adjunct faculty. Her academic 

background makes her comfortable working in 

theories, but her strength is bringing new ideas into 

reality in a way that makes sense to practitioners 

and leaders. 

Manthey’s life work, primary nursing, and 

relationship-based care, started in one unit at the 

Marie Manthey 

University of Minnesota and is now recognized 

and sought after worldwide. Her ability to describe key clinical practices in 

universal terms connects with health care executives, and she speaks about 

practice in a way clinicians can identify with—they get her, and she gets 

them. When Manthey uses inspirational language, they accept it and feel 

inspired. 

At the height of her career, Manthey became addicted to alcohol and 

started on a journey in recovery that involved a deep transformation that 

is now in the 43rd year. She has helped develop a peer support program for 

nurses in Minnesota that is now in the sixth year. The Nursing Peer Support 

Network has helped thousands of nurses into recovery and employment. 

Manthey lives in Minneapolis, and though she feels she’s entered a more 

reflective stage of her career, her colleagues and clients seek her counsel 

every day.


Education 

Washington Adventist 

University goes Virtual 

Washington Adventist University relaunched its RN-to-BSN program in an 

online format. 

This RN to BSN degree has been designed to broaden and diversify your 

knowledge and equip you with a higher clinical proficiency that will result in 

better patient outcomes. 

RN-to-BSN Program 

• Accelerated & Flexible: Complete your degree faster (12 to 18 months) 

with rolling admissions, six start dates, and eight-week online classes 

• Accredited: Fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing 

Education 

• Affordable: The School of Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS) 

has one of the lowest private university tuition rates in the Washington, 

DC/Baltimore metropolitan areas. 

For more information, visit https://www.wau.edu/rn-bsn/ 

Or you can contact Carol Cogen, MBA, MSHA 

Email: ccogen@wau.edu t/301-891-4062 f/301-891-4023 

Towson University Faculty 

Receives Sigma Grant 

Stacey Iobst, PhD, RNC-OB, CNE, an assistant 

professor at Towson University in the College 

of Health Professions Department of Nursing, 

was selected to receive a Sigma Small Grants for 

$5,000. The study, A longitudinal Perspective of 

Professional Quality of Life and Intention to Stay 

Among Perinatal Registered Nurses during the 

COVID-19 Pandemic, will examine compassion 

fatigue, compassion satisfaction, burnout, and 

intention to stay in the job and profession among 

perinatal nurses working in the United States. 

Dr. Iobst and her research team previously 

collected mixed-method survey data in May of 2021 about professional 

quality of life and intention to stay in the job and nursing profession among 

perinatal nurses. Participants were recruited through the National Association 

for Neonatal Nurses (NANN) and the Association for Women’s Health, 

Obstetrical, and Neonatal Nursing (AWHONN), where Dr. Iobst is the 

Maryland Section Chair. Dr. Iobst mentored Towson University undergraduate 

student, Grace Wysong, during the 2021 Summer Undergraduate Research 

Institute (SURI) to conduct an analysis of the qualitative data. The second 

round of data collection will occur this spring to gain a longitudinal 

perspective. The Sigma grant will support data analysis and manuscript 

preparation for publication in a peer-reviewed journal from June 2022 to May 

2023. 

FIND YOUR PERFECT SPOT 

CENTURION HEALTH 

Thank you 


Responders! 

Thousands of Maryland Responds volunteers donated 

tens of thousands of hours to the COVID-19 pandemic 

response. Volunteers provided their skills and expertise 

at testing sites, call centers, health care facilities, 

warehouses, and vaccination clinics. Thank you to all 

Maryland Responders. 

To learn more, visit: mdr.health.maryland.gov. 

TRANSFORMING THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY, ONE PERSON AT A TIME. 

• Director of Nursing 

• Registered Nurse 

• Licensed Practical Nurse 

• Assistant Director of Nursing 

• Charge RN 

• New Grads Welcomed! 

• Full-time – part-time – per diem 

• 8 hour shifts –days – evenings – nights 

• Monday through Friday work schedules available 

OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS: 

Baltimore, Cumberland, Hagerstown, Jessup, & Westover 

We offer excellent compensation and comprehensive 

benefits for our full-time team members including: 

• Health, dental, vision, disability and life insurance 

• 401(k) with company match 

• Generous paid time off including paid holidays 

• Flexible Spending Accounts 

• Continuing Education benefits 

• Much more... 

Contact Debbie Ortega: debbie@teamcenturion.com | 505.333.0203 

www.CeunturionJobs.com | Equal Opportunity Employer


Education 

Towson University, Department of Nursing Announces New 

Entry-Level Master of Science in Nursing Program 

Hayley Mark, RN, MPH, PhD, FAAN; Kathy Ogle, 

PhD, RN, FNP-BC, CNE; & Briana Snyder, PhD, 

RN, PMH-BC, CNE, RYT 200 

The Towson University Department of Nursing 

will begin the Entry-Level Master of Science in 

Nursing program (ELMS), with the inaugural class 

entering in August 2022. This five-term program 

will offer individuals with non-nursing baccalaureate 

degrees the opportunity to move directly into 

graduate nursing education. Upon successful 

completion of the program, graduates will receive a 

Master of Science in Nursing degree and be prepared 

to sit for the NCLEX-RN. Students will receive a 

high-quality, affordable graduate education that 

prepares them to be advanced generalist nurses. 

Maryland is facing a historic nursing workforce 

shortage that the COVID-19 epidemic has 

exacerbated. In February 2022, the Maryland 

Hospital Association reported almost 4000 nursing 

vacancies in the state, up 50% from late summer 

(Maryland Hospital Association, 2022). Towson 

University’s College of Health Professions is 

currently the largest producer of undergraduate 

health professions graduates in Maryland. This 

ELMS program will further address the nursing 

shortage by increasing the number of new graduate 

nurses to support the Maryland workforce. The 

ELMS program provides foundational clinical 

knowledge and skills and specialized advanced 

knowledge in quality and safety, evidence-based 

practice, and population-based health. Students 

will graduate with the same skills and knowledge 

as baccalaureate-trained nurses but also have an indepth 

understanding of quality and safety in health 

care, research for evidence-based practice and quality 

improvement, and health policy and population 

health. 

This program will be housed in the new College 

of Health Professions building beginning in 

summer 2024. This 240,000 square-foot building 

will contain state-of-the-art specialty labs and 

classrooms, a cutting-edge simulation center, and a 

300-seat auditorium. The $175 million building will 

bring TU Health Professions programs under one 

roof expanding opportunities for interprofessional 

education in nursing. The nursing program has not 

been able to routinely enroll more students because 

of space limitations. This building will help fill the 

increasing gap in Maryland’s nursing workforce. 

Planning for the ELMs program was supported 

by a generous grant from the Maryland Higher 

Education Commission (MHEC). Applications are 

currently being accepted for fall 2022 with a priority 

deadline of April 15. In future years, the program 

will offer fall admission with a priority deadline 

of March 15. Interested individuals should visit the 

program website at www.towson.edu/nursingELMS 

for admission requirements, curriculum details, and 

more information. 

NursingALD.com can point you 

right to that perfect NURSING JOB! 

- Assistant DON 

- Regional Director of Nursing 

- Regional Medical Directors 

- Health Services Administrator 

- Regional Infection 

Control Coordinator 

- Clinical Recruiter 

- RNs, LPNs, & CNAs - several 

openings & locations 

NursingALD.com 

Free to Nurses 

Privacy Assured 

Easy to Use 

E-mailed Job Leads 

Maryland Hospital Association. (2022, February 1). Maryland 

hospitals face over 3,900 nurse vacancies: Up from 50% for 

late summer. https://www.mhaonline.org/docs/default-source/ 

publications/press-releases/20220201-maryland-hospitals- 

face-over-3-900-nurse-vacancies---up-50-from-late-summer-- 

-press-release.pdf?sfvrsn=e60f069c_4. 

Authors Information: 

Hayley Mark, RN, MPH, PhD, FAAN, Towson 

University Department of Nursing Professor and 

Chair hmark@towson.edu 

Kathy Ogle, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, CNE, Towson 

University Department of Nursing Associate 

Professor kogle@towson.edu 

Briana Snyder, PhD, RN, PMH-BC, CNE, 

RYT 200, Assistant Professor, Towson University, 

Department of Nursing blsnyder@towson.edu 

Come Join Our Team! 

We are currently hiring: 

• RN Triage 

• Staff RN (All ages continuing care) 

• RN MD PCP Nurse for Population Health 

• RN Clinical Site Director 

Offering a $5,000 sign on bonus 

Our full-time employee benefits include: 

• Paid Holiday, Sick and Vacation Days 

• Generous Paid Time Off 

• Premium CareFirst Benefits for Medical, Dental and Vision 

• Company paid: Short/Long Term disability and Life Insurance 

• Tuition Reimbursement ($5,200 Annually) 

• HRSA Student Loan Repayment- Program can offer up to $25K Annually 

If you have a passion for community health, we invite you to join our team. 

When you work for THC, you will be employed by a premier healthcare 

organization that continually strives for high quality, professionalism and 

service excellence. 

For more information about nursing opportunities at THC, 

please visit: www.totalhealthcare.org or 

email Michelle at: mlane@totalhealthcare.org


Providing Competent, Supportive Care for People Who are 

Transgender 

F. Patrick Robinson, PhD, RN, ACRN, CNE, FAAN 

Sherry L Roper, PhD, RN 

Reprinted with permission from Illinois The Nursing 

Voice, June 2021 issue 

The idea that gender is binary (male or female) and 

determined at birth predominates Western cultures. 

However, research evidence and lived experiences 

suggest that gender exists on a spectrum with many 

options. Some people identify as a gender different 

from their gender determined at birth (Deutsch, 

2016). Our traditional understanding of gender, 

based on chromosomes and primary (genitalia) 

and secondary sex characteristics, is often called 

biological sex or gender (or sex) assigned at birth. 

Gender identity, on the other hand, is the innermost 

concept of self as male, female, a blend of both, or 

neither (Lambda Legal, 2016.). 

The majority of people are cisgender, which occurs 

when gender assigned at birth and gender identity are 

the same. However, the best available data suggest 

that approximately 1.4 million adults do not selfidentify 

with their gender assignments (e.g., someone 

assigned female at birth but identifies as male) 

(Flores et al., 2016). Transgender is an umbrella term 

for this population. A visibly growing segment of 

the U.S. population does not identify with the binary 

notion of gender. Nonbinary is a collective term for 

this population, but individuals may use terms such as 

genderqueer, gender fluid, or gender non-conforming. 

There is no standard or correct way to be (or 

be seen as) transgender. Some people who are 

transgender choose gender-affirming hormone 

therapy to achieve masculinizing or feminizing 

effects; others do not. Surgery that revises genitals 

to conform to gender identity is a critical part of 

the transition for many people who are transgender 

(Deutsch et al., 2019). Others do not feel that genital 

surgery is a necessary part of transition but may 

opt for non-genital surgeries to produce desired 

characteristics, including breast augmentation or 

removal and body contouring procedures. In other 

words, the importance of therapy related to the 

quality of life varies by individual. Also, some 

people who are transgender may want these services 

but do not have access to them because they are (a) 

unavailable in the community; (b) not covered by 

insurance (even if the individual has insurance, and 

many do not), and (c) too expensive. 

Remember: there is no one way to "be" transgender 

or cisgender. People choose to express their gender 

identities in personally satisfying ways, which may 

or may not match social expectations of what it 

means to look and behave as a male or female. Some 

transgender women choose not to wear makeup or 

dresses, and some cisgender men choose to wear their 

hair long and earrings. 

Health Disparities in People Who are Transgender 

Negative attitudes and discrimination toward 

the transgender community create inequalities 

that prevent the delivery of competent healthcare 

Camp Nurses 

Easterseals Camp Fairlee is seeking live-in RNs and LPNs 

at our summer camp in Chestertown, MD. Full or partial 

summer schedule available. Weekly salary (DOE) and room/ 

board. Camp Fairlee creates recreational experiences for 

people with disabilities. Our activities include swimming, 

fishing, canoeing, high ropes and much more. Come be a 

part of our staff and help others discover ability. 

For more information please contact Sallie Price at 

410-708-3544, or e-mail at sprice@esdel.org 

Visit us or apply online at de.easterseals.com/fairlee 

View our video: youtube:becauseofcampfairlee 

and elevate the risk for various health problems 

(Grant et al., 2011). In comparison to their cisgender 

counterparts, people who are transgender experience 

higher incidences of cancer, mental health challenges, 

and other health problems (Department of Health 

& Human Services, n.d.). For instance, transgender 

women, compared to all other populations, are at 

the highest risk of injury from violence and death by 

homicide. People who are transgender are also more 

likely to smoke, drink alcohol, use drugs, and engage 

in risk behaviors (Institute of Medicine, 2011). 

Furthermore, discrimination and social stigma 

increase poverty and homelessness in people who 

are transgender (Safer et al., 2017). The inability to 

afford basic living needs may lead to employment in 

underground economies, such as survival sex work or 

the illegal drug trade, which place the person who is 

transgender at an even higher risk for violence, drug 

use, and sexually transmitted infections (Deutsch, 

2016). 

People who are transgender are more likely to 

rely on public health insurance or be uninsured than 

the general population. Even those insured report 

coverage gaps caused by low-cost coverage that 

does not include standard services for preventative, 

behavioral health, or gender-affirming therapies, 

including hormones (Deutsch et al., 2019). Lack 

of access to comprehensive health care leads some 

people who are transgender to seek hormones from 

the community and social networks without clinical 

support and monitoring, putting them at additional 

risk for adverse reactions and complications. 

Researchers suggest that healthcare providers' 

inability to deliver supportive and competent care 

serves as a powerful mechanism underlying health 

disparities (Fenway Institute, 2016). The experiences 

of people who are transgender are often not included 

in healthcare provider diversity and inclusiveness 

training. While transgender-related content in 

health professions basic education programs would 

effectively improve provider knowledge, skills, and 

attitudes, transgender health has not been prioritized 

in nursing education. The result is a nursing 

workforce inadequately prepared to care for people 

who are transgender (McDowell & Bower, 2016). 

Nursing Care of People Who Are Transgender 

Competent, supportive transgender care requires 

nurses to recognize potential biases and understand 

gender that may differ from their current beliefs 

and social norms. Honest reflection on these 

feelings is an essential step in providing competent 

transgender care. Using a lens of cultural humility, 

where cisgender nurses acknowledge that they do 

not adequately know about being transgender while 

also being open to learning, is helpful. In this spirit, 

open, transparent inquiry on the part of nurses when 

they do not know something (When I speak to your 

children, what name should I use to refer to you?) or 

how to proceed with care (I need to place a catheter 

into your bladder, and I know you have had genderaffirming 

surgery. Do you want to give me any 

special instructions?) can build trust. 

While gender-affirming care such as hormones, 

androgen-blocking agents, and surgeries require 

specialist care management, nurses will encounter 

transgender patients in all healthcare areas. Assessing 

the history and current status of gender-affirming 

therapies is critical to inform safe care. For example, 

hormone-induced changes in muscle and bone mass, 

along with menstruation or amenorrhea, can alter 

gender-defined reference ranges for laboratory tests 

such as hemoglobin/hematocrit, alkaline phosphatase, 

and creatinine (Deutsch, 2016). Nurses should 

consider the gender assigned at birth (especially 

if it is the only gender information to which the lab 

has access) and gender-affirming therapy-induced 

physiological changes to make valid inferences about 

lab values. Nurses should also ensure that a complete 

history of the use of hormones and androgen 

blockers (including those obtained from non-licensed 

providers) is taken. Nurses should work with other 

providers to ensure that hormone therapy does not 

stop with hospitalization unless contraindicated by 

current pathology or prescribed medications. Abrupt 

cessation of hormone therapy can have a significant 

and negative impact on emotional and physiological 

health. 

Systems-Level Policies, Processes, and Advocacy 

Professional nurses can play a crucial role by 

advocating for policies and processes that promote 

safe, effective, and supportive care for people who 

are transgender. Misgendering a patient (making 

an incorrect assumption about gender identity) can 

cause emotional distress and erode patient-provider 

trust. Unfortunately, electronic health records (EHR) 

often do not support competent care for people who 

are transgender. For instance, healthcare providers 

should use a 2-step gender identification process 

(Deutsch, 2016). However, many do not, and EHR 

systems rarely provide prompts for the processor 

space for easy documentation and access to 

information derived from the process. Asking about 

a patient's current gender identity can result in several 

responses. The EHR should make checkboxes for 

a reasonable number of those responses, including 

male, female, transgender male, transgender female, 

and nonbinary. A fill-in-the-blank is needed for 

other identifies. The gender assigned at birth also 

requires options beyond male or female; people 

born with external genitalia, gonads, or both that 

do not conform to what is typically male or female 

(intersex) may have been identified incorrectly at 

birth. The EHR should provide an intersex option to 

this question. Some people who are transgender are 

uncomfortable revealing gender assigned at birth, so 

decline-to-state should be another option. Note that 

this process should be the standard for all patients, 

not just those assumed to be transgender. 

People who are transgender may use names 

other than their legal names (Lambda Legal, 2016). 

Navigating a legal name change is complicated 

and costly. Some people who are transgender do 

not have the resources for a legal name change; for 

others, it may not be safe, given current social or 

legal circumstances. Using a patient's chosen name 

and pronouns is critical to patient-centered care. 

The EHR should prominently document the patient's 

chosen name and pronouns, which should also be 

used outside the EHR, including for appointments 

and prescriptions. Patients should only have to 

provide the information once, decreasing the need 

to correct providers and improving patient-provider 

relationships. EHRs should also contain an organ 

inventory, perhaps as part of surgical history, as 

providers will need to know about the presence or 

absence of reproductive and gonadal organs to inform 

clinical decision-making. This information must 

be clear, unambiguous, and easily accessible in the 

EHR to inform care and prevent medical and surgical 

errors. 

Nurses should work within governance 

processes to ensure that all institutional policies 

support transgender patients, staff, and visitors. 

Nondiscrimination statements should include gender 

identity. Policies about restrooms and staff changing 

rooms (usually labeled in gender-binary terms) should 

state that a person's gender identity rightly determines 

the room to be used and that that right should not 

require any proof (e.g., health provider confirmation) 

related to gender or gender identity. Finally, clear 

guidelines concerning non-private room assignments 

should include assigning roommates based on gender 

identity rather than gender assigned at birth. 

Power to Make a Difference 

The ANA Code of Ethics obligates nurses to 

practice "compassion and respect for the inherent 

dignity, worth, and unique attributes of every 

person" (ANA, 2015, para 1). While some nurses 

may intentionally discriminate against people


who are transgender, it is more likely that a lack of 

knowledge and experience leads to nursing actions 

that result in suboptimal care. Nurses play critical 

roles in transgender care by (a) providing supportive, 

affirming care, (b) creating an inclusive environment, 

and (c) leading interprofessional teams toward 

gender-affirming care. Education and a commitment 

to understanding the lived experiences of people who 

are transgender is, therefore, essential for all nurses. 

References 

American Nurses Association. (2015). What is the nursing code 

of ethics? https://nurse.org/education/nursing-code-of-ethics/ 

Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease 

Prevention and Health Promotion. (n.d.). Healthy people. 

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender health. https://www. 

healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/lesbian-gaybisexual-and-transgender-health 

Deutsch, M.B. (2016). Guidelines for the primary and genderaffirming 

care of transgender and gender nonbinary 

people (2nd ed.). Center of Excellence for Transgender 

Health, University of California at San Francisco. https:// 

transcare.ucsf.edu/sites/transcare.ucsf.edu/files/Transgender- 

PGACG-6-17-16.pdf 

Deutsch, M.B, Bowers, M.L., Radix, A., & Carmel, T.C. (2019). 

Transgender medical care in the United States: A historical 

perspective. In J.S. Schneider, V.M.B. Silenzio, & Erikson- 

Schroth, L. (Eds.). The GLMA Handbook on LGBT Health 

(1, 83-131). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger. 

Fenway Institute, National LGBT Health Education Center. 

(2016). Providing inclusive services and care for LGBT 

people. https://www.lgbtqiahealtheducation.org/publication/ 

learning-guide/ 

Flores, A.R., Herman, J.L., Gates, G.J., & Brown, T.N.T. (2016). 

How many adults identify as transgender in the United 

States? UCLA School of Law, William Institute. https:// 

williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/trans-adultsunited-states/ 

Grant, J. M., Mottet, L. A., Tanis, J., Harrison, J., Herman, J. L., 

& Keisling, M. (2011). Injustice at every turn: A report of the 

National Transgender Discrimination Survey. https://www. 

transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/resources/NTDS_ 

Report.pdf 

Institute of Medicine. (2011). The health of lesbian, gay, 

bisexual, and transgender people: Building a foundation for 

better understanding. http://www.nationalacademies.org/ 

hmd/Reports/2011/The-Health-of-Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual- 

and- 

Lambda Legal. (2016). Transgender rights toolkit. https://www. 

lambdalegal.org/issues/transgender-rights 

McDowell, A. & Bower, K. (2016). Transgender health care 

for nurses: An innovative approach to diversifying nursing 

curricula to address health inequalities. Journal of Nursing 

Education, 55(8), 476-479. DOI 10.3928/01484834-20160715- 

11 

Safer, J. D., Coleman, E., Feldman, J., Garofal, R., Hembree, W., 

Radix, A., & Sevelius, S. (2017). Barriers to health care for 

transgender individuals. Current Opinion in Endocrinology, 

Diabetes, and Obesity, 23(2), 168-171. DOI: 10.1097/ 

MED.0000000000000227 

Singh, S., & Durso, L. E. (2017). Widespread discrimination 

continues to shape LGBT people's lives in both subtle and 

significant ways. Center for American Progress. https://www. 

americanprogress.org/issues/lgbt/news/2017/05/02/429529/ 

widespread-discrimination-continues-shape-lgbt-peopleslives-subtle-significant-ways/ 

Getting Clear on Bullying Versus Incivility 

Renee Thompson, DNP, RN, CSP 

Reprinted with permission from The Florida 

Nurse, February 2022 issue 

Numerous studies show the 

prevalence and devastating 

impact disruptive behaviors 

have on nurse retention and 

satisfaction, patient safety 

and the financial health of 

an organization. Today, more 

than ever, the unpredictable, 

life-and-death nature of the 

pandemic has created an 

environment that is ripe for an 

increase in workplace bullying Dr. Renee Thompson 

and incivility. Research at 

the Healthy Workforce Institute shows an uptick in 

bad behavior and nurses are experiencing greater 

workplace incivility now more than ever before. 

Additional studies show: 

• 45.7% of nurses said they witnessed more 

incivility than before the pandemic (El Ghaziri et 

al., 2021). 

• 14.3% of surgery patients had higher 

complications with surgeons who had one 

to three reports of unprofessional behaviors 

compared to those surgeons who had no reports 

of disruptive behaviors (Cooper et al., 2019). 

• 94% of individuals have worked with a toxic person 

in the last five years; 51% of the targets stated they 

are likely to quit as a result (Kusy, 2017). 

Developing successful, targeted interventions 

to reduce bullying and incivility among nurses 

will require that leaders develop awareness and 

understanding of nurses’ unique experiences with 

disruptive behavior. One of the biggest areas of 

confusion that makes it difficult to address and 

eliminate bad behavior is a misunderstanding about the 

differences between bullying and incivility. 

An important first step to educating yourself and 

your employees is to get clear on those differences. 

This will help you raise awareness, set expectations, 

and develop appropriate strategies to eliminate each 

type of disruptive behavior. Bullying should be a 

NEVER event, but not everything is bullying and 

when we call everything bullying, we lessen our 

chances of identifying and addressing true bullying 

behavior. 

BULLYING 

For a behavior to be considered bullying, it must 

include three things: 

A Target-This target can be a single person or group 

of people. Group targets can include the opposite shift, 

new nurses, or nurses who have a particular ethnic 

background. 

Harmful-The behavior must be harmful in some 

way. This harm can be to the target or harmful to a 

patient. 

Repeated-The most important element of 

bullying. The behavior can’t be just a one-time 

event, it must be repeated over time. 

INCIVILITY 

Incivility is different from bullying but tends to 

be much more pervasive. While the behaviors can be 

similar, they tend to be lower level. Incivility shows 

up as your typical rude, unprofessional, inconsiderate 

behaviors: eye-rolling, condescension, favoritism, 

alienation, gossiping, mocking, cursing. Make no 

mistake about it, incivility is a healthy and professional 

workplace killer, and needs to be addressed. 

The Bottom Line 

Bullying and incivility can destroy work 

environments and impact patients in a negative way. 

The key is to get very clear on the behavior – is it 

bullying (target, harmful, repeated) or incivility (low 

level, rude, and unprofessional). We are hemorrhaging 

nurses due to bad behavior and it’s time we get 

educated on how to recognize and address bullying 

and incivility so that we can cultivate a more respectful 

and professional work culture. 

References 

Cooper, W., Spain, D., Guillamondegui, O., et al. (2019, June). 

Association of Coworker Reports About Unprofessional 

Behavior by Surgeons with Surgical Complications in Their 

Patients. JAMA Surgery, 154(9), 828–834. doi:10.1001/ 

jamasurg.2019.1738 

El Ghaziri, M., Johnson, S., Purpora, C., Simons, S. and Taylor, 

R. (2021, July). Registered Nurses’ Experiences with 

Incivility During the Early Phase of COVID-19 Pandemic: 

Results of a Multi-State Survey. Workplace Health & Safety. 

doi:10.1177/21650799211024867 

Kusy, M. (2017). Why I don’t work here anymore: A leader’s guide 

to offset the financial and emotional cost of toxic employees. 

Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press 

Bio: 

As an international speaker and consultant, Dr. 

Renee Thompson tackles the challenges facing 

healthcare leaders today. With 30 years as a nurse, 

Renee is an expert on creating healthy workforces by 

eradicating bullying & incivility. She is in demand as 

a keynote speaker and has authored several books on 

bullying.

Maryland Nurse Journal - April 2022

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?