ASNA A L A S K A S C H O O L N U R S E S A S S O C I A T I O N

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1 F A L L N E W S L E T T E R ASNA A L A S K A S C H O O L N U R S E S A S S O C I A T I O N O U R M I S S I O N I S T O S U P P O R T S C H O O L N U R S E S A N D S C H O O L N U R S I N G W I T H I N A L A S K A z President z Jordis Clark, MPH, BSN, RN, NCSN Sand Lake Elementary, Anchorage, AK. Looking Ahead ASNA Board Meeting: November 14, :30-5:30pm Polaris K-12 School Anchorage Call in: Code 1952 followed by # December meeting TBA ASNA Spring Conference 2012 Settler s Bay Wasilla, Alaska April 19-21, 2013! I ve always wondered how volunteer organizations get their work done but even more importantly how they decide what their work should be. Although the membership of ASNA elected the officers to take care of the organization s business we realized that our business is you, and what you want and need from ASNA. To that end we decided to, guess what, apply the nursing process - to us. We are starting with a needs assessment of our membership. From there we will do some planning to address the goals and objectives we develop to meet your identified needs. From there we hope to come up with some timely and perhaps innovative ways of serving you the members of ASNA. Keep an eye on your inbox for an online survey and give the questions some serious thought. Our job is to serve you so that we can all serve our schools and communities better. The ASNA board is looking forward to an exciting year of building relationships with other organizations serving our communities and students. We are a statewide organization, and no organization is in a better position to influence the decisions and activities that affect all our students regarding their health and wellness. I hope everyone got out to Vote on November 6, 2012!

2 z State Liaison for NBCSN z Dianne Swanson, BSN, RN, NCSN Hello! I am your new state liaison for National Board Certification of School Nursing. The purpose of the NBCSN state liaison is to promote NBCSN Certification at the state level. My role is to serve as a resource on certification and promote the value of certification. I will maintain communication between state school nurses and NBCSN. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions and I will do my best to get you an answer. I work at Eagle River Elementary in, where else, Eagle River. I can be reached at or swanson_dianne@asdk12.org. Education and certification are highly valued in the academic environment. It is critical that the visibility of NCSN credentialed nurses be increased, highlighting this accomplishment as the equivalence of national teacher certification. This elevates the school nurse s level of expertise in the eyes of those in the educational community. Thinking about National Certification? Go for it! To learn more and apply visit: Application Deadline Test Dates Examination Date 12/31/2012 2/16/2013-3/2/2013 5/31/2013 7/20/2013-8/3/2013 For re-certification information visit: Mail completed Re-certification Application and all required documentation to: NBCSN Re-certification 1350 Broadway, 17 th Floor, Suite 1705 New York, NY Mail no later than 60 days prior to expiration date!

3 CONGRATULATIONS TO NEWLY CERTIFIED NCSN S IN ALASKA SHARON BARING CAROLYN BERG DENISE BRAKORA ROBIN WALDVOGLE AMIEE LARIMER SANDRA MORRIS STACIE SEAGLE DOROTHY HALL RUTH BOGERT To order an ASNA fleece zip vest visit and click the link to Vest order form To order a mug Barker_Patricia@asdk12.org

4 z NASN Director z Patricia Barker, BSN, RN Polaris K-12, Anchorage, AK The year is off and running, and from what I hear, everyone has been unusually busy. I hope you were able to have a relaxing and wonderful summer because it sounds like you need all of the energy you gained during those months. NASN has been busy as well. Advocating for children and for school nurses has been a full time job of the staff. They are stepping into every arena they can to promote school nurses and to keep our children healthy and safe. The BOD s will be heading to Washington DC again soon, and I will be meeting with our legislators while I am there. I have not yet heard what NASN s legislative priorities are for the year, but I can tell you that I will be going to The Hill to keep the pressure on to support what NASN feels is important. I hope that most of you are doing everything you can to promote yourselves as school nurses. I do not have to tell you how much we do and how hard we work. Unfortunately, many people do not understand that and we need to show them. We are facing some difficult times throughout our state and in the country. I hope that you can take what you do on a daily basis and share it with the people in your community. Send a letter to the editor, be present and speak up at school board meetings, make your presence known in your school and talk to everyone you know about what you really do. Not only are we trying to promote ourselves, but we are also trying to make things better for the students we serve, the future of school nursing and the health of our communities. The new ASNA board and the new ASNA committees have already been hard at work. I just wanted to say thank you to all who serve ASNA. I work with an amazing group of nurses, and I am honored to serve in this organization. ASNA COMMITTEES Nominations and Membership Committee Judy Besh Lori Schneider Linda Sinclair Lee Stark Finance Committee Joy Arneson Kathy Bell Jordis Clark Newsletter Jennifer Cottle Spring Conference Planning Committee Coordinators: *Robin Waldvogle & *Karen James Ann Kelly Marni Meier Wendy DeGraffenried Faith Hundley Krista Grilliot Mary Bell Barb Mercer Sharon Powder Heather Lehe Marlene Kroon Kristin Lord Lisa Jenson Webmaster Annette Johansen Legislative Committee Nancy Bale Maureen Hall School Nurse of the Year Committee Pam Miller Lori Schneider Anne McCarron Betty Miller Wendy Parsons By Laws Committee Nancy Edtl Suzanne Chapelle Kathy Bell Patti Stepp Annette Johansen

5 A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SCHOOL NURSE Buzzzzzzy Day This situation occurred after school during Ravenwood s After School Kids Club (ASKC)... Students were attending the first day of ASKC, playing woodland games in the forest in back of the school. A yellow jacket hive was knocked to the ground, swarming kids and parents with very angry bees. 18 students stung, 5 parents. I was triaging: to be seen in the hallway, being treated in nurse office, and treated and monitoring in the music room. Started with ice packs, then went through and applied baking soda paste- which helped a lot!!! Just putting something on the stings they could see made a lot of difference. I had a KF student with 17 stings, a 1st grader with 15 stings and one 4th grader with stings. All the others ranged from 1-10 stings apiece. It was surreal!!! Yellow jackets- which don't die after stinging- all over my office and hallway, inside coats, shirts and pants, kids screaming. AACK! Luckily no anaphylaxis, treated 3 with Benadryl for severe localized swelling, the worst in the first grader who was stung multiple times in the upper legs/groin area. Crazy!!!!! Great news...all students were back to school the next day, although they had very itchy sting sites. Jennifer Cottle, BSN, RN, NCSN Ravenwood Elementary- Eagle River, AK Do You See What I See? I have had several experiences now where the doctor office vision screen results do not aline with what I find during my vision exams at school. The school physical form completed at the doctor's office showed 20/25 vision each eye. The vision screening I did showed 20/30 ou, 20/25 od, and 20/50 os. I referred this kindergardener to the eye doctor after retesting a few days later. Her vision there was even worse with at least a two line difference. She got a diagnosis of mixed astigmatism both eyes and amblyopia left eye. I gave the mother a copy of the physical from the doctor and a copy of the eye doctor's report and encouraged her to share both with her health care provider. Mom was so thankful for the school vision screening. I know these take student's out of class time but they can save a child's vision for life. I am sure there are many stories like these out there. Aren't we glad to have the opportunity and responsibility of screening children. I pray the school district does not take that blessing away from our precious student Nelda Walker, BSN, RN NCSN Ursa Major Elementary, JBER *Have a story to share for our Newsletter? Jennifer Cottle, BSN, RN, cottle_jennifer@asdk12.org

6 ASNA BOARD MEMBERS President: Jordis Clark, MPH, BSN, RN, NCSN Vice President: Kathy Bell, BSN, RN, NCSN Director: Patricia Barker, BSN, RN Treasurer: Joy Arneson, RN Secretary: Rebecca Hansen, BSN, RN, NCSN Past President: Luann Fogels, BSN, RN, NCSN State School Health Nurse Consultant: Mary Bell, BSN, RN, NCSN Check out the ASNA Website A few months ago, NASN made a recommendation on how to list credentials, and members are encouraged to start practicing them this way. Highest academic degree (PhD, MSN, Med) Highest academic degree in nursing (MSN, BSN) Licensure (RN, LPN), Advanced (APRN) National certifications (NCSN: RN, C: CCRN, FNP BC) Ex: Lice Nitpicker, DNS, RN, NCSN, FASHA, FNASN