Sigma Theta Tau Newsletter

Transcription

1 Sigma Theta Tau Newsletter February 2009 President s Message Happy New Year from Kappa Delta Chapter! As my tenure as President of Kappa Delta Chapter draws to a close, I d like to take the opportunity to express my gratitude to the Kappa Delta Board for consider how YOU can become involved in the activities of the Chapter. There are several upcoming events that we hope you will attend, including the Induction Ceremony on Friday, March 27 th and Inside This Issue Message from the President 1 Kappa Delta Chapter 2 Leadership Academy Report 3 22nd Annual Tri-State Consortium 5 Member News 5 its support! I also want to thank Dean Wolf for her assistance and support of our Chapter! As you read this newsletter, please Distinguished Lecture on April 2 nd. Before the Distinguish Lecture, we will celebrate the 20 th Anniversary of Kappa Delta Chapter! We hope you will join Save the Date Friday, March 27 th, 2009: Sigma Theta Tau Induction and Dinner Tuesday, April 7 th, 2009: Graduate Poster Session and Distinguished Lectureship 20 th Anniversary Celebration of Sigma Theta Tau, Kappa Delta Chapter Complete the survey about a possible free continued education session on Saturday, April 25 th. us and take a trip with us down Memory Lane! Have you visited the STTI (www. nursingsociety.org) website recently? The website offers extensive resources for members, including information on educational programs, career advice and practice guidelines. The Marketplace tab offers access to honor society products including jewelry, apparel and books. The following attracted my attention: Caring for patients at the end of life s journey is challenging, but rewarding. To Comfort Always: A Nurse s Guide to End-of-Life Care By Linda Norlander, RN, BSN, MS Linda Norlander brings her expertise in end-of-life care to this book that will serve as a valuable resource for nurses committed to comforting 1

2 patients and families at one of life s most moving passages. Another exciting opportunity for member is the Sigma Theta Tau International Leadership Summit which will be held March 27-28, 2009 at the University of Pennsylvania. This two-day event will bring together honor society members and potential or interested members, for an opportunity to learn more about honor society chapter operations and leadership skills for the 21st century nurse. Day one will focus on chapter leader strategies. Day two will offer nurses at all leadership levels and academic or clinical settings the opportunity to learn from renowned nurse leaders. For further information, visit: org/sttievents/pages/ leadershipsummit.aspx Kappa Delta Chapter Sigma Theta Tau International We have occupied St. Benilde Tower for almost a year and have grown accustomed to the space. We hope to gain more space as we plan the Doctor of Nursing Practice and a Master of Public Health programs. We are officially connected to Main Campus now. On January 23, 2009, students, staff, faculty, and administrators enjoyed the official opening ceremony of the Bridge over Wister Street, connecting Main Campus to St. Benilde Tower and West Campus. Brother Michael J. McGinniss, FSC welcomed the audience; Brother Michael praised the efforts of the architects, builders, and Brother Joseph Willard, FSC, who oversaw the project. He thanked Zane Robinson Wolf, PhD, RN, FAAN Dean School of Nursing and Health Sciences Bill Sautter, President and CEO of Elliott- Lewis Corporation and Chairman of La Salle s Board of Trustees, who donated his staff s expertise and the crane that set the blue bridge in place. A scripture reading and intersessions were offered on behalf of the La Salle Community, followed by Father James Dever, OSFS, Campus Minister, who prayed with and blessed those in attendance, the atrium, and the Bridge. Next, Brother Michael cut the ribbon to the Bridge. Later many enjoyed cake and coffee. Most of us think that we have reduced the time walking to Main Campus by 5 minutes. The Bridge is on the first floor of the Tower and the atrium serves as a welcoming space for students and visitors. There is a glassenclosed overlook to the atrium and Bridge on the second floor that is a student lounge that soon will become a major meeting and studying place. Some of our ACHIEVE Undergraduate students graduated recently and are preparing to take the NCLEX-RN exam. 2

3 The faculty, staff, and senior undergraduate and graduate students of the Nursing Programs are looking ahead to the many events that surround the May University graduation. At the same time, they are meeting the challenges of the spring semester. One of the spring events, April 7, 2009, is the Distinguished Nursing Lectureship presented by Ginette A. Pepper, PhD, RN, FAAN, and Professor of Nursing from the University of Utah and national and international expert in patient safety and drug therapy for advanced practice nurses. The Quality and Safety Education for Nursing (QSEN) grant that La Salle s Undergraduate Nursing Program received was administered by the University of Chapel Hill and funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The QSEN grant is partially funding the Lectureship. The Lectureship is cosponsored by La Salle s Nursing Programs and Kappa Delta Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau International. At your Sigma Theta Tau induction, you walk across the stage to receive your Honor cord and certificate of membership. However, the impact of belonging to this esteemed Society is not brought to life until you become actively involved. This past September 25-27, 2008 our chapter was represented by Vice President Mary Lou Gies and myself, Vanessa Smith- Doughty at the 2008 Sigma Theta Tau International Leadership Academy in Indianapolis, Indiana where over 470 nurse leaders were in attendance from across the globe. Networking occasions offered enlightenment unparalleled in other nursing circles. Training included understanding the connection between the Honors Society, self, chapter, as well as district, national, and global. Sigma Theta Tau Leadership Academy Report We were given insight on the tools Sigma Theta Tau offers its members for advancement in their knowledge and careers. For example, the Society offers the Virginia Henderson International Library, that provides access to a vast collection of nurse centered publications, for members to use. The Sigma Theta Tau Foundation for Nursing is available to offer assistance with scholarships and financial resources in association with nursing research. Each aspect of the business of Sigma Kappa Delta Key Award: Share Your Accomplishments At the next Biennial Convention of Sigma Theta Tau International, La Salle University s chapter of Sigma Theta Tau would like to compete for the prestigious Key Award. Points are given to the chapter for various activities and member involvement as well as scholarly and professional activities of the members. We are aware that our members are very professionally developed, and have contributed much to the profession. Now is the time to show other schools and chapters how wonderful we are as a chapter. Please send your most updated resume or CV to Ms. Cathy Gettis, at cathygettis@comcast.net. Cathy and I, as well as other Board Members, will collate the information and submit the application. DUE DATE for your documents: March 31, Diane Wieland, PhD, RN, Senior Counselor Vanessa Smith-Doughty President Elect 3

4 Theta Tau was described in detail, chapter officer roles and respon-sibilities, induction, service and community, including international alliances and future goals. Our Society is forward thinking and in the forefront of nursing knowledge and research. Demonstrations were given to highlight the technological upgrades to our website such as power point instructions, webcasts and various member communication features such as Face book. Each chapter officer has the opportunity to visit the website designed for specific positions in the society. We were given Nominations for 2009 Election The 2009 Kappa Delta Chapter election is quickly approaching and we are seeking nominations for the offices of Vice-President and Leadership Succession Committee. If you are interested in running, would like to nominate a fellow member, or would like more information regarding any of these offices, please contact one of the current members of the Leadership Succession Committee: Calling All Members pointers on successful chapter initiatives and look forward to implementation of innovative programs in the near future. Please help us improve communication with Kappa Delta members! We are requesting that you send your most updated address, phone number, and address so that we can assure you receive newsletters and updates concerning Kappa Delta sponsored events and programs. Please Secretary, Mary Callanan at maryec22@aol.com with any new contact information, especially your address. Marilyn Bergner: mab5722@aol.com Cathy Gettis: cathygettis@comcast.net Steve Szablewski: sszablewski@hotmail.com Elections will take place this spring. We anticipate your assistance to make our chapter Kappa Delta a vibrant and dynamic organization. To visualize the benefits of membership firsthand, please take the opportunity to visit the website on a regular basis, www. nursingsociety.org The historical relevance of our society was displayed during our visit to the Sigma Theta Tau National office. The nurse founders along with all the other nurses who were inducted and left their imprint behind as artifacts encased in glass and the chapters whose names were marked with pavers both inside and outside of the building. Kappa Delta Chapter has prominent pavers visible for inspection. Educational Opportunity I have accepted an invitation from the People to People Citizen Ambassador Program, an organizational affiliate of Sigma Theta Tau International to participate as delegate to the US- Egypt Nursing Forum: Healthy People, Healthy Communities through Nursing Contributions (May 26, to June 1, 2009). It is an honor and a privilege, and I look forward to sharing my experiences with you in the near future. smithdoughty@lasalle.edu 4

5 22 nd Annual Tri-State Consortium The 22nd Annual Tristate Consortium took place Sunday, October 19, 2008 at the Embassy Suites Hotel. The planning meeting was first where future events and dates for 2009 were discussed; it was decided that the next Tri-state Consortium would take place on Sunday, October 19, The place may change as officers were comparing prices and facilities at other local hotels. The Leadership Summit will be offered in Philadelphia from March 26 to March 29, 2008 at the University of Pennsylvania. New this year concurrent sessions which were offered the second hour. Three topics were offered this year. The first was Click to Communicate and to Investigate, which helped members navigate Sigma s website; powerpoints of all presentations are now available for viewing for members who missed the topic or would like a refresher. Other concurrent sessions were Awards Submissions and What STTI Offers New Members. This year s distinguished leadership lecture was given by Elaine Tagliareni, EdD, RN who is the current president of the National League for Nursing as well as a professor and Independence Foundation Chair in Community Health Nursing Education at the Community College of Philadelphia. Elaine s topic was National & International Perspective: Building Partnerships to Foster Excellence in Nursing Education. The core global values of nursing were discussed. Caring is a commitment to the common good. Integrity is doing the right thing and treating each person with dignity and respect. Diversity celebrates the richness of others. Excellence, the fourth value, is not perfection but transformation. Transformation of nursing practice requires transformation of nursing education. She spoke of the NLN s inclusiveness of all nursing types; there is always more than one way to reach an endpoint. Educators in all the different types of nursing schools must form a partnership in order to transform the future of nursing education; together we can strive towards excellence. Member News In her book, On Uganda s Terms, Kappa Delta member Mary Hale RNC MSN, SRN, SCM describes the adventures, tragedies and atrocities that she encountered as a Nurse Midwife in Uganda under dictator Idi Amin. Hale served the people of Uganda as a nurse midwife from and encountered numerous obstacles and dangers in her role. She articulates the harrowing accounts of the nursing team that she supervised, including the aftermath of the raid on Entebbe where her student nurses witnessed the torture of a Jewish prisoner. This story provides a truelife picture of the bravery of nurses who worked tirelessly to save the lives of the children of Uganda and will inspire readers to look outside themselves and understand the power of persistence and hope. Mary Hale was awarded the Pennsylvania Nurses Society Search for 5

6 Excellence Award for her outstanding work in Pediatric Nursing. Her story Tales from the Comfort Basket is published in the compilation of stories in Making a Difference: Stories from the Point of Care by Sharon Hudacek, PhD. Joann Erb PhD, RNC presented Falls Prevention: Risk Assessment and Intervention at the 27 th National Association of Home Care (NAHC) Annual Conference in Fort Lauderdale, held in October This presentation described Abington Hospital Home Care s Program to identify and intervene with at-risk home care patients to reduce falls. Kappa Delta Officers Joan Erb President erbj@lasalle.edu Mary Lou Gies Vice President gies@lasalle.edu Mary Callanan Secretary maryec22@aol.com Karen Rossi Treasurer rossik@lasalle.edu Vanessa Smith-Doughty President-Elect Diane Wieland Senior Counselor wieland@lasalle.edu Margaret Lowenthal Junior Counselor lowenthal@lasalle.edu Membership Committee Nicole Butler Karen Rossi Omega Tarnoviski Steve Szablewski sszablewski@hotmail.com Nominating Committee Marilyn Bergner mab5722@aol.com Cathy Gettis cathygettis@comcast.net Steve Szablewski sszablewski@hotmail.com Key Award Marilyn Bergner mab5722@aol.com Cathy Gettis cathygettis@comcast.net Diane Wieland wieland@lasalle.edu Julie Stanoch, Coordinator Sarah M. Thomas, Designer 6