2014 2015 BALLOT President-Elect Joanne Alderman, MSN, RN, BC, APRN, FNGNA NGNA Join Date: August 1991 Position Seeking: President-Elect Recently, Coordinator of the NICHE Program at an Acute Care Hospital. Currently, reactivating a Physician/APRN Collaborative Practice focusing on the provision of care to residents and education to residents, staff and families. 2000 Awarded Prescriptive Authority by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing and the State of Oklahoma. 1993 Oklahoma Board of Nursing, recognition as a Clinical Nurse Specialist 1991-1993 University of Oklahoma, MS-N, Gerontological Clinical Nurse Specialist Tract, Master of Science in Nursing. Professional Traineeship Award Alumna Association, Ada Hawkins Award for research, Midwest Nursing Research Society, invitation to exhibit thesis research poster, Beijing, China, People to People Ambassador Program, invitation to present thesis research. 1989-1991 Langston University, BSN, Major: Nursing, Cum Laude 1973-1975 Tulsa Junior College, Associate Degree, Major-Nursing Advancing Excellence- Chair GAPN-SIG Founding Co-Chair with Ronald Wallent, PhD. and Committee member LTC-SIG Committee member Evidence Based Practice Committee, Co-Chair Education, Evidence-Based Practice Committee, Co-Chair and Board Liaison Director-at-Large, Board of Directors (2-terms) Vice-President, Board of Directors A proven record of leadership, innovation and development. A creative thinker. Maintains levels of professional knowledge and competencies contributing to the advancement of the practice of Geriatric nursing through clinical practice, education and being aware of policy affecting the Older Adult and all who care for them. Memberships inclusive of several Local, National, and International Geriatric Organizations. My vision for NGNA encompasses several areas. As a member and leader of NGNA, a major focus includes our dedication to the clinical care of older adults across diverse care settings and increasing the already substantial number of Certified Gerontological Nurses within NGNA. Our Purpose is to improve nursing care given to the older adult. I also support Our Values of Inclusiveness, Respect, Innovation and Responsiveness. If elected, my learning curve will rise exponentially allowing for an increase in goals already being addressed and the addition of new concepts to present and
discuss with the Board of Directors Team and our members. One of the conceptual areas I want to address is the increase of Nurse Aides becoming members of NGNA. Additionally, I want to have representatives from AANAC, Home Health, LTAC, Palliative Care, Wound Care, STTI, NIA participate as keynote speakers, submit posters, and participate as concurrent speakers at our Convention. Furthermore, an additional goal will include NGNA members complementing these organization s conferences as well. NGNA currently collaborates with eleven organizations. Combining current goals and the addition of new concepts includes discussion with these organizations. As NGNA continues these dialogues, I look forward to nurturing partnerships that complement our membership, conferences/conventions, and our Position Initiatives. I hope that my service combined with our Board of Directors, our Management Group and membership will achieve a concomitant increase in membership, an increase in collaborative organizations and convention participant registrations. Our Clinical Care, Collaborative Efforts and Educational Goals are benchmarks of NGNA. Treasurer Sandra Kuebler, MS RN PhDc Nursing Faculty: Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana NGNA Join Date: 2001 Position Seeking: Treasurer Currently co-coordinator of the sophomore level Essentials of Nursing Practice I & II. Responsible for developing course calendar, schedules, lab content, scheduling 13 clinical groups, managing the course website, and scheduling meetings with other sophomore faculty and TA's. I lecture and manage 2 clinical groups. Coordinate and write exams as well as conduct exam reviews with students. LPN Tulsa Tech. 1982 BSN from University of Oklahoma 2001 MS from Southern Nazarene University 2008 Current PhD candidate at Capella University with a specialty in Nursing Education (expected graduation Aug.2014) Past SIG: Invovled in the website development Current SIG: LTC/AE I have been the director of a certificates program in a community college and the director of an LVN program in a career college. Both required management of budgets, ordering supplies and managing inventory and supplies. As the population continues to age the need for nurses prepared in the specialty of geriatric nursing will become a necessity. I would like to see the NGNA actively recruit nursing students and become more visible on college and university campuses. I hope that by holding this office, I can be an active voice for NGNA and in turn, the organization will have an active voice in at least one nursing program promoting membership.
Director-at-Large (select two) Nancy Lin-Lin Chu, PhD, RN, G-CNS, BC, FGNA Associate Professor, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas NGNA Join Date: 1996 I am currently an associate professor at Texas Christian Unviersity Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences. I teach gerontological cocnepts to junior level students, research and theory to senior level students and health policy/ethics to masters students. PhD in sociology, Oklahoma State Unviersity, Stillwater, OK. MS in nursing, Unviersity of Oklahoma HSC, Oklahoma City, OK. BSN, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA. 2000-2001 member, nominating committee 2001-2002 chair, nominating committee 2008-2010 member, governing council of NGNA fellows 2010-2011 chair, governing council of NGNA fellows I have extensive networking with nurses/healthcare professionals in the community and from national organizations. I have familiarity, previous experience and knowledge about NGNA and its mission. I am at the point of my career that I have resources to travel to attend meetings and make outreach efforts. I'd like to include reaching front line care nurses. It has been a privilege to be an NGNA member since 1996. I am most impressed at the mission and inclusiveness of NGNA. I was conferred fellow status in 2003. I have attended many of the NGNA annual conventions. I served on the NGNA nominating committee from 200-2002 and was chair in 2002. I was also chair of the governing council of NGNA fellows in 2010. From 1996-2005, I was actively engaged at Oklahoma Gerontological Nursing Association (OGNA), a local chapter of NGNA serving in various board member roles and was president in 2003. I supported NGNA by encouraging OGNA members to join NGNA and attending NGNA meetings. I now reside in Fort Worth, Texas. I am committed to continue being a roaming NGNA ambassador in Texas, to support NGNA s mission to improve nursing care of older adults in a board member role. If elected Director At Large, I will already have the experience, linkages and networking to recruit new members and advertise NGNA in various settings and states. I believe the various responsibilities as a NGNA fellow have prepared me well in continuing to represent NGNA in the community in an exemplary manner. My goal as Director-At-Large is threefold: 1). Recruit new NGNA members and increase diversity of membership; 2) support fundraising efforts of NGNA and identify donors and innovative fundraising strategies; 3) highlight and disseminate various scholarship opportunities offered by NGNA to nurses in the community. Your support of my candidacy is greatly appreciated.
Beverly J. Heasley, RN, MBA Executive Director, St. Luke's Home, Tucson, Arizona NGNA Join Date: 2008 Responsibilities include leadership and oversight of the care of low income older adult residents. Community outreach is a major function as St. Luke's Home receives no state or federal financial support and is dependent on donations and grants. Nursing School of Wilmington Diploma RN Widener University Bachelor of Science in Nursing BSN Ohio University Master of Business Administration MBA Presenter at the 2012 NGNA Convention I have worked in long-term care for over 20 years as a staff nurse and director of nursing, and primarily administration. Serving as an interim director of assisted living for a national company, I ve participated in long-term care in the south, midwest, east, northwest and southwest. Currently I am leading the transition of St. Luke s Home (SLH) from a traditional assisted living into an Eden Alternative Model Inter professional Academic Center. University of Arizona graduate and under-graduate nursing students, as well as medical, pharmacy, and public health graduate students actively participate collaboratively with SLH residents in care of the older adults emphasizing elder self-determination. Nursing students at SLH experience nurse leadership through observation, example, and participation and have the opportunity for care coordinator of multi-disciplinary teams. As an advocate for older adults, membership on the Board of Directors of the regional area agency on aging (Pima Council on Aging) and chair of the Advocacy and Civic Engagement committee enables me to advocate for older adults on a local level. Participation on the United Way Senior Impact Coalition Council and Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothchild s Senior Task Force for a Livable Community, The University of Arizona Center on Aging Inter professional Senior Mentor Program, The University of Arizona Geriatric Education Center (AzGEC) faculty and Advisory Committee, and the Arizona Geriatric Society (AzGS) offer opportunity for elder advocacy in Tucson and Arizona. Representing the Western Jurisdiction on Committee on Older Adult Ministries of the United Methodist Church provides a platform for older adult advocacy on a national level. An active member in NGNA for several years, I ve presented project and service findings nationally at NGNA and other organizations, regionally, and locally. I am the president of the local chapter Arizona Gerontological Nursing Association, after having served as treasurer. Under my leadership the local chapter has been organized to have more dedicated, motivated chapter multi-discipline members, financially support nurses and nursing students to attend the NGNA national conference and planned and offered local educational programs. I support goals consistent with those of NGNA in my leadership role as Executive Director of St. Luke s Home, an assisted living community for low-income older adults. I would support NGNA s mission to improve the care of older adults as a Director-at-Large of the National Gerontological Nursing Association (NGNA). I would enhance initiatives to improve NGNAs reach for improvement, for initiatives such as ensuring elders receive quality care, promoting a prepared and adequate workforce, recognizing gerontological nurses at all levels, and improving the organization as a resource for all to achieve these goals together through collaboration and partnership. I offer to colleagues my
leadership experience in practice with elders, providers, caregivers and associations in varied settings on local, state and national levels. Denise L. Lyons, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BC NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders) Program Coordinator/ Gero CNS, Christiana Care Health Services, West Chester, Pennsylvania NGNA Join Date: 2010 Denise L. Lyons, MSN, RN, GCNS-BC, ACNS-BC is a certified Clinical Nurse Specialist in Gerontology & a certified Clinical Nurse Specialist in Adult Health at Christiana Hospital in Delaware. She is also the NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders) Program coordinator for Christiana Care Health System. Denise s role at Christiana Care is to improve clinical outcomes for hospitalized older adults by facilitating the implementation of the NICHE program. Her other responsibilities include coordinating and teaching geriatric educational programs and providing clinical consultation. She is involved in many hospital projects that require geriatric expertise such as Senior Steer, Fall Workgroup, Constipation Team & the Delirium Team. She is also utilized as a preceptor for undergraduate & graduate nursing students. Doctor of Nursing Practice West Chester University, West Chester, PA (Expected Graduation date 2018) Post-Master s Certificate - University of Delaware, Department of Nursing, College of Health and Nursing Science, Newark, DE, Gerontological Clinical Nurse Specialist Track (January 2003). Master of Science in Nursing - University of Delaware, Department of Nursing, College of Health and Nursing Science, Newark, DE, Cardio-Pulmonary Clinical Nurse Specialist Track (December 1997). Bachelor of Science in Nursing - University of Delaware, Department of Nursing, College of Health and Nursing Science, Newark, DE (June 1992). Gerontological APN Special Interest Group Web Site Co-Editor Awards Committee Convention Planning Committee Proven effectiveness as an educator, leader, facilitator, and mentor Organized and detail oriented Strong sense of commitment for improving the care of older adults Expertise in geriatrics If elected, I will actively participate in all efforts in order to forward the mission set forth by the Board of Directors. I am an organized person with an eye for detail which I think would be important in a leadership role with NGNA.
Beth Mastel-Smith, RN, MS, PhD Associate Professor, The University of Texas at Tyler, Houston, Texas NGNA Join Date: 2005 I am an Associate Professor in the College of Nursing at The University of Texas at Tyler where my responsibilities include teaching, research, and service. Course assignments include Health Promotion (MS), Nursing Scholarship, and Transcultural Nursing Research (PhD). I am currently revising an online undergraduate Aging course and serve as dissertation chair for students completing research on aging topics. Research and service activities focus on health promotion of older adults and care partners. In collaboration with Alzheimer's Association, Greater Houston Chapter, I helped to develop a creativity program for people in early stage and their care partners. A formal program evaluation is under way; I am interviewing participants and analyzing qualitative data in preparation for a longitudinal quantitative study. Interest in culture s impact on older adults was ignited when I worked in the aging field in Singapore for several years. I offer volunteer consultation on aging issues internationally. In January, 2014 I evaluated a comprehensive cancer hospital s palliative care program in Jakarta Indonesia. I graduated from Eastern Washington University with a BS in Nursing (1981). I completed a MS in Health education at Whitworth College (1987) and a PhD in Nursing from Texas Woman s University in Houston (2004). I have been actively involved in the NGNA research committee since 2005. I review research abstracts each year and reviewed the Sigma Theta Tau proposals in 2011. I am also an NGNA Fellow and participate in ad hoc committees. After last year's convention, I wrote a short summary for SIGN. I am a nurse. For the past 24 years I have worked with older adults in a variety of settings including research, care management, and as a volunteer program facilitator. I developed, delivered, and evaluated educational opportunities for community members, care partners, and professionals about aging issues. I have international experience working with care partners, educational institutions, and healthcare organizations that serve older adults. I love problem solving, both the process and the challenge. I enjoy working with others and the energy and momentum that teamwork offers. Finally, I am a strategic, creative, and visionary thinker and facilitate strategic planning for the UT Tyler College of Nursing. This strength might be helpful as NGNA works to meet members diverse interests and needs. My vision is that NGNA be on the cutting edge of everything nursing and aging. It is an organization where nurses discuss aging issues; creatively, and strategically plan to, and positively affect older adults health and quality of life in an ever-changing social and political climate. Ageism is prevalent in our culture and among health care professionals. Nurses are the backbone of healthcare, which soon will be equated primarily with older adults. Combating discrimination against older people should be a priority. NGNA should promote best practices, positively change healthcare systems, educate future nurses, create evidence, and enact policy change to decrease ageism. Healthcare is changing dramatically and rapidly. Where there is chaos, there is opportunity. As Board Member at Large, I hope to ask questions that maximize NGNA s resources and expertise in an effort to promote greater organizational impact. For example, What are the current issues related to aging, How can NGNA meet those challenges?, and What does NGNA need to do in order to embrace a leadership role? I would like to create a forum where providers and researchers share concerns and work collaboratively to support older peoples health and dignity. Among the NGNA membership, we have the capability to create synergy and momentum towards improving nursing care of older people on national and local levels.
Through my service, I hope to bring a sense of cohesion and energy to the organization that will translate into proactive identification, prioritization, and action to address challenges older adults face, especially ageism. Sharon Stahl Wexler, PhD, RN, GCNS-BC, FNGNA Assistant Professor, Pace University College of Health Professions Lienhard School of Nursing, White Plains, NewYork NGNA Join Date: 1996 Director of the Accelerated BSN program. Assistant Professor teaching gerontology and healthy aging course and evidence-based practice across three curricula (traditional undergraduate, accelerated BSN and RN-BSN). I also maintain a gerontological CNS and Nurse Researcher practice at a large academic medical center (magnet facility), as well as an independent gerontological consultant practice. PhD in Nursing Research and Theory Development, Masters in Nursing, BSN. ANCC certification: Gerontological CNS, Medical-Surgical Nursing, Nurse Executive Chairperson of nursing Research Committee 2007-2013. In this role, I worked to institute research podium presentations, developed and refined criteria for judging abstracts, refined the call for research abstracts, and worked to develop student poster abstracts. A strong commitment to NGNA as evidenced by my many years of membership. Excellent knowledge of NGNA and a commitment to increasing influence of NGNA in the nursing community. My vision for NGNA is that it develops into the premier nursing organization committed to improving the quality of care to older adults. NGNA is unique in its inclusiveness of all individuals who provide quality care for older adults. NGNA has grown much in recent years, and I would like to see this growth continue. We need to recruit young nurses and students who are just beginning their careers and foster their growth and commitment to caring for older adults. If I am elected to this office, I will work to achieve this goal. I believe that my years of experience in both the academic and practice settings will enable me to help NGNA to creatively meet the many challenges that the organization faces. If elected, my service in this role will inform my teaching as I work to develop the next generation of gerontological nurse leaders.
Nominating Committee Member Lynn M Bement, BSN, RN-BC Lead Nurse/Care Manager for Geriatric Consultative Service, Rochester General Health Systems/Rochester General Medical Groups, Rochester, NewYork NGNA Join Date: September 2011 Position Seeking: NominatingCommittee Lead nurse and care manager of a Geriatric Consultative Service practice. Responsible for direct patient care,physician support, medication review, MMSE testing, functional assessments, PRI completion, patient and family teaching/education, community referrals for home care, social work and other support services. Coach and mentor for LPN's and students. LPN for 22 years with experience in geriatrics, acute med/surg and IV Team. AAS Nursing from Monroe Community College and passed RN Boards 2007 BSN Nursing Keuka College 2010 ANCC Board Certification Gerontological Nursing 2012 This will be my first position with NGNA. Over 30 years of nursing experience in Geriatrics, Gerontological Nursing,Acute Med/Surg Nursing and IV Team. This nomination is my first venture in participating at a national level of any organization. My vision for NGNA is to continue to grow and provide education and support to all gerontological CNA's, LPN's and RN's. I would like to continue learn and grow from this experience and develop my own leadership skills and potentially start an NGNA chapter in Rochester, NY.