Message from the President
Spring
has been a very busy time for nurses in Washington and especially
here in the Inland Empire.
On March 10, IENA hosted a Dinner & CE workshop titled "PTSD/Complex Trauma: What is it? Who has it? How well do you know that patient or coworker?" Feedback was outstanding – see the PTSD article in this newsletter for more information. We are working on our event for next year. If you have ideas about a continuing education event you would like to attend, please email us at iena@aimcomm.net.
WSNA hosted a Unity Dinner at the Davenport Hotel in April. Several IENA board of directors attended and were awed by the dynamic speakers and sense of solidarity expressed by our community's nurses. Providence Holy Family Hospital and WSNA are currently in negotiations for a new nursing contract. The outcome of these negotiations will impact upcoming contracts in your facility. Stay involved with your Local Unit so that your voice can be heard in your workplace.
IENA held our Annual Spring Scholarship & Awards Gala on April 26. The 2011 Award Winners include Aaron Tosch, RN, Excellence in Nursing Practice; Kathleen Cope, RN, BA, CNSN, Excellence in Nursing Leadership; and Anne Bailey, RN, BSN, CCRN, Lifetime Achievement. Two scholarships of $1,000 each were granted to Alison Houchin, BSN, RN, FNP-S, and Kathryn Ormsby, RN, MSN. To view pictures of the event, please click here to view the photo gallery. Encourage anyone you know who is attending nursing school to apply for a scholarship next year, and remember money is available to help offset the cost of certification courses and exams for practicing nurses.
To cap off a busy month, the WSNA Convention was held April 27-29 in Seattle. Several board members attended the event, some for the first time! Congratulations to Peggy Slider, RN, MSN for receiving the 2011 Marguerite Cobb Public Health/Community Health Nurse Award. Click here to view our photo gallery of the event.
To round out a busy spring, National Nurses Week in early May was a time to recognize the great work done by nurses every day. IENA participated in the Pride in Nursing Conference at Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute, and WSNA shared our exhibit booth. Did you see our "Thank You" to Spokane's nurses in The Inlander? If not, then another THANK YOU for the work you do each and every day.
Summer will be here soon, and IENA Elections will be held in July for the IENA Board of Directors. PLEASE JOIN US! Your professional experience is invaluable in promoting the nursing profession and advocating for health and safety in our community. If you are interested in serving, please contact Administrative Secretary JoAnn Kaiser at iena@aimcomm.net.
Plans are underway for our annual Legislative Reception this fall. We are looking forward to an exciting evening and the opportunity to speak with local and state legislators about healthcare issues in our communities. The event this year will be October 4 at the Red Lion Hotel at the Park in the Skyline Ballroom. The event will be FREE, so plan on attending. Click here to register.
Please visit the Inland Empire Nurses Association on Facebook. Find out about upcoming events, read our comments, and learn more from our nursing links. Be sure to check our web site for updated information, including educational offerings and community events. Come and join us!
Michele Slider, RN, MSN
IENA President
2011 IENA Elections
IENA is pleased to announce the slate of candidates for our 2011 elections! Ballots will be mailed in early July, and we ask that all members take a few minutes to please CAST YOUR BALLOT! Return ballots must be postmarked July 31, 2011 to be valid. A brief profile and statement from the candidates are listed below for your reference.
PRESIDENT
(One year term, 2011-2012)
Louanne Hausmann, BSN, MA is a Nursing Supervisor at Spokane VA Medical Center. She earned her BSN at Incarnate Word College in San Antonio, TX. Louanne served as IENA Director-at-Large beginning in 2008, and then accepted an appointment to finish the Secretary’s term due to an unexpected vacancy. She was elected to continue as Secretary for another year, and her current term ends in Fall 2011. She hopes to continue serving IENA as President if she is elected.
"It has been a privilege to serve on the Board of the IENA and to network with nurses of all specialties. I would welcome the opportunity to continue to serve in the position of President."
PRESIDENT-ELECT
(2-year term, 2011-2013; 1 year as Pres-elect and 1 as President)
Vivian Hill, RN, CNOR is currently working as an OR Circulator at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane. She earned her Associate Degree from Yakima Valley College. During her many years of operating room experience, she has found time to remain active in WSNA and currently is Practice Committee Chair. At the local level, Vivian most recently served as Director-at-Large & Occupational Group Director General Duty Representative. Vivian spent 7 years as WSNA Co-Chair at Grays Harbor Community Hospital and also served as President of her local district while living in Grays Harbor.
"I have been involved with IENA for the past two years, as Director-at-Large and Occupational Group Director/General Duty. I have found this to be a very positive experience. Continuing to support our efforts in providing reasonably priced CE events will be a priority if I am elected."
DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE
(Two-year term, 2011-2013)
Danielle Feist, BSN is currently working at Providence Holy Family Hospital in RN Case Management. Danielle has been involved with IENA for many years serving as Vice President, Director-at-Large, on the Awards & Scholarship Committee, and newsletter editor. At the state level, she has served as Chair for the WSNA Nominations/Search Committee. Danielle also serves on the local unit negotiating team.
"As a current board member, I have been proud of the work of the board in offering educational opportunities, scholarships, and honors to WSNA members. I would be honored to continue to serve you, the nursing profession, and Spokane community."
OCCUPATIONAL
GROUP DIRECTOR: COMMUNITY/PUBLIC HEALTH REPRESENTATIVE
(One-year term, 2011-2012)
Kimberly Parkey, BSN is a Public Health Nurse II at Spokane Regional Health District. She earned her BSN from ICN/WSU School of Nursing. Kim joined the IENA Board of Directors in November 2010 as Community/Public Health Representative and hopes to continue serving in this role.
"I have had the wonderful opportunity to serve my fellow nurses as the Community/Public Health Representative for IENA over the past year. I have embraced this opportunity and would like to continue in this position. I commit to fulfilling these duties and representing nurses in our community and would welcome support from the nursing community to continue in this position."
OCCUPATIONAL GROUP DIRECTOR: EDUCATION
REPRESENTATIVE (One-year term, 2011-2012)
Lynnette Vehrs, BSN, MN is an instructor at WSU College of Nursing. She earned her BSN from ICNE/WSU. Lynnette joined the IENA Board of Directors last fall as Education Representative and immediately became involved with the Awards & Scholarship Committee, CE Committee, and Legislative Committee. She especially enjoys mentoring student nurses during their visit to Olympia on Nurse Legislative Day. Earlier in her career, Lynnette served WSNA on the Economic and General Welfare Committee as well as on the Conference Committees for SHMC and Visiting Nurses Association.
"I am a strong advocate for nurses and the public. Participating in the nurses association is just another way I can impact our profession and the health and safety of our clients. I am currently teaching nursing students at Washington State University College of Nursing. I wish to inspire our new nurses with enthusiasm and the desire to be the best nurses possible. This is the same energy I will bring to the IENA Board of Directors. Please vote for me."
NOMINATING COMMITTEE
(Two-year term, 2011-2013)
Michele Slider, BSN, MN is a Clinical Data Analyst at Providence Holy Family Hospital in Spokane. Her practice focus is on Quality Assurance & Performance Improvement. She earned her BSN from EWU/ICNE and MS from Gonzaga University. Before serving as IENA President the past two years, she served as Vice President and Director-at-Large. At the state level, she is a member of WSNA Professional Nursing and Health Care Council.
"I have been on the IENA Board of Directors since 2006 and have found it to be an extremely rewarding experience. I have learned about both IENA and WSNA and now have first hand knowledge of how my professional organizations function and the impact they have on healthcare and nursing practice in Washington. As a member of the Nominating Committee, I look forward to the opportunity to identify and encourage nurses in our community to be involved in their professional organization."
BOARD VACANCIES
There are still a few vacancies to fill on the IENA Board of Directors. The time commitment is minimal, as the board meets the first Monday of the month for just one hour (excluding July and August). If you or a colleague is interested in serving in one of the positions listed below, please contact Administrative Secretary JoAnn Kaiser at the IENA office at 509-328-8288 or send an email to iena@aimcomm.net. JoAnn can provide detailed information about the responsibilities of each position.
> Director at Large (1 position; 2-year term)
> Occupational Group Directors (1-year term)
o Independent Practice
o Nursing Management
o General Duty
> Nominating Committee (2 positions; 2-year term)
Inland Empire Nurses Association
222 W. Mission, #231
Spokane, WA 99201
Phone: 509-328-8288
