The Official Publication of the Illinois Nurses Foundation Quarterly publication direct mailed to approximately 4,500 RNs and electronically via email to 90,000+ RNs in Illinois.
The 7th Annual 40 under 40 Emerging Nurse Leader event recognized 40 outstanding nurses in Illinois under 40. Those who receive the recognition are impacting health care delivery and the nursing profession and will undoubtedly shape the future of the profession.
The Emerging Nurse Leaders Planning committee began their review of the nominations in April of this year and awardees were notified in June. As seen since the awards first started, there was an abundance of worthy candidates nominated for the 2021 honors.
Nominations were received from patients, friends, family, coworkers, employers, students, etc. Award recognition recipients reflected leadership success, exemplary leadership qualities, participation in professional associations and community service.
Illinois Nurses Foundation Celebrates 7th Annual Emerging Nurse Leader Event Professional Issues Conference
ANA-Illinois successfully hosted its fifth annual Professional Issues Conference and annual meeting on November 6, 2021, virtual conference. This year’s programs focused on our essential journey committed to inclusion, equity, and belonging as we build on the work ANA-Illinois started in 2020. The event explored our current challenges and sought to teach us how to be Positively Resilient as we have difficult discussions and take actions to build a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive profession. Two keynote presentations set the tone for the event.
Morning Keynote
Andrea Dalzell
Andrea Dalzell is the first registered nurse to complete nursing school as a wheelchair user in New York City. She is also a pioneering activist for people with disabilities.
Afternoon Keynote
Buck Davis
During his presentation, POSITIVELY RESILIENTStrengthening Essential Skills to Rebound, Recover, & Thrive, Buck Davis drew from evidencebased research on positive emotions and resiliency while sharing his insights as to how
The event was led by INF Vice President Brandon Hauer MSN, RN. The advisory committee team members included Linda B. Roberts MSN, RN, Susana Gonzalez MHA, MSN, RN, CNML and Eli Heicher MSN, RN, CENP. The planning committee included Brandon Hauer MSN, RN who served as chair and Dan Fraczkowski MSN, RNBC, Brittany Hohoff BSN, RN, Stephanie Mendoza MSN, RN, April Odom APRN, CRRN, FNP-BC, Kelly Ulrich BSN, RN, Stephanie Yohannan DNP, MBA, RN, NE-BC, Caitlin Murphy DNP, FNP-BC, AOCNP, Susan Tracy MSN, RN, Nate Karch DNP, RN, PCCN-K, and Amy Kiefer, MSN, RN.
One of the primary purposes of the 40 Under 40 Award is to engage, support and develop the next generation of Illinois Nurse Leaders. The committee was genuinely moved to have the honor of acknowledging
fellow nurses who are known change agents that help shape health care statewide and beyond. Their efforts have served to expand and grow nursing practice as well as to empower our communities. Award recipients were proudly celebrated by members of their own cohort as well as Illinois nursing leaders, and of course their family members.
The event was recorded and is available on the Illinois Nurses Foundation website www.illinoisnurses. foundation
Next year, this recognition event will take place in Lisle at the DoubleTree on September 22, 2022. Nominations will open in February 2022.
Illinois Nurses Foundation Celebrates...continued on page 4
to remain centered and retain perspective, even when anxiety, burnout, cynicism, self-doubt, and exhaustion threaten to turn motivation on its ear. Through interactive group activities, multi-media visuals, engaging lecture, and storytelling, he delivered a practical and compelling message with insights that could be implemented immediately. Audience members left feeling inspired, empowered, and reinvigorated — ready to manage the chaos that gets in the way of bringing their most authentic and brilliant selves to work.
Other topics included the Spiritual Roots of Nursing, a presentation by Alan “Tony” Amberg APRN PMHNPBC; Limited Health Literacy by Denise Sanchez DNP, APRN, AGACNP-BC; The Role of Nursing Leadership in Dismantling Racism presented by Simendea Clark, DNP,
RN, Carol Alexander, DNP, APRN, ACNS/NP-BC, Tamara Bland, EdD, RN, Deena Nardi, PhD, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN, and Monique Reed, PhD, RN; and Rural Health Putting the Pieces Together to Elevate Outcomes by Janice Albers DNP, RN, PHNA-BC, EBP-C, CLC
During the Membership Assembly portion of the conference, the members heard a summary of work performed during 2021 and financial data that shows the association is financially secure with a membership of over 5000 and a 129% reserve ratio. The crowning moment of the Assembly was the installation of the new or returning board members – Elizabeth Aquino PhD, RN –President; Beth Phelps DNP, APRN-FNP, ACNP – Secretary;
Professional Issues Conference continued on page 2
INF PRESIDENT'S MES S AGE
As 2021 comes to a close, once again it is time to reflect on the year. The past year has been filled with unexpected challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Yes, the pandemic has continued, jobs have been lost, lives have been lost, and quarantines have continued. With the arrival and push for vaccinations, the numbers have improved, but the impact of it all still can be seen. We are proud of the heroic work done by the nurses of Illinois during the pandemic.
Cheryl Anema PhD, RN
The IL Nurses Foundation (INF) has continued it’s work of collaborating with community partners in promoting the health of the public by supporting nurses through charitable research and educational initiatives. The INF is strategically looking at ways to increase the numbers and amounts of monies awarded to student scholarships and nurse grants. We have been very successful in adding to our bottom line through the publication of the book, Stories From Within: Nurses, Patients, Families, Doctors Share There Pandemic Experience. The book is available in hardcopy and e-version through Amazon.com. All profits from the purchase of the book go to the INF. If you are interested in reading real life stories of living through the pandemic, this is the book for you. It would also make a great Holiday gift or Graduation gift for that special person in your life. It is moving and tells it like it is.
The INF is all about supporting and honoring nurses. Earlier in the year we awarded thousands of dollars to students and nurses through scholarships and grants. In September we celebrated virtually with our 40 Under 40 Nurse Leader awardees. It was a great evening of honoring young nurses who are making a difference through out IL. This celebration will continue at our Dec 4th Virtual Holiday Gala and Fundraising event.
Tickets are now available on our website www. illinoisnurses.foundation for the Virtual Holiday Gala. A fun night has been planned filled with professional Comedians, professional String Orchestra artists, a
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word from scholarship and grant winners, raffles, and announcement of our Award Winners. It is an AFTERNOON event you do not want to miss. In addition, we are holding a virtual Silent Auction which will be running from November 28th through the Dec 4th 8:00 pm. Silent Auction and Raffle winners will be notified and posted on our website.
We need your help! Your charitable giving helps us achieve new milestones such as providing scholarships for those interested in the profession as well as for nurses interested in seeking additional degrees, creating new programs like the 40 under 40 Emerging Nurse Leader awards program, and supporting and celebrating the achievements of individual nurses. There are several ways to give. Together we will transform healthcare in Illinois.
Annually, we depend on the INF fundraisers and donations from individuals, institutions, associations, and businesses to support the actions and programs of the INF. The INF has a strong foundation and will continue its work and support of the community and nursing in IL. Can you help?
There are multiple ways you can directly or indirectly help the INF: Direct donation, monthly donations, purchase a specialty license plate (nursing) through the IL Department of Transportation, submit an Honor a Nurse nomination with donation, use Amazon to do your normal purchasing but go to smile.amazon.com and select the INF as your charity, or even set up the INF as a beneficiary in your estate planning. As a 501C3 association, you may want to talk to your tax accountant to determine the best way for you to donate. Go to www.Illinoisnurses. foundation to donate or to read more about the INF and ways to support its programs. Your donation will go a long way! Thank you for your support!
Professional Issues Conference continued from page 1
The 5th Professional Issues Conference was a great success. Attendees commented on the format of the virtual session, and the content presented. The 2022 Professional Issues Conference will take place on November 6 at the Sheraton in Lisle, Illinois.
Everyone is looking forward to being able to gather together safely next year to network, celebrate and learn from each other.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
NSO
Thank You to Our Exhibitors
Chamberlain University
Grand Canyon University
Healthcare Associates Credit Union
Herzing Univeristy
Hurst Review
Illinois Association of School Nurses
Illinois HIV Care Connect
Illinois State University - Mennonite College of Nursing
Indiana Wesleyan University
Memorial Health System
NIU School of Nursing
Northern Kentucky University
Ohio University
Purdue College of Nursing
Saint Xavier University
University of St. Francis
University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Nursing
• Electronic submissions only as a word document attachment using current APA guidelines.
• Email: info@ilnursesfoundation.com
• Subject Line: Nursing Voice Submission: Name of the article
• Must include the name of the author and a title.
• INF reserves the right to pull or edit any article / news submission for space and availability and/or deadlines
• If requested, notification will be given to authors once the final draft of the Nursing Voice has been submitted.
• INF does not accept monetary payment for articles.
Article submissions, deadline information and all other inquiries regarding the Nursing Voice please email: info@ilnursesfoundation.com
Article Submission Dates (submissions by end of the business day) January 15th, April 15th, July 15th, October 15th
Advertising: for advertising rates and information please contact Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc., P.O. Box 216, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613 (800-626-4081), sales@aldpub.com. ANA-Illinois 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 ANA-Illinois and Illinois Nurses Foundation 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. ANA-Illinois 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 ANA-Illinois or those of the national or local associations.
ANA-ILLINOIS PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Dear Illinois Nurse Colleagues,
As we celebrate the holidays and prepare for the new year, it’s the perfect time to reflect on what we are grateful for and remember what we achieved over the past year. I am personally excited to continue serving as President of ANAIllinois, which means that I can continue to advance the work that we have focused on over the past two years and work on new agendas that will positively impact nurses in Illinois.
As an organization, we have many things to be grateful for as we have made significant progress this year despite continuing to live through the COVID-19 pandemic, and I’ll highlight some of those achievements. Congratulations to our newly elected ANA-Illinois Board of Directors, and thank you to Dr. Colleen Morley and Dr. Nicole Lewis for your service and contributions over the years. We have hosted monthly virtual Nursing Hot Topics meetings that offer CEs for attending; thus far, topics have focused on self-care, nurse staffing, personal branding, ethical leadership, and moving into clinical leadership roles. We look forward to continuing these virtual meetings and are open to more topic ideas. Members, affiliates, students, and non-members are all welcome to attend these virtual meetings. The Expert Panel on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) have made significant progress this year with establishing goals to maximize diversity, strengthen equity, and optimize inclusion, sharing resources on the ANA-Illinois website, establishing a new DEI Leadership Award, and the on-demand Train-the-Trainer Webinar Series continues to have great success—visit the ANA-Illinois website to register for upcoming webinars. Thank you to those who participated in the RNconnect to Well-Being text messaging program; we hope you found the resources helpful and will continue prioritizing your health and wellness. The ANA-Illinois Board of Directors supported signing a joint statement with ANA taking a position on mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for healthcare workers, voted to adopt a formal DEI statement that commits to advancing the values of DEI across the association, and members were appointed to the new Community Service Task Force and Expert Panel on Nursing Education. Legislatively we had a huge success in getting the Nurse Staffing Improvement Act of 2021 passed and signed into law! Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen by communicating with your elected officials. A special thank you to our lobbyists Sue Clark, Debbie Broadfield, and Kristin Rubbelke for their tireless efforts to get this bill passed to work towards a better solution to nurse staffing. Thank you to Dr. Susan Swart for working with other stakeholders to ensure hospital leaders and nurses understand and follow the new law.
We look forward to your continued engagement with ANA-Illinois. Please follow ANA-Illinois on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to stay up to date as we continue to introduce new programming and information to engage our members and followers.
As always, I appreciate you for all you have done and continue to do to advance our profession. I look forward to working with you to transform nursing and healthcare in Illinois.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth (Liz) Aquino, PhD, RN President, ANA-Illinois
ANA-Illinois Elects New Board Members
The American Nurses Association - Illinois (ANA-Illinois), the state’s largest professional nursing association for registered nurses in all practice settings, has elected new leadership.
ANA-Illinois leadership includes nurse leaders from across the state and with a variety of backgrounds. The elected leaders’ unique experiences are sure to enhance the work of ANA-Illinois and its vision of being the recognized leader of professional nursing and nurses in Illinois.
The newly elected board members are as follows:
President: Elizabeth Aquino PhD, RN
Secretary: Beth Phelps DNP, APRN-FNP, ACNP
Director: Susana Gonzalez MHA, MSN, RN, CNML
Director: Elaine Hardy PhD, RN
The new board members will join the following directors whose terms continue through October of 2022:
Vice President: Monique Reed PhD, MS, RN
Treasurer: Jeannine Haberman DNP, MBA, RN, CNE
Director: Holly Farley EdD, MS, RN
Director: Dorothy Kane MSN, RN
Director: Zeh Wellington DNP, MSN, RN, NE-BC
The 2021 ballot also included the election of members to the Nominations Committee and representatives to the ANA Membership Assembly. We are happy to welcome these individuals as part of the ANA-Illinois leadership team. As we move forward, these individuals will be instrumental in helping the association advance the profession.
Nominations Committee:
Renae Denise Hale DNP, RN, MHN-BC
Representatives to the ANA Membership Assembly:
Elizabeth Aquino PhD, RN
Elaine Hardy PhD, RN
Susan Hovey PhD, RN
ANA-Illinois, a constituent member of the American Nurses Association, is a powerful network of registered nurses committed to advancing nursing through education, political action, and workplace advocacy. ANA-Illinois is the leading voice of the approximately 187,000 professional registered nurses in Illinois.
Kirsten Warner MSN, APRN, AGCNS-BC, CNEcl, CNL, CMSRN
Dorota Czernecki DNP, APRN, AGACNP-BC
Chelsea Howland PhDc, MSN, RN
Caitlin Marion MSN, RN, CPN, CNEc1
Emma Chase Poland MSN, RN, CNL
Ebony Scott BSN, RN
Ashley Whitlatch MSN, APRN, FNP-BC
Abigail Falbo MSN, MBA, RN, CMSRN, NE-BC
Marie Innocenti RN, CNL
Jennifer Mata Gomboa BSN, RN
Tiffany Ponder MSN, RN
Jacqueline Shanks DNP, APRN, FNP-C
Myecia Williams DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
Johnson RN, CNL
Febin Mathew MSN, APRN, FNP-C
Kaleigh Powers MSN, RN, CNL, RN-BC
Shannon Simonovich PhD, RN
Jessi Williams MSN, RN, CMSRN
Kanthak BSN, RN
Kimberly Ramos MSN, RN, MEDSURG-BC, NPD-BC
Kathleen Soso MSN, RN, CPSN-R, CNE, ISPAN-F
Molly Gabaldo BSN, DNPc, RN
Rebecca Murphy DNP, MBA, RN, CNOR
Jessica Giangiorgi MSN, RN, CMSRN
Sarah
Callie
Martha
2021 ANA-Illinois Award Winners Announced
On November 6th, the American Nurses AssociationIllinois (ANA-Illinois) announced the winners of the 2021 Recognition Award and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Leadership Award Winners.
The Clinical Practice Award recognizes an exemplary nurse who provides evidence of a high level of skill inpatient care through improving clinical practice and patient-centered outcomes.
Nominations must demonstrate evidence-based ability to design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based practice changes and/or quality improvement initiatives to promote improved patient outcomes.
2021 Clinical Practice Award winner –
Marichu Damasco BSN, ACLS, BLS
and collaborates well with care providers. Marichu advocates for policy changes that improve patient care and outcomes. She has established trustful relationships with multidisciplinary teams. In building these positive relationships, care providers respect her opinions, clinical decisions, and nursing judgments.
The Nurse Influencer Award recognizes an exemplary nurse who has influenced the science of nursing practice or care delivery system, a group/community/population (patient or other care providers) sick or well. Contributes to health or its recovery (or to peaceful death) in any care or community setting (at any level, local, regional or national level) or nursing profession through education, advocacy, policy, or practice.
The nomination statement stated that Marichu Damasco is a registered nurse functioning in Administrative 1 on the 6W step-down unit at the University of Illinois Hospital. She has functioned in the role of charge nurse since 2000. In this role, Marichu has displayed exemplary clinical nursing practice. She is a strong advocate of quality patient care and ensures the right patient is placed at the right level of care the first time to prevent delays in patient care. Her astute assessment of patients’ clinical needs minimizes adverse patient outcomes by rapidly noticing changes in patients’ conditions and stabilizing critical situations while awaiting medical intervention. Her colleagues respect her decisions as she brainstorms with them regarding the best actions to take during critical patient situations. Marichu engages in ongoing open communication with her teammates
Defined by Mariam Webster, an Influencer (noun): “one who exerts influence, a person who inspires or guides the actions of others.”
Nominations must demonstrate evidence of the nurse’s influence over the science of nursing practice or care delivery system, a group/community/population (patient or other care providers) sick or well, contributes to health or its recovery (or to peaceful death) in any care or community setting (at any level, local, regional or national level), or the profession of nursing through education, advocacy, policy or practice.
2020 Nurse Influencer Award winner –Celia Rademacher BSN, RN, TNS
Ms. Rademacher’s nominator stated she holds a position at Amita St. Joseph as a House Supervisor. However, she will now be assuming the role of manager of the emergency department for Silver Cross at their Homer Glen FEC. Celia has had an extraordinary professional career over the first five years of being a nurse and a leader. She has taken
every opportunity to do good for others and help those in healthcare find their purpose. Just a few incidents outside of work that we love to share and make us so proud of who she is and her passion for helping others. One day while riding her motorcycle, she came across a motorcycle accident vs. deer. Two riders had been impacted, and Celia was able to stop her day, administer first aid, do an assessment and maintain c-spine while waiting 25 mins for EMS to arrive. Her husband Shawn said he could not believe how composed she was. The ability to care for two strangers, direct others who were helping, and be able to then shake it off and continue was something he will never forget. This was the first of many experiences Celia acted without hesitation. On another occasion, while driving with her family, Celia witnessed an accident. She immediately rendered aid to the accident victim, spoke to police/EMS dispatch on the phone, told them who she was, and began CPR while bystanders watched. Celia later told how that blanket given to her by the car dealership would be laid to rest on the dying man to keep him warm. Her story was submitted by the dealership. She was awarded the first responder of the month; the most recent incident occurred at a local Culver’s where Celia assisted a patron who was having a medical issue. While Celia is very quiet about her good deeds, the local Culvers owners heard of her quick selfless actions and sent a picture of her out on social media asking to track her down. Where thousands of people praised her, and she was acknowledged.
While all these things display how selfless she is as a nurse, she is just an all-around person who finds the importance behind being a human to others to act with passion and compassion. To lead, to guide, to heal. At a time when healthcare is seeing a mass exodus, Celia is pushing through with the positives—encouraging people to stay, to take a stand, to fight for healthcare employees, to care for the patients who need us. She educates them on the importance of being a part of the committees and the events that help form our communities and hospital. She jumps in to help in her ER and House supervisor role even when it is not her patient. She loves to explain the hows and whys and get others excited about what we do
as nurses. Celia makes us so proud. As a nurse myself, I am in awe of what she has accomplished in such a short time and how she heard the calling to be a nurse and applies it even when she is not in scrubs. She is a force to be reckoned with, and I cannot wait to see what the next five years provide her for the opportunity and how she will continue to impact her peers and patients. When you think of what type of nurse you want to be, Celia comes to mind. Celia comes to mind when you think of who you want your loved ones to be cared for by. She possesses such charisma about her that shines with others. If anyone deserves recognition for how they are impacting healthcare, making a difference, and encouraging others, Celia is the one!
The Student Nurse of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding student nurse who exemplifies compassion, exceptional promise in clinical expertise, and academic achievement- the underpinnings of nursing excellence.
Nominees for this award are recognized for outstanding achievement, exceptional academic or clinical ability, or exemplary compassion and caring toward their clients and peers during their years of study.
2021 Student Nurse of the Year Award winnerChloe Hanegraaf
the hospital. She was able to do almost everything that an RN does and grew in her clinical knowledge and judgment significantly. Aside from this, though, what really stands out about Chloe is how willing she is to jump in and get involved in every aspect of nursing school. She has been a part of numerous committees and clubs in the nursing program, and intended to help other nursing students in their journey. She has acted as our Nurses Student Association treasurer and level representative in previous years. This year, she is the president of the NSA at Olivet. She volunteers every year at the Red Cross blood drive as a part of NSA and does advertising for it on campus. She is a part of our Big Nurse, Little Nurse program, where she mentors lower-level nursing students and encourages them through the pressures and hardships of nursing school. This school year, Chloe and I (her professor) have partnered with Nurses Christian Fellowship and started a Christian ministry called Selah. It is intended to help provide fellowship and support for other nursing students. Chloe thought of the title and has been involved with the planning, set up, advertising, and more for this group. We hope that this will be a group that thrives for many years to come!
and commit to an oral or written presentation of the leadership program overview within six months of completion.
For the inaugural year of this award, two individuals have been identified for the award.
2021 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership Award
Winners Elizabeth Aquino PhD, RN – Dr. Aquino is one of 12 women to participate in the Illinois Women’s Institute for Leadership (IWIL) Training Academy Class of 2021. IWIL Training Academy is one of only a handful of groups around the country dedicated to training and ensuring that when women seek political office, they are prepared.
The nominator stated, “Chloe Hanegraaf is a senior at Olivet Nazarene University. She has worked hard throughout her four years to gain the knowledge and clinical skills needed to make an excellent nurse. She has done well academically through hard work and effort. Her clinical skills continue to improve as well. This past summer, she did an externship at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, IL. She left her house to reside in housing provided by the hospital and spent her entire summer sharpening her nursing skills. She followed a float pool nurse and worked on many units throughout
Chloe is passionate about supporting other nursing students. She is honest and open about her own trials in nursing school and how she has overcome them. She listens, gives encouragement, and is willing to give any tips she can to help others. She is sacrificial with her time and energy, even though she is in her last semester of nursing school and has a lot on her plate. She never complains or says that she does not have time to help. She demonstrates selflessness and positivity and is a role model for all of the students in our program!
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership Award was created to intentionally invest in the professional development of nurse leaders that have been historically and systematically marginalized in nursing.
Nominees must be a member of ANA-Illinois from a historically and systematically marginalized community as defined by the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’s Expert Panel’s mission statement, employed in nursing a minimum of two (2) years as a licensed nurse (APRN, RN, LPN), and provide a personal statement that includes how the selected program will support the applicant to advance the mission of ANA-Illinois’ DEI Expert Panel
Araceli Orozco BSN, RNBC, IL PEL-SN – Ms. Orozco will attend the Illinois State University Master’s program in Nursing Leadership & Management. This program “prepares nurses for leadership opportunities in the changing health care environment” and helps “students build the skills necessary to assume leadership and management roles and to develop and implement health policy.
The award winners will receive a cash prize to support their careers as they move forward to advance the profession.
Continuing the Vision by Supporting Nurses of the Future Alpha Eta Chapter, Incorporated
On October 16, 2021, Alpha Eta Chapter, Incorporated of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Incorporated, celebrated its 89th Founders Day. Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Incorporated was founded by Ailene Carrington Ewell, along with eleven charter members, on October 16, 1932. All were nursing graduates of Freedmen’s Hospital in Washington D.C.
The objectives of Chi Eta Phi, Inc. include promoting higher standards and educational levels in the nursing profession; maintaining a continuous recruitment program for nursing and the health profession; developing collaborative relationships with other professional groups for the improvement and delivery of health care; stimulating close and friendly relationships among the members; and identifying nursing leaders within the membership who will function as agents of social change on the national, regional, and local levels. The current pandemic has validated and reinforced our commitment to achieving our objectives.
Alpha Eta Chapter, Incorporated of Chicagoland, was chartered May 24, 1980, and works tirelessly to promote and fulfill the ideals of our Founders. On October 1, 2021, Alpha Eta Chapter, Inc. opened its 2021-2022 scholarship cycle. Since 2018, with the assistance of donors, the chapter has awarded over $14,000 in scholarships to Illinois residents pursuing Bachelors and Masters degrees in nursing. Currently, electronic applications are available by request at alphaetascholarships@ gmail.com
To learn more about our great organization, please visit our website at www. alphaeta-chetaphi.org
The Illinois Nursing Workforce Center Advisory Board invited members of the Illinois Coalition of Nursing Organizations (ICNO) and representatives of the Public Health Nurse Leaders Workgroup (PHNLW) to attend the October 20, 2021, board meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the Illinois nursing workforce, the health and well-being of Illinois nurses during this COVID-19 pandemic, promoting nurses in public and community health settings, and opportunities for partnerships amongst ICNO member organizations. There were representatives from 21 organizations in attendance.
Each organization presented a brief background and history, current organization priorities, and initiatives. Common themes included: 1) retention of Illinois nurses, salaries, staffing, burnout and promoting self-care; 2) education issues including faculty shortages; 3) recruitment (including asking are we attracting a diverse workforce) orientation, and mentoring; 4) access and equity issues (are we meeting the needs of community, residents, clients, shortage differs); and 5) nurse licensure compact.
Organizations in attendance:
• INWC - Illinois Nursing Workforce Center, Chairperson Krista Jones, ViceChairperson Theresa Towle, board members: Lynda M. Bartlett, Pamela Bigler, Amanda Buechel, Fran LaMonica, Cynthia Maskey; Linda B. Roberts, Manager
• Public Health Nurse Leaders Workgroup, Robin Hannon, Glenda Morris Burnett
Members of the Illinois Coalition of Nursing Organizations
• ANA-Illinois, President Liz Aquino, Executive Director Susan Swart
• IACN - Illinois Association of Colleges of Nursing, Vice-Chairperson Tina Decker and Pam Taylor
• ISAPN – Illinois Society for Advanced Practice Nursing, Executive Director Susan Swart
• IASN – Illinois Association of School Nurses, President-Elect Bridget Heroff
• ICCB - Deans and Directors, Cynthia Maskey, member
• IOADN – Illinois Association of Associate Degree Nursing, Treasurer Cynthia Maskey
• IONL – Illinois Organization of Nursing Leaders, President Elaine Kemper
• PNAI – Philippine Nurses Association of Illinois, Executive Director Gloria Simon
• INF – Illinois Nurses Foundation, Board member Amanda Oliver
• CCNBNA – Chicago Chapter of the National Black Nurses Association, Board member Brenda Jones
• Leading Age Illinois - Nursing Division, Vice President Health Services Ruta Prasauskas
• DDNA of Illinois – Development Disabilities Nurses Association of Illinois, President Kathy Brown
• Illinois ENA - Illinois Emergency Nurses Association, Treasurer Karen Battaglia
• Greater Illinois Chapter of the Health Information Management and Systems Society (HIMSS), Immediate Past-President Lauren Wiseman
• Illinois Homecare and Hospice Council, President Cheryl Adams, Executive Director Sara Ratcliffe
• Alpha Eta Chapter, Inc. of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc., Past-President Toni Oats
• Certified Nurse Assistant Educator Association, Treasurer Toni Oats
• Illinois Psychiatric Nurses Association, Board member Kelly Bryant
• CMSA Chicago - Case Management Society of America – Chicago, Immediate PastPresident Colleen Morley
• Illinois South Suburban National Black Nurses Association (NBNA), Board member, Carol Alexander
The organizations plan to meet again in the early part of 2022, with this meeting hosted by ANA-Illinois. Information about the Illinois Nursing Workforce Center (INWC) can be found at http://nursing.illinois.gov/ Information about the Illinois Coalition of Nursing Organizations (ICNO) can be found at https://www.ana-illinois.org/about-anaillinois/partners/icno/
Illinois is Losing Hundreds of Well Paid Highly Desirable Nursing Jobs: We Must Join the Nurse Licensure Compact Now
Eric W. Bergman RN CCM
A growing number of nurses are being asked to practice outside the scope of their licenses and some don’t even know it. The growth of telehealth is shedding light on an underappreciated and little-known aspect of nurse licensure that in the past has only affected small numbers of nurses - generally telephonic nurse case managers working for insurance companies. However, the expansion of telehealth is allowing, and in many cases requiring, nurses to practice across states lines.
Many nurses know that if they move to another state, they will have to apply for and obtain a new license before they can begin practicing nursing in their new home state. However, when it comes to telehealth, many mistakenly believe that as long as the nurse is licensed in the state from which the call is made, the practice is legal, but that is wrong.
The law says that health care practice takes place in the state where the patient is at the time of the interaction. Let’s take for example a patient who lives in NW Indiana, southern Wisconsin, or suburban St. Louis who plans to make the short trip across the Illinois border to take advantage of one of Illinois’ premier health care facilities. When the nurse, who works at that Illinois facility, calls that patient at home to provide preprocedure or post-procedure instructions and follow up, if the nurse only has an Illinois license, the nurse is violating their license.
For nurses and all other health professionals working in telemedicine, the licensure issue is a growing problem. Fortunately, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) has been promoting the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) for nearly a decade now and has made great strides in helping overcome the licensing hurdles. Thirty-eight jurisdictions now recognize each other’s licenses. This means that any nurse residing in a compact state can legally practice in any of the other 37 jurisdictions on the strength of one license, much the same as driver’s licenses allow US residents to drive in any state with their home state license.
Unfortunately, the state of Illinois has not joined the compact because two small unions have staked their reputations on preventing it, based on outdated and now irrelevant concerns. These two unions, which collectively represent only about 10% of Illinois nurses, have strong support in the legislature, because Illinois is a unionfriendly state. In most cases, nurses need unions and the support of collective bargaining, but in this case the unions’ opposition to the compact is adversely affecting many Illinois nurses and harming the prospects of good telephonic care for Illinois residents.
During the pandemic “[n]ew analysis indicates telehealth use has increased 38 [times] from the preCOVID-19 baseline.” There are many studies ... that demonstrate the ways in which telehealth is significantly helping to bridge access disparities, as well as providing highly desired convenience to patients and practitioners. Homebound patients can visit via video or telephonic conference for follow-up care and discussion of minor ailments. Rural residents can get some basic services without long drives to distant medical centers. Growing comfort with e-commerce and internet access have helped this sector to grow. Many urban residents just want to avoid the travel time, parking headaches, crowded waiting rooms, and time away from work or family, when a quick video or telephonic visit can provide the health care access they need. As a result, many medical practices are building telehealth care or subscribing to third party administrators who provide these services. There is massive growth among telehealth providers , with many new startups in the market place. Many of these new companies are offering services nationwide.
Telehealth has many faces: from telephonic support in a doctor’s office, to hospital system solutions that limit COVID exposure during in-person visits, to full-fledged telehealth providers like Doctors on Demand offering nation-wide telehealth services. The growth is fostering a need for new licensing rules and better support for mobility and access to technology in all health care professions.
Telehealth does not function without nurses. Those nursing jobs are highly paid, frequently coveted workfrom-home positions, and allow for nurses with physical restriction to continue in rewarding patient care after age, injury or other issues have limited their ability to work bedside. Telehealth is not constrained by state boundaries.
Illinois is currently losing many highly desirable nursing jobs because it is not part of the compact. Not only that, in this period of rapid growth in telehealth, many companies are choosing where to locate and which communities to serve. Because we have not yet joined the compact, Illinois is being left out and losing jobs. Telehealth providers have 38 states in which to headquarter, hire nurses, and provide service. There is little incentive for them to go to extra effort to license their nurses in non-compact states like Illinois, and they certainly will not be hiring Illinois based nurses, since the Illinois nurses will require 50 separate licenses. Why would a company expend the resources to get all its providers extra Illinois licenses when they can locate in and serve only compact states (now the majority of US states), which will provide plenty of business and a minimum of headaches?
If this is not corrected quickly, the damage to Illinois nursing careers may be irreversible. ANA IL, in coalition with a large number of other nursing professional organizations, has been working to advocate for the NLC in the Illinois legislature. We need your help. If you have a story or experience with multiple state licenses, we want your story. Is your employer currently hiring only in compact states, or threatening to move your job to one? Please contact us through NLCyes.com where you can fill out our contact form and we will help you get involved.
The finger printing process for the background check can be cumbersome and complex, but a nurse can navigate that with careful reading of instructions, and planning. Several weeks later, the nurse will have a new license. Many travel nurses know this routine, and get support and help from their agencies. Frequently, the expenses are covered by their agency or local employer in whichever state they travel to. What could be simpler?
So, it’s pretty easy if you need only one or two additional licenses. The fees vary, but for our neighboring states (all of which are now members of the compact) the total cost including the licensure fee, finger-printing costs, transcript processing fees, and postage will amount to around $500 per state. If a nurse can convince their employer that this is a reasonable, and in fact necessary, business expense, the employer may even pay the fees. If the nurse is a good negotiator, the employer might even provide paid work-time for the several hours the process will require. Even if the nurse has to do this with personal funds and on personal time without employer support, it is their license to protect, and well worth the personal expense to ensure they do not violate their license and put their career in jeopardy.
But what if they need more than one additional license? What if their employer is growing a telehealth line of business and the nurse is going to talk with patients in many states? How much money can a nurse or their employer afford at around $500 (and in some cases much more) per license?
Every license requires its own separate process, with its own unique forms, processes and timelines. And every state has different schedules for renewal, different continuing education requirements and different reporting mechanisms. Managing even fewer than 10 nursing license requires a sophisticated spreadsheet and careful attention, not to mention time consuming education activities to keep up with all the different CE requirements.
In today’s world of rapidly growing telehealth and virtual connection, many good jobs will go to the nurses who live in compact states and can avoid the multiple state licensure headache. Clearly the union leadership is not thinking about the realities of healthcare in the 21st century.
References Alkon, C. (2016, November 16). Using telemedicine to advance value-based care. Modern Healthcare https:// www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20161116/ SPONSORED/161119929/using-telehealth-to-advance-valuebased-care Altarum Health Care Value Hub. (2017, October 1). Improving healthcare value in rural America: (Research Brief No. 19). https://www.healthcarevaluehub.org/advocate-resources/ publications/improving-healthcare-value-rural-america Bestsennyy, O., Gilbert, G., Harris, A., & Rost, J. (2021, July 9). Our insights. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/ healthcare-systems-and-services/our-insights/telehealth-aquarter-trillion-dollar-post-covid-19-reality Cisco. (2013, March 4). Cisco Technology News Site. https:// newsroom.cisco.com/press-release-content?type=webcont ent&articleId=1148539
Frist, W. H. (2015, July 23). Telemedicine: A solution to address the problems of cost, access, and quality. https://doi.org/ 10.1377/hblog20150723.049490
Miliard, M. (2020, May 15). Telehealth set for 'tsunami of growth,' says Frost & Sullivan. https://www. healthcareitnews.com/news/telehealth-set-tsunamigrowth-says-frost-sullivan
NCSBN. (2021, October 3). Nurse Licensure Compact. https:// www.ncsbn.org/nurse-licensure-compact.htm
Siwicki, B. (2020, May 14). How MedStar Health went from 2 to 4,150 daily telehealth visits in two months. https://www. healthcareitnews.com/news/how-medstar-health-went-74150-daily-telehealth-visits-two-months
Siwicki, B. (2021, February 17). Global Editions: Telehealth. https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/helio-healthuses-telehealth-solve-access-issues-medicaid-population
Union Myth: The NLC Will Allow Bad Nurses into Our State
The unions have argued that by joining the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) Illinois will allow nurses with poor training, lesser educational requirements, or worse yet, predatory motives to injure Illinois patients. They argue that Illinois had some of the highest standards for nurse training and licensure of any state. In the past, some of that may have been true, but the Nurse Licensure Compact requires that any state entering the compact meet certain basic standards which are in line with Illinois standards.
All states have nearly identical requirements for basic nursing education and measure that education with the same licensure examinationthe NCLEX. Several states, Florida and Georgia for example, have more rigorous requirements for the management and documentation of continuing education than Illinois. What’s more, the NCSBN has instituted a national licensure database which keeps track of nurses’ licenses, disciplinary issues and actions. This simple and powerful advance has done a great deal to prevent bad actors from gaming the system.
Union Myth: It’s No Big Deal to get Another Nursing License, the NLC is Unnecessary
Some union leaders argue it is easy to get another license if you need one. True, all 50 states make the application process shorter and easier for those already licensed in another state through a process known as endorsement.
• Just fill out some forms online,
• provide state-specific information,
• submit to a criminal background check (in almost all states), and
• pay a fee.
The
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) home page for your online nurse resources
The IDFPR home page (https://idfpr.com/) has a direct link to the following:
• Address update: Please note that all IDFPR correspondence are now delivered electronically, including renewal reminders (in lieu of the paper postcard sent by U. S. Mail). Licensees are strongly encouraged to visit IDFPR’s online address change webpage (https://www.idfpr.com/applications/LicenseReprint/ ) to provide a current email address and ensure contact information is up-to-date and accurate.
• Name change: Change of name CANNOT be completed via this online process For a copy of the written notice, please use this link https://www.idfpr.com/Forms/ DPR/DPRCOAnamechange.pdf
• To print your license or download an electronic copy to your phone: use the icon under the blue middle section of the IDFPR homepage. www.idfpr.com
IDFPR has streamlined licensing for Military members and their spouses who are seeking professional licensure in Illinois. Public Act 100-286 (2019) expedites the license review process for Military Service Members who are an active duty member or whose active duty service concluded within the preceding two (2) years before application. This review process also is applicable to spouses of service members. IDFPR has hired a military liaison to work directly with Military Service Members to provide them with tailored guidance when applying for professional licensure in Illinois. Use this link for additional information: www.idfpr.com/military.asp
The Illinois Nurse Practice Act Rules were finalized on January 4, 2021. A copy is available at this link: https://www.ilga.gov/commission/jcar/ admincode/068/06801300sections.html
The State of Illinois Coronavirus Response Site: The COVID-19 Vaccine Plan, up-todate information on what Illinois is doing protecting the health, safety, and well-being of Illinoisans can be found at https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/s/
The Illinois Nursing Workforce Center (http://nursing.illinois.gov/ )
Education: Post-licensure Illinois nursing education programs are separated between baccalaureate degree completion and graduate education opportunities. The graduate education page includes a grid of which practice specialty each graduate program includes. http://nursing.illinois.gov/Gradeducation.asp
Continuing Education Resource: Re-licensure continuing education FAQs are available for LPNs, RNs, APRNs, APRN-FPA’s http://nursing.illinois.gov/NursingCE.asp
New CE requirement: The implicit bias awareness training is required of all persons who hold a professional license issued by the Division of Professional Regulation and are subject to a continuing education (CE) requirement (HB158, Public Act 102004). These licensees shall complete a one-hour CE course on implicit bias awareness training.
Reports: the 2020 RN survey results highlighting data collected during online license renewal are now available at http://nursing.illinois.gov/ResearchData.asp. There are also supply and demand reports of Illinois nurses dating back to 2007.
ETHICS IN ACTION
The Importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Healthcare
The concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have become an important component of the current conversation about healthcare and the healthcare workforce. It is essential that the nursing workforce be representative of the populations of patients seen and cared for in healthcare facilities and the community. These include such factors as race/ethnicity, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, religious or spiritual beliefs, functional status, learning ability, immigration status, geographic location, national origin, and socioeconomic status. Equity refers to efforts aimed at ensuring that all people have access to health care regardless of their characteristics and differences. The landmark Institute of Medicine report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health (2010), called for a more diverse nursing workforce in order to improve the quality of care and reduce health disparities. The new 2021 Future of Nursing report by the National Academies Press (formerly the Institute of Medicine), The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity, recommends that national nursing organizations develop a shared agenda to address social determinants of health and to achieve health equity, with priorities that include nursing practice, education, leadership, and health policy.
Provision 1 of the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements (2015) refers to the fundamental ethical principle of respect for others: "The nurse practices with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and unique attributes of every person" (p. 1). This respect encompasses the nurse's obligation to care for patients regardless of the factors that contribute to the person's health status. The Code promotes that nurses be advocates for and spokespersons against racism, discrimination, and injustice as components of respect for the human dignity of all people.
Professional Initiatives related to DEI National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing In January 2021, several leading nursing organizations, led by the American Nurses Association, National Black Nurses Association, National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurse Associations, and National Association of Hispanic Nurses, launched the National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing, which meets monthly to
explore the issues of systemic racism across nursing education, practice, policy, research, and leadership. The goal is for the nursing profession to be an example of inclusivity, diversity, and equity. Professional nursing organizations endorsing and comprising the membership of this initiative include those with a focus on education, practice, leadership, policy, research, and minority groups. https://www.nursingworld.org/practicepolicy/workforce/clinical-practice-material/nationalcommission-to-address-racism-in-nursing/
The Institute for Diversity and Health Equity affiliate of the American Hospital Association has produced a toolkit, Health Equity Snapshot: A Toolkit for Action (2020), which includes strategies and exemplars to advance health equity, diversity, and inclusion and to eliminate health disparities.
In 2017, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) produced their position statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Academic Nursing, intended to support and voice the association's vision, principles, and values. AACN also produced a faculty tool kit, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Faculty Tool Kit (August 2021), that describes and presents evidencebased resources and strategies for schools of nursing and faculty to promote inclusive academic environments and support nurse educators in addressing DEI in teaching and learning (https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/ Diversity/Diversity-Tool-Kit.pdf ).
To provide additional support for its Position Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Academic Nursing (2017), the AACN issued a white paper (December 2020) on implementing holistic admissions in academic nursing programs: Promoting practice in Holistic Admissions Review: Implementation in Academic Nursing. https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/News/ White-Papers/AACN-White-Paper-Promising-Practices-inHolistic-Admissions-Review-December-2020.pdf
This paper provides an evidence-based strategy for recruiting students from underrepresented groups into the nursing profession. The AACN has also initiated a new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership Network.
Healthcare organizations and employers
Several healthcare organizations, healthcare employers, and academic institutions have created Diversity Equity, and Inclusion initiatives and/or a department specifically focused on DEI led by DEI directors. Many professional nursing organizations have adopted statements on diversity, equity, and inclusion. The ANA-Illinois Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Statement can be found on the ANA-Illinois webpage (https:// www.ana-illinois.org/about-ana-illinois/diversity-equityinclusion-statement).
What can professional nurses do to achieve DEI
Professional nurses have an obligation to treat their patients, co-workers, other members of the interprofessional healthcare team, and others with dignity and respect and within an inclusive environment that recognizes differences in perspective, experiences, and characteristics. Although treating others with dignity and respect is an obligation and what nurses aim to do, there is an element of implicit or unconscious bias resulting from stereotypes or attitudes toward certain groups of people. Implicit bias often occurs without being conscious of it. It is important to become aware of the implicit biases that occur from daily living experiences and socialization. Therefore, to mitigate these biases to understand better, reflect, and respect others. Becoming aware of the role of implicit bias in oneself and identifying and teaching colleagues about them can help overcome the potential errors in decision-making and judgments that affect patients and others. Provision 1 of the ANA Code of Ethics on respect for others provides guidance in achieving the goal of practicing with compassion and respect for every person's inherent dignity, worth, and unique attributes.
CONTINUING E D U C AT ION OFFERING
Nurses Can Take the Lead in Caring for the SGM/LGBTQ
Community by Expanding Their Knowledge and Taking Action
Bonnie Fuller, PhD, MSN, RN, CNE, CTN-A
Although much has changed over the last fifty years related to experiences of sexual and gender minorities (SGM) in the healthcare system, there is still a great need for awareness and actions by healthcare providers to address the healthcare needs of the LGBTQ community. To expand inclusivity and recognize that sexual and gender identity can evolve, the National Institutes of Health promotes the use of the term sexual and gender minority (SGM) to describe the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) population in the US, which has increased to 5.6% from 4.5% in 2017 (Gallup, 2021a). This community suffers from health disparities associated with discrimination resulting in higher rates of suicide, substance abuse, and psychiatric issues (ODPHP, 2021). The CDC (2021) recognizes that the SGM/LGBTQ population in the U.S. is subject to social and healthcare disparities resulting in a population health issue that needs greater focus, and the capacity of healthcare providers to improve health outcomes for their SGM/LGBTQ patients is recognized as a cultural issue worthy of examination. Fortunately, the NIH has established the Sexual & Gender Minority Research Office in order to coordinate research activities related to the health issues of this community (NIH, 2021). Addressing the needs of SGM/LGBTQ patients in all healthcare environments is the responsibility of providers and is dependent on providers being aware, knowledgeable, and active in developing their personal and institutional resources. Since nurses are the largest healthcare providers in the nation, they have a great opportunity to make a difference.
Ethics, Caring, and Inclusion
Examining the issues surrounding the needs of SGM/ LGBTQ patients and the responsibility of nurses can be considered from several viewpoints. For nearly two decades, nurses have been at the top of the list of the most honest and ethical professions (Gallup, 2021b). However, this level of trust is not as well reflected in many experiences reported by members of the SGM/ LGBTQ community (Hafeez et al., 2017; Zeeman et al., 2019). Although Provision 1 of the Nurses Code of Ethics states, “The nurse practices with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and unique attributes of every person” and Provision 3 states, “The nurse promotes, advocates for and strives to protect the health, safety, and rights of the patient” (ANA, 2015.
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p. v) personal and implicit bias can and does affect the care that nurses provide (Sabin et al., 2015; Morris et al., 2019). Examining the influence and impact that nursing has on the care of the SGM/LBGTQ population from an ethical perspective is a worthwhile endeavor.
Caring is the core of nursing and from this perspective, all nurses should examine how their practices comport with the tenets of caring. Watson (2021) advocates nurses to practice loving-kindness and compassion, honor the subjective lifeworld of others, and create a healing environment. Not only does the nurse need to rely on their ethical principles to produce this healthy environment, but nurses should also consider how employing culturally sensitive care can further expand their ability to support a holistic and healing environment. Margolies and Brown (2019) identify that creating and cultivating a therapeutic relationship with an SGM/LGBTQ patient requires cultural competence, but displaying cultural competence must first begin with cultural humility. Cultural competence has a focus on developing a mastery of knowledge of other cultures from a factual standpoint in order to provide an environment that can provide appropriate care for diverse people. Cultural humility requires introspection and a recognition of ‘not knowing’ that can incorporate respectful inquiry to develop empathy and understanding for another (Hughes et al., 2020). In a holistic and caring nursing environment, cultural humility provides the nurse with the opportunity to be open to learning from the patient about their identity and lifeways. Cultural humility encourages the nurse to question what they know, examine their understanding, and challenge their own assumptions related to who their patients are. Cultural humility allows the nurse to team with the patient in creating an individualized and respectful caring environment that is aligned with core nursing values. Nurses have a right to their own beliefs that may not mirror their patient’s values and beliefs, but nurses also have a duty to create a caring, compassionate and culturally appropriate environment for all persons they encounter. Providing culturally sensitive and congruent care to the SGM/LGBTQ population is an ethical responsibility of all nurses that can be accomplished by nurses who practice cultural humility. Creating and supporting this holistic healthy environment requires action to replace stereotypes with up to date knowledge and understanding of the diversity within the SGM/ LGBTQ culture (Eliason & Chinn, 2018).
Expanding Knowledge
There are various knowledge components that can help the nurse to better provide a caring environment. Learning about the language and acronyms used in the SGM/LGBTQ community enables nurses to use more affirming language that promotes trust. Humans are multidimensional and a simple label does not convey the complexity of sexual orientation (SO) and gender identity (GI). Examining four basic components of SOGI can provide a better understanding. Sexual anatomy is the presence of sexual organs used to assign a person’s sexual identity at birth. Gender identity is the person’s internal sense of who they are, which is a spectrum commonly expressed through the person’s behavior. Gender identity is commonly conveyed through gender expression – it is how the person presents themself in society. Sexual orientation is the physical attraction to others and is also on a multidimensional spectrum that can range from asexual to polysexual with many variations.
Many of the terms and acronyms used in the SGM/ LGBTQ community may be unfamiliar or new to nurses, so Table 1 contains a list of the more common language that nurses should strive to be comfortable in their use. The Fenway Institute (2016) provides a more comprehensive reference and should be used to expand the nurse’s ability to use affirming language with their patients.
Table 1: Term and Acronyms
Term/Acronym Definition
Ally Person who supports SGM/LGBTQ community but does not self-identify as a member of the community.
Cisgender Sex assigned at birth based on sexual anatomy matches the person’s gender identity.
DSD Acronym for differences or disorders in sex anatomy development.
Gender Dysphoria Discordance or discomfort with assigned sex at birth and gender identity. This replaces the ‘gender identity disorder’ in the DSM-5 manual.
Gender Fluidity Gender identity and expression that shifts along the male-female gender spectrum.
Intersex Associated with DSD. A person’s sexual anatomy, hormones, chromosomes, or other sexual components are not all aligned according to a single sex category. Misgendering Making assumptions about a person’s gender identity, using the incorrect pronoun, or using other types of gendered language that does not match how a person self-identifies.
Nonbinary The person does not identify solely with the traditional male/female categories, may identify as both male and female or somewhere between the two on the gender spectrum, or not identify on the spectrum at all. Transgender/ Trans Assigned sex at birth does not match the person’s gender identity. Common terms for Male to Female: Trans woman, trans female, trans feminine, MTF. Common terms for Female to Male: Trans man, trans male, trans masculine, FTM.
Adapted from the Fenway Institute (2016)
Pronoun use, too, is evolving to provide more inclusive and affirming language for the SGM/LGBTQ community. Although now included in dictionaries, using the pronoun ‘they’ as a singular for a person can be challenging for healthcare providers schooled in the English language. However, adding and revising words and usage in everyday language as society changes is expected just as keeping up to date with current practice is part of the lifelong learning process required in nursing. Using the singular ‘they’ is inclusive and correct. Consider that the singular ‘they’ already is part of common language, for example: someone left their phone here, I’ll take it to security for them, if they come back, tell them to go to security.
‘They’ can be a good general default pronoun to use when the nurse does not know what is the appropriate pronoun for the situation. However, there are other gender-neutral pronouns used in the SGM/LGBTQ community that nurses can learn and incorporate into their everyday use. People in the SGM/LGBTQ community and in particular non-binary gender identities or transgender persons may use newer pronouns recently added to the English lexicon (see Table 2). It is also not uncommon for a person who is questioning or exploring their SOGI, coming out in their SOGI, or who is experiencing a gender transition to use pronouns that match who they are at the current time, but at another time they may use different pronouns. Thus, being open to making revisions and adjusting language aligns with enacting cultural humility and creating a supportive environment. Knutson et al. (2019) and a personal narrative by Mulkey (2020) help provide context to the importance of avoiding misgendering through incorrect pronoun or name use. Using a person’s correct pronouns demonstrates that the nurse knows their patient and is creating a culturally inclusive environment, which will promote an empathetic and trusting relationship.
Table 2: Gender Pronouns
Use Subject Object Possessive Reflexive Male/ Masculine he him his himself
Female/ Feminine she Her her(s) herself
Gender Neutral they them their(s) theirself
Gender Neutral Ze hir hir(s) hirself
Adapted from Medical Provider’s Guide to Gender Pronouns. https://www.prideinpractice.org/wp-content/ uploads/2019/05/Medical-Provider-Guide-to-GenderPronouns-Pride-in-Practice.pdf
Actions to Take
Developing a safe, caring and inclusive environment for the SGM/LGBTQ community starts with building knowledge and then continues with a variety of actions at the personal and institutional level. Breaking down personal barriers requires self-reflection. Well-meaning but undereducated nurses using exclusive language can cause someone to hesitate or avoid engaging in the healthcare system, whereas using inclusive language enables the nurse to start a positive relationship with the patient. Reflective practice requires that nurses think through past experiences, think about current experiences, and consider how alternative ways of acting or talking could be more helpful. Being aware of personal values, cultural expectations, and implicit bias that impact thoughts and actions as a professional nurse can allow the nurse to become aware of strengths to build on and also areas that are available for development. Simple, but meaningful actions such as initiating introductions with pronoun declarations shows that the nurse acknowledges and respects all persons. Making it common practice to use an introduction such as ‘My name is Matthew, my pronoun is he, and I’ll be your nurse today’ provides an opening for the SGM/LGBTQ person to equally share. Not being afraid to ask and continuing with open-ended questions such as ‘how would you like to be addressed’ will convey to patients that you are there to provide inclusive care. Other ways nurses can normalize pronoun declarations are to include the patient’s pronoun when providing report or even including personal pronouns on the nurse’s name badge. These changes in language use won’t come naturally, so practicing the words and roleplaying can increase comfort levels and facilitate ease of use in practice.
Making assumptions and presuming by using labels such as Mr. or Mrs. adds a burden to the patient by requiring them to make corrections. Consider the added emotional energy expended by a lesbian in the ER when asked if her ‘husband’ is in the waiting room. Along with needing to make the correction, she may also feel stigmatized and fear unequal treatment because she does not fit the expectation of the nurse. Using gender neutral words such as ‘someone’ allows the patient to provide the information and appropriate language to use. To break down any barrier that comes with using incorrect gendered language, the nurse can recognize that mistakes will happen and offer amends. Providing a thoughtful acknowledgement and apology demonstrates caring that can promote an honest and trusting relationship.
At the institutional level there are a multitude of actions that can promote an inclusive environment not just for patients, but staff as well. Diversity and inclusion initiatives are well established, but commonly have a higher focus on race and ethnicity. Expanding SOGI diversity training in those initiatives offers opportunities to talk about topics that many feel unprepared or even embarrassed to discuss. A survey of employees to solicit their perceptions of the environment can provide useful information about how SGM/LGBTQ patients may perceive the environment. Developing an ERG (Employee Resource Group) or advisory council to accelerate sharing of ideas, mentoring, and expanding cultural competence supports employee engagement in creating an inclusive environment. Completing an environmental scan can provide a visual of how inclusive and welcoming the facility appears to the SGM/LGBTQ community. Assessing for signage and inclusive visitation policies that are known and promoted to patients identifies opportunities for improvement.
Advancing an inclusive environment in healthcare institutions starts with providing future providers foundational educational experiences that support the development of the provider’s ability to care for the SGM/LGBTQ population. Professional nursing education organizations and accreditation agencies have put forth general statements on diversity, equity and inclusion in nursing education, but unfortunately, they lack specificity
(AACN, 2017; NLN, 2016). Evidence in current society suggests that attitudes are evolving and becoming more open to accepting SGM/LGBTQ persons, but Englund et al. (2019) found that generally nursing education programs were not including educational experiences in a meaningful way. Although Elertson & McNiel (2020) provide an example of using resources from the CDC and HealthyPeople to incorporate an educational strategy in their nursing program, it is imperative that nurse educators put forth a more concerted effort to expand the curriculum and directly incorporate educational experiences so future nurses are better prepared to care for the SGM/LGBGTQ population.
Resources
Resources are plentiful and readily available to facilitate personal, professional, and institutional growth to address deficits in providing high quality healthcare for the SGM/LGBTQ community. Being informed personally and professionally by engaging in professional development activities is a useful strategy for nurses to use and a part of lifelong learning. National nursing organizations have position statements and resources that can be used to start conversations and informal learning activities at the workplace such as the ANA Position Statement: Nursing Advocacy for LGBTQ+ Populations (ANA, 2018). Workshops and continuing educational opportunities are also available from a variety of professional organizations (see Table 3).
At the institutional level, the HEI (Healthcare Equality Index) is a project of the Human Rights campaign aimed at identifying health care facilities that have inclusive and equitable practices for SGM/LGBTQ patients, their visitors and families, and the facility employees. The project offers resources for patients, employees and the institution to facilitate the development of practices and policies that promote high quality care. Moreover, having policies and using forms that are inclusive and allow for diversity can facilitate improved care (Fenway Institute, 2017). Although certainly not exhaustive, Table 2 contains additional information about organizations and governmental institutions that provide resources that can be used to develop personal, professional and institutional competence in providing care for the SGM/ LGBTQ community.
Table 3: Resources
Organization Website Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health
Fenway Institute: National LGBT Health Education Center: Providing inclusive services and care for LGBT people: A guide for health care staff.
Fenway Institute: National LGBT Health Education Center: Affirmative services for transgender and gender-diverse people: Best practices for frontline health care staff.
GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBT Quality http://www.glma.org/ index.cfm?nodeid=1
HealthyPeople.Gov: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health
https://www. healthypeople.gov/2020/ topics-objectives/topic/ lesbian-gay-bisexual-andtransgender-health Human Rights Campaign: Healthcare Equality Index [HEI] https://www.hrc.org/ resources/healthcareequality-index
National Institutes of Health [NIH] Sexual & Gender Minority Research Office. https://dpcpsi.nih.gov/ sgmro
National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center https://www. lgbtqiahealtheducation.org/ The Joint Commission: Advancing Effective Communication, Cultural Competency, and Patientand Family-Centered Care for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Community: A Field Guide https://www. jointcommission.org/-/ media/tjc/documents/ resources/patient-safetytopics/health-equity/ lgbtfieldguide_web_ linked_verpdf.pdf
Conclusion
The minority stress model explains that the stigma, prejudice and discrimination experienced by members of the SGM/LGBTQ community leads to poorer health outcomes and an earlier death (IOM, 2011). These health disparities show up in increased rates of obesity and are associated with increased psychiatric disorders, certain types of cancer, and GI disorders (Zeeman et al., 2019). Nurses who create an accepting and inclusive environment enable their patients to be comfortable enough to share personal attributes that may put their health at risk. Being an ally can support improved health outcomes, but nurses need to understand the issues, speak the language, acknowledge the culture and act accordingly in order to affect change.
REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.
CE Offering
1.0 Contact Hours
This offering expires in 2 years: December 10, 2023
Learner Outcome:
80% of those reading the article and completing the post-test will self-report increased knowledge of how nurses can build a safe, caring and inclusive healthcare environment for the SGM/LGBTQ community.
HOW TO EARN
CONTINUING
EDUCATION CREDIT
This course is 1.0 Contact Hours
1. Read the Continuing Education Article 2. Go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/ r/2021-12SelfStudy to complete the test and evaluation. This link is also available on the INF website www.illinoisnurses.foundation under programs.
3. Submit payment online.
4. After the test is graded, the CE certificate will be emailed to you.
HARD COPY TEST MAY BE DOWNLOADED via the INF website www.illinoisnurses.foundation under programs
DEADLINE
TEST AND EVALUATION MUST BE COMPLETED BY December 5, 2023
Complete online payment of processing fee as follows: ANA-Illinois members- $8.00 Nonmembers- $15.00
ACHIEVEMENT
To earn 1.0 contact hours of continuing education, you must achieve a score of 80% If you do not pass the test, you may take it again at no additional charge Certificates indicating successful completion of this offering will be emailed to you.
The planners and faculty have declared no conflict of interest.
ACCREDITATION
Illinois Nurses Foundation is approved as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the Ohio Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. (OBN-001-91)
CE quiz, evaluation, and payment are available online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/ r/2021-12SelfStudy or via the INF website www. illinoisnurses.foundation under programs.
Nurses want to provide quality care for their patients.
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Shoes that Fit
Linda Anders, MBA, MSN, RN, CSRN, NPD-BC
As children, we have an innate ability to connect and make friends with others without much thought. During those formative years, there is limited judgment and question whether someone else is different from us. Even though children come from different walks of life with different shoes, it did not matter because they were a person. However, somewhere along the way, from being a child to becoming an adult, we begin to criticize people for being different from us, for having different skin tone, hair, speaking differently, or self-identifying differently than we think they should.
The harsh reality of this means that many people feel isolated or alone in a world that tells them to be unique but not too unique. These situations can lead to mental health conditions needing healthcare services. In the United States, mental health disorders are among the topmost costly health conditions for adults (American Psychiatric Association, 2017). As nurses, it is essential that we treat others with respect and provide high-quality healthcare to everyone, no matter what. “The recognition and embracing of diversity (the range of differences among population groups) is essential and foundational. From a patient’s perspective, going beyond to include equity and inclusion can result in positively changing a patient’s life, experience, and outcomes as well as an organization’s outcomes” (Gill, McNally, & Berman, 2018, p. 196)). Changing the culture of healthcare can be difficult considering the pandemic, staffing issues, budget cuts, etc. Still, we must all be aware of our differences and know that changing the culture of care goes beyond just diversity.
“For this transformation to take place, the focus of a successful and effective strategy would need to shift from “diversity” alone to “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)” (Gill et al., 2018, p. 196). It is essential that the nursing profession continues to be an advocate for our patients, ensuring that each one gets high-quality, safe healthcare. To do so, we as nurses need to embrace equity, not just equality. “The difference between equality and equity? ‘Equality is giving everyone a shoe. Equity is giving everyone a shoe that fits.’” (Gill et al., 2018, p. 196).
So, my charge to you would be that the next time you are in the clinic doing a patient’s intake or at the hospital during your busy shift and see ‘just another patient’, that you take time to listen to them to make sure that they have a shoe that fits.
References: American Psychiatric Association. (2017). Mental health disparities: Diverse populations. [PDF]. https://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Psychiatrists/Cultural-Competency/MentalHealth-Disparities/Mental-Health-Facts-for-Diverse-Populations.pdf
Gill, G. K., McNally, M. J., & Berman, V. (2018). Effective diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. Healthcare Management Forum, 31(5), 196-199.
INF DONATIONS
Illinois Nurses Foundation is transforming healthcare through the power of nursing. We are problem solving, generating new ideas, creating opportunities for new leaders, and promoting educational opportunities for the profession. We need your help! Your charitable giving helps us achieve new milestones such as providing scholarships for those interested in the profession as well as for nurses interested in seeking additional degrees, creating new programs like the 40 under 40 Emerging Nurse Leader awards program, providing research and small project grants, and supporting and celebrating the achievements of individual nurses. There are several ways to give. Please scan the QR code below to contribute to the growing mission of the Illinois Nurses Foundation.
Together we will transform healthcare in Illinois.
IASN NEWS
In a year where public health nursing has played a critical and visible role, we are proud of our President, Gloria E. Barrera, for representing school nurses. Barrera was recognized and inducted into the 2021 class of “40 Under 40” in Public Health by the de Beaumont Foundation. Barrera states, “I am committed to improving child health outcomes in our most vulnerable populations through my current practice, advocacy, and teaching. As a school nurse, I am serving as a bridge between the health care and education systems, and other sectors, as well as a link to broader community health issues through the student populations I serve. That continuity of care is why I became a public health nurse." Read more here: https://debeaumont.org/40-under-40/gloria-e-barrera/. Find out more about the Illinois Association of School Nurses by visiting iasn.org.
PNAI Continues 2021 with Midyear Milestones
On July 18, 2021, The Philippine Nurses Association of Illinois, PNAI, and its community partners namely, The Filipino American Lawyers Association (FYLPRO), Live Every Second (LES), Ten Accomplished Filipino Organization (TAYO), and Filipino American Community Health Initiative of Chicago (FACHIC) in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) had a vaccination service and health fair from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Padre Pio Parish, in Chicago, Illinois. The vaccine clinic provided a pre-registration for a free Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for people ages 12+ and Johnson and Johnson vaccine for ages 18+. Moreover, services and activities such as CPR training, blood pressure checking, and blood sugar/diabetes screening were offered during the health fair.
PNAI spent the month of August with two interactive activities – an annual picnic and an educational symposium. The annual picnic took place last August 15,
2021, at Bemis Woods South, Illinois, which consisted of fun games, social dancing, delightful foods, prizes, and more. The second event was an educational presentation entitled “Hyperkalemia: Causes, Consequences, and Care” held last August 18, 2021, from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM at The Capital Grille, Rosemont, USA. The symposium tackled the causes, consequences and care for hyperkalemia given by our expert speaker Dr. Farida Migally, a nephrologist of Nephrology Associates of Northern Illinois. The event was a success because of the help of Dominique McAllister from AstraZeneca, who generously sponsored the educational event. PNAI invited our partners from the National Association of Hispanic Nurses Illinois during the said educational event.
On September 19, 2021, PNAI participated in the Romeoville Founders Day parade with the theme “Be Your Own Superhero.” Participants were allowed to
wear their favorite superhero costume to show their cheerfulness and support for the event. This past September 22, 2021, PNAI was honored to be invited as one of Chamberlain University Chicago’s Grand Opening exhibitors. Chamberlain University is one of the educational partners of PNAI’s national organization, the Philippine Nurses Association of America (PNAA). PNAI and PNAA members are eligible for tuition discounts at Chamberlain University’s graduate degree programs in nursing. This opportunity gave PNAI a wonderful time talking and networking with Filipino-American students and other nursing students during the said event.
On October 27, 2021, PNAI offered a free kidney and diabetes screening at St. Domitilla Parish in Hillside, Illinois. The event was made possible by the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois in collaboration with the American Nephrology Nurses Association Windy City Chapter and the Philippine Nurses Association of Illinois.
IONL
The Illinois Organization of Nurse Leaders (IONL) is pleased to announce the newly elected Board positions starting January 1, 2022:
President: Timothy Carrigan, Chief Nursing Officer, Loyola University Medical Center
President-elect: Chad Thompson, Director of Cardiovascular Services, SwedishAmerican Hospital
Past President: Elaine Kemper, Vice President of Nursing Operations, Amita Health Director, Region 2B: Renee Scheier, Manager of Nursing Excellence and Magnet Program, Loyola Medicine MacNeal Hospital
Program Chair: Thomas Starr, Senior Clinical Director of Nursing, Capacity Management Center, and Resource Team, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Glenbrook Hospital
Policy and Advocacy Chair: James Kerridge, Assistant Chief Nursing Officer, Sinai Chicago
IONL would also like to congratulate our 2021 award winners, announced at our recent annual conference: • Community Effort: Anthony Davila, Nurse Manager, Loyola University Medical Center
• Most Valuable Member: Chad Thompson, Director of Cardiovascular Services, SwedishAmerican Hospital
• Mentorship: James Kerridge, Assistant Chief Nursing Officer, Sinai Chicago
• Influential Leader: Suzanne Fischer, Vice President of Ambulatory and Procedural Services, OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center
• Innovation in Healthcare: Kimberly Bertini, Director of Nursing Excellence and Magnet Program, UI Hospital and Clinics
• Future of Nursing: Katarzna Golda, Administrative Nurse I, UI Hospital
We encourage all nurse leaders in Illinois to consider joining IONL. In 2021, IONL was able to offer four virtual town halls covering such topics as legislative updates, nurse burnout and self-care, and diversity and inclusion; an aspiring nurse leader workshop attended by 40 new leaders; our first ever virtual annual conference; partnerships with ANA-IL, IHA, Lewis University, and IACN; and more. To learn more about IONL and join as a member, please visit www.ionl.org
PNAI officers with the vaccination and health fair team
PNAI doing blood sugar check/diabetes screening during the Health Fair at St. Padre Pio Church in Chicago
PNAI members including family and friends flocked to its annual picnic at Bemis Woods, Illinois on August 15, 2021
PNAI Nurses promoting Covid vaccination to protect the community
With Filipino-American nursing students at the Chamberlain University Chicago Campus Open House
PRACTICE CORNER Illinois Law & Nursing Practice
Illinois has taken positive steps toward obtaining diversity in the health care professions.
On August 9, 2019, a proposed amendment to the Illinois Department of Public Health’s powers and duties listed in the Illinois Administrative Code was approved by Governor JB Pritzker. The amendment created the Diversity in Health Care Professions Task Force which became effective on January 1 of 2020.
The Director of the Department of Public Health serves as the chairperson of the Task Force. The Director was given the power to appoint members to the Task Force who are licensed to practice in the State of Illinois in the following professions:
• 2 dentist
• 2 medical doctors
• 2 nurses
• 2 optometrists
• 2 pharmacists
• 2 physician assistants
• 2 podiatrists
• 2 public health practitioners
The objectives for the Task Force listed in the amendment are several, including:
1. Diversifying the health care workforce by engaging students, parents, and the community to build infrastructures that assist students in developing skills necessary for careers in healthcare
2. Early employment and support, including identifying barriers to inclusion and retention
3. Developing healthy work environments, leadership training on culture, diversity, and inclusion
4. Establishing a mentee/mentor relationship with current healthcare professionals and students
The amendment grants the Task Force the ability to collaborate with policy makers, medical and specialty societies, national minority groups and others to attain greater diversity in medicine and the health professions.
Some of the priorities for the Task Force were listed as:
- Increasing financial incentives to minority students, including loan forgiveness and tuition reimbursement
- Enhancing diversity within the healthcare environment by educational and healthcare institutions, medical organizations and other relevant bodies by hiring staff who are solely responsible for diversity programs
- Supporting recruitment activities and advocating for the full spectrum of racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity within the healthcare profession.
Task Force members are not to be compensated for their membership but may be reimbursed for their expenses incurred in performing their duties.
A report on its findings was to be submitted to the Governor and the General Assembly on December 1, 2020, and annually thereafter.
The Task Force’s Diversity in Health Care Task Force Annual Report 2020 was submitted to the Governor and the General Assembly. Its findings and recommendations are beyond the scope of this column but a few of its recommendations can be briefly discussed here.
The Leadership Committee, after reviewing current literature, advises that organizations that focus on
Belonging to the ANA-Illinois/ANA Community Matters. Advancing your career matters. Building professional relationships matters. Moving the profession forward matters.
Why Membership Matters
1. Why should I join and pay dues?
Membership makes our association and the profession stronger – and numbers matter both in Springfield and in Washington, DC. Everything we accomplish as an association comes from the membership and staff working together. The membership elects leaders each year to help guide your priorities. Members determine their level of participation depending on their interests.
When you belong to our 5000+ member community, you have access to essential educational programs, invaluable networking opportunities, and resources that put you on a path to take your career further.
It takes a collective effort to advance nursing careers, for nurses to thrive, and for a new generation of talent and innovation to emerge. When you join our community, we advance the profession together.
2. Where do my dues go?
Membership dues are shared equally between ANA and ANA-Illinois. So half of your dues stays here in the state to focus on our state-level priorities, and the other half supports our national efforts.
No dues money goes to political candidates.
3. What do I get for my dues? Is it worth it?
Yes, membership is more than worth the dues. Discounts for educational programs, opportunities to network with other like-minded individuals, but the main thing you get for your dues is a voice in decisions that affect you; having that “seat at the table” makes all the difference.
Discover why you belong in our community of thinkers, doers, and change-makers. Unique contributions, backgrounds, and perspectives make our community refreshingly vibrant, and we want you to be a part of it. It’s time for you to take your seat at the table.
leadership training for professional students and earlyto-mid-career health professionals like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and others be underscored. This could be done by advertising their existence in schools and health care organizations to encourage professionals and to promote more diversity in leadership positions across the State of Illinois.
The Education Committee, after reviewing current literature, suggests appropriating funding to outreach programs for high school students from underrepresented racial minority and/or low-income backgrounds to consider health care education after high school through direct contact with students and background education for science teachers and guidance counselors.
The Collaboration Committee proposes generating a list of international think tanks with whom the statewide diversity in health care coalition can establish partnerships, including the National Association of Hispanic Nurses-Illinois, the Chicago Medical Organization for Latino Advancement (MOLA), and the Chicago Chapter of the Black Nurses Association.
Obviously, there is much work to be done in initiating and sustaining the recommendations of the Task Force’s committees. Yet, doing so can begin the important task of increasing and maintaining diversity among Illinois health care professionals.
You can read the entire Diversity in Health Care Professions Task Force legislation at: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/icls/fulltext. asp?DocName=002023100K2310-213
The 2020 Task Force Report can be found at: https://www.dph.gov/sites/default/files/publications/ dhctfannualreport2020.pdf
JOIN TODAY! DATE T U E S T H E
Nancy J. Brent, MS, JD, RN
Teaching Strategies in Accelerated Nursing Programs
Effective teaching strategies are vital for successful learning and are especially necessary for accelerated nursing students. The issue of effective teaching strategies for accelerated nursing students has emerged in nursing education primarily because of the particular characteristics of students who tend to enroll in accelerated nursing programs. Nurse educators should be aware of the learning characteristics of those they teach and should tailor teaching styles to help these individuals learn more effectively (Valiee, Moridi, Khaledi, & Garibi, 2016). Since accelerated nursing students have unique characteristics, nurse educators should shape their teaching methods to this individual type of student (Downey & Asselin, 2015). This study included an exploration and description of the teaching strategies experienced by both nurse educators and students in an accelerated nursing program. This study also explored the types of teaching strategies and experiences that nurse educators and students described as being facilitators or barriers to learning.
Background
There is a gap in knowledge regarding best teaching practices based on and specifically for students in accelerated nursing programs. Brandt, Boellaard, and Zorn (2015) recommended more research examining teaching specifically tailed for accelerated nursing students. Through the performance of more research regarding teaching strategy’s in accelerated nursing programs, educators would identify what works best for this population. Nurse educators must know the characteristics of the students they are teaching to customize their teaching styles to help their students best learn (Valiee et al., 2016). According to Tornwall, Tan, and Bowles (2018) accelerated nursing students are extremely motivated, mature adults with previous life and work experience, who like to question authority and have made personal sacrifices in order to attend the nursing program. Once the characteristics of accelerated nursing students are identified, then nurse educators will be able to tailor their teaching methods to this specific type of student (Downey & Asselin, 2015). In order to do this, the educator must first become familiar with the learners’ personalities, characteristics, and backgrounds. Although students enrolled in accelerated nursing programs have distinctive characteristics, there also needs to be further research exploring effective teaching strategies that will have the greatest learning for accelerated nursing students. According to Brandt et al (2015), teaching strategies do not vary significantly among traditional and accelerated nursing programs and that teaching strategies used in traditional nursing programs may not be relevant and efficient with accelerated nursing students. The specific students seen in accelerated nursing programs are distinctive and require teaching strategies that pair well with their unique learning needs (Abshire et al., 2018). Teaching strategies tailored to the distinct features and learning styles of students increase learning and create a richer and more personal experience (Brandt et al., 2015). For these reasons, additional research is necessary to discover the teaching strategies that have been experienced and which ones are facilitators or barriers to learning.
Research Question
The following research question guided the study: What teaching strategies have nurse educators and students experienced in an accelerated nursing program?
Research Design
This study used a qualitative research methodology to explore the research question. Approval from the college’s institutional review board (IRB) was obtained before the initiation of the study. The target population in this study was nurse educators and students in an accelerated nursing program at one nursing school in the Midwest. Nurse educators and students from an accelerated nursing program were invited to participate in the study. All the nurse educators had a master’s degree or higher, and a variety of specialties were noted. Part-time or full-time educators were included. All nurse educators had at least one year of experience as a nurse educator plus at least five-years of experience as an RN. Nursing students had to be enrolled in an accelerated nursing program to participate. All participants were at least 18-years-old.
Data Collection
Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect the data. Nurse educators were also asked to provide a copy of their own syllabus/lesson plan to the researcher for additional sources of the data. Each interview was audio recorded in a private conference room for verbatim transcription. The interviews were between 10 and 45 minutes in length. The length of the interview depended on the participant’s communication style and depth of experiences of teaching strategies in an accelerated nursing program.
Data Analysis
Once the data was collected, data analysis was performed. First, the interviews were transcribed word for word. Transcribed interviews went through member checking to ensure accuracy. Once all the interviews were transcribed, and member checked, keywords and meaningful phrases were found. The keywords and meaningful phrases were then clustered together based on similarities. The coding process was performed using axial coding.
Results
The study was conducted to address the gap in the literature that exists regarding teaching strategies used in accelerated nursing programs. The data generated assisted in answering the primary research question of what teaching strategies had been experienced by nurse educators and students in an accelerated nursing program. A comparison of interview responses, member checking, and physical material data revealed that participants experienced the teaching strategies listed in Table 1.0. These themes included, PowerPoint lectures were not often useful, limited use of concurrent teaching strategies, and passive teaching strategies were often used. Nowak, Speakman, and Sayers (2016) found that college students were found to have a negative reaction towards traditional lectures with PowerPoint presentations in their classes. Johnson and Barrett (2017) support this finding, stating that active teaching strategies involve students through collaboration, reflection, exploration, and critical thinking. In active teaching, the students and nurse educators become partners in the teaching and learning process. Nowak et al. (2016) agree, saying that when PowerPoint lecture is implemented in accordance with best educational practices; it is an effective and beneficial teaching strategy. Levey (2016) stated that nurse educators need to adopt inclusive teaching strategies that focus on the use of multiple teaching strategies. Such strategies can remove the barriers for knowledge and skill achievement in a diverse group of students, such as those in accelerated nursing programs.
Discussion of Results
The themes led to one main conclusion based on the results. The way in which nursing students had traditionally been taught in the 20th century is no longer adequate for nursing students in the 21st century (Institute of Medicine, 2010). The teaching strategy methods that are currently in place had always been done and are not viewed as effective by students. Nursing education needs to evolve with the evolution of an accelerated nursing student to meet their learning needs. Nurse educators need to strive for a more interactive, student-centered environment. This type of
environment will help to engage students who are able to apply concepts and create a deeper understanding of the concepts.
Implications
Considering the above findings, there needs to be a change in the way teaching takes place by making lectures more useful. Practices that can make lectures more effective involve using educator and student interactions to promote the incorporation of material presented in the lecture. Participants stated that there is a need to strive to find teaching strategies that create a learner-centered environment by engaging nursing students so that the students can apply concepts and create deeper learning. Both the NLN and the Institute of Medicine stated that nurse educators must prepare diverse students for the complex healthcare setting. To do this, changes must be made to apply multiple teaching strategies that match students’ preferred learning styles (Levey, 2016).
The National League of Nursing (NLN) advocates for the use of active teaching strategies that engage students while also breaking away from the traditional teaching strategies that had been in place for years (NLN, 2015). The need for this change has stemmed from the need to improve critical thinking and deeper learning of nursing students. Engaging and retaining students will lead to more in-depth learning and increased rate of passing the NCLEX, which will ultimately lead to a positive impact on the nursing shortage.
Limitations
For this study, the researcher used purposeful sampling for the purpose of collecting data that was applicable to the study and research question. The sample size is only a small representation of the total amount of nurse educators and students in that nursing program. Along with the small sample size, the participants all came from the same small nursing program, thus decreasing the generalizability of the results to other settings.
An additional limitation is the different educational backgrounds of the participants in the study. The nurse educator participants had, at a minimum, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. However, none of the nurse educator participants held a doctorate degree. Additionally, the nurse educator participants had varying levels of experience in nursing education, along with different specialties and certifications. Student participants also had varying levels of experience with education. Some student participants had previous degrees while some did not. The varying levels of experience and education could have the potential for some participants to have more experience than others about choosing which teaching strategies to use in an accelerated nursing program.
Recommendations for Further Research
It is recommended that this study be replicated using larger, more geographically diverse nursing programs and participants so that more evidence can be added to the literature. Conducting this research again on a larger sample would help nurse educators to understand what teaching strategies are experienced in an accelerated nursing program and if teaching strategies differ across the country and among nurse educators. Additionally, there is value in future research studying nurse educator preparedness and training in relation to teaching accelerated nursing students. Accelerated nursing students have unique characteristics and had been shown to be more challenging for nurse educators to teach.
Conclusion
Teaching strategies that nurse educators and students experienced in an accelerated nursing program were explored. The purpose of this study was to understand the teaching strategies that were in place along with which ones were identified as being most and least helpful by the participants. The teaching strategy that was experienced the most was lecture using PowerPoint, but it was also identified by the participants as being least helpful. Participants also indicated that a variety of teaching strategies are useful to students in an accelerated nursing program. This research validated previous findings in support of breaking away from traditional teaching strategies for more active ones (Johnson & Barrett, 2017). Learning about the experiences of the participants in this study has provided insights into the value of effective teaching strategies and choosing strategies that work for the student and how they learn.
Chinese Culture and End of Life Care
Michelle Hebard, MSN,
MBA
Reprinted with permission from Arizona Nurse April 2021 issue
Imagine having to make the ultimate decision for a loved one who has a terminal diagnosis. No one likes to face a difficult ethical decision when it comes to a family member. The unexpected awaits and not knowing what is at the other end can be traumatizing for anyone. Nurses every day face the challenge of dealing with ethical issues. When it comes to end-of-life care, this can be a difficult decision for all those involved. The nurse must face the difficult decision of providing ever-loving care to their patients while respecting their cultural beliefs. The Chinese culture can be especially challenging so nurses must be educated on their beliefs in order to care for these patients. They need to understand the role that they play when it comes to caring for the dying patient. Having education and being able to communicate properly is critical for end-of-life care.
Mr. Ting Lee is an 88-year-old male that is terminally ill. His family is there at the bedside with the patient. The family decides that the patient should not be made aware of his terminal condition. The oldest son is at the bedside along with several other family members. Before the nurse begins caring for this patient it is important that they understand their own beliefs and culture. This will help build a therapeutic relationship with the patient. By having the nurse identify their own cultural competency, it can help them from not judging the patient. In the case of Mr. Lee, it may be difficult for the nurse to understand why the family does not want the patient to know about his condition.
The Chinese culture is one of many different things that make it unique. “People’s beliefs and attitudes about health and disease are influenced by their traditional culture” (Tung, 2011, para. 1). Chinese philosophies and religion play a major role in how they view healthcare and accept treatment when needed. Dealing with the illness and end of life of a loved one can be difficult for this
group of people to deal with. Typically, talking about endof-life issues is avoided because it is bad luck and it could hasten the pace of the dying process. This is also true for cancer and other terminal diseases that they may deal with. “Chinese believe that a cancer diagnosis is regarded as a metaphor for death because of the high mortality rate” (Dong et al., 2015, p. 191). It is up to the family members to determine if they are going to tell their loved one about the diagnosis or keep it to themselves. The family’s focus is to protect the patient at all costs. Even at the end of life, they may choose not to tell their loved one about the terminal diagnosis. This puts the health professionals in a dilemma as to whether or not to tell the patient about their terminal diagnosis in order to facilitate a good and dignified death for the patient (Tung, 2011). Cultural practices can inhibit Chinese from seeking medical care when they need it (Denisco & Barker, 2016).
As primary caregivers for patients when they are at end of life, it is important to understand the thoughts of physicians and nurses. Qualitative research design was used in the article to identify physician’s and nurse’s perceptions of caring for dying Chinese cancer patients (Dong et al., 2015). The data was collected by those who had a terminal diagnosis. Participants in the study were of all ages and different parts of the hospital. There were face-to-face interviews with the patients. The family gave permission to be a part of the study. The participants were asked a range of questions regarding the care they expected to receive. From the research, it was concluded that five main themes arose. They involved the physicians and nurses having a strong sense of obligation to both the patients and the situation of culture. The patients want hope and spirit maintenance as they transition to the end of life. The Chinese hope and pray for an improvement in their quality of life. The physicians and nurses expressed the importance of their presence and being available at the patient’s bedside. The nurses and physicians expressed the importance of maintaining hope for life to the dying patient (Dong et al., 2015).
The Chinese culture does not like to tell their family members about their diagnosis. They have very specific
The Importance of Nurses Addressing Implicit Bias
Ahnyel Jones-Burkes, DNP, RN-BC Director of Leadership and Professional Development
Reprinted with permission from Louisiana State Nurses Association Pelican News July 2020 issue
Implicit Bias functions in an unconscious or unintentional manner, and this type of bias does not necessitate the perceiver to approve it or dedicate attention to its expression (Blair, Steiner & Havranek, 2011) Research shows there is a correlation between implicit bias and healthcare disparities. Issues like Covid-19 and maternal mortality have highlighted the impacts of health dipartites. The Center for Disease Control defines Health Disparities as preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence or opportunities to achieve optimal health that are experienced by socially disadvantaged populations. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018). We are in the perfect position as the most trusted profession to ensure we address healthcare disparities while guarding against implicit and explicit biases because it can negatively impact patient care.
Health Disparities can be caused by poverty, environmental threats, inadequate access to health care, individual and behavioral factors, and educational inequalities (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018) In recent events we have seen just how important it is to understand the issues impacting the communities we serve. These events should strengthen our commitment as a profession to provide the best possible care for each patient every time.
We must strive for health equity which is defined by Healthy People 2020 as the “attainment of the highest level of health for all people” (Healthy People 2020). To achieve health equity, we as healthcare providers must take an active role in examining the patient holistically while striving to eliminate all barriers and biases.
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement recommends the below strategies to reduce Implicit Bias: Stereotype replacement – identifying responses based on stereotypes and consciously changing the response. Counter-stereotypic imaging – Imaging the individual as the opposite of the stereotype
Individuation – Seeing the person as an individual rather than a stereotype (e.g., learning about their personal history and the context that brought them to the doctor’s office or health center)
Perspective taking – “Putting yourself in the other person’s shoes”
Increasing opportunities for contact with individuals from different groups – Expanding one’s network of friends and colleagues or attending events where people of other racial and ethnic groups, gender identities, sexual orientation, and other groups may be present
Partnership building – Reframing the interaction with the patient as one between collaborating equals, rather than between a high-status person and a lowstatus person (IHI Multimedia Team, 2017)
The above recommendations also align with recommendations from the Joint Commission regarding overcoming implicit bias. If you would like to gauge your own implicit bias there is an assessment which is a free tool named the Implicit Association Test.
References Blair, I. V., Steiner, J. F., & Havranek, E. P. (2011). Unconscious (implicit) bias and health disparities: Where do we go from here? The Permanente Journal, 15(2), 71–78. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, November 24). Health disparities among youth https://www.cdc.gov/ healthyyouth/disparities/index.htm
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2021, October 27). Disparities https://www.healthypeople. gov/2020/about/foundation-health-measures/Disparities IHI Multimedia Team. (2017, September 28). How to reduce implicit bias. Institute for Healthcare Improvement. www.ihi. org/communities/blogs/how-to-reduce-implicit-bias
views when it comes to death and dying. As previously stated, it is bad luck to talk about a negative outcome, so it is avoided at all costs. They try to use different methods to help prolong a patient’s life. It is common to withhold any bad information from a family member. Hospice care is typically avoided because the family feels that they are dumping their loved one. They are expected to take care of their loved ones in their time of need and not rely on staff from the hospital or home care to do it. Due to this, hospice is not utilized as often as it could be in the Chinese culture. Ultimately it is up to the oldest adult male to make any decisions for health care issues and uses the family for big decisions regarding the patient. It is normal for the family to not involve the patient in their care and the nurse speaks with the family for any decisions regarding the patient.
In order to provide culturally sensitive care to the Chinese people, nurses must be aware of changing demographics (Denisco & Barker, 2016). It is important for nurses to realize that people in the Chinese culture have different demands and needs when it comes to health and illness (Denisco & Barker, 2016). It is important for nurses to understand that cultural competencies involve understanding and demonstration of knowledge of the patient’s culture (Denisco & Barker, 2016). This also involves being adaptive to the care that the patient requires.
It is not the nurse’s job to judge but to respect the decision of the family and still advocate for the patient. Acceptance of the nurse also helps with cultural sensitivity. “How can patients love and accept themselves in ways that promote healing if we, as nurses, are not willing to offer them acceptance in their myriad of problems and complexities” (Ferwerd, 2016, para. 4)? “Through the simple act of acceptance, nurses can become an agent of healing, whether or not they are aware of it” (Ferwerd, 2016, para. 4). The nurse should care for the patient as they would for any other patient. Any procedures or tests should be communicated with the patient. Even if the patient is nonverbal, the nurse should always communicate and let them know what they are doing. The nurse can help to educate the family on hospice. For example, since the family typically wants to care for the patient, the nurse may talk to the family about the other options that are offered. These include social workers, bereavement coordinators, and even volunteers. This gives the family the option to learn what can be offered to them if they so choose it. When the nurse does their assessment of the patient, they should make sure to tell the patient and family what they are going to be doing and even ask permission before doing it. Always keep the patient and family informed on what is going on. Communication is key to building a trusting relationship with the patient and family. Nurses must remember to speak in terms that the patient and family can understand.
The Chinese culture is truly unique in many ways. As a nurse, it is important to be aware of the cultural aspects of the patient. If the nurse is unsure, it is alright to ask the family. No matter what, the nurse is responsible for advocating for the patient and doing what is best for them. Cultural competency is more than just understanding racial and ethical values. It also involves respecting each patient for their beliefs by not judging and providing safe care. A nurse must truly understand who their patient is instead of focusing solely on their health issues.
References
Chen, Y. (2002). Chinese values, health and nursing. https:// onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.13652648.2001.01968.x
Denisco, S. M., & Barker, A. M. (2016). Advanced Practice Nursing (3rd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Dong, F., Zheng, R., Chen, X., Wang, Y., Zhou, H., & Sun, R. (2015, October 9). Caring for dying cancer patients in the Chinese cultural context: A qualitative study from the perspective of physicians and nurses. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 21, 189-195. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j. ejon.2015.10.003
Ferwerd, J. (2016). How to care for patients from different cultures. https://nurse.org/articles/how-to-deal-withpatients-with-different-cultures/
Tung, W. (2011). Hospice care in Chinese culture: A challenge to home care professionals. Home Health Care Management & Practice, 23, 67-68. http://dx.doi. org/10.1177/1084822310383000
Masks that Protect Against Wildfire Smoke Exposure
Marcy Ballman, PhD, Division Director at the American Lung Association
Telling our patients to “Wear a mask” has entirely different connotations today than it did pre-pandemic. In addition to protecting against infectious respiratory diseases, wearing a mask can be the best defense against air pollution and wildfire smoke for people with lung disease when they are out and about. We know that climate change is contributing to more frequent and intense wildfires, and longer wildfire seasons. These wildfires affect people hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles away, since smoke can travel very far distances. Consequently, it is increasingly important that we know the difference between certain types of masks and what will work to protect the lungs of our patients from wildfire smoke and other sources of air pollution.
N95 masks are designed to be tight-fitting and have received the N95 designation from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), meaning that they can filter the tiniest airborne particles, called PM2.5, from the air. They get the “95” in their name from the fact that N95 masks have a 95% efficiency for particles that are larger than 0.3 microns in size. The 2.5 in PM2.5 stands for 2.5 microns. Particles this size can come from vehicle exhaust, industrial sources, and wildfire smoke. Regardless of the chemical makeup of the particles, they are known asthma triggers and associated with increased hospitalizations and even deaths.
Some helpful tips to share when educating patients and community members about proper mask usage and how to protect themselves from wildfire smoke exposure include:
1) Be mindful on your trip to purchase a mask at the hardware store because dust masks and N95 masks look almost identical. N95 masks will typically have a stamp indicating their N95 designation and will be a little more expensive. Dust masks are really for potentially dusty tasks like mowing, gardening, sweeping, and dusting, but will not filter the smaller and more harmful PM2.5 from the air.
2) The typical cloth COVID mask, on the other hand, is effective by capturing respiratory droplets that we breathe out, thereby reducing virus transmission. These masks are not effective in filtering particles from the air as we breathe in and don’t do much more than a t-shirt or bandana during poor air quality events, which is to say, they don’t do much to protect our lungs from the potentially dangerous very small particles. Surgical masks work a little better, but not much.
3) For people with lung disease, wearing a properly fitted N95 mask during poor air quality events can make it difficult to breathe in general. The diaphragm and accessory muscles must work extra hard to pull and push air through the tightly woven mask in order to catch those harmful tiny particles. For someone with lung disease, this might be extremely uncomfortable. There are N95 masks with exhalation valves that can make it easier to exhale but the same effort is required to inhale. We should not advise anyone to wear an N95 mask in an effort to protect their lungs if it hinders their breathing to the point they are uncomfortable. They also may not be advised for people with uncontrolled hypertension. N95 masks are not an option for adults with facial hair or children because they will not seal properly around the mouth and nose.
4) N95 masks can be the best option when someone must be outside, but the gold standard advice for people with lung disease who are experiencing poor air quality is to create a clean air space where they live. Portable HEPA air filter units (ones that don’t create ozone) work amazingly well to capture PM2.5 and help “clean the air” as long as they are equipped to work in the given square footage of the room they are used in (it should say the square footage range right on the box).
Armed with a clarified understanding about masks and a designated clean air space where they can spend most of their time, people with lung disease can take steps to protect themselves during poor air quality events.
Beyond individual actions to help minimize risk, climate change must be addressed in order to avoid the worst health impacts from wildfires, worsening air quality, and more. It is important to encourage decision-makers and elected officials to tackle the public health crisis that is climate change.
Tools & Resources for the Nurse Staffing Improvement Act
A new online Nurse Portal offers tools and resources to successfully implement the Nurse Staffing Improvement Act (Senate Bill 2153/Public Act 102-0641), which became law in August.
In collaboration with the Illinois Hospital Association, Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network, and Illinois Organization of Nurse Leaders, ANA—Illinois worked to pass the law strengthening the 2007 Nurse Staffing by Patient Acuity Act.
The online Nurse Portal includes:
• Summaries of PA102-0641 in PowerPoint and PDF;
• Frequently Asked Questions about the law;
• Example agendas for the Nursing Care Committee;
• Example, patient classification systems to evaluate acuity;
• Talking points to guide educational conversations with community members or those outside of healthcare; and
• A self-assessment to measure your organization’s progress toward meeting the law’s requirements.
The Nurse Staffing Improvement Act empowers direct care nurses through a more significant role in staffing decisions. It is critically important that the nurses providing care and hospital administrators work together to develop flexible staffing approaches that address the patient’s needs.
If you have any questions about implementation or would like to share resources for the Nurse Portal, please email us at info@ana-illinois.org
Details on how to access the Portal can be found under recent news on the ANA-Illinois website www.ana-illinois. org. ANA-Illinois membership required & registration onsite necessary. All documents and all web pages in the Nurse Portal are password-protected. Please use the “Nurse Registration” button when registering.
Nurse Staffing & COVID-19 Survey
The American Nurses Association estimates that more than 500,000 nurses plan to retire by 2022. To supplement retirees and expansion, more than 1.1 million new RNs will be needed, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects. Before the pandemic, Illinois was experiencing regional staffing shortages. Now that we are 20+ months into the pandemic, we ask nurses to participate in a survey to find out what is happening around the state.
Nurse staffing levels are critical to optimizing the quality of patient care, improving care outcomes, and long-term cost containment. In the face of nurse staffing shortages, an aging population, and increased patient complexity, ANA, ANA-Illinois, and our members are taking action.
We need to hear from you, the nurses working during this pandemic. ANA-Illinois wants to understand the impact COVID-19 has had on you and staffing in your facilities. All data gathered will be used to inform decisions about how to best support nurses during and after this public health crisis.
Supporting Nurses’ Wellbeing During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant and negative impact on the nursing workforce (1). Healthcare workers face tremendous stress, mentally, emotionally and physically, from the grueling work hours, the threat of contracting the virus at work or bringing the virus home to family. The potential negative consequences of moral distress for nurses are indisputable, driving a push to identify interventions to help nurses deal with the experience. (2, 3)
What tactics do we use on a routine basis to support healthy behaviors, to support resilience, and to provide opportunities to decrease stress? If one is a patient care manager, what types of mental health services intended to mitigate and treat psychological distress among staff have been initiated since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic? Interventions targeted to individual nurses are more effective when they are integrated with organizational wellness cultures and support. For direct care nurses to retain their emotional reserves, transitioning away from work at the end of the day is essential. What sort of rituals do we have at the end of the shift to signal the end of work? Do we know what is available and how to access emotional support? (4, 5) We are requesting five minutes of your time to participate in a survey designed to assess healthy behaviors of direct care nurses and a separate survey for nurse managers. This survey is being distributed to nurses licensed and working in Illinois. Results will only be reported in aggregate and posted on the Illinois Nursing Workforce Center website. Questions include background information, resources available through your workplace, as well as personal sources of strength. If you are a retired nurse, please do not complete the survey. The end of the survey includes links to support systems, such as the NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Frontline Professionals. In addition, at the end of the survey is the “Pocket Card for COVID-19 Crisis – March 2020” https://proqol.org/. Dr. Beth Hudnall Stamm developed the revised “pocket card” about caring for yourself in the face of difficult work for the current COVID-19 health crisis. We hope you find it useful. Please complete the survey by January 17, 2022. Thank you.
If you are a Nurse Manager, please use this link to complete the survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NseManager
If you are a Direct Care Nurse, please use this link to complete the survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NseHealth
References
1. G. Chan et al, The Importance and Impact of Nurse Leader Impact COVID-19 on the Nursing Workforce: A National Overview OJIN, Vol 26, No 2, May 2021
2. Retrieved from: The American Nurses Association, Like Forgotten Soldiers: What the Nursing Shortage Looks Like on the Front Lines, August 25, 2021, https://www.advisory.com/dailybriefing/2021/08/25/nurse-shortage
3. Retrieved from: American Nurses Association-Illinois, February 10, 2021, COVID-19 and Mental Health: Self-Care for Nursing Staff
4. Retrieved from: the American Nurses Foundation, Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation, December 2020 https://www.nursingworld.org/foundation/programs/healthy-nurse/
5. Bernstein CA, et al. Staff emotional support at Montefiore Medical Center during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf. 2021;47(3):185-189.
6. T. Cunningham, From Trauma to Post Traumatic Growth, AJN, Vol 15, No 10, p 42, Oct2020.
Adjunct Faculty - Nursing (PT)
Adjunct Faculty - Nursing Assistant Program
Waubonsee Community College is a fully accredited community college with a four-campus network, state-of-the-art facilities and a dedicated team of professionals. Waubonsee values and respects all employees, promoting organizational excellence by upholding the highest standards set by our accrediting bodies, careful stewardship of our resources, and meaningful work defined by the successful fulfillment of our mission.
We are committed to the hiring and retention of quality faculty and staff who are connected to the college's culture of collaboration, professional growth and student success. To do this, we work to provide compensation consistent with peer institutions, generous benefits, staff development and cultural enriching activities.
Illinois Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Elect New Board Members
MANTENO – The Illinois Society for Advanced Practice Nursing announced the election results during the association’s 2021 annual meeting during the Virtual Midwest Conference held on October 22nd.
The new leadership includes advanced practice registered nurse leaders from across the state and from a variety of backgrounds.
Northeast/North (NE/N) Region Chair - Andrea Fuller APRN, FNP-BC
East Central (EC) Region Chair - Wamaitha Sullivan DNP, APRN, FNP
South (S) Region Chair - Melissa Bogle DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, ACNP-BC
About ISAPN: Formed in 2002, the Illinois Society for Advanced Practice Nursing is a powerful network of advanced practice registered nurses who are committed to advancing the profession through education and political action. ISAPN is the leading voice of the approximately 14,000 advanced practice registered nurses in Illinois. To become a member of the Illinois Society for Advanced Practice Nursing, visit www. isapn.org.
Sabrina Jamal-Eddine: Author Life story background I was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio to my father who immigrated to the US from Lebanon at the age of 20 and to my mother who is American. Being biracial and raised by parents with two completely different upbringings provided me with the ability to understand privilege and oppression at a very young age: my father was born in Beirut, Lebanon alongside eight siblings. As a product of colonialism, he has survived wars and poverty within his indigenous country in addition to experiencing the violence of being a brown Muslim immigrant in the United States. While my mother has experienced legitimate gender-based hardships, she has never experienced oppression based on her race or religion. I grew up watching the way that my dad was perceived and treated by society, juxtaposed to the way my mother was treated. This cognizance impacted the way I viewed myself and my culture as someone who is visibly brown and Arab. This life experience has also shaped my voice and the way I process and articulate information through my spoken word poetry. This spoken word poem entitled "I Want You Back" is an auto ethnography delving into my experience with societally induced selfhatred of minorities, xenophobia, and Islamophobia and it simultaneously manifests cultural honoring and reclamation.
Nursing Background
Sabrina Jamal-Eddie, BSN RN is a University Fellowship recipient and 3rd year Nursing PhD student at University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC). Within her BSN to PhD program, Sabrina is currently studying the use of spoken word poetry as an innovative form of critical narrative pedagogy to educate nursing students, practitioners, and instructors about identity-based oppression and the consequential identity-based health inequities, which persist in the US.
Sabrina focuses her studies on ableism [prejudice against disabled people] and disability justice in
I Want You Back
the context of healthcare. Sabrina completed her undergraduate double major in Nursing and Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies at The Ohio State University (OSU): this unique combination of interdisciplinary majors laid the groundwork for her current studies surrounding health humanities and anti-oppression in healthcare. While in undergrad, Sabrina was a summer extern at Duke University Hospital where she worked on the oncology clinic. Sabrina traveled to Ethiopia with the College of Nursing to study international healthcare systems. Additionally, Sabrina worked for OSU's College of Nursing serving as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Student Advocate designing, planning, and facilitating programming, event promotion, and diversity outreach and recruitment events for prospective marginalized students.
She was recognized by OSU's College of Nursing as the inaugural recipient of the Advancement in Diversity Award at her convocation ceremony. Outside of nursing, Sabrina simultaneously worked for OSU's Department of Social Change through which she founded and led a spoken word poetry hip hop literacy program for incarcerated male youth as well as a music program at an affirmative action preschool, both of which programs still thrive today.
At UIC, Sabrina has served as the nursing representative for the Illinois Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) fellowship program which is an interdisciplinary training program situated at the intersections of healthcare and disability. She currently serves as the Executive Committee Representative for the Chancellor’s Committee on the Status of Persons with Disabilities, UIC Senate Representative through the College of Nursing's Graduate Student Nursing Organization, Creative Director of the Middle East North African (MENA) Student Association which focuses on MENA population and healthcare, and has served as a Teacher's Assistant for the undergraduate Professional Nursing I & II courses.
Sabrina has been honored with UIC's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship for underrepresented students with a demonstration of high academic achievement and commitment to civil rights and social justice through community service. Upon graduating with her PhD, Sabrina hopes to continue to conduct research that is conducive to transformative social change within nursing education systems and holds aspirations of eventually becoming Dean of a College of Nursing.
Spoken Word Poetry
Spoken word poetry is a form of oppositional art that simultaneously disrupts and challenges hegemonic ideologies. Despite being verbal, spoken word allows for the corporeal manifestations of empathy, such as
goosebumps on skin, chills up spines, or tears in eyes, to materialize in the listener. We are doing patients a disservice when we segregate their bodies and associated health conditions from their humanity, identities, and life experiences, for it is only this holistic consciousness which can facilitate equitable, just patient care. When we hear someone’s story, we create a site for connection, community, comfort, and empowered collective action: stories heal, prevent unnecessary repetition of harmful and oppressive cycles, and provoke action.
I was first exposed to spoken word poetry through one of the courses within my undergraduate double major in Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS): my professor showed us a spoken word poem that shed light upon the sexist, misogynistic language normalized within classic American music. It gave me chills. I suddenly began to question lyrics I had never thought twice about. For our final project in the class, the professor said we could delve deeper into a topic discussed during the semester and choose any medium we wanted for the project. I decided to try spoken word poetry. Since I had only ever heard that one spoken word poem before, I was able to develop my own unique voice within the medium. I wrote my first poem on rape culture on college campuses called 'Dear MisterOgyny' and nearly everyone in my class approached me to tell me how powerful the piece was. This project provided me with the space to explore my voice and creativity and it changed my life.
Fast forward five years past countless poetry slams, features, podcasts, commissions, and a TEDxTalk: I am now a TA for the Professional Nursing courses at UIC's College of Nursing and the professors for this course allowed me to aid in curriculum design. The humanities which challenge existing structures, hierarchies, and systems of oppression while humanizing individuals with intersectional marginalized identities, belong in healthcare. In addition to incorporating spoken word poetry into my lectures, I have also recontextualized the impactful project from my WGSS class into nursing by designing my students' health disparities project so that the students could likewise select any medium they wished. Ranging from spoken word poems to podcasts to multimedia art to comics to photo essays, the degree of creativity implemented by our students blew us away. Creativity, innovation, and critical pedagogy are rarely given the space they deserve within nursing curricula and for this reason, this project was challenging yet necessary for the students.
Through my PhD in Nursing, I currently study the use of spoken word poetry as a form of critical narrative pedagogy to educate nursing students about identitybased oppression and the consequential identity-based healthcare inequities that persist in the US. Last semester I conducted a concept analysis on spoken word poetry in nursing education which allowed me to explore the antecedents, attributes, and consequences of spoken word poetry: spoken word poetry has the potential to center social justice and social change while honing active listening, empathy, critical thinking, community, and consciousness raising in nursing students and I look forward to continuing to research its use within the context of nursing education.
The following spoken work poetry work by Sabrina is an original composition of hers. (You may read along as Sabrina performs her essay, just click the You Tube link) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KUPcGxQLnE
I Want You Back
Ooo baby give me one more chance, to show you that I love you, won’t you please let me, back in your heart, ooo
baby I was blind to letchu go, letchu go baby now that I see you, it is on, I wantcha back
You see I was 5 years old when 9/11 happened. N don’t get me wrong, Amerikkka has always had racial n religious factions n xenophobia has always been visible, like a closed caption. I mean, European immigrants are the only ones welcomed into our nation with compassion. Imagine, always havin to represent your entire race and religion cuz you are your peers ’ only Arab interaction. N rather than using an encyclopedia or academia we rely on the only 3 images fed-to-us by the media: a hijabi, a blood-drenched war baby, or a terrorizing assassin, maybe sprinkle in a little Aladdin n Jasmine.
Imagine every year on September 11th, from 1st through 8th grade, your school essentially stopped its studies for a day but rather than actually acknowledging lost lives they would show us propaganda-filled video archives that demonized and dehumanized Arab and Muslim lives, painting us as if we_are only comprised of submissive women and thirsty bearded guys holdin machete knives droppin bombs from planes who daydream of multiple wives.
N then directly after showin us those videos that subconsciously made me wish race could be a choice, next, a monotone voice would come in over the intercom requesting a ‘moment of silence’ eliciting in me conflicting internal violence, my heart would never keep quiet, it’d be poundin with paranoia while my peers’ were meditating, breathin hatred in through their noses, olfaction, blowin microaggressions out through their mouths, government satisfaction, political distraction to sanction retaliation for oil infractions, like a mental vortex meticulously inscribing prejudice into each vulnerable cortex. N if the teacher ever heard a word, he’d say shhhhh, no talking.
Hush little baby, don’t say a word, Even if you speak you will stay unheard
It was at that point that society taught me how to be a mockingbird.
Locked inside a metaphorical cage, atta really young age, I learned that my race was better left a mystery
Considering what I saw every day on the news and in that class that we called ‘history ’
I hated the word ‘Arab’ growin up so much that I would respond to my daily racial interrogation by sayin I’m ‘Arabian’ or ‘Mediterranean,’ something, that emanated a lil less Satan n a lil more white, like “chocolate” macadamian
While my female peers had sweet, European middle names like ‘Elizabeth’ and ‘Marie’ mine was always ‘Ali,’ prefacing my equally foreign las name ‘Jamal-Eddine’ which seamlessly fused together Arab, Black, Muslim, n immigrant_ 4_ of society’s most detested discriminants.
I hated the [Jamal] so much that I actually cried back in junior high when my school forced me to use my full legal name. My teachers were too white to notice that leaving that part out was my means of escape like a 12year old injecting localized lidocaine n expecting numbing of systemic pain from the_trauma_of bein “randomly” checked n detained prior to boarding any plane.
I musta been ashamed of my dad’s accent n immigrant status cuz I made my primary apparatus askin my white mom to attend parent teacher conferences n pick me up from school, society musta made Islamophobia look kinda kewl
I would never let my friends over to my dad’s house, not cuz it was small but because artwork of Islamic calligraphy painted every wall
Nothin could compete with the smell of sautéed onion, not even Febreze aerosol, perfume protocol
My family does not season its food with scentless butter, salt, n cholesterol
I refused to learn Arabic n erased every trace of race from my linguistic memory
When I was 5, I made my mom exchange the tan barbie that looked like me for a blonde one with blue eyes cuz that’s what was pretty
I used to straighten my hair every day incinerating my curls attempting to blend in with the white girls
Back when I used to give a shit I would literally chemically burn the skin above my lip to bleach the peach fuzz, leavin lil cuts that stung like a whip
I used to hate the little bump on the bridge of my nose, my Arab exposed, I’d watch my self-esteem decompose
I’d delete any pictures taken of me from the side, I was out here tryna separate race from my body like an internal apartheid
They say beauty is pain, I say, no beauty is the degree to which brown people are able to assimilate while white people have the privilege to appropriate
Whatchu think happens when your actions teach kids: you are inherently a disgrace, that non-white means this is not your space, like, who putchu here in the first place, like, dear white boy in 9th grade, please, continue to call me a terrorist to my face, like, that white Christian patient askin my race n religion, I swear, that question must be an addiction, an extension of the human condition, he said it’s okay that my family is Muslim, like thank you, sir, for your permission, like that nurse I was shadowing sayin all Arabs must have thoughts of terrorism in the backs of their heads n having all the people standing around leaving that verbal message on “read,” having not one of them to defend me. Your silence means you agree If I wore a cross around my neck would you treat me like a human being?
We dress up prejudice n call it politics
Brown children are testaments that racial hatred is a crucifix
Being a minority in Amerikkka means that when one person of your race commits a crime, it eats away at the moral sanctity of your entire race like a reputation enzyme, but with white people it was always just “onetime ”
It means we are subjected to a life of doublestandards:
It means we’re too dark but you can use a sunless tanner
It means we need to get rid of frizz but you can use a volume enhancer
It means brown Muslim women’s hijabs are oppression but white Amish women’s bonnets are never in question
It means it’s called “terrorism” when a brown boy runs over one person, but calling a white man who murders 58 would be a linguistic perversion
It means ISIS is Islam, but the KKK is not Kristianity, that even juxtaposing those two would be profanity
It means calling Michael Jackson crazy for his racial transformation, rather than the nation, that induced his actions
Ooo baby I was blind to letchu go, letchu go baby now that I see you it is on, I wantchu back.
I’m angry that I’ll never get my childhood back.
I’m frustrated that refusing to learn Arabic has resulted in me spending 23 years of my life being deaf and mute around my family, that I “chose” to keep my mind destitute. That my Teta has Alzheimer’s in Beirut, and our conversations were never able to go beyond kteer helwa, “you’re so beautiful, you’re so cute.”
I’m heartbroken that all minoritized children don’t have access to higher education to learn what grades 1-12 don’t teach
so now all I got is my story to preach
I’m sorry that I did not recognize how brave my dad was to travel over 6,000 miles alone from the slums of Dahiyeh, Bourj Al Barajneh when he was 18 cuz our family could only afford to send 1 out of 8 siblings to America to earn a degree
Sometimes it’s difficult to decipher between the American Nightmare and the American dream
I’m sorry that I did not show my dad or myself the love we both deserved
That it took me 19 years to reclaim ‘Arab’ as my main identifying word
That it took me 19 years to love my middle name cuz it’s badass like Muhammad Ali float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, to be proud of my whole name Sabrina Ali Abbas Mansour Jamal-Eddine cuz it got that flow like nothin else I ever seen, To love everything about being Arab and everything about being me.
KEEP CALM AND GET PSYCHED!
Faculty Vacancies in Health Professions
Starting Fall 2022
LLCC’s Health Professions department is seeking candidates for full-time, tenure-track, 9-month instructor positions to teach in their Basic Nurse Assistant and Nursing programs.
Instructor, Basic Nurse Assistant: The position will include classroom, skills laboratory teaching and supervision of the students in the clinical setting. Requirements include:
• Candidates must have a state of Illinois professional registered nursing (RN) license or be eligible to apply for one. RNs with an associate degree or diploma must have either a Provisional Vocational Teaching Certificate plus Evaluator Certificate OR have completed the CNA Instructor/Train the Trainer Course.
• RNs with a BSN or higher nursing degree are not required to have a Teaching Certificate plus Evaluator OR Train the Trainer Course but it is strongly preferred.
2 years clinical experience with at least one year providing care to older or chronically ill adults.
4 CEUs in Alzheimer’s and Dementia
• Current CPR certification
• CPR Instructor certification or plan to complete training
Instructor, Nursing: This position will teach in the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Program which prepares students eligible to take the NCLEX-RN examination. Requirements include:
• Master’s degree in nursing, by state statute, is required for nursing faculty
• Candidates must have a state of Illinois nursing license or be eligible to apply for one Recent hospital clinical experience in general medical surgical nursing
Faculty salaries are determined by education level and experience. Below are the salary ranges for each level of education. Placement within the range will be determined by experience.
• Located in Chicago - relocation assistance available!
• Sponsorship assistance available!
Masters $45,896
View all the benefits our employees have on our website. Opportunities exist for overload and summer teaching assignments. Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check and drug-screen. This position will be open until filled; however, for guaranteed consideration, applications must be submitted on or before January 9, 2022. First round interviews will be conducted virtually February 2022. Second round interviews will be in-person on our campus in Springfield, IL starting in mid-March 2022.
Lincoln Land Community College does not discriminate against any student, employee, prospective employee or any other person on the basis of their actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status, political affiliation, or any other protected status in its programs and activities. More information may be found at www.llcc.edu/equal-opportunity. Inquiries may be directed to the Equal Opportunity Compliance Officer at EOCO@llcc.edu. Lincoln Land Community College is a drug-free workplace.
