Finding Community

One of the goals of the eChapter is to help members who because of distance, busy lives, or whatever the reason, to connect with other pediatric nurses and nurse practitioners. We want to welcome people at whatever degree of participation they are able to give. I know that level changes for as many reasons as we have members!

One of the first things NAPNAP members should do, if connection and community are important to you, is to go to the NAPNAP website, log on with your member number and password, and then create your profile. For those of you who have forgotten your log on information, do not dispair, the folks at the NAPNAP office are more than willing to help! You can contact the National Office at 877-662-7627. Once logged in click on the "Community Profile" link to review and update your profile. Under the Groups Section, click on your chapter link. You will be asked to subscribe to the eGroup, where you can network with peers.

We have many competing places to spend our limited and valuable Internet time. If peer networking and support are important, please consider connecting to the eChapter. We promise not to waste your time, and to respect the level of commitment you can make.

The eChapter board looks forward to serving you and learning of your needs!

Coming soon - the names and contacts of your 2011-2012 eChapter board.

eChapter May meeting

For those of you who are members of the eChapter of NAPNAP you may be interested in our monthly teleconference meeting this Thursday, May 26th at 10:30 am EST. We meet for an hour by phone and go over agenda items.

Of interest this month is getting a draft budget ready to approve next month, discussion about a speaker we are sponsoring at the NAPNAP 2012 annual conference in San Antonio (see 33charts.org) and setting goals for our 2011-2012 year.

This is our 3rd year of operation as a chapter! It is an exciting time to be looking at how electronic communication can connect a widely distanced group into a small power house of action. We have a lot to look forward to.

If you are interested in joining us please send me an email and I will forward you the connecting telephone number and code - nc_sitka@yahoo.com.

Summer is coming - lots of May flowers in the landscape and more sunshine in the skies.

Transitions

Spring time seems to be a transition time for many. Here in Sitka, Coast Guard families get ready for their new assignment every June. School is ending. Retirement looms for many of us "boomers."

So it is, I find myself saying goodbye to a job I love and moving from beautiful Sitka by the Sea, It feels very strange to not be employed. I do not like that. I am plenty busy! There is more than enough cleaning, organizing and packing to do! I am not bored. I just am not ready to stop working completely.

The reason for the move is complex, but is most influenced by my ever growing need to be physically closer to my three little granddaughters. They live in California, and that is just too far. It is also expensive to travel. While my son and daughter in law are very gracious and generous to let us stay with them, I know that being too close for too long is not good for sustaining a healthy happy relationship. A little distance is good for everyone.

Excitement and sadness are all intertwined. It is a strange season of our lives. So many options, choices are unlimited and overwhelming. As a couple that still enjoys a strong friendship, we struggle with vastly different views of what retirement means and where it should occur. Our solution is to take baby steps into this unknown territory.

We will move to the LA area sometime this summer. and plan to stay in or around southern California for the next 2-3 years. Then we will return to our Alaska home, which we are renting to a Coast Guard family of 5, and decide what the next decision point will be. It is a work in progress.

Casey, Mackenzie and Meghan - Easter fun!

While in LA I will likely volunteer or perhaps be lucky enough to find part time work - something flexible, but allows me to keep my skills current. My husband and I are both in the medical field so perhaps a locums or medical travel opportunity will come our way! However, what I am most looking forward to is talking and playing with my three grand daughters whenever I want!

Cold Virus or Flu

I have been out of commission for several days, low grade fever, chills, very fatigued, cough, sneezing, heaviness in chest, swollen glands, ears plugged and general malaise. Started out like a cold, but really felt more like the flu when the body aches developed. All I wanted to do was sleep - and sleep I did!

Is It a Cold or the Flu?

The cold and flu are both respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different types of viruses with different symptoms. Use this chart to learn the difference between the two.

Signs and Symptoms	Influenza	Cold
Fever	Usually present	Rare
Aches	Usual, often severe	Slight
Chills	Fairly common	Uncommon
Tiredness	Moderate to severe	Mild
Symptom onset	Symptoms can appear within 3 to 6 hours	Symptoms appear gradually
Coughing	Dry, unproductive cough	Hacking, productive cough
Sneezing	Uncommon	Common
Stuffy nose	Uncommon	Common
Sore throat	Uncommon	Common
Chest discomfort	Often severe	Mild to moderate
Headache	Common	Uncommon

http://www.flufacts.com/know/what-is.jsp -               Compliments of Genetech website! 

So I am going with the flu. It started around Wednesday last week with sneezing and coughing, but I felt fine... until Friday when the body ache and fatigue set in. The weekend was a total loss - I slept 18 hours at least both Saturday and Sunday. I am still achey today, but the cough is a lot less and my glands are no longer swollen. I think it is going away. The symptoms really came in waves - 3 - 4 hours of feeling awful followed by an hour of two of recovery.

Viruses are strange - I felt it migrating to different body sections from the top of my head gradually moving into my chest. Part of the day feeling complete fatigue and part of the day hoping that I was in recovery.

We all know there are no real treatments for a virus, it just runs its course. But to make myself more comfortable, I gave into sleep, drank lots - tea, water, juice, cocoa, anything cold or hot tasted great. My son attended a holistic chef school not long ago and this experience really gave him some valuable skills in cooking nutritious meals. He made some very therapeutic herbal teas that really helped. Vicks on the chest and a spoonful of honey for the cough. That's about it. 

Sadly I missed some work, but none of us are indispensable! They carried on bravely without me!

I am hoping that tomorrow will be a "normal" day. We shall see!

eChapter members get ready to vote for your next leadership team!

This blog may not be exciting to many but to those of us on the eChapter Board it is great news!

NAPNAP uses a fiscal year that ends June 30th, which means the terms of office expire on that date as well. Election of officers gives an organization an opportunity for new growth and new voices to be heard at the decision making table. This is good!

The eChapter ballot is almost ready to be voted on! We need at least one more nomination - a secretary for a 2 year term. This is a great way to begin your participation in the eChapter - we have a wonderful template for recording minutes, making your job as easy as possible.

Besides the benefit of your leadership voice in making decisions for the future of the eChapter, we also offer some assistance to our board officers to attend the national NAPNAP conference. Not to mention the wonderful training available from national and the opportunity to develop strong friendships with other PNP's and the NAPNAP National Office staff.

Please consider submitting your name to be considered for a position on the eChapter board! Time is running out! We need to hear from you no later than April 30th. If interested drop me a short note and I will send you a copy of the bylaws and answer any questions you may have. The only criteria is you must be a current eChapter member of NAPNAP in good standing.

Look forward to exercising your right to vote later in May via Survey Monkey!

Donate Used Medical Books to Iraq Book Project

Health care clinicians in Iraq are seeking medical books that are not more than one edition out, and journals less than 5 years old, CD's and DVD also welcome. Please remove identifying names and addresses, but a note with email address is OK.
Boxes should be no more than 70 pounds. Length plus girth of each box must be less than 108 inches. Specify "books/media rate." Postage costs are only to the US Army post office (domestic).
For the post office address or more information about donations, email David Gifford, M.D., at dgifford@hot.rr.com

This notice was in the AAP news on March 2011 (www.aapnews.org).

I imagine that Iraq is not the only place where medical books and nursing books are sorely needed. If you are aware of other places that could use donations, please feel free to comment on this blog and let us all know.
This is a great way to recycle out your last edition when you replace it with the newest one! Much better than putting it on a shelf or in a landfill!

Leaders Wanted or PLEASE Consider Running for an open eChapter office!

It is that time of the year when we try hard to cajole, sweet talk, arm twist, bribe, or use any other legal and ethical means to fill open positions on the Executive Board!

First of all, let me tell you who is currently on the eChapter board:

Nancy Cavanaugh, President

Paulette Hermann, President Elect

Marion Donohoe, Secretary Treasurer

Kathy Fabian, Web Chair

Cheryl Sinclair, Membership Chair

Marion Donohoe, Legislative Chair

Nancy will assume the role of President Elect and Paulette will assume the Presidency. Marion has agreed to stay on as Treasurer, but we are dividing the two positions which leaves an opening for the Secretary. Kathy Fabian has given us a letter of interest for the President Elect position and Cheryl Sinclair has also submitted a letter of interest for the Membership Chair position.

We certainly do not mind having competition on our slate of officers - but we still have some major vacancies!

We are looking for a few brave and willing  people to "step up to the plate" and join a winning team! We need a Secretary (a 2 year term), a Legislative Chair and a Web Chair (aka "Communications Chair" is being proposed). We could have co-chairs if that is easier, or co-leaders in any of the leadership roles!

In addition we need committee members! People who are willing to take on specific tasks to help with the workload and attend our monthly teleconference calls.

The more members involved the greater our influence can be. With a larger and diverse board we can better represent the very large membership we currently have.

I can't express how wonderful it has been to be an active part of this eChapter! We are just touching the surface of its potential! There is so much more we can be doing, so many more ways to use technology to outreach members! I also think the eChapter will take on leadership in looking at how social media affects our practice and the children we serve.

Please consider running for office or for a committee! If you would like more information send an email to me at nc_sitka@yahoo.com. The deadline for filing a letter of interest is April 15th!

Dr. Barry Brazelton

The final speaker for the 32nd NAPNAP annual conference was Dr. Barry Brazelton. He is 92 years old and his wisdom and insights are as sharp and pertinent as ever! It was a joy to see him in person again. Being originally from Boston and having worked at Children's, I have had the enormous pleasure of seeing and hearing him in the 70's, and more importantly, having him influence the way I approached my pediatric practice with the young child and his/her family.

Relationships! That is the theme I came away with from Brazelton. We need to nurture, support and advocate for strong child - parent relationships. It is all about creating healthy families by having parents vision the potential of their child during those earliest moments, days and months of life. Not only do parents need to catch the vision, but they need to see that they have such a significant role to play in how that child is able to develop.

My niece, Lauren just gave birth this morning to a new baby girl! As I glanced at pictures her mother (my sister) placed on Facebook, I was touched by Lauren's huge smile - radiant, after having given birth to a 10.7# baby girl. Amazing! Pure love, pure joy!

I have three grandchildren, all girls. It is gratifying to see that as you nurture and support your children they grow into parents that nurture and support their young. They value playing with the children - taking them outside, a lot! They value imaginative play! They do not over-plan their day. They spend quality and quantity time with their children. They have structure but can be flexible. They plan nutritious meals and occasional treats.

I loved being a parent, and now I am fortunate to be healthy and able to be a more attentive and available grandparent. Skype, phone, occasional visits and letters, and care packages have had to suffice as distance has kept us so far apart. Soon we will live closer, and even it is only for a short time, I am looking forward to being more of an extended support in their lives.

Finding Friends at NAPNAP

One of the surprises of attending a conference is finding friends from long ago and friends you have known only by email and teleconference! Little did I know that this would be a highlight of the conference.

Finding Mary Erickson at NAPNAP was pure joy! Mary was my first "boss" as a new PNP working at Seattle Children's Hospital way back in 1979! Not just any boss, Mary was dynamic, positive, enthusiastic, bright and a tremendous advocate for the nurse practitioner. There were just a few of us at the time, and I feel very grateful that Mary was the one to mentor and model the potential of the PNP role for me! Mary has not changed, still a powerhouse of enthusiasm, energy and intelligence! So much fun to get back in the groove with Mary! Hope we are able to work together again - maybe on the eChapter!

Another treat was being able to meet two of the eChapter board members! Whohoo! After all those months of teleconferences and emails we finally get to meet LIVE! It is interesting - the eChapter board is really terrific - supportive, positive and willing to think outside the box - I really enjoy our monthly teleconferences. But there is something about seeing someone that brings there personality and voice to a new level of awareness and appreciation. As the newborn gazes intently at the first look at mom or dad, and vice versa, I felt this need to soak in details of the smiles, eyes and face and connect it with the voice I have heard or read all these months.

Cheryl Sinclair, with gentle arm twisting by President Elect, Paulette Hermann, submitted a letter of interest in the Membership Chair opening last December. She has been a tremendous asset to the board and is the cheerleader of the group! Had a fun lunch date with Cheryl the day before our annual meeting today - and found a new friend. It was wonderful!

Marion Donohoe is a treasure - highly competent and already very immersed in the NAPNAP leadership - we are very fortunate to have her expertise and talents.

Additionally we had eChapter members today that I met for the first time - from Maine, Vermont and Tennessee! Every one a gem and loaded with talent. We have so much diversity and so much talent - being an eChapter member is the best!

I suggest a new byline for future NAPNAP meetings should be - "Come to NAPNAP - where old and new friends meet!"

Disaster Preparedness - a Call for Action

One of the talks today at the NAPNAP annual conference was on Disaster Preparedness and the need for pediatric nurses and nurse practitioners to be advocates for kids in community, state and national disaster preparedness planning. Dr. Michael Anderson, Vice Chairperson on the National Commission on Children and Disasters gave a stirring call for PNP's to be a voice for children and movers of community discussion on preparing for "the big one."

National Commission on Children and Disasters

2010 Report to the President and Congress  http://www.ahrq.gov/prep/nccdreport/

We have had a number of wake up calls - Sept. 11th, Katrina, Haiti, Japan, and even the H1N1 scare - and while most communities have created and practiced disaster drills, we have not yet had our system tested for a surge event on the scale of what Japan has suffered. I do not wish to minimize what the people of New Orleans have suffered - and indeed, they are still rebuilding and the community is some ways will never be the same! Our response as a nation to New Orleans and Mississippi was a valiant attempt but woefully inadequate. We need to do better!

Dr. Anderson spoke eloquently of how the pediatric community should articulate for the general public how children are not small adults, including the physiologic differences in children. Children have thinner skin, a larger surface area, they are closer to the ground, have increase respiratory and heart rates, not to mention they are often found in large groups and are unable to escape on their own. What happens when the adults in charge of children become incapacitated? Children do not usually carry ID's!

It is my belief that emergency preparedness should be included as part of the well child check up. It does not hurt to ask parents what they keep in their emergency bags and if they have an emergency plan for the family. At least open the conversation and have some handouts or Internet links that offer credible information for kids and parents.

Today I received an email from our local public health clinic with information about a talk by Dr. David Brenner, Director of the Center for Radiological Research at the Columbia University Medical Center. The training is called "Just in Time" and is a 36 minute primer on radiation exposure that addresses the facts and common misconceptions. His discussion focuses on the damage at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan as well as the implications of the catastrophe on radiation preparedness efforts in the U.S. 

Watch the presentation now: 
http://bit.ly/rad_jit 

Another great day at the conference! Thank you NAPNAP and thanks to my workplace for supporting me attending this awesome event!

Japan Relief - the power of one

The tragedy that has occurred in Japan is beyond belief. The suffering and damage seems to have no end. Earthquake and tsunami damage compounded by the threat of radioactivity from the nuclear reactors is so large and so surreal it is hard to know where to begin to help. Good people around the world watch with awe and amazement at the strength and character of the Japanese people.

We are so far away, but may I ask that each of us take a moment to see what we can do to help. Monetary relief by reputable agencies does make a difference. Perhaps your church has a humanitarian arm that you have confidence in. The American Red Cross has a strong reputation for providing relief quickly, with low administrative costs.

Be generous. Think of the children. Every little bit counts!

THINK BIG

NAPNAP 32nd annual conference opened with an inspiring address by Ben Carson, MD Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins.  See -http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/car1bio-1


THINK BIG was the title of the conference keynote address and it stands for:

T  Talent - know and share your talents so you can be valuable to others
H  Honesty - if you are truthful the first time you never have to wonder what you said!
I  Insight - learn from others successes and failures
N  Nice - be nice, you can get so much more done when you put others first
K  Knowledge - seek to learn

B  Books -be a reader
I  In depth - don't just peruse - study it out in detail
G God - recognizing God helps to give you values and principles to guide your life

Dr. Carson reminded us to make sure we celebrate academic achievement and encourage the kids we are in contact with to excel and apply the THINK BIG principles in their lives. He made it clear he is not politically correct and in every talk he gives he offends someone. He challenges us to not be easily offended and challenge being PC if it stifles open communication and debate.

 He said, "If two people agree on everything, then one of them is not necessary!" I love that!

Thank you Dr. Carson! This was by far the best keynote address I have ever heard! Best wishes to you and your Academy of Achievement!

NAPNAP Pre-Conference Pharmacology Update

A full day of pharmacology might not be on everyone's list of things to do, but it was a day well spent! Teri Moser Woo, PhD, CPNP is well known to many at NAPNAP - and she has literally written the book on pharmacology - Pharmacotherapeutics for Nurse Practitioner Prescribers (2007) - a new edition is due this summer.

The day went by quickly with discussion on respiratory and GI drugs to adolescent depression and a general antibiotic review. It has been a very long time since my last pharmacology course so the update was very much appreciated. I consider it a success when I have new information to bring home to the clinic on how we can improve our service.

More details to follow, but for those of you who really want to know the specifics I would recommend that you make the investment and purchase the ability to log on and listen to her talk. Dr. Woo had an excellent handout as well that she followed closely in her day long presentation. Go to the NAPNAP website for more information!


It was a great day weather wise in Baltimore - feels like it is in the 60's - partly sunny and very springlike with the cherry blossoms in bloom. Baltimore is a pretty, walkable city, and if you get tired of walking there is a free bus that you can take to sightsee or just ride. There is even a free water taxi for the harbor! Bus service is funded by the fees charged on parking lots. Brilliant city planning!


 I am off for a couple of hours of free time and dinner. More tomorrow!

NAPNAP Annual Conference next week!

Signs of spring abound in my part of the world! I saw a humpback whale from my window this morning - sea lions and seals have also been spotted! Fishing tenders are slowly making their way into the harbor too. It is almost time for the herring fishery. I love this time of year - daylight savings brings added daylight and the cold snap is a distant memory.

Another great sign of spring is the annual NAPNAP conference. While I am not able to attend every year, it is the one conference that I most want to attend! It is hard to decide if it is networking or the education that I enjoy the most. Being  surrounded by others who love pediatrics as I do is inspiring.  Thank you in advance to all the folks at NAPNAP and the Baltimore Chapter for making it all happen this year! Special advance thanks to all the presenters, speakers and those who work behind the scenes for sharing your talents and time!

I will try hard to blog during the conference so those of you who are unable to attend can get a sample.
For those of you who will be in Baltimore - make sure to look at name tags! If you mention this blog I have a small token from Alaska to share with you!

Social Media and Children

I am not sure what the current percentage is but I am sure the number is high for the number of school age children who have their own cell phones. Owning a cell phone has quickly  moved from a "nice to have" to a perceived "need to have" category. I work at a public high school that is also a boarding school so I have seen the growth in cell phone ownership over the past 4 years.

As a health care provider, I appreciate being able to leave cell phone messages for students to remind them of an appointment or to remind them to call and make an appointment for some follow up review. It is most convenient and I think provides more privacy. Parents appreciate being able to contact their children who are far from home and hear about their school day and events happening. I would not be surprised if teachers also appreciate being able to contact students conveniently.

As adults we are pretty aware of the downside of cell phone usage. I have to remind students to turn off their phones when in the clinic. I have had students who want to text others while talking to me. We know of the dangers of cell phone use and driving, and myths about ability to multitask while texting or talking on cell phones.  Cyberbullying and "sexting" are perhaps the most dangerous of all behaviors using social media. The anonymity of the Internet and cell phones, or falsifying identity has led to too many students avoiding school or worse, leading to depression, suicidal ideation and even death.

I am seeing a rise in insomnia complaints and can't help but wonder if cell phones are part of the problem. Children today can be socially connected 24/7. It is not always texting and calling, but gaming is also an issue of concern.

Usually adults model and teach children how to use a new tool and be responsible about its use. In the case of social media it is the children who are learning at lightning speed what social media can do and the adults are lagging behind, sometimes reluctantly or refusing to learn.  We must own some responsibility for giving our youth a tool and not properly preparing them or setting limits and guidelines about its use. We may react quickly when we see the cell phone bill, often being rudely awakened by the extent of the use. The real question is how is it being used.

Perhaps eChapter members of NAPNAP should be at the forefront in researching how social media use impacts children and adolescent social and cognitive development. Parents need us to address these issues with them and their children. Starting conversations about social media should be as much a part of every well child exam as nutrition and sleep are!

Self Control

NPR Morning Edition often has pretty interesting stories.
http://www.npr.org/2011/02/14/133629477/for-kids-self-control-factors-into-future-success?ps=cprs
I am very glad they reported on this one, and it will worth sharing this link with parents. I taught high school for five years and showed my students a video of young preschool children being asked to wait a few minutes to eat the marshmallow sitting in front of them, and if they could wait they would be rewarded with two. My students also watched  how preschoolers behave with food when no adult is around, or with parenting styles that tend to restrict food choices. It was always a thought provoking discussion.

Too often parenting behavior is a reflection of how we have been parented. We tend to parent impulsively unless we plan to do otherwise. Parents need good role models and support. It is hard work in an age of instant gratification to wait for anything! Support is as critical to parenting as it is to the development of any other habit.

I have not yet read Mary Alvord's new book Resilience Builder Program for Children and Adolescents. I have placed it on my "to do" list and hope to include more information about it in a future blog. Since it provides strategies for teaching self control - it should be useful to clinicians as well as parents.

Concerns about heart disease and diabetes in children, secondary to increased caloric intake and decrease in exercise, may warrant more attention to parenting and teaching  self regulatory behaviors. Assessing this area of child development and providing ongoing anticipatory guidance to parents and day care centers is a start. For those of you in DNP programs, this may be an area for further research.

Licensure by endorsement

After 20 years of living in Alaska, my husband and I are leaving this beautiful state for the "lower 48." It is a big move that has been instigated by my husband's retirement and a need to be closer to my grown children and grandchildren. This is a good thing, perhaps one of the best reasons for moving. Still it is hard to uproot from a truly beautiful place, with abundant clean water, views to die for, and wonderful friends. Not that Sitka does not have challenges, can you say, r.a.i.n.f.o.r.e.s.t?

We lived in Seattle and there are plenty of jokes about rain in that area - but living in any community in Southeast Alaska brings a new reality about that climate zone! You do come to love the many shades of grey and appreciate the rain for the clean water, abundant salmon streams, and cheap hydro-electricity it affords. In many ways, Sitka is one of the best kept secrets in the United States - a real gem of a community in terms of quality of life.

So I am now in the position of changing my license to practice from Alaska to another state. I think what surprised me most is that I need to go back to the schools of nursing I attended and have yet another transcript sent to a Board of Nursing! Why do we make it so hard? Does one State not trust that another State has done due diligence to determine that I am indeed who I say I am and safe to practice? It makes sense that I need to apply to another State for permission to practice in that State - after all, our republic grants individual states  rights to regulate and manage their own affairs in these matters. I am not asking for a "universal" license! I am asking for common sense to prevail, and for nursing to examine how barriers that are self created can contribute to a nursing shortage.

I realize that I am speaking to the choir here, but perhaps this is an area that our leadership can influence change for the future. Lets find ways to be more" inviting" to nurses as they move in this mobile society we live in!

MAPS AND DIRECTIONS

I work with adolescents. I should know that I need to break down directions, instructions into small parts - with a visual - like a map! Looking at the many pamphlets and handouts we have in our clinic, I am curious why there is so much information on a page? Perhaps it is time to rethink the way we distribute information to teens. How about if we just give a few facts with pictures, and then, for the curious and bright, we offer them links to Internet sites for additional reading.

Recently I have sent a few teens to the hospital, which is just a 5 minute walk down a driveway from our clinic, only to have them get lost and end up in the wrong clinic - sometimes being seen again for the same problem! Before the teen leaves me, I show them a map of the hospital, tell them where to go and what to do when they are finished. It seems straightforward enough, but the results tell me otherwise.

Enter technology! Nearly every teen in my practice has a cell phone - and not hidden! What if they enter in the phone the directions and time? Will that improve the referral process?

Remember the Palm Pilot TX? What I loved about that handheld technology was that you could "beam" information from one persons' Palm to the next. I want to "beam" information to my  teens! I need the speed of beaming to make it work for a busy clinic practice.

Suggestions are welcome - how can we reduce our paper dependancy and yet give fast and accurate information in our practices? Inquiring minds want to know!

Narrative Medicine

I have mentioned before that I enjoy reading a blog by pediatrician Bryan Vartabedian, MD-http://33charts.com/2011/02/narrative-medicine-parallel-chart.html#comments.

He had a link today for a graduate program at Columbia University in Narrative Medicine - see   http://ce.columbia.edu/Narrative-Medicine

I have so many books that I have loved because they humanized the medical experiences of people. Case studies are clinical - we look for medical details and clues to help us work through the assessment process and develop differential diagnosis. Even the social history is clinical, factual, and dry. Not that I am arguing to change our charting! For legal reasons documentation should be factual and concise. It would be an interesting "book club" of sorts to develop case studies that were narrative versions of what we really experience with out patients.

These are books that capture for me a narrative experience of medicine. 

These books enlightened my soul and brought a fuller dimension to the disease process we humans experience.  I would love to hear of books that have inspired you. I would also love to hear your thoughts about "Narrative Medicine" and how you think it could enhance the work we do as PNP's! 

The Future of Nursing

According to the Future or Nursing Website: "The ultimate goal of the Future of Nursing:Campaign for Action is to improve how health care is delivered to better meet the needs of all patients.  The Committee of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Initiative on the Future of Nursing, at the Institute of Medicine was tasked with creating a blueprint on the role of nurses in the design and improvement of public and institutional policies at the national, state and local levels.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Initiative on the Future of Nursing, at the Institute of Medicine was chaired by University of Miami President, Donna Shalala and vice-chair Cedars-Sinai Health System and Research Institute Vice-President and Chief Nursing Officer, Linda Burnes Bolton.  For a complete list of Committee members and their bios, please visitwww.iom.edu/nursing." 

In case you are new to this huge report you may want to click on this link to see the 8 recommendation of the IOM   http://www.thefutureofnursing.org/recommendations#

Of particular interest to me is the recommendation to double to number of nurses with a doctorate by 2020. It is clear we need more nurses with doctorate to teach so that we can increase the number of students that can be accepted into nursing programs.

I am sure we will be hearing a lot about this at the NAPNAP annual meeting. If you know of meetings in your area that are discussing the Future of Nursing Report and Recommendations - be sure to let the NAPNAP national office know!  CPNP voices should be heard!

Sharing time!

Most everyone, I suspect, has more than enough work to do in their limited day! I don't want to add to your already full reading load, however, if you are interested in social media and how it fits into our world of health care providers, you may appreciate reading this blog - 33charts.com. It is written by Bryan Vartabedian, MD, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Texas Children's Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine.  He is often inclusive in his language and I appreciate his references to nurses and nurse practitioners! 

I hope you will share blogs, books, or anything else of professional interest! 

Flu Fighters Animated Video

Excitement about March conference!

Having an opportunity to "get off the rock," as we say in Sitka, is cause for some excitement! Sitka, Alaska is a pretty nice place to live! In fact, many folks take an Alaskan cruise just to visit our lovely city by the sea. My usual reason for leaving is to go to see my grandchildren. Aside from that, one of my favorite reasons for leaving Sitka is to go to the annual NAPNAP conference! The chance to hear all those great conference talks and mingle with people I have so much in common with makes me feel pretty good.

One of Sitka's beautiful harbors! 

Kudos to the conference planners for doing such an awesome (and I do mean HUGE as well as WONDERFUL) job at putting together such diverse topics, so there is something for everyone.

If you have not yet made plans to attend, it is not too late! http://www.napnap.org/Events/AnnualConference.aspx

Baltimore, MD

Our eChapter is just two years old! We have an opportunity to help define NAPNAP for those with unique outreach challenges as well as those who desire to have a more eco-friendly and sustainable method of networking and sharing. Whatever your interest, let your voice be heard! If unable to attend the Baltimore conference, email or share a comment on the blog! The eChapter board is anxious to hear from you and how we can better serve you!

Be safe out there! 

Your eChapter Officers

You may be wondering who your eChapter officers are!  


Nancy Cavanaugh  eChapter President - . nc_sitka@yahoo.com


Paulette Herman eChapter President Elect - pherman@phs.org


Marion Donohoe eChapter Secretary/Treasurer and Legislative Chair - marion4kids@gmail.com


Cheryl Sinclair eChapter Membership Chair - csinclair@phs.org


Kathy Fabian eChapter Web Committee Chair - FabianPNP@yahoo.com

We are anxious to hear from you! We will highlight more about ourselves in a future blog post!

It is not too soon to think about running for an eChapter officer position for the 2011-2012 year.

Exciting incentive!

Have you tried the new KINDLE? I have not, but I have heard great things about having all my books in one small space! If you are anything like me, your books are taking over your home and office like a contagion.

The eChapter board has decided to offer an incentive for those eChapter members who come to the NAPNAP conference in Baltimore.  Plan to attend the eChapter annual meeting on Friday, March 25th from 9 - 11. You will want to be there for the whole meeting as we will pass out tickets early and one KINDLE will be given away!

Keep watching the blog - details of the meeting will be posted!

Welcome to the NAPNAP eChapter blog!

This is our first attempt at blogging for the NAPNAP eChapter! We are searching for ways to make our chapter more accessible to  members and create a stronger social network, Most of us have chosen the eChapter option because we live where no state NAPNAP chapter exists or we do not have easy access to a state NAPNAP chapter. Whatever your reason, we welcome you and invite you to be as active a participant as your life allows!

We hope you have your NAPNAP member number and password so that you can log into the NAPNAP website and take advantage of the great resources available to all NAPNAP members. We especially hope you will log onto "Our Community" and complete your profile, maybe even download a picture of yourself! We are anxious to connect with you and hear of your accomplishments and needs. To log in go to:

http://community.napnap.org/NAPNAP/NAPNAP/Home/

Welcome and we look forward to hearing from you!