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Posted By Ashley Lovelace,
Wednesday, June 23, 2021
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Teresa Morris, Director, Advocacy & Government Relations
Greetings NOVA Members – NOVA hosted the first Virtual Hill Day on June 10 where nurses gave voice to our legislative priorities to the members of the 117th Congress. Thanks to House and Senate VA Committee Chairmen Mark Takano (D-CA) and Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) for recording inspiring messages to help kick off the day. I hope those of you who participated found it to be an exciting venture into what it means to advocate for the VA and play a part in our democracy! And for those of you who could not make it this year – I look forward to seeing all of you in Washington D.C. in 2022. For more information and details to include the recorded kickoff event: Add NOVA recording to the link to the Toolkit NOVA on the Hill Day (vanurse.org) House and Senate VA Committees continue to hold hearings and pass legislation as we quickly move towards the August recess. Both House and Senate VA Committees have made toxic exposure bills a priority. House bill, the Honoring Our Promise to Address Toxics Act of 2021, and Senate bill Comprehensive and Overdue Support for Troops/(COST) of War Act of 2021, would provide generations of Veterans suffering from illnesses related to their toxic exposures benefits and healthcare at the VA. The VA at this time has not commented on the bills or the cost – VSO representatives have testified to their strong support of both bills and also held a press conference at the Capitol where Daily Show host Jon Stewart - advocate for toxic exposure (particularly 9/11 victims and first responders) spoke to the need to get this done quickly for all those suffering. NOVA has been actively involved in discussing pay caps, equity and the need for a review of staffing levels pre and post COVID-19. Recruiting and retaining healthcare professionals is our highest priority – especially in high-cost areas where shortages may affect timely access to high quality care for Veterans. We continue to voice our support for bills like the recently dropped VA CPE Modernization Act sponsored by House VA Subcommittee on Health Chairman Julia Brownley which will expand and increase tuition and course fees for all VA clinicians allowing nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and others to be eligible for this benefit. For copies of NOVA letters of support sent to the Hill, visit the NOVA website. For a list of our complete 2021 legislative priority goals: 2021_nova_legislative_priori.pdf (ymaws.com) I ask you to check out the U.S. House and U.S. Senate links on our website and talk to your Congressional members about VA issues important to you. We will be planning the best way to get in front of your members during August recess so start signing up for those congressional newsletters, get to know what your members are planning for the month while they are home working. Also, take note of any members in your state that sit on the House and Senate VA Committees as they have jurisdiction over all VA issues.
The House and Senate VA Committee members can be found at the links below: Senate VA Committee Members released - list of members: Committee Members | United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs House VA Committee Members list Members | About | The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs
As always, I look forward to working with all of you and thank you for your continued advocacy on behalf of VA nurses and the communities in which you live. Stay Tuned!
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Posted By Ashley Lovelace,
Wednesday, June 23, 2021
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Yvette Twum-Danso, PhD, RN, CCRN-K Columbia VA Health Care System, Columbia, South Carolina NOVA Chapter 362
Sydney Sibner, MSN, RN
Sydney Sibner’s presentation was accepted for the Office of Nursing Services (ONS) Evidence-Based Practice/Research Nurses’ Month Poster Session. Sydney’s poster (#17): Blood Pressure Readings in the Outpatient Setting was displayed on the Office of Nursing Service’s website May 6 - 21, 2021. She was the only VA nurse from the Columbia VA Health Care System selected which was a huge accomplishment!
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Posted By Ashley Lovelace,
Wednesday, June 23, 2021
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Nancy Claflin, DNP, MS, RN, NEA-BC, CENP, CCRN-K, CPHQ, FNAHQ
NOVA Nurse Emeritus and NOVA Education Committee Chair Did you know that NOVA has webinars on-demand? All live webinars are recorded and available on the NOVA website. If you don’t have the opportunity to watch a live webinar, you can get the information by viewing the webinar on-demand at a time that fits your schedule. In addition, if you need nursing continuing education credit for your nursing license or certification renewal, most NOVA webinars provide nursing professional development credit. NOVA is an accredited provider of nursing continuing professional development from the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
On May 12, Haneefah Omega Henry Rhodes MSN AAS RN FNP-BC and Emily Hayes-Jones BSN RN from the Richmond VA presented an outstanding webinar on “Nursing on the Front Line of COVID-19.” In this webinar, you had the opportunity to share the experience of nurses who provided care to COVID-19 patents at the beginning of the pandemic and were deployed to provide care through the DEMPS program. If you didn’t get a chance to watch it live, this is a terrific webinar to watch on demand, and you will receive 1.0 credit for continuing nursing professional development.
To find NOVA’s webinars on-demand, go to the NOVA website at www.vanurse.org and select the Members Only tab, then select Webinars.
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Posted By Administration,
Thursday, May 27, 2021
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Registered NOVA Nurses, day in and day out, put in an untold amount of work when it comes to the VA and its patients. A typical day is nearly impossible to nail down, as every shift can wildly change from energizing to exhausting to frustrating to momentous, and back again. The following showcases how NOVA’s RNs care for veterans and how they are elevating other nurses and NOVA itself. Why Choose VA Nursing? Those that responded gave a wide range of reasons why they chose to go into nursing, specifically the VA, but it all came down to helping veterans. For Danielle L. Alderman, MSN, RN, who works in the VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System, it was to help those with their physical and psychological health needs first. “After being a Social Worker for six years, I realized I needed to first address the physical and psychological health of my clients before I could effectively impact the social and financial situations of the families I was serving,” Alderman said. A few NOVA nurses responded that they are veterans themselves and wanted to make a lasting, helpful change by working with a group that they understood well — other veterans. “I am a veteran, and my father, brother, and one sister were in the Army,” Eileen Kupper-Grubbs, RN, MEDSURG-BC, said. “Veterans are a precious few who would die for the United States. I wanted to be part of their care.” Another said they are married to a United States Marine and while he was in service, they loved the idea of working with active duty military and veterans. One said, after graduating from the VA Learning Opportunities Residency (VALOR) program, they were then hired full-time after graduating with a BSN. Helping Veterans in Their Time of Need NOVA asked members to think about times they were there to help veterans when they needed it the most. “A group of veterans lived in the same town that had just had a tornado,” Kupper-Grubbs said. “I called EMS and they were able to drill down to the block where the tornado occurred and send a van to the city to bring the veterans to the VA for care, food, and clothing.” Heather Debe, MBA, MAA, BSN, RN is a Call Center Registered Nurse in the El Paso VA Healthcare System and does what she can to help. “I work in the Call Center as a registered nurse. Every caller is different, and you just focus on helping the veteran with whatever they need — whether it’s a triage for illness or injury, at-home care teaching, medication questions, or requesting a consult.” Alderman spends a lot of time just listening to veterans on the phone. She lets them get their frustrations out and then comes up with a plan and a strategy with them, to hopefully fix at least one thing to improve the situation. “Occasionally, I will also invite the veteran to come down to the clinic and see me,” Alderman said. “Sometimes they just need to get out of the house and connect with a person in a safe place, so they don't feel so isolated and lonely.” The NOVA Nurse At the end of a long day, NOVA nurses ponder some of the reasons why working as a VA nurse is exciting and rewarding. For example, Tonya Mial, MSN, RN at the Greenville VA Health Care Center in Greenville, North Carolina, the most exciting part of being a VA nurse is her continued service to her brothers and sisters in arms. “I enjoy being surrounded by heroes,” Mial said. “As a veteran, I will need services and rely on the kindness of others who respect and appreciate my sacrifices; I want to give to them what I one day want given to me.” Marilyn Simpson, MSN/Ed, RN, at the West Texas VA Health Care System, is on the Education Committee and loves that NOVA gives her and other NOVA nurses opportunities to learn, with free CEUs. Others say that each education session has improved their knowledge which helps take care of their patients. “NOVA has helped me succeed academically and professionally through scholarships and online seminars,” Alderman said. “NOVA also connected me with a mentor who has been a tremendous support and professional guide.” Kupper-Grubbs watches webinars and collaborates with other NOVA nurses to improve care for patients. And Nurse Debe has been to two Annual Conferences, found them informative, and liked the networking connections it brought. Discover the benefits of the NOVA community and join today!
Tags:
nova nurse
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Posted By Ashley Lovelace,
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
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2nd Quarter Membership Campaign |
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RNs- It's your turn!
This quarter’s spotlight is on RN recruitment. Here are just a few of the benefits available and opportunities to network with other NOVA members:
The individual who recruits the most RN members by the end of June will win a NOVA embroidered fleece vest from LL Bean! |
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Forward this email to your colleagues and ask them to include your name on their application when they join so you will get credit. |
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Posted By Ashley Lovelace,
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
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Deborah L. Hatch, MSOL, PHR Social Security and Medicare Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at 2 PM EST Learning Objectives: Determine considerations for applying for Social Security at various ages Compute the Social Security break-even point Describe various components of Medicare and identify how the program interacts with federal employee health benefits
COST: FREE for NOVA Members and 1 CE is earned. $10.00 for non members and 1 CE is earned. Click Here to Register Join the monthly Rehab in Review 15 minute call with Dr. Burke from Emory University! Next meeting is Wednesday, June 2nd 12:30 - 12:45 PM ET Emory University’s Department of Rehabilitation Medicine is providing NOVA members with complimentary access to the medical surveillance journal, Rehab in Review. This journal is the most read journal among Rehabilitation physicians worldwide and is used for teaching and to promote real-time evidence-based medicine. Dr. Burke has used this as a resource for journal clubs, and quick discussions with our entire team, including the nurses on the inpatient unit. With a quick glance at the titles, you can see that this journal is produced to help the practicing Rehab professional. Instead of reading 20-25 research articles each month, members can read Rehab in Review with the option of attending a 15-minute online Journal Club summarizing a few of the articles. View Past Issues Rehab in Review Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 991 8978 9948 Passcode: 837374 Meeting URL: https://zoom.us/j/99189789948?pwd=M0ZFOWhBQmVqeCtCNVNMNWlyZWkydz09 Mobile: 1-470-250-9358 99189789948# We welcome NOVA members to join the monthly journal club meetings. This journal is offered to NOVA as a partner in caring for patients with neurological and musculoskeletal injuries. It will be posted in the members-only area of the NOVA website. Marilyn L. Lanza DNSc, ARNP, CS, FAAN Journal Club Webinar Reducing Violence Against Nurses Monday, June 7, 2021 at 2:00 pm ET Learning Objectives: Describe the purpose and reasoning behind the Violence Prevention Community Meeting (VPCM) Identify three factors in the role of staff List three expectations for patients
COST: FREE for NOVA Members and 1 CE is earned. $10.00 for non members and 1 CE is earned. Click Here to Register Deborah L. Hatch, MSOL, PHR Social Security and Medicare Wednesday, June 16, 2021 at 2:00 pm ET Learning Objectives: Determine considerations for applying for Social Security at various ages Compute the Social Security break-even point Describe various components of Medicare and identify how the program interacts with federal employee health benefits
COST: FREE for NOVA Members and 1 CE is earned. $10.00 for non members and 1 CE is earned. Click Here to Register Andrea Fuller, FNP-BC, MSN, AE-C Sr. Medical Science Liaison, Respiratory AztraZenica Webinar Targeting Eosinophils: A Potent Contributor to Severe Asthma Wednesday, June 23, 2021 at 7:00 pm ET Learning Objectives: This webinar will provide an overview of severe eosinophilic asthma and a biologic treatment option. The definition of severe asthma will be reviewed along with the features of “uncontrolled” asthma. The webinar will discuss the proportion of patients with eosinophilic asthma and will highlight key clinical indicators of eosinophilic asthma. The session will highlight a biologic treatment option for severe asthma and will address its indication, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, formulation, dosing and administration. Clinical efficacy and safety of the biologic treatment option will be discussed along with patient counseling information. Attendees will gain an appreciation for severe asthma and develop an understanding of a biologic treatment option.
COST: No CE will be received for this webinar. Click Here to Register
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Posted By Ashley Lovelace,
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
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In an effort to offer high-quality resources for NOVA members, NOVA is partnering with Springer Publishing Company
to provide access to nursing specific materials and study guides. Springer Publishing, an award-winning publisher of healthcare content has helped to educate healthcare professionals for over 70 years. Through this partnership, members receive an exclusive discount + free shipping on various products, including textbooks, digital resources, and exam preparation and study tools. All members receive a 40% discount + free shipping on any product. To view the available resources and start purchasing today, click
here or visit https://www.springerpub.com/nova
and enter promo code: NOVA40 at checkout.
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Posted By Ashley Lovelace,
Monday, May 24, 2021
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President’s Message
Dear NOVA Members,
National Nurses Week (May 6th – May 12th
) is the official time to shine the spotlight on nurses. However, due to COVID-19, the Year of the Nurse was extended into 2021. There is no reason to limit the celebration to just 1 week. Nurses should be celebrated and honored all year for the great
things you do. Your commitment to deliver high quality patient care undoubtedly impacts health care outcomes. Your efforts do not go unnoticed and you should feel valued for those accomplishments.
Every day, NOVA nurses go above and beyond to provide the best care for our Veterans. Please enjoy this 2020 – 2021 Year of the Nurse video which was created as a token to say “Thank You!”.
We will continue to celebrate NOVA Nurses and seize every opportunity to show our gratitude and honor each other. For instance, do you know that the call for nominations for the NOVA Awards is currently underway? Each year, NOVA Awards recognizes those who have made significant contributions to NOVA, the nursing profession, the health care of Veterans or in service to our country. I encourage you to take a look at the award categories and nominate a deserving colleague for the great work they are doing. It is time well spent for someone you believe in! Click here.
Happy Nurses Week, Month and Year!
With appreciation,
Kelly D. Skinner, DNP, APRN, NP-C, GNP-BC, CRRN, WCC, CFCN
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Posted By Ashley Lovelace,
Monday, May 24, 2021
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Did you know that NOVA has a partnership with the Wound Care Education Institute? In addition to providing certification and education to RNs and APRNs, the Wound Care Institute offers opportunities for the LPN community.
How Wound Care Certification Can Help LPNs and LVNs Improve Care Outcomes
According to current active wound care clinicians, LPNs/LVNs with wound care experience are needed in different healthcare settings.
The lack of standardized, pervasive wound care training for clinicians sets the foundation for why clinicians working with patients with wounds should seek certification in wound care, according to Bill Richlen, PT, WCC, DWC, one of the
Wound Care Education Institute’s (WCEI) clinical wound care instructors.
“The wound care industry generally lacks enough knowledgeable clinicians to handle the challenges of chronic wounds. This is mainly because comprehensive wound care training is rarely included during college training of all disciplines – this includes MDs, NPs, PAs, RNs, PTs, and LPNs/LVNs,” Richlen said.
Richlen advises that any
clinician working on a day-to-day basis in wound care should strongly consider enrolling in formal wound care training before becoming wound care certified (WCC).
WCC benefits are abundant
Regenia Butler, RN, WCC, DWC, a telemetry nurse and member of the hospital-wide skin prevalence team at Methodist Health System in Dallas believes strongly in nurses becoming wound care certified.
“Not only did our team learn a lot about wound care [during training], which greatly benefited our patients, we saw our business increase as a result, Butler said. “We received more referrals from physicians due to our staff being wound care certified.”
And according to Butler, WCEI from Relias
is the top choice for clinicians seeking wound care certification. “The WCEI website
and the Wound Central Journal are some of my go-to resources to help educate fellow nurses and others on the latest evidence-based treatments for the types of wounds we’re discussing. This helps to convince reluctant providers who are practicing in outdated ways that I’m qualified to recommend the best care for our patients.”
For Stephanie Mansfield, LVN, WCC, DWC, an added benefit has been the increase in her marketability as a nurse. Mansfield is a wound care coordinator at Willow Bend Nursing and Rehabilitation in Mesquite, Texas and a home health wound care nurse for Bridgeway Health Services in Fort Worth, Texas.
“I took two courses and have two certifications from the WCEI and since then, I’ve had more opportunities,” remarked Mansfield. “And WCEI cares about nurses, PTs and physicians. They want us to learn, and if they don’t have an answer to a question, they’ll get it for you.”
WCEI continues to support alumni
Providing ongoing education for our alumni is very important to us, said Janene Brubaker, WCEI senior product manager.
“From our seminars, webinars, and Wound Central Journal to our Facebook group
, we believe in staying connected with our alumni to support their ongoing quest for knowledge and positive outcomes for their patients,” Brubaker said.
Start learning more about wound care today
with one of our many accredited courses.
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Posted By Ashley Lovelace,
Monday, May 24, 2021
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Yvette Twum-Danso, PhD, RN National NOVA Director and NOVA Chapter 362 President Columbia VA Health Care System, Columbia, SC NOVA Chapter 362 
Tiffany Keller-Hale, BBA, MSN, RN NOVA Chapter 362, Columbia VA Health Care System (Columbia, SC) acknowledged Tiffany Keller-Hale, BBA, MSN, RN - Dayton VAMC in Dayton, OH for her perseverance and determination to revitalize Chapter 326. Chapter 362 provided a NOVA 2020 – 2021 Year of the Nurse t-shirt, as a token of appreciation!
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