Posted By Jacquelyn Claude, MSPH, BSN, RN ,
Thursday, July 20, 2023
In December 2022, NOVA Hampton Chapter 418 initiated the third annual holiday food drive for homeless veterans program at Hampton VAMC. The donation drive included not only food donations but also warm clothes for veterans who were struggling to cope with the cold winter days. This year's donation drive was the most successful, thanks to the efforts of the NOVA Hampton Chapter 418 members and staff. The organization received donations of non-perishable food items and warm clothing from members, staff, and Tau Chapter Incorporated of Chi Eta Phi Sorority Incorporated.
On May 23, 2023, during the week of Community Partnership in honor of Nurses Month, four members of NOVA Hampton Chapter 418 delivered the donations to the Hampton VAMC, HUD-VASH Department. The members included Phyllis Richardson, Director of Hospitality; Renieta Brown, Treasurer; Christopher Hancock, Director of Membership, and Jacquelyn Claude, the President of NOVA Hampton Chapter 418. A big thank you to all who have demonstrated their dedication and effort in making this event a success.
The support and donations received from NOVA Hampton Chapter 418 made a big difference in the lives of homeless veterans supported by the Hampton VAMC, HUD-VASH Department. The response from the staff member of the homeless veteran department was heartwarming, with “stating that the donations would help the homeless veterans make it through the long winter months. The NOVA Hampton Chapter 418 donation drive demonstrated how nurses and healthcare professionals can come together to contribute to their local community and make a real difference.
NOVA Hampton Chapter 418 is not just an organization but a community of healthcare professionals who care about their fellow veterans. Their engagement in community service initiatives, such as the holiday food drive for homeless veterans in Hampton VAMC, symbolizes their commitment to serve their country beyond their duties as nurses. Their outstanding contribution is a testament to the values of NOVA Hampton Chapter 418, which actively promotes and supports professional nursing and advocacy for healthcare.
The success of the 3rd annual holiday food drive for homeless veterans in Hampton VAMC is a testimony to the impact of community partnership and nursing advocacy. NOVA Hampton Chapter 418's donation drive was more than just a collection of food and clothing. It was an opportunity for nurses to give back to their local community and demonstrate their commitment to the mission and values of nursing. We would once again like to extend our gratitude to NOVA Hampton Chapter 418 members and staff who dedicated time, energy, and resources to make this event successful. It is through their efforts that the homeless veterans of Hampton VAMC, HUD-VASH Department have a better chance to make it through the winter months with dignity and respect.
Posted By Administration,
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
As we approach August recess, I urge all of you to look at legislation moving through both the House and Senate VA Committees.
NOVA, alongside our partners in VA healthcare submitted testimony for the record before the Senate VA Committee on July 12.
We note in our statement for the record, that several bills have the potential to accelerate the outsourcing of veterans’ care to the private sector under the community care program and drain the VA of needed funding for internal programs and services. This would harm Veterans choice, reduce staff, and in turn close medical centers, clinics, and facilities across the country.
We will be advocating against these bills and asking Members of Congress to vote against anything that looks to privatize VA.
To read the multi-organizational testimony – For a list of bills of interest and other advocacy information, visit NOVA Advocacy Toolkit
We continue to support legislation that will enhance VA’s efforts to bolster recruitment, retention, hiring and salaries for VHA staff. NOVA testified in May on those very issues before the House VA Subcommittees on Health and Oversight & Investigations and we remain committed to supporting legislation like S. 10, VA Careers Act, and H.R.543, VA CPE Modernization Act which improves processes in hiring a quality workforce.
As always, stay tuned to NOVA’s website and social media for updates on our plans to encourage advocacy during August Recess and how you can help by contacting your Members of Congress about the importance of providing quality healthcare to our Veterans.
Posted By Administration,
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
Dianne C. Nelson of Tucson, Arizona, peacefully gained her Angel Wings on June 11, 2023. Her husband Bill Nelson was by her side. Dianne was a gentle heart in our midst who had chosen service to others as her conscious purpose in life. The beneficiaries of her goodwill were countless and range from the inner circle of her close family to the local healthcare community, to the local business community and beyond to the national Nurses Organization of the Veteran Affairs (NOVA). Dianne worked tirelessly and graciously, often behind the scenes, to support the aspirations and development of others without care for repayment or hint of recognition. When called upon, she accepted leadership positions and graced those organizations with her clear vision and organizational skills.
Dianne received her nursing degree from the University of Arizona in 1973, at which time she joined the nursing staff at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Tucson. Dianne served our nation’s veterans in outpatient surgery, home health care and many other nursing capacities for 34 years before retiring in 2007. During her tenure at the VA, she reached out to the Tucson nursing community and in 1994 co-founded the Tucson Nurse Week Foundation which originated and promotes the “Showcase of Tucson Nurses Conference,” “Healthy Fair,” and the “Fabulous 50 Gala,” The Showcase of Tucson Nurses is a sharing educational conference where, each year, over 200 southern Arizona nurses exchange innovative health care ideas during a continuing education conference and included an awards banquet to recognize outstanding nurses who had gone above and beyond their normal daily job responsibilities in demonstrating their concern for humanity and had made significant contribution(s) to the local nursing community. In 1997, Dianne was herself honored as one of the Fabulous 50.
Dianne walked in harmony with those around her. Her empathy for those in need, her desire to serve, and the depth of her character changed the various associations to which she has belonged. In 1992, Dianne was elected to serve as President of the Tucson chapter of NOVA; in 1995, she was elected to the national NOVA Board of Directors; in 1996, she was given the Secretaries Award for Excellence in Nursing; in 1998 she became National Membership Secretary of NOVA; in 2000, she served on the Nurse Qualifications Board, setting advancement standards for VA nurses nationwide; and in 2004, Dianne was elected National President of NOVA. As president, Dianne’s team took a new approach to educating members of Congress regarding VA issues by holding legislative briefings for members of the House and Senate Veterans Committees’ staff. She also made significant advancements and enhanced recognition for NOVA nationwide for their care of Veterans, our heroes.
In 1998, GLHN nominated Dianne C. Nelson for U of A’s “The Women’s Plaza of Honor” which publicly and permanently celebrates women who have made significant contributions to the history of Arizona or have enriched the lives of others. All who had the honor of knowing Dianne will miss her kind heart, her gentle way in helping you understand what the next step was, her soft voice explaining how to cook something, her ability to put anyone at ease just by her calm presence, and her never-ending generosity that she shared with so many people over the years.
Posted By Administration,
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
The summer is flying by! That means we are getting closer to NOVA’s 43rd Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, October 26 and 27. Have you registered yet? The planning committee has been working hard on the schedule and there are some fantastic speakers lined up, including VA leaders. Make sure you check out Nancy Claflin’s article about requesting financial assistance to attend the meeting. Every VA facility handles education reimbursement differently but you may find some helpful hints for pursing this. Annual Meeting is the networking and education event of the year and you won’t want to miss it. Last year I challenged every facility to bring as many members to Las Vegas as our Massachusetts and Washington DC chapters brought to New Orleans. (Thank you DC, Bedford, Central Western Mass, and Boston!) I am looking forward to seeing who accepted that challenge and which facility or chapter is represented by the most attendees.
Last week I volunteered at the National Veterans Wheelchair Games held in Portland, OR. The spirit and community were amazing to experience. Veterans and volunteers, including nurses, came from all over the country. There was a sea of volunteers in yellow shirts, manning stations to get Veterans and caregivers to where they needed to be. This was a humbling event, full of positivity and encouragement. I can’t wait to volunteer at future events. While the NVWG is not exactly the same thing as NOVA’s Annual Meeting, the feeling I left with was not so unlike what I experience when attending NOVA activities, the sense of community, comradery, and encouragement.
I hope you are all having an amazing summer and can’t wait to see you in Las Vegas this fall.
Did you know you may be able to receive financial assistance from your facility to attend NOVA's Annual Meeting? You should check with staff in the Education or Nursing Education Department to see what is required from your facility.
Event Details
Although each facility has its own forms and requirements, this is some of the information that you may need:
Event or Training Title: NOVA 43nd Annual Meeting: Star Power: NOVA Nurses Shining a Light on Excellence
LPN, Nurse Emeritus, Non-licensed Student: $240, Early Bird Pricing $165
Non-Member. $600, Early Bird Pricing $525
Type of Conference: The NOVA Annual Meeting is a professional meeting and an elective conference that is useful for professional development and skills enhancement. It provides Nursing Continuing Professional Development (NCPD) contact hours.
Training Justification
Here is some information that you can use for training justification.
My objectives for attending the course:
Improve ability to accomplish mission and carry out daily operations to assist veterans
Find innovative ideas to implement to improve veteran healthcare
Learn latest information and best practices regarding VA healthcare
Experience knowledge sharing with like-minded professionals regarding VA healthcare
Participate in in-depth discussions around VA healthcare
Network with dedicated experts regarding VA healthcare
Receive education and professional development (receive Nursing Continuing Professional Development Contact Hours) regarding VA healthcare
How the program will improve my competency/how I will apply it to my job:
This program will improve my competency because I will receive information on resources to support shared governance for VA nurses. I will be able to identify methods for VA nurses to mitigate nurse burnout by managing stress and self-care. I will be able to describe methods for VA nurses to find resiliency. I will be able to provide a positive impact on patient care by describing treatment options supporting sobriety for veterans experiencing opioid crises. I will be able to provide a positive impact on patient care by describing a comprehensive approach to identify veterans at risk for suicide and identify treatment plans for those veterans.
I will be able to summarize changes in the promotion process for VA nurses, including the role of the Nurse Professional Standards Board. I will demonstrate the process of facilitating the development of an evidence-based culture. I will be able to provide a positive impact on patient care by facilitating the development of an evidence-based culture. I will be able to describe practices to increase VA nurse satisfaction in today's workplace. I will be able to provide a positive impact on patient care by identifying ways that I can work with members of Veterans Service Organizations to strengthen partnerships to work together on behalf of veterans.
How I will share knowledge gained:
I will share the knowledge I have gained by presenting an in-service for my peers, or by sharing information during informal discussions with my peers, or by developing a poster for my peers, or by providing information for a newsletter. I will implement at least one new idea that I learned at this conference in my work setting.
Click here to learn more about and register for this year’s Annual Meeting
Posted By Miriam I Rogers Holy, MSN, RN, ACM-RN,
Friday, May 26, 2023
Baltimore Chapter 218 hosted an Organogenesis event at McFaul’s Ironhorse Tavern in Parkville, Maryland, on March 28.
The nurses were eager to be together for the first time since COVID lifted. Many of the participants were new NOVA members and some attended to learn more about the NOVA organization.
There was a lot of excitement in the air as many of the Maryland VA Health Care System locations were represented under one roof and it was good to be able to put faces to names as we have only seen each other on Teams conversations or behind masks.
We were honored and privileged to have had three of our wonderful Nurse Emeritus members join us. They have all participated in NOVA not only as Nurse Emeritus members from the chapter level but in national level positions as well.
Catherine Baily
Sharon Johnson
Connie Perry- Simon
Each of our Emeritus members were able to speak and share their thoughts on NOVA and many of the participants were awed by the wealth of experience and excitement of NOVA that was conveyed.
The program continued with a wonderful speaker sponsored by Organogenesis, Ms. Susan Reid, who presented on the topic of wound care. Only nurses can enjoy a topic like wound care over dinner!
We all look forward to meeting together again in June for another NOVA event. Now the planning begins!
It is hard to believe that we are more than halfway through the first session of the 118th Congress. It has been a busy five months for NOVA and our advocacy efforts.
We continue to support legislation that will enhance VA’s efforts to bolster recruitment, retention, hiring and salaries for VHA staff.
NOVA testified in May on those very issues before the House VA Subcommittees on Health and Oversight & Investigations. Board Member and Legislative Committee Chairman, Kelley Saindon, DNP, RN, NE-BC, CHPN provided our opinions on VHA recruitment & retention and what will help improve processes in hiring a quality workforce.
In our testimony we thanked the Committee for its support of the VA workforce and its work on several legislative packages that have provided the VA with various tools needed to address hiring and retention. Congressional authorities like those found in the RAISE Act and Title IV of the PACT Act, but noted the challenges that remain as hiring delays and length of time to onboard remains high.
We highlighted HR Modernization difficulties and the need for Congress to review all levels of the VA pay scale. NOVA believes that fair and equitable pay is mandatory in the current market of healthcare shortages that is predicted to be a global health emergency by 2030. We let them know that NOVA members report that a balance of competitive pay and scheduling flexibility is necessary for work-life balance and in recruiting top candidates. The pandemic highlighted elevated levels of burnout and mental stress - more nurses are asking for schedules that accommodate their needs.
VA must be able to compete with the private sector to maintain safe staffing levels and provide the highest quality of care for Veterans.
We offered a few legislative fixes for consideration – they include:
Offer continuing education reimbursement for all nursing staff
Provide funding to allow for additional nursing residencies
Require salary market analysis and transparent reporting annually to VHA leadership and Congress
For a list of bills of interest and other advocacy information, visit NOVA’s Advocacy Toolkit
As always, stay tuned to NOVA’s website and social media for updates on how we plan to encourage advocacy during August recess and continue the conversation with Congress on the importance of continuing to provide quality healthcare to our Veterans.
Posted By TJ Wilcox-Olson, MHS, RN, CPHQ,
Thursday, May 25, 2023
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) and NOVA member, Rishelle Zhou, DNAP, LLB, CRNA was recently on a flight across the country when there was a medical emergency a few rows ahead of her. The flight attendants asked if there were any medical personnel on the plane who could assist and Rishelle jumped into action.
Her education and clinical experience in critical care prepared her to care for an unconscious passenger. There was another medical professional on the flight, a dermatologist. He said he would follow Rishelle’s lead since CRNAs have more critical care training and are more experienced with emergency medical situations.
After this event, Rishelle also received a hand-written note from Washington State Representative, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, commending Rishelle for her quick intervention.
Richelle is a CRNA at VA Portland Health Care System and is also faculty at Oregon Health and Sciences Nurse Anesthesia Program.
Posted By TJ Wilcox-Olson, MHS, RN, CPHQ,
Thursday, May 25, 2023
May was a busy month for NOVA nurses. The month kicked off with Nurses Week and nurses sharing pictures of the swag they received from their facilities to recognize all of their hard work throughout the year. From hats to tote bags to thank you notes, nurses had all the gear to celebrate in style. Speaking of which, did you see the fun Nurses Week logo on items in the NOVA store?
In May, NOVA also had the great privilege of being invited to provide testimony on Capitol Hill. NOVA Board Member and Legislative Committee chair, Kelley Saindon, DNP, RN, NE-BC, CHPN testified on recruitment and retention issues before a joint hearing of the House VA Subcommittees on Health and Oversight and Investigations. Kelley did an amazing job!
The NOVA Board met with staff from the Office of Nurse Services (ONS) and they shared information about songwriting projects VA nurses have been involved with. These songs are about the lives and careers of VA nurses who are Veterans themselves. These beautiful tracks were launched at a premier hosted by ONS. More information about Freedom Sings can be found on their website and their YouTube channel. This is such a great way to celebrate VA nurses, Veterans, and the work we do every day.
NOVA’s Annual Meeting is right around the corner. Are you ready to join us in Las Vegas October 26 and 27? Registration information is launching soon. I hope to see you there!
At NOVA, every day is Nurses Day! Thank you for everything you do to take care of our Veterans.
Posted By Laura Fontanez, DNP MSN APRN FNP-BC,
Thursday, April 27, 2023
Updated: Monday, May 1, 2023
Pre-anesthesia testing (PAT) clinics provide comprehensive patient assessment to help identify potential anesthesia risks that can negatively impact surgical outcomes. According to Davenport [1], each year, more than 200 million people undergo surgery worldwide, and in the United States population has become increasingly complex with multiple medical comorbidities and polypharmacy. In fact, Davenport et al (2005) describes that 26% of all inpatient adverse events in elderly population are associated with surgery and 44% of adverse events are preventable.
Advanced practice providers (APPs), global term for Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants and Certified Nurse Anesthetist, have an emerging role in the PAT clinics helping bridge the gap between primary care and specialty care through care coordination, comprehensive assessments, and patient education. These activities ensure that patients are at their best possible health reducing the risk of post op adverse events or complications and overall hospital costs.
Care coordination can be time-consuming. However, nurse practitioners work closely with members of the healthcare team coordinating and expediting patient care to avoid surgical delays or undue cancellations. For example, on PAT physical assessment, I noticed an enlarged goiter on a patient scheduled for oral cancer surgery. The goiter was deviating the trachea, which represents a significant airway risk potentially leading to difficult intubation. Immediately, I spoke with the attending anesthesiologist and we both agreed patient needed an urgent ENT consult and CT of the neck before surgery. I was able to order the CT of neck, contacted radiology department and patient had it done the next day. Meanwhile, I coordinated ENT consult within days and patient was cleared to go for lifesaving cancer surgery without delay.
Besides care coordination, APPs conduct comprehensive assessments to identify potential health risks improving patient surgical outcomes. Patients who come to the PAT clinic are given a comprehensive assessment including a health review, physical exam, and preoperative instruction and education of how to prepare for surgery. If any issues identified, collaborate with members of the healthcare team including anesthesiologists, cardiologists, primary care physicians and interdisciplinary teams within radiology and lab departments to optimize patients for surgery.
An important role of APPs in the PAT clinic is patient education. Providing patients with the information they need to manage any unexpected circumstances such as trouble with transportation or what to expect before and after surgery as far as where to go and what to do can significantly allay patients’ fears and anxiety associated with surgery. Also, APPs reinforce important medical information such as instructions on medications to take or hold before surgery, to monitor their blood pressure and blood sugar preop to ensure optimal hypertension and diabetes control to reduce health risks. Well informed patients translate into increased patient’s compliance and less last-minute surgical delays and cancellations that can negatively impact the economy of the operating room including hospital costs. Research has demonstrated that reducing the risk of intra and post operative complications results in significant hospital cost savings [1].
In summary, APPs have a unique role in the PAT clinic. They are actively involved in patient care coordination among members of the health care team. Patient optimization is associated with a lower risk for adverse surgical outcomes as well as the probability that a procedure will be delayed or postponed, decreasing hospital costs. Also, they perform comprehensive assessments of patients and prevent unnecessary investigations and consultations that can potentially delay or cancel surgeries. They educate patients about the perioperative process and answer questions to promote patient compliance. Overall, APPs contributions in PAT clinics are associated with best patient outcomes, lower rate of surgical cancellations and delays plus hospital costs savings.
---------------------------------------- [1] Davenport, D. L., Henderson, W. G., Khuri, S. F., & Mentzer, R. M., Jr. (2005). Preoperative risk factors and surgical complexity are more predictive of costs than postoperative complications: A case study using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. Annals of Surgery, 242, 463–71.
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