WEST VIRGINIA NURSE “Nurses working together for a healthy West Virginia” The official publication of the West Virginia Nurses Association Quarterly publication distributed to approximately 19,600 RNs & LPNs in West Virginia. October, November, December 2020 Volume 21 • No. 4 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Inside: Dear WV Nurse Colleagues, • We have helped long-term care facilities and In my 35 years of nursing, clinics obtain much-needed PPE. We have also Executive Director’s Message .. 2 I can honestly say that I have helped connect them to places that could never worked during a time safely clean PPE for reuse. such as this: a time when so • We’ve continued the discussion of staffing Conferences and Meetings ... 3 many people are suffering, safety and making our plans for the upcoming and things are changing so legislative session. Corrections ................ 3 fast. It seems that every day there are new regulations, The Zoom meetings we have been having with the guidelines, and treatments WV Association of School Nurses (WVASN) have been 2020 Elections Are for fighting COVID-19 and we particularly eye-opening. As I write this, school is all are experiencing anxiety Joyce Wilson opening in a week. During a normal school year, the Coming Soon .......... 4-5 and fatigue. school nurses’ job is demanding – including making There are some things that never change, care plans for students with chronic illness and Three Risk Areas Nurses Face in however. The weather is cooling, the leaves are keeping all students up to date with immunizations turning, and the boots-on-the-ground nurses are and yearly check-ups. This year with COVID, the job the Time of COVID-19 ..... 6 bravely facing the daily challenges of the pandemic: will be daunting. During our calls, they’ve told stories challenges like working extra shifts and longer hours, of one nurse traveling sometimes 20 or more miles WVNA Press Release ........ 7 reusing PPE, and holding the hands of dying patients between schools to check blood sugars and give when family members insulin to their diabetic cannot be with them. patients. That is just Time to Remove Unnecessary WVNA has always one example. used our platform “...the boots-on-the-ground nurses are The calls also Barriers to CRNA Practice ... 8 to improve working bravely facing the daily challenges of brought to light the conditions for nurses. the pandemic: challenges like working important work of Introduction to the WVONL ... 9 Since the pandemic extra shifts and longer hours, reusing the nurses working our advocacy for at our county health nurses has increased. PPE, and holding the hands of dying departments, Membership Update ....... 10 • We have been patients when family members cannot especially now during holding open be with them. “ the pandemic. In Membership Application ... 11 forum Zoom rural counties, there meetings with is usually just one individual RN monitoring the nurses as well as nursing organizations. These calls keep us informed of the issues making giving care difficult for nurses, and help us to President’s Message continued on page 7 know how we can be supportive to them. WVN-PAC Endorsements for WV House of Delegates — 2020 District Name County / Counties in District 1 Pat McGeehan* Brooke (part), Hancock Presort Standard 2 No Endorsement Brooke (part), Ohio (part) US Postage PAID 3 Dalton Haas Ohio (part) Permit #14 3 Shawn Fluharty* Ohio (part) Princeton, MN current resident or 55371 4 No Endorsement Marshall 5 Dave Pethtel* Monongalia (part), Wetzel 6 No Endorsement Doddridge, Pleasants (part), Tyler 7 No Endorsement Pleasants (part), Ritchie 8 No Endorsement Wood (part) 9 No Endorsement Wirt, Wood (part) See the full list of endorsements on pages 4 and 5 Page 2 West Virginia Nurse October, November, December 2020 Executive Director’s Message Add your VOICE with membership: West Virginia Nurse WVNA is the professional nurses’ Official Publication of the West Virginia Nurses Association association in West Virginia P.O. Box 1946 | Charleston, WV 25327 Phone: 866.986.8773 or 866.WVNURSE Email: [email protected] Julie Huron, BSH, LNHA / Executive Director INSURANCE. This is how you protect yourself. Do not rely on Webpage: www.wvnurses.org your employer, because if you lose your job, you lose your Dear West Virginia Nurses, insurance, and through your insurance is how you hire an attorney. It is as simple as that. There are no nurses exempt Published quarterly every January, April, July and October for the West The simple words, “Thank from this. I don’t care who you purchase insurance with, but Virginia Nurses Association, a constituent member of the American Nurses Association. you for the work you have been please purchase your own insurance. WVNA is a partner with doing during COVID-19” do not NSO (Nurses Service Organization), and they do great work The opinions contained herein are those of the individual authors and do seem to begin to cover what I for nurses, offer risk management CE, and do everything not necessarily reflect the views of the Association. feel towards the nurses of West possible to protect you, the nurse. There is a banner link on WV Nurse reserves the right to edit all materials to its style and space Virginia in the year 2020. This has our website, and the American Nurses Association has now requirements and to clarify presentations. been a frightening year for all partnered with NSO too. WVNA Mission Statement health care workers and families. I hope WV nurses also take note of the work that was The mission of WVNA is to empower the diverse voice of nurses in all I remember a moment this spring done by our WVNA Board, our WVNA Health Policy & settings toward unified focus of nursing knowledge, skill, and ability to when I found myself in tears after Julie A. Huron Legislative (HP & L) Committee, as well as our WVNA promote the health & well-being of all West Virginians, through education, hearing about a pregnant health Organizational Affiliate Partners (WV Affiliate of the ACNM, legislation, and health policy. care worker being exposed to COVID-19, and hearing that WVANA, and WVASN), along with House Majority Leader WVNA Executive Board her employer required her to continue working. It was early Amy Summers and Dr. Sue Painter from the WV Board of President: Joyce Wilson [email protected] in the pandemic, a time we didn’t know much yet, but I was Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses. If you renew President-Elect: Vacant position afraid for this health care worker who had a toddler at home, your nursing license this fall, you won’t be subjected to the Vice President: Lori McComas Chaffins [email protected] and she was now exposed to COVID-19. The empathy and CE requirements. We knew that nurses were going to be Treasurer: Brenda Keefer [email protected] fear that I felt for her and her family was a bit overwhelming, inundated with COVID-19, by working extra shifts, working Secretary: Jon H. Casto [email protected] Immediate Past President: Toni DiChiacchio [email protected] but working with the WVNA nurses, we started finding our through countless stressors of family and personal illnesses, District Leader Representative: way and connecting with our sources to help nurses. We did home-life changes, furlough, or job loss, along with the Deborah Casdorph [email protected] a lot of listening and had several discussions on how nurses uncertainties of a new school year. WVNA wanted to ensure could best protect themselves when there was not adequate nurses did not have the extra burdens of obtaining state- Committee Chairs PPE. required continuing education. APRN Congress Chair: Jodi Biller [email protected] Now, here we are six months later, learning to live in a Health Policy & Legislative Chair: As I write this, the WVNA elections are about to start Toni DiChiacchio [email protected] COVID-19 pandemic. I applaud nurses and all health care and will be complete by the time this article comes out. PAC Chair: Jon H. Casto [email protected] workers for charging forward fearlessly! We (the WVNA) You can visit our WVNA website and search “News and Immediate Past PAC Chair: Joyce Wilson [email protected] definitely “have your back,” and we are just a phone call, Announcements” for the Election Announcements. Membership Chair: Anitra Ellis [email protected] email, or text message away. The WVNA Membership Assembly has changed to a Nominations and Awards Chair: I take great pride in my work for West Virginia nurses. virtual format on October 25 and election announcements Toni DiChiacchio [email protected] I’m the one who is on the other end of your phone call, will take place at the Membership Assembly, along with Nursing Workforce Initiative: Heather Glasko-Tully [email protected] email, social media direct message, and texts. I believe in ratifying our HP & L Statement, determining the 2021 ANA Membership Assembly Delegate: my heart that someone must take up the “cause” for nurses. operating budget, and cleaning up our WVNA Policy and Teresa Hovatter [email protected] We all need to know that someone has our back, that there Procedures. is somewhere to turn when you are afraid to speak up or As I have mentioned before, my father had a hemorrhagic WVNA Staff ask a question at work. I am grateful that the WVNA board stroke in May, and spent over a month in the hospital and Julie Absher Huron, Executive Director [email protected] is just as committed to WV nurses, as I am. They (the WVNA another month in a skilled rehabilitation facility. He is now board) constantly explore how what we do will affect nurses.