What You Need to Know. Al 2009 Fall W S N a B O a R D O F D I R E C T O R S & S T a F F
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Fall 2009 Fall Web Resources Web Volume 39, No 3 39, Volume • : inside H1N1 & Flu Seasonal About Know to Need Nurses What Public the Educate to Doing Are We What Nurses Pregnant for Information Information & Facts Essential What you need to know. A Publication of the Washington State Nurses Association A Publication of the Washington The Washington Nurse H1N1 Pandemic Preparedness Report from Leadership Conference Volume 39, No 3. Fall 2009 W S N A B o A r d o f d i r e c t o r S & S t A f f president Julia A. Weinberg, RN, Bow Washington State Nurses Association vicE president 575 Andover Park West, Suite 101, Seattle, WA 98188 Tim Davis, MN, RN, Mt. Vernon 206.575.7979 • 206.575.1908 fax • [email protected] SEcrEtary / trEaSurEr Verlee Sutherlin, MEd, MSN, RN, Nine Mile Falls www.wsna.org DirEctorS-at-largE Jeanne Avey, RN, Longview Ed Dolle, RN, Port Orchard Jennifer Graves, RN, MS, ARNP, Seattle The Washington Nurse (ISSN# 0734-5666) newsmaga- Judi M. Lyons, RN, Ellensburg zine is published quarterly by the Washington State Pam Pasquale, MN, RN, BC, CNE, Wenatchee Nurses Association. It is distributed as a benefit of membership to all WSNA members. A member rate of chair, professional nurSing & Health carE council $10 per year is included in WSNA membership dues. Sharon Bradley, MSN, RN, Spokane Institutional subscription rate is $20 per year (Canada/ Mexico: US $26 per year; Foreign: US $39 per year) chair, LegiSlativE & Health policy council or $37.50 for two years. Single copy price is $5.00 Susan E. Jacobson, RN, CCRN, Yakima each prepaid. chair, caBinEt on EconoMic & GenEral WElfarE The information in this newsmagazine is for the benefit Martha Avey, RN, CCRN, Spokane of WSNA members. WSNA is a multi-purpose, multi- faceted organization. The Washington Nurse provides a forum for members of all specialties and interests ExEcutivE DirEctor AssiStant ExEcutivE DirEctor, nurSing to express their opinions. Opinions expressed are the Judith A. Huntington, MN, RN practicE, EDucation & research responsibilities of the authors and do not necessarily Sally Watkins, PhD, MS, RN reflect the opinions of the officers or membership of SpEcial projEctS ManagEr WSNA, unless so stated. Copyright 2009, WSNA. No Darlene Delgado, RN occupational & Environmental Health SpEcialiSt Karen R. Bowman, MN, RN, COHN-S part of this publication may be reproduced without ExEcutivE AdminiStrativE AssiStant permission. to thE ExEcutivE DirEctor EDUCATION SpECIALISt Barbara Bergeron Hilke Faber, MN, RN, FAAN BookkeepEr AdminiStrativE AssiStant, programs & opErationS Advertising Mary Reed Hue Tran Information on advertising rates may be obtained on AssiStant ExEcutivE DirEctor, AssiStant ExEcutivE DirEctor, laBor RelationS the WSNA website (www.wsna.org) or by contacting govErnmental AffairS anD opErationS Barbara E. Frye, BSN, RN the WSNA Business Agent at 206.575.7979. Advertis- Anne Tan Piazza ing deadlines are: March 1, June 1, September 1, and AssiStant DirEctor, laBor RelationS December 1. Advertising will be accepted on a first contract lobbyiSt Christine Himmelsbach, MN, RN Tamara Warnke come, first served basis for preferred positions, pending space availability. WSNA reserves the right to reject GenEral / corporatE counsel advertising. Paid advertisements in The Washington SEnior govErnmental affairS AdviSor Timothy Sears Sofia Aragon, JD, BSN, RN Nurse do not necessarily reflect the endorsement of GenEral counsel the WSNA Members, Staff or Organization. communicationS SpEcialiSt Linda Machia Lillie Cridland Michael Sanderson WEB & COMMUNICATIONS SpECIALISt paralEgal Contributor g u i d e l i n e s Ben Tilden Maria Pettit Article ideas and unsolicited manuscripts are wel- opErationS / SyStems AdminiStrator SEnior nurse RepresentativE come from WSNA members (300 word maximum). Duncan Taylor Kathi Landon, RN Please submit a typed copy and digital copy (Word 97/2003/2007), and include identified relevant photos, MemberShip coorDinator nurse Representatives a biographical statement, your name, address and Mary Peterson Debra Bessmer, BSN, RN credentials. It is not the policy of WSNA to pay for Margaret Conley, ARNP, RN articles or artwork. MemberShip processorS Sara Frey, JD, BSN, RN Patrick McGraw Carmen Garrison BSN, RN Louise Hohbach Michelle Huskinson, RN Judy Marken, BSN, RN MemberShip processor / clErical Support A r t i C l e s u b M i s s i o n d e A d l i n e s Pat McClure, RN Kelly King Hanna Welander, BSN, RN communicationS processor Heather Worbets, BSN, RN Spring ......................................................................... February 15 Ed Zercher, BSN, RN Kathryn MacLeod Summer ................................................................................ May 15 nurse organizErS RecEptioniSt / Mail clErk Jan Bussert, BSN, RN Fall ................................................................................... August 15 Irene Mueller Tara Goode, BA, BSN, RN Winter ..................................................................... November 15 Mara Kieval, BSN, RN 2 | The Washington Nurse | Fall 2009 Contents FEATURED up front 4 President's Letter 6 Calendar of Events 6 You Were Represented 7 2010 Dues Rates Chart 8 News Briefs 9 ANA News LegiSlativE affairS 20 2009 Voter's Guide 21 Missed Breaks Survey 22 Journey to Washington, D.C. 24 A New Campaign for Health Care Reform WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW laBor RelationS 26 Protecting Jail Nurses 26 Sidewalk Social at UWMC SeaSonal Flu 27 Mandatory Vaccination Fight 10 Prevalence 28 2009 E&GW Awards 30 Photos from 2009 11 Vaccinations Leadership Conference 11 WSNA'S Position Regarding Flu Vaccine 12 Masks for Seasonal Flu nurSing practicE & EDucation H1n1 32 Liability Insurance 34 Continuing Education Calendar 13 Introduction 36 Upcoming Workshop: Violence in the Workplace 14 Vaccination Recommendations 15 Status of Vaccine Back of Book 15 Masks for H1N1 37 District News Surveillance of Health 16 38 Membership Update Care Personnel 39 New Members 16 Nurses Who Are Pregnant 17 Protecting Yourself 18 Helping Your Community The Washington Nurse | Fall 2009 | 3 In Focus byJulia Weinberg, RN WSNA President have had the opportunity to attend several health our population. But access is only one piece of the care reform rallies, participate in a health care puzzle, we also need to make sure that this health I reform panel, and be in attendance at a few of the care is affordable for everyone. town hall meetings that Congressman Larson held I have come to develop several core beliefs about here in my region of the state. health care, and I’ve heard many others share these I have talked with nurses who feel much like I do same thoughts during those town hall meetings and when it comes to health care reform and others who conversation: have differing opinions. What was good about all • No one should ever have to be concerned of these conversations and interactions is that we about not being able to afford or access health talked. We didn’t yell or call each other names – just care at any time in their lifetime. had good dialogue about the pluses and minuses of what is out there now and of the various bills already • There needs to be a huge emphasis on public in the Senate and House for our review. What we did health and education, on health promotion all agree on was that our current health care system is and on disease prevention. indeed broken and in need of serious reform, though • We all will benefit if incentives are created that we differ in our views of what that reform should be. reward those who actively seek to improve WSNA and ANA support a public option that would their health by getting vaccinations, receiving allow for people who do not have insurance (and regular screenings, exercising, living a healthy possibly more people) to choose a federally admin- lifestyle, and availing themselves of preventive istered health care insurance plan. Insurance com- care. Rewarding people with chronic condi- panies have promised to help reform the system but tions who go the extra mile in managing their we need real accountability to ensure that they will condition(s), under the guidance of a primary help bring down costs, put caps on the out of pocket care provider, will be especially beneficial. costs for patients and families, stop denying cover- When I attended the forums, the rallies and the town age for preexisting conditions, and not make gender hall meetings or watched them on TV (as many of a factor – in effect discriminating - in the services us did), I began to see and understand how much health plans provide coverage for. We need to hold misinformation was really out there. People were insurance companies accountable and a quality pub- certainly fearful, though many either did not know lic plan would do just that. the facts or had heard only those who wanted to dis- rupt the debate and cause panic. It’s true that real reform means big changes, but that change that will We need to make sure that there is access to care, be good for most of us. However, there are also people but access is only one piece of the puzzle. We who make a lot of money under the current system also need to make sure that this health care is and they are certainly working hard to maintain the affordable. status quo. WSNA made the decision in August to launch our We need to make sure that there is access to care own website so that nurses and the public can get the which means having enough primary providers facts’ about health care reform at Nurses4HealthRe- across the country – including enough registered form.org. The site gives nurses and others the abil- nurses and advanced registered nurse practitioners ity to make informed decisions based on facts and – to make sure we can meet the healthcare needs of 4 | The Washington Nurse | Fall 2009 not fears. It also lays out WSNA’s four The prediction is that this will be a seri- priorities for health care reform: The prediction is that this will be a ous pandemic flu year, and we’re already seeing this begin.