& The Institute for Nursing Newsletter Advocating--Positioning--and Educating New Jersey RNs Brought to you by NJSNA’s Dues-Paying Members. JOIN US TODAY! New Jersey State Nurses Association • 1479 Pennington Road • Trenton, New Jersey 08618 • www.njsna.org • (609) 883-5335 Volume 45 • Number 4 Quarterly publication direct mailed to approximately 138,000 RNs and LPNs in New Jersey October 2015 Inside... Suicide Among Nurses by: Karla Tramutola, MSN, RN, CAPA, COPP violenceprevention/suicide/resources.html) Member at Large One of the purposes of NJSNA’s Congress on Policy and Practice (COPP) is to promote various In preparing to write this article, I asked my issues affecting professional nursing practice. COPP relatives, friends, and colleagues if they knew of a wants to hear from NJSNA members! Please contact nurse who had taken his/her own life. My mother COPP via e-mail at [email protected]. recalled a woman from her nursing class of 1960 and a dear friend mentioned taking care of a psychiatric References: nurse who attempted twice but was “unsuccessful.” Alderson, M., Parent-Rocheleau, X., and Mishara, B. Asthma Today: Implementing the NAEPP “Suicide is a major public health issue with over (2015). Critical Review on Suicide Among Nurses: What about Work-Related Factors? Crisis, 36(2), 91 - Expert Panel Report-3 2007 Guidelines 800,000 people dying by suicide globally every year” (Cheung, Merry, & Sundram, 2015, p. 17). 101. Aradilla-Herrero, A., Tomas-Sabado, J., & Gomez- Page 7 What leads anyone to take his own life? What leads Benito, J. (2014) Associations Between Emotional nurses to commit this act? Intelligence, Depression, and Suicide Risk in Nursing “Knowledge and access to means, depression and Students. Nurse Education Today, 34, 520 - 525. nontreatment of depression, smoking and substance Cheung, G., Merry, S. & Sundram, F. (2015). Late-Life abuse, and stress (personal and occupational)” suicide: Insight on Motives and Contributors Derived (Alderson, Parent-Rocheleau, & Mishara, 2015, p. 95) From Suicide Notes. Journal of Affective Disorders. contribute to the higher incidence of suicide among 185, 17 - 23. nurses. Weaver, K. (2013). The Effects of Horizontal Violence and As a community, it is important to look at our past Bullying on New Nurse Retention. Journal for Nurses and to our future: those studying to become nurses. in Professional Development, 29 (3) 138 - 142. www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/suicide/resources.html retrieved on July 19, 2015. In relation to nursing students, Goetz suggests that they may be at higher risk for suicide than other college students because they Region News are subjected to a stressful academic curriculum. Call for Specifically, nurse training includes both clinical Page 10 placements and theory-based classes, and Nominations for among other stressful situations, nurses must also learn to cope with suffering and death. In a recent study of 142 Greek nursing students, State Elective 10% reported suicidal thoughts and 1.4% stated Index that they might attempt suicide if they had the Offices… chance (Aradilla-Herrero, et al., 2014, p. 520). Membership Application ..................... 2 The New Jersey State Nurses Association (NJSNA) Nominations Committee is seeking INPAC: Interested Nurses Political Action Bullying is insidious and toxic to our society. Too interested NJSNA members who wish to serve in Committee Endorses “Friends of Nursing” ........ 3 often we read the sad news of a victim who uses suicide to escape pain and suffering. “Any nurse can leadership roles. DEADLINE OCT 14, 2015. CEO Report ................................ 3 be a victim of horizontal violence and bullying, but the Members in the News ......................... 4 new graduate nurse is at higher risk. New nurses often New Jersey State Nurses Association lack the confidence and social connectivity that may Preliminary 2015 STATE BALLOT: Board of Director’s Updates .................... 5 ward off interpersonal conflict. This makes them more SAFE New Jersey: An Initiative to Address vulnerable to bullying behavior and lateral violence” VICE PRESIDENT Domestic and Sexual Violence ................. 6 (Weaver, 2013, p. 139). • Kathryn Fleming Several research articles highlighted emergency Nurse Leader in the Boardroom ................. 9 and psychiatric nursing as being high risk specialties. SECRETARY Region News ........................... 10-11 What can we do as a nursing community to • Sandy Quinn prevent such tragedies from occurring? Institute for Nursing (IFN) ..................... 11 We must be comfortable reaching out to those BOARD OF DIRECTORS Friends of National Institute of Nursing Research who express sadness and potential thoughts. Knowing Member-at-Large (2) (FON) Name Hansell Ambassador .............. 11 the signs and intervening can be life sustaining. Also • Eileen Toughill learning to handle those who have attempted suicide is an important part of caring BOARD OF DIRECTORS On a personal note, it is imperative to look Staff Nurse (1) inward and realize that we are not immune to Non-Profit Org. stress, understand our own limitations, hold COMMITTEE ON NOMINATIONS (3) U.S. Postage Paid ourselves accountable, and seek help when Princeton, MN necessary. CONGRESS ON POLICY & PRACTICE (1) Permit No. 14 For immediate help, the “National Suicide • Kathleen Jackson current resident or Prevention Hotline at 1–(800)–273–TALK • Eileen Carrigg Specchio (8255) is a 24-hour, toll-free, confidential, suicide prevention hotline available to anyone To obtain “Consent to Serve” for or to learn in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. By more about each of the leadership positions dialing 1–(800)–273–TALK, the call is routed to please visit the NJSNA website at www.njsna.org. the nearest crisis center in a national network You can also request a form by contacting Sandy of more than 140 crisis centers. Local crisis Kerr at 609-883-5335 extension 11 or by email centers provide crisis counseling and mental at [email protected]. health referrals day and night.” (www.cdc.gov/ Page 2 New Jersey Nurse & Institute for Nursing Newsletter October 2015 New Jersey Nurse Official Publication of the New Jersey State Nurses Association and Institute for Nursing 1479 Pennington Road Trenton, New Jersey 08618 Phone: 609-883-5335 Fax: 609-883-5343 Email: [email protected] Webpage: www.njsna.org NJSNA Mission Statement Advance the practice of professional nursing by fostering quality outcomes in education, practice and research Institute for Nursing (IFN) Board of Trustees Dr. Benjamin Evans, Chair, [email protected] June Brandes Chu, Secretary, [email protected] Judy Schmidt, MAL, CEO, [email protected] Dr. Mary E. Fortier, MAL, [email protected] Marvin Sauerhoff, Treasurer, [email protected] Dr. Phyllis Hansell, Vice Chair, Community Member Robert Wise, Community Member Eric Arauz, Community Member Ray Zarzar, Community Member Executive Committee Norma Rodgers, President, [email protected] Dr. Benjamin Evans, President Elect, [email protected] Dr. Kathryn Fleming, Vice President, [email protected] Eleanor Withington, Treasurer, [email protected] Dr. Sandy Quinn, Secretary, [email protected] Board of Directors Judy Schmidt, Past President, [email protected] Margaret Huryk, Director, [email protected] Saundra Austin-Benn, Director, [email protected] Kate Gillespie, Director, [email protected] Mary Carroll, Director, [email protected] Rosemarie Rosales, Director, [email protected] Mary Krug, Director, [email protected] Kathleen Burkhart, Director Staff Nurse, [email protected] Kathleen Mullen, Director Staff Nurse, [email protected] Patricia Fonder, Director Staff Nurse, [email protected] Susan Weaver, COPP Chair, [email protected] Region Presidents Mary Ellen Levine, Region 1; [email protected] Patricia August, Region 2; [email protected] Varsha Singh, Region 3; [email protected] Regina Adams, Region 4; [email protected] Dr. Anita Murphy, Region 5; [email protected] Peggy Lasoff, Region 6; [email protected] NJSNA/IFN Staff Judy Schmidt, CEO; [email protected] Debra Harwell, Deputy Director; [email protected] Membership Services Sandy Kerr, Executive Assistant & Member Administrator; www.njsna.org [email protected] Denise Jester, Office Manager; [email protected] Sandy Kerr, Executive Assistant, is also Dr. Barbara Chamberlain, Education Specialist; [email protected] now NJSNA’s Membership Services Tyea Santiago, Education Coordinator; [email protected] Annemarie Edinger, RAMP Comm Coord.; [email protected] Administrator. She will be your contact Kortnei Jackson, RAMP Adm. Asst.; [email protected] Jillian Scott, Director RAMP; [email protected] Published by: for all membership questions. She can be Donna Gillane, Case Manager RAMP; [email protected] Arthur L. Davis reached at 609-883-5335 extension 111 Brenda Wysocki, Case Manager RAMP, [email protected] Publishing Agency, Inc. or by email at [email protected]. New Jersey Nurse Staff Judy Schmidt, Editor Sandy Kerr, Managing Editor Dr. Barbara Wright, Executive Editor New Jersey Nurse Copy Submission Guidelines: All NJSNA members are encouraged to submit material for publication that is of interest to nurses. The New Jersey Nurse also welcomes unsolicited manuscripts. Article submission is preferred in MS Word format, Times New Roman font and can be up to 750 words. When sending pictures, please remember to label pictures clearly since the editors have no way of knowing who persons in the photos might be. Copy Submissions: Preferred submission