Below is an archive of the AAMC Nursing News Letter

Spring 2009

News

Denise Schmitt, M.S., R.N., C.E.N.
Julie Levy, B.S.N., R.N., C.N.O.R.

The continuing nursing shortage in Maryland has long range implications for the residents of Anne Arundel County, potentially limiting access to quality health care, delaying treatment and contributing to provider burnout. Current research into the nursing shortage illustrates an increased demand for nursing care and the Maryland Board of Nursing predicts that our state will experience a shortage of 17,116 nurses by 2012 (MBON, 2005).

Intro to Perioperative Nursing students Michelene Holmes, Jason Hill and Corrie Pruitt

Inherent in nursing practice is an ethical obligation to provide competent, comprehensive, evidence- based nursing care to the communities we serve. It is not enough to assume that someone else will solve the dilemma of the nursing shortage, we must act.

AAMC is doing just that. Margaret Saul, R.N., C.N.O.R. and Denise Schmitt, M.S., R.N., C.E.N., clinical educators in surgical services, recognized that by collaborating with educational institutions to increase the availability of qualified faculty, classroom space, and clinical practice sites for nursing students, they could work to change the impact of the nursing shortage in our community.

With the support of Sherry B. Perkins, Ph.D., R.N., Chief Nursing Executive, and collaboration from Anne Arundel Community College, they developed an on-campus course designed to familiarize undergraduate nursing students with the perioperative environment.

This two-credit elective, Introduction to Perioperative Nursing, made its debut in January 2008. Since then, five of the eight students who have enrolled in this course have chosen to stay on at AAMC as nursing externs. This enables the students to learn even more about perioperative nursing, while strengthening the pool of potential future AAMC nurses.

More recently, with an eye toward the future, this program has become something much larger: the AAMC Nursing Institute. Through work with nurse experts in other specialty areas, AAMC is moving forward to create more course offerings. For example, Sally Grimm, B.S.N., R.N. is with this team on an Introduction to Emergency Nursing elective.

Despite a nursing shortage, we must continue to meet the needs of the community we serve in creative ways. The AAMC Nursing Institute is one way our nurses have sought to integrate solutions into practice. Expect to hear more about the progression of this program in upcoming months.

Reference Maryland Board of Nursing. (2005). Nursing Faculty Shortage: Causes, Effects, and Suggestions for Resolution. Baltimore: Maryland Statewide Commission on the Crisis in Nursing.

Congratulations to the 2008 College of Notre Dame Graduates

Monica Mewshaw, M.S.N., M.P.H., R.N.

The members of AAMC’s 2nd College of Notre Dame R.N. to B.S.N. cohort began their studies together in September of 2005. Since then, these nurses have managed a very delicate balance between commitment to family, community, profession, and their own personal studies. This past September, during a graduation ceremony attended by friends and family, these nurses were recognized by AAMC for their scholastic achievement.

Congratulations to AAMC’s graduates: Della Amihere, B.S.N., R.N. (CCU), Patricia Barnes, B.S.N., R.N. (ACP OR), Susie Bradbury, B.S.N., R.N. (L&D), Kelly Higdon, B.S.N., R.N. (SSU), Judy Loftice, B.S.N., R.N. (SCU), Anne Nauman, B.S.N., R.N. (L&D), Jumoke Oleghe-Somoye, B.S.N., R.N. (Admissions), Joanne Ronayne, B.S.N., R.N. (MSU), and Yvette Svoboda, B.S.N., R.N. (MSU).

AAMC Welcomes Chesapeake Society of Gastroenterology Nursing & Associates

David Baldwin, R.N.
Linda Tabisz, B.S.N., R.N.

Staying abreast of important practice updates and research is a priority for AAMC’s Endoscopy unit. This November, over 100 health care professionals from Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and the D.C. area convened at AAMC for the Chesapeake Society of Gastroenterology Nursing & Associates (CSGNA) Meeting and Conference. Presentation topics for the day included “Abdominal Pain in Children,” “Nursing Care of the Spyglass Patient,” and “Review of GI Pathology.”

AAMC’s Endoscopy unit was proud to host this event and continually participates in events that equip their nurses to provide outstanding care to pre-op, procedural, and postop patients undergoing extremely specialized procedures.

“By keeping up with the latest procedures, equipment and policies, we ensure that our patients receive the best possible care,” says David Baldwin, R.N., the unit’s clinical educator. “We do what we do to keep Makin’ it Great!”

Care Management Celebrates their Role as Patient Advocates

Cheryl Kinser, R.N.
Sherri Morgan-Johnson, R.N., M.H.S.A.

Photo by Bill Volcjak

From October 12-18, AAMC celebrated national Case Management week. This celebration served to recognize case managers, educate the public about case management, and heighten awareness of the significant contributions made by AAMC’s Care Management department. Activities included a visit from Maryland State Delegate, Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, who spoke to the organization about Health Care & Legislation, a recognition dinner and awards ceremony, seated massages, and lunches provided by different vendor groups.

The Care Management team makes a difference in patients’ lives each day. Their responsibilities include developing discharge plans, identifying barriers to discharge, talking with family members about community resources, ascertaining proper home care equipment and home health services, and transferring patients to appropriate acute or sub-acute facilities.

“In this complex, fast-paced health care arena with ever-shortening patient stays, the nurse care managers, social workers and support central staff are major drivers in the coordination of quality health care and cost containment,” says Sherri Morgan-Johnson, R.N., M.H.S.A., clinical director for Care Management. “They touch every department and every discipline. It’s all in a day’s work… it’s what we do best.”

AAMC Hosts Oncology Nursing Society Chemotherapy/Biotherapy Course

Jan Clemons, B.S.N., R.N., O.C.N.

Photo by Bill Volcjak

This October, AAMC collaborated with the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS), the largest professional oncology organization in the world, to host an ONS Chemotherapy/Biotherapy Course. This program, which is offered nationally, provides training in cytotoxic treatments of cancer to nurses and other health care workers. Course topics include the action and side effects of chemotherapy and biotherapy agents, safe administration techniques, and the nursing care of patients receiving chemotherapy or biotherapy. “The ONS Chemotherapy/Biotherapy Course provides the framework of knowledge for our nurses at AAMC and for community oncology nurses.

We want to set the benchmarks high for ourselves and for our patients,” said Cathy Copertino, M.S., R.N., O.C.N., executive director for the DeCesaris Cancer Institute. “As oncology nurses we strive for excellence… The knowledge required is everchanging as new treatments, new ways to deliver care and advances in our practice continue.”

This two day course, conducted by Jan Clemons, B.S.N., R.N., O.C.N., clinical educator for the AAMC oncology inpatient unit, and Lynn Finnegan, M.S.N., R.N., O.C.N., nurse clinical manager for Annapolis Oncology Center, is offered three times annually.

“My desire and hope is that all oncology nurses within the cancer center will attend this seminar, our professional association’s gold standard,” said Ann Marie Pessagno, M.S.A., R.N., C.H.P.N., senior director of nursing, Acute and Critical Care. “We are dedicated to providing our nurses with learning opportunities like this so they can continue to deliver state-of-the-art, competent, evidence-based care to our patients and their families.”

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