Chief Nurse Officer - the US Public Health Service Nursing

Publish Date: July 2013
Volume 1, Issue 2
Serving the Federal Public Health Service Nurse Community
Protecting, promoting, and advancing the health and safety of the Nation.
Chief Nurse Officer
Independence Day, not only offers a long weekend
rent smokers. In addition, during her tenure,
to reconnect
with family and friends, but also offers VADM Benjamin also released numerous other
This story can fit 175-225 words.
time to reflect on the principles and values on which key reports and campaigns that reinforce the imThe purpose of a newsletter is to provide specialized information to a targeted audience.
our Nation
was founded. The values we commemo- portance of prevention and wellness. The old adNewsletters can be a great way to market your product or service, and also create credibility and
rate on this
day are the same that we as officers, civil age “once a Surgeon General, always a Surgeon
build your organization’s identity among peers, members, employees, or vendors.
servants, and tribal nurses practice in our workplaces General” is revered in our Corps, so it is not
determine the audience of the newsletter. This could be anyone who might benefit from the
and dailyFirst,
lives.
Freedom, equality, liberty, honor,
“goodbye” but farewell until we meet again in the
information it contains, for example, employees or people interested in purchasing a product or
courage, requesting
sacrifice,your
andservice.
an indomitable spirit are at
great halls of public health. Please join me in sathe roots of being an American. May we remember luting her superior leadership and wishing her all
canspending
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mailing
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customer
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business
those whoYou
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offrom
Julybusiness
away from
best and
fair winds
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following seas in her
cards collected at trade shows, or membership lists. You might consider purchasing a mailing list
their families so that we can be with ours, such as
future endeavors! The nurses stand ready to assist
from a company.
those working in hospitals, clinics, emergency preRADM Boris Lushniak, Acting Surgeon General,
you explore the
Publisheroperations,
catalog, you will
thatScott
matchGiberson,
the style of your
parednessIf operations,
program
onfind
themany publications
and RADM
Acting Deputy Surnewsletter.
Inside this issue
battlefields, and many other areas. So, while we en- geon General, in reaching our goals of a healthy
Inside this issue
Next,
establish
how
much
time
and
money
you
can
spend
on
your
newsletter.
These
factors
will
help
joy this national holiday, I encourage you to take a
and safe Nation.
Chief Nurse Officer .................... 1
determine
how frequently
you these
publishservice
the newsletter
few moments
to reflect
and thank
men and its length. It’s recommended that you
Inside Story .................................2
publish your newsletter at least quarterly so that it’s considered
a consistent
information.
NPAC Chair................................ 3
Even though
the source
resultsofmay
not have been reand women who are selflessly protecting and deYour customers or employees will look forward to its arrival.
Inside Story .................................2
leased
as
this
newsletter
goes
to
print,
may
I
also
Are you smarter?......................... 3
fending our health and the Nation. As a grateful NaInside Story .................................3
be one of the first to congratulate the CommisOpDiv News ............................... 4
tion, I thank you for your service and commitment
sioned
Corps
nurses
who
have
been
selected
for
Inside
Story
.................................3
and recognize your remarkable contributions as a
Captain Brings the Gold……...…6
2013 Temporary and Permanent Grade Promonurse.
Inside Story .................................4
Readiness .................................... 7
tions! Promotions are professional milestones that
This story can fit 75-125 words.
Inside Story .................................4
th
NPAC Subcommittee…..............8
As you are aware, our 18 Surgeon General, VADM acknowledge exceptional performance, diligent
Your headline is an important part of the newsletter and should be considered carefully.
Inside
Story
.................................4
Reader Submission…………....11
Regina Benjamin, announced that she will be leavefforts, and a deep commitment to public health.
In a few words,
it should accurately
of the
story and draw
the it new opportuing her position
as America’s
Doctor, represent
effectivethe
16contents
Your
promotion
alsoreaders
carriesinto
with
USPHS Deployment to Saipan..14
story. Develop the headline before you write the story. This way, the headline will help you keep the
July 2013,
after 4 years of honorably serving our
nities to serve not only your program and Agency,
Upcoming
Events……………..15
Special
points
of interest
story focused.
country and leading the USPHS Commissioned
but also the Nurse Category, the Corps as a whole,
Laughter is the Best Medicine..15
Examples
of possible
headlines
include Product
Wins
Award,
New Product
Can Save
You
 Briefly highlight your point of
Corps. Dr.
Benjamin's
legacy
as Surgeon
General
is Industry
and the
people
of our great
country.
I look forward
Time!, Membership Drive Exceeds Goals, and New Office Opens Near You.
highlighted
in her role as Chair of the National Pre- to working with you as we continue to “protect, interest here.
Briefly highlight your point of
vention, Health Promotion, and Public Health Coun- promote, and advance the health and safety of our
cil, which was established by the Affordable Care
Nation.” Please accept my sincerest congratula- interest here.
Act (ACA). In this significant leadership role,
tions for continued success. I am very proud of
 all
Briefly highlight your point of
interest here.
VADM Benjamin led the release of the 2011 landof you!
mark report National Prevention Strategy: Ameri Briefly highlight your point of
nd
ca’s Plan for Better Health and Wellness, which has The 22 Annual USPHS Nursing Recognition interest here.
Day (NRD) conference and celebration was held
contributed to recent positive trends in leading
health indicators such as the decrease in the rates of on 3 May 2013 in the Natcher Center Auditorium
coronary heart disease, stroke deaths, overall cancer of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesdeaths, and the number of adolescents who are cur- da, Maryland. RADM Boris Lushniak, Deputy
Continued on page 2
Secondary Story Headline
http://phs-nurse.org/
1
CNO UPDATE CONT’D
Surgeon General, joined us in recognizing the important
contributions of nurses, especially in primary care, prevention, research, and public health. The opening keynote address was delivered by Dr. Christine Grady,
Chief, Department of Bioethics, NIH. Dr. Grady highlighted Dr. Sheryl Sandberg’s recent book titled Lean-In,
emphasizing that we as nurses need to “lean-in” as leaders and “lean-on” each other for support and guidance.
RADMs Denise Canton (Ret.), Joan Hunter, Julia Plotnick (Ret.), and Carol Romano (Ret.) were a vital part of
the meeting in recognizing PHS Nurses around the country that truly make a positive difference in health outcomes and the profession of nursing. Thank you to
CAPT Veronica Gordon, CDR Allison Adams-McLean,
LCDR Leslie Wehrlen, and all of the NPAC nurses,
speakers, and sponsors who greatly contributed to the
success of this exciting event! And congratulations to the
2013 NRD award winners! (Please find the list of awardees on page 13 of this newsletter).
lic health. Credit for a very successful meeting belongs
to CAPT Susan Orsega, CDR Nicole Knight, CDR Anitra Johnson, and the remarkable NPAC committee
members. Congratulations to the 2013 USPHS Symposium award recipients and the Commissioned Officers
Foundation – Carruth Wagner Foundation awardees.
(Please also find the list of awardees on page 13 of this
newsletter ).
Within HHS’s HRSA is the newly created National
Center for Health Workforce Analysis (NCHWA),
whose mission is to support more informed public and
private sector decision-making related to the health
workforce through expanded and improved health
workforce data, projections, and information and to
promote the supply and distribution of well-prepared
health workers to ensure access to high quality, efficient
care for the Nation. In April 2013, the NCHWA published a brief titled, “The U.S. Nursing Workforce:
Trends in Supply and Education.” In summary, the key
On 10 May 2013, the nurses in the Atlanta, Georgia area findings of the brief are: 1) There were 2.8 million RNs
in the field of nursing or seeking nursing employment
also celebrated National Nurses Week in a big
way. Please see page 4 of this newsletter for the details. from 2008 to 2010; 2) About 445,000 RNs (16%) lived
in rural areas; 3) The nursing workforce grew substanA special “shout out” to CAPT Holly Williams, Mr.
John Moore, LT Shauna Mettee, and the team of nurses tially in the past decade, with RNs growing by more
than 500,000 (24 %) and outpacing growth in the U.S.
for their outstanding leadership in organizing this impopulation; 4) About 55% of the RN workforce holds a
portant event.
bachelor’s or higher degree; 5) The proportion of nonwhite RNs increased from 20% to 25% during the past
The 2013 USPHS Scientific and Training Symposium
was held in Glendale, Arizona, from 21-23 May. In addi- decade; 6) The proportion of men in the RN workforce
tion to the Deputy Surgeon General, RADM Boris Lush- increased from 8% to 9%; 7) The absolute number of
RNs younger than 30 has increased while about oneniak, we were honored by the attendance of four past
th
Surgeon Generals: 17 Surgeon General, VADM Rich- third of the nursing workforce is older than 50; 8) The
majority of RNs (63%) are providing inpatient and outard Carmona; 16th Surgeon General, VADM David
th
Satcher; 15 Surgeon General, VADM Joycelyn Elders; patient care in hospitals; and, 9) Even though the proand twice-serving Acting Surgeon General, RADM Ken- portion of RNs in hospitals held steady, the number of
RNs working in hospitals increased by more than
neth Moritsugu. During the Nursing Category Day
event, RADM Clara Cobb, Regional Health Administra- 350,000 (about 25%). For more information about the
tor for Region IV, provided an invigorating presentation data, methods, and findings in this brief, please view the
full report at http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/
on leadership, career advancement, and an overview of
index.html.
the Surgeon General’s National Prevention Strategy.
RADM Nadine Simone, Regional Health Administrator
for Region IX, was also a key participant. We discussed As we know, the need for an advanced educated nursing
workforce continues to be critical as the patient populahow evidence-based academic and clinical practice
tion grows older and sicker, manifesting debilitating
standards enhance leadership and promote public health
priorities, addressed the different management principles
impacting policies and programs, and conveyed recent
(Continued on page 12)
findings from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) concerning maternal and child health, women’s health, and pub-
2
Hello Nurse Colleagues,
I offer salutations and a warm
“Welcome Back” to all of the Nurses
that were afforded the opportunity to
attend the 2013 USPHS Scientific
and Training Symposium that was
held in Glendale, Arizona from May
21 – 23, 2013. As much as I would
have loved to have attended the Symposium and join in all the festivities
and activities, I was bound to family
commitments and celebrations which
prevented me from attending this
year. I understand the Symposium
was a total success and that everything went well, as I expected of
course! Grandstand kudos and sincere appreciation to CAPT Susan
Orsega, Past NPAC Chair, who so
graciously represented the Nurse Professional Advisory Committee on my
behalf. Thank you kindly Susan!
I would also like to express my appreciation of the Nurse Professional
Advisory Committee’s Events Leaders, LCDR Leslie Wehrlen and CDR
Allison Adams-King, NIH, for orchestrating a fantastic Nurse Recognition Day (NRD) Celebration. Even
though, this effort offered great
speakers and continued educational
opportunities, I refer to it as a
“Celebration” because we really celebrated the successes, sacrifices, and
valuable contributions of many of our
outstanding nurses through presentations, awards and special token
recognitions. It was a beautiful day,
as I witnessed Nurses with so many
different backgrounds and experience
levels come together and highlight
some of the significant influences that
“Nursing as a Profession” has played
in improving the health of this nation.
So often, as driven from archaic beliefs, we are not recognized for what
we do and we sometimes forget to
distinguish each other. I ran across an
old article (written in 1914) taken
from the American Journal of Nursing, entitled, “Is Nursing a Profession?” It reported that an editorial
appeared in the New York Medical
Journal that read as follows:
Nursing is not, strictly speaking, a
profession. A profession implies professed attainments in special
knowledge as distinguished from
mere skill; nursing is an honorable
calling, nothing further, implying
proficiency in certain more or less
mechanical duties; it is not primarily
designed to contribute to the sum of
human knowledge or the advancement of science. The great and principle duty of a nurse is to make a patient comfortable in bed, something
not always attained by the most bookish of nurses. Any intelligent, not necessarily educated woman can, in a
short time, acquire the skill to carry
out with implicit obedience the physician’s directions. http://
www.jstor.org/stable/3404530
WOW! We’ve come a long way baby! Over the past century, Nursing
has not only matured to becoming a
recognizable profession but it is now
acknowledged as a highly respected
profession! Nurses are doing it all
today. We are an elite group of professionals, who are smart, intelligent
and quite versatile in our skill levels.
The theme for NRD 2013 was,
“Embracing Diversity: Limitless Possibilities in Nursing”, with the title
speaking for itself, as I highlight the
word, “Limitless”. Meaning that as a
whole, Nurses has limitless skill sets
and talents when it comes to promoting and supporting healthcare. Nurses
today are pursuing Masters, Doctorates, and PhDs in Nursing. We are
Nurse Practitioners, Research Scientists, Clinical Informaticists, Policy
Analysts and Program Managers, etc.,
providing care to underserved populations, participating in research studies, building electronic health records, the list goes on and on. We are
magnificent and relentless caregivers.
At our last NPAC Meeting’s Roadshow, hosted at the National Institute
of Health (NIH), I was privy to sit at
the table with a group of wonderful
nurses who showcased some of the
wonderful research initiatives that
they are supporting at the NIH. It was
a great collaborative presentation
effort provided by three excellent
Research Nurses, LCDR (Dr.) Margaret Bevans, USPHS, Dr. Ann
Knebel (RADM Ret, USPHS), and
Dr. Alyson Ross and hosted by
LCDR (Dr.) Leorey Saligan, USPHS
and LCDR Leslie Wehrlen, USPHS.
The presentations were impressive
and the hospitality was awesome! If
you did not tune in, you definitely
missed a great meeting! We had a
great time. We learned a lot about
what Nurses are doing at NIH and
how they are supporting the health of
this nation and influencing the advancement of medical breakthroughs,
treatments and cures.
If you indeed missed June’s Roadshow, don’t fret! There are ongoing
opportunities to participate in these
monthly NPAC Road-shows. Please
tune in or come join us in person to
hear more about what Nurses are doing to support the National Health
Prevention Strategies and influence
the health of this nation. We are a
Profession and one of the best! Guess
what? You don’t have to wait until
Nurses’ Week or Nurses’ Day to celebrate. Let’s continue to grow and
support each other as Nurses every
day.
Many thanks for your diligent service
to the health of this nation!
Sincerely,
CAPT Veronica Gordon,
NPAC CHAIR FY13
ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A STUDENT NURSE?
Contributed by the US Medical Center for Federal Prisoners Springfield-Missouri
Which of the following measures would most likely be successful in reducing pleuritic chest pain in a patient with
pneumonia?
1. Encourage the patient to breathe shallowly.
2. Have the patient practice abdominal breathing.
3. Offer the patient incentive spirometry.
4. Teach the patient to splint the rib cage when coughing.
3
Hepatitis Awareness
During the month of May - Hepatitis Awareness Month there were many activities across the country to raise
awareness about viral hepatitis, a silent epidemic in the
U.S. More than 4 million Americans are living with
chronic hepatitis B or C, and up to 75 percent don’t know
they are infected. Viral hepatitis is the leading cause of
liver cancer and the most common reason for liver transplants. This past month also marked the second anniversary of the first-ever HHS Action Plan for the Prevention,
Care & Treatment of Viral Hepatitis. Many HHS
OPDIVs contributed to this Plan: CDC, HRSA, IHS,
NIH, and SAMHSA, along with departments outside of
HHS: VA, DOJ, and most recently, HUD.
The Action Plan has set very specific goals to increase
the proportions of persons who are aware of their hepatitis B and C infections, and partners have worked diligently to reduce viral hepatitis-related health disparities. Partners have focused on enhancing education and outreach
to heavily impacted communities (persons who inject
drugs; people living with HIV; gay, bisexual and other
men who have sex with men (MSM); “baby boomers”;
African Americans; Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders; and pregnant women) and to those who serve
them, about the benefits of viral hepatitis prevention,
care, and treatment.
Many partners are working to raise awareness of the
CDC’s recommendation for one-time hepatitis C screening for all persons born between 1945 and 1965 (“baby
boomers”) by posting and sharing some of the many messaging tools that CDC has developed. CDC is also continuing their work to raise awareness of the disproportionate
burden of hepatitis B in the Asian American and Pacific
Islander communities, and has produced a poster
(available in English, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese)
and a video as part of these efforts.
These are just some of the examples of progress made
over the past two years. Dr. Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary for Health, has recently announced that the partner
agencies are committed to renewing the Action Plan for
another three years, which will ensure a continued focus
on this critical health issue.
RADM Nadine Simons, RHA Region IX
4
CDC Nursing Symposium:
Celebrating National Nurses Week at CDC
On May 10, 2013, the CDC/ATSDR Nurses Work
Group (CNWG) and CDC’s Office of the Associate Director for Policy, in partnership with the Office for State,
Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support (OSTLTS), sponsored a day-long nursing symposium: Public Health and
Health Care Collaboration: Nursing Innovations and
Opportunities. The symposium reinforced the important
role nurses play as the largest provider of healthcare
(2.74 million in 2010) and the largest discipline in the
public health workforce.
More than 220 clinical, academic, and public health
nurses, as well as students, consultants, and CDC staff,
participated in this year’s nursing symposium. The symposium began with a keynote from Mary Wakefield,
PhD, RN, Administrator, Health Resources and Services
Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services and ended with a presentation by Susan Swider,
PhD, APHN-BC, President Obama's Advisory Group on
Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health, Professor, Rush University College of Nursing. Other speakers included Linda McCauley, PhD,
Dean and Professor, Emory’s Nell Hodgson Woodruff
School of Nursing; Kim Ryan, RN, MS, MBA, CEO,
Eastside Medical Center, Gwinnett County, Georgia;
Sandee Simmons, RN, BSN, Nurse Coordinator for
Children’s Medical Services, Georgia Department of
Public Health; Judith Monroe, MD, Director, OSTLTS
CDC; and Jennifer Hodge, RN, MSBA, Georgia Aim
Lead for Integrating Care for Populations and Communities.
During breakout roundtable discussions, participants
focused on challenges, opportunities, and successes associated with the collaboration between clinical care and
public health from nursing’s perspective. CDC will develop a report detailing the approach, analysis, and findings from these discussions. Numerous action steps from
the symposium are already underway, including discussions about integrating population health into nursing
curricula, fostering a stronger nursing voice in health
care collaboration, and identifying tools nurses can use
in the field to improve patient care and quality by enhancing PH/HC collaboration.
John R. Moore, CDC
4
2013 Federal Bureau of Prisons Accolades
Congratulations to:
Karen S. Bennett-Baker, DNP, NP-C on earning her Doctor of
Nursing Practice degree while working at USP McCreary,
Kentucky.
BOP National PHS Nursing Awardees – 2013
CAPT Michelle Dunwoody, Chief Nurse of the BOP-awarded
the Carruth Wagner Nurse of the Year Award-successful
leadership and contributions to education, training, career
development and mentoring.
NINR Joins the Twitterspace
Seeking to share the latest nursing science discoveries, funding
and training opportunities, and news about its events and
initiatives with a broader, more diverse audience, the National
Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) has launched a Twitter
account, @NINR. Many individuals now use social media sites
and online forums for health-related matters, including seeking
health information.
LCDR Patina Walton-Geer – FCI Edgefield – 2013 RADM
Julia Plotnick Publication Award for Health/Nursing Policy – for
contributing 2 chapters in the Nursing Textbook – focused on
Adult Health.
In addition to reaching out to new audiences, NINR looks
forward to connecting with schools of nursing and other nursing
research constituents via Twitter. To follow NINR on Twitter,
visit http://www.twitter.com/@NINR.
BOP Nurse’s awarded RADM Nesseler’s
Chief Nurse Officer Awards – 2013
NINR welcomes five new members to the National Advisory
Council for Nursing Research
The NINR announced the appointment of five new members to
the National Advisory Council for Nursing Research (NACNR),
the Institute's principal advisory board.
LCDR Scott Griffith – Springfield Medical Center. He was
integral in bringing Springfield’s Bureau Electronic Medical
Record (BEMR) on line and getting Electronic Medical Record
off the ground in the Bureau.
LT Sherri Wheeler, RN, BS, BSN, Central Office, Washington,
DC - Health Systems Specialist/Infectious Disease Coordinator.
Led Agency-wide hand hygiene campaign, lead researcher and
Acting BOP National Continuing Professional Educational
Coordinator.
Brandi Bain, RN (Civilian), Federal Correctional Institute
Aliceville, Alabama. Sole medical provider for activating a new
female prison and acted as Health Services Administrator during
its preparation for incoming inmates.
CDR Shawn Armes, RN, North Central Regional Improving
Organizational Performance/Health Systems Specialist. Led joint
agency workgroup to develop MRSA prevention educational
programs for NIOSH. The work group had representation from
BOP, CDC, NIOSH, OSHA, ACA, various state prisons, and
county jails.
LCDR Tina Objio, MSN/MHA, RN, Health Systems Specialist,
Federal Correctional Complex Coleman, Florida (Penitentiary.
Infectious Disease Coordinator, implemented Preventive Health
Care at the penitentiary and acted as the Assistant Health
Services Administrator to educate staff and inmates.
CDR Cubie Beasley, BOP
55
The NACNR provides recommendations on the direction and
support of the nursing, biomedical, social, and behavioral
research that forms the evidence base for nursing practice.
Members of the council are drawn from the scientific and lay
communities, embodying a diverse perspective from the fields of
nursing, public and health policy, law, and economics.
NINR Director Patricia A. Grady, PhD is pleased to welcome the
following new members:





Cynthia Barnes-Boyd, PhD
Donna Hathaway, PhD
Jillian Inouye, PhD
Bernadette Mazurek Melnyk, PhD
Marjana Tomic-Canic, PhD
For more information on NACNR, please visit
http://www.ninr.nih.gov/aboutninr/nacnr.
Melissa Barrett, NIH
Bridging the Gaps (continued form Vol 1 Issue 1)
CDR Josefine Haynes-Battle has extensive experience as a clinician and also as a senior contracts manager for
multiple complex contracts and projects addressing the behavioral health needs of Native populations. Since
2007, as Project Officer for SAMHSA’s national Native American Center for Excellence (NACE), she has
established and sustained SAMHSA’s reputation for the delivery of high quality training and technical services
(TTA) within Indian Country that is culturally effective and/or sensitive & also leads the Fetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Native Initiative. She provides ongoing leadership within SAMHSA and USPHS
to build upon and advance the agency’s Strategic Initiatives and vision for effectively working with other
departments and agencies on tribal issues. As a member of the American Indian and Alaska Native Team,
headed by the SAMHSA Deputy Administrator of Operations, she contributes to important conversations
around tribal issues. She enjoys leveraging TTA resources and coordinating efforts and sustaining and
enhancing partnerships with key initiatives. Over the years she’s was engaged in multiple workgroups within
the agency or across agencies and has contributed in advancing its goals and objectives. Besides her primary
duties at the agency, she’s been a voting member for the N-PAC and thoroughly enjoys her activities as the cochair on the N-PAC Recruitment Subcommittee.
CAPT Gilbert Rose is currently a Team Lead for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant
(SABG). The SABG Program was authorized by Congress to provide funds to States, Territories, and one Indian
Tribe for the purpose of planning, implementing, and evaluating activities to prevent and treat substance abuse and
is the largest Federal program dedicated to improving publicly-funded substance abuse prevention and treatment
systems. The SABG, the cornerstone of the States’ substance abuse prevention and treatment systems, accounts for
approximately 35 %t of all public funds expended by States and Jurisdictions for substance abuse prevention
activities and treatment services. The formula grant program – with funds allocated to the States, District of
Columbia, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau, and the Red Lake Band
of the Chippewa (MN) – is based on a congressionally mandated formula administered by SAMHSA’s Center for
Substance Abuse Prevention and Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. The FY 2012 SABG as authorized by the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (Pub. L. 112-74) is $1,669,438,423.
CAPT Gilbert Rose, SAMHSA
Congratulations!! CAPT Belsito Brings Home the GOLD
and is on a Quest for the Grand Slam 2013
In order to win the Grand Slam 2013, CAPT Linda Jo Belsito, USPHS senior nurse officer, will need to win all
four major competitions in Olympic weightlifting. So far, she has two out of the four under her belt. She won the
Master Nationals and Masters Pan Americans and is currently training for her 3 rd Masters World Games in Torino,
Italy, in August 2013.This will be the third competition needed for the Grand Slam. The fourth is the Masters American Open in Savannah in November 2013.
The Olympic lifts are the snatch and
the clean and jerk. CAPT Belsito began
lifting weights as stress management
while in nursing school in 1980. In 1990,
she won her first open world powerlifting
championship in Paris. In 1998, after winning her 7th Powerlifting World Title in
Canada, totaling 1,106 lbs., she switched
sports since women would make their
debut in the 2000 Olympics. She did not
make the trials but continued to compete
on the Masters level. CAPT Belsito holds
numerous records in both sports, and over
14 World Titles. She is a member of Masters Olympic Lifting and Women’s Powerlifting Hall of Fame. In 1999, she was the
first master female athlete to win two
World Championships in two different
sports, just 6 weeks apart. She is a certified weightlifting coach and has assisted
fellow officers in completing their APFT.
She coaches student athletes and the Special Olympic Powerlifting Team for Montgomery County. CAPT Belsito says, “As a
coach it gives me no greater joy than to
see any athlete be successful. As a nurse,
and Public Health Officer, my passion is
to support Mrs. Obama, her ‘Let’s Move
Campaign’, the Surgeon General’s National Prevention Strategy, and the Federal PHS Nursing Strategic Plan.” For
your viewing, CAPT Belsito has posted pictures of her lifts on Facebook. She can also be searched in ‘Google’ to
review her lifting history and accomplishments. CAPT Belsito, we’re all rooting for you to be the Grand Slam 2013
Champion! Go PHS and Go Nurses!!
66
Simple Steps to Navigate the Black Hole of Readiness
For many officers, the pursuit of readiness can feel like navigating a black hole. You feel all alone and
confused as you attempt to complete all the requirements before they are due. Be encouraged! The
N-PAC Readiness & Response Subcommittee is on-call 24/7 to answer questions and assist you!
For nearly a decade, the N-PAC Readiness & Response Subcommittee has been committed to improving basic readiness among nurse officers. The subcommittee continues reaching out to nurse officers
that are facing difficulty meeting basic readiness requirements, and patterns of deficiencies have been
identified that are consistent among other professional categories. Three readiness requirements that are
consistently deficient are documentation of the annual physical fitness test, basic life support, and immunizations. In many cases, the information is current but officers fail to submit records to the appropriate office and/or forget to update the information in Direct Access.
If you or a fellow officer experience difficulties with meeting basic readiness requirements, the following link to the Commissioned Officer Readiness Resources and FAQs explains the appropriate process
for submitting documentation: http://phs-nurse.org/readiness/readiness-resources. Keep in mind, there
are often glitches in the system which inaccurately report an officer’s readiness status. In the event documentation was submitted appropriately, but the officer shows up as not ready, DCCPR has created a
form to report the inaccurate capture of data. This form is on the Office of Force Readiness and Deployment website at http://ccrf.hhs.gov/ccrf/readiness_assistance_form.htm. Ultimately, it is each officer's
personal responsibility to fulfill the requirements on time, check their status regularly, and contact
DCCPR about discrepancies.
Let the N-PAC Readiness and Response subcommittee help you navigate the confusion and black hole
of readiness. Remember, you are not alone in your pursuit to obtain readiness. The members and leadership of this N-PAC subcommittee are standing by to assist you.
CDR Nichole Chamberlain, RN, MSN-FNP
CDR Karen Munoz, RN, BSN, MS
LCDR Leo Saligan, RN, CRNP, PhD
The Division of Commissioned Corps Personnel and Readiness/Readiness and
Response Program (DCCPR), formerly known as Office of Force Readiness
and Deployment (OFRD), mandates that all active duty Commissioned Corps
officers meet and maintain minimum qualifications for Basic Readiness.
Readiness checks are conducted quarterly by DCCPR/RRP.
The next official readiness check is scheduled on 30 June 2013. Please, complete your readiness check at least one week before June 30th to avoid any
delays in your status being updated.
7
The Nursing Professional Advisory Committee (N-PAC) is pleased to announce a call for nomination to serve on
the N-PAC Communications Subcommittee, Collaborative Workgroup. The Collaborative Workgroup is
dedicated to promoting communication amongst all federal, civil service, tribal, and US Public Health Service
Commissioned Corps nurses regarding the N-PAC and PHS activities. The workgroup supports communication
and outreach to fellow nurses nationwide. The Collaborative Workgroup reviews the NPAC Nursing Resource
Manual and ensures information is current and useful for nurses, provides communication to assist nurse corps
officers in their career progression, and provides guidance and information on various N-PAC and PHS initiatives, goals, and objectives. Information is available for PHS nurses and federal civilian nursing counterparts
working in the field, agency and headquarters positions. This committee works collectively and collaboratively
through the work of working teams to promote communication.
Requirements:
Number of Vacancies: 2
Nurse in good standing
Basic Qualified
Organized, strong writing and editing skills
Standing Meeting Time: First Thursday of the month at 1:00 Central Standard Time. Additional meetings occur
periodically. If you are interested in serving, please self-nominate by sending to Co-Chairs, CDR Susan
Beardsley SBeardsley@Bop.gov and Yvonne.LaCour@AMEDD.ARMY.MIL by July 30, 2013:
1. A statement of interest.
2. Phone/email/physical address/duty location.
3. CV - Cover page only please
We look forward to hearing from you!
CAPT Beardsley and CDR LaCour
The Nursing Professional Advisory Committee (N-PAC) is pleased to announce a call for nomination to serve on
the N-PAC Career Development Subcommittee, Mentoring Workgroup. The Mentoring Workgroup is dedicated to
promoting mentoring amongst all federal, civil service, tribal, and US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps
nurses regarding the N-PAC and PHS activities. The workgroup supports mentoring for fellow nurses nationwide. The Mentoring Workgroup identifies and trains mentors from all Agencies who can assist Civil Service,
Tribal and Commissioned Officers to meet their career goals, and provide career development.
Requirements:
 Nurse in good standing
 Basic Qualified
 Strong organization skills
Number of Vacancies: 4
Standing Meeting Time: Third Friday of the month at 11:00 Eastern Standard Time. Additional meetings occur
periodically. If you are interested in serving, please self-nominate by sending to Co-Chairs, CDR
Claire.Karlson@fda.hhs.gov and CDR Sherry.Secrist@fda.hhs.gov by July 30, 2013:
1. A statement of interest.
2. Phone/email/physical address/duty location.
3. CV - Cover page only please.
We look forward to hearing from you.
CDRs Karlson and Secrist
8
8
Word on the street was that the 22nd Annual Nursing Recognition Day, held on Friday, May 3, 2013 at
the Natcher Conference Center located on the NIH Bethesda, Maryland campus was the best one yet!
Over 240 nurses, nursing faculty, and students registered for the event and approximately 200 were in
attendance. Dr. Christine Grady kicked off the event with her Keynote Address titled “Collaboration &
Resourcefulness: Thinking Outside the Box.” The day also included N-PAC MANE and Publication
Awards presentations, 2 breakout sessions which offered 3 tracks for attendees to tailor their NRD learning experience, a leadership workshop, and RADM Lushniak stopped by to honor and celebrate nurses
in the afternoon. Ms. Julia Bluestone gave the Afternoon Address titled “You’re going WHERE? Nursing Possibilities in International Public Health.” The day ended with a special tribute RADM Kerry
Paige Nesseler to thank her for her superb leadership and support of the Events Subcommittee over the
last four years in her role as N-PAC Chief Nurse Officer. Presentations and audio recordings of sessions
along with pictures will be posted to the N-PAC website soon…stay tuned for more info!
Top Left-Right: RADM Kerry Paige Nesseler, Chief Nurse Officer USPHS, LT Dave Young, USPHS, 22 nd Annual Nursing
Recognition Day program, RADM Kerry Paige Nesseler, Borghild “Berkie” Bevans, 1st LT, US Army and USPHS Civilian
Nurse (retired), CDR Ann Marie Matlock, USPHS, LTJG Anthony Valloric, USPHS, Nurses Week Poster, Kirk Koyama,
Josepha Burnley, Janice Young
LCDR Leslie Wehrlen, N-PAC Events Subcommittee
9
The 2013 Nurse Category Day at the 48th Annual USPHS
Scientific and Training Symposium was a success! The
Nurse Category Day was held on May 23, 2013 in
Glendale, Arizona. There were over 190 nurses, nursing
faculty, students, and retirees registered for the day of
which approximately 150 were in attendance. The theme
for the 2013 Nurse Category Day was “Public Health
Nurses Leading in Prevention and Care through
Evidence-Based Practice.”
RADM Clara Cobb delivered the morning Keynote Address entitled “The Role of Leadership in Public Health
Prevention and Care.” “Management’s Perspective on
Evidence-based Practice” was delivered by CAPT Joan
Parrish, CDR Charlotte Fafard, LT Denise Jones, and
Ms. Teresa Nelson. The day continued with an address
from the Dean of Washington State University College
of Nursing, Dr. Patricia Butterfield who spoke on
“Reducing Health Disparities through Public Health
Nurse’s Evidence-Based Practice.” Dr. Elizabeth
Reifsnider, Associate Dean for Research, College of
Nursing and Health Innovation at Arizona State University shared on “Evidence-Based Practice in the Academic Setting.”
Presentation to RADM Nesseler. Left-Right: LCDR Mindy Golatt,
LCDR Antonio Vargas, CDR Anitra Johnson, CDR Nicole Knight,
CDR Michelle Brown-Stephenson, CAPT Susan Orsega, RADM
Kerry Nesseler, CAPT Michelle Dunwoody, CDR Shoba Anand,
CDR Marilyn Ridenour, LCDR Amerita Hamlet, CDR Tessa Brown,
and LT Sherri Wheeler
During the luncheon, the award recipients for the
Carruth Wagner, Mable May Wagner, and the Nurse
Responder of the Year were presented with their awards.
In addition, the Deputy Surgeon General, RADM
Lushniak visited the nurses to offer words of honor and
inspiration. In closing, all former N-PAC chairs, Nurse
Category Day Chairs, and members of the Nurse
Category Day Planning Committee over the last four
years recognized RADM Nesseler for her outstanding
leadership as N-PAC Chief Nurse Officer.
Left –Right: RADM Clara Cobb, Dr. Patricia Butterfield, and
RADM Kerry Paige Nesseler
The day also included an interactive clinical competency
session that provided an opportunity for participants to
improve upon their competency in clinical nursing skills
utilized during deployment. Watching the participants
compete during the “Jeopardy: Interactive Learning
Exercise to Further Attendees Knowledge of EvidenceBased Nursing” was one of the highlights!
Left-Right: CDR Michael Bonaslaski and Mr. Noel Noe leading
out in a skills session
10
Left-Right: RADM Kerry Paige Nesseler, CAPT Lynn Slepski, CDR
Kelly Murphy, CDR Tammy Gragg, RADM Boris Lushniak, RADM
Richard Carmona (Ret), RADM Scott Giberson, CAPT Michelle
Dunwoody, CDR Eunice Jones-Wills, and CDR Sophia Russell
Competitive attendees during Jeopardy Session
In December 2012, I had the honor of voluntarily
traveling to the Edna Adan University Hospital in
Somaliland for two weeks to learn, understand, educate
and care for women who had been subjected to Female
Genital Mutilation (FGM). My desire was to use my
skills as a nurse while also doing research about FGM
for my doctorate.
I shifted my focus to educating and raising awareness
among both professional and lay providers of the negative reproductive, urological and mental health sequelae
of FGM. I spent a great deal of time with over 50
Somaliland nursing students, and many Somaliland
women and men. I assisted in the delivery of
approximately 9 births, assisted with postpartum
assessments and taught mothers how to breastfeed their
I interviewed a local, traditional cutter, to understand the newborn babies.
cultural beliefs and traditions of FGM. I believed that
the information from the cutter would be vital in
Maintaining the delicate balance of respecting cultural
devising my education plan. She performs FGM on girls traditions and raising awareness about the ill effects of a
between the ages of 5-13. She stated it is a tradition to
practice rooted in the history of that culture was
"cut," or surgically close the vaginas of young girls until instrumental in my success in connecting with the
marriage to prevent them from engaging in sexual
people I encountered.
intercourse. Although FGM is banned in Somaliland, the
cutter stated that she performs the procedure on 15-20
It was a privilege and an honor to volunteer my
girls per day, at $15-$20 per procedure. When asked if
knowledge of western nursing practice, and medicine to
she would ever consider discontinuing the practice of
educate so many on the taboo subject of FGM.
FGM, the cutter responded, "Not unless I am blind or
dead."
To view the entire article, go to:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wanda-chestnut/myWhile at the hospital I also assisted in the dework-is-not-done_b_3428207.html
infibulation procedures of several women, to reverse
FGM. The women were terribly frightened, my role was
CDR Wanda Chestnut, HRSA
to offer comfort to these women with a friendly touch
and smile.
National Park Service (NPS) Assumes a New Role:
Operating the Yosemite Medical Clinic
Nestled within the heart of Yosemite Valley, surrounded by waterfalls and granite rock faces,
stands the Yosemite Medical Clinic (YMC). YMC is the first clinic to be owned and operated
by the National Park Service (NPS). USPHS nurses, LT Timothy Yett and LCDR Jennifer
Leggett, are being awarded for their outstanding contribution in the development of a complex
insurance billing system, computer radiography program, and specialized laboratory services.
As of January 1st 2011, the National Park Service assumed operation of the Yosemite Medical Clinic, following
the conclusion of the previous clinic concession contract. The clinic underwent significant renovation to the facility
and hired new fulltime medical staff. NPS partnered with the USPHS to provide healthcare for the community.
The USPHS medical staff consists of one physician, one physician assistant (PA), and two nurses. The clinic officially reopened its doors in April of 2011. YMC currently provides primary care, urgent care, public health and
occupational health services. Additionally, the YMC physician, LCDR Ralph Groves, provides medical direction
for all Yosemite Emergency Medical Service (EMS) field providers and medical control for over 1000 frontcountry EMS and back-country Search and Rescue (SAR) incidents each year.
With the newly assumed responsibility for YMC and the 24/7 advanced life support (ALS) ambulance service, Yosemite National Park became the largest NPS medical program in the country, now having the opportunity to serve
and protect over 8,000 patients annually. In addition, the team remains committed to supporting two of the nations
most complex and progressive SAR and Preventive SAR programs. The park wide EMS program supports 149
credentialed providers, 42 ALS and 107 BLS.
The Yosemite National Park EMS team exemplifies the commitment to protecting, promoting, and advancing the
health and safety of our nation.
LT Timothy Yett, NPS
11
CNO UPDATE CONT’D
12
(Chief Nurse Officer Report, Continued from page 2)
chronic diseases and high acuity ratings. With the enactment of the ACA, more people (30 million) will soon
have health insurance and need primary health care and
preventive health care service. As the Secretary of HHS,
Kathleen Sebelius, stated last year, “The biggest change
we can make isn’t how we provide health care – it’s
when. Right now, we have a ‘sick care system,’ and we
need to invest in a ‘health care system.” Secretary Sebelius is accentuating the investment in prevention, and
prevention of disease and promotion of health is what
we as nurses do best. On 18 April 2013, in a Perspective
article titled “The Nursing Workforce in an Era of
Health Care Reform,” author Dr. David Auerbach, et al.,
wrote “The importance of registered nurses is expected
to increase in the coming decades. These and other
changes associated with health care reform will require
the provision of holistic care, greater care coordination,
greater adherence to protocols, and improved management of chronic disease – roles that are inherently
aligned with the nursing model of care.” Our traditional
nursing model of care is gaining national attention with
the ACA, the National Prevention Strategy, and a focus
on decreasing non-communicable diseases. Nurses continue to play a vital role in primary health care delivery
and building a system of quality care. In support of
these concepts, please take a few minutes to refresh
your knowledge and actively engage in the implementation of our Federal PHS Nursing Strategic Plan at http://
phs-nurse.org/chief-nurse/federal-public-health-servicenursing-strategic-plan-draft. If you would like to learn
more, please contact CDR Amy Webb at
Amy.Webb@ihs.gov.
‘personal reward’ not ‘individual award.” Unlike individual awards, personal rewards are not worn on our
uniform and not presented to us in ceremonies, but is the
knowledge that collectively we have done our best with
what we have available to meet our mission.” I cannot
predict when or how you will receive your reward, because that is very personal. But as long as we are striving
to improve health and grow both professionally and personally, I can assure you that you will be “rewarded” by
many brighter gifts than “awards.” Thank you for your
dedication and continuing our fight to eliminate disease
and promote wellness.
I recognize that we are in the midst of major change.
We are experiencing leadership transitions and challenging times with sequestration, conference oversights,
budget cuts, and reorganizations. There is no better time
than “now” to step forward and demonstrate authentic
leadership. Exhibiting true leadership is vital to our success in meeting mission and is a responsibility we all
share. By success, I mean moving the mission forward. By mission, I mean the USPHS mission to
“protect, promote, and advance the health and safety of
our Nation” and the specific mission of your Department and/or Agency. And by leadership, I mean standing up for the underserved, vulnerable, isolated, and
disadvantaged. Eliminating health disparities, improving
health outcomes, promoting prevention, advocating for
patient centered care, and being the best nurse you can
are the real “rewards” in life. Leadership comes in many
styles and shapes and only you know the best path for
yourself to meet mission. As CDR John Mallos, a senior
nurse officer under my command, so eloquently stated,
“As a leader and an officer we should be motivated by
Thank you for leading the effort for a better world!
In closing, I would also like to share one of my favorite
poems written by a previous HRSA colleague, Dr. Mary
Lou Anderson:
Leaders are called to stand
In that lonely place
Between the no longer and the not yet
And intentionally make decisions
that will bind, forge, move
and create history.
We are not called to be popular,
We are not called to be safe,
We are not called to follow,
We are the ones called to take risks,
We are the ones called to change attitudes
To risk displeasures,
We are the ones called to gamble our lives,
For a better world.
RADM Kerry Paige Nesseler
Chief Nurse Officer, USPHS
Assistant Surgeon General
Congratulations to the PHS and Civil Service
American Academy of Nursing 2013 Class of
Fellows:
1. Lynn A.Slepski, PhD, RN, CCNS
2. Claire Caruso, PhD, RN
3. Beth Collins Sharp, PhD, RN
2013 N-PAC and COF Awards
22nd Annual USPHS Nursing Recognition Day Awardees
The 2013 award goes to a team of 10 nurses who work at
Whiteriver Service Unit, Public Health Nursing DepartThe RADM Faye G. Abdellah Publication Award for ment, and demonstrated exemplary leadership as a team
Nursing Research recognizes publications that stimu- in restructuring their PHN Epidemiology and Surveillate the development of nursing knowledge and practice lance program to meet the challenges of a Sexually
Transmitted Infection (STI) outbreak. The nurses are:
through scientific investigation and research. The 2013 LT Jonathan Flitton, USPHS; LTJG Justin Tafoya,
award goes to CAPT Patricia Riley, USPHS (Ret.),
USPHS; CDR Carmelita Estenson, USPHS; LT Chelwho published the article titled “Information Systems on sea Kleinmeyer, USPHS; Alena George; Kim Taylor;
Janise Biakeddy; Cynthia Chism; Dianna Kelley; and
Human Resources for Health: A Global Review.”
DeAlva Henry.
The RADM O. Marie Henry Publication Award for
2013 USPHS Scientific and
Clinical Nursing Practice recognizes publications that
Training
Symposium Awardees
describe clinical nursing practice such as observations
or trends in clinical nursing, clinical nursing research, or The 2013 Nurse Responder of the Year Award is givcurrent issues in clinical practice. The 2013 award goes en annually to an active duty or retired Corps nurse
to CAPT Lynn A. Slepski, USPHS, for authoring a
whose contributions have impacted emergency preparedchapter for an undergraduate nursing textbook.
ness, disaster response, and/or national or international
health threats. This year’s award is presented to
The RADM Julia R. Plotnick Publication Award for public
CDR
Colleen
Lee, USPHS.
Health/Nursing Policy recognizes publications that
inform and educate consumers and/or health care practi- The Lucille Woodville Memorial Award was estabtioners about significant health related issues. This year lished in the Corps’ centennial year as a memorial to the
there was a tie for the award. One of the awardees was
career of Lucille Woodville, who began her
LCDR Patina Walton-Greer, USPHS, for publishing professional
illustrious career in the Nurse Midwifery Service in
two chapters in the nursing textbook Focus on Adult
Bethel, Alaska. The award honors a nurse midwife or
Health. The second awardee was LCDR Margaret
maternal/child health nurse whose work has resulted in a
Bevans, USPHS, for her publication in the Journal of
contribution to the health and well-being of
the American Medical Association, “Caregiving Burden, significant
mothers
and
newborns. This year’s award is presented to
Stress, and Health Effects Amongst Caregivers of Adult CDR Kelly Murphy,
USPHS.
Cancer Patients.”
2013 Commissioned Officers Foundation –
The McLaughlin Award for Clinical Services recogCarruth Wagner Foundation Awardees
nizes a nurse who demonstrates exemplary leadership
and skill resulting in noteworthy accomplishments as a The Carruth Wagner Nurse of the Year Award honclinician over a period of time, focusing on the timely
ors the legacy of Dr. Carruth Wagner, who valued the
and ethical delivery of health care in a direct care setimportance of nurses in public health. The award
ting. The 2013 award goes to CDR Wendy Monrad,
acknowledges the nominee’s successful leadership and
USPHS, who took the lead in investigating nurse- adcontributions to education, training, career development,
ministered Propofol under the direction of a Licensed
and mentoring, all of which contribute to building a
Independent Practitioner.
strong nursing workforce and a strong public health inThis year’s award is presented to CAPT
The Hanzel Award for Administrative Activities rec- frastructure.
Michelle
Dunwoody,
USPHS.
ognizes a nurse who demonstrates exemplary leadership
as a nurse executive resulting in noteworthy accomCarruth Wagner Advanced Practice Award recplishments. The 2013 award goes to CAPT Jodie Jolly, The
ognizes
Advanced Practice Nurses who have utilized
USPHS, who developed and implemented policies and their advanced
degrees to contribute to innovations or
procedures that have enabled the program to achieve
programs that significantly impacted the health of a
and maintain programmatic excellence.
community or population. This award was open to all
Advanced Practice Nurses. This year’s award is presentThe Petry Leone Award for Health Promotion and
Education is given to an HHS nurse who demonstrates ed to CDR Tammy Gragg, USPHS.
exemplary leadership resulting in noteworthy accomThe Carruth Wagner Innovative Collaboration
plishments in patient/client or professional education,
Award recognizes professional nurses who have conwhich informs and educates consumers and/or health
to successful, innovative partnerships or collabcare practitioners about significant health related issues tributed
orations
between countries, programs, agencies, projects,
and promotes healthy lifestyles. The 2013 award goes to or initiatives.
This award recognizes the nominee’s sucCDR Amy Valderrama, USPHS, who led the develop- cessful contributions
to building health partnerships and
ment of CDC’s Vital Signs program focusing on uncon- collaborations that foster
the development of innovative
trolled hypertension in the United States.
health delivery systems and healthy populations. This
year’s award is presented to CDR Eunice Jones-Wills,
The Gregg Group Award for Teamwork is given to
exemplary leadership contributions by a team of nurses USPHS.
Congratulations award recipients!
resulting in noteworthy accomplishments and positive
outcomes towards the attainment of PHS goals.
13
USPHS Deployment to Saipan
The Commissioned Corps Hospital Assistance Team
(CCHAT) was deployed to Saipan, Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), to review current
operations and make recommendations for improvement of clinical and administrative services at CNMI’s
Commonwealth Healthcare Center hospital (CHC).
USPHS Nurse Officers were a vital component on the
team. Saipan is the largest island within the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), a territory of the United States. The island is located in the
western Pacific ocean about 120 miles north of Guam.
Saipan is home to about 48,000 people, many of whom
are contract workers from neighboring countries including China, Philippines and Thailand.
The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation (CHCC)
owns the only hospital on the island. Through a confluence of factors, there were a lack of processes and technical expertise to address multiple areas of hospital administration, including, but not limited to, Governing
Body, QAPI, revenue stream, supply management, infection control, laboratory and pharmacy management
and life safety. Results from the CMS survey found
CHCC with multiple Conditions and Standards of noncompliance, in addition to three Immediate Jeopardy
deficiencies; despite best efforts of remaining staff,
CHCC was at risk for termination from the CMS Hospital Provider program. A memorandum of agreement
between the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands (CNMI), the Department of the Interior (DOI),
the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS),
and the Office of the Surgeon General assigned a US
Public Health Service Commissioned Corps officer
team, the Commissioned Corps Hospital Assistance
Team (CCHAT), to review operations and make recommendations for improvement of clinical and administrative services at CHCC. This joint effort was a unique
collaboration to meet the immediate health care needs
of the people of Saipan. The CCHAT was embedded a
90-day period, allowing time for the team to become
deeply integrated into the hospital workforce at all levels.
PI team and the CMS-Action Team (CMS-AT). This
team was established to coordinate the organization’s
response to CMS’ findings and outline a plan for improvement. In addition to PI teams, CAPT Hogan coordinated the organizations efforts to develop a Utilization
Review department. Throughout her 90-day deployment,
she served as a mentor for many health service leaders,
including the Directors of Quality, Nursing and Health
Services.
Left –Right: CDR James Dickens with Quality Manager , LCDR
Scott Griffith with DON Rejes.
CDR James Dickens is a Nurse Practitioner and former
CMS Hospital Surveyor with extensive knowledge in the
CMS Hospital Conditions of Participation. His previous
international deployments involved providing assistance
in program development in Afghanistan. His contributions throughout the deployment were largely focused on
assisting the organization with addressing CMS’ deficiencies, providing technical expertise, and leading multiple
in-service sessions throughout CHCC. He also provided
guidance to healthcare staff and senior leaders on CMS
Conditions of Participation.
LCDR Scott Griffith has nursing experience in Surgery,
Dialysis and Mental Health. In addition, he has years of
experience in healthcare administration, performance
improvement and electronic medical records. LCDR Griffith provided significant technical expertise and hands-on
contributions to establishing a nursing competency assessment program. LCDR Griffith empowered the nursing staff to take a stronger “patient-advocate” roll at
CHCC. In addition, he coordinated the organization’s
annual training which provided 10 modules of training to
more than 60% of the CHCC staff. He established and
facilitated the first code-committee meeting.
In addition to the on-site deployment, CAPT Hogan and
CDR Dickens are committed to a year-long virtual mentorship program involving policy review and development, leadership training, and routine support. The goal
of the mentorship program is to support the gains made
during the deployment, assist the CHCC health service
Three leaders in achieving full compliance with the CMS ConNurse Officers were part of this team: CAPT Lisa Ho- ditions of Participation, as well as creating a culture of
safety for those seeking healthcare on the island of Saigan, CDR James Dickens and LCDR Scott Griffith.
Each officer was selected and provided technical exper- pan.
tise based upon their experience and unique skill sets.
CAPT Hogan, is a Nurse Practitioner with years of ex- CAPT Hogan, CDR Dickens, and LCDR Griffith, we
perience working as a Director of Nursing and a Direc- salute you and thank you for your outstanding service in
tor of Quality Management. Her focus was on develop- promoting health and wellness of all people!
ing performance improvement (PI) teams and systems
to create a culture of safety. During the course of the
deployment she created and facilitated a Supply Chain
14
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Nursing Newsletter Contacts
Article submissions & suggestions
may be sent by agency POCs to:
federalnursenews@gmail.com
Articles should use Microsoft
Word, 300 words or less with
sources cited appropriately.
Submission deadlines are one
month prior to publish date.
Next article submission deadline:
July 31, 2013
Not sure who is your agency POC?
Send an email query to the
newsletter workgroup lead
Victoria.vachon@cms.hhs.gov
for further details
PHS Nursing News Editors:
CAPT Madelyn Reyes
CDR Claudia Brown
CDR Nichole Chamberlain
CDR Michael Krumlauf
CDR Scott Lamberson
CDR Marilyn Ridenour
CDR Victoria Vachon
LCDR Leslie Wehrlen
Membership on the newsletter
workgroup is open to all civilian,
tribal and PHS nurses .
UPCOMING EVENTS
JULY
17
NEXT NPAC ROADSHOW
(Details announced via PHS Nurse Listserv)
DATE: July 17, 2013 (Wednesday)
TIME: 1300 – 1500
LOCATION: DOD – Fort Belvoir, VA
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/initiatives/prevention/strategy/
ANSWER: ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A STUDENT NURSE?
Rationale: The pleuritic pain is triggered by chest movement and is particularly severe during coughing. Splinting
the chest wall will help reduce the discomfort of coughing. Deep breathing is essential to prevent further atelectasis.
Abdominal breathing is not effective in decreasing pleuritic chest pain as is splinting of the rib cage. Incentive
spirometry facilitates effective deep breathing but does not decrease pleuritic chest pain.
Answer: #4
http://phs-nurse.org/
15