this Article - Denver`s Nursing Star

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this Article - Denver`s Nursing Star
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June 27, 2005
Vol. 6 issue 11
Information for the Denver area Nursing & Health Care Professionals
www.denvernursingstar.com
Published Each Week by Metro Publishing LLC.
Takin’ care of business
How Do I Love Thee
By Elizabeth Bussey Sowdal, RN
I
Photo bbyy JJason
ason PP.. Smith
endall, VP of comm
unica
tions
Concier
ado’
tne
oddd Wheeler
heeler,, CEO
CEO,, stand outside of
communica
unications
tions,, left, and Tod
Conciergge Color
Colorado’
ado’ss Cour
Courtne
tneyy KKendall,
wea
e’
her
Pr
esb
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stufff.
heree the
theyy help emplo
employyees not ssw
eatt the small stuf
Presb
esbyterian
Luke’
e’ss Medical Center in Den
Denvver wwher
by Jason P. Smith
Staff Writer
So, you have a to do list
that has been just growing and
growing – you’ve been having
nightmares that if you don’t
get your car in for an oil change
soon the engine will blow up,
but you just don’t have the time.
Well, Presbyterian/St. Luke’s in
Denver has someone for you to
call.
Giving people what they
need to get through the week is
something Todd Wheeler, CEO
of Concierge Colorado at
Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical
Center knows a lot about. With
his business card stating that
CEO stands for “Chief
Enthusiasm Officer,” Wheeler is
more than excited to help those
in the health care industry with
everything from buying a stamp
to a marriage proposal.
“We want to make sure we
have an impeccable sense of
order in our office because these
people live such frenzied and
frenetic lives,” Wheeler said of
people who work in health care
have been feeling extraneous lately and I am not used
to that and I do not like it. You know, when my
children were little I had a rich fantasy life. I might
have looked like I was washing dishes or folding 10,000 tiny
little tee-shirts or picking the gum out of the carpet, but in
actuality I was someplace far, far away, someplace better.
I was in my secret world where everyone in my family took
care of their own hygiene, where all the clothes were big enough
to make sense when you folded them, or better yet, a world
where all the clothes went on hangers.
I was in a world where everyone could not only locomote
under their own steam at all times, but had long enough legs to
keep up with me and could be trusted not to wander off and
get lost.
I was imagining a happy place where my
whole family participated in
intellectually stimulating Laughing
dinner table conversations,
where we shared thoughts with
and dreams and never, ever Elizabeth
worried about why Bert was
so grumpy to Ernie.
I imagined a day when I could
say, “I am running to the store,” then
See Eliza
beth , PPaage 3
Elizabeth
Inside
See Business , PPaage 2
ANA sues EPA in effort to prevent
mercury exposure
Four leading medical,
nursing and public health
groups, representing more than
300,000
public
health
professionals, filed a challenge
to the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency’s (EPA) power
Presorted Standard
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit #16
Longmont, CO 805
plant mercury rule.
The plaintiffs include
Physicians
for
Social
Responsibility, the American
Academy of Pediatrics, the
American Nurses Association
and the American Public Health
Association. The medical and
health groups, represented by
John Suttles and Marily Nixon
of the Southern Environmental
Law Center, are filing a ‘motion
for intervention’ into the
mercury litigation initiated by
environmental organizations and 13
state attorneys general.
The groups are filing the new
lawsuit in response to the mercury
rule’s clear threat to public health.
Physicians, nurses, and other public
health professionals will ask the
federal courts to overturn the weak
mercury rule to protect Americans’
health. Many Americans are exposed
to unsafe levels of mercury from
environmental sources, including
power plant emissions, by eating
contaminated fish.
EPA investigators have estimated
that over 600,000 newborns are born
each year overexposed to unhealthy
mercury levels in utero. According
to widely accepted scientific research,
mercury is a potent neurotoxicant
that can cause developmental and
learning disabilities, reduced IQ, and
impaired motor skills in children,
See La
wsuit , PPaage 2
Lawsuit
Today’s Nurse: CAREER
OPTIONS IN NURSING
This
Weeks
Topic:
PEDIATRIC RN, NURSE
EDUCATOR: LONGMONT
UNITED HOSPITAL
Pg
.4
Pg.4
Isaak performs
impromtu concert at
Children’s Hospital
Pg
Pg.. 6
Poetry comes
naturally to
nurse
practictioner
Pg
Pg.. 10
Genetics conference offers CE
credits to nurses
Pg
Pg.. 11
High Tech Technology
Changes in Life
Commentary by Mary Pearson,
RNC, M.Ed.
Pg
Pg.. 15
Page 2
Business
Contin
ued frfrom
om PPaage 1
Continued
industry.
“I started Concierge Colorado in
February 2000, and for the first two years
I was focusing on commercial real estate,
residential properties and individual
services.”
Last year, Wheeler’s company was
asked to work with PS/L, replacing an
existing service.
“We’re kind of an information and
vendor broker,” Wheeler said of his
company. “We work with over 250
meticulously screened and pre-qualified
vendors, so if you came to me with
something, I’d know who to go to and
get it done..”
Wheeler said he started the business
based on a need for people who could
get things done.
“It’s a need-driven market,” he said.
“We like to take care of staff; we like to
take care of nurses. Over 50 percent of
the services we provide here at the
hospital are done for nurses.”
And they do take care of the staff.
The top five services people request are
shopping, automotive, mailing and
shipping, research and pick-up items.
“It’s truly an employee benefit,”
Wheeler said. “The hospital pays us to
be here to manage the program. The
only thing the employee pays for is the
service. If we go out and get a $29.95 oil
change done for you, all you pay is the
$29.95. One of our tag lines is ‘we do
what you don’t want to do, don’t have
time to do or don’t know how to do –
we do the don’ts. We turn ‘to dos’ into
‘to dones.’ ”
According to Wheeler there is a large
population at the hospital who just don’t
June 27, 2005
have time to get anything done, and that
population could be anyone at the hospital.
Wheeler takes care of the big stuff and
the small stuff.
“We take things back to Target or
pick things up at the mall. We do birthday
parties for your kids. We take away the
stress of both when to do it and how to
do it.”
Not only picking up and dropping
things off, Concierge Colorado also does
things like research, such as finding a
good bed and breakfast in New England
on the weekend of April 7 or where
someone can get a mother’s antique
wedding dress cleaned.
How can they keep it all straight?
Well one of the key elements of this
organizational behemoth is a Web-based
system that allows concierge employees
to log on from anywhere to find out
what’s going on at what time and who is
handling it.
“Doing more than 500 requests a
month with just two people – we have to
be on top of our game,” Wheeler said.
“We want to be the number one concierge
service in the health care industry and
most of the people we deal with are
nurses. The whole idea of serving people
and taking care of people has been very
important to me.”
According to Wheeler, the primary
challenge in health care is budgeting, but
he helps with that as well. The area of
money is an area where Wheeler said his
company is really helping the hospital.
“Based on X amount of requests that
would have taken X amount of time, I
can show you how that helps. Let’s take
500 requests. If you needed to get
something done it would take, on average,
about two hours. Five hundred requests
times two hours is 1,000 hours per month
that we are returning back to the hospital
in recovered productivity. Now, let’s just
say at a very low level of $25 an hour,
that’s $2,500 a month in recovered
productivity.”
First time you’ve heard of a concierge
service at a hospital? You’re probably
not alone. In fact, there are only four in
the state of Colorado and only a
“splattering” of them around the country,
according to Wheeler.
“They’re not common at all, but they
are becoming more and more common,”
Wheeler said. “More than 20 percent of
our users say that our services have saved
them from using paid time off hours to
get things done, which is huge for a
CFO to look at.”
Wheeler also is an advocate of
customer feedback, giving everyone a card
to fill out every time they use the service.
“How can we see how good of a job
we’re doing if we don’t ask?”
Night shifts? Still works. The service
will get a set keys from you a day or so
in advance and get your car out of your
driveway at your home while you’re
sleeping after your shift. They’ll take it
to the shop and bring it back before you
wake up.
The concierge service also can help
the hospital’s recruitment and retention
rates, according to Wheeler. “The main
concerns in health care today are
recruitment and retention and we are a
key, key component of that – low cost,
high return.
“People who work in hospitals are
the busiest people I have come across –
you just can’t get time with them and
unhappy nurses do not make happy
patients – doesn’t happen.”
With everyone wanting to get outside
in the summer weather, Wheeler said
they have been tuning up a lot of
mountain bikes for people while they’re
working.
“Ski season will be nuts,” he said.
reductions for 10 to 15 years longer than
the federal Clean Air Act requires.
The rule also substitutes an
inappropriate “cap-and-trade” scheme for
strong technology-based pollution control
standards, also required under the Clean
Air Act.
This proposed trading scheme
threatens individual communities with
toxic mercury ‘hot spots,’ local areas of
higher mercury concentrations that could
result in dangerous levels of human
exposure.
In implementing a seriously flawed
mercury rule, the EPA ignored the
counsel of its own Children’s Health
Public Advisory Committee and ignored
nearly 700,000 overwhelmingly negative
public comments during the recent public
comment period. The EPA also ignored
the annual economic costs of methyl
mercury toxicity attributable to mercury
from American power plants.
“Many young children exposed to
mercury before birth will suffer subtle
but irreversible brain damage. Preventing
this tragedy, which affects not only
families but entire communities, should
be a national priority,” said ANA
President Barbara A. Blakeney, MS, RN.
The loss of intelligence continues
throughout the lifetimes of exposed
children. If not addressed, the silent
but significant public health threat
associated with mercury pollution will
diminish the economic competitiveness
of the United States’ population.
Exposed children will likely need more
time and attention from their parents,
thus impacting the parents’ economic
productivity. Some children will likely
require costly special education.
“This new EPA rule will result in
excess mercury emissions and increased
exposure over a longer period. We must
take aggressive action to address this
serious health threat,” said Georges
Benjamin, MD, FACP, executive director
of the American Public Health
Association.
Denver’s Nursing Star
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Lawsuit
Contin
ued frfrom
om PPaage 1
Continued
and altered sensation, impaired hearing
and vision, and motor disturbances in
adults linked directly to exposure from
eating contaminated fish.
Mercury emissions from coal-fired
power plants make up more than 40%
of all emissions into the U.S.
environment, the largest source of
uncontrolled mercury pollution in the
U.S.
The Clean Air Act requires the EPA
to make public health its first and only
priority, and the law mandates that
these plants reduce their mercury
pollution by up to 90 percent of current
emission levels by 2008.
Unfortunately, the U.S. EPA’s final
mercury rule delays significant mercury
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Denver’s Nursing Star
June 27, 2005
Elizabeth
Contin
ued frfrom
om PPaage 1
Continued
grab my purse and go without having
to find and tie everybody’s shoes, pack
emergency clothing and tote a diaper
bag that weighed one sixth my body
weight. In those days I might have
looked like I was helping to color a
picture of the princess and the pea but
where I would really be, behind my
eyes, was in the glimmering future.
The future is now, friends. I am
here to tell you that it is not everything
I thought it would be. Maybe I am
ungrateful. Maybe I am one of those
people who will never be happy no
matter what. I don’t like to think that,
but maybe it is true. You see, my family
has reached that happy time I spent so
many hours dreaming about.
They bathe themselves, dress
themselves, read to themselves, fix their
own lunches. Not only do they walk
efficiently, but they also jog for miles
on end without getting the least bit
winded. Not only do they jog efficiently,
but most of them drive. Some of them
actually own vehicles.
For those who still need me to give
them the occasional ride, they want to
get where they are going. Period. They
do not want to bond. They do not want
to share their inner-most feelings. No.
They want to jump in the car, take the
shortest possible route, and jump out
at their destination.
It is not an event. It is not an
emotional interlude. It is not a
celebration of our relationship. It is
transportation of the least possible
desirable kind. The mom driving kind
as opposed to the friend driving kind
or the self driving kind. They will chat,
in a pleasant way, but I can tell that
they are humoring me.
They are talking and laughing and
telling me funny stories, but their minds
are a million miles away and they check
the mirror frequently to make sure their
noses are still there or to see if they
got prettier or uglier in the preceding
ten seconds.
I know this is the natural course of
things. But that doesn’t mean I have to
like it. It never occurred to me when
the kids were little and I was imagining
them bigger and less needy, that I would
someday become the needy one.
That I would try to bribe them to
come to the grocery store with me just
for the company. That I would wait
eagerly for them to get home in the
evenings. That I would miss having them
need me. I never imagined that I would
miss toddler chatter.
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If someone had told me the day
would come when I would yearn for
the smell of baby shampoo and pureed
green beans I would have laughed in
that person’s face. Ha! Not me, not
ever. Ha, I would have said.
When my children were young
older people would sometimes tell me,
“Enjoy them now, because they will be
grown up before you know it!”
Oh I certainly hope so, I would
think, in my ignorance. I cannot say
that I wasn’t warned. Some days it
seemed like every middle aged person
I ran into had the same pearls of
wisdom for me, “enjoy them now.”
I was warned well and often, but I
didn’t believe it. I did not believe the
day would ever come when they would
not need me on an hourly basis. I cannot
believe that day came so soon.
Page 3
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• Plenty of Off-Street Parking
Elizabeth Bussey Sowdal works in a
Surgical-Trauma I.C.U. She has also worked
in the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit and
in a Med-Surg unit.
1035 Colorado, Denver. CO 80206
(across from University Hospital)
Page 4
June 27, 2005
Denver’s Nursing Star
Today’s Nurse: CAREER OPTIONS IN NURSING
This Week’s Topic: PEDIATRIC RN, NURSE EDUCATOR
LONGMONT UNITED HOSPITAL
by Barbara Scarpella Reed
Staff Writer
Jose Sidas, Supervisor of
Interpreter and Translation Services
at Longmont United Hospital states
that an estimated 21 percent of
LUH patients are Hispanic/Latino.
Sidas feels it is critical that
more doctors and nurses develop
fluent bilingual skills to work in
the health care system where
diverse populations exist.
Sidas explains, in 1998 LUH
developed an interpreter program,
designing a test for their bilingual
employee’s.
It was a collaborative effort on
behalf of the hospital and its staff
to incorporate a consistent base line
for bilingual skills and vocabulary.
These staff members are
required to complete a language verbal
compendency test once a year, as well
as successfully complete a bedside
interpreter evaluation every six-months.
Each department has their own
vocabulary criteria based on the need of
that specialty.
When discussing quality of bilingual
skills, Sidas said, “I consider it very
necessary for the staff any where in the
hospital and at any level.”
LUH has on site interpreters for
Spanish, Dutch, French, German,
Portuguese, Vietnamese and Philipino.
52-year-old Lee K. Symond, RN, has
worked at LUH in the 10-bed pediatric
unit since March 1998.
“In the pediatric unit, we get entire
families that speak only Spanish.
Having a bilingual RN interpreter is so
reassuring to our families, it is
amazing,” Symond said. “Their
shoulders relax, jaws become less tight,
and kids become less clingy.”
“We at LUH work with patients
that have a wonderful diverse ethic
background, South American, Porto
Rican, Mexican and Hispanic. We
work with many multi-generational
Mexican families,” said Symond.
“I learned Spanish way back in
my youth,” says Symond. “Spanish is
one of the tastiest, sweetest languages
to speak.”
She has a long history of utilizing
her bilingual skills with patients,
starting with her pediatric career at
the Children’s Hospital in Los
Angeles.
Currently, Symond is authorized
to speak only conversational Spanish
with the patients and cannot transmit
official medical information to the
doctors or the patients’ families.
She laughs as she shares the fact
that she has the best accent, just not
the medical vocabulary.
Her peers are mentoring her
regarding her Spanish speaking skills
and believe it will be just a matter of
time before she is an official
interpreter.
Carey Hovestol, RN, is one of
two official interpreters on the
pediatric unit; she is quick to point
out that quality of interpretation is
vital to the diagnosis when using
medical terminology.
She also states that quality
bilingual skills help with discharge of
the patient in teaching compliance
regarding medicines and care of the
patient.
She feels this helps prevent
patients from re-entering the system
as often, giving them a sense of
independence and allowing them to
be a part of the decision making.
Symond has taken the
opportunity to be a mentor to
nursing students in various collegiate
programs and speaks at career days
in high schools.
“A voice for nursing,” says
Symond. “The nursing care of a
patient is as a stream that flows from
one nurse to the next-each with the
unique opportunity to maximize the
St. Anthony’s secures funding for new medical campus
St. Anthony Hospitals has
announced that the Board of
Stewardship Trustees of its sponsor,
Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI), has
approved funding for the
construction of a new medical
campus to replace the existing St.
Anthony Central Hospital campus.
The CHI Board considered the
proposal at its June 15-16, 2005
meeting.
In March 2005, Centura Health
and St. Anthony Central Hospital
announced intentions to pursue
replacement and relocation of the
100-year old St. Anthony Central
campus, currently located on 16 acres
near west Colfax Ave. and Raleigh
St. in Denver.
“The CHI Board’s endorsement
of this project signals an ongoing,
substantial commitment to the people
of this community,” said Michael
Schrader, Administrator of St.
Anthony Central Hospital. “In order
to most effectively and efficiently
provide the latest in medicine,
today’s modern medical campuses
need much more room than St.
Anthony Central has now. Moving to a architectural firm for the replacement
more expansive nearby campus will allow hospital, GE Johnson/Kitchell as general
us to serve our community well into the contractor and Hammes/Romani as
future while bringing expanded medical project management consultant.
services to more people.”
The decision to relocate came after
St. Anthony Central Hospital is an 18-month analysis of St. Anthony
considering a 30-acre site at the Federal Central’s anticipated facility and
Center near Union
campus needs for
and 6 th Avenue in
the coming decades.
Lakewood
f o r This project signals an
In addition to
substantial e x a m i n i n g t h e
possible relocation, ongoing,
a l o n g w i t h a n commitment to the people option of relocating
adjacent 15-acre site
within its current
that would allow for of this community.
service area, the
additional growth.
hospital studied the
The Federal Center site is less than possibility of a major renovation as
6 miles from the hospital’s current well as expansion on the existing site.
campus and is the nearest piece of
“We are absolutely committed to
developable land of suitable size in the making sure that our current campus
west metro area.
is redeveloped in a way that adds to
Plans for the new campus include a the quality of life for our west Colfax
900,000-square foot hospital with more neighborhood,” said George Zara, St.
than 330 beds, an annex building and Anthony Hospitals CEO. “Our mission
medical office buildings. Construction on calls for nothing short of that.”
the estimated $440 million campus could
St. Anthony Hospitals officials are
commence as early as fall 2006 and be working with Denver Mayor John
completed sometime in 2009.
Hickenlooper and Denver City
St. Anthony Hospitals and Centura Councilman Rick Garcia to establish a
Health have engaged ESa as the task force of business people and
community members to assess possible
redevelopment options for the existing
St. Anthony Central campus.
As part of this community
discussion, St. Anthony will explore
retaining some health care programs
in the neighborhood.
St. Anthony Central Hospital is
Colorado’s largest nonprofit Level I
trauma center and home of Flight For
Life, the nation’s first hospital-based
emergency medical helicopter program.
Located in Denver, Colo., St.
Anthony Central is part of St. Anthony
Hospitals, a nationally recognized fullservice health care organization serving
Colorado for more than 100 years.
In addition to St. Anthony Central
Hospital, St. Anthony Hospitals
operates hospitals in Westminster and
Frisco, and medical clinics in Granby,
Winter Park and Copper Mountain.
Sponsored by Catholic Health
Initiatives, St. Anthony Hospitals is part
of the Centura Health system. It
operates 12 hospitals, eight senior
residences, medical clinics and home
care and hospice services across
Colorado.
Denver’s Nursing Star
June 27, 2005
outcome of our
charge!”
“These
opportunities are ones
of friendship, insight,
trust,
acknowledgement and
acceptance,” said
Symond.
“I get to hear
stories that are
inspiring; hold hands
that offer as much
comfort as they are in
need of receiving. I
get to share in the joy
of recovery and take a
little of the burden
from the heavy heart
and lift some of the
loss, if only for a few
moments.”
Photo bbyy Barbar
pella RReed
eed
Barbaraa Scar
Scarpella
“I believe these
Lee K. Symond, PPedia
edia
tric RN and Nur
se Educa
tor
or
ediatric
Nurse
Educator
tor,, has wwor
orkked aatt the 10-bed
experiences are unique pedia
tric unit in Longmont United Hospital since Mar
pediatric
Marcch 1998.
to the very intimacy of
this nursing profession with our
career,” said Symond.
patients,” said Symond.
She encourages exploration into
“Nursing offers the opportunity to this career field, particularly for those
see the human spirit at its most
who have bilingual skills.
vulnerable and it is most powerful, it
Symond, believes communication
offers the opportunity to be
helps the patient be inclusive in the
involved!”
medical assessment and outcome,
“I talk to the boys, bring them
enhancing the healing.
into the conversation, one of the best
“We get to bond with patients,
things that has happened in nursing
family, and are no longer on opposite
is men coming into the nursing
sides,” said Symond.
Page 5
More men in nursing:
Is trend enough to solve shortage?
According to a Vanderbilt University School of Nursing study, the number
of male nurses in the United States has nearly doubled since the 1980s growing from 5 percent to 9 percent of the nation's 1.8 million nurses.
Just as the number of men in nursing has steadily climbed, so has the
public's perception of the profession. A recent Gallup Poll ranked nursing as
the most trusted profession, above teachers, military officers and even doctors.
This is promising news for those working to end the nationwide nursing
shortage and stave off an impending health-care crisis. According to the
Vanderbilt study, the nursing shortage could approach 800,000 positions by
2020.
To recruit and retain more nurses, educators must address the shortage
of nursing faculty in the nation's colleges and universities. According to an
enrollment survey by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, more
than 26,000 qualified applicants were turned away from undergraduate
programs last year due in large part to faculty shortages.
"Building awareness of the shortage of nurses and nurse faculty, as well
as the benefits of a career in nursing, has had a big impact," said Andrea
Higham, director of The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future.
"But concerted efforts must continue if we're to head off what is predicted
to be a huge problem well into the next decade."
Higham said men are a key target of the awareness campaign, noting
that if the number of men entering nursing each year grew to anywhere
near the number of women entering the field, the nursing shortage would
cease to exist.
Will the growing number of men entering the profession be enough to
eliminate the shortage in time to accommodate the surge of baby boomers in
need of increased medical care? Only time will tell.
NEED A DYNAMIC SPEAKER FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT?
One who makes you laugh, cry, and most of all THINK?
Mary Jo Fay, RN, MSN ...
Denver Nursing Star columnist
and award winning author of:
Get Out of YYour
our Boxx!
When YYour
our Per
fect Par
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Perfect
Partner
Goes Perfectly Wrong
Now taking bookings for the 2005 calendar of events.
CALL NOW!
Book your event early for best dates available!
Contact Mary Jo Fay at 303-841-7691
www.outoftheboxx.com or www.helpfromsurvivors.com
Page 6
June 27, 2005
Denver’s Nursing Star
Impromptu concert a treat for Children’s Hospital
by Jason P. Smith
Staff Writer
A handful of kids gathered with
their parents recently in a playroom in
the oncology unit at the Children’s
Hospital in Denver, anticipating the
opportunity to meet a famous rock star.
When that rock star showed up,
however, no one expected him to be
dressed as he would to perform in front
of a sea of people.
Walking in wearing his usual
elaborate stage attire, the musician also
decided to bring along his guitar and
his entire band for an intimate concert
that attracted attention up and down
the hall.
This up close and personal private
acoustic concert was with Chris Isaak,
who recently came to Denver to play at
the 2005 Concert for Kids, a benefit
concert at the Universal Lending Pavilion.
The concert was held to benefit The
Children’s Hospital Foundation, MakeA-Wish Foundation and Denver Public
Schools Foundation.
Sitting in a tiny chair designed for
small children, Isaak sang three songs
and joked around with the kids and
parents.
After his first song, Isaak explained
ason PP.. Smith
Photo bbyy JJason
Garrison Hayes, 6, of Denver listens while Chris Isaak and his band perform for a
small group of kids in the oncology unit at the Children’s Hospital in Denver.
to the kids how bands work.
“I’m the chief musician, so I have
to wear all these crazy clothes, carry
this big guitar around and sing,” he
said to the kids.
“This guy back here,” Isaak said
pointing to a band member keeping
rhythm with an egg shaker, “only has
to carry that little egg shaker, so if you
grow up to be a musician be that guy –
it’s a lot easier.”
Isaak, who broke through the music
scene in the late 1980s, has scored
multiple hits on the charts with such
songs as “Wicked Game,” “Heart Shaped
World” and “Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing.”
Hospital plans
storytelling picnic
St. Anthony Health Foundation
announces the “Food For Thought Series”
which highlights interest and provocative
book discussions on a regular basis to
benefit the Women & Children’s Fund.
This year’s event is a storytelling picnic
with author, Renee Fajardo.
The event takes place at Bear Creek
Lake Park Pelican Point on Saturday,
July 30, 2005. Bring your family and
make a day of it. Registration begins
at 11:30 am and lunch will be served at
12 noon followed by the author’s
presentation. The price of the ticket
includes park entrance, a catered box
lunch and a question and answer session
and book signing after the author’s
presentation
Renee involves the children in the
audience in telling Tummy Tales from
her third book, Chili Today, Hot Tamale,
a collection of richly diverse stories
mixed in with some yummy recipes you
and your children can try at home.
You may register online at
www.blacktie-Denver.com or by calling
St. Anthony Hospitals HealthAdvisor,
303-777-6877. Tickets are $35 for adults
and $10 for children 13 and under.
Denver’s Nursing Star
June 27, 2005
From our Readers
Dear Editor,
I
have been discussing this issue much lately with my colleagues. How can
we truly advocate for our patients in every circumstance?
There are certain issues and situations that call for advocacy which go
unanswered. These are the difficult areas in which it may be hazardous for
your future prospects if you were to speak out. Areas so taboo that I am
apprehensive about writing of them for fear of reprisal. There are
times when as a nurse you can see things that the patients or
families do not. It is often due to more advanced knowledge of
the entire process that we may have this insight.
It may be that having been through this same set of
circumstances we are better equipped to make educated
predictions about an outcome. Possibly it may even be that the
families and loved ones are just too close to see the best course
of action. Every patient is different and the out come will
always vary. I am not saying things will turn out the same
way on every case or surgery treated in the same way by the
same physician. I am trying to say that at times we as nurses may see
a situation in which we know from our experiences that a patient has very little
chance of recovering or at least full recovery.
Being a complete and honest advocate in these circumstances is unbearably
perplexing even disheartening. How can we as caring, feeling individuals take it
upon ourselves to attempt to deliver such disastrous, hideous, heartbreaking
information to people that are already in a completely vulnerable state?
How can we actually feel we know when a 90-year-old person should not
undergo open-heart surgery or when someone who has already suffered a full
arrest should be made a DNR? What right do we have to tell loving families that
the procedure or the surgery or the continuation of life support will not help
their father or sister or closest living relative?
There are numerous situations that call for nurses to advocate for all kinds
of things. The most difficult by far is advocating for mercy. It seems crucial that
mercy be a strong guiding element in any nurse’s repertoire. We must be able to
show kindness and support and reverence while being honest and often while
relating miserable information that will directly affect them or someone they
love.
Nurses also have the misfortune of being the frontline for following behind
physicians that often don’t make the information they provide completely clear
to those they bestow it upon. We must translate what has been reported into a
condensed layman’s version often asked afterward what does that really mean?
Am I to say with the best effort to be kindly and compassionate that what that
really means is that your loved one has very little chance of living.
It is at best strenuous at worst impossible to teach someone that is involved
in the process of grieving over an already ill loved one that the best course may
be to do nothing and let nature take it’s course. Medical advances in the last 50
years have been remarkable. Surgeries and procedures are available now that
save million of lives every year. Unfortunately no one has yet stopped the
process of dying. Another area that is off limits is information about physicians
that may be valuable for patients or families to have. There are some physicians
that while they are well meaning, are possibly too optimistic or too confident or
just too willing to provide every intervention available even with odds against
favorable outcome too high for realistic consideration.
It is equally unthinkable for nurses to inform patients and families of a
physician that is beyond their years and should not practice or a physician with
a poor record for surgery or even an unwelcome bedside manner. We often
know many of these details but if we were to openly advocate against certain
traits what would our future prospects be?
We as nurses would love to be able to do all of the things mentioned. In a
perfect world we could tell each patient that they should seek a second opinion
or rethink their choices and decisions. We would all be entirely honest in all
things and each person we informed of these things would be completely
understanding and appreciative. People would receive proper care and no one
would ever have an unneeded or unwarranted procedure.
In a perfect world I would not be afraid to put my name on a letter such
as this.
Signed,
An Advocate
Editor’s Note: Any thoughts and/or responses should be sent to
[email protected].
Page 7
ST. ANTHONY SUMMIT
MEDICAL CENTER
WINS AWARD
St. Anthony Summit Medical Center
has been recognized with a Commitment
to Excellence Award for its commitment
to excellence in patient care as well as
exceeding industry standards. To qualify
for an award, the facility must have
been a patient satisfaction-tracking client
of The Jackson Organization for all four
quarters in 2004. Summit Medical Center
was chosen at the top of its class for
“Inpatient-Maternity Experience.”
The Birthplace at Summit opened
in July of 1997 and delivers more than
275 babies annually with two dedicated
labor, delivery and postpartum suites.
There also is a dedicated operating room
for cesarean sections. All nurses are
certified in perinatal care.
The award will be presented during
a formal awards ceremony at The
Jackson Organization Annual Conference,
October 17-18 at the Kingsmill Resort
in Williamsburg, VA. Out of 89
maternity facilities across the nation
similar in size, the Birthplace at Summit
ranked number one.
Offering 24-hour emergency care,
maternity and surgery services, St.
Anthony Summit Medical Center has
cared for the people of Summit County
and surrounding areas since 1978.
Scheduled to open in December 2005,
the new 95,000 square foot, 25-bed St.
Anthony Summit Medical Center will
offer full-service hospital services to the
region.
Summit Medical Center is part of
St. Anthony Hospitals, a nationally
recognized nonprofit health care
organization. Sponsored by Catholic
Health Initiatives,
St. Anthony Hospitals is part of
Centura Health which operates hospitals
in the Denver metro area and medical
clinics in Granby, Winter Park and
Copper Mountain.
For more information contact Jill
Boyle, BSN,RN, supervisor of OB and
the Nursery at The Birthplace at Summit,
970-668-8200.
IN PERSON
BRIAN CLARK
Silver-Goldsmith
Bill & Mary Selfridge
Indian & Western
Artist
FRI., JULY 22, 2005 ...... 2 PM - 10 PM
SAT., JULY 23, 2005 ..... 11 AM - 9 PM
SUN., JULY 24, 2005 .... 11 AM - 7 PM
MON., JULY 25, 2005 ... 11 AM - 7 PM
Page 8
June 27, 2005
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· Great Downtown Location
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P/SL’s management knows patients can count on exceptional
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& rewarded. Find the opportunity that will make your
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113 CASE MAN
AGEMENT
MANA
RNs &
LPNs
Case Mgmt/Coordinator
Colorado Nurse Health
Program is seeking a F/T
RN to oversee and
coordinate care and
services for participants
who have addiction and/or
mental health problems.
Must have experience in
mental health and addictions
nursing. Send resume to
CNHP, 44 Union Blvd. Ste
505, Lakewood, CO 80228
E-mail: [email protected]
Fax: 303-716-0789
Mariner offers top wages
and a full benefits program,
including medical, dental,
life, 401K, paid vacation, sick time
and tuition reimbursement. We pride
ourselves on a team oriented
environment providing National
long-term care.
F/T, P/T and Per Diem Floor positions all shifts
Nurse Managers, MDS Coordinators, Staff
Development Coordinators Opportunities exist for all
new nursing graduates.
Or, contact Sonja Classen, RN, BSN at 303-839-6927.
EOE
CASE MANAGER JOB
#25-045BCSS
Index to Classifieds
1 0 0 Ambulatory
1 0 8 Administrative
1 1 3 Case Management
1 1 5 Chemical Dependency
1 1 8 Clinical Instructors
1 1 9 Collection
1 2 1 Critical Care
1 2 3 Certified Medical Assistant
1 2 4 Certified Nurses Aide
1 2 7 CRNA
1 2 9 Dental
1 3 0 Dialysis
1 3 1 Dietary
1 3 7 Education
1 4 0 General Nursing
1 4 3 Geriatrics and Long Term Care
1 4 6 HMO
1 4 9 Home Health
1 5 2 Hospice
1 5 4 Housekeeping
1 5 5 Infection Control
1 5 8 IV Therapy
1 6 1 Licensed Practical Nurse
1 6 4 Managerial
1 6 5 Massage Therapy
1 6 7 Medical/Surgical
1 7 0 Nurse Practitioner
1 7 3 OB/Gyn
1 7 6 Occupational Health
1 7 9 Office
1 8 2 Oncology
1 8 5 O.R./PACU
1 8 8 Orthopedic
1 9 0 Pediatric
1 9 1 Pharmacist
1 9 2 Physicians Assistant
1 9 7 Public Health
2 0 0 Rehabilitation
2 0 4 Registered Nurse
2 0 7 Research
2 1 0 Sales Representative
2 1 3 Service
2 1 7 School Nurse
2 2 0 Spec Producers
2 2 3 Support Staff
2 2 5 Traveling Nurse
2 2 6 Miscellaneous
Denver’s Nursing Star
CASE MANGER TO WORK WITH
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AND PERSISTENT MENTAL
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WORKING 30-40 HRS/WK +
EXCELLENT BENEFITS PKG.
PLEASE VISIT OUR WEB-SITE
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UNDER
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AND BACKGROUND CHECK
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AND
CURRENT CO DRIVER’S
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JOB NUMBER & JOB TITLE TO
[email protected] OR APPLY
AT MENTAL HEALTH CENTER
OF BOULDER COUNTY, INC.,
1333 IRIS AVE., BOULDER, CO
80304. EOE
140 GENERAL NURSING
140 GENERAL NURSING
$2,000 Sign-On Bonus
RN s & LPN s If you like a
challenge & enjoy being involved
in creating better programs call
464-7500. We are looking for RN/
LPN to help make long term an
exciting experience for our
residents. E.O.E. $750 Sign-On
Bonus CNA s Do you enjoy making
life exciting for the geriatric
population, if so call 464-7500 or
apply at 151 E 3rd St, Palisade,
CO E.O.E.
HIGH PAY
•••••••••••••••••••
HOSPITAL SHIFTS
•••••••••••••••••••
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PT / SLP / RT
• Flexible Scheduling
• Instant Pay
• Paid Orientation
• Benefits
Veterans Encouraged to Apply!
124 CERTIFIED NURSES
AIDE
SUNSET MANOR. CNA’s. Work
with a diverse population in our
Skilled
Nursing
Facility.
Competitive wages and benefits,
shift differential for evenings and
nights! Inquire within: 2200 Edison
St., Brush CO 80723 or Contact
Cindy Mattox @ 970-842-2825
EOE. www.marinehealthcare.com.
LPN’s/RN’s/CMA’s –
Valley-Wide Health
Systems, Inc.
is seeking a devoted, hard working
and compassionate person to
assist in fulfilling our mission
through the delivery of nursing
services. Primary responsibility of
this Full-time 40 hour week position
is to provide nursing support for
assigned provider in our Durango
Primary Care Clinic. Qualified
candidates will have previous
nursing experience, and current
Colorado Licensure as an LPN, RN
or CMA. Previous office
experience preferred. Please
submit applications and copy of
nursing license to the Director of
Operations at 375 E. Park Avenue,
Suite 103, Durango, CO 81301
Certified Nursing Assts. Four
Open until filled. EOE.
Corners Health Care Center is
looking for F/T & P/T CNA’s.
Competitive wage scale & benefits
available. Please apply in person,
2911 Junction St, Durango, CO
81301.
140 GENERAL NURSING
Hospital Stafflink
Network
Staffing All Areas of Nursing
• RN - $32 to $45 per hour
• LPN - $23 to $27 per hour
(303) 758-9100
303-300-1100
888-303-1616
Car
eer Alter
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Career
Alterna
nati
tivves
Camellia HealthCare Center - Aurora
Berthoud Living Center - Berthoud
Boulder Manor - Boulder
Terrace Gardens Health Care - Colorado Springs
Cedarwood Health Care Center - Colorado Springs
Colonial Columns Nursing Center - Colorado Springs
Aspen Living Center - Colorado Springs
Red Rocks HealthCare Center- Denver
Mariner Health of Denver - Denver
Cherry Park Progressive Care Center - Englewood
Fort Collins Health Care Center - Fort Collins
Spring Creek Health Care Center - Fort Collins
Kenton Manor - Greeley
Minnequa Medicenter - Pueblo
Belmont Lodge Health Care Center - Pueblo
Mariner Health of Greenwood Village - Littleton
Applewood Living Center - Longmont
Sierra Vista HealthCare Center - Loveland
Alpine Living Center - Thornton
Windsor HealthCare Center - Windsor
Clinical RN/ LPN full time. Excellent
clinical, organizational and people
skills required. Computer literate.
Full benefits package. Resumes
to: Rickie Redland, Salida Family
Medicine, 320 E. 1st St. Salida, CO
81201
SUMMER FLEXIBILITY
Work where and when you want.
RN ($35-$42/hr)
Resp Therapist ($29/hr)
OR Tech ($23-$26/hr)
Sterile process ($17.50/hr)
Radiology ($30-$47/hr)
At area hospitals.
Impact Medical Staffing.
303-757-7600
FULL-TIME RN OR LPN
Family practice in Nederland
looking for experienced RN or LPN
to perform professional nursing
duties, including Labs, EKG’s,
ancillary testing & small pharmacy
dispensing. Requires 2 yrs.
experience family practice or
outpatient setting, valid Colorado
nursing license. BLS, ACLS, X-ray
experience a plus. Great benefits
and competitive salar y. Send
Robin@
resume
to
MountainFamily.org or fax to 303258-7302. EOE
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
RN / LPN / MA
Office Nurse for pediatric practice,
duties: taking patients back, vitals,
immunizations, blood draws,
pediatric labs, and phone triage.
Days Mondays and Tuesdays
8:30am - 6:00pm Some Saturdays
8:30 am-2:00 pm; Located near
Park Meadows Mall Yosemite and
County Line Rd.
Please contact Beth Hogan for
an immediate interview
email [email protected]
Tel: 303-882-6919 - Fax: 720-214-2367
140 GENERAL NURSING
Pediatric Office
seeking EXPERIENCED
MOA or LPN
for a full-time position. The right
candidate will enjoy working in a
fast-paced environment and have
a flexible schedule. Please send
resume specifying the position you
are applying for to: P.O. Box
10700, Grand Junction, CO
81502-5517
Attn:
Human
Resource Manager.
140 GENERAL NURSING
140 GENERAL NURSING
RN/LPN’s BOULDER COUNTY
JAIL
NO
INFIRMARY
DIFFERENTIALS FOR EVENING,
NIGHT AND WEEKEND SHIFTS
FULL AND PART TIME SALARIED
OR
HOURLY
ON
CALL
POSITIONS The Boulder County
Jail has immediate openings for
currently registered nurses or
LPN’s with recent medical/psych
experience and good assessment
skills. Excellent benefit pkg; or $25
hourly for RN on-call. This is an
extremely clean and safe
environment. Call 303-441-3638
for more information or visit
website: www.boulder sheriff.org
Valley View Villa, 815 Fremont
Avenue, Fort Morgan, CO 80701
FFAX
AX (720)283-2198
(720)283-2198 Or
Or Call
Call (720)
(720) 283-2209
283-2209
riday
Monday
Deadlines
ridayy,, noon
Deadlines -- FFrida
noon ffor
or Monda
issue
Frida
for
Mondayy issue
FULL TIME NIGHT
LPN / RN
Do you truly wish to make a
difference in someone else’s life?
Then come home to Valley View!
Some of the nicest people you’ll
ever meet live here, and you can
work with some of the most
qualified and compassionate
caregivers around. We offer: *
Great Pay and benefits * Flexible
Hours * A Team - Oriented
Environment - For details call us
at: 970-867-8261.
Denver’s Nursing Star
June 27, 2005
Denver’s Nursing Star
leadership
MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES:
• Associate Clinical Director of Emergency Services
• Associate Clinical Director of Perioperative Services
• Director of Children Services
• NICU Manager
NURSING OPPORTUNITIES:
• Acute Care - Ortho/Neuro, Med/Surg
• Birth Center
• Cardiac Step Down - Nights
• CCU - Nights
• Clinical Research Nurse
• Critical Care Educator - RN
• Emergency Dept - Evenings/Nights
• Monitored Surgical Care Area - requires ACLS
• NICU
• OB Surgery
• PICU
• Peds
• Radiology
• Surgery - Inpatient
• Women’s Pavilion
L OVE what you do!
Join one of the nation's fastest growing home health care
providers -- Tender Loving Care. If you're looking to provide
the best care and receive it as well, we have much to offer
you...flexible schedules, unlimited career support,
advancement opportunity and one of the most attractive
benefits programs in the industry including 401(k) and
tuition reimbursement. We have the following opportunities:
• Assistant Director of Clinical Services
Lafayette; Must be an RN with home care experience, computer skills
and strong knowledge of OASIS, PPS and CO regulations required.
• Registered Nurses
Denver& Lafayette; FT, Weekend & Per Diem
And do what you
LOVE!
We offer outstanding benefits
including health insurance, 401K,
tuition reimbursement and more!
Bilingual applicants encouraged
to apply.
1400 E. Boulder
Colo Spgs, CO
To view our up-to-the-minute job
opportunities, or to apply on
line, please visit our website at:
www.tlcathome.com or
Forward resume to: Esther
Hardy, (F) 888-273-8157,
(P) 888-312-5651; E-mail:
[email protected]
EOE
149 HOME HEAL
TH
HEALTH
HIRING!
CAREGIVERS!
W!
NO
NOW!
Use your life experience!
Transportation required.
Littleton, Lakewood.
Englewood Homewatch
720-344-4700
161 LICENSED PRA
CTICAL
PRACTICAL
NURSE
Medical Clinic needs
LPN or MA.
Must be a highly motivated
individual. Computer experience,
flexibility and versatility a plus.
Send resume to P.O. Box J, Key
2-B, Cortez, Colorado 81321
The Best of Care in the Best of Environments™
161 LICENSED PRA
CTICAL 204 REGISTERED NURSE
PRACTICAL
NURSE
Interium Healthcare Full Time
RN S $LARGE $
LPN Immediate opening for busy
SIGN-ON BONUS
homecare office.
Call 970-472 4180
&
ADMISSIONS
NURSE
Homecare Case Management
Self-scheduled visits Supportive,
team approach to patient care
Inpatient (Full Time, Par t
Time,PRN) Twelve hour shifts (77:30pm & 7-7:30am)and some
flexible shifts Increased nurse to
patient ratio for high acuity
symptom
management
Collaborative
Working
204 REGISTERED NURSE Environment Organizational
decisions driven by nurse process
improvement teams Nonprofit
Organization Long standing
reputation for reaching out to all
patients and families Generous
Benefit Package Hospice of
DIRECTOR OF
St.John 1320 Everett Ct.NURSING
Lakewood,,CO
80215
Strong leadership team is seeking 303.232.7900
your clinical expertise and long
term care experience in a positive
and progressive team- oriented
facility. This wonderful opportunity
requires the strengths of a
Registered Nurse with experience
as a DON or ADON. A qualified
candidate can expect a
competitive salary and good
benefits. $2000 sign-on bonus.
Please send your current vita to:
Sharmar Village Care Center
1201 W. Abriendo
Pueblo, CO 81004
To Boldly Go...
Boulder
Manor
is looking for RNs
for all three shifts.
Come join our
winning team at the
LPN’s NEEDED FT & PT
evening, FT Nights, Baylor
LTC facility with the
Weekend Evening/Nights. The
best survey results
right applicant is dependable & Director of Nursing
knowledgeable, with excellent Small rural nursing home seeks
in Boulder county.
communication and team work committed, experienced RN for top
Call Kristin at
skills! Apply in person at Laurel nursing position. Relocation paid.
Manor Care Center, 920 S. Chelton Fax resume to Sandy (970) 871(303) 554-4306
Rd
9001.
204 REGISTERED NURSE
FT Staff RN
Seeking dynamic team player
with public speaking skills to
work with groups and
communities throughout the
state.
Requirements:
Travel, training, detail oriented,
computer
competency,
supervising medical volunteers.
Bachelor's degree, 9Health Fair
experience and fluent in
Spanish preferred.
For complete job description &
to apply visit our website at
9healthfair.org
Registered Nurses
Full-time, Part-time and PRN/Pool
positions available on both Day &
Night Shifts (12 hr shifts);
Opportunities for experienced,
results & action oriented Acute
Care nurses who love challenges
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patients in a small family oriented
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failure, COPD, respiratory failure,
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traumatic brain injury, stage III and
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We
provide
invidividualized training and
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ti
Career
Alterna
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RECRUITMENT - RECRUITMENT
CLASSIFIED RATES
teamwork
Apply online at:
www.memorialhospital.com
Employment: 719-365-2335
Page 9
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Page 10
June 27, 2005
Denver’s Nursing Star
Poetry and prose come naturally for nurse practitioner
by Mike Liguori
Staff Writer
Connecticut nurse practitioner
and award-winning author Cortney
Davis is enjoying the best of both
professional worlds, publishing her
prose and poetry and traveling the
country to encourage nurses to write
about their own experiences.
“I write from the nurse’s vantage
point: we accompany patients as they
go from illness to recovery; we walk
with patients as they journey
through death’s door,” Davis writes
on her Web site.
“Like other nurses and doctors
who write, I feel called upon to
translate and pass on in some
measure the extraordinary lessons I
learn from my patients’ lives. I also
realize that when we caregivers tell
our patients’ stories, we reveal our
own as well.”
Davis has a long list of published
work. In addition to her own books,
her poetry has appeared in literary
journals, anthologies, medical
humanities texts, and nursing and
medical journals.
She has read and given poetry
workshops throughout the United
States, most recently in Washington
D.C., Ohio, Boston, New York, San
Francisco, Seattle, Connecticut and
Denver.
“I was at the University of
Colorado School of Nursing for a
workshop, reading and talk, and also
at the medical school in April, 1999,
and, during the same visit, I spoke
to an interpersonal ethics class at the
university,” she said.
“Interestingly enough, the nurses
and medical students welcomed me
with open arms, but the doctors
seemed to have some trepidation – ‘A
nurse who writes about medical
things?’ I think that now, nurse/
poets are better accepted by
physicians,” Davis said.
She’s also traveled through the
Denver area with her husband Jon,
who is a physician and nature
photographer.
“We’ve poked around the mid-
west, the west, and the northwest,
me doing poetry readings and Jon
snapping photos in the national
parks.”
Davis said she writes about her
nursing work because it offers an
outlet for the mysteries of the
human body, healing, fears of death
and abandonment, and celebration of
birth, relationships and creativity.
“As caregivers, we see what few
others are permitted to see,” Davis
said. “This entitlement brings with it
a responsibility to tell the emotional
truth.”
Davis’ own emotional truth
began in her infancy. She was born
in Maryland and moved at age four
to Squirrel Hill, Pennsylvania, outside
Pittsburgh.
In her childhood, she also lived
in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania and
Stamford, Connecticut.
Her father was a World War II
veteran and New York Herald
Tribune reporter who was a speech
ghostwriter for Roosevelt. During
the war, he wrote and published a
military newspaper but faced difficult
duty in the field, as well.
He was awarded a purple heart
and a bronze star for bravery after
leading battalions to sweep Italian
fields for land mines.
Because her father suffered from
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and
her mother was sick with TB, Davis
was sent to live with family friends
for six months while she was still an
infant.
While she remembers the rest of
her childhood as magical, loving and
difficult, she said she lived with a
shifting sense of place and a feeling
of longing after that early separation.
“Now, when I write about my
experiences with patients, I focus on
reality, on what is actual and
tangible,” Davis wrote. “But always,
somewhere in the background, there
remains that childhood underbelly of
fragility and loss, like the multiple,
subtle tones in the scent of perfume.
I’m still not quite convinced that
those we love and care for won’t
simply disappear.”
Today, her career as a writer is
in full swing. She’s currently
Legislation to require Medicaid coverage for APRNs services
Patients to have expanded access to quality care
The American Nurses Association
(ANA) today applauded Congressman
John W. Olver (D-MA) who introduced
bipartisan legislation that would expand
patient access to quality health care by
requiring states to offer Medicaid
coverage for primary health-care services
provided by advanced practice registered
nurses (APRNs).
The Medicaid Advanced Practice
Nurses and Physician Assistants Access
Act of 2005, H.R. 2716, introduced in
the U.S. House of Representatives on
May 26, would eliminate the option that
state Medicaid plans currently have of
denying APRNs as primary care case
managers.
ANA President Barbara Blakeney,
MS, RN, hailed Rep. Olver's introduction
of the bill.
"In terms of quality of care, patient
satisfaction and cost-effectiveness,
APRNs are among the best values in
health care," Blakeney said. "APRNs are
particularly important in providing
primary care services in underserved
and rural communities," she added.
APRNs are registered nurses who however, often denies Medicaid
have attained advanced education and beneficiaries access to these health care
expertise and specialize in such medical providers," he added.
fields as pediatrics, anesthesiology,
"This bill would go a long way
gerontology, neonatology and mental toward improving health care in many
health. APRNs
rural
and
include nur s e “In areas with a shortage
medicallypractitioners,
underserved areas
c l i n i c a l n u r s e of physicians, nurse
of the country,
s p e c i a l i s t s , practitioners and physician
including the 1st
certified nurseCongressional
midwives and assistants can be more
district
of
c e r t i f i e d accessible,” Olver said.
Massachusetts."
registered nurse
The Medicaid
anesthetists.
Advanced Practice Nurses and Physician
However, Medicaid plans in many Assistants Access Act of 2005 would
states currently recognize only physicians restore a previous federal mandate to
and do not cover primary care services cover the primary-care services of nurse
provided by APRNS. The proposed practitioners and certified nurse
measure would help to control Medicaid midwives. This mandate was eliminated
spending by offering Medicaid by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997,
beneficiaries more and often less- which encouraged states to move
expensive primary-care provider options. Medicaid recipients into managed care
"In areas with a shortage of but gave states the option to exclude
physicians, nurse practitioners and APRNs as participants.
physician assistants can be more
The bill also proposes to expand
accessible," Olver said. "Current law, Medicaid fee-for-service coverage to
include direct reimbursement for all
nurse practitioners and clinical nurse
specialists (instead of only the family
practitioners, pediatric practitioners and
midwives who are currently covered).
In addition, Medicaid managed-care
panels would be required to recognize
the services of APRNs - including the
pain management services provided by
nurse anesthetists and mental health
services provided by clinical nurse
specialists - thus clarifying the scope of
providers required by managed care
plans to specifically include APRNs.
Blakeney highlighted the fact that
the bill would restore Medicaid coverage
for the case-management services of
nurse practitioners and certified nurse
midwives.
"This is a long-awaited correction
that provides both clarity and just
reimbursement for advanced practice
nurses in these categories," she noted.
"The ANA commends Rep. Olver for
introducing this much-needed legislation,
and we look forward to working with
him to ensure its enactment."
Denver’s Nursing Star
writing poetry, essays, articles,
interviews and book reviews, and
giving readings and workshops.
Two of her essays have recently
appeared in the New York Times,
she said.
She’s exhilarated by the distance
her work is traveling.
“My non-fiction memoir, ‘I Knew
a Woman: the Experience of the
Female Body,’ was just published in
Chinese,” she said.
“I’ve just completed an interview
with physician/poet Rafael Campo
which will be published soon, and
my interview with poet Dick Allen
just came out in the spring in
Connecticut Review.
“My big project is another poetry
collection, this time all prose poems.
I am in the process of finalizing the
manuscript right now. The title is
tentatively ‘Lucid Dreaming,’ but I
think that might change. This book
explores the connection between
dream and imagination and reality in
poems that look at both my work as
a nurse and my life as a wife and
mother.”
Davis won a Connecticut
Commission on the Arts Poetry Grant
for 2005, and is now using the funds
to write new poems about her work
with patients.
June 27, 2005
“One of the grant
poems, ‘Whatever Is Left,’
and a short story called
‘Breathing’ will be
published this fall in the
Bellevue Literary Review,”
she said.
Davis is also an online
annotator for New York
University’s Literature and
Medicine Database, an
international resource for
literary and art works that
can be used in teaching
medical and nursing
humanities. The database is
online at http://
endeavor.med.nyu.edu/litmed/lit-med-db/
topview.html.
Davis’ schedule of
public appearances
continues this summer, with
engagements as a seminar
leader or featured reader at
Sarah Lawrence College in
New York and the Sunken
Garden Poetry Festival in
Farmington, Connecticut.
More information and
creative writing suggestions
for nurses are available on
her Web site, http://
www.cortneydavis.com.
Connecticut nnur
ur
se pr
actitioner and aaw
war
d-winning author Cor
tne
vis encour
ur
ses to write aabout
bout their oown
wn eexperiences
xperiences
urse
practitioner
ard-winning
Cortne
tneyy Da
Davis
encouraages nnur
urses
xperiences..
Genetics conference offers CE credits to nurses
by Mike Liguori
Staff Writer
Nurses can earn continuing
education credits and be briefed on the
latest developments in genetics July 1416 at the Mountain States Genetics
Network Regional Collaborative Center
annual conference in Englewood, Colo.
The conference’s education program
emphasizes current issues in genetics
and patient management, privacy and
newborn screening, and a total of 17.1
credits will be offered to participating
nurses. The program is accredited by
the University of Colorado Health
Sciences Center School of Nursing and
will be held at the Inverness Hotel and
Conference Center, 200 Inverness Drive
West.
“This year’s program has been
specifically developed to provide current
information and patient insight to nurses
regarding timely issues in diagnosis,
genetic testing and patient management,”
said Marianna Bridge, R.N., the chief
nurse planner for continuing education
for the Mountain States Genetics
Network RCC.
Page 11
“Genetics is impacting every facet
of health care, especially in the early
detection and management of disorders
in newborns and special populations.
We hope this conference provides an
opportunity for nurses and nurse
practitioners to expand their knowledge,
ask questions and discuss the issues with
those experts and consumers who have
day-to-day experience with genetics
related disorders,” Bridge said.
Fees are $25 for consumer/general
members, $50 for professional members,
$80 for consumer/general non-members,
$130 for professional non-members.
Membership in the Mountain States
Genetics Association is $50 per year and
membership fees will be subtracted from
the registration fee for those choosing
to join at the time of registration.
Federal and private funding sources
allowed registration fees for CEUs at
the three-day conference to be set
relatively low in comparison with other
conferences, according to genetics
conference officials.
“Increasingly, nurses and nurse
practitioners represent the ‘front line’
of patient contact and case management,
where early diagnosis of many disorders
is critical to effective intervention.
Advances in genetics and its correlation
with many diseases has become an
important component of effective patient
management, and continuing education
to stay current in the field is key to
professional growth for nurses,” Bridge
said.
Bridge said the 2005 program was
particularly valuable to OB/GYN and
pediatric nurses interested in issues in
newborn screening, metabolic disorders,
and early diagnosis and patient
management of infants and children with
genetic disorders and developmental
challenges, including Down syndrome.
A panel discussion on advances and
issues in expanded newborn screening,
as well as a symposium panel of medical
experts, genetics specialists and legal
experts discussing population-based
genetics issues and the challenges facing
medical professionals, patients and their
families are among the conference’s
keynote sessions.
A symposium will be broadcast over
the Internet on July 15 from 9:45 a.m.
to 11:45 a.m. MDT.
Anyone with Internet access will be
able to listen and ask questions by
attending the symposium at
www.vcall.com through a direct link.
Guest lecturers during the threeday program include Jeffrey Bodkin,
M.D., professor of pediatrics and medical
ethics at the University of Utah; Bradley
Therrell, Ph.D., professor and director
of the National Newborn Screening and
Genetics Resource Center, University of
Texas Health Science Center at San
Antonio; and Scott D. Grosse, Ph.D.,
senior health economist at the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention.
Also speaking are, Vivian Ota Wang,
Ph.D., program director, Ethical, Legal
and Social Implications Program at the
National Human Genome Research
Institute, National Institutes of Health
in Bethesda, MD.; Murray H. Brilliant,
Ph.D., the Lindholm Professor of
Genetics, Pediatrics, University of
Arizona College of Medicine; Matthew
Taylor, M.D., assistant professor, adult
genetics, Department of Medicine,
University of Colorado; and Lisa Shaffer,
Ph.D., research professor, Washington
State University.
For more information on the
conference,
visit
http://
www.mostgene.org, or contact Susan
Bryan at [email protected] or
call (602) 870-4752. ™
Page 12
June 27, 2005
July
07/09/05-07/10/05 & 07/23/
05-07/24/05 Medical
Intuition & Energy
NEW!
Medicine
Level I: This experiential workshop
is for those who want to learn how
to more easily connect with their
intuition, in order to develop and
utilize their natural intuitive
abilities in the direction of medical
intuition and energy medicine. 14
CEU’s available through CCHT.
July 9 & 10, 9am-6pm, Hiawatha,
Iowa at the PrairieWoods Retreat
Center. Coordinator: Mary Ellen
Dunford (319) 395-6700.
Instructor: Barbara Noonan, RN,
BS, BA, CHTP, C.Ht (303) 9891281. July 23-24, 9 am-6pm,
Dubois, Wyoming at the Dennison
Lodge. Coordinator: Jacqueline
Page (307) 455-3512. Instructor:
Barbara Noonan (303) 989-1281.
Fee $250.
07/11/05 PICC/ML
Insertion Course Denver
This course will provide all of the
didactic and laboratory practicum
to qualify an RN to place PICC or
ML catheters, based on the
guidelines from the INS, AVA and
the CDC. Any further practicum
required will be per the institutions
requirements. Topics included;
Legal aspects, indications &
contraindications, risks, benefits
and alternatives to PICC/ML
catheters. It also includes hands
on practicum with Modified
Seldinger (MST) and Peel Away
Sheath insertion techniques. 9:00
- 5:30. $250.00 Location: Holiday
Inn Hotel & Suites, Denver South Centennial Airport 7770 S Peoria
Street, Englewood. 8 Contact
hours. For more information call
Carolynn Cassutt Consulting, Inc
at (303) 680-2243 or visit our web
site at
www.cassuttconsulting.com.
07/12/05 PICC/ML Care
and Troubleshooting
Denver
This course is an adjunct to the
Insertion course for clinicians
involved in the placement and
care of PICC/ML catheters. This is
also an excellent course for
clinicians caring for these lines.
After completion, the participants
will be knowledgeable in the
current guidelines for care, to
provide positive outcomes for their
patients with these catheters.
Content to encompass all aspects
of care of PICC/ML catheters
including, dressing changes,
blood collection, prevention, care
and treatment for common
complications such as occluded,
mal-positioned, and broken
catheters, It will also include the
techniques of repair and
exchange of catheters with hands
on practicum. 9:00 - 3:30. $200.00
Location: Holiday Inn Hotel &
Suites, Denver South - Centennial
Airport 7770 S Peoria Street,
Englewood. 6 Contact hours. For
more information call Carolynn
Cassutt Consulting, Inc at (303)
680-2243 or visit our web site at
www.cassuttconsulting.com.
07/22/05 LPN IV
Certification: Central Line
Course Grand Junction
As of October 2003 the practice
guidelines have changed for LPNs
involved in IV Therapy to include
the care and infusion through
Central Venous Catheters, as well
as additional infusion modalities
and medications. All currently IV
certified LPNs must attend a 12hour Central Line Class prior to
January 2006 in order to maintain
their IV Certification. This
Colorado Board of Nursing
approved course meets all of the
requirements for the LPN-IV2
authority. The course includes a
self-study module, plus a one-day
seminar for lecture/discussion and
laboratory practice, 9:00–5:30.
care, New antimicrobials,
Dressing materials, Anchoring
devices, Flushing techniques &
devices, Accessing implanted
ports, Troubleshooting catheters,
Blood collection, Monitoring, and
Line Complications with a focus
on identification and prevention.
9:00–12:00pm. Location:
Doubletree Hotel, 743 Horizon
Drive, Grand Junction. $100.00. 3
Contact Hours For more
information call Carolynn Cassutt
Consulting, Inc at (303) 680-2243
or visit our web site at
www.cassuttconsulting.com
Denver’s Nursing Star
authority. The course includes a
self-study module, plus a one-day
seminar for lecture/discussion and
laboratory practice, 9:00–5:30.
Location: Holiday Inn Hotel &
Suites, Denver South - Centennial
Airport, 7770 S Peoria Street,
Englewood. $225.00, Lunch
included. 12 Contact Hours. For
more information call Carolynn
Cassutt Consulting, Inc at (303)
680-2243 or visit our web site at
www.cassuttconsulting.com
August
identification, Current standards of
care, New antimicrobials,
Dressing materials, Anchoring
devices, Flushing techniques &
devices, Accessing implanted
ports, Troubleshooting catheters,
Blood collection, Monitoring, and
Line Complications with a focus
on identification and prevention.
9:00–12:00pm. Location:
Embassy Suites Hotel, 7290
Commerce Center Drive. $100.00.
3 Contact Hours.
For more information call Carolynn
Cassutt Consulting, Inc at (303)
680-2243 or visit our web site at
www.cassuttconsulting.com
NEW!
07/25/05 LPN IV
Certification: Central Line
Course Westminster
As of October 2003 the practice
guidelines have changed for LPNs
involved in IV Therapy to include
the care and infusion through
Central Venous Catheters, as well
as additional infusion modalities
and medications. All currently IV
certified LPNs must attend a 12hour Central Line Class prior to
January 2006 in order to maintain
their IV Certification. This
Colorado Board of Nursing
approved course meets all of the
requirements for the LPN-IV2
authority. The course includes a
self-study module, plus a one-day
seminar for lecture/discussion and
laboratory practice, 9:00–5:30.
Location: Doubletree Hotel, 8773
Yates Drive, Westminster.
$225.00, Lunch included. 12
Contact Hours For additional
information, call Carolynn Cassutt
Consulting, Inc at (303) 680-2243
or visit our web site at:
www.CassuttConsulting.com to
register or view a list of current
course offerings.
08/19/05 LPN IV
Certification: Central Line
Course Colorado Springs
As of October 2003 the practice
guidelines have changed for LPNs
involved in IV Therapy to include
the care and infusion through
Central Venous Catheters, as well
as additional infusion modalities
and medications. All currently IV
certified LPNs must attend a 12hour Central Line Class prior to
January 2006 in order to maintain
their IV Certification. This
Colorado Board of Nursing
approved course meets all of the
requirements for the LPN-IV2
authority. The course includes a
self-study module, plus a one-day
seminar for lecture/discussion and
laboratory practice, 9:00–5:30.
Location: Embassy Suites Hotel,
7290 Commerce Center Drive.
$225.00, Lunch included. 12
Contact Hours
For additional information, call
Carolynn Cassutt Consulting, Inc
at (303) 680-2243 or visit our web
site at:
www.CassuttConsulting.com to
register or view a list of current
course offerings.
NEW!
08/22/05 CVADs (Central
Venous Access Devices)
New Technology,
Concepts and Challenges
South Denver
This 3-hour seminar is designed
to educate the participant in all
facets of central lines. This is an
excellent course for healthcare
professionals to refresh and
update their knowledge of Central
lines. Content to include:
Indications for CVADs, Line
identification, Current standards of
care, New antimicrobials,
Dressing materials, Anchoring
devices, Flushing techniques &
devices, Accessing implanted
ports, Troubleshooting catheters,
Blood collection, Monitoring, and
Line Complications with a focus
on identification and prevention.
9:00–12:00pm. Location: Holiday
Inn Hotel & Suites, Denver South Centennial Airport, 7770 S Peoria
Street, Englewood. $100.00. 3
Contact Hours.
For more information call Carolynn
Cassutt Consulting, Inc at (303)
680-2243 or visit our web site at
www.cassuttconsulting.com
07/27/05 LPN IV
Certification: Central Line
Course South Denver
07/23/05 CVADs (Central
Venous Access Devices)
New Technology:
Concepts and Challenges
Grand Junction
This 3-hour seminar is designed
to educate the participant in all
facets of central lines. This is an
excellent course for healthcare
professionals to refresh and
update their knowledge of central
lines. Content to include:
Indications for CVADs, Line
identification, Current standards of
As of October 2003 the practice
guidelines have changed for LPNs
involved in IV Therapy to include
the care and infusion through
Central Venous Catheters, as well
as additional infusion modalities
and medications. All currently IV
certified LPNs must attend a 12hour Central Line Class prior to
January 2006 in order to maintain
their IV Certification. This
Colorado Board of Nursing
approved course meets all of the
requirements for the LPN-IV2
08/20/05 CVADsNEW!
(Central
Venous Access Devices)
New Technology,
Concepts and Challenges
Colorado Springs
This 3-hour seminar is designed
to educate the participant in all
facets of central lines. This is an
excellent course for healthcare
professionals to refresh and
update their knowledge of Central
lines. Content to include:
Indications for CVADs, Line
08/26/05-08/27/05 When A
Child Dies: Building
Community
Northeastern Junior College,
Sterling Colorado.
7.0 CNE hours (approx.) AAFP.
This conference will bring together
bereaved parents, healthcare
providers, faith community
leaders, educators and other
interested community members.
Learn more about theories of grief
and how common needs of
families helps communities, faith
Denver’s Nursing Star
June 27, 2005
communities, and schools better
formulate an effective response to
families living through grief. For
additional information or to
request a brochure, contact
Shaun Ayon at 303-861-6123 or
visit us at
www.thechildrenshospital.org
September
NEW!
09/15/05-09/16/05 14th
Annual O’Neil Pediatric
Clinical Update
The Children’s Hospital – Denver.
15.0 CNE hours
This conference will focus on the
acute management of common
pediatric conditions and present
current clinical issues with
implications for children’s health.
Through lectures, case
presentations, clinical updates will
enhance the knowledge and skills
necessary for an integrated
approach to care. For additional
information or to request a
brochure, contact Diane Gonzales
at 303-861-6160 or visit us at
www.thechildrenshospital.org
09/30/05 28th Annual L.
Joseph Butterfield
Perinatal Conference
Laramie Country Club, Laramie,
WY 7.5 CNE
This conference provides a forum
for perinatal health care
professionals that will enhance
and broaden knowledge of
current and future perinatal
practice. Issues to be addressed
include aspects related to
antenatal, intrpartum, and
neonatal care. For additional
information or to request a
brochure, contact Shaun Ayon at
303-861-6123 or visit us at
www.thechildrenshospital.org
60-hour IV Certification for LPNs
in an independent study format!
This course allows completion of
the didactic content at your own
pace and on you own time. After
completion of the independent
study modules and quizzes you
will attend a one-day laboratory
education and practice seminar.
Once these two sections are
successfully completed you will
validate the clinical skills in your
own facility with a qualified RN
preceptor. Registration Fees:
$495.00 Contact Hours: 60 For
additional information contact
Carolynn Cassutt Consulting, Inc
at (303) 680-2243 or visit our web
site at:
www.CassuttConsulting.com.
Open
NEW!
Online Courses
LegalNurse Consultant
Training Course™
NEW!
LPN IV Certification – Full
Course
We are now offering a Colorado
Board of Nursing approved, full
The Colorado
This exciting program prepares
Registered Nurses and
Physician’s Assistants for a career
in the legal field as legal nurse
Supporting Nursing Professionals
Throughout Colorado
Health Care Directory
Associations
Home Health
303-757-7483
Education
Excellence in Nursing Education
consultants. This course provides
the RN and PA with fundamental
skills necessary to advise law
firms, health care providers,
insurance companies, and
governmental agencies regarding
medically related issues and to
appear in court as expert
witnesses. The course teaches
legal concepts related to the
health care industry, as well as
the role a legal nurse consultant
might play in such litigation areas
as the following: toxic torts,
products liability, emotional
distress, wrongful death, mental
capacity, criminal law, and
different types of medical injuries.
LNCC test eligibility requirements
are discussed during this course;
however, RNs graduating from this
course need not take the LNCC in
order to practice as legal nurse
consultants.
This CE activity was approved by
the Colorado Nurses Association,
an accredited approver by the
American Nurses Credentialing
Center’s Commission on
Accreditation. 50.4 Contact Hours
(42 hours of instruction) will be
awarded on your certificate upon
successful completion of this
course. Please call The Center for
Legal Studies at 1-800-522-7737
or visit www.legalstudies.com for
further information.
www.denverschoolofnursing.org
All Star Health Education
CPR, First Aid and
CNA classes
Call 303/ 929-7980
Fax: 303/ 346-4989
Call for more info: 303-722-0857
Fax: 303-722-2943
Hospice
Health Services
Please FAX this form to
announce your continuing
education course to our
readers. FAX: 720-283-2198
Phone: 720-283-2209, Or
Email:
[email protected].
www.denvernursingstar.com
with your
college degree.
Mortgage Lenders
Tired of being passed over for
Nursing Centers
that promotion you deserve?
Orthopedic Services
Don’t have the degree you
Pharmacies
need? Or perhaps you’d like to
Pharmaceutical Manufac.
Tel: 303-882-6919
Fax: 720-214-2367
Then do what successful
www.marinerhealthcare.com
nursing, a profession we honor
Physicians and Surgeons
professionals do.
Rehabilitation Services
Call University of Phoenix.
People. Strength. Commitment.
Just call 1-800-MY-SUCCESS
719-365-2335
www.memorialhospital.com
Hospital Services
a bachelor’s or master’s
Supervised Living Facil.
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people who help people
Long-Term Acute Care
Uniforms
Skye Brunick • 303-866-7115
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Medical Manufacturers
Include your Facility, Organization or Service here
Only $25 per month CALL 720-283-2209
and find out how you can earn
www.hcr-manorcare.com
Long-Term Care Ins.
Colorado Department of Human Services
and Online edition are free.
re-career into a new field?
Hospital
www.memorialhospital.com
Health Care Staffing
Continued Education Listings
in Denver’s Nursing Star print
Be what you want to be —
Denver School of Nursing
(303) 292-0015
FREE
Medical Transportation
COLORADO NURSES ASSOCIATION
1221 S. Clarkson St. #205, Denver, CO 80210
Page 13
303-590-1666
degree sooner than you could
at other universities.
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Page 14
June 27, 2005
s
r
u
N
What’s the most bizarre
thing you’ve seen in
Boulder?
“On Halloween night last
year, we were having dinner
at the Rio. I looked outside
and saw more than 30
people streaking down the
Pearl Street Mall with
carved pumpkins on their
heads. And it was a very
cold night, too.”
What’s the most bizarre
thing you’ve seen in
Boulder?
e
Each week we visit with
health care professionals
throughout the Denver area.
When I
grow up I
want to be
a nurse.
“There’s a guy on the Pearl
Street Mall who has a live
mouse that sits on top of a
live cat, and the cat is
sitting on top of a live dog.”
Denver’s Nursing Star
k
l
t a
What’s the most bizarre
thing you’ve seen in
Boulder?
What’s the most bizarre
thing you’ve seen in
Boulder?
“A patient left the hospital
wearing pajamas and
pushing her chest tube
boxes in a wheelchair. She
walked down to Pearl Street
and no one there even said
a word to her. She strolled
down the street.”
“One of my co-workers, a
male nurse, dressed up as
Dolly Parton and won a
contest for the best costume
in the Thursday night
cruisers, a group of bicycle
enthusiasts in Boulder. He
looked really good dressed
as a woman, too.”
Julie Rinaldi-Fuller
Rinaldi-Fuller,, RN
Cancer Car
Caree Unit
Boulder Community Hospital
JoAnne KKeef
eef
er
eefer
er,, RN
Caree Unit
Cancer Car
Boulder Community Hospital
If you would like us to visit
your facility, please email
Crystal White at:
[email protected]
Photos bbyy Mik
Mikee Liguori
Please let us know...
Bec
ello
ws
Beckky FFello
ellows
ws,, RN
Caree Unit
Cancer Car
Boulder Community Hospital
K ami Clar
k, RN
Clark,
Cancer Car
Caree Unit
Boulder Community Hospital
CryptaQuote
J NGBXIE ZXNMGMYC OCIGJP
JGGMGVUC KMPP LBCJGC OXBC
OMBJLPCN GHJI JID KXIUCB UBVE.
ZJGBMLMJ ICJP
CLUE:
Solve Puzzle Here"
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
N=S
Email your thoughts and comments
regarding Nurse Talk to
[email protected] or mail
to Denver’s Nursing Star, P.O. Box
2078, Broomfield, Colo. 80038-2078
TO SOLVE:
Substitute each letter
for another, each letter
consistently
represents another.
One clue is given (e.g.
F=O), so for every
occurence of “F”
within the quote and
author you would
substitute a “O”.
Answer in the next
issue.
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _
_ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
MGBNUG ZNACM
_ _ _ _
Last Issue’s CryptaQuote Answer
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems,
but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the
effort. Herm Albright
by Martha Baldwin
Beveridge, MSSW, LCSW
What are LoveTips?
LoveTips are concise, practical tips for finding and keeping
a passionate, fulfilling relationship. While many are for
couples who want to make the most of their relationship or
marriage, other LoveTips address friends, parenting, coworkers, in-laws and more.
The power of an open heart.
SAMPLE:
FQMAM OY, QIRMLMA,
E SOBOF EF RQOJQ
DIAZMEAEUJM
JMEYMY FI ZM E
LOAFNM.
_ _ _ _.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
LoveTips
The clue was: M = E
There is, however, a limit
at which forbearance
ceases to be a virtue.
Edmund Burke
The power of an open heart is the power to heal yourself and
your mate. When your heart is open, understanding is
possible. Compassion flows freely. You are receptive and truly
available to your partner. Your willingness to be visible, to
share, and to be receptive to what he says is a gift to both of
you. Taking down your walls tells him how much you trust
him. When you let him see into the depths of you, your open
heart encourages him to open his too. Your marriage will thrive
as you empower each other with generous open-hearted
sharing.
View Martha’s Web Site at www.lovetips.com
Denver’s Nursing Star
June 27, 2005
OPINION
High Tech-Technology
Changes in Life...
Commentary by Mary Pearson, RNC, M.Ed.
My son Tim
came for a visit
from Seattle. He
is
a
photojournalist
Mar
ear
son, RNC
Maryy PPear
earson,
RNC,, M.Ed. who works for all
the
national
broadcasting affiliates as an independent
freelancer. He has filmed news
segments for foreign stations located
out of London and is on call for CNN.
He also owns his own production
company, Sparkle Motion Pictures.
Needless to say, he is up on all the
latest electronics in the world of news,
computers and home entertainment
systems. He cannot image life without
his laptop, digital camera or photo-
phone. He is forever showing me
something new just to see the expression
on my face.
So when I told him that we finally
moved up from Windows 95 to
Windows XL this year he had a laugh
at my expense. After all I was only
ten years behind the times.
So what is the big deal I ask? My
rational was, why advance my knowhow when I had finally just mastered
all the ins and outs of one particular
system?
Part of my putting off learning a
new program was because I was
comfortable where I was at, simple as
that. Most of the time I feel like I am
in a continual mode of hurry, hurry
some more and run in overdrive or left
over adrenaline. I just have not wanted
to learn something new.
My mind just wants to listen to
silence. To have one day that is not
bomb-barded with new gadets, noise,
phones ringing at home, on the job
and even in the grocery store. This is
not to mention the every day
requirements of life.
Which brings me to the deeper
thoughts of May’s celebration of Mother’s
Day. This is for all of those women
whom are mothers. A mother to
precious children or a mother to a
beloved pet, either way it does not
matter and both ways count. For a
mother, is a mother.
We all know mothers have a built
in instinct to push a child’s button.
Also, children know just how to push
their mother’s buttons. Such is the case
of my son, my mother and me.
So as the story goes my mother,
who is 80, has always been on the
forefront of technology. She has taught
me everything about writing using a
computer program. All of this teaching
was over 20 years ago. I am glad to
say I have grown in many other
technological areas since that time.
But as I said she was on the
forefront of technology with computers.
I mean that literally when I say WAS.
She has had the same program,
Professional Write ever since its inception
somewhere around 1985.
Since Mother’s Day was approaching
I asked her what she wanted. She
promptly replied that a DVD player
would be nice. I informed her I did
not have one nor would I buy one for
myself.
Thus, I did not know the first thing
Page 15
about them. I did not know which
was a good brand or a poor one, how
to hook it up, or how to trouble shoot.
But Tim did.
Since I was unable to talk her out
of it, Tim and I purchased one. Taking
it over to her house she became
apprehensive. After all she has had the
same dependable VCR for 10 years. Not
wanting to give up her VCR she was
in agony over her decision to learn new
technology. A solution was discovered;
we would just hook both of them up
to the television.
Once the operational directions had
been given repeatedly to my mother
and me she slide a disk into the player
and turned it on. We all sat, talked,
laughed and watched the movie.
With the conclusion of the movie,
my mother rises to turn off the DVD.
I mischievously said with a straight face
‘stop, don’t turn it off yet you forgot
to rewind.’
My mother stops and looks at the
machine pushing buttons franticly trying
to find the rewind button. Tim turns
his head in my directions as in disbelief.
His mouth drops open to speak.
Now it is my turn to laugh at both
of them. For I was taught well and
have passed to my son the art of pushing
buttons too – both literally and
figuratively, it seems!
Seniors Get Relief To Pay Property Taxes in 2006
Legislative News
Commentary by Eileen Doherty, M.S.
Seniors age
65 and over who
have lived in
Eileen Doher
ty
Doherty
ty,, MS
Ex
ecuti
ector of Senior their house as
Executi
ecutivve Dir
Director
Ans
wer
vices and the t h e i r p r i m a r y
Answ
erss and Ser
Services
Color
ado Ger
ontolo
gical residence for ten
Colorado
Gerontolo
ontological
Society
years, can qualify
for a fifty
percent reduction in their property
taxes.
The exemption applies to the first
$200,000 of assessed value.
Due to budget shortfalls, the
legislature suspended funding the
Senior Property Tax Exemption
program in 2003.
However, the program will be
available in 2006 for taxes that are
payable in 2007.
To qualify for the 2006 property
tax exemption, individuals must file
an application by July 15, 2005 with
the county assessor’s office in the
county in which the individual resides.
Individuals who are the owner of
record for the past ten years can
complete the short form.
The long form must be completed
if an individual is a surviving spouse
and the deceased spouse was at least
65 on January 1 of the year he or she
passed away.
A surviving spouse who qualified
for the exemption when the spouse
was alive is also eligible for the
exemption.
If the individual is living in a
health care facility, such as a nursing
home, assisted living residence, or
hospital; or the property is owned by
a trust, corporate partnership or other
legal entity, special rules may apply
to qualify for the exemption.
Ownership and occupancy
requirements may also be met if the
property was condemned.
Individuals who received the
property tax exemption in 2003 do not
have to re-apply for the program if
their status has not changed. If the
status has changed, the individual will
need to re-apply.
The potential savings can be as
much as $500 or $600 per year,
depending on the value of the property.
For information call your county
assessor or go online to
www.dola.state.co.us/PropertyTax/
Froms/brochure121803final.pdf or you
can call 303-333-3482 for assistance or
application forms.
research, and public policy in
gerontology. You may reach her at
303-333-3482 or [email protected].
Eileen Doherty, MS is the Executive
Director of Senior Answers and Services
and the Colorado Gerontological Society.
She has 30 years of experience in
education and training, clinical practice,
Opinions expressed in columns and
letters to the editor are not necessarily the
opinions of employees, ownership of this
newspaper or the publishing company.
Denver’s Nursing Star
Board of Commentary
Patricia Armenta, RN
Martha Collar
Eileen Doherty
Mary Jo Fay, RN, MS
Colleen Folsch
Virginia Gillispie, RN, ND
April Goode
Vickie Jenkins
Larry Leeds, RN
Vickie Mayfield, M.Ed, RN, LMFT
Dr. Trisha Phaklides
Dr. Linda Mundorff , MPH, MSN, ND, RN, NC
Carol Shenold, RN, CIC
Elizabeth Sowdal, RN
Marvel Williamson, Ph.D., RN, CS
LANCE ARMSTRONG
”being
dependable
is partofthejob.”
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