Chapter News

Global Health and Caring: Our Part in the World

Summary by Janet Primomo, PhD, RN, Associate Professor, Nursing Program, University of Washington Tacoma

Psi-at-Large Chapter co-sponsored a lecture on Global Health and Caring: Our Part in the World presented by University of Washington School of Nursing Dean Marla Salmon on February 15, 2012.

Dr. Salmon described what it means to be a global citizen, some current global health challenges, and the distribution of health workers around the world. She noted that our health interests and relationships transcend borders and nationalities. Noting the tremendous inequalities in the world by scaling the world's population into a global village of 100 people, she stated, "In our global village of 100 people, if you have a roof, clothes in a closet, refrigerator and a bed, you are luckier than 75 of your neighbors." The premature death and disability resulting from poverty and poor living conditions and exploitation of children are major challenges. Dr. Salmon noted the positive difference health care workers make, particularly in infant and maternal mortality.

Dr. Salmon challenged the audience to think about what they can do each day to demonstrate global caring. For example, we can expand our knowledge of the world and cultivate global consciousness by getting to know an international student or taking opportunities to learn about global issues at local events. She also noted that many nurses are engaged in global citizenship and pointed out that Katie Adamson, RN, PhD, Psi-at-Large member and UW Tacoma Nursing Faculty, was a Fogarty Scholar in Botswana, in 2010-2011 (see photo).

Organizations such as Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) Honor Society of Nursing have a global presence and foster personal and professional networks that promote global citizenship. A book co-edited by Dr. Salmon, Nurse: A World of Caring, was published by STTI. A video about this work is available on YouTube.

About 85 people attended the event at UW Tacoma including UW Tacoma students, faculty and alumni, Pacific Lutheran University students and faculty, and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society members from the community, including UWT alumni from Centralia and Bremerton.

Diana Taibi, Psi-at-Large Chapter's Vice President for Communications, welcomed the group and described STTI's mission related to global health. Psi-at-Large Secretary, Amy Winslow, and Peggy Ratcliffe assisted at the STTI information table.

Katie Adamson, RN, PhD, Psi-at-Large member and UW Tacoma Nursing Faculty, was a Fogarty Scholar in Botswana, in 2010-2011.

Fall Program & Business Meeting, 2011

STTI Psi-at-Large Chapter held its fall program on October 22, 2011 at Pacific Lutheran University. President Mindy Schaffner welcomed attendees and reviewed the benefits and opportunities of being an active member of STTI. Next, Patty Lynch, Vice President for Programs, introduced the program speakers, Dr. Lori Loan, Consultant to the Army Surgeon General, and Dr. Mary McCarthy, Chief of Nursing Research at Madigan Army Medical Center. Drs. Loan and McCarthy delivered the presentation "Does Nursing Matter: Findings from a National Outcomes Database Study." The presenters discussed the MilNOD, the Military Nursing Outcomes Database. The goal of this project was to provide data for administrators to make good decisions about nurse staffing, provide a basis for comparison to other organizations, and to analyze relationships between staffing and patient outcomes.

The next event was induction of two community members, Dr. Carl Christianson and Dr. Terry Keene, as community members into Psi-at-Large Chapter.The induction was followed by a research presentation by Robin Evans-Agnew, a doctoral student at the UW School of Nursing and recipient of the 2010 Psi-at-Large Research Grant. Mr. Evans-Agnew presented findings from his dissertation research, “Discourses on Asthma Management Disparities: A Critical Analysis of the Opinions of Public Health Leaders and African American Adolescents in Washington State.” The Fall Program concluded with the annual chapter business meeting. At this meeting, minor changes in the chapter bylaws were approved and reports were presented from the chapter officers.

Report from the STTI 41st Biennial Convention in Grapevine, Texas

Submitted by: Diana Taibi, Vice President Psi-at-Large
Mindy Schaffner, President Psi-at-Large

Convention Overview

The first three days of the STTI Biennial Convention included various scholarly and leadership development sessions. Drs. Schaffner and Taibi attended presentations on promoting chapter diversity, making the most of chapter finances, planning for leadership succession, and skills for chapter communications, as well as select research and scholarly presentations.

Chapter Awards Recognition Event

On Monday, Psi-at-Large Chapter was honored at the Chapter Awards Recognition Event. Psi-at-Large received the Chapter Key Award for the first time. This award is given to chapters that excel in such activities as membership recruitment and retention, publicity and programming, professional and leadership development, and local, national and international collaboration. Psi Chapter was also honored for celebrating its 50th year since being founded.

Founder’s Awards Celebration

On the evening of Monday, October 31, 2011, chapter president Mindy Schaffner attended the Founder’s Awards Celebration. This special award ceremony included presentations to over twelve award recipients. The awards and awardees included:

• Marie Hippensteel Lingeman Award for Excellence in Nursing Practice to Eileen M. Sullivan-Marx, PhD, CRNP, FAAN
• Dorothy Garrigus Adams Award for Excellence in Fostering Professional Standards to Susam L. Dean-Baar, PhD, RN, FAAN
•  Mary Tolle Wright Award for Excellence in Leadership to Claudia J. Beverly, PhD, RN, FAAN
• Edith Moore Copeland Award for Excellence in Creativity to Bonnie L. Wesorick, MSN, RN, FAAN
• Elizabeth McWilliams Miller Award for Excellence in Research to Martha A. Q. Curley, PhD, RN, FAAN
• Elizabeth Russell Belford Award for Excellence in Education to Judith A. Halstead, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN
• Ethel Palmer Clarke Award for Chapter Excellence to Kappa Tau Chapter
• Lucie S. Kelly Mentor Award to Rachael F. Schiffman, PhD, RN, FAAN and Susan L. Dean-Barr, PhD, RN, FAAN
• Dorothy Ford Buschmann Presidential Award to Sally P. Lundeen, PhD, RN, FAAN

House of Delegates

The House of Delegates convened on Tuesday, November 1. The meeting started with arrival of the Past Presidents, the Board of Directors, and the President, followed by the presentation of the flags of the member nations. The meeting was called to order by President Karen Morin. Four-hundred and fifty-five chapters were represented by delegates. Drs. Schaffner and Taibi attended as Psi-at-Large delegates.

Election of the 2011-2013 Board of Directors. The ballot for the 2011-2013 Board of Directors was presented and the House of Delegates voted by paper ballot. The ballots were electronically scanned twice to confirm results between the first and second day of the House of Delegates and the results were reported on Wednesday.

Reports. Reports were presented from the International Officers (President, Board of Directors, Treasurer, and International Headquarters) and from the standing committees (Governance, Leadership Succession, and Regional Chapters Coordinating Committees). The House of Delegates received reports from and recognized the service of the Advisory Councils and Task Forces, Publications, and Related Subsidiaries.

On Wednesday (the second day of the House of Delegates) the results of the board of director’s election were announced. Results were as follows:

President-elect: Hester Klopper, PhD, MBA, RN, RM, FANSA
Vice President: Kathy Catrambone, PhD, RN
Secretary: Connie Sobon-Sensor, PhD(c), MSN, RN, CTN-A
Treasurer: Nancy Sharts-Hopko, PhD, RN, FAAN
Directors: Robin Bartlett, PhD, RN; Dana Bjarnason, PhD, RN, NE-BC; Gladys Mouro, PhD(h), MSN, RN; Robin Toms, PhD, MSN, RN, NEA-BC; Patrice Nicholas, DNSc, RN, ANP, FAAN; Dee Welk, PhD, MSN, RN; Patricia E. Thompson, EdD, RN, FAAN
Region 1 Coordinator: Abby Heydman, PhD, RN

Results can be viewed on the STTI Website.

Following the announcement of the new officers, the House of Delegates acknowledged chapters chartered in the present biennium and at-large chapters amended to include additional schools.

House of Delegates: Business Sessions

Changes to the Articles of Incorporation. Changes to the Articles of Incorporation were approved by the House of Delegates. The changes broaden the society's purposes (1) to allow chapters greater freedom to work with other non-profit organizations to address global health, and (2) to allow electronic voting by the House of Delegates.

Bylaws Amendments. The proposed bylaws amendments were presented by the Governance Committee. Each amendment required majority vote (3/4) to pass. The amended bylaws will be posted at http://www.nursingsociety.org/.

Amendment 1: Article IX, Section 4. Terms. Changes were made as requested by parliamentarian for clarity and consistency. Specified officer term limits. Phrasing was changed, but not operations. Approved.

Amendment 2: Article IX, Section 4. Terms. Changes made as requested by parliamentarian for clarity and consistency, and Leadership Succession Committee would be increased from 7 to 10 members. Approved.

Amendment 3: Article IV, Section 9. Proposed striking the words pertaining to chapter suspension and insert probation language. Suspension was viewed as detrimental to the chapters because suspending activities did not allow chapters to work toward chapter health. The change was made to be more positive, allowing chapters to continue activities and work on improving chapter health. Approved.

Amendment 4: Article IV, Section 10. Strike words "reactivation" and replace with "removed from probation" for consistency with the amendment to Article IV, Section 9. After considerable discussion, the amendment was approved.

Amendment 5: Article V, Section 4. House of Delegates may vote electronically on revocations (added) as well as chapter charters. Approved.

Resolutions. After a short break, Dr. Beverly Reigle presented the resolutions. The resolutions are summarized below.

Resolution 1. Proposed to engage nurses, multiple disciplines, and patients to implement an organizational strategy to promote patient safety. Approved.

Resolution 2. Support STTI taking a leadership role in creating a global community of nursing education leaders and relevant education-focused groups to address a global nursing education agenda. Approved.

Resolution 3. Support of exploration of the development of an international scholarship institute to include a research mentorship program for international, interdisciplinary collaboration for emerging research interested in global health. Approved.

Resolution 4. Express appreciation of the House of Delegates for Karen Morin; board of directors, chairs and members of committees, advisory councils, and task forces; subsidiary boards; editors; regional coordinators; and convention volunteers for their committed service to STTI. Approved.

Resolution 5. Express appreciation of Patricia Thompson, CEO, and the Sigma Theta Tau International staff. Approved.

A motion for a resolution was presented from the floor. The chapter proposed adoption of a resolution in recognition of the contribution of U.S. Civil War nurses to nursing and health care. The House of Delegates appeared to favor the spirit of the resolution, but disagreed on specific wording and expressed concern about adopting the resolution without adequate time to check the historical facts presented within the resolution. A motion was made to indefinitely postpone action on the resolution, thus tabling any further House of Delegates activity on the resolution. The motion was approved.

A motion was made from the floor for a resolution to have seating at the Biennial Convention arranged by lot (i.e., the first table would be determined by lot and subsequent seating would proceed sequentially by chapter number). An amendment was proposed to arrange seating in the order in which chapters registered their delegates. After considerable debate, neither amendment nor the original motion was approved. Later, another motion was made from the floor to have the Board of Directors consider alternative seating arrangements and report at the next biennium. This motion was not approved.

A motion was made from the floor to have Board of Directors reconsider punitive measures (e.g., monetary fines) for chapters who cannot attend or cannot stay for the entire House of Delegates. The motion was approved.

Recognition Ceremony and Board Installation

The House of Delegates next held a short ceremony recognizing those who served on standing committees, as regional coordinators, and on the board of directors. After a short break, the Board of Directors for the 2011-2013 biennium was installed. The board was sworn in and Dr. Morin transferred the President's chain and gavel to President Suzanne Prevost. Dr. Morin was received into the Fellowship of Past Presidents.

President’s Call to Action. President Suzanne Prevost presented the President's Call to Action. She addressed the theme of the 2011-2013 biennium, "Give Back to Move Forward." She emphasized an attitude of gratitude. Dr. Prevost presented the following topics in her call to action.

1. Create your legacy: create an attitude of gratitude; commit to your passion; share your time, treasures, and talents; and become a philanthropist.

2. Invest in your passion: invest in students and new nurses, lead a quality improvement initiative, engage in STTI service activities, and support nurses through the STTI Foundation. To achieve the goals for 2020, Dr. Prevost proposed specific initiatives for STTI: increase the awarding of grants by 100%; increase the awarding of leadership education grants and membership subsidies by 300%; increase support of new STTI programs; increase the percentage of STTI members giving to the STTI foundation from 2.9% to 20%.

3. Engage in collaboration: bridge the gaps between research and practice, engage in the global nursing network (consider joining International Academic Nursing Alliance- IONA), collaborate with like-minded organizations (specifically mentioned water.org).

4. Respond to vulnerable populations: mothers and children, the elderly, poor and underserved, disaster victims. STTI has several current and development resources to meet this goal (e.g., Geriatric Nursing Leadership Academy).

5. Embrace technology: network through social media, especially The Circle, STTI's social networking platform (http://the circle.nursing society.org); collaborate in digital meeting places (e.g., Nursing Ideas, http://nursing ideas.ca, which shares video clips featuring ideas/skills of new nurses and wisdom/knowledge of experienced nurses); ICN Sanofi-Avantis Care Challenge (care http://www.challenge.com); sign on to participate in Share Care. Implement technologies that improve patient care, such as electronic health documentation.

After the Call to Action, the House of Delegates was adjourned and the 41st Biennial Convention closed.

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