2015 RCSW Elections Voter Guide

Transcription

1 2015 RCSW Elections Voter Guide 2015 RCSW ELECTIONS Positions open for election Vice-President Secretary Director (2 positions) Delegate (requires previous board of directors experience) Check AARC Membership Status

2 RCSW Vice-President Candidates The Vice-President shall perform such duties as shall be assigned by the President and the Board of Directors. He/She shall assume the duties of the President-elect in the event of the President-elect's absence, resignation or disability, but will also continue to carry out the duties of the office of Vice President. Joel Ray, RRT Respiratory Care Supervisor UW-Valley Medical Center Renton, WA Christopher Teegardin, RRT Respiratory Care Lead UW-Harborview Medical Center Seattle, WA

3 Vice President Q&A Q: Why are you interested in becoming part of the RCSW leadership? Joel Ray: The RCSW is composed of a great group of respiratory professionals encompassing hospitals, education, and state geography. It would be a privilege to work collaboratively with this group of peers to help improve and promote our profession. Christopher Teegardin: I've been involved with the RCSW for several years as the webmaster/online developer, a member on several committees (Communications, Public Awareness, Nominations/ Elections), and as a volunteer at the annual state Conference. I am very passionate about the course of our profession and want to make a more active contribution toward its direction in the state of Washington. Respiratory Care professionals have a great importance in healthcare, even more so now than even a couple of years ago. I want to help us grow. Q: What would you like to see the RCSW accomplish in the next 2 years? Joel Ray: Continue to promote and share evidence based best practice by increasing our networks and membership. Sharing successful approaches around COPD/CHF readmission, patient education and follow up, therapist driven protocols; aspects that many, including myself, feel will validate the importance of respiratory care and help solidify our future. Christopher Teegardin: The RCSW has several goals on the agenda this coming year and all are important for its continued success. I am excited to see more education opportunities for RTs (sponsored, organized, and promoted by the RCSW), more community outreach for disease education in schools, more locally generated respiratory care information and content, a greater outreach to our professionals in the state, and a greater public promotion and awareness of who we are and why we are important in healthcare.

4 RCSW Secretary Candidates The Secretary shall have charge of keeping the minutes of the Board of Director's meetings and the Annual Business Meeting; executing the general correspondence and, in general, performing all duties as from time to time shall be assigned by the President or the Board of Directors. Sarah LeVene, RRT-ACCS Respiratory Care Practitioner III - Lead Therapist Overlake Hospital and Medical Center Bellevue, WA Jennifer Armstrong, RRT-NPS Respiratory Therapist Deaconess Medical Center Spokane, WA

5 Secretary Q&A Q: Why are you interested in becoming part of the RCSW leadership? Sarah LeVene: I have a deep appreciation and passion for our profession, and I want to see it grow. I not only want to witness that growth I want to be a part of it! I have been a part of RCSW leadership in the past, and I would like nothing more than to be a contributing member again. Jennifer Armstrong: I am already actively involved in the RCSW, I am Chair of the Student Engagement Committee, have helped with planning of Annual Conferences and this year I am Co-Chair of the Planning Committee for the 2016 Annual Conference. I have attended every board meeting for the last two years. What is the difference between being active and being part of the Leadership team? I will be able to have a counted vote on matters that are important to our State Society such as what is projected for the RCSW for the next 2 years. I will still remain active in the other portions that I am involved in, however I feel that it is time to have newer graduates enter into positions on the board, this comes with fresh ideas and high motivation. Q: What would you like to see the RCSW accomplish in the next 2 years? Sarah LeVene: I would really like to see us be more active in the public eye. Provide education to the public we serve through health fairs, public forums, and social media. Continue the lobbying effort in both Washington's. We need not only protect our profession, but help guide it along with the changing climate of health care in our nation. Jennifer Armstrong: In the next 2 years I would like the RCSW to continue focusing on membership, however reaching out to students is where I see this being the most impactful. Students make up a large majority of our membership rates and having them become more involved and engaged will help our Society grow towards a positive future. This allows students to see what the RCSW really does and that there is a lot of behind the scenes work that is done. Another thing I would like to see is that the RCSW is reaching out to Managers and showing them the importance of being a member. We have several active members within the state however unfortunately the majority is on the West side of the state. I would also like to continue supporting our Pact team, it is a small team that does such an important job. We need to educate more on the importance of HR2619.

6 RCSW Directors Candidates The Board of Directors shall: Supervise all the business and activities of the RCSW within the limitation of the Bylaws. Adopt and rescind standing rules, regulations, policies, and procedures of the RCSW. Perform such other duties as may be necessary or appropriate for the management of the RCSW. Dennis Bing, RRT Respiratory Care Sales Executive Respiratory Care Sales Draeger Medical Andrea McKillip, RRT-NPS, RRT-ACCS, BA Respiratory Therapist UW-Harborview Medical Center Seattle Children s Hospital Adjunct Faculty Tacoma Community College Scott Alberts, RRT DME Specialist Sleep Disorders Center Virginia Mason Medical Center

7 Directors Q&A Q: Why are you interested in becoming part of the RCSW leadership? Dennis Bing: The Respiratory Care profession has been good to me over the last (gasp!) 43 years, and I have been an active AARC member the entire time. I feel strongly that I have value to give back by serving our one and only statewide professional organization. Andrea McKillip: Since 2010, I have been working in the field of Respiratory Therapy, first as a Intern and the following year as a Licensed RRT. I have attended the RCSW Regional Conference every year since I entered the profession and appreciate the education and outreach the RCSW provides for our community. I have also served as the RCSW Secretary during the majority of my career as a Respiratory Therapist, where I have learned first hand all of the hard work that our Society puts forth to promote our profession. As the RCSW secretary, I have focused mostly on the organization and communication between Board Members and I have learned a lot from each board meeting, event and the Regional Conference and am compelled to continue my affiliation. However, I would like to continue my contribution by taking on a new role, as Director at Large where I feel I could give the most to my fellow Respiratory Professionals. Scott Alberts: The main items I remain interested in: 1. Have Respiratory Care Practitioners recognized for the services we can provide, in the hospital and throughout the community. 2. Support our profession locally and support issues locally that affect our profession, within the state and nationally. 3. Assist in providing educational opportunities.

8 Q: What would you like to see the RCSW accomplish in the next 2 years? Dennis Bing: In comparison with other health care professionals (e.g. physicians, RNs, Physical Therapists) we lag significantly in representative membership in the AARC/ RCSW. We have hovered at approximately 50% of eligible LRCPs in Washington as members. If we are to be strong leaders for upcoming young RCPs and be seriously considered advocates to our lawmakers, we need to have significantly higher participation. I will work as best I can to help increase our membership to at least 65% within the next two years, and 75% within the next five years. Andrea McKillip: In the next few years I would like to organize more events to allow networking for Respiratory Therapists as well as connect students with other students at the Associates, Bachelors and Masters levels. By connecting RT Professionals, we can increase cohesiveness within our state and continue to connect with other societies, so we can learn what things are working for them and what aren't. I believe that as RTs, the larger group we have united the more advocacy we will have for our Profession. The interconnected relationships regionally and nationally will allow us to lobby for important issues in congress that affect the field of Respiratory Care. It is crucial for our lawmakers to know who we are and what it is exactly that we do. I also hope to work with the other board members to continue the events we have done successfully in the past. I have built good relationships within the RCSW and that is what makes being part of the Board of Directors so rewarding. I want every RCSW member to experience what I have felt and I would like to foster that goal by continuing my journey in leadership. Scott Alberts: Promote public awareness of Respiratory Care in Washington State Strengthen our relationships other societies, physician, other state and allied health professionals. Increase our membership with additional focus on the Sleep and Homecare groups.

9 RCSW Delegate Candidates The duties of the Delegates are as specified in Article VII, Sec. 3 of the AARC Bylaws Daniel Nordstrom, RRT Respiratory Therapist II Cascade Valley Hospital Respiratory Therapist Providence Regional Medical Center Everett Carl Hinkson, MSc, RRT-ACCS, NPS, FAARC Assistant Manager UW-Harborview Medical Center Seattle, WA Michele Pedicone, MS RRT-NPS Respiratory Care Practitioner - NICU UW Medical Center Instructor Seattle Central College Seattle, WA

10 Delegate Q&A Q: Why are you interested in becoming part of the RCSW leadership? Daniel Nordstrom: As past President of the Cascade Chaper I feel it necessary to continue contributing to the RCSW, working towards advancing our profession for the benefit of our patients and families. Carl Hinkson: I have been a part of the RCSW since I have enjoyed being a part of this group of individuals so committed to their patients and profession. As Delegate, I would represent the respiratory therapist's of Washington State. Michele Pedicone: Over the past several years, I have been involved in the RCSW as Mt. Rainier Chapter President, Public Awareness Chair, Political Advocacy Team member and Vice President. During my tenure as Mt. Rainier Chapter President, I led several professional and social events, as Public Awareness Chair, I helped organize community events and RCSW apparel wear as a member of the political advocacy team, I have traveled to WA D.C. to be your voice in WA, and as Vice President, I led the Annual Business Meeting at our most recent annual conference. Last Summer, I had the opportunity to sit in on the House of Delegate Meeting at Summer Forum, I have observed the proceedings and I gained an understanding of the procedures. As an elected delegate I would represent the members of RCSW at the local level, upholding our established goals and objectives and serving as a voice for WA State in the national forum of the AARC. I want to become involved at the national level as I believe that the profession needs strong advocates and I know that I can be that champion for respiratory care practitioners in WA State. Q: What would you like to see the RCSW accomplish in the next 2 years? Daniel Nordstrom: Our future as therapists can easily be altered by the lawmakers in both Olympia and Washington DC, I would like to see the RCSW continue to foster and grow the working relationships with our lawmakers. The RCSW has been successful developing contacts in Olympia, I believe it to be vital for our future to continue developing these relationships and expanding our presence amongst our Legislators, Senators, and within the Department of Health. As members of the patient care team, we rely on other professions, I also would like to see improved contact with other medical professional organizations as well as patient advocates. Carl Hinkson: The RCSW should establish a stronger presence in Olympia. Other states are weathering efforts at de-regulation. Although no attempt has been made here in Washington, making the legislators in Olympia aware of who we are and what we do is important. It gives us a voice in shaping health care policy in Washington State. No other organization speaks on behalf of respiratory therapists in Olympia. Michele Pedicone: I would like to see the RCSW continue to support the current in-state bachelor degree programs and encourage further development of bachelor and future masters degree programs throughout the state. WA State practitioners deserve to have strong programs right here in our own backyard to remain competitive in the national arena. Also, I envision the RRT as entry level for the profession not only in our state but throughout the nation. Finally, I would like to see the RCSW have a more active role in student engagement. Students are the future of the profession, they should be mentored and their voices should be heard.