Several months ago, MESPAN

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1 The Newsletter of the Maine Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses Volume 15 Number 2 Summer 2008 Winner of the 2002 ASPAN Newsletter Award MESPAN Board of Directors President Tom Lecakis, MSN, RN, CPAN Pen Bay Medical Center tomel@midcoast.com Vice President Carol Silsby, RN, BSN, CPAN Eastern Maine Medical Center cpsrn@verizon.net Secretary Betty Loranger, RN, BSN, CPAN Southern Maine Medical Center dlorange@maine.rr.com Treasurer Linda Aspinall, RN, CAPA Scarborough Campus, MMC aspinl50@aol.com Membership Chairperson Colleen Allen, RN, BSN, CAPA Maine Medical Center allencfg@yahoo.com Vendor Chairperson Jannifer Dolan-O Connor, RN Mercy Hospital jpjlo@aol.com Historical/Library Chairperson Margaret Fowler, RN, CPAN Eastern Maine Medical Center mafraf@juno.com Scholarships/Nominations Chairperson Michele Rinfret, RN, BSN, CPAN Southern Maine Medical Center mrr@maine.rr.com Education Committee Co-Chairperson Cathy Bourgon, RN, CPAN Eastern Maine Medical Center cathyb11858@yahoo.com Education Committee Co-Chairperson Kelly Lancaster, RN, BSN, CAPA Scarborough Campus, MMC lancak@mmc.org Newsletter Editor Mary Charest, RN, BSN, CAPA Maine Medical Center rcharest@gwi.net President s Message MESPAN s Going Green! Several months ago, MESPAN went on line with our new web site, A big success, it receives many hits monthly. Surf to our site if you haven t already done so! In an effort to move forward, go green, and reduce our carbon footprint, the next issue of Wake ME Up! will be appearing on a computer near you! As we are all feeling the pinch of this economy, MESPAN has investigated avenues to tighten our own belt in order to continue to present quality conferences to our members. At this time, moving to an newsletter is also our contribution to the greening of the environment. It will enable us to save thousands in paper, postage and printing costs, which along with everything else continue to steadily rise. MESPAN wants to continue to be your resource for perianesthesia nursing practice. In order to implement this plan, we need your help. Forward your address to mespannews@gmail.com. We don t want to miss anyone! We may already have your address from ASPAN membership, but home/personal addresses are preferable because work addresses tend to bounce back due to spam blocking. Wake ME Up! is your link to perianesthesia news and clinical practice. We want to hear from you! Comments, criticisms, praise and suggestions are all welcome and encouraged. How about writing an article for the newsletter? Tell us about your unit. Write a clinical practice article. Share your research/evidence-based practice and best practice models with us. Look for our new e-newsletter in the fall! Have a safe and happy summer! Inside... MESPAN Mission Statement... 2 Highlights of the March Coalition of Maine Nursing Organizations (COMNO) CPAN/CAPA News ASPAN s Newly Elected VP/ President Elect... 3 The Preadmission Testing Unit: Patients First Contact with the Health Care System MESPAN Spring Conference... 7 ASPAN National Conference What Makes Our National Conference So Great MESPAN Board Meeting Calendar back page

2 MESPAN Mission Statement The Maine Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses is an association dedicated to the promotion of the highest standards of professional practice in the perianesthesia setting. The Society promotes quality care for patients and their families through the sponsoring of professional education and by providing a statewide network of communication for nurses working in all phases of perianesthesia care. Highlights of the March Coalition of Maine Nursing Organizations (COMNO) CPAN/CAPA News Next CPAN/CPAN test date: November 1, 2008 Application postmark date: September 2, 2008 Practice tests are available at the ASPAN website ( The Nursing Summit was held in Augusta. The keynote topic was Crucial Conversations. Attendance was 347. The National Gerontological Nurses Association (NGNA) was held in April. The topic was Disaster Preparedness. The Maine Council of AD Nursing Programs reports they are in the process of adding a BSN program at UMA. The search for qualified faculty is ongoing. Home Care and Hospice Alliance of Maine has conferred two appointments to Donna DeBlois, MSN, RN, to the National Association for Homecare and Hospice Regulatory Committee and to the Hospital Homecare Association of America Advisory Board. Congratulations, Donna! The Governor s Tea was held at the Blaine House on May 7 during Nurses Week. Linda Zimmerman, RN, CNOR was the keynote speaker addressing the concept of oldest and youngest nurse present, and the numerous nursing specialties represented. The Maine State Board of Nursing reports that licensing fees will be raised beginning September 1, Fees will increase to the following, every two years: $50.00 for LPN, $75.00 for RN, and $ for Specialty Practice. The Pine Tree Chapter of Infusion Nurses Society held their annual seminar on April 2. Gwen Cole, RN, CRNI was the keynote speaker for the day. The Association of Operating Room Nurses held a workshop on April 12 at Midcoast Hospital in Brunswick. COMNO s fall seminar will be held on November 7 at Verrillo s Convention Center in Portland. Untitled as yet, it will deal with peer assistance programs. Theron Bragdon will speak in the afternoon covering Legislative Advocacy. Other speakers are being considered. Watch for updates. MESPAN Receives Shining Star Award For the third consecutive year, MESPAN has been the recipient of ABPANC s Shining Star Award. ABPANC bestows the award to those components that encourage, support and reward CPAN and CAPA certification. The awards were presented at the CPAN/CAPA breakfast during the ASPAN national conference this past May in Grapevine, Texas. This year MESPAN was one of four components receiving the award. Way to go MESPAN! MESPAN would like to thank Grace Abourjaily, RN, BSPA, C for her 4 years of service on the Board of Directors. Thank You, Grace! WAKE ME UP! 2

3 ASPAN's Newly Elected Vice President/President Elect MESPAN s very own Terry Clifford was elected to ASPAN S Board of Directors as Vice President/President Elect at the ASPAN National Conference on May 4 in Grapevine, Texas. This didn't surprise anyone at MESPAN, as Terry has been active in ASPAN at the national level for many years. Terry has held numerous board positions, including Region 4 Director, Standards Committee, and Director of Clinical Practice. Terry's new position is a three year term which begins this year as the Vice President/ President Elect. She will assume the Presidency of ASPAN next April at the 28th National Conference in Washington, DC. The responsibility of this role is to act as the primary manager, representative and spokesperson for ASPAN. Terry will collaborate with ASPAN Chief Executive Officer to facilitate the day-to-day operation and management of the Society, serve as liaison to specialty organizations, preside at ASPAN meetings and oversee the work of committees and Stategic Work Teams to carry out the mission of ASPAN. The final week of the term as President ends in celebrations and recognition of the year's accomplishment at the 29th National ASPAN Conference in April 2010 in New Orleans. ASPAN represents the interests of more than 55,000 nurses practicing in all phases of preanesthesia and postanesthesia care, ambulatory surgery and pain management. The core purpose of ASPAN is to advance the unique specialty of perianesthesia nursing through practice, research and education. Congratulations to Terry!!! We wish you all the best and know you will be an outstanding Vice President/President Elect!! WAKE ME UP! 3

4 The Preadmission Testing Unit: Patients First Contact with the Health Care System Mary Jo Morgan, RN, CAPA Shorter lengths of stay in the hospital decrease costs and the likelihood of hospital-acquired infections. Preadmission units replace the old practice of hospital admissions the day before surgery. This article describes how the preadmission unit at Maine Medical Center meets the need for getting patients thoroughly prepared for their surgical procedures in an outpatient setting. As the baby boomer generation matures and surgical technology advances, more and more patients, and a greater number of the over age 77 patient population, are being booked for elective surgical procedures. Insurance-approved hospital length-of-stay days following most surgical procedures are decreasing, and approvals for hospital stays pre-op for preparation have disappeared altogether except in emergent situations. The preadmission testing unit (PAT) at Maine Medical Center (MMC) is currently serving a much older surgical patient than in the past. These patients have more comorbidities, longer medication lists, shorter memories, and fewer resources. Many have no living family members to assist with pre- and postoperative appointments, transportation, health history gathering, and postoperative home care needs. All of these circumstances put added pressure on the preadmission unit to prepare the patient for his or her surgical procedure so that the best possible outcomes, for both patient and family, are achieved. These circumstances directly affect the home care setting in that these patients are being released directly into their homes following the surgical intervention. PAT Goals The goals of the PAT are many and vary according to individual patient needs. This results in the staff members needing to draw on and coordinate many resources to accomplish the task of preparing patients for the next day s procedure. They are: To facilitate hospital registration, To initiate the patient s health record, To assess the patient s health history, To evaluate the patient s medications list, To initiate appropriate orders for diagnostic testing, To perform, review, and report abnormal test results, To gather consults and other pertinent information deemed helpful to the provision of safer care, To teach and prepare the patient and family for the planned procedure, To initiate plans for a safe return to home or a rehab facility, and To obtain consents for anesthesia and provide chart completion. All of these goals and tasks must be accomplished prior to the admission day! The Team The preadmission unit staff at MMC is a professional team of health care providers who work very closely to meet the goals of the unit. The team consists of: 5.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) registered nurses, 1.5 FTE nurse practitioners (NPs) for anesthesia, 5.0 FTE unit secretaries, and 2.2 FTE patient care technicians. These individuals are assigned to work the day shift Monday through Friday. Each team member has specific duties that, when combined, help meet the patients needs. It is the role of the registered nurses to utilize the nursing process. This role consists of: Gathering a health history, Assessing needs, Providing pre-op teaching, Completing treatment interventions, and Coordinating care for all patients who visit the PAT. PAT Patient Population The PAT patient population at MMC consists of those individuals booked for elective surgical procedures, elective angiographic procedures, and elective endoscopic procedures requiring anesthesia. The patients vary in age and represent the variety of cultures in the Portland, Maine area. Growth in the immigrant population is providing more diversity, along with new linguistic challenges. Surgery types vary from minor to major. The staff at the unit currently sees in the vicinity of 95 patients per day, approximately one third of these patients in person and two thirds by phone interview. Appointment Scheduling The pre-op appointment is set through the hospital operating room scheduling department. PAT scheduling occurs at the same time that the procedure is scheduled. A patient s pre-op phone call appointment or visit appointment is assigned using criteria for testing and for preanesthesia screening needs. Appointment scheduling criteria guidelines are provided by the hospital to physicians and have the approval of the departments of surgery and anesthesia jointly. These guidelines are evidence based and provide for an exemption from the anesthesia interview if the patient is healthy and is planning a minor surgery, recently worked up for a previous surgery, is a nursing home patient who is not ambulatory or competent, or is a patient who lives a great WAKE ME UP! 4

5 distance from the hospital. Patients who do not have a PAT visit appointment for a face-to-face interview will receive a nursing phone call instead. Nurses use triage guidelines when performing the phone call interview. Problems or concerns identified and needs for testing are communicated to the anesthesia NP at that time. If deemed necessary, a visit to the PAT will be arranged. More often, cardiac information is sent for and reviewed, and minimal lab tests are ordered to be drawn at the time of arrival for surgery. Currently, the MMC PAT staff provides charts for 22 inpatient ORs and 5 day-surgery ORs each day, with plans for 5 more day-surgery ORs in the fall. Leadership The PAT is under the supervision of the department of nursing for leadership and the chief of anesthesia for medical care. On-site supervision of the unit and staff is the role of the RN preadmission unit coordinator, who also serves as a direct care provider. Location The MMC PAT conducts business on the ground floor of the hospital s day surgery campus, which is located in the community apart from the hospital. For the purpose of patient visits, experience deemed it necessary that the unit be located in an area that is not far from the front door or from a drop-off area with access to handicapped parking. The appointment patient is the individual who is booked for more major surgery and needs anesthesia clearance along with preanesthesia testing. These patients are usually older, have more comorbidities, and usually have limited mobility because of obesity, joint degeneration, or cardiopulmonary disease. The Process The average appointment time for the PAT visit is approximately 60 minutes (90 minutes if a chest x-ray is required). The visit usually starts with the nurse. Vital signs, O2 saturations, height, weight, and BMI (body mass index) are obtained. Next, the patient, along with family, is interviewed by the nurse. The medication and allergy list is obtained. Past surgeries and post-op complications (e.g., emboli, post-op nausea vomiting, anesthesia awareness, and difficult intubations) are discussed. A complete verbal systems assessment is taken. This interview provides the nurse with insight into the patient s medical history, psychosocial needs, and level of understanding. Potential problems and needs are identified; referrals are initiated. This is an opportune time for teaching to begin. The staff has found that many patients have little understanding of how, when, and why to take their medications. Many lack knowledge about their planned procedure, and most have questions about what kind of assistance they will need to plan for their homecoming. Some are the primary care providers for their spouse or child and arrangements need to be addressed. The next part of the PAT visit is the interview with the NP for anesthesia. The NP reviews the health history taken, determines what pre-op testing is needed, initiates a request for consult information, educates the patient and family about the anesthesia plan, answers questions about anesthesia, obtains the anesthesia consent, and provides preemptive medications if indicated. The patient is then taken by the PAT technician into the lab room. Here, blood is drawn, the EKG is taken, and urine samples may be collected. If a chest x-ray is indicated, the patient is directed to across the hall to the radiology department. Finally, the patient chart goes to the secretarial staff. This staff grooms the chart for completeness and accuracy. These staff members meet the clerical needs of the unit, such as the faxes, phones, and files. They monitor the appointment schedules, enter data and orders into the hospital electronic clinical care system, and call for missing information from surgeons and physicians. Charts are logged out and couriered to the appropriate operating room campus at about 4 p.m. the day prior to the procedure. Communication and Coordination The nursing staff works closely with many hospital disciplines to coordinate the needs of the patient. Examples of these are the anesthesia department, hospital nurses, physicians, discharge planners, social workers, interpreter services, dieticians, pastoral services, pharmacy, pediatric child care specialists, and gerontology clinicians. Examples of coordination of care needs often encountered by the PAT nurses are the need for an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) representative to be scheduled in the operating room so the ICD can be turned off while cautery is used; sleep apnea identification, which dictates that the patient should not be booked for the day surgery campus because of higher post-op risks; a history of a drug-resistant organism or latex allergy requiring precautions; a morbidly obese patient with special equipment needs; a need to locate the department of human services case worker and/or power of attorney to obtain consents for surgery and anesthesia; a need for cardiac or pulmonary clearance; a need for records that identify past intubation difficulties; a need for discharge planning and home health referral; a need for financial assistance; assessment by the PAT staff that the patient is high risk and should not be a candidate for outpatient surgery; or the patient has no escort home. The list is sometimes endless and varied. Instructions The PAT nurse provides the patient with preoperative instructions and maps. Questions about where to go, where to park, what door to come through, when to arrive, what registration forms to bring, the length of the procedure and the length of stay, and what personal items to bring with them are also addressed. In addition, information is given on when to stop eating and drinking, when to do the bowel prep (if indicated), and what meds to take and what meds to hold prior to admission, and a discussion of pain scales and advance directives is given. The waiting area and what they can expect regarding communica- WAKE ME UP! 5

6 tion, lodging vouchers, and discharge procedures are discussed with family. Last, the patient s concerns about what happens during the 90 minutes prior to the procedure (surgical marking, consent for surgery, meeting with surgeon and anesthesiologist, intravenous insertion, etc.) are reviewed. By providing this information, the PAT nurse can eliminate much of the fear that surrounds the patient and family having surgery. Education and Experience Nurses with a strong med-surg background, including experience in a perioperative unit (recovery room), are well prepared for work in the preadmission unit, as they have a good understanding of the operative experience. Advances in medicines and surgical technology require that the preadmission nurse keep his or her practice up to date. It is beneficial to the patients and the families served when these specialized nurses keep up with their professional journals, attend educational offerings, are involved in nursing organizations, and are certified in the field of practice. Two of the MMC preadmission RNs have their Perianesthesia Certification (CAPA). One is a certified medical surgical nurse, and one is preparing for the CAPA certification exam. All unit staff are encouraged and supported in achieving advanced training and certification in their field. Job Satisfaction Team members in the PAT at MMC have a high rate of job satisfaction. The team receives many thanks daily from the patients and family members who pass through the unit. Patient satisfaction surveys for PAT praise this team as a very cheerful and professional staff, referred to as being knowledgeable, caring, and compassionate. Often the PAT is the first MMC unit to have contact with the community, so the staff are committed to making a positive first impression for the hospital. It is very rewarding for the staff to know that their nursing care has affected the outcomes for their patients. Their nursing judgment, teaching, and advocacy skills have helped to prepare the patient and the health care team for surgery, and their interventions have helped to ensure a safe, quality stay in the hospital. The staff also provides a positive fiscal contribution to the hospital when the patient starts his or her procedure on time and is prepared to leave within the reimbursed length of stay. Mary Jo Morgan, RN, CAPA, has been a nurse at Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine, for 34 years, where she has served as the preadmission unit coordinator for the past 15 years. She also has extensive career experience in endoscope, intensive care, and postoperative care units. Reprinted with permission of SAGE Publications SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution. The online version of this article can be found at: content/abstract/20/3/219. MESPAN s GOING GREEN! This is your LAST paper newsletter! Beginning this fall, Wake ME Up! will be delivered by only. Be sure to keep your newsletters coming! Simply forward your address to mespannews@gmail.com. Even if MESPAN already has your work , please send your home or personal address if possible, and add mespannews@gmail.com to your address book so it won t be treated as spam. WAKE ME UP! 6

7 MESPAN Spring Conference April 12, 2008 H oliday Inn by the Bay in Portland, Maine was the setting for this year s MESPAN Spring Conference. Our goal, as always, was to provide perianesthesia nurses across the state with education to improve the delivery of care in today s complicated healthcare system. This is an exciting but demanding time that challenges us to commit to continued improvement of our practice. This conference provided lectures on the national SCIP goals, managing chronic pain in the acute care setting, reducing postoperative infections through tight glucose control, and cutting edge treatment of urinary incontinence, as well as other hot topics. We applaud all our attendees for your ongoing commitment to excellence! I came away from the spring MESPAN conference with a three Terry Clifford presents Tom Lecakis with a certificate in recognition of MESPAN s 25 years as a page list of websites to check out, prac- charter member of ASPAN. tice issues I wanted to address and questions to pose at our next staff meeting! Thank you, Terry Clifford, EVERY SENTENCE of your lectures on the Surgical Care Improvement Project and Clinical Hot Topics were of direct importance to my patients. You inspire our best practice AND you are always available to help us get there. You have my vote in your bid for ASPAN president! Dr. Marc Hodroff gave an excellent overview of Interstim therapy for urinary incontinence. Dr. Randy Darby spoke about managing the chronic pain patient in the perianesthesia setting, as well as the future of personalized pain care. These topics were exciting and of clinical relevance to my practice. Dr. Norman Wilson spoke on current perioperative glycemic treatment and goals, always an important topic. Paulette Gallant offered us a look at Maine Medical Center's Cardiothoracic Unit's important effort to optimize glycemic control. Thanks to all for taking patient care to the next best level. MESPAN has its finger on the pulse of the future of perianesthesia nursing! Thanks always for your guidance. I try never to miss a conference! Dr. Randy Darby and Dr. Norman Wilson answer questions during a conference break. WAKE ME UP! 7 Laurie Thompson SMMC PACU

8 American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses 27th ANNUAL CONFERENCE. In May of this year, ASPAN held its 27th National Conference in Dallas, Texas. With the support of my employer and a generous scholarship from MESPAN, I was able to attend this awesome event. I ve had the privilege of attending several ASPAN conferences, and I am always so impressed by the energy and the enthusiasm that is generated when upwards of 2000 perianesthesia nurses get together! I continue to be impressed that MESPAN receives recognition at a national level year after year. This year, MESPAN was honored, for the third year in a row, with the Shining Star Award, recognizing its efforts in encouraging and supporting CPAN and CAPA certification. In addition, our own Terry Clifford, a MESPAN past president, was elected to the office of Vice President/President Elect for ASPAN. What an honor for Terry Maine attendees taking in the sights at the Gaylord Resort in Grapevine, Texas. and how wonderful for MESPAN and Maine nurses to have a voice of our own at such a distinguished level! Congratulations, Terry! MESPAN may be a small component when compared with our sister components in Massachusetts, New York, or California, but we are large in our commitment and our dedication to an organization that benefits its members and ultimately, the population that those members serve. I am proud to be a member of MESPAN and I m especially proud of its continued accomplishments. I would urge each of you to join, get involved, go to Nationals, and see for yourself how impressive an experience it all can be. Betty, Cindy, Terry, Carol, and Joanne enjoying the President s Reception. Betty Loranger, RN, BSN, CPAN SMMC, Biddeford, ME WAKE ME UP! 8

9 am thrilled that I was able to I attend the ASPAN National Conference in Grapevine, Texas. On Sunday, the ASPAN Representative Assembly voted on many line items, including the adoption of a geriatric advocacy position statement and changes to the Standards of Practice. Katrina Bickerstaff from Massachusetts was elected ASPAN Region 4 Representative, and our own Terry Clifford was elected ASPAN VP/ President Elect! What a thrill to be involved in such a fantastic event. Terry will be the second president of ASPAN from the state of Maine! Sunday night we met old friends and made new friends at Component Night. Altogether I believe that Maine was represented by 12 nurses, from York to Aroostook County. We held our annual lobster raffle, which was won by Katrina Bickerstaff. This was certainly her day! On Monday, five certified nurses from the state of Maine attended the CPAN/CAPA Breakfast. It was fantastic when MESPAN won the Shining Star Award for the 4th time. The Shining Star Award is awarded to components that promote the value of certification. The lectures were fantastic! I had the opportunity to attend many wonderful lectures, staying up to date on Preadmission Testing, Perianesthesia Hypothermia, Complications of Laparoscopic Surgery, Joint Commission Safety Goals, Discharge Teaching, Minimally Invasive Total Joint Replacements, and Sedation. The Sedation lecture was actually presented by Dr. Ramsay, the doctor who created the Ramsay sedation scale. Component Night, L to R: Carol Silsby, Betty Loranger, Tom Lecakis. I was also able to attend the first meeting of the newly created Perianesthesia Nurse Educator Specialty Practice Group. We had a presentation on resources available to educators. I would strongly encourage anyone in this position to consider joining this group, and I feel that once it is really up and running you will be part of a strong network of peers! The final day began with the Closing Breakfast and Installation of this year s new ASPAN Officers and Board of Directors. It was wonderful to see Terry installed in her new position! After the closing of the conference, there was a fantastic presentation on the interpretation of 12 lead ECG. The presenter, Vivan Biggers, was dynamic and made this a fantastic experience. Next year the conference will be in Washington, DC at the newly built Gaylord Resort. Be sure to mark your calendars! Carol Silsby, RN, BSN, CPAN Eastern Maine Medical Center MESPAN s GOING GREEN! This is your LAST paper newsletter! Beginning this fall, Wake ME Up! will be delivered by only. Be sure to keep your newsletters coming! Simply forward your address to mespannews@gmail.com. Even if MESPAN already has your work , please send your home or personal address if possible, and add mespannews@gmail.com to your address book so it won t be treated as spam. WAKE ME UP! 9

10 What Makes Our National Conference So Great Katrina Bickerstaff, BSN, RN, CPAN, CAPA ASPAN Region 4 Director Attending the National Conference gets me so revved up for the upcoming year. I am particularly excited because I was just elected Region 4 Director. So why all the hype about the conference? I think it could be a variety of things. First, the record number of first time attendees. Second would have to be the fabulous speakers and topics. Third is the amount of very specialized groups from all over the country and the world, networking together in specialty practice groups. Finally, the Representative Assembly where policy, standards, and position statements are approved. I would also mention the many formal get-togethers our conference brings, Component Night, the CAPA/ CPAN Breakfast, Development Luncheon, opening of the Exhibit Hall and our Presidential Reception. I observed many components having fun with informal dinners to meet and greet current members and many first time attendees. As I transitioned into my new role as the Director of Region 4, I realized how many accomplishments come from our region. I would like to congratulate our new President Elect Terry Clifford looks like a special Maine breakfast next year! Laura Kling from Pennsylvania and Wanda Rodriguez from New York have been elected to our new Nominating Team; we all know how important succession planning is. Maine and Massachusetts were given the distinct honor of the ABPANC s Shining Star award. This is the second time for Maine. The award recognizes the strides the components take to encourage and support their certified members. Great job! Awarded Recruiter of the Year was Maureen Schnur form Children s Hospital Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, with a total of 31 new members. We definitely want Maureen and her recruiting skills in our Region! Massachusetts also received the Newsletter Award for 1-24 pages; all that hard work paid off good job to Kathy Menard, MASPAN s Mayflower editor. Congratulations to Kathleen Menard, new Coordinator of Publication Specialty Practice Group, and Kathi Saball, Candidate for Region 4 Director, both members of the first class of ASPAN s Up and Comers program. This program, sponsored by the Strategic Planning/ Mentoring Strategic Work Team (SWT), is designed to mentor members interested in moving up the ladder from component leadership into national leadership roles. Most of us were up early on Monday to start our educational sessions with some laughter at the CAPA/ CPAN breakfast. Barbara Bancroft, RN, MSN, PNP, author of Live a Little, Laugh a Lot, had us smiling after learning how to never stop being a student. We were captivated by our opening keynote speaker, Suzanne Gordon, BA from Newton, Massachusetts, author of several books about the state of nursing today. She enlightened us on how we as nurses contribute to our own invisibility, and she gave us simple strategies to move from silence and adopt a voice of urgency. The Development Luncheon defined Caring from Kristen M. Swanson, RN, PhD, FAAN, a great opening to a very exciting Hail, Honor, and Salute. ASPAN offered an array of clinical, professional development, research, and leadership topics for your educational enjoyment. Posters, exhibitors and sessions from experienced speakers to those who spoke for the first time as graduates of the Speakers Development Workshop, all offered opportunities to increase our knowledge. Other highlights included ASPAN President Lois Schick s Presidential Address and a sneak preview of National Conference Finally, we were amazed and amused, we laughed until we cried with Karyn Buxman, RN, MSN, CSP, CPAE as she closed the ASPAN 2008 National Conference. I would like to take this opportunity to thank some very special people in my life: my husband, Michael, who has supported me at each and every step and has always encouraged me to go forward; Ellen Sullivan, a mentor and a friend who keeps me focused; and the MASPAN BOD, who were placed in a difficult position, obligated to vote for me or Kathi Saball, another member of our BOD running for the Region 4 Director position. I want to thank Kathi Saball for a good campaign and a great person to oppose. Finally, I want to thank our immediate past Region 4 Director, Maryanne Carollo, for all the great work she accomplished over the last two years and the support she gave me and will still give me (when needed). Thank you all. WAKE ME UP! 10

11 MESPAN Board of Directors Meeting Friday, May 30, 2008 MGMC, Waterville, ME Present: Tom Lecakis, Grace Abourjaily, Mary Charest, Shelly Rinfret, Maggie Fowler, Betty Loranger, Linda Aspinall, Cathy Bourgon, Carol Silsby. Excused: Colleen Allen, Jannifer Dolan-O Connor, Kelly Lancaster. The meeting was called to order at 1730 by MESPAN President Tom Lecakis. Tom shared thank you notes from: Terry Clifford for flowers received from MESPAN Board of Directors (elected as VP/President-Elect) for ASPAN Jan Chartier for flowers received from MESPAN Board of Directors Paulette Gallant for opportunity to speak at MESPAN Spring Conference Secretary An updated copy of the Bylaws will be given to Colleen Allen, the new Chair of the Membership Committee. Betty will updated Bylaws to all current Board members. Treasurer Linda distributed the Profit/Loss Detail report which was reviewed by the board. Each line item was reviewed and discussed. It was agreed that, in keeping with the MESPAN policy, the Margaret Bailey Scholarship will be awarded every other year, on the even year. It was agreed by the Board members that the Recruiter of the Year will be recognized at the MESPAN Fall Conference and in the newsletter. The board voted unanimously to accept the budget. Membership Grace will orient Colleen to the position of Membership Chair over the summer months. Education Cathy reported that the date for the Fall Conference has been set for November 1-2 at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland. Nancy Strzewski will be the main speaker, with lectures thus far being Adolescence and Horizontal Violence. It was agreed by the board members that the BOD meeting will be held on Saturday evening immediately following the conference. This meeting will be open to the membership in a Town Meeting format. Scholarships/Nominations There were 5 write-ins for the Membership at Large position, with each receiving 1 vote. Shelly will contact each of the write-in candidates to determine if there is interest in the position. The members voted in this election are: Colleen Allen, Membership Carol Silsby, VP/President-Elect Linda Aspinall, Treasurer Cathy Bourgon, Education Maggie Fowler, Historian/ Librarian Shelly Rinfret, Scholarships/ Nominations Shelly will purchase a copy of Cecile Drain s text to donate to KVCC as previously agreed on by the MESPAN BOD. Newsletter Mary attempted polling the membership by to determine the acceptance of an electronic newsletter. Responses were limited but none were opposed. The advent of the electronic version of Wake ME Up! will be publicized in the next issue with the goal of having a Fall/Winter electronic edition of the newsletter. Website The MESPAN website, org, has received over 5,000 visits since its debut. New Business Much discussion about electronic voting and electronic BOD Meetings when not associated with conferences. Shelly explained the process for conference calling via freeconferencecalling.com. All board members agreed that this would be an acceptable way to have a meeting without having to travel, especially during the winter months. The installation of officers will take place at the Fall Conference Town Meeting. Respectfully submitted, Betty Loranger MESPAN Secretary 6/1/08 WAKE ME UP! 11

12 MESPAN Calendar July 1 ASPAN Scholarship Award Applications deadline September 5-7 Component Development Institute, Salt Lake City, Utah September 16 September 2 October 4 MESPAN Scholarship Applications deadline Deadline for CPAN/CAPA Certification Application North East Components Leadership Meeting November 1-2 MESPAN Fall Conference, Holiday Inn by the Bay, Portland, ME November 1 CPAN/CAPA Certification Exams Call ASPAN Toll-Free Mary Charest MESPAN Newsletter Editor 121 Hunter Rd. Freeport, ME MESPAN s Going GREEN! This is your LAST paper newsletter! Keep your newsletters coming by See inside for details!