Iowa Association of Nurse Practitioners

Transcription

1 President s Message-February 2015 Iowa Association of Nurse Practitioners Winter 2015 Happy American Heart Month, specifically Happy National Congenital Heart Defect Awareness week Feb I m of course partial to the National Congenital Heart Defect Awareness week because of my role as a PNP working in the outpatient cardiology clinic at UICH. My co-worker Trudy Pierick (newsletter chair IANP) and I will be helping celebrate the week by co-hosting a carnival at the UICH for kids with CHD and their families this Saturday. Being involved in this type of event brings home to me the importance NPs have in educating the public about children s health care issues and what a vital role NPs play in supporting our patients and their families. We help our patients and their family s network and this connection helps them feel less alone. We definitely do more than prescribe medications, diagnose illnesses, and do exams. Mentors taught me and showed me the type of NP I wanted to become. During my BSN senior internship Sharon Guthrie (current PhD Prof Nursing Mount Mercy) mentored me as I was learning to care for kids in the PICU, 3CJW and Peds Bone Marrow units. Kathy Bjornsen, ARNP and Trudy Pierick, ARNP mentored me and welcomed me as a new PNP grad into Pediatric Cardiology. They taught me whole care of kids with congenital heart defects and dysrhythmias. Dr. Pat Clinton mentored me through her example of being a leader in both NAPNAP and IANP. She helped me gain the confidence I needed to run for office and now be President of IANP, and again mentored me in my upcoming roll as member-at-large for the PNCB board. Mentors are extremely important and forever needed in our profession. Without the many mentors who have graced my professional life, I would not be the NP I am today. NAPNAP has come out with a Mentors Matter campaign asking for nominations of mentors that have mattered to you during your professional life. Go to: to nominate a mentor today. We all have been touched by mentors and need to remember to say thanks to those who have mentored us. We also have a responsibility to give back to our profession by mentoring future BSN and NP students. Recent NAPNAP picture posted on FB and web page under the mentors matter program- Go IANP! Speaking of mentors one of my favorite health policy/legislative mentors will be speaking at the annual IANP/INPS legislative day being held on February 24 from 9am-12pm at the Capitol building. Cheryll Jones, ARNP is a wealth of knowledge on what NPs can do for health policy advocacy of children in Iowa. Don t miss the opportunity to be mentored by her on the 24 th. See inside this newsletter for further details. Lastly, someone who has mentored many of us from a far is coming to Iowa for the IANP Spring NP Conference. Dr. Loretta Ford is a mentor from a far for many of us through her vision and passion for expanding the scope of practice in public health nursing which led to the establishment of the first PNP model

2 of advanced practice at the University of Colorado(1972). Without her who knows where we would be and what we would be doing. Without her, would we have the following: The nurse practitioner philosophy is a holistic approach to the health of the patient Nurse practitioners focus on health, functionality and daily living, and giving the patient feedback. The end result, of course, is to empower the patient or the family or the person to advance to self-care and to be responsible for that. Ford said brings IANP s 40 th anniversary. This is a time to celebrate our history with each other and some pretty special people, including Dr. Loretta Ford. I look forward to seeing many of you at this year s spring conference and anniversary dinner. Natalie R. Van Waning, BSN, MSN, CPNP President Iowa Association of Nurse Practitioners natalievanwaning@hotmail.com (319) (cell) Upcoming Events Legislative Day-February 24, 2015 Plan to attend our upcoming Legislative Day in Des Moines at the Capitol on February 24. A schedule of the day s events is included in this newsletter. Please Jill Asprey if you plan to attend (asprey@mchsi.com). NAPNAP and IANP invite you to attend the 36th Conference of NAPNAP in Las Vegas. For questions about the conference or registration, please contact or achernis@napnap.org An Iowa/IANP dinner is planned for Wednesday, March Gordon Ramsay Pub and Grill in Caesars Palace at 8 pm. Please RSVP to Natalie Van Waning natalievanwaning@hotmail.comor by March 1 st for seat at the table.

3 Iowa Association of Nurse Practitioners Spring Conference: April 30-May 1, 2015 at the Holiday Inn, Coralville, IA. This will be in conjunction with our 40 th anniversary of being a Chapter! Details of the celebration and the conference are in this newsletter. Look for more information on the web site and the IANP list serv. Our annual conference is an opportunity to connect with other PNPs from throughout the state and receive the latest updates on important topics. We hope to see all of you there! SAVE the Date: In conjunction with the annual Spring Nurse Practitioner Conference, we will be hosting a dinner with Loretta Ford on April 30 following the conference. Please make plans to attend this event and share some special moments with a dedicated nurse practitioner who has helped us all by paving the way for our role in health care. The dinner will be an additional expense so please register for this special event when registering for the conference. VENDORS needed: If you work with vendors in your office or institution, please ask if they are interested in supporting our conference by hosting a table. The cost is $250 for non-profits and $500 for other businesses. Please contact Mary Berg at mary-berg@uiowa.edu for more information. Participating vendors are able to take part in the conference. Silent Auction: We will once again be hosting a Silent Auction at the annual conference. If you have an item or service you would like to donate, please contact Mary Ann marygureno@aol.com with your information. The item can be brought to the conference on Thursday. All profits from this event go directly to the IANP and increase our conference revenue. Consider making a donation or bidding on a favorite item. Other events: March is National Nutrition Month. Think of a way to share your knowledge with your patients and families in a fun, relaxing way. Kourtney Yoder, IANP student rep. will be presenting a presentation on Cholesterol screening and treatment at UAY in Iowa City on Monday March pm for their youth advisory panel. The IANP Student representatives will also be assisting United Action for Youth (in Iowa City) for a Spring Clothing Drive for school age children. Look for more details on the list serv and web site. When it s time for spring cleaning, this is an excellent way to recycle and contribute to the community. Reminder- If your home address, or phone number has changed or will be changing, please send updates to NAPNAP. IANP is unable to change your NAPNAP contact information. This contact info is important because it is our way of contacting you with Legislative alerts, IANP general information updates, Newsletters, and more.

4 Hometown Hawkeye from Muscatine works to make a difference! Article from the Hawkeye Caucus publication, 2/12/15, University of Iowa In Muscatine, the Iowa Department of Public Health's 1st Five Program, a publicprivate partnership bridging primary care and public health services, is making a big difference in the community and has the potential to provide successful modeling for many additional Iowa communities. Sarah Kersevich (MSN 12) is filling a vital role by serving as 1st Five s pediatric provider and is witnessing the program s positive impact up close. This is a really exciting care-coordination program supporting providers in detection of social-emotional and developmental delays and family-related risk factors, says Kersevich. In its first year, this program has made a tangible difference in the lives of so many children and families in the Muscatine community. I look forward to watching the program expand into more communities across the state. Kersevich has also been able to apply her skills and passion for patient care by participating in public health initiatives that aim to improve mental health care for children in Muscatine. She firmly believes that her advanced education, including a master s from UI s College of Nursing, has opened many doors for opportunities like this and the one at 1st Five. It is hard to put the role of my education into a few short sentences because it has such a profound effect on me both professionally and personally, she explains. I can honestly say that when I go to work, I feel like I have a solid base of understanding of pediatric primary care. I have a solid understanding of general pediatric standards, but my education also instilled in me the drive to look into the evidence behind the standards. Kersevich chose UI s College of Nursing not just because of its history of excellence, but because she wanted a program that would be rigorous yet inspirational. As a nurse, her first priority is to advocate for her patient, and Kersevich says the college teaches this by continually teaching the most current, evidence-based practice to improve health care outcome for patients because our patients deserve our best effort and nothing less. My experience in the CON exposed me to so many levels and faces of nursing. It s one of the most beautiful things about the profession, I think, that you can use it in so many ways, she says. You can work in people s homes, in the hospital, in hospice. You can work with children, with people who struggle with mental illness. You can work in public health the opportunities are never-ending, and I feel like I got a chance to experience that firsthand as I went through my internships and clinical rotations.

5 IANP Spotlight: Vanessa Kimm MSN, RN, ARNP, CPNP Vanessa Kimm graduated from the University of Iowa College of Nursing Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program in 2003 and spent 10 years practicing at Medical Associates Dubuque Pediatrics. She also had the opportunity to be the Medical Director of the Mercy Autism Clinic in Dubuque for 2 years where she evaluated and diagnosed children with suspected autism spectrum disorders. Vanessa has also been a clinical instructor for the University of Iowa College of Nursing since 2004, taching pediatric clinical practicum to undergraduate nurses on the pediatric inpatient unit at UIHC. She is also the director of the Young Pediatric Nurse Clinician Program, which is a competitive program aimed at exceptional undergraduate nursing students with a strong interest in pediatrics. Accepted students have the opportunity to explore additional pediatric experiences both at the hospital and within the community. They participate in several community engagement activities including health fairs, cooking for families at the Ronald McDonald House (whose children are patients at the Children s Hospital), as well as a Diabetes Busters initiative in local schools where they have the opportunity to teach school-aged children the importance of diet and exercise. Additionally, the students are helping with a grant funded Healthy Lifestyle Study using fit bits and counseling strategies to help children and teenagers lose weight through a healthier lifestyle. The Young Pediatric students can also learn more about the role of the pediatric nurse practitioner by shadowing pediatric nurse practitioners at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, attending grand rounds at the hospital, and attending the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioner conference in the spring. This March, Vanessa will be taking four students to Las Vegas for the NAPNAP conference, where they will have an opportunity to further explore the role of the PNP. Vanessa lives in Swisher with her husband, Josh, and their four children, Mason (10), Hudson (8), Pierson (5) and Tatum (3). She enjoys spending time with her family and attending the many kid s activities and sporting events. In her free time, she loves to travel and read. She will be starting the DNP at the University of Iowa this fall. Thank you, Vanessa for your ongoing dedication and support to our profession!

6 IANP Spotlight: Samantha Lee, MSN, RN, CPCP submitted by Sara Neff Samantha Lee graduated with her BSN from the University of Iowa in She worked as a NICU staff nurse at Rush University Medical Center for 5 years while completing her Masters of Science in Nursing. She graduated from Rush University s Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Acute/Chronic care program in She then worked as a Critical Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at Rush University in the Pediatric Intensive Care unit until Since 2014, Samantha has worked as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in the Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology division at the University of Iowa Children s Hospital in Iowa City. Samantha lives in Coralville with her husband, Mason, and their Chihuahua, Cadence. In her free time, she loves to work out, mostly hot yoga. She is currently getting into photography. She and her husband love hanging out and spending time with their friends trying new local restaurants. They love boating in the summers, snow-skiing in the winters, and ballroom dancing all year long! Samantha is passionate about what she does every day, which is helping sick children overcome their illness. Samantha says There is nothing more fulfilling than to watch a child with an acute or chronic illness on the road to recovery. Even at their darkest moments, they still find time to be happy and enjoy life! Iowa Board of Nursing Call for ARNP Action! Many of you received letters in December/January asking for your participation in the Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner Advisory Committee and Peer Review Committee. Anyone interested in sitting on either committee should contact Jimmy Reyes, Associate Director (contact information below). It is vital to have ARNP representation. The ARNP advisory Committee will primarily meet on a regular or as needed basis. Topics of interest to be discussed include: legislative initiatives, Iowa Administrative Code Rule Revisions, Research and Best Practices, and Practice and Educational Standards from national certifying bodies and professional organizations. The Peer Review Committee members would be involved in helping determine if the conduct of an ARNP is appropriate and is seen as standard of practice. In order to have peers review our practice as ARNPs, ARNPs need to be on this committee. IBON needs you and so do ARNPs of Iowa! Jimmy Reyes, Associate Director of Practice/Education jimmy.reyes@iowa.gov or

7 Clinical Pearl: by Courtney Kremer Joint Pain is it arthritis or hypermobility? No matter what specialty you work in, you have likely dealt with a patient who complains of joint pain. Joint pain is common in the pediatric population. Before doing a several hundred dollar work up, here are some tips to help you differentiate between arthritis and hypermobile joint pain. Arthritis: Joint swelling Joint warmth Joint redness Loss of range of motion (particularly loss of extension) Morning stiffness at least 30 minutes daily Swelling lasting longer than 6 weeks. Swelling does not tend to come and go Elevated inflammatory markers Hypermobility: Generally no swelling. If swelling is present, tends to come and go or last less than 6 weeks Pain is worse with activities and better with rest Most pain occurs at evening or night time Typically normal labs Exam reveals hypermobile joints (pes planus, hyperextension of joints) Perform the Beighton scale for hypermobility: Test Score Right Side Left Side Able to touch thumb to forearm 1 1 Hyperextend 5 th MCP so finger parallels forearm 1 1 >10 degrees of hyperextension of elbow 1 1 >10 degrees of hyperextension of knees 1 1 Able to touch palms to floor with knees straight 1 Total: 9 points *A score of 6/9 or greater is significant for hypermobility (Woo et al., 2007) What to do if you suspect arthritis: Start naproxen twice daily Check markers of inflammation, CBC, possibly MRI or x-rays Refer to rheumatologist What to do if you suspect joint hypermobility: **Up to 20% of girls are hypermobile and up to 10% of boys (Woo et al., 2007) Assess for symptoms of associated disorder (eg: Marfan s, Ehler s Danlos Syndrome) o Does patient have easy bruising, reflux, migraines, pectus deformities, high arched palate, long arms, and/or ophthalmologic complications?

8 Family history of vascular conditions (aneurysm, mitral valve prolapse, stroke at young age), migraines, reflux, delayed walking, uterine prolapse, early osteoarthritis Recommend low impact activities (swimming, biking, muscle strengthening). Consider PT referral for muscle strengthening for joint stabilization NSAIDs as needed for pain Prescribe bilateral custom fit orthotics for pes planus Genetics referral for any concerns of genetic disorder. References: Woo, P., Laxer, R.; Sherry, D. (2007). Pediatric rheumatology in clinical practice. London: Springer-Verlag. Beighton Scale Reference: Hypermobility Syndrome Association ( Committee Reports Newsletter Committee Report We will continue to produce the newsletter three times per year and share with IANP members via , IANP list serv and the IANP web site. This is a primary reason for keeping your address current with the group. We no longer use snail mail for newsletter communication. Committee members will contact members throughout the year to request participation in the membership spotlight or clinical pearl sections. We appreciate your timely response when we ask for submissions. Please share constructive feedback on the newsletter with us so that we can make it more meaningful to all members. Trudy Pierick, trudy-pierick@uiowa.edu and Sara Neff, sara.neff@msn.com

9 Bylaws Report Due to a change at the national level (NAPNAP), we are proposing to revise our IANP bylaws Article IV Section D to allow students to have voting rights in order to align with NAPNAPs bylaws. If the board votes to pursue this, we will need to prepare a notice to go out with the board elections ballot informing them that we will be voting on by-laws changes. IANP members will have the opportunity to vote on the proposed by-law change at the annual meeting. Proposed By Laws Change: Article IV Membership Existing: Section D Student Members, who shall not be allowed to vote or hold office, but may serve on committees, shall be an individual pursuing an education in a nurse practitioner/clinical nurse specialist program. Proposed: Section D Student Members, who shall not be allowed to hold office, but may vote and serve on committees, shall be an individual pursuing an education in a nurse practitioner/clinical nurse specialist program. There are many other verbiage changes (more modern) on the new NAPNAP bylaws which we will need to consider changing in our bylaws as well. The Bylaws committee can review these over the next year as there would be extensive wording changes. Legislative Day will be held on Tuesday February 24 from 9-12 noon at the State Capitol Building Room 304. I am working with our legislative committee and INPS to finalize the agenda for the day. The new location will be very convenient, but there is a maximum capacity of 48 participants. We will not be providing food and beverage this year, as items can be purchased at the capitol dining room or brought in from the outside. Plan to provide your own beverage or snacks as needed. Plan to get your reservation in ASAP to asprey@mchsi.com. Notice will be sent out via /websites/facebook. Please plan to attend. Make plans to meet with your legislator after the morning session! Iowa Nurse Practitioner Legislative Day Tuesday, Feb 24, 2015 State Capitol Room 304 A Co-Sponsored Event by Iowa Association of Nurse Practitioners and Iowa Nurse Practitioner Society Schedule: 9:00-9:30 Cheryll Jones: So you want to be an advocate 9:30-10:00 Joe Kelly: 2015 Session State Legislative Bills and Issues 10:00-10:30 Kathy Weinberg: Iowa Board of Nursing Update 10:30-12:00 Panel of Legislators 12:00 Adjourn. Meet with your legislators * (lunch on your own) There is no fee for participation in this event. Schedule is tentative at this time and may be modified as needed to accommodate our speakers. Refreshments may be purchased in the capitol dining room or you may bring your own coffee/beverage/snack from outside. Dress in layers for your own comfort. Please RSVP to Jill Asprey by February 13 th : asprey@mchsi.com Maximum capacity is 48 participants. *It is recommended that you call or your legislator prior to the event asking for a specific appointment or for the legislator/aide to designate the best time to send in a note that afternoon. However, you may just send in a note via the door man at the chambers door on the day of the event and take a chance regarding having the opportunity to meet/talk with your legislator. Jill Asprey, asprey@mchsi.com

10 Website Committee Report Please visit our IANP website at to keep updated with the latest events, conference scholarship information, letters from our President, recent survey results, job opportunities and more. I m also looking for a volunteer who might be interested and willing to help with the website. Josh Petersen, joshua-petersen@uiowa.edu Treasurer s Report IANP Treasurer's Report for period to Checking 10, Expenses Amount reimburse Susie Poulton - gift for Nancy Lathrop $50.00 Natalie VanWaning - Reach out & Read Gala $73.92 reimburse Cheryll Jones - Go To Meeting annual fee $ Joe Kelly - lobbyist - 1st payment $2, Natalie VanWaning - NAPNAP 2015 conf registration $ Total expenses $3, Income Amount NAPNAP chapter payments (July) $ NAPNAP chapter payment (August) $ NAPNAP chapter payment (Oct) $ NAPNAP chapter payment (Oct) $ NAPNAP chapter payment (Nov) $ NAPNAP chapter payment (Jan) $ NAPNAP chapter payment (Jan) $ Reimbursement from INPS for Leg Day $ Spring Conference 2014 $2, Total income $4, Checking ending balance 11, Savings Share savings account $3, Interest $1.56 CD month $6, Interest dividend 1.590% $ CD month (matures ) $6, Interest dividend 2.230% $ Savings ending balance 15, TOTAL ASSETS $26, Susie Poulton, j.poulton@mchsi.com

11 Continuing Education Committee Report SAVE the DATE! The 40 th Anniversary of IANP Conference will be held April 30 th and May 1 st. We have designed this year s conference with hopes to attract NPs from all specialty groups; the first day having topics of broad appeal as well as our keynote speaker Dr. Loretta Ford. The second day will focus more on pediatric topics. Draft program: SCHEDULE Thursday, April 30, 2015 THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA COLLEGE OF NURSING AND IOWA ASSOCIATION OF NURSE PRACTITIONERS 2015 Annual Spring Nurse Practitioner Conference Thursday and Friday, April 30 and May 1, 2015 Holiday Inn Coralville, Iowa 8:00 Registration continental breakfast Exhibits open 8:30 Opening of Conference 8:45 Keynote Address: The State of ARNP Practice: Past, Present and Future Loretta Ford, EdD, PNP, FAAN 10:15 Break; exhibits open 10:45 The IOM Advanced Practice Task Force: Educating Iowans through an ARNP United Effort - Maria Lofgren, DNP, ARNP, NNP-BC, PNP, Laura Baker, Mary O Brien, Lynne Himmelreich 11:45 Legislative Update Cheryll Jones and Joe Kelly 12:15 Lunch and IANP Board Meeting Student Presentation by Jill Gilliland, Melnic 1:30 The Medical Record: Risk Management for ARNPs Lyn Boes, RN, JD 3:00 Break 3:20 CPT Coding for Nurse Practitioners Barbara Pierce, CCS-P, ACS-EM 5:15 Recess 5:30 40 th Anniversary Celebration dinner/cash bar Friday, May 1, :15 Fun walk- meet in Conference center lobby 8:00 Day two opening announcements 8:05 Infectious Disease Update: MRSA Nathan Price, MD 9:15 Practical Applications of Genomics in Clinical Care Ann Ersig, PhD, RN 10:15 Break 10:45 Child and Youth Psychiatric Consult Project of Iowa: Resource for Primary Care Providers Susan Pike, MD 11:45 Lunch and IANP Membership Annual Meeting 1:00 Sex Trafficking: Any Kid Anywhere What Healthcare Professionals Need to Know Catherine O Keeffe, BS 2:00 Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Kids: Is It All in Their Head? Dawn Ebach, MD 3:15 Break 3:10 Bronchodilators: Use and Misuse Gary Milavetz, PharmD 4:10 Summary, evaluation and CEU Recording Mary Berg, mary-berg@uiowa.edu

12 Membership Committee Report Total members as of January 27, 2015: 112 (per IANP) or 112 per NAPNAP Membership trend: Members Year Types of members: N Membership Type 25 Active- Active members have the privilege of voting, holding office and serving on committees and shall be one of the following: 1)Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (PNP/APRN), School Nurse Practitioners (SNP), Family Nurse Practitioners (FNP), Neonatal Nurse Practitioners (NNP) or Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) who are eligible for certification or have been certified by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB), the American Nurses' Credentialing Center (ANCC), or the National Certification Corporation (NCC); 2) Registered Nursing Faculty members who prepare PNPs, SNPs, FNPs, NNPs, or CNSs as delineated above; or 3) Graduates of a PNP Certificate Program prior to Associate- Associate members shall be any persons interested in fostering the objectives of the association. They shall not have the right to vote or hold office. Associate members may serve on committees or participate in Special Interest Groups in accordance with SIG policies.= 52 Fellow- A Fellow is an active member who has been certified by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) or the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). 19 Student- Students are eligible for reduced dues if they are in their first Nurse Practitioner/CNS program and if they are registered nurses currently enrolled in an approved program whose graduates may become active members as delineated above. All benefits except voting rights are included. Student status is limited to three consecutive years. 3 Doctoral Student- Professional NP's, already eligible for active NAPNAP Membership, currently enrolled in any doctoral program, are eligible for reduced dues. All benefits except voting rights are included. Doctoral Student Status is limited to two consecutive years. 6 New Graduate- New Graduates are eligible for active membership at a reduced rate for the first year following the completion of their NP or CNS program. New Graduates receive all membership benefits. 7 Retiree- Retirees from PNP or CNS Practice/Employment are eligible for membership at one half the regular annual dues. A retiree must be age 62 years or older. 112 TOTAL NP specialties: N Specialty 54 PNPs (primary care & acute care) 2 FNPs 2 PNP/FNP 1 PNP/CNM 1 PNP/CNS 1 PNP/NNP 1 PNP/Mental Health Specialist 50 Not indicated 112 TOTAL States of residence: N State of residence 105 Iowa 1 Arizona 4 Illinois 1 Texas 1 New York 112 Total

13 Other Metrics N (%) Other 110 (98%) Number on IANP Listserv 40 (36%) Number who have contributed to the Special Assessment (at any time in the past) 0 Friends of IANP Trends and Discussion: Members survey done by Katie Hepfer and Natalie Van Waning-information was compiled for current members as to why they joined, how they participate in the group, and suggestions they have for activities. Please see the web site for a detailed powerpoint of this information. NAPNAP made some modifications to membership reports after conference call with Natalie and Kirsten. Nice improvements, more accurate and streamlined some process. Great majority provided s and included on list-serve. Unable to contact Bonna Powell and Mary Ray if anyone has contact information please share. We moved to thank you for your membership. Allows direct links to websites. Saves postage, paper, time. Kirsten Hanrahan, Kirsten-hanrahan@uiowa.edu Legislative Committee Report The IANP Legislative Committee has been meeting by Go to Meeting. The Committee meets the third Wednesday of the month. The committee made recommendations to the full board for legislative priorities for IANP and is currently assisting in reviewing bills which have been sent to us by Joe Kelly for our review. Recommendations from the Committee will then be shares with the members of the INPS joint legislative committee as to our position on the bills. We are in the process of setting up our joint IANP/INPS Committee calls. We are scheduling for the first Thursday in February and will meet every other week during the legislative session. Our first call is scheduled for Feb. 5. IANP continues to be a member of the Children s Policy Coalition. Cheryll Jones represents IANP at Coalition meetings. The Children s Policy Coalition is committed to raising children s issues to prominence in Iowa during elections and is beginning to have discussions regarding the upcoming presidential elections in There are 32 members of the Coalition. The role of the Children s Policy Coalition is to elevate critical child issues to the prominence they deserve Cheryll Jones and Mary Berg attended the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) Regional meeting in Kansas City Saturday Jan. 17 th. Representatives from Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri were present. Iowa is the only full practice authority state of the four states present. The agenda for the meeting is attached. The NAMI Iowa Children s Mental Health Committee is forming a coalition to formulate a Children s Mental Health Redesign to present to Iowa decision makers before the 2016 legislative session. I recommend that IANP become a member of the coalition and participate in the discussion. I have spoken with Tammy Nyden, co-chair of the committee and there is interest in IANP participation. IANP will have our Action Center site on the Advocacy Site for NAPNAP. Cheryll Jones, bacjones@netins.net Public Relations Committee Report Facebook is a good resource for any clinical pearls or information for fellow IANP members. Feel free to post on our page. We have 83 likes. I will be making an effort to have weekly post on anything from clinical pearls, news or events. If you have something you would like me to share please send it to me by . Lindsey Fredericksen, Lindsey.Fredericksen@unitypoint.org

14 Nominations Committee Report Committee member: Courtney Kremer The offices of President-elect and Secretary are up for re-election this year. We have been seeking out candidates for the offices. If anyone is interested in running for either office or knows of someone interested, please contact Kathleen or Courtney. Election of officers will be done electronically again this year. Please consider running for an office or helping on the nominations committee. Kathleen Gradoville, Awards Committee Report Please see the attached forms for Student and Member scholarships. Forms are due March 20 and awardees will be notified by March 31. Amy Leitch, and Courtney Kremer, IANP Conference Scholarship for Members Purpose: The purpose of this award is to assist IANP members in furthering their professional education with a commitment to pediatric health care issues. The award will be granted to a member to attend any conference with approved NAPNAP or IANP continuing education units. Type of Award: Conference Registration fee for annual IANP conference or dollar amount equal to this conference cost to be used for other approved NAPNAP conference. Selection Criteria: The nominee must be: 1) A current member of IANP with a minimum of one year membership prior to application. 2) Current IANP board members are eligible to apply for the award. Application: Name Address: City State Zip Home phone Work phone Employer IANP member since On a separate sheet, submit a paragraph of 200 words or less in response to How do you plan to use the information learned from this conference to meet your professional goals in pediatric healthcare? Deadline: Information must be received by March 20, Please mail to Amy Leitch, 1500 Harvest Street, North Liberty, IA or Courtney Kremer, 623 S. Iowa Street Solon, Iowa Notification: of award will be made by March 31, Questions: Please contact Amy Leitch at (amyleitch12@gmail.com) or Courtney Kremer at (courtneykremer@uiowa.edu) with questions regarding this application.

15 IANP Conference Scholarship for Students Purpose: The purpose of this award is to assist graduate nursing students with an interest in pediatric health care issues in furthering their professional education. The award will be granted to a member to attend the annual Spring IANP Conference. Type of Award: Conference Registration fee for annual IANP Conference Selection Criteria: The nominee must: 1) Be in an accredited graduate PNP program 2) Submit one letter of reference from current faculty or a clinical colleague. Application: Name Address: City State Zip Home phone Cell phone Employer IANP member? Educational institution Address Anticipated graduation Anticipated degree On a separate sheet, submit a statement of 200 words or less explaining the reason for application to this scholarship and your interest in pediatric healthcare. Deadline: Information must be received by March 20, Please mail to Amy Leitch, 1500 Harvest Street, North Liberty, IA or Courtney Kremer, 623 S. Iowa Street, Solon, Iowa Notification: of award will be made by March 31, Questions: Please contact Amy Leitch at (amyleitch12@gmail.com) or Courtney Kremer at (courtneykremer@uiowa.edu) with questions regarding this application. Children s Executive Function Skills By Pathways.org Executive function is a mental process that allows us to understand our past experiences with present action. As you know, the brain uses this skill to guide behavior toward accomplishing a goal, prioritizing tasks, controlling impulses and focusing our attention. Care providers can explain to parents that children are born with the potential to gain these abilities through their experiences with caregivers, family members, teachers and other influential persons impacting their development. 1 Executive functions are evaluated in children based on their behavior in non-routine situations that require them to use their own degree of judgment. 2 Children may show differences in working memory, emotional control, and the ability to think flexibly and engage in self-monitoring. 3 If a child has difficulty with executive functions he/she might: Be disorganized. For example, may forget to hand in school assignments or prioritize tasks with calendars. Struggle with time management.

16 Have difficulty with open-ended tasks, including assignments with little direction, or cannot switch from the planning phase of a project to its implementation. Have difficulty starting tasks independently. For example, may not know the length of an appropriate break before beginning homework after school. Be unable to complete tasks efficiently. Struggle reviewing over school work without direction or guidance. 4 Have rigid routines and dislike change. Become easily frustrated or intolerant of criticism Forget rules easily. Display difficulty memorizing or retrieving items from memory. 3 Appear impulsive, have uncontrolled impulses, 1 or an inability to mange emotions. 4 When children do not demonstrate appropriate executive function skills, they may show signs of learning differences that require further evaluation. There are many reasons children display discrepancies in executive function abilities. Difficulty with executive functions could be a sign of Autism, OCD, traumatic brain injury, ADHD, or other illness/condition. Care Providers can discuss strategies with parents to help children with executive function difficulties stay on task such as: Checklists. This provides kids with manageable steps to complete tasks. Parents can create a list of things that must be completed before the child leaves the house in the morning or a list of steps that are related to completing an assignment in school. Checklists can guide children to independence gradually. Set time limits. It may be helpful to assign certain tasks time limits to help children understand how long each task should take. Explain the importance of a new process or technique. Children should understand why checklists and guidelines are important and related to their successful changes in behavior. They will feel more committed to meeting expectations. Stick to Routines. A child should know what is expected of them when they return home from school, such as their break time before beginning homework and eating dinner. 6 Help children build social connections with adults. Children need a reliable presence that they can trust and healthy relationships with adults will keep them engaged in creative play, and guide them toward gaining better executive function skills. 5 Care providers can inquire about children s executive function abilities during their yearly check-up. Because a child s difficulty with executive functions may be an indication of other learning differences, it is important for doctors to refer the child for an evaluation as soon as possible. For more information about issues related to childhood development, please visit or friends@pathways.org. Founded in 1985, Pathways.org empowers parents and health professionals with free educational resources on the benefit of early detection and early intervention for children s motor, sensory, and communication development. [1] Key Concepts: Executive Function. Center on the Developing Child Harvard University. Accessed 19 Nov [2] Banich M. Executive Function: The Search for an Integrated Account. Current Directions in Psychological Science. 2009; 18(89); [3] Morin A. 9 Terms to Know If Your Child struggles With Executive Functioning Issues. National Center for Learning Disabilities. Accessed 6 Nov [4] The Executive Function and School Performance: A 21 st Century Challenge. National Center for Learning Disabilities Accessed 6 Nov [5] In Brief: Executive Function Skills for Life and Learning. Center on the Developing Child Harvard University. Accessed 19 Nov [6] Ehmke R. Helping Kids Who Struggle with Executive Functions. Child Mind Institute Accessed 2014 Nov 6.

17 IANP Board Members President: Natalie Van Waning Past President: Cyndy Hockman Legislative Chair: Cheryll Jones Newslettter: Trudy Pierick and Sara Goslin-Neff Nominations: Kathleen Gradoville Treasurer: Susie Poulton Website: Josh Petersen Membership: Kirsten Hanrahan President Elect/Bylaws Chair: Jill Asprey Public Relations: Lindsey Fredericksen Continuing Ed: Mary Berg Secretary: Molly Bauer

18 Student Reps: Katie Hepfer, Kourtney Yoder and Ciarra Lang Awards: Amy Leitch and Courtney Kremer