October 3rd – 5th, 2018 Helena, MT

Page 2Montana Nurses Association PulseExecutive Directors Report continued from page 1for our re-licensure requirements due this year (relicensure required by 12/31/18 with 24 contact hoursover two years). All the district leaders (inclusive ofall nurses whether you are in a collective bargainingunit or not) have been noticed of the amount of MNAdelegates allotted for their respective districts andhave nominated and elected their MNA delegates.All of this is done via email so if you haven’t receivedcorrespondence from MNA and you are an MNAmember, be sure to call the office and get anupdated personal email on file. Email is the officialcommunication tool used to correspond efficientlywith all MNA members. If you have been elected as adelegate, be sure to register for the convention (www.mtnurses.org), book a room at the hotel (Best WesternPremier Great Northern Hotel (406) 457-5500), and tapinto your district leadership as most all of the districtsreimburse their delegates for registration and somedistricts reimburse for travel and rooms (especiallythose traveling long distances). If you are choosing toattend from your district, not as a delegate, but as aparticipant for the continuing education (and amazingnetworking!!), reach out to your district leaders or thisoffice if in need of financial assistance. All MNA nursesliving within the boundaries of their district contributea small portion of their dues ( 1 per member permonth) to designated secure funds that thosedistricts are allowed to use for their specific districtmembers. Don’t let finances deter you from attendingour convention (it is our collective voice of nursesfrom across the state) because often times the largerdistricts will assist those districts with fewer resources.You can always call the office for assistance. Theconvention continues to be the first Wednesday,Thursday, and Friday of October annually! So if youcannot attend this year, keep it on your radar for nextyear.Special Alert for 2018 MNA Convention:Thursday October 4th, 2018 during convention, MNAwill be hosting a state and national legislative event. Allincumbent and challenging candidates running for theMT state legislature and our incumbent U.S. Senatorand challenger for the U.S. Senate seat have beeninvited to attend. This event begins with a combineddinner for our nurses and legislators followed by thelegislative event.Please visitMNA’s constantlyupdated websites!www.mtnurses.orgwww.cnebymna.comIf you wish to no longer receiveThe Pulse please contact Monique:mheddens@aldpub.comIf your address has changed pleasecontact Montana Board of Nursing at:www.nurse.mt.govPULSE SUBMISSIONSWe are gathering articles that are relevant andappealing to YOU as a nurse. What is happeningin your world today? Is there information we canprovide that would be helpful to you? The Pulseis YOUR publication, and we want to present youwith content that pertains to your interests.Please submit your ideas andsuggestions to Jennifer.Jennifer@mtnurses.orgAugust, September, October 2018Enjoy a user friendly layout andaccess to more information, includingmembership material, labor resources,Independent Study Library, a new CareerCenter for Job Seekers & Employers,and more downloadable information.CONTACT MNAMontana Nurses Association20 Old Montana State Highway, Clancy, MT 59634 Phone (406) 442-6710 Fax (406) 442-1841 Email: info@mtnurses.org Website: www.mtnurses.orgOffice Hours: 7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Monday through FridayVOICE OF NURSES IN MONTANAMNA is a non-profit, membership organization that advocates fornurse competency, scope of practice, patient safety, continuingeducation, and improved healthcare delivery and access.MNA members serve on the following Councils andother committees to achieve our mission: Council on Practice & Government Affairs (CPGA) Council on Economic & General Welfare (E&GW) Council on Continuing Education (CCE) Council on Advanced Practice (CAP)MISSION STATEMENTThe Montana Nurses Association promotes professional nursing practice,standards and education; represents professional nurses; and providesnursing leadership in promoting high quality health care.PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTPUBLISHER INFORMATION & AD RATESCirculation 18,000. Provided to every registered nurse, licensedpractical nurse, nursing student and nurse-related employer inMontana. The Pulse is published quarterly each February, May,August and November by Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc.for Montana Nurses Association, 20 Old Montana State Highway,Montana City, MT 59634, a constituent member of theAmerican Nurses Association.For advertising rates and information, please contact Arthur L.Davis Publishing Agency, Inc., 517 Washington Street, PO Box216, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613, (800) 626-4081, sales@aldpub.com. MNA and the Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc.reserve the right to reject any advertisement. Responsibility forerrors in advertising is limited to corrections in the nextissue or refund of price of advertisement.Acceptance of advertising does not imply endorsement orapproval by the Montana Nurses Association of productsadvertised, the advertisers, or the claims made. Rejection of anadvertisement does not imply a product offered for advertisingis without merit, or that the manufacturer lacks integrity, or thatthis association disapproves of the product or its use. MNA andthe Arthur L. Davis Publishing Agency, Inc. shall not be heldliable for any consequences resulting from purchase or use ofan advertiser’s product. Articles appearing in this publicationexpress the opinions of the authors; they do not necessarilyreflect views of the staff, board, or membership of MNA orthose of the national or local associations.WRITER’S GUIDELINES:MNA welcomes the submission of articles and editorials relatedto nursing or about Montana nurses for publication in The PULSE.Please limit word size between 500–1000 words and provideresources and references. MNA has the Right to accept, edit orreject proposed material. Please send articlesto: jennifer@mtnurses.orgMontana Nurses Association is accredited as an approver of continuingnursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’sCommission on Accreditation.Montana Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of continuingnursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’sCommission on Accreditation.MNA Staff:MNAVicky Byrd, BA, RN, OCN, Executive DirectorPam Dickerson, PhD, RN-BC, FAAN, Director of Professional DevelopmentMary Thomas, BA, RN, RN Professional Development AssociateCaroline Baughman, BS, Professional Development AssociateRobin Haux, BS, Labor Program DirectorAmy Hauschild, BSN, RN, Labor RepresentativeSandi Luckey, Labor RepresentativeLeslie Shepherd, BSN, RN, Labor RepresentativeJill Hindoien, BS, Chief Financial OfficerJennifer Hamilton, Administrative AssistantBoard of DirectorsExecutive Committee:Board of Directors PresidentBoard of Directors Vice PresidentBoard of Directors SecretaryBoard of Directors TreasurerBoard of Directors Member at LargeBoard of Directors CPGABoard of Directors PDBoard of Directors CAPBoard of Directors EGWLorri Bennett, RNTerry Dutro, MSN, APRN, AGPCNP-BCChelsee Baker, BSN, RNLinda Larsen, RN-BCJennifer Taylor, BSN, RN, CCRNBobbie Cross, RNDebby Lee, BSN, RN-BC, CCRPJohn Honsky, APRNJennifer Tanner, BSN, RN, CCRNCouncil on Practice & Government Affairs (CPGA)Jack Preston, BSN, RNAbbie Colussi, RNAnita Doherty, RNKaren Fairbrother, BSN, RN, DNC, CDEAnna Ammons, BSN, RN, PCCNCouncil on Professional Development (PD)Sandy Sacry, MSN, RNGwyn Palchak, BSN, RN-BC, ACMEmily Michalski-Weber, MSN, RN-BCMegan Hamilton, MSN, RN, CFRN, NR-PCheryl Richards, MS, BSN, RN-BCCheryl Miller, MSN, RN-BCSarah Leland, BSN, RN, CMSAbbie Colussi, RNJanet Smith, MN, MSHS, RNCouncil on Advanced Practice (CAP)Chairperson Elect-CAPSecretary-CAPMember at Large-CAPMember at Large-CAPDeborah Kern, MSN, FNPNanci Taylor, APRNBarbara Schaff, FNP-BCKeven Comer, MN, FNP-BCCouncil on Economic & General Welfare (EGW)Delayne Stahl, RN, OCNRachel Huleatt, BSN, RNKrystal Frydenlund, RN, CCRNLisa Ross, RN, CCRNQuestions about your nursing license?Contact Montana Board of Nursing at: www.nurse.mt.gov

August, September, October 2018Montana Nurses Association PulseExperience at ANA’s Quality andInnovation ConferenceI would like to thankyou for the opportunity togo to Orlando on March21-23, 2018 to attend theANA Quality and InnovationConference. It was veryinspiring when you look atwhat other facilities are doingaround the country to bettertheir patient safety, quality ofcare they give, and creativestaffing techniques they use.Sarah LelandOne of my favoriteMSCRN BSN RNsessions discussed the factthat we all have an inventor side within us. Every day,every shift we work, we are always thinking of ways toaccomplish things better and faster, with better qualityand more time directed towards our patients care. Wesee that opportunity every day! The question is, doyou have the willingness to turn that into an invention?The speaker for that session, Nick Webb, encouragedall facilities to have a space for their employees toinnovate. We as nurses, have the ability to improvework life. We are smart nurses that want to be on amission that matters. So, get out there and becomean inventor to make a difference in your workplace foryour patients.As health care workers we also must be resilient.Another great session focused on how we promoteresilience to help prevent negative work environmentsfrom turning into nursing burnout. What is resilience?Resilience is the ability to cope, recover from andthrive after a challenging situation. So how do wepromote resilience? We should promote engagementand prevent burnout by optimizing the experienceof the work environment. This can be achieved byamplifying inherent rewards, mitigate the impact ofinherent stress through support and resources, whichwill prevent or reduce added stress. This will supportthe nurse’s ability to cope with the negatives facedin the work environment, which will increase yourresiliency to continue to overcome the situations youface every day. You, as an individual, have an equalresponsibility to increase your personal resilience aswell as the facility where you work. It is important tofocus as much on the positives as the negatives, whenpromoting resiliency. Remember everyone’s balancingplace is different. We need everyone to realize thatteamwork is a vital component to being resilient. Weneed to continue to work together so we are all safeand healthy while caring for our patients. We mustremember, every patient is everyone’s patient andwe need to work collaboratively with the patient. Ourpatients are the center of our care.Once again, I want to thank you for allowing meto have this amazing and fun opportunity to meetand network with nurses from around the country.I encourage all of you to take advantage of theseconferences as they arise.Attend MNA Convention and Celebrate100 years of Public Health in Montana!Page 3NOTICECALL TO 2018 MNAAnnual ConventionHouse of Delegates2018 Convention Proposed Amendments tothe MNA Bylaws submitted by the ProfessionalDevelopment Department and Councilon Professional Development.Purpose: Align MNA bylaws with national bestpractice standard related to terminology by Strikingthe words, continuing education and inserting thewords professional development, or the acronym,CPD in the following:Article VII Councils, Section 1 Definition, (2);Article VII Councils Section 2 Composition, (b);Article VIII Council on Advanced Practice(CAP), Section 1. Definition b. (5);Article VIII Council on Advanced Practice(CAP), Section 4. Responsibilities of CAP (9);Article IX (title) Council on ContinuingEducation CCE to Council on ProfessionalDevelopment (CPD)Article IX CCE Section 1 Definition;Article IX CCE, Section 3 Responsibilities ofthe CCE, a., c., and dArticle IX CCE, Section 4 Meetings;Article XIV Elections, Section 1;Article XIV Elections Section 3;Article XIV Elections,delete entire Section 5 – refers to NFNFix spelling of title of Article XIX- fromAmendements to Amendments.October 3rd – 5th, 2018 Helena, MTFree asthmaeducation in yourhome on yourscheduleMontana Asthma Home VisitingProgram (MAP)Eligible participants receive comprehensive asthmacontrol education provided by a RN or RRT over 6 visits.Who is eligible?Any child or adult with a current asthmadiagnosis who has had either: an emergency department visit,hospitalization or unscheduled medical officevisit for asthmaOR an Asthma Control Test score of less than 20in the last yearAdults or children who do not meet theserequirements are eligible for MAP with a directreferral from their healthcare provider.*Public Health Achievements and Challenges in Montana Session - Sharing the experienceof a current Montana Public Health Nurse’s typical workday*To find out if a program is availablein your area, please visithttps://dhhs.mt.gov/Asthma oremail asthmainfo@mt.gov

Page 4Montana Nurses Association PulseAugust, September, October 2018Labor Reports and NewsAdvocacyUnit Rep. Shop Steward. Nurse Steward. GrievanceOfficer.Each of these titles means Nurse Advocate! Advocacyis a foundational part of nursing. We advocate for ourpatients, their families, and our communities. Just asadvocacy is a core part of nursing, it is a core part ofyour unions.Synonyms for advocate include: supporter, backer,promoter, spokesperson, campaigner, and fighter. Whenyou step into a role as a Nurse Advocate you have theability to take on each of these rolls. You will stand Leslie Shepherd,BSN, RN, Laborwith and fight for your fellow nurses to create positiveRepresentativechanges in your working conditions.Do you need to be an expert about your union? No.Do you need to be fluent in your contract language? No. The only thing youneed is a willingness to support your peers, everything else can be learned.MNA is here to promote advocacy at the Local level. You are the experts in yourdepartments and in your facilities and YOU are the perfect people to becomeNurse Advocates.If you are interested in learning more about Nurse Advocacy at your Local,reach out to me and to your Local Leadership. The more we stand together andsupport each other, the stronger our unions will become!Live and work in Beautiful Lewistown, Montana!OR MANAGERfor a 25 bed critical access hospital.Full-time - (working manager)2 OR Suites and 1 Procedure RoomWage DOE. Great Benefits.Healthy work-life balance!Apply on-line: cmmc.healthAnnouncing Career OpportunitiesYou’ve Been Waiting For!Crossroads Correctional FacilityShelby, MontanaNow Hiring:Clinical Supervisor - RNRN (FT/PRN), LPN (FT/PRN)New Licensed Graduates Welcome!Competitive Salary and Pay Based on Experience.To learn more, please contact:Cyndy McClimate - Medical Recruiter615.263.3148Apply online at jobs.corecivic.comCoreCivic is a Drug Free Workplace & EOE - M/F/Vets/Disabled.The Benefits of YourPre-Bargaining SurveyAs our 2018 contract negotiations season is underway, your MNA Labor staff begins the task of negotiationpreparation. One of our favorite tools is a Pre-BargainingSurvey which allows your representatives to get theirfinger on the pulse of the local unit as a whole. It allows foreach nurse within a bargaining unit to provide input intothe items a negotiating team will present at the bargainingtable. It provides EVERY nurse the opportunity to provideinput and that input is greatly beneficial at the bargainingtable.How do we create the survey? A Pre-Bargainingsurvey is created out of pre-bargaining discussions with aRobin Haux, BSlocal unit. As your labor representative begins bargainingLabor Programdiscussions, they listen for the issues the nurses raiseDirectorand create survey questions that allow us to gather moredetailed information on how the majority of the local feels is the best direction to takeat negotiations. Additionally, we review the contract and create questions that givethe nurses the ability to rate what is most important to that nurse and we offer anarea that allows for open comments on most questions. The most important partof creating a survey is input from the nurses. We encourage every nurse toparticipate in the creation, drafting, and participation of the survey. Additionally, peerto-peer discussions are the best way to encourage your co-workers to participate.Why is a pre-bargaining survey important? There are many benefits to apre-bargaining survey. First, as mentioned above, it allows for the MNA labor staff togather a more complete picture of the direction the local unit wants to take at theirnegotiations and again, provide every nurse the opportunity to have their thoughtsand ideas heard. Any opportunity your labor representatives and negotiating teamcan speak phrases such as: “all the nurses feel ” or “90% percent of the nurseswant ” it helps your team make a better argument at the table. We cannotunderscore the importance of each nurse taking a few minutes to participate in theirsurvey. A low survey participation rate reduces the effectiveness of the survey at thetable.When your local unit has upcoming negotiations, remember the importance ofthe Pre-Bargaining Survey! Ask your labor representative to help your local developthe survey and each of you encourage all the nurses to participate! Participation iscrucial towards the effectiveness!

August, September, October 2018Montana Nurses Association PulsePage 5Labor Reports and NewsEnforce Your Collective Bargaining AgreementNurses who work atfacilities where MNA hasacollectivebargainingagreement (CBA) with theemployer enjoy a specialprivilege; their terms andconditions of employmentare clearly outlined in abinding contract. Workingunder a CBA is a hugebenefit that most employeesin Montana do not have;Amy Hauschild,however, it does come withBSN,RN, Laborhuge responsibilities as well.RepresentativeIn order for any contractto be worth the paper it’s written on, the terms andconditions of the contract need to be enforced.Many readers may see the duty of enforcementof the CBA as one of the jobs of the Union. In part,they are correct; however, the nurses and electedleaders on the front line have some of the mostimportant jobs. They must be ever vigilant andkeeping their eyes and ears open to assure theterms and conditions of the CBA are being followedin their facility. For example, recently a nurse cameforward and told a story which had taken place earlierthis summer. It was very clear to both the local unitpresident and the MNA labor representative that herrights under the CBA had been violated. The onlyproblem was, she waited too long to come forwardand contact her Union leaders, now we are unableto file a grievance. When we queried her about whyshe waited to contact us, she replied “I called HumanResources and they said I was wrong” (and the CBAhad not been violated).The long and short of it is, contracts are complexagreements and often language is dependent oninterpretation, past practice, and bargaining history.Every human resources employee or even yourmanager may not be an expert in your CBA. The takehome message is whenever you have a questionabout the terms and conditions of employment ora contract question please contact your local unitleaders or your MNA labor representative. Often wefield questions from nurses who are reporting “this justdoesn’t seem right.” The nurse very well may not evenbe aware the CBA has been violated or even worse,their rights under the National Labor Relations Act mayhave been violated.Nurses working under a CBA are the gatekeepersof the agreement. MNA cannot assure your rights areprotected unless we are aware of potential violationsor things that just don’t seem right. Remember, noquestion is stupid!Riki Ross, RN Local # 12 Wins 2013Economic and General Welfare AwardLocal unit leader, Riki Ross from Havre wasawarded the 2013 MNA E&GW Eileen Robbinsaward. This award recognizes nurses at the local unitlevel who have influenced their work setting throughcollective bargaining activities. Recipients of thisaward have demonstrated commitment to professionalnursing via individual practice competency andcontinuing educational growth.Riki has led her bargaining unit through some verytrying times this year and has shown tremendousleadership and strength. She is also in the process ofmentoring new local leaders as they transition into theirleadership positions. Fantastic job, Riki!Montana Nurses Association DistrictsRev (08/2000)To access electronic copies ofThe Montana Pulse, please visit http://www.nursingald.com/publicationsin Billings is currently hiringLPN’s & RN’sboth part-time and full-timewith a Sign on Bonus!Loan repaymentTuition assistanceVacation401KOnsite child day careHealth insuranceLife insuranceEmployee pharmacySet SchedulesTo apply visitwww.sjlm.orgor call Kylie at(406) 655-5920Full Time RN Neededwith Excellent PayWorking between two facilities: Madison Valley Manor,Ennis and Tobacco Roots Mountains Care, Sheridan.Benefits include: paid holidays, vacation,sick leave, medical, and retirement.Contact: Darcel Vaughn (406) ountymt.gov

Page 6Montana Nurses Association PulseAugust, September, October 2018Professional Development DepartmentMNA’s Approved Providers for Continuing Nursing EducationMontanaNursesAssociation is accredited withdistinction as an approverofcontinuingnursingeducation by the AmericanNursesCredentialingCenter’s Commission ence that we adhere tointernational evidence-basedstandardsinevaluatingPam A. Dickerson,applicants who wish to plan,PhD, RN-BC, FAANimplement, and evaluate Director of Professionalactivities for you – andDevelopmentaward contact hours to youwhen you successfully complete those activities.We approve two types of applications: individualapplications and approved providers. Individualapplicants are organizations wishing to get approvalto award contact hours for one activity. The applicantmust provide evidence of meeting all educationaldesign criteria before we are able to authorize theawarding of contact hours for learners who completethat activity.Approved providers are organizations thathave an infrastructure supportive of developingand maintaining quality continuing educationprogramming over time. These organizations mustbe operational, using ANCC accreditation criteria,for at least six months before they can apply tobe approved providers. Further, they must not beorganizations that make, sell, distribute, or marketproducts consumed by or used on patients, andthey must offer their educational activities to targetaudiences within a specified geographic range. Theapplication for approved provider status is extensive,and requires evidence of meeting criteria in threedomains: structural capacity, educational design, andquality outcomes. An approved provider must have aperson accountable for the overall functioning of theprovider unit (called a primary nurse planner). Theprimary nurse planner then educates and supportsnurse planners within the provider unit in their effortsto design professional development activities to meetyour needs as learners. Nurse planners develop skillsin assessing problems in practice or opportunities forimprovement, analyzing evidence to determine theextent of a problem and the appropriate educationalintervention, planning education purposefully to enablelearners to close those practice gaps or reduce theidentified problems, and evaluating the successof the activity in improving knowledge, skills, andpractices of nurses. In other words, nurse plannersuse critical thinking and clinical judgment to implementthe nursing process – only their focus is on you, thelearner, rather than on a patient.MNA currently has 42 organizations that areapproved providers for continuing nursing education.Our most recent additions are the Montana VAHealth Care System and Caring for Hawai’i Neonates.Congratulations to these organizations on achievinginitial approved provider status! We currently haveapproved providers in Alaska, Florida, Hawai’i, Idaho,Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington,Wisconsin, and Wyoming.In April, May, and June, 2018, Caroline and Iprovided educational workshops for nurse planners inMNA’s approved provider units. Combined attendancewas over 70 nurse planners at locations in Anchorage,Alaska; Helena, Montana; and Vancouver, Washington.Thanks to all who attended! We had enlighteningMontana Nurses Association Approved ProvidersMNA thanks all of the Approved Provider Units we work with for their commitment to advancing andpromoting quality nursing practice through continuing nursing education.Acute Care EducationVancouver, WAMat-Su Regional Medical CenterPalmer, AKAlaska Division of Public HealthAnchorage, AKMontana Geriatric Education Center of UMMissoula, MT With DistinctionAlaska Native Tribal Health ConsortiumAnchorage, AKMontana Health NetworkMiles City, MTAlaska Nurses AssociationAnchorage, AKMontana VA Health Care SystemHelena, MT With DistinctionAlaska Regional HospitalAnchorage, AKMountain Pacific Quality HealthHelena, MTAlzheimer’s Resource of AlaskaAnchorage, AKNorth Valley HospitalWhitefish, MT With DistinctionBartlett Regional HospitalJuneau, AK With DistinctionPacific Lutheran UniversityTacoma, WABenefis Healthcare SystemsGreat Falls, MT With DistinctionPartnership Health CenterMissoula, MTBillings ClinicBillings, MTPlanned Parenthood of the Great Northwestand the Hawaiian IslandsSeattle, WABozeman Deaconess HospitalBozeman, MTCardea ServicesSeattle, WACaring for Hawai’i NeonatesHonolulu, HICentral Peni

Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Nurse Educators Being an MNA (MNA/ANA) member affords you many benefits and contributes to our collective voice as we are the recognized leader and advocate for the professional nurse in Montana. Applications are online