NEWSLETTER - FEBRUARY/MARCH 2006

NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE December 2005 September/October 2005 July 2005 June 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004

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• Parish Nursing Course
• Upcoming Events
• ANNUAL ETHICS CONFERENCE
• MEMBER UPDATE
  • CHRISTUS HEALTH SYSTEM
  • PROVIDENCE HEALTH CENTER
  • SETON HEALTHCARE NETWORK
  • TRINITY MEDICAL CENTER
  • UNITED REGIONAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
• NEWS TO USE
• Catholic Legislative Advocacy Conference
• Mission Leaders Seminar
• Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage Enrollment Begins
• Grant Tips
• December E-Newsletter Sponsor

FEBRUARY/MARCH E-NEWSLETTER SPONSOR

PARISH NURSING COURSE

ALERT!

A basic Parish Nursing Course for Catholic nurses will be held from April 26 to May 1, 2006 at the University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas. The Catholic Health Association (CHA) of Texas has received a grant from the Kenedy Foundation to strengthen and publicize the Parish Nurse program throughout the Texas dioceses/archdioceses. All tuition and expenses will be paid through the grant.  

What is Parish Nursing?
Parish Nursing is the practice of nursing utilizing the faith community as a practice setting. It is nursing based on holistic care of the person and is primarily focused on health promotion and disease prevention. The functions included in the practice of parish nursing are: integrator of faith and health, health educator, personal health counselor, referral agent, trainer of volunteers, developer of support groups, and health advocate. Parish nursing is carried out by the professional registered nurse. It does not use the medical model of care, therefore, parish nurses do not perform invasive procedures such as maintenance of intravenous products, blood drawing and medical treatments.

Admission Requirements
Admission to the Parish Nursing Program requires:

• A License to practice as a Registered Nurse.
• Two years of nursing practice.
• Two letters of professional reference.
• Completion of the application form (click here for application).

For additional information log on to www.uiwtx.edu, click on Colleges & Schools, click on School of Nursing & Health Professions, click on Parish Nursing.

UPCOMING EVENTS

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

2006 Events

2007 Events

ANNUAL ETHICS CONFERENCE

Observing that ethical questions make their way into every facet of our lives, Father Louis T. Brussati, Dean of the School of Humanities at Austin's St. Edward's University, launched this year's Annual Ethics Conference, held Jan. 12-13 in Austin.

Nearly 50 delegates from throughout Texas gathered for the conference, which this year focused on immigrant health care, end of life challenges and the continuing crisis in mental health care.

Barriers to Health Care for Immigrants

Current legislative efforts to stem illegal immigration into the United States, and criminalize hospitals and others who provide care for these people, are contrary to centuries of teaching by the Catholic Church and must be met with advocacy on behalf of immigrant people. That was the message of Mark Franken, Executive Director of Migration & Refugee Services for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Franken urged Texas churches and hospitals to support the "We Are Strangers No Longer" program of the Catholic Bishops of Mexico and the United States.   It asks each parish, community and hospital to examine local migration issues, seek responses that reflect church values and discover innovative ways to deal with the growing immigrant population and their needs.

End of Life Decisions

Recent trends in the ethics of end-of-life care are disrupting over 400 years of Catholic tradition and have significant implications for Catholic hospitals; delegates were told by Ron Hamel, PhD, Senior Director of Ethics for the Catholic Health Association of the United States.

Hamel analyzed claims and counter-claims related to the Terri Schiavo case, to point out the issues involved in sustaining biological life when there is no hope of recovery and no benefit to the individual.   Much about the case was misleading, and misrepresentative of the Catholic tradition, he said.   He urged Catholic hospitals to use as their guide the church's 400 years of tradition, which is built on allowing patients to die when methods used to prolong their life might themselves violate the dignity and respect for life in which the church believes.

The Crisis in Mental Health Care

Texas is facing a significant crisis in caring for its mentally ill, and hospitals, law enforcement, social service agencies, communities and the legislature all need to work together to find ways to cope, according to the three panelists who addressed The Crisis in Mental Health Care. But Texas, in 2002, ranked 49 th in the United States in per client spending on mental health and inpatient facilities have had to shut their doors due to lack of funding, according to Kent Keahey, President of the Providence Healthcare Network in Waco, one of the panelists.

Armin Steege, Vice President/COO of Seton Shoal Creek Hospital in Austin, and The Honorable Guy Herman, Judge of Probate Court No. 1 of Travis County, rounded out the panel. Steege detailed challenges his facility faces, and Herman asserted that public policy must be developed that will play a role in helping to provide observational and short-term beds to keep the mentally ill out of jails.

MEMBER UPDATE

CHRISTUS HEALTH SYSTEM

CHRISTUS HEALTH SYSTEM announced that VNA and Hospice of South Texas and CHRISTUS HomeCare - San Antonio are combining their home care and hospice services in the San Antonio area, as of December 1, 2005.   "As the area's only providers of not-for-profit home care and hospice, our organizations share similar values and missions, making the decision to combine our services a natural one," said Pamela Steding, president and CEO of CHRISTUS HomeCare.  "This will allow us to expand and strengthen services to the community, ensuring that the traditions of VNA and Hospice of South Texas are carried on long into the future."

Source:   www.christushealth.net

CHRISTUS HEALTH SYSTEM announced the appointment of two members to its system board of directors.   Pedro Martin Cartmel, Marketing Director for LILA Ltd., a Bermuda-based insurance broker specializing in estate planning for Mexican high net-worth individuals, and Mary Jo Potter, a nationally recognized compliance and governance expert and Managing Partner and CEO of Highperlink, have been appointed to a three-year term on the board, effective Jan.1, 2006.

PROVIDENCE HEALTH CENTER

PROVIDENCE HEALTH CENTER in conjunction with Ascension Health, has made it a priority to lower the cases of pressure ulcers and patient falls by implementing musical reminders for its nurses.   Every two hours the 1960's Byrd's song "Turn, Turn, Turn" is heard over the loudspeakers as a gentle reminder to nurses to make a visit to their patient's rooms to re-position them in an effort to avoid pressure ulcers and also see if they need a bathroom break.   "The number one reason that patients fall is because they are attempting to get up and use the restroom on their own.   Making it a priority to visit the patient's rooms more often relieves the patients from having to make it to the restroom on their own, and also eliminates the cause of pressure ulcers if a patient is turned more frequently".

Annette Ayers, Vice President of Patient Care Services along with Ellen Bridger, Wound Care Coordinator and Alan Carlson worked to make sure the had the capabilities of playing the song over the Health Center loudspeakers.

The musical reminder is fun and has even gotten some of the patients involved.   Ellen Bridger, Wound Care Coordinator, was recently in a room and when the song played a patient who was capable of turning himself did so as the song played.   "I thought that was great, "recalls Ellen.   "Even the patients are getting into the act."

Source:   The Spirit of Providence December 2005 / January 2006 issue

SETON HEALTHCARE NETWORK

SETON HEALTHCARE NETWORK'S Brackenridge and Seton Northwest Hospitals are the only two Central Texas Hospitals to receive 2005's Texas Health Care Quality Award for excellence and improved performance, presented by the Texas Medical Foundation Health Quality Institute - a non-profit organization focused on promoting quality health care.   Out of 203 hospitals, Brackenridge Hospital is one of only 25 hospitals receiving TMF's highest award, the Award of Excellence.   Seton Northwest Hospital is one of only six hospitals to receive the Quality Improvement Achievement Award.

"We are delighted to recognize the hard work and dedication the teams at Brackenridge and Seton Northwest Hospitals demonstrate.   Quality improvement is not about data; it's about people," said Dr. William G. Gamel, MD, CEO of TMF Health Quality Institute.   "Each quality measure that is implemented 100 percent of the time reflects people receiving the right care at the right time, every time.   Clearly Brackenridge and Seton Northwest hospitals, and the entire SETON Healthcare Network, understand this."

Source:   Seton Healthcare Network Newsletter Volume 12 Issue 12 - December 2005

TRINITY MEDICAL CENTER

TRINITY MEDICAL CENTER announced that Hank D. Fender has recently become a Fellow in the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA).   Of the over 31, 000 members in HFMA, less than 1,700 have become Fellows. To receive certification as a Fellow in HFMA, the candidate must demonstrate mastery in the areas of financial management, management practices, information systems and healthcare industry practices.   The candidate for Fellowship must also meet stringent requirements in the areas of academic achievement, professional experience and dedication to the healthcare financial industry through volunteer activity.

Fender is currently Chief Financial Officer of Trinity Health Services Corporation, which includes Trinity Medical Center, Trinity Health Services Foundation, Trinity Physical Rehabilitation Center, Trinity Family Practice, Trinity Care Center and Trinity Wellness Center.

A graduate of Arkansas State University, Fender received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting in 1975.   In 1995 he received a Master of Business Administration degree from Auburn University.  

Fender is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), and is a member of the board of directors of the Texas Association of Healthcare Financial Administrators (TAHFA) and the South Texas Chapter of HFMA.     His experience includes 24 years with an acute care hospital, five (5) years with an ambulatory surgery center and two (2) years with a federal/state funded community health center.

Hank and his wife, Angela, reside in Brenham with their two daughters.

Source:   Trinity Medical Center Press Release, January 2, 2006                  

UNITED REGIONAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

UNITED REGIONAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM nurses were honored by the Texas Nurses Association as the "Magnificent 7 From District 11".   Of those seven the four honored from United Regional Health Care System were Donnie Boydstun, Toyie Hembree, Sheila Marks and Kristell Michael.   Nominated by United Regional, these nurses have "nursing skills and customer service second to none.   All these nurses live the passion of the hospital - to provide excellence in health care for the communities we serve - each day as they provide excellent nursing care with a compassionate touch," stated Pam Bradshaw, Vice President of Nursing.

Donnie Boydstun

Toyie Hembree

Sheila Marks

Kristell Michael

Source:   United Expressions December 2005, Volume 8, Number 12

BE SURE TO SEND YOUR NEWS ITEMS TO US SO THAT WE CAN INCLUDE THEM!

NEWS TO USE

Catholic Legislative Advocacy Conference

Catholic Health Association of the United States will host a Catholic Legislative Advocacy Conference on February 28 - March 1, 2006.   This annual event will be held in Washington, D.C. and will offer ministry advocates an opportunity to hear from top administrative and legislative experts about important health care issues and facilitate visits with members of Congress and their staff.   For more importation, please log on to www.chausa.org .

Mission Leaders Seminar on April 4-6

Catholic Health Association of the United States will host a Mission Leaders Seminar on April 4-6, 2006 at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel in St. Louis, MO.   The 2006 event is going to focus on how to increase an understanding of organizational development so that its relationship with mission integration and leadership formation is maximized.   The critical issues facing the future of spiritual care services will also be discussed, as will Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, advocacy, and other important topics.

Online registration for this educational and networking opportunity will soon be accessible, so continue to check CHA's website for availability.   Go to www.chausa.org, click on Events, then Calendar of Events, and scroll down to Mission Leaders Seminar.   For CHA members, logon and go to Mission Integration, CHA programs, Mission Leaders Seminar.   Program details will be mailed in January 2006.

Source:   Catholic Health World Volume 21, Number 22, December 15, 2005

Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage Enrollment Begins

To help Medicare recipients afford their prescription medications the federal government has created a new prescription drug coverage plan called Medicare Part D.   All Medicare recipients need to enroll in the program to have their medications covered after Jan. 1, 2006.   Enrollment began Nov. 15, 2005 and will continue until May 31, 2006.   The government has mailed out information to all Medicare recipients to help them enroll in a drug plan. A web site was also created to help recipients choose a drug plan that best fits their needs based on the types of medications taken, costs and pharmacy locations.   Log on to www.medicare.gov for more information.   If you need to apply for the low-income subsidy or are not sure if you are eligible, go to www.socialsecurity.gov for more information.

Source:   Seton Healthcare Network Newsletter Volume 12 Issue 12 - December 2005

GRANT TIPS

• Get to know your funder - call contacts within the funding source to develop a better understanding of what the funder is looking for before you write the grant.

The Featured Grant for This Issue is NIH:

NIH Provides Funds for Children's Screenable Health, Genetic Disorders

Agencies:   Nat'l Institutes of Health; Nat'l Institute of Child Health & Human Development; Nat'l Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders; Nat'l Institute of Diabetes & Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Program:   Innovative Therapies & Clinical Studies for Screenable Disorders.

Eligibility:   State and local governments, Indian tribes, public and private institutions such as universities and hospitals and nonprofit organizations.

Funding:   $50,000 each for an undisclosed number of awards.   Applications seeking up to $250,000 per year in direct costs must be submitted in a modular budget format.

Deadline:   Open-ended.

Summary:   This grant is for research related to basic understanding and development of therapeutic interventions for currently screened conditions and high priority genetic conditions for which screening might be possible in the near future.   Investigators from under-represented racial and ethnic groups as well as investigators with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply.

         Info:   Gillian Engelson, 301/451-2137, fax: 301/451-5512, email: engelsong@mail.nih.gov

Reprinted with permission.

CD Publications Children & Youth Funding Report, November 28, 2005.   For a free sample issue please call 1-800-666-6380.

February/March E-Newletter Sponsor

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