Powerful habits to manage change effectively

How well do you cope with stress and change? RNs today are immersed in challenging and fluctuating environments, with increased workloads, new roles and responsibilities, and tremendous pressure to adapt. Resilience is key to being successful in the face of change. But how do you become resilient?

Developing resilience is a personal journey, but everyone can learn powerful habits to help manage change. To discover how, please join ANA for its keynote session, “Bounce Back and Thrive,” presented by Jeff Vankooten at the 2017 ANA Annual Conference in Tampa, Florida from March 8-10. Vankooten has been a motivational speaker for more than 15 years. His focus is on the value of embracing change as an ally instead of viewing it as something to fear. In this session, he introduces nine habits that can help you thrive in a rapidly changing workplace—and help others thrive as well. Attendees will identify tools they can put to immediate use to increase personal resilience and reconnect with the true meaning of their work.

Don’t miss this or any of the other powerful sessions at the 2017 ANA Annual Conference. Health care is transforming, and this conference provides resources to prepare for that transformation. Attendees will benefit from:

• understanding new nursing roles and responsibilities and the intricacies of providing care across the continuum

• strategies to build trusting relationships with consumers while navigating the shifting culture in health care

• techniques for leveraging data and technology to streamline work and improve patient care

• tools to create and maintain a balance among physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, personal, and professional well-being

• proven strategies to improve nurses’ working environments and to prevent and mitigate workplace bullying, incivility, and violence.

Be prepared for challenges in health care: Plan to be at the 2017 ANA Annual Conference in Tampa from March 8-10, 2017. Join more than 1,000 of your nurse colleagues at the premier conference for RNs that is focused on quality outcomes. Register now.

ANA president responds to Department of Veterans Affairs’ final rule on APRNs

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) released in December 2016 a final rule granting full practice authority to three of the four established advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) roles when they are acting within the scope of their VA employment. Nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and certified nurse-midwives will now have full practice authority within the VA health system as a mechanism for giving veterans access to a full range of qualified health professionals. ANA is disappointed that the VA failed to extend full practice authority to certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs).

“The American Nurses Association is pleased with the VA’s final rule allowing APRNs to practice to the full extent of their education and training,” said ANA President Pamela F. Cipriano, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN. “This rule puts veterans’ health first and will help improve access to the timely, effective, and efficient care they have earned. However, ANA is concerned with the final rule’s exclusion of CRNAs, which is based solely on the VA’s belief that there is no evidence of a shortage of anesthesiologists impacting access to care. We join with our colleagues in continuing to advocate for CRNAs to have full practice authority within the VA healthcare system.

“The 6,000 APRNs serving in the VA healthcare system are dedicated to delivering the best possible care to our heroes and their families. Today’s rule is the right policy at the right time, and we applaud the VA for taking this vital step in ensuring access to care and keeping America’s veterans healthy.”

APRNs have met advanced educational and clinical practice requirements. Their services range from primary and preventive care to mental health, birthing, and anesthesia.

The proposed rule generated an unprecedented number of comments from veterans, healthcare providers, and the general public. The final rule amends the VA’s medical regulations to permit full practice authority for three of the four APRN roles when they are acting within the scope of their VA employment and authorizes the use of APRNs to provide primary health care and other related healthcare services to the full extent of their education, training, and certification, without the clinical supervision or mandatory collaboration of physicians.

ANA recognized with “2016 ASAE Power of A” Silver Award

ANA earned a 2016 ASAE Power of A Silver Award for its “2015: Year of Ethics” campaign, which offered a full range of support for nurses to help ensure that they practice at the highest ethical level.

As stewards of the profession’s code of ethics, ANA knows that a patient’s health, and even life, can be affected by a nurse’s actions. That is why the ANA Enterprise, which also includes the American Nurses Foundation and the American Nurses Credentialing Center, held symposia, conducted webinars, engaged in advocacy, penned op-eds, scheduled a host of meetings, and distributed a variety of publications throughout the year. Read more about ANA’s Year of Ethics. Download and read ANA’s Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements.