Nurse executive Terri Hinkley has begun her new role as president of the American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABNS). Nurses at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston have assisted in developing an innovative ICU proning program. Donna M. Nickitas, dean and professor for the Rutgers School of Nursing, has written an opinion on the state of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. A podcast offers content for nurses of all backgrounds who may be interested in travel nursing. Read on for more nursing news and insights.
Nurse executive begins presidency of American Board of Nursing Specialties
Terri Hinkley, EdD, MBA, BScN, RN, CAE, has begun serving her role as president of the American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABNS), a not-for-profit membership organization focused on improving patient outcomes and consumer protection by promoting specialty nursing certification.
Hinkley, of Swedesboro, NJ, currently serves as chief executive officer for the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN) and the Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board (MSNCB), both headquartered in Pitman, NJ.
According to the ABNS, Hinkley will serve a two-year term effective July 1 and will work with the ABNS’ board of directors to promote the value of nursing certification and advance knowledge of nursing certification through research, biannual symposia, and thought leadership.
“It is my privilege to serve as ABNS president and continue the strong leadership of the organization in the pursuit of nursing excellence through nursing certification,” said Dr. Hinkley in a prepared statement. “I look forward to working with other nursing certification bodies to continue to drive research and evidence-based outcomes that demonstrate the value of nursing certification to patient safety and quality outcomes. Educating the public about the mark of excellence [that] nursing certification represents continues to be a focus for ABNS, and I am excited to continue ABNS’ efforts in this area.”
Dr. Hinkley has more than 30 years of acute care nursing experience, including 20 years in clinical research. She has eight years of association management experience and more than 25 years of operational and strategic management experience in the healthcare arena.
Hinkley is also a member of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence’s board of directors and serves on the boards of the Nurses on Boards Coalition (NOBC) and the Otsuka Patient Assistance Fund. In addition, she teaches an online continuing education nursing program in Toronto.
Dr. Hinkley received her RN from Centennial College, her BScN from York University, her executive MBA from Athabasca University, and her EdD in the Executive Leadership (ELP) Human and Organizational Learning (HOL) Program at the George Washington University.
Her research interests include strategic thinking, nurse intuition, second victim syndrome, and moral injury.
Expand your impact with advanced courses on nursing leadership.
Nurses help develop ICU proning program
Nurses at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston have assisted in developing an innovative proning program designed to integrate into the hospital’s intensive care units (ICUs), including those ICUs created to accommodate the surge in patients living with severe COVID-19. The program has been developed in response to patients who’ve required turning, allowing critical care clinicians to focus on other aspects of care, according to a published study on the program.
“Development of a Prone Team and Exploration of Staff Perceptions During COVID-19” details how the large academic medical center developed and implemented a proning program during the pandemic. It is co-authored by Karen Miguel, MM-H, RN, CPPS, staff specialist, patient care services quality, safety and practice, at Massachusetts General Hospital.
“During the initial surge of patients with severe COVID-19, our trained and dedicated proning team ensured the safety of patients and staff with an efficient and standardized process for managing proning,” Miguel said in a prepared statement. “We hope that our work provides a framework for institutions considering creating a proning team, by highlighting the importance of balancing the needs of patients with the overall psychosocial health of the staff caring for them.”
During the peak of the pandemic, the institution reportedly grew its ICU capacity from 109 to 235 beds. The proning team was available 24/7 and had two teams of four during the day and evening shifts, with a team of four on the night shift. Each interdisciplinary team consisted of at least one operating room (OR) nurse and one physical therapist.
Approximately 70 OR nurses, OR assistants, and outpatient physical therapists from the hospital’s labor pool were chosen for the program. Team members were trained using a hybrid learning model focused on prone-positioning techniques, pressure injury prevention, and turning-related adverse events.
The training included a refresher on proper technique for donning and doffing personal protective equipment. A 60-minute simulation allowed them to practice the basic safety steps and work through various scenarios. During its eight weeks of operation, the proning team successfully turned 147 patients 450 times, with no adverse effects for the patients or physical harm to the team members.
The size of the team was adjusted when turn demand decreased. A resource nurse served as liaison between the ICUs and the proning team, streamlining patient preparation and response. Supporting tools included daily report sheets for rounding to all ICUs, real-time reports from the electronic medical record, and an enhanced checklist for pre-proning, proning, and post-proning needs.
A wound care specialist reviewed reports related to pressure injury development, which led to several pressure-relieving products being added to the existing formulary. In addition, a new procedure for taping endotracheal tubes was implemented as part of the process to pre-prone patients.
Learn more about team communication in our course, Communication and Team Building: A Patient Safety Consideration.
Nurse publishes viewpoint on vaccine hesitancy
Donna M. Nickitas, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, CNE, FAAN, dean and professor for the Rutgers School of Nursing, Camden NJ, has written an opinion on the state of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and the role that nurses can play to help reverse this trend.
“Vaccine Hesitancy: How Can Nurses Respond to the Nation’s Opposition and Skepticism of Vaccines?” was published by Nursing Economics in the publication’s May/June edition.
In part, Nickitas writes, “Nurses must model the way and push for high rates of vaccination if we hope to overcome the virus. This will require information, education, and trust in the science behind COVID-19 vaccination, including development, distribution, and effectiveness of vaccines.”
Unlock unlimited CE with Elite Nursing Passport Membership.
Podcast spotlight: Vintage Traveling Nurse Podcast
The Vintage Traveling Nurse Podcast offers content for nurses of all backgrounds who may be interested in travel nursing. More than 50 episodes discuss information that nurses won’t find on social media. The most recent episode features a conversation on entrepreneurship and leveraging to create a side business.
The podcast is available online.
Views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Elite Learning or Colibri Group. Media referenced in this news round-up does not constitute an endorsement.
