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As you read this message, the 97th Annual Meeting and
Convention of the Georgia Nurses Association has just concluded. As
part of this educational and productive meeting, the newest members of
the GNA Board of Directors were announced and sworn in to start their
new positions. I have been given the honor to serve as the President of
the Georgia Nurses Association for the next two years. This will be an
extremely busy period of change for nursing in the state of Georgia and
I am very excited to be part of this historic undertaking.
First, let me thank the
members of the GNA Executive Committee that just completed their term of
office. Myra Carmon Ed.D, CPNP, RN has been an outstanding leader –her
devotion and dedication to the profession of nursing and to the patients
of the state of Georgia will be hard to emulate! Emma Jean Powell, past
Vice President, has been a key member of the GNA organization for many
years. Her insight and due diligence, along with her experiences, have
made her a very valuable asset to not only the GNA, but to the nursing
profession. Kathy Shaw is trading one demanding board position for
another!! Ms. Shaw has been the Secretary and has now accepted the
challenges of being the Vice President –I know she will continue to
devote many hours of her time and energy to our organization. I would
like to thank these three outstanding women for the time, energy and
devotion that they have given to improve the quality of the Georgia
Nurses Association and health care in the state of Georgia! Wanda Jones
(Treasurer) and Betty Daniels (Chair of District Assembly) will continue
as members of the Executive Committee. I know that many long hours of
dedicated work will be devoted to the Georgia Nurses Association by all
of these women.
In any organization there
are many unsung heroes –and in GNA it is our Commission chairs. We have
three Commissions – with two of the chairpersons having completed their
terms. The Commission on Nursing Practice has been chaired by June
Alberto, DNS, RN. Her commission was very busy these past two years
– from conducting surveys at the 2003 convention – to writing articles
for the Georgia Nursing on their many activities. The
Commission on Workplace Advocacy has been chaired by Carol Simonson,
PhD., RN – who has worked diligently on many issues. She also
attended and represented the Georgia Nurses Association at the American
Nurses Association’s convention and the Center for American Nurses
National Assembly held in Minneapolis in June. The third commission,
the Legislation/Public Policy, is chaired by Cathalene Teahan, MSN, RN.
This commission is active all year long – working on the many different
issues within nursing and health care in Georgia. When you see these
wonderful ladies – please thank them for all their hard work – along
with their commission members.
As the new president of
this organization, there are many challenges ahead along with many
wonderful successes to celebrate. But before I discuss these areas –let
me tell you a little about me! It is important, that we have an
organization built on professional trust and personal friendships.
Although I know many of our members, I hope to get to know many more of
you –and to convince many of our non-member RNs to join the professional
organization that represents Registered Nurses!
Although I love Georgia
deeply, my first twenty-two years were spent mostly in Ohio. My parents
still live in the home of my youth, in Huber Heights, Ohio (a suburb of
Dayton, OH). I obtained my BSN from Wright State University in Dayton,
Ohio. Wright State was a new university when I graduated (1980) – which
gave me many wonderful opportunities (such as all new facilities and
classes with the new medical school students). I lived in the one campus
dorm and was active in the student government and the Student Nurses
Association. Sometime – ask me about my senior year in nursing school
–that is a story all of itself!!
Following graduation in
June of 1980, I started working in a mid-size hospital in Columbus, Ohio
– as a pediatric nurse (on night shift, of course!). As the junior RN
in the facility for almost a year –I was the nurse pulled to the other
units whenever staffing dictated. This is not the safest way to learn
the many other areas of the hospital – back then on a 45 bed unit – it
would be one RN, one LPN and one aide; granted the majority of the
patients were not as sick as today’s patients (thank the Lord!), but
learning all the medications, doctor preferences and just learning to
read the scribble on the Kardexs – was a learning process all of its
own. I enjoyed these experiences. I was fortunate to have great
mentors in the other nurses on night shift; add that with all the
praying I did – and my patients somehow survived! I spent time in the
neonatal intensive care, the medical floor, the surgical floor, and the
emergency department. Little did I know how valuable all of these
learning experiences would be!!
After spending one winter
in Columbus, Ohio (meaning that at 2 am – you had to move your car from
one parking lot to another – so that the parking lot could be cleared of
the snow before the day shift arrived!) – I decided to join the United
States Air Force.
I was so fortunate to be stationed at
Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Georgia. I started my air force
career as the junior nurse in a 45 bed, multi-purpose hospital (this
included a 4 bed ICU – with ventilator patients). When the Air Force
decided to re-open the Maternity Unit at Robins – I was selected to move
to this new unit (I had pediatric experience – which meant I was the
most qualified—I know it does not make sense!). This move was one of
the best and worst nursing experiences of my career.
I thoroughly enjoyed the
total health care experiences of assisting the pregnant woman through
the process of labor and delivery and the care of the mother and baby.
Yet the situation at the Robins AFB hospital in 1984 left me with many
ethical dilemmas. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to move into
another career path within the Air Force. I was allowed to transfer
into the “line” of the Air Force. In this role, I had the opportunity
to have many different positions with the focus on team work,
prioritization, organization, management and leadership.
When my husband was
transferred to the United Kingdom, I left the air force and after a year
of “goof-off” time – I worked for a Dairy Company. While at this
company, I worked for the Director of Finance keeping the accounts of
the Marketing and Sales departments. I was exposed to many different
aspects of the business world- from helping to make commercials to sales
forecasting!
Upon returning to the
United States, I was able to re-enter my first love –that of Labor and
Delivery Nursing. Although I had been away from bedside nursing for
over eight years, I truly enjoyed getting back to the patient care
arena. Then just as I was enjoying being the manager of a very busy and
growing Obstetrical Unit – we moved back to the Warner Robins, Georgia
area.
I was very fortunate to
be selected as the Director of Nursing Services at the Perry Hospital
(part of Houston Healthcare) in Middle Georgia. This position allowed
me to work with many outstanding healthcare professionals. During this
time, I was able to re-establish my membership in ANA and to get active
in the Georgia Nurses Association. I have been active in District 17
since moving back to Georgia in 1994 (district president for four
years). While at Perry Hospital, it became very obvious that our local
health system needed a program for our business community. So once
again, I changed my career direction –this time into the Occupational
Health arena.
I was given the
opportunity to develop a program that encompassed not only treatment of
the injured worker, but also focused on the preventative and wellness
aspects for employees in our area. This has been a wonderfully fun and
educational process.
While having these
exciting positions and opportunities, I have continued my education to
include two masters’ degrees. The first is from Georgia College and
State University – a Master of Science in Administration. The second is
from Mercer University – a Master of Science in Health Care Policy and
Administration. I have obtained certifications as an Occupational
Health Nurse – Specialist, as well as in Occupational Health Program
Management. I have also stayed active in my community. With the Perry
Area Chamber of Commerce I have been chair of two different committees
(Governmental Affairs and Leadership), and became Chairman in 2002. I
am also an active member of Rotary International – having been the
president of the Perry Rotary in 2000-2001. I am on the board of the
Department of Family and Children Services in Houston County. I am a
volunteer with the American Heart Association (I am a stroke survivor!)
and the American Cancer Society. And as of July 2004, I am quite
honored to be a member of the Georgia Board of Nursing.
Although I love nursing and the many
different positions I have had within nursing, it is my family and
friends that is the key to the joy of my life. My best friend is my
husband, Glenn, who for over 20 years has been the person I turn to for
love and fun. My daughter, Beth and her husband Adam; although they
live in London, have that special place in my heart that only they can
fill. I am fortunate to be one of five children of two very special
parents, and part of a Glenn’s family which also had six children. So
with spouses and children – we are a large, loving group!! I am very
fortunate to have friends in many parts of the world, but my closest
friendships that I value deeply are here in Georgia. One of the
wonderful blessings of being the President of GNA is meeting so many
special people throughout the state, and I am sure I will add many more
friendships in the upcoming years!
Now you know a little of
my background – you might wonder about my ideas and goals for the
Georgia Nurses Association. This is easy to say –hard to accomplish!
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The first goal
is to have our Board of Directors and District Assembly (the
District Presidents) develop a strategic plan to formulate how GNA
will be prepared to move into our second century as an organization
– In 2007. GNA will celebrate our centennial. To accomplish this
goal – it will take re-prioritization of our organization. GNA has
been trying to be all things to all people – and we can not
accomplish this. All areas of our organization will be evaluated.
More to come on this in future articles!
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The second goal is to improve our communication within our
organization – please let me know how you want to
receive information – such as email listservs – printed materials,
such as this Georgian Nursing, and or the web site –
www.georgianurses.org.
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The third goal
is to increase the professional image of nursing within the state of
Georgia. This includes having more nurses at the forefront of the
decision making at all levels in our state. This also includes the
initiatives to improve the health status of our nurses in the state.
(Don’t forget to volunteer to help with the Healthy BP program in
November – contact me for more information – leasterly@hhc.org).
We must take care of ourselves, if we are to take care of our
patient population!
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And the fourth
goal is to increase our membership. Many changes are coming due to
by-law changes for both the Georgia Nurses Association and the
American Nurses Association. I am interested in having more input
from our current membership on how to attract more membership, to
include individuals willing to join our Marketing/Communications
Committee – please contact me or Kathy Kirkland (or fill out the
Willing to Serve Form and fax to GNA headquarters).
There is much happening
in today’s health care arena – nurses have the education and experience
to be at the forefront of making sure that health care is affordable and
available to our citizens. While you wonder, “Why doesn’t someone do
something about that?” Now is the time to answer that question –You can
help to do something about that!! The Georgia Nurses Association and
the American Nurses Association have many programs and commissions that
are addressing a variety of nursing health care issues –but we need
YOUR INPUT! I am very interested in meeting and talking with the
nurses in our great state – whether you are a member or not. Please
email me your concerns or if you would like a speaker for an event –
leasterly@hhc.org.
Again, I look forward to
working with you and for you as the President of the Georgia Nurses
Association. |
