Baltimore District Report

January 2007

Our current membership is estimated at 168, down from 173, and attendance at District meetings remains constant at approximately 35-40. Efforts continue to encourage active participation within the District. At present we are promoting the benefits of being a District, and additionally a Component, officer as a way to support and promote excellence in PeriAnesthesia nursing.

Programs: November 2006 we met at St. Joseph’s Medical Center and our topic was a “Round Table Discussion of PeriAnesthesia Issues”. Topics included SCIP, PACU Staffing, Visitation, and Boarders. Discussion was lively and we had a large turnout that included Managers, PCC (Patient Care Coordinator), staff nurses and looked at pre and post anesthesia concerns. January 2007 we met at Franklin Square Hospital Center and our topic was “Full Mouth Rehabilitation” by Dr. Hakan Koymen. Dr. Koymen spoke passionately about the development and execution of a treatment plan. He highlighted the special needs child as they often suffer from debilitating early childhood caries. Our next meeting will be on February 7, 2007 to celebrate PANAW week. We are having an ANS sponsored dinner meeting at a restaurant in Baltimore and our speaker is May Ellen Mazza with the topic “Neuromodulation Systems”.

Upcoming programs are on “Domestic Abuse: Identifying the Patient at Risk” in March, no meeting in April, “The X Stop Device” in May.

Treasury: See Treasurer for a full report. Money is reserved for scholarships to National Conference. We have granted scholarship to eligible applicants for National Conference and expect several other Baltimore District members to be heading to Anaheim.

March 10^th Seminar: Mary Bylen, RN, CAPA and Jean Judge, RN, CPAN have volunteered to assist at the seminar at Carroll Hospital Center. There has been much interest in the certification review and we have confirmed 4 nurses sitting for either CAPA or CPAN certification on April 15^th. There will be a Nursing Grand Rounds highlighting Certification at FSHC in May 2007.

LMNO: The Liaison of Maryland Nursing Organizations has ground to a halt following the death of Ruth Hahn and the departure of Kathryn Hall, Executive Director of MNA. The Baltimore District remains a member although we are looking for another opportunity to air our concerns in Annapolis. Nurses Night Annapolis is this Tuesday, January 23, 2007. Notification was received at the middle of December and at our recent meeting members were encouraged to contact their representative and attend the reception.

Respectfully Submitted,

Diane Swintek, RN, CPAN

President, Baltimore District