LET TER S EDITORIAL BOARD
Family caregivers: Adjust or bust > Your editorial, “Resilience” (April, 2014),* covered more ground than nursing practice itself. My wife, a retired RN, has early-onset Alzheimer disease and I’m the primary family caregiver. I continue to subscribe to Nursing2014 because of the upfront, precise manner you present information in the ever-expanding healthcare field. (The article “Easing the Burden on Family Caregivers” [August, 2013] is another great example.) Being a family caregiver presents challenges on a daily basis, and I’ve learned that no two patients, circumstances of care, or caregivers are the same. “Resilience” is at the forefront of wisdom. If you can’t adjust, you bust! It’s that simple. —ALFRED J. HOLLAND, JR. Glen Ellyn, Ill. Editor’s note: For more about supporting family caregivers, see “Caring for the Caregiver” on page 60 of this issue.
Cultural diversity
Retirement planning
> “Reaching for Cultural Competence” (June, 2013)* struck a nerve with me. I’m often frustrated when colleagues don’t take the time to address cultural diversity and render patient care accordingly. Do we as nurses understand that every patient is unique and cultural differences need to be respected? We need to learn how to begin the talk, then walk the walk. Nurses should establish a safe, nonpolarized, constructive dialog absent of medical jargon, ambiguity, and metaphor. This can be accomplished by using professional medical interpreters. Nurse administrators can support cultural diversity and competence through hospital-wide education. The Purnell Model of Cultural Competence is a useful tool that can help minimize individual prejudices related to cultural diversity.1 —ANDREA CRAIG, BSN, RN San Antonio, Tex.
> I found the article “Plan Ahead, then Sail off to a Fulfilling Retirement,” (July, 2013)* informative and well written. The one question I have that wasn’t answered is what to do with my RN license. Since I’m not planning to work in nursing, I could stop renewing my license, which would save the cost of continuing education and renewal fees. I spoke to someone at the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing about liability if I do part-time work outside of nursing after I surrender my license. I was told taking a volunteer position in the healthcare field could increase my liability in case of an error. In fact, even caring for a relative, neighbor, or child could cause liability problems. I think it would be helpful to bring this to the attention of the many retired nurses now volunteering and caring for people outside of their families.
REFERENCE 1. Purnell L. The Purnell model for cultural competence. J Multicultural Nurs Health. 2005;11(2):7-15.
Elizabeth A. Ayello, PhD, RN, ACNS-BC, ETN, FAAN, FAPWCA, President, Ayello, Harris & Associates, Inc.; Faculty, Excelsior College School of Nursing, Albany, N.Y.; Senior Adviser, The John A. Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing and Program Director, Education Essentials, New York, N.Y. Michael R. Cohen, ScD, MS, RPh, President, Institute for Safe Medication Practices, and Member of the Sentinel Event Advisory Group for The Joint Commission, Horsham, Pa. Yvonne D’Arcy, MS, CRNP, CNS, Pain Management and Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner, Suburban Hospital-Johns Hopkins Medicine, Bethesda, Md. Michael W. Day, MSN, RN, CCRN, Trauma Nurse-Coordinator, Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children’s Hospital, Spokane, Wash. Cheryl Dumont, PhD, RN, CRNI, Director, Nursing Research and Vascular Access Team, Winchester Medical Center, Winchester, Va. Martha M. Funnell, MS, RN, CDE, Codirector of the Behavioral, Clinical and Health Systems Intervention Research Core, Michigan Diabetes Research and Training Center; Research Investigator in the Department of Medical Education; and Adjunct Lecturer, School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich. Peg Gray-Vickrey, DNS, RN, Provost and VP for Academic and Student Affairs, Texas A&M University-Central Texas, Kileen, Texas. Elizabeth Heavey, PhD, RN, CNM, RN-BSN Program Director, Associate Professor of Nursing, The College at Brockport, State University of New York, Brockport, N.Y. Jeanne Held-Warmkessel, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, AOCN, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pa. Frank Edward Myers III, MA, CIC, Infection Preventionist III, UC San Diego Health System, San Diego, Calif. Bill Pruitt, MBA, RRT, AE-C, CPFT, FAARC, Senior Instructor and Director of Clinical Education, Cardiorespiratory Sciences, School of Allied Health, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Ala. Joyce Sensmeier, MS, RN-BC, CPHIMS, FHIMSS, FAAN, Vice President of Informatics Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Chicago, Ill. Susan Simmons, PhD, RN, ARNP-BC, Family NP, College Park Family Care Center, Overland Park, Kan. Linda S. Smith, PhD, MS, RN, CLNC, Faculty Affiliate, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho Kristopher T. Starr, JD, MSN, RN, Attorney at Law, Ferry, Joseph & Pearce, P.A., Wilmington, Del.; Staff RN, Emergency Department, Christiana Care Health System, Newark, Del.; Adjunct Nursing Faculty, Excelsior College, Albany, N.Y.; Supplemental Nursing Faculty, University of Delaware, Newark, Del. Jeff Strickler, MA, RN, CEN, CFRN, NE-BC, Director, Emergency Services, University of North Carolina Hospitals, Chapel Hill, N.C.
—ALEXIS SHIPMAN, RN
* Individual subscribers can access articles free online at http://www.nursing2014.com. Send comments by e-mail if possible to [email protected]. Please, no attachments. Or send them to Letters Editor, Nursing2014, Two Commerce Square, 2001 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103. Please include your name, credentials, complete mailing address, e-mail address (if applicable), and daytime phone number. Letters are edited for content, length, and grammar. Submission of a letter will constitute the author’s permission to publish it, although it doesn’t guarantee publication. Letters become the property of Nursing journal and may be published in all media. DOI-10.1097/01.NURSE.0000445768.71995.d3
N0514
8 l Nursing2014 l May
Copyright © 2014 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
www.Nursing2013.com
Family caregivers: Adjust or bust > Your editorial, “Resilience” (April, 2014),* covered more ground than nursing practice itself. My wife, a retired RN, has early-onset Alzheimer disease and I’m the primary family caregiver. I continue to subscribe to Nursing2014 because of the upfront, precise manner you present information in the ever-expanding healthcare field. (The article “Easing the Burden on Family Caregivers” [August, 2013] is another great example.) Being a family caregiver presents challenges on a daily basis, and I’ve learned that no two patients, circumstances of care, or caregivers are the same. “Resilience” is at the forefront of wisdom. If you can’t adjust, you bust! It’s that simple. —ALFRED J. HOLLAND, JR. Glen Ellyn, Ill. Editor’s note: For more about supporting family caregivers, see “Caring for the Caregiver” on page 60 of this issue.
Cultural diversity
Retirement planning
> “Reaching for Cultural Competence” (June, 2013)* struck a nerve with me. I’m often frustrated when colleagues don’t take the time to address cultural diversity and render patient care accordingly. Do we as nurses understand that every patient is unique and cultural differences need to be respected? We need to learn how to begin the talk, then walk the walk. Nurses should establish a safe, nonpolarized, constructive dialog absent of medical jargon, ambiguity, and metaphor. This can be accomplished by using professional medical interpreters. Nurse administrators can support cultural diversity and competence through hospital-wide education. The Purnell Model of Cultural Competence is a useful tool that can help minimize individual prejudices related to cultural diversity.1 —ANDREA CRAIG, BSN, RN San Antonio, Tex.
> I found the article “Plan Ahead, then Sail off to a Fulfilling Retirement,” (July, 2013)* informative and well written. The one question I have that wasn’t answered is what to do with my RN license. Since I’m not planning to work in nursing, I could stop renewing my license, which would save the cost of continuing education and renewal fees. I spoke to someone at the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing about liability if I do part-time work outside of nursing after I surrender my license. I was told taking a volunteer position in the healthcare field could increase my liability in case of an error. In fact, even caring for a relative, neighbor, or child could cause liability problems. I think it would be helpful to bring this to the attention of the many retired nurses now volunteering and caring for people outside of their families.
REFERENCE 1. Purnell L. The Purnell model for cultural competence. J Multicultural Nurs Health. 2005;11(2):7-15.
Elizabeth A. Ayello, PhD, RN, ACNS-BC, ETN, FAAN, FAPWCA, President, Ayello, Harris & Associates, Inc.; Faculty, Excelsior College School of Nursing, Albany, N.Y.; Senior Adviser, The John A. Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing and Program Director, Education Essentials, New York, N.Y. Michael R. Cohen, ScD, MS, RPh, President, Institute for Safe Medication Practices, and Member of the Sentinel Event Advisory Group for The Joint Commission, Horsham, Pa. Yvonne D’Arcy, MS, CRNP, CNS, Pain Management and Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner, Suburban Hospital-Johns Hopkins Medicine, Bethesda, Md. Michael W. Day, MSN, RN, CCRN, Trauma Nurse-Coordinator, Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children’s Hospital, Spokane, Wash. Cheryl Dumont, PhD, RN, CRNI, Director, Nursing Research and Vascular Access Team, Winchester Medical Center, Winchester, Va. Martha M. Funnell, MS, RN, CDE, Codirector of the Behavioral, Clinical and Health Systems Intervention Research Core, Michigan Diabetes Research and Training Center; Research Investigator in the Department of Medical Education; and Adjunct Lecturer, School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich. Peg Gray-Vickrey, DNS, RN, Provost and VP for Academic and Student Affairs, Texas A&M University-Central Texas, Kileen, Texas. Elizabeth Heavey, PhD, RN, CNM, RN-BSN Program Director, Associate Professor of Nursing, The College at Brockport, State University of New York, Brockport, N.Y. Jeanne Held-Warmkessel, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, AOCN, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pa. Frank Edward Myers III, MA, CIC, Infection Preventionist III, UC San Diego Health System, San Diego, Calif. Bill Pruitt, MBA, RRT, AE-C, CPFT, FAARC, Senior Instructor and Director of Clinical Education, Cardiorespiratory Sciences, School of Allied Health, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Ala. Joyce Sensmeier, MS, RN-BC, CPHIMS, FHIMSS, FAAN, Vice President of Informatics Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Chicago, Ill. Susan Simmons, PhD, RN, ARNP-BC, Family NP, College Park Family Care Center, Overland Park, Kan. Linda S. Smith, PhD, MS, RN, CLNC, Faculty Affiliate, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho Kristopher T. Starr, JD, MSN, RN, Attorney at Law, Ferry, Joseph & Pearce, P.A., Wilmington, Del.; Staff RN, Emergency Department, Christiana Care Health System, Newark, Del.; Adjunct Nursing Faculty, Excelsior College, Albany, N.Y.; Supplemental Nursing Faculty, University of Delaware, Newark, Del. Jeff Strickler, MA, RN, CEN, CFRN, NE-BC, Director, Emergency Services, University of North Carolina Hospitals, Chapel Hill, N.C.
—ALEXIS SHIPMAN, RN
* Individual subscribers can access articles free online at http://www.nursing2014.com. Send comments by e-mail if possible to [email protected]. Please, no attachments. Or send them to Letters Editor, Nursing2014, Two Commerce Square, 2001 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103. Please include your name, credentials, complete mailing address, e-mail address (if applicable), and daytime phone number. Letters are edited for content, length, and grammar. Submission of a letter will constitute the author’s permission to publish it, although it doesn’t guarantee publication. Letters become the property of Nursing journal and may be published in all media. DOI-10.1097/01.NURSE.0000445768.71995.d3
N0514
8 l Nursing2014 l May
Copyright © 2014 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
www.Nursing2013.com
