Maine ENA Newsletter Archive

President's Message

This month is the beginning of my two year journey as the Maine ENA President. Even though I have been preparing for this and mentoring with our immediate past-president Barry Worthing for the last 2 years, I have a fair amount of anxiety regarding my responsibilities.

However, it has been an exciting start. We have a new web master and a brand new look to our website. Please take the time to check out www.enamaine.org.

We will have more information posted regularly, so that it will be a place our members can check frequently for educational offerings and updates. Everyone will be able to look up current Maine ENA board members and committee chairs with contact information readily available.

The calendar for all board meetings and education days, as well as the dates and locations for the New England Regional Symposium (NERS), ENA Leadership Conference, and the General/Scientific Assembly will be posted and kept updated, so that you may plan which conferences you would like to attend. Watch for the spring newsletter and the application to represent Maine ENA as a delegate to the General Assembly in Minneapolis in September. Anyone may apply to go as a delegate and selections are made based on points for specific criteria. Those who are selected will be notified in June, and given some financial assistance from Maine ENA, so that they may plan their trip.

All TNCC and ENPC courses and instructor courses will also be posted.

Committee chairs will provide updates on their particular committees such as, Government Affairs, ENCare, Nurse Practice, and Awards/Nominations.

It looks to be an interesting year. I would like to invite everyone to check out the web site/newsletters and especially invite you to attend the board meetings and educational offerings throughout 2008.

Respectfully Submitted,

Carol Minnis, RN, CEN
President, Maine ENA

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New Members 2008

• Betsey Ellis
• Deana Anderson
• Anne Garnsey
• Cynthia Rathbone
• Corey Vail

Welcome from ENA!

Please note: Additional New members listing will be available in May 2008

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Maine ENA 2008 Calendar

Board Meetings 0900-1200

• June 27th, 2008 in Harpswell at the Blackbird Café
• October 3, 2008 MaineGeneral Medical Center Waterville
• December 12th, 2008 Darlene Glover’s Home

Education Days

• May 6th, 2008 MaineGeneral Medical Center Waterville
• September 12th, 2008 Hilton Garden Inn, Auburn

National Meetings

• General Assembly – September 24th-25th, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Scientific Assembly – September 25th-27th, Minneapolis, Minnesota

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2008 ENPC Classes

• October 6th & 7th

Instructor Class

• May 9th

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2008 TNCC Classees

• June 12th & 19th
• September 18th & 25th
• November 13th & 20th

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Maine ENA Newsletter Info

Nancy Jackson, RN, CEN
MaineGeneral Medical Center, Augusta

Any contributions to the newsletter are greatly appreciated!

• Nursing Stories
• Clinical Narratives
• What’s going on at your hospital?
• Awards
• Tips and Solutions

Advertisement rates

• 1/4 page: $15.00
• 1/2 page: $30.00
• full page: $60.00

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Karen O’Neil Professional Award Recipient

The Karen O’Neil Award is given in tribute and memory of one of Massachusetts’ finest Emergency Nurses, who died well before her time.

This is an annual award is given at the New England Regional Symposium. The recipient is selected by New England ENA presidents at the Leadership Challenge each year.

This year the 2008 award goes to MaineGeneral Medical Center’s Wendy Nivison, RN, BSN (shown on the right & Mary Davis, RN Connecticut ENA President is shown on the left). The award was presented to Wendy last week at NERS in Mystic, Connecticut.

Wendy has demonstrated outstanding knowledge and expertise in emergency nursing practice, education and professionalism. She has made many contributions that affected the role of emergency nurses and the community.

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MaineGeneral nurse finds the Emergency Department

Submitted by Diane Peterson, senior editor at MaineGeneral Health.

Naomi Miller currently works in the Emergency Department at MaineGeneral Medical Center

It’s just after 3 p.m. on a recent Friday afternoon. Naomi Miller, RN, is just starting her 12-hour shift at the Emergency Department (ED) at MaineGeneral’s Augusta Campus.

Many of the ED’s 22 rooms are already filled with patients and more are waiting to be seen. Their complaints vary and include a possible fracture, abdominal pain, respiratory complaints, chest pain and a patient who is suffering a psychotic episode.

The scenarios differ but Miller and her ED colleagues are the front line of medical assistance for the more than 72,000 patients who pass through MaineGeneral’s emergency department doors in Augusta and Waterville each year.

Today, Miller’s first assignments will be assuming care of two patients who arrived earlier. Both will be admitted to the hospital. One woman’s complaining of chest pain. The second’s a woman with a history of mental illness who was brought in after suffering a psychotic breakdown.

Over the next few hours Miller will put her training and skills to the test, juggling a multitude of tasks.

After getting updates from the physician and nurse who took care of her patients during the last shift, she introduces herself and spends time with each. With the woman who is experiencing chest pain, Miller reviews medications ordered by the physician; assures her the physician will be in soon to review test results; and checks that her pain is under control. Miller encourages her patients to call her if they need anything.

From there, Miller calls down to the pharmacy to make sure the medications ordered are on their way up; enters patient information in the computerized bed placement system to smooth the way for admission; telephones food and nutrition to order dinner for her patients and answers a call from an anxious relative.

Meanwhile, she reviews necessary information for admission of her other patient to the psych unit and sends the documentation on its way to the police department for a judge’s sign-off.

Every day is different

For Miller and her colleagues, the ED’s variety and fast pace are both appealing and challenging.

“There’s never a dull moment. You never know what kind of medical problem you’re going to be facing. People with every type of problem come through the door. There’s no ‘typical’ day. Every day is different. It’s that unknown that keeps us on our toes,” she explains.

Ed Raupe, RN, director of Emergency Services at MaineGeneral’s Augusta Campus agrees.

“The ED can be a tough place to work. One minute you’re putting a plaster splint on a broken arm or preparing a patient for stitches and the next minute you’re trying to start an IV on a patient who has overdosed. Meanwhile, in the room next to you, a team is doing CPR on a heart attack victim. These are typical things that happen during a team’s shift.”

While Miller acknowledges that the stress can be high for staff, for many patients a trip to the ED is anything but typical and they are often frightened and upset. For patients, taking time for a kind word, a discussion with worried family members or grabbing an extra blanket can help relieve some of the fear.

Finding a new challenge is what drew Miller to transfer to the Augusta ED four years ago after working as the charge nurse on the medical center’s telemetry (cardiac care) unit at the Thayer Campus. While she enjoys both, she was ready for a change. The pace, new learning opportunities and camaraderie that’s so apparent among her colleagues appealed to her.

“This is a great team to work with. I have great confidence in all of them and it’s wonderful working with people you know have you covered no matter what comes up,” Miller said.

The team’s mutual support is critical when it comes to dealing with sometimes difficult situations, Raupe said. “When we see bad things happen, it’s the teamwork, the camaraderie and the humor that hold us together.”

Special skills needed

According to Raupe, any team member who works in the ED has a special skill mix. A typical hospital unit works with a specific specialty, like maternal nursing. In the ED a nurse has to be proficient at taking care of all specialties and a population that ranges from newborn to the elderly. “You have to work fast, remain calm, and multi-task through many different scenarios.”

Emergency nurses are some of the most skilled nurses in a hospital and must be certified in advanced cardiac life support and pediatric life support, he said. Many also are certified by the Emergency Nurses Association and have taken advanced training in a number of areas including sexual assault forensics, emergency pediatric and trauma training.

It’s been a busy Friday night at the Augusta Emergency Department. By the time Miller’s shift ends at 3 a.m., she and her colleagues have treated 42 patients with a wide range of problems.

For Miller it’s rewarding work.

“When patients come in we can do something to help fix their problems. We feel like we made a difference.”

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MENA Annual Awards

Maine ENA would like to acknowledge those Maine Nurses who have contributed in a special way to Emergency Nursing in the state of Maine, the United States, Maine ENA or National ENA.

President’s Award

For outstanding contribution to the Maine Emergency Nurses Association and / or the National Emergency Nurses Association

Emergency Nursing Educator Award

For significant contribution(s) to education and / or training that enhances the ability of emergency care providers to serve their customers

Emergency Nursing Provider Award

For exemplary contribution(s) to and / or manifestation of the art and science of nursing in the provision of emergency nursing care.

Emergency Nursing Leadership Award

For meritorious service above expectations in such activities as planning, development or management of systems, processes or departments that yield enhanced environments for the provision of emergency care.

Special Merit Citation

For exemplary long-term service, special advocacy of, or contribution to emergency care and / or innovations that improve emergency nursing in the State of Maine

Award nominee’s do not necessarily have to be employed in an emergency department but must be involved with emergency nursing and / or EMS. Award nominee’s need not be ENA / MENA members.

Only those categories for which you wish to nominate an individual need accompanying comments. It is not necessary to name a nominee in each category to submit a nomination.

To submit a nomination:

• Identify the appropriate category
• Submit a written explanation for your submission identifying the criteria for nomination
• Include your name, address, and how we can get in touch with you

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Point Criteria for Delegates to General Assembly

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Emergency Department Employment Opportunities

MaineGeneral Medical Center

Emergency Services - Augusta and Waterville

Are you passionate about Emergency Nursing? Come work along side an exceptional team of Emergency Nurses!

• Great opportunity for personal and professional growth.
• Come see our newly renovated ED’s
• Several positions available at both campuses
• State of Maine License Required
• ED Clinical Experience Preferred, but we are willing to Train Exceptional Candidates.

Call and learn more about the opportunities we have to offer!

York Hospital

Emergent Care Department

We’re looking for Temporary, Full Time, Part Time and Per Diem, ER- experienced RN’s to help work with us during our busy summer season!

Come work with experienced nurses, who like to have fun at work and give exceptional patient care. York Hospital offers great pay (including a $7 night differential), excellent benefits, a small community atmosphere, 12-hour shifts, and of course, who could forget the miles of sandy beaches, countless hiking trails and wide variety of night life and entertainment – all only minutes away?

Don’t wait - Apply now!

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