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Spotlight on You!  Karen Murray, RN, ADN, CCRN - PICU, Children's Mercy Hospital

5/4/2014

 
Why did you become a nurse?
I chose nursing because I thought it would be a good job, then during nursing school I fell in love with the idea of nursing. I love helping others when they are at their most vulnerable time in life.


What about your job makes you most proud?
I don't look at my "job" as a job, it is my passion. It is what defines who I am. I love watching the kids improve. I enjoy making a difference not only to the patient, but also their family. I find satisfaction in the ups and the downs. When we lose a patient, I find peace in allowing the parent to climb in the bed to hold their child one more time. While that same night I can let another parent hold their "baby" for the first time in a long time. I love knowing that I made a difference in someone's life "today" even if it was for just a moment.

Tell us about a recent extraordinary patient care experience as a critical care nurse.
The most recent extraordinary patient care experience I had was with a 9 month old who has a terminal illness and who lived in our unit for over 10 weeks. He was critically ill for most of his stay and then by the grace of God he started to improve. I thought as many did that this day would never come but it did and now he is home with his family.  

At the end of a busy day, how do you find balance in your life?
My family and friends are my balance at the end of a day. My friends know what I have been through and my family simply just makes me appreciate what I have. I thank God everyday that my child isn't laying in one of the beds I work with and pray that the others get to leave soon. I am humbled by what I do.


How has AACN impacted your career?
AACN has played a huge role in my career. I took one of the first pediatric CCRN exams that was offered. They have provided me with a foundation to what I do and helped elevate my nursing skills and knowledge. They empower me to take a stand when I know I am right, to voice my opinion, and to approach each situation with confidence.

Local Member Joins AACN National Staff!

5/4/2014

 
Caryl Goodyear Bruch PhD, RN is a long-time member of both national AACN and our local chapter. Recently, she left her position as the Director of Professional Resources and Leader-ship Development for Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO to join national AACN as a Senior Director for the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN).

In this new position, Caryl is responsible for the Organizational Effectiveness Department, also called the Research Pod. The focus of this department is to facilitate strategic work and improve the organization's effectiveness. “We complete environmental scanning, target data analysis on a variety of data that we gather and also improve communication amongst and between departments. I have 9 direct reports. In addition to this work, this department also leads and manages the AACN CSI Academy, which is a leadership program targeted to direct care nurses helping them improve and sustain patient and fiscal outcomes in their workplace. We currently have 6 cohorts in this program, Indianapolis, Raleigh/Durham, Boston, Austin, Phila-delphia and New York. We have completed the first 3 and I was honored to have served as the lead faculty for the Raleigh/Durham area. This is an exciting new program and I encourage all to go to the AACN website and check out the In-novation Database which contains all the projects to date. Go under "education" then AACN CSI Academy.” -Goodyear Bruch

Congratulations Caryl and thank you for your years of service to the local chapter. You will be missed!

Local Member Elected Director of National AACN Board - Lisa Riggs

12/10/2013

 
Lisa Riggs RN, MSN, ACNS-BC, CCRN
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
Director of Quality & Safety SLH

Lisa Riggs RN, MSN, ACNS-BC, CCRN has recently been elected to the National AACN Board. As a national AACN member since 1984, she has an extensive history with both our local chapter and AACN national. On a national level, Lisa has served on Nominating Committee in 2008-2009, and the Evidence Based Practice Workgroup in 2010-2013 (two years as chairperson).

Locally, Lisa has been a chapter member since 1990, serving in nearly every role, including serving as President from 1999-2000 and 2006-2007. She has also participated in the Education and Visions Symposium planning committee. She has also served as a CCRN Review, Publication and Critical Care Consortium Coordinator.

The Director of the National AACN Board is a three year appointment on an 11 member board, in addition to a president and president-elect.  The responsibilities of the Board of Directors are:


-Assure the organization maintains and holds true to the mission, vision and values of AACN
-Evaluates the performance of the CEO
-Participates in developing the strategic direction of the organization
-Ensure and adequately manage resources of the organization
-Maintain and strengthen AACN programs and services
-Ensure legal and ethical accounta-bility of the organization

The highest priority for the Board of Directors this year is the interviewing, selection and hiring of the new CEO. After 12 years as the CEO, Wan-da Johanson will be retiring. The second highest priority facing the Board of Di-rectors over the next few years is main-taining the mission, vision and values of AACN in the ever changing healthcare environment.

Please join us in congratulating Lisa on her appointment to this important role! 

Chapter Member Highlight - Mary Stahl

10/17/2011

 
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Mary Stahl, RN, MSN, ACNS-BC, CCNS-CMC, CCRN, is currently serving a one-year term as President of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) board of directors from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012. Mary has held director positions on the AACN board from FY2007 to FY2009 and on the AACN Certification Corporation board in FY2009, the year she served as AACN board liaison for the "CNS Scope and Standards" revision.  Between FY2004 and FY2006, Mary served on the exam development committee for the CCNS specialty certification and as an item writer for the first PCCN exam.

Mary values nursing education!  She graduated from Saint Luke's Hospital School of Nursing in 1980 with a diploma in nursing, and earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Webster College, St. Louis, in 1982. She also attained a Master of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Missouri, Kansas City, in 1984.

Mary has been a critical care nurse for over 30 years.  Since 1995, she's been a clinical nurse specialist, medical cardiology, at Mid America Heart Institute, Saint Luke's Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri, where she oversees heart failure management, cardiac transplantation and ventricular assist device nursing care. Mary is an active member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and belongs to the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. Mary has also received national recognition for her nursing achievements, such as when she was ranked on the 1993-1994 list of "Who's Who in American Nursing."  Mary has been described as a "prolific educator and lecturer" (AACN website, 2011).  She has given more than 100 presentations on professional topics, including healthy work environments, nurse retention, and evidence-based practice. Mary has also presented numerous clinical topics related to ventricular assist devices and pulmonary arterial hypertension.

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