NEW YORK NURSE: May 2010
by Erin Silk
NYSNA’s Biennial Conference will be held from Oct. 20 to 22 at Mohegan Sun, Connecticut’s premiere destination for high-stakes fun and world-class entertainment.
The Biennial Conference is an alternative to NYSNA’s Convention and is held in alternating years. Eighteen continuing education credits will be offered in the following tracks: Clinical Innovations, Contemporary Issues, and Legislative Advocacy. The cost to attend the Biennial Conference is $250 for members and $300 for non-members.
This year’s theme, “Work Safe-Work Healthy,” focuses on ways to improve your work environment to benefit you and your patients.
You’ll receive the latest information about the dangers of hazardous chemicals in the workplace, ways to stop horizontal violence, techniques for better sleep, and how to “recreate yourself” for a more positive outlook. Important legislative updates will outline legislative priorities for 2011.
The conference begins on Oct. 20 with annual Labor Day events, scheduled for local bargaining unit members only. CE sessions for all NYSNA members begin at 4:15 p.m., with the opening plenary and a concurrent session to follow.
Keynote speaker Dr. Judith Briles is a recognized authority on workplace issues and personal and professional development. Her presentation: “Sabotage! Dealing with the Pit Bulls, Skunks, Snakes, Scorpions, and Slugs in the Workplace” will help you learn to effectively deal with the negative co-workers who drive good employees to leave.
According to Dr. Briles, rarely is a communication style wrong, it’s just different. Her second presentation, “What the Bleep Did You Say #%&!?” will teach nurses the four key factors of effective communication, both as a listener and a speaker. You will learn to recognize the “pitfalls of sharing too much information and why listening is the key to resolving conflict and successful negotiation.”
Have you shed today? Kathy Dempsey, author of “Shed or You’re Dead!” will present “How to Stay Alive and Thrive in the Midst of Healthcare Change.” It’s Dempsey’s belief that “No organization can thrive unless their people can SHED!”
Dempsey punctuates her point with the help of her trademark lizard, Lenny. She maintains that “lizards grow by shedding their skin. If they don’t shed, they die. Organizations and humans grow also. If they don’t shed, they die.” Dempsey will share her personal story as the first healthcare worker diagnosed with the AIDS virus in the early 1980s (only to find out months later that tests were negative), as inspiration for those who seek and value change.
Dr. Kirsten Welker Hood, nurse and environmental health scientist, is director of the Environment and Health Program at Physicians for Social Responsibility in Washington, DC. Dr. Welker Hood most recently was part of a joint effort with the American Nurses Association (ANA) and Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) to study the effects of hazardous chemicals on healthcare workers.
The first-ever investigation of its kind, “Hazardous Chemicals in Health Care,” found that all 20 participants in the study had toxic chemicals associated with health care in their bodies. Dr. Welker Hood’s presentation will detail these findings and explain how you can protect yourself from further harm.
Dr. Grace Dean, RN and assistant professor at University of Buffalo School of Nursing, will discuss a topic that eludes many of us: sleep.
Dr. Dean’s studies focus mainly on quality of life and sleep disturbances in patients with lung cancer. She will discuss the consequences of sleep deprivation and describe what “normal” sleep is and how it connects to a nurse’s fitness for duty. Dr. Dean will share the results of sleep studies done on nurses and tips for feeling more rested.
The conference will also feature a panel of speakers from NYSNA’s Statewide Peer Assistance for Nurses (SPAN) program, who will discuss their “Fitness for Duty” position statement.
Mohegan Sun offers “a world at play” to help you unwind after conference sessions. With more than 3,000 square feet of gaming excitement, three entertainment venues, and 30 restaurants, food and beverage outlets, you’re sure to find a way to occupy your downtime.
If you’re looking for a more laid-back way to relax, you’ll enjoy the view of a 55-foot indoor waterfall and “awe-inspiring” Wombi Rock, a glowing crystal mountain made of imported stone that serves as the casino’s focal point.