Providing education and tools for patient self-care

Dermatology Nursing, April, 2008 by Karrie Fairbrother

The 26th Annual Dermatology Nurses' Association Convention in Las Vegas was splendid! We held a very full meeting and those lucky enough to attend experienced the theme, "Champions of Health Care." Enthusiastic attendees expressed to me how much they enjoyed the sessions, educators, and the meeting location. Returning to Montana from warm Las Vegas was certainly a change! Although officially spring, many in my state enjoyed skiing into April. Our beautiful slopes also meant unexpected icy roads. My dear neighbors, Tom and Scottie Trebon, were involved with an out-of-control truck that careened into their car and pushed them into a semi truck. The airbags inflated correctly and the semi in fact probably prevented them spinning out of control and perhaps off the mountainside. They are much bruised, but are grateful to have only been a participant in the demise of two vehicles. Cars and trucks can be replaced. Tom describes reliving those few seconds of impact and lack of control over and over in his mind. Most of us remember a time when we felt that dizzying out-of-control feeling.

For me that will always be a surgeon's voice over the phone telling my young husband and me that the auxiliary lump biopsied from my husband was metastatic melanoma. Grey mist enveloped me and seldom before or since have I felt life so out of control. In the nearly 21 years since that day I have used much of my creative energy and passion for education to bring skin cancer prevention and early detection into the community. My goal has been to prevent the "grey mist" from enveloping others.

Members and Mentors

Using the mantra of providing people the education and tools they need to better control their health to enhance family and self-care, I engaged with many members of the DNA. Over the years many friendships were fostered among my colleagues. So many members are also my mentors!

We have a fabulous association and membership. The talents that we share through our local and national meetings, our E-news, the Focus newsletter, and the Dermatology Nursing journal are inspiring. I am so proud and privileged to have been selected as your president. The last several years have provided me with training and many opportunities to watch my mentors at work. I have been listening and learning about our association and membership. Many of you are my educators. To support lifelong learning we shall continue to make excellence in education a goal both for our members and clients. Our experiences as family members, care providers, and members of our communities will support our efforts to share knowledge.

Challenged to Greatness

Your DNA is committed to fostering continued opportunities to expand education for all our membership so we will be leaders in excellence in dermatology care. I believe that nurses add the care to health care. We need to work together toward common goals that connect all of the membership. For me that means we make ourselves better known in the global community. We continue to be engaged in events such as last autumn's Longwood Symphony concert "Bridge to Harmony" to benefit melanoma education and this June's cross country bike tour "Ride4Melanoma." By being engaged I really mean actively working at some level. We remain flexible and make opportunities to become involved with our state and national policies that include dermatology issues. Our advocacy group includes greater membership so we are recognized as leaders in policy. We stay alert and active. We ask questions and seek answers. My goal is that DNA and skin cancer prevention/early detection resonate internationally as well as pink ribbons and the Korman Foundation remind us of breast cancer care and detection.

We have many challenges but DNA is a very diverse group. This is a bonus because we have more experts from many levels of care to listen and learn from. If any group has the power to call for action, it is dermatology nurses!

Let us be flexible. Let us continue to grow and share knowledge. Let us challenge one another to greatness!

Karrie Fairbrother, BSN, RN, DNC, CDE

DNA President