Policy, practice and issue briefs

Kansas Nurse, Jun/Jul 1999

IMA & ANF Launch New Continuing Education Web Site for RN's

The American Nurses Association (ANA) and the American Nurses Foundation (ANF) launched a new continuing education website called www.RNCE.org. On the new web site, RNs can read an article about emerging health care or nursing issues such as "Childhood Immunizations" or "Smoking Cessation," and then take an exam online. A new article will be added to the site each month. There is a small fee for each exam; there is no charge for reading the articles. After successfully completing the exam, RNs can print out a certificate and receive instantaneous continuing education contact hours. Source: American Nurses Assocation

Hospital-Clinic Layoffs Include 2 Nurse Managers

On May 4, Stormont-Vail HealthCare announced the elimination of 24 management positions. These efforts are being implemented as part of the on-going operations improvement process which includes the restructuring of management positions. All individuals whose positions were abolished were offered a severance benefit and outplacement assistance. Administration reports these changes were part of a management restructuring effort and were not performance related. The financial impact of these decisions is a 1.4 million reduction in payroll expense.

Source: Stormont-Vail HealthCare

KU Telephone Drug Information Center

Nurses can take advantage of the Drug Information Center at KU to answer questions regarding prescription and nonprescription drug therapy. Equipped with a dozen computers and telephones staffed by pharmacists and KU School of Pharmacy students, the center provides accurate, current and unbiased drug information to health professionals in the united states and Canada. The center receives more than 750 calls a month and answers are usually available on the same day. The telephone number is 913.588.2328.

Source: The University of Kansas

New Health Care Internet Site Located

Cross Country Staffing announced the launch of HospitalHub.com. This new website, is designed to help nurses, therapists, technicians, advanced practitioners and other medical professionals find jobs. Hospitalhub.com is a comprehensive library of America's leading hospitals, complete with facility profiles and employment information for health care employers and job seeking professionals.

Source: HospitalHub.Com

KDHE Organizational Changes Announced

Clyde Graeber, who was serving as the acting Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment was recently named by Governor Graves as the permanent Secretary of the agency. This comes on the heels of a previous announcement that he would serve as the new agency head for the Banking Commission, which will now be filled with someone else. Secretary Graeber also announced that he appointed Jane Mackey as the Assistant Secretary, she replaces Linda Fund who is no longer with the agency. Ms. Mackey previously served as the administrator of Kansas Blood Services in Topeka. Joseph Kroll, Director of KDHE's Bureau of Health Facility Regulation, announced changes made in order to "respond to the challenges ahead, clarify program responsibility, and better utilize the skills of personnel." The Field Services Program, directed by Greg Reser, has been renamed the Licensure and Certification program. Within this program Gina Anderson, RN has been named Coordinator of Enforcement. The Adult Care Home program, directed by Patricia Maben, R.N., has been renamed the Long Term Care Program, and will include home health in addition to adult care home regulatory concerns.

Source: Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

HCFA Delays OASIS

HCFA has delayed implementation of OASIS by Medicare certified home health agencies in order to review th program's privacy implications. The 1999 Kansas Legislature wrote a letter to the Congressional Delegation on the demand imposed by th OASIS assessment requirement. Data collection was originally scheduled to begin April 26.

Source: Kansas Home Care Association.

Dodd Appointed HHS Region IX Director

US Health and Human Services Secretary Donna E. Shalala has appointed Catherine Dodd RN, MS, as Regional Director of the Department of HHS for Region IX, which includes the states of Arizona, Nevada, California and Hawaii. Dodd recently spoke at KSNA's annual "Day at the Legislature" and is a registered nurse who has worked in the health policy arena at the local, state and national level for nearly a decade.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Serices

Hays Medical Center Closes Hadley Campus

Cost cutting measures have forced the closure of the Hadley campus in Hays, and the programs will be moved to the St. Anthony campus this month. The 1991 merger plan for the two hospitals to form the the Hays Medical Center included maintaining both facilities, however rising healthcare and maintenance costs forced the board of trustees to consider other alternatives.