REGION NEWS

New Jersey Nurse, Nov/Dec 2004

REGION

1

Morris, Passaic, Sussex, Warren Counties

Elizabeth Burger, RN VP

Communications

Region I held its first board meeting on 9/23 at Morristown Memorial Hospital. Meetings scheduled for November 23rd and December 30th will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the Gallery at St. Joseph's Hall, at the College of St. Elizabeth, Convent Road in Morristown. All NSJNA members are welcome to attend.

Region I welcomes 4 new members to the board. Karen Ramsden, Passaic County Coordinator, Vivek Agnihotri, Morris County Coordinator, Valerie Edwards, VP of Congress on Policy and Ann Palermo INPAC Representative. The Board also welcomes the return of Vivian Contreras President and Linda Bowersox President elect; Marie VanDeVeire, Treasurer; Karen Sosnowski, Secretary; Sally Colatarci, VP of Institute; Liz Burger, VP of Communication; Eileen Specchio, Ingeborg DiGiacomo, Ellen Ehrlich, and Doris Mallette, Nominating Committee; Nona Wolosin, Warren County Coordinator; Jayne Kirkpatrick and Kathleen Fitzpatrick, Sussex County Coordinators; Barbara Koegel, VP of Membership; Teresa Bernaz, VP of Education.

REGION

2

Bergen, Hudson Counties

John Fajvan, RN-VP

Communications

On October 3rd, Region 2 held its Annual Brunch and Business meeting at Victor's Maywood Inn in Maywood. The guest speaker was Keri Logosso, Esq., from the Office of the Child Advocate. Ms. Logosso, who is a Senior Child Advocate, explained to those in attendance the mission and purpose of this new office. The independent Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) was created by statute on September 26, 2003. Public Law 2003, c. 187 enables the Office of the Child Advocate to investigate, review, monitor and evaluate State agency responses to allegations of child abuse or neglect in New Jersey, and make recommendations for systemic and comprehensive reform. The Office of the Child Advocate's jurisdiction extends to all public and private settings in which a child has been placed by a State or county agency or department, including but not limited to, juvenile detention centers, group homes, foster homes, residential treatment centers and shelters.

Ms. Logosso gave an overview of various projects and reports that have come about as a result of the work of the OCA. One project included the establishment of a telephone help line for the public to report child-welfare concerns, called Kids Voice, which can be accessed by dialing 1-877KIDSVOICE. Public reports on the allegations of abuse and neglect within New Jersey's mental health treatment delivery system and the investigation into the alleged starvation of four boys in Collingswood, NJ can be found on the OCA website at www.childadvocate.nj.gov. Ms. Logosso also spoke about how nurses, who often have contact with children and adolescents, can greatly assist the OCA through advocacy and education.

Region 2 is busy with fund-raising activities, including selling "magnetic ribbons" in support of US troops and cancer survivors. This campaign has been spearheaded by Victoria Correale, RN, BSN, Region 2's Nominations & Elections Chair.

Also keeping busy are John Fajvan, RN, BSN, Vice-President Communications and Linda Wolfson, RN, BSN, Vice-President Membership, who are scheduling information sessions with area high schools to meet with their students who are interested in pursuing a career in nursing.

As we approach the 2004 holiday season, Scott Croonquist, RN, MSN, President Region 2, and the Executive Board members of the Region, wish everyone the happiest of holidays, and all of the best for 2005.

REGION

3

Essex, Union Counties

Mercy Brudnicki, RN VP

Communications

October's meeting hosted at Mountainside School of Nursing was graciously sponsored by the Saviano Group, Investment & Insurance Planning Services specialists. Our thanks to them for the presentation and goodies provided.

I'd also like to thank everyone at the meeting for my warm welcome. I'm sure it will not be easy to fill in Betty Ingram's shoes as VP of Communications. With your patience I'll try to do my best.

Our last meeting was held November 16th at 6pm at Trinitas Hospital in Elizabeth in the physician's conference room.

Region III will be having a combined annual meeting with a TransCultural Collaborative presentation including but not limited to the Philippine Nurses Association, the Black Nurses Association, the Nigerian Nurses Association and the Latino Nurses Association. If you belong to a cultural Nurses Association or know of a culturally specific nurses group that would like to be included or represented please contact Eileen Fay, MSN, RN, ACCC, Region III president at eileenfay@comcast.net for more information. We would like to have as many culturally diverse nurses groups as possible. The date for this April event is yet to be announced. Please continue to check our web site www.njsna.org for dates and locations of future meetings.

If your facility would like to host a regional meeting event please contact Eileen Fay at (732) 567-8483.

Members are encouraged to be presenters at the NJ Nurses Convention 2005.