ARN Southeast Texas Chapter

We Won!! Southeast Texas Chapter ARN was once again awarded the 2007 National ARN Website  Award at the ARN Annual Educational Conference in Washington, D.C., October 3-6, 2007. Thanks to all who have contributed!

Winners of the 2006 & 2007 Large Chapter Excellence Award!!

We Won!! Southeast Texas Chapter ARN was again awarded the . 2007 Large Chapter Excellence Award at the ARN Annual Educational Conference in Washington, D.C., October 3-6, 2007. Thanks to all who make this an outstanding Chapter!!

 

Winners of the 2007 Best Beginning Newsletter Award!!

We Won all 3 awards!!! Southeast Texas Chapter ARN was awarded the 2007 Best Beginning Newsletter Award at the ARN Annual Educational Conference in Washington D.C., October 3-6, 2007.

 

   Expo 2008 Sponsors and Exhibitors:

Interested in being a sponsor or vendor at our June Expo & Fundraiser? Please contact James Cavelier at info@arnsoutheasttx.org for more information

   Sponsors & Vendors:

A grateful THANK YOU to our 2007 Rehabilitation Nursing Review Workshop Sponsors:

Rodeo Enterprises	Breakfast-- Friday, Sept. 14, 2007
Memorial Hermann TIRR	Beverages & Cookies—Friday, Sept. 14, 2007
Memorial Hermann Northwest	Breakfast—Saturday, Sept. 15, 2007 Classrooms and A-V Equipment
Centre for Neuro Skills	Lunch – Saturday, Sept. 15, 2007
Clear Lake Rehabilitation Hospital	Beverages – Saturday, Sept. 15, 2007
Sugar Land Rehabilitation Hospital	Cookies – Saturday, Sept. 15, 2007
Touchstone Neurorecovery Center	Printing and Assembly of Notebooks
Transitional Learning Center- Galveston	Monetary Donation for CE applications

and to our:

2007 Monthly Meeting Hosts:

January	Select Specialty Hospital – Houston Heights.
February	Kindred Hospital – Medical Center
March	BSizeWise Rentals
April	Memorial Hermann/TIRR
May	Nexus Health Systems
June	SETX Expo and Scholarship Fundraiser
July	St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital Amedysis Home Health Care
August	Clear Lake Rehabilitation Hospital
September	Memorial Hermann Northwest
October	HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital
November	Holiday Gala & Awards Banquet Contributing sponsors: Bard Medical Dynasplint

We sincerely appreciate your support!

   May 2008 Educational Meeting:

The May educational meeting will be held Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at Landry’s Seafood Restaurant, 1212 Lake Robbins, The Woodland, TX 77380. Time: 5:00-7:30 PM. Sponsor: Touchstone Neurorecovery Center and Nexus Specialty Hospital. Program: “Motor Learning after TBI: Getting the Information to Sink In.” Click here for further details.

   June Expo & Fundraiser 2008:

SAVE THE DATE!! The June Expo and Fundraiser will be held Tuesday, June 17, 2008 at Memorial Hermann Northwest Hospital, South Tower Classrooms, 1635 North Loop West, Houston, Texas 77008. Time: 4:30 -8:30 PM. Keynote Speaker: Gerard Francisco will speak on “The Latest and Greatest in Spasticity Management.” We will have vendor exhibits, coffee bar, a raffle, dinner, and nursing and CCM contact hours. Price: $40.00 SETX Chapter Members; $45 Non-members.

Registration Deadline: June 6, 2008
No Registration at the Door

For more information, contact us at info@arnsoutheasttx.org or click here.

   July 2008 Educational Meeting:

The July educational meeting will be held Tuesday, July 22, 2008 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, 6720 Bertner Avenue, Houston, Texas 77030. Time: 5:00-7:30 PM.
Program: Stroke and Rehabilitation. Click here for further details.

   ARN National Conference Scholarships:

Three scholarship drawings to help towards attendance at the October ARN National Education Conference will be held in August. Chapter members who meet requirements in the following three categories will be eligible for the drawings:

• Perfect Meeting Attendance: attend 100% of Chapter meetings January through August, 2008
• Committee Chairperson: All active committee chairpersons
• Paper or Poster Presenter: All who will be presenting a paper or poster at the ARN National Conference

   Nominations Needed:

Nominations are needed for the 2008-2009 SE Texas Chapter ARN Board of Directors. Positions open are: President-Elect, Secretary, Two-Year Board Member, and One-Year Board Member. Consider getting involved in Chapter leadership!!
For more information or to submit your nomination, contact Celeste McLaughlin at info@arnsoutheasttx.org

   Rehabilitation Nurse-of-the-Year:

JULIUS H. PENNING, BSN, RN, CRRN

Julius H. Penning has been awarded the Southeast Texas Chapter ARN 2007 Rehabilitation Nurse-of-the-Year Award for his outstanding contributions to rehabilitation nursing.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

   Rehabilitation Nursing Review Course:

The Northeast Texas ARN 2008 CRRN Review Course will be July 31, August 1&2 at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas. Flyers will be out soon. Please contact Cyndi Murphy at CynthiaMurphy@TexasHealth.org for further information.

Please note: The Southeast Texas Chapter ARN will NOT be offering a Rehabilitation Nursing Review Course in 2008. Plan for a course again in 2009.

    New CRRNs: 

Congratulations to our newest CRRNs!!!

	Veronica Dike, BS, RN, CRRN
	Ma Rowena Jessica Reyes, BSN, RN, CRRN

 We are proud of your achievements. 

       CRRN EXAM: New Registration Deadlines

Due to a change in testing companies, the registration process and deadlines for the CRRN exam have changed.  Candidate applications and fees must be mailed in to CASTLE WORLDWIDE, INC. by the following deadlines:

                April 15, 2007 for June 1-30, 2007 CRRN Exam dates

                October 15, 2007 for December 1-31, 2007 CRRN Exam dates

         

          Late fee options are now available; contact ARN National.

 

          A new content outline will become effective for the June 2007 examination. This will be posted at
          www.rehabnurse.org beginning in January, 2007. The exam will now have only 175 questions
          (25 pretest: un-scored), and candidates will have up to 3 hours to complete the exam.

Candidate handbooks and application forms are available from ARN National (1-800-229-7530).  Registration forms may also be downloaded from the ARN National website(www.rehabnurse.org ). 

     Multiple Sclerosis Webevent Teleconferences:

Educational webevent teleconferences on multiple sclerosis (MS) are offered twice monthly through www.MSLifeLines.com While these webevents are geared toward persons living with MS, they are very informative for healthcare professionals as well. Visit www.MSLifeLines.com for schedule of webevents and to register, or call 1-800-350-5416.

    Get Involved!!

SE Texas Chapter is very active, with thirteen committees working throughout the year. Committee members are needed!! Get involved – it’s a great way to meet colleagues, share ideas, learn, and… have fun! Contact Rhonda Olson or Wendy Healy at info@arnsoutheasttx.org for more information or to sign-up.

     Membership Participation Incentive: Back for 2008

Those SE Texas Chapter ARN members who actively serve on:
1) the Board of Directors
2) Chair a committee
3) actively serve on a committee OR
4) attend a Chapter meeting 8 out of 10 months in 2008
will be awarded a free ticket to the 2008 Holiday Gala & Awards Banquet in November. Thank you for your active participation!

We were able to provide 29 Chapter members with complimentary 2008 Holiday Gala tickets!!

   Update Your Contact Information:

Please help us keep our membership roster current! Update your address, phone, e-mail, and other contact information at www.rehabnurse.org in the Members only section. Please notify Rhonda Olson at info@arnsoutheasttx.org also, so that the Chapter records are current.

    On-line Membership Directory:

Did you know that you are able to obtain other members’ contact information through the on-line Membership Directory at www.rehabnurse.org in the Members only section? A listing of all SE Texas Chapter members is also available, using the search by Chapter section

    Community Action – SILENT AUCTION:

Beginning in 2004 & 2005 the Chapter supported two worthy causes in the community: T.H. Rodgers School and Camp Xtreme. T.H. Rodgers is an HISD school that educates many children with disabilities, and Camp Xtreme is a summer camp devoted to children who use wheelchairs. In 2006, the Chapter contributed to the “Be an Angel Fund” for playground equipment for children with disabilities and Camp Xtreme. The Chapter wishes to continue to assist community agencies for persons with disabilities.


Thanks to the generous support of Chapter members, the 2007 Silent Auction was once again a tremendous success!!!

Proceeds from the 2007 Silent Auction will be donated to the “Be an Angel Fund” for barrier free playground equipment and SIRE. SIRE is a non-profit therapeutic horseback riding program which uses the spirit and movement of the horse to benefit people with disabilities. SIRE has been active in the Houston area for the past 24 years and currently serves over 190 clients per week at sites in Hockley, Spring and Ft. Bend county. Through the use of therapeutic horseback riding hippotherapy, vaulting, and carriage driving, benefits to the clients can include improved gross and fine motor skills, improved balance and posture and the building of self esteem.

A grateful “THANK YOU” to all who donated and participated in the Silent Auction.
 

   Newsletter: "Rehab Round-Up"    

We have a NEW newsletter editor!!  Many thanks to Glennys Asselin, BSN, RN, CRRN, AA for volunteering for this position.  Thanks also to the Michael E. Debakey VA Medical Center for printing the newsletter. The fourth edition of “Rehab Round-up” has been sent out. If you would like a copy, please contact Glennys Asselin at info@arnsoutheasttx.org. Items are needed for the newsletter – brief articles, promotions, legislative updates, clinical tips, etc.  Submit to Glennys Asselin at info@arnsoutheasttx.org.

     National ARN News:

Please visit the National ARN website,  www.rehabnurse.org  or refer to your ARN Network newsletter to learn more about :

1. ARN –CAT – Competency Assessment Tool

2. New RNF Research Agenda

3. Locating members or updating your contact information

4. CRRN Exam New Content Outline

5. Member Get-A-Member

 

    Continuing Education Contact Hours:

 

                    ARN National is no longer an approved maintenance provider for CDMSC, CCM or

                    CRCC continuing education. 

 

                    However,  SETX chapter membership voted to provide CCM continuing education units

                    for at least five (5) of the ten (10) annual educational programs.  Please see the calendar

                    page each month for posting of CCM contact hours.  If you have any questions or

                    concerns, please contact us at info@arnsoutheasttx.org.              

     Health Policy News and Information:

The Kaiser Family Foundations Health Policy News and Information website is a useful      resource for other health-policy related news. Go to www.kaisernetwork.org

     75% Rule Permanent Freeze:

Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 went into law! The bill addressed several extensions to Medicare and Medicaid programs like SCHIP and provided a small increase in the Medicare physician payment system. Most importantly, the bill set the 75% Rule for inpatient rehabilitation facilities and units at a permanent 60% compliance threshold. The new law will also allow hospitals to continue using comorbidities to determine whether a patient qualifies for inpatient rehab care. This does not instruct fiscal intermediaries to use Section 110 of the Medicare Benefits Policy Manual as the sole criteria for determining medical necessity reviews. The objective of the 75% Rule was to distinguish IRFs from general acute hospitals and does require that a certain percentage of IRF patients fall within 13 diagnostic categories and limits the number and types of IRF patients who are not within these categories. Now the compliance threshold will permanently remain at 60%!

     Legislative Outlook for 2008:

The legislative outlook for 2008 is Challenging due to the presidential election. Congress must pass the appropriations bills that fund the government which means that the funding for programs that address the nursing shortage and biological and rehabilitation research will be in motion. There has been rumored that Congress will address “physician payment cuts” which really means that all providers (including rehabilitation nurses) who receive reimbursement from the Medicare program will be affected. To stay current and to find out how you can help advance important legislative issues please visit www.rehabnurse.org

     Need for Nurse Educators Bill

ARN has joined other national nursing organizations in supporting bipartisan legislation to address the critical shortage of nursing school faculty. Senate Bill 2705, The Troops to Nurse Teachers Act, (introduced by Senator Dick Durbin) would develop partnerships between military and civilian schools of nursing in which Nurse Corps Officers would serve as nurse educators. The program will provide an increase to the nurse faculty population and in turn would increase the pool of future civilian and military nurses. US nursing schools last year turned away tens of thousands of qualified applicants, primarily due to a faculty shortage! (Interesting report of graduates in 2006 were 25% minorities, 12% men, and 4 in 10 new graduates were over age 30 that year).

     Med PAC Issues Report to Congress

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission issued its report to Congress detailing of fee-for-service payment recommendations for fiscal year 2009. The recommendations include increasing inpatient and outpatient payments by the projected rate of increase in the hospital market basket index, along with implementing a quality incentive payment program. Additionally, recommendations would reduce the indirect medical education adjustment by 1% point to 4.5%, freeze payment rates for skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies and inpatient rehab facilities, and increase long-term care hospital payments by market basket minus 1.5% points for productivity growth. The commission also recommended Congress update 2008 payments for physician services by the projected increase in input prices minus 1.5% points for productivity growth.

     Mayo Clinic Symposium on Health Reform

The Mayo Clinic Symposium on Health Reform recently concluded that reform priorities should include health insurance for all, electronic medical records, value-based payment and care coordination. This event included leaders from academia, business, government, health care and patient advocacy.

     Medicare Audit Program

Rep. Lois Capps (D-California) has proposed HR 4105 that would place a 1 year, nationwide moratorium on the Medicare recovery audit program. The demonstration project, part of the 2003 Medicare law, uses recovery audit contractors to find overpayments and underpayments in Medicare fee-for-service reimbursements to health care providers. Capps states that the program disproportionately harms inpatient rehab facilities (which accounts for 88% of denied claims).

     Legislation on Medicare Advantage Plans and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit

Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus canceled plans for a mark up of Medicare legislation and will negotiate directly with House Democrats on the measure. The Health and Human Services Secretary, Mike Leavitt, issued a statement to congress requesting that Medicare legislation not include cuts to Medicare Advantage plans or changes to Medicare prescription drug benefit. The bill would block a 10% cut in Medicare physician fees. Chairman Baucus has struggled with Republican committee members over whether to block the physician cuts for one year or two years, as well as on reductions to Medicare Advantage payments to help fund the physician fee fix. President Bush threatened to veto any bill that includes cuts to MA plans. For more info go to: www.kaisernetwork.org

     Texas Legislation:

2007 Texas Legislative Session #80

Texas Legislative Session #80 ended on 5/28/07 with several bills which involve nursing practices. The largest of these bills was the Suset Bill – TX Board of Nurse Examiners, House Bill 2426, which made many changes to the Nursing Practice Act and became effective September 1, 2007. Other Bills were concerning automated external defibrillators, school nursing, APN’s, Birthing, diabetes education, drug labeling, education, public health licensing information. For more details go to www.capitol.state.tx.us

     Texas’ 49th National Ranking in Terms of Medicaid Reimbursement

The Texas Health Care Association has launched a “Educate ‘08” effort designed to help state lawmakers understand the key issues surrounding the Medicaid funding crisis which places the care needs of the state’s most vulnerable seniors and disabled citizens at severe risk. The average national daily Medicaid rate per patient is $153.83 and the Texas rate is $106.59. We should be hearing more about this effort as the current election season unfolds.

       IRF PPS Fact Sheet:

CMS has released a downloadable IRF PPS fact sheet. This provides info about rates and classification criterion. To download the fact sheet go to: www.cmshhs.gov

       2008 National Patient Safety Goals:

The Joint Commission has announced 2008 National Patient Safety Goals and related requirements applicable specifically to accredited hospitals and critical access hospitals. One major change is new requirements to take specific actions to reduce the risks of patient harm associated with ANTICOAGULANT THERAPY and RECOGNITION of and RESPONSE to UNEXPECTED DETERIORATION in a PATIENT’S CONDITION. Each of the new requirements has a 1 year phase-in period. Go to www.jointcommission.org
for complete text.

 

Touchstone Neurorecovery Centers is a post acute rehabilitation facility nationally known for being on the leading edge of neurobehavioral rehabilitation. www.nhsltd.com  9727 Wahrenberger Road, Conroe, TX 77304  (936)788-7770  or  Toll Free: 1-800-414-4824 Touchstone Supports ARN!

BARD Medical Division of C.R. Bard, Inc., is a market leader in urological drainage systems, in addition to providing skin & wound care products, wound drainage products, and a variety of specialty tubing products. www.bardmedical.com  1-800-526-4455 BARD Supports ARN!

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