NANAINA

National Alaska Native American Indian Nurses Association

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NANAINA Newsletter

Spring 2005 Newsletter



Presidents Report by Deb Smith, President, NANAINA

April 19, 2005

Greetings to all NANAINA members:

As I write this message, spring is returning to northern Minnesota and the air is filled with the sounds, smells and urgency of new life. There is something about the transition of seasons from winter to spring that has always made me restless; maybe it was a time when my ancestors started to move from their winter camps and even today I can feel those old yearnings in my “citified” blood.

With spring comes another transition: one from student to practitioner. During this time students will leave behind the safety and routine of school life for their new roles as responsible, hard-working nurses. Yes, you will continue to grow and learn in your new profession, but now you’ ve added a new layer of responsibility that can seem overwhelming at first. Just remember, all of your professional experiences (failures as well as successes) will shape you to become a stronger more compassionate nurse. I hope there are other nurses who can help you through the challenging times, and who can celebrate with you during the exciting times. Then one day, you can help the new nurses who turn to you for guidance.

Finally, you are all aware of the tragedy that has befallen the Red Lake Reservation in northwestern Minnesota. As nurses, we wonder what we could do to help, what we can do to prevent such a calamity in our own communities. As parents, our hearts break for the Red Lake children and their families. There will be more to discuss, with plans to be made and protocols to be developed, but later. For now, please take a moment to send your thoughts and prayers to the children and families everywhere who hurt and are in need of hope. Miigwetch.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me at (218) 878-2104 or at [email protected] if you have questions, great ideas, comments, and so on.

Look for the next newsletter in July 2005 and remember to visit the NANAINA website.

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NANAINA Summit XI - Nov. 14-15, 2005

NANAINA Summit XI
November 18-19, 2005
Washington D.C.
Mark Your Calendars

This is your chance to see the National Museum. of the American Indian that opened in September. Many of our members were able to go and participate in the opening parade and Pow Wow. However, many of us did not get to go. So, plan early to come to Washington D. C. and attend the conference plus see the sights in our nation’s capital. Additionally, plan to contact your political officials in Washington with your input on health care issues related to Native peoples.

Watch the NANAINA website at www.nanaina.com for the conference announcements.

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Member at Large
Lannette Perkins
NANAINA Member at Large 2005-2007

I receive my ADN fro Salish-Kootenai College in Polston Montana in 1996 and completed my BSN at Montana State University on the Missoula, Montana Campus in 1997. I had originally started nursing in the 1970’s; but interrupted my schooling to gain experience through other opportunities. O owned and operated a delivery service, La Courier in Bozeman, Montana. During this time, I was the only woman, minority transportation business in Montana. I developed management skills as wel as developing schedules specific to each client. I worked as a clinic nurse on the Northern Cheyenne and Crow Reservations in Montana. I have participated i in strategic planning and program development in the rural clinics. At St. Luke’s hospital in Ronan, Montana on the Flathead Reservation, I was involved as a patient care, emergency care and charge nurse duties.

I am a member of Sigma Theta Tau . Our committee research methods to retain and encourage membership participation. As a result, I developed a mentorship program within our chapter. I participate in Montanan State University’s Caring for Our Own Program. I am active in several community groups such as Billings Family Violence Task Force, Northwest Area Foundation, Heritage Planning Committee, and Urban Indian Parenting. I have been active in our local women’s health group, Sacred Hoop for Women’s Wellness. The team has developed a mission and goals. Currently, we are developing a work plan to provide health care services for urban Indian women. I recently received training in the “5 Wishes Program”, that promotes advance directives and end-of-life planning.

In my current position as Native American Patient Advocate at Deaconess Billings Clinic in Billings, Montana, I have promoted advocacy for Indian patients and their families. I have developed cultural and spiritual programs within the facility. I have shared the programs with other facilities both locally and nationally. I have developed contacts and recourses for the patients and families as well as providing education the Deaconess Billings Clinic staff. I have written a Ceremonial Smudging Policy for our hospital and most recently with Aboriginal Health in Ottawa, Canada. I am currently developing a policy for patients to choose whether or not to take body tissues home for cultural and spiritual burial.

I am the mother of two children. My daughter, Kari is a legal secretary in Missoula, Montana. My son, Christopher spent four yeas in the Navy and is currently attending Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana. I am currently planning to continue my education and strive for a Masters in Nursing Education.

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NANAINA Members On-The-Move
Jana Lauderdale, PHD, RN

For more than a decade, the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing has been committed to cultural diversity — from recruitment to grant writing, program development and other efforts. Now, the school has created a new position to focus more closely on the issue. Jana Lauderdale, Ph.D., R.N., has been named the school's first assistant dean for Cultural Diversity.“ She will help us to create an environment here that is comfortable for people with diverse backgrounds. We want to look at diversity from several standpoints, not just cultural, but economical, by gender, and other areas,” said Linda Norman, senior associate dean for Academics at VUSN.She said Lauderdale has worked with VUSN for a number of years as an advisor on cultural diversity issues that affect nursing education, and will continue to build on the work that has already been taking place.

“Over the last 12 years or so, we've seen an increase in minority students and an increase in minorities within our faculty population, and thiscontinues today,” said Norman.

Fifteen percent of master's students and 19 percent of doctoral students at VUSN are minorities, representing Asian, African American, Native American, Hispanic and several other ethnicities. VUSN is also home to 10 international students from seven different countries.“Because of the changing demographics nationwide, we need to increase our content for our students and highlight cultural diversity so our students can be better prepared to address the needs of their future patients,” Norman said.

Lauderdale, a Native American, has a Ph.D. in transcultural nursing.

She has extensive experience working with Native American populations and program design focusing on minority nursing education issues. “I believe my experience, along with the already strong foundation in to strengthen our existing programs, build on established collaborative relationships, support professional development of both students and faculty in the area of cultural diversity, and enhance recruitment and retention strategies for our underrepresented students,” said Lauderdale. “Ultimately, the creation of this office will allow us to focus and intensify our efforts to increase diversity in our health care workforce in order to reflect the communities in which we provide care.”

Lauderdale has already begun several projects, including working with the VUSN Admissions Office to enhance existing minority recruitment, creating a new home for prospective minority students on the VUSN web site, and developing a faculty workshop series to begin this spring. Norman said Lauderdale will also be charged with revising the nursing curriculum related to developing cultural competence. “We want Jana to review our curriculum to get a better feel for what we are teaching, how we are teaching it, and how we can do it better,” said Norman. Lauderdale will also work closely with other programs across the Vanderbilt campus. “We want to increase our minority students' comfort level. They typically tell us they feel isolated,” said Lauderdale. Norman said that doesn't come as a surprise to many people at Vanderbilt who have been working on the issue. “This has been a strategic initiative of the University. Many non-minority students say they come from a more culturally diverse environment than they are part of during their time at Vanderbilt. So we are all working on creating an atmosphere for cultural diversity,” Norman said.

George Hill, Ph.D. Levi Watkins Jr. Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and associate dean for Diversity in Medical Education, has already begun working with Lauderdale to coordinate programs offered by the schools of Nursing and Medicine. “I look forward to continuing to work with Jana Lauderdale and the Vanderbilt School of Nursing to further increase diversity in the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and in particular to jointly promote ways in which we can continue to build upon our institution's ongoing efforts to enhance cultural competency,” Hill said.

Before coming to VUSN, Lauderdale was an associate professor and department head of Family Nursing at Louisiana State University College of Nursing. She has experience working as a reviewer for the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD), and was the former project director of the American Indian Nursing Student Success Program at the University of Oklahoma College of Nursing.

(Taken from the Feb 4, 2005 edition of the Vanderbilt Education Reporter)

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A Pioneer Nurse - Anne Hancock

Anne Hancock - A pioneer Nurse who blazed a Trail for Indian Nursing
By Lannette Perkins

Anne was born December 17, 1914 near Wolf point Montana. Her mother died when she was four months old. Her grandmothers Medicine Cloud and Shooter raised her with Assinoboine being her first language till the age of three, when she began her second language, English. Anne graduated from high school with two scholarships. She began college at UCLA and later transferred to Philadelphia's William Penn School of Nursing. Anne traveled to Sacramento CA, Winslow, AZ, and Pawnee, OK. She returned to Philadelphia where she worked for over 20 years. Anne returned to Ft. Peck Reservation to develop the Community Health Representative (CHR) Program. Anne retired from the CHR Program after 20 years. Anne lived a very productive and active life with her culture, family, and community. Anne enjoyed people and shared her adventures and compassion with the community. Anne' was proud of her family and the family loved their grandmother.

I met Anne while she was hospitalized. I did not know that she had been a nurse, however I was amazed at how calm and trusting she was through all the procedures and treatments she received. I recall one afternoon when the for her. I was confused. Anne had communicated with me, or so I had thought. I found her grandson and grand daughter in law and discussed this with them. I was told she was deaf in one ear. Our staff had been talking on her deaf ear, she understood everything if you were on the good side. I will always remember how calm and trusting Anne was, as she knew more about her diagnosis and treatment plan than we could have imagined.

View the Beautiful Tribute for Native American Nurse Anne Lanell Hancock

View Video - 56k Modem or
View Video - DSL Connection

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Conferences

Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease & Diabetes Among American Indians and Alaska Natives

May 16-May 19 2005
Adam’s Mark Hotel
Denver, CO

Register by MAY 11, 2005


Leadership For Change Conference Native America Women’s Health
An Invitation for Dialogue, Planning, and Commitment to Health


May 19-20 2005
Adam’s Mark Hotel
Denver, CO

Summit on American Indian Health Care: Bridging the Cultural Canyon: Strategies to Reduce Health Inequities for American Indians

June 9-11 2005
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA

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About Notes

Request for Contributions

We would like to continue to “spotlight” a NANAINA Nurse in future Nursing Notes and celebrate professional accomplishments. Please describe your story or another’s story.

Nursing Notes welcomes article submissions.

Please submit contributions by July 15, 2005, for the Summer 2005 issue to:
Martha Baker, Editor, as follows: [email protected] or (417) 830-5058 (office) or (417) 887-4847 (fax).

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Scholarships

Applications are available on the website at http://www.nanaina.com
Deadline for return is Applications is:

MAY 15, 2005
To Roxanne Struthers
At [email protected]

Elections

Elections will be held in September 2005 for NANAINA Board of Directors
and officers. This year we will be electing the following for a two year
term:


Treasurer


President-Elect


Student Representative

Please consider running for NANAINA office or please nominate someone for office. To run for office, the person must consent to run. To be on the ballot for treasurer and president-elect, one must have NANAINA full member status. The student representative must be a student member or a full member who is currently a nursing student.

Contact Roxanne Struthers with nominations at 612-624-8637 or
e-mail: [email protected]

Roxanne Struthers, NANAINA President-Elect


Sponsor of
Nursing Notes
Request for Contributions

We would like to continue to “spotlight” a NANAINA Nurse in future Nursing Notes and celebrate professional accomplishments. Please describe your story or another’s story.

Nursing Notes welcomes article submissions.

Please submit contributions by October 15, 2004, for the Fall 2004 issue to:
Debra Smith, Editor, as follows: [email protected] or
call: (218) 878-2104 (work); or (218) 878-2198 (fax).

Nursing Notes is made possible by the sponsorship of the
Fond du Lac Reservation Business Committee
Cloquet, Minnesota

The Fond du Lac Reservation is one of six Chippewa Indian Reservations in the state of Minnesota organized as the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. The Reservation lies in Northeastern Minnesota adjacent to the city of Cloquet, MN. approximately 20 miles west of Duluth, MN. The Fond du Lac Reservation, established by the LaPointe Treaty of 1854, is one of six Reservations inhabited by members of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. The Chippewa nation is the second largest ethnic group of Indians in the United States



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Internet gems

©2001-2008 National Alaska Native American Indian Nurses Association (NANAINA)
Original Site Design by C. Taha, shawllady.com;
Site Redesigned and Maintained by Tanner Naeher, coyote6.com