Ahh, September -- kids heading back
to school, football on TV, and one of the loveliest months of the year in our Puget Sound region. Enjoy the transition!
And be sure to check out the line-up of continuing education offerings for fall under CONTINUE YOUR EDUCATION, below. Register for any and all at
www.kcnurses.org
.
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Sue Vermeulen & Rose Williamson
KCNA Staff
P.S. There's still time to register to help out at the Seattle/King County Clinic, September 20-23. See the article under VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME, below.
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News2Use is published monthly for KCNA members and other nurses throughout King County. To comment or submit content, email [email protected].
To register to receive the newsletter, click here. |
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KCNA'S FALL LINE-UP: CONTINUING EDUCATION
More information about these events is available at
* KCNA Fall Nursing Summit:
Helping the Homeless
Saturday, October 27 * 8:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Good Shepherd Center, Wallingford
Certificate of Completion
This event will include a presentation about the Seattle-King County Clinic, an annual event offering care for the underserved. A panel discussion will include practical tips for working with the homeless, with representatives from several local agencies who serve this population. There will be plenty of time for questions!
Thursday, November 8 * 6:15 - 8:30 p.m.
Ivar's Salmon House, Seattle
This seminar is designed to help registered nurses navigate the Seattle real estate market through secure lending options, including first-time home buying, refinancing and special programs available to RNs. There will be time for questions. Presenter Sandora Tiburcio, Senior Mortgage Advisor for Salal Credit Union, has 20 years' experience as a mortgage broker and banker. Dinner will be provided.
*
Seminar:
Practical Self-Care Skills for Nurses
Tuesday, December 4 * 5:30 - 8 p.m.
Good Shepherd Center, Wallingford
2-hour Certificate of Completion
Learn and practice simple yet effective skills to reduce stress and boost resilience. Make space to appreciate the ordinary moments in life. The discussion will include compassion fatigue, burnout and practical tips for coping, with Phil Cohen, LAc and Jill Ghormley, ND.
Be the ONE: Learn Mental Health First Aid
 The National Council for Behavioral Health plans to train one million people across the country in Mental Health First Aid, an 8-hour interactive course. Given the large number of people with depression, anxiety, panic attacks, suicidal thoughts, drug addiction and other conditions, the Council points out that an individual in the U.S. is more likely to witness an emotional crisis than a heart attack. For more information about Mental Health First Aid (offering 8 hours of nursing education credit), click
here.
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SPOTLIGHT ON HOMELESSNESS
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Court rules on ordinance against camping on streets
The 9th
U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals--hearing the case of six homeless Boise, Idaho residents who sued over a local ordinance that banned sleeping in public places--has ruled that cities can't prosecute people for sleeping on the streets if they have nowhere else to go. The court said such treatment would amount to cruel and unusual punishment. The ruling could affect other cities on the west coast, many of which struggle with homelessness brought on by rising costs of housing and income inequality. Read more
here
.
County pilots innovative solution for shelter, housing
The King County Department of Community and Human Services has placed an order for 29 modular units to house approximately 100 people. These affordable, mobile units can be placed into service much faster than those built by traditional construction. The County is also partnering with the City of Shoreline on a supportive housing project for 80-100 people that proposes to model modular construction for permanent affordable housing development. Modular is a type of housing in which the components are manufactured elsewhere and then assembled at the building site; it allows for custom construction at economical prices. Read more
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TED Talk: Practical way to help the homeless
Intereste
d in hearing about different approaches to helping th
e homeless? View the TED talk entitled "A Practical Way to help the homeless find work and safety," with R
ichard J. Berry, former mayor of Albuquerque, N.M. Berry describes an interactive program called "There's a Better Way," that helped his city address issues of homelessness. Watch
.
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| NATIONAL HEALTH OBSERVANCES |
September is National Preparedness Month
Each September, the CDC supports emergency preparedness efforts and encourages the public to take action before, during and after a public health emergency such as a national health outbreak or national disaster. This year's theme is "Prepare Your Health." Visit here to learn more.
Also. . . National Childhood Obesity Awareness
Month
can have negative effects on the emotional and physical
health of young people. Although there are many factors that contribute to childhood obesity, communities can provide social and physical supports that help youth learn and adopt healthy eating habits and reduce or prevent childhood obesity. More information is available
here
.
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Nominate an extraordinary nurse!
Each year, th
e loc
al March of Dimes pays tribute to the nursing profession by recognizing extraordinary nurses throughout the community. The Nurse of the Year awards are given in 12 categories, including advocacy, emergency, home health, research, pediatric and women's health. The awards will be presented at the Nurse of the Year breakfast on Wednesday, November 14 at Washington State Convention Center. To nominate a nurse or register for the event, click here.
Nightingale: Musical brings her story to life
In
the musical
Nightingale,
Pamela Gerke brings
the life and passion of 
cele
bration of Nightingale's 200th
birthday, HEARTS (Health Enriched
by th
e
Arts) will take the show to nursing schools, organizations and healthc
are institutions in 2019-20.
Two staged readings will be held September 23 and 27 in West Seattle. Learn more
here
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NURSING NEWS & CLINICAL ISSUES
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Seattle/King County Public Health blogs about vaping
The number of young people who are vaping has significantly increased in King County. In 2016, 10% of 8th, 10th and 12th graders used e-cigarettes, compared to 5% who smoked cigarettes.
In 2012, only 3% of 8
th
, 10
th
and 12
th
graders used e-cigarettes, an increase of 7% in four years. In Seattle schools last year, 90% of student tobacco violations were for vaping, and just over half of them involved the product JUUL. More information
here
.
Experts debate FluMist as influenza season approaches 
Dr. Paul Offit,
a pediatrician specializing in infectious disease and an expert on vaccines, immunology, and virology,
has weighed in on the debate over the use of FluMist for the coming flu season. In a recent article reviewing both sides of the debate,
he concludes that FluMist and the inactivated virus vaccine (shot) can now be used interchangeably for those aged 2 to 49 years. View the article, "FluMist: Reasonable Vaccine Option or 'Last Resort' for the Upcoming Flu Season?," here.
Thinning of retina may be linked to early Parkinson's
The eyes may be a window to the brain for people with early Parkinson's disease. Individuals with with the disease gradually lose brain cells that produce dopamine, a substance that helps control movement. A study published recently in
Neurology
found that the thinning of the retina, a lining of nerve cells in the back of the eye, is linked to the loss of these brain cells. To learn more, click
here
.
FDA approves first generic epinephrine auto-injectors
The Food and Drug Administration has announced its approval of generic versions of EpiPen and EpiPen Jr. auto-injectors for emergency treatment of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, in adults and children who weigh more than 33 pounds. Teva Pharmaceuticals USA will market the generic epinephrine auto-injector in .3 and .15 mg strengths. News release is
here
.
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Want to connect? Join MentorLink
KCNA's MentorLink program matches recent graduates and nurses new to a position with KCNA members who are experienced nurses. The program is designed to be fun, flexible and inspirational, helping students and new nurses find greater satisfaction in professional pursuits while allowing experienced nurses to "give back." Mentor and mentee applications are due by October 15 and there will be on orientation on October 24. More information here.
Seattle/King County Clinic: Can you help?
The Seattle/King County Clinic, a four-day event offering medical, dental and vision services to underserved in our region, is just one week away -- September 20-23. While they have the nurse volunteers they need, there are other categories of help that are needed, including general support, interpreters, social workers (Thursday, Friday, Saturday) and nurse practitioners for physical exams (Sunday). If you can help out, click
here
.
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4649 Sunnyside Avenue North Room 352 Seattle, WA 98103
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