ASBN Edition 42 : Page 4

Executive Director’s Message FAITH A. FIELDS, MSN, RN THINGS YOUR MOTHER NEVER TAUGHT YOU…BUT SHOULD HAVE Spring has sprung! Or it will soon … but flu season is still here! Speaking of flu season, I had a unique opportunity to work in the health department’s mass flu shot clinics this year. What an experience! I have to tell you that I have a renewed respect for all our public health nurses. I arrived 30 minutes early the first day, expecting to help set up shop. Low and behold, people were scurrying around like Santa’s workshop, and the entire building was almost completely set up and ready for the hundreds of people who were already anxiously waiting. These health department ladies and gentlemen had done this before! They had stations set up, papers ready, vaccine out, syringes, alcohol-the whole works prepared for the onslaught of the day. And an onslaught it was indeed. We served thousands of Arkansans in each day’s time. The coordination it takes for these angels to do their work is nothing short of amazing. Down to the lunch brought in for the employees and volunteers, it was all arranged. My hat is off to these ladies and gentlemen. If you see a public health nurse or anyone who works for the Arkansas Department of Health this year, thank them for what they do. They certainly deserve it. You will see some pictures of the massive assistance they have provided to Arkansas citizens in this issue of the ASBN Update. Can you believe that 2010 is here? It’s almost hard to say. This will be an important year for the board of nursing. The board will be giving out the first of our nursing student loans this month to “would-be” educators to help them obtain a higher degree in nursing. Congratulations to the first recipients. We hope more people will apply for the fall semester. Look for the link to the application on our Web site. The board will be choosing another executive director. The applications are in and interviews will begin in the coming months. I will take the opportunity in the next two issues of the ASBN Update to reminisce over the last 19 years about the changes we have seen and the accomplishments the board has made during my tenure. I look forward to the next phase of my life. As I told the board, my next job doesn’t pay very well but it comes with a lot of perks. I look forward to becoming a full time “Nana” July 1 of this year. If a tree falls in the woods, and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? You’ve heard that, haven’t you? It’s a hypothetical question. At the Board of Nursing, we often get questions from individuals with hypothetical situations. If a nurse did this or that, is it considered outside their scope of practice? If someone reported a nurse to the board for doing this or that, what will happen to him/her? Sometimes we can answer the question, and sometimes it is a little more complex than a simple answer. With that in mind, I thought I’d share with you a few tips. I’ll call them “Things your mother never taught you … But should have.” • Don’t take other people’s medicine. That means, don’t steal medicines from your work place. Hello, those medicines don’t belong to you. It also means do not self-medicate with prescriptions that are not yours. Just because you are related to a person doesn’t mean you can take their prescription drugs! • Don’t chart things you didn’t do. Not only is that lying, it is unprofessional conduct. • Be honest on employment applications regarding your previous work history, even if you know they will not give you a good reference. It is considered unprofessional conduct not to. • Be nice to nursing students. They may someday relieve you to be home with your family on Christmas! • When you are tired, don’t agree to work overtime. Working under those circumstances may make you as impaired as someone using drugs. Just say no! • Take care of yourself. You matter too! Get a pedicure, a massage, go play golf, do something just for you! Instead of New Year’s resolutions that you won’t keep, make one to be better to yourself this year … then do it! Until next time, thank you for taking the time to read the magazine, and we hope it is helpful to you in keeping you apprised of the changes in Arkansas law and rules related to your practice. 4 501.686.2700

Executive Director's Message

THINGS YOUR MOTHER NEVER TAUGHT YOU…BUT SHOULD HAVE Spring has sprung! Or it will soon … but flu season is still here! Speaking of flu season, I had a unique opportunity to work in the health department’s mass flu shot clinics this year. What an experience! I have to tell you that I have a renewed respect for all our public health nurses. I arrived 30 minutes early the first day, expecting to help set up shop. Low and behold, people were scurrying around like Santa’s workshop, and the entire building was almost completely set up and ready for the hundreds of people who were already anxiously waiting. These health department ladies and gentlemen had done this before! They had stations set up, papers ready, vaccine out, syringes, alcohol-the whole works prepared for the onslaught of the day. And an onslaught it was indeed. We served thousands of Arkansans in each day’s time. The coordination it takes for these angels to do their work is nothing short of amazing. Down to the lunch brought in for the employees and volunteers, it was all arranged. My hat is off to these ladies and gentlemen. If you see a public health nurse or anyone who works for the Arkansas Department of Health this year, thank them for what they do. They certainly deserve it. You will see some pictures of the massive assistance they have provided to Arkansas citizens in this issue of the ASBN Update. Can you believe that 2010 is here? It’s almost hard to say. This will be an important year for the board of nursing. The board will be giving out the first of our nursing student loans this month to “would-be” educators to help them obtain a higher degree in nursing. Congratulations to the first recipients. We hope more people will apply for the fall semester. Look for the link to the application on our Web site. The board will be choosing another executive director. The applications are in and interviews will begin in the coming months. I will take the opportunity in the next two issues of the ASBN Update to reminisce over the last 19 years about the changes we have seen and the accomplishments the board has made during my tenure. I look forward to the next phase of my life. As I told the board, my next job doesn’t pay very well but it comes with a lot of perks. I look forward to becoming a full time “Nana” July 1 of this year. If a tree falls in the woods, and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? You’ve heard that, haven’t you? It’s a hypothetical question. At the Board of Nursing, we often get questions from individuals with hypothetical situations. If a nurse did this or that, is it considered outside their scope of practice? If someone reported a nurse to the board for doing this or that, what will happen to him/her? Sometimes we can answer the question, and sometimes it is a little more complex than a simple answer. With that in mind, I thought I’d share with you a few tips. I’ll call them “Things your mother never taught you … But should have.” • Don’t take other people’s medicine. That means, don’t steal medicines from your work place. Hello, those medicines don’t belong to you. It also means do not self-medicate with prescriptions that are not yours. Just because you are related to a person doesn’t mean you can take their prescription drugs! • Don’t chart things you didn’t do. Not only is that lying, it is unprofessional conduct. • Be honest on employment applications regarding your previous work history, even if you know they will not give you a good reference. It is considered unprofessional conduct not to. • Be nice to nursing students. They may someday relieve you to be home with your family on Christmas! • When you are tired, don’t agree to work overtime. Working under those circumstances may make you as impaired as someone using drugs. Just say no! • Take care of yourself. You matter too! Get a pedicure, a massage, go play golf, do something just for you! Instead of New Year’s resolutions that you won’t keep, make one to be better to yourself this year … then do it! Until next time, thank you for taking the time to read the magazine, and we hope it is helpful to you in keeping you apprised of the changes in Arkansas law and rules related to your practice.

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