APIC Greater Omaha Chapter

2004 President�s Summary Report

 

Rita White, MA, CIC

 

As I reflect over the past year, I realize that there are many chapter members who have given much of their time and talent to lead our chapter, educate its members, represent us on local, regional and national committees and contribute to our profession in a variety of ways.I say a huge thank-you to all of you.

 

Officers/Board of Directors:

I would like to thank, and recognize the officers who so capably served the chapter this year, donating many hours of time and much effort and expertise.

        Shawn Mueller, President-Elect

        Kristi Felix, Recording Secretary

        Virginia Helget, Membership Secretary

        Teri Fitzgerald, Treasurer

        Judy Ueda, Senior Board Member

        MaryAnn Apfel, Junior Board Member

        Gerri Means, Past President

 

I appreciate Shawn�s willingness to run for President-Elect.She will be a great asset to the chapter and has shown her ability to lead through various committees and projects she has been a part of.Kristi is finishing a second year as Recording Secretary.I always appreciated her promptness and accuracy in getting the minutes and agendas completed and to the website.Virginia has done a great job in keeping our membership list current, and at times trying to make sense of the data from National APIC.We have relied on her for current member demographic information.Teri agreed to step in as Treasurer when Rita Craig resigned and has done an outstanding job with the budget and keeping up with all of the required APIC duties.We look forward to her continued service in 2005.Judy and MaryAnn have provided us with interesting and informative speakers at our chapter education hours.They have also secured contact hours for our Professional Growth Day and Fall Conference.This is no small feat; it takes a lot of organization and we thank you for your efforts.Finally, Gerri Means has been a great support and mentor for me.Her �email� was always open to me and believe me I used it.Thank you for your support Gerri.

 

Education:

����������� Our Senior and Junior Board members coordinated six educational programs for the chapter, which were presented at our monthly meetings.A total of 19.7 contact hours were offered for 3 programs:Long Term Care 6.5 contact hours, Professional Growth Day 6.0 contact hours and Fall Conference 7.2 contact hours.I recommend and thank the Chairpersons and committee members of the Long Term Care Committee, Professional Growth Committee and Fall Conference Committee for the outstanding programs and speakers I also want to thank all of the facilities who hosted our meetings and fed us wonderful treats.Your hospitality is appreciated.

��������������� NICN (Nebraska Infection Control Network) continues to provide educational training for new ICPs in long term care and small hospital settings.Faculty includes members from our chapter.I served as the APIC chapter representative to the NICN board.Sharon Babel served on the board, and Virginia Helget also serves on the board and is instrumental in coordinating NICNs programs.

����������� Over 20 members attended the APIC National Education Conference in Phoenix in June.The weather was hot (110� F in the shade), but we kept cool and had a great time and learned a lot.Members returned and presented the information from the Conference to the Greater Omaha chapter and Western Nebraska Chapter at Professional Growth Day in July.

 

Membership:

Our membership has continued to hold steady in �difficult� economic times.We are currently at 110 members.

 

Treasurer:

���������� The year-end balance was $13,512.63.(See attached 2004 Balance Sheet).Upon annual review of the budget, the Finance committee recommended to the members that we not offer $500.00 to the Senior Board Member or Membership Secretary for National Convention 2005 in order have a more balanced budget.The membership voted to accept the 2005 proposed budget.These monies to support these officers at National Convention will continue to be reviewed annually.

Finally, the chapter greatly appreciates all of the financial assistance, sponsored booths and speaker honorariums provided by our vendors.Their support and sponsorship are invaluable to us in our efforts to provide quality education and have access to product information.

 

Other Officers/Board Members:

����������� The MDRO task force completed the draft Guidelines for Management of Patients with Multidrug-Resistant Organisms.This document has been sent to Dr. Safranek and chapter members for feedback.Jude Dean from the State Health Department is acting as the liaison between the task force and the Health Department.When the final copy is ready, the Health Department will be mailing to healthcare facilities in the state.We thank this task force for all of its hard work and perseverance to develop a working document that can be used by ICPs in a variety of health care settings.Well done!

����������� Larry Krebsbach, Chapter Legislative Representative, has continued to keep us updated on National Correspondence regarding important legislative issues including: the CMS and Federal Fire code regulations on placement of alcohol handrubs in facilities; the Mandatory Reporting initiatives and the APIC sponsored Mandatory Reporting Conference to be held in February 2005 to develop an APIC strategic plan and discuss issues; and the Omnibus Appropriations Bill with Fit-Testing Provisions including the Wicker � sponsored report language advising OSHA to take no further action on respiratory protection for occupational exposure to TB until the CDC has completed the ongoing revisions of its TB guidelines.

Sandi Vyhlidal as chapter-nursing liaison to LGNNO, has continued to keep us updated on state legislative bills.She is also the APIC representative to OMMRS, is an ICP for the Medical Reserve, serves on the Omaha Immunization Coalition along with Ann Lorenzen and Sharon Plummer, is a member of the National APIC Awards and Nominations Committee.

����������� Sharon Medcalf and Virginia Helget have been our link to bioterrorism education, funding and the latest bioterrorism news.

����������� Librarian/Historian Sharon Plummer as maintained our library and historical documents.These are also available on the GOAPIC website.

����������� Lori Snyder, webmaster of the chapter GOAPIC website continues to keep us updated in a timely manner on chapter news as well as links to other sites applicable to Infection Control.Lori does a tremendous job.What did we ever do without the Internet?

����������� Other members serve in a variety of ways and provide expertise to benefit the profession:

        Gerri Means served as a board member for Three Rivers Health Department.

        Connie Hyde won the Nebraska Nurses� Association Nurse of the Year Award.

        Several members have attended APIC sponsored ICE 1 and ICE 2 classes for their own professional development.

        Jan Keuchel and Lee Scholz � Poster presentation at 2004 APIC National Conference �Saving Dollars Through Innovative Strategies in Biohazardous Waste Reduction�

        Dr. Mark Rupp � �Prospective, Controlled, Cross-Over Trial of an Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer in an ICU Setting�, Abstract, SHEA, 2004.

        Nedra Marion � Oral Presentation, Nebraska Hospital Association Safety Health Care Conference, Sept. 2004 �Infection Control Environmental Issues in Health Care�.

        Rupp, Fitzgerald, Marion, Helget, Puumala, Anderson, Fey � �Effect of silver-coated urinary catheters:Efficacy, cost-effectiveness, and antimicrobial resistance�AJIC, December 2004 Vol 32, No.8

        Sandi Vyhlidal � author of APIC text, chapter 56 � Sterile Processing.

        Kristi Felix � author of APIC text, chapter 65; Excellence in Nursing Award by the March of Dimes in the category of Ambulatory Nursing /Infection Control, Nov. 2004

        Peg Luebbert presented at National AORN on Emerging Pathogens, collaborated with local HyVee stores to do presentations on Vaccine, presented at NE and IA EMS Conferences on Syndromic Surveillance and Chaired the National Committee for Development of National Guidelines �Managing Medical Device Hazards and Recalls� for Laboratory Standards Institute.

        Peg Luebbert, Dr. Rupp and myself serve on the newly formed Nebraska Appropriate Antibiotic Use Coalition.Strategic planning is in progress, with development of interventions planned for 2005.

        Mary Auxier, Judy Ueda and Mary Ann Apfel recertified in Infection Control.

        Other members have presented locally on IC topics, worked on APIC Text committees, and served on National Committees.�� WOW!We are an extremely active chapter.

 

Awards:

Barb Baldwin � Early Bird Registration Scholarship

Mary Heidemann � Bright Idea Award

Sharon Medcalf � Distinguished Service Award

 

There were no changes in the bylaws in 2004.

 

 

 

 

Nominating Committee:

����������� The Nominating Committee included Lynda Zieg, Chairperson, Lee Scholz and Dawn Jourdan.They recruited a great slate of candidates and we all appreciate their willingness to serve and dedication to the organization and profession.

 

Officers/Board Members 2005:

 

President:Shawn Mueller

President Elect:Kristi Felix

Treasurer:Teri Fitzgerald

Recording Secretary:Peg Luebbert

Membership Secretary:Virginia Helget

Senior Board Member:MaryAnn Apfel

Junior Board Member:Jan Keuchal

Past President:Rita White

 

Please give them your support and consider serving when asked, or VOLUNTEER, its very rewarding.

 

Again, it�s been a pleasure and an honor to serve as your 2004 President.The best to all of you in 2005.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APIC

 

Greater Omaha Area Chapter #064

 

 

Historian Annual Report for 2004

 

 

 

Historical documents date from the beginning in 1971 through the present, including the National APIC Charter received June 29, 1979.

 

Chapter documents have been maintained with the addition of the 2004 documents as appropriate.

 

Documents include minutes, education, financial, and membership information.

 

Historical reports are available to the membership for resumes, and clarification of issues

 

Understanding our history illuminates the path to the future.We can improve only if we build on the best ofwhere we�ve been, how we got here, and who helped us along the way.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Sharon Plummer

Historian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APIC

Greater Omaha Area Chapter #064

 

 

Library Resources Annual Report for 2004

 

 

 

The Library resources of the Greater Omaha Area Chapter # 064 continues to be maintained, increased, and utilized in 2004.

 

Books, CD ROMs, andAudio tapes from National APIC Educational Conference 2004 have been added.

 

A listing of the Library resources and resource acquisition is available on the Internet website.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Sharon Plummer,

Librarian

 

 

 

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