American Nurses Association Rhode Island to Hold Annual Summit May 15

On Friday, May 15, the American Nurses Association Rhode Island (ANA-RI, formerly the Rhode Island State Nurses Association) will host its annual summit, Nurses Building a Healthy Rhode Island at the Providence Marriott Downtown. The full-day event will feature a video presentation from United States Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, an address from United States Senator Jack Reed, a presentation on healthcare access by Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services Elizabeth Roberts, and keynote presenter Mary Beth Bigley, Dr.PH, M.S.N., A.N.P.

Dr. Mary Beth Bigley is the Director for the Division of Nursing in the Bureau of Health Professions at Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). In her role, she provides leadership on policies and program initiatives that promote nursing education and practice as well as the supply, skills and distribution of qualified nursing personnel needed to improve the health of the public. This includes increasing the diversity of the nursing workforce to improve access to health care in underserved areas. She also serves as the Chair of the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice. Dr. Bigley is an alumnus of Salve Regina University and former President of the Student Nurses Association of Rhode Island.

The CEU-certified summit will include panels featuring local experts presenting on topics including; healthcare access, healthcare disparities, nursing interventions, prevention, and health promotion.

Health Disparities

Moderator: Sandra Fournier, MSN, RN

· Substance Abuse – Hon. Lisa Tomasso

· Transgender Healthcare – Kira Manser, MSW

· Elder Health – Ombudsman, Kathy Heren, LPN

· Mental Illness – Sylvia Weber, PCNS

· Chronic Comorbidities - Carol Falcone, MSN, RN, APHN-BC

Care Coordination

Moderator: Jeanne Schwager, PhD, APHN-BC

· Nurse Care Coordination In-patient – Susan Amalfitano, MSN, PHCNS-BC

· Patient Centered Medical Homes – Susanne Campbell, MS, RN

· Chronic Disease Management – Virginia Paine, RN, MPH

· Home Based Primary Care for Individuals with Chronic Comorbidities – Alison Croke, MHA

· Community Based Care Coordination for Vulnerable Populations – Sandra Fournier, MSN, RN

Environmental Health

Moderator: Chris Gadbois, DNP, APHN-BC

· Climate Change and Health - Jeanne Leffers, PhD, RN

· Emergency Response to Climate Events - Lorie Cutting, MSN, APRN, AANP-C

· Global Pollutants, Maternal Body Burden - Marcella Thompson, PhD, MS, CSP, RN, COHN-S, FAAOHN

· Environmental Exposures and Asthma – Linda Mendonca, RN, MSN, MEd, NCSN, APHN-BC

Health Care Access

Moderator – Donna Policastro, MSN, RNP

· APRN’s Impact on Access to Primary Care – Alicia Curtin, PH.D, GNP-BC

· Barriers and Facilitators to Access - Jane Hayward, MSW

· Uninsured and underinsured - Marie Ghazal, MSN, RN

· Access for Vulnerable Populations including individuals with Mental Illness or Substance Abuse - Dale Klatzker, PhD

The summit will also provide an opportunity for ANA-RI to recognize four nurses who have made significant contributions to the Health of Rhode Island through nursing leadership. The nurses receiving the American Nurses Association of Rhode Island Nurses Improving Public Health Award are:

Valerie Almeida-Monroe RN, BSN for her leadership as a co-founder of the CHEER walk-in clinic at Clinica Esperanza, which provides health and medical care services to the uninsured and undocumented individuals.

Lynn Blanchette PhD, RN for leading efforts to improve population health in Scituate through the Scituate Health Alliance, a program that provides uninsured and underinsured residents with access to primary health and dental care. Dr. Blanchette was able to encourage students to support the work, with RIC nursing students completing projects including; flu vaccination clinics, health education, and screenings.

Joanne Czerwein, RN, Regina Monteiro, RN, Charlie Speziale, RN, and Rebecca Carley, DNP, APRN-CNP will be honored for exhibiting exemplary nursing leadership through their founding of the nurse-run clinic at the Providence Rescue Mission. The nurse-run clinic demonstrates the powerful impact RNs can have in improving community health, especially in underserved communities.

Linda Medonca RN, MSN, MEd, NCSN, APHN-BC will be honored for the critical role she played in reducing asthma among children through The Healthy Schools Network’s policy campaigns.

The core aims of the campaign were to improve the environmental health for America’s school children. The Healthy Schools network is recognized as the nation’s leading voice for children’s environmental health at school.

Nurses Building a Healthy Rhode Island is made possible with support from our Sponsors.

Landmark Medical Center

The University of Rhode Island, College of Nursing

The Board of the American Nurses Association of Rhode Island

Annette Fonteneau, RNP

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of RI

The Community Care Alliance

Epoch Sleep Centers

The Hospital Association of Rhode Island

Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island

New England Institute of Technology

Recovery Works RI

The Rhode Island Developmental Disabilities Nursing Association

The Rhode Island Nurses Institute

The Rhode Island Nurses Institute Middle College

Rhode Island College, School of Nursing

Salve Regina University

Hope Alzheimer’s Center

For the event invitation follow this link, for ticket information follow this link, for sponsorship information follow this link.

The American Nurses Association Rhode Island (ANA-RI), a constituent member of the American Nurses Association (ANA), is the authority on matters concerning the profession of nursing and nursing practice in the state of Rhode Island. ANA-RI is dedicated to the promotion, advancement, and protection of nursing thereby improving the quality of and access to health care in Rhode Island.