ANA is inviting nurses to submit theme ideas for National Nurses Week 2009. The theme for 2008 was "Nurses Making a Difference Every Day". The following describes the guidelines to use for theme development. Guidelines:

• Must be a positive statement about nurses/nursing
• Must be concise with no more than five words
• Must be representational of all nurses

Submissions will be accepted through Sept. 30, 2008. Email your suggestions to catherine.wiafe@ana.org with "2009 National Nurses Week Theme Idea" in the subject line.

Free telephonic counseling and a 24-hour Nurse Helpline established for impacted members

WellPoint announced revised medical and pharmacy guidelines to help members who are directly impacted by Hurricane Ike. In addition, a 24-hour nurse helpline -- 1-866-417-7107 -- has been established to assist members.

The revised guidelines will help members who are impacted by Hurricane Ike access needed medical care and prescription drugs.

Members affected by the hurricane should seek medical assistance wherever it is available and have their medications refilled at any pharmacy or shipped to them at an alternative address.

In addition, from Sept. 12 through Sept. 19, 2008, for members evacuating from Texas and Louisiana, all providers caring for affected members will be considered "in-network" providers, and affected members will not be required to satisfy prior authorization, pre-certification or referral requirements during this time.

These revisions apply to affected members living in Texas and Louisiana who are under a mandatory evacuation and who are covered by UniCare, WellPoint NextRx and WellPoint affiliated health plans in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, Nevada, Ohio, Wisconsin and Virginia. More information on WellPoint's affiliated health plans can be found at http://www.wellpoint.com/business/about_family.asp .

  For impacted members, WellPoint is:
  -- Suspending requirements for prior authorization and pre-certification.

-- Suspending requirements for authorization or referral from a primary care physician.

-- Allowing the affected members to see any physician necessary to provide access to care.

-- Paying all claims as in-network, regardless of whether or not the health care provider is in network.

-- Suspending early refill limits and shipping prescriptions to members at alternative addresses.

-- Suspending utilization management (UM) review of in-hospital cases.

These medical and pharmacy guidelines are effective Sept. 12 through Sept. 19, 2008. At that time, it will be determined if these guidelines need to be extended.

WellPoint's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is offering free telephonic counseling and referral services for the next 30 days to all members in the areas impacted by the hurricane. Services include access to a resource-rich Web site and telephonic consultations with professional counselors. The EAP program is available 24 hours a day by calling, toll-free, 1-800-765-4446, or by logging into the EAP member Web site at www.anthemeap.com and entering the password "hurricane."

For additional questions, members should call the phone number on the back of their membership card. If they do not have their card, they should call 1- 866-417-7107.

 Defining Nurses' Lounge Magazine

This past weekend I spoke with a nurse who complained about the nursing magazines she received. She was not one of our readers, so I can understand why she would want to reduce the amount of paper she sends to the recycling bin. However, let me share with you my goals for Nurses' Lounge magazine so that you can understand how Nurses' Lounge is a unique publication. Since I started with the magazine, my goal has been to make a positive contribution to the profession by validating, empowering and informing our readers.

To validate we seek to recognize those in the field who stand out among their peers for striving for excellence, or simply demonstrate through story how nursing is truly the best career choice for those looking to care for others. For example, this month we feature Dian Adams on page six who recently joined Medical Center of Arlington as CNO, and we tell the story of unit secretary Alicia Garza on page four whose life was saved by her coworkers when she called in sick with a headache that turned out to be a subarachnoid hemorrhage in her brain. 

To empower we want to show nurses that they have the ability to take charge of their present and future, whether personally, such as the nurses on page 14 who are taking charge of their future by attending online classes for advanced degrees; or like Deb Taylor on page 20, who decided she wanted to reclaim her life by losing more than 170 lbs. in less than a year. She is truly an inspiration.

To inform, we strive to provide topics that will contribute to the nursing profession. We are fortunate to have assistance in meeting this goal from UTA, who provides our CE articles (page 23) each month to help you expand your professional knowledge while earning CE credit at the same time.

So far, the positive feedback and reception our magazine has received makes me feel that we are meeting our goals. Please remember that we are here for you, so if you have an idea for a story or if you would like to contribute one yourself, please drop me a note at aarmstrong@nurseslounge.com.

More than 2,000 healthcare workers launched a 24-hour strike up and down California today, calling on the Daughters of Charity Health System to improve patient care.

Caregivers represented by SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West organized the strike in response to what they claim are "continued attempts to undermine the voice of caregivers in how quality care is delivered, and to protest a series of unfair labor practices committed by management, including the failure of hospital administration to bargain in good faith."

The strike began at 6 a.m. and will continue for 24 hours at five different hospitals in California: St. Francis Medical Center near Los Angeles, Seton Medical Center in Daly City, Seton Coastside in Moss Beach, St. Louise Regional Hospital in Gilroy, and O'Connor Hospital in San Jose.

Caregivers at the five hospitals have been in negotiations for a new contract since March.

Daughter: "Can I watch Snow Buddies and watch how they mated?"
Me: "Why do you want to watch how they mated?"
Daughter: "Cause I want to."
Me:"Yeah, but why do you want to watch that?"
Daughter: "To see how they make all the dogs and places and snow and stuff."
Me:" Oh...how they made it..."

She is, of course, refering to the "Making of" bonus features on the DVD.

Daddy dodges another bullet and lives to tell about it...