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AANN Is Proud to Present Synapse E-News

It’s the news we’ve all been waiting for: Welcome, everyone, to the unveiling of AANN’s new electronic newsletter—Synapse E-News! With the same look and usefulness as the printed version, from this point forward, your bimonthly Synapse newsletter will be delivered 100% electronically! It includes the same helpful and valued information as in the past—now in a more timely and convenient format!
    AANN has held true to our pledge of joining the electronic age. Not only are we committed to being on top of the technological times, but by communicating electronically, we’re also taking care of our environment.
    So welcome aboard! The online Synapse E-News is a great resource for all, and we can’t wait to share the enthusiasm. To make this venture even more successful, we need your help in keeping your information updated. If AANN does not have your current contact information (specifically your current e-mail address), you will be missing out on this and other valuable news. Visit www.AANN.org or call 888/557-2266 to update your information today.

40th Annual Educational Meeting: It Was an Event to Remember

Whether it was listening to one of the exciting keynote speakers, attending a breakout session, viewing historical story boards, or painting the town red at the Ruby Lounge Anniversary Reception, there’s no question that the AANN 40th Annual Educational Meeting was the don’t-miss event that will set the standard for the next 40 years. To view pictures from the meeting, click here.
    The 2008 meeting had the highest attendance in AANN history, with nearly 1,100 AANN members and neuroscience colleagues celebrating our special anniversary year. New features at this year’s event included electronic session handouts, badge confirmations, and postconference meeting evaluations, all of which demonstrate AANN’s commitment to staying abreast of technology and venturing further into the electronic age.
    Also making its debut this year was the AANN Membership Breakfast Meeting. More than 350 people attended the event, which was held early Sunday morning. AANN President Sue Fowler shared highlights from the financial and strategic initiatives outlined in the 2007 AANN Annual Report. Following the presentation, Fowler asked attendees to discuss a list of questions with fellow members seated at the breakfast table and then to share their findings with the board. The questions included:

• What are the key challenges you are facing in your practice?
• How can AANN help address these challenges?
• What should AANN engage in now and in the future to meet your needs?
• What activities should AANN no longer engage in and why?

    People at more than 40 tables summarized their discussions and submitted their findings in writing to the board. This information will be reviewed by the board and a report will be shared with the membership.
    The membership meeting ended with a raffle and one attendee, Corinne Donnici, won a free registration for next year’s annual meeting in Las Vegas. The AANN Membership Breakfast Meeting will be a part of the annual meeting again next year, and we hope that you will make plans to attend it.
    In addition to the 40th anniversary activities, there were many other reasons to celebrate, including inducting honorary member Dr. Joanne Hickey and announcing the AANN award recipients and the 2008 Spirit of Neuroscience Nursing Photo Contest winner.

AANN Honorary Member Joanne Hickey, PhD RN ACNP BC CNRN FAAN	Excellence in Advanced Practice Nursing Joanne Turner, MSN RN CNRN
Excellence in Clinical Practice Dennis Baker, BSN RN	Excellence in Neuroscience Nursing Education Diane Masciangelo, BSN RN CNRN
Rising Star in Clinical Practice Kristine Machingo, RN RDMS	Melanie Minton CNRN of the Year Patricia Blissitt, PhD APRN BC RN CCM CCRN CNRN
Outstanding Chapter of the Year Mid-South Chapter (TN, AR, MS)	2008 Spirit of Neuroscience Nursing Photo Contest Jane Miller, nurse manager at the Cleveland Clinic “Still Mommy’s Little Girl”

    The 2008 Annual Educational Meeting was truly an event to remember, and with each passing milestone, AANN meetings grow bigger and better because of the excellence and dedication from members, volunteer leaders, staff, and the neuro community. Be sure to mark your calendars for next year’s meeting—March 28–31, 2009. AANN painted the town red in Nashville, TN, but the bets are high that we’ll be drawing aces in Las Vegas!

Get Ready for Neuroscience Nurses Week 2008!

Neuroscience Nurses Week (NNW) is almost here and we want you to be ready! Presented by the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses (AANN), the American Board of Neuroscience Nursing (ABNN), and the Neuroscience Nursing Foundation (NNF), this special week, May 18–24, 2008, honors the time, value, and commitment that neuroscience nurses across the country and around the globe dedicate to their patients and families.
    We want you to join in! AANN will be sending out highlighted tips and special activities to help you prepare for the big week. Not only do these events bring us together, but they also help increase exposure and heighten community awareness of the valuable contributions neuroscience nurses make year-round. From luncheons to open houses, or a dedicated Neuroscience Nurses Day, the event possibilities and reasons to celebrate are endless! For recognition events, ideas, and giveaways, don’t forget to check out www.AANN.org.
    Also, keep an eye on the mail for your special 2008 NNW gift. AANN supports and thanks you for your dedication and the passionate work you continue to do. As an added recognition feature, free continuing education (CE) opportunities will again be offered throughout the entire month of May! Free CEs will begin at 9 am (CDT) on May 1 and will be available anytime until June 1, 2008 (9 am CDT), a value of $15 per contact hour. Free CEs can be earned by reading any—or all—online articles from the Journal of Neuroscience Nursing, Care of the Patient with Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: AANN Clinical Practice Guideline Series, and Blood Pressure Management in Acute Neurologic Emergencies: A Multidisciplinary Approach. Visit www.aann.org/ce/index.htm to get started.
    So join us in observing this special week dedicated to you and your colleagues, your patients, and their families. Let the celebrations begin!

Explore AANN Volunteer Opportunities

One of the major reasons the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses (AANN) continues to grow and thrive is due to the many hours of work performed by our dedicated volunteers. Now is your chance to volunteer with AANN. Starting this summer, our “Willingness to Serve” form will be replaced with an online volunteer activities board. The new online volunteer board will allow you to search for volunteer opportunities, edit your volunteer profile, and upload your CV. You will be able to log in and edit your profile at any time, with real-time revisions.
     In addition, you will be able to review the list of committees and projects to find areas where you would like to contribute your time and talents. If you are not sure where you can best contribute, you can click on each committee or project and read a detailed description. You will receive notification when the new volunteer board is accessible. A link to the volunteer board also will be available on the AANN home page, www.AANN.org.

JNN News: Seeking Reviewers and Manuscripts

The Journal of Neuroscience Nursing (JNN) is seeking individuals to review manuscripts prior to publication. As a peer reviewer, you will provide feedback to authors based on clinical, administrative, or research expertise. Reviews are completed electronically; all reviews are blinded. Typically, you will be asked to return manuscripts with suggested revisions within a 2-week period. If you are interested, please complete the new reviewer form on the JNN page of the AANN Web site (www.AANN.org/journal/index.htm) and submit it to jnn@aann.org with an electronic cover letter briefly outlining your reasons for wanting to become a reviewer.
     JNN also is issuing a call for manuscripts. Both new and experienced authors are welcome; a new author-mentor program is available. Although JNN is a clinically focused journal, we do publish topics addressing nursing practice as a whole; research articles are encouraged as well.
    Do you need topic ideas? A wide variety of articles are possible. JNN is actively seeking manuscripts in the following areas:

• case studies describing approaches to care for a challenging or unique patient
• outcomes studies
• geriatric aspects of neuroscience nursing
• pediatric-focused articles
• novel drug therapies for neurologic diseases
• intraoperative considerations and surgical instrumentation
• focused assessment articles (e.g., spine assessment)
• new products related to neuroscience nursing care
• literature review of a neuroscience-related topic
• home care of the chronic neurologically impaired patient
• nursing management in the neuroscience outpatient settings (e.g., nurse-managed back pain clinic)
• ethical issues in neuroscience nursing
• care of the patient undergoing neurointerventional procedures
• noninvasive surgical and treatment techniques
• collaborative approaches to care.

Correction

In the “Thank You, AANN 2007 Volunteers!” article that appeared in the March 2008 issue of Synapse, Kathryn Van Dyke Hayes was incorrectly listed as part of the Awards Committee. Kathryn O’Hara should have been listed as a member of the Awards Committee instead. We apologize for our error.