University of Virginia Health System

U.VA. NURSES TO VOICE CONCERNS AT FIRST-TIME CONGRESS

Giving nurses more control over their profession, and thereby improving patient care, is the goal of the first annual Nursing Congress at the University of Virginia Health System. On Friday, Dec. 7, beginning at 9:00 a.m., more than 50 delegates elected by U.Va.'s staff of 1,600 registered nurses will participate in the day-long event at the Rotunda.

A nursing congress like this is very rare, said Terry Lucas, registered nurse, patient care services manager for acute care pediatrics and president of the professional nursing staff at U.Va. It's designed to give the registered nurses who are the front-line caregivers a chance to have their concerns voiced by representatives they elect, in a truly democratic manner.

The Congress is required by the bylaws established last year for the Professional Staff Nursing Organization at U.Va.

This is a way for nurses to work together in a structured way to voice their concerns about their practices and work environment, ultimately benefiting patient care, said Carol Lawson, a registered U.Va. nurse and chairman of the Congress.

Following a welcome by Leonard Sandridge, executive vice president and chief operating officer of U.Va., and an introduction by Pamela F. Cipriano, chief clinical officer of the U.Va. Health System, the program will feature keynote speaker Suzanne Gordon, co-author of From Silence to Voice: What Nurses Know and Must Communicate to the Public.

Gordon is an award-winning Canadian journalist, who has written two other books for the general public about front-line nursing. She is an adjunct professor at McGill University and a commentator on Public Radio International's Marketplace.

The Congress also will address nursing governance and management, clinical practice issues, professional development and recognition and morale. Uplifting morale for nurses is especially important now with the nursing shortage, Lawson said. We need to hone more ways to do that.

Low salaries are always a concern among nurses, Lucas said. But beyond compensation, the bottom line is giving nurses control over their practice so they can provide the best patient care possible, she said. This Congress is a significant step in being able to demonstrate that nurses in our institution do have a voice in how they perform their work and interact with other health care professionals.

Next year's elected officials and nursing cabinet appointments also will be announced at the Congress, and attendees will be invited to celebrate the Professional Nursing Staff Organization members' contributions during the past year.

November 27, 2001