WOCN St. Louis
Meeting Minutes
August 5, 2003

President: Sheila Kramer, RN, BSN, CWOCN

Attending: S. Kramer, B. Naeger, J. Knebel, B. Godar, C. Cole, L. Kramer, V. Brownell, K. Gundy, S. Kucera, C. Heady, J. Schaffer, L. Stamm, C. Schlather, J. Bangert, C. Fleck, L. Geurin, A. Moyer, L. Axley, R. Schaumburg, D. Condrutt

President: Sheila Kramer, RN, BSN, CWOCN

Review of Minutes

6/3/03 – Approved as written

Informal Reports

Secretary: April Kuhlman, RN, CWOCN – No report, absent

Treasurer: Lisa Hodges, RN, CWOCN – No report, absent

Communications

National WOCN Society and Other Affiliates

National WOCN Conference – 7 nurses St. Louis Affiliate attended. All agreed it was a good conference & great time spent together

Future Educational Meetings:

Conferences:

Affiliate Meetings:

Chronic Wound Conference, Rolla (Retta Sutterfield) 9/18

Clinical Debridement Skills, Educators 2000Plus, Pamela Scarborough, PT, MS, CDE, CWS, St. Louis Shriners Hospital 10/18

Keeping the Foot Attached to the Leg, Educators 2000Plus, Pamela Scarborough, PT, MS, CDE, CWS, St. Louis Shriners Hospital 10/19

The 23^rd Annual Turnbull Symposium, Advances in the Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Colorectal Surgery, Cleveland Clinic 10/17-19

The Turnbull Lecture, Barnes-Jewish (Linda Stamm announced) 11/7

10/7/03 Sponsored by KCI – Sheila Cullen

6. Marketing Committee

Mobile Program Report – Judy Schaffer, ET

Judy will mail brochures to Sales Reps to help us market this program.

UOA Report:

Betsy Naeger, RN, BSN, CETN, Chair

Visitor Training Program is scheduled for 10/11/03 at St. John’s in the Gillis Board Room. If there are patients who would make a good visitor, please call Betsy Naeger at 314-725-1888. Note: To be a visitor the individual must have had their ostomy for at least one year. We also need a woman visitor with a colostomy between the ages of 30 and 50.

Business:

1. Bylaws (Betsy Naeger – Committee Chair)

Subcommittee: Betsy Naeger, Shelly Batzler, Sharon Waldmann, April Kuhlman, Lisa Hodges

Some suggestions came from Bylaws Committee that might stimulate participation in our local group activities and had been tabled for discussion at this meeting: 1) Offering 50% off the cost of registration for officers and for the Planning Committee members of that workshop. After discussion, it was decided not to make a blanket decision at this time. It was felt that planning committee members would get free registration as it had been in the past. Note: The NPUAP Workshop was a national meeting so everyone was required to pay full registration. 2) An assistance program to pay 50% of National WOCN dues for those who could not afford it. After discussion, the majority felt membership in the National WOCN is an individual professional decision not to be interfered with by the local group. Also, it would be difficult to determine who to assist and who not to. Colleen suggested that nurses push their administrators to pay their professional dues. Several area hospitals are paying, such as St. Mary’s, St. .John’s & DePaul. There was some discussion on what our local group has to offer its members, like professional networking and support, informative web page, educational sessions and workshops. Sheila also pointed out the National WOCN is trying to offer more to its members such as the WOCN Guidelines for Prevention and Management of Pressure Ulcers.

2. Web Page (Sheila Kramer)

Sheila reported that we have hired "Website Handyman" for $25.00 a month to update and maintain our website. If you have any articles, case studies or anything website worthy, contact Sheila at kramsa@stlo.mercy.net. Other 1-time yearly website charges $59.00 for Domain charge, $15.00 for Web hosting.

3. Scholarship Fund (Christine Heady)

Christine has agreed to chair and revitalize this committee. From the past committee, we already have in place: 1) A scholarship application, 2) A weighted scale to help in the selection process, 3) Letters of acceptance and rejection. If anyone is interested on serving on this committee, please contact Christine at 314-525-1045.

4. Nomination Committee (Betsy Naeger, Chair)

New officers are to be voted on and installed at the December meeting. Open offices are President, Secretary and Treasurer. The committee of B. Naeger, L. Stamm, J. Knebel, J. Bangert will announce interested members of WOCN for nomination at the October meeting. If you are interested in becoming an officer or would like to nominate someone else, please contact B. Naeger.

New Products/Procedures:

Zassi BMS, Representative Mark Bush

Phone 847-625-0600 or mobile 314-486-4049

Sheila has used this at St. John’s on 2 patients in the Burn Unit with success. Zassi representatives were supportive in educating staff and with ongoing support.

Other Information

Next Meeting: 10/7/03 – Lynch Street Bistro (check Website listing)

10. Today’s Inservice

Sponsored by Carol Schlather, Smith & Nephew

"Becoming an Educated Consumer of Product Components" David Brett, Science Technology Manager for Medical Education, Smith & Nephew