A Clinical Update on Intrauterine Contraception is a didactic lecture and hands-on practicum event on Friday, December 4th, 2009 from 9:30 am - 1:00 pm. The lecture and clinical will be presented by Wendy Grube, MS, NP from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing.

Join us for this free IUC training and learn:

• Details on efficacy, side effects, and appropriate candidates for both forms of IUC currently available in the US
• Strategies for meaningful dialog between providers and patients about intrauterine contraception
• Skills for gaining facility with pelvic procedures
• Techniques for proper insertion and removal of the LNG IUS and Copper T IUD in both standard and special cases

Click here to see a recording of the lecture.

This year's Legacy Lecture will be given Teena McGuinness, PhD, APRN, BC, a professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing and 1982 graduate of the VCU School of Nursing's master's program. The title for Dr. McGuinness' lecture is "A Psychiatric Nurse on Every Street Corner."

She will talk about access to mental health care and the huge global disease burden of mental disorders, exploring why we need a psychiatric nurse on every corner. The lecture will be held in the Younger Auditorium at the VCU School of Nursing building at 4 p.m. A reception will immediately follow the lecture at 5 p.m.

It is exhausting. We are busy for hours. I do not mind working, but putting in 120% everyday is exhausting. So all I want to do when I come home is sleep. Just remember finals week and make it for 1/2 a year. That is what I equate it to.

We take care of infant to elderly - host national, contractor, U.S. military, etc. If they are ICU patients, we will take care of them.

Now I was freaked during Peds [in nursing school] and it has not gotten much easier. My saving grace back then was my clinical instructor - Ms. Taylor - she gave me at least the adolescents (which some argue are harder, but they did not scare me as much). However, here I have no option. I have to do Peds. I am learning - trial by fire. It is not as scary the more I do it, just sadder.

My worst day was when a 2-year-old girl was brought in after a rocket exploded in her house. She had irreversible brain damage. I had to provide comfort care for her. I was a wreck. My saving grace was the pediatrician. He stayed with me the entire time to help. Basically I sat with her until she died. It still makes me cry every time I start talking about it. My Chief Nurse was great - she sat and hugged me until I stopped crying. She is one of the most wonderful people I have met to date in the military. She takes care of patients AND staff. But I digress. We take care of everyone.

We have been really busy lately. By the time I get home I go and swim and then crash. This is the daily routine. Thirteen three-hour shifts are killing me - no time for recovery either. I know - I signed up for this - totally volunteer. I am still tired.

“Educating the Nurse on Political and Ethical Decision Making”

Presented by:

An application for 1.0 contact hour has been submitted to the Virginia Nurses Association Continuing Education Approval Committee, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation

You are invited to meet the site visit team and share your comments about the program in person at a meeting scheduled for October 21, 2009, at 4:00 pm in room 4009f at the School of Nursing, 1100 E. Leigh Street, Richmond, VA 23298.

Written comments are also welcome and should be submitted directly to:

Dr. Sharon Tanner, Executive Director
The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission
3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 500
Atlanta, Georgia 30326

Or Email: sjtanner@nlnac.org

All written comments should arrive at NLNAC by October 15, 2009.

Her collaborators include Drs. Munro, Schubert and Wenzel. This work continues the line of inquiry established about 15 years ago by Drs. Grap and Munro, focusing on development of knowledge to inform nursing interventions in the provision of care for the critically ill adult. It's a great privilege to be a part of a School whose faculty are making such significant and meaningful contributions to nursing and health care.

At Tuesday's meeting, the PhD students heard a presentation on "extramural concepts," which may become future funding opportunities, and also very interesting presentations from Dr. Patricia Grady, Director of the NINR, and Dr. Linda Birnbaum, Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. The students were warmly welcomed by Dr. Grady, NACNR members, and NINR program staff.

President Rao and his wife, Monica, will greet alumni at five events in the local area. With more than 50,000 Richmond-area alumni, you might be surprised to find some of your neighbors are also VCU graduates.

Please select only one of the five events to attend. Alumni can bring one guest each. All events will be held 6-8 p.m. Advance registration is required. Space is limited at each event. Registration will be closed as soon as capacity for each venue is filled. Dress is business casual (no denim please). Visit the MCV Alumni Association website for more information or to RSVP.

Dr. Rao, who became VCU's fifth president on July 1, 2009, will address the issue of diversity in higher education and at VCU. Dr. Rao comes to VCU with the experience of three successful presidencies at universities of increasing size and complexity. Most recently, he served as president and professor of Central Michigan University, a public doctoral research institution with 28,000 students.

As this will be one of the first opportunities for the VCU community to hear Dr. Rao speak, the event is open to all faculty, staff and students, as well as School of Nursing alumni. Established in 2000, this lectureship celebrates the life and work of Jackie Denise Jackson, a loyal and dedicated member of the VCU School of Nursing community for more than 18 years.

Parking is available for a fee in VCU's 8th Street parking deck. For additional information or if special accommodations are needed, please call Linda Johnson at (804) 828-3620 or e-mail vcunursing@vcu.edu. Please RSVP to vcunursing@vcu.edu.

This is the first in a series of lectures presented by the School of Nursing and the MCV Alumni Association this year. Click here for details.