In
this issue
MHA
congratulates members who received March of Dimes Nurse of the Year awards
Some 13 nurses from MHA member hospitals were honored Oct. 14
with the seventh annual March of Dimes Nurse of the Year awards. The awards
honor nursing excellence and pay tribute to hundreds of nurses who are at the
front lines of care and have had a tremendous impact on patients and their
families. MHA congratulates:
- Distinguished Nurse of the Year
- Nova Schmitz, CentraCare Health, St. Cloud
- Advanced Practice – Beth Good,
FirstLight Health System, Mora
- Care Management – Shannon Van
Brunt, Allina Health, Minneapolis
- Education and Research – Katie
Schulz, CentraCare Health, St. Cloud
- Innovative and Non-Traditional
– Amy Hilleren-Listerud, CentraCare Health, St. Cloud
- Leadership – Steven Omodt,
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis
- Mental Health – Nicole Gapp,
PrairieCare, Brooklyn Park
- Neonatal – Melanie Odden,
CentraCare Health, St. Cloud
- Oncology – Sharon Miller,
Allina Health, Minneapolis
- Pediatric – Linda Hoffmann,
Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare, St. Paul
- Rising Star – Brenda Haller,
CentraCare Health, St. Cloud
- Staff Nurse – Critical Care –
Cassandra Flo, Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare, St. Paul
- Women’s Health – Margaret
McCoy, HealthEast Care System, St. Paul
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Medical
forensic exam resources available for hospitals
With the support of partners, MHA offers resources to help
members care for sexual assault patients, including Assault Survivor Kits and
medical forensic exam training webinars.
Assault Survivor Kits
MHA and the Assistance League of Minneapolis/St. Paul have been partners for
more than 20 years in providing Assault Survivor Kits free of charge to hospital
emergency rooms throughout Minnesota.
Patients at Minnesota hospitals’ emergency departments who seek care after
being sexually assaulted often must give what they are wearing to prosecutors
for evidence. The goal of these kits is to comfort victims of sexual assault by
providing needed toiletry and clothing items to wear home.
“MHA urges all Minnesota hospitals to order the free kits,” said MHA President
and Chief Executive Officer Lawrence Massa. “Hospital emergency rooms are often
the first place sexual assault survivors turn for help. We’re proud to be part
of this important effort.”
The Assault Survivor Kits are free to all Minnesota hospitals and contain a
t-shirt, sweatpants, socks, underwear, a sports bra and toiletries. To order
Assault Survivor Kits for your hospital, please visit the MHA store or contact Sarah Bohnet, MHA, 651-603-3494. Copies of the
book “Recovering from Rape” are also provided free of charge to hospitals.
Training webinars
MHA partnered with the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MNCASA) to
provide training webinars on medical forensic exams for sexual assault
patients, which are now available for viewing on the MHA Member Center.
Webinar topics include:
- Medical Forensic Exams for
Sexual Assault Patients: An Overview
- This webinar provides an
overview of medical forensic exams for sexual assault patients, including
information that chief nursing officers should know regarding sexual
assault patient response.
- SANE Training 101: Part 1 –
What is Sexual Assault?
- Part one of this series
teaches context around sexual assault, best practices around hospital
responses to sexual assault patients and how to document the patient’s
account of the assault.
- SANE Training 101: Part 2 – The
Exam
- Part two of this series
describes the aspects of a medical forensic exam and explain how to
complete each component.
- SANE Training 101: Part 3 –
Discharge and Follow-Up
- Part three of this series
covers sexual assault patient discharge, follow-up and reporting to law
enforcement.
- Billing, Insurance and Other
Laws Regarding Sexual Assault Patient Care
- This webinar reviews state and
federal laws related to medical forensic exam billing and payment, as
well as additional laws regarding sexual assault patient care.
MHA members can earn a total of four nursing contact hour CEUs
from the webinars, with one nursing contact hour CEU being awarded for each of
the first four webinars listed above. CEUs will not be awarded for the webinar
on billing and payment. Instructions for obtaining CEUs are available on the MHA Member Center. return to top
MNsure
open enrollment begins Nov. 1
With MNsure open enrollment beginning Nov. 1,
MHA encourages members to continue working to help patients and communities
understand their health care choices and costs. Please note that this open
enrollment does not apply to those enrolled in MinnesotaCare or Medical Assistance.
In a change from previous open enrollment periods, the majority of MNsure
insurance companies plan to cap enrollments. Blue Plus, the only plan that will
not cap enrollments, is a narrow network option that is not being offered in
five counties: Benton, Morrison, Crow Wing, Mille Lacs and Stearns.
MHA suggests that individuals purchasing insurance on MNsure shop early in the
open enrollment process in order to access the most coverage options. In
addition, it is important for patients to be aware of their insurance plan’s
network of coverage so they can determine where they will be able to access
care under their chosen plan.
Learn more about open enrollment on the MNsure website. return to top