Local R 3-19 NAGE member Simone Adelulgba, RN, has returned from Haiti. Below is a her personal account of her experience.

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From the moment I saw the email from NAGE regarding SEIU seeking possible volunteers in Haiti. I signed in, jumped and prayed. As a nurse and a human being when that kind of tragedy happen all you want to do is to get involved and help as much as possible. Not only I am Haitian, I will volunteer anywhere at any time. My family understood my decision and did not question it. The next day, I received a phone call from Evelyn Cipriaso, NAGE R 3-19 President at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Baltimore who made possible for to travel to Haiti. I waited one long week to prepare and fill out all the forms. My journey started 1/25/2010 at 0810 to Puerto Rico from there to the Dominican Republic. When arrived in the Dominican Republic I met a physician from Johns Hopkins Emergency team, a reporter, two logistics young men, two other physicians from New York. From there, the IMC van picked us up; and drove us to the hotel. We arrived around 530PM. After eating dinner we showered, rest for few hours and at around 1130 PM. IMC van took us on the journey to Haiti. As we entered the second city in Haiti the earthquake devastation was everywhere. They were rubbles and demolished buildings, makeshift tents made out of sticks and sheets. As we approached the capital, Port au Prince, one cannot imagine the lines of people waiting for medical help and food. We arrived at the General hospital and were greeted by one of the physician in charge; he gave us a tour the facility. Across from the Virgin Mary chapel, the nursing school collapsed with numerous students and all of them perished. I was placed in the emergency room for the afternoon. I remember I was called to insert an IV on a very dehydrated man, he was non verbal and he look very sick, once the IV start infusing this man could not stop asking questions. The next day, an Infectious Disease physician from Gainesville Florida and I both Haitians were sent to a mobile clinic in Petionville. The mobile clinic consists of two areas, one in front of a house and the second area was made from 2 bed sheets and a few sticks. We served approximately 20000 people at an old golf course .We examined approximately 200 patients a day with all kind of illness, mostly dehydration, asthma attacks ,diarrhea, insomnia, stress, skin disorders . For several days, we packed medications and all the supplies that we need to evaluate and care for the sick and wounded. IMC sent a new logistician, he supply us with a tent, 4 tables 2 cots and 10 chairs inside was very hot however we were pleased to provide privacy and dignity to those we were serving. IMC hired two Haitians physicians and several Haitians nurses; we handed over the clinic before leaving however IMC will continue to send physicians and nurses to supervise the overall activities of the clinic.
We were concerned about vaccination since we did not have a place to keep the vaccine cool. We needed a small generator and a fan to keep the place cool. My overall experience was heartbreaking and at the same time, I was very happy and filled with joy for having the opportunity to go there and help.

Simone

VAMHCS nurses have serious concerns about the chaos during the recent storms. Threats from supervisors, poor communication, lack of organization, lack of emergency preparedness, were a recurrent theme reported to NAGE officials.

The storms were forecast well in advance with little response from Leadership. Nurses on duty Friday night were threatened with discipline if they left rather than thanked for being there. Employees were invited to hot food and then asked to pay for it. Nurses were to be picked up yet left waiting for hours without word or ride. To add insult they were then required to use AL or not be paid.

Staff asked: “Why didn’t we move patients on Friday while everyone was in house?” “Why wasn’t the disaster plan initiated?” “How come Hopkins and UMMS made plans for their nurses and we didn’t?” “Why did I have to go to multiple places to work in a single shift?” “Why didn’t nursing submit names and addresses of nurses due in/could come in and have the routes coordinated?” Why did I have to use my own time when I was waiting for 12 hours and no one came?” and many more question.

Leadership should answer the Nurses questions. Yet, it doesn’t appear they have even acknowledged these situations existed, the first step in resolution. Leadership is spending BIG money on Emergency Preparedness, Planetree and Magnet programs but don’t really seem to understand the underlying philosophy: Staff have valid concerns and solutions - LISTEN to them!!

NAGE Local R 3-19 advises all of the bargaining unit employees who are required to have ACLS training to seek VA funding for the ACLS program. We do not believe any RN should bear the cost of this training individually.

In accordance with VAMHCS Memorandum 512-11/COS-038, Staff Training in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), dated August 2009, ACLS is required for RNs (1) administering medication to induce moderate sedation and monitoring patients receiving moderate sedation; (2) RNs working in the Intensive Care Units, Stabilization Unit, Cardiac Cath lab, GI lab, Emergency room, Urgent Care area, PAC, Interventional Radiology, and the most of the NODs; and (3)RNP who assist with critical care procedures or surgeries.

Much the ACLS training has been accomplished through the CHEP services. CHEP offers four (4) two day training sessions and four (4) one day refresher classes annually. These programs have 10 slots each reserved for VAMHCS employees. Recently, CHEP increased their fee to a cost of $75 per individual for each training session. Prior to this time CHEP fee was minimally. Historically, most RN paid for this training from their monies as the fee was minimal and because of the unwieldiness of the paperwork required getting payment reimbursement.

Completion of the web based program, Heart Code that is offered through Nursing Education, which results in an ACLS certificate, is more of testing program than an effective training session. The web based Heart Code simulations are designed to test only one participant at a time. Heart Code can be very time consuming both for the individual participant as well as Nursing Education. Furthermore, many RNs have found the Heart Code program to be less supportive in terms of learning in comparison to an instructor lead hands on program.

Additionally, there are numerous other companies that offer ACLS training at a substantially higher cost per session.

In accordance with the Master Agreement between the Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Association of Government Employees, Article 19, Training and Career Development, Section 3 (A) – Management will pay all expenses, including tuition and travel, in connection with training required and requested by management to perform the duties of an employee’s current position or a position to which an employee has been assigned.

Please check with your immediate supervisor regarding the process to seek VA funding on the requisite training for Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS). For any RN who is denied VAMHCS funding, NAGE encourages you to contact a Local NAGE representative.

In the immediate days following the earthquake disaster that struck Haiti, SEIU began to establish relief assistance and efforts. SEIU partnered with two organizations in their relief efforts, Partners in Health (PIH) and International Medical Corps (IMC). SEIU also partnered with well established relief organizations to accept financial donations.
Locally, there were inquires as to what an individuals within NAGE could do to support the people of Haiti. The local referred our members to the SEIU website for additional information. The response was tremendous, both in terms of individuals willing to be deployed, if needed, and financial donations.
SEIU Nurse Alliance worked closely with President Cipriaso throughout the weekend of January 16 -18 to coordinate possible deployments. On Tuesday, January 19, President Cipriaso spoke with VAMHCS Director about the possibility of obtaining some official release time for 2 or 3 RNs and, if authorized absence could not be approved, than to be supportive of permitting these RNs to use their annual leave which the individuals were willing to do so. The VAMHCS Director deferred the decision to Nursing.
Nursing seemed unwilling or unable to support this world wide relief effort. They would only grant one individual annual leave, although we were unofficially advised the units could be covered if others were granted leave for a couple of weeks. NAGE can only hope the decision was made in good faith. Unfortunately, the Local asserts this decision is reflective of much larger issue of internal labor relations.
NAGE member Simone Adelugba, RN (Baltimore MICU) was voluntarily deployed last week to Haiti. Originally from Haiti, NAGE/SEIU member Simone Adelugba is a registered nurse in the Critical Care Unit (MICU) at the Baltimore Veterans Affairs Hospital. She's volunteered to travel to Haiti to assist with disaster relief efforts in the wake of the earthquake, joining other health care professionals from the SEIU union already on the ground. Right now, dozens of SEIU members are already in Port-au-Prince providing medical care and translation services for survivors and more are set to go each week.
SEIU has created an online card where you can share your thoughts and prayers for those traveling to Haiti (like Simone). Please visit the SEIU Nurse Alliance website.
NAGE Local R 3-19 is extremely proud and honored by willingness of our many members to offer assistance under such austere conditions.
NAGE is a SEIU affiliate.

New OSHA Videos Feature Guidance on Respirators
01/14/2010

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has developed two new videos for healthcare workers that feature training and guidance on respirator safety.

OSHA's "Respirator Safety" video demonstrates how to correctly put on and take off common types of respirators, such as N95s. "The Difference between Respirators and Surgical Masks" video explains how they prevent exposure to infectious diseases.

"Respirators play an important role in protecting many workers from exposure to chemical and biological hazards in the workplace," says Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA David Michaels. "At a time when pandemic influenza has highlighted the risk to healthcare workers, these videos will prepare and protect workers from the very illnesses they are responsible for treating."

The videos also explain how workers can perform a user seal check to test whether a respirator is worn properly and will provide the expected level of protection. Viewers may watch both English and Spanish versions by visiting OSHA's Respiratory Protection page or the Department of Labor's YouTube site.

According to OSHA's respiratory protection standard 29 CFR 1910.134, respirators must be used as part of a comprehensive respiratory protection plan.

In continuing our commitment to helping members and their families achieve their educational goals and dreams, NAGE is proud to announce the 7th Annual NAGE Scholarships program. Each year, fifty scholarships in the amount of $500 each are awarded in a lottery. Applicants for the lottery drawing scholarships must be planning to attend or already attending a two- or four-year college, trade or technical school to be eligible. Scholarships are available to members of NAGE, IBPO, IBCO, and IAEP, and the member's spouse, child, grandchild, niece, nephew, or significant other. The application, which is available by clicking the link below, takes about 3 minutes to complete.

http://www.NAGE.org/federal/scholarships.shtml

NAGE attorney Sarah E. Suszczyk reached a settlement agreement with the VAMHCS the day before the case was scheduled to be heard by an arbitrator. On behalf of NAGE Local R 3-19 at the VA Maryland Health Care System, Ms Suszczyk was successful in reversal of an unjust suspension decision and the VA has agreed to restore all lost pay and benefits, and completely purged all suspension references from the member’s personnel record.

The member expressed sincere gratitude for all the support and efforts provide by the Local and NAGE attorney during this year long ordeal. The employee commented “without NAGE, the suspension would be in my file forever”.

NAGE Local R 3-19 believes the case stems from local Management’s misinterpretation of the VA regulations. The VAMHCS misinterpretation and subsequent action may have negatively impacted other members. Local President, Evelyn Cipriaso, will be addressing NAGE ‘s concerns through the Human Resource service for complete resolution of this.

The N-95 mask or PAPR hood is SINGLE USE ONLY when being used for flu protection. There is no way to decontaminate the face plate that is why it must be discarded.

Multiple use for TB precautions remains the standard but SINGLE USE ONLY for flu precautions because: Flu is delivered on large droplets that fall after leaving the body and can be carried in any nasal or upper respiratory secretions. When these contaminate items in the environment, the flu “bug” is easily picked up on hands, etc. and just needs to be in contact with another’s mucous membrane to attach itself and cause infection. The Flu virus DOES NOT need to reach the smallest areas of the lung to cause infection. In order for the TB organism to cause infection it needs to be aerosolized on a tiny mist droplet or tiny dust particle that can be inhaled and get past the mucous membranes, without being caught up in the mucus, and land in the small alveoli (sacs) at the of the bronchioles.

NAGE Local R3-19 continues to be active at this site and serving its members. NAGE currently have members at the Home Base Program, BRECC/CLC (Rehabilitation, subacute, geriatric and Hospice) and the CBOC/outpatient services. Our members work day by day to provide a top service to our veterans. Our members’ role and responsibilities varies from the traditional nursing to a complex nursing practice. NAGE is aware of these needs, that is why NAGE participate in the monthly staff meeting at the CBOC, participate at the BRECC nursing meeting when schedule. Issues as availability parking space for patients and staff remain a great deal of concerns to NAGE member at this site. There is heavy equipment working behind the main CBOC clinic to allocate a pave parking area for employees. When completed this parking area will have 44 and 3 handicap spaces. This construction should be completed around mid-December. The new research building will take out some space currently used for parking. Construction for this building will start on mid-November. If everything goes as plan the total space for parking available after construction will be 94 in total. There will be a schedule staff meeting scheduled for November 19, 2009 with Mr. Armagon, Site Manager, and Loch Raven Campus in which the members should have an opportunity to address their concerns.

Members at the Hospice unit voiced their concerns about the management effort to have people certify in this area. Currently management hired 1 RN with certification in hospice and planning to hire 2 more nurses for this area. NAGE members at hospice area welcome the idea to have these specialty nurses but it is unclear how these new nurses will be utilized and builds a working relationship with those not certified in this area. Concerns about rotation outside the hospice area as well as rotation to other shift, NAGE members working at this area have served the veterans for years and wanting management to assist/ work with them to obtain certification and to consider knowledge acquired from year of practice and seniority when make internal decisions.

As of September 23, 2009 here is what the United States and Territories had reported for the H1N1 “swine flu” activity. As health care workers we are on the front lines and need to protect ourselves. Protecting ourselves is best done with knowledge including vaccines, personal protective equipment, transmission based precautions and accurate information.

The VA reports both inpatient and outpatient case and the numbers break down as follows:
Outpatient: Suspected 924
Probable/Confirmed 282
Inpatient: Suspected 311
Confirmed 77 of the 77 confirmed cases it is noted that secondary lower respiratory infections were also present.
Deaths: 2
There a currently 5 companies manufacturing the vaccine they include Sanofi Pasteur, Novartis, CSL, Medimmune, and GLaxo Smith Kline (the last is not currently FDA approved). They expect to produce 200-250 million doses.
The Vaccine is supplied in multidose vials with 10 doses per vial and should be refrigerated. The Vaccine also comes with a kit which provides needles, syringes, solution for reconstitution, alcohol pads and vaccination cards.
The initial doses of the vaccine have been shipped and it is expected that eventually there will be enough vaccine for everyone who would like to be vaccinated. Currently the VA is prioritizing eligibility. The priority list is as follows
A) Healthcare workers and emergency medical service personnel expected to have direct patient contact/contact with infectious material.
B) Pregnant women
C) Care givers and contacts of infants of 6 months or less
D) Adolescents with medical conditions that increase their risk for flu-related complications
Risk factors thought to increase risk of flu/ flu complications include
A) Younger age <65 years
B) Pregnancy
C) Pre-existing illness: Asthma, Metabolic Disease
D) Obesity
The nasal spray is a live attenuated version and should not be used in the cases of pregnancy and those individuals with pre-existing conditions/immunosuppressive states. These individuals should receive the inactive version (shot).
Documentation of the vaccine is done via CPRS for both employees and patients. There are training resources available to assist in learning this new documentation. The VA intranet site address is vaww.vistau.med.va.gov and LMS will have training available by January 2011.
As with all medications/ vaccines there are some adverse events and contraindications:
A) Sensitivity/allergy to eggs
B) Pain at injection sight
C) Swelling at injection sight
D) With nasal dose there is a risk of getting the flu
E) Only approved for people ages 2-49 years of age
F) History of SEVERE asthma and bronchospasm
G) Do not use antiviral medications 48 hours prior to and 14 days post vaccine
H) Do not give live vaccines within 2 weeks of any other live vaccines. There is not contraindication to giving the inactive vaccines together but separate the injection sites.
Vaccination is only one of the ways we as direct care providers utilize to protect ourselves. We need to be familiar with the right Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and transmission based precautions utilized when caring for patients with suspected/confirmed nH1N1. The current standard for PPE include the N-95 respirator and STANDARD based precautions (previously pt’s were placed on contact precautions). Recently, a JAMA article addressed the question of the surgical mask being as effective as the respirator (N95) the CURRENT standard remains the respirator and employees MUST use this here at the VAMHCS.
The CDC on 10/13/2009 issued new guidelines that emphasize the importance of vaccination and respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette as facility control measures. They also discussed minimizing outpatient visits and minimizing visitors as feasible. The CDC recommended engineering controls such as partitions in triage areas, excluding sick workers, isolation for hospitalized patients for at least 7 days (doesn’t mean keeping them in the hospital for that length of time), and precautions for transporting sick patients. It is expected that OSHA will follow these recommendations within a few weeks to keep hospitals current.
The recommendations will continue to change as we learn more about the virus and how it behaves. One recommendation which remains a constant is hand hygiene. Always remember to wash your hands before and after any patient exposure. If you have flu like symptoms and a fever get yourself checked! Keep yourself informed and you will increase your chances to stay healthy.

This is information from Mr. Lechner, Esquire. Mr Lechner is lead counsel for the plaintiffs in a class action suit against the VA. Please goes to the website www.vabackpay.com for specific details and to file a claim.

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If you are or were a RN, Nurse Anesthetist, or PA at the VA anytime from September 5, 1995 until now, and you have regularly worked on Saturday, it is now time for you to file your claim form directly online at www.vabackpay.com to recover back pay and interest for the VA's failure to pay you Saturday premium pay of 25% whenever you went on paid leave and did not work your Saturday shifts.
I have been appointed as Class Counsel in this case, as you know, and I have estimated that RNs who worked regular Saturday shifts during this period of time whether every week or every other week may be eligible for back pay and interest of up to $10,000 depending on the number of hours you worked regularly on Saturday, your pay and grade, and the number of hours you took as paid leave on the Saturdays that you normally would have worked your regular schedule. This is my estimate, not the VA's or the court's. The Judge has already decided that the VA violated the law, but he will have to figure out how to compute the back pay and interest owed to each person who files a claim on time. The VA owes you 25% Saturday pay for Saturdays on which you took paid leave from September 5, 1995 until now, and the same is true for Sundays from September 5, 1995 to September 30, 1997.

Please go to the website as soon as possible and file your claim safely and securely online at www.vabackpay.com as the earlier you file your claim, the earlier you can receive your money.Please pass this on to your friends so that no-one who is eligible will fail to file before the deadline of February 9, 2010.

If you are or were a specialized health care worker at the VA such as Pharmacist, LVN, LPN, therapist, etc., this case also applies to you also as you must file your claim to recover back pay and interest for the VA's failure to pay you night premium pay of 10% and Saturday pay of 25% whenever you took paid leave if you were regularly scheduled anytime during the last 15 years to work after 6pm and before 6 am and/or on Saturdays (and Sundays from 1995 to 1997). Go to www.vabackpay.com as soon as you can to file your claim directly online in a safe and secure manner. This is my estimate, not the VA's or the court's. The Judge has already decided that the VA violated the law, but he will have to figure out how to compute the back pay and interest owed to each person who files a claim on time. Please go to www.vabackpay.com where it is all explained and you can file your claim directly online in less than 5 minutes. Thank you.

I (Ira Lechner) am Class counsel in this case as you know, and I estimate that you may be eligible to recover thousands of dollars in back pay and interest depending on the number of hours you worked regularly on Saturday (and after 6pm and before 6am at anytime during the week), your pay and grade, and the number of hours you took as paid leave on the shifts that you would have worked after 6pm and on the Saturdays that you normally would have worked your regular schedule. The same is true for Sundays from September 5, 1995 to September 30, 1997. Please pass this on to your friends

Metropolitan Baltimore Council AFL-CIO Unions
Ernie Grecco, President

UC Berkeley Study: Research Shows Unions Have a Positive Impact on Family-Friendly Workplace Policies
As Congress prepares to debate the Employee Free Choice Act, report finds that families benefit from unionization.

Berkeley, CA – Unions have a positive impact on family-friendly workplace policies like paid family leave, paid sick days, family health insurance, and child-care benefits, according to a new report released today by the UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education and the Labor Project for Working Families.

"As more Americans are struggling to raise and care for their families at the same time they're holding down a job, workplace policies that facilitate a work-family balance are becoming increasingly important. We looked at whether unions make a difference for these families, and it turns out that unionization has a positive impact on key family-friendly policies like family health insurance, paid family leave, and child-care benefits," said Jenifer MacGillvary of the UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education, a co-author of the new report, Family-Friendly Workplaces: Do Unions Make a Difference?

According to the UC Berkeley report, evidence from the research literature on family-friendly workplaces suggests:

*Unionization promotes compliance with the Family and Medical Leave Act. Unionized employees are more likely to have heard of the Family and Medical Leave Act, have fewer worries about taking leave, and are more likely to receive fully paid and partially paid leaves.

*Comparing hourly workers who take family and medical leave, 46 percent of unionized workers compared to 29 percent of nonunionized workers receive full pay while on leave.

*Unionized workers are 1.3 times as likely as nonunionized workers to be allowed to use their own sick time to care for a sick child, and they are 50 percent more likely than nonunionized workers to have paid personal leave that can be used to care for sick children.

*Companies with 30 percent or more unionized workers are five times as likely as companies with no unionized workers to pay the entire family health insurance premium. Even when unionized employees are required to pay part of their family insurance premium, they pay a much lower share of the premium than nonunionized workers do.

Family-friendly workplace policies are more important than ever before because more families are jugging work and care-giving responsibilities. For example, nearly 25 percent of U.S. households provide care to people aged 50 or older; and 75 percent of children live in families where all parents work.

"As Congress prepares to debate the Employee Free Choice Act in coming months, policy makers should understand that unions have helped improve workplace policies for thousands of working families and could do the same things for millions of families if EFCA becomes the law of the land," said report co-author Netsy Firestein, executive director of the nonprofit Labor Project For Working Families.

To download "Family-Friendly Workplaces: Do Unions Make a Difference?" go to http://laborcenter.berkeley.edu or http://www.working-families.org

PROTECT YOURSELF: THE FACTS ABOUT THE N-95 RESPIRATOR

With the presence of the H1N1 (swine flu) respirators are on the minds of health care workers. As direct care providers, Nurses in the VAMHCS are required to wear NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) approved respirators to protect against communicable diseases spread via respiratory route (TB, SARS, and other infectious diseases requiring airborne precautions.) Workers who are required to wear NIOSH approved respirators must participate in the entire respiratory protection program. This includes medical surveillance, fit testing of negative pressure face masks, and training.

Medical surveillance includes filling out the medical questionnaire which can be found on the VAMHCS home page and bringing it to employee health for clearance to be FIT tested. Once cleared, you can contact Alan East Industrial Hygienist to set up a time to be FIT tested.

FIT testing is ESSENTIAL to ensure maximum safety. During the initial FIT test the wearer shall receive instructions including demonstrations and practice in how the respirator should be worn, how to adjust it, and how to determine if it fits properly. You must be formally fit tested at least annually or if there is a significant change in your physical condition. If unable to wear a respirator or achieve proper fit employees are to be provided a powered air-purifying respirator and the respirator (PAPR) in lieu of any negative pressure respirator, and the respirator will provide adequate protection to employees. Negative air purifying respirators shall NOT be worn when conditions prevent a good face seal (i.e. due to beards or sideburns). SPD has disposable hoods available if you must use a PAPR. Each unit should have the respirator (air pack and hose) available for individuals unable to be FIT tested.

During your annual FIT test you will be given information regarding the type and size if the N-95 respirator/mask. You will be given this mask for personal use. You should store this mask in a plastic bag keeping it free from losing shape. Masks are multi-use but should be discarded if damaged, soiled, or deformed. Replacement masks are available from SPD but you must make sure the replacement is the same type and size you were FIT tested for. Prior to each use of the N95 respirator the user should inspect the respirator for damage, check to ensure the respirator is the correct size and type they were tested for and perform a FIT check. A FIT check is done by putting on the mask and pressing the nose piece firmly down with both hands (don’t pinch with one hand) on the nose piece and then blow out (while your hands are off the mask just above the upper nose seal) if you don’t feel any air movement you have an adequate seal (This mask you are using has already been officially fit tested for size and type.) and can enter the respiratory isolation area.

A surgical face mask CANNOT replace a respirator. Respirators work by filtering 95% of particles (0.3microns size) prior to inhalation while surgical masks prevent the release of infectious aerosols. Placing a surgical mask on patients when it is medically necessary for them to leave the negative pressure room is acceptable for this reason Respirators are NOT for use with gases and vapors. Respirators filter PARTICLES not gases.

It is the responsibility of the VAMHCS to provide the program and equipment necessary but your RESPONSIBILITY to use it. If you are a direct care provider and have not been FIT tested DO IT NOW!!! Make your nurse manager aware of this situation and keep yourself safe!!

Test your knowledge with this informal quiz and KEEP YOURSELF SAFE!!!

1. N95 respirators provide protection against?

A. Infectious Tuberculosis

B. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)

C. Infectious Diseases Requiring Airborne Precautions

D. All of the answers are true

2. N95 respirators are effective when used to protect against gases and vapors?

A. True

B. False

3. The difference between a N95 respirator and surgical mask is?

A. None, both the N95 respirator and surgical mask provide the same level of protection

B. The N95 respirator protects patient from gases and vapors.

C. The N95 respirator filters the air before it is inhaled by the wearer, while the surgical mask on the patient helps prevent the release of infectious aerosols

4. Prior to donning the N95 respirator the user should

A. Inspect the respirator for damage

B. Check to ensure the respirator is the same manufacturer and model that they were fit tested on

C. Be adequately trained on the proper use of the respirator

D. All of the answers are true

5. Once fit tested for a N95 respirator, the user can

A. Don any N95 respirator regardless of manufacturer and model

B. Don only the N95 respirator of the same manufacturer and model they were fit tested on

C. Don a N95 respirator as long as it is the same manufacturer

6. When must fit testing be performed?

A. Prior to initial use

B. Annually

C. When the user experiences significant changes in their physical conditions

D. All of the answers are true

7. The N95 respirator requires disposal when

A. It becomes soiled

B. It becomes deformed

C. It becomes damaged or contaminated

D. All of the answers are true

8. Always perform a user seal test every time the respirator is donned?

A. True

B. False

9. The N95 respirator has a filter efficiency level of 95% against particle 0.3 microns in size?

A. True

B. False

10. When storing the respirator, ensure the respirator is protected from:

A. Contamination and dust

B. Deformation

C. Excessive moisture

D. All of the answers are true

ANSWER KEY

1. D

2. B

3. C

4. D

5. B

6. D

7. D

8. A

9. A

10. D

Federal Sector Leaders Elected to National Executive Board, Appointed to Audit Committee

June 12, 2009

Federal sector leaders Evelyn Cipriaso and Dale Dandrea Dale Dandrea and Evelyn Cipriaso were elected to serve on the NAGE National Executive Board. Both individuals were nominated by National President David J. Holway and were elected by unanimous vote at the meeting of the full Board on June 5, 2009. President Holway also appointed Local R1-134 president Patrick Lavery to serve as an auditor.

Cipriaso is the president of Local R3-19, which represents all non-supervisory RNs within the VA Maryland Health Care System, including Baltimore, Perry Point, BRECC, and the community-based outpatient clinics through the state of Maryland.

Dandrea is the president of Local R1-144, the Federal Union of Scientists and Engineers. FUSE represents 1,800 non-supervisory, professional, civil service employees at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center—Division Newport, RI. Members include scientists, engineers, mathematicians, patent attorneys, and accountants.

"I am very pleased that Evelyn and Dale accepted their nominations and agreed to serve on the National Executive Board," said President Holway. "They are proven leaders with very strong and proven histories representing members at both the local and the national level. We are fortunate to add these dedicated and talented leaders to the board."

Cipriaso and Dandrea are no strangers to the workings of the National Executive Board; Cipriaso was a member of the Federal Sector Advisory Committee, and Dandrea was formerly a member of the Audit Committee.

The LOCAL CHAPTER congratulates Evelyn on her appointment to the National Executive Board.

MARCH, 2010

On December 9, 2009, President Obama signed an Executive Order 13522 creating Labor-Management Forums to improve the delivery of Government Services. This Executive Order is similar to a Clinton-era mandate that establishes government-wide Labor Management Partnerships .

The Executive Order 13522 requires a creation of a labor –management forums at the Agency level and a National Council on Federal Labor-Management Relations that will report directly to the Executive Branch. The National Council will be led by the Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget and Director of Office of Personnel Management. David Holway, NAGE’s National President was one of the union leaders appointed by President Obama to the National Council.

The order would require the National Council to pilot programs that would test bargaining over permissive subject in a small group of agencies. The council will evaluate the programs, which must be established within 150 days of the date of the order. The order also restores requirements that agency leaders and union officials undergo training in cooperative bargaining and dispute resolutions tactics. It also requires the agencies to provide the union with “pre-decisional” information on workplace matters including those not subject to collective bargaining. The National Council and the created labor management forums in the agency level will provide guidance for all sides to work towards a stronger and more effective federal government. This will also enable the union to elevate complaints at the agency level to the attention of the National Council.

Evelyn

Wow – I just saw a position announcement for an in house position that I and many others would love to have……  However, wait before you spend hours updating that resume and submit your paperwork to be considered.   Wow, sources close to the top tell US that “they” already have someone in mind;   AND guess what?  That information has proven to be correct on every occasion, especially for the Monday through Friday higher paid positions, high profile positions.