|
|
| |
|
March
2006—Issue 1
Editor House of Delegates Officers: Debbie Fox, MBA, RRT/ Speaker-elect Lynn Lenz, BS, RRT/ Secretary Frank Salvatore, Jr., BS, RRT, FAARC Treasurer Claude Dockter, RRT/ |
In This Issue... | |
John Blewett Denise Johnson Debbie Fox Lynn Lenz Frank Salvatore, Jr. Claude Dockter Garry Dukes
|
||
|
Comments on Comments John Blewett, RRT This issue of the A ARC Record has several insightful articles from the House of Delegate’s leadership and an article from California Delegate, Tom Wagner, addressing issues of dress. It also, as is custom, has the results of the Progress and Transition Committee’s House of Delegates effectiveness survey which was administered at the end of the last House meeting in San Antonio. It is that submission, or rather the comments contained therein that warrant some editorial comment. There were the usual comments related to the environment (too cold, better sized room [than the previous meeting], that sort of thing), and there were comments that were complimentary in nature, but there also seemed to be much more than the usual amount of criticism related to how the business of the House is conducted; several with merit (perhaps the basis of a resolution or two), and a few that I would like to offer an opinion on. Several people commented that they were not sure that the House meetings, at least as they are run now, justify the expense to their respective affiliates. There was more than one comment indicating that at least some people feel that the meetings are not run efficiently and/or the usual business of the house doesn’t really require face-to-face interaction but instead would do just fine conducted electronically. Then I read a comment by someone who had just attended their first house meeting, and I thought, wow, he or she nailed it: “My first meeting—thrilled to be involved and learn about the ‘inner workings’ of the AARC.” The House meetings really are an opportunity to learn about the inner workings of the AARC, gather the latest information, make your affiliate’s opinion known and participate in debate on current, important issues that face our profession. Without an appreciation for all the coordination that has to happen between the House, the Board of Directors, members of the Executive office staff and representatives from outside agencies, all of whom are on the agenda, it is impossible to truly appreciate how smoothly things really do run. Yes, occasionally an unplanned break occurs in order to set up what is going to happen next, but those are relatively rare, usually short in duration, and in general happen after enough time that the members are ready for a short break anyway. HOD meetings really are an opportunity for real-time, interactive dialog between all the players involved in the inner workings of the AARC. Yes, sometimes some business of the House needs to be conducted electronically but there is no way anyone would come away with the same information or sense of purpose if entire house meetings were conducted statically in cyberspace. Committee reports often are much more than a committee chair simply reading their report; often they have recommendations for change that have to be discussed on the floor of the House and then voted on just like a resolution. More importantly, it is an opportunity for delegates to ask questions and glean useful information that they can then relay back to their state societies HOD and AARC Committee reports aside, presentations of information from outside agencies (NBRC, CoARC, BOMA etc.), executive office staff (state and federal political advocacy updates, executive office directors, etc.) and members of the Board, again are not intended to be one-way communications and often are not. There is also great potential to learn valuable information from, and interact with, some of the best and the brightest in our profession from all over the country and very often those chance meetings happen outside the walls of the House. Indeed, these meetings are intended to be much more than dissemination of information; they are one of the main ways that meaningful change within the AARC comes about. [Top] |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Speaker’s Report Denise Johnson, RRT We are off to a busy start to 2006! You have been hearing from me a lot already this year. I want to thank you again for the impressive response to the call for help for contacting your Congress representatives and encouraging your members, staff, and patients to do the same. Although the bill passed narrowly in both the House and Senate, we saw evidence that the 435 Plan works. We made a difference and will continue to in the future. As I write this article, our PACT representatives are in Washington DC meeting with their individual states’ elected government officials. As the House of Delegates, we must continue to support the efforts of our PACT. We are in the midst of our first e-vote discussion. I appreciate all of your prompt replies in order for us to get the process started on the 2nd reading of the Bylaws changes before we meet in July. I realize that the use of technology versus face-to-face meetings is not always perfect or ideal, but it does allow us to complete important business in a more timely fashion. I am very excited to be serving as your 2006 Speaker of the House. It is indeed an honor. As I spoke with you in San Antonio, I will be (and have been) working closely with President Runge to continue the close ties formed with the HOD and BOD last year with John Hiser and Claude Dockter. My main focus will be continued support of political advocacy, public awareness of our profession, and the education of our consumers. Once again the House Officers have the privilege of attending the March Board of Directors meeting in Dallas. This is an excellent opportunity for us to experience and learn about the business of our national professional organization. It is another way in which we have open communication time with the AARC BOD. We will listen, learn and share with you the highlights of this meeting. I would like to take a moment to welcome all of the new delegates to the HOD. I look forward to meeting you at our summer meeting. As always, I would encourage any of you to contact me with your concerns, questions and ideas. I would also remind you of the incredibly valuable tool we have at our fingertips with the AARC website and the HOD website. See you all in July! Top] |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Speaker-elect’s Report Debbie Fox, MBA, RRT-NPS Even though it’s been a couple of months since the HOD Meeting in San Antonio, the House has been busy takin’ care of business. First with S1932 and dealing with Medicare changes for the home oxygen patient, support for HR 964 and then on to our first use of our E-vote process to consider the second reading of the Bylaws. It’s been gratifying to see the Delegates stepping up to the challenge, partnering effectively with the PACT to have our voice heard in Washington. I just returned from the PACT meeting in DC and joined several other Delegates who are committed to both groups. This increased partnership between the House and PACT is clearly evident and amplifies our political voice. I have just a couple of items for your consideration. In a few weeks we will be calling for resolutions for the Summer HOD meeting. In the past few meetings, we have had good resolutions presented but the number of resolutions submitted has decreased. The resolution process is an effective way to bring issues and concerns from your affiliate to the attention of both the House and the AARC Board. I encourage all of you to brainstorm with your fellow Delegates and your state Board and give some thoughtful consideration to ways of improving our effectiveness. Have you heard comments beginning with “I wish the AARC would…” or “I wish our state affiliate could…”? Maybe these comments could lead to a potential resolution? Both the affiliates and the AARC face ongoing challenges in the areas of membership, public awareness, patient advocacy, legislative issues and others. I believe the House can generate some creative resolutions to address these challenges. The other item I would like to bring up is something I addressed briefly at the end of our meeting in San Antonio. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the House of Delegates. According to the Historical Overview, the House of Delegates met for the first time in Boston in 1966. I would welcome your ideas for ways to recognize the House accomplishments. Please send your suggestions to me at debbie.fox@wesleymc.com. In closing, I want to thank all of you for the opportunity to serve as Speaker Elect. It has already been a terrific learning experience to witness the efforts of the House and the AARC Board leadership to maintain open communication and good working relationships. I look forward to working with all of you this year as the House keeps takin’ care of business. [Top] |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Secretary’s Report Lynn Lenz, BS, RRT This is the story of a professional basketball player drafted by the Chicago Bulls. During his rookie year, the opportunity finally came for him to play in his first NBA game. This was a lifelong dream, and he was so excited to play, he hustled up and down the court every minute he was in the game. By the time the game ended, he had scored just one point. During the same game, his teammate Michael Jordan, scored an all-time high of 60 points. Of course after the game, news reporters were all over Jordan asking him how he felt about his high scoring record. Finally, one of the reporters turned to the rookie and asked him how it felt to score just one point in his first professional game. “Are you kidding” he responded, “This is the greatest day of my life. I will never forget the day that Michael Jordan and I combined to score 61 points.” I don’t know if this story is true or not, but to me it defines optimism and teamwork. In a true team effort, there are days when one person may shine, but the collaborative efforts of the entire team are what make the team successful. And so it is with the AARC, the Board of Directors, and the House of Delegates. There are many examples of outstanding teamwork between the bodies and the people that comprise them, but the two that come to mind today are the recent PACT efforts and the steadily increasing membership numbers. Having just returned from Washington DC, I can tell you that it was the contributions of many that led to success in Washington. Layering the message is the best way to get a point across, and all those letters and emails laid a great foundation for the face-to-face visits we had last week. The job isn’t done yet of course, and the next layer will be thank you notes, follow up contacts back in our districts, and follow up visits by Miriam O’Day in Washington, as well as more letters and emails from members. But, many of us commented that we feel the momentum shifting. Slow as it may be, the weight of the rock is steadily moving toward the summit and, unlike Sisyphus, our rock will eventually topple over the peak through the united efforts of many, many people. The same is true of membership. Increasing membership increases the size and credibility of our team. In fact, during our visit in Washington, one of the Congressmen from Wisconsin asked us whom we were representing. Knowing we have more work to do in this area, we responded with the more impressive number of licensed practitioners. Apparently in the case of political influence, size does matter! Lastly, I just want to mention how honored I am to have been selected to serve as Secretary of the House of Delegates. I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of a team that brings success to our organization and recognition to our profession. And I promise to hustle up and down the court every minute I’m in the game. [Top] |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Treasurer’s Report Frank R. Salvatore, Jr., BS, RRT, FAARC First of all, let me thank you again for the honor and privilege to serve as your House of Delegates Treasurer for 2006. By the time you read this article, I will be preparing to attend the Board of Directors meeting with the rest of the House officers in Dallas at the end of March. So as treasurer, I do not have much to report at this time. Let me take this time to list out my charges so that you are aware of the expectations of the treasurer. Treasurer Charges for 2006:
The charges have basically been the same for each year with minor changes. I will make sure to address each of them in my July 2006 Report to the House. If you need to get a hold of me, please feel free to contact me at anytime. You can reach me at frank.salvatore@danhosp.org or you can call me at (203) 739-6440. Thank you again, and I look forward to seeing all of you at the July HOD meeting. [Top] |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Making a Difference Claude Dockter, RRT, Past Speaker So if you had the opportunity to make a difference would you? If an opportunity was presented to you to be allowed to take action to affect the outcome of someone’s life would you? If you were delivered a letter to send to your congressional representatives in Washington would you send it? I believe we all would answer yes! During the month of January within a two-week span I was given two opportunities. Opportunity 1. Mike Runge asked me if I would be willing to join him for a 10 minute meeting with Rep. Earl Pomeroy. The next morning we were called and told we had 15 minutes to make it to his office. We made it there in 10. Rep. Earl Pomeroy was making his way to his office, so we had the fortune of riding with him in the elevator. Our “ten minute coffee break” turned into a 45 minute conversation about 1932, 964, and 1440. He was in support of many of our points and provided us with suggestions to improve our chances of success in the future. Opportunity 2. Karla Smith (North Dakota Society President) forwarded a press release to my organization’s marketing department regarding S1932. The local CBS and NBC television stations pick up the story. Because I work for a Home Medical Equipment company, I was able to arrange for two home oxygen patients to be interviewed about the impact S1932 would have on them if passed. It was an exciting couple of weeks. A lot of people worked hard locally and nationally to activate the 435 plan. Mr. Frank Salvatore and the AARC PACT have served our patients interests well. The AARC House of Delegates has been tremendous in their support of PACT activities. The Affiliate leadership has responded by providing the necessary resources to make a difference both locally and nationally. Our efforts in communicating to our congressmen regarding S1932 are making a difference. Our voices (on behalf of our patients) were heard. Even though the outcome was not what we expected I have to believe a few more congressmen know about respiratory care. We started out the year with a huge bang on the political advocacy front! Well-done everybody and we will continue to have opportunities to be successful. We have more to do. 964 and 1440 are still out there and we need to take advantage of every opportunity. [Top] |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
AARC House of Delegates Effectiveness Survey Results San Antonio, TX Garry Dukes, BS, RRT The results of the Effectiveness Survey conducted at the San Antonio HOD meeting are listed below. 52 delegates returned surveys at the meeting. The average ranking for each statement and other comments received are listed below. If you have any questions, please contact me. Thank you to everyone who took the time to fill out and return the surveys. 4—Strongly Agree, 3—Somewhat Agree, 2—Somewhat Disagree, 1—Strongly Disagree
Additional Comments: Stay on time—less quick breaks. Limit speaker time. Lots of downtime. Our meeting would be two half days if people would stay on task and limit speaking time. I want the details of what I need to take back home. Let’s make decisions and move on. Use one computer and CD, so you don’t have to change. This would save time. Limit committee time. (Ed seminar too long.) Somehow need more “meat” in the resolutions. They have been weak in effecting change in the past couple of meetings. I feel like a lot of business could be accomplished by email—have one meeting per year and save affiliate money. The HOD runs well and I have attended several meetings where I feel like all that we did was “network”—which is good, but not really money spent well for my affiliate. I think because how well everything is going, the Speakers try to find fill time. Focus groups or talks on “How to have a successful state meeting” are great, but is not a good way to spend our time and our state’s money. The BOD appears to have streamlined their business. The Tom Lamphere seminar talk would be better at the President’s meeting. First morning—too many breaks. How about pastries and bagels in the AM? The relationship between both the HOD and the AARC has improved quite a bit. Thanks for your support and help in that. My first meeting—thrilled to be involved and learn about the “inner workings” of the AARC. Turn up the heat—too cold! It’s freezing in here! We spend most of our time listening to committee reports, and I’m not sure our affiliate’s money is always well spent attending HOD. The current AARC budget review does not give the HOD enough time to digest, understand, give input, and question the figures. We need to change this process to give more time, better presentation of the budget. The HOD meeting book needs to follow the agenda more carefully. We had to hunt and flip through House Committee reports. At least have a better defined tab/page #. Make sure speakers know tab and page number. I don’t believe the Executive Office is as open with the budget as they should be. The decisions are made by the Executive Office without any real input by the affiliates. Also, a 10 minute review does not give the HOD a chance to really review it. John Hughes was very nice in welcoming our delegation to the House. The HOD need more input into the NBRC, CoARC agencies. The budget approval process is broken. This is our member’s money. They should know exactly how their money is spent. The AARC should address the poor, poor pass rates on the RRT exams. Nice room. It’s a pleasure to be associated with such intelligent, caring individuals. Too many breaks and started late each time—let’s move along and get through. Much better room. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Why DO We Wear Ties? Tom Wagner, BS, RRT, FAARC The neck tie (cravats) has been described as an essential part of masculine elegance, as a man’s most common, as well as his most personalized accessory, much more than a mere accessory: it is also the way a man expresses himself, a fashion affirming the wearer’s individuality. I say “bull----!” As you probably remember from my previous article, the neck tie is accredited to Croatian horsemen during the Thirty Years’ War. (1638) They paraded with brightly colored scarves around their neck through the street of Paris. Common men soon adopted the practice to try to garner some of the prestige of these conquering warriors. The earliest known version of the necktie has been found in the massive mausoleum of China’s first emperor, Shih Huang Ti, who was buried in 210 B.C. Ti had a terracotta army buried with him to take to the afterlife. Unearthed in 1974 near the ancient capital city of Xian, the tomb contained 7,500 life-size terracotta replicas of Ti’s famed fighting force. Each figure is different - except in one respect: all wear neck ties. (They should have named it after him, or did they?) In 113 A.D., one of Rome’s greatest Emperors, the military genius Trajan, erected a marble column to commemorate a triumphant victory over the Dacians, who lived in what is now Romania. The 2,500 realistic figures on the column sport no less than three different styles of neckwear, including shorter versions of the modern necktie; cloth wound around the neck and tucked into armor; and knotted kerchiefs reminiscent of cowboy bandannas. The debate between proponents and opponents of the wearing of neckties generally center around issues of conformity, expectation and expression. In recent times opponents of necktie wearing have cited risks associated with the wearing of neckties as an argument for discontinuing the practice. These risks constellate around issues of entanglement, infection, and vascular constriction. The risk of entanglement is generally well understood by people working around machinery or in situations where person-to-person confrontation may occur (i.e.; Police and Prison personnel, RCPs leaning over the ol’ ladies bed rails). The answer is generally to avoid wearing ties, or use the clip-on variety which detach from the wearer when ‘grabbed’. Special care should be exercised by tie-wearing men who enter, but are not familiar with, these environments, or who use increasingly powerful home woodworking machinery. The risk of cross infection of patients by doctors wearing ties is being treated seriously by hospitals, it being noted that ties are cleaned less often than most items of clothing and can carry bacteria. Doctors and RCPs routinely lean across patients and ties frequently come into contact with patients. The risk of vascular constriction, in cases where ties are worn with over-tight collars, has been noted. Studies have shown an increase in intraocular pressure in these cases which can worsen the condition of people with already weakened retina. People with Glaucoma should exercise special care. The tension may even reduce cerebral blood flow resulting in unclear thinking. In all cases sensible precautions can mitigate these risks; the danger lies in lack of awareness of the risks. Some would say that the tie is the male’s one opportunity for textile display as flashy as that permitted the female. Women can splash color from neckline to hem. But male shirtings and suitings are evidently designed by some Protestant soul afraid that any color visible at more than two feet will cause moral degeneracy. Ties made quite a splash in the 1960s, when designers from London’s Carnaby Street devised the Peacock Look and churned out wide, colorful ties in a variety of flowered, abstract and psychedelic patterns. Mod (for modern) styles were the forerunners of the hippie movement, which often dispensed with neckties altogether, often favoring colorful scarves at the neck, or wearing open shirts with chains or medallions. (The Peacock Revolution.) I remember being a new director at a Berkeley Hospital in the early eighties, and the department needed some discipline and professionalism. I mandated the wearing of business attire including ties. (Yes, Me!!) The men in the department responded by complying with my wishes as expressed, by wearing plaid shirts and loud polka dotted and patterned ties; compliance to the word, but not the spirit. We have to remember that it is not the cloth a man wears but the fire in his heart. I believe that men are coerced into wearing ties due to social pressures, and that left to his own devices would not wear them at all. How many of you go home from work and change your tie for the evening? Not me!! In fact, I rarely wear a tie even to work these days. (My COO rarely wears a tie at work, either!!) It is time to caste off this relic of the past. We need to express ourselves through our individuality and creativity. If you don’t want to wear a tie, DON’T! That doesn’t mean you should look like a slob, but there are other acceptable and fashionable clothing to wear these days without resorting to mimicking a Croatian, Chinese, or Roman mercenary. Men, the time is now! Reject the common and be bold and innovative. It is time to cast off the old and move forward to the new. Let’s change the paradigm of male dress now. We can go down in history as the generation that evolved from the drab, stereotypical uniforms of the past, and transformed themselves with unrestrained, natural and functional attire. So, when Denise comes out and says “Formal Business Attire” for our meeting in hot and humid New Orleans in July (!), who you gonna call? (TieBusters!) Let’s be fashionable and cool, without ties! Our work with the House will be just as insightful and professional without ties. (Maybe even better without restricted cerebral blood flow.) Let’s do pantyhose next time! [Top] |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Membership Figures (as of 2/27/06)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
For Your Information The Calendar of Events can be found in the Delegate Handbook as well as the Chartered Affiliate Handbook, located at http://www.aarc.org/aarc_hod/. [Top]
|
