|
Volume V, Issue 1 September 2008 |
Quinsigamond
Community College |
|||||||||||||
|
Staff Development Links
Staff
Development
Staff Development
Staff
Development
Erica Merrill
Staff Development
September's Events
Fall 2008 All
College Day
The Wellness
Corporation Webinar: "Work/Life: Trends & Strategies"
Colleges of
Worcester Consortium Seminar in College Teaching "Informational
Session"
Adjuncts(')
Matter(s)
Fall 2008 All
College Day "Reprise"
In accordance with the college's strategic initiative to optimize the use of technology for improved and cost-effective communication, this newsletter is being distributed electronically as the best means for information-sharing with faculty and staff. |
Editor: Erica Merrill Veterans Administration Certifying Officials School by Dan Daly Conference for Nurse Educators: Nursing in the 21st Century by Linda McInerny
Veterans Administration Certifying Officials School
“To
care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his
orphan.” Arguably, the “War on Terror” began on 9/11/2001, seven years ago. Does anyone see an end in sight? In contrast, the post-World War II GI Bill that democratized American higher education and opened access to returning veterans came on the heels of four years of American war involvement. Currently, the Veteran’s Administration handles six highly complex educational benefit programs for Veterans. Colleges are a key partner with the VA in assisting students through the process. QCC has about 200 veterans, reservists, and qualified dependents drawing benefits under the various VA programs. Two QCC staff members, Holly Kularski and Dan Daly, are authorized by the VA to handle the intake, processing, certification, and monitoring of these students. Every two years, the VA’s Regional Office in Buffalo NY gathers together the Certifying Officials from college and training programs throughout the North East for updated training. Unlike many academic conferences which start late and have lots of time for networking, Uncle Sam’s training school begins promptly at 8:00am and runs through 4:30pm. Breaks are short and sessions are fast-paced. Sessions included: Hands-on Training: With VA-ONCE, a web-based means of certifying and managing student enrollments. This computerized reporting method has dramatically cut the backlog in processing claims. Nevertheless, with computerization comes a whole new level of problems. Certifying Official 102: There were two levels of sessions addressing the role of the Certifying Official, forms, benefit programs, factors affecting benefit rates, and more. We attended the more advanced training. Contacting the VA: If you think getting a straight answer from the telephone company, without spending hours on hold, is impossible, then try contacting the VA. There are times and methods of contact that can avoid some of the delays. SAA Approval: Did you know that when QCC changes the number of credits required in a program, that program is no longer approved for Veterans Benefits? There is a required process for getting a new approval from the State Approving Agency. This session addressed the role of the state in the process. An office of the BHE is Massachusetts’ Approving Agency. Vocational Rehab: Some of our Veterans and their dependents are receiving benefits due to service related disabilities. The Chapter 31 Vocational Rehab regulations are significantly different than the other benefit programs. Financial Aid: Are Veterans also eligible for financial aid? Do their benefits result in lower eligibility? This session addressed some of the misconceptions and misinformation concerning financial aid. As with all sessions concerning FA, only the surface was scratched, but again, the enormous complexity of federal financial aid programs was apparent. Compliance Surveys: Whenever money is involved, auditors are not far behind. What do inspectors look for in their visits? What records must be kept? Accelerated Payment and Tuition Assistance: Two additional complex programs provide unusual assistance, if you qualify. Facilities Tour: We had a tour of the VA Regional Processing Center, identifying the stages of claim processing and potential bottlenecks. Helping our students avoid the bottlenecks results in faster, more accurate payments.
Conference for Nurse Educators: Nursing in the 21st
Century The April 2008 Conference for Nurse Educators was an excellent conference that provided useful information that I will incorporate into my teaching throughout the Nursing year. The keynote speaker was Rosalie Tyrell from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. She is a very well-recognized public speaker and an educator in the nursing division at the hospital. I attended two of her sessions and will utilize many of her recommendations in understanding and leading a multigenerational workforce. Rosalie talked about “The Silent Generation”, 12% of which still contribute to our workforce. Many view their jobs or careers as one of status and security. The Baby Boomers contribute approximately 50% of the workforce today. Their focus is on “let’s get together and decide what to do”. Boomers are generally idealistic, moralistic and politically correct. Cultural factors contributed to these; many came from homes where the father worked and the mother stayed home. This was the age of TV and rock ‘n roll. However, Boomers are having a difficult time supporting a family on a single income. Generation X’ers were generally brought up watching Bevis and Butthead, The Simpsons, and MTV. One third of the college graduates in this generation are underemployed. Significant numbers of Gen X’ers cannot afford to live on their own as yet. They contribute approximately 25% of our workforce. They are usually hesitant to commit to long-term relationships; some view authority with ambivalence and disdain. Many Gen X’ers change jobs frequently, in order to stay on a learning curve, to be challenged, or to have fun. The latest group, Generation Y, is more “ecologically aware”; they believe in “good for all”. However, they are branded as being materialistic and more “techno-savvy”, compared to Generation X. They represent about 21% of the workforce and display new hope and optimism. This new generation is team-focused and goal-oriented. Whatever the workforce we practice with or the age group we teach, there are six Best Practices to follow:
In practice as well as in teaching, communication is the key to delivering a message to our student nurses that they must give expert care to clients, as well as pass the NCLEX exam and contribute to the needs of our community. In order to bridge the gap, teachers and students need to be flexible, and they need to appreciate differences in learning styles and communication techniques; these are critical factors related to delivering nursing care in the Med/Surgical, Pediatric, Maternity, and Geriatric settings. It was wonderful to meet with other faculty members from area colleges and hospitals as we shared information and experiences. I did appreciate the opportunity to attend this conference, and I hope that there will be more opportunities like this in the future.
© Staff Development, Quinsigamond Community College 2008. |
