2008 TERCAP Forum Lisa Emrich, MSN, RN, and Holly Fischer, JD, General Counsel (Ohio)
INITIATING TERCAP: WV PNS LEARNING CURVE Presented by Michelle Winters, MSN, MBA/HCM, RN, NHA, LNCC Lanette Anderson, MSN, JD, RN
Objectives Discuss the WV PN Boards rationale for participating in TERCAP Discuss the process that Board staff utilized to initiate TERCAP Discuss the implementation to date of TERCAP by the WV PN Board
WHY TERCAP? The WV PN Board continues to see a significant number of complaints against nurses involving practice issues/errors The nursing shortage has caused recruitment and retention to be of utmost importance to nursing employers The Board prefers to be proactive rather than reactive to issues involving nursing practice, especially when they potentially or directly impact patient safety The Board approved participation in TERCAP in October 2007
WHAT DO WE DO NOW? Contacted Mary Doherty at NCSBN Completed TERCAP User Access Request Form Participated in TERCAP Introductory Webinar in November 2007 Developed user forms for complainant and licensee (based upon format of NCSBN forms – modified slightly to reflect LPN practice issues)
WHAT DO WE DO NOW? Posted TERCAP forms on website with Complaint Form Began providing these forms to relevant parties after January 1, 2008 Information regarding TERCAP in Spring 2008 LPN Newsletter Presentation of TERCAP information planned for June 4, 2008 to DONs of small and rural hospitals in WV
HOW MANY RESOURSES WERE NEEDED? Staff time to prepare forms Staff loading forms onto website No funds expended in process with the exception of cost of mailing extra pages if sent in mail with Complaint Form
SO HOW IS IT GOING? No major problems encountered May need to send second requests to complainant and/or licensee regarding completion and return of forms No issues so far entering data on TERCAP portion of NCSBN web site Hope to continue to enter more cases and provide more data to TERCAP so that the Board can have analysis on both national and WV data
Conclusion TERCAP can be an effective tool for Boards to use to assist us in protecting the public Just having the information isnt enough. Paying attention to the data and using it to inform/educate nursing students, licensed nurses, and employers regarding practice breakdown is also necessary
Questions and Answers