ABCGN Board of Directors Meeting

May 16, 2009

St. Louis, MO

Voting Participants:

Ann Hayes, BSN, RN, CGRN,President

Dianna Burns, BS, RN, CGRN, President-Elect

Rosiland McKeon, BS, RN, CGRN, Immediate Past President

Sandra Thomas, RN, CGRN, Treasurer

Barbara Schwant, BSN, RN, CGRN, Secretary

Deborah Copeland, BSN, RN, CGRN, Director

Georgette Knoebel, BSN, RN, CGRN, Director

Kathryn Miller, RN, CGRN, Director

Jenny Parkhurst, RN, CGRN, Director

Jeannie Ebbert, RN, CGRN, Director

Suzanne Buchanan, BSN, RN, CGRN, Director

Gail Steele, LPN, CGN, Director

Anne Ragsdale, Public Member

Non-Voting Participants/Guests:

Janet Hannah, RN CGRN

Kendall Yoshisato, BS MS RN CGRN

Terrie Vos, SGNA Board

Peggy Gauthier, SGNA Board

Nancy Eisemon, RN, MPH, APN/CNS, CGRN, Item Writer Manager

Ellen Moore, SmithBucklin

Susan Farrell, SmithBucklin

Christina Kowalski, Senior Associate

Erin Butler,Executive Director

1) Call to Order/Roll Call

ABCGN President Ann Hayes called themeeting to order at 12:30pm Central Standard time on Saturday, May 16, 2009 and the meeting ran until 6:00 pm. The Board reconvened on Sunday morning at 7:30 am and concluded its meeting at 10:00 am. Barbara Schwant called the roll of voting and non-voting members.

2) Welcome/Introductions

Ms. Hayes welcomed all of the voting and non-voting members to the meeting.

3) Approval of Agenda

Ms. Schwant recommended that the October 2008 board minutes be approved.

>APPROVED the minutes from the October 2008 Board of Directors Meeting with edits.

Ms. Schwant recommended that the November 11, 2008 teleconference board minutes be approved.

>APPROVED the minutes from the November 11, 2008 Board of Directors teleconference.

Ms. Schwant recommended that the November 25, 2008 teleconference board minutes be approved.

>APPROVED the minutes from the November 25, 2008 Board of Directors teleconference.

4) Action Agenda

Ms. Copeland recommended that the May 2009 actionagenda be approved.

>APPROVED the action agenda.

Electronic Motions

Ms. Schwantrecommended that the Electronic Motions be approved.

APPROVEDthe Electronic Motions.

Audit Report

Ms. Sandy Thomas recommended that the board of directors approve the 2008 Audit Report.

>APPROVED the 2008 Audit Report.

Committee Assignments

Ms. Burns recommended that the board of directors approve the revised committee assignments.

APPROVEDthe revisedcommittee assignments.

Nominating Committee Composition

Ms. McKeon recommended that the board of directors approve a change in the composition of the Nominating Committee: that the Committee be comprised of current and former ABCGN/SGNA Board members who really understand the role of the Board.

APPROVEDthe change in the composition of the Nominating Committee.

Nominating Committee Role

Ms. McKeon recommended that the board of directors approve a change in the role of the Nominating Committee: that the Committee put forward a slate to the Board for approval and then ratification by the membership instead of vote by the membership.

>DENIED the change in the role of the Nominating Committee.

ABCGN Board Eligibility Requirements

Ms. McKeon recommended that the board of directors add one year of Item Writer Workshop experience to the eligibility requirements for ABCGN Board members.

APPROVEDthe change in eligibility requirements for Board members.

ABCGN Board Size

Ms. McKeon recommended that the board of directors reduce the size of its Board and implement a committee structure.

>TABLED the change in Board size. A more comprehensive committee structure will be developed and presented to the Board at its next meeting.

Change to Definition of Contact Hour

Ms. Parkhurst recommended that the board of directors change the definition of contact hour in the Recertification Handbook from 50 minutes CA State Board of nursing seminar/workshop time to 50 minutes of seminar/workshop time from State Boards of Nursing maintaining that standard.

APPROVEDthe change in definition of contact hour.

Change to Definition of Contact Hour

Ms. Parkhurst recommended that the board of directors change the definition of contact hour in the Recertification Handbook from 50 minutes CA State Board of nursing seminar/workshop time to 50 minutes of seminar/workshop time from State Boards of Nursing maintaining that standard.

>APPROVED the change in definition of contact hour.

Changes to Application for Approval of GI Specific Continuing Education Activity

Ms. Parkhurst recommended that the board of directors make the following changes: delete number of contact hours for each speaker and add name of accredited contact hour provider and number of approved nursing contact hours.

>APPROVED the changes to the Application for Approval of GI Specific Continuing Education Activity

Distribution of Awards/Scholarship Information to Committee

Ms. Schwant recommends that staff email information on candidates rather than mail.

>APPROVED the change in distribution of award/scholarship candidate information.

SGNA Learning Links

Ms. Miller recommended that the board of directors accept SGNA Learning Links as eligible for Category I status.

DENIEDaccepting Learning Links for Category 1.

Policy Manual/Bylaws Revisions

Ms. McKeon recommended numerous changes to the Policy Manual. Some changes then necessitated changes to the Bylaws.

>APPROVED the following changes to the Policy Manual and Bylaws:

Appropriate Table of Content Changes

If approved, numbering changes will need to be implemented

Section I: Membership

  1. Delete Honorary Membership (1.2)
  2. Delete Life Membership (1.3)

Section 2: Board of Directors

  1. Vacancies on the Board (2.9)—for a vacancy in the Director-at-Large position, add that the Board shall appoint from the list of alternates
  2. Compensation of Board Members (2.12)—delete this section
  3. Board Correspondence (2.16)—change second sentence to “reports legally required to be sent out under the Secretary’s or Treasurer’s name”

Section 3: Board Officers

  1. Immediate Past President (3.2)—Add “Serve as a liaison to the SGNA Regional Committee”
  2. Immediate Past President (3.6)—Add Responsible for reviewing and revising the Bylaws and Policy Manuals. Revisions would then be reviewed by the Executive Committee and approved by the BOD.
  3. Qualifications (3.1)—Add “Attended at least 1 Item Writers Meeting”
  4. Certification Extensions (3.13)—Newly-elected members of the BOD receive a 5 year extension at the beginning of their term. Board members then receive a 5 year extension as they leave the Board. If a director leaves before the end of their term, the extension will be decided on a case by case basis.
  5. Item Review Committee: Term for committee members and chair is two years. Committee members receive 16 hours of GI specific contact hours upon completion of full term; the Chair receives 24 hours of GI specific contact hours upon completion of a full term
  6. Item Writing Panel: Committee members receive 8 hours of GI specific contact hours for 1 year of service.
  7. Increase the maximum hours in Category 11 from 9 to 15.
  8. Develop Category 12—ABCGN Test Development for Item Review Committee and Item Writing Panel members. Accept up to 12 GI specific contact hours with a maximum of 48.

Section 4: Committees

  1. Standing Committees (4.2)—Add Item Writers Panel, Audit Committee: GI Specific Review, Audit Committee: Recertification Review
  2. Item Review Committee (4.4.3)—The Chair position is a two year term with a maximum they can serve is 4 years. Add “ A Board liaison will serve on the Committee.”
  3. Composition of Item Review (4.4.3.2)—6 certified entry level nurses
  4. Responsibilities of Item Review Committee Chair (4.4.3.3)—add Identify incoming chair
  5. CNE Awards (4.4.3.4)—Committee members will receive 16 GI Specific Category 11 Contact hours; Committee chairs will receive 24. Those who serve on the committee must recertify by contact hours.
  6. Bylaws & Policies Committee(4.4.5)—Change Secretary to Past President
  7. Audit Committee (4.4.8)--Audit Committee will be responsible for developing a process and criteria for review of recertification packets, and will audit no less than 10% of recertification packets.
  8. GI Specific Review Committee (4.4.9)--GI Specific Review Committee is responsible for reviewing GI Specific content for contact hour approval. Packets reviewed will then be tracked in a database at headquarters
  9. Newsletter Editor (4.4.11)--Newsletter Editor will be responsible for the development and review of The Cert Report and any other correspondence provided for newsletters.
  10. Item Writing Panel (4.4.12)—Add the following section:

.4.11 Item Writing Panel (IWP) will be responsible for writing new test items which reflect current practice in gastroenterology nursing. Four certified registered nurses will be selected by application to sit on the Panel and to attend a two day item writing session in August.

4.4.11.1Eligibility Requirements Item Writing Panel

  • Certified registered nurses who are:
  • employed in gastroenterology nursing practice
  • provide direct patient care
  • Selection of writers will represent all practice settings
  • Ambulatory care
  • Hospital
  • Office
  • Preferred item writers will have attended the Item Writers Workshop

4.4.11.2Selection Process for Item Writers

  • Applications will be sent annually to all the attendees of the annual Item Writers Workshop in May.
  • Applications will be available on line for interested writers throughout the year.
  • Applications will be reviewed and selected by the Item Development Manager based on eligibility requirements, narrative describing practice and item writing exercise.
  • Eligible writers will be notified by letter that they have been selected and will be asked to return a consent to serve form, a confidentiality agreement and information on hotel and travel.

4.4.11.3Responsibilities of the Item Writing Panel

  • Attend a 2 day item writing session at ABCGN headquarters in Chicago.
  • Individual writers will develop six new items from selected domains and tasks of the test content outline and edit three selected items from the Item Writers Workshop
  • It is the expectation that twenty five higher cognitive level items will be developed for the Item Review Committee to review in January

4.4.11.4Item Development Pool

  • Those that are not immediately selected to serve will be asked to remain in the item development pool. The selected writers will remain in the pool for a 2 year period of time. If they are not selected to write within that period of time, and still would like to remain in the pool, an updated application form must be submitted.
  • Annually four item writers will be selected from the item writing development pool. Productive writers will have the option to stay in the item development pool.

4.4.11.5 Contact Hour Awards

Panel members will receive 16 GI Specific contact hoursin Category 11 after attending a two day writing session.Panel members must recertify by contact hours.

Section 6: ABCGN Exam/Recertification

  1. Exam Location Changes (6.4.4)—ChangeCastle to “the testing company”
  2. Computer-Based Testing (6.4.5)—Add the following section:

6.4.5Computer Based Testing-In addition to the paper and pencil format, ABCGN will offer computer-based testing. Candidates will have a 30 day window in which to schedule the exam which will begin 30 days prior the paper and pencil exam date. Candidates are required to select a test date and location at least 10 days in advance to taking the exam through CBT.

  1. Recertification Hardship Extensions (6.8)—Clarify sections with following wording:

Recertification candidates do have the option to apply for a recertification extension if they will not be able to meet the contact hour requirements. The request for extension must be received by headquarters no later than January 15 of the year following the certificant’s December 31 expiration date. The request must be accompanied with a $50 fee which will allow the candidate a 6 month extension from their expiration date the following year to submit all required material. Recertificant must have 50% of Category 1 GI Specific Contact Hours in order to qualify for this extension.

Section 8: Financial Policies

  1. Waiving of Recertification Fee (8.22.3)—Clarify wording to the following:

Current SGNA board members will have their recertification fees waived while on the Board. All ABCGN past presidents will have their recertification fees waived indefinitely once off the Board.

Proposed Bylaw Changes

  1. Article II. Members—Change to “Membership in ABCGN shall include all individuals who are currently actively certified under the guidelines and requirements set forward by ABCGN.”
  2. Article IV, Section 4, Nominations & Elections, Members of Committee on Nominations (4.1.2) and Election Procedures (4.2.2)—Change composition of Nominating Committee to current and/or former ABCGN/SGNA Board members
  3. Article IV, Section 6, Eligibility— Add attendance at One Item Writer’s Workshop
  4. Article V, Section 4, Terms of Office—Delete phrase “if he or she has sufficient time remaining on their term as Director to complete the term of office” from Secretary/Treasurer description
  5. Article V, Section 5, Vacancies—Delete same phrase from Secretary or Treasurer section
  6. Article V, Section 6, Duties—Add Complete annual review of bylaws and policies to 6.3 Past President
  7. Article VI., Section 3, Nominating Committee—Change composition to current and/or former ABCGN/SGNA Board members

5)Q1 Forecast/Contingency Planning

Ms. Butler reviewed ABCGN’s financials and 1st quarter forecast. She also reviewed the Contingency Plan sent earlier in the spring to the Board. The Board discussed the cost-saving initiatives and determined that most were necessary for the future of the organization.

The Board revisited the idea of charging for contact hours. Terrie Vos suggested talking to SGNA about a processing fee.

The Board agreed that only one person should attend the SmithBucklin Leadership Forums.

>APPROVED sending one Board member to the SmithBucklin Leadership Forums.

6)Amedco Presentation

Ellen Moore, Vice President of Education Programs & Services, gave a presentation on SmithBucklin’s new certification and recertification management tool. Norm Skog from Amedco participated in the presentation (via phone).

7)Testing Company RFP Update

Ms. Burns updated the Board with progress on the search for a new testing company.

8) ABNS Update

Ms. Thomas and Ms. Burns reported on the Spring ABNS meeting.

9) Category 2 Change

Ms. Miller discussed amending Category 2 to include radio shows as “live presentations”

DENIED amending Category 2 to include radio shows as “live presentations”

10) Other Business

The Board changed its Fall Board meeting dates to November 7-8.

Respectfully submitted,

Barbara Schwant

Secretary