Program Meeting 7/10 Recap

The KCNA Program Committee met on Wednesday, July 10th, to plan exciting events around various themes. During the meeting, new members were welcomed, and existing members reconnected. The committee reviewed programs from 2023-2034 and finalized plans for upcoming events in 2024-25, which include a Nurses Education Series with our regional partners, a Fall Summit, KCNA District Region Meeting, Book Club sessions and the Annual Gala.

Have any ideas to share? We value your input! Send us your suggestions or ideas for future events and activities at kcnurses@kcnurses.org.

KCNA Member Dr. Hilarie Thompson named next UW School of Nursing Dean

UW has announced that KCNA member Hilarie Thompson, PhD, RN, ARNP, CNRN, AGACNP-BC, FAAN, a longstanding faculty member since 2006, will be assuming the role of executive dean of the School of Nursing effective August 1, pending approval by the Board of Regents.



During her tenure at UW, Dr. Thompson has held various leadership positions, including serving as graduate program director for the School of Nursing. In this capacity, she fostered numerous collaborative partnerships, managed budgetary and human resource responsibilities and acted on behalf of the associate dean for academic affairs.

Currently, Dr. Thompson holds the position of professor of Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Informatics in the UW School of Nursing, serves as core faculty at the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center and is an adjunct professor in Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education at the UW School of Medicine.

Congratulations, Dr. Thompson! We look forward to seeing you flourish in your new leadership role.

You can read more about their experience in the upcoming Fall 2024 Advocate, in homes this September. 

Take a happiness break!

Join Sherry Zheng, founder of Tai Chi Solutions and a Master Teacher of Qigong, for a 6-minute session of standing meditation practice. Qigong is a unique cultivation of intrinsic energy (Qi) through proper posture, breathing and meditative techniques. With its deep roots in healing and health preservation, Qigong boasts a rich cultural history and plays a crucial role in disease prevention and longevity cultivation. Sherry guides you through this brief session to relax and prepare you for the day ahead!



To download the Happiness Break podcast from Greater Good Magazine, click here.

New 2 hours of health equity continuing education requirement

In December 2023, the Washington Board of Nursing (WABON) introduced new continuing education requirements focused on health equity. Nurses in Washington must now complete 2 hours of health equity education during each renewal period to maintain their licenses, starting from December 22, 2023. These hours are part of the 8 hours of total continuing education required for RNs and LPNs every renewal period. Nurses have until their 2026 renewal date to fulfill the initial 2-hour health equity requirement. After their 2026 renewal, and for subsequent renewals, nurses must complete 2 hours of health equity education every renewal period to remain licensed.

For more information click here.

The Washington Department of Health provides links to free training courses that meet the model rules’ minimum health equity continuing education training requirements. Follow the link and scroll down to Free Trainings for more information.

**These courses may be designed for a specific profession or focus on a specific community. Your profession may require additional training related to health equity continuing education. Please refer to your specific profession’s rules for more information on requirements.

This scoop is on us!

This summer we're giving away two KCNA Relax and Read prize packs in lieu of National Ice Cream Day! 

Prize Pack includes one free ice cream scoop at Molly Moon’s, copy of the book Untamed by Glenn Dale, KCNA insulated coffee mug and a Nurses Make a Difference insulated bag. The perfect set up for a relaxing day at the park!

For your chance to win, follow KCNA on Facebook and Instagram, like our post scheduled on Friday 7/19 and comment your favorite ice cream flavor. For an extra entry, share the post on your social page.

**Contest runs from Friday, 7/19 at 9 AM PDT through Sunday, 7/21 at 11:59 PM PDT. One prize pack will be awarded on Facebook and another on Instagram. KCNA staff will assign each contestant a number, and winners will be selected using an online random generator. Winners will be announced on Monday, 7/22, and contacted via direct messaging on the respective social platform.

Save the date

The Seattle Center Foundation has announced that the 10th Anniversary of the Seattle/King County Clinic will be held from April 24-27, 2025, at Seattle Center.

Seattle/King County Clinic brings together healthcare organizations, civic agencies, non-profits, businesses, and volunteers from across the State of Washington to produce a giant free health clinic at Seattle Center. Over the past nine years, 30,000 patients have saved $26 million in out-of-pocket costs for dental, vision, and medical care, and have been connected to resources that can help with their continued care.

Sign up for the April 2025 clinic and related events will begin Monday, January 6, 2025.

For more information, check out Seattle/King County Clinic's volunteer page.