Preparing For Zika Cases, Nurses Partner with Feds

Judith E. Schmidt, RN, MSN, ONC, CCRN, NJSNA CEO

TRENTON, N.J.—Dec. 19, 2016— Months away from a potential Zika outbreak in the Northeast, the New Jersey State Nurses Association (NJSNA) has partnered with the American Nurses Association (ANA) to administer a grant from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for an “Enhancing Education and Training on Infection Control” program.

“Using this grant, we will provide education to the nurses of New Jersey regarding infection control,” said Judith Schmidt, NJSNA CEO. “Infection control is something nurses can never have enough training on, since we are on the front lines of contact with patients. This partnership will potentially help decrease the amount of infections, not just in hospitals, but also in long-term care facilities and within the home, because nurses are everywhere—they’re caring for patients in homes, long-term care and in assisted living facilities as well as other clinical settings.”

The program will also focus on containing the spread of emerging super-infections, such as MRSA and Ebola, to protect patients, the public and nurses themselves.

The information will be administered via webinars, conference calls, e-mail and website updates and a program at NJSNA’s 2017 Annual Conference.

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About NJSNA
NJSNA, which was established in 1901, is a constituent member of the American Nurses Association.  The New Jersey State Nurses Association (NJSNA) represents the interests of 125,000 registered nurses and advanced practice nurses as an advocate for the nursing profession. NJSNA’s lobbying arm continues to protect the nursing profession through legislative victories. Its nonprofit foundation, Institute for Nursing, helps nurses further their careers by providing continuing education, scholarships and research grants in addition to invaluable networking opportunities. For more information, nurses can visit www.njsna.org or contact NJSNA at njsna@njsna.org or (609) 883-5335.