Our August Board Meeting set the direction for NFK activities for 2025-26. We will focus on fundraising for our scholarship, hosting speakers at our monthly meetings and community outreach especially to SONs.
In lieu of a September meeting, members attended the CNA Annual Convention. Kathy Crisler was recognized as the NFK Nurse of the Year for her initiative in writing by laws to move former DNA 20 to a Constituent Association. As an NFK Board Member At Large, she is its legislative liaison along with Annette Cannon, President, keeping us unformed on legislation at the National and State levels affecting nurses.
Kudos to Rita Beam in obtaining a $1000 grant from Colorado Nurse Foundation (CNF) to offset the cost of bringing Amanda Skenandore, RN and award-winning author, to be a presenter at the CNA Annual Conference on September 26. Amanda spoke about how reading improves health and promotes self-care. Flyers and bookmarks were printed and distributed by members to promote the CNA presentation, as well as Amanda’s appearances at the Aspen Grove Tattered Cover Book Store and Belmar Library in Lakewood. Members donated items for a drawing at the CNA Conference to raise money for our scholarship.
NFK was honored to have our 2024 scholarship recipient as our October speaker. Maya Lindgren, BSN, RN, presented on her research project for a course at Colorado Mesa University where she is completing her MSN-NP. Her presentation “Perioperative Guidance for Glucagon Like Peptide-1 (GLP1) Receptor Agonist Medications” investigated recent literature surrounding when to hold GLP-1 medications in patients undergoing planned procedures under general anesthesia.
Members remained active with community outreach throughout the summer and fall. Annette Cannon attended the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (Colorado) summer get together on July 26. She continued outreach with the Colorado Nurses Council of Black Nurses Inc. Rita Beam attended its annual membership kickoff August 25 networking and sharing the benefit of CNA membership and participation in NFK meetings and activities. Members responded to an appeal from Rocky Mountain Children’s Foundation for toys and infant clothing by donating needed items. Rita Beam, a CU alumnus, was invited to attend CU Nursing Grand Rounds on September 25 when Amanda Skenandore, also a CU alumnus, was invited to present to nursing students and faculty. On October 24, Annette Cannon joined nursing students at Regis University for a simulation based on how to report to the coroner when a patient dies.
On June 18, Annette Cannon spoke at the GlobalMindED Conference 2025 held in Denver where she spoke on “HIPAA, Privacy, Confidentiality, Data Security and Risks, Directives, Death and Illness and the Relativity to Nurses/Coroners in Space/Aerospace” and “Future Everyday Nursing Care: Military, Flight for Life and Interstellar Travel.” September 9-10, she attended the Academy of Forensic Nurses West Regional Conference in Tacoma, Washington where she presented on “Death Investigation.” On November 12-14 she will speak on “Death Investigation” at the International Association of Forensic Nurses Wisconsin Chapter in Tomah, Wisconsin at the Helen Kelly Regional Conference.