Drowning Prevention and Water Safety: Key Facts for Children and Teens

By Nicole Lucas, MSN, RN, NE-BC

Call for Nominations for Elected Positions 

By: Kathy Van Allen, MSN, RN, CPN 

SPN Nurse Safety Spotlight Award

SPN is launching a new award this quarter! The Nurse Safety Spotlight Award (powered by Baxter) looks to showcase pediatric nurses that demonstrate commitment to pediatric patient safety through professional activities, and/or interactions with patients and their families within their organization. Read more about the award criteria, questions, and prizes below. This award will be offered on a quarterly basis: the deadline for submissions this quarter is June 13, 2025.

apply NOW

The Society of Pediatric Nurses (SPN) is proud to recognize the outstanding achievements of pediatric nursing units that exemplify excellence in patient care. Using the Pediatric Nursing Excellence Model as a framework, these units have demonstrated their commitment to engagement, values, principles, care delivery, and continuous improvement.

Help us celebrate the inaugural recipients of this prestigious recognition!

Reflecting on Our Journey

In 1990, pediatric nurses sought a dedicated space for connection, support, and professional advancement. SPN was created to fill that need. Following our founding, SPN hosted the first Annual Conference in March of 1991 in Washington DC titled “Nursing Care of the Hospitalized Child.” Over the past three and a half decades, SPN has accomplished many important milestones including partnering with the Journal of Pediatric Nursing as the official publication of SPN in 2001, releasing the Pediatric Nursing Certification Review in 2006, becoming an American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) provider unit in 2015, and launching the Transition to Practice Fellowship in 2018. 

Reaching these milestones has allowed us to grow into the premier organization for pediatric nurses, offering educational resources, professional growth opportunities, and a network that strengthens our community. 

The Magic Behind the Scenes 

By: Tina Spagnola MSN, RN, NPD-BC, NE-BC 

Chapter News

If you have any success stories, lessons learned, ideas, or other information you think would benefit your fellow SPN chapter members, please contact SPN to have your item included in the Chapter Newsletter. Contact Bayo Fasipe with any updates, questions, or other information.

November Update

Jennifer Lombardi, Board Liaison & Greater Kansas City Chapter President

2025-26 Board of Directors, Nominating Committee Elections Now Open

Elections have opened for the open 2025-26 Board of Directors and Nominating Committee positions. You must log into your SPN member account to cast a vote. Elections will close on December 3, 2024. Please read about each candidate on the 2025-26 Board of Directors and Nominating Committee Slate page before you vote. Make your voice heard and vote today!

VOTE HERE

As the holiday season draws near, celebrations are often accompanied by distinct scents that can come from decorations or food preparations. These fragrances frequently trigger memories. However, this festive time can also become overwhelming as we juggle various tasks like shopping, cooking, and decorating for our chosen celebrations. Though holidays are generally viewed as joyful occasions, they can sometimes be quite stressful. Here’s where aromatherapy steps in, it may help alleviate stress and promote relaxation for improved sleep.

Aromatherapy functions through the inhalation of essential oils; upon doing so, it communicates with the hypothalamus and limbic system within the brain. This network influences emotions and memories. Therefore, the brain releases hormones such as serotonin, endorphins, and dopamine, chemical messengers that assist in regulating mood, sleep patterns, and digestive health. The secretion of these hormones is effective in reducing anxiety while fostering relaxation and supporting sleep. Research has shown evidence confirming aromatherapy's benefits for reducing stress.

Did you know that “nearly every child will get RSV by the time they are 2 years old?” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2024b,).

Laura Kubin, PhD, RN, CPN, CHES, CNE

What is RSV?

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common virus that affects the lungs of hosts; about 97% of children are affected by RSV (American Lung Association, 2021). Most people may mistake this for a common cold, or have no symptoms at all. However, infants less than 6 months of age, premature infants, and older adults with poor health are at risk for more severe illness that can lead to bronchiolitis or pneumonia (American Academy of Family Physicians, 2024; CDC, 2024b). These illnesses result in somewhere between 50,000-80,000 hospitalizations of children annually, and twice that for older adults (CDC, 2024c; CDC, 2024b). The symptoms of RSV in infants include a progressive worsening of runny nose, cough, and decreased eating or drinking (CDC, 2024b). Infants less than 6 months old will also present with irritability, decreased activity, and apneic periods (CDC, 2024b). Interestingly, RSV is not associated with fever (CDC, 2024b). RSV infections are seasonal, and typically occur in late fall to winter months in the U.S. However, according to the American Medical Association (AMA), the COVID-19 pandemic disturbed the seasonal nature of RSV, and it has not returned to predictable pre-pandemic patterns (2023). This is relevant because it disrupts the ability to prepare for and prevent typical RSV illnesses, which includes timing of vaccinations.

Prevention for Infants

Synagis

SPN Research and Evidence-Based Practice Grant Program Call for Letters of Intent by October 25, 2024

Purpose

Hello, SPN members!

Virtual Nursing

Have you heard the buzz around virtual nursing? Has your organization taken the dive yet? Virtual nursing is an exciting and innovative way to leverage the rapid expansion of telehealth technology to support nursing care delivery in the inpatient setting. Virtual nurses work remote from the inpatient setting to support nursing tasks that don’t require hands-on care. Using camera-embedded monitors or iPads to connect with patients and families, virtual nurses can assist with admission, discharge, and teaching-related tasks, answer questions on-demand, monitor the patient’s status, or support the team with care coordination and other behind-the-scenes logistics. These activities free up the bedside nurse to spend more time directly interacting with patients and families in-person and can reduce the nurse’s overall cognitive burden for the shift – and those working as virtual nurses can get a reprieve from the physical demands of a typical shift while still using their clinical expertise to support patients and families.

The SPN Board of Directors and Nominating Committee are looking for the next leaders in SPN. Showcase your leadership competency skills through your commitment to serve.

The Call for Candidates is a critical part of the Nominations and Election process, during which SPN members are encouraged to consider if they have the time and resources to effectively serve in a nominated position. The term of office will begin at the close of the SPN 35th Annual Conference in April 2025.

The Society of Pediatric Nurses is conducting an educational needs assessment to better understand the knowledge and skills you are seeking. The compiled survey results will provide SPN leadership with beneficial information to directly align our educational offerings and activities based on what you need. This survey should take no longer than 5 minutes to fill out. Submit your feedback by clicking the button below by Wednesday, July 17, 2024.

We recognize that your time is incredibly important, and we truly appreciate your assistance in shaping SPN's future education. 

Social Determinants of Health Awareness Campaign Results

Submitted by Heidi McNeely, PhD, RN, PCNS-BC, (HPAC Member)

SPN’s Healthcare Policy and Advocacy Committee (HPAC) recently hosted a social media campaign in March that was on LinkedIn and X (formerly known as Twitter). The campaign was focused on Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). The campaign ran for 5 weeks with a survey question each week and links to additional resources. The HPAC’s goals included solicitation of information specific to pediatric nurses’ awareness of social determinants of health to help identify gaps and to also increase awareness through dialogue and access to existing resources. The committee will be using this data as we consider additional advocacy education around the role of pediatric nurses within SDOH. We appreciate all who participated.

Here is what we heard from respondents.  

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Impact of Fentanyl on Pediatrics

Peggy Zysk, RN, BSN, CPN, member of SPN Healthcare Policy and Advocacy Committee

Introducing SPN's New Mentorship Exchange Program

Where pediatric nurses nurture and empower each other 

Nominations are now open for the Barbara A. Larson Humanitarian and Innovation Awards! If you know someone who continually goes above and beyond to serve our pediatric population, show them you recognize the work they are doing by nominating them for one of SPN's awards this year.

Barbara a. larson humanitarian award

 The Barbara A. Larson Humanitarian Award is named in memory of a long-time SPN member, officer and pediatric nurse who made a significant impact on the health and well-being of children around the world. This award is given to an individual (preferably a pediatric nurse) who exemplifies the ideals, values, and commitment held by Barbara A. Larson to serve children by working to improve their health, well-being, and/or living conditions (awarded in even years). 

Please Share Your Feedback in the DEI Task Force Follow-Up Survey 

As you may recall in 2021, SPN's DEI Task Force requested information to gain a baseline understanding of SPN membership. That information assisted the task force in working to ensure that diversity, equity, and inclusion were taken into consideration for SPN processes and practices, in addition to influencing the creation of new services and resources that would benefit membership.

As a result of the recent membership election, please join us in congratulating our new SPN Board of Directors and Nominating Committee Members!