All posts by Southwest

SW-VCNP February Meeting Success!

We had a fantastic meeting at The Girl and the Raven in Abingdon, VA, on February 1, 2025! Thank you to everyone who joined us for our monthly meeting!  

Pat Meinen, from Medical Reserve Corps came to enlighten everyone on their services and to announce the Annual Conference presented by NETN, SWVA, and Sullivan County MRC Units. The conference is on Saturday, April 5, 2025 at Northeast State Community College, 2425 TN-75, Blountville, TN 37617, from 8 am to 5 pm. They will be covering a Sheltering Exercise, CPR Certification, Communications, Networking, Mental Health and Disasters, and much more! So SAVE THE DATE!!

Southwest Virginia Nurse Honor Guard-Christine Mullins presented an update on progress with the website, social media, membership (n=37), counties covered, ongoing raffle ticket sales for the EKO Stethoscope, and future plans. The raffle will be drawn at the next SWVCNP regional meeting on March 1, 2025.

County Champions were established to disseminate services regionally. The County Champions are responsible for arrangements with the funeral home, family members, and the honor guard members. Several members volunteered for this effort.
The southwest region is creating a basket to raffle off at the VCNP Conference.  The theme is Rustic, Appalachian Adventures.  Each member is going to purchase items up to $25 for the basket and we will work on it together at the next meeting SWVCNP Regional Meeting on March 1, 2025.

There was a robust discussion on calendar events for this year and things our group was interested in hosting/participating in, i.e., REVIVE Training, conferences, museum of trees, parades, trunk or treats, and drug takebacks.  Coetta Neece has started a calendar to add events to for our region. We also discussed hosting meetings outside of Abingdon--alternating sites for more participation.  

Our next meeting: March 1, 2025 at The Girl and the Raven, 380 E. Main Street, Abingdon, Virginia, 9:30 AM. We hope to see all our members at the next meeting!!

We forgot to get a group photo, however, we did get a few pictures to share!  Many thanks to Tauna Gulley, Southwest Region President, for leading our group meeting and for all the members who showed up for networking!

SW-VCNP February Meeting Venue Change!

Change of Plans 🫣
Good evening SWVCNP members! The next meeting will be 🥁
Date: February 1, 2025 at the
Location: Girl and the Raven!!
Time: 9:30 AM
Address: 380 East Main Street, Abingdon, VA 24210

Thank you for voting on the venue and date for our next meeting! Due to cost/scheduling, we changed the venue. Please add this to your calendar! We cannot wait to see you there! 👩‍⚕️

New Year Update

The Southwest Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners has conducted a SWVA Nurse Honor Guard tribute at Gilliam’s Funeral Home in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. On 1/1/2025, Drs. Christine Mullins and Rebecca Garrett conducted the heartfelt tribute.

Mullins said. “Conducting the Honor Guard tribute is one of the most honorable and memorable ceremonies I have ever participated in. There are honor guards for the military, masons, police, and firefighters. Now nurses can also be honored in southwest Virginia with recognition of their profound service and impact throughout their careers.”

The SWVA Nurse Honor Guard has established a website, donated by The Health Wagon. The website allows volunteers to share their contact information, and the Guard has recruited 31 volunteers representing nine counties in Virginia. The website provides information on conducting the ceremony, the supplies needed and how to obtain them, the Mission, Values, FAQ, Testimonials, a Media Gallery, and Contact Information.

The Southwest Region–VCNP is also selling raffle tickets for $5 each for an Eko brand electronic stethoscope (valued at $400) to help fund SWVA Honor Guard endeavors. The group has also created a Facebook page and private chat for members to communicate. The council’s next steps are to acquire more honor guard capes, caps, triangles, lanterns, and service announcements for funeral homes to spread the word to families throughout the region.

Drs. Christine Mullins and Rebecca Garrett

Representing in Southwest Region Style!

🏥 From November 19-20, we represented Southwest VA at the Rural Health Conference at the SWVA Higher Education Building in Abingdon. We connected with key leaders, including Gini Weisz (Roanoke Region), Denise Daly Konrad (Virginia Health Care Foundation), and Robin Collins (Frontier Health).

🎉 Congratulations to Robin for winning the Blood Pressure Cuff Raffle!

Thank you to everyone who helped us make an impact this month! 💙

💙 Call to Action: Help Us Honor Nurses 💙

The SW Region-Virginia Council of Practitioners is establishing a regional Nurse Honor Guard in the area and is seeking interested nurses to participate. The SWVA Nurse Honor Guard will offer dignified tributes to deceased nurses by reciting the Nightingale Tribute and presenting condolences to their families. We also plan to engage in community events to promote our service.

We invite LPNs, LVNs, nursing students, RNs, and APRNs to join this meaningful initiative. Interested in collaborating? Please submit your information through the provided website so we can connect with you. Let’s honor the legacy of nursing together! 🌟

https://swvanursehonorguard.powerappsportals.com/Volunteer/

🌟 Supporting Those In Need 🌟

Our friends at The Health Wagon have been working tirelessly to care for those impacted by the recent hurricane. When we learned they needed insulin and volunteers, we stepped up!

Thanks to our local Walmart, we secured 30 vials of N and R insulin and are preparing to deliver medical supplies and insulin to them. 💉

If you’d like to donate or volunteer, we’d love for you to join this effort. Together, we can make a difference! Reach out to get involved. ❤️

Southwest Region VCNP Meeting

The Southwest Regional VCNP Meeting will be held on Saturday, September 28, 2024 from 9-11:00 AM EST at the White Birch Kitchen & Juice Bar in Abingdon, Virginia. (170 E Main St.)

We are back in Abingdon, Virginia, for our September, 2024 Meeting! We have exciting news for our region to discuss, as well as from the state board meeting. We hope you can make our meeting. It’s not just a meeting—it is a chance to connect, share ideas, and enjoy a delicious meal together!

While breakfast is not included, you can order from the delicious menu at White Birch. Whether it’s their famous pancakes or savory breakfast platters, there’s something for everyone!

Feel free to bring along a fellow Nurse Practitioner who may be interested in becoming a member of VCNP. We always welcome new faces and fresh perspectives!

Please RSVP by September 27th, 2024, to Cassie Sheffey at camcallister27@gmail.com. We’re excited to catch up with you with a hearty breakfast!

Reminder: VCNP membership renewal dues are this month!