March, 4th, 2024

Quick recap

The team discussed challenges and solutions related to staffing and retention at the Turlock Pregnancy and Health Center, potential partnerships with other clinics, and the need for a new doctor for the administration of Progesterone for Apr. They also explored the issues of working with volunteers, the need for coverage during maternity leave, and future plans of the Open Arms Pregnancy Clinic. Additionally, they discussed marketing strategies, the updated Member Portal, and a potential 4-day nurse training practicum.

Summary

Director's Meeting: Pro-Life Updates and Support

The meeting was led by Juli, the new member services director, and Jennifer, the executive director of the Right to Life League. The team discussed the agenda, which included introductions, updates to the Member Portal, and a potential nurses practicum. Jennifer led a prayer at the start of the meeting. The meeting was also attended by Taleni, Kristie, Shannon, and Arsi. The team was encouraged to share their challenges and needs to better support the pro-life cause.

Nurse Staffing and Retention Challenges

The meeting focused on the challenges Kristie, a nurse manager at Turlock Pregnancy and Health Center, faces in staffing and retention. The main issue highlighted was the difficulty in finding and retaining enough nurses due to the center's patient load and salary considerations. The executive mentioned potential solutions such as partnership with a temporary staffing agency and creating a job board on their website. Kristie offered to join a meeting to discuss these challenges and potential solutions.

Staffing, Scheduling, and Sonography Discussion

Kristie, Arsi, and the Executive discussed the staffing and scheduling challenges in their industry, as well as the requirements for becoming a sonographer. It was clarified that a nursing degree or LVN license is necessary. The conversation concluded without a clear resolution on these issues, indicating they were open questions for future discussion. The potential for sonographers to assist in their center was also discussed, with the scope of their work and the limited availability of trained sonographers being considered. The possibility of a sonography certificate and training for ultrasounds without a nursing degree was raised, although Kristie was not aware of such a possibility. The potential for midwives and mid-level practitioners to read scans was also explored, provided they are licensed and meet certain standards.

Staffing, Scheduling, and Service Challenges

Shoshana, the only paid nurse at her organization, raised concerns about working with volunteers who often prioritize their other jobs, leading to scheduling issues and last-minute cancellations. She also expressed uncertainty about coverage for her duties during her upcoming maternity leave. The executive noted her concerns and planned to seek advice from a staffing agency. Additionally, the executive and Arsi discussed the challenges and future plans of Open Arms Pregnancy Clinic in Northridge, including increased patient visits, the need for more staff and service adjustments, and the difficulties of admin work and setting up an abortion pill reversal service. They also shared plans to help another clinic in Ventura get started.

Progesterone Administration and Clinic Partnership Challenges

Arsi and the executive discussed the need for a new doctor to oversee the administration of Progesterone for Apr at their clinic. The current medical director had reservations about the procedure and would need to approve any new doctor involved. The executive suggested reaching out to local doctors, while Arsi emphasized the need for the medical director's approval. Kristie added that there were limited positions available on the Apr list for California. The executive suggested exploring other pro-life OB/GYNs who might be interested in participating in Apr. Shannon, a nurse manager at Horizon Pregnancy Clinic, discussed the challenges they were facing in establishing partnerships with other clinics. She mentioned plans to expand their mobile unit services to Tustin and partner with Orange County Rescue Mission and Mariners Church. Kristie suggested the idea of contracting someone to read scans, which Shannon confirmed was a possibility they had considered.

Doc Panel, Ultrasound Training, and Client Challenges

The team discussed the use of a paid scan reading service called Doc Panel. The service is utilized by some centers due to the lack of a comfortable reader for scans, hence they employ a medical director and use Doc Panel for reading the scans. The cost of the service was estimated to be around $35 per scan. The team also deliberated on the importance of adequate ultrasound training, which should ideally be conducted by a registered diagnostic medical sonographer (RDMS) or an experienced RN. The idea of creating a registry for nurses to fill in for temporary positions was also brought up. The team further discussed the challenges they face with clients who do not show up for appointments.

Marketing Strategies and Portal Updates

Shannon and Kristie discussed their marketing strategies, which included investing in a website, using Pro-Life marketing, and social media. They considered implementing a digital marketing campaign and expressed interest in Choose Life Marketing. Juli introduced an updated Member Portal with improved security and additional resources. The team agreed to investigate Choose Life Marketing further and continue investing in their marketing strategies. Juli also discussed the upcoming version of the portal, which will include a login and logout function, individual usernames and passwords, a searchable content management system, member profiles, and a prayer campaign. She also mentioned the creation of a job board, a forum, and other resources. Juli sought feedback and help with testing the new version and asked for any additional suggestions for the resource category.

Nurse Training Practicum Feedback and Concerns

Juli proposed a 4-day nurse training practicum in Southern California in partnership with NIFLA, seeking feedback from the team. The team clarified that the practicum could be for new or experienced nurses and could be a solution for those with low client volume. The team was still working on the specifics, including dates and cost. Kristie, Shannon, and Arsi shared their experiences and concerns about ultrasound training. The group agreed on the need for more training and acknowledged the range of experiences and skill levels among their team. Kristie expressed concerns about the legal and practical aspects of scanning and suggested that centers need to be thoroughly prepared. She offered to write an email detailing her concerns to prevent similar issues in future trainings.

Gina Anatomical Model & Technical Issues

The team discussed a new anatomical model for Transvaginal called Gina, which was acquired through grants. Shannon offered to lend Gina to other organizations for training purposes. The team also addressed some technical issues with email notifications for meetings and agreed to improve their connectivity and outreach. The next meeting was tentatively scheduled for the first week of June.

Next steps

Executive to explore solutions for staffing challenges, including potential partnership with a temporary staffing agency.

Shannon will consider using Doc Panel for scan reading services.

Shannon will follow up with the RDMS who conducted ultrasound training for potential future collaborations.

Executive will explore the idea of a registry for nurses to fill in for temporary positions.

Executive will consider implementing a digital marketing campaign.

Kristie will write an email detailing her concerns about the training session and send it to the executive.