VERY IMPORTANT: (New) Dinner Meeting Policies

Greetings

It is great to note the membership in our Volusia-Flagler Advanced Practice Nursing Council organization recently has grown. There also has been a corresponding increase in dinner meeting attendance over the past few months. While this growth is exciting concerns have emerged related to dinner meeting attendance.

More specifically, while RSVP’s are required to attend the Monday evening dinner meeting, there has been a significant problem with the following:

• Members who do not RSVP, but then attend the meeting
• Nonmembers who RSVP (or do not RSVP) and attend the meetings
• Members who RSVP but are a ‘no show’ at the meting
• Students in BSN and MSN programs attend meetings to seek a clinical preceptor.

These situation have created serious problems in the last few months for both the sponsor who allocated a specific dollar amount for each event, as well as for the restaurant that has limited seating.

Consequently, the Executive Board has implemented the following policies for dinner meetings.

• Only members in good standing (i.e., current ‘paid-up’ members) will be invited by email to RSVP on our website to attend the meeting. Therefore, to be invited to attend a dinner meeting make sure that your membership is current!
• If a member has RSVP to attend, but subsequently cannot attend the meeting, you are expected to cancel your reservation on the website.
• For last minute cancellations notify Deb DiChiara @ 386-795-3825 indicating your change in status. This will allow her to contact another member who is on the waiting list to attend. ) indicating your change in status.) We are auditing patterns of ‘specific member RSVP no shows’. Currently we are developing strategies to deal with this situation.  
• When a member has not RSVP’d for a dinner meeting, but then shows up at a Monday evening dinner meeting, and if seating capacity has been reached, you will be asked to leave.
• ARNP’s who are interested in a guest attendance are encouraged to attend, pending space availability for an event as specified by the sponsor and seating capacity of the restaurant. Arrangements for a guest must be coordinated with Deb DiChiara before the meeting. An individual can attend only once in guest-status (and are encouraged to become a member after that event).
• Pending space availability nonmembers can attend the dinner meeting at a cost of $25.00.

• Regarding student (guests) please adhere to the following guidelines
  • Only a student who is enrolled in a Masters or DNP level Nurse Practitioner educational program who is in the final practicum of the program of study can attend as a guest. Again, attendance as a guest must be coordinated with Deb. A student who does not meet these criteria will be asked to leave prior to the dinner meeting!!
  • However, nurse practitioner students in a masters or DNP program are highly encouraged to become a member at a reduce membership fee.

Finally, I offer several reminder regarding professional behavior at dinner meetings:

• Networking is schedule from 6:00-6:30 PM. That is dedicated time to connect with peers and cooworkers.
• The presentation is scheduled to begin promptly at 6:30 PM.
• Please treat the speaker with common professional courtesies! Along with turning off cell phones, discontinue informal networking discussions and any other disruptive activities. Reserve questions until the end of the presentation unless the speaker invites questions during the presentation.
• Problems have arisen with certain individuals who arrive early to the meeting and ‘hold a seat(s)’ for a friend(s). Consequently, late arrivals often cannot find a seat even though there are place settings that are not taken. This meeting is an opportunity for you to network with peers as well as colleagues and friends!
• If alcohol is part of the meal please adhere to the drink limit policy! For example do not ask for a carafe of wine or another mixed drink, when only one drink is allowed!

Thank you. The executive board appreciates your cooperation in abiding with these policies.  

Dr. Angeline Bushy
President