On July 17 at 2pm Eastern Time, the IRS is having a free phone forum to help charity leaders to understand the tax rules that can come into play with volunteers.

The IRS will discuss what charities and their volunteers need to do to avoid any unintended tax consequences for the organization or the volunteer.

Topics include:
• Out-of-pocket expenses
• Which expenses are deductible
• Travel expenses
• Vehicle expenses
• Recordkeeping
• Reimbursing the volunteer

Click on this link to register: http://bit.ly/11Yguu0

Audrey Stout RN, RDMS

Dotsy Davis BS, RDMS, RVT

Starting in June, I will be hosting PMC Sonography Tip of the Month, an education webinar for medical professionals who are performing limited obstetrical ultrasound exams in Pregnancy Medical Clinic settings. These monthly live webinars are FREE and will be taught by nationally renown sonography training experts Audrey Stout RN, RDMS and Dotsy Davis BS, RDMS, RVT.

The first broadcast will be held next Wednesday (6/12) at 1pm PT/ 2pm MT/ 3pm CT/ 4pm ET. The topic of this broadcast will be “Are you sure this is a Gestational Sac?”

• July topic will be “All cervixes are not created equal.”
• August topic will be “Ectopic Pregnancy”.

I will record these broadcasts so that you may view them in the future. By registering for the broadcasts you will get the link to the archiving page after each webinar is completed.

To register for next Wednesday’s broadcast CLICK HERE.

For more information about Audrey and Dotsy CLICK HERE.

INFORMAL SMALL GROUP INTRODUCTION
In most cases, a general introduction is acceptable etiquette. The greater rank or authority rule applies here as well.

For example:

• Introducing a prospective board member to the board you would say, “Board of Directors, may I present Jane Smith.
• When introducing a donor to the board you would say, “Jane Smith, I would like to introduce you to the board of directors.”

YOUR ROLE
Your role in introducing people is to clarify the basics of who each person is and any relationship they have to you.

WHO IS INTRODUCED FIRST ?
You want to use the name of the person who has the greater rank or authority of the two people you are about to introduce first.

• Your Board Chairman is introduced to a prospective new board member.
• Your Medical Director to the new Nurse Manager.
• Your donor to a staff member.

WHAT DO I SAY IN A FORMAL INTRODUCTION?

• “May I present”
• “I’d like to introduce”
• “Have you met”

WHAT DO I SAY FOR AN INFORMAL INTRODUCTION?

• “Debbie Smith, Beth Chase”
• Using first names only is also fine. “Debbie, Beth”

WHAT NOT TO DO
In both a formal and informal introduction do not reverse the introductions.

I found that there is one thing that no leader can afford to ignore – a wounded heart.

There are three principles in dealing with the wounded heart factor.

FIRST – GETTING WOUNDED WILL HAPPEN
You cannot avoid hurtful arrows from striking your spirit. We live in a fallen world composed of Daughters of Eve and Sons of  Adam who have hidden agendas and unresolved issues in their own lives. Being hit with an arrow that wounds your spirit does not mean that you are weak – it happens to everyone – it means you are human.

SECOND – DEAL WITH A WOUND IMMEDIATELY
Never, I mean never stuff a wounded spirit or tell yourself it does not hurt. If you stuff a wounded spirit, it will own you – eventually.  The fruit of a wounded spirit unhealed is bitterness. Scripture warns us about bitterness in verses such as Ephesians 4:31, Hebrews 12:15 and Romans 3:14.  Forgiveness is a choice.  The smallest spark of bitterness can turn into a consuming fire when fanned by the slightest wind. Be quick to forgive.  A festering wound is a dangerous thing.

THIRD – DISCIPLINE YOUR MIND
Bitterness is a pitfall for leaders because bitterness changes how you perceive situations. Leaders must be able to correctly discern situations and people. Bitterness will poison your soul and mind. No leader can afford to let bitterness have the slightest foothold in their mind or spirit.

2 Corinthians 10:5 says that we are  to take “every thought captive to the obedience of God”.  The word “captive” in the Greek is aichmalōtizō. It means, to “lead away as a captive”.

When I think of leading a captive away, it seems to me that no one becomes a captive without a fight, right? Generally, there is a battle that takes place and then the victor binds the captive before leading them away.

Really, how many captives would go peacefully?

Most new captives would resist even when bound by rope, right? Okay, perhaps if a gun was pointed to the back of the captive there may be less resistance but the captive would watch of a every chance to turn on you.

RECAP

• You accept that you will get wounded from time to time.
• You understand that a wounded spirit can do great damage to your ability to lead.
• You deal with a wounded spirit quickly.
• You choose to forgive – it’s completely up to you.
• You take control over your thoughts.
• You never give up. You never give in. No matter how long it takes.

WHAT WORKS FOR ME
Although, I am growing plenty of thick skin in my old age, I have to battle arrows that wound my spirit from time to time.  I also know that I cannot afford to let any seed of bitterness plant itself in my spirit or God will be limited in how He can use me.

So make a conscious decision to forgive and tell God that I need His help to do so.

I deal with any thought that enters my mind that reminds me that I was hurt. I do this whenever it comes. This could be one time or hundred times a day. I do not have control over if the thought comes – no one does.  But I do have power over what I do with the thought.

How do I “deal” with it?

I speak out loud something like this, “Go away. I have chosen to forgive this person or group. Bitterness, there is not room for you here, I will not give you one tiny little place in my mind to sit. So leave now.”

Sometimes, God gives me a specific verse to use to have victory over my mind. And I will quote the verse out loud and use it in “bringing a thought captive”. This works extremely well.

I’ve found that speaking out loud to the festering voice in my head and hearing it with my own ears is my best weapon against these attacks.

Warning! If you use my method understand that this can be unsettling for others to hear.  So be careful when and where you do this. (I have often wished I could learn signing language that the deaf use.)

Wounds that attack the spirit want to take control of your mind. They enter our minds as demanding whispers or as roaring voices.

You cannot stop getting wounded. But you can determine if and how much power wounds have over you.

While the method I shared above works for me, I  know that God will show you how He wants you to “deal” with a wound so that a root of bitterness does not destroy your ability to lead.

Are you a leader struggling with a wounded spirit that you just cannot seem to get beyond? Call me at 509-886-4894.  It will be completely confidential.

Everyone leader needs a safe, transparent and caring coach once in a while.  I know I do.

Darrell shared a profound message with the House Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee.

What he said to our national leaders during this special session of Congress was painfully truthful.

What he has to say needs to be heard by every parent, every teacher, every politician, every sociologist, every psychologist, and every so-called expert!

These courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful, penetrating, and deeply personal. There is no doubt that God sent this man as a voice crying in the wilderness.

The following is a portion of the transcript:

Since the dawn of creation there has been both good &evil in the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers.

The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used.. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain’s heart.

In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA – because I don’t believe that they are responsible for my daughter’s death. Therefore I do not believe that they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel’s murder I would be their strongest opponent.

I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy — it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best.

Your laws ignore our deepest needs,
Your words are empty air.
You’ve stripped away our heritage,
You’ve outlawed simple prayer.
Now gunshots fill our classrooms,
And precious children die.
You seek for answers everywhere,
And ask the question “Why?”
You regulate restrictive laws,
Through legislative creed.
And yet you fail to understand,
That God is what we need!

Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation’s history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact.

What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine’s tragedy occurs — politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws.

Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts.

As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge every young person in America , and around the world, to realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him.

To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA — I give to you a sincere challenge.. Dare to examine your own heart before casting the first stone!

My daughter’s death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen!”

- Darrell Scott

Answer:  Short answer is NO.

If you are a medical clinic, only medical professionals should be collecting, reviewing and/or sharing medical information as non-medical personnel are neither qualified nor licensed to do so.

HOWEVER, non-medical personnel (staff and volunteers) may share medical information with patients by reading from brochures, books  or other documents that have been approved by the Medical Director and the Medical Director is okay with them doing so as long as the non-medical personnel NEVER answers medical questions that arise while they are reviewing these publications or documents.

Non-medical staff and volunteers should NOT be collecting, reviewing or distributing medical information with patients unless ALL four of following is in place:

1)  your Medical Director has approved it;
2) your Medical Director has provided standing orders to do so and written clear directives as to what the non-medical personnel may and may not communicate;
3) your non-medical personnel understands their boundaries and there is complete confidence in the non-medical personnel that they will follow the boundaries set forth by the Medical Director; and
4) there are period checks performed to assure competency and compliance.

According to Lorraine Mazurek, the Pregnancy Medical Clinic HIPAA Consultant, if your pregnancy medical clinic (PMCs) is storing client’s Private Health Information (PHI) electronically (i.e., eKyros or Way Cool) then guess what?  You now must comply with HIPAA’s HITECH ACT.

This means that, according to Lorraine, you should secure a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) from such an entity.

The risk is if your patient’s PHI becomes compromised as a result of one of these electronic tracking groups becoming hacked.

If no BAA is signed by the electronic group, Lorraine says that the PMC may be at risk. Attached are three documents from Lorraine regarding this that may be helpful for you.

The bottom line is that all Pregnancy Medical Clinics who are using eKyros or WayCool (or other electronic method for storing PHI) must secure a signed BAA from the electronic provider. In addition, HIPAA wants the BAA to have specific language in it.

Click here Business Associate Agreement to download this HIPAA BAA.

Here is more information on this issue:

HHS Updates

HITECH Act Impact

HITECH Act Updates

Questions?  Contact Lorraine Mazurek at:
Email:  lmazurek@solutions-now.net
Office Phone:  855-704-5189 or 541-466-3300