Food Allergy Nursing Association - FANA

08/01/2025

🌟 Join Us for the FANA August Speaker Series! 🌟

Food Allergy Nursing Association invites you to an enlightening session:
Guiding Families with Food Allergy Stages: Practical Tools for Nurseswith speaker Dr. Theresa Bingemann, MD.

🗓 Date: August 7, 2025
🕐 Time: 1 pm EST
📍 Location: Zoom (Virtual Event)
💲 Cost: FREE for FANA members | $10 for Non-Members

Gain valuable insights and practical tools to better support families managing food allergies. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your knowledge and skills.

🔗 RSVP now: https://www.foodallergynursing.org/event-details-registration/guiding-families-with-food-allergy-stages-practical-tools-for-nurses

* This activity will be submitted for 1.0 contact hour(s) of continuing education (which includes 0 hour(s) of pharmacology) by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners®.

Register today and take a step forward in food allergy nursing! 🚀

07/31/2025

July Recap: A Month of Growth and Learning with FANA! 🚀

We're thrilled to share our July highlights with you! 🌟

- Speaker Series: We had an incredible session with Dr. Tim Dribin !

- Pitch-A-Thon Team Call: Join our Pitch-A-Thon Team for 2025, led by SONSIEL - SONSIEL- Society of Nurse Scientists, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, & Leaders , the Nurse Hack for Health! We're looking for passionate nurses and tech-savvy individuals to join our team.

- New Website Section: Explore our committees and learn more about the amazing work being done behind the scenes!

- Member Highlight: We shone the spotlight on our Membership Committee Chair: Mary-Margaret Richter, DNP, NP-C, NI-BC, CSM, CPDHTS !

- Research & Education Updates: We're now sharing the latest trending research in food allergy! Stay informed and stay ahead!

- August Speaker Series: Get ready for an exciting session with Theresa Bingemann !

Register here: https://www.foodallergynursing.org/event-details-registration/guiding-families-with-food-allergy-stages-practical-tools-for-nurses

👉Check out our website for more updates and details on our upcoming events! www.foodallergynursing.org

Stay connected, stay informed, and let's continue to make a difference in the world of food allergy nursing!

07/30/2025

Member Highlight: Mary-Margaret Richter, DNP 🌟
FANA is thrilled to welcome -Margaret Richter, DNP, NP-C, NI-BC, CSM, CPDHTS as our new Chair of our Membership Committee!

Mary-Margaret brings a unique blend of clinical and technical expertise to our organization. She is a Clinical Informatics Analyst, board-certified APRN, and Doctor of Nursing Practice whose work focuses on digital health transformation strategy, data-driven quality improvement, and advancing healthcare interoperability through FHIR standards. With a background as a nurse practitioner in digestive diseases, she has cared for patients with food allergies such as Eosinophilic Esophagitis. She also brings lived experience as the parent of a young adult with severe dairy and beef allergies—and has recently navigated the complexities of managing food allergies in the college environment. Her personal and professional experiences fuel her passion for improving food allergy care through education, research, and advocacy.

As Chair of Membership, Mary-Margaret looks forward to growing FANA’s network and connecting with nurses and future nurses who share a commitment to advancing food allergy care.

Please join us in welcoming her to this leadership role!

To view more about our committees, visit our site: https://www.foodallergynursing.org/general-5

07/30/2025

📝 FANA Advocacy & Education Update: FARE's 'Ready to Act' Campaign

FARE's June 2025 campaign calls for increased access to epinephrine in public venues, because you never know when anaphylaxis might strike.

🚸 What’s happening?
FARE urges that epinephrine be included in first responder kits and made readily available in public spaces to improve emergency response and save lives.

✨ Why it’s urgent:
Only about 50% of people with a history of severe food reactions currently have a prescription for epinephrine — a critical gap in protection

Every 10 seconds, someone in the U.S. visits the ER due to food allergy reactions

“Epi first, Epi fast” can be life-saving in emergencies

🔑 Why nurses should care:

Nurses are often the first to respond in schools, clinics, and public spaces. Unassigned epinephrine availability can be the difference between life and death.

Nurses are also key advocates — this is our opportunity to lead policy change for safety, accessibility, and health equity.

Learn more: 📖

Source: https://www.foodallergy.org/media-room/fare-calls-unassigned-epinephrine-be-carried-first-responders-and-available-public

07/28/2025

🚀 Website Update! 🚀

We’re excited to announce that we’ve added a dedicated Committees section on our website! Now you can easily learn more about our current committees and how they work to promote FANA's mission and vision.

One of our key committees is the Membership Committee — the heartbeat behind growing and supporting our food allergy nursing community across the U.S. and beyond!

The Membership Committee is dedicated to fostering the growth of FANA’s member community both nationally and internationally. We focus on:

✅ Monthly virtual meetings
✅ Outreach through calls, emails, and social media
✅ Maintaining a member outreach database
✅ Annual surveys to assess member needs
✅ Monthly tracking of membership changes
✅ Quarterly reports to the Board of Directors
✅ Collaborating across committees to strengthen recruitment and retention

Whether you're passionate about connection, communication, or community-building — we’d love your help!

More details about each committee and their charters are available here: https://www.foodallergynursing.org/general-5

Interested in getting involved or learning more? Reach out — we’d love to hear from you!

07/26/2025

🌟 Exciting News, FANA Family! 🌟

We’re thrilled to invite you to join us for OctoberFARE, this year’s Food Allergy Summit hosted by FARE! Mark your calendars for October 31 – November 1, 2025, at the Ronald Reagan Building in downtown Washington, D.C.

Celebrate with us during this extraordinary Halloween celebration featuring:

🎃 FARE’s signature Teal Pumpkin Project — non-food treats and candy free of the top 9 allergens & gluten
🎃 Trick-or-treat options with the “Switch Witch” to turn candy into toys
🎃 A delicious allergen-friendly buffet dinner
🎃 Fun-filled Teen Costume Party & Adult Social
🎃 Special activities for children, teens, and adults all weekend long!

👉Don’t miss out—register now at the OctoberFARE registration page: https://www.foodallergy.org/donate/special-events/octoberfare at an early bird rate and be part of a community creating unforgettable memories!

🔗For more updates and information, visit our website: www.foodallergynursing.org

Let’s come together to celebrate, learn, and make a difference in the food allergy community. See you there!

07/25/2025

📝 FANA Research & Education Update: Study Authored by Nurses

We're excited to share a recent review highlighting the vital role of registered nurses in oral immunotherapy (OIT):

🚸 What was studied?
The multifaceted role of RNs on a clinical team delivering OIT, a treatment that desensitizes patients to food allergens through gradually increasing doses under supervision.

✨ Main findings:

RNs are the backbone of OIT, serving as clinicians, educators, advocates, and program leaders
They safely implement allergist protocols and monitor each dose
They provide tailored education to empower families
They support families emotionally and help bridge care at school
They drive research, program growth, and quality improvement efforts
🔑 Why it matters:
This study underscores the critical, hands-on role of nurses in ensuring OIT is safe, effective, and patient-centered—ultimately improving outcomes for individuals with food allergies.

Learn more: 📖
Citation: Russell, A. F., Cooke, A. J. T., Kagan, O., & Stieb, E. S. (2022). Multifaceted role of the registered nurse on an oral immunotherapy clinical team. Journal of Food Allergy, 4(2), 78–85.
https://doi.org/10.2500/jfa.2022.4.220014

Visit our website: www.foodallergynursing.org for more research updates

07/24/2025

🌟 Call for Pitch-A-Thon Team Members! 🌟

FANA is forming a team to submit a proposal for the 2025 SONSIEL- Society of Nurse Scientists, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, & Leaders (SONSIEL)/NurseHack4Health Pitch-A-Thon, and we want YOU—nurses and possibly non-nurses alike—to join us!

This is a fantastic chance to:
✨ Learn design thinking, AI, and pitching skills
✨ Access mentorship and workshops
✨ Connect with industry innovators
✨ Potentially win funding to bring your ideas to life

No experience needed—just passion and a curiosity for innovation!

🗓️ Application opens: August 18
⏳ Deadline: September 30
🔎 Workshops & info sessions happening now! Check schedule: nursehack4health.org/schedule

Interested or want more info? Drop a comment below or email us at hello@foodallergynursing.org!

07/23/2025

The Food Allergy Nursing Association is excited to share Allergic Living's Airlines & Allergies Guide—an essential resource for travellers with food allergies, covering airline accommodations and safety measures worldwide.
https://www.facebook.com/share/1A5VFnBxqx/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Allergic Living's Airlines and Allergies (U.S. & Canada) Guide: policies from pre-boarding to buffer zones, PA announcements and pets.

07/21/2025

🌟 Join Us for the FANA August Speaker Series! 🌟

Food Allergy Nursing Association invites you to an enlightening session:
Guiding Families with Food Allergy Stages: Practical Tools for Nurses with speaker Dr. Theresa Bingemann, MD.

🗓 Date: August 7, 2025
🕐 Time: 1 pm EST
📍 Location: Zoom (Virtual Event)
💲 Cost: FREE for FANA members | $10 for Non-Members

Gain valuable insights and practical tools to better support families managing food allergies. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your knowledge and skills!

🔗 RSVP now: https://www.foodallergynursing.org/event-details-registration/guiding-families-with-food-allergy-stages-practical-tools-for-nurses

* This activity will be submitted for 1.0 contact hour(s) of continuing education (which includes 0 hour(s) of pharmacology) by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners®.

Register today and take a step forward in food allergy nursing! 🚀