The International Nurse Specialist Group/Cystic Fibrosis is committed to setting high standards of nursing practice, promoting continuing professional education and nursing research. Our group has established links with the medical and research community in order to promote wellness and provide quality nursing care for people affected by Cystic Fibrosis.
A Name
The name of the Group is the International Nurse Specialist Group / Cystic Fibrosis. (INSG/CF).
This Group is associated with the International Cystic Fibrosis (Mucoviscidosis) Association (ICF(M)A) and a part of the Scientific Medical Advisory Council (SMAC).
B Interpretation
'Cystic Fibrosis Clinical Nurse Specialist' is equivalent to any title used to denote a Registered Nurse who cares for on a regular basis, persons with Cystic Fibrosis.
C Objectives
To set and promote high standards of nursing practice in the treatment of persons with Cystic Fibrosis (CF).
To promote the advocacy of all individuals affected by CF.
To promote rigorous research in nursing for patients with CF.
To disseminate information and knowledge of nursing practice in the treatment of patients with CF.
To provide a communication network among nurses in CF care world-wide
To advance the knowledge and understanding of CF among both medical, related professionals and lay people.
To promote continuing professional education in CF care
To represent CF clinical nurse specialists within the SMAC.
To promote and develop nursing in Cystic Fibrosis care as a speciality.
D Membership
All Registered Nurses actively working in, or affiliated with the care of individuals with Cystic Fibrosis world-wide.
E International Officers
The INSG/CF in general meetings shall be the governing and policy-making body of the Group.
The general administration - financial and professional, of the INSG/CF shall be vested in the Committee with due regard to the wishes of the membership.
F Contact Persons
Duties
To fulfil a term of office for a time decided upon by each country for its own representative.
To, where possible, fulfil the objectives of the INSG/CF within their own country.
To disseminate, as appropriate, information from the Committee to interested persons within their own countries.
To present, in writing, an annual report to the committee for presentation at the Annual General Meeting of the INSG/CF.
To receive correspondence from the committee.
Election
Each country shall elect their Contact Person. If there is no special respiratory or CF interest group for CF clinical nurse specialist in a country, a CF clinical nurse specialist from that country may be invited by the INSG/CF to be the Contact Person.
Each Contact Person may vote in person, by postal ballot or by proxy at General Meetings of the INSG/CF.
G General Meeting
Annual General Meeting
Timing - The INSG/CF shall hold an Annual General Meeting every calendar year at a time and place to be fixed by the Committee. Every fourth year the Annual General meeting will be held during the International Cystic Fibrosis Congress and will be known as the Quadrennial Meeting.
Business - The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be:
i Presentation of an annual report and financial statement from the committee.
ii Presentation of annual reports from Contact Persons.
iii Election of officers.
iv Other business.
Special General Meetings
A Special General Meeting shall be called as soon as practicable upon request, in writing, to the Secretary from the Chairperson or any three persons comprising ordinary Committee officers or Contact Persons.
Notices of Motion
Submission - The committee or any two Contact Persons may submit a notice of motion.
Notice - A notice of motion should be submitted to the Secretary of the Committee 30 days before an Annual General Meeting or Special Meeting.
Attendance
Any CF clinical nurse specialist may attend a General Meeting or Special General Meeting, but only Contact Persons or their designated deputy delegates shall have voting rights.
Notice of General Meetings
Contact Persons shall be given by post at least 60 days notice of a general Meeting or Special General Meeting and the notice shall state the business to be transacted at the meeting and when possible, the time and the place.
Quorum
Contact Persons from at least five countries or their designated deputy delegates (see G9) shall be a quorum.
A meeting shall lapse as to business for which a quorum is not present within 30 minutes of the time the meeting is notified to start.
Chairperson
At all General Meetings the Chairperson or, in her/his absence, the Past-Chairperson shall take the chair. If within 15 minutes of the time the meeting was notified to begin neither is present, the meeting shall elect a Chairperson from the Contact and Committee persons present.
Voting
Postal ballot
Voting for the election of Officers to the Committee will be by postal ballot of the Contact Persons. The results will be announced at the Annual General Meeting of that year.
Delegate voting
Voting upon notices of motion and all other matters, excepting the election of Officers to the Committee, shall be by Contact Persons or their designated deputy delegates present at the meeting or by proxy (see G9).
Voting shall be by an open count of votes unless the Chairperson or Contact Persons present require a secret ballot.
Casting vote
The Chairperson shall have an original as well as a casting vote.
Secret ballot
Two scrutineers shall be appointed by the meeting to count the votes and the Chairperson's declaration of the result shall be conclusive.
Proxies
Contact Persons
In the event that Contact Persons or ordinary Committee members are unable to attend a general meeting of the INSG/CF the Contact Persons or ordinary committee member may send a deputy delegate to take part in the meeting or may vote by proxy. The contact person may either vote by proxy him/herself for notices of motion circulated before the meeting or invest the right of voting in her/his deputy delegate or the Secretary of the Committee by completing the proxy form. The completed proxy form should have been received by the Secretary of the Committee before the start of the General Meeting.
H The Committee
Composition
All ordinary officers of the Committee shall be CF clinical nurse specialists. The ordinary officers of the Committee shall comprise a Chairperson, Past Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary and any other officers considered appropriate. Normally there shall be no more than one representative from each country.
Meetings of the Committee
Regular - Regular meetings shall be called by the secretary, as directed by the chairperson. One meeting shall be held in any one calendar year, at the time of the Annual General Meeting of the INSG/CF.
Special - A Special meeting shall be called by the Secretary if directed by the Chairperson or by two ordinary officers of the Committee.
Notice - The Secretary shall ensure that each member of the Committee, Liaison Person(s) and Medical Advisor(s) are given adequate notice of meetings.
Quorum - Three ordinary members of the Committee shall be a quorum.
Chair - The Chairperson or, in his / her absence, the Past-Chairperson of the Committee, shall chair meetings.
Voting - Ordinary Committee members shall have one vote each. The Chairperson or, in his / her absence, the Chairperson of the meeting, shall have a casting vote. Any co-opted member does not have the right to vote.
Meeting - The Secretary shall circulate minutes of each meeting promptly to members of the Committee and Contact Persons.
I Executive Officers
There shall be an Executive Committee composed of the Executive Officers of the INSG/CF. The executive officers of the INSG/CF shall be the Chairperson, Past Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer.
The Executive Committee shall meet at least once a year at the time of the Annual General Meeting at the European or International CF Congress.
Chairperson
Term of Office
The INSG/CF shall have a Chairperson who shall serve for a term of four consecutive years commencing (except in the case of an appointment or election to fill a casual vacancy) immediately after the Annual General Meeting (at the International CF Congress) following his or her election and ending at the close of the Annual General Meeting four years later (at the following International CF Congress).
Election
The Chairperson shall have been elected by postal ballot before the Annual General Meeting held the previous year.
Casual Vacancy
If the office of Chairperson falls vacant the Committee shall appoint the Past-Chairperson to be Acting Chairperson.
Past-Chairperson
Term of Office
The INSG/CF shall have a Past-Chairperson who shall serve for a term of two to four consecutive years in discussion with the needs of the committee and current Chairperson.
Secretary/Treasurer
Term of Office
The INSG/CF shall have a Secretary and a Treasurer who shall serve for a term of normally four years. The Secretary and Treasurer shall not be eligible for re-election for a second term of office until he/she has stood down for at least one term.
J Nominations
Any two contact persons or two ordinary members of the Committee or one Contact Person and one ordinary member of the Committee may make a nomination.
A nominee must be a National Contact Person.
Nominations must be submitted in writing to the Secretary of the Committee three months prior to the Annual General Meeting at which the election is to take place at a Quadrennial Meeting.
K Duties of the Committee
The Committee shall carry out the general business of the INSG/CF.
The Secretary shall keep minutes of the meetings of the Committee, the INSG/CF and keep the list of the Contact Persons. The Secretary shall be responsible for the correspondence of the INSG/CF
The Treasurer shall be responsible for the INSG/CF finances and safe keeping of the moneys and keep a record of all financial transactions. The Treasurer will collect subscriptions/donations from Contact Persons. A financial statement shall be presented at the Annual General Meeting of the INSG/CF, and a copy forwarded to the Chairperson of SMAC.
L Sub-Committees
Establishment
The Committee may establish and disband sub-committees to handle any aspect of the INSG/CF affairs or for any special purpose and may define the role and appoint or remove the members of such committees.
Annual Report
Each sub-committee shall report in writing to the Annual General Meeting of the INSG/CF.
M Rules and Regulations
The INSG/CF in General Meeting shall, upon notice given in accordance with Rule G3 (Notices of Motions), have power to alter these rules and to make regulations consistent with these rules for the administration of the INSG/CF and to alter or rescind such regulations.
N Official Language
The constitution shall be available in English.
Dissolution
In the event of dissolution of the INSG/CF, all funds and properties remaining after payments of liabilities shall be conveyed to the International Cystic Fibrosis (Mucoviscidosis) Association.
Revision approved in Vienna, Austria, June 6, 2001