Emory Nursing Magazine - Spring 2024

THE EDGE OF NURSING

FROM THE DEAN

Barbara Valanis was my first role model in nursing leadership — my dissertation advisor and a noted nurse, professor, epidemiologist and health services researcher who wrote the textbook, literally, about epidemiology in nursing and health care. Now retired, she writes murder mysteries.

It might seem like a leap from nursing leader to mystery writer, but in reality, it isn’t. Patient care is often like a mystery that needs solving. The unknown twists and turns of a novel can be like working in health care today.

Being a leader in health care requires a willingness to face its unknown edges — to navigate a landscape that changes by the minute. Nurses are essential to this effort. The largest of all the professions, we also have the broadest reach; our work touches every aspect of health care. So, nurses must be able to lead, innovate and collaborate to ensure the best in clinical care, research, education and policy. Our communities and patients deserve nothing less.

Understanding this reality, the School of Nursing centers leadership in all aspects of our work. Leadership is embedded in our curriculum, encouraged outside the classroom, and weaved into new school-wide programs. Our faculty members lead national professional organizations, head up large-scale grants and service initiatives, and lend their voices to national conversations on matters including health equity and environmental and women’s health. Our alumni serve in a range of leadership positions across the nation and world. And we work mightily so our students cross the stage at graduation prepared to lead.

We hope you enjoy this issue of Emory Nursing, which outlines our leadership efforts and shares the great things that have happened at the school over the past few months. We are grateful to all of you for your partnership with us.

Linda A. McCauley 79MN, PhD, RN, FAAN, FRCN Professor and Dean Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing

NURSING

Dean, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing

Linda A. McCauley 79MN, PhD, RN, FAAN, FRCN

Chief Engagement Officer

Tricia Benson 86MN

Senior Director of Communications and Marketing/Editor

Melanie Kieve

Director of Communications and Marketing

Lauren Powers

Communications Specialist

Kennedy Gooden

Features Editor

Annette Filliat

Art and Creative Director

Erica Endicott

Photography Contributors

Paul Beezley

Brandon Clifton

Jeremy Cowart

Jenni Girtman

Patrick Heagney

Ko Photography

Lauren Liz Photo

Lakin Mercer

The Recording Service

Sā Events

Parker Clayton Smith

Ted Pio Roda Photography

Pete Winkel

FRONT COVER: STUDENT

LEADERS KERRICKA MCRUNNELS, CHERRY PARK, MICHAEL CURTIS JR., AND SARAH KEANE. PHOTO BY LAUREN LIZ PHOTO. BACK COVER: PHOTO BY JENNI GIRTMAN/ ATLANTA EVENT PHOTOGRAPHY.

Emory Nursing is published by the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing (nursing.emory.edu), a component of the Woodruff Health Sciences Center of Emory University. ©2024

Emory University is an equal opportunity/ affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all federal and Georgia state laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action.

THE EDGE OF

HOW – AND WHY –THE SCHOOL CENTERS LEADERSHIP IN ALL IT DOES

By Annette Filliat

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY p. 15 

 CONVERSATIONS FROM THE EDGE WEBINAR SERIES p. 14

RESEARCH FOCUS FOR HONORS STUDENTS  p. 17

NURSING LEADERSHIP

STUDENT AMBASSADOR LEADERSHIP LAB  p. 12

MOST PEOPLE EXPERIENCE A TIME WHEN THEY FIND THEMSELVES AT

A CROSSROADS —

FACED WITH A WEIGHTY DECISION THAT WILL PROFOUNDLY AFFECT THE FUTURE.

According to School of Nursing Dean Linda A. McCauley 79MN, PhD, RN, FAAN, FRCN, the nursing profession stands at such a junction. The path that nursing has traveled to this intersection has been exemplary — nurses are the most trusted health profession, with good reason — but the terrain around the path is increasingly daunting.

“The nursing shortage is a consistent reality,” McCauley says. “Nurses face challenges to their health and wellness, and new health technologies emerge by the minute. Academic leaders need strategies to increase the number of faculty, preceptors and students, and health care systems need strategies to keep nurses in their fold. The diversity of the nursing workforce, along with the diversity of patient populations, requires a new focus and range of work settings.”

McCauley believes that amid these realities, the nursing field needs bold leaders who are unafraid

to make unconventional choices — people willing to stand at the edge of the profession to push it forward.

“These issues demand different thinking. We cannot keep doing what we’ve always done,” continues McCauley. “Our profession is at a crossroads that calls for a different kind of nursing leadership.”

Last year, the school launched a webinar series, “Conversations from the Edge,” to explore the crossroads and new models of nursing leadership. Clinical Professor Tim Porter-O’Grady, DM, EdD, ScD(H), APRN, FAAN, FACCWS, was one of the series hosts, along with McCauley and Emory Healthcare Chief Nurse Executive Sharon Pappas, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN (see page 14).

“Financial and practice impact are the two primary indicators of value for professions,” PorterO’Grady says. “Historically, nurses have been on the cost side of the balance sheet and managed as an expense. As a result, nurses feel undervalued because their full impact in advancing health care is not fully acknowledged.”

Lalita Kaligotla, PhD, professor of the practice and senior director for leadership and engagement at the school, agrees. "Nurses are central to the patient experience and the linchpin within health

A student learns about the nursing profession at the Latino Youth Leadership Conference.

The expertise of nurses is needed throughout the fabric of health care, and that’s why the School of Nursing is fostering a culture of leadership for nurse leaders to become changemakers in our evolving landscape.

DEAN LINDA MCCAULEY

care systems," she says. "Given their centrality, they have a high potential to lead in many ways. Yet, the leadership roles that nurses play with patients are often hidden.”

As the nation’s largest and most trusted health profession, nursing can influence policy and change.

“The expertise of nurses is needed throughout the fabric of health care, and that’s why the School of Nursing is fostering a culture of leadership for nurse leaders to become changemakers in our evolving landscape,” adds McCauley.

‘WALKING THE TALK’ OF LEADERSHIP

The School of Nursing weaves leadership throughout the student experience, says Paula Tucker 10MSN 24PhD, DNP, FNP-BC, ENP-C, FAANP, clinical associate professor and family/ emergency nurse practitioner program director.

“The school encourages engagement in committees and organizations, the curriculum integrates robust objectives emphasizing leadership, and faculty members encourage students to refine leadership through research and service learning,” she adds.

“These experiences facilitate interprofessional collaboration and contribute to their development,

HOW IS THE SCHOOL OF NURSING DEVELOPING NURSE LEADERS?

Increasing the size of programs and the number of graduates

Building and nurturing strong relationships with practice partners.

Developing new programs such as cardiovascular perfusion and AI/data science.

Dean McCauley speaks about the

school’s accomplishments, including leadership initiatives, at the recent alumni awards dinner.

Launching leadership programs encouraging nursing undergraduate students to pursue a PhD or DNP at Emory.

Using school resources to promote the work of faculty, staff and students.

Supporting faculty scholarship that leads to change in their areas of expertise.

Developing an advanced leadership academy designed specifically for faculty and staff.

— Dean Linda McCauley

COMMUNITY VOICES

WHY IS NURSING LEADERSHIP IMPORTANT?

Leadership in nursing is not only important but essential to advancing any health care system. Nurses provide a patient- and communitycentered perspective as they understand the needs of populations at a foundational level. Nurses are the backbone of the system, and it is crucial to have their voices recognized to deliver positive patient outcomes.

Elise Cooper 24MN

Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing

so they are well prepared to make lasting contributions to health care.”

Assistant Clinical Professor Chelsea Hagopian 12BSN 14MSN 18DNP, APRN, AGACNP-BC, models leadership as she accompanies her pre-licensure students to the Georgia Nurses Association’s Nurses Day at the Capitol each year. At this event, students apply the foundational knowledge of leadership they learn in the classroom to engage in policy advocacy around issues that matter to them. The event is one of many opportunities students have to take part in health care advocacy.

Clinical track faculty also participate in community-based partnerships, with several leading U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grants to advance health delivery in underserved areas. As they involve students in their work, they show how nurses can lead outside typical acute care settings.

“Watching faculty is a rich source of learning that happens as students are in the early formation of their professional identity in nursing,” Hagopian says. “We are walking the talk with our students to model the importance of leading self first in navigating real-world challenges — and demonstrating in our own ways the tremendous potential to affect positive change in the world as a nurse.”

GROWING DIVERSE LEADERS

Only 7 percent of registered nurses in the United States report being of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity — a percentage that is disproportionately lower than the overall Latinx population, according to the 2022 National Nursing Workforce Survey.

Statistics like this one — coupled with the understanding that increasingly diverse patient populations deserve a diverse nursing workforce — drive the school to ensure its leadership initiatives focus on diversity.

Each fall, the school participates in the Latino Youth Leadership Conference, where Latinx middle and high school students across the state visit participating Emory schools and explore educational pathways. Emory partners with the Latin American Association to host the conference.

During the conference, nursing student leaders run hands-on, health carebased learning stations for conference participants — introducing them to nursing school and the profession while sharing insights from their journey in the field.

Faculty and students engage in advocacy at the 2024 Nurses Day at the Capitol, sponsored by the Georgia Nurses Association event in March.

National Association of Hispanic Nurses President and Emory Visiting Scholar Adrianna Nava (second from right) and students Leslie Trejo, Penelope Sugg 24BSN, Kharen Bamaca-Forkel 24BSN, Fabiane Sención, Luis Espinosa, Cassie Ramos 24MN, and Hilario Morales advocate for Latinx health and workforce policy during an association event in Washington, D.C., in February.

Lisa Nuñez, director of the school’s Lillian Carter Center for Global Health and Social Responsibility and a longtime conference volunteer, says the event instills leadership in both nursing students and conference attendees.

“The middle and high school students take the initiative to make connections and explore future pathways while the nursing students volunteer to uplift the community,” she adds.

Fabiane Sención, an MSN-FNP student who has been involved with the conference for the past two years, says that the conference provides opportunities for Latinx students to see themselves represented in professional fields, including nursing and health care, which are crucial for fostering ambition and breaking barriers.

“The conference opens doors to opportunities often scarce in our community,” she says.

In February, Sención joined fellow Latinx students Luis Espinosa, Hilario Morales, Cassie Ramos 24MN, Penelope Sugg 24BSN, and Leslie Trejo as policy scholars at the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN) Hispanic Health Policy Summit in Washington, D.C. They participated in a panel discussion led by NAHN President Adrianna Nava, PhD, MPA, MSN, RN, who has been serving as a visiting professor at the school. Along with NAHN student member Kharen Bamaca-Forkel 24BSN, they met with Angela Ramirez, deputy

A nurse anesthesia student demonstrates skills to high school students attending the Latino Youth Leadership Conference.

JENNI GIRTMAN/ATLANTA

HOW DID THE EMORY SCHOOL OF NURSING PREPARE YOU TO BE A NURSING LEADER?

The Emory School of Nursing instilled such a good, formative education that I had the confidence and skills to step into leadership roles. I remember being in our old building beside Harris Hall and hearing that more was expected of me because I would be an ‘Emory Nurse.’ We had amazing forward-thinking faculty who were nursing leaders teaching our courses.

Maeve Howett 06PhD, APRN, CPNP-PC, CNE, FAAN

Clinical Professor and Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives

University at Buffalo-SUNY School of Nursing

NATIONAL LEADERS

chief of staff for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams to advocate for Latinx health and nursing workforce policies.

Morales, a BSN student, said the conference was transformational, empowering him to use his voice and build his leadership muscle.

“All of us felt honored to tell our stories, and our experiences solidified a deep appreciation for the powerful potential of story sharing to contribute to discussions and shape policies,” he says. “I learned how beautiful it is to share our perspectives because everyone’s upbringing is different, and we have much to bring to the table to create change."

LEADING THE DRIVE FOR CHANGE

Understanding that positive changes in nursing can only happen in the presence of clear and reliable data, the school recently became the new home of the Georgia Nursing Workforce Center, which researches issues of nursing supply and demand. Issues include retention, recruitment, educational capacity, and the distribution of nursing workforce resources. The school collaborates with the Georgia Nursing Leadership Coalition on the center's work and serves as the state representative at the National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers.

The center recently released the first report of its kind in the state on Georgia’s advanced practice nursing education programs. The report provided a snapshot of potential increases in this workforce, which helps the state’s nursing schools, health care entities, and policymakers make more informed decisions, specifically around access to care.

“Being housed at the School of Nursing positions the Georgia Nursing Workforce Center to work with the community of interested parties across the state to build a robust data infrastructure and serve as the definitive trusted source for seeking and sharing timely, actionable data on the

Shawana Moore, top, and Jessica Wells, above, are past president and president-elect, respectively, of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health.

Jennifer Adamski is president-elect of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

Erin Poe Ferranti serves as president of the Preventative Cardiovascular Nurses Association.

COMMUNITY VOICES

WHAT DOES LEADERSHIP MEAN TO YOU?

Leadership means having the ability to inspire and guide others toward a common goal, fostering teamwork and innovation. This often entails setting a vision, motivating individuals, and making effective decisions to achieve the desired results.

Dyke Crane 23MDiv

Senior Program Coordinator for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing

nursing workforce in Georgia,” says Hagopian, who serves as director of the center.

Individual faculty members have taken up the leadership mantle as well. Shawana Moore, DNP, APRN, WHPC-BC, PNAP, FAAN, and Jessica Wells 12PhD, RN, WHNP-BC, FAAN, are past president and president-elect, respectively, of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health. Jennifer Adamski, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, CCRN, FCCM, is president-elect of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, and Erin Poe Ferranti 96Ox 98BSN 01MSN 01MPH 13PhD, RN, CDCES, FAHA, FPCNA, FAAN, serves as president of the Preventative Cardiovascular Nurses Association.

Faculty crisscross the globe sharing their expertise at professional conferences, and they inform the public about such issues as health disparities and environmental health.

The school’s focus on AI/data science is another example of how it is leading change. The school has invested in a high-performance computing cluster to perform cutting-edge research and give students real-world experience working with big data, and launched a data science certificate program to equip nurses to use big data to improve health care processes and improve patient outcomes (see pages 20, 27).

The school’s focus on data-driven nursing science aligns with the recommendations from the National Academy of Medicine that all health care systems should include nursing expertise when generating and applying data to support initiatives focused on social determinants of health and health equity.

“In all that we do, we are preparing our students for a complex, data-driven world and fostering their ethical, equity-oriented, and patient-centered leadership,” says Laura Kimble, PhD, RN, FNP-C, FAHA, FAAN, associate dean for academic operations and clinical professor. “Emory aspires to lead, and we are educating our students to be confident leaders who are committed to our profession and will drive innovation that will change the future of our health care system.”

The school’s focus on AI/ data science is another example of how it is leading change.

LEADERSHIP IN ACTION

Starting a Leadership Laboratory

For over a decade, the school’s Student Ambassador program has engaged students to represent the face of the School of Nursing — from giving school tours to hosting school events.

Now, the program is charting a new path that will be selfgoverned by participating students, providing a laboratory for leadership development.

Four ambassadors were recently selected to help manage the program. These coordinator positions aim to develop their leadership skills and drive engagement — recognizing the importance of studentto-student connections. One role, for instance, is to direct social media strategies because social media takeovers are key to informing prospective students about the school, says Admissions Specialist Ashtyn Barber, the staff liaison for the program.

DNP student Michael “MJ” Curtis Jr. is the program’s ambassador acquisition and development coordinator. He is passionate about creating more opportunities for ambassadors to develop professionally and network, and eager to use his role to increase the representation of students of color and the awareness of the nurse anesthesia program. “Seeing is believing, and believing is seeing,” he says.

Various offices within the School of Nursing will host professional development opportunities for ambassadors, covering topics such as LinkedIn profile reviews, interview techniques, and diversity, equity and inclusion conversations in professional settings. The sessions will provide ambassadors with valuable skills to take with them after they leave Emory, Barber notes.

These additional opportunities are helping to drive the program’s most significant recruitment cycles. In Fall 2023, 40 student leaders joined the program — increasing the number of ambassadors to 100.

STUDENT AMBASSADORS

HOW ARE YOU CONTINUING TO GROW AS A NURSE LEADER?

I try to engage with a variety of groups of people to understand different backgrounds and cultures. Also, I think it is very important to be flexible at work to accommodate unforeseen stressful circumstances. Being a member of nursing professional organizations helps me expand my knowledge and explore new approaches that may be helpful.

Somi Kim, CCRN, RN, MSN

DNP Student

Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing

Shift Nurse Manager/Unit Charge Nurse

Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital

Student ambassador leader MJ Curtis Jr. enjoys a moment with a student attending Admitted Students Day in March.

BRANDON CLIFTON

CONVERSATIONS FROM THE EDGE

Leading a National Dialogue

To lay the groundwork for new thinking in nursing leadership, three of the nation's leading nursing thought leaders — all connected to Emory Nursing — have started a webinar series, “Conversations from the Edge.” In each episode, a nationally recognized colleague joins them and the audience for a conversation on a timely, relevant, edgy, and perhaps even controversial topic in nursing leadership.

Launched in October 2023, the series explores topics such as recognizing the centrality of nurses as leaders within health care and rebranding the profession to foster a new leadership mindset, says Lalita Kaligotla, PhD, professor of the practice and senior director for leadership and engagement.

Dean Linda McCauley 79MN, PhD, RN, FAAN, FRCN; Emory Healthcare Chief Nurse Executive Sharon Pappas, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN; and Clinical Professor Tim Porter-O'Grady, DM, EdD, ScD(H), APRN, FAAN, FACCWS, host the webinar series.

Guests have included Sean Clarke, PhD, RN, FAAN, of the New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing; Catherine Gilliss, PhD, RN, FAAN, of the University of California San Francisco School of Nursing; Grant Martsolf, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN, of the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing; Lusine Poghosyan, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN, of the Columbia University School of Nursing; William “Bill” Sage, MD, JD, of Texas A&M University; and Olga Yakusheva, PhD, MSE, FAAN(H), of the University of Michigan School of Nursing.

The webinar series has been well-received by nurse leaders nationwide, with attendees engaging in robust conversation. “This response suggests a need to engage in dialogue about the changing landscape within health care,” adds Kaligotla.

‘CONVERSATIONS

Bending the Arc — Reflections about the Future of Nursing Ending Blue Collar Nurse Leadership Nurse Practitioner Education — In Search of the Data We Need Value-Informed Nursing: Building the Plane as We Are Flying It

Webinar recordings are accessible on the Emory Nursing Experience platform (ce.emorynursingexperience.com), and webinar audio is available on major podcast platforms.

Where is the RIZZ in Academic Healthcare? Transforming Academic Medical Centers

BRANDON CLIFTON

An audience member listens in to a recent webinar episode.

Investing in Faculty and Staff

Guided by a myriad of leadership philosophies and the wisdom of “Ted Lasso,” School of Nursing managers and directors spent a year honing their leadership skills — underscoring the importance of trust and culturebuilding to the success of individuals and the school.

While these thought leaders and Lasso were not present in person, their insights — along with others — were conveyed during a leadership academy piloted in 2022 to help participants develop leadership capabilities, foster community, and learn from and serve as a resource to each other. Larry Kihlstadius, CEO of Vistage Worldwide Inc., co-facilitated the academy’s monthly sessions.

Participants reflected on themes such as authenticity and self-awareness. The academy concluded with a closing ceremony where participants presented their takeaways and how to apply them.

According to cohort member Arnita Howard, the academy was distinctive

because it was offered exclusively in the School of Nursing, making it easier to be transparent in a room with peers.

"The leadership academy provided us with invaluable tools for discovering who we are as individuals, leaders and members of the organization, as we work collectively to help achieve the institution's goals," says Howard, who serves as senior assistant dean of student affairs.

The ultimate goal of the academy was to foster leadership capacity in the school, which will — in turn — help the school develop nurse leaders, says Lalita Kaligotla, PhD, professor of the practice and senior director for leadership and engagement, who helped envision and co-facilitated the leadership academy.

Following the pilot program’s success, the academy continued during the 2023−2024 school year with a cohort of faculty who lead academic programs at the school.

WHO MODELED NURSING LEADERSHIP FOR YOU?

The first one was Margaret Parsons, a faculty member and former interim dean of the School of Nursing who was our class advisor and mentor. She was incredibly down to earth and could talk to you at any level. And she was always a nurse first. When you did clinicals with her at the VA, she had a tiny brass nametag that said, ‘M PARSONS, RN.’ That was it, and it always stayed with me.

Darrell Owens 90BSN, DNP, FAAN, CT

Associate Medical Director of Palliative Care

University of Washington Medical Center, Northwest Campus

Top: Staff cohort members share their takeaways from the academy. Bottom: Arnita Howard addresses the group.

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

Championing Wellness

As Elijah Goldberg started the Master of Nursing (MN) program last fall, the school was launching a health and wellness initiative to support student well-being. Each semester, students can join ongoing nature walks, and during testing periods, they can receive free food, coffee, and chair massages.

The school needed a student leader to champion each event, and one of the students who immediately came to mind was Goldberg. Accepting the invitation, he planned three nature walks during the fall at Lullwater Preserve on the Emory campus, where he enjoyed seeing students relax in nature. "My favorite part of the walks is building community across cohorts — MN students getting to know PhD students, for instance," he says.

This spring, Goldberg expanded the walks to include faculty and staff members to "create a space that's more casual" for student-faculty-staff interactions. He also worked with a group of student leaders to spread the word about each event to their cohorts.

As the first champion of a health and wellness initiative event, Goldberg says he is grateful to be afforded this leadership opportunity as a new student.

“Our faculty and staff have a passion for developing leaders like Elijah,” says Dean Linda McCauley 79MN, PhD, RN, FAAN, FRCN. “Students can rely on the leadership skills from opportunities at Emory throughout their career journey.”

A GREAT NURSE LEADER?

Nurses are trained to see all aspects of care from a holistic perspective. This translates well into leadership. Great nurse leaders listen carefully, address needs quickly, are empathetic, and understand how high-functioning teams ultimately deliver the best patient care.

Katherine Abraham Evans 03MSN, DNP, FNP-C, GNP-BC, ACHPN, FAANP

Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations

Cardiovascular Associates of America-Novocardia Division

Goldberg (center) leads a wellness walk in January.

LULLWATER WALKS

Growing Research Leaders

With its emphasis on research, the school's BSN Honors Program prepares students for the outside-the-box thinking necessary for nursing leaders.

In the program, students research issues relevant to nursing and health. Participation involves taking honors classes, conducting research, writing a thesis, and presenting findings at a professional conference.

Program alumna Christine Liang 22BSN, RN, worked with Assistant Professor Jinbing Bai, PhD, RN, to study the impact of the gut and oral microbiome on anxiety for Asian American immigrants. Now a registered nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Liang uses research

We need health leaders to include the voice of the nursing profession. As patient advocates, nurses can be change agents for quality, equitable health care.

JESSICA WELLS 12PHD, RN, WHNP-BC,

FAAN

skills from the program to find solutions to everyday situations on the unit floor.

“The program gave me the tools to understand the ‘why’ behind my decisions as a bedside nurse,” she says. “It also created a space to ask questions, build confidence, and enhance teamwork skills.” Liang credits the program with building a capacity for leadership that will continue into her career.

Assistant Professor Victoria Pak, PhD, MS, MTR, who leads the program with colleague Jessica Wells 12PhD, RN, WHNP-BC, FAAN, says that about 20 percent of honors students go on to pursue a PhD, and students from the program make their impact in clinical, educational and policy settings. “The program is dedicated to developing students to become research leaders and pioneers who positively impact health outcomes,” Pak says.

The impact of these leaders will continue to be far-reaching, says Wells, who also serves as an associate professor at the school. “We need health leaders to include the voice of the nursing profession,” she adds. “As patient advocates, nurses can be change agents for quality, equitable health care. The program is helping prepare nurses as innovators in health care.”

COMMUNITY VOICES

HOW DID YOUR MENTORS DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP?

I was mentored by incredibly talented, hardworking and brilliant nurse scientists who consistently demonstrated the leadership skills needed to manage large interdisciplinary research teams. Specifically, I saw how these nurse leaders could identify the strengths of each team member and support them to contribute effectively to advancing research studies and disseminating findings.

Nicholas Giordano, PhD, RN, FAAN

Assistant Professor

Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing

Liang credits the BSN Honors Program with building her capacity for leadership as a neonatal ICU nurse at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

OUR PROFESSION IS AT A CROSSROADS THAT CALLS FOR A DIFFERENT KIND OF NURSING LEADERSHIP.

DEAN LINDA MCCAULEY

ACCOLADES

U.S. News: Master’s Degree Programs Tops Again

Master’s degree programs at the School of Nursing are once again the best in the nation, according to U.S. News and World Report’s annual ranking of graduate schools.

The school’s Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Master of Nursing (MN) programs claimed the No. 1 spot for the second consecutive year, and its Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program retained its No. 6 standing from 2023. Last September,

TECHNOLOGY

No. 1

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Master of Nursing (MN)

No. 6

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

U.S. News ranked the school’s undergraduate programs No. 3 nationwide.

“It takes a team to achieve this level of excellence in consecutive years, and I’m grateful to our school community for the work that has brought us to this place,” says Dean Linda McCauley 79MN, PhD, RN, FAAN, FRCN. “While the rankings are gratifying, what they represent in terms of student preparation, research excellence, and clinical expertise is the most rewarding. We intend to keep raising the bar for the sake of our students, the nursing profession, and the patients and communities who benefit from our efforts.”

U.S. News calculates rankings with multiple measurements of a school’s research activity, student excellence, faculty resources, and qualitative ratings from experts. The magazine released the rankings on April 9.

DREAM Supercomputer to Enhance AI-informed Research, Teaching

The School of Nursing is now home to DREAM (Data Reimagined, Educational, and AI Manifested), a new high-performance computing cluster deployed to bolster artificial intelligence (AI) in teaching, learning and research.

This system will enable faculty to perform cutting-edge research, develop AI-enabled tools to enhance student learning and interactions, streamline instructor evaluations, implement augmented and virtual reality-based immersive

Multiple graduate specialties at the School of Nursing were also ranked nationally:

No. 3

DNP GerontologyPrimary Care

No. 3

MSN Adult Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

No. 4

DNP GerontologyAcute Care

No. 4

MSN Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

No. 4

MSN Family Nurse Practitioner

No. 5

DNP Family Nurse Practitioner

teaching and learning environments, and provide students with real-world experiences working with big data and related computing environments.

The possibilities of leveraging DREAM are innumerable, shares Viren Patel, PhD, director of information technology services. “By providing faculty and students with advanced computational tools and technologies, DREAM will help transform teaching, learning and research,” he says.

DISTINGUISHED GUESTS

VA Secretary Visits School, Touts Importance of Nursing

U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs

Denis McDonough emphasized the vital role that nurses play in the U.S. health care system, and particularly among the nation’s veterans and families, during a March 25 visit to the School of Nursing.

“Nurses are key to how we provide care,” McDonough told the group. “President Biden says, ‘Nurses not only save your life, but they make you want to live,’ and that is surely the experience we have with our nurses across the VA system.”

McDonough joined in a roundtable discussion with Emory nursing school students, faculty, staff, leaders, and VA clinical and research collaborators, many of whom are veterans. He fielded questions and discussed VA benefits, initiatives, research, employment, and patient care.

McDonough said nurses will be key as the VA seeks to move care closer to its patients. “That care will be outpatient driven, so we are

going to need more and more nurses to lead that care,” he says. “That’s good news for us because we think nurses provide the best care.”

The Emory School of Nursing has shared a 70-year partnership with the Atlanta VA Health System, participating in VA-sponsored fellowship programs, nursing academic partnerships, residency programs, and faculty appointments. Funded by the VA Office of Academic Affiliation, the school has worked on national competencybased curriculums and evaluation measures that more than 100 VA residency programs have adopted.

The school and the VA have also collaborated to develop a model on social determinants of health among older veterans, an initiative on workforce resilience training among VA personnel in Atlanta and Boston, and research on the effectiveness of yoga among women veterans with military sexual trauma-related PTSD.

STUDENTS

First-year Nursing, Medical, Public Health Students Work to Solve Health Challenges

In January, the School of Nursing hosted more than 1,300 students from Emory’s schools of medicine, nursing, and public health for IPE-ACTS Day, the signature event of Emory’s new interprofessional education course that brings students together for collaborative problem-solving.

The program — IPE-ACTS (Interprofessional Education-Achieving Collaborative Team Solutions) — challenges teams of first-year health professional students to address a local health issue such as childhood literacy, diabetes, mental health, and violence prevention. The Woodruff Health Sciences Center’s Office of Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice (IPECP) directs the program.

During the event, students split into 132 interprofessional teams. Each team selected a challenge and worked on developing solutions during the day and throughout the spring semester. In April, the finalist teams for each health challenge presented their solutions in a competition, with faculty champions, subject-matter experts, and school deans serving as judges.

“It was wonderful to see our health professional students excited to work together on these health challenges — not only as an academic exercise but also to generate ideas that could improve the health of Atlanta’s inequitably served communities,” says Beth Ann Swan, associate dean at the School of Nursing and co-director of the Office of IPECP.

McDonough (right) with Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusion, Admissions and Student Affairs Lisa Muirhead, who facilitated the roundtable discussion.

The HIV PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) team was the winner of the IPE-ACTS competition. They are pictured with (left) judges Kristy Martyn of the School of Nursing and William Eley of the School of Medicine.

NURSING IN PRACTICE

Emory in MOTION Cuts Ribbon on Mobile Health Van

In October, the School of Nursing’s Emory In MOTION program and the Georgia Ellenton Farmworker Health Clinic celebrated the ribbon cutting for a new mobile health van that will enhance health care outreach to southwest Georgia’s migrant and seasonal farmworker community.

Funded by a Health Resources and Services Administration grant, Emory in MOTION (Mobile Opportunities for Training and Innovating: Nursing) expands access to primary care for medically underserved and rural communities through nurseled mobile health units while strengthening training for nursing students, both pre- and post-licensure, in social determinants of health and culturally sensitive care.

The new mobile health unit will partner with the Ellenton clinic, which provides cost-effective, culturally appropriate primary care for area farmworkers and is a long-time partner with the school in farmworker health outreach.

Representatives from the clinic and the School of Nursing joined with community members, stakeholders, and friends for the ribbon-cutting event.

Above: School of Nursing faculty and Georgia Ellenton Farmworker Health Clinic staff celebrate the ribbon cutting.

Left: The van is equipped to help meet health needs for southwest Georgia migrant and seasonal farmworkers.

Programs, Initiatives Tap Faculty for Leadership

Congratulations to the following faculty members who have been appointed to leadership positions for various School of Nursing programs and initiatives:

Ann-Marie Brown, PhD, CPNP-AC/PC, CCRN, CNE, FCCM, FAANP, FASPEN, is the new director of online learning and engagement. A clinical professor at the School of Nursing, she is continuing in her role as director of the acute care pediatric nurse practitioner (NP) specialty. Brown has also practiced as an acute care NP in the pediatric ICU environment, developing pediatric ICU NP teams from inception to 24/7 coverage.

Heather Meissen, DNP, ACNP, FCCM, FAANP, is the director of the MN Pathway program. She is an associate clinical professor at the School of Nursing, teaching in the pre-licensure, postlicensure and perfusion programs, and an acute care NP in the surgical ICU at Emory University Hospital, where she has served since 2005. She was also founding program director of the Critical Care NP Fellowship at Emory Healthcare, which received the nation’s first accreditation as a practice transition program.

Shawana Moore, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, PNAP, FAAN, is director of MSN and DNP programs. A board-certified women’s health NP specializing in providing women’s and gender-related care, Moore came to the School of Nursing in 2022 as an associate clinical professor and DNP program director. She previously served as director of the women’s health-gender related NP program at the Jefferson College of Nursing and is a past president of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health.

Kate Pfeiffer 04BSN

21DNP, APRN, PMHCNS-BC, PMHNP-BC, has been tapped as director of the psychiatric mental health NP program. She is the founding assistant director of the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner program and a boardcertified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist. Her early clinical practice in mental health focused on severe illness in vulnerable populations, and she maintains an outpatient psychiatric practice.

Shannon Stevenson, EdD, MSN, RNC-OB, RNC-MNN, CNE, is the new director for the traditional BSN program: second year. She joined the School of Nursing in 2021 as an assistant clinical professor and previously was an assistant professor of nursing at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. Her clinical background includes labor and delivery, antepartum, and mother/baby nursing.

Paula Tucker 10MSN 24PhD, DNP, FNP-BC, ENP-C, FAANP, has been named director of the family/emergency NP program. Tucker is a board-certified family nurse practitioner and emergency nurse practitioner. She began her academic career at the School of Nursing in 2015 as a clinical instructor and is currently an associate clinical professor. She is also an advanced practice provider in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Grady Emergency Care Center.

Camille Brockett-Walker 07MSN, DNP, FNP-BC, AGACNP-BC, is serving as interim specialty director for the adult-gerontology acute care NP program while Jennifer Adamski, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, CCRN, FCCM, is in her leadership role with the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. Brockett-Walker is the assistant director of the program. Meredith Farmer 21DNP, APRN, NNP-BC, is interim director of the neonatal NP program. She serves as a senior clinical instructor and is a board-certified neonatal NP.

Swan Inducted into Academy of Nursing Education

Professor and administrator

Beth Ann Swan, PhD, RN, FAAN, ANEF, was among 23 nurse educators nationwide selected for induction into the prestigious Academy of Nursing Education. Part of the National League for Nursing, the academy recognizes individuals for their contributions to nursing mentorship, teaching, scholarship, policy, administration and practice. Only 379 nurse educators have ever received the honor.

Swan is associate dean for education and the Charles P. and Peggy Evans Endowed Distinguished Professor in Simulation and Innovation at the School of Nursing. She is also co-director of the Woodruff Health Sciences Center Interprofessional Education and Clinical Practice Office at Emory University.

Only 379 nurse educators have ever received the honor.

SWAN: PATRICK HEAGNEY

ACCOLADES

Faculty, Alumni Named American Academy of Nursing Fellows

The American Academy of Nursing has inducted eight School of Nursing faculty and alumni into its 2023 Class of Fellows.

“Being named an American Academy of Nursing Fellow is among nursing’s highest honors,” says Linda McCauley 79MN, PhD, RN, FAAN, FRCN, dean of the School of Nursing. “But more importantly, it is a signal of the tremendous expertise that individuals bring to the nursing profession and an indicator of the contributions they will continue to make to nursing policy, research, administration, practice and academia.”

The 2023 School of Nursing faculty inductees include:

Christina Calamaro, PhD, PPCNP-BC, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, associate clinical professor

Roxana Chicas 16BSN 20PhD, RN, FAAN, assistant professor

Calli Cook 11MSN, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, FAANP, FAAN, associate clinical professor

Sara Edwards 94MN 94MPH 18PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN, associate clinical professor emeritus

Nicholas Giordano, PhD, RN, FAAN, assistant professor

Shawana Moore, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, PNAP, FAAN, associate clinical professor, MSN and DNP program director

Kelly Wiltse Nicely, PhD, CRNA, FAANA, FAAN, assistant professor, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist program director

Alumna Maeve Howett 06PhD, APRN, CPNP-PC, CNE, FAAN, clinical professor and associate dean for strategic initiatives at the University of BuffaloSUNY School of Nursing, was also named to the 2023 class, joining Chicas, Cook and Edwards as School of Nursing alumni inductees.

Pfeiffer Honored by American Psychiatric Nurses Association

Kate Pfeiffer 04BSN 21DNP, APRN, PMHCNS-BC, PMHNP-BC, assistant clinical professor and director of the psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner program, received the 2023 American Psychiatric Nurses Association Award for Excellence in Education. The award is among the highest honors awarded by the association.

Pfeiffer is honored for her work at Emory, where she led nursing students in immersive experiences focused on substance use disorders in populations experiencing challenging social determinants of health. She is also recognized for her work leading sessions in community resilience to help students, faculty and providers cope with stress-related impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Faculty FAAN recipients Nicholas Giordano, Christina Calamaro, Calli Cook, Sara Edwards, Kelly Wiltse Nicely, Shawana Moore and Roxana Chicas

American Psychiatric Nurses Association 2023 President Chizimuzo (Zim) Okoli (left) presents the award to Pfeiffer.

ACCOLADES

Sigma Theta Tau Honors Thompson, Smith

The Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing selected faculty member Lisa Thompson, PhD, MS, RN, FNP, FAAN, as its Episteme Laureate Award recipient for 2023.

She received the award, regarded as one of nursing science’s most prestigious honors, during Sigma’s biennial convention last fall in San Antonio, Texas, where she also served as a plenary speaker. Supported by the Baxter International Foundation, the award recognizes individuals and teams for highly significant research leading to nursing knowledge breakthroughs.

A professor at the School of Nursing, Thompson was honored for her seminal research on developing effective interventions that reduce exposure to household air pollution from cooking fires

Thompson (center) with Sigma Director

Sara Horton-Deutsch and Sigma President Kenneth Dion.

Dunbar, McCauley Recognized for Lifetime Nursing Contributions

Charles Howard Candler Professor Emerita and Research Professor Sandra Dunbar, RN, PhD, FAAN, FAHA, FPCNA, and Dean Linda McCauley 79MN, PhD, RN, FAAN, FRCN, were recognized for their contributions to the field of nursing by noted Georgia-based organizations.

The Georgia Nurses Foundation inducted Dunbar into the Georgia Nursing Hall of Fame as part of its 2024 class. The foundation bestows the honor to registered nurses who have advanced nursing within Georgia and on a national and international scale. Alumna Mary Gullatte 81MN, PhD, RN, ANP-BC, AOCN, LSSYB, FAAN, was also named to the 2024 class.

among populations with poor access to health care.

At the meeting, faculty member Kylie Smith, PhD, was named as an honorary Sigma Theta Tau member. The organization confers honorary membership to individuals who are not eligible for regular membership but have demonstrated sustained contributions to nursing and health care.

A historian and associate professor, Smith has built a research program on the role of nurses in improving mental health and the impact of discriminatory practices in American mental health services and institutions. She is also the Andrew W. Mellon Faculty Fellow for Nursing and the Humanities and the founding director of the school’s Center for Healthcare History and Policy.

McCauley received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Atlanta Business Chronicle as part of its annual Health Care Heroes awards. She was honored for her leadership at the school, including her role in the school’s top national rankings and enrollment and research growth, and her impact on the nursing profession and environmental health research.

Sandra Dunbar with her Georgia Nursing Hall of Fame award.

Books authored by School of Nursing faculty members were honored by the American Journal of Nursing with their annual Book of the Year Awards.

Taking Action: Top 10 Priorities to Promote Health Equity and Well-Being in Nursing by Assistant Professor Gaea Daniel 19PhD, RN, and noted nursing author, speaker and leadership coach Susan Hassmiller, PhD, RN, FAAN, received first place awards in the Health Care Administration and History and Public Policy categories.

Nursing Leadership During Crisis: Insights Guiding Leaders from the Covid-19 Pandemic by faculty members Barbara Kaplan, MSN, RN, and Tim Porter-O’Grady, DM, EDD, SCD(H), APRN, FAAN, FACCWS, and Carolyn Miller Reilly 94MN, PhD, RN, CNE, FAHA, FAAN, of Berry College received second place in the Health Care Administration category.

Both books are titles of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.

Office of Nursing Research staff member Rachel Nash (center) gives a tour of the new research space.

Office of Nursing Research Expands Space, Presence

With a 10,000-square-foot renovation, the Office of Nursing Research has expanded its presence at the school, providing additional space for nursing research.

The research office has moved to the plaza level of the school’s location on 1520 Clifton Road. The new space features nine interview/exam rooms with phlebotomy capabilities, four

research pods providing flexible workspace for research study staff, and a robust technological infrastructure to support research activities. The office will also accommodate a dedicated laboratory space and freezer farm to process and preserve research samples, adding to the space already used for this work in a nearby Emory building.

Opened in January, the space supports research teams studying cardiovascular health, gerontology, health equity, HIV/AIDS, stress biomarkers/ inflammation, and women’s health, among other areas.

“The new space supports cutting-edge biobehavioral research initiatives and scientific inquiry,” says Associate Dean for Research Drenna Waldrop, PhD. “We are thrilled to bring our research support operations into this area, which will no doubt foster collaboration and innovation and facilitate transformative discoveries. This new space is another example of the school’s commitment to research excellence.”

Faculty Named Certified Global Nurse Consultants

The International Council of Nurses awarded the Certified Global Nurse Consultant certification to faculty members Elizabeth Downes 04MPH, DNP, APRN, CNE, FAANP, ANEF, FAAN, and Anita Rich 81BSN, DNP, RN, CHFN, CDCES.

Downes is assistant dean for global health, co-director of the Lillian Carter Center for Global Health and Social Responsibility, and the Betty Tigner Turner Clinical Professor at the School of Nursing. A senior clinical instructor, Rich is the heart failure coordinator

at Emory Johns Creek Hospital and founder and president of Nurses Heart to Heart, a nonprofit organization that educates nurses in developing countries about cardiac care and resuscitation.

As Certified Global Nurse Consultants, Downes and Rich will serve as crucial resources for the council’s 130-plus member National Nursing Associations and consult with governments, health care institutions, and NGOs seeking expertise on national and global nursing and health care policymaking.

School Awarded Millions in Dementia, Data Science Research

Over the past year, several National Institute of Health agencies have given the School of Nursing significant funding for research in dementia and data science.

Dementia Research Awards

The school received a $3.9 million grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to study the contribution of the oral microbiome to the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Assistant Professor Irene Yang, PhD, RN, and Associate Professor Whitney Wharton, PhD, received the award.

Professor Mi-Kyung Song, PhD, RN, FAAN, is teaming with University of Pittsburg colleague Annette DeVito Dabbs, PhD, RN, ACNS-BC, FAAN, to study the informal caregiving networks of older adults with dementia. They lead a multidisciplinary team that aims to help develop an interactive digital

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

School Launches Data Science Certificate Program

The School of Nursing has launched a data science certificate program to help nurses solve vexing health care issues through big data.

The online, self-paced program gives students access to Project NeLL, the school’s suite of apps for teaching, learning and practicing nursing data science. The program concludes with a chance for students to build and download their own organized, de-identified big data sets.

tool to capture the full scope of caregiving beyond primary caregivers’ experiences. The National Institute on Aging supports the study with a $1.4 million R56 grant.

The National Institute on Aging has awarded the School of Nursing a $3.5 million grant to study an online tool’s capacity to increase caregiver mastery in navigating health care, legal, financial, social service, and family systems.

Professors Carolyn Clevenger 02MSN, DNP, GNP-BC, FAANP, FGSA, FAAN, and Ken Hepburn, PhD, received the five-year R01 grant. The program they will be testing employs state-of-the-art, interactive learning methods to help caregivers interact with various systems

Project NeLL provides access to 2.7 million de-identified patient records and more than 37 trillion data points, providing information on a broad spectrum of populations, conditions and care. Using it, nurses can look at nursingsensitive data to transform health care processes, design new products, and uncover hidden relationships between provider actions and patient outcomes. Nurses completing the program will earn an Emory Nursing digital certificate and badge and receive continuing professional development contact hours.

Learn more ce.emorynursingexperience.com

research training program in women’s health and intersectionality using data science.

and structures, which may reduce stress for caregivers and increase health benefits for their loved ones.

Data Science Awards

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute awarded a $2.7 million grant to a team studying data strategies to detect and predict atrial fibrillation in poststroke patients. Xiao Hu, PhD, associate director of the Center for Data Science and Asa Griggs Candler Professor at the School of Nursing, will lead the four-year R01 grant, along with Fadi Nahab, MD, associate professor in the Emory School of Medicine and stroke quality director at Emory Healthcare.

The National Institute of Nursing Research awarded the school a $1.7 million grant for research training in women’s health and intersectionality using data science and health information technology. Professor Vicki Hertzberg, PhD, FASA, P.Stat., co-directs the program with Robert W. Woodruff Professor and Chair in Nursing Deborah Bruner, RN, PhD, FAAN, who also serves as senior vice president for research at Emory. Associate Professor Rasheeta Chandler, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, is the program’s deputy director. The five-year T32 research project grant will train pre-doctoral and postdoctoral nurse scientists to employ data science and health information technology to study the intersectionality of multiple social determinants of health in women.

Renée Byfield and Kaprice Welsh are two pre-doctoral students taking part in the

COMMUNITY

School Receives Federal Funding for Service Grants

The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has awarded the School of Nursing two grants focused on serving underserved areas of Georgia and the Southeast.

The school received a five-year, $2.6 million grant to provide training in mental health and substance use prevention and treatment to nurses and social workers in primary care clinics and communitybased organizations. Focused on nine primarily rural Georgia counties, the program will also develop partnerships with community-based primary care clinics and organizations that treat substance use disorder and mental illness. Assistant Clinical Professor Shaquita Starks, PhD, APRN, PMHNP-BC, FNP-BC, is the program director of the grant, which involves multiple researchers and statewide partners.

The other HRSA grant will provide scholarships for Emory Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) students to gain clinical experience in diverse and underserved areas in the Southeast. Approximately 60 Emory CRNA students will participate in the program over four years. The program will give students experiential learning opportunities in health equity, culturally competent care, and social determinants of health and expand opportunities for CRNAs to impact underserved areas. Kelly Wiltse Nicely, PhD, CRNA, FAANA, FAAN, and Erica Moore, DNP, CRNA, director and assistant director, respectively, of the Emory CRNA program, are leading the grant.

School Among Top Five in NIH Funding for Ninth Year

For the ninth straight year, the School of Nursing is among the top five nursing programs in total grant funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The school posted the fifth-highest total among U.S. nursing schools, with approximately $14 million in awards.

The Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research, an independent nonprofit organization, lists the top NIH-funded programs each year. The Emory School of Nursing and the University of California, San Francisco, are the only two nursing schools in the top five for nine consecutive years.

Nichols Earns American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship

The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) has awarded a 2024 ACLS Fellowship to post-doctoral fellow Marissa Nichols 23PhD. The fellowship program supports scholars poised to make contributions to the humanities or interpretive social sciences.

The fellowship will support Nichols’ research on the impact of rural nurses and Indigenous authorities on health policy and practices in the southern state of Oaxaca, Mexico, in the 1930s and 1940s. Nichols is the inaugural post-doctoral fellow with the school's Center for Healthcare History and Policy. She holds a doctorate in history from Emory.

Faculty Named Distinguished Fellows of National Academies of Practice

Two faculty members have been named Distinguished Fellows of the National Academies of Practice (NAP) in recognition of their commitment to interprofessional health care. Assistant Clinical Professor Jeannie Weston, RN, MS, EdD, and Associate Clinical Professor LisaMarie Wands, PhD, RN, CHSE-A, CNE, were elected by peers from multiple health professions.

The National Academies of Practice was founded to advise governmental bodies on the U.S. health care system. Profession-specific academies come together as NAP to advocate for accessible, affordable, quality health care. Weston and Wands have been named members of the nursing academy.

Shaquita Starks

Kelly Wiltse Nicely

Erica Moore

STUDENTS

News Briefs

In October, the Emory Student Nurses Association won four awards, including Chapter of the Year, at the 2023 Georgia Association of Nursing Students (GANS) Convention. Emory’s student organization also won the Breakthrough to Nursing Award and North District Chapter of the Year Award, and Assistant Clinical Professor Tammi Tanner, EdD, MSN, RN, CPN, CBN, won the Advisor of the Year Award. Convention participants also elected two Emory students to GANS leadership positions. Rachel Young 24BSN was elected North District director, and Rachel Asoda was elected public relations director.

Above, Emory Student Nurses Association members accept their awards at the Georgia Association of Nursing Students.

PhD student John Fuller won the Best Poster Award at the Science of Cancer Health Equities in Sexual and Gender Minority Communities Conference in October. Fuller competed against other students and faculty members at this conference, which highlights research conducted alongside sexual and gender minority communities affected by cancer.

Above, conference co-chair Charles Kamen and poster presentation reviewer Miria Kano present the award to Fuller.

DNP student Sara Boufakhreddine has been named a Student Ambassador for the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health. The program seeks to build a national community of women’s health nurse practitioner students and allows them to learn from expert women’s health nurse practitioners and advanced practice providers.

Javier Cuevas Santos Molnar has been named an American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) Foundation Student Advocate, where he serves as a liaison between the foundation and the Emory Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist program. The student advocate initiative provides opportunities for professional growth and development and a mechanism to increase awareness among students regarding the AANA Foundation.

The Goizueta Business School at Emory accepted PhD student Omid Razmpour into a oneyear MBA program as part of its Healthcare Fellows program. After receiving his MBA, he will return to the School of Nursing to complete his dissertation on nursing workforce issues.

ALUMNI NEWS

Awards Celebration Honors Alumni, Faculty, Staff

The Emory Nurses’ Alumni Association held its annual awards celebration on February 16 at The Carter Center, honoring alumni, faculty and staff for their contributions to the school and nursing profession.

The honorees included:

Award of Honor — Angela Haynes Ferere 01MPH 08BSN 09MSN

Angela Haynes Ferere, DNP, FNP-BC, MPH, is an associate clinical professor and program director for the Distance Accelerated BSN program, with expertise in acute and chronic care, remote nursing education, and global health. A family nurse practitioner, she is also chair of Eternal Hope in Haiti, providing health care to vulnerable populations.

Distinguished Nursing Achievement Award — Safiya George 01MSN 06PhD Safiya George, PhD, APRN-BC, FAAN, FAANP, FNAP, is the Holli Rockwell Trubinsky Eminent

Dean and Professor at Florida Atlantic University’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and was recently appointed president of the University of the Virgin Islands. Her extensive research covers HIV/AIDS, spirituality/ religion, and health.

Distinguished Nursing Achievement Award — Laura Kimble

Laura Kimble, PhD, RN, FNP-C, FAHA, FAAN, is the associate dean for academic operations and clinical professor at the School of Nursing, specializing in applied health care statistics and research methods. Her research explores the biologic basis for patient symptoms, with a recent emphasis on health disparities in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Award recipients (back row, l-r) Laura Kimble, Safiya George, Mark Lee, (front row, l-r)

Angela Haynes Ferere, Arnita Howard and Amy Valderamma with Emory Healthcare administrator Nancye Feistritzer, Dean Linda McCauley, and Nurses’ Alumni Association President Dontè Flanagan.

Excellence in Nursing Award — Amy Valderrama 01MSN 06PhD

Amy Valderrama, PhD, RN, is an epidemiologist in the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with work focusing on hypertension, rehabilitation, cardiac arrest, and emergency medical services. She is also a Commissioned Officer in the U.S. Public Health Service.

Honorary Alumni Award — Arnita Howard

Arnita Howard is the senior assistant dean for student affairs at the School of Nursing. An employee at Emory for more than 30 years –including several years in the administrative offices of former President Jimmy Carter – she has served at the School of Nursing since 2011. At the school, she has led efforts in academic and student affairs, career advising and coaching, admission and recruitment, and diversity programming.

Recent Graduate Award — Mark Lee 19BSN

Mark Lee, RN-BC, is a nurse scholar at Emory University Hospital’s 7E Complex Medicine Unit. An Atlanta Journal-Constitution Celebrating Nurses awardee, he leads the Emory University Hospital Exemplary Professional Practice Council and the Emory Healthcare Professional Nurse Practice Council.

Twilla Locklear Haynes Award — Patricia Jean Moreland

Patricia Jean Moreland, PhD, MSN, CPNP, RN, FAAN, is an assistant clinical professor at the School of Nursing. She played a pivotal role in the Rwanda Human Resources for Health Program, contributing to the establishment of the country’s first Master of Science in Nursing program. Her research focuses on health disparities among LGBTQI+ individuals and maternal-newborn health in low-resource settings.

The evening also included a recognition of the School of Nursing alumni who are celebrating 30 or more years of service with Emory Healthcare:

Linda Monique Jones 93BSN, Registered Nurse, Critical Care, Emory University Hospital General Surgery ICU

Victoria Fowler Lummus 91Ox 93BSN, Administrative Nursing Supervisor, Emory University Hospital Midtown

Angela Monita Ward 01MSN, Nurse Practitioner, Gastroenterology, Emory University Clinic

Deborah Darlene Williams 02MSN, Adult Care Nurse Practitioner, Cardiology Department, Emory University Hospital

emory.edu

Emory Healthcare Center for Care Delivery and Innovation Vice President Nancye Feistritzer (left) and Dean Linda McCauley (right) honor alumna Angela Ward for her 30-plus years of service to Emory Healthcare.

Patricia Jean Moreland (center) receives the Twilla Locklear Haynes Award from Haynes’ daughters and School of Nursing faculty members Angela Haynes Ferere (left) and Hope Haynes Bussenius.

Meet the Advancement and Alumni Engagement Team

The work of the school’s Advancement and Alumni Engagement (AAE) Office boils down to one word: connection. The office helps alumni stay connected and fosters connections that elevate giving to the school’s mission.

Meet the staff members who make this work happen:

Angie Wright, EdD, is the assistant dean for advancement and alumni engagement. She provides leadership and strategic direction for fundraising, alumni and constituent engagement. With over 20 years of experience, Wright has been at Emory since 2019. She previously served at Duke University and the Wake County (North Carolina) Public School System and began her career teaching students pursuing ADN, LPN and BSN degrees.

Lidiya Krochmal 20MBA is the senior associate director of advancement and alumni services, responsible for stewardship, gift administration, and project management. Krochmal has worked at Emory for the past eight years, serving at Emory College before coming to the School of Nursing. A graduate of the University of North Carolina School of

the Arts, she also holds an MBA from the Goizueta Business School at Emory.

Kate Adams 20MBA joined the team last September as the director of development. In this role, she builds relationships among prospective donors, alumni, and volunteers while partnering with faculty and administrators to align school priorities with donor interests. Her previous experience includes raising over $25 million for global nonprofit organizations. A graduate of the University of Georgia, she also holds an MBA from the Goizueta Business School at Emory.

Jayme Hogan-Yarbro, MSW, is the newest team member, joining the school in February as director of alumni engagement. Her position involves leadership development and alumni engagement and events. She comes to the position from the Emory Alumni Association, where she served as associate director of regional engagement. She also has served in the non-profit sector and holds degrees from Loyola University New Orleans and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

GIVING OPPORTUNITY

Nursing Student Assistance Fund

Donning scrubs is a nursing rite of passage — and the uniform is one of the first purchases nursing students make during their academic journey.

But the purchases don’t stop there. Stethoscopes, quality shoes, compression stockings, certification course fees, and transportation to and from clinical sites — the expenses can pile up, especially for students experiencing unforeseen financial difficulties.

Since 2021, the School of Nursing’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has provided students in need with access to a food pantry and short-term financial assistance

The office recently launched a campaign to expand this support by creating a Nursing Student Assistance Fund to help students needing support with emergent and unforeseen expenses.

“We believe that students should reach their full academic potential despite unexpected circumstances and events,” says Lisa Muirhead, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, associate dean for equity and inclusion, admissions, and student affairs. “Ultimately, supporting this fund will help create a transformative impact on the future of nursing by empowering aspiring nurses to achieve their academic and professional goals without the worry of financial burden.”

AAE team members Angie Wright, Lidiya Krochmal, Kate Adams and Jayme Hogan-Yarbro

Philips Joins Family of Farmworker Program Partners

For over 30 years, the school’s Farm Worker Family Health Program has been a fixture in southwest Georgia each summer, working hand-in-hand with the Georgia Ellenton Farmworker Health Clinic in Colquitt County to serve the area’s seasonal farmworkers.

The program — which allows health profession students to provide clinical care to farmworkers and their children — is made possible by the collaboration with the clinic and a host of federal, state, local, corporate and educational partners.

Among its newest partners is Philips, which is making an immediate impact on the program. The multinational company provided program support and donated two of its technologies — the Lumify tablet-based ultrasound and HeartStart AED (automated external defibrillator) — for use in the field and on a mobile health van during the summer program and year-round.

“The Farm Worker Family Health Program is a great example of a community mobilizing to extend access to care to a vital and vulnerable population,” said Jeff DiLullo, chief region leader

Faculty member Rose Murphree examines the HeartStart AED on the mobile health van.

of Philips North America. “Access to care is at the core of our purpose at Philips. We seek partners like Emory University who share our commitment to improving health equity for underserved populations.”

Erin Poe Ferranti 96Ox 98BSN 01MSN 01MPH 13PhD, RN, CDCES, FAHA, FPCNA, FAAN, an assistant professor at the School of Nursing and director of the Farm Worker Family Health Program, says that the Philips gift goes a long way to serve a community that gives of themselves daily.

“These workers and their families are the backbone of the agriculture industry. Their work is physically demanding, so providing this access to care is essential,” Ferranti says. “This program can only thrive through partnerships with innovative organizations like Philips that focus on health equity.”

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Blake Gift Provides Support for Children’s Mental Health

The American Academy of Pediatrics has named the mental health crisis among children a national emergency, and shortages of qualified mental health professionals are at crisis levels locally, statewide, nationally and globally.

To address this shortage, the Liz Blake Giving Fund and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (Children’s) have partnered with the School of Nursing to develop a scholarship program that will expand and equip the workforce of mental health professionals.

Launched last fall, the Blake Scholars Program provides full tuition for nurse practitioners interested in child and adolescent behavioral and mental health to pursue a post-graduate certificate in psychiatric mental health nursing from the school. Graduates will be considered for pediatric psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner positions at Children’s.

“Through this scholarship, we are thrilled to leverage the strengths of the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing and Children’s to address this unprecedented crisis in mental health for children,” says Liz Blake, founder of the Liz Blake Giving Fund. “A core value of the Liz Blake Giving Fund is collaboration. The partnership with the Emory School of Nursing and Children’s is exactly the transformational alignment we are excited to support.”

The program is a 26-credit hour, three-semester program with six classes. Classes are held online with both onsite and virtual intensives and clinical practice.

Learn more nursing.emory.edu/pages/ blake-scholars-program

ALUMNI AFFECTING

Health Care Diversity

Jewel Adams 05MSN, FNP, NEA-BC, originally did not choose nursing as a career. She wanted to be a journalist — traveling the world and sharing stories about people and cultures. But her mother encouraged her path toward nursing, saying it would ensure a secure future.

Adams heeded her mother’s advice and earned an MSN at Emory. Nearly 20 years later, she has enjoyed a fruitful career in nursing that combines keen clinical skills with her long-held desire for people with diverse backgrounds and experiences to be seen and understood.

She has worked as a nurse, nursing manager, clinical staffing director, and clinical instructor in Atlanta, New York City, and Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Across these opportunities, she has advocated for diversity, equity and inclusion — serving as a founding member of the National Black Nurses Association’s Greater New York chapter and encouraging diversity outreach in other professional organizations.

Adams’ dedication to this work stems from her encounters with patients facing

barriers to care that are often overlooked and biased. She recounts instances where simple adjustments could make a difference, like helping a patient navigate medication schedules amid transportation challenges or understanding the constraints of a patient’s employment situation during discharge planning. She once witnessed a non-English speaking patient receiving discharge instructions in English and stepped in to translate.

It’s these gaps in care that Adams is determined to address.

“At the core of quality health care lies a profound understanding of diversity and its implications,” she says. “We must see diversity on the front lines and throughout the organization. Everyone should know that their perspective is valued and that they have a seat at the table.”

Indigo Girls Lend Voices to Dominican Republic Service-Learning

Indigo Girls — the Grammy Awardwinning American folk rock music duo comprised of Emory alumni Amy Ray 86C and Emily Saliers 85C — joined the school’s Lillian Carter Center for Global Health and Social Responsibility for a February 21 livestream concert fundraiser that raised more than $46,000 for the center’s health care work in the Dominican Republic.

Each year, School of Nursing students and faculty provide essential health care services in urban and rural clinics in the Dominican Republic. The concert proceeds will be used to purchase basic but necessary equipment such as fluoride varnish for children, fog-proof goggles to protect health care workers’ eyes, pulse oximeters, rolling duffel bags to transfer supplies, and rechargeable otoscopes and ophthalmoscopes for eye and ear care.

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“The funds raised will go a long way to provide necessary health care services — services that we so often take for granted in the United States,” says trip leader Margaret Payne 91MN, DNP, RN, PNP-BC, CNS, who serves as a clinical instructor at the school. “We can’t thank Indigo Girls and the donors enough for their support. The donations will be lifechanging for so many.”

The two-hour online concert provided an intimate experience for Indigo Girls fans and the School of Nursing community. The duo paused between songs to answer questions, take song requests, and hear from Payne and students about their experiences in the Dominican Republic. They closed out the night with their hit song “Closer to Fine,” featured in the Oscar-nominated film “Barbie.”

Jewel Adams

Indigo Girls Amy Ray (second from left) and Emily Saliers (right) spend time after the concert with faculty member Margaret Payne (left) and students Alicia Chen 24MN, Marsha Walker 24MN, and Rojean Sanders 24MN.

IN MEMORIAM

1940s

Hazel Davis Megahee 46BSN of Lilburn, Georgia, May 4, 2023

Joyce Hardzog 47BSN of Fulshear, Texas, May 7, 2023

Ruby Turner Hargis 47BSN of Rome, Georgia, December 20, 2023

Marie P. Newsom 47BSN of Columbus, Georgia, May 8, 2023

Eleanore Hucks Johnson 48BSN of Glendale, Arizona, September 11, 2023

Ruth Myrle Smith 48BSN 59N of Cordele, Georgia, February 4, 2023

Helen Hazen Richards 49BSN of Highlands, North Carolina, November 18, 2023

1950s

Martha A. Boone 51BSN of Springfield, Virginia, April 23, 2023

Jacquelyn Moody Lindberg 51BSN of Minneapolis, Minnesota, January 23, 2023

Betty S. Daniels 51BSN 67MN of Marietta, Georgia, November 7, 2023

Lillian Davis Byrd 53BSN of Tallahassee, Florida, September 9, 2023

Edith Young West 54BSN of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, July 28, 2023

Melissa Hood DeVane 56BSN of Shelby, North Carolina, January 13, 2023

Carol Lee Hattler 56BSN of Gainesville, Virginia, May 4, 2023

Marian Henderson Leslie 56BSN of Madison, Georgia, January 22, 2023

Diane S. Pedersen 56BSN of Sudbury, Massachusetts, November 1, 2023

Marjorie Goodenough Koch 58BSN of Manassas, Virginia, November 13, 2023

Anne Frazier Jones 59BSN of Woodstock, Georgia, February 24, 2023

1960s

Anna V. Alexander 61MN of Atlanta, Georgia, October 14, 2023

Betty W. Anderson 64BSN of Hermitage, Tennessee, August 30, 2023

Suzy Stone Boles 64BSN of Kingsport, Tennessee, February 2, 2023

Julia S. Garner 65BSN 66MN of Atlanta, Georgia, January 15, 2023

Betty Evelyn Huddleston 66MN of Acworth, Georgia, January 28, 2023

Martha A. Coleman 67MN of Statesboro, Georgia, March 1, 2023

Phyllis Ann Combs 69MN of Lexington, Kentucky, April 6, 2023

1970s

Mary Ellen Pendergrast 70MN of Atlanta, Georgia, June 13, 2023

Martha Wingard Ballard 71MN of Cary, North Carolina, February 10, 2023

Rosa Louise Floyd 72MN of Big Canoe, Georgia, August 11, 2023

Joan Luce Bodden 73BSN of Charlotte, North Carolina, May 22, 2023

Peggy E. Rozelle 76MN of Charleston, South Carolina, February 26, 2023

1980s

Sandra W. Hewell 82MN of Atlanta, Georgia, January 19, 2023

1990s

Kathryn Lambert Brooks 91MN of Atlanta, Georgia, February 24, 2023

Marjorie G. Frazier 91MN of Lindale, Georgia, March 19, 2023

Michael Edward Tanner 92MN of Villa Rica, Georgia, February 2, 2023

Vara Gail DeLoney 92BSN 00MPH of Geneva, Florida, July 1, 2023

Patricia Kay Richey 93MN of Armuchee, Georgia, June 20, 2023

Ed H. Jett 97MSN of Atlanta, Georgia, November 29, 2023

Patricia Gail Waggener 97MSN of Lithonia, Georgia, July 30, 2023

Susan Ann Clancy 97MSN 97MPH of Atlanta, Georgia, February 11, 2023

2000s

Lori Marie Dowd 06MSN of Atlanta, Georgia, April 17, 2023

Patrice Adrienne Wilson 06BSN of Alpharetta, Georgia, March 19, 2023

Congratulations to our newest nursing leaders!

Spring 2024 InEmory graduates celebrate their upcoming commencement. They are among 191 students who received their degrees in May.