F R O N T I E R N U R S I N G U N I V E R S I T Y | V O L . 9 5 , N U M B E R 3 | FA L L 2 0 2 0
QUARTERLY BULLETIN
2020
Commencement
Online Gift Shop Now Open! Great news, FNU alumni and students: our online gift shop is now officially open! We’re excited to finally have a virtual storefront offering a variety of apparel and accessories from t-shirts to cotton masks for you to show your FNU pride. Susan Stone, DNSc, CNM, FAAN, FACNM President
Alumni branded items coming soon!
Open Now! SHIRTS | OUTERWEAR | ACCESSORIES
Joan Slager, CNM, DNP, FACNM Dean of Nursing Shelley Aldridge, BA Chief Operations Officer Angela Bailey, MA, CFRE Chief Advancement Officer Michael Steinmetz, CPA, CMA, CSCA Executive Vice President for Finance and Facilities Geraldine Young, DNP, APRN, FNPBC, CDE, FAANP Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer
https://fnu-gear.myshopify.com US ISSN 0016-2116 Statement of Ownership Frontier Nursing Service Quarterly Bulletin, publication #835-740 is published four times per year. Mailing address: 2050 Lexington Road, Versailles, Kentucky 40383. Contact person: Angela Bailey (859) 251-4573. The publisher, editor, and managing editor of the Frontier Nursing Service Quarterly Bulletin is FNU, Inc., 2050 Lexington Road, Versailles, Kentucky 40383. The owner is Frontier Nursing University, 2050 Lexington Road, Versailles, Kentucky 40383. There are no other bondholders, mortgagees, or other security holders. The tax status has not changed in the last 12 months.
Average No. Copies
No. Copies of Single
Each Issue During
Issue Published Nearest
Previous 12 Months
To Filing Date
Outside county copies In-county copies
11,000 50
10,600 50
Free or nominal rate copies mailed at other classes
0
0
Free or nominal rate distribution outside the mail
0
0
Total Distribution Copies Not Distributed Total Sum Percent paid Paid Electronic Copies
11,000 50 11,050 0 0
10,600 50 10,650 0 0
Rachel Mack, Ph.D., DNP, APRN, C-FNP, CNE Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Tonya Nicholson, DNP, CNM, WHNP-BC, CNE, FACNM Department Chair of Midwifery and Women’s Health Lisa Chappell, Ph.D., FNP-BC Department Chair of Family Nursing Jess Calohan, DNP, PMHNP-BC Department Chair of PsychiatricMental Health Jane Houston, DNP, CNM DNP Director Jacquelyne Brooks, DNP, MS ADN-MSN Bridge Director
From the President
Contents From the President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Commencement 2020 Goes Virtual . . . 2-7 The Stories Behind the Gifts . . . . . . . . . 8-11 FNU News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-17 Alumni Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-21 News and Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-23 Trustees/ Board of Directors . . . . . . . . . . 24 In Memoriam / Tributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 FNU’s Versailles Campus . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 2050 Lexington Road Versailles, KY 40383 FNU@frontier.edu
Frontier.edu
Dear friends, It is no secret that 2020 has been a very challenging year on many levels. Amidst a global pandemic, social unrest, and a divisive presidential election, Frontier Nursing University alumni, students, faculty, and staff have pressed forward, adapting, and overcoming one challenge after another. This spirit of perseverance is ingrained in our past, apparent in our present, and will persist in our future. Even as we look back on the challenges of 2020, we look forward to a future brimming with opportunity and to further commitment to fulfilling our mission. We look forward to being able to welcome students to our Versailles campus and to watching them grow into the next generation of leaders as nurse practitioners and nurse-midwives. Our future is bright, and that is due in no small part to all of you who support us in so many ways, be it with your time, friendship, expertise, or gifts. In this issue of the Quarterly Bulletin, we highlight some incredibly generous donors who, in different ways, have changed the lives of our current and future students. We hope you will be inspired by their stories and their investment in the future of Frontier Nursing University. Facing an equally bright future are this year’s graduates, whom we celebrated during a virtual commencement ceremony in September. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, Rear Admiral (RADM) Sylvia Trent-Adams, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, joined us as our keynote speaker, inspiring our graduates with her story and words of wisdom. Despite the disappointment of not being able to hold commencement on campus, we know that the virtual ceremony was every bit as special for this year’s graduates as it has been for all our past graduates. As part of the commencement ceremony, we also present our annual leadership awards. We invite you to learn more about those most deserving award recipients in the pages of this issue. Further, you will read about the amazing work of our graduates and faculty, who continue to stand out as leaders in their professions. We began 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife. While the celebration wasn’t quite what we expected, could there have been a more fitting year to pay tribute to nurses and nurse-midwives? Have the members of these professions ever been more important or shined brighter? Because of them, because of our supporters and friends, because of our faculty and staff, brighter days are ahead. Thank you for all you mean to Frontier Nursing University. Wishing you all the best in 2021,
Susan Susan Stone, CNM,Stone, DNSc, FAAN, FACNM CNM, DNSc.,
FACNM, FA
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 1
Commencement 2020 Goes Virtual 2020
Commencement Ceremony
On Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020, FNU hosted its first virtual commencement ceremony. The event celebrated the 817 nursemidwives and nurse practitioners who completed the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, Master of Science in Nursing degree, or Post-Graduate Certificate programs this year. In her address to the graduates, FNU President Dr. Susan Stone noted that the class of 2020 will be called upon to lead the way against the COVID-19 Pandemic and other health care issues in the U.S. “You represent the calm in the storm,” Dr. Stone said. “You are the stabilizing force, the givers of care, and of hope.” This sentiment was shared by keynote speaker Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, Rear Admiral (RADM) Sylvia Trent-Adams, Ph.D., RN, FAAN. During her speech, Trent-Adams urged students to be present in their communities, and compassionately serve those who need it most. “We as a profession stand in the crossroad of community and healthcare systems,” RADM Trent-Adams said. “We have an
Keynote speaker Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, Rear Admiral (RADM) Sylvia Trent-Adams, Ph.D., RN, FAAN.
2 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
Degrees awarded (2015-2019)
285 2015
2016
Doctor of Nursing Practice Family Nurse Practitioner
183 2017
2018
MSN Completion Nurse-Midwifery Psych-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
73 14 46
3
3
30 27 22
131 1 16 28
1
111 3
17 28
84
10 24
2
0
73
100 50
236
246 210
203
150
209
200
241
250
317
324
300
315
3500
2019
WH Comp Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner
“You represent the calm in the storm,” Dr. Stone said. “You are the stabilizing force, the givers of care, and of hope.” obligation to deliver the best possible care that includes being self-aware and conscious of our actions, our word, and our intent.” RADM Trent-Adams served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health from January 2019 until August 2020. In this position she shared responsibility with the Assistant Secretary for Health for planning, coordinating, and directing substantive program matters; policy and program development; and determining and setting legislative and program priorities covering the full range of public health activities within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health.
She served as the Acting Surgeon General from April 2017 through September 2017, Deputy Surgeon General from October 2015 through December 2018, and as Chief Nurse Officer of the USPHS from 2013 through 2016. RADM Trent-Adams has held various positions in the United States Department of Health & Human Services, working to improve access to care for poor and underserved communities. As a clinician and administrator, she has had a direct impact on building systems of care to improve public health for marginalized populations domestically and internationally.
Prior to joining the USPHS, RADM Trent-Adams was a nurse officer in the U.S. Army. RADM Trent-Adams received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Hampton University, a Master of Science in Nursing and Health Policy from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She became a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing in 2014. She was recently elected as a member of the National Academy of Medicine’s Class of 2018.
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 3
Commencement 2020 Goes Virtual Annual Leadership Awards Presented During Commencement Although this year’s commencement was held virtually for the first time, it retained all of the signature elements of any FNU commencement. One of many traditions kept was honoring the students who provided exceptional leadership to their peers, via the presentation of the FNU Leadership Awards:
The Kitty Ernst Nurse-Midwifery Student Leadership Award:
Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner Student Leadership Award:
Autumn Fuselier
Gina Kristiansen
MSN, APRN, CNM, CNEP Class 157, DNP Class 40
RN, MSN, WHNP-BC Class 169 Longview, Texas
Salado, Texas
What is your current position?: I am an adjunct clinical OB instructor at Kilgore College in their ADN program. I accepted a job in the Women’s Health Clinic at Ochsner LSU Medical Center and will start in January.
What is your current position?: Fullscope hospital Certified Nurse-Midwife in Harker Heights, Texas What are your career goals?: I have a lot of goals! I hope to finish my doctorate this summer. I ultimately aspire to continue building our practice. We added another midwife and I hope to get to 6-7 midwives and expand to add a hospital-associated birth center. I do believe I will probably go back to school for my FNP so that I can provide care for the entire family. I also hope to one day teach future midwives. I am very excited to precept future midwives for now but hope to extend that to a university level one day. I am also big into policy advocacy so I hope to continue these efforts and eventually be a part of the leadership of ACNM. What inspired you to become a nurse? I had no idea I wanted to go into nursing until I became a teen mom at 15. Becoming a mom changed my life. I decided I wanted a career where I could change other young mothers’ lives and help improve outcomes for our young moms and babies. I worked as an ICU nurse for two years before I got the chance to work in labor and delivery and of course, fell in love and shortly after began pursuing midwifery. Anything else you would like to tell us about yourself ? I have 4 kiddos (3 boys and a girl) and am married to a firefighter/ paramedic. We are very busy! I love spending the time with my family. We are involved in soccer and are outdoors a lot of the time! I also love interior design and decorating my house.
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What are your career goals?: To continue to educate nursing students and share my passion for women’s health. I plan to continue my education in the DNP program so I can continue to teach. I am looking forward to my new WHNP position and being able to support women in their healthcare choices. We are at a pivotal point in the U.S. where healthcare is changing. I hope to be a positive motivator for women to take this time to reflect on their health and goals toward wellness. What inspired you to become a nurse? I come from a family of nurses although it was not my first career. After I graduated from college with a degree in psychology, I worked in a communitybased mental health program. I continue to use those experiences and skills every day as a nurse. Anything else you would like to tell us about yourself ? We recently moved to Texas from Upstate New York. I live with my husband and three children. We all love to travel and I enjoy running and reading.
Kitty Ernst
Family Nurse Practitioner Student Leadership Award:
Doctor of Nursing Practice Student Leadership Award:
Brandy Camperlino
Dr. Minyon Outlaw
MSN, FNP-C, Class 159
DNP, Class 33, CNM, WHNP-BC, CNEP Class 157
Mt. Juliet, Tennessee What is your current position?: I work at Skyline Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, as a Hospitalist. What are your career goals? One of the reasons that I was drawn to continue my education at Frontier is its mission to serve rural communities and underserved populations. I have been working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in varying capacities for nearly 20 years. Individuals with IDD are an underserved population that requires a provider with specialized training and patience to fully meet the patients’ needs. My ultimate career goal is to open my own practice specializing in this patient population. What inspired you to become a nurse? As far back as I can remember, I knew I wanted to work in healthcare in some capacity. I love helping ot hers and I cannot imagine a better profession than nursing to fulfill my calling. Anything else you would like to tell us about yourself ? I am married with two boys who play multiple travel sports and spend much of my off time running them to games and practices lol.
Winter Park, Florida What is your current position?: I live in Winter Park, Florida. I practice at AdventHealth Medical Group OB/ GYN at Altamonte Springs as a full scope Certified Nurse-Midwife. I also facilitate an online support group for antepartum and postpartum families. What are your career goals? My ultimate goal is to provide affordable and culturally congruent healthcare to women of color. I want to do this in the inner-city neighborhood of Parramore, where I spent part of my childhood growing up. Additionally, I’d like to work with hospitals to decrease their cesarean birth rates, precept future midwives, and mentor the next generation of nurses. What inspired you to become a nurse? My inspiration to become a nurse came from the preterm birth of my firstborn son. During my encounter, I experienced both being ignored and being heard. My provider didn’t believe me when I told her that my water broke. She sent me home from her office without any testing. I experienced a prolapsed cord, at home, one week later. The night nurse, who took excellent care of me, listened to my dreams of becoming a nurse. She encouraged me to follow my dreams. After I was discharged from the hospital, my mother and I enrolled in a CNA program. That was the beginning of my nursing journey over 30 years ago (my son turned 30 this year). Anything else you would like to tell us about yourself ? My husband and I have been married for 18 years. We have a blended family of six adult children, two son-in-loves, eight grandchildren, and twin great-grandchildren. I love going to the beach, reading, and taking road trips.
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 5
Commencement 2020 Goes Virtual Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Student Leadership Award:
Exemplary DNP Project Award:
Kristin McColly
Dr. Kristin Gianelis
PMHNP, Class 176
DNP, ANP, WHNP; PM-DNP, Class 30
Hinsdale, Montana
Barrington, Rhode Island
What is your current position?: Family Medicine / Psychiatric Specialist at Sheridan Memorial Hospital in Plentywood, Montana Anything else you would like to tell us about yourself ? Kristin is currently offering psychiatric evaluation, psychopharmacology, psychotherapy, genetic testing, substance abuse counseling, and full-body wellness.
Career: I joined FNU as DNP Clinical Faculty in September 2020. I have a genuine passion for health equity and scholarship and hope to continue working towards equity through quality improvement work with my students and in my community. What inspired you to become a nurse? Sometimes I’m not entirely sure how I got here, but I’m so glad that I did. I love the “whole person” approach to nursing. I love the continuous personal growth and learning. And I love that I can continue on a long and winding road, exploring new joys and challenges at each turn. Personal: I have two children (ages 10 and 12) and a wonderful partner. We enjoy spending time on the water as a family. I am also an avid reader and love to get lost in books (both fiction and non-fiction) in my spare time.
6 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
Student Choice Awards As part of the annual commencement activities, FNU honors the faculty members who have inspired and impacted students throughout the year. Here are this year’s prestigious student choice winners: Student Choice Excellence in Teaching Academic Faculty Award:
Student Choice Excellence in Teaching Regional Clinical Faculty Award:
Dr. Eileen Thrower
Dr. Kevin Scalf
Ph.D., CNM
PMHNP-BC
Dr. Eilenee Thrower was nominated by many of her students for the Student Choice Excellence in Teaching Academic Faculty Award. Here are just a few snippets from those nominations:
Dr. Kevin Scalf received tremendous support from his students for the Student Choice Excellence in Teaching Regional Clinical Faculty Award. Here are a few of their comments:
“Dr. Thrower has done an incredible job of running the virtual clinical courses for WHNP and CNEP students this summer. She is a wonderful resource and an incredible instructor who truly cares about each and every student. I feel so fortunate to be able to have this opportunity to learn and grow as an NP student from her before I venture into the real world!” “Dr. Thrower always comes prepared. [She is] calm, cool, and collected and makes the most of whatever life and technology throws our way. I appreciate her dedication to her job and her students. She has made herself very reachable and encourages us to contact her whenever we need to. She is doing a great job.” “Dr. Thrower deserves this award because of her role in creating and carrying out the most valuable virtual clinical experience possible! She juggles multiple bound sessions, hundreds of students, coordinates faculty, and still makes every student feel important and heard. I love listening to her pearls of wisdom, and gaining confidence as I work through the course. I feel very lucky to have her as my first ‘preceptor’!”
“Dr. Scalf has been my lifeline through the clinical process. I am delighted to have the opportunity to vote for him and I greatly hope he is recognized. His kind, patient manner, and steadfast support has led me through this uncharted territory. I was apprehensive about my clinical experience to begin with and then when COVID complicated the situation my apprehension elevated to anxiety. Dr. Scalf has led Mental Health Mondays, enabling clinical students to attend case studies and gain experience throughout the clinical term when we were unable to attend our assigned clinical site. He offers his time, knowledge, resources, and reassurance consistently. I honestly have no idea how I would have gotten this far without his never-ending support. I am endlessly appreciative.” “Dr. Scalf has been amazing during the transition between several RCFs. He steps up to the role and helps students make good clinical decisions! During times of transition in the PMHNP program, he has been a true leader!” “Dr. Scalf has been unbelievably patient and knowledgeable with our Virtual MH712 class. Whenever there are technical issues, he takes them in stride, and maintains a pleasant and respectful demeanor. He communicates openness and compassion with all that he does and says. He truly is a priceless asset for Frontier.”
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 7
The Thought That Counts: The Stories Behind the Gifts Bill and Ruth Lubic Make $500,000 Bequest to FNU FNU Trustees and long-time supporters William J. “Bill” Lubic, JD, and Ruth Watson Lubic, CNM, Ed.D, FAAN, FACNM, have made a pair of $250,000 bequests to FNU. The joint $500,000 total is designated in support of the university’s capital campaign to build the Versailles campus. “We hope that the decades of fruitful and professional relationships with Frontier Nursing University and its early-on Nursing Service will be recognized,” the Lubics wrote to FNU President Dr. Susan Stone regarding the bequest. “It has been remarkable for us to witness your long-term successful and insightful management of institutional and educational goals while improving dimensions in the delivery of quality education and superior health care. Your successful distance learning program, reaching deep into the urban/rural nexus with preceptors, is quite an achievement and certainly has been widely taken hold of and recognized around the country.”
world, this model helps place quality services within reach of underserved, low-income populations. An advocate for such innovations as freestanding birthing centers, Dr. Lubic is respected for her equal dedication to quality of care and family empowerment. She co-founded the National Association of Childbearing Centers, has inspired creation of more than 300 free-standing birth centers, and was named an American Academy of Nursing Living Legend in 2001. In 1993, she became the first nurse ever to receive a MacArthur Fellowship.
“Words cannot express how grateful we are for the incredible generosity of Ruth and Bill Lubic,” FNU President Dr. Susan Stone said. “Renowned experts and leaders in their fields, their support, guidance, and friendship have Ruth and Bill Lubic been invaluable to Frontier Nursing University. Their countless contributions Dr. Lubic has received honorary degrees and to their professions, communities, and to recognition from 10 different universities, FNU will leave a lasting legacy for decades including an honorary doctorate from to come and we are honored that they have FNU in 2011 in recognition of her lifelong chosen to have a permanent presence on contributions to midwifery. our Versailles campus.” Dr. Lubic, who was the general director Ruth Lubic, one of the leaders of the of the Maternity Care Association for 25 American midwifery movement, has had years, is the founder and president emeritus a monumental influence on the delivery of the Developing Family Center in of maternity care and child health care in Washington, D.C. The service is designed the United States. She has championed to improve the health and quality of life of personalized care during pregnancy and all childbearing and childrearing families, childbirth for all women, particularly those including those of low income, who suffer in low-income neighborhoods. Dr. Lubic high rates of infant and maternal perinatal has promoted midwives as the primary morbidity and mortality. providers of maternity care with physician collaboration as an effective and less costly She is a charter member of the National alternative to the physician-based care Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine commonly practiced in the United States. and, in 2001, received the Academy’s Widely used throughout the industrialized prestigious Lienhard Award. Also in
8 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
2001, the American Academy of Nursing named her a Living Legend. The American College of Nurse-Midwives honored her with its highest recognition, the Hattie Hemschemeyer Award, 1983. In 1995, she was appointed an expert consultant to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Public Health and Science. She is an Honorary Member of Alpha Omega Alpha, the medical honor society, and, in 2006, she received the American Public Health Association’s Martha May Eliot Award. Dr. Lubic received an R.N. (1955) from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, and a B.S. (1959), an M.A. (1961), and an Ed.D. (1979) from Columbia University Teachers College. In addition to numerous articles, she is the coauthor of Childbearing: A Book of Choices (1987). Bill Lubic is a retired founding partner of the law firm, Kagan, Lubic, Lepper, Finkelstein, & Gold, LLP. Mr. Lubic practiced law for 20 years prior to co-founding the firm in 1973. Mr. Lubic and his partner, the late Robert Kagan, became well known for their work in community activism on Manhattan’s West Side and their participation in the evolution of the West Side Urban Renewal Plan. They became well known for their leadership role in this area and the firm is now recognized as one of the most active and influential in New York. Mr. Lubic was formerly counsel for the Northeast Neighborhood Health Association, the Chinatown Health Clinic, and for their land and building site developments. He was a member of the Community Board’s Select Committee for West Side Urban Renewal Site Designation. He was the recipient of the Public Advocate Award from the National Association of Childbearing Centers (NACC) in 2004 and was instrumental in the establishment in New York of the ACNM Foundation. Most important of all, Bill and Ruth have been devoted life partners supporting each other’s work and goals for more than 65 years.
Understanding Planned Giving The generous bequest by Dr. and Mr. Lubic represents one of many ways to make a planned gift. There are many different types of planned gifts and it is best to discuss the option that works best for you with a professional financial advisor. What follows is some basic information about the variety of planned gifts and how each is administered.
What is a planned gift? A planned gift is often an important option for those who would like to make a major gift. Also known as a deferred gift, a planned gift is created now for a future benefit that can occur during or after the lifetime of the donor or of another beneficiary, such as a spouse or child. Payment of planned gifts can be a one-time distribution or the regular payment of specific or variable amounts. Some planned gifts give you the option of changing the gift commitment (revocable), while others do not (irrevocable). You may use a variety of assets to establish a planned gift, including cash, securities, real or personal property, life insurance policies, retirement funds, or other financial accounts. Tax consequences can be considerable and vary according to the type and size of a planned gift. You should consult with a legal and/or financial advisor to determine the best type of gift for you and the best time to make the gift.
Planned Giving Options Charitable Remainder Trusts
Charitable Bequests
A charitable remainder trust is an irrevocable trust that offers two gift options:
These are the most popular types of planned gifts. The donor designates a charity to receive a bequest from a will. Bequests are either a specific amount, a percentage amount of the estate’s value, or the remainder or residual amount of the estate.
With an annuity trust, the donor creates a qualifying trust that provides a fixed income for one or more individuals for a specified term of years; at the end of the term, the principal is given to one or more charities. With a unitrust, beneficiaries receive a fixed percentage of the current value of the trust assets, which are revalued annually.
Charitable Gift Annuity
If you wish to remember FNU in your will, this form is suggested: “I hereby give, devise and bequeath the sum of… dollars (or other described property) to Frontier Nursing University, an educational institution organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.”
The donor gives cash or securities to create an irrevocable trust, and the charity pays a fixed annuity income to one or more individuals for life. Rates are recommended by the American Council on Gift Annuities. Annual payments can be deferred to a specific time, such as the retirement age of the beneficiary.
Stock Gifts
Charitable Lead Trust
Other Gifts
The opposite of a charitable remainder trust, the charitable lead trust created by the donor pays an annuity or unitrust amount to a charity and the remainder to the donor or another beneficiary at the end of the trust term.
Pooled Income Fund
You can donate your appreciated stock directly to FNU. For information on how you can transfer stocks directly to us please contact our Chief Advancement Officer at angela.bailey@frontier.edu or at 859-251-4573.
These types of gifts stand on their own or in combination as part of your giving plans: • Cash • Marketable Securities • Real Estate • Closely Held Securities
The donor gives cash or securities to a charity’s pooled investment fund, which includes gifts from other donors. Participants receive a share of the fund’s annual income during their lifetimes. At the donor’s death, the original gift is removed from the fund and is used by the charity for its own purposes.
• Life Insurance • IRAs and Other Retirement Plans • Tangible Personal Property
Remainder Interest The donor deeds a personal residence or a farm to a charity with a right for one or more individuals to use the property for a specified time when the rights of the property are transferred to the charity.
A planned gift can maximize your giving potential and can even ensure future financial security for you or a loved one.
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 9
The Thought That Counts: The Stories Behind the Gifts The Memory of Lin Bolle Martahus Lives on Via Scholarship It began with a phone call in December 2016. Elaine Bolle and Lester Levine called Frontier Nursing University to learn more about how FNU operates and what makes the university successful. In particular, they were searching for ideas that were working, particularly in rural areas, and that could be replicated. Just over three years later, they endowed a scholarship for FNU students. “When we were approached about creating a scholarship for Frontier Nursing, it only made sense to name it after Lin,” Elaine Bolle said. “She was a caring nurse, mother and sister. What better way to honor her memory.” The Lin Bolle Scholarship has been created in memory of Linda Bolle Martahus. Ms. Martahus was born and raised in Michigan. A gifted student and athlete, she excelled in swimming and track She graduated from Duke University’s School of Nursing in 1976. Upon graduation, she worked at Duke University Hospital, rising to head nurse of adult surgery. She eventually relocated to Cleveland, Ohio, where she worked as a head nurse at the Cleveland Clinic and the University Hospital of Cleveland. She was known as a tireless advocate for her patients, their families, and her staff. She married Craig Martahus in 1986 and together they raised three children. Ms. Martahus died in 1997 at the age of 43 after being struck by a drunk driver. This scholarship is being given in honor of her life and her passion for excellent patient care. “Lin was my sister-in-law,” Elaine Bolle said. “I met her when she was 9 years old and I was in high school, so we grew up together. She was really my sister. We were very close. Lin was a very caring person and devoted to family. Her mother died just weeks before Lin’s wedding. It was my honor to help her through those bittersweet days. She played a very special role in the lives of my two sons, Jeff and Tim, sharing their love of sports. Lin traveled through a blizzard to attend Jeff ’s Bar Mitzvah knowing how important that celebration was to Jeff. Tim continued the special connection by naming his daughter after Lin. It is a Jewish tradition that one lives on in the memories of others. That is
definitely true for Lin. She died while she was helping others —a car was stalled on the highway. She got out to help. That is when she was killed by a drunk driver. It was just before Christmas.” The Lin Boll Endowment Fund was created with a gift of $75,000 by Mr. Levine and Ms. Bolle on January 28, 2020. Any person or organization may make contributions to the Lin Bolle Endowment Fund. The Fund is to be used to provide a scholarship to a Frontier Nursing University student. The Lin Bolle Scholarship will be award to a student pursuing a degree in Family Practice or Nurse-Midwifery, whose race or ethnicity has been historically underrepresented at the University, who has overcome hardship, and who wants to use her or his education to help those living in a medically underserved area.
“We are so grateful for this generous gift in honor of the memory of such an incredible woman and leader in nursing,” FNU President Dr. Susan Stone said. “Her spirit of helping others will live on through this scholarship and we thank her remarkable family for the thoughtful and inspiring gift.” FNU’s Office of Financial Aid will award the Lin Bolle Scholarship according to the same process as other endowed scholarships using the criteria outlined in the endowment. Stud ents will submit applications, the Scholarship Committee will review and score them, and the Director of Financial Aid will select the students to receive the scholarship awards based on the scholarship’s requirements. The amount of the scholarship will be determined by the financial policies of the University.
FNU Scholarships Reduce Financial Burden Even though FNU’s low tuition rates compare favorably to other institutions and the university places a priority on affordability, most FNU students still accrue an average loan debt of $60,000. In 2019, 84% of all FNU students received federal student loans. The majority of FNU students are working adults with families, making the cost of higher education and the subsequent loan payments a potential financial strain. FNU continually seeks to reduce this financial burden via donations, bequests, grants, and other funding sources. Additionally, FNU donors, such as Elaine Bolle and Lester Levine, have helped establish more than 25 scholarships available for students based on varying criteria. If you are interested in establishing a scholarship, please contact Chief Advancement Officer Angela Bailey, MA, CFRE, at 859-251-4573 or angela.bailey@frontier.edu.
Year
Donor Funded Scholarships
Federal Grants & Scholarships
Total Scholarships & Grants
Average Loan Debt of Graduates
Percentage of Students Using Loans
2016
$82,650
$350,000
$432,650
$57,161
82%
2017
$189,925
$115,000
$304,925
$62,618
80%
2018
$122,225
$227,508
$349,733
$66,448
85%
2019
$386,310
$772,000
$1,158,310
$67,851
82%
10 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
Jean Owens Donates $55,000 to FNU Student Emergency Fund
Ms. Jean Owenst (left) Susan Stone (right)
Ms. Jean Owens has been a dedicated supporter of FNU for more than 30 years, regularly giving to the annual fund. This spring, as the COVID-19 Pandemic took hold of the country, she was moved to make her first donation to FNU’s student emergency fund.
Her gift of $55,000 to the student emergency fund supports FNU students in times of need caused by disasters, illnesses, or other extreme circumstances, enabling them to continue their studies. Her impact on these students is immeasurable, as is their impact on our nation’s healthcare system.
Now retired, Ms. Owens spent her career as a public servant in municipal government and water safety analysis. Her mother taught her the value of a dollar and not spending frivolously. She prefers, instead, to help others with her generosity and has demonstrated her appreciation for the mission and vision of FNU and its students.
“Jean Owens has been a tremendous friend and supporter of Frontier for so many years,” FNU President Dr. Susan Stone said. “This donation to the student emergency fund is so impactful for students during their times of urgent, unforeseen need. It is a gift befitting of her amazing generosity and caring for others.”
“I appreciate what Frontier does and I am happy to support them,” Ms. Owens said. “I always wish them well in their work.”
FNU’s Student Emergency Fund Helps Students in Times of Need FNU’s Student Emergency Fund provides grants to students who have unexpected financial situations that threaten their ability to continue their studies. It gives them the financial assistance needed to continue their programs by addressing the monetary shortfalls resulting from personal misfortunes or natural disasters. The Student Emergency Fund is not a scholarship to cover tuition or the routine costs of attending FNU such as participating in classes or taking exams. These grants are given only to meet significant loss due to true emergencies such as fire, natural disaster, catastrophic medical injuries, and/or illness. The grants are given to cover expenses such as transportation costs, housing, and damage to computers. Today our students are experiencing the unexpected costs of the COVID-19 Pandemic such as family members becoming unemployed and no access to childcare or school for their children. All gifts made to this fund are given directly to students. In administering the Student Emergency Fund, FNU requests documentation from each applicant. All requests are evaluated and approved by a faculty committee before being dispersed. Every gift helps students cope with financial burdens so they can continue their education. “My husband and I were blessed with our second baby girl [in November]. We are so thankful that she and I are okay, but the birth was very traumatic for all of us. I ended up requiring an emergency c-section and ended up having a large postpartum hemorrhage. As a result, we have several extra medical costs and are requiring housing away from home (I am in my clinical rotation location) a bit longer. Your generosity will help to ease the financial burden we are feeling right now. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.” -- FNU Student Emergency Fund grant recipient
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 11
FNU News
FNU Celebrates 50 “The largest impact of the FNP program has been to ameliorate the primary care shortage in communities, particularly in rural and underserved areas.” -- Dr. Joan Slager, FNU Dean of Nursing Dr. Joan Slager Dating to its inception, Frontier Nursing University has a long history of innovation borne out of necessity. Whether it was riding on horseback to provide care to families in Kentucky’s rural mountains or pioneering the first midwifery community-based distance education program in the United States, FNU has adapted to the needs of the communities its students serve. In this the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife as designated by the World Health Organization, FNU celebrates the 50th anniversary of one of its most significant contributions -- the nation’s first Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program. “In the 1950s and early 1960s, due to a shortage in primary care physicians particularly in rural communities, nurses were recruited to assist physicians to meet the primary care needs in their communities,” said FNU Dean of Nursing Dr. Joan Slager, CNM, DNP, FACNM, FAAN. “Launching the FNP program was in alignment with FNU’s mission of educating providers to meet the needs of rural and underserved communities.”
The process to launch the FNP program began in the late 1960s when FNU, then known as the Frontier Graduate School of Midwifery, recognized the primary care shortage and began providing a broaderbased education for nurses. The concept of educating its students to extend their abilities beyond traditional nursing and nurse-midwifery roles had long been a fixture of the FNU curriculum. The establishment of the FNP program, in essence, formalized the creation of a new nursing profession. “The original nurses recruited in the 1920s for the Frontier Nursing Service were midwives and public health nurses, so providing care beyond maternity services was not at all unusual,” Dr. Slager said. “As the role of the nurse practitioner in the country was developed and formalized, FNU responded to meeting this need for primary care providers by launching the FNP program. The largest impact of the FNP program has been to ameliorate the primary care shortage in communities, particularly in rural and underserved areas.”
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Much like the Frontier Nursing Service nurse-midwives headed into the wilderness to care for families of rural Appalachia who had little or no access to medical care otherwise, today FNU graduates are providing much-needed care in remote regions all across the country where physicians are in increasingly short supply. One such locale is the Alaskan frontier, where the rugged mountainous terrain includes more than 3 million lakes and 3,000 rivers. Approximately 96 percent of the state’s landmass lies in Health Professional Shortage Areas, as identified by the Health Resources and Services Administration. Many of the remote residents travel into town only once or twice a year for supplies and, if needed, basic medical care. Even in populated areas, such as Juneau, which has a population of more than 32,000, access to care is limited. David Moore, FNP, Class 75, works at the city’s Front Street Clinic, whose patients include a large segment of the city’s homeless population. As the only practitioner at the clinic, Moore is clearly filling what would otherwise be a vast void.
Years of the FNP Program “The FNP program is well-equipped to play an important role in the future of our healthcare system.” -- Dr. Lisa Chappell, Chair, FNU Department of Family Nursing Dr. Lisa Chappell “A lot of our patients are transient, and we only see them when some crisis arises,” Moore said. He credits FNU with instilling the mindset of going beyond what might be commonly expected of a nurse practitioner in order to take care of his patients. “FNU taught me to go above and beyond to get the job done.” That has been the core of the FNP program since its inception. There is no one-sizefits-all skillset for FNPs. Every patient population, every clinic, every region has its own unique challenges. Preparing FNP students to adapt to those challenges and provide culturally competent care has been a staple of the program for 50 years. FNU’s celebration of 50 years of the FNP program isn’t about an anniversary. It’s about celebrating 50 years of impact and the more than 2,600 FNP graduates who are, as Moore said, going “above and beyond to get the job done.” It’s also about recommitting to the next 50 years and continuing to address the nation’s healthcare challenges.
“With the decline in the number of primary care physicians, there will be many Americans without a healthcare provider,” said Dr. Lisa Chappell, Ph.D., FNP-BC, CRNP, who is the Chair of the Department of Family Nursing at FNU. “The FNP program is well-equipped to play an important role in the future of our healthcare system.” The model of care practiced by nursemidwives and nurse practitioners includes a partnership with the patient, a focus on promoting optimal health as well as treating illness. This model of care has a significant impact on improving long-term healthcare outcomes. A study on the prevention of chronic disease published by the Centers for Disease Control* concluded that “across all conditions, NPs provide health education to patients more frequently than Physicians.” Decades of research indicate that primary care services provided by advanced practice nurses and nurse-midwives are safe and effective^. It is clear that working together, nurse-midwives,
nurse practitioners, and physicians can attain the best outcomes for the people they serve. “FNPs have a strong commitment to improving patient outcomes,” Dr. Chappell said. “As family nurse practitioners move into areas of increasing need, they provide holistic care to diverse individuals and families.”
*Ritsema TS, Bingenheimer JB, Scholting P, Cawley JF. “Differences in the Delivery of Health Education to Patients With Chronic Disease by Provider Type”, 2005–2009. ^The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties. “The Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree: Entry to Nurse Practitioner Practice by 2025.” May 2018.
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FNU News
Prominent Speakers, Important Discussion Highlight Sixth Annual National Midwifery Week Virtual Event Frontier Nursing University joined thousands of nursemidwives across the country to celebrate National Midwifery Week from Oct 4-10. Throughout the week, FNU hosted its 6th annual virtual event, Empower, which explored how nurse-midwives can provide better care for women and families. The virtual event included a series of free sessions intended to share information and open discussion about the state of healthcare in America and the role of the nurse-midwife.
Session: Midwifery Pearls Telehealth Presenters: Faculty members Dr. Tanya Belcheff, DNP, CNM; Dr. Cassie Belzer, DNP, CNM; Dr. Judith Butler, DNP, CNM; Martha Harvey, MSN, CNM, OB/GYN NP; Heidi Loomis, MSN, CRNP, CNM; and Dr. Audrey Perry, DNP, CNM, CNE. The session provided an overview of telehealth from a nurse-midwifery perspective, emphasizing patient engagement, group care, provider satisfaction, and best practices for meeting compliance requirements. “Midwifery Pearls of Telehealth” is a continuing education course approved for 1.25 contact hour(s) of continuing education by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners if the post-test and evaluation are completed by Sept. 2021.
Dr. Tanya Belcheff
Dr. Cassie Belzer
Heidi Loomis
Judith Butler
Session: Hot Topics in the Management of Perimenopause & Menopause: A Conventional & Integrative Approach Presenters: FNU faculty members Dr. Ruth Ellen Elsasser, DNP, FNP-BC, CNE and Dr. Ana Verzone, DNP, FNPBC, CNM This session, which was another continuing education opportunity, introduced a review of conventional and evidence-based integrative medicine interventions used during perimenopause and menopause. Some of the topics covered included: understanding menopause and its varied presentation and symptoms, knowing the critical differences between perimenopause and menopause, identifying complications of conventional pharmacology, and developing a patientcentered, individualized plan of care when managing perimenopause and menopause. Reviewing this session can earn participants 2.0 contact hour(s) of continuing education (which includes 0.75 hours of pharmacology) by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners after completing the posttest and evaluation. The course will be recognized through Sept. 2021.
Dr. Audrey Perry
Dr. Ruth Ellen Elsasser
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Dr. Ana Verzone
Session: Racial Disparities in Maternity Care: Where Do We Go From Here? Presenters: FNU Assistant Professor Dr. Heather Clarke, DNP, CNM, APRN, FACNM, and FNU President Dr. Susan Stone, CNM, DNSc, FACNM, FAAN This session discussed how high maternal and infant mortality rates are directly correlated with racism and how the nursing community can use strategic planning to rebuild these systems and enact real change. The session was designed to help nursemidwives identify disparities in Black and indigenous women’s health care outcomes and apply real strategies to combat racism and improve outcomes.
Dr. Heather Clarke
Session: Get the 411 on Becoming a Nurse-Midwife Presenters: FNU faculty Jeneen A. Lomax, DNP, APRN, CNM, and FNU Department Chair of Midwifery and Women’s Health Dr. Tonya Nicholson, DNP, CNM, WHNP-BC, CNE, FACNM Student Panelists: Jamilla Webb, BSN, RN; Sunoz “Sunny” Soroosh; RN, MPH, Erin Hanks, RN, IBCLC; and Cheryl Appleton, BSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM During this session, Dr. Lomax and Dr. Nicholson discussed the value of midwifery and then listened to a panel of current FNU students about their experiences. In the session, the presenters and panelists came from a variety of personal and healthcare backgrounds to best present the full scope of nurse-midwifery. The session finished with a question-and-answer session involving the session attendees.
President Dr. Susan Stone
Jeneen A. Lomax
Dr. Tonya Nicholson
Student Panel:
Jamilla Webb
Sunoz “Sunny” Soroosh
Erin Hanks
Cheryl Appleton
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 15
FNU News
Mental Health, Telehealth, and Implicit BiasTopics Headline National Nurse Practitioner Week Virtual Event Sessions Session: Pharmacology CE – Anxiety in Children and Adolescents: Trends in Treatment Presenter: Dr. Billinda Tebbenhoff, DNP, PMHNP-BC, PMHCNS-BC This session discussed the approximately 4.4 million children and adolescents in the United States (CDC, 2020) who meet diagnostic criteria for an anxiety disorder and the many more who remain undiagnosed. Though anxiety and stress are an expected part of the human experience, consistently elevated anxiety can interfere with a child’s sense of self and impact the entire family. The implications of the current pandemic related to child and adolescent anxiety are beginning to emerge and depend on the child’s stage of development and pre-pandemic functioning. Predictive trends and guidance regarding helping children, families, and communities during the pandemic were all discussed.
Dr. Billinda Tebbenhoff
Session: Nurse Practitioners Leading Care Through Telehealth
Session: Dismantling Implicit Bias to Promote Optimal Health Outcomes
Presenters: Dr. Jess Calohan, DNP, PMHNP-BC; Martha Harvey, MSN, CNM, OB/GYN NP; Dr. Rachel Mack, Ph.D., DNP, APRN, C-FNP, CNE; and Dr. Vicky Stone-Gale, DNP, APRN, FNPBC, FAANP
Presenters: Dr. Katheryn Arterberry, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC; Dr. Lisa Chappell, Ph.D., FNP-BC, CRNP; and Dr. Diane John, Ph.D., APRN, FNP-BC, CNE
This session included a panel of FNU nurse practitioner faculty members who discussed the rise of telehealth use in their respective specialties. Panel members represented family nursing, psychiatric-mental health, nurse-midwifery, and women’s health departments within FNU. The panelists shared current telehealth trends along with their professional experiences using telehealth as a patient care delivery model and the effects it could have on the future of healthcare.
Dr. Jess Calohan
Martha Harvey
Dr. Rachel Mack
Dr. Vicky Stone-Gale
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This session focused on the negative impact of implicit bias in optimizing health outcomes. Advanced practice nurses identified new processes for changing attitudes and behaviors that can lead to health disparities and move towards equality throughout the healthcare system. The session encouraged participants to engage in reflective and introspective thoughts leading to individual plans for minimizing personal biases. Recordings of each of the sessions from FNU’s Empower 2020 can be found at https://fnudigitalsummit.com/.
Dr. Katheryn Arterberry
Dr. Lisa Chappell
Dr. Diane John
Session: Becoming a Nurse Practitioner: A Journey in Distance Education Presenters: Dr. Paula Alexander-Delpech, Ph.D., PMHNP-BC, APRN and FNU Chair for the Department of Family Nursing Dr. Lisa Chappell, Ph.D., FNP-BC, CRNP Student Panelists: Hailey Baker, RN, MSN; Timonthy Black, RN; Michele Morgan, RN, PMHNP; and Genevieve Utley, FNP, RN Designed to enlighten current nurse practitioner students or anyone interested in becoming a nurse practitioner, this session offered a 360-degree view of FNU’s distance education program. A panel composed of current students from FNU’s family nurse practitioner, psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner, and women’s healthcare nurse practitioner tracks gathered to share their personal experiences as graduate-level nursing students in an online program.
Dr. Paula AlexanderDelpech
Dr. Lisa Chappell
Student Panel:
Hailey Baker
Timonthy Black
Michele Morgan
Genevieve Utley
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 17
Alumni Notes Alumni Spotlight: Megan Simenc Carries on FNU Legacy at Boise VA Medical Center As we all learned in high school, whether it’s good or bad, reputation matters. Within the Boise VA Medical Center, it’s safe to say Frontier Nursing University has a good reputation. In recent years, four FNU graduates have been nurse practitioner residents at the medical center. “The director of the Boise VA Medical Center nurse practitioner residency said she is consistently impressed with the FNU graduates who have come to our residency program,” said Megan Simenc, MSN, FNP-C, Class 155. “I was the third FNU graduate in the residency and one of the current residents, Elizabeth Ballweg (FNP, Class 158) is also a proud FNU alumnus. Liz and Megan Fitzmaurice (FNP, DNP, Class 20) are the reason I found the program and I owe a lot of my success to them.” Simenc completed a one-year nurse practitioner residency in primary care at the Boise VA Medical Center in July prior to moving into her current role providing primary care and nurse practitioner residency leadership at the Boise VA Medical Center and the Caldwell VA Community Clinic. “Thanks to the cohesive, collaborative interdisciplinary model at the VA, primary care providers like myself take on more care of complex conditions than I originally expected from my education and clinical experience,” Simenc said. “Since I work so closely with specialists at the VA, I am managing more complex conditions with the specialists’ input, and referring out less, which is a great learning experience.” She passes that knowledge on to the current participants in the residency program. “I serve as a mentor for this year’s residents, set up didactic learning opportunities, do some teaching, and will
be taking on the scheduling of specialty rotations,” Simenc said. The Boise VA Medical Center receives patients from across Idaho and eastern Oregon, many of whom live in rural, isolated areas. According to Simenc, the majority of veterans seeking care at the Center are older white males with complex and overlapping medical conditions, including socioeconomic and mental health conditions. Common challenges including low health literacy, very low income, complex comorbidities, mental health conditions, and geographic barriers to care.
“I hope that our nation will learn that we need to support these essential workers not only in times of crisis, but to nurture these dedicated workers in good times as well.”
Simenc relates to her patients by drawing on her own rural upbringing in the small town of Dillon, Montana. She also credits FNU for helping prepare her for the challenging patient population and the added complications brought on by the COVID-19 Pandemic. “I think FNU attracts some of the best future nurse practitioners and our education helps us blossom into strong, thoughtful, dedicated patient advocates and independent providers,” Simenc said. “I am constantly amazed at how well I was prepared to enter the workforce as a brand new nurse practitioner, thanks to my FNU education. Not only did FNU build up my clinical knowledge, but my education taught me to look further and not discount the critically important piece of socioeconomics in our delivery of healthcare.” Understanding a patient’s perspective is an important part of connecting and communicating with them while administering care. Simenc noted that her patients have been split regarding the
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pandemic, most being aware of the risks and the importance of safe practices, but many are skeptical of the seriousness or even legitimacy of the pandemic. Rather than engaging in a debate or trying to convince patients they are wrong, Simenc takes a more tactful approach. “In these situations, I try to avoid judgment and instead elicit their perspectives, their concerns, and highlight that, regardless of their beliefs or their mistrust of the science presented to them, the outcome of taking these recommended precautions is helping protect other veterans around them,” she said. “This usually goes over quite well because our veterans have a very strong sense of pride and are almost always happy to help another vet.” Simenc said she now only sees about 25 percent of her patients in person during the pandemic, with the remainder of the appointments taking place via secure video or phone calls. Many days she works from home to limit the number of people in the clinic. “These changes have greatly impacted residency programs like our NP residency,” she said. “We are working on ways to maximize learning opportunities for our residents by holding didactics via video, and seeking unique opportunities to still get safe, face-to-face patient care experience like working in episodic and urgent care more often.” There are many lessons to be learned, and Simenc is hopeful they will carry over after the pandemic is over. “This global pandemic is highlighting the critical need for our country to recognize and support our frontline and essential workers – especially our nation’s healthcare workers like nurses, cleaning services, food services, clerical staff, and primary care providers,” she said. “I hope that our nation will learn that we need to support these essential workers not only in times of crisis, but to nurture these dedicated workers in good times as well.” Note: For more information about the Boise VA Medical Center nurse practitioner residency program, visit vaboisenpresidency.com.
FNU Alumni Association The Frontier Nursing University Office of Alumni Relations is here to support YOU! Our purpose is to find new and meaningful ways to engage and support Alumni — from graduation throughout your career. Alumni are an integral part of FNU’s development because you demonstrate the excellence of FNU in everyday practice and because you are our primary recruiters and most loyal donors. We appreciate your commitment to FNU, and we plan to offer additional rewarding programs in return soon. Services are open to all graduates of FNU. We currently have more 6,000 alumni in all 50 states and many countries around the world. We encourage you to explore the services, programs, and activities offered and to become involved. There are several wonderful ways to stay in touch with friends and connected to FNU including; reunions, conference receptions, case days, eNews, and our very active Facebook Group. To take advantage of all member services, please make sure we have your updated contact information by emailing us at alumniservices@frontier.edu.
Alumni Spotlight: Charles Davis Leads Initiative to Open In-School Health Clinic It’s easy to forget what life was like before the COVID-19 Pandemic, but it was just in the spring of 2019 that Charles Davis, Ph.D., MSN, FNP-C, AE-C, Class 154 came up with an idea to help the students in the Webutuck Central School District in Amenia, New York. Employed as a nurse by the school district, Davis took action to bring an in-school based health clinic into the district.
better-developed foundation for a successful transition to adulthood. “Where better to provide comprehensive continuous primary and preventative care, acute care, chronic illness care, and referral management than the place where the students spend the majority of their waking hours?” Davis theorized.
With the approval of the district’s leadership and board of education, Davis moved forward to the task of complying with state regulations requiring in-school health centers to have a viable and qualified healthcare facility collaborator. By the end of the 201920 school year, he had found the necessary “My district is a partner in the Open rural community in Door Family Medical Dutchess County, Centers in Ossining, New York,” Davis New York. Open said. “Greater than Door was an ideal 60% met a metric choice because it is that classifies them a federally qualified as economically health center with disadvantaged. Many experience operating also fit the category school-based health of being medically centers in other parts underserved and of the state. underinsured. Thus, Charles Davis (right) and U.S. Representative these students (New York’s 19th Congressional District) With the required face many barriers Antonio Delgado (left) discuss the importance partner secured, the to getting their of school-based health centers. school board agreed, healthcare needs and the process of addressed including securing funding access to providers, transportation, and ensued. On May 4, 2020, the Foundation for the ability of parents and guardians to Community Health in Sharon, Connecticut take off work to have initial or follow-up awarded the Webutuck school district a appointments. Even parents/guardians $100,000 grant to proceed with the inthat work as professionals and that have an school clinic. This funding was combined easier time flex-timing from work still have with $50,000 from New York State, resulting challenges because the rural nature of our in the necessary dollars that will allow community means their jobs are often some construction and remodeling of the health distance away.” center’s space to occur and a target opening of the beginning of the 2020-21 school year Davis approached the district superintendent was projected. with his idea, arguing that a school-based health center breaks down those barriers. Currently, the opening of the clinic is being Furthermore, under New York State’s schooldelayed by the pandemic to at least the based health centers’ operation model, all beginning of the 2021-22 school year. Davis, services are delivered to the recipient without however, continues to advocate for student cost. He presented evidence demonstrating healthcare throughout the state, recently that students with access to school-based collaborating with Webutuck Central health centers not only have better overall School District Director of Curriculum and physical and mental health but also improved Development Jennifer Eraca to present to the educational outcomes, reduced chronic New York State School Board Association on absenteeism and risky behaviors, improved the value of school-based health centers. management of chronic diseases, and a
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 19
Alumni Notes “I wouldn’t be doing this without FNU, its faculty -- especially Dr. Lisa Chappell and the educators associated with the Family Nursing Practitioner Program, staff, and the vision and spirit of Mrs. Mary Breckinridge,” said Davis, who grew up in Coeburn, a small town in southwest Virginia, not far from FNU’s original Hyden campus. “Mrs. Breckinridge’s legacy and spirit are strong.”
Lana Bernat Named Women’s Health Nursing Consultant to Army Surgeon General The Army Nurse Corps named Lieutenant Colonel Lana Bernat, DNP, CNM, CPHQ, Class 22, as the new Women’s Health, 66G-66W Nursing Consultant to the Army Surgeon General, effective December 1. Bernat graduated from North Dakota State University in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in nursing and was commissioned as a U.S. Army Nurse Corps officer, serving in the field of women’s health. Bernat transferred back to civilian life in 2000, earning a Master of Science in Leadership in Healthcare Systems from Regis University in 2005. She worked in various obstetrics positions in the Army, Air Force, and civilian hospitals until 2009. Her family moved to New York where she took
a position in outpatient case management, eventually becoming chief of a quality management department. In 2013 Bernat completed midwifery education at FNU, then subsequently completed her DNP at FNU in 2017. “During my many years as an obstetric nurse, I met many Frontier CNM alumni,” Bernat said. “FNU has an incredibly strong reputation in the midwifery community, and I saw this lived out in my CNM colleagues. I did not even consider applying elsewhere.”
Cori Gilkey Joins Central Vermont Medical Center Women’s Health Cori Gilkey, DNP, Class 18, recently joined Central Vermont Medical Center Women’s Health practice. Gilkey attends births and offers a full spectrum of wellwoman care. Before moving to Vermont, Gilkey practiced full-scope midwifery at Miriam Worthy Women’s Health Clinic in Albany, Georgia. Before that, she worked as a midwife in New Hampshire.
Camden Family Care Welcomes Kristen Orts Kristen Orts, MSN, CNM, FNP-C, Class 175, has joined the staff of Camden Family Care in Camden, New York. Orts joins the practice after three years of providing obstetric and gynecological care in Syracuse. “The health of a family is often interrelated,” Orts told the Rome Sentinel. “In family practice, we have the opportunity to establish long-term relationships with our patients to help them be as healthy as they can be throughout every stage of life.”
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Zach Assink Joins Yakima Medical-Dental Clinic The Yakima MedicalDental Clinic in Yakima, Washington, recently welcomed Zach Assink, MSN, FNP, Class 175, as a family nurse practitioner. He previously worked with the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic for more than a decade as a nursing assistant, medical assistant, and registered nurse.
Join the Pioneer Zoom Call on January 30 Would you like to learn about Mrs. Breckinridge from those who worked with her? Hear from Alumnae and a former staff member what it was like to work and study at Frontier Nursing Service and University in the 1950s and 1960s. Alumnae Kitty Ernst and Madelynne Kugler and former FNS staff member Noel Smith Fernandez, all of whom worked alongside Mrs. Breckinridge, will share their stories and take your questions via Zoom on Saturday, January 30 at 2:00 p.m. ET. Directions to join the call will be placed on the Banyan Tree Portal under Alumni on the Connections Tab. If you have any questions, please contact Linda Barnes, Senior Development and Alumni Relations Officer at 859-251-4592 or Linda.Barnes@frontier.edu.
FNU Alumni Celebrate National Midwifery Week in “Call the Midwife” Costumes Darla Berry, MSN, CNM, Class 13, and Victoria Floyd, CNM, Class 74, celebrated National Midwifery Week in October in a unique way. Berry and Floyd both are part of Nurse-Midwifery Services at Indiana University Health Physicians, which opened in January 2020. As the manager of the practice, Berry caught the first baby in January. Floyd joined the practice in March. Now, IU’s Nurse-Midwifery Services includes four nurse-midwives. That number,
which matches the number of primary nurse-midwives depicted on the PBS show “Call the Midwife”, inspired Berry, Floyd, and their colleagues to dress as characters from the show to help promote National Midwifery Week. Berry and Floyd knitted the four caps used in the costumes.
Become a Master/ Expert Preceptor
“This seemed like a natural way to tie into the show and encourage people to call the midwife,” Berry said. If you are a preceptor for FNU students, you can achieve Expert or Master Preceptor status and receive these beautiful lapel pins as a thank you for your dedication to the profession. As of June 30th, 2020, we have had several preceptors receive one or both statuses: 45 - Expert Preceptors 2 - Master Preceptors If you would like more information on you may unlock your Expert or Master Preceptor status and receive your pin along with a certificate of recognition, please contact Stephanie.Boyd@frontier.edu Criteria to Achieve FNU Expert Preceptor status:
Pictured left to right in their “Call the Midwife” costumes: Joann Fluent-Peistrup, Victoria Floyd, Darla Berry, Tina Doyle. Photo courtesy of IU Health/Mike Dickbernd.
Coming soon: Alumni Survey 2021! Watch for the 2021 alumni survey coming to your email on February 1, 2021. Your responses to this brief survey help us better serve you!
• Precept 3 FNU students in the last 5 years • Complete the online “Gift of Precepting” course Criteria to Achieve FNU Master Preceptor status: • Achieve Expert Preceptor status • Served as Primary Preceptor for 6 FNU students • Complete the online “Master Precepting” course
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 21
News and Notes FNU Dean of Nursing Dr. Joan Slager Inducted as American Academy of Nursing Fellow Frontier Nursing University Dean of Nursing Dr. Joan Slager, CNM, DNP, FACNM, was inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing (AAN) in a virtual ceremony on Saturday, October 31. Dr. Slager was selected for the AAN Fellowship in acknowledgment of her outstanding contributions and impact on nursing and health. Dr. Slager was a member of FNU’s first Community-based Nurse-Midwifery Education Program (CNEP) graduate class in 1991 and proceeded to complete her Master of Science in Nursing in 1993. Early on in her career, Dr. Slager helped to establish Bronson Women’s Service in Kalamazoo, Mich., which is now the state’s largest midwifery service. Dr. Slager has spent over 20 years practicing as a full-scope midwife and has served as a preceptor for over 100 FNU students; she became the school’s Dean of Nursing in March 2018. “I am very honored to have been inducted as an AAN Fellow,” Dr. Slager said. “AAN is an organization that promotes nursing leadership to advance health policy and practice in the U.S. I am excited to be part of this prestigious organization and to contribute to the continued evolvement of nursing practice.” The American Academy of Nursing selected a total of 230 distinguished nurse leaders to join the 2020 Class of Fellows. The Academy is currently composed of more than 2,700 nursing leaders who are experts in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia that champion health and wellness, locally and globally.
Through a competitive, rigorous application process, a committee of elected Fellows review hundreds of applications and select new Fellows based on their contributions to advance the public’s health. Induction into the Academy is a significant milestone in a nurse leader’s career in which their accomplishments are honored by their colleagues within the profession.
FNU Associate Professor Dr. Vicky Stone-Gale and her daughter Dr. Jennifer Stone Make Florida History In October, FNU Associate Professor Vicky Stone-Gale, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP, and her daughter Jennifer Stone, Dr. Jennifer Stone (left) DNP, APRN, and Dr. Vicky StoneFNP-BC Gale became the first APRNs licensed as autonomous advanced practice registered nurses in the state of Florida. They received the good news after a house bill permitting select APRNs to practice in primary care was signed into law by the Florida governor earlier this year. The Autonomous Nurse Practitioner practices in primary care settings permitting the APRN to be independent of physician general supervision to provide care throughout Florida. “This has been a long time coming for APRNs in Florida,” Dr. Stone-Gale said. “There are many of my Florida colleagues that were alongside me working on these efforts to make this bill pass successfully. It definitely was not a single effort and we still have more work to do for CNMs and other specialties. To be able to pave the way for not only the seasoned APRNs but for all of our younger colleagues to be autonomous moving forward in their careers is amazing.
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My daughter and I received our DNP together and talked about the day this would happen. Now it is a reality and I am not only proud to share this with her, but am excited for her future as an autonomous APRN.” Dr. Stone-Gale and Dr. Stone both practice in primary care in Fort Lauderdale. A longtime nursing advocate, Dr. Stone-Gale is the President of the South Florida Council of Advanced Practice Nurses (SFCAPN). Following in her footsteps, Dr. Stone is the practicum coordinator for the nurse practitioner program at Walden University and serves as the Nominating Committee Chair on the board for the SFCAPN.
Dr. Jess Calohan and Dr. Geraldine Young Speak at NONPF Conference
Dr. Jess Calohan (left) and Dr. Geraldine Young FNU Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Geraldine Young, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CDE, FAANP served as a conference committee member and speaker at the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) Conference in November. FNU Associate Professor and Chair of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Department Jess Calohan, DNP, MN, PMHNP-BC, also spoke at the conference.
FNU Personnel Elected to Prominent Leadership Roles on AABC Board of Directors This summer the American Association of Birth Centers (AABC) held elections for the AABC Board of Directors. The membership elected the following to serve: President-Elect: Aubre Tompkins, MSN, CNM, Class 54 - Director of midwifery and nurse-midwife at Seasons Midwifery & Birth Center (Thornton, Colorado). Director: FNU Assistant Professor Judy Butler, DNP, CNM, WHNP, Class 9 - Nurse-midwife at The Midwifery Center for Women (Tucson, Arizona).
Director: Ebony Marcelle, MSN, CNM, FACNM, DNP, Class 40 Director of midwifery and nurse-midwife at Community of Hope/Family Health and Birth Center (Washington, D.C.).
Fall Faculty Published Articles and Chapters: Following is a list of articles and chapters recently published by FNU faculty members: Course Coordinator Joshua Faucett, FNP: Faucett, J. E. (2020). Veteran Suicide Risk Reduction: A Recommendation for Practice. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners.
Assistant Professor Rebecca Fay, DNP, CNM, WHNP-BC, CNE, FACNM Fay, R., Swint, C., & Thrower, E.J.B. (2020). Development of an intraprofessional scholarship workgroup: Systematic process for creating and disseminating nursing knowledge. Nurse Educator, 00(0), 0-0. DOI: 10.1097/ NNE.0000000000000880. [Epub ahead of print].
Senior Instructor Mickey GillmorKahn, MN, CNM Gillmor-Kahn, M. (2020) Urinary Tract Infections. In K. D. Schuiling & F.E. Likis (Eds.) Gynecologic health care with an introduction to prenatal and postpartum care. (4th ed., pp. 469477). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Assistant Professor Khara’ Jefferson, DNP, APRN, FNP-C Jefferson, K. (2020). Living with Crohn’s: A Personal Account. Journal of Christian Nursing, 37, e1e3. https://doi.org/10.1097/CNJ. 0000000000000689.
Associate Professor Laura Manns-James, Ph.D., CNM, WHNP-BC, CNE Manns-James, L., Anthony, M.K. & Neal-Barnett, A. Racial Discrimination, Racial Identity, and Obesity in Collegiate African American Women. J. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-02000880-x
Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Geraldine Young, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CDE, FAANP FNU Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Geraldine Young, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CDE, FAANP authored an article entitled “Diversity and Inclusion Adjustments for Fall 2020: The Virtual Equity Lens”. The article was published in the Fall issue of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s The Diversity Digest.
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 23
Trustees/ Board of Directors Trustees Mrs. Tia Andrew, Hamilton Parish, Bermuda Ms. Sarah Bacon, Brooklyn, NY Mrs. Andrea Begley, Hyden, KY Dr. Heather Bernard, Hamilton, NY Gov. Steven Beshear, Lexington, KY Mrs. Betty Brown, Louisville, KY Mrs. Amy Pennington Brudnicki, Richmond, KY Dr. Timothy Bukowski, Chapel Hill, NC Dr. Wallace Campbell, Berea, KY Miss Anna Carey, Hyden, KY Mrs. Jean Chapin, Oldwick, NJ Mrs. Lois Cheston, Topsfield, MA Bill Corley, Indianapolis, IN Mrs. Julia Breckinridge Davis, Winston-Salem, NC Mrs. John Dete, West Liberty, OH Mrs. Selby Ehrlich, Bedford, NY Mrs. Robert Estill, Raleigh, NC Mrs. Noel Smith Fernandez, Pomona, NY Ms. Mary Ann Gill, Versailles, KY Mr. John Grandin, Chestnut Hill, MA
Dr. Joyce Fortney Hamberg, Southgate, KY Dr. Horace Henriques, Lyme, NH Mr. & Mrs. John Hodge, Berwyn, PA Mrs. Robin Frentz Isaacs, Lincoln, MA Mrs. Rosemary Johnson, Versailles, KY Mrs. Mary Carol Joseph, Hyden, KY Ms. Deborah M. King, Westport, MA Mrs. Patricia Lawrence, Westwood, MA Mrs. Henry Ledford, Big Creek, KY Mrs. Marian Leibold, Cincinnati, OH Dr. Ruth Lubic, Washington, DC Mr. William Lubic, Washington DC Mr. Robert Montague, JD, Urbanna, VA Mr. Wade Mountz, Louisville, KY Dr. Judy Myers, Ph.D., RN, New Albany, IN Ms. Barbara Napier, Irvine, KY Ms. Sandra Napier, Stinnett, KY Dr. Spencer Noe, Lexington, KY Mr. Dean Osborne, Hyden, KY Mrs. Helen Rentch, Midway, KY
Mrs. John Richardson, Washington, DC Mrs. Linda Roach, Lexington, KY Mrs. Georgia Rodes, Lexington, KY Mrs. Sandra Schreiber, Louisville, KY Maria Small, MD, MPH, Durham, NC Mrs. Sherrie Rice Smith, Franklin, WI Mrs. Austin Smithers, Lyme, NH Mrs. Robert Steck, Arlington, MA Mrs. Mary Clay Stites, Louisville, KY Mr. Richard Sturgill, Paris, KY Ms. Mary Frazier Vaughan, Lexington, KY Mrs. LouAnne Roberts Verrier, Austin, TX Dr. Patience White, Bethesda, MD Mr. Harvie Wilkinson, Lexington, KY Ms. Vaughda Wooten, Hyden, KY
Board of Directors In Memoriam / Tributes CHAIR
Board Members
Michael Carter, DNSc, DNP New Orleans, LA
Carlyle Carter, Evanston, IL
VICE CHAIR Michael T. Rust Louisville, KY
Eunice (Kitty) Ernst, CNM, MPH, Perkiomenville, PA Nancy Hines, Shepherdsville, KY Jean Johnson, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, Cabin John, MD Phyllis Leppert, RN, CNM, MD, Ph.D., FACNM, Salt Lake City, UT Marcus Osborne, MBA, Bentonville, AR
SECRETARY
Kerri Schuiling, Ph.D., CNM, FAAN, FACNM, Marquette, MI
Wallace Campbell, Ph.D. Berea, KY
Peter Schwartz, MD, Port St. Lucie, FL
TREASURER Emma Metcalf, RN, MSN, CPHQ Louisville, KY
Maria Small, MD, MPH, Durham, NC Nancy Fugate Woods, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, Seattle, WA May Wykle, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, FGSA, Cleveland, OH Foundation Board Members Peter Coffin, Chair, Frontier Nursing Service, Inc Foundation, Chestnut Hill, MA Derek Bonifer, Louisville, KY Peter Schwartz, MD, Port St. Lucie, FL Board Members Emeritus
Memorial Donations The following people gave contributions to Frontier in memory of their friends or loved ones. The names in bold are the deceased. Joan McPhee Mr. Dogan Perese Judy and Newt Stammer Ms. Suzie Stammer
John Foley, Lexington, KY Marion McCartney, CNM, FACNM, Washington, DC Kenneth J. Tuggle, JD, Louisville, KY
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Ruth Blevins Mrs. Helen Rentch
FNU’s Versailles Campus
Welcome to FNU’s Versailles Campus As you can see, FNU's new Versailles campus is ready and waiting! Due to the pandemic, we have had to cancel oncampus activities and the majority of our staff continue to work from home. We are so thrilled with the beauty of this rural campus and are looking forward to being able to share it with our students and the entire FNU community someday soon!
Community Center
Library & Student Services
Welcome Center
Learning Center
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Faculty and Staff House
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Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 25
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26 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
2050 Lexington Road Versailles, KY 40383 FNU@frontier.edu • 859.251.4700
Frontier.edu Our mission is to provide accessible nurse-midwifery and nurse practitioner education to prepare competent, entrepreneurial, ethical, and compassionate leaders in primary care to serve all individuals with an emphasis on women and families in diverse, rural, and underserved populations.
