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News and Notes
Frontier Nursing University’s Family Nurse Practitioner Program Ranked Number 3 By U.S. News and World Report
FNU has the third-best Online Family Nurse Practitioner Master’s Program according to rankings compiled and released by U.S. News and World Report on January 25, 2022.
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“We are very honored to be recognized by U.S. News and World Report as having one of the leading online FNP programs in the nation,” said FNU President Dr. Susan Stone, CNM, DNSc, FAAN, FACNM. “We are even prouder of our more than 2,900 Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) graduates who are providing much-needed care to their communities across the country. These graduates are actively fulfilling FNU’s mission to serve all individuals with an emphasis on women and families in diverse, rural, and underserved populations.”
In the late 1960s, university leaders recognized the need for broader education to provide comprehensive primary care to all family members. This led to the formation of the first Family Nurse Practitioner program in the United States and the university changed its name to the Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing to reflect the addition of the FNP program in 1970.
”In the 1950s and 1960s the birth rate dropped and there were more treatments developed to treat chronic conditions. Frontier Nursing Service identified the need for nurses trained in primary care to provide services to the rural and underserved 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 nurses to meet the health care needs of rural and underserved communities.” The U.S. News and World Report rankings are held in high regard due to their thorough and rigorous review process. The online FNP rankings were compiled using these five weighted categories: Engagement (30%): In a quality program, aspiring advanced practice nurses can readily collaborate with fellow students in their classes and clinical settings. In turn, instructors are not only accessible and responsive but are also tasked with helping create an experience rewarding enough for students to stay enrolled and complete their degrees in a reasonable amount of time. Faculty Credentials and Training (20%): Strong online nursing programs employ instructors with academic credentials that mirror those of instructors for campus-based programs, and they have the resources to train these instructors to teach distance learners.
Expert Opinion (20%): A survey of high-ranking academic officials in nursing helps account for intangible factors affecting program quality that statistics do not capture. Also, employers may hold in high regard degrees from programs that academics respect. Services and Technologies (20%): Programs that incorporate diverse online learning technologies allow greater flexibility for students to take classes from a distance. Outside of classes, strong support structures provide learning assistance, career guidance, and financial aid resources commensurate with quality campus-based programs. Student Excellence (10%): Student bodies entering with proven aptitudes, ambitions and accomplishments can handle the demands of rigorous coursework. Furthermore, online degrees that schools award judiciously will have greater legitimacy in the job market. FNU has been highly rated in other U.S. News and World Report rankings, including 37th out of 330 Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs in 2021. Updated rankings for the DNP and other categories are scheduled to be released in March.
FNU Students Record Impressive AANP Certification Pass Rates
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) recently released the 2021 Family Nurse Practitioner certification pass rates. Here is a look at how FNU students fared versus the national average: Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Students
FNU overall pass rate: 97%
FNU first-time pass rate: 96%
National average pass rate: 84%
Post-Graduate Certificate (PGC) Students
FNU overall pass rate: 100%
FNU first-time pass rate: 100%
National average pass rate: 82%
Paula AlexanderDelpech, Ph.D., PMHNP-BC, APRN, has been named the Interim Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (CDIO). Dr. Alexander-Delpech currently serves at FNU as an Associate Professor, Chair of the Health Equity subcommittee, Chair of the President’s Task Force on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and Chair of the Faculty, Staff, and Preceptor Development and Retention committee.
“Dr. Alexander-Delpech has extensive experience in planning, implementing, and evaluating DEI programs in private and public universities located in urban and rural communities, which reflect her ability to lead DEI initiatives at Frontier Nursing University,” said FNU President Dr. Susan Stone, CNM, DNSc, FAAN, FACNM. “She also brings experience in recruitment and retention of underrepresented students and will carry on the essential work of FNU’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.”
Under her leadership as Director of Student Services, Dr. Alexander-Delpech created the first nursing summer program to increase the number of underrepresented high school students interested in becoming a nurse. She brings experience in initiating new programs with community partners to meet the growing workforce needs. She was instrumental in developing the first Foreign-Educated Physician Nursing Program (FEPNP) in the U.S. Further, Dr. Alexander-Delpech has developed workshops for community-based clinics and training on social justice utilizing a community-based participatory approach, which provided extensive experience working with marginalized communities.
Dr. Alexander-Delpech has implemented several projects focused on connecting the social environment and healthy lifestyles to wellness outcomes. Some workshops were developed with local organizations to address health and wellness in the Black community. She was also instrumental in initiating a grassroots campaign to bring mental health awareness to African American women living in a rural community.
Board-certified as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Dr. AlexanderDelpech maintains her clinical practice in a community-based facility. She is an appointed member of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) diversity committee; an inaugural member of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty (NONPF) diversity committee; a member of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA); an executive board member of the Florida chapter of the APNA; a member of the South Florida Council of Advanced Practice Nurses; and a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).
Frontier Nursing University Awards Distinguished Service to Alma Mater to Susan Nilsen
Frontier Nursing University recently announced its annual award recipients. These awards are presented to FNU alumni who have gone on to make significant contributions to their communities or to the university. Among those honored was Susan Nilsen, Ph.D., CNM, who was awarded the Distinguished Service to Alma Mater Award. This award honors a graduate who has supported FNU through volunteer efforts and/or donor support.
“We are very proud that so many of our alumni not only go on to play such important roles in their communities but also value the work that Frontier is doing and choose to give back to the university as instructors and leaders,” said FNU President Dr. Susan Stone, CNM, DNSc, FAAN, FACNM. “It is amazing how many deserving individuals are nominated for these annual awards, and we extend our gratitude and congratulations to all of this year’s winners.”
For 25 years, Nilsen served as Certified Nurse-Midwife at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, Texas. Now retired, Dr. Nilsen also served as the Director of Inpatient Services for UTMB’s Regional Maternal and Child Health Program.
In addition to the care she provided to her community, Dr. Nilsen understands that serving the community also means preparing the next generation of healthcare providers. To that end, UTMB frequently provided Frontier students the opportunity to work with their team and Dr. Nilsen herself precepted 35 Frontier students.
“I love Susan Nilsen,” said Maud van de Wiele, CNEP, DNP, Class 28. “She taught me more in six weeks than others could have in a lifetime. I am so proud to call her a friend and colleague but most of all mentor and teacher and I will forever be grateful for the experience.”
Dr. Nilsen was presented the Distinguished Service to Alma Mater Award in recognition of her lifelong support of midwifery and Frontier Nursing University.
Dr. Susan Stone
Erin Tenney Dorene Waubanewquay Day
A three-hour continuing education course, “Introduction to Cultural Safety”, is available not only to the FNU community but to anyone interested in the course and its areas of focus.
The curriculum was developed by FNU clinical faculty Dr. Erin Tenney, CNM, DNP, Class 14. Those taking the course will learn about Native American history and culture in order to better comprehend cultural safety. This requires not only understanding the Native American culture, but also self-reflection and awareness on the part of the healthcare provider.
This course introduces the concept of cultural safety and explores the three main aspects of it, which include:
• Learning about the history and impacts of colonization on Indigenous people in the U.S.
• Being self-reflective on our identities as health providers who may care for
Indigenous people
• Centering the Indigenous patient experience and listening as the patient defines what safe care is
By the end of the Introduction to Cultural Safety, learners will be able to:
• Define cultural safety
• Identify the three key tenets of cultural safety
• Explain the impacts of colonization on
Indigenous people in the U.S.
• Describe what culturally safe vs. culturally unsafe care may look like
• Discuss personal and systems change strategies for improving the cultural safety of care
The course is led by Dr. Tenney with guest instructor Dorene Waubanewquay Day. In addition to being clinical faculty at FNU, Dr. Tenney is a certified nursemidwife and women’s health nurse practitioner, DONA International birth doula trainer, writer, and photographer who has worked within Indigenous health centers and communities throughout her nursing career of almost 20 years.
Dorene Waubanewquay Day is an accomplished educator, midwife, activist, singer, and artist who consults with and works within many Indigenous and other communities and organizations to help restore and design culturally safe practices. In 2020, she was selected as a Luce Indigenous Fellow.
Those interested in the Introduction to Cultural Safety can enroll in the course at
https://ceu.catalog.instructure.com/ courses/introduction2cultural-safety.
This activity is approved for 3.0 contact hour(s) of continuing education by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Activity ID# 21034781. This activity was planned in accordance with AANP Accreditation Standards and Policies.
Editor’s Note: This program is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $2,065,200. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.
FNU Contributes to Tornado Relief Fund
On December 10, 2021, an EF-4 tornado struck western Kentucky and was on the ground for a devastating 165 miles. The tornado created catastrophic damage in numerous towns in the western part of Kentucky. A total of 78 Kentuckians were killed by the tornado, which also destroyed more than 1,000 homes and buildings.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear established the Team Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund to assist the victims. Frontier Nursing University was eager to help, collecting donations from faculty, staff, and the Board of Directors. The full $4,095 collected by FNU was donated to the Team Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund in January. The FNU campus in Versailles, Kentucky was unharmed during the storm.
FNU Personnel Accepted to Present at National Conference
Four members of the FNU community were selected to present at the 5th annual Conference on Meaningful Living and Learning in a Digital World in Savannah, Georgia. “Meaningful Mentoring Experiences of Graduate Students in a Virtual Environment” was presented by FNU Associate Professor Dr. Diane John, Ph.D., APRN, FNP-BC, CNE; alumnus Keife Earley, MSN, PMHNP, Class 191; and student Dorcas Adeniyi, MSN, PMHNP, Class 196. Assistant Professor Christopher Kennedy, DNP, presented “Maximizing Distance Learning Within the Community of Inquiry.”
Held February 8-March 2, 2022, the conference is sponsored by The Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration and the University of West Georgia.
Book Co-Edited By FNU Faculty Wins Book of the Year Award
Nena Harris Linda McDaniel
Angela Mitchell Laura Manns-James
Clinical Practice Guidelines for Midwifery and Women’s Health, 6th edition, a book co-edited by four members of the FNU faculty, won a 2021 Book of the Year Award in the Adult Primary Care category from the American Journal of Nursing. Associate Professor Laura Manns-James, Ph.D., CNM, WHNP-BC, CNE, FACNM, served as Associate Editor. Assistant Professors Nena Harris, Ph.D., FNP-BC, CNM, and Linda McDaniel, DNP, RNFA, CNM, were Assistant Editors, and Instructor Angela Mitchell, DNP, FNP-BC, was a contributing editor. Published by Jones & Bartlett, the book was written by Nell L. Tharpe, Cindy L. Farley, and Robin G. Jordan. The American Journal of Nursing praised the book, stating, “While this book is primarily intended for midwives, it is also an excellent resource for family and adult NPs. Nearly all of its chapters can be used by advanced practice clinicians in caring for women during the prenatal period, postpartum, and across the life span.
Faculty Published Articles and Chapters:
Following is a list of articles and chapters recently published by FNU faculty members:
Instructor Kelsey Kent, MSN
Article in a peerreviewed journal, first author:
Kent, K.G. (2021). Prevalence of gastrointestinal disease in US Military Veterans under outpatient care at the Veterans Health Administration. SAGE Open Medicine. https://doi. org/10.1177/20503121211049112 Associate Professor Rhonda Arthur, DNP, CNM, WHNP-BC, FNP-BC, CNE
Book chapter in a scholarly textbook, first author:
Arthur, R. (2022). Gynecologic guidelines. In J. C. Cash & C. A. Glass (Eds.), AdultGerontology Practice Guidelines. New York: Springer.
Book chapter in a scholarly textbook, first author:
Arthur, R. (2022). Gynecologic guidelines. In J. C. Cash & C. A. Glass (Eds.), Family Practice Guidelines (6 ed.). New York: Springer. Assistant Professor Penny Wortman, CNM, DNP
Book chapter in a scholarly textbook, first author:
Wortman, P. (2022). Obstetric guidelines. In J. C. Cash & C. A. Glass (Eds.), AdultGerontology Practice Guidelines 3rd ed.). New York: Springer.
Book chapter in a scholarly textbook, first author:
Wortman, P. (2022). Obstetric guidelines. In J. C. Cash & C. A. Glass (Eds.), Family Practice Guidelines (6th ed.). New York: Springer. Assistant Professor Nancy Pesta Walsh, DNP, FNP
Book chapter in a scholarly textbook, first author:
Pesta Walsh, N. & Mullin, J. (2022). Sexual Dysfunction, Genitourinary Guidelines. In Cash & Glass (Eds). Family Practice Guidelines. 6th ed. (pp. 367374) New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company. (in publication).
Book chapter in a scholarly textbook, first author:
Pesta Walsh, N., & Cash, J. (2022). Eye Guidelines. In Cash & Glass (Eds). Adult-Gerontology Guidelines 3rd ed. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company. (In Publication).
Book chapter in a scholarly textbook, first author:
Pesta Walsh, N., Cash, J, & Mullin, J. (2022). Eye Guidelines. In Cash & Glass (Eds). Family Practice Guidelines. 6th ed. (pp. 103120) New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company. (In Publication).
