Dr. Geraldine Young

FNU Welcomes Dr. Geraldine Young as New Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer

Dr. Geraldine Young, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CDE, FAANP, has been appointed as the new Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (CDIO) at Frontier Nursing University. Dr. Young, who began her new position on January 6, will be working with Dr. Erin Tenney, Interim CDIO, through March 22 in an orientation role.

Dr. Young, whose service in the nursing profession spans over 19 years, holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (2010), an MSN from Alcorn State University (2005), and a BSN from the University of Mississippi Medical Center (2001). She is also a board-certified family nurse practitioner (FNP) (2005) and a certified diabetes educator (2011).

“We are so proud to welcome Dr. Geraldine Young to Frontier Nursing University,” said FNU President Dr. Susan Stone, CNM, DNSc, FAAN, FACNM. “She is an incredibly strong advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion and brings a wealth of experience and leadership to FNU. We are excited to have her lead our diversity and inclusion initiatives and build upon the progress that we have made.”

Dr. Young is a National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) Leadership Fellow and Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP). She has been deemed a content expert for one of the leading credentialing bodies for NPs, the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). She serves on an array of national committees to advance nurse practitioner education, including the NONPF Curricular Leadership Committee (co-chair) and Conference Committee. She is also a member of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials Task Force.

As a member of the Essentials Task Force, Dr. Young is ensuring cultural diversity and inclusion are at the forefront of nursing education to address the health disparities and inequalities that exist in our nation. She has effectively delivered models of clinical practice to improve the outcomes of underserved and minority populations with diabetes in conjunction with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS).

“It is truly an honor and a pleasure to be selected as the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Frontier Nursing University,” Dr. Young said. “I, along with my colleagues, look forward to transforming Frontier Nursing University to the next level by continuing to strengthen an environment that promotes diversity, inclusion, and equity and promotes the success of all community members.”

In 2017, FNU established the position of Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (CDIO), which is a member of the President’s Cabinet. Dr. Maria ValentinWelch was FNU’s first CDIO and, behind her leadership, the Diversity and Inclusion Office has now grown to include the CDIO, Diversity and

16 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin Inclusion Coordinator Chris Turley, and Assistant Director of Diversity and Inclusion Devon Peterika.

FNU has received the prestigious Higher Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine in both 2018 and 2019. The Health Professions HEED Award is the only national honor recognizing U.S. medical, dental, pharmacy, osteopathic, nursing, veterinary, allied health, and other health schools and centers that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion across their campuses.

FNU’s commitment to emphasizing and valuing diversity and inclusion was formally instituted in 2006 when we began intense efforts to recruit minority students to our programs. FNU’s initial efforts were funded through the support of an Advanced Nurse Education grant from the Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA). In 2010, FNU held its first annual Diversity Impact Conference. Held each summer since then, the Diversity Impact Conference opens the door for nurse practitioner and nurse-midwifery students plus faculty and staff to foster collaborative discussions, address health disparities, and find proactive solutions to improve minority health among underrepresented and marginalized groups. Today the goal of a diverse health care workforce continues with efforts to recruit and educate faculty, staff, students, and preceptors and integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts throughout all of FNU operations with a goal that it should be fully integrated in the university’s culture. FNU’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts are currently funded with a Nursing Workforce Diversity Grant from the HRSA.

Diana Jolles and Susan Rutledge Stapleton Published in The Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing

FNU Faculty Members Published in Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health

Pictured left to right are Diana Jolles and Susan Stapleton

FNU faculty member Diana Jolles, PhD, CNM, FACNM, and Susan Stapleton, DNP, Class 01, co-authored “The Experience of Land and Water Birth Within the American Association of Birth Centers Perinatal Data Registry, 2012-2017*”. The article, which was published in The Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing, was also co-authored by Carol Snapp, DNSc; Jennifer Wright, MA; and Nancy A. Niemczyk, PhD.

*Snapp, C.; Stapleton, S. R.; Wright, J.; Niemczyk, N. A. et al. “The Experience of Land and Water Birth Within the American Association of Birth Centers Perinatal Data Registry,” 2012-2017. The Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing, 34, n. 1, p. 16-26, 2020.

“The Maternal Health Crisis in America” Awarded Two Book of the Year Honors

“The Maternal Health Crisis in America*”, co-authored by FNU professor emerita Dr. Barbara A. Anderson, DrPH, RN, CNM, FACNM, FAAN, and Lisa R. Roberts, DrPH, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, CHES, FAANP, was awarded first place in the Maternal-Child Health/Prenatal/ Nursing/ Childbirth category in the American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year Awards announced in December. The book was also awarded second place in the Community and Public Health category.

Diane John and Cydne Marckmann Co-Author Article for The Journal of Nurse Practitioners

Pictured left to right are Diane John and Cydne Marckmann

FNU Associate Professor Diane John, PhD, ARNP, FNP-BC, and Cydne Marckmann, FNP, Class 157, were recently published in The Journal of Nurse Practitioners. Their article is entitled “Telemedicine, Quality Initiative for Concussion Management.”^

^Marckmann, C. & John, D. (2020). “Telemedicine, Quality Initiative for Concussion Management.” The Journal of Nurse Practitioners, 16 (1). e9-e12.

Pictured left to right are Dwynn Golden, Dawn Lovelace and Linda McDaniel

FNU faculty members Dwynn Golden, DNP, CNM, OB/GYN NP; Dawn Lovelace, DNP, CNM, FNP-C; and Linda McDaniel, DNP, MSN recently co-authored “Long-term effects of breast cancer surgery, treatment, and survivor care.+” The article was published in the Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health. The article states, “Breast cancer survivors have multiple long-term sequelae of treatment and require holistic primary care to meet the physical, psychological, and social needs.”

+Lovelace, D., McDaniel, L.R., Golden, D. (2019). Long-term effects of breast cancer surgery, treatment, and survivor care. Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health, 64(6), 713-724.

FNU Staff Donate Undergarments to Local Schools

FNU employees embraced the Culture of Caring this holiday season by donating needed items to local elementary school Family Resource Centers (FRCs). In particular, the FRC identified a need for children’s undergarments in all sizes. Employees answered the call, utilizing funds and personal donations to provide new undergarments for Simmons/ Northside Elementary Schools. In total, more than 50 packages of new underwear (approximately 200 garments) were donated and delivered to the schools in January.

Stay Up to Date with The Frontier Digital Depot

Th e Frontier Digital Depot has content to help keep you up to date on clinical topics! Th ere are videos, slideshows, and other instructional content from current FNU courses. You can also explore DNP student fi nal projects and view recent publications and presentations from FNU faculty, staff , and students. Find the Frontier Digital Depot at https:// frontier.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/ or by simply typing “Frontier Digital Depot” into your search engine.

FNU Faculty Present at Conference on Meaningful Living and Learning in a Digital World 2020

Pictured left to right are Katheryn Arterberry, Lisa Chappell, and Diane John.

FNU faculty members Katheryn Arterberry, DNP, MSN, FNP; Lisa Chappell, PhD, FNP-BC; and Diane John, PhD, ARNP, FNP-BC, were co-presenters at the Conference on Meaningful Living and Learning in a Digital World 2020 in February. Th e title of their presentation was “Promoting a Culture of Self Care in a Virtual Community.#”

#Arterberry, K.; Chappell, L.; John, D. (2020). “Promoting a Culture of Self Care in a Virtual Community.” Conference on Meaningful Living and Learning in a Digital World 2020.

Diversity Impact Ambassadors Attend Multiple Conferences in 2019

FNU is proud to celebrate diversity in nursing, which is why student Diversity Impact ambassadors, faculty members, and alumni attend a variety of annual conferences that do just that. A product of FNU’s diversity and inclusion initiative, the Diversity Impact Program promotes diversity in nursing and nursemidwifery by recruiting and retaining

18 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin students from underrepresented populations to become nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners. Conference participants have the opportunity to learn and celebrate, while also connecting with and providing information to prospective students.

FNU is a proud recipient of the Nursing Workforce Diversity (NWD) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant that funds a Professional Organizational Mentoring Program (POMP) which makes it possible to send faculty mentors and student mentees to many conferences throughout the year. Conferences Diversity Impact students and faculty attended the last few months include:

• American College of NurseMidwives (May) • American Association of Nurse Practitioners ( June) • National Black Nurses Association ( July) • National Association of Hispanic Nurses ( July) • Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (September) • American Association of Birth Centers (September)

FNU Staff Volunteer for Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program

On December 11, a group of approximately a dozen FNU staff and their families volunteered at the distribution center for the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program in Lexington, Kentucky.

Each year, the Angel Tree program collects donations of clothing and toys for children in the program. Th ose gift s are collected at the mall and then transported to the warehouse, where all the gift s need to be organized. Th e volunteers helped organize the gift s, matching the items on the children’s wish lists with the donated items. It was the sixth consecutive year that FNU staff members have volunteered with the Angel Tree program.

FNU Celebrates National Rural Health Day

On November 21, 2019, healthcare providers and organizations across the country came together to celebrate National Rural Health Day (NRHD). Organized by the National Organization of State Offi ces of Rural Health, NRHD is an opportunity to celebrate the “Power of Rural” by bringing to light the unique challenges that rural communities face and the eff orts of rural healthcare providers to address these challenges.

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) participated in the NRHD festivities by off ering free online sessions led by FNU faculty and alumni as they discussed how they address unique healthcare challenges faced by people in rural communities. Th e programming was partially funded by the Advanced Nursing Education Workforce grant.

NRHD kicked off with FNU alumna and preceptor Estella Wetzel, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, in her session, “Improving Care through Drug Testing Education.” Studies show that misinterpretations of drug test results are quite common and can lead to many negative outcomes. Estella addressed commonly prescribed controlled medications by metabolites to simplify drug test interpretation.

FNU Dean Dr. Joan Slager CNM, DNP, FACNM went live to present a free Continuing Education Course, “Billing and Coding Tips and Tools: Is Th ere a Hole in Your Bucket?” Th e workshop focused on how to select correct CPT and ICD-10-CM codes, especially for complex patient encounters, in order to accurately refl ect services provided and enhance revenue.

Course faculty member Stacie Olson, DNP, PMHNP-BC gave a presentation entitled “Rural Health Opioid Overdose Prevention.” She spoke to viewers about general opioid overdose, public health prevention strategies, and identifi cation of FDA approved medication for treatment of opioid use disorder.

Our last session, “Midwifery and Women’s Health in the Last Frontier,” was presented by FNU alumna and preceptor Ana Verzone, DNP, APRN, CNM, FNP-BC. Ana drew from her experience as a healthcare provider and educator in Alaska to discuss the unique challenges midwives face providing care for rural Alaskans and the Alaska Native Population.

Since its foundation more than 80 years ago, FNU has been committed to serving rural communities and meeting their unique healthcare needs. Th ank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate NRHD and the Power of Rural.

Recordings from FNU’s NHRD event can be viewed at www.frontier.edu/NRHD.

Former Courier Authors Book

Paul W. Florsheim, PhD, who was a Courier in 1983, and co-author Dave Moore, PhD, recently wrote “Lost and Found: Young Fathers in the Age of Unwed Parenthood.*” Published by Oxford University Press, the book chronicles the lives of young fathers as they transition into parenthood, framed in the context of developmental psychology, social history, and family dynamics and therapy. Florsheim is a professor in the Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Trained as a clinical psychologist, his primary research interests include the interpersonal developmental processes across the transition to parenthood and the prevention and treatment of mental illness in adolescents. David Moore, PhD, is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Puget Sound.

*Florsheim, P.; Moore, D. Lost and Found: Young Fathers in the Age of Unwed Parenthood. Oxford University Press. 2020. ISBN 978-0190865016

Courier Spotlight: Eric Lakomek

A Frontier Nursing University (FNU) 2019 summer Courier was recently featured in a Wabash Global Health tweet after his presentation detailing his experience in the program. Wabash Global Health is an initiative of Wabash College, located in Crawfordsville, Ind., with the goal of impacting the lives of students and communities through education, investigation, and service. Eric Lakomek is a junior at Wabash where he is studying psychology with minors in chemistry and global health. He is on track to graduate in May 2021 and then plans to attend medical school.

Eric first learned about the Courier program from Wabash alum Matt Hodges, who participated in the program in the summer of 2016 and encouraged Eric to apply. The Courier program is an eight-week, rural and public health, service-learning program with a rich and adventuresome history. The program targets college students with an interest in public health, health care or a related field. The sites are often remote, located in culturally-unique communities throughout Appalachia and elsewhere.

“I was interested in learning about rural public health, particularly the opioid epidemic, and I knew in Appalachia I would experience it firsthand,” Eric said. For the first several weeks of his summer in Hazard, Ky., he visited each medical provider in the Kentucky Mountain Health Alliance, including dental, primary care and behavioral health centers. He chose to focus on the primary care center at the Little Flower Clinic for the remainder of the summer. At the clinic, he shadowed the nurse practitioners and on-site physician; he also traveled with caseworkers during patient home visits and community work.

As part of the Courier program, Eric and his fellow Couriers developed a project based on a community needs assessment of the Hazard community area. They created a comprehensive diabetes care program for local patients, complete with information brochures, menu guidelines and care packs with blood pressure cuffs, weight scales, pedometers, and other items not covered by insurance.

Eric’s favorite part about his summer as a Courier was being able to experience the culture and community of Appalachia, and he left with a sense of gratitude. “I realized the privilege I have in my life,” said Eric. “Little Flower is a clinic that primarily serves less fortunate individuals, and I learned that my problems pale in comparison to what these individuals experience on a daily basis.”

“Eric truly shined during his summer as a courier with FNU. In fact, Eric was chosen to present his experience to the Breckinridge Capital Advisors, as well as other prominent members of the FNU board,” said Tara A. Dykes-Barnes, FNU’s Courier Program Coordinator.

Courier Program Featured in The Bridge Magazine

Th e Bridge Magazine, a publication of the Kentucky Offi ce of Rural Health, recently published a story featuring FNU’s Courier Program. “Training the Next Generation of Rural Health Care Providers,” tells the stories of students, clinicians, and community members who have been positively impacted by the program. You can fi nd the full story online at https://ruralhealth.med.uky. edu/cerh-bridge.

Interested in Being an FNU Courier? To learn more about the FNU Courier program, please email the Courier Coordinator, Tara Dykes, at courier.program@frontier.edu.

Calling All Former Couriers!

Have a story you remember and want to share? We publish stories about former Couriers on our website and in the Quarterly Bulletin. Or you can share your story via “Courier Coffee,” our vlog series that showcases present and former Couriers. If you are interested in doing recording a Courier Coffee, please email Courier.Program@ frontier.edu for more information.

What are the goals of the Courier Program?

• To introduce Couriers to

the value of public health, advanced practice nursing, and primary healthcare services to people living in rural and underserved communities;

• To support clinical and other community sites;

• To foster cultural humility

through Courier engagement with diverse communities and fellow Couriers;

• To facilitate Couriers’

experience of FNU’s mission in action and encourage them to embody the Frontier legacy in their later vocations and personal lives.