The Year in Review MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF NURSING
2019-2020 ACADEMIC YEAR
NOTES FROM THE INTERIM DIRECTOR Dr. Elizabeth Gephart, DNP, PNP-BC, APRN Andrea dove into teaching and leading our efforts to teach health assessment, procedural skills, and learning all about simulation. We look forward to expanding our assessment and simulation labs under her leadership.
Greetings from the School of Nursing faculty and staff! It is hard to believe but another year has come and gone, and the 2019-2020 academic year has come to an end. And what a year it has been. We have many wonderful memories, but we also will long remember the effects of COVID-19 on the spring semester with the move to all online classroom activities. Faculty and students rose to meet the challenges from all the nooks and crannies of their homes. Bedrooms, kitchens, recliners, and even garages became classrooms for MU faculty, students, their spouses/partners, and children. We struggled, conquered, and showed incredible resilience in meeting these unprecedented demands. Professor Andrea Tirpak joined the nursing faculty in the fall of 2019. She is a certified Family Nurse Practitioner who brings her expertise in adult health nursing and her work as an advanced practice nurse to students in the graduate program.
It is with sadness that we say good-bye to four of our valued colleagues this year. Leaving in January, Professor Francis Oke transitioned into being a student of the nurse anesthesia program. And at the end of the academic year we say good-bye to Professor Julie Standerfer who is retiring, and to Dr. John Blakeman and Professor LeAnn Rhinehart who are leaving for other opportunities to further their nursing careers. We thank you for all you have done in providing high quality education for our students and for the Big Blue. You will be sincerely missed! On a happier note it is with pleasure that celebrate the promotion of Dr. Pamela Lindsey from Director of the School of Nursing to the Dean of the College of Professional Studies. Dean Lindsey will be providing leadership for the School of Nursing, the School of Education, and the Department of Exercise Science and Sports. Dr. Elizabeth Gephart will continue in the Interim Director position for the School of Nursing through the 2020-2021 academic year.
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The School of Nursing was excited to celebrate with two of our faculty this year as they became FY20 Nurse Educator Fellowship recipients. Dr. Julie Kennedy and Professor Gina Canny were two of nineteen recipients named in a highly competitive process by the Illinois Board of Higher Education that honors commitment to quality and innovative teaching. This fellowship comes with a substantial monetary award to support the recipient’s ongoing education and development related to their teaching. Congratulations Julie and Gina! The School of Nursing also received a Nursing School Grant from the Illinois Board of Higher Education during the current academic year to fund expansion and improvements in the Assessment Labs and the Simulation Rooms. This grant was for $35,203 and included funding for an additional high fidelity simulation manikin. Work on upgrading the assessment lab and simulation rooms will be done during the summer break.
The faculty has been engaged throughout the year in doing our self-study in preparation for our upcoming accreditation visit by CCNE. The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) is scheduled to review the Millikin University School of Nursing in March 2021. We will be reviewing all three nursing programs (BSN, MSN, and DNP) looking at our outcomes and considering areas of improvement. We would like you to celebrate with us the wonderful graduates of our nursing programs during the past year. During the calendar year 2019 our graduating students have successfully passed their certification boards to become certified registered nurse anesthetists and have 100% hire rates in operating rooms across Illinois and the country. Our master’s entry into nursing graduate students passed their NCLEX exam with a 100% pass rate. And our Bachelor of Science in Nursing students had a 98% pass rate, surpassing both the state and national averages of 88%. We applaud each of these outstanding students and wish them the best in their nursing careers! Best Regards, Dr. Elizabeth Gephart
NEW AND VISITING FACULTY
ANDREA TIRPAK, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC The School of Nursing welcomed Andrea Tirpak, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC to the faculty in the role of Nursing and Clinical Simulation Lab Coordinator. In this role, Prof. Tirpak assists faculty with laboratory experiences and simulations. She also teaches health assessment. Professor Tirpak brings a wealth of experience with her, after working for over two decades as a nurse practitioner in family medicine and women’s health. Prior to becoming a nurse practitioner, she worked in medical-surgical, emergency, and home health settings. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Mennonite College of Nursing and a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Illinois–Chicago. Prof. Tirpak is married and has two daughters, plus two rescue dogs, Daisy and Phoebe. She enjoys spending time outdoors, hiking, boating, travelling, reading, and spending time with family and friends. She is also an avid sport fan, supporting the Cubs, Bears, Illini, and Millikin Big Blue. 2
VICTORIA BAM, PhD, RN: FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR-IN-RESIDENCE By Dane Lisser Teams of Millikin University students are gathered in a classroom on the 1st floor of the Leighty-Tabor Science Center trying to find solutions for healthrelated issues on a global scale. As the teams huddle to discuss their solutions, Dr. Victoria Bam can only watch and admire the effort her students are putting into the project. Dr. Bam is a native of Ghana and the first Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence at Millikin, arriving on campus in August 2019. She comes to Millikin after serving as a senior lecturer in the Department of Nursing at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ghana, where she spent the last 16 years. During that span, she also served as vice dean for Faculty of Allied Health Sciences and was head of the Department of Nursing from August 2016 – July 2018. An expert on global health, public health nursing and health management, Dr. Bam spent the 2019-20 academic year teaching courses on global and public health in the College of Professional Studies. "I started as a registered nurse and I specialized in community health with a focus on using community structures to collaboratively address issues of malaria during pregnancy," Dr. Bam said. "Millikin was needing a Fulbright Scholar to teach global health and provide some global health exposure." In addition to teaching Global Health, Dr. Bam also co-taught two courses; one called Health and Pollution and the second titled Diverse Populations. The Health and Pollution course looked at pollution and its effects on the air and surface ground water sources. The Diverse Populations course focused on working with diverse populations to mobilize changes in the health care environment. Global issues in nursing and health care are examined throughout the course in relation to health practices. Dr. Bam earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing with a minor in nutrition from the University of Ghana. As a nurse, Dr. Bam practiced in the clinical area and public health sectors prior to becoming an instructor. She earned her Ph.D. from KNUST in 2010. Dr. Bam says it's always been her passion to help people which led her to becoming a nurse: "I wanted to be there for people, to take care of them, and I haven't regretted it," she said. "I have a passion for educating people and supporting health care. I'm happy to be doing this because we can work with people and institutions to prevent a lot of the diseases in our environment that are preventable." 3
Dr. Barbara Broadbear, assistant professor of exercise science and sport at Millikin, co-taught the Health and Pollution course with Dr. Bam. "Dr. Bam has been an invaluable asset to our Health and Pollution course," said Dr. Broadbear. "She is able to offer the students a global perspective on the issues that only an individual who has experienced them can offer. As a co-instructor, I have thoroughly enjoyed working with her and have found great value in the experience." Throughout her career, Dr. Bam has supervised over 60 undergraduate nursing and midwifery research projects and some postgraduate projects, and has been published in several journals including Nursing and Health Sciences, PLOS One, African Health and the Journal of Medical Sciences. She was awarded the KNUST Excellence Award for Best Senior Member in Service and Innovation in July 2018. In the classroom, Dr. Bam wants to emphasize to her students that "diseases know no boundaries," and teach them to understand the global perspective of health care. "The objective is to let the students know what is happening and to show them what contributions can be made to help improve the health of people globally," said Dr. Bam. "I'm hoping that at the end of the courses, we would have generated interest from students to want to see what happens outside the U.S. Giving students that global exposure helps them find a career path." The Fulbright Program was established in 1946 to provide opportunities for students, scholars, teachers, artists and scientists to study, teach, conduct research and work toward solutions of international concerns. Nearly 4,000 educators from 50 countries travel to the U.S. every academic year to participate in the Fulbright program. The Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Program assists U.S. higher education institutions in expanding programs of academic exchange, by supporting non-U.S. scholars through grants for teaching at institutions. Currently, the Fulbright Program operates in over 160 countries worldwide.
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NURSING COURSES GO ONLINE: AGILITY AND RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF A PANDEMIC By John Blakeman, PhD, RN, PCCN-K There is no doubt that nurses must always be flexible and have a backup plan. The same is true for our faculty and students that had to move to an all-online learning approach after spring break 2020. On March 12, 2020, Dr. Patrick White, Millikin University President, announced that all Millikin courses would move to an online format, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Spring break was also extended to March 23. Even before President White’s announcement was made, School of Nursing faculty were busy generating contingency plans, in case courses were moved online.
Faculty have transformed their "classrooms" to support student learning.
Faculty have created innovative ways to teach difficult content to students while upholding the integrity and standards of the nursing profession. Some faculty are livestreaming review sessions on YouTube or holding live lectures via Zoom. Other faculty are providing interactive discussion boards and virtual simulations. Still others are holding one-on-one clinical sessions where students are challenged to think like a nurse and respond appropriately to a variety of situations. In a short time, faculty have redesigned their courses and developed strategies to help students succeed.
Just as faculty have adapted, students have also adapted to the new circumstances. While it took a week or so for many students to get back into a routine and to organize themselves after spring break, they have taken the changes in stride, and they are rising to the challenge. Though online learning is not necessarily ideal for a number of students, both students and faculty have been working together to make the best of the situation.
LEGACY OF THE LAMP Millikin School of Nursing held its annual Legacy of the Lamp Ceremony September 27, 2019, to recognize fifty undergraduate nursing students’ transition to upper division nursing courses and four Master’s Entry into Nursing Practice (MENP) nursing students’ entry into their final year of nursing classes. Each student received a lamp in honor of their achievement. Continued on next page… 5
Hannah Shoen Donoho (’10 & ‘17), pictured on the left, was honored as the 2019 Distinguished Nursing Alumnus of the year. Hannah presented the keynote address titled, “Looking to the Future.” She encouraged students to be positive and accept new challenges to find their passion in nursing. Since graduating from Millikin in 2010, Ms. Donoho has made significant contributions to nursing. She began as a new graduate as a labor and delivery and motherbaby care at St. Mary’s Hospital Decatur, Illinois. Most recently, Hannah took on a new role as educator for the Women and Infants Center at St. Mary's Hospital in Decatur. She is engaged in multiple initiatives and programs, such as the Illinois Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative and Lactation Outreach, and The Illinois Department of Public Health initiatives, as well as onboarding all new colleagues and providing ongoing education to all staff members and providers at St. Mary’s. Hannah is passionate about her assistance with the Share Committee at St. Mary’s, where she assists in providing community outreach services to patients who have experienced pregnancy or stillbirth. She also co-leads a support group for the program. In her keynote address, Hannah urged students to try new things, be encouraged by others, and follow your passion. She asserted that you never know where passion, opportunity, and hard work will take you. We are proud to have Hannah as a graduate of our BSN and MSN programs, and honored to add her to our Alumni of the Year recipients. Hannah resides in Moweaqua, Illinois with her husband, Austin, and their two children, Scarlett (3) and Sullivan (1). Congratulations Hannah Shoen Donoho!
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Celebrating Legacy of the Lamp!
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SIGMA THETA TAU INTERNATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY OF NURSING
The Nu Pi-at-large Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) held their Fall Induction Ceremony on October 26, 2019 at the Dove Conference Center in the Prairie Heart Building. The following Millikin Nursing students were inducted into STTI: Abigail Cardascio Lexi Doss Kirsten Hutchinson Megan Lewis Jessica Reynolds
Abbey Riley Alexis Stouffe Olivia Thomson Blair Trimble Jessica Wernig
The following students were also inducted into STTI but were unable to attend the ceremony: Brittany McClelland, Sydney Grohler
SAVE THE DATE! Homecoming Weekend October 16 to 18, 2020 We would love to see you! 8
ALPHA TAU DELTA STAYS ENGAGED By Peyton Kennedy, President ATD Alpha Tau Delta (ATD) is a professional fraternity that was developed for students and professionals in the nursing field. Alpha Tau Delta offers opportunities for the nurses and nursing students to promote their personal and intellectual growth through education, networking, scholarships, guidance, and a collective responsibility to the fraternity (atdnursing.org). This year, ATD volunteered at the Trunk or Treat event hosted by Millikin University for the Decatur community. During the event, ATD handed out candy to children in the Decatur area. ATD also hosted a food drive and was able to donate 74 pounds of food for tornado victims in nearby Taylorville, Illinois. In coordination with Millikin’s chapter of the National Student Nurses Association, ATD brought a financial planner to campus to speak to students about their long-term financial health and financial planning. Along with these events, ATD initiated seven new members this fall!
Alpha Tau Delta Alpha Iota chapter fall 2019 Induction ceremony, November 5, 2019; Shown in Picture (Left to Right): Shelby Hassinger, Megan Lewis, Kami Kingery, Brandi Seifert, Paige Hockman, Ally Hotwick
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NATIONAL STUDENT NURSES’ ASSOCIATION (NSNA): RAISING AWARENESS AND SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY By Olivia Thomson, President MU NSNA The National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1952 to mentor nursing students and foster their professional development during school. NSNA had a dynamic and energetic year in providing community service, raising awareness related to current health issues, and educating its members on important health topics. Last fall, NSNA participated in a Trunk or Treat event with Alpha Tau Delta to celebrate Halloween and increase engagement within the organization and community at large. NSNA also held a tie-dying event and organized a presentation from Student Mental and Caleb Jump ('08) poses with School of Nursing students at a financial planning event hosted by ATD Behavioral Health on and NSNA campus to talk about stress management. In November, NSNA and ATD invited Caleb Jump (’08) to speak to School of Nursing students about financial stewardship. While the COVID-19 pandemic had other plans, NSNA had begun work on events that would have educated our members and others about nutrition in the clinical setting and increase mental health awareness with NSNA’s annual lemonade stand. We hope to incorporate our ideas from this spring semester into next year’s plan. NSNA continues to provide benefit to nursing students, the Millikin University campus, and the surrounding community.
CONGRATULATIONS! Our BSN students had a 2019 NCLEX-RN exam pass rate of 98%, and our MENP students had a 2019 NCLEX-RN pass rate of 100%! #MillikinNursing 10
Trunk or Treat and T-shirt Tie-dying!
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AUGUST 2019 MASTER’S ENTRY INTO NURSING PRACTICE PINNING CEREMONY By Gail Fyke DNP, RN
On Friday, August 9, 2019, the School of Nursing hosted the Nursing Pinning Ceremony for the Master’s Entry into Nursing Practice (MENP) graduates in Perkinson Music Center’s prestigious Kaeuper Hall. Eight graduate students attended the ceremony. Others attending included faculty from the School of Nursing, friends, and family of the graduates. Music was played on the grand piano before the ceremony by Michael Duling, a BA Music major. Dr. Elizabeth Gephart welcomed all in attendance. Dr. Mary Jane Linton was the pinner as well as the faculty speaker. Dr. Amy Yeates was the reader. Heather Wiegand was selected by her peers to be the student speaker. Following the formal ceremony, graduates showed a video of their journey throughout their MENP program.
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DECEMBER 2019 BSN PINNING CEREMONY By Gail Fyke DNP, RN On Sunday, December 15th, the School of Nursing held the Undergraduate Pinning Ceremony. The event took place in the University Commons Ballroom and began with Mistress of Ceremonies, Dr. Sheila Jesek-Hale, welcoming the twenty-four graduating students, their friends and families, the faculty, and distinguished guests. Dr. Elizabeth Gephart, Interim Director, delivered opening remarks. Professor John Blakeman was chosen by the students to be the speaker and offered the graduates words of wisdom and congratulations. Professor Francis Oke and Dr. Julie Kennedy, whom were also chosen by the students, presented the students with their Millikin School of Nursing pins. The ceremony concluded with a video created by the students of their memories at Millikin which included with each student’s baby photo and senior nursing photo. Congratulations, December 2019 graduates!
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DECEMBER 2019 GRADUATE CELEBRATION By Gail Fyke DNP, RN On Sunday, December 15, 2019, the School of Nursing held the Graduate Celebration in the University Commons Ballroom. Ten graduate students attended the ceremony. All 10 earned their Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree and represented the Nurse Anesthesia Program. Others attending included faculty from the School of Nursing, and friends and family of the graduates. Dr. Elizabeth Gephart welcomed the graduating students, friends and family. Dr. Rhonda Gee gave the DNP students a Certificate in Nurse Anesthesia. All graduates received a rabbit’s foot which is a longstanding tradition in the anesthesia program. Awards that the graduate students have received were also announced during the ceremony. The Robert F. Waldvogel Student Excellence and Clinical Mastery Award recipient was Amanda Durbin. The Carolyn Maroney Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Evelyn Mitchell. The DMH Nurse Anesthesia Alumni Association Award was awarded to Evelyn Mitchell. The Betty Horton Leadership Award recipient was Amanda Durbin. Finally, the Ethel Lebkeucher Award for Clinical Excellence was Evelyn Mitchell.
THANK YOU Many School of Nursing alumni and current students are on the front lines of the pandemic. We see you. We care about you. We are proud of you. 14
DECEMBER 2019 COMMENCEMENT The School of Nursing was honored to have two students chosen to speak at the December 2019 commencement ceremony, held in Kirkland Fine Arts Center. Samiha Thapa was selected as the undergraduate student speaker, and Sarah Lang was selected as the graduate student speaker. Congratulations to all of the graduates!
Above: DNP graduates pose after the December 2019 commencement ceremony. Right: MENP student and graduate student speaker Sarah Lang delivers her remarks during the ceremony.
CELEBRATIONS OF SCHOLARSHIP By Dr. Elizabeth Gephart DNP, PNP-BC, APRN The Celebration of Scholarship Day had to be cancelled this year due to the COVID-19 public health crisis. The Graduate Studies School of Nursing Program was pleased to offer a virtual venue for the presentation of DNP and MSN projects. ZoomŠ sessions were held throughout April 24th and May 1st to allow students to disseminate their scholarly work either as podium presentations or poster sessions. The following graduate students participated with podium presentations: Joey Tran, Derek Humphries, Kevin Osterink, Kaitlyn Busch, Holly Haskins, Janette Gustafson, Miranda Mogle, Peter Okello, Elly Willette, and Audrey Anderson. Presenting posters and answering questions were: Sadia Zahir, Rachel Simons, Parita Patel, Alyssa Munar, Kirstin Hutchinson, Hunter Hill, Sydney Grohler, Jourdan Greene, Madelyn Damery, Tyler Thompson, Anna Caringella, and Nicole Bardoczi. We congratulate all of these students on completing their scholarly projects and wish them well on their final months of study before graduation. 15
MAY 2020 PINNING AND UNIVERSITY GRADUATE CELEBRATION By Prof. Gina Canny, MSN, RN, CNE, TNS The May 2020 Nursing Pinning Ceremony was celebrated virtually. Students were excited to participate and be acknowledged by the School of Nursing faculty, as well as their families, for this great accomplishment, especially during these uncertain times. Dr. John Blakeman was Master of Ceremonies and guided us through this virtual journey. Interim School of Nursing Director, Dr. Elizabeth Gephart, welcomed the graduates to this “significant milestone” which was achieved through the students “persistence” within this program. She ended her welcome by encouraging the students to not only be excellent clinicians but to serve as leaders within healthcare. The students chose Dr. John Blakeman as the faculty speaker. He spoke about the complex topics they learned throughout nursing school and how much growth they have achieved. He asked the graduates to “think about where you started in the beginning and how much you have grown to this point.” He encouraged the students to “stay the course” and asked families to continue to support their graduate until the licensure exam. Above all, he asked graduates to reflect on why they chose the nursing profession? “Your nurse is so special,” he said. “Be the nurse you want caring for your loved one!” The student speaker was Olivia Thomson. She acknowledged how adaptable this class has been throughout the nursing program. She thanked faculty and support systems for their encouragement over the last four years. This was an opportunity to “celebrate together one last time.” She stated this is not goodbye but “hello to a new adventure.” The virtual Presentation of the Pins still occurred, even in the virtual environment. Student names were read by Professor Teresa Gulley and Dr. Julie Kennedy. Each student stated where they will be working in the future as well as any personal acknowledgements. At the end of the ceremony, a video presentation was shown to highlight the graduating class’s years at Millikin University. Lastly, the faculty were able to virtually congratulate the graduates on their success. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was not possible to hold traditional commencement ceremonies at the Decatur Civic Center. Instead of commencement, a university-wide “Graduate Celebration” was filmed and uploaded to the Millikin University Facebook page. Featured during this celebration was Allen Brown, nursing major. Watch the celebration by following this link: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2959181104170696 May 2020 graduates are invited to return to campus in December to officially walk across the stage during commencement. Congratulations, Class of 2020, and good luck in all your future endeavors!
Enjoy some pictures of graduates with their pins and highlights from the online graduation celebration on the following page. 16
Nursing graduate Allen Brown delivers his speech to the class of 2020 during the online Graduate Celebration
Millikin University President, Dr. Patrick White, speaks to graduates during the online Graduate Celebration
Graduate Olivia Thomson proudly holds her School of Nursing pin
Graduate Kelsey McAtee poses with her pin
Graduate Peyton Kennedy poses with her nursing pin
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