MUSC College of Nursing’s
LIFELINES Fall | Winter 2015
The Road Ahead
Expanding community health coverage in SC and beyond
www.musc.edu/nursing
Taking Nursing to a Higher Level
SAVE THE DATE
HOMECOMING
2016
March 11 - 12 Charleston, SC
DEAN’S COLUMN
A publication of the Medical University of South Carolina College of Nursing
C
ommunity health is nursing and nursing is community health here
TAKING NURSES HIGHER
at MUSC. Our College of Nursing’s road map of health care has continuously expanded over the past decade as our faculty, students
and alumni have extended their clinical practice, research and educational
LIFELINES Volume IX, Issue 2 • Fall/Winter 2015
activities across the state, the region, and even the world. Now community health is not at all new to the profession
Gail W. Stuart, Dean
Jo Smith, Editor
Beth Khan, Design & Production
Josh Goodwin, Photography
Mardi Long,
of nursing. Many of us have known it as “public health nursing,” with images of nurses with their satchels going door to door visiting families in their homes. Over time, however, most nurses turned off that path and began working in hospitals. The result was that
BSN Program Coordinator & Alumni Services
these neighborhood visits
Laurie Scott,
became less common, to
Director of Development
the detriment of the health
Susannah Netherland,
of individuals, families and
Development Associate
communities. But those roads back to the
PUBLISHED BY
community are opening up again, and nationally only about 60 percent of nurses now work in hospitals. So we may be doing a strategic U-turn in health care as we go back to the path of community, and steer our skills toward the destination of health care for all.
99 Jonathan Lucas Street Charleston, SC 29425 www.musc.edu/nursing
I am immensely proud of the outreach and community partnerships we have achieved here in the College of Nursing. So in this issue of Lifelines you will read about how we have gone from an unpaved path to a highway of community care, which reflects our commitment, innovation, compassion,
HAVE FEEDBACK? SEND COMMENTS TO: Jo Smith Lifelines Editor MUSC College of Nursing 99 Jonathan Lucas St., MSC 160 Charleston, SC 29425-1600 smithjo@musc.edu (843) 792-3941
POSTMASTER: Send corrections to Lifelines, MUSC College of Nursing, 99 Jonathan Lucas St., MSC 160, Charleston, SC 29425-1600. © Copyright 2015 by the Medical University of South Carolina College of Nursing. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced without permission from the Medical University of South Carolina College of Nursing.
and a firm foot on the pedal as we accelerate forward. The road ahead also has signposts for the social determinants of heath, population health and greater diversity and inclusion. Each helps us navigate our work and focus our energies. But for us here in the College, it is not necessarily all about the destination but rather the nature of the journey. For us, this is a journey that both defines who we are and reveals why nurses are the essential legend for reading the road maps of health care.
Gail W. Stuart, PhD, RN, FAAN Dean and Distinguished University Professor Medical University of South Carolina
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FEATURE THE ROAD AHEAD............................................................. 4 The MUSC College of Nursing continues to expand community health care coverage around the state and beyond
DEPARTMENTS DEAN’S COLUMN. . ..............................................................1 AROUND THE COLLEGE...................................................18 FOCUS ON FACULTY....................................................... 22 STUDENT SPOTLIGHT..................................................... 26 ALUMNI CONNECTIONS................................................. 34 GIVING BACK. . ................................................................. 38 LINES OF LIFE.................................................................. 40
The Road Ahead 4
LIFELINES
Fall | Winter 2015
{ By the Numbers }
South Carolina
Expanding community health coverage in SC and beyond
4th
highest in the U.s. of adults with diabetes
1in6
African-Americans in SC has diabetes
7th
S
outh Carolina has three major metropolitan areas in
Leading cause of death in SC is diabetes
Charleston, Columbia and Greenville/Spartanburg,
81%
but overall South Carolina is a rural state. The
prevalence of chronic diseases and limited access to care is higher in the rural parts of the state. The United Health Foundation ranked South Carolina 42nd in 2015 as one of
of adults with diabetes have high blood pressure
the unhealthiest states in the country. In April 2014, the
2nd
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) designated all or parts of all of South Carolina’s 46 counties as medically underserved areas. The fall 2012 issue of Lifelines explored how the College of Nursing was working to open the gates of health care by expanding programs and educating advanced practice nurses to meet the needs in these medically underserved areas of our state. In this issue, we will share some of the success stories of our alumni, faculty and students who are “taking nursing higher.”
Leading cause of death in SC is Heart Disease
50,000
Hospitalizations caused by heart disease in 2013, costing $3.1 billion African-Americans are
48%
more likely to die from stroke than the white population African-Americans are
30%
more likely to die from heart disease than the white population
4th
Leading cause of death in SC is Stroke
2015 County & Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a Robert Wood Johnson program collaboration with the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
5th
highest stroke death in the u.S.
Fall | Winter 2015
LIFELINES
5
EXPANDING COVERAGE
THROUGH ALUMNI
DNP Grad Opens Private Practice in Hometown
Evelyn Coe, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CFNC is a three time graduate of the College of Nursing receiving her BSN in 1993, MSN in 2002 and DNP in 2013. Dr. Coe specializes in assessing, evaluating and treating a large variety of patients ranging from infancy through older adults. Her nursing career spans over 30 years of experience which includes 10 years of tertiary nursing, 12 years of public health nursing, 12 years of advanced practice nursing as a family nurse practitioner, and clinical rotations in the emergency room.
{ By the Numbers } DARLINGTON COUNTY
42%
Minority population of Darlington Co. (SC = 29%)
33%
population between the ages of 18-44 (53% female; 47% male)
42nd
Ranking out of 46 counties in negative health Outcomes*
41st
Ranking for diabetes mortality in SC from 2010-2012*
2015 County & Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a Robert Wood Johnson program collaboration with the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
6
LIFELINES
Fall | Winter 2015
HYPERTENSION AND DIABETES CLINIC OPENED IN DARLINGTON By Melissa Rollins | Florence Morning News (reprinted with permission)
Pee Dee is considered the buckle of the stroke belt. We have a lot of Dr. Evelyn Coe recently opened the Hypertension and Diabetes cardiovascular disease here.” Prevention and Treatment Center (HDPT) in Darlington. Her daughter, Dr. Coe’s research on heart disease led to her being published in a Tia Coe, works with her as an administrative assistant. professional medical journal for nurses. Dr. Coe said she has always been interested in how the body works. “When I started with my DNP program at MUSC, cardiovascular After seeing how many people in South Carolina are affected by disease was my focus,”Dr. Coe said. “My scholarly project was on cardiovascular problems, Dr. Coe decided to do something about it. peripheral artery disease and screenings in rural settings. I was More than three decades after her first venture into the medical field, published in the Journal of Vascular Nursing for that.” Dr. Coe has opened her own practice in Darlington. The HDPT Center provides a range of services including “I have been in health care for a little over 30 years, starting as a preventative measures and treatment, such as the debridement of nursing assistant,” Dr. Coe said. “I have seen a lot of patients who, toenails for diabetics, as well as general practitioner care including even on the sliding pay scale fee, can’t afford to see the doctor. I think pre-employment and school physicals. that is what really set in for me.” Dr. Coe said she hopes she can help people see that money should Dr. Coe said she has been providing services from a variety of not keep them from taking care of themselves. locations during her time as a nurse and nurse practitioner. “A lot of people deal with their hypertension or “I have worked in a lot of different places,” their diabetes and they get frustrated,” she said. she said. “I was at the Darlington County “If they don’t have money to go see the doctor, Health Department, in Darlington County they get frustrated. When you have all of those Schools, I did that for about 12 years, and then concerns you don’t want to have them thinking at McLeod Hospital in Florence. As a nurse ‘I would love to go to the doctor but I don’t have practitioner, I worked at Care South Carolina You don’t want to the money’. You can’t stay in business for nothing Rural Health Clinic.” but you can’t have people out there feeling like The HDPT Center opened at the end of have them thinking ‘I there is no help for them either.” March. The center’s primary objective is would love to go to the The center held a ribbon cutting May 2, which preventing cardiovascular disease, however, doctor but I don’t have was attended by Darlington Mayor Tony Watkins for patients presenting with hypertension the money’. You can’t and state Representative Robert Williams of or diabetes, its goal is to provide medical Darlington. treatment using gold standards of care. Dr. stay in business for The center takes appointments and walk-ins. Coe said most of the patients she has seen nothing but you can’t It is at 118 N. Main St. in Darlington and can be so far are from Darlington. She is a native of have people out there reached at 843-968-8333. Darlington herself, and making a difference in the community she grew up in is a special feeling like there is no Editor’s note: Since this article was published in May opportunity. help for them either.” 2015, Dr. Coe reports that the HDPT Center’s clinicians “I have seen quite a few of my family and have been successfully treating patients in an outpatient friends since I’ve been open,” Dr. Coe said. setting thereby avoiding hospitalization and reducing “Darlington has always been home. I still have most of my family here, overall health care costs. In addition, a sliding scale-fee program has been so it is special for me to be working here.” implemented to address indigent patients. It was a leap into the unknown starting a new practice rather than continuing to work for someone else, Dr. Coe said. “It has been a little bit difficult to get the clinic started,” Dr. Coe said. “I knew nothing about finding a location or being a business person and how to advertise. All I knew was how to be a provider. My brother helped me find this location and my son has been my backbone, calling people about supplies and things like that. Since he is a lawyer, he has always been helping me with things from the legal aspect.” Having a focus on heart-related medical problems is important anywhere, Dr. Coe said, but is especially vital in the Pee Dee Region. “I was doing ABI testing (Ankle-Brachial Index Test, to find peripheral artery disease) at all of the Care South Carolina sites,” Dr. Coe said. “I saw a lot of cardiovascular disease and I felt like a Dr. Evelyn Coe in front of the new Hypertension and Diabetes Prevention lot needed to be done as far as screening and testing, education. and Treatment Center in Darlington, SC. South Carolina is considered one of the states in the stroke belt; the
“
Fall | Winter 2015
LIFELINES
7
EXPANDING COVERAGE -------Dr. Carolyn Jenkins is the Ann Darlington Edwards Endowed Chair in Nursing and co-director of Community Engagement for SCTR.
for the health care provider. In 2014, the screenings were offered in Bamberg County, a predominantly rural area where nearly 15 percent of its residents have diabetes (a rate over 1.5 times the national average). In 2015, screenings were expanded to Georgetown and other SC areas. Screening activities are staffed by a combination of trained community volunteers, MUSC nursing students, Sanofi employees, and staff from MUSC’s SC Clinical and Translational Research Institute (SCTR), College of Nursing, in addition to
Telehealth Provides Free Screenings to Rural SC
MUSC Medical Center nurses.
MUSC with a grant from Sanofi US, a global health care
as well as provide onsite counseling. “In high-risk com-
leader, is providing free diabetes screenings to rural areas
munities, the challenge is linking the patients who need
of South Carolina. This program, led by Carolyn Jenkins,
follow-up with health providers,” Dr. Jenkins said. “So far,
DrPH, APRN, FAAN, research professor, focuses on areas
we have been successful in accomplishing the linkages, but
with the highest rates of obesity and diabetes by collaborat-
sometimes lots of calls or visits to providers are required.”
According to Dr. Jenkins, the screening sites have the manpower and capacity to screen about 16 people per hour,
Currently, she is working with UNC-Chapel Hill to ex-
ing with churches, schools, worksites, community centers
pand their P30 grant, which is focused on diabetes health
and other locations. This program is significant in that it is one of the first
disparities, to the Carolinas Center and Bamberg. “Our team
community programs that is comparing capillary blood
is working with Regional Medical Center to improve diabe-
glucose results with A1C testing; developing a direct linkage
tes care across Bamberg County,” she said. Partnering organizations have included but are not
to primary care through a mobile technology program and participant contract to encourage follow-up for screening
limited to the Bamberg Diabetes Coalition, Vorhees College,
results that indicate IGT, diabetes, high blood pressure, or
Bamberg Office of the Mayor, Regional Medical Center, and
other abnormal results. The automated data collection and
the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control. For more than 30 years, Dr. Jenkins, a nurse scientist, has
communication method is sending screening results directly to the patient’s health care providers from the screen-
addressed diabetes and diabetes education in SC. Through
ing site and in turn improving efficiency and data quality
private-public partnerships, MUSC continues the develop-
that can be used for future research purposes.
ment of technologies and methods, such as this telehealth
Especially in rural areas, this enhanced telehealth com-
diabetes screening capability, to overcome barriers, improve
ponent is essential to translating diabetes screening results
efficiency, and advance the diabetes management and
in the community into immediate actionable information
health outcomes in rural SC.
{ By the Numbers } Bamberg COUNTY
62%
minority population (SC = 29%)
33%
population aged 18-44 (52% female; 48% male)
17%
Elderly population
41st
Ranking out of 46 SC counties in health Outcomes*
12th
diabetes mortality Ranking in SC from 2010-2012*
2015 County & Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a Robert Wood Johnson program collaboration with the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
8
LIFELINES
Fall | Winter 2015
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THROUGH FACULTY RESEARCHERS
Community-Based Intervention Under Nurse Guidance After Stroke
brain health and population science; and communitybased interventions. To address these complex issues, an innovative, coordinated approach is required that considers patient, fam-
Stroke is the leading cause of severe disability in Ameri-
ily, and community level factors, both to explain disparate
cans, and African-Americans (AA) are at the highest risk
stroke recovery rates and to design and implement effica-
for stroke with rates approximately twice those of whites.
cious interventions for post stroke recovery in community
Also concerning, stroke in AA occur at a younger age, and
residing AA patients.
with higher severity than whites. Despite being affected
“We have designed and successfully implemented pre-
at younger ages, AAs are less likely than whites to return
cisely such an approach with diabetes belt communities,”
to equivalent functional status and are more likely to die
Dr. Magwood said. “We propose to do the same for stroke
following stroke. This disparity cannot be explained by ac-
belt communities through CINGS.” She believes that the
cess to acute care or rehabilitation, but may relate to other
intervention group will significantly improve along impact
personal, familial, and community factors that remain
and outcome measures of interest as compared with the
understudied. Because diabetes and hypertension are more
usual care group.
prevalent among AA relative to whites, and because both are significant risk factors for stroke, complex factors underlying these chronic diseases very likely also contribute to increased rate and relatively poor outcome of stroke found in AA. A team of MUSC researchers, including College of Nursing’s Gayenell Magwood, PhD, RN, Alumnus CCRN, associate professor and department chair, were awarded a $4 million grant from the American Heart Association to study why stroke has a more devastating effect on AfricanAmericans and rural South Carolinians than whites and people in larger communities. The work will be part of the American Heart Association’s Strategically Focused Research Network on Disparities in Heart Disease and Stroke. The network also includes investigators from Morehouse School of Medicine, Northwestern University and the University of Colorado-Denver. The
MUSC leaders celebrate with a symbolic check in the amount of $4 million from the American Heart Association. These funds will be used to study why stroke has a more devastating effect on African-Americans and rural South Carolinians.
network will explore the differences that exist and improvements that need to be made when it comes to treating culturally diverse patients. Nearly half of all African-American adults have some form of cardiovascular disease—48 percent of women and 46 percent of men, according to the American Heart Association. Dr. Magwood is the principal investigator for the population science project called Community-Based Intervention Under Nurse Guidance After Stroke, or CINGS. CINGS is a 12 week, nurse-coordinated, community health worker-delivered home-based intervention, and one of the three projects that make up the Wide Spectrum Investigation of Stroke Outcome Disparities on Multiple Levels (WISSDOM) Center at MUSC, a multidisciplinary collaborative research and training center. The team of investigators will collectively work to investigate stroke disparity through basic science— metabolic determinants; clinical science—quantification of
Dr. Gayenell Magwood (left), Ms. Brittany Bryant and Dr. Suparna Qanungo will look for ways to improve stroke recovery for African Americans. They’ll interview people who have had strokes along with their families, community leaders and public health experts. Then, they’ll use that information to create new ways of helping people recover from stroke and put the new methods to the test in a pilot study. Fall | Winter 2015
LIFELINES
9
EXPANDING COVERAGE -------PARTNERS IN HEALTHCARE Dr. Beth Jensen (center) with DNP students, Ms. Ellen Gallman (left) and Ms. Mary Shearer at the ECCO Clinic.
services, the community leaders were very ambiguous about their suggestions for what they would like to see at BCC. However, starting and ending this and all of their meetings with prayer, led by Rev. Love, they asked
ECCO Expands Health Services to Huger
for guidance in all aspects of the collaboration that would provide what the community needed. Dr. Jensen, Ms.
By collaborating with communities in
erend Stephen Love, a pastor of three
Pruitt and the ECCO staff proposed
providing health care, nurse practi-
African Methodist Episcopal (AME)
community health strategies, based on
tioners can provide care to those who
churches in the area.
previously obtained population-based
would otherwise not have care and
data, and recommended to the com-
enhance care for those who do have
tive director of ECCO, members of the
munity leaders what could be offered.
health care. One such collaboration
community approached him about
After several meetings, the BCC leaders
took place in the Baldwin-Carson
the need for services in the Cainhoy/
began to articulate their perceived
community (BCC) in Huger, SC. The
Wando/Huger area. ECCO’s service
needs, which gave the College of Nurs-
partnership emerged with East Cooper
area measures about 1500 square miles
ing nurse practitioners a solid founda-
Community Outreach (ECCO), MUSC
- from the Ravenel bridge to McClel-
tion from which to plan.
College of Nursing Partners in Health-
lanville to Huger.
care, and Operation Home to offer
“This lower corner of Berkeley
While meeting with community leaders, Dr. Jensen and Ms. Pruitt,
community building services and pro-
County is a stark contrast from the rest
learned of an opportunity to hold
vide quality health care to uninsured
of the county. The area is isolated from
a health fair in conjunction with a
members of the community.
the rest of the county and is 20 miles
Huger-Wando 5K event. The event,
The clinic, located in Huger, is
away from where public services are
held at Cainhoy Elementary School,
based on a community participatory
provided,” Mr. Little said. “No human
was a fundraiser to support a sum-
model and offers individual chronic
assistance services are located in their
mer enrichment program that would
and acute illness appointments to the
immediate community and transpor-
enhance reading and math skills for
uninsured. The facility opened in July
tation is a major obstacle for residents.”
school-aged children and headed by
and provides health coaching and
College of Nursing Partners in
Rev. Love. Additionally, the health fair allowed
disease management to all members
Healthcare is a cornerstone of ECCO’s
of the community. College of Nursing
involvement within the community.
an opportunity for undergraduate
instructors Beth Jensen, DNP, APRN,
The leaders of the Baldwin-Carson
nursing students in the population-
FNP-BC, CNE and Charlene Pruitt,
community called a meeting in April
health program to practice their skills,
MSN, RN, both family nurse practi-
to brainstorm with ECCO community
under the guidance of Carol Opeikun,
tioners, maintain their practice by
outreach workers, Dr. Jensen and Mrs.
MSN, RN, CON clinical faculty.
collaborating with ECCO Partners in
Pruitt, with the aim of identifying
Healthcare Clinic and run the clinic. A faith-based community, Huger has a strong generational and matriarchal presence. At the forefront of the Baldwin-Carson community is Rev10
According to Jack Little, execu-
LIFELINES
Fall | Winter 2015
During the planning phase the
types of services that could be provid-
health fair became known as the
ed and which of those services served
Health Village. Dr. Jensen, Ms. Pruitt
an interest to the community.
and Ms. Opeikun attended numerous
Given the novelty of the new building and the yet to be defined roles and
community meetings in order to build a trust with the community.
--------
THROUGH FACULTY PRACTITIONERS
Building trust in the community
as well as, cholesterol and glucose
and demonstrating their competence
screenings. Dr. Jensen and Ms. Pruitt
and capabilities were the paramount
interpreted the findings and provided
expected outcomes that Dr. Jensen
consultation as needed.
and Ms. Pruitt had for the health village. Intent on including an interprofes-
Participants were able to consult with the nurse practitioners about general health and medication ques-
sional approach, Dr. Jensen invited
tions. Surveys taken at the health
MUSC’s College of Pharmacy, College
village revealed that the community’s
of Health Professions and the Depart-
interest was to increase their knowl-
ment of Physical Therapy to partici-
edge of self-managing hypertension
pate.
and diabetes.
One of the benefits of the health
The clinic opened July 15 with 22
village was the opportunity to survey
visitors and was staffed by Dr. Jensen,
the community about their perceived
Ms. Pruitt, Ms. Opeikun and two un-
health needs and the role they would
dergraduate nursing students.
like the Partners in Healthcare Clinic to play.
Due to Dr. Jensen, Ms. Pruitt and Mrs. Opeikun’s participation in com-
Since the nursing students were
munity events, they were able to send
providing much of the manpower for
a message to the public that the clinic
the health village, they researched
is well equipped and ready to provide
Huger’s demographics and prepared
quality health care the community
health pamphlets for the adults and
desperately needed.
health activities for the children. The
Berkeley COUNTY - HUGER, SC -
110
Square Miles
14,500
Total Population
66%
African-American
Interprofessional education and the
students also created signage for each
opportunity for scholarly publications
of the various stations so that partici-
are on the horizon as one of the many
pants could easily identify the differ-
benefits of the faculty’s clinical prac-
ent stations.
tice with the community. Dr. Jensen
The students performed biomet-
{ By the Numbers }
31%
Caucasian
11%
and Ms. Pruitt are excited for the com-
rics, such as blood pressure readings,
munity partnership and are looking
height, weight, and BMI calculations.
forward to serving the community’s
They also provided vision screening,
needs.
Of population older than 65 years of age
21%
Of population school aged with an average household size of 3
8th
Ranking out of 46 SC counties in health Outcomes*
25th
diabetes mortality Ranking in SC from 2010-2012*
BREAKING GROUND IN HUGER, SC Ms. Charlene Pruitt (left) and Dr. Beth Jensen welcome the Baldwin-Carson community to the new health clinic.
2015 County & Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a Robert Wood Johnson program collaboration with the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
Fall | Winter 2015
LIFELINES
11
EXPANDING COVERAGE -------COMMUNITY DAY AT ONE80 PLACE (photo left) The SNA hosted a community fun day at two One80 Place homeless shelters. Students provided children with activities at the Summerville location, while students promoted health education and held bingo games for the adult residents at the Charleston facility. Prizes and supplies were donated by the students.
IMPORTANCE OF PLAY ONE80 PLACE (photo right) Dr. Joy Lauerer believes in the importance of play to support childrens’ emotional development and needs at One80 Place. When her students noticed an absence of an outside playground for the children living at the shelter, she advocated that a playground be constructed. In 2015, the play structure was built through funding from SCE&G.
Making a Difference at One80 Place In 2014, the estimated number of
have the opportunity to co-facilitate
homeless people in America, defined as
this group since June,” said Ms. Atad-
finding food and shelter takes higher
those sleeping outside and in home-
janova. “It has been a rewarding experi-
priority over personal growth and
less assistance programs, was around
ence to learn about and help to address
development, including counseling.
578,000 with nearly 50 percent suffer-
unique needs of the residents of One80
Their focus is present day. Many of the
ing from substance abuse compared
Place.”
residents have become estranged from
However, for most homeless people,
with eight percent of the total popu-
Weekly, they see firsthand how the
lation. In addition, homeless people
effects of compounding factors such as
network to help them recover from
have disproportionately higher rates of
mental illness and substance abuse lead
substance addiction. Making life even
mental health conditions.
to homelessness and social isolation.
more difficult is remaining sober while
“We are learning the value of empathy
living on the street where drugs and
downtown Charleston provides food,
and acceptance,” Ms. Hugie explained.
alcohol is widely available.
shelter, and supportive services to help
“The group members come from all
individuals, veterans, and families to
walks of life and each has a different
understanding the importance of sup-
turn their lives around. Breaking an ad-
experience with substance abuse. We
porting an often neglected part of the
diction is difficult for anyone, especially
are measuring their progress, providing
community.
for those who are homeless. One of
positive reinforcement, and adjusting
the services One80 Place offers shelter
goals when necessary.”
The newly renovated One80 Place in
residents suffering from substance
One80 Place, has been attending
recovery group.
weekly substance abuse group ses-
rissa Hugie and Nazokat Atadjanova,
remained clean. Julie, who has a history of crack
and humanitarian work respectively,
cocaine addiction, recently delivered
thought bringing their counseling
her first child and is really motivated to
experience to the substance recovery
stay clean so that she can take care of
group would be a good tie-in with their
her baby. “This group is helping me stay sober
class, taught by Joy Lauerer, DNP,
and clean while I learn new coping
assistant professor.
skills,” said Julie. Both students have of-
“We both have an interest in psychiatric nursing and were fortunate to LIFELINES
Fall | Winter 2015
As future nurses, these students are
sions for the past six months and has
who have backgrounds in social work
psychiatric and mental health nursing
their families and are without a support
Julie, a 28-year old resident of
abuse is participation in a substance A couple of ABSN students, Cer-
12
by Cerrissa Hugie & Nazokat Atadjanova
fered to provide Julie and her newborn with additional support.
Guests of One80 Place are provided with medical, counseling, legal and employment services. MUSC’s undergraduate nursing program provides assistance with many health related services at the shelter, in turn providing 250 student clinical experiences last year. One80 Place has dedicated space and programs for veterans and operates two family centers, one in Summerville and one in Charleston, designed exclusively for women and children. The shelters house approximately 120 adults and children.
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THROUGH STUDENTS Student Responds to Emanuel Church Tragedy
On June 17, 2015 the community of Charleston, SC experienced unfathomable tragedy as a young, white man consumed by hate walked into a historic African-American church and murdered nine innocent people and forever altered the lives of three survivors. This act shook every member of the community to their core. But no one could have envisioned the reaction of the people of Charleston to this senseless act. With the eyes of the world watching, Charleston chose to stand strong and come together to share love and not hate. College of Nursing students participated in numerous ways to
{ By the Numbers }
show their respect to the lives lost and to help heal a community.
Homelessness
Elizabeth Willis, an Accelerated BSN student, was among those students
6,035
Homeless men, women, & Children living in SC in 2014
1,026
of SC’s homeless are children; 405 are under the age of 5
14%
of SC’s homeless Population are veterans
425
Homeless men, women, & Children living in charleston Co. in 2014
489
homeless people received health care at One80 Place in 2014
1,573
number of homeless who were provided medical visits from One80 Place in 2014 Source: SC Coalition for the Homeless; One80 Place
Photographer John Nettles captured this powerful moment between his 3-year-old son and Taylor Willis. Elizabeth Willis pictured right.
who felt the need to heal the pain everyone was feeling. Her efforts were captured in a photo taken by a father of a young boy who ran over to re-
ceive his “hug” from Ms. Willis and her friend Taylor who were giving out free hugs near the church where the tragedy occurred. The photo went viral and was featured by numerous news agencies and even the Today Show on NBC. Lifelines asked Ms. Willis to share her reaction to the attention she received.
On Saturday, June 27, during my walk home from work, a friend and I decided to pay our respects and observe the beautiful memorial that had been built for the victims of the shooting at Emanuel AME Church. I didn’t know what to expect as many news programs had recently aired people’s negative reactions to tragedies in other U.S. cities. However, when we arrived at the church’s front steps what I saw was breathtaking. There was a sense of community and fortitude that I had not expected. On my walk home from the church I recalled an article I had read about a free hugs campaign in Australia. So, I decided that was what Charleston needed, free hugs. I called a friend, Taylor Willis, from Columbia, SC and explained to her my idea. I told her how much it would mean to have us, an African-American and a Caucasian, doing this together, as a united team. She thought it was a phenomenal idea. We met Sunday morning to walk around Marion Square and give out hugs. The day started out slow. At first people were apprehensive and just wanted to take pictures, but within minutes there was a line forming to hug us. We walked up and down Calhoun and King Streets for three and half hours just hugging people and praying with them. The response was overwhelming. I had no idea one of the photos taken that day by John Nettles, Jr. was going to become viral on the web. It was just a small way for my friend and I to show our support for everyone effected by the tragedy. It’s an experience I’ll never forget.
Fall | Winter 2015
LIFELINES
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EXPANDING COVERAGE -------Shakira Lynn, MSN, APRN, FNP-C (pictured second from the right) is a student in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program.
An Inside View of Medical Mission in Honduras On May 16, 2015, I began my journey back to Olancho, Honduras on my third mission trip with Mercer on Mission.
by Shakira Lynn
community before receiving their license. There are no emergency response teams that work in
As the nurse practitioner with this group my primary role
rural areas surrounding San Esteban, Honduras and the
is to assist with the assessment and treatment of patients;
closest health department that can handle urgent cases is in
however, I also work with students to help guide the flow
the town of San Esteban which is more than two hours from
of clinic and patient care. This year our group consisted of
the remote areas of Vallecito or Toro Muerto. The closest
nursing, pharmacy, medical, undergraduate and Spanish
hospital with an emergency department is more than six
students from Mercer University. I was also blessed on this
hours away from these villages in Jutigalpa. Access to care
particular trip to work alongside other advanced practice
is especially challenging for pregnant women, as the closest
nurses, family practice physicians, a pediatrician, a Spanish
maternity clinic with labor and delivery capability services
instructor and a family marriage counselor.
is in San Esteban, which is a two hour drive from Vallecito.
Mercer on Mission provides students with experiences
Most newborns are born at this clinic if the parents are able
throughout developing countries to provide medical care to
to plan a trip down several days before the expected delivery
patients who would otherwise be unable to receive access to
date. However, some obstetric emergencies unfortunately
adequate health care.
end in either maternal or fetal mortality.
There is a need for both health education and preventive
Since most people who live in remote areas are unable
medicine in each of the villages we visited in Honduras.
to visit a health care provider, they usually purchase
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there
medications at a pharmacy in town. Pharmacies carry a
are only about six physicians for every 10,000 people in
wide variety of medications for patients to purchase without
Honduras, therefore nurses typically manage community
a prescription including antibiotics, oral contraceptives,
health centers and provide care. According to German
hypertension medications, non-narcotic pain medications,
Jimenez, MD, a physician with more than 20 years
and injectable insulin. Since taking medications without a
experience working in Olancho, most nurses in Honduras
health care provider can lead to negative patient outcomes
have not received any formal education or teaching beyond
patients were advised to seek medical attention.
high school. Those nurses who are professionally trained
Most of the roads are unpaved dirt roads with deep
receive one to four years of education at the college level
potholes and steep banks alongside them. While traveling
and complete a year of public service training in the
in Toyota Land Cruisers to Vallecito, there was a single
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LIFELINES
Fall | Winter 2015
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THROUGH STUDENTS
razor wire fence separating the road from the steep mountainside. The road was only wide enough for one vehicle to pass and was frequently blocked either with oncoming motorcycles or stray horses and cows walking across them. The nurses there may visit each clinic once or twice a month to see patients and they travel by motorcycle or all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). Our team saw a total of 692 patients in just nine clinic days and we were challenged with seeing conditions that aren’t frequently encountered in the United States. We had a full formulary of medications and patients were typically given only a two-week supply of medications, as they were available. Many of the school-aged children were treated for intestinal parasites, which they had acquired due to poor sanitation. We screened all patients aged 18 and older for diabetes mellitus and found that less than 10 percent of those patients actually had the disease. Each of my educational experiences thus far has prepared me to be a leader in health care. While obtaining my MSN degree at Mercer University, I took courses in leadership and global health nursing which has prepared me with skills such as cultural sensitivity and recognition of environmentally driven diseases. I am currently in the DNP program at MUSC, and learning to practice at the terminal degree level in nursing while promoting health equality in an effort to eliminate health disparities in the communities I serve. It is my goal to continue making a career investment in the global community of nurse training, mentorship and leadership while striving to impact changes in health systems. Fall | Winter 2015
LIFELINES
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EXPANDING COVERAGE ------by Dawn Brazell | MUSC News Center
So Dr. Treiber’s group has developed a pill bottle cap that integrates with smartphones to provide a series of alerts when it’s time to take the medicine. Even better, the cap “talks” when it is opened with recorded messages providing support and encouragement for taking the pills. The patient may hear from his grandson who looks forward to fishing with him or hear his dog barking and someone
There’s a Health App for That
saying “Rocky just said - ‘glad you are
When it comes to knowing the right
investigative teams are developing
walk today?’” The med-adherence
secret sauce that goes into making a
several mobile applications that
health app, researchers at a technology
integrate with wireless biofunction
application center at the College of
devices, such as salivary biomarkers of
Nursing know just how to flavor the
stress and breath-based monitoring of
mix.
alcohol and smoking exposure.
Frank Treiber, PhD, is a professor
development and testing customized
State Endowed Chair. He is also the
pill bottles to encourage medication
director of the Technology Application
adherence, a common problem among
Center for Healthful Lifestyles (TACHL).
patients. Studies show that half of all
He said there are all kinds of pretty
patients do not take their medications
apps with fancy bells and whistles,
as prescribed and more than 1 in 5 new
however, many are not easy to use and
prescriptions go unfilled.
haven’t been validated, especially when
Their research suggests there are
it comes to monitoring health issues.
three domains that are really important
Fewer still have been designed to keep
in people’s lives when it comes to
someone motivated to use them day in
adhering to a medical regimen, he said.
and day out for the rest of their lives.
“They are the three F’s: faith, family
“Our secret sauce is to find out what
and friends. What motivates a 65-year-
are those things more internal to you
old African-American man with
that will motivate you or encourage
uncontrolled hypertension, diabetes
you to use it,” he said, explaining how
and high cholesterol is not his spouse’s
software programmers at the center
or provider’s frequent reminding. It’s
apply behavioral change theories to
getting feedback related to him being
make apps easier to use.
able to enjoy his grandchildren and
For example, thanks to multiple
16
Another creative invention involves
in the College of Nursing and a Smart
other family members, attending Bible
grants funded by the National Institutes
study, fishing with friends or even
of Health, TACHL and its collaborative
walking his dog.”
LIFELINES
Fall | Winter 2015
getting stronger; how about a short technology has been licensed to a startup biotech company that is further enhancing and refining the technology. While Dr. Treiber and colleagues at the center are excited about the potential use of health apps, they are alarmed that many of them are not based on evidence-based research and some that they’ve tested are actually inaccurate. “There are about 150,000 apps that are health care or fitness related. There are around 260 apps related to hypertension alone. The question is – are they empirically sound and do they work?” The goal at TACHL is to develop, find and test technology-assisted methods that work and then get them tied into a medical infrastructure so patients have medically sound direction in interpreting what they are finding. How these methods can be applied is exploding as fast as the technology they’re using. The group is targeting key areas such as medication adherence, stress reduction, smoking prevention and
--------
THROUGH TECHNOLOGY
cessation, physical activity and diet that can positively impact a wide
proper dosages at the right time.”
to improve their understanding of
Medication adherence is harder
treatment for veterans and firefighters
range of health care conditions and
than it may seem. Take the area of
with posttraumatic stress disorder and
keep patients out of the emergency
kidney transplant, for example, where
depression.
department. Hospitals do a great job
premature graft loss is a problem.
with emergency care, but then patients
Kidney transplant patients take 13 to 15
developed in partnership with the
go back to their home environment,
medications three to four times a day,
National Center for PTSD and the
which can set the stage for gaps in
he said.
National Fallen Firefighters Foundation
routine daily care, he said. “This is where mobile health
These patients’ medications have
These training courses were
and are freely accessible to providers
to be taken within a small window of
nationally. Several thousand providers
technology really has an advantage – in
time to maintain proper blood levels. A
have already used these courses.
the day to day management, we need
patient who forgets to take medication
to make sure you don’t need to come
in the morning will sometimes double
the iPad into the mental health clinic
back into the hospital,” Dr. Treiber
up in the afternoon or evening without
by developing apps that are designed to
said, citing a wide range of patients
realizing that it is dangerous to do
help providers keep children engaged
who are being helped by TACHL’s
this. “Now, he’s in a cycle of under
in treatment after traumatic events.
mobile technology tools. That includes
and overdosing that results in kidney
These apps are currently being tested.
people suffering from hypertension,
damage and potentially eventual loss
Dr. Ruggiero’s team also has developed
heart failure and diabetes, along
of the kidney. Neither the patient nor
web-based and smartphone resources
with transplant recipients. Another
doctors will be aware of this until it’s
that help adolescents and adults after a
advantage is the health care team
often too late to save the kidney.”
traumatic experience.
receives timely feedback on patients’
Research is showing many of
More recently, his team has brought
Another project the team is proud of
conditions and how well they are able
their programs, such as the ones
is a self-help resource called “Bounce
to follow their doctor’s orders. “The goal
that use medication trays to help
Back Now” that was used to improve
is to prevent further decline that might
patients and a Tension Tamer app to
the emotional recovery of adolescents
lead to ER visits or hospitalization.”
combat hypertension, are working.
after their communities were affected
That translates to saving money. Dr.
It’s one reason the center has
by the spring 2011 tornadoes that struck
Treiber said costs for a hypertension-
grown significantly since it was first
Joplin, Missouri and northern Alabama.
related visit can be around $5,000,
established in 2010.
versus someone being monitored by
When Sachin Patel, senior
“Stigma is a big issue in mental health. Many adults and adolescents in
an app integrated with a wireless blood
programmer and director of the
need of mental health care will never
pressure monitor and pill cap device
center’s systems architecture and
receive it, and those who do often put
costs around $1,900 per year. “This
director of technology at the College,
treatment off for months or years. It is
way, doctors can bring their patients
arrived three years ago, he was the
important that we create and carefully
to an outpatient clinic when they are
only developer. Now he has a team
test resources that they can use to
experiencing problems versus waiting
of 10. “That shows the new growth
address their needs or motivate them to
to discover it at the next appointment
in this area, driven by increasing
seek formal help,” Ruggiero said.
or - even worse - in the ER.”
opportunities to create better outcomes
Stroke is another critical area. Dr. Treiber said state data from 2013 shows
through technology.” Ken Ruggiero, PhD, a professor in
Dr. Treiber’s best advice for the general population: “Do what works for you in helping to follow your doctor’s
6.5 percent of stroke patients are back
the College of Nursing, joined TACHL
prescribed regimen. If you have a
in the emergency department within
as co-director in April 2014, expanding
chronic health condition, research
a month. Within three months, that
the center’s focus to encompass mental
what’s available. There’s probably
number is up to 20 percent. “The
health issues.
an app for that. Look for those with
number one issue with chronic disease
Dr. Ruggiero sees technology’s
management is non-adherence to the
power in being able to improve the
medications and other aspects of the
quality of mental health care. His
medical regimen. Only 50 percent of
team has created online training
people are taking medications at the
courses for mental health providers
research supporting their use. Then talk to your health care provider about it.”
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AROUND THE COLLEGE
V
JANELLE OTHERSEN ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP LECTURE
F
or the fifth annual Janelle Othersen Endowed Professorship Lecture held July 22, the College of Nursing
welcomed Pamela Roshell, PhD, regional director of region IV of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Her campus-wide presentation was titled, “Shaping the Future of Health Care Delivery: The Impact of the Affordable Care Act and Heath Policy for Nurse Leaders.” Prior to her appointment as regional director, Dr. Roshell served in a variety of leadership roles at AARP including State Director in Georgia and South Carolina. Before being named state director for AARP South Carolina, she performed health policy education, program design and implementation activities for AARP’s
Dr. Pamela Roshell (left) and Mrs. Janelle Othersen and Dean Gail Stuart.
Southeast Region. Committed to the belief that healthy aging requires a holistic and collaborative approach, Dr. Roshell assisted policy-makers and state and communitybased organizations serving older adults to develop and implement evidence-based health promotion/disease prevention programs. A native of South Carolina, Dr. Roshell is a graduate of Columbia College, and received a master of social work degree with a specialty in administration from the University of South Carolina. She has built on that specialty with the completion of a PhD in social policy analysis, planning and administration from Clark Atlanta University. After the presentation, College of Nursing faculty member, Amy Williams, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, interviewed Dr. Roshell and shares that interaction with Lifelines.
Dr. Amy Williams: You urge nurses and nursing students to think of themselves as a leader by discussing the need to seek out leadership positions and act as a leader in current roles. How have you been able to embrace this recommendation in your career? Dr. Pamela Roshell: The first thing I had “Real stories about to do is transform my thinking to actually see myself as a leader now. The luxury of real people whose lives seeing yourself as a leader “next” doesn’t have been changed, give you the sense of urgency that you need whose lives have been to act now as a leader. I’ve done that over the course of my career by transforming my saved, have kept me thinking and seeing myself as a leader in my going in this role.” current position, regardless of where that was or at what level of the organization. I had to find the courage to share my voice, my ideas, and my feedback. I would then seek opportunities to lead and serve through committees or special projects. AW: If, as nurses, we are all leaders in health care and we embrace this role, what are some recommendations related to leadership in health care that you have for us? 18
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PR: I have two recommendations. First, we must always think about leadership as moving the dial forward. Leaders are responsible for progress. Leaders cannot sustain and maintain the status-quo. Second, we must have a commitment to excellence and regular measures of performance. When we measure our performance, we are focusing on measures that affect outcomes. AW: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is shaping the way that health care is delivered in the US. What are some major themes of the ACA that nurses need to be aware of related to health care delivery? PR: One key goal, and something that I think is an important provision, is the promotion of prevention in primary care. I think that is a critical element of the law and a critical element of implementation. Nurses have a key role in educating, screening and assisting patients with an understanding of how to take preventative measures, particularly in primary care. Another major provision is improving quality and health outcomes. The third major goal is expanding access to health care coverage. Nurses play a key role because they are such
trusted resources in the community. Nurses don’t have to be experts on the ACA or even the market place, but they can leverage the trust that patients have in them to share the knowledge that care and coverage are available. AW: Realistically, the ACA has undergone a lot of scrutiny but recently won another Supreme Court challenge and it is believed to have cleared its last hurdle to being cemented into our permanent health care landscape. Are there days that were tough for you to continue working to advocate for and refine this legislation? Where did you find the strength and leadership to continue your important work of ensuring more Americans had access to health care? PR: My strength came from the consumers. For example, in SC, people have gained access to coverage and now have peace of mind that they don’t have to worry about going bankrupt with medical bills that they can’t pay. I also saw the faces of relief among consumers who had not been able to get health insurance because of a pre-existing condition. For example, Sally from Greenville had been suffering through treatments for breast cancer. She and her husband had exhausted most of their resources and were about to lose their home. Because of the cap on her old insurance policy, Sally had exhausted her coverage. But the ACA allows affordable coverage for those with pre-existing conditions, and thus she was able to get the additional coverage she needed. She no longer had to worry or make choices about seeking the wonderful care that is provided by so many nurses in SC. She now had coverage that she could afford and coverage that wouldn’t run out. Stories like that—real stories about, real people whose lives have been changed, whose lives have been saved, have kept me going in this role. AW: I’m sure it must be very interesting to hear stories from people whose lives have been truly transformed by this legislation. PR: Yes, absolutely. It definitely keeps you going because when you look at the paper, the legislation itself, you’re reading through policy. Its different when you see that policy in the form of a real person and a real family and real children and real women and men and older adults. When you see that policy come to life in the form of everyday people it makes a difference. It gives you a lot of strength to carry on and it fuels my passion. AW: One of the things you mentioned that was so striking to me when you spoke to our students was when you talked about Secretary Burwell’s commitment to this being a fluid process and the need to recognize changes that need to occur to the legislation as it is being rolled out and implemented. That resonated with us as faculty members and health care providers.
Dr. Pamela Roshell (left) and Dr. Amy Williams
PR: I think nurses and nursing students can play a critical role as we continue to make advances in not only the ACA, but in health care policy in general because nurses actually see what the implementation of policy looks like in the lives of people and bringing that voice and expertise to bear in the conversation around policy is invaluable. Also nurses need to think about their ability to affect macro change, change in a systemic way. Nurses are accustomed to the care they provide to a patient in a very micro setting. But they also can have a major impact when they use their skills, knowledge and influence to affect macro practice or macro change because it has the ability to impact the lives of millions of patients. AW: That’s such an important point. In our DNP program we talk a lot about nurse practitioners educated at the doctoral level being responsible for helping carry out macro change—it’s a very common theme throughout our programs. PR: When we are reviewing policy, and “The administration before we get the final rule on policy, understands the value of there are many opportunities to provide public comments. Taking advantage and nurses. We know that they sharing the knowledge and expertise are critical in not only that nurses have as practitioners during the new access to care the public comment period is really that many consumers will important. Nurses can also monitor implementation of policy and then talk realize, but as a critical about changes that need to be made part of the health care because they have had a chance to see infrastructure.” how a policy actually impacts care and outcomes. AW: Can you talk about how the ACA and the administration view the role of nurses, specifically as agents in prevention? PR: One of the major provisions and opportunities in the implementation of the law is around prevention in primary care and that’s definitely an opportunity for nurses. We’ve made an $11 billion investment in our federally qualified Fall | Winter 2015
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health center structure. We’ve added 4,500 nursing positions since 2009, 18,000 nurses in nurse centers, 700 nurse practitioners, 500 certified nurse midwives, and we’ve expanded school-based health centers and home visiting programs. In SC, we’ve made investments of over $141 million for hiring more providers, extending hours, and expanding primary care services. There is definitely opportunity in the primary care structure and the prevention structure for nurses. We’ve also provided funding for nurse managed health clinics. The administration understands the value of nurses. We know that they are critical in not only the new access to care that many consumers will realize, but as a critical part of the health care infrastructure. AW: You discussed the need to innovate health care and that we can’t solve today’s problems with yesterday’s solutions. Can you discuss the types of innovations necessary to increase patient access to care and provide high quality care that is accountable for outcomes? PR: How do we design new payment models that really look at the value of care and care outcomes and not just volume? How do we design new care delivery systems that really coordinate care and integrate all aspects of the patient so that we can reduce hospital readmissions? With the bright minds that are coming out of your College of Nursing, there are delivery models that are yet to be discovered and I think that the value that nurses bring to innovation is that they are seeing some aspects of disease, aspects of care and prevention and the desire of patients to be cared for in different settings. Putting all that together, what does that ideal care model look like? Having the opportunity through, for example, the CMS innovation center, to test some of those models and be at the forefront of what some of those models look like. Designing real evidence-based preventions. Also, how do we integrate some of that evidence into these new delivery care models? Then, of course, how do we use technology in care delivery? We already have telemedicine and different types of technology, but how will we use apps, for example, to care for younger patients. How do we use robots? How do we use all types of technology to integrate that into how we care for patients? How will we transfer information among all of the care delivery team? How do we use technology to have patients communicate? The opportunity is just so exciting and we all have a role to play and nurses in particular can bring so much to what the future of nursing and what the future of health care will look like. AW: We are so thankful for your expertise and time. You have taken a very complicated piece of legislation and really made it understandable and highlighted the aspects that are so crucial and important to nurses.
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LIFELINES
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5 YEARS LATER
How the Affordable Care Act is working for South Carolina As of Feb. 2015, 210,331 SC consumers selected or were automatically re-enrolled in quality, affordable health insurance coverage through the Marketplace. Nationwide, nearly 11.7 million consumers selected a plan or were automatically enrolled in Marketplace coverage.
88% of SC consumers who were signed up qualified for an average tax credit of $278 per month through the Marketplace.
69% of SC Marketplace enrollees obtained coverage for $100 or less after any applicable tax credits in 2015, and 92 % had the option of doing so. This year SC consumers could choose from 5 issuers in the Marketplace – up from 4 in 2014. An average of 59 health plans were available to SC consumers in their county for 2015 coverage – up from 25 in 2014.
71,407 consumers in SC under the age of 35 are signed up for Marketplace coverage (34 % of plan selections in the state). 58,806 of those consumers are between the ages 18 to 34. SC has received $1,000,000 in grants for research, planning, IT development, and implementation of its Marketplace.
BETTER VALUE Providing better value for your premium dollar through the 80/20 Rule: 205,229 South Carolinians with private insurance coverage benefited from $13,187,815 in refunds from insurance companies, for an average refund of $92 per family because of the ACA. Scrutinizing unreasonable premium increases: The state has received $1,000,000 under the new law to help fight unreasonable premium increases. Removing lifetime limits on health benefits: 1,458,000 people in SC, including 566,000 women and 397,000 children, are free from worrying about lifetime limits on coverage. Ending discrimination for pre-existing conditions: Nearly 2 million non-elderly adults have some type of pre-existing health condition, including 256,200 children. Increasing support for community health centers: Health Center grantees in SC have received $141,193,957 to offer a broader array of primary care services, extend their hours of operations, hire more providers, and renovate or build new clinical spaces. Preventing illness and promoting health: Through Fiscal Year 2013, SC received $33,363,298 in grants from the Prevention and Public Health Fund. This fund was created by the health care law to support effective policies in SC and nationwide, such as tobacco cessation initiatives, obesity prevention, and increasing the primary care and public health workforce, so that all Americans can lead longer, more productive lives.
YOU DID IT!
You have achieved Magnet™ status. Congratulations to all the exemplary nurses at MUSC Health. You have achieved an extraordinary milestone that places MUSC among the nation’s elite. The College of Nursing is proud to partner with you in “taking nursing to a higher level.”
FOCUS ON FACULTY
V
TWO FACULTY RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE
Left to right: Drs. Catherine Durham and Deborah Williamson
n 1994, MUSC established the Teaching Excellence Awards
I
Dr. Williamson, associate professor and associate dean for
program to recognize faculty who have made outstanding
practice, received the Clinical-Professional/Educator-Mentor
contributions to the University’s teaching mission. The
Award.
a time-honored tradition that symbolically marks the formal
member of the MUSC faculty. MUSC and the community
introduction to the new academic year. This year, two
in which it serves are celebrating this fact: the university,
College of Nursing faculty were presented with Teaching
because of the hundreds of health care providers affected
Excellence awards: Catherine Durham, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC,
by her wise counsel and guidance; and the community,
and Deborah Williamson, DHA, MSN, RN.
because it is a partner in this learning mission, allowing
awards are presented annually during Faculty Convocation,
Dr. Durham, assistant professor and director of graduate programs, received the Developing Teacher Award.
“I do not pretend to teach her how, I ask her to teach herself, and for this purpose I venture to give her some hints.” - Florence Nightingale, 1859 Some things are so true they are literally ageless,
unaffected by changing times, cultural mores or technology. In establishing her philosophy of teaching, Dr. Durham turned to the bedrock of truth in the art of nursing, Florence Nightingale, whose revolutionary concepts laid the foundation for modern nursing education and practice. “Her statement champions the teaching attributes of facilitation, mentoring, encouragement and role modeling,” Dr. Durham states in her philosophy. “These attributes describe my philosophy of teaching and form the framework for the type of educator that I strive to be.” 22
LIFELINES
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This year, Dr. Williamson is marking three decades as a
providers to gain insight into the social and environmental factors which impact health, that subsequently lead to improved health policies and practices.
“
The recognition of two of our College of Nursing faculty, Drs. Durham and Williamson, with these MUSC Excellence in Teaching Awards reflects on their individual commitment to our education mission, as well as the striving of our College to excel on every level. Dean Gail Stuart
V
HONORS AND ACCOLADES SISTER SUMMIT LEGACY AWARDS Left to right: Dean Gail Stuart, Dr. Tiffany Williams, Dr. Ida Spruill and Dr. Gayenell Magwood celebrate Dr. Spruill’s achievements.
the recipient of the James E. Clyburn Health Disparities Leadership Award. On September 17, Dr. Spruill was presented with the Sister Summit Legacy Award for being a trailblazer in health. The
SPRUILL RECEIVES ACCOLADES FOR COMMUNITY WORK Ida Johnson Spruill, PhD, RN, LISW, FAAN, associate
Sister Summit Legacy Awards were established to recognize the hard work, unselfish acts, and unwavering commitment of women to the community. The Sister Summit Foundation is a nonprofit organization
professor, has received numerous awards and accolades
committed to the social, cultural and economic
over the years for her community-based genetic research
empowerment of women and girls through programs
of African Americans with diabetes and her promotion of
that promote education, entrepreneurship, the arts, and
health literacy.
opportunities for personal and professional development.
At the 8th Annual James E. Clyburn Health Disparities
Since 2011, nearly 4,000 women and 500 girls have benefited
Lecture, held April 27, Dr. Spruill’s Project DIABETES was
from Sister Summit programs.
GOVERNOR APPOINTS WILLIAMS TO FIRST STEPS BOARD
SMITH SELECTED FOR SCHOLARS PROGRAM
Governor Nikki Haley appointed
Shannon Smith, DNP, APRN, ACNS-BC, CNE, CGRN, assistant
Amy Williams, DNP, APRN, CPNP-
professor, was selected by the
PC, instructor, as the only medical
Executive Committee of the Society
provider on South Carolina’s First
of Gastroenterology Nurses and
Steps to School Readiness Board
Associates, Inc. (SGNA) for their
of Trustees. Other members of
2015 SGNA Scholars Program.
this 25-seat board include the state superintendent of education,
The purpose of the program is to educate and train appropriately prepared GI and endoscopy
state legislators, state directors of the Departments of
nurses in order to build a repository of evidence applicable
Social Services, Disabilities and Special Needs, Health and
to the GI and endoscopy setting.
Environmental Control, Health and Human Services, and Head Start, among others. South Carolina’s First Steps to School Readiness is the state’s comprehensive early childhood education initiative. The focus is to ensure that South Carolina’s children are
MUSC College of Nursing proudly ranks No. 1 among online graduate nursing programs for
VETERANS
ready for school success by providing early intervention, strengthening families, improving children’s health and well being, increasing the quality of early care and education and helping transition rising kindergarteners to school.
Fall | Winter 2015
LIFELINES
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FOCUS ON FACULTY
V
NEW FULL-TIME FACULTY APPOINTMENTS
PROFESSOR Julie Barroso, PhD, ANP, RN, FAAN, has been an educator since 1989, teaching in BSN, MSN, and PhD programs. She has mentored numerous PhD students and junior faculty, and has sponsored three funded NRSA grant applications. An internationally recognized expert in qualitative research, Dr. Barroso has taught qualitative research methods and qualitative data analysis to doctoral students.
Catherine Garner, DrPH, MSN, MPA, RN, FAAN has been appointed lead faculty in the DNP in Executive Leadership Program. Prior to joining the College, she served as the executive director for nursing and academics for the eight-hospital Greenville Health System. She has extensive health care leadership experience spanning home care, ambulatory care, and a position as vice president of clinical operations for one of the country’s first Medicare Managed Care Organizations. In education she has held senior
BSN — Florida State University MSN — University of South Florida PhD — University of Texas at Austin
BSN — Vanderbilt University MSN — Vanderbilt University MPA — Tennessee State University/ University of Tennessee DrPH — University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
leadership positions as dean and provost of several schools.
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR Emily Johnson, PhD has taught at the undergraduate
Robin Matutina, PhD, RN-BC, CPN, CPON, CNE has
and graduate level at MUSC and Ohio University. She has
been a nurse for more than 20 years. She is a National
teaching experience in the areas of organizational theory,
League for Nursing Ambassador and a member of several
research design and statistics, comparative effectiveness,
major nursing organizations including Oncology Nursing
and epidemiology. She also has served as a student men-
Society, and the American Academy of Ambulatory Care
tor in the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels for
Nursing. She is currently a fellow in the Amy V. Cockcroft
capstone projects, research design, data collection, statis-
Leadership Program at the University of South Carolina.
tical analysis, and dissemination of results.
BSN — Furman University MHA — Medical University of South Carolina PhD — Medical University of South Carolina
24
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Fall | Winter 2015
BSN — Medical University of South Carolina PhD — Medical University of South Carolina
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR Michelle Nichols, PhD, RN has joined the College’s research faculty. Her research interests include reducing health disparities through health promotion and disease prevention in underserved populations, the use of community-based participatory research methods, prevention and treatment of chronic diseases locally and globally, and clinical research ethics.
BSN, BA (French) — University of Maine MSN — University of Phoenix PhD — Medical University of South Carolina
INSTRUCTOR Jamie Carter, DNP, MS, AG-ACNP is an experienced emergency and trauma nurse, with additional experience in ambulatory care. She is interested in emergency care, access to care, and the growing geriatric population. She is certified as an adult-geriatric acute care nurse practitioner and plans to continue her
BS (biology) — High Point University MS (CNL); MS (adult gerontology) — University of Maryland, Baltimore DNP — University of Maryland, Baltimore
clinical role serving this population.
Kari Mau, DNP, APRN-BC is certified as a women’s health nurse practitioner and also has received certifications in electronic fetal monitoring and as a registered nurse first assistant. She is currently a fellow in the Amy V. Cockcroft Leadership Program at the University of South Carolina. Her research interests include perinatal mood disorders, fatigue and pain in hospitalized patients, and diversity in nursing. In addition to teaching in the
BSN — Purdue University MSN — Arizona State University DNP — Arizona State University
undergraduate program, she practices as a nurse practitioner at the Breast Health Center in Bluffton, SC.
Kathy Van Ravenstein, PhD FNP-BC is certified as a family nurse practitioner, and has a diverse background having practiced in the areas of family and internal medicine, urology, orthopedics, cardiovascular surgery, retail and community health. She is teaching in the MSN/DNP program.
BSN — University of Wisconsin Oshkosh MSN — University of Wisconsin Oshkosh PhD — Medical University of South Carolina
For details on MUSC College of Nursing’s faculty, visit www.musc.edu/nursing Fall | Winter 2015
LIFELINES
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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
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REVITALIZED STUDENT NURSES ASSOCIATION MAKING THEIR MARK By Emily Giddens, president and Jo Singleton, vice president | Student Nurses Association SNA EXECUTIVE BOARD Left to right: Loretta Tsu, Andrew Haislip, Caroline Ravenel, Emily Giddens, John Ellis, Jo Singleton, Meghan Davis, Jordan Andrews, Patrick Morgan, Sydney Jones, Kristin Schier, Leonel Bersamina and Julia Levin-Rector (not pictured).
money for the new MUSC Jenkins Children’s Hospital, a clothing drive for the Fetter Health Care Clinic’s migrant outreach program, and meal preparation for families at the Ronald McDonald house.
T
he goal of the Student Nurses’
and fund SNA events. This tactic
One activity that stood out was
Association (SNA) at the College
appears to be a success. As of June,
Family Fun Day at One80 Place.
of Nursing is to sponsor programs
SNA had 96 members.
One80 Place provides safe shelter
and activities, foster the highest
In June, Emily Giddens, SNA
for the homeless in Charleston and
standards of nursing education and
president, and Jo Singleton, SNA vice
Summerville that offers food, and
health care, as well as aid nursing
president, updated Dean Gail Stuart
supportive services to individuals in
students in their professional
on the organizational changes and
need. Joy Lauerer, DNP, SNA academic
development.
presented her with the idea of wearing
advisor, works closely with the One80
SNA cords at convocation. Dean Stuart
Place and suggested an event for
for available executive committee
approved changes and extended an
the residents. SNA provided bingo,
positions and representatives. During
invitation for student representatives
face painting, sidewalk chalk, apple
the first board meeting of the year,
to attend monthly faculty meetings
bobbing, a water balloon toss, and
the group voted to refocus SNA
so that the faculty could be updated
snacks for the residents.
on professional development and
on student activities, fundraisers, and
community volunteer opportunities. It
events, as well as facilitate faculty/
CON Student Government Association
was important for all executive board
student relationships.
on occasion to raise funds, including
In April, elections were held
members to increase the presence of
One of the highlights implemented
Also, the SNA has partnered with the
a percentage night at Fuel restaurant
SNA within the community, as well as
by the SNA was a monthly lecture
and a pizza luncheon for students and
on campus.
series. The first lecture, held in June,
faculty.
In the past, SNA gave free
focused on neurological issues. The
Looking to the future, the SNA’s
membership to all Accelerated BSN
next month, the lecture targeted
goals include leading a letter writing
students at MUSC. Unfortunately,
traumatic events and the importance of
campaign to state representatives
participation in community
family centered care.
regarding human trafficking, a growing
events, fundraisers, and volunteer opportunities was low. Current board members networked with clinical faculty and other SNA chapters to find
In order to increase the group’s community presence, the SNA participated in bake sales to raise
issue in SC. The SNA is optimistic about the impact it can make on campus, as well on the community and state.
out what they did to gain participation. Other chapters found that collecting membership dues, along with recognizing members at convocation with designated SNA cords, had proven successful. Therefore, the board voted to charge a one-time membership fee of $15 and require involvement with both SNA sponsored events and volunteer opportunities. Dues will be used to purchase cords for convocation 26
LIFELINES
Fall | Winter 2015
SNA/SGA FUEL PERCENTAGE NIGHT Back row (left to right): Meghan Davis, Beth Willis, Annie Henderson, Kate Phinney, Jo Singleton, Delia Linnemann, Caroline Ravenel, Amy Biffle, Dr. Joy Lauerer, Kelsey van den Heuvel, Kristen Rivers. Front Row: Jordan Andrews, Paige Cox, Emily Giddens, Melanie Carlson.
Compassion oil on canvas
by John Carroll Doyle
This large-scale painting was commissioned by the Falk-Griffin Foundation and given to the MUSC College of Nursing in 2014. Now you can have a giclee reproduction of this beautiful piece of art to hang in your home. Canvas
11” x 14”
$ 120
24” x 30”
$ 575
16” x 20” 30” x 40”
Framed Canvas
$ 260 $ 975
11” x 14”
$ 300
24” x 30”
$ 875
16” x 20” 30” x 40”
$ 480 $ 1,345
TO ORDER Contact: All Things Good, LLC (843) 884-7266 artsypclark@yahoo.com www.charlestongiclee.com
All proceeds from the sales of the giclees benefit nursing scholarships in the MUSC College of Nursing.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
V
INAUGURAL RN TO BSN CLASS GRADUATES By J. Ryne Danielson | MUSC Public Relations
Dr. Schaffner, who adopted a daughter while pursuing her degree, worried whether she would be able to balance being a parent with going to school. “There were no online courses back then,” she explained. Nonetheless, she said, she made it through that hectic time. “Our daughter was 18 months old when my husband and I graduated on the same day, from the same college, him with an MBA and me with my BSN.” “Each of you will have stories to tell about your hard work to get your BSN. Today is a day to feel proud, but that doesn’t mean you stop here.”
N
ot even a rainy afternoon could dampen the spirits of the College of Nursing’s graduates as dozens of nurses and their families packed into St. Luke’s Chapel August
18 for the 2015 RN to BSN graduation ceremony. Of the 53 graduates, 46 nurses graduated with honors,
Dr. Schaffner implored the graduates to continue learning, to ask questions and to learn the art of interpersonal relations. “Feed your mind,” she said. “School has been a gym for your mind this past year, but just like with any exercise program, you must continue to exercise your mind.
including 41 summa cum laude, four magna cum laude and
“Ask questions,” she continued. “Questions promote a
one cum laude. Forty-nine of the graduates were employees
culture in which questions are welcomed, assumptions are
of MUSC Health.
challenged, and new ways to solve problems are explored.
A 2010 report published by the National Academy of Medi-
“Finally, master political savvy. As a young nurse I used to
cine recommended increasing the number of nurses with a
say I hated the politics, until I figured out that the politics of
baccalaureate degree nationwide to 80 percent by 2020, and
interpersonal interaction are vital for career advancement.
MUSC has pledged to meet this goal by offering 30 nurses full
Political savvy is about social awareness and good commu-
scholarships to complete the program.
nication. So, cast your net wide. Develop relationships in all
Andrea Coyle, MSN, MHA, RN, professional excellence
directions. Promote yourself. No one can appreciate what
manager, said the Medical University has committed itself to
they don’t know you’ve done. Find ways to mention your
supporting the lifelong learning of all of its nurses. The BSN
achievements. And, always be respectful and inspire trust.
program provides one way to do that. “As an aspiring Magnet
Filter misleading information and take the high road, even
hospital,” she said, “we must always strive to support profes-
when it is not easy. Be careful with words. Once they’re said,
sional growth and development opportunities in order to
they can only be forgiven, not forgotten.”
improve patient and staff satisfaction and enhance quality through education.”
The graduation culminated with a pinning ceremony. “It’s long been tradition that graduates wear a pin representing
“We’re so very proud of you for achieving this personal and professional goal,” said Dean Gail Stuart, PhD, RN, thunder punctuating her words as she addressed the graduates. “The
their school on their uniform after graduation,” Dr. Stuart explained. The pin of MUSC’s College of Nursing displays the Medi-
love and support of family and friends have sustained these
cal University’s seal with the inscription “Auget Largiendo,”
graduates through their course of study, and we’re excited
which means “She (MUSC) enriches by giving generously.”
that they have decided to join us in this celebration, even
“Wear these pins with pride,” Dr. Stuart said.
through the stormy weather.” During the program, four students, Erica Brown, Kathleen
Erica Brown, RN, was the student speaker. “It’s an honor to share this moment with all of you,” she said. “What a differ-
Charpia, Sarah Meany and Holly Smith, were inducted into
ence a year makes. We no longer wonder if we have what it
Sigma Theta Tau, an international nursing honor society.
takes to succeed. We made it.”
Following the inductions, Marilyn Schaffner, PhD, RN,
Ms. Brown decided to pursue a career in nursing after
chief nursing officer at MUSC Medical Center, congratulated
working for 10 years as an international flight attendant for
all the new graduates. “I cannot help but reflect back to when
Delta Airlines. Being locked inside a metal tube with demand-
I returned to school to earn my bachelor’s degree in nursing,”
ing passengers, she joked, left her well prepared for her future
she said.
in psychiatric nursing.
28
LIFELINES
Fall | Winter 2015
RN to BSN Students Make Real Change in Real Settings
Nursing, she said, offers daily personal and intellectual challenges. “Working with patients who struggle with substance–use disorders, I meet patients and families at their most vulnerable. It takes courage to reach out for help with a disease that still carries the weight of shame and judgment, despite our advances in understanding addiction as a brain disease.” She continued, “This is the great responsibility and honor of nursing — to help patients carry the burden of disease when they are unable to bear it alone.” “Nurses are the lifeblood of any health care system,” she said. “Our patients’ lives and hopes are in our hands.” As part of that responsibility, Brown believes that nurses have a duty to continue and advance their education. “In our increasingly complex health care system, we need to be better educated to assist patients in achieving optimal health, as well as to assist patients and families with navigating difficult ethical decisions.” Ms. Brown said it was her nurse manager, Gene Woodall, who encouraged her decision to return to school for her BSN. “I am forever grateful for managers and mentors along my path who have relentlessly encouraged me to move forward in my nursing career.” Ms. Brown believes the Magnet program contributed to the decision of many nurses to return to school. “The Magnet journey has assisted nurses in finding their voice and strength within the MUSC hospital system,” she said. “Pursuing higher education elevates our voices and allows us to be heard within the interdisciplinary health care team.” For Ms. Brown, in the end, nursing is not a job. “It is part of the fiber of my being,” she said. “I don’t work as a nurse, I am a nurse. Nursing transforms you.” After the ceremony, Brown and the 52 other new graduates gathered up their umbrellas and stepped back into the storm, transformed.
The College of Nursing RN to BSN program culminates in a Capstone Course that is designed to incorporate the student’s academic competencies into a clinical quality improvement (QI) project. Since 48 of the 53 of the students from the inaugural class were from the MUSC Medical Center, the College viewed this as a unique opportunity to give back to its own hospital. Marilyn Laken, PhD, RN, professor, coordinated the Capstone Course with Ann Hollerbach, PhD, RN, associate professor and Shannon Smith, DNP, APRN, assistant professor. Students shared literature reviews and problem statements with faculty. A series of podcasts helped students identify and lead an interprofessional team on their unit, conduct a root cause analysis of the problem they selected to work on, identify and collect data to measure the problem and its cause(s), and identify either an evidence-based improvement or a process improvement. All projects required baseline data to measure the problem and post-improvement data to assess if the improvement worked. The final report was submitted describing the project along with a poster. A few students elected to collaborate on a project, resulting in 42 projects at the Medical Center, including OR, PACU, pediatrics, obstetrics, medical and surgical units, pulmonary, psychiatry, and the Hollings Cancer Center, in addition to the five student projects outside of MUSC. The students worked diligently to complete the program, juggling personal and work schedules. Faculty members look forward to collaborating with the graduates on future research and QI projects and hope the new graduates will consider continuing their education through the online DNP or PhD programs. Below are a few of the final projects that were presented. >> Policy change to carry blood by Meducare Air has potential to save lives • Team Leader: Julie Jones, RN • Champion: Henry Ward • Team Members: Wade Manaker, MD; Mark Garrick, RN; Mary Springer, RN; Kelly Cleary, RN paramedic; Justin VanDamme, RN paramedic; Robert Dunlap, BSN, RN paramedic >> Reducing the number of patients rescheduled for endoscopic procedures due to taking anti-thrombotic medications • Team Leader: Chiffvon Stanley-Washington, BSN, RN • Champion: Colleen Alcott, BSN, RN, CGRN • Team Members: Gennifer Collins, BSN, RN, Kathy Brandenberg, BSN, RN; Janice Freeman, BSN, RN, CCRC >> NICU pilot on HIPPA rules and Facebook use • Team Leader: Wendy Lindmier, BSN, RN • Champion: Reece Smith • Team Members: Danielle Scheurer, MD; Debra Lambert, NNP; Dawn Pike, RT; Lesley Weick, RNIII; Melissa Fluharty, RN; Tara Lowry, RN
Fall | Winter 2015
LIFELINES
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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
V
NEW ABSN STUDENTS WELCOMED WITH CEREMONY
N
ew baccalaureate students were recognized by the tradition of a Stethoscope Ceremony
on August 26. Two fourth semester students, Edward Lenahan and Billie Jo Singleton, offered their words of wisdom to the newest cohort of Accelerated BSN students.
By Edward Lenahan (above), BSN Candidate, December 2015
So you’ve gotten into nursing school—and a very good one at that—and I’m betting you’ve done so by excelling in previous coursework and exuding some form of confidence at nearly every turn. Well done. For better or worse, though, there’s a good chance that kind of success will be difficult to replicate here and there’s an even greater chance that the days ahead hold for you many, many embarrassing moments. A year ago I sat exactly where you do, light on sleep, heavy on stress and thinking I was going to be pretty awesome at this whole nursing thing. Then, during clinical, I changed a bed-bound patient, unknowingly acquired a brown substance on my gloved left hand and then transferred the substance—with incredible speed—absolutely everywhere. I was not, as it turns out, pretty awesome. A point further reinforced by a veteran nurse who remained in the relative cleanliness of the hall and said “keep trying, you’ll get it eventually.” The point of all this is while perfect clinical skills, straight A’s and the gushing praise of veteran nurses are unlikely in any nursing 30
LIFELINES
Fall | Winter 2015
student’s first semester, there are two things we can all do today and for the rest of our careers, in the classroom and in the hospital - we can work hard and we can care. If this past year is any indication, the classroom might see you study harder for a test than you ever have, only to earn a 94 percent (that’s a B here, by the way). The hospital might see you hold in your hands a vigorously crying newborn only months after losing your own, or see you walk into the room of a dying woman so indistinguishable from your late grandmother you find yourself whispering her name. These are not easy experiences. But hard work will allow you to perform a thorough and detailed head-to-toe assessment of the baby, document the findings, then clean, clothe, and swaddle him before returning him to his mother’s open arms. Care will sit at the dying woman’s bedside, not to tell her everything is going to be OK, but to hold her hand and listen. Hard work and care will sit you back down at your desk and open your books, even when you are doubting yourself. And you will doubt yourself. Better still, hard work and care honor the
“
Embarrassing moments are a reminder that we are just as frail and imperfect as the patients we are fortunate enough to care for. They remind us that we’re human. Edward Lenahan
needs of our patients when needs are all they have. And they are the rewards we give ourselves in a profession wherein the reward of a positive outcome is never guaranteed. Which brings us back to embarrassing moments and why I hope each and every one of you experiences many. After utterly decimating that patient’s room and unsuccessfully attempting to convince a veteran nurse to help me, I returned—somewhat forlornly—to the patient’s bedside, fresh linens and new gown in my now doublegloved hands. But the patient, previously withdrawn and silent, instead looked straight at me, smiled broadly and said “first day?” For the next 30 minutes or so, extensive cleaning would fill the room with the smell of cavi-wipes while the patient’s voice would fill it with stories of children, a childhood home with a sweeping front yard, and a never-forgotten border collie who—just like mine—willfully ignored voice commands. Embarrassing moments are a reminder that we are just as frail and imperfect as the patients we are fortunate enough to care for. They remind us and those around us that we’re human. And this is often the greatest comfort of all. So when, in the coming days and weeks, you don your white MUSC nursing coats and scrubs, remember that they symbolize not perfection, but your humanity and a profound willingness to work hard and care. And someday, if we should find ourselves in a place where needs are all we have, may we all be lucky enough to find at our bedside a person in white scrubs who says “I’m a nursing student, and I’ll be working with you today.”
By Billie Jo Singleton (right), BSN Candidate, December 2015
Congratulations Class of December 2016 on your acceptance to the College of Nursing at the Medical University of South Carolina. You are now a member of a nationally top ranked school of nursing. You are beginning a new and exciting chapter in your lives. Your journey over the next 16 months will consist of early mornings, hard work, tons of information, and many trips to Starbucks. One year ago, I was sitting exactly where you are. I remember putting on my white coat for the first time and the excitement I felt when my family and friends saw me in it. I imagine some of you are feeling the same way. But I’m certain many of you are sitting there questioning if you can do this. I know the amount of information that has been thrown at you this week. But, rest assured, you CAN do this! I also questioned my capability of succeeding while sitting in this chapel a year ago. And I’m here to say, ‘If I can do it, you can too!’ Has it been easy? No. But they say anything worth doing won’t be easy. I have been asked to give you some helpful advice or recommendations to be successful at MUSC. I strongly urge each of you to listen to the next few minutes carefully. What I’m going to tell you will prove vital to your success. I have only three recommendations to give: be inspired, get involved, and remember why you started. Be Inspired. My own inspiration for pursuing nursing came in the form of a male nurse in an intensive care unit in a small hospital in rural Alabama. His patient, my father, had suffered a massive stroke. This nurse, whose name I don’t remember, not only took care of my father with compassion, but also took the time to spend with my family explaining everything until all of our questions were answered. Over the next few days as I watched this nurse care for my father, I realized I wanted to give back to others the way he gave to my family. During your time in nursing school, you will be inspired by many: your teachers, clinical instructors, preceptors, other registered nurses, fellow students, and your patients. Open
yourself to all experiences and you will not be disappointed. You were chosen for a reason. You have different personalities, which will show in your nursing care. I’ve always been told I am too tender hearted, but I have learned this is a noble characteristic for a nurse to have. Over the past three semesters, this once perceived flaw has allowed me to understand patient care is much more than simply taking care of physical ailments. There is power in a cold washcloth, bathing another with respect, or sitting quietly with a patient who knows they are dying and doesn’t want to be alone. Opportunity for inspiration will be all around you. And I challenge you all to be an inspiration for another. Get Involved. I know what you’re thinking. How can I possibly be involved in student organizations and keep up with an accelerated program? I’m proof that you can and I did it while also being a wife, a mother to two wonderful children, and a stepmother to two other amazing children. Becoming involved not only opens up opportunities for volunteerism, but it also provides a chance to meet other students outside of the College of Nursing. Through many organizations on campus, you can broaden your experience much more than clinical time alone. While serving on the Executive Committee of the Student Nurses’ Association, I have been able to contribute and share ideas that can potentially make a positive impact. This has allowed me to enhance leadership skills, which will be helpful in my nursing career, and it also has given me an outlet from obsessive studying, which is a necessity. Remember Why You Started All of us have a reason for wanting to be a nurse. I’ve already spoken about mine. What I failed to mention is that during my first semester, I experienced my first official cry of nursing school. Because Hallmark commercials usually make me cry, my family and friends would be surprised to know that I actually only cried twice over the past three semesters. (This isn’t to say my fourth semester will be tear free.) But in those tearful moments I decided to reach out to someone who would understand my plight - my mentor. For those of you who aren’t aware, a former College of Nursing student organized a mentor/
mentee program, wherein all new students are assigned a mentor who is a current nursing student. It just so happened on the day when I found myself crying, I texted my mentor and asked how I could possibly complete all of the things being asked of me and how I wasn’t sure I made the right decision. Her response came in the form of a meme. A picture of a black box with white words that read “Remember why you started.” Those words have carried me through when I didn’t think I was going to make it. Whatever reason you have for wanting to be a nurse, it has brought you to this moment. Over the next 16 months, you will reflect on this reason often and will find self-reflection is a common practice amongst nurses. In conclusion, I would like to urge you to collectively vow to encourage one another in the classroom, clinical settings, and outside of MUSC. Although some competition is healthy, we are all working towards a common goal. One day, you and the person sitting beside you may be working on the same floor or even could be your nurse manager. Soon you will cherish the friendships you are building with your fellow classmates and you will lean on them more than you can imagine. A healthy support system is necessary; mine is here today supporting me while I give this speech. Your fellow classmates, though, will be going through the same things you are. Help each other as much as possible. Build one another up. And smile when you hear your instructors say what a great class of students you are.
Fall | Winter 2015
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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
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CON AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS TO NURSING STUDENTS UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS
MARVIN AND CLEO MCALHANY SCHOLARSHIP
MR. AND MRS. JOHN W. BARTER, III SCHOLARSHIP
MCCLELLAND-PALMER SCHOLARSHIP
Dalia Hloubi Swati Patel Stephanie James
Kelsey Coutsos
Brandi Knight, DNP student
MUSC JOINT ALUMNI BOARD SCHOLARSHIP
RUTH CHAMBERLIN SCHOLARSHIP
MARIANNE T. CHITTY SCHOLARSHIP
NURSE CORPS SCHOLARSHIP
CLAIR FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP
Shannon Elam Satavia Gaston
Jennifer Breeden, DNP student
Kelly Barth Stephanie Krall
DOROTHY JOHNSON CREWS SCHOLARSHIP Brooke Hafer
Carissa Hugie
REBA CARTER O’KEEFFE SCHOLARSHIP BARBARA SUTTON PACE SCHOLARSHIP Ashley Wilson
TED AND JOAN HALKYARD SCHOLARSHIP Krista Dies William Duprey John Ellis
RUTH JACQUI SKUDLAREK SCHOLARSHIP Romina McCandless
ELIZABETH STRINGFELLOW SCHOLARSHIP
VIRGINIA L. HARPER SCHOLARSHIP Alexandra Benson
EARL B. HIGGINS SCHOLARSHIP Satavia Gaston
Katherine Lawrence
NINA ALLSBROOK SMITH SCHOLARSHIP Andrea Bowes
J. WILLIAM THURMOND SCHOLARSHIP
FAITH JEFFERSON HOHLOCH SCHOLARSHIP Ashley Ajagbe Sharnice Boulware Annie Chan Tiffani Smalls Julian Walters
ELIZABETH ANN JONES SCHOLARSHIP Whitney Garland
BETTY KELCHNER SCHOLARSHIP Brittany Whitson
MARGARET ANN KERR SCHOLARSHIP Emily Giddens
BETTY BUNDRAGE MURRAY KINARD SCHOLARSHIP Ashley Anderson
ANTHONY AND JULIE LANZONE SCHOLARSHIP Henry Stokes LIFELINES
Billie Jo Singleton
Kayleigh Radel
HELENE FULD TRUST SCHOLARSHIP
32
Michael Kundert
Paige Cox
LETTIE PATE WHITEHEAD SCHOLARSHIP Stormie Albrecht, Nazokat Atadjanova Caitlin Baker, Elizabeth Batten, Crystal Bell, Cordelia Bright, Briana Campbell, Btittny Chabalowski, Megan Chestnut, Simone Chinnis, Sarah Christopher, Meghan Davis, Brenda Duarte, Carleigh Fox, Leigh Irwin, Chyrese Jenkins, Candace Jaruzel, Devan Kuhn, Justyn Lamb, Martha Lee, Kimberly Leslie, Laura Linkowski, Jessica Litchfield, April Misher, Emily Nelson, Michelle Orr, Jeanette Parker, Sabrina Pierce, Novelette Prosper, Kristen Schier, Lindsey Settles, Brianna Smart, Daisy Smith, and Anna Williford.
MAUDE CALLEN SCHOLARSHIP
Alison Adrian, PhD student
DOROTHY JOHNSON CREWS SCHOLARSHIP Patricia Soderlund PhD student Michael Sorrell DNP student
HILTON HEAD SUNSET ROTARY CLUB SCHOLARSHIP Sunshine Reardon, DNP student
IRENE DIXON SCHOLARSHIP Sylva Panos, DNP student
MARIE LEPRINCE FARMER SCHOLARSHIP Aminah Fraser-Rahim, DNP student Michelle Gilbert, PhD student
IZANT FAMILY FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP Jill Murphy, DNP student
MARIANNA STUART MASON SCHOLARSHIP Caroline Yurchak, DNP student
ELIZABETH MILLS SCHOLARSHIP Emily Calaman, MSN student
NINA ALLSBROOK SMITH SCHOLARSHIP Vicki Morton, DNP student
MR. AND MRS. STEPHEN STEWART SCHOLARSHIP Sabrina Blocker, DNP student Lana Sargent, PhD student
ELIZABETH STRINGFELLOW SCHOLARSHIP Mary McCloud, PhD student Amanda Myers, DNP student
JEAN P. WILSON SCHOLARSHIP
JEAN P. WILSON SCHOLARSHIP
Mackenzie Callis
Alicia Garland, DNP student
THOMAS J. WISCARZ SCHOLARSHIP William Haislip
Fall | Winter 2015
GRADUATE & DOCTORAL SCHOLARSHIPS
V
PhD STUDENTS RECEIVE ACCOLADES >> ORR RECEIVES DAISY AWARD
Stephanie Armstrong, MSN, RN
leadership and management
(pictured left) and Marion McRae,
positions.
RN, MScN, ACNP, both PhD in
Ms. McRae is a nurse
Nursing Science students, are
practitioner with extensive
among the second cohort of 46
experience in pediatric and adult
Future of Nursing Scholars selected
congenital cardiac care and
from schools of nursing across the
adult cardiothoracic surgery and
country.
currently works in the Guerin Family
Ms. Armstrong’s scholarship is
Congenital Heart Program at Cedars
funded by the Robert Wood Johnson
Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles,
Foundation while Ms. McRae’s
CA. She has published articles in
scholarship is sponsored by Cedars-
numerous peer-reviewed journals.
Sinai Medical Center where she
A prolific speaker, she has been
works as a nurse practitioner. Both
invited to lecture on her areas of
scholarships were awarded by the
expertise at both the national and
MUSC College of Nursing.
international level. Ms. McRae has
“We are so proud of Stephanie
served as reviewer for cardiovascular
and Marion,” said Dean Gail Stuart.
textbooks. She has also served on
“Both will provide
national committees
outstanding
related to specialty
leadership and promote nurse-led science in the health care profession.” Ms. Armstrong is an instructor in the ABSN program in the College of Nursing. Her areas
“
certification. Future of
We are so proud of Stephanie and Marion. Both will provide outstanding leadership and promote nursing science in the health care profession.
of interest include
Dean Gail Stuart
cultural awareness,
Nursing Scholars receive financial support, mentoring and leadership development over the three years of their PhD program. The Future of Nursing Scholars program launched
outcomes, and
last year with an
the obstetric health care needs
inaugural cohort of 16 scholars. The
of vulnerable populations. Her
new cohort brings the number of
clinical experience includes
nurses the program is supporting
practice at one of the nation’s
to 62. Each scholar receives a
largest birthing hospitals, as well as
$75,000 grant from a funder, and an
several community-based hospitals
additional $50,000 from the school
where she has served in numerous
of nursing.
Michelle Orr, MSN, RN, CNE, PhD student, received the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses in August. She is a faculty member at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. Selected by VCU students and faculty, Ms. Orr received this award because of her role modeling of caring and excellent teaching. Her research in the PhD in Nursing Science program is focused on ways to help families of individuals who are dying in the ICU make decisions about palliative care. This DAISY award is given by the DAISY Foundation and honors the extraordinary care given by nurses to a dying child. Started in 1999, the award is given in all 50 states and 14 countries.
>> AHEC NAMES PAGUNTALAN OUTSTANDING EDUCATOR John Paguntalan, RN, MS, CCRN-A, APRNBC, PhD student, received the 2015 Upstate AHEC Outstanding Educator Award. A resident of Greenwood, SC, he practices as a nurse practitioner/nursing quality outcomes specialist at Self Regional Healthcare. Mr. Paguntalan has 15 years of critical care nursing experience. He has taught heart rhythms and 12 lead ECG courses for almost 10 years to staff nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians, EMT’s and allied health staff for Upstate AHEC. As a nursing quality outcome specialist, he has developed educational modules on various topics for the graduate nurse residency program, patient quality and safety measures, multi-disciplinary continuing education and core critical care competencies. His research interests include the role of physical activity in preventing coronary heart disease among high-risk population.
Fall | Winter 2015
LIFELINES
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ALUMNI CONNECTIONS
V
CLASS OF 1965 HONORED AT COMMENCEMENT
The 32nd annual Golden Graduate
accompanied by our husbands, and
allowed two overnight outings a month
event was held May 14-15. MUSC
others by our children who celebrated
to go home and two 12-midnight leaves
Golden Graduates are graduates who
with us. Some of us met for brunch the
for dates. Every Sunday evening we had
are celebrating their 50th anniversary
next day at Kaye Whatley Brown’s Folly
to be in by 10 p.m. On the weekend
and are honored each year at the MUSC
Beach house. What sweet sorrow, saying
nights that we did not have a 12-midnight
Commencement ceremony. This year
goodbye, knowing that the next time we
or an overnight pass, we had to be in by
the celebration began at the Country
meet there will be fewer of us.
10 p.m. Our later night privileges were
Club of Charleston with an awards
Our class is especially close. We
increased incrementally as time passed.
luncheon with university and alumni
literally lived and learned together for
representatives followed by a casual
three full years. We were away from
study habits than we would have today
dinner that evening. The next morning,
home for the first time and we depended
in the unstructured, unrestrained college
Golden Graduates from the College
on each other for friendship, fun, and
life. We also retained 75 percent of our
of Nursing were recognized at the
comfort. We also depended on some
class through graduation. We were all
University’s graduation exercises.
of our housemothers for guidance and
17 and 18 year olds when we started.
A member of the College of
I believe that we did develop better
comfort as well. We had many great
In today’s world there are many older
Nursing’s Class of 1965 and Reunion
instructors and staff - too many to list.
students in school who are more likely
Chair, Marlene Pendarvis Jett, or
The School of Nursing became our home
to complete their program. Ours was a
“Teenie” as she is affectionately known,
away from home. We became a family!
three-year diploma program. In 1965,
shared her memories of her time in
Many of us keep in touch on a regular
the year of our graduation, three- and
school with Lifelines.
basis and we deeply mourn a loss of any
four-year students were accepted so
classmate or one of their loved ones.
that there would not be a year without
First as a member of the planning
I say with confidence that our
graduates from the School of Nursing as
committee, I want to thank the Alumni
children, grandchildren and their peers
Association for their assistance in
will never have this kind of experience.
organizing the 2015 Golden Grads
Colleges and universities no longer
date. We had school dances where the
Weekend. We all felt so honored by
require living in a dormitory together
Citadel cadets and medical students
the luncheon and presentation of the
where you must have the Dean’s
were invited. There was always a big
medallions, as well as the buffet Thursday
permission to marry, and then only if your
turnout. The armed services were also
evening, and to walk as a Golden Grad at
grades were above average.
well represented by the Navy as well
the graduation ceremony itself. On Friday night we gathered at the
We had enforced study hall from 8:00
they transitioned into the BSN program. No one lacked the opportunity for a
as the Marines. Many of our class met
to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday
their future husbands while receiving an
Town and Country Inn and spent the
during the first six months of school. It
excellent education at MUSC.
evening socializing and catching up
was “lights out” at 11 p.m. If my memory
on each other’s lives. Some of us were
serves me correctly, we were initially
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LIFELINES
Fall | Winter 2015
We worked in the hospital from the very beginning, unlike today’s students.
Many days we worked several hours beginning at 7 a.m. before starting class. On Tuesdays and Thursdays we had labs in the afternoon that lasted till 5:00 p.m. That made our day 10 hours long. Then we had to study for the next day’s classes.
GOLDEN GRADS - MAY 15, 2015 (OPPOSITE PAGE) Left to right (back row): Veda Porter Rodriguez, Jeannie Dority Benton, Jewel Cudd Clark, Gloria Jeffers Rosser, Winkie Crouch Ackerman, Mary Brown Farmer, Kaye Carmichael Byers, Gretchen Pope, Gloria Hoff Purcell, Sylvia Evans Peek, Hermione Furr Carter, Carolyn Jones Grimball, and Marie Baker Hanna. (Front row): Elaine Johns Alcutt, Carol Daniels Davis, Nancy Anderson Umberhandt, Sandy Andrews Noonan, Teenie Pendarvis Jett, Liz Orlando Allen, and Linda Inabinet Hussey.
We had a variety of clubs outside of class, many were faith based and open to other
1
2
3
4
students in the medical complex. If someone needed something, we tried to provide it, whether a pair of hose, makeup, or a borrowed outfit. There was many an afternoon when there was a call on the hall for a blind date with a friend of another student’s boyfriend. Sometimes the need was for several girls. We had great fun. To many of us this was the best time of our lives. If we infringed on the rules that would guarantee a “See Me. RC” note that put terror into our hearts. There was a spindle at the desk in the school of nursing that we were required to check daily for these notes. Ruth Chamberlain was our Dean and very strict but also fair. She quietly supported some students who were in need. She was very proud of her graduates and many of us became very fond of her. All of us respected her. I am proud to be a graduate, an alumnus of the MCSC-MUSC Class of 1965. -- Marlene Pendarvis Jett (“Teenie”)
GOLDEN GRAD LUNCHEON 1 Jerry Clark, Jewel Cudd Clark (‘65), Mary Frances Farmer (‘65) and Lanny Farmer 2 Gloria Jeffers Rosser (‘65) and Kaye Carmichael Byers (‘65) 3 English Struth, Gloria Hoff Purcell (‘65), Kay Whatley Brown (‘65) and Annette Stender 4 Elaine Allcut (‘65), Frances Pritcher Gaillard (‘65) and Mildred Rooke Waite (‘65)
Fall | Winter 2015
LIFELINES
35
ALUMNI CONNECTIONS
V
CLASS NOTES
Betty (Mudge) Sadaniantz [MSN ‘86], has been named
Sylvia R. Panos [BSN ’12] started the DNP (FNP) program this
dean of the St. Joseph School of Nursing in Rhode Island.
fall. She also gave birth to a baby girl, Meadow Rose, in May.
She has been a full-time faculty member of the school
She shares, “I’m so excited about these new blessings and
since 2009 and freshman level
wanted to share to good news.”
chairperson since 2013, where her teaching responsibilities included
Lenora Smith [PhD ’14] has accepted a tenure-track posi-
nursing diagnosis, legal aspects of
tion at the University of Alabama
nursing care, and pharmacology.
in Huntsville. A nurse for nearly 30
Dr. Sadaniantz brings experience
years, Dr. Smith includes gerontol-
in management, education, pub-
ogy, palliative care in the elderly, as
lishing, and clinical practice to the
well as people with dementia as her
role of dean. She has served on numerous national and
research interests. She was recently
regional boards, including the American Organization of
named a UAB Geriatrics Education
Nurse Executives, the American Association of Critical
Center Faculty Scholar. This interpro-
Care Nurses, and the American Heart Association. Her
fessional program focuses on training health professionals
diverse clinical practice experience has been in the areas
in the complex care of older adults. Dr. Smith resides in Vale,
of intensive care, coronary care, and medical-surgical
NC and Huntsville, AL.
nursing, as well as labor and delivery.
Rebecca Freeman [BSN ’08; PhD ’13] has been named chief nursing officer for the Office of the National Coordinator
Have a new job, a promotion, an award or even a new family member? Let us know and we’ll include it in our next issue. Submit a Class Note at www.bit.ly/CON-class
for Health IT (ONC). She will spearhead nursing outreach to include development of initiatives focused on health IT enabled nursing practice and research. Prior to joining ONC, Dr. Freeman was the assistant vice president at the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) where she led the strategic and tactical planning, development, and deployment of enterprise-wide Epic software. In 2012, she served as the chief nursing information officer and manager of the nursing informatics program at MUSC. She is also an executive nurse fellow at the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation. Deborah J. Camak [MSN ’09] is on faculty in the Dishman Department of Nursing at Lamar University. She was recently appointed to the Texas Nurses Association CNE committee, had a publication in the Journal of Clinical Nursing, and was part of a team earning the Texas Board of Nursing Bachelors and Graduate Award for Nursing Education. Kris Elmore [BSN ’12] is enrolled in the PhD in Nursing program at Duke University. She was selected to receive the prestigious 2015 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Future of Nursing Scholars program award. Her study will focus on thermoregulation of neonates in third world countries. She currently works as a clinical nurse with Children’s National Health System in Washington, DC.
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LIFELINES
Fall | Winter 2015
PASSAGES Sister Margaret Agnes Ferri, Diploma ‘45 Jul. 3, 1924 - Jun. 22, 2015 | Warwick, NJ Dorothy “Dottie” Ballard Bryan, MSN ‘93 1937 - Mar. 7, 2015 | Florence, SC Myra Lee Whatley Wolfe, Diploma ‘54 May 21, 1933 - Apr. 11, 2015 | Lexington, SC Ann Rutledge Colson, Diploma ‘47 May 6, 1925 - Mar. 13, 2015 | Valdosta, GA Jayme Johnson Smith, BSN ‘80 May 29, 1958 - Sep. 2, 2015 | Hendersonville, TN Mary Frances Mitchell, May 18, 1941 - Sep. 8, 2015 | N. Augusta, SC Joan M. “Judy” DiGrazia, MSN ‘88 Dec. 19, 1947 - Sep. 18, 2015 | Green Pond, SC Agnes B. Kleckley, Diploma ‘39 Aug. 16, 1918 - Sep. 21, 2015 | Charleston, SC
Please join us
Looking Toward Tomorrow Spartanburg Thursday, February 25 The Piedmont Club 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Charlotte, NC Rock Hill, SC Thursday, April 21 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Florence Thursday, May 26 6:00-7:30 p.m.
AN E V E N I N G W I T H DAV I D J. C OL E , M D , FAC S The MUSC Alumni Association is pleased to sponsor a series of alumni receptions with MUSC’s seventh president, David J. Cole, MD, FACS. Mark your calendar and join us at the location nearest to you.
Don’t see a city near you on the list? Stay tuned for future locations. For more information or to RSVP, call 1.843.792.7979 or visit musc.edu/pres-reception
GIVING BACK
V
SCHOLARSHIP FUND ESTABLISHED IN MEMORY OF 1941 GRADUATE A GOOD FRIEND IS HARD TO FIND
War II with her husband, the couple moved to Greer, SC in 1948, when Dr. Davis was recruited to serve as the community’s only surgeon. Mrs. Davis continued to work as head nurse at Allen Bennett Hospital during the 1950s. According to her friend of 60 years, Jeanette Anderson Botts of Mt. Pleasant, SC, “Caroline was a very warm, genuine person with a great
L
ewis Marion Davis, Jr., MD,
sense of humor. She was a lot of fun to
of Atlanta has established an
be with. A very social person, she was
endowed scholarship in memory
known by everyone in Greer. Caroline
of his mother, Caroline Westmoreland
had such fond memories of her
Davis (1920-2014).
alma mater, and often referred to her
“It was such a great honor to establish this scholarship in my
experiences in nursing school through the years.”
mother’s memory,” Dr. Davis said. “It
Mrs. Davis was a devoted wife and
would please her greatly to know that
mother, who was committed to public
she has played a part in benefitting
service. She was a loyal donor to the
new generations of nursing students,
MUSC College of Nursing, and even
who, like her, value professional
served as chair of its annual fund.
excellence and want to help others.”
She served as chairwoman of the
The Caroline W. Davis, RN
Spartanburg School of Deaf and Blind
Scholarship Fund will benefit MUSC
and volunteered as a Sunday school
nursing students who are residents of
teacher at First Presbyterian Church.
SC and enrolled in an undergraduate
She was an active member of the Greer
program with a GPA of 3.0 or above.
Garden Club and enjoyed painting for
Mrs. Davis was affectionately
family and friends. According to her
known by her family as “Toot.” Born
family, she especially loved spending
in Woodruff, SC, she graduated from
time with her family and friends in Mt.
MUSC with a degree in nursing in
Pleasant.
1941. She married Lewis Marion Davis,
She also enjoyed camping trips,
Sr., MD, also a graduate of MUSC. The
traveling to Clemson football games,
two met at the Old Roper Hospital
and riding her motorcycle. She and
where he was an intern and she was
Dr. Davis each owned their own
head nurse. According to friends, the
motorcycle, and always transported
two were very devoted to one another,
their cycles on the back of their RV
and made each other stronger as a
whenever they took camping trips. A life well lived. Thank you Dr. Davis
result. After serving two years in the U.S. Army Medical Corps during World
38
LIFELINES
When I think back on my friendship of 60 years with Caroline Westmoreland Davis, I remember the value of a good friend. Our friendship spanned years of happiness and sometimes sadness, as our children grew up together. When it was time for our daughter, Jeannie, to attend college, she expressed an interest in a nursing career. We immediately sought advice from Caroline, a 1941 graduate of the MUSC College of Nursing. She steered us in the right direction. Jeannie graduated from MUSC in 1978 with a BSN degree. Today, Jeannie Botts Fell continues in her nursing career and is still active within the MUSC Alumni Association. In recent years and later in life Caroline spent many happy hours at her home in Mt. Pleasant at Toler’s Cove with her son, Dr. Lewis Davis, Jr. and many of their friends. Caroline was a people person with many friends. She always showed concern, trust and faith in her fellow man, as evidenced by her expertise in her nursing career at MUSC and later in her many volunteer contributions to her church and her community. Yes – such a good friend is hard to find. -- Jeanette Anderson Botts
for establishing this scholarship in your mother’s memory!
Fall | Winter 2015
TO MAKE A GIFT TO THE CAROLINE W. DAVIS, RN SCHOLARSHIP FUND ONLINE Go to takenursinghigher.musc.edu. For designation, choose “Other” and type in the name of the scholarship. CHECK Payable to MUSC Foundation. Indicate gift is for the Caroline W. Davis RN Scholarship Fund. Mail check to: MUSC Foundation, 18 Bee St., MSC 450, Chas., SC 29425 CALL Call the MUSC Foundation at (843) 792-2677 (M-F; 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.) If you have questions, contact Laurie Scott at (843) 792-8421 or scotlk@musc.edu.
V
CHITTYS CREATE ENDOWED CHAIR Mr. Charles Chitty and Dr. Kay Chitty with their son and daughter at a reception held at the Wickliffe House on August 24 in their honor.
the Rape Crisis Center, Dr. Chitty was named one of the “50 Most Influential Chattanoogans of the 20th Century.” The Chittys, who have been married for 47 years, retired to the Charleston area in 1996. Since that time, Dr. Chitty
T
he end of August can bring about
that would allow the College to recruit a
wistful longing for the lazy days
faculty member with a national reputa-
of summer, but for the College of
tion.”
Nursing, the end of August was a time
Prior to her tenure at UTC, Dr.
of celebration. A reception was held
Chitty held faculty appointments at the
in honor of Kay K. Chitty, EdD, MSN, a
University of South Carolina and the
longtime friend of the College, and her
University of North Carolina at Char-
husband, Charles B. Chitty, to celebrate
lotte. She also has published numerous
the establishment of an endowed chair
articles and chapters for professional
in their name at the College. The recep-
journals as well as authoring a best-
tion included remarks from Dean Gail
selling nursing textbook, Professional
Stuart as well as MUSC President David
Nursing: Concepts and Challenges. Educating future nurses is not the only way Dr. Chitty has made an impact on the communities she has called home. In 1978, she founded the first independent nursing practice in North Carolina. While living in Chattanooga, Dr. Chitty served on the boards of various not-for-profit agencies, including Family and Children’s Services, Girls, Inc., and the Metropolitan Council for Community Services. As a result of her community efforts as well as her leadership and fundraising roles for the Chattanooga Area Safe Space and
Cole, MD. Dr. Chitty, a nurse for more than 50 years, understands the impact a gift like an endowed chair can have for a college. She received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from Emory University and her doctoral degree from the University of Tennessee. From 1989 until 1995, she served as dean of the School of Nursing at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga (UTC), where she helped establish the school’s first endowed professorship. When she retired from UTC in 1995, Chattanooga’s Memorial Hospital established the Kay K. Chitty Professorship in Nursing in her honor to recognize her service to both Memo-
“
gift to MUSC’s outstanding College of
In my career over 50 years, I have seen a lot of schools of nursing. The MUSC College of Nursing is the best nursing school I have been involved with.
Nursing,” she said. “I really wanted to
Dr. Kay Chitty
rial’s board and the board of Women’s East Pavilion. For her, the gift of an endowed chair makes perfect sense. “For some time I have wanted to make a significant
create an endowed chair in nursing
has been involved with community organizations such as the Coastal Community Foundation, the Florence Crittenton Programs of SC, the MUSC Foundation, and the College of Nursing’s Dean’s Advisory Board, among others. Dean Gail Stuart was delighted to learn of Dr. Chitty’s interest in the College of Nursing. “First and foremost she is nursing’s advocate, protector, defender and champion in every forum and at every level at MUSC, as well as in the community,” Dean Stuart said. “She raises our flag, toots our horn and rallies our troops over and over again. She helps to make nursing – the all too often invisible profession – proudly visible.” Dr. Chitty believes it is critical to support nursing through philanthropy. “Nursing is a vastly under-appreciated and under-supported profession. For my philanthropic dollars, I like to give where it makes a real difference,” she said. “Giving to nursing scholarships, programs, professorships, and building campaigns gives me a great deal of pleasure and benefits our entire society.” The Chittys chose to support MUSC because they feel that every donation, large and small, had been put to good use. “In my career over 50 years, I have seen a lot of schools of nursing,” Dr. Chitty said. “The MUSC College of Nursing is the best nursing school I have been involved with.”
Fall | Winter 2015
LIFELINES
39
LINES OF LIFE
“As nurses, we find ourselves in the middle. We stand between physicians and patients, between the machine and the bed, between the disease and the person, between the cure and the care, between life and death, between justice and mercy, between what is right and what is good, and between medicine and morality.� Mavis Tuten
NO ACT OF KINDNESS, NO MATTER HOW SMALL, IS EVER WASTED. Aesop
It’s a great time to consider a CGA! Support the MUSC College of Nursing and receive income for life. Through a Charitable Gift Annuity, you can leave a legacy with a gift that gives back. Enjoy fixed income for life regardless of how the stock market performs in the future. Your gift will not only benefit the MUSC College of Nursing, but also benefit you by giving you...
>> fixed income payments for the rest of your life. >> a permanent income tax savings. >> an immediate income tax deduction.
DONOR
Donor Gives: cash,securities, other property Donor Receives: income tax deductions, fixed payments
CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITY
MUSC Receives: remaining assets
WAYS TO GIVE TO THE MUSC COLLEGE OF NURSING Cash | Bequests | Retirement assets | Savings bonds | Life insurance Appreciated stock | Real estate | Payroll deduction (for MUSC employees)
takenursinghigher.musc.edu
FOR MORE INFORMATION Laurie Scott | Director of Development 843.792.8421 | scotlk@musc.edu
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99 Jonathan Lucas Street MSC 160 Charleston, SC 29425-1600
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