University of South Carolina College of Nursing Magazine Fall 2019

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA College of Nursing

Preparing for Progress

Transforming Healthcare Education

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Dean Jeannette O. Andrews Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Kristen Starnes-Ott Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs Robin B. Dail

4 / PRACTICING AT FULL SCOPE

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NP students learn advanced skills

8 / BRIDGING THE GAPS

Associate Dean of Research Bernardine M. Pinto

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Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Coretta M. Jenerette

Senior Director of Development Monica Cromer

12 / A WIN-WIN PARTNERSHIP

Walmart preceptors shape nurse leaders

14 / INFLUENCING POLICY

Tax credit bill for clinicians who mentor students

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16 / COMMITTED TO SERVICE

Combating sickle cell disease in Sierra Leone

19 / VIRTUAL CONNECTIONS

Director of Alumni Engagement Annie Lambert

Learning anytime, anywhere

NEWS

Administrative Assistant Erica Neet Contributing Writers Laura Kammerer Erin York

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Contributing Photographers Jason Ayer Matt Brodie Brett Flashnick sc.edu/nursing • @UofSCNursing The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities on the basis of race, sex, gender, age, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, genetics, veteran status, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.

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Building a chronic care research center

Director of Communications Jan Johnson Communications Coordinator Mollie Roe Dawson

Bolstering doctoral education

On the cover: Associate professor, Cheedy Jaja, combats sickle cell disease in the United States and Africa.

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Faculty Feats

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Student Spotlights

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Amazing Alumni

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Donors and Friends

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Read & Repeat: By the Numbers

a unique partnership with a multinational retail corporation for advanced practice nursing education.

Committed to Service emphasizes the importance of global research partnerships to address disparate health conditions locally and globally.

Bridging the Gap, Virtual Connections, and Practicing at Full Scope highlight our evolving innovations in nursing education. I am always delighted when our seasoned alumni visit the college and marvel at these transformative education modalities. We are now enhancing the learning environments for both undergraduate and graduate students in our simulation and telehealth laboratories with “live” actors, telepresence robots, high fidelity

Jeannette O. Andrews DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF NURSING Pictured with junior nursing student, Brendan Kreag, at the August Stethoscope Ceremony which honors entry into upper division.

PREPARING FOR PROGRESS As we launch the 2019-2020 academic year, the University of South Carolina College of Nursing has a lot to celebrate! We continue to demonstrate academic excellence in all our programs with the dedication of our talented faculty, staff, and students. It’s hard to top an overall 100% NCLEX pass rate for BSN cohorts and 100% American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) certification exam pass rate for all master’s prepared nurse practitioner students in 2018. We are incredibly proud of our students and new alumni and their successes in the classroom, healthcare settings, and in

mannequins, and other evidence-based learning approaches, such as a poverty simulation. For graduate students, our immersive “hands-on” experiences and virtual online platforms are bridging distance barriers while supporting engagement with colleagues and faculty.

Regardless of the modality, we are integrating concepts of population health, social determinants of health, and health disparities to improve health outcomes in our state.

Finally, I invite you to take a few moments to get to know some of our newer faces around the college, revisit with distinguished alumni in a Table for Three and catch up with Mary Ann Parsons, dean emerita. As you will see, our students, faculty, staff, and alumni are thriving as we embrace our past and continue our onward progress at the University of South Carolina.

our communities.

In this issue of our fall magazine, we share a variety of ways we are preparing the future generation of nursing leaders. Health care delivery, nursing science, and nursing education are constantly changing, and we continually evolve our approach to meet the needs of our students and our state. A Win-Win Partnership highlights

Jeannette O. Andrews PhD, RN, FAAN Dean and Helen Gurley Wolford Professor of Nursing j.andrews@sc.edu UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA / 3

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PRACTICING AT FULL SCOPE NP students learn advanced skills to improve patient care

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frail patient in the intensive care unit is gasping for air and codes. The attending physician is minutes away from the bedside, but the patient needs help now.

Although licensed nurse practitioners in South Carolina are allowed to perform life-saving procedures such as intubation, in many care settings across the state, they do not.

The University of South Carolina’s College of Nursing aims to change that norm by equipping students in the adult gerontology acute care nurse practitioner program with the knowledge, confidence, and skills to practice at the top of their license.

As part of that effort, program director Amy Dievendorf launched an innovative two-day on-campus advanced skills immersion training session to better prepare graduates to play a larger role on the healthcare team and be more marketable to potential employers.

“I want to equip our graduates to provide a

This immersion is over and beyond the 1,000 clinical hours required

broad spectrum of care

in the MSN and DNP programs. Having nurse practitioners take on

in acute and critical care

a heavier procedure load can improve patient care, and for some

settings. These enhanced

patients in small rural facilities, it may eliminate the need to be transferred to a larger facility, she says.

With a grant from the Helen Gurley Wolford Fund, Dievendorf collaborated with Crystal Murillo, director of the clinical simulation laboratory, to design a day-long series of stations. Groups of five or six students observed and practiced skills, including splinting and casting, chest tube insertion, and intubation. Clinical faculty members helped to recruit colleagues from across the region who served as experts for each skill station, providing an overview and

skills immersion trainings build knowledge and confidence in our students in preparation for their AGACNP role.”

AMY DIEVENDORF, AGACNP PROGRAM DIRECTOR

demonstration of the skill as well as sharing practical tips and critiquing the students as they practiced.

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On the second day, students completed ultrasound

In casting Patrick Todd, BSN ‘06, MSN ‘12, demonstrated

training and a capstone high-fidelity simulation exercise

how to immobilize the ankle and helped students find the

to practice decision-making and clinical skills with acute

best water temperature to activate the plaster, but cool

and intensely ill patients as well as frail, elderly patients.

enough to prevent patient burns. “Keep the ankle up,” he coached a student as she began wrapping the leg of her

At the intubation station Melinda Long, CRNA, reviewed

patient, a fellow student. “Make sure you bend the knee.”

patient positioning and explained the differences between

Todd, who works in the emergency department at Prisma

intubation blade types and sizes. “You probably just broke

Health Richland Hospital, also says it’s important to review

that tooth,” she said as a student struggled on her first try

post-discharge care instructions with patients. His top tip?

to intubate the manikin. “Remember the motion is up and

“If a patient’s leg is itchy, tell them to put a hairdryer on a

out. If a patient has dentures, take them out. If there’s a

cool setting and blow-dry the cast for a few minutes.”

dangling tooth because of trauma, pull it.”

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Laura McDowell, a critical care nurse at Atrium Health in Charlotte, NC, had previously practiced some of the skills with her preceptor but said the training was helpful because of the low-stress learning environment. “It just felt safe,” she says. “It wasn’t like trying the first time on a person and having to worry about the possibility of anything going wrong. I was surprised by the type of manikins the college has and how true they looked to real-life anatomy.”

Annie Blakeman, a nurse from Fort Mill, SC, said she had never performed most of the skills that were reviewed at the training. She said she understood the steps for each procedure from class lectures and reading, but the opportunity to have hands-on practice with each skill was invaluable. “Feeling the pressure, knowing how much resistance you should feel, that sort of knowledge can’t be taught in a book,” she says.

Dievendorf surveyed students before and after the training to measure whether it increased their confidence in their ability to perform the skills. She will incorporate the results to improve future training sessions and inform nurse practitioner education practices. Although medical students receive extensive hands-on training on procedures, Dievendorf says few similar opportunities are available for advanced practice nurses, and the professional literature about such nurse training is minimal.

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BRIDGING THE GAPS

Coretta Jenerette aims to bolster doctoral education

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Coretta Jenerette pursued a career in nursing because she wanted to support her family and be of service to her community. Now with her Macy Faculty Scholar project that is integrating simulation in Ph.D. nursing programs, Jenerette is influencing nursing education at South Carolina — and far beyond.

FOUNDATION IN SICKLE CELL DISEASE SCHOLARSHIP After graduating with her bachelor’s degree, Jenerette worked as a staff nurse on a medical

“The goal is to fill in some of those

oncology unit in Florence, SC. There, she also

[skill and exposure] gaps so that our

began caring for patients with sickle cell

future scientists will be better

disease who were often treated by oncologists because of their expertise in blood disorders. She noticed that although both

equipped to be more impactful earlier in their careers.”

patient groups frequently presented with pain issues, the healthcare team responded much differently to cancer patients. Their pain could be verified and, as a result, typically received several pain management options. In contrast,

CORETTA JENERETTE, ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSIVITY AND PROFESSOR

sickle cell patients were often ignored because their pain could not be assessed in the same way, and they were sometimes stigmatized as drug seekers. These observations fueled Jenerette’s lifelong passion for improving sickle cell care and health disparities. Her master’s and doctoral research projects at South Carolinaincluded the adaptation and validation of a scale for measuring health-related stigma in sickle cell patients. Jenerette completed post-doctoral research fellowships at Yale University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is considered one of the nation’s leading nursing sickle cell scholars.

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NEW APPROACH TO GRADUATE LEARNING After Jenerette became the lead faculty for the University

Jenerette’s project aims to develop

of North Carolina School of Nursing’s Ph.D. Division in

simulation activities that expose Ph.D.

2017, she began talking to students to assess the program’s strengths and weaknesses.

students to the social determinants of health and interprofessional education.

Those conversations revealed disparities in the students’ experiences, including their exposure to vulnerable patient

She outlined this novel approach to Ph.D. education in

populations or research activities such as leading focus

her successful application to become a Macy Faculty

groups or securing informed consent from patients.

Scholar. The prestigious two-year award supports

Jenerette found that experiences often depended on each

educational innovators in medicine and nursing to

faculty mentor’s research activity; as a result, if a mentor

implement a change project at their institution.

did not study a vulnerable population or have an active program of research, their students were more likely to

In year one of the project, she has collaborated with

have education gaps in areas such as social determinants

Crystal Murillo, director of the clinical simulation laboratory,

of health. To fill those experience gaps, Jenerette suggested

to use best practice to integrate simulation into the

that simulation, an approach often used in clinical

existing Ph.D. curriculum. This partnership is yielding

education, could be integrated into the Ph.D. curriculum

the clinical educator/researcher synergies touted by

so that all students could practice these skills.

Dean Jeannette Andrews.

LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD

Jenerette returned to South Carolina drawn by the opportunity to champion diversity and inclusion for students, faculty, and staff at her alma mater.

Since joining the college, Jenerette and the college’s diversity, equity, and inclusion committee conducted a formal climate survey. Along with data from the

“My job is to listen to the faculty, staff,

university’s climate survey, the results are being

and students and co-produce an

analyzed to develop a baseline climate assessment of the college to inform future strategies and objectives.

environment that is supportive and

To start, Jenerette is working with the admissions

welcoming to everyone so that every

committee to adopt a holistic admissions process to better assemble diverse classes of students who can more fully contribute to the profession of nursing, looking at factors beyond grades and test scores.

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stakeholder affiliated with the College of Nursing can say they had the best opportunities to be successful.”

SMART COLLABORATION

In August 2018, Cindy Corbett passionately began her role at the College of Nursing as a professor and the SmartState Endowed Chair in Clinical Effectiveness Research/Chronic Care Management. As one of South Carolina’s SmartState Centers, the newly established Center for Advancing Chronic Care Outcomes through Research and Innovation (ACORN) focuses on innovative, multidisciplinary research to improve health, and quality of life among people with chronic conditions. With Corbett’s strong research background on strategies to improve chronic illness management and patient safety, she found the opportunity to chair the ACORN Center as a way to effectively advance her work. Corbett shared, “this is a unique opportunity to start a center and grow it from the ground up based on my research.”

Corbett has spent the past months working to build her

‘“I believe that caring for

vision of a center that provides bidirectional programs, where researchers can link with partners for design help

people with chronic conditions

and implement projects of interest. Partners can

is a team effort and so is the

likewise work with researchers to design and implement

research that goes into it. You need an interprofessional team, including patients and their family members or caregivers, to figure out the best solutions moving forward in healthcare.”

interventions that address their interests and needs.

Corbett’s research and leadership have attracted a team of outside stakeholders, faculty, and students to assist with the center’s research and goals.

The center looks forward to continued growth during the 2019-2020 academic year. Their plans include building infrastructure for the center for faculty to be competitive for extramural funding, partnering on projects with the College of Engineering and Computing, and using artificial intelligence (AI) interface to aid in instruction.

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A WIN-WIN PARTNERSHIP

Walmart preceptors shape nurse leaders In South Carolina, Georgia, and Texas, Walmart operates 19 Walmart Care Clinics that provide their communities with an affordable, quality, and conveniently located (inside Walmart) primary care option. Run entirely by nurse practitioners; the clinics offer a broad scope of services including diagnosis and treatment of chronic and acute illnesses, and preventative services, such as immunizations, physicals, and point of care lab tests.

In these clinics, nurse practitioners work in a setting where they can treat the whole patient.

“As a nurse practitioner myself, I believe we have a professional obligation to make the next generation of nurse practitioners even better. We must support and grow our profession and give back to the communities. We have knowledgeable, caring nurse practitioners at Walmart providing high-quality care every single day.

It is important that the students can participate in an NP practice and not only in a medical practice.”

TRACEY KNIESS, WALMART’S DIRECTOR OF QUALITY ASSURANCE

In 2017, Walmart and The University of South Carolina College of Nursing entered into a 10-year nurse preceptor partnership as a way to build

South Carolina Walmart Care Clinics

associate leadership and give back to the community.

This mutually beneficial partnership provides big wins for both stakeholders. Under the supervision of an experienced preceptor, students gain clinical experience in a setting that serves a diverse patient population and treats a broad scope of medical issues.

As UofSC’s counterpart, Walmart provides leadership and skill refreshment opportunities to their clinic employees.

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CAMDEN COLUMBIA FLORENCE NORTH AUGUSTA SUMTER

We followed up with two dedicated Walmart/UofSC preceptors to learn more about the value they find in precepting students.

ANGELA DYKES

JANETTE CAPACI

Lead Nurse Practitioner

Lead Nurse Practitioner

Walmart Care Clinic

Walmart Care Clinic

North Augusta, SC

Camden, SC

Q. How many students have you precepted?

Q. How many students have you precepted?

A. So far, I’ve precepted two students for a full semester.

A. I’ve precepted four students and have one new student this fall semester.

Q. Why is being a preceptor important to you?

A. When I was in school, I had some amazing preceptors. I recognize the importance of giving back to the nursing community and helping nurses

Q. Why did you sign up to participate in the UofSC and Walmart Preceptor program?

A. I’ve always been actively involved in nursing

grow and learn. It’s a big leap for students

education and I’m interested in applying my

transitioning from working at the bedside to

knowledge to help build future nurse leaders.

learning how to diagnose and prescribe. I want to help guide students during this transition.

Q. What are the benefits for students precepting in your clinic?

Q. What pearls of wisdom do you share with your students?

A. I tell my students that they need to find a way to

A. Since our patients vary in socio-economic levels, the students benefit from working with a wide range of patients and healthcare issues.

connect with the patient. It’s a best practice in the Walmart Care Clinic to make sure our patients

Q. Is there a specific skill you hope to teach students?

know we care about their well-being.

A. I work with my students to look at the patient’s full history to see the whole picture. I want students to

Q. How do precepting students benefit your practice?

understand the holistic approach to treat patients

A. Precepting helps me review skills and challenge

and to be able to provide a plan of action for

myself to practice to the best of my ability. I want to

patients.

make sure I’m providing the most accurate information in a safe environment for my student and patient.

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INFLUENCING POLICY

Tax credit bill signed for clinicians who mentor students on clinical rotations in S.C.

Other states who have passed similar bills have seen an increase in clinician interest in precepting. We are hoping this incentive will add additional value to the importance of educating students.

JEANNE CAVANAUGH, DIRECTOR OF CLINICAL PARTNERSHIPS 14/COLLEGE OF NURSING

O

n July 10th, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster signed into law Senate Bill 314, which will provide personal state income tax credits and deductions for eligible clinicians in South Carolina if they agree to train students.

A preceptor may be a physician, physician’s assistant (PA),

or advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who provides supervision and instruction during student clinical education experiences. They must not be otherwise compensated and must provide a minimum of two required clinical rotations within a calendar year.

This law recognizes the critical role preceptors play in educating future clinicians in our state. It will ultimately serve to help address the primary care access shortages, which exist in all but one of South Carolina’s 46 counties, and associated health rankings in the state.

The Senate Bill 314 is the result of a preceptor tax incentive initiative, which was initiated by the Coalition for Increased Access to Care (CIAPC), comprised of South Carolina based public universities in September of 2016. Through much effort and several amendments, it successfully passed during the 2019 legislative session.

Dean Andrews has represented the College of Nursing on this committee since its inception.

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN BECOMING A PRECEPTOR? Contact Jeanne Cavanaugh at 803-777-7128 or cavanauj@mailbox.sc.edu.

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COMMITTED TO SERVICE

Cheedy Jaja combats sickle cell disease in Sierra Leone

At the height of the Ebola epidemic in 2014, Cheedy Jaja traded the relative comforts of American healthcare practice for Tyvek bodysuits and chlorine baths in Port Loko, Sierra Leone.

Behind a steamy face mask and shield, he bore witness to the virus’s ravaging effects on his homeland — from the patients who would strip and lie on the cold concrete to find relief from their fever to the blank stares that signaled death was near followed by the wails of newly orphaned children.

Now Jaja, a Fulbright Scholar and associate professor at the University of South Carolina’s College of Nursing, is again answering the call to improve health care in Sierra Leone.

His new mission is to bolster the early diagnosis and treatment of sickle cell disease in children.

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THE PATH TOWARD HOME Jaja says he took the scenic route to a health care career.

After working for ten years as a tenured philosophy professor, he became interested in bioethics, which led him to pursue graduate degrees in science and nursing.

Jaja, a board-certified psychiatry and mental health nurse practitioner, had not worked in Sierra Leone until the Ebola crisis but felt called to use his clinical skills to help his country of birth. Through relationships he formed during the relief effort, he learned of new opportunities to advance Sierra Leone’s health care system.

While helping to establish an orphanage for children left parentless by the outbreak, he was asked by the Sickle Cell Carers Awareness Network, a patient advocacy group, to assist with providing care and treatment for 2,000 symptomatic patients who had nowhere to turn for a definitive diagnosis and disease management. Jaja accepted the challenge. He had experienced firsthand sickle cell’s devastating effects, losing childhood friends and a nephew at age two to the disease.

“I have always been motivated by the ability to be of service. We can be in a position to offer children the opportunity to live a full and productive life,” he says.

Although newborn sickle cell testing is routine in the United States — about 2,000 babies are diagnosed annually — it is rare in Sierra Leone. As a result, 60 percent to 90 percent of children born with sickle cell disease die by age five, having never been diagnosed. However, with

“Sickle cell disease is a major cause of infant mortality in Sierra Leone, and it doesn’t have to be so.

We can be in a position to offer children the opportunity to live a full and productive life.”

CHEEDY JAJA, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

inexpensive treatment (vaccinations, penicillin, and folic acid), parent education, and monitoring, a significant percentage of children born with the disease can live into late adulthood, Jaja says.

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Building on that first request to intervene four years ago, Jaja worked with the Sickle Cell Carers Awareness

A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH

Network to create Sierra Leone’s first sickle cell registry,

Jaja, an alumnus of the Substance Abuse and Mental

which currently tracks about 2,500 patients. In addition,

Health Services Administration’s Minority Health

he launched the country’s first dedicated sickle cell clinic

Fellowship program, is now implementing the

through a pilot program that provides free comprehensive

three-prong intervention he outlined in his Fulbright

care to 120 pediatric patients. These projects are supported

award application:

in part by the College of Nursing.

The College of Nursing is committed to improving health locally and globally. Dr. Jaja is an exceptional scholar who brings opportunities for students, faculty, and colleagues to collaborate abroad with his impactful research agenda.

DEAN JEANNETTE ANDREWS

TRAINING: Jaja designed a curriculum to train doctors and nurses to identify and manage children with sickle cell disease.

SCREENING: Based on a successful two-month screening pilot program conducted in 2017, Jaja is partnering with four major government hospitals with maternity units (covering four of the country’s 12 regions) to establish newborn sickle cell screening as the standard of care.

He is also educating communities about sickle cell disease to boost support for screening and combat falsehoods, such as the notion that the disease stems from involvement in witchcraft.

AWARENESS: Jaja is working with political leaders to pass a bill recognizing sickle cell disease as a major public health problem (akin to HIV and malaria) to increase government funds for disease management. Also, with support from College of Nursing dean Jeannette Andrews and Global Carolina, he is working to identify global health education initiatives and research partnership opportunities for College of Nursing faculty as well as clinical opportunities for students in Sierra Leone.

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VIRTUAL CONNECTIONS Learning anytime, anywhere

A

registered nurse, two to three years post-graduation, is ready for more autonomy within their practice and begins to explore master’s and doctoral options.

But with outside factors such as needing to continue working full time, caring for a family, and proximity to a university, the days of classroom instruction being the only option for learning are long gone.

To meet the needs of modern students,

“As faculty, I feel more

universities have moved toward online

connected to students.

models of teaching. Currently, the

I’m able to check in multiple

College of Nursing’s masters and doctor of nursing practice programs are taught almost exclusively through distributed learning. The University of South Carolina is a member of the Quality Matters Consortium and the College of

times a day, give students the best answers, and provide personal and group feedback.”

Nursing’s Distributed Learning Courses must meet the standards outlined in the Quality Matters Rubric, including accessibility, usability, and copyright compliance.

MEGAN CAIN, CLINICAL ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

Faculty members Phyllis Raynor, Megan Cain, and Kate Jones currently teach online graduate classes in their designated specialties. Each instructor starts their week with a video to their students. The weekly intro video is recorded in a casual tone that provides feedback from the prior week and shares expectations for the current week. All three professors agree the principal benefit of online learning is the flexibility that it allows. The asynchronous learning delivery model enables students to complete their work based on their personal scheduling needs.

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When working on group projects, students plan with their peers’ meeting hours to complete project guidelines and prepare presentations and other project criteria.

“I enjoy connecting with my students. I receive emails from students years

Working with fellow students on

after they are in my

projects promotes problem-solving

class- which shows me

abilities, and many students have shared they gained professional skills in managing group dynamics. Faculty believe that online learning fosters a great

the tangible impact of connecting with my classes.”

deal of student-to- student interaction.

Students find online discussion groups to be a safe environment for participation. Students also aren’t restricted to a one-hour class time to engage. With online

PHYLLIS RAYNOR, CLINICAL ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

discussions, students have the opportunity to formulate their thoughts before sharing and interacting in discussions. Raynor has watched many of her classes form a sense of community that supports one another and improves students’ practice.

Similarly, professors teaching online courses feel virtual classes present unique opportunities for communicative environments that stimulate positive learning outcomes.

However, it takes intentional work, planning, and practice to consistently produce such environments. Teaching in a distributed learning format requires different pedagogical and technical skills when compared to classroom teaching.

This type of teaching often involves significant changes in the presentation of course content, teaching strategies, and evaluation methods. To ensure faculty are effectively engaging with students, the College of Nursing created a

The Director of Distributed Learning, Vera PolyakovaNorwood, meets with each faculty member to discuss

position to specifically support and guide nursing faculty

teaching and learning needs

in class development.

and develop a teaching

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strategy for the course.

Currently, Jones, Raynor, and Polyakova-

“Even though we may not see our

Norwood are working on a grant from

students in person, we want

the Helen Gurley Wolford Fund to

to be sure that we convey

explore the concept of “caring” in the context of online courses and

through course design and

identify faculty behaviors

our communication how

perceived as caring by online

much we care about them,

students. The project began with

and their success in their

an extensive literature review and

online program.”

gathered data about student perceptions through an online survey and focus groups. The team plans to offer

KATE JONES, DIRECTOR,

a workshop for the College of Nursing faculty

NURSING ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM

and publish their findings.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR PALMETTO GOLD AWARD WINNERS Lindy Beaver Amy Dievendorf Crystal Murillo Eboni Harris Ronda Hughes

AND TO OUR SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS Pamela Wright Katie Milo

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SHOUTOUTS 1

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FACULTY 1. Beverly Baliko inducted into the National Academies of Practice (NAP) for her dedication to interprofessional education.

2. Sheryl Mitchell inducted into the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and recipient of the UofSC Clinical Teaching Award.

3. Tisha Felder named 40 Under 40 by the National Minority Quality Forum and UofSC Breakthrough Award Winner.

4. Jeannette Andrews elected to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Nominating Committee and serves on the Council of Collegiate Education (CCEN) Board as Vice President.

5. Robin Dail elected to the Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science (CANS) and funded by the NINR to examine body temperature and heart rate as a predictive measure for infection in preterm infants.

The College of Nursing has partnered with Cooperative Health for nurse practitioner training with a $2.4 million HRSA ANEW grant. The grant’s

6. Demetrius Abshire awarded a 5-year, K23 career development award through the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities for his research on obesity in the rural south.

primary objective is to increase the number of family

7. Ronda Hughes selected to the American Academy of Nursing’s (AAN) Quality Expert Panel.

FNP workforce in South Carolina.

8. Alicia Ribar received a HRSA ANEW grant to collaborate with Cooperative Health for nurse practitioner training.

Alicia Ribar, assistant dean for graduate studies, stated,

9. Nate Bell awarded an R03 by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to study disparities in access to Patient-Centered Medical Homes (PCMH) among marginalized population groups.

to the residents of South Carolina. Students will learn

10. Phyllis Raynor selected for Fellowship in the International Academy of Addictions Nursing (FIAAN).

11. The college’s Clinical Simulation Lab selected to host a regional Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH) workshop in Spring 2020.

nurse practitioner (FNP) students trained in rural, underserved areas in South Carolina. It also aims to increase diversity of the FNP student population and

“Both the College of Nursing and the Cooperative strive to provide high-quality, affordable health care during a novel approach of practice-based instruction to tie academic knowledge to the real-life care of patients. This grant will strengthen our relationship with the Cooperative and improve workforce readiness for our primary care nurse practitioner students to provide high-level quality care to our community.”

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TAKING THE LEAD Sara Spoone came to the College of Nursing after both her father and older brother graduated from the University of South Carolina. She chose to pursue nursing after watching her aunt work in the pediatric ICU. Spoone is also interested in pediatrics, though right now, she wants to experience the many potential career paths nursing offers. During her time at South Carolina, she stays busy with school and sporting events. She also helped start a local chapter of the Nurses Christian Fellowship.

When a professor approached her about starting the organization, she described it as an opportunity she could not pass up. Spoone shared that she sees college as a freeing environment where students can find their calling.

Even though she knew starting an organization from scratch would be difficult, she said she saw a chance to bring nursing students together in a community. Now the president of the organization, she and the other members celebrated their first official year as a chapter.

After moving all over the country in a military family, Shatoria Sandlain has made a home at the College of Nursing at the University of South Carolina. In her time pursuing her undergraduate degree in nursing, Sandlain has balanced schoolwork, friendships, and her sorority, Chi Eta Phi, of which she is now president. When asked how she handles it all, she said, “Stay organized and avoid procrastination. Find a hobby, too.”

As the president of her nursing sorority’s chapter, her priorities have been expanding their membership and focusing on communication. Her past opportunities in volunteering and leadership roles helped prepare her to step into her current position. She found that building connections has created a gateway for her future. She hopes to continue to foster relationships in Columbia that will lead to a local job. Additionally, she plans to continue her education and become a certified midwife. Her positive connection to professors in the college instilled in her a life-long love for learning.

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STUDENTS For Haleigh Clutters, the word leadership is a familiar one. Not only is she the president of the Student Nursing Association of South Carolina and a member of the Dean’s Student Advisory Board, but she also is a former president of Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity. She shared that each of her different experiences as a leader has added valuable skills to her repertoire. From time management, to recognizing the needs of others, to understanding the importance of cultural competence, she has translated experiences into expertise.

While the day-to-day grind of a student leader in a rigorous academic program can be a difficult one, Clutters shared that with the end of her undergraduate degree in sight, everything seems worth it. Her future goals include working as an ICU nurse for two years, then as a travel nurse. She would also like to start working on a graduate degree in her near future.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA / 25

BEATING THE HEAT The not so lazy days of summer

3

5

1 4

2 6 1. Emma Chimera completed an externship at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in the Emergency Department.

2. Karlee Poulin completed an externship at Duke University Hospital in the MICU and worked with Duke Life Flight Nurses.

3. Quenton Washington worked as a UofSC Summer Senior Counselor.

26/COLLEGE OF NURSING

4. Sydney Jones volunteered at the Greenville Hospital System in the Children’s Hospital.

5. Hannah Sheppard completed an externship at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta with the internal float team.

6. Jacob Gentry walked in Paris Fashion Week for Celine.

9

7

11 8 10

12 7. Elena Mulligan worked as an orientation leader for the UofSC Office of New Student Orientation.

10. Emily Inman completed an externship at MedStar Washington Hospital Center in the NICU.

8. Annie Lacher completed an externship at John Hopkins Bayview in the Neuro ICU.

11. Iquashia Hall completed a fellowship in Spain.

9. Thien Nguyen worked in the college’s ACORN Center.

12. Seth Poston worked in the ER at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA / 27

REAL-WORLD READY

Students participate in outside-the-box simulations

AIRSAFE TRAINING

College of Nursing seniors played the role of patients during the Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) Airsafe training, a drill mandated by the FAA. The full-scale emergency exercise involved 21 first-responder agencies and 176 volunteers. The simulation allowed students to view real-world problem solving and communication skills while learning about the psychological reactions of trauma patients.

“In the airsafe simulation, I learned that many difficult decisions are made in the hope to save as many people as possible; how to triage patients in a mass casualty situation.

Having the role of the victim was important because it allowed us to gain crucial insight into the patient’s state of mind and how they may handle trauma on an emotional level.”

VICTORIA ALLEN, BSN STUDENT

28/COLLEGE OF NURSING

COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK POVERTY SIMULATION The newly established upper division course requirement, the Community Action Network Poverty Simulation, was funded by a grant from the Helen Gurley Wolford Fund.

The simulation provided an interactive immersion experience that sensitizes participants to the realities of poverty.

Student roles varied from a grandmother on disability taking care of her incarcerated daughter’s children to a 13-year-old without a consistent legal guardian. The simulation taught the challenges and choices that many families in our country must make every day and educated them on different programs such as Medicare and SNAP.

The most significant value I gained was that this simulation is a genuine reality for many of our patients. I understand why a patient may miss an appointment because they didn’t have enough money for transportation or if they had to decide between paying their rent or seeing the doctor.

BRICE DUCKWORTH, BSN STUDENT

Now I understand the choices that many patients face when they decide not to seek medical help or purchase a necessary prescription. I want to further educate myself on the resources available for patients to provide the best care I can.

ANNE FAWCETT, BSN STUDENT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA / 29

THE NEXT LEVEL Ph.D. student Curisa Tucker received the prestigious Paul Ambrose

Scholarship, and her project will be a community-based baby shower for at-risk mothers in the Columbia area. She will provide and coordinate education on infant death and preterm births with other healthcare professionals during the baby shower. Tucker has also been accepted into the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Doctoral Scholars Program.

“My long term goal is to make this a sustainable project to have an ongoing impact on reducing infant deaths and preterm births in the community.”

Samantha Tojino is focusing her DNP research on improving sexual health assessment in the primary care setting.

She was named one of the top medical professionals of Augusta in 2018 and recognized by the Augusta chapter of the United Advanced Practice Registered Nurses. Tojino was also inducted as a fellow into the International Society for the Study for Women’s Sexual Health. She considers her job her hobby and is passionate about addressing sexual and menopausal health in women of all ages.

“I want to be considered an expert in my field, and I foresee changes in the nursing industry. Nurses must be active in the field and collaborate with physicians to provide optimal patient outcomes.”

30/COLLEGE OF NURSING

S

ervant leadership is what Ruth Mustard, ‘96 MSN, has

ALUMNI

strived toward throughout her 42-year career as a

nurse. It is also what she has focused her research interests on as a student in the doctor of nursing practice (DNP) program.

Mustard, associate director for nursing and patient services at the William Jennings Brian Dorn VA Medical Center, received her master’s degree in nursing administration from South Carolina in 1996. Earning a terminal degree has always been one of her personal goals, and in 2017, Mustard came back to the college for the DNP program with a concentration in nurse executive leadership.

Mustard recently completed an independent study with her faculty mentor, Ronda Hughes, and authored a manuscript, “Servant Leadership in the Veterans Health Administration,” which has been accepted for publication.

“I have had a great experience in developing a servant leadership education and mentorship program for nurse managers,” Mustard said. “I targeted that group because they are pivotal in terms of patient care.”

As a nurse leader, Mustard has always encouraged life-long learning among her staff and serves as a role model for others in continuing her education alongside a demanding career. Mustard credits the DNP program with opening her eyes to a different type of education and an opportunity for exploring an interest in scholarly research.

“The master’s of science in nursing was a good experience, but the doctoral program gives a deeper understanding of why we do what we do. It allows us to ask those questions and gain a better understanding at a deeper level.”

“It has been very energizing to go back to school and do some things that I probably would not have done and learn things that I may not have been exposed to otherwise,” she said.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA / 31

TABLE FOR THREE

We invited three alumni to join us for dinner at the College of Nursing for an evening of conversation and camaraderie. Pull up a chair and join us while we get to know a little more about Bradley Quarles,‘18 BSN, cardiovascular ICU nurse at Prisma Health-Richland; Lisa James,‘17 DNP, director of nursing, critical care administration at Prisma Health-Richland; and Lucy Marion,‘67 BSN, ‘74 MN, dean and professor at Augusta University College of Nursing.

LET’S START WITH THE BASICS. WHAT DREW YOU TO THE NURSING PROFESSION? BRADLEY: I wanted to pursue business, but my parents

LISA: My journey was a little bit different. I grew up in Mississippi and had a lot of sick family members. My mom was a juvenile diabetic, my grandfather had a heart attack early, and I helped to take care of my family. My mom

always preached to me about job stability. They wanted

would go to the hospital all the time and would pull me out

me to be able to parachute anywhere in America and have

of school to go with her. She was afraid of the nursing staff

a job, so I chose nursing. And I’ve really found my niche.

because she felt like they had to stick her all the time to start

Once I got into clinicals and started doing my rotations, I

IVs. Little did I know that she was just a hard stick; you know

fell in love with it. I kind of stumbled upon this career, but

you have to stick several times sometimes. It wasn’t a matter

I don’t regret it for a day. I love it.

of the nurses being mean, but I wanted to be a nurse so that

32/COLLEGE OF NURSING

I could be an advocate for patients like my mom.

LUCY: I’ve always wanted to take care of people. Like you,

provide Florence Nightigale-

Lisa, my family identified me as a caregiver; I never knew

care, but if the room is a mess,

anything but that. As a child, it was clear to me that nursing

what do the patient and

was my future and that the University of South Carolina

family leave thinking?

would be my university. My grandmother’s home was right over there on Greene Street. Actually, where this

LISA: When I round now as

building is, there used to be a large and lovely home

a director, I can tell what

painted green. The woman who owned it was my

kind of care that patient

grandmother’s friend, and she would take me to visit

is receiving just from

and play. We walked across this area of campus to get to

like you say, the way that

“town”, meaning Main Street. I have strong roots with

room has been taken care of.

this space and this university.

It does make a huge difference.

WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES A GOOD NURSE?

BRADLEY: So I have a question. As someone new to the career, I’m wondering, what’s the driving force that has

BRADLEY: From what I’ve seen in the hospital, the biggest

made you push through? You know, when you get up and

and most tangible thing that makes a good nurse is not

say this is tough, I may be burned out, but this is why I’m

knowing it all. It’s the compassion and the will to come in

doing it.

early to help turn the patient, to be a team player. That is what makes a difference.

LISA: It goes back to the reason that I got into nursing in the first place. You have to believe that you can make a

LISA: It’s that human touch, which cannot be taught, that’s

difference. It’s not going to be easy at all, and you’re going

sometimes missing.

to get pushed back. But that drives me even more. You need to surround yourself with positive people and keep

LUCY: You can role model “high touch” nursing along with

pushing through. Just remember what’s in your heart and

the “high tech”, though, and reward it when you see it. Our

what got you here in the first place.

systems don’t always capture this aspect of nursing or support it either, but it is our duty to show our novice

LUCY: I believe in possibilities. What are your possibilities,

nurses—students or clinicians—how to show deep caring

what are you going to do? You may not even know yet.

for better patient outcomes. Too many new nurses don’t

You keep your wagon hitched to the north star of quality

have a seasoned role model to help them through this

nursing care, and you have to stay true to nursing ethics.

learning and help that budding empathy grow.

You have to stay knowledgeable. You cannot slip, and you cannot let things get ahead of you. Just stay right on that

BRADLEY: Last night, I had a patient come in critically sick,

cutting edge all the time. If you have that, possibilities will

and one of the biggest things I did for him (besides the

unfold before your eyes.

care I provided for him) was the care I provided for the family. I let them stay in the room and made accommodations for them. They were so appreciative. It’s the smallest details. The way I look at it is that I could

LISA: You have to trust yourself and trust your heart. You won’t go wrong if you do that. You cannot be afraid to ask for help or admit if you don’t know something because we’re always learning.

LUCY: And take a break.

LISA: And take a break. Go to a football game! Do you plan to advance your degree, Bradley?

BRADLEY: I’d like to do anesthesia. It’s what I really want to do, but it’s kind of difficult for a talker like me. I love holding hands, and I love being an advocate. I’m so fresh to everything that I’m learning a lot just from the job itself.

But for me, at the end of it all, it’s about the benefit to the patient.

34/COLLEGE OF NURSING

LUCY AND LISA, WHAT WAS THE CATALYST FOR CONTINUING YOUR EDUCATION BEYOND THE BACCALAUREATE LEVEL? LUCY: I’m a knowledge person. It transformed me every time I went to school or pursued a next knowledge level.

It’s like looking under the microscope or over a wide horizon – I could see so much more than I’d ever seen before and this just unfolded over and over again. I don’t have a hunger for knowledge just for the sake of it – I love to take in new information, connect the old with the new, and test just how we can use it in nursing.

LISA: I was taught at an early age that knowledge is power; if you want to make a difference and get anywhere in this world, you need to go to school. My journey took

me through the military – that’s where I gained my

I think your legacy evolves from your career goals and

leadership experience. And when I got my DNP, I knew

achievements. You might plant it, but you can’t know if it

I wanted to focus on clinical practice. I don’t want to be

will take. There are so many opportunities in nursing. You

a researcher; I wanted to take what researchers produce

can do some of the highest level things you ever thought

and bring it intopractice. Getting your DNP is like the

of. Just say yes to requests and fill in voids as you go. Any

connective tissue pulling everything together for our

failures will teach you more than successes. Embrace as

profession.

you go!

WHAT ADVANTAGES DOES ADVANCED EDUCATION BRING TO THE TABLE FOR NURSES?

BRADLEY: My thing is, I can be anything in the world, but

LUCY: Reliable and valid studies have looked at the mortality rate and the ratio of nurses with a BSN and above to those with less than a BSN. The findings indicate lower mortality and morbidity rate in systems with more BSN-prepared nurses. The BSN program teaches nurses to think differently, more strategically and critically, and gives a better overall education.

ultimately, at the end of the day, I want to make a difference. If I haven’t made a difference, I haven’t left my legacy, and then what have I really done? That is the beauty of nursing. It’s not necessarily a job or a profession; it’s a lifestyle. It’s who you are, and it calls into question everything about you. But ultimately it’s what we’re all here to do. At your sickest moment, what can I do to make it better? What can I do to make it better for other people after me? That’s what I love about nursing.

LISA: Before I got my DNP, I could be invited to the table and participated, but with the DNP, now I’m able to dance with them at the table. I’ve learned to talk the language, have avoice, be intentional and be confident when I speak.

As a Gamecock Nurse, there are several new and exciting ways you can

BRADLEY: It empowers me when I can advocate for a

connect with the college

patient and get them what they need, and I get that

and other alumni.

confidence through education. I speak to that from a standpoint that I received here as a student, that I received on the unit and from my preceptors, but they all had the education and the evidence-based research to back it up.

WHAT ABOUT YOUR LEGACY? WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO LEAVE BEHIND?

Contact Annie Lambert, Director of Alumni Engagement, at 803-777-3752 or lambert@sc.edu.

LUCY: You know, I once contracted with an experienced administrative team coach, and she said to think about what legacy you want to leave and plan for it. I said, wait a minute, I don’t think you can/should plan your legacy.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA / 35

THE DEAN’S CIRCLE “I have fond memories

The Dean’s Circle recognizes donors who annually give gifts of $1,000 or more to

of my days as a South

the College of Nursing.

Carolina nursing student and

As a Dean’s Circle donor, you have

received federal

an immediate and substantial impact on our ability to increase

assistance for my

outreach, expand student

tuition. I am a Dean’s

scholarships, and ultimately change

Circle member to help

the future of nursing for the better.

support nursing students in

Additionally, you will receive exclusive

the future.”

invitations to College of Nursing events and have the opportunity to take part in roundtables with the College of Nursing faculty and staff.

BELINDA RUTLEDGE, ‘73 BSN, ‘78 MSN

“I joined the Dean’s Circle as a way to show appreciation for the opportunities given to me as a student. I am grateful for my education and The University of South Carolina. Dean Andrews supported my teaching administrative journey, and now is my time to give back.”

KIMBERLY GLENN, MSN ‘86 AND FACULTY EMERITA

C

C

DONORS AND FRIENDS

Carole Cato, a longtime donor and supporter of the College of Nursing, grew up on a family tobacco farm in rural southern Virginia where health and educational opportunities for women were scarce and often out of reach because of cost.

That experience sparked her passion for women’s advocacy and supporting the College of Nursing was a natural fit. She joined the college’s Partnership Board and was impressed by the faculty’s dedication to improving the health of people across

I see miraculous things happening at the University of South Carolina’s College of Nursing all the time.

the state and the world.

Cato funded a fellowship to support Ph.D. students interested in teaching. This fellowship is helping to increase the number of nursing faculty, with the further goal of increasing the college’s capacity to educate more nurses who are critically needed to meet South Carolina’s growing health care needs. Additionally, she donated her entire estate to the college to ensure that it can expand its women’s health research and policy initiatives.

Cato says she is excited by the momentum at the college: cuting-edge programs in telehealth mental health services, a state-of-the-art simulation lab, perfect

For more information on how you

can support the College of Nursing, contact Monica Cromer,

Senior Director of Development, at 803-777-3848 or

monicam@mailbox.sc.edu.

first-time passage rates on the nursing board exams, and a successful advocacy campaign that broadened the scope of practice for nurse practitioners in South Carolina, to name a few.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA / 37

CATCHING UP WITH MARY ANN PARSONS, DEAN EMERITA As the longest-serving dean at the University of South Carolina College of Nursing, we could have spent a full day reflecting on her time at the college. Since retiring, Parsons hasn’t had much time to relax. In efforts to stay current with the nursing field, she has worked with fellow nurse leaders to revise the seventh and eighth editions of the “Health Promotion in Nursing Practice” textbook. In her personal time, she stays busy enjoying her four grandsons and spends time at her Georgia cabin. Her loyalty to the College of Nursing is shown in her financial commitment to the Dean’s Circle, membership in South Carolina’s Guardian Society, and in establishing the Mary Ann Parsons Excellence in Leadership Endowment Fund.

Parsons’ roots run deep when it comes to South Carolina and the College of Nursing. She enthusiastically shared that she will be returning this fall as a student taking a political science class. When she began her tenure as dean in 1988, she had a vision of expanding research, practice, and leadership opportunities for nurses. Over her seventeen years as dean, she accomplished many “firsts” and built numerous programs. Her achievements include developing the doctor of nursing practice (DNP) program, designating the Amy V. Cockcroft Program, building the nurse-managed center, and increasing the emphasis on research by growing the number of research centered faculty. During a time when many nursing programs focused on BSN education, Parsons saw a need to develop and specialize nursing leaders further. “We looked at the progression of the greater nursing community and wanted to offer programs that met the needs of the evolving nurse, and that’s why we began the DNP program,” Parsons affirmed. She fondly remembers the jubilation she felt when the first clinical doctorate graduated, “Her name was Linda Morphis, and it was so exciting.”

She continued to say, “The inaugural program was rigorous, and it set the standard high for years to come.”

Back in the present day, Parsons spoke about the growth happening in the nursing field and at the College of Nursing. She noted positive development in the nursing arena, “Improvements have been made in legislation, and educational opportunities have excelled, this has allowed nurses to specialize and practice at a wider scope.” As for the direction of the College of Nursing, she proudly expressed, “The direction Dean Andrews is taking the college is significant. She has been able to enhance funding, increase quality faculty, and implement innovative programs.”

IN MEMORIAM

2018 ALUMNI AWARD WINNERS

BETTY MARIE JOHNSON (1931- 2018) Betty Johnson served as dean of the College of Nursing from 1975 – 1980.

She established various nursing programs and participated in organizations overseeing the accreditation of nursing schools throughout the nation. In 2005, she created the Betty M. Johnson Excellence in Teaching Awards, which is awarded to selected faculty for teaching development. To learn more about this

OUTSTANDING NURSE ALUMNUS Kevin Lowe ‘09 BSN OUTSTANDING YOUNG NURSE ALUMNA Megan George ‘12 BSN Read their stories online at sc.edu/nursing/alumni

program, please contact the college’s development office.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA / 39

CELEBRATE NURSING GALA Last Spring, the University of South Carolina College of Nursing hosted the biennial Celebrate Nursing Gala. Over 150 guests attended and raised nearly $25,000 for student support and scholarships.

The event was held at 1208 Washington Place in downtown Columbia, South Carolina, and featured a silent auction and the presentation of the 2019 Philanthropy Awards.

Thank you to the organizations and individuals that helped make the event possible through generous sponsorships.

OUR HONORED AWARD RECIPIENTS DEAN’S DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD Carole Cato RUTH AND RALLIE SPIRIT OF GIVING AWARD The Class of 1967, represented by Renatta Loquist, Lucy Marion, and Caroline Seigler Sue Heiney LEGACY OF CARING AWARD Rebecca Dangerfield Barbara Nagy EXCELLENCE IN CORPORATE PHILANTHROPY AWARD Providence Health, represented by Maria Calloway South Carolina Oncology Associates, represented by Dr. Fred Kudrik 40/COLLEGE OF NURSING

READ & REPEAT

Things to know about today’s College of Nursing

100%

May and December 2018 NCLEX pass rates

1757

Top 10 Graduate Online Programs 5 consecutive years

Top choice for nursing students in South Carolina

Total number of students enrolled for fall 2019

$10.7 million grant funding in the past 3 years

42 /COLLEGE OF NURSING

2 Bachelor’s 5 Master’s 5 Certificates 2 Doctorates

10,500 + Alumni in

49 States

100%

ANCC pass rate for new nurse practitioner graduates

6

Endowed Professorships

Top 30s

in NIH funding among U.S. Colleges of Nursing

146

Full-time and part-time faculty members

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA / 43

Nonprofit Organization US Postage Paid Columbia, SC Permit #766 Columbia, SC 29208

TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN YOUR CAREER

Graduate Programs at The University of South Carolina Advance your career with our nationally ranked programs and faculty. All didactic classes are online and new scholarships opportunities are available.

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS DOCTOR OF NURSING PRACTICE DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN NURSING SCIENCE

FOR MORE INFORMATION: 803.777.9173 NURSGRAD@MAILBOX.SC.EDU SC.EDU/NURSING