GAMECOCK
The CONnection News and Views from the University of South Carolina COLLEGE OF NURSING
NOVEMBER 2014
Theresa Brown, a clinical nurse and author, recently wrote in a CNN blog, “the Ebola epidemic…..brought nurses fully into the national conversation about how to handle this potential public health threat. For the overall good of our health care system, we need to stay there.” Nurses historically have been on the front line of an epidemic, first to recognize public health and patient health issues, and the first to rise to the challenge of healing others regardless of the circumstance. We have many historic exemplars, dating back to Florence Nightingale’s insight, courage, and valor to address and improve the imposing environmental and public health threats of the soldiers in the Crimean War. Since then, nurses have been on the front lines with cholera, smallpox, hepatitis C, and other similar health threats in past decades. Most of us over 40 years of age remember the initial HIV/AIDS epidemic of the 80’s, that in many ways, mimics the global fear and public panic that we are seeing today with Ebola.
Dean Jeannette Andrews
Inside This Issue Students Corner..................2-3 Faculty & Staff Notes.........4-7 Alumni & Development......8-9 NO LIMITS............................10
Send Inquiries or Newsletter items to: Jan Johnson jnjohnso@mailbox.sc.edu
This recent health care crisis has positioned nursing’s centrality to successful health care, and as a result, health care will be better off because of it. Nurses are critical members of healthcare teams in hospital settings around the globe. Nurses are partners in care with other health providers, and patients depend on nursing care for their healing and recovery. Why do people get admitted to the hospital in the first place? Patients come to the hospital because they need, at a minimum, round the clock nursing care. As a front line care provider, nurses’ role in patient care is unrivaled. Because of the level of patient engagement, nurses are often the first to assess changes in a patient’s condition, serve as a navigator between the patient and the health care delivery system, and serve as a guardian for patient’s safety, rights, and privacy. At the College of Nursing, we are thinking about the patients, nurses, and other health care workers and their families from Atlanta to Africa who are personally touched by the Ebola crisis. Our hearts and prayers go out to all. Our nursing education communities and clinical partners around the state are preparing to care for and communicate with the public about Ebola. Our faculty, students, and clinical educators are receiving updates on the latest recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the safety of healthcare personnel, including the use of Personal Protective Equipment. We are partnering with local and state authorities to increase our efforts to expand public awareness about appropriate measures to take related to Ebola prevention and response. Hopefully, one day soon, we will have conquered the Ebola crisis. However, as history has shown, new and even more dangerous epidemics will emerge over time. Whatever comes, nurses will be there, at the front lines, at the bedside and in the community, caring for our patients and population health. This is who we are and what we do. Jeannette O. Andrews PhD, RN, FAAN Dean & Professor j.andrews@sc.edu
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Students Corner
David Wolfer has been named as a recipient of
the Rotary Global Grant to study at Makerere University with a focus in the policy and management of HIV/AIDS and infectious diseases. David is a Palmetto Fellow and a recipient of the Presidential Scholarship, Passport Travel Grant, Walker Institute International Experience Award, South Caroline Nurse Foundation Scholarship, and J. Randall Guy Healthcare Scholarship. He is also a member of the International Nursing Honors Society Sigma Theta Tau-Alpha Xi chapter. Read his feature article in the USC Times HERE. Breonia Brown received
the Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc. Brenda Brown Scholarship.
The 2nd Annual Stethoscope Ceremony was held on Wednesday, October 8th at the Carolina Theatre in Allendale. Progression to the Upper Division is extremely competitive and requires hard work, dedication, and a true desire to become a nurse. The USC Salkehatchie Rural Nursing Initiative Stethoscope Ceremony is held in the Fall semester to recognize and congratulate the elite group of 16 students who have put forth extensive effort to successfully progress to the Upper Division. During the Stethoscope Ceremony, faculty honor junior nursing students by draping a stethoscope around each student’s neck and donning them with a special memorabilia pin cut in the shape of a stethoscope and engraved with their anticipated date of graduation.
Senna Desjardins and Lauren Alexander with Cocky and Sir Big
Spur at the Viana McCown Lectureship.
USC Lancaster Class of 2016
Jarvia Meggett: Meet the 2014
Homecoming Step Show and Stroll Off Director.
63rd Annual Student Nurse’s Association State Convention This year’s SNA-SC Annual Convention was held October 3-5, 2014 in North Charleston, SC. The USC SNA had eight delegate seats in the SNA-SC House of Delegates and a total of 21 students from all three campus sites, Columbia, Salkatchie, and Lancaster, attended. Two advisors, Professor Kate K Chappell and Professor Heather Ruff, also attended. Student participation is supported by fundraising efforts throughout the year, funding through USC Student Government, and support by the Dean’s Office. During the convention, students participated in the legislative process and attended focus sessions on a variety of professional development and nursing career path topics as well as NCLEX preparation sessions. They also participated in caucusing to help choose the next year’s Executive Board, participated in school-to-school competitions, and danced at the Luau-themed Opening Night Party. USC participated in many of the competitions that are part of the tradition of SNA. They were the co-winners for Most Resolutions Submitted, as well as receiving recognition for the Highest COSR (Council of State Representatives) participation, given to the school chapter with the highest overall attendance across the year at the monthly state-level meetings. Lauren Bailey (BNS ‘14) completed her term as State President while Senior Savannah Turner began her term as State President for 2014-2015. Senior Trayce Callicott was elected to the 2014-2015 state executive board as Secretary. Justin Chavis (BSN ‘14), Allison Wagenlander (BSN ‘14), and Rebecca Christopher finished terms on the State Board as well. Kelly Banholzer authored and presented a resolution, “Increased Awareness Regarding the Lethality of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning and Advocating the Importance of Owning a CO2 Detector”, which was passed by the State House of Delegates. This resolution will be presented to the National SNA House of Delegates at the annual convention in April 2015. USC participated in many SNA traditions, ranging from spirit skits to penny wars to collecting pop tabs to donate to The Ronald McDonald House. They received recognition for raising the most funds toward this year’s state convention cause, Water Mission International, which works with indigent communities worldwide to establish safe and sustainable water supplies.
Faculty and Staff Notes
The College of Nursing welcomes new Dean of Research: Dr. Bernardine Pinto
Dr. Bernardine Pinto is a clinical psychologist, who received her doctoral degree from Western Michigan University. Her prior academic position was as Professor, at the Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, W. Alpert Medical School of Brown University and the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, School of Public Health at Brown University. Her research interests focus on the development of theoretically-based exercise interventions for adults, and in promoting healthy behaviors among cancer survivors with a special emphasis on exercise promotion among cancer survivors. She has published over 95 original articles and book chapters. As Principal Investigator, she has received funding from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institute on Aging, National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society and the Lance Armstrong Foundation. She has received continuous federal funding for her research since 1996. Dr. Pinto was a member and the Chair of the Behavioral and Psychosocial Research Committee at the American Cancer Society and has been an invited reviewer by several international funding agencies. She supervised psychology interns and post-doctoral fellows within the Brown University Psychology Training Consortium and has mentored junior faculty. She lectures extensively both nationally and internationally.
Dr. Robin Estrada featured in the
USC Times, “A dose of better communication.” Read the story HERE.
Dr.
Ronit
Elk
reviewed grants for a NIH committee “Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Research”. in Bethesda, MA on October 27th.
Lydia Zager has been appointed the new Director of The Amy V. Cockcroft
Leadership Development Program.
This Program is the first of it’s kind in the nation and was established in 1994 by Amy V. Cockcroft, the founding dean of the College of Nursing at the University of South Carolina. The program has evolved to prepare nurse executive leaders to meet the increasingly urgent demands of today’s health care organizations. This progressive leadership program will advance a leader’s ability to lead and navigate complex organizations and work effectively with interdisciplinary teams. For more information, visit the Cockcroft website or Read the brochure here.
Grants Funded
Faculty Presentations Dr. Tena McKinney presented at the SC Student
Out-Patient Rehabilitation Services After Spinal Cord Injury,” SCSIRF – Pilot Grant.
Nurses Association State Convention, October 3rd5th. Her presentation outlined the most prevalent mental health problems encountered in practice and appropriate interventions and referrals.
Dr. Karen McDonnell, “A Dissemination Project to
Dr. Mary Boyd and Vera Polyakova-Norwood
Dr. Nate Bell, “Geographic Disparities in Access to
Advance Lung Cancer Screening in SC,” South Carolina Cancer Alliance/DHEC/CDC.
presented “Engaging Large Groups of Undergraduate Students in Online Debates” at the fifth annual USC Oktoberbest: A Symposium on Teaching on October 10, 2014. Dr. Sue Heiney was the key note speaker at “An
Evening in Pink”, a breast cancer awareness programs, sponsored by Moncrief Hospital On October 17, 2014. Dr. Ronit Elk was the guest speaker at the Disparities
in health in America: Working Towards Social Justice course at the University of Houston in Texas. Her talk was “Using CBPR (Community Based Participatory Research) to Develop a Culturally Tailored Palliative Care Program in Rural South Carolina,” on October 21, 2014. Dr. Sheryl Mitchell and Dr. Tena McKinney pro-
Toriah Caldwell was awarded
the South Carolina League for Nursing’s 2014 Excellence Award.
vided annual reports for their commission chair positions at the South Carolina Nurses Association annual meeting on October 24. Dr. McKinney will continue her two-year commission chair of professional advocacy and development and Sheryl Mitchell was elected president elect of SCNA. Dr. Robin Estrada and Dr. DeAnne K. Hilfinger Messias presented “An Analysis Interpreter-Medi-
ated Primary Care Encounters: Implications for Improving Transcultural Nursing Practice” at the 40th Annual Conference of The Transcultural Nursing Society, on October 23, 2014 in Charleston, SC. Dr. Robin Matutina will present “Educational In-
terventions for Middle School Students to Improve the Perception of Nursing as a Future Career Choice,” at the Southern Regional Education Board Annual Meeting on November 9-11 in Atlanta, GA. Dr. Tena McKinney will present “An Ecosystem
Approach for Clinical Overcrowding and Educational Challenges,” at the Southern Regional Education Board Annual Meeting on November 9-11 in Atlanta, GA. Dean Jeannette Andrews, Dr. Laura Hein, Dr. Kathy Scharer and Dr. DeAnne Messias at the American Academy of Nursing Conference in Washington, DC. Dr. Hein was inducted as a Fellow into the AAN on October 17, 2014.
Bell N, Reparaz L, Smith S, Fry W. Insurance sta-
tus and diagnostic imaging as a measure of quality of trauma care. In Western Surgical Association Annual Meeting, Indian Wells, CA, November 2014.
Faculty Publications Felder TM, Braun K, Brandt HM, Khan S, Tanjasiri S, Friedman DB,
Armstead CA, Okuyemi KS, Hebert JR. Mentoring and training of cancer-related health disparities researchers committed to communitybased participatory research. Progress in Community Health Partnerships, in press. Bookstaver BP, Felder TM, Quidley AM, Ragucci K, Nappi J, Draper, HM. Barriers to the pursuit of scholarly activities by pharmacy residents. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching & Learning, in press.
Dr. Tena Hunt McKinney
was featured in The South Carolina Nurse as a “Member in the News” for her Directorship of the (soon to be reopened) Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program. Dr. McKinney has also been awarded the South Carolina League for Nursing’s 2014 Teaching Award.
As a breast cancer survivor, Kathy Mercer’s (far right) participation in the annual Walk for Life is personal. Read the USC Times story HERE.
Dr. Laura Hein participated in
writing the NLN Vision statement for Diversity in Washington, SC on November 3rd and 4th.
Dr. Abbas Tavakoli presenting at the South
Eastern SAS User Group in Myrtle Beach, SC on October 19th-21st.
Save The Dates
Welcome to the CON
T’Kara Richardson Student Services Academic Advisor
USC College of Nursing’s
Optimizing Successful Aging
Second Annual Clinical Practice Conference
14th Annual Symposium on Aging
January 31, 2015
February 28, 2015
College of Nursing 1601 Greene Street Columbia, SC
Columbia Conference Center 169 Laurelhurst Avenue Columbia, SC
For more information contact Traufler@mailbox.sc.edu
For more information contact Synove@mailbox.sc.edu
Details to Follow
Announcing New Graduate Program Options
• MSN Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
• DNP Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
• Post – Masters Certificate Psychiatric Mental Health
• MSN Health Systems Organizational Leadership
• DNP Nurse Executive Leadership
Dr. Joan Culley featured in the Daily Gamecock article, “Flu, ebola potential threats for college students.” Read the story HERE.
Nurse Practitioner
For more information contact Student Services Coordinator, Graduate Programs Larialmy Allen at (803) 777-6185 larialmy@mailbox.sc.edu Admission applications for Fall 2015 are posted on http://gradschool.sc.edu/ and will be due March 1, 2015. Visit the CON website for curriculum information.
VITAL SIGNS....An Update from Alumni and Development Viana McCown Lectureship at the College of Nursing Friday, October 17th - Homecoming Weekend 2014
Keynote speaker, Phyllis Beck Kritek, RN, PhD, FAAN.
Congratulations to our 2014 Outstanding Nurse Alumna: Linda Morphis, ND (‘01), WHNP Congratulations to our 2014 Outstanding Young Nurse Alumna: Sabra Smith, DNP (‘10), MS, FNP-BC
Students & Jean Hopkins (BSN ‘76)
model nursing uniforms over the decades.
The Class of 1971 reunites.
Class of 2004 alumnae with
Cocky.
Ruth Seigler (BSN ‘64, MN ‘80) and Jett Belton (BSN
‘77, MN ‘81) with Sir Big Spur.
Dean Andrews with former CON deans
Dr. Betty Johnson, Dr. Mary Ann Parsons, Dr. Peggy Hewlett and Dr. Connie Baker.
Check out the College of Nursing’s Facebook page. Be sure to “LIKE” Us And Join our College of Nursing LinkedIn Group
CON alumnus, Kahlil Demonbreun DNP, BSN (‘94), MSN (‘98), has been named a 2014 Health Care Hero. Read more HERE.
All Gifts and Pledges to support Nursing can be sent to: USC College of Nursing 1027 Barnwell Street
Save the Date Celebrate Nursing Gala and Auction Thursday, May 14, 2015 Hosted by the College of Nursing Partnership Board
Columbia, SC 29208 Gift Processing Checks Made Payable to the USC Educational Foundation or at our website http://giving.sc.edu/ To learn how you can make
To donate auction items, please call Pattie Heady at 803-434-7013
a difference at USC College of Nursing
Proceeds to benefit the College of Nursing & Alumni Center Details to follow
contact the Development Office at 803-777-3468.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA COLLEGE OF NURSING No Limits to our Teaching • First and largest BSN and nursing graduate programs in the state of SC • 95%-100% NCLEX and Nurse Practitioner Board Pass Rates, exceeding both state and national averages • New PhD student fellowships and stipends • National and Internationally recognized faculty • Online graduate programs ranked top in the country by US News and World Report No Limits to our Innovation • State-of-the-art Client Simulation Lab providing revolutionizing and quality education to students • Cutting edge research in health care delivery, cancer survivorship, health promotion, and vulnerable populations • 4th DNP program in the country, now provided online • Center for Nursing Leadership is leading state-wide action coalitions responsive to the national Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action No Limits to our Caring • The College of Nursing’s Children and Family Healthcare Center is the only nurse managed medical home in South Carolina • Our dedicated expert clinical faculty provide comprehensive healthcare to all ages of an underserved population • Over 90 scholarships provided each year to our students, with the generosity from our alumni and donors • Well established partnerships with health systems and stakeholders across the state No Limits to our Scholarship • National leaders in nursing research with 70% of our tenure track faculty having received NIH funding • Diverse portfolio of research funding from NCI, NINR, NHLBI, NLM, CDC, HRSA, Duke Foundation, & others • Two Research Centers: Healthcare Process and Redesign Center and Cancer Survivorship Center
CONTACT US College of Nursing University of South Carolina 1601 Greene Street Columbia, SC 29208 Office of the Dean: 803-777-3861 Office of Academic Affairs: 803-777-7412 Information Resource Center: 803-777-1213
Office of Research: 803-777-7413 Center for Nursing Leadership 803-777-3039 Employment Opportunities www.sc.edu/nursing www.facebook.com/USCNursing