Growing up in her hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Dr. Sandi Mellor, DNP (Class 30), APRN, FNP-BC, knew at a young age that she wanted to pursue a career in healthcare so she could “help people get healthy and stay healthy.” Determined to do just that, she took a medical-surgical nursing class while still in high school. After high school, she worked towards her associate degree in nursing and worked as a nurse for three years for the National Health Authority in Bedford, England, where her husband was stationed as a member of the U.S. Air Force. “I thought I wanted to be a physician, but after taking my first nursing medical-surgical class in high school, I fell in love with being with the patients,” said Mellor, who has worked as a nurse for almost thirty years.
Frontier Nursing University Faculty Selected for 2025 AACN Diversity Leadership Institute
Frontier Nursing University (FNU) announced that three of its faculty have been selected by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) to participate in the organization’s 2025 Diversity Leadership Institute. FNU faculty accepted to attend the institute are Dr. Tanya Belcheff, DNP, CNM Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Dr. Torica Fuller, DNP, MSN, FNP-BC, FNP-C, WHNP-BC, CDP, CGRN, CPN, NRCME Clinical Transition Coordinator, Family Nurse Practitioner Program; and Dr. April Phillips, DNP, FNP, PHMNP Regional Clinical Faculty, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program.
FNU prepares for annual Day of Giving
FNU is gearing up for the third annual Day of Giving, a day for communities to come together to raise awareness of the importance of giving back to Frontier and its many programs and scholarships. Set for Oct. 22 through 23 from noon to noon, this year’s Day of Giving aims to build on and exceed the successes of past events. Leading the charge on these efforts is Lisa Colletti-Jones, FNU’s Director of Annual Giving and Courier Programs. Colletti-Jones said Day of Giving was established to focus on a 24-hour period to celebrate the community and focus on the diverse needs of the university.
FNU’s Dr. Kelsey Kent advances PMHNP education with competency-based psychotherapy training
Recognized each year on Oct. 10, World Mental Health Day is an international day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma. When it comes to addressing these issues in the field of healthcare, a robust workforce of well-trained and compassionate Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs) is critical. Kelsey Kent, PhD, PMHNP-BC, CNE, a Course Coordinator at FNU, recently published an article in the September – October edition of the National League for Nursing’s publication, Nursing Education Perspectives (NEP). The article, entitled “Psychotherapy Skills for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Students in the Age of Competency-Based Education,” reviews a psychotherapy skills-based learning assignment at FNU that was adapted to meet developing competency-based learning standards.
Frontier Nursing University prepares PMHNP students with advanced clinical simulations
Frontier Nursing University’s flexible, online psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner program aims to prepare competent, compassionate, and well-equipped Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs). FNU offers a graduate PMHNP specialty track that can be pursued full- or part-time while completing a Master of Science in Nursing or a Post-Graduate Certificate. The curriculum of FNU’s PMHNP program is structured to provide a comprehensive foundation in assessing, diagnosing, and treating psychiatric disorders. Emphasis is also placed on health promotion and disease prevention. Before students embark on their clinical journey, FNU ensures they are thoroughly prepared through a didactic curriculum that not only equips students with essential skills, but also builds confidence in their abilities.
Student Spotlight: Jazmene Landing Advocates for Mental Health Awareness
Just a 20-minute drive from the Frontier Nursing University campus, registered nurse Jazmene Landing works at a comprehensive outpatient addiction clinic in Lexington, Kentucky. There, she cares for an underserved population of urban patients who are often stigmatized and overlooked due to addiction and mental health issues. When she noticed a strong need in her community for advanced practice nurses who look like the patients they serve, Landing decided to become a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). At Frontier, Landing found valuable support in joining student organizations, especially the Professional Organizational Mentoring Program (POMP), which matches faculty mentors with students from underrepresented groups.
Graduate Spotlight: Susan VanZandt builds a sense of trust with underserved patients
Susan VanZandt, APRN, FNP-C, AG-ACNP, earned her MSN in FNU’s Family Nurse Practitioner program in 2018. VanZandt is a gastrointestinal (G.I.) hospitalist in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has worked in both clinical and hospital settings and various urgent care facilities. VanZandt encounters patients with a spectrum of healthcare needs. From managing cardiovascular patients on anticoagulation with gastrointestinal bleeds to caring for those with alcoholic cirrhosis in need of urgent liver transplants, she navigates complex cases with compassion and expertise. Additionally, she provides ongoing support and education to younger patients grappling with chronic gastrointestinal issues, regardless of their socioeconomic status.
Graduate Spotlight: Cheyenne Allen pursued DNP to positively influence next generation of nurses
FNU graduate Dr. Cheyenne Allen, DNP, PMHNP-BC, serves as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) in private practice while also lending her expertise as undergraduate nursing faculty at Pennsylvania Western University. Her dual role allows her to not only provide direct care, but also to mold the next generation of mental health nursing professionals.
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