The Frontier community is proud to have students and alumni serving on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the next few weeks, we are committed to sharing their stories in order to provide insight, hope and encouragement. Thank you to all the health care workers who are risking their own well-being daily to serve our nation. Click here to read more stories of courage and dedication.
There have been many stories and statements suggesting that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed life as we know it forever. Regardless of what the future holds, Amanda Dunham, DNP, FNP-C, Class 29, said that the call to serve remains the same.
“I think FNU students and alumni are called to serve and COVID-19 is no exception,” said Amanda, owner of Dr. Dunham Integrative Family Health NP, PLLC, a women’s-centered primary care practice in Clifton Park, N.Y.
“We serve our communities. We take care of patients in need. We advocate for people without a voice. Hopefully, that never changes.”
During the pandemic, Amanda’s small practice in upstate New York has taken steps to broaden its reach and help any in the community in need of care.
“Though we typically reserve Telehealth for established patients, I have opened Telehealth services to anyone in need,” Amanda said.
“Children, women, men and older adults needing prescription refills, evaluation for medical issues and even mental health are encouraged to use our services. I have already seen the negative impact social distancing is having on mental health for many people and I encourage patients to use Telehealth if these services are needed.”
A native of the area, Amanda knows the Clifton Park community well. Her practice is located across the street from the local high school. She maintains employment at a local urgent care center in addition to administering her own practice. She is deeply connected to the community and the needs of her patients.
The only nurse practitioner provider at her primary care practice, Amanda also employs a dual-licensed massage therapist/esthetician and a registered nurse. The resulting collaboration results in what Amanda describes as a “whole-person approach to care.”
“My experience at FNU empowered me to be an entrepreneurial-minded health care provider who is dedicated to serving the local community,” Amanda said. “Our goal was to create a patient-centered practice where people could come feel cared for and at home.”
Amanda had to make quick adjustments to that model by expanding the Telehealth options for patients, hoping to reduce exposure while remaining open for those in need of in-person care.
“We hope these measures can avoid unnecessary trips to emergency departments and urgent care centers where patients may be exposed to COVID-19,” Amanda said. “Telehealth is excellent for discussing lab tests, medication management and even to discuss mental health concerns.”
Mental health is a rising concern as the pandemic persists. Amanda said that many patients are worried about being a “well carrier” and passing the virus on to their families without even knowing they have it. Others are dealing with the stress of home-schooling their children while working from home or feeling trapped by not being able to go out for dinner or exercise.
“I’ve seen a surge of depression from isolation and I think many patients are struggling with anxiety,” Amanda said.
“For many patients, they may have no history of anxiety, so this may be their first time navigating those concerns. Additionally, typical coping mechanisms, such as yoga studios and gyms, may not be available. With our patients, we discuss the importance of social distancing, infection control precautions, and of course, self-care for their physical and emotional well being.”
One potential positive outcome of the pandemic is the exposure in flaws and gaps in the healthcare system in the United States and the identification of solutions. In this the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, COVID-19 is making many more people aware of the quality and value of care nurses provide.
“Full practice authority for nurse practitioners across the nation is a must,” Amanda said. “Patients need access to healthcare and nurse practitioners and nurse-midwives are uniquely qualified to minimize the gap in care, increase access and provide quality healthcare that is affordable. I’ve been so proud of my colleagues who are opening their arms and practices to patients in need.”
Though the circumstances may change, for so many like Amanda, the call to serve never does.
2020: Year of the Nurse and the Midwife
Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is proud to support and join the World Health Organization’s international campaign designating 2020 as the “Year of the Nurse and the Midwife.” In recognizing the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, FNU joins the efforts to raise awareness of healthcare shortages in the U.S. and abroad; demonstrate the need for more nurses and nurse-midwives; educate the public of the value of nurses and nurse-midwives in their communities and advocate for access to quality healthcare for every individual.
Justin C. Daily, BSN, RN, has ten years of experience in nursing. At the start of his nursing career, Justin worked as a floor nurse on the oncology floor at St. Francis. He then spent two years as the Director of Nursing in a small rural Kansas hospital before returning to St. Francis and the oncology unit. He has been in his current position as the Chemo Nurse Educator for the past four years. He earned an Associate in Nurse from Hutchinson Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Bethel College.
Brandy Jackson serves as the Director of Undergraduate Nursing Programs and Assistant Educator at Wichita State University and Co-Director of Access in Nursing. Brandy is a seasoned educator with over 15 years of experience. Before entering academia, Brandy served in Hospital-based leadership and Critical Care Staff nurse roles. Brandy is passionate about equity in nursing education with a focus on individuals with disabilities. Her current research interests include accommodations of nursing students with disabilities in clinical learning environments and breaking down barriers for historically unrepresented individuals to enter the nursing profession. Brandy is also actively engaged in Interprofessional Education development, creating IPE opportunities for faculty and students at Wichita State. Brandy is an active member of Wichita Women for Good and Soroptimist, with the goal to empower women and girls. Brandy is a TeamSTEPPS master trainer. She received the DASIY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty in 2019 at Wichita State University. 
Dr. Sabrina Ali Jamal-Eddine is an Arab-disabled queer woman of color with a PhD in Nursing and an interdisciplinary certificate in Disability Ethics from the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). Dr. Jamal-Eddine’s doctoral research explored spoken word poetry as a form of critical narrative pedagogy to educate nursing students about disability, ableism, and disability justice. Dr. Jamal-Eddine now serves as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in UIC’s Department of Disability and Human Development and serves on the Board of Directors of the National Organization of Nurses with Disabilities (NOND). During her doctoral program, Sabrina served as a Summer Fellow at a residential National Endowment of the Humanities (NEH) Summer Institute at Arizona State University (2023), a summer fellow at Andrew W. Mellon’s National Humanities Without Walls program at University of Michigan (2022), a Summer Research Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Othering & Belonging Institute (2021), and an Illinois Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) trainee (2019-2020).
Vanessa Cameron works for Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nursing Education & Professional Development. She is also attending George Washington University and progressing towards a PhD in Nursing with an emphasis on ableism in nursing. After becoming disabled in April 2021, Vanessa’s worldview and perspective changed, and a recognition of the ableism present within healthcare and within the culture of nursing was apparent. She has been working since that time to provide educational foundations for nurses about disability and ableism, provide support for fellow disabled nursing colleagues, and advocate for the disabled community within healthcare settings to reduce disparities.
Dr. Lucinda Canty is a certified nurse-midwife, Associate Professor of Nursing, and Director of the Seedworks Health Equity in Nursing Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Columbia University, a master’s degree from Yale University, specializing in nurse-midwifery, and a PhD from the University of Connecticut. Dr. Canty has provided reproductive health care for over 29 years. Her research interests include the prevention of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity, reducing racial and ethnic health disparities in reproductive health, promoting diversity in nursing, and eliminating racism in nursing and midwifery.
Dr. Lisa Meeks is a distinguished scholar and leader whose unwavering commitment to inclusivity and excellence has significantly influenced the landscape of health professions education and accessibility. She is the founder and executive director of the DocsWithDisabilities Initiative and holds appointments as an Associate Professor in the Departments of Learning Health Sciences and Family Medicine at the University of Michigan.
Dr. Nikia Grayson, DNP, MSN, MPH, MA, CNM, FNP-C, FACNM (she/her) is a trailblazing force in reproductive justice, blending her expertise as a public health activist, anthropologist, and family nurse-midwife to champion the rights and health of underserved communities. Graduating with distinction from Howard University, Nikia holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree in public health. Her academic journey also led her to the University of Memphis, where she earned a master’s in medical anthropology, and the University of Tennessee, where she achieved both a master’s in nursing and a doctorate in nursing practice. Complementing her extensive education, she completed a post-master’s certificate in midwifery at Frontier Nursing University.
Dr. Tia Brown McNair is the Vice President in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Student Success and Executive Director for the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Centers at the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) in Washington, DC. She oversees both funded projects and AAC&U’s continuing programs on equity, inclusive excellence, high-impact practices, and student success. McNair directs AAC&U’s Summer Institutes on High-Impact Practices and Student Success, and TRHT Campus Centers and serves as the project director for several AAC&U initiatives, including the development of a TRHT-focused campus climate toolkit. She is the lead author of From Equity Talk to Equity Walk: Expanding Practitioner Knowledge for Racial Justice in Higher Education (January 2020) and Becoming a Student-Ready College: A New Culture of Leadership for Student Success (July 2016 and August 2022 Second edition).
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