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  • FNU Case Days

    From Albuquerque, N.M., to Anchorage, Alaska, and all the way to the island of Guam, Frontier Nursing University (FNU) hosted 116 case days with 700 participants in 2016!

     

    A Case Day is a seminar organized by the Regional Clinical Faculty (RCF) that provides opportunities for group learning and networking within a region. Students doing their clinical practicum present a case to facilitate group discussion of management options and to promote the pathways of critical thinking. These can be virtual seminars or in-person. The in-person Case Days have refreshments and opportunities for networking.

     

    FNU students, alumni, preceptors, faculty, applicants and friends of FNU are always invited to attend. Case Days allow Frontier to connect with the community, while also allowing students the opportunity to network at the early stages of their program, even before beginning clinicals. They are also a great way to stay connected to FNU, get to know other students in the area, RCFs, and even possible preceptors. It’s a nice way to get a sneak peek at what clinicals will be like.

     

    “Case Days, either online or live, are an essential part of clinical education at FNU,” said Jane Houston, clinical director of midwifery and women’s health. “They provide a stimulating learning environment where you can learn the latest in evidence-based health care provision from your peers.”

     

    FNU Case Days are held at a variety of locales including faculty and student homes, restaurants, birth centers, museums and local hospital meeting rooms, among others. Some RCF hosts choose to incorporate an additional element into the gathering like a tour of the hosting museum, birth center or even a group hike.

     

    Everyone is invited to attend FNU Case Days. Check here for a schedule of upcoming FNU Case Day events.

    Please take a look back at all the wonderful memories from 2016 in this short video: FNU Case Days 2016 Video.

  • Faculty/Alumni Spotlight: Nena Harris

     

    At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented and diverse community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, Couriers and preceptors. Spotlight blogs feature members of our FNU community that are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality health care to underserved and rural populations.

     

    Frontier Nursing University (FNU) Faculty

    and Alumna Nena Harris provides care to women and children at a free clinic for residents of a homeless shelter in Charlotte, N.C. According to Nena, most of the women in the shelter come from a long family line of poverty – some can even remember being in the shelter as children.

     

    Substance abuse, mental health disorders, and sometimes even domestic violence and prostitution take precedence in these women’s lives, pushing their health to the back burner. At the clinic, they are able to obtain quality health care services, including prescriptions and lab work, free of charge during a very vulnerable stage of life. The clinic also offers limited extended care so that some women can return after they leave the shelter. Nena helps provide care for these women at the clinic, young and old.

     

    “I wanted to become dually certified as a family nurse practitioner and nurse-midwife so that I could offer care across the spectrum of life,” said Nena.

     

    Nena began her nursing education at an Ivy League school, intending to continue with her graduate level education there as well. After attending a birth center workshop during her first semester and interacting with a few Frontier students, Nena began researching FNU.

     

    “Everything about the history and mission of Frontier resonated with me and the type of provider I wanted to be in my community,” said Nena. “The rest is history!”

     

    Nena graduated from FNU in 2006 with a master’s degree in nursing (MSN) in nurse-midwifery. A long with her work at the shelter clinic, she currently teaches women’s health and childbearing at FNU. According to Nena, she appreciates the opportunity to provide compassionate, quality health care to women in all stages of life.

     

    Teaching at FNU has allowed me to maintain balance so that I can provide care for my community just like we encourage our students to provide for their communities.”

    Thank you, Nena, for setting a wonderful example for compassionate care!

  • Staff Spotlight: Abby Hollander McCarthy

    At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented and diverse community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, Couriers and preceptors. Spotlight blogs feature members of our FNU community that are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality health care to underserved and rural populations.

     

    Abby McCarthy joined the Frontier family two years ago as the director of advising and then moved into her current position as the director of student retention and records. In her role, she works closely with several departments to help students understand their degree requirements and academic policies. Her team also ensures that academic records are accurate and helps students identify their clinical sites.

     

    The student retention and records office runs programs like the PRIDE Diversity Program, SAGE Mentoring, new student orientation, and résumé reviews to provide additional support to FNU students.

     

    Abby received her bachelor’s degree in secondary education (French) from the University of Mississippi in 2002 and completed her master’s degree in higher education in 2004. Abby worked at the University of Kentucky for 10 years where she was named the Ken Freedman Advisor of the Year.

     

    According to Abby, she was drawn to FNU’s mission to serve rural and underserved populations.

     

    “It was immediately evident that the university truly lives its mission every day in order to continue the legacy of care that Mary Breckinridge put in motion so many years ago,” Abby said.

     

    Abby’s favorite part of working at FNU is the connectedness of the community.

     

    “In any given day, I talk to people in Idaho, Maine, Arizona, Alabama and overseas, and we collaborate as if we were all in the same room. On the happy occasions when I see these people on campus visits, it’s like greeting an old friend.”

     

    In her spare time, Abby enjoys playing volleyball, taking kickboxing classes, and hiking with her husband and dog. She loves to work in her yard and DIY improvements on her new house.

     

    Thank you for your commitment to serving the students of FNU, Abby!

  • Alumni Spotlight: Jane Arnold, MSN, CNM

    At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented and diverse community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, Couriers and preceptors. Spotlight blogs feature members of our FNU community that are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality health care to underserved and rural populations.

    In 1989, Kitty Ernst led Frontier Nursing University (FNU)’s first distance learning nurse-midwifery program in Perkiomenville, PA. One member of this pioneer distance learning class was Jane Arnold, MSN, Class 1. Jane adopted the pioneer mindset during her FNU education and continued this into her esteemed and groundbreaking career.

    After graduating in 1993, Jane was brought on to establish the first hospital-based nurse-midwifery practice on Long Island, Stoney Brook Medical Center. Her biggest challenge from the beginning was educating the population, as there was no prior knowledge of nurse-midwifery. She went about this task “quietly and simply” by stating, “midwives are not an alternative to physician practices but a choice.”

    Every high-risk patient seen at Stoney Brook was sent to a physician and once cleared, returned to the nurse-midwifery practice to finish their care. As the popularity of the nurse-midwifery practice grew, many women wanted to keep their nurse-midwives even if they needed physician care, so Jane and her team managed these families in tandem with the physicians.

    “This education of the population didn’t happen overnight,” said Jane, “but when women realized the tender loving care we offered and that we were knowledgeable in birth and postpartum care, the floodgates opened.”

    By 2006, Stoney Brook nurse-midwives had attended 20,000 births and had grown to a team of 15.

    In 2009, Jane served as the Midwifery Director at a newly built hospital in Gaborone, Botswana. She and her team recruited and educated nurse-midwives for clinics and labor and delivery. Then, in 2012, Jane spent two years in Rwanda developing a BSN program for nurse-midwives. She united American and local Rwandan nurse-midwives to develop curriculum and to build the first BSN program to exist in the African country. Her team taught classes and assisted students with delivery at community health centers.

    “This program was by far the most meaningful work to make a difference for women that I have ever done. It was the epiphany of my career as a nurse-midwife,” said Jane.

    “Frontier keeps alive the flame that Mary Breckinridge lit. She was a visionary in the care of women and what nurse-midwifery could be.”

    Jane took part in the establishment of our distance learning program and holds a special place in our hearts at FNU.  She has also provided care to thousands of women by introducing nurse-midwifery in places where it had never been before. Thank you, Jane!

  • Institute for Healthcare Improvement National Forum Recap

    Earlier this month, Frontier faculty and students attended the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) annual National Forum on Quality Improvement in Health Care in Orlando, Fla., where they had the opportunity to network with nearly 6,000 health care professionals and voice their ideas about improving health care quality and safety.

     

    The three-day conference featured four keynote presentations, more than 100 workshops, a full exhibit hall, a national forum bookstore, quality improvement storyboards, and numerous opportunities for networking, including special interest breakfasts.​​​​ Attendees were encouraged to “practice what you preach,” and even walked on treadmills during the keynote sessions.

     

    The most exciting part of the weekend was when FNU students were recognized as “QI Project Role Models” by the IHI Open School for their health care quality improvement efforts in their communities. The IHI Open School is a global learning community, that offers online education, local Chapters, and guided improvement projects.

     

    FNU alumni Dr. Cynthia McCullough, CNM, CDNP Class 1 and Dr. Jessica Blount WHNP, CDNP Class 1 presented their DNP projects via storyboard presentations at the conference. Dr. Shari Long Romero CNM, CDNP Class 1 was also recognized for her exemplary clinical scholarship.  

     

    FNU launched an IHI Open School Chapter in 2016 which brings together students with a shared interest in improving care for patients.  FNU’s Open School Chapter hosted a Story Slam  event in October focused on addressing the opioid crisis as part of RightCare Action Week. View the Story Slam recording here which featured three speakers to tell their story in addressing the opioid crisis.

     

    The IHI Forum was a great opportunity for FNU faculty and students to join a national discussion on improving health care! For more information on IHI, go here.

  • FNU 2016 Highlights

    Welcome to the Frontier Nursing University (FNU) blog. The purpose of this blog is to give a voice to the thousands of students, alumni, preceptors, faculty, administrators and donors who possess a deep commitment to caring for women and families.

    We hope to inspire and empower our readers with stories that ignore boundaries and redefine care. We invite you to join us on our journey to reach the highest potential for wellness.

    Answer the call.

  • FNU honored with Jonas Nursing Education Award

    The Jonas Center for Nursing and Veterans Healthcare  culminated its 10th anniversary year by recognizing champions of nursing across the healthcare system at an awards luncheon in New York City on December 6, 2016.  The awards honored accomplishments of individuals and organizations dedicated to advancing the nursing profession through outstanding leadership in a field so essential to our health and well-being. Frontier Nursing University was honored to be an award recipient.

     

    Frontier Nursing University (FNU) received the Jonas Nursing Education Award.  This award was given to FNU for its unwavering service to preparing the next generation of nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners. With more than 77 years of experience, FNU is the largest continually operating nurse-midwifery education program in the U.S., started the first family nurse practitioner program in the U.S. and has graduated nearly 5,000 nurses and midwives representing every state and many foreign countries.

     

    “Our honorees represent exceptional professionals from a variety of fields, including philanthropy, academia and arts,” said Donald Jonas, who co-founded the Center with his wife, Barbara Jonas. “It is of paramount importance that we recognize and support their continuous efforts to advance nursing through innovation, education, awareness building and promoting nursing leadership.”

     

    Dr. Susan Stone, President of FNU, accepted the Jonas Nursing Education Award on behalf of alumni and students. In her remarks, Stone noted, “We have been honored to have six Jonas Scholars graduate from Frontier Nursing University, and we have recently enrolled another four Scholars for the 2016 cohort. As a community-based program, our Scholars are from across the United States – Alaska, Maine, Montana, Idaho and Hawaii.” The Jonas program has had a very positive impact on these Scholars and their doctoral projects, introducing them to leaders in their chosen fields and interests, and connecting them to a powerful network of support. Stone’s remarks described the current enrollment of nearly 2,000 students, 59% from rural areas and 75% from health professional shortage areas, that are helping to meet FNU’s mission to educate nurses to become competent, entrepreneurial, ethical and compassionate nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners who are leaders in the primary care of women and families with an emphasis on underserved and rural populations.

     

    Joining Dr. Stone at the awards luncheon were several honored guests including Susan Graham, descendant of FNU’s founder Mary Breckinridge, and her husband Jon Kucera; Noel Smith Fernandez, former Social Services Secretary for the Frontier Nursing Service; and Ruth and Bill Lubic, national leaders in the midwifery field.  Dr. Julie Marfell, Dean of Nursing, and Denise Barrett, Director of Development, were also present to accept this award.  

     

    Awards were also presented to the following individuals and organizations to recognize their outstanding contributions to nursing.

     

    Ms. Blaustein is an Emeritus assistant professor of psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She was one of the original founders and a board member of the Baltimore Rape Crisis Center and the Alzheimer’s Disease Association of Maryland, and is the past president of the Morton K. and Jane Blaustein Foundation, a longtime partner of the Jonas Center.

     

    Started in 2007 as an initiative of AARP Foundation, AARP, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation under the leadership of Susan Reinhard, PhD, RN, FAAN and Susan Hassmiller, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Center to Champion Nursing in America believes that everyone in America can live a healthier life, supported by a system in which nurses are essential partners in providing health care and promoting health.

     

    Dr. Fagin, Dean Emerita and Leadership Professor Emerita of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, is an Ambassador to the Jonas Scholar program and provides guidance for the Center’s strategic planning.

     

    Under the leadership of Executive Director Ahrin Mishan, the Foundation’s education initiatives center on the development of research and nurse-led innovation targeting areas of need, such as management of chronic illness, reducing disparities in care, and care for the aging population.

     

    Ms. Jones is the creator of a book and film, The American Nurse, focused on raising the volume of the nurse’s voice in this country, and the forthcoming film Defining Hope, which examines the dying experience through the eyes of nurses, and is supported in part by the Jonas Center.

     

    “We congratulate and sincerely thank this year’s honorees for their professional and outstanding contributions to the vitally important field of nursing,” said Darlene J. Curley, CEO of The Jonas Family Fund and Executive Director of the Jonas Center.

  • FNU Celebrates Longstanding Holiday Tradition at the Big House

    On Saturday, Dec. 3, Frontier Nursing University (FNU) proudly hosted the annual Holiday Open House – at the Wendover Big House, the historic log home of FNU founder Mrs. Mary Breckinridge. The local community was invited, and many current and former families of Leslie County, Ky., attended the joyous celebration. Guests enjoyed homemade cookies and Wendover’s very own signature hot chocolate. Drama students from Leslie County High School conducted tours of the Big House in character of Frontier Nursing Service Staff from 1925.

     

    Kiersten White featured a Healthy Foods activity as her first quarterly event in line with her Americorps VISTA service. She created handouts for parents with Healthy Holiday tips and advice for picky eaters. She also worked hands-on with many children who attended the party, talking about their favorite foods and food groups to promote healthy lifestyles.

     

    Santa Claus was also on hand to give gifts to the children. The toys were purchased using Christmas and Children’s Fund donations given by FNU friends. The remaining toys were donated to the Leslie County School District Resource Center to be given away to area families. The Fund was also used to purchase 20 hams for the Leslie County Food Pantry.

     

    The holiday party tradition at the Big House started in Hyden, Ky., on Christmas Day in 1925. More than 500 people enjoyed this very special open house and Big House celebration. Click here to view the Wendover Community Holiday Party on WYMT news.

     

    View photos from the Wendover Holiday Open House here.

     

    Learn more about Wendover Bed & Breakfast Inn at frontier.edu/wendover. Wendover Bed & Breakfast Inn is owned and operated by Frontier Nursing University. The Wendover Big House is designated as a National Historic Landmark.

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