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  • Erin Tenney’s Weekend with Kitty

    By: Erin Tenney

    When Frontier Nursing University student Erin Tenney won the “Weekend with Kitty” contest she had no idea what was in store for her. As winners of the contest, Erin and her friend were able to spend a weekend in Kitty Ernst’s home, where FNU began in the “coop” in Perkiomenville. The following blog includes an excerpt of Erin’s reflections of the weekend. Our team at Frontier is proud to have students like Erin!

     

    We talked a lot about leadership with Kitty Ernst, and how to affect change. I really wanted to learn from her, how she managed to do so much important work in her lifetime that has made such an impact. I guess I was expecting a more complicated response, but the bottom line is that we simply have to respond the needs we see and be diligent in our efforts.

     

    She said, “Only politicians seek leadership”. Others become leaders simply by doing the work and having some success. Eventually others notice and more opportunities arise. When I asked her how she did it all, she said emphatically, “I did not do it. I inspired others to do it. That’s leadership”. She also said that “leadership is 90% inspiration” and that the three R’s are the key: resilience, relationships and reflection. We kept coming back to those and each one was apparent in the many stories she told of all the amazing midwives, leaders and friends she has worked with over the years.

     

    It was remarkable and humbling to hear so many stories of key moments in the history of nurse-midwifery in the U.S., such as when Kitty moved the budding nurse-midwifery training program into what was her chicken coops (and where her house stands now) and started the first CNEP program with a brave group of first students (including Susan Stone, our current FNU President and how when Hattie Hemschemeyer (in her blue suit, with her hand on her hip and cigarette hanging out of her mouth) appointed Kitty to be the next president of the early ACNM organization.

     

    Kitty’s stories are vivid, and priceless. I have always felt akin to the mission and vision of Frontier, and to be so close to the early years was incredible. It solidified my sense of pride and fierce commitment to what has always been the mission and vision of Frontier, “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.”  

     

    How to do that? It turns out it’s pretty simple. According to Kitty, “make the cause and get good at it”. Work hard. Be diligent and “do your homework”. She said a turning a point in her career is when she “decided to stop fighting to be a midwife, and started fighting for midwifery”. That resonated with me as I complete my doctoral project, focusing on finding successful pathways for integrating midwifery in tribal communities in the U.S. Like Kitty, my work is to support the success of midwifery for ALL women and families, but I am specifically interested in supporting midwifery in Native communities. Indian Health Services has integrated nurse-midwives into their maternity care systems since the 1960s and currently, more than half of AI/AN babies are delivered by nurse-midwives (as opposed to less than 10% in the U.S. overall)!

     

    I’ve been learning about how this model has been and continues to be so successful in Indian Health Services, and yet, for a number of reasons, many AI/AN women and families still do not have access to midwifery care. One of the important solutions to this problem is that we need more AI/AN women to become nurse-midwives.

     

    My friend who attended the weekend with me, Angela, is one of the strong and eager young women who is ready to take up this responsibility, and work toward her dream of starting a birth center on her reservation. She desires to provide her community with the opportunity to birth safely and with autonomy on their land, and truly in accordance with their cultural life ways.

     

    Honestly, the most inspiring part of the whole weekend for me was just before we were getting ready to go, and after Kitty and Angela were talking about leadership, affecting change, tribal sovereignty and the power of women. Angela stood up and with utter conviction (like the most powerful sermon) declared that she would take up a leadership role in her community, because when women take back control over birth, that is a starting point for sovereignty and healing, and THAT is what is going to make a positive difference among tribal communities. It’s not the commodity foods or the grant funded programs, it’s the ability to be self-sustaining and to resume control of key life experiences, such as birth.

     

    I could never say it like she did, and that powerful, emotional moment has passed, but there’s plenty more where that came from! In fact just yesterday, several days after getting back, I visited Angela at the coffee shop where she works, and she had just been telling her co-worker all about birth and sovereignty. She has been enthusiastically supporting and teaching others about birth and breastfeeding for years and is only getting started. She starts nursing school next fall, and plans to attend FNU to become a nurse midwife.

     

    While I could never summarize all of the key takeaways we gained from Kitty, I would say the biggest was a sense of empowerment, because there’s no magic, it just takes vision, persistence and hard work. I’m filled with inspiration from the generations of leaders: Mary Breckinridge, Kitty, Angela and so many others who have done, and will do so much amazing work for women, babies and families. And finally, I gained an even greater sense of clarity and determination to keep the mission and legacy of Frontier moving forward. Kitty gave us valuable context, guidance and tools to guide and encourage our work as we move ahead. There’s no stopping us now!

     

    I woke up today at 4:30 am to write this piece and get to work on advancing midwifery. I hope that like Kitty, when I am 90 years old, that I’m doing the same thing.

     

    Thank you to Frontier for sending us on this adventure. We promise to put our lessons learned to good use!

    Watch Erin Tenney’s Video Contest Entry here.

  • FNU Partners with Nursing School in Haiti

    Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is excited to announce that we are now partnering with a nursing school in Haiti. The Faculty of Nursing Science of the Episcopal University of Haiti or FSIL (Faculté des Sciences Infirmières de l’Université Episcopale d’Haïti) www.haitinursing.org is the first four-year baccalaureate school of nursing in the country.  

     

    Ranked as the top nursing school in Haiti, FSIL has become a model for nursing schools across the country. FSIL would like to implement a Diploma to BSN program, a nurse-midwifery program, and eventually a family nurse practitioner program. They also hope to build a family birthing center on their campus.

     

    FNU began working with FSIL on this project at the end of 2015. FNU will be assisting with curriculum development, providing consultation on distance education issues and helping ensure the nurse-midwifery program launches successfully.  With hard work and persistence, the program will hopefully launch in late 2016.

     

    “Haiti has some of the most challenging issues in maternal-child health in the world,” said FNU President Dr. Susan Stone. “We believe educating Haitian nurse-midwives will be a major intervention to improve this.”

     

    At the heart of FNU is our desire to help underserved populations. We are excited to come alongside FSIL and carry the FNU mission to one of the neediest countries in the world. We are honored to share our expertise in program development, distance learning and the education of nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners.

     

    Read more about FSIL’s efforts since the earthquake in Diverse Magazine here.

    Related Content: Go here to watch our Digital Summit session on Collaborative Approach to Global Maternity Healthcare by Nadene Brunk, Executive Director and Founder of Midwives for Haiti.

  • FNU Holiday Party a Big Hit at the Big House

    Michael Claussen, FNU Development Officer

     

    Frontier Nursing University hosted its annual holiday party at Wendover Bed & Breakfast Inn on Saturday, Dec. 5, to benefit local families in need in the Leslie County, Ky., area. Guests were invited to take a step back in time and enjoy snacks and fun while they gathered around FNU’s one-of-a-kind nurse’s tree.

     

    More than 100 people attended the festive gathering. Guests were treated to Frontier stories portrayed by Leslie County High School Drama students, and the Leslie County High School Choir performed a wonderful Christmas program. Christmas ornament crafts were a big hit with guests of all ages!

     

    Many of the guests who stay at the Wendover Bed and Breakfast Inn specifically come for the home-cooked meals that are served in the Big house. A delicious sampling of chicken and dumplings, meatloaf, pulled pork and peach cobbler were featured at the special “Taste of Wendover.” With two kinds of hot chocolate – white chocolate with peppermint and rich milk chocolate – served with peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies, everyone had a “sweet” time.

     

    Santa also made his way from the North Pole to Wendover to the delight of the children in attendance. Each child received a special gift bag, a longstanding tradition at the “Big House,” and a copy of one of two beautifully illustrated children’s books, Katie Caught a Cold or Sadie’s Sore Throat, written and donated to FNU by a former Courier, Charlotte Cowan, MD.

     

    The holiday celebration marked 90 years since FNU founder Mary Breckinridge hosted the first Christmas party at her log cabin home at Wendover. All of Leslie County, Ky., was invited to the Big House in 1925 for hams, pies and a retreat from the cold thanks to the log home’s large fireplaces.  

     

    Below is a review of the Bed and Breakfast by a party attendee and former Leslie County resident, Amy Pennington Brudnicki.

     

    “Sometimes in your travels, you come across a place that’s so special, you know that one trip won’t be near enough. I found this to be true recently when I returned to the Big House for a weekend visit with my Mom, sister and niece.

     

    The Wendover Bed & Breakfast was decorated beautifully for Christmas, both the house and grounds. And just like my last visit, the meals were delicious.

     

    Unlike my last visit, I brought my family this time – one of which was my eight-year-old niece. It was nice to share this experience with her because we weren’t immersed in technology. We played cards, walked down by the river, took pictures, and hiked the mountain around the house. When it was time for bed, we shared stories about events that likely happened in the Big House over the years. I was able to tell her about the legacy of Mary Breckinridge, about the saddle bags on the horses and how children used to think they bulged because they were holding babies, and about our family’s own first-hand experience with Frontier Nursing School.

     

    I told her I really liked the Big House. She told me she really liked bacon. It’s the small things in life that make you smile and that certainly made me smile! Then she said, “I like talking with you.” If you have kids, I don’t have to tell you how much that statement meant to me. My reason in sharing this is to point out the importance of stepping back and focusing on the genuine simplicity of things. The Big House is perfect for that. You can’t help but to reflect when you’re surrounded by so much nature and history.

     

    Someday when my niece is older, she won’t recall an App or a video game. But she will remember this trip and the memories we made just enjoying the moment. I love technology as much as the next gal, but sometimes, it’s nice to get back to the basics, to get back to what really matters and make lasting memories.

     

    The Big House has quickly become a favorite destination of mine. If you have an appreciation of Appalachia and discovering its genuine beauty, check out the Wendover Bed & Breakfast Inn. My hunch is that you’ll love it as much as I do. And just like me, you’ll make plans to return . . .

     

    Amy Pennington Brudnicki

               Richmond, KY

  • FNU Traditions: Building a Community, Part 1

    Experiences on Campus and at Wendover

     

    With roots tracing back to the early 1900s, Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is a school rich in history. The “FNU Traditions” blog series will give the friends and family of FNU a greater understanding of our many traditions, several of which date back to the days of our founder, Mary Breckinridge.

    FNU founder Mary Breckinridge not only traveled throughout the mountains of Eastern Kentucky aiding underserved families, but she opened up her own home as well. Besides holding an annual Christmas party for hundreds of local people , she also regularly had nurses in the district join her in her log cabin for meals and fellowship.

     

    Today, this tradition continues as FNU students are invited to Breckinridge’s home in Leslie County, KY, the Wendover Bed & Breakfast Inn. These special student dinner events occur during two educational sessions on campus. The first of the on campus sessions is named “Frontier Bound” as it is the initial welcome into the FNU community, prior to classes beginning (this orientation is called “Bridge Bound” for students who are admitted through the ADN Bridge Entry Option and “DNP Bound” for students in the Post-Master’s DNP program). The second on campus session, “Clinical Bound” is held after didactic classes are completed and prior to beginning the clinical experience.

     

    Here are just a few traditions students and faculty take part in on campus and during the Wendover dinners:

     

    Singing Amazing Grace: Meals at Wendover begin with students and faculty singing Amazing Grace, just as Mary Breckinridge and her guests did before every meal.

     

    Bell Ringing: At the end of each Bound week before returning home, students circle around the chapel and take turns one-by-one ringing a bell to signify the beginning of a new chapter. At the end of Frontier Bound, it signifies the beginning of their journey as a student, and the end of Clinical Bound it signifies the beginning of their journey in Clinical work. Many students who come back for graduation will ring it one last time to mark the beginning of their career.

     

    Circle-Up: The “Circle-Up” session is a Frontier Nursing University tradition that students, faculty, and staff have participated in for decades. At the end of each campus experience, students, faculty and staff join hands to form a circle. Each person in the circle is invited to reflect or share their thoughts, emotions or take-away points from the event they have just experienced. It is a time to share inspiring words and show appreciation to one another and to the Frontier experience as a whole.  Circling up is based upon an old Quaker tradition of taking a moment at the end of the day to share their thoughts with the community. As part of the FNU community, circling up continues virtually from home as a show of support when needed by members of the FNU community.

     

    Follies at Bound: When the Community -based Nurse Midwifery Program (CNEP) distance education program started with an orientation in Pennsylvania, Kitty Ernst, a midwifery and maternity care pioneer and early graduate of Frontier’s nurse-midwifery program, was determined to encourage team building amongst the students. Since that time, all students and faculty that come to campus for Frontier Bound have to work together in teams to perform some sort of skit or performance to the group. Many of our students have developed life-long friendships from this fun team building activity.

     

    Wide Neighborhoods Reading: The students return to Wendover during Clinical Bound for dinner. After dinner, faculty and students gather in the historic living room  underneath Mary Breckinridge’s portrait. Faculty then read excerpts from Mrs. Breckinridge’s book, Wide Neighborhoods. The selected words help students reflect and focus on why they want to go into healthcare and how they are each a part of Mrs. Breckinridge’s mission and vision of service.

     

    Giving of Hats, Scarves & Blankets: Years ago, the Daughters of the Colonials War took time to knit hats for the babies Frontier served. Today, the tradition continues as each Nurse-Midwife student is given a baby hat at the “Clinical Bound” dinner ceremony before Clinicals begin. The hat is then given to the first baby they help deliver. The student presents the mother with the baby cap and tells the story of the Frontier Nursing Service and Mary Breckinridge. Later Frontier added he Family Nurse Practitioner program and with the help of Dr. Anne Wasson the tradition continued by presenting each FNP student  a lap blanket  to give to an elderly client they connect with and share the story of FNS and  Mrs Breckinridge. Extending the tradition, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner students are given a hand knitted scarf to share with a client they have connected with and share the story of FNU.

     

    These are just a few of the many traditions that weave the Frontier Nursing University community together.  Stay tuned for more Frontier traditions, coming soon!

     

    Learn more about FNU Traditions in Part 2.

  • Student Spotlight: Karline Wilson-Mitchell RN, RM, CNM, MSN

    Student Spotlight: Karline Wilson-Mitchell RN, RM, CNM, MSN

    FNU student Karline Wilson-Mitchell was selected as the ACNM Foundation’s Carrington-Hsia-Nieves Doctoral Scholarship for Midwives of Color. Karline is currently enrolled in FNU’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program.

    Q – Why did you decide to pursue your Doctor of Nursing Practice degree?

    A – Doctoral education was important for me to strengthen research, health policy, teaching and leadership skills. As a maternity care provider who is very much concerned about social justice issues and advocacy for vulnerable populations, I wanted to be better equipped to provide meaningful, equitable quality improvement interventions and also to be a credible resource for my midwifery students. Doctoral preparation provides all of these and more. I also sought a culturally safe environment where intellectual inquiry and creation of knowledge is inspired by our teachers and the curriculum. Actually, it was our {ACNM} president, Ginger Breedlove, who really challenged me to embrace my fears and consider doctoral education in 2012.

    Q – Describe the focus of your doctoral project. Why is this focus important to you or what type of impact would you like to make on healthcare in general with your doctoral studies?

    A –  My project is titled: Midwives’ and Perinatal Nurses’ Perceptions of Barriers to Quality Maternity Care for Jamaican Adolescents. My previous research program over the past 8 years led me in this direction, to look at global health issues. From the new immigrant and refugee clients I cared for, and particularly those who had experienced family violence of some kind, I was led to go to the origins of some of these adolescent newcomer mothers. That led me to the Caribbean and specifically to Jamaica to look at the psychosocial stressors that affected adolescent mothers in low or middle-income countries. Jamaica has made tremendous strides toward decreasing adolescent pregnancy rates. However, Jamaican adolescent mothers continue to be a vulnerable population with tremendous psychosocial and health needs.  

    Jamaican midwives must be equipped and empowered to provide evidence-based, respectful care according to the World Health Organization definitions of “Respectful care”. My project was part of a larger needs assessment. I examined the midwives’ perspectives and experiences.  I wanted to know what helps or hinders them from providing respectful care. I learned that and more. They provided valuable insights into what they believe Jamaican adolescent mothers desire and need to become resilient and healthy. My findings can inform adolescent care both globally and here in North America.

    Q – How did you find out/know to apply to the ACNM Foundation’s Carrington-Hsia-Nieves Doctoral Scholarship for Midwives of Color?

    A – I am so grateful for the ACNM Midwives of Color Committee (MOCC), particularly the past Chairperson, Maria Valentin-Welch CNM, DNP. As an alumnus and faculty member at FNU, she encouraged and inspired me to apply for the scholarship.  

    Q – What does it mean to you to be the first recipient of this award?

    A – I am humbled and amazed to be the first recipient. I am so grateful to my elder and sister midwives Betty Carrington, Lily Hsia, and Nivia Nieves-Fisch who set the groundwork that made my future in midwifery possible. I gratefully thank them, the ACNM Foundation, MOCC, and our President Ginger Breedlove who continues to inspire me as she advocates for midwifery and health policy on Capitol Hill. I’m also grateful for all of my fellow students and faculty at FNU.  These friendships and partnerships have been golden. My chair Dr. Amy Marowitz, as well as Dr. Susan Yount and Dr. Diane John who have been strategic in my DNP project development.


    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.

  • Alumni Spotlight: Carrie Lee-Hall, MSN, WHNP, FNP, SANE, 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.

     

    A passion for mothers and babies runs through Carrie Lee-Hall’s family, going back to her great-grandmother who practiced as a lay midwife. Her great-grandmother’s stories had a tremendous influence on Carrie, and led to her pursuing a career in nurse-midwifery via Frontier Nursing University (FNU). At FNU, she found more inspiration through the story of Mary Breckinridge and credits the school with preparing her for a successful career.

     

    With a focus on serving rural areas, Carrie became the first Certified Nurse-Midwife in many years to practice in Hazard, Ky. In addition to nurse-midwifery, Carrie returned to FNU for both a Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner degree and a Family Nurse Practitioner degree so that she can treat families as a whole. She is also a sexual assault nurse.

     

    Carrie continues to strive in her field at Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation, located in Eastern Ky, where the facility has around 500 births per year. She is always seeking new ways to improve health care in rural areas and was even featured in The American Nurse Project in recognition of her many accomplishments in the field.

     

    As an alumnus, Carrie gives back by serving as a preceptor for other FNU students who share her same concern for women and families. Carrie shared, “My passion is practicing in a rural area. I would love to help promote breastfeeding, decrease smoking and other negative health habits, and bring greater awareness to the negative effects of drug abuse in Eastern Kentucky.”  

     

  • Preceptor Spotlight: Erin Bjork, APRN, CNP

    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 December 2015, FNU honored Erin Bjork, APRN, CNP, from Melrose, Minn., as the featured preceptor for the term. Erin has been a preceptor with Frontier since 2011 and has taken on numerous students, with another student slated to begin winter term.

     

    Erin has demonstrated her dedication to the nurse practitioner profession as a clinical educator, and students enjoy and respect her instruction. She has precepted students on very short notice, and responds immediately to calls for urgent placement from FNU’s Regional Clinical Faculty in Minnesota, Nancy Pesta Walsh.

     

    Carrying out FNU’s mission and emphasis on rural and underserved populations, Erin has served her small rural community for more than eight years. She provides full scope NP practice, from pediatrics to elderly, and care to a large Hispanic immigrant population.

     

    Erin is actively engaged with her employer, Centracare Health System, and its efforts to keep clinics and hospitals in small towns. With a strong influence in Central Minnesota, CentraCare strives to improve health care for those living in rural communities. The system is recognized as a National Health Service Corps site (NHSC) and a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA).

    Recent FNU graduate, Heather Christenson, FNP student class 116, describes Erin as instrumental in her learning as a nurse practitioner. “Ms. Bjork is efficient and caring, truly listening and explaining things to her patients,” shared Heather.

  • FNU is Now Accepting Applications for the 2016 Courier Internship Program

    Frontier Nursing University is currently accepting applications for the 2016 Courier Internship Program which will run from June 5-July 31, 2016. Visit https://frontier.edu/courier for details and to apply.

    Eligible applicants should be interested in learning about public health, health care, social work and related fields; share a commitment to Frontier’s mission of serving the rural and underserved; and be ready for an adventure! Formal training or an educational background in healthcare is notrequired.

    Frontier Couriers Began Serving in 1928

    Couriers are an integral part of Frontier’s history. Mary Breckinridge, founder of Frontier Nursing University, established the Courier Program in 1928 to recruit young people to work in the Kentucky Mountains and learn about service to humanity. Couriers escorted guests safely through remote terrain, delivered medical supplies to remote outpost clinics, and helped nurse-midwives during home visits and births. Frontier has benefited tremendously from the 1,500 Couriers who have served since 1928.

    Today’s Couriers Embody the Same Spirit

    FNU’s Courier Program is a service learning internship focused on serving rural and underserved communities, distinguished by its legacy and the adventuresome nature of our site placements. Couriers provide critical assistance to rural health clinics and birth centers in Appalachia, as well as outpost locations across the country.

    While responsibilities vary by site, all Couriers will:

    • Complete a Community Health Profile, paying particular attention to health equity issues;
    • Shadow clinicians in their work with patients;
    • Perform volunteer duties to meet critical clinical needs; and
    • Engage directly with the community through secondary project(s).

    Courier Program Goals

    1. To introduce Couriers to the value of public health, advanced practice nursing, and primary healthcare services to people living in rural and underserved communities;
    2. To support clinical and other community sites by meeting critical needs that would otherwise go unmet;
    3. To foster cultural humility through Courier engagement with diverse communities and fellow Couriers; and
    4. To facilitate Couriers’ experience of FNU’s mission in action and encourage them to embody the Frontier legacy in their later vocations and personal lives.

    Important Dates

    • Applications and reference letters are due by February 12, 2016.
    • The Courier Program will run from June 5 to July 31, 2016.

    Contact Information

    • APPLICATION FEE: Applicants should contact Robin Smith at 859-899-2503 to pay the $50 application fee by February 12.
    • REFERENCE LETTERS: References should email letters to CourierApplicants@frontier.edu with the applicant’s name in the subject line.
    • LEARN MORE ONLINE: Do you or someone you know embody the legacy of a Courier? Visit https://frontier.edu/courier for details.
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