Blog

  • 2015 Highlights

    2015 has been an exciting year here at Frontier Nursing University (FNU). Take a look at our major milestones below and check out our 2015 Highlights video below.

     

     

     

    • FNU awarded scholarships to more than 200 students

     

    • FNU was recognized as the #1 Nurse-Midwifery Program in the U.S.

     

    • FNU was ranked in Top 30 Best Online Graduate Nursing Programs by US News & World Report

     

    • FNU increased preceptor network and now has more than 7000 preceptors worldwide

     

    • With more than 8,000 alumni and donors nationwide, more than $3 million was raised this year to support FNU’s mission

     

    • FNU hosted screenings of “The American Nurse” and “Call the Midwife”

     

    • FNU received five advertising awards

     

    • FNU debuted its new digital timeline –  A Journey Through Time
       

    • FNU was featured in American History Magazine

     

    • FNU’s PRIDE Program hosted its 5th annual Diversity Impact Event on campus
       

    • FNU had over 100 case days with more than 900 participants nation-wide

     

    • FNU’s PRIDE Program was featured as a Minority Nurse Take Pride Campaign Winner
       

    • FNU attended over 30 national, state and local nursing conferences throughout the United States

     

    • “Dreamers & Doers: Voice of Kentucky Women” documentary, featuring Mary Breckinridge premiered.

     

    • FNU hosted the Inaugural Digital Summit in celebration of National Midwifery Week.
       

    • FNU celebrated the reasons why students, alumni, & faculty are nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners

     

    • Prenatal and Postnatal Care: A Woman-Centered Approach, authored By FNU faculty received Book of the Year Award from American College of Nurse-Midwives
       

    • FNU welcomed two new clinical directors to our faculty

     

    • FNU hosted annual commencement in celebration of over 500 nurse-midwife and nurse practitioner graduates 

     

    • More than 2000 people attended the annual FNU commencement ceremony.

     

    • FNU Annual Homecoming brought graduates back to Wendover in October

     

    • FNU’s annual holiday party was celebrated at Wendover for local children and families

     

    • FNU celebrated Wendover “Big House”  90th anniversary

     

    • FNU hosted another class of Couriers in 2015 who are helping to reach Wide Neighborhoods

    Thank you to the friends and family of FNU that helped make 2015 so incredible. Here’s to 2016!

  • FNU Case Days are on the GO!

    By Jamie Wheeler, FNU Clinical Site Facilitator

    From Sacramento, California to Floyd, Virginia, virtual, and everywhere in between, Frontier Nursing University is happy to announce that we hosted 102 Case Days in 30 states this year, which is double the number from 2014.  More than 900 students, alumni, faculty, preceptors, and friends of Frontier participated in these events.

    Case Days are seminars organized and hosted by our Regional Clinical Faculty (RCFs).  They provide opportunities for group learning and networking within the region. Students doing their clinical practicum present cases to facilitate group discussion of management options and to promote the pathways of critical thinking. Our 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.  Case Days are casual and fun with great opportunities to network and meet other Frontier friends, and refreshments are always provided.  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 2015 in this short video: FNU Case Days 2015 Video.

  • Rural Nurses

    Nurses enjoy greater scope of practice when serving less populated communities

    By: Dawn Lovelace, DNP, CNM, FNP, ARNP

     

    This article was originally published by FNU faculty Dawn Lovelace in ADVANCE. To read the full article, go here.

     

    Most American nurses work in urban hospitals, with only 16% working in rural areas. Rural nurses’ work is different than their urban counterparts, and some consider rural nursing a specialty. Rural nursing generally encompasses a greater scope of practice, requiring independence, flexibility, and a strong sense of adventure. Rural nurses are generalists, but they must have at least some specialty knowledge in multiple areas of nursing. They have older, sicker patients, fewer resources, less supporting staff, testing, and treatment options, and yet they generally manage the most patient care in their home community. When necessary, they support and stabilize their patients and get them safely transferred to a higher level of care for more intensive or specialized treatment. 

     

    I have spent the last twenty years as a Certified Nurse Midwife and Family Nurse Practitioner working at a 25-bed critical access hospital that is ninety miles away from a medium-sized city with specialty medical services. We live in an isolated area, and in the winter we can be cut off from the outside world due to bad weather. We live in a tourist area – so in the summer our population swells immensely, with an increase in car and boat and jet-ski accidents, falls from cliffs, snake bites, heat strokes, and heart attacks. Our providers and nurses handle everything from childbirth to multisystem trauma. Our nursing staff is fearless.

     

    To read the full article, go here.

     

    Article by FNU faculty

    Dawn Lovelace, DNP, CNM, FNP

    Read full bio here.

  • The Online Nursing Student’s Guide to Survival

    By: Lisa Chappell, Ph.D., FNP-BC, Diane Y. John, Ph.D., ARNP, FNP-BC

     

    This article was originally published by FNU faculty Lisa Chappell and Diane John at MediaPlanet.com. To read the full article, go here.

     

    Deciding whether an online program makes most sense for your particular situation and goals is the first step. From there, some important questions about the program itself still remain.

     

    Before you enroll

    Looking to obtain a graduate nursing degree? Consider these four factors before deciding on a distance education program.

     

    1. Are you flexible?

    An online program should allow for flexibility. Classes that are asynchronous do not require your presence in a classroom. You can move through the course materials and course requirements within the guidelines provided by the faculty.

     

    To read the full article, go here.


    Article by FNU Faculty:

     

     

    Lisa Chappell, Ph.D., FNP-BC (To read full bio, go here)

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Diane Y. John, Ph.D.m ARNP, FNP-BC (To read full bio, go here)

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Frontier Nursing University Diversity Program Receives National Recognition

    Minority Nurse magazine has selected Frontier Nursing University (FNU) as one of three national 2015 Take Pride Campaign winners, recognizing the school’s efforts to promote diversity in nursing and midwifery through the FNU PRIDE program. Each year, the magazine recognizes employers that go above and beyond to encourage diversity; recruit and retain minorities; and create a cooperative, inclusive work environment.

    FNU established PRIDE (Promoting Recruitment and Retention to Increase Diversity in Nurse-Midwifery and Nurse Practitioner Education) in 2010. The goal of the program is to recruit and retain qualified underrepresented students in the graduate school of nursing who will meet the health care demands of an increasingly diverse population.

    “As an education provider, we strive to develop a successful and diverse student body that represents the populations served,” said FNU President Dr. Susan Stone. “The PRIDE Program allows us to partner with institutions around the country to reach students who may not otherwise have access to graduate level programs in their area.”

    PRIDE has led to greater cultural awareness and diversity across FNU. New programs and services such as an Online Cultural Center (OCC) are now available to students and FNU faculty and staff. The OCC is a 24/7 interactive learning resource center with modules that offer insight on cultural health disparities and interpersonal communication in healthcare.

    In June, FNU hosts an annual PRIDE Diversity Impact Event on the school’s campus in Hyden, Ky. Students, alumni, faculty and staff unite for fellowship and networking. They also participate in teambuilding exercises and leadership discussions related to increasing diversity in nursing and midwifery. Those who can’t make it to Hyden are invited to participate online as part of a virtual viewing audience.

    To learn more about FNU’s PRIDE diversity initiative, visit www.frontier.edu/PRIDEprogram. Learn more about the Annual PRIDE Diversity Impact Event at www.frontier.edu/DiversityImpact.

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    Offering the #1 Nurse-Midwifery program in the United States, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report, FNU is passionate about educating nurse-midwives to serve women and families in all communities, especially rural and underserved areas. FNU offers graduate Nurse-Midwifery and Nurse Practitioner programs that can be pursued full- or part-time with the student’s home community serving as the classroom. To learn more about FNU and the programs and degrees offered, please visit Frontier.edu.

     

  • Tobacco Cessation Interventions During Pregnancy


    Nurses encourage expectant mothers to quit smoking

    By: L. Kim Baraona, DNP, APRN, CNM

     

    This article was originally published by FNU faculty Kim Baraona in ADVANCE. To read the full article, go here.

     

    There is no doubt that tobacco use during pregnancy is strongly associated with a variety of avoidable adverse perinatal outcomes like placental abruption, placenta previa, spontaneous rupture of membranes, low birth weight, intrauterine growth restriction, preterm birth, and sudden infant death syndrome.

     

    Alarmingly, newer research indicates that nicotine causes an alteration of production and function of neurotransmitters that may increase the risk of attention disorders, learning and behavior problems, depression, and future nicotine addiction in offspring of pregnant women who smoke. The fact that women who smoke in pregnancy experience perinatal mortality rates twice that of non-smokers makes tobacco use in pregnancy the most preventable cause of poor perinatal outcomes.

     

    To read the full article, go here.

     

    Article by FNU faculty

    Kim Baraona, DNP, APRN,CNM

    Read full bio here.

  • Meet our New Clinical Directors: Q & A

    In October, we introduced our two new clinical directors, Dr. Irma Jordan and Dr. Jane Houston. Our team at Frontier Nursing University (FNU) wants you to get to know them even better with this Q & A:
     

    Q – Where did your passion for family practice begin?

     

    Dr. Jordan- I think my interest was cultivated first to become an advanced practice nurse and then deciding on the population I wanted to care for. I love the ability to see my patients from newborn to the grandparents! 

     

    Dr. Houston- It all began in childhood, my mom breastfed all seven of us. She even exclusively breastfed when my twin and I were born in the 60s in Scotland. She was called a “stupid woman” for not offering formula, and every doctor in the maternity hospital came to see her because they couldn’t believe it was possible.


    Q – What do you enjoy most about your career? 

     

    Dr. Jordan- Having been a nurse for a very long time, it is difficult to pick one thing! When I was exclusively in clinical practice it was the patient interaction I was able to develop. Now, I think the same is true with students. I enjoy getting to know students and helping them get to their goal of becoming an advanced practice nurse.
     

    Dr. Houston- The diversity of families that midwives and women’s health NPs care for, with everyone striving for the same goal- healthy moms and babies- it is fantastic!


    Q – What do you enjoy most about working with students?

     

    Dr. Jordan- The learning that occurs! It is amazing to see students when they come to Frontier Bound (scared to death!) and then return for Clinical Bound (much more confident in their knowledge) and then with graduation! This is truly a fantastic transformation to be part of!


    Dr. Houston- Their intellectual abilities and constant challenges to be the best they can be. The care they bring to their work and their calling as midwives and women’s health NPs.

    Q – What is a typical day at work for you?

     

    Dr. Jordan- It depends. If I am working in my faculty role it consists of responding to student requests/issues and these vary daily. Identifying sites for clinical rotations is one of the most challenging things students face and I, along with the RCFs (Regional Clinical Faculty), try to facilitate this as much as possible. Since I am also a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, I practice in a crisis stabilization unit and this is never the same!

     

    Dr. Houston- As above, there is no typical day for any midwife including me. I am busy at the moment learning all I can about my new role and doing the job to the best of my ability. I am aiming to be back in limited midwifery practice in early 2016 as I really miss the challenges of caring for women and babies.


    Q – What are your hobbies outside of FNU?

     

    Dr. Jordan-I love being outside and it is a good thing as I have 10 grandchildren under the age of 9! I also love traveling, which is why my role at FNU is a perfect fit!


    Dr. Houston- Hobbies- watching most sports, especially American football, basketball and of course my favorite, the beautiful game of futbol. I read A LOT especially memoirs and non-fiction- I really enjoyed learning more about the British midwives in “Wide Neighborhoods”. My top hobby is playing with our furry friend, Annie the Wonder Dog- she is an Australian Cattle Dog and is very good at the sport of agility and doing lots of tricks. I sometimes think she is smarter than me.

  • Two FNU Graduates Awarded for Oustanding Service

    Each year, Frontier Nursing University (FNU) honors two graduates for their outstanding service to the university and their community. These awards were given at the annual Homecoming and Courier Conclave held at Wendover in Hyden, KY. This year we were proud to announce the following award recipients:

     

    Distinguished Service to Society: Kerri Schuiling

    The Distinguished Service to Society award recognizes an alumnus who goes above and beyond to provide exceptional service in his or her community. Dr. Kerri Schuiling holds a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, master’s degree from Wayne State University and baccalaureate degree from NMU. And of course, her midwifery certificate through FNU’s program. She is certified as both a women’s health nurse practitioner and nurse-midwife.

     

    Kerri currently serves as Provost and Vice President, Academic Affairs at Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan.  She has also served as dean of NMU’s College of Health Sciences and Professional Studies. Schuiling has also held positions as the Dean of Oakland University’s School of Nursing and Associate Dean and director of NMU’s School of Nursing. She served FNU for seven years as Education Director and Curriculum Coordinator providing the basis for the excellent curriculum delivered by FNU today.

     

    Dr. Schuiling has received several awards for her work in women’s health including induction as a fellow in the American College of Nurse-Midwives and recipient of the ACNM’S Kitty Ernst award, which is given in recognition for innovative, creative endeavors in midwifery and women’s health care.

     

    She is co-editor of the book Women’s Gynecologic Health, which received the ACNM Book of the Year Award, is on the editorial board of the journal Applied Nursing Research and is the founding co-editor of the International Journal of Childbirth, the official journal of the International Confederation of the Midwives. She has published more than 42 peer reviewed papers and book chapters.

     

    She is currently on the statewide Task Force for Nursing Practice and chair of the Research Standing Committee of the International Confederation of Midwives. Most recently she was selected for induction as a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, which is one of the nursing profession’s most prestigious honors.

     

    Kerri’s contribution to advanced nursing and midwifery education has been outstanding to say the least.  FNU is honored to award her the 2015 Distinguished Service to Society Award.

     

    Distinguished Service to Alma Mater: Joan Slager

    The Distinguished Service to Alma Mater honors an alumnus who has continued to provide support to Frontier through volunteer efforts and/or donor support.  Dr. Joan Slager  is a graduate of Class I of the CNEP (FNU) program in 1991. She earned her MSN from Case Western Reserve University in 1993 and her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Oakland University in 2008.

     

    She is the Director of Midwifery at Bronson Women’s Service in Kalamazoo, MI, a large full-scope midwifery practice which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, receiving ACNM Foundation’s With Women for a Lifetime Gold Commendation.

     

    Dr. Slager lectures nationally on both clinical topics and the business aspects of practice, particularly in the area of billing and coding. She is the past chair of the ACNM’s Business Section, past chair of the ACNM’s Division of Standards and Practice, and is currently serving as Treasurer on the ACNM’s Board of Directors.

     

    She is a Fellow of the American College of Nurse-Midwives and a recipient of the Dorothea Lang pioneer award. Joan and her colleagues at Bronson have served as preceptors to nearly 100 nurse-midwifery students – 62 of those students have been Frontier students!

     

    FNU is proud to honor both Dr. Kerri Schuiling and Dr. Joan Slager with these awards!

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