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.
AACN’s Diversity Leadership Institute is a five-month program that provides an overview of the current state of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in academic nursing and the role of Diversity Officers in nursing education and practice. Via a series of five two-day virtual modules beginning in January 2025, program facilitators will frame DEI within the context of higher education and academic nursing while presenting high-involvement strategies and practices that can be deployed at schools of nursing.
“Frontier Nursing University believes in the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion and the particular need for DEI in healthcare. We know that data indicates that healthcare outcomes are improved with the presence of culturally concordant care,” said FNU Dean of Nursing Dr. Joan Slager, CNM, DNP, FACNM, FAAN. “I am very proud of our three faculty selected to participate in this unique and special experience offered by AACN and am excited to see how their experience and leadership will contribute to the advancement of FNU’s DEI initiatives.
Attendees of the Institute attain new knowledge and experiences designed to stimulate strategic thinking and elevate impact. The program content was designed to increase self-awareness while building skills and capacity to lead change and launch successful DEI-focused initiatives. The program allows participants to develop a diversity plan designed to drive excellence and meet local needs. Upon completion, the participants will present their projects, describing how they will apply their plans within their respective organizations.
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.
Last year’s Day of Giving raised an impressive $73,442 from 129 donors. This year, FNU aims to increase that amount to $75,000 with the support of 150 donors.
This year, FNU is striving to secure at least one donor from every state, which Colletti-Jones said is an achievable goal given FNU’s network of students, alumni, faculty, preceptors and staff.
“This is a creative way to get our community involved and a fun way to reach some of our goals,” she said.
Donors can support FNU in various ways, including donor-advised funds, annual fund donations, stock gifts, and planned giving. During Day of Giving, donors can choose how to designate their contributions, with options such as the FNU Scholarship Fund; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives; the Courier Program; the Alumni Fund and more. This flexibility allows donors to align their gifts with their personal interests and values.
“Having a variety of funds to support allows for our donors to make a gift that resonates with them,” Colletti-Jones said. “For example, they could be a former scholarship winner, and they want to give back to that particular scholarship, or they are really interested in making an impact wherever Frontier Nursing University sees fit. Allowing someone to choose their place of support gives them a chance to create a unique giving experience that is special to them.”
Colletti-Jones said she hopes this year’s Day of Giving will not only raise essential funds for FNU initiatives, but also act as a celebration of the university and the achievements of its faculty, staff, students, and donors.
“We know at Frontier that it takes a lot to pursue an advanced degree,” she said. “Some of the most meaningful messages we get are from those that have received one of our scholarships or benefited from one of our programs. These messages offer hope and encouragement. They help strengthen our giving program to show that it is important to give back, to allow others like themselves to experience an education like no other.”
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.
After earning her Post-Graduate Certificate in Nurse-Midwifery from FNU in 2020, Rachelle Molière-Ogunlana, MSN, CNM, FNP-CLa, leveraged her education and experience as a nurse-midwife, labor and delivery RN and family nurse practitioner to open her own women’s health clinic and midwifery center. Molière-Ogunlana is the founder of Clinique Molière in Brea, California, a health and wellness center that provides services ranging from well-woman care to birth and postpartum care to breastfeeding support.
“As a nurse-midwife specializing in holistic birthing and women’s health services, my calling stems from a deep desire to empower women and make a positive social impact,” Molière-Ogunlana said. “Pregnancy and childbirth are such profound, transformative experiences in a woman’s life, and I believe every mother deserves to have a safe, supported, and empowering birth journey.”
Molière-Ogunlana said the philosophy behind Clinique Molière is that the birthing experience should be an empowering, transformative, and deeply sacred journey for every mother and family. She said their approach combines ancient midwifery wisdom with the latest evidence-based practices, maintaining a deep respect for the physiological and emotional processes of birth. Additionally, they actively address social determinants of health by partnering with local organizations to provide resources for housing, nutrition, mental health support, and other essential services contributing to overall well-being.
The business will soon open its first birth center. At 5,000 square feet, it is expected to be the largest freestanding birth center in California, Molière-Ogunlana said. She was honored to learn the history of the building where the birth center will be located.
“It was the Veterans Association Hall. There is a remembrance plaque that the City of Brea requires us to keep in good standing on the building,” Molière-Ogunlana said. “We are honored that 25 other businesses were turned down for this location, and we have the opportunity to honor life through birth in the same building where our Veterans shared memories.”
Clinique Molière serves all maternal and women’s health populations aged 15 to 55. Their vision extends beyond the confines of their new birth center and home births; they actively engage with the community through outreach programs, educational workshops, and advocacy efforts to raise awareness surrounding the importance of maternal health and promote equal access to quality care for all women, regardless of socioeconomic status or ethnic background.
“I chose this path because I’m passionate about providing comprehensive, individualized care that honors the emotional, spiritual, and cultural aspects,” Molière-Ogunlana said.
As she has developed and refined Clinique Molière’s approach to women’s health, Molière-Ogunlana said the community she has gained through FNU has been invaluable.
“The Frontier network has connected me with so many like-minded practitioners and expanded my community as a result,” she said.
Outside of her work with Clinique Molière, Molière-Ogunlana enjoys spending time with her family, friends and two goldendoodles. She also enjoys activities such as journaling, meditation, pilates, hiking and Bikram yoga.
Thank you, Rachelle, for capturing the essence of FNU graduates through your dedicated efforts in serving women in your community.
Learn more about advanced nursing degrees and specialties at Frontier Nursing University. Subscribe to our blog for the latest news and events at FNU and to get inspired with stories featuring our alumni, students, faculty, preceptors and staff!
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.
FNU works every day to train the next generation of PMHNPs, and is having an impact, thanks to the efforts of dedicated faculty. Among these dedicated faculty members is Kelsey Kent, PhD, PMHNP-BC, CNE, a Course Coordinator at FNU.
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) defines Competency-Based Education (CBE) as “a system of instruction, assessment, feedback, self-reflection, and academic reporting that is based on students demonstrating that they have learned the knowledge, attitudes, motivations, self-perceptions, and skills expected of them as they progress through their education.”
“As the field of nursing moves toward competency-based education, faculty need to adapt teaching and learning strategies to meet standards for assessing core behaviors of graduate psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner students,” Dr. Kent writes in the article.
The assignment discussed in the article employs prerecorded video scenarios to help students practice and enhance their psychotherapy skills during didactic coursework. Assessment is carried out using an analytic rubric, and detailed written feedback is provided to each student.
During the term, students complete six video critiques, each featuring a 10-minute segment of a therapy session and covering various therapy modalities. The videos align with course module content and include scenarios such as addressing alcohol misuse through motivational interviewing, treating anxiety with cognitive behavioral therapy, and working with an older adult using contextual adult lifespan theory to adapt psychotherapy.
The videos vary in how closely the therapist follows the given modality, and students must critique the sessions in their responses to seven questions. For example, the first question posed to students is: “Write a summary of the session and perform a mental status exam on the patient.”
By responding to the questions posed in the assignment, students are fulfilling several AACN Essentials competencies, along with Nurse Practitioner Role Core Competencies from the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) and the American Psychiatric Nurses Association’s (APNA) Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Essential Competencies for Assessment and Management of Individuals at Risk for Suicide.
For example, the aforementioned assignment question addresses NONPF Nurse Practitioner Core Competencies NP 2.3i (“Utilize advanced critical thinking to determine the appropriate focused or comprehensive relevant patient history”), NP 2.3j (“Apply advanced assessment skills to perform a comprehensive patient physical assessment utilizing appropriate techniques”), and NP 2.3p (“Document comprehensive history, screening, and assessment”).
Upon submitting their work, students are evaluated via an analytic rubric that assesses groups of competencies, including psychiatric assessment, communication skills, application of therapy models, and personal reflection. Faculty are trained on the rubric and practice on previous term papers to improve inter-rater reliability. In addition to a numeric score, students are given a summary of the session itself, including successes and areas of improvements for the therapy session. Then, each student receives individualized feedback highlighting strengths, areas for improvement, and comments on points of discussion identified by the student.
This approach allows for highly personalized feedback in the form of written comments and a detailed rubric. In addition, the prerecorded scenarios give students the opportunity to rewatch sessions as often as needed to fully observe the interaction, something unavailable in a live clinical setting.
FNU values the work of PMHNP faculty members like Dr. Kent as they make new strides in advancing the education of mental health nurse professionals. To learn more about FNU’s PMHNP Program, click here.
National Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, honors the contributions of Hispanic Americans to U.S. history, culture, and achievements. At Frontier Nursing University (FNU), these contributions are exemplified by Hispanic students like Emily Chavez. A clinical midwifery student based in New Jersey, Chavez recently helped a laboring Guatemalan patient successfully deliver vaginally after it was recommended that she undergo a cesarean section. Chavez used her ability to speak Spanish and her budding midwifery expertise to guide the patient through a successful labor and birth. The patient was deeply grateful that Chavez stepped in and that she could connect with her in her own language. It was also empowering for Chavez as a student midwife to witness the powerful effects of her attentive and attuned care. This story highlights the importance of Hispanic representation in nursing and midwifery.
Understanding the need for more Hispanic nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners, Frontier recently started a Latino/a Students in Nursing group, supported by faculty advisors Dr. Heidi Loomis and Dr. Niessa Meier. Student Interest Groups (SIGs) offer spaces for various student identities, including LGBTQIA+ Students, Men in Nursing, Military/Veterans, International Students, Neurodivergent Students and Students of Color. These groups, facilitated by faculty but driven by students, provide safe environments for open discussion.
Dr. Loomis, having gained extensive experience living and working in Spanish-speaking countries such as Chile and Guatemala, as well as with Spanish-speaking communities in the U.S., said she is eager to support the success of Latino/a students at FNU.
“We know that learning is improved when students feel connected and have a sense of belonging; I’d like to support that winning story at FNU,” she said.
Meetings for the SIG take place on Zoom on the fourth Tuesday of each month from 1 to 2 p.m. EST. During the meetings, students share stories with each other about their own learning and life experiences and invite outside speakers to present on topics of interest to the group, Dr. Loomis said. The group has also discussed celebrating the SIG at graduation, which bright colors to choose for sarapes, and how they might extend the reach of the group to others.
In a recent meeting, Dr. Loomis shared some of the results of her recent research, “Midwifery Students’ Experiences of Bias in the Clinical Setting,” including some selected comments from participants, reporting of bias, to whom to turn for support, and ways for students to advocate for themselves and others.
For FNU student Dilcia Diaz, her experience with the SIG has been rewarding, noting that she appreciates the opportunity to connect with others who share similar Hispanic backgrounds, finding motivation and confidence in being part of a community that understands her journey.
“As a Hispanic born in Mexico and raised in Texas, it has been a challenge to be where I am now in graduate school. Having a support group that understands your situations or having similarities with others gives me more motivation and confidence to keep going,” Diaz said.
Dr. Loomis said while the SIG is student-led and ultimately shaped by their choices, her hope is that it becomes a space where Latino/a students can connect, feel at home, and find support. She said the SIG is an excellent example of how FNU offers creative ways for students to be seen and valued so that they may succeed personally and academically.
“The creation of the Student Interest Groups offers an additional ‘welcome’ to students of various identities to be known and connected,” she said. “We need students of all identities and backgrounds to succeed in their professional aspirations so that all of our communities across the country and world may be best served.”
Those interested in joining or learning more about the Latino/a Student Interest Group can contact Dr. Loomis at heidi.loomis@frontier.edu or Dr. Meier at niessa.meier@frontier.edu. To learn more about Student Interest Groups at FNU, click here.
Learn more about advanced nursing degrees and specialties at Frontier Nursing University. Subscribe to our blog for the latest news and events at FNU and to get inspired with stories featuring our alumni, students, faculty, preceptors and staff!
Frontier Nursing University has received the 2024 Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. As a recipient of the annual Health Professions HEED Award — a national honor recognizing U.S. health colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion — FNU will be featured, along with 70 other recipients, in the November/December 2024 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. This is the seventh consecutive year FNU has been named as a Health Professions HEED Award recipient.
“Being named an INSIGHT Into Diversity Health Professions Education Excellence in Diversity Award winner is a tremendous honor,” said FNU President Dr. Brooke A. Flinders, DNP, RN, APRN-CNM, FACNM. “Many years ago, the leadership at Frontier recognized the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in all corners of society, but particularly in healthcare, where it has been proven that culturally competent care improves health outcomes. Guided by our Board of Directors and our diverse and talented faculty and staff, Frontier prepares our students to provide excellent, ethical, and compassionate care in their communities all across the United States. Receiving this award is not only a validation of our strategies and results but also a reminder that there is much more to be done.”
For nearly two decades, FNU has emphasized the importance of increasing diversity enrollment and retention through a number of initiatives. FNU’s many DEI initiatives include the implementation of a holistic admissions process, the expansion of its Office of DEI staff, diversity training for all members of the FNU community, mentoring programs, the formation of six Student Interest Groups, and the establishment of DEI Faculty Fellow and DEI Staff Ambassador programs. FNU’s enrollment of students of color, just 9% in 2010, has grown to 30% today.
“At Frontier Nursing University, we are fully committed to creating and maintaining a welcoming community where everyone is included, valued, and respected,” said FNU Dean of Inclusive Excellence and Student Success Dr. Paula Alexander-Delpech, Ph.D., PMHNP-BC, APRN, FAANP. “Our DEI programs, initiatives, and policies are data-driven and evidence-based, with equal input and commitment from university leadership, faculty, students, and staff.”
“The Health Professions HEED Award process consists of a comprehensive and rigorous application that includes questions relating to the recruitment and retention of students and employees — and best practices for both — continued leadership support for diversity, and other aspects of campus diversity and inclusion,” said Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of Insight Into Diversity magazine. “We take a detailed approach to reviewing each application in deciding who will be named a Health Professions HEED Award recipient. Our standards are high, and we look for schools where diversity and inclusion are woven into the work being done every day across their campus.”
National Midwifery Week is right around the corner, and Frontier Nursing University is celebrating by hosting an exciting virtual event dedicated to nurse-midwifery. During Empower 2024, we will be releasing twofree CE courses on October 7:
Empower 2024 will bring together passionate leaders in nurse-midwifery to share experiences and their commitment to better care for individuals and families. This year, we have a special live session on Oct. 10 at 8 p.m. ET for Hispanic nurses who may be thinking about becoming a nurse-midwife:
Frontier’s NEW documentary, Nurse-Midwives: Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis, brings awareness to the maternal health crisis and how nurse-midwives are making a difference in rural and underserved communities. In celebration of National Midwifery Week, we invite you to host a viewing party in your area!
Take action this National Midwifery Week and educate others on the important care nurse-midwives provide to individuals and families. Click here to access resources like the images below and ourshareable midwifery toolkit:
Click image to enlarge and save.
Click image to enlarge and save.
This National Midwifery Week, connect with Frontier faculty, students, alumni and friends in celebration of nurse-midwives! Learn more and stay up-to-date at Frontier.edu/MidwiferyWeek. To learn more about FNU’s distance education degrees and specialty tracks, please visit our website.
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 who are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality healthcare to underserved and rural populations.
Dr. Lourdes Prince has been a champion of DEI throughout her career in healthcare and education. This summer, Dr. Prince became a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Faculty Fellow at FNU and served as a moderator during the Diversity Impact conference in July. She is also a reviewer for the Nursing Workforce Diversity grant scholarship and a member of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging; the Diversity Impact Planning; and the Culture of Caring committees at FNU.
As a Hispanic healthcare professional with extensive experience in DEI, Dr. Prince said an emphasis on DEI is crucial in advancing health in Hispanic communities. She said lack of access, lower socioeconomic status and language barriers often prevent many members of the Hispanic community from seeking care.
“Not only are services often out of reach for these families due to lack of insurance or proximity to these services, but they are often not culturally and linguistically tailored for this population,” she said. “Providers who share the same cultural background as their patients communicate more effectively. When a provider speaks the same language, health concerns are more likely to be heard and addressed in an adequate manner.”
According to the 2020 Census, Hispanics represent 18.7% of the U.S. population, yet only 7.4% of registered nurses, 5% of nurse practitioners, 4.8% of certified nurse-midwives, and 6.5% of physicians are Hispanic. Although access to interpreters is required through the Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) standards, Hispanic patients with limited English proficiency often have to rely on family, friends, or other untrained individuals as interpreters.
Over her 24-year career as a Certified Nurse-Midwife, Dr. Lourdes Prince estimates she has delivered more than 4,000 babies.
Addressing disparities in healthcare among the Hispanic population is particularly important when it comes to midwifery care, Dr. Prince said. She said this is highlighted by the fact that the Hispanic community in the U.S. faces significant health disparities, particularly with higher rates of conditions such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and chronic liver disease, which can lead to pregnancy complications. Hispanic mothers also are at a greater risk of dying from infection and hemorrhage compared to other racial groups. Midwives, as licensed healthcare providers, play a crucial role in improving maternal care, leading to better outcomes and patient satisfaction.
Dr. Prince said advancing health in the Hispanic community can be supported by increasing the number of Hispanic providers who will become a part of those communities, noting that Hispanic providers can bring a more holistic understanding of their patient’s cultural history and the events that shape their healthcare experience. They can use this understanding to foster respect and better communication with their patients. In regards to maternal care, she said schools of nursing can help address health disparities by recruiting and retaining more Hispanic midwives who will understand their communities’ unique health needs.
“A diverse workforce understands that the language, culture, issues and needs of local patient populations can provide deeper insight that results in better decision-making about how to serve those communities,” she said. “Those decisions then have the potential to positively impact patient experience, safety and quality, and the communities’ overall health.”
To that end, Dr. Prince will address the empowerment of Hispanic nurses and the path to becoming a Nurse-Midwife during a presentation for the National Association of Hispanic Nurses in October. The presentation is a collaborative effort with Dr. Tanya Belcheff, FNU’s Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Dr. Lourdes Prince with her husband, Tom, and their third grandchild.
Along with her work in DEI, Dr. Prince also serves as a Regional Clinical Faculty (RCF) member. In this role, she supports Frontier students throughout their clinical journey. She advises, supports, educates, and evaluates students, meeting with them biweekly—or more frequently if needed—to guide them through course expectations and foster a positive learning environment. Dr. Prince also collaborates closely with preceptors to ensure students receive the best clinical experiences.
Before joining FNU, Dr. Prince built a career in midwifery and women’s health. She said her passion for midwifery is rooted in her family history, particularly the legacy of her great-great-grandmother, Monserrate Arroyo, a midwife and healer in Puerto Rico. Inspired by her ancestor’s dedication to caring for her community, Dr. Prince pursued midwifery to provide continuity of care to women throughout various stages of life—a cornerstone of the midwifery model that resonated deeply with her family values.
Dr. Prince worked as a labor and delivery nurse for 12 years before earning a Master of Science in nursing in 1998 and a Doctor of Nursing Practice in 2012 from the University of Florida. Over her 24-year career as a Certified Nurse-Midwife, she estimates she has delivered more than 4,000 babies.
“Earning a DNP demonstrates a commitment to learning at the highest level of nursing practice,” she said. “It expanded my knowledge base and professional capacity. With my DNP, my role as a certified nurse-midwife evolved and overlapped with the other area that sparked my passion: nursing education.”
Dr. Lourdes Prince in her home office with her dog, Lola.
After working as a labor and delivery nurse, Dr. Prince worked in a full scope private practice for four years before joining an OB-GYN Faculty practice with Orlando Health. At Orlando Health, Dr. Prince participated in the Perinatal Improvement Collaborative, testing interventions and protocols to reduce preventable deaths and complications among mothers and babies. She also supervised first-year OB-GYN residents with normal labor and birth.
Dr. Prince also helped launch the collaborative practice between Maternal Fetal Medicine and Certified Nurse-Midwives at Winnie Palmer Hospital in Orlando. Precepting graduate nursing students since 1999, Dr. Prince has been committed to improving healthcare by clinically preparing OB-GYN residents, nurse practitioners and nurse-midwives to serve their communities. This extensive experience in precepting led her to her career at FNU, she said.
“I had colleagues who were RCFs with FNU, and they felt that with my many years of work and precepting experience, I would be a good fit at FNU,” she said. “My passion for precepting students evolved into joining FNU as an RCF.”
Dr. Lourdes Prince after completing a half marathon.
Thank you, Lourdes, for your dedication to midwifery education, the Hispanic community and promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in healthcare. Frontier is fortunate to have such an inspiring and passionate leader as part of our faculty.
Learn more about advanced nursing degrees and specialties at Frontier Nursing University. Subscribe to our blog for the latest news and events at FNU and to get inspired with stories featuring our alumni, students, faculty, preceptors and staff!
After earning her 
The business will soon open its first birth center. At 5,000 square feet, it is expected to be the largest freestanding birth center in California, Molière-Ogunlana said. She was honored to learn the history of the building where the birth center will be located.
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 
Frontier Nursing University has received the 2024 Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from 
Dr. Lourdes Prince has been a champion of DEI throughout her career in healthcare and education. This summer, Dr. Prince became a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Faculty Fellow at FNU and served as a moderator during the Diversity Impact conference in July. She is also a reviewer for the Nursing Workforce Diversity grant scholarship and a member of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging; the Diversity Impact Planning; and the Culture of Caring committees at FNU.
