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  • Dr. Rachel Risner Selected for National League for Nursing & Walden University College of Nursing Institute for Social Determinants of Health & Social Change

    Dr. Rachel Risner Selected for National League for Nursing & Walden University College of Nursing Institute for Social Determinants of Health & Social Change

    Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is proud to announce that Dr. Rachel Risner, Ph.D., DNP, APRN, C-FNP, CNE, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, has been selected to participate in the National League for Nursing & Walden University College of Nursing Institute for Social Determinants of Health & Social Change. On August 8 and 9 Dr. Risner attended an orientation to the Social Determinants of Health & Social Change Leadership Academy, held in Washington, D.C. The orientation was the start of the year-long program, which is a key element of a groundbreaking collaboration between the League and Walden University College of Nursing Institute for Social Determinants of Health and Social Change, launched last year to bring about positive social change through focused professional development.

    Dr. Risner was chosen through a competitive application process for her dedicated work in social determinants of health and social change, which address the impact of structural racism, socioeconomic status, environment, education, adequate housing, and food insecurity on health and wellbeing.

    “We are so proud and fortunate to have Dr. Risner at Frontier Nursing University,” said FNU Dean of Nursing Dr. Joan Slager, CNM, DNP, FACNM, FAAN. “She is a dedicated leader with a strong commitment to FNU’s vision for educating our students about the social determinants of health and the delivery of equitable health care.”

    In addition to her work with FNU, Dr. Risner has traveled as a consultant for government hospitals in the Middle East with American Gulf International Consulting and has taught the Certified Professional in Infection Control course in the Middle East with the American Institute of Healthcare Quality. She earned an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (RN) from Oklahoma City Community College, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Oklahoma City University, a Master of Science in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner from Frontier Nursing University, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice and a Ph.D. in Nursing Education from Oklahoma City University.

    “My job, my goal is to teach, motivate, and inspire faculty, as well as oversee the curriculum at Frontier Nursing University,” Dr. Risner said. “I strive to be the person faculty look to for knowledge and guidance. My wish is to end each working day with a sense of accomplishment, knowing that I made a positive impact on at least one person I’ve encountered that day. I am looking forward to participating in the NLN Leadership Academy and engaging with other link-minded colleagues over the next year.”

    “The National League for Nursing is delighted to join with the Walden University College of Nursing in this exciting new endeavor,” said NLN President and CEO Beverly Malone, Ph.D., RN, FAAN. “The year of planned activities focuses on scholarly writing, research, curriculum development, and building leadership competencies, all designed to facilitate their leading role in preparing future caregivers to provide outstanding culturally sensitive care while focusing on systems and structures that advance the health of our nation and the global community.”

    “The caliber of this inaugural Leadership Academy cohort is a demonstration of how important the collaboration is between the National League for Nursing and Walden University’s College of Nursing for addressing the social determinants of health and social change,” said Dr. Andrea Lindell, RN, ANEF, vice provost at Walden University. “I am excited and proud that the selection of this distinguished group is another vital step toward making a profound change in health education and outcomes for vulnerable populations.”

    The Leadership Academy is overseen by the NLN Center for Transformational Leadership. For more information, visit NLNWaldenSDOH.org.

  • Student Spotlight: Crystal Iddings will be the first in her family to earn a doctoral degree

    Student Spotlight: Crystal Iddings will be the first in her family to earn a doctoral degree

    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) student Crystal Iddings, CNM, aspires to earn the highest degree in her field: Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). She is currently on track to achieve this goal next year as she earns her DNP from FNU.

    Currently serving as a Certified Nurse-Midwife, Iddings plans to continue working in this capacity after graduation with the goal of eventually teaching nurse-midwifery to others. Iddings said as someone who originates from a lower socioeconomic background, achieving the highest degree in her field was an important goal. She said she is the first person in her family to earn a graduate degree and will be the first to earn a doctoral degree.

    “I hope that my children and cousins see me make it, so they know they can too,” she said.

    Before attending FNU, Iddings earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas at Tyler. She went on to complete her Master of Science in Midwifery from Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota. Iddings said she chose to study at FNU because the university has a “reputation of gold.”

    While studying at FNU, Iddings serves patients in her town of Ames, Iowa, a community located north of Des Moines with a population of just over 66,000.

    “ I chose to study at FNU because the university has a reputation of gold…As a CNM, I am able to provide quality, safe care to those I serve.”
    – Crystal Iddings, CNM, DNP Student

    Iddings has worked for over a decade as a Labor and Delivery Nurse and has served as a CNM for the past year. She works at McFarland Clinic in Ames, a healthcare clinic that has locations throughout central Iowa. Some services Iddings provides include annual exams, STI testing, problem gynecology treatment, contraceptive counseling and prescriptions, prenatal care, labor and delivery support, and post-delivery support. At her clinic, Iddings serves patients in the surrounding rural communities to provide safe and accessible health care.

    At the clinic, Iddings’ patient population is diverse, ranging in sexual orientation, culture, race, religion and socioecomic status.

    “As a CNM, I am able to provide quality, safe care to those I serve,” she said.

    Outside of her commitments as a CNM and student, Iddings and her wife have four children, all of whom were adopted through the foster care system. She and her wife plan to host a foreign exchange student this year. Iddings enjoys kayaking, swimming, traveling, dancing, singing, and sports.

    Thank you, Crystal, for choosing FNU to achieve your goal of earning a DNP. We are proud to have you as a student and are excited to see how you will continue to impact the healthcare of your community and the patients you serve.

    Learn more about FNU’s online doctor of nursing practice program.

  • Frontier Nursing University Announces Plans for Commencement 2022

    Frontier Nursing University Announces Plans for Commencement 2022

    Ohio State Chief Innovation Officer Tim Raderstorf, DNP, RN, to Give Keynote Address

    Tim Raderstorf, DNP, RN, will be the keynote speaker at Frontier Nursing University’s (FNU) 2022 commencement ceremony, which will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 24 at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. Due to the pandemic, the 2020 and 2021 commencements were held virtually. As a result, FNU nurse-midwife and nurse practitioner students who graduated between September 28, 2019, and September 23, 2021, have also been invited to attend this year’s ceremony. FNU awarded 841 degrees in 2020, 1,001 in 2021, and expects to award more than 1,000 in 2022 for master’s, doctoral, and post-graduate certificate graduates.

    “Commencement 2022 will, of course, celebrate our most recent graduates, but we also want to honor those who graduated in the past few years and did not have this opportunity,” FNU President Dr. Susan Stone, CNM, DNSc, FAAN, FACNM, said. “It is so special for our graduates to celebrate their accomplishments and share the joyous moment with their family and friends who played such an important role in their journeys. We are so proud of all of our graduates and are thrilled to be able to celebrate their significant achievements with them.”

    Dr. Raderstorf, a nurse, teacher, and entrepreneur who serves as the Chief Innovation Officer at the Ohio State University College of Nursing, co-authored the book Evidence-based Leadership, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship in Nursing and Healthcare, with Bernadette Mazurek Melnyk, Ph.D., APRN-CNP, FAANP, FNAP, FAAN. As the first nurse to hold the Chief Innovation Officer title in academia, he takes pride in educating others on the nurse’s role as an innovator. Dr. Raderstorf is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Practice in the Masters of Healthcare Innovation program at Ohio State and is the founder of the Innovation Studio, which fosters interprofessional collaboration in creating healthcare solutions. His most recent awards include Early Career Innovator of the Year and Distinguished Recent Alumni at the Ohio State University, the Innovation Studio was named Non-Profit of the year by Columbus Business First in 2019, and he was most recently inducted into the 2020 Class of 40 under 40 by Columbus Business First.

    “We are excited and proud to welcome Dr. Tim Raderstorf as our keynote speaker at this year’s commencement ceremony,” Dr. Stone said. “An accomplished educator, nurse, and entrepreneur, Dr. Raderstorf embodies the innovative and evidenced-based thinking that we emphasize at Frontier Nursing University. His message will be entertaining and impactful to all our commencement attendees.”

    FNU’s commencement ceremony honors the nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners who have completed the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, Master in Science of Nursing degree, or Post-Graduate Certificate.

  • Frontier Nursing University Selected to Participate in National Initiative to Foster Inclusive Learning Environments

    Frontier Nursing University Selected to Participate in National Initiative to Foster Inclusive Learning Environments

    The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) announced that Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is one of 50 schools of nursing in the U.S. to have been selected to participate in a national initiative designed to foster inclusive learning environments and build a more diverse nursing workforce. Nearly 250 schools applied to participate in the initiative.

    In January 2022, AACN commenced a project titled Building a Culture of Belonging in Academic Nursing with funding from Johnson & Johnson. AACN launched this initiative to help schools of nursing create environments where students, faculty, and staff possess a strong sense of belonging and are encouraged to thrive.

    “Creating a learning culture where all individuals are able to develop and do their best work is critical to achieving academic nursing’s goals related to diversity, equity, and inclusion,” Dr. Deborah Trautman, AACN President and Chief Executive Officer, said. “AACN is pleased to join with 50 member schools to pilot test a new tool that will help to evolve how nurse educators approach teaching, learning, and professional engagement.”

    To support this project, AACN developed a digital platform to administer its Leading Across Multidimensional Perspectives (LAMP®) Culture and Climate Survey. This instrument collects data on student, faculty, and staff perceptions of their college classrooms as communities in five thematic areas: fair treatment and observations of discrimination, belongingness, value of diversity and inclusion, campus services, and clinical training.

    Using data collected via LAMP, AACN will provide institution-level assessments and action reports to participating schools related to developing inclusive academic environments. This tool provides administrators with a better understanding of how their campus climate influences student experiences and achievement. With assessment data from internal stakeholders, educators are equipped with valuable information needed to initiate change, target areas of growth, and most importantly, improve student outcomes. AACN will also use aggregate data collected from participating schools to identify best practices and success strategies that can be deployed at institutions nationwide.

    Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has been an intentional component of Frontier Nursing University’s goals, initiatives, and planning since 2010, when the university launched PRIDE (Promoting Recruitment and Retention to Increase Diversity in Nurse-Midwifery and Nurse Practitioner Education). Now known as the Diversity Impact Program, PRIDE was specifically intended to raise the level of diversity in student enrollment. In 2010, the enrollment of students of color was 9%. Today, that number has risen to over 27%, and FNU’s DEI efforts have expanded exponentially to include all members and aspects of the FNU community, including curriculum content and faculty and staff diversity, recruitment, and retention.

    “We are honored to have been selected to participate in this important initiative,” FNU Interim Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Paula Alexander-Delpech, Ph.D., PMHNP-BC, APRN, said. “We hope that the assessment data collected from students, faculty, and staff will give us valuable information that will guide us to initiate changes, identify target areas for growth, and most importantly, help us to improve student outcomes.”

    Schools selected to participate in this pilot study are geographically diverse and represent a range of institutional types (public and private institutions; small and large schools; rural and urban-serving programs, etc.) Having a broad range of participating schools is important to securing results that can be generalizable across all types of nursing schools.

    Pilot testing of the LAMP survey will be completed in spring 2023. AACN will disseminate aggregate findings to all schools of nursing next year.

  • Dr. Catherine Collins-Fulea Selected as American Academy of Nursing Fellow

    Dr. Catherine Collins-Fulea Selected as American Academy of Nursing Fellow

    The American Academy of Nursing (Academy) announced that Frontier Nursing University (FNU) Assistant Professor Catherine Collins-Fulea, DNP, CNM, FACNM, has been selected to be inducted into the 2022 Class of Fellows. Dr. Collins-Fulea is one of 250 distinguished nursing leaders selected by the Academy who will be formally inducted into the 2022 Class of Fellows during the Academy’s annual Health Policy Conference, October 27-29 in Washington, D.C.

    After completing her basic nursing and midwifery education in England, Dr. Collins-Fulea opened an in-hospital birthing center at Grace Hospital in Detroit in 1981 when only five other certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) were practicing in the entire state. She joined the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit in 1991, where she started a new practice with six other CNMs. Over the years, she grew this practice into one of the most respected in the state, leading 22 midwives at two hospitals and practicing in eight outpatient centers.

    Dr. Collins-Fulea, who received her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from FNU, joined the FNU faculty in January 2019. She has also been active professionally on both the state and national levels with the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), having recently completed a two-year term as the president of ACNM. She has also chaired many ACNM committees, including the national quality management section, the division of standards and practice, the service directors network, and the volunteer structure re-alignment task force. In addition, she has served as a regional representative on the ACNM board of directors and two terms as vice president.

    “We are very proud to have Dr. Collins-Fulea at Frontier,”FNU Dean of Nursing Dr. Joan Slager, CNM, DNP, FACNM, FAAN, who was selected as an American Academy of Nursing fellow in 2020, said. “As a national leader and advocate for nursing and nurse-midwifery, she continues to set a great example for her students and fellow faculty. “

    “I am truly honored to be selected for induction as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing,” Dr. Collins-Fulea said. “The Academy is highly regarded for its longstanding commitment to promote and advocate for the nursing profession. I look forward to doing my part to help forward the Academy’s mission.”

    The Academy serves the public by advancing health policy and practice through the generation, synthesis, and dissemination of nursing knowledge. Academy Fellows are inducted into the organization for their extraordinary contributions to improve health locally and globally. With more than 2,900 Fellows, the Academy represents nursing’s most accomplished leaders in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia.

    “As the American Academy of Nursing’s President, it gives me great pride to announce the largest class of Fellows since the organization began nearly 50 years ago,” said Kenneth R. White, Ph.D., RN, AGACNP, ACHPN, FACHE, FAAN. “At a time when investments in, and policy to address, health equity, innovation, and access are paramount, the Academy is thrilled to welcome these dynamic and courageous nurse leaders who will support our collective vision of healthy lives for all people. Induction in the Academy is a powerful moment in a nurse’s career. When we gather this fall, to award the Fellowship credential, I look forward to celebrating each Fellow’s incredible accomplishments that have improved the well-being of communities across the globe.”

    Through a competitive and rigorous application process, the Academy’s Fellow Selection Committee, which is comprised of elected and appointed Fellows, reviewed a record number of applications, representing a 30% increase from the previous year, ultimately selecting the 2022 Fellows based on their contributions to advance the public’s health. Induction into the Academy is a significant milestone in which past and current accomplishments are honored by their colleagues within and outside the profession. To learn more about the 2022 Class of Fellows, visit this website.

  • Frontier Nursing University Community Members Recognized at 2022 AANP Conference

    Frontier Nursing University Community Members Recognized at 2022 AANP Conference

    Faculty, staff, students, alumni and preceptors of Frontier Nursing University (FNU) attended the 2022 AANP National Conference from June 21 to June 26 in Orlando, Fla. The AANP National Conference is the largest nurse practitioner conference in the United States! FNU is excited to highlight the many FNU community members who presented or were recognized and received awards during this year’s conference. We commend all of these individuals for their excellent work as nurse practitioner leaders!

    Awards and Honors
    – Student Brett W. Jordan, BSN, RN, CEN: AANP Student Scholarship Winner
    – Student Kirsty Joy Nomch, FNP-C: AANP Student Scholarship Winner
    – Dr. Paula Alexander-Delpech, PhD, PMHNP-BC, APRN and Dr. Audrey Perry, DNP, CNM, CNE, FACNM: Presentation – Leveraging the Voice of Nurse Practitioners to Facilitate Brave Conversations
    – Dr. Sally Weiss, EdD, APRN, FNP-C, CNE, ANEF and Dr. Vicky Stone-Gale, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP, FNAP: Poster Presentation – Mast Cell Disorders: More Common Than You Think
    – Dr. Vicky Stone-Gale: Awarded the 2022 AANP State Award for Excellence

    In addition to our faculty and students, many FNU alumni members also presented during the conference.

    Students Edalyn Shaw, Yasmin Alejandro, and Norah Ezike attended the conference with FNU faculty member Thomas George as part of FNU’s Professional Organizational Mentoring Program (POMP). POMP offers underrepresented nurse-midwifery students and nurse practitioner students the opportunity to be mentored by faculty members at designated conferences, such as the AANP National Conference. It expands students’ learning, educational and professional experiences.

    POMP Students with FNU Faculty

    FNU hosted an Alumni & Friends Breakfast Reception where alumni, faculty, staff, students and preceptors were able to gather, reconnect and share the work they are doing. Our exhibit booth was busy with prospective students connecting with the FNU community. Many people were able to stop by and take photos with our photo booth and our Top-Ranked Master’s Program banner.

    It was great to be back in person again, and we can’t wait to see everyone again at the AANP National Conference next year in New Orleans!

    * These photos were taken at the AANP Conference in Orlando, FL.

  • Frontier Nursing University Ribbon Cutting and Land Acknowledgment Ceremony to Be Held September 9

    Frontier Nursing University Ribbon Cutting and Land Acknowledgment Ceremony to Be Held September 9

    Frontier Nursing University (FNU) will celebrate the official opening of its new location on the beautiful, newly renovated Versailles Campus with a ribbon cutting and land acknowledgment ceremony on Friday, September 9, at 10:00 a.m. Founded in 1939 in Hyden, Kentucky, today FNU is one of the largest not-for-profit universities offering advanced nursing and midwifery education. In October 2017, FNU finalized the purchase of the 217-acre Versailles property previously occupied by The United Methodist Children’s Home to better serve its students and to continue its longstanding commitment to its mission. Renovation and construction for FNU’s new campus and the move from Hyden began in 2018. The opening of the Versailles campus to students was delayed by the pandemic until the Fall of 2021.

    “We are so excited to officially open our doors to our state and local leaders and the people of this great community who have welcomed us with open arms,” said FNU President Dr. Susan Stone, CNM, DNSc, FAAN, FACNM. “We are also humbled to acknowledge that Versailles, Kentucky, is the traditional territory of the Shawnee and Cherokee people. The land acknowledgment ceremony recognizes the Indigenous presence in our everyday life.”

    The land acknowledgment ceremony will be held immediately after the ribbon cutting. A sign at the trailhead of FNU’s 5K walking path will inform visitors of the land’s history with the Shawnee and Cherokee people. After the ribbon cutting and land acknowledgment ceremonies, guests will be invited to take tours of the campus and enjoy light refreshments at the President’s House.

    FNU’s distance education format allows students to pursue their advanced degrees while continuing to serve the communities in which they live. During their time at FNU, students travel to campus on two separate occasions for 4-5 day learning sessions. The new campus offers convenient access to Bluegrass Airport and major thoroughfares, provides more lodging for visiting students and faculty, and increases classroom and simulation instruction capacity. It also provides greater opportunities for community engagement and events, such as collaborating with the Woodford County Health Department to serve as a COVID vaccination site in 2021.

    The university’s current enrollment of 2,500 students hails from across the country. In the last decade, a total of 561 Kentucky residents have graduated from FNU, and the spring term enrollment included 82 Kentucky residents. FNU has nearly 250 employees.

    All those attending the ribbon cutting and land acknowledgment ceremonies must submit their COVID-19 vaccination record. FNU currently requires all persons who enter the campus to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 according to CDC Guidelines and as permitted by applicable law.

  • Alumni Spotlight: Meggan Smith grows family practice in rural North Carolina urgent care setting

    Alumni Spotlight: Meggan Smith grows family practice in rural North Carolina urgent care setting

    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.

    Since earning her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) from Frontier Nursing University (FNU) in 2019, Meggan Smith, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, (Class 169) has worked to strengthen family healthcare in rural North Carolina from the ground up. Working at Smoky Mountain Urgent Care and Family Medicine Center in Bryson City, Smith was instrumental in growing a much-needed family practice in the existing urgent care setting.

    Smith serves patients in her home community of Graham County, North Carolina, where she recently was awarded a Readers’ Choice award by The Graham Star. A rural mountain area, Graham County has a population of approximately 8,500. For residents of the county, the closest hospital/emergency room is approximately a 35 to 45-minute drive, and only one other office offers primary care.

    “This is an underserved area,” Smith said.

    Through her role at Smoky Mountain Urgent Care and Family Medicine Center, Smith provides urgent care for acute illness and injury, as well as primary care for members and visitors of the community. Amid COVID-19, Smith had to find new ways to ensure quality care for her patients, including telehealth, extended hours, house calls and curbside services.

    “We offered whatever we could to help our patients feel safe and cared for,” Smith said.

    Smith also serves as Chairperson for the Graham County Health Advisory Board. She said this role has provided her with deep insights into the medical needs and barriers of her community.

    “After my first phone conversation with a staff member at FNU, I knew Frontier was the place for me.”
    – Meggan Smith, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, FNU Alumni

    Where It Began

    As a registered nurse, Smith began observing the need for primary care services in her community and upon serving on the Graham County Board of Health in 2015, she began to understand some of the greatest challenges in regard to regional healthcare, including a large-scale retirement of long-time local providers.

    To advance her career in family nursing, Smith began researching universities and came upon FNU.

    “After my first phone conversation with a staff member at FNU, I knew Frontier was the place for me,” she said. “I grew up a small town girl here in the mountains of North Carolina and speaking with someone so humble and kind made me feel right at home. At that moment, I knew God had led me straight to FNU’s website after weeks of research.”

    Smith took away several important values from her time at FNU. In particular, she said she uses FNU’s Culture of Caring in her daily practice.

    Outside of her career, Smith enjoys spending time with her husband and six-year-old son. Some of her favorite activities include camping and driving UTVs in the mountains. She is currently helping to develop a new creekside RV park in her hometown for visitors of the Smoky Mountains, which is expected to open next year.

    Thank you, Meggan, for your commitment to rural and underserved patients in your community. We are proud to have you as an alumni member and look forward to seeing where your talents and commitment will take you and your community in the future.

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