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  • Student Spotlight: Rachel Featherstone- Filling the Gap of Post-Birth Care

    Student Spotlight: Rachel Featherstone- Filling the Gap of Post-Birth Care

    Frontier Nursing University (FNU) Student Rachel Featherstone, WHNP-BC, MSN, PMH-C, hasHeather Featherstone spent their career finding problems in the world around them and looking for ways to meet those needs. Originally a member of the United States Army, Featherstone began to think about switching their career path after having a challenging birthing experience within an Army hospital.

    “I felt disrespected by a lot of the hospital staff and had a very emotionally draining delivery,” Featherstone said. “I walked away from that experience thinking when I get out of the military, I’m going to make a difference for other people in this position and become a midwife.”

    After finishing their time in the military, Featherstone became certified as a nurse and then moved on to FNU to pursue a Certified Nurse-Midwife degree when they realized that midwifery might not be the best fit for them after all. 

    “As a single mother who was already sleep-deprived, the schedule of a nurse-midwife simply didn’t seem like one that I would be able to sustain,” Featherstone said. “During that time, I also realized that my favorite part of midwifery wasn’t the births. What I really loved was sitting down and talking to people and building relationships with them as they transitioned into parenthood.”

    Following this revelation, Featherstone pivoted to the Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) program with the intention of pursuing a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) degree following graduation. Featherstone is currently in the clinical portion of earning their PMHNP.

    Once Featherstone earned their WHNP, they were given an exciting opportunity to build a cutting edge interventional psychiatry clinic with a physician where they were able to dive into research on neurotransmitters and learn all about mental health on a cellular level. However, they really missed working with pregnant and postpartum families. So, when COVID-19 changed the face of healthcare, Featherstone realized it was time to open their own telehealth practice. 

    “I knew I wanted to work where the need was the greatest,” Featherstone said. “After significant research, Idaho was the place I chose to open my telehealth clinic.”

    Featherstone chose Idaho because every county in the state is underserved in mental health services. Additionally, in 2020, Idaho saw an influx of population as people in California sought a cheaper cost of living. Families from multiple western states fled wildfires and chose to reside in a less volatile area.

    “Idaho was in desperate need of mental care before 2020,” Featherstone said, “even though I live in Virginia, I knew this was the community that most needed my services.”

    In November, Featherstone opened Eucaplytus Health, a private practice focusing on perinatal mental health. Upon opening, Featherstone reached out to the public health department, the doula community, and Idaho pediatricians to build a network that could best connect them to new patients who could be screen and treated early.

    One of Featherstone’s mottos for Eucaplytus Health is “bringing the heart of midwifery to mental health.” Featherstone chose this because although they transitioned away from midwifery, they still feel very connected to the mission of building relationships, sharing helpful information, and honoring the decisions of their patients. 

    “Perinatal health is so misunderstood by healthcare providers for how common these issues are,” Featherstone said. 

    Between 1 in 5 and 1 in 7 birth parents experience a mood disorder. Yet, many parents are afraid to take drugs for their mental health because they are scared of the effects on the baby. However, most of what these parents have heard is misinformation. The reality is that the risks are much higher for a new parent experiencing mental distress than for a fetus or baby whose parent is stable on psychiatric medication. 

    “I believe it is important to prepare birthing parents for the emotions they may face and inform them that medication is better for them and their baby than suffering,” Featherstone said. 

    “It is the 6-9 month postpartum period where we see the highest rates of suicides and overdoses following a pregnancy,” Featherstone said. “This is due to several factors. At this time, it is common for parents to have returned to work, be caring for multiple children, and have an expectation of feeling ‘normal’ again, when, instead, the family is constantly evolving and there is usually a lot of chronic sleep deprivation. Unfortunately, the combination of these factors can lead to a breaking point.”

    “I truly believe that the most important part of my job is listening,” Featherstone said. “So many women simply need someone to genuinely ask them how they are feeling, how their body is doing, and what struggles they are facing. OBGYNs and psychiatrists both do great work, but they are often overwhelmed by the unique needs of these patients. We need more people specifically trained and dedicated to helping parents in these transitional stages.”

    Featherstone is committed to reaching as many parents as possible with their services and has partnered with every form of willing insurance. Eucalyptus Health accepts Medicaid, Medicare, Tricare, and many commercial plans, with sliding scale also offered.

    “I struggled to find the right help when I needed it; I want to make sure that as many people as possible know that there are options,” Featherstone said. “Reaching underserved populations is what brought me to healthcare, and that is why I feel so aligned with Frontier.”

    “I have also been very pleased with the way FNU has addressed racial disparities in the history of the university, as well as how they have respected my requests and concerns as a non-binary provider. I am proud to be part of such an inclusive community that I see continuously working to do better to understand and support marginalized people.”

    Thank you, Featherstone, for your dedication to caring for underserved communities and bridging the gap between birth and psychiatric care. We cannot wait to watch the ripples of your work extend across the country as more providers become aware of this need. 

    Click the links to learn more about Frontier’s Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner Program, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program, and our growing Diversity Inclusion Program. 

     

  • Frontier Nursing University Endows Scholarship Aimed at Increasing Diversity in Health Care

    Frontier Nursing University Endows Scholarship Aimed at Increasing Diversity in Health Care

    Frontier Nursing University has endowed a new scholarship to support African American, Black, Native American, and Alaskan Native students. The scholarship, which will support 10 students per year, was established and approved by FNU’s Board of Directors during their quarterly meeting in April 2021.

    The scholarship is in keeping with the University’s mission, which is “to provide accessible nurse-midwifery and nurse practitioner education to prepare competent, entrepreneurial, ethical, and compassionate leaders in primary care to serve all individuals with an emphasis on women and families in diverse, rural, and underserved populations.” The University’s focus on diverse, rural, and underserved populations is in response to the persistent health care disparities in the United States. 

    “While our other endowed scholarships are needed by and available to students of all backgrounds, this particular scholarship is in direct response to the  health disparities for the designated groups,” FNU President Dr. Susan Stone said. “Data demonstrates that culturally concordant care improves health care outcomes, which is why we have made increasing the diversity of the health care workforce a strategic priority at FNU.” 

    A November 2020 study published by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that, among women with a college education or higher, Black women have a pregnancy-related mortality rate that is over five times higher than that of White women. The pregnancy-related mortality rate for Black women with a completed college education or higher is 1.6 times higher than the rate for White women with less than a high school diploma. 

    Disparities are also prevalent elsewhere. A 2019 report by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found that non-Hispanic Black persons were more than twice as likely as non-Hispanic or Pacific Islander persons to die of heart disease in 2017. Similarly, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported that, in 2018,  American Indians and Alaska Natives were 50 percent more likely to be diagnosed with coronary heart disease than their white counterparts. The CDC also shared a report that found that 34% of COVID-19 deaths were among non-Hispanic Black people, though this group accounts for only 12% of the total U.S. population. 

    “Diversity, equity, and inclusion have been a top priority at FNU for more than a decade,” FNU Board Chair Dr. Michael Carter said. “Not only do we know that these DEI initiatives are the right thing to do ethically, but the data clearly indicates that a well-prepared, diverse health care workforce is vital to improve medical outcomes for all people. The decision to endow this scholarship was data-driven and in direct alignment with the mission of the University.”

     

    To establish this scholarship, FNU will designate $2.5 million to provide $100,000 in scholarships per year. This will be used to deliver ten $10,000 scholarships annually. Additionally, the fund will grow over time from investment and ongoing fundraising targeted for scholarships.

    The new scholarship joins a comprehensive list of financial support for FNU’s students. Through the generosity of its supporters and donors, FNU will provide nearly $500,000  in endowed scholarships to students in 2021. 

    “These scholarships are particularly important because, on average, despite our comparatively low tuition rates, many of our students graduate with nearly $60,000 in student loan debt,” Dr. Stone said. “Through awareness, fundraising efforts, and scholarships, we are committed to helping alleviate that burden. We want our graduates to be able to fully focus on being essential healthcare providers in their communities. However, due to the startling health outcomes for these specific groups, we knew we needed to address the needs of these particular students.” 

  •  FNU Offers New Course Focused on Providing Culturally Competent and Safe Care

     FNU Offers New Course Focused on Providing Culturally Competent and Safe Care

    In alignment with the school’s mission of providing accessible nurse-midwifery and nurse practitioner education to prepare competent, entrepreneurial, ethical, and compassionate leaders in primary care to serve all individuals with an emphasis on women and families in diverse, rural, and underserved populations, Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is excited to offer its new course, “Introduction to Cultural Safety.”

    As our country continues to face racism and discrimination, FNU remains committed to taking a stand for diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and antiracism for marginalized populations. To meet this time of crisis, FNU is taking a systemic approach to thread DEI and anti-racism throughout the university. This course is only a small part of the work being done to actively expand institutional capacity for DEI and anti-racism work.

    “The focus of the Introduction to Cultural Safety is on Native Americans, but the tenets can be applied to all populations,” Dr. Erin Tenney, the creator of the course, said. “In this course, we introduce the concept of cultural safety by centering on the Indigenous patient experience and learning to listen as the patient defines what safe care is.”

    By the end of the Introduction to Cultural Safety, learners will be able to:

    • Define cultural safety
    • Identify the three key tenets of cultural safety
    • Explain the impacts of colonization on Indigenous people in the U.S. 
    • Describe what culturally safe vs. culturally unsafe care may look like 
    • Discuss personal and systems change strategies for improving the cultural safety of care

    Dr. Tenney leads the course with guest instructor Dorene Waubanewquay Day. Day is an accomplished educator, midwife, activist, singer, and artist who consults with and works within many Indigenous and other communities and organizations to help restore and design culturally safe practices. In 2020, she was selected as a Luce Indigenous Fellow.

    In addition to being clinical faculty at FNU, Dr. Tenney is a certified nurse-midwife and women’s health nurse practitioner, Doulas of North America (DONA) International birth doula trainer, writer, and photographer who has worked within Indigenous health centers and communities throughout her nursing career of almost 20 years. 

    Dr. Tenney credits Day with being her teacher and mentor, “particularly about women’s health and traditional lifeways, birth and parenting, life, death, grief, healing and more.” Together, they have traveled to Native communities in the U.S. and Canada, providing birth and women’s health training. They also offer culturally-based doula and midwifery teachings, in addition to cultural safety training for health providers in the U.S.

    Those interested in the Introduction to Cultural Safety can enroll in the course at https://ceu.catalog.instructure.com/courses/introduction2cultural-safety.

    This activity is approved for 3.0 contact hour(s) of continuing education by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Activity ID# 21034781. This activity was planned in accordance with AANP Accreditation Standards and Policies

    This course and the many other diversity programs at the core of FNU have been essential as Frontier works to ensure sustainability, growth, and equitable services for our students, faculty, and staff. Even more importantly, this sort of work is essential in order for the university to truly fulfill its mission, achieve the goal of a diverse nursing and midwifery workforce, and improve health outcomes, especially for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). Although we have made notable progress, it is imperative that our DEI and anti-racism work continue to evolve and persist in order for us to serve our communities successfully. 

    To find out more about FNU’s efforts to increase diversity and improve cultural knowledge, visit our Diversity Impact Program page. FNU’s Diversity Impact Program has been active for over ten years. The program was designed to promote an inclusive learning and workforce environment at FNU, with the goal of increasing diversity in the nursing and midwifery professions by recruiting and retaining underrepresented students and employees.

    Editor’s Note: This program is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $2,065,200. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.

  • Frontier Nursing University Celebrates Nurses Week May 6-12th

    Frontier Nursing University Celebrates Nurses Week May 6-12th

    Nurses Month LogoEach year, Frontier Nursing University looks forward to May, when we join with the American Nurses Association (ANA) in celebrating National Nurses Week. Although these celebrations have looked a bit different the past two years, the enthusiasm has only increased. As of this year, National Nurses Week has become National Nurses Month, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has extended the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife into 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has seen a heightened need for nurses and midwives worldwide. The extension of the Year of the Nurse and Midwife demonstrates the continued support by WHO for the endless dedication and sacrifice of frontline workers throughout the pandemic.

    As nurses and midwives approach work in the second year of COVID-19, support and encouragement for frontline workers continues to be essential to keep our country moving forward. This week, Frontier joins with people across the nation to celebrate nurses by following the weekly themes outlined by the ANA for National Nurses Month. Below you can find each week’s theme along with ways FNU has stepped up to support nurses throughout the past year:

    Week 1: Self Care

    • When COVID-19 first closed down the FNU campus over a year ago, Frontier leadership quickly established a virtual hub for information and resources about the pandemic. On this page, students and faculty can find the most up-to-date data on the disease, as well as several self-care strategies provided by Dr. Jess Calohan, DNP, Associate Professor, and Department Chair of FNU’s Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program.
    • Frontier is proud that its campus has been utilized as a vaccination site. It has been an honor to be a part of moving our community in a safe and healthy direction. While the vaccination process continues, FNU is asking community members to share photos of receiving or administering the vaccine here.

    Week 2: Recognition

    • As a nursing university, FNU is well aware of the sacrifices being made every day by the men and women serving on the frontlines. Throughout this year, the university has built a running blog to honor and share the stories of students, alumni, and faculty making a difference in the fight against COVID-19.

    Week 3: Professional Development

    Week 4: Community Engagement

    • During this period of isolation, Frontier has worked hard to expand community engagement and continue to provide support to faculty, staff and students alike. This has been done through Facebook groups, message boards, notes of encouragement, and so much more. During the past year, Frontier has found sharing stories of alumni, students, and preceptor successes to be an excellent resource for keeping the FNU family connected. If you are interested in sharing your story or know someone from FNU with a great story, please share it with the FNU communications team here. 
    • On top of COVID-19, the past year has also put on display the harsh disparities and racism that still exist in the country today. With the deaths of George Floyd, Brenna Taylor, and so many others, FNU was determined to continue the school’s tradition of hosting a Diversity Impact Conference. 2020 marked the ten-year anniversary of the conference and although it was moved to a digital platform, the enthusiasm for the mission, fantastic speakers and presentations, and the opportunity to have important conversations revolving around race, gender, and identity remained the same.
    • In a further effort to stand in solidarity with marginalized individuals, FNU also released an anti-racism statement that can be found here. 

    Frontier is proud to continue to celebrate, support, and educate nurses throughout the difficulties of this past year. If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about FNU and our commitment to lifting nurses of all ethnicities and backgrounds, visit our mission page. 

  • The Road to Dreams Fulfilled

    The Road to Dreams Fulfilled

    Nancy Reinhart, MPH, CNM, Class 155 knew what she was looking for, and was willing to travel as far as necessary to find it. Her journey has taken her from her hometown of Louisville to Hyden, Kentucky; Fort Hood, Texas; Shiprock, New Mexico; and, currently, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The common theme behind every choice and step she has made has been her drive to serve rural and underserved communities.

    Even with that as her guide, however, Reinhart did not set out to be a nurse-midwife. That began to change when she participated in Frontier’s Courier program during the summer between her junior and senior years of college.

    “My family has always been committed to helping people and giving service,” she said. “But the rural healthcare piece was inspired by my experience in the Courier program. I saw my first birth and it made a tremendous impact on me. I actually chose my master’s program because of that history.”

    After her Courier experience — which included meeting current FNU President Dr. Susan Stone, who was the Midwifery Program Director at that time — Reinhart earned a masters’ degree in public health and began a job in social justice. Soon thereafter she was contacted by Frontier and offered the opportunity to run the Courier program.

    “I just knew it was a good fit for me,” Reinhart said.

    It was also the beginning of her journey to become a nurse-midwife. Like all staff and faculty members at FNU, Reinhart attended Frontier Bound as part of her orientation. That experience convinced her that her dream of becoming a nurse-midwife could be a reality.

    “When I was at Frontier Bound I was so amazed at the diversity of people and ages that were starting this journey,” Reinhart said. “I had been thinking I was too old and too far along in life. I was putting up all these barriers against myself, but that dream just wasn’t leaving me and that really helped me to get over the hump. So I went ahead and started chipping away at the educational requirements while running the Courier program.”

    One of those requirements — acquiring clinical hours — proved to be a bit of a challenge. She found opportunities close to home at the University of Louisville and the Tree of Life Birth Center in southern Indiana. She enjoyed working with Damara Jenkins, MSN, CMN, Class 48, her primary preceptor at both sites, but both sites were in very high demand with other student requests. She also wanted some of her training to be in a rural setting with a strong collaborative physician-midwife model. Determined to find the experience she was looking for, she decided to expand her search.

     “There was an intense amount of clinical pressure on the sites local to me. As soon as I gave up a spot at both of the sites that I had for brief periods of time in Kentucky, they were taken by other students who needed clinical hours, particularly births,” Reinhart said. “I wanted to be at a higher volume site and one with a rural focus because that is how I envisioned practicing. That was a governing factor in why I chose to travel. It felt like to get what I was looking for, I was going to have to expand my horizons.”

    That led her to the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center in Fort Hood, Texas. There, her primary preceptor was FNU graduate Susan Clapp, MSN, CNM, Class 81. She next went to Northern Navajo Medical Center in Shiprock, New Mexico, where she was primarily precepted by Venay Uecke, CNM, and another FNU graduate, Kerena Satlzgiver, MSN, CNM, Class 91.

    “I traveled quite far,” Reinhart laughed. “We took our whole family on a roadshow from July to December in 2019.” Reinhart’s family consists of her husband, Dave Mitchell, who is a therapist, and three children ages 4, 9, and 11.

    Reinhart expressed her gratitude to all the preceptors who taught her and to all the families who allowed her to participate in their births as a student. She said she learned a tremendous amount from the regional variation in midwifery practices that she saw across four states during clinical.

    When the successful “roadshow” came to an end, it was time to find a full-time opportunity. Once again, the family had a vision for their desired next step.

    “My husband and I were pretty clear about what our priorities were,” Reinhart said. “I prioritized rural health as something I was committed to serving. So we looked at what places and locations both had job openings, were rural serving underserved, and were relatively close to home, family, and friends. I had job opportunities in New Mexico and far afield, but we limited our search to Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. I wanted to serve women in a rural area through a full-scope midwifery position with a good work-life balance. I also wanted to be in a place with really supportive physicians. I know what it’s like for midwives when they don’t have supportive physicians to work with. Gettysburg fit all those things for us.”

    Reinhart joined WellSpan OB/GYN in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as a full-scope nurse-midwife in July 2020. The practice, which consists of four nurse-midwives and four physicians, is the only one in the area that offers 24/7 nurse-midwifery care.

    “We serve several surrounding, rural counties,” Reinhart said. “We have a largely low socioeconomic class of women and families that we serve. This is an orchard and farming area, so we serve migrant workers and their families as a part of our base. Just like anywhere that you have a diverse population, we have language barriers. One thing I really value about our hospital is that we have in-person Spanish language translators. It is such a nice human touch to have that for someone going through labor and often scary situations.”

    The COVID-19 Pandemic has only added to the fear and stress of those situations, for both the patients and their caregivers.

    “One of the things I love about birth is the intimacy that midwives provide before, during, and after labor,” Reinhart said. “The pandemic definitely disrupts that process. Most of our patients are good champs about it, but it is a different experience when you’re in labor and you see your healthcare provider covered from head to toe with protective equipment. I grieve that for my patients and I look forward to a time when we can be more physically connected.”

    Reinhart went on to point out the mental health impact of the pandemic. Feelings of anxiety and isolation are understandably magnified when loved ones are not able to be as involved in welcoming a new addition to the family as they would like.

    “Sometimes partners aren’t allowed in the appointments depending on the level of infection we have in our county,” Reinhart said. “Postpartum, the experience with so many partnerships and families trying to have this source of joy in their home and not being able to share that baby’s life with loved ones because of the pandemic is pretty tough on people.” 

    Even after the pandemic is over, there will be other challenges in healthcare and society in general. While serving as a certified nurse-midwife is enough, Reinhart is determined to do more to help others. Already involved in the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), she intends to increase her participation and to seek more ways to make a difference in her community.

    “Frontier curriculum provided a high level of dedication to the aspects of public health, how the social determinants of health underlie our practice, identifying the political and practical trends that impact how we serve our clients,” Reinhart said. “That got me thinking about how I think of myself as a midwife outside of the hospital. What are the things I can be involved with in my community and ACNM to make a difference in the lives of the clients I serve to work to dismantle racism and other obstacles that people face to be able to be well and healthy? Frontier helped me see that bigger picture within the context of midwifery.”

    Even though she’s only been in Gettysburg less than a year, Reinhart said she is considering applying to the local human relations commission and plans to start a perinatal loss support group. Further on the horizon, she would like to get her doctorate and eventually teach. No matter how long the route, Reinhart has proven she’s willing to put in the work — and the miles — to reach whatever goal is in her sights. 

    Editor’s note: Nancy’s father, Philmar Reinhart, a longtime supporter of Frontier who was very supportive of Nancy’s journey into midwifery, passed away during the time it took this story to come to print. We mourn with the family and are thankful for Nancy and her father, who attended many FNU events. 

  • Frontier Nursing University Offers Donation of the Wendover Bed & Breakfast and Retreat Center to Leslie County non-profit organization

    Frontier Nursing University Offers Donation of the Wendover Bed & Breakfast and Retreat Center to Leslie County non-profit organization

    Versailles, Ky. – Frontier Nursing University (FNU) announced today that it has offered to donate the historic home of Mary Breckinridge and surrounding properties to Leslie County Betterment, Inc.. In September of 2020, Leslie County Betterment, Inc. along with the Leslie County Community Foundation contacted FNU to request the donation of “the entire Wendover location (Big House, Garden House, Barn, Livery, Cottage, and Guard Shack) to Leslie County Betterment, Inc” with the goal to “utilize the facility for the betterment of Leslie County and its people…”

    The proposed gift includes all land and buildings at what is now the Wendover Bed & Breakfast and Retreat Center, the value of which is estimated at nearly two million dollars. The property was the home of Mary Breckinridge and the Frontier Nursing Service. The decision to make the offer was made by the FNU Board of Directors at its meeting on April 29, 2021. The centerpiece of the property, the “Big House” was built in 1925 and is a National Historic Landmark. More information regarding the property can be found at wendoverbb.com.

    “Wendover has been part of Frontier Nursing since our founding,” said FNU President Dr. Susan Stone. “Its incredible historical significance is perhaps only outshined by the many wonderful memories our students, faculty, and staff have made there. While we are sad to say goodbye to Wendover, we are very proud to be able to offer this gift to the people of Leslie County. We hope that it serves them well and that many more fond memories are made there.”

    FNU is finalizing construction on its new campus in Versailles, Kentucky. The land, which was purchased in 2017, was the former home of The United Methodist Children’s Home. The new 217-acre campus maintains FNU’s presence in a rural county while providing more space to serve FNU’s more than 2,500 students. 

    About Frontier Nursing University:

    The mission of FNU is to provide accessible nurse-midwifery and nurse practitioner education to prepare competent, entrepreneurial, ethical, and compassionate leaders in primary care to serve all individuals with an emphasis on women and families in diverse, rural, and underserved populations. FNU offers graduate Nurse-Midwifery and Nurse Practitioner distance education programs that can be pursued full- or part-time with the student’s home community serving as the classroom. Degrees and options offered include Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Post-Graduate Certificates. To learn more about FNU and the programs and degrees offered, please visit Frontier.edu.

     

    Media inquires can go to: Angela Bailey, Chief Advancement Officer, angela.bailey@frontier.edu

     

  • FNU Celebrates the Virtual International Day of The Midwife through Online Conference

    FNU Celebrates the Virtual International Day of The Midwife through Online Conference

    The Frontier Nursing University (FNU) community is proud to once again celebrate and sponsor the annual Virtual International Day of the Midwife (VIDM). VIDM is a 24-hour free online conference that will take place Tuesday, May 4, and Wednesday, May 5, 2021. The event  is intended for nurse-midwives and anyone interested in childbirth irrespective of international geographic borders. 

    This year’s conference will be exceptionally informative with over 40 speakers presenting – a record for the event. Event speakers will be streaming from 23 countries, with presentations offered in both English and Spanish. The majority of topics will revolve around this year’s conference theme, Birth Equity for All. 

    The celebration will kick off Tuesday, May 4, with a pre-session event featuring World Health Organization (WHO) Chief Nurse and Midwife Elizabeth Iro and WHO Midwifery Advisor Fran McConville, discussing “The State of the World’s Midwifery”. FNU has been highlighting these heroes over the past year by profiling faculty and students who have worked to help patients amidst COVID-19. These stories can be found in the university’s frontline blog.

    FNU’s Jane F. Houston, DNP, CNM, MSN, FACNM, will continue to serve as master facilitator of this year’s event. Dr. Houston has served on this committee for many years and has previously participated as a speaker and facilitator. This year’s keynote speakers will include Soo Downe, Kaveri Mayra, and Sandra Oyarzo Torres. The full schedule of events can be found here.

    VIDM is an excellent learning opportunity to hear from some of the brightest minds in midwifery. Students, faculty, alumni and the public are invited to tune in for free. To join the meetings log on to www.vidm.org for directions. To learn more about the history of VIDM and the visionary process of building an international online conference, read this article by FNU DNP program director, Jane Houston DNP CNM FACNM.

    2020-2021: Year of the Nurse and the Midwife

    Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is proud to support and join the World Health Organization’s international campaign designating 2020 and 2021 as the “Year of the Nurse and the Midwife.” In recognizing the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, FNU joins the efforts to raise awareness of healthcare shortages in the U.S. and abroad; demonstrate the need for more nurses and nurse-midwives; educate the public of the value of nurses and nurse-midwives in their communities and advocate for access to quality healthcare for every individual.

  • Featured Preceptor: Tami Osborne, A Heart for Her Home Community

    Featured Preceptor: Tami Osborne, A Heart for Her Home Community

    This quarter’s Frontier Nursing University featured preceptor, Tami Osborne, PMHNP, was nominated by student Leslie Duff, for her dedication and compassion for the people of Eastern Kentucky. 

    Here is what Duff had to say about her experience studying under Osborne:

    “I was honored to spend several hundred hours working under Tami’s leadership. She has a true passion for improving the stigma of psychiatric mental health that runs deep in Eastern Kentucky. The biggest way she does this is through education. As a daily part of patient care,  Osborne educates her patients about the various disease processes and medications. She teaches them genetics, trauma, and other factors that play into a person’s mental health. With each patient, she had the ability to help them see their psychiatric mental health conditions does not make them weak but allows them to grow through their journey.

    Osborne is especially dedicated to helping and advocating for those suffering from substance abuse in the region. The care and concern that she offers these patients who are so often stigmatized truly impressed me. As I worked along Osborne, several of her patients in the MAT program at Appalachian Wellness shared with me their recovery stories. I was often told how Osborne helped them realize that they did have the power to overcome substance addiction, and how she gave them the strength they needed to believe they could live a better life. The story I remember most was a young man who lost everything, including custody and visitation rights to his children. He is now over a year clean, working, and able to spend time with his children. Tami truly makes a positive difference in this world, one patient at a time.”

    Osborne is a fantastic fit for her career because it is a dream she has had ever since she was a little girl growing up in Eastern Kentucky. “I always knew I wanted to be a nurse,” Osborne says, “it just took some life experience for me to realize the best way I could help my home community.”

    Osborne was married young, and after a few years, found herself divorced and living in Lexington, Ky. with three little girls. She attributes fair salaries and the high demand for nurses with helping her get through those years raising her daughters alone.

    Osborne attended Eastern Kentucky University as a single mother, where she earned her bachelor’s in nursing. She worked as an aid at the University of Kentucky Hospital, but following graduation, began a new career at Eastern State Hospital, a psychiatric care facility in Lexington.

    During the time she was working at Eastern State, Osborne married a wonderful man. Unfortunately, he passed away from a heart attack at a young age within a few years of their marriage. It was after this loss that Osborne decided it was time to return home.

    “Eastern Kentucky has always been home to me, I tried to leave, but my heart never really followed. When I was coming to terms with the loss of my husband, I knew the best thing for me was to return to my roots,” Osborne said. 

    When Osborne returned home, she began working as an administrator within the local prison. Her psychiatric care foundation from Eastern State Hospital played a significant role in supporting her co-workers and the incarcerated persons in her new role. 

    Osborne said that psychiatric-mental health was always the nursing sector that interested her the most, so, on her 50th birthday, with her girls grown up, Osborne decided to go back to school to become a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP). 

    Shortly after finishing her degree, a past co-worker from the prison reached out. He was now the Juniper Health System CEO and wanted to hire Osborne as their first PMHNP.

    In her current role, Osborne travels to five different Eastern Kentucky counties throughout the week, helping to break generational patterns of trauma that are unfortunately far too common in the region.

    Osborne is especially passionate about treating women who have experienced trauma. 

    “I see so many women who were abused as children and then find themselves with one abusive partner after another. Unfortunately, this cycle continues as they have children of their own. They simply don’t know anything else,” Osborne said.

    Although Osborne often only sees these women briefly for short medication appointments, she does everything she can in that time to uplift her patients and let them know there are other options. 

    “I will constantly correct negative self-talk and work to help them establish positive thoughts about themselves. I work on debriefing, grounding, and attempt to coach through fear-based issues. I am currently taking multiple continuing education units (CEU’s) on trauma so that I can continue to help women in these difficult situations,” Osborne said.

    In addition to helping grown women, Osborne also works with high numbers of adolescents and teens overcoming trauma and neglect, cares for 30 medicated-assistant treatment (MAT) patients on their journey to overcoming addiction, and continues to step in at the prison whenever there is a need. 

    “My job is difficult, and I work a lot of hours, but that is because there is so much need in this community,” Osborne said. “I love the people of Eastern Kentucky, and I will always put my all into helping them overcome obstacles.”

    Osborne is one of a limited number of PMHNPs in the area. Due to the lack of psychiatric care in Eastern Kentucky, precepting offers Osborne a look into a hopeful future for the region. 

    “I host three or four students at a time. All but one of them have been from Eastern Kentucky and plan on returning to the area to serve after graduation,” Osborne said. “Having this opportunity to bring new nurses to our region is critical work to me.”

    Osborne enjoys many aspects of precepting and says she truly appreciates working with the students and listening to their ideas.

    According to Osborne, the students always have great ideas and different approaches. She loves having multiple perspectives to learn from and to collaborate with one another. 

    “Eastern Kentucky will always be my home. I think it is the most beautiful place on earth, with the most genuine people you could ever meet. I am completely invested in advocating for these people and providing them with resources. Because this area has had fewer opportunities than many regions, there can be a lack of trust in professionals and outsiders. It is my goal that the people of Eastern Kentucky know that I have their backs.”

    Thank you Tami for your hard work and dedication in bringing mental health resources to Eastern Kentucky. You are making positive changes that will impact these communities for decades to come. 

    FNU is always looking for preceptors like Osborne who will step up to the plate and educate the next generation of nurses. For more information on becoming a preceptor for FNU students, visit our preceptor page.

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