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  • Fall Term Circle of Caring Winners

    Fall Term Circle of Caring Winners

    Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is pleased to announce the 2020 Fall Term Circle of Caring Award winners: staff member Shelley Rogers and faculty member Dr. Tawny Tseng.

    The Circle of Caring Award is given each term to recognize faculty and staff who go above and beyond their job duties and strive to uphold FNU’s mission and Culture of Caring every day.

    Award winners are anonymously nominated by fellow FNU faculty and staff. Nominations are voted upon by a committee based on the following Culture of Caring characteristics: professionalism, mutual support, respect, positive communication and inclusivity.

    Staff Winner: Shelley Rogers


    Shelley Rogers is this term’s staff winner. Here is what Rogers’ co-workers had to say when they nominated her in response to all of her outstanding work supporting students this year:

    “The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a multitude of problems in many ways. FNU clinical students have especially suffered during this time. Preceptor stress and clinical site closures resulted in the displacement of multiple students. In her clinical credentialing coordinator role, Shelley has demonstrated kindness while working under extreme stress to meet unprecedented student and faculty needs. Shelley is amazing!”

    “Shelley is always kind to students no matter how many times they need changes on their clinical plan due to COVID or other factors. She is so patient and gets things done immediately! She is a pleasure to work with.”

    “Shelley is always willing to help students and RCFs and does so promptly. She takes pride in her work with others and is a fantastic member of the FNU community.”

    This was Rogers’ response to her nomination:

    “What a pleasant surprise to open my email and find that I was the staff recipient for the Circle of Caring Award for the Fall 2020 term, especially considering 2020 was such a challenging year for us all. I’m very fortunate to be a part of such a caring group of staff and faculty. It truly means a lot to be recognized and chosen for this award. My sincerest and deepest thanks to the Frontier community.”

    Faculty Winner: Dr. Tawny Tseng

    Although Dr. Tawny Tseng’s exact nomination cannot be shared due to student privacy, we have paraphrased below why fellow faculty believe Dr. Tseng stands out in her field:

    Dr. Tsneg demonstrates caring and compassion to all of her students every day. One recent example of this would be last fall when Dr. Tseng went above and beyond to support a student who had failed a course and worked with them until they got back on track. Once they had earned the course credit, she stuck with them and assisted the student with board prep during MH717.

    When Dr. Tseng heard about her nomination, this was her response:

    “I am humbled and grateful for this beautiful gesture. I appreciate the kind words and am happy to be working in an organization that is so kind and welcoming.”

    Thank you so much, Rogers and Dr. Tseng, for being a glowing example of what it means to be part of the FNU community!

    If you know an FNU staff or faculty member that goes above and beyond, nominate them now for the Circle of Caring Award!

  • Alumni Spotlight: Charles Davis Leads Initiative to Open In-School Health Clinic

    Alumni Spotlight: Charles Davis Leads Initiative to Open In-School Health Clinic

    At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented and diverse community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, Couriers and preceptors. Spotlight blogs feature our FNU community members that are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality healthcare to underserved and rural populations.

    It’s easy to forget what life was like before the COVID-19 Pandemic, but it was just in the spring of 2019 that Charles Davis, Ph.D., MSN, FNP-C, AE-C, Class 154 came up with an idea to help the students in the Webutuck Central School District in Amenia, New York. Employed as a nurse by the school district, Davis took action to bring an in-school based health clinic into the district.

    “My district is a rural community in Dutchess County, New York,” Davis said. “Greater than 60% met a metric that classifies them as economically disadvantaged. Many also fit the category of being medically underserved and underinsured. Thus, these students face many barriers to getting their healthcare needs addressed including access to providers, transportation, and the ability of parents and guardians to take off work to have initial or follow-up appointments. Even parents/guardians that work as professionals and that have an easier time flex-timing from work still have challenges because the rural nature of our community means their jobs are often some distance away.”

    Davis approached the district superintendent with his idea, arguing that a school-based health center breaks down those barriers. Furthermore, under New York State’s school-based health centers’ operation model, all services are delivered to the recipient without cost. He presented evidence demonstrating that students with access to school-based health centers not only have better overall physical and mental health but also improved educational outcomes, reduced chronic absenteeism and risky behaviors, improved management of chronic diseases, and a better-developed foundation for a successful transition to adulthood.

    “Where better to provide comprehensive continuous primary and preventative care, acute care, chronic illness care, and referral management than the place where the students spend the majority of their waking hours?” Davis theorized.

    With the approval of the district’s leadership and board of education, Davis moved forward to the task of complying with state regulations requiring in-school health centers to have a viable and qualified healthcare facility collaborator. By the end of the 2019-20 school year, he had found the necessary partner in the Open Door Family Medical Centers in Ossining, New York. Open Door was an ideal choice because it is a federally qualified health center with experience operating school-based health centers in other parts of the state. 

    With the required partner secured, the school board agreed, and the process of securing funding ensued. On May 4, 2020, the Foundation for Community Health in Sharon, Connecticut awarded the Webutuck school district a $100,000 grant to proceed with the in-school clinic. This funding was combined with $50,000 from New York State, resulting in the necessary dollars that will allow construction and remodeling of the health center’s space to occur, and a target opening of the beginning of the 2020-21 school year was projected.

    Currently, the opening of the clinic is being delayed by the pandemic to at least the

    beginning of the 2021-22 school year. Davis, however, continues to advocate for student healthcare throughout the state, recently collaborating with Webutuck Central School District Director of Curriculum and Development Jennifer Eraca to present to the New York State School Board Association on the value of school-based health centers.

    “I wouldn’t be doing this without FNU, its faculty — especially Dr. Lisa Chappell and the

    educators associated with the Family Nursing Practitioner Program, staff, and the vision and spirit of Mrs. Mary Breckinridge,” said Davis, who grew up in Coeburn, a small town in southwest Virginia, not far from FNU’s original Hyden campus. “Mrs. Breckinridge’s legacy and spirit are strong.”

    Thank you, Charles, for all of the hard work and dedication you have to ensure that rural New York school children receive this vital access to care!

    Are you interested in learning more about the great work of FNU alumni members? Visit the FNU Alumni blog!

  • Preceptor Spotlight: Phyllis Lynn

    Preceptor Spotlight: Phyllis Lynn

    At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented and diverse community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, Couriers and preceptors. Spotlight blogs feature our FNU community members that are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality healthcare to underserved and rural populations.

    Born and raised in Jamaica, Frontier Nursing University (FNU) preceptor Mrs. Phyllis Lynn first became a certified midwife in 1967 while working as an RN staff nurse on a postpartum unit. 

    “In Jamaica, to move up in my career, I had to become a certified midwife. I didn’t want to do it, but my superior insisted I would be a great midwife and pushed me to get certified. I was young; it turns out she knew what I needed better than I did,” Lynn said.

    A few years later, Lynn relocated to the United States, where she was recertified as an American nurse-midwife in 1974.

    Lynn spent nearly 25 years at her first post in the United States at Interfaith Medical Center, where she worked her way up and spent many years as the supervisor of labor and delivery. In 1993, Lynn spearheaded and opened a new labor and delivery service within the Maimonides medical network in Brooklyn.

    Maimonides Midwifery Practice has since served thousands of families and grown to a team of 14 licensed midwives who have completed their master of science in nursing. Since opening the midwifery practice, Lynn has made a point of precepting students, especially nurse-midwife students, whenever possible.  

    “It is our job as midwives to continue to grow the profession. If we don’t advocate for ourselves, who will? Many people don’t understand what midwifery is or why it’s such a valuable profession. As midwives, we must work every day to help them understand,” Lynn said.

    Lynn also encourages all of the students she precepts to continue their education and get their doctorate. 

    “Schools like FNU make continuing your education very obtainable. I always tell my students that if this is truly something they love, why not go as far as you can with it to help as many patients as possible?” Lynn says. 

    Lynn doesn’t only believe in a better education for current nursing and nurse-midwife students but is also a strong advocate for patient education. She believes the best way to get a patient to follow necessary health measures is to educate them and provide them with a thorough explanation. 

    “We have all had patients that, despite our best efforts, don’t follow through on the things we’ve advised. I have found that the best way to encourage action is through constant education. Do not only tell them the ‘what,’ but you also have to explain the ‘why’.” Lynn said. “Then after educating, I break things down into simple steps so that lifestyle changes seem easier to reach.”

    Lynn also has another secret for encouraging stubborn expecting mothers to follow health and diet changes- explain the impact of these changes to the husband or boyfriend.

    “Women often have cravings and might ask their partner for a cheeseburger or a plate of chili fries, or something else that is not good for the baby. If I tell the father of the effect these foods could have on the mother and the baby, he becomes much less likely to get those foods. Instead, he will encourage healthy choices. I truly believe education is everything.” Lynn said.

    Every day, Lynn is delighted to have spent nearly 60 years supporting mothers, families and students in a profession that she loves.

    “I am 78. Over the years, there have been days where I’ve been tired, but I have never felt burnt out. I have found my life’s purpose, which is something I wish for everyone. I will retire someday, but I will probably still volunteer. Nursing and midwifery mean so much to me. I can’t imagine working in a more wonderful profession with more wonderful people,” Lynn said

    Thank you, Mrs. Lynn, for your continued dedication to nurse-midwives and the nursing profession as a whole. You have made a significant impact on our community, and we are grateful for your continued service. 

    To read about previously recognized preceptors or to nominate a preceptor, click here.

    Are you interested in becoming a Frontier preceptor? Learn more here.

  • Year in Review

    Year in Review

    Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is grateful to each and every one of our community members-  faculty, staff, alumni and students for sticking with us, being flexible and adaptable, and trusting us as we navigated a very tumultuous year. 2020, the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife as designated by the World Health Organization, has shown us more than ever the crucial need for nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners, as well as the necessity for diversity, equity and inclusion to create a kinder, more compassionate, and equal world. Below are this year’s highlights- we hope you enjoy!

    COVID-19:

    The reigning theme of the year has been the COVID-19 pandemic. As it came to a head in the United States, we quickly pivoted from our regular in-person gatherings to a virtual capacity including, Clinical Bound, Frontier Bound, Commencement, and more. Though distanced, the Culture of Caring was not lost in the transition. We humbly thank our skilled and compassionate faculty members for being available to students in any way possible as we shifted to more of a world with which we were already familiar. Enjoy this video of our students discussing their experiences at their virtual Bound events. 

    It is never lost on us how hard our nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners work, but this year made it even more apparent. In response, we created Maintaining a Culture of Caring During Crisis, an overall hub for updates on COVID-19, FNU’s response, and highlighting our brave faculty, staff, and alumni on the front lines of this pandemic. Their stories can all be found here.

    With so many in the healthcare community facing the COVID-19 frontlines, University President Dr. Susan Stone provided hope and community in a confusing time by sharing a supportive and reassuring message with the Frontier family. Additionally, as the university worked to transition to a new normal, our nurse-midwifery and nurse practitioner faculty created important resources for self-care strategies, maternity care, and infection control for our front-line workers. All can be found in our Culture of Caring in Crisis playlist on YouTube.

    Social Justice:

    In addition to a global pandemic, racial tension swept the nation this summer, emphasizing the urgency of addressing the inequities that people of color face daily inside and outside of healthcare. President Dr. Susan Stone emphasized our zero tolerance for injustice, cruelty, and racism in a statement to all of the FNU community. The unjust deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and too many more showed that we have a long way to go in eradicating racism and the insidious effects it leaves in its path.

    On June 3, 2020, FNU held a moment of silence to honor those whose lives were unjustly ended at the hands of law enforcement.

    Social justice was also the backdrop against the 10th annual Diversity Impact Conference, which also went virtual this year. Themed “Year of the Nurse and Midwife 2020: Increasing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” this year’s DI conference brought significant attention to the disparities that have become even more prevalent and apparent in the COVID-19 pandemic but still culminated in a weekend of enlightenment and community. Each of our speakers presented compassionate and informative sessions on implicit racial bias, mental health, and more. Thank you to all who participated!

    Commencement

    On Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020, FNU hosted its annual commencement ceremony virtually. More than 800 nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners gathered to celebrate themselves in a year where it is apparent how vital they are to healthcare. We welcomed keynote speaker Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, Rear Admiral (RADM) Sylvia Trent-Adams, Ph.D., RN, FAAN and celebrated the winners of our leadership awards.

    FNU Community Accomplishments:

    FNU Dean of Nursing Dr. Joan Slager was inducted as a fellow into the American Academy of Nurses (AAN) in a virtual ceremony on October 31, 2020.

    FNU faculty member Dr. Catherine Collins-Fulea was inducted as the new president of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), succeeding FNU President Dr. Susan Stone. Dr. Collins-Fulea’s honor was announced during ACNM’s 65th Annual Meeting from May 29 – June 2, 2020, along with several other faculty and staff presenting and receiving their honors!

    For the third consecutive year, FNU received the 2020 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award, honoring our continued commitment to diversity and inclusion.

    Programs and Events: 

    FNU hosted the 6th and 5th annual virtual events for National Midwifery Week and National Nurse Practitioner Week, where faculty members and student panelists presented on a variety of topics, especially relevant to racial bias in healthcare and the COVID-19 pandemic.

    FNU also celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Family Nurse Practitioner program.

    Thanks again to our outstanding faculty and staff, students and alumni for showing immense compassion and strength throughout this unprecedented year. As we head into 2021, let us not forget all we have accomplished and all that we are capable of. Have a wonderful New Year!

     

  • Frontier Offers Many Continuing Education Opportunities

    Frontier Offers Many Continuing Education Opportunities

    Each year Frontier Nursing University (FNU) offers a variety of continuing education (CE) courses for students as well as practicing nurse practitioners and nurse-midwives. Most often, these are provided through live virtual events, but the courses are recorded and remain available for much longer. In this unprecedented year when higher numbers of healthcare workers are relying on virtual CE opportunities than ever before, FNU wanted to remind its community of the valuable courses currently available through the university.

    “Billing and Coding Tips and Tools: Is There a Hole in Your Bucket?”

    *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.*

    Presented by FNU Dean, Dr. Joan Slager CNM, DNP, FACNM during 2019’s National Rural Health Day. This workshop focused on selecting correct CPT and ICD-10-CM codes, especially for complex patient encounters, to reflect services provided and enhance revenue accurately. The continuing education credit is available until December 31, 2020. Once you have viewed the session, you must complete the post-test and evaluation to receive credit for your contact hours. If you have questions about completing the activity or the evaluation link, please contact Stephanie Boyd at stephanie.boyd@frontier.edu.

    “Epigenetics”

    Last April, FNU faculty member Dr. Laura Manns-James presented a free continuing education opportunity for FNU alumni, faculty, and preceptors titled “Epigenetics for the practicing clinician: the science of how environments shape health.” This activity is approved for 14.08 contact hours of continuing education (which also includes 0.33 hours of pharmacology) by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and will be available until April 2021. Those interested can register at this link. Once you have viewed the session, If you have questions about completing the activity or course content, contact Laura Manns-James at laura.manns-james@frontier.edu. If you have technical questions, contact Support at support@frontier.edu.

    “Anxiety in Children and Adolescents: Trends in Treatment”

    Billinda Tebbenhoff, DNP, PMHNP-BC, PMHCNS-BC took to the virtual stage for this year’s National Nurse Practitioner Week to discuss the approximately 4.4 million children and adolescents in the United States (CDC, 2020) who meet diagnostic criteria for an anxiety disorder. Though anxiety and stress are an expected part of the human experience, consistently elevated anxiety can interfere with a child’s sense of self and impact the entire family. The implications of the current pandemic related to child and adolescent anxiety are beginning to emerge and depend on the child’s stage of development and pre-pandemic functioning. Dr. Tebbenhoff discussed predictive trends and guidance regarding helping children, families and communities during the pandemic. This activity is approved for 1.5 contact hour(s) of continuing education (which includes 1.0 hours of pharmacology) by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Activity ID 20094484. This activity was planned in accordance with AANP Accreditation Standards and Policies. This activity’s approval expires on October 31, 2021. 

    Once you have viewed the session, you must complete the post-test and evaluation to receive credit for your contact hours. If you have questions about the completion of the activity or the evaluation form, please contact Eileen.Odonnell@frontier.edu.

    “Midwifery Pearls of Telehealth”

    Faculty members Dr. Tanya Belcheff, Dr. Cassie Belzer, Dr. Judith Butler, Martha Harvey, Dr. Audrey Perry, and Heidi Loomis presented this session during National Midwifery Week, which provided an overview of telehealth from a nurse-midwifery perspective. The course emphasized patient engagement, group care, provider satisfaction and best practices for meeting compliance requirements. This information is especially pertinent in the age of COVID-19 and included helpful information to anyone who has had to make adjustments to their practice during this unprecedented year. “Midwifery Pearls of Telehealth” is a continuing education course approved for 1.25 contact hour(s) of continuing education by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners if the post-test and evaluation are completed by Sept. 2021. If you have questions about completing this activity or the evaluation form, please contact Eileen.Odonnell@frontier.edu.

    “Hot Topics in the Management of Perimenopause & Menopause: A Conventional & Integrative Approach” 

    Hosted by FNU faculty members Dr. Ruth Ellen Elsasser and Dr. Ana Verzone, this was another continuing education opportunity provided during National Midwifery Week. This session introduced a review of conventional and evidence-based integrative medicine interventions used during perimenopause and menopause. Some of the topics covered included: understanding menopause and its varied presentation and symptoms, knowing the critical differences between perimenopause and menopause, identifying complications of conventional pharmacology and developing a patient-centered, individualized plan of care when managing perimenopause and menopause. Reviewing this session can earn participants 2.0 contact hour(s) of continuing education (which includes 0.75 hours of pharmacology) by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners after completing the post-test and evaluation. The course will be recognized through Sept. 2021. If you have questions about completing this activity or the evaluation form, please contact Eileen.Odonnell@frontier.edu.

    Health care is a continually evolving field, and those who choose to follow this path are undoubtedly lifelong learners. Frontier hopes that anyone interested will take advantage of these wonderful resources as they continue their journey as compassionate and knowledgeable nurse-practitioners and nurse midwives.

  • Alumni Spotlight: Hélène A. Nau: Providing Care to Those Who Need it Most.

    Alumni Spotlight: Hélène A. Nau: Providing Care to Those Who Need it Most.

    Dr. Hélène Nau, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, graduated with her doctor of nursing practice (DNP) from Frontier Nursing University (FNU) in March of this year. Originally from Haiti, Nau built and ran the only emergency room in her home country and was the only trained emergency provider on the island when the devastating earthquake hit in January of 2010. 

    When the earthquake occurred, Nau was already an emergency RN, first responder, and medical reserve corps for Broward County and Miami-Dade. She is also advanced trauma, acute care and basic life support certified and has served in many critical environments and natural disaster-affected communities.

    Following the earthquake recovery process, Nau moved to the United States to further her medical education. She earned her bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) Magna Cum Laude from Chamberlain College of Nursing in 2015, then pursued her master of science in nursing (MSN) with a concentration in family medicine at Chamberlain University and graduated in 2017 with distinction. 

    Nau said she chose to become a family nurse practitioner (FNP) so that she could better provide a broad spectrum of care to those in need.

    “I didn’t want to find myself limited to one population,” Nau said. “I wanted to be able to serve families, geriatric, women and pediatric, to provide as much care as possible. I believe in hands-on holistic care and enjoy the possibility of treating whole families.”

    Nau first heard about Frontier while doing online research to find the best DNP program for her lifestyle. She chose FNU for the low tuition, flexibility and time frame offered for completing the DNP program. Although, once she enrolled, Nau found her favorite part of the program to be the Frontier Bound and Clinical Bound sessions. Nau loved connecting and building community with fellow students. 

    “I am incredibly thankful for all of the close friends I made through the FNU Bound sessions, and for the support I received from the wonderful faculty throughout my journey,” Nau said.

     

    Nau completed her DNP at FNU with a 4.0 GPA.

    In  2014 and 2015, Nau was the Volunteer of the Year Award recipient in Broward County. Additionally, this year she received the Pearl Of Nursing Award from Pearls of Life Women Foundation. She also is a Board Member for CapraCare, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing sustainable health programs for Haitian children and their families.

    Because of her background working with those dealing with devastation, Nau’s focus is to deliver care to individuals and families who might otherwise go without access due to their immigration or financial status. For this reason, Nau opened her practice, HEALTH360, a direct primary care facility in Pembroke Pines, Fla. Her practice was created with the mission to deliver affordable and accessible quality care to those in her community. Through the direct primary care model, Nau can treat those without insurance or with high deductible plans more personally, with an obtainable cost for the patient. 

    Celebrating Dr. Nau’s 50th birthday at Neurofit360

    In her spare time, Nau volunteers at NeuroFit360, a neurological recovery facility dedicated to spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries, where she dons multiple hats. She is in charge of human resources, health maintenance monitoring, X-ray and MRI reading. She also administers IV therapy at NeuroFit360 to neurologically injured clients and high-performance athletes.

    Nau is also an outspoken cancer fighter who promotes early detection. Her DNP project was titled Implementation of Screening and Effective Care for Cancer Prevention at GetMed Urgent Care and worked to implement cancer screenings at an urgent care center that had not previously offered this service. Her results showed how easy and vital adding these types of programs to new environments can be.

    To round off her many accomplishments, Nau is also a member of the Emergency Nurses Association, Haitian-American Nurses Association, Black Nurse Practitioners of Palm Beach County, AANP and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society.

    Although she is a board-certified family practitioner, runs her own practice and has won multiple awards, Nau likes to say that the most important people in her life just call her “Mom”.

    Thank you, Hélène, for all you do to provide quality care to those in need. FNU is proud to have you as a part of our community!

    To find out more about other compassionate and driven FNU alumni, visit the alumni news page.

  • Featured Preceptor: Gabrielle Morgan Scharp

    Featured Preceptor: Gabrielle Morgan Scharp

    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 healthcare to underserved and rural populations.

    Frontier Nursing University (FNU) preceptor Gabrielle Morgan Scharp is being honored as FNU’s Featured Preceptor for the 2020 fall term due to her outstanding dedication to healthcare, service and building up new nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners.

    A registered nurse and certified nurse-midwife, Morgan Scharp began her career in 1998 after experiencing her labor and delivery nurses’ compassion throughout her pregnancy and son’s birth.

    “I was 18 at the time and didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life,” Morgan Scharp said. “When I watched those wonderful women work, though, it was like a lightbulb went off. I thought I could do that, and so I did.”

    After working as an RN for 10 years, Morgan Scharp returned to school to get her nurse-midwifery certification through FNU in 2008, graduating in 2011.

    “When I was working as a labor and delivery nurse, I just wanted to do more. I was frustrated working with women for hours only to have the doctor swoop in at the end to catch the baby. I wanted to help the mother through the whole process,” Morgan Scharp said.

    Morgan Scharp chose Frontier after hearing about it from a co-worker.

    “I went home that night and looked it up. I thought, ‘wow, this sounds amazing, I think this is exactly what I want to do,’ And through Frontier’s unique education model, I was able to meet my goals. Frontier made everything possible for me.”

    Following her graduation from Frontier, Morgan Scharp moved from Wyoming to the Navajo reservation in Navajo County, Ariz.

    “It was definitely a culture shock at first. Many of these people don’t have heat, running water, or electricity; we don’t have 911 or Wal-Mart. I experienced being a minority for the first time in my life. But, I very quickly loved these people and valued their way of life.”

    Although she has moved to various towns within the reservation, Morgan Scharp has been living with and serving the Navajo and Hopi communities since 2011. She enjoys working on the reservation (currently in Tuba City) because of the great sense of community, tradition, and the respect they have for women and elders. 

    “With COVID, things have been different, but usually, we will have around twelve people at a birth. It is such an exciting time for so many. They also have really inspiring traditions such as putting the umbilical cord in a special place to them so that their child will always feel drawn there and have roots in the community,” Morgan Scharp said. 

    Although she was hesitant to become a preceptor at first, she has fully embraced the role in recent years and has found it one of her favorite parts of her job. 

    “I was afraid I wouldn’t be a good teacher, but once I started, it felt natural. I like to step back and give the students I work with room to learn and grow. I know that they have the knowledge from their didactic studies to succeed. I enjoy allowing them to do so.” Morgan Scharp said.

    The students who work with Morgan Scharp appreciate her teaching method, but more than anything, they see her heart for the native women of the reservations, and through that- what it means to truly care for your patients and your community. 

    Student Christy Neese recently worked alongside Morgan Scharp and had this to say about her experience:

    “Gabrielle provides so much strength to the team of midwives in Tuba City. She is full of energy and passion for empowering women through her work as a midwife. Gabrielle sets a beautiful example of how to engage women in their world, their desires, and their culture–and to appreciate all of it. Navajo and Hopi culture values and respects childbirth and motherhood, and Gabrielle can support these values, beliefs, and practices with the midwifery care she provides. Gabrielle has committed so much of her life to these women–she lives 1.5 hours from the nearest ‘big city.’ She is far away from a lot of her family, but she is willing to make these sacrifices to serve the women in this rural community. She taught me so much of what it looks like to serve women, to learn from women, and to appreciate each woman as she allows us to participate in her journey into motherhood.”

    When asked what the most fulfilling part of her job is, Morgan Scharp said, “helping to create a family and watching people grow. I watch pregnancies grow, babies grow, as well as the midwifery students that I precept. It is a beautiful career.”  

    Thank you, Gabrielle, for your continued work in advancing nursing and midwifery education and assisting FNU in reaching underserved populations through a Culture of Caring!

    To read about previously recognized preceptors or to nominate a preceptor, click here.

    Are you interested in becoming a Frontier preceptor? Learn more here.

  • FNU’s 2020 Diversity Events in Review

    FNU’s 2020 Diversity Events in Review

    Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is built on a Culture of Caring with a mission to educate nurse practitioners and nurse-midwives who will go out and care for diverse and underserved communities. In 2010, FNU took a step further in defining goals of expanding diversity and inclusion throughout the university and the greater healthcare community by implementing the Diversity Impact Program.

    FNU leadership designed the Diversity Impact Program 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. 

    In alignment with the Diversity Impact Program, FNU launched the first annual Diversity Impact Conference in 2010. This year celebrated the 10th year of the event. Although it moved to a virtual platform due to COVID-19, it was still a wonderful time dedicated to spreading awareness and understanding minority identities. This year’s conference took place June 11-13 and carried the theme ‘Year of the Nurse and Midwife 2020: Increasing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’. Some of this year’s topics were: “What is Race Literacy – 4 Dimensions of Racial Conditioning,” “Addressing Health Disparities: The Role of Healthcare Providers & Educators,” and “Microaggressions in Nursing Education and Health: Why They Matter and What We Can Do About Them.”

    Other virtual events hosted by FNU throughout the year also highlighted diversity within the nursing community, including, Racial Disparities in Maternity Care: Where Do We Go From Here? during National Midwifery Week, and Dismantling Implicit Bias to Promote Optimal Health Outcomes during National Nurse Practitioner Week.

    Additionally, prior to COVID-19 and the turn to virtual events, FNU student Shamekia Wilson volunteered to host an exhibit at The 41st Minority Health Conference in Chapel Hill, NC. During the show, potential students visited the FNU booth to learn more about their various educational programs and diversity initiatives. Wilson said the event helped her further understand the importance of diversity in healthcare education for ensuring that patients from diverse backgrounds receive quality care. 

    This year, Frontier’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) also launched a new mentoring program, the Professional Organization Mentoring Program. Through this program, students are selected to join a faculty member at a virtual professional nursing conference to network and learn more about their chosen field. To qualify for the program, students must complete an application and submit an essay, which will be graded by the Office of DEI. If selected, the Office of DEI will cover the conference’s cost and the student’s membership for a related professional organization. Students interested in this opportunity can begin the application process here. 

    The Office of DEI is also currently in the pilot phase of a comprehensive mentoring program designed to support and retain students of color by meeting their specific professional and academic needs. FNU is excited about expanding this program and believes it will help the university continue to grow a more diverse population within their community and the nursing field. 

    For these initiatives, as well as the university’s holistic dedication to supporting and understanding students, faculty and patients from all backgrounds, FNU was honored to receive the INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine’s Health Profession’s Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award for the third year in a row. Upon receiving the award this year, FNU President Dr. Susan Stone made the following statement:

    “We know that culturally competent care improves health outcomes and begins with a more diverse healthcare system. We are proud to be taking a leadership role in this movement by educating an increasingly diverse student body, but we fully recognize that we have much to learn and areas to improve. The HEED Award confirms that we are continuing to move in the right direction and to make meaningful progress.”

    FNU is proud to continue to push programs, events, and mindsets that promote equality for people of all races, cultures, and gender identities.

    To learn more about the steps Frontier has taken to celebrate diversity and promote inclusion, visit the university’s diversity page. Additionally, if you are interested in joining a university with a passion for including and supporting students, patients and staff of all backgrounds, please visit the FNU admissions page.

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