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  • Courier Spotlight: Eric Lakomek

    Courier Spotlight: Eric Lakomek

    A Frontier Nursing University (FNU) 2019 summer Courier was recently featured in a Wabash Global Health tweet after his presentation detailing his experience in the program. Wabash Global Health is an initiative of Wabash College, located in Crawfordsville, Ind., with the goal of impacting the lives of students and communities through education, investigation and service.

    Eric Lakomek is a junior at Wabash where he is studying psychology with minors in chemistry and global health. He is on track to graduate in May 2021 and then plans to attend medical school. 

    Eric first learned about the Courier program from Wabash alum Matt Hodges, who participated in the program in the summer of 2016 and encouraged Eric to apply. The Courier program is an eight week, rural and public health, service-learning program with a rich and adventuresome history. The program targets college students with an interest in public health, health care or a related field. The sites are often remote, located in culturally-unique communities throughout Appalachia and elsewhere.

    “I was interested in learning about rural public health, particularly the opioid epidemic, and I knew in Appalachia I would experience it firsthand,” Eric said.

    For the first several weeks of his summer in Hazard, Ky., he visited each medical provider in the Kentucky Mountain Health Alliance, including dental, primary care and behavioral health centers. He chose to focus on the primary care center at the Little Flower Clinic for the remainder of the summer. At the clinic, he shadowed the nurse practitioners and on-site physician; he also traveled with caseworkers during patient home visits and community work. 

    As part of the Courier program, Eric and his fellow Couriers developed a project based on a community needs assessment of the Hazard community area. They created a comprehensive diabetes care program for local patients, complete with information brochures, menu guidelines and care packs with blood pressure cuffs, weight scales, pedometers and other items not covered by insurance.

    Eric’s favorite part about his summer as a Courier was being able to experience the culture and community of Appalachia, and he left with a sense of gratitude. “I realized the privilege I have in my life,” said Eric. “Little Flower is a clinic that primarily serves less fortunate individuals, and I learned that my problems pale in comparison to what these individuals experience on a daily basis.”

    “Eric truly shined during his summer as a courier with FNU. In fact, Eric was chosen to present his experience to the Breckinridge Capital Advisors, as well as other prominent members of the FNU board,” said Tara A. Dykes-Barnes, FNU’s Courier Program Coordinator.

    The Courier Program was recently featured in The Bridge Magazine, a publication of the Kentucky Office of Rural Health. Read more here!

    Enrollment for the 2020 Courier program is now open! The program will run from June 1- August 3, 2020. Find out more about the application process and enrollment requirements at Frontier.edu/Courier-Program.

     

  • Alumni Spotlight: Marie Labadie-DeGennaro

    Alumni Spotlight: Marie Labadie-DeGennaro

    Frontier Nursing University (FNU) alumna Marie Labadie-DeGennaro, DNP, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, CHPN recently had the honor of sharing her work at a conference showcasing nurse research conducted by doctoral students in the National Capital Area.

    On November 14, 2019, Marie presented her poster “Improving Patient-Centered Respiratory Illness Care Through Shared Decision Making in the Urgent Care Setting,” at the Washington Regional Nursing Research 10th Annual Doctoral Conference. The conference was held in Washington D.C. at The Catholic University of America. Marie has had the opportunity to share her presentation at several other conferences as well.

    As an advanced registered nurse practitioner, Marie has over 25 years of nursing experience in a variety of clinical settings and roles. She adheres to evidence-based practice guidelines and makes an extra effort to be highly sensitive to the emotional needs and well-being of her patients. She also identifies community resources for the underserved.

    Marie is currently a family nurse practitioner at Care One of Florida Urgent Care and Pasco Kids First in New Port Richey, Fla. The urgent care center accepts all kinds of insurance as well as self-pay, so Marie sees a wide variety of patients, including many from underserved and marginalized populations.

    “The population of patients I care for is limitless,” said Marie. “I am committed to safely practicing a high-quality, holistic approach while sustaining optimal health outcomes for patients ranging from infancy through aging adult with complex healthcare needs.”

    Marie is also a Certified Child Protection Team Medical Examiner. She works part-time and on-call doing medical assessments of alleged child and adult maltreatment victims, including all facets of child, sexual and physical abuse as well as neglect cases and evidence collection. She performs forensic interviews with potential victims and families, compiles written reports for investigators and law enforcement and makes recommendations for safe environments and care.

    After being a nurse for over 20 years, Marie knew she wanted to make an even bigger impact in her community. 

    “Patients deserved more than they were getting,” she said. 

    A friend told her about FNU’s ADN Bridge Entry option and, after researching the history and community, Marie decided to enroll. She completed her Master of Science in Nursing and then transitioned into the companion Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program to complete her doctoral degree. 

    “Frontier is one of the best things to ever happen to me. I read about the amazing sense of community you get during your time at FNU and I knew it was the place for me. It is unlike any other online education program I have ever encountered.”

    Marie continues to utilize the support of FNU’s resources such as the library and evidence-based tools for practice as well as the connections she has made with professors and friends. She is soon transitioning to a new role at the University of South Florida in the Neurology Clinic and intends to teach there as well.

    Thank you, Marie, for serving your community well and for sharing your work so those following in your footsteps can do the same!

  • 2019 Conferences/Meetings Highlights

    2019 Conferences/Meetings Highlights

    Throughout 2019, representatives of Frontier Nursing University (FNU) attended a multitude of nursing and nurse-midwifery conferences and meetings. Students, faculty and alumni gathered with others from the field to hear from engaging speakers, grow their networking connections and speak with potential students. Here are the highlights of some of the key conferences and meetings attended this year.

     

    KCNPNM

    The 31st Annual Kentucky Coalition of Nurse Practitioners and Nurse-Midwives (KCNPNM) Conference took place in Covington, Ky. in April. Over 50 exhibitors, including several higher education institutes, gathered at the Covington Convention Center to connect with guests.

    The two-day exhibition window of the conference brought approximately 600 attendees. The FNU booth received many interested visitors, several of which led to further inquiries about FNU’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree and post-graduate certificate programs. Alumni, current students and friends of FNU also stopped by to say hello. Many attendees were familiar with FNU’s history and reputation as one of Kentucky’s oldest and most reputed nursing schools.

    Conference guests had the opportunity to attend continuing education sessions as well as workshops on a full range of healthcare topics. Pharmacology was emphasized as the opioid epidemic continues to grow while groundbreaking new drugs are created.

    FNU alumni, faculty, students and friends also gathered for a time of making new connections and renewing old ones at a reception hosted by FNU.

     

    NSNA

    The National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA) 67th Annual Convention was held in Salt Lake City, Utah in April. At the FNU exhibit booth, attendees were engaged in conversations about the Master of Science in Nursing degree programs and ADN Bridge Entry Option. Conference attendees also had the opportunity to attend informal gatherings with FNU called Coffee and Conversations in the coffee shop adjacent to the convention center, where potential students could come and ask any additional questions about FNU programs. Alumna Jason Hone also stopped by and talked about his experience at FNU.

     

    NCNP

    The spring National Convention for Nurse Practitioners (NCNP) took place in May in Chicago, Ill. The three-day conference drew over 2000 nurse practitioners from all over the world. Attendees were able to learn about FNU’s graduate programs as well as becoming a preceptor.

    The Fall NCNP conference was held in Las Vegas, Nev. in September. More than 1500 nurse practitioners (NPs) attended and learned about FNU’s graduate programs. Several alumni also stopped by to say hello and reminisce on their time at FNU. 

     

    AWHONN

    The Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) Convention was held in Atlanta, Ga. in June. FNU joined 240 other exhibitors as over 3500 people attended. Nurse-midwifery student Crystal Norman helped greet guests and shared her experiences at the FNU exhibit booth. FNU also hosted Coffee and Conversations gatherings each day and spoke with potential students about FNU’s nurse-midwifery and nurse practitioner programs. 

     

    AANP

    The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) National Conference was held in June in Indianapolis, Ind. FNU faculty member Vicky Stone-Gale as well as alumni Jill Johnson, FNP and Elena Prendergast, DNP, FNP-C gave presentations at the conference. AANP was one of several conferences this year where FNU focused on recruiting potential students from diverse backgrounds. Diversity Impact program mentees Frainelys (Frainy) Cruz, Caren Blantin, Ebony Hollins, Chanelle Nsangou, Nancy Carter, Jessica Stevens, and mentor Dr. DeLana Gardner spoke to potential students who visited FNU’s booth. Alumni and friends also gathered at the annual alumni breakfast. 

     

    ACNM

    The 64th annual American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) Meeting was held in National Harbor, Md. in June. FNU faculty and mentor Dr. Diana Jolles gave a podium presentation at the conference with her student mentee, Katrina George, as did Dr. Janelle Komorowski and her student mentee, Elizabeth Aviles.

    FNU held its annual reception at the conference and had over 150 people in attendance. Student mentees helped greet guests and enjoyed an evening of networking with other FNU alumni, students, faculty and preceptors.

    Student mentees Katrina George, Elizabeth Aviles, Aja Aviles-Soto, Alexandra Millett, Stacy Hepner and Ellen Apple represented the university by attending sessions and sharing information on distance education and specialty tracks at the exhibit booth. 

    Many FNU faculty, staff and students received awards at the ACNM conference. You can read about the awards and presentations here.

     

    APNA

    The American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) Conference took place in New Orleans, La. in October. FNU Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Program Director Jess Calohan helped out behind the booth handing out pralines and speaking to potential students. A Coffee and Conversations gathering offered an opportunity for attendees to ask more questions about FNU’s psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner program.

     

    Thank you to all who attended and participated in our many conferences and meetings in 2019! 

  • 2019: Year In Review

    2019: Year In Review

    2019 is drawing to a close at Frontier Nursing University! Below are some of our highlights from a truly wonderful 2019. Be sure to watch the “Year in Review 2019” video at the bottom of the post as well.

     

    Commencement

    FNU celebrated its 80th anniversary this year! Commencement took place in Lexington, Ky. for the first time, where 265 graduates attended with their families and friends. We welcomed keynote speaker Dr. Joycelyn Elders, the second woman and the first African American to serve as U.S. Surgeon General. FNU awarded 852 total degrees in 2019.

    Conferences

    Students and alumni represented FNU at a multitude of conferences in 2019, including the 64th Annual ACNM Meeting, the AANP National Conference and the NBNA Conference and Exhibit among many others.

    FNU also hosted its 9th annual Diversity Impact conference in June. Students engaged in open dialogue and participated in interactive activities including storytelling through dance and an exploration of Polynesian culture through creating an extended lei to honor the land.

    Faculty & Staff Accomplishments

    FNU President Dr. Susan Stone was formally inducted into the National Academy of Medicine. She was one of only two nurses inducted and the only inductee from the state of Kentucky. 

    To help meet the needs of students searching for quality clinical sites and preceptors, the Clinical Outreach and Placement Unit was created.

    Several faculty and staff were awarded and honored for their efforts as leaders in nurse-midwifery at this year’s ACNM Conference.

    For the second consecutive year, FNU received the 2019 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award honoring its outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion.

    Programs & Events

    FNU hosted virtual events for National Midwifery Week and Nurse Practitioner Week. Faculty members and alumni gave informative sessions on a variety of relevant topics, and many sessions offered continuing education credit for viewers.

    FNU also hosted a one-day virtual event for National Rural Health Day with four sessions on all things impacting rural and underserved communities.

    The 2019 Couriers left their mark on rural and underserved communities during their summer of service, earning recognition from the Kentucky Office of Rural Health, one of the state offices of the National Rural Health Association.

     

    We recognize and honor the past 80 years of impact and growth as we head towards an exciting future for FNU and our community. Here is to a 2019 full of memories and a successful 2020. We’re 80 years down and 80 (and many more) to go!

     

  • Alumni Spotlight: Janice Macopson, FNP-C, DNP

    Alumni Spotlight: Janice Macopson, FNP-C, DNP

    Janice Macopson, FNP-C, DNP, has worked in healthcare for longer than many Frontier Nursing University (FNU) students have been alive.

    For 44 years, Janice has worked in various positions at Carolinas Healthcare System – Blue Ridge, an Atrium Health Hospital in Morganton, N.C. She became a nurse practitioner (NP) in 2001 and began her work at Blue Ridge Cardiology in 2011.

    Janice graduated from FNU in June 2019 as a member of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) class 30. Obtaining her DNP had been a bucket list item for years. She and a friend who was also interested in getting her DNP got together to research potential schools. 

    “My friend told me about this amazing school in Kentucky. I did some research for myself and read about Mary Breckinridge, and I was just taken in. Coming from rural North Carolina and working with women and children, I felt it was ideal – a perfect match for me.”

    After being accepted into FNU’s DNP program, Janice read the required Wide Neighborhoods, Mary Breckinridge’s biography. “I could not put the book down,” she said. “I felt like I was in the trenches with her. It’s almost mystical, when you have a passion for nursing, to read about how passionate she was.”

    As a member of a minority population, Janice was also appreciative of FNU’s emphasis on diversity. “I am an African American and I have been very impressed by how hard the school works on inclusion and diversity,” she said.

    In her current position at Blue Ridge Cardiology, Janice sees adults with coronary artery disease, cardiac illnesses, and other conditions that put them at high risk for heart failure, heart attack, stroke, diabetes and hypertension.

    Janice knows firsthand how difficult it is for diagnosed heart failure patients to understand and manage their condition, so for her DNP project, she implemented the Get With the Guidelines – Heart Failure program into her practice. An American Heart Association program, Get With The Guidelines – Heart Failure is an in-hospital program that promotes consistent adherence to the latest scientific treatment guidelines and has shown success in achieving significant patient outcome improvements.

    Janice teamed up with the quality improvement committee at Carolinas Healthcare System – Blue Ridge to implement chart audits and analyze what they could improve upon using the Get With The Guidelines measures. She has been able to take what she learned into Blue Ridge Cardiology and continue to utilize the information she gathered during her project.

    Janice’s continuity advisor Khara Jefferson, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, played a major role in Janice’s DNP project. “My weakness was the Internet, YouTube and online classes… it was a challenge for me. Khara was always available to me, answered all my calls and calmly helped me through my planning phase. She was especially patient when it came to helping me through presentations and other things online.”

    We are proud of Janice’s commitment to life-long learning! We’re thankful for her efforts to continually improve herself and her practice to offer the highest quality of care.

  • Alaska Spotlight: Karolina Priebe

    Alaska Spotlight: Karolina Priebe

    Since its foundation in 1939, Frontier Nursing University (FNU) has adopted a mission of reaching rural, diverse and underserved populations. This mission is still being lived out today, where more than 80 FNU alumni are answering the call in Alaska. In the coming months, we will be highlighting several of these alumni who serve in our country’s most remote and unforgiving state.

    Karolina Priebe, DNP, ANP, FNP, Class 17 is the final alumna featured in our Alaska Spotlight series. She is a family nurse practitioner at Solstice Medicine and Wellness in Fairbanks.

    Fairbanks represents the last chance for medical care for many Alaskans living in the extreme northeast regions of the state.

    “We are isolated from other areas of Alaska,” said Karolina. “We are really the northernmost city in northeast Alaska in terms of access to healthcare. We cover thousands of miles of the area.” 

    Born and raised in Poland, Karolina’s family moved to Chicago when she was 16. She eventually became a U.S. citizen and served as a medic in the military where she met her husband. His last station before retiring was Fairbanks in 2015. They fell in love with the community and continue to make their home there. 

    At Solstice Medicine and Wellness clinic, Karolina is the only primary care provider doing family practice daily. She is joined by an internal medicine physician and a physician’s assistant. Many of the patients they treat come from very remote locations and only visit the city once or twice a year.

    “The bush people of Alaska have no roads,” Karolina said of the population made famous by the ‘Alaskan Bush People’ television series. “In summer they get to us via boat or four wheeler, and  in the wintertime many travel by snow machine until they either reach a road system or a small airport. They come to town once every six months or once a year. We address as much as we can in one visit.” 

    That means a lot of acute care and little time left over for addressing lifestyle, education and preventative medicine, resulting in a gap that Karolina is trying to fill.

    Noting a significant issue with obesity in her patient population, Karolina launched an obesity program in August 2018. She devotes approximately half her time providing primary care and the other half on the 60-80 people in the obesity program. 

    “Nobody is doing obesity management. In primary care, there’s no time to address that,” Karolina said. “Weight management is built into my work schedule for patients interested in medical weight loss. I’m treating chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure along with obesity at the same time. It saves the patient time and money.”

    Patients in the program begin by keeping a food journal for a month. Karolina then reviews it and helps them find healthier alternatives to the foods they enjoy. Access to fresh and affordable healthy food is a significant hurdle for many in the community. 

    “There are many components to the obesity problem,” Karolina said. “A lot of my patients don’t have access to proper food. Fresh produce is very expensive here, especially in winter. Our food bank is a great resource but it mainly has packaged foods. A lot of people can’t afford the fresher, healthier foods.”

    Affordability is also an issue when it comes to medical bills and, as a result, many are reluctant to seek the care they need. To help address this issue, Karolina serves on the board of KarmaCare, a local nonprofit that offers people assistance with their bills. Patients who qualify for the program are asked to volunteer in their community. In exchange for their service, KarmaCare will pay up to $4,000 per year toward their medical bills. “That’s the community we have,” Karolina said. “There is a unity of the community in Fairbanks and that’s why we stayed here.” 

    Another challenge facing the Fairbanks community is the limited amount of specialized care, so Karolina and her team arrange appointments with specialty care providers in Anchorage or Seattle. “Thankfully there’s a good working relationship between us and Anchorage and Seattle,” Karolina said. “They are good about working our referrals in. We have to sit on the phone for many hours to figure out where to send these patients.” 

    Karolina credits Frontier Nursing University with helping to prepare her to be innovative and community-driven in her work. “Frontier was all about going where there’s a need and making an impact,” Karolina said. “Every day I’m trying to see how I can help my patients, what’s needed, and how I can make an impact. I’m still trying to figure out how we can make medical care better here. 

    “Frontier is so focused on meeting patients where they are and making improvements in the community,” Karolina continued. “It prepared me to open my eyes to look at bigger issues, to look at what needs need to be addressed in the community to benefit not only the patients but their families as well.”

    Thank you to Karolina, Kristina Amundson, David Moore and Holly Fisk who along with many other FNU alumni are answering the call to serve the underserved in Alaska.

  • Courier Program Featured in The Bridge Magazine

    Courier Program Featured in The Bridge Magazine

    From the very beginning, Frontier Nursing University (FNU) has been committed to serving rural and underserved populations. In 1928, FNU founder Mary Breckinridge established the Courier Program as a way of recruiting young volunteers to serve in Eastern Kentucky. Young people were originally recruited to assist nurse-midwives with everyday tasks, such as accompanying the midwives to home births or grooming and taking care of the horses which were essential for transport. 

    The Courier Program has evolved into an eight-week summer program for college students. Couriers are immersed in the culture of a rural Appalachian community. They spend the summer shadowing healthcare professionals, leading projects and discovering the unique challenges these communities face. 

    The Bridge Magazine, a publication of the Kentucky Office of Rural Health, recently published a wonderful story featuring FNU’s Courier Program. In Training the Next Generation of Rural Health Care Providers, writer Robin Roenker tells the stories of students, clinicians, and community members who have been positively impacted by the program.

    Couriers exit the program freed from the stereotypes of Appalachia they previously had. Molly Craig, a 2018 Courier, said, “I think there’s a lot of stigma about people residing in rural Appalachia. And through the Courier Program, I learned that rural people really shouldn’t be stigmatized, because that oversimplifies and overshadows their realities.”

    Not only are the students transformed through their time in the Courier program, but so are the communities they serve. “Many of the Couriers come to us new to Kentucky and new to the Appalachian culture, but by the time they leave, they’re like family to the people here,” said Ellen Napier, CEO of a clinic for homeless and at-risk citizens.

    Applications for the 2020 Courier Program are now being accepted! Applicants must meet the following criteria:

    • Completed at least two years of higher education
    • Be enrolled in undergraduate-level courses
    • Be between the ages of 20 to 25
    • Have a passion for service and learning about rural health care

    Students from all majors are encouraged to apply, and no formal medical training is required. Learn more at Frontier.edu/CourierProgram or apply now!

  • Featured Preceptor: Ramona Scott, DNP, WHNP

    Featured Preceptor: Ramona Scott, DNP, WHNP

    For the Fall 2019 term, Frontier Nursing University (FNU)’s featured preceptor is Ramona Scott, DNP, WHNP. 

    For 30 years, Ramona has served at Women’s Care Group in Knoxville, Tenn. where she is currently a women’s health nurse practitioner. She sees a wide variety of GYN and OB patients, taking the time to get to know each one and understand their needs. She is also a certified menopause practitioner.

    “Ramona provides excellent care to her patients and it is clear that they place a lot of trust in her,” said FNU alumna Sarah Martina, who nominated Ramona for the award.

    Sarah describes Ramona as a life-long learner committed to providing up-to-date, evidence-based care. Ramona is always looking for new and better ways to help her patients.

    In addition to her clinical work, Ramona is a passionate advocate for the nurse practitioner (NP) profession. She is currently helping to develop a new WHNP program at Tennessee Tech University, and she consistently precepts multiple students every year. 

    “She is an excellent teacher with high standards but is also warm, welcoming and funny! I learned so much from her!” said Sarah.

    Ramona is also an FNU alumna: she earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree in 2013.

    Thank you, Ramona, for serving women well and teaching students to do the same!

    Click here to read about previously recognized preceptors, or to nominate a preceptor. Interested in becoming a Frontier preceptor? Learn more.

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