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Summer Term Circle of Caring Winners

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is pleased to announce the 2019 Summer Term Circle of Caring Award Winners: staff member Jamie Wheeler and faculty member Lisa Chappell.

The Circle of Caring Award is given each term as a recognition for 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.

Jamie Wheeler, MA, Clinical Advisor

Jamie is one of two clinical advisors at FNU who support students with their clinical site and preceptor search. She meets one-on-one with students, leads clinical search webinars, and attends Frontier Bound orientation sessions to meet with new students.

“My typical day involves a lot of brainstorming with students to come up with creative solutions for their clinical plan,” she said. “I’m here to make this process easier for students to navigate and answer any questions that come up during their preparation for clinicals.”

Jamie’s anonymous nominations lauded her helpfulness and willingness to go above and beyond for her students. One said, “Jamie shows professionalism by how excellent, responsible, transparent and consistent she is. Anyone you ask will tell you that she always gives 110% in all she does.”

Jamie’s favorite part of her job is working with students and learning what brought them to FNU. “I am always amazed at the hats our students wear as they juggle multiple roles and work through our programs to reach lifelong goals!” She also enjoys working at the new Versailles campus and watching it take shape.

Lisa Chappell PhD, FNP-BC, Associate Dean of Family Nursing

Lisa is an associate professor and the associate dean of family nursing at FNU. She works with fellow faculty and staff to problem-solve and offer support.

Nominations praised Lisa as a great leader and role model. One said, “She does her job professionally, but has a special touch where we get to know her as a person too. I feel like she truly cares about me as a person and my professional growth. I see that she does the same for each member of the faculty. Amazing. Even her ‘tough calls’ are made with compassion and kindness. Every day I work under her supervision, I feel supported, protected, and encouraged to do my best.”

Another nomination echoed the sentiment: “Lisa’s leadership style makes me feel like I am her only employee. She truly cares and this shows when she takes the time to meet with me and ensure that I continue to grow as a professional. She deserves recognition because she never demands it herself!”

Lisa’s favorite part of her role is working with students at Frontier Bound and Clinical Bound, as well as spending time on campus with the faculty. She said, “I enjoy working with such highly motivated and well-prepared faculty and staff. The focus remains on the students and their success and preparation as advanced practice nurses.”

Congratulations to our winners and thank you for contributing to the culture of caring at FNU.

Thank you to everyone who submitted nominations. To submit your nomination for the fall term Circle of Caring Award, click here!

November 18, 2019
Alumni Spotlight: Marli Parobek

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) alumna Marli Parobek, MS, APRN, FNP-C, PMHNP-C, noticed a growing need for better mental healthcare in her community and rose to meet the challenge.

Marli graduated from FNU in June 2018 as part of the first class of the Psychiatric-Mental Health NP post-graduate certificate.

A resident of her hometown, Yakima, Wa., Marli has been a nurse practitioner for 14 years. She is currently head of the inpatient psychiatric unit at Astria Toppenish Hospital, where her focus is mainly on voluntary and involuntary inpatient psychiatry, medical withdrawal and detox.

Yakima is a town in rural eastern Washington, a largely agricultural community. Much of the population is made up of minority races and, as is common in rural, blue-collar communities, struggles with poverty and substance abuse are prevalent.

Marli and the Astria psychiatric unit received federal and state grants to implement their psychiatric and detox programs, allowing them to offer a service that had previously not existed in eastern Washington.

The voluntary detox program for alcohol and opiate addicts is 3-5 days of 24/7 nursing care in the hospital. Marli prescribes detox medications and performs psychiatric evaluations for these patients until they are discharged to outpatient detox programs.

Marli’s unit also offers an involuntary inpatient suboxone program for psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia and severe bipolar disorder. The program offers secure, lock-down units and is staffed with chemical dependency therapists and social workers who offer individual and group therapy.

On Thursdays, Marli also does outpatient work with teens and other patients on the nearby Yakama Indian Reservation.

Marli chose to pursue the PMHNP degree to take her career to the next level. “I was a family nurse-practitioner for twelve years and I enjoyed it, but I started to feel too comfortable and wasn’t being challenged,” she said. “I also saw a lot of mental illness and felt ill-prepared to address the issue correctly with only an FNP degree.”

One of Marli’s biggest takeaways from her time in the PMHNP program was the importance of evidence-based practice as really the only way to offer proper care. “Now I know what I didn’t know!” she said.

The personalized support she received at FNU really impressed Marli, and now she is enrolled in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. “I love how FNU really wants their students to succeed,” she said. “Now the addition of a doctorate degree will set me apart personally and professionally.”

We are proud of Marli for continuing to challenge herself to increase the quality and scope of care she offers. Thank you for representing FNU well!

November 14, 2019
Alaska Spotlight: David Moore

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.

David Moore, FNP, Class 75, chose to work in Alaska so he could serve some of the most vulnerable people in the country’s harshest environment: the homeless.

David serves as the only nurse practitioner at the Front Street Clinic in downtown Juneau, Alaska, where he is joined by a registered nurse, two behavioral health specialists, and two case managers. Most of his patients are homeless and medically underserved, and many are battling chronic illnesses.

“Most people who come in are present with chronic illnesses,” David said. “They aren’t usually coming in to be treated for a cold. A lot of our patients are transient, and we only see them when some crisis arises.”

The complexity of his patients’ cases prevents David from seeing more than five to seven patients per day. In addition to medical care, the clinic hands out free socks, gloves, hats and hygiene kits to the area’s homeless population.

A native of eastern Tennessee, David was inspired when he read Wide Neighborhoods, the story of Mary Breckinridge and the founding of the Frontier Nursing Service in southeastern Kentucky.

“I’m never shy to say that Mary Breckinridge is my nursing hero,” David said. “I read Wide Neighborhoods even before I went to FNU. I bought my own copy and I fell in love with the mission. That’s why I went there.”

After graduating, David was drawn to the stunning beauty of the pacific northwest and the opportunities it held to serve vulnerable populations. He knew Alaska had a great shortage of medical specialists, requiring patients who need specialized care to either wait for months to see one of the few practicing in Alaska, or fly to Portland or Seattle to receive care.

David has one such patient who was sent for a routine colonoscopy and was diagnosed with rectal cancer. She would have to be treated in Seattle.

“She was a naturalized citizen but didn’t have her paperwork in order to be able to travel,” he said. “We got her to Seattle for surgery and got her in touch with a lawyer to help get her proper identification so she could travel back and forth between here and Seattle. They wouldn’t let her on the plane otherwise. That’s an example of the challenging situations we face in this region.”

David is diligent about looking for ways to increase access to healthcare for his patients. Flying to see a specialist is impossible for many of his patients, so he began utilizing e-consultants via AristaMD, allowing him to send a patient’s chart a specialist online who responds within 24 hours with recommended treatment and instructions.

He also learned how to treat hepatitis C so those patients would no longer need to travel to Anchorage for treatment. Many of his patients suffer from psychiatric illnesses and co-occurring conditions such as substance abuse combined with psychiatric illness, so he learned to treat substance abuse patients.

David credits FNU for helping to cultivate his desire to serve in rural and underserved areas and to look for solutions beyond what would be considered his normal scope of practice.

“The way the FNU program is designed, I had to be independent and dig for resources,” David says. “I had to find my own preceptors. It taught me independence and perseverance. It taught me to go above and beyond to get the job done.”

We are proud of David and all of our FNU graduates, including Kristina Amundson, who go the extra mile to serve in Alaska.

November 7, 2019
Free Virtual Event for Upcoming NP Week

National Nurse Practitioner Week is November 10-16, and Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is celebrating by hosting a virtual event for nurse practitioners (NPs) and those considering a career as an advanced practice nurse. Featured topics include improving sepsis care, treating post-traumatic stress disorder and using reflective practices as a leadership enhancement tool. Nurse practitioners and others can participate in this free event online at Frontier.edu/NPWeek.

The Empower 2019 FNU Virtual Event: Nurse Practitioners Improving Patient Care Through Teamwork will bring together leaders in health care to present the following sessions:

Nurse Practitioners in Action Serving Their Communities: Lisa Chappell, PhD, FNP-BC, FNU’s associate dean of family nursing, will be joined by FNU nurse practitioner faculty as they share how they are impacting their communities and carrying out the mission of serving rural, diverse and underserved populations. This session will take place on Nov. 11 at 6 p.m. ET.

A Team-Based Approach to Improving Timely Sepsis Care: Presented by Carla Bray, DNP, FNP-C, the presentation will cover a rapid cycle quality improvement project. Each cycle tested changes related to team and patient engagement, screening, and the use of timely sepsis orders. Participants will learn strategies to implement best practices for timely sepsis care. Tune in on Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. ET.

FREE CE: Evidence-Based Prescribing of Practices in Treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Presented by Jess Calohan, DNP, PMHNP-BC, this session will cover the neurobiological underpinnings of PTSD and review evidence-based prescribing practices. The presentation will also discuss collaborative care and patient engagement strategies to assist in the management of PTSD symptoms. This session will take place on Nov. 13 at 6 p.m. ET.

FREE CE: Reflective Practice: A Leadership Enhancement Tool: Katheryn Arterberry, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CNE, will focus on the use of reflective practice to enhance leadership skills, improve interpersonal relationships, and heighten personal self-awareness in nurses. The presentation will provide practical reflective practice tools for nurses in various settings. Tune in on Nov. 14 at 6 p.m. ET.

We encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to earn free CE credits!

National Nurse Practitioner Week is held annually to celebrate health care providers and to remind lawmakers of the importance of removing outdated barriers to practice so that nurse practitioners will be allowed to practice to the full extent of their experience and education. According to AANP.org, there are approximately 270,000 NPs currently licensed in the U.S.

Frontier Nursing University is the birthplace of nurse-midwifery and family nursing in the United States and has 80 years of experience in delivering graduate nursing and midwifery programs. This is the fourth consecutive year FNU has hosted a virtual event in recognition of National Nurse Practitioner Week.

Register for the virtual event and learn more at Frontier.edu/NPWeek.

November 4, 2019
Faculty Published on Daily Nurse

Shared Decision Making (SDM) is a healthcare model in which patients and healthcare providers work together to make decisions regarding treatment options and long-term care plans. The provider is encouraged to take into consideration the patient’s preferences, history, and values when exploring treatment options. The SDM model promotes open dialogue and emphasizes empathy, which allows for a more trusting and sustainable patient-provider relationship and ultimately improves health outcomes for the patient.

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) faculty members Nicole Lassiter, Amy Marowitz, Jane Houston and Megan Garland wrote an article published on DailyNurse.com, a nursing news site that features up-to-date, relevant articles written by well-respected members of the healthcare community. According to Daily Nurse’s website, “To address the growing challenges of new nurses, [we] provide a wide range of free articles on employment, educational opportunities, career choices, nursing life, and advice for nurses that span all specialties in nursing from education to research to clinical practice.”

We are proud to have faculty who strive to be up to date with best practices and use their knowledge to contribute quality research and information to the wider nursing community.

To read the full article, visit DailyNurse.com/Shared-Decisio n-Making.

October 31, 2019
FNU President Dr. Susan Stone Inducted to National Academy of Medicine

We are proud to announce that Frontier Nursing University (FNU) president Dr. Susan Stone, DNSc, CNM, FACNM, FAAN, was inducted into the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) Class of 2018 at the organization’s annual meeting on October 19, 2019, in Washington, D.C.

Of the 85 new inductees, Dr. Stone is one of only two nurses in the NAM Class of 2018 and is the only inductee from Kentucky in the class.

Election to the Academy is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service. Members are elected by current members through a process that recognizes individuals who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care, and public health. A diversity of talent among NAM’s membership is assured by its Articles of Organization, which stipulates that at least one-quarter of the membership is selected from fields outside the health professions — for example, from such fields as law, engineering, social sciences, and the humanities. NAM’s total membership is more than 2,200, with only three members being from Kentucky, including Dr. Stone.

The election of Dr. Stone into the NAM membership was based on facts that she has reached distinguished professional achievement in the field of medicine and health, has demonstrated and continues her involvement with issues in healthcare, disease prevention, education and research, along with showcasing skills and resources likely to contribute to the Academy’s mission and finally, has proven a willingness to actively participate in the work of the Academy.

“The National Academy of Medicine offers an incredible opportunity to work collaboratively with leaders from a wide range of medical professions and disciplines,” Dr. Stone said. “It is a tremendous honor to join this organization which is so deeply committed to improving health care.”

The election to NAM recognizes Dr. Stone’s achievements that have opened the door for more than 6,000 nurses to achieve graduate education and positively impact the accessibility of quality health care for rural families across the United States.

Dr. Stone is a leader in the development of strategies to increase the quality and capacity of midwifery and advanced practice nursing workforces with the specific goal of improving health care for families. Since she was appointed president of FNU in 2001, she has led the transition from a community-based school of nurse-midwifery offering a basic certificate program with 200 students enrolled to an accredited university offering masters and doctoral degrees to nurses seeking graduate degrees. Today the University has more than 2,300 graduate nursing students enrolled from every state in the United States.

Dr. Stone currently also serves as the President of the American College of Nurse-Midwives where her agenda includes increasing the midwifery workforce through educational quality and capacity strategies; advocacy, especially related to the maternal mortality and morbidity crisis; and increasing the diversity of the healthcare workforce. She believes working with other health care professionals is essential to achieve the goal of improving the health of women and families.

Congratulations, Dr. Stone, on your honorable induction into NAM, and thank you for being a worthy leader of FNU!

October 28, 2019
FNU Representatives Attend Diversity Conferences

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is proud to celebrate diversity in nursing, which is why student Diversity Impact ambassadors, faculty members and alumni attend a variety of annual conferences that do just that. A product of FNU’s diversity and inclusion initiative, the Diversity Impact Program promotes diversity in nursing and nurse-midwifery by recruiting and retaining students from underrepresented populations to become nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners. Conference participants have the opportunity to learn and celebrate, while also connecting with and providing information to prospective students.

FNU is a proud recipient of the Nursing Workforce Diversity (NWD) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant that funds a Professional Organizational Mentoring Program (POMP) which makes it possible to send faculty mentors and student mentees to many conferences throughout the year. Here’s a look at all the conferences Diversity Impact students and faculty attended the last few months:

ACNM Meeting – May 18-23

The 64th annual American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) Meeting was held in National Harbor, Md. this year. The meeting aims to emphasize the importance of evidence-based care and to instigate conversations centered around race, socioeconomic disparities and structural competency in healthcare in America. This year, ACNM introduced a new racism and disparities track to focus on health inequities, implicit bias and the mortality and morbidity rate for women of color.

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 on Sunday, May 19 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.

You can read more about FNU’s participation at ACNM and how to join in at Frontier.edu/DIP-ACNM.

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

AANP Conference and Exhibit – June 18-23

The nation’s largest multispecialty Nurse Practitioner conference, the 34th annual American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) conference and exhibit was held in Indianapolis, Ind. in June. FNU faculty and mentor Dr. Delana Gardner attended along with FNU student mentees Frainleys Cruz, Caren Blantin, Ebony Hollins, Nancy Carter, Jessica Stevens and Channelle Nsangou. The mentor and mentee participants represented the university by attending educational sessions and sharing information on distance education and specialty tracks at the exhibit booth.

Keynote speaker Elizabeth Smart shared her personal struggles and how she overcame extreme adversity after being abducted as a child. She emphasized the importance of recovery and not allowing the past to dictate the future.

You can read more about FNU’s participation at AANP and how to join in at Frontier.edu/DIP-AANP.

NBNA Conference and Exhibit – July 23-28

The 47th annual National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) conference and exhibit was held in New Orleans, La. NBNA represents approximately 200,000 African American nurses from the U.S., Canada, Eastern Caribbean and Africa, with 115 chartered chapters nationwide.

This year’s theme, “Addressing the Epidemic of Health Inequity,” focused on multifaceted approaches to improving the health status of communities of color, as well as advocating for a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Attendees were encouraged by keynote speaker Dr. Ernest J. Grant, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, the 36th president of the American Nurses Association (ANA), the nation’s largest nurse’s organization representing the interests of the nation’s four million registered nurses. A distinguished leader, Dr. Grant has more than 30 years of nursing experience and is an internationally recognized burn-care and fire-safety expert.

FNU’s Assistant Director of Diversity and Inclusion Devon Peterika along with FNU faculty/mentor Dr. Linda McDaniel and student mentees Brittany Hogue and Erica McNealey attended the conference and represented the university with information on distance education and specialty tracks.

Visit Frontier.edu/DIP-NBNA to read more about FNU’s participation at AANP and how to join in.

NAHN Conference and Exhibit – July 15-19

The 44th annual National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN) conference and exhibit was held in Reno, Nev. The conference theme, “A Climate of Change: Nurses Taking Action to Achieve Health Equity,” focused on addressing timely issues surrounding Latino healthcare regarding equity, diversity and inclusivity to bring awareness to health inequities affecting Hispanic communities of color.

FNU faculty and mentor Dr. Mary Ellen Biggerstaff and student mentees Amy Guzman, Leticia Fernandez, Sally Sanchez and Heather Ellin attended the conference and represented the university with information on distance education and specialty tracks at the exhibit booth. Fernandez was announced as a recipient of the United Health Foundation Diverse Scholars Initiative’s Latino Health Scholars Program.

Workshops emphasized evidence-based healthcare practices with the aim to impact Latin cultures in providing culturally congruent health care to decrease disparities and inequities. Conference workshops also focused on student leadership and education with a call to create a pathway to leadership for millennial Hispanic nurses.

You can read more about FNU’s participation at NAHN and how to join in at Frontier.edu/DIP-NAHN.

GLMA Conference and Exhibit – Sept. 11-14

The 37th annual Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA) conference and exhibit was held in New Orleans, La. This year’s conference theme, “LGBTQ Health Across the Lifespan”, highlighted the importance of understanding the ever-changing healthcare needs of LGBTQ patients from birth to end-of-life care.

FNU Diversity Impact Student Ambassadors Vanessa Shields-Haas and Margaret Galvez attended the conference and represented the university at its exhibit booth.

Visit Frontier.edu/DIP-GLMA to read more about FNU’s participation at GLMA and how to join in.

AABC Conference and Exhibit – Sept. 12-15

The 13th annual American Association of Birth Centers (AABC) conference and exhibit was held in Orlando, Fla. The AABC promotes and supports birth centers as a means to uphold the rights of healthy women and their families, in all communities, to birth their children in an environment that is safe, sensitive and cost-effective with minimal intervention.

FNU sent Diversity Impact Student Ambassadors Marie Alcide-Pigniat and Jamie Neal to represent the university and connect with prospective students.

You can read more about FNU’s participation at AABC and how to join in at Frontier.edu/DIP-AABC.

FNU is proud of its students, faculty, staff and alumni who have embraced the mission to reach diverse and minority populations to improve the quality of their healthcare. Thank you to all who played a part in this year’s diversity-focused conferences!

October 24, 2019
FNU Receives HEED Award for Second Consecutive Year

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) received the 2019 Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. This is the second consecutive year that FNU has received this prestigious award.

The Health Professions HEED Award is the only national honor recognizing U.S. medical, dental, pharmacy, osteopathic, nursing, veterinary, allied health, and other health schools and centers that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion across their campuses.

“The Health Professions HEED Award process consists of a comprehensive and rigorous application that includes questions relating to the recruitment and retention of students and employees and best practices for both; continued leadership support for diversity; and other aspects of campus diversity and inclusion,” said Lenore Pearlstein, co-publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.

“As we continue to see a record number of Health Professions HEED Award applicants each year, nearly every school tells us they use the application itself as a tool to create new programs and to benchmark their accomplishments across campus. The process allows them to reflect on their successes and also determine where more work needs to be done. We also continue to raise the standards in selecting Health Professions HEED institutions.”

FNU’s commitment to emphasizing and valuing diversity and inclusion was formally instituted with the creation of the Diversity Impact Program in 2010. The following year, FNU held its first annual Diversity Impact Conference. Held each summer, the Diversity Impact Conference opens the door for nurse practitioner and nurse-midwifery students plus faculty and staff to foster collaborative discussions, address health disparities, and find proactive solutions to improve minority health among underrepresented and marginalized groups.

In 2017, FNU established the position of Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (CDIO), which sits on the President’s Cabinet. Today, the Diversity and Inclusion Office has grown to include Interim CDIO Dr. Erin Tenney, Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator Chris Turley, and Assistant Director of Diversity and Inclusion Devon Peterika.

FNU’s diversity initiatives span all facets of the university, but one of the most telling and important data points is the percentage of students of color enrolled at FNU. In 2009, that number was nine percent. In 2019, it has grown to 23 percent.

“We are incredibly proud to receive the prestigious HEED Award again this year,” said FNU President Dr. Susan Stone. “To receive this award two years in a row is a wonderful honor. Our graduates serve people of all races and cultures and are increasingly coming from diverse backgrounds. It is imperative that our students, faculty, and staff have cultural awareness and competency in order to effectively advance our mission. The HEED Award confirms the value of our efforts and validates our continued emphasis on diversity and inclusion within the culture of FNU.”

October 21, 2019

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