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Alumni Kudos: Winter Term 2019

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is proud of our alumni who make a difference in their communities and in their field.

This month, we are thankful to highlight six alumni who have been recently recognized for their significant accomplishments and pursuits to better the care they provide

Dr. Jana Esden

FNU Alumna Writes Lead CEU Article for Nursing Publication

Congratulations to Dr. Jana Esden, FNU Course Faculty and Graduate of DNP Class 6, for her publication of the lead CEU article titled “Adverse Childhood Experiences and Implementing Trauma-informed Primary Care” in The Nurse Practitioner.

Ann Schaeffer

Diana Jolles

FNU Faculty Member and Alumna Work to Improve Depression Screening

Congratulations to FNU Faculty Member, Diana Jolles, PhD, CNM and FNU Graduate of DNP Class 24, Ann M. Schaeffer DNP, CNM – their recent work is featured in Health Leaders Media. See a link to their publication, “Not Missing the Opportunity: Improving Depression Screening and Follow-Up in a Multicultural Community” in The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety.

Tarnia Newton

FNU Alumna Named Finalist in Research Competition

Congratulations to Tarnia Newton, Graduate of DNP Class 28. Her storyboard abstract was recently selected as one of six finalists for inclusion in the “Pitch Perfect” research competition at the International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare. This Forum is held in Glasgow, March 27-29th, 2019. Her abstract is titled, IMPROVING DIABETES CARE IN A NURSE PRACTITIONER LED CLINIC: A QI PROJECT. This research competition is judged by Dr. Don Berwick, President Emeritus and Senior Fellow at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, and Fiona Godlee, Editor-in-Chief of the BMJ. Congratulations, Dr. Newton. The Frontier Community is so proud of your work.

Mimi Niles

Faculty Member and Alumna Published in the Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health

Congratulations to Faculty Member (and NYU PhD Student), Mimi Niles, CNM, LM, MPH on her recent publication in the JMWH titled, “Internet Search for Midwifery Fellowship Programs”. Mimi is a FNU graduate of CNEP Class 52. See the article here!

Azam Tayyebi

FNU Alumna Recognized as Innovator on CareZooming

Azam Tayyebi, DNP, FNP-BC, APRN (PM-DNP Class 27) is featured on CareZooming – she is billed an innovator in “Improving Timely Referrals via implementation of Lower Extremity Amputation Prevention (LEAP) Tool @ Suburban Wound Care Clinic”. Amazing work, Azam! See more at https://www.carezooming.com/innovators/

March 18, 2019
Preceptor Spotlight: Megan Ferguson, CNM

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 Meg Ferguson, CNM, was honored as FNU’s “Featured Preceptor” for the winter term. Meg, who graduated from FNU in 2016 (Bridge Class 111), was nominated by Stephanie Brooker (CNEP Class 154), who graduated with her MSN in February.

For over five years, Meg has served patients in Alaska at Women’s Health Specialist as a Certified Nurse-Midwife. While some of her patients are from urban areas, she also serves clients from distant Alaskan regions.

Many women from remote areas can only make it for visits a few times over the course of their pregnancies. Meg is always very understanding of their situations. She makes sure to work around their schedules so they can make it to appointments and that she can have time to counsel them. She goes above and beyond to bring care to these women in underserved areas of Alaska.

Stephanie Brooker with Preceptor Megan Ferguson

Not only is she flexible and understanding, but Meg is also very highly regarded in her community for her personable bedside manner and down-to-earth attitude. She easily connects with patients and families to make them feel valued and well-cared for.

“I don’t know how she does it but she has this knack for remembering personal details about each patient and making each mom feel like they are special,” said Stephanie.

Another quality Stephanie appreciates about Meg is her honesty. Meg doesn’t hesitate to tell her students that they will face many challenges as nurse-midwives, but she also shares about how rewarding her career is.

“Some people would be too prideful to share the good, the bad, the ugly, but she shares the realities of this new career; she knows it has its challenges, as well as its joys,” said Stephanie.

To Stephanie, Meg is more than just a teacher, but a friend and counselor. Meg’s honesty helps Stephanie feel that she can come to her with any worries about her work.

“I feel like I can talk with her about the struggles and fears that I’m experiencing. She gives me her shoulder to cry on advice that keeps me going,” said Stephanie.

Stephanie is so grateful to Meg for her guidance and support. Not only did she gain confidence, but she received valuable feedback that will help her grow into an excellent nurse-midwife, just like Meg.

“I am one of the luckiest Midwifery students. I am so grateful that Meg agreed to take on another job training me to be the future of midwifery!” Stephanie said.

Thank you, Meg, for being such an excellent example to our students as they enter their careers!

Go here to read more on previously recognized preceptors, or to nominate a preceptor.

March 14, 2019
Frontier’s Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning Benefits Faculty and Students

In 2017 Frontier Nursing University (FNU) launched its Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL) to build on FNU’s reputation of providing quality instruction based on excellent teaching practices. Since then, the CITL has been improving instruction practices and delivery methods for Frontier students and faculty.

The main focus of the CITL is to provide professional development opportunities to faculty so they can provide the best possible instruction to FNU students. Faculty can rely on the CITL to provide expertise regarding course design, development, and alignment, as well as simulations or any other topic related to teaching and learning. With the help of instructional coaches, library resources, and technology assistance, FNU faculty are equipped to provide a high-quality education to all students.

One way that CITL strives to improve learning at FNU is through the implementation of technology and online learning platforms. This year, the CITL is rolling out a new system to capture lectures for distance learners that includes captioning, YouTube video features, quiz capabilities and more. Thanks to CITL, Frontier students are learning through the use of cutting-edge educational technology.

Because Frontier has such a unique distance learning model, it is critical that FNU faculty are up to date on best teaching practices for distance learning. The CITL provides resources and training for faculty on ways to incorporate effective teaching strategies, such as active learning, in a distance learning format. Faculty and Staff learn about these innovative practices and new educational technology through the faculty focused newsletters. The CITL even creates student focused newsletters to ensure that all parts of the Frontier family are receiving the best possible information on educational advancement.

At Frontier, our faculty and staff are not willing to settle for the status quo when it comes to education. We are constantly seeking new, innovative teaching methods and programs that will engage students and provide them with real-world applications. We are excited to see how the CITL makes this innovation and growth possible!

March 12, 2019
Student Spotlight: Marie Labadie-DeGennaro

$Student Spotlight: Marie Labadie \-DeGennaro$ Marie Labadie-DeGennaro, APRN , is a Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice student (class 32) at Frontier Nursing University (FNU). Marie may already have over 25 years of nursing experience under her belt, but she is not ready to stop learning how to best serve her patients.

Like many other FNU students, Marie desires to bring high quality health care to underserved populations. She works at Care One of Florida Urgent Care, which allows her to meet the needs of many different people in her community.

“Care One accepts all insurances and self pay, so I am able to provide care to all individuals without discrimination,” said Marie.

While some health care professionals work with a more specific population, Marie states her work never gets old because she gets to work with patients ranging from infancy through aging adults with complex healthcare needs.

In addition to her Urgent Care work, Marie also serves her community by working as a part-time/on-call medical assessor for alleged child and adult maltreatment victims. In this role, she performs forensic interviews with potential victims and families, compiles written reports that go to the Child Protection Investigator and Law Enforcement, and makes recommendations for safe environments and care for all cases.

“I love the ongoing impact I have in my community,” said Marie of the important work she is doing for victims of sexual abuse, physical abuse, and neglect.

Marie describes herself as “highly sensitive to emotional needs and well being of patients, and capable of identifying community resources for the underserved,” which makes her a perfect fit for the type of work she does. Her patients benefit from her caring and knowledgeable practice.

Although Marie already has so much experience as a Nurse Practitioner, she chose to pursue her Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice at FNU so that she could provide an elevated level of care to her patients. With her DNP, which is the highest degree for clinical nursing practice, Marie will have even greater expertise in evidence-based practice, health care policy, clinical prevention, and more.

“After being a nurse for over 20 years I knew I wanted to make an even bigger impact in my community,” Marie said.

For Marie, Frontier was an obvious choice for continuing her education.

“Once I researched FNU, I discovered the rich history and amazing sense of community students get during their time here and I knew it was the place for me. It is unlike any other online education program I have encountered. Frontier is one of the best things to happen to me,” said Marie.

Thank you, Marie, for the work you are doing in Florida with vulnerable and underserved populations. We are proud to have you at FNU!

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 who are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality health care to underserved and rural populations.

March 7, 2019
Chi Pi Honor Society Fall 2018 Scholarship Recipients
We want to congratulate the following Chi Pi members on winning a $750.00 scholarship for the Fall 2018 Scholarship cycle:
- Jennifer McCammond
- Olga Rybakov
- Traci Buran
- Miriam Sward
- Thomas George
- Pamela Maslen
- Riana Damjanovich
- Michelle Van Druff
We hope this scholarship will help cover some of the added costs of graduate school. Best of luck as you pursue your goals!

Here is what the winners have to say about receiving the Chi Pi Honor Society Scholarship:

“First of all, I would like to say thank you so much for this scholarship. I am a big fan of FNU. I love everything about the school. I am also thrilled to be a Sigma Honor Society member. I never would have thought that I’d accomplish all this. I have a long road ahead of me, but I am dedicated to my goals, and am sure that I will reach them. My desire is to continue the Master’s program, and eventually get my DNP at FNU. This scholarship will support me in reaching this goal! I had to cut down on work hours because of the amount of time I spend studying every week, and every bit helps me to reach my goals.”

“Thank you so much for this scholarship I plan to use this scholarship to help me get to and from Clinical Bound and February. I will be flying in from the North East, renting a car and spending a much anticipated week in Hyden!”

“I am filled with both sincere gratitude and excitement to have received a Chi Pi Honor Society scholarship during my journey at Frontier. I plan to put every penny of this generous gift toward my tuition which will continue to bring me closer to my dream of serving women as a Certified Nurse Midwife in a rural community. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to care for women and families during moments of their lives they will never forget. I am filled with gratitude to be surrounded by a supportive, wise, and nurturing community during my studies at Frontier. I am especially grateful for this gift that will help take me another step closer to this calling to one day open a birth and family care center.”

“Thank you so much for this wonderful news! I am absolutely thrilled to have been chosen for this award. Throughout my time at Frontier, I have felt tremendously supported and encouraged by faculty, staff and students, as I pursue what has been my long-term dream. Because I currently live outside of the United States, I have a long and often, snowy drive to clinical which involves an international border crossing. On an average day, I commute between 110 and 130 miles to my clinical sites, often through heavy snow. This scholarship will be an enormous help in covering some of the tuition and additional expenses associated with my clinical experience including before after care for my three, school-aged children, gas, and tolls. My clinical experience feels like a journey, and I often find myself reflecting upon the history of the Frontier Nursing Service as I make my way to my sites. Thank you for believing in me and supporting me. I feel honored and grateful to be a member of the Chi Pi chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, and to receive this generous award.”

“Thank you for the honor of a scholarship award. As I prepare to graduate and take boards, this scholarship money will help to offset the cost of testing, as well as for state licensure and prescriptive authority. I also plan to obtain my DNP starting in the spring, so every dollar counts!”

“I am so grateful and blessed for this opportunity. I will use this scholarship to continue my education with FNU and obtain my DNP. I have always wanted to achieve the high academic standing of the doctoral level and, in full honesty, I was weighing the monetary cost over my personal wishes. It is with this blessing that motivates me to continue and achieve my dream. My words do not express how grateful I am, and how appropriately timed that I am so very thankful during this time of Thanksgiving.”

“I am humbled and truly grateful. As a veteran, current military spouse, and father of two kids in college, this scholarship allows me to work less so I can expedite my clinical experience…thus hastening my reunion with my wife! She is presently stationed in Guam where FNP clinicals are not sanctioned. Once clinicals are done, I will head back to Guam to provide care for underserved indigenous people of the Marianas Islands. A portion of the scholarship will pay for upcoming Obesity Medicine Association training for NPs. I hope to focus on obesity and type 2 diabetes as these are of chief concern in the islands.”

“Thank you. We are discussing using the scholarship to purchase products such as folders for law enforcement vehicles to house safety plans/information so that each vehicle will have access to material.”

Students can learn more about joining the Honor Society here.
March 4, 2019
Student Spotlight: Francis Aho, MSN

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

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) student Francis Aho, in CNEP Class 164, isn’t waiting until graduation to make a difference in the world. In fact, she has been serving women in Maasai Mara, Kenya for the past eight years.

“We operate what we call a ‘Birth Center’ – providing MCH services to the locals, 15-25 deliveries a month,” said Francis.

Francis works primarily with women of the Maasai tribe, an underserved group that is a long-standing symbol of Kenyan culture. For this semi-nomadic people living in the bush of Africa, quality healthcare is hard to come by. This is why the work Francis is doing is so important.

According to Francis, their goal is “to improve MCH services and follow up for Maasai mamas.”

While Francis originally worked as a nurse at the clinic, she has recently become the director and is working hard to improve maternal and child health services for the women they assist. Even while running this center that sees 15-25 births per month (not to mention postnatal follow-ups), Francis still manages to keep up with her nurse-midwifery coursework for FNU.

Francis keeps the end goal in mind at all times: to better serve the community where she lives.

“It is my hope that perhaps one more life can be saved through gaining specialized education,” said Francis.

Francis stated that one thing she loves most about FNU is its “mission to service underprivileged communities.” She also is grateful for the unique distance education model FNU offers to students.

“FNU has made it possible for me to complete my didactic work overseas and been flexible with my future clinical course plans,” Francis said.

Like so many other FNU students and alumni, Aho has a heart to care for underserved populations by utilizing her nursing skills.

Thank you, Francis, for crossing oceans to bring safe healthcare to those who need it most. We are proud to have you as a representative of the heart and values of the FNU community!

February 28, 2019
FNU to host 9th Annual Diversity Impact Student Conference
FNU has always focused on providing care to rural communities and underserved populations. This mission and the University’s focus on diversity and inclusion will be the foundation for FNU’s 9th annual Diversity Impact Conference. This exciting, collaborative event will bring FNU students, alumni, faculty and staff together to brainstorm the best ways to improve healthcare for all patients, regardless of their ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or physical location.

When: June 6-9, 2019

What: This four day conference hosted by FNU’s Diversity Impact Program focuses on enhancing care for minorities, marginalized people groups, and underserved communities. Participants will have the opportunity to:
- Attend sessions hosted by nationally recognized nursing leaders and field experts
- Participate in inclusive team-building exercises, and cultural awareness sessions
- Network with FNU students, faculty, and staff to strengthen collaborative discussions
- Engage in nurse-leadership strategies and cross-cultural activities and much more!
Who: This event is open to FNU students, alumni, faculty and staff who desire to improve minority health among underrepresented and marginalized groups. FNU students, Alumni, Faculty, and Staff can attend this event for FREE!

Where: The conference will take place at Frontier =Nursing University in beautiful Hyden, Kentucky. Between sessions, you can enjoy the scenic mountain views that surround the campus while you participate in outdoor activities such as hiking Mary Breckinridge’s nature trails!

How to Register: Click here to register for the 2019 Diversity Impact Student Conference. All attendees (students/alumni) will be responsible for arranging their mode of transportation to and from campus (i.e- flight, rental car, etc.). Seating reservations, campus room and board will be given on a first-come, first-serve basis until the conference has reached maximum capacity.

Additional Information: Travel assistance is available to students who have registered for the Diversity Impact 2019 event and are based on first-come, first-serve until the conference has reached maximum capacity. Please note that Frontier Nursing University is providing students with a travel stipend to attend the FNU Diversity Impact conference. Stipend amounts range from $0 – $500 for FNU students and are based on need and the distance the attendee has to travel.

Seats will go fast, so register today and stay updated on the conference by following the Facebook event page!
February 25, 2019
FNU Announces Recent Changes with Diversity and Inclusion Initiative

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is excited to announce recent changes to accommodate our Diversity and Inclusion Initiative, a plan to help diversify the nursing workforce in primary care to provide better health outcomes for women and families across the nation.

The university has added a Diversity and Inclusion Office, directed by Dr. Maria Valentin-Welch, DNP, CNM, MPH, CDP, FACNM. The office is currently staffed by three positions: Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Assistant Director of Diversity and Inclusion, and the Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator.

Dr. Maria Valentin-Welch

Dr. Valentin-Welch is working alongside Wilvena Bernard, whose title has changed from PRIDE Coordinator to Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator, better reflecting her expanded responsibilities to serve all of FNU. The newest position, Assistant Director of DI, is now filled by Ms. Devon Peterika, who will continue expanding Frontier’s DI mission and vision, working out of the Versailles office.

FNU’s PRIDE Program (Promoting Recruitment and Retention to Increase Diversity in Nurse-Midwifery and Nurse Practitioner Education) has relocated to reside within the DI office. The goal is to expand the reach of the programming to impact the entire Frontier community. The DI Office will continue to work closely with all other offices, departments and committees.

Additionally, the PRIDE Program is being rebranded as FNU’s “Diversity Impact Program”. The new name embodies the importance of a diverse and inclusive environment that values and supports all members of the university’s community. To learn more about the Diversity Impact program click here.

Wilvena Bernard

A key element of the PRIDE Program for the last eight years has been the annual Diversity Impact Weekend, a conference encouraging diversity in healthcare. Under the direction of the Diversity Impact Program, Diversity Impact Weekend will continue to open the door for nurses to foster and strengthen collaborative discussions to address health disparities to improve minority health among underrepresented and marginalized groups.

For anyone interested in learning more about the program, there will be a Diversity Impact meeting on February 25 at @ 6:30pm (EST) & Wednesday Feb.27 @ 1:00p (EST). Multiple door prizes will be given throughout the session, so you don’t want to miss this!

Ms. Devon Peterika

To join the meeting, follow these instructions:

1) Use this link to log-in: http://frontier.blindsidenetworks.net/frontier/

2) Scroll down and select room “Diversity & Inclusion”

3) Use Password: welcome

To join this meeting by phone, dial:

(1-855-215-5935 toll free)

Then enter 23338 as the conference pin number.

It is also important to note that Pride Monthly Meetings are changing to quarterly DI Training Meetings for all students, faculty, staff, and preceptors. There will be two sessions (one day and one evening) to accommodate more live participation. Anyone unable to make it to a live meeting and wishing to know more about the Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives at FNU, will be able to watch a recording.

FNU is proud to work in a community that prioritizes diversity in the health care workforce and is excited to continue building the Diversity and Inclusion Initiative. If you have any questions regarding the initiative or changes, please send an email to diversity-inclusion@frontier.edu.

February 21, 2019

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