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  • Wendover Bed & Breakfast Inn and Retreat Center Enters Partnership with Snug Hollow Hand in Hand Consulting

    The notable Wendover Bed & Breakfast Inn and Retreat Center is adding a new chapter to its illustrious history.  Seeking to revitalize its services, amenities and operations, Wendover has partnered with Barbara Napier and Rhonda Childers of Snug Hollow Hand in Hand Consulting.  

    The Wendover Bed & Breakfast history dates back to 1925 when pioneer nurse-midwife Mary Breckinridge, founder of Frontier Nursing Service (FNS), built the original log home known as the Big House.  The historic headquarters of FNS, the Big House became a National Historic Landmark in 1991.  With its serene mountain surroundings, Wendover offers comfortable accommodations and home-cooked meals. In addition to the Big House, Wendover offers housing in the Wendover Barn, the Garden House and the Cottage. The Livery is now a separate conference center well-equipped to host group meetings, retreats, and group celebrations.  The total number of bedrooms at Wendover Bed and Breakfast Inn is 19, with 29 total beds and a total capacity of 35.

    Barbara Napier and Rhonda Childers own and operate Snug Hollow Farm Bed & Breakfast in Irvine, Ky.  Snug Hollow, offering a 300-acre mountain retreat with gourmet dining in the heart of Kentucky, has operated as a highly successful B&B for the past seventeen years. Barbara and Rhonda will bring their extensive expertise to Wendover, enhancing the overall operation in a variety of ways to deliver a complete guest experience honoring the Mary Breckinridge legacy.

    “We know what a treasure we have at Wendover and are very proud of its history,” said FNU President Dr. Susan Stone.  “It is important to us that we continue to cherish that history and share it with others.  We need to let people know it’s here and invite them to enjoy a first-class, unforgettable experience at Wendover Bed & Breakfast Inn and Retreat Center.”

     

    About Wendover Bed & Breakfast and Retreat Center:

    Owned and operated by Frontier Nursing University and nestled in the mountains near Eastern Kentucky’s Appalachian region, Wendover Bed & Breakfast and Retreat Center is a scenic destination for hosting an event or planning a weekend get-away. The Wendover B&B history dates back to 1925 when pioneer nurse-midwife Mary Breckinridge, founder of Frontier Nursing Service (FNS), built the original log home known as the Big House. The historic headquarters of FNS, the Big House became a National Historic Landmark in 1991. To learn more about Wendover Bed & Breakfast and Retreat Center and make a reservation, please visit Frontier.edu/wendover.

     

    About Frontier Nursing University:

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

  • FNU’s 2017 Year in Review

    FNU’s 2017 Year in Review

    2017 year in review

    It’s hard to believe 2017 is almost in the books! It was an exciting year for the Frontier Nursing University (FNU) community. Take a look at some of our highlights below and be sure to watch our “2017 FNU Year in Review” video at the bottom of the post:

    Technology and Innovation

    FNU Launches New Innovation Center​

    Take the Classroom Anywhere with the Frontier Digital Depot

    Celebrating 10 Years of Bridging into the Future

    FNU Launches New Website

    Diversity and Inclusion

    Frontier Nursing University Awarded $1,998,000 Nursing Workforce Diversity Grant

    FNU Hosts Diversity Impact Student Conference

    FNU Hires Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer

    Excellence in Teaching

    Frontier Alumni and Faculty Contribute to First Ever Textbook Published on U.S. Birth Centers

    October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. But maybe we’re all just a little TOO aware.

    The Importance of Psych Certification for Nurse Practitioners

    The Call to Serve  

    Why You Should Consider a Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree

    Our Community of Learners

    FNU Participates in 2017 Right Care Action Week

    Featured Preceptor: Kathryn Carr, CNM

    2017 Alumni Homecoming and Courier Conclave Weekend

    FNU Students Participate in 2017 AACN Student Policy Summit

    FNU Student Named 2017 APNA Board of Directors Student Scholar

    Fulfilling our Mission

    FNU Awards Degrees to More than 600 Graduates

    2017 Nurse-Midwifery Virtual Event Recap – Are we answering the call of Mary Breckinridge?

    Frontier Nursing University Finalizes Purchase of Versailles, Ky., Campus

    2017 Couriers Leave a Lasting Impact in the Communities They Served

    New and Events

    Frontier Nursing University President Dr. Susan Stone Named President-Elect of American College of Nurse-Midwives

    Frontier Meets the Big Apple: National Midwifery Week

    Barbara and Donald Jonas Receive Honorary Doctorates from Frontier Nursing University

    5 Reasons Why You Should Attend March for Moms

    FNU Nurse-Midwifery Grad Receives Worldwide Attention

    We are so proud of our FNU Community and it could not be possible without support from our friends, alumni, faculty, students, staff, and Couriers.  We look forward to what the future holds in 2018! 

     

     

  • Alumni Spotlight: Cami Kesler, MSN, FNP

    Blog spotlight - Cami Kesler

    Cami Kesler, MSN, FNP serves a population most may think of as well-off, suburban, and regularly-served. But Cami sees her Utah Valley patients as a community facing a different but very real set of challenges that she can address every day with her degree from Frontier Nursing University (FNU).

    After focusing on a midwifery path and working in Labor & Delivery for 12 years, Cami enrolled in FNU’s community-based graduate program to become a Family Nurse Practitioner. She works at Utah Valley Pediatrics, serving patients from zero to 19 years of age.

    Her focus areas include newborn care, female teenage health, and mental health education, which in her community are relevant and concerning issues. In her role, she believes in creating provider-family relationships when it comes to creating health care management plans.

    “All families should feel heard in their concerns, not simply directed in what to do,” said Cami. “They should feel safe in their personal choices, not forced into what is ‘right’.”

    The Utah Valley community, though generally engaging in positive lifestyles and boasting a low obesity rate, sees a need in the area of teenage mental health and sex education.

    “A majority of my work is aimed at making a difference before a patient’s teenage years. Then I really focus during adolescent years to make encounters individualized to the needs of my patient and family,” said Cami. “My goal with this age population is to also bridge gaps in faith when associated with physical and mental health.”

    Cami Kessler Holds Pediatric Patient
    Cami Kessler, MSN, FNP, Holds Pediatric Patient

    Cami built a solid network through her Frontier connections, and FNU’s distance education model was a great benefit to her as a wife and mother of five children. Students and staff she interacted with during her time in the program became somewhat of a lifeline for her as she pursued her degree. During her schooling, she faced challenges, like she feels all students do, but worked daily to balance her roles as a mom, wife, sister, daughter, student, friend, and community member.

    “Honestly, this journey would have never been completed was it not for my FNU community and my family and friends that never doubted me and stuck by me through all my high’s and low’s,” said Cami.

    Cami plans to continue her journey as a relationship builder, a creator of a safe clinical environment, and a resource for advice and insights that her patients desperately need. She recently started a social media page on Instagram because she saw it as an opportunity to create one more line of communication and education with her families and patients.

    “Instilling health care practices and prevention in young patients is becoming a dream fulfilled for me,” said Cami.

    Frontier thanks Cami for her dedication to serving and educating families and young patients.

    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 health care to underserved and rural populations.

  • PRIDE 2017 – Year in Review

    Pride LogoThis year has been a busy one for the Frontier Nursing University (FNU) Diversity PRIDE program, an initiative designed to promote diversity in nursing and midwifery. FNU is proud to recruit and retain underrepresented students who have the goal of becoming nurse-midwives or nurse practitioners.

    “It is imperative that as providers we develop the relationships needed to support the lives and outcomes of the diverse and often ignored populations in our communities,” said FNU student and PRIDE participant Jeanine Valrie-Logan.

    Each year, the PRIDE program sponsors essay contests where students may enter in hopes of attending a conference as a program ambassador. As an ambassador, students are asked to help at recruiting events, welcome alumni and friends to FNU receptions, network with experienced nursing professionals, gain continuing education, and chronicle their learning experience with video diaries.

    PRIDE had a presence at these conferences in 2017:

    • MHC-Minority Health Conference, Chapel Hill, NC
    • KSU-Kentucky State University Nurse College/Career Fair, Frankfort, KY
    • KYANNA Black Nurses Association, Louisville, KY
    • ACNM-American College of Nurse Midwives, Chicago, IL
    • AANP-American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Philadelphia, PA
    • NAHN-National Association of Hispanic Nurses, Phoenix, AZ
    • NBNA-National Black Nurses Association, Las Vegas, NV
    • AWHONN – Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses Conference & Exhibit, New Orleans, LA
    • AAMN-American Assembly for Men in Nursing, Las Vegas, NV
    • AABC-American Association of Birth Centers, Anchorage, AK
    ACNM 2017, Pride Group Photo

    The events are not only great channels to enhance the student educational experience, but also provide opportunities to share FNU’s diversity initiative PRIDE program with prospective students and healthcare professionals. The staff and faculty at FNU hope these opportunities enhance the careers of these future CNMs and NPs.

    While being a member of the FNU Diversity PRIDE program may not appear to be a vehicle for change, I would argue that it is,” said Elena Prendergast, FNU graduate. “This group represents a microcosm of our society as a whole. While our skin color, culture, beliefs and experiences may all be different, we are taught within the safety of this group that we all share one goal: to provide quality, compassionate care to our patients whoever and wherever they may be.”

    FNU is dedicated to increasing diversity in nursing and midwifery, and we want to better prepare our students to care for a diverse group of women and families. Stay tuned for updates on the PRIDE program throughout the year! Learn more about FNU’s Diversity PRIDE program here.

    See more from our PRIDE ambassadors on our YouTube channel!  

  • Courier Spotlight: Celeste Lindahl Halcomb, PA

    Celeste Halcomb, PA first found out about the Courier Program at Frontier Nursing University (FNU) through her health professions advisor while attending Allegheny College in Pennsylvania. She had an interest in rural medicine and working in an underserved area, ideas consistent with the values and opportunities that the Courier Program offered. With a desire to form partnerships between medical providers and the community, Celeste started the program in the summer of 2004.

    During her time in Southeastern Kentucky, Celeste shadowed numerous health care practitioners throughout Leslie and Clay Counties. She also accompanied nurses on their home health rounds, coached softball, and helped to create activities for kids that focused on health and safety through a program called, “Campaign for Safe Kids”.

    Celeste particularly liked going on home health rounds.

    “In a clinic atmosphere you can’t truly tell how people are living, and getting out into the community through home health rounds really helped give me a wider perspective of people’s lives,” Celeste said.

    She found through these visits and her other experiences that the people in Leslie County were some of the most genuine she had ever met. It was clear that many of them didn’t have much, but they always offered what they had, most often in the form of a delicious hot meal.

    Celeste developed such strong relationships during the Courier Program that she requested to serve one of her clinical rotations during her Physician Assistant training in Leslie County. Still passionate about the rural community, she took a job with the Frontier Nursing Service after graduating and moved to Leslie County in the summer of 2008.

    During the four years Celeste lived and worked in Leslie County, she dedicated herself to improving the health of residents. Namely, she expanded upon “Campaign for Safe Kids” to create Child Health Day, an activity day held at each elementary school that encompassed a range of activities promoting healthy eating, fitness, hygiene, oral health and safe habits.

    To say the Courier Program impacted Celeste’s life is an understatement.

    In her current work as a Physician Assistant at a pediatric office in North Carolina, Celeste said the Couriers’ ideas continually motivate her. She works to “reach the unreached,” and encourages those now involved in the Courier Program to employ themselves with the same mission.

    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 health care to underserved and rural populations.

    In 1928, Mary Breckinridge, founder of Frontier Nursing University established the Courier Program, recruiting young people to come work in the Kentucky Mountains and learn about service to humanity. Couriers escorted guests safely through remote terrain, delivered medical supplies to remote outpost clinics, and helped nurse-midwives during home visits and births. Frontier has benefited tremendously from the 1,600 Couriers who have served since 1928.

  • Improving Access to Healthcare: Nurse Practitioners are the Answer

    Improving Access to Healthcare: Nurse Practitioners are the Answer

    As a leading educator, Frontier Nursing University strongly advocates for nurse practitioners and the important role they play in improving access to healthcare. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), there are currently 234,000 nurse practitioners in the United States and that number is projected to grow to 244,000 by 2025. Several studies show that patient satisfaction and health outcomes under nurse practitioner care can be better in specific instances than care provided by physicians, particularly in rural areas.

    This is important as we face a health care professional shortage. The Health Resources and Service Administration predicts a shortage of 23,640 primary care physicians by 2025. While the number of nurse practitioners will increase by 2025, the U.S. Census Bureau indicates that the number of nurse practitioners in rural areas is decreasing while the number of people living in rural areas remains steady at about 19 percent of the U.S. population.

    Educate Nurse Practitioners in Their Communities

    Nurse practitioners in primary care do not replace physicians, but studies have shown that nurse practitioners can manage 80 to 90 percent of care provided by primary care physicians (Rohrer, et. al. 2013). Therefore, it is important that nurse practitioners – particularly in rural and underserved areas – be educated in their home communities if they wish.

    Nurse practitioners are more likely to stay and practice in their home community if they are educated there, and their patients are more likely to seek their care because they know and trust them. Frontier Nursing University is working to increase not only the number of nurse practitioners, but also diversity among those who provide care in rural and underserved areas through our distance education model.

    Nurse Practitioners Should Advocate on Important Issues

    It is also important that nurse practitioners get involved with their state advance practice groups and advocacy efforts. Only 24 states have full scope practice for nurse practitioners (AANP, 2017). This is legislation we can work together to change. Our elected representatives need to hear our voices and understand that we need to practice at the highest extent of our education and licenses. There are fewer nurse practitioners in states with restricted practice, and health outcomes are worse in those states.

    Additionally, nurse practitioners should be reimbursed for their work. Medicare reimbursement remains at 85 percent of physicians’ fee schedules. Medicaid, the top payer in many areas, varies by state, and some states do not recognize nurse practitioners as primary care providers (National Governors Association, 2012).

    Nurse Practitioners Improve Quality and Efficiency of Care

    When nurse practitioners have their own panel of patients, the result is a more efficient practice and better continuity of care. While some providers may not allow nurse practitioners to have their own panels, we encourage nurse practitioners to ask.

    We also recommend that health care providers and management teams provide nurse practitioners with the necessary resources and support to deliver care using their advanced practice skills. This includes a commitment to diversity in the health care organization. A racially and ethnically diverse workforce that represents the patient population leads to better health outcomes, better patient satisfaction and better use of services.

    Diversity, teamwork and a shared vision of care creates a supportive work environment and that has a positive effect on healthcare outcomes. Patients come back, they get well, and by increasing access to care, nurse practitioners make a significant difference in their communities.

    References

    • American Association of Nurse Practitioner (2017) NP Fact Sheet https://www.aanp.org/all-about-nps/np-fact-sheet
    • US Census Bureau (2015) Statistical abstract of the United States. Washington, DC; Author
    • Institute of Medicine, 2010
    • US Department of Health and Human Services (2016) National and Regional Projections of Supply and Demand for Primary Care Practitioners: 2013-2025. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 2002
    • National Governors Association (2012) The Role of the Nurse Practitioners in Meeting Increasing Demand for Primary Care. Retrieved https://www.nga.org/cms/home/nga-center-for-best-practices/center-publications/page-health-publications/col2-content/main-content-list/the-role-of-nurse-practitioners.html
    • Hansen-Turton Poghosyan,l. & Carthon, J. (2017) The untapped Potential of Nurse Practitioner Workforce in Reducing Health Disparities. Policy, Politics & Nursing Practice 2017, Vol. 18 (2) 84-94
    • Rohrer, J. E., K. B. Angstman, G. M. Garrison, J. L. Pecina, J. A. Maxson. (2013) Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants Are Complements to Family Medicine Physicians. Population Health Management 16(4):242-45
  • Frontier Nursing University announces Summer Term Circle of Caring Award Winners

    Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is pleased Culture of Caring Summer Termto announce Mickey Gillmor and Meiling Williams-Reese as the winners of the Summer Term Circle of Caring Award! This inaugural award is 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 everyday.

    Several nominations were submitted anonymously by faculty, staff and students.  A committee then voted on each nomination based on the following Culture of Caring characteristics: professionalism, mutual support, respect, positive communication and inclusivity.

    Mickey Gillmor is a course instructor and co-chair of the FNU Admissions Committee. The following statement was included in her nomination:

    “Mickey’s willingness to provide caring support, in tangible as well as intangible ways, makes her an incredible blessing as a colleague. While I was gone to spend time with my family, Mickey took on our course, addressing student issues as well as providing a consistent, caring, teaching presence for all students. She also takes on tasks for the university that are critically important and time-consuming, yet demanding and stressful, such as leading the admissions committee. We are so fortunate that she hasn’t decided to retire just yet!”

    Meiling Williams-Reese serves FNU as an administrative assistant. Below is an excerpt from her nomination:

    “This summer, I was tasked with the responsibility to file annual federal grant reports…Meiling stepped up and helped to input the reports, allowing me to be with my family during our trip home. It meant the world to me, and I am so grateful for the extra hours she put into this task.”

    Mickey and Meiling will receive a framed certificate and a $50 gift card, and will be featured in several FNU communications.

    Thank you, Mickey and Meiling, for being an invaluable part of our Frontier community!

    Do you know a FNU staff or faculty member that goes above and beyond? Nominate them now for the Circle of Caring Award!

  • Preceptor Spotlight – Susy Furr, FNP

    Preceptor Spotlight – Susy Furr, FNP

    Frontier Nursing University (FNU) Preceptor blog spotlight -Susy FurrSusy Furr, FNP, was honored as FNU’s “Featured Preceptor” for the fall term. Susy was nominated by FNU nurse practitioner alumna, Beth Morrell.

    Susy has practiced at Leesburg Sterling Family Practice for the past 15 years, which has allowed her to form remarkable relationships with her patients. As she treats multiple generations in the same family, she goes above and beyond to create strong bonds with families, making them feel heard, valued and important.

    “Susy is an incredible teacher,” said Beth. “She gently teaches her students without ever making them feel scared or as if they do not know anything.”

    Susy guides her students in understanding why they are performing each plan of care. She also teaches her students how to form strong bonds with their patients and how to make them feel like a part of their medical decision making.

    Susy Furr, FNP and FNU nurse practitioner alumna, Beth Morrell

    “She has a way with patients that puts them at ease and makes them keep coming back to her,” said Beth.

    Susy has been voted Loudoun Now‘s favorite nurse practitioner for several years running in Loudoun County, Virginia’s third-most populous county with a population of more than 375,000.

    Susy will receive a gift card as a small token of our appreciation for her being a great preceptor. Thank you for investing your time and talent in our Frontier students, Susy!

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

    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.

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