ACNM | Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Faculty and Staff Recognized At 2021 ACNM Conference

July 1, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

Faculty, staff, preceptors and students of Frontier Nursing University (FNU) had the opportunity to attend the 66th Annual American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) Meeting, held virtually from Sunday, May 23 to Tuesday, May 25, 2021. FNU is excited to highlight the many FNU representatives who were recognized and received awards during this year’s ACNM Conference. We commend all of these individuals for their excellent work as nurse-midwifery leaders.

Awards, Honors and ACNM Leadership:

Heather Clarke inducted as President-Elect

Charlotte Morris inducted as At-Large Midwife of Color Board Representative

Nena Harris, Linda McDaniel, Dwynn Golden – ACNM Nominating Committee Members

Anne Cockerham – Excellence in Teaching Award

Cathy Collins-Fulea will assist Heather Clarke in her transition to ACNM president while carrying out the remainder of her role until 2022. Read more about the 2021 ACNM Election Winners.

Newly Inducted ACNM Fellows:

- Laura Manns-James
- Ann Schaeffer
- Kim Baraona
- Donna Barisich
- Linda McDaniel
- Shaughanassee Vines

Linda McDaniel – ACNM Midwives of Color Committee (MOCC) Mentoring Award

Eileen Thrower – Incoming Program Committee Chair

Jane Houston – ACNM Planning Committee – Racism and Health Disparities Track Co-Chair, recipient of ICM scholarship

Shaughanassee Vines – ACNM Program Committee – Racism and Health Disparities Track Co-Chair

Mary Kay Miller – PAC board member and PAC rally

Faculty/Alumni Presentations:

Audrey Perry, Tanya Belcheff, Erin Tenney, Dwynn Golden, Katie Moriarty & Noelle Jacobsen: The Language of Interprofessional Communication

Tia Andrighetti: Interprofessional Education With Midwifery Students and Obstetrics and Gynecology Residents: What Difference Does It Make?

Charlotte Morris: Panel Discussion – Second Victim Phenomenon

Julie Daniels and Dawn Lovelace: Asthma: A Primer for Midwives

Diana Jolles and Minyon Outlaw: Safely Reducing Cesarean Sections Utilizing the PROVIDE Toolbox in a Faith-Based Hospital with a special thanks to Elliott Fields, IT Support Services Manager, for his assistance with videography.

Diana Jolles: Doctoral Degrees for Midwives: The Need and Value – Selecting the Degree That is Right for You

- Featured faculty, alumni, and current students:
  - Lauren Arrington DNP, CNM (FNU faculty)
  - Onidis Lopez DNP, CNM (DNP grad)
  - Minyon Outlaw DNP, CNM (DNP grad)
  - Andrew Youmans, CNM, Ph.D. student (CNEP Grad)
  - Protegenie Reed CNM (DNP Student)
  - Leslie Kwiatowski, FNP (DNP Student)
  - In memory of Susan Marie Hanafin MSN CNM (FNU Preceptor)

Donna Barisich: Affiliate Leader Workshop and track

Linda McDaniel: Affiliate Leader Workshop & Affiliate DEI work

- Second Victim Trauma & Resilience
- Equitable Midwifery Care for Women of Color with Breast Cancer with Dwynn Golden and Dawn Lovelace
- Diversity Statements & the Learning Context

Eileen Thrower:

- Virtual Delivery: Practicing Birth Skills and Building Community in a Distance-Learning Format
- Oral Histories: Empowerment through Preserving Our Voices

Kendra Faucett: Stand up and be Counted! Why Ensuring Birth Certificate Accuracy Should Be the Priority of Every Midwife

Lauren Arrington: Launching Perinatal Health Equity: A Quality Improvement Project

Becky Fay, Charlotte Swint, Eileen Thrower: Development of an Interprofessional Scholarship Workgroup: Systematic Process for Creating and Disseminating Midwifery and Nursing Knowledge

Becky Fay: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) 101 for Midwives

Kate Woeber:

- Structural Anti-Racism Strategy to Prevent Pregnancy Complications
- Workforce and Practice Effects of State Midwifery Licensure and Regulation During the Pandemic
- Maternity Care Changes in Response to Pandemic

Congratulations to 2021’s ACNM Election Winners!

April 14, 2021 By frontieredu

The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACMN) recently announced the winners of this year’s election. Frontier Nursing University (FNU) faculty and staff are excited to celebrate the three community members who will be serving with ACNM.

Here are the FNU faculty members who have been elected into leadership positions with ACNM:

President-Elect of the ACNM Board of Directors: Heather Clarke, DNP, CNM, LM, APRN, FACNM

Dr. Heather Clarke is an assistant professor at Frontier Nursing University with a midwifery career that spans over 41 years including a rich history of clinical practice, public health, and academia. Throughout that time, she has been an active member of ACNM. Beginning in the mid-1980s, she served as Treasurer on the board of the New York ACNM chapter when it successfully fought to develop the first state board of midwifery in the US and paved the way for the development of the LM credential that is equally inclusive of CMs and CNMs.

Racial unrest and calls for equity are not new to the ACNM. Dr. Clarke was present in 1987 when the ACNM ad hoc committee on minority affairs was formed to give voice to midwives of color for the first time in its history. The ad hoc committee changed its name in the 1990s and became the standing ACNM Midwives of Color Committee (MOCC). Following previous pioneers, Dr. Clarke became the chairperson of MOCC in 2013. Under her leadership, MOCC continued to fundraise for the Watson scholarship for midwifery students of color and developed the Carrington-Hsia-Nieves scholarship to support doctoral education. Her other leadership positions included Co-Chair of the ACNM Students and New Midwives Committee and alternate ACNM representative to US-MERA. Dr. Clarke’s active engagement within ACNM has prepared her for leadership at the highest level.

Dr. Clarke has five specific goals in mind:

To increase the midwifery workforce and expand its diversity to reflect that of our consumers.
To push for system change that centers midwives as the primary healthcare providers for women and people throughout the reproductive health cycle.
To close the gap in MCH disparities among BIPOC families.
To establish consensus for implementation practices that build engagement, equity, inclusion, and respect for all members.
To strengthen ACNM’s ability to better support the professional development of its members, and thereby increase its membership.

At-Large Midwife of Color Board Representative: Charlotte Morris, DNP, CNM, FACNM

Dr. Charlotte Morris is an Assistant Professor at Frontier Nursing University, where she is course faculty in two courses, Introduction to Independent Practice and Gynecologic Health. In addition to her coursework, Dr. Morris serves as a tutor for students needing additional academic support. She also serves as the Co-Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, supporting the work of the Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion.

Dr. Morris has spent over 30 years in clinical practice committed to midwifery care for women in under-served communities. She established and served as Director of Temple Hospital’s Midwifery Practice in Philadelphia for over ten years. In 2012, she expanded her education and earned her DNP from Temple University. In ACNM, Dr. Morris has served as Chair of the Membership Committee and Secretary of the MOCC under two different chairs. Throughout this role, Dr. Morris has maintained member lists, contact information, and communication from various committee meetings and activities. Currently, Dr. Morris continues to support MOCC through the mentoring program. She also served as an elected member of the Nominating Committee and serves on ACNM Liability Committee, helping develop peer support tools for midwives experiencing adverse outcomes in clinical practice.

In addition to her academic achievements and work within ACNM, Dr. Morris is committed to service in the community. She serves as secretary on the executive board of a faith-based organization with 4,000 members. In this role, she maintains confidential documents, including financial records, legal papers, and minutes from general and executive board meetings and all archived documents.

ACNM Nominating Committee Member: Dwynn Golden, DNP, CNM

Dr. Dwynn Golden has worked at Frontier Nursing University as clinical and didactic faculty for midwifery and women’s health nurse practitioner students since 2012. She has been a midwife since 1993. Dr. Golden was in a full-scope practice from 1992-2012, then was the manager at a prenatal clinic, where she brought Centering Pregnancy to the practice. Dr. Golden has been an active ACNM member since she became a midwife and regularly attends regional and national meetings. She pursued this role to better serve the needs of midwives across the country and ensure the representation of all members.

Dr. Golden was the secretary of the Sigma Theta Tau chapter, Chi Pi, at Frontier Nursing University from 2016-2020 and attended the international congress of Sigma Theta Tau as a delegate in 2019. She believes that serving as part of the nominating committee will help her to engage with the leaders of ACNM and bring forward midwives who can provide leadership and representation for midwives across the country.

Additionally, this year’s nominating committee for the ACNM elections included FNU faculty Dr. Nena Harris and Dr. Linda McDaniel. Transitioning out of her current role as ACNM president is Dr. Cathy Collins-Fulea, who spent the past year unifying midwives across the country while advocating for inclusion and celebrating diversity. FNU couldn’t be more proud to be so involved with the wonderful ACNM organization!

Join FNU in congratulating all of the ACNM’s new leaders during the virtual 66th ACNM Annual Meeting, May 21 – 25, 2021.

To read more about each of the elected officials, visit the ACNM announcement blog here.

Faculty and Staff Recognized At 2020 ACNM Conference

June 22, 2020 By Frontier Nursing University

Faculty, staff, preceptors and students of Frontier Nursing University (FNU) recently had the opportunity to attend the 65th Annual American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) Meeting, held virtually from May 29 – June 2, 2020. We want to highlight the many FNU representatives who were recognized and received awards during this year’s ACNM Conference. We commend all of these individuals for their tireless efforts as nurse-midwifery leaders.

Awards/Honors

Cathy Collins-Fulea, DNP – Inducted as President of ACNM

Heather Clarke, CNM, APRN, DNP, FACNM – Excellence in Education Award

Wendy Sturrock, MSN, CNM, APRN – Outstanding Preceptor Award

Linda McDaniel, DNP, MSN – Elected to ACNM’s Nominating Committee

: Cathy Collins-Fulea, DNP, – Inducted as President of ACNM

: Wendy Sturrock, MSN, CNM, APRN – Outstanding Preceptor Award

FNU also had many faculty members give the following presentations at the ACNM conference.

Faculty/Alumni Presentations

Katie Moriarty, PhD, CNM, FACNM, CAFCI, RN

Leadership workshop
Poster on climate change impact on pregnancy
2 terms as Region IV rep (2014-2020)

Kim Baraona, DNP, APRN,CNM

Team-based learning: The New Frontier in Midwifery Education

Sarah Smith, DNP, CNM

Basic & Advanced Suturing Workshops

Kate Woeber, PhD, MSN, MPH, CNM, FACNM

Affiliate Practice Survey Poster
Labor Support Volunteers Poster

Jane Houston, DNP, CNM, FACNM & Audrey Perry, DNP, CNM

3rd Annual Birth Equity Panel and Case Day

Jill Alliman, CNM, DNP

NASEM Consensus Study: Assessing Health Outcomes by Birth Settings

Linda McDaniel, DNP, MSN

Breast Cancer Survivor Care for Midwives and Advanced Practices Nurses
With Charlotte Morris: Second Victim Phenomenon: Impact of Adverse Outcomes

Donna Barisich

Affiliate Leader Workshop

Mary Kay Miller, DNP, APRN, CNM

DNP Poster Presentation- Promoting Safe Physiologic Birth in a Tertiary Care Center Utilizing the ACNM Intermittent Auscultation Bundle
PAC Board member and PAC rally
Affiliate Leadership Workshop

Audrey Perry, DNP and Tia Andrighetti, DNP, CNM, CHSE, CNE

Building Maternity Care Teams Via Distance Online Simulation

Becky Fay, DNP, CNM, WHNP-BC, CNE, FACNM

Supporting Physiological Birth Poster
With Susan Yount, PhD, CNM, WHNP, FACNM: Prenatal and Postpartum Experience with Urinary Incontinence and Kegels Poster

Dawn Lovelace, DNP, CNM, FNP

With Linda McDonald and Dwynn Golden: Breast Cancer Survivor Care for Midwives and Advanced Practices Nurses

Newly Inducted ACNM Fellows

Anne Cockerham, PhD, CNM, WHNP-BC, CNE

Sarah Smith, DNP, CNM

Kate Woeber, PhD, MSN, MPH, CNM, FACNM

: Anne Cockerham, PhD, CNM, WHNP-BC, CNE

: Sarah Smith, DNP, CNM

: Katie Woeber, CNM, PhD, MPH

We are proud of each of these individuals for their honorable representation of FNU! To find out more about FNU’s programs and offerings, visit Frontier.edu.

FNU Graduate and Faculty Member Dr. Catherine Collins-Fulea Succeeds Dr. Susan Stone as President of American College of Nurse-Midwives

June 4, 2020 By Frontier Nursing University

We are proud to announce that Catherine Collins-Fulea, DNP, CNM, FACNM, and Assistant Professor at Frontier Nursing University (FNU) was officially inducted as the new president of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) at the organization’s annual meeting on May 31. ACNM is the professional association that represents certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) in the United States.

Dr. Collins-Fulea, who also received her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from FNU, succeeds FNU President Dr. Susan Stone, DNSc, CNM, FACNM, FAAN, as ACNM’s president. Dr. Stone, who has been president at FNU since 2001, served as the ACNM president for the past two years.

“I am so proud that Dr. Collins-Fulea is the new ACNM president, not only because of her affiliation with FNU, but also because I know she will be an outstanding leader for the organization,” said Dr. Stone.

“Her experience as a clinician, administrator and educator makes her the ideal person to advocate for midwives and lead us in the years ahead.”

After completing her basic nursing and midwifery education in England, Dr. Collins-Fulea opened an in-hospital birthing center at Grace Hospital in Detroit in 1981 when only five other CNMs were practicing in the entire state. She joined the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit in 1991, where she started a new practice with six other CNMs. Over the years, she grew this practice into one of the most respected in the state, leading 22 midwives at two hospitals and practicing in eight outpatient centers.

Dr. Collins-Fulea, who joined the faculty at FNU in January 2019, has been active professionally on both the state and national levels with ACNM. She has chaired many committees including the Michigan chapter of ACNM; the national quality management section; the division of standards and practice; the service directors network; and the volunteer structure realignment task force. In addition, she has served as a regional representative on the ACNM board of directors and two terms as vice president.

“I am deeply honored to be the president of ACNM,” Dr. Collins-Fulea said. “I am grateful to Dr. Stone for her leadership over the past two years and look forward to building upon her great work. There are many challenges ahead, and I am eager to begin this journey.”

In 1998, Dr. Collins-Fulea was inducted as an ACNM Fellow. In 2003, she received the prestigious Dorthea Lang Pioneer Award from the ACNM Foundation in recognition of her work developing and implementing ACNM benchmarking and her work as editor and author of An Administrative Manual for Nurse-Midwifery Services. She has published on clinical as well as practice issues and has spoken nationally and internationally on a variety of topics.

As ACNM’s new president, Dr. Collins-Fulea will be supported by the leadership at ACNM, which also welcomed other newly inducted officers to its Board of Directors during the annual meeting.

What is a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)?

Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) are educated in two disciplines: midwifery and nursing. They earn graduate degrees, complete a midwifery education program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME), and pass a national certification examination administered by the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB) to receive the professional designation of CNM. Certified Midwives (CMs) are educated in the discipline of midwifery. They earn graduate degrees, meet health and science education requirements, complete a midwifery education program accredited by ACME, and pass the same national certification examination as CNMs to receive the professional designation of CM.

2019 Conferences/Meetings Highlights

January 2, 2020 By frontieredu

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

December 26, 2019 By frontieredu

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!

Highlights from the 2019 FL ACNM Meeting

December 3, 2019 By frontieredu

Representatives of Frontier Nursing University (FNU) recently attended the 2019 Florida State Affiliate ACNM Meeting on Friday, October 12, in Haines City, Fla.

Dr. Jane Houston and Dr. Noelle Jacobsen generously hosted an FNU table at the annual event. FNU was the only educational institution with a booth amidst a sea of pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Houston, who serves as FNU’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) clinical director, was able to advise many interested CNM attendees on the advantages of pursuing their DNP. Dr. Jacobsen, a Florida regional clinical faculty (RCF), met with several CNM students to offer support on finding and securing clinical sites and preceptors.

In addition to selling space, Florida ACNM also raised money by holding a silent auction. FNU pre-clinical Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) student Crystal Norman from Miami won a beautiful midwifery quilt.

FNU faculty Meghan Garland, CNM was one of the five presenters at the conference. She traveled from Chicago to give a riveting talk on Physical Activity During Pregnancy: Barriers and Opportunities to Change Behavior. Other conference topics included nitrous oxide, egg preservation, fetal surgery, and breaking the bad news to families.

FNU DNP student Minyon Outlaw, CNM, WHNP sold earrings donated by attendees. She was able to raise $200 for Harbor House of Central Florida whose mission is to prevent and eliminate domestic abuse in Central Florida by providing critical life-saving services to survivors. Minyon also earned the newest Florida ACNM honor, the Rising New Star Award, for her work in creating and chairing the ACNM Nominating Committee.

The absence of Florida ACNM staple and FNU RCF Dr. Mary Kay Miller was felt as she stayed home with an illness, but many spoke of her recent accomplishment of completing her DNP as well as her decades of work in supporting ACNM.

Thank you to everyone who represented FNU at the 2019 Florida ACNM State Meeting! Next year, the chapter will celebrate its 50th birthday in Jacksonville, Fla. on October 20, 2020. Hope to see you there!

FNU Representatives Attend Diversity Conferences

October 24, 2019 By frontieredu

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.

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!