Dr. Joan Slager | Frontier Nursing University

FNU Attends 64th Annual ACNM Meeting

June 10, 2019 By frontieredu

The 64th Annual American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) Meeting was held May 18-22, 2019 in National Harbor, MD at the Gaylord Resort & Convention Center with nearly 2000 attendees from across the country. Frontier Nursing University (FNU) had a large presence at the conference, highlighted by a large exhibition booth as well as a table selling items in the Midwifery Market.

Many FNU students, graduates, preceptors and faculty stopped by the booth, gave presentations and received awards and recognition for their continual hard work. All who attended were empowered by the impactful work the FNU community is doing around the nation.

The theme of this year’s exhibition booth celebrated the 80-year anniversary of FNU. Behind the booth hung a collage backdrop featuring photos from throughout FNU’s 80-year history. Booth workers promoted the “.80 for 80” campaign, asking donors to give $0.80 per day for a year and receive an exclusive 80th Anniversary lapel pin.

FNU students, faculty and alumni who attended were asked to share their favorite memory as a midwife or of FNU, and several memories were displayed at the booth. Another exhibit booth activity was a book signing with FNU Alumna Barbara Anderson for her new book, The Maternal Health Crisis in America Nursing Implications for Advocacy and Practice. Attendees also had the option to register to win an FNU 80-year gift basket.

Six students were selected to attend the ACNM Annual Meeting with their expenses covered as part of FNU’s Diversity & Impact Program mentee program which allows students to attend conferences with a faculty mentor . Katrina George, Elizabeth Aviles, Aja Aviles-Soto, Alexandra Millet, Stacy Hepner and Ellen Apple were selected to attend ACNM and enjoyed educational sessions and helped out at the FNU booth, the Midwifery Market and the reception.

One highlight of the ACNM Conference was FNU’s annual Alumni & Friends Reception. Prior to the start of the reception Dr. Tonya Nicholson led a “Heart of Midwifery” virtual session where she interviewed a number of attendees so that students at home could get a glimpse of the Annual Meeting. During the reception, more than 150 students, preceptors, alumni, faculty, staff and friends heard from FNU President and ACNM President Dr. Susan Stone as well as FNU Dean Joan Slager along with Tonya Nicholson, Angela Bailey, Jane Houston and Kitty Ernst as they spoke about the passion behind Frontier and the success of 2019 thus far. FNU Preceptors were also recognized during this event for their generous time and support they offer to our students. Attendees enjoyed a time of networking and community during the reception.

The FNU Case Day and Panel Event took place Monday, May 20th in conjunction with the ACNM Annual Meeting with RCF Dr. Tanya Belcheff and Director of the DNP Program, Dr. Jane Houston. Three cases were presented at the beginning of the program by Hogan, Hepner, and Hart.

The Birth Equity Panel brief created a wonderful safe space to talk about birth equity and justice with an engaged group of diverse students and providers. Keisha Edwards provided a kind, loving style as our facilitator, allowing the students to bring forth discussions on race and justice that were moving and meaningful to everyone in the room.

To see more photos from the conference, view the ACNM photo album.

Be on the lookout for an upcoming story highlighting the many FNU faculty, staff, preceptors and students who were recognized and received awards at the ACNM conference.

2018 Year in Review

January 2, 2019 By frontieredu

2018 is wrapping up at Frontier Nursing University (FNU)! From individual student accomplishments to the Versailles campus acquisition, it was truly an exciting year to be part of the FNU community. Below are some of our highlights from 2018. Be sure to watch the “2018 FNU Year in Review” video at the bottom of the post as well.

Excellence in Teaching

Frontier’s MSN and PGC programs received continued accreditation from the Board of Commissioners of the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). ACEN granted the accreditation of each of the specialties offered in FNU’s master of science in nursing and post-graduate certificate programs, and the new psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) specialty, through 2025. The first PMHNP students graduated in March.

In July, FNU was awarded the Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW) grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The grant totals $1,376,800 in funding from 2018-2020, including $600,000 in student scholarships.

First Students Graduate from FNU’s Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program

Frontier Nursing University Awarded $1.3 Million HRSA Program Grant

Diversity and Inclusion

June held FNU’s eighth-annual Diversity Impact Student Conference. With workshops and activities revolving around the theme, “We Are One: Uniting Dreamers with Diverse Voices,” the four-day event helped attendees explore how to create meaningful connections within diverse communities. FNU was honored to receive the 2018 Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education in October.

FNU Diversity Impact Celebrates 8 Years

A New Frontier: Versailles Campus

FNU is creating a new, accessible campus in Versailles, Ky. In September, FNU secured a contractor and began the renovations to several buildings and plots on the property. With expected completion tentatively set for 2020, you can stay up to date on the progress by subscribing for email updates or visiting Frontier.edu/versailles-kentucky-campus.

Read more:

FNU to Begin Work on Versailles Campus

Successful FNU Programs

From June to August, three Couriers served a vast number of Appalachian community members through their work in clinics and nonprofits. FNU also hosted its annual virtual events for National Midwifery Week (Sept. 30- Oct. 6) and National Nurse Practitioner Week (Nov. 11-18). Themed “Answer the Call to Service,” the free online sessions and continuing education opportunities provided participants with fuel to improve their leadership in the field.

Explore Sessions from This Year’s National Midwifery Week Virtual Event

What to Expect for FNU’s National Nurse Practitioner Week Virtual Event

Faculty & Staff Accomplishments

A couple of new staff and faculty members joined the FNU team in 2018. Debra Turner was brought on as the new Wendover operations manager, and Dr. Joan Slager was named dean of nursing. FNU President Dr. Susan Stone also received professional accolades when she was inducted as president of ACNM and elected to the National Academy of Medicine.

Several faculty members and alumni contributed to the American Journal of Nursing (AJN) book of the year. “Freestanding Birth Centers: Innovation, Evidence, Optimal Outcomes,” written by several FNU faculty members and alumni, was awarded first place in the 2017 AJN Book of the Year Awards in Maternal-Child Health.

Meet FNU’s New Dean of Nursing, Dr. Joan Slager, CNM, DNP, FACNM

FNU President Dr. Susan Stone Inducted as President of ACNM

Frontier Nursing University President Dr. Susan Stone Elected to National Academy of Medicine

FNU Alumni and Faculty Contribute to Textbook Awarded First Place in the 2017 AJN Book of the Year Awards in Maternal-Child Health

Student & Alumni Achievements

On October 26, more than 800 nurse-midwife and nurse practitioner graduates received their degrees at commencement. We wish each the best in their careers!

Alumni from 2017 showed the effectiveness of a properly-structured, affordable distance education nursing program as test-takers surpassed the national board examination averages. Graduates exceeded national averages in each of the CNM, WHCNP, FNP, MSN and PGC examinations.

FNU Awards Degrees to Over 800 Nurse-Midwife and Nurse Practitioner Graduates

We are so proud of our accomplishments in the FNU Community in 2018. The support from our friends, alumni, faculty, students, staff, and Couriers has been invaluable to our growth and success. We welcome 2019 with open arms!

Faculty, Alumni and Staff Represent FNU at 2018 ACNM Midwifery Works

October 24, 2018 By frontieredu

Staff and faculty members at Frontier Nursing University (FNU) recently conducted presentations and workshops on various aspects of midwifery at the 2018 ACNM Midwifery Works Conference in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. on October 11-14, 2018.

Midwifery Works is a major professional development conference produced by American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) and designed by the Midwifery Business Network. The conference is focused on helping midwives acquire and enhance their management skills and dive deeper into the skills they need for a successful and impactful midwifery career.

Dr. Susan Stone, CNM, DNSc, FAAN, FACNM and president of ACNM, gave the welcome and introduction on the first evening of the conference.

Other FNU faculty members were highly involved in the conference sessions as well.

Alumna and dean at FNU, Dr. Joan Slager, CNM, CPC, DNP, FACNM led a workshop entitled “Billing and Coding Tips and Tools for Midwives” on Thursday, Oct. 11, the first day of sessions. Participants learned how to include documentation requirements for ICD-10, calculate the correct evaluation and management code for office visits, and bill for triage visits in 2018 in Dr. Slager’s updated workshop.

Drs. Jane F. Houston, CNM, FACNM and Irma Jordan, DNP, APRN, FNP/PMHNP-BC, FAANP collaborated to present “Pursuing Precepting Excellence: Evolving Educational Paradigms and the Changing Landscape of Clinical Education.” This workshop, also held on Thursday, was designed to help participants understand the role and expectations of the preceptor, review strategies while precepting students, encourage critical thinking in students and implement communications skills when precepting.

Eileen Thrower, PhD, CNM presented a workshop on Thursday for ACNM affiliate leaders. Fellow FNU faculty members, alumnae and ACNM Affiliate leaders Rebecca Fay, APRN, CNM, DNP, FACNM, WHNP and Mary Kay Miller, CNM, FACNM, MSN also played vital parts in the presentation.

The workshop, “Revitalizing Your Affiliate Through Innovative Leadership: Strategic Planning for Affiliates and Chapters,” explored transformational leadership, strategic planning, diversity and inclusion priorities and strategies for leading small, medium, and large affiliates.

FNU Alumna Tonya Nicholson, CNM, DNP, FACNM, WHNP and FNU Social Media and Communications Manager Stephanie Boyd, BA teamed up to deliver “The Power of Storytelling: Midwifery and Social Media” on Friday, Oct. 12. They guided participants in explaining why social media use is important in relationships with clients, identifying a social media platform that their business can use, and applying their story in a meaningful way that can attract new clients while retaining current/past clients.

Find out more about Midwifery Works at MidwiferyWorks.Midwifeorg.

: Tonya Nicholson and Stephanie Boyd

: Mary Kay Miller, Rebecca Fay and Eileen Thrower

: The full FNU group at ACNM 2018 Midwifery Works

Meet FNU’s New Dean of Nursing, Dr. Joan Slager, CNM, DNP, FACNM

October 8, 2018 By frontieredu

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is pleased to bring on alumna Dr. Joan Slager, CNM, DNP, FACNM to spearhead FNU’s nursing education. Joan assumed her new position as dean of nursing in August 2018 after serving as interim dean beginning in March 2018. As dean, she is poised to address healthcare gaps by educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners amidst the transition to a new campus in Versailles, Ky.

Joan graduated from the Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing in 1991 and completed her Master of Science in Nursing in 1993. She helped to establish Bronson Women’s Service in Kalamazoo, Mich., which is now the state’s largest midwifery service. She served over 20 years in full scope midwifery practice and returned to school to earn her Doctor of Nursing Practice in 2008. She is now serving a second term as the treasurer on the American College of Nurse-Midwives Board of Directors.

Frontier spoke with Joan about her passion for the Frontier mission, nurse-midwifery practice, and the challenges she will face as FNU continues to grow.

Where did your passion for caring for women and families originate?

“In a barn! I would sit for hours waiting for our cows to birth. Later as a nursing student, I saw a nurse care for a family during birth and thought that is how all women and families should be cared for. Later as a NICU nurse, I enjoyed attending the high-risk deliveries because I was so intrigued by labor and birth, so I transitioned to Labor & Delivery nursing and eventually midwifery.”

Learn more about Joan’s passion for women and families in this video.

Can you share your story of how and why you became a certified nurse-midwife?

“I worked with Southwest Michigan’s first Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) and liked the partnership with this CNM in caring for women as a nurse, but also liked the care difference I observed. That is the kind of care I felt all women deserved, so I decided to pursue midwifery.”

Learn more about Joan’s calling to nurse-midwifery in this video.

We know you are a graduate of the first CNEP class at FNU. How does it feel to come back to the university you graduated from and assume the title dean of nursing?

“After working 25 years as a clinician, one would think a “new” career would be very anxiety provoking, but I have been involved in FNU as a midwife from the beginning – student, faculty, preceptor. It was like coming “home.” I did not anticipate becoming the dean, but leadership skills are the same no matter the job and with FNU’s strong team of associate deans and program directors, I felt as a team we would be successful.”

Learn more about Joan’s return to Frontier in this video.

What has been your career path so far and how did it lead you to joining the faculty at Frontier and to your current role as dean of nursing?

“In addition to the obvious career of full scope midwifery, I have spent a great deal of time teaching. I have been involved with Frontier since I was a student, including precepting nearly 100 FNU students as well as teaching courses in the midwifery program. Working collaboratively at a very large practice with multidisciplinary teams, along with gaining experience in business development and finance, were great preparation for this administrative role as a member of FNU’s leadership team. I felt those leadership skills could be used to successfully transition from clinical practice into working with an institution that had been a part of my life for a very long time.”

Learn more about Joan’s journey to Dean in this video.

How have you carried out the mission and vision that Mary Breckinridge set forth through your career thus far?

“By building a practice that has stayed true to midwifery core values and the midwifery model and helping others to do the same. Also, the entrepreneurial aspects of developing places where midwives can work to their fullest capacity and articulating the value of midwifery to protect practices has been a personal commitment. I think Mary Breckinridge would be proud to know her vision has stayed the same and we’ve stayed true to our mission and philosophy.”

Learn more about how Joan plans to carry out Mary Breckinridge’s mission for Frontier in this video.

What are you most excited about in your new role as dean of nursing and/or what goals do you have?

“The opportunity to work with an organization with thoughts and beliefs that match my own. I like developing processes, working to build teams and creating synergy to streamline processes. The move to the new campus and developing a business model that will allow for more growth as our capacity increases.”

Learn about Joan’s planned strategies as Dean in this video.

What are the biggest challenges that you will face in your new role?

“I look at challenges as opportunities. I like change. I think the challenge confronting all of FNU at this time is executing a seamless transition to the Versailles campus. I want to preserve what students value about FNU’s history and traditions and translate that to meaningful on-site experiences in Versailles.”

Learn more about the challenges Joan anticipates in her new role in this video.

How do you see technology and innovation having an impact on educating the next generation of nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners?

“I think technology can expand our exposure to knowledge and experiences. I’m very excited about the advancement in simulations and virtual learning, but I never want to see us lose touch with developing our people skills.”

Learn more about how Joan will handle technology and innovation in nursing education in this video.

What is a fun fact about you?

“My dad used to race thoroughbred horses and I grew up on a horse when most kids had bikes, so Kentucky horse country is a very cool place for me to work.”

Learn more about Joan in this video.

What do you do for fun when you are not busy being the dean?

“The 3 Gs – grandchildren, gardening and golf. My Achilles heel is my grandchildren. I’m absolutely crazy about all of them.”

Learn more about Joan’s life outside of Frontier in this video.

We wish you luck as you settle into your new role, Joan! We are glad to have another alumna making a difference at FNU!

ACEN Grants Continued Accreditation to FNU

August 24, 2018 By frontieredu

The Board of Commissioners of the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) has granted continued accreditation to Frontier Nursing University (FNU) for its master of science in nursing and post-graduate certificate nursing programs.

ACEN also affirmed continuing accreditation of FNU’s newly implemented psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner specialty track. ACEN is the leading authority in nursing accreditation.

“The ACEN Board of Commissioners commended FNU’s commitment to quality nursing education,” said Dr. Joan Slager, FNU dean. “They noted strengths such as administrative and financial support available to faculty for evidence-based clinical and teaching practices, as well as our consistent national certification exam pass rates.”

The accreditation covers all specialties offered in FNU’s master of science in nursing and post-graduate certificate programs through 2025, including nurse-midwifery, family nurse practitioner, women’s health care nurse practitioner and the new psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner option.

FNU’s programs have been accredited continually by ACEN since 2006, demonstrating its ability to meet the standards of quality specific to nursing education.

ACEN supports the interests of nursing education, nursing practice, and the public by the functions of accreditation. Accreditation is a voluntary, self-regulatory process by which non-governmental associations recognize educational institutions or programs that have been found to meet or exceed standards and criteria for educational quality. Standards and criteria include establishing supportive partnerships, advocating self-regulation, promoting peer review, and fostering educational equity, access, opportunity, mobility and preparation of employment. Accreditation also assists in the further improvement of the institutions or programs as related to resources invested, processes followed and results achieved.

FNU’s doctor of nursing practice program is on a different accreditation cycle and is accredited through 2019.

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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.

Frontier Nursing University Names Dr. Joan Slager Dean of Nursing

August 20, 2018 By frontieredu

Hyden, Ky. – Dr. Joan Slager, CNM, DNP, FACNM, has been named the Dean of Nursing at Frontier Nursing University (FNU). Slager has served as FNU’s Interim Dean of Nursing since March of 2018 and served as the program director for FNU’s Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice.

Slager graduated from the Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing in 1991 and completed her Master of Science in Nursing at Case Western University in 1993. She graduated from Oakland University in Rochester, Mich., with a Doctor in Nursing Practice in Dec. 2008. In 1993, she helped to establish Bronson Women’s Service in Kalamazoo, Mich., which is now Michigan’s largest midwifery service with 14 midwives. Dr. Slager practiced full scope midwifery in this hospital-based collaborative practice and served as the practice director from 1995 through December 2016.

“We are very proud to announce Dr. Slager as our Dean of Nursing,” said FNU President Susan Stone, DNSc, CNM, FACM, FAAN. “We have benefited from her leadership and expertise in the past and are excited to see her influence and impact in this position. “

Slager served two terms as Chair of the Business Section of the Division of Standards and Practice for the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) and four years as the Division Chair. She is currently serving a second term as the Treasurer on the ACNM Board of Directors. She has lectured extensively on billing and coding and other business and clinical topics.

“I am honored to be a part of this pivotal time in the long and proud history of Frontier Nursing University,” Slager said. “Our strategic growth is vital as we work toward fulfilling our mission. We are striving to address healthcare gaps in our communities by educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to serve all individuals and all communities, with an emphasis on diverse, rural and underserved populations.”

Slager’s many accolades include being honored as the Dorothea Lang Pioneer Award recipient from the American College of Nurse-Midwives Foundation in 2008 and the Distinguished Service to Alma Mater Award winner from FNU in 2015. Slager assumes her role as Dean in the midst of FNU’s transition to a new campus in Versailles, Ky. Renovations and construction on the campus are expected to be complete by spring of 2020.

About Frontier Nursing University: