Celebrating FNU Faculty and Alumni Accomplishments

January 20, 2022 By Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) faculty and alumni leave a lasting impact on the healthcare community. This blog highlights just a few of the many accomplishments and acknowledgements they have received in the last several months of 2021.

Faculty Who Published Articles and Chapters:
-Megan Arbour, Ph.D., CNM, CNE, FACNM
-Anne Cockerham, PhD, CNM, WHNP-BC, CNE
-Meghan Garland, MSN, CNM
-Nena Harris, Phd, FNPBC, CNM, CNE
-Nicole Lassiter, DNP, CNM, CNE
-Linda McDaniel, DNP, MSN
-Diana Jolles, Ph.D., CNM, FACNM
-Sybilla Myers, DNP, APRN, FNP-C
-Carla Bray, DNP, FNP-C
-Janelle Komorowski, DNP, CNM, CNE
-Kelsey Kent, PhD, PMHNP

For more details on the published work by our faculty members, please read our Quarterly Bulletins.

Faculty Accomplishments

Rachel Mack, Ph.D., DNP, APRN, C-FNP, CNE, Appointed to ACEN Evaluation Review Panel and ACEN Appeal Committee
FNU Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Rachel Mack, Ph.D., DNP, APRN, C-FNP, CNE, has been appointed by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) Board of Commissioners to be a member of the ACEN Evaluation Review Panel and the ACEN Appeal Committee.

The ACEN process for the evaluation of nursing programs is a comprehensive four-step process with the program self-review and Self-Study Report as the first step. The second step is the site visit conducted by peer evaluators resulting in the Site Visit Report. In the third step, an Evaluation Review Panel examines the reports written by and about the program. The final step is a review of the process and the accreditation status decision determined by the ACEN Board of Commissioners.

Eileen Thrower, Ph.D., APRN, CNM, CNE, FACNM, Inducted into Georgia Baptist College of Nursing Hall of Honor
FNU Interim Department Chair of Midwifery and Women’s Health Eileen Thrower, Ph.D., APRN, CNM, CNE, FACNM, was recently inducted into the Georgia Baptist College of Nursing Hall of Honor.

Her induction was based on her accomplishments in nursing research. Induction into the Georgia Baptist College of Nursing Hall of Honor recognizes both alumni and friends (non-alumni) of the College for their accomplishments in one of the following areas: clinical nursing practice, community health service, excellence in mentoring, health care administration, leadership in health policy/ethics/law, nursing education, entrepreneurial leadership, excellence in student leadership development, excellence in volunteer leadership, leadership in clinical development and nursing research.

Vicky Stone-Gale, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP, Receives Multiple Honors
Dr. Vicky Stone-Gale, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP has received the 2022 American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) Advocate State Award for Excellence.

The Advocate State Award for Excellence is given to an individual in each state who has made a significant contribution toward increasing awareness and recognition of nurse practitioners. The award is given annually to a dedicated advocate in each state who has made a significant contribution toward increasing awareness and recognition of nurse practitioners.

In addition to her work with Frontier, Dr. Stone-Gale is the Vice President of the Florida Nurse Practitioner Network. She will be honored for her achievement during the 2022 AANP National Conference in Orlando, June 21-26, 2022.

Dr. Stone-Gale has also been selected as a Distinguished Fellow of the National Academies of Practice (NAP) in Nursing. Distinguished Fellows are U.S. citizens who have an exemplary career of ten years or more and who have made significant contributions to interprofessional healthcare. The induction ceremony will be held in San Diego on March 3rd, 2022.

Dean of Nursing Joan Slager, CNM, DNP, FACNM, FAAN, Published in ACEN’s Bridges
An article written by FNU Dean of Nursing Dr. Joan Slager, CNM, DNP, FACNM, FAAN, was published in Bridges, the quarterly newsletter of the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). Dr. Slager’s article, “Innovative Faculty Adjust to Students’ Needs During the Crisis” examined the quick actions taken by FNU faculty during the pandemic.

Diana Jolles, Ph.D., CNM, Participates in Best Hospitals for Maternity Assessment
U.S. News & World Report recently introduced its assessment of the “Best Hospitals for Maternity.” The stated goal of the assessment was “to inform patients and families who are expecting a baby and help them, in consultation with a healthcare professional, make choices about where to receive care for an uncomplicated pregnancy.” Nine experts in maternal and perinatal quality measurement, including Diana Jolles, Ph.D., CNM, were asked for their input on the proposed methodology.

FNU Faculty, Alumni and Students Participated in the 2021 AABC Birth Institute: “Birth Centers – Challenges, Resilience, and Growth”

Kelsey Kent, Ph.D., PMHNP, Selected as a Board of Trust member for the Tennessee Nurses Foundation

Mickey Gillmor, MN, CNM, Received the FNU Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty and the Outstanding Peer Reviewer Award from the Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health

Angela Mitchell, DNP, FNP-BC, Presented with Dr. Sharon Hunsucker at 2021 NLN Education Summit: Use of Online Simulation to Guide Transition to Clinical

Alumni Highlights

Barbara Bennett-Wolcott, DNP, CNM, Presents at ACNM Webinar
Barbara Bennett-Wolcott, DNP, CNM, Class 25, presented “Implementing Universal Intimate Partner Violence Screening Utilizing a Patient-Centered, Shared Decision-Making Approach” during a live webinar held by the American College of Nurse-Midwives in October. She currently is faculty at Washington State University’s College of Nursing.

Minyon Outlaw, DNP, CNM, Presents at DNP Conference
Minyon Outlaw, DNP, CNM, Class 33, was accepted for a podium presentation at the annual National Doctors of Nursing Practice Conference in Chicago earlier this year. Her presentation was entitled, “Safely Reducing Primary Cesarean Section Utilizing the PROVIDE Toolbox in a Faith-Based Hospital.”

Kate Scott, DNP, CNM, Presents at Nebraska Nurses Association Annual Convention
Kate Scott, DNP, CNM, Class 33, was accepted for a poster presentation at the Nebraska Nurses Association annual conference. She presented her DNP project, “Implementing Effective Perinatal Depression Screening and Treatment in an Academic Outpatient Setting.”

We are so proud of all of the accomplishments met by the FNU community! Congratulations to all, and continue working hard to make a change. Please contact FNUnews@frontier.edu with any accomplishments you have to share!

Staff Spotlight: Samana Upadhyaya receives summer Circle of Caring award

January 13, 2022 By Frontier Nursing University

Samana Upadhyaya

At the heart of Frontier Nursing University (FNU) 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.

Working in higher education and being able to serve a large community has always been a motivator for FNU employee Samana Upadhyaya.

Samana began her higher education career at Michigan Technological University as a Graduate Assistant as she was getting her Master’s degree in Computer Engineering. While there, she taught lab courses to undergraduate students.

“I loved interacting with so many students and faculty,” Samana said. “I got hands-on experience working with (these individuals) to solve complex problems.”

Now, Samana has worked at Frontier Nursing University for the past seven years and is currently the Process and Application Developer. She is involved in many projects and committees. Some recent projects she has worked on include clinical applications, workflows, system integrations and upgrades and much more.

Because of Samana’s dedication to her work and the patience, kindness, understanding, and professionalism she shows each day, she was nominated to be one of Frontier’s recent Circle of Caring winners.

One nomination wrote:
“ Samana is very helpful and professional in every call I have with her. I see this not only with myself but with others as well. I feel that she is the perfect nominee for the Circle of Caring award.”

Circle of Caring winners demonstrate FNU’s Culture of Caring, which is built on five main elements: Professionalism, Inclusivity, Respect, Positive Communication and Mutual Support. All of which are evident in Upadhyaya’s actions.

“I strongly believe one can achieve any personal or professional goal only if you initiate the positiveness from within you,” Samana said. “I always try to be mindful of being respectful to others, put ideas forward through positive communication, being transparent to what I deliver, supporting ideas, handling situations with patience, and treating others with equality.”

Samana, who grew up in Kathmandu, Nepal, came to the United States to receive her master’s degree and is proud to be a woman in IT. She lives in the US with her husband and two children. She enjoys traveling and learning about new cultures, hiking, gardening and spending time with her family.

In response to being a Circle of Caring winner, Upadhyaya says, “To be recognized with the Circle of Caring Award is incredibly gratifying. This motivates me to work hard and serve the Frontier Nursing University community. I want to say a big “Thank You” to the Frontier Nursing University community for recognizing me with this precious award.”

Thank you, Samana, for being an excellent example of FNU’s Culture of Caring! We are proud to have you as a member of our community.

FNU Featured Preceptor Sari Maenza: Building Relationships with Underserved Immigrant Families in New York

October 14, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is proud to celebrate Sari Maenza, FNP as this quarter’s featured preceptor. Each quarter, FNU chooses a nominated preceptor who goes above and beyond to help graduate nursing students take the next step of their educational journey. These preceptors highlight the FNU Culture of Caring by exemplifying professionalism, inclusivity, respect, positive communication and mutual support.

Maenza is a family nurse practitioner (FNP) in White Plains, N.Y., where she is the White Plains Family Health Center manager. White Plains Hospital (WPH) is a voluntary, not-for-profit health care organization with the primary mission of offering high-quality acute health care and preventive medical care to all people who live in, work in or visit the surrounding areas.

The family health center is a critical community resource for the medically underserved. Maenza provides care to vulnerable populations and mentors aspiring nurse practitioners and medical students who desire to do the same. This passion supports FNU’s mission to provide accessible nurse-midwifery and nurse practitioner education, preparing leaders in primary care to serve individuals in underserved populations.

Nurse practitioner program graduate Julie Rosenbluth, MPH, FNP-BC, recently had Maenza as a preceptor and nominated her, impressed with her kindness, professionalism, and dedication to her patients.

Working at White Plains Family Health Center for 20 years, Maenza has developed strong relationships with her patients, primarily Spanish-speaking immigrants who are currently undocumented. Because of their status, most of her patients do not have health insurance. Despite this, Maenza provides them with unmeasured and complementary care, knowing that, without White Plains, their only other option is the emergency room, which comes with hard-to-meet fees.

Many of Maenza’s patients suffer from multiple co-morbidities, including diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. According to Rosenbluth, Maenza provides each patient with personalized plans and unending compassion.

“She treats each patient holistically and as an individual, often going above and beyond to identify and break down barriers to care,” Rosenbluth said. “As a result, she has long-standing relationships. Her patients trust and rely on her for the treatment of their entire families.”

Rosenbluth continued by remarking on what an excellent example Maenza was when she studied with her.

“Sari is not only an amazing provider to her patients, caring, empathetic and on top of her game clinically, but she is also a phenomenal teacher to her FNP students. She teaches by example as well as taking the time to educate students on the clinical process and best practices.”

Thank you to Maenza and all of the other exceptional preceptors who are helping to shape the next generation of nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners! Preceptors are instrumental for FNU students, providing them with a mentor and the clinical experience needed for long-term success. If you or someone you know might be interested in becoming a Frontier preceptor, click here to learn more on how you can make a difference in the healthcare community.

Read the inspiring stories of previously recognized preceptors or to nominate a preceptor.

FNU Alumni Spotlight Junise Belizaire: Providing In-Home Care to Vulnerable Floridians

October 11, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) graduate Junise Belizaire, FNP is working to change the way people think about healthcare access in Wesley Chapel, Fla. Belizaire has made it her mission to bring quality healthcare to an underserved population.

After working as a nurse for several years, Belizaire knew that she wanted to do more within the healthcare field. She enrolled in FNU’s Family Nurse Practitioner program and went on to earn her Master of Science in Nursing from FNU.

“I chose Frontier because their model encompasses everything that I believe in: family, community, and a passion for the underserved,” Belizaire said. “And, when you attend Frontier, you quickly see that the school is so much more than a well-written mission statement; the Frontier community is truly united in their passion for improving the healthcare field. The people of FNU ignited a fire in me that helped to fuel my career and lead me to where I am today.”

Upon graduation, Belizaire found herself in many jobs as a nurse practitioner. While she loved caring for patients, she found herself frustrated with the healthcare system and longed for a more personal approach to patient care.

“I became a nurse practitioner so I could make a greater difference in my patients’ lives and a greater impact in the healthcare system. I wanted to be a part of the solution by breaking down health care disparities and reaching more individuals. In more traditional roles, I felt like I wasn’t able to meet my full potential as a provider,” Belizaire said.

With that in mind, Belizaire launched Bay Area Mobile Clinic, a house call practice. Through this new practice, Belizaire uses her mobile clinic to provide services to individuals, families, and underinsured employees to bring cost-efficient healthcare to everyone.

“Whether a person is homebound, has transportation difficulties, or simply needs convenience, everyone deserves quality, affordable care,” Belizaire said.

Belizaire is attending to patients who often went without care before her services arrived.

“Many of my patients have not seen a provider in years,” Belizaire said. “My hope is that by bringing care to these individuals, I can decrease the number of healthcare disparities within my community.”

Belizaire said that opening the practice has been the highlight of her professional career because, through this clinic, she can bring compassion and caring to patients without the rush and disconnect of more traditional medical settings.

Frontier educates its students with the primary goal of assuring that they are well prepared to serve rural and underserved populations. The need is great and the challenges are many as the U.S. continues to face healthcare crises, disparities, and provider shortages. Women of color die from pregnancy-related illness at three times the rate of white women, mental health issues plague our country, and suicide is the 10th-leading cause of death in the United States according to the Centers for Disease Control. In addition, more than 130 people die each day from opioid-related illnesses.

“We must create a diverse healthcare workforce, a workforce that can competently serve persons and families from many different cultures that are representative of our United States,” said Dr. Susan Stone, FNU president.

Frontier encourages students to be leaders and entrepreneurs, just like Belizaire.

Thank you, Junise, for your dedication to the Bay Area, your commitment to the Frontier mission, and the hope you are bringing to your community. We are proud to have you as a member of the FNU community!

If you are interested in reading more stories about the fantastic work of FNU alumni members, visit the FNU Alumni stories page.

Alumni Spotlight: Julie Percefull Makes an Impact on Rural Kentucky Pediatrics

August 19, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

“I went back to school to reach the underserved population of rural south-central Kentucky that desperately needs compassionate and superior health care. The area has a large volume of health disparities that I am dedicated to making a difference in by assisting those in the community where I live and serve,” Percefull said.

Percefull graduated from FNU in 2019 with her DNP and recently published her DNP project in the 2020 Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. The article was written by Percefull and FNU assistant professor Judith Butler, DNP, CNM, WHNP, CNE, and is entitled “Improving mammography through effective screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment at a rural health center.”

Percefull’s project focused on the low rate of mammograms for eligible women at her clinical practice site. Before her project, only 25 percent of these women had received a mammogram in the past two years in an area where breast cancer rates rest above the state and country levels. During the 90 days of her project, Percefull raised these rates and saw screening and identification improve by 40 percent, patient engagement improve by 30 percent, and case management for “right care” more than double. Percefull implemented an electronic health record reminder for mammography screening, a patient mammography decision aid, a case management log, and weekly quality improvement team meetings to get these results. It is clear that by implementing these tools, providers have the opportunity to significantly increase the number of patients receiving necessary mammograms.

Since graduation, Percefull signed on as a provider with Family Medical Center of Hart County. She incorporates evidence-based guidelines while providing care to pediatric patients from birth to 18 years of age. She also collaborates with providers and ancillary staff to coordinate patient care and participates in quality improvement processes to find the best ways to encourage and assist her community. Additionally, Percefull often serves as a preceptor to FNP and DNP students in her area to further give back and support the future of quality patient care in the region.

Since the COVID-19 Pandemic began, Percefull has also worked with an interdisciplinary team within the clinic to create access to testing, implementing drive-through and in-office rapid testing clinics. She served as the primary source for research and provided current COVID education to providers, staff, and patients.

Percefull’s dedication is making a difference in the lives of the children in rural Kentucky, and FNU is proud to have her as an alumna. Keep up the excellent work! We can’t wait to see the wave of change that comes from your commitment to care.

Are you interested in becoming an FNP? FNU offers a graduate Family Nurse Practitioner specialty track that can be pursued full- or part-time while completing a Master of Science in Nursing or a Post-Graduate Certificate. To learn more, go here.

Dr. Jess Calohan Selected as American Academy of Nursing Fellow

August 16, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

The American Academy of Nursing (Academy) announced that Frontier Nursing University Department Chair of Psychiatric-Mental Health Jess Calohan, DNP, PMHNP-BC, has been selected to be inducted into the 2021 Class of Fellows. Dr. Calohan is one of 225 distinguished nursing leaders selected by the Academy who will be formally inducted into the 2021 Class of Fellows during the Academy’s annual Health Policy Conference, October 7-9.

A retired Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army, Calohan served the military in a variety of medical positions for 20 years. Before coming to Frontier in 2017, he was the Program Chair and Assistant Professor of the PMHNP program in the Graduate School of Nursing at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md., from 2013-2017. His distinguished military record includes a long list of awards, including a Bronze Star, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, two Meritorious Service Medals, and eight Army Commendation Medals.

Dr. Calohan’s professional activities include memberships in the American Association for Men in Nursing, the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. He is also a member of the editorial board of the Journal of American Psychiatric Nurses Association.

“We are very pleased to have Dr. Calohan, who chairs the Department of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing, at Frontier,” said Dean of Nursing, Dr. Joan Slager. “The program continues to develop innovative teaching strategies and expand the enrollment guided by his exemplary leadership.”

“I am incredibly honored to be selected for induction as a Fellow into the American Academy of Nursing,” Dr. Calohan said. “The Academy is an important and influential leader in the promotion of nursing leadership and advancement, and I am delighted to be part of such a distinguished organization.”

The Academy serves the public by advancing health policy and practice through the generation, synthesis, and dissemination of nursing knowledge. Academy Fellows are inducted into the organization for their extraordinary contributions to improve health locally and globally. With more than 2,800 Fellows, the Academy represents nursing’s most accomplished leaders in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia.

“I am thrilled to welcome another exceptional class of Fellows to the American Academy of Nursing during a momentous time of change and progress in our collective efforts to fulfill the organization’s vision of healthy lives for all people,” said Academy President Eileen Sullivan-Marx, Ph.D., RN, FAAN. “The Academy aims to improve health and achieve health equity through nursing leadership, innovation, and science. The Academy’s Fellows embody our values of equity, diversity and inclusivity, inquiry, integrity, and courage, which enable us to achieve new heights of impact that advance health policy across the globe. Congratulations to this dynamic cohort of leaders who bring diverse experience and expertise to the Fellowship.”

Through a competitive, rigorous application process, the Academy’s Fellow Selection Committee, which is composed of current Fellows, reviewed hundreds of applications to select the 2021 Fellows based on their contributions to advance the public’s health. Induction into the Academy is a significant milestone in a nurse leader’s career, in which their accomplishments are honored by their colleagues within and outside the profession.

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

Featured Preceptor: Tami Osborne, A Heart for Her Home Community

April 22, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

This quarter’s Frontier Nursing University featured preceptor, Tami Osborne, PMHNP, was nominated by student Leslie Duff, for her dedication and compassion for the people of Eastern Kentucky.

Here is what Duff had to say about her experience studying under Osborne:

“I was honored to spend several hundred hours working under Tami’s leadership. She has a true passion for improving the stigma of psychiatric mental health that runs deep in Eastern Kentucky. The biggest way she does this is through education. As a daily part of patient care, Osborne educates her patients about the various disease processes and medications. She teaches them genetics, trauma, and other factors that play into a person’s mental health. With each patient, she had the ability to help them see their psychiatric mental health conditions does not make them weak but allows them to grow through their journey.

Osborne is especially dedicated to helping and advocating for those suffering from substance abuse in the region. The care and concern that she offers these patients who are so often stigmatized truly impressed me. As I worked along Osborne, several of her patients in the MAT program at Appalachian Wellness shared with me their recovery stories. I was often told how Osborne helped them realize that they did have the power to overcome substance addiction, and how she gave them the strength they needed to believe they could live a better life. The story I remember most was a young man who lost everything, including custody and visitation rights to his children. He is now over a year clean, working, and able to spend time with his children. Tami truly makes a positive difference in this world, one patient at a time.”

Osborne is a fantastic fit for her career because it is a dream she has had ever since she was a little girl growing up in Eastern Kentucky. “I always knew I wanted to be a nurse,” Osborne says, “it just took some life experience for me to realize the best way I could help my home community.”

Osborne was married young, and after a few years, found herself divorced and living in Lexington, Ky. with three little girls. She attributes fair salaries and the high demand for nurses with helping her get through those years raising her daughters alone.

Osborne attended Eastern Kentucky University as a single mother, where she earned her bachelor’s in nursing. She worked as an aid at the University of Kentucky Hospital, but following graduation, began a new career at Eastern State Hospital, a psychiatric care facility in Lexington.

During the time she was working at Eastern State, Osborne married a wonderful man. Unfortunately, he passed away from a heart attack at a young age within a few years of their marriage. It was after this loss that Osborne decided it was time to return home.

“Eastern Kentucky has always been home to me, I tried to leave, but my heart never really followed. When I was coming to terms with the loss of my husband, I knew the best thing for me was to return to my roots,” Osborne said.

When Osborne returned home, she began working as an administrator within the local prison. Her psychiatric care foundation from Eastern State Hospital played a significant role in supporting her co-workers and the incarcerated persons in her new role.

Osborne said that psychiatric-mental health was always the nursing sector that interested her the most, so, on her 50th birthday, with her girls grown up, Osborne decided to go back to school to become a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP).

Shortly after finishing her degree, a past co-worker from the prison reached out. He was now the Juniper Health System CEO and wanted to hire Osborne as their first PMHNP.

In her current role, Osborne travels to five different Eastern Kentucky counties throughout the week, helping to break generational patterns of trauma that are unfortunately far too common in the region.

Osborne is especially passionate about treating women who have experienced trauma.

“I see so many women who were abused as children and then find themselves with one abusive partner after another. Unfortunately, this cycle continues as they have children of their own. They simply don’t know anything else,” Osborne said.

Although Osborne often only sees these women briefly for short medication appointments, she does everything she can in that time to uplift her patients and let them know there are other options.

“I will constantly correct negative self-talk and work to help them establish positive thoughts about themselves. I work on debriefing, grounding, and attempt to coach through fear-based issues. I am currently taking multiple continuing education units (CEU’s) on trauma so that I can continue to help women in these difficult situations,” Osborne said.

In addition to helping grown women, Osborne also works with high numbers of adolescents and teens overcoming trauma and neglect, cares for 30 medicated-assistant treatment (MAT) patients on their journey to overcoming addiction, and continues to step in at the prison whenever there is a need.

“My job is difficult, and I work a lot of hours, but that is because there is so much need in this community,” Osborne said. “I love the people of Eastern Kentucky, and I will always put my all into helping them overcome obstacles.”

Osborne is one of a limited number of PMHNPs in the area. Due to the lack of psychiatric care in Eastern Kentucky, precepting offers Osborne a look into a hopeful future for the region.

“I host three or four students at a time. All but one of them have been from Eastern Kentucky and plan on returning to the area to serve after graduation,” Osborne said. “Having this opportunity to bring new nurses to our region is critical work to me.”

Osborne enjoys many aspects of precepting and says she truly appreciates working with the students and listening to their ideas.

According to Osborne, the students always have great ideas and different approaches. She loves having multiple perspectives to learn from and to collaborate with one another.

“Eastern Kentucky will always be my home. I think it is the most beautiful place on earth, with the most genuine people you could ever meet. I am completely invested in advocating for these people and providing them with resources. Because this area has had fewer opportunities than many regions, there can be a lack of trust in professionals and outsiders. It is my goal that the people of Eastern Kentucky know that I have their backs.”

Thank you Tami for your hard work and dedication in bringing mental health resources to Eastern Kentucky. You are making positive changes that will impact these communities for decades to come.

FNU is always looking for preceptors like Osborne who will step up to the plate and educate the next generation of nurses. For more information on becoming a preceptor for FNU students, visit our preceptor page.