faces of frontier | Page 3 | Frontier Nursing University

FNU Personnel Elected to Prominent Leadership Roles on AABC Board of Directors

February 10, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

In the summer of 2020, the American Association of Birth Centers (AABC) held elections for the AABC Board of Directors. The membership elected the following to serve:

President-Elect: Aubre Tompkins, MSN, CNM, Class 54 – Director of midwifery and nurse-midwife at Seasons Midwifery & Birth Center in Thornton, Colorado.

Quote from Aubre: “The Midwifery Model of Care and Birth Centers have always been two of my biggest passions. I believe that all birthing people deserve midwifery care and that birth centers are the natural home for midwives. My career in maternity care has spanned well over a decade and a half, most of that working to provide care in birth centers here in CO. Being elected to the presidency of the American Association of Birth Centers is an immense honor for me. I look forward to advocating for all birth centers, educating the public and policy makers on the care we provide and supporting developing centers around the country.”

Director: FNU Assistant Professor Judy Butler, DNP, CNM, WHNP, Class 9 – Nurse-midwife at The Midwifery Center for Women (Tucson, Arizona).

Quote from Judy: “I truly love working with a diverse set of intelligent, caring, dedicated people who are courageous enough to look at themselves and their organization critically, facilitating best practices and improving our weaknesses, in an honest effort to provide families with warm, caring, evidence-based options for birth.”

Director: Ebony Marcelle, MSN, CNM, FACNM, DNP, Class 40 – Director of midwifery and nurse-midwife at Community of Hope/Family Health and Birth Center (Washington, D.C.).

Fall Term Circle of Caring Winners

January 21, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is pleased to announce the 2020 Fall Term Circle of Caring Award winners: staff member Shelley Rogers and faculty member Dr. Tawny Tseng.

The Circle of Caring Award is given each term to recognize faculty and staff who go above and beyond their job duties and strive to uphold FNU’s mission and Culture of Caring every day.

Award winners are anonymously nominated by fellow FNU faculty and staff. Nominations are voted upon by a committee based on the following Culture of Caring characteristics: professionalism, mutual support, respect, positive communication and inclusivity.

Staff Winner: Shelley Rogers

Shelley Rogers is this term’s staff winner. Here is what Rogers’ co-workers had to say when they nominated her in response to all of her outstanding work supporting students this year:

“The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a multitude of problems in many ways. FNU clinical students have especially suffered during this time. Preceptor stress and clinical site closures resulted in the displacement of multiple students. In her clinical credentialing coordinator role, Shelley has demonstrated kindness while working under extreme stress to meet unprecedented student and faculty needs. Shelley is amazing!”

“Shelley is always kind to students no matter how many times they need changes on their clinical plan due to COVID or other factors. She is so patient and gets things done immediately! She is a pleasure to work with.”

“Shelley is always willing to help students and RCFs and does so promptly. She takes pride in her work with others and is a fantastic member of the FNU community.”

This was Rogers’ response to her nomination:

“What a pleasant surprise to open my email and find that I was the staff recipient for the Circle of Caring Award for the Fall 2020 term, especially considering 2020 was such a challenging year for us all. I’m very fortunate to be a part of such a caring group of staff and faculty. It truly means a lot to be recognized and chosen for this award. My sincerest and deepest thanks to the Frontier community.”

Faculty Winner: Dr. Tawny Tseng

Although Dr. Tawny Tseng’s exact nomination cannot be shared due to student privacy, we have paraphrased below why fellow faculty believe Dr. Tseng stands out in her field:

Dr. Tsneg demonstrates caring and compassion to all of her students every day. One recent example of this would be last fall when Dr. Tseng went above and beyond to support a student who had failed a course and worked with them until they got back on track. Once they had earned the course credit, she stuck with them and assisted the student with board prep during MH717.

When Dr. Tseng heard about her nomination, this was her response:

“I am humbled and grateful for this beautiful gesture. I appreciate the kind words and am happy to be working in an organization that is so kind and welcoming.”

Thank you so much, Rogers and Dr. Tseng, for being a glowing example of what it means to be part of the FNU community!

If you know an FNU staff or faculty member that goes above and beyond, nominate them now for the Circle of Caring Award!

Featured Preceptor: Gabrielle Morgan Scharp

December 8, 2020 By Frontier Nursing University

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

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) preceptor Gabrielle Morgan Scharp is being honored as FNU’s Featured Preceptor for the 2020 fall term due to her outstanding dedication to healthcare, service and building up new nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners.

A registered nurse and certified nurse-midwife, Morgan Scharp began her career in 1998 after experiencing her labor and delivery nurses’ compassion throughout her pregnancy and son’s birth.

“I was 18 at the time and didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life,” Morgan Scharp said. “When I watched those wonderful women work, though, it was like a lightbulb went off. I thought I could do that, and so I did.”

After working as an RN for 10 years, Morgan Scharp returned to school to get her nurse-midwifery certification through FNU in 2008, graduating in 2011.

“When I was working as a labor and delivery nurse, I just wanted to do more. I was frustrated working with women for hours only to have the doctor swoop in at the end to catch the baby. I wanted to help the mother through the whole process,” Morgan Scharp said.

Morgan Scharp chose Frontier after hearing about it from a co-worker.

“I went home that night and looked it up. I thought, ‘wow, this sounds amazing, I think this is exactly what I want to do,’ And through Frontier’s unique education model, I was able to meet my goals. Frontier made everything possible for me.”

Following her graduation from Frontier, Morgan Scharp moved from Wyoming to the Navajo reservation in Navajo County, Ariz.

“It was definitely a culture shock at first. Many of these people don’t have heat, running water, or electricity; we don’t have 911 or Wal-Mart. I experienced being a minority for the first time in my life. But, I very quickly loved these people and valued their way of life.”

Although she has moved to various towns within the reservation, Morgan Scharp has been living with and serving the Navajo and Hopi communities since 2011. She enjoys working on the reservation (currently in Tuba City) because of the great sense of community, tradition, and the respect they have for women and elders.

“With COVID, things have been different, but usually, we will have around twelve people at a birth. It is such an exciting time for so many. They also have really inspiring traditions such as putting the umbilical cord in a special place to them so that their child will always feel drawn there and have roots in the community,” Morgan Scharp said.

Although she was hesitant to become a preceptor at first, she has fully embraced the role in recent years and has found it one of her favorite parts of her job.

“I was afraid I wouldn’t be a good teacher, but once I started, it felt natural. I like to step back and give the students I work with room to learn and grow. I know that they have the knowledge from their didactic studies to succeed. I enjoy allowing them to do so.” Morgan Scharp said.

The students who work with Morgan Scharp appreciate her teaching method, but more than anything, they see her heart for the native women of the reservations, and through that- what it means to truly care for your patients and your community.

Student Christy Neese recently worked alongside Morgan Scharp and had this to say about her experience:

“Gabrielle provides so much strength to the team of midwives in Tuba City. She is full of energy and passion for empowering women through her work as a midwife. Gabrielle sets a beautiful example of how to engage women in their world, their desires, and their culture–and to appreciate all of it. Navajo and Hopi culture values and respects childbirth and motherhood, and Gabrielle can support these values, beliefs, and practices with the midwifery care she provides. Gabrielle has committed so much of her life to these women–she lives 1.5 hours from the nearest ‘big city.’ She is far away from a lot of her family, but she is willing to make these sacrifices to serve the women in this rural community. She taught me so much of what it looks like to serve women, to learn from women, and to appreciate each woman as she allows us to participate in her journey into motherhood.”

When asked what the most fulfilling part of her job is, Morgan Scharp said, “helping to create a family and watching people grow. I watch pregnancies grow, babies grow, as well as the midwifery students that I precept. It is a beautiful career.”

Thank you, Gabrielle, for your continued work in advancing nursing and midwifery education and assisting FNU in reaching underserved populations through a Culture of Caring!

To read about previously recognized preceptors or to nominate a preceptor, click here.

Are you interested in becoming a Frontier preceptor? Learn more here.

Alumni Spotlight: Onidis Lopez: A Lifelong Helper

November 30, 2020 By Frontier Nursing University

Onidis Lopez is a Frontier Nursing University (FNU) master of science in nursing (MSN), doctor of nursing practice (DNP) alumna, but she was a midwife long before arriving at FNU for Frontier Bound. Born and raised in South Florida, Lopez grew up in a lower-income community that worked together to build each other up. Lopez’s grandmother was known as the ‘community grandmother.’ She was a voice of reason and a helper; the person called whenever someone needed advice or had a life event. By the time Lopez was 15, whenever her grandmother received a call about a birth in the community, Lopez was the one sent to help.

“I remember always feeling drawn towards pregnant women,” Lopez says. “As a child, I was imitated by adults and didn’t like being around them, but whenever I saw a pregnant woman, I felt at ease. I would go up to them and ask them questions; I was so excited to learn more about their baby.”

Lopez remembers skipping school to help with births. She was there to welcome every one of her nieces and nephews into the world and even recalls abruptly leaving a club with her college friends to assist with the birth of her cousin’s child. However, as much as she loved helping mommas and newborns, she didn’t initially believe she wanted to be a doctor.

“When my sister was giving birth, I saw the doctor come in for the last few minutes, and I thought, I don’t want to do that. I wondered if there was a job out there for someone like me who wanted to support the mother and child through the whole pregnancy,” Lopez said.

Lopez initially went to college for architecture, but in 2002 she finally followed her calling and enrolled in Miami college for her associate’s degree in midwifery.

Because of Lopez’s experience in hospitals during births, she did not initially believe she was interested in a nursing degree. However, Lopez greatly admired her midwifery professor, Diana Gregory, and one day while visiting her office, she noticed the degree on Gregory’s wall. Gregory had graduated from FNU.

“I thought to myself then, if I ever do decide to become a certified nurse-midwife, I’ll go to Frontier,” Lopez said.

In the meantime, Lopez worked closely with families providing home births through a birth center. In 2012 she decided to further her knowledge of midwifery and enrolled at Frontier. Lopez chose FNU for its strong history of success, the program’s flexibility and the excellent example of midwifery that her professor had provided.

Today Lopez is a certified DNP, APRN, CNM-BC working at St. Lucie Women and Children Center in St. Lucie, Fla., where she still holds close to her midwifery roots.

“That is who I am at heart. I use that presence to calm the mommas and the families; if something doesn’t go as planned, that’s okay. I will walk with them through the halls and talk with them; I tell them this is their body, and we will work with it. It isn’t about getting an IV at the right time, or having a certain number of nurses, it is about bringing new life to this world,” Lopez says.

For Lopez’s DNP project, Reducing Primary Cesareans: Improving Patient-Centered Care By Standardizing The Induction of Labor Processes, she worked to bring the sense of compassion and community that she has used her whole life into the hospital setting.

“The goal of my program was to create shared decision making between the clinician and the patient, so many times the physician will say ‘this or that happened so we are inducing you’ without explaining or asking the patient how they feel. I believe the patient should have a larger role in their birth experience.”

Through Lopez’s project, the Primary C-section rate at the trial locations decreased from 24.4 percent to 16 percent in just eight weeks. Lopez found that patients were unlikely to argue with a sudden C-section option when feeling pressured by healthcare workers. However, when presented with all of the information and given a choice, many women chose to wait and had equally successful pregnancies.

As the first member of her family to attend college, encouraging others to be their best self is extremely important to Lopez. As her interview closed, Lopez ended with a heartwarming story of the power of representation.

“In our area, we regularly see a population of indigenous people who have children at a very young age. Recently I assisted 16 and 19-year-old sisters with their births just months apart. When the 19-year-old came in, their mother recognized me and introduced me to her younger girls, ages seven and 10. The 10-year old looked at me, surprised to see someone who looked like her in a leadership role at the hospital; she asked, ‘You’re the midwife?’

“I told her that I was and that I would make a deal with her- I would deliver her baby too, but only after she came back to me with two diplomas, one from high school and one from college.”

“The next day, I saw her mother again while performing her sister’s post-partum check-up. The girl’s mother told me that the night after I spoke with the 10-year old, she announced at dinner, ‘Dad, I’m not going to have a baby until I go to college and have two diplomas. I think that’s really important.’

“When I heard that, I got goosebumps. In my career, I want to help as many mothers find comfort as I can, but if I can also help little girls see a bigger future for themselves, that makes me feel truly wonderful.”

Lopez was recently the featured nurse-midwife in the American College of Nurse-Midwives’ (ACNM) Quickening publication and was invited to represent her area on the ACNM’s Midwives of Color Committee.

FNU is unbelievably proud of Lopez and her many accomplishments. We believe that she will continue to promote positive change throughout the healthcare community and help lead nursing and midwifery towards a brighter future.

To find out more about other compassionate and driven FNU alumni, visit the alumni news page.

Student Spotlight: Heidi Hagan, Offering a Vision of Healing

November 19, 2020 By Frontier Nursing University

Heidi Hagan is a current Frontier Nursing University (FNU) student working to become a Certified Nurse-Midwife, a passion born from her own life experience. In 2003, Hagan went through a life-changing and devastating event when her first child was unexpectedly lost at term. Hagan said the incident was one of the most challenging times of her life, but because of the incredible midwife who supported her through the tragedy, she now has a clear vision of her future. She wants to become a nurse-midwife who can bring healing to others.

“My goal is to develop a comprehensive perinatal hospice program that provides in-home care/birth planning, delivery support, grief support, and follow up after birth. This cause is very near to my heart and drives everything I do as a nurse and now student nurse-midwife.”

Hagan is currently working as a triage registered nurse for home health and home hospice patients at UPMC Home Health & Family Hospice in Williamsport, Pa. In this role, Hagan provides PRN skilled nursing services after regular business hours by meeting patient needs as they arise, monitoring chronic conditions and surveying how patients are coping and adjusting after a hospital stay or receiving a terminal diagnosis. Although hospice care is not traditionally paired with nurse-midwifery, Hagan chose this route with intention.

“I wanted to become more comfortable working with death and dying, as well as avail myself to caring for perinatal patients who may be anticipating a life-limiting diagnosis. I also wanted to gain experience working with folks in the home setting because I feel there is a huge opportunity to expand services to postpartum women. I believe that if these services were more commonly expanded, we could improve outcomes related to postpartum depression and promote healthy families through home health nursing.”

Set to graduate in 2021, Hagan first chose FNU because of its incredible reputation for providing quality education and promoting compassionate care.

“I had heard wonderful things about the programs at FNU and was immediately attracted to the program after meeting and talking with several FNU alumni. I needed a program with flexibility, the ability to pace my learning and a personal touch. It was an easy decision!”

After choosing FNU, Hagan said it is everything she hoped for, adding that it has had an incredible impact on her personal life as well as her education.

“The FNU network has been my lifeline! I have had several unexpected life events over the past three years that threatened to derail my success. However, the amazing network of teaching midwives, fellow students, local alumni and program leaders at FNU have kept me on track through it all. My FNU support system constantly encourages patient, persistence, and perseverance –always reminding me of why I started my journey in the first place.”

Another remarkable piece of Hagan’s story is that through her nurse-midwife program at FNU, she has been able to train side by side with the nurse-midwife who inspired her career choice. Nearly 20 years ago, Kay Zlockie, CNM, helped Hagan through her lost pregnancy. Today, Zlockie is guiding Hagan towards her future, sharing knowledge and encouragement as her primary preceptor.

As Hagan put it, “my story has come full circle.”

FNU wishes Hagan luck as she moves forward with her dream to support women and families facing loss and heartache. May her personal tragedy lead to healing for many.

To learn more about FNU’s unique and impactful nurse-midwife program based around a Culture of Caring that seeks to equip upcoming nurse-midwives with wisdom and compassion, click here.

Summer Term Circle of Caring Winners

November 2, 2020 By Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is pleased to announce the 2020 Summer Term Circle of Caring Award Winners: staff member Aimee Niles and faculty member Kathy Gardner.

The Circle of Caring Award is given each term to recognize faculty and staff who go above and beyond their job duties and strive to uphold FNU’s mission and Culture of Caring every day.

Aimee Niles

“From the moment she began working with FNU, Aimee has kept our scholarly engines running. She often finds articles and other materials within minutes of a request going out, and I’ve known her to stay a teensy bit late on her own time just to wrap up an issue so faculty can move forward. Aimee goes the extra mile to figure out what is obtainable and communicates quickly and transparently. She’s flexible and easy to work with, often suggesting updated resources that she seeks out on our behalf. Aimee is a gem, and I’m sure my own scholarly productivity would be significantly reduced without her critical work behind the scenes.”

When she found out she would be receiving the award, Aimee said, “I was moved to tears when I learned of my receiving the summer term staff Circle of Caring Award and the ever so thoughtful words and sentiments expressed. I can’t tell you how much this meant to me, the summer term was an ever so special five years for me at Frontier. Again I thank everyone from the bottom of my heart.”

Kathy Gardner

“Kathy is my ‘right-hand person’ in our course. She is always there to support me, discuss our class and provide a second opinion on grading or student situations. When I had to take some leave emergently, Kathy was readily available, took the reins, and the students experienced a seamless transition with my absence. This is not a small feat with more than 200 students in the course. I am grateful for her continued support and encouragement.”

Congratulations to this term’s winners, and thank you for contributing to the culture of caring at FNU!

Thank you to everyone who submitted nominations. There were some tough choices this semester! To submit your nomination for the fall term Circle of Caring Award, click here.

COVID-19 Frontlines: FNU Alumni Korah Schwab Caring for Immigrant Communities During COVID-19

October 1, 2020 By Frontier Nursing University

Korah Schwab graduated from Frontier Nursing University’s (FNU) Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Program in May of 2019, unaware that the world would soon enter a pandemic. Shortly after finishing her program, Schwab was offered a position at Blue Ridge Community Health Center in Hendersonville, N.C., where she began her FNP career. However, as COVID started to hit the nation, Hendersonville, a town consisting of many immigrant and retirement communities, quickly became a COVID-19 hotspot.

Blue Ridge Health was originally opened by a nurse practitioner as the nation’s first migrant health center. Hendersonville is primarily farm country, known for its apple orchards, resulting in a high migrant population. Blue Ridge is an uninsured clinic that accepts patients with or without health insurance; thus, they continue to care for the majority of the migrants in the area. Because many migrants find themselves working in positions without social distancing or paid sick time, these populations have been struck disproportionately hard by the virus.

“The beginning of this year was definitely a challenge. I was a new nurse-practitioner trying to build my clinical foundation among a growing pandemic,” Schwab said. “At first, I thought, ‘I didn’t sign up for this,’ but with a little reflection, I realized this is exactly what I signed up for. I became an FNP to help those in need, and right now, helping our country face this virus is the best way to do that.”

Prior to COVID-19, Schwab’s work was split between the main health center and clinics Blue Ridge had set up in schools across the region. Her second role was shut down when schools in Hendersonville closed due to the pandemic. To continue supporting their community, Blue Ridge organized the school clinic staff to form a COVID-19 response team. In Schwab’s new role, she is on the front lines of COVID-19, providing walk-in screening and testing.

“Luckily, we have been well supplied with PPE and were able to quickly build a solid training program, so our COVID efforts rolled out pretty smoothly,” Schwab said. “We created a COVID triage in our parking lot where we screen all of our patients at the door. If someone is exhibiting COVID symptoms, we have the capability to see them outside. Because of our early efforts, we have probably been one of the most testing accessible facilities in Western North Carolina.”

Blue Ridge has also implemented telehealth appointments, which have been especially helpful to Hendersenville’s elderly population. Many of Schwab’s colleagues have also visited migrant farms and factories to conduct testing and contact tracing.

“Working with and for the whole population is incredibly important to me,” Schwab said. “I did a rotation at Blue Ridge during my clinical practicum with FNU, and immediately liked it. It has a mission very in-line with Frontier’s, which coincidentally is a mission I have been familiar with for most of my life. My mother used a nurse-midwife for all of her pregnancies, and because of that, I actually wrote a research paper on Mary Breckinridge when I was in middle school. I have always found her story extremely inspiring.”

Schwab works 8-12 hour days seeing anywhere between 20 and 30 patients of all ages. She says that she loves her job and is grateful to have the opportunity to affect so many lives.

“At Blue Ridge, we help underserved communities who often wouldn’t have access to healthcare without our clinic. I was led to healthcare through Mary Breckinridge’s story, and this is exactly the kind of work I want to be doing, especially during a pandemic,” Schwab said.

Building the Future of the Healthcare System: The Value of Becoming a Preceptor Today

August 20, 2020 By frontieredu

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is a community of students, educators, graduates and staff working together to expand access to quality, compassionate care in rural and underserved populations. To continue placing attentive, responsible advanced practice nurses into the field, we need partners who believe in our mission. With more than 2,400 nurse-midwife and nurse practitioner students from all 50 states, we are always in need of kind, intelligent, professional preceptors to lead our passionate students through their clinical experience. Will you be the one to answer the call?

By volunteering time and services as a preceptor, qualified nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners can touch innumerable lives and make a vital difference in the future of nursing and midwifery. Preceptors serve as the graduate nursing student’s teacher, supervisor and evaluator during their clinical practicum, giving them incredible influence over what kind of nurse the student will become.

In recent months the world has seen an increased need and appreciation for those in the nursing profession. More than ever, it is imperative that our country has educated, quality healthcare workers. When a certified nurse-midwife or nurse practitioner steps up to become a preceptor, they choose to meet the needs of communities across the country by bringing energetic new nurses to the field during these unprecedented times.

“My preceptor is very valuable to me,” said Stephanie Allotey, MSN, CNM, DNP, Class 31. “You can feel and know that they want you here and want you to become the best nurse-midwife.”

Nephthalie Hypolite, CNM, was inspired to become a preceptor because of her experience being “challenged and pushed” to become the midwife she is today.

“I would encourage anyone who is considering being a preceptor to go for it. You have nothing to lose, and you have everything to gain,” said Hypolite. “The friendships that you build with the new generation of midwives, the fact that you learn along with your students, and that you’re giving back to the midwifery community is just invaluable.”

She had many more great things to say in her video for our “Becoming a Preceptor” series.

Our faculty and staff are aware that choosing to become a preceptor is a big decision, and we are eager to support our preceptors throughout that journey. FNU’s clinical services coordinator will work with preceptors to help them utilize the online preceptor profile portal, provide information regarding FNU’s Master and Expert Preceptor programs, and answer questions regarding preceptor honorariums. In addition, Regional Clinical Faculty (RCF) are available to support the preceptor by providing guidance in student clinical issues.

In addition to providing faculty support to our preceptors, FNU also makes sure to reward those willing to help create dedicated nurses through various benefit programs. All preceptors at FNU gain access to free Continuing Education Units (CEUs) on essential topics like pharmacology and online training courses like, “The Gift of Precepting” and “The Master Preceptor,” which our faculty designed to help our preceptors have the best experience possible. Additionally, preceptors will earn a 10 percent discount on all non-matriculating courses at FNU, obtain documentation of their precepting hours for recertification purposes, and receive an honorarium based on the percentage of time spent precepting students.

According to Audra Cave, DNP, FNP-BC, preceptor in Spindale, NC, precepting presents an excellent opportunity to give back to the community of family nurse practitioners (FNPs).

“I want to help the next generation of FNP providers as I had help along the way too,” said Cave. “I also learn from students. Precepting keeps me on my toes.”

FNU is a school founded on making a difference in our world through honest, compassionate nursing and midwifery care. We believe we further that mission when we onboard excellent preceptors to help us bring confident, new nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners into the field. Our preceptor program is centered around providing a productive and beneficial program for both student and preceptor, and our testimonials show just how impactful this program can be.

If supporting a future generation of nurse-midwives as a preceptor sounds like an excellent fit for you, please fill out our preceptor inquiry form. An FNU representative will follow up with you on the next steps for taking on this inspiring role. You can also learn more about precepting in our “Becoming a Preceptor” video series on YouTube.

For additional information, email our Department of Clinical Outreach and Placement at ClinicalAdvising@frontier.edu.