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FNU Mentoring Programs Seek to Improve Retention and Encourage Lifelong Learning – PART 1

September 30, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

The community at Frontier Nursing University (FNU) understands and appreciates the positive role mentorship plays in preparing competent, entrepreneurial, ethical and compassionate leaders in primary care. The University has launched two programs to support underrepresented students, including FNU’s Professional Organization Mentoring Program (POMP) and the Comprehensive Mentoring Program. This blog highlights the details of the programs, and part two will share the experiences of both mentors and mentees.

In an effort to create even stronger interaction and connection between students and faculty, FNU’s Professional Organization Mentoring Program (POMP) was created in 2018. POMP matches FNU faculty with underrepresented nurse practitioner and nurse-midwifery students to provide support and mentorship. The program allows students to join a professional organization in their field, as well as gives them the opportunity to attend a professional conference with their mentors, with conference registration and professional membership fees covered. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, POMP has been redesigned to allow participating students to attend conferences virtually with faculty mentor guidance.

Frontier has also launched the Comprehensive Mentoring Program, a pilot program initiated via funds from the Nursing Workforce Diversity (NWD) grant. This program is designed to support and retain students from underrepresented groups, by meeting their specific professional and academic needs The goal of the program is to form an ongoing relationship between mentor and mentee and expose the mentee to other means of mentoring to continue support and lifelong learning.

While the program is a pilot, it is expected to be fully implemented beyond the NWD grant period.

Expectations for both the mentors and mentees are well-defined and presented to all program participants.

Student mentees are expected to:

Create an essay to explicate their need for a mentor (no more than 500 words)
List at least 3 individualized professional and/or program-specific goals
Meet with the mentor at least once a month for 1 hour for 1 year
Complete an evaluation of the FNU Comprehensive Mentoring Program every 3 months

Mentors will be expected to:

Attend one mandatory professional mentor education and training session offered by FNU
Participate in the mentoring program for at least 1 year
Mentor at least 2 students
Meet with mentees at least once a month for at least 1 hour for 1 year
Document meetings and activities with mentees
Expose mentees to internal and external professional activities
Assist mentees with programmatic needs
Complete an evaluation of the FNU Comprehensive Mentoring Program every 3 months

The implementation of mentoring programs at FNU has positively impacted the retention rate for students of color which is currently 84 percent, exceeding our goal of 80 percent.

Many students like Kimether Redmon have benefitted from the mentoring program.

"For years, I've advocated for mentoring programs wherever I go and have mentored others, but I've never had my own mentor," Redmon said. "It’s very exciting!"

Check out Part 2 of this series which will share more detailed stories of students and mentors.

Benefits of being a Mentee

Gain practical advice, encouragement, and support
Learn from the experiences of others
Increase your social and academic confidence
Become more empowered to make decisions
Develop your communication, study, and personal skills
Develop strategies for dealing with both personal and academic issues
Identify goals and establish a sense of direction
Gain valuable insight into the next stage of your university career

Benefits of being a Mentor

Improve communication and personal skills
Develop leadership and management qualities
Reinforce your own study skills and knowledge of your subject(s)
Increase your confidence and motivation
Engage in a volunteering opportunity, valued by employers
Enhance your CV
Increase your circle of friends
Gain recognition for your skills and experience
Benefit from a sense of fulfillment and personal growth

Frontier Nursing University Named A “2021 Great College to Work For”

September 13, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to a new survey by the Great Colleges to Work For® program.

The results, released on September 13, 2021, in a special insert of The Chronicle of Higher Education, are based on a survey of 196 colleges and universities. In all, 70 of the 196 institutions achieved “Great College to Work For” recognition for specific best practices and policies. Results are reported for small, medium, and large institutions, with FNU and its enrollment of 2,500 students included among the small universities (500 to 2,999 students).

Frontier won honors in 10 categories this year:

Job Satisfaction & Support
Compensation & Benefits
Professional Development
Mission & Pride
Supervisor/Department Chair Effectiveness
Confidence in Senior Leadership
Faculty & Staff Well-being
Shared Governance
Faculty Experience
Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

Frontier, which has 256 employees, was also named to the Great Colleges Honor Roll, a status granted to only 42 colleges each year who are highlighted most across the recognition categories.

“We are incredibly honored to be recognized as a Great College to Work For and to be named to the Great Colleges Honor Roll,” said FNU President Dr. Susan Stone. “This is a reflection of our commitment to value the needs and contributions of every individual at Frontier. It is a great place to work because we have outstanding people who are fully committed to our students and our mission.”

The survey results are based on a two-part assessment process: an institution questionnaire that captured employment data and workplace policies from each institution, and a survey administered to faculty, administrators, and professional support staff. The primary factor in deciding whether an institution received recognition was the employee feedback.

The employee survey underwent a number of changes this year, including the addition of 11 new survey statements, some of which are related to new survey themes around diversity, inclusion, and belonging, as well as faculty and staff well-being. New survey demographics related to gender identity and remote work were also included this year.

In accordance with the survey changes, the recognition categories for the program were also updated this year to better reflect current patterns and methodologies in employee engagement in higher education.

The Great Colleges to Work For® program is one of the largest and most respected workplace-recognition programs in the country. For more information and to view all current and previous recognized institutions, visit the Great Colleges program website at GreatCollegesProgram.com and GreatCollegesList.com. ModernThink, a strategic human capital consulting firm, administered the survey and analyzed the results.

About Frontier Nursing University:

The mission of FNU is to provide accessible nurse-midwifery and nurse practitioner education to prepare competent, entrepreneurial, ethical, and compassionate leaders in primary care to serve all individuals with an emphasis on women and families in diverse, rural, and underserved 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.

Dr. Khara’ Jefferson Named Director of Frontier Nursing University’s DNP Program

September 7, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University announced that Khara’ Jefferson, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, will be the new Director of the university’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program beginning September 26, 2021. Dr. Jefferson replaces Dr. Jane Houston, DNP, CNM, FACNM, who has served as the DNP Director since 2019.

Dr. Jefferson, who is now an assistant professor at Frontier, obtained her DNP from FNU in early 2017 and began teaching quality improvement methodology in FNU’s DNP Program shortly thereafter.

“We are extremely excited to welcome Dr. Jefferson as the new Director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program,” said FNU President Dr. Susan Stone, CNM, DNSc, FAAN, FACNM. “She has proven to be an invaluable member of our faculty and is a strong voice and leader for the nursing profession. We are sad to say goodbye to Dr. Houston, who has been a tremendous asset to the university, but we are very fortunate to have someone like Dr. Jefferson ready to fill her shoes.”

Dr. Jefferson has a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She worked as a Registered Nurse in an emergency department for several years before obtaining her Master of Science in Nursing degree from the University of South Alabama in 2011. She continued her work in Emergency Medicine as a Family Nurse Practitioner, where she precepted nurse practitioner students and worked in urgent care clinics, where she served on the executive leadership team. She is a certified life coach, energy healer, and has had HEART of a Leader training. Other leadership roles have included urgent care training development and coordinator for the Emergency Department Patient Experience Quality Impact Team and Right Care Alliance Chapter leader.

Currently, Dr. Jefferson is an active part-time clinician in EM, urgent care, and telehealth. She is an active member of the Louisiana Association of Nurse Practitioners (LANP), American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF).

“I am very excited to embark on my new role as the DNP Program Director,” Dr. Jefferson said. “I am passionate about quality, equitable care for all, and engaging and empowering patients to have more control over their health and wellness. As DNP Program Director, I hope to impact change and prepare future leaders to provide evidence-based care.”

Featured Preceptor: Renea Price, Bringing Compassionate Care to Rural Eastern North Carolina

August 23, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

This quarter’s Frontier Nursing University (FNU) featured preceptor is an FNU alumni Renea Price, FNP. Price brings a strong work ethic and immense compassion to the people of Inner Banks, N.C.

Growing up in rural North Carolina, Price always had an interest in health care and a heart for improving the health status of her community. She saw the need for care in her community and was determined to make a difference. Her first step in this journey began in 1998 when she worked as a certified medical assistant at a local OB-GYN practice. As soon as she dipped her toes into health care, she knew she was right in taking this path. In 2001, she became a registered nurse, working in a wide range of health care positions over the next nine years, including emergency medicine, urgent care, long-term care, and medical-surgical nursing.

In 2010, she graduated with her Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) master of science in nursing degree through Frontier. In 2015, she opened her own clinic in Plymouth, N.C. named Inner Banks Family Medicine. Today the practice goes by Roanoke Clinics.

The clinic’s location is rural and underserved. As with the majority of rural, blue-collar areas, Plymouth was in need of quality medical providers. Today, the clinic serves many logging and agricultural employees as well as paper mill and local government workers. When Price opened her practice, not only did she introduce an essential community service, she also established a new standard of care for her community.

FNP student Jessica Woodard nominated Price as this quarter’s featured preceptor. This is what Woodard has to say after her experience working alongside Price:

“The compassion Price shows to her community of Plymouth is profound, as well as the relationships she has and continues to create. Her altruistic character is not only shown in her practice but also in her call to precept students. I truly believe the students she precepts not only gain the experience of a nurse practitioner but also profit from the genuine, selfless nature of Renea. I can only hope to be as self-sacrificing as she is when I become an FNP.”

According to Woodard, when Price isn’t working in the clinic, she is volunteering at COVID-19 vaccination clinics or making house calls to her patients.

Price is a true example of FNU’s Culture of Caring, and the university is proud to have her as an alumni member and preceptor to current FNP students.

Thank you for your example to so many, Renea!

Are you interested in becoming a preceptor?

If you are a Certified Nurse-Midwife, Certified Family Nurse Practitioner, Certified Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner, or a Certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, there is no better way to give back to FNU than by becoming a clinical preceptor. Our distance education model thrives because of talented clinical preceptors which is why we ensure that every preceptor is supported with educational resources to help in their role as a clinical educator. We also offer an honorarium for precepting after the student finishes his/her clinical practicum. Are you interested in becoming a preceptor? Let us know by clicking here and filling out a preceptor information request form.

Patty Coldiron Fills Urgent Need with Urgent Care

June 14, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

The inspirational success stories of FNU graduates are many. Very few, however, start with dropping out of high school. Nonetheless, that is the way the story of how Patty Coldiron, MSN, FNP, Bridge 102, opened Hometown Urgent Care in January begins.

Born and raised in rural Harlan County, Kentucky, Coldiron dropped out of high school and, at the age of 16, gave birth to her son Joshua, who was born with spina bifida.

“He is the reason I went into nursing,” Coldiron said. “I wanted to know everything I could medically to be able to help him. Having knowledge in the field of nursing allowed me to help him physically and mentally, giving him the mindset he can do everything everyone else does, just a little differently.”

Three years after Joshua’s birth, Coldiron went back to school and earned her GED. At 25, she began working as a Certified Nursing Assistant and worked for four years before being laid off. Undeterred, she kept moving forward.

“I went to my local Community Action Agency and applied for the displaced worker’s program,” Coldiron said. “I was accepted and through that program, I received my licensed practical nurse degree. When the local community college bought the technical college, they came to me and asked if I would sign up for their Registered Nurse program.”

In 2003, she graduated from Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College with an associate’s degree in nursing. She worked in several areas, including on the medical/surgical floor and the ER, but her primary area was home health. With her career and goals coming into focus, Coldiron joined two of her friends in applying to FNU.

“We all three were accepted, but I was the only one who decided to follow through,” said Coldiron, who graduated in 2015.

During her last term, Joshua was in a motor vehicle accident and spent nearly a month in the ICU.

“The days I had to work my mom (Pauline Boggs) would stay with him,” Coldiron said. “I sat in the hospital with him and would try to study and get ready for my boards. With the help of family and God, I finished and he eventually came home, but never the same. The knowledge I had from going to Frontier, without a doubt helped me care for him again, and let me keep him 14 more months after the accident.”

Joshua passed away on May 31, 2016.

“He was the kindest, gentle, humble person you would ever meet,” Coldiron said. “He was wheelchair dependent but that didn’t stop him. He was an avid outdoorsman. He loved to ride his ATV to hunt. He also loved to fish. He drove independently with gears fixed onto his car. He worked as a night watchman and in a factory making apparel for the armed forces. He lived a normal life.”

Patty’s other son, Kacy, has a master’s degree in Occupational Safety and works in Atlanta. He and his wife Kendra have a son, Emmerich.

Dealing with boards and Joshua’s passing, Coldiron pressed on. She worked at a local hospital as a family nurse-practitioner until, in April 2020, she was one of many to be laid off due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. She began working for a private-owned urgent care provider and had to travel for work. That was the turning point.

“The latter part of 2020 I decided if I am ever going to start my business now is the time,” Coldiron said. “I asked medical assistant Katie Pierce if she would help me. She jumped in and got the insurance and providers credentialed. We opened Hometown Urgent Care in Harlan County on January 4, 2021.”

Not only was opening her own practice what Coldiron needed, but it was also what the community needed as well.

“In Harlan, there is the emergency room and primary care offices,” Coldiron said. “I knew from working the ER there was a need for urgent care. My community had never had an urgent care medical center.”

Proof of that need was seen immediately. In the first five months of being open, Hometown Urgent Care has had more than 1,000 patients. The clinic employs two receptionists, three medical assistants, three nurse practitioners, and the office administrator. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. to be accessible to working families.

“The community has welcomed us with open arms,” Coldiron said. “Parents who work and struggle to get their children or themselves to a primary care provider are grateful for health care in hours that will work for them.”

Coldiron knows that there are other communities like Harlan in need of an urgent care facility and intends to help fill that void in the future.

“My goal is to open more Hometown Urgent Care clinics in other rural areas that have a need for this sort of clinic and are having to utilize the emergency rooms for minor and urgent illness, especially after hours,” she said.

Coldiron’s drive and determination are apparent. With every setback, she seems to respond with even more resolve than ever. While that certainly comes from within, she credits FNU with developing her skills and preparing her to provide the care her community needs.

“Frontier Nursing University gave me the knowledge to make a profound impact in health care from pediatrics all the way to geriatrics,” she said. “Frontier taught me through the program experience, didactic course, and clinical skills, to be above standard. Frontier not only gave me knowledge, but they also gave me confidence in the assessment, diagnosis, and delivery of treatment.”

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.

Frontier Faculty Dr. Geraldine Q. Young Recognized for Her Contributions to Higher Education

March 8, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

In honor of Women’s History Month, Diverse magazine recently published its annual special report recognizing women who have made exceptional contributions to higher education in recent years. Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is proud to announce that Dr. Geraldine Young, chief diversity and inclusion officer was one of the 25 outstanding women recognized in this year’s announcement!

Dr. Young, whose service in the nursing profession spans over 20 years, joined FNU in the fall of 2019. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (2010), a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from Alcorn State University (2005), and a BSN from the University of Mississippi Medical Center (2001). She is also a board-certified family nurse practitioner (FNP) (2005) and certified diabetes care and education specialist (2011).

“I am incredibly honored and humbled to be recognized on this special list of women,” Dr. Young said. “I am thankful to have led the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at FNU over the past year. As we strengthen our own environment, we have the opportunity to set an example and standard for other institutions to follow. I thank Diverse magazine for this honor and for giving us this platform to inspire others.”

2021 marks the 10th anniversary of Diverse highlighting women who have made a difference by tackling some of higher education’s toughest challenges, exhibiting extraordinary leadership skills, and making a positive difference in their respective communities. It is a true honor to have FNU faculty represented in this enlightening special report.

Click here to view the full article highlighting the efforts of Dr. Young and all of the other wonderful women who have been working hard to improve our education systems!

Alumni Spotlight: Hélène A. Nau: Providing Care to Those Who Need it Most.

December 10, 2020 By Frontier Nursing University

Dr. Hélène Nau, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, graduated with her doctor of nursing practice (DNP) from Frontier Nursing University (FNU) in March of this year. Originally from Haiti, Nau built and ran the only emergency room in her home country and was the only trained emergency provider on the island when the devastating earthquake hit in January of 2010.

When the earthquake occurred, Nau was already an emergency RN, first responder, and medical reserve corps for Broward County and Miami-Dade. She is also advanced trauma, acute care and basic life support certified and has served in many critical environments and natural disaster-affected communities.

Following the earthquake recovery process, Nau moved to the United States to further her medical education. She earned her bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) Magna Cum Laude from Chamberlain College of Nursing in 2015, then pursued her master of science in nursing (MSN) with a concentration in family medicine at Chamberlain University and graduated in 2017 with distinction.

Nau said she chose to become a family nurse practitioner (FNP) so that she could better provide a broad spectrum of care to those in need.

“I didn’t want to find myself limited to one population,” Nau said. “I wanted to be able to serve families, geriatric, women and pediatric, to provide as much care as possible. I believe in hands-on holistic care and enjoy the possibility of treating whole families.”

Nau first heard about Frontier while doing online research to find the best DNP program for her lifestyle. She chose FNU for the low tuition, flexibility and time frame offered for completing the DNP program. Although, once she enrolled, Nau found her favorite part of the program to be the Frontier Bound and Clinical Bound sessions. Nau loved connecting and building community with fellow students.

“I am incredibly thankful for all of the close friends I made through the FNU Bound sessions, and for the support I received from the wonderful faculty throughout my journey,” Nau said.

Nau completed her DNP at FNU with a 4.0 GPA.

In 2014 and 2015, Nau was the Volunteer of the Year Award recipient in Broward County. Additionally, this year she received the Pearl Of Nursing Award from Pearls of Life Women Foundation. She also is a Board Member for CapraCare, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing sustainable health programs for Haitian children and their families.

Because of her background working with those dealing with devastation, Nau’s focus is to deliver care to individuals and families who might otherwise go without access due to their immigration or financial status. For this reason, Nau opened her practice, HEALTH360, a direct primary care facility in Pembroke Pines, Fla. Her practice was created with the mission to deliver affordable and accessible quality care to those in her community. Through the direct primary care model, Nau can treat those without insurance or with high deductible plans more personally, with an obtainable cost for the patient.

Celebrating Dr. Nau’s 50th birthday at Neurofit360

In her spare time, Nau volunteers at NeuroFit360, a neurological recovery facility dedicated to spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries, where she dons multiple hats. She is in charge of human resources, health maintenance monitoring, X-ray and MRI reading. She also administers IV therapy at NeuroFit360 to neurologically injured clients and high-performance athletes.

Nau is also an outspoken cancer fighter who promotes early detection. Her DNP project was titled Implementation of Screening and Effective Care for Cancer Prevention at GetMed Urgent Care and worked to implement cancer screenings at an urgent care center that had not previously offered this service. Her results showed how easy and vital adding these types of programs to new environments can be.

To round off her many accomplishments, Nau is also a member of the Emergency Nurses Association, Haitian-American Nurses Association, Black Nurse Practitioners of Palm Beach County, AANP and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society.

Although she is a board-certified family practitioner, runs her own practice and has won multiple awards, Nau likes to say that the most important people in her life just call her “Mom”.

Thank you, Hélène, for all you do to provide quality care to those in need. FNU is proud to have you as a part of our community!

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