Mary Breckinridge | Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University Donates Wendover Bed & Breakfast and Retreat Center to Leslie County (Ky.) Betterment, Inc.

June 30, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

Porch at Big House – Wendover Bed & Breakfast

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) announced today Leslie County Betterment, Inc., has accepted the university’s offer to donate the Wendover Bed & Breakfast and Retreat Center to them for the benefit of the people of Leslie County. The gift includes all the property and buildings that make up the Wendover Bed & Breakfast and Retreat Center. The total value of the donation is estimated at just under two million dollars. The transfer of the property was completed today, June 30, 2021.
The decision to donate the property was made by the FNU Board of Directors at its meeting on April 29, 2021. The property was the home of Mary Breckinridge and the Frontier Nursing Service. The centerpiece is the “Big House”, which was built in 1925 and is a National Historic Landmark.

“While we are sad to say goodbye to such a significant part of our history, we are extremely happy that the residents of Leslie County will be able to continue to enjoy the beauty of Wendover,” FNU President Dr. Susan Stone said. “We are thankful for the wonderful home that Wendover provided us for so many years and for the memories we will carry with us always. We know that many more fond memories will be created there and that Leslie County Betterment will put the property to continued good use for the benefit of the county and its residents.”

FNU has completed construction on its new campus in Versailles, Kentucky. The land, which was purchased in 2017, was the former home of The United Methodist Children’s Home. The new 217-acre campus maintains FNU’s presence in a rural county while providing more space to serve FNU’s more than 2,500 students.

Alumni Spotlight: Certified Nurse-Midwife Jennifer Cameron Opens Women’s Wellness Center to Serve Community

March 2, 2020 By Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) alumna Jennifer Cameron, MSN, CNM, is serving her hometown community as the only certified nurse-midwife (CNM) in a two-county area.

Jennifer’s hometown of Manistee, Mich. has a population of 15,000 with around 25,000 in the surrounding county. It is a predominantly rural area and many patients suffer socio-economic challenges.

Two years ago, Jennifer was working at West Shore Medical Center OB-GYN, the town’s first ever in-hospital midwifery care facility. West Shore was bought out by the large regional Munson Healthcare and the OB department was shut down.

To meet the needs of patients, Jennifer opened Transitions Women’s Wellness Center, a women’s wellness center and free-standing birthing facility, and the only facility to deliver a baby in a two-county area. In the first full year of practice, Transitions received National Best Practice recognition.

As a full-scope CNM, Jennifer is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. She offers non-traditional office hours at Transitions to accommodate work schedules and allow significant others and older children to attend appointments whenever possible.

“I spend around an hour with each patient to make sure I am getting to know the whole woman so I can offer individualized, full-scope holistic care,” said Jennifer.

Transitions accepts every type of insurance including Medicaid, the most common coverage her patients carry. Michigan does not recognize or license birth centers, so Jennifer receives no facility reimbursement from the state. She has a part-time office assistant but has not been able to afford to hire help or take home a paycheck.

“I know that Mary Breckinridge never worried about payment for services and that things will improve in time,” said Jennifer. “I get paid in hugs and baked goods and donations of needed supplies. I know that I’m doing good things for the right reasons, for women and families that need and deserve a different kind of care.”

Jennifer chose to pursue nurse-midwifery because she wanted to bring the option of midwifery care to the area where she grew up. Many of the women in Manistee County are socioeconomically challenged, undereducated, underserved and underprivileged, but Jennifer’s hope is that by educating and empowering them, lives will be impacted not just today but for generations to come.

“I feel really blessed to be able to serve the women in this area,” said Jennifer. “The most rewarding thing for me is helping women who don’t think they’re worth much. When they leave after a year of pregnancy and child-bearing, they go as empowered women who know what’s going on with their bodies, understand how to be healthy, how to advocate for themselves and how important it is to be treated with respect in regards to healthcare.”

Transitions received a lot of media attention at the start of the new year. With the closing of the OB department, 2020 was the first year in the history of Manistee County that the first baby of the new year was not born in a hospital! The birth took place at Transitions. Jennifer had cared for the mother during her first three pregnancies but had never been present for the births, so it was special for her to attend the birth of the mother’s fourth child.

Jennifer graduated from FNU in 2013 with her master of science in nursing degree specializing in nurse-midwifery (class 74). She originally chose FNU after her first experience with nurse-midwives.

“We moved to Traverse City 19 years ago. At my job, there were four nurse-midwives, three of whom happened to be FNU graduates. They told me about Mary Breckinridge and the university’s continued mission to serve the underserved, and I was sold. I was born and raised in this rural area, and the people I grew up with deserve better care.”

Jennifer credits her time at FNU for giving her a different perspective on nurse-midwifery and healthcare than she would have received at another university.

“Other programs focus on how to work with doctors and make money, but Frontier really emphasizes how to recognize the need in your community,” she said. “They teach you to be an entrepreneur with the intent of seeking out those in need and serving them.”

Jennifer would like to see this service mentality embraced by nurse-midwives across the country.

“I think if Mary Breckinridge’s mission of serving the underserved were to spread through the entire nurse-midwifery community, and the medical community in general, we would have a much better picture of healthcare,” she said.

Jennifer has observed that the FNU community is distinctive in the nurse-midwifery world because of its diversity and its commitment to the higher calling of serving those in need. Being a part of this community has enriched Jennifer’s life.

“On days where I struggle, I reach out to my FNU nurse-midwifery classmates. Even though we live all over the country, we have stayed in close contact and I consider them my sisters. We support each other anytime, day or night, and we’re there for each other. I don’t think I would have had that type of close-knit community from any other midwifery program.”

To learn more about becoming a nurse-midwife and all of FNU’s program offerings, visit Frontier.edu.

What is a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)?

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

Alumni Spotlight: Melissa Lawlor

August 22, 2019 By frontieredu

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) alumna Melissa Lawlor wears many hats. In addition to being a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) student and Certified Nurse-Midwife, she is a firefighter, EMT, educator, wife and mother of three.

“Frontier teaches you how to find the areas in your community that need serving and look for how you can best serve there,” said Melissa. Her search has led her into the education arena.

From her home in Pleasant Valley, New York, Melissa travels locally, statewide and even across the country, giving presentations about breastfeeding at medical conferences. She is working to raise awareness among fellow healthcare providers of the physical, emotional and economic benefits of breastfeeding.

She also gives free educational presentations to community members, covering the subjects of OB/GYN emergencies and possible complications. After attending one of Melissa’s presentations recently, her son, a firefighter/EMT, was able to save a premature baby’s life.

Melissa currently runs a private practice focused on home birth and lactation. She will be joining a hospital practice in the fall, allowing her to increase her scope of care.

In her practice, Melissa works with a diverse population of women. She is passionate about educating her low-income patients about the economic benefits of breastfeeding. Many on Medicaid have been able to alleviate the expenses associated with formula and bottle-feeding, freeing up those funds for other health complications.

Recently Melissa received the 2019 Dutchess County EMS Educator of Excellence Award for her tireless work educating EMS providers using evidence-based medicine.

When she decided to go to nursing school, Melissa knew she wanted to be a nurse-midwife, and FNU’s storied legacy drew her to apply. “I can clearly remember reading a book about Mary Breckinridge in high school. I thought, ‘This woman is amazing and what she accomplished was incredible,’” said Melissa.

One of the most valuable skills Melissa learned at FNU was community assessment. “They give you the skills to dig into your community, and you come out a more well-rounded healthcare provider,” she said.

“I’m always thinking, ‘What legacy will I leave behind?’ For me, a door has opened to educate healthcare providers and that’s where I am choosing to make my impact.”

Thank you, Melissa, for inspiring us with the many ways you impact your community!

Nine Students Commit to Summer of Service with FNU’s Courier Program

June 3, 2019 By frontieredu

Versailles, Ky. – Nine college students will arrive in Hyden, Ky., on June 11, prepared for a summer of service to the communities and residents of rural eastern Kentucky. Every summer Frontier Nursing University (FNU) gives college students from around the country an opportunity to participate in the Courier Program.

In 1928, FNU founder Mary Breckinridge established the Courier Program, recruiting young people to work in the Kentucky Mountains and learn about service to humanity. Couriers escorted guests safely through remote terrain, delivered medical supplies to remote outpost clinics, and helped nurse-midwives during home visits and births. Frontier has benefited tremendously from the 1,600 Couriers who have served since 1928.

The Courier Program is a service-learning experience that provides an opportunity for students interested in public health, health care or related fields to see what it is like to provide medical care to an underserved population.

“We are very excited to welcome these fantastic students to the Courier Program,” said FNU Courier Program Coordinator Tara Dykes-Barnes. “We hope they have a rewarding experience serving in Appalachia. We are proud to welcome them to the FNU Courier family.”

Meet the nine students who are answering the call to serve in rural Kentucky this summer:

Sarah Baldree

Sarah is a 20-year-old attending Williams College in Massachusetts. Originally from Macon, Georgia, Sarah is working on a double major in biology and psychology and will be spending fall 2019 studying in Amsterdam.

Breanna Bowling

Breanna is a public health pre-med student at Eastern Kentucky University. She is involved in the honors program, the service council, and Alpha Phi Omega. She hopes to pursue an MD and Master of Public Health (MPH) dual degree.

Audrey Cameron

Audrey is a rising junior at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada. She is studying honors philosophy with a minor in health and society. Audrey is part of her school’s first aid team, providing coverage at UBC community events. She also works with the education and outreach branch of the team, facilitating workshops on student health.

Emily Cross

Emily is a recent Skidmore College graduate from Andover, Massachusetts. She has a degree in neuroscience and a minor in theater. She spent the last year working on her thesis looking into maternal and paternal methamphetamine use in fruit flies. She has been an EMT for three years and has volunteered with several hospice organizations. She hopes to become a palliative care doctor or a forensic pathologist.

Daniel Goold

Daniel is a 22-year-old from northern California. He is currently a student at Brigham Young University. Daniel is passionate about the medical field and hopes to attend medical school after graduation.

Reilly Hail

Reilly is a 21-year-old from northern California but will be relocating to Franklin, Tennessee after completing the Courier Program to start a nursing program in August. She would like to become a nurse-midwife and is excited to learn from other nurse-midwives.

Eric Lakomek

Eric is a 20-year-old rising junior from Saint John, Indiana. He attends Wabash College, where he is majoring in psychology with a minor in global health and chemistry. His hope is to attend medical school. He is a member of Phi Delta Theta and has been involved in the Wabash Dance Marathon, Global Health Initiative, the Public Health Organization, and the baseball team.

Dorn McMahon

Originally from New Jersey, Dorn moved to Maine in the summer of 2001. Dorn is a junior in the nursing program at the University of Maine at Fort Kent and hopes to continue working in the medical field with a focus on population health.

HaLee Morgan

HaLee is from Hyden, Kentucky. FNU’s first official “local courier,” HaLee graduated from Leslie County High School in Hyden. She plans to obtain her RN license next year. After that, she hopes to attend FNU to obtain a master’s degree with a specialty as a family nurse practitioner. Her ultimate goal is to become a pediatric nurse practitioner and serve rural communities.

Read more about each 2019 Courier and see their photos at Frontier.edu/Meetthe2019Couriers.

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.

FNU Celebrates National Nurses Week

May 2, 2019 By frontieredu

This week, Frontier Nursing University (FNU) will join millions across the country to celebrate National Nurses Week. Beginning Monday, May 6, and culminating on the birthday of legendary nurse Florence Nightingale on Sunday, May 12, National Nurses Week marks a time for all of us impacted by nurses’ selfless work to celebrate together and express our appreciation. FNU honors all nurses during this holiday week, especially the thousands of FNU nurse-midwifery and nurse practitioner alumni and students dedicated to serving women and families and carrying out the legacy that Mary Breckinridge set forth.

The theme of this year’s National Nurses Week, led by the American Nurses Association (ANA), is 4 Million Reasons to Celebrate – “a nod to nurses’ sheer numbers and an open invitation to thank a nurse for enriching our lives and the world we live in.”

The 4 million registered nurses comprise the largest group of health professionals in the United States. Nurses have been ranked as the professionals with the highest honesty and ethical standards by the American public for 17 consecutive years.

Here are several ways for FNU students, faculty and alumni to participate in National Nurses Week:

1. Attend the FREE Nurses4Us: Elevating the Profession! Webinar

Presented by ANA’s president Dr. Ernest Grant, PhD, RN, FAAN, the webinar will provide insider strategies as experts discuss ways to increase nurses’ professional presence beyond hospital walls. Join the conversation on Twitter with #NursesWeekLive, where you can follow highlights from @ANANursingWorld and take part in a special Q&A session with nurse leaders. For more information and to register, visit the National Nurses Week website.

2. Organize an Event For Your Colleagues

Make the week special for the nurses you work with every day. Positive Promotions has rounded up 50 ways to celebrate National Nurses Week, including organizing a “Nurses Night Out” event, kicking off a “Nurse of the Month” recognition program and putting on an ice cream social.

3. Honor a Nurse (or Treat Yourself!) with a Unique Gift

The ANA has partnered with Jim Coleman to offer a wide variety of products through its Honor a Nurse program. Shop totes, shirts, water bottles, notebooks and more to find the perfect gift for your favorite nurse! View the entire product line at JimColemanStore.com.

4. Keep Up with Your 4 Million Fellow Nurses on Twitter

Follow @RNAction, @ANAEthics and @HealthyNurseUSA on Twitter to stay up-to-date on the nursing world, and see ways other nurses are celebrating #NursesWeek.

How do you plan to celebrate National Nursing Week? Share a photo on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook and tag Frontier Nursing University so that we can see how our students, faculty, preceptors and alumni are celebrating one another! Use #FNUAnswerTheCall so we can see how you and your colleagues are truly answering the call to serve your communities.

Second Annual “Operation: FNS Nurse Gift Delivery” Funds Christmas for Locals

January 23, 2019 By frontieredu

In December, Frontier Nursing University (FNU) teamed up with the AmeriCorps TASK VISTA to make Christmas special for 17 families in the Leslie County, Ky. community.

The second annual “Operation: FNS Nurse Gift Delivery” funded gift bags that contained 50 dollars’ worth of toys and clothing for local children and expecting mothers. The items in the bag were chosen specific to each recipient’s sizes and preferences.

The gifts were brought to the Leslie County Early Head Start center on Monday, December 17th, 2018, where Austyn Caudill and Tara Dykes of the FNU Courier Program delivered them dressed in FNS nurse uniform. Frontier Nursing Service (FNS) was founded by Mary Breckinridge in 1925 to improve health care access for the rural, underserved population of the Appalachian region.

The recipients were 14 children ranging from 0-3 years of age, and three soon-to-be mothers.

After the gifts, which were signed “From: Mary Breckinridge,” were given, the Couriers served snacks and taught the children about Mrs. Breckinridge’s service in Appalachia. Each child also received a tote bag with a candy and an apple, in keeping with a tradition Mrs. Breckinridge started during Christmas parties at the Big House in the 1900s.

Operation: FNS Nurse Gift Delivery was made possible by the Children and Christmas Fund at FNU. Donations from community members attending the Wendover Holiday Dinner were also collected and utilized.

The children of Appalachia still have significant need, and FNU hopes to expand the project to additional Head Start centers in the region.

For more information on the FNU Children and Christmas Fund and how to sponsor more events like this in Appalachia, please email Denise.Barrett@frontier.edu. Together, we are all serving Appalachia.

View photos from the event below.

: Children munch on Christmas-themed snacks

: The little ones enjoyed the day too!

: Children unwrap gifts from “Mary Breckinridge”

: Each gift was thoughtfully chosen according to the children’s preferences

: The parents loved watching their little ones open gifts

: FNU staff Austyn Caudill (left in Riding Uniform) and Tara Dykes (right)

Alumni Spotlight: Christa Salling, FNP, CLC

December 13, 2018 By frontieredu

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) alumna Christa Salling, FNP, CLC credits her education for allowing her to enter a fulfilling career.

As a Registered Nurse, Christa worked in a local hospital on various units and she soon found it wasn’t satisfying her professionally. She decided to expand her education and graduated with her Family Nurse Practitioner certification (Class 110) in 2015. With her advanced practice degree, Christa moved into a family practice residency clinic with St. Anthony’s North. However, she longed to return to her original passion in Women’s Health. She took a position in Perinatal Home Care, but unfortunately, the company restructured and could not offer the hours Christa needed. She was grateful to accept a position in an OB/GYN office with a company she had spent much of her nursing career with.

In her role, Christa serves urban, rural and underserved women as she cares for their obstetrical or gynecological needs including all forms of birth control. She can spend an extended amount of time getting to know her patients and their families, teaching healthy habits, and tailoring care to their needs. She has also expanded her care into the inpatient setting, rounding, teaching and discharging newly postpartum mothers.

Also, as a Certified Lactation Counselor, Christa is able to help with breastfeeding challenges.

Christa finds her new work satisfying because she gets to serve the women in her community. Regardless of whether a woman has private insurance, Medicaid, or self pay, Christa feels she is able to make positive changes in her patients’ lives.

“This work has fulfilled my dream when I decided to be a NP,” she said. “I get to care for women and see them through some of their best times and some of their worst times!”

She chose to study at FNU because of its history and reputation. Through helping these women, Christa feels that she is continuing the work and vision of Mary Breckinridge.

“Frontier’s vision has become my dream, and now it feels fulfilled,” said Christa.

Thank you for your dedication to underserved mothers and babies, Christa! We are proud to have you as part of the FNU community.

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 who are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality health care to underserved and rural populations.

Courier Coffee Vlogs Showcase Value of FNU Courier Experience

November 26, 2018 By frontieredu

Each summer, Frontier Nursing University (FNU) welcomes qualified, motivated students to Hyden, Ky. to participate in the eight-week Courier Program, originally established by Mary Breckinridge in 1928. Though the program has continued over nine decades, its goal remains the same: To recruit young people for a service-learning experience among the communities of Eastern Kentucky.

Since its beginning, over 1,600 Couriers have served this noble cause. Two years ago, FNU introduced the Courier Coffee vlog series, videos showcasing present and former Frontier Couriers and how their experiences have impacted their lives today.

In the most recent episodes, two Couriers that served in summer of 2016 share how their time in service has given them a better understanding of the needs and culture of underserved populations.

In Episode 18, Jonathan Allotey, BA explains that his relationships with people in Hyden and surrounding areas as a Courier shaped his future as a healthcare provider.

A Ghana native, Jonathan is now earning his MS in Physiology from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Upon acceptance to the Courier program in 2016, he was nervous about being accepted by the Appalachian community as a black immigrant, but left with a “cultural humility” that helps him see every person in the same light.

“Frontier Nursing University and the people of Eastern Kentucky warmly welcomed me,” said Jonathan. He emphasized that living and working alongside practitioners in an underserved area helped him break down the walls between him and people that come from different backgrounds.

Jonathan was also inspired by watching health care providers in those rural areas shift the thinking of a whole population through community-based care, like support groups and health clinics.

“Every student who considers going into healthcare should strongly consider applying and participating in the Courier program,” he said. “I thoroughly enjoyed my time here as a Courier.”

In Episode 17, May Congdon discusses why the Courier program experience is one she recommends for others.

May, who graduated with a BA in Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies, works at a reproductive health clinic. Her service as a Courier in 2016 showed her the joy of treating her current patients authentically and holistically. May split her time between a faith-based health clinic and a hospice, where she said she experienced diversity amongst patients’ backgrounds and religious beliefs.

“The Courier Program has inspired me to be a dedicated public servant and to approach each patient interaction free of judgment or stereotype,” she said.

May has stayed connected with Frontier by joining the Courier Advisory Committee, helping lead the future of the Courier Program.

“It was a joy to be here,” she said. “Seeing this program continue and become stronger is very rewarding for me.”

In 1928, Mary Breckinridge, founder of Frontier Nursing University established the Courier Program, recruiting young people to come work in the Kentucky Mountains and learn about service to humanity. Couriers escorted guests safely through remote terrain, delivered medical supplies to remote outpost clinics, and helped nurse-midwives during home visits and births. Frontier has benefited tremendously from the 1,600 Couriers who have served since 1928.

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 health care to underserved and rural populations.