Mary Breckinridge | Page 3 | Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Shares Annual Holiday Dinner With Community

January 4, 2018 By frontieredu

On Sunday, December 7, guests were greeted with steaming cider and the cozy warmth of the fireplace as they gathered in the Wendover Bed & Breakfast Inn and Retreat Center for the Frontier Nursing University (FNU) community holiday dinner.

Hosted at the historic headquarters of Frontier Nursing Service, 25 friends and members of the community attended the event. Guests included Bill Napier, City Commissioner of Hyden, Ky.; Derek Lewis, candidate for Kentucky State Representative; Allison Holbrook, Vice President of Leslie County Chamber of Commerce; Timothy Baker, Leslie County Chamber of Commerce President; and Vaughda Wooten-Hyden Veterans Cemetery Director, among many others listed below.

If desired, guests were guided by FNU Development Officer Michael Claussen on tours throughout the inn, the original log structure built by Mary Breckinridge in 1925. Then they were treated to jovial conversation over a delicious meal of of ham, turkey, potatoes, roasted vegetables, salad, rolls, dessert, and hot tea in the tradition of Mrs. Breckinridge’s afternoon brew.

Guests then gathered in the living room for Christmas carols led by the voice and piano accompaniment of Dean Osborne, an FNU Trustee and the Director of the Kentucky School of Bluegrass and Traditional Music.

Dr. Susan Stone, President of FNU, took the floor to welcome the guests and share some recent FNU news. A major headline of the evening was the announcement of a partnership between Wendover Bed & Breakfast and Retreat Center and Snug Hollow Farm Bed & Breakfast, an eco-friendly inn in central Kentucky. The partnership will bring about new opportunities and “great changes,” according to Dr. Stone.

She also encouraged the community to utilize and spread the word about Wendover’s facilities for events or retreats.

View the Snug Hollow Partnership press release here.

Guests:
Angela Feltner – Leslie County HS Drama Teacher, Wendover Advisory Committee, Leslie County Saddle Club
Sandra Napier – School Nurse for Leslie county schools,Wendover Advisory Committee, Leslie County Saddle Club
Dean Osborne – FNU Trustee, Director of Kentucky School of Bluegrass and Traditional Music
Derek Lewis – Owner of Hometown Pharmacy, candidate for Kentucky State Representative
Timothy Baker – Owner of Red Light Café, Director of Development and Communications at Housing Development Alliance, Leslie County Chamber of Commerce President
Amy & Bru Brudnicki – former Leslie County resident, 2018 Wendover Advisory Committee Member
Vaughda Wooten – Hyden Veterans Cemetery Director
Allison Holbrook – Vice President of Leslie County Chamber of Commerce
Bill Napier – Hyden City Commissioner
Rita Jeffers – Family Service Office Supervisor for Protection and Permanency in Leslie County
Rhonda Napier, Barbara Napier, and Olivia – representatives from Snug Hollow Bed & Breakfast

Courier Spotlight: Paul Florsheim

November 13, 2017 By frontieredu

Paul Florsheim had always been impressed with the story of Mary Breckinridge. In 1983, inspired by her fearless service, he traveled to Leslie County, Ky., to become a Courier.

As a Courier, Paul traveled from clinic to clinic to assist doctors and nurses with routine medical procedures. Some of his more eye-opening experiences included holding down a young boy who was just six or seven years old so he could have an infected boil lanced and administrating a pregnancy test to a woman who reacted vehemently to the outcoming result. The experiences introduced Paul to the great need for compassion and kindness in medical care.

On occasion, Paul also had the opportunity to attend births at the Frontier Nursing Service (FNS) hospital in Hyden, Ky. The public service physicians took him and the other Couriers under their wings and taught them about medicine and nursing in the FNS tradition.

“I was so impressed with their sense of purposefulness and goodwill,” said Paul.
During his time as a Courier, Paul got to know the people in the Hyden community. He even built a chair from scratch with one family, and to this day has the chair as a reminder of his memories serving as a Courier.

Paul is now a professor of public health and a clinical psychologist who works primarily with underserved and disadvantaged populations, a mission aligned with that of the Courier Program. His work focuses on developing programs to support the mental and relationship health of young expectant mothers and fathers during their transition to parenthood. Paul considers his most significant career accomplishment launching a new school of public health in a highly underserved area of Milwaukee, Wis.

“I have been working with midwives in prenatal clinics for many years, and when I mention I spent a summer at FNS, my credibility increases tenfold,” said Paul. “My commitment to helping expectant mothers and fathers with their transitions to parenthood certainly began at FNS!”

Paul fondly remembers his eye-opening summer at FNS and encourages other young people to take the opportunity to learn in this unique setting.

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.

In 1928, Mary Breckinridge, founder of Frontier Nursing University 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.

2017 Nurse-Midwifery Virtual Event Recap

October 19, 2017 By frontieredu

From October 1-7, Frontier Nursing University (FNU) collaborated with nurse-midwives, faculty, and health care providers to present 2017’s Mission Focused: Nurse-Midwives Answering the Call virtual event. Each year during National Midwifery Week in October, FNU presents this exciting event to explore the experiences of Certified Nurse-Midwives who are passionate leaders committed to better care for women and families.

The closing session, titled “Nurse-Midwives on a Mission: How Can I Make a Difference?”, reflected on some of the key takeaways from the week and the action steps that can be taken by a nurse-midwife or future nurse-midwife to truly make a difference in maternity and primary care.

The 20-minute session, available here, is presented by Jane Houston DNP, CNM, Clinical Director for Midwifery and Women’s Health at FNU. Her primary question: “Are we answering the call of Mary Breckinridge?” Houston reaches a conclusion by revisiting the virtual presentations shared throughout the week to recognize midwifery-led care:

Workforce, Leadership, and Student Issues in the U.S.

Vulnerable Populations and Nurse-Midwifery Care

Entrepreneurship and Holistic Care for All Families

In conclusion, Houston restates the question: “Are we answering the call of Mary Breckinridge?” Her answer: A resounding “YES!”

“The FNU community under the Banyan Tree is strong, resilient, resourceful, diverse, inclusive, multifaceted and is ready, able, and answering the call of our Founding Mother, Mary Breckinridge,” said Houston.

Thank you to Houston and all of the presenters, participants, and virtual attendees that made this event possible.

Frontier Shares Annual Holiday Dinner With Community

Courier Spotlight: Paul Florsheim

2017 Nurse-Midwifery Virtual Event Recap

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