Alumni Spotlight: Liz Carr pursues unique skill set in cardiovascular care and nurse-midwifery

January 9, 2023 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 who are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality healthcare to underserved and rural populations.

Though some may see the work of a cardiovascular intensive care unit nurse and the work of a nurse-midwife as somewhat disparate, Frontier Nursing University recent graduate Liz Carr is confident that her background working in an ICU translates well to nurse-midwifery. A resident of Lexington, Ky., Carr currently works at the University of Kentucky (UK) Healthcare Albert B Chandler Hospital Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit and recently earned her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in Nurse-Midwifery from FNU.

“I chose a cardiovascular background very intentionally,” Carr said. “Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in pregnancy. I chose not to work labor and delivery as an RN, but still wanted to gain skills and knowledge I could apply as a midwife. I am so privileged to do a nursing job I love and also study something I love. While cardiovascular intensive care and midwifery are different, I am hopeful that my unique skill set will be an asset to my future patients and their communities.”

Originally from Atlanta, Carr earned her BSN from UK in 2017 and has worked at the Albert B Chandler Hospital Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit for approximately five years.

Carr has dreamed of becoming a nurse-midwife since she was 13 years old.

“In my middle school sex education class, we watched a video of an unmedicated vaginal birth. All of the other students were horrified, but I was riveted. I knew from that moment on that I wanted to be a birth worker and usher people through that powerful experience,” she said.

Throughout her time studying at FNU, Carr said she has particularly appreciated the strong sense of community among students and faculty members. This was illustrated for her when former faculty member Dr. Kendra Faucett sent her a list of all of the midwives in the area to assist in her search for preceptors.

“It was the moment that I felt like I was really in the right place with an amazing community of people who will always champion my success,” she said.

Carr worked at four clinical sites throughout her time at FNU, the last of which was with FNU alumni Paula Brandt at the recommendation of FNU clinical advisor Carisa Lipp.

“There was never anywhere else I would want to be. Frontier is the home of nurse-midwifery.”
- Liz Carr, BSN, RN, CCRN, CNM, FNU Alumni

“My rotation with Paula was not only what I needed to finish my clinical requirements, it was exactly what I needed to feel ready to go into practice,” she said. “It’s all thanks to the amazing Frontier network.”

Throughout her clinical experience at FNU, Carr said one of her proudest moments was when she was present for a patient’s first Pap smear. Using training she acquired from FNU, Carr said she was able to ease the patient’s anxiety about the procedure.

“As a student, it felt like such an important moment,” Carr said. “I had the chance to introduce someone to speculum exams in a way that was comfortable for her, and which will hopefully ensure she seeks out her routine health screenings without fear of pain. There was never anywhere else I would want to be. Frontier is the home of nurse-midwifery.”

Over the years, Carr has received several recognitions for her work in healthcare, including the University of Kentucky Healthcare Commitment to Nursing Excellence Award in 2017 and the University of Kentucky Healthcare Bronze Award for Innovation in 2020. She also is a three-time Daisy Award nominee and a 2022 participant in the Training in Abortion Care Residency.

In her free time, Carr enjoys reading, spending time with her dog, Cooper, and visiting her family in Atlanta.

Thank you, Liz, for choosing FNU to achieve your goal of earning your MSN in Nurse-Midwifery. We are proud to have had you as a student and wish you continued success in your next endeavors.

Alumni Spotlight: Stacey Eason’s midwifery practice focuses on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders

September 23, 2022 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 health care to underserved and rural populations.

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) alumni Stacey Eason, ARPN, CNM, PMHNP-BC, earned her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in Nurse-Midwifery in 2019. During her clinicals as a CNM student, she recognized the lack of care options for perinatal mental health. That’s when she decided to return to FNU to earn her Post-Graduate Certificate in the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program, which she received earlier this year.

Now, Eason uses both of these certifications from FNU in her career. A resident of Wichita, Kansas, Eason currently serves as both a CNM and a PMHNP at South Central Kansas Medical Center in Arkansas City, Kansas. She has been in this role since January.

“Family medicine providers have really done the best they can to care for the mental health needs of this community,” she said. “Many of the providers have expressed gratitude to have a psych-specialized provider available to care for the patients in this community.”

As a CNM, Eason works with two fellow FNU graduates, Tarena Sisk and Jamie Harrington. Much of Eason’s midwifery practice has been focused on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.

Eason said her experience in midwifery has been beneficial when it comes to providing psychiatric care.

“As midwives, we see people at their most vulnerable place, and lift them into one of their greatest accomplishments,” she said. “Caring for people in dark mental health spaces is similar. They come to me at their most vulnerable, and as we work together, they are able to experience accomplishments they didn’t think possible.”

“As midwives, we see people at their most vulnerable place, and lift them into one of their greatest accomplishments…Providing compassionate, non-judgmental care allows people to feel safe in seeking care for both mental health needs and substance use needs.”
– Stacey Eason, ARPN, CNM, PMHNP-BC, FNU Alumnus

Eason’s patient population is largely rural and lower-income, with a prevalence of substance abuse in the community.

“Providing compassionate, non-judgmental care allows people to feel safe in seeking care for both mental health needs and substance use needs,” she said.

Eason was initially inspired to earn her MSN from FNU because a co-worker was attending the university. She said though she had the option to earn her MSN locally, FNU appealed to her because of the emphasis on out-of-hospital births in the program.

“I decided then, that if I ever made it to the point of being able to pursue my midwifery dreams, it would be with FNU,” she said. “It was the only school I applied to, and I was originally waitlisted. What a relief, with just four short weeks before Frontier Bound, to be offered a seat in class 163!”

Though Eason initially was only interested in becoming a CNM, she said she was inspired to pursue a degree in psych upon recognizing the need for mental health services among women during her Community-Based Nurse-Midwifery Education Program clinicals.

“Way back in that first nursing program I attended, I swore I’d never do psych nursing,” she said. “And here I am, living in that rare place where I am passionate and fulfilled by my career.”

In addition to her work as a CNM and a PMHNP, Eason also serves as president of the Kansas Chapter of the American College of Nurse-Midwives. She also is a preceptor for current FNU students.

Thank you, Stacey, for using your knowledge as both a CNM and a PMHNP to provide compassionate care for underserved patients in your community. We are proud that you chose to study at FNU on two occasions throughout your journey.

Become a Preceptor

Eason has seven children and four grandchildren. She enjoys playing Dungeons & Dragons and listening to audiobooks. She particularly seeks out authors of color, in particular, women and nonbinary authors. She describes herself as actively anti-racist and a strong advocate for LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC rights and for reductions in health disparities.

Learn more about FNU’s Nurse-Midwifery and Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner programs.

Alumni Spotlight: Lisa Kiser focuses on community response to migration in the Borderlands

September 2, 2022 By Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) alumni Lisa Kiser, CNM, WHNP, DNP, holds a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree in both Nurse-Midwifery and Women’s Health Care and a Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). All three degrees were earned at FNU.

“I knew that Frontier had the educational philosophy to support me to be successful in all three of my degrees,” she said.

A resident of Tucson, Arizona, Kiser currently serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Arizona College of Nursing. She teaches three days a week in the DNP program, where she specializes in teaching women’s health. She also works as a women’s health nurse practitioner at United Community Health Center two days a week. She is very excited to be part of the team that is starting a nurse-midwifery program at the University of Arizona. The program is focused on increasing the diversity of midwives practicing and teaching in the state.

“I knew that Frontier had the educational philosophy to support me to be successful in all three of my degrees…and its philosophy of education and service has continued to shape my work.”
– Lisa Kiser, CNM, WHNP, DNP

In addition, Kiser also uses her experience as a healthcare provider in the Borderlands in her community service work. She volunteers with Clinica Amistad, a nonprofit free clinic, and Casa Alitas, a migrant welcome center, both of which are based in Tucson.

Casa Alitas has provided food, health care, short-term housing, clean clothing, and travel support for migrants since 2014.

“I am part of a community response team to help welcome 100 to 300 people who are migrating a day to our community,” Kiser said. “Our work is to assess the guests arriving each day, address any immediate health needs, and connect people to services in their receiving communities.”

Throughout her time as a healthcare professional in Tucson, Kiser has worked to develop partnerships with colleges of nursing in Mexico. As a native of Tucson, Kiser said she has a deep appreciation for and commitment to the Borderlands.

“The work I want to focus on is our community response to migration in the Borderlands,” she said. Kiser has helped to create binational, service-learning opportunities where students can work together in interprofessional teams to address health issues specific to the border.

Kiser has received several accolades throughout her career, including the Women’s Health Award for 2021 by the March of Dimes Arizona.

Throughout her many endeavors, Kiser said she has worked with several FNU graduates who have shared her philosophy and approach to care and education.

“Frontier was the perfect place for me to receive all three of my degrees, and its philosophy of education and service has continued to shape my work,” she said. “I am deeply grateful.”

Thank you, Lisa, for your commitment to your community, your commitment to nursing education, and for your commitment to FNU over the years.

Learn more about FNU’s Nurse-Midwifery program, Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner program and the Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice.

Alumni Spotlight: Meggan Smith grows family practice in rural North Carolina urgent care setting

July 28, 2022 By Frontier Nursing University

Since earning her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) from Frontier Nursing University (FNU) in 2019, Meggan Smith, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, (Class 169) has worked to strengthen family healthcare in rural North Carolina from the ground up. Working at Smoky Mountain Urgent Care and Family Medicine Center in Bryson City, Smith was instrumental in growing a much-needed family practice in the existing urgent care setting.

Smith serves patients in her home community of Graham County, North Carolina, where she recently was awarded a Readers’ Choice award by The Graham Star. A rural mountain area, Graham County has a population of approximately 8,500. For residents of the county, the closest hospital/emergency room is approximately a 35 to 45-minute drive, and only one other office offers primary care.

“This is an underserved area,” Smith said.

Through her role at Smoky Mountain Urgent Care and Family Medicine Center, Smith provides urgent care for acute illness and injury, as well as primary care for members and visitors of the community. Amid COVID-19, Smith had to find new ways to ensure quality care for her patients, including telehealth, extended hours, house calls and curbside services.

“We offered whatever we could to help our patients feel safe and cared for,” Smith said.

Smith also serves as Chairperson for the Graham County Health Advisory Board. She said this role has provided her with deep insights into the medical needs and barriers of her community.

“After my first phone conversation with a staff member at FNU, I knew Frontier was the place for me.”
– Meggan Smith, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, FNU Alumni

Where It Began

As a registered nurse, Smith began observing the need for primary care services in her community and upon serving on the Graham County Board of Health in 2015, she began to understand some of the greatest challenges in regard to regional healthcare, including a large-scale retirement of long-time local providers.

To advance her career in family nursing, Smith began researching universities and came upon FNU.

“After my first phone conversation with a staff member at FNU, I knew Frontier was the place for me,” she said. “I grew up a small town girl here in the mountains of North Carolina and speaking with someone so humble and kind made me feel right at home. At that moment, I knew God had led me straight to FNU’s website after weeks of research.”

Smith took away several important values from her time at FNU. In particular, she said she uses FNU’s Culture of Caring in her daily practice.

Outside of her career, Smith enjoys spending time with her husband and six-year-old son. Some of her favorite activities include camping and driving UTVs in the mountains. She is currently helping to develop a new creekside RV park in her hometown for visitors of the Smoky Mountains, which is expected to open next year.

Thank you, Meggan, for your commitment to rural and underserved patients in your community. We are proud to have you as an alumni member and look forward to seeing where your talents and commitment will take you and your community in the future.

Boston Midwife Prepares to Open Alabama’s First Birth Center

June 14, 2022 By Frontier Nursing University

To the casual observer, opening Birth Sanctuary Gainesville might not make a lot of sense. First, Gainesville is a rural town in Alabama with a population of less than 200. Second, because of state regulations that severely restrict the scope of care nurse-midwives can provide, there are no birth centers in the entire state. That is about to change because FNU alumni Dr. Stephanie Mitchell, DNP, CNM, CPM, plans to open Birth Sanctuary Gainesville later this year. While the uncertainties are many, Mitchell insists, “It will get done.”

Mitchell is the sort of person who finds ways to get things done. Barriers represent an opportunity rather than a permanent roadblock. Even her road to becoming a nurse-midwife was a circuitous one. Where others might have given up and changed course, Mitchell never wavered from her plan.

Growing up in urban Boston, Massachusetts, in the 1980s, Mitchell’s first thoughts of pursuing a medical career began by watching The Cosby Show.

“My very first exposure to childbirth was on television,” Mitchell said of The Cosby Show. “It was very shocking to me because the family would have mirrored my family, except that they were completely different echelons of human society. We were struggling along in the hood, the ghetto, dealing with all the things that 1980s Boston brought for a low-income black family. It was the opposite on TV. The father was an obstetrician, and the mother was a lawyer. That was my first exposure to pregnancy, and the healthy dynamic of that family really appealed to me and stuck with me.”

Her second exposure to pregnancy and her first to obstetrics came a few years later when she was 16 and pregnant. She had collaborative care with an obstetrician and a midwife.

“The way my body was honored during that process of pregnancy is really cemented into my mind,” she said. “I figured out that the word wasn’t ‘obstetrician’ or ‘obstetrics’ – it was ‘midwife’. I thought, ‘How do I do that?’”

She did that by having her baby, finishing high school, attending community college, and going on to earn her BSN from Curry College. She knew she wanted to be a midwife and wanted to attend Frontier Nursing University. She also knew that she needed to gain experience, preferably in labor and delivery. She worked in pediatrics for about six years before getting into a labor and delivery unit, where she worked for six years before applying to Frontier. She continued working in labor and delivery while she earned her MSN and DNP from FNU, the latter in 2019.

“The hospital I worked at was a lovely place in the backdrop of my neighborhood in Boston. I learned so much and have deep respect for my colleagues there,” Mitchell said. “But it was shocking to me to get to the labor and delivery unit and realize that the medical staff was not reflective of the community. I had come from the Boston Children’s Hospital, and we had a very diverse staff. I got to the labor and delivery unit, and it was shocking to be one of three black nurses on a staff of 120 in that unit. That was difficult because there are so many stark cultural differences between the care providers and those that they are caring for.”

Mitchell had learned the importance of diversity at an early age when she was part of a busing program aimed at addressing segregation in the city. She attended school in a predominantly white school system.

“You learn to interact with people who are definitely not from your community,” she said. “To have experience with individuals that don’t look like you, don’t talk like you, don’t have the same cultural norms as you, provides exposure that’s valuable in life. Midwives and advanced nurse practitioners are not always going to be black or people of color or LGBTQ, but you have to have people in place who are truly antiracist and empathetic.”

Mitchell was also concerned about what she termed “the conveyor belt of care” that sometimes persists in hospitals with high volumes of patients. She wanted to practice in a different setting, where more time could be spent with the patients in a less frantic environment. She wanted to open a birth center and started looking into the prospects in Boston. She soon realized that funding would be a problem, as would the significant amount of competition. She shelved the idea temporarily until she and her husband Jamie moved to Gainesville, Alabama, where Jamie had family.

Jamie is a successful pitmaster who got into the catering business. When the catering business became overwhelming, the Mitchells realized that a restaurant would be the better option. Starting a restaurant in Boston would not only be expensive but also involve a great deal of competition.

“He wanted to get rid of the landlord and the competition, so we came down here to Gainesville and built a restaurant,” Mitchell said. The Alabama Rib Shack is open Friday through Sunday, with the capacity to cater as needed.

As they prepared to move, Mitchell began researching places where she might be able to work. She soon found that there are no birth centers in the state. Further, in Gainesville and the surrounding area, there is no access to family planning services, midwifery care, or obstetric care.

“If you’re pregnant, it’s a desert,” Mitchell said. The nearest options are approximately 45 miles away in Tuscaloosa or across the state line into Mississippi.

It didn’t take long for Mitchell to think about opening her own birth center in Alabama. Not only did she need it as a source of income, but the community needed it as well.

“I’ve always valued the low volume, slower-paced care that can be offered through midwifery,” Mitchell said. “I had a good amount of surface information to build on what it would mean to build a birth center in Alabama. It was important to me to work in the black and not be in a situation where I am over my head and sink myself before I get started. Kitty Ernst wisely once reminded me to follow the money. I followed the business model that my husband has followed for years – eliminate the competition and eliminate the landlord. There is no competition in Alabama, and people deserve to have options. To not have it as an option is unconscionable.”

While many would agree with that, few have been as determined as Mitchell to bring about the necessary changes. One of the primary barriers created by the state’s legislation and regulation of midwives is the prevention of independent practice. Mitchell sought out physicians with whom she could partner to provide collaborative care but found none.

Midwives who attended out-of-hospital births in Alabama were jailed until 2019 when the state began issuing midwifery licenses for Certified Professional Midwives (CPM) for the first time since 1976. Contrary to Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNM), who have nursing degrees, CPMs are not required to have a nursing degree. Despite being a CNM, Mitchell had to get a CPM license so she could practice in Alabama.

“I was annoyed that I had to be a CPM because it prevents me from offering those full range of comprehensive health services,” Mitchell said. “ I see the value in being a Certified Nurse-Midwife. I see the value of being able to provide that umbrella of comprehensive care. Why would anyone ever specifically go the path of CNM only to be boxed in a corner to be a CPM? Prescriptive authority, billing insurance, access medications, full-scope care – it’s all gone. Especially in a healthcare desert like Alabama, it doesn’t make any sense. I’m still fighting that battle. It will take a while. But it’s not, ‘we can’t do it,’ it’s ‘we haven’t done it yet.’”

Mitchell says that the Alabama Birth Center Coalition, Alabama Midwife’s Association, the Alabama Board of Midwifery, and the Alabama chapter of the American College of Nurse-Midwives are all lobbying for change. In the meantime, she is pressing forward with Birth Sanctuary Gainesville. For years on their visits to Alabama, Mitchell had admired an old two-story home in Gainesville. Built in 1835, it is a registered historic landmark. It sat empty for years until, shortly after they moved, Mitchell saw that it was for sale. The Mitchells bought it and began renovation and construction to convert it into a birth center.

The roof, soffits, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC all had to be replaced or updated, but the structure was good, and the price and location were right. An exam room and a bathroom have been added, and the work continues with hopes of opening later this year.

“My first goal is to get this birth center opened this year and have our first birth here this year,” Mitchell said.

Grassroots efforts have provided the majority of the funding for the construction of the birth center. One fundraiser is a legacy walkway campaign in which people can purchase bricks and inscribe their own messages. Another fundraiser included the creation of three $5,000 scholarships that will go to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) midwifery students.

“This grassroots effort is a constant return back into the systems we’re working in,” Mitchell said. “It’s been overwhelming. I’ve been filled with gratitude, and I remain so humble about this project, reminding myself that this isn’t a ‘me project.’ This is a project that will impact so many families just to be able to have that access to care.”

Mitchell hopes to continue to give back to the nurse-midwifery profession by precepting students. She knows drawing them to rural Alabama might be difficult so that the birth center will include a special space for students. Mitchell describes it as a calm room where students will be able to rest or sleep in their own private space.

Until the birth center is ready to open, Mitchell is operating as an LLC and providing home birth services as a CPM. She plans to continue to offer home births even after Birth Sanctuary Gainesville is fully operational. She is also working with the University of Alabama-Birmingham’s midwifery program, assisting with course development and serving as an adjunct professor.

“I have been delighted to take part in that program,” she said. “I believe that’s the solution. UAB is a stronghold for the state. They are highly influential, and what better investment into the future of maternal healthcare and pregnancy healthcare than having a school that is going to be educating the midwives? That will lay the groundwork for accessibility in ways that we haven’t even thought about in this state.”

Mitchell has successfully managed to fund the birth center to this point and continues to advocate for more access to nurse-midwifery care in the state. She has overcome many obstacles and knows many more loom ahead, not the least of which is the potential patient population.

“It doesn’t make any sense to build a birth center here,” she said. “The same thing about my husband having a restaurant here. It seems highly unlikely and improbable. But what he has learned is that people will travel for quality. They will do it in Alabama for barbecue in a minute. There is the same sort of model in terms of accessibility. We’re talking zero freestanding birth centers in the state. It becomes a question of, ‘Do you want to travel to get care?’”

Mitchell said that, in order to help with that, they are even considering providing space for families who make the journey with their loved ones. It’s true that travel is a potential hurdle, but true to her nature, Mitchell sees not only the barrier but also the potential solution. In the end, it all makes perfect sense.

Are you interested in learning more about Certified Nurse-Midwives? Learn about the care they provide.

Editor’s Note:
Dr. Mitchell wishes to acknowledge her husband, Jamie. “Making the journey into midwifery with a family could have been my insurmountable obstacle. He’s been my stronghold for the last 20-plus years.” She also expressed her gratitude for the support of her children, Jasmyn, Jaymie, Jayar, and Jesse, and wished to acknowledge former FNU Academic Advisor and current Clinical Advisor Carisa Lipp. “I loved so many of the faculty, but none so much as Carisa. She was the constant person of contact at FNU as I made my way through each term. I can’t say how much her guidance meant. Funny that it wasn’t a midwife who I’d describe as most impactful, but that just goes to show that one’s biggest support can come from unexpected places if you keep your eyes peeled and your heart open!”

Student Spotlight: Deanna Hercik receives inspiration from family in pursuit of PMHNP degree

May 17, 2022 By Frontier Nursing University

Deanna Hercik, Frontier Nursing University (FNU) Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) student, has been a nurse for over two decades. She is now attaining her Master of Science in Nursing and is set to graduate later this year.

With a focus on lifetime care for individuals, PMHNPs are committed to promoting mental health through assessment, diagnosis and treatment of behavioral problems, mental disorders and comorbid conditions.

A resident of Springfield, Virginia, Hercik has served as an Infection Preventionist for the past 10 years. Through her role, she provides surveillance for healthcare-acquired infections for a health system with over 700 beds. She is responsible for submitting healthcare-associated infections to the Center for Disease Control’s National Healthcare Safety Network and tracks catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central line bloodstream infections, surgical site infections and healthcare-associated clostridioides difficile infections. She has earned her Certification in Infection Prevention and Control, or CIC, credential.

Hercik’s decision to transition to mental health was influenced by her adopted 10-year-old son, who lives with mental health disorders and requires therapy and pharmacological treatment.

“It has been extremely difficult to find mental health care practitioners who understand his situation and know how to treat it,” Hercik said. “This has led me to have an interest in transitioning to mental health and becoming a compassionate and excellent provider.”

Hercik said she was attracted to FNU because of the selective admissions process and online program. She said she has enjoyed leveraging the Frontier network, and has been able to reach out to graduates who live in her area to ask advice or inquire about clinical sites. In fact, Hercik said one of her preceptors is an FNU alumnus.

“After researching schools with a PMHNP program, FNU pulled ahead of its competitors. I liked that admission was selective, the program was online, and there were programs to assist students in completing their degree. I liked the idea of both Frontier Bound and Clinical Bound to provide opportunities to connect with faculty and other students.”
– Deanna Hercik, PMHNP Student

“After researching schools with a PMHNP program, FNU pulled ahead of its competitors,” she said. “I liked that admission was selective, the program was online, and there were programs to assist students in completing their degree. I liked the idea of both Frontier Bound and Clinical Bound to provide opportunities to connect with faculty and other students.”

Thank you, Deanna, for taking this big step toward becoming a PMHNP.

If you are interested in pursuing your Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Post-Graduate Certificate (PGC) in psychiatric-mental health at a top-ranked online university, visit our website to learn more about our PMHNP program.

Student Spotlight: Paul Kibby, RN, hopes to change mental health stigma among rural men

February 16, 2022 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 who 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) student Paul Kibby, RN, is using his experience in the healthcare field to break down the stigma surrounding mental health in his community. Kibby is pursuing an MSN with a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) specialty, in which he entered through FNU’s Bridge program (Class 174), and is set to graduate this year.

Kibby currently works with a new behavioral health clinic startup in Mountain View, Arkansas. Stone County, where Mountain View is located, has a federal poverty rate of over 20 percent, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

In his current role, Kibby is making efforts to research and change the stigma associated with mental health among rural men. He said he plans to do this by sending the local newspaper a letter to the editor, collaborating with the local community center, and having discussions with staff members at local banks, pharmacies, physicians offices, businesses and the local hospital to discuss the need to connect mental health with overall health care.

“They are both the same,” Kibby said.

Kibby has experience in several health care roles, such as an RN, nurse navigator, infusion and case manager and radiation oncology nurse for medical centers and institutions throughout Texas. He recently served as a case manager for Hospice of the Ozarks in Mountain Home, Arkansas, which is located about an hour away from Mountain View.

Upon initially moving to Mountain View, Kibby said he began to notice the prevalence of drug addiction and poverty among young people in the community. He soon realized he wanted to make a mission out of helping underprivileged members of his community with his health care background.

While working at Hospice of the Ozarks, Kibby injured his back and had to undergo surgery. As someone who deals with major depression and anxiety, Kibby said his time spent recovering from the surgery was particularly challenging, as he felt “idle.”

While recuperating, Kibby began looking into several programs online with the goal of “making a difference.” At the recommendation of some friends, Kibby decided to apply to FNU. To his surprise, he was accepted into the university.

“I ran down the stairs to tell my husband that I was accepted,” he said. “I cried so much that day because for the first time in months, I had great news and at 56-years-old, I was finally going to get to do more. I was on my way to making a difference in my little rural county. I still am holding on to that moment.”

For Kibby, what has appealed to him about FNU is the university’s rich history, diversity program, model of serving the underprivileged, and focus on rural community needs, regardless of socioeconomic status or race.

Kibby also is grateful for FNU’s faculty.

“The faculty allowed me to see the full potential within myself to be an excellent provider,” he said. “I am most thankful for all the faculty and hope to make each of them very proud of my accomplishments. My whole experience with FNU is and has been a valuable experience.”

We at FNU are grateful for Kibby and wish him continued success in his efforts to help his community!

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

October 11, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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