Get to Know Clinical Director Dr. Eva Fried

February 3, 2023 By Frontier Nursing University

In October, Frontier Nursing University welcomed FNU alumna Dr. Eva Fried, DNP, CNM, WHNP as the Clinical Director for the Department of Midwifery and Women’s Health. We sat down with Dr. Fried to get to know her better. Read our Q&A below!

I love animals and fiber arts so this visit to an alpaca farm in North Carolina was perfect for me!

Tell us a little bit about yourself:
In addition to my work at FNU, currently work in a rural GYN practice a few days per month, and I work occasionally as a hospitalist nurse-midwife. My wife and I have 6 adult children, and I have TONS of hobbies – if it’s a thing a person can make, I want to make it!

Why did you want to become a Nurse-Midwife?
I was born at home with a midwife and always had access to my birth photos as a child. When I was a young adult I had a housemate who was pregnant and chose midwifery care. One day I thought “Wait! This is what I’m meant to do!” On my journey to becoming a nurse-midwife, I was a direct entry midwife, certified professional midwife, doula, childbirth educator, women’s health nurse practitioner, and doctorally prepared nursing faculty. I also earned a bachelor’s degree in women’s studies, and THEN I went back to school (FNU!) and became a nurse-midwife, so I understand a circuitous path!

: My assistant Clover is usually on my lap during meetings.

: We like to be outdoors with our kids in all weather.

What do you like most about being a Nurse-Midwife?
I am so grateful to have work that offers the opportunity to have meaningful relationships and really connect with people.

What do you like most about working at FNU?
I love the opportunity to work with so many leaders in my field and touch the learning journey of so many students.

I enjoy sewing and knitting, among other crafts, I made everything I’m wearing in this photo (except the shoes!).

If a student is looking at coming to FNU, what is one thing you would tell them about the Nurse-Midwife or Women’s Health Care program?
Every reading and assignment in our program is carefully designed to meet students’ learning needs and ability to be successful as an entry-level clinician. Because of the size of our program, there are more expert faculty in nurse-midwifery and women’s health at FNU than in any other program in the U.S. In addition, we offer tremendous flexibility to accommodate students who need to work while they are in school.

What is an interesting fact about you?
Before all those other roles I told you about, I didn’t graduate from high school. I got my GED.

What do you like to do in your free time?
Sewing is #1. I make quilts, bags, and apparel. I also crochet, knit, embroider, cross-stitch, bake, cook and so many other things. If you meet me on zoom you’ll see my bookshelf behind me, but the rest of the room is floor-to-ceiling fabric, yarn etc., and that gives me all the heart eyes!

What is your favorite book or podcast?
I read a lot of brainy articles and books about midwifery and higher education so when it’s podcast time, it’s all sewing. If you sew, check out the Love to Sew podcast.

Thank you, Dr. Fried, for taking the time to allow us to get to know you better! We are excited to have you at FNU. To learn more about FNU’s nurse-midwifery or women’s health care nurse practitioner program, visit our website!

Student Spotlight: Lori Verostick enhances midwifery skill set with PMHNP Post-Graduate Certificate

December 26, 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.

As a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) serving residents in her community, Lori Verostick has consistently pursued higher education and training to enhance her knowledge and skill set for patients. In her current pursuit, Verostick is earning her Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) post-graduate certificate (PGC) from Frontier Nursing University.

“I am really hoping to be able to expand my nurse-midwifery mindset to behavioral and mental health,” Verostick said. “COVID really highlighted the mental health needs in my area. The people in my area working in this field are working hard and are great. I feel we need more trained providers to try to meet the need. Currently, there can be a six-month wait for medication appointments. In pregnancy, this can be catastrophic.”

A resident of Windber, Pennsylvania, Verostick served as a CNM with Women’s Care Partners in Altoona, Pennsylvania from 2003 to 2010 and has worked at Conemaugh Ob/Gyn Associates in Johnstown, Pa. since 2010. since 2001. Verostick is an FNU nurse-midwifery graduate (class 27) from 2021. She also has a Master of Science with a concentration in midwifery from Thomas Jefferson University, which she received in 2002. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice in 2020 at FNU. She also precepts Advanced Practice Registered Nurse students.

Verostick and her midwifery partners at Conemaugh Ob/Gyne all live in the Johnstown area and attend over 800 births per year. She said the area is made up of many uninsured and underinsured residents with chronic illness and substance abuse issues.

“The midwifery model provides the respect and support that our community responds to,” she said. “I can’t imagine working anywhere else.”

A member of FNU Class 203, Verostick is set to earn her post-graduate certificate in 2023.

“I wanted to work on quality improvement for my practice so that individuals in our community were able to receive equitable health care, including behavioral health care during pregnancy,” Verostick said. “I am currently in the PMHNP post-graduate certificate program because of the need for birthing persons in our area to have access to mental health care and medication management.”

Versotick said most of the CNMs in her practice are graduates of FNU. Her former preceptor, Vivian Boyer (CNEP Class 4), is her current director.

“She is the best,” Verostick said. “She is and will always be my preceptor.”

Verostick was also influenced to study at FNU because of the atmosphere and flexibility afforded to students.

“It [distance education] works well when you have to work as you pursue your degree,” she said.

Verostick has been married for 27 years and has three children. Outside of her career, she enjoys knitting and photography.

Thank you, Lori, for choosing FNU to pursue your post-graduate certificate. We are proud to have you as a student and of your commitment to continuously improving your knowledge and skill set for the sake of the rural and underserved patients you care for.

FNU Reflects on the Power of Rural Healthcare Providers this National Rural Health Day

November 14, 2022 By Frontier Nursing University

On Thursday, November 17, Frontier Nursing University (FNU) will join healthcare providers and organizations across the country to celebrate National Rural Health Day (NRHD). Organized by the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health, NRHD is an opportunity to bring awareness to the unique challenges that rural communities face and the efforts of rural healthcare providers to create positive change in these regions.

Founded in the Appalachian area of Kentucky, Frontier's mission 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. Today, 73 percent of FNU students live and complete their clinics in rural areas throughout the United States.

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

Since earning her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) from 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.

Alumni Spotlight: Cody Pittman hopes to reach more rural and underserved populations with mental telehealth practice

FNU alumni Cody Pittman, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC, has worked full-time in correctional healthcare with the Kentucky Department of Corrections in LaGrange, Ky., for the past eight years. He also recently opened his own practice named Healing Neurons Psychiatry, which provides mental health services to patients via telehealth. Cody became a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) in November 2020 after earning his MSN from FNU.

Pittman says the focus of working in corrections is to try and rehabilitate patients so they are prepared to live healthy lives when released back into the community. Many of his patients have a history of polypharmacy and substance abuse/addiction.

Pittman recognized that there are simply not enough mental health providers, so he founded Healing Neurons Psychiatry to help fill that gap. With the patient in mind, Pittman decided to offer 100% telehealth services so that patients can make their appointments from the comfort of their own homes. Furthermore, telehealth ensures the privacy of those living in rural areas who fear they may be stigmatized if others see them walking into a mental health clinic.

Featured Preceptor: Shannon Conley, FNP, Providing Compassionate Care for Underserved, Rural Patients

Shannon Conley serves as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) for Big Sandy Health Care in Eastern Kentucky, a role she has taken on for the past 10 years. Working with a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), Conley interacts with many underserved adult patients, most of whom are dealing with chronic conditions and have obstacles when it comes to accessing treatment.

Keeping this in mind, Conley provides patients with transportation assistance, medical assistance and remains cognizant of the cost of medication. Conley also serves as a preceptor in her community, training future FNPs to address the shortage of providers in her region.

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

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.

Join us in celebrating the value of rural communities and help shine a light on the health disparities facing these regions by sharing information about NRHD with your friends, colleagues, and social media followers. Visit the NRHD site to find ideas and resources.

Also, the Health Resources and Services Administration is offering virtual events this week for those interested in learning more about how they are advancing behavioral health care in rural communities.

NOSORH founded NRHD in 2011 to showcase the efforts of individuals and organizations going the extra mile to address the unique healthcare needs of rural communities. National Rural Health Day is an annual day of recognition which occurs on the third Thursday of November.

Personal Tragedy Inspires Holly Howell’s Commitment to Serve

June 29, 2022 By Frontier Nursing University

Even as a child, FNU alumni Holly Howell, MSN, CNM, knew she wanted to be a nurse. It was a not-so-subtle nudge that pushed her in the right direction.

“At a very young age, I have a very vivid memory of my aunt, heavily pregnant, asking me to feel her belly, and the baby made a really large movement,” Howell said. “In my head, it’s still the largest movement I’ve ever felt from a baby. I was fascinated and intrigued by it. From then on, I knew that I wanted to work in the maternal-child field. I wanted to deliver babies. It was my end goal. I’m really proud of myself that I made it, and I’m doing it.”

Howell grew up in Nevada and earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Nevada State College, becoming the first woman in her family to graduate from college. With her focus on attending births and caring for pregnant women, she chose Frontier Nursing University to guide her to her goal of becoming a Certified Nurse-Midwife. During her time at FNU, she was awarded the Jesse Smith Noyes Scholarship.

“Receiving the scholarship definitely helped me to complete the program at Frontier and also relieved some of the burdens of student loan debt,” she said. “Frontier prepared me really well for midwifery care and caring for patients. It has also given me a great network of midwifery friends and partners that I can lean on during stressful times and reach out to for questions or similar experiences. Those deep bonds were created during on-campus sessions and study groups as we went through the program together, leaning on each other during stressful times. Since then, we have been able to stay in contact via social media really well.”

Today, Howell works as a nurse-midwife at two different locations in Las Vegas, both of which are part of the Women’s Health Associates of Southern Nevada. Her usual routine includes morning rounds at the hospital before arriving at the clinic between 8:45 and 9:00 a.m. The clinic includes three collaborating physician partners and two collaborating midwifery partners in addition to Howell. She sees between 25 and 35 patients per day.

“They are primarily pregnant and OB patients, but I do also do birth control consults, menopausal care, annual exams, and IUD insertions,” she said. “We’re a very busy OB practice, and I see primarily pregnant people and postpartum visits. I also deliver quite a few babies every month, so I’m in and out of the hospital all the time. Yesterday (March 22, 2022), I actually set a record for myself and delivered five of my own babies in a 24- hour period. I didn’t sleep much.”

It was yet another taxing day in what has been a taxing two years during the COVID-19 pandemic. Howell has relied on her training and knowledge to try to be a steadying and calming influence for her patients.

“The pandemic has been really scary and taxing for a lot of people, especially for pregnant people,” Howell said. “They have been very anxious during the pandemic and have needed a lot of support, education, and reassurance.”

With several of her patients contracting COVID, Howell saw first-hand the additional risks that pregnant women faced.

“During labor and birth, I pride myself on making sure that I’m practicing in an evidence-based way and that I am giving family-centered and patient-centered care.”
– Holly Howell, MSN, CNM, FNU Alumni

“We saw how it could affect pregnant people and how they have an increased risk of getting sicker than the normal population,” Howell said. “I’ve been doing a lot of counseling and education that I was doing before, but it’s a little bit more sensitive because they know that they are at a higher risk for getting more severe symptoms than a non-pregnant person.”

Howell also counseled patients about the vaccines. She helped them through their understandable fear and anxiety by “staying up to date with all of the current recommendations so I could give my patients good evidence-based answers to the questions.”

As if the pandemic was not difficult enough to cope with, Howell and her wife Dana faced their own personal tragedy late last year.

“I gave birth to my son Huck Wilder at 20 weeks gestation,” Howell said. “It’s a very scary and traumatic way to be on the other side and be the patient. I had really amazing nurses and a certified nurse-midwife that took great care of me. But I just love him and miss him every day. I’m grateful that I had him and that he was here, and I am grateful for the opportunity to be a patient and to be on the other side of women’s health. I think going through this experience will make me a better, more empathetic provider. I’m sad that I had to experience that, but really am grateful for the time that I did have with him.”

Though pained, Howell speaks openly about her experience and the immeasurable impact Huck has had on her.

“He has been an inspiration for me to take really good care of pregnant people and also try to decrease the traumatic birth experience that people and families have during labor and birth,” she said. “I also had a really severe postpartum hemorrhage and do have some PTSD and trauma from my birth with no fault to my providers at all, just to the situation. My experience losing Huck has definitely given me insight and motivated me to provide the best care I can for birthing people and families.”

Perhaps that is why Howell is much more than a provider. She states in her own profile on the Women’s Health Associates of Southern Nevada that she “is an advocate empowering women, natural childbirth, breastfeeding, women’s reproductive rights, and health equality for the LGBTQIA+ community.” One example of how she advocates for her patients is she has stopped using stirrups during pelvic exams and births unless the patient requests them. She finds that this gives the patient more autonomy over their own body and better freedom of movement.

“I pride myself on practicing in a trauma-informed way,” Howell said. “I always ask for consent and permission before I do any kind of pelvic or invasive exam. During labor and birth, I pride myself on making sure that I’m practicing in an evidence-based way and that I am giving family-centered and patient-centered care. I give patients options, and we have in-depth discussions before any interventions are completed, making sure that they are well educated about their bodies and their different options during labor and childbirth.”

In addition to educating and informing her patients, Howell wants to make sure her patients feel accepted and welcomed into a clinic that is safe and inclusive.

“I am a proud gay woman and advertise that on my website,” Howell said. “Hopefully, LGBTQIA+ people can come and see me and find a safe environment where they can be free to be themselves and be more comfortable with invasive exams and care.”

Howell dreams of one day opening her own birth center, but for now, she is happy right where she is at, living out her childhood dreams every day, to the significant benefit of her community.

“We provide really great service to a lot of women and give them a happy medium between home birth or birth center care,” she said. “I’m really happy being a resource for the women who are not eligible for home birth or birth center care because I can still give them that low intervention, calm environment in the hospital setting. I am very happy with where I am at.”

To read more spotlight stories on the important work our alumni are doing, please visit this page.

Faculty Spotlight: FNU faculty member Victoria Burslem recognized with the Circle of Caring Award

March 2, 2022 By Frontier Nursing University

Vicki Burslem, MSN, CNM, APRN, CNE(cl), FACNM

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is proud to recognize faculty member Vicki Burslem, MSN, CNM, APRN, CNE(cl), FACNM, who is one of the recipients of the 2021 Fall Term Circle of Caring Award.

Burslem’s ties to FNU go back to the late 1980’s, when she served as a member of Frontier’s initial Community-Based Nurse-Midwifery Education Program (CNEP). Serving on the faculty from 1989 to 1996, Victoria helped develop curricula and taught early nurse-midwifery classes during her initial time at FNU.

“I was thankful to be a part of something that revolutionized midwifery education and have been delighted to see its growth through the years, expanding into the development of other strong programs for family nursing, women’s health, and psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner APRN tracks,” she said.

In fact, Burslem’s initial inspiration to pursue a career as a nurse-midwife came from Elsie Meier Wilson, a nurse-midwife with the Frontier Nursing Service. Wilson spoke at one of Burslem’s classes while she was earning her bachelor’s degree at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

“I was initially interested in pursuing a career in psychiatric nursing but when I heard her speak, it resonated with my desire to care for the physical as well as the emotional and psychological needs of those I would be caring for as a nurse,” she said. “The ability to provide physical and emotional support for patients during a major life transition appealed to me, and I saw it as a time when people are more open to healing, growth, and change.”

Burslem has worked as a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) for 45 years, working in clinical practice for over 35 years, providing midwifery care in a variety of roles and settings. Early in her career, she owned a private midwifery practice with a CNM partner. Later, she was the clinical practice manager for many years at a large Obstetrics & Gynecology practice in Atlanta, Georgia, which employed 10 CNMs and provided care in both clinic and private settings.

Over the years, Burslem has enjoyed the opportunity to practice in two university teaching hospitals, a freestanding birth center, and a community hospital with an ongoing commitment to providing evidence-based care for underserved individuals whatever the setting. Teaching nurse-midwifery and midwifery students has also been threaded throughout her career. In addition to her work at FNU, she taught at the Midwifery Institute at Philadelphia University (now known as Thomas Jefferson University) part-time for four years and has served as a clinical preceptor for nurse-midwifery students from eight different midwifery programs. Coming full circle, Burslem was delighted when the opportunity opened up for a return to FNU in 2015 where she now serves as a Clinical Bound faculty member.

“I am passionate about working at FNU, helping to instruct the next generation of nurse-midwives so they are well-prepared to provide evidence-based care upon graduation with the knowledge, clinical competency, and wisdom to care for patients holistically, enabled as vigilant guardians of the physiologic while confident in their ability to identify and manage emergent situations when they arise,” she said.

Burslem has been recognized through several awards and distinctions over the years. She became an American College of Nurse-Midwives Fellow and inducted as a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing in 2014; received the Dorothea M. Lang Pioneer Award from the the American College of Nurse-Midwives Foundation in 2013; won Frontier’s CNEP Pioneer Award in 1992 and won the Tennessee Nurse in Action Award from the Tennessee Nurses Association in 1982. Burslem is active in her professional community, currently serving as chair of ACNM’s Continuing Education Committee and president of ACNM’s Kentucky Affiliate.

As a recipient of the Circle of Caring Award, Burslem said she believes FNU’s Culture of Caring is more than just a slogan, and values the university’s goal of fostering a positive, anti-racist environment of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“It is a philosophy that is threaded throughout the inner workings of the university community and its approach to decision-making,” she said. “I see evidence of the school’s commitment to this culture in written and verbal communication, and to the honor and value I see expressed in interactions with members in every part of the organization. This commitment makes me proud every day to play a small role in achieving Frontier’s goal of educating outstanding nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners who share the vision in particular of caring for rural and underserved populations.”

Burslem lives outside of Lexington, Ky., with her husband, Rick, who she has been married to for 40 years. They have three children and three grandchildren.

Thank you, Vicki, for the years of dedication you’ve put into the nurse-midwifery profession and for setting an exceptional example for the FNU community!

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

FNU nurse-midwife faculty and alumni present sessions focused on antiracism, quality improvement and substance use disorders

December 10, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University (FNU), a leader in distance education for nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners, hosted a virtual event this fall celebrating nurse-midwives as part of National Midwifery Week. FNU’s Empower 2021: Creating a Culture of Caring event marked the seventh year for this program filled with impactful sessions hosted by many FNU nurse-midwifery faculty members and alumni.

FNU’s virtual event offered five sessions focused on the latest nurse-midwifery practices and topics influencing nurse-midwifery care and included a free continuing education opportunity.

These free recorded educational sessions are all available for viewing below:

Creating a Culture of Innovative Quality Improvement

Moderated by FNU Associate Professor Dr. Tia Andrighetti and co-presented by FNU faculty members Dr. Tanya Belcheff, Donna Barisich, Dr. Lisa Huckaby, Dr. Maria Mock, Dr. Eileen Thrower and Vicki Burslem.

Births can be unpredictable and midwives need to be prepared for rare events that can have harmful effects on clients. In order to keep these skills honed, nurse-midwives need to practice reacting at the moment to complications. This session includes a birth complications simulation. Participants will spend time working with peers to tailor the simulation to their birth settings.

Free Continuing Education (CE) Session – Creating a Culture of Respectful Care for Pregnant and Postpartum People with Substance Use Disorders

Presented by FNU alumnus Dr. Daisy Goodman.

This interactive session explores key elements, implementation guidance, and metrics associated with the 2021 revision of the Alliance for Innovation in Maternal Health (AIM) Care of Pregnant and Postpartum People with Substance Use Disorders Patient Safety Bundle.

Once you have watched the session, you must complete the post-test and evaluation in order to receive credit for your contact hours.

This activity is approved for 1.0 contact hour(s) of continuing education (which includes 0.25 hour(s) of pharmacology) by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners®. Activity ID# 21095173. This activity was planned in accordance with AANP Accreditation Standards and Policies. This activity’s approval expires on September 30, 2022.

Creating a Culture of Impact: Stories of Community Quality Improvement – Alumni & Faculty Panel

Moderated by FNU Assistant Professor and ACNM President Dr. Cathy Collins-Fulea. The panel will include FNU faculty members and alumni: Dr. Melva Craft-Blacksheare, Dr. Minyon Outlaw, Dr. Dee Polito, Dr. Ana Verzone, Dr. Shaughanassee Vines and Dr. Kate Woeber.

Dr. Collins-Fulea moderated this panel presentation in collaboration with FNU’s IHI Open School Chapter. Viewers will hear stories of FNU’s mission in action through visual storytelling as nurse-midwifery alumni and faculty share their community projects and initiatives for serving diverse, rural and underserved populations.

Creating a Culture of Antiracism

Presented by FNU Assistant Professor Dr. Charlotte Morris.

During this educational session, Dr. Morris inspires participants to take action and implement change in their practice or work environment to build a culture that is inclusive and caring for all.

If you are on Safari or having issues playing the video, please click here to view.

Nurse-Midwifery Program Q&A – Creating a Culture of Community

Presented by FNU faculty members Dr. Jeneen Lomax and Dr. Eileen Thrower.

This session is for those considering becoming a nurse-midwife. Participants can learn about FNU’s nurse-midwifery education program and listen to current midwifery students about their experience. Presenters also discuss the joys and challenges of life as a midwife.

The theme of the 2021 virtual event, Empower 2021: Creating a Culture of Caring, acknowledged Frontier Nursing University’s culture of caring which is built on five main elements: professionalism, inclusivity, respect, positive communication and mutual support. Students, alumni, faculty, staff, donors and others in the FNU community embrace this culture to fulfill their full potential, both individually and collectively, exemplifying the caring behaviors they hope to bring to the broader healthcare system.

Frontier Nursing University has more than 80 years of experience in delivering graduate nursing and midwifery programs.

Those interested in viewing sessions from Empower 2021: Creating a Culture of Caring, sponsored by Southern Cross Insurance Solutions, can do so by visiting Frontier.edu/MidwiferyWeek.

Are you interested in becoming a nurse-midwife? Fill out this form and we will contact you with more information regarding our online nurse-midwifery program!

FNU Reflects on Rural Healthcare Efforts in Celebration of National Rural Health Day

November 18, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

On Thursday, November 18, Frontier Nursing University (FNU) will join healthcare providers and organizations across the country to celebrate the “Power of Rural” on National Rural Health Day (NRHD). Organized by the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health, NRHD is an opportunity to bring awareness to the unique challenges that rural communities face and the efforts of rural healthcare providers to create positive change in these regions.

Founded in the Appalachian area of Kentucky, serving rural communities has always been at the heart of Frontier. FNU strives to provide accessible nurse-midwifery and nurse practitioner education to leaders in primary care to serve all individuals, with an emphasis on women and families in diverse, rural, and underserved populations. Today, 73 percent of FNU students live and complete their clinics in rural areas throughout the United States, including various regions of Alaska, Montana, Oklahoma, and Kentucky.

Throughout the year, FNU shares inspiring stories on its blog about the impact alumni, students and preceptors have on rural communities. As we celebrate NRHD, here are some ways the Frontier community is paving the way for better health conditions in these often underserved regions.

Preceptor Terry Sims, FNP

For the past 13 years, Sims has worked in rural South Carolina, helping patients at the Medical University of South Carolina’s Primary Care Center in Great Falls. The rural town of Great Falls once had a thriving economy but has fallen on hard times in recent years due to the closing of a cotton mill. Like many rural areas, Great Falls faces poverty, lack of healthcare education and the need for a complete spectrum of healthcare. Sims hosts up to three preceptors at a time and sees up to 40 patients a day; however, according to those who have studied under him, Sims always takes the time to provide genuine, personalized care to everyone he treats. He also puts his preceptor students at ease with jokes and casual quizzing throughout the day.

“I am forever thankful that Terry will always be my mentor,” Alice Dalena, one of his precepting students, said after finishing her Clinical Practicum with Sims.

Alumni Patty Coldiron, MSN, FNP

Born and raised in rural Harlan County, Ky., Coldiron dropped out of high school at the age of 16 to give birth to her son Joshua, born with spina bifida. Joshua’s condition, and her connection to her homeland, led Coldiron on a journey to improve healthcare in her community. Throughout the past 20 years, Coldiron has worked across the healthcare field as a certified nursing assistant, an ER nurse, and a home health specialist. She earned a master’s degree as a family nurse practitioner from FNU in 2015. In January of this year, Coldiron opened Hometown Urgent Care to meet the gap in care in Harlan County.

“My community had never had an urgent care medical center, and I knew from working in the ER that these were services we desperately needed in Harlan County,” Coldiron said.

Coldiron’s clinic operates daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. to help make healthcare a feasible option for working families, a model that she plans on expanding. Coldiron hopes to open more Hometown Urgent Care clinics in other rural areas where citizens rely on emergency rooms for minor and urgent illnesses. She knows that accessible healthcare is key to helping communities like Harlan County thrive.

Alumni Marli Parobek, DNP, MS, APRN, FNP-C, PMHNP-C

After working a dozen years as a nurse practitioner in Yakima, Wash., Parobek decided to take her career to the next level to meet a growing need for mental health services in her hometown. Becoming a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) and earning a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from FNU, Parobek now serves the mental health needs of her community, composed of predominantly blue-collar workers and minority races facing poverty and substance abuse struggles.

Parobek is currently head of the inpatient psychiatric unit at Astria Toppenish Hospital, where her focus is on voluntary and involuntary inpatient psychiatry, medical withdrawal and detox. The voluntary detox program for alcohol and opiate addicts is 3-5 days of 24/7 nursing care in the hospital. Parobek’s role is to prescribe detox medications and perform psychiatric evaluations for these patients until they are discharged to outpatient programs. Marli and the Astria psychiatric unit received federal and state grants to implement their programs, offering vital services that had previously not existed in eastern Washington.

Alumni David Moore

Serving as the only nurse practitioner at the Front Street Clinic in downtown Juneau, Alaska, David Moore is dedicated to bringing a better quality of life to the people of his rural town. Moore is joined by a registered nurse, two behavioral health specialists, and two case managers at his clinic. Most of his patients are homeless and medically underserved, with many battling chronic illnesses.

“Most of the people we see aren’t coming in to be treated for a cold. The majority of our patients are present with chronic illness, and they’re transient, so we only see them when some crisis arises,” Moore said.

Although his patient load can undoubtedly be challenging, Moore credits FNU for helping to cultivate his desire to serve in rural areas and helping him to think outside of the box.

“The way the FNU nurse practitioner program is designed, I had to be independent and dig for resources,” Moore said. “FNU taught me to go above and beyond to get the job done.”

The Frontier community is proud to develop healthcare leaders in rural America. When modern resources are provided to underserved areas, our country grows closer to reaching a more equitable healthcare system with brighter futures for so many.

Frontier Nursing University Named Gold “COVID Stops Here” Workplace

October 18, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) in Versailles, Kentucky, has been recognized as a Gold COVID Stops Here workplace for achieving over a 90% vaccination rate.

The COVID Stops Here campaign recognizes Kentucky workplaces that have achieved widespread vaccination against COVID-19. Organizations that have achieved at least a 70% vaccination rate are eligible to receive a designation.

“I am very pleased to report that currently 92% of our 88 Kentucky-based employees have been vaccinated against COVID,” FNU President Dr. Susan Stone said. “We are very proud of the leadership that our faculty, staff, students, and alumni have displayed in their communities all across the country during the pandemic. Locally, we were honored to partner with the Woodford County Health Department and serve as a vaccination site last spring. We hope that our example inspires others in the community to get vaccinated as well.”

The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce developed the COVID Stops Here campaign as a way to celebrate workplaces that are leading the fight to stop COVID-19 — and to encourage more organizations to join their ranks.

“The COVID-19 vaccine is Kentucky’s pathway to recovery. Frontier Nursing University is helping set the bar for vaccination in Kentucky by achieving Gold COVID Stops Here status — meaning at least 90% of their employees are now vaccinated against COVID-19. This is a great achievement and we thank them for helping our state stop this dangerous virus,” said Kentucky Chamber President and CEO Ashli Watts. “Employers are playing a very important role as we work to encourage vaccination in Kentucky. In order to finally put this virus behind us, we need Kentuckians to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Together we can stop this virus, let’s make sure that COVID stops here!”

Learn more at kychamber.com/CovidStopsHere

######

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. In 2021, Frontier was named a “Great College to Work For” by the Great Colleges to Work For® program. To learn more about FNU and the programs and degrees offered, please visit Frontier.edu.