FNU’s Dr. Kelsey Kent advances PMHNP education with competency-based psychotherapy training

October 10, 2024 By Frontier Nursing University

Recognized each year on Oct. 10, World Mental Health Day is an international day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma. When it comes to addressing these issues in the field of healthcare, a robust workforce of well-trained and compassionate Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs) is critical.

FNU works every day to train the next generation of PMHNPs, and is having an impact, thanks to the efforts of dedicated faculty. Among these dedicated faculty members is Kelsey Kent, PhD, PMHNP-BC, CNE, a Course Coordinator at FNU.

Dr. Kent recently published an article in the September – October edition of the National League for Nursing’s publication, Nursing Education Perspectives (NEP). The article, entitled “Psychotherapy Skills for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Students in the Age of Competency-Based Education,” reviews a psychotherapy skills-based learning assignment at FNU that was adapted to meet developing competency-based learning standards.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) defines Competency-Based Education (CBE) as “a system of instruction, assessment, feedback, self-reflection, and academic reporting that is based on students demonstrating that they have learned the knowledge, attitudes, motivations, self-perceptions, and skills expected of them as they progress through their education.”

“As the field of nursing moves toward competency-based education, faculty need to adapt teaching and learning strategies to meet standards for assessing core behaviors of graduate psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner students,” Dr. Kent writes in the article.

The assignment discussed in the article employs prerecorded video scenarios to help students practice and enhance their psychotherapy skills during didactic coursework. Assessment is carried out using an analytic rubric, and detailed written feedback is provided to each student.

During the term, students complete six video critiques, each featuring a 10-minute segment of a therapy session and covering various therapy modalities. The videos align with course module content and include scenarios such as addressing alcohol misuse through motivational interviewing, treating anxiety with cognitive behavioral therapy, and working with an older adult using contextual adult lifespan theory to adapt psychotherapy.

The videos vary in how closely the therapist follows the given modality, and students must critique the sessions in their responses to seven questions. For example, the first question posed to students is: “Write a summary of the session and perform a mental status exam on the patient.”

By responding to the questions posed in the assignment, students are fulfilling several AACN Essentials competencies, along with Nurse Practitioner Role Core Competencies from the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) and the American Psychiatric Nurses Association’s (APNA) Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Essential Competencies for Assessment and Management of Individuals at Risk for Suicide.

For example, the aforementioned assignment question addresses NONPF Nurse Practitioner Core Competencies NP 2.3i (“Utilize advanced critical thinking to determine the appropriate focused or comprehensive relevant patient history”), NP 2.3j (“Apply advanced assessment skills to perform a comprehensive patient physical assessment utilizing appropriate techniques”), and NP 2.3p (“Document comprehensive history, screening, and assessment”).

Upon submitting their work, students are evaluated via an analytic rubric that assesses groups of competencies, including psychiatric assessment, communication skills, application of therapy models, and personal reflection. Faculty are trained on the rubric and practice on previous term papers to improve inter-rater reliability. In addition to a numeric score, students are given a summary of the session itself, including successes and areas of improvements for the therapy session. Then, each student receives individualized feedback highlighting strengths, areas for improvement, and comments on points of discussion identified by the student.

This approach allows for highly personalized feedback in the form of written comments and a detailed rubric. In addition, the prerecorded scenarios give students the opportunity to rewatch sessions as often as needed to fully observe the interaction, something unavailable in a live clinical setting.

To read the full article, click here.

Dr. Kent will be presenting this assignment in more detail and will discuss competency-based education for PMHNPs at the 2024 American Psychiatric Nurses Association Conference in Louisville, set for Oct. 9-12.

FNU values the work of PMHNP faculty members like Dr. Kent as they make new strides in advancing the education of mental health nurse professionals. To learn more about FNU’s PMHNP Program, click here.

Frontier Nursing University prepares PMHNP students with advanced clinical simulations

September 9, 2024 By Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University’s flexible, online psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner program aims to prepare competent, compassionate, and well-equipped Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs). FNU offers a graduate PMHNP specialty track that can be pursued full- or part-time while completing a Master of Science in Nursing or a Post-Graduate Certificate.

The curriculum of FNU’s PMHNP program is structured to provide a comprehensive foundation in assessing, diagnosing, and treating psychiatric disorders. Emphasis is also placed on health promotion and disease prevention. Before students embark on their clinical journey, FNU ensures they are thoroughly prepared through a didactic curriculum that not only equips students with essential skills, but also builds confidence in their abilities.

“Our focus is on training innovative nurse practitioners who have a passion for serving their communities, and we accomplish that with a unique blend of didactic coursework and clinical experience. Our students value the flexibility of our distance education program as it allows them to stay in their home communities while advancing their careers to improve access to care,” said Dr. Kevin Scalf, Department Chair of the Department of Psychiatric-Mental Health.

A standout feature of FNU’s PMHNP program is the Clinical Bound experience, a five-day immersive skills intensive held on the university’s campus in Versailles, Kentucky. This unique opportunity allows students to refine their clinical skills under the guidance of experienced faculty before beginning their clinical practicum.

Central to the Clinical Bound experience are the sophisticated clinical simulations designed to replicate real-world scenarios encountered by PMHNPs. These simulations provide a safe yet realistic environment for students to apply their knowledge and skills. FNU’s simulation rooms closely resemble actual clinical settings, enhancing the authenticity of the learning experience.

A key component of FNU’s clinical simulations is the use of standardized patients (SPs). These individuals, trained to portray specific psychiatric conditions or symptoms, enable students to practice patient interactions in a controlled setting. Through scripted scenarios, students engage in comprehensive assessments, develop treatment plans, and hone their therapeutic communication skills.

During Clinical Bound, faculty members facilitate discussions, peer-learning activities, and practice sessions to maximize student engagement and learning. Immediate feedback provided by faculty and SPs allows students to reflect on their performance and identify areas for improvement.

One of the distinctive aspects of FNU’s Clinical Bound is the integration of technology to facilitate remote learning and observation. Using SimIQ software, students not directly involved in the simulation can observe their peers’ encounters in real-time from nearby classrooms or remote locations. This innovative approach promotes collaborative learning and allows for helpful feedback from both faculty and peers. By offering in-person clinical simulations and integrating SimIQ software, students are equipped with the necessary tools to interact with patients not only in a traditional in-person setting but also in a telehealth environment. This adaptability is increasingly crucial as healthcare access continues to evolve and telehealth becomes more prevalent.

These recordings serve as valuable resources for post-simulation debriefing sessions, where students can evaluate their performance and gain insights into their clinical practice. Through guided reflection, students deepen their understanding of complex patient interactions and refine their clinical skills for future practice.

The success of FNU’s Clinical Bound and the clinical simulation offered during the experience is a testament to the university’s commitment to excellence in PMHNP education. By combining hands-on clinical training with cutting-edge simulation technology, FNU prepares its students to meet the evolving demands of mental healthcare delivery.

FNU psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner students have an overall ANCC certification exam pass rate of 98% compared to the national overall ANCC pass rate of 90%. As graduates of FNU’s PMHNP program, students emerge as compassionate and culturally competent providers ready to address the mental health needs of diverse, rural and underserved populations.

To learn more about FNU’s PMHNP program, visit frontier.edu/psych-mental-health-nurse-practitioner.

Learn more about advanced nursing degrees and specialties at Frontier Nursing University. Subscribe to our blog for the latest news and events at FNU and to get inspired with stories featuring our alumni, students, faculty, preceptors and staff!

Student Spotlight: Jazmene Landing Advocates for Mental Health Awareness

August 26, 2024 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.

Just a 20-minute drive from the FNU campus, registered nurse Jazmene Landing works at a comprehensive outpatient addiction clinic in Lexington, Kentucky. There, she cares for an underserved population of urban patients who are often stigmatized and overlooked due to addiction and mental health issues.

“My job as a nurse is to not only provide care to these individuals,” said Landing, “but to also serve as an advocate.”

When she noticed a strong need in her community for advanced practice nurses who look like the patients they serve, Landing decided to become a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). Thanks to her proximity to FNU, she knew just where to go! Now a FNU PMHNP student, she is on-track to earn her Master of Science in Nursing later this year.

“Frontier is home,” Landing said. “I didn’t have to travel or move far away to gain the knowledge and experiences I’ve gained, or the connections I’ve made. At FNU, they care about their students and the professionals we will become.”

Landing found valuable support in joining student organizations, especially the Professional Organizational Mentoring Program (POMP), which matches FNU faculty mentors with students from underrepresented groups. Throughout the mentorship, students join a professional organization in their field, attend a conference with fellow nurse practitioners, and gain a better understanding of the nursing profession. Landing attended AANP in 2023, and shared the following on her experience:

“I had the privilege of attending the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) Conference in New Orleans. As a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) student, it was both exciting and enriching to engage with established nurse practitioners and network throughout the event. Through POMP, I had the opportunity to connect with fellow students from my track as well as other specialties, enhancing our learning experience through participation in various sessions.

My faculty member played a crucial role in this experience. Despite our different program backgrounds, Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and PMHNP, we found similarities in our shared commitment to patient care. This collaboration stressed the value of networking and the importance of establishing a professional presence at national conferences.

The conference also allowed me to explore exhibits and review presentations focused on psychiatry, which I later brought back to the clinic where I work as a registered nurse. This experience reaffirmed that POMP offers more than just a conference trip; it is a significant opportunity to connect with peers, gain valuable insights, and represent our university effectively.”

Landing says MH707: Psychiatric-Mental Health Assessment Across the Lifespan was the most interesting course she’s taken so far. She loved how the class encouraged her to explore how mental health affects people in all walks of life, in different ages and stages, and how they often hide behind their mental health conditions due to fear of being criticized or labeled.

“As a PMHNP, I will be able to give an even stronger voice to those who are afraid of seeking treatment for addiction, or those struggling with mental health stigma,” said Landing.

Outside of work and school, Landing is a busy mother of three daughters, a role she calls “the greatest gift . . . the most satisfying and difficult job at the same time.” In her down time, she enjoys watching sports, reading books, and sitting by the fire.

Thank you, Jazmene, for choosing FNU in your healthcare journey and for providing quality care to underserved populations in your community!

Learn more about advanced nursing degrees and specialties at Frontier Nursing University, including our Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program. Subscribe to our blog for the latest news and events at FNU and to get inspired with stories featuring our alumni, students, faculty and staff!

Dr. Bradley Kuo: Thinking Ahead About Mental Healthcare

July 15, 2024 By Frontier Nursing University

Bradley Kuo, DNP (Class 33), M.Ed., APRN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, CARN-NP

Ever since he graduated high school a year early, Bradley Kuo, DNP (Class 33), M.Ed., APRN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, CARN- NP, has made being ahead of schedule the norm. He completed an accelerated master of nursing program at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and completed his DNP at Frontier Nursing University while working five jobs. He even started his mental telehealth practice – the first based in Hawaii – in 2018, two years before the pandemic drove other practices to start offering telehealth.

The reality is that Kuo hasn’t rushed through anything. Rather, he was making up for lost time after completing his undergraduate studies at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, as a music major intending to become a high school choir director. He then earned a master’s of education in counseling with an emphasis in student affairs at Northern Arizona. A healthcare career was not yet on the horizon.

Kuo worked in higher education administration for several years with stops at Cal Poly Pomona, UC Berkeley, and finally, the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he worked for three years.

“That last year, I started to complete the prerequisites to get into the master’s entry program in nursing at UH,” said Kuo, who grew up in Wisconsin and spent one year in Germany as a foreign exchange student. “In 2010, I did my pre-licensure year. What nurses would typically do in three years of education, I and my cohort had to get it done in one. It was very intense. As soon as we were done, we had to go right into the graduate program. After all that, I did graduate with a BSN and an MSN as an FNP and an advanced public health nurse. Over the course of those several years in the graduate program, I worked in long-term care and hospice. I really enjoyed that because it shapes how I have conversations with my patients now.”

Kuo and his husband, Erik, now own and operate Wellness Partners Hawaii, Inc., an online telemental health clinic. Wellness Partners Hawaii opened in 2018. In 2019, Kuo enrolled in the DNP program at Frontier. By then, he had a wealth of experience in nursing, including being a nurse practitioner for hospice, working in a pediatrics clinic, and working with the Honolulu Police Department in corrections as an independent contractor. Then, he began working at Queens Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. In 2015, he enrolled at Johns Hopkins and earned his postgraduate certificate for psychiatric-mental health.

“While I was working at Queens, the thing about getting that DNP kept on nagging me,” Kuo said. “That’s when I decided it was time in 2019 to do the Frontier Nursing DNP program.”

Bradley (left) and his husband Erik

He approached the DNP the same way he had the rest of his academic and professional career, taking on multiple projects simultaneously.

“I needed a program that would allow me some flexibility because I was working full-time at the hospital,” Kuo said. “I was literally working five jobs while I was getting my DNP: Full time at the hospital, running my mental health business, my husband and I started a medical spa, I was working for the police department, and I held a couple of other smaller jobs. I was really busy while at the same time doing the work for the DNP. I decided I was going to torture myself and really stack up the classes. I did get my DNP done rather quickly, but it was intense. My faculty mentor, Ana Verzone (DNP, FNP, CNM, PMHNP), was amazing. She was instrumental in helping me move through my program.”

Even with his businesses and career already flourishing, Kuo believed in the value of the DNP. His experiences since then have validated his beliefs. Kuo has become an active leader in local and state healthcare policies, serving on a seemingly endless list of boards and committees.

“One of the things the DNP helped me achieve is that I am able to be a part of a lot more leadership roles,” Kuo said. “I am able to be a part of a lot more initiatives, and that is because of my completion of that degree. My ability to take on leadership roles has been a big piece of my work since I finished my degree at Frontier. People pointed at me, saying, “Well, you’ve got your DNP; you can manage this.” Other leadership roles were something that was asked of me. It also helped to get the attention of legislators. Using my academic title is important at times so that I can be heard in the work that we are doing.”

Kuo has served as the chair of the legislative committee for the Hawaii Association of Professional Nurses. Last year, he was selected by the governor for an interim appointment as the APRN representative for the Hawaii State Board of Nursing until the Senate is able to solidify that appointment during the next legislative session. Kuo is also the Chair of the Board of Directors for Mental Health Kokua, a non-profit organization founded in 1973 to assist those dealing with mental illness. He is the Hawaii liaison for the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and is on the Board of Directors for the National Alliance on Mental Illness-Hawaii.

“As APRNs and nurses, we actually have to take our seat at the table. We can’t wait for somebody to offer it to us,” Kuo said. “What that might look like is we might submit legislative testimony. That’s how we can take our seats. We can be very involved from a legislative perspective. If we wait for somebody to give us a seat at the table, it’s going to take a long time. I think there are ways to take our seat at the table that are not overbearing but can support the organizations’ or the state’s mission to move the healthcare needs forward.”

Much of Kuo’s committee work involves ensuring that APRNs are working within their scope of education, certification, and licensure. This, he says, ultimately leads to a better overall healthcare system.

“In the work that I do politically, it really is improving access to care for the people of Hawaii,” Kuo said. “If we’re not working outside of our scope, certain organizations in the country and this state have less of an argument to make when suggesting that we’re not properly trained and educated. Then we’re in a much better spot in being able to advocate for the patient care we are able to deliver. For that reason, the state of Hawaii put together the APRN Scope of Practice Algorithm to ensure APRNs can ask themselves if they are working within that scope. If the answer is no, they need to course correct.”

Other legislative issues that Kuo has addressed include financial concerns, such as increasing state-funded loan reimbursement and preceptor tax credits.

“Pay parity is a very difficult problem here,” Kuo said. “Hawaii is one of the lowest reimbursing states for care. I am envious of my colleagues in other states who get more money for the work that they do. The medicare reimbursement doesn’t meet what is needed to provide care here. I am part of a couple of groups that are working to lobby federal legislators to increase medicare reimbursement. Typically, an APRN throughout the country gets reimbursed 85% of what a physician does. We are already operating at a deficit in a state that makes it difficult for APRN-run and physician-run clinics to operate financially.”

Fortunately, Kuo’s Wellness Partners Hawaii is succeeding. The practice now includes 17 therapists and five subscribers and averages more than 100 new patients per month and 98 percent of all care is conducted via telehealth. Common presentations include PTSD, depression, anxiety, ADHD, trauma, and issues related to substance use. The only time in-person appointments are conducted is to meet DEA requirements to start a controlled substance.

“We have been focused on reaching the communities that have less access to care,” Kuo said. “We thought the best way for us to improve access to care is to use technology. We’ve been doing telehealth before it was even popular. During the pandemic, when everyone was trying to pivot how they deliver health care, we were already there.”

While Kuo has found the value in telehealth, he is no stranger to in-person mental health care. His interest in mental healthcare developed when he worked in student affairs at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He found that helping first-year college students involved a significant mental health aspect.

“As I became more involved in the mental health world, I needed to make sure I had the education and training to back that up,” Kuo said. “That’s when I decided to go back to Johns Hopkins. Once I was done with that program, then my work in mental healthcare catapulted. I worked on ways to improve mental healthcare in the workplaces that I was in. I just grew to embrace mental healthcare.”

While fully invested in the care of his patients, his staff, and his legislative work, Kuo does so with an eye toward the future, where he hopes to see greater access to care for all Hawaii residents.

“We’re constantly working to improve access to care,” Kuo said. “Nurses and APRNs are trained differently, so how we deliver that care may be improved for certain members of the population. As we continue to evolve here in the state, I think nurses and nurse practitioners can have an even greater seat at the table.”

Dr. Tracy Hicks Puts Her Mind to Improving Access to Mental Care

July 11, 2024 By Frontier Nursing University

When you rank last in anything, there are two ways to respond: accept defeat or embrace the opportunity. After all, there is nowhere to go but up.

It is safe to say that the latter is the mindset that FNU alumnus Dr. Tracy Hicks DNP (Class 23), MBA, APRN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, CARN-AP, FIAAN, FAANP, adopted when she opened C-Trilogy Comprehensive Clinical Care/C-Trilogy Outreach (C-Trilogy) in Longview, Texas. In 2022, Mental Health America, a nonprofit advocating for people with mental illness, ranked Texas 51st for mental health care access, behind every other state and Washington, D.C.*

That ranking came a full seven years after Hicks organized her practice, which officially opened in 2016. Since then, C-Trilogy has grown significantly with the intent of helping as many people as they can.

“I started in 2015 with myself and a front desk person,” Hicks said. “By 2020, I had a front desk person and a part-time nurse.”

Currently, the clinic has 12 staff members, including a psychiatrist/medical director, a physician assistant, a licensed master social worker, a licensed vocational nurse, a medical assistant, a licensed chemical dependency counselor, three psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners, two patient navigators/crisis interventionalists, and a front desk manager/executive assistant and assistant clinical director. Incredible to think that this vitally important clinic almost never existed.

Hicks always wanted to be a nurse, but it wasn’t until she was in the family nurse practitioner (FNP) program at the University of Texas at Arlington that she was drawn to the possibility of being a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner.

“We had to take a full semester of psych with a 45-hour clinical rotation,” Hicks said. “The PMHNP Director at the time asked me if I would be interested in the PMHNP program because of my performance in didactic and clinical. I told her I wanted to complete the FNP program because I wanted to offer a holistic care model, but I promised her that I would take a semester off and return because I did love the psych rotation. I did just that, and my Program Director remains in my life today as a mentor and like a second mom.”

Hicks’ real mom was also a nurse but encouraged her to become a physician. “I told her I wanted to become a nurse because I had watched her and how her colleagues and patients loved her,” Hicks said. “She loved her work. She made me promise that if I wanted to be a nurse, I would go to the top and make an impact.”

Establishing a psychiatric-mental health clinic in the state with the lowest access to mental healthcare certainly makes an impact. Hicks credits FNU’s DNP program for helping prepare her to establish and manage her own practice.

“When I researched universities online, I was attracted to FNU's rural health focus,” said Hicks, who is also an associate professor in the College of Nursing at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. “I remember being inspired by Dr. Diane John. She was so helpful and supportive throughout my journey at FNU. I met Dr. Khara’ Jefferson toward the end of my journey, and she was instrumental in my grounding toward the end. Dr. Eileen Thrower taught the ‘nurse as an educator’ course, which solidified my interest in teaching at the graduate level. I also used some of my courses as a guide in setting up and refining my clinic.”

Part of refining her clinic to meet the community's needs included the establishment of C-Trilogy Outreach, a non-profit branch of C-Trilogy, in 2020. This came in response to a growing number of patients, both insured and uninsured, who were presenting with more complex issues during the pandemic.

“I established a non-profit in 2020 in hopes of securing funding to expand and transform the practice to meet the needs of the community,” Hicks said. “I researched and studied the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model and met with stakeholders, including the local mental health authority. I applied for grant funding through SAMHSA and was blessed to receive funding in 2022 for the planning, development, and implementation of a CCHBC Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Planning, Development, and Implementation Grant.”

The CCBHC model ensures access to coordinated comprehensive behavioral health care and serves those who request mental health or substance use care. C-Trilogy has established relationships with the Harris County Jail System and the Jim Meyer Comprehensive Health Center, which is partially funded by the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program.

“We used to have contracts with them, but now we work collaboratively referring patients between organizations when needed,” Hicks said.

Understanding that C-Trilogy cannot fix the state’s mental healthcare needs alone, Hicks has become a vocal leader in advocating for increased awareness and funding. As a presenter and speaker, she addresses the importance of the social determinants of health in providing individualized and holistic care on a broader scale.

“My motto is ‘restricted NP practice anywhere is restricted access to care everywhere,’” Hicks said. “Increasing access to mental health services is key. We have to take a more proactive approach versus a reactive approach. Mental healthcare tends to get more attention when there a tragic events such as mass shootings and the pandemic, which highlighted health inequality. Issues such as this wreak havoc on the population's mental health. We need to continue to be proactive and promote and cultivate crucial and fierce conversations on the state of mental health and the solutions that are needed. We need all healthcare providers to practice to the fullest extent of their education without unnecessary barriers and restrictions.”

Balancing her duties as a clinician, educator, and advocate might seem daunting to most, but to Hicks, it is the most effective way for her to serve her community and her state.

“I plan to continue work as an educator and clinic owner/entrepreneur while being an exemplary leader and addressing the needs of underserved populations,” she said. “I hope to expand my clinic model into Full Practice States. I intend to continue to support Texas Nurse Practitioners and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners as we work with legislators to secure Full Practice Authority in Texas and across the nation.”

Frontier Nursing University Announces Annual Service Awards

June 24, 2024 By Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) announced its annual award recipients for 2024. These awards are presented to FNU alumni who have gone on to make significant contributions to their communities or to the university. The awards were presented at a ceremony during FNU’s Homecoming event on March 23.

FNU was founded in 1939 as the Frontier Graduate School of Midwifery. FNU has since grown to become one of the largest nonprofit universities in the United States for advanced nursing and midwifery education. As a pioneer in graduate nursing and nurse-midwifery education, FNU remains at the forefront of innovation and technology with top-ranked, accredited programs delivered via community-based distance education. Frontier Nursing University offers a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree, and post-graduate certificates leading to education as a certified nurse-midwife (CNM), family nurse practitioner (FNP), women’s health care nurse practitioner (WHNP) and/or psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP).

“So many of our alumni have gone on to do amazing things in communities all across the country and even the world,” said FNU President Dr. Susan Stone, CNM, DNSc, FAAN, FACNM. “I am so proud of the way they represent and support Frontier Nursing University. Their dedication, commitment, and generosity are truly inspiring.”

Distinguished Service to Society Award

The Distinguished Service to Society award recognizes an alumnus who goes above and beyond to provide exceptional service in his or her community. The 2024 recipients of this award are Dr. Francis Aho, DNP, CNM, and Christopher Davis, MSN, FNP-C, ENP-C.

Dr. Francis Aho is the director of the Africa Mission Services Community Health Clinic and Women’s Health Center serving the Maasai tribe of Kenya. Born in Switzerland, Aho moved to the United States when she was 4 years old and spent most of her childhood in western Tennessee. After obtaining her RN, she worked as an ER nurse for four years before resigning and traveling to Honduras, where she assisted in a medical capacity in clinics as a nurse.

As her interest in serving the underserved grew, she sought a more permanent opportunity and found it at Africa Mission Services. In December 2008, at the age of 24, she moved to Kenya and took what had previously been a clinic that visiting doctors could use and opened it full-time. When she and her husband Andrew, who is the founder of Africa Mission Services, had twins in 2014, Aho stepped away from the clinic for two years. Upon her return, she realized she needed more maternal health care training and enrolled at Frontier Nursing University, earning first her CNM and then her DNP. She led the renovation of an area of the clinic to establish a women’s health center, which includes four Kenyan midwives. In 2023, the current clinic delivered 612 babies. Construction on a new 11,000-square-foot building for the Women’s Health Center is nearing completion, with the grand opening scheduled for June 21, 2024. The new birth center will include an outpatient department, an inpatient maternity wing, and a labor and delivery wing.

Show less

Christopher Davis is a United States Public Health Service (UPHS) officer assigned to the Department of Justice. He currently works in a medium-security prison in his home state of South Carolina, treating adult male patients who have been incarcerated. Hepatitis C, HIV, and opioid use disorder are among the common conditions he treats. Davis began his career in health care as a paramedic, during which time his responsibilities included 911 responses, critical care transports, and flight medicine.

During that time, he was also part of a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster team that responded to hurricanes. Davis has also served as an emergency room director, which included directing the ambulance service. Seeking to provide even better care to his patients, he enrolled at Frontier Nursing University to obtain his FNP. While at FNU, Davis worked as a commissioned UPHS officer. Upon graduation from FNU, he was assigned to the federal penitentiary in Pineville, Kentucky, before eventually being reassigned to his current position in South Carolina. Because the UPHS is part of the Department of Health and Human Services, Davis is able to continue to serve in disaster medicine. He has provided aid at multiple hurricanes, tuberculosis outbreaks, COVID outbreaks, and the U.S. Border Patrol.

Show less

The Distinguished Service to Alma Mater honors an alumnus who has continued to provide support to Frontier through volunteer efforts and/or philanthropy. The 2024 recipient is Dr. Tia Andrighetti, CNM, APRN, CHSE-A, CNE, FACNM.

Dr. Tia Andrighetti has been a faculty member at Frontier Nursing University for 20 years. Currently, she is an Associate Professor at FNU and is also the university’s Innovation Coach and Simulation Coordinator. Andrighetti grew up in Connecticut and attended Penn State University as a pre-med student but ultimately chose to become a nurse instead. She obtained her MSN from Case Western University and her nurse-midwifery certificate from Frontier in 1997. After doing her clinicals in Florida, Andrighetti moved to Connecticut, where she worked in private practice while her husband went to law school. She left practice for a few years to have children, then became regional clinical faculty (RCF) at Frontier and went on to obtain her DNP from Frontier in 2010.

Soon after that, Andrighetti became a Clinical Bound team leader at Frontier. Since then, her role has expanded to be the university’s Innovation Coach and Simulation Coordinator. In this role, Andrighetti works with faculty to develop active teaching methods, including simulations, for their courses. Her areas of interest include the application of knowledge using a variety of teaching modalities. Much of her career has been spent writing, implementing, and evaluating the use of high-fidelity simulation in the education of students. She has researched Deliberate Practice during those simulations. Her current research involves the use of interprofessional simulation in the education of students. She is a faculty member in the Center for Teaching and Learning and works with the Academic Affairs team to enhance faculty development. Andrighetti has established numerous faculty education programs, a simulation peer evaluation program, and a robust simulation program that utilizes cutting-edge technology to impact the learning experience of students and support faculty in innovative teaching approaches. Andrighetti has been a generous and steadfast donor to FNU since 1998.

Show less

The Unbridled Spirit Award is given annually to a former Courier who is dedicated to serving others, has ongoing, longstanding stewardship of Frontier; and has demonstrated conviction, courage, and a zest for adventure. The Courier Program Public Health Internship is an eight-week rural and public health summer service-learning program for college students with an interest in public health, healthcare, or a related field. The 2024 recipient is Dr. Elia R. Cole.

Dr. Cole is a Family Medicine physician with Northwest Permanente. In her current practice, she sees patients virtually, providing a blend of urgent and primary care to patients in Washington and Oregon. Cole is a member of her local executive board of the Washington Association of Family Physicians. She was born in the Hudson Valley in upstate New York. As a young girl, Dr. Cole’s mother was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. An all-female medical team became a decisive influence when Cole realized she wanted to be a doctor, too.

As a pre-med student, Cole was an EMT and Director of Emergency Medical Services while she attended Bard College. She also participated in summer programs to prepare for the medical field through a pediatric surgery internship in Lima, Peru, and the Frontier Nursing University Courier Program in Hyden, Kentucky, in 2008. Cole continued on to study public health at Boston University and medicine at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences in Yakima, Washington As a third and fourth-year medical student, Cole was assigned clinical rotations based out of Fairbanks, Alaska. Her rural healthcare experiences included travel to remote villages, where she learned to provide healthcare with limited resources. Further clinical rotations took Cole across the country to the Midwest and the Navajo Nation. These varied experiences of life in America further fueled Cole’s desire to deliver healthcare to underserved populations, as she learned through her working experience while a Frontier Courier. From 2018-2021, Cole attended residency at Kaiser Permanente in California, where she dedicated her research studies to teaching telemedicine in an effort to support medical learners to safely care for people virtually. Cole has remained connected to the Courier program, serving on the Courier Advisory Committee and coming back to attend orientations or closing sessions when possible. She encourages the Couriers and has mentored some of them as they pursue their public health careers.

Show less

The Lifetime Service Award recognizes an individual or organization providing long-standing support and commitment to the mission and work of Frontier Nursing Service and Frontier Nursing University. The 2024 recipient of this award is Janice L. Bovée, MSN, CNM.

In her 46 years as a Registered Nurse, Bovée “caught” 1,867 babies, assisted physicians in more than 500 cesarean sections, and mentored hundreds of nurses and student nurse-midwives. It is the career she dreamed of even as a child. Born in Mesa, Arizona, she attended high school in Phoenix and became a candy-striper through the American Red Cross program when she was 16. She married shortly after graduating from high school and had her first child while enrolled in a junior college nursing program. A year after the birth of her second child, Bovée graduated with an associate degree in nursing in 1978 and began working as an RN in a small rural hospital.

She saw it all throughout her RN career, working in labor and delivery, emergency, newborn, and pediatric ICUs, operating rooms, and office clinical sites. Looking to advance her career, at the age of 31, she went back to school and obtained a bachelor’s degree with an eye toward becoming a nurse-midwife. Twelve years later, she enrolled in Frontier’s Community-based Nurse-Midwifery Education Program. She was precepted by Frontier alumnus Susan Dennis, working in a migrant farm workers’ clinic. She went on to work in a physician-owned OB/GYN practice in Phoenix before moving on to help start a nurse-midwifery service in 2006. The practice now employs six full-time certified nurse-midwives and also serves as a host site for many students in their clinical rotations. Now retired as a practitioner, Bovée has also taken on leadership roles outside of her practice, including serving on the Board of the Arizona Nurses Association, being president of the local chapter of the American College of Nurse-Midwives, and sitting on the Arizona Board of Nursing Advanced Practice Advisory Committee.

Show less

The Distinguished Preceptor Award recognizes an alumnus providing long-standing support and commitment to the mission and work of Frontier Nursing Service and Frontier Nursing University through precepting students. The 2024 recipient of this award is Dr. Sandi Mellor, DNP, APRN, FNP.

Dr. Mellor was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she now owns Neighborhood Medical Clinic, a combined family and urgent care practice. She knew at an early age that she wanted to pursue a medical career and took a medical-surgical nursing class while still in high school. She worked towards her associate degree in nursing and worked as a nurse for three years for the National Health Authority in Bedford, England, where her husband was stationed as a member of the U.S. Air Force. Upon returning to the United States, she completed her bachelor of science in nursing degree in 1998. While raising two sons, she worked in the cardiac intensive care unit, pediatric intensive care unit, and neonatal intensive care unit, as well as the trauma and emergency room.

She recognized that many of these patients required not only emergency or urgent care, but also primary care management of their comorbidities. Feeling the call to serve the underserved, she went back to school to become a family nurse practitioner. She earned her FNP in 2004, the same year she and her husband had a baby daughter. They moved back to Tulsa in 2007, where Mellor began training internal medicine residents how to be providers. She also began precepting FNP students. She left in January 2010 to open her first family practice, where she found more opportunities to precept and teach BSN and FNP students while serving the underserved. At her clinics, Mellor accepts those on Medicaid or without insurance and has Spanish-speaking translators on staff to help make sure all are welcome. Mellor, who earned her DNP at Frontier Nursing University in 2019, worked with the University of Tulsa and Oral Roberts University, writing their FNP program courses and teaching them prior to joining the University of Oklahoma in 2022 to teach undergraduate and graduate programs. She also continues to help educate students through precepting and has precepted approximately a dozen Frontier students (nearly 600 hours per student).

Show less

Student Spotlight: Heather Figi plans to integrate background in arts as a PMHNP to offer whole-person care

May 22, 2024 By Frontier Nursing University

Heather Figi and FNU Dean for Inclusive Excellence and Student Success Dr. Paula Alexander-Delpech at the APNA National Conference

For FNU student Heather Figi, RN, BSN, life is about fulfilling two principles: “we are here to do great things with the gift of our lives” and “we are here to serve others.”

These beliefs empowered her to resume her education in 2011 with the aim of becoming a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. On track to graduate this year, Figi is currently pursuing her MSN in the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program at FNU. Drawing from her rich background in music and education, Figi intends to integrate these experiences with her healthcare education. She said she seeks to embody the essence of psychiatry, derived from its Greek roots, where “psukhē” denotes soul or mind, and “iatreia” signifies healing.

“With the education I am receiving from Frontier Nursing University, I plan to merge my background in the arts with healing to offer holistic, whole-person psychiatric care,” she said.

A resident of Janesville, Wisconsin, Figi currently serves as a psychiatric RN, primarily providing care for underserved populations. In her work, she seeks to offer dignity to patients while assessing and addressing unmet medical needs such as dental needs, wounds and injuries. She said many of her patients receive inpatient care at the area psychiatric hospital, and are in the acute phase of schizophrenia. Many of her patients also have substance use disorder and lack of housing.

In pursuing her degree at FNU, Figi said she seeks to alter perspectives, advocating for the brain to be regarded as neutrally as any other organ, thereby diminishing the stigma surrounding mental health. She said her favorite subject she has studied at FNU thus far has been psychopharmacology due to the way in which instructors weave together the brain with biological mechanisms and symptomatology.

APNA National Conference

Figi said FNU has offered the structure and flexibility to allow her to reach her goals.

“I feel that through the structure of this program, FNU honors nursing professionals by accommodating them for individualized plans that allow for life to happen, trajectories to change and lots of personal guidance along the way,” she said.

Figi said FNU has also been a catalyst for professional development, particularly through the Professional Organizational Mentoring Program (POMP), which matches FNU faculty with nurse practitioner and nurse-midwifery students from underrepresented groups to provide support and mentorship. The program allows students to join a professional organization in their field and gives them the opportunity to attend a professional conference with their mentors. Figi attended the APNA National Conference with Dr. Paula Alexander-Delpech.

“I deeply valued attending the national conference, connecting with one of the stunning faculty members here at FNU, and getting to pick her brain, have fun and share some dessert,” she said. “I had several degrees before coming to FNU and have never felt as supported as I have with the POMP opportunity.”

When she is not at work or pursuing coursework at FNU, Figi enjoys taking walks, pursuing HIIT and capoeira exercise, singing, drawing and spending time with her nephews and niece.

Thank you, Heather, for your work with underserved populations and for your ongoing commitment to expanding your impact through education at FNU.

Learn more about advanced nursing degrees and specialties at Frontier Nursing University, including our Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner Program. Subscribe to our blog for the latest news and events at FNU and to get inspired with stories featuring our alumni, students, faculty and staff!

Student Spotlight: Ashley Parker selected for SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program

March 25, 2024 By Frontier Nursing University

FNU DNP Student Ashley Parker, MSN, PMHNP-BC

Frontier Nursing University student Ashley Parker, MSN, PMHNP-BC, was recently selected for the 2023-2024 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) Minority Fellowship Program. A first-year doctor of nursing practice student at FNU, Parker’s selection is a testament to her dedication toward advancing mental health care, particularly for underrepresented minority groups.

The SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program aims to increase the number of post-baccalaureate behavioral health nurses from underrepresented ethnic minority groups. By fostering leadership, evidence-based research and culturally competent services, the program strives to eliminate health disparities in behavioral health disorders. The program emphasizes integrated approaches, acknowledging the mental and physical health needs of all ethnic/minority populations.

Through her selection, Parker will benefit from stipends, dissertation support, mentoring, career guidance, research workshops and interactions with experts in various disciplines. The program is designed to shape the careers of Fellows, providing leadership seminars, conferences and career enhancement opportunities.

Parker serves as the lead psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) at a 60-bed extended acute care behavioral health facility.

“I always tell my clients , ‘You’re the expert on you, you lead, I help.’,” said Parker. “It’s the way I build rapport and give them choices so that they can have a sense of autonomy in their treatment planning.”

With a rich educational background, including a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Temple University, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Drexel University, and a Master of Science in Nursing from Wilkes University, Parker brings a wealth of knowledge to her doctoral studies.

Recognized for her exceptional compassionate care, Parker received the Daisy Award while working with an Adult Psychiatric Crisis unit at Thomas Jefferson University in 2020. With 15 years of experience in mental health, she specializes in thought and mood disorders, particularly bipolar and schizophrenia, with comorbid substance use disorder.

Parker is an active member of prominent organizations such as the American Nurses Association, American Psychiatric Nurses Association, and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. She also leads mental health clinicals for Bachelor of Nursing Students at Kennesaw State University.

Passionate about reducing stigmatization, Parker focuses on educating patients and their families on navigating newly diagnosed mental health disorders. Her commitment to crisis prevention is evident through her certification in crisis prevention training, where she has imparted knowledge to numerous employees at major psychiatric crisis hospitals.

As a SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program Fellow, Parker will contribute to the program’s mission by integrating the science of early intervention and prevention, treatment and recovery into her doctoral research. Her focus on reducing crisis hospitalization aligns with the program’s goals of promoting culturally relevant care and addressing mental health disparities.

Thank you, Ashley, for your dedication to mental health care, as exemplified through your participation in this distinguished fellowship.

To learn more about the SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program, visit emfp.org.