Preceptor Spotlight | Page 2 | Frontier Nursing University

Preceptor Spotlight: Terry Sims, FNP

June 13, 2019 By frontieredu

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 healthcare to underserved and rural populations.

Terry Sims and Alice Dalena

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) Preceptor Terry Sims, FNP, was honored as FNU’s “Featured Preceptor” for the 2019 Spring Term. Terry was nominated by Alice Dalena (FNP Class 152), who graduated this past February.

Terry’s career began as a paramedic before going on to become a Registered Nurse. His experiences in emergency medicine as well as a brief stint as his county’s assistant coroner developed in him the ability to stay calm under pressure and maintain a positive attitude.

For the past 11 years, Terry has worked in rural South Carolina helping patients at Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Primary Care Great Falls. According to Alice, he sees up to 40 patients each day but takes the time to genuinely care for each one.

The rural town of Great Falls, S.C. once had a thriving economy due to the presence of a now-closed cotton mill, but has come on hard times in recent years. The population is prone to deficiencies typical of rural areas that FNU has always been passionate about remedying: poverty, lack of healthcare education and the need for a complete spectrum of healthcare.

At the MUSC clinic, Terry not only attends to his patients, but also performs his role as preceptor for up to three students at a time. Rather than being overwhelmed with his full plate, Alice reports Terry has a great sense of humor and takes time to patiently work with students, quizzing them on information.

Alice now has the privilege of working alongside her former preceptor at MUSC Primary Care. “I am forever thankful that Terry will always be my mentor,” she said.

Thank you, Terry, for being committed to helping so many FNU students while offering your patients the highest quality of care!

Visit Frontier.edu/Preceptors to read about previously recognized preceptors or to nominate a preceptor.

Featured Preceptor: Sonja Furse, DNP, PMHNP

December 10, 2018 By frontieredu

Frontier Nursing University preceptor Sonja Furse, DNP, PMHNP is the first psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner to be honored as a “Featured Preceptor” for the Fall 2018 term. Sonja was nominated by recent PMHNP program graduate, Jo-Ann Marrs.

Sonja serves as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in the emergency department at the Mountain Home Veterans Administration Hospital in Johnson City, Tenn. As a 24-year veteran of the United States Air Force, Sonja gives back to veterans in her role. Her duties include emergency treatment, inpatient psychiatry, primary care, and intensive outpatient treatment.

Jo-Ann Mars, RN, MS, MSN, EdD, FNP-BC, CNE, PMHS was assigned as Sonja’s student while earning her PMNHP (Class 155), which she completed in November 2018.

“Everything she was and did spoke of competence, caring, professionalism and a love of her chosen profession and her patients,” said Jo-Ann.

Sonja prides herself in precision with regard to charting and documentation. As a preceptor, she was extremely patient and open to questions and discussion. With Jo-Ann’s perspective as a family nurse practitioner, the two worked together to understand medical conditions and medications that Sonja’s patients had or needed. They explored patient cases together and came up with diagnoses using the DSM 5 and jointly determined medication and admission status.

“I loved reading about new treatments with Sonja as we both learned together,” said Jo-Ann. “I really felt like we had a wonderful working relationship.”

Sonja also helped Jo-Ann push to expand her capabilities as a PMNHP, instilling a desire to learn more about complex patients in order to provide better evidence-based care.

“Sonja was both my critic and support system at the same time,” said Jo-Ann. “She pushed me when I needed pushing, but was always there to guide and encourage me if I needed help.”

“She was the epitome of what you would want from a preceptor. I was very blessed to work with Sonja,” said Jo-Ann.

Sonja will receive a Starbucks gift card as a small token of our appreciation for her being a great preceptor. Thank you, Sonja, for your investment in our FNU students!

Go here to read more on previously recognized preceptors, or to nominate a preceptor. Interested in becoming a Frontier preceptor? Learn more.

Featured Preceptor: Cheyenne Brown, APRN, CNM

September 10, 2018 By frontieredu

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) preceptor Cheyenne Brown, APRN, CNM, from Seven Hills Women’s Health Centers in Cincinnati, Ohio, was honored as FNU’s “Featured Preceptor” for the Summer 2018 term. Cheyenne was nominated by recent nurse-midwifery graduate and DNP student Michelle Gragg.

Cheyenne is a certified nurse-midwife with a master’s degree in public health. She spent many years serving the underserved population of Cincinnati before relocating to work in the Seven Hills birth center. Now, she is working to establish a low-intervention birthing room at one of the local hospitals. Her hope is that this step may lead to another birth center in the future.

“One thing I noticed as a student is how much Cheyenne cares for her patients,” said her preceptee, Michelle.

Cheyenne strives to make each patient feel valued. She begins her appointments by asking how the patient is doing. She listens and then asks, “What else?” and gains the patient’s trust as she elicits an enormous amount of information from them.

DNP Student Michelle Gragg, CNM with Preceptor Cheyenne Brown, APRN, CNM

She has formed incredible provider-patient relationships using this method, and by remembering each patient’s name and details.

“I have learned so much more than skills from Cheyenne. I am learning true patient-centered care,” said Michelle. “She is passionate about midwifery and its advancement, and she meets all patients where they are at in a supportive manner.”

Michelle, a fall 2017 CNM graduate, has an anticipated DNP graduation date of June 2019.

While precepting Michelle, Cheyenne shared with their patients about Mary Breckinridge and the history of FNU. She plans to precept more FNU graduates in the future.

Cheyenne will receive a Starbucks gift card as a small token of our appreciation for her being a great preceptor. Thank you, Cheyenne, for your investment in our FNU students!

Go here to read more on previously recognized preceptors, or to nominate a preceptor.

Featured Preceptor: Sandi Hayes, APRN, CNP

June 11, 2018 By frontieredu

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) preceptor Sandi Hayes, APRN, CNP, from St. Cloud Medical Group in Clearwater, Minn., was honored as FNU’s “Featured Preceptor” for the spring 2018 term. Sandi was nominated by recent DNP graduate Kelly Papesh.

Sandi has been practicing Family Medicine at Clearwater Clinic in rural Minnesota since 2012. Through her practice at Clearwater, an outpatient family practice clinic, she upholds the values of Mary Breckinridge by serving a rural community and giving access to populations who might not otherwise have healthcare. In the clinic, Sandi serves a wide range of patients across their lifespan. The majority of Sandi’s patients are adults and geriatrics, whom she treats for chronic and acute conditions.

As a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE), Sandi also works with all the diabetic patients at the clinic. She is a Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse (CRRN) as well as a public health nurse.

Sandi Hayes with preceptee Kelly Papesh

Sandi completed her FNP at Frontier in 2012. She began precepting her nominator, Kelly, for a family practice rotation as Kelly was finishing up her FNP in 2016. Though it was just her first time precepting, Sandi’s attentiveness and open approach to precepting was hugely beneficial to Kelly.

Kelly included the following statement in her nomination:

“I learned so much from her and she worked with me so patiently to give me the best learning opportunity. Sandi is compassionate, thorough, and she cares deeply about her patients as evidenced by the relationships she has established. I so appreciate all of her time and commitment to helping build the nurse practitioner community.”

Sandi will continue precepting for FNU, and has another student slated to begin with her in the summer.

She will receive a Starbucks gift card as a small token of our appreciation for her being a great preceptor. Thank you, Sandi, for your investment in our FNU students!

Go here to read more on previously recognized preceptors, or to nominate a preceptor.

Featured Preceptor: Jana Sund, CNM

March 12, 2018 By frontieredu

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) preceptor Jana Sund, CNM, from Kalispell Regional Health Care, Kalispell, MT, was honored as FNU’s “Featured Preceptor” for the winter term. Jana was nominated by recent nurse-midwifery graduate, Debbie Miller.

With a genuine interest in molding new and future CNMs, Jana constantly gives of herself as a teacher, mother, and women’s care provider. In her position at FamilyBorn Maternity and Women’s Health, she takes a holistic, patient-centered approach to care for all of her patients, which include women from the start of menstruation through menopause.

Jana serves as an National Health Service Corps (NHSC) provider as well as cares for women’s with health insurance coverage. She also started a nonprofit community postpartum depression/mood disorder support group. At its beginning, it served women from her clinic, and since has grown to serve women in the entire Flathead Valley and outlying counties. Jana recently precepted her nominator Debbie, who said she gained a tremendous amount of knowledge from Jana’s practice.

Jana Sund, CNM, helps student nurse-midwife Debbie Miller, celebrate her 24th birth.

“She has a giving heart and thrives on caring for others,” said Miller. “Each of her patients leave the office with a sense of security, having been heard and their concerns and fear validated.”

Jana is the secretary treasurer of the Montana ACNM affiliate group. She was also the recipient of the Varney award during her time at the University of Utah midwifery program.

Jana will receive a Starbucks gift card as a small token of our appreciation for her being a great preceptor. Thanks for your investment in our FNU students, Jana!

G0 here to read more on previously recognized preceptors, or to nominate a preceptor.

Featured Preceptor: Kathryn Carr, CNM

September 5, 2017 By frontieredu

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) preceptor Kathryn Carr, CNM, from St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Boston, Mass., was honored as FNU’s “Featured Preceptor” for the summer term. Kathryn was nominated by Clinical Director, Dr. Jane Houston.

With over a decade of experience, Kathryn consistently takes several students each term in her Boston midwifery practice and provides a very high standard of care. She has precepted for FNU for over five years, and students find her positive, caring and an excellent role model.

Most recently she precepted FNU students Nicole Mapes and Cecile Sampson. In addition to her clinical practice, she is very active with ACNM leadership. She was recently inducted as a 2016 Fellow of ACNM and the Region One representative for ACNM.

“Kathryn has become a pivotal influence on my road to becoming a successful CNM,” said Mapes. “She has shown me what a joy and opportunity precepting can truly be, which has made me excited to teach future midwives. I am eternally grateful to have the opportunity to learn and grow from such a thoughtful, bright and selfless person.”

Kathryn is also an accomplished linguist and is trained in French, Portuguese, Italian, Swahili and Mandarin Chinese.

Kathryn will receive a Starbucks gift card as a small token of our appreciation for her being a great preceptor. Thanks for your investment in our FNU students, Kathryn!

Go here to read more on previously recognized preceptors, or to nominate a preceptor.