Year of the Nurse and the Midwife | Frontier Nursing University

Year in Review

December 28, 2020 By Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is grateful to each and every one of our community members- faculty, staff, alumni and students for sticking with us, being flexible and adaptable, and trusting us as we navigated a very tumultuous year. 2020, the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife as designated by the World Health Organization, has shown us more than ever the crucial need for nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners, as well as the necessity for diversity, equity and inclusion to create a kinder, more compassionate, and equal world. Below are this year’s highlights- we hope you enjoy!

COVID-19:

The reigning theme of the year has been the COVID-19 pandemic. As it came to a head in the United States, we quickly pivoted from our regular in-person gatherings to a virtual capacity including, Clinical Bound, Frontier Bound, Commencement, and more. Though distanced, the Culture of Caring was not lost in the transition. We humbly thank our skilled and compassionate faculty members for being available to students in any way possible as we shifted to more of a world with which we were already familiar. Enjoy this video of our students discussing their experiences at their virtual Bound events.

It is never lost on us how hard our nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners work, but this year made it even more apparent. In response, we created Maintaining a Culture of Caring During Crisis, an overall hub for updates on COVID-19, FNU’s response, and highlighting our brave faculty, staff, and alumni on the front lines of this pandemic. Their stories can all be found here.

With so many in the healthcare community facing the COVID-19 frontlines, University President Dr. Susan Stone provided hope and community in a confusing time by sharing a supportive and reassuring message with the Frontier family. Additionally, as the university worked to transition to a new normal, our nurse-midwifery and nurse practitioner faculty created important resources for self-care strategies, maternity care, and infection control for our front-line workers. All can be found in our Culture of Caring in Crisis playlist on YouTube.

Social Justice:

In addition to a global pandemic, racial tension swept the nation this summer, emphasizing the urgency of addressing the inequities that people of color face daily inside and outside of healthcare. President Dr. Susan Stone emphasized our zero tolerance for injustice, cruelty, and racism in a statement to all of the FNU community. The unjust deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and too many more showed that we have a long way to go in eradicating racism and the insidious effects it leaves in its path.

On June 3, 2020, FNU held a moment of silence to honor those whose lives were unjustly ended at the hands of law enforcement.

Social justice was also the backdrop against the 10th annual Diversity Impact Conference, which also went virtual this year. Themed “Year of the Nurse and Midwife 2020: Increasing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” this year’s DI conference brought significant attention to the disparities that have become even more prevalent and apparent in the COVID-19 pandemic but still culminated in a weekend of enlightenment and community. Each of our speakers presented compassionate and informative sessions on implicit racial bias, mental health, and more. Thank you to all who participated!

Commencement

On Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020, FNU hosted its annual commencement ceremony virtually. More than 800 nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners gathered to celebrate themselves in a year where it is apparent how vital they are to healthcare. We welcomed keynote speaker Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, Rear Admiral (RADM) Sylvia Trent-Adams, Ph.D., RN, FAAN and celebrated the winners of our leadership awards.

FNU Community Accomplishments:

FNU Dean of Nursing Dr. Joan Slager was inducted as a fellow into the American Academy of Nurses (AAN) in a virtual ceremony on October 31, 2020.

FNU faculty member Dr. Catherine Collins-Fulea was inducted as the new president of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), succeeding FNU President Dr. Susan Stone. Dr. Collins-Fulea’s honor was announced during ACNM’s 65th Annual Meeting from May 29 – June 2, 2020, along with several other faculty and staff presenting and receiving their honors!

For the third consecutive year, FNU received the 2020 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award, honoring our continued commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Programs and Events:

FNU hosted the 6th and 5th annual virtual events for National Midwifery Week and National Nurse Practitioner Week, where faculty members and student panelists presented on a variety of topics, especially relevant to racial bias in healthcare and the COVID-19 pandemic.

FNU also celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Family Nurse Practitioner program.

Thanks again to our outstanding faculty and staff, students and alumni for showing immense compassion and strength throughout this unprecedented year. As we head into 2021, let us not forget all we have accomplished and all that we are capable of. Have a wonderful New Year!

FNU’s 2020 Diversity Events in Review

December 3, 2020 By Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is built on a Culture of Caring with a mission to educate nurse practitioners and nurse-midwives who will go out and care for diverse and underserved communities. In 2010, FNU took a step further in defining goals of expanding diversity and inclusion throughout the university and the greater healthcare community by implementing the Diversity Impact Program.

FNU leadership designed the Diversity Impact Program to promote an inclusive learning and workforce environment at FNU with the goal of increasing diversity in the nursing and midwifery professions by recruiting and retaining underrepresented students and employees.

In alignment with the Diversity Impact Program, FNU launched the first annual Diversity Impact Conference in 2010. This year celebrated the 10th year of the event. Although it moved to a virtual platform due to COVID-19, it was still a wonderful time dedicated to spreading awareness and understanding minority identities. This year’s conference took place June 11-13 and carried the theme ‘Year of the Nurse and Midwife 2020: Increasing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’. Some of this year’s topics were: “What is Race Literacy – 4 Dimensions of Racial Conditioning,” “Addressing Health Disparities: The Role of Healthcare Providers & Educators,” and “Microaggressions in Nursing Education and Health: Why They Matter and What We Can Do About Them.”

Other virtual events hosted by FNU throughout the year also highlighted diversity within the nursing community, including, Racial Disparities in Maternity Care: Where Do We Go From Here? during National Midwifery Week, and Dismantling Implicit Bias to Promote Optimal Health Outcomes during National Nurse Practitioner Week.

Additionally, prior to COVID-19 and the turn to virtual events, FNU student Shamekia Wilson volunteered to host an exhibit at The 41st Minority Health Conference in Chapel Hill, NC. During the show, potential students visited the FNU booth to learn more about their various educational programs and diversity initiatives. Wilson said the event helped her further understand the importance of diversity in healthcare education for ensuring that patients from diverse backgrounds receive quality care.

This year, Frontier’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) also launched a new mentoring program, the Professional Organization Mentoring Program. Through this program, students are selected to join a faculty member at a virtual professional nursing conference to network and learn more about their chosen field. To qualify for the program, students must complete an application and submit an essay, which will be graded by the Office of DEI. If selected, the Office of DEI will cover the conference’s cost and the student’s membership for a related professional organization. Students interested in this opportunity can begin the application process here.

The Office of DEI is also currently in the pilot phase of a comprehensive mentoring program designed to support and retain students of color by meeting their specific professional and academic needs. FNU is excited about expanding this program and believes it will help the university continue to grow a more diverse population within their community and the nursing field.

For these initiatives, as well as the university’s holistic dedication to supporting and understanding students, faculty and patients from all backgrounds, FNU was honored to receive the INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine’s Health Profession’s Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award for the third year in a row. Upon receiving the award this year, FNU President Dr. Susan Stone made the following statement:

“We know that culturally competent care improves health outcomes and begins with a more diverse healthcare system. We are proud to be taking a leadership role in this movement by educating an increasingly diverse student body, but we fully recognize that we have much to learn and areas to improve. The HEED Award confirms that we are continuing to move in the right direction and to make meaningful progress.”

FNU is proud to continue to push programs, events, and mindsets that promote equality for people of all races, cultures, and gender identities.

To learn more about the steps Frontier has taken to celebrate diversity and promote inclusion, visit the university’s diversity page. Additionally, if you are interested in joining a university with a passion for including and supporting students, patients and staff of all backgrounds, please visit the FNU admissions page.

FNU Virtual Event to Focus on Anxiety in Children, Telehealth and Implicit Bias in Healthcare

October 26, 2020 By Frontier Nursing University

This year, National Nurse Practitioner Week will take place November 8-14, and Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is celebrating by hosting its fifth annual virtual event dedicated to nurse practitioners. This year’s theme is Empower 2020: Year of the Nurse and the Midwife.

Over the course of the week, Empower 2020: Year of the Nurse and the Midwife will explore the experiences of nurse practitioners who are committed to better care for families, women and underserved populations. Throughout the virtual event, anyone is welcome to log onto the Empower website to hear from outstanding speakers and participate in a FREE pharmacology CE session on anxiety in children and adolescents. Frontier faculty, staff and students have put a lot of thought and energy into this week and they can’t wait to share it with the healthcare community.

Here is a look at Frontier’s schedule for this exciting event:

Empower will begin at 6:30 p.m. EST on Monday, Nov. 9, with Becoming a Nurse Practitioner: A Journey in Distance Education. Designed for current nurse practitioner students and those interested in becoming a nurse practitioner, this session will give prospective students a glimpse into the FNU distance education journey as current students discuss their experiences. The session will be led by Dr. Paula Alexander-Delpech and FNU Chair for the Department of Family Nursing Dr. Lisa Chappell. Attendees will get the inside scoop from a panel composed of current students from three specialty tracks, including family nurse practitioner, psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner and women’s health care nurse practitioner. Panelists will be taking questions before or during this live session.

On Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 5 p.m. EST Billinda Tebbenhoff, DNP, PMHNP-BC, PMHCNS-BC will take to the virtual stage to present Pharmacology CE – Anxiety in Children and Adolescents: Trends in Treatment. This educational opportunity will focus on the approximately 4.4 million children and adolescents in the United States (CDC, 2020) who meet diagnostic criteria for an anxiety disorder and the many more individuals who remain undiagnosed.

Though anxiety and stress are an expected part of the human experience, consistently elevated anxiety can interfere with a child’s sense of self and impact the entire family. The implications of the current pandemic related to child and adolescent anxiety are beginning to emerge and depend on the child’s stage of development and pre-pandemic functioning. Dr. Tebbenhoff will discuss predictive trends and guidance regarding helping children, families and communities during the pandemic. Following this session, viewers will have the opportunity to complete the post-test and evaluation to earn 1.5 contact hours of continuing education through the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

On Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 6:30 p.m. EST a live panel will lead a session titled Nurse Practitioners Leading Care Through Telehealth. Panel members will include FNU Nurse Practitioner Faculty Members Dr. Jess Calohan, Martha Harvey, Dr. Rachel Mack and Dr. Vicky Stone-Gale. The team will discuss a brief history of telehealth use in their respective specialties, including family nursing, psychiatric-mental health, nurse-midwifery and women’s health. They will also share current telehealth trends and their professional experiences using telehealth as a patient care delivery model.

This enlightening week will wrap up with Dismantling Implicit Bias to Promote Optimal Health Outcomes on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 5 p.m. EST. Presented by FNU Faculty Members Dr. Katheryn Arterberry, Dr. Diane John and Dr. Lisa Chappell, the session will focus on the negative impact of implicit bias on optimizing health outcomes. Advanced practice nurses will begin to identify a process for changing attitudes and behaviors which contribute to health disparities. Participants can expect to engage in a reflective and introspective approach while developing a plan to minimize personal biases.

It will be an unforgettable week learning about and celebrating exceptional health care providers and practices. Visit the Empower 2020: Year of the Nurse and the Midwife website to register for these free sessions, and tune in on Nov. 9 for a powerful week of speakers and inspiration. See FNU’s full lineup of virtual events here.

FNU’s 6th Annual Midwifery Week Virtual Event Was A Success

October 22, 2020 By Frontier Nursing University

Once again, Frontier Nursing University (FNU) joined thousands of nurse-midwives across the country to celebrate National Midwifery Week from Oct 4- 10. Throughout this exciting week, FNU hosted its 6th annual virtual event, Empower, which explored how the midwife community can commit to better care for women and families during these unprecedented times.

Here’s a recap of the sessions in case you missed them:

Life of the Nurse-Midwife

To get things started, FNU faculty Jeneen A. Lomax, DNP, APRN, CNM, and FNU Department Chair of Midwifery and Women’s Health Dr. Tonya Nicholson presented, “It’s the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife: Get the 411 on Becoming a Nurse-Midwife,” featuring a diverse student panel including Jamilla Webb, BSN, RN, Sunoz “Sunny” Soroosh, RN, MPH, Erin Hanks, RN, IBCLC, and Cheryl Appleton, BSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM. During this session, Dr. Jeneen Lomax and Dr. Nicholson discussed the value of midwifery and then got the inside scoop from current FNU students about their experiences. In the session, the presenters and panelists came from a variety of personal and healthcare backgrounds to best present the full scope of nurse-midwifery. As a bonus, this session finished out with questions from the online participants to promote a better understanding of FNU’s approach to nurse-midwifery education.

Telehealth

Faculty members Dr. Tanya Belcheff, Dr. Cassie Belzer, Dr. Judith Butler, Martha Harvey, Dr. Audrey Perry, and Heidi Loomis presented a free continuing education course, “Midwifery Pearls of Telehealth.” The session provided an overview of telehealth from a nurse-midwifery perspective, emphasizing patient engagement, group care, provider satisfaction and best practices for meeting compliance requirements. This information is especially pertinent in the age of COVID-19 and included helpful information to anyone who has had to make adjustments to their practice during this unprecedented year. “Midwifery Pearls of Telehealth” is a continuing education course approved for 1.25 contact hour(s) of continuing education by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners if the post-test and evaluation are completed by Sept. 2021.

Menopause

“Hot Topics in the Management of Perimenopause & Menopause: A Conventional & Integrative Approach,” hosted by FNU faculty members Dr. Ruth Ellen Elsasser and Dr. Ana Verzone, was another continuing education opportunity. The session introduced a review of conventional and evidence-based integrative medicine interventions used during perimenopause and menopause. Some of the topics covered included: understanding menopause and its varied presentation and symptoms, knowing the critical differences between perimenopause and menopause, identifying complications of conventional pharmacology and developing a patient-centered, individualized plan of care when managing perimenopause and menopause. Reviewing this session can earn participants 2.0 contact hour(s) of continuing education (which includes 0.75 hours of pharmacology) by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners after completing the post-test and evaluation. The course will be recognized through Sept. 2021.

Racial Disparities

The virtual event concluded with FNU Assistant Professor Dr. Heather Clarke and FNU President Dr. Susan Stone presenting “Racial Disparities in Maternity Care: Where Do We Go From Here?” The session discussed how high maternal and infant mortality rates are directly correlated with racism and how the nursing community can use strategic planning to rebuild these systems and enact real change. The session was designed to help nurse-midwives identify disparities in Black and indigenous women’s health care outcomes and apply real strategies to combat racism and improve outcomes.

To view recordings of each of the sessions from FNU’s Empower 2020, visit the event page.

More Nurse-Midwives Needed to Address Racial Disparities in Maternity Care

October 14, 2020 By Frontier Nursing University

Every October, we pause to celebrate National Midwifery Week and the important work of midwives around the globe. This year was particularly special given the World Health Organization’s (WHO) designation of 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife.

We also use this time to bring greater awareness to the rising maternal mortality rate in the U.S. Approximately 700 women die per year during pregnancy and childbirth, the most of any developed country, leaving hundreds of newborns to navigate life without the love and care of their biological mother.

Black families face this harsh reality three times more often than white families. The Black population’s infant mortality rate is also more than double the mortality rate for white newborns. Midwives have been fighting these battles for many years as they care for women in underserved areas to improve access to quality maternity care.

Several factors contribute to these troubling statistics. As COVID-19 has continued to spread across our country, the racial and ethnic disparities in health care have become even more glaringly apparent. The CDC reported over the summer that Black and Native Americans are five times more likely to be hospitalized than non-Hispanic white persons during a COVID-19 episode.

There is no evidence that people of color have any biological factors that make them more susceptible to disease. According to the CDC, “Longstanding systemic health and social inequities have put some members of racial and ethnic minority groups at increased risk of getting COVID-19 or experiencing severe illness, regardless of age.”

We see the same health disparities caused by systemic racism in many health indicators in the U.S. Racism is a double-edged sword that not only affects a person’s health, but also their ability to receive quality health care. Daily racial discrimination has been linked to underlying conditions and can increase the risk of severe illness. Crowded living conditions, lack of health insurance and financial challenges are obstacles to health in some Black communities.

My colleague Dr. Heather Clarke and I discussed this topic during Frontier Nursing University’s recent National Midwifery Week virtual event. As Dr. Clarke shared, racism is a constant, persistent toxic stress that weathers the human body. With decreased public services, poor schools, food deserts and low paying jobs, some Black families may have fewer protective factors to shield them from the effects of stress. Dr. Clarke also noted that stress could be transmitted three to four generations forward through a pregnant mother.

At Frontier Nursing University, we teach that good family health begins with caring for the mother. We educate Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs), who are primary health care providers to women of all ages throughout their lives. CNMs focus on gynecologic and family planning services, as well as preconception, pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum and newborn care. They also provide primary care, such as conducting annual exams, writing prescriptions and offering basic nutrition counseling.

According to the WHO, the world needs nine million more nurses and midwives to achieve universal health coverage by 2030. Recognizing this need, we began offering a distance education program in 1989 to educate nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners in their home communities. Most of our graduates continue to serve in their home communities after completing the program.

Students are on campus for a three-day orientation before completing online courses and then again for a brief five-day session to prepare for their clinical experience. In 2021, we will open a new, larger campus in Versailles, Ky., allowing more nurses to advance their careers with masters and doctoral degrees. We reach students across the country who work in rural and underserved areas through our distance education model. While they complete their coursework at home, they have access to a much more extensive network through FNU.

We also strongly support the need to increase diversity within the nursing and nurse-midwifery professions because patients are more receptive to care from a health provider who understands their culture and socioeconomic background. Our graduates serve people of all races and cultures, and our student of color population has increased from 9 to 24 percent over the past 10 years. It is imperative that our students, faculty and staff have cultural awareness and competency to help overcome racial disparities in health care.

Many of us can grasp, empathize and even identify with the constant and persistent stress families face when a loved one is sick. Our hope is a renewed focus on social injustices will allow people to open their hearts in the same way when it comes to racism.

Many mothers face unseen challenges as they bravely welcome new lives into the world with joy and hope. Nurse-midwives do their best to affect change by listening, respecting and assessing relationships, support systems, parenting styles and more. From social workers to churches to health departments, we know it takes a village to address stresses and create strong support systems.

COVID-19 has emphasized the importance of community for all of us. While tragic, let’s allow the universal nature of a global pandemic to help us see things in a new light and bring us together to address racial disparities in health and maternity care. This is the year of the nurse and the midwife, in more ways than one. There is no better time than now.

Dr. Susan Stone, President, Frontier Nursing University

FNU Celebrates National Midwifery Week with Virtual Event

September 16, 2020 By Frontier Nursing University

National Midwifery Week is October 4-10, and Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is celebrating by hosting their 6th annual virtual event dedicated to nurse-midwifery. This year’s free event is themed Empower 2020 Year of the Nurse and the Midwife. Everyone is invited to participate in this exciting experience, which will exhibit presentations from passionate leaders in nurse-midwifery as they explore ways in which the community can commit to better care for women and families.

To get things started, on Monday, Oct. 5, at 5 p.m. EDT, FNU faculty Jeneen A. Lomax, DNP, APRN, CNM, and FNU Department Chair of Midwifery and Women’s Health Dr. Tonya Nicholson will present, “It’s the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife: Get the 411 on Becoming a Nurse-Midwife,” featuring a diverse student panel including Jamilla Webb, BSN, RN, Sunoz “Sunny” Soroosh, RN, MPH, Erin Hanks, RN, IBCLC, and Cheryl Appleton, BSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM. This session is designed for current nurse-midwifery students or anyone considering becoming a nurse-midwife. Listen to Dr. Jeneen Lomax and Dr. Nicholson discuss the value of midwifery and then get the inside scoop from current students about their experiences as they work to become nurse-midwives. The presenters and panelists in this session come from a wide variety of personal and healthcare backgrounds. FNU will be taking questions before or during this live session to engage participants and promote a better understanding of FNU’s approach to nurse-midwifery education.

On Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 5 p.m. EDT, FNU faculty members Dr. Tanya Belcheff, Dr. Cassie Belzer, Dr. Judith Butler, Martha Harvey, Dr. Audrey Perry, and Heidi Loomis will present a free continuing education course, “Midwifery Pearls of Telehealth.” This relevant session will provide an overview of telehealth from a nurse-midwifery perspective with special emphasis on the areas of patient engagement, group care, provider satisfaction, and best practices for meeting compliance requirements. The information is especially pertinent in the age of COVID-19 and will provide helpful information to anyone who has had to make adjustments to their practice during this unprecedented year.

The fun continues on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 5 p.m. EDT with another continuing education session, “Hot Topics in the Management of Perimenopause & Menopause: A Conventional & Integrative Approach,” hosted by FNU faculty members Dr. Ruth Ellen Elsasser and Dr. Ana Verzone. This session will provide a review of conventional and evidence-based integrative medicine interventions used during perimenopause and menopause. Some of the topics covered include: understanding menopause and its varied presentation and symptoms, knowing the critical differences between perimenopause and menopause, identifying complications of conventional pharmacology, and developing a patient-centered, individualized plan of care when managing perimenopause and menopause.

This event will conclude Thursday, Oct. 8, at 5 p.m. EDT with FNU Assistant Professor Dr. Heather Clarke and FNU President Dr. Susan Stone presenting “Racial Disparities in Maternity Care: Where Do We Go From Here?” This session will discuss how high maternal and infant mortality rates are directly correlated with racism and how the nursing community can use strategic planning to rebuild these systems and create real change. The session will help nurse-midwives identify disparities in health care outcomes for Black and indigenous women and apply real strategies to combat racism and improve outcomes.

We hope you will join us for one or more of these impactful evenings! Visit frontier.edu/MidwiferyWeek for more information or to register for one or all of the sessions. See FNU’s full lineup of virtual events here.

FNU’s Dean of Nursing Joan Slager Selected as a 2020 American Academy of Nursing Fellow

August 14, 2020 By frontieredu

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is proud to announce that Dean of Nursing, Dr. Joan Slager has been selected as one of the American Academy of Nursing’s 2020 class of new fellows.

Dr. Slager was a member of FNU’s first CNEP graduate class in 1991 and proceeded to complete her Master of Science in Nursing in 1993. Early on in her career, Dr. Slager helped to establish Bronson Women’s Service in Kalamazoo, Mich., which is now the state’s largest midwifery service. Dr. Slager has spent over 20 years practicing as a full-scope midwife and has served as a preceptor for over 100 FNU students; she officially became the school’s Dean of Nursing in the fall of 2018.

The American Academy of Nursing is composed of over 2,700 Fellows who serve the public and the nursing profession by driving necessary reforms in the American health system. The Academy accomplishes this goal by advancing health policy, practice, and science through strong leadership and organizational integrity. This October, the Academy will be inducting 230 new Fellows into their community, including Dr. Slager. The 2020 class of Fellows will represent 39 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territory of Guam, and 13 countries.

Each year, a committee of appointed Fellows combs through hundreds of applications and selects new Fellows based on their significant contributions to the public health community. Academy Fellows represent the nursing community’s best and brightest featuring remarkable leaders in current roles as deans, university presidents, hospital chief executives, and researchers. More than 90 percent of Fellows hold doctoral degrees, and all Fellows have completed masters programs.

This year, the Academy is excited to host its first virtual induction ceremony during the last weekend of October when they will honor the 2020 class of Fellows for their vital role in the health care community. The ceremony will take place on Saturday, Oct. 31 during the Academy’s annual Transforming Health, Driving Policy Conference. This year’s conference theme is “In Crisis and Calm: Leading with a Purpose” and will feature keynote speakers, break out sessions, and interactive panel sessions, among other exciting opportunities to strengthen the nursing community.

With the virtual format, this year’s induction ceremony can be viewed by friends, family, and colleagues who may not have attended the traditional event. Additionally, this year’s induction will include personalized video vignettes honoring each inductee as a unique way to celebrate each individual’s exceptional accomplishments during the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife.

To find out more about the Transforming Health, Driving Policy Conference, visit the Academy’s conference website or register here.

Congratulations again to Dr. Slager and all of the other professionals being inducted into the 2020 class of American Academy of Nursing Fellows!

National Nurses Week Will Be Celebrated Throughout May

April 30, 2020 By Frontier Nursing University

Every year, Frontier Nursing University (FNU) participates in the American Nurses Association (ANA)’s National Nurses Week, honoring the hard work and dedication of nurses across the country.

This year, as part of the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife as appointed by the World Health Organization (WHO), the ANA is expanding National Nurses Week, traditionally celebrated from May 6 to May 12 each year, to a month-long celebration in May to expand opportunities to elevate and celebrate nursing.

The ANA could not have anticipated the significance that would be placed on nurses in our country’s current COVID-19 crisis, but the National Nurses Week expansion could not be more apropos. According to a statement from the ANA, National Nurses Month will be the perfect opportunity to honor these heroes.

Now more than ever we must support and recognize nurses who work with courage and compassion and under extremely challenging circumstances. Whether it is a national health emergency or routine daily care, nurses’ vital contributions impact the health and well-being of our communities, which is why ANA selected the theme for May as Nurses Make a Difference. To honor nurses and support the nursing profession, ANA will promote weekly themes and activities. While continued physical distancing may limit our face-to-face activities, we encourage everyone to think of creative ways to virtually engage.

Each week during National Nurses Month will celebrate a different theme:

Week 1: Self Care

May 1-9, 2020

FNU is going virtual and offering resources during the COVID-19 crisis: read more about those here. Also, psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) program director Dr. Calohan has produced videos on self-care and psychological first aid – give them a look!

Week 2: Recognition

May 10-16, 2020

Many FNU alumni have displayed tremendous bravery and represented our Culture of Caring as they fight on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis. Read their stories at frontier.edu/courage.

Week 3: Professional Development

May 17-23, 2020

FNU has many opportunities for continuing education (CE) across a wide range of topics. View all your CE opportunities at frontier.edu/CE.

Week 4: Community Engagement

May 24-31, 2020

During the last week of National Nurses Month, we want to hear from you, nurse practitioners and nurse-midwives!

We are all in this fight together, yet we are all experiencing it differently. As time permits, we hope you will share your stories with us. Please message us or email us at FNUnews@frontier.edu with photos, videos and a story to share with others. We want to hear what you’re experiencing, what challenges you are facing, and what successes you are celebrating.

2020: Year of the Nurse and the Midwife

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is proud to support and join the World Health Organization’s international campaign designating 2020 as the “Year of the Nurse and the Midwife.” In recognizing the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, FNU joins the efforts to raise awareness of healthcare shortages in the U.S. and abroad; demonstrate the need for more nurses and nurse-midwives; educate the public of the value of nurses and nurse-midwives in their communities and advocate for access to quality healthcare for every individual.