UAB School of Nursing Magazine - Spring 2019 by UAB School of Nursing

Developing the Next Generation of Nurse Scientists and Practice Leaders

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The Assessment

Innovative Alumni Leading Nationally

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By The Numbers

News Roundup Five Questions With... Gifts to Change the Future

In Their Own Words

S T O R Y C O V E R

D E PA R T M E N T S

DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION: The UAB School of Nursing is a leader in growing new nurse scientists and practice leaders through mentorship, support systems and resources within the UAB and Birmingham communities.

RESEARCH

Non-nurse faculty bring new perspective.......... 10 Get to know the Associate Deans.................... 11

WHEN DISASTER

RACING toward the finish line page 12

STR KES

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UAB NURSING MAGAZINE STAFF: Follow us on

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Rankings continue to rise................................... 4 Nursing Network expands.................................. 5 Student-athlete balances school, track.............. 12 Lending a hand after natural disaster................ 13

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PARTNERSHIPS

Helping survivors of human trafficking............. 14 Preparing new nurses through residencies....... 15 Selleck leaves lasting legacy............................ 16 Shirey shares goals, ongoing initiatives................. 20

”I feel very strongly that you should not only create new knowledge, but you also need to be able to translate it and disseminate it.” -Dr. Maria Shirey

ACADEMICS

DONORS

Ongoing gift in alumna's memory ................... 22 Remembering generous donors ...................... 25 Donor honors daughter's legacy

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ALUMNI

Alumna leads in Hawaii.................................... 24 Alumnus develops innovative training............. 24 Alumna reflects on hurricane recovery............. 27

EDITOR Jennifer Lollar

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jessica Huffstutler

MANAGING EDITOR Erica Techo

WRITERS Hannah Bae, Laura Hornsby Lesley

PHOTOGRAPHERS Frank Couch, Rob Culpepper, Catie Etka, Steve Wood

nowledge generation and discovery science, both hallmarks of research, flow from collaborative learning, innovation in practice and teamwork. At the UAB School of Nursing, the ingredients for success are apparent among our faculty, staff, students and alumni as we develop the next generation of nurse scientists and practice leaders. Guided by our vision, mission, strategic goals and core values, together we have focused on expanding our research and grants portfolio, mentoring faculty and students, and developing partnerships across the campus with UAB’s University-wide Research Centers (UWRICs), our clinical and community environment in Alabama and beyond. We are permanently moving to two issues annually for the UAB Nursing magazine, and this Spring 2019 issue is devoted to our research and clinical/global partnership strategic initiatives. The strength of the mentoring program for doctoral students and early career faculty has positioned our students to progress through the doctoral program in a timely fashion, secure prestigious post-doctoral fellowships, and advance toward a funded program of research. The stories of our PhD in Nursing students and postdoctoral fellows portray the future generation of scientists in nursing. Likewise, our early career faculty have secured NIH and foundation funding for their scholarly work and career development with the support and mentorship of funded senior scientists in the UAB SON and across campus. The diversity of disciplines in the school and partnerships with the UWIRCs, together with a focus on priority research funding areas has resulted in greater collaboration and hence, innovation to address clinical problems. These efforts have culminated in the UAB SON ranking No. 14 in NIH funding for 2018 among nursing schools nationwide according to the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research.

of the Nurse Family Partnership and the UAB Nursing Partnership. These collaborative care delivery models are increasing access to high quality care for vulnerable and underserved persons and improving the quality of care for hospitalized and chronically ill persons and their families. The impact of these clinical initiatives are evident through their sustained funding and recognition as the UAB Nursing Partnership earned AACN’s 2018 New Era in Academic Nursing Award. These innovative approaches happen daily at UAB SON as we develop the next generation of nurse scientists and practice leaders. It’s no wonder that nursing continues to be the most trusted profession year after year. The talent, support and persistence of our faculty, alumni, advisory boards and community make this work possible as we strive to generate nursing knowledge, innovation and evidence-based practice to improve the lives of individuals, families and communities. There is no better profession!

Letter from the Dean

Dean Doreen C. Harper, PhD, RN, FAAN Fay B. Ireland Endowed Chair in Nursing

This issue describes the growth and evolution of our clinical partnerships as we integrate these same core mentoring, collaboration and support activities to develop practice leaders augmented by our DNP program. Our NP residencies for Psych-Mental Health NPs added a new PMHNP residency with children and adolescents and one for Family Nurse Practitioners delivering primary care in a rural teaching health center. Read about the establishment of a unique NP clinic in a residential center for victims of human trafficking and the continued expansion

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the assessment

RANKINGS

CONTINUE TO RISE

2020 U.S. News & World Report has ranked five UAB School of Nursing graduate specialties in the top 10 and one in the top 15. Clinical Nurse Leader and Nursing Administration are 6th; Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner 8th; Family Nurse Practitioner 9th; Adult-Gerontology Acute Care CLINICAL Nurse Practitioner 10th; and AdultNURSE LEADER Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner 12th. The Master of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs also are in the top 10 percent, with the MSN 18th and the DNP 16th.

NURSING ADMINISTRATION

PEDIATRIC PRIMARY CARE NURSE PRACTITIONER

FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER

“The sustained impact on nursing and health care of all of our programs and specialties across our education, research and practice missions is a tribute to the commitment to excellence by our faculty, staff, students, alumni and supporters,” said Dean and Fay B. Ireland Endowed Chair in Nursing Doreen C. Harper, PhD, RN, FAAN. For the second year in a row, the UAB School of Nursing is No. 14 in Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research rankings, and has grown to $4.23 million in NIH research funding for fiscal year 2018. The School has grown to nearly $12 million in current research, clinical, education and training grants.

“Maintaining our Top 15 ranking of NIH funded schools of nursing is an ADULT-GERONTOLOGY, important step, as we continue to ACUTE CARE NURSE PRACTITIONER nurture early career nurse scientists and grow our interprofessional scientific endeavors,” Harper said.

ADULT-GERONTOLOGY, PRIMARY CARE NURSE PRACTITIONER

Improving birth outcomes in Alabama Less than two years since its inception, the Nurse-Family Partnership of Central Alabama is already making an impact. This national, evidence-based program connects first-time moms-to-be with nurse home visitors who provide weekly or biweekly home visits beginning during pregnancy and continuing through the child’s second birthday. The NurseFamily Partnership of Central Alabama, administered by UAB School of Nursing, started in Jefferson County, has expanded to Walker County and is set to expand to Fayette County later this year. Care also has expanded to include mental health care services for at-risk mothers. As of March 2019, the program had 455 referrals, 131 enrolled families and 101 successful births. Of those births, only 10 percent of the mothers had pre-term babies, born before 37 weeks of gestation. Jefferson County and Alabama’s pre-term birth rates are nearly 12 percent, according to the March of Dimes. “We aim to help new mothers through their pregnancy and to improve birth outcomes through these nurse home visits,” said Assistant Professor Candace Knight, PhD, RN, Nurse-Family Partnership Program Director. “These results show that the mothers are listening to and trust their nurses and are caring for themselves and their babies before birth.” By establishing a strong relationship during pregnancy and continuing that through the child’s first two years of life, nurses are also able to help mothers set and achieve personal goals. In Jefferson County, 99 percent of mothers were employed or in school within 12 months of their baby’s birth and 81 percent chose to breastfeed their child. The program also partners with Reach Out and Read Alabama, an organization that promotes literacy and school readiness and has provided more than 200 books for the children in the program.

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The UAB School of Nursing recently celebrated the 60th anniversary of its Nu Chapter of Sigma, founded on June 21, 1958 as the 12th chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society. Since then, it has inducted more than 2,500 members and currently has an active membership of more than 620. The event featured keynote speaker Wipada Kunaviktikul, PhD, RN, FAAN, the School’s 2018 Distinguished Alumna. Kunaviktikul is a 1994 PhD graduate and Dean of Nursing Faculty at Chiang Mai University in Thailand. Following Kunaviktikul’s presentation, a global nursing leadership panel discussion was led by Adelais Markaki, PhD, RN, Deputy Director of the School’s Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Center for International Nursing, and included Kunaviktikul, Constance Smith Hendricks, PhD, RN, FAAN (BSN 1974, MSN 1981), Dean and Professor/Director of Nursing at Tuskegee University School of Nursing & Allied Health; Dianne Richmond, PhD, MSN, BSN, RN, CPHQ (BSN 1977, MSN 1998, PhD 2013), Corporate Director of Accreditation and Clinical Documentation Improvement for the University of Maryland Capital Region Health; Rebecca Langner, MSN, RN, CNML (MSN 2013), Nurse Manager for the Coronary Care Unit at UAB Hospital;

1. (l-r) Alumna Dr. Constance Smith Hendricks (BSN 1974, MSN 1981), Dean of Tuskegee University School of Nursing & Allied Health; Alumna Dr. Wipada Kunaviktikul (PhD 1994), Dean of Nursing Faculty, Chiang Mai University; UABSON Dean Dr. Doreen C. Harper; and Alumna Dr. Karen Morin (PhD 1987), former President, Sigma 2. Alumna Dr. Patricia Thompson (MSN 1971), retired CEO, Sigma.

and Larry Z. Slater, PhD, RN-BC, CNE (BSN 2008, PhD 2011), Director of the Undergraduate Program and Clinical Associate Professor at the New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing.

the assessment

Celebrating 60 years of Sigma at UAB

Patricia E. Thompson, EdD, RN, FAAN (MSN 1971), recently retired Chief Executive Officer of Sigma, also delivered remarks on expanding global leadership in Sigma and received the Nu Chapter’s inaugural Patrician E. Thompson Leadership in Service Award. Rebecca Langner, MSN, RN, CNML, received the chapter’s inaugural Leadership and Practice Excellence Award.

NURSING NETWORK RESONATES AROUND THE WORLD AND IS GROWING Since the School launched “Clinical Pearls” and the UAB Nursing Network YouTube channel less than a year ago, the series — initially created to share the School’s faculty expertise and educational resources with other nurses and health care providers — has been watched in almost all 50 states and 20 countries. “Clinical Pearls” covers a variety of topics, such as dementia, heart failure, opioids and diabetes, in a talk show format. The series is reaching more than nurses — patients and caregivers also are tuning in. “The videos weren’t originally targeted for the public, but the series can be very helpful to them as well,” said Jacqueline Moss, PhD, RN, FAAN, Associate Dean for

Technology and Innovation. “Now, when we have topics that could be helpful to others we work to make sure that interested lay groups are aware.” As “Clinical Pearls” begins its second season, another series — “Nursing Pathways” — has launched on the network. “Nursing Pathways” interviews nurses in different roles, such as researchers, entrepreneurs and clinicians, and offers a discussion on the various pathways nurses can take in their careers. Both shows are free, live and viewers can ask questions or live-chat with the host or guest expert. They also are recorded for viewing later and viewers can get Continuing Education Credits for $5 with each show.

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Dr. Sigrid Ladores and mentee, Dr. Leigh Bray.

Developing the Next Generation of Nurse Scientists

KNOWLEDGE GENERATION AND DISCOVERY SCIENCE, BOTH HALLMARKS OF RESEARCH, FLOW FROM COLLABORATIVE LEARNING, INNOVATION, PRACTICE AND TEAMWORK. RESEARCHERS AT THE UAB SCHOOL OF NURSING GENERATE KNOWLEDGE THAT CHANGES THE LANDSCAPE OF NURSING AND HEALTH CARE, AND REVOLUTIONIZES EDUCATION AND PRACTICE TO IMPROVE LIVES.

hey also hold one of the most important roles in research — developing the next generation of nurse scientists. “It is important as scientists that we foster the next generation of researchers through collaboration, mentoring and leading by example. We demonstrate the importance of developing their program of research early in their careers by immersing students at every level of education in research projects and teams as much as we can and providing hands-on mentorship to guide students and early career faculty to help them be successful in their research endeavors,” said Interim Associate Dean of the Office of Research and Scholarship David Vance, PhD, MGS, MS. MENTORS AND MOTIVATION UAB and its School of Nursing are known for a robust mentoring philosophy, ensuring all PhD students connect with the right mentor, and that those mentors provide guidance throughout their education, including navigating obstacles

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and the changing funding landscape, as well as connecting students with other researchers and senior scientists in their area of interest across the University. “I tell fellow students entering the PhD program to find a good mentor because those are the people who will be with you not only for three years of study, they’ll be with you for a lifetime,” said 2019 PhD graduate Rachel Wells, MSN, RN, CNL, who is mentored by Professor and Marie O’Koren Endowed Chair Marie Bakitas, DNS, CRNP, NP-C, AOCN, ACHPN, FAAN. “No matter where I go, I will always be connected to Dr. Bakitas.” Wells’ dissertation focused on utilization of palliative care services in rural heart failure patients, an interest that came from her practice with heart failure patients in intensive care units. As Wells sought out a doctoral program, she connected with Bakitas. “When I talked to Dr. Bakitas, the PhD was everything I wanted in a program because a lot

of my questions were well-suited to a research degree,” Wells said. “She played a huge role in recruiting me to the UAB SON PhD program, and her mentorship continues to influence my career.” A Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Future of Nursing Scholar, Wells’ studies and research program are fully-funded. She also has received scholarships from the Alabama State Nurses Association’s Alabama Nursing Foundation, and the American Association of Heart Failure Nurses, among others. Bakitas said it is important for mentors to push mentees to develop and use their individual skillsets, utilize their mentor’s knowledge and skills to help build their own, and take the steps necessary to become an independent researcher. “It’s really important for mentees to have opportunities to be first author, to present their work and to know how to do that well,” said Bakitas, who is internationally known for her palliative care research. “As a mentor, you need to provide opportunities to share your knowledge and invest the time to guide new researchers, post-docs and junior faculty through those experiences. When they can stand on their own and succeed, or work with other top researchers, not only is it a positive reflection on your group and your school, you have done your job as a senior scientist and faculty member in developing the next generation and equipping them for future funding.” Among Bakitas’ other mentees are Assistant Professors J. Nicholas Dionne-Odom, PhD, MA, RN, ACHPN; Yasemin Turkman, PhD; and Erin Currie, PhD, RN. All are on the School’ s faculty and currently funded. “The research bug bit me as an undergraduate nursing student at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and as I looked into research, I came across the work of the late Dr. Karen Meneses,” said PhD graduate Jennifer Bail, PhD, RN, who is a postdoctoral fellow in the UAB School of Health Professions. “She gave me such high-quality mentorship and her guidance and support encouraged me to Dr. Marie Bakitas and mentee, publish numerous times and Dr. J. Nicholas Dionne-Odom. apply for a grant from the American Cancer Society. Dr. Meneses always pushed me out of my comfort zone and gave me the tools to kickstart my career.” As a mentee of Meneses, Bail attended multiple national conferences each year, which opened doors to meet senior scientists in cancer survivorship. Both of Bail’s parents passed away from cancer, and her mother’s battle with breast cancer led to a passion for cancer survivorship. It was Meneses’ guidance that allowed her to follow that passion.

“I feel truly blessed that I had the opportunity to know Dr. Meneses, and even more blessed to have had her as my mentor,” Bail said. “My desire is to carry on her legacy, and my life’s work will be to improve the quality of life for cancer survivors. I’m taking my next steps by successfully completing a post-doctoral fellowship in nutrition sciences and cancer prevention and control.” Bail has submitted a K99/R00 career development award, which Meneses helped her develop. The grant would provide Bail with five years of funding to allow her to launch into a career as an independent researcher, where she could continue her work in cancer survivorship. “With Dr. Meneses’ untimely passing, I have been fortunate to have Dr. Marie Bakitas and Dr. Wendy Demark-Wahnefried as my mentors now,” Bail added. “The best part of being a mentor is seeing your mentees achieve bigger and better things,” said Nursing Honors Program Co-Director and Associate Professor Sigrid Ladores, PhD, RN, PNP, CNE, who also was mentored by Meneses and has mentored junior faculty member Leigh Bray, PhD, RN, CNL. “I have seen Leigh learn so much over the past four years, it makes me so happy to see her successes and be a part of her journey.” Mentors also provide guidance as new researchers design and implement studies, develop collaborative relationships and build rapport with patient populations in their studies. Faculty also maintain a status that makes them valuable mentors to post-doctorate fellows and junior faculty. “The mentors at our School are funded, continue to receive funding and are well published,” Vance said. “With these key ingredients, they are set up to lead our PhD students, post docs and junior faculty in developing their research program.” Vance’s mentees are making a difference through their research related to HIV and cognitive health. Assistant Professor Pariya Wheeler, PhD, also has received a K99/ R00 from the NIH to study HIV and cognition.

Dr. Karen Heaton and mentee, instructor and PhD student Bryan Combs.

“It's not just that you have a primary mentor, you also have

MENTORS IN OTHER SCHOOLS who work with your interest." -Rachel Wells, PhD graduate

The success of senior faculty and their mentees means success for the School too. For the second year in a row, UAB School of Nursing ranks No. 14, with an increase to $4.23 million in annual NIH research funding for fiscal year 2018. In 2017, the School received $4.1 million in annual funding, increasing its rank from 23rd in 2016 and 34th in 2015. DIVERSITY OF DISCIPLINES The next generation of nurse and interdisciplinary scientists at the School of Nursing also benefits from a diversity of disciplines on faculty, including psychologists, epidemioloSPRING 2019 / UAB NURSING

Dr. David Vance and mentee, Dr. Pariya Wheeler.

"By introducing students early and having them

LIVE AND BREATHE WHAT RESEARCH IS, they can contribute to the whole, and they can better appreciate the work." –Dr. Maria R. Shirey

gists, educators and biostatisticians, as well as the core value of collaboration across the UAB campus.

of nurse scientists, and they open more and different pathways to patient populations, research centers and other necessary research elements.

“Throughout my career I have worked where it was very siloed and attempts to bring interdisciplinary teams together encountered all sorts of barriers,” Bakitas said. “At UAB, the environment opens lines of communications across disciplines and encourages collaboration and learning across schools, disciplines and topics.”

“When I talk to other people about UAB and the School of Nursing, I tell them one of the hardest things for me to conceptualize is leaving. The research environment is so welcoming,” Wells said. “If there’s a topic you’re interested in pursuing, there is usually a University-Wide Interdisciplinary Research Center for it on campus, and everyone wants to help you. It’s not just that you have a primary mentor, you also have mentors in other schools and research centers who work with your interest, and those senior scientists are more than willing to share some of their most valuable resources — time and knowledge.”

Vance was the School’s first non-nurse faculty member, hired in 2006, and said his research as a psychologist and gerontologist has benefited from a cross-pollination of ideas. “When I first came here, I was interested in the intellectual pursuit that is research,” Vance said. “As I was writing for nursing journals, however, I focused on the section called ‘Implications for Practice’ that looks at the real-world application of research. Taking that perspective helped me develop my research and expand from just the intellectual pursuit. It helped me view research as a way to help people every day.”

As non-nurse scientists, Vance, Wheeler, and Professors Mirjam-Colette Kempf, PhD, MPH, and Nataliya Ivankova, PhD, MPH, work with all faculty to develop studies and encourage students to utilize interdisciplinary teams. Kempf is primary principal investigator of the seven-year, $16.8 million NIH-funded UAB MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study site with the University of Mississippi Medical Center, part of the largest, longest observational study of women and men living with HIV. Kempf also mentors early-career nurse scientists, including Assistant Professor Crystal Chapman Lambert, PhD, CRNP, NP-C, FNP-BC, whose research activities focus on improving health outcomes for minority populations, including women living with HIV.

School of Nursing faculty hold nearly 50 appointments in UAB’s University-Wide Interdisciplinary Research Centers (UWIRCs), which opens doors to cross-disciplinary mentorship. As PhD students and junior faculty develop their program of research, they can access senior scientists and the tools necessary for everything from grant writing to patient populations from the UWIRCs across campus. As a senior scientist, Bakitas sees the benefit of diverse backgrounds and employs those on her research team. She said expanding perspectives allows the scope of research to expand as well, further impacting health care and patient lives. “As a mentor, I have brought on mentees outside of nursing and worked with other scientists who bring diverse experiences and unique skill sets, and I know they have helped expand the work I’ve done and reach new communities,” Bakitas said. “Engaging our interdisciplinary colleagues provides a way to positively impact more communities, to introduce our research and discoveries into different disciplines and improve patient care.” IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH Research creates new knowledge and discovery science, finds new patterns or connections of data, but to see its true impact, it is necessary to translate that knowledge into real-world application. Research is the foundation of new treatment options, new organizational systems and new health care

“The interdisciplinary work is why I wanted to be at the UAB School of Nursing,” Wheeler said. “I feel valued for bringing a different background and discipline to the table, and I’m able to work with faculty to design and implement studies that can address clinical problems.” Ivankova, an applied qualitative and mixed methods methodologist with a dual appointment in the Schools of Nursing and Health Professions, teaches research courses that are open to students from multiple disciplines. Connections within the School of Nursing and across campus offer additional perspective and resources in research for the next generation 8

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Dr. Crystal Chapman Lambert (l) is mentored by Dr. Mirjam-Colette Kempf. Also pictured is Kempf mentee and UABSON PhD student Jenni Wise (c).

policy, and mentees learn this importance. Nurses, they also understand, are uniquely situated to translate research. “If you conduct research for the sake of research, you’re not going the full cycle of doing work that is making a maximum difference,” said Professor and Associate Dean for Clinical and Global Partnerships Maria R. Shirey, PhD, MBA, MS, RN, NEA-BC, ANEF, FACHE, FNAP, FAAN. As the 2019 recipient of the American Organization of Nurse Executives Researcher of the Year Award, Shirey’s seminal scholarly work on authentic leadership leads the nursing profession. “I feel very strongly that you should not only create new knowledge, but you also need to be able to translate it and disseminate it for the greater good,” she added. As faculty and students conduct research, the School’s partnerships, nurse-led clinics and practicing faculty provide opportunities to apply their results in real-world situations. “For example, through the UAB Nursing Partnership, the faculty’s quality and safety experts identify UAB Medicine needs and priorities, then collaborate to develop studies and find solutions that can be translated into practice within the

BSN Nursing Honors students Katelyn Leake and Kadie Morris were mentored by Senior Director of Nursing Services at UAB Hospital, Dr. Connie White-Williams.

health system,” said Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean for Clinical Innovation Shea Polancich, PhD, RN. “When we work on the health system’s concerns, use our expertise and make changes, that is the biggest win we have. It gives us a way to support UAB Hospital and UAB Medicine, and opens the door for nurse scientists to enter improvement roles within the health system.” Polancich’s work with the UAB Nursing Partnership, an academic-practice partnership between UAB Hospital, UAB Medicine and the School of Nursing, has improved management and reporting practices for wound care. Other faculty research, including Shirey’s AONE award-winning scholarship on nurse leaders, has been applied in nurse-led clinics such as the Heart Failure Clinic. “This translation and dissemination of research also benefits the didactic experience at the School,” said Associate Professor and Director of Educationally Focused Partner-

ships Rebecca S. Miltner, PhD, RN, CNL, NEA-BC. “If faculty are working in health systems and involved in quality improvement initiatives and research, then that information and experience returns to our students in the classroom. They see real world examples of why this matters.” “Nurse scientists who come to the Deep South and who stay and work in the Southeast see the vast health care needs of our underserved communities and the wealth of opportunities they have to improve so many lives,” Bakitas added. “At UAB, we have the expertise and the resources to reach these vulnerable, minority and rural populations through our research. MOTIVATION THROUGH The translational piece that we bring through nursing and the community-based work we do here really makes a At UAB School of Nursing, doctoral difference in peoples’ lives.”

MENTORSHIP

NURTURING NURSE SCIENTISTS To ensure the future pipeline of nurse scientists the School introduces research opportunities through its honors program and introductions to faculty research at the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) level. This early start is important to discover the next generation of nurse scientists, said Ladores. “In the School’s Nursing Honors Program, we are thoughtful in exposing students to research in an engaging way. We use design thinking as a guide, and students learn to identify problems, brainstorm solutions and approach research in a way that makes it come alive,” Ladores said. “They learn research isn’t just in a lab. It’s a chance to learn and participate.” Honors students select their projects, connect with mentors and learn to appreciate the process and the product of research, Ladores said. Mentors come from across campus, through different schools and Centers at UAB. Students also learn from Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) faculty.

students and junior faculty benefit from the experience and guidance of mentors who are fully funded. The following are some of the SON faculty mentors who lead mentees by example. DAVID VANCE (HIV and cognitive health research) • Assistant Professor Pariya Wheeler: Funded by an NIH K99/R00 grant to examine successful cognitive aging MARIE BAKITAS • Assistant Professor J. Nicholas DionneOdom: Received an NIH R00 grant for a study on palliative care intervention for rural family caregivers • Assistant Professor Yasemin Turkman: Received a 2-year grant from the National Palliative Care Research Center to develop a culturally adapted patient navigator program • Assistant Professor Erin Currie: Received a 2-year career development award from the NPCRC to examine pediatric palliative care needs • Jennifer Bail: Received a post-doctoral fellowship in the UAB School of Health Professions and has applied for a K99/R00 career development award

“By introducing students to research early and having them live and breathe what research is, they can contribute to the whole, and they can better appreciate the work,” she added. “A research background can elevate nurses at all levels of care, and providing students with this foundation creates nurse leaders who actively contribute to improving health and health systems.”

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research/ academics

INTERPROFESSIONAL INNOVATION School of Nursing benefits from faculty’s diversity of disciplines WRITTEN BY ERICA TECHO

he University of Alabama at Birmingham and the UAB School of Nursing are known for their interprofessional focus and collaborative spirit. The School, specifically, reaches across campus and to other institutions through partnerships and research, and it also utilizes multidisciplinary collaboration within its own building to fulfill its teaching, research and practice missions. There are three psychologists on faculty, as well as a physician, biostatisticians, an epidemiologist and other disciplines. “The University supports collaboration and interprofessional teams across campus, and as we work to transform the way students learn and faculty share knowledge, it is important to bring that interprofessional spirit into the School,” said Dean and Fay B. Ireland Endowed Chair in Nursing Doreen C. Harper, PhD, RN, FAAN. “Bringing on faculty from diverse professional backgrounds onto our School’s faculty brings an important range of perspectives to the table and enhances our ability to prepare the next generation of nurse leaders.” “We are way ahead of the curve on having diverse disciplines on our faculty and research teams,” said Interim Associate Dean of the Office of Research and Scholarship David Vance, PhD, MGS, MS, who is a psychologist and gerontologist. “This variety of backgrounds augments our School’s ability to take a holistic approach to research, education and practice in ways that not only benefits those we serve today, they provide an interprofessional background for the nurse scientists and leaders of tomorrow.” Harper said the presence of non-nurse faculty help keep the School on the leading edge as interprofessional teams have become central to quality care. “As providers, we used to work in silos,” said Assistant Professor William Somerall, MD, who practiced as an obstetrician-gynecologist for 31 years. “Now we see that as a group, we’re better at solving problems and providing care to patients. That means interprofessional education has become more important. At UAB, students learn the skills and resources available through different disciplines and backgrounds that they can take into the workforce.” The benefits for students in interacting with and understanding non-nursing faculty will serve them no matter

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their career path, said Professor Mirjam-Colette Kempf, PhD, MPH. “Exposure to different disciplines gives students the confidence to engage interprofessionally in meaningful ways. They leave UAB knowing they have a voice at the table, provide a unique skill set and can benefit from listening to others,” Kempf said. It also gives the non-nursing faculty new perspectives, she said. Kempf ’s background is medical microbiology and epidemiology, and her focus is predominantly research, as the principal investigator of a $16.8 million NIH-sponsored research project on HIV/AIDS. At UAB SON, she collaborates with nurses and nursing students to gain a perspective into clinical application for her scholarship. “With the complexity of the issues we now have to solve in research, you can no longer approach research from a narrow angle,” added Professor Nataliya Ivankova, PhD, MPH, an applied qualitative and mixed methods methodologist whose expertise creates a diverse learning environment as School of Nursing doctoral students develop their research skills. Ivankova also has a faculty appointment in the School of Health Professions. “Having different understandings of issues from multiple backgrounds is the most effective, comprehensive approach to find solutions.” Diverse disciplines also strengthen research and grant projects. “Research has evolved to where it takes a village to develop and complete a project, and our School benefits from its array of experts bringing their strengths to research teams,” said Associate Professor and Director of Statistics Andres Azuero, PhD, MBA. Assistant Professor and Director of Instructional Innovation Nancy Wingo, PhD, said her past work in secondary education and as a project analyst in higher education influence her approach to collaboration, developing programs and improving courses. “In the modern world, we can’t get boxed in. The more that we work together, the better our content and the better our courses are, so we have to cross disciplines and work together,” Wingo said. “The world is changing so rapidly that you can’t limit your dreams or ideas, otherwise you’ll miss out.”

MEET OUR ASSOCIATE DEANS WRITTEN BY ERICA TECHO // PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK COUCH

leadership “We are very fortunate to have so many talented individuals we have developed within our School who are now leading our School in continued success.” – Doreen C. Harper, PhD, RN, FAAN, Dean and Fay B. Ireland Endowed Chair in Nursing

MARIA R. SHIREY, Associate Dean for Clinical and Global Partnerships Maria Rodriguez Shirey, PhD, MBA, MS, RN, NEA-BC, ANEF, FACHE, FNAP, FAAN, was named the School’s Associate Dean for Clinical and Global Partnerships in December 2018. Shirey joined the School’s faculty in 2013 as Assistant Dean for Clinical and Global Partnerships, where

she helped lead the development and expansion of the HRTSA Heart Failure Clinic. “My goal is to grow and enhance our existing programs and also to cultivate the sustainability of our partnerships. Without thinking of sustainability, we can’t move our programs to the next level,” Shirey said. “I believe strongly in continuous quality improvement, so I’m always asking the question,

‘How can we do better and what’s next?’" In 2018, Shirey was elected a Distinguished Scholar and Fellow in the National Academies of Practice. She serves as director-at-large on the National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ) Board of Directors and editor in chief of the Journal for Healthcare Quality, and she is a fellow of multiple national nursing organizations.

ASHLEY HODGES, Associate Dean for Graduate Clinical Education Ashley Hodges, PhD, CRNP, WHNP-BC, FAANP, was named Associate Dean for Graduate Clinical Education in October 2018, after seven years as Assistant Dean for Graduate Clinical Programs. Hodges is nationally known for her work with the National Association of Nurse Practitioner Faculties

Curricular Leadership Committee Co-Chair and on the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses Board of Director and Public Policy Committee. “As Associate Dean, my goals include mentoring junior faculty, continuing school improvement and fostering faculty practices,” Hodges said. “Through mentorship, we can continue to improve the quality of our teaching and also improve partnerships that in

turn influence our curriculum, keeping it timely and up to date.” As a certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, Hodges also maintains a faculty practice at The WellHouse, a nonprofit organization that provides a residential environment to women who are survivors of human sex trafficking. Hodges opened the clinic in 2017.

GWENDOLYN CHILDS, Interim Associate Dean for Undergraduate and Prelicensure Education Gwendolyn Childs, PhD, RN, FAAN, joined UAB School of Nursing in 2007 after receiving her Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science from University of South Carolina-Columbia and was named Interim Associate Dean for Undergraduate and Prelicensure Education in October 2018. She is an associate scientist in the UAB School of Medicine

Center for AIDS Research, UAB Minority Health & Health Disparities Research Center and UAB Center for the Study of Community Health. She formerly directed the Clinical Scholar’s Program at Children’s of Alabama, where she mentored nurses in the development of projects to directly impact the quality of care provided to their patients and families. “I went into teaching to educate students to become compassionate nurses that provide the

best possible care to their patients,” Childs said. “As Interim Associate Dean for Undergraduate and Prelicensure Education, I intend to encourage and support faculty in the areas of scholarship and teaching as they continue developing new and innovative teaching strategies. I also hope to inspire our students at the start of their career and set an example for how they can make a difference in patient care and health care as a whole.”

DAVID VANCE, Interim Associate Dean for Research and Scholarship David Vance, PhD, MGS, MS, was selected to serve as Interim Associate Dean for Research and Scholarship in August 2018. He joined the School in 2006 as an assistant professor and the first non-nurse faculty member. He has had continuous NIH funding as a principal investigator and coinvestigator since 2006 and actively researches

neurocognitive aging and HIV, and he brings to the Office of Research and Scholarship more than 20 years of experience that includes more than 200 peer-reviewed articles and more than 400 presentations. “As Interim Associate Dean for Research and Scholarship, I hope to elevate the School’s NIH funding from its current rank of No. 14 in the country to the top 10 funded Schools of Nursing and to develop a

P-20 or P-30 grant, which will create a research center that funds mutual research goals in the School,” Vance said. Vance chairs the Neurocognitive Group of the Women’s Initiative HIV Study and was invited to a White House forum and an NIH Think Tank, both of which were focused on aging with HIV. He is also serving a one-year term as Director-at-Large for the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care.

SPRING 2019 / UAB NURSING

academics

RACING TOWARD THE

LINE

School helps students balance academics, athletics 2016. Changing schools included retaking pre-requisites at UAB before applying to the School of Nursing, but the transition allowed her to continue her athletic and academic careers simultaneously. The School works with coaches and athletes to establish a plan, Tofani said, and there is give and take on all sides. Athletes take on the responsibility of communicating early and often with their instructors; coaches provide flexibility in practice schedules to accommodate clinicals; and faculty help with clinical placements that work in practice, game or meet schedules. WRITTEN BY ERICA TECHO // PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK COUCH

niversity of Alabama at Birmingham Head Cross Country and Associate Head Track and Field Coach Matt Esche has one way to describe recent graduate and former student-athlete Emily Drouin — self-motivated. “I don’t think you could describe her any other way,” said Esche. “She’s got goals, she knows what she wants to accomplish. She does everything with passion and drive, and that fuels her athletics and academics.” Drouin, who earned her BSN in April 2019, runs between 55-60 miles per week. In School she had to balance team workouts, individual runs, and her classes and assignments as a student in the School’s BSN program. “If you meet runners, they’re highly disciplined because it takes a lot of motivation to get out and run. That’s how I’ve had to be in my schedule. For example, if I had class at 8 a.m., I would get up to run at 5 a.m. because sometimes my school day would go from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and I wouldn’t feel like running 10 miles after a full day of class,” said Drouin. “I also like the break training gives me. Running can

UAB NURSING / SPRING 2019

be stressful to some, but for me it’s a form of meditation.” Even with a busy schedule, Drouin received the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal for 2018-19. Medals are given to student-athletes with a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or higher. At the 2019 Air Force Reserve Conference USA Indoor Track and Field Championship in February 2019, she won the 5,000-meter run with the fourth fastest time in program history. She also placed second in the 3,000-meter run. The internal drive Drouin possesses is one the School sees in most student-athletes, said Assistant Dean for Student Success Peter Tofani, EdD, LTC(R). “Our student athletes are all driven and disciplined because they have that dedication instilled in them through their coaches and teams. We see those traits carry over to their education,” Tofani said. “It’s a win-win for the School, coaches and athletes because student-athletes are well-qualified students, they’re disciplined and do really well in the classroom.” Drouin transferred to UAB from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in

“I think this shows that UAB and the School of Nursing care about our student-athletes,” Esche said. “As coaches, we understand the rigor of coming to an excellent academic institution. We win championships, but we also make sure that these students graduate in the field they want to enter. We care about our kids and what they do afterwards.” To accommodate what she knew would be one of her busiest semesters, Esche and Drouin created a three-year plan that allowed her to not compete in Fall 2018 and instead focus on clinicals and other schoolwork. She continued her training and returned to compete in Spring 2019. “A lot of schools can’t accommodate an athlete in this way, but on our campus, we make sure they’re truly student-athletes. They’re able to pursue both without delaying their future careers,” Tofani said. Now that she has earned her BSN, Drouin is looking forward to exploring her career options and eventually returning to school for an advanced degree. “Nursing is a career that can take you anywhere, and a lot of people don’t understand the variety of things nurses can do,” Drouin said. “That variety is why I like nursing.”

academics

WHEN DISASTER STR KES Since Hurricane Katrina struck in New Orleans in 2005, the UAB School of Nursing has increased its support efforts for students, faculty and alumni affected by natural disasters

WRITTEN BY ERICA TECHO

TROPICAL STORMS. TORNADOES. HURRICANES. FLOODS.

atural disasters leave in their wake injuries and death, damaged homes and infrastructure, and a need to rebuild. When these severe weather events hit areas across the nation, the UAB School of Nursing has plans in place to connect with and help members of the UAB family. “In the aftermath of a natural disaster, such as the several hurricanes and tornadoes we have seen go through the Southeast in the past several years, the most important thing is letting our students, distance faculty and alumni know that UAB School of Nursing is here to support them,” said Dean and Fay B. Ireland Endowed Chair in Nursing Doreen Harper, PhD, RN, FAAN. “We also want those who have been mobilized and are helping with relief efforts to know that UAB supports them and appreciates their dedication to caring for others, one of the honors of the nursing profession.” Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the School amplified its outreach to support its growing number of distance educated students and distance faculty. “I think the devastation Hurricane Katrina left behind was a big wake up call for everyone and pushed institutions and organizations to reexamine their relief and response efforts,” said Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Linda Moneyham, PhD, RN, FAAN. “Because our programs are distance-accessible, we have students across the country. While an event might not have a local impact, some students are likely to be affected by events that occur anywhere in the U.S.” Students are encouraged to contact faculty and instructors if they evacuate, suffer power outages or face other disruptions from a natural disaster. “Our faculty work with students to help them continue progressing through their program of study,” Moneyham said. “This includes meeting

their academic needs with feasible due dates and ways to complete course requirements, as well as by connecting students with counseling services or other resources.” Director of Student Engagement, Recruitment and Scholarships Stephanie Hamberger, MPA, is a first line of assistance for many students. “My goal every day is to make a difference, and connecting students with these resources is a way to do that,” she said. “Our emergency grant funding is vitally important because it helps students make it over hurdles, whether its a weather or even a family emergency. Without it, a lot of students might not be able to finish school.” More than 30 students have received support through the School’s Emergency Fund for Student Success, which is designated for those overcoming financial hardship or facing temporary barriers to success. The fund is partially supported by The Gertrude E. Skelly Charitable Foundation, and it has allowed students to continue their path toward a career in nursing. With alumni in all 50 states, communication with graduates after a disaster is also important, said Director of Alumni Relations Emily Craig, MPA. “We want to let them know that we’re thinking about them and that as UAB School of Nursing alumni, even though they have graduated, we still care about your home, your area, your job and that you are safe,” Craig said. “They are still part of the UAB School of Nursing family. It’s also an opportunity for us to thank those who are making a difference and helping others — because that’s what nurses do.”

"In the aftermath of a natural disaster...the most important thing is letting our students, distance faculty and alumni know the UAB

School of Nursing is here to support them." - Dean Doreen C. Harper

SPRING 2019 / UAB NURSING

partnerships

TREATMENT

after trauma

On-site clinic provides care to

residents of The WellHouse

WRITTEN BY ERICA TECHO // PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK COUCH

majority of medical care that our residents require is in Jefferson County, Birmingham specifically. When you have an average of 20 people needing to see a medical provider, the logistics of getting to that care are very difficult,” said Carolyn Potter, executive director of The WellHouse. “We needed something that was here and accessible, and with Dr. Hodges’ work, this need is being met.”

or a woman staying at The WellHouse, a nonprofit, faith-based organization that provides a safe residential environment to women who are survivors of human trafficking, trust is an important step toward healing. So is proper health care. Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Graduate Clinical Education Ashley Hodges, PhD, CRNP, WHNP-BC, FAANP, works to attain both of those things through her faculty practice at The WellHouse. “This clinic helps residents address medical needs, but also help them learn about self-care, including diet and exercise,” Hodges said. “The clinic empowers them to take care of themselves and to see how they can directly impact their own health.” Hodges has a trauma-informed approach to care, meaning she takes into account residents’ background and past traumas, building trust with the women in order to provide proper health care. She is also a consistent care provider, which was not previously possible. “We are in rural Alabama, and the

UAB NURSING / SPRING 2019

The WellHouse always hoped to provide on-site care for its residents, Potter said, and as a result of grant funding, they were able to construct a building and purchase medical equipment necessary to outfit the on-site clinic. Hodges’ focus on women’s health and vulnerable populations, as well as trauma-informed care, made her an ideal fit for the clinic. Trauma-informed care is important from the time a patient walks into the clinic to the time they leave, Hodges said, and it affects how a medical provider interviews, examines, does lab work and follows up with the patient. The main focus of trauma-informed care is avoiding re-traumatization in all aspects of a medical visit. Hodges is now part of the team at The WellHouse, and is helping build a feeling of safety and trust with its residents, Potter said. Debby Haralson, program and operations officer for The WellHouse, has already seen a difference. “I cannot overestimate the help that this clinic has brought,” Haralson said. “The wonderful thing is they are building relationships with Dr. Hodges, whereas before they wouldn’t see the same provider twice. Residents are confiding in Dr. Hodges, and she has been excellent at building a rapport with them.” Residents receive a primary care assess-

ment and gynecological exam when they first get to The WellHouse, and Hodges takes into account any discomfort with exams or clinicians. Since beginning in January 2018, care provided in the clinic has expanded. Its growth meant adding Instructor Lauren Mays, DNP, CRNP, FNP-BC, as a provider and through other partnerships at UAB, the women receive dental and optometric exams, as well as other health care. They also have physical trainers who come in to teach good exercise habits. “People are willing to contribute their time and efforts for these women, and in the future, I hope we can expand our partnerships and expand our services,” Hodges said. “Hope and healing can happen at any time in life, and there is hope and healing for these women at The WellHouse,” Haralson said. “The answer to fulfilling their needs is in the integration between physical, emotional and relational health. An important part of that is participation in a community, and there’s a lot that the UAB community is doing to foster that integration.”

partnerships

BSN AND NP GRADUATE RESIDENCIES:

HELPING NEW NURSES AND NPS SUCCEED WRITTEN BY ERICA TECHO //

PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK COUCH

UAB School of Nursing is working with its clinical partners to help recent graduates seeking supplemental clinical experiences and education by participating in either a BSN or NP Residency.

esidencies provide novice professionals the ability to work side by side with experienced clinicians. They gain from being mentored and seeing role models in action,” said Associate Dean for Clinical and Global Partnerships Maria R. Shirey, PhD, MBA, MS, RN, NEA-BC, ANEF, FACHE, FNAP, FAAN. “This helps them assimilate into their new roles as clinicians early in their first year of practice or in a new advanced practice role.” Through already-established formal partnerships, the School connects new BSN nurses and NP graduates with experienced health care providers at the Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Children’s of Alabama, UAB Hospital and other community partners. “All of our VA residencies are designed to develop the next generation of nurse leaders into Veteran’s health content experts,” said Assistant Professor and VA Nursing Academic Partnership (VANAP) Residency Director Randy Moore, DNP, RN, CCRN. “A new graduate BSN nurse will typically have six to eight weeks of orientation. Our BSN Nurse Residency, however, provides a year of 100 percent preceptored time and hands-on experience in specialty areas, primary care, critical care, nursing leadership, acute and medical surgical care.” After earning their degree, BSN graduates can enter a one-year BSN Nurse Residency and MSN or DNP Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner graduates can enter a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Residency through VANAP at the Birmingham VA Medical Center, Moore said. “When you concentrate efforts in one area, you become skilled at delivering care in that area. Veterans frequently have complex health issues that require multiple specialists, and receiving care in a complex health system requires providers with system knowledge,” Moore said. “Our residents are able to gain that depth and breadth of knowledge to help patients navigate the VA system.” In 2018, the School also began a Child/Adolescent Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Residency in partnership with Children’s of Alabama for new PMHNP graduates to help them be successful in their roles and expand access to mental health care for children and adolescents.

“New graduates become acquainted with Children’s of Alabama and benefit professionally from providing care as part of an interprofessional team,” said Psychiatric Mental Health MSN Specialty Track Coordinator and Residency Director Simone Durand, MSN, MS, CRNP, PMHNP-BC. “The ability to deliver health collaboratively prepares our Psych/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner residents for effective practice in the current health care environment and to provide high-quality care for these young persons.” “There are only three child and adolescent-focused PMHNP residencies in the country, and we are providing care for the future through our residency,” Shirey added. New graduates from the Family Nurse Practitioner MSN Specialty and DNP are developing their skills as primary care providers through a one-year residency partnering Cahaba Medical Care, Jefferson County Health Department with the School. This residency is focused on providing primary care to underserved populations. “We teach students that it’s not just disease process that’s important, but the patient as a whole. Part of that is navigating the social determinants of health,” said Instructor and Nurse Practitioner Pathway Director Bryan Combs, MSN, CRNP, FNP-BC, CNL, ATC. “The better we can care for the underserved, the better health the community has.” “Our residencies are creating the next generation of nurse and nurse practitioner leaders and preparing for the future of health care. As we develop future residencies, we will continue to focus on creating competency-based clinical and didactic experiences that can be measured so that residents can continue to improve and learn from highly qualified clinical mentors so that they, in turn, can provide better quality of care to their patients,” Shirey continued.

UAB SON MSN graduates Meghan Pattison and Sara Johnson, pictured with Cahaba Medical Care Nurse Practitioner and CRNP Residency Director Josh Elledge, CRNP, are residents at Cahaba Medical Care.

SPRING 2019 / UAB NURSING

A LEGACY

of Leadership

Cynthia Selleck leaves behind a lasting impact across Alabama

A MORE THAN

ssociate Dean for Clinical and Global Partnerships Cynthia Selleck, PhD, RN, FAAN, retired from the School in December 2018, following 14 years of service to the School, first as an Assistant Professor from 1981 to 1987 and again as Associate Dean and Professor since 2010. Her efforts as Associate Dean left a lasting legacy of caring for vulnerable populations, establishing strong partnerships and leading a hands-on approach to improve the health of Birmingham and Jefferson County and beyond.

$30 MILLION

in grants for Jefferson County

14 YEARS

of SERVICE to UAB

45 CAREER grant-funded projects

FIRST UAB Odessa

Woolfolk Community Service Award winner from UAB SON

UAB NURSING / SPRING 2019

Known as a dedicated collaborator, humanitarian and activist, as well as a nursing and health care leader, Selleck spent her career championing high-quality health care for underserved populations. “Dr. Selleck’s unique ability to identify the most pressing community needs and develop the proper steps to meet those needs is astounding. Throughout her time at the UAB School of Nursing she developed sustainable solutions and worked collaboratively to implement those solutions,” said Dean and Fay B. Ireland Endowed Chair in Nursing Doreen Harper, PhD, RN, FAAN. “Through her

extensive coalition-building skills and genuine passion for providing quality health care for all, she worked hard to achieve health equity for the underserved.” Selleck’s 30-year career in nursing centered on primary care and developing the workforce to meet the needs of diverse and underserved populations. Her passion for helping others started early in her career, when Selleck saw how many people had trouble getting access to health care. She went on to lead 45 grant-funded projects throughout her career to expand the number of health professionals in rural and inner-city areas, and in the eight years she was Associate Dean for Clinical and Global Partnerships, Selleck brought more than $30 million in grant funding for innovative health care solutions for the underserved to Jefferson County and Alabama. She helped establish two nurse-led clinics, including the Providing Access to Healthcare (PATH) Clinic, which has served tens of thousands of patients and resulted in more than $2-$4 million in annualized savings for UAB Hospital. The clinic was established as part of the UAB Nursing Partnership, an academic-practice partnership among UAB School of Nursing, UAB Hospital and UAB Medicine that Selleck helped develop and was formalized in 2016. It provides the support and tools for the partners to achieve professional goals and provide exceptional patient care, as well as to bring together academic and clinical environments to impact quality

partnerships nursing care across the state and nation. In 2018, the Partnership received the New Era for Academic Nursing Award from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

Partnerships. “She is a selfless human being, and she demonstrated that in her work and in her relationships. There is not a finer human being than Cindy Selleck.”

As she worked to improve community health, Selleck inspired others to serve vulnerable populations. That dedication built a strong foundation that her successor, Maria R. Shirey, PhD, MBA, MS, RN, NEA-BC, ANEF, FACHE, FNAP, FAAN, will build upon as the newly appointed Associate Dean for Clinical and Global Partnerships.

Among nursing-related organizations, Selleck is also highly regarded. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, recipient of the 2016 Power of One Award from the Nurse Practitioner Alliance of Alabama, 2014 nominee for the UAB Outstanding Woman Award, and 2018 recipient of the UAB Odessa Woolfolk Community Service Award, making her the first recipient from the School of Nursing. She also served as President and Board Member of the National Area Health Education Center (AHEC) organization from 200309. She also earned numerous awards from her former faculty roles at the University of South Florida.

“The biggest impact that Dr. Selleck had is her servant heart. Cindy really believed in the mission of this office and its work,” said Shirey, who joined the School in 2013 as Professor and Assistant Dean for Clinical and Global

UAB NURSING PARTNERSHIP EARNS AACN'S TOP ACADEMIC NURSING AWARD The UAB Nursing Partnership is making a difference in care and its successes are being recognized on a national level, receiving the 2018 American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s New Era for Academic Nursing Award, its highest academic/practice partnership award. This award recognizes strong academic nursing partnerships that exemplify a spirit of collaboration, integration and support. The UAB Nursing Partnership is a strategic alignment among the UAB School of Nursing, UAB Medicine and UAB Hospital. “We have a lot to be proud of. This award is a testament to the fact that we are a highly ranked school of nursing with several important projects underway, and that we have a strong and growing partnership with UAB Hospital and UAB Medicine,” said Associate Dean of Clinical and Global Partnerships Maria Shirey, PhD, MBA, MS, RN, NEA-BC, ANEF, FACHE, FNAP, FAAN. UAB School of Nursing, UAB Hospital and UAB Medicine have maintained an academic-practice relationship for many years, but that relationship grew into a robust partnership with the arrival of UAB School of Nursing Dean and Fay B. Ireland Endowed Chair in Nursing Doreen Harper, PhD, RN, FAAN. “We were clinical partners for many years in terms of student placements, faculty practice and research before a formalized agreement happened,” Harper said. “We created the formal UAB Nursing Partnership to provide the support and tools we all need to achieve professional goals and provide excellent patient care, helping bring together the collective knowledge of providers from both the academic and clinical environments and bridge the

resources we all use to impact quality nursing and health care across the state and the nation.” The partnership developed two nurse-led interprofessional clinics that care for vulnerable populations, the PATH (Providing Access to Healthcare) Clinic and Heart Failure Clinic. As a result of these clinics, UAB Hospital has seen an annualized savings of $2.4 million for the PATH Clinic and $3.9 million for the Heart Failure clinic, according to recent data. Patient satisfaction scores are also consistently high, Shirey said, and they have seen improved clinical outcomes. “SON faculty and UAB Hospital staff work in collaboration on improvement, research and translation on a daily basis,” said UAB Hospital Chief Nursing Officer and UAB SON alumna Terri Poe, DNP, RN, NE-BC (BSN 1986, DNP 2013). “We have ongoing collaborations to develop solutions to nursing-sensitive topics, such as hospital acquired pressure ulcers, knowing that only through the investment in academic and clinical practice can we begin to chip away at concerns that seriously impact patient safety and quality of care.”

SPRING 2019 / UAB NURSING

NEWS ROUNDUP School’s interdisciplinary innovation recognized

UAB Solution Studios™, a partnership of the UAB School of Nursing, School of Engineering, Honors College Science and Technology Honors Program and UAB Medicine, started in January 2016 and has encouraged more than 250 students and clinicians to come together to develop clinical advancements. Its impact is being felt around campus, making it the Interdisciplinary Initiative of the Year, as recognized by UAB. “Solution Studios is truly interdisciplinary, and our undergraduate and graduate students are at the heart of the action in the hospital, working in teams with clinical experts to solve complex problems,” said Solution Studios Director of Education and UAB School of Nursing Assistant Professor Nancy Wingo, PhD, MA. “It involves everyone: students, clinicians, patients, faculty and staff.”

(l-r) Solution Studios leadership Kristen Noles, Director of Clinical Partnerships; Dr. Nancy Wingo, Director of Education; and Dr. Joel Berry, Director of Engineering.

Ladores receives two mentorship awards Nursing Honors Program Co-Director and Associate Professor Sigrid Ladores, PhD, RN, PNP, CNE, has been recognized for her excellence in mentorship by two University of Alabama at Birmingham groups. Ladores is a recipient of the 2019 Graduate Dean’s Excellence in Mentorship Award and Minority Health Research Center Excellence in Mentorship Award, which recognize faculty members who have motivated and seen exceptional accomplishments as mentors of graduate students and/or postdoctoral fellows, and who have contributed to the career development and retention of students and scholars. “Mentorship is something I am very dedicated to because I know how important it is and how beneficial it can be in your career and life,” she said. “I’m so honored to receive this mentorship award. To me, the best part of being a mentor is seeing your mentees, students and trainees achieve bigger and better things than you, as the mentor, could even see for yourself. My mentees are my shining stars, and every time they get an award, I am the proudest person. It makes me feel so honored to be part of their journey.” 18

UAB NURSING / SPRING 2019

Solution Studios collects real-world problems from UAB School of Nursing faculty, Clinical Nurse Leader graduate students, and clinicians at UAB Hospital and Children’s of Alabama and posts them for students to see. Students then find problems that pique their interest and form teams to address them, working alongside clinical partners. “This opens students’ eyes to the complex world of health care and helps them learn how they can make a difference,” Wingo said. “Clinicians tell us that this process gives them hope, not only by providing a platform on which to post their problems, but also by seeing these young, bright students tackle challenges with such drive.”

Childs recognized for excellence in minority health research Associate Professor and Interim Associate Dean for Undergraduate and Prelicensure Programs Gwendolyn Childs, PhD, RN, FAAN, has been selected by the Augusta University Alumni Association and the College of Nursing Alumni Society to receive the 2019 College of Nursing Phoebe Kandel Rohrer Distinguished Alumna Award. Childs earned her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from Augusta University in 1998. She has been invited to deliver the College of Nursing Distinguished Alumna Lecture during the College of Nursing’s 2019 Alumni Weekend. “I am honored to have been chosen for this award,” said Childs. “It is always rewarding to be recognized for your work.” Childs’ research focuses on approaches for reducing the risks of sexually transmitted infections in adolescent African American girls with an emphasis on sexual decision-making and risk taking among African American girls ages 12 to 14 years living in the Deep South region of the United States. Childs is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and received the Association of Nursing in AIDS Care President’s Award in 2016.

Bakitas earns national ACS honor Marie L. O’Koren Endowed Chair in Nursing and Professor Marie Bakitas, DNSc, CRNP, NP-C, AOCN, ACHPN, FAAN, received the Pathfinder in Palliative Care from the American Cancer Society at the National Palliative Care Research Center’s annual Kathleen Foley Palliative Care Retreat and Research Symposium. This award recognizes palliative care leaders who demonstrate innovation and ingenuity, and contribute to the advancement of palliative care globally. Bakitas’ program of research focuses on reducing suffering and enhancing quality of life

for individuals with advanced illness and their family caregivers, especially those in underserved and rural populations. “Most palliative care services are concentrated in academic health centers, and it’s not accessible to people in rural communities,” Bakitas said. “Through telehealth and other means, we can reduce health disparities for individuals with advanced illness and move toward equitable access to palliative care for underserved populations.” In addition to her faculty appointment in the School, Bakitas co-leads the UAB Center for Palliative and Supportive Care with Professor of Medicine Rodney Tucker, MD, MMM, FAAHPM. She also holds a secondary faculty

ALN Honors Faculty

House tapped for two national appointments

The Alabama League for Nursing has recognized three faculty members as outstanding nurse educators. Assistant Professor and outgoing ALN President Tedra Smith, DNP, CRNP, CPNP-PC, CNE, was one of seven educators to receive the ALN Lamplighter Award. Assistant Professor Cathy Roche, PhD, RN, and Instructor Jennie Alspach, MSN, RN, received the ALN Excellence in Teaching Award, which recognizes those who develop and implement innovative teaching strategies, with an emphasis on projects or strategies that utilize outcome measures and other therapeutic nursing interventions. Roche and Alspach were recognized for their innovative “Off to learn the nursing process” lesson for first semester BSN students, during which they dressed as Wizard of Oz characters and explained the nursing process. The Lamplighter Award acknowledges individuals who have made a substantial contribution to improve society through high professional and ethical standards in service to others and support of the development and improvement of teaching, research and service programs in nursing.

appointment in the School of Medicine and is a senior scientist in the UAB Comprehensive Center for Aging, O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center and Center for Study of Community Health.

(l-r) Dr. Tedra Smith, Dr. Cathy Roche, Jeannie Alspach and Dr. Steadman McPeters.

UAB School of Nursing faculty have consistently held leadership positions in ALN. Currently, Assistant Professors Candace Knight, PhD, RN, and Steadman McPeters, DNP, CRNP, CPNP-AC, RNFA, are membership director and treasurer, respectively.

Assistant Professor David House, DNP, CRNP, ENP-C, FNP-BC, CNS, has been appointed to national positions within the Emergency Nurses Association and American Academy of Emergency Nurse Practitioners. Within the ENA, House is participating in a group updating Emergency Nurse Practitioner Core Competencies. “The first entry-level core competencies for nurse practitioners practicing in emergency care were developed in 2008,” said House. “Since then, the role of ENPs working in emergency care has broadened, and there is a need to update those core competencies.” House also is chairing the Bylaws Committee for AAENP. “The AAENP has grown from 10 members in 2014 to over 800 members today. With the partnerships we have formed with organizations such as the ENA, the American College of Emergency Physicians, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and other national organizations, it is necessary to create and maintain our bylaws which guide our activities and operations,” he said. House joined the faculty in 2017 and is dual board certified as an Emergency and Family Nurse Practitioner, teaching Emergency Nurse Practitioner and Leadership courses. SPRING 2019 / UAB NURSING

BIO

FIVE QUESTIONS WITH

{ Maria Shirey } New Associate Dean for Clinical and Global Partnerships discusses goals, ongoing initiatives Q: You are leading a $2.8 million HRSA initiative to build a resilient RN workforce. How do partnerships factor into the initiative? A: Partnerships form the foundation for the work of my newest

grant, The Registered Nurses in Primary Care (RNPC) Initiative. Through this grant we are leveraging our existing academic-practice partnerships to build a resilient primary care registered nurse workforce in Alabama. Our RNPC Scholars receive didactic instruction in the classroom through a new course called Concepts of Primary Care Nursing, which is then reinforced through mentored field experiences for our students in the clinical sites of our six partners: the Providing Access to Healthcare Clinic, Heart Failure Transitional Care Services for Adults Clinic, Bessemer Neighborhood Clinic, Jefferson County Department of Health, Macon County Health Department and the East Central Alabama Area Health Education Council. With our affiliate partner, Tuskegee University School of Nursing, we are preparing the next generation of baccalaureate prepared nurses to address the disease prevention and control needs of the most vulnerable populations in the state of Alabama.

UAB NURSING / SPRING 2019

Maria Rodriguez Shirey, PhD, MBA, MS, RN, NEA-BC, ANEF, FACHE, FNAP, FAAN, Professor and Associate Dean for Clinical and Global Partnerships at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing, teaches in the PhD and DNP programs focusing on leadership, management, health policy and scholarly writing. Shirey’s “real world” approach to leadership integrates her extensive experience as a nurse executive, educator and researcher. She is a prolific author and editor-in-chief of the Journal for Healthcare Quality. Shirey is a Fellow of four prestigious organizations: American College of Healthcare Executives, American Academy of Nursing, Academy of Nursing Education, and National Academies of Practice.

INTERVIEW BY LAURA LESLEY // PHOTO BY FRANK COUCH

The beauty of partnerships is that our most impactful efforts happen not with us going at it alone, but rather collaboratively with others who share our vision for advancing the health outcomes of individuals. 2 Q: Why did you seek the role of Associate Dean and what are your goals for the Office of Clinical and Global Partnerships?

A: Pursuing the role of Associate Dean for Clinical and

Global Partnerships is a return to my roots at the UAB SON. When I first joined the faculty in 2013, I served as Assistant Dean in this office. I worked closely with Dr. Cindy Selleck, our former Associate Dean, until her recent retirement to grow partnership activities in this office. Assuming the Associate Dean position is an example of my personal growth in academic leadership and my dedication to the integration of the service scholarship at the UAB SON.

Q: What role do partnerships play in nursing and nursing education? A: I am a firm believer in the role of academic-practice partner-

ships to address the longstanding gap that exists between academia and practice. Working at the intersection of education, research and practice has been at the core of my professional career trajectory. I hold dear the notion that practice informs our science and that science cannot exist in isolation without the evidence it generates being translated into teaching and practice to achieve impactful outcomes.

been said that it is through relationships that we achieve meaningful scholarly service work. These relationships form the basis for many of our significant collaborations here at the school, across the nation and the world.

Q: How do UAB SON’s partnerships help set it apart? A: UAB SON is committed to its tri-partite mission both in word

and in action. Our Dean’s vision to invest in and grow the teaching, research and service missions is consistent with our school’s commitment to excellence. Our partnerships form the foundation of our important relationships and help to fuel our pursuit of new opportunities to achieve our mission. At the UAB SON, we do not rest on our laurels and are always positioned for the next challenge.

Q: How do students benefit, post-graduation, from the School's clinical and global partnerships? A: The clinical and global partnerships at our School serve to en-

hance the professional socialization of nurses in their roles and they also serve as a mechanism to build long-term relationships. It has

PHOTO CREDIT: AONL/AONL FOUNDATION

My goals as for the Office of Clinical and Global Partnerships are to enhance the growth of our programs and cultivate the sustainability of our partnership efforts. I believe in continuous quality improvement and so my drive is always the mantra: How can we do better, and what’s next? As a mentor, I am also motivated to engage in the professional development of the people I lead and with those I collaborate.

AONE NURSE RESEARCHER OF THE YEAR Professor and Associate Dean for Clinical and Global Partnerships Maria R. Shirey, PhD, MBA, MS, RN, NEA-BC, ANEF, FACHE, FNAP, FAAN, has received the 2019 American Organization of Nurse Executives Foundation Nurse Researcher Award. The organization was recently renamed more broadly as the American Organization for Nursing Leaders.

ty care and delivery systems grounded in healthful practice.

This annual AONE award recognizes an individual with significant contributions to nursing and health systems research.

“My research has identified the systems and support structures nurse managers need in order to be successful in their roles,” Shirey said. “Nurse managers are crucial because they lead from the middle. They’re the voice that really articulates the mission and vision of an organization in ways that benefit the patients and families we serve.”

Shirey is internationally recognized for her research in nursing leadership and management. Through her work, Shirey has addressed multiple AONE priorities, including developing core competencies of nurse leaders across the care continuum to support current and emerging roles; supporting the design and implementation of care delivery and health management models; and supporting the provision of safe, quali-

In her brief tenure, Shirey has garnered nearly $5 million in extramural support to fund her initiatives. As principal investigator of a four-year, $2.8 million Health Resources and Services Administration grant project to develop a resilient primary care registered nurse workforce, Shirey is developing the next generation of RNs, who will work in medically underserved areas and toward chronic disease prevention and control.

Shirey also has been instrumental in opening a nurse-managed, interprofessional transitional care clinic for heart failure patients. The clinic started as a $1.5 million HRSA grant-funded project and is now a sustainable clinic funded through UAB Medicine that brings together multiple disciplines to improve access to care and health outcomes, enhance patient experience and decrease cost of care. “For me, receiving the AONE nurse researcher award is an incredible honor. It’s recognition of the value and impact of my work over a long and productive career,” said Shirey. “This is an award for which I was nominated by colleagues in my field, and that makes it even more special.”

SPRING 2019 / UAB NURSING

Alumni

Family of

give back WRITTEN BY LAURA LESLEY //

PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK COUCH

“

For a mother who survived the untimely deaths of both of her adult daughters, a fitting way to honor their lives has been

establishing memorial scholarships at their respective alma maters. Through a thoughtful planned gift, Miriam Kerlin established the

Jane Kerlin, BSN, RN, Endowed Scholarship in Nursing and named the Jane Kerlin, BSN, RN, Nursing Competencies Suite Reception Area in memory of her youngest daughter, who graduated from the UAB School of Nursing in 1987.

“My mother always wanted Jane to be a nurse because of how kindhearted and compassionate she was,” Kerlin said. “It pleased me so much when Jane decided to go to the UAB School of Nursing.”

After graduating with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in 1987, Jane worked as a registered nurse at UAB Hospital and several other Birmingham-area hospitals.

“When she was working as a nurse, she would always keep money in her nursing uniform. Whenever she found someone who needed help or a pick-me-up, she was ready to support them,” Kerlin said.

hen our oldest daughter, Rhonda, passed away in 1983, my late husband and I established a memorial scholarship at her alma mater in her name through a planned gift. It was so meaningful and comforting to us then, so when Jane passed in 2016 I knew it was something that needed to be done at her alma mater, the UAB School of Nursing,” Kerlin said.

UAB NURSING / SPRING 2019

Kerlin said these planned gifts to the School are truly an extension of Jane’s generosity.

Gifts

to change the future

memory to be honored

“Jane always enjoyed mentoring nursing students in her work, so it is really special for her

in an area where nursing students are learning and perfecting the clinical skills they will use in their day-to-day patient care roles.”

“Both of my girls had hearts of gold — they had a compassion for others that started when they were very young. Jane, especially, was so kindhearted and humble. Even though she was extremely smart, she was never attention-seeking and always wanted others to shine.” When Kerlin contacted the UAB School of Nursing’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations to make plans for a memorial scholarship in Jane’s name, she learned about additional opportunities to name spaces in the School’s technologically advanced building expansion. She chose the reception area that leads into five state-ofthe-art labs for nursing simulations. Through the labs and manikins, nursing students can practice vital skills in an environment that resembles a true hospital unit, including a nurses station.

reception area for Jane, I felt like it would be such an appropriate tribute to her. She always enjoyed mentoring nursing students in her work, so it is really special for her memory to be honored in an area where nursing students are learning and perfecting the clinical skills they will use in their day-to-day patient care roles.” A talented artist, Jane once drew detailed illustrations of surgical instruments to assist nurses and techs in identifying the instruments being requested by surgeons. “Many of Jane’s colleagues have told me how helpful those drawings were in their training,” Kerlin said. Fittingly, a hand-sketched portrait of Jane will be displayed in the competencies suite reception area upon its dedication to her.

“When Jane worked in the operating room, the surgeons nicknamed her ‘Sweet Jane.’ She always made conversation with her bus drivers and would share sweet treats with them,” Kerlin said. “She always treated everyone with the same respect and took time to be compassionate toward others and treat people nicely. Jane never said anything negative about anyone — she routinely looked for the best in people.” “Nursing is an amazing profession and one you can be proud of and make your own,” Kerlin continued. “I am so comforted knowing that our family’s planned gift to the UAB School of Nursing will help future nurses begin their careers and become the best care providers they can be, all while honoring Jane’s memory and her pride in being a nurse.”

“I never thought about naming an area in a building,” Kerlin said. “When I realized I could name the nursing competencies suite

In addition to a memorial scholarship in daughter Jane Kerlin’s memory, Miriam Kerlin also named the reception area of the School's state-of-the-art competency suite.

SPRING 2019 / UAB NURSING

INNOVATIVE ALUMNI LEADING NATIONALLY Katrina E. Hansen-Schmitt, DNP, NE-BC, FNP-C (DNP 2013) Katrina E. Hansen-Schmitt is Associate Director of Patient Care Services Nurse Executive for the Veterans Affairs (VA) Pacific Island Health Care System in Honolulu, Hawaii. In this role, her territory covers the Hawaiian Islands, Guam, American Samoa and some of the Northern Mariana Islands. In addition to managing the budget for her department and calculating cost savings measures, Hansen-Schmitt has interdisciplinary direct reports including nurses, physicians, social workers and psychiatrists in the Care in the Community Department. Her department works with veterans to provide care outside the auspices of the VA, such as the TeleHealth Hub which provides virtual services to areas in her territory and some remote areas where the VA does not have a presence. Among many other responsibilities, she also oversees primary care nursing at the VA’s ambulatory care center and community-based outpatient clinics and manages a float pool of advanced practice nurses to cover staffing shortages. Prior to this appointment in 2014, Hansen-Schmitt held positions as Associate Chief Nurse, Geriatrics and Extended Care, and as Nurse Practitioner for Home Based Primary Care on the island of Maui. Hansen-Schmitt’s entire nursing education can be credited to support from the VA. She earned her Bachelor of Science in

Nursing degree from Our Lady of Holy Cross College in New Orleans as part of the VA’s Health Professional Scholarship Program, which awards scholarships to students seeking education in health care services. In exchange for the award, scholarship recipients agree to a service obligation in a VA health care facility. For her Master’s of Science in Nursing, Hansen-Schmitt received funding for study at LSU through a mentorship program working with a VA nurse practitioner. In 2013, she earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice from the UAB School of Nursing through the National Nursing Education Incentive, a scholarship program for VA registered nurses seeking baccalaureate and advanced nursing degrees. “I am grateful to the VA for investing in me and making my career possible,” said Hansen-Schmitt.“UAB's impact cannot be understated either. I would never have been suited for my current position had it not been for the outstanding education I received in the DNP program there."

Peter Stallo, MSN, MNA, CRNA (MNA 2004) Peter Stallo is Founder of Prodigy Anesthesia Inc. and the developer of an online anesthesia training program called ProdigyConnect, designed to help nurse anesthesia students prepare for board examinations and provide continuing education credits for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs). Through this software, complex topics are explained using computer-animated learning modules which Stallo personally animates. Students are also able to determine their readiness for board exams by comparing their results with more than 12 million item responses in 400 different categories. Since 2004, Prodigy Anesthesia Inc. has helped more than 20,000 nurse anesthesia students pass boards. “I’ve been a programmer since I was 10 years old,” said Stallo. 24

UAB NURSING / SPRING 2019

“And, I started writing small educational software programs while in nursing school.” After nursing school, Stallo earned his Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a focus on computer-aided instruction in nursing from the University of Southern Mississippi. Three years later, he won a Telly Award for best medical animation in television advertising for his work on an aortic endograph visualization. He also entered UAB’s nurse anesthesia program. “The clinical and didactic instruction I received at UAB inspired me to pursue a career that would blend nursing science with computer science even further,” said Stallo. After graduating from UAB’s nurse anesthesia program in 2004, he began work merging computer animation, database programming and anesthesia into a product that would eventually become ProdigyConnect. Stallo is focusing efforts on another opportunity for the advancement of nursing education — the development of an immersive virtual reality crisis simulator for anesthesia. “Virtual and augmented reality will allow students to practice repeatedly for crisis-level events in an environment where the cost of failure is zero,” he said.

In Memoriam

A TRIBUTE TO TWO BELOVED BOARD OF VISITORS MEMBERS

Arlene Henley The UAB School of Nursing Board of Visitors lost long-time member Arlene Henley in March 2019. Henley had been a member of the BOV since 1995, and in 2003 became the BOV’s first representative on the School’s Scholarship Selection Committee. In 2004 she chaired the BOV’s inaugural scholarship committee and began what would be many years of coordinating BOV members and their rotation of service on the committee. As Trustee of the John and Delia Robert Charitable Trust, Arlene established the Delia and John Robert Endowed Nursing Scholarship in 1995, and as an avid lover of history, she helped bring UAB’s collection of original Florence Nightingale letters to life by providing the initial

resources to digitize the letters for publication online. She also gave generously toward vital resources to help recruit and retain exceptional faculty, recognize faculty and students for their accomplishments, and increase the School’s visibility through community events. Henley was a graduate of Northwestern University, was employed as a Red Cross director of volunteers in locations across the South, and later worked at Birmingham Printing & Publishing with her husband John C. Henley III. In addition to her service on the BOV, she was a board member of Birmingham Public Library, Linn-Henley Library, Linn Henley Charitable Trust, and John and Delia Robert Charitable Trust. Arlene was also an adventurer and one of the first licensed pilots in Alabama. “Ever present and fully dedicated, Arlene was a beloved friend to me personally and the UAB School of Nursing, and was a faithful supporter of nursing innovation and education,” said Dean and Fay B. Ireland Endowed Chair in Nursing Doreen C. Harper, PhD, RN, FAAN. “We will miss Arlene’s kind heart, sweet friendship and innovative spirit.”

Fay Ireland From the time Fay Belt Ireland became a member of the Board of Visitors in 1993, she has been giving. A native of Birmingham, Fay attended the University of Alabama for two years before transferring to Cornell University in New York. She was among the 170,000 women who joined the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps during World War II, becoming a Senior Cadet Nurse in 1946 and later that year earning her bachelor of science degree in nursing from Cornell University. As a nursing student at Cornell, Fay and her fellow classmates took over many of the responsibilities of the staff nurses at New York Hospital who had left to serve in the Pacific during the war. Upon graduation she returned to Birmingham and served as a Senior Public Health Nurse for the Jefferson County Department of Health before marrying William Ireland and raising five sons. Throughout her life she remained passionate about the pivotal role nurses play in building healthy communities. The daughter of a nurse herself, she was a steadfast supporter of the UAB School of Nursing, generously providing for the establishment of both a namesake scholar-

ship in 1999 and the School’s Fay B. Ireland Endowed Chair in Nursing in 2011. She was also active in many other worthwhile community organizations, including the Boards of Directors of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Glenwood Autism & Behavioral Health Center. Fay passed away in April 2019. “We will miss Fay’s indomitable character, generosity and wonderful friendship,” said Dean and Fay B. Ireland Endowed Chair in Nursing Doreen C. Harper, PhD RN, FAAN. “Fay's love of nursing, the environment, and her family and friends, reminds me of her enduring commitment to health — a true nursing spirit. Fay was a long-time and loyal member of the BOV, a dear friend to many and a hero of mine.”

SPRING 2019 / UAB NURSING

SCHOOL OF NURSING UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM

LEADERS

TRANSFORMING HEALTH

YEARS

IN A NEW ERA 1 in 5 1 in 7 1 in 3 1 in 8

ACROSS ALL PROGRAMS BACHELOR’S

MASTER’S DOCTORAL

Source: American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)

FAANs

ALUMNI GLOBAL LEADERSHIP

as a PAHO/WHO Collaborating Center

Providing students international educational, research and service opportunities

NURSING DIRECTORS

FAANPs

1 of 6

minority undergraduate nurses from UAB

44% of graduate prepared minority nurses in Alabama are from UAB

(past & present)

ENDOWED CHAIRS

PRESIDENTS/ CEOS

PRACTICE IMPACT

CHIEF NURSING OFFICERS & CHIEF NURSE EXECUTIVES

ALUMNI IN

50 states

COUNTRIES

ALUMNI IN

L OR

COUNTIES WITH UABSON CLINICAL PRACTICE SITES

IN THEIR OWN WORDS AS TOLD BY STACEY VAN DYKE, DNP, CRNA UAB SCHOOL OF NURSING ALUMNA, DNP 2013

Stacey Van Dyke, DNP, CRNA is the Program Administrator for the Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia program at Florida State Panama City

hen I became program administrator for the Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia program at Florida State University Panama City in 2016, I knew my military background as a U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel and my educational background as a Doctor of Nursing Practice graduate of the UAB School of Nursing had well-prepared me for the role. I had no idea, at the time, that my experience as a Hurricane Katrina survivor would also provide invaluable lessons in leadership development. I was an anesthesia student in 2005 and lost my home to Hurricane Katrina. Of all the nurse anesthesia program directors to handle a hurricane and its aftermath with their students, I was the program director when Hurricane Michael hit Panama City, FL October 10, 2018. The day Hurricane Michael hit, I was traveling back to Panama City from California. Before I boarded the plane, a gate attendant announced a flight change — anyone flying into Panama City Beach would get off the plane in Nashville instead. From Nashville, I drove to Birmingham. My assistant program director, also a Veteran, already evacuated and was in Birmingham. Together we started making contingency plans for students to continue their education before the storm even made landfall. Being able to tap into the leadership skills I learned in the DNP Program was an invaluable asset as I began reaching out to colleagues. Our military training also kicked in. Keeping safety a priority, we initiated our recall, making sure to contact every single student to the degree that we could. This became more difficult after the hurricane hit, but we didn’t stop until we were positive that every student was safe. As we planned for Michael, I remembered how terrified I was in the aftermath of Katrina. With only a year left until graduation, I suddenly had no home and had to move with my child, with nothing more than an air mattress, to finish my program. Fortunately, with lots of encouragement and reassurance from my faculty, I graduated. I even won the Agatha Hodgins Award for Outstanding Nurse Anesthesia Graduate. As a program director, I knew my role was now to encourage and reassure. I drew on not only the wealth of education and leadership experiences the UAB DNP Program provided me but also experiences I had as a student. My main focus had to be making sure my

(Left) Stacey Van Dyke pictured with her husband, student and his family during relief efforts.

students received the support they needed to alleviate as much of their stress as possible. We found financial support for them, reassured them that everything would be OK and stayed in constant contact. Many students who lived close to the coast had no supplies — no food, water or gas. The whole area was a disaster. However, students who lived further north helped out. They brought trailers of supplies to help other students, faculty and others in need. They also tarped roofs, provided medical care for power line workers and conducted blood pressure checks. They did whatever they could to help. They were heroes. They were nurse leaders. With basic needs met, our focus shifted to the group of seniors who were supposed to graduate in two months. Their clinical sites were damaged, and we had to act quickly to find facilities where they could complete their clinical requirements for graduation. One senior lost everything just like I did in Hurricane Katrina, but three days after Michael hit, she moved to Jacksonville and completed her clinicals. Our other seniors were dispersed wherever there was a spot, and I am proud to say that every single one finished on time! I have never met a more resilient group of students. This herculean effort would have been impossible without the support we received from nurse anesthetists across the country, including UAB. Dr. Susan McMullan graciously agreed to amend her clinical schedule with a shared clinical site to accommodate the influx of students. Many of our students also applied for scholarships through the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists Foundation and were able to get the help they needed. Impressively, none of our students dropped out despite the setbacks created by the hurricane. No one quit, no one gave up, no one didn’t find a way — they just pressed on. This year, our program has seen a record number of applications, with many applicants stating how impressed they were by our ability to overcome a Category 5 hurricane and take care of our students. Until October 10, 2018, I only credited my military background and UAB education for preparing me as a nurse anesthesia program director. I never gave Hurricane Katrina credit. Now, I have a new appreciation for that experience and hope my students will be able to appreciate Hurricane Michael’s impact on their leadership development. SPRING 2019 / UAB NURSING

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