FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY | VOL. 95, NUMBER 4 | WINTER 2021
QUARTERLY BULLETIN
Leadership During Crisis Precepting
Giving
Collaboration
Action
Courage
Volunteering Entrepreneurship
Teamwork
Education
Also inside: A Look at the Power of Precepting
President’s Cabinet Susan Stone, DNSc, CNM, FAAN, FACNM President
Alumni Survey 2021! Dear FNU Alumni, please take a few moments to complete the 2021 alumni survey. This brief survey helps us better understand your needs and how our alumni services team can best serve you. To take the survey, please visit:
portal.frontier.edu/web/fnu/alumni
Online Gift Shop Now Open! Great news, FNU alumni and students: our online gift shop is now officially open! We’re excited to finally have a virtual storefront offering a variety of apparel and accessories from t-shirts to cotton masks for you to show your FNU pride.
Shelley Aldridge, BA Chief Operations Officer Angela Bailey, MA, CFRE Chief Advancement Officer Joan Slager, CNM, DNP, FACNM Dean of Nursing Michael Steinmetz, CPA, CMA, CSCA Executive Vice President for Finance and Facilities Geraldine Young, DNP, APRN, FNPBC, CDE, FAANP Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Academic Administration Jacquelyne Brooks, DNP, MS ADN-MSN Bridge Director Jess Calohan, DNP, PMHNP-BC Department Chair of PsychiatricMental Health Lisa Chappell, Ph.D., FNP-BC Department Chair of Family Nursing Jane Houston, DNP, CNM DNP Director
Alumni branded items coming soon!
Open Now! SHIRTS | OUTERWEAR | ACCESSORIES
frontier.edu/FNUgear
Rachel Mack, Ph.D., DNP, APRN, C-FNP, CNE Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Tonya Nicholson, DNP, CNM, WHNP-BC, CNE, FACNM Department Chair of Midwifery and Women’s Health
From the President
Contents From the President Leadership Through Giving Leadership Through Precepting Leadership Through Courage
Dear friends, 1 2-3 4-11 12-13
Leadership Through Action
14
Leadership Through Teamwork
15
Leadership Through Entrepreneurship
16-17
Leadership Through Volunteering
18-19
Leadership Through Collaboration
19
Leadership Through Education
20
Alumni Notes
21
News and Notes
22-23
Memorials and Tributes
24
Trustees/ Board of Directors
25
2050 Lexington Road Versailles, KY 40383 FNU@frontier.edu
If the challenges of 2020 -many of which persist in 2021 -- taught us one thing, it is that leadership matters. It comes in many forms and is displayed in a variety of ways. We often use the phrase “leadership qualities”, but leadership itself is difficult to define. Perhaps the simplest way to describe leadership is to say that we know it when we see it, and it is present when we need it most. At Frontier Nursing University, we are fortunate to have leadership represented within every facet of the FNU community. This leadership has never been more important nor more recognizable than in recent months. In this issue of the Quarterly Bulletin, we are excited to share several stories of leadership within the FNU family. They have led us through the crisis by educating, serving, giving, volunteering, and advocating. While we recognize all of our leaders in this issue, we particularly spotlight our preceptors. Despite their hectic schedules, preceptors find the time to share their knowledge and expertise, guiding our students through clinicals. This hands-on experience is vital to the education of our students as they prepare to care for women, children, and families in communities across the country. The leadership of preceptors impacts not only our present but also our future. As you will see in the following pages, leadership isn’t about titles, status, wealth, race, or gender. It is about caring and character. It is within all of us to lead in our own way. Leadership is about doing the right thing at the right time in the right way. It’s about understanding one another and being an instrument of positivity, relief, and guidance. Each and every one of you is a leader, and we are proud and grateful for your role in the FNU community.
Susan Stone, CNM, DNSc, FAAN, FACNM Susan Stone, CNM, DNSc.,
FACNM,
Frontier.edu Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 1
Leadership Through Giving
Drs. Michael and Sarah Carter Pledge Gift to FNU “The work that Frontier Nursing University performs every day focused on preparing graduates to care for mothers, babies, families, and communities who care for them is critical to the future of our nation.” Dr. Michael Carter said. “I am so pleased that Sarah and our daughter, Elizabeth, join me in this small effort to advance the work of FNU into the future.”
“Their gifts of time, effort, brilliance, and generosity are invaluable to this university.” Drs. Michael and Sarah Carter with their daughter, Elizabeth Carter, J.D., LL.M Dr. Michael Carter’s long history with Frontier Nursing University dates to 2003 when he joined what was then the Frontier Nursing Service Board of Governors. Dr. Carter has been a board member ever since and has served as the Frontier Nursing University Chairman of the Board since 2009. Recently, Dr. Carter and his wife Dr. Sarah Carter announced a planned gift of $500,000 that will ensure their continued impact on the future of Frontier Nursing University and the nursing profession for years to come. Details of the project the gift will fund will be announced at a later date.
“We are so incredibly thankful for the amazing generosity of Drs. Michael and Sarah Carter,” FNU President Dr. Susan Stone said. “Their gifts of time, effort, brilliance, and generosity are invaluable to this university.” Dr. Michael Carter attended the University of Arkansas College of Nursing, earning his BSN in 1969 and his MNSc in 1973. During this time, he also served in the United States Army Nurse Corp from 1968-71. He earned his doctorate in 1979 from the Boston University School of Nursing. He practiced as a family and geriatric nurse practitioner and served as the Dean of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Nursing for 18 years. He held many teaching positions including serving as an adjunct professor at the Curtin University School of
2 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
Nursing and Midwifery in Perth, Australia. He also worked to develop nurse practitioner education in Australia. Dr. Michael Carter’s extensive list of awards and honors include but are not limited to: Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 1982; Outstanding Alumnus from the University of Tennessee College of Nursing in 2000; Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Tennessee Health Science Center Student Government Association in 2005; Lifetime Achievement Award, National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties in 2015; the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Nursing’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2019. Dr. Sarah Carter was one of six women in her class when she earned her M.D. from the UAMS College of Medicine in1965. Board-certified in internal medicine and geriatrics she has devoted much of her career to working with the Veterans Affairs Health Care System. She was the Chief of Ambulatory Care and Chief of Staff at the Memphis VA Medical Center but also treated patients at VAs across the country. Like her husband, she also shared her knowledge with others, serving as the Associate Dean at the College of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Loane Family Makes Bequest in Memory of Beloved Wife and Mother Campbell. She worked as a registered nurse at Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center in Danville, Kentucky; the James B. Haggin Memorial Hospital in Harrodsburg, Kentucky; and Kentucky State Hospital. “She spent a long, active, and varied career in nursing,” Mr. Loane said. “She worked in just about every setting you can work in as a nurse.”
Mary Elizabeth “Pat” Loane The Loane family of Harrodsburg, Kentucky, has made a generous bequest in memory of Mary Elizabeth “Pat” Loane (February 28, 1936-July 3, 2019).
“She spent a long, active, and varied career in nursing,” Mr. Loane said. “She worked in just about every setting you can work in as a nurse.” Though she was not a midwife, Mrs. Loane was interested in and very supportive of the profession.
“She was a beloved wife, mother of four children, and a registered nurse graduate of Good Samaritan School of Nursing,” said Jeff Loane, her husband of 60 years. Now closed, the Good Samaritan School of Nursing was located in Lexington, Kentucky. “She practiced her profession in the fields of obstetrics, mental health, public health, and long-term care.”
“She knew of Frontier and some classmates of hers had moved down to eastern Kentucky to get involved in midwifery,” Mr. Loane said, noting that the family was reminded about Frontier when they saw the campus sign and an ad on TV. “As a family, we thought about a bequest to Frontier after she died. We wanted to give to something of a lasting nature that she supported.”
Joining in the bequest are the four Loane children: Jeffrey D. Loane, Jr., Christi E. Phillips, Cynthia D. Sheldon, and Martin T. Loane.
The Loane family bequest will carry on Mrs. Loane’s memory for generations to come in the form of an endowed scholarship for FNU students.
Born in Burgin, Kentucky, Mary Elizabeth “Pat” Loane was the daughter of the late James and Blanche Duncan
What is a planned gift? A planned gift is often an important option for those who would like to make a major gift. Also known as a deferred gift, a planned gift is created now for a future benefit that can occur during or after the lifetime of the donor or of another beneficiary, such as a spouse or child. Payment of planned gifts can be a one-time distribution or the regular payment of specific or variable amounts. Some planned gifts give you the option of changing the gift commitment (revocable), while others do not (irrevocable). You may use a variety of assets to establish a planned gift, including cash, securities, real or personal property, life insurance policies, retirement funds, or other financial accounts. Tax consequences can be considerable and vary according to the type and size of a planned gift. You should consult with a legal and/or financial advisor to determine the best type of gift for you and the best time to make the gift. A planned gift can maximize your giving potential and can even ensure future financial security for you or a loved one.
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 3
Leadership Through Precepting
The importance of preceptors has never been more evident. The COVID-19 Pandemic has brought greater awareness of our nation’s shortage of healthcare providers. FNU students are primed and ready to help fill these gaps, but they must have clinical hours to complete their course requirements and gain the real-world experience they need to excel. In the following pages, we take a look at the many different angles of precepting, including the specialties most in need of preceptors, the changes in precepting brought on by the pandemic, and the keys for students to find the right sites and preceptors. We also thank our devoted preceptors who continue to share their time and expertise year after year.
Telehealth Offers Solutions to Precepting During the Pandemic “In those cases, we had to suspend the preceptor relationship because the student was no longer allowed in the clinic. We have had students who,
“Because of the jumpstart provided by COVID, telehealth is going to be significantly more prevalent in the future.” Jeff Anderson Jeff Anderson, DNP, MS, PMHNP-BC, began his role as Regional Clinical Faculty (RCF) in the PMHNP program at FNU in March 2020, just as the COVID-19 Pandemic became widespread throughout the United States. Just like the other RCFs and students, Anderson had to adjust quickly to a new way of work. As clinics began to shut down or reduce on-site personnel due to the pandemic, many students were faced with the prospect of losing their clinical sites. “There have been several instances where either the preceptor or the clinic stopped taking students as the COVID numbers went up,” said Anderson, who resides in Idaho and works with students primarily in the northwestern part of the country.
4 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
because a clinical site shut down, had to go on academic hiatus.” Anderson himself faced hurdles connecting with preceptors. Instead of meeting with preceptors face to face, as is the norm, the meetings have largely been held via video. “In the time I’ve been with Frontier, I’ve only traveled once to meet with a preceptor face to face,” Anderson said. “It’s kind of the way business is done now.” Not only has video conferencing enabled Anderson to meet with preceptors, but it has also enabled many of his psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) students to continue to progress at their clinical sites. Anderson said that most of the roughly 30 students he has had over the past few terms have
transitioned to at least some level of telehealth with their preceptors. “For the students who have found a good situation with a preceptor, it has really been convenient for them to do telehealth from their own home,” he said. “We have had students do clinicals in which they stay at home and they log in to a Zoom type meeting with the patient and the preceptor. We have also have the situation where the preceptor is still going to their office and the student meets them in their office, so the student and preceptor are both in the office but the patient joins via telehealth.” Though there are some drawbacks such as not being able to see a patient’s body language, Anderson said that telehealth provides a viable option, particularly for PMHNP students. “Mental health is unique compared to the other specialties at Frontier because mental health treatment really lends itself to telehealth,” he said. “I don’t see a big drop in the quality with telehealth versus face to face. In my own practice, when I see patients, it’s 100 percent telehealth now. Because of the jumpstart provided by COVID, telehealth is going to be significantly more prevalent in the future. It is a very important part of the students’ education to participate in and understand telehealth because it may be a big piece of their practices going forward.”
Anderson said that even post-pandemic, telehealth might prove to be the preferred option for many patients who otherwise might have difficulty attending an appointment. In mental health care, virtual visits have not often been an option as insurance companies have been resistant to pay for telehealth. “It is hard to say there’s anything positive coming from the pandemic, but if there was it would be that insurance companies that have in the past have been somewhat reluctant to pay for telehealth now will have a year’s worth of data showing that it is just as effective,” Anderson said. “In some ways, I think telehealth might be more effective because the no-show rates go down. Mental health patients can telehealth right from their home where they are more comfortable.” Most of the PMHNP students who have been able to have face-to-face visits with patients have done so where the patients are admitted and living on-site. Other
“They’re really not limited to their state anymore. I’ve actually had some students who have obtained an RN license in a non-compact state because they had a willing telehealth preceptor in that state.”
students have found telehealth to be a tool to acquire clinical hours with preceptors in other states. “Telehealth actually opened some doors for precepting in that a lot of states are compact states where an RN license from one state is valid in the other state,” Anderson said. “What that allows is that,
PRECEPTING BY THE NUMBERS ACTIVE FNU PRECEPTORS:
3,532 preceptors for all programs during the Winter 2021 term PRECEPTORS NEEDED:
In the Winter 2021 term, FNU has 866 students in clinical courses. The average FNU student needs three clinical sites to complete all required experiences. The need is great and the competition for clinical sites is heavy. The demand for preceptors is constant.
if we have a student in Colorado who can’t find any sites in their state, they can reach out to any other compact state and look for a provider that’s doing telehealth and willing to take on a student. They’re really not limited to their state anymore. I’ve actually had some students who have obtained an RN license in a non-compact state because they had a willing telehealth preceptor in that state.” While an end to the pandemic will surely result in a significant return to in-person healthcare, Anderson said that the past year has shown that telehealth is here to stay. “This is a real-world experience,” he said of the widespread adjustment to and implementation of telehealth. “Telehealth is definitely an important aspect of the psychiatric mental health NP student’s education at this point and moving forward.”
PRECEPTORS IN DEMAND Frontier Nursing University recruits preceptors from the following specialties: • Certified Nurse-Midwife • Certified Family Nurse Practitioner • Certified Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner • Certified PsychiatricMental Health Nurse Practitioner
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 5
Leadership Through Precepting
Pandemic Emphasizes Need for Mental Health Practitioners and Preceptors: Q&A with Dr. Jess Calohan How has the pandemic impacted mental health in America?
Dr. Jess Calohan Editor’s Note: Dr. Jess Calohan,
DNP, is an Associate Professor and Department Chair of FNU’s Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program. A recent retiree from the United States Army after 20 years of distinguished service, he is a recognized expert in treating combat-related PTSD, presenting nationally and internationally with multiple peer-reviewed publications. He was awarded the prestigious “A” designator by the United States Army Surgeon General in 2013, an honor that is given to less than 5% of Army medical officers in recognition of his expertise and significant contributions to military medicine. He also earned multiple military awards, most notably the Bronze Star and Defense Meritorious Service Medal.
6 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
The pandemic has actually created a mental health crisis in America. One national behavioral health crisis service has seen an 800% increase in calls and internet inquiries over the past four months. This has truly been a national disaster in which there is really no relief at this point. In my professional practice, I’ve hospitalized more patients in the past nine months than I have in the last four years. People are stressed and those with mental health conditions are vulnerable to symptom exacerbation due to the increased stress. Then we have the family and friends of the more than 300,000 individuals that have died due to COVID struggling with grief as many of them didn’t get to say goodbye to their loved ones. This is an unprecedented time for the mental health of our country and the impact may well last a generation. How have mental health professionals and their patients adapted to conducting visits during the pandemic?
Mental health care was initially seen as routine care during the beginning of the pandemic with the exception of emergency services. Many patients had appointments canceled due to quarantining and social distancing requirements. Many insurance payers along with Medicaid and Medicare did not reimburse for telephone and other types of virtual visits so care was delayed until late March when Congress passed legislation allowing reimbursement for
telephone visits with patients. Other payers began to follow suit and care resumed for many patients. Psychiatry, in general, has been a pioneer in telehealth, however, it was not widely used in many practices. Providers had to quickly learn the nuances of providing telehealth services and incorporate those into clinical practice. At FNU we provide telehealth training and allow our students to use telehealth modalities in their clinical practicums. Do you think anything that has changed in mental health care during the pandemic will persist after the pandemic is over?
Yes, telehealth utilization prior to the pandemic with our student population was about 10%. That number increased to 70% during the pandemic. I believe telehealth utilization for behavioral health services will likely fall somewhere in between. The bottom line is that it will become part of a behavioral health provider’s daily practice. What challenges have FNU students faced during the pandemic? Have they had difficulty finding preceptors?
Our students have faced multiple challenges related to the pandemic. The two most common things we have seen are increased workload for students in their jobs and adjusting work/life/school balance. From a clinical perspective, we’ve been able to adjust and have increased the number of telehealth hours so that they can stay engaged in clinical. Our department has not had a significant impact on clinical placements.
“Even though our program is relatively new, we are becoming one of the top education PMHNP programs in the country.”
What do prospective PMHNP preceptors need to know about precepting FNU students? What is required of them and how do they make themselves available to precept?
Even though our program is relatively new, we are becoming one of the top education PMHNP programs in the country. We are much different than other distance programs in that we require students to have face-to-face time with faculty. When the pandemic is contained, our students will resume two on-campus requirements that prepare them for the didactic and clinical portions of the program. We currently have successfully adapted these requirements to the virtual environment, but are looking forward to returning to our new campus. We are not a “death by discussion board” program. Part of what makes FNU unique is our ability to develop a sense of community in the virtual environment and our faculty engage students through a variety of technological platforms. Our faculty have diverse backgrounds and clinical experience. All of our faculty still practice including me. We are one
of the few programs in the country that have a telehealth simulation clinic so that students can have faculty-supervised simulated patient experiences before moving on to their clinical practicums. We have dedicated clinical faculty that support preceptors and students during the clinical rotation. The clinical faculty support reduces the administrative burden on preceptors and we offer honorariums for preceptors that precept our students. Please describe the current and future level of need for mental health practitioners in the U.S.
We have a nationwide shortage of behavioral health providers and 3% of behavioral health providers are providers of color. FNU has a long history of graduating providers to serve in their communities. We also have made a tangible commitment to increasing the diversity of our student population and graduates.
“Part of what makes FNU unique is our ability to develop a sense of community in the virtual environment and our faculty engage students through a variety of technological platforms.”
Gain Valuable Training as a Preceptor with Free CE Courses Participate in free online training courses for new and experienced preceptors: “The Gift of Precepting” and “The Master Preceptor” (.2 CEUs each) • Promote your profession through the education and guidance of your future peers • Help expand access to quality, compassionate care, to rural and underserved populations • Earn an honorarium based on the percentage of time spent precepting students • Learn more and sign up to be a preceptor at frontier.edu/preceptor
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 7
Leadership Through Precepting
The Road to Dreams Fulfilled Program Director at that time -- Reinhart earned a masters’ degree in public health and began a job in social justice. Soon thereafter she was contacted by Frontier and offered the opportunity to run the Courier program.
wanted to be at a higher volume site and one with a rural focus because that is how I envisioned practicing. That was a governing factor in why I chose to travel. It felt like to get what I was looking for, I was going to have to expand my horizons.”
“I just knew it was a good fit for me,” Reinhart said.
That led her to the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center in Fort Hood, Texas. There, her primary preceptor was FNU graduate Susan Clapp, MSN, CNM, Class 81. She next went to Northern Navajo Medical Center in Shiprock, New Mexico, where she was primarily precepted by Venay Uecke, CNM, and another FNU graduate, Kerena Satlzgiver, MSN, CNM, Class 91.
It was also the beginning of her journey to become a nurse-midwife. Like all staff and faculty members at FNU, Reinhart attended Frontier Bound as part of her orientation. That experience convinced her that her dream of becoming a nursemidwife could be a reality. Nancy Reinhart
Nancy Reinhart, MPH, CNM, Class 155 knew what she was looking for, and was willing to travel as far as necessary to find it. Her journey has taken her from her hometown of Louisville to Hyden, Kentucky; Fort Hood, Texas; Shiprock, New Mexico; and, currently, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The common theme behind every choice and step she has made has been her drive to serve rural and underserved communities. Even with that as her guide, however, Reinhart did not set out to be a nursemidwife. That began to change when she participated in Frontier’s Courier program during the summer between her junior and senior years of college. “My family has always been committed to helping people and giving service,” she said. “But the rural healthcare piece was inspired by my experience in the Courier program. I saw my first birth and it made a tremendous impact on me. I actually chose my master’s program because of that history.” After her Courier experience -- which included meeting current FNU President Dr. Susan Stone, who was the Midwifery 8 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
“When I was at Frontier Bound I was so amazed at the diversity of people and ages that were starting this journey,” Reinhart said. “I had been thinking I was too old and too far along in life. I was putting up all these barriers against myself, but that dream just wasn’t leaving me and that really helped me to get over the hump. So I went ahead and started chipping away at the educational requirements while running the Courier program.” One of those requirements -- acquiring clinical hours -- proved to be a bit of a challenge. She found opportunities close to home at the University of Louisville and the Tree of Life Birth Center in southern Indiana. She enjoyed working with Damara Jenkins, MSN, CMN, Class 48, her primary preceptor at both sites, but both sites were in very high demand with other student requests. She also wanted some of her training to be in a rural setting with a strong collaborative physician-midwife model. Determined to find the experience she was looking for, she decided to expand her search. “There was an intense amount of clinical pressure on the sites local to me. As soon as I gave up a spot at both of the sites that I had for brief periods of time in Kentucky, they were taken by other students who needed clinical hours, particularly births,” Reinhart said. “I
“I traveled quite far,” Reinhart laughed. “We took our whole family on a roadshow from July to December in 2019.” Reinhart’s family consists of her husband, Dave Mitchell, who is a therapist, and three children ages 4, 9, and 11. Reinhart expressed her gratitude to all the preceptors who taught her and to all the families who allowed her to participate in their births as a student. She said she learned a tremendous amount from the regional variation in midwifery practices that she saw across four states during clinical. When the successful “roadshow” came to an end, it was time to find a full-time opportunity. Once again, the family had a vision for their desired next step. “My husband and I were pretty clear about what our priorities were,” Reinhart said. “I prioritized rural health as something I was committed to serving. So we looked at what places and locations both had job openings, were rural serving underserved, and were relatively close to home, family, and friends. I had job opportunities in New Mexico and far afield, but we limited our search to Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. I wanted to serve women in a rural area through a full-scope midwifery position
with a good work-life balance. I also wanted to be in a place with really supportive physicians. I know what it’s like for midwives when they don’t have supportive physicians to work with. Gettysburg fit all those things for us.” Reinhart joined WellSpan OB/GYN in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as a fullscope nurse-midwife in July 2020. The practice, which consists of four nursemidwives and four physicians, is the only one in the area that offers 24/7 nurse-midwifery care. “We serve several surrounding, rural counties,” Reinhart said. “We have a largely low socioeconomic class of women and families that we serve. This is an orchard and farming area, so we serve migrant workers and their families as a part of our base. Just like anywhere that you have a diverse population, we have language barriers. One thing I really value about our hospital is that we have inperson Spanish language translators. It is such a nice human touch to have that for someone going through labor and often scary situations.”
The COVID-19 Pandemic has only added to the fear and stress of those situations, for both the patients and their caregivers. “One of the things I love about birth is the intimacy that midwives provide before, during, and after labor,” Reinhart said. “The pandemic definitely disrupts that process. Most of our patients are good champs about it, but it is a different experience when you’re in labor and you see your healthcare provider covered from head to toe with protective equipment. I grieve that for my patients and I look forward to a time when we can be more physically connected.” Reinhart went on to point out the mental health impact of the pandemic. Feelings of anxiety and isolation are understandably magnified when loved ones are not able to be as involved in welcoming a new addition to the family as they would like. “Sometimes partners aren’t allowed in the appointments depending on the level of infection we have in our county,” Reinhart
said. “Postpartum, the experience with so many partnerships and families trying to have this source of joy in their home and not being able to share that baby’s life with loved ones because of the pandemic is pretty tough on people.” Even after the pandemic is over, there will be other challenges in healthcare and society in general. While serving as a certified nurse-midwife is enough, Reinhart is determined to do more to help others. Already involved in the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), she intends to increase her participation and to seek more ways to make a difference in her community. “Frontier curriculum provided a high level of dedication to the aspects of public health, how the social determinants of health underlie our practice, identifying the political and practical trends that impact how we serve our clients,” Reinhart said. “That got me thinking about how I think of myself as a midwife outside of the hospital. What are the things I can be involved with in my community and ACNM to make a difference in the lives of the clients I serve to work to dismantle racism and other obstacles that people face to be able to be well and healthy? Frontier helped me see that bigger picture within the context of midwifery.” Even though she’s only been in Gettysburg less than a year, Reinhart said she is considering applying to the local human relations commission and plans to start a perinatal loss support group. Further on the horizon, she would like to get her doctorate and eventually teach. No matter how long the route, Reinhart has proven she’s willing to put in the work -- and the miles -- to reach whatever goal is in her sights. Editor’s note: Nancy’s father, Philmar
Nancy Reinhart (right) with preceptors Kristyn Leftridge, CNM (left) and fellow FNU graduate Susan Clapp, MSN, CNM, Class 81 (middle) at the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center in Fort Hood, Texas.
Reinhart, a longtime supporter of Frontier who was very supportive of Nancy’s journey into midwifery, passed away during the time it took this story to come to print. We mourn with the family and are thankful for Nancy and her father, who attended many FNU events.
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 9
Leadership Through Precepting
FNU Sends Trio of FNU COVID Kits to Students Perform Clinical Preceptors As the COVID-19 Pandemic surged into Hours at the the summer months, FNU distributed 80 COVID relief kits to FNU Regional Same Site Clinical Faculty (RCF). RCFs then distributed the kits as a way of saying thank you to those preceptors who continued to accept FNU students in clinical studies during the pandemic. Each COVID-19 kit included: • 20 FNU Face Masks Jenn Johnson, Diedre Willer, and Simone Chang Jenn Johnson, Class 178, Diedre Willer, Class 181, and Simone Chang, Class 175, (pictured left to right) are three FNU nurse-midwifery students who are in a clinical rotation at Maimonides Midwifery Practice in Brooklyn, N.Y. The practice, which includes 14 certified nurse-midwives, is a frequent clinical site for FNU students. Maimonides has taken nine FNU CNEP students since 2017. Since its launch in 1993, the practice has been directed by Phyllis Lynn, CNM, who is a shining example of the value of precepting.
Are You Qualified to Be a Preceptor? Let’s Check! FNU needs preceptors with the following credentials:
• 20 FNU Bags • 20 Bottles of Hand Sanitizer The kits also included a thank you letter from FNU President Dr. Susan Stone, who wrote: “Committing to precepting a student is a wonderful gift of your time and tutelage even under ideal circumstances. Fulfilling that commitment during a pandemic is challenging and remarkably generous. I thank you for staying with us as we all navigated the events of the pandemic, attempting to make the best decisions for the health and safety of all involved. “The COVID-19 Pandemic has revealed what we already knew -- that midwives and nurses are invaluable members of healthcare in the United States. FNU is incredibly proud of our graduates and
• National certification in specialty area • One year of relevant experience in advanced practice role • Master’s Degree or higher in nursing-related field (we do allow BSN for midwives with significant experience, but an MSN is preferred) • MDs and DOs •
For PMHNP students: MSN prepared LCSWs, LSWs, MFTs, and LDACs.
10 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
CONTACT US To learn more about precepting, contact The FNU Department of Clinical Outreach and Placement. Our staff will be happy to: • Answer questions about the process to become a preceptor • Provide support to preceptors when using the online preceptor profile portal • Provide information regarding our Master and Expert Preceptor programs • Answer questions regarding preceptor honorariums You can reach our department via email at ClinicalAdvising@frontier.edu
students who represent all 50 states, providing care to those in need. We are also proud of preceptors like you who continue to give your time and mentorship to help prepare these students who are answering the call to serve.”
Real Talk About Precepting:
One Year and a Pandemic Later with RCF Audra Cave While some clinical sites closed or had to limit precepting during the pandemic to reduce the number of people on-site, Dr. Cave said she’s happy she has been able to continue to work with students.
Audra Cave A year ago, to better explain the role of RCFs and answer questions about precepting, RCFs Audra Cave, DNP, FNP-BC, Class 49 and Cathy Cook, MSN, CNM, CNEP Class 17, agreed to share their experiences as preceptors. Now, one year later, we followed up with Dr. Cave for her perspective on precepting during the pandemic. While Dr. Cook was unable to precept due to the pandemic, Dr. Cave precepted two students in 2020. “I am in a busy Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) practice and we have lots of opportunities to precept,” said Dr. Cave, who practices in Spindale, North Carolina. “There were many unique challenges with precepting during COVID. We had to coordinate protocols for staff and students for how to manage everyone’s safety in the practice, how to manage and create protocols for patients who were exposed and/or positive for COVID, and how to manage the flow of our regular patients. We also had to learn how to manage telehealth. All in all, it was a good learning process for us in the clinic and for students.”
“I learn from students every time that I precept. The process of watching students grow from nervous initial interactions with patients to managing patients with common and complex medical problems is very uplifting for me.” “I want to be a preceptor because I get as much from students as I give,” she said. “I learn from students every time that I precept. The process of watching students grow from nervous initial interactions with patients to managing patients with common and complex medical problems is very uplifting for me. The time that you put into teaching a student is rewarded with all of the ah-ha moments, the positive patient feedback, and the positive interactions with the office staff. The payoff is that I get to see the end result of a long process of student growth and learning.”
WHAT STUDENTS SAY ABOUT FNU’S DEPARTMENT OF CLINICAL OUTREACH AND PLACEMENT Every student experience has individual considerations, so the Department of Clinical Outreach and Placement strives to meet with students one on one to help them navigate the overall clinical site search process. Here are a few examples of the feedback the Department of Clinical Outreach and Placement has received. “I have to say I am so happy that Frontier started the clinical advising program, it was really helpful for me to have this touchstone for the stressful process of site finding.” ~ Kat “Thanks for checking in. This can be pretty overwhelming and your support makes it less daunting for sure!” ~ Anastasia “Thank you for reaching out and for all your help, it was invaluable. I had so much success sending emails with an intro video embedded. I had 20-30 positive responses! Thank you again for everything!” ~ Sara “I attended your clinical placement webinar this morning, and am glad I did. I have scheduled an appointment with you first thing this coming Monday.” ~ Candace
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 11
Leadership Through Courage
Delivering the Vaccine to the Last Frontier Julie Drude, FNP Class 136, CNEP Class 81, DNP Class 26, doesn’t “do boats. I don’t like them. I hate boats.” Even though she was born and raised in Hollywood, Florida, and resides in Chattahoochee, Florida, she said “my extent of the beach and the waves is laying on the beach and sunbathing. I don’t do boats.” Why, then, was she pictured in front of a boat in Alaska as part of a widely circulated news story in January? The answer as to why she’s in Alaska is that Drude is a travel nurse, currently working as a locum tenens in Homer, Alaska. The answer to why there’s a boat in the picture is because Drude, fellow FNU graduate Kourtney Holder, DNP, Companion, DNP 2, and two other medical personnel were delivering the COVID-19 vaccines to Seldovia, a small town located on Alaska’s Kachemak Bay, about 25 miles from Homer. There are no roads to Seldovia -- the only ways to get there are across the bay via bush plane or, unfortunately for Drude, by boat.
On December 17, 2020, this group braved rough waters to deliver the COVID-19 vaccine to the remote village of Seldovia, Alaska. Pictured (L-R): Candice Kreger, RN, FNU graduate Kourtney Holder, FNP, captain Curtis Jackson, and FNU graduate Julie Drude, FNP. (Photo by Janel Harris courtesy of Mako’s Water Taxi)
Drude began working as a travel nurse in 2012, with her first assignment being the rural town of Bethel, Alaska. She worked there again in 2015 and 2017, and in Valdez, Alaska in the summer of 2020. This is her first trip to Homer, however, with her assignment scheduled from December through March. So, despite her familiarity with rural Alaska, she was not prepared for her assignment on her fourth day in Homer.
That day, like many in Alaska, the weather was too rough for the bush planes to make the trip over the bay. The only way was by boat. Make no mistake, this is no pleasure cruise across a tranquil bay. It’s a rough trip. “Because it was the Pfizer vaccine and there is that window that you have to use the vaccine, we had to take a boat,” Drude said. “It was my first boat ride in Alaska. We braved six-foot waves and rough water and delivered COVID vaccines. I had total faith in the captain of the boat, but it was like nothing I had ever experienced in my life. It was even rougher on the way back.”
“It was my fourth day here and they were like, ‘Oh, by the way, you’re going to Seldovia today to vaccinate’,” she said. “That’s where the picture came from. That was the first day that we got the Pfizer vaccine. Now, this Florida girl who doesn’t do much flying or boating has to get on a boat or a bush plane every Monday and Tuesday and fly over to the village of Seldovia.”
As scary and unpleasant as the trip was, Drude said it was well worth it.
Julie Drude 12 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
“It was such an amazing moment to be one of the first people here in this community to deliver some vaccines
to Alaskans,” she said. “Mondays and Tuesdays are a little stressful waiting to know how we are going to get across the bay. But it’s been great. There are a lot of Alaska natives here and it’s rural, so it’s a great community to serve.” The site in Homer is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). In addition to Seldovia, and the main clinic in Homer, there is another satellite clinic in Anchor Point, about 20 miles from Homer. The clinic has been providing vaccines at the Homer and Seldovia sites, with the first round going to first responders and Alaska natives over the age of 65. “The majority of people are very eager to get the vaccine,” Drude said. “I think they see this as a ray of hope because, in places like Alaska, being outdoors and being with family and people, that’s such a huge part of life here. So many of these folks have been in isolation since March and April. Alaska was one of the very last states to be affected, but when the winter months came, COVID started hitting harder here.” Drude was hit hard by COVID herself. From 2017 to 2020, she worked full time in school-based health in Florida. But when the pandemic began, found working from home to be an unproductive and poor use of her time. “I saw an ad for staffing in New York for the COVID crisis in April,” she said. “I did a three-week assignment in New York for COVID.” By the end of her time in New York, she was experiencing shortness of breath. Thinking it was probably anxiety or the result of wearing an N95 mask for 12hour shifts almost 21 days straight, she nonetheless wore a double-mask on the flight home.
from my hips all the way to my toes, shortness of breath continued, severe dizziness, headaches. It took me about three weeks to almost fully recover. I am 9 months out and I still suffer from tachycardia, dizzy spells, and brain fog. My case was not as severe as most. I was not hospitalized. I never even got a positive COVID test, but I did have antibodies six weeks after I was ill. Both my pulmonologist and my cardiologist said it was highly likely that it was COVID. I still have what they are calling long-haul symptoms.”
that they need without them having to spend the extra money to go to Homer to get care.”
Along those lines, Drude said she intends to be a travel nurse for the long haul.
“I felt very well prepared as a Frontier graduate to do any job,” Drude said. “I love the emphasis on rural health and getting outside of your comfort zone and going where no one has gone before to serve. Frontier ingrains that in you. Get out in the world and serve.”
“My goal is to continue doing locum tenens as a nurse practitioner,” she said. Drude and her husband John have five children, ages 21, 19, 17, 8, and 6. “I like the idea of working in a big clump, then having some time off and being home with them. The beauty is most jobs I take, my husband and two younger children can travel with me.”
Fellow FNU graduate Kourtney Holder accompanies Drude on many of these trips. Holder was contacted for this story, but unavailable for an interview. “I enjoyed my time at FNU and appreciate the great education I received there,” Holder said via text. Drude echoed that comment, crediting FNU for readying her for the risks and rigors of travel nursing.
Even if you have to do it by boat.
Despite treacherous boat rides, COVID, and the other hazards of being a travel nurse, Drude is drawn to the opportunity to provide care in areas where little is available. “Even though I have a little anxiety about lots of things, I have found that this trip has gotten me way out of my comfort zone,” Drude said. “These residents have to depend on a boat or a plane to get out if they are sick or injured. It’s just nice to be part of something where I can be over there twice a week to provide the care
These photos that were taken by Julie Drude show the beauty of Alaska and the joy of being visited in the office by a curious moose.
“I went to the ER and my COVID test was negative but I had pneumonia with ground-glass opacities, which is a common finding in COVID pneumonia,” she said. “Over the course of three weeks, I had very random symptoms. Fever, body aches, chills with no fever, body aches with no fever, very odd muscle cramps Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 13
Leadership Through Action
Dr. Geraldine Young Highlighted Among 25 Outstanding Women by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education environment, we have the opportunity to set an example and standard for other institutions to follow. I thank Diverse magazine for this honor and for giving us this platform to inspire others.”
Dr. Geraldine Young, DNP, APRN, FNPBC, CDCES, FAANP FNU Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Dr. Geraldine Young, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CDCES, FAANP is being recognized as a Leading Woman in Higher Education by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine. This is the 10th consecutive year that Diverse has published this annual special report annually recognizing 25 women and their contributions to higher education. The issue will be published on March 4, 2021, in honor of Women’s History Month. According to a press release by Diverse, the March issue “highlights women who have made a difference in the academy by tackling some of higher education’s toughest challenges, exhibiting extraordinary leadership skills and making a positive difference in their respective communities.” “I am incredibly honored and humbled to be recognized on this special list of women,” Dr. Young said. “I am thankful to have led the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at FNU over the past year. As we strengthen our own
14 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
Dr. Young, whose service in the nursing profession spans over 20 years, joined FNU in the fall of 2019. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (2010), an MSN from Alcorn State University (2005), and a BSN from the University of Mississippi Medical Center (2001). She is also a board-certified family nurse practitioner (FNP) (2005) and certified diabetes care and education specialist (2011). Dr. Young is a National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) Leadership Fellow and Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP). She has been deemed a content expert for one of the leading credentialing bodies for NPs, the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). She serves on an array of national committees to advance nurse practitioner education, including the NONPF Curricular Leadership Committee and Conference Committee. She is also a member of the NONPF Board of Directors and a member of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials Task Force. As a member of the Essentials Task Force and NONPF Board of Directors, Dr. Young is ensuring cultural diversity and inclusion are at the forefront of nursing education to address the health disparities and inequalities that exist in our nation. She has effectively delivered models of clinical practice to improve the outcomes of underserved and minority populations with diabetes in conjunction
with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS). “We are so proud to have Dr. Geraldine Young at Frontier Nursing University,” said FNU President Dr. Susan Stone, CNM, DNSc, FAAN, FACNM. “Her experience and expertise as an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion provide vital leadership to the entire FNU community. With the guidance of Dr. Young and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, we are building upon the progress we have made and we will continue to make diversity, equity, and inclusion a top priority at all levels of the university.”
“I am incredibly honored and humbled to be recognized on this special list of women,” Dr. Young said. “I am thankful to have led the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at FNU over the past year.”
In each of the past three years, FNU has received the prestigious Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. The Health Professions HEED Award is the only national honor recognizing U.S. medical, dental, pharmacy, osteopathic, nursing, veterinary, allied health, and other health schools and centers that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion across their campuses.
Leadership Through Teamwork
FNU’s commitment to emphasizing and valuing diversity and inclusion was formally instituted in 2006 when the university began intense efforts to recruit minority students in an effort to diversify the advanced practice nursing and midwifery workforce. FNU’s initial efforts were funded through the support of an Advanced Nurse Education grant from the Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA). In 2010, FNU held its first annual Diversity Impact Conference. Held each summer since then, the Diversity Impact Conference opens the door for nurse practitioner and nurse-midwifery students plus faculty and staff to foster collaborative discussions, address health disparities, and find proactive solutions to improve minority health among underrepresented and marginalized groups. Today, the goal of a diverse health care workforce continues with efforts to recruit and educate faculty, staff, students, and preceptors and integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts throughout all of FNU operations with a goal that it should be fully integrated into the university’s culture. FNU’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts are currently funded with a Nursing Workforce Diversity Grant from the HRSA. These diversity initiatives span all facets of the university, but one of the most telling and important data points is the percentage of students of color enrolled at FNU. In 2009, that number was 9 percent. Starting in 2010 with the HRSA funding, FNU’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives have resulted in the percentage of students of color enrolled growing to 25 percent today.
FNU Board of Directors Receives AGB John W. Nason Award for Board Leadership Honorable Mention Recognition
In December, the FNU Board of Directors was recognized for its leadership by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB). The Board, which is led by Board Chair Dr. Michael Carter, DNSc, DNP, FAAN, FNP/GNP-BC, received honorable mention for the AGB John W. Nason Award for Board Leadership. The award embodies the vision of AGB by recognizing boards that are indispensable, strategic partners with their institutions, helping to advance student success and well-being and enhance institutional vitality. FNU’s Board of Directors was recognized in particular for its leadership during the process of purchasing and rebuilding the Versailles campus. “We received more than 35 entries for the award, all of which were compelling and competitive,” AGB President and CEO Henry Stoever said in a letter announcing the recognition. “The selection committee was challenged to select only six boards from such a strong group. While Frontier Nursing University’s board was not selected as one of the award recipients this year, the selection committee believes that your submission deserves special
FNU Board of Directors Michael Carter, Chair Mike Rust, Vice Chair Emma Metcalf, Treasurer Wally Campbell, Secretary Carlyle Carter
Kerri Schuiling
William (Bill) Corley
Peter Schwartz
Nancy Hines
Nancy Woods
Jean Johnson Phyllis Leppert
Maria Small May Wykle
Marcus Osborne
recognition for its contributions to the larger community. We appreciate your board’s ongoing commitment to good governance.” “The decision to leave the long-time home of the university was an emotional one for the FNU community, including many of us on the Board of Directors. However, the duty of the Board was to do what was best for the university and its mission,” Dr. Carter said. “It has been a long journey, difficult at times, but ultimately rewarding and in the best interests of FNU students and health care in the United States.”
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 15
Leadership Through Entrepreneurship
FNU Graduates Realize Dream of Opening Their Own Nurse-Midwifery Practice Not even a pandemic could end this lifelong dream. Going to school while working full time and raising a family didn’t stand in the way either. Some things are just meant to be. That’s how Naomi Elizabeth Drucker, MSN, CNM, Bridge 138, and Lilit Baldjyan Sarkissian, RN, MSN, CNM, Class 143, felt when they held a grand opening for Los Angeles Midwives on December 16, 2020. The grand opening was virtual, but the building, the practice, the midwives, and their guests were all quite real. It was the fulfillment of a dream that Drucker and Sarkissian shared when they worked together as labor and delivery nurses at Cedars-Sinai Hospital. “Even when I was a registered nurse, I knew I wanted to be a midwife,” Sarkissian said. “I saw that in Naomi and I saw that in me too. We never officially talked about where we would be today but we jokingly referred to starting our own practice. The reality of it happening sounded too good to be true.” While they had secured office space in September, the December grand opening event made it all feel real. The event lasted approximately 90 minutes with a large percentage of the 75-plus RSVP’d guests dropping into the virtual event for at least a part of the celebration. Among those in attendance were doulas, nurses, and nurse-midwives. Among the many notable attendees were the President of the California Nurse-Midwives Association and FNU graduate Paris Maloof-Bury, CNM, Class 140; FNU graduate Shadman Habibi, CNM, Class 19, lead CNM with the UCLA Nurse-Midwives; and Kathleen Belzer, the President of the California Nurse-Midwives Foundation. Activities included a virtual tour of the facility, an introduction to the nurse-midwives, and some interactive games and conversations. “The grand opening raised awareness among other midwives and birth workers so they have a clearer understanding of what
Naomi Drucker (left) and Lilit Sarkissian (right) - Photo courtesy Rivkah Leah Photography we are doing and what we have to offer,” Drucker said. One of the unique things that Los Angeles Midwives has to offer is in-patient delivering privileges at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, allowing them to provide midwifery care and services to their patients while having their babies in the hospital setting. Drucker and Sarkissian are the first CNM team to have such privileges at the hospital. “Almost all of our clients come to us instead of another midwife because they know we have access to Cedars,” Drucker said. “For anybody planning an out of hospital birth, it’s very important to have a solid backup plan. We’re the only ones who can offer a seamless transition to the hospital without losing your birth team. That’s very important to all of our clients.” Equally important to current and prospective clients is the strong reputation that Drucker and Sarkissian carry within the profession. “Most of our inquiries are coming from a recommendation from doulas,” Sarkissian said. “Word of mouth in this business is so powerful because there’s a trust component. I trust my doula and my doula trusts you, so I’m going to trust you.”
16 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
Those connections with doulas and others in the birthing community have been developed over long periods of time. Drucker began her career as a doula 20 years ago and has continued to value and maintain those relationships over the years. The Los Angeles Midwives recognize the importance of building trust and have established virtual Sunday meet and greets to better get to know their prospective clients. Working in the hospital setting, they saw first-hand the importance of having trust and a healthcare advocate during the birthing process. While working as labor and delivery nurses, Drucker and Sarkissian both took note of things they would do differently if and when they had their own practice. Drucker frequently jokes that she was an undercover midwife working as a labor and delivery nurse. “There was one midwife at Cedars who had a private practice before we did,” Drucker said. “I would often ask her questions because I knew that down the road that’s what I wanted to do. My biggest concern was leaving a big institution where I get a great paycheck and have benefits. She said that will be the least of your worries. I gained a lot of confidence from her.” Drucker worked independently for the first two years after leaving her nursing job,
while Sarkissian took a full-time nursing instructor role at West Coast University (WCU) shortly after passing her national board certification. “As a labor and delivery nurse, you really get to support these women in labor and help them make decisions and advocate for them,” Sarkissian said. “What drives you to become a midwife is when you see all of this in a medical setting and you can’t help but think to yourself ‘I wouldn’t have done it that way’ or ‘I wish she wasn’t coerced into that decision.’ You want to be in that seat where you’re making those decisions and managing her care. I want to be able to empower these women to be part of their own healthcare decisions. That’s one of the hallmarks of midwifery that we don’t see playing out the majority of the time in a medical setting.” While Sarkissian was teaching at WCU, and concurrently serving as a clinical instructor at UCLA’s School of Nursing, she remained focused on her mission to join Drucker as a private practice midwife. “I left my job to get privileges while I taught full time. Naomi guided me throughout the whole thing,” said Sarkissian, who continues to be clinical faculty at UCLA’s School of Nursing. The Los Angeles Midwives have hit the ground running, beginning the new year with approximately 20 pregnant patients and 10 postpartum patients. They estimate
Lilit Sarkissian - Photo courtesy Rivkah Leah Photography
helping them reach this point. It takes an immeasurable amount of support to be able to work full time, go to school full time, and raise a family all at once. They also credit Frontier Nursing University with playing a key role in making Los Angeles Midwives a reality.
Naomi Drucker - Photo courtesy Rivkah Leah Photography that about 80 percent of their patients prefer a home birth, but the hospital privileges are a comforting assurance. “If we need to go to the hospital, I still get to continue to take care of my patient,” Sarkissian said. “With the rest of the great midwives who don’t have these privileges, if there’s a reason to go to the hospital, that care ends because they can’t go with them.”
“Frontier has a stellar reputation,” Drucker said. “As far as securing clinical sites and promoting ourselves, people love to know that we went to Frontier. As a working mother of four sons, I worked the night shift through my whole master’s degree and it was doable. I couldn’t have done that with any other program. I’m really grateful. I’m also grateful for the on-campus experience that we had. It was manageable and it allowed us to connect and meet these great midwives who are so passionate about some facets of midwifery that I had never even considered to be important. I think Frontier gave me a great foundation. I’m very proud to let people know that I went to Frontier.”
That personal connection and care are just as important to the Los Angeles Midwives as they are to their patients. They understand that it is what makes them a success, and it is why they have no immediate plans to expand their business.
“I had a baby who was one when I started school and had two other babies while I was in school, also working the night shift,” Sarkissian said. “That ability to be able to go to school and realize my dreams would have not been possible with any other school. That being said, it wasn’t just any online program. I always felt that connection, even though I was thousands of miles away. Frontier has it figured out. They know what it takes to educate students using an online medium but still have that connection. I felt supported and the knowledge that I received and the education that I got were top notch. That was even more clear to me when the pandemic hit and I was an instructor at a university and I had to teach online. I got to use a lot of the things I learned as a student as an instructor.”
“It’s such a personal business and people really do come for us -- not just a midwife -- they are coming for us in particular,” Drucker said. “I imagine it would change the flavor of our service if we had a team of midwives.”
“I am extremely proud and honored to have attended Frontier,” Sarkissian continued. “I think as a midwifery school, it is one of the top schools and I can see why they have that reputation. They have it figured out and it’s the right way to do it.”
Both Drucker and Sarkissian are content with the size, scope, and model of their practice. They are quick to thank their families, friends, and colleagues for
The same could be said about the Los Angeles Midwives.
Drucker estimates that only about 15 percent of the time do they need assistance from their backup provider, who would perform procedures such as C-sections at the hospital. But even in those cases where physician backup is required, Drucker and Sarkissian are still able to be there, actively involved in the care and advocacy of their patients.
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 17
Leadership Through Volunteering
Former Courier Leads Wabash College CARE Team Response
Eric Lakomek Editor’s note: Eric Lakomek
participated in the Frontier Courier program during the summer of 2019, between his sophomore and junior years at Wabash College in Indiana. Today he is a senior psychology major and member of the college’s baseball team. Eric has a history of community service and leadership. As a freshman in high school, he started “The Red Shoe Project” which collected sports equipment for underprivileged children. As he describes in his story below, he credits his experience as Courier for helping to expand his understanding of the importance of serving others. It is a lesson he has put into action once again at Wabash College during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Here, in his own words, he describes the work of the Wabash College “CARE” team.
experience’s challenges amid the COVID-19 Pandemic. The CARE Team educated students about relevant COVID-19 information and best practices, provided updates from the administration, acted as a liaison for bidirectional communication between students and administration, and served in other roles surrounding mental health support, meal deliveries, and overall well-being of students. The holistic nature of the program, led by undergraduate students, made this one of the distinctive aspects of the campus’s COVID-19 response. Wabash College was successful at remaining residential for the entirety of the semester. A large part of the success was due to the implementation of the CARE Team’s peer-to-peer support structure. I served in the peer-to-peer support structure of the CARE Team as a manager. In this role, I oversaw a group of my fellow student leaders (CARE Team leaders) who were tasked with educating the student body about COVID-19 public health practices. I met with the leaders weekly and disseminated important information that was required for the response on campus. Throughout the fall semester, I faced questions from students who had reservations about complying with public health measures, who were uncertain about the state of campus, and who needed an ear to have their voices heard. Reassuring them and
In response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, many colleges and universities across the country struggled to develop a plan to bring students back in the fall 2020 semester for in-person education. Wabash College, a small liberal arts college in Indiana, developed the COVID-19 Action Response and Education (CARE) Team to address a residential learning
18 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
Eric Lakomek (top left) and the other CARE Team managers.
Eric Lakomek sitting on the 116-year-old Senior Bench at Wabash College. aiding in addressing concerns speaks to the importance of the role in campus response. I successfully helped Wabash College navigate operations through the middle of a pandemic and took the chance to give back to the place that has given so much to me. I became involved on the CARE Team after the work I did over the summer with the Healthy Campus Task Force (HCTF). The Wabash College HCTF was created to examine and propose changes to the facilities, procedures, practices, and operations to limit and effectively manage COVID-19 spread on campus. This committee included representation from the Wabash College Student Health Center (the college physician and nurse), administration (deans), faculty, and students. Keeping the health and safety of all Wabash community members in mind, the HCTF adjusted the day-to-day procedures related to the college in response to COVID-19 through the development of a community-based program. I served as the student body representative and helped work to develop the programming of the CARE Team. Working with the Wabash College administration on public health issues in real-time was such a unique experience.
Leadership Through Collaboration It has been exciting to translate my education in the classroom to the real world to keep others safe. In addition, it has been an honor to work behind the scenes with amazing individuals to develop the CARE Team and then take an active role in the program as a CARE Team manager in order to help the college that has given me so many different opportunities.
Frontier Nursing University Serves as COVID-19 Vaccination Site and events have been held virtually since last March, and the majority of the staff have worked from home since the pandemic began.
Courier Program Reflection After reflecting upon my experience in the Courier Program, I can truly say that I have changed in so many different ways. I have become much more appreciative of the things that I have in my life. Before this experience, I never understood the ease of access to resources in my community and the difficulty in others. I live in suburban Indiana, a stark contrast from rural Kentucky. Through the Courier program, I was able to immerse myself in a culture that was completely different from mine. My cultural experience in Appalachia has opened up my eyes by allowing me to understand and work with a diverse group of individuals that I did not have previous exposure to. I was able to develop and fine-tune the skills of cultural competency and learn to be understanding of our differences, while also exploiting our commonalities. This experience taught me so much about who I am as a person. I took away life lessons such as remaining resilient even when the odds are stacked against you, being compassionate, and having respect for all individuals. I will never forget my experience in the Courier program, and I will continue to call upon the information I acquired to use to improve the lives of others in the future. I also made friendships that continue to last to this day. I can truly say that the Courier program was one of the best internship experiences I have participated in during my collegiate career.
“While we are eager to be able to welcome students, faculty, and staff back to campus as soon as possible, we are very happy that we are able to put our beautiful campus to great use through this collaboration with the Woodford
Frontier Nursing University and the Woodford County (Ky.) Health Department partnered to offer COVID-19 vaccinations at FNU’s recently completed campus in Versailles. The County administered second doses of the vaccines to Woodford County first responders and first doses to school personnel in late January. The vaccination process starts with a primary dose, followed by a booster dose 28 days later. The Health Department plans to utilize FNU’s campus as a vaccination site one to two days per week, depending on the number of vaccines received and when they are available.
“We appreciate the important work the Health Department does for the community and are honored to assist in the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.”
County Health Department,” FNU President Dr. Susan Stone said. “We appreciate the important work the Health Department does for the community and are honored to assist in the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.”
“We appreciate Frontier’s help,” said Barrett Schoeck, Environmental Health Director at the Woodford County Health Department. “The facilities are wonderful.” The vaccine distribution was held in the auditorium inside FNU’s Community Center. Despite the completion of nearly all renovation and construction on the new FNU campus, the property has seen little use since the beginning of the pandemic. On-campus student sessions Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 19
Leadership Through Education
New Introduction to Cultural Safety Course Available to All Beginning this spring, FNU will be offering a new course, “Introduction to Cultural Safety.” The course will be made available not only to the FNU community but to anyone interested in the course and its areas of focus.
Erin Tenney
The curriculum was developed by FNU clinical faculty Dr. Erin Tenney, CNM, DNP, Class 14. The three-hour CE course has been reviewed by five fellow FNU faculty members. Those taking the course will learn about Native American history and culture in order to better comprehend cultural safety. This requires not only understanding the Native American culture, but also self-reflection and awareness on the part of the healthcare provider. “The focus of the Introduction to Cultural Safety is on Native Americans, but the tenets can be applied to all populations,” Dr. Tenney said. “We will introduce the concept of cultural safety and center on the Indigenous patient experience, learning to listen as the patient defines what safe care is.” By the end of the Introduction to Cultural Safety, learners will be able to: 1. Define cultural safety 2. Identify the three key tenets of cultural safety
Dorene Waubanewquay Day
3. Explain the impacts of colonization on Indigenous people in the U.S.
Editor’s Note: This program is
4. Describe what culturally safe vs. culturally unsafe care may look like
supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $2,065,200. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.
5. Discuss personal and systems change strategies for improving the cultural safety of care The course is led by Dr. Tenney with guest instructor Dorene Waubanewquay Day. In addition to being clinical faculty
20 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
at FNU, Dr. Tenney is a certified nursemidwife and women’s health nurse practitioner, DONA International birth doula trainer, writer, and photographer who has worked within Indigenous health centers and communities throughout her nursing career of almost 20 years. Dorene Waubanewquay Day is an accomplished educator, midwife, activist, singer, and artist who consults with and works within many Indigenous and other communities and organizations to help restore and design culturally safe practices. In 2020, she was selected as a Luce Indigenous Fellow.
“The focus of the Introduction to Cultural Safety is on Native Americans, but the tenets can be applied to all populations...” Dr. Tenney credits Dorene with being her teacher and mentor, “particularly about women’s health and traditional lifeways, birth and parenting, life, death, grief, healing and more.” Together, they have traveled to Native communities in the U.S. and Canada to provide birth and women’s health training. They have also provided culturally-based doula and midwifery teachings, in addition to cultural safety training for health providers in the U.S. Those interested in the Introduction to Cultural Safety can enroll in the course at ceu.catalog.instructure.com/courses/ introduction2cultural-safety.
Alumni Notes
Kwuan Paruchabutr Appointed to Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health Board of Directors Kwuan Paruchabutr, DNP, Class 34, was recently appointed to the Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health Board of Directors. Dr. Paruchabutr is an Army Combat Nurse, currently serving as an APRN at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital.
Rachel Sherman Receives Rosa Parks Award FNU graduate and current faculty member Rachel Sherman, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, Class 36, received the Rosa Parks Award for Excellence in Community Activism at the District 9 Prince George’s County (Maryland) Day of Service Awards on January 18, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Dr. Sherman was awarded for her community activism in pursuit of social and racial injustice. Dr. Sherman is a nurse practitioner at Chesapeake Supportive Care with Hospice of the Chesapeake.
Susan Shue Joins University of Maryland Shore Medical Group Women’s Health Susan Shue, MSN, RN, CNL, CNM, Class 167, recently joined the University of Maryland Shore Medical Group Women’s Health in Easton, Maryland. The clinic provides obstetric, gynecologic, surgical, and prevention and wellness care to women of all ages throughout a fivecounty region. Shue previously worked as a labor and delivery nurse at Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, Maryland, and as a perinatal nurse at Augusta University Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia.
FNU Alumni Association The Frontier Nursing University Office of Alumni Relations is here to support YOU! Our purpose is to find new and meaningful ways to engage and support Alumni — from graduation throughout your career. Alumni are an integral part of FNU’s development because you demonstrate the excellence of FNU in everyday practice and because you are our primary recruiters and most loyal donors. We appreciate your commitment to FNU, and we plan to offer additional rewarding programs in return soon. Services are open to all graduates of FNU. We currently have more than 8,000 alumni in all 50 states and many countries around the world. We encourage you to explore the services, programs, and activities offered and to become involved. There are several wonderful ways to stay in touch with friends and connected to FNU including; reunions, conference receptions, case days, eNews, and our very active Facebook Group. To take advantage of all member services, please make sure we have your updated contact information by emailing us at alumniservices@frontier.edu.
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 21
News and Notes FNU Faculty Published in “BIRTH: Issues in Perinatal Care”
(L-R) Jill Alliman, Diana Jolles, Susan Stapleton, Carla Townsend. A team of FNU faculty was recently published in the December 2020 issue of BIRTH: Issues in Perinatal Care. The article, “Rural Resilience: The Role of Birth Centers in the United States” was authored by FNU faculty Jill Alliman, DNP, CNM; Diana Jolles, Ph.D., CNM; and Carla Townsend, MLS, BS; former FNU faculty member and FNU graduate Susan Stapleton, CNM, DNP, Class 01; along with Kate Bauer, MBA, Lauren Hoehn-Velasco, Ph.D., MA, BS, and Jennifer Wright, MA. The article examines the role of the birth center model of care in rural health and maternity care delivery in the United States. The researchers analyzed data from 2012 to 2020 on 88,754 childbearing families enrolled in care at 82 birth centers across the United States, many of them operated by FNU alumni. The data showed that quality outcomes exceeded national benchmarks across all geographic regions in both rural and urban settings. A stable and predictable rate of transfer to a higher level of care was demonstrated across geographic regions, with over half of the population remaining appropriate for the birth center level of care throughout the perinatal episode of care. Controlling for socio-demographic and medical risk factors, outcomes were as favorable for clients in rural areas compared with urban and suburban communities.
The authors concluded that a major focus of maternity care reform should be the expansion of access to birth center models of care, especially in underserved areas such as rural communities. Open access to this important research was made possible with funding from the AABC Foundation.
FNU Faculty Contribute to “Clinical Practice Guidelines for Midwifery & Women’s Health”
Jolles, D, Stapleton, S, Wright, J, et al. Rural resilience: The role of birth centers in the United States. Birth. 2020; 00: 1– 8. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/ full/10.1111/birt.12516
FNU Faculty Author Textbook Chapter
Diane John
Vicky Stone-Gale
“It is a positive highlight of the strength and resilience of rural people and the role of midwifery-led care for the population,” said Dr. Jolles.
FNU Associate Professors Dr. Diane John, Ph.D., APRN, FNP-BC, CNE, and Dr. Vicky StoneGale, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP co-authored Chapter 8 in Health Promotion, a textbook written for nurse practitioners and advanced practitioners. Published in December by F.A. Davis, the book is described as “Stepby-step, a who’s who of educators, researchers, and practitioners explore the models and skills you need to help your patients, including those with multiple comorbidities while evaluating medical evidence that changes rapidly, or that may be unclear.”
Nena Harris
Linda McDaniel
Laura MannsJames
Angela Mitchell
Katharine Heaney 22 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
FNU faculty members recently contributed to the 6th Edition of “Clinical Practice Guidelines for Midwifery & Women’s Health”, published by Jones & Bartlett. Assistant Professors Nena Harris, CNM, FNP-BC, CNE, Ph.D., and Linda McDaniel, CNM, RNFA, DNP, are assistant editors for the book, and Associate Professor Dr. Laura Manns-James, Ph.D., CNM, WHNP-BC, CNE, is an associate editor. FNU Instructor Angela Mitchell, FNP-BC, DNP, was a reviewer for the cardiovascular chapter, and FNU student Katharine Heaney, RN, BSN, CLC, SNM, was a contributor to the Group B streptococcus colonization chapter. The book is described as “an accessible and easyto-use quick reference guide for midwives and women’s healthcare providers. Thoroughly updated and revised to reflect the changing clinical environment, it offers current evidence-based practice, updated approaches, and opportunities for midwifery leadership in every practice setting.”
Fall Faculty Published Articles and Chapters: Following is a list of articles and chapters recently published by FNU faculty members:
Assistant Professor Kendra Faucett, CNM, DNP:
Associate Professor Debra Hunt, Ph.D., FNPBC, GNP-BC, CNE:
Faucett, K, & Kennedy, H.P. (2020) Accuracy in reporting Kentucky certified nurse midwives as attendants in birth registration data. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, https://doi. org/10.1111/jmwh.13111 (Publication date, issue pending) (May 11, 2020)
Hunt, D. A., Keefe, J., Whitehead, T., & Littlefield, A. (2020). Understanding Cannabis. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners. https:// doiorg.frontier.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j. nurpra.2020.07.007
Assistant Professor Rebecca Fay, DNP, CNM, WHNP-BC, CNE, FACNM:
Yount, S.M., Fay, R.A., Kissler, K.J. (2020). Prenatal and postpartum experience, knowledge and engagement with kegels: A longitudinal, prospective, multisite study. Journal of Women’s Health, 00(00), DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2019.8185. [Epub ahead of print].
Assistant Professor JoAnne Keefe DNP, MPH, FNP-C, CNE:
Hunt, D. A., Keefe, J., Whitehead, T., & Littlefield, A. (2020). Understanding Cannabis. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners. https:// doiorg.frontier.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j. nurpra.2020.07.007
Associate Professor Laura Manns-James, Ph.D., CNM, WHNP-BC, CNE:
Manns-James, L. Anthony, M.K. & Neal-Barnett, A. (2020) Racial discrimination, racial identity, and obesity in collegiate African American Women. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. (Online publication date 10/7/2020; not yet in print). doi: 10.1007/s40615-020-00880-x Course Coordinator Charlotte Swint, DNP, MPH:
Fay, R., Swint, C., Thrower, E. J. B. (2020, June 26). Development of an intraprofessional scholarship workgroup: Systematic process for creating and disseminating nursing knowledge. Nurse Educator, Publish Ahead of Print _doi: 10.1097/ NNE.0000000000000880
What is a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)? Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) are educated in two disciplines: midwifery and nursing. They earn graduate degrees, complete a midwifery education program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME), and pass a national certification examination administered by the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB) to receive the professional designation of CNM. Certified Midwives (CMs) are educated in the discipline of midwifery. They earn graduate degrees, meet health and science education requirements, complete a midwifery education program accredited by ACME, and pass the same national certification examination as CNMs to receive the professional designation of CM.
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 23
Memorials and Tributes
FNU Mourns Passing of Alice G. Herman, Ph.D., RN, CNM (Dec. 6, 1925 - Dec. 13, 2020) Dr. Alice G. Herman, 95, of Perryville, Kentucky, was born in West Minton, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of the late Rev. Mark A. and the late Alice (Harmon) Herman. Dr. Herman is survived by a niece, Gina Sansone of Frankfort, Kentucky; and nephew, Robert Vanderslice of Virginia Beach, Virginia. Dr. Herman trained to be a midwife, working alongside Mary Breckinridge at the Frontier Nursing Service in Hyden, Kentucky, traveling by horseback to tend to mothers and their babies. Once, she took the saddle blanket from her horse and fashioned a makeshift nightgown for a baby who had no other clothing. “You are a nurse. When there is not a way, you make one,” she said. “The work was hard, the hours were long, the pay was pathetic, but what I gained in job satisfaction and working with Mary Breckinridge was worth it all.”
“The work was hard, the hours were long, the pay was pathetic, but what I gained in job satisfaction and working with Mary Breckinridge was worth it all.”
True to the Frontier spirit, Dr. Herman also worked in Alaska as the only health care source in a 500-square mile area. She traveled via dogsled to provide care for both humans and animals. Dr. Herman received her MSN at the University of Kentucky in 1972 and later earned her doctorate in higher education from London University, England. She went on to teach at Penn State, Berea College, Morehead State University, and the University of Kentucky. In 1997 she was inducted into the University of Kentucky College of Nursing Hall of Fame.
Tributes
Memorial Donations The following people gave contributions to Frontier in memory of their friends or loved ones. The names in bold are the deceased. Elizabeth Adams Annie Chesnut Harriette Sherman Barnes Ms. Mary Ann Barnes Karen Ellis Ms. Megan Arbour Mary Ellen Houston Mr. and Mrs. John W. McDougall Jr. Mary Elizabeth Yundt Kilbourn Rev. Mary K. Kilbourn-Huey Dr. Joanne Roehr Zongyuan Chen Elodie Larson Marleah Parkhill Melissa Sherman Kathryn Spruance John A. M. Walker Janet Walker Chirlin
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Trustees/ Board of Directors
Trustees Mrs. Tia Andrew, Hamilton Parish, Bermuda Ms. Sarah Bacon, Brooklyn, NY Mrs. Andrea Begley, Hyden, KY Dr. Heather Bernard, Hamilton, NY Gov. Steven Beshear, Lexington, KY Mrs. Betty Brown, Louisville, KY Mrs. Amy Pennington Brudnicki, Richmond, KY Dr. Timothy Bukowski, Chapel Hill, NC Dr. Wallace Campbell, Berea, KY Miss Anna Carey, Hyden, KY Mrs. Jean Chapin, Oldwick, NJ Mrs. Lois Cheston, Topsfield, MA Bill Corley, Indianapolis, IN Mrs. Julia Breckinridge Davis, Winston-Salem, NC Mrs. John Dete, West Liberty, OH Mrs. Selby Ehrlich, Bedford, NY Mrs. Robert Estill, Raleigh, NC Mrs. Noel Smith Fernandez, Pomona, NY Ms. Mary Ann Gill, Versailles, KY Mr. John Grandin, Chestnut Hill, MA
Dr. Joyce Fortney Hamberg, Southgate, KY Dr. Horace Henriques, Lyme, NH Mr. & Mrs. John Hodge, Berwyn, PA Mrs. Robin Frentz Isaacs, Lincoln, MA Mrs. Rosemary Johnson, Versailles, KY Mrs. Mary Carol Joseph, Hyden, KY Ms. Deborah M. King, Westport, MA Mrs. Patricia Lawrence, Westwood, MA Mrs. Marian Leibold, Cincinnati, OH Dr. Ruth Lubic, Washington, DC Mr. William Lubic, Washington DC Mr. Robert Montague, JD, Urbanna, VA Mr. Wade Mountz, Louisville, KY Dr. Judy Myers, Ph.D., RN, New Albany, IN Ms. Barbara Napier, Irvine, KY Ms. Sandra Napier, Stinnett, KY Dr. Spencer Noe, Lexington, KY Mr. Dean Osborne, Hyden, KY Mrs. Helen Rentch, Midway, KY Mrs. John Richardson, Washington, DC
Mrs. Linda Roach, Lexington, KY Mrs. Georgia Rodes, Lexington, KY Mrs. Sandra Schreiber, Louisville, KY Maria Small, MD, MPH, Durham, NC Mrs. Sherrie Rice Smith, Franklin, WI Mrs. Austin Smithers, Lyme, NH Mrs. Robert Steck, Arlington, MA Mrs. Mary Clay Stites, Louisville, KY Mr. Richard Sturgill, Paris, KY Ms. Mary Frazier Vaughan, Lexington, KY Mrs. LouAnne Roberts Verrier, Austin, TX Dr. Patience White, Bethesda, MD Mr. Harvie Wilkinson, Lexington, KY Ms. Vaughda Wooten, Hyden, KY
Board of Directors CHAIR
Board Members
Foundation Board Members
Michael Carter, DNSc, DNP New Orleans, LA
Carlyle Carter, Evanston, IL William (Bill) Corley, MHA, Carmel, IN
Peter Coffin, Chair, Frontier Nursing Service, Inc Foundation, Chestnut Hill, MA
Nancy Hines, Shepherdsville, KY
Derek Bonifer, Louisville, KY
Jean Johnson, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, Cabin John, MD
Peter Schwartz, MD, Port St. Lucie, FL
Phyllis Leppert, RN, CNM, MD, Ph.D., FACNM, Salt Lake City, UT
Board Members Emeritus
Marcus Osborne, MBA, Bentonville, AR
John Foley, Lexington, KY
SECRETARY
Kerri Schuiling, Ph.D., CNM, FAAN, FACNM, Marquette, MI
Marion McCartney, CNM, FACNM, Washington, DC
Wallace Campbell, Ph.D. Berea, KY
Peter Schwartz, MD, Port St. Lucie, FL
Kenneth J. Tuggle, JD, Louisville, KY
VICE CHAIR Michael T. Rust Louisville, KY
TREASURER
Maria Small, MD, MPH, Durham, NC Nancy Fugate Woods, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, Seattle, WA May Wykle, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, FGSA, Cleveland, OH
Emma Metcalf, RN, MSN, CPHQ Louisville, KY
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 25
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26 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
2050 Lexington Road Versailles, KY 40383 FNU@frontier.edu • 859.251.4700
Frontier.edu Our mission is to provide accessible nurse-midwifery and nurse practitioner education to prepare competent, entrepreneurial, ethical, and compassionate leaders in primary care to serve all individuals with an emphasis on women and families in diverse, rural, and underserved populations.
