Nursing For|um Summer 2016

nursing THE MAGAZINE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING

Effective Pain Management Making A Difference in Medicine, Handling Symptoms

Plus: Critical Care at Children’s National Medical Center Expanding Simulation Opportunities at Shady Grove

’16

SUMMER

in this issue

’16

SUMMER

features

22

26

30

Jennifer Brown and Craig Woodside followed different routes to pediatric nursing

Program provides different perspectives for nurses

In new position, Jeffrey Ash hopes to strengthen openminded environment

Critical Care at Children’s National Medical Center

New MS in Law at Maryland Carey School of Law

First Associate Dean of Diversity and Inclusion

12

22 44

Class of 1966 Endowed Scholarship Fundraising Committee receiving the University of Maryland Baltimore Foundation, Inc. 2015 Distinguished Service Award: Sue Dorsey Wilson, Geri Mendelson, Claire Payne Greenhouse, Rosemary Elliott Noble.

18

departments 2 News ........................................................ 3

Partnerships ............................................. 20

> White Coat Ceremonies ............................ 4

Discovery ................................................. 36

Insights—A Message from the Dean ............

> Welcome New Faculty ............................. 4

Discovery ................................................. 34

> Firsts .................................................... 7

Healthy Dialogue ...................................... 38

> Sigma Theta Tau, Pi Chapter News .............. 9

Philanthropy ............................................

Change Agent .......................................... 14

40 Alumni Pulse ............................................ 44

Innovation ................................................ 16

Back Story ............................ Inside Back Cover

18

Save the Date ................................. Back Cover

Shady Grove Perspectives .........................

ON THE COVER: Luana Colloca, MD, PhD, associate professor, demonstrates that expectations boosted through conditioning mechanisms modulate human pain experience. [See the story on page 34.]

Photograph by Mike Ciesielski UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 1

INSIGHTS

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t the School of Nursing, we are proud of our heritage as one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the United States and gratified that our programs continue to be recognized nationally.

This spring, the 2017 U.S News & World Report rankings of graduate nursing programs ranked the School of Nursing at No. 8 for its overall program. Our Nursing Informatics specialty and Clinical Nurse Leader option continue to be ranked No. 1, while five other School of Nursing specialties ranked in the top 10: Nursing Administration, Nurse Anesthesia, Family Nurse Practitioner, and Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner for both acute and primary care. And, as we work to increase the number of nurses prepared at the doctoral level, it was exciting to see our Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program debut at No. 5 on the inaugural list of rankings for DNP programs.

But, there is much more to the School of Nursing’s story than a magnificent heritage and terrific national rankings. As the stories in this magazine illustrate, the accomplishments of our faculty and alumni in research, in educating the next generation of nurses, in preparing nurse educators and scientists, and in addressing community needs are compelling. These accomplishments speak to outstanding work across the multiple aspects of our mission—research, education, practice, and service.

A good example is how Dr. Robyn Gilden’s environmental health research interests led to her work with the Children’s Environmental Health Network (CEHN) to assess the effectiveness of training in reducing environmental health hazards in child care facilities, part of their Eco-Healthy Child Care program. (See p. 14.)

This fall, Dr. Gilden’s work will come full circle into the lives of children in some of the poorest communities in Baltimore. Through the generosity of School of Nursing alumna Mary Catherine Bunting, the School, in collaboration with the Family Health Network, is launching an initiative to improve the health and environmental health of children in local Head Start Centers. Students from our RN-to-Bachelor of Science in Nursing option and Master of Science program will provide health services and assist these centers in becoming Eco-Health Child Care Centers, the first Head Start facilities in Maryland to receive this CEHN designation. (See opposite page.)

From research to education to delivering basic health care, many elements come together as we work to advance the well-being of our communities. Efforts like these truly speak to our mission and our capacity for impact.

I hope that you enjoy reading about the many facets of the School of Nursing story and truly, thank you for being a part of our magnificent heritage.

Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN Dean and Professor 2 SUMMER 2016

Summer 2016 nursing for um is a publication of the University of Maryland School of Nursing.

The magazine informs readers about faculty, student, and alumni involvement in nursing education, research, practice, and leadership, and serves as a tool for connecting alumni and other constituents with the School of Nursing.

Editorial Board: Patricia Adams, Editorial Director Susan G. Dorsey Erika Friedmann Laurette Hankins Karen Kauffman Kathleen Michael Kathryn Montgomery Rebecca Wiseman Contributors: Patricia Adams Gregory Alexander Patricia Fanning Dave Ginsburg Steve Ginsburg Laurette Hankins Mark Hoeflich Nancy Jackson Todd Karpovich Kevin Nash Barbara Pash Deborah Prout Terri Reuter Parisa Saranj Jeff Seidel Cynthia Sikorski Jessica Wilson Amanda Wozniak Design and Editorial: Today Media Custom Communications 1014 W. 36th Street Baltimore, MD 21201 410-909-7820 http://todaymediacustom.com Chairman: Robert F. Martinelli President: Jonathan Witty Project Manager: Julie F. Lang Art Director: Randy Clark Senior Editor: Todd Karpovich Photography: Larry Canner Mike Ciesielski Richard Lippenholz Kevin Nash nursing for um is published twice a year by the University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, Md. We welcome comments, suggestions, and story ideas from alumni, partners, and friends.

Please send all correspondence to the editorial director.

Send correspondence to: Director of Marketing and Communications University of Maryland School of Nursing 655 W. Lombard St., Suite 311D Baltimore, MD 21201 Phone: 410-706-4115 Fax: 410-706-5560 communications@son.umaryland.edu Copyright © 2016 University of Maryland School of Nursing

NEWS

$750K Gift to Support Development of Community Public Health Initiative

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recent gift of $750,000 from Baltimore benefactor Mary Catherine Bunting, MS ’72, CRNP, RN, will support the development and implementation of a new, three-year community public health initiative. The School of Nursing will collaborate with the Maryland Family Network on the project.

The partnership will focus on improving overall health and environmental health within Early Head Start (EHS) and Head Start (HS) Centers in Baltimore City. EHS and HS programs support the mental, social, and emotional development of children from birth until age 5. Educational services will be offered to children and their families, in addition to health, nutrition, and social resources. The initiative will deliver health services to eight EHS centers serving 390 children up to 3 years of age, beginning in fall 2016.

Needs assessments for four HS grantees

serving 2,680 children will begin in the to partner with the School of Nursing second year of the program. Additionally, on this life-saving and life-changing the program will assist the EHS centers initiative.” in becoming certified as EcoStudents from the Healthy Child Care® Centers, RN-to-Bachelor of Science which will ensure that cenin Nursing option and the ters meet the evidence-based Master of Science program recommendations to will staff the initiative as protect children from known part of the School’s on-going environmental hazards. service learning commitApproximately 600 child care ment. They will help coorfacilities in the United States dinate health care services are currently certified as for children and families Eco-Healthy; however, only enrolled in EHS, including Mary Catherine Bunting 22 facilities are certified in record reviews, regular Maryland, none of which are EHS or HS. health screenings, and follow-up home visits “Low-income families are at particularfor children with chronic conditions such as ly high risk for multiple health disparities. asthma, and home visits for pregnant women This is an opportunity to identify and and new mothers. Students will also provide prevent those risks in very young children training on emergency preparedness, basic before it’s too late,” said Margaret E. principles to keep families healthy, and other Williams, executive director, Maryland topics of interest to EHS staff and parents.

Family Network. “We are very pleased —Kevin Nash

Six from the School of Nursing Awarded Nurse Educator Doctoral Grants Amy Daniels, MS ’12, BSN ’89, RN, and Crystal DeVance-Wilson, MS ’06, MBA, BSN ’00, PHCNS-BC; Assistant Professors Marik Moen, MPH, MSN, RN; Kristen Rawlett, PhD ’14, FNP-BC; and Alicia Williams, DNP, MBA, ACNP-BC, and PhD student Vera KuffourFront row: Alicia Williams, Vera Kuffour-Manu, Amy Daniels Manu, MS ’10, RN, all Back row: Kristen Rawlett, Marik Moen, Crystal DeVance-Wilson received awards.

This competitive grant program ive faculty members and a PhD is designed to assist PhD and Doctor student from the School of Nursing of Nursing Practice candidates while have been awarded Nurse Educator pursuing their advanced degrees. Its Doctoral Grants (NEDGs) for Practice and goals are to increase the number of Dissertation Research. Clinical Instructors

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doctoral-prepared nursing faculty in the state of Maryland, strengthen faculty development for optimal capacity at schools of nursing, and recruit and retain a diverse nursing faculty.

Grant recipients can use the funds for professional development; course release time; wages for research-related administrative support; or projectrelated expenses for supplies, travel, and document creation. NEDG is a statewide funding initiative supported by the Nurse Support Program II and is jointly approved by the Health Services Cost Review Commission and Maryland Higher Education Commission.

—Kevin Nash UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 3

NEWS

White Coat Ceremonies Celebrate New Students

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ncoming Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) students received their white coats at ceremonies held last February in Baltimore and at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG).

During the Baltimore White Coat Ceremony, held Feb. 2, 97 BSN and 48 CNL students received their white coats.

Karen E. Doyle, MBA, MS ’91, BSN ’85, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, senior vice president of nursing and operations, R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, University of Maryland Medical Center, served as the distinguished speaker for the occasion.

Sixty-four BSN students received their white coats at the USG ceremony, held Feb. 17. Cynthia Sweeney, MSN, BSN ’76, RN, CNOR, NEA-BC, executive director, The DAISY Foundation, was the distinguished speaker at the event.

The purpose of the White Coat Ceremony is to instill a commitment to providing compassionate care among future health professionals entering nursing schools.

—Kevin Nash

White Coat Ceremony, Baltimore

White Coat Ceremony, Shady Grove

WELCOME NEW FACULTY Jeffrey Ash, EdD Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion Assistant Professor 4 SUMMER 2016

Karen Wickersham, PhD, RN Assistant Professor

Dean Kirschling Outlines School’s Response to Nursing Challenges in Annual State of the School Address

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ean Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, delivered her 2016 State of the School address on April 7, to University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) leadership, School of Nursing faculty and staff, and other special guests.

During her address, Transforming Nursing: Living Our Core Values, Dean Kirschling informed attendees about how the School is responding to some of the significant challenges facing nursing while maintaining the core values of UMB and the School of Nursing. The Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) 2010 landmark report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, charged schools of nursing to increase the percentage of nurses with baccalaureate degrees from 50 to 80 percent by 2020, double the number of nurses with doctoral degrees, implement early and continuous interprofessional collaboration, and provide opportunities for continuous learning across the spectrum of a nurse’s career.

“We have been called upon to increase the levels of educational attainment for new nurses and nurses who are already practicing,” Kirschling said. “Our students must be prepared to address the changing needs of patients, communities, and health care systems across the key areas of education, research, practice, and service.”

In response, the School has grown its baccalaureate admissions to 320 students annually and has formed partnerships with other universities such as the University of Maryland, College Park and University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

These agreements provide a clearly defined pathway for students interested in progressing to the School’s nursing program.

Additionally, the School has established

Dean Jane Kirschling delivers her State of the School address.

“In the upcoming months, we will be developing the goals and strategies that will guide the School of Nursing through —Dean Kirschling the next five years.” its Associate Degree in Nursing-to-Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) admission agreements with the College of Southern Maryland, Cecil Community College, and Montgomery College, and has additional agreements with other Maryland community colleges underway. The School of Nursing has shifted to the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree for advanced practice nurse education and is committed to recruiting BSN-prepared nurses early in their careers for its BSN-to-PhD track.

Although the School of Nursing has made several strides in addressing the IOM’s report, there are still challenges that lie ahead. The School must continue to provide sufficient community/public health clinical options for its students, monitor its tuition revenue portfolio, embrace diversity and inclusion, actively pursue research funding through internal and external collaboration, engage multi-

ple communities of Maryland residents, and grow efforts to support faculty in engaging the multiple missions of UMB. It may seem like a list of daunting tasks, but Dean Kirschling is preparing to address it head on.

“In the upcoming months, we will be developing the goals and strategies that will guide the School of Nursing through the next five years. I am looking forward to engaging in the strategic planning process and building on the University’s plan,” Kirschling said. “We want to create an environment that prompts our students to identify their passions and find their unique places within the broad spectrum of opportunities that nursing presents.”

—Kevin Nash Watch the State of the School Address at http://nursing.umaryland.edu/news-events/ news.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 5

NEWS

Remembering Why

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f we are fortunate, we have someone in our life who “keeps it real” for us. This is a person who is open, honest and direct, and who tells us what we need to hear, not just what they think we want to hear. In my life, the person who extends herself in this way is my daughter Emily, a pediatric intensive care nurse.

A couple of days ago, my phone rang and Emily’s name popped up on the screen. I had an immediate sense of concern because I knew she was working the day shift and unless something was terribly wrong, would not call while she was at work. I answered with “Are you okay?” and she responded “No, it’s a horrible day at work and I just need to talk for two minutes so I can return to it.”

I am Emily’s “safe place” just as my own mom is my “safe place.” The safe place is where you can go, say whatever you need to say without fear of judgment or retribution, know the person will quietly store it away in the vault of their heart, and usually offer words of

solace, comfort, or meaning. It’s understandable that the “keep it real” person is so inextricably linked with the “safe place” person. The exchange of trust and vulnerability provides a rich, symbiotic environment for the two to co-exist.

As Emily shared her thoughts and spoke about her feelings related to what she was experiencing on a particularly emotionally brutal day at work, I couldn’t help thinking, “Why do we choose this profession? Why are we nurses?”

Emily had said, “I don’t know if I can keep doing this ...” I wondered how and from where bedside nurses draw the strength, courage, and conviction to carry on in these incredibly challenging situations, day after day, month after month, and year after year. It is a heroic venture, to say the least.

So why be a nurse? It certainly is not easy. It is often painfully difficult work under extreme pressure. Imagine the job criteria of a nurse if it were re-written:

t Provides care for patients while their loved ones stand by, observe, and frequently question every decision you make and action you take.

t Appropriately functions while remaining aware that mistakes made can result in another person’s death or permanent injury.

t Appropriately processes feelings and emotions while witnessing and supporting another person at their most raw, desperate, and vulnerable point in life and during heartbreaking decisions and situations, and continues to provide safe care even if emotionally exhausted.

t Goes with the flow regardless of Lisa Rowen 6 SUMMER 2016

what the flow brings with it, including broken equipment, missing medications or supplies, incivility,

“I wondered how and from where bedside nurses draw the strength, courage, and conviction to carry on in these incredibly challenging situations.”

—Lisa Rowen

tight staffing, incessant documentation requirements, and new technology.

t Maintains the dignity of the patient during moments of extreme medical intimacies.

t May be unexpectedly or unknowingly exposed to others’ bodily fluids and harmful pathogens.

t Can unexpectedly cover for colleagues who are ill, absent, off the unit, or unable to leave their duties, while continuing to safely carry out assigned duties.

t Smiles, is polite and respectful, and offers compassion and empathy to everyone regardless of any reciprocation.

t Staves off hunger or bathroom requirements whenever necessary.

t Remains the stationary, primary caregiver for a patient at the bedside, even if colleagues in different roles are able to move in and out of the room or on and off of the unit.

FIRSTS

1 UMSON’s Doctor of Nursing Practice Program Ranks Among Best in Nation

I t Does whatever it takes, within the legal bounds of licensure and policy, to help people in need.

t Continuously educates some friends and family members, both one’s own and that of the patient’s, who wonder why nursing, rather than medicine, is the chosen profession.

Seriously? Why do this? Every nurse has to reacquaint himself or herself with the answer to this question of Why, because if not, the role is likely unsustainable. It’s just too difficult. Our Why is the only way to continuously re-inspire and re-energize ourselves; finding it and feeling it is the path forward 1. I’m not talking about what you do or how you do it, but rather why you do it. The Why cuts through cynicism, exhaustion, and hopelessness and infuses immediate meaning, sanity, and value to our work.

When Emily said “I don’t know if I can keep doing this ...” and I heard the anguish in her voice, I asked “Why do you do it?” She silently reflected and

her personal Why flooded through her mind in response to my question.

Emily was moved to the necessary place where she was able to pull from within herself to get her through the shift. But Emily, as all nurses, wants more than just to get through the shift. There is a much deeper reason why nurses do what they do. This reason is the North Star of our profession, our purpose, and raison d’etre, our reason for existence.

In the relationship between “keeping it real” and being a “safe place,” Emily and I both remembered, and honored, our Why. And we both continue to think about it every day, and every day as nurses, we are inspired.

—Lisa Rowen DNSc, MS ’86, RN, FAAN Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer, University of Maryland Medical Center System Chief Nurse Executive, University of Maryland Medical System

n its first-ever ranking of Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs, U.S. News & World Report placed the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s DNP program at No. 5 in the nation. This is quite an accomplishment, since the program was launched only 10 years ago! The School of Nursing’s DNP curriculum provides students with an immersive education in evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and systems leadership. Graduates possess clinical, organizational, economic, and leadership skills that have a direct impact on health care outcomes. The DNP enables graduates to remain in direct patient care while providing them with the knowledge and training to be leaders in a fast-changing health care environment. Graduates of the School of Nursing’s program are well equipped to translate advances in scientific research into improved outcomes for patients.

For more information about the DNP program, go to: http://www.nursing. umaryland.edu/academics/doctoral/ dnp

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Sinek, S. (2009). Start with Why. Penguin Group, New York, NY. UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 7

NEWS

Celebrating Conway Scholars $5.24 million gift from Bill and Joanne Conway is enabling the School of Nursing to expand enrollment in its traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program and

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increase opportunities for registered nurses to obtain BSN degrees. The gift, the largest in the School’s history, will provide full scholarship support for 157 new students over a five-year period.

To celebrate this transformational gift,

the first cohort of Conway Scholars met with Dean Jane Kirschling to discuss their backgrounds, why they chose the nursing profession, how the scholarship has helped them, and their plans for the future. Scholars from the School of

Standing: Laurette Hankins, Nicole Lanham, Amber Brownley, Fatimat Odeyemi, Dean Jane Kirschling Seated: Zainab Bundu, Johana Giorgis

Standing: Dinsha Joseph, Laurette Hankins, Dean Jane Kirschling, Jennifer Young, Karla Armijo Seated: Sheila Pierre-Louis, Christine Mendimasa Kroma

Zainab Bundu, Fatimat Odeyemi, Zachary Crowe, Bill Conway, Amber Brownley, Johana Giorgis

BECOME A CONWAY SCHOLAR

at the University of Maryland School of Nursing!

LEARN MORE AT http://nursing.umaryland.edu/conway

8 SUMMER 2016

Nursing’s Shady Grove location enjoyed lunch with Dean Kirschling on February 18 at the Universities at Shady Grove.

The following day, Baltimore Scholars were invited to a brunch with Dean Kirschling. All of the scholars shared their enthusiasm and appreciation for the scholarships.

On Thursday, April 7, Mr. Conway and his philanthropic director Zachary Crowe traveled to Baltimore to meet with Dean Kirschling; Laurette Hankins, associate dean for development and alumni relations; and several Conway Scholars. The scholars thanked Mr. Conway for his generosity, shared personal stories, and explained why the scholarships were important to them.

—Patricia Adams

Galik Honored

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lizabeth Galik, PhD ’07,

RN, CRNP, associate professor, received the Southern Nursing Research Society/ John A. Hartford Foundation Research Award at the Society’s 30th annual conference in February. The award, which has been given since 2001, recognizes the contributions of individuals whose established programs of research have enhanced the science and practice of geriatric nursing in the Southern region.

“It is a great honor to be recognized for my contributions to geriatric research.

I am looking forward to continuing to study the most successful ways to optimize physical activity and function and minimize behavioral symptoms among older adults with dementia,” Galik said.

—Kevin Nash

Rebecca Wiseman, Karen Wickersham, Rebecca Brotemarkle, Cynthia Sweeney, Mary Pat Ulicny, Nancy Lerner, Debra Scrandis

Sigma Theta Tau, Pi Chapter— Making a Difference at UMSON

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he mission of the Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) Honor Society of Nursing is advancing world health and celebrating nursing excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service.

The University of Maryland School of Nursing’s Pi Chapter was chartered in June 1959 and has inducted students and community leaders every year since then.

Pi Chapter’s biennial strategic plan includes increasing membership opportunities for community members who meet STTI induction criteria, partnering with the School of Nursing to support selected professional education programs, improving communications with members, and improving Pi Chapter presence at the School.

New Pi Chapter displays, which include a list of new members, have been permanently installed at the School’s Baltimore and Shady Grove locations. The displays will be updated annually to include the names of newly inducted members. Inductions are now offered twice a year at both locations and are well attended by students and families.

Examples of recent activities cosponsored by Pi Chapter include the

fall 2015 back-to-school picnic for faculty and staff; light refreshments for all students, faculty, and staff to celebrate the birthdays of Louisa Parsons and Florence Nightingale; awards for best evidence-based practice posters for senior practicum students at the Baltimore and Shady Grove locations; and awards for faculty-nominated dissertations and DNP projects.

Active Pi Chapter members are eligible to apply for Research and Practice Grants ($5,000) and Scholarly Presentation Awards (limit eight per year, up to $400 each). More information about these opportunities can be found at: http://www.nursing. umaryland.edu/student-life/ student-organizations. This is just a glance into the many activities of Pi Chapter.

—Rebecca Wiseman For more information about Pi Chapter, contact Pi Chapter President Rebecca Wiseman, PhD ’93, RN, associate professor and chair of the School of Nursing’s program at the Universities at Shady Grove, at wiseman@son.umaryland.edu.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 9

NEWS

Nursing student Alayna Blazakis and the rest of Group One discuss the cost of the patient’s medication.

UMB Holds Fourth Annual IPE Day

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isten to your peers. Listen to your patients or clients.

More than 400 students from each of the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s

Interprofessional Education (IPE), outlined the day’s multi-disciplinary activities, structured so that students would be able “to learn with, from, and about one another.” Thirty faculty members— (UMB) seven schools heard that advice seven from the School of Nursing— delivered in innovative ways at the were assigned to perform as mentors. annual interprofessional education IPE Day participants were divided event held April 13. into 10 groups and given the same backSchool of Nursing Dean Jane ground information. Actors portrayed Kirschling, director of UMB’s Center for standardized patient Doug Darling, who was seeking treatment for hypertension in a primary care setting.

A heavy smoker with a complex personal life, Darling suffered from Type II diabetes and crucial symptoms that emerged during students’ collaborative interview process.

The teams prepared a Athena Balanou presents her observations to the room. care plan, explained their 10 SUMMER 2016

recommendations to the patient, and were given a review.

In Group One, Alayna Blazakis, a student in the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner specialty, spoke about the medication regimen. She asked whether Darling could afford his diabetes medications because the range of costs is broad.

Athena Balanou, a Clinical Nurse Leader student in Group Two, observed that Darling “had so many stressors in his life.” If the team were to recommend nicotine replacement therapy, the students debated, how about suggesting meditation? Or yoga?

Later, all 10 groups united during a wrap-up session, and Family Nurse Practitioner student Jessica Pires was among those sharing reflections. “The patient is at the center; the patient is part of our team,” she said.

—Patricia Fanning

Cain Lecture Focuses on How Nurses Can Improve Population Health

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BY THE NUMBERS

he 2016 Ann Ottney Cain Lecture in Psychiatric Nursing, held March 30 at the School of Nursing, featured Kathleen R. Delaney, PhD, PMH-NP, a professor at Rush University College

of Nursing, who spoke on, “How Nurses Can Improve Population Health: Positioning Matters.”

Delaney used Maryland health care data to present a framework of ideas aimed at improving population health outcomes in the state. She encouraged nurses to maintain competencies in their clinical

“Nurses must be

field, understand the process of how

committed to

a population is able or unable to seek

leadership in

and engage in health care services, and

providing person-

anticipate how new models of care affect workforce development. Delaney also said that nurses must be committed to

centered care that improves

leadership in providing person-centered

the well-being

care that improves the well-being of

of individuals

individuals and populations.

and populations.”

In 1999, the School of Nursing hosted

O

rganized by the Class of 1895, the University of Maryland School of Nursing Alumni Association is among the oldest continuously active nursing alumni associations in the nation.

The Alumni Association’s purpose is to unite all School of Nursing graduates and support students and faculty in advancing the School and its mission. Following are some current statistics of interest:

20,835 ACTIVE ALUMNI

1,688 MALE ALUMNI

—Kathleen R. Delaney

the inaugural Ann Ottney Cain Lecture in Psychiatric Nursing. This endowed lectureship was established by

21,092 FEMALE ALUMNI

students, faculty, alumni, and friends as a tribute to their beloved professor and colleague, Ann Ottney Cain, PhD, RN, CNS-PMH, FAAN. Professor Emeritus Cain was a leader in psychiatric mental health

291 PHD GRADUATES

nursing, specifically in family systems therapy. She was a member of the School of Nursing faculty for more than 30 years, ultimately serving as associate dean for graduate studies and research, before retiring in 1994.

—Patricia Adams

134 DOCTOR OF NURSING PRACTICE GRADUATES

7,180 MASTER OF SCIENCE GRADUATES

15,212 BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING GRADUATES

195 ACTIVE DIPLOMA IN NURSING GRADUATES To learn more about the University of Maryland School of Nursing Alumni Association, go to: http://www.nursing. umaryland.edu/alumni

Dean Jane Kirschling, Kathleen Delaney, Charon Burda UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 11

NEWS

Convocation > May 2016

DAISY in Training Award recipients Hannah Jean Cacopardo and Rachel Heeter Smith with Dean Jane Kirschling and Cynthia Sweeney.

320 Graduates Receive Degrees

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here were bright blue skies over

professor, for excellence in graduate educa-

An addition to the 2016 ceremony

Baltimore’s Royal Farms Arena

tion and to Nicole Smith, MS ’14, RN, clinical

was the presentation of the DAISY in

as School of Nursing graduates

instructor, for excellence in undergraduate

Training Award. The DAISY Foundation

celebrated the successful completion

education. Carolyn Waltz, PhD, RN, FAAN,

was established in 1999 by the family of

of their degrees on Friday, May 20. The

professor, carried the School of Nursing

Patrick Barnes, who died at age 33 from

Class of 2016 consisted of 176 Bachelor of

mace, leading the processional and

complications of Idiopathic Thrombocyto-

Science, 130 Master of Science, two PhD,

recessional.

penic Purpura. The Barnes family felt that

and 12 Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) graduates.

In the spirit of true collaboration between

Patrick had received excellent nursing

disciplines at the University of Maryland,

care during his illness, so they created

Baltimore (UMB), Renee Franquiz was

the DAISY Foundation to honor nurses.

coming remarks, and Jennifer Baldwin,

hooded as a graduate of the DNP pro-

The DAISY in Training Award recipients

MPA, BSN, senior vice president, CareFirst

gram ahead of the rest of the DNP cohort.

were Hannah Jean Cacopardo and Rachel

Patient-Centered Medical Home Program,

Her son, Miguel Franquiz, was graduating

Heeter Smith.

delivered the Convocation address. In her

from the University of Maryland School

address, Baldwin encouraged the grad-

of Pharmacy that morning as well, and

graduates joined graduates from all seven

uates to persevere when pursuing a goal

Renee wanted to attend both ceremonies,

UMB schools for a Party in the Park at

and to surround themselves with people

which were being held at nearly the same

University Square. They enjoyed food,

who would encourage them along the way.

time. Renee was hooded on stage by her

music, and games before participating in

The 2016 Excellence in Teaching Awards

scholarly project chair at the beginning of

the UMB Commencement ceremony at

were presented to Rachel Onello, PhD ’15,

the ceremony so she and her family could

Royal Farms Arena.

MS ’07, RN, CHSE, CNE, CNL, assistant

attend the pharmacy convocation.

Dean Jane Kirschling delivered wel-

12 SUMMER 2016

Later in the day, School of Nursing

—Amanda Wozniak

Carolyn Waltz leads the processional carrying the School of Nursing mace.

Dean Jane Kirschling addresses the graduates and guests.

Jennifer Baldwin delivers the Convocation address.

Excellence in Teaching Award recipients Nicole Smith and Rachel Onello with Dean Jane Kirschling and Charlotte Seckman.

Renee Franquiz is hooded as a graduate of the DNP program by her scholarly project chair, Charlotte Seckman.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 13

CHANGE AGENT

Keeping Kids Safe from Environmental Hazards Protecting children regardless of ZIP code or socio-economic class

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he first five years of a child’s life are critical to his or her cognitive and physical development, so it’s important that children are in a safe and healthy environment. According to the Children’s Environmental Health Network (CEHN), 42 percent of children ages 5 and under spend at least 35 hours a week in some form of child care, and harmful chemicals in these centers can lead to asthma, developmental disabilities, and other health issues.

CEHN is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting children—regardless of ZIP code, cultural background, or socio-economic class— from known environmental hazards in schools and child care facilities, and its Eco-Healthy Child Care® (EHCC) program helps address issues such as lead, pesticides, arsenic, flame retardant chemicals, and radon. CEHN Executive Director Nsedu Obot Witherspoon, MPH, said that there are two parts of the program: training and endorsement.

CEHN trains child care owners, managers, and employees—as well as child care educators through its train the trainer program—so they can successfully become an EHCC endorsed facility, which can be done by complying with 24 of 30 free or low-cost environmental health best practices from a checklist. A third-party signature from someone with no financial involvement in the facility is also required.

“There is a growing demand by parents to ensure that child care centers are safe

14 SUMMER 2016

from an environmental standpoint, and since this is a voluntary program, it says a lot when a center goes above and beyond current standards,” said Witherspoon.

Qualified centers receive a two-year endorsement, and CEHN will provide related marketing materials. When looking for a child care center, parents can search CEHN’s website for EHCCendorsed centers. CEHN staff members travel the country to ensure that endorsed centers are maintaining their best environmental health practices.

“We are looking at areas not addressed through state licensing of child care centers, and if a center is not able to affirmatively answer 24 of the 30 questions, we can help guide them to qualify for endorsement,” said Witherspoon, who stresses that most of the practices addressed are free or low cost. For example, child care centers can institute a “no-idling” policy outside Robyn Gilden

the center. It’s common when it’s hot outside for parents to leave the car running to keep the air conditioning operating when they go inside to pick up their child. However, if the car is parked by a door or near a vent, this can create a significant amount of exposure to air pollutants.

Once centers are endorsed, CEHN continues to communicate with them on further methods to reduce exposure to environmental hazards, such as which chemicals to avoid and the dangers of certain types of plastic.

Robyn Gilden, PhD ’10, MS ’01, RN, assistant professor and director of the Environmental Health certificate at the School of Nursing, has worked for six years with the CEHN and its EHCC program to research how child care centers can reduce the amount of environmental exposure. She was able to develop some interesting results.

Nsedu Obot Witherspoon

Robyn Gilden reviews a checklist of possible environmental hazards and the ways they can be avoided with a child care center employee. The EHCC program will be incorporated in Head Start and Early Head Start centers in Baltimore City through the partnership between the School of Nursing and the Maryland Family Network.

“I worked on an internally funded pilot project to look at data from the EHCC’s checklist and training programs and then do a midterm evaluation. We looked at where CEHN was succeeding and where there were areas to improve,” said Gilden.

“In the training program, a test was given before and after a 4 ½-hour training, and we found that the post-test scores were higher than pre-test scores. Gilden said that since the checklist and training programs were conducted in different locations, they could not connect the checklist data with the training data.

Twice Gilden submitted a R01 proposal to the National Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS) and National Institute for Nursing Research to assess and address environmental exposures in the child care setting, but they were both denied.

Undeterred, Gilden is now working on a Request for Application in the Research to Action program of the NIEHS, and she said that the community involvement requirement actually makes this a better fit for her research.

“Working in the community is what nurses do best,” said Gilden, who adds that the R01 would allow the research team to conduct both the checklist and training elements for the EHCC program in the

same location so that they can accurately assess the program’s effectiveness. “We will work with 60 child care centers located in Washington, D.C., northern Virginia, and Prince George’s County, Md. We will do a full assessment on all 60 centers using the EHCC checklist, and we will also include air monitoring. We will then divide the 60 centers in half—30 will receive the training and technical assistance of the EHCC program and the others will not. We will compare the two groups to show the benefits of the EHCC program,” she said.

Gilden adds that after the comparison process is complete, the 30 centers that didn’t initially receive the training and technical assistance will receive the benefits of the program. “Part of the Research to Action requirement involves the dissemination of information not only to the general participants—child care centers and parents—but also to the entire community that is impacted by the child care centers through, for example, webinars, community forums, and social media marketing,” Gilden said.

Gilden and the School of Nursing are furthering their community involvement through a partnership with the Maryland Family Network where the EHCC program will be incorporated in Head Start and Early Head Start (EHS) centers in

Baltimore City. The three-year project, supported by a $750,000 gift from School of Nursing alumna Mary Catherine Bunting, will initially focus on eight EHS centers; Head Start centers will be addressed in the second year of the grant.

The eight Baltimore City EHS programs serve 390 children up to 3 years of age.

According to Gilden, the School of Nursing will be conducting the onsite training at the EHS centers, and a coordinator—a master’s-prepared nurse— will be hired. “We will train the EHS staff and walk them through the EHCC checklist to see what they need to do to ensure endorsement. We will also provide health assessments such as height and weight for the children and conduct home visits to assess environmental exposure and the risk of developing asthma.

At the home sites, we will provide education for parents, family members, and the communities around the EHS centers,” said Gilden. “Kids spend a lot of time in EHS centers, but they also spend a lot of time at home. If we can make changes at both places and educate parents on areas such as cleaning products and lead paint, then they can help educate their neighbors and church members.”

—Gregory J. Alexander

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 15

INNOVATION

Teaching the Teachers Standardized Students Provide Real-Life Scenarios at Teaching Workshop

Adjunct clinical instructors work in small groups with a standardized student to practice navigating challenging situations that could arise during teaching.

C

onsistency. Curiosity.

Respect. These three words guide Susan Bindon, DNP ’11, MS ’95, RN-BC, CNE,

assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, when she reflects on teaching nursing students in the clinical setting.

“When we’re on the unit, I try to be the one thing students can count on.

I try to be consistent, so they get the

16 SUMMER 16 SUMMER 20162016

same Susan every day,” said Bindon.

This consistency is paramount because no two days will be the same for the students during their clinical rotations.

The nurses listening to Bindon explain her philosophy are all adjunct clinical instructors taking a workshop designed

by Bindon and Assistant Professors Rachel Onello, PhD ’15, MS (CNL) ’07, RN, CHSE, CNE, and Kelley Wilson, DNP, RN, at the School.

“Within the state of Maryland, the vast majority of instructors facilitating clinical learning are adjunct instructors.

They are expert clinicians who teach part time for academic institutions,” explained Onello. Because these adjunct clinical instructors do not teach in classrooms, belong to faculty committees, or have training as teachers, they do not always get the “necessary orientation for their role,”

said Bindon. “Sometimes, they receive just the bare essentials, including a list of students, a clinical site location, and a number to call. Then it’s ‘Good luck, call if you need something.’ ” Bindon, Onello, and Wilson aim to change that, starting with a two-day workshop, funded by a Nurse Support Program II grant through the Maryland Higher Education Commission and the Health Services Cost Review Commission. “Our goal is to help the adjunct instructors be more confident and competent so they can deliver a great learning experience to the students,” said Bindon. With that in mind, the faculty members designed the workshop to include both didactic and applied components.

In the morning workshop session, Kathleen Gaberson, PhD, RN, CNOR, CNE, ANEF, a nationally known expert on clinical teaching, delivers the didactic section. Gaberson facilitates a discussion about clinical teaching strategies and the difference between assessment and evaluation. In the afternoon session, Bindon, Onello, and Wilson take the reins for a “hands-on application that reinforces and builds upon the content discussed in the morning session,” said Onello.

Using the School’s Clinical Education and Evaluation Lab’s standardized patient (SP) network, Bindon, Onello, and Wilson create an immersive learning experience for the participants, which is one “innovation of the workshop,” said Onello. The people from the SP network are “professional actors who are trained to portray a student persona through a standardized script,” Onello continued.

The scripts, created by Bindon, Onello, and Wilson, are designed to reflect specific situations common in clinical teaching that require feedback conversations with students.

For this part of the workshop, the participants are divided into three

groups, each of which works with one standardized student at a time. One group sits down to meet Corey FowlerDiamond, a 22-year-old second-career student. The script claims the clinical instructor “consistently receives positive feedback from patients and accolades from the staff about Corey’s patient care.” The challenge, however, is that Corey is chronically late for the clinical rotation and does not follow directions, especially regarding the student scrub uniform and professional appearance.

The four participants sit at a table facing a young woman with curly red hair hunched over with her arms across her chest—the standardized student who’s playing Corey. Bindon sits off to the side between the group and Corey. Bindon asks the participants to brainstorm a strategy to initiate a conversation with Corey. After discussing a few strategies, one woman begins by greeting Corey, who mumbles a hello.

As the conversation progresses, every time the participant broaches the subject of Corey’s lateness, Corey responds that, “patient care hasn’t suffered” so she doesn’t see the problem. After several minutes of this conversational loop, Bindon forms a ‘T’ with her hand for a time out. She then asks the participants to respond to the strategy used and to think of a way to reframe the approach to Corey.

The process repeats as each participant tries to make a breakthrough with Corey. Each time, however, Corey successfully gets into a loop with the participant. After the last time out is called, one of the participants compliments the actor playing Corey and says, “You were tough. You didn’t give us any slack,” which, said Bindon, is the whole point.

“Having trained actors who can become these students, react and engage with instructors in realistic ways, and

present complex situations with a high degree of reliability is part of what makes simulation with standardized students such a powerful learning experience,” said Onello. Guiding the adjunct clinical instructors through challenging situations in the workshop will help them when they encounter difficult circumstances while teaching.

“The bottom line is we want the participants to provide the best learning experience for their students,” explained Bindon.

Onello also sees a broader purpose served by these workshops—developing a community of support and resources for clinical instructors throughout the state, perhaps with follow-up workshops, conference calls, blogs, or other means of staying connected and sharing expertise. Additionally, Bindon would like to create a virtuous circle where past participants return to mentor new participants.

“Our hope is that this type of workshop becomes a mainstay in clinical faculty development,” Bindon said.

“And that if you need clinical instructor training, you think about the University of Maryland School of Nursing as the place to get it.”

Louise Jenkins, PhD ’85, MS ’81, RN, FAHA, ANEF, director, Institute for Educators, and a professor at the School of Nursing, provided context for this type of pedagogy. “Use of innovative teaching strategies such as active learning working with standardized students in these workshops is one example of the hands-on approach that is integrated into learning experiences sponsored by the Institute for Educators,” Jenkins explained. “The outcomes contribute to strengthening the preparation of adjunct clinical instructors, the learning of their students, and ultimately to enhanced patient care.”

—Jessica Wilson

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 17

SHADY GROVE PERSPECTIVES

Funding Supports Simulation Upgrades at Shady Grove Bedford Falls Foundation Charitable Trust Provides Financial Resources

T

he School of Nursing’s undergraduate program at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) in Rockville, Md., has responded to a dramatic spike in attendance by acquiring new stateof-the-art equipment that is crucial in helping students “reach their full potential,” administrators say. Clinical simulation labs have been upgraded, and the advancements are keeping the USG curriculum on the forefront of the everevolving field of nursing.

“This keeps us on the cutting edge of what is taking place in nursing education,” said Rebecca Wiseman, PhD ’93, RN, associate professor

Rebecca Wiseman and Mary Pat Ulicny 18 SUMMER 2016

and chair of the School of Nursing’s program at USG. “You have to upgrade consistently. You can’t just buy equipment and keep it for 10 years and think that you’re being contemporary, because you’re not.”

Among the new simulation equipment is a fully computerized mannequin that enables students to study in a riskfree environment. “We can program a ‘scenario’ into the mannequin,” said Wiseman. “That means we can change vital signs. We can change how the patient—of course, the mannequin—responds to certain decisions made by students.”

“The computer is able to offer multiple approaches to solving a problem,” she

added. “It will then take the student to the natural consequences of that decision. The student will see if their decision is a good one or a bad one. ” Funding for the simulation upgrades came from William and Joanne Conway’s Bedford Falls Foundation Charitable Trust, a private independent foundation in Washington, D.C. The simulation upgrades are “extremely important for our students,” said Mary Pat Ulicny, MS, MHA, RN, CNE, clinical instructor and director of USG’s clinical simulation labs, who added that a 30-percent increase in student enrollment over the past year created “very challenging” circumstances for the program.

She said the computerized mannequin is wireless and will be kept on a newly purchased Stryker chair, a device that enables first responders to quickly move an incapacitated person to safety

Students work together to complete a scenario using a mannequin in the Shady Grove simulation lab.

from multi-story facilities in urgent situations. In addition to helping students grasp the use of real-life equipment, the chair will allow school administrators to easily move the mannequin from building to building, as needed. Ulicny also said another device will allow teachers to simulate a “patient room” inside the classroom.

“We’ve been so challenged by our increased number of students,” she said. “We’ve also been challenged with space. So with these newly purchased items, we can actually change a room into a simulation environment within minutes.”

The simulation instruction “prepares nurses for the environment that we’re sending them out to,” according to Ulicny. “It will help them reach their full potential as registered nurses,” she said.

“Health care is rapidly changing. It’s becoming more complex. Through the

use of these new teaching devices, we can improve health care outcomes.”

“Simulation is a way for faculty members to develop teaching goals for all students so they can gain certain experiences, which we judge to be important for the students,” Wiseman said. “It provides an opportunity where every student can prepare for a particular scenario or a particular knowledge skill that they need.

“Students can learn new things, practice new things, and make mistakes without dire consequences. It becomes a high-stakes thing when you’re working with a real person. You certainly don’t want to go into a room and tell a person, ‘I know what I’m supposed to do, but you’re the first person I’ve done it on,’ ” she added.

Ulicny, who has been at USG for eight years, said keeping up-to-date in the health care field is “absolutely

paramount.” She called the program “a very nurturing environment.”

“It’s a small piece of the University of Maryland School of Nursing,” she said.

“But in that small piece, the USG faculty is very engaged with their students. They have an open-door policy. Students can say they’re having a problem, and faculty members are there to help. “We have a rich learning environment and faculty who are very involved and work together, especially in the sim labs. I love that.”

Ulicny said the USG nursing program is flourishing and that simulation activities have recently expanded by about 20 percent. “It’s been tough to keep up,” she said. “But with the addition of these new items, it’s really providing us with the tools students need to reach their full potential. “We’ve done a lot,” she added.

“Being busy is great. And we love that we’re growing.”

—Steve Ginsburg

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 19

PARTNERSHIPS

Ann Horton

Patricia Franklin, Keith Jacobs, Charlene Frizzera

Gunes Koru

A Change is Going to Come Symposium Explains Shift Toward Home- and CommunityBased Care

T

he “silver tsunami” is coming; how prepared are we for its arrival? This question inspired Keith Jacobs, director of business operations at Maxim Healthcare Services, to approach the University of Maryland School of Nursing as an educational partner to provide a state-of-the-art training program to Maxim’s health care workers. Out of those meetings grew an idea for an “engaging, educational program to inform practitioners, students, and community stakeholders,” said Patricia D. Franklin, PhD, RN, director, professional education, and assiatant professor at the School of Nursing.

In April, Maxim partnered with the School of Nursing to design and host such a program, “The Home- and CommunityBased Care Symposium.”

20 SUMMER 2016

“A unique feature of this symposium was its 360-degree design. We started with the current drivers in health care at a macro-level, explored specific home- and community-based solutions, simulated interprofessional care coordination, then ended with a patient’s personal perspective on complex health care in the home,” said Jacobs.

Charlene Frizzera, president and chief executive officer of CF Health Advisors, kicked off the seminar, drawing upon her experience as the former acting administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, where she was responsible for executing the design and implementation plan for the Affordable Care Act. During her talk, Frizzera emphasized that providers need to change how they do business and patients need to change

their behaviors to really improve health care outcomes. “We need to move from a system that rewards for services,” she said. “We need a system that rewards for providing care that improves patient outcomes.” She highlighted the important role of nurses in the health care system.

“People always appreciated nurses, but now they understand that nurses are critical to making the new system work,” Frizzera said.

Nurses and other health care providers will need to partner with home- and community-based care systems to design new models of care. The aging population of baby boomers, the so-called “silver tsunami’” is an example of a force driving demand for more home-based care. The second speaker, Ann Horton, executive director, Maryland National Capital Homecare Association, addressed this topic in her talk, “Demographic Trends and the

Home Care Space.” She defined the current models of home health care as: Medicarecertified, licensed home health agencies; private duty nursing and personal care agencies; durable medical equipment; and hospice. Her concerns centered on the aging population, the shortage of health care providers, and the “crushing pressure of regulations,” especially for Medicarecertified home health agencies. “Things need to change,” said Horton. “We keep trying to take this jalopy down to the garage to get it fixed, but we need to get rid of this car and get our flying car.”

On that note, Gunes Koru, PhD, associate professor, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, spoke about technology in the home health care setting. People often discuss the transformative potential of technology, however, the on-the-ground facts are more complicated, according to Koru.

The essential challenges for information technology (IT) programs are how to address, “conformity, complexity, changeability, invisibility,” Koru said.

“Does this have to be hard? Likely.” His recommendations for stacking the deck in favor of success included: considering IT and performance improvements together, leveraging existing IT infrastructure, considering on-going costs such as training for staff and maintenance of the system, and paying attention to information exchange at the beginning of IT adoption.

After Koru spoke, the audience engagement portion of the symposium began. “One of the forces shaping health care now is the understanding that it requires coordinated interprofessional care,” said Franklin. “No one professional is equipped to provide the quality of care that people deserve.” She explained that the people taking a seat on the couch and chairs to the left of the podium were going to discuss the patient in the case study, which all the participants had received, as though they were at the beginning stage of coordinating his care. “This is not

meant to solve all the problems, rather to identify the challenges and address them with thoughtful recommendations,” Franklin said. She then explained that she would regularly pause the discussion on the stage to get input from the audience about what they would do in the situation.

The panelists included a primary care provider, pharmacist, caseworker, community and public health representative, and rehabilitative services provider. The primary care provider began the discussion by thanking his fellow health care workers and expressing gratitude for the opportunity to meet face-to-face with them because “that almost never happens.” He expressed his concern for the patient’s current mood and the fact that he lived alone and asked for advice about how to help the patient.

Each health care professional shared suggestions, ranging from getting a home safety assessment done, to managing the patient’s medication, to finding the maximum number of resources available to him through insurance.

When Franklin interjected to ask the audience who else should be on the panel, someone suggested a speech therapist and a durable medical equipment representative. Then a participant said, “the patient” and heads began nodding vigorously throughout the audience.

The panel discussions reinforced both the complexity and necessity of communication between all care

providers. However, they did not include a real home-based care “expert,” a patient.

Then Shane Herbert, a 29-year-old man with muscular dystrophy who lives independently at home, took the stage.

After the microphone was adjusted for him so he could speak from his wheelchair, he began to discuss his experiences from the onset of his disease, around age 5, to the present day. “There was a small period when I got super depressed. But then I got encouragement from nurses and books, and I thought maybe I can figure out some things that would make this not too bad,” he said. “It’s not stubbornness,” he said about living in his home as opposed to a facility. “You want to do what you can for as long as you can.”

Herbert’s talk encapsulated the theme of the symposium, which is that his drive for independence is emblematic of a nationwide trend. While Franklin acknowledged the challenges of homeand community-based care, namely the current lack of infrastructure, she doesn’t see that as “dismaying.” “I see that as a challenge. Here is a whole new area to develop,” she said.

“Patients’ health begins at home. And their disease begins at home,” she said.

“We are slowly but significantly shifting the focus from acute illness and trauma and spending more time and funding to encourage healthy living, healthy lives.

And the focus has to be on the home and the community.” —Jessica Wilson

Shane Herbert UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 21

22 SUMMER 2016

By Terri Reuter

CARING FOR

CHILDREN at Children’s National Medical Center

A

lthough different paths may have brought Jennifer Brown and Craig Woodside to the field of pediatric nursing, both are graduates of the University of Maryland School of Nursing and work for the Children’s National Health Center in Washington, D.C. Brown, BSN ’11, a resident of Montgomery County, began her career as an emergency room nurse at the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters in Virginia, before refocusing her work on intensive care patients. As a result, she decided that working in a critical care setting at a level I trauma center, such as Children’s National, was a challenge she wanted to pursue. For the last three years, Brown has served as a Pediatric Intensive

Care Unit nurse at Children’s National.

“Our duties are vast. We provide different levels of respiratory support, from high flow to oscillation,” she said. This

care includes providing analgesia and sedation to intubated and post-operative patients. “We closely monitor all of our patients, from those with closed head injuries and traumatic brain injuries to post-op renal transplants and spinal fusions,” she said. “We are constantly assessing and reassessing vitals and labs, input and output, making sure the status of our patients remains stable, and intervening as necessary.”

Children’s National also requires all of its critical care nurses to float to other intensive care units (such as cardiac and neonatal intensive care units), so Brown is cross-trained to handle the other units as well. “I would say that the best part of my job comes when we get to simply swaddle little babies and put them to sleep,” Brown said.

She credits the education she received at the School of Nursing for preparing her for her current work in pediatrics.

Above and opposite page: Jennifer Brown checks in on one of her patients. She and her colleagues constantly assess vitals, labs, and the overall status of their patients.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 23

“It was the enthusiasm, kindness, and passion for nursing by several specific instructors at the School that most greatly prepared me for my job today,” Brown said. “I keep them in mind through my everyday practice.”

Brown completed her clinical work at the University of Maryland Medical Center, the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington, and Children’s National.

Even before attending college, Brown said she always knew that she wanted to work with children. “I knew I wanted to go into pediatrics prior to completing my pediatrics rotation at Maryland,” she said. “I felt that pediatrics involved vulnerable populations that were in the hospital for reasons out of their control.”

While it can be difficult to treat sick children and see their grieving families, Brown said she is most rewarded when she sees the children improve and leave the hospital. “Children are so resilient, and they often have good outcomes,” she said. “For those who do not, we support their families in as many ways as possible.”

Certified in pediatrics, Brown said her work in the ICU is also preparing her for her future goal, which is to obtain a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from a nurse anesthetist program. In addition, Brown said she enjoys her role as a resource for newer nurses in her unit, and she often provides advice to nursing students.

“A nursing student once asked me, ‘How do you maintain a code of ethics on a daily basis when there are so many different challenges that arise in which you could take a short cut?’ My response was simply, ‘Every time I’m at work, I ask myself if I could live with myself if I didn’t provide the best care. How would I feel if a care provider did that to me or a loved one?’ The answers to those two questions have guided my nursing practice and made me the nurse I am today.”

Woodside, MS ’12, on the other hand, took a different route to becoming a pediatric nurse. Originally from Norristown, Pa., he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in animal bioscience in 2004 from the Pennsylvania State University. After moving to the Washington, D.C. area for a job at the National Institutes of Health, he worked alongside nurses and other health care workers.

“Through these contacts, I learned that nursing was far more than what I thought it was,” Woodside said. “Nurses play an active role in patient care and developing treatment plans.” Woodside decided to change careers and earned a Master of Science degree as a Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) from the University of Maryland School of Nursing.

He currently serves as a staff nurse on 7East, the medical and respiratory care

unit at Children’s National; is co-chair of the hospital-level Shared Nursing Leadership Resource Council; and is a member of the unit-based Shared Nursing Leadership Council: Resource and Retention.

In his position, Woodside directs care for patients with a multitude of diagnoses. His unit is the largest acute care floor at Children’s National, and it also serves as the overflow unit for the other acute care units.

“Additionally, I am a charge nurse and preceptor for new nurses,” he said. “As a member of the unit-level Resource and Retention Council, I help focus on nurse and staff satisfaction and interventions to increase retention and enhance workflow on the unit.”

As a hospital-level Resource Council co-chair, Woodside develops the agendas, leads meetings, guides the council, measures outcomes, and reports the findings. “Our focus is to help ensure we invest in our nurses by helping to remove barriers to care, increase RN satisfaction, celebrate our nurses, and help direct hospital resources into areas that need improvement,” he said. “Our council, along with the others, played a large role in our Magnet® re-designation.”

Woodside attributes his current success to his coursework at the School of Nursing. “My education and critical

“I learned that nursing was far more than what I thought it was. Nurses play an active role in patient care and developing treatment plans.” —Craig Woodside

Above and opposite page: Craig Woodside checks the vitals of one of his patients. He praises his School of Nursing instructors for preparing him to interact with patients and understand their level of care, medications, and procedures.

24 SUMMER 2016

thinking is top notch as a result,” he said. “I have to credit my professors and clinical instructors for pushing me, making me think through what I was doing, how I would accomplish it, and most importantly, why.”

As a result, Woodside said this approach enabled him to think better not only about bedside nursing, but also about the health care environment.

“It didn’t take long for my managers to realize this, which is why they encouraged me to start joining councils and take on more leadership roles in the hospital and unit.”

In addition, Woodside praises his School of Nursing instructors for preparing him to interact with patients and their families and understanding their level of care, their medications, and their procedures. “The best asset they ensured I had was knowledge,” he said. “This builds trust with the families and my patients when I know what’s going on and can explain why.”

During his first pediatric rotation at the University of Maryland Medical Center, Woodside treated a young cancer patient and became hooked on pediatrics.

“I treated him like a normal seven-yearold, laughed with him, and made him feel comfortable enough to talk to me,” he said. “This interaction changed my outlook from feeling sorry for sick kids to being an active member on their road to recovery. I love building trust with my patients, who may be afraid of health care workers at first, and then run to give them a hug when they go home.”

Although there are times when working in pediatrics is difficult, Woodside said he focuses on helping his patients in any way he can, always being an advocate for them and for their families. Besides his work at Children’s National, Woodside also serves as an adjunct faculty member in pediatrics at Georgetown University School of Nursing.

He teaches traditional nursing students, second-degree students, and

starting this summer, will teach new CNL master’s students. As an instructor, he takes students to observe check-ups and treatments at outpatient clinics and to his 7East unit at Children’s National.

Students then conduct simulations in the Georgetown University lab.

“Taking students to my unit also helps the unit, as the nursing students and I help the nursing staff by alleviating some of their work load,” Woodside said and added that it also puts his unit in a greater position to hire some of these students once they graduate.

Given his work as a nurse, leader, and educator, Woodside said that he would repeat the same career path and not alter a thing. “I changed careers and went to one of the best nursing schools in the nation, which has made all of the difference,” he said. “I can truly say I love my job and look forward to the future challenges for which the University of Maryland School of Nursing has prepared me well.”

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 25

By Dave Ginsburg

LEARNING THE LAW AS A NURSE Maryland Carey School of Law Offers Degree for Non-Legal Professionals

A

s a pediatric surgery nurse, Cozanne Brent, BSN ’06, often finds herself embroiled in legal issues that require first-hand knowledge of law, legislation, and constitutional rights. In an effort to better understand the complicated rules and regulations associated with health care, Brent is pursuing a Master of Science in Law (MSL), a new degree

offered by the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.

Now in the second semester of the two-year curriculum, Brent is already reaping the benefits. “I deal with law every day, including consent for surgery,” she said. “It’s helped me to understand contract law, exactly what you’re asking these families to sign.”

And that’s only part of it. “It helps me be more aware of how government works and how laws and policies are created,” Brent added. “I always wondered how these policies became how we do things, especially in health care. Now I’m able to read legal work better and

26 SUMMER 2016

School of Nursing alumna Cozanne Brent and José BahamondeGonzález, associate dean for professional education at University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 27

I didn’t really want to go to law “school and didn’t want to become a practicing attorney. . . . I felt like this would be a program that would give me extra tools to hopefully use with my nursing career.

”

—Cozanne Brent

understand how these policies come about, what the meat is. Then hopefully, I can write these policies in the future.”

Brent is among 30 professionals enrolled in the first master’s-level program offered by the Carey School of Law. It isn’t just for health care providers.

Brent’s current classmates include a mathematician from the Department of Defense, several human resource professionals, and a U.S. Marine with experience on Capitol Hill.

28 SUMMER 2016

“It’s a new degree for professionals who need legal knowledge to pursue their career goals,” Maryland Carey Law School Dean Donald Tobin, JD, said.

Each student chooses from the MSL’s five specializations: health, environmental, patent law, crisis management, and cybersecurity. José Bahamonde-González, JD, associate dean for professional education for the Carey School of Law, said the program was created by popular demand.

“For years, we’ve been hearing from many individuals about having an interest in coming to the Law School because they wanted to have the knowledge of the law in a specific area but were not interested in pursuing a law degree,” BahamondeGonzález said. “We hired a marketing research firm to see if this was something people would be interested in enrolling in.

The answer came back as a big yes.”

It was perfect for Brent. She has savored the experience and the lessons it provides.

give me extra tools to hopefully use with my nursing career. I didn’t want to give up nursing; I didn’t want to change my career completely.”

Although classes are taught at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP), Maryland Carey School of Law faculty and administrators teach the courses and run the MSL program. The School provides a shuttle for students from Baltimore to UMCP. “I am thrilled that we are able to provide a shuttle between Baltimore and College Park for MSL students who work or live in the Baltimore area,” Bahamonde-González said. “When all this started, leaders at the universities thought it would be a great idea to teach these classes at College Park. From our perspective it was wonderful because we could capture the working professionals in and around the Washington, D.C., suburbs, from D.C. to Virginia to Baltimore.”

Brent usually leaves her Bel Air home for work at 5:30 a.m. When she’s completed her work day, she gets on the shuttle around 4:30 p.m. “It gives me a chance to eat, I can take a nap, or I can

catch up on some reading,” she said.

“Switching from my nursing role and then getting prepared for the class, I need that time on the shuttle to get in the right frame of mind. Also, traffic is usually horrible at the time.”

Brent is on course to be part of the first graduating class, and it appears likely the program is here to stay.

“Assistant Dean Crystal Edwards, JD, reached out to each MSL student after the first semester and requested their feedback. The students told us that they were happy with their classes and lectures, as well as the structure of the program.” Bahamonde-González said.

“We’re actively recruiting for new MSL students, who will start the program in August 2016. We’re happy with the number of prospects who have expressed an interest in the program since the beginning of this academic year. Nevertheless, there is still time to apply!”

To learn more about the Master of Science in Law program, go to: www.law.umaryland. edu/academics/msl and click on the Request Info button, or call 410-706-3492.

“Through everything that has happened with the Affordable Care Act and some of the experiences I’ve had with patients, I believe a legal route would be very interesting for me. I thought of looking online and maybe going to law school, and then I saw the MSL program. I was intrigued because I didn’t really want to go to law school and didn’t want to become a practicing attorney or anything like that. I felt like this would be a program that would

A shuttle provides transportation between UMB and UMCP for MSL students who work or live in the Baltimore area.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 29

KEVIN NASH

“Switching from my nursing role and then getting prepared for the class, I need that time on the shuttle to get in the right frame of mind.” —Cozanne Brent

By Mark Hoeflich

SCHOOL OF NURSING PROMOTES

DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT, ACTION, AND KNOWLEDGE Every student and employee has a personal story.

E For Jeffrey Ash, EdD, this means unique abilities, F backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints that are b vvalued and welcomed.

It is this type of supportive and open-minded environment that Ash hopes to strengthen as the first associate dean of diversity and inclusion at the School of Nursing. Ash leads all of the School’s activities related to diversity and inclusion, partnering with colleagues across the University camp He is also an assistant professor in the School’s of Maryland, Baltimore campus.

Department of Partnerships, Professional Education, and Practice.

“Diversity is one of the University’s core values [accountability, civility, collaboration, diversity, excellence, leadership]; how we embrace it is what makes us a great organization,” said Ash, who has worked within the University System of Maryland for 18 years, most recently as clinical assistant professor at

30 SUMMER 2016

School of Nursing’s first associate dean of diversity and inclusion, Jeffrey Ash

the Erickson School of Management and Aging Studies at University

“

DIVERSITY IS ONE OF

of Maryland, Baltimore County. “My job is to help create opportunities

THE UNIVERSITY’S CORE

for diversity at all levels of our learning and working environment, where

VALUES [ACCOUNTABILITY,

everyone feels included.”

CIVILITY, COLLABORATION, DIVERSITY, EXCELLENCE,

With a career primarily focused on leadership and organizational development, including diversity and inclusion in higher education, Ash

LEADERSHIP]; HOW WE

brings a different perspective to building a culture of trust in which everyone

EMBRACE IT IS WHAT

is nurtured to prosper personally and professionally. “A few years ago, you

MAKES US A GREAT

didn’t hear ‘inclusion’ mentioned with ‘diversity,’ but it is equally important,”

ORGANIZATION.

Ash said. “Once students, faculty, and staff are here,

”

—Jeffrey Ash

inclusiveness is extremely valuable. They need to see important dimensions of their identity.”

Ash hopes to bolster recruitment of underrepresented minority students, as well as develop programs for mentoring new staff and gender inclusiveness training. Efforts to recruit

UNIVERSITY UNI IVER VERS SITY OF M MARYLAND ARYL RYLAND SCHOOL SCHOO SC HOOL L OF OF NURSING NURS NU RSIING 31

nursing students from diverse backgrounds include increasing partnerships with local schools. The idea is to expose students to careers in nursing at a young age. These pipeline partnerships are essential to attracting nursing students who better reflect the diverse patient populations they will serve.

Ethnic and racial minorities comprise more than 30 percent of all patients, according to the Institute of Diversity in Healthcare Management. Yet slightly more than 25 percent of registered nurses are from minority groups. And 32 SUMMER 2016

men make up less than 10 percent of the nursing workforce.

More than 40 percent of the School of Nursing’s 1,714 students are from minority groups. Nationally, the number of minority students in baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs has steadily increased over the past five years.

Nearly 30 percent of students at each level of education represent minority populations, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

“Much of it is about relationship building and establishing trust within the community,” Ash said. “It’s being

strategic in how and where we recruit, and diverse in our approach.”

Under the supervision of Kate Scott, MPH, RN, a clinical instructor at the School of Nursing, School of Nursing students visit fourth- and fifth-graders at The Historic Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Elementary School in west Baltimore.

The elementary school is a clinical site for a community health nursing group and part of Promise Heights, a neighborhood initiative dedicated to improving the educational, social, health, and economic opportunities of children from birth to college or career. Mentorship and

are vital to improving quality and safety, promoting wellness, reducing health disparities, and reshaping our health care system. The School of Nursing serves as a co-leader of the Maryland Action Coalition, and faculty and staff have been working diligently to implement the recommendations set forth in the Future of Nursing report.

The Maryland Coalition’s State Implementation Plan calls for greater diversity and inclusiveness of the nursing work force, students, faculty, and leaders, as well as establishing methods for assessing and advancing diversity among these groups. The work of the Maryland Action Coalition is supported by a $150,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The 18-month grant began in January 2016 and lasts through December 2017.

“The coalition is bringing together diverse nursing associations, health care

leaders, and men in nursing to look at what is working and where to focus to help nurses transition to the work force setting and know how to work together,” said Rebecca Wiseman, PhD ’93, RN, associate professor and chair of the School of Nursing’s program at the Universities at Shady Grove, who also is the project director for the State Implementation Plan.

In his short time with the School of Nursing, Ash has found that one of the many bright spots is the commitment of Dean Jane Kirschling to a diverse and inclusive academic experience. “The fact that my position exists speaks volumes about her commitment and willingness to make changes,” Ash said. “The welcome I have received lets me know people want to be involved and they are looking for someone to help strengthen and be visible in these efforts.”

ASH HOPES TO BOLSTER RECRUITMENT OF UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY STUDENTS, AS WELL AS DEVELOP PROGRAMS FOR MENTORING NEW STAFF AND GENDER INCLUSIVENESS TRAINING.

School of Nursing staff members discuss the many ways diversity can be applied to the work environment in a Lunch and Learn session with Jeffrey Ash.

exposure to new ideas is key to encouraging new ways of thinking and empowering youth.

Ash is also leading the diversity action plan for the Maryland Action Coalition, one of 51 coalitions named by the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, a national initiative to implement the recommendations from the Institute of Medicine’s report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. The campaign is working to empower nurses to transform health and health care.

Nurses make up the largest segment of the health care work force, and they

Laurelyn Irving, (bottom left photo) ombudsperson for the School of Nursing, asks attendees to share their thoughts on the importance of feeling included.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 33

DISCOVERY

Luana Colloca and her lab team Front row: Luana Colloca, Taylor Ludman, Nicole Corsi. Back row: Sam Krimmel, Lieven Schenk

Exploiting Placebo Effects Research Aims at Improving Care, Understanding Pain

L

uana Colloca, MD, PhD, jokes that she’s a “placebologist.” But studying the neurobiological basis for pain and the placebo and nocebo effects is serious stuff— with tremendous clinical and ethical implications. In fact, the research prompted Colloca, who has a medical degree and a doctorate in neuroscience, to obtain yet another degree—a master’s in bioethics. She approaches the study

34 SUMMER 2016

of pain and the placebo effect not only as a psychological phenomenon, but as a neurobiological phenomenon, and one that has been documented with objective research approaches.

As a newly minted doctor, she wanted to make a difference in medicine and symptom management, and she began working on a research project involving deep brain stimulation in Parkinson’s disease. She started her career studying

the changes in human neural activity in response to a pharmacological conditioning. A saline solution given after repetitive injections of apomorphine, an anti-Parkinson’s medication, induced apomorphine-like effects at the level of neural activity recorded from the brain’s subthalamic region.

“This turned me into a placebologist,” Colloca said. “I wanted to know more and more about the mechanisms underlying

placebo effects and particularly in the field of pain, an endemic burden.”

One thing research revealed is that a placebo given after a repetitive administration of non-opioid drugs such as aspirin or ketorolac produced aspirin- or ketorolac-like effects.

Similarly, a placebo given after repetitive administrations of morphine produced morphine-like effects. That holds considerable promise for reducing pain with lower drug intake.

Colloca, who is an associate professor at the School of Nursing, created a research agenda exploring pain perception, processing, and modulation in which the expectancy of analgesic relief, which can actually activate endogenous systems, is explored from a psychoneurobiological perspective from genetics to brain imaging. Such research raises the possibility of unfolding the mechanisms of expectancy-induced analgesia with potential implications for pain management.

Conditioning and learning studies by Colloca holds promise for understanding pain modulation. Colloca’s team uses brief experimental high pain and low pain stimulations paired with visual cues, with the scope to investigate the role of conditioning on pain processing and perception. After learning the associations, participants perceive less pain when they receive high pain while seeing the visual cue for low pain, and this analgesic experience is linked to specific brain modulatory changes.

Placebo research is rather fascinating.

The effect was first realized in the 1950s, when an anesthesiologist, Henri Beecher from Harvard University, was in Italy helping injured soldiers. When they ran out of morphine, the nurse injected a saline solution, and Henri observed the benefits.

One study that compared arthroplasty knee surgery to a sham knee surgery—a surgeon cut the skin but didn’t do anything else—found that up to two years later, the patients who had received the sham surgery were

doing just as well as those who had the real surgery.

The use of an “impure” placebo further muddies the waters. An impure placebo is an active medication given in a situation where it is not expected to have efficacy, such as giving antibiotics to someone with a virus. It would be unethical for a practitioner to prescribe a sugar pill, but as most people know, antibiotics don’t cure a virus, although the patient feels better having a prescription. Rather, placebo research suggests that health practitioners should exploit placebo effects depending upon brain modulatory systems.

Boosting expectancies of analgesia and conditioning effects might have implications for how painkiller treatment strategies are planned.

At the opposite end of the spectrum is the nocebo effect. A nocebo effect is an adverse event produced by negative expectancies, and it can modulate the outcome of a given therapy in a negative way. Past experiences, social observation, and verbal suggestions can produce that effect.

In an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2012, Colloca cited a study of women requesting labor epidural analgesia. The women were told either, “We are going to give you a local anesthetic that will numb the area, and you will be comfortable during the procedure” or “You are going to feel a big bee sting; this is the worst part of the procedure.” The phrasing produced different pain outcomes, and the positive framing induced significantly lower pain.

This research has implications on how a nurse at the bedside informs patients about symptoms, pain relief, and procedures. Clinicians and nurses must find a way to balance communicating important clinical information that a patient has a right to know—and it’s critical to be truthful—while minimizing negative instructions and a negative therapeutic context. “It’s not merely policy; we are talking about neurobiology,”

Colloca said. “I believe there is a lot that can be taught to students.”

Placebo and nocebo effects have implications beyond pain management.

Research in 1962 in Japan found that men who were allergic to lacquer trees reacted to resin from harmless trees when they were told that the resin was from a lacquer tree. Their reactions were severe, including skin rashes that lasted for days. Although that study was not replicated, other studies found that telling asthma patients that they are inhaling an allergen led to bronchoconstriction, even though they were actually given nebulized saline.

The placebo effect got a bad rap with the advent of double-blind placebocontrolled studies, because it was viewed as a nuisance to be controlled for, rather than a neurobiological phenomenon in its own right. Further exploration of placebo and nocebo effects promises exciting findings.

“We have healing processes in our brain, and we don’t use them fully,” Colloca said. “Clinicians and nurses need to be aware that we have these powerful brain modulatory systems, and their impact on health outcomes is long lasting. The ethical and translational implications of this research can be relevant in medicine.”

—Nancy Menefee Jackson

Luana Colloca

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 35

DISCOVERY

Piscotty Tackling Errors of Omission in Nursing Study Focuses on Expensive, Nearly Invisible Problem

R

onald Piscotty, Jr., PhD, RN-BC, is tackling a longstanding challenge in nursing—namely, the law of omission. “The challenge for nursing care is the lack of documentation,” said Piscotty, who joined the School of Nursing as an assistant professor in September 2015. Another challenge is alert fatigue, as the sheer number of these alerts may overwhelm some nurses.

Piscotty recently finished a $10,000 study on the topic of errors of omission for the American Organization of Nurse Executives Foundation. Unlike errors of commission, which tend to be highly documented, errors of omission are not as well recognized.

All health care errors are seen as the third major cause of death in the United States. In addition, such errors have a financial and organizational cost estimated to be more than $17 billion annually. However, very little research has focused on the errors of omission component of these costs.

Piscotty is taking a systems approach to study how these subtle errors of omission may take more time for clinicians to recognize. He discerned that previous studies about the relationship between nursing care and electronic reminder usage associated with missed nursing care indicated that nurses who used reminders had fewer errors of omission. Other issues examined the impact of new technology on nursing. For example, a positive perception of health information technology suggests that nurses who

36 SUMMER 2016

Ronald Piscotty, Jr.

embrace newer forms of technology had better opportunities for providing critical care.

To reach his results, Piscotty used a descriptive cross-sectional correlational design with adjusted hierarchical multiple regression analysis to determine outcomes. He reports that the sample size (N=124) was composed of medical, surgical, and acute care hospital-based RNs working in a large Midwestern teaching hospital.

A MISSCARE Survey, Nursing Care Reminders Usage Survey, and Impact of Health Care Information Technology Survey were used to collect data.

“There might be other reminder

systems that do not focus on nursing skills that may redefine current nursing information practices,” said Piscotty.

He is pursuing additional funding to continue and to expand his study of such practices. Piscotty plans to examine other systems to suggest how relationships between self-reported nursing care reminder usage and missed nursing care can be improved.

He believes that bringing clarity to this issue and creating more interest among professionals will improve error recognition, its documentation, and the ability of nurses to reduce the costly impact of errors of omission.

—Barbara Pash

Your gift in support of scholarships for University of Maryland School of Nursing students could be matched 50 cents on the dollar!

The University of Maryland Baltimore Foundation (UMBF) has extended its successful matching initiative until December 31, 2016. Take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to create a named scholarship at the School and have your contribution matched by 50 percent*. Many School of Nursing students will benefit from these much-needed scholarships. You can help us bring the best and brightest minds to the University of Maryland School of Nursing— and keep them here!

Example of how the match works: A gift of $25,000 would be matched with $12,500 from UMBF. The endowed named scholarship of $36,000** would provide approximately $1,400 per year to a deserving student or students. * To qualify for the matching funds, you must make a minimum commitment of $16,667 and complete your pledge in five years or fewer. ** All gifts and pledges to UMSON will be assessed at 6% to aid our advancement efforts and to follow best practices in university development.

To make this thoughtful, philanthropic gift in your name or in the name of a loved one, contact Laurette Hankins, associate dean for development and alumni relations, at hankins@son.umaryland.edu or 410-706-4008.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 37

HEALTHY DIALOGUE

Protecting Your Newborn’s Skin and the Benefits of Breastfeeding Solaiman Offers Expertise in These Two Vital Areas

A

njana Ali Solaiman, MS ’09, RNC, IBCLC, is a clinical instructor at the School of Nursing’s Shady Grove location. She is responsible for both the lecture and clinical components of the undergraduate education in maternal child health nursing. Solaiman also teaches the undergraduate senior practicum course, undergraduate information technology, and the Clinical Nurse Leader maternal child health course. Her clinical practice includes service as a nurse in labor and delivery and the special-care nursery at a local community hospital. Solaiman is a DNP candidate and holds a master’s degree in Health Service Leadership and Management and post-master’s certificates in Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions and Environmental Health Nursing from the University

Anjana Ali Solaiman 38 SUMMER 2016

of Maryland School of Nursing. She recently discussed some of the best skin care techniques for newborns and the impact of breastfeeding on the child and mother.

Q: What are some common skin conditions in newborns?

SOLAIMAN: The most common skin conditions that we see in newborns include diaper rash, cradle cap, and contact dermatitis. These conditions are mostly preventable or very treatable at home.

Q: How do you prevent and/or treat them?

SOLAIMAN: With diaper rash, it’s best

to change the diaper often. You can prevent diaper rash from happening if you are minimizing the time the infant is exposed to the products in the diaper.

So, changing the diaper, usually every two to three hours, is really important.

As a general rule, every time the baby is fed, the diaper should be changed. Some babies are more sensitive to certain diapers, depending on the chemicals that are used in the manufacturing of the diaper. Or, if someone is using cloth diapers, in the detergent they are using to wash the diapers. So, that may contribute to the rash. Another way to prevent diaper rash is by using a barrier cream containing zinc oxide.

This is usually not necessary but can be helpful if skin irritation is present. I would prefer that the cream not have any fragrance or dye in it. Some creams have a petroleum-based emollient in them, which is helpful.

Q: Should a certain soap be used for a newborn’s bath?

SOLAIMAN: We use Castile soap in the

hospital where I practice. Before, we were using a different product, which contained dyes and fragrances. We switched to Castile soap because it does not contain those ingredients, which can be harmful to the baby, and it is also more cost-effective.

Q: What about lotions and powder?

SOLAIMAN: Lotions and powders are not recommended. The baby can actually inhale the particles in the powder, which could be harmful for the baby’s lungs.

Lotions are usually unnecessary. A lot of the lotions on the market contain a fragrance or artificial color, and putting that on the baby’s skin is not advised.

If you are concerned about having moisture on the skin, and the skin happens to be very dry, you could use petroleum jelly or olive oil—something that is very pure. In general, when you are looking at the back of a product that you are going to use on yourself as a new mom or a product you are going to use on the newborn, you want to look at the ingredients. The more ingredients, especially the ones with long chemical names that you can not pronounce, the worse it is going to be for the baby.

Q: Do newborns need sunscreen?

SOLAIMAN: Sunscreen is not

recommended for newborns. It should only be applied to babies who are at least six months of age. In terms of

protecting newborns, they should be kept out of direct sunlight. They should be wearing clothing, whenever possible, that provides SPF protection. Some clothing will provide more protection depending upon the thickness of the fabric. Many labels on clothing will provide information on SPF protection, particularly beach and pool wear. A wide-brim hat can also protect the baby’s face. But use common sense. Try not to take the baby out in the middle of the day when the sun’s rays are at their strongest, but aim for early morning or evening walks, when the sun is not directly overhead.

Q: While on the topic of newborns, what are the advantages of breastfeeding for the baby?

SOLAIMAN: There are so many benefits

to breastfeeding. It protects the baby from ear infections, upper and lower respiratory problems, and allergies. It can protect the baby from developing diarrhea; it can help the baby avoid colds and other viruses. Long-term effects include decreasing adulthood obesity, and breastfeeding can also help to prevent insulin-dependent diabetes later in life. It can help prevent chronic diseases. Breastfeeding can help decrease some cancers. It is also beneficial to the baby’s dental health.

Specifically for females, breastfeeding can reduce the risk of breast or ovarian

cancer. Urinary tract infections can also be decreased with breastfeeding.

Q: How does the mother specifically benefit from breastfeeding?

SOLAIMAN: Short-term benefits for

breastfeeding mothers include the lack of menstruation, decreased post-partum hemorrhage risk, and therefore less iron deficiency related anemia. Also, there is increased uterine involution and weight loss.

Long-term benefits include decreasing the risks of reproductive cancers later in life, better glucose and insulin balance for gestational and Type I diabetic mothers, and it also decreases osteoporosis in mothers.

I would be remiss if I didn’t also say that financially, breastfeeding is fiscally responsible. It is far cheaper to breastfeed than to formula feed.

Additionally, in the long term, there is strong data to support that health care spending is less for breastfed babies and fewer days of work are taken off (both mom and dad to stay home with a sick baby) if babies are breastfed.

Q: What if the mother can’t produce milk or can’t breastfeed?

SOLAIMAN: If a mom is having problems with breastfeeding, she should consult with an internationally board-

certified lactation consultant. The quicker the mom gets help, the quicker she will be able to get good results. A lot of issues can be worked through. Even if a mom can’t build up a supply that is enough to fully feed her baby, providing some breast milk is better than none at all. If there is a real problem and mom is not able to make any breast milk, there are donor milk banks that are available and regulated in North America. Breast milk in donor banks is usually reserved for severely premature or critically ill infants.

Q: What is the best alternative to breast milk?

SOLAIMAN: If the baby is not premature or critically ill, and the mom is not able to breastfeed, I would recommend infant formula. Infant formula is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, so there are many brands from which to choose, and all of them have to meet strict guidelines.

Q: What is the ideal age to wean a baby?

SOLAIMAN: There are a couple of schools of thought. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that the baby should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months, and that nursing after that can continue up to 12 months or longer. The World Health Organization recommends that babies are exclusively breastfed for the first six months and that breastfeeding can continue up to two years of age or beyond. The more breastfeeding, the better. There is no hard cutoff date.

—Todd Karpovich

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 39

PHILANTHROPY

Positive Focus

Legacy Society

T

T

his spring, the School of Nursing’s courtyard, off Lombard Street, was framed with stunning pink cherry blossoms.

At the Universities at Shady Grove, large terra cotta planters displayed bright red and yellow tulips. The beauty of the season was apparent.

Yet the world has not always seemed so attractive in the past year. It has been a challenge to watch the news without learning about some new occurrence of violence, or a further lowering of standards for human discourse.

Finding something positive on which to focus became essential, and still is.

In times like these, the very real light shed by the symbolic nursing flame is all the more crucial and life-affirming. There will inevitably be illness and injury; there will be violence and pain. But there will also be nurses—in the clinic, the classroom, or the laboratory— who will play tremendous roles in healing patients, educating nurses to higher skill levels, and discovering critical interventions and best practices. They offer competency and compassion, and they provide positive outcomes.

The sobering news is that the field of nursing will always be a vital necessity. The news truly worth celebrating is that the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s faculty, staff, students, donors, and more than 22,000 alumni continue to do all they can to make this a better, healthier world. The combined impact is formidable! It is an honor to be a part of this magnificent community.

he School of Nursing’s Legacy Society is named in honor of pioneering nurse and philanthropist LOUISA PARSONS. Parsons was the first superintendent of the School and made the first planned gift to the School in 1916. This gift began a long tradition of philanthropy. The Louisa Parsons Legacy Society is comprised of individuals who, like Parsons, have the desire to support future generations of students and nurses.

Whether you wish to support scholarships, research, faculty positions, or other areas of need, there are several methods by which you can benefit the School via your estate plans. A planned gift can be designed to achieve your financial and philanthropic goals and makes you eligible for membership in our Louisa Parsons Legacy Society.

The Louisa Parsons Legacy Society In gratitude to the members of the legacy society Estate of Robert Ageton and Myrtle Ageton, DIN ’44 Janet D. Allan Anonymous Floraine B. Applefeld

With appreciation,

Estate of Carolyn V. Arnold Estate of Zabelle S. Howard Beard Deborah S. Beatty, MS ’96 Ann Bennett, MS ’69 Marjorie Stamler Bergemann

Laurette L tt L. L Hankins H ki Associate Dean for Development and Alumni Relations hankins@son.umaryland.edu

Jean L. Bloom, DIN ’46 Estate of Mary J. Brewer Estate of E. L. Bunderman, DIN ’31 Ann Ottney Cain Estate of Dorothy C. Calafiore, BSN ’51 Shirley E. Callahan, DIN ’52 Avon B. Chisholm

40 SUMMER 2016

Making a planned gift to the School of Nursing doesn’t have to be complicated. Even better, these gifts have no immediate impact on your current lifestyle but will make a significant difference to future nursing students. Some popular types of planned gifts include: >>Bequests and Other Gifts—After providing for your loved ones, you can designate a gift to the School of Nursing.

Charitable bequests can include cash, securities, real estate, or other property.

They may be for a specific percentage of your estate, a fixed dollar amount, or the part remaining after fulfilling other bequests. >>Life Income Gifts—These enable you to make a gift to the School of Nursing while receiving an income for life.

Benefits also include federal income and state tax deductions, increased income from low-yield assets, and preferential capital gains tax treatment on gifts of long-term appreciated property.

As is evident by viewing the Louisa Parsons Legacy Society list, many of our alumni and friends have already discovered that a planned gift can be an invaluable component of their financial and charitable planning. Whether you are seeking to satisfy current income and estate tax needs, prepare for

Louisa Parsons

retirement, or make low yielding assets more productive, a carefully crafted planned gift may provide a solution that satisfies your needs.

To learn more about making a planned gift to the School of Nursing, please contact: > Laurette L. Hankins Associate Dean for Development and Alumni Relations University of Maryland School of Nursing 410-706-7640 hankins@son.umaryland.edu

> Thomas F. Hofstetter, JD, LLM Senior Director of Planned Giving 877-706-4406 plannedgiving@umaryland.edu http://www.umbfplannedgiving.org

Estate of Gladys B. and Lansdale G. Clagett

Jeanette Jones, MS ’70

Linda E. Rose, PhD ’92

Estate of Bonnie L. Closson, BSN ’61

Jean W. Keenan, DIN ’48

Estate of Amelia Carol Sanders, DIN ’53

Claudette Clunan, BSN ’72

Anita M. Langford, MS ’79, BSN ’77

Patricia A. Saunders, BSN ’68

Stephen Cohen

Cynthia P. Lewis, BSN ’58 and Jack C. Lewis

Estate of William Donald Schaefer

Regina M. Cusson, MS ’79

Estate of Ann Madison, BSN ’62

Phyllis J. Scharp, BSN ’50

Estate of Mary Jane Custer

Mildred Madsen, BSN ’73

Pamela Schrank, BSN ’68 and W. Winslow Schrank

Carol Distasio, MS ’73

Myrna Mamaril, MS ’93

Sandra Schoenfisch, MS ’76

Celeste A. Dye, BSN ’66

Estate of Lois Marriott

Estate of Beverly Seeley

Lura Jane Emery, MS ’79

Joan Nicholason Martellotto, BSN ’66

Deborah K. Shpritz, MS ’82, BSN ’78 and Louis Shpritz

Julie Fortier, MS ’68

Margaret A. McEntee, MS ’73

Estate of Betty Lou Shubkagel, BSN ’54

Beth Ann Gan, BSN ’77

Estate of Wealtha McGurn

Estate of Anna Mae Slacum

Mary H. Gilley, DIN ’44

Beverly Meadows, MS ’84, BSN ’69

Estate of Marie V. Stimpson, MS ’89, BSN ’84

Debbie Gilbert Glassman, MS ’79, BSN ’75

Joan L. Meredith, BSN ’62

Jacquelyn Jones Stone, MS ’71

Judah Gudelsky

Sharon L. Michael, BSN ’71

Ginger V. Swisher, DIN ’49

Carolyn Cook Handa, BSN ’63

Nancy J. Miller, BSN ’73

Shirley B. Teffeau, BSN ’55

Sharon Hanopole, BSN ’66

Patricia Gonce Morton, PhD ’89, MS ’79

Courtney Ann Kehoe Thomas, BSN ’66

Barbara Heller-Walsh

Lyn Murphy, MS ’01 and John Murphy

Virginia D. Thorson, BSN ’55

Estate of Marie L. Hesselbach

Elizabeth O’Connell, MS ’74, BSN ’73

Estate of Norma C. Tinker, BSN ’48

Carol A. Huebner, PhD ’90

Daniel O’Neal III, BSN ’66

Estate of Martha C. Trate, BSN ’48

Estate of Kjerstine K. Hoffman, DIN ’47

Harriet Palmer-Willis, BSN ’68

Marion Burns Tuck, MS ’80

Margaret H. Iles, DIN ’53

Charlene Passmore, BSN ’77

Joella D. Warner, BSN ’64

Catherine Ingle, BSN ’61

Ann E. Roberts, BSN ’93

Margaret C. Wilmoth, MS ’79, BSN ’75

Estate of Mary McCotter Jackson

Estate of Margaret Robinson

Estate of Patricia Yow

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 41

PHILANTHROPY

Cianci Establishes Scholarship Fund for DNP Students

M

arlene Cianci’s 37-year nursing career covered a lot of areas. She worked in medical-surgical nursing, community health, teaching, and administration, helping numerous people along the way.

Now, she’s found another way to help a lot more people. Cianci, PhD, MS ’66, BSN ’65, recently established the Marlene Hockenberry Cianci DNP Scholarship Endowment fund that will help support students enrolled in the School of Nursing’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, an act she takes a lot of pride in for several reasons.

“Establishing a scholarship fund has been my intention for many years,” Cianci said.

“After meeting other obligations—and with a little friendly persuasion from Laurette Hankins, associate dean for development and alumni relations at the School—this seemed like an appropriate time.”

Cianci has been involved in the field of

nursing in a number of ways throughout her career. She retired from George Mason University (GMU) in 1999, where she taught public health and worked as a clinical coordinator for 25 years. She also earned her PhD in nursing history and a certificate in international nursing at GMU. Cianci spent her early years growing up

on a farm in Bucks County, Pa. She started to become interested in nursing after her father passed away at Abingdon Hospital.

Cianci then graduated from Abingdon’s Diploma in Nursing program and later earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science from the School of Nursing and worked on the School’s faculty for 2½ years.

She said that the recently established Affordable Care Act, which brings a need for more well-prepared primary care providers, is what pushed her to direct this fund to DNP students. Cianci also has a strong belief in, and is very supportive of, preventive care.

Cianci said that she benefited from United States Public Health Services Title I and Title II grants from 1964–1966. Even though these grants funded her education, when Cianci reached a time in her life when she had the ability to pay them back, she did so through annual donations to the School of Nursing.

“Once that ‘debt’ was paid, it seemed like

Tancredi Opens Doors for Aspiring Nurses

S

usan L. Tancredi always has been grateful for the chances she received that enabled her to experience a rewarding career in the nursing field.

Now, she is trying to help others receive chances similar to those that came her way so that they can benefit also.

She and her husband, Peter Tancredi, have established the Dora E. and Susan L. Tancredi, MS ’79, BSN ’69, Scholarship Endowment fund that will support undergraduate or graduate nursing students at the School of Nursing, the place that helped launch her nursing 42 SUMMER 2016

career. Susan Tancredi said that she wanted to start this fund as a way to honor her mother-in-law, Dora, for the encouragement she gave her while working through graduate school at the School of Nursing.

“Both Dora and my mother didn’t have the opportunity to receive education because of the culture and limited financial resources during their era,” she said. “My husband, Peter, and I are very grateful that we both received scholarships that enabled us to have the successful careers we’ve had.”

She is a graduate of the School of Nursing’s Walter Reed Army Institute of

Nursing (WRAIN) program, which was a joint program that existed between the School of Nursing and the Department of the Army beginning in 1964. WRAIN was designed to increase the number of Army nurses available during the Vietnam War era. The program ended in 1978.

Tancredi then served in the military for 20 years and later worked as an orthopedic nurse practitioner at Southern California Permanente Medical Group from 1989– 2005, as well as an employee occupational health nurse practitioner at Sharp Healthcare in San Diego from 2006–2015.

Both she and her husband are retired with the rank of Lt. Col. Now, with the trust endowment established, Tancredi can look forward to having the chance to help others find a career as fulfilling as hers was.

Giving for the Love of Nursing a good idea to keep on going through a scholarship endowment,” Cianci said.

“Doing so is my small contribution to the nation’s health while helping other nurses achieve their goals.”

Cianci believes strongly in trying to help this country remain in good health.

“A country is only as strong as the health of its people,” she said. “My motto is to give back and pay forward.”

She also said that the number of direct beneficiaries (students) is going to be determined by the School of Nursing.

However, indirectly, many more people are going to benefit as recipients of the advanced and skilled nursing care provided by the DNP graduates.

In other words, teaching more people the right ways to provide care will help more people stay in good health. That’s why this fund can ultimately be very helpful in so many ways.

—Jeff Seidel

“We wanted to establish this trust endowment as our way to pay it forward to give other students the opportunity to receive the education needed to have a professionally rewarding nursing career,” she said. Initially, this fund is going to help one person at a time. But she said that ultimately, it’s going to fund as many as are eligible for it.

Tancredi added that she would be available and welcome the opportunity to serve as an advisor/mentor. Helping others move forward toward their nursing goals is something that’s important to her. “My dream is that these recipients will carry on this dream and give back by helping other students in need,” she said.

—Jeff Seidel

T

he career choice for Debbie Gilbert Glassman, MS ’79, BSN ’75, is the embodiment of a life-long family tradition that giving should start from one’s self. Whether it’s been her time or experience providing patient care or doing volunteer work for various organizations, giving is what made Glassman choose nursing.

It began with a very large undergraduate class of students from diverse backgrounds. Many nursesin-training, including Glassman, were offered practice in several hospitals across the region.

“They were very challenging but exciting times to have such a diverse pool of experiences and expertise,” remembered Glassman, who attended the School of Nursing for both undergraduate and graduate school. Her graduate school class had fewer than 20 students. “This was an amazing experience because the level of knowledge and support of the individuals made it possible to get through the tough years,” she said.

Glassman believed that, “the hard work in grad school paved the road for both the existing students and prospective ones.” She fondly remembered one of the most influential figures in school, Dr. Rachel Booth, “an amazing leader” whose strength inspired her to become the nurse she is today.

Almost immediately after graduation, Glassman’s gratifying career began. She took a job as an adult nurse practitioner, providing routine health care for war veterans, who stole her heart with their never-ending stories of life in times of war and peace. That was just the beginning of what the profession had to offer her.

“I had chosen nursing because you could create your own destiny,

what directions to take your life, and determine your legacy,” Glassman said.

Her next position was in research at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center for the National Institute of Aging, where she worked with the elderly, evaluating urinary incontinence.

Afterward, Glassman became a patient care manager and nurse practitioner of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging with the Gerontology Research Center.

Today, as a nurse practitioner and associate risk manager at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center

in Baltimore, a nearly three-decade role that has given her numerous experiences and learning opportunities, Glassman often recalls the basic principle of the nursing profession.

“Nursing is about making it a safe place for all of us,” she said. “The best part of nursing is that while you strive for excellence in yourself, you can inspire others.”

Hence, inspiring others is a form of giving for Glassman. “I give to the School of Nursing because it has been a pioneer institution in producing leaders, such as me. I want to thank the School for that and I want the School to be able to continue with its legacy.”

—Parisa Saranj

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 43

ALUMNI PULSE class of 1966

Front row: Dean Jane Kirschling, Cynthia Cole Franklin, Susan Katz Leibowitz, Carole Harryman Ricker, Pat Knights Beneshan, Carol Hale Crawford Middle row: Rosemary Elliott Noble, Sharon Leiderman Hanopole, Geri Mendelson, Diane Merwitz Postol, Karen Hall Reichert, Vicki Duke, Marilyn Allen Jameson, Ann Riutort Brookens Last row: Nancy Baumann Lerner, Dan O’Neal, Judy Hoar Carpenter, Jane Lenderking Talbott, Susan Dorsey Wilson, Claire Payne Greenhouse, Judy Miller, Gayle Evans Miller

2016 Alumni Reunion Celebration

M

ore than 100 alumni, faculty, and guests

classmates, reminisced about their days as nursing

returned to the School of Nursing on Saturday,

students, and commemorated the 10th anniversary of

April 16 to celebrate class years ending in “1”

the CNL option. Members of the Class of 1966, who

and “6,” and all Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) master’s

celebrated their 50th anniversary, were inducted into

program graduates. Attendees connected with former

the new Heritage Class.

class of 1956

Front row: Josephine Nocke Gillen, Lillie Baxter Largey, Jean Friese Yeakel Back row: Sarah Barnes Keating, Caroline Cooper Lister, Shirley Jane Bramble Lentz 44 SUMMER 2016

class of 1971

Front row: Flo Strawser, MaryMartha Kuhn, Zoe Bouchelle Back row: Gail Giles Kestler, Barbara Miller O’Connor, Mary “Muffy” Deeley, Linda Golla Anezin, Anne Hoehl Hale

class of 1976

class of 1981

Front row: Cynthia Divens Sweeney, Romona Lewis Back row: Vicki Roberts Lentz, Teresa Gray-Jones, Valerie Patterson Richardson

class of 1986

Nancy Kubasik, Corinne Friend Fender, Laura Hearson

class of 1991

Tracey White, Faye Glace Trageser

class of 2011

Nicole Brynes, Michele Rosales

Front row: Margaret Koehler, Denice Davis, Sue Nonemaker, Ellen Friedler Goldstone, Linda Thomas Middle row: Christine Birch Rogers, Anne Grafton, Kathleen Connors de Laguna, Karen Schmitt McQuillan Back row: Linda Schroeder Wadsworth, Ellen Bernstein Allin, Lisa Smith McCarl, Barbara Lehman Fitzsimmons, Margaret Craig Kimbell

class of 1996

class of 2001

Robin “Rio” Ratermanis, Conrad Gordon, Beth Ann Martucci, Felicia Kilby Benjamin

Dawn Clayton, Christine Provance Dawson

MS/CNL

Renae McDermott, Jessica Wright, Erin O’Grady Barnaba, Carrie Fisher Jacobs UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 45

ALUMNI PULSE class news and notes 1960s

1980s

1970s

Sarah Snyder DeRossi, BSN ’66, worked at local hospitals in Pa. and N.Y. after graduating from UMSON. She married Robert DeRossi and moved to Indianapolis, where they raised their daughter. Sarah worked at the Indianapolis/Marion County Public Library for 11 years. She now resides in Naples, Fla.

Judith Miller, MS, BSN ’66, RN, FAAN, retired in 2015 as a principal at Galloway Consulting, an international consulting firm that develops and implements customized solutions for hospitals and health systems operations integration. She retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Nurse Corps in 1993, after 15 years of military service.

Phyllis Sharps, PhD ’88, BSN ’70, RN, FAAN, professor and associate dean for community programs and initiatives at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing (JHUSON), was installed as the Elsie M. Lawler Chair at JHUSON in February 2016.

Karen Armacost, BSN ’77, RN, volunteers

Kathleen Kaufman, MS, BSN ’78, RN, who

at the Caroline Center in Baltimore City, teaching theory to young women who are training to become nursing assistants.

In 2013, she retired from Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center after working in geriatrics for 25 years.

retired in 2012 after a 25-year career at the University of Utah College of Nursing (UUCN), has had a lifetime passion for nursing history. A special event was held at UUCN in January to unveil the new display, “Legacy of Nursing,” in honor of Kathleen and her efforts to preserve nursing history.

Barbara A. Dralnick, MS ’72, retired from the U.S. Air Force Nurse Corps in 1993 after 22 years of service. She then worked for the Mercaldo Law Firm in Tucson, Ariz., as a nurse paralegal, until her retirement in 2015.

David Vlahov, PhD, MS ’80, BSN ’77, RN, FAAN, was elected to a second two-year term on the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Board of Directors. David is dean of the University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing.

Patricia Grady, PhD, MS ’68, RN, FAAN, was awarded the 2015 Policy Luminary Award at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s fall meeting. The award recognizes an outstanding nurse leader for achievement in nursing, research, and health care policy.

Sharon Graham Posluszny, MS ’80, BSN ’74, RN, has worked as an office manager for a cardiology practice in McAllen, Texas, for the past 15 years. Sharon taught in the University of Texas Nursing program for many years. She has two daughters and four grandchildren.

Joan Hovatter, MS ’81, BSN ’79, RN, is an adult nurse practitioner in occupational health at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore.

was promoted to chief executive officer of the Jonas Family Fund.

Darlene continues to serve as executive director of the Jonas Center. The Jonas Center is a national organization, in partnership with leading schools of nursing in all 50 states, committed to strengthening the nation’s supply of doctoral-prepared nursing faculty and advance practice clinicians.

Lauri Kronthal Malin, BSN ’80, RN, was selected for one of Baltimore magazine’s 2016 Excellence in Nursing Awards and was featured in the magazine’s May issue. Lauri cares for the elderly at Pikesville Adult Day Services in Baltimore, Md.

Alumni, Share Your News!

If you have information to share about what’s happening in your life, please let us know so that we can include it in the Alumni News & Notes section of nursing for um. Photos are welcome!

Submit your updates at: nursing.umaryland.edu/alumni/update, email your news to: alumni@son.umaryland.edu, or mail to: Cynthia Sikorski, senior associate director of alumni relations, 655 W. Lombard Street, Suite 505Q, Baltimore, MD 21201.

Questions? Call 410-706-0674.

46 SUMMER 2016

Darlene Curley, MS ’82, BSN ’80, RN, FAAN,

alumni spotlight Denice Davis, MS ’89, BSN ’81, RN, is a health facility nurse surveyor in the Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification and is responsible for annual surveys and complaint investigations for nursing homes in W.Va.

Deborah Lanahan Fleming, MA, BSN ’82, RN, is a patient safety officer at the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center in Towson, Md. She earned an MA in management from Notre Dame of Maryland University.

Marilyn Berman McDevitt, MSN, BSN ’82, RN, graduated from Walden University in 2016 with a Master of Science in Nursing degree, with a specialty in education. She is employed as an adjunct clinical instructor at Notre Dame of Maryland University School of Nursing, Baltimore, Md.

Elaine Gregoire Ratliff, BSN ’82, RN, is employed as an education specialist at the Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, Md.

Linda Walters Terzigni, BSN ’82, RN, has a background in practice and certification CNOR(E) in perioperative nursing and Workers’ Compensation Nurse Case Management. Linda is currently employed by the Department of Defense as chief nurse officer at Aberdeen Proving Ground and as chief nurse officer in charge of occupational health at KIRK U.S. Army Health Clinic. She plans to retire in 2017.

Be the Change

C

arolyn Nganga-Good, MS ’07, BSN ’05, RN, is a true leader who lives by the words of Mahatma Gandhi: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Leadership is a trait she definitely discovered in herself while a student at School of Nursing.

“I was pushed to get out of my comfort zone,” she said recalling a conversation with Professor Jeffrey Johnson, PhD, in 2005. The topic was the lack of a student organization that focused on global health issues.

“You should start it,” Nganga-Good remembered her mentor advising, a key inspiration for her in co-founding the Nurses for Global Health student organization at the School. The mission was to strengthen the engagement of students with the global health community by building collaborations, creating networks, and becoming a resource center for global health nursing opportunities.

Nganga-Good is a health programs bureau administrator for Baltimore City Health Department, a PRN registered nurse at MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital, and a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Public Health Nurse Leader. She was among 25 nurses from 22 states who were chosen to participate in the RWJF’s two-year leadership development program designed to strengthen the capacity of senior public health nurses to improve population health, address social determinants of health, and respond to emerging trends in health and health care. The goal of the program is to support nurses who are ready to lead public health departments in building a culture of health in their communities.

Nganga-Good acknowledged that the time she spent at the School of Nursing was full of challenges, particularly balancing the demands of work and school. But she also remembered them as times of “ongoing support” and constantly “being pushed to think and act outside the box.”

She credits her rich nursing education and career to a principle she developed early on in her education and hoped others would cherish as well: “Take every chance seriously and treat it as a learning opportunity, even if it is not part of your grade.”

Nganga-Good said her education at the School of Nursing provided the foundation she needed to take up the role of a leader. “The University of Maryland School of Nursing had supportive faculty, who if they saw potential in you, they took it seriously,” she said. “I was very fortunate to have instrumental mentors who supported me all the way and were not afraid to tell me if I was wrong.”

—Parisa Saranj UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 47

ALUMNI PULSE class news and notes Donna Huffman, BSN ’83, RN, is a nurse clinician III, at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Md.

Kay Mathias, BSN ’86, CRNP, a certified neo-

Susan K. Newbold, PhD ’06, MS ’83, RN, received the 2015 Chapter Leader of the Year Award through the Tennessee Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society. Susan is the owner of and a faculty member in the Nursing Informatics Boot Camp, a two-day course that focuses on current informatics trends and issues.

Mary Wright Repolt, BSN ’83, RN, works in the Emergency Department at the Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, N.H.

Laura Haines, BSN ’84, RN, CPAN, was promoted to senior clinical nurse I at the University of Maryland Medical Center, where she works in Perioperative Services.

natal nurse practitioner at Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital in Baltimore, was featured in State CircleFaces of Heroin-Maryland’s heroin epidemic on Maryland Public Television, December 25, 2015. Go to: http://umm.gd/1S1YxXd.

Laura Walton Mattox, MSN, BSN ’86, RN, is very thankful for the education she received at UMSON and loves being a nurse. She has worked in various jobs throughout her career, including cardiovascular (CV) Stepdown, CV ICU, Heart/Lung Transplant Coordinator, Med/Surg Clinical Specialist, and has been a staff nurse on a cardiology progressive care unit for the past eight years. Laura earned her master’s degree from the University of Virginia School of Nursing in 1990.

48 SUMMER 2016

of Baltimore magazine’s 2016 Excellence in Nursing Award winners and was featured in the magazine’s May issue. Justine is director of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit/Progressive Care Unit at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center.

1990s

MeLisa Gantt, PhD, BSN ’93, RN, is director of the Center for Nursing Science and Clinical Inquiry at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, where she oversees a team of nurse scientists and clinical nurse specialists who design, implement, manage, and evaluate nursing research and evidence-based practice initiatives within the European Regional Medical Command. MeLisa received the 2012 Alumni Professional Achievement Award from University of Central Florida, where she earned her PhD in 2010.

Patricia W. Underland, MS ’96, RN, was selected as one of Baltimore magazine’s 2016 Excellence in Nursing Award winners and was featured in the magazine’s May issue.

Patricia is employed in the Maryland Hemophilia Treatment Center at the Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Hope Terle Bird, MS ’97, BSN ’91, CRNP, IBCLC, RN, is employed

is a clinical research nurse at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases in Fort Detrick, Md.

is employed as a nurse manager at the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, at University of Maryland Medical Center.

Justine Kellar, BSN ’88, RN, was selected as one

Angela Ross, DNP ’14, MS ’98, PMP, PHCNSBC, LTC (ret) U.S. Army, was featured on a

Dwight Carpen, MS ’01, BSN ’97, RN, is a family

Jennifer Kalapaca, BSN ’84, RN, LNCC,

Laura Hearson, MS ’11, BSN ’86, RN, OCN,

Lisa will add a senior nursing voice at the system level for strategic planning, nursing workforce development, and continuous clinical improvement initiatives. She has served as senior vice president for patient care services and chief nursing officer (CNO) at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) since 2007, and in 2015 was also appointed as CNO for UMMC’s Midtown Campus. She will continue in these roles while dedicating a portion of her time to her new system role.

Lisa Rowen, DNSc, MS ’86, RN, CENP, FAAN, was named system chief nurse executive for the University of Maryland Medical System. In this role,

at Kenneth M. Klebanow & Associates pediatricians and ThistleBird Lactation Consultants, in Columbia, Md. She resides in Eldersburg, Md., with her husband and two children.

nurse practitioner for the Indian Health Service, Warm Springs Health and Wellness Center, Warm Springs, Ore., where he has worked for 10 years.

Dwight is currently focused on fighting pediatric obesity and providing developmental evaluation and services to Native American youth.

billboard for a University of Texas advertising campaign in Houston, Texas during February 2016. She is an assistant professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center School of Biomedical Informatics.

R. John Repique, DNP, MS ’99, RN, chief executive officer at Friends Hospital in Philadelphia, Pa., submitted a letter to the The New York Times (NYT) that was published December 18, 2015.

Responding to an NYT editorial, “Don’t Blame Mental Illness for Gun Violence” (Dec. 16, 2015), John cautioned that the ongoing narrative of guns and mental illness in the U.S. is helping perpetuate mental illness stigma and can be counterproductive to efforts directed toward stigma reduction and elimination. http://nyti.ms/1sGDsltv

Our alumni have experienced firsthand the life-changing nature of a degree from the University of Maryland School of Nursing. Help others have the same experience by volunteering your time and skills.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALUMNI

ABOUND! Alumni Association/Alumni Council Alumni can nominate themselves or a fellow alumnus for election to a member-at-large or officer position on the Alumni Council.

Alumni Council Committees Several committees are open to alumni who wish to get involved, including the Career Advisory, Communications, Recent Graduate, and Outreach committees.

Alumni Speaker Series Held each semester at the School’s Baltimore and Shady Grove locations, this program features a panel of alumni who speak to current students about professional career development.

Alumni/Student Speed Networking Program Alumni employed in a variety of health care settings assist current Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Clinical Nurse Leader students with their career development. Events are held at the School’s Baltimore and Shady Grove locations.

Community Service Project Volunteer Participate in community service programs at My Sister’s Place and Paul’s Place, located in Baltimore.

Living History Museum Docent The museum needs volunteer docents to share the history of the School and the nursing profession with students and visitors from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Open House Alumni Speaker Alumni are invited to represent the program from which they graduated at spring and fall open house events.

Reunion Class Representative Alumni who earned a BSN degree or a Diploma in Nursing serve as class representatives for their milestone reunion.

They assist with fundraising, outreach to their class, and logistics on the day of the event. Reunions are held annually.

IF YOUR PASSION IS TEACHING, opportunities are available for teaching and precepting students. They are open to alumni, as well as all nurses who meet the qualifications.

Adjunct Faculty

Precepting Graduate Students

Adjunct faculty members provide clinical instruction to entry-level students in the BSN program and Clinical Nurse Leader master’s option, and teach select undergraduate and graduate didactic courses at the Baltimore and Shady Grove locations. Master’s- and doctoral-prepared nurses are encouraged to send a cover letter outlining their expertise and desired area of teaching, as well as a résumé/curriculum vitae, to Dean Jane Kirschling at kirschling@son.umaryland.edu.

The School relies on master’s- and doctoral-prepared nurses to precept master’s and Doctor of Nursing Practice students. Contact Kristy Novak at novak@son.umaryland.edu or 410-706-0163 if you are interested in becoming a preceptor.

To learn more about these opportunities, contact Cynthia Sikorski, senior associate director of alumni relations, at sikorski@son.umaryland.edu or 410-706-0674.

ALUMNI PULSE class news and notes in his/her field and in the organization. Ronnie is the NBNA’s parliamentarian and serves as chair of multiple committees. He is a nursing division director at Reading Health System in Reading, Pa.

2000s

Katherine Taylor Pearson, PhD, MS ’02, RN, currently serves as

Theresa DeVeaux, MS ’02, BSN ’00, RN, ACNP-BC, was selected as one of Baltimore magazine’s 2016 Excellence in Nursing Award winners and was featured in the magazine’s May issue. Theresa is a certified acute care nurse practitioner, with additional certification in cardiovascular and critical care nursing, at the Vascular Center at University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center.

Mina Siamy Pettit, BSN ’00, RN, is working as an aesthetic nurse in Wheeling, W.Va.

director of medical management at Brooke Army Medical Center, Ft. Sam Houston, Texas. Katherine will retire from the U.S. Army as a Colonel after a 25-year career and will continue as a faculty member at University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio. She will continue her work in interoperability and usability of patient portals.

Jennifer Rothenbecker Redmond, MS ’16, BSN ’02, RN, recently graduated from UMSON’s Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner specialty.

She is employed as a clinical nurse I at Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, Md. Jennifer is looking forward to her new role as an advanced practice nurse.

Jennifer Duff Schmitt, MS ’09, BSN ’00, RN, is employed as an RN at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center in Baltimore, Md.

sistant professor and director of the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program at the University of Texas in El Paso. Kathleen has been accepted as a PhD nursing candidate at the University of Texas at Tyler.

Monique Barrow, BSN ’08, RN, has been promoted to senior clinical nurse I at University of Maryland Medical Center, where she works in the operating room.

Susan Huppman, BSN ’11, RN, has been

ogy nurse practitioner and leader of the Cancer Survivorship Program at the University of Maryland Community Medical Group in Glen Burnie, Md.

promoted to senior clinical nurse I at University of Maryland Medical Center, where she works in the Cardiac Cath Lab.

Amy Taylor Alsante, MS ’09, RN, was selected as one of Baltimore magazine’s 2016 Excellence in Nursing Awards and was featured in the magazine’s May issue.

Amy is employed as a nurse manager in the renal unit at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, Baltimore, Md.

Rebekah Friedrich, BSN ’10, RN, CCRN, was promoted to senior clinical nurse I at University of Maryland Medical Center, where she works in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit.

promoted to senior clinical nurse I at University of Maryland Medical Center, where she works in Psychiatric Emergency Services.

Carol Roling, BSN ’11, RN, is a flight nurse in the Hannah Tolley, MS ’11, RNC-OB, CNL, has

has been promoted to senior clinical nurse II at University of Maryland Medical Center, where she works in Multi-Trauma Intermediate Care 6.

as the 2015 National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) Trailblazer. The award recognizes an individual whose character reflects leadership

Hara Oyedeji, MSEd, MS ’11, RN, has been

United States Air Force.

Samantha Dayberry, BSN ’08, RN, PCCN,

Ronnie Ursin, DNP, MBA, MS ’07, BSN ’05, RN, NEA-BC, was selected

50 SUMMER 2016

Kathleen M. Cox, DNP ’14, MS ’07, APRN, ACNP-BC, CCNS, is clinical as-

Carrie Staines Tilley, MS ’08, RN, is an oncol-

been promoted to senior clinical nurse I at University of Maryland Medical Center, where she works in Labor and Delivery.

Jennifer Arrington, MS ’11, RN, CNL, CPN, has been promoted to senior clinical nurse I at University of Maryland Medical Center, where she works in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Lara Martin Weir, MS ’11, CNL, RN, is employed as a clinical supervisor at Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, Md.

alumni spotlight Ashley Hernandez, BSN ’12, RN, has been promoted to senior clinical nurse I at University of Maryland Medical Center, where she works in Psychiatric Emergency Services.

Andrew Histand, BSN ’12, RN-BC, has been promoted to senior clinical nurse I at University of Maryland Medical Center, where he works in Behavioral Health.

Jasmine Noronha, BSN ’12, RN, was selected for one of Baltimore magazine’s 2016 Excellence in Nursing Awards and was featured in the magazine’s May issue.

Jasmine works as a pediatric nurse at University of Maryland Medical Center and is currently enrolled in UMSON’s DNP program.

Kathryn Franzen Sterling, BSN ’12, RN, is a registered nurse at Beaufort Memorial Hospital in Beaufort, S.C.

Shoshana Yudkowsky, BSN ’12, RN, CCTN, has been promoted to senior clinical nurse I at University of Maryland Medical Center, where she works in the Transplant Intermediate Care Unit.

Christina Boord, BSN ’13, RN, OCN, has been promoted to senior clinical nurse I at University of Maryland Medical Center, where she works in the Hematology/Oncology Unit.

A Life of Nursing Works Perfectly for Ness

G

rowing up, Elizabeth “Liz” Ness, MS ’93, enjoyed playing “school” with her Suzy Smart Doll, so she thought she might have a future as an educator.

However, as time went on, she fell into a career that would become her passion.

Ness, the immediate past president of the University of Maryland School of Nursing Alumni Association, recently received the Distinguished Alumni Award at the 2016 Alumni Reunion. The annual award honors an alumnus for their dedication Elizabeth Ness and Dean Jane Kirschling to excellence and exceptional professional achievements.

A 35-year nursing professional, Ness serves as a nurse consultant for education at the Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute. She is responsible for developing and implementing orientation and professional development programs related to clinical research for CCR. But a career in nursing almost didn’t happen. Ness first considered nursing as a high school student, but quickly began to have a change of heart.

“I wanted to be a nurse midwife, but that desire passed after my first semester of anatomy and physiology,” Ness said. “But I didn’t know what else to do, so I stuck with nursing, which has worked out.”

Ness went on to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Boston College. Following graduation, she began working as a staff nurse at what is now Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) while pursuing her master’s degree at the University of Maryland School of Nursing.

After completing her master’s degree in nursing education, Ness began weighing her options. She didn’t want to leave GUMC, but a golden career opportunity fell into her lap.

“A nurse that I knew was looking for more research nurses for a new Phase I clinic. I was becoming a Phase I research nurse at the Lombardi Cancer Center at Georgetown University; not that I really knew what that meant,” Ness recalls. “That was 23 years ago and I’m still involved in clinical research, which is my passion—working in some capacity as a nurse in clinical research.”

Although she was initially unsure about her career path, she is thrilled about how everything has fallen into place. Ness simply learned all that she could about research nursing and incorporated it with her educational background. She encourages other nurses to consider what they can contribute to the field as well.

“There is a whole world of opportunities for nurses in clinical research. I had a blank canvas to work with and have developed an educational curriculum for research nurses,” Ness said.

“I challenge nurses to learn more about clinical research, as it is through clinical research that we achieve our strongest level of evidence to practice.”

Ness is not only an advocate for clinical research but is also a strong supporter of the School of Nursing. She has been a generous donor to the School since 2000 and recently endowed a scholarship, The Eva Carlson Ness Scholarship Endowment. Additionally, she has been a dedicated volunteer since 2008, participating in countless alumni events, including the Alumni Speaker Series, student-alumni speed networking, and career services workshops and seminars.

—Kevin Nash UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING 51

ALUMNI PULSE class news and notes in the magazine’s May issue. Brigid is employed in the Medical Intensive Care Unit at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Alice Cho, MS ’15, is employed as a nurse anesthetist at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air, Md.

Saturday, April 29 Reunion 2017 festivities, scheduled for Saturday, April 29, 2017, will honor undergraduate classes ending in “2” or “7” and graduates who earned a master’s degree through the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) option in 2007 or 2012. Come to Baltimore to reunite with classmates and renew your pride in your alma mater!

If you would like to volunteer on the reunion planning committee for your class, contact Cynthia Sikorski, senior associate director of alumni relations, 410-706-0674, or alumni@son.umaryland.edu. Look for your invitation in fall 2017.

nurse II at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, University of Maryland Medical Center.

Brigid Carey, MS ’15, RN, was selected for one of Baltimore magazine’s 2016 Excellence in Nursing Awards and was featured

Rebecca Stecher, MS ’15, RN, CCRN, FCCS, has been promot-

Arnaud Timamo, MS ’15, CNL, RN, is

Sara Broumel, BSN ’14, RN, has been promoted to senior clinical nurse I at University of Maryland Medical Center, where she works in the NeuroTrauma Intermediate Care Unit.

been promoted to senior clinical nurse I at University of Maryland Medical Center, where she works in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

ed to senior clinical nurse II at University of Maryland Medical Center, where she works in the Medical Intensive Care Unit.

Ida Steinke, MS ’13, CNL, RN, is a clinical

Reunion 2017

Sarah Fox, MSN, BSN ’15, RN, has

employed as an oncology nurse at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Lynmarie Dudley, BSN ’15, RN, BS, PCCN, has been promoted to senior clinical nurse I at University of Maryland Medical Center, where she works in the Multi-Trauma Intermediate Care Unit.

Visit http://nursing.umaryland.edu/alumni for more information.

The following class years will be celebrated: Class of 2012

Class of 1972

5th •

45th •

Class of 2007

Class of 1967

10th •

50th •

Class of 2002

Class of 1962

15th •

55th •

Class of 1997

Class of 1957

20th •

60th •

Class of 1992

Class of 1952

25th •

65th •

Class of 1987

And alumni who

30th •

Class of 1982 35th •

Class of 1977 40th

52 SUMMER 2016

earned a master’s degree through the CNL option in 2007 or 2012.

in memoriam Marian Carson Boettiger DIN ’51

Laura E. Nehls DIN ’40

Margaret Bogdanski BSN ’89

Bonnie L. Whiteley Patterson MS ’11, BSN ’82

Brendalee T. Clemonds Burdess BSN ’92

Enid Madelon Maxwell Piala DIN ’45

Anne Hushon Cooper BSN ’63

Mary L. Reed DIN ’48

Pearl Holland Ford BSN ’62

Juliana Warner Sacilotto BSN ’75

Joyce N. Gering MS ’92, BSN ’89

Rebecca Alden Tucker Scarborough DIN ’42

Judith L. Humphries MS ’70 Tracy L. Johnson BSN ’03 Mary Moniodis Koutrelakos BSN ’55 Laura L. Hochreiner Mattejat BSN ’98

Nancy Brock Terwilleger DIN ’44 Ret. Lt. Maureen Walsh BSN ’76 This list includes notices received by the School of Nursing from November 15, 2015 to April 19, 2016.

BACK STORY

Parsons Hall Louisa Parsons was the first superintendent of the School of Nursing, serving what was then called the Maryland University Hospital Training School for Nurses from 1889–1892. On Nov. 16, 1922, the first unit of her home was dedicated as Parsons Hall. It was home to nursing students until it closed in 1984. Many alumni remember Parsons Hall fondly as the place they lived and made lifelong connections with their fellow nursing students.

An early dorm room; unknown date, likely before the 1940s.

Parsons Hall in 1922 shortly after completion.

A Christmas party in the halls of Parsons Hall.

Students unwinding after another long day.

Parsons Hall in the 1930s. Notice the addition to the residence hall in the back.

Students using the coveted phones to call home.

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*iÀ Ì Çä£Ó Office of Communications 655 West Lombard Street Baltimore, MD 21201 http://nursing.umaryland.edu

SAVE THE DATE Summer Institute in Nursing Informatics July 20–22, 2016 Information: 410-706-3768 nursing.umaryland.edu/sini

26

Institute for Simulation Educators July 26–29, 2016 Information: 410-706-3768 nursing.umaryland.edu/academics/pe

50th Anniversary Celebration— Community/Public Health Master’s Specialty September 16 & 17, 2016 Information: 410-706-0674 nursing.umaryland.edu/alumni/events

10th Anniversary Celebration— Doctor of Nursing Practice Program October 6, 2016 Information: 410-706-0674 nursing.umaryland.edu/alumni/events

December Graduations December 9, 2016 (Shady Grove) December 12, 2016 (Baltimore) Information: 410-706-2799 nursing.umaryland.edu

Alumni Reunion Celebration April 29, 2017 Information: 410-706-0674 nursing.umaryland.edu/alumni/events

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