Dr. McDonald, including numerous letters that detailed problems in the hospitals and her recommendations. Her contributions were recognized internationally and her works copyrighted and subsequently serialized by the Saturday Evening
Post. Dr. McDonald explained that Ms. Nightingale was respected, honored and considered a national heroine. She was known as “the Lady with the Lamp,” because she ministered to the soldiers throughout the night. Ms. Nightingale was a significant 19th century scholar who integrated scholarship with political activism, Dr. McDonald declared. She established the first secular nursing school at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London, wanting to make nursing a respectable profession — believing that nurses should be trained in science. She
to a healthful environment, and felt that nurses should possess an innate empathy for their patients. Also on display for one day was the Florence Nightingale Letters Exhibit, sponsored by Johnson & Johnson and Nurse.com. This exhibit featured two letters that were handwritten by Florence Nightingale in 1861 and information about her life and works.
Pictured L to R: Gail Stuart, Lynn McDonald, & Kay Chitty
advocated strict discipline, attention
V
Psychiatric mental health NP residency approved in VA
T
he collaboration between the
evidence-based teaching practices that
Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Af-
contribute to excellence in the con-
fairs Medical Center (RHJVAMC)
tinuity of mental health care and an
and the College of Nursing Veterans
increase in the PMHNP workforce at
Affairs Nursing Academic Partner-
the RHJVAMC.
ship (VANAP) recently expanded to
The program was funded for three
include a Psychiatric Mental Health
resident positions each year for three
Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) residency
years with Dr. York serving as program
program.
director. Two post-certification resi-
Donald Myrick, MD, (associate chief
dents, Renee Koval, PMHNP, and Maria
Pictured L to R: Maria Thompson & Renee Koval
of staff, VA mental health service line
Thompson, PMHNP, have started the
and MUSC associate professor of psy-
program. A total of four programs were
RN, MPH, CNM, FAAN, Joy Lauerer,
chiatry) and Janet York, PhD, PMHCS,
funded in the country.
DNP, RN, PMHCNS-BC, and Catherine
BC, FAAN, (VA nurse researcher and
Dr. York states, “This residency ini-
Durham, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, along
MUSC research professor of nursing)
tiative is consistent with the IOM’s The
with VA faculty, Dr. Susan Beylotte,
received funding from the Office of
Future of Nursing recommendation for graduate nurse residencies and policy reports underscoring the demand for veteran-specific mental health services and the shortage of mental health providers.” The residency partnership includes College of Nursing faculty, Gail Stuart, PhD, RN, FAAN, Charlene Pope, PhD,
PMHNP, Steve Lesieur, PMHNP, Mela-
Academic Affairs for their proposal titled, “NP Residency in Veteran-Centric Continuum of Care Mental Health Services.” The goal of the program is to develop, implement, and evaluate a strategy for advanced PMHNP training in the veteran-centric population, practice-based competencies, and
nie Smith, PMHNP, Fredrika Hughes, PMHNP, Kathy McCormick, PMHNP, and other interprofessional faculty. The residency is supported by the Veterans Affairs Office of Academic Affiliations and the office of Mary Dougherty, PhD, director of nursing education.
SPRING | SUMMER 2014
Lifelines
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