Newsletter November/December 2023
Happy holidays to you and your loved ones. May the season be one of joy & celebration and the year to come filled with health and new blessings.
In 2023, UMass Chan Medical School celebrated its 50th commencement, welcomed its largest Medical School class and was recognized for its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Watch our year-end video for highlights of the year https://bit.ly/48cJljv
Appreciative Reflection of the Day “When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” Jim Hendrix
Faculty Spotlight Learn more about our staff Sierra Perez, M.Ed.
Assistant Director of Student Recruitment, Equity & Success Joined our community November 2023 We have the utmost confidence that Sierra’s new role will truly help us continue to advance nursing together! This is an incredible opportunity to enhance our recruitment efforts, enrollment strategy, and provide more intentional support for our enrolled learners.
Tell us about your degree(s): I completed my Master's in Higher Education (M.Ed.) from Central Washington University in 2022, in which I focused my oral defense on inclusive pre-health advising for underrepresented students. My Bachelor's in Science of Biology was completed at the University of Washington in 2018. Tell us about your job at Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing? Why did you choose GSN? I am proud to hit the ground running with recruitment strategies, attending recruitment fairs, and meeting with prospective students! I am in love with the nursing profession; therefore, I love recruiting for all these incredible programs taught by the most approachable and dedicated faculty that I've ever met in higher education. I also enjoy being a support to Max in creating equity for our students. I chose GSN for one hundred reasons. My favorite reason is that I love helping nurses and aspiring nurses envision the career paths and educational opportunities waiting for them. What do you like best about your job at the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing so far? How could I possibly choose! I love being supported by a community of staff, faculty, and students who are all hard working and committed to this school. Every day I feel inspired to work harder because of those surrounding me. What do you enjoy doing on your days off? I am addicted to all things breakfast, brunch, coffee, and cafes. You can find me at the closest building with an expresso machine with my cup at the ready. Something interesting about yourself? I was once able to juggle an insane amount of extracurriculars at a given time. While I pursued my bachelor's degree in biology, I worked full time as a EMT and Emergency Dispatcher 9pm -9am, I trained as a CNA with nursing home rotations, volunteered in the Harborview Trauma ER from 11pm-3am, and volunteered at the blood donation center every weekend - all simultaneously... I wish I still had that same stamina while now caring for a 1-year-old! Anything else you would like to share? I am proud of what I have accomplished in my career and education. I came from a disadvantaged, low-income, and abusive household without educated parents. The barriers I have overcome have all been worth it to make it to GSN today.
Faculty Spotlight Cont.
The Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing rose to the challenge with faculty and students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Jill Terrien partnered with Dr. Michael Hirsh in his role as Medical Director of the Worcester Department of Public Health to create educational materials to educate medical students about Intramuscular Injection. This effort was carried out by current GSN students working in their Community Service-Learning practicum and involved a PowerPoint module, pre and post tests followed by a hands-on demonstration and practice session. This was accomplished in December of 2020 to ready 185 medical students to volunteer for the statewide Covid-19 vaccinations. This very successful work has carried on to this day with Alex Richard and Benjamin Potee (both current year 4 in the school of medicine). Since Summer of 2021 each entering medical school class participates in a hands-on training event that Alex and Ben created and hand off to the next group to steward the process. To date over 600 medical students have been trained and ready to volunteer for IM injection clinics for Covid-19, influenza and other vaccines right upon entry into medical school. Each August GSN faculty and students volunteer to assist in the training. Additionally, Alex submitted and was awarded an opportunity to present this work at the prestigious American Public Health Association Annual Conference and Expo in Atalanta, GA and a publication of this work has been accepted as a manuscript to be published in 2024. Tremendous interprofessional work and sustainability to improve the health of the Commonwealth and beyond!
Dr. Danielle Hebert, Coordinator of Adult-Gerontology NP Primary Care Track Presented two abstracts at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Transform 2023 Pre-Conference session, Faculty Leadership Network (FLN) Program. Her posters are entitled “Educational Escape Rooms: Development of the HHEALER Framework.” and “Use of Gamification in the Didactic Clinical Year of a Doctor of Nursing Practice Program” respectively.
Faculty Spotlight Cont.
During National Nurse Practitioner week November 12-18, we honored our faculty who are practicing NP’s and teach our learners in Adult Gerontology Primary Care, Adult Gerontology Acute Care, Family and Psych Mental Health NP Tracks. Heroes who are increasing patient access to high-quality health care in more than 1 billion patient visits each year.
Dr. Ken Peterson, Dr. Susan Feeney, Elizabeth OsaAgbontaen, Dean Joan Vitello and Ezequiel De Leon class of 2022.
Dean Joan Vitello and Elizabeth OsaAgbontaen, DNP 1 student (left picture) at the UMass Chan of Light winter event at the Botanical Gardens at Tower Hill in Boylston. UMass Chan LIGHT (Leadership Institute for Growth Health and Transformation) promotes mentorship and leadership for trainees at UMass Chan Medical School.
Faculty Spotlight Cont. The New England Nursing and Clinical Faculty Preceptor Academy had over 50 nursing attendees at the Teaching of Tomorrow faculty development program, November 16th-17th at the Hotel Northampton in Northampton, MA. The nurse participants, spanning LPN through Doctoral preparation, attended with physician colleagues for an interprofessional foundation of clinical teaching and educational planning. Program goals were to ignite and share a passion for teaching, develop practical teaching skills for effective and efficient teaching in the clinical setting and provide practice opportunities to apply and assess new teaching skills. This group will come together again on March 8 and 9, 2024 to complete the second
part of their 2-weekend commitment. The Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing is the recipient of a HRSA Funded Grant T1Q47319 entitled: Nurse Education Practice Quality and Retention: Clinical Faculty and Preceptor Academy through September 2026. The goal of the New England Nursing Clinical Faculty and Preceptor Academy is to increase the nursing workforce by recruiting, training, and producing skilled qualified clinical nursing faculty and preceptors in a variety of care settings in rural and/or underserved areas in Region I. The project team includes Jill Terrien (Project Director), Linda Cragin (Program Manager), James Laford (Project Coordinator), Andrea Delaney (Instructional Design) and Anne Reardon (Grants Management), with collaboration from Sue Feeney, Sue Collette, Jenn DePadua and Mary Fischer. The grant is currently engaged and partnered with Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont nursing colleagues, and looks to partner with Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine in the future. The grant is also developing resources available at our NE Nursing Academy Preceptor Portal https://www.umassmed.edu/gsn/preceptor-portal-two/welcome/; this includes more than 15 recorded webinars to advance precepting knowledge and skills and the development of a toolkit of resources. If you would like to offer a webinar for preceptors for a small Honoria, please contact NENurseAcademy@umassmed.edu
Sierra Perez, Assistant Director of Student Recruitment, Equity & Success was tabling at the Organization of Nurse Leaders (ONL) in Framingham December 8. We were joined by Dr. Mary Antonelli the program director of our MS in Interprofessional Leadership. Do you know any future nurse leaders ready to grow their career? Or any conferences or events we should have an information table at, please let us know! GSNAdmissions@umassmed.edu.
Faculty Spotlight Cont.
Dr. Mary Fischer (left), Dr. Jes Pagano Therrien and Dr. Amanda Cornine (right) presented a poster "Collaborative Testing Activities to Enhance Student Learning" at the Fall MA/RI League for Nursing fall conference. This poster focused on how they implemented this evidence-based, innovative strategy with students in the GEP Program. Dr. Amanda Cornine Assistant Professor in the GEP Program contributed to a Nurse Educator podcast titled "Word Clouds to Promote Sense of Belonging and Persistence" along with Karen Hunt, Assistant Professor at MGH Institute of Health Professions. They share how they use word clouds to promote students' sense of belonging and academic persistence. This is a low cost, active learning strategy that you can use in all of your courses. Listen to the whole podcast here, go to Nov. 15, 2023 https://bit.ly/3H0N0oW Dr. Shari Harding, Associate Professor of Nursing and Psychiatry and Coordinator of the DNP Program was invited by Massachusetts Coalition of Nurse Practitioners (MCNP) to be a “spotlight” educator, read more here: https://mcnp.enpnetwork.com/page/38390-np-weekmember-spotlight Dr. Harding also gave a Continuing Ed training to the DMH Forensic Services team on “Understanding fentanyl use: A training for mental health clinicians”, co-led with Dr. Victor Petreca from Boston College.
Franco, J., Morris, N. S., Fung, M. K. (2023). Defining and identifying laboratory literacy as a component of health literacy: An assessment of existing health literacy tools. Academic Pathology, 10(4), https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2374289523000283?via%3Dihub
Congratulations Dr. Mechelle Plasse, Director of Mental Health Programming & Nurse Practitioner tracks on being accepted as a Distinguished Fellow of the National Academies of Practice (NAP) in Nursing. This recognition is in the Interprofessional Collaboration Category which makes it even more special for us here at UMass Chan. The induction ceremony will be in March 2024.
Student Spotlight
DNP year 2 nursing students participated in an "escape room" yesterday, working together to solve a series of puzzles that addressed concerns of an older patient with multiple conditions. This collaborative activity requires problem solving, decision making and mimicking efficient patient workflow to be successfully completed. The rooms are designed to resemble a patient’s apartment, and can simulate the patient’s bedroom, bathroom, dining room or living room. The escape room was created by Assistant Professor Dr. Dani Hebert when she joined the faculty in 2021.
Congratulations Dr. Jennifer Costa on a successful dissertation defense December 14, entitled "In Our World: Uncovering the Meaning of Parent-Nurse Relationships in Childhood Cancer Care"
Congratulations Dr. Danielle Urella on a successful dissertation defense December 19, entitled "Burnout Among Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes"
Student Spotlight Cont.
We couldn’t be prouder: Every member of our Graduate Entry Pathway class of 2023 passed their licensure exams! Congratulations to our new RNs.
DNP year 2 students play Jeopardy in their Family and Primary Care NP class. This helped them prepare for their final exam. Congratulations Heather Kennedy PhD student, Sarah Romain PhD student, Jenny Konjoian DNP year 2 student and Autaquay Peters-Mosquera PhD student were accepted into the 2024 Massachusetts Student Health Policy Forum two day event in January. They have been selected to be among the 10 students from the UMass Chan Campus Schools of Nursing, Medicine, and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and the Preventative Medicine Fellowship invited to attend. They will get to share their thoughts about health policy and politics in Massachusetts!
Student Spotlight Cont.
Chyla Bingham-Hendricks and Autaquay Peters-Mosquera, PhD Students presented at the 1st Annual Tribal Summit held at UMass Boston. They gave a history of the Mashpee Wampanoag people and then discussed their own areas of research interest, both focusing on Native American health care needs. They also presented at American Public Health Association on the 'Effects of the policy changes since Covid-19 on Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) treatment'. The United States Public Health Service Admiral Levine, who was the opening plenary speaker for this year's American Pubic Health Association conference in Atlanta, came to Chyla & Autaquay's poster and they had a conversation about their work!
DNP 3 students, Nicole Mattson and Greg Brotske implemented their DNP project this fall. They brought together an interprofessional team to provide education on and exposure to clinical skills needed by acute care NPs. The team included Dr. Mike Hill, ED Physician at UMMMC, Dr. Michael Cassidy, Surgeon at Boston Medical Center and Stephanie Cadorette, RRT-BA at UMMMC. Skills included point of care ultrasound, 12lead EKG interpretation, mechanical ventilation management, and suturing. Nicole and Greg identified an area for NP education enrichment, researched best practices surrounding skill development and developed this educational intervention. They both brought their clinical skills and knowledge to prepare and educate future acute care NPs.
Student Spotlight Cont.
Elizabeth Osa-Agbontaen, DNP 1 student is the GSNO Co-president, Student Government Officer and UMass Light SMP Jr. Lead Coordinator. She is now UMass Chan African Student Association (ASA) Co-president. ASA just got recognized as a new student organization at UMass Chan. They had their first official general body meeting on November 14. If you would like more information or to join please e-mail Elizabeth elizabeth.osa-agbontaen@umassmed.edu
Refocus your nursing career with a master's in nursing and interprofessional leadership This program offers professional nurses the chance to advance their leadership skills within the health care system, listen to the podcast: https://bit.ly/3kyy1e3 Apply to UMass Chan's program today and the application fee will be waived. Visit our website for more information: https://www.umassmed.edu/gsn/academics/masters-program/ Our inaugural cohort of master’s students will be graduating June 2024. Hear from one of our adjunct faculty, Terri Reed: I really enjoyed being part of the interdisciplinary team in the course development and implementation of “Innovation in Healthcare course” for the Nursing & Interprofessional Leadership program at Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing. The students pushed beyond their comfort zones to explore how design thinking when aligned with evidence informed decision making and leadership skills can lead to innovation. Innovation may drive their professional influence to improve healthcare delivery, practice, and patient outcomes. As an educator it was refreshing to listen to the different perspectives of all team members and then witness how curiosity, creativity, and play through various classroom activities and assignments led to student self-reflection, expression, and exploration. At the end of the semester students shared their narratives through multiple mediums communicating their vision for potential opportunities for innovation, project development and professional fulfillment. Innovation can be one way to recognize and demonstrate the value of the nursing profession and remind us of the joy of nursing.
Alumni Spotlight Congratulations to Amanda Hazeltine, Class of 2023. Her DNP project was accepted as podium presentation at AAHPM! The 2024 Annual Assembly Planning Committee informed her that her proposal, "Enhancing Quality of Serious Illness Conversations: Is Communication Skills Training a Must?," has been selected as a Subsequent Call for Abstracts - 15 Minute Podium Presentation for inclusion in the 2024 Annual Assembly of Hospice and Palliative Care taking place March 20-23, 2024 in Phoenix Arizona.
Cathy Violette (DNP 2018) and Rosemary Theroux (PhD, 2000) recently published an article, Fetal Anomaly: Family experiences and preferences for care in the Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing, 37 (4). This integrative review was based on Cathy’s DNP project. Rose was her faculty mentor. After graduation both decided to continue on with the project. Both authors are women’s health nurse practitioners, and have practiced at UMass Memorial Department of OB/GYN and Perinatology. They have precepted students and taught the women’s health course at the GSN. They are continuing work on another project to improve the care of the families experiencing a fetal anomaly.
Announcements
The DRIVE Initiative is a shared effort across the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences,Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing, T.H. Chan School of Medicine, Diversity and I nclusion Office, Lamar Soutter Library,Continuing Medical Education, andGraduate Medical Education. • To promote a representative and bias-free curriculum across our learning environments. • To enhance the accuracy, representation, and inclusion of diverse populations in all our educational activities. • To make space for critical conversations about diversity in teaching and learning across our community. Contact us at DRIVE@umassmed.edu to get involved! DRIVE resources are available on our website: https://www.umassmed.edu/drive
Center for Academic Achievement (CAA) We are pleased to announce that UMass Chan Medical School has hired an RN Nurse Educator to work with the Center for Academic Achievement (CAA) to support the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing students with NCLEX prep and study skills. This role with help enhance the support provided to nursing students across all programs and will contribute significantly to their success. Dr. Erin Stratton began her nursing career after graduating with an ADN from Darton College in Albany, Georgia in 1998. She continued her education by earning a BSN and a master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center followed by a PhD in Nursing from Oklahoma City University in 2016. Her dissertation focus, and continued research interest, is moral distress in the nursing academic setting. Dr. Stratton’s clinical nursing experience has been in the operating room, the adult intensive care unit, and hospital-based education. She has experience teaching a wide range of nursing courses as well as experience in the simulation lab. Dr. Stratton’s personal interests and activities include offshore sailing, cycling, hiking, gardening, and baking anything new and challenging.
Announcements Cont.
Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing stuffed a cruiser with the most food! UMass Chan employees and students filled police cruisers with more than 2,000 pounds of nonperishable food items on Friday, Nov. 17, in support of Why Me and Sherry’s House and Veterans Inc. The UMass Chan patrol car collected the most. Since it was representing the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing, the UMass Chan Department of Public Safety is giving our school a pizza party in January. Thank you to all the faculty, staff and students who donated.
GEP Assistant Professor Dr. Amanda Cornine’s daughter Sammy’s favorite teddy bears (Honey and Hun-Hun) recently snuck into her work bag and made some mischief in the nursing lab. I hope they cleaned up before they went home.
Happy Holidays! The Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing faculty and staff celebrated the holidays with a potluck lunch Tuesday December 19. The food, company and conversation was fantastic!
Graduate School of Nursing Staff and Dean Vitello volunteered at Veterans Inc. November 21 for the “Holiday Harvest” event. We distributed Thanksgiving meals to over 500 Veterans families. Our tasks included bakery tent, cart runner, making to go boxes. Middle picture left to right. Diane Quinn, Shya Monahan, Jen Dipadua, Anne Reardon, Maureen Titus, Dean Vitello, Annie and Sue Collette.
Congratulations Dr. Ken Peterson, Associate Professor in the DNP Program and his husband Rick on the adoption of their three already adopted children's sister. She has always been part of the family but it is official now. What an exciting day, we wish you peace and love.
Congratulations Dr. Julie West, Assistant Professor of Nursing and Psychiatry and her husband on the birth of their baby girl. Shoshana Meredith Lynn Freedman Born 10:33 a.m. on Wednesday, 11/29
Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing sponsored a Nursing History Panel Discussion Tuesday, December 5. This was planned in conjunction with the with a NLM Traveling Exhibit-In that was displayed the Library thru December 23.
Keynote speaker: Dr. Barbara Poremba - Professor Emeritus of Nursing at Salem State University and currently works as adjunct clinical faculty. She earned a Bachelor in Nursing and Doctorate of Education from UMass Amherst, a Master in Community Health Nursing from Boston University, a Master in Public Health from Harvard and an Adult Nurse Practitioner Certificate from UMass Medical Center in Worcester, MA. Dr. Poremba is passionate about nursing and public health. She has done clinical research and practice in underdeveloped countries such as Vietnam, Ecuador, Honduras, Dominican Republic and Cuba. As Chairperson of the Salem Board of Health, she was a nearly champion of tobacco initiatives culminating in the passage of Tobacco21. As a member of the Covid-19 team, she has administered nearly 5,000 vaccinations to the community including in unusual venues such as Fenway Park, mobile vans, MBTA trains and oil tankers. An avid historian, her research includes documenting and commemorating the lived experiences of nurses in the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918, Boston’s Cocoanut Grove Fire of 1942, the WWII Army Nurse Corps and the US Cadet Nurse Corps. Dr. Poremba is founder and director of Friends of Cadet Nurses, an advocacy group for passing legislation to grant the USCNC with honorary veteran status and other ways of preserving their legacy and memorializing their contributions to the success of WWII. Dr. Janet Fraser Hale - Professor Emeritus in Nursing and Medicine after retiring as the Associate Dean of Interprofessional and Community Partnerships in 2020. From 2002-2013, part of her UMass Chan position was organizing provider recruitment and continuing education for UMass Correctional Health when UMass Chan through then Commonwealth Medicine ran the 17 Health Service Units in the MA State Prison System. She served in the US Army Nurse Corps for 33 years (active and reserve) retiring as a Colonel in 2004. The majority of her clinical practice during her academic career focused on the military population first as a critical care nurse and subsequently as a family nurse practitioner. She also served in a number of leadership positions within the Army Nurse Corps ending her military career as the Chief Nurse of the 807th Medical Command. She was mobilized for both Gulf Wars in 1990 and again in 2003. In 2010 immediately following the devastating earthquake, she was part of a UMass Chan medical mission to Haiti. Dr. Paulette Seymour-Route - Post retiree working in Dept of Nursing at UMMMC Per Diem. Dean Emeritus and Professor at the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing. Paulette graduated from Worcester City Hospital with a nursing diploma, BS in Nursing from Worcester State University, MS in Nursing from Boston College and PhD from Graduate School of Nursing. She has worked as a Staff Nurse Worcester City Maternity then MICU, CNS- Surgical ICUs UMass Medical Center now UMass Memorial, Director CV Surgical Services, VP Cardiovascular Surgical Services and Chief Nursing Officer UMMMC.
Recipe of the Month With the cold weather upon us here are some slow cooker recipes to make in your crockpot to keep you and your family warm. A few classic comfort foods. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/packages/ comfort-foods/slow-cooker-meals/easy-slow-cookerrecipes https://www.allrecipes.com/recipes/253/everydaycooking/slow-cooker/
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For the January/February 2024 newsletter have your submissions in by February 15. Send in your submissions today using the submission form or email susan.collette@umassmed.edu