School of Nursing University of Louisiana Monroe NOVEMBER 2009 ULM CONTENTS Director’S Message
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES SCHOOL OF NURSING UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE NOVEMBER 2009 ULM CONTENTS Director’s Message s we continue to strive for excellence we have 2 NURSING NEWS: n Reaccreditation Visit encountered many new challenges. Immediately after n School of Nursing LPN Program A our last newsletter was released, The state, city and n SON Expands Online Degree Programs university were tremendously impacted by hurricanes Gustav and Ike. In the aftermath of the storms the School of Nursing (SON) building was found to have sustained 3 n Circle of Friends roof damage that forced complete evacuation of the n Electives n Historical ULM Nursing Exhibit building. The SON office is currently located in the Library in ULM Library along with faculty offices. Temporary space has been developed in Sandel Hall (previously the library building) for the skills practice lab, simulation lab, and additional Florencetta Hayes 4 n ULM SON Students Volunteer faculty offices. Planning has begun for building repair and Gibson, Ph.D., APRN at Special Needs Shelter redesign of classroom space. Faculty and students have Director, Professor, persevered and eagerly wait reoccupying the building in School of Nursing n Reception for Faculty & Staff Volunteers 5 summer of 2010. (Dec., 1976) During Hurricanes Ike & Gustav Despite these challenges we remain strong and focused. Graduate performance n Glenwood Regional Medical Center 6 on NCLEX continues to exceed state and national averages. The 2008 pass rate Auxillary Awards Scholarships for first time NCLEX candidates in Louisiana was 90.21%. Our graduates n Scholarships preformed at 98.59%. Nationally we continue to surpass the average NCLEX n ULM SON Hosts Health Fair for Employees performance for first time candidates. In a report detailing our NCLEX performance from October 2008 – March 2009, 96% of our graduates were n Fall 2008 & Spring 2009 Convocation 7 successful on their first testing compared to an 86% success rate nationally. The May 2009 graduates scored a perfect score on NCLEX. These statistics indicate FACULTY NEWS: 8 that ULM continues to prepare quality graduates to safely practice the profession n News of nursing. n Grants 9 The program continues to be accredited by the Commission on Collegiate n Tenure Nursing Education (CCNE). We are making application for reaccredidation and n Dr. Jan Corder Named Professor will host an assessment visit in April of 2010 from CCNE and the Louisiana State & Dean Emeritus Board of Nursing. This reaccredidation cycle is an opportunity for you to contact CCNE and share with them your views about the program. Please send all STUDENTS: 10 comments to: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), One Dupont n Sigma Theta Tau/Lambda Mu Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036. ALUMNI: 11 The future is bright! Despite the economic climate we are continuing to enroll n Denton greater numbers of registered nurses seeking to earn a baccalaureate degree n Cecchini through our totally on-line format. Plans for an on-line MSN in Nursing Administration have been submitted and are under review. Faculty members are 12 OBITUARIES: continuing to earn certifications and are pursuing doctoral degrees in nursing n Steffenson and related disciplines. Graduates are recruited nationally and practice in a n Thurman variety of care settings in numerous geographic locations. Students embrace the n Kelly community by performing more than 600 hours of community service each n Marsala semester. The School of Nursing is excellence in action. Please continue to support us as we impact health care into the next millennium. NURSINGNEWS REACCREDITATION VISIT SCHOOL OF NURSING he School of Nursing at the University of Louisiana at Monroe wishes to announce we will be hosting a LPN PROGRAM Tsite visit April 12-14, 2010 by the Commission on School of Nursing offers a Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN) for reaccreditation and unique track to transition continued approval of our Bachelor of Science in ULMthe Licensed Practical Nurse Nursing program. (LPN) into the BSN program. Upon meeting the ULM SON admissions and academic ULM School of Nursing and CCNE recognize that standards, successful completion of a LPN program constituents have valuable perspectives to RN Transitions Course and NLN testing, concerning the program’s qualifications for LPN students are admitted into semester accreditation status. two of the professional program. Presently The ULM School of Nursing invites interested parties to there are 10 students enrolled in the LPN submit signed comments about the ULM School of to BSN program. Contact Juliet Burgess, Nursing with receipt no later than March 12, 2010 to : MSN, RN ([email protected]) for more Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE); information. One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530; Washington, DC 20036. ULM SCHOOL OF NURSING CONTINUES TO EXPAND ONLINE DEGREE PROGRAMS FOR WORKING STUDENTS he addition of two more online degree programs at Gibson, and companies could benefit when employees the University of Louisiana at Monroe in Spring 2009 take advantage of online offerings that expand the knowl- T– one through the School of Nursing and one through edge base of nursing staff. the College of Business – offers the oppor- Though the program is geared toward tunity for students to pursue an education GIBSON — nurses educated at the associate’s degree while continuing to work in their field. level, plans are in development for BSN “REGISTERED NURSES nurses who want to pursue their master’s of ULM’s School of Nursing will offer an online HAVE CLINICAL SKILLS AND science to do so online. Bachelor of Science degree, primarily fo- cused on giving working registered nurses HAVE ALREADY PASSED A March 2008 report titled, “The Future of with an associate’s degree the opportunity THE NCLEX (NATIONAL the Nursing Workforce in the United States: to advance their education. Data, Trends and Implications” found that COUNCIL LICENSURE the demand for RNs is expected to grow by “Registered nurses have clinical skills and EXAMINATION), BUT THEY 2 to 3 percent each year. have already passed the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination), but they MAY BE READY TO TAKE Recruitment and registration sessions were may be ready to take their education to the THEIR EDUCATION TO held in April which was well attended by next level,” said ULM’s Director of Nursing area nurses. THE NEXT LEVEL…THIS Dr. Florencetta Gibson. “This program af- fords them the opportunity to do that.” PROGRAM AFFORDS THEM More information about the ULM School of THE OPPORTUNITY TO Nursing may be obtained by visiting www. Studies show hospital mortality rates are ulm.edu/nursing or contacting Mrs. Juliet decreased with a higher educated staff, said DO THAT.” Burgess at [email protected]. 2 University of Louisiana Monroe NEWSNURSING CIRCLE OF FRIENDS SCHOOL OF NURSING ELECTIVES ary Coleman is the n addition to meeting the University’s core president of Uniforms curriculum, the School of Nursing offers summer Mfor You located in Ielectives to facilitate meeting broader educational West Monroe, Louisiana. needs of health care professionals. Presently, the She is proud to have served School of Nursing offers elective courses during many students and medical Summer I and Summer II sessions only. Electives professionals of Northeast offered during Summer 2009 included: Perioperative Louisiana since February 1986. Nursing; Women’s Health Issues; Reducing Infant Coleman expressed that Mortality the Nurse’s Role; Medical Surgical it has been an awesome Emergencies; Oncology Nursing; and Assessment in experience to partner with the Health Maintenance in the Aging Patient. Courses are offered on a rotational basis. Other electives include Student Nurses Association Mary Coleman (SNA) at ULM School of Neonatal Health Promotion, Faith Community Nursing, Nursing and to present a uniform style show each Ethnic Nursing Care, and Critical Care Nursing spring at SNA Day. She has found it a privilege to (adult, pediatric, and neonatal). Some courses are fund scholarships, encourage nursing students to be online while others require classroom and/or clinical professional in every way, choose professional attire attendance. Contact the ULM School of Nursing if and be active in the organization for student nurses. you are interested in taking a course for graduate credit, to meet CE requirement, or for enrichment. She feels her investment in time, energy, and scholarships for student nurses will be, in the long run, beneficial to her, her family and the community. SPRING 2010 Many thanks to her for her support of the ULM School Our School of Nursing 50th Anniversary! of Nursing and funding of nursing scholarships. Watch the SON Website for celebration details HISTORICAL ULM NURSING EXHIBIT IN LIBRARY isplayed in the University of Louisiana at Monroe Library Special Collections, Passman Room, was an exhibit highlighting the history and Devolution of nursing at ULM. Nursing first began at Northeast Louisiana State College in 1960. The exhibit chronicled changes in the School of Nursing as the college evolved from Northeast Louisiana State College to Northeast Louisiana University and then to The University of Louisiana at Monroe. The exhibit included memorabilia from graduates of the School of Nursing in- cluding school pins, nursing caps, lamps, student nurse uniforms, and aprons. Other items on display include authentic historical nursing dolls crafted by Professor Linda E. Sabin, PhD, RN, honoring outstanding nurses in the nursing profession. Portraits and posters for nursing recruitment from World War I and II, along with portraits of nurses and student nurses, were included in the art work. Vintage nursing equipment including bedpans, glass syringes, nurse’s capes, caps and uniforms, books, and figurines were included in the display. NURSING NEWSLETTER 3 NURSINGNEWS ULM SCHOOL OF NURSING STUDENTS VOLUNTEER AT SPECIAL NEEDS SHELTER eginning Sunday, August 31, 2009, nursing faculty and students provided Baround the clock care at Fant Ewing Coliseum, in one of the special needs shelters in the area for hundreds of Hurricane Gustav evacuees.