UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND

NThe Magazine of the Universiuty of Maryland Schorol of Nursing sSpring/Suimmer 20n11 Volume V, Issue I g

Speaking UP Nurses have found a voice as advocates for themselves and the profession and are wielding political influence across the state—and the nation.

A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL CHAMPIONS FOR THE CAUSE IN THE FLOW Pockets of Joy The impoverished country of Haiti has some of the worst health indicators in the world—and a severe shortage of health care providers. The School of Nursing is working to improve life for Haitian citizens, such as these irre - pressible young girls, through a new postgraduate certificate program in infectious diseases that’s aimed at teaching experienced nurses in Haiti the best practices and most current knowledge related to HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, and other diseases. See “A Small World After All,” p. 18, for more. Spring/Summer 2011 Volume V, Issue I UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING

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2 Letter from the Dean Features 3 News CEEL relocates to a larger space, A Small World After All faculty awards, new branding brings Amid a global health care crisis, the School of unity, Convocation 2011, honing skills 18 in team care, and more. Nursing is reaching out to help build the capacity of nurses in the world’s most impoverished 13 Forecast regions. Plus: A healing brigade in Honduras. Why is it important for nurses to By Maria Blackburn advocate for themselves and the profession?

Speaking Up 14 Discovery 28 Nurses have found a voice as advocates for Cell phones offer connection to better themselves and the profession and are wielding health and an end to the waiting game. considerable influence across the state and the nation. 16 Living History Champions for the cause By Len Lazarick 36 Alumni Pulse 34 In the Flow News of our alumni Eun-Shim Nahm explains why nursing informatics is so important to the future of health care 42 Philanthropy Stories of giving and what graduates in the field are doing with their degrees. On the Cover Abigail Ehret, a student in the Interview by Joe Sugarman School of Nursing’s Health Services Leadership and Management master’s specialty, met regularly with members of Congress as an intern with the American Nurses Association. PHOTO BY KIRSTEN BECKERMAN UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND DEAN’S LETTER Nursing Spring/Summer 2011 THIS ISSUE OF NURSING showcases Volume V, Issue I two feature stories that might seem at University of Maryland NURSING is a first glance to be dissimilar: advocacy and publication of the University of Mary - global health. In reality, however, they are land School of Nursing. The magazine inextricably linked, and both require informs readers about faculty, student, partnerships and collaboration. Nurses and alumni involvement in nursing edu - cation, research, practice, and leader - are called upon to advocate individually ship and serves as a tool for connecting and collectively every day—for patients, alumni and other constituents with the for the profession, and for health care— School of Nursing . locally, nationally, and internationally. editorial board: At the time of this writing, the Mary - Patricia Adams, Editorial Director land 2011 legislative session had just Marjorie Fass Laurette Hankins come to a close; statewide lawmakers Kathryn Montgomery finalized budget cuts, while the federal Patricia Morton government barely skirted a shutdown. mapped out a plan for how nurses can Barbara Smith At the same time, our School of Nursing be even more helpful in solving the Rebecca Wiseman continues to struggle with economic nation’s drastic heath care predicament. contributors: uncertainty, grave health care concerns This comprehensive, 562-page report, Patricia Adams Laurette Hankins of our citizens, workforce shortages, and The Future of Nursing, Leading Change, Maria Blackburn Peter Krause Dan Caughey Amanda Lamar education challenges. With more than Advancing Health , is the first in more Stacey Conrad Len Lazarick 3 million nurses in the United States, than 80 years aimed at improving health Sue De Pasquale Cynthia Sikorski nurses make up the largest segment of and the health care system through the Patricia Fanning Joe Sugarman Ed Fishel the health care workforce. They also fundamental transformation of nursing. spend the greatest amount of time deliv - Focusing on the “future of nursing” is design and editorial: ering patient care. Therefore, they have nothing new to our School; everything Alter Custom Media 1040 Park Avenue, Suite 200 valuable insights and unique abilities to we do centers around preparing future Baltimore, MD 21201 contribute as partners with other profes - generations of experts and finding new 443-451-0738 sionals in improving the quality and ways to enhance the impact of nursing www.altercustommedia.com safety of health care, as envisioned in the on health and health care. As such, we consulting editor: Affordable Care Act. Not only does our already have much of the philosophy and Sue De Pasquale School provide more than 40 percent of infrastructure in place to implement the Maryland’s professional nurse workforce, IOM’s recommendations. art director: Kim Van Dyke but we also contribute health care serv - Our School participated in the ices for underserved communities valued launch of an action plan to implement photography: at $6.5 million annually. sweeping changes in the nursing profes - Patricia Adams Kirsten Beckerman Our School’s impact, however, does sion by hosting one of 121 regional Tom Jemski not stop at our doorstep. Because health awareness meetings conducted through - Richard Lippenholz care is never stationary and is not prac - out the United States last fall. We have Marik Moen ticed in a vacuum, we approach this convened an illustrious group of diverse Genevieve Parr issue as a continuum, advocating for all. stakeholders from both the public and University of Maryland NURSING is We constantly strive to ensure the right private sectors, across all areas that in - published twice a year by the University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, care by the right provider at the right volve health care—practice, research, Md. We welcome comments, sugges - time, while widening access and improv - policy, and education—to encourage tions, and story ideas from alumni, partners, and friends. Please send all ing quality, safety, and cost-effectiveness. the community to think constructively correspondence to the editorial director . And yet, there remains one constant: We about a shared vision for improving need more nurses and better educated access to better patient care. send correspondence to: Patricia Adams nurses—locally, nationally, and globally. Executive Director of Communications Our School is working to strengthen the University of Maryland School of Nursing global nursing capacity in Haiti and 655 W. Lombard St., Suite 311D Baltimore, MD 21201 Nigeria in both education and practice. Phone: 410-706-4115 In Fall 2010, the Institute of Medi - Janet D. Allan, PhD, RN, FAAN Fax: 410-706-5560 cine (IOM), in conjunction with the Dean and Professor [email protected]

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Copyright © 2011 University of Maryland School of Nursing. 2 | SPRING/SUMMER 2011 NEWS

CEEL Relocates to Larger Space

THE SCHOOL OF NURSING’S CLINICAL ‘standardized’ parents. It’s a safe envi - exam and diagnostic reasoning skills. Education and Evaluation Lab (CEEL) ronment where students can practice “The SP experience is a wonderful began the spring 2011 semester in a new, in a realistic setting." learning tool. Not only does it provide larger space that is sure to enhance edu - The CEEL is a joint program us with feedback on our interpersonal cational opportunities for undergraduate between the School of Nursing and and communication skills from the and graduate students. the University of Maryland School of perspective of the patient, but it also The 4,962-square-foot area contains Medicine, where Standardized Patients gives us the opportunity to fine-tune 12 fully equipped outpatient examina - (SPs) put nursing and medical students our history-taking and physical exam tion rooms, four hospital rooms, and through their paces as students learn to skills,” says master’s student Carrie two family counseling rooms with interact with living, breathing humans Dana-Evans, BSN, RN. “The actors are video and two-way audio response “Being able to observe yourself going through a patient capability in each room, as well as a computer-supported automation sys - encounter is an invaluable part of the learning process, tem to enable students to see multiple especially in the advanced practice setting.” standardized patients in a streamlined teaching or testing process. who present particular health problems. excellent at playing their roles and “This expansion allows us to meet The students’ interactions with SPs providing valuable feedback that is the needs of our growing population are digitally filmed for teaching and generally difficult to get in a practical of learners by providing additional and assessment. Faculty members work setting. Being able to observe yourself creative opportunities for learning,” says with students to assess how well they going through a patient encounter is Kathy Schaivone, MPA, manager of solicit pertinent information from their an invaluable part of the learning the CEEL. “Recently, we helped our patients, their listening skills, and their process, especially in the advanced pediatric nurse practitioner students overall rapport with the patient. practice setting.” learn how to break bad news to our Students are evaluated on physical Building on the success of its clinical simulation labs, the School of Nursing opened its CEEL in January 2001. The School was one of the first in the na - tion to educate nursing students using this method of teaching and assessment. —Patricia Adams

Correction An article on p. 12 (first paragraph) of the Fall/Winter 2010 edition of NURSING , “Teaming Up to Battle Breast Cancer,” contained an error in the reference to the School of Nursing’s partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. The sentence should read, “… the School of Nursing has partnered with the Maryland Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® to bring …” We regret the error. Master’s student Merha Feseha conducts a physical assessment on standardized patient Emily Frank.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING | 3 NEWS Event Recaps

Nurse Pioneer Delivers Black History Month Lecture

THE SCHOOL OF NURSING celebrated Black History Month with a lecture, “The Contribution of African-American Nurses in the U.S. Public Health Service,” presented by RADM Deborah Parham Hopson, PhD, RN, FAAN, associ - RADM Deborah Parham Hopson ate administrator, HIV/AIDS Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health fact that there are currently three African-American and Human Services. Rear Admirals in the USPHS. Parham Hopson presented an overview of the U.S. Parham Hopson encouraged students and others in Public Health Service (USPHS), including the organiza - the audience to consider a career with the USPHS. tion’s mission to protect, promote, and advance the “Non-traditional career paths can be exciting and ful - health and safety of the nation. She noted that USPHS filling,” she said. “Not everybody who goes to nursing health professionals—now 6,600 (full-time) strong— school is cut out to work in hospitals. There are other have been providing public health and health care things you can do that are just as rewarding.” services for more than 200 years. Of the 6,600 active In her role as Associate Administrator, Parham Hop - duty officers, 1,500 are nurses, making them the largest son is responsible for managing more than $2.2 billion group in the U.S. Commissioned Corps. for programs authorized under the Ryan White Parham Hopson also described how she rose through HIV/AIDS program. In addition, as part of the Presi - the ranks to become USPHS’s first African-American dent’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, Parham Hopson Rear Admiral. “It’s one thing to be promoted yourself, directs a multimillion-dollar global HIV/AIDS program but I believe you have the responsibility to bring others with training, care, and treatment activities in Africa, with you—to help others,” she said, referring to the Asia, and the Caribbean. —Patricia Adams

The Emerging Impact of Health Care Reform

TOP OFFICIALS CHARGED WITH co-sponsored by theVeterans Affairs nature of the conference presentations overseeing implementation of federal Maryland Health Care System. and the opportunity for participants to health care reform were among nurs - Wakefield’s presentation, the gain a vision of where the nation’s ing leaders who spoke at the 2011 Commander Lura Jane Emery Distin - health is proceeding. Evidence-Based Practice Conference, guished Lecture, was made possible Frances Phillips, MHSA, BSN, RN, held March 31 and April 1 at the by the Commander Lura Jane Emery deputy secretary for public health School of Nursing. Seminar Series for Nursing Practice services, Maryland Department of Mary Wakefield, PhD, RN, admin - Endowment Fund. Health and Mental Hygiene, partici - istrator of the Health Resources and Wakefield was welcomed by Jay A. pated in a panel, “Health Care Reform, Services Administration (HRSA), Perman, MD, president of University of New Directions in Community and delivered a distinguished lecture Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), who ad - Public Health.” She reviewed widening at the eighth annual conference, dressed the need for greater cooperation roles for nursing as Maryland imple - “Nursing Practice Based on in health care delivery and education. ments the Affordable Care Act, and Evidence: The Emerging Impact Dean Janet Allan, in her opening she urged nurses to become active as of Health Care Reform,” which is remarks, spoke of the trend-setting advocates. —Patricia Fanning

4 | SPRING/SUMMER 2011 A “New Normal” in Breast Cancer Survivorship

“BREAST CANCER SURVIVORSHIP: have prolonged lives and reduced risks Defining a New Normal” was the topic of second malignancies have been ac - of the School of Nursing’s annual companied by physical effects, including Komen Distinguished Lecture, held symptoms of persistent, post-treatment April 14 at the School. Patricia Ganz, fatigue that Ganz described as “under- MD, director of the Division of Cancer reported and under-treated.” From left, Dr. Sandra McLeskey, Dr. Patricia Prevention and Control Research at the The annual lecture is part of a grant, Ganz, and Dr. Deborah McGuire Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, “The Komen Maryland Affiliate Nurs - University of California, Los Angeles, ing Partnership: Advancing Education delivered the lecture, which emphasized and Practice,” from the Maryland Affili - expand it to include the University of the growing number of breast cancer ate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure ®, Maryland School of Pharmacy and survivors and the diversity of their to advance education and practice in School of Social Work, as well as for post-treatment requirements. the treatment of breast cancer. nursing programs at Bowie State and Ganz noted that the decline in breast The School is proud to announce Coppin State Universities. Salisbury cancer mortality means that for many that it recently received a sixth year of University joined the partnership in women, cancer is now a chronic disease. funding in the amount of $204,673 June. —P.F. But the same treatment advances that to continue this initiative and help

Healing Franklin Lecture Focuses On Relationships Interprofessionalism JAY A. PERMAN, MD, in the Shadow president, University of Mary - of Trauma land, Baltimore (UMB), and NEIL WEISSMAN, PSYD , Elsie Stines, MS, CPNP, project delivered the 17th Annual director, president’s office, Ann Ottney Cain Endowed UMB, delivered the annual Lecture in Psychiatry, Dean’s DistinguishedVirginia “Healing Couples’ Rela - Lee Franklin Lecture, “‘We’: tionships in the Shadow of Interprofessionalism in Health Dr. Neil Weissman Trauma.” Weissman, who Care Education and Delivery,” is certified in Emotionally Focused Therapy, is a staff at the School of Nursing last psychologist at the Veterans Affairs Maryland Health December. Perman noted that Care System in Baltimore and a clinical assistant all health professionals should Elsie Stines and Jay A. Perman, MD professor in psychiatry at the University of Maryland be educated to deliver patient- School of Nursing and School of Medicine. He also centered care as members of an interdisciplinary team. He said has a private practice specializing in couples’ therapy. mounting research shows that health care delivered by health His talk, in March, focused on a therapy model that professionals working in teams not only improves quality, but has helped military combat trauma survivors also leads to better patient outcomes, greater patient satisfaction, strengthen their marital relationships, which creates improved efficiency, and increased job satisfaction on the part of a healing environment for recovery. The Cain Lecture health professionals. —P.A. was established to honor Ann Cain, PhD, RN, FAAN, professor emeritus, upon her retirement. —P.A.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING | 5 NEWS Event Recaps

Convocation 2011 626 Graduates Receive Degrees

THE SCHOOL OF NURSING graduated nurses and the nature of our nursing the largest class of nurses in the state practice. These three words are ‘ordi - —and possibly the largest in the nation nary,’ ‘extraordinary,’ and ‘miracle.’“ —at its annual Convocation ceremony “‘Ordinary,’ she said, "sounds like held May 20 at 1st Mariner Arena. a small word, but may be the largest The 626 graduates included explanatory factor for all the good 299 Bachelor of Science in Nursing, that happens when we, as nurses, 302 Master of Science, 15 Doctor give care to another person. It is of Nursing Practice, and 10 PhD through ‘ordinary’ that the other graduates. two words—‘extraordinary’ and Janet D. Allan, PhD, RN, FAAN, ‘miracle’—come to be.” dean of the School of Nursing, Hinds cited examples of how welcomed graduates, family members , the three words related to different faculty, and friends and extended experiences she has had in her Nursing grads, led by Nicole Watkins Brynes, prepare for remarks to the graduates. practice as a nurse and nurse the Commencement procession. Pamela S. Hinds, PhD, RN, FAAN, researcher working with children director, Department of Nursing and adolescents who have incurable Research and Quality Outcomes, cancers. Aiken, PhD, RN, FAAN, FRNC, Children’s National Medical Center, Later in the day, School of Nursing Claire M. Fagin Leadership Professor Washington, D.C., and a professor graduates participated in the Univer - in Nursing, professor of sociology, of pediatrics at George Washington sity of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) and director of the Center for Health University, delivered the Convocation Commencement ceremony at 1st Outcomes and Policy Research address. Mariner Arena, where Jay A. Perman, at the University of Pennsylvania, Her message focused on three MD, president of UMB, delivered the received an Honorary Doctor of words that, she said, “describe us as Commencement address. Linda H. Science degree. —P.A.

Master’s grads celebrate the day. Dean Janet Allan (left) and Convocation speaker Dr. Pamela S. Hinds

6 | SPRING/SUMMER 2011 Realizing a Dream

June 1996. The rebels de - pact her life. Two years later, at Eventually, Koroma was stroyed villages, killed and age 10, Koroma arrived in th e able to complete her prereq - raped women, and kidnapped United States as a refugee with uisites at Howard University children. Because her father an asylum visa and a dream and enter the University of was a member of parliament of becoming a nurse, just like Maryland School of Nursing’s at the time of the coup, her the one who had helped her BSN program. A proud gradu - family had to go into hiding. family in Sierra Leone. ate of the Class of 2011, "I remember running out “Coming to the U.S was Koroma was honored to be of my house one morning at exciting, but we were greeted chosen to deliver remarks on age 8, barefoot, with my with a rude awakening— behalf of the graduates at passport hanging around my poverty,” says Koroma. “In Convocation. neck. My siblings and I ran to our first year, the adults “As difficult as my journey a friend’s house, where we worked two or three jobs at a has been, I am thankful for hid in a small room for almost time just to keep the family every life experience because three weeks. I recall driving afloat. We were living in un - these ev ents made me a more through congested streets full safe neighborhoods while on mature and caring individual, ” of dead bodies. However, welfare. Fortunately, within a she says. through all this terror, I took few years, my family gained Looking ahead, Koroma Miata Koroma great comfort in the arms of a some stability. But college plans to return to Sierra UNICEF nurse riding with us. was difficult. I depended Leone to help others who She was scared, too, but she solely on academic scholar - were victims of the war. She AS A TYPICAL CHILD grow - assured us that we would ships, student loans, and says she wants to let them ing up in Sierra Leone, Miata survive,” recalls Koroma. income from working 24 to know that there is hope for Koroma had no real worries Koroma had no idea how 30 hours a week to survive the future and that they have until civil war broke out in that UNICEF nurse would im- through school.” not been forgotten. —P.A.

Shady Grove faculty members (from left) Mary Pat Ulicny, Barbara Esther McCready, the first African-American student admitted to the Dobish, Dr. Karen Clark, Denise Owens, and Vivian Koroknay School of Nursing (in 1950), pins master’s graduate Nicole P arson.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING | 7 New Branding Brings Unity

ON MAY 12, the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) and the University of Maryland Med - ical Center (UMMC) unveiled a new research units and the visual identity of The logo represents the pillars of visual identity, including logos and UMMC, an academic medical center Davidge Hall, the signature building on colors, which reflects the collaboration that is the flagship of the 12-hospital the UMB/UMMC campus at Lombard between the two institutions. The goal University of Maryland Medical System. and Greene streets and one of Balti - of the new look is to provide a simpli - “The University of Maryland, in more’s most recognizable public land - fied and consistent external public Baltimore, has incredible individual marks. The Davidge icon anchors both image to students, faculty, staff, alumni, schools and a world-class academic the university and the medical center patients, referring physicians, donors, medical center, all co-located on the in the deep historical tradition of the and the community that is easy to same campus and doing amazing work campus. Next year will mark the 200th recognize and visually unifying. together. A common look will help us anniversary when the state legislature The new logo, the result of a year - maximize this collaboration now and rechartered the College of Medicine of long effort, replaces independent logos in the future,” said Jay A. Perman, MD, Maryland as the University of Maryland across the university's six professional president of UMB, the founding campus here in Baltimore and Davidge Hall was schools and its various academic and of the University System of Maryland. constructed. —Ed Fishel

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8 | SPRING/SUMMER 2011 SPOTLIGHT ON SHADY GROVE | NEWS

Honing Skills in Team Care

USG nursing students Domingo Baez-Diaz and Danielle Warren (center) participate in an inter- professional simulation exercise led by UMB Presi - dent Jay A. Perman, MD.

avenues of health care. To do that, you need interprofessional education.” Heather Congdon, PharmD, assistant dean of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy program at USG and a co-chair of CIPES, noted: “Getting pharmacy and other health profession students involved in interpro - fessional collaborations during their schooling will help them understand the importance of the various profes - sions involved in providing patient care and subsequently enhance their communications skills and interprofes - sional interactions.” JOHN THOMAS IS HAVING a tough day. Respiratory Therapy Program. In Mr. Thomas’ case, nursing student During afternoon rush hour, the The event was sponsored by the Domingo Baez-Diaz reacted quickly 19-year-old lost control of his motorcy - Collaboration, Interprofessional and by calling in a rapid response team, cle on the D.C. Beltway and spun out. Interdisciplinary Education Strategies comprised of nursing master’s student He suffered a complex compound right (CIPES) Committee—a group formed Danielle Warren, pharmacy student Ash - ankle fracture and fractured ribs 3 in 2010 to emphasize and arrange leighVines, and Habtam Ayalew, a student through 8 on the right. Moreover, his opportunities for interdisciplinary team - in Salisbury’s respiratory therapy program. alcohol level on admission was 0.168. work in an educational setting. Vines recognized that the patient was After five hours of surgery and a trip to University of Maryland, Baltimore having a reaction to the patient-con - the post-anesthesia care unit, he’s recov - President Jay A. Perman, MD, who trolled analgesia and prescribed Narcan ering in a private room and appears to played the consulting physician during to counteract its effects. Ayalew quickly be in stable condition. the simulation, stressed in his keynote recommended bagging the patient to But suddenly, Mr. Thomas, who had speech the importance of such training. help him breathe. After a few seconds, been alert and talking, becomes unre - “None of us has a complete knowledge Mr. Thomas’ vitals returned to normal. sponsive. His vitals crash, and his breath - set that is required to take care of a pa - “The idea with simulations like these ing turns shallow at less than 12 breaths tient,” he said. “The best care is often is to not only see students work through per minute. What’s going on here? team care—health care professionals a case and collaborate with each other, That was the scenario played out on a working together, with each one bring - but [for them] to understand each stage at April’s Interprofessional Critical ing his or her expertise to a situation. If other’s role in the health care system,” Care Simulation event at the Universi - that happens as it’s supposed to, there says Patricia G. Morton, PhD, RN, ties at Shady Grove (USG). The patient will be one major beneficiary: the pa - CRNP, FAAN, associate dean for aca - was really a life-size SimMan 3G patient tient, which is what this is all about.” demic affairs at the School of Nursing simulator, and attending him were stu - Critical care patients, he said, already and a co-chair of CIPES. “The goal is to dents from the University of Maryland receive specialized care from a team of better understand each other’s contribu - School of Nursing and School of physicians. “Now it’s time to take the tions so students are better prepared for Pharmacy, and Salisbury University’s critical care model and bring it to all real-world circumstances.” —Joe Sugarman

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING | 9 Faculty and Staff Recognized with Prestigious Honors, Awards, and Appointments

De an Janet Allan was re-elected to IT Innovation Award. This national recognition acknowledges a two-year term as treasurer of the excellence and inventiveness in the use of information American Association of Colleges technology in the field of nursing to directly improve patient of Nursing’s (AACN) Board of care and safety. Directors. AACN serves the public interest by setting standards, provid - Robin P. Newhouse, PhD ’00, MS ’99, BSN ’86, RN, NEA-BC, ing resources, and developing the associate professor and assistant dean for the Doctor of Nursing leadership capacity of member Practice program, was among the 15 members appointed to the schools to advance nursing educa - Methodology Committee of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Dr. Vanessa Fahie and Dean tion, research, and practice. Research Institute (PCORI) by Comptroller General Gene L. Janet Allan Dodaro, head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Vanessa Fahie, PhD ’94, BSN ’76, The Methodology Committee is responsible for helping assistant professor, received the University of Maryland, PCORI develop and update methodological standards and guid - Baltimore’s (UMB) Outstanding Faculty/Staff Diversity ance for comparative clinical effectiveness research. Newhouse Award at ceremonies held in February. The annual event was the only nurse selected for the newly formed committee. commemorates Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and recognizes UMB faculty and students who have played a leadership role Barbara Resnick, PhD ’96, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, profes - or have been an integral part of the diversity of the campus. sor, was named one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women for 2011 by the Maryland Daily Record . Each year since 1996, the Top 100 Marjorie Fass, MA, assistant dean for student and academic Women program has recognized outstanding achievement by services, received the AACN’s 2011 Graduate Nursing Maryland women as demonstrated through professional Admissions Professionals’ “Service to the Graduate Nursing accomplishment, community leadership, and mentoring. In Admissions Professional Leadership Network” Award for addition, Resnick was elected president of the American “Best Practices in Graduate Nurse Recruiting and Willing - Geriatrics Society (AGS) during the Society’s Annual Scientific ness to Share Insight and Expertise with Colleagues Near Meeting, held in May. She is the first nursing professional to and Far.” lead AGS, one of the largest professional organizations of health care providers. Resnick and the University of Maryland’s Terry Laidlow, DNP, MS ’95, RN, clinical instructor, and her Function Focused Care program received a Dorland Health team from Sinai Hospital of Baltimore won a 2011 Nursing 2011 Silver Crown Award in the Aging in Place category.

Marjorie Fass, Dr. Terry Laidlow, Dr. Robin P. Newhouse, and Dr. Barbara Resnick

10 | SPRING/SUMMER 2011 CAREER CHANGER | NEWS

A Spirit Reawakened

WHEN ANA DU ARTE was a little girl she would which kept me busy, but I always felt that I just wasn’t living fold marbles into Silly Putty and then carefully make the dream,” says Duarte who says she watched hospital incisions with a small tool to remove them. Then she dramas on TV voraciously and especially enjoyed “real-life” would close the incision and create mock scars on the surgical programs, much to the dismay of her housemates. putty. “I had a 100 percent cure rate,” she says proudly. “I could watch an open heart surgery while eating dinner, Duarte may have always been interested in medicine, even though it grossed out my roommates.” but in college at the University of Maryland, College She even started taking some nursing school prerequisites Park, she decided to major in accounting—a career path but “chickened out,” as she says. “I thought, ‘If I go back to taken by her father and other family members. “I guess school, what am I going miss? Am I going to be successful?’ I it was fear of the unknown,” she says, “a fear of what was very scared about moving on to something else.” medical school held in store.” But then, like so many others, she was changed by the She was hired soon after graduating in 1980 by an events of September 11, 2001. On that day, Duarte had been up-and-coming telecom company called MCI and worked attending a business meeting across from the Pentagon; first in accounting and then in IT. But her interest in health she witnessed the tragedy there firsthand. She says that care didn’t wane. “I was happy enough, and I enjoyed work, experience “reawakened a spirit of trying to help people.” She volunteered as an EMT for the Ellicott City Fire Department and started planning for a career change. A year later, MCI/WorldCom made the decision that much easier for her. After 21 years at the company, Duarte, and many other long-serving employees, were laid off in the wake of the company’s bankruptcy. She was shocked and sad “I was happy enough, and I enjoyed work, which kept me busy, but I always felt that I just wasn’t living the dream.”

“for about a week,” and then she decided, at the age of 42, that it was finally time to pursue her long-held dream. She enrolled in the School of Nursing in 2004, earned her BSN in 2006, and an MS in 2009. These days, Duarte splits her time between working as a clinical instructor and coordinator for the School’s undergraduate psychiatry clin - ics and seeing patients in clinical practice. And she couldn’t be happier with the path her life h as taken. “Never in my wildest dreams would I have believed that things would’ve worked out as beautifully as they have,” says Duarte, who began the School’s PhD program last year. “I’m getting to do everything I like to do. I have no intention to deviate from this career. I am finally where I am supposed to be.” —Joe Sugarman

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING | 11 Melissa, RN, BSN, CCRN Nick, RN, BSN UMSON ‘03 Loretta, RN, BSN UMSON ‘07 UMSON ‘96

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Why is it important for nurses to advocate for themselves and the profession ?

Susan Wozenski, JD, MPH Quinn Gorman Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, MAS, Assistant Professor and Vice Chair, Current Clinical Nurse Leader Student BSN ’80, RN Department of Family and Community Health Delegate, Maryland State Legislature

Nurses are the largest segment of our As someone who has worked in the While nurses have historically advocated nation’s health care workforce, yet the Maryland General Assembly, I can say that for their patients, they have not done profession’s voice has not been the loudest legislators truly do rely on the testimony of much advocating for themselves or for the in ensuring that our health care system im - outside experts for an accurate picture of profession. However, it is very important to proves the health status of our nation. As an issue at hand, especially when that issue do so. Only nurses understand their scope is the case with most health professionals, is technical in nature. No less importantly, of practice, passion, and enormous capac - nurses are prepared in schools and programs advocates serve to represent a portion of ity for caring for the sick. Nurses are that do not provide many opportunities for the stakeholder landscape. If the nursing trained to identify and solve problems interdisciplinary education and practice. profession fails to bend the ears of those through the nursing process; they are the Many find that when they begin practicing, who control the legislative and regulatory backbone of the health care delivery sys - they and their colleagues from other health framework surrounding our work, some - tem. If nurses would work collectively they professions are unaware of the unique skills one with another set of interests won’t would gain more respect and have more each discipline brings to patient care, com - hesitate to step in—and potentially effect power. Nurses could come together to ad - municating health information, leadership changes that will make our working condi - vocate for a common cause, e.g. funding and management, and improving the health tions worse and our public image no better. for nursing, working conditions, or health of the community. Advocacy on behalf of I am a new student at the School of care delivery. Nurses can be found at the the profession is essential for nurses to be Nursing without the clinical experience of bedside, in the board room, in faculty able to practice to the full extent of their many of my classmates, yet I have heard roles, in legal and political arenas, and in professional education, ultimately enhancing from many of those who are already on research labs. The nursing profession can outcomes for the patients and the popula - the job what can be a troubling narrative lead you anywhere your heart desires. I tions they serve. In the absence of our own of under-appreciation and exhaustion. I would urge new nursing graduates to take voices, misconceptions about the roles of think we’d all like to change that; I think a stand and learn how to become strong nurses and devaluations of our contributions we all know advocacy is one of the most advocates, not only for themselves but also to health care get to rule the day. powerful tools to do so. for the profession. Stand up and be heard!

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING | 13 DISCOVERY

Cell Phones Offer Connection to Better Health

Homeless study participants who received automated medication reminders on their cell phones reported high rates of compliance.

caught up in other things,” explains that someone cared about them, they Charon Burda, MS ’03, CRNP-PMH, reported. And being able to call family an assistant professor at the School of members, some of whom they hadn’t Nursing who has worked in psychiatric spoken to in years, made them feel less nursing since 1985 and at Health Care isolated. “They didn’t feel as marginalized for the Homeless since 2005. because they had those connections,” she To address this problem, she did some - explains. “And they felt an increase in thing that hadn’t been done before. She safety because there are no longer any provided 10 homeless individuals who public pay phones in Baltimore.” had substance abuse and psychiatric dis - School of Nursing collaborators on orders with cell phones, as part of a small the study included principal investigator pilot study. Every day for 30 days they re - Professor Mary Haack, PhD, RN, FAAN ceived an automated call reminding them and current PhD student Ana C. Duarte, to take their medications. The results MS, CRNP-PMH. The study is sched - were surprising. The automated calls uled for publication in the Journal of the reached participants 93 percent of days, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. and when reached, participants reported In the future, Burda hopes to do a ONE OF THE MOST basic tenets of manag - 100 percent adherence with the pre - larger study of this type and work to ing chronic diseases is to take medications scribed medication regimen. “We were illustrate how cell phones and other as prescribed to control symptoms. just bowled over,” says Burda. “Nobody forms of technology can help provide But for the thousands of chronically has ever used technology with this acuity care to hard-to-reach populations. mentally ill people who are homeless of illness or this economic group before.” “I want to show that when people and living on the streets of downtown Some skeptics told Burda that giving have access to resources and technology, Baltimore, remembering to take their cell phones to the homeless was a mis - they use it appropriately,” she says. “Not medications regularly isn’t an easy take. The phones were too valuable and only is this very cost-effective, it is infor - proposition. Many have no watches, no would get lost or sold or be used to sell mation [that can be generalized] because alarm clocks, no computers or phones, drugs. That never happened. compliance is such a big issue for all of no calendars or datebooks. Often, the What did happen was that the cell health care. If we have a way to cue pa - need to take their medicine gets lost phones had positive impacts that Burda tients, even those whom we feel might amid their daily struggles to secure food, never expected. For the duration of the not be able to fully access care the way water, shelter, and safety. study, participants were allowed unlimited we want them to, we could save a lot “When people live in survival mode use of their cell phones, which came of money and make a difference, and there are so many things that need your equipped with Bluetooth technology and our patients will feel more connected. attention, and without any outside cues other high-tech bells and whistles. Hav - Really, it doesn’t get better than that.” to take their medication, people just get ing the cell phones made them feel safe, —Maria Blackburn

14 | SPRING/SUMMER 2011 DISCOVERY

An End to the Waiting Game?

WHETHER THEY ARE standing at the pharmacist’s counter or lying in a hospital bed, few people relish waiting for their prescription medications. But consider the plight of new patients at sub-acute care facilities, such as a nurs - ing homes or rehabilitation centers, who arrive from the hospital after recent sur - gery. They often have to wait for hours until the facility’s off-site pharmacy can fill and deliver their pain medication, blood pressure pills, or nightly sleep aid. “Sometimes if patients arrive late in the day they have to wait until the next day to get all of their routine medications,” says Assistant Professor Marisa Wilson, DNSc, MHSc, RN-BC. Dr. Marisa Wilson, pictured here next to a Talyst automated dispensing system, is measuring the And the waiting game can reoccur effectiveness of such systems. frequently throughout their stay as providers change their patient’s medication to more effectively Here’s how the devices work: A provider orders medication respond to their symptoms. Every time there’s a change, nurses for a patient and the prescription is sent to the offsite phar - may have to scramble to gather the medications needed to macy, where it is reviewed and validated by a pharmacist and care for patients while they wait for the filled prescriptions then transmitted electronically from the pharmacy to the to be delivered. Often they must make multiple calls to the automated dispensing device at the facility. Nurses at the facilit y offsite pharmacy, attempting to speed up the process. then transcribe the order into the patient’s Medical Adminis - Automated dispensing systems, refrigerator-sized machines tration Record, go to the machine to withdraw the medicati on, that securely store and dispense some 300 of the most and then administer it to their patient. Because the drugs are commonly ordered drugs onsite, could help improve the already in the facility, nurses and patients don’t have to wait for dispensing process. But there is still so much about them that them to be delivered once the prescription is validated. remains unknown. Do they shorten patient wait times? Since Brandt will be evaluating how the system works at Omni - the devices allow nurses to remove single doses of medications , care, the offsite pharmacy provider for Brightwood residents can they help curb the waste and health costs associated with that must process the orders from the pharmacy end, including frequent medication changes? Can they improve workflow keeping the automated dispensing device at the facility filled. and reduce dispensing errors? The interdisciplinary view is essential to understanding best That’s what Wilson and Nicole Brandt, PharmD, an practices for implementing automated dispensing devices, associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Brandt says. “With any new technology there are always Pharmacy, are hoping to find out. The two researchers have glitches, and if you were to just look at the facility side you embarked on an interdisciplinary study of a Talyst automated wouldn’t see all of what’s happening,” she says. “You need dispensing device recently implemented in two units at to look at this process from a whole systems perspective.” Brightwood Center, a Genesis HealthCare site in Lutherville, Wilson says, “Hopefully, the end result of what we do will Md. “Having this device sounds like a dream come true, and it allow participants to fine-tune this automated dispensing can be,” says Wilson. “But it depends on how it is imple - process so that we have a device that reaches its maximum mented and on the processes and procedures that are put in efficiency for nurses and patients and will provide them with a place to support it.” satisfying experience.” —M.B.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING | 15 During Advocacy Day in Annapolis, Dean Janet Allan took a moment to explain the importance of interprofessional collaboration—the focus of a University exhibit—to a group of students. Champions for the Cause Over the decades, nurses have advocated for issues vitally important to advancing the profession.

By Dan Caughey

NURSES ADVOCATING for themselves and the profession is secure state regulation of nursing. She also championed the not a new phenomenon, although prior to the 19th century, needs of the individual nurse while shaping the foundation of not a great deal of advocacy by nurses or for nurses was evi - the profession. By 1903, five states, in a span of two months, dent. Nurse advocacy in the modern era began in the late enacted licensing laws. Twenty years later, legislation regulating 1800s with the push by nurses in several British colonies to nurse training was implemented in every state. The push for have nursing registration acts endorsed. South Africa passed state regulations strengthened the various nursing organizations the first law in 1891 that dealt with nurse registration, though and helped to bind nurses together. other health professions were also addressed in the same legis - In its early years, the University of Maryland School of lation. New Zealand passed the first true nursing act in 1901, Nursing’s contribution to nursing advocacy was mainly which dealt solely with the nursing profession. In the United through the efforts of its alumni. Early faculty members and States, control of education and professional practice came alumni helped to create the Maryland State Association of under each state’s jurisdiction, and a decentralized advocacy Graduate Nurses (MSAGN), later known as the Maryland arose. Sophia Palmer (1853-1920) was one of the early Nurses Association (MNA). Immediately after being formal - advocates for the nursing profession. She was a leader in the ized, the MSAGN set out to accomplish one of the first development of nursing organizations and the movement to objectives for which it was created—advocating for the state

16 | SPRING/SUMMER 2011 LIVING HISTORY registration of nurses. From the start, the Association was NACGN was important, as black nurses at that time were not successfully involved with lawmakers in crafting the legisla - allowed membership in the ANA or most state associations. tion, and a bill was put forward to form a Board of Nurse The main purpose of the NACGN was to gain integration Examiners, which was signed into law in 1904. School of of black nurses into nursing schools, nursing jobs, and profes - Nursing alumni also helped in the effort to shape internal sional organizations. Through tireless advocacy, in addition school policy, in addition to raising money and contributing to greater tolerance and inclusiveness espoused by ANA services to the School and University Hospital. leadership after World War II, black nurses were able to earn School of Nursing alumni were rightly proud of their ad - membership in various state nursing associations in 1948, vocacy achievements. The editors of the first Alumni Association and in national associations by the mid 1950s. Bulletin in 1920 noted their role in advocating for trained Throughout its history, the ANA has advocated for better nurses and opening up more employment opportunities for working hours and pay for nurses. The organization was also graduates. The School, through its alumni, continued to advo - an early backer for certain sub-groups of nursing—most no - cate for nurses and shape policy. By the 1920s, 10 percent of tably military nurses and minority nurses—that faced greater the MNA’s members were from the School. At one point in obstacles to fair conditions. The ANA helped to secure a the early 1920s, the School could boast that all the national series of laws that improved the status and pay of military associations had its graduates as their presidents. The Alumni nurses within the various armed services in the first half of

Left to right: Dean Heller with other advocates after Governor Glendening signed a bill that created a statewide commission on the crisis in nursing in 2000; Sophia Palmer, early nurse advo cate; and State Senator Paula Hollinger (right) with a UMSON representative at the first legislative reception in 2001. Association also pushed to get other nursing alumni associa - the 20th century. The tions in the state to pool their resources and work together to organization also worked toward greater diversity within effect changes and improvements for nurses. Such activism was state and national nursing organizations. By 1979, the seen on the national scale as well. The three most prominent Alumni Association helped in getting legislation passed to national nurses’ organizations—the American Nurses Associa - create a new Nurse Training Act. The School took a more tion (ANA), National League of Nursing Education (NLNE), active and direct role in advocating for the profession in and the National Organization for Public Health Nursing 2000, when it hosted a statewide summit on the nursing (NOPHN)—all sought to harness their state chapter’s shortage, which included discussions of initiatives such as advocacy energies and focus them on the national level. accelerated programs and collaborative agreements with Some national associations, such as the NOPHN, advo - community colleges to help meet nursing demands. In 2001, cated for certain types of nursing. Established in 1912 by the School held a legislative reception at the Governor Lillian Wald, the founder of American public health nursing, Calvert House in Annapolis, marking a milestone in the NOPHN was designed to set professional standards, share School’s history. More than 300 faculty, students, staff, and techniques, and protect the reputations of its members. In alumni mingled with state legislators and government offi - 1952, NOPHN merged with the National League for Nurs - cials in an informal setting, in an effort to raise awareness of ing. Other organizations were formed to push for better challenges facing the profession. rights for minority nurses who had been under-represented The School of Nursing continues this tradition of advocacy because of discrimination. In 1908, the National Association today. Last February, more than 50 students and faculty mem - of Colored Graduate Nurses (NACGN) was founded by bers, along with Dean Janet Allan, traveled to Annapolis to Martha Minerva Franklin. This organization was dedicated encourage funding for Loan Assistance Repayment Programs to promoting the standards and welfare of black nurses and for nursing students and continued support for the Governor’s breaking down racial discrimination within the profession. budget request for the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING | 17 WOA SMRALL LD AFTER ALL

IN THE FACE OF A GLOBAL HEALTH CARE CRISIS, THE SCHOOL OF NURSING IS REACHING OUT TO HELP BUILD THE CAPACITY OF NURSES IN IMPOVERISHED REGIONS OF THE WORLD THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS IN EDUCATION AND TRAINING.

STORY BY MARIA BLACKBURN

18 | SPRING/SUMMER 2011 Rehabilitation tent ward at Scared Heart Hospital, Milot, Haiti

THE FIRST TIME that country where 240,000-plus laborating with faculty and part - Yolanda Ogbolu traveled to infants die annually in their first ners at University of Maryland, Nigeria to teach several dozen month of life. Baltimore, and around the world, health care providers the intrica - Shocked to learn that 99 per - to help increase the capacity of cies of neonatal resuscitation, her cent of infant deaths occur nurses in under-resour ced coun - goals were modest. “If I can help outside the United States, tries. By equipping people and save one baby’s life, it will have Ogbolu realized that saving just organizations with the knowl - been worth it,” the seasoned one baby wasn’t enough. She had edge and resources they need nurse practitioner told herself. to do more to help the people to independently address their But her experiences in the of Nigeria care for their sick country’s public health, she is small hospital for women and and save lives long after she had confident that countries like children in a rural part of north - returned home to Baltimore. Nigeria can create strong, sus - ern Nigeria opened her eyes to “I wanted to make a differ - tainable health care institutions. the realities of infant mortality in ence,” says Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS “There is a severe health care sub-Saharan Africa. There were ’05, BSN ’04, an assistant profes - shortage in many parts of the not enough doctors and nurses, sor at the School of Nursing. world, and I believe empowering even basic medical equipment As a master’s and doctoral nurses is the way to best address was scarce, and patients were so student at the School, Ogbolu patient outcome needs,” she says. sick with infectious diseases like studied the complex reasons why “Nurses are the backbone of AIDS and malaria that the small health disparities exist through - the health care system in many medical staff was often over - out the world. Now, as deputy developing countries, and we whelmed. Despite their best director of the School’s Office of need to empower them through efforts, they could save very few Global Health, she is working to [additional] education and by babies—a grim reality in a address these disparities by col - increasing their capacity.”

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING | 19 of a visiting scholars exchange pro - in resource-limited settings,” gram, and offering the nation’s first says Johnson. post-master’s certificate in global There’s a lot to do, and the health for nurses, the office is global health faculty members are collaborating with nursing schools working hard to keep up with it across the globe on a variety of all. A visit to the Office of Global projects dedicated to building the Health on an afternoon in mid- global capacity of nurses. February found the place buzzing “Some 20 percent of the with activity. Six nurses, all faculty world’s population in the richer members from the University of countries consumes 80 percent of Notre Dame of Haiti, were in the world’s health care resources, Baltimore for a six-week infectious while the poorest regions of the disease certificate training program. world, like Africa and Southeast Two nursing school deans from Asia, have 50 percent of the total Nigeria were visiting to review global disease burden yet only a primary health care specialist 2.4 percent of the world’s health curricula being developed, visiting resources. This enormous global clinical sites, and meeting with health inequity is one of the most the School’s faculty. And Shavon glaring problems in our human Moses, a nurse educator from civilization,” says JeffreyV. Johnson, Guyana who participated in the PhD, director of the Office of office’s International Nurse Dr. Yolanda Ogbolu holding a Nigerian infant Global Health. “There is a global Exchange Program last year, had health crisis, and a huge burden returned to prepare students in the of disease is falling on developing Essentials for Global Health class countries. The number one obsta - for their upcoming fieldwork “IF I CAN cle to dealing with that crisis is a trip to Guyana. Boxes of donated lack of health care providers.” nursing textbooks lined the floor, SAVE Even in the face of a global all awaiting shipment to Nigeria nursing shortage, nurses still com - as part of the annual Nurses for prise the largest group of health Global Health book drive. Phones ONE BABY’S care workers in many regions of the were ringing, meetings were con - world. “Nurses are very critical to vening, classes were being taught— LIFE, IT WILL jump-starting the capacity of health and change was happening. systems in developing countries to “I remember three years ago be able to engage more proactively sitting all by myself in this big HAVE BEEN in their own global health crises,” office and it was completely silent,” Johnson says. “They are not only says Johnson. “I told myself, ‘this WORTH IT.” the most prevalent and available has got to change,’ and it has, be - health providers, they can do a lot cause so many people want to do —YOLANDA OGBOLU more than what they are doing.” [global health].” But the world’s estimated 13 Building sustainable partnerships million nurses can’t respond to this to strengthen the critical role of need without additional training nurses in the global health work - and education, and that’s where the N THE
DAYS AND WEEKS force has been a priority in the School’s Office of Global Health after the January 2010 earth - Office of Global Health since its comes in. “We are now working Iquake in Haiti killed an esti - founding in 2009. In addition to with a number of countries to part - mated 316,000 people and injured giving students opportunities to ner with nursing schools and help 300,000 more, physicians and provide care and conduct research them develop their capacity to train nurses from the University of in countries like Honduras and nurses who are capable of moving Maryland Medical Center and Zambia, sharing the School’s into advanced practice, where they around the world flocked to this resources and faculty expertise are taking on the roles more like devastated island country to care with international nurses as part those of physicians—particularly for its citizens.

20 | SPRING/SUMMER 2011 Open air ward at St. Francoise de Sales Hospital, Port au Prince, Haiti Dr. Carol O’Neil discusses different learning styles with visiting Haitian nurses (from left) Hermlande Gardere, Chantal Corioland, and Marie Nicole Sully-Guerrier Jean.

Some 4.5 percent of the popu - School’s Office of Global Health. learning the intricacies of perform - lation in Haiti is infected with “Beyond their terminal degree ing chest and lung physical assess - HIV/AIDS, according to the World for nursing there is no accredited ments from Assistant Professor Joan Health Organization (WHO), and post-graduate education.” Davenport, PhD ’08, RN, and prac - the country’s health indicators are Under this “train the trainer” ticing their skills on one another. among some of the worst in the program, School of Nursing faculty “I like how the teachers here world. Like many developing members teach the first group of share information and assess patients countries, Haiti does not have nurses, who then return to the in clinic—it’s so different than it is enough nurses, physicians, and University of Notre Dame, Haiti, in Haiti,” explains Gardere. “Here other health care providers to and their home hospital institutions they take a lot of time to assess patients. At home we have to see IN 2008, THERE WERE THREE a lot of patients and we don’t really have time to assess each PHYSICIANS AND ONLY ONE patient properly.” During the class, Davenport NURSE FOR EVERY 10,000 repeatedly showed her students PEOPLE IN HAITI. how much valuable information a thorough physical assessment address its high burden of disease. in Haiti to train the next group could provide. Gardere vowed to In 2008, WHO reported that there of nurses. Once nurses earn their put her newly honed assessment were three physcians and only certificates through this Ministry skills to work when she returned one nurse for every 10,000 people of Health-accredited program they home. “It’s very important for me in Haiti. will return to work at their home as a nurse to make a change in After the earthquake, Marik institutions throughout the country health care in Haiti, especially Moen, MSN, MPH, RN, worked to provide a higher level of infec - in infectious disease,” she says. to develop a postgraduate certifi - tious disease care to patients. “We have to properly take care of cate program in infectious diseases The first six-week training these patients.” designed to teach experienced session was originally scheduled Corioland, a nurse at St. Fran - nurses in Haiti the best practices to take place in Haiti last fall, but coise de Sales Hospital who has and most current knowledge re - it was moved to Baltimore after been providing care to patients lated to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, cholera, as well as civil unrest in tents since the earthquake malaria, and other diseases. brought on by the country’s presi - destroyed some 70 percent of the “Before, if there was any type dential elections, broke out. And hospital, acknowledged that it had of certification or specialization so a morning during the spring been difficult to leave her 5-year- within nursing in Haiti it wasn’t semester found Hermlande Garde re, old twins at home so she could standardized—nurses learned on Chantal Corioland, and four other attend the training in Baltimore. the job,” says Moen, coordinator nurses from Haiti in a School of But she was confident that the of education initiatives for the Nursing classroom. They were intensive training would help

22 | SPRING/SUMMER 2011 make a difference. “After the convey to the six Haitian nurses earthquake there was a lot to do, the importance of student-centered
but there were not so many hands learning; how to respond to differ - N NIGERIA, THE BURDE N of to help,” she says. “People need ent learning styles; and the best disease is as great as the heath health care providers like us to way to use case studies, Power - Icare workforce is small. In addi - help prevent disease, and we are Point, and other resources to tion to having one of the highest going to have a lot of diseases with effectively convey information. infant mortality rates in the world, so many people living under tents. O’Neil and Moen were both and high rates of malaria and tuber - Six of us are not enough to cover impressed by the group’s seem - culosis, Nigeria is home to some it all, but it is a place to start and to ingly boundless desire to expand 3 million people living with HIV/ teach others how to help.” their knowledge. One day, two- AIDS, according to the Nigerian Imparting knowledge about in - and-a-half hours into a three-hour Federal Ministry of Health. Even fectious diseases isn’t the only pur - class, after her several suggestions though it has only 2 percent of the pose of the training; it’s also about that the students take a short world’s population, Nigeria accounts teaching the trainers how to teach, break went ignored, O’Neil had for more than 10 percent of the says Associate Professor Carol to order the group to stand up world’s maternal deaths in childbirth. O’Neil, PhD, RN, CNE, co-direc - and stretch. And when Moen Each year some 55,000 Nigerian tor of the School’s Institute for tried to plan a one-day sightseeing women die giving birth. Educators in Nursing and Health trip to Washington, D.C. over the There are only 35,000 physicians Professions. O’Neil, who has more weekend, it never got off the and 210,000 nurses to serve Nige - than 30 years of teaching experi - ground. Why? ria’s 150 million citizens, according ence, worked with other School “They wanted to stay in to WHO. And some 70 percent of of Nursing faculty members to Baltimore and study,” she says . Nigerians, especially those in rural

MEET LOCALLY . ACT GLOBALLY .

When Carolyn Nganga-Good, MS ’07, sponsors speakers, seminars, and RN, took Jeffrey V. Johnson’s course other events; and brings together on Social Justice and Health in 2006, students from across the University she learned from speaking with him of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) that there were faculty and students campus. Its annual textbook drive, who shared her global health inter - established in 2009, collects several ests. Certainly, she thought, there hundred books a year that have been must be a way to inform students donated to nursing students with about global health disparities limited resources in Nigeria and around the world and to share with Haiti. The group hopes to expand its them how to get involved. efforts to reach out to other resource- “Do something about it,” Johnson Dr. Jeffrey Johnson presents nursing limited countries. told her. So with his support and the textbooks to Olatokunbo A. Olanipekun, “Every year the group has gotten secretary-general/registrar, Nursing help of classmate Neshat Tebyanian, and Midwifery Council of Nigeria. bigger and bigger,” says Nurses for MS ’08, RN, CRNP, and Yolanda Og - Global Health’s current co-chair bolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, she co-founded Nurses Pujeeta Pfau, a Family Nurse Practitioner student in for Global Health. “Most of the student groups at the the Global Health Post-Master’s certificate program. time were focused on what was happening locally,” “Most programs at UMB are very demanding of stu - explains Nganga-Good, who works as a program analyst dents’ time and mental energy, and sometimes you think in the STD/HIV Prevention Program at the Baltimore you don’t have time to do anything else. For me, being City Health Department. “I saw Nurses for Global Health involved in Nurses for Global Health is really uplifting as an avenue for people who have global health inter - because it gives you more of a personal view of what ests to hear about what’s happening in the world.” global health is all about.” —M.B. Today, the group has more than 300 members and For more on Nurses for Global Health, visit is one of the largest and most active student groups at http://umaryland.edu/ngh. the School. It hosts an annual global health conference ;

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING | 23 Marik Moen helps Haitian nurse Emme - lynne Pierre-Louis translate words from French to English.

areas, don’t have access to health centers. Most primary care nurses women, children, newborns, and care in the country’s primary, sec - lack the proper education and train - patients with infectious diseases. ondary, and tertiary care centers. ing to work at this higher level, and The two-pronged strategy—which Much of the health care in Nigeria’s that’s a problem, according to Emilia is being coordinated as part of a primary care centers is provided by Iwu, MSN, APNC, an assistant pro - partnership that includes IHV- nurses and community health work - fessor at the School who is based in Nigeria, Nigeria’s Ministry ers who are overburdened and Nigeria and works as a senior tech - of Health, the Nursing and outnumbered. Because of this, these nical advisor with the Institute of Midwifery Council, and the nurses are often forced to “task shift” HumanVirology-Nigeria (IHV), an departments of nursing at the Uni - and prescribe medicine or take on institute of the University of Mary - versity of Nigeria at Enugu and other clinical and public health land School of Medicine. “Look at Obafemi Awolowo University— leadership roles outside their range the many public health implications will not only build capacity, it will of practice. “All over the world, that exist if that care is not done increase professionalism among nurses, says Ogbolu. “WHAT WE ARE GIVING THEM IS To focus on Nigeria’s immediate health needs, a School of Nursing THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE EX - faculty work group headed by Ogbolu has spent much of the last PERTISE TO GO BACK TO THEIR year developing a curriculum for a COMMUNITIES AND GIVE CARE 12-month advanced diploma pro - gram. Its aim: to improve the com - TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST petency and education of nurses, nurse midwives, and community —CAROL O’NEIL IN NEED.” health officers working in the pri - nurses are extending beyond their properly,” she says. “The patients mary health care sector by training level of training not because they may end up with resistant viruses them to become primary health want to, but because they feel obli - that can be transmitted to the rest care specialists. “The idea of task gated to take care of their patients,” of the population.” shifting is that the nurse takes on Ogbolu says. “They are taking lead - To address this, School faculty some of the tasks of the doctor, and ership on the ground, primarily members are working on a project the doctor can then focus on the because under certain conditions to train nurses and community most demanding cases,” Johnson they are the only people there.” health workers at primary care says. “Rather than see everyone, the And the needs of patients at facilities in Nigeria to task shift doctor sees only the patients he or primary care centers are about to more effectively and engage in such she needs to see, and the nurse sees get more complex, as the Nigerian tasks as prescribing antiretroviral everyone else. The work of the government moves to decentralize drugs for healthy people with HIV nurse—taking vitals, triage, etc.— HIV/AIDS care from tertiary care and assessing and treating pregnant (continued on inside back cover)

24 | SPRING/SUMMER 2011 IMPROVING THE ODDS FOR INFANTS IN NIGERIA For four months at the end of 2001, nurses in Nigeria were on patients who couldn’t share a bed slept on the floor. The strike, and the country’s neonatal mortality rate, already one nurses lacked critical knowledge. For example, some 77 per - of the highest in the world, skyrocketed. At Wesley Guild cent of the nurses she interviewed had never received training Hospital in IIesa, the neonatal mortality rate doubled from in neonatal resuscitation or in caring for premature infants. 125 deaths per 1,000 live births to 250 deaths per 1,000 live “I started to see many of the reasons why babies die in the births during the strike, despite the fact that physicians and field,” she says. And from that data she concluded that adding parents who had received special training were caring for the more nurses in Nigeria may not be enough; the health care newborns during this period. system needs to be strengthened to make a major impact on Some researchers might quickly overlook those statistics, neonatal mortality. which were published in 2005 in the Internet Journal of Pedi - Her study, which will be published, was qualitative as well atrics and Neonatology , and move on. Not Yolanda Ogbolu. as quantitative. “When I tell the qualitative story, that’s when “To me this said that there was something very special about people begin to understand the true story of nursing and what nurses are doing that can help improve the lives of neonatal care in Nigeria,” she says. There was the physician babies,” says Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ‘04. who, after telling Ogbolu his hospital lacked a resuscitation The assistant professor wanted to learn more about how bag and oxygen, laughed sarcastically as he said, “When a the care nurses provided to newborns in Nigerian hospitals baby comes in and is not breathing, there is nothing I can do.” correlated to infant mortality rates at those facilities. So And another who, after telling her his hospital had an ambu - last May, for her doctoral dissertation, she spent six weeks lance, confessed that the vehicle had neither gas nor a driver. in Nigeria, visited 27 hospitals in 10 states, and surveyed Witnessing these conditions was difficult for Ogbolu as a 231 nurses and 27 hospital administrators to find out more nurse and a mother, but she pushed on because she believes about staffing levels and organizational conditions at these her research is critical to understanding the nurses and babies hospitals and how they related to neonatal outcomes. behind the statistics. “We all know there’s a health care Although Ogbolu had traveled to Nigeria before and con - [provider] shortage, but no one has taken the time to go there ducted trainings in hospitals there, she was taken aback by the and show what nurses really experience on the ground and conditions she found. In some wards, one nurse was caring for how it impacts whether newborns live or die,” she says. “I as many as 150 patients. In others, there was no running have that data, and I want to publish it so that people hear water, no oxygen, no working phones, and so few beds that and understand the nurses’ stories. I owe it to them.” —M.B.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING | 25 Healing Brigade

Story by Sue De Pasquale Photos courtesy of Genevieve Parr

IN THE IMPOVERISHED COMMUNITY of La Cienega, Honduras, few people have access to medical services. So when students from the Medical Brigades group from the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) visited last January and set up a small clinic, local people walked for hours to receive basic health care and education. Over three days, the UMB students—together with local doctors—saw and treated more than 700 men, women, and children. The Brigade included Genevieve Parr, a [then] master’s student in the School of Nursing’s Clinical Nurse Leader program, and 25 other UMB student volunteers. While villagers presented a variety of health issues, says Parr, the most common problems were parasites (which cause stomach pain), fungal skin infections, and dry and irritated eyes. Despite the language barrier (Parr says her Span - ish is “mediocre”) she and her colleagues found it surprisingly easy to communicate. “It was really rewarding,” says Parr. “Global Medical Brigades provided the opportunity for our graduate students to take the skills and knowledge that they have acquired through their respec - tive programs to a much-needed outlet. We not only provided professional care for the community members, but we also gave them tools, education, and support to make healthy changes in their everyday lives.”

Above: Genevieve Parr keeps an Hondur an infant calm while a nurse practitioner student removed stitches from the abdomen of the baby’s mother. Far left: Parr counts out a two-months supply of multivitamins for distribution. “We made hundreds of these bags,” she says. Through fundraising efforts, the group brought more than $70,000 worth of medications to the impoverished area. Left: Parr provides fluoride treatment to a young boy. Children and families were also given toothbrushes and counseled on dental hygiene. 26 | SPRING/SUMMER 2011 Far Left: A rock-solid brigade—Students from each UMB professional school painted a rock to represent their school. Left: On their last day in Honduras, the Medical Brigades students from UMB made time to tour the beautiful Valley de Angeles. The group, sponsored by Global Medical Brigade s, the world’s largest student-led global health and sustainable development organization, included students from the schools of nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, law, and social work. Below: Parr sterilizes dental equipment for use by UMB dental students, who, together with a local dentist, assessed and treated hundreds of people—many of whom had never received dental care.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING | 27 SPEAKING UP NURSES HAVE FOUND A VOICE AS ADVOCATES FOR THEMSELVES AND THE PROFESSION AND ARE WIELDING POLITICAL INFLUENCE ACROSS THE STATE –AND THE NATION .

By Len Lazarick

ON WEDNESDAYS throughout the spring, emphasized as one of its four main policy goals, Abigail Ehret, BSN, RN, has not been going to “nurses should be full partners, with physicians her job as a nurse at the University of Maryland and other health care professionals, in redesign - Medical Center’s Cardiac Care Unit. Instead, ing health care in the United States.” she heads to Capitol Hill for hearings on health The ANA is also trying to gain support for a care legislation. bill that would allow advanced practice nurses A student in Health Services Leadership and to order home health care. There is a fiscal di - Management master’s specialty at the School mension, too, Ehret says. “We’ve been focusing of Nursing, Ehret exemplifies the expanded on cost-saving measures.” dimensions of nursing practice the School is “I’m surprised at how much access I’ve had,” working to foster. As an intern with the Ameri - Ehret says. “It’s been an eye-opening activity for can Nurses Association (ANA), Ehret meets me. Realizing that nurses do have a voice, more regularly with members of Congress and their of us need to be aware of health care legislation, legislative aides to explain her role as a nurse, and be aware of the changes needed for a she says, “and how the Affordable Care Act can healthy work environment for ourselves and our help my patients.” patients,” she says. “More nurses need to become “They love hearing from nurses,” Ehret says, more politically involved.” noting that many members of Congress have That’s indeed the goal of leaders at the been working with hospital associations and School of Nursing. nurses on health care issues in their home states . In recent years, the School has placed a Many of the lawmakers have a family member greater emphasis on engaging state and federal who is a nurse or have had other positive con - policymakers in helping to increase the supply tacts with nurses. “They’ve had an experience of nurses and the faculty to teach them, and in to share with me about how a nurse has expanding what these nurses can do for pa - touched them in a special way,” she says. tients. That’s especially crucial today as federal Like other nurse advocates, Ehret has been health care reform adds 20 million to 30 mil - pushing the priorities of the ANA, which has lion people to the insurance rolls, and millions focused on implementing the recommenda - of Baby Boomers move into their golden years. tions in the 2010 Institute of Medicine (IOM) “It’s a public health crisis,” says School of report on “The Future of Nursing.” The report Nursing Dean Janet Allan.

28 | SPRING/SUMMER 2011 “More nurses need to become more politically involved.”

—ABIGAIL EHRET N A M R E K C E B N E T

Abigail Ehret, BSN, RN S R I K Dr. Janice Hoffman (center), assistant dean for the BSN program, and a group of students arrive in Annapolis for Advocacy Day 2011.

“If you don’t have nurses, you don’t halls of Congress. They have success - Hospital Association (MHA), the state have health care.” fully fought to increase funding to Department of Health and Mental Hy - Allan notes that nurses have had a educate additional nursing faculty to giene, and other agencies. They also long-standing philosophy of advocating help reduce the shortage of trained met with U.S. Senator Barbara Mikul - for their patients. “We really wanted to nurses. They have worked to break ski, who challenged them to come up increase the amount of advocacy for down the barriers that prevent nurse with a plan that she could advocate. the profession,” putting more emphasis practitioners from providing the full Together, they persuaded Maryland’s on that in the curriculum, she says. range of nursing care. They continue Health Services Cost Review Com - With the School’s location near to fight for full recognition and reim - mission, which sets all hospital rates, to Annapolis, the state capital, and the bursement for advanced practice levy a .1 percent special assessment on nation’s capital in Washington, D.C., nurses. And they continue to work on hospitals to produce $8 million to $13 “it’s very easy for our students and the policies that will implement federal million a year for the Nurse Support faculty to become involved,” Allan health reform on the state level. Program II. The program is now about notes, pointing as one example to the five years old and has financed the edu - American Association of Colleges of “Wildly Successful Advocacy” cation of scores of nurses with master’s Nursing’s Student Policy Summit held In 2002, when she came to Maryland, degrees and doctorates from university this spring in Washington. The annual Dean Allan found that health policy - and college programs in Maryland. conference, which focuses on the makers “knew that there was a nurse Many now hold faculty positions at importance of policy engagement for shortage, but they had no idea there nursing schools around the state. future nursing leaders, drew 18 stude nts was a nurse faculty shortage.” Nurses in “It’s kind of a model for the coun - from the School, including representa - practice have always been paid higher try,” Allan says—an example of “wildly tives from the undergraduate, master’s, than those in academia, she notes, but successful advocacy.” and doctoral programs. the gulf has widened in recent years. In addition, the School joined with Indeed, faculty and students have So Allan and legislative assistant others in Maryland to partner with participated in a wide range of activiti es Shannon McClellan met with the the MHA to establish the “Who Will to advance both the nursing profession deans and directors of nursing pro - Care?” campaign, aimed at addressing and improved access to health care— grams from around the state, along the nurse shortage by doubling the from the corridors of Annapolis to the with representatives of the Maryland number of students graduating with

30 | SPRING/SUMMER 2011 BSN degrees. Dean Allan was a mem - I foresee to primary care,” Kapustin says. Assistant Professor Ann Mech, JD, ber of the original planning committee. Her response: Maryland needs to RN, who coordinates legal affairs for The campaign has raised $17 million grant nurse practitioners (NPs) parity the School, also prepared testimony from more than 400 donors, including with physicians for reimbursement— for the Health Care Delivery System the hospitals themselves, nurses, ven - “equal pay for equal work,” she says, Workgroup of the Health Care Refor m dors, and other contributors, according while insurers must recognize the prac - Coordinating Council. “You see the to Catherine Crowley, EdD, MBA, RN, titioners as “credentialed” primary-care sort of waxing and waning of reim - vice president of the MHA. providers. What “really got the atten - bursement as an issue and that depends The money has been used for grants tion” of lawmakers, she says, were the a lot on the economy, as well as scope of to subsidize training at nursing schools current restrictions on what NPs can practice issues coming to the forefront,” and to help fund space for clinical prac - bill from private insurers and the Mech says. tice sites. “We’ve seen an increase in Medicare program as well. Nurses are “certainly gaining more the number of enrolled student and As a longtime NP, Kapustin has traction on these issues,” she says, but graduates,” Crowley says. With the fought many a battle at the State House they are still continuing efforts to be growing emphasis on primary care in over scope of practice for NPs. seen as “co-equal with physicians in health care reform, “these people will “Once you go and once you are met primary care.” be in increasing demand.” with success, you want to go again,” The IOM report “gives nursing a says Kapustin. She believes so strongly little more gravitas to weigh in on At the Forefront of Health Care Reform in the advocacy role that she requires some of these difficult things,” Dean Unlike leaders of other states who are students in her “role synthesis” course Allan notes. The report includes a rec - challenging the federal 2010 Patient to attend one or two advocacy sessions, ommendation for the Federal Trade Protection and Affordable Care Act in and she urges her students to get in - Commission to investigate restraint of court, Maryland’s top leadership has volved with the NPAM, “so that they trade on nursing by other professions. acted quickly to implement the federal become future advocates.” “There’s plenty of room for every - health care changes. In the 2010 session of the state’s Gen - body. We’re going to need everybody,” Throughout the spring legislative eral Assembly, the NPAM went through Allan says. “We need more primary care session, School of Nursing faculty the Maryland Code to see what was providers. One way to have enough is to served on and testified to the work allowed to physicians but not to NPs. remove the practice barriers.” groups for the Health Care Reform “We were met with such acceptance. The Coordinating Council chaired by legislators had no issues at all,” Kapustin SUPER Students Get in the Game Maryland Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown. says. “They like us, they trust us.” While Associate Professor Catherine Kelleher, The School’s Assistant Dean for the some competing interests “talk about ScD, MPH, MS, RN, got her first taste Master’s Program, Jane Kapustin, PhD, protecting their wallets,” Kapustin says, of political activism working with CRNP, BC-ADM, FAANP, testified on “we’re never in Annaplolis for more communes and free clinics in the San behalf of the Nurse Practitioner Associa - money” but to get barriers tion of Maryland (NPAM), a group in removed to patient care. “We which she’s long been active and served as just want what’s fair.” president. “They asked me what barriers

Nurse legislators Addie Eckardt (left) and Shirley Nathan-Pulliam meet with students during Advocacy Day. Right: Dr. Jane Kapustin regularly testifies at the State House over scope of practice for NPs. N A M R E K C E B N E T S R I K

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING | 31 Left: Dean Janet Allan waits for UMSON to be recognized on the floor of the Senate. Above: Dr. Suzanne Miyamoto, (left) director of government affairs, AACN, meets with Dr. Catherine Kelleher and SUPER officers Marissa Hildebrandt, vice president; Oluwatoyin Orunja, treasurer; and Heather Boulanger, president. SUPER also markets its analysts at ANA, she’s assembling “what’s events campuswide to get almost becoming a dictionary” of terms students thinking about the and definitions. She says she’s excited interdisciplinary interplay that her work will help nurse practition - Francisco area in the early 1970s. She under- pinning policy-making and the ers with their reimbursement issues. later worked on international health need for broad input. Nursing students Other students and faculty are also projects, eventually earned public health themselves bring a variety of perspec - encouraged to attend the School’s annual degrees from Harvard and Johns Hopkin s, tives, including students in the Clinical Advocacy Day in Annapolis, where meet - and worked as a health services researcher Nurse Leader (CNL) program who ings are scheduled with numerous state and in public health policy. often serve as SUPER officers. senators and delegates (see “This is Our Now she teaches health policy and “Everybody in the CNL program Time,” p. 33). Lawmakers and policy - advocacy to School of Nursing under - has a bachelor’s degree in something makers are also invited to the School graduate and graduate student nurses, other than nursing,” says CNL student of Nursing for a half-day program in the such as Abagail Ehret, who took Kelle - Heather Boulanger, chapter president fall in which they’re exposed to nursing her’s semester-long seminar in health who plans to go into pediatric oncol - issues. Last September, those attending policy last year. The course provides an ogy and earn a Doctor of Nursing were shown how students are taught overview of how health professionals Practice degree. As an undergrad, she using patient simulators and how ad - can influence health policy and in - had studied political science and his - vanced practice nurses learn to handle a cludes field trips to agencies in which tory and had planned on going to law range of illnesses.The visitors were also ex - nurses are engaged in policy roles. school before she turned to nursing. posed to the kinds of nursing research done Kelleher is also the advisor to the Like Ehret, Faye Koerner took at the School on health care outcomes. School’s SUPER Group (Students Kelleher’s health policy seminar and is Faculty and students get involved in United for Policy, Education and Re - also working with the ANA. During the advocacy issues as well through their search), a student chapter of Academy - spring semester, she worked on an inde - work with vulnerable and disadvantaged Health, the national health services pendent study project for the ANA on groups such as the homeless. “We try to research and policy organization. The defining the regulations that surround embed [advocacy] very much in our School is the only nursing school in the practice of advance practice nurses curriculum,” Allan says. the nation with such a chapter; most of (APRNs). This is aimed at encouraging Over the course of 24 years dealing the other 22 student chapters are at more third-party payers to include with nursing issues at the MHA, Cather - schools of public health. APRNs in direct reimbursement. The ine Crowley has seen a major change in In the past, “nurses too often have hope is that APRNs can use this infor - how nurses tackle public policy issues. been on the sidelines when it comes to mation as they discuss provisions with Today, she says, “they are vastly more public policy,” Kelleher says, and the insurance companies. sophisticated, they’re more highly organ - extracurricular SUPER group, which “The insurers have a lack of knowl - ized, and their message development is gets students engaged in discussions edge of advanced practice nurses, what more concise. The lawmakers now see with public policymakers, is one way they are capable of and permitted to do”, nurses as a major constituency and look that the School has been seeking to says Koerner a nurse practitioner. Work - for their support as well as to hear what change that. ing with an economist and nursing [nurses are] saying.”

32 | SPRING/SUMMER 2011 This is OUR Time The School of Nursing’s annual Advocacy go into psychiatric nursing and behav - Day in Annapolis is about winning friends ioral health for children. “I was in a car and influencing the General Assembly. accident and broke my back and the But for dozens of white-coated students nurses were amazing,” Callahan says. and faculty who participate, it is also “I decided to do that. I wanted to make a teachable moment about how to people feel like that.” She believes the advocate for the profession among trip to Annapolis “made a difference. people who can shape policies that They’re not going to support us unless affect them. we support them,” she says of the The 2011 Legislative Day on February state’s legislators. 23 began with a pep talk from Barbara Klein, the university’s associate vice president for government affairs, who urged those assembled to make a per - sonal connection with legislators in their effort to explain the value of the School and its programs. The students then fanned out through the House and Senate office buildings for appointments with 65 legislators and, in some cases, their aides. The students brought personal and professional issues to the table. “I’ve always been one to advocate for people. When there’s something wrong, I’m the one to get it fixed,” says Regina Leonard, a student in the School’s nursing program at the Universities at Shady Grove who is Top: Regina Leonard. Above: UMSON students take a break from their busy Advocacy Day president of the Maryland Association of schedule to visit the House of Representatives, where UMSON was recognized. Nursing Students, chair of the National Student Nurses Association (NSNA) Alysia Holsey, 21, was a pre-med of Science in Nursing degree at the School Council of State Presidents, and a member student at the University of Maryland, of Nursing after training in England, em - of the NSNA Board of Directors. College Park before she turned to nursing . phasized the need for students to advocate Leonard’s particular issue of focus: “I felt I wanted to be more hands-on with for underserved populations. “There’s not enough funding for people patients,” Holsey says. “You need to see yourselves beyond who are changing careers,” as many of Jay A. Perman, MD, president of the just students at the University of Mary - her classmates at the School of Nursing University of Maryland, Baltimore, spoke land,” Nathan-Pulliam said. “You have are doing. to the students at lunch. Perman’s mes - an obligation to educate legislators.” Leonard, 33, who holds a master’s sage: “If these legislators won’t listen With nurses being one of the largest degree in science education, had been to you, they won’t listen to anyone. professions in the United States, she a biology teacher at T.C. Williams High Administrators can talk and talk, but said, “we should have more power than School in Alexandria, Va. Now, she wants the people they listen to are students.” we do.” to be a nurse anesthetist and also has Perman urged the nursing students In her own remarks to the students, plans to run for public office some day. to be advocates for patients and advo - School of Nursing Dean Janet Allan ral - “A lot of people are going back to cates for health care. lied them with the inspirational message: nursing as a second career,” agrees Delegate Shirley Nathan-Pulliam of “This is really our time … a time to really Christy Callahan, 35, who was a dental Baltimore County, MAS, BSN ’80, RN, a make a difference”— especially on assistant for 16 years. She now plans to native of Jamaica who earned her Bachelor health care reform. —Len Lazarick

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING | 33 In The FLOW Interview by Joe Sugarman

After earning a master’s degree in nursing with a focus on gerontology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Korean-born Eun-Shim Nahm, PhD ’03, RN, FAAN, made the unusual decision to move to Baltimore. “Can you imagine that?” she asks. “Baltimore from Hawaii!” But Nahm had her reasons: “I really wanted to do nursing informatics, and there was no other place for me to study.” At that time, the School of Nursing had the oldest and largest graduate program in nursing informatics. “And I’m still here,” she says. “It’s a very good place to be.”

Since 2003, Nahm has been a faculty member in the nursing informatics master’s specialty and currently serves as its program director and as an associate professor. Here, she explains why her dis - cipline is so important to the future of heath care and why she left such a beautiful place to pursue it.

So what, exactly, is nursing informatics? Good question! Have you heard about health care informatics? Nursing informatics is a sub-domain of health care informatics. It involves using nursing science, computer science, and information science to manage and communicate data, information, knowledge, and wisdom in nursing practice. That’s the reason why we offer nursing informatics as a specialty at the graduate level—it integrates several disciplines. It’s a fun domain.

What makes it so interesting? In clinical practice, nurses provide care and the patient gets better, but in nursing informatics, we see different aspects of care. We see data flow within health care systems, such as from admissions to the finance more than 500 students from our program—and we’re all over office, and then to external agencies. We help clinicians and the world. We’re definitely one of the leading programs world - administrators utilize that data to enhance patient care. When wide. For more than two decades, we’ve offered the Summer the patient is admitted, the admissions office enters their demo - Institute in Nursing Informatics, which draws 500 to 700 graphic information into an information system, which then attendees annually. flows to the clinical systems for the entry of treatment data. Many of our graduates have been national leaders in health Finally, all the data goes to the finance department and to the care informatics, such as Dr. Carol Romano, a Rear Admiral payers or other regulatory agencies. In nursing informatics, you who was an Assistant Surgeon General and chief nurse officer can see all those aspects of care on top of clinical care. To me, in the U.S. Public Health Service. Many hold important posi - that’s why it’s so interesting (and fun). tions at the National Institutes of Health or at the federal level. In hospitals, many serve as chief nursing informatics officers or Why is nursing informatics important? directors of information technology departments. One of the Nowadays, health care can’t be sustained without health care main goals of our program is to prepare our students to be information technology (HIT). HIT allows clinicians to pro - leaders in nursing informatics. vide safer and more efficient care, improving the quality of care and reducing costs. When I was a staff nurse 15 years ago, What else can you do with a degree in nursing informatics? I would have to track down paper-based copies of patient Our graduates are working in many areas. The majority work records. And when I found them, it would take so much time in hospital settings, but many work for vendors—the compa - to read what others wrote. In addition, patients’ information nies that develop health care information systems. They also was all over the hospital. I would have to read progress notes work for federal agencies or consulting firms. A lot of small to understand doctors’ treatment plans for the patient and the hospitals don’t have resources to implement HIT within their admissions records to see medications, and call the lab to see organizations, so they hire consulting firms to help them evalu - what the most current lab reports were for the patient. Now, ate and implement systems. Nowadays, an increasing number of you just go to the electronic health record (EHR) and access hospitals have separate nursing informatics departments, as do all that data right away. That’s certainly helped me in taking schools of nursing, where our graduates can teach. care of my patients. What do you see for the future of this field? How do EHRs reduce costs? It’s very exciting and bright. Nursing informatics has become By using EHRs, many redundancies in heath care can be a core essential for all levels of nursing education. The average eliminated. For instance, clinicians do not have to ask a patient age of nurses today is 48. Many of them did not learn infor - the same questions over and over again. So the patient gets matics when they were students, so there is a great deal of better and more coordinated care, which also saves expensive educational need. professionals’ time. It can also prevent medical errors, improvin g Information technology has become a national priority, quality of care and reducing costs.You can also eliminate a lot and our students are in very high demand. In many cases, of paperwork. our graduates write their own job descriptions because they Another benefit: When you have paper-based copies of contribute uniquely to an organization. I don’t think there’s a medical records, the information is not available remotely. limit to what a nurse informatician can do. EHRs make patient information available when and where it is needed by gathering records together in one place. And they can be constantly updated.

What has been the impact of health care reform on informatics? The 21st annual Summer Institute in Nursing Informatics takes place at the School of Nursing July 21-23, 2011. This The main goal of health care reform is to make health care year’s theme is “Real Meaningful Use: Evolution or Revolu - more affordable and more widely available and to hold insur - tion?” The keynote speaker is Farzad Mostashari, MD, ance companies more accountable. A vital component of that ScM, deputy national coordinator for the Programs and is information technology infrastructure and EHRs. Policy Office of the National Coordinator for Health Infor - What role has the School of Nursing played in the field? mation Technology, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. For more information and to register, see The School of Nursing offered the first nursing informatics http://nursing.umaryland.edu/sini/index.htm . graduate programs in the world, establishing a master’s program in 1989 and a doctorate in 1991. Since then, we have graduated

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING | 35 Alumni Pulse CLASS NOTES AND NEWS

1970s Donna Z. Leister, MS ’86, BSN she served as Director for Corporation of America, Barbara L. Hudson, BSN ’75, ’77, administrator at Future - Managed Care; the Naval Nashville, Tenn. spent several years as an Army Care Cherrywood in Reis - Hospital in Rota, Spain, nurse after graduation, with terstown, Md., was named where she was Executive Lisa Rowen, DNSc, MS ’86, her first assignment as charge Administrator of theYear by Officer and Commanding RN, FAAN, chief nursing nurse on a 10-bed cardiac the Health Facilities Associa - Officer; TRICARE Area officer, University of Mary - step-down/19-bed Hematol - tion of Maryland. For more Office-Europe, where she land Medical Center, was ogy/Oncology floor. She than 20 years, Leister has was Executive Director; the selected by the Baltimore then went to work in the provided care to older Mary - Bureau of Medicine and Sur - Daily Record as one of Recovery Room/Surgical landers and individuals with gery, where she was Assistant Maryland’s Top 100 Women ICU (Army) and Cardiotho - disabilities. She was featured Deputy Chief of Staff for Op - for 2011. Rowen was also racic ICU (civilian). She in an HBO television series, erations; and the TRICARE named to this list, which worked for a few years in The Alzheimer’s Project , that Regional Office-West, where recognizes outstanding Psych/Chemical Dependency focused on the daily work of she was Regional Director. achievement by Maryland nursing and then returned her nursing staff, including Admiral Niemyer’s personal women, in 2008. to the ICU in a small, rural short-term therapy and long- decorations include the De - hospital. Hudson recently term care with residents at fense Superior Service Medal, 1990s moved to Louisiana and FutureCare Cherrywood. Legion of Merit Medal (two Jeffrey Derry, MS ’90, ANP-C, works for a safety school Leister’s doctoral research, awards), Meritorious Service is an adult nurse practitioner that conducts drug tests and “TheVanishing Nursing Medal (two awards), Navy and a Captain in the United provides Occupational Safety Home Administrator: Stress Commendation Medal, Navy States Public Health Services. and Health Administration and Intent to Leave,” focused Achievement Medal, and the He currently works at the classes for maritime and oil on the relationship between National Defense Medal. Federal Correctional Com - industry workers. the number of hours admin - plex in Butner, N.C. Derry, istrators worked per week 1980s his wife Zenaida, and their six Bill Hergenroeder, BSN ’77, and the intent to leave their Gloria K. Lamoureaux, Col. children live in Oxford, N.C. worked as a registered nurse positions. (Ret), USAF, NC, MS ’83, re - for about five years after tired from the U.S. Air Force Dana R. Keller Palka, BSN ’93, graduating. Since 1986, he Elizabeth Schuyler Niemyer, in 2000. She is currently a is employed as a Quality has been following his passion BSN ’78, was promoted to consultant on Air Force im - Improvement Coordinator- as a custom woodworker at Rear Admiral of the Upper plementation of a patient- Emergency Medicine at his shop in Cockeysville, Md., Half in August 2010. She centered medical home. Rhode Island Hospital in where he constructs custom- serves as the 23rd Director of Providence, R.I. She is a made tables, chairs, head - the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps at Susan K. Newbold, PhD ’06, master’s candidate (Class boards, bookshelves, and the Bureau of Medicine and MS ’83, edited and wrote a of 2011) in the Nursing built-ins. Hergenroeder won Surgery in Washington, D.C. chapter in the International Management and Policy the Fine Craft-Body of Work As Director, she leads a team Perspectives section of Saba Leadership program atYale Award at the 2010 Fine Fur - of 2,840 active, 1,135 reserve, and McCormick’s Essentials School of Nursing. nishings Show in Baltimore. and 2,200 Federal civilian of Nursing Informatics (2011) He received a commission nurses in support of Navy (5th Ed) NewYork: McGraw- Michael R. Jones, BSN ’99, from architect Thomas Sutton Medicine’s mission. Admiral Hill. In addition, she co- edited successfully defended his to build several small tables Niemyer was commissioned Nursing Informatics:Where dissertation, “A Quantitative for an interior renovation of as a Lieutenant in the Navy Technology and CARING Study on Nurses’ Job Satis - Baltimore’s Pazo Restaurant. Nurse Corps in 1981. She has Meet (2011) (4th Ed) New faction and Its Effect on Hergenroeder’s passion in held executive positions at the York: Springer-Verlag. Retention,” in the Univer - woodworking is inlay work, National Naval Medical Cen - Newbold is the education sity of Phoenix’s School of also known as parquetry. ter in Bethesda, Md., where team leader for the Hospital Advanced Studies, for the

36 | SPRING/SUMMER 2011 IN MEMORIAM degree of Doctor of Health Hilary Goldberg, MS ’10, is Elizabeth Krug, MS ’10, is Administration. Jones will employed as an oncology working as an RN on the Angela Dooley Clark, DIN ’36 continue his professional nurse at the NewYork Progressive Care Unit at Mary J. Custer, DIN ’44 purpose to improve access University Medical Center. Sinai Hospital of Baltimore. Thelma Baugher Feld, DIN ’48 and delivery of health care in She continues to manage the Bettie Geesaman Kahl, DIN ’48 the United States through Erin Elizabeth Compton, community service project Elizabeth Warfield Kraus, BSN ’52 the adoption of technology. MS ’10; Kelly Gaudreau, that she started in May 2010 Virginia Banes Layfield, DIN ’37 He currently serves as a MS ’10; Samantha Jacobs, at the George Washington Helen Powers, DIN ’35 principal with Dell Services’ MS ’10; and Lauren Thiel, Elementary School, which Della Riley Rasmussen, DIN ’36 Healthcare and Life Sciences MS ’10, are employed at provides opportunities for Laurie A. Shinham, MS ’92, BSN ’85 Consulting Group. the University of Maryland children to gain increased Joyce A. Shivers, BSN ’80 Medical Center. exercise and physical activity. Norma C. Tinker, DIN ’48 2000s Sandra Tossman, BSN ’69 Ronnie Ursin, DNP, MS ’07, Jo Hannah Bellis Hurtt, *This list includes notices received by BSN ’05, RN, completed his MS ’10, is employed as an the University of Maryland School of

Doctor of Nursing Practice oncology RN at Suburban Nursing from November 6, 2010 to degree at Case Western Hospital, Bethesda, Md. March 23, 2011. Reserve University in De - Ê cember 2010. He received Nurse Executive, Advanced certification (NEA-BC) Please send us information about what’s happening in your life– through the American new jobs, promotions, family events, presentations, honors, awards, Nurses Credentialing Center advanced education/degrees—so we can add your news to the Alumni “Alumni Pulse” section of NURSING magazine. Share your news by in November 2010. Ursin Share Your News! e-mailing [email protected] or by mailing the form below. is currently the Nursing Photos are welcome! Your updates will be included as space permits. Director for Medicine/ Pulmonary at Washington Hospital Center, Washington, NAME: ______D.C. He was selected as a MAIDEN (AT TIME OF GRADUATION): ______site visitor for the National DEGREE(S) & YEAR(S) OF GRADUATION: ______League for Nursing Accred - iting Commission, and he SCHOOL OF NURSING OR CURRENT SPECIALTY: ______was accepted into the Master HOME ADDRESS: ______of Business Administration CITY:______STATE:______ZIP:______program at Hood College in Frederick, Md. E-MAIL ADDRESS:______

IS THIS A NEW ADDRESS? YES
NO
Elizabeth Galik, PhD ’07, PHONE: HOME:______BUSINESS:______MOBILE:______CRNP, is president-elect of the Gerontological NEWS: ______Advanced Practice Nurses ______Association (GAPNA), ______which represents nearly ______10,000 certified advanced practice nurses who work PLEASE COMPLETE FORM AND RETURN TO : Cynthia Sikorski, Associate Director of Alumni Relations with older adults in a wide University of Maryland School of Nursing, 655 W. Lombard St., Suite 209W, Baltimore, MD 21201 variety of practice settings. Fax: 410-706-0399 | [email protected]

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING | 37 ALUMNI PULSE

2011 Alumni Reunion Celebration

The annual School of Nursing Alumni Reunion was held Saturday, April 30. More than 140 alumni, faculty, and guests gathered at the School to celebrate class years ending in “6” and “1.” Members of the Class of 1961, celebrating their 50th anniversary, were inducted as the new Heritage Class. Visit event photo gallery at: http://nursing.umaryland.edu/alumni.

THE 2011 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD - Dean Janet Allan (left) and NEW HERITAGE CLASS – THE CLASS OF 1961 - The Class of 1961 Alumni Council President Deborah Schofield, DNP ’09, MS ’95, BSN ’92 celebrated its 50th Anniversary and its induction into the School (right), present Donna S. Havens, PhD ’91, with the 2011 Distinguished of Nursing’s Heritage Class. It also attained the highest Reunion Alumni Award. Havens is a professor at the University of North Carolina Class Gift participation rate – 49 percent! at Chapel Hill School of Nursing. Her career is a rich blend of roles in nurs - ing, practice, academe, administration, and research. She is one of a few researchers who is defining and translating evidence-based practice for executive nurse leaders and managers.

THE CLASS OF 1966 – The Class of 1966 achieved the highest Reunion THE CLASS OF 1981 - The Class of 1981 enjoyed the largest turnout at the Class Gift raised – more than $475,000 in gifts and pledges, including reunion with 19 classmates gathering to reconnect and celebrate. a $25,000 named endowed scholarship that will be recognized as the Class of 1966 Scholarship and a $450,000 bequest intention.

38 | SPRING/SUMMER 2011 Bringing Comfort to Haiti Less is More, with Immediately following the devastating earthquake in Palliative Care Haiti in early 2010, EDDIE LOPEZ, MS ’02 , traveled to Haiti to provide emergency medical care for As a geriatric nurse practitioner working in long- three months. term care, BETH YARNOLD, MS ’98, BSN ’96, makes As a nurse specializing in trauma and critical care sure that patients enjoy the highest possible quality of and a Lt. Commander in the Navy, Lopez was one of life for their remaining years. hundreds of Navy per - In her 11th year at Forest Hill Health and sonnel affiliated with the Rehabilitation Center in Forest Hill, Md.,Yarnold Baltimore-based hospital works directly with elderly patients receiving sub- ship, the USNS Comfort. acute rehabilitation or long-term care. Many of her “We received the call patients have dementia. One of her specialties is three days after the palliative care. earthquake hit, and I had “Palliative care is the aspect of long-term care that 15 hours to get ready,” I most enjoy. It ensures that whatever time a patient Lopez recalls. “As soon as has remaining is defined by comfort and dignity. It the ship was within heli - serves to avoid procedures that would only prolong a copter range of Haiti we life without quality and, for many, a life of emotional started taking on patients. turmoil. Doing less in those cases is actually doing There were so many more for the well-being of the patient,” saysYarnold. cases of spinal injuries, Before joining Forest Hill,Yarnold worked in crushed legs, and dehy - Baltimore as a primary and critical care nurse at dration. Tetanus and Bayview Medical Center and as a nurse practitioner rapid rhabdomyolysis at St. Elizabeth Home were also huge problems. We even had to deliver ba - for Nursing Care. bies because mothers were giving birth prematurely Yarnold says that the due to stress.” School of Nursing pre - Lopez, who reports directly to the Admiral of the pared her well for her Navy, recalls the desperate conditions in which relief field. “The School of operations took place. “We worked 16-hour days with Nursing has had a limited supplies. It was disaster medicine, which means tremendous influence on you just do the best you can with what you have.” my career. I was able to Lopez served in the Navy while attending the receive both my BSN School of Nursing full time. After graduation he and MS through the worked as an intensive care nurse in Iraq and Kuwait. School’s RN-to-MS fast In 2003, he joined the Navy Medical Center in track program, which Bethesda, Md., where he became an administrator. In was very flexible. I 2007, he took a position at the Bureau of Medicine worked three days a and Surgery in Washington, D.C. week while attending Lopez is currently pursuing a master’s degree in class. It was wonderful,” national security and strategic studies at the Naval saysYarnold, who has served on the School’s Alumni War College in Newport, R.I. Council Executive Committee since 2003. Lopez also acts as an ambassador for the School of Yarnold also served as a clinical instructor at the Nursing, recruiting potential students. “In my travels School for two semesters, working with first-year for recruiting, I have spoken at a lot of schools, and I nurse practitioner students. She also volunteers as a think the University of Maryland School of Nursing preceptor for nurse practitioner students. has a huge advantage over others,” he says. “Giving back to my profession is very important —Peter Krause to me,” saysYarnold. “It is imperative to support the School that gave me the opportunity to work in a field I love.” —P.K.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING | 39 LIFE PUZZLES

Greetings, UMSON Alumni! In the course of our lives , we come across many things that are puzzling. We seek the truth, we pursue wisdom, and we endeavor to find answers . Nurses, in particular, want to solve the puzzle , to fix the problem. Nurses effect positive outcomes and necessary changes. As a state school without a strong tradition of financial support from alumni and friends, there is much that is misunderstood and unknown about the importance of giving back to the School of Nursing. We offer for your contemplation, on this page and the next: • some statistics and statements—some are fact, some are fiction • a “wish list” showing how you can make an impact • a favorite of many self-confessed problem-solvers —a crossword puzzle, this one based on the School of Nursing Thank you for heeding the call, not only to solve this puzzle, but also to participate in providing solutions to some of the School’s most pressing challenges. Together, we will continue to strengthen the nursing profession and improve the outcomes for countless patients! Wishing you and yours a healthy and rejuvenating summer.

Laurette L. Hankins Associate Dean for Development and Alumni Relations [email protected]

Fact or Fiction? Make an Impact Out of 18,000 alumni, 35 percent give back by donating ? money to the School of Nursing. (FICTION) Did you know that … The fact is, only 4.7 percent of alumni contribute financially to the School. • $50 buys suturing supplies for student workshops? The School of Nursing has two endowed chairs and • $250 provides asthma medication ? five endowed professorships. (FICTION) for the Wellmobile? The fact is, the School has one endowed chair and $350 names a seat in the School of no endowed professorships. • Nursing’s auditorium? $500 sends two students to an Tuition and fees cover the cost of a Bachelor of Science • ? educational conference? in Nursing (BSN) student’s education. (FICTION) The fact is, the annual tuition for a BSN student • $1,000 purchases a heart lung simulator is $8,000, but it costs the School of Nursing $25,000. for the clinical simulation labs? • $1,500 funds a scholarship for one ? Only 11 percent of the School of Nursing’s budget student for one semester? comes from state funding. (FACT) $25,000 endows a named undergraduate The School depends on support from alumni and friends • or graduate scholarship in perpetuity*? to provide what state assistance, tuition, and fees do not cover—critical funding that is needed to continue the • $1,000,000 endows a named teaching, research, and clinical programs essential to professorship in perpetuity*? the School’s mission. *May be funded as a multiyear pledge or a planned gift.

40 | SPRING/SUMMER 2011 1.

2. 3. 4. Problem Solving 9. 10.

ACROSS 6. 2. Each year, UMSON loses qualified students who 5. 7. 8. simply cannot ______to attend. 3. Donors can make a ______in helping UMSON achieve excellence in its tripartite mission of 11. education, research, and clinical practice. 5. All gifts to UMSON are _____ deductible. 7. This Governor’s program provides primary health 14. care to uninsured Marylanders, and has suffered from deep budget cuts. 12. 13. 15. 11. Contributions to UMSON can be made by check, credit card, life insurance, a deferred income gift, or a ______. 16. 12. These allow additional qualified students 17. to enroll at UMSON. 17. Charitable contributions can help fund costs of fuel, medications, and these types of educational materials for the Wellmobile program. 18. 18. Contributions from alumni and friends ______updated equipment and supplies to keep simulation labs functioning at optimal level. 19. 19. Donors of $350 can have a message engraved on the arm this auditorium item.

DOWN 6 1. Scholarships do this for student-incurred debt. 4. UMSON must provide competitive salaries and enrichment opportunities to retain this group. 6. This is the last name of the founder of UMSON. 8. Donations to support salaries and continuing education opportunities will ensure the ______of our faculty. 9. Many UMSON students accrue a significant amount of this: average of $30K undergraduate and $60K for graduate students. 10. Individual donors can fund this type of research project. 13. Simulation labs and equipment must be updated frequently to keep them ______. 14. UMSON offers courses at this location in Montgomery Co. ______Grove. 15. Individuals who make this type of gift become members of the Louisa Parsons Legacy Society. 16. While government funding is important 13 for UMSON, there is an increasing need for private ______. 7

12

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UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING | 41 ALUMNI PULSE

Critical Support for a Critical Profession SANDRA SCHOENFISCH, MS ’76, who recently retired from her position as Director of the Office of Public Health Nursing in the Florida Department of Health, recognizes the importance of directly supporting the nursing profession. “My family has had to deal with a variety of health problems and ailing parents. It became very clear to me that there is a continuous need for professional nurses. Nurses play a critical role in so many settings,” says Schoenfisch. By making a generous multiyear pledge and bequest to the School of Nursing, both of which are unrestricted, Schoenfisch understands the importance of “greatest needs” gifts. “I have confidence that the School will put the money where they need it most. My baccalau - reate nursing school at American University closed in 1988. Given my concern for nursing education, my allegiance is with the University of Maryland School of Nursing,” she says. In addition to her philanthropy, Schoenfisch remains involved with the School by serving on the Board of Visitors. Schoenfisch, who has held teaching positions at George Mason University (1976-1979) and Florida State University (1979-1983), praises the School of Nursing for preparing her for her career. “I had a really good experience. The faculty worked well with the nurses. They were student advocates and mentors. These qualities are valuable, and I would hope that they will continue to be available to nursing students,” says Schoenfisch. “The School and the range of programs offered today are even more exciting. The Clinical Nurse Leader program, integration of evidence-based practice, and research are needed for the advancement of the nursing profession,” says Schoenfisch. “That is why I give back.” —Peter Krause

A Shining Light at the Museum HERMI NUDO, MS ‘71, BSN ’63, a retired clinical nurse specialist, continues to employ her expertise by doing consulting work and participating in medical missions to her home country of the Philippines. She is also involved with various other charities. Nudo recently made a generous pledge to support the School of Nursing’s Living History Museum, where she serves as a docent. “I appreciate the education I received from the School of Nursing and I like history, so the museum was a great place for me to give,” says Nudo. As an undergraduate at University of Maryland, College Park, Nudo was hesitant to enter the nursing profession because she wanted a bachelor’s degree from a university instead of the traditional associate’s degree offered by hospital-based programs. A friend told her about the School’s bachelor’s degree program, one of only a few available at the time, and she switched her major immediately. After receiving her BSN from the School in 1963, Nudo helped develop the University of Mary - land Medical Center’s (UMMC) R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, introduced and developed the clinical specialist role at UMMC, and developed the nursing support for UMMC’s first Live Donor Kidney Transplant Program. She later became part of a nursing management team to open the Baltimore Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center. In 2000, Nudo was diagnosed with breast cancer, which led her to another career path as a staff nurse doing home nursing through the Veterans Administration’s Home Based Primary Care Program. She retired in 2005, having completed a successful career spanning from the most technical role in a tertiary hospital setting to various roles in the community. Nudo credits the excellent education she received at the School for the successes in her career. “I received such a wonderful education and had such a successful career that it is important for me to do what I can to give back,” says Nudo. “The more funding we have for nursing, the more chances there will be for others to have the same opportunities I did.” —P.K.

42 | SPRING/SUMMER 2011 Board of Visitors The School of Nursing's Board of Visitors consists of dynamic leaders from both the private and public sectors, whose contributions of time, knowledge, and funds serve as a cornerstone for sustaining excel - lence in undergraduate and graduate nursing education. At the invitation of the Dean, Board members serve in an advisory role; communicate the School's messages to the greater Baltimore business and professional communities; and partner with the School in strategic fundraising initiatives.

Alan Silverstone, Chairman Sonya Gershowitz Goodman, MS ’73 M. Natalie McSherry, JD ‘74 Independent Consultant Pikesville, Md. Attorney and Principal Potomac, Md. Jeanette A. Jones, MS ’70 Kramon & Graham PA Trustee, University of Maryland Baltimore Richmond, Va. Baltimore, Md. Foundation, Inc. Frances Lessans, MS ’85, BSN ’80 Charlene Passmore, MS, BSN ‘77 Marjorie Stamler Bergemann, CRNA President Millersville, Md. Leesburg, Va. Passport Health Judy Akila Reitz, MS ’76, BSN ’71 John Bing, CRNA Baltimore, Md. Executive Vice President and COO The Center for Cosmetic Surgery Victoria C. McAndrews The Johns Hopkins Hospital Washington, D.C. Co-Founder, Senior Vice President, and CFO Baltimore, Md. Christopher F. Callaghan CMB Outsourcing Solutions Sandra A. Schoenfisch, MS '76 Administrative Vice President Baltimore, Md. Tallahassee, Fla. Healthcare Bank Group Katherine McCullough, MS ’79 Deborah Schofield, DNP ’09, MS ’95, M&T Bank Consultant President , School of Nursing Alumni Council Baltimore, Md. Columbia, Md. Baltimore, Md.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING Shaping Practice Through Scholarship

MAKE THE VISION OF DOCTORAL EDUCATION A REALITY.

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) For leaders driving the application of scientific evidence to nursing practice

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) For leaders advancing the nursing profession through scholarship and discovery

For information on UMSON Doctoral Programs: DNP - call 410-706-7522 or e-mail [email protected] PhD - call 410-706-3147 or e-mail [email protected]

http://nursing.umaryland.edu

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF NURSING | 43 Create a Lasting Legacy THE LOUISA PARSONS LEGACY SOCIETY

COURTNEY ANN KEHOE THOMAS, BSN ’66, has always IN GRATITUDE TO THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGACY SOCIETY been at the forefront of nursing. Thomas spent most of her career in the field of Robert Ageton public health as a public health nurse and nurse Janet D. Allan Anonymous practitioner. She served for many years as Director of Anonymous Child Health Programs for the State Health Depart - Floraine B. Applefeld ment of Colorado and recently retired from her Estate of Carolyn V. Arnold Zabelle S. Howard Beard position as nurse consultant for Colorado’s Nurse- Ann Bennett, MS ‘69 Family Partnership Program. As one of the first nurse Marjorie Stamler Bergemann practitioners in the nation, Thomas has been active Jean L. Bloom, DIN ‘46 Mary J. Brewer on clinical, professional, and political fronts in Estate of E. L. Bunderman, DIN ‘31 spearheading changes to nursing practice and Ann Ottney Cain nursing statutes in Colorado and nationwide. She Estate of Dorothy C. Calafiore, BSN ‘51 Shirley E. Callahan, DIN ‘52 has been recognized at local, state, and national Avon B. Chisholm levels for her contributions to her profession. Estate of Gladys B. and Thomas says she feels fortunate to have received her education at the University of Lansdale G. Clagett Estate of Bonnie L. Closson, BSN ‘61 Maryland School of Nursing at a time when many nurses were still entering practice from Stephen Cohen non-academic schools of nursing. Regina M. Cusson, MS ‘79 “Having a baccalaureate degree allowed me to take advantage of the opportunity to Celeste A. Dye, BSN ‘66 Mary H. Gilley, DIN ‘44 become a nurse practitioner in the very early days of that new role,” she says. “Nurses like Lura Jane Emery, MS ‘79 me have blazed a trail for others and facilitated changes to nursing practice that have not Carolyn Cook Handa, BSN ‘63 only benefited nurses, but also our patients. As the largest group of health care providers, Barbara Heller-Walsh Marie L. Hesselbach the growth and development of our own practice as nurses has brought about significant, Estate of Kjerstine K. Hoffman, DIN ‘47 lasting, and positive impact on how health care is delivered in this nation.” Margaret H. Iles, DIN ‘53 Thomas, along with her husband Jim (whose mother was a public health nurse), is giv - Catherine Ingle, BSN ‘61 Mary McCotter Jackson ing back to the School of Nursing because, “I have strong ties to the University of Mary - June Jennings, BSN ’47 and land through my family and my own experience there. I’m a proud graduate of the School E.R. Jennings and it makes sense for me, when the time comes, to leave whatever I have to the School Jeanette Jones, MS ‘70 Jean W. Keenan, DIN ‘48 and the nurses who will be there to serve as change agents and to carry the banner for Debbie G. Kramer, MS ’79, BSN ‘75 all of us who helped to lead the way! I firmly believe that all professional nurses have a Cynthia P. Lewis, BSN ’58 and responsibility to continue to build on our past struggles and successes to assure the ongo - Jack C. Lewis Margaret A. McEntee ing visibility and leadership of professional nurses as well-prepared and well-qualified Estate of Wealtha McGunn components of health care delivery. I can think of no better way to do this than to do my Myrna Mamaril, MS ‘93 part to assure that future members of the profession are able to participate in the type of Estate of Lois Marriott Beverly Meadows, MS ’84, BSN ‘69 high-quality nursing education that is the tradition of the University of Maryland School Joan L. Meredith, BSN ‘62 of Nursing.” Sharon L. Michael, BSN ‘71 Nancy J. Miller, BSN ‘73 Patricia Gonce Morton, PhD ‘89, MS ‘79 Lyn Murphy, MS ’01 and John Murphy Whether you wish to support scholarships, research, faculty positions, or Ann E. Roberts, BSN ‘93 other areas of need, there are several methods by which you can benefit the Linda E. Rose, PhD ‘92 Amelia Carol Sanders, DIN ‘53 School of Nursing, future generations of nursing students, and patients. Patricia A. Saunders, BSN ‘68 A planned gift can be designed to achieve your financial and philanthropic Phyllis J. Scharp, BSN ‘50 goals and also makes you eligible for membership in our Louisa Parsons Sandra Schoenfisch, MS ‘76 Ruth C. Schwalm, MS ‘66 Legacy Society. Beverly Seeley Some popular types of planned gifts include charitable bequests and life income gifts. Deborah K. Shpritz, MS ’82, BSN ’78 and Louis Shpritz If you would like to learn more about making a planned gift, please contact us. We Betty Lou Shubkagel, BSN ‘54 are available to work with you and your advisors to create a personalized plan. Estate of Anna Mae Slacum Estate of Marie V. Stimpson, Laurette L. Hankins Thomas F. Hofstetter, JD, LLM MS ’89, BSN ‘84 Associate Dean for Development Senior Director of Planned Giving Courtney Ann Kehoe Thomas, BSN ‘66 and Alumni Relations University of Maryland, Baltimore Virginia D. Thorson, BSN ‘55 Norma C. Tinker, BSN ‘48 University of Maryland School of Nursing 410-706-2069 Martha C. Trate, BSN ‘48 410-706-7640 [email protected] Joella D. Warner, BSN ‘64 [email protected] Estate of Patricia Yow

44 | SPRING/SUMMER 2011 (continued from page 24)

Rachel Hitt (right), assistant director of the UMSON simulation labs, accompanied by Yolanda Obgolu (back), give Nigerian nursing school deans Omolola Irinoye (left) and Agnes Anaradoa a tour of the neonatal simulation lab.

hospitals, eager to carry on their work. “When you leave your coun - try and come to another country to get skills and new knowledge, you have to use many strategies when you return and find where things can be improved,” Corioland says. “The work is not over.” At the School of Nursing, the Office of Global Health’s efforts to build global nurse capacity are also far from being fully realized. In the is done by a trained community Enugu campus, shared details about months ahead, the office will be health worker. Everyone shifts their schools’ infrastructure and working with Haiti’s Ministry of responsibilities to expand the answered questions. During their Health to establish certificate pro - capacity of the system as a whole.” two-week visit, the deans had many grams for nurses in areas including The program focuses on opportunities to meet with their trauma and critical care, surgery, strengthening nurse capacity in areas collaborators in person, tour the and rehabilitation. And as the pri - where their knowledge is weak, School and its facilities, and gain mary health care specialist curricu - including pathophysiology, pharma - a fuller understanding of nursing lum moves through the approval cology, and physical assessment. education at one of the top nursing process in Nigeria, nursing schools “What we are giving them is the schools in the United States. from other parts of the world are knowledge and the expertise to go “Being here made this [partner - contacting Ogbolu; they are eager back to their communities and give ship] more real,” Anarado explains. to explore the curriculum as a way care to the people who are most in “We could see the disparities in to help meet their population’s need,” says O’Neil, who serves on our institutions and further realize health needs. “This is a very focused the 11-member faculty workgroup the benefits of our working to - role that we are trying to take,” that developed the curriculum. gether. There is no way we could Johnson says. “We are not trying to The second part of the strategy, have met so many people in so take on all of the world’s problems, designed to address long-term many different units or have been but we are focusing on how we can needs for capacity building in able to act one-on-one with them build the capacity of nurses where Nigeria, involves establishment of a if we hadn’t come.” it’s needed most.” master’s level family nurse practi - Despite the differences between And given the size of the world, tioner program that would prepare her nursing school and the Univer - and the needs that exist in so many nurses to practice in a wide variety sity of Maryland School of Nursing, countries, it is an effort that require s of settings and serve as nurse educa - the visit cemented Irinoye’s under - not only the expertise and collabo - tors, clinical leaders, and mentors. It standing of how much the institu - ration of the School’s faculty, would be the first nurse practitioner tions have in common. “You are our but also numerous partnerships program in the country. partners,” she told the faculty work with many countries, institutions, But changes this major don’t group. “You share our vision.” and organizations worldwide. happen overnight. They take time, “We are not just training nurses planning, and lots of collaboration. for ourselves, we are training them At a recent meeting of the School to work anywhere,” says Anarado, of Nursing’s faculty work group,
HEN THEIR TIME IN the University of Nigeria Dean Omolola Irinoye, PhD, RN, dean of Baltimore concluded, of Nursing. “You don’t lose any - nursing at Obafemi Awolowo Uni - Wthe visiting deans from thing by lighting another candle versity, and Agnes Anarado, dean of Nigeria and nurses from Haiti with your own.You make the nursing at the University of Nigeria, returned to their universities and environment brighter.”

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR

SUMMER INSTITUTE EDMUNDS LECTURE DEAN’S DISTINGUISHED IN NURSING INFORMATICS FRANKLIN LECTURE Real Meaningful Use: Evolution or Revolution

Conference: July 20-23 October 5 November 3 Preconference Tutorials: July 18-20 For information, call For information, call For information, call 410-706-3767 or go to: 410-706-3767 or go to: 410-706-3767 or go to: http://nursing.umaryland.edu http://nursing.umaryland.edu http://nursing.umaryland.edu

Maryland Nurses, Maryland Pride! School of Nursing students and faculty members gathered at the Great Seal of Maryland dur - ing Advocacy Day in Annapolis in February. More than 50 rep - resentatives from the School met with legislators to encour - age them to support funding for Loan Assistance Repayment Programs and to continue to support the Governor’s budget request for the University of Maryland, Baltimore. (For more on Advocacy Day, see p. 33.)

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