UAHuntsville Nursing News

Nursing News Stories

Fay Raines honored with resolution

State Rep. Howard Sanderford came to the Nursing Building to present Dean Fay Raines with a joint resolution of the Alabama Legislature. The resolution honored Dr. Raines for beingnamed president of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) for a two-year term.

Dean of UAHuntsville Nursing selected finalist for national healthcare award

Dr. Fay Raines, dean of The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAHuntsville) College of Nursing, is a candidate for Modern Healthcare Magazine's "100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare."

The list currently includes 300 names, and the winners will be selected online between now and Friday, June 27. (The original list of nominees included 14,600 names.) The website is: http://vovici.com/wsb.dll/s/4509g343fe.

Raines is currently serving a two-year term as president of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). She has served AACN as president elect (2006-2008), treasurer (2002-2005), and as a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors (2002-2005 and 2006-2008).

Raines has served as dean of the UAHuntsville College of Nursing since 1990. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in nursing at the University of Virginia, and her Ph.D. in nursing at the University of Maryland in Baltimore.

In addition to serving as dean of nursing, Raines also served UAHuntsville for more than nine years as associate provost for Institutional Effectiveness.

UAHuntsville College of Nursing student named national vice president of student organization

Laura Chapman of Decatur, a senior in The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAHuntsville) College of Nursing, has been elected vice president of the National Student Nurses Association (NSNA).

Chapman served this past year as NSNA Director South, making her the first nursing student in the College of Nursing to serve on NSNA's board of directors for two straight years. The election was held at the 2008 national convention in Grapevine, Texas in April.

"I've learned a greet deal being on the national board of NSNA," Chapman said. "I believe that it is of great value to be involved in a pre-professional organization. It has been a remarkable experience to work with so many influential nursing professionals."

Chapman was one of three co-authors of a resolution that was approved at this year's national convention, addressing the need for increased disaster preparedness in the nursing curricula. She plans to push for implementation of a plan where NSNA state organizations can partner to help one another in times of a disaster crisis, and help state and local nursing organizations create their own disaster preparedness committee.

For the next year, Chapman will serve as NSNA's chair for the Disaster Preparedness Committee, chair of Convention Committee, and serve as a member of the Executive Committee and Finance Committee.

Chapman will attend planning and training for her new board position in New York City in May.

"With a year's experience on the National Board of Directors, I am ready to continue working diligently on the mission of NSNA and to encourage other nursing students to get involved and make a difference in the nursing profession," Chapman said.

Chapman is president of the UAHuntsville College of Nursing's Association of Nursing Students, and served as vice president last year. She also served last year as ex-officio to the Alabama State Nurses Association Board of Directors and is currently serving on the state organization's Convention Committee and Disaster Preparedness Committee.

UAHuntsville grad makes 2008 Nurse of the Year

Shealy Lynn, a 1976 graduate of The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAHuntsville) College of Nursing, was named 2008 Nurse of the Year for Madison County.

Lynn serves as nursing supervisor for Madison County Schools, and started out in 1989 as the only nurse in the school system.

"I love working with the children," Lynn said. "They are like a breath of fresh air." Lynn was surprised by the award and was greeted that night by many of the nurses who serve under her direction.

Country Cottage Assisted Living is the sponsor of the annual award. Company representatives Dawn White Pumpelly and Michelle Anderson commended all of the nominees for how they serve health care in Madison County.

"You do extraordinary things and do not get thanked enough," said Pumpelly. "This is a special way to say thank you." Pumpelly expressed that it said great things about the nominees that someone took the time to send in the forms to nominate them.

Keynote speaker for the event was Dr. Pam O’Neal, associate dean of the UAHuntsville College of Nursing, who spoke about lighting the way. Using references to Florence Nightingale, she said, "Florence Nightingale used a lamp to check on the soldiers. I challenge you to think about how you can light the way where you are."

UAHuntsville College of Nursing instructor appointed to state nursing board

Rose Sharon Towery Linsky of Arab, clinical instructor in The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAHuntsville) College of Nursing, has been appointed by Alabama Gov. Bob Riley to serve a three-year term on the Alabama Board of Nursing.

Formed in 1915, the 13-member board regulates nursing practice and education in the state.

Linsky is credentialed as a family nurse practitioner and teaches in both undergraduate and graduate programs. Her teaching curriculum includes: course manager for Health Assessment (with a focus on health care across the life span) in the traditional undergraduate and the RN-BSN tracks; “Spirituality in Nursing” in the distance learning program; and Coalition for Health Enhancement in Eldercare and Referral Services (CHEERS), the college’s program designed to teach students to care for the elderly in their home settings. In the graduate program, she serves as one of the clinical instructors in the nurse practitioner program course “Primary Care of Adults.”

UAHuntsville College of Nursing presents convocation

The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAHuntsville) College of Nursing presented academic achievement awards during the 2008 Convocation. Students from Madison were among the honorees.

Karen Amborski, a senior in the basic BSN Track, earned the Dean’s Award, recognizing "a graduating senior who exemplifies outstanding academic achievement with at least a 3.2 grade point average in nursing, and has exhibited leadership in university and community activities."

Deborah Hoenig of Cullman (from the basic BSN Track) and John Willis of Madison (from the RN to BSN track) earned the Highest Academic Achievement Award. The award is "also based on service and work commitments, communication skills, and leadership skills."

Honor Scholars Awards were presented to seniors of both tracks in three categories. Clinical Excellence Awards went to Erin Percy of Huntsville (basic BSN track) and Jennifer Wright of Arab (RN to BSN track). Jennifer Colvin of Geraldine (basic BNS track) and Giselle Krieger of Madison (RN to BSN track) were awarded the Honor Scholars Award for Leadership Excellence. Brenda Wright (basic BSN track) and Shatone Foster (RN to BSN track), both of Huntsville, were presented the Academic Excellence Award.

The Honor Scholars Awards are "also based on service and work commitments, as well as communication leadership skills."

The ROTC Award for Academics was presented to Kelly Hornbrook of Arab and James Sedbrook of Fairford, England. ROTC’s Leadership Award went to James Thompson of Huntsville.

The Dean’s List Award honors excellence in academic achievement. The following students earned a grade point average of at least 3.5, based on 20 or more semester hours during the past year.

Christopher Achord, April Adams, Kristen Banes, Stephanie Bridges, Brittany Brown, Whitney Burchell, Vicky Chesser, Jennifer Colvin, Katelyn Conner, Katherine Dague, Sarah Davis, Meagan Deffenbaugh, Stormy Dismuke, Mary Fox, Ashley Froscello, Ryan Gant, Katrina Gervais, Melanie Gibson, Samantha Gurley, Suzanne Hamilton, Abby Hand, Jennifer Harris, Leah Harwell, Janna Hobbs, Deborah Hoenig, Kelly Hornbrook, Marcie Hutson, Chasity Hyde, Rachel Lewis, Amy Marter, Jana McLaurin, Vasiliki McLaury, Allison McLeory, Miranda McMillen, Steadman McPeters, Christina Metcalf, Amanda Moody, Jordan Napier, Christopher O’Barr, Sarah O’Meara, Erin Percy, Kelli Pry, Jessica Sams, Sarah Sanders, Meagan Schwartz, Shandra Starnes, Melissa Suhs, Karl Swinson, Samantha Vance, Lauren Walley, Brandy Warren, Cadeatrizilius Williams, Dana Williams, Brenda Wright, Crystal Young.

Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing inducted new members for Spring 2008 on Honors Day.

Sigma Theta Tau "is committed to fostering nursing excellence, scholarship, and leadership with the aim of improving health care worldwide."

The following nursing students were inducted into UAHuntsville’s Beta Phi Chapter: Karen Amborski, Brittany Anderson, Ashley Bishop, Amanda Bors, Nichole Brooks, Cameron Brown, Whitney Burchell, Stefanie Burgett, Devon Campbell, Jennifer Clark, Kristine Cole, Jennifer Colvin, Sarah Davis, Megan Deffenbaugh, Christy Dickson, Shatone Foster, Ashley Froscello, Samantha Gurley, Suzanne Hamilton, Leah Harwell, Deborah Hoenig, Giselle Krieger, Kristina Lindsey, Margarita Marmolejo, Karen Metz, Kristan McGowan, Jana McLaurin, Allison McLeroy, Miranda McMillen, Jessica Moseley, Julia Mosher, Jennifer Nail, Laura Noblitt, Erin Percy, Kelli Pry, Robert Redfearn, Sarah Sanders, Grant Tate, Crystal Tillery, Lauren Walley, Brenda Wright, Jennifer Wright, Kelly Young, Kristina Zuschlag.

The Dean’s List Award for graduate students includes those graduate students who have a minimum GPA of 3.85 on all graduate work, completed at least 12 hours of graduate work at UAH in the past 12 months, and have a 4.0 on the last 12 semester hours of graduate work.

The Dean’s List Award for 2008 includes the following master’s students: Christy Bitzer, Jacqueline Blanton, Babette Brock, Stefanie Brown, Amy Carlota, Patricia Collins, Carla Foster, Lisa Hardy, Lori Harris, Lisa Hill, Mindy Holloway, Jinjerita Lucas, Jo-Ann Mullins, Tammy Noble, Andrea Primm, Mahealani, Reagh, Alicia Reaves, Lisa Sanders, Heidi Slappy, Karen Smialek, Barla Thomas.

Nursing program earn U.S. News rankings

The graduate program in nursing at UAHuntsville tied for 115th with 26 other nursing schools, including the Ole Miss Medical Center, Drexel, Central Florida and North Dakota. There are at least 420 graduate programs in nursing in the U.S.

"This ranking is another indication of the quality and visibility of our Master of Science in Nursing program," said Dr. Faye Raines, dean of UAHuntsville's College of Nursing. "Our graduate program produces excellent nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, clinical nurse leaders and nursing administrators."

The College of Nursing offers a bachelor of science in nursing and a master of science in nursing degree. The College of Nursing offers the following master’s degree programs: “Family Nurse Practitioner,” “Acute Care Nurse Practitioner,” “Clinical Nurse Leader,” “Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist,” “Leadership in Health Care Systems,” “Post-Master’s Family Nurse Practitioner,” and “Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education.”

The college’s new Ph.D. track is the “Doctor of Nursing Practice.”

UAHuntsville College of Nursing senior prepares for nursing career as a multiple achiever

Jerrikka Aaron of Guin has learned from The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAHuntsville) how to be a leader in her future health care career and in life.

Aaron graduated this month from the UAHuntsville College of Nursing with a bachelor of science in nursing degree (BSN) and a college history of leadership in university and community project support.

In June, Aaron will begin her career as a nurse in Crestwood Medical Center’s obstetrics and gynecology department, in the mother and baby unit. This is the department where she completed her precept work, serving within the oversight of a registered nurse, assigned to her own patients and reporting on their progress.

"You get to take on more responsibility when you’re precepting," Aaron said. "You jump right into it. After 11 12-hour shifts, you learn that you CAN do it." Aaron’s goal is to start in the mother and child unit, then transfer to labor and delivery.

"I enjoy working in women’s health," said Aaron. "It’s exciting."

In addition to her nursing studies, Aaron has been a UAHuntsville cheerleader for four years (This year, she served as captain.), and a member of Delta Zeta Sorority. Much of her university and community work has been served through these organizations.

This spring, Aaron was the winner of the Distinguished Student Leader Award for Fraternities and Sororities, and placed third for the Dr. B. Jeanne Fisher Most Outstanding Student Award. She served Delta Zeta in Recruitment Day (Chairman), Nominations Committee, social chairman, t-shirt chairman, Regional Spirit Award, Scholarship Award, and Best Big Sister Award.

Aaron worked over 300 hours of community service as a volunteer for Chaffee Elementary School, Breast Cancer Awareness Walk, Multiple Sclerosis, nursing homes, Crestwood Medical Center, Diabetes Walk, Care Assurance System for the Aging and Homebound (CASA) and University Fitness Center Swim Program.

She is the recipient of four scholarships, including: UAH Cheerleading Scholarship, State of Alabama Nursing Scholarship, Crestwood Annual Scholarship and the MaryEllen Locher Foundation Breast Cancer Survivor College Scholarship.

Aaron’s mother, June Melton, died from breast cancer as Aaron was beginning her nursing classes. She spent much of her teenage years helping her stepfather, Russell Melton, care for her younger brothers, Garrett, 13, and Conner, 10. Her father, Eric Aaron, died before she was born.

Although it’s been difficult at times, Aaron feels her situations have made her strong.

"I have learned so much and come so far," said Aaron. "I couldn’t have done it without the College of Nursing. The faculty cares about us as students. That’s made a world of difference to me."

UAHuntsville College of Nursing honored for organ donation education

The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAHuntsville) College of Nursing was honored by the Alabama Organ Center for having 200 nursing students complete the course "Issues in Transplantation." UAHuntsville Nursing is the only college or school of nursing in the state to reach this milestone for educating nursing students about the issues of transplantation. Ann Rayburn, the center¹s education manager, made the presentation.

"This is a significant milestone and the Alabama Organ Center wishes to thank the College of Nursing for its efforts," Rayburn said. "These nursing students now have a greater appreciation and understanding of the importance of organ and tissue donation. The students are better equipped to work with grieving families and to serve as advocates for donation and transplantation." UAHuntsville College of Nursing Associate Professor Dr. Linda Riley, the course instructor, is a former organ procurement coordinator for the Alabama Organ Center. In this role, she was responsible for facilitating the process of organ donation from local hospitals in north Alabama upon the death of an organ donor.

"The UAHuntsville transplant course has provided a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn more about transplantation and the essential role of the nurse," said Riley. "They have benefited from hearing the experiences of both donor families and transplant recipients. Without a doubt they are now well informed about the multifaceted process that leads to successful treatment of end stage organ failure and improved quality of life." The month of April is National Donate Life Month to increase awareness of the continued need for donation. Nationally, over 100,000 people are listed on the waiting list for a vascular organ transplant. The Alabama Organ Center reports currently more than 3,100 people are waiting for an organ transplant.

For more information, log onto www.alabamaorgancenter.org.

Let’s Pretend Hospital 2008

The University of Alabama in Huntsville College of Nursing and Huntsville Hospital admitted almost 3,000 first graders to ‘“Let’s Pretend Hospital” for 2008. This marked the 23rd annual event to teach area first graders about hospital procedures.

Dean of UAHuntsville Nursing becomes AACN president

Dr. Fay Raines, dean of The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAHuntsville) College of Nursing, has been named president of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) for a two-year term.

AACN serves as the national voice for baccalaureate and higher-degree nursing education in the U.S. Its goals include: maintaining quality standards in nursing education, assisting in implementing these standards, influencing better health care through the nursing profession, and promoting public support of nursing education.

Raines has served as dean of the UAHuntsville College of Nursing since 1990. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing at the University of Virginia, and her Ph.D. in nursing at the University of Maryland in Baltimore.

In addition to dean of nursing, Raines also served UAHuntsville for more than nine years as associate provost for Institutional Effectiveness.

She has served AACN as president elect (2006-2008), treasurer (2002-2005), and as a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors (2002-2005 and 2006-2008).

UAHuntsville Nursing student makes national presentation for safe nurse/patient ratios

In the eyes of UAHuntsville nursing student Jenny Colvin of Geraldine, it's all about communication when it comes to individual patient care. So much so, that she and four of her College of Nursing classmates wrote a resolution for regulating nurse-to-patient ratios.

Colvin will present the resolution at the annual convention of the National Student Nurses Association (NSNA) the week of March 24 in Grapevine, Texas. She's hoping a national consciousness and monitoring of nurse workloads will be adopted.

"You'll have a 'med nurse' (RN or LPN to administer medications), a patient care assistant or unlicensed assistant personnel (to monitor vital signs) and an RN (registered nurse) caring for patients," Colvin said.

"The RN has to make sure it's safe for each patient to have their medications, otherwise, they have to find the med nurse and halt one or more of them." This has to be done, as Colvin points out, while the RN is assessing patients every four hours.

And as the number of patients per nurse increases, the tasks get more and more challenging.

"California is the only state that has specific ratios for specific units," said Colvin. "We need to have each state mandate regulations according to their needs.

Colvin, along with Miranda McMillen, Lisa Gilbreath, Hannah Dugan and Ashley Bishop wrote the resolution that Colvin will present in Texas. Included in the resolution are findings collected from peer-reviewed articles.

Such findings include: deteriorated patient outcomes and an increase in length of hospital stay. For each additional patient assigned to an RN, there was a found increase of hospital-acquired pneumonia (7 percent), increase in failure to rescue (8 percent), an increase in pulmonary failure (53 percent), and an increase in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (16 percent).

The NSNA is being asked to support legislation for better nurse/patient ratios, support and encourage research for its implementation, and to become public advocates for the cause.

Colvin will graduate from UAHuntsville in May with a bachelor of science degree in nursing and will pursue a career as a trauma nurse.

UAH College of Nursing adds DNP program

The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) College of Nursing, the University of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham are combining their health care skills and expertise to offer a joint doctoral program to address demands of the evolving health care field.

The new Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program puts the UAH College of Nursing and the other schools of nursing in the University of Alabama System at the forefront of a national movement in nursing education aimed at improving patient care and patient outcomes.

The DNP degree is an advanced practice degree, preparing nurses at the highest levels of specialty practice. It will help meet the challenges facing the nation due to advancing technology, a diverse and aging population, growing numbers of the chronically ill, and an increasingly complex health care system. It is designed to prepare nurses to face the ever-changing future of health care and the needs of the population.

"Health care is complex and technology-driven," said Dr. Fay Raines, dean of the UAH College of Nursing. "Nurses are expected to manage more and more knowledge, and practice at increasingly advanced levels. The DNP program will prepare nurses for advanced specialty practice. It is a practice doctorate rather than a research degree and will prepare advanced practice nurses as clinical experts in direct patient care, in the management of delivery systems and the education of new nurses."

The three institutions will begin the program this year, first admitting students who already hold master’s degrees. The following year, the courses will be offered to bachelor’s degree nurses.

Raines is excited about the potential of this collaboration within the University of Alabama System.

"This will be a very expansive program when we combine the strengths of our three institutions," Raines said. "We will be able accommodate students from any part of the state by offering the expertise and capabilities of the only nursing programs combined for this program. Much of the program will also be offered through distance education so students from across the country can also enroll."

There is widespread interest in the program and several hundred prospective students have requested information.

The DNP is consistent with the practice doctorate in other health care disciplines and is in response to calls to improve the country’s health care system. In 2005, the National Academy of Sciences urged the development of a clinical doctoral degree in nursing. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the voice for baccalaureate and higher degree nursing education in the nation, has adopted a position statement calling for moving the preparation of advanced specialty practice nursing to the DNP level by 2015.

The three-campus program received approval by the Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama System on Friday, Feb. 8. Classes will be offered to students in the summer.

For more information, call the UAH College of Nursing at (256) 824-6669.

UAH College of Nursing study focuses on caregivers of lung cancer patients

A new study by The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) College of Nursing will focus on the caregivers of advanced stage lung cancer patients. The goal is to develop ways of supporting these families who are coping with stressful and complicated circumstances.

Huntsville Hospital Foundation’s research and development funding of $25,000 will permit this collaborative study of caregivers of cancer patients of the Clearview Cancer Institute (CCI) and Huntsville Hospital. UAH Associate Professor of Nursing Linda Riley, PhD, RN, is the principal investigator.

"In this study, we will assess family caregiver coping, and associated anxiety, depression, and quality of life," said Riley. "We want to look at their special issues in order to gain an empirical basis for the creation of effective family support."

Through the study, 50 primary caregivers of qualified patients will be followed over a six-month period from diagnosis, including cancer treatment, disease progression or the death of the cancer patient. Because palliative care stresses the importance of meeting the needs of the family before and after the death of the patient, caregivers will be allowed to continue in the study throughout the various stages of the care process.

"Families and caregivers of cancer patients have unique concerns regarding end-of-life issues and their loved ones' comfort and well-being during a most difficult time," said Candy Burnett, president of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation. "We are pleased to partner with CCI and the UAH College of Nursing on this important study. We hope that the information gained from the study will ultimately enable our physicians and staff to provide the emotional support, combined with quality clinical care, that will best serve our patients and their families."

CCI Clinical Research Coordinator Kathy Cutter, RN, BSN, endorses the importance of nursing research in assessing the needs of family caregivers.

"CCI has been conducting clinical trials for 18 years, but this will be the first time we have conducted a nursing research study," Cutter said. "Anything we as medical professionals can do to improve our patients’ and families’ ability to cope with cancer is vitally important to us. This trial focuses on the stress cancer places on families and caregivers of cancer patients. Its outcomes will help nurses and health care professionals better understand and provide support for the families."

Last year, Riley received a mentorship award to expand her program of research in supportive or palliative care. "It is increasingly important to learn the best ways to support families," Riley said. "The majority of cancer care now is delivered as an outpatient in our current medical system and this burden can be overwhelming to many families. Additionally, the support received at this point in the illness may impact the long term health and well-being of families even after the death of a family member. Identifying the best way of providing optimal care at all points in this continuum is our primary concern." Contact Dr Riley at (256) 824-2428 for more information concerning this collaborative study.

UAH nursing graduate creating regional breast cancer organization

There was little doubt Khalilah McCants would go to law school and embark on a promising legal career, possibly involving politics, public service or the corporate world.

A recipient of numerous scholarships, the studious Washington, D.C., native interned on Capitol Hill for Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), while earning an undergraduate degree in political science from Texas Southern University (TSU).

Little did McCants, a recent nursing graduate from The University of Alabama in Huntsville, know her life plan would change when she accepted a research position at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York. "My experiences had always involved research, so when I accepted an offer as a research coordinator at Columbia, it seemed like a natural progression for my career," said McCants, a senior nursing student.

While at Columbia, McCants worked on several studies that were published in national medical journals and posted on web sites. Those research studies included Lyme disease and Diabetes, pregnancy outcomes during the World Trade Center tragedy (September 11, 2001) and breast cancer.

McCants’ first-hand knowledge of the lack of resources and preventive information available to under-represented women, and her personal connection to cancer prompted her to start Pine Cone, Inc., (PCI) a non-profit breast cancer organization. "Instead of attending law school, I applied to nursing school."

She chose the name Pine Cone because "the cone-like reproductive structure is akin to a woman’s body, expelling seeds as new ones grow."

She wasted no time requesting funds from the Susan G. Komen Foundation to support PCI’s efforts of breast health education. "I pulled statistics, journal articles, interviews and evaluated PCI’s previous activities to surmise that Huntsville would benefit from the organization’s program, preventive cancer information. The Susan G. Komen for the Cure, North Central Alabama selected PCI as a grant recipient.

"Before Komen awarded the grant, I was already using money out of my own pocket to conduct workshops for Pine Cone Inc.," McCants said. "And, PCI was one of several sponsors to hold a celebrity fundraiser in West Hollywood (California) for breast cancer research in honor of Mary Allen, my aunt, who succumbed to this devastating disease. We raised over $15,000."

Subscribing to the adage "It takes a village …," McCants received invaluable assistance from UAH’s Nursing Dean Dr. Fay Raines, Associate Dean Dr. Pam O’Neal and most of the faculty members of the College of Nursing.

McCants also worked closely with Associate Professor Dr. Linda Riley, who specializes in cancer research to narrow the original Pine Cone Inc., proposal and make it more concise.

"The rigorous program at UAH simulates real life nursing, which makes the transition from student nurse to registered nurse effortless," McCants said. "Case in point: While my classes and clinicals as a whole have prepared me for my community work, the Community Health class exposed me to various roles and functions available for community members and where Pine Cone Inc., can contribute."

PCI’s grant funding will allow retreats, workshops, prevention information complete with nutritional and psychological assessments. McCants anticipates adding a breast cancer-screening component to PCI’s efforts in the near future.