vanderbiltspring 2014nurse · 2019. 3. 27. · the academic calendar is a continuous cycle of open...

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Serving the Never-Served

See how VUSN's inner-city clinic provides meaningful care to

those with great needs

vumcnurse_spring14_1 4/21/14 11:36 AM Page 1

vanderbiltnurse

We value excellence and innovation in preserving and advancing the artand science of nursing in the scholarly domains of education, research,practice and informatics. These values are pursued through the integrationof information technology and faculty-student interactions and transac-tions, while embracing cultural and academic diversity.

MISS ION AND VALUES

STATEMENT

EditorKathy Rivers

Design and Art DirectionDiana Duren

Director of PublicationsNancy Humphrey

Contributing WritersLeslie HillJessica PasleyKathy RiversSusan ShipleyJennifer Woody

Photography/IllustrationMichael AustinDaniel DuboisSteve GreenJohn RussellSusan Urmy

Cover PhotoDaniel Dubois

Editorial OfficeOffice of News and Public AffairsT-5200 Medical Center NorthVanderbilt UniversityNashville, Tennessee 37232-2390

VUSN Alumni Office and AssociationSusan Shipley, [email protected] Arrington, PhD, MSN ‘[email protected] West End Ave., Suite 450Nashville, Tennessee 37203(615) 936-3046

The Vanderbilt Nurse is published twice a year bythe Vanderbilt University School of Nursing incooperation with the VUMC Office of News andCommunications. The editor welcomes letters andcomments from readers at:

Vanderbilt Nurse Editor461 21st Ave. S. Nashville, Tennessee, 37240Or by email to: [email protected].

Vanderbilt University is committed to principles ofequal opportunity and affirmative action.

© 2014 Vanderbilt University

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NUR S E S P R I NG 2 0 1 4 1

S P R I NG 2 0 1 4 CONT EN T S

departments

2 Message from the DeanDean Linda Norman launches strategic direction initiative

3 News around the schoolResearch, outreach and initiatives from the School of Nursingand Vanderbilt University Medical Center

7 Research newsLorraine Mion provides insights into the potential role ofrobots in elder care

26 Class notesPromotions, personal achievements, moves, marriages, babiesand the latest news from classmates

29 Photo galleryEnjoy photos from Reunion 2013

make connections@vusn

We want to reach out to you. Pick one or all of the ways below to stay in touch with your classmates, faculty and School:

Log on to Vanderbilt Nurse online to learn more and make comments on any of the stories in this issue at vanderbilt.edu/vanderbiltnurse

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twitter.com/vanderbiltnurse

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pinterest.com/vusn

instagram.com/vusn#

Submit your email address to [email protected] so we cansend you quarterly electronic updates.

an online community. Are you connected?

vuconnect.com

3

Serving the Never-Served 8Angela Hudgens (pictured here and on cover), is apatient who receives health care from the Clinic atMercury Courts—a partnership that provides physical,social and spiritual support to those in need.

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vanderbiltnursefeatures

8 Serving the Never-ServedVUSN’s Clinic at Mercury Courts provides much-needed healthcare to the often-forgotten people living in Nashville’s inner city

14 Spreading Their WingsPreceptors immerse students in the real world of clinical practice, so that students can put their new knowledge to work and learn valuable lessons to launch their nursing careers

22 ASN to MSN ProgramWith multiple entry options, VUSN has programs for people with a variety of prior education and experience including thisprogram that helps experienced associate degree nurses progressto the master’s level


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Dear Alumni, Colleagues and Supporters,The academic calendar is a continuous cycle of open houses, new student orientations, faculty

summits, pinning ceremonies and graduation. In between those events, the School is literally bub-bling with activity. Hundreds of students are coming on campus for block learning sessions eachsemester. On campus, students are holding impromptu study groups in every possible open spacein Godchaux and Frist Halls. Guest speakers are presenting special sessions. Students and faculty

are speed-walking to classes, and students are participating in vari-ous clinical placements.

While VUSN operates like a well-oiled machine, we need topause and take a long, hard look at our School to determinestrategic direction.

Are there ways we can enhance our academic programs? Arewe meeting the needs of the health care delivery system? Are wemaking a difference in our community? Are there things we arenot doing that we should be doing?

We want to know the answers to those questions, thereforewe have launched a strategic planning process this year. We willfollow specific guidelines to fact-find and gather information, andwork as a faculty, staff and student body to develop a methodicaland strategic approach that will take us through the next fiveyears. We are certain that this process will only make the school

stronger and more focused going forward. We will report back to you once we have the completeinformation to share, and if you have thoughts, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy reading this issue of Nurse magazine. True to our missionof practice, teaching, research and informatics, we have something in this issue for everyone toenjoy. We delve deeper into The Clinic at Mercury Courts, designed to bring quality health careto hard-to-reach underserved, transient individuals in Middle Tennessee.

We showcase three of our preceptors, just a few of the hundreds who make it possible to giveour students meaningful clinical experiences. And, we highlight the Associate Degree in theScience of Nursing (ASN) to MSN program, so you can better understand the program’s founda-tion and teaching philosophy.

We have so much news to share and hope you enjoy staying connected in this way.

Sincerely,

Linda Norman, DSN, RN, FAANValere Potter Menefee Professor of NursingDean of the Vanderbilt University School of [email protected]

JOHN RUSSELL

D E A N ’ S M E S S A G E


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News Around the School

Study Looks at the Role of Therapy Dogs

It’s not uncommon for a child with newly diagnosed cancer to become depressed,lonely and have strained family relationships, but a new Vanderbilt study is investi-gating whether therapy dogs could have a positive effect on children undergoing chemotherapy.

This first-of-its-kind grant, coordinated by the American Humane Association and fundedby animal health company, Zoetis, was recently awarded to Vanderbilt University School ofNursing’s Mary Jo Gilmer, PhD, MBA, RN.

“Many studies have anecdotally documented the benefits of animal-assisted therapy. Weall want to think that pet therapy helps, but we need the evidence to back that up, to see if it isa sound treatment option for patients and their families,” said Gilmer.

Specifically, Principal Investigator Gilmer and Co-Investigators Terrah Foster Akard, fromVUSN, and Deb Friedman, MD, director of Hematology and Oncology at Monroe Carell Jr.Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, want to determine if animal-assisted therapy helps reduceanxiety and enhance health-related quality of life in children with newly diagnosed cancer aswell as their parents or guardians. The researchers will evaluate the impact of pet therapy onanxiety and health-related quality of life of these children, as well as levels of distress in thetherapy dogs themselves.

UCLA’s Lyder HelpsCelebrate MLK Day

In honor of Rev. MartinLuther King’s dedication toservice, Vanderbilt UniversityMedical Center honored King’slegacy through student com-munity service, a lecture byUCLA Dean Courtney Lyder,and presentation of the annualMartin Luther King award.

Lyder, ND, ScD, notedresearcher, policymaker, educa-tor and pioneer, captivatedfaculty, students and staff byhonoring nursing icons whoshaped his career and the pro-fession of nursing, as part ofRev. Martin Luther King Dayactivities at Vanderbilt.

“Reflecting the meaningof this day, and the manMartin Luther King, the key isthat he always had a dream,”said Lyder. “At every stage ofyour career, you have toreflect. You have to dream are-dream.”

Lyder shared his personalmentors as examples of serviceto others and making a lastingimpact. They include: BevMalone, president of theNational League of Nursing,the first American nursenamed as the general secretaryof the Royal College ofNursing; Mary Harper, PhD,whose groundbreaking workresulted in the InstitutionalReview Board (IRB); and LutherChristman, former VUSN dean,the first male dean of a schoolof Nursing. He also creditedAngela McBride, IndianaUniversity professor emerita.

(continued)

JOHN RUSSELL

Patient Bobby Harris pets Swoosh at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.Swoosh and his owner/volunteer Michelle Thompson are part of a study examining the benefitsof pet therapy for young cancer patients.


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N E W S A R O U N D T H E S C H O O L

“What research does tellus so far is that the physicaleffects of dealing with cancermay greatly improve over time,but often the psychosocialeffects linger,” said Gilmer.“Animal-assisted therapy mayhave the potential to assist fam-ilies in coping with the child’scancer experience.”

This study will take placein five sites across the country.Training for the dogs and forthe animal handlers started inDecember. There will be up to20 children with acute lympho-cytic leukemia and lymphoblas-tic lymphoma participating.Typically, treatment involves onemonth of chemotherapy admin-istered in the hospital, followedby weekly chemotherapy visitsin the clinic setting. The thera-py dogs will be at each visit.

Gilmer, a palliative careexpert, has seen how animalscan have an impact on patients.A few years ago, a teenagepatient of hers she calls “Amy”to protect her identity, was

declining after her body rejecteda second kidney transplant.Amy wanted her black, toy-sized dog by her side. Amy’sparents couldn’t make the two-and-a-half-hour drive backhome without fearing theywould miss crucial moments,but Gilmer had an idea.

“While it wasn’t the sameas her own dog, my grown sonhad dog just like Amy’s. So Ibrought his dog, Carli, to thehospital,” said Gilmer. “Amywas very agitated and restless atthat time, but Carli curled upright next to Amy. The tensionfrom Amy’s face evaporatedand she seemed more comfort-able. Two hours later, Amydied with Carli still by her side.It was that reality—seeing whata difference an animal canmake, that has made me wantto research this area.”

Gilmer hopes to have pre-liminary results this summer tohelp shine more light on thebond shared between peopleand animals.

More than 220 people from 14 countries and 30 states came to Nashvillein February for the Nursing Leadership inGlobal Health (NLGH) Conference. HerRoyal Highness Princess Muna al-Husseinof Jordan kicked off the event where presenters and attendees addressed theoverall goal of improvingpatient care by elevatingthe voice of nursing,delved deep into four spe-cific tracks of discussion:leadership and manage-ment, policy, advocacyand field engagement.

“Although nursesdeliver 90 percent of allhealth care services world-

wide, they remain largely invisible at deci-sion-making tables in national capitals andinternational agencies. Their absence con-stitutes a global health crisis,” said SheilaDavis, from the global health organizationPartners in Health.

More than 30 speakers brought awealth of real-world experience to the issues at hand, along withresearch posters exhibitedthroughout the confer-ence. Event coordinatorCarol Etherington, MSN(VU ‘75), RN, associateprofessor of Nursing, said,“The real work happensafter the conference, as

attendees and presenters share theirinsights and strive to elevate nursing influ-ence in their home environments. Wewanted NLGH to spark new channels ofnetworking in order to support nurses’efforts to become strong patient advo-cates, often in very challenging contexts.”

The conference was presented byVanderbilt University Medical Center’sDepartment of Nursing Education andProfessional Development, the VanderbiltInstitute of Global Health and theVanderbilt University School of Nursing.

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NLGH Conference is a Big Success........................................................................................................................

contact

For more information and summaries of thecontent discussed, visit nlgh2014.org.

(continued from page 3)

Faculty Book Signing...................................................The School Life Committee recently hosted a book signingevent with VUSN faculty-authors as a way to showcasefaculty scholarship. Nearly 100 students came by to havetheir books or bookplates signed by one or all of theVUSN faculty who authored books, edited books or con-tributed chapters to textbooks. Authors included:Michelle Collins, PhD, CNM; Mary Jo Gilmer, PhD,MBA,RN; Sharon Holley, DNP, CNM; Frances Likis, Dr PH,CNM (pictured below); Cathy Maxwell, PhD, RN; ToniaMoore-Davis, CNM, MSN, (pictured), Julia Phillippi, PhD,CNM, and Mavis Schorn, PhD, CNM.

DANIEL D

UBOIS

JOHN RUSSELL


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N E W S A R O U N D T H E S C H O O LN E W S A R O U N D T H E S C H O O L

Weiner Elected to IOM

VUSN’s Betsy Weiner, PhD, RN, senior associate dean for Informatics, was elected tothe Institute of Medicine (IOM) last fall. With more than 1,900 members, the IOM is thehealth arm of the National Academies, serving as an adviser to the nation to improve healthand promote health-related research.

Weiner, Centennial Independence Foundation Professor of Nursing and professor ofBiomedical Informatics, is considered a pioneer in multimedia development, particularly in thearea of distance learning programs in nursing, and the informatics tools that tie togetherresearch, practice and academics. Weiner is a fellow of both the American MedicalInformatics Association and the American Academy of Nursing. She joined the Vanderbiltfaculty in 2000 after 21 years at the University of Cincinnati.

In 2008, Weiner received the AMIA’s Virginia K. Saba Informatics Award in recognitionof her “substantial” contributions to the field of nursing informatics, and in 2011 she wasappointed to the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Task Force on Delivery System Reform andHealth Information Technology in Washington, D.C.

Weiner received her B.S. degree in Nursing and her Ph.D. in Higher Education, Social& Philosophical Studies from the University of Kentucky, and an M.S. degree in Nursingfrom the University of Cincinnati.

Early in her career, she received one of the first IBM grants for innovative education todevelop an informatics-based labor and delivery simulation that was used in nursing schoolsthroughout the country. Her later online education in emergency preparedness continues tobe used by nurses worldwide, and led to her consulting internationally for the World HealthOrganization.

In addition to Weiner, Mark Frisse, MD, MS, MBA, Accenture Professor and director ofRegional Informatics, was also elected to the IOM. Among his many accolades, Frisse leddevelopment of a government-sponsored health information exchange in the greater Memphisarea and is a principal contributor of the Vanderbilt MyHealthTeam initiative, which won athree-year, $18.8 million Health Care Innovation Award from the Centers for Medicare andMedicaid Services.

Love Takes Helm ofPsychiatric MentalHealth Program

Rene Love has been namedprogram director for thePsychiatric Mental Health NursePractitioner program at theVanderbilt University School ofNursing (VUSN). She succeedsSusie Adams, who was recentlynamed Nursing Faculty Scholarfor Community EngagedBehavioral Health at VUSN.

Love has taught at VUSNfor 15 years, including coursesin the MSN and DNP programs.She has secured grants focusedon mental health in publicschools, such as developingstate guidelines for mentalhealth for the Tennessee StateBoard of Education. She is fre-quently an invited speaker fornational conferences on topicsincluding how to prepareschool systems for post-crisisresponses and advocating forchange in the psychiatric nurs-ing workforce.

In 2012, she was awardedthe Jeanette Chamberlainaward for service from theInternational Society ofPsychiatric Nursing. She is anactive member of Sigma ThetaTau International and playedan important role in last year’s60th anniversary of the IotaChapter. She was recentlyaccepted into the NationalAcademies of Practice.

Love earned her BSN fromValdosta State, and her MSN,DNP and Family Psych MentalHealth post master’s certificatefrom VUSN. She is currentlypursuing her PhD at theUniversity of Arizona.

JOHN RUSSELL


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VUMC Lands MooreFoundation Grant

Vanderbilt University’sCenter for InterdisciplinaryHealth Workforce Studies wasawarded $2.2 million from theGordon and Betty MooreFoundation to address nursingworkforce issues that mayimpede future health care.

Certain regions in the U.S.,particularly rural areas, continueto report a shortage of nurses,especially in specialties such asoperating room and labor anddelivery. And with health carereform, the expected increaseddemand for health care servic-es, including those providedprimarily by nurses, is likely tocreate a significant strain onthe nursing workforce.

Further, there are new modelsof care delivery and a greateremphasis on prevention thatwill require comprehensivecare, greater care coordinationand adherence to protocolsand improved management ofchronic disease—roles that areinherently aligned with thenursing model of care.Unfortunately, experientialdata to better understand theimpact of these issues is frag-mented and not very robust.

“The importance of regis-tered nurses is expected toincrease in the coming decadesto address significant challengeswithin our health care system,but empirical workforceresearch is necessary to help usunderstand how to betteraddress the issues,” said PeterBuerhaus, PhD, RN, ValerePotter Professor at theVanderbilt University School ofNursing and director of theCenter for InterdisciplinaryHealth Workforce Studies atVanderbilt University.

Adams Named School’s First Faculty Scholar...............................................................................

Susie Adams, PhD, RN, has been named to thenewly created position of Nursing Faculty Scholarfor Community Engaged Behavioral Health at theVanderbilt University School of Nursing. TheFaculty Scholar position will partner with existingand/or new agencies affiliated with VUSN to evalu-ate evidence-based health practices, analyze program outcomes and disseminate findings.

“Susie is the ideal person to lead scholarly contributions in this new way. She is viewed as a consummate collaborator and partner within the local, regional and national behavioral healthcommunity, and she is respected for her own work,particularly in the health and well-being of womenwith substance abuse and co-occurring mentalhealth disorders,” said Linda Norman, DSN, RN, Valere Potter Menefee Professor ofNursing, and Dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing.

Adams has served as program director for the school’s Psychiatric MentalHealth Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program for almost two decades, growing theprogram in meaningful ways and making it one of the most popular specialtytracks at the school. Her research has made a profound impact in organizationssuch as The Next Door, an agency that serves women with substance abuse problems re-entering the community from incarceration. Since 1997, she hasserved on the board of the Mental Health Cooperative, a multi-site networkwhich provides a continuum of services for those with serious mental illness. She is also president-elect of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association.

School Reaches Out to Male Students

The VUSN Admissions Office reports male recruitment is on the upswing. During the past fouryears, the percentage of male students has consistently risen. In the current academic year, 11.3percent of the students are male. Perhaps one reason for this is the growth of the School’sthriving American Assembly for Men in Nursing: Middle Tennessee Chapter at Vanderbilt.

Each month the group meets to discuss issues impacting male nursing students and men cur-rently in the nursing workforce. Led by Tom Christenbery, PhD, MSN, the group provides anopportunity for camaraderie and networking, and has gained a positive reputation outsideVanderbilt as well, since two men from local hospital systems not affiliated with Vanderbiltrecently joined the group.

Christenbery, along with Joseph Baily, RN, a second-year MSN student, Alvin Jeffery, MSN, RN/APN,first-year PhD student, and Robb Nash, MSN, RN/APN, second-year PhD student, participated ina 90-minute panel discussion for the Graduate Nursing Admission Professionals Program, held atVUSN in April. The VUSN group also hopes to eventually provide more outreach in the commu-nity via men’s health screenings at area events.


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R E S E A R C H N E W S

Vanderbilt University School ofNursing’s Lorraine Mion believesnursing resources are going to bestretched to their limits with a growingsenior population. To help shore up theseanticipated gaps, she thinks robots canplay a role in complementing or supple-menting some senior care needs.Collaborating with some of the bestminds from the realms of engineering andgeropsychology, an initial study is beinglaunched to see how robots might suc-cessfully engage seniors with cognitiveissues and dementia.

While there is ongoing work in thisfield, the Vanderbilt team is the first thathas a robot that can dynamically adapt itsown behavior based on what people arefeeling. It’s known as a closed-loop sys-tem, much like the way a driver’s behaviormust adapt to other drivers braking orchanging lanes on the road.

It all started with work by VanderbiltProfessor of Mechanical Engineering andComputer Engineering Nilanjan Sarkar,PhD, when he outfitted computer/robot

users with biosensors and analyzed varia-tions in blood pressure and skin responseto evaluate emotions. A personal experi-ence led him to apply his work to youngchildren with autism spectrum disorder(ASD). Sarkar, Jing Fan and PaulNewhouse, MD, director of the VanderbiltCenter for Cognitive Medicine, are nowworking with Mion and Greg Hunt, VUSNresearch coordinator, to see how the man-machine interface might make a difference to seniors.

“Professor Sarkar’s work made methink, ‘how can we possibly supplementnursing workforce personnel in the long-term setting and from a cognitive andbehavioral point of view?’” Mion said.“So think about apathy, for instance.There is a high correlation between apa-thy and poor outcomes among olderadults. Perhaps robots could engageolder adults, just like the children withASD who responded to the robots.”

There are many types of robots in use today, including assistive devices fordisabilities, such as smart wheelchairs or

Spotlight on Nursing Research//Socially Assistive Robots and Senior Care

DANIEL D

UBOIS

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prosthetic limbs; for tasks such as lifting,carrying and doing laundry; and for meal-time, as in feeding systems or voice-con-trolled meal preparation.

This team is interested in how sociallyassistive robots, interactive machines thatcan aid with intellectual, social or emotionalsupport, can help senior care. They canprovide companionship, entertainment,and even facilitate intellectual stimulation.

Enter: Nao, an off-the-shelf robotwhose internal engineering has beenmodified by the Vanderbilt engineers tointegrate with various cameras and sen-sors and work like one system. Nao willapproach wheelchair-bound test subjects,say its name and engage the older adultin a variety of activities, such as mild exer-cises (e.g. raising its arms), or singing asong. If the older adult mimics the robot,Nao will follow up with a more challeng-ing activity. If the older adult does notrespond, Nao will speak words of encour-agement and try to engage further. Allthe while, sensors will measure the olderadult’s various body responses like heartrate and brain waves.

“If you had your own personal trainer,he or she would try to make the patientengaged, but also know when to backdown if the patient is getting stressedout,” said Sarkar. “We want Nao to havethe same capacity, and see if this interac-tivity is making the seniors feel better psy-chologically and physiologically.”

As with most research, Mion pointsout there are many questions: What willseniors think? Will they think the robot isa toy? If so, is that a good thing? Whatwill nursing personnel think? Will theysee the robot as helpful, or an annoyancethat gets in their way?

The initial alpha study with healthyolder adults will start to answer thesequestions, followed by beta testing thissummer. There is no question that this isfoundational research with many potentialapplications. “The key is to find the mostuseful fit,” Mion said.

– KATHY RIVERS

The project team (L to R): Paul Newhouse, Jing Fan, Greg Hunt, Lorraine Mion andNilanjan Sarkar.


S E R V I N G T H E N E V E R - S E R V E D

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ANGELA HUDGENS


W hen the Clinic at Mercury Courts opened in the summer of2012, the staff expected to be inundated with patient visits.Designed to provide medical care for people and families transitioning

from homelessness and other poverty situations, the clinic onMurfreesboro Road is located within a 5-mile radius of 12 properties serv-ing low income and transitional housing residents, including the gatedMercury Courts near downtown Nashville.

But the clinic stood mostly idle for days on end.“We came in here thinking that just because we opened up shop that

people would be lining up for services,” said Christian Ketel, MSN, RN-BC, manager of the Clinic at Mercury Courts. “What we didn’t realize wasthat we had a lot of work to do to create relationships with those in thecommunity who had become accustomed to health care coming andgoing. It was not abnormal for a health care practice to open and withinmonths be gone.

“Our biggest challenge was setting into motion that we were notgoing anywhere,” he said. “We had to develop trust with the members ofthe community. It didn’t happen overnight, but once word spread, thepatients came.”

It’s been nearly two years since the clinic opened and patient volumecontinues to grow. There are 900 patients who have chosen the clinic astheir medical home. Providers see up to 150 patients a month.

It’s a far cry from the first quiet weeks at the Vanderbilt UniversitySchool of Nursing-run primary care clinic.

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SERVING THENEVER-SERVED

B Y J E S S I C A PA S L E Y

P H O T O G R A P H B Y D A N I E L D U B O I S




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On acold,overcastday inJanuary, the four-room clinic is bustling with regu-lar patients, walk-ins and some passersbypopping in for a visit.

It doesn’t take long for the 1,200-square-foot space to feel full. It is exactlywhat Bonnie Pilon, DSN, RN, senior asso-ciate dean for Clinical and CommunityPartnerships at VUSN, envisioned.

“We see everything that a primarycare office would see from flu and coldsto warts and heart disease,” she said. “Weare providing an essential service to thiscommunity and we can see that they arebenefiting from our practice.”

The services provided at the Clinic atMercury Courts help get patients diagnosedand treated quickly and keep them fromusing area emergency rooms for basic med-ical care. The clinic, which offers labs andmedications, uses the local safety net refer-ral network for uninsured patients withmore complex health care needs, said Pilon.

Mercury Courts opened in 1992 in

the landmark Mercury Motel, which wasrefurbished to make way for 160 apart-ments for formerly homeless or low-incomeindividuals. The clinic, which previouslyhoused the security office, sits at the frontof the property outside the gated commu-nity. It is accessible to anyone in need ofhealth care.

“This patient population is used toeither not seeking care at all or going tothe ER when they are sick,” Pilon said.“We have done a good job of providingaccess to care to a group that didn’t have itpreviously.

“We are meeting the needs of not onlyan ‘underserved’ community, but also whatwe sometimes refer to as the ‘never-served.’For such a small clinic, we are doing a lot.”

The clinic utilizes a unique model ofcare that brings together interprofessional,licensed providers in a nurse-led primarycare site to work alongside students withmulti-professional backgrounds including

nursing, pharmacy, social work and medi-cine to provide preventive and chronicdisease management.

The patient population and the inter-professional team focus is what attractedfamily nurse practitioner nursing studentHanna Chapman to work at the clinicduring her first year at VUSN.

Although anxious about the slow startwhen the clinic opened, Chapman creditsher experience at Mercury Courts for fur-ther solidifying her decision to work withthe medically underserved.

“Working at the clinic, I have beenchallenged by the extensive barriers tocare, said Chapman. “These patients’medical conditions are complicated byother issues that must be addressed,including transportation, diet, finances,medications and housing.

“I have learned the importance ofbuilding relationships with patients anddeveloping trust. A patient has to know

1 Angela Hudgens, aka the Momma of Mercury, believes she and Family NursePractitioner Aaron Scott are a team when it comes to her health care. She startedseeing Scott for specific health situations, then made him her primary providerand The Clinic at Mercury Courts her health care home.

2 Nursing student Hannah Chapman examines one of the young members of theAlam family, an example of the full range of services the clinic provides.

3 The Clinic at Mercury Courts’ Christian Ketel has used friendship as a way to con-nect with Jason Lester and improve his health.

4 Like all of the Mercury Courts residents, Eugene Dotson and his grandson,Zalowen Smith, receive free primary health care at the clinic.

1 2



that you are there because you truly careand want to help them achieve a betterquality of life,” said Chapman. “Sometimes,it’s not about the stethoscope. It goes waybeyond that.”

Half of the patients utilizing the clin-ic are residents of an Urban HousingSolutions development, a nonprofitorganization committed to providingaffordable housing for the homeless, men-tally ill and physically disabled, as well aspeople in recovery, newly released fromprison and others in need of an affordableplace to live.

Building TrustAngela Hudgens, a resident of

Mercury Courts for more than two years,is affectionately called the Momma ofMercury. Unofficially she serves as the eyes and ears of the complex.Although it took a little getting used to,she said, people are happy the clinic isbecoming a fixture in the community.

“When they first came here, we wereall shocked. The clinic is in the sameoffice where we got carded to get into thegated community, “ recalls Hudgens. “Butafter the shock wore off and we saw thatthey were staying and wanting to help us,we slowly warmed up to the idea.

“There are so many people who needthis … residents and homeless aroundhere wouldn’t get the help they reallyneed if the clinic wasn’t here. The clinicoffers more than medical care. They goabove and beyond the call of duty.

“But what really means the most—we are treated like we are supposed to betreated—like we are human beings. Thatgoes a long way, it really does.”

Hudgens boasts that her primary careprovider, Aaron Scott, likes to spoil hispatients.

“I don’t spoil any of my patients. Ijust treat them like I would want to betreated and we are consistent no matterwho walks in our clinic doors,” said Scott,FNP-C, MSN, RN, lead nurse practitionerat the clinic.

“We take the time to listen and talkto our patients. We teach our patientshow best to take care of themselves. Wemake sure they have the resources theyneed to make that happen. We don’t dis-miss them. We don’t judge,” said Scott.

Hudgens knows this first-hand.After 17 years as a medical assistant, shewas plagued by seizures. She could nolonger work and had to apply for disability.Displaced from her apartment and afterliving at her sister’s home, she became aMercury Courts resident.

At 46, Hudgens has a series of health complications including arthritis,asthma, intermittent high cholesterol andhigh blood pressure, but she feels that her health concerns are under controlthese days.

“The clinic has been a godsend to meand a lot of people,” said Hudgens. “Myhealth is a lot better and if there’s some-thing wrong, I can go to the clinic. I havemade Aaron my primary care provider, so

NUR S E S P R I NG 2 0 1 4 11

The clinic is funded by a variety ofsources, the largest being a collab-orative project grant from theHealth Resources and ServicesAdministration (HRSA) Division ofNursing to investigate interprofes-sional health care team develop-ment and outcomes. The secondmajor funding source comes fromVUSN to pay for operational costsnot covered by the HRSA grant.

To assist in covering the costs ofservices to uninsured patients,the clinic belongs to a consortiumof safety net providers that offerfree or low-cost health care.

The clinic also receives donationsfrom private sources includingthe Memorial Foundation, whichhelped purchase diagnostic test-ing equipment and covers a largepercentage of indigent lab feesand the Boulevard Bolt, aNashville-area 5K held onThanksgiving Day each year.

FUNDING

3 4


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he’s where I go. He knows me and under-stands my issues like no one else.”

When she was recently having somedizzy spells, Scott and Hudgens determinedthat her three medications were causing hertypically high blood pressure to drop unex-pectedly. Hudgens also lost a few poundswhich may have impacted her dosage.

“It was mind boggling to me, but wefigured it out, and Aaron took me offsome of my meds. Now I feel much better,” said Hudgens.

Teaching“It’s interesting,” Scott noted. “As we

are teaching our students about how toprovide good, quality health care, we arealso teaching our patients. It all goes handin hand.”

Although created to provide access tocare to an often forgotten population, theclinic also exists to serve as an importantteaching health center and practice sitefor VUSN faculty.

Ketel encourages all clinical facultymembers to volunteer at the clinic.

“We would love to have more facultyinvolvement,” said Ketel. “Now that weare more established and we continue toattract more patients, we could use moreassistance.

“There are so many opportunities forour faculty to participate in caring forpatients, community engagement andsupporting students as they experience theclinical setting.

“Our patient care model is truly cut-ting edge in terms of the way we deliverhealth care. It’s an interprofessional, team-based approach engaging the patient as ateam member, and the team itself is con-nected to the local community. And, weare looking at how to expand it to othersites. Mercury has really reignited my pas-sion for nursing and opened my eyes to the

potential nursing can have locally as well asthe influence it can have on a larger scale.”

The Clinic at Mercury Courts is openfrom 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Mondays, 8 a.m.to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, andclosed on weekends. Since opening itsdoors, providers have become very aware ofthe constraints of a three-exam room clinic.

Currently a mobile care program foroff-site holistic care is in the works. Theidea is to provide complete wraparoundservices—physical, spiritual and socialsupport—to those who are unable to getto the clinic, who are often the most vul-nerable in the community.

The clinic serves 30 Urban HousingSolutions properties as well as transitionalhousing residents, homeless and localbusinesses. Despite reaching 3,000 patientvisits since August 2013, it has notreached capacity.

As spring and summer approach,health fairs and neighborhood events willprovide occasions for the clinic staff to

identify potential patients, said Ketel. Andsince the area is populated with transition-al groups, there are always opportunitiesto offer health care to those in need.

Fulfilling NeedsCarole Bartoo, MSN, RN, AGNP-

BC, nurse practitioner/transition advocatefor the Vanderbilt Center for QualityAging, spent one year volunteering at theclinic after obtaining her master’s degreefrom the School of Nursing.

She said the clinic provides a servicethat does not exist anyplace else, making it“beyond essential.”

“Everyone deserves basic health careservices,” said Bartoo. “If I learned any-thing while I was there, it was just howhuge the crack is that people fall into inTennessee. I saw patients who had nofamily support, no resources, who weresuffering from chronic illnesses and hadnot seen a health care provider in a long,long, long time.

“There is such a distrust of the medicalcommunity as a whole among this popula-tion, which is why this clinic is vital. Itoperates on the notion that everyone whowalks through that door is treated thesame, period,” Bartoo said.

What door leads to chances and opportunity?Our clinic is a door of hope. And we are anopen door.”

“


AFFORDABLE MEDICATIONS

Dispensary of Hope, a nationwide distributor that provides unused or surplus med-ications to health care providers and clinics to disperse to people with no pharmacycoverage, is a key component to the Clinic at Mercury Courts’ ability to provideaccess to affordable medications.

The clinic dispenses about $4,000 worth of medications monthly. It does not have apharmacy but is able to stock a dispensing closet of medications for some of themore prevalent disease states like hypertension, high cholesterol and asthma. It stillhas a difficult time getting diabetes and COPD medications because of the highdemand within the health care field, said Scott.

“It is important to note that we do not have any narcotics on site,” added Ketel.“People know that we do not keep any narcotics so they do not expect to get them.In an area where drug-seeking behavior is common, it is not an issue here.

“We don’t prescribe any scheduled drugs here either and drug seekers know that, sowe don’t have to deal with any disruptive behavior related to abuse and addictionin the clinic.”


NUR S E S P R I NG 2 0 1 4 13

“There is no preconceived judgmentabout how or why a person is in the situa-tion they are in. The focus is addressingthe health concern at hand. It should bethat way everywhere, but sadly it isn’t.”

Traci Patton, the health services coor-dinator for residents of Urban HousingSolutions, knows this all too well.

With 20 years of experience workingwith the low-income and homeless com-munities, she welcomed the commitmentexpressed by the School of Nursing toestablish a clinic in the MurfreesboroRoad area.

“Health care is a barrier for people inpoverty,” said Patton. “And health carealso requires a level of trust that is toughfor a community that has a lack of trustfor all systems.

“Once the clinic established that it wasindeed a part of the community is when

people stopped seeing it as just anotherbuilding and as a place that could helpthem,” she said. “The clinic is a solid med-ical home for so many and is a point ofcontact where medical needs are addressed.”

Patton said she has heard from localbusiness owners along Murfreesboro Roadthat the clinic has not only impacted thoseseeking quality medical care, but has alsobeen a positive improvement for the area.

Patton saw the clinic as an opportu-nity to open the door for better things inthe community.

“If you go up and downMurfreesboro Road, what do you see?”asked Patton. “Lots of doors leading todestruction and bad choices.

“What door leads to chances andopportunity? Our clinic is a door of hope.And we are an open door.

“That is what I really like. The blindson the window are never closed. Whenyou come in someone always says hello.Sometimes all you need is for someone toshow that they care and to believe in you.”

KEY RESULTS

Although long-term clinicaloutcomes data is not yet avail-able, here are a few highlights:• In one year, clinicians haveseen progress in hypertensioncontrol rates with a nearly 20percent improvement inpatient levels.

• Smoking cessation screeningis at 100 percent, whichprompted the implementa-tion of an aggressive smokingcessation program.

• Social work services screen-ings are at 100 percent. Fortypercent of patients havetaken advantage of theseservices.

• Behavioral medicine has an80 percent rate of adherencewith regular follow-up andcounseling.

n

Jason Lester, 28, has lived in his Mercury Courtsresidence for five years, after leaving his familyhome in nearby Williamson County. Lester has battled many health concerns, chiefly severe depression, and credits Clinic Manager ChristianKetel for helping him change his life around.

*All patients in this story provided consent to sharetheir health information.


S P R E A D I N G T H E I R W I N G S

14 NUR S E S P R I NG 2 0 1 4

Spreading Their Wings

In the dictionary, a preceptor is “an instructor; teacher; tutor.” At Vanderbilt University School of

Nursing, a preceptor is one of the most important roles in the evolution of a nursing student.

Preceptors are one-on-one mentors responsible for training students during clinical placements. They

help students take what they have learned in the classroom and apply it to real patients in real health

care settings.

“To simplify it, it’s an internship. Preceptors can be doctors or nurse practitioners, and they take the

student into their practice to train in their area of specialization, from family practice to nurse mid-

wifery,” said LeeAnn Ruderer, director of Clinical Placement at VUSN.

“They’re the lifeblood of our school and an integral part of every program.”

Preceptors Nurture Students’ Clinical Experience

B Y L E S L I E H I L L

I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y M I C H A E L A U S T I N

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NUR S E S P R I NG 2 0 1 4 15

N U R S I N G W I T H O U T B O R D E R S


“Many of our preceptors say howimportant their clinical experiences wereand how they want to give back.”

Preceptors can receive continuingeducation credits for teaching students.

“Our preceptors say they love to havestudents because it helps them learn aswell,” Ruderer said. “They find joy inteaching because they can be a mentor tothe student and help foster and nurturetheir love of health care.”

Here are the stories of just three of thehundreds of preceptors who go beyond thedefinition.

David McClain has precepted more than30 VUSN students over the past 15 yearsat the Bell Clinic in rural Elkton, Ky.Twenty miles from the nearest hospital,the clinic sees 25-50 patients a day withcomplaints that run the health care gamut.

McClain actually did a rotation at theclinic while he was in school and joinedthe staff after his 1995 graduation fromthe Family Nurse Practitioner program.

“About a year after I started working,I got a call asking me to be a preceptor. Iwas willing to because everyone has tolearn somewhere. Somebody was kindenough to help me when they didn’t haveto, and I wanted to pass that on,” he said.

McClain is particularly adept at help-ing nurses with hospital experience transi-tion to caring for patients in a clinic ontheir own.

“Hospital nurses have a certain set ofeyes that don’t fit out here. In the hospital,you already know the patient has complexneeds. In the clinic, we keep them healthy.Nurses are often good at the sick, but it’s

“It can be very hard to find a precep-tor in their area who is also in their spe-cialty. It would be wonderful to connectmore with our alumni for leads on possi-ble placements. Even if they’re not, say, a nurse midwife, they may know an OB-GYN practice in town that would bean excellent training opportunity for awomen’s health student or a family prac-tice for another specialty. Tips like thatare so helpful.”

Even locally, the competition forclinical placements is stiff.

“We often contact some sites andthey are already booked for a year or two.Our local preceptors will tell us they arebombarded with calls from students atother schools. We see this as wonderfulthat the nursing field is growing, butchallenging for securing the best trainingexperiences,” Harmer said.

The biggest need is for primary carepreceptors because so many specialtiesrequire that experience. Other high prior-ities are pediatrics and OB-GYN.

Arrington said he can still rememberthe impact of his clinical rotations andhopes other alumni will volunteer as pre-ceptors.

“Working with students is a greatexperience. I always learn way more thanI feel that I provide for the student. Byserving as a role model for students itallows them to see the true capacities thatadvanced practice nurses can fulfill,” hesaid.

Harmer echoed that two things—theopportunity to learn the latest practicesand theories from students and a “pay itforward” mentality—drive preceptors tovolunteer.


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C linical require-ments for students rangefrom 680 hoursto 1,000 hours,depending on their specialty. The ClinicalPlacement Department at VUSN has astaff of five who oversee the placements of all students. They seek out preceptors,arrange placements, negotiate contractualagreements and manage compliance withstate boards of nursing and education.

This spring semester, the departmenthas positioned nearly 200 students inTennessee and 158 students in 39 otherstates. Sites include hospitals and privatepractices, work-site-based clinics, ruralclinics, federally-qualified health care cen-ters and nonprofits.

“The best learning experiences areout in the community, where you see,hear and experience it all,” said CrickettHarmer, Senior Clinical PlacementProgram Coordinator.

As VUSN’s distance learningexpands, more students are seeking goodclinical experiences. But without any con-nections to the local health care scene,that can be a daunting process. Thedepartment makes every effort to cus-tomize the student experience by closecollaboration with the student, faculty,alumni and potential preceptors.

The VUSN Alumni Board has madeit a goal to increase their role to find morepreceptors around the country.

“With the increasing number of stu-dents who are doing their rotations outsideof Tennessee, it was the desire of theAlumni Board to help find qualified super-vising advanced practice nurses. Thereforethe committee is going to work this nextyear to help expand the number of precep-tors as well as the scope of specialties,” saidboard president Doug Arrington.

Ruderer said finding a preceptor isoften time-consuming and stressful fordistance students.

“In the clinic, we keep them healthy. Nurses are often good atthe sick, but it’s how to keep patients from being sick or fromgetting sicker that has to be learned.” – DAVID MCCLAIN

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DAVID MCCLAIN



how to keep patients from being sick orfrom getting sicker that has to belearned.”

Teaching comes naturally for McClain,who has many educators in his family. Healso taught a course at Walter ReedNational Military Medical Center while hewas a critical care nurse in the Army.

He often starts teaching by havingthe students do a head-to-toe assessment.

“I tell them to look at everythingbecause they don’t know enough to filterthe meaningful from the red herrings.From all that data, the problem usuallyfalls out. Eventually, they will get theskills to start filtering the meaningfulinformation. I want them to be able to doa history and physical in their sleep.”

McClain said he is usually standingover the student’s shoulder, but takes amore encouraging approach.

“They’re under a lot of pressurealready, so I try not to teach in a beratingway. If they knew everything they weresupposed to, they would already be anurse practitioner. I tell them to take iteasy and enjoy the opportunity to learn.”

He often picks the students’ brainsabout what they are learning in class, andhas them look up more information onconditions they encounter in the clinic.

“If they walk out at the end of theday feeling inadequate but enlightened,we’re doing it right.”

James Hope sees preceptors as a type of quality control for Vanderbilt’s newgraduates.

“Everyone with that (VUSN) pin ontheir collar is a representative of Vanderbilt.They should come out of school being

strong and at the top of the market. We want to teach them well so we’re all seen as good nurse practitioners. Wewant to keep the value of that degreehigh,” he said.

A 2009 graduate of the Acute CareNurse Practitioner Program, Hope worksas a hospitalist for Johnson City InternalMedicine, managing the night admissionsand emergencies for the private physiciangroup’s patients at Johnson City MedicalCenter in eastern Tennessee.

Student and preceptor usually see a patient together, and then Hope asksthe student to present the patient, indi-cating the significant findings and majorproblems.

“The important thing is finding themost pressing issue. To put it bluntly,what is going to kill them first? Then wesit together and write the orders.”

He often has to stress that health is acontinuum and the goal is to bring thepatient back to baseline to go home.

“Some people have chronic problemsand will never be totally healthy. Studentsneed to understand what that patient’sbaseline level of health is so that we can setgoals to get the patient out of the hospital.”

Hope also tries to drive home theunique aspects of nurse practitioners.

“I emphasize that we’re still a nurseand have a different philosophy of healthcare than physicians. I tell them that oneof the great things is that many peopleprefer to see us. We’re not just a diagno-sis—we do mind, body and spirit.”

One of his tricks of the trade heencourages students to copy, is carrying alist of $4 prescriptions at Wal-Mart.

“If a patient has $20 in their pocketand you prescribe a $50 medication, you

haven’t done them any good,” he said.Hope said he also benefits from pre-

cepting because he can learn about thelatest research and new practices.

“As students, they’re always learningthe newest info, which is a big bonuswhen they come in. It’s also nice just toreview stuff you already know.”

He precepted a VUSN student in

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“I emphasize that we’re still a nurse and have a different philosophy ofhealth care than physicians. I tell them that one of the great things isthat many people prefer to see us. We’re not just a diagnosis—we domind, body and spirit.” – JAMES HOPE

>>

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NUR S E S P R I NG 2 0 1 4 19


2012, who was also a staff nurse atFranklin Woods Community Hospital,where Hope covers call.

“She came from a heart failure clinicand could rattle off tons of informationabout that. She was very smart but didn’thave a lot of self-confidence, so weworked on building that.”

“But every student is different. I try to

figure out their strengths and weaknessesand what they want to garner from theexperience.”

For Stephanie Franklin, the rewardsof being a preceptor far outweigh the timeconstraints and extra planning requiredwhen a student is under her guidance.

“It can be challenging to give students

the time they need and also move forwardwith the hectic schedule of the clinic, butit is very rewarding. It keeps me on mytoes. It’s been a long time since I was inschool, and they come in with new andfresh ways of doing things. It forces me tokeep learning,” she said.

Franklin is a 1993 graduate of VUSNand works at Eldorado Primary Care, a

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JAMES HOPE



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family practice clinic in Southern Illinoisowned by Harrisburg Medical Center. Sheis one of three nurse practitioners on a staffwith two physicians and three counselors,and actually precepted the other two nursepractitioners when they were students.

The clinic often has students on rota-tions, and Franklin said the key to givingthem a good experience while maintain-ing patient flow is scheduling.

“For the students, I choose patientswho have a little extra time, who don’t haveto rush back to work, and I try to scheduletheir follow-up when the student will behere. That way they can see how the labscome back and follow the progression ofthe patient. They really enjoy that continu-ity, and it’s more like real practice,” she said.

Franklin said patients rarely mindhaving a student involved in their care.

“The patients usually enjoy the stu-dents. They feel like they get such thoroughexams and really good patient education.

The patients will always ask where the stu-dents are and how they’re doing.”

In 2011, Franklin precepted VUSNstudent Natalie Finnie, now a nurse practi-tioner at Gallatin County Wellness Center,a primary care clinic associated with thelocal schools in Junction, Ill. Finnie hadcalled on Eldorado Primary Care whenshe was a drug rep, and Franklin was herfirst choice for a preceptor.

“I thought she was a great practitionerand really respected her,” Finnie said. “Iwas thankful I was able to hand pick her.”

Finnie said Franklin was great atassessing her knowledge base and givingher just the right amount of direction.

“She was hands-on at first and hadme watch her, then let me do things on myown. I wanted feedback immediately andwould ask what I needed to sharpen myskills, and she was very good at giving guid-ance. She has a crazy busy schedule butnever made me feel like I was in her way.”

For Franklin, the ultimate motivationto be a preceptor is giving back to othernurses.

“Someone did it for us, and it’s ourturn to help future students,” she said.“Nurse practitioner is a very exciting field,but it is up to us to advance the field, andpart of that is being a preceptor.”

“Someone did it for us, and it’s our turn to help future students.Nurse practitioner is a very exciting field, but it is up to us toadvance the field, and part of that is being a preceptor.”–STEPHANIE FRANKLIN

Tips for Preceptors1. Observe students first to gather their strengths and weaknesses, and tailor teaching and assignments to maxi-

mize learning.2. Ask students what their goals are for a particular clinical experience and develop a set of objectives to meet

those. New preceptors may want to run these by the student’s adviser.3. Remember that you were once a student as well.4. Ask patients first if they have some extra time to let a student do their exam.5. Assign students patients who match what they are learning or need to work on.6. Try to give students a variety of patient experiences—acute vs. chronic, young vs. old, difficult diagnosis vs.

simple.7. Have a continuous line of communication. Give students feedback and let them suggest ways to improve their

teaching experience.8. Have students look up something they don’t know and teach you at the next visit.9. Remember that you don’t have to teach everything at once. A good strategy is to focus on one skill set one

week and advance to something else the next.

How can I become a preceptor?Contact the Clinical Placement Department at (615) 343-6067 or email [email protected].

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NUR S E S P R I NG 2 0 1 4 21


STEPHANIE FRANKLIN


Q + A : A S N T O M S N P R O G R A M

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Why the name change?This program was called theRN PreSpecialty Program,but we changed it so it couldhave its own more specificidentity. The former namewas confusing to prospectivestudents because some with-out nursing experiencethought this was the entrypoint to the master’s pro-gram, when really the ASN(Associate Degree in theScience of Nursing) to MSNprogram is for associatedegree nurses and diplomanurses in pursuit of anadvanced practice nursingdegree.

What is the program?It’s a two semester (fall andspring) schedule with the

summer off. This programfills the holes in between anassociate degree educationand a bachelor’s degree innursing. Associate programstypically do not address theory and research or com-munity health nursing. They don’t delve as deeplyinto pharmacology andpathophysiology as bache-lor’s programs in nursing do.

Are you revising it in any way?We are building a new cur-riculum that emphasizesnursing science and educa-tion. We are adding a phar-macology course and weavingin more pathophysiology inour Health and Illness Acrossthe Lifespan class. We are

going to use a competency-based format; allowing stu-dents to move to advancedpharmacology and patho-physiology in their first year,if they qualify.

Who does it appeal to?In the last few years, theprogram was particularlyattractive to associatedegree nurses who had beenpracticing a long time andwanted to further theircareers to advanced practice.While those folks are still abig part of our student body,recently we have seen moresecond degree studentsenter the program. Somehave had careers in otherareas unrelated to healthcare. They want to first test

the waters and learn moreabout nursing and confirmthat pursuing advanced prac-tice is right for them. It’sexciting to see studentsmake that transformation.

What is the culture and tone of the program like?We’ve always had wonderfulgroups of students withgreat real-world and nursingexperience. Now we see allthat meshed with ASN nurs-es coming from the businessworld, policy positions, pub-lic health and all sorts of dif-ferent backgrounds thatoffer different perspectives,particularly in advancedpractice nursing. I havetaught in this program for19 years and love it in large

B Y K AT H Y R I V E R S

P H O T O G R A P H B Y J O H N R U S S E L L

Q+Aa n i n t e r v i e w w i t h

Sarah FogelVanderbilt Nurse recently sat down with Sarah Fogel, PhD, RN, director of the newly re-named Associate Degree in the Science ofNursing to MSN (ASN to MSN) program. Fogel has more than 20years’ experience as a nurse and nursing educator on top of her firstcareer as a concert violist. She has been on faculty since 1995, and became director in 2013. She shares how she and her team are re-engineering the program to make it more valuable than ever before.



24 NUR S E S P R I NG 2 0 1 4

part because of the reallyrich and fortifying discus-sions throughout the courseswith students with suchdiverse nursing backgrounds.

What is the deliverymethod?We teach in a block format,which means students don’thave to give up their full-time jobs or the lives theyhave built to move toNashville. Students come toVUSN for face-to-face blocksof four days, three times asemester. The balance of thecoursework takes place asyn-chronously via streaming andinteractive methods that stu-dents can view and partici-pate in at home and fit intotheir own schedules. Duringblock time, discussion is a bigpart of most of our classes.We do very little lecturingwhile on campus and insteaduse that time for seminars,dialogue and hands-onlearning.

Why is this program a goodinvestment for a current registered nurse?It’s fast, thorough and wevalue each student’s experi-ence. An incoming RN canattend our program and gofrom being a front-line nurseto becoming an advancedpractice nurse in just twoyears—with a summer off in

between. Most people inthe program continue towork full time through theirfirst year and continue towork in some capacity whilepursuing their advancedpractice specialty. Out of ourcurrent class of 25 studentsin their first year, all butthree are working full time.

Are incoming associatedegree nurses intimidated?It can be intimidating tocome here as an associatedegree nurse, so our facultyworks very hard to workthrough any of those issues.We make sure these nursesrealize their gifts, talents andcontributions to their disci-pline and profession. Thisprogram is a perfect applica-tion of adult learning theory.The faculty and I think it isexciting to work with stu-dents, each with so muchexperience in life and in theirprofession, and help themreframe what they know, andthen to apply that knowl-edge in different ways. Thisprocess seems to erase anyapprehension or intimidationpretty quickly. The facultysees it as our job to help stu-dents overcome any obstaclesand unleash their potential.

As incoming program director, are you making anychanges to the program?Dr. Carolyn Bess built andsustained this program formany years. When sheretired, I became interim andthen permanent programdirector. I’ve gained newinsight listening to studentsand faculty, and I’ve chal-lenged faculty to question thestatus quo. So in addition toproviding the essentials ofbaccalaureate nursing, we arefocusing on the transition toadvanced practice nursing.

Is it more challenging toteach this group knowingstudents will later pursue avariety of special tracks aspart of their master’s coursework?That’s not a challenge at all.It’s actually part of the richexperience of this group.They come from differentbackgrounds, learningtogether for a year and thengoing on to different special-ties in their pursuit of a mas-ter’s degree.

How would you describeyour faculty?In one word: Enthusiastic!Everyone brings their experi-ence and talents together ina way that is best for ourstudents. Our team consistsof very experienced nurses

and educators. Our seniorfaculty provides wisdom andour junior faculty providesfreshness. It all comestogether quite nicely.

You have been teaching in this program for 19 years. Tell us about thetransformation studentsmake.I can illustrate that throughsomething I observed thissemester that was just bril-liant. When our studentsjoined the program inAugust, they were timid and closed when it came toclass discussions. During thefall semester, I noticed theywere opening up more.Then, at the beginning ofthe second semester, DeanLinda Norman joined ourclass to engage in a simula-tion game to identify culturalissues nurses need to address.There was so much personal-ity in the room! The studentswere confident, expressiveand articulate. In August,they might have been inhib-ited, but by second semester,they were not afraid tospeak up. They even jokedwith the Dean! I sat silentlyin the back of the class witha big smile on my face.

Our program is aboutunleashing our students’abilities to contribute to the

Our program is about unleashing our students’ abilities to contributeto the conversation, ask questions, think and wonder why.



NUR S E S P R I NG 2 0 1 4 25

conversation, ask questions,think and wonder why.Everything about the stu-dents in our programchanges. I see the confi-dence that grows in clinicalsettings as well.

How many new students doyou have each year?We range from 20 to 30 stu-dents per incoming class.We are not about size, weare about quality, and ourstudents develop close bondswith their classmates.

What makes the Vanderbiltprogram different?Through surveys our studentstell us how much they valuethe interaction with theirclassmates and faculty duringtheir blocks and how muchthey like that the asynchro-nous learning allows them to work and live where they want. It’s a nice mix of classroom and work at home.

Can you give me a specificexample of a student whohas flourished throughoutthe program?There are many, but the onethat quickly comes to mymind is Laura Young. Laurawas an associate degreenurse working at a localmental health facility whenshe joined our program as apart-time student. I got toknow Laura during her firstyear, and we kept in touchas she progressed into ourPsychiatric-Mental HealthMSN program. She had lifechanges like having a babywhile being a student. Shealso had a huge desire tolearn, and realized that shewanted to earn her Doctorof Nursing Practice. I had

the honor of being her facul-ty chair through the entireprogram as she developed atraining module for stan-dardizing charge nurse ori-entation in Tennessee’sMental Health facilities.Now Laura is NurseConsultant to the AssistantCommissioner for theDivision of Hospital Services,Tennessee Department ofMental Health andSubstance Abuse Services,and oversees nursing in allof the state-operated mentalhealth hospitals inTennessee. Laura’s story isimpressive, and all of ourstudents have their own sto-ries of transformation.

What do you want everyone to know aboutthis program?This program is a lot of workon everyone’s part—studentsand faculty. The members ofour faculty complement eachother so well and eachgroup of students challengesand inspires us. But most ofall, it’s a wonderful experi-ence that prepares ASNs tobe successful in an MSN pro-gram and into advancedpractice. It’s fun.

The faculty and I think it is exciting to work with students, each with so much experience in life and in their profession, and help them reframe what they know, and then to apply that knowledge in different ways.

SUSAN URMY

SUSAN URMY

Left: Faculty Karen Hande and Sarah Fogel enjoy class time with the students. Right: Fogel leads a class discussion during a recent blockweekend. The classes are intimate, safe places to learn.


40s

Lucy Goedert Parks, BSN ‘45,celebrated her 91st birthday inDecember 2013. She enjoys tak-ing care of her home and yard inJacksonville, Fla. Her son, David,lives in North Carolina and worksfor Fidelity Investments.

Iola McClellan Manoogian,BSN ‘47B, celebrated the arrivalof three more great-grandchil-dren for a total of 30. She spendsher time at church functions andvisiting friends and family.

60s

Diane Welch Vines, BSN ‘67,MSN, PhD, is the incomingDean of Nursing at Mount St.Mary’s College in Los Angeles,home of the state’s firstBachelor of Science in Nursingdegree in 1952. She is also anauthor, researcher, and anexpert on post-traumatic stressdisorder and human trafficking.

70s

Diane Ribblett Settlage, BSN‘73, and her husband, Steve,BE ‘73, were delighted to seeeveryone at their 40thVanderbilt reunion in 2013.Steve is the president of TasconGroup, Inc. in Richmond, Va.

Rose Ziesch Alvin, MSN ‘74,PhD, retired after a 45-yearnursing career. She stays activeby training to become a Pilatesinstructor, taking AmericanSign Language courses, andbeing a proud mom and grand-mother. She thinks oftenabout her nursing mentors—Virginia George, RebeccaCulpepper and Libby Dayani.Rose and her husband live inPittsburgh.

Susan Winchester, BSN ‘75, isenjoying retirement after mov-ing back to Nashville earlier thisyear. She recently assisted as a

volunteer for the VUSN Pop-InStudy Break and enjoyed talk-ing with the current nursingstudents.

Christine Benz Smith, PhD,BSN ‘76, is director of theUniversity of Tennessee atChattanooga School ofNursing. Previously, she servedas interim director, associatedirector and coordinator of theFamily Nurse PractitionerConcentration. In April, Smithwill be honored by Girls Inc. asa female role model. In 2012,she received the Boys’ andGirls’ Club of ChattanoogaKeystone Award. Smith alsoserves as vice chair of theBoard of Trustees for the Girls’Preparatory School, as a mem-ber of the Board of Directorsfor Hospice of Chattanooga,and as a trustee for theWeldon F. Osborn Foundation.

Cathy Cohill Carter, BSN ‘77,works for Valor/HumanaHealthcare in Bellevue, Wash.She is a retired Commanderfrom the Navy Nurse Corps(2005), and her son, GregTurner, is an engineering stu-dent at Washington StateUniversity, who will graduateand commission in the U.S.Navy in December. She enjoysthe local garden club activitiesand quilting.

John Stepulis, MSN ‘77, andhis wife, Ruth SmalleyStepulis, MSN ‘77, are retiredand live in Honolulu. John wasassistant dean of the School ofNursing at Hawaii PacificUniversity and remained onstaff for several years as anadjunct clinical instructor in theareas of Hospice, HIV/AIDS andCorrectional Facility Nursing.Ruth was coordinator of SeniorServices at Central UnionChurch. They are both retired,but remain active in church

activities. The couple will cele-brate their 40th weddinganniversary in May, and wel-come classmates or faculty whomay be in town.

Thayer Wilson McGahee,BSN ‘78, PhD, Wells Hanly/Bankof America Endowed Chair inNursing, is the Interim Dean ofthe School of Nursing at theUniversity of South Carolina inAiken. She researches theeffects of service learning on

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26 NUR S E S P R I NG 2 0 1 4

Martha Larsen, BSN ‘48,recently moved to a newroom in her retirement com-munity in Columbus, NC.She enjoys bridge and stayingin touch with family andfriends worldwide. She waschief nurse at the Oak RidgeTennessee Health Department

for five years, and worked more than 27 years in the BiologyDivision, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in mammalian genet-ics (mice) and cryobiology until her retirement in 1984.

Florence Rogers Van Arnam,BSN ‘52, (pictured secondfrom left) lives in Gainesville,Fla., and at 85, was featuredin Senior Times for her danc-ing abilities. She won thePeople’s Choice Award for alocal version of Dancing WithThe Stars and inspires otherseniors to dance.

Virginia Maxwell George,BSN ‘47B, VUSN professoremerita, celebrated her 90thbirthday in February. She wasinstrumental in the success ofthe family nurse practitionerprogram, one of the first ofits kind in the Southeast. Sheretired after 28 years of serv-ice and lives in Nashville.

ElizabethTurrentine,BSN ‘55, is themother of fourand grand-mother of six.

She has worked in theColorado Rockies, SaudiArabia and Honolulu and is aworld traveler. She sailedthrough the South Pacificislands between Hawaii andNew Zealand for two yearsand traveled the UnitedStates in a recreational vehi-cle for seven years. Herbook, “Climbing MountainsWhen You’re Over the Hill,”is available throughamazon.com


C L A S S N O T E S

nursing students’ affective andcognitive development. She isthe president of the Pi Lambdachapter of Sigma Theta Tauand is active in her church, hergirls’ school and the communi-ty. She lives in Augusta, Ga.,with her husband, Rusty, andthree daughters, Mary Frances,Kelly and Rebecca.

80s

Suanne Rogers Barlow, MSN‘81, lives in Tampa, Fla. She isretired from the Air Force andstays busy with family, travel

and activities for her church,Holy Trinity PCA. She is enrolledin Christian CounselingEducation Foundation to fur-ther her biblical knowledge.

Judith La Gorce Bright, BSN‘87, owns handcrafted designerjewelry studios in Nashville andAtlanta. (judithbright.com)

90s

Kimberly Ray, MSN ‘92, DSN,completed a degree conversionat University of Alabama-Birmingham and now holds aPhD in Nursing. She lives inBurns, Tenn.

Frances Estes Likis, MSN ‘94,BS ‘93 (Peabody) DrPH, NP,CNM, FACNM, FAAN, is seniorinvestigator for the VanderbiltUniversity Evidence-basedPractice Center and editor-in-chief of the Journal ofMidwifery & Women’s Health.She is co-editor of the textbook“Women’s GynecologicHealth,” now in its second edi-tion. This book is used in nurs-ing and midwifery educationprograms worldwide.

2000s

Margot (Walker) Harris, MSN‘00, and her husband, Joshua,welcomed son, John Franklin,on April 17, 2013. He joinsSawyer (10), Eva (8), and Isaac(3). The family lives inJanesville, Wisc. Margot worksas a women’s health nursepractitioner and lactation con-sultant in an OB-GYN clinic anda naturopathic clinic.

Patrick Albert Palmieri, MSN‘00, DHSc, EdS, MBA, MSc(c),ACNP, RN, CHE CPHRM, CPHQ,FACHE, was selected as therecipient of the 2013 A.T. StillUniversity Distinguished AlumniAward. Through the Sara and

Patrick Palmieri Foundation,Patrick and his wife, Sara, workto provide full, no-interest loansto impoverished girls seekingprivate university education andto financially support organiza-tions that provide health servic-es to the people of theAmazon. Patrick serves as thetreasurer for the AmericanCanadian Association of Peruand a board member forDBPeru.

Cara Caskey Osborn, MSN‘01, assistant professor of nurs-ing at the University ofArkansas, received the Journalof Midwifery & Women’s HealthBest Research Article Award for“First Birth Cesarean and Riskof Antepartum Fetal Death in aSubsequent Pregnancy.” Thestudy was published in the jour-nal’s January/February 2012 edition. Osborn also earneddoctoral and master’s degreesin maternal and child healthfrom Harvard University.

Julie Stuckey, MSN ‘04, fromSan Antonio, Texas, is the direc-tor of Health Services and nursepractitioner clinician at OurLady of the Lake University andadjunct faculty in the ADN/BSNprogram. She is also involvedwith two underserved ruralcommunity clinics, and was aspeaker at James CookUniversity in Townsville,Australia, in October 2013.

Lucy Barker Todd, MSN’ 04,works for Baxter Healthcare inAsheville, NC, as a medical sci-ence liaison in the RenalDivision of Medical Products,teaching nephrology fellowsabout home dialysis therapies,primarily peritoneal dialysis.Todd is engaged in more than20 fellowship programsthroughout the East Coast,with a larger number in theNew York City area.

Amy Clark-Cole, MSN ‘07, isthe owner of Cole FamilyPractice with clinics in OldHickory and East Nashville. Theclinics offer nurse-midwiferycare through VUSN nurse-mid-wives Erin Monberg, Bethany

NURS E S P R I NG 2 0 1 4 27

Vicki Schwartz Beaver, BSN‘73, celebrated the marriageof her daughter, Tobey Anne,to Matt Balzer on Oct. 12,2013. The wedding andreception took place at TheBridge Building, her son’sevent venue, which wasrecently voted the best viewin Nashville.

Karen AnnLarimer, MSN‘91, BA ‘86,PhD, ACNP-BC, FAHA, isan assistantprofessor at

DePaul University’s School ofNursing and is incoming boardpresident for the ChicagoBoard of Directors of theAmerican Heart Association,Midwest Affiliate. Herresearch interest includes car-diovascular risk reduction invulnerable/underserved popu-lations.

Kimberly Petrovic, MSN ‘00, has been namedvisiting assistant professor of nursing atQuinnipiac University. Petrovic, of WestHartford, Conn., has taught nursing at theUniversity of Connecticut and Yale University.Her areas of research, scholarship and teachinginclude adult development and aging,bioethics, chronic and complex health care

conditions, diversity and multiculturalism, genomics, geriatricsand gerontology, global health, health care policy, HIV, humanrights, inter-professional collaboration and nursing leadership.

Whitney Simmons Wormer,MSN ‘03, and her husband,Brad, welcomed a daughter,Mary Clementine, on Nov.17, 2013. Whitney is a nursepractitioner at the VeteransHospital in Nashville.


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28 NUR S E S P R I NG 2 0 1 4

Sanders and Annie Sorensen.Deliveries are at VanderbiltUniversity Medical Center.

Erin Kadeg Tolbert, MSN ‘08,BS ‘06, is a family nurse practi-tioner and founder ofMidlevelU, an online forum tosupport nurse practitionersfrom the beginning of theireducation throughout the upsand downs of their careers. Inher spare time, she enjoys run-ning, biking, being outdoors,frequenting her favorite neigh-borhood sushi joint and hang-ing out with her husband andtwo pups in Nashville.

Tara Sanders, MSN ‘09, transi-tioned from her acute care nursepractitioner role at the VanderbiltUniversity Medical Center’sSurgical Intensive Care Unit tobecome a full-time assistant pro-

fessor of Nursing at HardingUniversity in Searcy, Ark.

Katherine Abraham Evans,DNP ‘12, had a poster,“Reduction of Antibiotic Startsfor Asymptomatic Bacteriauriain Skilled Nursing’s Facilities,”accepted to the AmericanMedical Directors AssociationConference in February. Shelives in Atlanta.

Nanette Lavoie-Vaughan,DNP ‘12, is a clinical assistantprofessor at East CarolinaUniversity College of Nursing’sGraduate Program. She willpresent her DNP project at theAmerican Medical DirectorsConference, Aging in America,and American Association ofNurse Practitioners conferencesthroughout the year. Her proj-ect was also featured inNursing Clinics of NorthAmerica in March 2014, andwill be highlighted in theDecember issue of Annals ofLong-Term Care.

April Kapu, MSN ‘05, DNP‘13, RN, APRN, was elected afellow of the AmericanAssociation of NursePractitioners (FAANP). She hasworked at Vanderbilt for nineyears, most recently serving asthe assistant director ofAdvanced Practice Critical Careat Vanderbilt UniversityHospital. She was also recentlyelected as the state representa-tive for the AANP and is on theplanning committee for the

2014 AANP Conference inNashville.

Danbee Kim, MSN ‘13,RN,FNP-C, secured a family nursepractitioner position with asmall family practice (affiliatedwith a physician-owned hospi-tal) in Northwest Indiana, aboutan hour from Chicago.

Britney Hagy, BS ‘06, MSN‘08, DNP ‘13, serves as directorof the fellowship program forthe Carolinas HealthCareSystem’s newly created Centerfor Advanced Practice and isbased in Charlotte, N.C.Hagy’s role is to help recruit,train and enhance the role ofadvanced-care practitioners

IN MEMORIAM

Martha Stelling Christian, BSN‘43 of Fripp Island, S.C., diedOct. 10, 2013.

Bernice Teague McCord, NR‘44, of Nashville, Tenn., died atage 102, on Jan. 15.

Mildred Smith Mann, BSN ‘45,of East Greeneville, Pa., died Jan. 13.

Helen Ratliffe Ward, NR ‘47,Lewisville, Texas, died Sept. 13,2013.

Helen Westerfield Clapp, BSN‘54, of Cumberland, N.C., diedJuly 25, 2013.

Linda Smith Lightfoot, BSN ‘59,Nicholasville, Ky., died Nov. 27,2013.

Patricia Kunze Davis, BSN ‘69,of Dekalb, Ga., died Dec. 19,2013.

Kathryn Haag Clauss, BSN ‘71of Fairfield, Conn., died Oct.29, 2013.

Gary James Christman, NR’72,of Chapel Hill, Tenn., died Aug.1, 2013.

Laura Nelson Trent, BSN ‘77, ofNashville, Tenn., died Jan. 8.

Rita Ann Moffat Krolak, MSN‘79, of Dover, Mass., died Aug. 25, 2012

Emma Marsella Smith, MSN‘89, of Lafayette, Ind., diedNov. 25, 2013.

SEND ALUMNI NEWS AND

PHOTOS TO

Susan ShipleyVUSN Director of Classes andAlumni RelationsVanderbilt University MedicalCenter2525 West End Ave., Suite 450Nashville, TN [email protected](615) 936-3046Toll Free: (800) 288-0028

VISIT US ON THE WEB

vanderbilt.edu/vanderbiltnurse

Dabney Lipscomb, BS ‘05,MSN ‘07, married Capt.William Wilkerson, U.S. AirForce, on July 20, 2013. Thecouple lives in Sumter, SC.

Abigail Watkins-Morgan,MSN ‘05, and her hus-band, Greg, welcomedGregory Rex Morgan III onSept. 29, 2013. Abigail ispracticing at AtlantaGynecology and Obstetrics.

Reunion 2014Reunion is set for October 9-11, 2014, honoring the Classesof 1949, 1954, 1959, 1964, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989,1994, 1999, 2004 and 2009. All alumni are invited toattend Reunion. Visit reunion.vanderbilt.edu/nursing.

For more information, contact Susan Shipley, VUSN direc-tor of classes and alumni relations, at (615) 936-3046.


1.Twenty-two graduates from the Class of 1963attended their VUSN 50th Reunion in fall 2013. Thegroup challenges other graduating classes to have astrong showing at each Reunion. Their hint to others:an annual newsletter that has kept them all in touchthrough the years.

2. Nancy Penrod, BSN ‘63, wears her nursing pin as anecklace along with other nursing pins belonging tofamily members.

3. Dean Linda Norman and VUSN honored the fellow-ship induction of faculty and alumni during the 2013American Academy of Nursing Conference in October2013. Pictured (L to R): G. Rumay Alexander, EdD, RN;Frances E. Likis, DrPH, NP, CNM, FACNM; James Pace,DSN, MDiv, ANP, FAANP; Dean Linda Norman; andTodd Monroe, PhD, RN-BC, FNAP. Jane Englebright,PhD, RN, CENP, was an honoree but is not pictured.

2013Reunion

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Find Out Hownursing.vanderbilt.edu

(615) [email protected]

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing2525 West End Avenue, Suite 450

Nashville, TN 37203-1775

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PAIDNASHVILLE, TN

PERMIT NO. 1446

For more than 60 years, Madison Sarratt served Vanderbilt as a beloved educator and dean. The Sarratt Society was created to honor his commitment and dedication to Vanderbilt.

When you name the School of Nursing in your estate plans, you automatically gain membership in the Sarratt Society and take your place among those whose vision has strengthened this institution. To learn more call (615) 343-3113 or (888) 758-1999 or email [email protected].

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