Sustainable Partnerships

Transcription

1 ANNUAL EDITION 2018 Volume 11 THE KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN Sustainable Partnerships Are the students coming today? KCON s partnership with Grand Rapids Housing Commission A New Vision for Nursing Education: The national agenda at KCON

2 A publication of the Kirkhof College of Nursing at Grand Valley State University CYNTHIA McCURREN Executive Editor Dean and Professor Kirkhof College of Nursing KELLEY MONTERUSSO Project Director and Content Contributor Director of Communications and External Relations Kirkhof College of Nursing GINNIE PERRY Editor and Contributing Writer Blohm Creative Partners IAIN BOGLE Creative Director and Graphic Designer Blohm Creative Partners BERNADINE CAREY-TUCKER, AMANDA PITTS Lead Photographers University Communications Grand Valley State University HOLLAND LITHO PRINTING SERVICES Printing Services CONTENT CONTRIBUTORS Linda Bond, Special Projects Coordinator Jill Smalldon, Assistant to the Dean Michele Coffill, University Communications Grand Valley State University We sincerely thank the KCON Magazine Advisory Committee for supporting the development of ASPIRE. Cynthia McCurren Bernadine Carey-Tucker Andrew Bixel Jennifer Langholz Tricia Thomas Linda Bond Susan Strouse Our college community thanks the Kirkhof College of Nursing Advisory Board for their ongoing support and leadership. Kathy Chapman Matthew Downey Ron Jimmerson Maureen Kirkwood Mary Menchinger Elizabeth Murphy Kurt Reppart Jill Smalldon Kathryn Speeter David Staal Ruth Stegeman Hattie Tinney Board Chair Melodee VandenBosch A special thanks goes to all those featured in our stories and photography. CONTACT US Kirkhof College of Nursing Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences 301 Michigan St. NE, Grand Rapids MI gvsu.edu/kcon Grand Valley is an affirmative action/ equal opportunity institution. Copyright 2018 GVSU ii ASPIRE MAGAZINE: KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING

3 CONTENTS FOR 2018 MAGAZINE COVER STORY 14 Welcoming Environment: LGBTQ community finds respectful care at GVSU Family Health Center 16 A new vision for nursing education: How should nursing education evolve to meet the health care needs of our nation? That s a challenge facing leaders across the nation and the Kirkhof College of Nursing (KCON) at Grand Valley State University is determined to be a part of the solution. About the Cover: A resident of Mount Mercy Apartments, a Grand Rapids Housing Commission affordable housing development, takes part in KCON student-led health fair KCON Vital Signs: Notable highlights on KCON and West Michigan A New Vision for Nursing Education: How should nursing education evolve to meet the health care needs of our nation? Alumna Story: Changing paths and finding a niche Jennifer Langholz, BSN KCON faculty and alumni achievements, publications, presentations, promotions, etc. FEATURES 2 4 National Agenda for Nursing: Doing something new Care, Culture and Community: KCON students gain perspective in Ghana A Sustainable Project: Integrating primary care and behavioral health - Lara Dengerink-VanTil, BSN 13, DNP 17 Are the students coming today? : Grand Rapids Housing Commission s partnership with KCON Wesorick Center: Updates and invitation to engage Prepared for Success: KCON works toward holistic admissions Focus on Patients: DNP students help GVSU Family Health Center advance toward patientcentered medical home recognition Dr. Patricia Thomas: Champion of the CNL KCON SNA: Big year and big opportunities! Sophia Blackwell: Life as a nursing student and vision for the future Erni Ensing: Advancing education in the RN to BSN degree program To view the digital publication visit gvsu.edu/kcon

4 DEAN S INSIGHT A focus on health care transformation in the United States has also led to a focus by nurse educators on developing a national agenda for our profession. The more than 3.2 million registered nurses in the U.S. comprise the largest and, many believe, most visible segment of our country s health care workforce. We serve at the point of care, bridge the continuum of care and manage patient transitions. Given our role in the delivery of care, it is more critical than ever for nursing education to respond to the evolving nature of health care delivery and to prepare nurses for the decades to come. If there is one thing we know for certain, it is that aligning nursing education with societal needs cannot happen in a silo of educational institutions. It must be done in partnership with nurse leaders and providers at the point of care and in all settings where nurses are present. Research shows such partnerships are most successful when they include shared vision, common goals, ongoing commitment, shared knowledge, clear communication and mutual respect. To this end, in 2010, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) joined forces to create the Task Force on Academic Practice Partnerships. Its purpose was to explore how nursing education and nursing practice can partner more often and more effectively to advance health and bring about needed changes in the U.S. health care system. NATIONAL AGENDA In 2016, AACN and Manatt Health released a report titled Advancing Healthcare Transformation: A New Era for Academic Nursing, which addresses how baccalaureate and higher degree schools of nursing can amplify their roles in improving health and health care delivery at the local, state and national levels. The findings showed that fostering collaboration drives clinical innovations, alignment of critical resources and improvement of public health. Both of these initiatives provide guidance for forging better partnerships, keeping nursing education relevant and current, co-designing education with practice, and ensuring a successful transition into practice for new graduates. So we asked ourselves, what does this mean for the Kirkhof College of Nursing in Grand Rapids, Michigan? We decided it means reaching outside of our traditional comfort zones to bring about intentional change. With the national agenda in mind, we kicked off the academic year by inviting a group of our practice partners representing areas including rural health, federally qualified health centers (FQHC), public health, senior care, rehabilitation services, primary care and acute care to join our college faculty and staff in an open discussion. We began with an overview of issues influencing higher education in general as well as nursing education: Currently, nursing education is traditional, primarily focused on acute/ hospital-based care, and fails to inspire graduates to seek primary care/public health/community nursing Emphasis is needed on management of chronic physical and/or behavioral health conditions, palliative and hospice care, team-based care, care coordination and the care continuum 2 ASPIRE MAGAZINE: KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING

5 Emerging areas include precision medicine and telehealth Universities are dependent on the enrollment of year olds, but the U.S. has a supply-demand mismatch with enrollment on the decline Today s learners (Net Generation, Millennials, Generation Y, Digital Natives and Generation Z) have unique characteristics influencing teaching and learning strategies Rising tuition costs are a significant concern or barrier for students and families Increasing diversity among nurses is paramount, as the population served is increasingly more diverse (90% of current nurses are women and 71% are white) We listened closely as our practice partners reacted with perspective from the context of practice. We learned about their challenges, hopes and fears for the next decade: The nursing shortage and ensuring enough qualified nurses at the point of care challenges each care setting in a unique way e.g., competitive wages from acute care side prohibit hiring of highly qualified nurses for senior care services; finding nurses who look like the population served is a real problem in public health and FQHC The lack of adequate preparation for emerging roles including mental health care, primary care, geriatric care and health promotion/social determinants of health Work/life balance and the pros and cons of 12-hour shifts pose challenges when aiming to sustain engagement in nursing as a caring profession and not just a job Education s interprofessional learning movement is not translating into practice Teaching breadth rather than depth generates graduates who make slow transitions into areas of practice; critical thinking is weak; and autonomous practice, such as home health, is avoided Skill sets needed for the future and complimentary reimbursement models need to be areas of focus for education As each panel member described what makes an ideal practice partnership for them, action steps and strategies took shape: Collaborate to solve co-identified problems; share successes and failures; engage in dialogue and debate Serve on each other s boards; practice must invite academia to the table Academia needs to react faster to practice needs Faculty can advance knowledge among staff nurses, sharing current evidence/best practices Avoid reactionary tensions (e.g., urgent need for a clinical site) by improved planning and communication The bottom line became clear: Education and practice must work together if we are to reach the goals established for our profession. Nurses are leaders who can pave the way to real sustainable change. But we must do it together. Peter Drucker, one of the most influential thought leaders on the subject of leadership theory and practice, said, If you want something new, you have to stop doing something old. His insight is particularly relevant as we apply the national agenda to our work in nursing education. Partnerships make doing the seemingly impossible possible. We will remain committed to leveraging the insight gained through our intentional dialogue with practice partners. Now is the time to do something new. E Cynthia McCurren, PhD, RN, FNAP Dean and Professor Kirkhof College of Nursing 2018 ANNUAL EDITION 3

6 INTERNATIONAL CARE, CULTURE AND COMMUNITY KCON students gain perspective in Ghana When the wheels touched down in Accra, Ghana, after a 24-hour flight, 24 Grand Valley State University nursing students stepped off the plane into 90-degree heat, oppressive humidity and an intercultural experience that would forever change their view of health care. That s exactly what the high-impact experience in Ghana is intended to do. Since 2013, students in Grand Valley s Kirkhof College of Nursing (KCON) have had the opportunity to apply to study in and around Cape Coast, Ghana. The two-week course was born of KCON s emphasis on community health nursing as well as its commitment to excellence in teaching. In partnership with local nurses and student nurses from the University of Cape Coast (UCC), KCON students and faculty work in community clinics, providing immunizations, blood pressure screenings, mother and baby checks, well-child checks, prenatal care and other fundamental health care services. KCON faculty for the March 2017 trip were Sylvia Mupepi, PhD, RN, a native of Zimbabwe and one of the founders of KCON s Ghana nursing program; Dianne Slager, DNP, FNP-BC; and Susan Strouse, PhD, RN. For the first time since the program began, the participating students came from all levels of KCON nursing education: Traditional BSN; Second Degree BSN; RN to BSN; MSN; and DNP. Doctors Mupepi, Slager and Strouse worked together to establish objectives for each group of students and how to best position the students to meet them. This is an intense learning experience for the students, says Strouse. It teaches them about global health, community health and public health in ways textbooks and being in the U.S. never could. A world away The cultural shift is, as one might expect, dramatic. For a lot of the students, this was their first exposure to extreme poverty, Strouse says, describing fishing villages of mud-brick huts where goats and chickens run freely through the streets. Most people didn t have electricity or running water; sanitation was a huge issue some of the students really struggled with it. With these kinds of living conditions come health challenges that are different than those in the U.S., says Strouse. Cholera is a constant threat although education is making significant inroads in decreasing the number of cases and malaria is common. Depression and other mental health issues are also very common, Strouse says, because it s just such a hard life. Despite all of that, she notes, Ghana has an excellent health care system one of the best in all of Africa. Karen Burritt, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, associate dean for graduate nursing programs at KCON, served as faculty on the trip to Ghana in She recalls talking to a young mother who did not understand why the U.S. has so much trouble getting babies immunized for preventable diseases. Their immunization rate is better than any county in Michigan, Strouse points out. It s 100 percent, because it s not regarded as an option. And that speaks to their sense of community. That, too, was part of the cultural adjustment the students experienced while working in Ghana. Everything is very community and family oriented, Strouse explains. It s What is good for the community? versus your individual wishes. So their orientation is very different from ours. So is their method of health record keeping. Everything is on paper recorded by hand in each patient s personal record book and backed up in large ledgers in the clinics and hospitals. People bring their written health record with them to each clinic visit, and if you don t have your record, you can t be seen, says Strouse. If there s an emergency or if you are injured, you have to take it with you to the hospital. A different kind of health care To an outsider, the Ghanaian system might seem paradoxical. Health care, immunizations and medications are all free but, in a country where the water is suspect or unavailable, the people must buy small packets of clean water, known as sachets, with which to take their medications. And while the government provides and keeps records of immunizations, it may also play a more subtle yet powerful role in community health. 4 ASPIRE MAGAZINE: KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING

7 Different health challenges With these kinds of living conditions come health challenges that are different than those in the U.S., says Strouse. Cholera is a constant threat although education is making significant inroads in decreasing the number of cases and malaria is common. Depression and other mental health issues are also very common, Strouse says, because it s just such a hard life. 5 ASPIRE MAGAZINE: KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING

8 Take the example of one village clinic where Strouse and her students were administering immunizations. An elected official roughly equivalent to a city council member in the U.S. came out to the clinic to be with his people. He was lifting babies into weighing slings and playing with them, Strouse shares. He knows who is not in school; who is not getting enough food because the babies are underweight; who has malaria, who is pregnant this was his finger on the pulse of his community. His presence at the clinic, she explains, conveys to his people that going to the clinic to get care is an important thing to do. It s part of that sense of community so ingrained in the Ghanaian culture. As Burritt observes, In the United States we have some really significant problems with our health care outcomes and our care delivery model. So what can we learn from other countries that have been doing this a different way? Forging relationships Thanks in large part to Mupepi having worked with UCC to develop its master s in nursing program, relationships were the foundation of the Ghana/KCON partnership and are one of the keys to its continued success. KCON does an excellent job of partnering with University of Cape Coast and with the clinics of the village, Strouse notes. Nurses from UCC traveled with the KCON group throughout its time in Ghana, accompanying each of the smaller clinical groups as they went into the villages. We were accepted because we were working with the community health workers, she adds. So we re not just foreigners coming in and saying We know what s best for you. It did not take long for the KCON group to establish bonds with their Ghanaian colleagues both in the field and, of course, on Facebook. It was very hard to leave because we developed such good relationships, says Strouse. Our goal is to more strongly establish the Student Nurses Association between the University of Cape Coast and KCON so they can continue to partner and work together. Serving vulnerable populations Despite the very different way of life the students experienced in Ghana, one of the goals of the program is to help them draw parallels to situations they might encounter in clinical practice back home. While we were there, we really tried to equate this to what they would see in clinical in the U.S., Strouse explains. You re going to deal with vulnerable populations, with the homeless, with children who are starving, people who are living on the streets. How are you going to deal with that? How can you take what you learn here and apply it to what you re going to see in clinical practice? All of which goes back to KCON s focus on community health nursing. While most colleges of nursing have one semester of community or public health, Strouse explains, KCON has integrated it throughout the curriculum, working with vulnerable populations in a variety of settings throughout Grand Rapids and the surrounding communities. We have seen where health care is headed in the future, she says. It s not necessarily going to be inside the four walls of a hospital. It s pushing out into the community. Levels of learning Mupepi, Slager and Strouse were gratified to witness the interaction among the different student tracks throughout the trip. Segmented into groups of eight students per instructor, each group combined students who had more clinical experience with those who had less. Among the benefits: helping undergraduate students see what a graduate student does or what it is like to really be in practice. You know, if you are hearing it from a peer, it is so much more impactful than if you hear it from a professor, Strouse says. They were giving the undergraduate students reallife experience. Moving forward In 2017, KCON had more than twice as many applicants for the Ghana trip as there were slots available. While that is a nice problem to have, Strouse says, the college is now looking at options for expansion perhaps adding a second trip to Ghana, or one to another country. Working out the partnerships, logistics and instruction are all challenges, Strouse acknowledges. But given the value of the experience and the students level of interest in participating, KCON hopes to make more options available. We want to offer these high-impact experiences to as many students as possible. E GLOBAL COLLABORATION TAKES THE STAGE In late August 2017, Nancy Schoofs, PhD, RN, and Sylvia Mupepi, PhD, RN, learned that their abstract, Study Abroad Program with Dynamics of Collaborative Research: A Case of Grand Valley State University, Michigan, USA and Cape Coast University, Cape Coast, Ghana, West Africa, was accepted for a poster presentation at the Nursing Education Research Conference, Sigma Theta Tau International, in Washington, D.C., April 19 21, Co-authors of the abstract are Schoofs and Mupepi s colleagues from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, Mrs. Patience Doe and Mrs. Nancy Ebu-Enyan. The presentation will highlight KCON s Study Abroad program in Ghana and the relationship and collaboration with our partners at Cape Coast University. This is a wonderful success and exemplar of collaboration with our global partners, says Cynthia McCurren, PhD, RN, dean and professor of the Kirkhof College of Nursing. Nancy Schoofs Sylvia Mupepi 6 ASPIRE MAGAZINE: KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING

9 Above: All KCON students on the trip took part in presenting the importance of dental health to children in the Cape Coast area. Far left, top: Students from all levels of KCON nursing education experienced Ghana: Traditional BSN; Second Degree BSN; RN to BSN; MSN; and DNP. Far left, middle: KCON students worked alongside UCC nursing students and area community health workers to bring health care to patients homes. Left: KCON BSN students partnered with the UCC Nursing Student Association to provide health care for children in the community. Left: The rain forest canopy walk in Cape Coast Kakum National Park offered students and faculty an opportunity to reflect on their journey ANNUAL EDITION 7

10 ADMISSIONS Prepared for Success KCON Works Toward Holistic Admissions Cynthia McCurren, dean of the Kirkhof College of Nursing (KCON) at Grand Valley State University, has charged a task force with mapping a path toward using holistic review in KCON admissions. It s not a matter of if we will do this, but how we will do this, says task force member Kristin Norton, MA, director of KCON s Office of Student Services. It aligns with the strategic plan and values of not just Grand Valley, but specifically KCON. Why holistic admissions? Utilizing holistic review in nursing admissions is a tool to diversify the nursing workforce and better serve the populations with which it works and, in turn, to achieve better health care outcomes. For a variety of reasons, marginalized and underrepresented groups experience significant health disparities, and research shows the lack of diversity in the health care workforce is a contributing factor. Embracing holistic admissions is a step toward closing the gap. The goal, Norton says, is to admit a diverse class that is going to be successful in both their academic pursuit here and, just as importantly, in their career of nursing. That means looking at more than a candidate s GPA. Holistic review, Norton explains, is about looking at the whole student not only his or her academic metrics, but coupling those with other experiences and attributes that may help predict success as a nurse. Holistic admissions provide greater flexibility in assessing applicants, she says, taking into account their life experiences, problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and that level of care, compassion and empathy we know students choosing this profession need to have. Such considerations haven t been a big piece of the admission process in the past, Norton points out. As a result, colleges of nursing have typically not graduated nurses who mirror the populations they serve. Consider: African Americans make up 12.2 percent of the U.S. population, but only 5.4 percent of the nursing workforce 1 ; Hispanics comprise 15.4 percent of the population, but only 3.6 percent of the nursing workforce.2 And although men are nearly half the U.S. population, only 9.6 percent of registered nurses nationally are men. 3 Nonetheless, Norton emphasizes, a holistic admissions process is not just about racial and ethnic diversity. It s also about socioeconomically challenged students [and] gender equality, she says. It s about diversity in the broader sense. Considering the whole student To those who are concerned a holistic admissions process means compromising the quality of nursing graduates, Norton would say the data from other institutions that have adopted the process do not support that concern. We re not admitting less qualified students, she says. We re taking a more diverse approach to admissions. Everyone we admit into the programs will be qualified. Holistic review says, Maybe there s a reason why a student has a 3.3 instead of a 3.5. Maybe they had to work full time or are a single parent. Maybe they re juggling two jobs. Maybe they ve been volunteering to get additional life experience, or caring for a sick parent. There are so many things that happen in a student s life. By just looking at GPA, you have no way of understanding, Norton points out. I would have a hard time arguing a student with a 3.3 is less prepared to be a great nurse than someone with a 3.5. The path forward Like almost every school of nursing, KCON has far more applicants than available spaces. And those who make the admissions decisions take their charge very seriously. At the risk of sounding cliché, we realize this changes people s lives, says Norton. And not just the applicant s life, but those of the patients they care for or those whom their work influences throughout their careers. Knowing the decisions we make are going to impact people s lives for years to come is incredibly exciting. So how will KCON implement a holistic admissions process? The task force is consulting with Julie Zerwic, PhD, RN, FAHA, FAAN, a national expert in guiding schools in adopting holistic review. They are also benchmarking other institutions to gather additional 8 ASPIRE MAGAZINE: KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING

11 12.2% of Population 5.4% of Nurses African Americans make up 12.2 percent of the U.S. population, but only 5.4 percent of the nursing workforce 15.4% of Population 3.6% of Nurses Hispanics comprise 15.4 percent of the population, but only 3.6 percent of the nursing workforce 50% of Population 9.6% of Nurses From left: Linda Buck, Angela Caruso, Denise Gross, Cassonya Carter, Kristin Norton, Mike Stoll information on how best to proceed. It s still relatively early in the process, Norton notes, and the timeline for implementation is not yet solidified. We need to do this right versus doing it quickly, she says. We need people to understand the benefits of this; embrace it. I think it s a little unsettling any time you make a big change. Although the implementation plan is still in progress, Norton expects applicant interviews whether individual, group or some combination and some form of personal essays to be a part of the process. It s a way of trying to get to some of those life experiences and personal qualities our goal is to consider this in ways we haven t before. In the end, Norton believes the holistic admissions process will only improve upon a proud nursing history at the university. We have absolutely amazing students at Grand Valley. I cannot say enough good things about them. E And although men are nearly half the U.S. population, only 9.6 percent of registered nurses nationally are men. 3 FOOTNOTES: 1_ Holistic Review in Admissions: A strategy to diversify the nursing workforce, Linda D. Scott, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, Julie Zerwic, PhD, RN, FAHA, FAAN, Nursing Outlook, Jan _ Ibid. 3_ Men in Nursing Professions, U.S. Census Bureau, 2010, p. 3, census.gov 2018 ANNUAL EDITION 9

12 PRACTICE Focus: Patients DNP students help GVSU Family Health Center advance toward Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition When doctor of nursing practice (DNP) students at Grand Valley State University complete their programs, they take away a new level of professional skills and knowledge. The Kirkhof College of Nursing (KCON) wants to help them leave something behind as well: sustainable projects that benefit practice. Among the many student projects and assistantships in 2017, five KCON DNP students undertook graduate assistantships to help the GVSU Family Health Center, an academic nurse-managed center operated by KCON, become a recognized Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). It s about patients Transforming the delivery of primary care nationwide is seen as key to achieving high-quality, accessible, efficient health care. The evidence-based PCMH model emerged in response to that goal and has been shown to improve the quality of care, improve patient experience and lower costs. As the name suggests, the PCMH model is about putting patients at the forefront of care by building better relationships between people and their clinical care teams, according to NCQA.1 It s providing individualized and focused care, explains DNP student Mark Contreras, who worked on the project. We re looking at each patient as a unique entity, as an individual, and saying, How can we provide care that looks at their specific situation and gives them the best opportunity to access quality health care? That concept resonates for the team at the nurse-managed center, where historically underserved populations comprise a large percentage of its patient base. They re so used to a health care system that doesn t individualize the care, Contreras says. So this is reshaping the approach to give them a fair opportunity to regain their health. On a practical level, adds DNP student Carrie Mull, another graduate assistant involved with the project, a PCMH is a single spot for the patient to go where all their care is coordinated. Mull, who is also a nurse manager in the psychiatric medical unit at Mercy Health St. Mary s in Grand Rapids, understands the importance of coordinated care. When care is so fragmented, we tend to duplicate things; we don t do things in a timely manner because there s no one person owning the patient s story, she says. We re taking care of the patients in sections, and that s not how humans work. Mapping the way In order for the GVSU Family Health Center to reach its goal of PCMH recognition, a starting point needed to be defined. KCON assistant dean for practice, Tricia Thomas, and practice manager, Mike Burritt, charged the graduate assistants with conducting a gap analysis: examining the national standards of care for PCMHs, evaluating the health center s culture and processes and uncovering any gaps between the two. In other words, Contreras explains, doing the work to see how much work we really have to do. The next steps: making recommendations with effective ways to close those gaps and developing ways to act on them. Mull and fellow DNP student Phallon Lovelady, a nursing educator at Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids, focused on the competency Knowing and Managing Your Patients. Among their findings: the need to identify a single depression screening tool from the many available, and establish it as the standard at the center. As a psychiatric nurse 10 ASPIRE MAGAZINE: KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING

13 FRED COMER: Why I decided to become Clinical Faculty with Kirkhof College of Nursing manager, Mull was a natural fit for developing the policies and procedures for its use. We created job aids and policies around the standards of care, she says. Moving forward Contreras points out that, while a PhD project focuses on research and quantification, a DNP project focuses on evidence and implementation, with the goal of improving practice in ways that can be sustained by the team providing care after students leave. What we re trying to do is instill change or quality management process intervention, he says. One of the reasons I was so excited about working with the GVSU Family Health Center was the passion and buy-in from the staff. I have gotten tremendous support across the board. Patient-centered care is a big drive for them. Carrie Mull graduated from KCON s DNP degree program in December Phallon Lovelady and Mark Contreras plan to graduate in E FOOTNOTE: ncqa.org/programs/recognition/practices/patientcentered-medical-home-pcmh Q: WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO BECOME A PART-TIME CLINICAL FACULTY MEMBER WITH KCON? I love to teach and practice in the clinical setting. Teaching A: part-time allows me to bridge the two experiences and enhance my ability to meet the needs of the students. Through this role I can help new nurses and earn extra income while doing what I love. Q: WHAT IS COMPELLING ABOUT YOUR WORK WITH KCON STUDENTS? Having the opportunity to give back A: some of what I have learned on my nursing journey is rewarding. Q: WHAT DO YOU GAIN PROFESSIONALLY FROM THIS EXPERIENCE? I am challenged to keep up A: with the latest research and evidence, which helps me stay current in my own practice and prepared to teach. Q: WHAT WOULD YOU TELL SOMEONE CONSIDERING THIS ROLE FOR THEMSELVES? A clinical faculty role with A: KCON is a great opportunity to expand and diversify your nursing career while helping to address the nursing shortage and advance nursing as a profession. Comer is a KCON BSN and MSN alumnus and works as a nurse educator with Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids, Michigan. E JOIN OUR TEAM! KCON is seeking nurses prepared at the master s and doctoral levels to fill clinical faculty roles. Contact Janet Winter, associate dean for undergraduate nursing programs, at for more information.

14 PRACTICE Transforming Health Care One Nurse at a Time: Dr. Patricia Thomas - Champion of the CNL In 2002, health care organizations were struggling to find nurses who could provide critical leadership in the areas of quality, evidence-based bedside practice and patient safety. Recognizing the challenge, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) began working with academic and practice partners to develop a solution. The outcome the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL). During this same timeframe, Patricia Thomas, Ph.D., MSN, RN, FACHE, NEA-BC, ACNS-BC, CNL, now the assistant dean for practice at Grand Valley State University s Kirkhof College of Nursing, was defending her dissertation a study of peer and patient outcomes related to care management. Her dissertation work led to discovering the AACN Clinical Nurse Leader certification. I became inspired to bring the CNL to Michigan, she said. I knew we needed to promote the advantages of advanced generalists who could go beyond the traditional role of a nurse. Immersed in these efforts for the past decade, Thomas played a key role in bringing the CNL to Mercy Health Saint Mary s in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and provided support and consultation to practice organizations and academic institutions across the country. Grand Valley transitioned to an MSN program preparing nurses for the CNL role in The CNL is the first new role in nursing in 40 years, says Thomas. It s about enhancing the quality of patient care and preparing nurses to succeed in any health care setting. CNLs do this by applying the latest evidence-based innovations in care while evaluating patient outcomes, identifying risks, coordinating care, and implementing quality improvement strategies. Traditionally, graduate-prepared advanced practice nurses have worked as nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, or nurse midwives, each bringing a specific set of knowledge and skills. The CNL offers a new opportunity designed to promote clinical nursing leadership across many specialty areas and practice settings. It s about recognizing that regardless of the patient population or where they practice, the CNL delivers point-of-care leadership, says Thomas. It isn t defined by a clinical specialty or practice area. Rather than being organizational in nature, it happens at the point of care where nurses and patients meet. CNLs have the advanced nursing knowledge of pathophysiology, pharmacology and advanced assessment, just like every other nurse prepared at the graduate level. The difference is in the clinical leadership, quality safety process improvement and the ability to lead teams, shares Thomas. You need the support of the chief nursing officer and the directors, she says. The most successful implementations of 12 ASPIRE MAGAZINE: KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING

15 the role I ve seen are those where the clinical nurse leader and clinical nurse manager work together to determine responsibilities for the what, when and how. When CNLs are brought in at the beginning, everyone involved experiences a smoother transition. Today there are approximately 70 clinical nurse leaders in Michigan and 5,000 across the country. Over the past several years, CNLs have established a professional organization, the Clinical Nurse Leader Association, published literature, and delivered presentations regarding CNLs impact on quality, safety, finance, cost avoidance and health care reform. Even more importantly, CNLs have had a tremendous impact on the quality of patient care, clinical outcomes, and organizational improvements across all practice settings. IT S IMPORTANT FOR NURSES TO HELP LEAD THE TRANSFORMATION OF HEALTH CARE Clinical nurse leaders aren t just focused on acute care, says Thomas. They re partnering with primary care physicians and nurse practitioners, as well as nursing home administrators. Health care organizations are beginning to see the difference CNLs are making as they navigate change and manage clinical quality improvement and safety. They are demonstrating their impact on outcomes and sustainability, which are key areas showcasing what they can do in terms of improvement. Five years ago, results were limited to project work. This is a big shift. For Thomas, it all comes down to making sure patients benefit from the latest innovations in care delivery. This is one of my true loves, she says. I m passionate about it because it s important for nurses to help lead the transformation of health care. E Photo compliments of JKlein Photography. CNL in Action In a health care system that has become ever more specialized, a clinical nurse leader (CNL) might be described as an advanced generalist, coordinating care across a variety of settings. Michelle Smith, CNL, is using her diverse skillset to make a real difference in the lives of disadvantaged patients. Smith, who earned her master s degree from Kirkhof College of Nursing at Grand Valley State University in 2013 and passed the CNL certification exam, works with patients who frequent the Bronson Kalamazoo emergency department (ED), often for non-emergent conditions. Many of the patients who frequent the ED lack basic resources like shelter, transportation and employment, she says. This, not surprisingly, has a significant impact on their medical issues. If patients cannot meet their basic needs, they re not equipped to manage complex medical needs. Smith works with a variety of community partners to help patients find permanent housing, employment or other resources to meet those basic needs. By doing so, she not only helps reduce unnecessary emergency room visits she helps improve patients health and quality of life. Michelle is an excellent example of how CNLs focus on strengthening continuous quality improvement and monitoring and improving patient outcomes, notes Karen Burritt, associate dean for graduate nursing programs at Grand Valley. This is a critical role for organizations and patients. Simply put, Michelle Smith is changing lives one patient at a time. E Adapted from a March 16, 2017, story by Michele Coffill, University Communications, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan ANNUAL EDITION 13

16 Milton E. Ford Leadership Award: Grace Huizinga, assistant professor in Kirkhof College of Nursing. Grand Valley s Milton E. Ford LGBT Resource Center hosted the fifth annual Pride Awards on March 29, 2017, to celebrate and honor those who made a positive impact on the LGBTQIA+ community this academic year. Seven faculty and staff members and 11 students were honored. The event took place in the Kirkhof Center and featured student performances. Welcoming Environment LGBTQ community finds respectful care at GVSU Family Health Center Research shows that, for a variety of reasons, individuals within the LGBTQ communities experience tremendous disparities in health care while, at the same time, being at higher risk for a host of health issues. Feelings of victimization lead many LGBTQ individuals to delay or avoid seeking health care services often resulting in poor or even lifethreatening outcomes. The GVSU Family Health Center is working to change that. Addressing the health disparity Treating each of its patients with respect is built into the culture at the GVSU Family Health Center. An extension of GVSU s Kirkhof College of Nursing (KCON), the center has provided accessible, quality nurse-managed health care to the Grand Rapids and Grand Valley communities for 20 years. But a growing awareness of the health care disparities affecting the LGBTQ population led to conversations about a more intentional approach to their care. One year ago, the GVSU Family Health Center launched an initiative designed to ensure a welcoming environment for LGBTQ individuals. Understanding the health needs of the LGBTQ population requires an understanding of the oppression these communities have faced, says Kathy Watt, PhD, NP-C, a family practice nurse practitioner at the health center. They often do not go for health care because of their own anxieties related to asking for help and trying to talk to their providers. Those anxieties are rooted in the bias LGBTQ individuals have encountered in many areas of their lives, not just health care, says Grace Huizinga, Ed.D., RN, a Grand Valley faculty member and one of the driving forces behind the initiative. The result may be fear or distrust of organizations and institutions in general. They re a little bit more reserved to go in and get preventive services, Huizinga says. They re more reluctant to go in unless there s a crisis. So we re seeing many more individuals in the ER or in places where a crisis happens. The architecture of change Before putting the initiative in place, KCON faculty and GVSU Family Health Center leadership met with community organizations, including the LGBT Resource Center and The Red Project, to better understand the needs of the LGBTQ population. Among them: care for patients with multifaceted health challenges and cultural competence in working with LGBTQ patients. LGBTQ individuals often look for cues of a gender-affirming environment, Watt says from use of the proper pronouns in addressing patients to gender-neutral restrooms and inclusive language on paperwork. It s also important that health care professionals have the ability to talk to individuals about their sexual orientation in a way that is supportive and reassuring without being too invasive. To that end, Huizinga instituted a series of in-service training sessions for the GVSU Family Health Center s support and clinical staff, and members of the clinical staff also attend conferences and participate in outreach activities around topics of concern to the LGBTQ population. Lowering risks One of the major health threats to LGBTQ individuals is HIV. The GVSU Family Health Center is one of only three providers in the area that provides pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) therapies daily use of an oral antiviral medication that is highly effective in preventing HIV. These therapies are prescribed for individuals who may have an HIV-positive partner or may, for other reasons, be at higher risk. Watt credits Huizinga with being the force behind making PrEP and PEP therapies available at the center, helping reduce one serious health risk to vulnerable populations. Increasing awareness Watt and Huizinga agree: educating not only health care providers but the community as a whole is essential to reducing the enormous health disparities between LGBTQ individuals and the general population. From diversity, the whole community thrives, Huizinga says. Everybody benefits when we increase equality for diverse groups. E 14 ASPIRE MAGAZINE: KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING

17 KCON VITAL SIGNS The Kirkhof College of Nursing (KCON) at Grand Valley State University is consistently recognized for outstanding teaching, scholarship, service and practice. As part of GVSU s beautiful Pew Campus in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, KCON is the destination for nursing education in the region. GRAND RAPIDS, MI STUDENTS 1,404 GVSU students declare nursing as their major. 1,404 Nursing Majors ALUMNI 6,041 students graduated from KCON programs in the last 44 years. SCHOLARSHIPS and FUNDS In addition to graduate assistantships, 28 scholarships and assistance funds are available specifically for KCON students. DEGREES/CERTIFICATES Traditional and flexible hybrid formats: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Interprofessional Certificate in Palliative and Hospice Care ACADEMIC PRACTICE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS Opportunities for community engagement and interprofessional learning are many. ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSES 21 APRNs enhance curricular instruction, with four at KCON s academic nurse-managed health center. 6,041 Alumni 28 Scholarships and Funds 4 Degrees and Certificates 121 Community Practice Sites 21 APRNs Contributing to Student Learning Named No. 2 for best food/beverage destination experience worldwide by World Food Travel Association Art Prize is recognized as one of the most-attended public art events on the planet by The Art Newspaper Ranked by Forbes Magazine as the No.1 Best City for Raising a Family and the fastest growing economy in the U.S. Grand Rapids Drive, Grand Rapids Griffins and West Michigan Whitecaps are local sports affiliates of the Detroit Pistons, Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers Condé Nast Traveler named the Lake Michigan shoreline one of the 25 best in the world. Twenty sandy beaches are within 30 minutes of Grand Rapids Scan to view: Pure Michigan s Grand Rapids commercial. See what Michigan is really like! The baccalaureate degrees in nursing, master s degree in nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at Grand Valley State University s Kirkhof College of Nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education: aacn.nche.edu/ccne-accreditation. 15 ASPIRE MAGAZINE: KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING

18 A NEW VISION FOR NURSING EDUCATION How should nursing education evolve if it is to meet the health care needs of our nation? That s a challenge facing leaders across the nation and the Kirkhof College of Nursing (KCON) at Grand Valley State University is determined to be a part of the solution. How do we re-envision nursing education? says KCON Dean Cynthia McCurren, PhD, RN, FNAP. As a member of the board of directors of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and liaison to its task force on nursing education, McCurren is highly invested in shaping the vision. Practice is saying, This is what our need is, and education is saying, But this isn t our model. We need to come together to co-design what nursing education must look like today. In February 2015, the AACN commissioned Manatt Health to conduct a national study to better understand the challenges facing academic nursing. The resulting report, Advancing Healthcare Transformation: A New Era for Academic Nursing, identifies a path for nursing education to play a leading role in that transformation. Relevant academic-practice partnerships Perhaps obviously, practice partnerships in which nursing students learn outside the classroom by working with real patients are of fundamental importance in nursing education. Not as obvious are the challenges involved in forging those partnerships so everyone practices, students and patients benefit. That s why McCurren is very intentional when developing relationships with practice partners. I share four main concepts when I talk with them, she says. The first is relevancy. If, as a college of nursing, we don t have relevancy in terms of how we re preparing nurses for the future, then we ve completely missed the mark. To McCurren, a fundamental aspect of relevancy is designing nursing education in a way that addresses the concerns and needs of practice. And, in today s health care environment, those are many. What keeps you up at night? What skill sets do you need? are key questions she addresses with practice partners. It s more than the hands-on, taskoriented skills like putting in an IV or placing a tube. It s what are the emerging issues that impact care delivery? Among the answers: technology and specialization. Today there is technology at the bedside that wasn t dreamed of 50 years ago, and the proliferation of specialization in health care brings additional challenges. When we graduate a new nurse, we ve prepared a generalist, says McCurren. The concern for the practice side, then, is, How long will it take them to be ready to move into positions in specialty areas? It is really challenging for the practice side to find individuals who can get up to speed and work in areas of specialty with the deep-dive knowledge they need. Toward a new model of health care delivery The Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, a national foundation dedicated to improving the education of health professionals, points out that the health care system is shifting to an emphasis on primary care delivered by high-functioning health care teams in community-based settings. Yet, according to the foundation, most RNs today practice in hospitals and other acute care settings reflecting the traditional focus of nursing education. Relevancy, then, also dictates that KCON prepares nurses for emerging practice areas and the transformation of health care delivery. Care is moving from the acute care setting to the community, McCurren points out. Eventually, she believes, perhaps as much as 80 percent of care will take place outside the hospital walls, in settings that include patients homes, extended care facilities, hospice and palliative care facilities and through a variety of community resources. The common thread across these settings? Nurses. Nurses are the largest segment of the American health care workforce, McCurren says. And, as the Manatt report points out, nurses are on the front lines of health care delivery, regardless of where it occurs. So, as societal needs shift and the practice model evolves, so must nursing education. We need to almost implode the way we deliver nursing education, says McCurren. It needs to be about care coordination and the management of patient-centered care outside of the controlled hospital setting. 16 ASPIRE MAGAZINE: KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING

19 Why nursing education needs to evolve... Eventually, perhaps as much as 80 percent of care will take place outside the hospital walls, in settings that include patients homes, extended care facilities, hospice and palliative care facilities and through a variety of community resources. KCON Dean Cynthia McCurren, PhD, RN, FNAP 2018 ANNUAL EDITION 17

20 A century ago, schools of nursing were hospital based and nursing education took place in almost an apprenticeship style. Grand Valley is addressing this new reality on multiple fronts, including forming non-traditional practice partnerships with organizations such as the Grand Rapids Housing Commission (see Are the Students Coming Today?, page 30) and other community partners in order to expand their scope of nursing education. Relationships and reciprocity A century ago, when schools of nursing were hospital based, nursing education took place in partnership with providers in almost an apprenticeship style. That model, McCurren explains, fostered a keen sense of shared purpose, with nursing students working side-by-side with providers to manage care. Today s scenario is very different. With the shift of nursing education from hospital schools to higher education, as well as the rapid growth of nursing programs, a hospital may have as many as 20 colleges of nursing bringing their students into its setting. So as a nurse manager, charge nurse or other practice leader in those partnerships, McCurren says, You never know who s going to show up on your floor; what level of student it s going to be. It s no wonder, then, that a sense of shared purpose can give way to simply managing the extra bodies who are there to learn. For KCON and other colleges of nursing, understanding this reality is essential to forging reciprocal relationships and forming successful and sustainable practice partnerships. If you don t have a relationship and shared purpose for doing this together, it makes it very challenging, McCurren says. A successful partnership brings about two more of McCurren s watchwords: relationships and reciprocity. Because, while practice partnerships obviously provide an opportunity for students to learn, the practice needs to benefit as well. If we come in with a group of students, how do we bring value to the practice setting, regardless of what the setting is? she asks. Nursing education needs a redesigned approach and a model for delivering education in alignment with practice. McCurren and her colleagues on the nursing education task force have been intentional about learning how best to achieve such reciprocity. We ve spent a lot of time talking to stakeholders across the nation, primarily nursing and nursing leaders, about what the issues are for them across different practice settings, she says. Their answers should dictate how we think about the nurse we re preparing. Co-designing learning This brings us to the fourth watchword: co-design. McCurren believes practice and education must work together to create a new vision for the instructional arena. We need to co-design what nursing education should look like today to ensure it captures the perspective of what practice really needs, she says. The challenge is to co-design how nursing students are going to learn in a practice setting so the practice partners look forward to them being there because it means added value. Beyond that, McCurren points to another important goal: to design this new model in a way that ensures experienced nurses enjoy and look forward to teaching the next generation of professionals. A new generation of learners Millennials and Generation Z : Together they represent the largest segment of today s graduate and undergraduate nursing students. And, like every generation before them, they bring their own learning styles and expectations. We have to meet them where they are if we want them to be excited and insert themselves into learning, says McCurren. They need to be engaged and intense about what they want to do, and take that passion into the workplace. 18 ASPIRE MAGAZINE: KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING

21 RIGHT: The Manatt report, commissioned by the AACN in 2015, is a comprehensive study on the role of nursing education in advancing health care transformation. FAR RIGHT: The Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, a national foundation dedicated to improving the education of health professionals, points out that the health care system is shifting to an emphasis on primary care delivered by highfunctioning health care teams in community-based settings. Advancing Healthcare Transformation A NEW ERA FOR ACADEMIC NURSING PREPARING NURSING LEADERS JOSIAH MACY JR. FOUNDATION 2016 ANNUAL REPORT Yet, notes the dean, many young people are choosing their careers based upon lifestyle and not necessarily for the impact they can make. Becoming a nurse can t just be about working three 12-hour shifts a week and getting four days off. That is not going to bring about needed change in health care. It s also about getting nurses excited about non-acute care as a career path, she adds. We need them to be inspired to care for the whole person across the spectrum of well-being. Teaching these skill sets must be consistent throughout our undergraduate and our graduate programs. New modes of curriculum delivery With new learners comes the need for new ways of delivering curriculum. Today s learners grew up immersed in technology, so any contemporary model for curriculum delivery will need to integrate technological tools. The Robert Wood Johnson report Future of Nursing points to simulation as one tool to support inter-professional education. Clinical mannequins and standardized human patients are used for task-oriented skills such as tube placement, fluids administration, vital sign monitoring and the like, while sophisticated software simulations allow students to practice soft or team-based skills such as dialoguing with patients and families and interacting with administrative teams. These soft skills are an area where KCON uses interdisciplinary experiences to teach, McCurren notes. We talk about how you develop team-based skills; bring skills around dialog, mutual respect, appreciation for multiple views or lenses and how you look at solving problems. All of that needs to be much more intentional in nursing curricula. The new vision As with any major shift in thinking, nursing education faces significant barriers to change, including institutional resistance, lack of financial models for new ways of delivering health care and competition for limited clinical placements. For academic nursing to achieve its potential, says the Manatt report, a change in culture is required one that can only be accomplished by collaborative leadership. McCurren, KCON and its practice partners are committed to leading the way. E Today s scenario is very different. Nursing education has shifted from apprenticeship style training and hospital schools to higher education and degree-granting nursing programs ANNUAL EDITION 19

22 ALUMNA STORY Evolution of a Dream Jennifer Langholz changed paths and found her niche I knew I wanted to be a nurse when I was in kindergarten. Specifically, Jennifer Langholz, Kirkhof College of Nursing (KCON) BSN alumna 09, wanted to be an emergency room (ER) nurse. She d grown up hearing her dad, a first responder, talk about the ER. I had just always planned on being an ER nurse. It seemed like a really exciting career. Langholz did, in fact, become an ER nurse but not immediately upon graduation. Her nursing class faced a very competitive job market, and Langholz felt fortunate to be offered a position in inpatient neuroscience at Mercy Health. But there was still that dream of being an ER nurse. So, after 18 months, she applied for, and got, an ER position in the same health system. It was never the same day twice, she says. I enjoyed it. Rethinking her purpose A couple of years in, an injury threw a wrench into the way Langholz had envisioned her career unfolding. I was taking care of a patient who was about to fall, she says. I moved to catch him and hurt my knee badly. So badly, in fact, she underwent two surgeries and spent almost a year at home sitting on the couch. It left her a lot of time to think. I think after four years as a nurse, I had lost touch, to an extent, with the reason I went into it, Langholz notes. I realized that even though I only see people [in the ER] for a brief moment, the experience they re going through is going to have such an impact on their life. I became really passionate about just being a better nurse. She also began to think maybe it was time to look beyond ER nursing. I tried to be very open-minded to things I maybe hadn t been before. So when I finally did return to work, I started looking for other positions. And I took my time doing it. A new world When she returned to work, Langholz spent a few weeks in outpatient cardiology doing phone triage. After the treat-and-discharge world of the ER, working in outpatient was an eye-opener. I had no idea of the impact of the outpatient world, she says. I d worked in the hospital system for years, and I had never known this type of nursing was even there. I felt like I made a huge impact on patients lives, even if what I was doing for them was pretty minuscule. I helped them get what they needed. Today, Langholz applies those skills in her position as a nurse case manager in the HIV/ AIDS program at Mercy Health, working mostly with young patients and expectant moms. Just as in the ER, every day is different from accompanying an expectant mom to her prenatal appointments to helping a non-native English speaker navigate the building. She sees patients in her office, in their homes, even at a coffee shop or the library wherever she s needed. Langholz likens it to being an eye in the sky helping remind patients about appointments, motivating them to take their medications, etc. Our ultimate goal in HIV care is to have someone take their medications every day, because that s how we control the virus, she says. It s helping them navigate from point A to point B, from not well to wellness, without veering off course somewhere. Having longer-term relationships with her patients allows Langholz to use different skills than she used in the ER. She especially enjoys working with the expectant moms and their babies. I get to follow those babies from the ultrasound through birth and beyond, she says. People think of HIV and babies and think it s sad. But it actually is a really happy experience 99 times out of 100. Parents are always really appreciative of the work we do because they certainly don t want their children to be HIV positive. They re happy that their baby is healthy. Thanks to current treatment and follow-up, Langholz explains, most babies are cleared at six weeks old with no need of further treatment. Opening hearts Langholz readily admits that nothing in her pre-nursing life really prepared her for working with diverse or disadvantaged populations. And anything she had learned about HIV/AIDS as a student hadn t been dusted off for a while. To that point, she advocates for increased nursing knowledge of HIV and teaches the topic to nursing interns. One of the big things I send home with them is that the stigma surrounding conditions like HIV, mental health, substance abuse is what s keeping us from finding solutions. Because we can t talk about it without feeling uncomfortable. As nursing education broadens its scope to include the continuum of care beyond the hospital, these takeaways are critical. Langholz s role as a case manager has taught me that I can be very accepting, she says. If you can open your mind to someone, you can open your heart. A solid foundation She credits her education at Grand Valley with creating a great foundation for her job today. I chose Grand Valley because of its excellent reputation for nursing, she says. When I was a student, I had a very clear picture of what a nurse did. I learned all those bedside assessment skills, but today I use them in a different way. Today Langholz is very much a nurse who s found her niche. I haven t even thought about what s next, she says. I m happy where I am. E 20 ASPIRE MAGAZINE: KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING

23 2018 ANNUAL EDITION 21

24 FACULTY GRANTS KCON Centers of Distinction Faculty Research Awards ( ): Beel-Bates, C. An interprofessional education course to build undergraduate nursing students collaboration competencies, $1,000. Davis, R. Wayfinding in Alzheimer s Disease: Eye tracking and the use of visual cues, $1,000. Harrington, S. Intercollegiate Alliance for Health and Well-being: Health walking programs All Stars for Health,, $1,000. Manderscheid, A. Pediatric early detection and intervention of respiratory distress, $1, n Faculty Grants n Publications n Faculty/Staff Briefs n New Hires n Promotions n Retirements n Alumni Brief n KCON Alumni Board n Faculty Presentations Schoofs, N. Exploration of teaching practices of nursing faculty, $1000. Spoelstra, S. Implementation of training modules to support the paperwork reduction in Michigan MIChoice waiver program, $1,000. Strouse, S. Student nurses perceptions about the culture of nursing and how they best learn that culture: A focused ethnography, $882. VanderKooi, M. and Joswick, P.* MIChoice Staff Adoption of the Electronic Medical Record, $1,000.*DNP student Wadsworth, P. and Damstra, K. (2016, Jan. 2017, May) Maternal/ infant health in the community: A partnership between GVSU KCON and flourishing families, $500. External Grants: Burritt, K. R. and Spoelstra, S. L. ( ). Advanced Education Nursing Traineeship Program Grant, U.S. Department of Health Resources and Services Administration, $338,000. Slager, D. E, and Hendriksma, K. (2016, January 2016, December). Outcomes Measurements in a Community. Clinic CVS National Association of Free and Charitable Clinic Grant, $35,000. Spoelstra, S. L. (2017, October 2018, October). MI-Community Aging in Place, Advancing Better Living for Elders, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, $138,677. VanderKooi, M. and Spoelstra, S. (2016, October 2018, September). Michigan Medicaid Match Grant Sponsored by Michigan: MiCAPAPBLE-electronic health record survey and upgrade, $50,000. University Grants: Elrod, G. B. (2017, May) Dissemination grant ONS 42nd Annual Congress, Sponsored by CSCE, Grand Valley State University, $500. Elrod, G. B. (2017, June) Sponsored Event Grant International Best Teachers Institute, sponsored by Pew FTLC, Grand Valley State University, $2,000. Elrod, G. B. (2017, Oct.) Sponsored Event Grant Lilly Conference, sponsored by Pew FTLC, Grand Valley State University, $550. VanderKooi, M., Spoelstra, S., and Conrad, D. (2017, April 2018, Oct.) NUR 792/793 Scholarly Inquiry in Nursing Practice: Testing the Andragogy of a Faculty Advisor Team for a Cohort of DNP Students, Pew FTLC Teaching Innovation Grant, Grand Valley State University, $3, ASPIRE MAGAZINE: KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING

25 PUBLICATIONS 9/1/16 5/31/17 Bambini, D. R., Emery, M., de Voest, M., Meny, L., and Shoemaker, M. J. (2016). Replicable Interprofessional Competency Outcomes From High-volume, Inter-institutional, Interprofessional Simulation. Pharmacy, 4(4), 34, doi: org/ /pharmacy Bostrom, A. C. and Boyd, M. A. (2016). Schizophrenia and Related Disorders. Essentials of Psychiatric Nursing (pp ). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer. Conrad, D. and Alfredson, K. (2016). Expanding the Primary Care Patient-centered Medical Home Through New Roles for Registered Nurses. Journal of Interprofessional Education and Practice, 5, doi.org/ /j. xjep Davis, R. L., and Ohman, J. (2016). Driving in Early-stage Alzheimer s Disease: A Review of the Literature. Research in Gerontological Nursing, 10 (2), doi: / Davis, R. L., and Ohman, J. (2016). Wayfinding in Alzheimer s Disease: Study Protocol. Journal of Advanced Nursing, advance online publication (72), , doi: DOI: /jan Davis, R. L., Ohman, J., and Weisbeck, C. A. (2016). Salient Cues and Wayfinding in Alzheimer s Disease Within a Virtual Senior Residence. Environment and Behavior, 28, doi: / Davis, R. L., and Weisbeck, C. A. (2016). Creating a Supportive Environment Using Cues for Wayfinding in Dementia. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 42(3), 9, doi: / Davis, R. L., Ziomkowski, M. K., and Veltkamp, A. (2017). Everyday Decision Making in Persons with Early Alzheimer s Disease: An Integrative Review of the Literature. Research in Gerontological Nursing, 10(5), French, D., Booth, A., Shoemaker, M. J., Beasley, J., Terry, G. J., de Voest, M., Scanlon, S., and Van Lente, P. (2017). Post-concussion Syndrome. In S. H. Campbell and K.M. Daley, (Eds.), Simulation Scenarios for Nursing Educators: Making it Real, 3rd ed. New York, NY, Springer Publishing Co. Hughes Carter, D. L. (2017). Making the Diagnosis of Diabetic Kidney Disease. Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 13(3), Johnson R F. (2017). Why It s Not OK for Doctors to Participate in Executions. Ann Palliat Med doi: / apm Mupepi, M. G., Asiam, M. and Mupepi, S. C. (2017). Shielding the Corporation s Raison D etre: Talent Management in Ubiquitous Value Creation Systems. In Mupepi, M. (Ed.), Effective Talent Management Strategies for Organizational Success. (pp ). Hershey, PA.: IGI Global. Mupepi, M. G., and Mupepi, S. C. (2017). The Structure of Talent: A Co-constructed Competency Perspective. In Mupepi, M. (Ed.), Effective Talent Management Strategies for Organizational Success (pp ). Hershey, PA. IGI Global. Mupepi, M. G., Mupepi, S. C., and Asiam, M. (2017). Structuration Applications and Practice: Restructuring High Impact Organization. In Mupepi, M. (Ed.), Effective Talent Management Strategies for Organizational Success (pp.74-82). Hershey PA.: IGI Global. Mupepi, S. C., and Mupepi, M.G. (2016). Applying Theory to Inform Competency Development: Bootstrapping Epistemic Communities in Growing Specialists. International Journal of Productivity Management and Assessment Technologies, 4(1), 28-38, doi: doi.org/ /ijpmat Mupepi, S. C., Mupepi, M., and Asiam, M. (2017). Highly Productive 21st Century Workforce: Techsavvy Women in-charge. In Mupepi, M. (Ed.), Effective Talent Management Strategies for Organizational Success (pp ). Hershey, PA, IGI Global. Spoelstra, S. L., Given, C. W., Sikorskii, A., Coursaris, C. K., Mujumdar, A., DeKoekkoek, T., Schueller, M., Given, B. (2016). Adult Cancer Patient Recruitment and Enrollment Into Cell Phone Text Message Trials. Journal of Telemedicine and ehealth 10(2), Impact Factor Spoelstra, S. L., Sikorskii, A., Majumder, A., Burhenn, P., Schueller, M., and Given, G. (2017). Feasibility, Preliminary Efficacy, and Satisfaction of a Nurse Practitioner Intervention to Promote Medication Adherence and Symptom Management in Adult Cancer Patients Prescribed Oral Anti-cancer Agents: A Practice-based Quasiexperimental Study. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 21(2), , doi: /17. CJON Spoelstra, S. L., Sikorskii, A., Majumder, A., Burhenn, P., Schueller, M., and Given, B. (2017). Oral Anticancer Agents: An Intervention to Promote Medication Adherence and Symptom Management. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 21(2), , doi: /17.CJON Explore the depth and breadth of our faculty s most recent publications and ongoing research. Kirkhof College of Nursing is committed to pushing forward the boundaries of nursing knowledge ANNUAL EDITION 23

26 FACULTY/STAFF BRIEFS 2017 Dr. Deborah Bambini shared her expertise on simulation in nursing education on the Oct. 6, 2017, WGVU Shelley Irwin Show. Dr. Cynthia Beel-Bates is serving as co-chair of the steering committee of Dementia Friendly Grand Rapids. Dr. Karyn Butler is a member of the Perinatal Mood Disorder Coalition, Michigan. Dr. Evelyn Clingerman has been re-elected as a co-chair of the National Academies of Practice (NAP), Nursing Academy. Dr. Dianne Conrad was invited to participate in the AACN Competency-Based Education for Doctoral-Prepared Advanced Practice Registered Nurses work group. Dr. Susan Harrington was selected to serve as an advisory group member for the Palliative and Hospice Nursing Professional Issues panel ( ). Dr. Barbara Hooper is now a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator, awarded by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. Dr. Cynthia McCurren was elected to the AACN Board of Directors ( ). Kelley Monterusso, KCON s Director of Communications and External Relations, served on a panel of university women to focus on fostering dialogue and relationship-building. The November 2016 event was hosted by the GVSU Women s Commission. Kelley Monterusso is member of the board of trustees for the Coopersville (MI) Area Community Foundation ( ). Dr. Geraldine Terry was featured on an August 2017 WGVU/ PBS Family Health Matters television program about measles and vaccinations. She also serves as treasurer of the Association of Women in Science, Grand Rapids, MI. Mike Stoll has been recognized by the Office of the Provost for his contributions, noting exceptional efforts with student success and retention at Grand Valley State University (GVSU). He was personally named/acknowledged for his service by students who responded to the mysuccesscheck survey sent out in fall Dr. Susan Strouse is a member of the executive board of the DeWitt (MI) YMCA. Dr. Susan Strouse, Dr. Geraldine Terry and Dr. Janet Winter s presentation at the 2017 Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing biennial convention, Influencing health through IPE: Perspectives on RN to BSN education, will be archived in the Virginia Henderson Library. Dr. Joy Washburn is a member of the Kent County Human Trafficking Taskforce. Health Section Articles, Grand Rapids Press: Donna Rinker (2016, Nov. 13), What you need to know about lung cancer screening. Dr. Sylvia Simons and Akmal Saydazamov, DNP student (2017, Aug. 6), Potential dangers of e-cigs for teens and young adults. Dr. Sandra Spoelstra (2016, Oct. 9), Older adults can make living at home safe. Awards Dr. Linda Bond (professor emerita) was the recipient of the 2017 ANA Michigan Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Della Hughes Carter was the recipient of the 2017 Midwest Interprofessional Practice, Education, and Research Community Award. Dr. Kimberly Fenbert is a member of the Kent County Oral Health Coalition, which has been selected by the Michigan Dental Association Board of Trustees as the recipient of a 2017 Public Service Award for its efforts in improving access to care and increasing oral health literacy in the community. Dr. Barbara Hooper was the recipient of the 2016 Kappa Epsilon At-Large Chapter (Sigma Theta Tau International) Outstanding Mentor Award. Dr. Sandra Spoelstra was the recipient of the 2016 Kappa Epsilon At-Large Chapter (Sigma Theta Tau International) Excellence in Research Award. Dr. Patricia Thomas was selected for the 2017 CNL Vanguard Award. At the same ceremony, our colleague Elizabeth Murphy, vice president and chief nursing officer at Mercy Health Saint Mary s and member of the KCON Community Advisory Board, was the recipient of the 2017 CNL Visionary Leader Award. Dr. Patricia Thomas was the recipient of the 2017 ANA-Michigan Dorothea Milbrandt Nurse Leader Award. Editorial and Review Activities Dr. D.R. Bambini, editorial review board, Nursing Education Perspectives and Nurse Educators; editor/co-editor, textbook, Essential Concepts for Healthy Living, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury, MA. Dr. Andrea Bostrom, article reviewer, Applied Clinical Informatics and Archives of Psychiatric Nursing; grant reviewer, Health Resources and Services Administration. Dr. Karen Burritt, editorial review board and article reviewer, Clinical Journal of Nursing Research; editor/co-editor, Conference Proceedings, and abstract reviewer, conference paper submissions, DNP, Inc. Dr. Cynthia Coviak, peer reviewer, Western Journal of Nursing Research. Dr. Rebecca Davis, abstract reviewer for the Gerontology Society of America conference. Dr. Barbara Hooper, peer reviewer, Journal of Professional Nursing. Brenda Hoss, peer reviewer, AORN Journal. Dr. Melodee Vanden Bosch, peer reviewer, Western Journal of Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Research. TRANSITIONS Faculty and Staff Welcome Della Hughes Carter, DNP, RN, GNP Assistant Professor, Tenure Track Della has been certified as a geriatric nurse practitioner since In the profession since 1984, she has held positions in numerous areas in acute care and in primary care as a nurse practitioner. Within these practice areas, she has assumed leadership roles including manager, clinical coordinator 24 ASPIRE MAGAZINE: KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING

27 and director. Her program of scholarship is focused on screening and diagnosis of diabetic kidney disease in primary care practice. She has had a total of 11 small grants to support research and program development. She has a beginning publication record and numerous peer-reviewed presentations. She is a member of the Michigan Council of Nurse Practitioners and STTI. Her experience from the practice side of health care, as an educator, and certification as a nurse practitioner in gerontology will be an asset to KCON across our degree programs. Theresa McCrumb, MSN, RN Affiliate Faculty Theresa has an MSN in clinical systems leadership from the University of Arizona, completed in 2016; her capstone project related to the development of a comprehensive diabetic education program for frail elders. She has a range of practice experience including visiting nurse service, senior care, care coordination/ quality improvement, endoscopy and clinical instruction for an associate degree nursing program. Promotions Dr. Karen Burritt has been granted tenure and promoted to associate professor. Dr. Dianne Conrad has been granted tenure and promoted to associate professor. Norine Cunningham has been promoted to senior affiliate faculty. Dr. Sylvia Mupepi has been promoted to full professor. Susan Sigler (left), academic department coordinator for Undergraduate Programs. Diana Turner (right), academic department coordinator for Graduate Programs. Carrie Smucker has accepted the new KCON position of program specialist: technology management and evaluation. Dr. Sandra Spoelstra has been granted tenure and promoted to associate professor. Victoria Dimkoff, MSN, RN transitioned from visiting faculty to affiliate faculty. ALUMNI BRIEFS Julie Bulson (BSN 99, MPA 07, DNP 16) is serving on the State of Michigan Fire Safety Board, appointed member. Jennifer Campbell (DNP 17) is a registered nurse at Mercy Health. Chandra Colley (BSN 06) is the program supervisor for Refugee and Lead Program, Kent County Health Department. Penelope Fryling (BSN 13) is a pediatric RN at Health Care Associates and Community Care Givers. Christine Frederick (MSN, 98) is navigating health care for employees of self-insured companies, Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital. Sharon (Zinnah) Greer (BSN 96) has published a book, Doing the Real W-O-R-K: Women Overcoming Real Khaos, House Capacity Publishing, Detroit, MI. Diane Hanson (BSN 84) is a vice president at Vizient, Inc. Vizient is the nation s largest member-driven health care performance improvement company. Carolyn Olmsted (BSN 13) works at University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI. Michael Parker (BSN 13) works in the cardiac cath lab at Metro Health. Beth Read (BSN 02) is co-founder of Change It Up Health, LLC, providing health coaching, health and wellness program development, consulting, writing. Carole Stacy (MSN 04) is serving as ANA-Michigan presidentelect ( ). Erin Wisniewski (BSN 04, MSN 13) is employed as a family nurse practitioner at Holland Hospital. Joshua Witherspoon (BSN 13, MSN) works at Spectrum Health. Danielle Woodwyk (BSN 06; MSN) is employed as an adultgerontology clinical nurse specialist, wellness through acute care, Spectrum Health. KCON ALUMNI BOARD: Tracy Hosford (BSN 02), president Lisa McCann Spry (BSN 00, MSN 10), secretary Retirements Dr. Paulette Chaponniere Farewells Dr. Erin Chillag, affiliate faculty Dr. Kim Fenbert, affiliate faculty Dr. Tom Sanchez, affiliate faculty Jennifer Ohman (BSN 02, DNP 16), co-vice president, Education Ruthann Brintnall (MSN 85), co-vice president, Education Julie Johnson (BSN 15), vice president, Finance Katherine Celentino (BSN 11), vice president, Membership 2018 ANNUAL EDITION 25

28 FACULTY PRESENTATIONS Bambini, D. R., Dreifuerst, C. and Henao, H. (2016, November). Embracing the promise of simulation and best practices for traditional clinical substitution. Preconference workshop at the Instructional Leadership Meeting 2016, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Anaheim, CA. Bayus, D. A., (2016, September). Liver update - Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Michigan Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates, Bay City, MI. Beel-Bates, C. (2016, November). Exercise for communitydwelling persons with early stage Alzheimer s Disease: An integrative review of the literature. Clinical intervention track, 2016 Gerontological Society of America Scientific Meeting: New Lens on Aging: Expanding Attitudes, Expanding Possibilities, New Orleans, LA. Beel-Bates, C. (2016, December). Dementia Friends Training. Dementia Friends Grand Rapids and the West Michigan Area Agency on Aging, Grand Rapids, MI. Burritt, K., (2016, September). IVIG indications in neuroscience: administration and side effects. Mercy Health Hauenstein Neurosciences Annual Symposium, Grand Rapids MI. Chaponniere, P. (2016, October). To prompt or not to prompt: Finding the best introspective journaling practice to develop culturally competent nurses. Poster presented at the Transcultural Nursing Society Conference, Cincinnati, OH. Cline, G. A., Coviak, C. P., Jados, E., and Crosby, T. (2016, October). Outreach by community health workers with at-risk pregnant women in Muskegon county: Outcomes from 3-year demonstration. Michigan Premier Public Health Conference: Michigan Association for Local Public Health, Kalamazoo, MI. Clingerman, E. (2017, March). A course in polarity thinking: An innovative and value added approach to interprofessional education. Podium presentation for the 2017 National Academies of Practice (NAP) Annual Meeting and Forum, Philadelphia, PA. Clingerman, E. (2017, October). An intentional center advances and sustains interprofessional collaboration. Poster presented at the 2017 Collaborating Across Borders Conference, Banff, Alberta, Canada. Clingerman, E. (2017, June). Polarity scans supplement integrative health and wellness for nurse educators. Paper presented at the American Holistic Nurses Association 37th Annual Conference, 21st Century Holistic Nursing: Reshaping Health and Wellness, Rancho Mirage, CA. Clingerman, E., Troseth, M. and Christopherson, T. (2017, March). Polarity thinking: An essential skill in leading interprofessional healthcare. Workshop presented at the 2017 National Academies of Practice Annual Meeting and Forum, Philadelphia, PA. Conrad, D.M., Burson, R., and Moran, K. (2017, September). Diversity in scholarship: The reach for tenure. Podium presentation at the 10th National Doctors of Nursing Practice Conference in New Orleans, LA. Conrad, D. M., and McCurren, C. (2017, March). BSN to DNP: Lessons learned. AACN Webinar Series, AACN. Conrad, D., VanderKooi, M., and Spoelstra, S. (2017, September). An innovative team approach to effective and efficient DNP scholarly projects, National Doctors of Nursing Practice Conference, DNP Inc., New Orleans, LA. Coviak, C. P. (2017, April). I m tenured, now what? Addressing career and research activities of associate professors. Senior mentor at the special session at the 2017 MNRS conference, sponsored by the MNRS Research Deans Interest Group, Senior Scholars Group and the Mid-Career Scholars (MCS) Task Force. 41st MNRS Annual Research Conference, Minneapolis, MN. Coviak, C. P., Cline, G., and Jardos, E. (2017, October). Outreach by care management teams and community health workers with frail elderly in Muskegon County: First year outcomes and ROI. Oral presentation at the Michigan Public Health Conference, Mackinac Island, MI. Davis, R. L. (2017, November). Living well with Alzheimer s Disease, Your Health Lecture Series, GVSU, Spectrum Health, MSU, and Seidman College of Business, Grand Rapids, MI. Davis, R. L., and Ohman, J. (2016, November). Wayfinding strategies and wayfinding anxiety in older adults with and without Alzheimer s disease. Paper presented at the Gerontology Society of America Annual Scientific Meeting, New Orleans, LA. Dondzila, C. J. and Van Doren, E. R. (2017, September). Enhancing health and physical activity in community-dwelling older adults: A methodological overview, Midwest Interprofessional Practice, Education, and Research Center, Grand Rapids, MI. Elrod, G. B. (2016, September). A qualitative descriptive study of the needs of older adults recently diagnosed with cancer. Poster presented at the Michigan Nursing Summit: A Culture of Health, Michigan Health Council, Mount Pleasant, MI. Elrod, G. B. (2017, May). The needs of older adults recently diagnosed with cancer. Poster presented at the ONS 42nd Annual Congress, Denver, CO. Elrod, G. B. (2017, October). A slam dunk in the hybrid classroom: Collaboration, competition, and appeal. Podium presentation at the Lilly Conference, Traverse City, MI. Harrington, S. A. and Keep, S. (2017, September). Intercollegiate Alliance of Health and Wellness to improve health outcomes among individuals with a low socioeconomic status and limited access to health care, ACHNE Annual Institute, Association of Community Health Nurse Educators, New Orleans, LA. Hoffert, D. C. (2017, March). Reinforcing knowledge across the continuum by maintaining academic integrity in the online/ hybrid environment. Poster presented at the Teaching and Learning with Technology Symposium: Instructional Design for elearning, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI. Hoffert, D. C. (2017, March). Implementation of a treatment plan in a rural health clinic for patients with a diagnosis of migraine headache. Poster presented at the 2017 Annual Conference Michigan Council of Nurse Practitioners (MICNP), Detroit, MI. Hooper, B. L. (2017, January). Bullying 101: What you need to know. Podium presentation, Michigan Nursing Students Association 66th Annual Convention, Ann Arbor, MI. Hooper, B. L. (2017, January). Career planning: Building your cover letter and resume. Podium presentation, Michigan Nursing Students Association 66th Annual Convention, Ann Arbor, MI. Hooper, B. L. (2017, February). Where do I go from here? Podium presentation for the Student Nurses Association meeting, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI. Houghton-Rahrig, L. D. (2017, April). Is there a relationship between the PNPLA3 (Rs738409)-G allele and comorbid conditions of NAFLD? Podium presentation at the STTI Greater Grand Rapids Research Day: Blooming into Excellence: Transforming Nursing Education, Practice, and Health; Sigma Theta Tau Kappa Epsilon At- Large Chapter and Metro Health, Wyoming, MI. Houghton-Rahrig, L. D. (2017, November). Is there a relationship between the PNPLAS3 (Rs738409)-G allele and comorbid conditions of NAFLD? Poster presented at the International Society of Nurses in Genetics Conference, Reston VA. Hughes Carter, D. L. (2017, October). A nurse practitionerled inter-professional quality improvement initiative in primary care: Capturing the diagnosis of diabetic kidney disease in the elderly, 2017 Michigan Nursing Summit, The Michigan Center of Nursing, Thompsonville, MI. Hughes Carter, D. L. (2017, October). Quality improvement initiative to improve accelerated BSN students medication administration proficiency using high fidelity simulation, 2017 Michigan Nursing Summit, The Michigan Center of Nursing, Thompsonville, MI Huizinga, G. A. (2016, November). Spirituality and caring: Constructing an interprofessional lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender training program for long-term care facility staff through nursing and chaplaincy. Podium presentation at the AACN Baccalaureate Education Conference, Anaheim, CA. 26 ASPIRE MAGAZINE: KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING

29 Huizinga, G. A. (2017, February). Spirituality and care: Interprofessional LGBT Training for Long Term Care Staff. Oral presentation at the Art and Science of Aging Conference, GVSU, Grand Rapids, MI. Huizinga, G. A. and Ryan, M. (2016, November). Addressing healthcare disparities in the transgender population: Best practices for undergraduate nursing education. Poster presented at the AACN Baccalaureate Education Conference, Anaheim, CA. Lohr, K.A. (2016, November). Nursing care for late preterm infants: Implementing evidence based care. Poster presented at the ANA-Michigan Annual Assembly and Conference: Leveraging the Power of Nurses, Howell, MI. Manderscheid, A. (2017, May). Improving teamwork and communication through simulation: A case study, at High Reliability The Basics National Conference, Spectrum Health, Grand Rapids, MI. Manderscheid, A., and Conrad, D. M. (2017, January). An innovative practice-based model for faculty scholarship. Podium presentation at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Doctoral Education Conference, San Diego, CA. Manderscheid, A. and Conrad, D. M. (2017, September). An innovative practice-based model for faculty scholarship. National Doctors of Nursing Practice Conference, Doctors of Nursing Practice, Inc., New Orleans, LA. Manderscheid, A. and Teman, S. (2017, October). Utilizing In situ simulation to improve high reliability outcomes: A case study. HPI Press Ganey Executive Leadership Safety Summit, HPI Press Ganey, Charlotte, N.C. Rajaram, S., Rosenthal, V., Alpert, E., Greenbaum, J., Chaffeet, T., Hopper, E., Washburn, J. E., Baldwin, S., and Stoklosa, H. (2017, November). Core competencies for health professional training on human trafficking. Oral presentation at the 2017 American Public Health Association Conference and Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA. Rivera-Salas, C. and Houghton- Rahrig, L. D. (2017, November). Acculturation of Mexican immigrants and the prevalence of NAFLD: A review. Poster presented at the ISONG 2017 Congress: Precision Nursing: Through Research, Education and Practice, International Society of Nurses in Genetics, Reston, VA. Rivera-Salas, C., and Houghton-Rahrig, L. (2017, April). Acculturation of Mexican immigrants and the prevalence of NAFLD: A review. Poster presented at the Midwest Nursing Research Society 41st Annual Conference: Harnessing Big Data and Nursing Science to Improve Health, Midwest Nursing Research Society, Minneapolis, MN. Schoofs, N. C. (2017, September). Panel on homelessness, Region 3 ANA- MI Region 3 meeting, Spectrum Health Blodgett, Grand Rapids, MI. Shoemaker, M., Booth, A., Beasley, J., Valente, P., French, D., Scanlon, S., and Terry, G. (2017, January). Post-concussion inter-professional education simulation. Poster presented at the 17 th International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare, Orlando, FL. Slager, D. E. (2016, October). An interdisciplinary, outcomes-based model for diabetic care in an under-served Hispanic population. Oral presentation at the Ninth National Doctors of Nursing Practice Conference, Baltimore, MD. Spoelstra, S. L., Kohler, M., Roth, J., Evelyn-Gustave, A., Schueller, M., and Szanton, S. (2017, July). Implementing CAPAble (Community Aging in Place Advancing Better Living for Elders) as MiCAPABLE in a state waiver: Research results. Bridging Science, Policy, and Practice Conference, World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) Global Aging and Health, San Francisco, CA. Spoelstra, S. L., Sikorskii, A., and Schueller, M. (2017, July). The effect of a nurse practioner-led intervention to promote medication adherence on depressive symptoms and self-efficacy in older adults newly prescribed oral anti-cancer agents, Bridging Science, Policy, and Practice Conference, World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) Global Aging and Health, San Francisco, CA. Spoelstra, S. L., Pardue, R., Spalding, E., Roth, J., Evelyn- Gustave, A., Schueller, M., Szanton, M. (2017, March). Implementing the role of an inter-professional team using an evidence-based intervention CAPABLE (Community Aging in Place Advancing Better Living for Elders) in a state waiver program., Midwest Nursing Research Society, Minneapolis, MN. Stalter, A., Eardley, D., DeBlieck, C., Blanchette, L., and Harrington, S. A. (2017, November). Crosswalk between OMAHA SYSTEM and guiding undergraduate community/public health education documents. Association of Community Health Nurse Educators (ACHNE) Annual Institute, New Orleans, LA. Strouse, S. (2017, October). Thinking of nursing through the prism of culture: Reflections on the profession. Podium presentation at the 2017 Fall Research Event, Kappa Epsilon At-Large Chapter, Zeeland, MI. Strouse, S., Terry, G., and Winter, J. (2017, November). Influencing health through IPE: Perspectives on RN to BSN education. Podium presentation at the 2017 Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing Biennial Convention, Indianapolis, IN. Terry, G., Strouse, S. M., and Winter, J. (2016, November). Essentially collaboration: Infusing the unique RN-BSN perspective into interprofessional education. Poster presented at the 2016 AACN Baccalaureate Conference, Anaheim, CA. VanderKooi, M. and Coviak, C. P. (2017, April). Feasibility of using the technology acceptance model as a theoretical framework for barcode medication administration scanning at a rural hospital, KCON Scholarship Showcase, KCON Office of Research; Scholarship and Evaluation Committee, Grand Rapids, MI. VanderKooi, M., Coviak, C. P., and Monson, K. (2017, April). Feasibility of using the technology acceptance model as a theoretical framework for barcode medication administration scanning at a Rural hospital. Midwest Nursing Research Society Annual Conference, Midwest Nursing Research Society, Minneapolis, MN. VanderKooi, M., and Spoelstra, S. (2017, September). An innovative team approach to effective and efficient DNP scholarly projects. Oral presentation at the 10th National Doctors of Nursing Practice Conference, New Orleans, LA. Washburn, J. E., (2017, February). Human trafficking: What nurses need to know. Oral presentation at the ANA Michigan Region 3 Winter Meeting, Grand Rapids, MI. Washburn, J. E. (2017, March). Hidden in plain sight: What nurses need to know to identify and respond to human trafficking. Keynote at the Greater Lansing Nursing Research Day (Michigan State University, McLaren Health, Sparrow Health Systems), Lansing, MI. Washburn, J. E. (2017, April). What health care professionals need to know about human trafficking. Podium presented at Lunch and Learn, Spectrum Health, Big Rapids, MI. Washburn, J. E. (2017, April). The red flags are there: Healthcare and human trafficking victims. Podium presentation at the Conference on Human Trafficking Awareness, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI. Washburn, J. E. (2017, May). Human trafficking 101: An overview for health care providers. Keynote presentation at the Quarterly Meeting for West Michigan Chapter of Case Management Society in America, Byron Center. MI. Washburn, J. E., Kucinich, C., White, Sgt. M., and Battle- Debarge, N K. (2017, April). Audience question and answer follow-up. Panel discussant at the Conference on Human Trafficking Awareness, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI. Wesley, E., Vanden Bosch, M. L., and Strouse, S. M., Kohler, M. (2017, April). Just keep moving. 41st Annual Research Conference, MNRS, Minneapolis, MN. Winkelman, C., Kohler, M., and Spoelstra, S. L. (2017, April). Comparison of nurse practioner, physician assistant, and physician outcomes: Is there a difference? GVSU Civic Showcase, Grand Rapids, MI ANNUAL EDITION 27

30 STUDENT PROFILE Lara Dengerink-VanTil DNP Lara Dengerink-VanTil is passionate about holistic assessment and integrated care. So it was only natural that her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) final project focused on developing a way to better integrate primary care and behavioral health. Health care professionals recognize that mental and physical health are inextricably connected. Unfortunately, there s often little connection among a patient s various providers when it comes to sharing important health information. So often we address one and not the other, Dengerink-VanTil said. We don t take a step back and look at how mental health might also be contributing to some physical issues. We must question if we are treating those diseases in a way that takes into account all of the other factors that affect how successful our treatments are. For a variety of reasons, individuals who have persistent mental illness are also at higher risk than the general population for physical illness. To further compound the challenges, psychiatric medications may have side effects that lead to or exacerbate physical health issues. We really need to look at these patients from a holistic perspective, says Dengerink- VanTil, and see how we can best care for them in a way that addresses all these issues at one time. Tackling the challenge Dengerink-VanTil did her final project at InterAct Michigan, an agency that provides behavioral health care for individuals with persistent mental illness. Kathryn Speeter, DNP, APRN, was Dengerink-VanTil s project mentor at InterAct. When Lara first presented her idea for the project, explaining what she wanted to accomplish and why, she had unanimous support and enthusiasm from the team supervisors and leadership staff, says Speeter. Lara s focus was to improve coordination of care between providers at the behavioral health site and our clients primary care providers. The traditional model of integrating care is to try to incorporate mental health care into primary care, Dengerink-VanTil explains a model that, for a variety of reasons, hasn t been overwhelmingly successful. The goal of my project was to try to create a flipped model of integration to begin to do an integration of primary care into behavioral health. Dengerink-VanTil began looking at how other clinics around the country were doing it. A partnership in Kansas between a nursing school, a behavioral health clinic and a major health system sparked a creative conversation about how to begin moving InterAct toward a reverse shared care model. Given the project context, scope and the available resources, Dengerink-VanTil proposed implementing a technical integration that is, integration facilitated with the use of a computer-based tool. So InterAct created a partnership with Great Lakes Health Connect, a statewide health information exchange (HIE) that facilitates secure transfer of information from one health organization to another. Their goal is to make health care data available to any clinician who would need it at the point of care in order to improve client outcomes, she explains. Through the partnership with Great Lakes Health Connect, InterAct could adapt some of GLHC s tools and use them to collaborate with primary care. Lara worked in concert with our clinicians, leadership and IT staff. And she worked with the HIE staff to have their tools implemented or embedded into our electronic health record and IT systems, says Speeter. She also did a pre- and post-project perception survey of our clinicians [as to the] effectiveness of getting information for coordination of care. Pilot program With the HIE partnership established and the tools in hand, the next step was to create a pilot group of InterAct clients who all received care from the same primary care clinic. Using the Great Lakes Health Connect tool, we created a process whereby we requested primary care medication lists, laboratory results and any relevant assessment data one week before the clients would come in for a 28 ASPIRE MAGAZINE: KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING

31 Left to right: Lara Dengerink-VanTil, BSN 13, DNP 17, and Kathryn Speeter, DNP 13 medication review or a psychiatric evaluation, Dengerink-VanTil says. This enabled InterAct providers to look at the data and see, for example, any recent laboratory results or what medications other providers are prescribing for the patient thus avoiding duplication of tests, potentially dangerous drug interactions, etc. In short, integration of care increases efficiency, saves time, saves money, reduces inconvenience to the patient and, above all, provides the hope of better outcomes. The patients really liked it as well, says Karen Burritt, Ph.D., R.N., FNP-BC, associate dean for graduate programs at Grand Valley State University. Patients really want to know that all of their problems are being addressed. They don t like fragmentation Does anybody look at me as a whole person? A lasting impact The results of the first successful information transfer came just as Dengerink- VanTil s work on the project was coming to an end. Almost as if it had been scripted, the results revealed that the patient had been prescribed a powerful psychiatric drug by someone other than the behavioral health clinician. While sobering, the discovery confirmed that the integration process had value. To realize this was really going on, right? Dengerink-VanTil observes. It wasn t just our speculation. Dengerink-VanTil is grateful she had the opportunity to think outside the box and tackle a significant practice problem, with the goal of the best outcome for the clients. InterAct is expanding the program beyond the pilot group, and the fact that the program is sustainable is of great value, says Speeter. Adds Burritt, Lara was a really remarkable student. E For a variety of reasons, individuals who have persistent mental illness are also at higher risk than the general population for physical illness. To further compound the challenges, psychiatric medications may have side effects that lead to or exacerbate physical health issues ANNUAL EDITION 29

32 Are the students coming today? KCON s partnership with Grand Rapids Housing Commission L ike many great ideas, the partnership started small. Twelve years later, it s an example to follow. Our relationship has blossomed and become an incredible opportunity for us as well as the students, says Grand Rapids Housing Commission (GRHC) Deputy Executive Director Hattie Tinney, chair of the KCON advisory board. Today the students are the front door to health care for the residents. Six GRHC developments providing housing for low-income seniors and disabled individuals currently serve as sites for KCON community health rotations, with more on the horizon. All KCON nursing students have community health experiences in their curriculum, says Elaine Van Doren, one of the KCON faculty members teaching students at GRHC s Mt. Mercy development. In each course they get experience working with people outside of acute care settings. The housing commission is a wonderful partner. We work very closely with them to make sure we re meeting the needs of their community while offering high-impact learning opportunities for our students, adds Van Doren. Our objective is to co-design experiences. An eye opener It is incredibly eye opening for students in the beginning, Van Doren notes. Vulnerable populations can face significant challenges accessing health care. And, as the students listen, perspectives change dramatically. They come in thinking people don t get health care because they don t care. But when they find out clients don t have insurance or don t have the money, they begin to see the limits of our health care system. They learn things like what the culture of poverty means to never in your whole life have had enough money to really feel safe. Building bonds One of the first, most important steps is hearing people s stories, shares Meridell Gracias, a KCON faculty member teaching at GRHC s Adams Park development. the kind of challenges they deal with on a daily basis, whether they be mental, financial, social or physical. We want nursing students to form relationships, enhance people s health and look for ways to advocate for them. Gracias and Van Doren emphasize the partnership works because it benefits the agency, the residents and the students a reciprocal relationship by design. As the students use their clinical skills to help residents monitor their health, the relationships they form with them become therapeutic. The blood pressure check, to the client, is secondary, says Tinney. The socialization and the well-being that result from them seeing the student is incredible. The residents start teaching the students. They feel empowered and important in these students lives and their education. They have a bond. They will say, Are the students coming today? An idea of nursing At first, the experiences may not match the students ideas of nursing, Gracias says. Like when Adams Park residents asked for help planting a garden. Gardening isn t something you normally think of being a nursing activity. But in this case it was, because it helped increase the resident s access to healthy food. We design activities the students can do with the residents rather than simply for them, Gracias explains. It is much more impactful. Lack of exercise is another health issue for many residents. So Van Doren partnered with GVSU movement science professor Chris Dondzilla and KCON students to conduct an exercise study at Mount Mercy. The pilot study focused on walking and using resistance bands. The housing commission was really excited about being involved in the study, Van Doren says. They know seniors need physical 30 ASPIRE MAGAZINE: KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING

33 Photo with whiteboard: Dean Cynthia McCurren, Dr. Meridell Gracias and Hattie Tinney discuss opportunities for further collaboration. All other photos: KCON nursing students and faculty engage with GRHC residents during community health rotation. activity to stay healthy and independent, which is what everyone wants. And well-being goes beyond the physical. KCON students are taught to consider the whole person. Loneliness can be an issue for seniors. It s very easy to get isolated as you grow older, says Van Doren. One of our student groups developed a blessings tree. They worked with the residents to put together a quilt with the leaves of a tree on it, and the leaves represented the blessings people shared. The students don t end up looking at the residents as a big long list of needs they re able to see that for every need or problem, there is a strength or resilience, a story, Gracias said. The level of exceptional Nursing is not just about the technical tasks like changing dressings or giving pills, says Gracias. It is about meeting people where they are in a way that gives them dignity; really listening to their needs and figuring out ways to address them. KCON s partnership with Grand Rapids Housing Commission is built upon mutual understanding, respect and common goals. We prepare students with the clinical knowledge and critical thinking skills needed to deliver excellent care, said Cynthia McCurren, dean and professor at KCON. But we know it is when they seek to understand the patient s story that they reach the level of exceptional. We are grateful for the opportunities our partnership provides and for the privilege of contributing to the well-being of their communities. E Gracias, Tinney and GRHC s Executive Director, Carlos A. Sanchez, received the Distinguished Community Engagement Award in 2016 from Grand Valley for their work. The award criteria included mutual reciprocity, asset-based approach, student ownership and leadership, and sustainability ANNUAL EDITION 31

34 THE BONNIE WESORICK CENTER FOR HEALTH CARE TRANSFORMATION PROMOTING INTERPROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION THROUGH THE KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING The VISION of The Wesorick Center is to be the most relevant center by improving every aspect of person-centered care through scholarly work and by bringing together interprofessional students, faculty and community partners. The MISSION of The Wesorick Center is to lead the transformation of health care through scholarly research, projects and collaborative opportunities that join practice with education. Using an interprofessional approach, The Wesorick Center aims to address the issues within our nation s health care systems that adversely affect health outcomes. Greetings Everyone! Great News: 2017 formally marked the fifth-year anniversary opening of the Bonnie Wesorick Center! We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to continue Bonnie Wesorick s legacy work of transforming health care by creating the best places to give and receive care. The wisdom of Bonnie Wesorick and Dean McCurren brought forward a vision to educate future health care providers creating a place where education and practice could collaborate around challenging issues in health care. Recently, Manatt Health (2016) called for a cultural transformation to strengthen collaboration between academia and practice professionals making our work all the more important. The Wesorick Center is currently in the final stages of revising the strategic plan for the next five years. We are especially interested in all opportunities to listen, facilitate and educate others that expand our resources and projects to improve health outcomes for providers, patients and families. We continue to use the principles of partnership and dialogue that were threaded into Bonnie s work. As Bonnie likes to say, we is about connections and partnering relationships. We hope that you will join dialogue invitations to connect with us in the Wesorick Center. We are especially grateful for the gifts and support from our donors, advisory board members, community partners, faculty, staff and students, which help us to turn possibilities into realities. We are honored to do this work. We invite you to participate in the Distinguished Wesorick Lectureship, Polarity Thinking workshops and networking, or simply stop in to discuss the issues, problems or projects where we can assist you. Please keep the Wesorick Center in mind for your educational, collaborative projects and financial opportunities this year. Sincerely, Evelyn Clingerman Evelyn Clingerman, PhD, RN, FNAP, CNE Executive Director, The Bonnie Wesorick Center for Health Care Transformation 32 ASPIRE MAGAZINE: KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING

35 INTERPROFESSIONAL INSTITUTE FOR POLARITY THINKING OFFERS EDUCATION Embrace Wicked Problems: Supplement OR with AND Thinking An Interprofessional Undergraduate Issues Course Three Credits This course educates students from multiple disciplines on the values of polarity thinking and how it can transform their own thinking, educational and workplace experiences, differentiate problems from polarities and how to manage polarities over time to sustain change over time. Students will engage in discussion, analysis, reading, and activities that instruct them on how to use this valuable tool. International Conference for Polarity Thinking in Healthcare June 13 15, 2018 GVSU s Allendale Campus The legacy of today s interprofessional health care leaders will be the successful transformation of the health care system at the point of care. Most health care leaders and providers are masters of problem solving. However, the major issues haunting health care today are combinations of problems and polarities. The Polarity Institute brings foundational and advanced skills of Polarity Thinking to interprofessional teams in academia, research and practice. The sessions move from theory to daily realities. This workshop explores both simple and complex applications of Polarity Thinking and is intended for interprofessional clinicians, managers, executives, consultants, educators and researchers. E For more information, visit gvsu.edu/wesorick. Bonnie Wesorick leads discussion at 2017 conference THE DISTINGUISHED WESORICK LECTURESHIP CELEBRATES FIVE YEARS Victor J. Strecher, PhD, MPH To register visit: gvsu.edu/wesorick SAVE THE DATE: March 21, 6:00 p.m. GVSU Pew Campus, Downtown Grand Rapids Life On Purpose: How Living for What Matters Most Changes Everything March 2017 Scarred for Life: Healing Through Art - Lectureship and Art Exhibition Ted Meyer, Artist and Speaker October 2015 The Power of the Patient Story to Transform Healthcare Lauran Hardin, MSN, RN-BC, CNL November 2014 Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice: Advancing Person-Centered Care Thomas R. Viggiano, MD, MEd November 2013 Nursing Reconsidered Lisa Osborne-Smith, PhD, CRNA, CAPT, NC, USN Watch lectures at gvsu.edu/ wesorick/lectureship 2018 ANNUAL EDITION 33

36 SNA PRESIDENT S MESSAGE By Jamie Platt, Outgoing President, GVSU, SNA Grand Valley State University s (GVSU) Student Nurses Association (SNA) has received numerous accolades this past year, being recognized not only by GVSU, but also by the Michigan Nursing Student s Association (MNSA) and the National Student Nurses Association (NSNA). Being a member of this organization is to be a part of an incredible caliber of future nurse leaders and having access to many unique student opportunities. The SNA encourages members to be active in their school and community and supports their endeavors for leadership roles beyond GVSU s local chapter. Let s see how SNA has been fostering a culture of leadership, advocacy and volunteerism throughout the year! Nursing students develop professional leadership skills when they join SNA. Members often find themselves wanting to make an even bigger impact by holding leadership positions on SNA s board of directors, or at the state and national levels. Holding a national position has allowed one of our members to travel to New York City, San Diego and Nashville to present at the NSNA conferences and annual convention. What a lifechanging experience! SNA s Membership Director, Alexandra Zambito, speaks of leadership in this way: SNA has bridged what we learn in the classroom about the many roles we hold as nurses to real life practice. I m so grateful for all of the SNA opportunities that have allowed me to expand my leadership skills and advocate for my classmates and local and global communities. These experiences wouldn t be possible without the immense support we receive from faculty and KCON as a whole. The collaboration really creates the perfect storm to being the best nursing leader possible! SNA is undeniably well-supported by KCON faculty and staff. SNA members are given the opportunity to attend two NSNA conventions each year, which most recently took place in Dallas, Texas and Kansas City, Missouri. KCON s Dean McCurren states, Many of our KCON faculty are members of professional nursing organizations and recognize the importance of cultivating membership early in one s journey to become a nurse leader. Faculty therefore are supportive of student participation at NSNA conventions. SNA financially supports its members to attend these conventions so students can learn how to provide quality health care, how to effectively contribute to the nursing profession and to the community, and to aid in developing their professional role as a future nurse. SNA members continually return from these conventions excited about how they can individually and collectively make an impact on the nursing profession. Anyone who has attended a convention will tell you that it is one of the greatest benefits of being an SNA member! Nurses are advocates for safe, quality care of patients and for reducing care disparities in vulnerable populations. SNA members take part in community health and legislative activities that focus on making a difference. SNA has focused on the importance of advocacy by inviting students to attend nurse advocacy events in Lansing and bringing Michigan s former chief nursing executive, Jeanette Klemczak, to speak at an SNA meeting. The SNA s legislative committee also held a voter registration drive prior to the presidential election, signing up students and faculty to become registered voters and assisting those not originally from Grand Rapids on how to obtain a voting ballot. SNA takes pride in consistently educating its members on legislative issues that can have an influence on the nursing profession. It is important to take action, as passiveness does not lead to change. SNA s community health director, Maddie Jones, says, SNA has given me incredible leadership opportunities. We have been able to make an impact on KCON students and members of the community though community health projects. Some of these include cleaning up trash in local parks; providing childcare at breastfeeding support groups for women of color; assisting Helen DeVos Children s Hospital s injury prevention team with car seat inspections and helmet safety; measuring blood pressures at the YMCA and GVSU Farmer s Market; and teaching children about the importance of healthy nutrition and exercise at the Kroc Center. Recently SNA has focused on planning at least one community event each semester with the KCON Alumni Association and GVSU s Pre-Nursing Association. We encourage you to stay connected with the KCON Alumni in order to take part in these partnered events and be a role model to all of the nursing students! This has been such a fantastic journey for SNA and the organization wants to thank KCON faculty and staff for their support! It is so important to be involved with a nursing organization in order to develop the skills you need to be a professional nurse. SNA meetings are always open to alumni who want to join or who may wish to present on a topic they are passionate about; please President@gvsusna@gmail.com to get an updated schedule each semester. SNA is looking forward to another very productive year go Lakers! E ASPIRE EDITOR S NOTE: Jamie Platt is a mother of three and nursing graduate (December 2017). She was one of six students in the state selected to receive the Michigan Campus Compact s Outstanding Community Impact Award. Fall 2017 KCON Recognition Ceremony Memorable Moment My choice to become a nurse has been reaffirmed every time I have gone to a nursing student convention or conference. With all the turmoil happening in our country it sometimes feels that my voice alone cannot make a difference. Then I go to one of these conventions and I am surrounded by like-minded students from across the country, wanting to make positive changes in their communities too. These fellow nursing students inspire me to keep pushing forward into uncharted territories and remind me that a leader is true to themselves and that one voice really can make a difference. I am so thankful that KCON supports involvement in the Student Nurses Association. E Jamie L. Platt 34 ASPIRE MAGAZINE: KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING

37 KCON is NSNA Stellar School Chapter of the Year By Michele Coffill, University Communications, GVSU The National Student Nurses Association wasn t kidding when it announced Grand Valley as recipient of its Stellar School chapter of the year for the academic year. Grand Valley s SNA chapter did indeed have an outstanding year, earning recognition at the national, state and local levels. Alyssa Wrubel, the chapter s communications director, attributed the success to support from Kirkhof College of Nursing faculty and staff members, community partnerships and student leadership. We are really making a difference as a prenursing association, Wrubel said. The NSNA recognizes stellar school chapters as those that demonstrate a commitment to professional development, shared governance and community involvement. Grand Valley was among three institutions recognized at NSNA s April 2017 convention in Texas; the others were Clemson University and University of Southern Indiana. SNA AWARDS WON SINCE 2004 Long-time SNA faculty advisor Nancy Carlson mentored the group through fall 2017, while Angela Caruso serves as the student organization advisor. Both Nancy and Angela encouraged us to set goals and go above and beyond those goals, Wrubel said. Last February, Grand Valley s SNA was named Michigan s chapter of the year at the annual convention in Ann Arbor. One of the award criteria included writing a successful legislative resolution, which was later adopted at the national convention. Written by SNA president Jamie Platt, the resolution focused on increasing awareness and education of breastfeeding in African American and black communities. Also in April 2017, the SNA earned two Grand Valley Student Life awards, including the Shelia Williams Outstanding Organization. The chapter also earned the Care for Community Award for its event, Comedy for a Cause. E SNA BOARD Top left: Madeline Jones, Community Health Director Top Middle: Taylor Teitsma, Vice President Top Right: Jamie Platt, President Middle Left: Alyssa Nielsen, Breakthrough to Nursing Director (BTN) Middle: Hadley Knudsen, Volunteer Director Middle Right: Chloe Dansereau, Curriculum Director Bottom Left: Alyssa Wrubel, Communications Director Bottom Middle Left: Nhi Doan, Treasurer Bottom Middle Right: Elaine Jarzeboski, Membership Director Bottom Right: Ciara Householder, Secretary 2017 n GVSU Student Life Recognition Award Sheila Williams Outstanding Organization n GVSU Student Life Recognition Award Care for Community Award (Comedy for a Cause) n NSNA Stellar School Chapter Award n NSNA Robert V. Piemonte Financial Excellence Award n Michigan Nursing Students Association (MNSA) 2016 Chapter of the Year Scholarship (Presented at the MNSA Annual Convention in January 2017) n MNSA Fundraising Award n MNSA Nursing Student of the Year Award (Nicole Gustin) 2016 n NSNA BTN Project of the Year Award (Girl Scouts Explore Nursing), presented at the 2016 NSNA Convention in Orlando 2015 n NSNA Global Initiatives Project of the Year (Comedy for a Cause), presented at the 2015 NSNA Convention n NSNA Most Successful Breakthrough to Nursing Project, What Starts Here Changes Nursing, presented at the 2015 NSNA Convention n MNSA Chapter of the Year Scholarship 2014 n MNSA Chapter of the Year Scholarship 2012 n NSNA Most Outstanding School Newsletter Award 2011 n Grand Valley State University s Student Life Recognition Award for Outstanding Academic Program n Grand Valley State University s Student Life Recognition Award for Exemplary Internal Function Award n Grand Valley State University s Student Life Recognition Award for Most Successful Fundraising Award n MNSA Chapter Achievement Award n MNSA Outstanding Community Service Award n MNSA FUNdraising Award n MNSA In Support of Award n MNSA Chapter Achievement Award n MNSA Outstanding Poster Award 2009 n MNSA Community Health Project Award 2007 n NSNA Precious Metal Award (Platinum) n NSNA Certificate of Commendation for the 2007 Community Health Projects Program n MNSA Outstanding Community Health Services 2005 n NSNA Precious Metal Award (Platinum) 2004 n NSNA Precious Metal Award (Platinum) 2018 ANNUAL EDITION 35

38 Talking with Sophia Sophia Blackwell, BSN senior, was awarded a Mary Free Bed Minority Scholarship for She also was selected for the Veterans Administration s VALOR Program an honors program that provides an opportunity for students to develop competence in a nursing specialty area. That said, why did you choose Grand Valley? I had a career class in high school, and my neighbor sitting next to me was Googling Grand Valley s campus and I said, That s really pretty. Then Grand Valley came and spoke to my school a little bit about KCON, and that s what got me super interested. [A week later] I got interviewed in my high school library and was accepted right there on the spot! I couldn t believe it. What does receiving the Mary Free Bed Minority Scholarship mean to you? Oh, it means so much. I actually cried when I got it because I was really scared about how I was going to pay for this year. It lifted a lot of pressure off my shoulders as a student. I work a lot and pay for my own tuition and my rent. It got to the point where I didn t think I could pay for school anymore because I was burning out and I didn t want to lose focus from nursing school from working so much. So it means a lot getting the scholarship. I feel so very blessed. Sophia looks at life through a social justice and compassionate lens, said Angela Caruso, Sophia s academic advisor. We often talk about her future, the people she can help and the change she can make as a nurse. I know in my heart that she will be an agent of change in this world. Aspire talked with Sophia about her life as a nursing student and her vision for her future in nursing. Why did you choose nursing? Well, my dad s always wanted me to become a nurse. When I was younger, probably from like six or seven years old, I remember my dad saying, You re going to be a nun or a nurse; you get to pick. I swear to goodness this is what made me do it! Sophia Blackwell (above, second from left) is shown with her award from the Mary Free Bed Diversity Scholarship Event. From left to right in the picture are: Hang Do - BSN Program, Sophia Blackwell BSN Program, Aquandralyn Bajric - BSN Program, and Maju Wilhelm, DNP-Health Systems Leadership track. What does being selected for the VA s VALOR Program mean to you? I really like being here and it s just a joy. I want to be a psych nurse, so I ll get a feel for all these different areas related to psych while I m here. And my dad is a veteran as well. Veterans are very close to my heart because they serve our country. It is, I hope, my way of giving back at least I can serve them here. And I m proud because I m being recruited into the VA, which is my dream job. What advice would you give other young people considering nursing as a career? I would encourage them to follow through. I know it can be difficult but definitely follow through and pursue it, because it s one of the greatest things I ve ever done. I m so proud to be a student nurse. If you could share one idea with the world, what would it be? You never know what s going on in someone s life, so don t let someone ruin your day and don t ruin someone else s day because maybe they did something you didn t like smiling at them instead of frowning at them could make a world of difference. I just keep smiling. Give people the benefit of the doubt and just keep truckin. E 36 ASPIRE MAGAZINE: KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING

39 One of the best decisions I ve made Erni Ensing on earning her RN to BSN ( 16) at KCON Advancing my nursing education at Grand Valley is one of the best decisions I ve made, says Erni Ensing, Kirkhof College of Nursing (KCON) RN to BSN alumna. The professors are genuinely committed to student success, and the hybrid format made it possible for me to find balance. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing, of which KCON is a member, encourages registered nurses to pursue Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees, observing, Nurses with BSN degrees are wellprepared to meet the demands placed on today s nurse. BSN nurses are prized for their skills in critical thinking, leadership, case management and health promotion, and for their ability to practice across a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings. KCON s RN to BSN degree program is taught in a hybrid format with a combination of on-site and online classes. Students typically complete the program in two years of part-time study. My desire to pursue nursing really came alive when I arrived in the U.S. I watched a close family member suffer with complications of disease, and I did what I could to help. I wanted to be able to do more, shares Ensing, who now works with patients experiencing complex medical issues in a progressive care unit. Ensing felt a strong connection to the care providers in the village where she grew up and was inspired by her mother and grandmother to appreciate the importance of change, challenge and decision making. She credits KCON s professors and Grand Valley s student success resources for providing the assistance she needed to balance her coursework, English as her second language, caring for her young family and working full time. Erni was open to new experiences and learning all she could about the profession of nursing, says Susan Strouse, assistant professor teaching in KCON s RN to BSN program. Her eyes were opened to caring for individuals and populations in a community-based setting and to being a change agent within an organization. Erni grew as a professional nurse and as an individual, transformed by her new knowledge and experiences. Ensing adds, Completing my BSN at KCON was a phenomenal experience, and I am very proud to be a Laker Nurse for a Lifetime. Update: Upon completion of the RN to BSN program, Ensing enrolled in KCON s Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN) program with the hopes of becoming a Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL). E Article by Kelley Monterusso, director of communications and external relations, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI KCON Alums: We Want You! We are a vibrant, active organization and want all Kirkhof College of Nursing (KCON) alumni to be a part of it. You will enjoy many benefits from connecting with us and engaging with our chapter. ACCESS to information, alumni benefits, events and continuing education OPPORTUNITIES for new experiences, networking with other alumni, giving back through support for current KCON students and alumni INVOLVEMENT with our community keeps the cycle of actively engaged Laker alumni going! Show your pride for your alma mater and your profession and connect with our chapter! How? Get connected! Visit our chapter page to learn about events and opportunities. You can also get connected via social media from this page: gvsu.edu/alumni/ kirkhof-college-of-nursing-alumnichapter-66.htm Give back: Use this link to give back directly to our KCON Alumni Association Scholarship and help us create more opportunities for KCON students: gvsu.edu/giving/kconalum Need to get connected to Grand Valley again? Use this link to update your contact information with the university to ensure you receive all alumni updates: gvsu.edu/alumni Thank you for everything you do as nursing professionals to better our world, both near and far. Please consider joining our chapter and giving back to the place that helped you realize your dream to become a nurse. We can t wait to meet you! From the president of the KCON Alumni Association Tracy Hosford, MSN, BSN ( 02), AGCNS-BC, PCCN 2018 ANNUAL EDITION 37

40 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY KIRKHOF COLLEGE OF NURSING SUITE 300 COOK-DEVOS CENTER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 301 MICHIGAN STREET, NE GRAND RAPIDS, MI Cape Coast, Ghana Twenty four Grand Valley State University nursing students spent two intense weeks in Africa, studying and learning about global health, community health and public health in a way no textbook could ever replicate.