Dean's Monthly Communication: February 2008

Message from Dean Woods

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Transitions in the School of Nursing continue on many levels. Some would say the rate of change is positively chaotic. When I visit other schools of nursing in the country, I learn that their faculties and staffs are in the midst of some of the same monumental changes. Many of the schools trying to implement DNP programs are in the same situation -- their last major curriculum launch was the PhD program.

 

When I think back to our PhD program's earliest days in 1978, we often were preparing a course right before we taught it. That will sound familiar to many here. But the scale of change is different now. The first PhD cohort consisted of only eight students, and faculty were in competition to teach those students. The DNP program is gaining momentum faster than we might have expected. This year, as we admitted only the second post-baccalaureate cohort, we have had more than 90 applications!

 

So -- we are working feverishly on a new program to make it outstanding for our students, yet we have not enjoyed the luxury of a gradual introduction with a small cohort. At the same time, we have clinical partners with an interest in seeing a Clinical Nurse Leader program offered at UW. How are we going to manage? We are all feeling a bit overwhelmed with the changes on the horizon, including new leadership for our school.

 

At our last Governing Council meeting, we decided we need more communication about all of the change in our school. Governing Council will meet monthly (more often if necessary) to facilitate communication across the faculty, staff, student and administrative groups. I will arrange meetings with Staff Advisory Council and groups of faculty (lecturers, assistant professors, associate professors and full professors) beginning next week. These sessions will provide an opportunity to raise issues and concerns about the changes we are experiencing. Everything is fair game for discussion.

 

I will do my best, in communication with Dean-designate Marla Salmon, to be sure that we provide a nearly seamless transition as she joins us this fall. I remain confident in our ability as faculty and staff to continue providing top-notch academic programs in our school. And I am certain we can pull these new programs together -- with your teamwork!

 

-- Nancy Woods

 

Campaign UW: Creating Futures Update

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A bequest gift of $695,000 from the estate of Dr. Brij Sharma will be added to the Joanne Sharma Endowed Fellowship, which he established in 2001 in honor of his wife. The gift qualifies for a Students First match. Joanne Sharma was a graduate of the UW School of Nursing who received her BSN in ’52 and her MA in ’59. She died in 2001, and Brij Sharma died last month.

 

SoN in the News

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“Nursing dean moving ‘up’ to teaching,” UWeek, Jan. 31, 2008:

A profile of DEAN NANCY WOODS as she prepares to retire from the deanship later this year.

http://uwnews.org/uweek/uweekarticle.asp?articleID=39404

 

“Home visits to children with asthma save in the long run,” Tacoma News Tribune, Feb. 7, 2008:

A commentary by JANET PRIMOMO, associate professor of nursing at UW Tacoma, urges expanded programs for home visits, noting that research has shown home visits by nurse-supervised outreach workers to children with asthma and their families are effective in helping manage asthma and improve quality of life.

http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/insight/story/272765.html

 

“Nurses Pivotal in Today’s Care,” Northwest Health, Winter 2008:

With more education, specialization and responsibility than ever, nurses are pivotal to the wellness of a broad mix of patients. This story in Group Health’s quarterly magazine features BARBARA TREHEARNE, Group Health’s executive director of nursing operations and assistant dean for clinical practice in the School of Nursing.

http://www.ghc.org/features/feature.jhtml?reposid=/common/features/story/20080101-Nurses.html

 

“Adventure, friendship and online dispatches along the Appalachian Trail,” Seattle Times, Jan. 28, 2008:

This feature story chronicles 2007 BSN graduate REBECCA SUDDUTH’S solo trek of the 2,175-mile Appalachian Trail.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/traveloutdoors/2004145726_trail28.html

 

“Treating the behaviors of Alzheimer’s disease,” UWeek, Jan. 17, 2008:

LINDA TERI, prof., Dept. of PCH, on the emotional, physical and cognitive well-being of those with dementia.

http://uwnews.org/uweek/uweekarticle.asp?visitsource=uwkmail&articleID=39060

 

  “Dean selected for UW School of nursing,” The UW Daily, Jan. 15, 2008:

MARLA SALMON, professor and dean of the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University, is succeeding NANCY WOODS as the next dean of the UW School of Nursing.

http://thedaily.washington.edu/2008/1/15/dean-selected-uw-school-nursing/

 

“Nursing dean to leave in June,” Emory Wheel, Jan. 21, 2008:

The Emory University student newspaper story about Salmon’s new position at the SoN.

http://www.emorywheel.com/detail.php?n=24898

 

Honors and Awards

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KUDOS to DAVID JONES of TIER for leading the SoN in achieving an important data milestone: the first data download of SoN applicant records from the Graduate School’s online application system, transforming weeks of laborious data entry into several days of record review. David worked with STEPHANIE KIRSCHNER and many members of the SoN staff to achieve this goal that will benefit students, staff and faculty. David and Stephanie also were nominated for the UW Distinguished Staff Award for their work on the school’s comprehensive project to create and maintain the Academic Services student database.

 

ANN KURTH, assoc. prof., Dept. of BNHS, is a recipient of the University of Washington Recognition Award for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute for her work in enhancing diversity in the school and university community. The award honors a commitment to addressing community needs, developing programs to improve the human condition, and efforts to protect and empower individuals.

 

Faculty

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KRISTIE BJORNSON, research asst. prof., Dept. of BNHS, will be the recipient of the 2008 APTA Pediatric Section’s Dissertation Award. She completed her PhD in the SoN in 2006. The title of her dissertation was Health, Quality of Life, and Physical Activity in Youth with Cerebral Palsy.

 

JOACHIM VOSS, asst. prof., Dept. of BNHS, was invited to a Mitochondrial Mini Symposium on Mitochondrial Proteomics for the NIH. He also was the session chair for the NINR Bed to Bench side Approaches to Fatigue.

 

 

New Grant Awards

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BASIA BELZA, prof., Dept. of BNHS

TITLE: Cross-State AoA Evaluation

SPONSOR: National Council on the Aging

ABSTRACT: http://www.son.washington.edu/research/Grants/ShowAbstract.asp?ProjectID=1124

 

Staff

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An all-school staff meeting is planned by the Staff Advisory Council on Feb. 26, 10:30a.m. to noon in T-661. Light continental breakfast will be served. Agenda items include a transition update from Dean Woods, an update on the staff survey and a group activity.

 

International Scholars

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January was a popular month for short-term visits to the SoN from international colleagues.

 

The school hosted Professors YOKO SOTA and MIKI SATO from Aichi Prefectural College of Nursing and Health in Japan. They discussed health assessment skill pedagogy with PHYLLIS CHRISTIANSON, lecturer, Dept. of PCH; BRENDA ZIERLER, assoc. dean for TIER; SUSAN WOODS, assoc. dean for academic services; and ARDITH DOORENBOS, asst. prof., Dept. of BNHS.

 

YUICHI IIZUKA led a group of scholars from University of Shimane Junior College in Japan to visit the SoN. With government funding, they are developing a pilot model of nursing curriculum in which community-based self-help groups are integrated. They discussed related issues with NOEL CHRISMAN, prof., Dept. of PCH, and MARY SHANDS, research consultant, Dept. of FCN, and shared their perspectives with SUE HEGYVARY, dean emeritus’s international-health class.

 

SOSAMMA LINDSAY led a group of scholars from Kiang Wu Nursing College of Macau to visit with DEAN NANCY WOODS; SUSAN WOODS; ERNIE TOLENTINO, research scientist, Dept. of BNHS; JUVANN WOLFF, director of the CENE (learning lab); and student FUQIN LIU.

 

Academic Services

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Student Scholarship & Fellowship Application Deadline Feb. 28 The School of Nursing has limited funds available for student scholarships and loans. Most of this support is determined by student need. For more information see: http://www.son.washington.edu/students/all_financialaid_son.asp and http://www.son.washington.edu/faculty/support/docs/SoNFinAidCriteria_11-15-07.doc.

 

Academic Services now offers a new web tool for prospective applicants unable to attend information sessions with tips for applying and a downloadable BSN information session. Thanks to JENNIFER HIXSON, program coordinator for graduate programs, for developing this. http://www.son.washington.edu/admissions/info/podcasts.asp

 

TIER

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Please welcome PAUL THACKER, who joined TIER in January in the newly created network specialist position. He was the systems/network administrator in charge of the network at SolutionsIQ. Paul will lead strategic planning, design, configuration, deployment, maintenance and operation of the SoN’s networked computing environment. He will share an office with BRIAN MCFARLANE in T-434.

 

Mark Your Calendars

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The 28th annual Elizabeth Sterling Soule lecture, the school’s annual public lecture, will be held Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. in Kane Hall, Room 120. The talk, “A Call for Reform: New Ways to Ease the Pain, Symptoms and Stress of Serious Illness,” will be followed by a panel discussion. More information:

https://go.washington.edu/uwaa/events/2008nursing_soule_lecture/details.tcl

 

The School of Nursing convocation will be held June 13 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. with a reception following at Meany Theater. Faculty will order regalia online through Oak Hall, and will need to pick up their regalia at the HUB in June.

 

The 2nd annual Center for Women’s Health & Gender Research Summer Institute, “The Long Road from Descriptive Studies to Interventions,” will be held June 19-20. This invited conference is open to faculty and staff at center partner institutions as well as School of Nursing faculty, staff, students and postdoctoral fellows. A brochure with more information will be available soon on http://www.uw-cwhr.org/default.asp or contact Kendra Hayward (khayward@u.washington.edu).

 

Continuing Nursing Education

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February

--Feb. 29: Annual Neuroscience Nursing Symposium—2008 Empowering Your Brain http://www.son.washington.edu/cne/secure/display3.asp?SKU=08108-C