Dean’s Monthly Communication: September 2008

MESSAGE FROM DEAN WOODS

***********************************************************

This is my final column as dean of the University of Washington School of Nursing.  What a momentous occasion as I leave you all with my most sincere appreciation for making the past 10 years a privilege and a pleasure – well, most of the time! We have had moments of triumph, discouragement, fun and hard work – all in the effort to achieve our mission. And we have enjoyed some achievements together that are worthy of celebration!

In education:

•       Maintaining our top ranking for our graduate programs in US News & World Report.

•       Contributing 128 new nurses per year from our BSN and GEPN programs. We increased our BSN enrollment from 64 to 96 in the face of state budget cuts and developed a graduate entry program for students who already have earned an undergraduate degree in another field.

•       Providing global health learning opportunities for approximately one-third of our undergraduate students each year. Last year, 39 students had international experiences in nine different countries, and we welcomed 15 visiting scholars from around the world.

•       Increasing access to our programs for nurses in rural and underserved areas through the development of technology-enhanced distance education.

•       Pioneering the DNP program, receiving federal funding to implement it, graduating our first DNP-prepared nurses in 2008, and setting the standard for the curriculum in the country.

•       Reaching more than 5,000 nurses in 47 states representing 900 employment settings through our continuing nursing education programs.

In research:

•       Achieving a high level of NIH and other federal funding relative to our state support to sustain research intensity and high-quality academic programs.

•       Establishing well-respected areas of research with international recognition, including in women’s health, dementia care, infant mental health, gerontology, risk reduction for adolescents, health disparities, patient safety and sleep.

•       Participating in the core science and career development leadership of the NIH-funded Institute for Translational Health Science.

In service and practice:

•       Collaborating in founding and maintaining the Providence Everett Healthcare Clinic as a site for caring for underserved people and educating our students.

•       Leading several national organizations, including the American Academy of Nursing.

•       Developing relationships with seven clinical partners in the Seattle area who have agreed to serve as assistant deans for practice and have contributed in-kind and financial support to the school.

In building the school’s culture:

•       Enriching our student and faculty populations with greater diversity, with the most diverse undergraduate class on campus.

•       Examining and refocusing efforts on work-family/work-life balance.

•       Preparing the next generation of senior staff and faculty leadership.

In fund raising:

•       Quadrupling the size of the endowment to support students, faculty and selected programs.

Soon, Marla Salmon will join you as dean, and together you will chart the course of the school for the next five to 10 years. I will look forward to being part of that effort after I return from sabbatical in October 2009. In the interim, I thank you all for your magnificent contributions to the School of Nursing and wish you all happiness, good health and continuing success in your academic ventures!

-- Nancy Woods

ADVANCEMENT UPDATE

************************************************************

A new $80,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation will provide scholarship support to expand the number of students in the GEPN program. The New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program grant was secured by SUE WOODS, assoc. dean for academic services; JULIE KATZ, asst. dean for academic services; and PATRICK TUFFORD, GEPN manager. The grant will allow the school to increase GEPN enrollment by eight students, from 24 to 32, for students enrolling in summer quarter 2009. The program was created to help alleviate the nursing shortage and increase diversity among nursing professionals.

Geraldine Allen has made a $25,000 gift to the School of Nursing to support a five-year term scholarship or fellowship for a student pursuing a career in nursing education. Mrs. Allen had started nursing school many years ago but could not afford to complete her studies. Now she is in a position to help others reach their goals. Mrs. Allen’s gift was facilitated by The Seattle Foundation.

SoN IN THE NEWS

***********************************************************************

“Nurse organization pickets at UW hospital,”

Seattle P-I, Sept. 3, 2008

Features Lorie Wild, asst. dean for clinical nursing practice and chief nursing officer, UWMC http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/377638_uwnurses04.html

“Proposal is reckless, unnecessary,”

Seattle P-I, Aug. 25, 2008

Guest column by Dean Emeritus RHEBA DE TORNYAY on assisted suicide.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/376408_antidignity26.html

FACULTY

***********************************************************************

DEBORAH WARD, assoc. prof., PCH, will join the faculty of the University of California at Davis on Sept. 16. She will participate in the development of their new Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing.

ROBERT BURR, BNHS Office of Nursing Research, has been promoted to research professor.

Four BNHS faculty members and students competed as a team this summer in the Mind Over Mountain Adventure Race, in the Cowichan Valley of Vancouver Island. The team, named “The Lost Researchers,” included ARDITH DOORENBOS, asst. prof.; TERESA WARD, post-doctoral scholar; MARILYN HAMMER, PhD candidate; and SETH WOLPIN, research asst. prof. The four completed a 30-kilometer course through rain and sun in just over six hours using sea kayaks, mountain bikes, swimming and orienteering.

A group of 10 UW health sciences faculty was selected for the Faculty Integrative Health Program, sponsored by the SoN. This group will participate in a yearlong, interdisciplinary program to explore concepts, practices and evidence related to integrative therapies. Hands-on instruction will be led by community practitioners, Bastyr University and UW faculty.

Members include nursing faculty JANET CADY, senior lecturer, FCN, and WEI-TI CHEN, research asst. prof., FCN. Also selected: Gail Anderson, PhD; Katherine Babington, MD; Richard Berger, MD; Jennifer Hoock, MD, MPH; Ileana Howard, MD; Helen Karl, MD; Taryn Lindhorst, PhD, LCSW; and Emily Wong, MD.

NEW GRANT AWARDS

***********************************************************************

JEAN KELLY, prof., FCN

Name: Operating Funds for CIMHD

Sponsor: Thrive by Five Washington

Abstract:

http://www.son.washington.edu/research/grants/ShowAbstract.asp?ProjectID=1280

JENNY TSAI, asst. prof., PCH

NAME: Determinants of Asian Immigrant Workers' Mental Health & Work Performance

SPONSOR: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

ABSTRACT:

http://www.son.washington.edu/research/grants/ShowAbstract.asp?ProjectID=1021

STAFF

*********************************************************************** .

BILL BRASTOW, formerly the school’s administrator, has accepted the new title of assistant dean for finance and administration.

THUY DAO has joined FCN as program coordinator for the nurse-midwifery, neonatal and perinatal specialty areas.

ERIC DODD started Aug. 26 as the new front-desk receptionist. Eric is a UW grad and has worked as a temporary employee in a number of UW departments, including most recently UW Technology Services.

KEVIN KOVACH, hired as BNHS administrative coordinator in 2006 and recently promoted to budget fiscal analyst, has moved to Reno, Nev. He accepted a position with Blackbaud, a company that provides technology solutions for nonprofit foundations.

STUDENTS

***********************************************************************

Julie Ward, MN-APCHSN student, was selected from more than 140 applicants from medicine, dentistry, nursing and pharmacy as a Paul Ambrose Scholar. The program prepares students in health professions to be leaders in addressing public-health challenges and is sponsored by the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research and the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

ACADEMIC SERVICES

***********************************************************************

New student orientation will be held Sept. 22 (Kane Hall) and Sept. 23 (Hogness Auditorium). Students will be in the T-wing the week of Sept. 15-19 for immunizations, photo ID and document check-ins. Focal-area sessions are scheduled for Sept. 22. Doctoral student welcome sessions are scheduled for Sept. 23.

Student Recruiting Venues

Sept. 23:               Dawg Daze

Sept. 26:               UW Day -- Educational Outreach in Eastern Washington

Oct. 1-3:               Advanced Practice in Primary and Acute Care (CNE)

Oct. 15:                North Seattle Community College Transfer Fair

Oct. 21:                Mountain to Sound Symposium, Critical Care Conference

Oct. 30-31:             CNE Medical Surgical Update

PROGRAM AND CENTER NEWS

***********************************************************************

The School of Nursing is offering a graduate certificate in environmental health nursing.  This certificate will provide training and skills needed to better understand, assess and mitigate environmental health hazards. We are also offering the Advanced Practice Environmental Health Nurse Certificate to prepare nurses for leadership by making a lasting impact on health through improving our responses to environmental conditions.  To find out more, see: http://www.son.washington.edu/admissions/certificates/apehns/

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

***********************************************************************

The popular CNE course 10-week online format will be offered again Sept. 15-Nov. 21. Designed for experienced registered nurses including nurse educators, the course provides a comprehensive review of medical-surgical nursing in a flexible learning environment tailored to busy health care professionals.

CNE has moved to its new location on the 11th floor of the University Tower (the old Safeco building).

Sept. 12-Dec. 5: Nursing Leadership and Management in Long Term Care http://uwcne.org/secure/display3.asp?SKU=08137-A-SP

Oct. 1-4: 31st annual Pacific Northwest National Conference on Advanced Practice in Primary and Acute Care http://uwcne.org/secure/display3.asp?SKU=08130-A-C

Oct. 4: Sleep Disorders: Behavioral and Pharmacologic Management http://uwcne.org/secure/display3.asp?SKU=08130-AB-C

Oct. 4: Saturday Skills Workshops for Health Care Providers (see above) http://uwcne.org/secure/display3.asp?SKU=08130-A-C

Oct. 30-31: 6th annual Medical-Surgical Nursing Conference http://uwcne.org/secure/display3.asp?SKU=08125-A-C

For more information, go to uwcne.org or call 206-543-1047.