Dean's Monthly Communication: December 2007

MESSAGE FROM DEAN WOODS

This is both a hectic and peaceful time of year for many of us. There is a rush to prepare special foods, buy gifts and celebrate holidays with family and friends. As a musician in my pre-nursing life, I recall participating in many rehearsals and performances at holidayconcerts. As I listened to the UW Chamber Singers perform last week, I was reminded of the metaphor that making wonderful music provides for our functioning as high-performing teams.

At several points in the performance, the person conducting the chorus changed - several students as well as the faculty director took turns leading the choir. Despite those transitions, the chorus performed beautifully, responsive to each conductor's interpretation of the piece. When soloists stepped forward to sing, therest of the chorus balanced their voices to allow the soloist to be heard. Together they coordinated the timing, speed, volume and interpretation of the music in which many voices joined to offer a single performance.

What we didn't see were the hoursof rehearsals, the mistakes and the intense individual practice. In our school, we all lead and follow, work with formal and informal leaders, and orchestrate efforts to provide polished performances in teaching classes, researching health issues and caring for those who need us.

I look forward to continuing to be part of the many fine teams in the school and participating more fully in those polished performances in years to come - including our rehearsals and practice sessions!  May 2008 bring each of you good health and much happiness as it brings our school a new dean and many new opportunities!
        

CAMPAIGN UW: CREATING FUTURES UPDATE

An estate gift from Bette Sholund of $100,000 will create the Helen Campbell Sofranac Memorial Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship was named in honor of Sholund's sister, Helen, who was a nurse. The gift will be matched with $50,000 through the Students First campaign.

A $10,000 gift from the Gertrude Skelly Charitable Foundation will create a new Emergency Student Support Fund. The funds will assist SoN students encountering a crisis that otherwise would prevent them from attending school.

MARILYN HAMMER, PhD student and predoctoral associate, Dept. of BNHS, participated in the Graduate Students First fundraising team in the Seattle marathon last month. The Graduate Students First fund supports UW graduate students in their pursuit of higher education. To donate to the Graduate Students First fund, go to: http://uwfoundation.org/graduatestudentsfirst

Interested in supporting the school? End-of-the-year gifts can be made online through this link: http://uwfoundation.org/giving_opps/school_college_campus_opps/nursing.asp

SON IN THE NEWS

NANCY WOODS, The Robert G. and Jean A. Reid Endowed Dean in Nursing, and prof., Dept. of FCN, was featured in a Nov. 10 Everett Herald article about the Providence Everett Healthcare Clinic and its expanded mental-health services.

ELEANOR BOND, prof., Dept. of BNHS, also was featured in the article for her role in providing and facilitating health-care services at the clinic.
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20071110/NEWS01/711100031

The November issue of Seattle's Child magazine featured a story on "The Incredible Years," a program developed by CAROLYN WEBSTER-STRATTON, prof., Dept. of FCN and founding director of the UW Parenting Clinic. The program coaches parents and other caregivers to reward positive behavior in children, promote confidence in their children and manage emotions - both their children's and their own. http://www.seattleschild.com/1107-2.htm

Three SoN students or graduates were featured in arecent UW Daily story on nursing as a career choice: http://thedaily.washington.edu/article/2007/11/27/whenIGrowUpIWantToBeANurse

A UW study has found that, in general, women are equitably represented across campus when compared to men, but with some notable exceptions, according to a UW Daily story. "In one extreme comparison, women hold 90 percent of the School of Nursing degrees, while women hold only 18 percent of the School of Engineering degrees." MARCIA KILLIEN, prof., Dept. of FCN, chairs the President's Advisory Committee on Women, which produced the report, and NANCY WOODS serves on the committee.

http://thedaily.washington.edu/article/2007/12/4/studyFindsWomenUnderrepresentedInSomeFields

HONORS AND AWARDS

PAMELA MITCHELL, assoc. dean for research and Elizabeth Sterling Soule professor, Dept. of BNHS, became president of the American Academy of Nursing in November and will serve a two-year term in that post.

FACULTY
CHRIS HOYLE, on leave from FCN faculty and current DNP student, was recently awarded the Preceptor of the Year award at the annual Primary and Acute Care Conference in Seattle. Chris was nominated by her students for her work and clinical teaching. JOANNE SPRUNGER, clinical faculty, Dept. of BNHS, and a UW alum who teaches and precepts in the psych program, also received the Preceptor of the Year award for her work in mentoring students.

RANDY BEATON, prof., Dept. of PCH; BETTY BECKMEIER, asst. prof., Dept. of PCH; and ELIZABETH BRIDGES, asst. prof., Dept. of BNHS, were funded for an advanced nurse-education training grant award from HRSA focused on disaster and environmental-health nursing. Randy will serve as the PI, and Betty and Liz will be the Co-PIs. This three-year training grant supports two separate graduate certificate programs, including a new certificate in environmental-health nursing. Students and faculty can learn more at: http://www.nwcphp.org/btcurriculum/certificate
  
NOEL CHRISMAN, prof., Dept. of PCH; DORIS BOUTAIN, assoc. prof., Dept of PCH; and JENNY TSAI, asst. prof., Dept. of PCH, make up the CORE Team of the HRSA grant in Community Health transition to the DNP. They held two well-attended meetings with the Program Advisory Committee and the Capstone Advisory Committee this fall. The community meetings are laying the foundation for partnerships to promote the DNP in Advanced Practice in Community Health Systems Nursing and building relationships for the placement of students in Capstone residencies.

SUSAN LADIS, lecturer, Dept. of BNHS, has been approved to serve on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) NCLEX item development panel for the next two years.

NEW GRANT AWARDS

JEAN KELLY, co-director of the Center for Infant Mental Health and Development, prof., Dept. of FCN
Title: General Operating Funds for CIMHD
Sponsor: Gates Foundation
Abstract:
http://www.son.washington.edu/research/internal/GIS/ShowAbstract.asp?ProjectID=1120

MARGARET HEITKEMPER, Elizabeth Sterling Soule Endowed Chair and prof., Dept. of BNHS
Title: Recurrent Abdominal Pain in Children
Sponsor: Baylor College of Medicine
Abstract:
http://www.son.washington.edu/research/internal/GIS/ShowAbstract.asp?ProjectID=988

STAFF

Three new BNHS staff members have been hired: TARA MADHYASTHA is a data manager. DIANE COATS is a research coordinator. NANCY SLOUGH is project director. All are working on a new five-year R01 grant, Exercise after an ICD, with principal investigator CINDY DOUGHERTY, assoc. prof., Dept. of BNHS.


STUDENTS

Save your gently used clothes for the Harborview BSN's 3rd annual used clothing drive for needy individuals. The drive is planned for late January or early February, with more details to come.


ACADEMIC SERVICES

ADMISSIONS
MEPN Admissions: All competitive files are currently under faculty review, with interview invitations to be sent this month.
Recruiting: Monthly information sessions for the BSN, MEPN, MN and DNP programs continue.


COMBINED FUND DRIVE (CFD)
Through the Combined Fund Drive, you can donate to any of more than 2,600 nonprofit organizations that help feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, and augment disaster relief efforts at home and abroad. You can either use the form that came in the mail or donate online at: http://www.washington.edu/uwcfd/give.html

Don't forget our School of Nursing charities:
UW Nursing Excellence Fund
UW Nursing Scholarship Fund
UW Center for Excellence & Nursing Education
UW Center on Infant Mental Health & Development Excellence Fund
UW deTornyay Center on Healthy Aging Endowed Fund
UW LCDR Donald G. Berg USN Endowed Scholarship.

STUDENT RECRUITMENT EVENTS

Saturday, Nov. 19, 2007: Making Connections
Monday, Nov. 19, 2007: CNE Immediate Response

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

NOTICE INVITING THIRD PARTY COMMENTS
MAY 19, 2008: Public comments are due for the nurse midwifery education program accreditation to be reviewed by the Division of Accreditation Board of Review for continuing accreditation in June 2008. Comments must be directly related to the continuing accreditation of this program. For more information, visit http://midwife.org/doa.cfm. Comments relating to the program should be sent directly to jburke@acnm.org.

CONTINUING NURSING EDUCATION

JANUARY
Jan. 30: The World of Diabetes Update 2008 http://www.son.washington.edu/cne/secure/display3.asp?SKU=08111-C
For more information, go to uwcne.org or call 206-543-1047.

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