About the School - Dean's Monthly Communication

Dean's Monthly Communication: June 2006

Message from Dean Woods
This is the time of the year when we are reminded about our core mission—educating the future nursing clinicians, educators and researchers. On June 9 we will participate in the School of Nursing Convocation. This is our opportunity to come together and celebrate what each of us does in the School of Nursing to contribute to our mission -- growing people. As we help students prepare their admission applications, register for courses, celebrate their successes and grow from the inevitable challenges along the way, we each are a part of a very significant contribution to the population of Washington state and to the world. Thank you all for doing such exceptional work!
—Nancy Fugate Woods, PhD, RN, FAAN

Program News
HEC Board Approves DNP Proposal
The collaboration of several UW faculty members and administration resulted in a watershed moment: The Higher Education Coordinating (HEC) Board approved the school's proposal for a doctor of nursing practice (DNP) program on May 25.

Sue Woods, associate dean for academic programs, and Marie-Annette Brown, professor in FCN and chair of the DNP Task Force/Curriculum Committee, presented the proposal to the HEC Board's Education Committee, resulting in a vote for approval. At the UW Regent's meeting on June 8, the proposal was presented for the regents' endorsement. I also wish to acknowledge Ana Mari Cauce, executive vice provost, Kristen Swanson, chair and professor in FCN, and Phyllis Wise, provost, for their roles and support in advancing the process.

Campaign UW: Creating Futures Update
To date, the School of Nursing has reached 83 percent of its fundraising goal of $24 million, which will support faculty, students and programs. The campaign continues through June 2008.

Professorship Appointments
Eleanor Bond, professor, Dept. of BNHS, has been named the Susan and Michael Cummings Term Professorship in Nursing. Bond is recognized for her leadership in graduate education and her efforts to improve access to both nursing graduate education and health care. The five-year professorship was established to enhance the school's ability to recruit and retain top-ranked faculty.

Frances Marcus Lewis, professor, Dept. of FCN, is the recipient of a University-wide Virginia and Prentice Bloedel Professorship. Lewis is internationally recognized for her research on and successful therapies for the effect of life threatening diseases, such as breast cancer, on families and children. The Bloedel Professorship is a five-year award that rotates among UW schools to help retain outstanding scholars and teachers.

Elaine Adams Thompson, professor, Dept. of PCH, is the recipient of the five-year Sandra and Peter Dyer Term Professorship in Nursing, created to assist the school in recruiting and retaining distinguished faculty. Thompson is recognized for her expertise in adolescent suicide prevention and is a founding member of the UW's Reconnecting Youth Prevention Research Program.

Honors and Awards
Barbara Cochrane, assoc. professor, Dept. of FCN, will be inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing in November. Induction in the academy is acknowledgement of a career of leadership and of making a difference in health care.

Betty Lucas, lecturer in FCN, received the American Dietetic Association Foundation Award for Excellence in Community Dietetics. Her award was in recognition of her leadership, teaching, and practice, which she does through the Center on Human Development and Disability.

New Grant Awards
Congratulations to the following faculty for new grant awards received in March and April:

Patricia Butterfield, chair and professor, Dept. of PCH,
Project: Environmentally Responsible Health Care

Carole Hooven, research scientist, Dept. of PCH
Project: Understanding Parent Retention in Indicated Prevention

Huong Nguyen, asst. professor, Dept. of BNHS
Project: Dyspnea Self-Management: Internet or Face-to-Face

Brooke Randell, research assoc. professor, Dept. of PCH
Project: Administrator's Guide to RY Implementation

Elaine Thompson, professor, Dept. of PCH
Project: CAST Intervention for Reducing Adolescent Risk Behaviors

First Electronic Grants Submitted
Hilaire Thompson, post-doctoral fellow, Dept. of BNHS, and Ya-Mei Chen, acting asst. professor, Dept. of PCH, submitted SON's first electronic R03 grants. Sandra Motzer, assoc. professor, Dept. of BNHS, was the first to submit an R21 and Barbara Cochrane, assoc. professor, Dept. of FCN, submitted the second electronic HRSA grant. Cindy Cowen, program coordinator, Dept. of BNHS; Joyce Nakamura, program coordinator, de Tornyay Center for Healthy Aging; and Jennifer Snow, grant specialist, Office for Nursing Research, provided staff support for the grants. Congratulations to all and thank you for being the groundbreakers.

Staff
Susan Lee-Pullen will serve as assistant to the chair in the Dept. of FCN beginning June 9. She comes to the position after working as a program coordinator in FCN.

Educational Innovations
Impact Project Completed
EI has recently completed development of the IMPACT Training Web site for the Department of Psychiatry. IMPACT is an evidence-based model of care that helps primary care physicians and mental health providers collaborate effectively to treat depression. This free course is intended for registered nurses, nurse practitioners, social workers, psychologists, counselors, physicians, managers, administrators, case managers and other health and social service providers who work with medically ill adults. Course includes: custom video vignettes, audio annotated Breeze lectures, Case Studies, quizzes and can be taken for CE Credit.

NP & PA Post-graduate Rheumatology Training Program
EI has partnered with Basia Belza, assoc. professor, Dept. of BNHS, and the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), a national organization based in Atlanta, on a two-year project to develop an 18-module Web-based training program and a hands-on training course. The Web-based curriculum will provide adult and pediatric nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) with the basic knowledge and clinical skills to work in a rheumatology practice. EI will help shape the educational framework and collaborate with the ACR technical team to design site architecture and function.

Continuing Nursing Education
Record Number of Nurses Complete 2006 Med-Surg Review Course
A record 141 nurses in Spokane, Sunnyside, Bellingham, Anchorage and Seattle completed a three-month intensive med-surg review course sponsored by UWMC and SON (Jan-April 2006). Nurses at eight sites accessed the course live and via telecast and videostream. More than 80 percent plan to pursue certification in the coming year.

Newsletter Archive
Find other issues of the Dean's Monthly Communication.