www.musc.edu/nursing

Thinking AheAd:educATionAl innovATion

Lifelines

Spring | Summer 2013

MedicAl universiTy of souTh cArolinA college of nursing

V

8Fellows of the

American Academyof Nursing (FAAN)on faculty at CON

LEADING THE STATEEducating over 250 future primary care

nurse practitioners & educators

MUSC COLLEGE OF NURSING2012

FUNDED GRANTS

$ 3,879,764 $ 1,061,707 $ 256,531education practiceresearch

BUDGET

41 FULL-TIME

FACULTY

Awarded

in studentscholarships

3000 # of simulation activities by ourstudents

Ranked 21st in funding among U.S. colleges of nursing

21st

(2012)

30th

(2011)

48th

(2010)

14% of CON’s revenue comesfrom state appropriations

revenue

expenditures

under-represented

minority rate

30%

graduationrate for allprograms

94%

2012NCLEX-RN

exam pass rate

95%

{ }

of graduating students believe they made the right choice in selecting CON

of current students believe they are receiving a high quality education

94%97%

Current Enrollment - 440(183)BSN

MSN (43)

DNP (159)

PhD (55)

of faculty believe they

97%made the right choice inselecting MUSC CON.

patientencountersby faculty

practitioners

9,395

Best Online Graduate Nursing Programs

U.S. News & World Report

TOP 20RESEARCH

SCHOLARSHIPS

ACADEMICS FACULTY

BY THE NUMBERS

DOCTORALLY PREPARED85%of faculty are

$652,900

It has been said that the two institutions most resistant to change are

academia and health care. The belief in “business as usual” probably

accounts for the high costs and sometimes questionable outcomes of

these endeavors.

I am proud to say that our MUSC College of Nursing has fully embraced

change and the idea of disruptive innovations, as you will see in the

pages of this issue of Lifelines. In fact, in the past 10 years we have literally

transformed this College

of Nursing from one that

was small, contained and

comfortable in its niche to

one that is diverse, dynamic,

and on the cutting edge

of the changes that are

taking place in education,

research and health care.

This is reflected in our three

impressive achievements in

2012 that set us apart from

other colleges of nursing

across the country:

/ Ranked in the top 20 Best Online Graduate Nursing Programs

by US News and World Report

/ Ranked 21st in NIH research funding among all colleges of

nursing nationally

/ Leading the state by educating over 250 future primary care

nurse practitioners and nurse educators

So you may be wondering how did we accomplish this transformation?

The answer is clear and simple. First, we have a true team here in the

College – working together to move each aspect of our work forward

both individually and collectively. Second, we have a vision of greatness

linked to preparing nurses who will shape the future of health care. Third

and most important, we have a faculty and staff who embrace change, are

willing to take risks, have a thirst for both quality and innovation, and are

truly dedicated to the success of our students.

Together, we are constantly searching for new and better ways to do

our work. We live with the understanding that change means growth,

adaptation, experimentation and risk-taking. We have learned that it’s

easy to come up with new ideas but the hard part is letting go of what has

worked for us in the past but will soon be out of date. We also have learned

that one of the pitfalls of success is the belief that what we did yesterday

will be fine for tomorrow.

Here at the MUSC College of Nursing we believe that learning and

innovation go hand in hand and we truly are “thinking ahead.”

Gail W. Stuart, PhD, RN, FAAN

Dean and Distinguished University Professor

Gail W. Stuart,Dean

Jo Smith,Editor

Beth Khan,Design & Production

Mardi Long,Director of Student & Alumni Affairs

Laurie Scott,Director of Development

A publication of the Medical University of South Carolina

College of Nursing

PUBLiShed By

hAve feedBACK? SeNd CoMMeNtS to:

Jo Smith

Lifelines editorMUSC College of Nursing

99 Jonathan Lucas St., MSC 160Charleston, SC 29425-1600

smithjo@musc.edu(843) 792-3941

99 Jonathan Lucas StreetCharleston, SC 29425

www.musc.edu/nursing

MUSC NUrSeS ChANGe LiveS

PoStMASter: Send corrections to Lifelines, MUSC College of Nursing, 99 Jonathan Lucas St., MSC 160, Charleston, SC 29425-1600. © Copyright 2013 by the Medical University of South Carolina College of Nurs-ing. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced without permission from the Medical University of South Carolina College of Nursing.

volume Xi, issue 1 • Spring/Summer 2013

Lifelines

8Fellows of the

American Academyof Nursing (FAAN)on faculty at CON

LEADING THE STATEEducating over 250 future primary care

nurse practitioners & educators

MUSC COLLEGE OF NURSING2012

FUNDED GRANTS

$ 3,879,764 $ 1,061,707 $ 256,531education practiceresearch

BUDGET

41 FULL-TIME

FACULTY

Awarded

in studentscholarships

3000 # of simulation activities by ourstudents

Ranked 21st in funding among U.S. colleges of nursing

21st

(2012)

30th

(2011)

48th

(2010)

14% of CON’s revenue comesfrom state appropriations

revenue

expenditures

under-represented

minority rate

30%

graduationrate for allprograms

94%

2012NCLEX-RN

exam pass rate

95%

{ }

of graduating students believe they made the right choice in selecting CON

of current students believe they are receiving a high quality education

94%97%

Current Enrollment - 440(183)BSN

MSN (43)

DNP (159)

PhD (55)

of faculty believe they

97%made the right choice inselecting MUSC CON.

patientencountersby faculty

practitioners

9,395

Best Online Graduate Nursing Programs

U.S. News & World Report

TOP 20RESEARCH

SCHOLARSHIPS

ACADEMICS FACULTY

BY THE NUMBERS

DOCTORALLY PREPARED85%of faculty are

$652,900

Dean’s Column

A decAde of leAdership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Looking back on the past 10 years with Dean Gail Stuart at the helm

Thinking AheAd: educATionAl innovATion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Discovering innovative ways to educate the finest professional nurses

departments

ContentSfeatures

deAn’s coluMn ............................................................................................................. 1

Around The college ...............................................................................................15

focus on fAculTy .....................................................................................................19

sTudenT spoTlighT ...................................................................................................22

AluMni connecTions .............................................................................................. 24

giving bAck ................................................................................................................ 26

lines of life ............................................................................................................... 28

A decade of leadershipin virtually every area, the Musc college of nursing has prospered and grown under the exemplary decade-long leadership of dean gail stuart.

“As a leader, Dean Stuart has brought vision, energy, innovation, and determination

to the College of Nursing. At the same time, the entire Medical University campus has

benefited from Dean Stuart’s strong interprofessional focus and pioneering

work in using technology to advance the educational experience.”- DR. RAyMOND GReeNBeRG, MUSC PReSIDeNT

4 Lifelines Spring | Summer 2013

raises $1.5 million in private funds

for clinical simulation lab

Creates the Center for

Community health Partnerships

2007

Appoints the Ann darlington

edwards endowed Chair

in Nursing

Places Phd program entirely online

2006

State pledges $1.5 millionfor clinical

simulation lab

establishes the hispanic health

initiative

Graduates 100 BSN students

2005Graduates first Phd in Nursing

student

doubles BSN enrollment,

admits 50 students twice a year

Publishes first issue of

Lifelines magazine

2004

Creates Nursing technology

Center to support online

learning

2003

raises $4 million to double enrollment

of BSN program

establishesStethoscope Ceremony

for new BSN students

MUSC appointsdr. Gail Stuart

dean of the College of Nursing

2002

College of Nursing celebrates 125th

anniversary

State of the art clinical simulation

lab opens

Among first nursing

schools to receive robert Wood

Johnson foundation

New Careers in Nursing

Scholarship funds

125th

anniversary1883 - 2008

Embracing the past,

envisioning the future.

Medical University of South Carolina

College of Nursing

2008

1 of 6 sites in U.S. selected for

veteran’s Administration

Nursing Academy

SC Commission on higher education

approves openingof dNP program

CoN admits 47 students to dNP program

dean Stuart appointed to

NiNr National Advisory Council

2009

Appoints Coee endowed Chair and launchestechnology Applications Center for

healthful Lifestyles

CoN ranks 48th in Nih

funding among Colleges of Nursing

American Psychiatric Nurses

Association awards dean Stuart the distinguished

Service Award

establishes the Janelle Lester

othersen visiting Professorship in

Nursing

travels to Liberia with

the Carter Center to develop

curriculum to train mental

health nurses

2010

CoN ranks 30th in Nih

funding among Colleges of Nursing

obtains approval and funding for

renovation of CoN building

CoN partners with Johnson &

Johnson’s Campaign for

Nursing’s future to help alleviate

nationwide nursing shortage

2011

CoN ranks 21st in Nih funding among Colleges of Nursing

relocates CoN offices

to harborview office

tower to begin renovation

Co-chairs Joining forces

task force to develop faculty tool kit to assist

the needs of veterans and

their families

T A K I N G A C T I O N T O S E R V E A M E R I C A ’ S M I L I T A R Y F A M I L I E S

Publishes 10th edition

of her textbook, Principles and

Practice of Psychiatric Nursing

CoN earns top 20 ranking: Best online

Graduate Nursing Program

2012

As part of the only academic health sciences center in South Carolina,

the MUSC College of Nursing is on the cutting edge of health care practice, education and discovery. We excel not only in education, but also in the use of innovative technologies to enhance learning. We continue to discover innovative ways to educate the finest professional nurses who care, cure, and create new knowledge in improving the health of individuals, families, and communities and who are actively shaping the health care of tomorrow. >

Disruptive Innovation >

Digital music has eliminated vinyl records. Cell phones have

nearly extinguished traditional landlines. Digital cameras are

destined to eliminate the film processing industry. These are

examples of disruptive innovation, which is defined as the

process of developing new products or services to replace

existing technologies and gain a competitive advantage.

Disruptive innovation is a term coined by Harvard

Business School Professor Clayton Christensen in his 1997

book, The Innovator’s Dilemma. In the book, he describes

disruptive innovation as a process by which a new product

or service takes root initially in simple applications at the

bottom of an existing market and then relentlessly moves up

the market, eventually displacing established competitors.

6 Lifelines Spring | Summer 2013

>thinking aheadeducational innovation

Spring | Summer 2013 Lifelines 7

>thinking ahead

practitioner and clinical practice man-

ager for MinuteClinic in Charleston. “The

patients I speak to are impressed with the

ease of the visit, the professionalism pro-

vided by our nurse practitioners and the

convenience of e-prescriptions that can

be filled in the store or at another location

if the patient desires,” says Ms. Stabene.

“My practice at MinuteClinic allows me to

use my advanced practice nursing skills

in a setting where I not only treat the in-

dividual but manage their entire patient

experience.”

In 2011, Mr. Christensen joined

co-author, Henry eyring, to apply his

concept of disruptive innovation to

higher education in the book, The In-

novative University: Changing the DNA

of Higher education from the Inside Out.

Mr. Christensen explains that the disrup-

tor to the traditional university might be

a recession, which can lead to the rise

of for-profit schools or the prevalence

of high-quality online programs. The

authors suggest that to avoid the pitfalls

of disruption and turn the scenario into a

positive and productive one, universities

must change their institutional “DNA.”

According to the authors, online learn-

ing is a classic disruptive innovation

that has occurred in education. Over the

last decade, the College of Nursing has

emerged as a leader in online nursing

education, with the graduate program

earning a top 20 ranking in US News and

World Report’s 2013 Best Online Graduate

Nursing Programs. The PhD program is

offered entirely online and has grown to

be one of the largest in the country.

As millions of Americans continue

to gain health care coverage for the first

time under the Affordable Care Act, the

College of Nursing is educating doctor-

ally prepared advanced practice nurses

who can provide primary care for these

individuals through its online Doctor of

Nursing Practice (DNP) program. This

doctoral program and the PhD program,

fill the critical need for both nurse prac-

titioners and nursing faculty. In addition

to our online graduate education we

doubled our BSN enrollment to address

the nursing shortage in South Carolina.

In nursing, an example of a disruptive

innovation is MinuteClinic, the retail health

care division of CVS Caremark. In 2003,

QuickMedx, located in 10 supermarkets

and office buildings in the Minneapolis-St.

Paul area, was a convenient, walk-in health

care clinic that used nurse practitioners to

treat common ailments. That same year

it changed its name to MinuteClinic. Two

years later, MinuteClinic expanded nation-

ally by partnering with CVS Corporation.

This partnership changed the health care

delivery model by responding to consumer

demand, thus making access to high-qual-

ity medical treatment much easier for more

Americans.

Today, MinuteClinic is the country’s

largest walk-in medical clinic, with 600 lo-

cations in 25 states. The health care centers

are staffed by masters-prepared and doctor-

ally prepared, board-certified nurse practi-

tioners who specialize in family health care

and are trained to diagnose, treat and write

prescriptions for common family illnesses.

MinuteClinics are now inside 29 CVS

pharmacies in South Carolina offering

acute illness treatment, vaccinations and

prevention and

wellness ser-

vices seven days

a week.

College of

Nursing alumna,

Susan Stabene,

APRN, FNP-BC,

(MSN ‘08, BSN

‘02) is the nurse Stabene at MinuteClinic

What is

DisRuptive innovation ?disruptive innovation is the

act of bringing a simpler product closer to the consumer

at less cost but equal or improved quality.

Steve Jobs loved music. he wasn’t a musician or a sound

engineer. he wasn’t a music producer and

his primary focus was not on selling music to the masses. however,

he changed the consumer music experience and the music

industry when Apple released the iPod. With his business and

technology knowledge, he launched a business model that forever changed the industry as

well as its customers.

“turning bricks into clicks.” that was the mantra of many banking analysts in the late 1990s when they

boldly predicted the demise of banks’ brick and mortar branches.

their outlook was that banking consumers were going to

abandon the branch in favor of alternative outlets, such as AtMs,

the Web and more recently, mobile devices.

Air travel was once considered unaffordable for many business

travelers and families. today, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue

and other low-cost carriers have landed into the market thus making air travel

commonplace, and often cheaper than taking the train.

examples of

DisRuptive innovation

{ {“The most powerful mechanism of cost reduction is online

learning. All but the most prestigious institutions will effectively have to create a second, virtual

university within the traditional university…”

ClAyToN M. ChriSTeNSeN & heNry eyriNg,

The iNNovATive UNiverSiTy

8 Lifelines Spring | Summer 2013

Dedicated Education Unit > Nurse executives, clinical nurses and nurse faculty at MUSC

partnered to initiate an innovative clinical education model

called the Dedicated education Unit (DeU). A commitment

was forged to develop the pilot project focusing on the DeU

as a model for providing quality clinical education, as well as

promoting excellence and evidence-based nursing on the

unit.

So what is a DeU and how does it differ from what we

already do in clinical education? A DeU can be described as a

well-organized, stable unit, noted for exceptional patient care.

Nurses on the DeU with excellent teaching skills, knowledge

and expertise serve as clinical preceptors/instructors and

expand the teaching capacity of the College of Nursing. The

ancillary personnel are focused members of the team and

actively involved in the learning experiences of the students.

It is evident on this type of unit that everyone on the interpro-

fessional health care team embraces the students as part of

the team and culture of the unit.

This innovative clinical education model facilitates our

senior students’ transition into the roles and responsibili-

ties of the professional nurse. The students in the DeU Model

completed all clinical hours and assignments just like the

students in the Traditional Model. Rather than working with

a faculty member in a 1:7 ratio in the Traditional Model, each

student in the DeU was assigned to a clinical preceptor with

clinical and teaching expertise, who worked days, nights and/

or weekends. The student worked in a one to one relationship

with their assigned clinical preceptor during the preceptor’s

normal shifts, which included three 12-hour shifts per week

for five weeks, for a total of 152 clinical hours. Three additional

weeks were allocated for make-up hours (if needed), addition-

al leadership/management activities, project presentations

and case study seminars.

Clinical preceptor training at MUSC was the primary way

of preparing the hospital nurses for their role as clinical

preceptors. In addition to a detailed self-paced computerized

clinical preceptor educational program and in-services, the

clinical preceptors received a one to one orientation to the

curriculum and teaching/learning strategies by the faculty.

Frequent site visits to the students/clinical preceptors con-

tinued throughout the semesters to be sure that the DeU was

functioning as developed by the partners and questions were

answered as they arose.

When asked if the capstone clinical experience was ben-

eficial to the clinical preceptors in assisting with their own

professional growth, all comments were extremely positive.

“The consistency of one to one clinical preceptor to nursing

student relationship gave me an opportunity to recognize my

own strengths and weaknesses as a preceptor and provided

me opportunities to improve and grow in that role,” wrote one

preceptor. Another said the experience enhanced her teach-

ing skills and led to more in-depth teaching with patients.

When asked if the DeU clinical experience better prepared

the seniors for a position as a new graduate, again all re-

sponses were positive. “Students gave very detailed reports,

used evidence-based practice bundles, and delegated appro-

priate tasks to clinical associates,” read one response. Another

preceptor noted the students collaborated with various pro-

fessionals from the interprofessional team, and that there was

integration of evidence-based nursing research in practice.

The senior students were thrilled with the experience and

have stated that experiencing the role of the professional

nurse in “the real world” was the best way to see what they will

be doing when they begin their careers after graduation. They

all stated that it was wonderful to be working on a unit that

was so welcoming and relished in helping the students learn

to be a part of a health care team.

One student noted, “I can say with confidence that I am

excited to start my career. This experience has increased my

innovations > in graduate education

innovations > in undergraduate education

stamina for time spent on the clinical floor, working the

‘standard’ three 12-hour shifts per week, and increased my

determination to further my career and education.”

Since the inception of the DeU at MUSC, Roper/St. Francis

Healthcare and the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center also

have partnered with the College of Nursing with an additional

nine units actively involved as DeUs.

Looking ahead, the College of Nursing will strive to contin-

ue developing these types of DeUs and forming partnerships

with strong patient care units in the Charleston area.

Flipping the Classroom > Nursing is more than a lecture recorded on Tegrity, bullets on

a PowerPoint, multiple choice test items, dictation style class

notes, and rote memorization. Nursing is entering a patient

setting and being able to connect, communicate, think, rea-

son, problem solve, manage resources, anticipate, protect and

advocate. This essential skill set is not an automatic “deliver-

able” for a nursing program. The student and faculty must en-

gage in the interactive, experiential and dimensional process

of learning. To gain this essential skill set we have “flipped”

the classroom leading to the demise of the lecture as we have

come to know it.

There is no one model or standard definition for “flipping”

the classroom. Key terms include reverse teaching, back-

wards classroom, and blended learning. A “flipped” classroom

is a specific type of design that uses technology to provide

lectures that occur outside the classroom and learning activi-

ties that move inside to the class. It was first introduced in the

K-12 classrooms with the literature now expanding to higher

education.

The College of Nursing does not have a defined or pre-

scriptive method for “flipping” the classroom. The under-

graduate faculty are presenting materials in a manner that

facilitates application with connections of concepts to patient

care. The classroom strategies include case studies and appli-

cation questions during class, group activities, peer presenta-

tions, youTube - the sky is the limit. Clickers provide a timely

vehicle for determination of material comprehension. Nancy

Duffy, DNP, RN, CEN, CNE, director of the undergraduate

program states, “It’s not the death of the lecture, but rather

thoughtful, planned use of lecture time with interactive dia-

logue and learning.”

The challenges for the student are that they must flip their

learning expectation from everything I need to know, to

the discovery of knowledge and how to use it. This can be

unsettling. For faculty, this learning environment requires

thoughtful planning and far more preparation time than just

a standard PowerPoint lecture. Dr. Duffy explains, “The plan

going forward is to evaluate student-learning outcomes along

with faculty and student feedback in order to fine-tune the

flipped approach. Our goal is a safe, quality nurse providing

care in all types of settings.” MUSC students from nursing, medicine, pharmacy and health professions assess a human patient simulator in a simulated interprofessional rounding experience.

innovations > in graduate education

innovations > in undergraduate education

“I was able to follow a patient through pre-op care, watch her abdominal hysterectomy surgery, and complete her post-op care until discharge...all experiences I have not faced in my traditional

rotations. Having this experience prepared me to feel more comfortable with transitioning into a new graduate position.”

ErIca HaynEs, Bsn studEnt{

Simulated Interprofessional Rounding Experience (SIRE) > The MUSC initiative of Creating Collaborative Care has

stimulated the development of classroom experiences that

enhance student knowledge of interprofessional teamwork.

Through collaborative efforts the Simulated Interprofessional

Rounding experience (SIRe) was created. This effort involves

the complex care of a patient, a high fidelity manikin, and stu-

dents from the Colleges of Nursing, Medicine, Pharmacy, and

Health Professions working together as a team, demonstrat-

ing evidence-based communication strategies and acknowl-

edging and correcting medical errors should they occur.

In 2012, 36 accelerated BSN students participated with

students from the other three colleges in the SIRe project.

SIRe provided the opportunity for each student to apply their

unique skill set and knowledge towards the care of acutely ill

high fidelity manikins.

According to Dr. Duffy, “The evaluations of SIRe suggest

the standardized team training curriculum improved student

self-perceived abilities in communication and overall inter-

professional team skills in a simulated health care setting.”

{

Spring | Summer 2013 Lifelines 9

10 Lifelines Spring | Summer 2013

Immersions >

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing provides

the framework for the College of Nursing’s Graduate cur-

riculum through the essentials of Master’s education for

Advanced Practice Nursing and the essentials of Doctoral

education for Advanced Practice Nursing.

As part of the MSN/DNP program of study, students come

to campus for mandatory two to three day intensive experi-

ences called immersions. The immersion provides course

synthesis, specialized learning experiences and competency

evaluation. It also serves as a capstone to the student’s online

semester of work and typically happens at the end of the

health assessment and advanced care management courses.

Students’ clinical skill competencies are evaluated by

faculty using simulated patient experiences by actors within

a clinical scenario. Competency evaluations allow faculty

to provide feedback and mentoring so that the student can

reflect and integrate the skills and knowledge they learned

in their courses. This exercise also enables faculty to assess

students’ expected progress and ongoing preparation for

graduation, as well as post-graduation certification.

Throughout the immersion, interprofessional experts

provide interactive didactic experiences. Gigi Smith, PhD,

APRN, CPNP-PC, director of the MSN/DNP programs, ex-

plains, “These experiences allow the faculty and other experts

to role model collegial interactions, share clinical pearls, and

reinforce current evidence-based practice in order to further

promote students’ role development as nurse practitioners.”

MyFolio >

All DNP students are required to develop an online profes-

sional portfolio in a program called MyFolio. Using MyFolio,

students create an electronic portfolio to collect a wide range

of performance data to review with mentors. The develop-

ment and maintenance of a professional portfolio reflects a

students’ responsibility for their own learning, actively con-

structing how competencies are met, while faculty provide

guidance, teaching and mentoring.

Within specific courses, DNP students complete learning

activities online then integrate the course objectives to assist

them in building a practice improvement project (PIP). The

purpose of the PIP is to begin the student’s professional com-

mitment to translate research into practice to improve health

care. The project implements innovations in clinical practice,

applies evidence-based interventions, and proposes changes

to care delivery models.

The PIP is a faculty-

guided scholarly experi-

ence that demonstrates

evidence of critical

thinking and ability to

apply research principles

through problem iden-

tification and proposal

development, implemen-

tation and evaluation.

An example of this is the

scientific review in their

evidence-based practice

course that outlines the

state of the science on a topic of their project. These learning

activities are completed and included in MyFolio. The prac-

tice improvement project is built within this online portfolio

system and each section is approved as it is developed. The

development of the portfolio is a “thread” that runs through

the courses. each course is interconnected “to be continued”

in the development of the practice improvement project and

portfolio.

In clinical courses, the students download the patient

mixes, common diagnoses and time logs into the MyFolio

innovations > in graduate education

innovations > in undergraduate education

{

{“as a student who is new to online learning it was reassuring to learn that,

despite distance, technology can help create an intimate

learning environment.” - PHd studEnt

system as a permanent record of the

clinical work they have completed.

The final course in the DNP curricu-

lum, called Residency, utilizes MyFo-

lio for students to document all final

requirements in order to graduate

with a DNP degree. This includes at

least 10 scholarly activities completed

during the program, competency

assessment for their degree, reflective

journaling on patients and practice,

and the final poster and publishable

paper.

Upon graduation, students can

download their online portfolio to

their personal computer files so it can

be presented to future employers as

well as utilized for evidence of their

professional development.

Problem Based Learning >To strengthen primary care we must develop innovative

educational programs that are able to educate larger num-

bers of providers to meet our growing and complex health

care needs while insuring providers are able to deliver quality

cost-effective care. Problem-based learning (PBL) is a strategy

that enhances students’ ability to critically apply knowledge to

actual clinical problems. Robin Bissinger, PhD, APRN, NNP-

BC, FAAN, associate dean for academics explains, “In utilizing

a problem-based learning approach to education, students

collaborate in an effort to analyze and solve unfolding clinical

problems that are fluid and reflect real-life situations.”

Dr. Bissinger continues, “This type of learning format chal-

lenges the students to ‘learn to learn,’ engaging them in com-

plex and challenging clinical problems online. In these sce-

narios the students must outline the prevalence, incidence,

risk factors and preventative strategies within the context of

cultural diversity, ethnicity, race and gender differences. They

must find and utilize evidenced-based practice guidelines

and information to prevent, diagnose and treat patients and

work to assist them to self-manage and make behavioral life-

style changes to improve health outcomes and quality of life.”

The generation of complex PBL scenarios that encompass

the realm of clinical practice include chronic illness (e.g. dia-

betes, hypertension, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, obesity,

mental health), domestic violence, end of life, social determi-

nants of health, ethics, geriatrics, and

pediatrics, and require different faculty

expertise.

Traditional graduate nurse educa-

tion programs assign faculty to teach

courses expecting them to provide

information in areas that they may not

have expertise. PBL reflects collabora-

tion among advanced practice nurses

with various proficiencies fostering

collegial relationships.

“To enhance the active, interactive

and collaborative learning platform

in our program, it is essential to in-

novatively change the way the didactic

clinical courses are assigned to faculty.

It is important to build scenarios that

emphasize longitudinal, integrated

experiences with patients and families

that assist students to care for under-

served populations along a continuum of care,” says Dr. Biss-

inger. To that end, a new approach and educational model is

being developed so that faculty are assigned to develop and

run a PBL scenario based on their expertise in one of the key

clinical situations instead of own the full course.

Faculty are facilitators and build their scenarios across the

wellness-illness continuum so students experience how pa-

tients are cared for across the lifespan. Scenarios build across

the curriculum within the courses from semester to semester.

Dr. Bissinger relates, “With diverse faculty expertise this scaf-

folding model provides students the opportunity to learn from

experts in their field. The ultimate goal is to have expert fac-

ulty assigned to work in short, focused PBLs over 4-6 weeks

while continuing to do clinical, quality improvement, and/

or research work. Scenarios will build in the clinical courses

assisting the students to develop clinical reasoning skills and

promote self-directed life-long learning.”

Scientific information and technology continue to advance

our knowledge and skills, however, providers must know how

to access this new information and rapidly incorporate it into

their practice. As patients live longer they will experience

acute and chronic illnesses that necessitate primary care

providers who can promote health and the management of

illnesses through excellent assessment and interventions

using motivational interviewing, self-efficacy, and self-

management.

“the method of learning by case studies helps students both learn and practice how nursing is done in real life. I like this tremendously as compared to lecture presentation

of material. I also like the requirement of students coming to campus for check offs at various times. I am encouraging rns who are considering applying to a

nurse practitioner program to strongly consider Musc.”- LInda sMItH sHEaLy, FnP, cLInIcaL PrEcEPtor

innovations > in graduate education

innovations > in undergraduate education

{ {Spring | Summer 2013 Lifelines 11

12 Lifelines Spring | Summer 2013

Using excellent assessment, planning, intervention and

evaluation of patient care includes understanding evidence-

based practice. The PBL process includes learning the skill

of finding, assessing, and implementing the most current

evidence for their decisions. Students assess quality issues as

well as patient population needs within the clinical practice

they are in and each course clinical scenario using critical

appraisal guidelines.

Growing the Next Generation of Nursing Leaders >Gail Gilden, ScD, RN, PhD program director, through funding

from Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA),

is leading the initiative to grow the next generation of young

nurse leaders from our online PhD and DNP programs. These

leaders will be the vanguards in solving health care dispari-

ties among rural and underserved populations in our complex

health care environment.

“The need for young cohorts of doctorally prepared nurses

is critical to the profession,” says Dr. Gilden. “Nursing leader-

ship is steadily aging, and during the next 10 years faculty

retirement is expected to peak when our faculty workforce

nears an average of 62.5 years. yet we are not seeing an influx

of younger nurses to fill those places in scholarly and leader-

ship roles,” she explains.

The aging of nursing faculty is not just a reflection of an

older population, but it also is because nurses typically enter

doctoral education at a later age than other disciplines, in fact,

a full decade later than other health professional students.

This is mainly due to the lockstep way nurses traditionally

progress to PhD study, first by entering basic practice, next by

completing a masters degree, and finally by mid 40’s seek-

ing doctoral education. The average age of the College of

Nursing’s PhD student is 46 and 85 percent of those students

entered the program as post-MSN students. Given full time

course work, the typical PhD graduate will begin his/her post-

doctoral career by their early 50’s. This translates to 10 fewer

years of scholarly productivity and leadership for the profes-

sion, compared to PhDs of other disciplines.

The College of Nursing’s DNP Program student body has

a different demographic profile than the PhD program. The

average age of our DNP students is 31 and 77 percent are post-

BSN. Most of these students are recruited from the acceler-

ated BSN program and are able to fast track to our advanced

practice clinical degree. The same marketing and recruiting

strategies are now being used for our PhD students, encour-

aging nurses to consider becoming a nurse scientist early in

their career development.

The national trend recently has concentrated efforts to

increase the numbers of BSN graduates through increased

funding mechanisms. “The increase in BSN graduates will

increase the pool of younger, talented students for advanced

education. A challenge for us is to attract talented, early career

nurse graduates to PhD and DNP programs before they move

on to other career opportunities,” says Dr. Gilden.

younger students often have different barriers to retention

in advanced and especially online programs than do older

students. To address that, Dr. Gilden’s grant is providing ad-

ditional supportive retention efforts through the Next Genera-

tion of Nursing Leaders (NGNL) Program. The online program

offers knowledge building, mentorship, socialization, and skill

sets to successfully navigate scholarly life.

Residency Week >A fundamental part of the PhD program success is the annual

residency week. This is an on campus session for new and

continuing students to interact face to face with faculty and

staff. The purpose of residency for new students is to be-

come oriented to the program, the faculty and peers, cam-

pus resources, and the MUSC online learning environment.

New students leave knowing how to access the appropriate

resources necessary to support his/her learning; and how to

develop distant relationships with faculty, staff, and peers that

will grow over the next several years of learning, and hopeful-

ly lifelong. Students become oriented to their course work for

the first year, spend time with their faculty advisor, and leave

with a trajectory for the whole program. Continuing students

have the opportunity to present their current research ideas

and receive critique from faculty and peers. Faculty mentors

provide small group sessions on research study management,

career guidance, dissertation progress, funding opportunities,

{ {“all faculty should be commended for making themselves as available as they did during Phd residency Week. once again - they continue to reinforce my

thoughts that choosing Musc is truly one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

- PHd studEnt

and grant application. Students individually meet with their

dissertation chairs and committee members to gain feedback

on their research progress.

The residency schedule allows time for information ex-

change, but also for meaningful social interaction with others.

Some evenings offer social events such as the Dean’s Dinner

and others are free for students to plan. Continuing students

host a “student only” event for new students to encourage

peer relationships and practical mentoring. Building relation-

ships is cited by students as a major resource in maintaining

good progress and keeping our program attrition extremely

low compared to other programs. While faculty and students

describe the week as intensive, they mutually agree it is mo-

tivational, team building, and a key element of success in an

online program.

Scholarly Communities of Practice >Currently, the College of Nursing enrolls 55 PhD students

and 159 DNP students and all are instructed and mentored by

41 tenure track full time faculty, some of whom cross-teach

in both degree programs. Based on the number of students

and the variety of research and clinical interests, there is the

question of faculty time and the agility of faculty mentors to

address the multiple interests of students. Dr. Gilden saw this

as a clear opportunity to capitalize on the shared learning that

can occur by integrating the common skill sets and perspec-

tives of the PhD and DNP programs. She explains, “Since both

programs are delivered in online format, the constraints of

scheduling and distance are eliminated in designing collab-

orative experiences.” Thus, included in her HRSA grant, Dr.

Gilden proposed the concept of Scholarly Communities of

Practice (SCOP) to organize shared learning.

The term “Communities of Practitioners” (CoP) is a con-

cept coined by etienne Wenger, founded on the thinking that

practitioners, or users of knowledge, share a common passion

in an area of competence and are interested in sharing their

knowledge with others in the group. The College of Nursing

has developed communities of practitioners in the scholarly

realm, or Scholarly Communities of Practice (SCOP).

Dr. Gilden explains, “The general mission of a SCOP,

regardless of the theme (e.g. chronic or acute disease), is to

provide an electronic forum for interaction among students

and faculty and a place to store new knowledge or access to

new knowledge.”

The teamwork among members of a SCOP includes the

exchange of ideas, brainstorming, identification of opportu-

nities and risks, networking of resources, and defining and

re-evaluating priorities. SCOP expands the mentorship of

each student from a single faculty advisor or instructor to that

of a whole group of participants who are interested or expert

in the same topic.

Interprofessional learning activities are required and

embedded into our curriculum, and interprofessional guests

are invited to the SCOP groups. Nursing faculty are work-

ing within the infrastructure of the MUSC campus project,

Creating Collaborative Care, to develop interprofessional

learning activities among the disciplines. Dr. Gilden reports,

“A secondary and very important gain is that SCOP allows for

collaboration and inclusion of interested accelerated under-

graduate students, especially those who are attracted or com-

mitted to doctoral work.”

Conclusion >The College of Nursing takes great pride in its leadeship in

innovative nursing education. But, how do we know that uti-

lizing these innovative teaching and learning techniques are

truly providing the best education for our students? The num-

bers provide the proof. As you can see on the inside cover of

this magazine, the College of Nursing is excelling in academ-

ics with an overwhelming majority of students stating they

believe they made the right choice in selecting the College of

Nursing and that they are receiving a high quality education.

{ {“as I near candidacy, I have been reflecting on my training at Musc,

and I recognize that I have received a quality education

that some of my peers in otherPhd programs have not.”

- PHd studEnt

Spring | Summer 2013 Lifelines 13

The associate dean for research (ADR) is responsible for developing a visionary strategic plan for research, mentoring and facilitating faculty research, managing a full service-oriented research center, and providing research expertise. The ADR is part of the senior administrative team and directly reports to the dean of the College of Nursing. The position rank is at the associate or full professor.

Qualifi cations include an earned doctorate in nursing or related health fi eld, signifi cant record of extramural research funding and peer-reviewed publications, demonstrated expertise in mentorship of faculty, and experience in academic administrative leadership.

THE MUSC COLLEGE OF NURSING ... • ranked 21st by the NIH in funding among U.S. colleges of nursing • resides within a leading academic health sciences center• plays a pivotal role in MUSC’s South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Institute (SCTR)• houses the Center for Community Health Partnerships (CCHP) and the Technology Applications Center for Healthful Lifestyles (TACHL)

TO APPLY • Qualifi ed applicants apply to: www.bit.ly/CON-ADR (only electronic applications will be accepted). Position also can be searched by requisition ID at www.jobs.musc.edu. The requisition ID# is 048648.• For more information: Teresa Kelechi, PhD, RN, FAAN, Department Chair Phone: 843-792-4602 | Email: kelechtj@musc.edu.

MUSC is an equal opportunity employer supporting workplace diversity m/f/v/d.

The Medical University of South CarolinaCollege of Nursing

seeks

ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR RESEARCH

chArlesTon: World’s #1 destination

Last year, readers of Conde Nast Traveler magazine voted Charleston the top tourist town in the United States. This year, they went one better. The magazine announced its readers have now voted Charleston the top tourist destination in the world. The designation is based on a poll of about 47,000 readers of the magazine who judge cities on a five-point scale. The categories include ambiance, friendliness, lodging, restaurants, culture/sites, and shopping.

con earns Top 20 spot Among country’s best

online programs

The MUSC College of Nursing’s online graduate program is ranked in the top 20 in the country of

US News and World Report’s Best Online Graduate Nursing Programs. US News & World Report evaluated several factors to rank the best online nursing degree programs, including faculty credentials, graduation rates, and student services and technologies.

con climbs in research fundingThe College of Nursing has placed 21st among over 700 US nursing schools on

the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) research funding list, ranking higher

than any other college on MUSC’s campus. This is the third time the college has

achieved a national NIH ranking, coming in 30th in 2011 and 48th in 2010.

With a number of large NIH grants awarded in 2012, College of Nursing

faculty brought in about $3.5 million in research funding. With this funding, the

college continues to make a difference in improving the quality of health care

and in the advancement of nursing research.

“This national ranking attests to the outstanding outcomes of our nursing

program here at MUSC,” says Dean Gail Stuart, PhD, RN, FAAN. “Our innovative

and dynamic faculty, staff and students are clear leaders, not only in the region

but nationally.”

2012201120102009

50

40

30

20

10

#1

#30

#21

#48not

ranked

NIH

RANKING

RaiSing the baR

on March 4-8, 2013, the

international initiative for

Mental health Leadership

(iiMhL) met in auckland, new

Zealand. Dean Gail Stuart,

PhD, RN, FAAN, attended in

her role as chair of the board

of Directors of the annapolis

Coalition of the behavioral health Workforce. this meeting was

focused on innovation across the lifespan.

iiMhL provides an international infrastructure to identify and

exchange information about effective leadership, management

and operational practices in the delivery of mental health services.

it encourages the development of organizational and management

best practice within mental health services through collaborative

and innovative arrangements among mental health leaders from

seven countries.

Dean ViSitS the KiWiS

V

Around the College

V

Spring | Summer 2013 Lifelines 15

Saying gooDbye iS haRD to Dopeggy sires retires from college of nursing

After 20 years of dedicated service, Peggy Sires retired

from the College of Nursing on April 1. Originally

assisting in student recruitment, Peggy’s role expanded

to include all of student services - admissions, enrollment

management, reporting, and graduation (her favorite

activity of the academic year). No matter how the role

changed, the one constant was her unbridled passion for

people and meeting their needs.

Working with Peggy was

always a joy. Her ability to see the humor of life and her

infectious laughter helped maintain an environment

that was open and fun. After countless Halloween parties

(complete with outrageous costumes - seen at right),

birthday parties, and dishes of “dog dip,” it was time for

Peggy to enjoy her husband of 43 years (44 in August),

four children, their spouses, and nine grandchildren.

“Toodling” on the boat, taking cruises, working on

special projects, (which surely includes painting and re-

arranging furniture), and of course, babysitting, are now

filling her days and nights.

Mardi Long, director of student and alumni relations,

shares, “Student services misses her smiling face, sense of

humor and contagious laughter. Her bubbly personality

permeates everything she does.”

“I will never be able to think of Halloween and not

smile as I remember Peggy and her many awesome

costumes,” shares Dr. Sally Stroud, professor emeritus.

“There isn’t an employee who better embodied hard

work and concern for others,” says Carolyn Page, director

of student services.

“Students felt so comfortable and welcomed because

of her warm personality. She always had a smile on her

face and is one of the most selfless, caring people I know,”

says Alyssa S. Cogdill, CPNP, clinical instructor and CON

alumna.

V

Around the College

You have theopportunity to make

someone’s dream cometrue by giving to theCollege of Nursing

Annual Fund.This unrestricted fundsupports a wide range

of resources designed tosupport enhanced learning

through the university,including:

student scholarships,faculty fellowships,emergency loans,student travel andstudent research.

To learn more, contact Laurie Scott,

director of development, at (843) 792-8421 or

scotlk@musc.edu.

Mary (right) with scholarship recipient and BSN student,

Carolyn Ramos (‘13).

The Annual Fund is an unrestricted fund that helps nursing students

by paying for financial aid awards and emergency scholarship funds,

technology course development, student seminars, and much more.

Please consider giving to the College of Nursing Annual Fund.

In summer 2012, the American

Association of Colleges of

Nursing (AACN) joined with the

Department of Veteran Affairs

(DVA) in an effort to enhance

the resources of nurses working

with veterans as part of the

Joining Forces initiative, with

a particular focus on nursing

education. Dean Gail Stuart,

PhD, RN, FAAN, co-chaired the Task Force that developed the

enhancing Veterans’ Care (eVC) Tool Kit. The task force included a

wide range of representatives from the Veterans Administration, the

U.S. Military, and professional nursing education.

The Tool Kit describes

resources and exemplars that

can assist faculty with the

implementation of curriculum

elements that will appropriately

address the unique needs of

the veterans and their families.

The goals of this enhancing

Veterans’ Care Tool Kit are to:

•Providekeyeducationalresourcesthatwillassistschools

as they engage in curricular development to incorporate

quality care of veterans and their families.

•Suggestfocused,innovativelearningstrategiesforteaching

students how to care for veterans and their families.

•Detailarepositoryofresourcesthatarerelevanttoallnurses

who care for veterans and their families.

This eVC Tool Kit will be updated on a regular basis to keep it

current. For more information, visit www.aacn.nche.edu.

aaCn ReLeaSeS Joining FoRCeS FaCULty tooL Kitstuart co-chairs Tool kit Task force There are an estimated 22.2 million veterans

in the U.S. – 8 percent are women.

• More than 2 million U.S. troops have been

deployed to iraq and Afghanistan since

September 11, 2001.

• About one in three U.S.

service members

returning from iraq or

Afghanistan experience

signs of combat stress,

depression, post traumatic

stress disorder (PTSD) or

symptoms of a traumatic

brain injury (TBi).

• Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation

Iraqi Freedom Veterans who used VA care,

48 percent were diagnosed with a mental

health problem.

• Of those who had PTSD or depression and

sought treatment only slightly over half

received adequate treatment.

• Only 53 percent of returning troops who

screened positive for PTSD or major

depression sought help from a provider

for these conditions in the preceding year.

• Only 57 percent of those with a probable

TBi had been evaluated by a physician for

a brain injury in the preceding year.

• From 2005 to 2010, on average, one service

member has committed suicide every 36

hours.

• 349 – Number of U.S. military suicides in

2012, more than the 295 troops killed in

combat in Afghanistan during the year.

• Mental and substance use disorders caused

more hospitalizations among U.S. troops in

2009 than any other cause.

• Children of deployed military personnel

have more school, family, and peer-related

emotional difficulties, compared with

national samples.

• Although 53 percent of recent Iraq and

Afghanistan veterans receive their health

care through the vA, many veterans and

their families will seek care in community

settings from primary care and community

mental health clinicians.

T A K I N G A C T I O N T O S E R V E A M E R I C A ’ S M I L I T A R Y F A M I L I E S

STATS

V

Around the College

18 Lifelines Spring | Summer 2013

Williams receives faculty development AwardTiffany Williams, DNP, APRN, CPNP-

PC, instructor, was selected to receive the

Southeastern Virtual Institute for Health

equity and Wellness (Se VIeW) Junior Faculty

Development Award. Through a cooperative

agreement with the United States Department

of Defense, MUSC established Se VIeW to

develop educational and outreach programs

and conduct community-based research

on health disparities. The Junior Faculty

Development program is designed to accelerate

and enhance the professional development

of underrepresented minorities in the area of

health disparities and health services research.

Dr. Willams plans to use her award to support

her ongoing childhood obesity-centered,

health disparities focused research and related

professional development activities.

bissinger, pope inducted into AcademyThe American Academy of Nursing inducted College of Nursing

faculty members, Robin L. Bissinger, PhD, APRN, NNP-BC, FAAN,

associate dean for academics and associate professor and Charlene

A. Pope, PhD, RN, MPH, CNM, FAAN, associate professor, to

membership during

the Academy’s 39th

Annual Meeting

and Conference

held in October in

Washington, DC.

Induction as

a Fellow of the

American Academy

of Nursing (AAN)

is one of the most

prestigious honors

in the nursing

field. Those nominated for induction into the AAN Fellowship are

recognized leaders who have made significant contributions to

nursing and health care. Today, there are eight faculty members and

five emeritus faculty of the College of Nursing who are members of

the academy.

edlund Appointed Mentor championBarbara Edlund PhD, APRN, ANP-BC, professor,

was appointed mentor champion for the College

of Nursing’s new Career

Development Plan (CDP),

developed by Drs. elaine

Amella and Teresa Kelechi

with input from faculty. In her

new role, Dr. edlund will lead

the charge in operationalizing

and overseeing all aspects of the CDP. Some

of these activities include developing the

orientation and training modules for mentors

and mentees, organizing the CDP “roll out,”

organizing the evaluation metrics to determine

success, and participating in university-level

mentorship conferences and meetings.

FaCULty aWaRDS & ReCognition

palmetto gold honors facultyThe Palmetto Gold Nurse Recognition Program was initiated in

2001 when a group of nursing leaders representing various nursing

organizations met to develop plans for a program

to recognize excellence in nursing practice. In

April, the program celebrated its 12th anniversary.

College of Nursing faculty recognized during

the annual gala in Columbia included Carrie

Cormack, MSN, APRN, CPNP-BC, Jennifer

Shearer, PhD, RN, CNE, Shannon Smith, DNP,

RN, ACNS-BC, CGRN, Amy Williams, MSN, APRN,

CPNP-PC, and Pamela Williams, JD, PhD, RN.

To date, the College of Nursing has 32 (84 percent) nursing

faculty who have been selected to receive the Palmetto Gold.

Cormack

Shearer Smith A. Williams P. Williams

Charlene Pope (left) & robin Bissinger at the 2012 American Academy of Nursing Annual Meeting

Focus on Faculty

V

Spring | Summer 2013 Lifelines 19

health program Wins national AwardsOver the past five years the Healthy

Charleston Challenge (HCC) program has

been helping tri-county residents develop

healthy habits and make permanent lifestyle

changes in order to decrease their risk for

developing chronic disease. Participants

work in teams utilizing a personal fitness

trainer, nutritionists and mentors to meet weekly weight

loss goals. In October 2012, the program marked a milestone

surpassing 20,000 pounds lost since the program was

established.

The success of the HCC program has not gone unnoticed.

Last fall, the program was

recognized with two national

awards. Club Industry, a media

source for fitness business

professionals, presented

its 2012 Best Behavior

Modification Program to HCC

in Las Vegas, NV. The program

also won the 2012 Program

Innovation Award from The

Medical Fitness Association

during its annual meeting in

New Orleans, LA in November.

Sheila Smith, PhD, RN, associate professor, has been involved

with the program since its inception and traveled to New

Orleans along with MUSC Wellness Center’s Bobby Shaw and

Janis Newton to accept the award.

cason Tapped for leadership programMelanie Leigh Cason, MSN, RN,

CNE, clinical instructor, was selected

for the National League for Nursing’s

Leadership Development Program

for Simulation educators, a one-year

leadership institute program support-

ed by a gift from Johnson & Johnson.

This initiative is designed for those interested in as-

suming a leadership role in the research or administra-

tion of simulation programs in nursing education.

Ms. Cason was chosen for this program based upon

her experience with simulation and her ability to work

with other faculty in developing the use of simulation

in nursing education. Currently, she is the collabora-

tive partner coordinator for HealthCare Simulation

South Carolina. Cason has years of experience as a

critical care nurse, a hospice nurse, hospital supervi-

sor, and nursing instructor. She has been a recipient

of the South Carolina Nurses Foundation Palmetto

Gold Award for Nursing excellence as well as the South

Carolina League for Nursing Award for excellence. She

is currently pursuing a PhD in nursing.

smith Appointed Msn/dnp directorGeorgette “Gigi” Smith, PhD, APRN, CPNP, PC,

assistant professor, was appointed director of MSN/

DNP programs on March 1. In this role she provides

leadership in all aspects of the MSN/

DNP programs, assuring the quality

of the programs of study.

“Gigi is a leader in her field and an

outstanding clinician,” says Dr. Robin

Bissinger, associate dean for academ-

ics. “She has been the lead faculty for

the pediatric nurse practitioner pro-

gram for several years and has demonstrated her exper-

tise and leadership in this program. It will be exciting

to see the direction she takes the MSN/DNP program in

as we continue to excel as a leader in online advanced

practice education nationally.”

Dr. Smith joined the faculty in 2004. In her clini-

cal practice she provides care for pediatric patients

with neurological problems in the Pediatric Neurology

Clinic at MUSC, specializing in the care of children with

epilepsy.

Amella named best practices fellowProfessor Elaine Amella, PhD, RN, FAAN,

was selected as one of two MUSC Women’s

Scholars Initiative Best Practices Fellows.

In this role, Dr. Amella, along with Leonie

Gordon, MD, College of Medicine, will work

to educate the campus about the effects

unconscious bias has in decision-making

related to hiring, promotion, and leadership opportunities.

Drs. Amella and Gordon developed a PowerPoint presenta-

tion describing the steps decision-making groups can take to

minimize the effects of unconscious bias and are presenting

the information to MUSC’s high-level search, appointment,

promotion and tenure committees. They also plan to provide

education to admissions committees, department chairs,

Faculty Senate, Student Government Association, and other

groups on campus.

(L to r): MUSC Wellness Center director Bobby Shaw, Janis Newton, and Sheila

Smith from the College of Nursing at the MfA Awards Ceremony in New orleans.

FaCULty aWaRDS & ReCognition

V

Focus on Faculty

20 Lifelines Spring | Summer 2013

con Welcomes new facultyIn February 2013, Mathew J. Gregoski, PhD joined

the faculty as assistant professor. He also is a

research scientist in the Technology Applications

Center for Healthful Lifestyles (TACHL) at MUSC.

Dr. Gregoski received his Bachelor of Arts

degree in psychology from elon University, his

Masters of Science in experimental psychology

from Augusta State University, and his doctorate in kinesiology

from the University of Georgia. He completed formal training at the

Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) Summer

mHealth Institute, the OBSSR summer Randomized Clinical Trials

Institute, the National Institutes of Health National Institute of

Nursing Research Summer Genetics Institute, the National Heart

Lung Blood Institute’s Population Studies Workshop, and a National

Institutes of Health post-doctoral research fellowship in vascular

biology at the Medical College of Georgia.

Dr. Gregoski maintains a leading role in researching a range of

topics from genomes to smartphones in the pursuit of developing

personalized medicine interventions to aid in the reduction of

health disparities among minority populations.

bryant receives prestigous rWJ commmunity leadership Award

Debbie Chatman Bryant, DNP,

RN (MSN ’02, DNP ’11), assistant

director for cancer prevention,

control, and outreach, Hollings

Cancer Center, and clinical

instructor, is the recipient

of the 2012 Robert Wood

Johnson Foundation Community Health Leaders

Award. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

established the award to recognize individuals

who overcome daunting obstacles to improve

health and health care in their communities.

Dr. Bryant works to improve healthy behaviors

and to lower cancer risk among those living

in South Carolina’s Low Country. As a nursing

administrator, she discovered that many low-

income or uninsured patients were not receiving

diagnosis or treatment until it was too late. To

reach patients in need of cancer diagnosis and

treatment, she expanded an outreach program

using trained “lay navigators” to help residents

overcome barriers to receiving the care they

needed. The unique feature of this program is

a voucher system that covers copayment costs.

Following an abnormal screening, each client—

regardless of ability to pay—is immediately

navigated to a financial counselor and receives a

diagnostic test at the Hollings Cancer Center.

Today, there are more than 200 outstanding

Community Health Leaders from nearly all states,

Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. This

award elevates the work of the leaders by raising

awareness of their extraordinary contributions

through national visibility, a $125,000 award, and

networking opportunities.

gregoski receives post-doc fellowshipDr. Gregoski has been awarded a $50,000 Post-Doctoral

Fellowship in Adherence Improvement by the Pharmaceutical

Research and Manufacturers of America Foundation. A MUSC

Postdoctoral Scholar at the time of submission, Dr. Gregoski

will use this award to continue his work to test a low-cost,

novel medication adherence program for uncontrolled

hypertensive patients using a modified mobile health

(mHealth) platform, i.e., mobile phones.

“In South Carolina we have an escalating amount of chronic

disease patients,” says Dr. Gregoski. For the vast majority

of chronic illnesses, medications are an effective tool for

management and the prevention of long-term complications,

but the patient prescription adherence rate is roughly only 50

percent. Given that we know over 91 percent of the population

have cell phones, and over 50 percent have smartphones, I

am proposing a low-cost system that only requires the use

of a mobile phone, a low-cost blood pressure monitor and a

weight scale.”

Frank Treiber, PhD, endowed Chair for the South Carolina

Centers of economic excellence Technology Applications

Center for Healthful Lifestyles (TACHL) will serve as Dr.

Gregoski’s mentor on the project. “I believe that with the

benefit of the PhRMA foundation grant, Dr. Gregoski will

become a highly successful academic scientist and make

transformative contributions to personalized medicine in

increasing adherence,” notes Dr. Treiber.

Spring | Summer 2013 Lifelines 21

exchange club scholarshipsThe exchange Club

has selected April

Dove and Erica

Haynes to receive a

$1,200 scholarship.

The exchange Club

looks specifically for

students from the

tri-county area who

have at least a 3.0 GPA

and a track record of

community service.

Ms. Dove, Class of

May 2013, was elected

president of the

Multicultural Student

Nurses Association and has been

active in Junior Doctors of Health, an

organization that provides healthy

living tips to children.

Ms. Haynes, Class of May 2013, has

been a volunteer and program assistant

for the MUSC Center for Healthcare

Disparities. Through this network,

women who meet the criteria are given

free breast examinations, cervical

cancer screens, and mammograms.

Ms. Haynes also is a medical volunteer

for the Challenge Walk for the National

Multiple Sclerosis Association and the

Cooper River Bridge Run.

ruth Jaqui skudlarek scholarshipAccelerated BSN student, Carolyn

Ramos, Class of May 2013, received

the Ruth Jaqui Skudlarek Scholarship

Award and was rec-

ognized at convoca-

tion.

Ms. Ramos,

fluent in Spanish,

was selected for the

Hispanic Health

Initiative (HHI) Scholars Program, and

volunteers for the HHI by interpret-

ing and preparing lectures to meet the

needs of Latino women. Before enroll-

ing at MUSC, Ms. Ramos had chosen

a path of community activism, having

worked with the National Hispanic

Caucus of State Legislators in Wash-

ington, DC.

charleston co. Medical society Alliance scholarship

Brian Harley, Class

of May 2013, is the

recipient of the

Charleston County

Medical Society Alli-

ance Scholarship. Mr.

Harley was inducted

into Sigma Theta Tau and served as a

College of Nursing representative on

the MUSC Student Government Asso-

ciation. Prior to his enrollment at the

College, Mr. Harley earned a bachelors

degree from the University of South

Carolina with a major in biology.

This scholarship, also known as the

Sally Thompson Seignious Scholar-

ship, is given to a native of Charleston

County.

roper-st. francis patron scholarshipKelli Schoen, Class of December 2013,

has been selected by the nursing lead-

ership at Roper-St. Francis to receive

a $30,000 scholar-

ship. This scholarship

requires recipients

to work one year

following graduation

at Roper-St. Francis

Healthcare.

A stellar student, Ms. Schoen has a

previous degree from Furman Uni-

versity where she majored in German.

She has studied abroad in Germany

and South Africa. She completed

CNA training at the Advance Nursing

Institute in Greenville, SC prior to her

enrollment at MUSC. This past semes-

ter, she demonstrated leadership by

tutoring classmates and serving on

the MUSC Student Government As-

sociation.

palmetto gold scholarshipsJohn Paguntalan,

PhD student and

nurse, received the

Palmetto Gold Renatta

S. Loquist Graduate

Nurse Scholarship

in April. Mr. Pagun-

talan is currently

employed as a clinical nurse special-

ist/nurse practitioner at Self Regional

Hospital in Greenwood, SC.

At Self Regional Hospital, Mr.

Paguntalan has been the chair of the

evidence-Based Practice Council,

Magnet Team Leader for Quality and

Research, and a hospital IRB member.

He is the past president of the local

Sigma Theta Tau International Nurs-

ing Honor Society chapter. He has

developed, coordinated, and evaluated

implementation of programs to im-

prove patient safety and quality care.

A Palmetto Gold

Scholarship also

was awarded to Jake

Schubert, Class of

May 2013. He was

elected president of

the College’s Student

Government Asso-

ciation (SGA) and served on the MUSC

SGA. In these leadership positions he

proved to be an excellent communi-

cator with faculty, expressing student

needs, concerns, and thoughts for

improvement. He also worked closely

with faculty to initiate a Men in Nurs-

ing Club at MUSC.

A graduate of Ohio State University

with a degree in landscape architec-

ture, Mr. Schubert volunteered count-

less hours for the MUSC Urban Farm

Project. He taught workshops in the

community as well as worked with the

urban farm project director to expand

the farm beyond the MUSC campus.

Many of his drawings have been pre-

sented to the MUSC Board of Trustees

and prospective donors.

dove

haynes

Paguntalan

Schubert

SChoLaRShip ReCipientS

V

Student Spotlight

22 Lifelines Spring | Summer 2013

The MUSC family was shocked on January 19, 2002 when Anthony “Tony” Pirraglia, 47, a liver transplant coordinator and

Meducare flight nurse, was shot and killed while trying to help a car wreck victim on Cannon Street.

Shortly after Tony’s death, the transplant staff came up with the idea for a

scholarship to honor their friend. The Tony Pirraglia Nursing Scholarship was

finally awarded in October 2012.

Jennifer McCrudden, a certified diabetic educator and DNP student,

was presented with a $5,484 check. The scholarship, which came directly

from donations made by individuals on campus, was awarded by Medical

University Hospital Authority Chief Nursing Officer Marilyn Schaffner, PhD, RN.

“I was really looking to honor Tony and his family,” Schaffner said.

“everything lined up perfectly. We had a nurse who works at MUSC, who

is a student in the graduate program at the College of Nursing, and we’re

recommitting our memory to Tony.”

“When I met (McCrudden), I knew she deserved it,” Tony’s daughter Maria said. “She threw her arms around my mom and

hugged me and gave my mom flowers.”

“Mr. Pirraglia died by being a good Samaritan and doing what he loved,” McCrudden said. “He was selfless. This scholarship

is helping me with my continued education as nurse. I hope I can make him and his family proud.”

by Ashley Barker, MUSC Public RelationsExcerpts from article printed in the Nov. 30, 2012 issue of The Catalyst. Reprinted with permission.

FLight nURSe’S MeMoRy LiVeS on in SChoLaRShipMccrudden chosen for The Tony pirraglia nurse scholarship

In December 2012, nursing students Kelli Schoen, Emily Eling, Kelly Creech, and Lindsay Odell participated in a hands-on

mass casualty disaster training drill in the MUSC Harper Student Center.

“No one else in the country is doing disaster training like this,” states Lancer A.

Scott, MD, an assistant professor at MUSC and director of the Center for Health

Professional Training and emergency Response (CHPTeR). “There are many

disaster and mass casualty training programs that contain a didactic portion; but

the critical component that is missing from almost all of these programs is an

actual physical performance assessment that puts the skills of a participant to the

test in a loud and chaotic environment.”

The CHPTeR training event started with several small group in-class exercises

to practice scene assessment and patient triage, then concluded with the groups

engaging in a hands-on physical performance assessment.

Overall the event was a great success. Jake Schubert, fourth semester BSN student and an event facilitator, noted how

incredible it was to see the transition of skills and confidence in the participants over such a short time. “The live simulation

activity created such a loud and chaotic environment that made the impact even more realistic and unforgettable,” he says.

College of Nursing participants also found the training beneficial. “This hands-on training should be part of every nursing

school,” states Ms. Schoen, a second semester BSN student. Recent BSN graduate Ms. Odell also found the training worthwhile

as it relates to her current job search. “I have been interviewing for community nursing jobs, and employers ask if I have any

disaster or mass casualty training,” she reports.

The Charleston area is vulnerable to a variety of man-made and natural disasters, a possibility that the public would rarely

consider. Large industrial facilities, container ship traffic, and military installations are just a few elements that elevate the like-

lihood of an adverse occurrence in the area. In addition to man-made scenarios, natural threats exist in the form of flooding,

hurricanes, and earthquakes. Only 38 percent of nurses report having had any type of disaster training. Dr. Scott emphasizes

that “you can’t have homeland security without health care security,” and that is what CHPTeR hopes to alleviate with its

effective disaster training.by Jake Schubert, College of Nursing accelerated BSN student

SURViVing the StoRM | con students participate in disaster Training

V V

L to r: Lancer A. Scott, Md; Lindsay odell; Kelli Schoen; emily eling; Kelly Creech; and Jake Schubert.

Spring | Summer 2013 Lifelines 23

L to r: Maria Pirraglia, rN, daughter of tony; Marilyn Schaffner, rN; Jennifer McCrudden, rN; and Cindy Pirraglia, wife of tony.

[ 1963 ]Dianne M. Smolen retired June 30,

2012.

[ 1971 ]Beth Ulrich’s, BSN ‘71, book,

Mastering Precepting: A Nurse’s

Handbook for Success was recognized

as a 2012 Book of the year by the

American Journal of Nursing.

[ 1993 ]Lilly Cooper, BSN ‘93, nurse manager

on 7 Buxton at Roper/St. Francis

Hospital was a Palmetto Gold recipient

for Spring 2013.

[ 1999 ]Danielle (Cluver) Isbell, BSN ‘99,

received her MSN in December 2012

from the University of Cincinnati. In

February 2013, she became a certified

nurse midwife.

[ 2001 ]Jamie M. Sicard, BSN ‘01, graduated

with highest honors with a Masters

of Science in Nursing in Clinical

Nurse Leadership from the University

of Alabama’s Capstone College of

Nursing.

[ 2002 ] In January 2013,

Rebecca Engelman,

MSN ‘02, was named

executive director of

LaCare, a Medicaid

managed care plan

serving Louisiana

and part of the AmeriHealth Mercy

Family of Companies (AMFC). Ms.

engelman came to LaCare from its

sister health plan, Select Health of

South Carolina, where she was part of

the team that launched the business

in 1996. She started as Select Health’s

senior director of medical services,

where she led the development of the

plan’s quality improvement, utilization

management, case management,

credentialing and outreach services

teams. She held the role of senior

director of quality improvement from

2006 to 2011 before becoming Select

Health’s vice president of operations.

[ 2005 ]Charles Hossler, PhD ‘05, was

appointed associate dean for South

University Ground Based Programs

in the College of Nursing and Public

Health in June 2012. He became

acting dean a month later. His office is

located on the Savannah campus.

[ 2006 ] In September

2012, James F.

Lawrence, PhD ‘06,

presented at the

annual conference

of Gerontological

Advanced Practice

Nurses Association in Las Vegas, NV

and received its national award for

excellence in Geriatric education.

Later that year, he was inducted into

the Seton Hall University School of

Nursing’s Hall of Fame. In January

2013, Dr. Lawrence was elected to

serve a two-year position as the state

president of the United Advanced

Practice Registered Nurses of Georgia

(UAPRN), heading 13 local chapters

and representing approximately 1,700

advanced practice nurses throughout

the state.

[ 2009 ]Ashley Green, BSN ’09, moved to

Chicago, IL after graduation and

worked in a cardiology step-down

unit at Weiss Memorial Hospital where

she stayed until August 2011. She then

backpacked through europe before

moving home to Charleston where

she now works in the MUSC cardio-

thoracic ICU. On a personal note, Ms.

Green and her boyfriend recently

traveled to Iceland where they

climbed a volcano, dove in the Silfra

rift and snowmobiled over glaciers, in

addition to meeting her family who

still live there. The two are currently

training to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro,

tentatively planned for next

summer. As for the future, Ms. Green

plans to pursue a PhD in forensic

anthropology with hopes of one day

becoming a medical examiner or

coroner. She also has a strong interest

in bio-archaeology, which she plans

to incorporate into her PhD research.

[ 2010 ]Jesica Archie, MSN ‘10, BSN ‘07, gave

birth to healthy baby boy named

Robert Jackson “Jack” Archie on

November 27, 2012. Ms. Archie is

happily married to Robert Justin, an

engineer at SCe&G. After a wonderful

maternity leave she returned to work

at MUSC in pediatric orthopaedics

where she works as a pediatric nurse

practitioner.

[ 2012 ]Anna Calhoun, BSN ‘12, is working

on the cardiac critical care unit at

Providence Hospital in Columbia, SC.

Kahlil Demonbreun, DNP ‘12, has

been quite busy since graduation. He

was named the 2013

South Carolina Area

Health education

Consortium

Preceptor of the

year; appointed to

the South Carolina

Nurses Association

APRN Chapter as the member

at large; appointed to the South

Carolina Board of Nursing Advance

Practice Committee; appointed to

the Preceptor and Student Advisory

Committees for the Institute for

CLaSS noteS

V

Alumni Connections

24 Lifelines Spring | Summer 2013

Primary Care education and Practice at MUSC

and USC.

Cameron Matthews, BSN ‘12, has been

accepted into emory’s New Grad Residency

Program on the Progressive Care Unit.

Jill Norris, BSN ‘12, is working at Kindred

Hospital in Mt. Pleasant, SC.

After graduating in May 2012, Jenelle

Quenneville, BSN ‘12, moved to Wilder, VT.

She is a perioperative nurse at Dartmouth

Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) which

houses a 23-suite operating room. Ms.

Quenneville was accepted into Dartmouth’s

10-month perioperative training program.

She was trained in eNT/plastics, vascular

surgery, orthopaedic surgery, general surgery,

pediatrics, cardiothoracic, transplant, and

GU/GyN in both the “circulatory” and “scrub”

roles. For fun, she’s enjoying life study-free,

spending time in the New england snow

(skiing, sledding, etc.) and hopes to plan a

medical mission trip with one of the surgeons

at DHMC sometime very soon.

[ pAssAges ]Florence Ennis Monfort Roper, ‘39

March 16, 2013 | Tampa, FL

Agnes Griffith Wade, ‘44

July 1, 2012 | Mt. Pleasant, SC

Miriam Ragan Simpson, ‘49

January 2, 2013 | Rock Hill, SC

Audrey Ann Watts Brown, ‘57, ’81

February 3, 2013 | Mt. Pleasant, SC

Barbara Gene “Bobbie” Moore, ‘64

February 23, 2013 | Lebanon, SC

Antionette “Ann” Franklin Garrett, ‘64

December 19, 2012 | Jacksonville, NC

Audrey George Joseph, ‘90, ’94

July 2012 | Florence, SC

Julia Breeden-Moore, ‘05

September 21, 2012 | Charleston, SC

2010 phd graduate receives r01 funding from nih

Leslie A. Parker, PhD, NNP-BC, clinical

assistant professor, College of Nursing

University of Florida, received RO1

funding from NIH for her project titled,

“Routine Aspiration of Residual Gastric

Contents in Very Low Birth Weight

Infants.” This study is a randomized

controlled study investigating the risk and benefits of

routine residual gastric content aspiration prior to every

feeding in infants who weigh less than 1250 grams at birth.

WE LOvE WHEN OUR ALUMNI

MAKE US PROUD

Spring | Summer 2013 Lifelines 25

you often make us proud so let us share your

achievements and accomplishments —personal or professional—

in Lifelines.

Send us an update—whether it is about a new job, a promotion, an award or even a new family member—

and we love to include it in our next issue.

Send news and photos to:(include your name, degree and class year)

Jo Smith, Lifelines editorMUSC College of nursing

99 Jonathan Lucas St., MSC 160Charleston, SC 29425

or via the web at www.bit.ly/Con-class

26 Lifelines Spring | Summer 2013

Lines of Life

Too much of our work

amounts to the drudgery of arranging

means toward ends, mechanically placing

the right foot in front of the left and the left

in front of the right, moving down narrow

corridors toward narrow goals.

Play widens the halls.

Work will always be with us, and many works

are worthy. But the worthiest works of all

often reflect an artful creativity that

looks more like play than work.

~ JAmeS OgiLvy

Only one obstacle stood between Tiffany Williams and her doctoral degree: paying to put herself and her teenage daughter through college at the same time.

Today, thanks to a scholarship, Tiffany holds a Doctor of nursing practice degree from the muSC College of nursing and works as an instructor in the same building where she once studied. She brings to her students 21 years of experience in pediatric nursing and a passion for working with obesity prevention, teen parenting and special-needs patient care.

The muSC College of nursing has provided South Carolina with the finest education, research and medical care since 1883. The college relies on scholarships to ensure that it attracts top students like Tiffany.

A Charitable gift Annuity (CgA) provides a fixed income, plus valuable tax savings. Funding a scholarship with a CgA also helps ensure that the most qualified students, no matter their financial circumstances, attend the College of nursing.

For more information on supporting students like Tiffany with a charitable gift annuity, please contact Laurie Scott at scotlk@musc.edu or (843) 792-8421.

Make a gift that helps one person help Many

NON-PROFITUS Postage

pAiDPermit # 293Columbia, SC

99 Jonathan Lucas StreetMSC 160

Charleston, SC 29425-1600

Educating and inspiring nurses to become leaders of tomorrow through accelerated BSN, MSN, DNP and PhD programs.

The College of Nursing is on the cutting edge of nursing education, research, and practice. It shines in the use of innovative technologies to enhance learning, including our dynamic online programs of study. Most importantly, our nursing graduates assume leadership roles throughout the state and beyond and actively shape the health care of tomorrow.

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