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Message from the Dean: The Golden Thread

In This Issue:

In His Words: John Kinney

Samford Gives Back

Program Spotlight: Parish Nursing

In Her Words: Haley David

Moffett Nurse Network

Volunteer with the 90th Anniversary

You Think You Can’t, but You Can: Rachel Shaneyfelt

In His Words: Bryan Wimbish

The Pulse

To stay up to date on IVMSON news between issues of The Pulse, be sure to follow us on our social media sites!

On Saturday, the Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing (IVMSON) added more than 70 graduates to our family of more than 5,000 Moffett Nurses. We continue to be proud of the outstanding nurses who graduate from our programs and embark on careers that change the lives of countless patients and their families. We are confident that these nurses will continue to perpetuate Mrs. Moffett’s vision for compassionate care throughout their nursing journey. In this issue of The Pulse, you will notice many student testimonials and stories. Each month we look forward to highlighting the remarkable things our students and graduates are achieving, but this month we have taken a slightly different approach. At this special time of year, we are grateful for the opportunity to allow numerous students and graduates to share their stories and reflect on their experiences with our faculty and programs. We hope you will enjoy their unique perspectives. As I read Mrs. Moffett’s quote above, I am reminded of the real reason for the Christmas Season. That is, God CARED so much for each of us that He sent His Son to earth to die for our sins so that we might be saved and have eternal life. I pray that you and your family take time to remember the Christmas story during this holiday season. “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from

their sins.” Matthew 1: 21

As we reflect on the past year and look forward to our 90th Anniversary in 2012, we celebrate the many accomplishments of years past and are reminded of how God has blessed and continues to bless IVMSON. I want to thank our students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends for continuing to sup-port our mission. During this holiday season, it is my hope that you will know just how much you are appreciated. Your gifts of your time, talents, resources and prayers are essential to the success of IVMSON and we are forever grateful for all that you do. We thank God for you every day and hope that you will continue to support IVMSON in the year ahead. May you have a Merry Christmas and Blessed New Year,

Nena F. Sanders, DSN, RN Ralph W. Beeson Dean and Professor

“Caring is the shining thread of gold that holds together the tapestry of life." Mrs. Ida V. Moffett

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IVMSON E-NEWSLETTER December 2011

Throughout my experiences in nursing school, I have learned many things. Not only have I learned a lot academically, but I have also learned a lot about myself as person. I can remember sitting in NURS 241 my first semester of nursing school, and listening to the professor talk about the basics of nursing care and how a nurse is so much more than just taking vital signs and giving medications. It is a calling to help those that are in need of not only medical care, but also emotional, spiritual, and social care. It is caring for the whole person in everything that we do as nurses. Each course in nursing school has been different in many ways. However, I think that the overarching theme in every course I have taken in nursing school has been that every individual is different, and that nursing care needs to be adjusted in order to meet the needs of each patient population. IVMSON has given me the tools necessary to meet the needs of those patients in all age groups. It has also helped me to see that nursing is not just another healthcare profession. It is a special calling. Provision 1 of the ANA Code of Ethics states that “The nurse, in all professional relationships, practices with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and uniqueness of every

individual, unrestricted by considerations of social or economic status, personal attributes, or the nature of health problems.” This provision was constantly reiterated throughout nursing school. I cannot think of a course in which practicing with compassion and respect for the many different kinds of people we would be taking care of was not emphasized. There were many patients that I was assigned that may not have made the best decisions in their lives. In fact, many of them were in the hospital because of those decisions, or the long-term results of decisions that were made in the past. However, this did not mean that I was not going to care for them in the same way that I care for another patient. Every one of my patients deserved the same level of care. I’ve learned that my primary commitment will always be to my assigned patients, whether it is a single person, a family, a group of people, or all of the above. I can remember being in Pediatrics clinical when my assigned patient was a little girl who was in with an upper respiratory infection. She was in her crib, with the lights out, and she needed her diaper changed. Both of her parents were asleep in the room, not paying much attention to her constant crying. I went into the room to change the patient, and the parents woke up. They were asking me all kinds of questions about what the next steps were for their daughter, and if I could get the doctor in the room for them because they had questions for him as well. It was then that I realized I was not only caring for the little girl by changing her diaper, but I was also caring for the patient’s family by answering their questions and making sure they did not need anything. We had always been taught in class that when caring for patients, especially pediatric patients, you are caring for the family as well. Nurses are responsible for caring for the entire patient, including the family as much as possible. My education at the IVMSON has prepared me to go out into the world and make a difference. IVMSON has taught me many things about nursing and healthcare that I can use as a registered nurse. I not only have the knowledge and tools that I need to begin my career as a nurse, but I also have the ability to recognize the needs of my patients outside of general medical needs. IVMSON has provided a good foundation from which I can build upon in my career as a registered nurse.

In His Words: John Kinney, BSN 2011

Nursing Missions in Bolivia

June 16-24, 2012

Students, are you interested in medical missions? Would you like to earn 3 credit hours plus convo hours? If so, contact Dr. Lora Shelton for more information. Registration will re-open in Spring term with deadline for registration February 2012 . For more information, visit www.samford.studioabroad.com.

Nursing Missions in Bolivia

Samford Gives Back: Nurse Practitioner Faculty Organize Volunteers for Sharing the Care Initiative

IVMSON E-NEWSLETTER December 2011

Page 3 View more photos from Samford Gives Back in our Facebook album! Special thanks to Mark Isley for taking so many wonderful photos.

Samford students, faculty and alumni partnered with Sharing the Care to participate in “Samford Gives Back” on Saturday, December 3. This group provided respite care for children with special needs and their siblings. Respite is a break from the 24 hour a day, 7 day a week duties of caring at home for a child or adult with disabilities or chronic illnesses. Caregivers work tirelessly to keep their loved ones at home, but at the same time jeopardize their own mental and physical well being. By providing this event, parents were able to leave their children at Samford’s Children’s Learning Center for 3 hours on Saturday morning in order to “get a break” and do something for themselves; several parents chose to go Christmas shopping. The response was tremendous with 35 volunteers caring for 25 children. With this amount of volunteers, it was possible for each child to receive 1:1 care while other volunteers coordinated arts & crafts, snacks, music and other various fun activities. The event was coordinated by Jill Cunningham, DNP, FNP-BC, and Cyndi Cortes, DrPH, MSN, CPNP-PC, with assistance on Saturday from Belinda Isley, MSN, WHNP, FNP, NP-C and Jane Holston, MSN, CRNP, FNP-C (all IVMSON faculty in the FNP Department). Student volunteers from across campus helped with the event. Two IVMSON students participated, Lauren Barbaro and Emma Perkins. Ten of the volunteers were from a residence hall here on campus thanks to Hannah Sullivan, daughter of IVMSON staff member Gena Sullivan. The event was very well received, with parents and volunteers already asking, “When can we do this again?” Sharing the Care plans to continue to partner with Samford Gives Back in order to offer more respite events in the future. Samford student, faculty and alumni volunteers are “the best.” Sharing the Care is a community initiative of the larger statewide Alabama Lifespan Respite Network (Alabama Respite) that works to bring area respite stakeholders together to increase awareness of and access to respite services for caregivers. Sharing the Care initiatives are comprised of caregivers, family members, organizations, churches and agencies who help Alabama Respite in the mission “to make respite services readily available and easily accessible to all Alabama caregivers.” Sharing the Care groups are currently operating in the Jefferson and Shelby County area, as well as in Selma, Montgomery and Dothan. If you have questions or would like to get involved with STC, please contact Linda Lamberth, Program Manager, at 256-237-3683.

IVMSON E-NEWSLETTER December 2011

Program Spotlight: Parish Nursing

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Through the Parish Nursing Program, IVMSON offers training and support for individuals interested in congregational nursing. More than 400 Parish Nurses have been trained through the IVMSON program. Parish nursing is a specialty practice of professional nursing and a professional model of health ministry that focuses on whole person health promotion and disease prevention from a faith perspective. Annually, IVMSON provides individuals with the opportunity to receive certification through the Basic Preparation for Parish Nurses Class. In 2012, courses will be taught at the Schocco Springs Conference Center in Talladega, AL February 10-11 and March 2-4. Participants must attend both weekend sessions to receive certification. If you are interested in participating in the courses, you can learn more about the course in the informational brochure. There are a variety of organizational frameworks for the ministry of parish nursing practice. Many Parish Nurses serve in churches as volunteers, while others are paid staff members (part-time or full-time). Institutions such as hospitals, health care systems and/or universities also collaborate with churches to have parish nurses (paid or unpaid) serve in congregations. Regardless of the organizational framework, the parish nurse is accountable to the Nurse Practice Act of the state where he/she is practicing, as well as the Scope and Standards of Parish Nursing (American Nurses Association & Health Ministries Association, Inc., 1998). Parish nursing does not embrace the medical model of care or invasive practices such as blood drawing, medical treatments, or medication administration. The International Parish Nurse Resource Center developed a standardized core curriculum that is being utilized by IVMSON and throughout the world. This course provides basic preparation for registered nurses that feel called to serve as parish nurses. The late Granger Westberg, former pastor, medical chaplain, and “pioneer” of parish nursing in the 1980s, provides us with an inspirational thought in relation to the parish nurse:

“Nurses seem to have one foot in the sciences and one in the humanities, one foot in the spiritual world and one in the physical one. The nurses I’ve had the privilege to work with have been very perceptive; they have great insight into the human condition.”

If you are interested in attending the Parish Nursing Course or learning more about the program, please contact: Debbie Duke, RN, BSN Congregational Health Program Director Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing Samford University

Seven identified roles of a parish nurse: Integrator of faith and health (mission) Health educator Personal health counselor Referral agent Coordinator of volunteers Developer of support groups Health advocate

Register today for the 2012 Basic Preparation for Parish Nurses Class!

February 10-11 and March 2-4, 2012

Shocco Springs Conference Center, Talladega, AL

Participants must attend both weekend sessions to receive certification.

For course details, please review the brochure. or contact Debbie Duke.

Accolades, Honors, and Acknowledgments—Alumni and Students

IVMSON E-NEWSLETTER December 2011

In Her Words: Haley David, Accelerated Second Degree BSN, Dec. 2011

Page 5

Jennifer Jenkins, SRNA, class of 2012 had her article entitled “Cardiovascular Diabetic Autonomic Neuropathy” accepted for publication in the December 2011 issue of the In-ternational Student Journal of Nurse Anesthesia. Marie Mompoint, DNP 2009 and MSN 2002, recently received the 2011 March of Dimes Nurse of the Year Award in Nursing Administration. Jordan Valdez, sophomore BSN student, was awarded a ROTC scholarship for nursing.

Jennifer Jenkins

Throughout the past 15 months I have spent as a student in the Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing, I have learned what it truly means to be an R. N. It is an honor to be a graduate of IVMSON and I feel I am prepared as I transition into the role of a nurse. I personally believe there is a reason for each and every patient assignment; there are no coincidences. Each patient I have had I have learned something from whether it is about his or her medical condition, the medications they were taking, or how to communicate in difficult situations. During my preceptorship in the Emergency Department, I had a patient who was admitted for Altered Mental Status. He was one of the most difficult patients I have ever worked with. He was combative, confused and afraid. After being sedated three times, he still would not calm down. I tried talking to him and explaining everything before it was done, but nothing seemed to work. I consulted with my preceptor, and we decided it would be best to ask for help from his wife because we thought that would best meet his health needs. I consulted with his wife and she agreed to talk to him and attempted to hold his hand and that seemed to help his demeanor some. I remained in the room with him while my preceptor retrieved his paperwork for transfer to the ICU. While waiting, his wife leaned down and asked him what her name was. He looked at her as if she were a complete stranger and repeated a name that was not hers. She then proceeded to weep and cry hysterically and could barely stand up. In

this moment I realized that I was not only taking care of her husband, but I was taking care of her, too. I began to think back to Psychiatric nursing when we learned about therapeutic communication because it is difficult to find something to say in a situation such as this. So, I walked around to her side of the bed, helped pick her up, and just held her hand as she cried on my shoulder. After we transferred him to the ICU, she stopped me before we left and gave me the biggest hug and thanked me for taking such good care of her husband. It was in that moment that, for the first time, I truly felt like a nurse.

I remember the feeling I had when I tried on my uniform for the first time. After much wear with each clinical experience, the blue trim on my uniform has faded, there is an ink stain on one of the pockets, and some of the stitching on my patch has come loose. As I look at that uniform I think about how far I have come and how much knowledge I gained as an IVMSON student. Wearing that uniform for the last time was bittersweet. I have hung up my student uniform and now begin my transition to the role of the R. N. that I have worked so hard to become.

Coming in the February issue:

Full coverage of IVMSON commencement and pinning ceremonies.

Remember to share your accomplishments with us! Students, alumni, faculty and staff should send news for The Pulse to

kstripli@samford.edu

IVMSON E-NEWSLETTER December 2011

Upcoming Events for Alumni and Friends

Join us as we plan for the 90th Anniversary!

February 8, 2012, Houston, TX The Moffett Nurse Network will host a reception in Houston, Wednesday February 8th. Alumni and students in the area will receive additional details soon.

February 2012, West Georgia The Moffett Nurse Network will return to Carrollton in February 2012. Be on the lookout for details for a fun and exciting event where you’ll have the opportunity to paint a canvas of the Healing Angel!

If you’re interested in hosting a Moffett Nurse Network event in your city, please contact Katie Stripling.

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Save the Date!

October 12October 12October 12---13, 201213, 201213, 2012

Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing and

Birmingham Baptist Hospital School of Nursing

90th Anniversary Alumni and Friends Weekend

Please make plans to join us as we honor our rich history of nursing excellence!

Events will include:

Cap and Cape Society* inaugural celebration

Family fun day and barbeque

90th Anniversary Gala

Reception for former Birmingham Baptist and Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing faculty and staff

Individual class reunions, and much, much more!

We need volunteers to assist in the planning!

Ways to help:

Sign up for the events committee (help plan the family fun day, Gala and other events)

Sign up to be a class representative (we need one per class year and this person helps ensure that

all class members receive communication about the anniversary events)

Nominate outstanding alumni for recognition

If you would like to serve on a 90th Anniversary committee,

please contact Katie Stripling at 205-726-2265 or kstripli@samford.edu.

You think you can’t…but think again.

Life is hard, hands down! But we were never promised that it would be easy. I recall the song by the Crabb Family “He never promised that the cross would not get heavy, or the hill would not be hard to climb. He never offered a victory without fighting, but He said help would always come in time.” If you think life is too busy or too hard to attend school well…just think again! I am a Family Nurse Practitioner student at Samford University. The GREATEST program on the planet and the program that helped saved my life. It was the on campus health assessment check off in the Fall of 2010, that revealed that I didn’t have any left lower lobe lung sounds. I actually thought that my check off partner was kidding when she told me, but she was right. That fall semester ended and along came the New Year. I remember my 2011 New Year’s resolution was to be fit enough to run a marathon, little did I know what kind of race I was being trained for.

Samford’s FNP program is designed to where the first clinical rotation is that of Adult Health. The clinical instructor I was blessed to have was another link to my miracle. My follow up appointments of what was being diagnosed as “pneumonia” became far worse than I had imagined. It was cancer. I hate that word cancer and sometimes feel that even saying the word gives it power, but have learned that saying the word gives me power over it. My clinical instructor was considered “the Physician’s Physician,” as he was well respected in the medical community. I was honored that he was interested in my CT scan and hand delivered it to a world renowned thoracic surgeon at UAB, which in turn passed the torch to my amazing oncologist. So in recap: a lung biopsy in March 2011, and a major surgery in April including the partial removal of my lung and the left pleura- the removal of my left diaphragm- the pericardium (the sac around my heart), followed by chemotherapy from May through September and… despite all of this, I will still graduate on time, with my class in May 2012. Samford gave me an awesome opportunity with extreme support from the faculty who not only gathered around me and prayed for me the day of my CT result but, also at every staff meeting. The Family Nurse Practitioner Program allowed me to develop great friendships with my classmates Leigh Abbott and Brandi Carbonie, who assisted me through every surgery, every doctor’s appointment and, every chemotherapy. I was never alone….never! I recall a physician and friend who told me “Rachel, time is going to pass whether you go to school or not, so go to school.” I am glad that I followed her advice. I thank God for this journey and for the path that He has allowed me to take. When you have cancer people find it hard to find the words to say or the questions to ask. They often resort to the “God doesn’t put more on you than what you can handle” and I say, “I’m glad that He finds me strong enough to handle it… and I won’t let him down.” How big is OUR God? – Just ask me – because He is BIGGER than ANY situation! Page 7

IVMSON E-NEWSLETTER December 2011

In Her Words: Rachel Shaneyfelt, FNP Student

Nominate Outstanding Alumni for 90th Anniversary Recognition

Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing and Birmingham Baptist Hospital School of Nursing graduates are making a

transformational impact around the world.

As we prepare to celebrate our 90th Anniversary we would like to honor these outstanding individuals in a variety of

ways.

Do you know an alumnus who has made a significant impact in the lives of others?

Perhaps an extraordinary missionary, researcher, clinician or educator?

The possibilities are endless, but we need your help identifying these humble individuals.

Please contact Katie Stripling as soon as possible with information about these exceptional Moffett Nurses*.

The world is better for Ida V. Moffett and Birmingham Baptist Hospital School of Nursing Alumni.

*Impact does not have to be in the field of nursing.

Brandi, Rachel and Leigh

IVMSON E-NEWSLETTER December 2011

Sigma Theta Tau Inducts Members

Page 8

The Gamma Eta Chapter of The Honor Society of Nursing,

Sigma Theta Tau International, inducted 27 new

members on December 15, 2011 in Reid Chapel.

Undergraduate Hanna Anders Phillip Breiner* Martha Davis Carole Ann Downing Meredith Drake* Brooklyn Eady Whitney Emery Misty Emmons Christina Farleigh* Miriam McGowan Keri McLendon Hilary Neal Kathryn Rogers Lacy Schaefer Gina Trapp McKenzie Dunn VanFleteren Hannah Wilhoite Christopher Wright *Accelerated Second Degree

Graduate-FNP Jeremy Boyd Stephen Giacoppo Kimberly Sakstrup Patrick Donnelly Robert Harrison Sydney Fernald Kimberly Swaisland Robert Hoffman Gregory Nelson

In His Words: Bryan Wimbish BSN, Dec. 2011

In my time at Samford, not only has my life been radically changed for

God's glory, but I have also experienced and learned invaluable

lessons in nursing. I believe that the compassionate caring that is

demonstrated through faculty and hospital experiences will go with

me on my journey to be a nurse who sets the bar high above many

others. I feel equipped to not only heal patients physically, but also

heal the spiritually weak which I truly believe is our ultimate goal.

I thank the Ida V.

Moffett faculty and

staff and everyone else

who has been involved

in making me the man

and nurse that I am

today. I look forward

to taking my education

to the UAB Emergency

Department to display

the Ida V. Mofett

standard of care!

Join us as we honor Beverly Hyche’s 29 years of service to IVMSON

As Beverly Hyche concludes 29 years of dedication to faculty and students,

you are invited to join us for a celebration in honor of her contributions

to the Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing.

Beverly Hyche

Retirement Reception

January 9, 2012

2:30-4:00 p.m.

Rotunda Club

Center for Healing Arts

Samford University

R.S.V.P. to 205-726-2861 or email tjhall@samford.edu

Page 9

IVMSON E-NEWSLETTER December 2011

A Message of Thanks from Julie Head, IVMSON Assistant Professor

Julie Head, Assistant Professor in the Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing, would like to express her sincere appreciation for the

support that so many students and alumni have provided throughout the last year and a half. Julie’s husband Tripp battled cancer

for seventeen months before moving on to the next stage of his life’s journey on the morning of Thursday, November 17, 2011.

The outpouring of support from students, alumni and friends of IVMSON has been remarkable and Julie would like to share a

message of thanks.

A tribute to Tripp Head.

Dates To Remember

If you have any student, fac-ulty, or alumni awards, presen-tations, conferences, scholar-

ships, photographs or any other announcements, etc.

that you would like posted in the next edition of The Pulse,

please send them to kstripli@samford.edu or call 205-726-2265

...to all who participated in providing information for this newsletter.

“Caring is the shining thread of gold that holds together the tapestry of life.” Mrs. Ida V. Moffett

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SPECIAL THANKS

Share Your News!

Dec. 23-January 2: University closed for Christmas holidays January 9: Retirement Reception for Beverly Hyche January 16: Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday January 30: Spring classes begin February 10: IVMSON Advisory Board meeting

NEWSLETTER EDITOR

Remember to Follow Us!

Katie Stripling kstripli@samford.edu 205-726-2265

800 Lakeshore Drive

Birmingham, AL 35229

Phone: 205-726-2872

http://nursing.samford.edu

Interested in supporting a particular fund or program at IVMSON? Click

here for a list of ongoing IVMSON needs as well as links to make

a gift online.

Thank you for your consideration!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Giving to the Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing has never been easier! Please be sure to visit our giving page to see a list of

ongoing needs within the school and to make secure online gifts. Please contact Katie Stripling at 205-726-2265 or

kstripli@samford.edu with questions regarding year end gifts. We continue to be grateful for your support of our students and

programs.

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