Renovations to the student lounge are complete. Per the request of the students, what was once a drab space filled with bulky, unused pieces of furniture has been transformed into a more spacious, student-friendly, quiet study lounge. Located in the basement in room A026, the lounge has been newly carpeted and has a fresh coat of paint. New carrels, complete with lighting and individual power sources, have been added to optimize the study space available to all School of Nursing students.

“All the students are really excited and grateful for the new student lounge,” said senior Traditional BSN student Hannah Pittman. “The Media Center tends to be a social place, and it ’s hard to study in there. But now we have the brand new, nice lounge that is ideal for individual studying. It ’s nice to have somewhere quiet in the school to study so we don’t have to travel all the way to the library.”

Continued of page 3 ...

BSN Program - January 15 RN-MSN Program - February 15

In this Issue2 Countdown to the

CCNE Accreditation Visit

2 CCNE Term of the Month

2 Upcoming Events

2 Student Testimonial

3 Alumni Greetings

3 New Student Officers

3 Media Center Renovations Under Way

4 Faculty Feats

5 SONShine Community Service

6 Semester in Review

S c h o o l o f N u r s i n g

School of Nursing RenovatesSchool of Nursing RenovatesStudent Lounge and Media CenterStudent Lounge and Media Center

Upcoming Application DeadlinesUpcoming Application Deadlines

http://son.umc.edu601.984.6262

V i t a l S i g n sVolume 2 : Issue 4

Winter 2011

For a complete list of application deadlines, please visit http://son.umc.edu/apply/deadlines.html.

Student Lounge Before

“It’s nice to have somewhere quiet in the school to study ....” - Hannah Pittman

Student Lounge After

Graduate Program Test-Runs WikispacesGraduate Program Test-Runs Wikispacesas Learning Toolas Learning Tool

Allowing easier interaction, less troubleshooting and increased opportunities for student participation, Wikispaces are becoming a common learning tool in nursing education.

Just ask the faculty who introduced it to School of Nursing master’s students.

Dr. Rebecca Askew, associate professor and director of the Nursing and Health Care Administrator MSN track, this semester began incorporating Wikispaces into the strategic management and organizational management courses, two graduate-level hybrid courses.

Wikispaces is a software that allows for greater user contribution and participation, Askew said. Unlike a traditional message board or comment thread, Wikispaces is more user-friendly and easily navigated.

Specifically, Askew’s students use Wikispaces to comment on and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of an organizations’ strategic plans in the strategic management course, while working in pairs to assess the organizations’ physical assessments in the organizational management class.

The software offers students the opportunity to learn from one another, build their evaluation skills and sharpen their critical thinking, Askew said.

Dr. Rebecca Askew

Mark your calendar! On April 11, 12 and 13, 2012, the School of Nursing will participate in a Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accreditation site visit. This will be reaccreditation for the BSN and MSN programs and initial accreditation for the new DNP program.

CCNE is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as the only accrediting body devoted exclusively to the evaluation of baccalaureate and graduate degree nursing programs. Accreditation is a peer-review process that evaluates each program’s mission, goals and expected outcomes and assesses the performance of the program in achieving the mission and goals. It addresses all aspects of our programs from faculty, curriculum, resources, criteria for admission and graduation and student support services.

The mission of the SON is “To develop nurse leaders and improve health within and beyond Mississippi through excellence in education, research, practice and service,” and earning CCNE accreditation allows us to address the needs of our state and region for nurse leaders in patient care, nurse education and health-care administration. Accreditation demonstrates that our programs meet the rigorous, high-quality standards set by CCNE in producing graduates who are well prepared to fulfill these roles.

The CCNE team of evaluators will be on campus in the SON meeting with faculty, students, administrators and community partners. They will observe classes in progress and visit students on clinical units and practice sites. The team will meet with Oxford faculty and students on The University of Mississippi campus or by distance-learning connection in the classrooms. Meetings with MSN and DNP students will be face-to-face on campus or through Wimba live videoconferencing.

We are working hard to prepare the accreditation self-study report to submit to CCNE prior to the April visit, and as we prepare for the visit, we will continue to keep you informed of our progress along the way. I want to thank everyone who has already assisted us in preparing for the reaccreditation process, including students, faculty and staff. Beginning in the January, we will schedule CCNE update information sessions. We encourage you to attend these sessions in order to stay informed of our progress.

UpcomingUpcomingEventsEvents

Editor ' s NotesThis publication is published quarterly by The University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Nursing. Please direct comments, suggestions or questions to Coordinator of Student Recruitment and Marketing Kim Ferguson: nsrecruiter@umc.edu.

The University of MississippiMedical CenterSchool of Nursing2500 North State StreetJackson, MS 39216-4505

601-984-6262http://son.umc.edu

Dean Dr. Kim Hoover

Editor & WriterKim Ferguson

Graphic DesignerAmy Robertson

Financial Resource Information DayThursday, Dec. 1

Classes EndFriday, Dec. 9

Christmas HolidayDec. 23-26

BSN Classes BeginMonday, Jan. 9

MSN OrientationWednesday, Jan. 11

DNP Classes BeginThursday, Jan. 12

RN-MSN & MSN Classes BeginFriday, Jan. 13

MLK HolidayMonday, Jan. 16

Financial Wellness SeminarWednesday, Feb. 8

Student TestimonialStudent Testimonial“One of the things I love about UMC is that I have had the opportunity to be involved in a wide array of student groups, organizations and committees. Whether it is the student body government or the UMC student nurses’ association,

there are ways for everybody to be involved in some capacity.”

Ryan Mittwede Traditional BSNClass of 2012

Dr. Pat Waltman,Professor and

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and

Accreditation

2

CCNE Term of the MonthCCNE Term of the MonthIn order to increase your knowledge, monthly updates will include

CCNE terms and vocabulary.

What is COI?

Answer: Community of interest (COI) consists of groups and individuals who have an interest in the mission, goals and expected outcomes of the nursing unit and its effectiveness in achieving them. The COI comprises the stakeholders of the program and may include both internal (e.g. current students) and external constituencies (e.g. regulatory bodies, practicing nurses, employers).

Countdown to the CCNE Accredi tat ion Vis i t

Additional renovations also are planned for the Media Center. Plans for these renovations include a lounge, study area and eating area for students. In preparation for these renovations, the printers will be phased out and replaced with a cloud system used elsewhere throughout the university system. The goal is to move forward in our conservation of resources, phase out paper printing and “go green” as much as possible. To follow along with class lectures, students are encouraged to use laptops for digital copies.

In the event that paper printouts are needed, there will be several printing stations

conveniently located around campus. These printer locations include the second floor of the Classroom Wing, the second floor of the Rowland Medical Library and the Rowland Medical Library computer lab. This change is not slated to take place until renovations begin, but students are encouraged to begin using the cloud system now.

For more information about the campus printing services, as well as the free cloud storage that gives students access to their data anytime, anywhere, please visit this site: http://sharepoint.umsmed.edu/services/dis/research_education/studentsupport/default.aspx.

New Student OfficersNew Student Officers

Congratulations to the following newly elected SON officers.

Nursing Student BodyPresident: Hannah PittmanVice President: Kristin HintonTreasurer: Mary Catherine RaglandParliamentarian: Lauren PowellSecretary: Katelin Atwood

Senior ClassPresident: Adam WelchVice President: Tina ChandlerTreasurer: Ashley CovingtonSecretary: Spencer FergusonReporter: Rachel HughesOxford Representative: Kia Jones

Accelerated Class Rep.: Kim Eppler

Junior ClassPresident: Shelby StrattonVice President: Teresa WhiteSecretary: Kayla ChildressReporter: Catherine FigueroaOxford Rep.: Bethany CoyleTreasurer: Kayla Murphy

Alumni GreetingsAlumni Greetings

2011 has been a celebratory year for the Nursing Alumni chapter. Throughout the 51-year history of the Nursing Alumni organization, 15 of our alumni have provided significant leadership for the Mississippi Nurses’ Association. These individuals were recognized during the Centennial Celebration in Natchez and again during the MNA annual meeting. A wonderful reception was sponsored by Dean Kim Hoover and the Alumni Affairs office during the MNA annual meeting in Biloxi. Many convention attendees visited and mingled at this hospitable affair.

Nursing alumni Mary Ellen Bebin Warner (BSN ’79) is serving on the University of Mississippi Alumni board, and kudos to the following board members who have completed their three-year terms: Michelle Burns, Dr. Lisa Haynie, Carol Parker and Michelle Schweinfurth. The organization welcomes the following new board members for their three-year terms: Brenda Castleberry, Lishia Lee, Kathy Scott, Dr. Renee Williams and Jonathan Wilson. They will join fellow board members Elizabeth Twiner, Hollis Purviance, Nikki Pittman, Sonja Fuqua, Tara Price, Rene Menogan, Tina Higgins and Krystil Crick.

Congratulations to Paul Boackle, who will become president in December, and Michelle Burns as president-elect. It has been quite an honor to serve our school and alumni for the past two years. Do stay in touch!

Sandra H. West, BSN Class of 1968, Nursing Alumni President

Kudos

3

please join us March 1, 2012

Oglevee Papers DayDriskell Lecture SON Annual Alumni Meeting

pppppplplppppppp eas

Honoring

SON Alumna of the Year

and Classes of

1962, 1972, 1982, 1992, 2002

For ALL

Nursing alumni

SON Alumni Reunions

Dr. LaDonna Northington, Charlotte Peavie, Bess Blackwell and Dr.

Renee Williams are pictured a the MNA reception.

Save the Date - March 1, 2012SON Annual Alumni MeetingSpecial tribute to our Military Nursing Alumni and Faculty

Media Center Renovations Under Way (cont.)Media Center Renovations Under Way (cont.)

Pictured are Catherine Figueroa, Adam Welch and Brett Kiker,

who were elected to serve as the Mississippi Association of Student Nurses’ director of breakthrough

for nursing, president and director for nominations and elections,

respectively.

What began as simply a way to relieve the stresses of graduate school soon became an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of countless Mississippi nursing students.

“While working 12-hour shifts and in graduate school to become a family nurse practitioner, I painted to survive and relieve stress if I ever had a break,” said Oxford Traditional BSN instructor Rita Morgan. “I completed a painting that touched my heart, and it clearly represents my love for nursing. I named the painting ‘Nurses Have Heart.’

The Mississippi Nurses’ Foundation chose Morgan’s artwork for their 2011 artist series. Prints of the painting are being sold, and proceeds benefit grants and scholarships for Mississippi RNs and nursing students. The prints are $30 each, which includes shipping charges.

Waltman Selected as CCNE Team LeaderWaltman Selected as CCNE Team LeaderThe Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education chose Dr. Pat Waltman, associate dean for academic affairs and accreditation, as a CCNE team leader. Because of her service to CCNE as an on-site evaluator, Waltman was chosen to serve as a liaison between the program and the members of the evaluation team, as well as to coordinate the agenda and assure a smooth on-site evaluation and completion of the team report. As a team leader, Waltman participated in a six-week series of invitation-only webinars that will help the School of Nursing as it prepares for the CCNE accreditation site visit in April.

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Facul ty Feats

Martin Elected President of MASMartin Elected President of MASTina Martin, professor and director of the Accelerated BSN program, recently was elected president of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences, an organization that, according to its website, “encourages potential scientists, engineers and mathematicians through its youth activities programs,” as well as “provides an inventory of science and technology expertise within the state.” Martin is the first nurse ever elected president of the MAS.

Askew Chosen as AONE Item WriterAskew Chosen as AONE Item WriterDr. Rebecca Askew, School of Nursing associate professor and director of the Nursing and Health Care Administrator MSN track, recently was selected to serve as an American Organization of Nurse Executives item writer for the Executive Nursing Practice certification. Only 10 item writers from across the country were chosen. Item writers form practice tests for nurse executives who want to take a practice test prior to writing for the national exam. According to the group’s website, AONE, a subsidiary of the American Hospital Association, is a national organization that provides “leadership, professional development, advocacy and research to advance nursing practice and patient care, promote nursing leadership excellence and shape public policy for health care.”

Seed Grant Funding Awarded to FouquierSeed Grant Funding Awarded to FouquierFor a pilot study titled, “The Association of Anxiety Sensitivity, Pregnancy-Related Anxiety and Fear of Childbirth on Perinatal Experiences in African American Women,” Dr. Kate Fouquier, assistant professor, received School of Nursing intramural seed grant funding. Fouquier’s study seeks to characterize relationships among anxiety, fear of childbirth, mode of delivery and maternal-infant attachment among 50, low-risk, primiparous African American women. This pilot study will provide data for a larger study on modifiable factors that may affect maternal response to birth and infant attachment.

Northington Appointed to MNF and SPN BoardsNorthington Appointed to MNF and SPN BoardsLaDonna Northington, professor and director of the Traditional BSN program, was appointed to the Mississippi Nurses’ Foundation board of directors. She also was reappointed to the nine-member board of directors for the Society of Pediatric Nurses, a national nursing organization founded for all nurses involved in caring for children and families.

MNA Elects Hitt Vice PresidentMNA Elects Hitt Vice PresidentThe Mississippi Nurses’ Association House of Delegates recently elected its new officers. Among them was Jennifer Hitt, assistant professor. Hitt was elected vice president of the board of directors.

SON Instructor Donates Artwork to MNFSON Instructor Donates Artwork to MNF

Proceeds from Rita Morgan’s painting,‘Nurses Have Heart,’ will benefit scholarships and grants for Mississippians interested in a

career in nursing.

By Kia Jones

Being a nurse is a career of giving and caring for others, and an important part of what we do outside of the clinical setting is giving back to the community through service. Here on the Ole Miss campus, we have many opportunities to lend a helping hand. Many of us complete

community service with the various organizations that we are affiliated with, and many of us volunteer at organizations that are near and dear to our hearts, including the Walk to Cure Diabetes, the C.A.R.E. Walk for Breast Cancer, Operation Christmas Child and the Surviving with Style cancer fundraiser fashion show.

Aside from community service, each semester we dedicate some of our clinical hours to promote health on the Ole Miss campus. As juniors, we administered flu shots to our peers, and this year as seniors, we all participated in the campus health fair. Because the fair was during breast cancer awareness month, we handed out pamphlets and gave demonstrations on how to perform self-breast exams. We also provided our male counterparts with testicular models and demonstrations on how to perform self-testicular exams. We recognize that being on a liberal arts campus provides us the unique opportunity to educate our peers who are not pursing health professions. I hope that as we conclude our last semesters in nursing school, we all remember the importance of teaching those around us and the value of service in the communities we live in.

On Sunday, Oct. 2, the School of Nursing joined forces with the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi to fight one of Mississippi’s biggest health problems: diabetes. The SON successfully raised nearly $1,800 for

the cause of fighting and defeating diabetes in Mississippi. SON team captains were instructors Joyce Johnson and Robin MacSorley, as well as Accelerated BSN student Samuel Dickinson.

The walking didn’t stop there, though. On Sunday, Oct. 30, more than 70 SON students,

faculty and staff also laced up their sneakers to participate in raising money and awareness for the American Heart Association. The Start! Heart Walk promotes cardiovascular health through patient outreach, improved patient care, health advocacy, education and other efforts. The SON raised nearly $1,200 for the organization.

Providing hands-on, multidisciplinary clinical training for School of Nursing students and access to primary health-care services to Mississippi Delta children lies at the cornerstone of the SON’s mission of education, research, practice and service.

On Thursday, Sept. 15, Accelerated BSN students, along with the Mercy Delta Express, did both. The group participated in a health fair at South Delta Middle School in Anguilla, Miss. Accelerated BSN students also conducted a health fair at Rosa Scott High School in Madison, Miss., on Thursday, Oct. 6. The students provided BMI, blood pressure, height and weight, as well as teaching materials on teen issues.

Likewise, several SON nurse practitioner students worked alongside the Mercy Delta Express and the Sharkey-Issaquena Health Network to sponsor the “Great Bear Affair” health fair. Held Saturday, Oct. 22, the event was held in Rolling Fork, Miss.

5

S NShine Community Service

Pictured are SON team members at theDFM Walk for Diabetes. The SON raised nearly

$1,800 for the organization.

Mercy Delta Team PromotesMercy Delta Team PromotesGood HealthGood Health

SON Walks for Diabetes,SON Walks for Diabetes,Heart HealthHeart Health

Pictured at the “Great Bear Affair” are Jowilla Secoy; Linda Patton; Kayla Logan; Kathy Rhodes; Treasie Williams; Teddy Roosevelt; Lisa Dalton;

Lisa Haynie; and Margaret Hines.

Oxford Students Give Back to CommunityOxford Students Give Back to Community

Kia Jones Traditional BSNClass of 2012

The School of Nursing Office of Student Affairs hosted an open house Tuesday, Aug. 30, for prospective undergraduate and graduate nursing students. Students had an opportunity to take a tour of the school, as well as talk to BSN, RN-MSN, MSN and doctoral program directors. Representatives also were onsite to field questions regarding financial aid, student services and the admission process. Nearly 100 students attended the SON’s first open house. Pictured are Drs. LaDonna Northington, Audwin Fletcher and Jean Walker.

On Wednesday, Oct. 5, the School of Nursing hosted its annual Ignite Career Fair. Nearly 20 professional organizations, hospitals and other health-care agencies from across the state attended to showcase their employment or membership opportunities. Special thanks to the 2011 vendors: Baptist Health Systems, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi, Delta Regional Medical Center, Eliza Pillars Registered Nurses’ Association, Forrest General Hospital, G.V. Sonny Montgomery VA Medical Center, Mississippi Nurses’ Association, Mississippi Nurses’ Foundation, Mississippi State Hospital, Northwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center, North Mississippi Medical Center, Odyssey Healthcare, Regional

Medical Center at Memphis, River Region Medical Center, St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital, University of Mississippi Health Care, UMMC School of Nursing graduate programs and Wexford Health Services, Inc. Pictured are Victoria Gholar of UMHC speaking to Traditional BSN students Ryan Mittwede and Ellen Hutchinson.

Student leaders met recently at the Center for Nursing Excellence to continue their work on the Student Code for Honorable and Professional Behavior. Dean Kim Hoover talked with students about the mission and core values of the School of Nursing, suggesting the SON mission emphasis on the development of nurse leaders and the core values of integrity, respect, diversity, excellence and accountability marry well with this important body of student work . Two dozen students representing the Traditional and Accelerated BSN programs revised the preamble to the code, according to feedback and recommendations of a recent student body survey. Students worked in groups to begin outlining the parameters for academic, personal and professional conduct. This work will continue with further development of the code and presentation to the student body for their recommendations. Special thanks to the Mississippi Nurses’ Association, UMHC Office of Nurse Recruitment, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Dr. Jerry Clark for their support of this event.

Congressman Bennie Thompson visited the School of Nursing on Monday, Aug. 29, to speak to senior Traditional BSN students about the significance of their career choice and the important work that the next generation of RNs faces. Thompson also spoke about his commitment to nursing education and the work that he is doing in Washington, D.C., to help eradicate Mississippi’s health-care disparities. Pictured are senior Traditional BSN student Keiella Johnson and Thompson.

Semester in Review

Throughout the fall semester, the Traditional BSN senior class collected supplies for the School of Nursing’s three school-based clinics, Rowan Middle School, Johnson Elementary School and Brown Elementary School. Students collected over 100 items for the schools, including band-aids, toothbrushes and various medications, to name a few. Pictured are class representatives, from left to right, Adam Welch, Tina Chandler, Ashley Covington and class advisor Josie Bidwell. Pictured in the front are Spencer Ferguson and Rachael Hughes. 6