NEWSFFAALLLL 22000055

S C H O O L O F N U R S I N G

Continued on page 11

Nurse Practitioners commemorate two significant anniversaries

Celebrations heralding the 30thanniversary of the National PrimaryCare Nurse Practitioner Symposium(NPS) and the 40th anniversary ofnurse practitioner education andpractice in the United States wereheld July 23 in Keystone during theannual symposium.

More than 1,300 nurse practi-tioners attended this year’s sympo-sium July 21-24 at Keystone Resort.Highlighting the symposium was agala celebration of the 40th anniver-sary of the beginning of NP educa-tion and practice in the UnitedStates and the 30th anniversary ofthe symposium.

There were several highlights atthis year’s meeting held at theSymposium Conference Center,according to project director Mary

Wagner, MS, an instructor at theUCDHSC School of Nursing. Shehas been involved with the sympo-sium in various roles since 1992 andhas been project director since 1999.

“I personally experienced a great

professional thrill beingan integral part of plan-ning and executing thesetwo anniversary celebra-tions,” said Wagner. “Itis incredible to realizethat the NP movementstarted in 1965, and cur-

rently there are morethan 106,000 nursepractitioners all aroundthe world.”

A “Wall ofMemory” greeted atten-dees, along with a buf-fet dinner and fun-filled evening culminat-ing in birthday cakes celebratingthe important occasion. Guestswere entertained with Déjà Vu, ahumorous skit about aging nursepractitioners played by partici-pants at the symposium includingErnestine Kotthoff-Burrell, MS,

senior instructor inthe UCDHSCSchool of Nursingand Madeline“Maddie” Nichols, agraduate of theschool’s fourth NPclass, in 1967. NancySmith, PhD, programdirector of theColorado Board ofNursing, was themoderator.

Loretta Ford,EdD, FAAN and co-founder of NursePractitioner educa-

tion and practice appeared in theskit to a standing ovation as thenurse practitioners’ fairy godmoth-er, and offered some pearls of wis-dom gleaned from what she called

From the seed of an idea planted by LorettaFord, EdD, FAAN, and the late Henry Silver,MD, 40 years ago at the University ofColorado, the Nurse Practitioner program hasgrown into a global movement.

The nurse practitioner role was developedin 1965 at CU’s Schools ofNursing and Medicine when ashortage of primary care physi-cians provided an opportunityto demonstrate advanced prac-tice in nursing. Drawing fromDr. Ford’s background as apublic health nurse and Dr.Silver’s pediatric expertise,together they developed anadvanced educational programthat focused on the expansionand empowerment of the regis-tered nurse’s role in healthcare delivery.

For four decades, NPs havebeen competent, cost-effectivehealth care providers, serving wherever theyare needed, from rural areas and prisons, toschools, homes and overseas missions.

Dr. Loretta Ford reflects on ground-breaking NP program “Nurse practitioners have become embedded in

every aspect of health care,” said Dr. Ford. “In agreat sense, nurse practitioners have transformedthe profession of nursing.”

The NP idea was initially met with resistancefrom nursing organizations and nurse educators in

universities, as well as some physi-cians, according to Dr. Ford.Undaunted, she was determinedto carry on with the program, andcontinue publishing researchresults.

“We described our trainingprogram, educational standardsand acceptance from patients andthe physicians with whom weworked,” she said. “Henry Silverand I did a survey of health needsand it corroborated what I andother public health nurses hadexperienced, that clinical decisionmaking by nurses would apprecia-bly improve the overall health care

of people, particularly in the maternal and child

Continued on page 11

First NP graduate Susan(Stearly) Ripley, ’66, Dr.Loretta Ford and MaddieNichols, NP graduate, ’67.

Ernestine Kotthoff-Burrell (left), MaddieNichols (2nd from right), and Courtney Thomas(right) as retired NPs, with M. J. Henderson asthe GNP at the their assisted living center, andDr. Loretta Ford (center) as the FairyGodmother coming to grant NP wishes.

Loretta Ford, EdD, FAAN

WHAT:40th Anniversary Reception

Nurse Practitioner Education & Practice

WHEN: Monday, November 14, 2005, 2-4 PM

WHERE:Humphreys Post-Graduate Center

9th Avenue HSC Campus

HOSTS:Dean Patricia Moritz, SON

Dean Richard Krugman, SOM

FEATURING:NP Wall of History & Slide Show/Video

Special Tribute to Dr. Loretta Ford & Dr. Henry Silver

Please R.S.V.P. to Karen Marks, School of Nursing, 303-315-7754 or

karen.marks@uchsc.edu.

News FFaallll 22000055PAGE 2 SCHOOL OF NURSING

Message from the Dean

SCHOOL OF NURSINGNEWSPatricia Moritz, PhD, FAAN

Dean, School of NursingDiane Lenfest

SON Administrator, WriterCatherine BedellDirector, Office of Public RelationsMitzi Schindler

Director of Publications, PR Kenna Bruner

Managing Editor, PRMike Cobb

Art Director, PR

Send alumni news to:

Office of Alumni RelationsUCHSC, Mail Stop A080

4200 E. Ninth AvenueDenver, CO 80262

hscalumni@cufund.colorado.edu

-or-www.uchsc.edu/nursing and

click on News & Events, thenSON News

We are delighted that the year2005 marks the 40th anniversary ofNurse Practitioner education andpractice in the United States and areproud our school is the birth place.This issue of the SON News featuresnumerous articles about the NP pro-gram and its history. Please join usNovember 14 for a reception honor-ing Loretta Ford, EdD, DAAN, andthe late Henry Silver, MD, co-founders of the NP role.

We have initiated a new graduateprogram in nursing – the Doctor ofNursing Practice. On Feb. 24, theUniversity of Colorado Board ofRegents approved changing our 15-year-old Doctor of Nursing (ND)degree to the Doctor of NursingPractice (DNP). After a whirlwindadmissions process of highly quali-fied applicants, our first DNP stu-dents started classes this fall.

The new DNP program was pre-cipitated by recent recommenda-tions from the AmericanAssociation of Colleges of Nursingto standardize the preparation anddegree title for professional practicedoctorates in nursing across theUnited States.

We are the first in the RockyMountain region to initiate theDNP program. In 1990 we wereinnovators, one of the first nursing

schools in the nation to offer a pro-fessional doctorate in nursing andtoday we’re using this experience aswe convert to the DNP degree. Theinterest in the program nationallyand in Colorado suggests that theDNP is going to be one of ourstrongest programs, and graduateswill likely set the standard foradvanced practicing nursing in thefuture.

The DNP degree appeals to nurs-es with an MS or a BS degree innursing who are interested in a prac-tice-focused doctorate, as well asgraduates from other fields whowant to become nurses and contin-ue into graduate study. DNP gradu-ates will build on nursing specialtypractice and will be prepared as lead-ers who will design models of healthcare delivery, evaluate clinical out-comes, identify and manage healthcare needs of populations, and usetechnology and information totransform health care systems.

The DNP program hopes toattract MS-prepared, advanced prac-tice nurses who want to expand theireducation as well as BS graduateswho want to pursue a specialty withpreparation at a doctoral level, andthe program will continue to recruitpeople from other fields.

If you would like more informa-

tion about the new DNPprogram, please contactour admissions office at303-315-5592 or 800-248-2344, by email atson.oasis@uchsc.edu, or goto the School’s Web site atwww.uchsc.edu/nursing.

In other exciting news,we are delighted to havenine new faculty joiningthe School this fall, includ-ing: Paul Cook, PhD, assis-tant professor; MichaelGalbraith, PhD, associateprofessor; Cathy Jaynes,PhD, assistant professor; JohnMutikani, PhD, assistant professor;Leli Pedro, DNSc, ONC, assistantprofessor; Karen Peifer, PhD, MPH,assistant professor; Mindy Reynolds,PhD, assistant professor; TeresaSakraida, DNSc, assistant professor;and Lynda Stallwood, PhD, PNP,assistant professor.

The ability to hire new facultyhas allowed us to increase enroll-

The School of Nursing has some exciting news to share with you.

New faculty gathered together after their August orientation, with Dean Pat Moritz and sev-eral current faculty. Bottom row, left to right: Dr. Gene Marsh, division chair; Dr. EllynMatthews, assistant professor; new faculty members Dr. Lynda Stallwood, Dr. JohnMutikani, and Dr. Teresa Sakraida; Dean Moritz; and new faculty Dr. Leli Pedro. Top row,left to right: new faculty Dr. Michael Galbraith; Dr. JoAnn Congdon, division chair; newfaculty Dr. Cathy Jaynes, Dr. Paul Cook, and Dr. Karen Peifer. Not pictured: New facultymember Mindy Reynolds, PhD.

The Nursing Job Board can be accessed atwww.uchsc.edu/nursing/studentcentral Click on Nursing Job Board listed in the Student Resources section.!

Corinne Koehler, BS '61, MPA, (left) chair of the School's Nursing History CenterCommittee, accepts a nursing cape and papers from Mrs. Elizabeth Honeyfield, whohas donated her mother's nursing memorabilia to the School. Helen Elizabeth Albergwas a 1937 graduate of the Colorado Training School (CTS) for Nurses and passedaway in 1999. Mrs. Honeyfield attended some of her mother's nursing reunions andthe SON was honored to receive Helen's memorabilia, which included Helen's CTSdiploma, pin, cape, yearbook, and some of her nursing caps.

ments in our aca-demic programs.This fall enrollmentsare at an all-timehigh. The baccalau-reate program has arecord 371 studentsincluding tradition-al, accelerated, andRN to BS students.

We have 63 stu-dents in the DNPand ND programs,43 of whom areentering the DNPprogram and 20 who

are planning to graduate with theND degree. There are 289 master’sstudents this fall, another record,and 46 PhD students. We also have105 Post-MS Certificate andExtended Studies students. Ourtotal student population this fallstands at 874 students, the largest inour history!

Nursingmementosdonatedto school

PPaattrriicciiaa MMoorriittzz,,PhD, FAAN

NewsSCHOOL OF NURSINGPPAAGGEE 3FFaallll 22000055

As a nurse focusing on child health care in Africa, Lynn Gilbertworked dual roles, that of nurse faculty and, unofficially, as a nursepractitioner. They were fulfilling and enjoyable roles she wanted topursue when she returned home.

Back in the U.S., Dr. Gilbert, who at the time already had amaster’s degree in maternal and child health, enrolled in theSchool of Nursing and received her post-master’s certificate as apediatric nurse practitioner in 1980. She went on to receive a PhDin behavioral pediatrics and community child health from Union Institute.

Lynn Gilbert, CPNP, PhD, is now an assistant professor in theUCDHSC School of Nursing where she teaches classes in well-child andpediatric assessment. As an instructor, her goal is to stimulate students’interest in becoming advocates for children.

“I decided to become a pediatric nurse practitioner because it would

allow me to work with children with relative autonomy, flexibilityand as a contribution to community and social justice with serv-ices for the medically indigent,” said Dr.Gilbert.

Whether in this country or halfway around the world, nursepractitioners are the mainstay of health care, according to Dr.Gilbert, who has traveled to Haiti almost every year since 1999providing pediatric primary care services in the poorest country inthe Western hemisphere.

“We still struggle with health disparities,” said Dr. Gilbert. “NPs are agreat use of health care resources, because we can handle 90 percent ofwhat comes through the door.

“NPs are well accepted about anywhere they go,” she said. “It’s a greatset of skills to have and a very good basis for making a contribution tohealth care.”

Madeline “Maddie” Nichols graduated in the fourth NP class at theCU School of Nursing.

The year was 1967, and by then, the graduating class had expanded toeight. The class size had more than doubled since the program’s inceptionin 1965.

Nichols was a public health nurse with the visiting nurse service outof Denver General, doing well-baby clinics at the time.

“They were actively recruiting people from the visiting nurse service,and I knew some of the people who had gone through the newly-formedNP program,” said Nichols. “I decided to enroll because I really thought

it would enhance my ability do to what I was already doing,” she said.Nichols said it was four months of straight academia. The way the pro-

gram worked, she was still an employee of the visiting nurse service, buttook a four month hiatus to finish the program.

Following graduation from the NP program, Nichols recalls she did abit of everything: home visitations for moms and babies; school nurse fora parochial school; and classes for parents and kids.

Nichols believes that the importance of the Nurse Practitioner role intoday’s health care scheme is the ability for the NP to meet the needs ofthe patient on a preventive as well as holistic basis.

When Ann Smith graduated as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner from thesecond class of the NP program in 1966, there were only two others grad-uating along with her.

So far this year, 29 NPs have graduated from the CU School ofNursing and in 2004, a total of 50 graduated from the program.

In 1966, Dr. Smith had just finished her master’s degree in commu-nity health nursing when Dr. Loretta Ford, who served as her advisor,called and asked her to take the NP program.

“I had public health nursing experience and knew public health, soafter recruitment by Dr. Ford, whom I greatly admired, I began the pro-

gram in Feb. of 1966 and graduated in June,” said Dr. Smith.Following four months of classroom and clinical work at the Health

Sciences Center, Dr. Smith helped to open the Stapleton Health Stationin North Denver and continued in the program for one year of supervisedclinical practice. The station provided well-child counseling and was ableto help many children that otherwise would not have received care.

“With my background in nursing, I knew the problems and knew thatthere was much we could do without referring.”

Now, Dr. Smith believes that nurse practitioner education is the basisof all the NP master’s programs in the U.S.

1966 was a year of potential and achievement. An artificial heartwas installed in the chest of Marcel DeRudder in a Houston hospital.The unmanned Soviet Luna 9 spacecraft makes the first controlled rock-et-assisted landing on the moon. Indira Gandhi is elected Prime Ministerof India. President Lyndon Johnson signs the Freedom of InformationAct into law.

And Susan (Stearly) Ripley became the nation’s first nurse practi-tioner. She looks back on an adventurous career which helped shape therole of nurse practitioners.

‘Adventure’ has been my trigger word for 50 years. As a diploma gradu-

ate it led me from Pennsylvania to the University of Colorado. Thebachelor’s degree in nursing enabled entry into public health nurs-ing with its freedom of movement and opportunities for varied prac-tice. Two years later, adventure was guaranteed as a Peace Corps vol-unteer in Honduras.

Then came a master’s degree. Nearing completion, it was time tolook for another adventure. It found me in the persons of Loretta“Lee” Ford, EdD, FAAN, and the late Henry Silver, MD. They had

been developing the concept of a public health nurse who, with addition-al preparation, could provide a broader range of health assessment and

For Mary Murphy, the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP)program was an attractive offer. She was already consideringgoing back to school when the nursing director from theVisiting Nurse Service called and asked her if she would like togo to school for a semester for a new program in the school ofnursing. Murphy didn’t know what it was or what it was about,but it sounded interesting.

Murphy remembers that she was given a few minutes tothink about it. The service was asked to send two nurses to the program,and they needed two volunteers – that day. She recalls that after makingher decision, she had until the next day to “close up her little black pub-lic health nurse bag” and go to the university.

Three decades later, Murphy believes she absolutely made theright decision, and that PNPs have significantly changed nursing.

“For people who go into nursing to work with people, this is theway to do it,” she said. “Being a PNP is the way to be directlyinvolved with the patient, child and family. You are part of a teamworking with physicians, and with families.

“The PNP program changed my life,” said Murphy. “Workingwith Dr. Loretta Ford and Dr. Henry Silver was challenging and

fun. We practiced clinically, read and studied and had fun learning.“Nursing has profited from nurse practitioner programs, and, frankly,

NPs are the cream of the crop,” added Murphy.

Alumni of the Nurse Practitioner program are instrumental in advancing NP role

Lynn

Gilb

ert

Ma

de

line

Nic

hols

Ann

Sm

ithSu

san

Rip

ley

Ma

ry M

urp

hy

Continued on page 12

News FFaallll 22000055PAGE 4 SCHOOL OF NURSING

2005 Nightingale awards event draws record attendanceA record-breaking crowd was on

hand for the 20th AnniversaryNightingale Awards for Excellence inHuman Caring held May 7.

Two alumni of the CU School ofNursing were among the six recipi-ents of the prestigious award fortheir contributions to the professionof nursing:

• Robert Montgomery, ND ’95,clinical nurse specialist, anesthesiol-ogy acute pain service, University ofColorado Hospital

• Cindy Neal, MS ’96, familynurse practitioner, Marillac Clinicin Grand Junction

There were 285 nominationsfrom around the state for the annu-al award.

“Dr. Montgomery has been anexample of leadership in nursingand interdisciplinary collaboration,”said Lauren Clark, PhD, FAAN,director of the Doctor of NursingPractice program (formerly theDoctor of Nursing program).

The 20th annual event, hosted bythe Colorado Nurses Foundation,was held May 7 at the RenaissanceHotel in Denver. A record atten-dance of more than 700 peopleattended the 2005 “Nightingala”event.

Jean Watson, PhD, FAAN, pro-vided a special presentation titledCaring and Love: Illuminating theLight of Nursing.

Finalists who are SON alumni included:

• Kelly Johnson, MS ’03, vicepresident, patient care services andchief nursing officer, Craig Hospital,Englewood

• Barbara Wertz, BS ’62, vicepresident, patient services and chief

nursing officer, Exempla St. JosephHospital, Denver

Sandra Jones portrayed FlorenceNightingale and presented a likenessof the Turkish lantern she carried

during the Crimean War to Dr.Jarrett as a gift from CorinneKoehler, BS ’61, MPA, event chair,and her husband Ken Koehler, long-time supporters.

Robert Montgomery, ND, ‘04,Nightingale Award recipient, with hiswife, Pamela (left), and Dr. MaryMcHugh, SON faculty who nominatedMontgomery for the award.

Friends of Nursing scholarships awardedThe 24th annual Friends of Nursing scholarship awards were presented April 23 at the spring luncheon held

in the Denver Marriott. Seven students from the UCDHSC School of Nursing received scholarships for the2005-06 academic year.

Recipients included:u Deborah Kendall-Gallagher,

PhD student, FON Scholarshipu Mary Khoury, PhD student, FON

Scholarship uJaami McClellan, ND student, Viola

Baudendistel Memorial Scholarshipu Serah Onyeali, BS student, Margaret Lewis

Memorial Scholarshipu Cynthia Thomas, PhD student, FON

Scholarshipu Elizabeth Tucker, PhD student, FON

Scholarshipu Stacey Wall, MS student and NP preparation,

Leila B. Kinney Scholarship

Ann Smith, PhD, president of FON, commented, “Friends of Nursinghas a single purpose: Providing scholarships for nursing students enrolledin degree programs in Colorado schools of nursing. Through this effort, wehope to advance leadership roles in professional nursing, and to improvehealth and patient care.”

The featured speaker was Clay Yeager, CEO and president of the Nurse-Family Partnership, whose keynote address was titled Nurses Make aDifference. Greta Pollard, BS ’64, co-founder and founding president ofFriends of Nursing, was recognized at the luncheon and gave a brief histo-ry of the organization.

Friends of Nursing members are community leaders, about half ofwhom are nurses, who actively support the profession of nursing. Since itsfounding in 1981, the organization has awarded more than $1 million inscholarship and grant assistance directly to nursing students. For morescholarship or membership information, write to FON, Box 735, Englewood, Colo., 80151-0735.

Left to right: SON Dean PatriciaMoritz, Dr. Ann Smith, president ofFriends of Nursing, and Greta Pollard,BS, ’64, co-founder of FON.

Palliative care offers nurses theopportunity to provide comfort,care and support to patientsrequiring a continuum of carefrom chronic illness to end-of-life.

Palliative care is a holisticapproach that manages symptomsand pain, and emphasizes spiritualand emotional care for patientsand families. The goal is not tocure, but to maintain the highestpossible quality of life for thepatient, according to Paula Nelson-Marten, PhD, AOCN.

Now in its second year, thePalliative Care Certificate Programat the School of Nursing prepares

nurses to provide compassionate pallia-tive care to patients and their familiesand appreciate their complex needs. Theprogram involves two three-credit coursesthat include both classroom and onlinestudy, and grants graduate credit uponcompletion.

“Palliative care really should startwhen an individual is first diagnosedwith a chronic illness.” said Nelson-Marten, who has been involved in oncol-ogy nursing, supportive care, and end-of-life care since 1982. “About 70 percent ofillness is chronic in nature and manyindividuals would benefit from palliative

Continued on page 13

Palliative Care Certificate Program: Sustaining an NCI/NIH Grant

Dr. Paula Nelson-Marten discusses herresearch at the Metro Denver OncologyNursing Society Conference, Oct. 7, inDenver, with her student, BronwynLong, who is concurrently in theDNP/MS degree programs with aClinical Nurse Specialist/PalliativeCare focus.

FON scholarship recipients with Dean Pat Moritz (front row,right), Clare Sandekian, MS ’69 (back row, right), Dr. KathyMagilvy (front row, third from left), and Dr. Lauren Clark (backrow, third from left).

The Nightingale Award was estab-lished in 1985 as a tribute to the pro-fessional excellence of Colorado’sregistered nurses.

NewsSCHOOL OF NURSINGPPAAGGEE 5FFaallll 22000055

Amy J. Barton, PhD, associate dean forclinical affairs, is among 20 health careprofessionals in leadership roles nation-wide to be selected for a 2005 RobertWood Johnson Executive NurseFellowship, a program designed to leadthe nation’s health care system throughthe 21st century.

Dr. Barton will participatein the prestigious three-yearfellowship program, which ispart of a national strategy toposition the voice of nursingacross multiple sectors of theUnited States economy at atime when the country’shealth care system is undergo-ing unprecedented changesand challenges.

“Nurses must and will playa pivotal role in leading therestructuring of the nation’shealth care system and ensuring its futuresuccess,” Dr. Barton said. “I’m honored tobe chosen as a Robert Wood JohnsonExecutive Nurse Fellow and look forwardto collaborating with nursing and healthcare leaders from around the country.”

Now in its seventh year, the fellowshipenables participants to further developcritical leadership skills under the direc-tion of nationally recognized coaches andinstructors from the health care industryand other sectors of the economy. For herpart, Barton will undertake a leadershipproject to benefit the School of Nursing,with support from the Robert WoodJohnson Foundation and matchingUCDHSC funds.

Barton has taught at the School ofNursing since 1997. She obtained a doc-torate in nursing at the University ofFlorida-College of Nursing, Gainesville,Fla., a master’s degree in nursing atMedical College of Ohio, Toledo, Ohio,and a bachelor’s degree in nursing at the

University of Toledo, Toledo,Ohio, where she graduatedmagna cum laude. Barton’swork has appeared in nation-al and international nursingjournals and academic text-books. She has presentedresearch at conferences andforums in the United Statesand abroad.

In addition to the RobertWood Johnson ExecutiveNurse Fellowship, she hasbeen selected to participate inthe American Association of

Colleges of Nursing 2005 Leadership forAcademic Nursing Program, another in along list of awards and accolades she hasreceived over the past 21 years.

Dr. Barton also has been selected toreceive the 2005 Distinguished AlumnaAward from the College of Health andHuman Professions at the University ofToledo.

Dean Patricia Moritz, PhD, FAANcommented, "I believe Dr. Barton is par-ticularly well suited to become an RWJExecutive Nurse Fellow due to her uniquebackground that combines academic andexperiential preparation in informaticsand administration."

AAmmyy BBaarrttoonn,, PPhhDD

Dr. JoAnn Congdon receives first Elisabeth H. Boeker AwardSchool of Nursing Professor JoAnn Congdon, PhD, FAAN, has

been selected to receive the first Elisabeth H. Boeker Faculty Excellence inResearch Award for her special achievement in gerontological nursingresearch that has applications to clinical and education settings. As partof this award, Dr. Congdon received $8,000 to support her researchand will present a lecture in the fall on a topic related to her researchprogram.

The Elizabeth H. Boeker Faculty Excellence in Research Award is award-ed to faculty to promote and reward excellence in faculty research at theUCDHSC School of Nursing and to support further development ofthe recipient’s research program.

Dr. Congdon received the Boeker Award at the School’s annualConvocation ceremony, held on May 27. She commented, “I was highly honored to receivethis award and want to thank the Selection Committee, Dean Moritz, and especially Mrs.Elisabeth H. Boeker and the Boeker family for their generosity in establishing this award tosupport the School of Nursing faculty with their research.

JJooAAnnnn CCoonnggddoonn,,PhD, FAAN

Mary McHugh, PhD, associate professor and presidentof the Alpha Kappa Chapter of Sigma Theta TauInternational, brought Sigma’s Spring Program and AwardsMeeting to order on April 4 in the UCDHSC DenisonAuditorium with a Welcome to the attendees.

Colleen Goode, PhD, FAAN, adjunct professor in theSON and Vice President Patient Services and CNO,University of Colorado Hospital, was awarded the 2005Doris J. Biester Award for Excellence in Leadership. SONfaculty and/or alumni recipients of the Research Awardincluded Katherine Bent, PhD ‘00; Anne Marie Kotzer,PhD, associate professor adjunct; Gary Laustsen, PhD ‘05;Karen LeDuc, MSN, senior instructor adjunct; and RuthO’Brien, PhD, FAAN, professor.

Scholarship award recipients included seven SON students:

Tanya Dodge, BS student, Agnes Love ScholarshipStacey Wall, MS student, Henrietta

Loughran ScholarshipDonnamarie Whitfield, MS student,

Henrietta Loughran ScholarshipSilja Haagenson, MS student,

Henrietta Loughran ScholarshipVicki Grossman, MS student,

Henrietta Loughran ScholarshipDeborah Kendall-Gallagher, PhD student,

Henrietta Loughran ScholarshipThuy Nguyen, Jean Watson Nursing

Doctorate Scholarship

Jean Watson, PhD, FAAN, distinguished professor andVicki George, PhD, FAAN, senior vice president/CNO ofCatholic Health Initiatives, closed the meeting with a pres-entation, Caring Nursing Leadership in Theory and Practice.

SPEAKER:JoAnn Congdon, PhD, FAAN

2005 Recipient of Elisabeth H. Boeker Faculty Excellence in Research Award

Presentation on her gerontological nursing research

WHEN: Thursday, December 1, 2005

3:00 PMReception follows

WHERE:School of Nursing Auditorium

9th Avenue HSC Campus

R.S.V.P. by November 21, 2005 to Eileen Rollo, Schoolof Nursing, 303-315-0168 or Eileen.rollo@uchsc.edu.

You are invited!

Sigma Theta Tau holdsspring awards meeting

Nursing associate dean selected for prestigious national fellowship

News FFaallll 22000055PAGE 6 SCHOOL OF NURSING

Evidence-Based Practice topic of Lola M. Fehr LectureshipThe standing-room only audi-

ence of nurse practitioners, nursingleaders and students in the Schoolof Nursing auditorium was eagerlyawaiting Dr. Bernadette Melnyk’stalk, Making a Case for Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing andHealthcare, at the 8th Annual LolaM. Fehr Lectureship held April 28.

“Evidence-based practice is aproblem solving approach to thecare that we deliver which takes intoconsideration the best evidencefrom research studies in combina-tion with the clinician’s expertiseand the patient’s preferences andvalues,” Dr. Melnyk told the room-ful of nursing professionals.

Bernadette Melnyk, PhD,CPNP/NPP, FAAN, FNAP, is a dis-tinguished foundation professor anddean of the College of Nursing atArizona State University and haspracticed for more than 20 years as apediatric and psychiatric nurse prac-titioner. She is founder and chair ofthe National Association ofPediatric Nurse Practitioners’ KYSS(Keep Your Children and YourselfSafe and Secure) Program, a nation-al mental health promotion cam-paign for children and teens, and isa development expert for nationalABC news. She co-authored thebook, Evidence-Based Practice inNursing and Healthcare: A Guide toBest Practice.

Basing clinical healthcare onresearch rather than tradition is nota new concept in nursing practice,but it has become much more signif-icant as nurses have begun lookingat patient care procedures throughthe lens of modern evidence-basedpractice (EBP).

Evidence-based practice is theprocess of systematically locating,appraising, and using research find-ings as the basis for clinical deci-sions. It emphasizes the use ofresearch and evidence to guide clini-cal decision making.

As an example of how a clinicianweighed a patient’s preferences andvalues into the EBP decision-makingprocess, Dr. Melnyk told about a 92-year-old woman who had been a pro-fessional tap dancer. After retiringfrom professional tap dancing, thewoman held charity shows whereshe performed and donated the pro-ceeds to charitable organizations.

The UCDHSC School ofNursing’s annual DiversityLeadership Reception hon-ors nurses who have madesignificant contributionsworking with diverse popula-tions. One of the honoreeswas Zipporah ParksHammond, who in 1946,became the first blackwoman to graduate from theUniversity of Colorado’snursing program.

When Zipporah ParksHammond was in fifthgrade, the teacher had theclass draw a picture of what the students wanted to bewhen they grew up. Hammond drew a picture of anurse, because she just knew that’s what she wanted tobe someday. Little did she know that her decision tobecome a nurse would make her a pioneer. With norole models to follow, she became the role model, even-tually penetrating segregated environments to achieveher dream.

Hammond, 80, is “one of the school’s real pathfind-ers,” according to Patricia Moritz, PhD, FAAN, schoolof nursing dean.

When Hammond was accepted to the nursingschool in 1941, she was the only black woman in a classof 30 students. She was barred from rooming withwhite students, who became angry at the school forallowing Hammond to even study with them. Overtime, she made friends with her classmates and earnedthe nickname “Zippy,” which she has kept ever since.

After graduation, Hammond worked as a surgicaloperating room nurse at Colorado General Hospital. Ayear later she was recruited by the chief of orthopedicsat Tuskegee Institute in Alabama as his chief surgical

nurse. She worked at JohnAndrews Hospital-InfantileParalysis Unit, the institute’spolio clinic.

While there, she contractedtuberculosis and was sent backto Denver to recuperate at asanitarium run by the NationalJewish Hospital. There she mether future husband, Sheldon,who was also a patient at thesanitarium.

Because the tuberculosis lefther lungs scarred, Hammond’sdoctors discouraged her fromreturning to nursing, so she

again enrolled at CU where she earned a MedicalRecords Librarian Certificate in 1948. She becameassistant director of the Medical Records Departmentat University Hospital and in 1953 became medicalrecords director at Presbyterian Hospital until resigningin 1956 to raise a family. In 1964 she again went towork at University Hospital and retired in 1991.

Hammond’s influence extended beyond nursing.Her passion had an impact on her family as well. Oneson is leading the way as one of the few minority deputydirectors in the United States Geological Survey whileanother son is blazing trails of diversity in executiveassignments in human resources.

The UCDHSC School of Nursing salutesHammond for her tenacity, passion and vision. TheDiversity Leadership Reception, held in Humphrey’sLounge at the School of Nursing, on Dec. 3, 2004, wassponsored by the UCDHSC School of Nursing. Guestspeakers were Margie Ball-Cook, PhD, ANP, presidentof the Colorado Council of Black Nurses, and CathyBenavides-Clayton, MS, NP, president of the ColoradoHispanic Nurses Association.

age. When the woman saidshe was willing to take therisk because life wasn’tworth living if she couldn’tdance, her physicianagreed to arrange for herto receive the surgery. Sixmonths later the elderlywoman sent the physicianan invitation to her nextcharity dance recital.

“That’s a good exampleof how our patients’ pref-erences need to enter intoour decision along withour clinical expertise and

the evidence from studies,” Dr.Melnyk explained.

Dr. Melnyk recommends usingthe five steps of EBP in clinical

After a debilitating ruptured disksidelined her from dancing, herphysician was reluctant to do surgerybecause of the evidence of risk at her

School of Nursing honors nursing pioneer

The Parks-Hammond family.

Dean Pat Moritz, Dr. Bernadette Melnyk and LolaFehr, MS.

practice: 1. Formulate a clear clinical ques-tion about a patient's problem usingthe PICO formula, which stands forPatient Population; Intervention orarea of Interest; Comparative inter-vention; Desired Outcome. 2. Search the literature for relevantclinical articles for the best availableevidence.3. Evaluate the evidence for its valid-ity and usefulness.4. Implement useful findings in clin-ical practice.5. Evaluate the outcome in the clin-ical setting.

“Doing something becauseyou’re told that’s the way it’s alwaysbeen done isn’t good enough anymore,” she said.

Alumni NewsSCHOOL OF NURSING

PPAAGGEE 7FFaallll 22000055

Reunion Weekend 2005 recap and a look forward to 2006The 2005 Reunion Weekend

kicked off Thursday afternoon,April 28, with the Eighth AnnualLola Fehr Lectureship in which Dr.Bernadette Melnyk gave a lecture on“Making a Case for Evidence-BasedPractice.”

The lecture was followed by areception attended by faculty andstudents from across the campus as

well as alumni and honored guests. Friday, April 29, alumni gathered

on the Ninth Avenue campus toattend a student panel presentationand the annual reunion luncheon.Student panelists Tanya Dodge,Mary Khoury, Beth Tucker andStacey Wall, along with studentmoderator Kari Hopper, discussedthe various programs at the under-

alumni enjoyed a tour of the newFitzsimons campus and presenta-tions by Dean Patricia Moritz andmembers of the faculty.

Plans are now underway for the2006 reunion. Mark your calendarfor Reunion Weekend 2006 – April27-29, 2006. The Class of 1956

graduate and graduate levels.The annual reunion luncheon

honored members of the Class of1955 and three recipients of awardsfrom the Alumni Association.Janice Pigg (BS ’55) represented the50 year class and talked to the groupabout the significance of her educa-tion at CU.

Saturday morning, April 30,

Patient education & teamwork guided 1955 graduate’s career

Continued on page 9

Continued on page 9

SONAA recognizes contributions of alumni and friendsA special part of

the annual reunionluncheon is theopportunity for theSchool of NursingAlumni Associationto recognize out-standing alumni andfriends of the school.This year’s reunionluncheon was noexception. We werepleased to presentthree awards onbehalf of our alumni:

Denise Geolot,PhD, RN, FAAN(MS ’71), received the 2005Distinguished Alumna of the Yearaward for her major contributions tothe school through her instrumentalearly leadership of NursePractitioner education in thenation. Dr. Geolot also started oneof the early acute care emergency

The class of 1955 was the first class to graduate in fouryears rather than five. Entering students could choose to startat either the Boulder or the Denver campus. Students in thatclass were the first to wear a student uniform and cap thatrepresented the SON rather than student uniforms and capsassociated with either Colorado General Hospital or DenverGeneral Hospital. Janice Smith Pigg, a member of the classof 1955 reminisces on her experiences in an interview withKenna Bruner, Office of Public Relations:

Janice Smith Pigg’s nursing career nearly endedbefore it began when a youthful prank by some spirit-ed freshman nursing students landed the Denver-basedsection of the SON Class of 1955 in hot water.

One cold, winter weekend, freshman students onthe Denver campus living in the school’s dreary base-ment dormitory decided to liven up the place by paint-ing their rooms. Several brush strokes later, the wallsand ceiling were adorned with colorful rainbows, foot

prints and even a decent rendering of the camel from apack of cigarettes.

SON Dean Henrietta Adams Loughran did notshare their creative enthusiasm however, and threat-ened to expel the guilty artists. In an act of defiant sol-idarity, the entire class, even those who lived off cam-pus, confessed to wielding a paint brush. After sympa-thetic faculty members offered their support to the stu-dents, the matter was dropped (and the walls wererepainted).

“Half of us in the class came within a hair’s breadthof being dismissed before we had even started our nurs-ing careers,” said Pigg, BS ’55, MS ‘87. “But the experi-ence taught me about the power of group support andstanding up for one’s beliefs.”

Pigg, who holds a certificate in public health and a

CU Alumna Janice Pigg (BS ’55)accepts her 50 Year Certificate fromKarren Kowalski, PhD, FAAN, (MS’71) at the 2005 Reunion Luncheon.

trauma nursepractitioner pro-grams at the University of Virginiaand, in addition, helped lead theearly federal program in primarycare education to prepare nursepractitioners and nurse midwives.Throughout her career, she has con-tinued to advance the concept of

Nurse Practitionerpractice and educa-

tion. The Alumni Association waspleased to recognize Dr. Geolot’smany important and distinguishedcontributions through this award.(Dr. Geolot was not able to attendthe Reunion Luncheon in April butaccepted her award on July 22 at analumni reception during the annual

Nurse Practitioner Symposium inKeystone, Colo.)

Ramey Johnson, RN, (MS ’93)received the 2005 AlumniDistinguished Service Award for hercontributions as a StateRepresentative for Colorado aswell as 20 years of outstandingservice as a health professional inthe community health arena.

LaFawn Biddle received a spe-cial commendation for her sup-port of baccalaureate and gradu-ate nursing education effortsthroughout the State ofColorado. Through her dedicat-

ed and sustained efforts, many nurs-es have benefited from scholarshipfunds that have been established forsupport of nursing students to makesignificant contributions to healthcare at the local, state, national andinternational levels.

LaFawn Biddle, Clare Sandekian(MS ’69) and Karren Kowalski,PhD, FAAN, (MS ’71)

Ramey Johnson, RN (MS ’93)and Karren Kowalski, PhD,FAAN, (MS ’71)

Patricia Moritz, PhD, FAAN, Dean;Denise Geolot, PhD, FAAN, RN,(MS ’71); Karren Kowalski, PhD,FAAN, (MS ’71). Drs. Kowalskiand Moritz presented the 2005Distinguished Alumna Award to Dr.Geolot at the Friday evening CUAlumni Reception.

FFaallll 22000055PAGE 8SCHOOL OF NURSING

Alumni NewsSONAA President’s Column

Recently, I heard an interestingstory about a nurse – a lovely, coura-geous, yet hard working ED nursefrom the state ofWashington, who in thenormal course of events,occasionally suffered peri-ods of burnout, felt under-appreciated and sensed asignificant misunder-standing about what nurs-es do.

She was flying homefrom Minneapolis when aflight attendant asked for assistancefrom anyone on the plane with med-ical training. There was a medicalproblem in first class. As no one elsewas jumping to their feet to help, thenurse walked forward to the first classcabin to assess the situation.

She found a 54-year-old manexhibiting signs of a significant car-diovascular problem. He managed totell her that he had previously hadbypass surgery, had a pacemaker inplace and also carried emergencynitroglycerine. She found the tablets,had him take an aspirin plus his nitro-glycerine. Using the airplane’s first aidkit, she started an IV while the pilotturned the plane around.

It was a fairly bumpy ride both forthe plane and for the patient. Thenurse did receive assistance from a fel-low passenger who tore tape for herand held the IV bag. While monitor-ing the man’s improving pulse rate,the nurse quipped that some peoplewill do anything to hold her hand.The patient smiled weakly andthanked her. The plane landed andthe patient was carried off.

As the nurse made her way back toher seat, the passengers applauded herfor her efforts and asked what it waslike to be a nurse, to save a life. Thenurse was grateful although somewhatembarrassed (as nurses frequently are)by the unexpected interest and recog-nition. The flight crew also gave hertwo free gin and tonics. Not bad for aday’s work.

What I liked most about this storywas the recognition of nurses andwhat they do on a daily basis. I alsoliked that the nurse had a sense ofhumor about the surprise of “Joe pub-lic” regarding what nurses do bothwith and without physicians.

I shared this story with the seniornursing students when I met withthem (the last class prior to gradua-tion) to tell them what the AlumniAssociation is about and why they

should be interested. We are aboutrole modeling what we want for thefuture of the profession. We are about

CU nurses going the extramile and helping theschool as well as the stu-dents who are the futureof our profession. For usit is an example of givingback to the school whichprepared us for the profes-sion and the many rolesthat are possible.

The association hasbeen involved in several strategic plan-ning sessions this summer to help usshape the future of the association.We are interested in helping studentsby providing financial support in theform of scholarships, sharing informa-tion about job search techniques andoffering mentoring opportunities, to

name but a few of the efforts. Weencourage long term efforts to con-nect our alumni with each other andwith the university through our annu-al reunion activities.

I hope many of you are interestedin helping us. The first step is torenew your membership or join theassociation as a new member. Thenext step is to volunteer for one of thecommittees or work groups that arefocused on these opportunities toenhance the student experience aswell as the profession. Just contactthe alumni office at 303-315-8832 orby e-mail at alumni@uchsc.edu. Andremember, we have FUN!

Karren Kowalski, PhD, FAAN(MS ’71)

More than 100 alumni andfaculty attended the first everhomecoming reunion for theDoctor of Nursing (ND)Program. The Doctor of NursingProgram: Yesterday, Today andTomorrow, was held Jan. 24 atthe Fitzsimons campus inAurora.

For 15 years, the ND programat the SON has educated stu-dents entering the nursing pro-fession at the graduate level forpositions of clinical and entre-preneurial leadership in nursingand health care. In the fall, theUniversity of Colorado atDenver and Health SciencesCenter is offering a new graduateprogram in nursing, convertingthe ND to a Doctor of NursingPractice (DNP) degree.

Outstanding ND AlumniAwards were presented to RobertMontgomery, ND, and TeriChase, ND. Awards were givento two current SON faculty whoteach in the ND program, GailArmstrong, ND, and JoanNelson, ND, MSN, ANP.

For attendees, this firstreunion was an inspiring celebra-tion of accomplishments andmemories. But it was also anopportunity to look to the futureof the new DNP program.

“The homecoming was abridge, celebrating and bringingclosure to the ND program, andpaving the way for the DNP pro-gram,” said Lauren Clark, PhD,FAAN, director of the ND pro-gram and now director of thenew DNP program.

Karren E. Kowalski, PhD, FAAN, (MS '71) – PresidentCarol J. Alexander, MS, '66

Jana Berryman, ENS, ND, '04Carol A. Brautigam, MS, '71Katharine B. Harris, MS, '84Evelyn L. Hoygaard, MS, '89Patricia A. Lambert, BS, '56Mary McMahon, MS, '84

Elizabeth Pace, Honorary AlumnaeSharon Pappas, PhD Candidate, Student Rep

S. Clare Sandekian, MS, '69 Martha Stoner, PhD, '82

ND Program celebrates

homecoming

EExx--ooffffiicciiooKathy Magilvy, PhD, FAAN '82

Assistant Dean, School of NursingPatricia Moritz, PhD, FAAN

Dean, School of NursingMarlaine Smith, PhD, FAAN '82

Associate Dean, School of Nursing

OOffffiiccee ooff AAlluummnnii RReellaattiioonnss4200 E. 9th Avenue, Mail Stop A080 Denver, CO 80262303-315-8832 or toll free 1-877-HSC-ALUMFAX 303-315-7729 or e-mail:alumni@UCHSC.eduWebsite: www.uchsc.edu/alumni

CU School of Nursing Alumni Association22000055--22000066 BBooaarrdd ooff DDiirreeccttoorrss

Become a member of YOUR alumni associationMembership in the School of Nursing Alumni Association helps provide

programs and services that stimulate interest in, build loyalty for, andincrease support for the School of Nursing. Your membership will involveyou in the life and growth of the School of Nursing and helps the NursingAlumni Association financially support class reunion activities and educa-tional seminars, student scholarships and providing a CU Nursing pin forthe graduating class each year.

Membership Benefits include:u eligibility for membership in the U of C Federal Credit Union, u special privileges at the Denison Memorial Library,u Alamo auto rental and Pearle Vision discounts,u admission to pre-football game activities in Boulder, andu invitations to special events for alumni members only.

Please visit our new, improved web site and download a membershipapplication today! www.uchsc.edu/alumni/nursing/

SCHOOL OF NURSINGPPAAGGEE 9FFaallll 22000055 Alumni News

As temperatures in Denver reached nearly 100,many School of Nursing alumni were enjoying a com-fortable 73 in Keystone, Colo. at the 30th NationalPrimary Care Nurse Practitioner Symposium.

Alumni connected with colleagues, friends andclassmates at a reception hosted by the School ofNursing Alumni Association (SONAA) on Fridayevening, July 22. More than 100 alumni gathered forrefreshments and the opportunity to reminisce, dis-cuss their current successes and challenges and enjoyeach other’s company.

The evening included a brief program that hon-ored fellow alumnae Loretta Ford, EdD, FAAN (BS’49, MS ‘51) and Denise Geolot, PhD, FAAN (MS’71), for the vision and dedication that made thempioneers in the Nurse Practitioner field. KarrenKowalski, PhD, FAAN (MS ’71), president of theSONAA, presided over the program, and DeanPatricia Moritz, PhD, FAAN, provided a brief historyof the Nurse Practitioner program and the many con-tributions made by the honorees.

The evening’s festivities closed with a drawing forseveral raffle prizes donated by the Office of AlumniRelations and the School of Nursing.

Alumni connect and reflect in Keystone

Jan Johnson (NP ’82); andAnn Davidson (NP ’82)

Sharon Holyoke (MS ‘71);Marilyn Krajicek, EdD, FAAN;Denise Geolot, PhD, FAAN,RN (MS ’71)

Joyce Huffer, (BS ’64, NP ’80);Loretta Ford, EdD (BS ’49, MS’51), Mary Neiheisel, EdD (MS’65).

Janice PiggContinued from page 7

master’s degree in health serviceadministration, shared that storyand others during ReunionWeekend April 28-30 while inDenver to celebrate the 50thanniversary of her graduation fromthe School of Nursing.

She credits the importance ofpatient education and teamwork astwo of the most significant lessonsshe learned at the SON. Those twoconcepts became the foundation onwhich her practice of nursing wasbased. With an interest in rheuma-tology, Pigg was one of the first inthis nursing area and fashioned posi-tions for herself when none hadexisted, whether it was as a staffnurse or administrator. And she wasnever shy about questioning the sta-tus quo.

“I’ve always challenged things,”she said. “Nothing infuriates memore than to have someone say theydo things a particular way becausethat’s the way it’s always been done.That’s a red flag for me.”

After graduation, she worked as anurse – and the sole staff employee -- in the Champaign-Urbana, Ill., hos-pital’s busy emergency room.

Drawing on the skills she learned

at the school, Pigg taught classes inthe fundamentals of nursing, phar-macology and medical-surgical skillsat the Julia F. Burnham School ofNursing in Champaign.

“The first naso-gastric tube I everpassed was to show a student how todo it,” she said. “Teaching reallymotivates you. I was one page aheadof the students all the way.”

After a five year hiatus to lookafter her small children, Piggreturned to nursing and spent thenext thirty-one years of her career atColumbia Hospital in Milwaukee,Wisc.

By partnering with rheumatolo-gists, orthopedic surgeons, physicaland occupational therapists, socialworkers and dieticians Pigg helpedto pioneer multi-disciplinary arthri-tis care teams.

“I began to do my own patientassessments and demonstrated toother team members the contribu-tion nurses could make,” she said.

Since the mid-1970s, Pigg hasbeen involved in nursing research.She studied whether patient educa-tion affected the outcome of rehabil-itation in individuals with earlyrheumatoid arthritis and those who

had total hip replacements, andfatigue as a nursing diagnosis.Drawn by her pioneering researchand publications, nurses came fromas far away as Australia, NewZealand, and the UK to study withher. These experiences and her workin continuing education formed thebasis of the book RheumatologyNursing: A Problem OrientedApproach, for which she is the firstauthor, (John Wiley 1983) and overa dozen chapters contributed tomedical-surgical textbooks andbooks on chronic disease.

Now retired, Pigg remains activein her field. She is participating in a

task force to plan a clinical focuscourse for nurse practitioners inrheumatology for the next annualmeeting of the Association ofRheumatology Health Professionals(an arm of the American College ofRheumatology).

“Only by sharing your knowl-edge, beliefs and philosophy withothers are you able to really make achange,” she said. “We’re movingmore and more into the age ofchronic disease. We’ll need the con-tinuity of teamwork and patient edu-cation – the kind emphasized at theschool -- to make sure those patientsare well cared for.”

Reunion Committee is active andalready at work planning activitiesfor that weekend, including a possi-ble extension of festivities to EstesPark. Diane Cirz Hughes (MS ’75)is interested in planning events for a30th Reunion.

If you would like to get involvedin reunion activities for these orother classes, please contact the

Reunion weekendContinued from page 7

Alumni office and we will put you intouch with the alumni volunteerswho are planning the events or helpyou with organizing a reunion foryour class. Contact the Office ofAlumni Relations at 303-315-8832or toll free, 1-877-HSC-ALUM (472-2586) or by email at alumni@uchsc.edu.

Nancy L. Smith, PhD, APN,BC, FAANP; Amy Barton,PhD; and Ernestine Kotthoff-Burrell (MS ’86)

Carolyn Hudak (MS ’68); LindaPearson; Bill Pearson; RobinLindsay (MS ’99)

Pam Spry, PhD (MS’85, PhD ‘93); JoanNelson, ND (MS ’97,ND ’97)

FFaallll 22000055PAGE 10SCHOOL OF NURSING

Class NotesAlumni News

1950sMarjorie V. Batey, PhD, FAAN (MS ’56), Seattle, Wash., was a 2004 inductee in the

Washington State Nurses’ Association Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame Awards are givenevery two years to up to six deserving registered nurses in recognition of their lifelong con-tributions and achievements in professional nursing and for their leadership in the advance-ment of nurses and healthcare in Washington State. Dr. Batey, an emeritus professor ofnursing at the University of Washington, was one of the key people in the early developmentand growth of nursing research as a discipline. Dr. Batey taught hundreds of aspiring nurseresearchers and edited the first 10 volumes of Communicating Nursing Research from its incep-tion in 1968 until she retired in 1993. She was one of the founders of the Western Societyfor Research in Nursing. Her own research and editorship set high standards for the report-ing of nursing research nationally and internationally. She also remained active in profes-sional association activities throughout her career and served on the Boards of both KCNAand WSNA and helped establish the first Council of Nurse Researchers at ANA.

1960sS. Clare Sandekian (MS ’69), Denver, Colo., received the Founders Award from Peer

Assistance Services, Inc., at the 2005 Annual Awareness Event in April. In his commentsduring the award presentation, President Jeff Downing noted that “Clare is tireless in herwork and advocacy for people with substance abuse and mental health disorders. She has a50-plus-year career in psychiatric and addictions nursing, education and administration.Clare has always been an advocate for employees, and for nurses, believing that if you takecare of the staff and remove the obstacles that get in their way, they are empowered to dotheir best work with clients and patients.” Ms. Sandekian helped to guide the agency formore than a decade as a board member, including holding offices as secretary, president andtreasurer. Clare accepted the award as more than 200 supporters gave her a standing ovation.

1980sPaula Sexton (MS ’80, FNP, ’82), Silverdale, Wash., has had a successful 15-year career

in the U.S. Navy and is now a commander stationed at Bremerton Naval Hospital. Shewrites that in her practice as an FNP/Licensed Independent Practitioner, she manages pri-mary care of patients from infants to elderly with a range of episodic and chronic care needs.She has been stationed at two Family Practice Residency Training Programs and has servedoverseas duty in Spain and Italy. She has also realized her dream of assisting in a humani-tarian cause during the Haitian immigration crisis in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. She creditsKathy Magilvy, PhD, FAAN, professor and assistant dean of the school’s graduate programs,for her success in the Navy and as a family nurse practitioner.

Eve Hoygaard (MS '89, WHNP '96), Aurora, Colo., is the new president of the ColoradoNurses Association. She is a nurse practitioner for Jefferson County Department of Health& Environment in the Family Planning Clinic. Also, Eve and Pam Spry (MS ’85, PhD ’93)are attempting to locate members of the 1983-89 MS or CNM classes and members from theParent-Child/Neonatal MS program and the CNM programs so they can coordinate a classreunion. Most attended on a part-time basis so were members of the same cohort eventhough their years of graduation varied. Tentative plans are to coordinate this reunion withthe SON 2006 Spring Reunion.

1990sRobert Montgomery (ND ’95), Denver, Colo., was selected to be a 2005 Nightingale

award recipient for his work in pain management and the SIUC at University of ColoradoHospital. He was selected as one of six recipients from 285 nominees throughout Colorado.Congratulations Rob! (See related article on page 4.)

2000sJana Berryman (ND ’04), Denver, Colo., is employed by the Colorado Center for

Nursing Excellence and has been working since her graduation in May of 2004 on a projectto fund the first phase of the Work, Education and Lifelong Learning Simulation (WELLS)Center. The Center will be one of the most sophisticated clinical education facilities in thecountry for nurses and nursing faculty. Dr. Berryman notes that the project has been excit-ing work and she credits her experience at CU with preparing her for this work. She wrotethat she was “…able to reach a variety of landmarks within this past year: co-authored a pub-lication, co-presented with Dr.Gail Armstrong at a national conference, presented at localconferences, and has had opportunities to work with nurse and other healthcare leaderswithin our community (and nationally) that are working collaboratively to build the nursingprofession. It has been an exciting experience and I firmly believe that it was the ND pro-gram (classmates, director(s), professors, instructors, and mentors) that prepared me for thisjourney. Thanks!”

Amy Stigall Hindman (ND ’00), Hay Springs, Neb., will soon be starting as director ofNursing Services at Gordon Memorial Hospital in Gordon, Neb. She is also receivingFederal Nursing Education Loan Repayment (visit hrsa.gov for more information) andhopes to have 75 percent of her student loans forgiven by 2007. She encourages other alum-ni to look into this program. She and her husband Tony have a beautiful 21-month-old sonnamed Sam. Dr. Hindman sends her regards to the class of 2000!

Zachary D. Mueller (ND ’05), Aurora, Colo., was recently promoted to director ofeducation at The Medical Center of Aurora (TMCA). After making an impact duringhis residency year, he assumed the position in June 2005. In this role, he will oversee theeducation for the TMCA health system (South and North campuses, as well asCentennial Medical Plaza). His duties will consist of strategic planning, ensuring staffcompetency, arranging clinical placements, managing as well as acting as a resource andsupport for the clinical educators, reviewing and updating policies and procedures, beingheavily involved in JCAHO surveys, and promoting and mentoring research. He is excit-ed about this new role and the direction that TMCA is headed. He writes “I wanted toshare this information with you for two reasons. First, I think it is important for alum-ni to share what is happening in their professional lives, and how education at the SONhas impacted that. Most poignantly, my ND has played a strong role in my success. MyMS (soon to be completed) has certainly played a very strong supporting role as well. Iwouldn’t have done it any other way, and am very grateful for my nursing education atthe SON, and how it has been such a good fit for me. Second, I wanted to thank theCU faculty for the role they played in my development as a professional nurse and nurseleader. Although many have impacted my life, each made a special impact and con-tributed something especially valuable to my life during my time at CU, and I want tothank them for that – I don’t think I would be the same if it hadn’t been for them.”

Rebecca Singer, (ND ’04), is working with Doctors Without Borders/Medecins SansFrontieres (MSF) in Monrovia, Liberia, providing treatment and support for victims ofrape and other forms of sexual violence at Benson Hospital’s Gender-Based ViolenceClinic. Singer was an ND case management intern and a teaching assistant with the clin-ical practice serving survivors of torture at the Rocky Mountain Survivors Center inDenver. She wrote about her experiences in the September Doctors Without Bordersonline newsletter. Six to 15 new patients come to the clinic each day. Approximately one-third of the patients treated there are children under the age of 18. Victims of sexual vio-lence are examined and provided with medications to prevent sexually transmitted infec-tions, HIV/AIDS, or an unwanted pregnancy. They are also given a medical certificatethat could help them in court if they decide to pursue legal action.

IN MEMORIAMMargaret Barker Bilynskyj (BS ’47), Eugene, Ore., died Jan. 10, 2005 at the age of

79. She lived in Colorado, Minnesota, California and Arizona and spent most of hercareer teaching nursing. She was a nursing administrator at UCLA Medical Center from1960 to 1965. She worked at Santa Monica College from 1965 to 1984, founding anddirecting the licensed vocational nurse program and two years later starting the registerednursing program and programs for other health occupations. Following her “retirement”in 1984 she returned to Arizona and worked as a community health nurse for YavapaiCounty from 1988 to 1998. Margaret moved to Oregon in 2000 and was a member of

Valley Covenant Church where she taught a Sunday school class and wasinvolved in other activities of the church. She remained a member ofEastern Star Diamond Chapter 7 and PEO Chapter I of Cottonwood,Ariz. Survivors include her son Stephen Bilynskyj of Springfield, Ore.;her daughter, Helen Pearson of Keizer, Ore.; her sister Markie Anklam ofTucson, Ariz.; three grandchildren, Matthew Alexander and Susan andJoanna Bilynskyj; and several nieces and nephews.

Gretchen Oaks Porter (BS ’60), Denver, Colo., died July 17, 2005 at age 67. She willbe remembered for her love of family, travels to exotic lands and involvement in charita-ble causes such as Girl Scouts and Denver Digs Trees. She is survived by her four chil-dren, Brian Porter of Brookfield, Conn., Laura Porter of Livingston, N.J., Holly Vitulloof Dallas, Texas, and Alison Dosher of Denver, Colo.

Yaowaluk Limpanichkul Pokaiyavanichkul (PhD ’04), Bangkok, Thailand, diedOct. 6, 2005. A recent graduate of the PhD program, Dr. Limpanichkul’s dissertationwas titled, "Thai Caregivers of End Stage Renal Disease Patients: Quality of Life". In

1990, she earned a BS degree in Nursing at Thai Red Cross University,her MS in Physiology at Mahidol University in 1995 and her MS inNursing at University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2000. She workedas a staff nurse in pediatric intensive care and on a post-surgical unitbefore joining the faculty of Assumption University and ChulalongkornUniversity, both in Bangkok. Dr. Limpanichkul was the recipient of manyacademic honors and awards including a scholarship from the Royal Thai

Government to pursue masters and doctoral studies in the U.S. While completing herdoctoral studies, she worked as a research assistant in the Center for Nursing Research atthe CU School of Nursing where they still celebrate her gentle and serene spirit. Manyfaculty and students knew her as Oi, translated as “Little Sister,” and will deeply mournher passing. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Taveesak Pokaiyavanichkul of Bangkok,Thailand, and her mother, Chaunpit Limpanichkul. The School of Nursing will hold amemorial service for Dr. Limpanichkul in late October.

NewsSCHOOL OF NURSINGPPAAGGEE 11FFaallll 22000055

Loretta FordContinued from page 1

populations.”NP programs were developed to

provide additional education for reg-istered nurses so they could providehealth care services to underservedareas. The first program was in pedi-atrics, but the result-ing impact of NPscan now be felt inmany health care spe-cialties. Their impactis also felt in gradu-ate nursing educa-tion, leadership inhealth care organiza-tions, and in rela-tionships with otherhealth professionals,as well as the public’sperception andacceptance of them.With a strong emphasis on primarycare, NPs focus on health mainte-nance, disease prevention, counsel-ing and patient education.

In addition to providing primary,specialty and acute healthcare, nursepractitioners strive to empowerpatients to improve their health byproviding health education and

the, “school of hardknocks…trials, tribulations,traumas, and triumphs of thelast 40 years.”

Dr. Ford also told the crowdto never to forget that “themost important descriptor ofthe role of the nurse practition-er is the word ‘nurse.’ Your pro-fessional home is the profes-sion of nursing. It is nursingthat provides you with the his-torical, philosophical, struc-ture, missions and social man-date for your practice, educa-tion, research and leadership.”

She closedby saying, “Asyour rolechanges andevolves, expecta transforma-tion of self,se l f - conceptand relation-ships.... Howyou believe iny o u r s e l v e s ,think abouty o u r s e l v e s ,and act inyour own and

counseling. The core philosophy isindividualized care, focusing on pre-vention, wellness and patient educa-tion.

“The NP program has createdtremendous changes in the individ-

ual nurse practitionersand the institutions inwhich they serve, whetherit’s legislation, educationor practice,” said Dr.Ford.”

Entrepreneurship, Dr.Ford believes, is the nextavenue for nurse practi-tioners. Signs of this arealready evident. An exam-ple is the “minute clinics”set up in such venues asmalls and large retailstores. Those clinics pro-

vide health care services to peoplewho ordinarily would go to theemergency room as the onlyresource available to them.

“I’d like to see more nurses inpolitical positions and making poli-cy,” said Dr. Ford. “There’s no wayNPs are not going to expand. Ourfuture is limitless.”

DDrr.. HHeennrryy SSiillvveerrCo-founder of NP program

your patient's interest, and yourenthusiastic, ongoing commitmentto nursing, all attest to your trans-formation. Your intellectual andemotional energy enthusiasm, eager-ness to keep learning and encour-agement to others are models of pro-fessionalism.”

The first NP Symposium washeld in 1975 in classrooms at theSchool of Nursing.

Today the symposia drawupwards of 1,500 attendees fromaround the world.

SON faculty Drs. Lynn Gilbert, SusanHagedorn and Victoria Erickson enjoy NPgala with NP co-founder Dr. Loretta Ford (second from right).

McKesson and School of Nursing partner to promote technology use As part of their joint commit-

ment to advance the field of nursinginformatics amid national nursingshortages, McKesson Corp. and theUniversity of Colorado at Denverand Health Sciences Center Schoolof Nursing have entered into astrategic relationship to study howtechnology can be used to promotepatient safety, support evidence-based practices in rural settings, andhelp consumers make better health-care decisions.

UCDHSC is located near one ofMcKesson’s leading clinical softwaredevelopment centers, and nursingstudents in training at the Universityof Colorado Hospital have usedMcKesson’s clinical solutions therefor many years.

“One of the most important fac-tors in alleviating the national nurs-ing shortage will be the increasingintersection of clinical informationtechnology with patient care,” saidPatricia Moritz, PhD, FAAN, deanof UCDHSC’s School of Nursing,citing a finding from the

Commission on the Workforce ofthe American Academy of Nursing,on which she serves. “As care man-agers, nurses must have real-timecommunication with all otherdepartments that influence patientcare. This collaboration is designedto ensure that the evolution of nurs-ing informatics supports suchrequirements.”

Through the agreement, the twoorganizations will conduct jointresearch and technology evaluation,promote job opportunities in nurs-ing informatics and disseminateknowledge through publicationsand conferences. Specific projectsinclude McKesson internships forUCDHSC students, guest lecturesby McKesson informaticists at theUCDHSC School of Nursing, guid-ed research reports and grant pro-posal submissions.

UCDHSC faculty and studentswill also provide input on usability,work flow and direction forMcKesson’s nursing-related applica-tions. They include Horizon Expert

Documentation™, which stream-lines documentation and reducescharting time, allowing nurses tospend more time on direct patientcare; and Horizon Admin-Rx™, anindustry-leading, advanced point-of-care system that incorporates bar-code scanning at the bedside for pre-venting critical errors in medicationadministration.

“It is clear that nurses must bedirectly involved in the planning,

design and testing of clinical tech-nology,” said Dean Moritz.“Recently the University ofColorado Hospital completed a newfacility at our Fitzsimons campus. Byincluding nurses, other clinicians,patients and community representa-tives in the planning and designphases, we were able to build apatient-centric facility that is truly ahealing environment.”

Mary Wagner, MS,project director of theNP Symposium, spear-headed the 40th NPanniversary celebration.

The last major phase of construction on the Fitzsimons campus,which includes the new school of nursing building, has the green lightto move forward.

The Colorado Supreme Court chose not to review the April 2005ruling of the Colorado Court of Appeals upholding the use ofCertificates of Participation (COPs) for educational facilities on theFitzsimons campus.

The construction go-ahead means that the University of Coloradoat Denver and Health Sciences Center will be on schedule to completethe move and vacate the property at Ninth and Colorado in 2008.

NP 40th anniversaryContinued from page 1

Construction of new SON building to move forward at Fitzsimons

News FFaallll 22000055PAGE 12 SCHOOL OF NURSING

Susan RipleyContinued from page 3

health problem management servic-es for children seen in a publichealth setting.

Would I be interested in beingthe first to be prepared in this way?There would be much to accomplishwith Lee and Henry – develop a cur-riculum, work with boards of nurs-ing and medicine on licensureissues, organize clinical settings,develop a formal assessment studyfor the program, find a name for thisnew kind of nurse.

I gave it much thought. There areso many times when public healthnurses work alone. I rememberedoccasions when I wished I couldhave …!

Remembering Public HealthNurses (PHN) who had on-the-joblearning and quietly practiced in thisfashion, I realized that this programwould legitimize their work. So Iaccepted their invitation to become

the first Pediatric Nurse Practitioner.The experience was an adventure

that had highs and lows.There were the highs of learning

new scientific information, decisionmaking and physical assessmentskills. There was the high of identi-fying a list of common remedies forcommon problems that the medicalboard agreed a PHN could recom-mend. There was the satisfaction ofthe course notebook growing fatterwith each new curriculum entry.

There were the lows when nurs-ing colleagues hissed in passing thatI was a pawn of the doctors, a traitorto nursing, but there were the highswhen a nurse would say, “Go for it!”There were the lows of doctors whomuttered about nurses practicingmedicine without a license. Therewere the highs when pediatricianssaid it made perfect sense. It was ahigh when a mother thanked me for

helping her child without having tosee a doctor first.

There was always that fine line towalk. The details have been welldescribed over the years, the expan-sion of our original vision there forall to see. The bottom line is that thedream became a reality.

What did I learn from thePediatric Nurse Practitioner pro-gram, besides the book and clinicalwork? Established entities resistchange, but there are ways to accom-plish it nevertheless. I learned thatmy previous notion of being a pro-fessor of nursing was not for me. Irealized that I could not be contentwith a specialty focus.

I was homesick, for lack of a bet-ter word, for generalized publichealth, the variety of settings, popu-lations and challenges.

Leaving the PNP program, I hada six month breather traveling in

South America on $5 a day and hav-ing lots of adventures. Eventually Isettled in New Mexico, working forthe Department of Health. I occu-pied a variety of positions, each withits own demands, usually involvingchanges. The PNP program hadtaught me how to meet thosedemands, and along the way I taughtmany others how to do it as well.

Even in retirement I have foundadventures and challenges – as a vol-unteer PHN in our local publichealth office, in the dedication of agovernment building to the contri-bution of Public Health Nurses,studying the arts instead of the sci-ences at our local community col-lege, travel to foreign lands.

May I always have an adventurein my future.

Menstrual cycle is a vital sign of womens healthFrom Iceland and Israel to Australia and Mexico, women’s health care

providers, educators, researchers and advocates met in Boulder June 2-4to share information and raise awareness about the role of menstruationas an indicator of a woman’s overall physical health at the 16th biennialSociety for Menstrual Cycle Research conference.

Sponsored by the School of Nursing, this year’s theme was TheMenstrual Cycle is a Vital Sign. At the heart of the conference was dis-cussion on the importance of identifying health issues connected to themenstrual cycle, as well as clarifying misconceptions about menopause.

The menstrual cycle offers a critical look at awoman’s overall physical and mental health,according to Tracy Quinn, PhD, FNP, an associ-ate professor at the SON.

Along with her blood pressure, pulse and res-piration, the menstrual cycle provides importantmedical information that should be monitored bywomen and their health care providers.

“We look at the sociological, physiologicaland bio-psychosocial areas of menstruation andmenopause,” said Dr. Quinn. “The Society wasfounded in 1977 by a multidisciplinary group of women who were pio-neers in understanding the importance of menstrual cycle andmenopause research to women’s health.”

Members of the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research have become aninternational interdisciplinary group of male and female researchers thatinclude physicians, nurses, sociologists, social workers, physiologists, psy-chologists and anthropologists who share an interest in women's lives andhealth needs as they relate to the menstrual cycle.

The Society's mission is to be the source of guidance, expertise, andethical considerations for researchers, practitioners, policy makers andfunding resources interested in the menstrual cycle. Members offer a net-work of communication and support that spans discipline, professional

responsibilities, and geography to provide woman-centered perspectiveson menstrual experiences.

“Very little research had been done on menstruation and menopause30 years ago,” she said. “The founders wanted to know what is normaland what is abnormal.

“In our society, menopause is looked at as something abnormal, anestrogen deficiency condition. It’s a normal process, why was it beingthought of as a disease? There are many reasons why women go throughmenopause. From a sociobiological perspective menopause evolved over

the ages so that the woman wouldnot be involved in reproductionduring her later years, but in theteaching of the younger genera-tion how to care for the young,”she said.

The conference began with atalk by Nancy Fugate Woods,PhD, FAAN, dean of the Schoolof Nursing at the University ofWashington. Dr. Woods' recent

projects include a study to characterize the natural history of the transi-tion to menopause and the symptoms women experience during themenopausal transition.

Sessions included a documentary film by cinematographer GiovannaChesler titled Period: The End of Menstruation?, workshops that includ-ed Reproductive Lifestyle and Advertising for Menstrual Products and apanel discussion on Women & Menstruation: Developing Awareness inWomen Care Providers.

“The knowledge of what we know about women’s health is still beingexpanded,” said Dr. Quinn. “We want to really have a thorough under-standing of women’s experiences so we know what to expect as womenmove through their reproductive life.”

“In our society, menopause is looked at as something abnormal, an estrogen deficiency condition. It’s a normal process, why was itbeing thought of as a disease?”

NewsSCHOOL OF NURSINGPPAAGGEE 13FFaallll 22000055

Palliative CareContinued from page 4

care. It’s really about the good carewe’re already supposed to be giving.”

Palliative Care Beyond Hospice:A Nursing Education Model was aproject funded by a grant from theNational Cancer Institute. The proj-ect was designed to integrate pallia-tive care principles into nursingpractice through education andresearch. The sustaining product ofthe grant is the Palliative CareCertificate Program which has twocomponents – educational contentand a project to change practice.Participants develop a change proj-ect within their institutions that willenhance and sustain higher-level pal-liative care.

“My vision is that every nursewould be prepared to offer palliativecare as part of a patient’s care,” shesaid. “There’s a continuum from achronic illness to end of life. Youoffer curative care when appropriate;

supportive or palliative care duringchronic illness; and then comfortcare at end-of-life.”

Dr. Nelson-Marten points outthat during active palliative care,patients can also receive treatmentsconsidered curative, such as chemoor surgery. An important part of pal-liative care is asking patients andfamilies to decide what their goal isfor care. Another important compo-nent is that palliative care is inter-disciplinary care and involves ahealth care team.

“There’s the mistaken belief thatpalliative means there’s nothingmore that can be done for a patient,but there’s always more you can do,”she said.

For more information, visit thePalliative Care Certificate Programwebpage at www.uchsc.edu/nurs-ing/pallcare.

The Bruce Randolph MiddleSchool clinic in Denver serves kidsthat, in many cases, don’t otherwiseget regular health care. The clinic isa collaborative effort with DenverHealth, the Denver Public Schoolsand the School of Nursing.

School health center team mem-bers include nurse practitioners,social workers, mental health thera-pists and substance preventioncounselors who provide primarycare, health education and mentalhealth care for students.

The new middle school was built

Collaborative Bruce Randolph Middle School clinic openedwith space set aside for the clinic inthe building’s plans. The clinicopened in February 2005. Morethan half the students who comeinto the clinic for treatment do nothave health insurance.

The SON provides a communityhealth nurse at the clinic and servesas a liaison between school nurseswith the Denver Public School sys-tem, as well as providing case man-agement for children with complexhealth care needs.

Elizabeth DeYoung initiated thenurse case manager role during her

Doctor of Nursingresidency and isworking at the clin-ic while she finishesher Family NursePractitioner special-ty in the school’smaster’s degree pro-gram. She workswith the childrenand their familiesto find sources ofcare above the rou-tine care; works onlocating specializedservices and con-ducts follow-upappointments toensure the child

receives the services.“This is an exciting collaboration

because it provides us the opportu-nity to evaluate what a case manager

can bring to that kind of setting,”said Amy Barton, PhD, associatedean for clinical affairs at the Schoolof Nursing.

Barbara Fallon leaves SON in February 2005.In 1995, Barbara Fallon, MPA, began her work in the

SON as an Administrative Assistant III with KathyMagilvy, PhD, FAAN, professor and assistant dean forgraduate programs, and former faculty Ginette Pepper,PhD, in support of master’s and doctoral students. Fromthere, she moved to the Office of Research and workedfor Dean Patricia Moritz, PhD, FAAN, then associatedean for research. Later, she served in the HumanResources Office with Mary English, MA, director ofhuman resources. Barbara was promoted to General

Professional II and since 2001 was the School’s Clinical PlacementCoordinator, working with Amy Barton, PhD, associate dean for clinicalaffairs.

In 2003, Barbara was selected as a Health Sciences Center Employee-of-the-Month and her nominators said that her “ever-positive personality, drive,and determination are an example for all of us in the SON.” She was laud-ed for her hard work and was recognized as “a cornerstone of the ClinicalAffairs office,” where she “made numerous contributions to its success.”

Barbara remarked, “My greatest honor while in the SON was my nomi-nation for the University’s Thomas Jefferson award, as initiated by JeanetteRegas, with treasured letters of support from ‘the kids’ and Ginny Pepper,among others.” She said that she appreciated working for and learning fromthe School’s students, sharing in their achievements, and respecting theircontributions, both current and future.

Staff member Jeanette Regas retires in June 2005.After a 20-year career on the staff of the School of Nursing, Jeanette

Regas, General Professional III, retired June 30, 2005. Ms. Regas, who start-ed her career at the Health Sciences Center in 1983, began working in the

School of Nursing in 1985, for the Nurse-MidwiferyProgram. She then worked for seven years with theExecutive Associate Dean for Research, Marilyn Stember,PhD, FAAN, professor emerita. Along the way she waspromoted to program assistant and administrative pro-gram specialist.

Jeanette worked for the acting dean at the time,Juanita Tate, PhD; was promoted to General ProfessionalII (GPII), working with Mary Blegen, PhD, FAAN, asso-ciate dean for research affairs; and then as clinical place-ment coordinator with Amy Barton, PhD, associate deanfor clinical affairs. During her last years at the School,

2002-05, Jeanette was promoted to General Professional III in the positionof facilities and payroll manager, working for Jessica McCoy, MBA, directorof human resources.

Jeanette was selected Health Sciences Center Employee-of-the-Month forJune 2005 and nominators said: “In every program or office in whichJeanette has worked at the SON over the years, she has brought new ideasand ways of doing things; she is bright, committed…demonstrates a highlevel of competency; has outstanding organizational skills that she is ready toapply in a variety of situations…has a phenomenal way of sharing her skillsin a non-threatening way…has made an enormous impact on employees…”

Two Long-Time Staff Retirefrom School of Nursing

Regas

Fallon

Dignitaries at the February 2005 ribbon cutting.

Diane Skiba, PhD, FAAN, FACMI, professor, received the NLNAward for Excellence in Teaching at the 2005 National League forNursing (NLN) Education Summit held Sept. 29-Oct. 1 inBaltimore, Md. Dr. Skiba was selected from a pool of 31 nomineesto receive the prestigious award given every other year by NLN.

The NLN award recognizes the contributions of an outstandingnurse educator who fosters excellence in the teaching-learning

process. The award announcement readthat Dr. Skiba is “known throughout thenursing education community for her out-standing contributions to the resourcefuluse of technology and her insightful inno-vation in bringing it to the nursing class-room… she is a consummate educator anda pioneer in nursing informatics…Her I-Collaboratory Project: Partnerships inLearning is one of the most acclaimedadvances in distance and web-based learn-ing for the nursing community.”

The tribute said that the pursuit of newknowledge underlies Dr. Skiba’s commit-ment to active student involvement in

their own learning and inspires her students to reach for theheights throughout their nursing programs, and her students attestto the enthusiasm she exudes in her mission to teach.

Dr. Skiba serves as the chair of the NLN EducationalTechnology and Information Management Advisory Council. Aprolific and respected author and speaker, Diane has traveled theworld teaching others. Her countless works and commitment toteaching excellence are an inspiration to students and faculty alike.

News FFaallll 22000055PAGE 14 SCHOOL OF NURSING

2005 ND conference the last of its kindThe 11th Gateway to the Future

conference held May 26 was much-anticipated by the 24 students of the2005 Doctor of Nursing (ND) pro-gram. The conference marked theculmination of four years of studyand practice when the graduatescould look forward to beginningtheir careers as ND professionals.The 15-year-old ND program con-verted to a Doctor of NursingPractice (DNP) program this fall.

The highlight of the conferencewas the presentation of researchpapers by each student.

During the final year of the NDprogram, students receive clinicalexperience and conduct researchinto clinical topics of their choice.The conference has provided theman opportunity to share the resultsof their hard work with their peers,faculty and family, according toLauren Clark, PhD, FAAN, associ-ate professor, director of the NDprogram and now director of thenew DNP program.

“This was the last traditional NDresearch conference,” said Dr. Clark.“There were some bittersweet feel-ings for the graduates and alumniwho attended. This is the end of anera for the ND program, but it’s also

the beginning of a new era for theDNP program.”

Keynote speaker was RoxieFoster, PhD, FAAN, whose talk, TheClinical/Practice Doctorate and theEvidence Base for Practice, was apoignant and encouraging look atthe evolution in nursing practice inclinical settings and the need fornurses to continue evidence-basedpractice in their careers.

Research presentations this yearreflected current topics of interestand concern including evaluation ofobesity and weight management pro-

grams, evaluation ofcomplementary andalternative therapies forsymptomatic patients,and end-of-life issues.

Presenting researchresults at a year-end con-ference will likely con-tinue as a requirementfor graduation in theDNP program, accord-ing to Dr. Clark.

“Since the DNP pro-gram is brand new,we’re trying to decide

what the final outcome experienceswill be,” she said. “We will hold aconference again next year but it willbe different, a combination of ourtraditional ND students along withsome of our DNP students.”

For Zach Mueller, ND, CNS, oneof the 2005 graduates, the confer-ence was a time of mixed feelings.Dr. Mueller was a member of thelast full ND class and when he gets amaster’s degree in December 2006as a Clinical Nurse Specialist inacute and critical care with anemphasis on leadership and man-agement, he’ll be applying for admis-sion into the DNP program. As agraduate of the ND and MS pro-

grams, newly developedadmissions criteria and a port-folio review will streamline hisentry into the DNP program.

During Zach’s residency,he worked as a clinical casemanager for the EmergencyDepartment at The MedicalCenter of Aurora. After grad-uating from the ND program,he was promoted to directorof education for his hospitalsystem.

“It was great being there to

and philosophy. To get this type ofjob in clinical education so soonafter graduation is huge. There’s alot of power in the ND, and now theDNP as well.”

showcase what I’ve done as a profes-sional nurse so my family and part-ner could see what I had spent somuch time doing,” he said. “I’m ahuge supporter of the ND program

On May 15, the School of Nursing held a farewellreception for Lena Sorensen, PhD, associate professor,and Diane Ernst, MS, instructor, who resigned fromthe School.

Dr. Sorensen was active with the School’s ND stu-dents during her five-year tenure at the SON. Her

expertise was in nursing informaticsand she taught courses includingHuman Technology Interface,Health Communications, and Foundations of theDiscipline and Profession of Nursing. Dr. Sorensen isnow associate professor at New York UniversityCollege of Nursing, New York City.

Diane Ernst, MS, an instructor at the SON in2004-05, taught the undergraduate public health nurs-

ing courses and supervised students at public health clinical sites. Sheleft the school to pursue her doctoral studies.

SON Faculty Departures

Sorensen

Ernst

Dr. Diane Skiba receives 2005Award for Excellence in Teaching

Recent Doctor of Nursing graduates and alumni ofthe ND program at the annual ND conference.

Dr. Ruth O’Brien joins ND graduates and alumni duringlunch at the ND conference.

NewsSCHOOL OF NURSINGPPAAGGEE 15FFaallll 22000055

—— School of Nursing Faculty Milestones ——Mary Blegen, PhD, FAAN, pro-

fessor and associate dean forresearch affairs, received the 2005Nurse Researcher Award from theAmerican Organization of NurseExecutives (AONE). She was pre-sented with theaward at AONE’sannual meetingand expositionheld April 15-19 inChicago.

The award rec-ognizes a nurseresearcher who has made a signifi-cant contribution to nursingresearch and is recognized by thebroader nursing community as anoutstanding nurse researcher. Dr.Blegen’s research is in nurse staffinglevels and the issue of quality of carefor hospitalized patients with thecurrent shortage of nurses.

“As the Baby Boomers get olderand need more health care, the pro-jections for 2020 and 2030 in termsof the supply of nurses compared tothe need, is really very scary,” saidDr. Blegen. “Nurse staffing in hospi-tal units has a big impact on thequality and safety of care.”

Lauren Clark,PhD, FAAN, asso-ciate professor, hasbeen selected to bea Fellow of theUniversity of Colo-rado’s EmergingLeaders Program.

She was nominated by the SON andendorsed by James Shore, MD,UCDHSC Chancellor.

Lynn Gilbert, PhD, PNP, assis-tant professor, was selected to partic-ipate in The Bighorn Center forPublic Policy’s LeadershipDevelopment program during 2005.

Susan Hagedorn, PhD, FAANP,associate professor,has been selected asa 2005 Fellow inthe AmericanAcademy of NurseP r a c t i t i o n e r s(FAANP). TheFAANP Programrecognizes nursepractitioners who have made out-standing contributions to healthcare through clinical practice,research, education or health policy.

Ruby Martinez, PhD, associate pro-fessor and director of the Office ofStudent Services and Diversity, retiredfrom the SON and a celebration washeld in her honor on July 28th. GeneMarsh, PhD, associate professor and divi-sion chair, served as master of cere-monies and hosted the event. Sheremarked that Ruby brought a sense ofcommunity to the School’s students andfaculty. “Understanding and supportingthe wholeness of each person with whomshe worked was always a priority for her,”said Marsh.

On behalf of nursing students andthe Student Services staff, Mary Diaz,Information and Student Services Specialist, commented, “Ruby’sretirement is a great loss to the SON. She contributed so much tomaking the School a more diverse place and was a wonderful advocatefor the students.”

Dr. Martinez came to the School of Nursing in 1997 as assistantprofessor and was promoted to associate professor in 2004. She wasappointed director of the Student Services and Diversity office in2003. A published author, Dr. Martinez also taught in the School’sBS, ND, and MS degree programs. Previously, she was at ColoradoMental Health Institute at Fort Logan from 1979-97, where she wasassistant nursing services administrator since 1985. Dr. Martinezserved on numerous university committees and community advisoryboards, and was invited to serve on the prestigious National AdvisoryCouncil for the Center for Mental Health Services from 1998-2002.She was the recipient of many teaching and diversity awards during hertenure at the SON.

Most recently, on May 4, Dr. Martinez received the 2005 Universityof Colorado President’s Diversity Award to Faculty for her many contri-butions to the University, the Health Sciences Center campus, and theSchool of Nursing. Dr. Martinez said the award was especially mean-ingful to her because she was nominated by her staff in the StudentServices and Diversity office.

RRuubbyy MMaarrttiinneezz,, PPhhDD

Dr. Ruby Martinez retires

Dr. Hagedorn was inducted at theAANP 2005 National Conferenceheld June 17-21 in Ft. Lauderdale,Fla.

Marilyn Krajicek, EdD, FAAN,professor, was awarded a five-yearrenewal grant for over $1.75 millionfrom the Department of Health andHuman Services, Health Resourcesand Services Administration, for herNational Resource Center forHealth and Safety in Child Care.

Ellyn Matthews, PhD, assistantprofessor, was elected this spring asDirector-at-Large tothe Board ofDirectors of thenational OncologyNursing Society.

John Mutikani,PhD, new assistantprofessor in the SON, received aDevelopmental Award from theColorado Center for AIDS Research(CFAR) for his pilot study, Usingthe Strengths and DifficultiesQuestionnaire and the Impact ofEvents Scale in PsychosocialAdjustment of Orphans and Non-

orphans affected byAIDS in Botswanaand Zimbabwe.

He also present-ed a poster, TheLived Experiencesof Family Care-givers of AIDSOrphans and

Other Orphans in Rural Zimbabwe,during the campus’ 3rd AnnualDiversity Research Exchange onApril 7.

Ruth A. O'Brien, PhD, FAAN,professor, has been selected as a2005 Fellow in the AmericanAcademy of Nursing. The AmericanAcademy of Nursing recognizesnurses who have made significantcontributions to the nursing profes-sion by advancing health policy andpractice through the generation, syn-thesis, and dissemination of nursingknowledge.

Dr. O’Brien has been recognizedfor her scholarship and leadership inresearch of community public healthinterventions, and for contributionsto the nation’s health throughincreasing our understanding of the

on November 12, 2005, at theirAnnual Meeting in Scottsdale, AZ.

Jean Watson,PhD, FAAN,AHN-BC, distin-guished professor,has been the invit-ed keynote speakerat several interna-tional conferencesthis past year inGermany and Taiwan:

She is the author of a new book,Caring Science as Sacred Science, pub-lished by F.A. Davis, Philadelphia,PA, 2005 for which she received theBook of the Year Award in the nursingresearch category from the AmericanJournal of Nursing.

impact of nursing interventionstrategies on the health of pregnantwomen, their children, and theirfamilies. Also recognized as a nation-al leader in public health nursing,she has made major contributions toour understanding of how nurseswork with women to foster healthyfamilies and prevent child abuse andother social and health problems. Inaddition,

Dr. O’Brien has been instrumen-tal in examining organizational andother health system factors on thesuccess of public health interven-tions, and methods of longitudinalanalysis that combine client, inter-vention, organizational and systemfactors.

Dr. O'Brien will be inducted intothe American Academy of Nursing

School’s annual ConvocationCeremony.

Faculty awards at Convocation included:

Gail Armstrong, ND, assistantprofessor, was recognized as therecipient of the President’s Excellencein Teaching Award, which she receivedearlier in the day at the campusCommencement Exercise.

James Sampson, PhD, assistantprofessor, was recognized as therecipient of the Chancellor’s TeachingRecognition Award.

The Dean’s Award for Excellence inTeaching went to twofaculty members:

Paula Nelson-Marten, PhD, associ-ate professor, mademajor contributions toteaching in the bache-lor’s, master’s, andnursing doctorate pro-grams.

Diane Skiba, PhD,FAAN, FACMI, profes-sor, made major contri-butions to teachingmaster’s and nursingdoctorate students.

Ralph Altiere,PhD, professor andassociate dean from theSchool of Pharmacy,received the Dean’sAward for DistinguishedLeadership in the School

Sch

oo

l of

Nu

rsin

gM

ail S

top

C28

8-1

4200

E. N

inth

Ave

.D

enve

r, C

O 8

0262

Non

prof

it or

gani

zatio

nU

.S. P

osta

gePA

IDD

enve

r, C

OPe

rmit

No.

904

News FFaallll 22000055PAGE 16 SCHOOL OF NURSING

Convocation Marshal SusanHagedorn, PhD, FAANP, associateprofessor, led the School of Nursingat the May 27th ConvocationCeremony in the campus quadran-gle. One hundred and seventy-fivestudents graduated from theSchool’s four degree programs at thisyear’s ceremony.

There were 125 bachelor’sdegrees; 16 Doctor of Nursing (ND)degrees; 29 master’s degrees; and fivePhDs. In addition, 27 master’s grad-uates and one PhD graduate fromDecember 2004 attended the

of Nursing. This special award isgiven from time to time to recognizefaculty who have provided exception-ally meritorious service. Dr. Altieremade major contributions to theSchool of Nursing through his out-standing and continual service to theDean’s Review Committee for manyyears. His efforts were extremelyvaluable and beneficial to the SON.

Three nurses were recognized asrecipients of the 2005 Nursing AlumniAssociation Awards.

Mrs. LaFawn Biddle, a memberof the Board of Directors for theFriends of Nursing, was recognizedas the recipient of a 2005 SpecialCommendation from the NursingAlumni Association. Mrs. Biddle wascommended for her dedicated andsustained efforts on behalf of thenursing profession, which have bene-fited many nursing students. (Seearticle on page 7.)

Mrs. Ramey Johnson, MS ’93,was recognized as the recipient of theAlumni Distinguished Service Award for2005 for her contributions as a StateRepresentative for Colorado and her20 years of outstanding service as ahealth professional in the communi-ty health arena. (See article on page7.)

Denise Geolot, PhD, FAAN,Director of the Division of Nursingat the Health Resources and ServicesAdministration, Bureau of HealthProfessions, Rockville, Maryland,who was not able to attend the

SON Convocation held May 27Convocation Ceremony, was recog-nized as the Nursing AlumniAssociation’s 2005 DistinguishedAlumnae of the Year for her major con-tributions to the SON through herearly leadership of NursePractitioner (NP) education in thenation and her continued advance-ment of the concept of NP practiceand education. Dr. Geolot was oneof the School’s early master’s gradu-ates. (See article on page 7.)

JoAnn Congdon, PhD, FAAN,professor and chair of the School’sDivision of Health Outcomes,Populations, and Environments,received the first Elisabeth H. BoekerFaculty Excellence in Research Awardfor her special achievements ingerontological nursing research. TheBoeker Award was made possiblethrough the generosity of Mrs.Elisabeth H. Boeker and the Boekerfamily. (See article on page 5.)

Sarah Elliott Stewart received thefirst Spirit of Nursing Award, which isbeing given to an outstanding B.S.nursing graduate who has mademajor contributions to their commu-nity and to the School of Nursing.

Graduates selected by faculty forStudent Leadership Awards were:Jerilyn Block, BS graduate;Carmencita Lorenzo, BS graduate;Sarah Elliott Stewart, BS graduate;Elizabeth Mann, MS graduate;Darren Moffitt, ND graduate;Zachery Mueller, ND graduate; andSarah Combs, PhD graduate.