BSN CLASS OF 2013

TH E UN I V E R S I T Y O F NO R T H CA R O L I N A AT CH A P E L HI L L SC H O O L O F NU R S I N G

Honors in Nursing

* Denotes Highest Honors

Sam E. Benton Advisor: Catherine Ingram Fogel, PhD, WHCNP, FAAN

Perceptions of Nurse Practitioners inRelation to Care of Department ofCorrectional Patients

I went into nursing because I like taking care of people and interacting with them. Nursing also provides many different options for patient care and work in a variety of different settings.

Devin Christel Fohn Advisor: Beth F. Lamanna, WHNP, MPH, RN

Hippotherapy as a Rehabilitation Methodfor Regaining Ambulatory Function inSpinal Cord Injury Patients

I chose to go into nursing because I have a passion for caringfor others as well as a passion for understanding the amazinghuman body. Nursing is a perfect way for me to pursue both ofthose passions. I was also drawn to the field because nursingallows me to be on the front line—to be a patient advocateand to care for the patient holistically. It is the nurse who isconstantly there for the patient for not just physical needs, but also emotional and spiritual needs. I want to be the nursewho helps make a difference for that patient during a difficulttime in their life.

Sheena Brooke Hilton Advisor: Michael G. Goley, MSN, CPNP, RN

Sudden Cardiac Death in Young Athletes:What is the First Step in Prevention?

I have an incredible passion to help others. Since I was ayoung girl, I knew I wanted to be a nurse. Many times thispassion has be reignited throughout my life. When my dadhad a heart attack several years ago, I saw the nurses as heroesand my desire to be just like them has not stopped burning.

David Nathaniel Johnson Advisor: Theresa Raphael-Grimm, PhD, CNS

Increasing Nurses’ Capacity to EffectivelyAddress Patient Psychosocial Needs at theEnd of Life

I chose nursing because I like science and I like people. I aminterested in exploring the world and helping out where I can,and I believe that, as a nurse, I will have valuable knowledgeand skills that will allow me to offer significant help to others.

Rebecca Kabatchnick* Advisor: Beth Perry Black, PhD, RN

Remembering the “Forgotten Bereaved”:Understanding and Caring for Siblings ofCompleted Suicide Victims in Adolescenceand Early Adulthood

Through dedicating my life to caring for others, I hope tohonor my grandmother, who was a nurse for over 40 years,and my brother, who passed away only months before mynursing school graduation. I came to love nursing upon hearing the stories of my grandmother and helping her takecare of my grandfather, a stroke victim who was bedridden for14 years. My experiences with my grandparents inspired me to begin volunteering at a nursing home during high school.Over the course of my teenage years, I realized that I wanted to pursue a career in nursing full of learning, growing, andmaking a difference in the lives of patients. My journey at the UNC School of Nursing helped me develop a passion fornursing that I am certain will last for many years to come.

Sarah Abigail Kaminer Advisor: Christina Harlan, BSN, MA

Exploring Knowledge Beliefs and PracticesRegarding HIV/AIDS Among NorthCarolina Health Care Providers Working In Faith-based Clinics

I love people—caring for them, interacting with them, learning from them. However, in a high school Anatomy and Physiology class, I developed a deep fascination for thescience of the body. In nursing, I found a career that fulfillsmy love for people and my thirst for scientific knowledge.

Kelsey Knight Advisor: Christina Harlan, BSN, MA

Caring Across the Language Barrier

For a long time, I imagined I would pursue a career in academia. I enjoyed research and writing, and the idea ofteaching was attractive to me. Then I read Tracy Kidder’s book, called Mountains Beyond Mountains, about Dr. Paul Farmer. I became interested in development, the idea of healing, and social justice issues related to health care. Rather than only writing about these issues, which is important in itself, I felt that I needed to “do.” Nursing gives me the opportunity not only to do—to provide direct care to others—but to also research, grow as an individual, and learn about the human experience.

Lindsay Elizabeth Larison*Advisor: Rhonda K. Lanning, MSN, CNM, IBCLC, RN

Sex Trafficking and the Nursing Role: AnOnline Educational Module for Nurses

I have always felt drawn to a career path that promotes healthand wellness. Nursing seemed to be the perfect fit due to theprofession’s holistic, personal approach to patient care.

Mary Susan Miller Advisor: Julianne B. Page, MSN, RN

Effective Communication: What Should It Look Like in Healthcare?

I come from a line of nurses who have shown me the rewardsof caring for others. I am passionate about patient educationand holistic health care, and I hope to empower my patientswith knowledge to improve their long-term health.

Tally Miller Advisor: Catherine Ingram Fogel, PhD, WHCNP, FAAN

The Effectiveness of the COPE ParentingProgram: Statistical Analysis

I chose to go into nursing because of the limitless opportunitiesthere are for professional development and growth. I felt that this type of ever-evolving career would suit my inquisitivepersonality and give me an outlet to create caring, compassionate relationships with individuals on a daily basis.

Courtney O’Connor Advisor: Theresa Raphael-Grimm, PhD, CNS

Examination of Domestic ViolenceResource Utilization in MedicallyUnderserved North Carolina Counties

Growing up, I was always interested in health care, but it wasn’t until some family members were patients that I realized the impact nurses can have on the patient experience.Mother Teresa said, “Do small things with great love,” and Ihave found that nursing provides endless opportunities to putthese words into action on a daily basis. I am excited to begina career that will allow me to care for patients holistically andto provide the same kind of compassionate nursing care thathas been so important to my family.

Winona E. Poulton* Advisor: Kathy Alden, EdD, MSN, IBCLC, RN

Using the Social Ecological Model as aFramework for Evaluating Predictors ofRapid Repeat Pregnancy DuringAdolescence

As a public health analyst prior to nursing school, I foundworking with women and children to be very rewarding, but that my lack of practical skills hindered me from being as effective at meeting their needs as I could have been.Nursing school provided an avenue to achieving some clinical competence, and I hope to use my new nursing skills to improve my ability to achieve positive outcomes for at-risk women and children.

David Reed Advisor: Shawn M. Kniepp, PhD, ANP-BC, APHN-BC

Criminal Record-Related CollateralConsequences, Employment, Stress, and Health Among Women in the NCWork First Program

I chose nursing because I saw it as the best opportunity toserve others in need.

Charlotte Refvem Advisor: Beth Perry Black, PhD, RN

A Critique on the Ethics of InternationalImmersion Experiences for NursingStudents

I have been intrigued by health care since childhood. Myfather is a doctor and I always enjoyed listening to his storiesand occasionally watching him work. As I have gotten older,my desire to work with people in the health care setting hasincreased. I began to be interested in nursing when I realizedthat I wanted to spend significant time with people who arehospitalized. I believe that meaningful relationships betweenthe patient and nurse can contribute to better outcomes. I ampassionate about patient advocacy and believe that nurseshave a unique opportunity to provide for clients. Ultimately,nursing encompasses all things I enjoy; people, health care,and compassion. I am excited to see where this path leads.

Olivia Reid* Advisor: Kathy Alden, EdD, MSN, IBCLC, RN

Nursing Students’ Knowledge andAttitudes About Human Trafficking: ALook at Human Trafficking Education inOne Accelerated Baccalaureate NursingProgram

I chose to pursue nursing because it incorporates all of thethings I am passionate about, including education, science,providing support, and building relationships. I love knowingthat I have had a positive impact on a person or taught themsomething vital to their lives when I finish a shift.

Emily RyanAdvisor: Beth Perry Black, PhD, RN

Social Support and Perinatal Loss: ASecondary Data Analysis of InterviewsWith Participants Receiving Lethal FetalDiagnoses

I decided to pursue nursing after completing my mastersdegree in bioethics. During my graduate program, we spent a lot of time talking to patients about their experiences withthe medical system. I was always impressed by how highlythey spoke of their nurses. I knew that I didn’t want to stay in academia and that I wanted to find a career that involveddirect patient care. Nursing offered me the most mobility with my career while still giving me the opportunity to workdirectly with patients.

Joanna Marie Solkoff Advisor: JoAn Williams, MSN, ARNP-BC, RN

How Nursing Affects Nurses: A LiteratureReview on Nursing-Centered SelfAwareness

Even as a little girl I knew I wanted to help people. After a holiday party in my first grade class, I saw a homeless man onthe street. I went over to him and gave him the cookies fromthe party. I think that I have spent my whole life looking for away to make a difference in people’s lives and when I foundnursing, I felt like I finally found the career for me.

Rachel Stowe Advisor: Deborah K. Mayer, PhD, AOCN, FAAN, RN

Caregiver Burden and ResourceAvailability in Hematopoietic Stem CellTransplantation

I have always had an interest in health care, but I did notrealize how important the role of the nurse was until a familymember became seriously ill a few years ago. During thistime, I learned that a compassionate and intelligent nurse can have a significant impact on patients and their familiesduring life’s most vulnerable moments. It was at this pointthat I realized that my interests in science and interacting withothers would equip me to truly make a difference in the livesof those who are sick.

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