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Baltimore, Md. – During the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) virtual December 2020 degree conferral ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 17, which recognized summer and fall 2020 UMSON graduates, DAISY Awards for Extraordinary Nursing Students were presented to Katherine Couch, (left) a graduate of the Master of Science in Nursing Clinical Nurse Leader option, and Lisa Eng, (middle) a graduate of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at the Universities at Shady Grove location. And the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty was presented to Amanda Roesch, (right) DNP, MPH, FNP-C, assistant professor, marking only the second time that UMSON has bestowed the award. The DAISY Awards for Extraordinary Nursing Students are presented at each UMSON Convocation in May and each UMSON Graduation in December to two graduating entry-into-practice students who demonstrate empathic care and service to patients and their families. The award was created by The DAISY Foundation to remind students, even during their hardest days in nursing school, why they chose to become a nurse. By recognizing nursing students for their care and compassion for patients and their families, The DAISY Foundation acknowledges and celebrates what it means to be a nurse. Eligible nursing students can be nominated by a fellow student or a faculty or staff member from the UMSON community. During the degree conferral, Dean Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, said Couch was nominated for treating everyone she encounters with the same level of deep respect and for not being afraid to speak up or to question something that does not seem quite right. Kirschling said Eng was nominated for always going above and beyond her assigned duties to learn about her patients and for her commitment to connecting with them and caring for them as individuals.   “Thank you, Katherine and Lisa, for demonstrating your commitment to providing outstanding and compassionate care. I know that you will continue to do so over the course of your nursing careers,” Kirschling said. The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty was created by The DAISY Foundation to recognize and celebrate the contributions that faculty members make to the future of nursing. The award honors those who inspire their students to remember that nursing is much more than tasks and technology. These faculty members help ensure that the art as well as the science of nursing are brought to every patient experience. Nominations are accepted from students, fellow faculty members, and community leaders. Roesch, the 2020 faculty award recipient, was nominated by Veronica Quattrini, DNP, FNP-BC, assistant professor and senior director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and is described as passionate about educating the next generation of UMSON advanced practice nurses to provide compassionate care to diverse populations. She weaves her experiences caring for underserved populations both locally and internationally into her teaching strategies. She challenges students to broaden their perspectives with her curricular design. As an ally for the LGBTQ+ community, she is committed to ensuring her students have the knowledge and skills to provide affirming, inclusive care to this population, and she incorporates this in the courses she teaches. Roesch has also collaborated with a community/public health nursing initiative to provide physical exams to children enrolled in Head Start programs. This affords her the opportunity not only to teach Family Nurse Practitioner students to care for the pediatric population, but also to provide culturally sensitive care to a diverse population. Students describe her as knowledgeable, dedicated, hardworking, and passionate and characterize her teaching style as creative, unique, interactive, and fun. As one student stated, “Dr. Roesch is a true asset to the entire school.” As a colleague, Roesch elevates the bar as a team player. She is always willing to assist at any level to improve curriculum and has developed many case studies, objective structured clinical examination encounters, redesign of rubrics and exams, and, perhaps her most significant contribution, the episodic tool designed for Advanced Health Assessment. “I am delighted to present Dr. Roesch with this award,” Kirschling said during the degree conferral. “We are very grateful to have her as a member of our faculty.” An acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem, The DAISY Foundation was founded in November 1999 by the family of J. Patrick Barnes, who died at age 33 of complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura. The nursing care Patrick received when hospitalized profoundly touched his family. The foundation expresses gratitude to nurses with programs that recognize them for the extraordinary skillful, compassionate care they provide patients and families. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. - Three University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) faculty members have been appointed to Maryland state and Baltimore County health care oversight organizations. Bimbola F. Akintade, PhD ’11, MS ’05, MBA, MHA, BSN ’03, ACNP-BC, NEA-BC, FAANP, (left) associate professor and associate dean for the Master of Science in Nursing program, has been appointed to the Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC); Kristen Rawlett, PhD ’14, FNP-BC, FAANP, (middle) assistant professor, has been appointed to the State Children’s Environmental Health and Protection Advisory Council; and Katie McElroy, PhD ’16, MS ’10, BSN ’98, RN, (right) assistant professor, has been appointed to the Baltimore County Board of Health. As a commissioner, Akintade will work with a team of health care professionals and leaders to focus upon collaborative initiatives related to broadening Marylanders’ access to high-quality and cost-effective health care services. The commission focuses in particular on aspects such as access to health care, quality and patient safety, innovative health care delivery, health information technology, and information for policy development. The MHCC is an independent state regulatory agency that plans for health system needs, promotes informed decision-making, increases accountability, and improves access to care in a rapidly changing health care environment. Appointed by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, Akintade will serve the remainder of a four-year term, ending Sept. 30, 2022, vacated by a former UMSON faculty member who moved out of state. Rawlett assumed her role in May with the State Children’s Environmental Health (CEH) and Protection Advisory Council, she will review state regulations that potentially impact CEH, educating regarding relevant issues, and advising the governor and the state Legislature on environmental issues that may pose a threat to children. The council identifies environmental health issues for children and seeks to protect children in Maryland from exposure to environmental hazards. It also advises the General Assembly on legislation and recommends uniform guidelines for state agencies to help reduce and eliminate children’s exposure to environmental hazards. Appointed by Hogan, Rawlett will serve a four-year term. In her role with the Baltimore County Board of Health, McElroy will work to support the county’s government and make recommendations that will promote better health and quality of life for county residents. The board establishes policies for health services within the county, including the system of public health clinics. The board also investigates and studies the causes of disease, epidemics, nuisances affecting public health, and the prevention of contagious diseases. Appointed by Baltimore County Executive John Olszewski Jr., McElroy is completing the first term of a previously vacant seat and will continue to serve into the future. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Kelly Doss, a student in UMSON’s Clinical Nurse Leader program, also welcomed the chance to be part of the clinic. “I’m excited to be part of this and very, very happy to have this opportunity,” she said. “They were hinting at it for a while with emails from the School of Nursing, and when I learned this is actually happening, I was very happy.” As excited as Doss was to be part of the vaccination process, Kirschling was appreciative for the hands-on learning students are receiving. “I’m extremely grateful for the partnership between the medical center, the medical system, and UMB in terms of making this a reality. Not only for our employees, but for students, it is extremely important,” Kirschling said. “We have 2,000 nursing students at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and our undergraduate and graduate students and their ability to pull together and to participate in the vaccination process is important, and will help us get it done sooner.” Kirschling said she was eager to get the vaccine and is completing the approval process for becoming a vaccine administrator. “We all need to do our part in terms of fighting the pandemic, and we have a number of tools that we can use — hand washing, social distancing, masking. Vaccines are another tool to help us get through this pandemic sooner than later,” she said. “It’s important that we all pull together right now and meet this unbelievable need to have people who can provide vaccinations to those who are willing to take the vaccine.” Read More

UMSON ranked among the Best Online Master's in Nursing Programs for Veterans nationwide Baltimore, Md. – In U.S. News & World Report’s newly released “2021 Best Online Programs” rankings, the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) ranked among the Best Online Master's in Nursing Programs for Veterans nationwide, at No. 18. UMSON’s Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Health Services Leadership and Management specialty ranked No. 7 in the nation in the Nursing Administration Programs category, and its post-baccalaureate Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions Certificate ranked No. 8 in the nation in the Nursing Education Programs category. The U.S. News rankings represent the most respected and in-depth evaluation of U.S. graduate programs that are designed to be administered online. UMSON is among the 173 schools ranked, out of 571 surveyed. The 2021 rankings do not evaluate schools or programs that are temporarily virtual due to the coronavirus pandemic. “It is gratifying to be recognized nationally for our online programs, particularly for providing excellent nursing education to veterans,” said UMSON Dean Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN. “The School of Nursing has a long history of preparing nurses for military service, and many graduates have served with great distinction in both the Army and Navy Nurse Corps. Our faculty includes veterans and reservists who bring the unique expertise gained through military experience to their teaching of our students.”  The School’s first superintendent, Louisa Parsons, was a decorated nursing veteran of the British Army, both before and after her time at the School of Nursing; she was awarded the Royal Red Cross, the highest honor bestowed on nurses in Britain. Since its founding, UMSON nurses have served in every major military engagement since the Spanish-American War in 1898, including WWII and the Korean War. From 1964 - 78, under an arrangement with the U.S. Department of the Army, UMSON graduated over 1,100 men and women through the Walter Reed Army Institute of Nursing who became commissioned officers in the Army Nurse Corps. Today, 12.5% of students have served, currently serve, or are a dependent of a military veteran, and 8.5% of faculty and staff have served or are currently serving in the military. As veterans and active-duty service members benefit substantially from online education that is affordable, accessible, and reputable, U.S. News’ rankings measure these factors and also take into account participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program, a provision of the G.I. Bill that provides assistance with education expenses. Through the Yellow Ribbon Program, UMSON offers up to $1,200 to 10 qualified students each year, and the VA matches those funds. UMSON’s MSN Health Services Leadership and Management specialty, also ranked among the nation’s top programs in U.S. News & World Report’s “2021 Best Graduate Schools,” offers leading-edge courses, personalized mentorship, and individual placements in practicums that support students’ career goals to refine advanced nursing leadership and nursing administration skills. Practicum placements are with leaders at hospitals and health care systems, universities and community colleges, national and state agencies, and more. UMSON’s Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions Certificate program, offered through the School’s Institute for Educators, the first such entity of its kind in the nation, was designed to prepare nurses and other health professionals as teachers. The program provides the essential knowledge and teaching skills to work effectively with students, patients, or consumers in academic, clinical, or professional settings. The certificate focuses on innovative teaching strategies to enhance learning experiences across a range of settings, including online and clinical learning environments. U.S. News’ rankings are based on indicators such as student and faculty engagement, faculty credentials and training, student services and technology, student excellence, and expert opinion, using data collected directly from each institution. Only degree-granting programs that are offered primarily online by regionally accredited institutions were considered, and the programs that score the highest are those applying educational best practices specific for distance learners. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment. Pictured above: Col. Jacqueline C. Mitchell, MS ’07, CRNA, director of Clinical Education, from the spring 2018 issue of Nursing For/um.   

Baltimore, Md. – In response to the COVID-19 pandemic’s widespread community transmission across the state and surging metrics across the country, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s request, and UMSON’s assessment of students’ readiness, the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) for the second time approved an early exit, for entry-into-practice students scheduled to graduate on Dec. 17, 2020. In an effort to bolster the nursing workforce, students approved for the early exit could begin working as nursing graduates. All graduating Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students participated in an early exit on Nov. 30, provided successful completion of fall courses. Graduating entry-into-practice Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) master’s students were given the option to exit as early as Dec. 2. To be eligible for the early-exit option, CNL students had to meet specific GPA and academic program requirements. UMSON had 138 BSN and 13 CNL students participate in the late-November early exit. In April 2020, UMSON had 62 BSN and 45 CNL students who took an optional early exit prior to the May 14 graduation date. To further aid in the COVID-19 pandemic response, and at Hogan’s request that nursing programs encourage student engagement in caring for hospitalized COVID-19 patients and in assisting with screenings and vaccines, UMSON strongly encouraged its entry-into-practice students scheduled to graduate in spring 2021 to begin participating in clinical experiences and community/public health rotations as early as mid-December, before the Jan. 28 start of the spring 2021 semester. This voluntary option was offered to BSN and CNL master’s option students, as the second large surge of COVID-19 patients in late 2020 affected nurse staffing at UMSON’s partner agencies and institutions. With the surge expected to continue into spring, causing uncertainty regarding availability of clinical sites, UMSON provided this option to students to ensure they can participate in and complete their spring 2021 requirements. UMSON had 65 BSN and 13 CNL students participate in the early clinical experiences. “I thank the University of Maryland School of Nursing leadership and its students for stepping up and demonstrating their continued active commitment to service in the midst of this pandemic,” said James D. Fielder Jr., PhD, secretary of higher education, Maryland Higher Education Commission. “The opportunities for students to accelerate their academic schedule in order to actively contribute during the current COVID-19 surge is deeply appreciated. The state of Maryland thanks you.” EARLY EXIT FOR DECEMBER 2020 GRADUATES EARLY START TO CLINICAL EXPERIENCES FOR SPRING 2021 GRADUATES

Deanship named The Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of Nursing. Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has received a $13.83 million commitment from Bill and Joanne Conway through their Bedford Falls Fund to create an additional 345 Conway Scholarships across all degree programs, which cover in-state tuition, fees, and (at the undergraduate level) books. The gift also includes $1 million to support renovation of the nursing building at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) in Rockville, Maryland.  This transformational gift, the largest in UMSON’s history, is the fourth donation to UMSON from the Conways, who have pledged nearly $30 million over the past six years. At the conclusion of this pledge, which will support students from fall 2022 - fall 2027, the Conways will have funded more than 830 Conway Scholarships. In addition to supporting the continuation of UMSON’s Conway Scholars program, the gift provides $1 million to facilitate UMSON’s expansion at USG. The School offers its Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program and its Doctor of Nursing Practice Family Nurse Practitioner specialty at USG; to provide space for these programs’ growth, USG’s Building I has been designated solely for the School of Nursing. The renovation of this space will allow for significant expansion of the simulation labs, create a student success suite, and provide an administrative suite. As a sign of gratitude for the Conways’ ongoing generosity, as of December 2020, the UMSON deanship will carry the Conway name, becoming “The Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing.” “Right now, as we face the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for nurses is especially acute,” said University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS. “The Conways’ extraordinary generosity continues to help meet that need and propel the University of Maryland School of Nursing forward. Countless lives will be positively impacted because of their support. I’m especially pleased that the deanship will now be associated with these incredible and generous people.” In April 2015, the Conways made their first pledge, of $5.24 million over five years, to UMSON to expand enrollment in the entry-into-nursing BSN program and to increase opportunities for registered nurses to obtain their BSN degrees. Less than two years later, they pledged another $2 million to provide scholarships for master’s and doctoral students and to support the launch of the Family Nurse Practitioner specialty at USG. And in April 2018, they pledged an additional $8.2 million to continue the Conway Scholars program. “This enormously generous gift from Bill and Joanne Conway is just the latest in a series of gifts from them that have transformed education access for nursing students,” said University System of Maryland Chancellor Jay A. Perman, MD, who served as president of UMB through December 2019. “That access is vital to population health at all times, of course, but during a deadly pandemic — when you see every day the life-saving impact of a robust and well-educated nursing workforce — gifts like the Conways’ are especially meaningful. Bill and Joanne have been among the most generous donors in UMSON’s history, and their philanthropy will reshape health care in Maryland, benefiting all citizens for generations to come. Their extraordinary legacy is assured.”The demographics of Conway Scholars represent the diversity of UMSON’s student body, with 59% of Conway Scholars from minority and underrepresented populations (32% Black/African American, 12% Asian, 10% Hispanic, 5% other/more than one race); 11% of scholars are male. The scholars range in age from 18 - 52. In addition to full scholarships, Conway Scholars receive valuable coaching and mentoring services from faculty mentors through UMSON’s Student Success Center. “We are incredibly grateful for this latest gift from Bill and Joanne Conway. It allows us to continue meeting the critical need, in Maryland and nationally, for improving access to care and patient outcomes by increasing the number of nurses educated at the baccalaureate degree level or higher. Maryland has grown the percentage of BSN-prepared nurses in our hospitals and health care organizations to 60%, but we are still short of the national goal of 80%,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “In addition, the increasing need for primary care throughout our state means that education of advanced practice nurses is essential. Through the Conways’ ongoing scholarship support, we are continuing to expand access to nursing education at all levels and with it, our nursing workforce. These Conway Scholars are critical to providing the caliber of nursing care our patients, their families, and our communities require and deserve; they will help ensure that we can meet health care needs in all parts of our state, now and in the years to come. The Conways’ extraordinary support for nursing is truly a game-changer.” The Conways’ gifts have provided unprecedented opportunities to UMSON students while enabling the Conways to achieve their philanthropic goal of providing scholarships for 10,000 nursing students. Pictured: (top) Conway Scholars following a luncheon held March 2, 2020, at UMSON; (bottom) Bill Conway with a group of Conway Scholars following a luncheon held Feb. 18, 2020, at USG.   # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment. 

Partnerships with Hagerstown Community College and Allegany College of Maryland mean any Maryland student enrolled in an ADN program can begin earning credits toward their BSN at UMSON. Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has launched agreements of dual admission with Hagerstown Community College (HCC) and Allegany College of Maryland (ACM), thus completing formal partnerships with every community college in Maryland that offers an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program. Agreements enable a smooth transition from ADN programs to UMSON’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program.  As part of UMSON’s continued effort to increase the number of collaborative pathways to earning a BSN in Maryland, HCC and ACM become the 14th and 15th community colleges in the state, respectively, where students can apply to, be admitted to, and begin taking classes in UMSON’s BSN program while still working toward their ADN, saving them time in completing both degrees. HCC and ACM students will receive credit from UMSON for completed coursework at the community colleges. In addition, UMSON is currently covering the cost of its BSN courses for students participating in the dual-admission partnership while they are still enrolled in the ADN program, an opportunity made possible with funds from a gift from Bill and Joanne Conway through their Bedford Falls Foundation.  “UMSON is excited to begin the dual-admission partnerships with HCC and ACM,” said Linda Aveni Murray, DNP ’16, MS ’84, CPNP-Ped, assistant professor and director, RN-to-BSN program, UMSON. “The partnerships will afford nurses in Western Maryland an opportunity to begin pursuing their BSN online while still enrolled at their local community colleges. Once they graduate from their community college program, they will be able to seamlessly complete the BSN program online.” Connecting UMSON with Maryland’s western counties, where there are health professions shortages, the new dual-admission agreements encourage and support ADN students to obtain their BSN by streamlining prerequisites, creating a seamless process for the transfer of credits, and allowing them to begin taking courses in UMSON’s BSN program while still enrolled at their community college. For Western Maryland’s rural and medically underserved areas, these partnerships will help meet a critical need for health care providers by educating students who frequently provide care in their local communities. “We are thrilled to launch these dual-admission agreements with Hagerstown Community College and Allegany College and look forward to our collaboration,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “Our agreements with the 15 community colleges across Maryland that offer the Associate Degree in Nursing ensures that in every part of our state – from Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore – nurses have the opportunity to more easily earn their BSN degree and to do so at a lower cost. With over 67% of Maryland nurses now holding a BSN degree or higher, our state is a national leader in the effort to reach the recommended 80% level. This is good news for health care in Maryland given the link between higher levels of nursing education and better patient outcomes. It means that throughout Maryland, nurses are well equipped to provide excellent care in our increasingly complex health care environment.” The present Dual-Admission Partnership program, initiated in 2015, is helping to further the mission of the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, an initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the AARP to transform health care through nursing. The campaign, based on the recommendations set forth in the Institute of Medicine’s 2010 report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health report, aims to increase the proportion of nurses with a baccalaureate degree or higher nationwide to 80%. To matriculate to UMSON’s BSN program, students must graduate with an ADN and satisfy UMSON’s progression criteria. To date, more than 160 students have matriculated and nearly 50 students have graduated after having completed both their ADN and UMSON’s BSN program through the Dual-Admission Partnership program. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.  

Fellows to lead changes to enhance health outcomes for Maryland residents. Baltimore, Md. – The Nurse Leadership Institute (NLI) at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (USMON) is pleased to announce its 2020 - 21 cohort of NLI Fellows, the institute’s sixth cohort and the first admitted under its renewed $1.7 million, five-year grant. The 46 nurse educators and clinicians from throughout Maryland were selected through a competitive application process and are participating in a yearlong program designed to prepare nurse faculty and practitioners to assume leadership positions and participate as full partners in developing health care delivery models that improve health outcomes for Maryland residents. Nurses selected for this program demonstrate the leadership potential needed for this challenge. The NLI was established in 2015 by a $2.5 million, five-year grant from the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission, administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission through the Nurse Support Program II. In July, the institute’s grant funding was renewed, allowing NLI to continue serving as a statewide resource for developing academic and practice nurse leaders. Grant funding covers program expenses and fees for fellows, allowing UMSON to offer the program at no cost to participants.  “In 2020, the pandemic illuminated the value of having nurse leaders in academia and practice who are well prepared to lead through times of quiet or times of crisis,” said Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD, CRNP-Neonatal, FNAP, FAAN, associate professor and chair, Department of Partnerships, Professional Education, and Practice. “Two thousand twenty, the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, was also a tipping point. Observing nurses in action catalyzed many to see the prestige of nursing and its integrity, grit, innovation, competency, and compassion for human life. The Nurse Leadership Institute builds on these enormous strengths, insights, skills, and expertise by providing nurses with the essential leadership skills and knowledge that are needed to become change agents in the shifting landscape of nursing academia and practice.” During their participation in the NLI, fellows identify and strengthen their leadership competencies, expand their skills using a strength-based approach, and create a plan for continued development. They also collaborate with other fellows to develop a leadership collaboration activity that translates knowledge to practice. Fellows also select a mentor who serves as a professional guide throughout the program. In addition, the program offers a free, one-year membership in the Maryland Organization of Nurse Leaders and continuing nursing education units for all activities. “Participating in the NLI gave me the confidence to accept the role as chair of the Transition to Nurse Residency taskforce under the Maryland Organization of Nurse Leaders’ Maryland Nurse Residency Collaborative,” said Eursula L. David-Sherman, MSN, BSN ’92, RN, NPD-BC, nurse residency coordinator, Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center, and a 2019 - 20 NLI Fellow. “The taskforce develops onboarding strategies to support new nurse graduates as they successfully transition into nurse residency programs during these unprecedented times. Leading this taskforce allows me the opportunity to collaborate with academic partners and practitioners across the state of Maryland, to support the future nursing workforce, and to ensure these new nurses are equipped to provide care for Maryland residents.”  To date, 127 fellows have completed the NLI with coaching provided by 121 mentors. The 2020 - 21 NLI cohort of Fellows began the program on Sept. 3 and will finish on July 29. These nurses represent 24 health care organizations and higher education institutions statewide; the 2020 - 21 Fellows are: Carol Adams, MBA, MS, RN, Frederick County Health Department Tracy Baca, MS, RN, CCRN-K, University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC)  Trena Brown, BSN, UMMC Midtown Campus Catherine Case, MSN, RN-BC, CPAN, CDES, Sinai Hospital Jamie Clendenin, BSN, RN-BC, Anne Arundel Medical Center Crystal DeVance-Wilson, PhD, MBA, PHCNS-BC, UMSON Brandi Elzie, BSN, RN-BC, Anne Arundel Medical Center Ore-Ofe Ezeigbo, MSN, RN, CWCN, University of Maryland (UM) Baltimore Washington Medical Center Claire Floyd, MSN, RN-BC, Frederick Health Hospital Melita Forrester, MS, RN, VA-BC, Anne Arundel Medical Center Kunjamma George, DNP, RN-BC, CMSRN, Montgomery College Shahde Graham-Coker, MSN, RN-BC, UM Capital Region Health Stephanie Harmon, MSN, RNC-NIC, Anne Arundel Medical Center Ashley Hernandez, MS, RN, CNE, Anne Arundel Community College Nicole Hodski, MSN, RN, CCRN, NE-BC, UMMC Carol Holness, DNP, RN, Montgomery College Sarah Inman, MSN, MBA, RN, CM-DN, Northwest Hospital Ashley James, BSN, RN, UM Upper Chesapeake Health Dahlia Joseph, MS, CRNP, ACNP-BC, UM Baltimore Washington Medical Center Devika Kandhai, MSN, RN, CMSRN, UM Baltimore Washington Medical Center Charmaine McKie, PhD, MPH, RN, OCN, Mid-Atlantic Permanente Research Institute Marceletta Mendoza, MSN, RN, CNOR, CPHQ, UM Capital Region Health Candice Michael, MSN, RN, CPHQ, LSSGB, RNC-BC, Frederick Health Hospital      Hannah Miller, MSN, RN, CNL, CPN, Sharecare Sharon Mooney, BSN, RNC-NIC, Anne Arundel Medical Center Catherine Music, MSN, RN, Anne Arundel Medical Center Charlotte Nwogwugwu, DrPH, BSN, CPH-BC, HIV PCP, UMSON Stella Oloruntoyin, BSN, RN, CAPA, UMMC Kimberly Peterson, MSN, APRN-CNS, ACCNS-AG, OCN, UMMC Donna Pusey, MS, RN-ACM, Peninsula Regional Medical Center Giovanna Robbins, MSN, RN, ONC, The Johns Hopkins Hospital Dana Rose, BSN, RN, CalvertHealth Medical Center Heather Sauerwald, MSN, RN, ACM-RN, The Johns Hopkins Hospital Meghan Schott, BSN, RN, UM St. Joseph Medical Center Nicole Sedaka, MS, RN, CNL, UMMC Rebecca Shumaker, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, Meritus Medical Center Ericka Simms-Hannah, DNP, CM-DRN, RN, Loch Raven VA Medical Center Eileen Skaarer, MSN, RN, UM St. Joseph Medical Center Dyshekia Strawberry, MSN, RN-BC, UM Shore Regional Health Lynn Thomas, MSN, RN, NRP, CCRN, CCEMTP, Anne Arundel Medical Center Erin Tobat, MSN, RN, CCRN-CSC, Peninsula Regional Medical Center Sarah Trandel, DNP, FNP-BC, Johns Hopkins Health System Mark Walker, PhD, RN, CCRN, Notre Dame of Maryland University Heather Watson, PhD, RN, Johns Hopkins Health System Kelly Wilson, MSM, RN, PCCN, CNML, Peninsula Regional Medical Center Jennifer Zeller, MS, CRNP, UM St. Joseph Medical Center # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

The Global Learning for Health Equity Network will examine ways to learn from other countries to address health care inequities — a process called “global learning.” The United States continues to lag behind high-resource countries on significant health indicators, including infant mortality, chronic disease, and overall mortality, largely due to health and health care inequities. Interventions designed to eliminate health equity in other countries may also work in local communities in the United States. The grant award comes at a time when the COVID-19 epidemic has illuminated grave racial and social inequities in the U.S., especially in under-resourced communities.  UMB was selected to serve as the organizational home to the Global Learning for Health Equity Network based on the University’s long-standing commitment to health equity, community-engaged research, global health, and global learning. Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, CRNP-Neonatal, FNAP, FAAN, (left) associate professor and chair of the Department of Partnerships, Professional Education, and Practice at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, and Virginia Rowthorn, JD, LLM, associate professor, University of Maryland Graduate School, and assistant vice president for global engagement, UMB, are co-principal investigators on the grant. READ MORE

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner and Family Nurse Practitioner specialties ranked among top 10 in the nation. Baltimore, Md. – In the newly released 2022 edition of U.S. News and World Report’s “America’s Best Graduate Schools,” the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has remained ranked among the best schools in the nation for its overall Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs, out of 597 accredited nursing schools surveyed.   The Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner DNP specialty ranked No. 6 in the nation (No. 2 among public schools of nursing). The focus on gerontology, established at UMSON more than 45 years ago, continues to meet critical provider needs given today’s enormous strain on the physician-based primary care workforce in the United States, the lack of sufficient numbers of geriatricians, and a growing aging population. In 2019 and 2020, graduates earned a 100% pass rate on the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board exam.  And the Family Nurse Practitioner DNP specialty ranked No. 8 in the nation (No. 2 among public schools of nursing). The specialty is offered both in Baltimore and at the Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville, Maryland, where the first cohort of students will graduate this May after the specialty was introduced at that location in 2017 in an effort to expand FNP education to better meet the needs of underserved areas in the western, more rural portion of the state.   “It is gratifying to continue to be recognized nationally for our Doctor of Nursing Practice program,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “We continue to play a vital role in efforts within Maryland and nationally to increase the number of nurses with advanced education at the doctoral level. We believe this is essential to ensuring that our graduates are fully prepared to meet the needs of patients and their families in a health care system that is increasingly complex and which must respond to a growing percentage of older adults and a far more diverse population overall.” Among public schools of nursing, UMSON’s DNP program ranked No. 15 (No. 33 overall), and its MSN program ranked No. 16 (No. 37 overall) in the nation. U.S. News is no longer ranking a number of categories in which UMSON’s programs have historically ranked among the best in the nation, including the MSN Clinical Nurse Leader option, which was ranked No. 1 or No. 2 for the entire period U.S. News ranked such programs; the Nursing Informatics master’s specialty, which was ranked No. 1 for the entire period U.S. News ranked such programs; and the previously top-ranked Nurse Anesthesia DNP specialty. Rankings are based on a variety of indicators, including student selectivity and program size, faculty resources, and research activity, and on survey data from deans of schools of nursing that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.   # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

The University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) Summer Institute in Nursing Informatics (SINI) offered its 30th annual conference virtually July 15-16 with the theme “Real-World Evidence and the Changing Landscape of Health Informatics.” With an undertone of celebrating its history, which is deeply entwined with the history of UMSON’s Nursing Informatics master’s program, SINI also focused on the future by reflecting on lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic. Barb Van de Castle, DNP ’14, ACNS, OCN, RN-BC, UMSON assistant professor and chair of this year’s institute, welcomed more than 200 participants from around the world and said she hoped SINI would serve “to nourish, to challenge, to stimulate, and stretch your thoughts.” Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, thanked the 17-member planning committee, comprising UMSON faculty and staff in addition to informatics academicians and clinicians from a variety of organizations, and welcomed all attendees. “The Summer Institute has a long and distinguished history of engaging both leaders in informatics and those who are new to the field,” she said. “The early days of nursing informatics were reflected in the shape of the earliest Summer Institutes.” She explained that UMSON was the first school in the world to offer a master’s specialty in nursing informatics, in 1988, followed by its groundbreaking offering of the world’s first PhD specialty in informatics, in 1991. “Today, as we think about the challenges facing nursing and health care systems, disparities are at the forefront,” she said, reinforcing a primary theme of the National Academy of Medicine’s recently released report, The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity. “Today’s informatics holds the promise of helping to address these disparities. It is an exciting and challenging time with tremendous opportunities and complex questions. This is nothing new for informatics.” Pictured, top: Jane Kirschling, Barbara Van de Castle, Patricia Brennan, Jianying Hu. Bottom: Eun-Shim Nahm, Polun Chang, Sayonara Barbosa. Read More

Writing in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology, researchers from Rice University caution that the effects of grief, particularly long-term or “complicated grief,” may be as physically damaging as any disease. Among the list of grief-induced maladies are trouble sleeping, higher blood pressure, depression, even serious inflammation. So, what is to be done? We have experienced loss, but the experience is not over. How can we process our loss, make sense of it, or at least reconcile it so we can move forward and live the best lives we can? And what can we do for our patients, colleagues, and families to help them? On the April 22 edition of Virtual Face to Face with President Bruce Jarrell, substitute host and the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, explored these issues with two guest experts. Rev. Susan Carole Roy, DMin, BCC, is director of pastoral care services at the University of Maryland Medical Center.  READ MORE  

Baltimore, Md. – This fall, the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) will become the first nursing school in the nation to offer a post-bachelor’s certificate in Substance Use and Addictions Nursing. The 12-credit graduate certificate, designed for registered and advanced practice registered nurses, will be offered online with a 90-hour clinical practicum in the student’s own location. Substance use disorders (SUDs) remain a leading cause of death in the United States and in Maryland, which ranked No. 4 in the nation for drug overdose death rate in 2019. And the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the issue, according to the Opioid Operational Command Center (OOCC) and the Maryland Department of Health's (MDH) 2020 Annual Report. There was a 16.6% increase in unintentional intoxication deaths involving all types of drugs and alcohol in Maryland from 2019 - 20, with the pandemic contributing greatly to the increase. Across the country, COVID-19 has disrupted treatment and recovery support systems and has led to economic stress, despair, and uncertainty, especially among vulnerable populations, the OOCC and MDH stated. The Substance Use and Addictions Nursing certificate prepares nurses to care for individuals, families, and communities affected by addictions across all practice settings; take on leadership roles in addictions nursing; and develop professionally, by building a career portfolio. It also facilitates their certification as addictions nurses and offers nurses specialized, focused education to address the complexities related to substance use and addictions. “My vision for this program started when I worked in the ER, early in the opioid epidemic, and later in behavioral health, where I experienced firsthand the need for nurses to know how to address addictions,” said Victoria L. Selby, PhD ’17, MS ’09, BSN ’06, CRNP-PMH, PMHNP-BC, CARN-AP, assistant professor and director, Substance Use and Addictions Nursing Certificate program. “These patients were someone’s child, parent, their best friend – people with lives, dreams, and families. So, with a team of like-minded faculty, this program was not only built on facts and evidence, but also on the idea that nurses touch lives and can make a difference.”  Certificate students will receive evidence-based education to increase their understanding of addictions and prevention, screening and treatment, and provision of quality care. “I am extremely pleased that we are able to offer this new certificate for nurses; it is the first of its kind in the nation. We all know the central role nurses play in caring for individuals, families, and communities; increasingly, a solid understanding of addictions nursing is needed in order to deliver truly comprehensive care across settings,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “UMSON has a more than 65-year history of excellence in psychiatric mental health nursing and has always been on the cutting edge of meeting the needs of our society. Our faculty are nationally and internationally recognized for their work in leading nursing’s response to substance use disorders and addictions. This certificate will be a tremendous contribution to the field.” The Substance Use and Addictions Nursing Certificate was developed with assistance from a Nurse Support Program (NSP) II grant, funded through the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Students in the program are eligible to apply for federal financial aid. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

On Wednesday, April 7, Caprese Wilson was working her regular job as a construction worker in the Poppleton neighborhood of West Baltimore. Just as she was taking off her hard hat for a break, a group of women wearing colorful scrubs and carrying clipboards rounded the corner and asked if she would like to get signed up for the COVID-19 vaccine. After weeks of trying to get an appointment at one of the mass vaccination clinics, Wilson was overjoyed to talk to a live person and get an appointment for the vaccine. “This is so great!” she said after confirming her vaccine appointment. “It has been so difficult finding a time slot and they came right up to me on my lunch break and just handed one to me. This is something that everybody needs.” Maddie Boyes, RN (right), and Hayley Carper, RN (center), two students at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, help William Lipmann, a West Baltimore community member, get registered for a vaccine appointment. Wilson has seen firsthand how essential the vaccine is to fighting the pandemic. Early this year, her father nearly died after being diagnosed with COVID-19. “This vaccine is so important for everyone to protect not only themselves, but everybody else around,” she said. “Not just essential workers or older people, but everybody. People need to stay safe because it is not a joke.” The group of women who signed up Wilson are students at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON). Led by Kelly Doran, PhD, RN, an associate professor at UMSON, this group has been working with members of the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s (UMB) Community Engagement Center (CEC) to canvass the surrounding neighborhoods and get every Baltimore community member they meet an appointment for the COVID-19 vaccine. “We’re finding that it’s not that people in West Baltimore don’t want to get vaccinated, it’s that the process of getting signed up is confusing,” says Doran, who also is the director of health and wellness at UMB’s CEC. “There are multiple websites you can sign up on, some people don’t have internet access, they don’t know what number to call, or they just need somebody to sit with them and answer their question. I think it’s really important to make that human connection to help people get vaccinated so we can keep everybody safe.” Read More

By Mary Therese Phelan While many would describe the past year with words such as challenging, difficult, lonely, and fearful, that only paints a partial picture for University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) faculty, staff, and students, who, in the midst of the chaos of a pandemic year, found adaptive, flexible, resourceful, and innovative ways to continue working and learning. Stay-at-home orders in March 2020 left everyone suspended in freeze-frame fashion, emptying offices and classrooms on extremely short notice. Remote learning and telework, first thought to be needed only for the short term, soon became a way of life for the UMSON community. Yet, even as the world stood still in one sense, to maintain the rigorous standards required for educating the state’s nursing workforce, UMSON discovered new paths forward. After all, 2020 was not only the year of a global pandemic, as designated by the World Health Organization, it was also the International Year of the Nurse. A look back at a year like no other: New Ways of Learning The need to maintain safety protocols meant quick-thinking faculty and staff had to determine new ways to adapt to a changing educational landscape nearly overnight. How do students participate in remote instruction and stay engaged with their peers and teachers? How do educators keep content fresh and teach critical nursing skills that are typically taught in person? COVID-19 put a halt to clinical placements, environments where students typically learn essential skills through interactions with patients under the supervision of a faculty member. University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) guidelines put in place on March 21 informed students that all in-person experiential learning activities with patients and clients were to be halted and converted to virtual activities such as distance simulation. UMSON purchased high-fidelity software that simulates patient care in 3-D modeling, providing students at all levels with learning experiences similar to virtual reality alternatives, but with no special glasses needed. Similar software programs are used for military, surgical, and submarine training. The software, on three different platforms, vSim for Nursing, I-Human Patients, and DocuCare, simulates nursing scenarios using virtual patient encounters. Herculean efforts by faculty, staff, and partner institutions resulted in reopening the doors to experiential learning by the start of UMSON’s 2020 summer semester. With a host of safety protocols in place, students were participating in face-to-face simulation and in clinical experiences at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). While participating in clinicals, students did not have contact with any COVID-19 positive patients. In addition, the school worked to ensure that students had appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), supplied by UMSON and participating partner health care institutions. Students were required to be “fit tested” to make sure their PPE fit properly. They also learned “donning and doffing” techniques to make sure they knew how to safely put on and take off the equipment. “Nursing education has to be hands on. You can’t do it from a distance, at least at these levels,” Larry Fillian, MEd, associate dean for student and academic services, had said. Because UMSON already places a strong emphasis on the value of experiential learning in simulated environments as critical to preparing a skilled nursing workforce and to improving health care outcomes, with 28 state-of-the-art simulation labs between its Baltimore and Universities at Shady Grove locations, “we are in a better position than a lot of other schools of nursing,” Maeve Howett, PhD, APRN, CPNP-PC, CNE, professor and associate dean for baccalaureate education, said at the time. By early June, students had returned to in-person instruction in UMSON’s Clinical Simulation Labs, which reopened with adherence to strict safety protocols under the direction of Amy L. Daniels, PhD ’18, MS ’12, BSN ’89, RN, CHSE, assistant professor and director of the Clinical Simulation Labs. UMSON coordinated extensively with UMB’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety regarding protocols for cleaning the simulation labs between each session and with the Office of Facilities and Operations to map out the number of people permitted in an area at a time and to determine the proper PPE for that specific space. Students also returned to experiential learning through virtual standardized patient simulation, allowing them to gain clinical experience through a variety of communication-based and physical exam simulations at a time when such instruction at partner health care institutions was on hold due to the pandemic. In December 2020, as the pandemic continued to impact nursing education­ and in response to Hogan’s request that nursing programs encourage student engagement in caring for hospitalized COVID-19 patients and in assisting with COVID-19 screenings and vaccines, UMSON strongly encouraged its entry-into-practice students scheduled to graduate in spring 2021 to begin participating in clinical experiences and community/public health rotations as soon as possible, before the Jan. 28 start of the spring 2021 semester. This voluntary option was offered to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) master’s option students, as the second large surge of COVID-19 patients affected nurse staffing at UMSON’s partner agencies and institutions. “I thank the University of Maryland School of Nursing leadership and its students for stepping up and demonstrating their continued active commitment to service in the midst of this pandemic,” said James D. Fielder Jr., PhD, secretary of higher education, Maryland Higher Education Commission. “The opportunities for students to accelerate their academic schedule in order to actively contribute during the current COVID-19 surge is deeply appreciated. The state of Maryland thanks you.” In all, 65 BSN and 13 CNL students participated in the early clinical experiences. Early Exit In April 2020, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan requested the state’s nursing school graduates be offered an “early exit” option in an effort to bolster the nursing workforce during the pandemic. The governor’s request, combined with UMSON’s assessment of students’ readiness, resulted in an early-exit option being made available to select students in the entry-into-practice BSN program and CNL master’s option who were scheduled to graduate in May 2020. As a result, 62 BSN and 45 CNL students took advantage of the early-exit option to begin their professional nursing careers. The School of Nursing collaborated with the chief nursing officers of major hospital systems and ascertained their need for and interest in hiring nursing graduates and designed a protocol for linking UMSON’s early-exit students to these institutions, which in addition to the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) and Johns Hopkins Medicine included MedStar Health, Holy Cross Health, and Shady Grove Adventist. “The UMSON students opting into our early-exit option are well prepared and fully equipped to make a major contribution through their service as nursing graduates. I salute those students eligible and willing to serve under this unique initiative,” said Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. In November 2020, based on the success of the first offer of the early-exit option and in response to the pandemic’s widespread community transmission across the state, Hogan again requested qualified entry-into-nursing students ready to graduate in December be offered an early-exit option to enter the workforce. All 138 graduating BSN students exited early on Nov. 30, provided successful completion of fall courses. Graduating CNL students were also given the option to exit upon meeting specific GPA and academic program requirements. In all, 150 students exited early. A Shot of Hope: Vaccines In January 2021, a dozen CNL students began administering Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines at the UMB Southern Management Corporation (SMC) Campus Center, where officials from UMMC, UMMS, and UMB established a fully operational clinic for health care workers and other front-line personnel. The students, who were participating early in their spring 2021 community/public health clinical rotation, were required to do 14 hours over several shifts at the clinic, but once they met their commitment, they were welcome to work as many shifts as they wanted or were able to in a voluntary capacity. Under faculty supervision, the experience allowed students to gain hands-on training while assisting in curbing the spread of the pandemic. “The School of Nursing gave us this option, given the need for skilled staff on the front lines and uncertainty around the availability of clinical sites in the spring 2021 semester,” said CNL student Kelly Doss, BA. “At the same time, the School began reaching out to us about the possibility of helping with COVID-19 vaccination efforts. I was excited to potentially contribute to this effort.” In March 2021, UMB took over management of the SMC vaccination clinic, now overseen by Kirschling and staffed by volunteers made up of UMB faculty and staff, UMB’s Office of Emergency Management, and students University-wide. “We know that we need to get as many people vaccinated as possible in order to get to the other side of this pandemic,” Kirschling said. “To have our students be able to play such an essential role in this process means a great deal. Especially because we’re also giving back to the community in the process, which is so important.” The clinic is open for appointment only to Baltimore City residents who have been referred by the Baltimore City Health Department (BHCD) as well as eligible faculty, staff, and students from UMB and UMMC. The central position of the SMC Campus Center provides a convenient location for West Baltimore residents to get vaccinated and an opportunity for students to get clinical experience. Organizers of the clinic are working to collaborate with several local organizations to reach specific, at-risk populations in the Baltimore area. These organizations include the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Esperanza Center to reach Spanish-speaking individuals, and the Indian Health Service to reach individuals of Native American descent. In addition, UMB’s Community Engagement Center has started a canvassing effort to help West Baltimore residents get signed up for the vaccine through the BCHD website. Pomp Under Unusual Circumstances On May 14, 2020, UMSON held its first virtual degree conferral ceremony in its 131-year history, allowing graduates, their guests, faculty, and staff to mark the occasion in a celebratory but safe way. The unique ceremony included a photo montage of May graduates, an address by Kirschling, the conferral of degrees by UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, and a recitation of the professional nursing pledge. In what has become a familiar scene to anyone working or learning from home during the pandemic, UMSON faculty and administrators also took part in the ceremony, visible in each of their own screens, dressed in full graduation regalia. Associate deans offered congratulatory remarks and expressed hopes for celebrating the students’ accomplishments at an in-person ceremony one day. The virtual program was watched by more than 1,100 graduates, guests, faculty, staff, and alumni. Nurses Week in early May 2020 also was transformed into a fully digital experience. The week typically incorporates the tradition of uniform stringing and scrub-top decorating, and those activities, too, went digital. Graduates submitted photos of decorated scrub tops worn during their experiential learning activities or virtual versions using a digital scrub top template. The community voted for most creative, funniest, and best overall categories. UMSON announced the winners in a virtual stringing video on its Facebook page.  Jarrell again conferred degrees on Dec. 17, 2020, to UMSON’s July and December graduates in the School’s first winter virtual conferral of degrees in UMSON’s history. The virtual event was attended by more than 700 people. Mask Makers When cloth face masks were in short supply for front-line workers at UMMC in the early stages of the pandemic, the UMSON community quickly went to work organizing a campaign that led to the donation of more than 12,000 masks to the hospital. The effort was launched by Susan G. Dorsey, PhD ’01, MS ’98, RN, FAAN, professor and chair of UMSON’s Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, along with volunteer Deb Greenspan, a retired seamstress for the Baltimore Ravens. An email sent to UMSON’s faculty, staff, students, and alumni was passed on to friends, family, neighborhood associations, church groups, quilting clubs, and sewing circles. Some UMSON students, such as Maria Segovia, BSN ’20, had no previous sewing experience but after a few YouTube tutorials were delighted to participate in the project. The masks, created in all manner of colors and designs, were provided to patients, visitors, and staff working in non-direct patient care, allowing the hospital to preserve medical-grade masks for those providing direct patient care. Kirschling described the response from the School’s alumni, faculty, staff, and students as overwhelming. “This is an opportunity for us to give back to the clinicians who every day are providing care in the medical center,” she said at the time. “While they’re trying to juggle the dynamics of COVID-19, we wanted to do something that we could do easily from our homes, and the ability to sew cloth masks and make those available to the individuals who are working inside the medical center has meant a great deal to us.” Lisa Rowen, DNSc, MS ’86, RN, CENP, FAAN, UMMS chief nurse executive and an adjunct professor at UMSON, assisted in distributing the masks inside the hospital. “The masks are very much needed because we are keeping our medical-grade masks for our staff,” she said. “And this way, all of us who are not taking care of patients directly are able to have a barrier and protection and it keeps our environment safer.” This is but a brief glimpse of the many ways UMSON has overcome challenges and created solutions while the pandemic continues. Read more stories related to UMSON’s response to COVID-19.

Baltimore, Md. – Elizabeth Galik, PhD ’07, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, professor and chair, Department of Organizational Systems and Adult Health, University of Maryland School of Nursing, has been named the Maryland nurse practitioner (NP) recipient of the 2021 American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) State Award for Excellence. “I am honored to be recognized by AANP for my clinical practice with older adults,” Galik said. “I am grateful to the wonderful patients, families, and colleagues that I have had the pleasure to work with in my career. My clinical practice continues to serve as the foundation and inspiration for my role as an educator and nurse scientist.”  Established in 1991, the State Awards for Excellence annually recognize outstanding achievements by one NP and one NP advocate in each state. The State Award for Excellence for NPs is given to those who demonstrate excellence in clinical practice. Recipients will be honored during the AANP National Conference, taking place virtually on June 15. In addition to her role as professor, Galik serves as a nurse practitioner who specializes in the medical and neuropsychiatric care of older adults with dementia. She teaches in the Doctor of Nursing Practice Adult-Gerontological Primary Care Nurse Practitioner specialty and conducts research designed to optimize function and physical activity and to effectively manage behavioral symptoms among older adults with dementia. Through a clinical practice with the Sheppard Pratt health system, she provides patient care to older adults and their caregivers in long-term care communities. In addition, she has developed a house call practice for dementia symptom management.  “We congratulate Dr. Galik on this important honor; it is a true testament to the caliber of the care she provides as a nurse practitioner,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “Dr. Galik’s clinical excellence is guided by her research and that of others, illustrating the important connection between nursing research and implementation of evidence-based practices that can improve the quality of care.  The AANP is the largest professional membership organization for NPs of all specialties. It provides legislative leadership at the local, state, and national levels; promotes excellence in practice, education, and research; and establishes standards that best serve NPs’ patients and other health care consumers.  # # #  The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

As health care workers around the world race to get the COVID-19 vaccine distributed, the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) has joined the effort by opening a vaccination clinic in the Southern Management Corporation (SMC) Campus Center. The clinic is staffed by volunteers made up of UMB faculty and staff, UMB’s Office of Emergency Management, as well as student volunteers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), and University of Maryland School of Pharmacy (UMSOP). “We know that we need to get as many people vaccinated as possible in order to get to the other side of this pandemic,” said Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean, UMSON. “To have our students be able to play such an essential role in this process means a great deal. Especially because we’re also giving back to the community in the process, which is so important.” Read More  

Baltimore, Md. – Nineteen University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) faculty members have been named Maryland state New Nurse Faculty Fellows (NNF), two faculty members have been awarded a Nurse Educator Doctoral Grant (NEDG) for Practice and Dissertation Research, and one faculty member has received an inaugural Nurse Faculty Annual Recognition Award. All awards are part of the Nurse Support Program II, a statewide initiative funded by the Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. The NNF fellowship is available to new nursing faculty members and supports the expenses of graduate education. It is designed to assist Maryland nursing programs in recruiting and retaining new nursing faculty to produce the additional nursing graduates required by Maryland’s hospitals and health systems. The following faculty members received the maximum award amount of $50,000 for fiscal years 2021 - 25, assuming continuous employment as faculty in good standing and the availability of funding: Oluremi Adejumo, DNP ’19, RN, assistant professor Marisa Astiz-Martinez, MS ’13, RN, clinical instructor DeNiece Bennett, DNP, RN, assistant professor Nancy Bolan, PhD, MPH, FNP, CNM, assistant professor and director, Office of Global Health Andrea Brassard, PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, associate professor Lynn Marie Bullock, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, assistant professor and director, Office of Professional Education Kristin Bussell, PhD ’19, MS ’98, BSN ’84, CRNP-PMH, assistant professor Joan Carpenter, PhD, CRNP, ACHPN, FPCN, assistant professor Patricia Christensen, DNP ’14, RN, NEA-BC, assistant professor Hershaw Davis Jr., MS, BSN ’09, RN, clinical instructor Tolvalyn Dennison, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BC, CNE, clinical instructor Jennifer Fitzgerald, DNP ’15, MS ’00, NNP-BC, assistant professor Maeve Howett, PhD, APRN, CPNP-PC, CNE, professor and associate dean for the baccalaureate program Sandra Lucci, PhD, MS ’95, RN, CNE, CMSRN, assistant professor Patricia Schaefer, MSN, RN, CNE-cl, clinical instructor Vivian Schutz, PhD, MBA, RN, assistant professor Tara Stoudt, MS ’08, RNC-NIC, clinical instructor­­ Rebecca Weston, EdD, MSN, RN, CNE, assistant professor Rhea Williams, MSN, CNM, clinical instructor The NEDG for Practice and Dissertation Research provides up to $60,000 to nurse faculty who are currently enrolled in or who have recently completed a doctoral degree, helping to cover costs associated with graduate education. Awards are contingent upon degree completion and employment as a faculty member for one year for each year of the award. The following faculty members received NEDG awards: Amanda Henson, MS, RN, CNE, CHSE, clinical instructor Weston And Amy L. Daniels, PhD ’18, MS ’12, BSN ’89, RN, CHSE, assistant professor and director of the Clinical Simulation Labs, has been named an inaugural recipient of the Nurse Faculty Annual Recognition Award. Deans and directors of all Maryland nursing programs may nominate one nurse faculty for recognition each year who demonstrates excellence, innovation, and leadership. Daniels was recognized for demonstrating excellence in teaching, engaging in the life of the School, and contributing to the profession as a nurse educator. This award, available for experienced nursing faculty members, provides $10,000.  The Nurse Support Program II is a statewide initiative funded by the Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. It helps increase Maryland’s nursing capacity by supporting initiatives that advance the recommendations outlined in the Institute of Medicine’s report The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. (top row, l to r) Adejumo, Astiz-Martinez, Bennett, Bolan, Brassard, Bullock, (second row, l to r) Bussell, Carpenter, Christensen, Daniels, Davis Jr., Dennison, (third row, l to r) Fitzgerald, Henson, Howett, Lucci, Schaefer, Schutz, (bottom row, l to r) Stoudt, Weston, and Williams. # # #  The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – In the newly released 2022 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges,” the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program ranked No. 10 in the nation, out of 694 accredited nursing schools surveyed. Among public schools of nursing, UMSON ranked No. 4 in the nation. UMSON’s BSN program is the top-ranked such program in Maryland. UMSON’s BSN program, which encompasses an entry-into-nursing program in addition to an RN-to-BSN program for already licensed practicing nurses. The program prepares students to excel in nursing careers across a broad spectrum of acute, chronic, and community-based settings. National data indicates that employers increasingly prefer and, in some cases, require, a baccalaureate degree. Before beginning studies at UMSON, students must complete two years of undergraduate education at another accredited college or university, to fulfill the necessary prerequisites. In addition to serving practicing nurses seeking a BSN degree, UMSON’s RN-to-BSN program boasts dual-admission partnerships with all 15 community colleges in Maryland that offer an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program, enabling a smooth transition for ADN students into UMSON’s BSN program.  “It is extremely gratifying to be recognized as one of the top baccalaureate programs in the nation,” said Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “We are proud to play an important role in efforts within Maryland and throughout the country to increase the number of nurses educated at the baccalaureate level. With the increasing complexity of care and the variety of settings in which it is delivered, our graduates are extraordinarily well prepared to meet the current and future needs of our health care system and serve as a critical resource for individuals across the lifespan. The pandemic has brought new attention to the vital role that nurses play in every community and to increased interest in the nursing profession.” Rankings are based solely on the judgments of deans and senior faculty members of nursing schools and departments at institutions nationwide that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing and that are regionally accredited and awarded at least 35 BSN degrees in 2018 - 19. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has named Susan L. Bindon, DNP ’11, MS ’96, RN, NPD-BC, CNE, CNE-cl, associate professor, as the associate dean for faculty development, a new role to UMSON. Filling Bindon’s previous role, Renee Franquiz, DNP ’16, MS ’90, BSN ’85, RN, CNE, assistant professor, has been named the director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Post-Master’s option. As associate dean for faculty development, Bindon will work collaboratively with department chairs, academic deans, and others to support faculty in further developing their teaching and scholarship and to help facilitate students’ learning across various modalities and settings. Bindon, who teaches in UMSON’s Institute for Educators, joined UMSON in 2011 as an assistant professor. In 2018, she became the director of the DNP Post-Master’s option, and in 2019 she was promoted to associate professor. She also maintains a faculty practice in nursing professional development at the University of Maryland Medical Center and manages a statewide Nurse Support Program II grant focused on developing clinical nursing faculty.  Bindon presents regularly and has authored articles and book chapters on professional development, leadership, and online learning. She was recognized with the 2016 Excellence and Innovation in Teaching Award from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the 2019 Emerging Leader in Nursing Education Award from the Council on Collegiate Education for Nursing. She was named president-elect of the Association for Nursing Professional Development in spring 2019 and assumed the role of president in May 2020. She earned a DNP, master’s degree, and post-graduate teaching certificate from UMSON and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Pittsburgh. “Dr. Bindon is ideally suited to serve as the inaugural associate dean for faculty development; she has distinguished herself through her dedication to teaching excellence and the development of innovative approaches,” said Jane M. Kirschling, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “She has a unique ability to guide and coach others towards a vision of enhanced student engagement and improved learning, providing expert guidance on evidence-based practices for transforming the classroom, clinical, and online learning experiences. Her many skills and abilities will serve her well in her new role.” As the director of the DNP Post-Master’s option, Franquiz will work in conjunction with the associate dean and senior director for the DNP program and to lead the administrative and academic aspects of the option, with an emphasis on curricular leadership and faculty guidance to ensure that all standards related to the program are maintained. Franquiz, who joined UMSON in 2016 as an assistant professor, has over 40 years of nursing experience, working clinically in pediatric acute care with advanced practice as a clinical nurse specialist. Over the past 17 years, she has held faculty positions in numerous Maryland nursing schools, leading and teaching in both graduate and undergraduate programs. She serves as an outside consultant to Ascend Learning, providing content-matter expertise for nursing educational software. She most recently contributed to the development of web-based nursing program accreditation management software to guide self-studies and demonstrate institutional effectiveness, as required by national accrediting agencies. “Franquiz is a vision-minded person who embraces innovation and brings a breadth of experience in nursing and leadership in academia,” said Shannon K. Idzik, DNP ’10, MS ’03, CRNP, FAANP, FAAN, associate professor and associate dean for the DNP program. “In addition to her many positive qualities, her communication skills and problem-solving abilities give her the skills to lead the DNP Post-Master’s option into the future.” ###  The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – Jane Lipscomb, PhD, RN, FAAN, has been appointed professor emerita by the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS. Lipscomb served as a faculty member at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) for 20 years, after a distinguished career in occupational health. She retired in June 2017. Emeritus status may be awarded to a retired faculty member who has made significant and extraordinary contributions through excellent teaching, scholarship, or service; such designations must be approved by the President of the University. Lipscomb’s early academic career was at the UCLA School of Nursing, as an assistant professor and director of occupational health nursing and subsequently as an assistant professor and director of the Occupational Health program at the University of California San Francisco School of Nursing. Immediately prior to joining UMSON in 1997, she served as a senior scientist for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health for three years. Lipscomb joined UMSON as an associate professor and was appointed professor in 2004; beginning in 2009, she also held a secondary appointment as professor in the University of Maryland School of Medicine. She served as the founding director of UMB’s Center for Community Based Engagement and Learning from 2013 until her retirement.  “We congratulate Dr. Lipscomb on the honor of being named professor emerita. Throughout her career, she was known for her research and exceptional teaching and mentoring of students,” said Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “Dr. Lipscomb’s international standing as a researcher and scientist was further affirmed when she was named a Fellow of the Collegium Ramazzini, an international academy of experts in occupational and environmental health committed to linking scientific discovery and social policy. We look forward to her continued engagement with the School of Nursing in her retirement.” Lipscomb has been recognized nationally and internationally for her research on workplace violence and the prevention of occupational injuries and illness. She has served numerous organizations as a consultant on issues of environmental health and workplace violence, including the Veterans Health Administration, the Pan American Health Organization, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.  Lipscomb taught countless students in nursing and public health courses across the University and mentored many who have gone on to become the next generation of researchers, scholars, and teachers. She authored more than 80 articles and book chapters and served as the principal investigator or co-investigator on more than 20 research grants, with funding exceeding $12.6 million. ###  The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Institute designed for academic nursing leadership committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion  Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing’s Bimbola F. Akintade, PhD ’11, MS ’05, MBA, MHA, BSN ’03, ACNP-BC, NEA-BC, FAANP, associate professor and associate dean for the Master of Science in Nursing program, and Vanessa P. Fahie, PhD ’94, BSN ’76, assistant professor, have been selected to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s 2021 Diversity Leadership Institute. The Diversity Leadership Institute provides an overview of diversity and inclusion efforts and the role of diversity officers in academic nursing and nursing practice. It frames diversity within the context of higher education and academic nursing while presenting high-involvement diversity practices for teams and leaders. The institute’s program, offered virtually, started at the end of January and will conclude on June 17, 2021. Akintade, who was appointed to the DNPs of Color inaugural board of directors in 2020, has 19 years of clinical experience in trauma and critical care and is aware of how serving the health care needs of diverse patients requires a diverse nursing workforce. “This experience will help maximize my potential as I provide vision and leadership for academic excellence in a collegial atmosphere within the context of UMSON’s mission and strategic initiatives; mentor faculty members in their role as educators; and demonstrate sound decision-making, strong managerial and effective communication skills, and a commitment to diversity,” he said.  Fahie has 26 years of experience designing and managing pipeline programs to increase the number of nurses from backgrounds underrepresented in the nursing workforce. She has created partnerships with educational institutions at all levels as well as professional nursing organizations to prepare the next generation of nurse leaders and scholars. She has mentored numerous faculty and students who have earned graduate degrees and are nurse educators, advanced practice nurses, nursing and public health administrators, and researchers.    “As I continue my diversity, equity and inclusion journey, knowledge gained from the Diversity Leadership Institute affords me the opportunity to build skills and capacity to engage stakeholders in crucial conversations; share strategies for promoting equity for faculty, staff, and students; and make excellence inclusive at the UMSON,” she said  The institute aims to enhance professional knowledge and experience to stimulate strategic thinking and advance outcomes at participants’ home institutions. It focuses on increasing self-awareness while building skills and capacity to engage with discussions and issues surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion. The program requires participants to develop a diversity plan specifically tailored to their organization. Upon completion of the program, participants will present their plan, describing how they will apply their work in their respective organizations. At UMSON, where diversity is a source of strength and innovation, 53% of UMSON students identify as members of minority ethnic/racial groups, while nationally, nurses from minority backgrounds represent just 19.2% of the registered nurse workforce.  # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

During their presentation, the fellows first provided background information on health literacy as a national issue. They explained that about 36 percent of U.S. adults have below-basic health literacy levels, which is the cause of between 7 and 17 percent of all national health expenditures. The fellows used several methods to research the most effective ways to implement change to improve health literacy including literature review, faculty interviews and questionnaires, student surveys, assessments of current practices in curricula and learning environments, and development of recommendations. From this research the fellows had several main takeaways. Although health literacy representation could be found in dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public health, and social work, health literacy interventions were not common nor standardized across the professional fields.  “In many cases, we found the education in health literacy was standalone and didn't involve interaction across professions,” explained Sonia Galvan, a first-year student in the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “This is a missed opportunity for expanding health literacy education and demonstrating its place in professional collaborative relationships through interprofessional practice.” Participating Fellows: Alice Lu, Fourth-Year Student, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy Dominique Gelmann, Third-Year Student, University of Maryland School of Medicine Elisabeth Fassas, Second-Year Student, University of Maryland School of Medicine Henry Inegbenosun, Fourth-Year Student, University of Maryland School of Nursing Jocelyn Wang, Second-Year Student, University of Maryland School of Law Karen Jung, Second-Year Student, University of Maryland School of Dentistry Kelsie Challenger, Student, University of Maryland, College Park Sakiera Malone, Second-Year Student, University of Maryland School of Social Work Sonia Galvan, First-Year Student, University of Maryland School of Nursing Read More

A good deal of the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) energy is focused on building collaborations between education and practice, developing pathways for new and experienced nurses both to succeed as a member of the ever-growing nursing workforce and to contribute to improving patient outcomes when they step outside of the classroom (whether physical or virtual). Many of these efforts are undertaken with the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) and especially the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), UMSON’s practice partner just across Lombard Street. In 2016, Eun-Shim Nahm, PhD ’03, RN, FAAN, professor and director of UMSON’s Nursing Informatics Master of Science in Nursing and certificate programs, and Nina Trocky, DNP, RN, NE-BC, CNE, associate professor and then-associate dean for the baccalaureate program, received a more than $250,000, three-year Nurse Support Program (NSP) II planning grant, funded by the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, that aimed to prepare RN-to-Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) graduates with advanced knowledge and skills in care coordination supported by health information technology (CC-HIT). Recognizing that care coordination is becoming an increasingly essential component of nursing education, Nahm and Trocky developed a CC-HIT focus area to supplement the existing RN-to-BSN curriculum, utilizing elective credits to allow students to graduate with an area of specialization without adding time or money to their BSN education. The focus area allows students to explore how health information technology can facilitate the organization of patient care activities and information sharing among all providers to achieve safer and more effective patient-centered care. “The U.S. health care system has become more complex, and the demand for health care services has skyrocketed,” Nahm says. “To meet this demand, nurses must be able to deliver well-coordinated care utilizing available resources effectively. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s new Essentials for nursing education highlighted this aspect and named care coordination as an essential component of nursing education.” In addition to educating nursing students about care coordination, the grant addressed the critical need to deliver continuing education about care coordination’s role in the rapidly changing health care landscape — such as value-based care and population health — to practicing nurses at UMSON’s partner health care institutions. The grant team then developed a draft care coordination toolkit for edX, a platform for open online courses. The toolkit included 10 short online learning modules on selected topics related to patient-centered care coordination and population health. At the same time, the team identified ways to support faculty members to grow their expertise in care coordination and population health. Then, last July, Nahm received a follow-up $1.3 million, five-year NSP II implementation grant, titled “Care Coordination Education to Practice Scale Up,” to promote care coordination and patient-centered care across Maryland hospitals while continuing to expand the RN-to-BSN CC-HIT focus area and courses. The goal is to create a collaboration model, the UMNursing Care Coordination Implementation Collaborative (CCIC), a joint effort between UMSON and UMMS hospitals. It builds off of the existing structure of UMNursing, a partnership that capitalizes on the shared strengths and resources of UMSON and UMMC to promote innovative opportunities for research, practice, and education to optimize health care outcomes. With co-directors Mary Etta Mills, ScD, MS ’73, BSN ’71, RN, FAAN, professor, and Greg Raymond, DNP ’18, MS ’10, MBA, BSN ’05, RN, NEA-BC, vice president of nursing and patient care services at UMMC, in addition to UMSON faculty and staff and UMMS nurse leaders, the grant team’s goals include: establishing a UMNursing CCIC infrastructure providing students and practicing nurses with knowledge and skills in care coordination facilitating quality improvement projects in care coordination and patient-centered care. “Having a vibrant academic-practice partnership is critical as we prepare the next generation of nurses, as well as the current nursing workforce, to meet our evolving health care needs,” says Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “This includes the need for exquisite care coordination. The efforts of Drs. Greg Raymond, Eun-Shim Nahm, and Mary Etta Mills to design and implement care coordination and patient-centered care across Maryland hospitals exemplifies how collaboration between nursing education and practice truly has a positive impact on patient outcomes.” The team plans to assess the impact of the project on selected patient, nursing practice, and nursing education outcomes by comparing baseline data with data at various follow-up points. Metrics include: Education Outcomes the number of students who complete the CC-HIT focus area (with a special emphasis on community college students who complete the RN-to-BSN program as part of UMSON’s Dual-Admission Partnerships with all 15 community colleges in Maryland that offer an Associate Degree in Nursing program) the number of graduates who complete the CC-HIT focus area and then serve as care coordinators and/or preceptors in the area of specialty new practicum opportunities in care coordination and population health Patient Outcomes UMMS patient experience with care coordination 30-day unplanned hospital readmission rates Nursing Practice Outcomes the number of nurses who take advantage of the edX modules a change in care coordination or case management certification rates nurses' care coordination competency and job satisfaction. “Despite the importance of quality of nursing care on patient outcomes, there have been few studies demonstrating the impact of nursing education on them,” Nahm says. “The UMNursing CCIC project is designed to fill this gap by focusing on building care coordination capacity in both nursing education and practice settings and capturing its impact on patient outcomes.” The grant team continues to plan, meet milestones, and move the needle in education-practice collaboration related to care coordination around four organizational cores: administration, education, evaluation/quality improvement, and dissemination. Key among the accomplishments is curriculum revision to and increased offerings in care coordination courses at UMSON and development and testing of data infrastructure and collection processes. The edX care coordination toolkit will be officially launched shortly as “Connecting and Coordinating Person-Centered Care,” now with a dozen short modules for clinical nurses.

Breaking ground for a new way forward. That was the theme of the 2021 State of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, encapsulating “our exceptional efforts as a School and as a team during this pandemic,” said Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, during the pre-recorded address. “This is the first time we have held a virtual State of the School, but given the past 13 months, this is not the first virtual event for any of us,” Kirschling said. During the address, she focused on all that the School has accomplished and what its faculty, staff, and students have learned during the past year, then commented on how the School can harness this to shape its path forward. The 2020 State of the School address was canceled in spring 2020 at the height of the pandemic. Read More

Baltimore, Md. - In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s request, and UMSON’s assessment of students’ readiness, the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) for the third time has approved an early exit for entry-into-nursing students who are scheduled to graduate on May 20, 2021. In an effort to bolster the nursing workforce, students approved for an early exit can begin working as nursing graduates. All 172 graduating Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students exited early on April 23, provided they had successfully completed spring courses. And 13 graduating entry-into-nursing Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) master’s students took the option to exit as early as April 23. To be eligible for the early-exit option, CNL students had to meet specific GPA and academic program requirements. According to the 2020 National Nursing Workforce Survey published in the Journal of Nursing, one in five registered nurse (RN) respondents plans to retire or leave nursing in the next five years. In addition, Nursing Solutions Inc.’s 2021 National Health Care Retention and RN Staffing Report found that in 2020, turnover rate for hospital staff RNs increased by 2.8% to 18.7%. “The U.S. health care system needs to be prepared for large numbers of nurses leaving the profession in the near future,” explained Becky Wiseman, PhD, RN, associate professor, chair of the School of Nursing at the Universities at Shady Grove, and director of the Maryland Nursing Workforce Center. “Health care agencies within the state are anticipating upcoming shortages and are taking steps to recruit and orient new nursing graduates. New nursing graduates will be an important strategy to meet the current and anticipated workforce needs.” The School of Nursing has collaborated with the chief nursing officers of local major hospital systems such as the University of Maryland Medical System, the Johns Hopkins Health System, MedStar Health, Anne Arundel Medical Center (Luminis Health), and Holy Cross Health, and ascertained their need for and interest in hiring nursing graduates. Students who are exiting early have been encouraged to pursue nursing graduate positions at these and other employers to support the state’s health care systems through the pandemic. “We are committed to continuing to partner with Maryland’s health care systems to support them in meeting the needs of our state,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “Now in its third iteration, our early-exit option has been a vital source of new nursing graduates for Maryland’s nursing workforce, which has served bravely on the frontlines of this pandemic for more than 13 months. I am extremely proud of our entry-into-practice students for their willingness join this effort, and I applaud all of our students for their resiliency and persevering in their studies during this tumultuous time. I also salute those who have served in volunteer capacities or continued as practicing nurses while pursuing further education. Maryland is well served by all of these truly dedicated individuals.”  UMSON will provide a letter to participating students that they can in turn provide to prospective employers stating that they have met all the program requirements and have qualified for and taken an early-exit option from UMSON. UMSON had a combined 200 BSN students and 57 CNL students exit early in spring and fall 2020. # # #  The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Nurses play a key role in applying lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigating the impacts caused by social determinants of health, according to two keynote speakers at the 2021 Maryland Action Coalition (MDAC) Virtual Leadership Summit, hosted by the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON). The theme of the annual conference: “Meeting Challenges Head On: Maryland Nurses Respond.” "We've all lived through a year and a half of COVID. And people always ask, why is COVID so much worse in the United States than it is elsewhere? I suggest that COVID was the match, and we provided a whole lot of kindling for it with our decisions,” offered Brian C. Castrucci, DrPH, MA, president and chief executive officer of the de Beaumont Foundation in his keynote address, “Skills and Perspectives that Nurses Need to Lead a Post-Pandemic Public Health Renaissance.”  “There are policy decisions that we've made over the past at least two decades, if not past 400 years, that really impacted how COVID played out in the United States,” said Castrucci, whose parents were emergency room nurses. MDAC strives to improve health care by implementing recommendations set forth in the landmark report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, released in 2010 by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The report addressed the challenges facing the nursing profession, in particular the need to prepare the nursing workforce to provide excellent care to an increasingly diverse and aging population, within a rapidly changing health care system. MDAC was formed in 2011 in response to the report. Read More

After Ibram X. Kendi, PhD, MA, talked to a University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) audience about his book “How to Be an Antiracist” in February, UMB leaders decided to continue the conversation by sponsoring discussions about the book and its topic. Four of the discussion facilitators took turns talking about their sessions and the feedback they received from participants during the June 17 edition of Virtual Face to Face with President Bruce Jarrell. Among the key takeaways was that UMB needs to continue its conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and anti-racism, while striving to be proactive in assessing and addressing these issues in the University’s policies and practices of the past, present, and future. “We are an action-oriented institution, and we absolutely want to be more of an action-oriented institution on the topic of diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said Roger J. Ward, EdD, JD, MSL, MPA, interim provost, executive vice president, and dean of the University of Maryland Graduate School, who was the guest host in place of UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS. “We’ve been having great conversations around this topic, and those conversations should continue after today’s program, because we are on this journey together.” The book club discussions were organized by Nicole Palmore, MSW, director of diversity and inclusion at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, and included about 150 UMB students, staff, and employees including 19 facilitators (see list below). Each facilitator met with their group at least two times to discuss Kendi’s book and generate ideas for UMB to combat racism. Read More

Baltimore, Md. – Elizabeth Galik, PhD ’07, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, professor, has been appointed the chair of the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) Department of Organizational Systems and Adult Health. She succeeds Kathleen Michael, PhD, RN, CRRN, associate professor, who retired in March, after five years as chair and almost 20 years of service to the School of Nursing and the University of Maryland, Baltimore.  In her role as chair, Galik is responsible for promoting the achievement of academic, research and scholarship, service, and practice initiatives throughout the department. This includes hiring and developing faculty and staff and mentoring, advocating, and fostering their ongoing success. “I have been fortunate to serve as a faculty member in the Department of Organization Systems and Adult Health throughout my academic career and have learned about leadership and management from Dr. Michael and other department chairs,” Galik says. “I look forward to providing mentorship, guidance, and support to the faculty and staff as they work to enact the strategic initiatives of the school and facilitating their professional growth.” Galik joined UMSON as a clinical instructor in 2006 and was promoted to assistant professor in 2007 and then to associate professor with tenure in 2013. She attained the rank of professor with tenure in 2018. She teaches in the Doctor of Nursing Practice Adult-Gerontological Primary Care Nurse Practitioner specialty and conducts research designed to optimize function and physical activity and to effectively manage behavioral symptoms among older adults with dementia. Galik has been recognized with numerous awards and honors. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP), the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN), and the Gerontological Society of America (FGSA).   “We congratulate Dr. Galik on her appointment as chair of the department,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “She brings extensive experience as a faculty member, having taught undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students, and having served as an advisor and dissertation chair for PhD students. Her externally funded research has resulted in more than 100 manuscripts and 30 book chapters, as well as over 175 refereed and invited presentations for nursing and interdisciplinary audiences. The breadth and depth of her teaching, scholarship, and practice has prepared her extremely well for this new role. I am confident that she will build on the legacy of Dr. Michael’s leadership, support the ongoing contributions of the department, and foster its continued growth and development.” Galik holds a PhD from UMSON, a Master of Science in Nursing from Villanova University, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to her role as professor and chair, Galik is a certified adult nurse practitioner specializing in the medical and neuropsychiatric care of older adults with dementia. Through a clinical practice with the Sheppard Pratt health system, she provides patient care to older adults and their caregivers in long-term care communities. Galik has also developed a house call practice for dementia symptom management. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing’s Barbara Resnick, PhD ’96, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, professor, Sonya Ziporkin Gershowitz Chair in Gerontology, and co-director of UMSON’s Biology and Behavior Across the Lifespan Organized Research Center, has been named the recipient of the 2021 William Dodd Founder’s Award for Distinguished Service. The award was bestowed by AMDA - The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine (formerly known as the American Medical Directors Association) at the organization’s 2021 conference on March 11. Resnick is the first non-physician to be honored with the Dodd Award. “I was truly speechless after hearing I was selected as the 2021 Dodd Award recipient,” said Resnick. “The award, in honor and memory of Dr. Dodd who helped established AMDA back in 1978, recognizes individuals who have facilitated the work of the organization. AMDA has changed since 1978 in name, in the inclusion of non-physician providers, and has helped to defend, support, and help increase the number and quality of long-term care providers across all disciplines. As the first non-physician recipient of this award, I have to say I am so proud to be a long-standing member of the organization and to have had the opportunity to work on so many initiatives within AMDA that include and benefit all members of the team.”  The Dodd award recognizes significant contributions by those individuals who contribute to the organizational strength, image, and mission of the Society to promote medical direction and physician services in long-term care and advance the Society’s goals to improve the care delivered to patients throughout the long-term care spectrum. Resnick has worked as a member of AMDA’s Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) Steering Committee since 1998 and participated in the development and revision of many CPGs. She has been a Foundation board member since 2006 and served as its chair from 2017 - 19. Resnick has been practicing in long-term care for more than 40 years starting first as a nursing assistant, then as a nurse, and since the 1980s as a geriatric nurse practitioner. Both her ongoing clinical practice and her nationally and internationally recognized research has focused on the care of older adults, particularly with regard to optimizing health, function, and physical activity. Findings from her work have shown that by changing how care is provided to older adults, they can maintain or improve function and physical activity, decreasing falls and transfers to acute care settings, improving mood, and decreasing behavioral symptoms.   “We congratulate Dr. Resnick on this wonderful and well-deserved honor. Her body of work as a researcher has significantly influenced practice across care settings,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “As a clinician, teacher, and researcher, she continues to move the field of gerontology forward. It is a testament to her deep and longstanding commitment to advancing practice, shaping health policy, and improving the lives of countless individuals.” AMDA represents a community of medical directors, physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other practitioners working in various post-acute and long-term care settings. The society’s 5,500 members work in skilled nursing facilities, long-term care and assisted living communities, home care, hospice, Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), and other settings. The Society’s Foundation for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine oversees awards, community outreach, education, and research with the mission to advance the quality of life for persons in post-acute and long-term care through inspiring, educating, and recognizing future and current health care professionals. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Nearly 500 researchers from 24 countries joined an online conference to discuss these topics, as well as the impact of placebos on pain management and addiction, during the 3rd International Conference for the Society for Interdisciplinary Placebo Studies (SIPS), hosted virtually by the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB). SIPS was founded in June 2014 at the Brocher Foundation, a Swiss conference center on the shores of Lake Geneva. Researchers from around the world were attending a conference to discuss psychotherapy and the placebo effect. During an outdoor after-dinner wine reception one evening, the idea for the society arose among a group of 12 conference attendees, including Luana Colloca, MD, PhD, MS, professor, Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, UMSON, and adjunct professor, Department of Anesthesiology, UMSOM, who would become a founding member. For several years, Colloca and UMB collaborators have studied the role of placebo mechanisms for optimal pain management and treatment of alcohol and drug use disorders. She and other researchers believe placebo effects are a way to reduce health care’s reliance on addictive opioids and that the brain’s own power may be a solution to the opioid crisis. In 2018, she offered a TEDx talk at UMB on the topic “Are Placebos the Solution? Tackling the Opioid Epidemic in the Decades Ahead. Read More

Faculty awarded funds for completing or renewing their Certified Nurse Educator credential. Baltimore, Md. – Ten University of Maryland School of Nursing faculty members have received Academic Nurse Educator Certification (ANEC) Awards granted by the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) through the Nurse Support Program (NSP) II. The faculty were each awarded the maximum amount of $5,000 for demonstrating excellence as an academic nurse educator through achieving the National League for Nursing’s Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) credential either through initial certification or recertification. The faculty are: Susan L. Bindon, DNP, RN, NPD-BC, CNE, CNE-cl, associate professor and associate dean for faculty development Tolvalyn Dennison, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BC, CNE, clinical Instructor Ann G. Hoffman, DNP, RN, CPN, CNE, assistant professor Maeve Howett, PhD, APRN, CPNP-PC, CNE, professor and associate dean for the baccalaureate program Maranda Jackson-Parkin, PhD, CRNP-BC, ACNP, CCNS, CCRN-K, CNE, assistant professor Tabitha Legambi, DNP, RN, CEN, CNE, assistant professor Sandra Lucci, PhD, RN, CNE, CMSRN, assistant professor Carol A. O'Neil, PhD, RN, CNE, associate professor Tonya Schneidereith, PhD, CRNP, PPCNP-BC, CPNP-AC, CNE, CHSE-A, ANEF, FAAN, associate professor Rebecca Weston, EdD, MSN, RN, CNE, assistant professor "We are truly grateful for the generous support provided to nurse faculty through the ANEC Awards and for the efforts of the Maryland Higher Education Commission to make this available to faculty," said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. "This year's cohort of 10 faculty recipients reflects four individuals who are newly credentialed as Certified Nurse Educators and six individuals who have successfully completed the requirements for recertification. The CNE credential is an important indicator of their shared commitment to excellence in teaching and I congratulate each of them on their accomplishment. Through their efforts they are ensuring that our students, the next generation of nurses, will be well-prepared to meet the needs of Maryland's residents."  The CNE credential establishes nursing education as a specialty area of practice and creates a means for faculty to demonstrate their expertise in this role. It communicates to students, peers, and the academic and health care communities that the highest standards of excellence are being met. By becoming credentialed as a CNE, faculty serve as leaders and role models. Developed under the NSP II program, which is funded by the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by MHEC at the request and with the guidance of the Maryland Council of Deans and Directors of Nursing Programs, the ANEC award program recognizes professionalism in support of ongoing faculty development requirements necessary to maintain the CNE credential. The awards are intended to assist Maryland nursing programs in recruiting and retaining nursing faculty to produce the additional nursing graduates required by Maryland’s hospitals and health systems.The award funds may be used to supplement the awardee’s salary; to pay for activities for professional development, including conference fees, travel, and expenses for speaking engagements; to pay professional dues, CNE examination fees, and continuing education expenses; or to assist with graduate education expenses, such as loan repayment.  # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment. Top, l to r: Bindon, Dennison, Hoffman, Howett, and Jackson-Parkin. Bottom, l to r: Legambi, Lucci, O'Neil, Schneidereith, and Weston. 

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has appointed Veronica Y. Amos, PhD, MS ’07, MS ’00, BSN ’99, CRNA, PHCNS-BC, assistant professor, as the director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program’s Nurse Anesthesia specialty. As specialty director, Amos is responsible for the overall curricular leadership of the DNP Nurse Anesthesia specialty, maintaining accreditation, and the academic success of the students in the specialty. The DNP Nurse Anesthesia specialty prepares students to provide anesthesia services to a diverse diagnostic and surgical population. Established more than 15 years ago, It was the first of its kind in Maryland and was top ranked for the entire period that U.S. News & World Report ranked such programs. In 2017, the program received special 10-year accreditation by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs for its 100% compliance with standards. Amos joined UMSON in 2011 as an assistant professor and the assistant director of the Nurse Anesthesia specialty. She is a certified registered nurse anesthetist who specializes in anesthesia for HIV-positive patients and has an anesthesia practice at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center (MSMHC), where she precepts students as they provide anesthesia for pediatric, cardiac, orthopedic, regional anesthesia, and pain management patients. She is also the DNP project advisor for students implementing their DNP project at MSMHC. “Having worked closely with Dr. Amos for many years, I am thrilled to have her leading the Nurse Anesthesia specialty at UMSON,” said Shannon K. Idzik, DNP ’10, MS ’03, CRNP, FAANP, FAAN, associate professor and associate dean for the DNP program. “She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in curriculum leadership to the role.” Amos conducts research on patient safety and anesthesia for HIV-positive patients and was recently awarded a 2021 - 22 Dean’s Teaching Scholars Award, with UMSON colleagues, for the project “The Impact of High-Fidelity Simulation on Nurse Anesthesia Student’s Knowledge, Self-Confidence, and Psychomotor Skills: A Quasi-Experimental Design.” She is chair-elect of UMSON’s DNP Curriculum Committee. She’s been published in several peer-reviewed journals, including American Nurse Journal and Perianesthesia Nursing, and has spoken locally and nationally at nursing conferences for the National League of Nursing Conference, Maryland Association of Nurse Anesthetist Conference, and the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA).  Amos has served on the Board of Directors of the Maryland Association of Nurse Anesthetists since 2014, including as president from 2018 - 19. During her presidency, she was instrumental in having two students join the board of directors to advocate for other students. She attends the AANA Mid-Year Conference on Capitol Hill and Maryland Lobby Days in Annapolis, Maryland, annually and encourages students to attend to see firsthand the impact advocacy has on the profession. On Aug. 14, she will be inducted as an inaugural Fellow of AANA during the organization’s Annual Congress, in Austin, Texas. As a Fellow, she will be recognized as one of the most accomplished leaders in the nurse anesthesia profession. Amos earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the State University of New York at Albany in 1996. She then received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1999, her master’s degree in Community/Public Health Nursing in 2000, and her master’s degree in Nurse Anesthesia in 2007, all from UMSON. In addition, she earned her PhD in Health Policy from University of Maryland, Baltimore County in 2002. Amos succeeds Joseph Pellegrini, PhD, CRNA, FAAN, the second director in the history of the Nurse Anesthesia specialty, who began serving in the role in 2011. “The program is the most selective specialty in the School and is also the most diverse, and Dr. Pellegrini should be proud of both of those accomplishments,” Idzik said. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Smiles. Applause. Photos reflecting on the past year. All of these were part and parcel of a traditional commencement ceremony for the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) held in quite a non-traditional time. “Although each graduation ceremony is momentous, this is now the third virtual conferral of degrees in our 132-year history,” said Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, as she welcomed graduates and their families to a May 20 virtual ceremony. “I am certain that we will always remember how we gathered to recognize the many accomplishments and achievements of our spring 2021 graduates. It goes without saying that nursing, at its very core, is a profession marked by a deep dedication and commitment to ensuring the health, the safety, and the well-being of our patients and our communities. However, the events of the past 14 months, our national and global struggle to combat COVID-19 give additional meaning to this dedication.” The last year, Kirschling said, is “a reminder that nursing does not have the opportunity to pick and choose its moments of service. But rather, it must always be on the ready to respond.” Despite the challenges of a global pandemic, 447 nursing degrees and certificates were conferred, including 212 bachelor’s degrees, 92 master's degrees, 12 certificates, and 131 Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees. Kirschling thanked those who have worked on the front lines of the pandemic, and in particular the 442 students who chose the early exit option in 2020 and 2021 and those students who have volunteered to serve in other capacities. “And to all of our students, you have successfully persevered during a difficult time, completed your studies, and earned your degree. All while balancing multiple demands and stressors. You have my deepest respect and that of all of us for your efforts and your hard work,” she said. Read More

Baltimore, Md. – The Nurse Leadership Institute (NLI) at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (USMON) is pleased to announce its 2021 - 22 cohort of NLI Fellows, the institute’s seventh cohort. The 36 nurse educators and clinicians from throughout Maryland were selected through a competitive application process and are participating in a yearlong program designed to prepare nurse faculty and practitioners to strengthen their leadership in academic and health care to improve health outcomes for Maryland residents. Nurses selected for this program demonstrate the leadership potential needed for this challenge. The NLI was established in 2015 by a $2.5 million, five-year Nurse Support Program II grant from the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission, administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. In 2020, the institute’s grant funding was renewed with a $1.7 million five-year grant, allowing NLI to continue serving as a statewide resource for developing academic and practice nurse leaders. Grant funding covers program expenses and fees for fellows, allowing UMSON to offer the program at no cost to participants. “Like no other time in history, it is clear that the health of Marylanders depends on nurses and nurse leaders,” said Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, CRNP-Neonatal, FNAP, FAAN, associate professor; chair of the Department of Partnerships, Professional Education, and Practice; and director of the Center for Health Equity and Outcomes Research. “Whether preparing the next generation of nurses as educators or providing essential care to patients in hospitals, nursing leadership matters. I am so excited to welcome the 2021 - 22 class of fellows to the Nurse Leadership Institute where they will strengthen their capacity to advance nursing practice and academia and command a well-deserved seat at the leadership table.” During their participation in the NLI, fellows identify and strengthen their leadership competencies, expand their skills using a strength-based approach, and create a plan for continued development. They collaborate with other fellows to develop a leadership collaboration activity that translates knowledge to practice. Fellows also select a mentor who serves as a professional guide throughout the program. In addition, the program offers a free, one-year membership in the Maryland Organization of Nurse Leaders and continuing nursing education units for all activities. “Participating in the NLI gave me the confidence to accept the role as chair of the Transition to Nurse Residency taskforce under the Maryland Organization of Nurse Leaders’ Maryland Nurse Residency Collaborative,” said Eursula L. David-Sherman, MSN, BSN ’92, RN, NPD-BC, nurse residency coordinator, Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center, and a 2019 - 20 NLI Fellow. “The taskforce develops onboarding strategies to support new nurse graduates as they successfully transition into nurse residency programs. Leading this taskforce allows me the opportunity to collaborate with academic partners and practitioners across the state, to support the future nursing workforce, and to ensure these new nurses are equipped to provide care for Maryland residents.” To date, 173 fellows have completed the NLI with coaching provided by 167 mentors. The 2021 - 22 NLI cohort of fellows began the program in August and will finish at the end of June. These nurses represent 17 health care organizations and higher education institutions statewide; the 2021 - 22 NLI Fellows are: Matthew Adome, MSN, RN, University of Maryland Medical System Florchita Arceo, MSN, RN, University of Maryland Capital Region Health Belinda Asante-Mensah, MSN, RN, AG-ACNP, CCRN, The Johns Hopkins Hospital Ami Ayers, MSN, CPEN, Sinai Hospital Stanneshia Barnett, MSN, RN, University of Maryland Baltimore-Washington Medical Center Lorrin Barton, MSN, RN, Sinai Hospital Brutrinia Cain, JD, BSN, RN, Health Resources and Services Administration Cheryl Coale, MS, RN, University of Maryland Baltimore-Washington Medical Center Patricia Fato, BSN, RN, CPN, Kennedy Krieger Institute April Fogle, BSN, RN, Frederick Health Hospital Renee Franquiz, DNP, RN, CNE, UMSON Laura Garifo, BSN, RNC-OB, CLC, C-EFM, MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center Ashley Gick, BSN, RN, PCCN, Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center Amy Hampt, MS, RN, NE-BC, The Johns Hopkins Hospital Alexandra Johnson, MSN, RN, The Johns Hopkins Health System Thomas Jones, MSN, RN, CCRN-K, TidalHealth Peninsula Regional Traci Jones, PhD, RN, PCE, NCSN, Prince George’s County Board of Education Rose Karlan, MSN, RN-BC, CNL, The Johns Hopkins Hospital Racquel McCrea, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center Kelly McDonald, BSN, RN-BC, CMSRN, Sinai Hospital Alicia Mezu, MSN-Ed, RN, Maryland State Department of Education Penny Miller, BSN, RN, Frederick County Government Natalie Moore, MSN, AG-ACNP, RN, CCRN, University of Maryland Medical Center Monica Myers-McClary, MHA, BSN, RN, CMSRN, CSSGB, Frederick Health Hospital  Laura Ogle, MSN, RN, CNE, CEN, MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center Michelle Powell, DNP, RN, University of Maryland Medical Center - Midtown Veronica Quattrini, DNP, FNP-BC, UMSON Kristen Rawlett, PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP, UMSON Megan Roesler, MSN, RN, CPN, Kennedy Krieger Institute Nadine Rosenblum, MS, RN, IBCL, PHNA-BC, The Johns Hopkins Hospital Michelle Spencer, DNP, RN, UMSON Christie Thibeault, MSN, RN, NE-BC, Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center Kimberly Webster, BSN, RN, CM/DN, Physicians Management Group/Maryland Primary Care Physicians Jodi Wendel, MSN, RN, University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center LaToya White, MSN, CRNP, FNP-C, University of Maryland Medical Center Claire Wright, MSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, TidalHealth Peninsula Regional # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – In the continued response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s request, and UMSON’s assessment of students’ readiness, the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) for the fourth time has approved an early exit for entry-into-nursing students who are scheduled to graduate on Dec. 23, 2021. In an effort to bolster the nursing workforce, students approved for an early exit can begin working as nursing graduates. All 161 graduating Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students will exit as early as Nov. 19, provided they have successfully completed fall 2021 courses. And 11 graduating entry-into-nursing Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) master’s students opted to exit as early as Nov. 19. To be eligible for the early-exit option, CNL students had to meet specific GPA and academic program requirements. Exits for both groups will continue until the first week of December. The School of Nursing has collaborated with the chief nursing officers of local major hospital systems such as the University of Maryland Medical System, the Johns Hopkins Health System, MedStar Health, Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center, and Holy Cross Health and has ascertained their need for and interest in hiring nursing graduates. Students who are exiting early have been encouraged to pursue nursing graduate positions at these and other employers to support the state’s health care systems through the pandemic. “We are committed to continuing to partner with Maryland’s health care systems to support them in meeting the needs of our state,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “Now in its fourth iteration, our early-exit option has been a vital source of new nursing graduates for Maryland’s nursing workforce as area facilities continue to grapple with the ramifications of the pandemic. Nurses throughout Maryland have served courageously on the front lines for over 20 months. I am proud of our entry-into-practice students for their willingness to support these efforts, and I applaud all of our students for their resiliency and for persevering in their studies during a difficult time marked by uncertainty and ongoing challenges. Maryland is well served by all of these truly dedicated individuals.” UMSON will provide a letter to participating students that they can in turn provide to prospective employers stating that they have met all the program requirements and have qualified for and taken an early-exit option from UMSON. UMSON had a total of 372 BSN students and 70 CNL students exit early in spring and fall 2020 and spring 2021. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) proudly announces that Linda L. Costa, PhD, BSN ’76, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, associate professor, and five UMSON alumni have been selected as 2021 Fellows of the American Academy of Nursing (AAN). They are among the 225 distinguished nurse leaders who compose this year’s cohort, and they were recognized for their contributions to health and health care at the academy’s annual Health Policy Conference, October 7 - 9, offered in a hybrid format. The UMSON alumni are: Diane M. Breckenridge, PhD ’96, MSN, RN, ANEF, FAAN Virginia LeBaron, PhD, MS ’02, APRN, FAANP, FAAN Rebecca (Suzie) Miltner, PhD ’01, RN, CNL, NEA-BC, FAAN Laura J. Wood, DNP, MS ’83, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN Mei-Ling Yeh, PhD ’97, MS ’93, DMS, FAAN Criteria for selection as an AAN Fellow includes evidence of significant contributions to nursing and health care and sponsorship by two current AAN Fellows. Applicants are reviewed by a panel of elected and appointed fellows, and selection is based, in part, on the extent the nominee’s nursing career has influenced health policies and the health and well-being of all. At UMSON, Costa teaches in the Master of Science in Nursing Health Services Leadership and Management specialty and in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program with a focus on translation of evidence to practice, innovation in health care, and DNP project advisement. She is co-director the School’s Nurse Leadership Institute, funded by a Maryland Higher Education Commission Nurse Support Program II grant. For the last six years, she has served as a member of the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission Performance Measurement workgroup. She is a health services researcher with funded research studies on hospital discharge transitions, medication reconciliation, and implementation science. She has lectured nationally and internationally on leadership and evidence-based practice. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from UMSON and her Master of Science in Nursing and PhD from The Catholic University of America. “We congratulate Dr. Costa on the honor of being named a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the School of Nursing. “It is a tribute to her dedication and commitment to evidence-based practice and its significant role in advancing the practice of nursing. We also congratulate our five distinguished alumni for being nationally recognized for their leadership and many contributions to nursing research, education, and practice.” The new AAN Fellows represent 38 states; Washington, D.C.; and 17 countries. Fellows now comprise more than 2,900 nursing leaders who are experts in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia and who champion health and wellness, locally and globally. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

The MPower Professorship recognizes, incentivizes, and fosters collaborations between faculty who are working together on the most pressing issues of our time.To be considered for the MPower Professorship, faculty must demonstrate collaboration on strategic research that would be unattainable or difficult to achieve by UMB or UMCP acting independently of one another, and must embrace the mission of MPower — to collaboratively strengthen and serve the state of Maryland and its citizens. Each professor will receive $150,000, allocated over three years, to apply to their salary or to support supplemental research activities. These funds recognize, enable, and support strong collaborations between faculty in the joint research enterprise between UMB and UMCP. “With this investment, we are accelerating the pace of our research and the pace of our impact on the lives of Marylanders,” said UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS. “By supporting these MPower Professors, we are recognizing the commitment and drive they’ve already shown, and we are opening up new possibilities for their work, giving them the freedom to think big, tackle new problems, and achieve results much quicker than ever before.” Research areas will focus on pain modulation, quality control of vaccines and the study of ways in which symptoms of schizophrenia can be detected, according to UMB’s newly announced MPower Professors, Bruce Yu, PhD, a professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy (UMSOP) and director of the School’s Bio- and Nano-Technology Center; Deanna L. Kelly, PharmD, BCPP, professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM)  and an affiliate professor at UMSOP; Luana Colloca, MD, PhD, MS, professor, Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) and adjunct professor, Department of Anesthesiology, UMSOM; and Rao P. Gullapalli, PhD, MBA, MS, professor and vice chair for research in the Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine at UMSOM as well as the administrative director of the Center for Advanced Imaging Research within the department. Luana Colloca, MD, PhD, MS, is an internationally known researcher on the role of placebo mechanisms for optimal pain management and treatment of alcohol and drug use disorders. “It has been a wonderful feeling,” Colloca said on being named an MPower Professor. “I've been working with UMCP for three to four years now and we have done things that my lab alone or his lab alone might not have been able to do, so this collaboration has been very productive and enjoyable.” Monies from the professorship will be used to strengthen the collaboration between UMB and UMCP, Colloca said. “In particular, we want to focus on the next generation of scientists here at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. MPower Scholars (from College Park) can come here to continue work on their projects, not just in summer but in general, come to UMB to have an experience in science and research that they would not otherwise have unless they came to UMB.” Collaborating in the field of neuroscience and research of the science of pain can lead to a “real way to translate our knowledge to improve lives for people who suffer from chronic pain,” Colloca said. She learned of receiving the award after getting an email from Jarrell’s office inviting her to an urgent Zoom call. “I didn’t expect it at all. I was thrilled.” Colloca said she will spend some time thinking of what she wants to do in the next three years and how the funds can be best used to expand collaboration between UMB and UMCP regarding research on placebos and pain modulation. “We can do things that can make research on placebos and virtual reality even more tangible, so that students can get excited and we attract brilliant brains to work with us.” Read More  

Baltimore, Md. – On Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) hosted three in-person graduation ceremonies, its first in-person degree conferrals since December 2019, when UMSON joined the world in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic. Summer and fall 2021 graduates from Baltimore and the Universities at Shady Grove were honored at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., respectively, and 2020 and spring 2021 graduates were recognized at a 4 p.m. ceremony. “We are truly honored to host an in-person ceremony after two years,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the School of Nursing, as she welcomed the graduates and saluted those who served on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It is a reminder that nursing does not have the luxury to pick and choose its moments of service, but rather, it must always be ready to respond.” During the summer and fall 2021 graduation ceremonies held at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre, 292 degrees and certificates were conferred by University of Maryland, Baltimore President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS. This included 195 Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees, 82 master’s degrees, four Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees, seven PhD degrees, and four certificates. During the 4 p.m. ceremony, 30 alumni from 2020 and spring 2021 graduating classes were in attendance to be recognized. Stephan Davis, DNP, MHSA, BSN ’07, NEA-BC, CENP, CPHQ, CNE, FACHE, assistant professor and director, Master of Health Administration Program at The University of North Texas Health Science Center School of Public Health, served as the keynote speaker. “We are University of Maryland nurses, a great honor, but one that comes with tremendous responsibility,” Davis said during his remarks. “At a time when our health care systems have been challenged beyond our wildest imaginations, when so many have lost faith in public health, who better than us to nurse America and the rest of the world back to health? Prepared at one of the leading schools of nursing in the world, we are uniquely prepared to do this work." “To the 2021 graduates of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, I challenge you to be bold, fearless, transformational leaders who dream big and shine brilliantly — especially in the places where the shadows of injustice may have otherwise been left unexposed — because you each individually hold the power to inspire change, even in the presence of adversity. Together as Maryland nurses, we will light the paths to the transformation of health and health care for our communities, the nation, and the world.” During the ceremony, DAISY Awards for Extraordinary Nursing Students were awarded to Robyn James Minchik, a graduate of the BSN program at the Universities at Shady Grove, and Sean Patrick Carmody, a graduate of the Clinical Nurse Leader master’s option in Baltimore. DAISY awards are given each fall and spring to two graduating entry-into-practice students who demonstrate empathic care and service to patients and their families. And the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty was presented to Regina Phillips, PhD, RN, CNE, assistant professor, recognizing her commitment to education and her inspirational influence on students. Preceptor Awards, given to preceptors who have facilitated a transformational experience for students with whom they have worked in the clinical setting, were presented at the graduate level to Carol R. Wade, DNP ’14, MS ’00, BSN ’97, RN, CRNP, who works at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) Heart and Vascular Center, and at the undergraduate level to Alexandra Huntress-Reeve, BSN ’20, RN, who works in UMMC’s pediatric intensive care unit. “Although the chapter in our educational book has ended, another one starts as we venture on to make our mark amongst the ranks of nursing professionals,” said student speaker Nneka Inez Mitchell, BSN graduate, to her fellow graduates during the ceremony for Baltimore graduates. “As we all move forward, I implore you to be a beacon of light that reflects positively on the nursing profession, and always remember the power of ‘we.’” A few hours later, during the Universities at Shady Grove ceremony, student speaker Alice Tarh Mformen, BSN graduate, said, “As Maryland nurses, we are ready. The value of education is incredible. Our skills are top-notch. We got this, friends.” Kirschling closed the ceremony by congratulating the graduates: “We launch you into the world with a mission to do good, endowed with the necessary expertise. We wish you success. Make no mistake: You hold our futures in your hands.” # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has received the 2021 Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. This is the fourth year in a row that UMSON has been named a HEED Award recipient. The HEED Award recognizes colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. UMSON was featured, along with 50 other recipients, in the December 2021 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. “Diversity and inclusion is about all of us, and all of us figuring out how to walk through this learning and working environment together,” said Jeffrey Ash, EdD, assistant professor and associate dean for diversity and inclusion. “Having attained four consecutive HEED awards, we have made clear our intention of establishing an environment of inclusive excellence. However, our work is not about acquiring awards; in fact, they are meaningless without action. Success is not simply establishing a standard, but maintaining and continually building upon, challenging, and disrupting what was and growing the standard of excellence.” Health Professions HEED Award application is open to all accredited U.S. and Canadian health profession schools, including medical, dental, pharmacy, nursing, veterinary, and osteopathic medical schools. The award is the only national initiative that honors individual institutions for being outstanding examples of colleges, universities, or health profession schools that are committed to making diversity and inclusion a top priority across their campuses. The HEED Award’s rigorous application includes questions related to recruitment and retention of students and employees, continued leadership support for diversity, and other aspects of campus diversity and inclusion. The program recognizes institutions that weave diversity and inclusion into their everyday work. The School’s In UniSON anti-oppression position statement guides these daily efforts and interactions. In its 2021 application, UMSON highlighted three areas of innovation: monthly communications to UMSON stakeholders about the Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s news and events, professional development offerings focused on increasing awareness and taking action against structural and systemic racism, and the development and launch of the anti-oppression statement.  “We want to acknowledge we are aware that barriers and challenges exist still; however, our work of inclusive excellence means that we will hold ourselves accountable in our message that no form of oppression is acceptable,” said Ash. “The In UniSON statement is a landmark that will guide our School’s diversity journey for decades to come, and we are very proud of that.”  # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has been awarded accreditation with distinction as a provider of Nursing Continuing Professional Development (NCPD) by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Commission on Accreditation. Accreditation with distinction is achieved by passing the accreditation review without any deficiencies and is the highest recognition that ANCC awards. The accreditation is valid for four years, until November 2025. The ANCC Accreditation Program identifies organizations worldwide that demonstrate excellence in NCPD. Accredited organizations use evidence-based ANCC criteria to plan, implement, and evaluate the highest-quality NCPD activities. As a result, health agencies, nursing organizations, employers, and continuing education enterprises rely on ANCC accreditation to further advanced nursing practice and improved patient outcomes. “This accreditation with distinction serves as professional recognition of UMSON’s commitment to promote excellence with high-quality professional development activities for nurses,” said Lynn Marie Bullock, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, assistant professor and director, Office of Professional Education. “We are committed to providing evidenced-based Nursing Continuing Professional Development activities that are responsive to the rapid changes occurring in health care.” A subsidiary of the American Nurses Association, ANCC provides individuals and organizations throughout the nursing profession with the resources they need to achieve practice excellence. ANCC’s internationally renowned credentialing programs certify nurses in specialty practice areas; recognize health care organizations for promoting safe, positive work environments; and accredit providers and approvers of NCPD. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Addressing acute housing needs in the wake of COVID-19. Bridging curriculum gaps in pediatric and adolescent transgender care. Increasing the number of health professionals practicing in underserved communities. These are among the goals of five research teams in the 2020-2021 round of seed grants awarded by the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s (UMB) Center for Interprofessional Education (CIPE). The teams presented their preliminary results at the annual Interprofessional Education (IPE) Seed Grant Symposium on Nov. 17. The center’s seed grant program began in 2014, offering $5,000 to $10,000 grants to support 13-month pilot projects examining new ideas in interprofessional education or interprofessional team-based care. New projects have been funded each year as the seed grant program continues. IPE was a major focus of former UMB President Jay A. Perman, MD, and it has continued under current President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, said Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) and director of CIPE. A look at the seed grant projects and the research teams behind them: The Triangulation of IPE, Simulation, and Telehealth in Health Professions Education:A Pilot Study Between Medicine, Nursing and Physical TherapyPresenter: Karen Gordes, PhD, PT, DSc, Graduate SchoolTeam members: Linda Horn, PT, DScPT, MHS, GCS, NCS, and Norman Retener, MD, FACP, UMSOM; Mei Ching Lee, PhD, MS, RN, CHPN, UMSON This initiative aimed to integrate the knowledge and skill sets of UMB nursing, medical, and physical therapy students within a clinical setting involving direct patient care. Incorporating patients in the training sessions allowed faculty to demonstrate the benefits of team-based care to patients as well as expand student IPE experience from the classroom to a clinical setting. Students learned how to complement each other’s skills to better address the rehabilitation needs of patients within a complex medical environment. Read More

Baltimore, Md. – In U.S. News & World Report’s newly released “2022 Best Online Programs” rankings, the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) online graduate programs ranked among the best in the nation. UMSON ranked No. 5 in the nation in the Nursing Administration/Leadership Programs category and No. 5 in the Nursing Education Programs category, both of which recognize the School’s Health Services Leadership and Management (HSLM) specialty for its multiple focus areas. In both categories, UMSON ranked No. 2 among public schools of nursing. The School also ranked among the Best Online Master’s in Nursing Programs for Veterans nationwide, at No. 25. The U.S. News rankings represent the most respected and in-depth evaluation of U.S. graduate programs that are designed to be administered online. UMSON is among the 194 schools ranked, out of 571 surveyed. “I am incredibly proud of our faculty, staff, and students who have worked very hard to maintain superior rankings for the MSN programs, especially the HSLM specialty,” Bimbola F. Akintade, PhD ’11, MS ’05, MBA, MHA, BSN ’03, ACNP-BC, NEA-BC, FAANP, associate professor and associate dean for the Master of Science in Nursing program. “This tremendous honor improves our brand as an institution, ensures our continued recruitment of quality applicants, and influences partnerships and collaborations for the School and University.” UMSON’s fully online Master of Science in Nursing HSLM specialty offers leading-edge courses, personalized mentorship, and individual placements in practicums that support students’ career goals to refine advanced nursing leadership and nursing administration skills. Practicum placements are with leaders at hospitals and health care systems, universities and community colleges, national and state agencies, and more. Following completion of the core courses, students concentrate on one of three focus areas: Leadership and Management, Education, or Business. The Leadership and Management focus, recognized by the Nursing Administration/Leadership Programs ranking, supports students’ career goals by defining and honing the nursing leadership skills they need to succeed in a variety of health care settings and roles. The Education focus, recognized by the Nursing Education Programs ranking, creates a dual pathway to advancement, as students focus on the knowledge and skills needed to excel as a nurse leader and as a clinical instructor or faculty member.  In terms of the Best Online Master’s in Nursing Programs for Veterans, the School has a long history of serving military populations. The first superintendent, Louisa Parsons, was a decorated nursing veteran of the British Army, both before and after her time at the School of Nursing. UMSON has educated nurses who have served in every major military engagement since the Spanish-American War in 1898. Today, 13% of students have served, currently serve, or are a dependent of a military veteran, and 9% of faculty and staff have served or are currently serving in the military. Veterans and active-duty service members benefit substantially from online education that is affordable, accessible, and reputable. U.S. News’ rankings are based on indicators such as student and faculty engagement, faculty credentials and training, student services and technology, student excellence, and expert opinion, using data collected directly from each institution. Only degree-granting programs that are offered primarily online by regionally accredited institutions were considered, and the programs that score the highest are those applying educational best practices specific for distance learners. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing’s Barbara Resnick, PhD ’96, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, professor, Sonya Ziporkin Gershowitz Chair in Gerontology, and co-director of UMSON’s Biology and Behavior Across the Lifespan Organized Research Center, received the 2021 Ada Sue Hinshaw Award from the Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research (FNINR). Resnick was honored during FNINR’s 2021 virtual NightinGala, Oct. 6, 2021, where she also presented one aspect of her research, focused on the care of older adults and optimizing function and physical activity across a variety of settings. “It was a shock and an honor to receive this award,” said Resnick. “More importantly, I was thrilled that the work that we have done here in aging at UMSON to change the philosophy of care for older adults was recognized.” The Ada Sue Hinshaw Award is the pre-eminent award given by FNINR, named in honor of the first permanent director of NINR. Recipients have a substantive and sustained program of science that afford them recognition as a prominent senior scientist with a trajectory of research that has transcended health and/or related disciplines and where outcomes have led to improved health and well-being of one or more populations. For Resnick, this research program is focused on optimizing function and physical activity among older adults, exploring resilience and genetics on function and physical activity, and testing dissemination and implementation of interventions in real-world settings. This work has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and foundations such as the John A. Hartford Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Findings from her work have shown that by changing how care is provided to older adults, they can maintain or improve function and physical activity, decreasing falls and transfers to acute care settings, improving mood, and decreasing behavioral symptoms.  Resnick has authored over 380 published articles, numerous chapters in nursing and medical textbooks, and books on restorative care and resilience. She is the editor of Geriatric Nursing, an associate editor of the Journal of the American Geriatric Society, and on the editorial board for numerous other journals. She has held leadership positions in multiple aging and interdisciplinary organizations, including the American Geriatrics Society, the Gerontological Society of America, and the American Medical Directors Association. She has been recognized with numerous national awards, including the 2017 David H. Solomon Memorial Public Service Award, the 2018 Johns Hopkins Leader in Aging Award, the 2018 Loretta Ford Award, the 2019 Lawton Powell Award, and the 2021 William Dodd Founder’s Award for Distinguished Service. In addition to teaching and conducting research, Resnick continues to practice as a geriatric nurse practitioner in a continuing care retirement community.  “We heartily congratulate Dr. Barbara Resnick on this distinguished honor recognizing the breadth and impact of her many contributions to nursing science,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “Dr. Resnick’s rigorous body of work has shaped the very process of dissemination and implementation of interventions in real world settings and has impacted the day-to-day care and well-being of countless individuals. At a time when the population of those over age 65 and those over age 85 is increasing exponentially, the importance of her work in helping to preserve function and enhance the quality of life for older individuals is truly profound.” # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – Four University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) faculty members have been named Maryland state New Nurse Faculty Fellows, two faculty members have been awarded Nurse Educator Doctoral Grants (NEDG) for Practice and Dissertation Research, and one faculty member has received a Nurse Faculty Annual Recognition Award. All awards are part of the Nurse Support Program II, a statewide initiative funded by the Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. The New Nurse Faculty Fellowship is available to new nursing faculty members and supports the expenses of graduate education. It is designed to assist Maryland nursing programs in recruiting and retaining new nursing faculty to produce the additional nursing graduates required by Maryland’s hospitals and health systems. The following faculty members received the maximum award amount of $50,000 for fiscal years 2022 - 26, assuming continuous employment as faculty in good standing and the availability of funding: Laura Allen, MA, MS ’15, BSN ’06, RN, clinical instructor and program director, Community and Public Health Environmental Initiative Trina Kumodzi, PhD, RN, CCRN, assistant professor Ngozi Osuagwu, DNP ’19, MS ’08, BSN ’03, CRNP, PNP, FNP, assistant professor Catherine Hood, DNP ’18, FNP-C, assistant professor The NEDG for Practice and Dissertation Research provides up to $60,000 to nurse faculty who are currently enrolled in or who have recently completed a doctoral degree, helping to cover costs associated with graduate education. Awards are contingent upon degree completion and employment as a faculty member for one year for each year of the award. The following faculty members received NEDG awards: Richard P. Conley Jr., DNP ’20, CRNA, assistant professor and assistant director, Doctor of Nursing Practice Nurse Anesthesia specialty Claire Regan, DNP ’20, AGPCNP-BC, assistant professor Joan Davenport, PhD ’00, RN, assistant professor and vice chair, Department of Organizational Systems and Adult Health, has been named the recipient of a Nurse Faculty Annual Recognition Award. Deans and directors of all Maryland nursing programs may nominate one nurse faculty member annually. Davenport was recognized for demonstrating excellence in teaching, her impact on students, engaging in the life of the School, and contributing to the profession as a nurse educator. This award, available for experienced nursing faculty members, provides $10,000. The Nurse Support Program II helps increase Maryland’s nursing capacity by supporting initiatives that advance the recommendations outlined in the Institute of Medicine’s Future of Nursing reports. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.  

The accolades continue for the multidisciplinary team that set up the SMC Campus Center COVID-19 joint vaccination site in 2021. The team received a University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Core Values Award for collaboration last year, and now its members have been honored by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan. In a ceremony Feb. 22 outside the UMB President’s Boardroom in the Saratoga Building, members of the UMB community who assisted in the clinic’s successful operation were presented with Governor’s Citations on behalf of Hogan, who was unable to attend. The clinic, established last year at the SMC Campus Center, was a joint effort among UMB, the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), and Faculty Physicians, Inc. (FPI). Faculty, staff, and students from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy (UMSOP) and the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) helped to administer the shots, resulting in more than 40,000 COVID-19 vaccinations. It surely was a stressful thing to set up,” said UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, who presided over the ceremony along with Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of UMSON. “Our partners from UMMC and FPI did a marvelous job. But the people who did the really spectacular job are in this room today, because we made something work that I think was very difficult to make work.” Kirschling, who served as the director of the clinic, also expressed her appreciation to all involved. “To each and every one of you, a profound thank you,” she said. “It was a joy to work with all of you. Many of you I would not have met had we not had this opportunity. You’re now a part of this sort of network of folks who did something amazing.” From left, Jonathan Bratt, Laura Cathcart, Hayley Markman, Christopher Stanton, Carin Morrell, Dana Rampolla, Jane Kirschling, Bruce Jarrell, Cherokee Layson-Wolf, Jill Morgan, Brian Coats, and Natalie Eddington.Read More

Six University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) faculty members have been selected to serve as R3 Champions of the Resilient Nurses Initiative. R3 aims to Renew, Retain, and amplify the Resilience of nurses throughout Maryland in all specialties and roles through a culture of ethical practice. UMSON faculty serving as R3 Champions are: Marisa Astiz-Martinez, MS ’13, RN, clinical instructor Jennifer Dalton, MSN, RN, CNE, manager, simulation coordinator Amy Daniels, PhD ’18, MS ’12, BSN ’89, RN, CHSE, assistant professor and director of the Clinical Simulation Labs Amanda Henson, MS, RN, CNE, CHSE, clinical instructor Hannah Murphy Buc, MSN, RN, CNE, clinical instructor Rebecca Weston, EdD, MSN, RN, CNE, assistant professor “Being an R3 champion offers an opportunity not only to learn about tools to support us and improve our own resilience,” Daniels says. “It also provides us opportunities to collaborate with like-minded colleagues across the state to identify mechanisms to share these tools with others in our own institutions.” This cross-institutional academic-practice collaboration, a Nurse Support Program II grant-funded program housed at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, seeks to address root causes of burnout and disengagement to improve well-being, strengthen the bridge from education to practice, and increase retention.  Selected by collaborating schools of nursing across Maryland, the champions work to promote the R3 vision, resources, tools, and practices and advise the R3 primary investigator and the Coordinating Council of their experiences and observations as they develop and integrate the R3 content into pre-licensure curricula and culture. R3 will create solutions, engagement, and sustainability strategies from the champions’ insights. In addition, Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean, and Nina Trocky, DNP, RN, CNE, associate professor, serve as members of the R3 Coordinating Council, which meets monthly to review progress toward grant goals.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has named Stacey Conrad, MBA, as the new associate dean for development and alumni relations. She succeeds Laurette Hankins, BA, who retired at the end of 2021 after 14 years in the position. As the School of Nursing’s chief fundraising officer, Conrad will lead the School’s engagement efforts with donors and its more than 23,000 alumni, overseeing major and planned gifts, annual giving, and stewardship. Conrad’s career in development spans 16 years; she began her tenure at UMSON in 2008 as assistant director of development. Since then, she has assumed the roles of associate director, senior associate director, director, and executive director of development. Conrad has been instrumental in the cultivation and stewardship of the transformative series of philanthropic gifts that has created the Conway Scholars Program, which at the conclusion in 2027 of the most recent pledge will have funded over 830 Conway Scholars.  “Ms. Conrad brings an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the culture of the School of Nursing and the full range of its development and alumni programs, as well as an excellent working relationship with countless donors and members of the Alumni Association and the School’s Board of Visitors,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean. “I have every confidence that she will continue and build upon the many past successes of the Office of Development and Alumni Relations.” Conrad earned her bachelor’s degree in Spanish and communications arts from Salisbury University and her master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Maryland University College. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. -  In the newly released 2023 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Graduate Schools,” the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) is among the top 10 best public schools in the nation for its overall Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs, out of 601 accredited nursing schools surveyed.   UMSON’s DNP program is ranked at No. 4 among public schools of nursing (No. 13 among all ranked schools), and the MSN program is ranked at No. 9 among public schools (No. 21 among all ranked schools). UMSON’s top-ranked DNP specialties among all ranked schools include: Family Nurse Practitioner (No. 4) Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (No. 5) Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (No. 5) Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (No. 6) Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner/Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (No. 9). Among public schools of nursing, UMSON ranked No. 1 in the nation for the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) DNP specialties. The School’s FNP specialty is offered both in Baltimore and at the Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville, Maryland, an effort to expand FNP education to better meet the needs of nurses and to prepare them to practice in underserved areas in the western, more rural portion of the state. UMSON’s AGPCNP specialty is focused on providing care to adolescent and adult patients, ages 13 and up, in addition to an expanding senior population. UMSON’s FNP and AGPCNP programs boast a 100% pass rate on the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board exam for its 2021 graduates.  UMSON also ranked in the top 3 among public schools of nursing for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (No. 2), Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (No. 2), and Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner/Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (No. 3). “It is gratifying to continue to be recognized nationally for our Master of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “We continue to play a vital role in efforts within Maryland and nationally to increase the number of nurses with advanced education at the master’s and doctoral level. We believe this is essential to ensuring that our graduates are well-prepared to meet the needs of patients and their families at a time when the health care system is increasingly complex with a growing percentage of older adults and a far more diverse population overall.” The U.S. News & World Report rankings are based on a variety of indicators, including student selectivity and program size, faculty resources, and research activity, and on survey data from deans of schools of nursing that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.  # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.  

Baltimore, Md. - Mary Ellen “Meg” Johantgen, PhD, RN, has been appointed associate professor emerita by University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS. Johantgen served as a faculty member at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) for more than 22 years, including as associate dean for the PhD program from 2014 - 19. She retired in September 2020. Emeritus status may be awarded to a retired faculty member who has made significant and extraordinary contributions through excellent teaching, scholarship, or service; such designations must be approved by the UMB president. Upon joining UMSON in 1998, Johantgen served as a lecturer and then as an assistant professor; she was appointed associate professor with tenure in 2003. She served as a member of the UMB graduate research faculty during her entire tenure at UMSON. She also served as the interim associate dean and then the associate dean for the PhD program from 2013 until stepping down in late 2019 to ensure a seamless transition in anticipation of her retirement. “We congratulate Dr. Johantgen on this prestigious and well-deserved honor,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the School of Nursing. “Dr. Johantgen’s service to the School and the University was exemplary across all areas of our tripartite mission. As an educator and mentor to students, she excelled, chairing 33 dissertation committees and serving on 37 others. She has been a beloved advisor to countless students and instrumental in developing the next generation of researchers, scholars, and teachers. Even in retirement, she continues to guide and support present and former students and faculty members. We are truly grateful for her legacy of service.” Johantgen has been recognized nationally and internationally as an expert in the field of health services research, with a focus on nurses’ impact on patient care quality and safety. She has disseminated her research and scholarship broadly and influenced health policy through service on national committees and consultancies, including the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, and the Maryland Department of Health. Johantgen’s demonstrated expertise in program evaluation, research methodology, and the analysis of large data sets contributed to her ability to secure significant research funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the National Institute of Nursing Research, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, the American Nurses Credentialing Center, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, among others. She has over 75 publications in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters, many of which were data based and collaborative efforts with doctoral students and faculty. Throughout her career at UMSON, Johantgen taught in the PhD, DNP, and master’s programs; chaired and served on dozens of dissertation committees; and advised countless students. As associate dean, she secured funding from RWJF for support of four highly prestigious RWJF Future Nursing Scholars at the School, was nominated twice for the Dr. Patricia Sokolove Outstanding Mentor Award from the UMB Graduate School, and received the UMSON 2020 Distinguished Teaching Award. Johantgen’s excellence as a teacher and mentor is evidenced by the success of her former PhD students, several of whom now hold significant leadership roles, including deanships, at other universities. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.  

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has appointed Celeste M. Seger, PhD ’19, MS ’13, BSN ’10, RN, assistant professor, as director of the RN-to-Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. She succeeds Linda Murray, DNP ’16, MS ’84, CPNP-Ped, who retired in 2021. As program director, Seger will oversee curriculum development, student progression, didactic instruction, and academic advising. She will also be heavily involved in student recruitment, selection, and advisement. UMSON’s RN-to-BSN program, ranked among the top 10 BSN programs nationwide by U.S. News & World Report, is offered entirely online and prepares students to excel in nursing careers across a broad spectrum of acute, chronic, and community-based settings. Students who complete the RN-to-BSN position themselves to grow into nurse leadership roles, remain competitive by gaining the essential skills and knowledge necessary to thrive across practice settings, and expand their career opportunities by being the BSN-prepared nurse that Magnet institutions are seeking. National data indicates that employers increasingly prefer and, in some cases require, a baccalaureate degree. The RN-to-BSN program also offers two distinct optional focus areas, in Care Coordination with Health IT and in Substance Use and Addictions Nursing. “We are delighted that Dr. Seger has taken on this new role; she is extremely well prepared for these responsibilities given her prior faculty experience teaching and working with our RN-to-BSN students,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the School of Nursing. “Dr. Seger will also work collaboratively with our 15 community college partners in our Dual-Admission Partnership program, ensuring the seamless transition of Associate Degree in Nursing graduates from the community colleges into our baccalaureate program. This is essential to addressing the critical need to increase the number of baccalaureate-educated nurses in Maryland.” Seger joined UMSON in 2012 as adjunct faculty and began her full-time faculty role in 2014 as an assistant professor teaching entry-into-practice nursing courses in Fundamentals of Nursing, Leadership and Clinical Practicum, and Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Care for the Registered Nurse. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. - The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has appointed Lori A. Edwards, DrPH, BSN ’80, RN, CNS-PCH, BC, assistant professor, and Michelle R. Spencer, DNP ’19, MS ’06, BSN ’94, RN, assistant professor, co-directors of the Master of Science in Nursing program’s Community/Public Health Nursing specialty. As co-directors, Edwards and Spencer are responsible for leadership of the master’s specialty and of community/public health nursing coursework in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and RN-to-BSN programs and in the entry-level Master of Science in Nursing Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) option. All community/public health nursing coursework has a strong focus on population health, social determinants of health, social justice, and evidence-based programs. The Community/Public Health Nursing (MSN) master’s specialty prepares graduates to assume leadership roles in addressing large-scale population health challenges that impact entire communities. Edwards and Spencer also oversee the academic trajectory of students in the master’s specialty and in the post-baccalaureate Environmental Health and Care Coordination certificates. Faculty in this specialty work in collaboration with many community partners in local, state, and national agencies. They advance the specialty of community/public health nursing and improve the health of populations through strong partnerships. “Drs. Edwards and Spencer bring a tremendous amount of leadership and experience to the role,” said Bimbola F. Akintade, PhD ’11, MS ’05, MBA, MHA, BSN ’03, ACNP-BC, NEA-BC, FAANP, associate professor and associate dean for the Master of Science in Nursing program. “Dr. Edwards was the immediate past chair of the Master of Science in Nursing Curriculum Committee and brings her curriculum development expertise to this role and the upcoming Essentials curriculum revision. Dr. Spencer is an astute teacher and mentor, and her leadership contributions to the baccalaureate and master’s community health courses are invaluable. We look forward to their dynamic and innovative contributions to the Community/Public Health Nursing specialty.” Edwards has developed numerous innovative community-based programs locally and globally to address preventable inequalities and upstream social determinants of health. In addition to her role at UMSON, she is a faculty member in the Master of Public Health program in the University of Maryland School of Medicine. She directs the UMB Health Alliance, an interprofessional, student-run health services program in the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Community Engagement Center. She is funded by the UMB Center for Interprofessional Education to facilitate student education in health literacy, and she is president of the National Association of Community Health Nursing Educators. Spencer serves as a clinical coordinator for pre-licensure BSN and CNL students during their community/population health clinical rotation. She also teaches in the post-bachelor’s Care Coordination Certificate program and in entry-level and graduate-level courses. She was a fellow in the inaugural 2020 - 21 cohort of the UMB Interprofessional Program in Academic Community Engagement (IPACE) and is currently a fellow in the 2021 - 22 cohort of the UMSON Nurse Leadership Institute. Spencer earned her post-master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice, MS, and BSN degrees from the University of Maryland School of Nursing. Edwards and Spencer succeed Allison Del Bene Davis, PhD, RN, assistant professor, who served as director of the specialty since 2020 and has returned to a faculty role. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

On May 2, the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s (UMB) President’s Fellows gathered virtually to present their research on the state of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) at the University and recommendations for improvements as part of the 2021-2022 President’s Symposium and White Paper Project. The President’s Symposium and White Paper Project is an interprofessional initiative that engages faculty, staff, and students in a yearlong conversation about a topic that is of interest and importance to the University and community at large. The goal of this year’s White Paper Project was to identify strategies for leveraging inclusive leadership to develop an EDI-informed curriculum at UMB. “We believe that it is the responsibility of an anchor institution like the University of Maryland, Baltimore to address structural oppression head-on and to act on issues of EDI from an anti-racist and anti-oppression perspective,” said Marcella Leath, one of the fellows and a Doctor of Nursing Practice student at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, as she introduced the project. Read More

With graduation just around the corner, one thing University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) student John Vincent Adofina doesn’t have to worry about is the chaotic pressure of landing his first nursing job. Thanks to the pilot Practicum to Practice Program, a partnership between UMSON and the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), Adofina knows this summer he will be reporting for duty on the Multitrauma Intermediate Care (MTIMC) unit on the fifth floor of the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). While his classmates are busily applying for jobs, Adofina said he has been focusing on his May 19 graduation and on preparing for his licensure exam. “It is a comfort knowing I already have a job waiting for me,” he adds. The Practicum to Practice Program, also known as P3, provides a roadmap from UMSON’s senior practicum experience, required for all fourth-semester BSN students, to a registered nurse position at an UMMS hospital. P3 offers UMSON students an opportunity to select their senior practicum placement and first job as a nurse.  To be eligible, students must be an UMSON entry-into-practice student in their final semester of study and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or greater. Qualified students interested in the program submit an online application that is reviewed by program leaders, complete an interview with the unit manager, and forrmally accept a nurse graduate position. Upon accepting the position on a unit at an UMMS hospital, P3 participants complete their senior practicum on that unit. After graduation from UMSON, employment on that unit as a nurse graduate begins. Following successful completion of the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) and licensure, the nurse transfers to a Clinical Nurse I position. The P3 program launched with UMSON in January and has since expanded to Harford Community College. Program leaders are discussing expanding P3 into other schools of nursing. Adofina took an interest in the P3 program as soon as he learned of it and excitedly applied last December, filling out a survey indicating the unit on which he wanted to complete his practicum. “I wanted to join P3 because there’s a lot of randomization when it comes to the practicum placement process, and I felt like P3 enabled me to have a practicum spot that I knew I was going to work in in the future,” Adofina said. Having already worked as a student nurse in an acute care unit at the UMMC R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, he requested placement on the MTIMC unit. “I felt like the MTIMC would be a good starting point for a new grad nurse to see as many cool things as possible, and then eventually transition to the ICU,” said Adofina, who finished his practicum last month. The program was the brainchild of Lisa Rowen, DNSc, MS ’86, RN, CENP, FAAN, chief nurse executive, UMMS, who was thinking of creative ways to address a national and statewide nursing shortage. “We have a lot of open nursing positions, and it’s not just us,” she said. “There’s been a bit of an exodus of all health care workers out of hospitals, and nurses, in particular, have such a large number of opportunities outside of working in a hospital.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses across the country, including in Maryland, retired early, left hospitals to work for agencies and travel nurse companies, or decided to work in other types of community settings, Rowen said. “A lot of opportunities have proliferated, not because of COVID, but in addition to what happened with COVID,” she said. “And so, there is a really big gap between what the state of Maryland needs, what the United States needs, and what is being produced at schools of nursing.” As many as 1 million additional nurses will be needed by 2030, according to the federal Health Resources and Services Administration’s National Center for Health Workforce Analysis. Given these challenges, Rowen said she began to consider how UMMS could encourage nursing students to begin exploring job placement opportunities prior to graduating and what UMMS could do to incentivize graduating students to consider employment at one of its hospitals. Rowen said she knows that senior BSN students are eager to find a practicum placement and on-site experience that allows students to practice and refine nursing skills in preparation for joining the nursing workforce post-graduation.  “They want a practicum placement that will meet their personal goals of what they want to learn about, and many of them already know what specialties they want to be in,” Rowen said. “For many of them, being in the right practicum sets them up to be in that specialty. I thought, ‘What could we do that would be a win-win for the student and the hospital, and a win for the School? What if we thought of a way to make the practicum experience the pathway to practice upon graduation? And if the nursing students had the option of selecting the practicum placement, rather than being placed by the faculty, would there be some nursing students who would be ready to commit to a job prior to practicum?’” She discussed the idea with UMSON leadership, including Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing; Maeve Howett, PhD, APRN, CPNP-PC, CNE, professor and associate dean of the baccalaureate program; and others who were immediately excited to get the P3 program up and running. “It’s really a hiring strategy for the medical center, but at the same time, it’s a wonderful way for us to get students in clinical practicum slots that they would like,” Howett said. “It’s nice that P3 has expanded the units that students can do a practicum on and particularly units where they might want to work one day.” Hospitals win by getting commitments from students early. By teaching students during the practicum, the amount of time required for onboarding them as new nurses can be decreased, Rowen added. Some UMSON faculty members have also told her that students can be distracted by their job searches by mid-semester. Getting a job offer up front, “it takes away all that stress and worry,” Rowen said. Administrators at participating hospitals were eager to get the program kicked off, Rowen said. “They love the notion of getting early commitments and bringing students into the practicum experience where they can be immersed in the unit and the culture where they will be working as a clinical nurse upon graduation,” Rowen explained. Chrissy McGee, MS, was Adofina’s preceptor, or mentor, on the unit. “He came in and was so eager to learn,” McGee said. “He was ready Day One, pedal to the metal. He did great.” “I think the P3 program really does put these students in a good position, especially being on the unit and caring for the patient population that they are going to work with,” McGee said, noting Adofina offered to help his nursing colleagues at every turn and got along well with everyone. “I think it’s just a huge advantage, instead of walking into somewhere more blindly.” For Adofina, his experience on the fifth floor fueled his confidence and made him even more eager to graduate than he already was. “Everything went really well,” Adofina said. “I got exactly what I wanted out of it. I felt like I was well prepared to eventually work on that multitrauma unit after graduation. I felt like I got a good flow of the nurses there. They work well with each other. It made me feel at home. It also increased my confidence and made me look forward to graduation, knowing that once I take my NCLEX, there’s going to be a good team waiting for me that’s always willing to help me out.”

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) Joan Carpenter, PhD, CRNP, ACHPN, FPCN, assistant professor, is one of 12 nurse scientists accepted to the third cohort of the Betty Irene Moore Fellowship for Nurse Leaders and Innovators. This fellowship program, funded by a $37.5 million grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, recognizes early- to mid-career nursing scholars and innovators with a high potential to accelerate leadership in nursing research, practice, education, policy, and entrepreneurship. Betty Irene Moore Fellows develop skills and confidence in leadership and innovation improving health care delivery and advancing health. As part of the three-year fellowship program, fellows receive $450,000 to conduct an innovative project or study with the potential to address a gap in knowledge, meet a vital need, alter care delivery, or design a new solution to advance health. Carpenter’s project, “Improving Access to Dementia Palliative Care in Nursing Homes” focuses testing an evidence-based palliative care intervention delivered by nurse practitioners using telehealth in a pragmatic clinical trial. Throughout the project period, from July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2025, Carpenter will gain advanced skills in leveraging opportunities for change to influence health policy and reimbursement guidelines. Her overarching goal is to combine strategically clinical practice, research, and policy interests to discover and implement novel strategies to expand access to palliative care for vulnerable older adults. Selected fellows must demonstrate leadership aspirations and the potential to bring innovation to the leadership journey; a well-developed, big-picture vision for an important health or health care issue with a compelling description of how they aspire to address this issue through the proposed project; and evidence of strong support from both the mentor and the home institution. “We congratulate Dr. Carpenter on the significant honor of her acceptance into the Betty Irene Moore Fellowship program. I know that she will benefit greatly from her participation and that it will further her development as a geriatric and palliative care scientist, leader, and innovator,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “Dr. Carpenter’s extensive experience as a nurse practitioner in both geriatric and hospice/palliative care settings will allow her to address clinically informed research questions that are innovative, relevant, and highly significant with regard to advancing the delivery of high-quality palliative care that enhances patient and family caregiver outcomes. We are truly grateful for the support of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the ongoing impact of the fellowship program on the development of the next generation of nurse scholars and leaders.” The fellowship program also features a hybrid online and classroom curriculum designed and taught in partnership with the UC Davis Graduate School of Management to enhance leadership and innovation capacity, strengthen strategic thinking and collaborative skills, expand professional networks, develop entrepreneurial skills, and propel innovative ideas to fruition. A mentor selected by the fellow and an additional mentor provided by the national program office round out the educational experience.  The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation seeks to prepare nurses as collaborative leaders with the skills and confidence to inspire others, enact change, and challenge the status quo. With the creation of the Betty Irene Moore Fellowship for Nurse Leaders and Innovators, the foundation supports nurse leaders who take ideas to scale that advance high-quality, high-value care and optimal health outcomes. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – Shannon K. Idzik, DNP ’10, MS ’03, CRNP, FAANP, FAAN, associate professor and associate dean for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, has been named president-elect of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF). NONPF is the only organization specifically devoted to promoting high-quality nurse practitioner (NP) education. Idzik was named president-elect in April 2022 and will assume the role of president in April 2024.  NONPF represents approximately 90% of all institutions in the United States with NP programs in addition to programs in Canada, the United Kingdom, and other countries. The organization’s vision is of a workforce of highly skilled, adaptive, and diverse NP educators who are preparing the next generation of NPs to meet the evolving health care needs of our nation. As the president-elect, Idzik will carry out functions delegated by the president and, in the absence of the president, act on that role’s behalf. She will serve as the chair for the Special Interest Groups (SIGs) Steering Committee and represent the SIGs’ issues to the Board of Directors. Idzik previously served as the organization’s treasurer and as a NONPF representative to the 19-member taskforce that developed the 6th edition of National Taskforce Standards for Quality Nurse Practitioner Education. Prior to her current UMSON role as associate dean for the DNP program, Idzik served as the director of UMSON’s Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP specialty and of the DNP program. She maintains a faculty practice as an NP at the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center’s Comprehensive Care Center, where she provides care for uninsured/underinsured and medically complex patients. “I am honored and humbled to serve as the president-elect of NONPF,” Idzik said. “The organization has been my professional organization home for my academic career. It is truly a membership-driven organization, and I look forward to working with the many NP faculty across the nation to lead quality NP education.” Idzik also has served as a Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education site visitor, visiting and assessing schools for accreditation. She previously served as president of the Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland and she also led the Maryland Action Coalition’s efforts to remove scope of practice barriers for advanced practice nurses for more than five years. As a Fellow of the Wharton Executive Leadership Program in 2018 and of the Leadership for Academic Nursing Program in 2011, Idzik received in-depth leadership education, which she has used to enhance her professional career, mentor others, and advance leadership programs for national organizations. She has served on numerous state workgroups and has spent the past three years serving as one of 11 non-federal members, and the only NP, on a federal advisory commission to make recommendations to Congress on diabetes care in the United States. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. –  Graduates, family, and friends of the Class of 2022 were welcomed to the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) Convocation ceremony, May 19 at UMBC Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena in Baltimore County, Maryland. During the ceremony, the first in-person May Convocation that the School has held since 2019, 465 nursing degrees and certificates were conferred, including 199 Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees, 137 Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees, 115 master’s degrees, and 14 certificates. “Today is a celebration of grit, determination, and resilience. Of your willingness to get back up and keep fighting. Of coming together and relying on each other to survive. And of our continued commitment to keep giving to others,” said student speaker Marinela Baltazar Babich, DNP Graduate, Class of 2022. During the ceremony, the 2022 Dean’s Medal for Distinguished Service, which each year recognizes someone external to the School who has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to advancing UMSON and its mission, was presented to William J. McLennan Sr. From 2002 until his retirement in April, McLennan served as the executive director of Paul’s Place, a human services outreach center in the Washington Village/Pigtown neighborhood of Southwest Baltimore. UMSON’s partnership with Paul’s Place spans more than 35 years, and UMSON created the original faculty-led Nurses Clinic, which serves as a student clinical site, at Paul’s Place in 1986. “The pandemic shined a light on how you, as front-line health care professionals, are a critical part of the equation to move individuals, families, and communities to a more stable and healthy life,” McLennan said in his keynote address. “Don’t forget to put your own oxygen mask on first! Find the time to take care of yourself because it will give you an even greater ability to take care of those around you – friends, colleagues, family, and of course, your patients.” Earlier in the day, Christine Grady, PhD, RN, FAAN, received the degree of Honorary Doctor of Public Service from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, during the University’s Commencement ceremony. This degree is conferred by the president of the University on behalf of the chancellor of the University System of Maryland upon the approval of the system’s Board of Regents. Grady was nominated for this honor by Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. Grady is a nurse-bioethicist and senior investigator; as chief of the Department of Bioethics at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, she leads one of the nation’s preeminent centers for bioethics scholarship and training. The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students was awarded to Babatunde Oluwaseun Opeogun, a graduate of the BSN program, and to Nicholas Joseph Peltz, a graduate of the Clinical Nurse Leader master’s option. DAISY awards are given each fall and spring to two graduating entry-into-practice students who demonstrate empathic care and service to patients and their families. “Today, we launch you out into the world with a mission to do good, endowed with the necessary expertise,” Kirschling said to the graduates in closing. “Make no mistake, you hold our future in your hands.” # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Harnessing lessons learned during the pandemic. Maximizing demonstrated resiliency. Expanding the capacity for pivoting and innovation. Continuing to align with the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s (UMB) mission of improving the human condition. All are areas of focus as the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) celebrates the past year and looks forward to the year ahead, said Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the School of Nursing, as she delivered her 2022 State of the School address in Baltimore on April 28. Speaking to an audience of UMB leadership; UMSON faculty, staff, and students; and invited guests, Kirschling outlined highlights in the areas of education, faculty research and scholarship, collaboration, and community engagement. She noted that in 2021, UMB began work on a new strategic plan that will be in place until June 30, 2026. This new UMB plan, completed and released in late 2021, informs and guides the individual strategic plans developed by each of the seven schools and the major administrative units of the University. “This planning process is a reminder of the ways in which we are one University — and how the mission, vision, and, goals that we share as a University inform and guide our work as the School of Nursing,” she said. “As I prepared for this presentation and thought about the content of the videos that you will see during the course of my remarks, I was struck once again by how much our work as a School reflects the overarching mission of our University — to improve the human condition and serve the public good of Maryland and society at large through education, research, clinical care, and service. As you listen today, I am sure you will have a strong sense of how our shared purpose and commitment, and the core values that we hold in common, shape our individual and collective efforts.” Read More  

Baltimore, Md. – Three University of Maryland School of Nursing faculty members have received Academic Nurse Educator Certification (ANEC) Awards from the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) through the Nurse Support Program (NSP) II. The faculty were each awarded the maximum amount of $5,000 for demonstrating excellence as an academic nurse educator through achieving the National League for Nursing’s Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) credential either through initial certification or recertification. The faculty are: Ron J. Piscotty Jr., PhD, RN-BC, CNE, FAMIA, assistant professor Pam L. Shumate, DNP ’09, RN, CCRN, CNE, CHSE, assistant professor Nicole E. Smith, PhD, MS ’14, RN, CNE, CHSE, CNE-cl, assistant professor “We are truly grateful for the generous support provided to nurse faculty through the Academic Nurse Educator Certification Awards and for the efforts of the Maryland Higher Education Commission to make this available to faculty,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “The CNE credential is an important indicator of the commitment of these three faculty members to excellence in teaching, and I congratulate each of them on their accomplishment. Through their efforts, they are ensuring that our students, the next generation of nurses, will be well prepared to meet the needs of Maryland’s residents.” The CNE credential establishes nursing education as a specialty area of practice and creates a means for faculty to demonstrate their expertise in this role. It communicates to students, peers, and the academic and health care communities that the highest standards of excellence are being met. By becoming credentialed as a CNE, faculty serve as leaders and role models. Developed under the NSP II program, which is funded by the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by MHEC, the ANEC award program recognizes professionalism in support of ongoing faculty development requirements necessary to maintain the CNE credential. The award is intended to reinforce the use of the CNE as one measurement of excellence in nursing programs and to support retention of outstanding academic educators. The award funds may be used to supplement the awardee’s salary; to pay for activities for professional development, including conference fees, travel, and expenses for speaking engagements; to pay professional dues, CNE examination fees, and continuing education expenses; or to assist with graduate education expenses, such as loan repayment. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) Veronica P.S. Njie-Carr, PhD, RN, ACNS-BC, FWACN, associate professor, has been awarded more than $1.18 million from the Fogarty International Center of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the five-year project “Strengthening Capacity in Health Research Ethics and Methodology in The Gambia.” Njie-Carr will work with collaborators in The Gambia and will serve as co-principal investigator with Henry Silverman, MD, MA, professor, University of Maryland School of Medicine, and Jainaba Sey-Sawo, PhD, University of The Gambia (UTG). The principal investigators are also working with co-investigators Thomas Senghore, PhD, UTG, and Effua Usuf, MD, PhD, Medical Research Council, Gambia Unit (MRCG). Transformational changes in The Gambia have stimulated growth in several sectors with opportunities to implement and conduct research in academic, research, and health care institutions. As such, a need has emerged for ethics review committees to enhance research ethics and research methods capacity. Through their project, the co-PIs will collaborate with faculty from UTG and MRCG to extend the efforts of the University of Maryland, Baltimore President’s Global Impact Fund (PGIF) to develop a Research Ethics and Methods Certificate Program in The Gambia as a foundation for subsequent expansion to a master’s program. The UMB PGIF seed grant supported the beginning work on capacity development efforts in The Gambia. The Fogarty Award will fund tuition and fees for trainees in the certificate and master’s programs in addition to professional development activities and formal mentoring. The Fogarty Award investigators will serve as faculty, educating others to ensure sustainability by Gambian expertise and leadership. “It is wonderful to see Dr. Njie-Carr’s excellence and hard work recognized with such an important award,” said Erika Friedmann, PhD, professor and associate dean for research, UMSON. “She was one of the first recipients of the School of Nursing’s Dean’s Research Scholars Award. Her work demonstrates the School’s contribution to the global health impact characterized in the University’s strategic plan. This award highlights UMSON’s contribution to enhancing health care and research capacity in communities worldwide with bidirectional transfer of best practices.”  Njie-Carr, a member of the Gambian diaspora, is committed to strengthening academic nurse and clinical nurse leadership capacity and preparing the next generation of academic leaders through collaborative initiatives that engage UTG nursing faculty. She teaches, mentors, and supervises academic faculty, nurse leaders, and graduate nursing students in the Department of Nursing at the UTG, where she serves as a consultant on curricula and research-related activities. Njie-Carr’s interest in supporting the next generation of academic scholars led to her work in building capacity in low- to middle-income countries, where she has a strong track record of developing, implementing, and evaluating education and research programs.  “We are thrilled to receive the Fogarty Grant Award and look forward to the implementation work ahead,” Njie-Carr said. “Gambian health professionals and academics will undoubtedly benefit from the Fogarty Award as the country strengthens its research enterprise and capacity development efforts.” # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has appointed Nicole “Jennifer” J. Klinedinst, PhD, MPH, RN, FAHA, associate professor, as the co-director of the Biology and Behavior Across the Lifespan (BBAL) Organized Research Center and Michael Lepore, PhD, professor, as co-director of the Center for Health Equity and Outcomes Research (CHEOR). Both BBAL and CHEOR are among UMSON’s research Centers of Excellence. The centers’ extramurally funded investigators study a variety of critical health problems, including chronic pain, impulsivity and drug abuse, neuromuscular disorders, sleep, web-based interventions, health care organizational issues, and bone health. The centers provide critical grounds for developing synergies between researchers and facilitate collaboration and transfer of expertise between more seasoned researchers and those with less experience. They also offer research-related training opportunities, inform members about each other’s research, and provide resources to support researchers with frequent updates about research best practices, grant opportunities, and changes in policies and procedures for grant applications. Membership in the centers is open to faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows, and students. The center co-directors provide critical and frequent input that determines strategic goals, priorities in hiring research-intensive faculty, focus of internal funding opportunities, evaluation of grant proposals, and collaboration with the University of Maryland Medical System, among others. Klinedinst, a member of BBAL since its inception in 2011, will serve alongside co-director Barbara Resnick, PhD, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, University of Maryland, Baltimore Distinguished Professor; UMSON professor; and Sonya Ziporkin Gershowitz Chair in Gerontology. BBAL investigates the management of disease, the optimization of health, and the ways in which biological findings can influence disease prevalence and progression. As co-director, Klinedinst will help coordinate speakers of interest to the group, review and award research facilitation grants, and keep BBAL members abreast of changes to research policy and upcoming grant calls for proposals. In addition, she will provide feedback on abstracts, grants, or papers to center members.   Klinedinst has been a research-intensive faculty member at UMSON since 2011. As an associate professor, she studies how various omics (genetics, genomics, inflammatory markers, bioenergetics, proteomics, and the microbiome) and psychosocial variables influence symptoms such as pain, fatigue, resilience or depression, and health outcomes such as sepsis in adults with chronic disease. She is currently working on the interdisciplinary study “Genomics, Microbiomics, and Bioenergetics Based Personalized Treatment for Trauma Patients at Risk for Sepsis,” funded by the Department of Defense. This study seeks to identify patients with severe traumatic brain injury who are at most risk for developing organ failure or sepsis with the goal of early initiation of personalized preventative measures and treatments. In addition, her non-omics-based research examines bringing meaningful activity to cognitively impaired residents in assisted living settings through personalized volunteer activities. In UMSON’s PhD program, she teaches Nursing Theory and Research Design, mentors PhD students, and has served as chair of the PhD Curriculum Committee. Lepore will serve alongside CHEOR co-director Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD, CRNP-Neonatal, FNAP, FAAN, associate professor and chair of the Department of Partnerships, Professional Education, and Practice. CHEOR aims to improve health outcomes and eliminate health inequities by generating knowledge about complex causal influences that affect them; by addressing institutional systems and structures that impede health equity and outcomes, including racism and social determinants of health; and by creating social impact through changes in policy and in clinical and community practice. As co-director, Lepore will encourage diversity, equity, and inclusion in the culture and practice of research; help coordinate interdisciplinary and multiprincipal investigator research proposals, center proposals, and training grants; and help evaluate preproposals. In addition, he will advance CHEOR’s infrastructure development and communications with stakeholders and provide members with direct research engagement opportunities in the field of geriatrics and dementia care. Lepore joined UMSON earlier this year with over 20 years of experience in long-term care and dementia care research and capacity development. Building on his hands-on care work experience, PhD education in sociology, and postdoctoral work in health services research, Lepore’s scholarship emphasizes the value of care work, including the impacts of care work practices on clinical outcomes and of health and social policy — such as minimum wage law — on the value of care work. His research addresses long-term care policy and practice in the United States and internationally, with work funded by a mix of philanthropic foundations and government agencies. “The new directors are experienced researchers who will foster collaboration and inspire fledgling researchers,” said Erika Friedmann, PhD, professor and associate dean for research “Their expertise complements that of their respective co-directors. Klinedinst and Lepore have a history of collaborating with other disciplines. I expect they will bring their positive energy and drive to enhance opportunities for UMSON researchers.” # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has named Susan L. Bindon, DNP ’11, MS ’96, RN, NPD-BC, CNE, CNEcl, associate professor and associate dean for faculty development, as the director of the Institute for Educators and of the post-master’s Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions Certificate. As the institute’s director, Bindon will guide faculty development efforts at UMSON and statewide. The institute serves a dual mission of preparing nurses for teaching roles in Maryland’s academic and practice settings and providing ongoing professional development for faculty and nurse educators in clinical settings. As the program director for the teaching certificate, Bindon will work with the institute’s team to address expanding nurse educator roles and to attract and recruit future nurse educators. “Having been a part of the Institute for the past 10 years, I’m especially proud now to lead the team in its next phase of growth and influence,” Bindon said. “I see the Institute as a vital part of UMSON as we strive to support our faculty’s teaching excellence and as a partner for our teaching colleagues at the University and around the state.” Bindon joined UMSON in 2011 as an assistant professor. In 2018, she became the director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Post-Master’s option, in 2019 she was promoted to associate professor, and in 2021 was named the associate dean for faculty development. She also maintains a faculty practice in nursing professional development at the University of Maryland Medical Center and manages a statewide Nurse Support Program II grant, funded through the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, focused on developing clinical nursing faculty throughout Maryland. “Dr. Bindon brings exceptional expertise in teaching innovation and the application of best practices for learning in academic and clinical settings,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “The Institute for Educators has a truly distinguished legacy as a vital resource for fostering teaching excellence. Dr. Bindon builds on the extraordinary leadership of Dr. Louise Jenkins by continuing and expanding the institute’s support for faculty within the School of Nursing and for academic and clinical nurse educators throughout the state and nationally. At a time when so many seasoned nursing faculty are reaching retirement age, it is critically important that we prepare the next generation of nurse educators who will in turn teach a new generation of nursing students. Dr. Bindon is superbly well qualified for this task.” Bindon succeeds the institute’s founding director, Louise Jenkins, PhD ’85, MS ’81, RN, FAHA, ANEF, Distinguished University Professor, who will continue as a faculty member. Since its inception in 2004, Jenkins led the institute’s evolution into a statewide, national, and international resource for best practices in nursing education. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has named Eun-Shim Nahm, PhD '03, RN, FAAN, FGSA, professor, as associate dean for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program. UMSON’s PhD program prepares students as researchers and scholars to generate new knowledge and tackle some of the greatest issues facing health care, such as aging populations, pain and symptom management, and women’s health and birth outcomes. Nahm will be responsible for ensuring that graduates of the PhD program are well prepared to engage in research and scholarship that enhance and influence health care and spark new approaches to scientific questions. She will oversee the recruitment, retention, and advancement of doctoral students; develop and implement new initiatives to advance their research capacity; and facilitate interprofessional interactions and learning. Nahm joined UMSON in 2003 as an assistant professor and was subsequently promoted to associate professor and then professor. Beginning in 2010, she served as the director of the Nursing Informatics master’s specialty, and from 2012 until April of this year, she served as co-director of the Biology and Behavior Across the Lifespan Organized Research Center. “I am extremely pleased that Dr. Nahm has accepted the appointment to the position of associate dean for the PhD Program,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “She brings a distinguished record of service to the School and to the University of Maryland, Baltimore and is highly regarded as a researcher, teacher, and mentor. The School has a rich legacy of developing nurse researchers, and our doctoral program was one of very few nursing PhD programs when it launched in 1970. It has continually evolved and today is the most diverse R1 or R1-equivalent nursing PhD program in the United States. I am confident that given Dr. Nahm’s deep commitment to doctoral education and to nursing research and scholarship that she will ably guide the future development of our program.” Nahm has a distinguished career in nursing informatics science, with a particular focus on maximizing its use to support and promote the health of older adults and to apply information systems science to improve care coordination across health care levels through academic-clinical partnerships. Her scholarly contributions have included the development of digital health programs and dataset infrastructures necessary to evaluate patient outcomes following patient care interventions at both the individual and population levels. Her research has received support from the National Institutes of Health, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the Food and Drug Administration. Most recently, she received funding for “Care Coordination Education-to-Practice Scale-Up Implementation” from the Nurse Support Program II, funded by the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Nahm’s research has been published in more than 70 peer-reviewed articles and disseminated in more than 80 peer-reviewed presentations. She is a leader in the design of nursing informatics curricula, frequently presents at national and international meetings, and has been responsible for the professional development of hundreds of nurse informaticians and for ensuring the preparation of informatics nurses for leadership in academic and clinical settings. She is an exemplary mentor to junior faculty and doctoral students and has served as an advisor or dissertation chair, co-chair, or committee member to dozens of doctoral students. At the University level, Nahm serves as associate director of the Nursing Informatics Core for the Institute for Clinical Translational Research. She is a member of the University of Maryland, Baltimore graduate faculty and is a faculty associate in the joint doctoral program in gerontology for the University of Maryland, Baltimore and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She also serves as a member of the interdisciplinary group that develops the School of Nursing’s annual Summer Institute in Nursing Informatics, which has garnered a national and international audience for more than 30 years. Nahm received her PhD from UMSON in 2003 and her Master of Science Clinical Nurse Specialist Certificate in Adult Health Nursing from the University of Hawaii. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the Ewha Womans University in Seoul, South Korea. She served in a clinical capacity for a decade in Honolulu and as a certified clinical specialist in gerontological nursing at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center from 1995 - 98. Nahm succeeds Kirsten Corazzini, PhD, FGSA, who was named dean of the College of Health and Human Services at the University of New Hampshire in March 2022. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has appointed Patricia “Pat” Schaefer, DNP, RN, CNE-cl, CHSE, CNE, clinical instructor, as the new director of the Clinical Simulation Labs at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG). As director, Schaefer is responsible for the oversight of simulation strategic planning, facilitation, and evaluation and management of simulation resources in the USG Clinical Simulation Labs. Schaefer provides leadership to expand the use of simulation pedagogy in the preparation of future nurses for clinical practice. She also serves on planning workgroups for the current USG building renovation, which will provide a significant expansion of the existing eight lab and simulation spaces. The renovations will result in a dedicated nursing building at the USG location to support the growth of the entry Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Family Nurse Practitioner specialty. Ensuring students gain essential experiences in simulated environments is critical to preparing a skilled nursing workforce and to improving health care outcomes. Simulated experiences in UMSON’s labs allow students to learn and demonstrate mastery of knowledge, skills, and abilities in authentic professional situations while under supervision. These experiences build competency and confidence, clinical skills, and decision-making abilities without the potential for compromising patient safety. They allow students to experience rare and critical events that they may never see during their nursing education but may very well experience in their careers as nurse clinicians. Simulation also plays an important role in allowing seasoned practitioners, such as DNP students, to develop new skills and expand their abilities. “Simulation is integral to nursing education,” said Jana Goodwin, PhD, RN, assistant professor and chair, UMSON program at USG. “We are pleased to have Dr. Schaefer in this role, leading simulation at UMSON at USG as we continue to be innovative and transition to the next era of simulation education.” Schaefer first developed an interest in simulation when she began working at UMSON as an adjunct clinical instructor for nursing fundamental students in 2017. She joined the simulation team at USG full time in 2019 as a clinical instructor. She’s received specialized training in simulation through the Penn State College of Medicine’s Teaching with Simulation certificate program and has completed the Simulation Train the Trainer Program through the Maryland Clinical Simulation Resource Consortium.  Schaefer began her career as an officer in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps. Her clinical background is in critical care and primary care of underserved populations. She received her master’s degree in nursing from the University of Colorado and completed her DNP at Regis College in Massachusetts. Schaefer is a Certified Simulation Healthcare Educator through the Society for Simulation in Healthcare and a Certified Academic Clinical Nurse Educator through the National League for Nursing.  # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. - The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) recognized Barbara Resnick, PhD ’96, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, University of Maryland School of Nursing professor; Sonya Ziporkin Gershowitz Chair in Gerontology; and co-director, Biology and Behavior Across the Lifespan Organized Research Center, with the designation of Distinguished University Professor in May 2022. She is one of seven UMB faculty members recognized this year. The title of Distinguished University Professor is the highest appointment bestowed on a faculty member at UMB. It is a recognition not just of excellence, but also of impact and significant contribution to the nominee’s field, knowledge, profession, and/or practice. Those recognized with the title have been recognized nationally and internationally for the importance of their scholarly achievements; have a demonstrated breadth of interest through their excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service; and have brought distinction to UMB as a result of those activities. “Dr. Resnick’s contributions to the multiple missions of the University are substantive and ongoing,” said Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “She is a prolific and highly regarded researcher, whose innovative work has been continually funded by the National Institutes of Health and others, broadly disseminated, and has influenced practice and policy. Through her research and scholarship, teaching and mentoring, and service, she has brought national and international recognition and true distinction to the University.” Resnick, who joined UMB in the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Department of Family Medicine in 1988 before transferring to UMSON in 1996, developed and directed the School’s master’s-level geriatric nurse practitioner program from 1991 - 2008 and its successor Doctor of Nursing Practice Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner specialty until 2019. She continues to teach and mentor students. She also maintains an active practice as a certified gerontological nurse practitioner. Resnick is nationally and internationally recognized for her research and scholarship, which focuses on the care of older adults with regard to optimizing health, function, and physical activity; exploring the impact of resilience and genetics on function and physical activity; and testing dissemination and implementation of interventions in real-world settings, including nursing home and assisted living facilities. Her research is of tremendous significance nationally and internationally because the interventions she has developed prevent functional decline, improve quality of life, and substantially lower the costs of care for vulnerable older adults. More recently, she has extended her work to assess the potential impact of function-focused care on individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. This research has been consistently funded, including by the National Institute on Aging, the National Institute for Nursing Research, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the John A. Hartford Foundation, and the Leonard and Helen R. Stulman Foundation, among others. She is currently the principal investigator or multiple principal investigator (MPI) on three RO1 grants from the National Institutes of Health and an RO1 supplement. She is an MPI on a P30 grant from the National Institute on Nursing Research. Resnick’s research findings have guided revision of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) quality indicators related to activities of daily living and changes in resident function. She regularly heads Technical Expert Panels and advisory groups that set the standards for practice. She recently served on the CMS Expert Review Panel for the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Review Group and is a member of the CMS Medication Therapy Management Program Standardized Format Expert Panel on Reduction in Antipsychotic Use. Resnick has disseminated her work widely and has a significant record of publications, with more than 380 refereed publications in high-impact nursing, medical, and interdisciplinary journals relevant to geriatrics and behavior change. She has also authored more than 55 book chapters in nursing and medical textbooks and has served as editor or co-editor of 11 books. She has more than 200 refereed presentations at scholarly meetings and numerous invited presentations. Her mentorship of others is unwavering and impressive and was recognized in 2015 with her receipt of the University of Maryland Board of Regents Award for Mentoring. She has actively supported numerous PhD students in nursing, social work, and gerontology who secured funding for their dissertation research, with a total of 25 funded mentees. She has served on 48 PhD dissertation committees. She has also served as the editor of Geriatric Nursing since 2005 and the associate editor of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society since 2016. She has also served in successive leadership roles for the foremost national organizations focused on gerontology, including as president of the American Geriatrics Society, for which she was the first nurse to lead the organization, and as president of the Gerontological Society of America. She has been recognized by her peers with numerous prestigious national awards that underscore the significance of her work. Most recently, she received the 2021 William Dodd Founder’s Award from the AMDA-Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care; she was the first non-physician to be recognized with the award. Also in 2021, she was recognized by the Friends of the National Institute for Nursing Research with its most significant honor, the Ada Sue Hinshaw Award, given to an individual “with a sustained and substantive program of science that would afford her/him recognition as a prominent senior scientist.” Resnick has been further recognized by her peers through her induction as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, a Fellow of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, and a Fellow in the Gerontological Society of America. She was internationally recognized with her 2015 induction into the International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame by Sigma, the international honor society of nursing. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has appointed Hannah Murphy Buc, MSN, RN, CNE, clinical instructor, as director of its entry Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. She succeeds Jana Goodwin, PhD, RN, assistant professor, who has been appointed chair of the UMSON program at the Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville, Maryland. As program director, Murphy Buc will work with faculty, staff, students, and community and clinical partners to continue developing and implementing a revised BSN curriculum based on the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s new Essentials, which provides a framework for incorporating competency-based education for practice-ready graduates. UMSON is a national leader in implementing the revised curriculum, which begins this fall. Murphy Buc will also identify priorities and guide the program’s faculty development, student inclusion and success, and partnerships with community stakeholders to continue creating meaningful and engaging opportunities for students that also contribute to improving health care quality, equity, and outcomes for individuals, families, and communities.  UMSON’s entry BSN program is ranked No. 10 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and is the top-ranked BSN program in Maryland. The program prepares students to excel in nursing careers across a broad spectrum of acute, chronic, and community-based settings. National data indicates that employers increasingly prefer and, in some cases, require, a baccalaureate degree. “Professor Murphy Buc brings great expertise in both clinical and classroom pedagogies, as well as a deep commitment to our School values of diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said Maeve Howett, PhD, APRN, CPNP-PC, CNE, professor and associate dean for the baccalaureate program. “Her work in restorative and social justice brings an important approach to our admissions, progression, curriculum, and student outcomes. As we launch our new curriculum, she has some wonderful ideas about improving the student experience and capitalizing on our momentum to lead nursing education.” Murphy Buc joined UMSON in 2018 and has served as a course coordinator in the BSN program and as the coordinator for the Restorative Justice Program in UMSON’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. She earned a Master of Science in Nursing as an adult health clinical nurse specialist (with a palliative care specialty) and a post-master’s Certificate in Nursing Education from the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Clayton State University in Georgia and a Bachelor of Arts in Integrative Studies from Guilford College in North Carolina. Murphy Buc has successfully defended her PhD proposal and is in candidacy at The Catholic University of America Conway School of Nursing in Washington, D.C. She is a Certified Nurse Educator with the National League for Nursing and a Simulation Education Leader III through the Maryland Clinical Simulation Resource. She also holds Trainer Certification from the End-of-life Nursing Education Consortium. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.  

On June 2, the inaugural recipients of the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s (UMB) President’s Global Impact Fund (PGIF) gathered virtually to provide an update on their projects. PGIF is a $250,000 initiative providing support for 11 projects that aim to develop cross-campus and international collaborations to enhance UMB’s global engagement and reach (see list of projects below). The fund was launched after the 2019 UMB Global Health Summit, which brought researchers, practitioners, and interprofessional teams to campus to highlight the University’s commitment to improving the human condition through collaborative health and human services. Each group gave a presentation on the progress of their projects, which are now two years in the making. Read More

While nursing workforce issues nationwide, and especially in Maryland with its high density of health care organizations, have existed since long before 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic amplified the challenges, and demand for nurses has reached a fever pitch as the United States scrambles to fill vacancies. The 2022 Maryland Action Coalition (MDAC) Virtual Leadership Summit, hosted by the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) on May 23, took a deep dive into workforce challenges and opportunities with its theme “Optimizing Maryland’s Nursing Workforce.”  The content, offered through a full day of live virtual programming to about 150 attendees, focused on cultivating a diverse and skilled workforce, preparing nursing students to meet future health care needs, and exploring strategies for retention. Special emphasis was placed on the importance of addressing the social determinants of health, a key concept undergirding the National Academy of Medicine’s The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity, a report that outlines a goal of achieving health equity in the United States over the next decade, based on strengthened nursing capacity and expertise. It builds on the foundation set by the 2010 report The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. MDAC was formed in 2011 in response to that report and serves as the driving force transforming health care through nursing in the state. Recognizing the important work already underway in Maryland and with a goal of long-term sustainable change, the coalition leads the way to improve the health of the population. “Some of the key themes of The Future of Nursing 2020-2030 report include the need to address social determinants of health, reduce health disparities, and address inequities in our health system,” Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, said in her opening remarks. Kirschling serves as co-chair of MDAC with Patricia Travis, PhD, RN, CCRP, senior associate director of clinical trials at Johns Hopkins Medicine. “These are not new challenges but were certainly brought into sharper focus as a result of the disparate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on selected populations,” Kirschling added. “Another outcome of the pandemic has been the significant toll it’s taken on nurses and other health care providers throughout the country, particularly the level of moral distress and burnout experienced by nurses on the front lines of care delivery.” Read More

Innovation underscored every aspect of this year’s 31st annual Summer Institute in Nursing Informatics (SINI), hosted entirely virtually for the second consecutive year on July 14 - 15 by the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON). The conference, themed “Embracing Health Care Complexity Through Informatics Innovations,” welcomed nearly 150 participants worldwide for a two-day schedule full of keynote presentations and three tracks of health care informatics information focused on Patient Care Management, Precision Medicine, and Informatics Education. Poster presentations; a fireside chat about informatics platforms; and Application Alley, a spotlight on health care app design, rounded out the agenda. Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, welcomed attendees and thanked Barb Van de Castle, DNP ’14, ACNS, OCN, RN-BC, UMSON assistant professor, and Charlotte Seckman, PhD, RN-BC, FAAN, retired UMSON associate professor, who served as co-chairs of this year’s event, in addition to the other 14 members of the planning committee. “This is a noteworthy year,” Kirschling said. “It is our second completely virtual conference and although last year’s virtual institute was precipitated by the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic, the benefits of being virtual quickly became clear. One of the most significant was the ability to more easily engage colleagues from around the United States and internationally.” She also made mention of a uniquely 2022 phenomenon, adding: “I must say, as we look at the state of air travel this summer, I think we can be doubly appreciative of this virtual format.” Read More

The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON)’s Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD '11, MS '05, BSN '04, CRNP-Neonatal, FNAP, FAAN, associate professor; chair, Department of Partnerships, Professional Education, and Practice; and co-director, Center for Health Equity and Outcomes Research, has been awarded a $2.4M Pathways to Health Equity grant by the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission (CHRC) for a project that will address disparities in hypertension and social isolation in West Baltimore. The project takes the form of the West Baltimore Reducing Isolation and Inequities in Cardiovascular Health (RICH) Collaborative, which seeks to achieve collective medical and social impact by bringing partner organizations together to advance common interventions for improving hypertension outcomes and social isolation. UMSON is one of nine CHRC Pathways to Health Equity award grantees, which together will be investing a total of $13.5 million in new resources in underserved communities across the state. The grant-funded projects will address health disparities, expand access to health services, and improve health outcomes with funding made available under the Maryland Health Equity Resource Act of 2021. “I am excited about the West Baltimore RICH Collaborative because it seeks to break down fragmentations and silos in social and medical care to advance health equity,” said Ogbolu. Ogbolu is the principal investigator on this grant, joined by co-investigators Shannon K. Idzik, DNP '10, MS '03, CRNP, FAANP, FAAN, UMSON associate professor and associate dean for the Doctor of Nursing Practice program; Kelly Doran, PhD '11, MS '08, RN, UMSON associate professor; and Charles C. Hong, MD, PhD, the Dr. Melvin Sharoky Professor of Medicine, director of cardiology research, and co-chief of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Read More

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has appointed Jennifer A. Schum, PhD, as associate dean for student and academic services. In this role, Schum is responsible for ensuring the effective delivery of a range of services, including admissions, student success support, career development, financial planning, registrar services, and enrollment management. She oversees the Office of Student and Academic Services, which encompasses the Office of Admissions and Student Scholarships, the Office of Academic and Career Services, and the Office of the Registrar and Student Placements. Schum joins UMSON from Hood College in Frederick, Maryland, where she served as dean of student success. Hood College is a coeducational, independent, liberal arts college with more than 2,000 students, 39% of whom self-identify as members of underrepresented racial or ethnic populations. In that role, Schum provided leadership for academic support, student success initiatives, and faculty advising and oversaw campuswide retention initiatives. Prior to her tenure at Hood College, Schum served as associate dean and then interim dean of University College at North Carolina Central University, a historically Black university, where she led an academic advisory and testing center with a staff of 25. Earlier in her career, she was associate director, academic and career planning at Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she led a conditional admissions program for adult women and led faculty advisor development efforts. Schum began her higher education career as an academic advisor at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky. Prior to her work in higher education, she provided rehabilitation counseling for persons with brain injuries in inpatient, outpatient, and community programs. “I am confident that Dr. Schum will an asset to the School of Nursing, building on our commitment to providing an excellent array of services to our students from admissions through graduation and ongoing career development,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “Dr. Shum brings considerable expertise in managing the complex operations required to support a large and diverse student population across degree programs. She will also foster continued innovation as we respond to the ever-changing needs of our students and support the next generation of nursing professionals.” Schum earned master’s and doctoral degrees in counseling and personnel services – college student personnel from the University of Louisville; a master’s in clinical psychology from Spalding University, also in Louisville; and her BS in Psychology from James Madison University in Virginia. She is active in several national and regional conferences and professional associations, including having served on the American College Personnel Association’s Directorate for the Commission for Academic Support in Higher Education and on the Small Colleges and Universities Steering Committee of the National Academic Advising Association. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – Carla Storr, ScD, MPH, has been appointed professor emerita by University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS. Storr served as a faculty member at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) for 13 years. She retired in September 2021. Emeritus status may be awarded to a retired faculty member who has made significant and extraordinary contributions through excellent teaching, scholarship, or service; such designations must be approved by the UMB president. Upon joining UMSON in 2008, Storr was appointed as a tenured professor and member of the UMB graduate faculty. She previously served as an associate scientist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. From 2015 until her retirement, she served as the co-director of the Center for Health Outcomes Research (now the Center for Health Equity Outcomes Research), recognized by UMB as an organized research Center of Excellence. “We congratulate Dr. Storr on this prestigious and well-deserved honor,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “She served the School and University for more than 13 years in an exemplary manner across the multiple missions of research, teaching, and service. As an educator and mentor to students, Dr. Storr truly excelled. She taught countless students in nursing, public health, and statistics courses. Her contributions to the PhD program are most impressive; she chaired 18 dissertation committees, served as a member of 60 PhD dissertation committees, and was the chair or member on over 60 PhD Comprehensive Committees. Through her gift for mentorship, she has shaped the next generation of nurse scientists. We are truly grateful for her legacy of service.” Storr has been recognized nationally and internationally as an expert in the field of epidemiology of substance use and mental health problems among vulnerable populations. She has considerable expertise in the areas of measurement, methods, and advanced statistics. Storr has disseminated her research and scholarship broadly through peer-reviewed publications and presentations at national and international conferences. She has authored nine books and 163 peer-reviewed articles, with 18 other articles under review or in progress, and more than 100 oral presentations, invited talks, and posters at scientific meetings. Storr has also served as a peer reviewer for numerous scientific journals, including as a proposal reviewer for the National Institute of Drug Abuse, the National Institutes of Health, and others. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has appointed Jana Goodwin, PhD, RN, CNE, assistant professor, chair of the UMSON program at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) in Rockville, Maryland. USG is one of UMSON’s two locations. As chair, Goodwin is responsible for the oversight and growth of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and Doctor of Nursing Practice Family Nurse Practitioner specialty, the two programs UMSON offers at USG, and will lead the UMSON faculty and staff at that location in achieving academic, scholarship, service, and practice strategic initiatives. Goodwin, who served as director of the entry Bachelor of Science in Nursing program for five years until she was appointed to the chair position on June 1, 2022, has been intensively engaged in growing that program. Since 2017, combined student enrollment at USG and in Baltimore has increased by 6.8% to more than 700 students. She collaborated with faculty and academic and programmatic leadership to manage curriculum development, student progression, program evaluation and quality improvement, policy development, and faculty mentorship. As an outgrowth of enrollment increase at USG, the School of Nursing is engaged in renovating a building dedicated solely to UMSON at USG, with an expected completion of spring 2023. The renovation of this space will allow for significant expansion of the simulation labs, create a student success suite, and provide an administrative suite. In January 2022, Goodwin also took on the role of interim associate dean for student and academic services, serving until the position was filled in May.Goodwin joined the University of Maryland School of Nursing in 2001 as a clinical instructor at USG, and in 2015, upon completion of her doctoral degree, she was appointed assistant professor. She brings to her new role a deep commitment to teaching and learning and great familiarity with the students, faculty, and programs at USG; her responsibilities have included clinical and didactic teaching and advising of students, as well as course development, implementation and evaluation, and curriculum revision. “For more than 20 years, UMSON at USG has educated the baccalaureate- and, more recently, doctorally prepared nursing workforce in Montgomery County and the western parts of the state,” Goodwin said. “Our culturally and linguistically diverse student body is representative of the community, which is vital, given that an educated and diverse nursing workforce improves patient outcomes. Our growth and expansion will afford us new opportunities to innovate in our teaching mission to build a prepared workforce and to collaborate with other USG programs and our community partners to improve health outcomes through research and interprofessional initiatives.” Goodwin has published with colleagues on teaching interprofessional practice skills to nursing, social work, and pharmacy students in primary health care centers. In addition, she has published and presented on topics including improving nursing student competence and confidence; the lived experience of non-English-speaking patients; cultural awareness; and bias, culture, and the social determinants of health. She is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University Nurse Leadership Academy and was selected as a fellow in the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s national Leadership in Academic Nursing Program. Most recently, Goodwin co-chaired the Maryland Organization of Nurse Leaders Inc./Maryland Nurse Residency Collaborative Transition to Nurse Residency Program Taskforce; the group’s work resulted in the development of a curriculum toolkit to assist in addressing the learning gaps in readiness to practice born out of the impact of COVID-19 experienced by new nursing graduates. “Dr. Goodwin is exceptionally well prepared for her new responsibilities,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “As a faculty member for more than two decades, she brings a deep commitment to teaching and learning and great familiarity with the students, faculty, and programs at USG. As the immediate past director of the School of Nursing’s BSN program, she demonstrated her capacity for leadership and management while overseeing more than 660 entry-level students in the upper-division baccalaureate program at the Universities at Shady Grove and in Baltimore.” Goodwin earned her PhD in Nursing Education from Villanova University in Pennsylvania and her Master of Science in Nursing and Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees from Temple University in Philadelphia. She succeeds Rebecca Wiseman, PhD, RN, who has served as the leader of the UMSON program at USG since 2009; Dr. Wiseman stepped down from her role as chair to return to teaching and her role as inaugural director of the Maryland Nursing Workforce Center, housed at UMSON. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.  

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has appointed Janet Armstead Wulf, DNP ’19, MS ’06, RN, CNL, CHPN, CNE, assistant professor, as director of its entry-into-nursing Master of Science in Nursing Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) option. Wulf will draw on her expertise in critical care nursing and hospice and palliative care nursing to oversee the CNL option, one of UMSON’s four Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) specialties. Her role includes guiding faculty, overseeing student admission and progression, and program recruitment and marketing. She will also focus on revising program curricula to align with new American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials. The Essentials provide a framework to deliver stronger skills-based education and prepare graduates to meet patient needs; UMSON is working toward rolling out the new advanced curriculum in 2024. Wulf will also focus on promoting the CNL option as a fulfilling pathway to entering nursing practice and preparing for nurse leadership roles. A CNL is a master’s-educated registered nurse who collaborates with health care providers to ensure effective, efficient care; improve patient outcomes; and lead health care teams. When AACN introduced the CNL role in 2003, it was the first new nursing role in nearly 40 years. Ranked No. 1 or 2 for the entire period U.S. News & World Report ranked such programs, the UMSON CNL option is for those driven to improve health care and patient outcomes. “Dr. Wulf brings insightful expertise to her role as the program director for the CNL option,” said Lori A. Edwards, DrPH, BSN ’80, RN, CNS-PCH, BC, assistant professor and interim associate dean for the MSN program. “As an alumna of both UMSON’s CNL and the Doctor of Nursing Practice programs, she clearly exemplifies the high-quality, visionary leadership skills that are the foundational core of the School of Nursing. Her clinical practice as a gerontologic nurse practitioner in palliative care will also be a valuable contribution to her leadership. She will lead this program into new and exciting directions, contributing to a bright future for nursing.” A member of the first cohort of UMSON CNL students when the program was introduced in 2006, Wulf later joined UMSON in 2013 as a clinical instructor in the School’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and the CNL option. She had previously served as an adjunct faculty member, teaching assessment and fundamentals skills labs as well as the CNL practicum course. Wulf later earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in UMSON’s Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner specialty. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Textiles and Design from UC Davis in California. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has renewed its partnership with the U.S. Peace Corps to participate in the Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) for an additional five years, after its launch of the program in 2017. It is the only school at the University of Maryland, Baltimore to offer the program. After serving in countries around the world, RPCVs can apply to UMSON and for the Coverdell Fellowship, which offers a scholarship equal to approximately 25% of the student’s tuition and fees. Each year, UMSON accepts one or two RPCVs as Fellows. These students bring their global expertise to communities and neighborhoods in Baltimore while studying at UMSON, which offers them an opportunity to apply their global expertise and unique perspectives to enter or advance in a career in nursing. Through service-learning experiences, they work to improve people’s lives in underserved communities, build upon the skills and expertise they developed during their Peace Corps service, and advance the Peace Corps’ third goal: bringing the world back home. “This program brings students with global experience to the School of Nursing and into or upward in the profession of nursing,” says UMSON Coverdell Fellows Program coordinator Lori A. Edwards, DrPH, BSN ’80, RN, CNS-PCH, BC, assistant professor and interim associate dean for the MSN program. “With a social justice perspective and skills in community partnerships, they work in collaboration with community agencies to address social determinants of health in Baltimore. All of this helps us, helps the students, and helps Baltimore.” At UMSON, fellows can earn an entry Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree or a Master of Science in Nursing degree in either the entry-into-nursing Clinical Nurse Leader option or the Community/Public Health Nursing specialty. Fellows can take advantage of specialized career mentoring from Edwards and other UMSON faculty who served in the Peace Corps. As part of their studies, Coverdell Fellows may enroll in elective courses offered through the University of Maryland, Baltimore Graduate School that focus on service learning and population health in Baltimore. To apply their Peace Corps experience locally, Fellows volunteer in a community agency in Baltimore during their nursing program. “Growing the career paths for nurses with Peace Corps service who have applied their expertise in Baltimore and into nursing makes the future of nursing very exciting,” Edwards adds. UMSON has supported five Coverdell Fellows since 2017. More than 5,000 RPCVs have participated in the Coverdell Fellows program since its inception in 1985 at the Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City. Today there are more than 120 university partners across the country. This renewed partnership makes UMSON one of only about a dozen nursing programs nationally that participate. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – In the newly released 2022 - 23 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” Best Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Programs, the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) BSN program ranked No. 9 in the nation, moving up one spot from last year’s ranking, the first time nursing schools offering baccalaureate degrees were included. UMSON tied with five other institutions for the No. 9 spot out of the 681 accredited nursing schools ranked. Among public schools of nursing, UMSON ranked No. 3 in the nation, tied with four other public institutions. UMSON’s BSN program continues to be the top-ranked such program in Maryland. UMSON’s BSN program encompasses an entry-into-nursing program and an RN-to-BSN program for already licensed practicing nurses. The program prepares students to excel in nursing careers across a broad spectrum of acute, chronic, and community-based settings. National data indicates that employers increasingly prefer and, in some cases, require, a baccalaureate degree. The School is among the first in the nation to launch an entirely revised BSN curriculum for incoming students this fall, in alignment with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s new Essentials. The new curriculum includes courses geared toward a new generation of learners, focused on personal wellness, palliative care, and public health. Additionally, two new clinical practice initiatives with the University of Maryland Medical System — the Practicum to Practice Partnership and the Academy of Clinical Essentials — will provide students expanded and advanced clinical opportunities. Before beginning studies at UMSON, students must complete two years of undergraduate education at another accredited college or university, to fulfill the necessary prerequisites. In addition to serving practicing nurses seeking a BSN degree, UMSON’s RN-to-BSN program boasts dual-admission partnerships with all 15 community colleges in Maryland that offer an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program, enabling a smooth transition for ADN students into UMSON’s BSN program. “It is extremely gratifying to be recognized as one of the top baccalaureate nursing programs in the nation,” said Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “We are proud to play an important role in efforts within Maryland and throughout the nation to increase the number of nurses. With the increasing complexity of care and the variety of settings in which it is delivered, our baccalaureate-educated nurses are extraordinarily well prepared to respond to the challenge. Given the current shortage of nursing personnel, we have been fortunate to be able to increase the number of students in both our entry-into-practice baccalaureate program and our RN-to-BSN program. These nurses will play a vital role in meeting the current and future needs of our health care system, serving individuals across the lifespan in our very diverse communities.” Rankings are determined by scores received from surveys of top academics and officials at nursing schools or departments at institutions nationwide that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. In addition, the institutions must be regionally accredited and have recently awarded at least 40 BSN degrees. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Two faculty members of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) have been awarded 2022-23 University System of Maryland (USM) Wilson H. Elkins Professorships, which supports professors and researchers who demonstrate exemplary ability to inspire students and whose professional work and scholarly endeavors make a positive impact at their institutions, across USM, and beyond. The professorships, awarded through Wilson H. Elkins Endowment funds, are intended to support compelling projects with a focus on research, scholarship, or community engagement that will allow each Elkins Professor to make an important contribution to the teaching, research, or public service mission of the institution and the entire USM. The UMB honorees are Barbara Resnick, PhD ’96, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, UMB Distinguished University Professor and professor, Sonya Ziporkin Gershowitz Chair in Gerontology, and founder and co-director of the Biology and Behavior Across the Lifespan Research Center of Excellence at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON); and Heather B. Congdon, PharmD, BCPS, CDE, FNAP, professor of practice, sciences, and health outcomes research, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, and co-director of UMB’s Center for Interprofessional Education. “The quality of research and commitment to educating our students is a consistent theme throughout our university system,” said USM Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Student Life Joann Boughman, PhD. “It is special to recognize these select faculty members with these prestigious awards in support of their work.” Candidates for the Elkins Professorship must possess a solid record of achievement in their academic or professional disciplines; demonstrate a desire and ability to lead and inspire undergraduate and graduate students; show significant achievement beyond their traditional disciplines; and demonstrate ability and intent to pursue scholarly or professional endeavors beyond USM. As an Elkins Professor, Resnick will advance the development of a replicable model for successfully implementing national guidelines on pain management in older individuals in long-term care facilities to improve assessment, diagnosis, and pain management among residents. She has received a $68,000 award. “We congratulate Dr. Resnick on this tremendous honor,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of UMSON. “Her nationally and internationally recognized research on the care of older adults has had major clinical significance, providing evidence of the importance of function-focused care in maintaining overall physical ability and decreasing behavioral symptoms. Her project as a Wilson H. Elkins Professor holds tremendous promise for informing clinical practice by improving pain management among older adults in long-term care settings. We are extremely proud of our nurse scientist colleague and deeply appreciate the University System of Maryland for supporting her scholarly work and that of others through the Elkins Professorship.” Read More

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has received the 2022 Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. This is the fifth consecutive year that UMSON has been named a HEED Award recipient. The HEED Award recognizes colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. UMSON will be featured, along with 64 other recipients, in the December 2022 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. “At the University of Maryland School of Nursing, our vision and goal have always been to distinguish ourselves not only as providing excellent nursing education but as being at the forefront of excellence in diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said Jeffrey Ash, EdD, assistant professor and associate dean for diversity and inclusion. “To that end, receiving this Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award for the fifth consecutive year, for half a decade straight, affirms our relentless pursuit of and commitment and unwavering dedication to maintaining and building upon that combined excellence. This is no less than critical in preparing the next generation of nursing leaders.” Health Professions HEED Award application is open to all accredited U.S. and Canadian health profession schools, including medical, dental, pharmacy, nursing, veterinary, and osteopathic medical schools. It is the only national award that honors individual institutions for being outstanding examples of schools that are committed to making diversity and inclusion a top priority across their campuses. The HEED Award’s rigorous application process recognizes an institution’s level of achievement and intensity of commitment in regard to broadening diversity and inclusion on campus through initiatives, programs, and outreach; student recruitment, retention, and completion; and hiring practices for faculty and staff. UMSON’s In UniSON anti-oppression position statement guides these daily efforts and interactions. Over the past year, UMSON has expanded its areas of innovation in support of diversity and inclusion, including professional development offerings focused on taking action against microaggressions and toward being an anti-oppression organization, a Pride Month recognition defined by seven workshops focused on LQBTQ topics, and a five-week Spanish language seminar to promote a more diverse and welcoming community in honor of Hispanic and Latin Heritage Month. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Under blue skies on a crisp fall day, state leaders, educators, researchers, and representatives from more than a dozen community organizations gathered Oct. 12 on the lawn of the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) for a ceremonial presentation of a $2.4 million check, kicking off a long-term grant to address health disparities in West Baltimore. “It’s really exciting to see everybody,” said the grant’s principal investigator Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, CRNP-Neonatal, FNAP, FAAN, welcoming the 50-plus attendees gathered to celebrate the launch of the West Baltimore RICH (Reducing Isolation and Inequities in Cardiovascular Health) Collaborative, funded by a Pathways for Health Equity Grant from the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission (CHRC). “I can't believe we've been working together for over 18 months. And many of us have never seen each other because of COVID.” The West Baltimore RICH Collaborative seeks to achieve positive health and social impact in the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s West Baltimore neighborhood by bringing partner organizations together to advance common interventions for improving hypertension outcomes and social isolation. The collaborative comprises community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, academic institutions, and health care organizations, all working together to address hypertension and social isolation in four ZIP codes in West Baltimore, selected due to substantial race-based disparities in the represented areas. Read More

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) Alison M. Trinkoff, ScD, MPH, RN, FAAN, professor, has been awarded $1.94 million over five years from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to fund the research project titled “EHR Usability and Usefulness, Perceived Missed Nursing Care, and Medication Errors in Critical Care.” Trinkoff is the principal investigator (PI) on the grant. She is joined by co-investigators Kyungsook Gartrell, PhD ’14, MS ’10, BSN ’05, RN, UMSON assistant professor, and Chixiang Chen, PhD, assistant professor, University of Maryland School of Medicine, in addition to multiple PI Ayse Gurses, PhD, MS, and other collaborators from Johns Hopkins and Vanderbilt universities. Nurses spend, on average, one-third of patient care time interacting with the electronic health record (EHR), according to Higgins, et al., a 2017 study published in the Journal of Nursing Care Quality. Other studies, including results from an international survey, assert that over 90% of nurses are dissatisfied with inpatient EHR use, burden, and time demands and have concerns about the impact of EHR on patient care quality and safety. Few studies examine the impact of EHR usage on nurses. Those that have done so typically examine a single aspect of EHR usability or usefulness, and only a small number link nurse EHR usage to patient safety and quality outcomes. EHR burden and usability concerns along with high workloads, magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic, have led to higher dissatisfaction, turnover intentions, burnout, and more. Trinkoff and team seek to examine EHR usability and usefulness comprehensively and the systems’ impact on nurse-perceived patient safety, while accounting for various dimensions of nursing workload and clinical nursing workflow. The study will identify safeguards to prevent future errors, for three key EHR-supported clinical nursing workflow processes in critical care: medication administration post-op admissions patient discharges/transfers/disposition from critical care. Data will be gathered at three hospital systems: University of Maryland Medical System Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. This study, which addresses AHRQ priorities by identifying potential “root causes of threats to patient safety,” will reveal the importance of the human factors approach in designing or implementing EHRs (and other health information technologies). Collecting and amplifying nurses’ voices on EHR usability and usefulness will contribute to strategies for lowering nurses’ EHR burden and ultimately improve care by including nurses as stakeholders. As a nurse and an epidemiologist, Trinkoff has been conducting research for almost 30 years. She focuses on improving the health of nurses and patients, including patient care outcomes in relation to nursing work environments (e.g., staffing, work schedules, job demands, nursing care processes, etc.) and nurse well-being, including intention to leave, job satisfaction, and turnover in acute and long-term care settings. “Nurses have traditionally provided limited input into EHR design, though they are the heaviest users of these systems,” Trinkoff says, and we need to know more about how the usability and usefulness of EHR affects patient safety. Through this critical research,” she adds, “we will relate EHR usability/usefulness to nurse-perceived patient safety and examine nurses’ care processes to inform future design of interventions.” # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD, CRNP-Neonatal, FNAP, FAAN, spent 20 years working as a neonatal nurse practitioner, caring for premature babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). But rather than merely treating these fragile infants, she decided to find out why so many of them where there in the first place. “During these two decades, I became increasingly interested in understanding the root causes related to increased risk for premature death and illness for people of color, specifically for babies in the NICU,” said Ogbolu, associate professor and chair of the Department of Partnerships, Professional Education, and Practice at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON). “When I returned to UMB for my doctoral studies, it deepened my understanding and knowledge related to social justice, health equity, and the social determinants of health. “While I loved looking in the eyes of babies one at a time, I began to believe that a larger and more strategic approach to health inequities could save even more lives. Armed with this knowledge, I have dedicated my career to focusing on the root causes of poor health to improve the lives of families in marginalized communities.” Ogbolu didn’t limit her research to babies born prematurely in Baltimore, the city where she was born and raised. She looked at the issues from a global perspective as well. In addition to her research on health disparities in neonatal outcomes, her other funded projects have addressed cultural competency, social determinants of health, and community social isolation. Her international efforts have sought to improve nursing practice in low-resource communities including Nigeria and Rwanda. Trained in dissemination and implementation science at the National Institutes of Health, she has served as an expert consultant for the World Health Organization and others. Read More

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) proudly announces that Susan L. Bindon, DNP ’11, MS ’96, RN, NPD-BC, CNE, CNE-cl, FAAN, associate professor, associate dean for faculty development, and director, Institute for Educators and Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions Certificate; and Kelly Doran, PhD ’11, MS ’08, RN, FAAN, associate professor, have been inducted as 2022 Fellows of the American Academy of Nursing (AAN). They are joined by eight UMSON alumni among the 250 distinguished nurse leaders who compose this year’s cohort. They were all recognized for their contributions to health and health care at the academy’s annual Health Policy Conference, Oct. 27 - 29, in Washington, D.C. The UMSON alumni are: Bimbola Akintade, PhD ’11, MS ’05, MBA, MHA, BSN ’03, ACNP-BC, NEA-BC, FAAN Desiree Clement, DNP, MS ’03, BSN ’01, APRN, CNM, FNP-BC, FACNM, FAAN Stephan Davis, DNP, MHSA, BSN ’07, FACHE, FNAP, FAAN Marian Grant, DNP ’10, CRNP, ACBC-NP, ACHPN, FPCN Michelle Munroe, DNP, MS ’03, BSN ’92, FACNM Christine Pintz, PhD ’06, WHNP-BC, FNP-BC Ingrid Pretzer-Aboff, PhD ’07, RN, FCSA Kenneth Rempher, PhD ’05, MS ’99, MBA, RN, CENP Criteria for selection as an AAN Fellow includes evidence of significant contributions to nursing and health care and sponsorship by two current AAN Fellows. Applicants are reviewed by a panel of elected and appointed fellows, and selection is based, in part, on the extent the nominee’s nursing career has influenced health policies and the health and well-being of all. In her multiple roles at UMSON, Bindon drives the development of nurse educators’ skills across academic and practice settings. Her success in advancing nursing faculty’s leadership, scholarship, and service contributions prompted her appointment as the inaugural associate dean for faculty development. She leads a $1.1 million statewide grant-funded effort to develop clinical instructors, preparing nearly 450 clinical faculty from dozens of mid-Atlantic sites to date. She is a recognized national leader in nursing professional development and a steadfast advocate for the specialty. She is immediate past president of the Association for Nursing Professional Development and served five years as co-editor of the Journal for Nurses in Professional Development. Bindon won the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Excellence and Innovation in Teaching Award and shares her teaching expertise with generations of current and future nurse educators and leaders. She is dually certified in nursing professional development and as an academic nurse educator. She has published peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and presents widely on teaching strategies and learner engagement. Bindon earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from the University of Pittsburgh, and her Master of Science, graduate teaching certificate, and Doctor of Nursing Practice from UMSON. Doran has led multiple worksite wellness studies within long-term care facilities. These projects have demonstrated improvements in staff behavior and health outcomes as well as improvements at the organizational level, including increased worker productivity and spillover benefits to residents with staff serving as healthy role models, engaging residents in healthy behaviors. These programs can serve as an opportunity to help improve the health care worker shortage that was noted even before the COVID-19 pandemic.  Doran also serves as a co-investigator on federal, state, and local grants aiming to reduce health inequities. In her practice work, Doran has created models of care focusing on comprehensive wellness interventions, including health education, behavior change coaching, care coordination, increasing health literacy, and reducing barriers to care by addressing social determinants of health for vulnerable adults in West Baltimore. This novel model was recognized by AACN in 2016 with the Innovations in Professional Nursing Education Academic Health Center Award. Overall, Doran’s research and practice findings, disseminated via dozens of publications and presentations, have been cited over 425 times. She earned her Associate of Arts in Nursing from the Community College of Philadelphia, her BSN from Drexel University, and her Master of Science and PhD from UMSON.   "We congratulate Drs. Bindon and Doran on the honor of being named Fellows of the American Academy of Nursing,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the School of Nursing. “It is a tribute to their dedication and commitment to excellence. Dr. Bindon’s contributions to innovation and best practices in teaching and learning are exceptional; she has guided faculty in new approaches and prepared expert clinicians to become excellent teachers. Dr. Doran’s research and teaching are inextricably linked; she has advanced students’ understanding of the transformative role of community and public nursing while championing delivery of care to underserved and high-risk populations. We also congratulate our eight distinguished alumni for being nationally recognized for their leadership and many contributions to nursing research, education, and practice.” The new AAN Fellows represent 35 states; Washington, D.C.; Puerto Rico; the U.S. Virgin Islands; and 17 countries. Fellows now comprise more than 2,900 nursing leaders who are experts in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia and who champion health and wellness, locally and globally. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md -The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has established two new organized nursing research Centers of Excellence: the Placebo Beyond Opinions (PBO) Center and the SYNAPSE Center. The PBO, directed by Luana Colloca, MD, PhD, MS, professor and University of Maryland, Baltimore MPower Professor, will focus on advancing unbiased knowledge of placebo effects by promoting interdisciplinary investigation of the placebo phenomenon and nurturing a higher education placebo research program. The SYNAPSE Center, directed by Ian Kleckner, PhD, MPH, associate professor, will focus on addressing symptom science through neuroscientific and psychological approaches that include experimental research. Both center directors have faculty appointments in UMSON’s Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science. These two new centers join UMSON’s existing three organized research centers. These centers’ externally funded investigators study a variety of critical health problems, and the centers drive synergies between researchers, facilitating collaboration and knowledge transfer. In addition, they offer research-related training opportunities; inform members about the research of other center members; and provide resources that include best practices, grant opportunities, and changes in policies and procedures for grant applications. Center membership is open to faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows, students, stakeholders, and patients.  “These two research centers will provide synergy by enticing researchers with complementary fields to work together and push research into new realms beyond the scope of our current research portfolio,” said Erika Friedmann, PhD, associate dean for research. “Drs. Colloca and Kleckner are emerging forces in their respective fields and will provide the leadership to enhance research opportunities and productivity in the school and on the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus. Both centers will contribute to our knowledge about use of non-traditional methods for controlling troublesome symptoms. I am excited that these UMSON organized research centers will lead scientific discovery to enhance the health and well-being of the people of Maryland and beyond.” The PBO Center Placebo effects can influence any treatment and condition in health care. The PBO Center will facilitate research and communication related to placebo effects and allow researchers to explore mechanistic and clinical research and to address the issues of study design and placebo responses in trials more effectively. The center will promote rigorous and systematic research on the mechanisms of placebo effects as well as the effect of placebos on variability in symptoms; treatment responses; and perception of clinical encounters based on socioeconomic factors, disparities, and diversity related to understudied populations. The center’s work will allow it to serve as a source for unbiased knowledge related to placebo responsiveness and for incorporating this research into precision medicine, which considers genetics, environment, and lifestyle to select treatments that work best for each patient. The PBO Center aims to advance research that translates into better clinical trials and practice and to educate future clinicians to incorporate knowledge of placebo effects and responses into laboratory research, clinical practice, and/or drug development more effectively. The methods the PBO Center will pursue include mechanistic and translational research to advance scientific knowledge of placebo effects. Moreover, the center will continue promoting interdisciplinary investigation of the placebo phenomenon while nurturing higher education programs focusing on placebo research. The PBO Center is an outgrowth of a pharmacology lecture series and a placebo studies conference held at the University of Maryland, Baltimore in coordination with the University of Maryland schools of Pharmacy and Medicine. As a researcher internationally known for her seminal work, Colloca studies the role of placebo mechanisms for optimal pain management and treatment alternatives to opioids. Her interdisciplinary lab, with experts from nursing, medicine, psychology, physics, music, and engineering, was among the first to discover that anticipating a therapy’s benefit – e.g., the placebo effect – can generate true neurobiological responses.  Colloca is recognized for her work advancing knowledge of the neurobiological mechanisms of placebo and nocebo effects using a multifaced approach including psychopharmacological, neurobiological, and behavioral component approaches. Funded by federal and state agencies including, but not limited to, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the MPowering the State initiative, Colloca and her team conduct cutting-edge research on human endogenous pain modulation systems. The PBO Center will support the next generation of clinician scientists’ interdisciplinary research to optimize symptom treatment and drug responses and networking within the University System of Maryland and other international entities to advance and disseminate placebo science. “The placebo phenomenon occurs in a broad range of clinical contexts and trials. It occurs when a patient is given an active drug, provides informed consent, and receives information about treatment benefits and side effects,” Colloca said. “Through an understanding of the underlying neurobiological mechanisms, we can take targeted actions to maximize placebo effects in clinical practice and minimize placebo responses in clinical trials for drug development. The PBO Center will be an officially recognized interdisciplinary entity to improve knowledge related to placebos, expectancies, endogenous healing processes, and drug responses with an impact ultimately on the public good of Maryland and society at large.” The SYNAPSE Center                           With a stronger understanding of how symptoms manifest, researchers and doctors can predict, prevent, and treat these symptoms better. The SYNAPSE Center will encourage new perspectives by studying and treating symptoms through the lens of the psychology of mental states and perception along with their underlying neurobiological substrates (i.e., neural circuits that support thoughts and behaviors). Through methods including brain imaging, wearable sensor technology, and high-frequency sampling of patient symptoms and behaviors, and by leveraging modern theories of emotion, consciousness, and mind-body correspondence, the center will focus on a broader approach to understanding medical symptoms in patients with a range of conditions. By understanding the mechanisms that contribute to symptoms and behaviors, the center aims to optimize and tailor treatments for patients and will foster interdisciplinary collaborations to address important clinical research problems. Members will meet these goals by developing novel perspectives, questions, study designs, measurement methods, and interventions. Kleckner leads UMSON’s Cancer Control Mind and Body Lab, which works to understand how the body and brain produce subjective feelings and to translate that knowledge into treatments that help patients with cancer feel better. His research focuses on how cancer chemotherapy causes side effects such as neuropathy and distress and how to treat these symptoms using exercise. He uses methods from psychophysiology (e.g., measuring heartbeats, skin conductance), neuroimaging, exercise science, and behavioral science with computational approaches honed from his backgrounds in physics and biophysics. Kleckner is leading two clinical trials of exercise and healthy eating for patients with cancer in Baltimore as well as a nationwide clinical trial for patients with chemotherapy-induced neuropathy. He has funding from NIH, including two R21 grants, a K07 grant, and funding from the National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program network. “Even though symptoms like pain, fatigue, nausea, and others are extremely common, they are often hard to treat because they are so poorly understood,” Kleckner said. “Since the time that I was trained in the psychology and neuroscience of emotion and perception, I knew these powerful ideas could help create a paradigm shift in the study of medical symptoms. The SYNAPSE Center’s founding principle is to view medical symptoms as mental states (that is, perceptions related to the condition of the body). This view complements traditional views that symptoms are direct consequences of tissue damage or some particular medical condition. I hope that by applying this new theoretical perspective in basic and clinical research alongside other scientists, patients, caregivers, and anyone else who is interested, we can better predict, prevent, and treat symptoms to ultimately allow people to live the lives they want to live.” # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has named B. Elias Snyder, MS ’14, FNP-C, ACHPN, clinical instructor, as director of the Office of Global Health. A unit within the Department of Partnerships, Professional Education, and Practice, the office works to build nursing capacity, strengthen health systems, and improve global health equity by facilitating global health initiatives among the UMSON community and with international collaborators in education, research, and practice. UMSON is the only University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) school with such an office. Some of the office’s many activities include: collaborating with global partners supporting UMSON’s global research efforts teaching global health courses and offering the School’s graduate interprofessional Global Health Certificate providing UMSON students with international field experiences hosting global visitors interested in learning about UMSON and U.S. nursing hosting international scholars interested in research or education projects alongside UMSON faculty supporting curriculum revision by creating opportunities to globalize learning in the UMSON curricula being a voice for global health and nursing at the University and abroad. Snyder’s vision for the office is two-fold: Globally, he plans to work to strengthen existing partnerships and form new, mutually beneficial collaborations rooted in health equity and deep relationships, by sharing the School’s resources and expertise while welcoming innovative ideas from global partners. This includes recognizing UMSON’s responsibility, as a member of the global nursing community, to support nurses around the world. At UMSON, he aims to improve access to global health courses, offer more international opportunities, and strengthen support for global communities at home. To do this, he’ll focus on: securing funding so more UMSON students can have global opportunities regardless of their ability to pay promoting global health equity by educating UMSON nurses with a global lens developing equitable, collaborative models of international health infused with humility, diversity, equity, and inclusion driving the office to strengthen partnerships with other UMB schools and the local community.  In addition to his role as director, Snyder will, along with other Office of Global Health faculty, teach global health courses for graduate and undergraduate students. He also plans to facilitate trips for students enrolled in the international field experience courses.  “Mr. Snyder is extremely well positioned to lead our Office of Global Health given his commitment to social justice and health equity, experience as a family nurse practitioner; his global and domestic understanding of health systems, leadership, clinician education, program development, research, and clinical practice; and his extensive global health experience,” said Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, CRNP-Neonatal, FNAP, FAAN, associate professor; chair, Department of Partnerships, Professional Education, and Practice; and co-director, Center for Health Equity and Outcomes Research. Snyder has spent much of the last 12 years living in East Africa, working on capacity building, advancing clinical care, and developing health programs. After moving to Burundi to volunteer with a remote hospital, where he provided direct nursing care and education to individuals and families, he was recruited to join a nongovernmental organization in Rwanda, Gardens for Health International. There, he started and directed a health education program offered alongside agricultural trainings, which sought to address the root causes of malnutrition. Snyder led a team of health educators, psychologists, nutritionists, and clinicians, and with the support of local mothers, the team developed curricula to train clinicians, community health workers, and families experiencing malnutrition. Then, in Tanzania, he served as a clinical education coordinator at FAME Hospital, strengthening a visiting clinician program, starting a Tanzanian-led continuing education program, and creating palliative care trainings and clinical guidelines. Since returning to the United States in 2017, Snyder has practiced in palliative care and hospice nursing in a variety of settings and returns to Tanzania annually to continue his work. He is completing a PhD program at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. His doctoral work focuses on end-of-life practices and perspectives around the world through a lens of neuro-decolonization in an effort to decolonize end-of-life care. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from George Mason University in Virginia and a master's degree from UMSON. Snyder also holds certification as an Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – On Dec. 19, the University of Maryland School of Nursing hosted a graduation ceremony at Baltimore’s historic Hippodrome Theatre honoring summer and fall 2022 graduates from its Baltimore and Universities at Shady Grove locations. “It’s so wonderful to see a full house here,” University of Maryland, Baltimore President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, remarked before he officially conferred degrees during the ceremony. In all, Jarrell conferred 303 degrees and certificates, including 194 Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees, 99 master’s degrees (including entry-into-practice Clinical Nurse Leader [CNL]), two Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees, two PhD degrees, and six certificates. Jarrell also recognized the many contributions made by Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean, who has announced her retirement at the end of the academic year. “She has been a great scholar. She has built a great school. She was fabulous, exceptional during the time of COVID,” Jarrell said. “It has been my great pleasure to work with her side by side through these many years. Dean Kirschling, thank you for all that you have done.” Kirschling received a standing ovation from the platform party joining her onstage. “This is always an exciting time for us, as educators, when we celebrate the milestones reached by our students and revel in their successes, because their success is our success as well,” Kirschling said as she welcomed attendees. “It is a time for us to reflect on our essential purpose – to foster the development of human potential that lies within each of us, to enrich our lives and enable us to contribute to improving the lives of others, in particular, through our nursing careers.” Suzanne Miyamoto, PhD, RN, FAAN, chief executive officer, American Academy of Nursing, served as the keynote speaker. “Nursing students, I sat where you were 20 years ago, filled with joy, excited to be finally graduating,” she said. “But the feelings of anxiety were strong. You could describe it as an undercurrent as I prepared to leave the comforts of nursing school.” She encouraged graduates to remember that growth lies outside one’s comfort zone. “I assure you that you will find competence in your new role as a nurse, it will take time. But as soon as you feel it, I implore you to find a way to come back to a place of discomfort,” she said. “I ask this for one very important reason: the health and wellness of the public depends on it.” “You are a nurse. Your power will be immeasurable. Your presence will be extraordinary. Challenge your comfort and channel your boldness. Today marks one milestone. The success of what lies ahead is built on your strength and determination.” During the ceremony, DAISY Awards for Extraordinary Nursing Students were presented to Jillian Hoelter, a graduate of the BSN program, and Kaitlyn Elizabeth Cole, a graduate of the Master of Science in Nursing CNL option. DAISY Awards are given each fall and spring to two graduating entry-into-nursing graduates who demonstrate empathetic care and service to patients and their families. The award was created by The DAISY Foundation to remind students, even during their hardest days in nursing school, why they chose to become a nurse. The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty was presented to Veronica “Ronnie” Quattrini, DNP, MS ’99, BSN ’85, FNP-BC, assistant professor and senior director of the DNP program. The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty was created by The DAISY Foundation to recognize and celebrate the contributions that faculty members make to the future of nursing. Preceptor Awards, given to preceptors who have facilitated a transformational experience for students with whom they have worked in the clinical setting, were presented at the graduate level to Beth Holderness, CRNP, who works at the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center, and at the undergraduate level to Rebecca Meyerson, MS ’20, RN, CNL, who works at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Psychiatric Emergency Services. Student speaker Oluwatoyin Azeezat Oladigbolu, a graduating BSN student, likened her academic journey to a rollercoaster ride that takes one through loops, bends, and steep hills that feel never ending in the moment. “During the ride, some of us laughed, some of us cried … correction, many of us cried, some of us closed our eyes and held on for dear life praying for the ride to be over,” she said. “Seeing you all here before me today, we all got off the roller coaster safe and sound! One thing I need each and every one of you to do today as you cross this stage is give yourself credit for buckling your seatbelts and committing to a lifetime of nursing. Keep buckling your seatbelts, because I promise you, the ride is always worth it.” ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has named Veronica Gutchell, DNP ’13, RN, CNS, CRNP, assistant professor, as director of the Governor’s Wellmobile Program. The Governor’s Wellmobile Program offers mobile, nurse-managed primary health care and has been in continuous operation under UMSON’s management since its founding in 1994. The Wellmobile provides primary health care for common chronic diseases and uncomplicated acute illnesses to underserved and uninsured individuals living in Prince George’s County. As a nurse-led primary care clinic, it serves some of the state’s most vulnerable residents. And, by helping to manage chronic disease, patients can stay healthier and need fewer services such as care in an emergency department. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wellmobile has been conducting patient visits via telehealth; Gutchell envisions the Wellmobile returning to in-person visits in the coming months and expanding service in West Baltimore to better meet the needs of the local community. The Wellmobile also provides important learning opportunities for UMSON nursing students, functioning as a clinical practice site for UMSON Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Family Nurse Practitioner specialty and Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner specialty students and for RN-to-Bachelor of Science in Nursing program students completing community health clinical rotations. Working with the Wellmobile, students learn skills in assessment, diagnosis, and management of common chronic diseases and uncomplicated acute illnesses. The Wellmobile’s health care team includes a nurse practitioner and an outreach worker. Gutchell has served as the Wellmobile’s nurse practitioner since 2013. She will continue in that role while overseeing the Wellmobile program. As part of her responsibilities, Gutchell will develop relationships with community partners to address the health care needs of the Wellmobile’s target population. These community partnerships help connect patients to the services they need and address the health care goals of selected communities. “Given Dr. Gutchell’s extensive experience as a family nurse practitioner and in-depth knowledge of the mission and operations of the Governor’s Wellmobile Program, I am confident that she will successfully lead the Wellmobile program into the future,” said Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, CRNP-Neonatal, FNAP, FAAN, associate professor; chair, Department of Partnerships, Professional Education, and Practice; and co-director, Center for Health Equity and Outcomes Research. “I look forward to seeing activation of her ideas for innovative and new approaches to work with students and faculty on the Wellmobile to meet the needs of vulnerable populations in Maryland.” Gutchell joined the UMSON faculty in 2013. Her work has focused on employing health policy and evidence-based information to remove barriers from and expand access to advanced practice registered nursing in Maryland and nationally. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice from UMSON, a Master of Science in Nursing from Russell Sage College in New York, and a post-master’s Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Binghamton University in New York. Committed to shared governance, Gutchell served for four years as chair of UMSON’s Faculty Council and is currently serving a three-year term as an UMSON representative on the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Faculty Senate. In her role as Wellmobile director, Gutchell succeeds Susan Antol, PhD, MS ’79, RN, assistant professor, who directed the Wellmobile beginning in 2009 and whose efforts were recognized by UMB with the 2017 Founders Week Award for Outstanding Public Service. During her more than 13 years as director, Antol pursued grants and new partnerships that allowed vital services to endure, including patient-centered, team-based models of care; support for interprofessional practice and education; and an interprofessional, highly collaborative joint venture between UMB and the University of Maryland, College Park to combat human trafficking. Antol remains in her UMSON faculty position and continues to guide the next generation of nurses in providing community-based care. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. - According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), inclusive learning environments and a sense of belonging are essential to the development of future nurses, and both have an impact on a nurse’s career trajectory. Students of color often have college experiences that are significantly different from most of their peers, which can lead to lower graduation rates. To help address this disparity, AACN has initiated an 18-month project titled Building a Culture of Belonging in Academic Nursing. With funding from Johnson & Johnson, AACN designed this national initiative to collect and analyze data they believe can lead to more inclusive learning environments and build a more diverse nursing workforce. Following a call for pilot schools that netted nearly 250 applicants, the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) was one of 50 schools of nursing in 28 states AACN chose to participate in the pilot. Participating pilot schools are geographically diverse and represent a range of institutional types (public and private; small and large; rural and urban, etc.). AACN chose the pilot schools based on the organization’s desire to generalize the survey process for any nursing school that may want to use this information and conduct their own culture and climate surveys. Assessing School of Nursing Climate and Culture AACN is collecting this information from the pilot schools with the goal of helping schools of nursing across the country: create environments where students, faculty, and staff of diverse races/ethnicities, gender identities, ages, sexual orientation, etc. feel strongly they belong and are encouraged to thrive improve connections among students, school, and community achieve their diversity, equity, and inclusion-related goals. To assess the experiences of diverse nursing students and identify the practices that facilitate their success, AACN developed a digital platform, which UMSON and the other pilot schools have committed to testing and using. The platform will provide nursing schools access to the AACN Leading Across Multidimensional Perspectives (LAMP©) Culture and Climate Survey and resulting action reports. The platform will allow AACN to collect data from all the pilot schools around perceptions in: fair treatment and observations of discrimination belonging value of diversity and inclusion campus services clinical training. In return for providing school-specific data, pilot schools will receive a range of support from AACN that could include programmatic support as well as institution-level assessments and action reports. AACN is driven by the idea that by developing a better understanding of how campus environments impact student success, educators can initiate change, target areas of growth, and improve student outcomes. AACN will use the data they collect to identify best practices and success strategies schools can use to improve belongingness for students and faculty, particularly those from communities of color, and they’ll disseminate these findings to schools of nursing through a variety of channels. With a clearer understanding of how campus climate influences student experiences and achievement, schools of nursing can develop plans to address concerns and issues, to embrace inclusive excellence, and to develop more inclusive academic environments. Next Steps AACN has begun providing access to the LAMP© survey and action reports. As a pilot school, UMSON can set how it wishes to administer the survey and select dates for data collection and the length of time the survey remains open. UMSON will be distributing the LAMP survey to entering and returning students, differentiating between the two groups, at the Baltimore and Universities at Shady Grove (USG) locations, and to faculty and staff at both locations at the end of January, when the spring 2023 semester begins. The survey will remain open for several weeks. Each pilot school selected a site administrator to be its point of contact with AACN and to manage the electronic distribution of surveys for the school. UMSON’s site administrator is Veronica Gutchell, DNP ’13, RN, CNS, CRNP, assistant professor and director, Wellmobile and school-based wellness programs, working in conjunction with Jeffrey Ash, EdD, chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer at USG. “The AACN LAMP survey will provide UMSON with essential information to help us continue the work of creating a learning environment that wholly supports diversity, equity, and inclusion,” Gutchell said. “Our participation will facilitate collaborative efforts between UMSON and other schools of nursing nationwide to develop strategies to strengthen our work toward integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of our work and learning at the School.” After finishing each individual school report, AACN will aggregate findings and prepare a final report, which will be made available to all pilot schools and shared nationally. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – In U.S. News & World Report’s newly released “2023 Best Online Programs” rankings, the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) online graduate programs ranked among the best in the nation. UMSON ranked in the top five programs nationwide among public schools of nursing in the Nursing Administration/Leadership Programs category (No. 2) and in the Nursing Education Programs category (tied at No. 3), both of which recognize the School’s Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Health Services Leadership and Management (HSLM) specialty for its multiple focus areas. The School also ranked among the Best Online Master’s in Nursing Programs for Veterans nationwide, at No. 18 overall. The U.S. News' rankings represent the most respected and in-depth evaluation of U.S. graduate programs that are designed to be administered online. UMSON is among the 186 schools ranked, out of 580 surveyed. “I am proud and excited that we have received these outstanding rankings,” said Lori Edwards, DrPH, BSN ’80, RN, CNS-PCH, BC, assistant professor and associate dean for the Master of Science in Nursing program. “Congratulations and acknowledgments are well deserved for all of the talented faculty. They are dedicated to building future nurse leaders who become change agents and improve health care delivery. Graduates from our programs are now renowned health care system leaders, and for that we are most proud as well.” UMSON’s fully online MSN HSLM specialty offers leading-edge courses, personalized mentorship, and individual placements in practicums that support students’ career goals to refine advanced nursing leadership and nursing administration skills. Practicum placements are with leaders at hospitals and health care systems, universities and community colleges, national and state agencies, and more. Following completion of the core courses, students concentrate on one of three focus areas: Leadership and Management, Education, or Business. The Leadership and Management focus, recognized by the Nursing Administration/Leadership Programs ranking, supports students’ career goals by defining and honing the nursing leadership skills they need to succeed in a variety of health care settings and roles. The Education focus, recognized by the Nursing Education Programs ranking, creates a dual pathway to advancement, as students focus on the knowledge and skills needed to excel as a nurse leader and as a clinical instructor or faculty member. In terms of the Best Online Master’s in Nursing Programs for Veterans, the School has a long history of serving military populations. The first superintendent, Louisa Parsons, was a decorated nursing veteran of the British Army, both before and after her time at the School of Nursing. UMSON has educated nurses who have served in every major military engagement since the Spanish-American War in 1898. Today, about 1 in 12 students has served, currently serves, or is a dependent of a military veteran. Veterans and active-duty service members benefit substantially from online education that is affordable, accessible, and reputable. U.S. News’ rankings are based on indicators such as student and faculty engagement, faculty credentials and training, student services and technology, student excellence, and peer assessment, using data collected directly from each institution. Only degree-granting programs that are offered primarily online by regionally accredited institutions were considered, and the programs that score the highest are those applying educational best practices specific for distance learners. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

By Mary Therese Phelan On any given day at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), students can be found studying, collaborating, and, quite simply, just taking a breather in front of UMSON’s new living green wall, the two-story focal point of the Virginia Lee Franklin Lounge. The living green wall was installed as part of the renovated, expanded footprint of the first and second floors of UMSON. “We didn’t have a lot of student space where students could hang out, work in small groups together. And this has created that opportunity,” says Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean. Living green walls, composed of tightly packed, individually potted plants, improve indoor air quality and provide health benefits related to connecting to nature. The green wall system uses the plants’ soil medium to super filter the ambient air by pulling room air through the soil and returning it out for people to breathe. The air travels via clear plastic tubing along the edges of the green wall, and the pump required to circulate the air, along with the mechanisms associated with the self-watering system, are enclosed within the cabinet at the base of the green wall, made of repurposed wood. UMSON’s green wall was inspired by one in the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Office of Design and Construction, after Anthony Consoli, AIA, LEED, AP, University architect, showed it to Kirschling. UMSON’s is now the only other living green wall on campus. “When we were doing this project to expand the footprint at the School of Nursing, knowing that the School of Nursing so strongly believes in sustainability, it just seemed like a real natural fit to suggest it to them,” Consoli says. “Dean Kirschling immediately thought it was something she wanted to do as well.” The wall is composed of 10 species of plants: platycerium bifurcatum (Staghorn Fern); peperomia clusiifolia (Pepermonia ‘Ginny’); tradescantia zebrina (Inch Plant); aglaonema ‘Silver Bay’ (Chinese Evergreen); dracaena trifasciata (Snakeplant); philodendron hederaceum ‘Brasil’ (Brasil Philodendron); hypoestes phyllostachya (Polka Dot Plant); cholorophytum comosum, (‘Bonnie’ Spiderplant); and philodendron hederaceum (Green Philodendron); and philodendron hederaceum ‘Lemon’ (Lemon Philodendron). The wood at the green wall’s base was salvaged in part from a maple tree that had to be removed during construction of the building addition; the tree was originally donated by Susan Wozenski, JD, MPH, assistant professor and chair of the Department of Family and Community Health, in memory of her father, Joseph P. Wozenski. Kirschling says she enjoyed telling Wozenski that a tree her father, a long-time advocate of nurses, had planted in the original UMSON courtyard would be featured at the base of the green wall. “The other special moment is just to see it happen and see it come together,” she says, adding she recommends her fellow deans at UMB consider adding a living green wall to their buildings. “We need to make our learning spaces, our workspaces, as appealing as possible, because we spend a lot of time here and we want to make sure that our employees, our students, have a sense of well-being and I do think green walls can do that,” Kirschling says. The design also incorporates repurposed, salvaged metal from which UMB President Bruce Jarrell, MD, FACS, and his daughter, Gwynneth Jarrell, BSN ’06, RN, CPAN, a current Doctor of Nursing Practice student, both of whom are accomplished metalsmiths, created a decorative frame. The metal has its origins in Brooklyn, one of Baltimore’s southernmost neighborhoods. For the very top of the living green wall, the Jarrells created an element reminiscent of the Flossie, UMSON’s traditional nursing cap made of fluted lace (used until the end of the 1970s), from a curved ribbon of copper. “We reached out to the president because the president does just such amazing metal work. And I said, ‘If we put a green wall in, we’re going to need some of your artistry,’” Kirschling says. The green wall also fits with UMB’s and UMSON’s core value of sustainability and wellness, says Lorrie Voytek, BS, assistant director of development and chair of the School’s GreenSON Committee. “The committee wants to promote a culture of a healthy working environment, and the green wall certainly adds to that culture,” she says. “Faculty, students, and staff will benefit from working and learning in a calmer, greener environment. And it helps to calm and reduce your blood pressure. It relieves pain. They have done all sorts of studies about how beneficial green walls are to be in interior spaces.” In addition to improving air quality and bringing the outdoors indoors, the green wall has a lesser-known benefit.“It actually absorbs sound,” Consoli says. “Compared to the brick wall that’s behind it, which would reflect sound, now the plants are actually absorbing sound comparatively.” Unlike the green wall in the Office of Design and Construction, which is about 20 feet long and 5 feet high, the UMSON green wall is two stories tall, which proved challenging when it came to finding ways to maintain the plants, Consoli says. Kirschling had the solution: a library ladder. Jarrell was thrilled the first time he saw the green wall – all 366 plants of it – completed. “I think it’s magnificent. And I’m sure that student nurses will love being in here,” he says, noting there were two main reasons the project received not only his support, but also his participation. “First of all, it’s got to do with sustainability and having green products inside your buildings, which certainly must make it healthier. It certainly makes it more attractive, that’s for sure. But second of all, it’s just an opportunity to say that this isn’t just a campus of science, it’s also a campus of the environment, of important things to us as humans."

Baltimore, Md - Cynthia L. Renn, PhD, MS ’97, RN, FAAN, has been appointed chair of the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science (PTSS). In her role as chair, Renn will lead efforts to ensure training and mentorship for junior faculty; support senior faculty in their research; and strengthen collaboration and connection between PTSS and other UMSON departments to further the research and teaching missions of the School. She will also focus on opportunities for innovation in UMSON curriculum as health care moves toward precision health. Renn has played an instrumental role in the development of PTSS since its inception, and the department has achieved an outstanding reputation for scientific excellence across the UMB campus, nationally, and internationally. Its program of research incorporates molecular, cellular, and genetic/genomic methods to study pain and cancer treatment-related symptoms. As a nurse scientist with a portfolio of National Institutes of Health grant-funded research and numerous publications, her research focuses on understanding the cellular mechanisms underlying the development and persistence of chronic pain that arises from therapeutic drug treatment, traumatic nerve injury, chronic pain after traumatic lower extremity fracture, and low back pain. A founding member of the executive committee of the University of Maryland, Baltimore Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, which promotes multidisciplinary biomedical research advancing the understanding and treatment of chronic pain, Renn is also an active member of Biology and Behavior Across the Lifespan, one of UMSON’s organized research centers of excellence. “Dr. Renn is committed to rigorous inquiry that advances practice, shapes health policy, and improves the health of individuals,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the School of Nursing. “As a researcher, teacher, and mentor, she is well-prepared to lead the department in executing on new opportunities to generate research that moves from bench to bedside to community to meet the ultimate goal of impacting the day-to-day well-being of individuals.” Renn is committed to developing the next generation of nurse researchers, having mentored countless post-doctoral fellows and doctoral students, as well as master’s and undergraduate students. That mentorship extends to the larger community through service as a speaker and science fair judge for high school programs to increase interest higher education in the sciences and particularly in neuroscience. Her service in the School of Nursing and the University includes having served as a member and chair of the PhD Curriculum Committee, as departmental representative to Faculty Council, and a member of the UMB Faculty Senate. Renn joined UMSON in 2004 as an assistant professor and then was promoted to associate professor (tenured) in 2013 and professor (tenured) in 2020. She is a tenured professor in the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center’s oncology program, and since 2017, she has been a member of the international faculty of the PhD Program in Neuroscience at the University of Milano-Bicocca in Milan, Italy. Renn earned a PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Maryland, Baltimore; a Master of Science in Trauma, Critical Care, and Emergency Nursing/Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Nurse Specialist from UMSON; and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from York College of Pennsylvania. She also holds a BS in Music Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Renn was a Southern Nursing Research Society/American Nurse Foundation Scholar. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and a member of Sigma Theta Tau International. In her new role, Renn succeeds Susan G. Dorsey, PhD ’01, MS ’98, RN, FAAN, who has led the department since its establishment in 2014 and is now focusing on her research full time. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing’s Oluremi Adejumo, DNP ’19, RN, FIAAN, assistant professor, has been inducted as a 2022 Fellow of the International Academy of Addictions Nursing (FIAAN). She and six other addictions nurses received the FIAAN designation during the 45th Annual International Academy of Addictions Nursing (IntNSA) Annual Conference in October, bringing the total number of fellows to 36. The honor recognizes their substantial contributions to addictions nursing, the FIAAN Leadership Assembly, and IntNSA in areas including teaching/learning innovation; faculty development; research; leadership; public policy related to addictions nursing; and collaborations in education, practice, administration, research, and community partnerships. In her almost 30 years of nursing, Adejumo has led nursing and interprofessional teams in university, clinical, and social services settings, developing organizational and system improvements for prevention and management of individuals with substance use disorders and diabetes. She has worked with formerly homeless men, many with histories of alcohol and/or drug addiction and/or incarceration, including those participating in an UMSON-affiliated residential job training program with health promotion, health assessment, and care coordination. After conducting an organizational needs assessment and a review of the men’s medical records, Adejumo implemented a diabetes prevention program (DPP) promoting health, social equity, and employment. She also developed a diabetes prevention model for the outpatient clinic of a large, urban Veterans Administration (VA) hospital in Baltimore, which adopted an integrated primary care DPP for this setting. As a native of Nigeria, Adejumo has been traveling to her home country for more than 10 years, volunteering with nurses and building relationships to help move substance use treatment away from medical and psychiatric hospitals and into alcohol and drug treatment centers. Adejumo serves as an international member-at-large representative to the Board of Directors of the Association of Community Health Nurse Educators and is the international executive liaison officer for the Nigerian chapter of IntNSA, the first IntNSA country chapter on the African continent. “Since earning my DNP degree, I have had excellent opportunities to work with collaborators committed to building hope and resilience. Now, I am honored to be selected as a Fellow of the International Academy of Addictions Nursing,” Adejumo said. “As a Fellow, I will have countless opportunities to learn and grow and shape the future of addictions nursing, through ongoing collaboration with the FIAAN Leadership Assembly, IntNSA, and the other Fellows. I look forward to becoming an even stronger advocate of the prevention and treatment of addictions globally.” Adejumo’s work around improving treatment of those with substance abuse and related addiction disorders is part of a larger UMSON commitment in this area. UMSON is the only nursing school in the nation with a post-bachelor’s Substance Use and Addictions Nursing Certificate. The program was developed to prepare registered and advanced practice registered nurses for leadership roles in addictions nursing while giving them the skills to care for individuals, families, and communities affected by addiction. And, in 2019, UMSON faculty brought the annual IntNSA education conference to Baltimore at a time when Maryland’s opioid-related overdose death rate was twice the national rate. Adejumo joined the UMSON faculty in 2019 after earning her DNP, BSN, and Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions Certificate from UMSON. She holds a Master of Science in Emergency Health Services from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. - The University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) Tonya Schneidereith, PhD, CRNP, PPCNP-BC, CPNP-AC, CNE, CHSE-A, ANEF, FSSH, FAAN, associate professor, has been inducted as a Fellow of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH). She and nine others were recognized in January at the International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare, bringing the total number of SSH fellows to 101. SSH is the largest health care simulation organization in the world, with 4,700 members in more than 60 countries. Schneidereith is the first nurse in Maryland to be named a Fellow of the SSH, an honor that recognizes substantial and sustained contributions to the field of health care simulation. The SSH Fellowship is awarded to practitioners, researchers, administrators, clinicians, operations specialists, and educators globally who have built a strong foundation in simulation. SSH Fellows are selected through a rigorous peer-review process that evaluates their work and contributions in health care simulation and to the SSH. Schneidereith is a nurse educator, leader, and entrepreneur with more than 30 years’ experience in health care and academic settings. She began her career as a pediatric nurse and became one of the first pediatric critical care nurse practitioners in the United States. At UMSON, she is a full-time simulation educator in the Debra L. Spunt Clinical Simulation Labs. UMSON’s Clinical Simulation Labs opened in 1998 as part of the 154,000-square-foot new School of Nursing building. The National League for Nursing described them as the “preeminent nursing student labs in the world.” UMSON was the first nursing program in Maryland accredited by SSH. Today, 10% of UMSON pre-licensure students’ clinical hours take place in UMSON’s clinical laboratories, which include 20 in Baltimore and eight at the Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville, Maryland. The labs allow students at all levels, including doctoral students, to learn through experiences they may never see during their nursing education but may encounter in their careers as nurse clinicians. Schneidereith is certified as an advanced healthcare simulation educator. She is also a Fellow of the Academy of Nursing Education and of the American Academy of Nursing. She leads and collaborates on projects for the National League for Nursing, the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning, the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, the Global Network for Simulation in Healthcare, and SSH. She is a founding member of the NONPF Simulation Committee and served as associate editor for the first NP Simulation Guidelines and Best Practices. In 2020, she was trained as an advanced instructor through the Center for Medical Simulation and served as the editor for the Annual Review of Nursing Research: Healthcare Simulation. “I am honored to be recognized for my contributions to health care simulation,” Schneidereith said. “Teaching current and future nursing professionals through high-quality, simulation-based education is unparalleled, and I am humbled to have a small role in shaping the care that impacts patient safety.” Schneidereith joined the UMSON faculty in 2018 as an associate professor. She earned a PhD in Pharmogenetics/Nursing from Johns Hopkins University, a Master of Science in Nursing in pediatric critical care clinical nurse specialist/nurse practitioner from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Florida State University. She is currently enrolled in the Executive Master of Business Administration program at the University of Maryland, College Park. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has appointed Janet Selway, DNSc, MS ’88, AGNP-C, CPNP-PC, FAANP, associate professor, as director of UMSON’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) specialty. With a career spanning more than 25 years in nursing education and more than 30 years as a nurse practitioner, Selway joined the UMSON faculty in August 2022 from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. During her time at The Catholic University, she held roles as a tenured associate professor in the School of Nursing, director of the Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Program, and associate dean of the Master of Science in Nursing program. She has also held faculty roles in primary care nurse practitioner programs at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing and at the University of Delaware. A native Baltimorean, Selway has practiced in community health, gastrointestinal surgery, school health, urgent care, emergency care, and family practice, including with University of Maryland University Family Medicine. During her time in emergency and critical care nursing, she worked at the University of Maryland Medical Center R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center. She has been engaged in funded educational grants as a project director, co-investigator, and consultant and has presented her work at regional and national conferences. She also has extensive experience at the state and national level advocating for policies related to the nurse practitioner scope of practice. Selway is the vice chair/treasurer of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners Political Action Committee and a past president and founding member of the American College of Nurse Practitioners and the Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland. The AGPCNP specialty is nationally top ranked by U.S. News & World Report, which listed it as No. 5 in the nation among all ranked nursing schools and No. 1 among public nursing schools in its 2023 edition of “America’s Best Graduate Schools.” In 2021, AGPCNP graduates earned a 100% certification examination pass rate on the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board and the American Nurses Credentialing Center Board exams. UMSON established its AGPCNP program in 1974 to provide the skills needed to deliver care to adolescents and adults, 13 and older, including an expanding senior population. With today's strain on the physician-based primary care workforce in the United States, adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioners are highly sought after to fill the gap. “Dr. Selway brings a wealth of experience and expertise, not only as an educator but as an alumna, clinician, and nationally recognized policy expert related to the nurse practitioner scope of practice,” said Shannon Idzik, DNP '10, MS '03, CRNP, FAANP, professor and associate dean for the DNP program. “We are proud to have her re-join UMSON as a faculty member and as director of a specialty that has continued to rank in the top 10 nationwide. We look forward to Dr. Selway’s work in leading this exceptional program and developing nurse practitioners who are in high demand in the workforce.” Selway holds a DNSc from the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing. In addition, she has an AGPCNP post-graduate certificate from The Catholic University of America; a Master of Science in adult primary care and a post-master’s certificate in pediatric primary care, both from UMSON; a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland; and a Diploma in Nursing from the Saint Joseph Hospital School of Nursing in Towson, Maryland. Selway succeeds Brenda Windemuth, DNP, CRNP, who has returned full time to the faculty. Windemuth co-directed the AGPCNP specialty from 2017 - 19 and was the sole director from 2019 - 22. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Nightingale, Dix, Barton, Mahoney, Parsons, Wald, and Petry — the names of these seven influential nurses have been etched on the façade of the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) building for more than two decades. Now, the names of two trailblazing UMSON alumnae join them, women whose legacies have shaped not only the nursing field, but also the city, the state, and beyond. Esther E. McCready, DIN ’53, the first African American to gain admittance to UMSON, and former state Sen. Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, MAS, BSN ’80, RN, FAAN, are highlighted on the front of the school’s recently opened expanded section, a recognition of their contributions to nursing, education, and public health. Read More

TRUST. PIE. FEAR. UMBrella. They may seem like everyday words, but during the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Women’s History Month Symposium on March 8 — International Women’s Day — those acronyms took on important meanings. The symposium was broken into a virtual morning session and an afternoon session held in person for the first time since 2019. The event was canceled in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic began and held virtually the past two years. The morning session kicked off with UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, welcoming the nearly 200 participants. “Not only do we celebrate the achievement of women, but we also try to provide them with additional skills to improve their personal life, their professional career, their leadership skills — anything it takes to champion women and see them become successful. Of course, that’s the kind of university I want UMB to be for everyone,” he said. Jennifer B. Litchman, MA, senior vice president for external relations, UMB, and founder and chair, UMBrella Group, which sponsors the symposium, discussed the theme of the event by saying, “There’s still much more work to be done. And that’s why we’re here today. Today is all about envisioning the possibilities for innovative leadership and putting those possibilities into practice.” Read More

On a Wednesday afternoon in March, University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) Bachelor of Science in Nursing student Oyindamola Adewara sat with a handful of other students at the Waverly Library Branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, offering blood pressure checks, health screenings, and more to library patrons. While the students have only recently started offering these services as part of a new initiative that began at the start of the spring semester, they are already making a difference in people’s lives. “Giving back to the community is one important thing that we need to know as nurses. It’s not just about working in the hospitals. There are people out there that are looking for help. Some people don’t even have a primary care provider, some don't even have health insurance,” Adewara said. There was a patient just that morning, she added, who was asking for free mental health services. “And we were able to do that,” Adewara added. A community partnership between UMSON and the Pratt Library — the first of its kind in the state, which embeds nursing students within library branches — is providing these crucial free services to the community. Read More

Baltimore, Md. – Eight University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) faculty members have been named Maryland state New Nurse Faculty Fellows, three were awarded Nurse Educator Doctoral Grants (NEDG) for Practice and Dissertation Research, and one received a Nurse Faculty Annual Recognition Award. These awards are part of the Nurse Support Program II, a statewide initiative funded by the Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. New Nurse Faculty Fellowship The New Nurse Faculty Fellowship is for new nursing faculty members and helps cover the expenses of their graduate education. It was designed to assist Maryland nursing programs recruit and retain new nursing faculty, to produce the additional nursing graduates Maryland’s hospitals and health systems need. The following UMSON faculty received the maximum award amount of $50,000 for fiscal years 2023 - 27, assuming continuous employment as faculty in good standing and the availability of funding: Johnny Gayden, DNP, MS ’14, BSN ’10, CRNA, assistant professor Samantha Hoffman, MS ’16, CPNP-PC, simulation training specialist Orane Mason, MSN, RN, clinical instructor Melissa McClean, MSN, ANP-BC, NP-C, ACHPN, clinical instructor Margaret McElligot, MSN, RN, CHSE, assistant professor Charlette Pace, DNP ’20, PNP-AC, assistant professor Krista Roberts, DNP, FNP-BC, assistant professor Elias Snyder, MS ’14, FNP-C, ACHPN, clinical instructor and director, Office of Global Health NEDG for Practice and Dissertation Research The NEDG for Practice and Dissertation Research provides up to $60,000 to nurse faculty currently enrolled in or who have recently completed a doctoral degree and helps cover costs associated with their graduate education. These awards are contingent upon degree completion and employment as a faculty member. The following UMSON faculty members received NEDG awards: Jennifer Dalton, MSN, RN, CNE, manager, simulation coordinator Jacquelyn “Jackie” Ryer, MSN, AG-ACNP, CCRN, clinical instructor Rhea Williams, DNP ’22, MSN, CNM, clinical instructor Nurse Faculty Annual Recognition Award Jana Goodwin, PhD, RN, CNE, assistant professor and chair of the UMSON program at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG), has been awarded a Nurse Faculty Annual Recognition Award. Deans and directors of Maryland nursing programs may nominate one nurse faculty member annually. As chair of UMSON at USG, Goodwin is responsible for the oversight and growth of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and Doctor of Nursing Practice Family Nurse Practitioner specialty, the two programs UMSON offers at USG. She was recognized for demonstrating excellence in leadership and management as well as teaching, impacting students, engaging in the life of the School, and contributing to the profession as a nurse educator. This award, for experienced nursing faculty members, provides $10,000. The Nurse Support Program II helps increase Maryland’s nursing capacity by supporting initiatives that advance the recommendations outlined in the Institute of Medicine’s Future of Nursing reports. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – Lori A. Edwards, DrPH, MPH, BSN ’80, RN, PCH-CNS, BC, assistant professor, has been appointed associate dean for the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program. Edwards has filled the role in an interim capacity since 2022 and previously served as co-director of the MSN specialty in Community/Public Health Nursing. As associate dean, Edwards will support the UMSON master’s-level entry-into-nursing Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) option, the three MSN specialties — Community/Public Health Nursing (CPH), Health Services Leadership and Management (HSLM), and Nursing Informatics — as well as the UMSON graduate certificate programs. She is responsible for providing vision and leadership for the master’s program, including innovative program development and integration of technology. She is also responsible for administration and program coordination, accreditation, curriculum planning, student recruitment, advisement, and retention. In addition, she will continue the School’s development of partnerships with other academic institutions and health care organizations. The UMSON MSN program ranks in the top 10 nationwide among public schools, according to U.S. News & World Report, including top-five rankings among public schools in two categories in the 2023 “Best Online Programs” for the HSLM specialty. The CNL option prepares students with bachelor’s degrees in other fields to enter the nursing workforce and serve as leaders in health care. The School’s three MSN specialties focus on developing nurse leaders and faculty who transform and ensure appropriate access to health care, creating solutions that advance health equity, innovatively addressing social determinants of health, and improving patient care through technology. Edwards’ vision for the MSN program involves continuing to strengthen the MSN learning environment through collaboration with the specialty directors of the four areas to develop new educational strategies for nurses in today’s increasingly complex health care industry.  Edwards has extensive curriculum experience with the master’s program, having served as chair of the MSN Curriculum Committee for five years and as a member of the 2015 Taskforce on Curriculum Review for the CPH specialty. In addition to her UMSON faculty appointment, she holds appointments in the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Department of Epidemiology Master of Public Health program and the Department of Occupational Medicine, as well as in the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Graduate School. She is also an elected member of the UMB Faculty Senate, a member of the UMB Art Council and a member on the President's Council for Women. Edwards has been widely recognized – within UMSON and nationally – for her teaching and service. In 2014, she received the Association of Community Health Nurse Educators Faculty of the Year Award for Contributions to Community Health Nursing Education. Within UMSON, she has received the 2022 Graduate Faculty Teacher of the Year Award, the 2021 Distinguished Service Award, and the 2019 Graduate Faculty Teaching Award, as well as the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s 2019 MPH Program Faculty Teaching Award.  Since joining UMSON in 2014 as associate director of global occupational health in the Office of Global Health, Edwards has held several positions, serving successively as associate director of the UMB Center for Community-Based Engagement and Learning; and senior director of the UMB Center for Global Education Initiatives. She is the program advisor for the UMSON Peace Corps Coverdell Fellowship, which was just renewed for five years, and the faculty leader for the Interprofessional Program for Academic Engagement, a UMB-wide initiative housed at UMSON. “Dr. Edwards is ideally suited to assume leadership of the Master of Science in Nursing program,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “She brings a breadth of experience in graduate nursing education, community engagement, and community and public health nursing to her new role. With her deep commitment to improving the health and well-being of the communities that we serve, I know she will make significant contributions and ensure that a new generation of nurses is well prepared to meet the needs of the present and the challenges of the future.” Before joining UMSON, Edwards spent over three decades at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Johns Hopkins University. Her earlier clinical experience includes roles in oncology and pediatric intensive care; home health care and hospice nursing for the Visiting Nurse Association; and as a migrant health nurse for the Colorado Department of Health. Edwards earned her Doctor of Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, her Master of Public Health from the Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from UMSON. She is certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, Public/Community Health. Her leadership roles include serving as immediate past president of the Association of Community Health Nursing Educators, serving on the Council of Public Health Nursing Organizations; chairing a sub-committee and serving as the liaison for the Public Health Foundation Council of Linkages; serving as vice chair for Bon Secours Community Works in Baltimore; and serving on the editorial board of the Journal of Public Health Nursing. In her new role, Edwards succeeds Bimbola F. Akintade, PhD ’11, MS ’05, MBA, MHA, BSN ’03, CCRN, ACNP-BC, NEA-BC, who was appointed dean of the East Carolina University College of Nursing last summer. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – Cheryl Fisher, EdD, MSN, RN, has been appointed director of the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Nursing Informatics specialty and graduate Nursing Informatics Certificate. Fisher has been filling this role in an interim capacity since 2022 and will continue to support and oversee the nursing informatics curriculum. This includes guiding the programs for compliance with standards, recruiting new students, managing operations, and planning strategically for future growth. Fisher’s vision focuses on attracting new students to the program — the world’s first graduate nursing informatics program, established in 1989 — by continuing to add content that explores using technology to address current health care issues. She will also concentrate on revising courses to incorporate more opportunities for students to enhance their informatics skills. Increasing demand for the adoption of electronic information systems is creating a growing need for nursing informaticians in health care organizations and in businesses that develop and sell health care information technology; the American Medical Informatics Association estimates a need for up to 70,000 health informatics specialists in the next few years. The UMSON Nursing Informatics specialty prepares nurses to improve patient care and safety, workflow, and health care outcomes through the development, implementation, and evaluation of information technology. Graduates are leaders in the conceptualization, design, and research of digital information systems in health care organizations and in the informatics industry. In addition, UMSON has hosted the Summer Institute in Nursing Informatics (SINI), an annual conference dedicated to addressing the latest trends and topics in health informatics, for more than 30 years. It engages hundreds of informaticians and health information technology professionals from around the globe each year; this year’s event will focus on Capturing the Value of Informatics Across the Health Care Continuum. Fisher, who joined the UMSON faculty as an associate professor last year, serves as a co-lead for SINI. Her research background centers on teaching with technology, translating evidence into health care practices for the bedside nurse, and evaluating the integration of technology into practice. She has developed new programs for clinical settings to meet identified learning needs using computer-based training and competency validation. With a career spanning more than 40 years at the National Institutes of Health as a nurse, informatician, scientist, and senior nurse consultant for external collaborations at the executive level, Fisher has been actively engaged in funded research as a principal investigator and co-investigator, publishing manuscripts and presenting at regional and national conferences. She has published numerous peer-reviewed journal articles exploring online student learning. She has taught nursing informatics at the undergraduate and graduate levels for 10 years and has mentored many graduate students in evidence-based practice projects using technology in clinical settings. “I am excited to continue to work with Dr. Fisher as the nursing informatics specialty director,” said Lori A. Edwards, DrPH, BSN ’80, RN, CNS-PCH, BC, associate dean for the MSN program. “With her dedication and authentic leadership and her expertise in nursing informatics, she has already been instrumental in strengthening and growing the nursing informatics faculty and curriculum. UMSON students specializing in nursing informatics will benefit from her innovative educational strategies, expertise, and vision as they continue to become leaders and scholars in this area.” Fisher holds a Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology from Towson University; a graduate Nursing Informatics Certificate from UMSON; and a post-graduate Certificate in Nursing Education, a Master of Science in Nursing, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from George Mason University.  In her new role, Fisher succeeds Eun-Shim Nahm, PhD ’03, RN, FAAN, FGSA, who was appointed associate dean for the UMSON PhD program. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

About five years ago, John Dignam was retired and spending his free time participating in local community theater. It’s there where he learned about Standardized Patients (SPs), actors who are hired to help train medical professionals in simulated scenarios. But to Dignam, the work he does with the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), as well as Johns Hopkins Hospital, is much more than just another acting gig. “I applied, and five years later, I’m still doing it,” he said. “And I love it.” Dignam was one of multiple SPs on UMB’s campus March 29 helping roughly 400 students from disciplines across the University work collaboratively at the 11th Annual Interprofessional Education (IPE) Day. The event is hosted by UMB’s Center for Interprofessional Education. The center began under former UMB President Jay A. Perman, MD, now chancellor of the University System of Maryland, and was announced at the first IPE Day in April 2013. Perman, a pediatric gastroenterologist who continues his practice in the weekly President’s Clinic that includes students from various schools, has continued to be an avid supporter of interprofessional education and the center.  Jane M. Kirschling PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), has led the center as its director since its founding. This was Kirschling’s last IPE Day as director, as she will retire at the end of the academic year. Read More

Baltimore, Md. – Claire Bode, DNP, CRNP, assistant professor, University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), has been named the Maryland recipient of the 2023 American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) Advocate State Award for Excellence. Established in 1991, the State Awards for Excellence annually recognize outstanding achievements by a nurse practitioner (NP) and an NP advocate from each state; Bode is the NP advocate recipient for Maryland, recognizing her efforts to advance the NP role. This year’s awardees will be honored during the AANP National Conference in New Orleans in June. A member of the Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland (NPAM) since 2014, Bode was elected chair of the NPAM Legislative Committee in 2020. As chair, she works with the committee to prioritize and facilitate legislative initiatives the organization wants to bring to the Maryland Legislature. Her NPAM work has included testifying to support and oppose bills on behalf of NPAM and working to promote and support NPs across Maryland. She has participated in Maryland Department of Health workgroups for prescribing regulations related to naturopaths, contraception, and EpiPens for summer camps. The summer camp legislation passed successfully and was signed into law by then-Maryland Gov. Hogan in 2022. Bode is a nurse practitioner with more than 30 years of experience in maternal child nursing, primarily in labor and delivery. In addition to her role as assistant professor, she works in a primary care practice for adults, where her scope of practice includes diagnoses, treatments, and referrals. “I am honored by this recognition from AANP,” Bode said. “I have a passion for advocacy, especially at the state level, and enjoy working with state legislators to assure nurse practitioners can practice to their full scope and training to improve health care for Maryland residents.” Bode joined UMSON in 2007 as part-time adjunct faculty and has been a full-time assistant professor since 2016, teaching core courses in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) specialty at UMSON’s Universities at Shady Grove location in Rockville, Maryland. Bode collaborates with faculty at the Baltimore location to ensure course content is consistent across locations. At UMSON, Bode has served as past chair of the Entry-Level Curriculum Committee; on the Faculty Council in the role of committee chair; on the Bachelor of Nursing (BSN) Judicial Board; on the Student Affairs Committee; and on the BSN, Clinical Nurse Leader, and FNP admissions committees. She is currently a member of the Faculty Council’s DNP Curriculum Committee. Bode earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice and Master of Science in Nursing degrees from UMSON and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the Catholic University of America. Along with membership in AANP and NPAM, she is a member of the American Nurses Association, the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty, and UMSON’s at-large chapter of Sigma, the international nursing honor society. AANP is the largest professional membership organization for NPs of all specialties. It provides legislative leadership at the local, state, and national levels; promotes excellence in practice, education, and research; and establishes standards that best serve NPs’ patients and other health care consumers.  # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – Eun-Shim Nahm, PhD '03, RN, FAAN, FGSA, professor and associate dean for the PhD program at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), has been awarded the 2022 Southern Nursing Research Society (SNRS) D. Jean Wood Nursing Scholarship Award. This award recognizes the contributions of a researcher who has enhanced the science and practice of nursing. The society represents 14 states, including Maryland. Nahm began her nursing career 30 years ago in oncology and has expanded her research foci to gerontology and health care informatics. She has received multiple funding awards from the National Institutes of Health and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Her current research focuses on the use of digital heath interventions to engage older patients, caregivers, and community-dwelling older adults in their care and to promote the management of chronic conditions.  She has developed and successfully implemented multiple online health behavior interventions for adults aged 50 and older and is currently leading online cancer survivorship studies as part of an academic-practice collaboration with clinicians at the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center. She is also leading a five-year implementation grant project, “Care Coordination Education-to-Practice Scale-Up Implementation,” through the Nurse Support Program II, funded by the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission.  Nahm has published more than 75 peer-reviewed journal articles and five book chapters and has delivered presentations regionally, nationally, and internationally including, most recently, at the 2023 SNRS annual conference, held in March in Orlando, Florida.  This presentation, “Real-World Data for Interdisciplinary Healthcare Research: A Case Example and Lessons Learned,” is based on findings from the “Care Coordination Education-to-Practice Scale-Up Implementation” project and reviewed the work of Nahm and co-authors Shijun Zhu, PhD, DrE, professor, UMSON; Kristin L. Seidl, PhD, RN, assistant professor, UMSON; Lynn Chen, PhD, assistant professor and director of evaluation, UMSON; Jenni Day, PhD, RN, director of nursing inquiry, University of Maryland Medical Center; and Hohyun Seong, MSN, RN, UMSON PhD student. The group’s work examined the impact of continuing nursing education in care coordination on specific patient outcomes, including 30-day readmissions, patient satisfaction, and discharge planning.  Real-world data (RWD) relates to patient health status and/or care delivery and is collected from sources including electronic health records (EHRs) and health surveys. Combined, these datasets provide a more complete picture of a person’s health and improve population health. Although nurses are leaders in using RWD in practice, RWD in nursing research has been limited. Nahm and team showed how, while the use of RWD has the potential for advancing health care research, researchers must recognize its limitations and establish mechanisms to minimize them. Nurse researchers can lead in this area, as they have innate understanding of such data and data sources. “Dr. Nahm’s award highlights the importance of the work she and her colleagues are doing to leverage health information systems to improve health care,” said Erika Friedmann, PhD, professor and associate dean for research. “It illuminates the importance of using real-world perspectives to inform education and practice. She champions the use of nursing informatics to improve health care from the perspectives of patients, practitioners, and researchers. This study puts her at the forefront, helping researchers use electronic-based technologies to access data from multiple sources and address questions critical to understanding how to optimize health care.” In addition to conducting research, Nahm reviews grant study sections and journals, teaches graduate-level nursing informatics courses and doctoral-level research courses, and mentors graduate and doctoral students and junior faculty members. Since joining UMSON in 2003, Nahm has served as a tenured professor in the Department of Organizational Systems and Adult Health and was the director of the Master of Science in Nursing’s Nursing Informatics specialty until she was appointed associate dean for the PhD program in 2022.  Nahm earned her PhD from UMSON, focusing on nursing informatics; a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Hawaii; and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Ewha Womans University in Seoul, Korea. She is a member of the Southern Nursing Research Society, the American Academy of Nursing, the American Medical Informatics Association, and the American Nursing Informatics Association. She is also a member of the Alliance for Nursing Informatics Policy Committee. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) once again was ranked in the top 10 across the board for public schools of nursing in the newly released 2024 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Graduate Schools,” out of 648 accredited nursing schools surveyed.  Both UMSON’s Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program and its Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program are tied at No. 7 among public schools of nursing. The DNP program is tied at No. 15 among all ranked schools, while the MSN program is tied at No. 25 among all ranked schools.  Leading the way in the rankings are four specialties, all ranked No. 1 nationwide among public schools of nursing: •    the DNP Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) specialty, tied at No. 4 among all ranked schools •    the DNP Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner specialty, also tied at No. 4 among all ranked schools•    the MSN Health Services Leadership and Management specialty, ranked No. 2 among all schools•    the MSN Clinical Nurse Leader option, tied at No. 2 among all schools. UMSON is also ranked in the top five among public schools of nursing for its DNP Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner/Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist specialty (No. 3, tied) and DNP Family Nurse Practitioner specialty (No. 4.) “It is gratifying to continue to be recognized nationally for our Master of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “We continue to play a vital role in efforts within Maryland and nationally to increase the number of nurses with advanced education at the master’s and doctoral level. We believe this is essential to ensuring that our graduates are well-prepared to meet the needs of patients and their families at a time when the health care system is increasingly complex with a growing percentage of older adults and a far more diverse population overall.” The U.S. News & World Report rankings are based on a variety of indicators, including student selectivity and program size, faculty resources, and research activity, and on survey data from deans of schools of nursing that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. In fall 2022 and early 2023, U.S. News surveyed 648 nursing schools with master’s or doctoral programs. In total, 296 nursing programs responded to the survey. Of those, 184 provided enough data to be included in the rankings of nursing master’s programs and 169 provided enough data to be eligible for inclusion in the ranking of DNP programs. Many institutions were ranked in both, using overlapping data. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. - A gift of $7 million to the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) from the Bedford Falls Foundation-DAF, a donor-advised fund established by Bill and Joanne Conway, will create 218 additional Conway Scholarships over the next four years. In addition, UMSON has received a Conway Innovation Challenge grant of $145,000, which will fund a pilot of UMSON’s Nursing Professional Residency for Outstanding Faculty (N-PROF) from the Conways’ Bedford Falls Foundation Charitable Trust. The $7 million gift will fund 116 Bachelor of Science in Nursing scholarships, 42 Master of Science in Nursing Entry-into-Nursing program scholarships, and 60 scholarships for the Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions Certificate. These 218 scholarships, which will be awarded from spring 2024 through fall 2027, will cover 50% - 100% of students’ tuition, fees, and books. The latest gift, the fifth from the Conways since 2015, brings the total amount the Conways have contributed to $36.24 million. To date, UMSON has awarded Conway Scholarships to 468 students, 354 of whom have graduated. By 2027, more than 1,000 students are expected to have been designated Conway Scholars. The gift also supports the creation of a full-time faculty position dedicated to preparing entry-into-nursing students for the Next Gen NCLEX, the newest version of the National Council Licensure Examination, which is designed to assess clinical judgment in nursing licensure candidates, measuring future nurses’ ability to think critically about how to care for patients. The gift also supports expanded promotion of UMSON’s Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions Certificate, a program critical to preparing and increasing the number of nurse faculty statewide. The nation is in the midst of a staggering shortage of nurse educators, with an estimated 9% vacancy rate and a wave of faculty retirements projected by 2025, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing in its Survey on Vacant Faculty Positions for Academic Year 2022 - 2023. Increasing the number of nurse faculty is intrinsically tied to expanding the nursing workforce. To graduate more students to bolster the number of nurses who are prepared to provide excellent care to patients, the state needs more nurse faculty to teach them. The Conways, through their Bedford Falls Foundation Charitable Trust, have made an additional gift to UMSON as part of the Conway Innovation Challenge. The Foundation created this challenge grant to elicit innovative, scalable ideas that will either allow for expanded enrollment or prepare nurses for faculty positions. “We are pleased to continue to support nursing students through scholarships and now, through the Conway Innovation Challenge, to support those nurses who want to enter into teaching careers to carry on a legacy of learning as they prepare future nurses to enter the workforce,” Bill Conway said. “This aligns with our goals of helping to expand the nursing workforce and addressing the nurse educator shortage.” With the Conway Innovation Challenge award, UMSON will create N-PROF, a yearlong pilot program aimed at facilitating the transition for nurses from careers in practice to careers as nurse faculty. The program, scheduled to launch next spring, will provide structure and support to meet the needs of new faculty through a cohort model as they learn about effective ways to develop curriculum; deliver content; advise students; collaborate on grants, projects, and manuscripts; serve on committees; grade student work; maintain their existing skills; and integrate feedback from all sides. The pilot, upon assessment of its effectiveness, will be shared as a model for other schools of nursing nationwide. The residency program is an initiative of UMSON’s Institute for Educators, which supports nurse faculty statewide through academic programs, mentorship, and professional development opportunities and prepares nurses for faculty roles in Maryland nursing schools and for educator roles in clinical settings. The goal of N-PROF is to increase retention of faculty members by enhancing confidence, competence, and connectedness. “Making the transition from practice to the academic setting and acclimating to a faculty role can seem daunting for new and novice nursing faculty,” said Susan L. Bindon, DNP ’11, MS ’96, RN, NPD-BC, CNE, CNE-cl, FAAN, associate professor; associate dean for faculty development; and director, Institute for Educators. “Much like nurse residency programs for new nurse graduates, this residency program for new nursing faculty will offer the support, structure, and connection needed to help them succeed and thrive as they learn new skills and take on multiple responsibilities. I am grateful for the opportunity to develop and pilot the program and am excited to support faculty in new ways beyond traditional orientation.”  N-PROF is funded through a $100,000 donation from the Conways, who also matched $22,500 from other UMSON donors. In a deeply felt commitment to future generations of nursing faculty, these generous gifts came from Dean Emerita Janet Allen, PhD, RN, FAAN, APN; Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing; and an anonymous donor. “We are deeply grateful for Bill and Joanne Conway’s unwavering commitment to nursing students through additional scholarship support and mentorship opportunities,” Kirschling said. “It creates significant opportunities for highly talented individuals to enter the nursing profession and ensures a compassionate, competent, and caring nursing workforce into the future. The Conways’ recent gift also allows us to expand the cadre of nurse faculty and clinical educators, a key component in addressing the need to increase the nursing workforce. With the support of the Innovation Challenge Grant, we look forward to pioneering a new residency model that holds great promise for better supporting and retaining nurse faculty while enhancing student learning and overall educational excellence.” ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

When Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, first arrived at the institution, she knew she wanted her legacy to be that she left the School “a better place to work and learn, grounded in civility, respect, and inclusion.” More than a decade later, Kirschling, who will retire this year, said the work the institution has accomplished since 2013 “goes beyond what I could have imagined.” To a standing ovation and with tears in her eyes, Kirschling thanked the School community. “There is much more that I could say about our work together. But also, most of all, I'm proud of our decade-long place on the long arc of the 134-year history of the School of Nursing,” she said. “It is truly a decade to celebrate together, remembering our history, stretching back to 1889, and understanding that each decade is a building block for the next. Our shared work comes back to my opening theme that over its long history, the School of Nursing has continually gone the distance in the past, in the present, and in the future.” At the School of Nursing’s annual State of the School address on May 1, the dean reflected on her tenure, which spanned a national racial reckoning, a pandemic, and a country-wide nursing workforce shortage. Read More View a photo gallery

Baltimore, Md. - Five University of Maryland School of Nursing faculty members have received Academic Nurse Educator Certification (ANEC) Awards from the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) through the Nurse Support Program (NSP) II. The faculty were each awarded the maximum amount of $5,000 for demonstrating excellence as an academic nurse educator through achieving the National League for Nursing’s Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) credential either through initial certification or recertification. The faculty are: Andrea Brassard, PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, CNE, associate professor Richard P. Conley Jr., DNP ’20, CRNA, CNE, assistant professor and assistant director, Doctor of Nursing Practice Nurse Anesthesia specialty Katie McElroy, PhD ’16, MS ’10, RN ’97, CNE, associate professor and vice chair, Department of Family and Community Health Patricia Schaefer, DNP, RN, CNE-cl, CHSE, CNE, assistant professor and director of the simulation labs at the Universities at Shady Grove Mary Pat Ulicny, MS ’11, MHA, RN, CNE, CHSE, clinical instructor “We are truly grateful for the generous support provided to nurse faculty through the Academic Nurse Educator Certification Awards and for the efforts of the Maryland Higher Education Commission to make this available to faculty,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “The CNE credential is an important indicator of the commitment of these five faculty members to excellence in teaching, and I congratulate each of them on their accomplishment. Through their efforts, they are ensuring that our students, the next generation of nurses, will be well prepared to meet the needs of Maryland’s residents.” The CNE credential establishes nursing education as a specialty area of practice and creates a means for faculty to demonstrate their expertise in this role. It communicates to students, peers, and the academic and health care communities that the highest standards of excellence are being met. By becoming credentialed as a CNE, faculty serve as leaders and role models. Developed under the NSP II program, which is funded by the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by MHEC, the ANEC award program recognizes professionalism in support of ongoing faculty development requirements necessary to maintain the CNE credential. The award is intended to reinforce the use of the CNE as one measurement of excellence in nursing programs and to support retention of outstanding academic educators. The award funds may be used to supplement the awardee’s salary; to pay for activities for professional development, including conference fees, travel, and expenses for speaking engagements; to pay professional dues, CNE examination fees, and continuing education expenses; or to assist with graduate education expenses, such as loan repayment. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.    

Baltimore, Md. –  Friends and family of the Class of 2023 gathered on a beautiful day under blue skies to celebrate the accomplishments of 464 graduates at the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) Convocation ceremony, May 18 at UMBC Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena in Baltimore County, Maryland. During the ceremony, 216 Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees, 98 master’s degrees, 141 Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees, 4 Doctor of Philosophy degrees, and 16 certificates were conferred. “Very few professions afford you the privilege of having as significant an impact on the lives of individuals, families, and communities as nursing does,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, in her opening remarks. “On behalf of the School, I hope you will be as happy and fulfilled in your nursing careers as I have been.” As a special tribute and surprise to Kirschling, who will soon retire after more than 10 years as UMSON’s dean, a four-member pipe and drum band led this year’s ceremony. She had remarked over the years how nice it would be to have bagpipes kicking off the festivities. Kirschling received a standing ovation after University of Maryland, Baltimore President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, thanked her for her dedicated commitment to the School.  “This is an exciting day for all of you,” he told the graduates. “I hope that you appreciate you live, work, and study in a terrific school with terrific faculty, terrific staff, terrific fellow students. You also work in a school that has a terrific dean. We have been comrades in arms in many ways. I hope you will all show her your appreciation with more than a round of applause.” Student speaker Sarah Khan, a BSN graduate, congratulated her fellow students for staying true to their path despite challenges and obstacles. “I know that when many of us started, we could not envision the road ahead,” she said. “The speed bumps and potholes, the tiny curves and unexpected crashes. Despite all of this, I can say it’s been one hell of a ride. “As we go forth in our careers, I urge you to embrace the steady passage of time. Embrace the baby steps and the big leaps, the winding roads and the scenic routes, but also embrace the world, for without it, it is impossible to reach your highest potential.” During the ceremony, the 2023 Dean’s Medal for Distinguished Service, which each year recognizes someone external to the School who has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to advancing UMSON and its mission, was presented to retired faculty member Mary Etta Mills, ScD, MS ’73, BSN ’71, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN. Mills is the sixth recipient of the Dean’s Medal, which each year is hand crafted by Jarrell, an accomplished metal artisan. Mills joined the School of Nursing in 1988 as an associate professor and was promoted to professor in 2005. She retired in June 2022 after a distinguished career, during which she held numerous academic leadership positions, including chair of the Department of Education, Administration, Health Policy, and Informatics and associate dean for academic affairs. She also served as interim dean of the School from September 2019 to January 2020. While at UMSON, she developed what became the first master’s program in nursing informatics in the nation in 1998 and the first doctoral program in nursing informatics in the world in 1991. Earlier in the day, the Honorable Shirley Ann Nathan-Pulliam, DHL (Hon.), MAS, BSN ’80, RN, FAAN, received the degree of Honorary Doctor of Public Service from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, during the University’s commencement ceremony. This degree is conferred by the president of the University on behalf of the chancellor of the University System of Maryland upon the approval of the system’s Board of Regents. Senator Nathan-Pulliam was nominated for this honor by Kirschling. The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students was awarded to Nia Koolman, a graduate of the BSN program, and to Michal Gold, a graduate of the Clinical Nurse Leader master’s option. DAISY awards are given each fall and spring to two graduating entry-into-practice students who demonstrate outstanding compassion and care to patients and their families. Kirschling sent the graduates forth saying, “Today, we launch you out into the world with a mission to do good, endowed with the necessary expertise. We wish you success! Make no mistake: You hold the future in your hands!” ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Excitement abounded May 18 as the graduates of the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s (UMB) Class of 2023 celebrated their many accomplishments with family and friends, though it was also a time for reflection on how the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted their early studies and bonded them with their classmates. Students who gathered outside Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena on the campus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County were elated to be able to attend UMB’s commencement, the second in-person ceremony since the pandemic started in 2020. “COVID in general just changed a lot of things. It changed how the schools operate, and then also with the clinical setting how we approach medicine,” said Chelsea Howell, DNP ’23, who earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “To be able to celebrate with everybody is amazing because virtual graduations aren’t the same. And it’s nice to just be able to see everybody.” Read More

Baltimore, Md. – Susan L. Bindon, DNP ’11, MS ’96, RN, NPD-BC, CNE, CNE-cl, FAAN, associate professor, associate dean for faculty development, and director of both the Institute for Educators and the Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions Certificate at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), has been recognized with a 2023 University System of Maryland (USM) Regents Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching, the highest honor that the USM Board of Regents bestows. Her selection is recognition of her outstanding accomplishments related to teaching excellence. Bindon was presented with the award during the public session of the full Board of Regents meeting on April 14. Bindon has served as the School’s inaugural associate dean for faculty development since 2021; her appointment is testament to her standing as an exemplary nurse educator, role model, and coach for faculty not only at UMSON, but throughout the state of Maryland. She is described as a “true teacher’s teacher,” focusing on nurse educator development, faculty professional development, learning engagement, and mentorship.  Bindon’s work addresses ongoing nursing workforce challenges locally, statewide, and nationally; the necessity of increasing enrollments in schools of nursing requires expanding the number of nurse educators well prepared to teach and mentor the next generation of nurses in the classroom and in clinical settings. Bindon has worked to elevate nursing education as a practice specialty in both academic and professional practice settings and has focused on mentoring faculty to improve teaching, with a focus on effective teaching to meet the needs of today’s learners. “My deep and abiding commitment is to students and faculty and to excellent, innovative teaching,” Bindon said. “My mission is to teach at the highest possible level and to help others do the same. Great teachers attract great students, who then make great contributions to patient care and other vital areas of nursing. I teach about teaching. Developing the competency of nurse educators and influencing generations of learning is my professional goal and love.” As director of UMSON’s Institute for Educators, Bindon bridges academic and clinical education, drawing from her own faculty practice in nursing professional development at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Her work supports the dual mission of the institute: to prepare future nurse educators throughout the state while offering ongoing education and professional development for UMSON’s own faculty and other educators. Her hallmark is utilizing a variety of creative approaches to designing and delivering education. UMSON’s graduate Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions Certificate, which Bindon also directs, prepares nurses for educator roles, ensuring they have the knowledge and skills to work effectively in academic and practice settings, whether in person or online. Bindon has received multiple grant awards through the Nurse Support Program II, funded by the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, focused on preparing and developing clinical nursing faculty across the state. Products of these grants have become components of essential faculty development statewide, including workshops that utilize standardized students (professional actors who portray students) to provide simulated experiences for faculty to practice their skills in guiding student learning in a safe environment. These workshops have prepared more than 450 faculty to teach nursing students in clinical settings.  “We congratulate Dr. Susan Bindon on this prestigious honor,” said Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “One of the tremendous challenges facing academic nursing is transitioning our educational model to suit a new generation of learners and doing so at a time when highly experienced faculty are moving into retirement. We need our next generation of great educational leaders, and Dr. Bindon has demonstrated her capacity for this through her teaching excellence, her innovative projects to expand Maryland’s cadre of well-prepared nursing faculty, her service at the national level, and her research on and dissemination of best practices.”  Bindon joined UMSON as an assistant professor in the Institute for Educators in 2011 and was promoted to associate professor in 2019. Prior to her current role, Bindon served as director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Post-Master’s option from 2018, overseeing the core DNP curriculum and providing support to DNP students and faculty.  She is a leader within the profession at the national level, having held multiple roles in the Association for Nursing Professional Development, including president, president-elect, and, currently, past president. She was co-editor-in-chief of the Journal for Nurses in Professional Development and is currently an editorial board member and an ongoing peer reviewer for the Journal of Professional Nursing. Her podcasts and webinars have been viewed widely and her peer-reviewed publications cited in multiple countries and languages. Bindon holds national certification from the National League for Nurses as a Certified Nurse Educator and as a Certified Nurse Educator, Clinical and from the American Nurses Credentialing Center in Nursing Professional Development. She was inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 2022. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania and her Master of Science, Certificate in Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions, and DNP from UMSON. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

From leaders of national nursing organizations to those in state government to presidents of Maryland’s largest hospital systems to nurses themselves, everyone has their eye on the workforce — and what can be done to bolster it, in Maryland and nationwide. The 2023 Maryland Action Coalition (MDAC) Virtual Leadership Summit, hosted by the University of Maryland School of Nursing on May 22, looked to the future of the nursing profession and health care in Maryland through a lens of “Collaborating to Meet Challenges and Opportunities: The State of Maryland’s Health.” Offered through a full day of live programming, including a poster session and roundtable discussions, to nearly 190 attendees, the summit explored new and innovative collaborations and partnerships to meet nursing’s future health care challenges and to recognize opportunities for making diversity, inclusion, and equity a reality in the workplace.  “If you said to me what are the two to three biggest challenges, my response would be workforce, workforce, workforce,” said M. Joy Drass, MD, executive vice president and chief operating officer of MedStar Health. This came during a morning Fireside Chat on the “Health of Marylanders: Sustainable Change” with Mohan Suntha, MD, MBA, president and CEO of the University of Maryland Medical System, and Kevin Sowers, MSN, RN, FAAN, president of the Johns Hopkins Health System and executive vice president of Johns Hopkins Medicine.  All three leaders predicted a change in the model of care in the not-too-distant future, related to staffing, electronic health record use, scheduling, mental health practices, and more. “We’re going to have to rethink our care delivery models. They will be team based, but what will they look like?” Sowers said. “Is it an NP with newly designed roles that’s overseeing a segment of the unit? Is it a nurse using telehealth to direct a team? Is it EMTs in our emergency rooms having a different scope of practice? We’re going to need to partner with schools about what our supply and demand looks like for the future.” Suntha highlighted that work schedules and wellness play a significant role: “How do we optimize schedules that optimize quality care delivery while nurturing the health of our workforce?” he asked. Drass agreed, “Our new-to-practice nurses really want flexibility.” And Sowers reinforced that a generational shift is playing out. “This generation focuses its time on how much time do I get off vs. how much time do I work,” he said. “Maybe they have it right and we had it wrong. How do you change your perspective as a leader to support a generational shift?” Sowers also highlighted the value of health care systems partnering to address challenges, which he said was critical during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Partnerships matter,” he said. “Mohan Suntha and I partnered very closely in the state and did a lot of good things between the University of Maryland and Hopkins. We’re stronger together than trying to work apart.” Earlier in the morning, Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing and co-chair of MDAC, shined a spotlight on the value of partnerships during her welcome remarks: “We will spend today exploring some of the new collaborations and partnerships that are helping us address the current challenges, including developing new care models and staffing to better support nurse retention, partnerships for preparing students for future health care needs, and exploring implementation of long-term sustainable change within Maryland’s health systems,” she said. “Threaded through each of these is the need to recognize and support the vital role of nurses in implementing strategies for academic and practice-based responses to the needs our health care system and those patients, families, and communities that we serve.” Kirschling also presented the coalition’s annual Exemplary Service Leadership Award, which celebrates leadership and accomplishments that go beyond an individual’s day-to-day responsibilities and recognizes that individual for honoring diverse perspectives and including others while exploring new ideas and partnerships to achieve large-scale goals. The coalition has renamed the award in honor of the “incredible legacy and many contributions” of Peg E. Daw, DNP, RN-BC, CNE, FAAN, former Nurse Support Program II grant administrator at the Maryland Higher Education Commission, and bestowed the 2023 award on her posthumously, having presented it to Daw’s family members during a remembrance celebration at UMSON in May, following Daw’s death in December. “Our efforts here in Maryland have been enormously successful, in no small measure because of Peg’s deep commitment and her involvement in helping to make available the resources and support that could move a national agenda forward here in the state of Maryland,” Kirschling said. During her remarks, Kirschling indicated that MDAC’s work has been driven recently by The Future of Nursing 2020 - 2030 report, which outlines recommendations focused on health equity. “As you may recall, a key theme of that report is the need to address the social determinants of health, reduce health disparities, and address inequities in our health system,” Kirschling said. “These were not new and novel challenges, but they were certainly brought into sharper focus given the disparate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on selected populations.” Health equity was the predominant theme of the morning keynote by Laura Herrera Scott, MD, MPH, the Maryland secretary of health, who discussed “Health Care Priorities for a Healthy Maryland: Leaving No One Behind.” Recently appointed to her role in January, she outlined her priorities as committing to reproductive health; creating real-time access to high-quality, equitable behavioral health care; and leaving no Marylander behind. “Across everything I’m doing, health equity is a priority,” she said. She explained that the nursing workforce looks more like the general population than do other clinicians and that nurses who are members of underrepresented or marginalized groups are more likely to advocate for their communities. “Nurses are key partners in advancing health equity,” Scott said. “At a population level, public health nurses work to address chronic diseases and prevention. At a policy level, nurses can advocate for community interventions and government programs.” But, she said, “nurses need more autonomy to sit in leadership roles.” This effort begins with preparing students to care for diverse populations and to address racism in health care and its roots in colonialism by “cultivating an inclusive learning environment for nursing students and giving them multiple settings for training and education,” she said. “Social justice is a core nursing value.” Following a series of roundtable discussions on topics including workforce intervention and retention, a statewide residency initiative, violence in the workplace, and clinical simulation, the summit presented a keynote panel of American Nurses Association (ANA) Nursing Staffing Task Force members. The panel included Katie Boston-Leary, PhD, MBA, MHA, RN, NEA-BC, CCTP, director of nursing programs, ANA; Cheryl Peterson, MSN, RN, vice president of nursing programs, ANA; and Sherry Perkins, PhD, RN, FAAN, president of Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center. Christie Simon-Waterman, DNP '16, RN, FNP-BC, WCC, DWC, president of the Maryland Nurses Association, moderated the discussion. Simon-Waterman kicked off the session by relaying what she called “an overarching and obvious challenge.” “Over 100,000 registered nurses have already left the workforce due to COVID-19 in the past two to three years, and another 800,000 intend to leave by 2027, one third of them younger than 40 years of age,” she said. “Those are who we usually depend on to be the mentors and preceptors of the future. COVID-19 has ebbed and flowed. But this nursing shortage has unfortunately been constant and even gotten worse.” The ANA and the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACCN) collaborated in 2018 to form the Partners to Address Nurse Staffing, Peterson explained. “We all know nurse staffing is a perennial issue within health care and one of our greatest pain points for our direct care nurses and for all nurses,” she said. Members of the Health Care Financial Management Association, the Institute for Health Care Improvement, and the American Organization for Nursing Leadership joined forces to create a think tank to examine nurse staffing solutions that could be implemented over 12 - 18 months. According to Boston-Leary, the think tank’s recommendations focused on a healthy work environment; diversity, equity, and inclusion; work schedule flexibility; stress injury continuum, which refers to the range of negative consequences from stress exposure; innovative care delivery models; and total compensation. The Nursing Staffing Task Force, formed by members of the ANA and AACCN to take a look at the issue on a national, policy-focused level, recommended reforming the work environment, developing innovative models for care delivery, establishing staffing standards that ensure quality care, and improving regulatory efficiency, Perkins said. “I would offer to you that the task force priorities focus on retention. We can’t keep filling up the bathtub, and have the drain clog open,” Perkins said. “These Nursing Staffing Task Force priorities speak to changing the work environment, so that we’re fundamentally altering what I described as why someone becomes a nurse. This is not going to happen hospital by hospital, chief nurse by chief nurse. We need national changes, we need policy changes, we need statewide changes.” In closing remarks, Mary Etta Mills, ScD, MS ’73, BSN ’71, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, a retired UMSON professor and a member of the MDAC Planning Committee, thanked speakers for sharing new care models, staffing initiatives, and support services “that will cultivate the preparation and retention of a resilient, skilled, diverse nursing workforce,” she said. “I think we’ve all learned a lot throughout the day and I know we’ll be learning a whole lot more as all these wonderful programs get even more attention, more experience, more evaluation and lead to ever more innovations that will hopefully take us well into the future.”

University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, has announced the appointment of Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, as the next Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON). An experienced researcher at international and national levels, educator, clinician, and public servant, Ogbolu is an associate professor (tenured) and has served as chair of UMSON’s Department of Partnerships, Professional Education, and Practice and co-director of its Center for Health Equity and Outcomes Research. Ogbolu’s work in community health embodies the University’s mission of improving the human condition, Jarrell said. “Through her research and scholarship focus on health equity, improving the social determinants of health, dissemination and implementation of health equity research and policy into clinical practice, and improving the lives of vulnerable newborns and their families. Dr. Ogbolu is the perfect choice to lead the School of Nursing into its next chapter,” Jarrell said. Ogbolu was chosen for the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean position from a talented pool of candidates after a national search. The committee was chaired by Mark A. Reynolds, DDS ’86, PhD ’99, MA, dean of the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, and Lisa Rowen, DNSc, RN, CENP, FAAN, chief nurse executive for the University of Maryland Medical System and professor and alumna of UMSON. “Given the strong national and global reputation of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, we received applications from an impressive number of highly accomplished candidates,” Reynolds said. “Dr. Ogbolu is a standout, offering a distinguished record of academic achievement and health sciences leadership, demonstrated commitment to health equity, and unwavering dedication to the School of Nursing. She is ideally suited to lead the School of Nursing and to further advance excellence in education, research, clinical care, and service — helping chart the future of nursing and the transformation of health care.” “We are thrilled to be able to collaborate with Dr. Ogbolu as she assumes the role of the next dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. Dr. Ogbolu has an expansive vision for the future of the School, knows the health care needs of our community well, and has expressed a deep commitment to continuing the close partnership and innovation the University of Maryland Medical System has enjoyed with UMSON and Dean Jane Kirschling,” Rowen said. “We thank Dean Kirschling for her remarkable collaboration and dedication to our collective work on nursing practice, education and research. UMMS nurses are fortunate to work closely with nursing leaders of such distinction as Dean Kirschling and Dr. Ogbolu.” Ogbolu was appointed to the UMSON faculty in 2010 as deputy director of the School’s Office of Global Health and became its director in 2015. During her tenure, she developed and grew the global health program at UMSON and at UMB. She forged and maintained international partnerships; developed new global health education initiatives, including a Global Health Certificate program and service-learning opportunities; and created a culture of interprofessional collaboration across campus. “It is an honor to be named the next dean of the School of Nursing and I am humbled to follow in the footsteps of Dean Kirschling and grateful for her many contributions to the School and to the nursing profession,” Ogbolu said. “I also have great hope and optimism for the future as we begin the next chapter in our history as a trailblazing school of nursing, building on the work of our predecessors and the School’s 134-year legacy of excellence.” A Career Dedicated to Addressing Health Disparities Ogbolu has dedicated her career to addressing health disparities in marginalized local and global communities. Early in her career, she helped lead development of the Primary Care Health Specialist curriculum for advanced practice in Nigeria and later served as an expert reviewer for the World Health Organization on the implementation science curriculum for health professionals in low-resource settings. She also served as the principal investigator on a seven-year pioneering program to address the critical shortage of medical, nursing, and dental workers in Rwanda, funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Global Fund (Ministry of Health Rwanda). This work developed curriculum and nurse educators to advance clinical nursing practice through development and implementation of evidence-based programs to improve health disparities in patient outcomes. Most recently, Ogbolu’s efforts have been focused on addressing local health inequities, including improving the provision of care to culturally and linguistically diverse patients and addressing social determinants of health and social isolation. Her passion for addressing global and local inequities resulted in her receiving a three-year, $950,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) as the principal investigator to develop the Global Learning for Health Equity Network, a program she co-directs with faculty in the UMB Center for Global Engagement. The national network is examining ways to learn from other countries to address health care inequities in local communities. It builds on Ogbolu’s work in applying lessons from Brazil to issues of family isolation in West Baltimore, utilizing a reciprocal innovation/global learning study model funded under a $683,000 grant also from RWJF. This earlier work was one of only six projects funded worldwide to address social isolation, a growing, global epidemic. Drawing on her internationally recognized expertise in this area, she was invited to present “The Global Movement Towards Health Equity” plenary session at the 2021 Global Philanthropy Forum. The session focused on how health equity is imperative to advancing societal well-being and ensuring effective health systems as well as improving social determinants of health. It highlighted the importance of sharing knowledge and discovering how global solutions can be applied to problems domestically. She also serves as the principal investigator on a $2.4 million Pathways for Health Equity grant, awarded in 2022 by the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission, that has funded the development of the West Baltimore RICH (Reducing Isolation and Inequities in Cardiovascular Health) Collaborative, a partnership of 14 community- and faith-based, academic, and health care organizations in West Baltimore, including UMSON and two other UMB entities. The collaborative aims to address hypertension and social isolation in four ZIP codes, selected due to race-based disparities in the represented areas. A Trailblazer in the Field of Nursing Raised just two blocks from UMB, Ogbolu describes her commitment to UMB and Baltimore as “unwavering, partly because this is the neighborhood where I grew up and in which I now have the capacity to lead change.” As chair of the Social Determinants of Health Taskforce of Baltimore City, formed in 2018 following legislation sponsored by former state Sen. Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, DPH (Hon.), DHL (Hon.), MAS, BSN ’80, RN, FAAN, who is also an UMSON alumna, Ogbolu leads a group charged with identifying and examining the negative social factors that cause hardship for Baltimore residents and for developing and implementing solutions. “Embracing my identity while understanding that each person has their own story has been essential to my leadership journey,” Ogbolu said in her application for the position. “My strong commitment to advancing equity is partly because I have experienced inequities similar to the disparities our University neighbors continue to face today.” Fifteen years after first becoming a nurse and while continuing to practice as a board-certified neonatal nurse practitioner, Ogbolu returned to nursing school and became a three-time UMSON graduate, earning her BSN, MS, and PhD from the School. While a graduate student, she received numerous honors, including being named a National Institutes of Health Fogarty Fellow. Her dissertation examined the impact of nurse work organization on newborn survival in 28 health care locations in Nigeria and illuminated the health challenges nurses and other health professionals face in attempting to address neonatal disparities in low-resource settings. At graduation, she was recognized with the “Outstanding PhD Student: Research, Service, and Practice Award.” Ogbolu’s ability to apply research findings related to health equity to public policy was evidenced early in her academic career. Shortly after completing her PhD, she was awarded one of 12 highly competitive national Nurse Faculty Scholar Awards from RWJF. With additional training through the National Institutes of Health in Dissemination and Implementation in Research in Health, her study (2013 - 17) on organizational cultural competency and its association with patient experiences in care examined organizational and contextual factors that drove or impeded adoption of cultural competency standards, evaluated the readiness of health care organizations to deliver culturally competent care, and assessed whether adoption of cultural competency standards was associated with improved patient reported experiences. This resulted in publications in major nursing journals derived from the study, and data from the study was subsequently used by the National Quality Forum (NQF) Disparities Standing Committee’s 2017 report A Roadmap for Promoting Health Equity and Eliminating Disparities: The Four I’s for Health Equity. Ogbolu was appointed a member of the influential Health Disparities Standing Committee for NQF in recognition of her contribution and expertise. Ogbolu has authored and co-authored a number of articles that have appeared in the Annals of Global Health; Journal of Addictions Nursing; Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing: JOGNN; Neonatal Network; Bulletin of the World Health Organization; and The Journal of Nursing Research and Practice, among others. Recognized as a leader in nursing, she has been invited to participate in national-level committees with the American Nurses Association (ANA), the National League for Nursing, and the National Quality Forum’s Disparities Standing Committee, where she served as the only nurse. She also serves on the ANA’s Subcommittee on Racism in Nursing Research. Ogbolu has received numerous honors and awards, including as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, a fellow of the National Academies of Practice, and a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholar. She also has received the Harriet Tubman Legacy in Maternal Child Health Nursing Award from the Minority Nurses Association of Maryland and a Governor’s Citation Award from former Gov. Martin O’Malley. She was the 2022 UMB Founders Week Public Servant of the Year, recognized as a 2015 UMB Champion of Excellence, won the 2014 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Outstanding Faculty Diversity Award, and was one of three faculty speakers at UMB’s inaugural faculty Convocation in 2022. “There is no question that the landscape of health care and nursing is changing rapidly and that the issues of today are complex and difficult. But the School of Nursing is well prepared to address new challenges given our tradition of innovation in research and scholarship, education, practice, and policy, as well as our commitment to authentic collaboration,” she said. “As I dedicate the next phase of my 35-year nursing career to serving as dean, I am inspired and excited by the opportunity to work with our diverse and amazing students; our staff and faculty; our alumni and supporters; our University colleagues; and our many clinical, community, and academic partners. The opportunities for us to contribute to making a true difference in individual lives and in our communities are all around us, and I look forward to all that we will accomplish together.” Ogbolu succeeds Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the inaugural Bill and Joanne Conway Dean, who announced last October her decision to retire at the end of the 2022 - 23 academic year. She will officially begin her position in this new role on July 17. About the University of Maryland School of Nursing The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment. In the 2024 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Graduate Schools,” UMSON was ranked in the top 10 across the board for public schools of nursing out of 648 accredited nursing schools surveyed. Both its Master of Science in Nursing program and its Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program are tied at No. 7 among public schools of nursing. Four specialties were ranked No. 1 and two others ranked in the top five among public schools of nursing. The School’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program is ranked third among all public nursing schools nationally in the 2022 - 23 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges.” UMSON was the first nursing school in the nation and is the only one in Maryland with an Institute for Educators, which focuses on preparing future nurse educators throughout the state while offering ongoing education and professional development for UMSON’s own faculty and other educators. It has long offered a graduate Teaching in Nursing and the Health Professions Certificate, which prepares nurses for educator roles, ensuring they have the knowledge and skills to work effectively in academic and practice settings, whether in person or online. The School has a long history of early adoption of important advances in nursing education, including establishing the first nursing informatics master’s and PhD programs in the world and the first online RN-to-BSN, Community/Public Health master’s specialty, and civilian Doctor DNP Nurse Anesthesia specialty in the state. UMSON proudly embraces its anti-oppression statement In UniSON: Together We Commit, Together We Act, which affirms the School’s commitment to creating an environment where all are welcomed and supported to be successful. For the fifth consecutive year, UMSON was recognized with a Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine in 2022. UMSON is passionate about its longstanding commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. To watch Ogbolu speak about her work, visit: Yolanda Ogbolu explains the importance of social connections during her lecture at UMB’s Faculty Convocation in fall 2022. For her extensive teaching, research, community service, and advocacy in addressing health disparities, Yolanda Ogbolu was named the UMB 2022 Founders Week Public Servant of the Year.  

Baltimore, Md. – Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, has appointed Yvette Conyers, DNP, RN, FNP-C, CTN-B, CFCN, CFCS, as associate dean for equity, diversity, and inclusion. She is the second individual to hold the position; the inaugural associate dean for equity, diversity, and inclusion was appointed in 2016 and at that time it was the first such position on the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus. UMSON’s students, faculty, and staff have become increasingly diverse over the past decade, and fully half of its student population now comprises those from traditionally underrepresented racial and ethnic groups.  In this role, Conyers serves as the primary advisor to UMSON’s dean, senior academic leadership team, senior administrative team, and Diversity and Inclusion Council on operational and strategic goals related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.  Additionally, she oversees UMSON’s diversity and inclusion initiatives and partners with colleagues across the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and Universities at Shady Grove locations to promote and execute efforts related to diversity and inclusion. Conyers also holds a faculty appointment as an assistant professor, teaching excellence tenure track, in the Department of Family and Community Health. Conyers joins UMSON from the George Washington School of Nursing in Washington, D.C., where she served as a clinical associate professor. Earlier, Conyers served as an assistant professor of community/population and public health nursing at the St. John Fisher University Wegmans School of Nursing in Rochester, New York, and as a co-director of the accelerated bachelor’s program for non-nurses and an assistant professor at the University of Rochester School of Nursing, also in New York.  “I look forward to Dr. Conyers’ future contributions to the School of Nursing,” Kirschling said. “I know that she will build upon the strong foundation of our past work and help lead us forward as we continue our efforts to promote equity, diversity, inclusion, and respect for our students, faculty, staff, and all those who interact with the School of Nursing.”  Conyers brings a strong commitment to community engagement, having served as the founding president of the Rochester Black Nurses Association, a chapter of the National Black Nurses Association, and as the co-chair of the Common Ground Health African American Health Coalition, seeking to address structural inequities that result in poor health outcomes using an upstream approach, examining and addressing root causes, rather than symptoms, to improve long-term outcomes and decrease health care costs. She is the recipient of several awards, including the Rochester Business Journal Power 100 (2022, 2021); the Greater New York City Black Nurses Association Nurse Educator Award; and the University of Rochester School of Nursing Mary Dombeck Diversity Enhancement Faculty Award. Conyers was recognized nationally with her selection as a 2022 American Association of Colleges of Nursing Diversity Leadership Institute Fellow.  Conyers earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and a Family Nurse Practitioner post-master’s certificate from St. John Fisher College; a master’s in nursing education from Roberts Wesleyan College in New York; a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Rochester; and an Associate of Applied Science degree in nursing from Monroe Community College in New York. She began her role at UMSON on June 5. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – Nicole E. Smith, PhD, MS ’14, RN, CNE, CHSE, CNE-cl, assistant professor, was selected to participate in the 2023 National League for Nursing (NLN) LEAD program. Part of the NLN Leadership Institute, the program is designed for nurses in education and practice who have recently been challenged with rapid transition into leadership positions, those in leadership positions who desire a formal leadership program, and those emerging and aspiring to lead. Smith is one of 25 nurse leaders nationwide selected to participate in the 2023 program. During the yearlong hybrid program, participants partner with peers and experts to examine issues related to leadership concepts and organizational systems. The program guides participants in developing strong management and leadership skills, the art of negotiation and communication within groups, and how to develop teams that perform at a high level. Additionally, the program helps members create a three-year, focused career plan; examine key issues in organizational dynamics; and implement an individual plan for leadership development. Participants are selected through a competitive application process. Participants identify personal and professional goals, learn about what makes an effective leader, and strategize how to re-tool skill sets and experiences to achieve individual and institutional benchmarks. To that end, everyone receives intensive one-on-one executive coaching in addition to attending online group coaching sessions, a retreat, and webinars, where they study leadership theory and development that includes case studies.  “It is an honor and a privilege to be selected to the 2023 NLN LEAD cohort,” said Smith, who recently returned from attending the program’s Intensive Leadership Retreat in Washington, D.C., June 25 - 28. “This intense yearlong opportunity is supporting my leadership development and has helped me cultivate a focused career trajectory. I am enriching and adding new leadership skills to my toolbox. As a result of this program, I will make a bigger impact in nursing education by applying new and improved leadership skills to support the organizations, students, and colleagues that I serve.” Following the leadership retreat, the group reconvenes at the 2023 NLN Education Summit, Extraordinary Nurse Educators, Leading Extraordinary Times, Sept. 28 - 30 at National Harbor near Washington, D.C. NLN, composed of nurse educators, education agencies, health care agencies, and interested members of the public, is dedicated to excellence in nursing education. Its members are offered faculty development programs, networking opportunities, nursing research grants, testing and assessment, and public policy initiatives. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. - Cynthia L. Renn, PhD ’04, MS ’97, RN, FAAN, University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) professor and chair of the Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, has been named co-director of the University of Maryland Center to Advance Chronic Pain and Research (CACPR), joining Man-Kyo Chung, DMD, PhD, CACPR co-director and professor and assistant dean for research at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry (UMSOD). Renn served as a founding member of CACPR’s executive committee when the center was established in 2011. CACPR’s mission is to cultivate and expand the cutting-edge multidisciplinary pain research portfolio at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) with the overarching goal of improved patient care and quality of life. It seeks to promote basic, translational, and clinical biomedical research to advance the understanding and treatment of chronic pain. As a catalyst for this process, the center engages multidisciplinary research teams and scientist-clinician collaborations to address this critical health care problem, which is a burden to patients, their families, and society. Together, the faculty, staff, and student members of CACPR bring together a unique collection of skills to create an exciting research environment that is primed to make great strides in the field of pain research. “It was a great honor to be named co-director,” Renn said. “My predecessors built a strong foundation to make CACPR into the outstanding center that it is. I have big shoes to fill, and it is a great privilege to have the opportunity to try to fill them.” Renn and Chung succeed Susan G. Dorsey, PhD ’01, MS ’98, RN, FAAN, professor at UMSON, and the late Joel D. Greenspan, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Neural and Pain Sciences at UMSOD.  According to the U.S. Pain Foundation’s “A Chronic Pain Crisis” report, an estimated 50 million Americans live with chronic pain, or pain that lasts most days or every day for three months or more. Of this group, 20 million suffer from high-impact chronic pain, or pain that interferes with basic functioning and activities of daily living, like personal hygiene and household chores. Pain is the No. 1 reason that Americans access the health care system and is also the leading cause of long-term disability in the United States. Estimates suggest pain costs the nation at least $560 - $635 billion a year in direct medical costs and lost productivity. As a nurse scientist with a portfolio of National Institutes of Health grant-funded research and numerous publications, Renn’s research focuses on understanding the cellular mechanisms underlying the development and persistence of chronic pain that arises from therapeutic drug treatment, traumatic nerve injury, chronic pain after traumatic lower extremity fracture, and low back pain.  In collaboration with Chung, Renn is responsible for planning visiting speakers; hosting an annual symposium; organizing periodic special events such as the screening earlier this year of the film This Might Hurt about a radical treatment for chronic pain, followed by a panel discussion; and leading regular meetings of the executive committee and meetings of CACPR members. She is responsible for planning and maintaining the budget and the production of CACPR’s newsletter. She and Chung are constantly looking for new avenues to advertise the center, including sponsoring part of the 2024 annual meeting of the U.S. Association for the Study of Pain, which will be held in Seattle. Renn is also a member of UMSON’s Biology and Behavior Across the Lifespan Organized Research Center of Excellence. She joined UMSON in 2004 as an assistant professor and then was promoted to associate professor (tenured) in 2013 and professor (tenured) in 2020. She is also a tenured professor in the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center’s oncology program, and since 2017, she has been a member of the international faculty of the PhD Program in Neuroscience at the University of Milano-Bicocca in Milan, Italy. She was a Southern Nursing Research Society/American Nurse Foundation Scholar and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and a member of Sigma Theta Tau International. CACPR arose from a solid foundation built on decades of successful pain research at UMB and by recognizing that the complex problem of chronic pain requires a broad perspective. It brings together nationally and internationally renowned clinical and preclinical translational scientists whose principal research focus is on the physiological, genetic, and psychosocial underpinnings of the development and persistence of debilitating chronic pain conditions. UMSON has played an important role in expanding collaborative pain research on campus, including orchestrating the award of two interdisciplinary campus NIH center grants. In addition, both UMSON and UMSOD faculty have successfully competed for multiple-principal investigator NIH R01 grants across UMB schools. This interdisciplinary perspective recognizes that the problem of chronic pain requires a broad perspective and a significant financial investment. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Today, clinical practice guidelines are mostly developed by clinicians taking data and coming up with high level population course guidelines. But, Suchi Saria, PhD, MSc, says, this method isn’t especially effective in a real-time setting because it doesn’t account for any level of nuance or exceptions. And often patients are that exception.  “What you really need for these kinds of real-time guidelines to be effective is to take these course guidelines and make it refined to the lens of a single patient — and that's why AI [artificial intelligence] and machine learning [ML] are really good,” said Saria, the director of the Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence and Healthcare Lab at Johns Hopkins University. “So, I see the future as a combination of using AI and ML to improve and individualized practice guidelines.” Healthcare professionals like Saria, a machine learning expert and health AI pioneer who founded Bayesian Health, a company that’s spent over a decade researching, building, and validating a state-of-the art AI/ML platform that helps physicians make the best care decisions, are looking to see just where that technology fits into their day-to-day work.  Saria was one of more than 40 speakers sharing their insights at the 32nd Summer Institute in Nursing Informatics (SINI): Capturing the Value of Informatics Across the Health Care Continuum on July 20-21 at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), an event that focused on how this technology is being incorporated. Sessions included everything from telehealth to robots in nursing to AI in the health care field to virtual reality in pain management, and more.  SINI, first introduced in 1990 at UMSON after the implementation of the nation’s first master’s program in nursing informatics, is a nonprofit international event that provides an opportunity to deliver multiple-level learning experiences to meet the needs of nurse and health care informaticians across the spectrum of practice.   “We celebrate this role and reputation as the place to come to expand one's knowledge of informatics and to learn about the latest developments in the field,”Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’03, BSN ’04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of UMSON, said in her welcoming remarks kicking off the conference July 20. “It is a place to explore emerging challenges and to network with colleagues." READ MORE  

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) will launch its new Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Entry-into-Nursing (MSN-E) program next spring. The two-year, in-person, full-time MSN-E program is designed for those with bachelor’s degrees in fields other than nursing who are interested in changing patient care, improving patient outcomes, and leading health care teams, and it will position nurses to grow in their careers. It will also teach students how to engage in self-care practices, incorporating self-reflection and feedback from others, to promote personal and professional resilience and well-being. The new program responds to alumni and student feedback to provide a more flexible curriculum while aligning it with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN) The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education, which provides a framework for nursing education using a competency-based approach. As part of UMSON’s ongoing effort to overhaul curricula at both the baccalaureate and advanced levels to align with AACN’s Essentials, the new MSN-E program will focus on competency-based education (CBE), a student-centered approach that focuses on demonstrating knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Nursing graduates with the competencies outlined in the Essentials will be well prepared to take the Next Generation NCLEX, the newest version of the National Council Licensure Examination, which is designed to assess clinical judgment in nursing licensure candidates, measuring future nurses’ ability to think critically about how to care for patients. CBE effectively develops critical-thinking and judgment skills in graduates, enhancing their chances of passing the licensing exam and thriving in their nursing careers. This fall is the final semester in which UMSON admitted students to its nearly 20-year-old MSN Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) option; as of spring 2024, UMSON will no longer offer it to incoming students and will offer the MSN-E program instead. “The new MSN-E maintains the strengths of the CNL option while anticipating and responding to changing forces in nursing education and practice,” said Janet Wulf, DNP ’19, MS ’06, RN, CNL, CHPN, CNE, assistant professor and director of the entry master’s program. “Through elective choices, students will tailor their education to their interests and experience. We see this as a springboard into the nursing profession and we can’t wait to see where our graduates land.” The program will provide more elective options than the CNL option does, and it will require 900 clinical hours. It will offer pathways to a doctorate, a certificate, a nursing specialty, or deeper exploration of a variety of topics. Some of the pathways will allow students to take courses they can apply toward a future degree or certificate. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – In the newly released U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 “Best Colleges” Best Bachelor of Science (BSN) Programs, the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) BSN program ranked No. 10 in the nation (tied with five other institutions), out of the more than 650 accredited nursing schools ranked. Among public schools of nursing, UMSON is ranked No. 3 in the nation (tied with two other public nursing schools). UMSON’s BSN program continues to be the top-ranked such program in Maryland. “It is gratifying to be recognized as one of the top baccalaureate programs in the nation, and it is a testament to our faculty, staff, and students,” said Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ‘11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “We are proud to play an important role within Maryland and throughout the country in increasing the number of nurses educated at the baccalaureate level, as we also work to address the critical shortage of nurses at all levels. Our graduates are well prepared to meet the needs of our health care system and to serve as a vital and trusted resource for individuals, their families, and our communities.” UMSON’s BSN program encompasses an entry-into-nursing program and an RN-to-BSN program for already licensed practicing nurses. The program prepares students to excel in nursing careers across a broad spectrum of acute, chronic, and community-based settings. National data indicates that employers increasingly prefer and, in some cases, require, a baccalaureate degree. This fall, UMSON admitted 220 entry BSN students, its largest class ever, between its Baltimore and Universities at Shady Grove (Rockville, Maryland) locations, reflecting the School’s commitment to responding to the demands of health care at a critical time of substantial nursing shortages. The School was among the first in the nation to launch an entirely revised BSN curriculum for incoming students last fall, in alignment with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education, an updated framework for nursing education using a competency-based approach. The curriculum responds to the Essentials’ direction for curricula that respond to the changing face of health care, necessitating updates to how nurses are prepared; in that vein, the BSN curriculum includes courses focusing on evidence-based practice, public and community health, social determinants of health, disease prevention, and palliative care. Two recent clinical practice initiatives with the University of Maryland Medical System — the Practicum to Practice Partnership and the Academy of Clinical Essentials — provide students expanded and advanced clinical opportunities. In addition to serving practicing nurses seeking a BSN degree, UMSON’s RN-to-BSN program boasts dual-admission partnerships with all 15 community colleges in Maryland that offer an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program, enabling a smooth transition for ADN students into UMSON’s BSN program. To date, 270 students have transitioned from community college to UMSON’s BSN program via the School’s dual-admission partnerships. Rankings are determined by scores received from surveys of top academics and officials at nursing schools or departments at institutions nationwide that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. In addition, the institutions must be regionally accredited and have recently awarded at least 40 BSN degrees. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – Three University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) faculty members have been awarded Nurse Support Program II (NSP II) grants totaling nearly $1 million. NSP II grants aid in increasing nursing capacity in Maryland by implementing statewide initiatives to grow the number of nurses prepared to serve effectively in faculty roles and by strengthening nursing education programs at Maryland institutions. Grants are funded through the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC). The NSP II grants awarded to UMSON beginning in Fiscal Year 2024 include: Lori A. Edwards, DrPH, BSN ’80, RN, CNS-PCH, BC, assistant professor and associate dean for the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program - Expansion of BSN and MSN Pre-Licensure Programs ($621,831 over three years)Prior to fall 2024, UMSON admitted 100 Bachelor of Science in Nursing students at each of its Baltimore and Universities at Shady Grove (Rockville, Maryland) locations twice a year in the fall and spring semesters, and it admitted 56 entry-into-practice MSN students in Baltimore twice a year. With the help of NSP II funds, the project seeks to expand these admission cohorts by 20 additional students for each program in each location every year, or an additional 60 students in three years. Grant funds will be used to provide administrative support to expand clinical sites and create novel clinical experiences with limited available faculty; develop strategies to increase practice-ready graduates by improving NCLEX first-time pass rates; hire a full-time administrator at UMSON’s primary clinical partner, the University of Maryland Medical System; and hire an additional graduate teaching assistant to support faculty and the entry-into-practice program directors and associate deans as they develop clinical sites and experiences.  Shannon K. Idzik, DNP ’10, MS ’03, CRNP, FAANP, FAAN, professor and associate dean for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program - Planning Grant for Nurse-Managed Health Center ($139,706 for one year) This planning grant seeks to address clinical site shortages, the largest risk to building the nursing workforce, Idzik wrote in her grant proposal. Her grant award will be used to explore and plan for a sustainable nurse-managed health centers (NHMC) model with a goal of increasing statewide nursing clinical capacity and increasing enrollment. NMHCs provide accessible, affordable, quality health care and critical health services to underserved populations while also educating nurses and nurse practitioners for the future. According to the American Academy of Nursing, data shows that NMHCs produce equal or better outcomes at equal or lower costs when compared with health outcomes and costs in the aggregate. Currently, schools of nursing rely on a volunteer preceptor model to provide opportunities for outpatient clinical training. Faculty shortages have the potential to worsen exponentially as pay in the clinical environment remains artificially elevated due to the pandemic and to the bedside nursing shortage. Faculty practices in NHMCs are a viable approach to increasing clinical capacity, decreasing dependence on volunteers, and increasing faculty satisfaction.  Eun-Shim Nahm, PhD ’03, RN, FAAN, FGSA, professor and associate dean for the PhD program - RWD-PR Certificate ($149,902 for two years) Grant funding will be used to develop and implement a Real-World Data and Pragmatic Research (RWD-PR) doctoral-level certificate program that will catalyze current doctoral-level education and prepare nurse scientists to solve major health care challenges, such as care quality and staffing shortages. The grant project focuses on the use of RWD-PR approaches to improve patient and nursing outcomes and collaboration between UMSON’s PhD and DNP programs. The program and its courses will be available to PhD, DNP, and MSN students as electives.  ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has announced the appointment of Barbara Resnick, PhD ’96, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, as associate dean for research. Resnick, who serves as the UMSON Sonya Ziporkin Gershowitz Chair in Gerontology; co-director of the postdoctoral program; and University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Distinguished University Professor, assumed the role on Aug. 1. Resnick will provide leadership and oversight for UMSON’s Office of Research and Scholarship, promoting, maintaining, and expanding UMSON’s research mission. Under her leadership, UMSON will continue to build an infrastructure that supports and facilitates the science conducted by its renowned research faculty. While continuing to develop strong research teams and create synergy and new collaborative opportunities for UMSON researchers with other researchers within UMSON, across UMB, nationally and internationally, Resnick is also focused on increasing research activity among UMSON faculty and helping UMSON researchers manage the increasing regulatory requirements associated with research.  UMSON nurse researchers focus on topics including substance use, multiomics, health services, health care informatics, pain and symptom sciences, maternal and birth outcomes, end-of-life and palliative care, community health, neuromuscular function, and implementation and dissemination science. Their work addresses a range of critically important clinical areas, with recent study including expanding understanding and management of pain across the lifespan; addressing aging-related issues, focused on optimizing function and physical activity; managing behavioral symptoms associated with dementia; treating depression; optimizing adherence to health behaviors and improving quality of life; and expanding knowledge and use of informatics for providers and other audiences, among other work. In its more than 130-year history, UMSON has advanced the science of nursing through innovative research, engaging learning, and unwavering community commitment. UMSON researchers produce insights and practices that have a lasting impact on health care delivery across the population lifespan and from the bench to translational research and back. UMSON was ranked 17th among public schools of nursing nationwide in receipt of funding by the National Institutes of Health, with $5.7 million in extramural research funding, for 2021 - 22. Resnick joined the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Department of Family Medicine in 1988. Moving to the UMSON faculty in 1993, she developed and directed the School’s master’s-level geriatric nurse practitioner program and its successor, the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner specialty, until 2019. From 2011 until her appointment as associate dean for research, she served as co-director of the UMSON Biology and Behavior Across the Lifespan Research Center of Excellence. Resnick is nationally and internationally recognized for her research and scholarship. Her research has focused on the care of older adults and optimizing health, function, and physical activity; exploring the impact of resilience and genetics on function and physical activity; and testing dissemination and implementation of interventions in real-world settings, including nursing homes and assisted living facilities. She developed an innovative dissemination and implementation approach to determine how best to achieve change in care behaviors and in clinical outcomes, and her approach to Function Focused Care has been implemented in hundreds of long-term care settings. She has maintained an active practice as a certified gerontological nurse practitioner for over 30 years, caring for older adults in a community continuing care retirement facility as well as in their homes and in assisted living facilities. Her work has been widely replicated nationally and internationally, and the interventions she has developed have helped to prevent functional decline, improve quality of life, and lower the costs of care for vulnerable older adults. Resnick’s research has been consistently funded, including by the National Institute on Aging, the National Institute for Nursing Research, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the John A. Hartford Foundation.  She has been published widely, including in more than 440 peer-reviewed publications in nursing, medical, and interdisciplinary journals relevant to geriatrics and behavior change. She has also authored more than 60 chapters in nursing and medical textbooks, served as author, editor, or co-editor of 11 books, and delivered more than 220 peer-reviewed presentations at scholarly meetings and numerous invited presentations. Resnick is highly regarded for her teaching and mentoring of students. Her mentorship was recognized in 2015 with her receipt of the University of Maryland Board of Regents Award for Mentoring. She has actively supported numerous PhD students in nursing as well as social work, pharmacology, and gerontology who secured funding for their dissertation research. As associate dean for research, she will continue to provide mentoring and guidance to the next generation of nurse researchers, both graduate students and junior faculty. Her impact on practice and policy is far reaching. Her research findings have guided revision of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services quality indicators related to activities of daily living and changes in resident function. She regularly heads Technical Expert Panels and advisory groups that set the standard for practice. Resnick has held numerous leadership positions, including president of the American Geriatrics Society —the first nurse to lead this organization — and president of the Gerontological Society of America. She has been recognized by her peers nationally with awards, including the 2021 William Dodd Founder’s Award from the AMDA-Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care; she was the first non-physician to be recognized by this society representing more than 5,500 medical directors, physicians, nurse practitioners, and others. Also in 2021, she was recognized by the Friends of the National Institute for Nursing Research with the Ada Sue Hinshaw Award, given to an individual “with a sustained and substantive program of science that would afford her/him recognition as a prominent senior scientist.”  Most recently, she was recognized in 2022 as a Distinguished Professor UMB and received the 2022 Elkins Professorship, UMB, with associated project funding. Resnick is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, a Fellow of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, and a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of American. She has also been inducted into the International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame for Sigma, the International Honorary Society of Nursing. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Connecticut, her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania, and her PhD from UMSON. Resnick succeeds Erika Friedmann, PhD, professor emerita, who retired. In her more than nine years in the role, Friedmann envisioned and developed the role of the Office of Research and Scholarship as a locus for fostering the success of researchers and scholars at different stages in their careers. She created an infrastructure to support all aspects of research, including adding expert assistance with statistics, developing a robust human subjects research quality assurance support system and review process, and collaborating with the DNP program to support the successful development and submission for institutional review of students’ capstone projects. Friedmann also formalized UMSON’s postdoctoral program and served as one of its co-directors. She will continue her grant-funded research, mentoring of PhD students, and service on UMSON doctoral committees on a part-time basis.  # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. - Two University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) faculty members and five alumni have been inducted as 2023 Fellows of the American Academy of Nursing (AAN), contributing their leadership and vision to shaping the future of nursing worldwide. Lori A. Edwards, DrPH, BSN ’80, RN, CNS-PCH, BC, FAAN, assistant professor and associate dean for the Master of Science in Nursing program, and Janet Selway, DNSc, MS ’88, AGNP-C, CPNP-PC, FAANP, FAAN, associate professor and director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner specialty, were inducted as AAN Fellows during an Oct. 7 ceremony, wrapping up the academy’s annual two-day conference “Celebrating 50 Years of Leadership, Policy and Partnership,” in Washington, D.C.  “We congratulate Drs. Edwards and Selway on the honor of being named Fellows of the American Academy of Nursing,” said Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “It is a true tribute to their dedication and commitment to excellence and to their many contributions to the nursing profession. Dr. Edwards’ deep commitment to teaching and service with respect to community/public health nursing and her efforts to continually advance authentic community engagement are inspiring the next generation of nurses. Dr. Selway’s dedication to excellence in the field of adult-gerontology and to shaping the critical role played by advanced practice nurse practitioners is enhancing our ability to meet the needs of our increasingly older and more diverse population. We also congratulate our four distinguished alumni for being nationally recognized for their leadership and many contributions to nursing research, education, and practice.” The following alumni were also among the 253 distinguished nurse leaders who compose this year’s cohort of AAN fellows, the organization’s largest class: Chien Jen Chen, MS ’16, RN, PMH-BC, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, FAAN, national chief officer/nurse executive, Department of Veterans Affairs Central Office Yao-Mei Chen, PhD ’08, MS ’95, associate professor, Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan Kathleen McGrow, DNP ’14, MS ’02, BSN ’86, RN, PMP, FAAN, chief nursing information officer Microsoft Health & Life Sciences Karin E. Warner, DNP, MA, MS ’96, BSN ’90, RN, FAAN, professor, University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing Anne Williams, DNP ’12, MS ’86, BSN ’82, RN, CPHQ, FAAN, vice president, health services and education, Special Olympics The newest fellows join a community of more than 3,000 AAN Fellows, who are experts in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia and who champion health and wellness. Through a rigorous and competitive application process, the Academy’s Fellow Selection Committee, which is composed of elected and appointed fellows, reviewed nearly 400 applications, ultimately selecting the 2023 AAN Fellows based on their contributions to advance the public’s health. Induction into the Academy is a significant milestone in which past and current accomplishments are honored by the inductees’ colleagues within and outside the profession.  Edwards has been widely recognized for her teaching and service. In 2014, she received the Association of Community Health Nurse Educators Faculty of the Year Award for Contributions to Community Health Nursing Education. Within UMSON, she received the Excellence in Teaching Award – Graduate Education in both 2019 and 2022 and the Distinguished Service Award in 2021, as well as the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s 2019 Master of Public Health Program Faculty Teaching Award.  In her current role, she is responsible for providing vision and leadership for the master’s program, including innovative program development and fostering the School’s development of partnerships with other academic institutions and health care organizations. Since joining UMSON in 2014 as associate director of global occupational health in the Office of Global Health, Edwards has held several positions, serving successively as associate director of the UMB Center for Community-Based Engagement and Learning and senior director of the UMB Center for Global Education Initiatives. She is the program advisor for the UMSON Peace Corps Coverdell Fellowship, which was just renewed for five years, and the faculty leader for the Interprofessional Program for Academic Engagement, a UMB-wide initiative housed at UMSON. Selway’s career has spanned more than 25 years in nursing education and more than 30 years as a nurse practitioner, practicing in community health, gastrointestinal surgery, school health, urgent care, emergency care, and family practice. Selway joined the UMSON faculty in August 2022 from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. During her time at The Catholic University, she held roles as a tenured associate professor in the School of Nursing, director of the Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Program, and associate dean of the Master of Science in Nursing program. She has also held faculty roles in primary care nurse practitioner programs at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing and at the University of Delaware. She has been engaged in funded educational grants as a project director, co-investigator, and consultant and has presented her work at regional and national conferences. She also has extensive experience at the state and national level advocating for policies related to the nurse practitioner scope of practice. Selway is the vice chair/treasurer of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners Political Action Committee and a past president and founding member of the American College of Nurse Practitioners and the Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland. In her current role, she oversees UMSON’s DNP Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner specialty, which is nationally top ranked by U.S. News & World Report. It is ranked at No. 5 in the nation among all ranked nursing schools and No. 1 among public nursing schools in the publication’s 2023 edition of “America’s Best Graduate Schools.” The American Academy of Nursing serves the public by advancing health policy and practice through the generation, synthesis, and dissemination of nursing knowledge. It represents nursing’s most accomplished leaders in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – For the sixth year in a row, the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has received the Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. The HEED Award is the only national honor recognizing health schools and centers that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion across their campuses.  UMSON will be featured, along with 61 other higher education institutions, in the November/December 2023 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education.  “Receiving the 2023 Health Professions HEED Award is a significant achievement for the University of Maryland School of Nursing, by highlighting our commitment to fostering inclusivity and equity on our campus,” said Yvette Conyers, DNP, MS, RN, FNP-C, CTN-B, CFCN, CFCS, CNE, associate dean for equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). “We are grateful for this recognition and the recognition that creating an inclusive environment is an ongoing process. The HEED Award serves as a reminder of our commitment to this important work and motivates us to continue striving for positive change.” The Health Professions HEED Award application is open to all accredited U.S. and Canadian health profession schools, including medical, dental, pharmacy, nursing, veterinary, and osteopathic medical schools. The HEED Award’s rigorous application process recognizes an institution’s level of achievement and intensity of commitment regarding broadening EDI on campus through initiatives, programs, and outreach; student recruitment, retention, and completion; and hiring practices for faculty and staff. UMSON’s In UniSON anti-oppression position statement guides these daily efforts and interactions. More than 60% of UMSON students identify as racially and ethnically diverse, and 14% of the student body is male — both figures that are above average for schools of nursing nationwide. Equity and justice are one set of core values at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and UMSON works to integrate these values fully and authentically into all aspects of its work and community. UMSON’s Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion offers individual and departmental support with a focus on relationship and community building and advocacy, efforts aimed at ensuring equity in policies and practices at all levels. It has developed activities, events, and affinity groups to engage faculty, staff, and students in thinking more broadly about diversity and in working toward a more inclusive community. In the past year, UMSON has launched a new multi-day Pathway to Nursing orientation program for entry-into-nursing Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing students. This program focuses on building community, enhancing students’ understanding of professionalism, and engaging them in the importance of ongoing scholarship — creating a sense of belonging and a welcoming space for new students. Specifically, during the orientation, students learn how to conduct inclusive conversations. Student, faculty, and staff feedback after the program’s introduction in fall 2022 was very positive. To continue to support and enhance the diversity of UMSON’s student body, the School has focused efforts on attending national conferences to recruit diverse students, such as the National Association of Hispanic Nurses, the National Black Nurses Association, Diversity in Nurse Anesthesia, DNPs (Doctor of Nursing Practice) of Color, and others. In the past year, UMSON also launched the Latinx Association of Nurses at University of Maryland and revitalized student participation the Black Student Nurses Association.  Other EDI initiatives of note over the past year include professional development offerings focused on taking action against microaggressions and on being an anti-oppression organization, Pride Month recognition with workshops focused on LQBTQ+ topics, and a five-week Spanish language seminar to promote a more diverse and welcoming community in honor of Hispanic and Latin Heritage Month.  ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has named Crystal DeVance-Wilson, PhD ’19, MS ’06, MBA, BSN ’00, PHCNS-BC, assistant professor and vice chair of the UMSON program at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG), the new director of the Maryland Nursing Workforce Center (MNWC).  She succeeds Rebecca Wiseman, PhD ’93, RN, who retired at the end of the 2022 - 23 academic year. The MNWC, launched by Wiseman in 2018 through Nurse Support Program (NSP) II grant funding, was created to collect data, analyze findings, and report on the state’s nursing workforce. To plan for future workforce needs and to measure the success of related programs and initiatives, an accurate and comprehensive data set is essential. Creation of the center also responded to a national recommendation in the Institute of Medicine’s 2011 report The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health for improved collection of workforce data.   “It is an exciting time for the Maryland Nursing Workforce Center. Building on Dr. Wiseman’s legacy we will continue to address matters that are important to the nursing profession across the state of Maryland and nationally,” DeVance-Wilson said. “We have a great team who is looking forward to the work and is humbled by the opportunity to serve the Maryland nursing community.”  DeVance-Wilson has served as the center’s assistant director since 2021. She is the MNWC lead facilitator on the Universal Onboarding of Pre-licensure Students project, designed to standardize hospital orientation education for nursing students when onboarding for clinical and practicum opportunities, in conjunction with the Maryland Organization of Nurse Leaders Inc. Nurse Residency Collaborative. She was also a member of the research team that developed, implemented, and analyzed the 2021 Maryland statewide survey, “Analysis of COVID-19 Impact on the Maryland Nursing Workforce.”  Over its five-year existence, the MNWC has been at the forefront of efforts to assist nursing faculty members throughout Maryland to prepare for the introduction of the NextGen NCLEX, a revised nurse licensing examination paralleling national changes in nursing school curriculum. A highly collaborative and inclusive advisory committee made up of faculty from public, private, community, and historically black colleges and universities schools of nursing held a statewide summit in September 2021 on the changes to the exam and followed this with a series of in-depth workshops to assist nursing faculty in incorporating techniques to enhance students’ clinical judgment and decision-making abilities into classroom, clinical, and simulation instructional strategies. MNWC’s statewide collaborative efforts in developing such resources for nursing faculty has served as a model for other states.   The MNWC also serves as the official Maryland state representative to the National Nursing Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers, a national network of state-based workforce centers that aims to ensure a robust, diverse, and well-prepared nursing workforce. The MNWC is a recognized leader within the national forum.  DeVance-Wilson joined the UMSON faculty in 2009 as a clinical instructor, having served for more than a decade as a labor and delivery and critical care nurse; she was promoted to assistant professor in 2019. She is the immediate past chair of UMSON’s Faculty Council and has served on multiple UMSON committees. DeVance-Wilson is also the immediate past chair of the Montgomery County Commission on Health; is a project director for a more than quarter-million-dollar Nurse Support Program II grant, “Academic Practice Pilot Dedication Education Unit Model”; and is an advisory board member of the Pennsylvania Action Coalition’s Clinical Faculty and Preceptor Academy, which aims to increase nursing workforce retention by leveraging staff nurses to participate as skilled preceptors and clinical instructors. She is also a volunteer for the Maryland Responds Medical Reserve Corps.  She earned her PhD, Master of Science in Community/Public Health Nursing, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees from UMSON; she also holds an MBA from the University of Baltimore. She is certified as a Clinical Nurse Specialist-Public/Community Health Nursing.  ###  The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. - The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has appointed Jennifer Fitzgerald, DNP ’15, MS ’00, NNP-BC, assistant professor, as the director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) specialty. As director, Fitzgerald provides curricular leadership for the NNP specialty, overseeing all aspects of the program and ensuring all credentialing, certification, and program standards are maintained. Her responsibilities also include directing student admission and program progression and collaborating with UMSON departments on student recruitment and program marketing. Fitzgerald is focused on strengthening UMSON clinical practice relationships, ensuring the UMSON student body reflects the diversity of patients and families in the Baltimore community, and maintaining a highly successful NNP specialty. The need for advanced practice NNPs continues to increase, as preterm birth rates have risen steadily for the past six years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2020, 1 in 10 babies in the United States was born before 37 weeks of gestation. As one of very few DNP NNP programs in the country and the only program in Maryland, the DNP NNP specialty helps meet the demand for skilled, advanced practice NNPs. “Dr. Fitzgerald is an expert clinician and educator, and we are fortunate to have her in the NNP specialty director role,” said Shannon K. Idzik, DNP ’10, MS ’03, CRNP, FAANP, FAAN, associate professor and associate dean for the DNP program. “She served as NNP lead at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) and began her teaching career at UMSON as an adjunct faculty member in 2017. Dr. Fitzgerald has worked closely with other UMSON NNP faculty to continue the success of the program.” Fitzgerald joined UMSON in 2020 as an assistant professor, teaching and coordinating diagnosis and management courses in the DNP pediatric and neonatal specialties, mentoring students, and facilitating DNP scholarly projects. As the NNP specialty director, she will continue to teach and provide clinical rotation oversight in the UMSON NNP and pediatric NP Diagnosis and Management courses and serve as faculty in the DNP Scholarly Project courses. She also continues to work as an NNP for UMMC, where she has worked since 1993, first as a nurse and, since 2000, as an NNP. In her role as an NNP, Fitzgerald develops treatment plans and collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to develop strategies for managing complex conditions including congenital anomalies and prematurity issues. Fitzgerald has authored journal publications and book chapters on neonatal and pediatric care. She has been published in Advances in Neonatal Care, the official journal of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses, and has spoken locally and nationally on topics related to neonatal care, including for the National Organization for Nurse Practitioner Faculties and the annual Neonatal Advanced Practice Nursing Forum. Fitzgerald earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Salisbury University in Maryland and her Master of Science (Neonatal Nurse Practitioner), her Doctor of Nursing Practice, and her Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions Certificate from UMSON. Fitzgerald succeeds Jan Wilson, DNP ’09, MS ’94, BSN ’74, CRNP, NNP-BC, C-ELBW, FAANP, assistant professor, who served as the first neonatal nurse practitioner in Maryland and the first director of UMSON’s DNP NNP specialty. Beginning in 2015, when UMSON launched the NNP specialty, Wilson worked to grow the program, graduating 30 NNPs and developing a curriculum that continues to boast a 100% certification pass rate nearly every year. Wilson will remain a member of the UMSON faculty. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Over decades, libraries have grown from spaces solely to check out books into community hubs. They offer job resources, access to computers, educational opportunities, and more.   Nationwide, there are an estimated 17,000 public libraries receiving four million visits daily, according to a study published in the Journal of Community Health. And now, in Maryland, some libraries are capitalizing on that community trust to help address health disparities. A newly created partnership between the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) and the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System (PGCMLS) will provide much-needed health resources to the community while providing a critical clinical experience for nursing students. The initiative — Talk Health with the University of Maryland School of Nursing — places entry Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students from UMSON at the Universities at Shady Grove in the PGCMLS Greenbelt Branch Library on Mondays this fall. The collaboration between UMSON and the library system expands work that began last year. Last spring, UMSON BSN students were placed in multiple branches of the Enoch Pratt Free Library throughout Baltimore in a partnership that was the first of its kind in Maryland. For BSN student Bukola Oladipuo, working directly with community members is extremely fulfilling, especially when it comes to educating them about the importance of managing their health. “A lot of people — after checking them, we realize that they didn’t take their blood pressure medication that morning,” Oladipuo said. “Letting them know how important it is to be compliant with the medication regimen — it’s something rewarding for me.” Read More  

Baltimore, Md. – Rachel Blankstein Breman, PhD ’18, MPH, RN, an assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), has received two grant awards – one for more than $1 million, the other for $60,000 – both of which aim to address the critical need to improve communication in maternity care. Breman has received an RO1 research project grant of $1,055,563 from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare and Research Quality. The R01 grant designation is used for mature research projects that are hypothesis driven with strong preliminary data. Breman’s project, titled “A Measure for Shared Decision Making in Maternity Care through Communicating CHOICEs: CHildbirth Options, Information, and Person-Centered Explanation,” will be funded over three years. Improving maternity care, including the morbidity and mortality disparities among birthing people, is a national priority, explained Breman, who is the first University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Institute for Clinical & Translational Research KL2 Career Development Awards Program recipient to be awarded an RO1 grant. The KL2 award provides support for clinical and translational research training and career development of researchers campuswide. U.S. professional perinatal care organizations recommend shared decision-making (SDM) in maternity care as a way to provide person-centered, high-quality care to pregnant and birthing people during their perinatal care. SDM is an essential part of effective communication between the patient and health care team; the care preferences and personal values of the patient are directly integrated into the clinical decision-making process with the health care team. But there is no valid and reliable measure of SDM so that the pregnant person’s experience with SDM during their pregnancy and birthing care can be determined. “If there is no patient-reported experience measure for SDM, then there is no way for providers to truly know whether or not there was shared decision-making that happened,” Breman said.  The main objective of the project is to provide a metric for measuring SDM from the pregnant person’s perspective during their prenatal and intrapartum hospital care; this will be achieved by testing the validity and reliability of a revised version of the CHOICEs measure, which Breman previously developed. Pilot data from that effort provided support for the reliability and validity testing properties of the CHOICEs measure, but additional questions are needed to measure SDM comprehensively within the context of maternity care. “There is a maternal health crisis in the United States, and part of the problem has to do with health care systems and providers not providing person-centered care and listening to pregnant people,” said Breman, whose research focuses on maternal health, intrapartum care, SDM, implementation and dissemination research, and outcomes research. “This measure will help those doing research or quality improvement projects aimed at improving communication during pregnancy and birth for better maternal and newborn outcomes. “The value of having a measure of shared decision-making for maternity care is that we need to have a way to include the pregnant and birthing person’s voice in their care,” Breman said. “This grant will have the end outcome of an improved patient experience measure for this.” The Revised CHOICEs SDM will be translated culturally and linguistically into Spanish. Breman and her research team plan to recruit 505 people who have given birth within the previous six months through the smartphone apps What to Expect, the Baby Center, and What to Expect Español. To reach populations that do not traditionally participate in research, they will use social networking recruitment through a community-based federally qualified health care center, Mary’s Center, which serves more than 65,000 people of all ages, incomes, and backgrounds in the Washington, D.C., metro area. Through the grant, researchers expect to establish the reliability and validity of an SDM measure in perinatal care in English and Spanish and to determine whether the SDM items perform equally across different clinical situations and demographic groups.  Upon completion of the project, the expected outcome is a reliable and valid revised CHOICEs measure of SDM for general use in perinatal care, with instructions for interpretation of the scores. Breman also received a one-year $60,000 grant from the Maryland Department of Public Health in collaboration with the Maryland Patient Safety Center and Your Birth Partners, a nonprofit organization. This grant will fund interactive webinars on how to implement trauma-informed care for all birth workers in Maryland. Using a trauma-informed method of communication during perinatal care can foster trust between patients and birth workers. With improved trust, birth workers can provide better care and offer resources to birthing people and their families that they may not have otherwise offered. Trauma-informed communication methods can also help address the social determinants of health and equity. “The value of this project is that it will provide the state of Maryland with baseline data about birth workers’ knowledge and use of trauma-informed care,” Breman said. Through these webinars, the sponsoring partners will explore what additional information and resources are needed or are available, such as training, hospital policy updates, and increased support within hospitals to address implementation of trauma-informed care. “Foundationally, all birth workers should use a trauma-informed approach when consulting with their clients and during physical exams,” Breman said. “This work will help strengthen what is already being done in clinical care and explore areas for improvement and future implementation so that all birthing people feel safe in perinatal and women’s health care settings.” ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. - The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has appointed Kelly Doran, PhD ’11, MS ’08, RN, FAAN, associate professor, as co-director of its Biology and Behavior Across the Lifespan (BBAL) Organized Research Center.  BBAL is one of UMSON’s five research Centers of Excellence. BBAL’s extramurally funded investigators investigate the management of disease and optimization of health as well as the ways biological findings can influence disease prevalence and progression. As a center for shared thinking — within UMSON and across the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) — members pool resources and collaborate on ideas and interventions that promote and sustain health for people of all ages. BBAL members also support, encourage, and facilitate research and researchers in these areas and provide leadership within UMSON that guides research-related activities within biology and behavior across the lifespan. Doran, a BBAL member since 2012, will serve alongside co-director Nicole “Jennifer” J. Klinedinst, PhD, MPH, RN, FAHA, associate professor. She succeeds Barbara Resnick, PhD ’96, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, professor, Sonya Ziporkin Gershowitz Chair in Gerontology, and UMB Distinguished University Professor, who was appointed associate dean for research. As co-director, Doran will support BBAL-related research activities and ideas among graduate and undergraduate students and faculty. This will include advocating for the research of BBAL members and the growth and deepening of research across UMSON and assisting with the acquisition of new faculty. Doran has been an UMSON faculty member and researcher since 2012 and has led multiple worksite wellness studies within long-term care facilities. Previously, the American Heart Association (AHA) funded Doran to test the efficacy of a program she created, called the Worksite Heart Health Improvement Project (WHHIP), which aims to reduce cardiovascular health disparities among long-term care staff. Her current AHA-funded grant applies lessons learned from WHHIP to reduce cardiovascular health disparities and reduce staff stress in long-term care by focusing on health promotion behaviors (e.g., exercise and sleep) and organizational changes that reduce job stress based on guidance from worksite stakeholders. These projects have demonstrated improvements in staff behavior and health outcomes as well as increased worker productivity and spillover benefits to residents — with staff serving as healthy role models engaging residents in healthy behaviors. This research is critical to combating the health care worker shortage that was evident even before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Doran has also served and continues to serve as a co-investigator on federal, state, and local grants aimed at reducing health inequities through health promotion interventions. She currently serves as director of health and wellness at UMB’s Community Engagement Center, which assists adults in the West Baltimore community by leveraging UMB resources to reduce health disparities.  Doran earned her PhD and her master’s degree in community/public health nursing from UMSON, her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Drexel University, and her Associate Degree in Nursing from the Community College of Philadelphia.  # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Brigitte Gourley, DNP, FNP-BC, director for the Family Nurse Practitioner specialty and assistant professor in the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has been named co-director of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Center for Interprofessional Education, joining fellow co-director Linda B. Horn, PT, DScPT, MHS, director for academic affairs and assistant professor in the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science. The center will be led by Heather Congdon, PharmD, BCPS, CDE, of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, who has been named its new director. Read More

Baltimore, Md – Three University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) faculty members — Erika Friedmann, PhD; Louise Jenkins, PhD ’85, MS ’81, RN, FAHA, ANEF; and Mary Etta C. Mills, ScD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN — have recently been appointed professors emeritae by University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS. Emeritus status may be awarded to retired faculty members who have made significant and extraordinary contributions through excellent teaching, scholarship, or service. These designations must be approved by the UMB president. Erika FriedmannFriedmann, who retired from UMSON in August 2023 as associate dean for research, is an internationally recognized researcher in anthrozoology, the scholarly investigation of human-animal interaction. Her 1980 paper, “Animal Companions and One-Year Survival of Patients After Discharge from a Coronary Care Unit,” was the first to document the long-term psychological and physical contribution of pet ownership to physical health in older adults. As a result of this and her subsequent work, most hospitals and nursing homes have animal visitation programs and/or facility dogs. Friedmann was a founding member and first president of the International Society of Anthrozoology (ISAZ), which was created in 1991 to foster the scientific and scholarly study of human-animal interaction. In 2016, she was elected a fellow of ISAZ and was the inaugural recipient of the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations’ Johannes Odendaal Human-Animal Interaction Distinguished Research Award. In 2019, she received ISAZ’s Distinguished Anthrozoologist Award for lifetime achievement. Friedmann joined UMSON in 2003 as a professor in the Department of Organizational Systems and Adult Health and became associate dean for research in 2015. She has served as a mentor to junior faculty, providing grant and scholarly writing seminars, teaching research methods and statistics, and serving on more than 50 doctoral dissertation committees. She remains a part-time UMSON faculty member.  Louise JenkinsJenkins served as a faculty member at UMSON for more than 24 years. In 2004, she co-founded the UMSON Institute for Educators, to address the urgent statewide nursing faculty shortage. Under her leadership, the Institute contributed to a 63% increase in the number of new Maryland nursing school graduates sitting for boards and becoming licensed in the state and received multiple grants, totaling nearly $7 million. Jenkins also co-developed and led the Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions Certificate program.  She was named the UMB Teacher of the Year in 2016, an award that highlighted her significant contributions to UMB’s missions of teaching, research and scholarship, and service as well as her unwavering commitment to developing future generations of nurses ready to lead, in Baltimore, throughout Maryland, nationally, and internationally. In 2018, Jenkins was awarded a Wilson H. Elkins Professorship from the University System of Maryland for her work developing a comprehensive blueprint for preparing the next generation of nursing faculty in Maryland. And in 2021, she was named an inaugural Distinguished University Professor by UMB. The title is the highest appointment bestowed on a faculty member at UMB and recognizes not just excellence but also impact and significant contribution to the awardee’s field, knowledge, profession, and/or practice. Jenkins retired from her role as professor in August 2023. Mary Etta MillsAs an UMSON faculty member beginning in 1988, Mills focused on preparing nursing students for the administrative side of nursing and working in a system. During her distinguished career, she held numerous academic leadership positions, including chair of the Department of Education, Administration, Health Policy, and Informatics and associate dean for academic affairs. She also served as UMSON’s interim dean from September 2019 to January 2020.  During a joint UMSON/University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) appointment in the 1970s, Mills created a clinical documentation system for nursing, the earliest electronic health record at UMMC. Years later, at UMSON, she developed what became the first master’s program in nursing informatics in the nation in 1998 and the first doctoral program in nursing informatics in the world in 1991.  Her interdisciplinary research and training grants have focused on developing the field of nursing informatics education and application and on advancing the field of health services administration and education through strategic academic-service partnerships throughout Maryland. She has mentored a generation of doctorally prepared nurses, and her former students have gone on to make significant contributions to nursing, serving as deans, associate deans, chief nursing officers, chief information officers, and policy and organizational leaders. Mills was awarded the 2020 Nursing Colleague Award from UMMC. She was recognized for her collaborative, insightful, and supportive leadership in her role as interim dean and her commitment to UMNursing, the clinical, educational, and research partnership between UMSON and UMMC. At UMSON’s May 2023 Convocation ceremony, she received the Dean’s Medal for Distinguished Service, which recognizes individuals, external to the institution, who have demonstrated “an exceptional commitment to advancing the University of Maryland School of Nursing and its mission.”  Mills retired from her role as professor in 2022.  # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Newspaper headlines this fall told the story of a serious challenge facing the nursing profession: staffing shortages. In the largest health care strike in history, a coalition of 11 unions representing 85,000 Kaiser Permanente employees walked out for three days in October. The president of one of those unions, based in Maryland, said staffing levels have put patient care in “crisis” at some facilities. Part of the reason is that staffing levels that were decimated during the COVID-19 pandemic have been slow to improve. Another is demographics. According to a study by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, the average age of registered nurses in the U.S. is 46, down from 52 in 2020. Many older, more experienced nurses have retired or left the profession. Another recent survey, Nurse.org’s 2023 State of Nursing report, also pointed to staffing shortages as a major problem, with nine out of 10 polled saying the shortage is getting worse. Solving that problem, and the associated problem of low staffing ratios, was cited as more important than improving pay. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the United States will need to fill 190,000 nursing positions in each of the next 10 years to keep up the country’s health care needs. Schools of nursing also will face challenges preparing the nursing workforce for the changing demands on the job. Telemedicine exploded during the pandemic and remains largely popular (and insurable). And an aging population with increased need for home health care likely will add impetus to that trend. The ascendancy of artificial intelligence in health care is expected to impact not only nursing informatics, but also administration, research, and even clinical care. And improvements in virtual simulation technology may bolster the demand for online nurse education. Although many schools of nursing around the U.S. report difficulties recruiting students, the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) is doing just fine. “I think Jane [Kirschling] left us in a really good place,” said Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, who succeeded Kirschling as the Bill and Joanne Conway dean of UMSON in July. “I’ve been going around all over the country, and schools are reporting low enrollment, but we’re growing here.” Ogbolu, appearing on the online program Virtual Face to Face, explained that the student body isn’t just growing, it’s also becoming more diverse. “We’re over 50 percent underrepresented minorities in Baltimore, and over 80 percent at [the Universities at] Shady Grove. And that’s a big deal in nursing. Because nursing is not a diversified profession,” Ogbolu said. “Many schools are really fighting to get diverse nurses. We want them to match the American population as they’re providing care in the health system.” Read More

The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) celebrated an extraordinary group of health care professionals on Dec. 21 at a ceremony honoring summer and fall 2023 graduates from its locations in Baltimore and at the Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville, Maryland.  Thursday’s graduation was the first led by Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the newly appointed Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, who began her tenure in July.  “This is always an exciting time for us, as educators, when we celebrate the milestones reached by our students and revel in their success, because their success is our success as well,” Ogbolu said. “It is a time for us to reflect on our essential purpose – to foster the development of human potential that lies within each of us, to enrich our lives and enable us to contribute to improving the lives of others – in particular, through our nursing careers.”  At the ceremony held at the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore, University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, conferred 275 degrees, including 192 Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), 76 master’s (including entry-into-nursing Clinical Nurse Leader [CNL]), four Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), and three PhD, as well as three certificates.  Thursday’s celebration focused on the important patient care that nurses provide. The event’s keynote speaker, Katie Boston-Leary, PhD, MBA, MHA, RN, NEA-BC, director of nursing programs at the American Nurses Association, acknowledged the challenges that exist in nursing but also implored graduates to recognize their strengths and their power to bring change.   “You have light and darkness, two opposing forces that play off of each other. And they also depend on each other to function. It is also a choice of who we choose to be every day when we show. Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that,” she said. “Hope and despair, another set of opposing concepts. It is easy to feel despair at the state of the world that we live in today. Almost everything is being upended, and there's so much unrest. We need hope.”  During the ceremony, DAISY Awards for Extraordinary Nursing Students were presented to Wendy Yamileth Bonilla Flores, a graduate of the BSN program, and Helena Elyse Preis, a graduate of the CNL option. DAISY Awards are given each fall and spring to two entry-into-nursing graduates who demonstrate empathetic care and service to patients and their families. The award was created by  The  DAISY  Foundation to remind students, even during their hardest days in nursing school, why they chose to become a nurse.  The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty was presented to DeNiece Bennett, DNP, RN, assistant professor and director of the NCLEX Success Program. The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty was created by The DAISY Foundation to recognize and celebrate the contributions that faculty members make to the future of nursing.  “Dr. Bennett embodies the quintessential qualities of an exceptional nursing professor, and she will always be the driving force behind my and many others’ achievements at UMSON,” one of Bennett’s students wrote in her nomination. “Every aspect of her teaching and her tireless commitment to the success of her students, including her respect, commitment to education, enthusiasm for teaching, outstanding service, and more, exemplifies the qualities that make her undoubtedly deserving of the DAISY Award.”  Preceptor Awards, given to preceptors who have facilitated a transformational experience for students with whom they have worked in the clinical setting, were presented at the graduate level to Diamond Hale, MSN ’22, RN, and at the undergraduate level to Hannah Abdelahad, BSN, RN.  During the ceremony, Ogbolu also recognized Jan Wilson, DNP ’09, MS ’94, BSN ’74, CRNP, NNP-BC, C-ELBW, FAANP, former assistant professor and director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Neonatal Nurse Practitioner specialty, who retired this month after 19 years as a faculty member at UMSON. She was the first-ever neonatal nurse practitioner in the state of Maryland, and she served as the mace carrier during the ceremony.  “Educators are the cornerstone of any university, and that’s particularly true for the School of Nursing. Every year we also select a faculty member to carry the mace, in recognition of all that the faculty has contributed to students, the institution, and community,” Ogbolu said. “This year, our mace carrier is Dr. Jan Wilson. This is a very special time for me as the new dean of the School of Nursing because Dr. Jan Wilson was also my preceptor when I first became a nurse practitioner. So it’s really special to be full circle with her.”  Kiara Gabrielle Stevens, a Class of 2023 Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduate, provided student remarks during Thursday’s ceremony, focusing on embodying the “very essence of compassion, care, and healing.”  “As we embark on this transformative journey as qualified nurses, it’s imperative to introspect and appreciate the distinctive paths that have led each of us to this momentous juncture,” Stevens said, later adding, “Regardless of the source of inspiration, what unites us today is the shared commitment to service and the understanding that our impact extends far beyond the boundaries of immediate gratification.”  # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Building upon the HAPPINESS Project out of Yale University in Connecticut, which works to increase access to evidence-based treatments for mental, neurological, and substance use disorders in Nigeria, Charlotte Nwogwugwu, DrPH, BSN, RN, HIV PCP, CPH-BC, assistant professor and interim director of the Office of Global Health, has launched The BRAVE Project, Building Resilience and AIDS Care Through Mental Health Valor and Empowerment. In collaboration with Theddeus Iheanacho, MBBS, DTM&H, associate professor adjunct of psychiatry at Yale, Nwogwugwu is leading the expansion of a University of Maryland, Baltimore 2023 - 24 President’s Global Impact Fund project, which was awarded $150,000 over three years. The BRAVE Project aims to integrate mental health services in HIV care by building the capacity of doctors, nurses, and community health extension workers in HIV clinics in Nigeria’s Imo State to assess, diagnose, treat, and refer patients presenting with mental health conditions. It will also establish a consultation, referral, and supervision framework with mental health specialists that will utilize mobile technology and telehealth for virtual clinical support, supervision, and continuing education. Each participating clinic will have access to at least one supervising psychiatrist/mental health specialist and will hold monthly virtual clinical supervisory meetings and as-needed clinical consultations/referrals. Imo State is one of 36 states in Nigeria, where it is nearly impossible to receive mental health care from a specialist. The project uses the World Health Organization’s Mental Health Gap Action Programme-based collaborative model that focuses on shifting tasks within existing clinical infrastructure. The model is designed to enhance the provision of services addressing mental, neurological, and substance use disorders, particularly in countries characterized by low- and middle-income levels. This is achieved by training the HIV clinic providers through five modules: Essential Care and Practice Depression Psychosis Substance Use Disorders Suicide Prevention among People Living with HIV/AIDS The first five-day residential training session of the providers in Nigeria took place Dec. 4 - 9, 2023. The project team will provide a one-day refresher six months after the initial training. The plan is to provide training for two cohorts at different sites per year for three years. Nwogwugwu anticipates this effort will impact 2,000 patients annually. “These numbers are significantly going to increase as we expand the services to additional communities and states,” she says. “We have already started receiving requests from the training participants on the assessment tools, as they have started to assess and see patients following our training.” Two students, one from Harvard University in Massachusetts and another from the University of New Haven in Connecticut, have been volunteering on the project since September, conducting qualitative interviews with community members, clinic leaders, and nongovernmental organization leaders. “The goal of this project is not only simply to train the workforce but to work collaboratively with practitioners to build an infrastructure that supports the goal of addressing the mental health epidemic by ensuring easier access to care and destigmatizing mental health,” Nwogwugwu says. “We are all one event from a mental health crisis. So, it is important to note that while we empower people to address their mental health needs through bravery, we also infuse the significance of empathy throughout the content of the program.”

The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has been awarded a grant from the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation aimed at tackling systemic racial inequities in nursing education. The $7,500 grant, “Eliminating Structural Racism in Nursing Academia: A Systems Change Approach to Anti-Racist Nursing Education,” covers a three-year period. UMSON is one of only 12 nursing schools in the country to receive the grant. Yvette Conyers, DNP, RN, FNP-C, CTN-B, CFCN, CFCS, assistant professor and associate dean for equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), said she is grateful UMSON was chosen. “I was happy and thankful that we are going to be leading the efforts with the other 11 schools in this work and creating and sustaining that national presence,” Conyers said. The nursing schools participating in the national project will form a learning collaborative to develop projects to address structural racism and promote anti-racist nursing educational environments at their respective institutions. The learning collaborative will meet monthly to report on the status of their projects as well as to learn from one another and receive feedback. Each school will develop and implement projects at their own institutions using the performance results from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN) Leading Across Multidimensional Perspectives (LAMP) Survey. Last year, UMSON was selected to participate in “Building a Culture of Belonging in Academic Nursing,” a national initiative to foster inclusive learning environments in schools of nursing. Pilot schools in that program provided school-specific data to AACN and, in return, received LAMP survey action reports in areas such as:    curriculum and pedagogy inclusion and belonging of students of color inclusion and belonging of faculty and staff of color academic culture/environment clinical environment “This continues to show our commitment to EDI, but specifically this is about structural racism and nursing academia,” Conyers said. “This really allows us to have a little bit tougher conversations.”  UMSON is uniquely positioned to contribute to this work as an institution within the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), which serves as Maryland’s public health, law, and human services university, Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, wrote in a letter of support included in the grant application.  “UMB confers the majority of professional practice doctoral degrees awarded in Maryland; it is a thriving academic health center with an exceptional relationship with the neighboring University of Maryland Medical Center as well as with the other facilities in the University of Maryland Medical System,” she stated. “As such, the School of Nursing has access to a broad array of resources and collegial support that extends beyond our individual School.” Also, due to UMB’s commitment to interprofessional education, “I anticipate that the experience and learning opportunities that UMSON would gain through this project would be of great interest to and have applicability to the other professional disciplines represented on our campus, extending its impact,” Ogbolu wrote. UMSON has a long-standing commitment to EDI. Over the past decade, it has experienced tremendous growth in the diversity of its student population. In 2013, 37% of UMSON students identified as racially or ethnically diverse. By fall 2023, that number reached 60%. Ogbolu noted that faculty and staff have also become increasingly diverse; over a five-year period, beginning in 2018, faculty identifying as racially or ethnically diverse increased from 23% - 35%, and during the same period, the diversity of UMSON staff increased from 34% - 47%.  The learning collaborative held an introductory meeting virtually in November and will meet in person at the AACN Diversity Symposium in February in New Orleans. The 12 schools chosen represent public and private universities and are from geographically diverse regions of the country.The project’s two co-investigators are from the University of Cincinnati. In addition to UMSON, the learning collaborative comprises: •    Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio•    Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston•    Jefferson University College of Nursing at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia•    Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge•    University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa•    University of Alabama at Birmingham•    University of New Mexico in Albuquerque•    University of South Florida in Tampa•    Washington State University Pullman•    Western Governors University in Salt Lake City “I’m excited to learn from them all,” Conyers said. “And to have them learn from us. We are not new to this. We are true to this. I am eager to share how we have been able to sustain and further the conversation.”

Baltimore, Md. – Eight University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) faculty members have been named Maryland state New Nurse Faculty Fellows. These awards are part of the Nurse Support Program II, a statewide initiative funded by the Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. The New Nurse Faculty Fellowship is for new nursing faculty members and helps cover the expenses of their graduate education. It was designed to assist Maryland nursing programs recruit and retain new nursing faculty, to produce the additional nursing graduates Maryland’s hospitals and health systems need. The following UMSON faculty received the maximum award amount of $50,000 for fiscal years 2024 - 28, assuming continuous employment as faculty in good standing and the availability of funding: Nicole Akparewa, MSN, MPH, RN, clinical instructor Caitlin Donis, MS ’13, AG-ACNP, ACCNS-AG, clinical instructor Angelica Fernandez-Dizon, DNP, MD, MBA-HCM, MSN, NP-C, assistant professor Kimberly Hampton, PhD, MS ’06, MBA, BSN ’02, RN, assistant professor LaWanda Herron, PhD, MSA, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, assistant professor Martine Kirwin, DNP, FNP-C, RN, assistant professor Kaitlin Shapelow, MS ’13, CRNP, AGNP-PC, clinical instructor Cory Stephens, DNP, RN-BC, CPHIMS, FHIMSS, assistant professor The Nurse Support Program II helps increase Maryland’s nursing capacity by supporting initiatives that advance the recommendations outlined in the National Academy of Medicine’s Future of Nursing reports. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Researchers at Montana State University will learn from researchers in Kenya about policies in the African country addressing poor sexual and reproductive health outcomes among adolescents in rural communities. The Athens (Ohio) City-County Health Department will explore how other countries support older adults as Athens strives to make the region a great place to grow old. The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) seeks to learn from the Evangelical Church of Tanzania how to improve palliative care services in Baltimore. Public health officials in Washtenaw County, Michigan, will share with India their research on how women experiencing personal and systematic barriers to well-being achieve access to health care, education for their children, and employment.  These are just some of the connections created and projects underway as a result of the expansion of the Global Learning for Health Equity Network (GLHEN), through a grant received by the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). The nearly $1 million grant was initiated in fall 2022 and runs through September 2025. The GLHEN, built on the belief that interventions designed to eliminate health inequities in other countries may also work in local communities in the United States, aims to build a framework that will support the adaptation of health equity interventions from overseas to U.S. settings with a strong focus on community engagement and bidirectional learning, which emphasizes mutual learning, co-development, and academic partnerships. The United States continues to lag behind other high-income countries on significant health indicators, including infant mortality, chronic disease, and overall mortality, largely due to health and health care inequities. Additionally, societally imposed norms and historic systemic oppression have resulted in widespread inequities throughout the country, which have led to higher health care costs, a decrease in overall positive health outcomes in marginalized populations, and premature deaths.  The GLHEN is housed at UMB with collaborating partners/learning communities that include the Athens City-County Health Department; the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, Michigan; the Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, New York; and the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation in the Four Corners region of the Southwest. A shared vision, along with mutual goals and metrics are key components of the GLHEN, which utilizes a learning systems action model that begins with an internal and external scan and then designs, tests, evaluates, and adjusts its framework for research and action. Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, serves at the principal investigator on the GLHEN grant, while Virginia Rowthorn, JD, LLM, executive director of UMB’s Center for Global Engagement, is the co-investigator. The current work through the GLHEN builds on and expands upon work completed under a prior RWJF grant, also of nearly $1 million, which funded the development and establishment of the GLHEN. The original grant, also led by Ogbolu and Rowthorn, was a multiphase project to help establish the value of global learning for health equity to improve health and well-being of people in the five learning communities mentioned above.   The most recent grant implements the global learning framework and model developed by the five GLHEN partners, which are now guiding the work of seven grantees drawn from public health departments and community organizations around the country. The partners support these community-based grantees in applying practices of global learning. Research from the original grant found that the most significant barrier to global learning is a lack of understanding and mentorship. These seven grantees and projects of the GLHEN’s second phase include: Montana State University: Global Learning for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health; partner location: Kenya The Corner Health Center, Ypsilanti, Michigan: 4 Pillars Model - Centering Women’s Access Through Agency; partner location: India Athens, Ohio City County Health Department: Global Exploration of Age Friendly & Aging Supportive Communities; partner location: to be determined The Cambodian Family Community Center, Santa Ana, California: Global Learning in Addressing Trauma Cambodia/US Immigrant Communities; partner location: Cambodia UMSON and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania: The Community-Based Palliative Care Model; partner location: Tanzania Hood Exchange, Atlanta, Georgia: The Hood Exchange Inaugural Racial Healing Cohort; partner location: Ghana Empowering Communities Block by Block, Baltimore: B’more Global at Community Walk Through Theater; partner location: to be determined. This past fall, UMB hosted a GLHEN “convening,” bringing together these new grantees to provide mentoring and feedback as the grantees work on creating planning grants of their own. The new grantees presented summaries of their ongoing work. The previous day, they had participated in a bus tour narrated by Lori Edwards, DrPH, BSN ’80, RN, CNS-PCH, BC, FAAN, assistant professor and associate dean for the Master of Science in Nursing program. The bus tour “highlighted various strengths and the great work of collaborators who are eager to share their stories, their communities, and their advocacy and community services,” Edwards said.  The tour, themed “The Real B’More Story: Strong and Engaged Communities, District Neighborhoods, Hidden Gems, and Centuries of Resilience,” was designed to show Baltimore’s strengths through the voices of community-engaged leaders, contextualize the history that impacts the city today, and illuminate cultural treasures. It included stops at: the Enoch C. Pratt Free Library Franklin Square the Julie Community Center McCulloh Homes the UMB Community Engagement Center Community Walk Through Theater. “We really wanted you to understand, as a group, how important community engagement is to us,” Ogbolu said about the bus tour, as she and Rowthorn kicked off the convening. “We really see it as core and central to global learning for our faculty, and I think that tour really helped us to do that.” In welcoming remarks to the group, Roger J. Ward, EdD, JD, MSL, MPA, UMB provost and executive vice president, noted that one of the six themes of UMB’s strategic plan is Global Engagement and Education. “As we state in our strategic objective under that theme, we are committed to improving the human condition through engagement, education, and research,” Ward said. “To our partners who have joined us in this important work, we say thank you for lending us your own standing as national leaders in global learning. Thank you for partnering with us to create the Global Learning for Health Equity Network. Your work and your efforts hold the promise of truly transforming how we think about addressing health inequities in the United States and how we can apply a global learning framework that can guide us in harnessing and adapting global ideas.” Ogbolu told the grantees that she never wants them to feel alone in their work. “This is not a traditional grant, where we provided you with a grant and now let’s go off and you all do your own thing,” she said. “We thought, when we set up the seed grants, that it was really important to provide you with mentorship and technical assistance throughout the whole process. We are here for you.”

Baltimore, Md. - Barbara Resnick, PhD ’96, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, professor, Sonya Ziporkin Gershowitz Chair in Gerontology, and associate dean for research at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), has been awarded a five-year, $2.13 million grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging to address the treatment of pain in nursing home residents with dementia. The focus of this work is how to implement use in nursing homes of the recently revised Pain Management Clinical Practice Guideline from AMDA — The Society of Post Acute and Long-Term Care.    Findings from the study, “Testing the Pain Management Clinical Practice Guideline (Pain Management CPG)-Evidence Integration Triangle (EIT),” will explore how best to improve the way in which pain is assessed, diagnosed, and managed among older adults living with dementia in nursing homes and to improve health equity of aging populations experiencing pain. “This research is critically important from two perspectives,” said Resnick, who also has been recognized as a University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Distinguished University Professor. “First, the diagnosis and management of pain is a major issue for older adults living with dementia in nursing homes. The new clinical practice guideline for pain management developed by a team of us from the Society of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine serves as a wonderful resource to help improve the diagnosis and management of pain but only if it is implemented. Therefore, the second focus of this work is on demonstrating the efficacy of our approach for implementation of the guideline to change how staff diagnose and manage pain in nursing homes.” There are evidence-based processes for assessment and management of pain using pharmacologic and nonpharmacological approaches. These were reviewed and included within the Pain Management CPG recently developed by AMDA. There are, however, many challenges to translating the use of the CPG into clinical settings, Resnick wrote in her grant proposal. To overcome these challenges, Resnick and her team developed and previously tested a theoretically based approach and merged this approach with the Pain Management CPG; the result is referred to as the PAIN-CPG-EIT. The PAIN-CPG-EIT involves a research nurse facilitator working with an identified community champion and stakeholder team for 12 months to provide the following four components: establishing and meeting monthly with a stakeholder team educating staff mentoring and motivating staff to address pain evaluating resident pain outcomes on an ongoing basis. Resnick’s research team will be implementing guidelines using their approach in a clinical trial with 12 nursing homes, randomized to the use of either of two implementation approaches: Six communities will be randomized to treatment (PAIN-CPG-EIT) and six randomized to education only, which involves providing the same education to staff as is done as a component of PAIN-CPG-EIT. Twenty-five residents with dementia and pain from each of the 12 nursing homes will be recruited to participate in the study. The primary aims are to evaluate the effectiveness of PAIN-CPG-EIT to improve the assessment, diagnosis, and management of pain and decrease pain intensity among the nursing home residents and to evaluate treatment fidelity, which is how treatments are delivered competently and as intended. A secondary aim of the study is to consider differences in measurement, treatment, and response to treatment between male and female and Black vs. white residents living with dementia. Although inconsistent, in some studies Black individuals living with dementia were more likely to have depression and sleep disturbances associated with pain and less likely to be treated for pain when compared to white individuals. “This research impacts both residents and staff living and working in these communities,” Resnick said. Pain is experienced by 30% - 80% of residents living with dementia in nursing homes, Resnick said. For those with moderate to severe dementia, verbal reporting of pain may not be reliable, and observational approaches are recommended, as pain in these individuals is more likely to present with facial expressions or behaviors such as aggression, agitation, or restlessness. Lack of accurate pain assessment results in untreated or over-treated pain. Untreated pain can lower quality of life; negatively impact function; impair sleep; and increase depression, agitation, aggression, resistiveness to care, and use of psychotropic medications. Further, the evaluation, management, and treatment of pain are complicated by differences in pain sensitivity; verbal reporting; or presentation of pain among genders, races, and ethnicities. The team anticipates that implementation and use of the Pain Management CPG will help staff to improve the assessment of pain among residents with dementia, diagnose the underlying cause of the pain, and improve management of pain in these individuals. Findings from this study will provide a two-fold benefit, Resnick said. “First of all, demonstrating use of the Pain Management Clinical Practice Guideline will show how to use it to improve pain management among older adults in nursing homes; and secondly, demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach will provide support that this model can be used to effectively disseminate the use of a similar approach to implement this and other clinical practice guidelines in nursing homes,” Resnick said. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling more than 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Language matters. That was the premise of a lecture on “Translating the Science of Placebo into Medical Practice” by Wayne Jonas, MD, president of the Healing Works Foundation and a widely published investigator, practicing family physician, and professor of medicine at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and at Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. Jonas presented during the first 2023 - 24 lecture in December of the Placebo Beyond Opinions Center at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, addressing an in-person audience of faculty, staff, students, and researchers—and an international audience that tuned in virtually. The event served as the launch of Placebo Effects: Through the Lens of Translational Research, a newly released book edited by Luana Colloca, Jason Noel, Patricia D. Franklin, and Chamindi Seneviratne, all members of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) community. Colloca, MD, PhD, MS, professor and an inaugural UMB-University of Maryland, College Park MPower Professor, is director of the PBO Center, which aims to advance unbiased knowledge on placebo effects through interdisciplinary investigation and further development of a robust placebo-focused research program. Jonas, whom Colloca has known and collaborated with for years, also contributed to the book. “We wanted a rigorously scientific yet accessible book, with topics for everyone: nurses, doctors, therapists, pharmacists, psychologists, students, faculty, scientists,” Colloca said. In digital form, the book is available for free on Oxford Academic’s website and covers topics such as: the culture and anthropology of placebo effects placebo effects in psychiatry and family practice molecular and brain mechanisms of placebo effects placebo and COVID-19 clinical notes and digital therapeutics and virtual reality and placebo matters. Jonas, Colloca said, “has been promoting placebo research for decades. He was the first to recognize, along with anthropologist Daniel Moerman, that the meaning response is the trigger for placebo effects in human patient-doctor interactions.” During the December lecture, Jonas posited that “placebos can improve almost any condition you can name.” He discussed three core mechanisms of placebo research that define the placebo effect, six clinical practices that draw on those placebo mechanisms, implications of placebo research on other areas of research, and tools for incorporating placebo mechanisms into clinical practice. “Placebo science reveals a lot of what current medical science conceals,” he said, indicating that while placebo science is widely considered a relatively recent area of research and practice, its roots reach back to Plato, and the National Institutes of Health has been involved for the past quarter century.The three core, durable mechanisms of placebo, which have a direct application in practice, are: expectation or belief social learning or rituals and conditioning or training—how we get the body to respond to expectation, essentially. He presented a case study involving Joe, a Navy veteran, who started having back pain after a motor vehicle accident 15 years prior; his goals were simply to be able to play golf and interact with his grandchildren. He’d seen a cadre of providers; tried all the recommended treatments, both pharmacological and non; and eventually found Jonas, whom he asked, “Is acupuncture all placebo?” Jonas said that while traditional treatments are focused on content, placebo approaches are based on context: Is there meaning attached to the treatment? In studies, he said, “those who had a higher expectation had better outcomes; those who believed it would work had a more positive effect.” In fact, he stated that about 30% - 70% of patients receiving placebo in studies had a healing response. Sham acupuncture worked just as well as real acupuncture in a large study on back pain comparing acupuncture with conventional therapies. The other point that Jonas made is that Joe had experienced a repeated nocebo effect during his previous treatment; that is, that negative expectations caused a less positive outcome than otherwise might have been the case. “A lot of social learning has been embedded unconsciously: how treatment effects are described, publicity in the media, prior experiences, cultural expectations and assumptions,” Jonas said. Joe had been told that treatments had “failed,” that he had a “chronic disease.” In fact, he said, the word “placebo” itself has connotations of not being effective, which can impact results. Jonas placed emphasis on the power of words. “There’s lots of research on this,” he said. That research revealed that more than 60% of those who had had a positive consultation reported that they no longer had the health issue, while fewer than 40% of those who had had a negative consultation reported they no longer had the issue. “Language matters,” Jonas said. Prior to Jonas’ lecture, in her welcoming remarks, Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, said the event reflected the School’s “commitment to the enormous benefits of interprofessional research, education, and practice — as a School of Nursing and as a University.” “Certainly, it is that commitment to ‘translation into practice’ that is at the heart of nursing science and our work as a School of Nursing: advancing practice, shaping health policy, and impacting the health of individuals,” Ogbolu said. “We often refer to this translational work as moving from bench to bedside and to community — with the goals of having a positive and lasting impact on the day-to-day well-being of individuals.” You can watch a recording of the “Translating the Science of Placebo into Medical Practice” lecture. Use password M?JKNE3k. The next PBO Center lecture will be on “Resilience and Impact on Behavior and Outcomes,” presented by Barbara Resnick, PhD ’96, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, on Feb. 21 in a hybrid format. Learn More

Baltimore, Md. -  In U.S. News & World Report’s newly released “2024 Best Online Programs” for Graduate Nursing Programs, the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) was ranked No. 1 in the nation among public schools of nursing – and third among all nursing schools – in the Nursing Administration/Leadership category for its Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Health Services Leadership and Management (HSLM) specialty. The HSLM specialty – which is being re-envisioned with an updated curriculum aligned with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s new Essentials and will be renamed Nursing Leadership and Management as of spring 2025 – offers leading-edge courses, personalized mentorship, and individual placements in a practicum that supports students’ career goals and takes them beyond their current place of employment to opportunities that refine advanced nursing leadership and nursing administration skills. Placements are with leaders at hospitals and health care systems, universities and community colleges, national and state agencies, and more. In 2023, UMSON ranked fourth among all nursing institutions and tied for second among public institutions in this category.  “We are thrilled to be recognized nationally for our Master of Science in Nursing Health Services Leadership and Management specialty,” said Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “Our faculty are committed to supporting students’ career goals with great teaching, cutting-edge coursework, and personalized mentoring. We are extremely proud of our many graduates who go on to become health care system leaders, particularly at a time when nurse leadership is so vitally important.” The U.S. News rankings represent the most respected and in-depth evaluation of U.S. graduate programs that are designed to be administered online. UMSON is among the 186 schools ranked, out of 200 that provided enough data to participate in the survey. The magazine ranked UMSON’s overall online Master of Science in Nursing program among the top 70 schools. The publication’s rankings are based on indicators such as student and faculty engagement, faculty credentials and training, student services and technology, student excellence, and peer assessment, using data collected directly from each institution. Only degree-granting programs that are offered primarily online by regionally accredited institutions are considered, and the programs that score the highest are those applying educational best practices specific for distance learners. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – Kim Mooney-Doyle, PhD, RN, CPNP-AC, assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), has been awarded a two-year R21 grant of $460,000 from the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) to research how understanding family communication during serious pediatric illness, from the perspective of adolescent siblings and parents, provides opportunities to prevent long-term distress. The number of seriously ill children is expected to grow with technological and health care improvements, emphasizing the need to develop systems and processes of care to bolster family strengths, diminish family suffering, and expand palliative care to all children affected by serious illness, according to Mooney-Doyle. “Family communication is central to everyday family life and functioning, and it is linked to child adaptation. Yet, there is a critical gap in understanding its impact on sibling adaptation in pediatric palliative care,” Mooney-Doyle said. “Despite the importance of family processes, like communication, few interventions exist to support family communication in this context. Addressing the health of family relationships and their impact on sibling well-being during serious illness could minimize suffering and poor outcomes in bereavement or survivorship. We can weave prevention into palliative care.” Nearly 200,000 children and adolescents in the United States have a sibling with a serious, life-limiting illness. Siblings face physical, psychological, and social risks including anxiety, depression, substance use, academic performance concerns, and emotional distress. These risks increase when the seriously ill child’s life is at significant risk or when illness management strains family time and routines. Adolescent siblings may opt to engage in risky behavior, withdraw from peer and family relationships, and decline sharing concerns with parents whom they perceive as already overburdened. Risks for the family may also increase when social determinants impact their ability to access resources and support, perpetuating disparities. With the R21 funding, which is intended to encourage exploratory/developmental research by providing support for the early and conceptual stages of project development, Mooney-Doyle and her team will collect quantitative survey data and qualitative interview data from parents and adolescent siblings of children living with serious illnesses. They are working with local clinical sites and community organizations nationwide that serve English- and Spanish-speaking families of children living with serious illness across the nation. The team will then use the information it learns in the surveys and interviews to create a family-focused intervention to support sibling adaptation.  “What is really important to me, and I think very cool, about our approach is that we will work with parent and sibling advisors, community partners, and organizations that support families of children living with life-threatening illnesses or bereaved families, clinicians, and researchers,” Mooney-Doyle said. “My team and I are thrilled to conduct this research and we are so grateful for the support we have received from the UMSON and University of Maryland, Baltimore, communities and the National Institute of Nursing Research and Office of Disease Prevention at the National Institutes of Health. We have so much to learn from adolescents, their families, and our community partners to create models of care that truly support family health.” ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. - Jane Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the former Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), has been named dean emerita by University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, in recognition of her “decade of service, dedication, and extraordinary contributions to the University.” The dean emeritus title may be conferred by the University president upon a retired dean who demonstrated exceptional service as a UMB dean for a minimum of 10 years. Kirschling retired after the 2022 - 23 academic year. Upon arriving at UMSON in January 2013, when she was appointed dean of UMSON and director of the UMB Center for Interprofessional Education, Kirschling exemplified leadership, vision, and an unwavering commitment to academic excellence, Jarrell wrote in a letter to Kirschling about awarding her the dean emerita title. “You left the School of Nursing a better place to work and learn, grounded in civility, respect, and inclusion — as was your plan,” Jarrell wrote. “Your passion and dedication to the School, the University, and to the state of nursing education will have an impact on health care for generations to come.” Kirschling’s tenure as dean was marked by an emphasis on expanding the nursing workforce; instilling a school-wide commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion; raising the profile of nursing research; promoting community, academic, and practice partnerships; and elevating UMSON, and nursing in general, at the national level. Kirschling’s clinical expertise is in mental health nursing with a focus on end-of-life care. Early in her career, her research centered on assisting families through the process of providing care for a terminally ill loved one and through the grieving process after death. In a nation long contending with a health care provider shortages, her other main area of focus was workforce development, which she championed for more than two decades.  On a national level, Kirschling served on the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Board of Directors from 2004 - 14 and as its president from 2012 - 14. Prior to her tenure at UMSON, Kirschling had held administrative and faculty positions at the University of Kentucky, the University of Southern Maine, the University of Rochester in New York, and Oregon Health & Science University. Kirschling is an alumna of Leadership Maryland (2015), the American Association of Colleges of Nursing-Wharton Executive Leadership Fellows Program (2013), and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Executive Fellows Program (2000 - 03). She was inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 2009. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Viterbo College Wisconsin and her Master of Science in Nursing and PhD degrees from the Indiana University School of Nursing. Learn more about Kirschling’s leadership and see a timeline of the School’s accomplishments during her tenure. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. - Nicole E. Smith, PhD, MS ’14, RN, CNE, CHSE, CNE-cl, assistant professor, has been named co-director of the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) entry Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. As co-director, Smith will share responsibilities for leading the program with Hannah Murphy Buc, PhD, RN, CNE, assistant professor and director of restorative justice. “Given the growth in the BSN program at USG and in Baltimore, with an enrollment of now more than 780 students, this is an optimal time to expand the academic and administrative resources for our new-to-nursing students at both sites,” said Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, in announcing Smith’s appointment. As co-directors, Smith and Murphy Buc will work with faculty, staff, students, and community and clinical partners to continue developing and implementing a revised BSN curriculum based on the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s new Essentials, which provides a framework for incorporating competency-based education for practice-ready graduates. UMSON is a national leader in implementing the revised curriculum, which took effect in fall 2022. They will also identify priorities and guide the program’s faculty development, student inclusion and success, and partnerships with community stakeholders. These efforts are aimed at continuing to create meaningful and engaging opportunities for students that also contribute to improving health care quality, equity, and outcomes for individuals, families, and communities.  UMSON’s entry BSN program is tied for a ranking of No. 10 in the nation, and No. 3 among public schools of nursing, by U.S. News & World Report. The program prepares students to excel in nursing careers across a broad spectrum of acute, chronic, and community-based settings.  Smith joined the UMSON faculty at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) in 2014 as a clinical instructor and clinical simulation laboratory coordinator, having previously served as a graduate teaching assistant. She was promoted to assistant professor in 2021, following receipt of her doctoral degree. During her tenure, she has served in didactic, clinical, lab, and simulation capacities. In 2016, she was recognized with the UMSON Excellence in Teaching Award for Undergraduate Teaching, voted on by students. In that same year, she received the New Faculty Award given by UMSON faculty to a colleague within the first two years of their faculty appointment. In 2023, she received the Kendall Service Excellence in Teaching Award at USG. Smith earned her PhD in nursing education from the Mercer University Georgia Baptist College of Nursing in Atlanta, where she was a Jonas Nurse Leader. She earned her Master of Science in Health Services Leadership and Management, with an education focus, from UMSON and her BSN from North Carolina A&T State University. She also brings more than a decade of experience as a medical-surgical clinical nurse at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., where she was recognized as the 2012 Nurse of the Year. Smith is credentialed by the National League for Nursing (NLN) as a certified nurse educator and a certified academic clinical nurse educator. She is also credentialed as a certified healthcare simulation educator by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare and is a past recipient of the Maryland Clinical Simulation Resources Consortium Award from the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Smith was selected for the NLN’s 2023 LEAD leadership institute, and in 2021, she was one of 12 individuals nationwide selected for the NLN’s Scholarly Writing Program. She has served the NLN as an Historically Black Colleges and Universities Education Coach and as a co-facilitator for the Faculty Intensives program. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.    

Baltimore, Md. - Veronica Gutchell, DNP ’13, RN, CNS, CRNP, has been appointed chair of the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) Department of Partnerships, Professional Education, and Practice (PPEP). Gutchell had served as the interim chair of PPEP since July 2023, succeeding Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, upon Ogbolu’s appointment as dean.  PPEP, one of UMSON’s five academic departments, has a mission to support focused programs, all of which capitalize on the synergy of partnerships and collaboration, that advance the School’s strategic mission and goals. It comprises faculty who direct programs for both internal and external partners, including students, patients, and external constituents. The department encompasses a broad array of organizational units, including the Clinical Simulation Labs, the Standardized Patient Program, the Institute for Educators, the Office of Global Health, and the Office of Professional Education, as well as the Governor’s Wellmobile Program, which offers mobile, nurse-managed primary health care to underserved and uninsured populations in Maryland while providing important learning opportunities for nursing students. PPEP also offers the Global Health Certificate and the Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions Certificate. As chair of PPEP, Gutchell leads departmental faculty members in UMSON’s tripartite mission of education, research and scholarship, and service. PPEP faculty teach in their area of expertise across the School’s programs of study, and they engage in research, quality improvement, and program development in practice and education through supporting national and global initiatives for professional nursing advancement. Gutchell joined the School of Nursing in 2013 as an assistant professor in the Department of Organizational Systems and Adult Health. Since September 2022, she has served as director of the Wellmobile Program, having served previously as a nurse practitioner and faculty member within that program. In addition to her extensive experience as a nurse practitioner on the front lines of care delivery to vulnerable populations and overseeing student learning, Gutchell brings important project management skills and a commitment to collaborative leadership to her new role.  Gutchell’s work has focused on employing health policy and evidence-based information to remove barriers from and expand access to advanced practice registered nursing in Maryland and nationally. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from UMSON, a Master of Science in Nursing with a specialization in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing from Russell Sage College in New York, and a post-master’s Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Binghamton University in New York. She also holds a Global Health Certificate from UMSON. Committed to shared governance, Gutchell served for four years as chair of UMSON’s Faculty Council and is currently serving as an UMSON representative on the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Faculty Senate. She was also recognized with the School of Nursing Alumni Association Outstanding DNP Graduate Award.  Prior to joining UMSON, Gutchell had more than two decades of clinical experience, including extensive service at then-Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., as a nurse practitioner. She subsequently served as head nurse for the Clinical Breast Care Project and at the Albany Medical Center Hospital in New York. Gutchell was a 2017 fellow in UMSON’s Nurse Leadership Institute and a 2015 graduate of the Future Leaders Program of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Her service to the nursing profession includes holding positions of president-elect, president, and past president of the Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland. She was an elected Maryland representative to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and recipient of the 2014 AANP State Award for Excellence. Within the School of Nursing, she has served as secretary, chair-elect, chair, and past chair of the Faculty Council and currently serves as an UMSON representative to the Faculty Senate for the University of Maryland, Baltimore.  ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. -  Kathleen “Katie” McElroy, PhD ’16, MS ’10, BSN ’98, RN, CNE, associate professor, has been named associate dean for the baccalaureate program at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON). She had served as the interim associate dean since June 2023.  As associate dean, McElroy is responsible for facilitating innovative program development and the integration of technology to shape the educational experiences of bachelor’s-level students. She also works to develop partnerships with other academic institutions and health care organizations to assist with the transition of transfer students and students who are graduates of associate degree nursing programs.  UMSON’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is ranked No. 3 (tied) among public schools and No. 10 (tied) among all nursing schools nationwide by U.S. News & World Report. This past fall, UMSON admitted 220 entry BSN students, its largest class ever, between its Baltimore and Universities at Shady Grove (Rockville, Maryland) locations, reflecting the School’s commitment to responding to the demands of health care at a critical time of substantial nursing shortages. The School was among the first in the nation to launch an entirely revised BSN curriculum for incoming students last fall, in alignment with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education, an updated framework for nursing education using a competency-based approach. The curriculum responds to the Essentials’ direction for curricula that respond to the changing face of health care, necessitating updates to how nurses are prepared; in that vein, the BSN curriculum includes courses focusing on evidence-based practice, public and community health, social determinants of health, disease prevention, and palliative care. Two recent clinical practice initiatives with the University of Maryland Medical System — the Practicum to Practice Partnership and the Academy of Clinical Essentials — provide students expanded and advanced clinical opportunities. McElroy brings considerable clinical experience to her role, having served for more than 13 years in a variety of settings, including as a registered nurse in the labor and delivery, high-risk antepartum, postpartum, and newborn nursery units at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Prior to her appointment as interim dean, McElroy served as vice chair of the Department of Family and Community Health beginning in 2021. She is involved in UMSON’s Community and Public Health Environmental Initiative and has served as the principal investigator on a $750,000 grant from the Maryland State Department of Education providing for the statewide expansion of this program. In 2019 - 20, she was selected as an UMSON Dean’s Teaching Scholar. In 2020, she received the University of Maryland School of Nursing Excellence in Teaching Award for Undergraduate Education. She is also a recipient of the University of Maryland Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Doctor of Philosophy Graduate. McElroy is a three-time degree recipient from UMSON, having earned her PhD, her Master of Science degree in Community/Public Health Nursing, and her Bachelor of Science degrees from the School. She also earned a Certificate in Environmental Health from UMSON.  ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. - Bridgitte Gourley, DNP ’08, FNP-BC, assistant professor and director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) specialty at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) and co-director of the University of Maryland, Baltimore Center for Interprofessional Education, has been awarded the Dr. Peg E. Daw Nurse Faculty Recognition Award in recognition of excellence, innovation, and leadership. Deans and directors of Maryland nursing programs may nominate one nurse faculty member for the one-time $10,000 award annually.  The award is part of the Nurse Support Program (NSP) II, a statewide initiative funded by the Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC). Previously named the Nurse Faculty Recognition Award, it was renamed this year in memory of Daw, DNP, RN-BC, CNE, FAAN, who significantly contributed to and made an impact on nursing and health care throughout the state of Maryland as the MHEC NSP II grant administrator for 12 years.   Gourley was recognized for demonstrating excellence in “Engagement in the Nursing Program and Employing Institution,” one of five categories for recognition. “Dr. Gourley is the consummate faculty instructor, leading innovation and modeling the way through her own service and practice,” wrote Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, in a letter of nomination. “She relishes her role as a teacher and holds herself accountable for helping to ensure the success of her students. At the same time, she also understands how to hold her students accountable for doing the necessary work to become clinically competent, caring, and compassionate nurse practitioners.” Gourley joined the UMSON faculty in 2000 as a clinical instructor after receiving a Master of Science in Nursing, with an FNP specialization, from the Johns Hopkins University; she had previously received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in Community Health from Johns Hopkins. In 2006, she became a member of the first class of the newly launched DNP program at UMSON, and upon completion of her doctoral degree in 2008, she was promoted to assistant professor. A year later, she began serving as the FNP specialty director. The specialty has consistently ranked within the top 10 nationally for public schools of nursing in U.S. News & World Report’s “America's Best Graduate Schools.” In the 2023 edition, the FNP specialty was ranked No. 1 in the nation among all public schools of nursing out of more than 600 accredited nursing schools surveyed. Gourley has been at the forefront of the growth of UMSON’s FNP program, now the largest specialty area within the DNP program, accounting for approximately 27% of the total DNP enrollment of more than 600 students. She has overseen the expansion of the FNP specialty to UMSON’s Universities at Shady Grove (USG) location as the principal investigator on a $1.6 million NSP II project grant; this has enabled the specialty to prepare additional students from western and southern Maryland who graduate and practice in medically underserved regions of the state. Gourley has recruited a diverse and collegial faculty who practice and precept students and she has creatively expanded practicum options that focus on caring for underserved populations in Maryland. These include academic-practice opportunities in rural and urban areas, hospital partnerships, and faculty practices and practicum opportunities in Head Start and Early Head Start Clinics in Baltimore City, and in Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Prince George’s, and Frederick counties. Her success in managing the specialty and providing state-of-the-art coursework is demonstrated by graduates’ 100% pass rate on the FNP certification exams, and it is acknowledged by her colleagues across the country through invitations to present at national education programs for advanced practice nurses and to serve on special interest groups. Her expertise is recognized by her UMSON peers; she is now the senior member of the DNP Faculty Development Committee and the Specialty Directors Nursing Essentials Workgroup that is engaged in restructuring the curriculum to meet the new American Association of Colleges of Nursing competency-based standards. In recognition of her work, Gourley received the 2020 University of Maryland School of Nursing Distinguished Service Award. She is also a prior recipient of the School’s Excellence in Graduate Teaching Award. Gourley is known among her colleagues for her willingness to step up and take on the complex tasks and the roles that require heavy lifting to get the job done; it is no surprise that her teaching workload and committee work far exceeds that of her peers, Ogbolu wrote. “However, her greatest gift is her ability to execute at the highest of standards while maintaining a light touch, providing perspective, and injecting humor and a sense of fun as needed, and through this combination to create an environment that allows students, faculty colleagues, and all those she engages with to relax into the hard work of pursuing excellence.” ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.  

Baltimore, Md. – Continuing its mission of shaping the nursing profession and the health care environment by developing leaders in education, research, and practice, the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has once again ranked in the top 10 across the board for public schools of nursing – and moved up in all six categories in which the school is ranked – in the newly released 2024 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Graduate Schools,” out of 651 accredited nursing school surveyed. Both UMSON’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and its Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs climbed in the rankings among all schools surveyed, DNP tied at No. 8 (up from No. 15 last year) and MSN at No. 20 overall (up from 25 last year) . Among public schools of nursing, the DNP program is tied at No. 4 and the MSN is ranked No. 9. Two UMSON specialties lead the way in the rankings, both ranked No. 1 (tied) nationwide among public schools of nursing:•    the DNP Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner specialty, tied at No. 4  among all ranked schools•    The MSN Health Services Leadership and Management specialty, No. 2 among all ranked schools. UMSON is also ranked in the top 10 among public schools of nursing for its:•    Family Nurse Practitioner Doctor of Nursing Practice specialty (No. 3)•    DNP Nurse Anesthesia specialty (No. 7, tied) “It is gratifying to continue to be recognized nationally for our Doctor of Nursing Practice program and our Master of Science in Nursing program,” said Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “The School of Nursing plays a vital role in our collective efforts in Maryland and nationally to increase the number of nurses with advanced education, particularly at the doctoral level. It is essential that we have nurses who are well prepared to meet the changing needs of patients, their families, and our communities at a time when we face increasing complexity in our health care system, growing diversity in our population, and persistent gaps in access to needed care.” The U.S. News & World Report rankings are based on a variety of indicators, including student selectivity and program size, faculty resources, and research activity, and on survey data from deans of schools of nursing that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. In fall 2023 and early 2024, U.S. News surveyed 651 nursing schools with master’s or doctoral programs. In total, 292 nursing programs responded to the survey. Of those, 216 provided enough data to be included in the rankings of nursing master’s programs and 188 provided enough data to be eligible for inclusion in the ranking of DNP programs. Many institutions were ranked in both, using overlapping data. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Listening. That’s how Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), has spent her first year in the role. Whether it has been listening to students, staff, faculty, or alumni — in Baltimore and at the Universities at Shady Grove — Ogbolu has spent the last 10 months engrossed in what she’s dubbed “thought-provoking conversations.” But even a year later, one conversation still sticks out to her. “I vividly remember one unforgettable conversation. It was a student who came to my candidate interview,” Ogbolu said in her first State of the School Address, which was held April 23, 2024. “He gave me a glimpse of what it means to be a student here in the School of Nursing. “He and his peers arrived very early in the morning. They had to get here about 8 o’clock in the morning to have an opportunity to be here for the interview. And he was well prepared,” she said, adding that the student came in with a long list of questions as well as potential solutions he had for how the school can better support students. “This early conversation really helped to prepare me for what was coming and left me with a sense of hope and optimism for the future.” Read More View a Gallery

Data shows just how necessary it is to ensure students who are working toward degrees in health and human services fields are educated to care for populations with intellectual and developmental disabilities  — who often face barriers when it comes to receiving treatment. A study from 2021 found only 40.7% of physicians were very confident about their ability to provide the same quality of care to patients with disabilities as they do to patients without. And just 56.5% strongly agreed that they welcomed patients with disabilities into their practices. The University of Maryland Schools of Medicine and Nursing Standardized Patient Program — housed in the University of Maryland School of Nursing — in partnership with Special Olympics Maryland (SOM) and Special Olympics International (SOI) is working to ensure the next generation of health care professionals is well prepared to work with and treat individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is one of five universities in the country across four states to recently partner with the Special Olympics. The Standardized Patient Program allows students to refine their clinical and communication skills with professional standardized participants (SPs). SPs are trained to portray a real patient in clinical instruction and assessment with students. “Not only is this initiative expanding UMB’s inclusive and interprofessional curriculum, but it’s also breaking down barriers, biases, stigmas, and misconceptions, all while encouraging a shared commitment to inclusive health care,” said Rebecca Weston, EdD, MSN, RN, CNE, assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing and principal investigator on the grant that funded the collaboration. “This partnership has enabled us to envision a future where people with intellectual disabilities consistently receive equitable and accessible health care.” Read More  

Perseverance — through support and lessons learned from mentors, faculty, families, and friends — was the overarching theme May 14 as the 2024 class of University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) students celebrated their graduation. “Graduates, I’d like you to please remain standing. While you most assuredly deserve the awards we bestow upon you today, you must also acknowledge that you did not reach this moment alone,” Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD '11, MS '05, BSN '04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, said during her welcome. “Throughout this journey, you relied on the support, encouragement, and sacrifices of your family, friends, and classmates who gave you the confidence to persevere, especially when you were sleep deprived, juggling many responsibilities, and didn’t think you would make it.” This year’s ceremony — which was split into two events — resulted in nearly 250 new nurses entering the workforce and a total of 479 graduates. The day began with the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Master of Science in Nursing Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) Ceremony and was followed by the Master’s and Doctoral Ceremony. During the ceremonies, 225 BSN degrees, 96 master’s degrees (including entry-into-nursing CNL), 152 Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees, three Doctor of Philosophy degrees, and three certificates were conferred. Read More

The everchanging landscape of nursing— from the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the future of health care to an updated model for community health — was the focus of this year’s Maryland Action Coalition (MDAC) Virtual Leadership Summit on May 20, entitled “Revolution vs. Rearrangement: How to Realistically Reimage Nursing Education and Practice.” The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) hosted the summit. MDAC is part of the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, a nationwide movement to improve health care through nursing, is an initiative of AARP and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The campaign includes action coalitions in 50 states and the District of Columbia working to implement the National Academy of Medicine’s Future of Nursing 2020 – 2030 recommendations. Innovations in Practice: Future of Community Health “A lot of times when you’re a leader, you say let’s start with the low-hanging fruit. And let’s get some things done that are easy to do. And I really believe in the opposite,” said Sarah L. Szanton, PhD, MS ’98, RN, ANP, APRN, FAAN, dean and Patricia M. Davidson Professor for Health Equity and Justice at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. “Obviously, we need to be able to do the low-hanging fruit and be able to get things done, but it’s the high-hanging fruit that creates new ways of thinking, new collaborations, and new tools.” Szanton was one of the panelists who led the summit’s “Innovations in Practice: Future of Community Health” session, along with Erin Denholm, MSN, RN, chief nursing officer at DispatchHealth. Setting a high goal and working toward it can create different innovations, Szanton added. In looking at the American health care system, it’s clear it works as a reactive system, she said. And despite spending a higher percentage of the economy on health care than do peer countries — almost twice as much — the United States still has the worst health outcomes, she said. For decades, professionals have been discussing how to improve health care in our country, including trying to get everyone insured, Szanton said. That’s a good step – but it doesn’t solve the problem fully, she added. “But it turns out that insurance access is not enough. And for example, in Baltimore City, 94% of people are insured. And yet, we still have the same health inequities,” she said, later adding that health care professionals now understand how many additional factors in someone’s life – segregated schools, toxic environments, lack of housing, for example — also impact well-being.  Innovations in Practice: Using AI to Drive New Models of Care In another session, “Innovations in Practice: Using AI to Drive New Models of Care,” Tracie Risling, PhD, RN, associate professor at the University of Calgary Nursing, vice president of the Canadian Nurses Association, and past president of the Canadian Nursing Informatics Association, discussed the complexities of artificial intelligence in health care, emphasizing the importance of understanding AI’s applications while acknowledging potential risks and misinformation.  “Where have you used AI today?” Risling asked. “A lot of times when I have these conversations with folks about artificial intelligence, and I ask everyone, where have you used AI today, people struggle. Or they say, oh, no, I don’t really use artificial intelligence, in which case I have to break the very sad news to you that if you think you’re not using artificial intelligence, artificial intelligence is absolutely using you.”  Unlocking a smartphone with one’s face, directing Alexa to turn off the lights, providing a weather update all are ways AI seeps into daily living. AI represents a huge opportunity for nursing and for models of care, but it is only part of the bigger picture. The main lesson: proceed with caution. “There are all kinds of generative AI tools out there. But the use of these tools in health care is also a danger,” Risling said. “It’s a danger because of misinformation, warned by the World Health Organization, and because these tools, while they can also be used to help us, to persuade, to educate, to learn, they can also be used to generate misinformation.”AI can be a benefit to nursing and those we serve, but it has to be done in a really thoughtful way, she said.  Participants also heard from Sophia Walker Henry, MSN ’13, RN, clinical consultant at Beckham Coulter Diagnostics, who discussed the integration of AI in nursing education and practice, highlighting the need for practical experience and clinical judgment alongside technological advancements. “Is AI a revolutionary moment for nursing education and practice? I can answer with a resounding yes,” Henry said. “I believe that nursing education needs to teach our scholars how technology can impact what they do on a daily basis, and how it can impact patient outcomes. It’s a daunting task, but our students will need to learn that technology works. But our nursing skills and our clinical judgment cannot be replaced by technology. Both things need to work together for the good of our patients.” As a nurse working in an emergency department, Walker said she dealt with issues of overcrowding for nearly 22 years with small successes. A group of biomedical engineers and data scientists developed an AI machine-learning program called TriageGo, a clinical decision support tool that supports the triage nurse by applying AI to recommend an acuity level. “All those things are great. But in the end, the nurse gets to make the final decision about what acuity the patient is being given,” Henry said. “The tool isn’t able to look at the patient, the tool isn’t able to get collateral from the patient or from the family member. And so, we still have that human in the loop, that nurse with her clinical skills, being able to make that final decision about where that patient will land.” The integration of AI and machine learning must also be guided by the nursing profession’s core values of patient-centered care, empathy, and professional excellence.  “Engaging in this process will help safeguard the integrity of nursing practice while leveraging the power of technologies to improve patient outcomes,” Henry said. The day’s panels focused on what is needed for the future of nursing, and nurse well-being, including challenges with burnout.  A Focus on Well-Being Tad Worku, MS, RN, FNP-BC, a mission coach, speaker, and musician, gave the keynote presentation “The Courage to See Hope.” The hourlong presentation combined original music from Worku alongside his keynote, which focused on his time as a nurse and his experience with burnout. “My first job out of school was emergency trauma nursing at a Level One emergency department. Something you should know about me is that I’m a hopeless optimist, a glass-half-full kind of person,” Worku said. “I remember early on in my training, someone said to me, give it three years. And we’ll see if you’re not jaded. It wasn’t meant with malice. But that statement stuck with me and shook me. Had I just stepped away from the possibility of a lucrative career in search of purpose, just to end up jaded? Was that the story? Did everyone who stepped foot in the emergency department leave jaded and hardened? “It’s safe to say that nursing and health care have experienced a collective trauma over the past four years that is ongoing. And yet, it’s also safe to say that hope remains within this reality.”  Advancing Nursing Leadership Also during the summit, Lisa Rowen, DNSc, MS’86, RN, BCC, CENP, FAONL, FAAN, senior vice president and chief nurse executive of the University of Maryland Medical Center, was recognized with the Dr. Peggy Daw Exemplary Leadership Award for her outstanding contributions to nursing education and practice in Maryland. Rowen has established academic-practice partnerships to advance nursing leadership, supported nursing students, and expanded the nursing workforce through innovative care delivery models, said Mary Etta Mills, ScD, MS ’73, BSN ’71, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, professor emerita and MDAC planning committee member, in announcing the award.  The MDAC Exemplary Leadership Award was created in 2022 to recognize and celebrate the leadership and accomplishments exhibited beyond one’s day-to-day role. In 2023, the award was renamed in memory of Daw, DNP, RN-BC, CNE, FAAN. Patricia Travis, PhD '99, MS '76, BSN '69, RN, CCRP, senior associate director of clinical trials at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and co-chair of MDAC, provided closing remarks, thanking attendees for their commitment to learning. “Health care today is confronted with a challenge amplified post-pandemic with the continued demand for more nurses,” she said. “We hope that as participants in this daylong summit, besides having a better understanding of the well-being of a diverse nursing workforce, you now have new ideas for collaboration to partnerships and academic practice approaches to prepare faculty and students to address the current nursing crisis that can meet Maryland’s future health care needs.” Attendees received free registration through support by UMSON’s Maryland Nursing Workforce Center and its Nurse Leadership Institute. Both are funded by the Nurse Support Program II, which was funded by the Health Services Cost Review Commission and Administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission.

Baltimore, Md. – Ten University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) faculty members have received Academic Nurse Educator Certification (ANEC) Awards from the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) through the Nurse Support Program (NSP) II. UMSON received 10 of the 54 awards issued statewide, representing nearly a fifth of all ANEC awards conferred this year. The faculty were each awarded the maximum amount of $5,000 for demonstrating excellence as an academic nurse educator through achieving the National League for Nursing’s Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) credential, either through initial certification or recertification. The faculty are: Marisa Astiz-Martinez, MSN ’13, RN, CNE, clinical instructor Carissa Bragdon, DNP, ACNP-BC, CNE, assistant professor Yvette Conyers, DNP, RN, FNP-C, CTN-B, CFCN, CFCS, CNE, assistant professor and associate dean for equity, diversity, and inclusion Jennifer Dalton, PhD, RN, CNE, CHSE, assistant professor Margaret McElligott, DNP, RN, CHSE, assistant professor Taylor Melton, DNP ’21, CRNP, AGNP-C, CNE, assistant professor Denise Owens, DNP, RN, CCRN, CNE, assistant professor Kristen Rawlett, PhD ’14, FNP-BC, FAANP, CNE, associate professor Charlotte A. Seckman, PhD, RN-BC, CNE, FAAN, associate professor Paul Thurman, PhD ’18, RN, ACNPC, CCNS, CCRN, CNE, assistant professor “We are grateful for the generous support provided to nurse faculty through the Academic Nurse Educator Certification Awards and for the ongoing efforts of the Maryland Higher Education Commission to encourage nurse faculty to achieve or maintain National League of Nursing Certified Nurse Educator certification,” said Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS '05, BSN '04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “The study and preparation that goes into achieving this credential speaks to the commitment of these 10 faculty members to excellence in teaching, and I congratulate each of them on their accomplishment.”  The CNE credential establishes nursing education as a specialty area of practice and creates a means for faculty to demonstrate their expertise in this role. It communicates to students, peers, and the academic and health care communities that the highest standards of excellence are being met. By becoming credentialed as a CNE, faculty serve as leaders and role models. Developed under the NSP II, which is funded by the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by MHEC, the ANEC award program recognizes professionalism in support of ongoing faculty development requirements necessary to maintain the CNE credential. The award is intended to reinforce the use of the CNE as one measurement of excellence in nursing programs and to support retention of outstanding academic educators. The award funds may be used to supplement the awardee’s salary; to pay for activities for professional development, including conference fees, travel, and expenses for speaking engagements; to pay professional dues, CNE examination fees, and continuing education expenses; or to assist with graduate education expenses, such as loan repayment. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – Retired COL. Jacqueline C. Mitchell, MS ’07, CRNA, FAANA, director of clinical education in the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) Doctor of Nursing Practice Nurse Anesthesia specialty, has been selected for induction as a 2024 Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA). She will be inducted during AANA’s Annual Congress in San Diego on Aug. 3.  As a Fellow of the AANA, she is recognized as one of the most accomplished leaders in the nurse anesthesia profession. Earning the FAANA designation is a major career achievement that opens doors for certified registered nurse anesthetists as practitioners, educators, researchers, and advocates for the profession. The FAANA designation communicates a commitment to excellence, and acceptance criteria include contributions that have made a sustainable impact in the areas of clinical practice, education, research, and professional advocacy. “Being recognized is exciting and a humbling experience. It is a gift of inspiration to keep moving the profession forward,” Mitchell said. Mitchell joined the UMSON faculty as a clinical instructor in 2009. In her present role, she has oversight responsibility for 25 clinical rotation sites. Additionally, she lectures in several anesthesia practicum courses and works with students in simulation lab activities, workshop exercises, and competency sessions. Mitchell retired as Colonel from the U.S. Army Nurse Corps in 2021. She served in the military for 30 years in a variety of clinical and command leadership assignments and deployments, including four years of active duty and 26 years of Reserve time. Mitchell most recently served at the U.S. Army Medical Command in Texas as a nurse methods analyst, Drilling Individual Mobilization Augmentee. In this role, she was responsible for developing, analyzing, revising, and staffing organizational policies, standards, and practices related to health care delivery for medical specialties and nursing specialties across all Army components, including Reserve Component clinical issues. Mitchell earned her Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia and Certificate in Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions from UMSON, a Master of Science in Exercise Fitness and Health Promotion from George Mason University, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the City College of New York. She is working toward a PhD in Nursing at UMSON, anticipating completion this December.  # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) assistant professor Rachel Blankstein Breman, PhD '18, MPH, RN, FAWHONN, has been named a 2024 Fellow of the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN). She was inducted during the organization's annual convention in Phoenix on June 8. The designation as an AWHONN Fellow recognizes nurse leaders who have made substantive and sustained contributions to the health of women and newborns beyond expectations of their role. AWHONN Fellows have demonstrated outstanding contributions to clinical practice, research, education, advocacy, or policy at the regional, national, or global level that reflect AWHONN’s mission. These contributions to the profession have a wide-reaching impact on the care of women and newborns. AWHONN Fellows also demonstrate extended involvement in AWHONN beyond attendance at events, such as involvement at the state or national level. Overall, becoming an AWHONN Fellow demonstrates a nurse’s commitment to the profession and to the highest standards of nursing care in the specialty of women’s health, obstetric, or neonatal nursing. In 2024, there were 14 Fellows inducted into the program. “I am honored and so excited to join this amazing group of nurse leaders and innovators in maternity care," Breman said. "It is humbling to be a member of the group and I hope my contributions help to address the significant disparities and improve maternal health and birth outcomes nationally and globally.” Breman, who joined UMSON in 2018, specializes in maternal health, intrapartum care, shared decision-making, implementation and dissemination research, and outcomes research. Last fall, Breman received a grant of $1,055,563 from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare and Research Quality to validate the reliability of the CHOICEs: CHildbirth Options, Information, and Person-Centered Explanation shared decision-making protocol. She also received a $60,000 grant from the Maryland Department of Public Health in collaboration with the Maryland Patient Safety Center and Your Birth Partners, a nonprofit organization. This grant will fund interactive webinars on how to implement trauma-informed care for all birth workers in Maryland. pictured, from left, Cheryl Bellamy, president of the board of directors of the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN); Rachel Blankstein Breman; and Jonathan Webb, CEO of AWHONN. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has appointed Sara Robinson, DNP, RN, PMHNP-BC, assistant professor, as the director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) specialty.  As specialty director, Robinson is responsible for the overall curricular leadership of the School’s psychiatric mental health nursing courses and the DNP Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner specialty. This includes maintaining accreditation standards, supporting faculty, and overseeing the academic success of the students in the specialty. The specialty prepares students to assess, evaluate, diagnose, and treat mental health conditions of individuals across the lifespan.  Robinson, who began her new role June 17, joins UMSON from the University of New Hampshire (UNH), where she was program director of PMHNP programs, including serving as the founding director of the master’s and DNP options, and fully revised the post-master’s certificate program to meet updated standards. Prior to taking on the role of program director at UNH in 2021, she taught in the undergraduate and graduate programs in nursing there. “We are fortunate to have Dr. Robinson join us at UMSON,” said Shannon Idzik, DNP ’10, MS’03, ANP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, professor and associate dean for the DNP program. “Her expertise not only at the national level in PMHNP education but her experience in leading PMHNP programs is a welcome addition to our DNP program.” Robinson is the nurse practitioner liaison for the Psychiatric Times peer-reviewed journal, and upon appointment to the role she became the first nurse practitioner on the publication’s editorial board since its founding in 1987. She has utilized the role to expand the voice and contributions of nurses, nurse practitioners, and other mental health professionals to the publication. Robinson is involved in the American Psychiatric Nurses Association Graduate Education branch in work advancing the new AACN Essentials, including developing a toolkit for academic programs to support nurse educators nationally with implementation. At her previous institution, Robinson was instrumental in securing two U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration grants that provided student funding support and expanded opportunities for high-quality education and interprofessional collaboration. Her clinical and academic backgrounds have emphasized supporting underserved patient populations with significant needs for mental health care. This includes working with patients throughout the lifespan in settings such as community mental health care. UMSON has had a distinguished psychiatric nursing program for nearly 70 years. The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner DNP specialty was ranked at No. 4 (tied) among nearly 170 ranked schools in U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 - 24 edition of “America’s Best Graduate Schools.” Robinson earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and DNP degrees from UNH and a master’s degree in PMHNP from Boston College. Her areas of expertise include advanced practice nursing issues, community partnerships, interprofessional education and practice, nursing education, online education, precepting, and psychiatric-mental health care. Robinson succeeds Kristin Bussell, PhD ’19, MS ’98, BSN ’84, CRNP-PMH, assistant professor, who served as interim specialty director following the retirement of Charon Burda, DNP '16, PMHCNS, PMHNP-BC, CARN-AP, in 2023 after 23 years of service to the School.  ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Analyzing data about education, recruiting, and retention as well as the importance of legislative advocacy for the nursing field were key focus areas of the Maryland Nursing Workforce Center’s (MNWC) first-ever State of the Maryland Nursing Workforce Symposium: Learning from the Past, Valuing the Present, Shaping the Future.  The symposium, held June 6 in Baltimore at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), which houses the MNWC, convened expert stakeholders from across the state to examine Maryland workforce data and trends to gain valuable insights into nursing supply, demand, and education. It also provided a platform for networking and collaboration. Through expert speakers, facilitated discussions, and small-group sessions, participants had the opportunity to connect with colleagues, exchange ideas, and strategize for the future. “Today is an opportunity for us to become acquainted,” Crystal DeVance-Wilson, PhD ’19, MS ’06, MBA, BSN ’00, PHCNS-BC, assistant professor and director of the Maryland Nursing Workforce Center, said in her introduction.  “[The center has] expanded our focus to keep up with the needs of the Maryland nursing community and to better nursing workforces around the country,” added DeVance-Wilson, who also serves as vice chair of UMSON at the Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville, Maryland. “Data and reporting is still our core function, and we have been physically collecting data from whoever will share it.” Maryland state Del. Bonnie L. Cullison, MA, (District 19, Montgomery County) presented the event’s keynote presentation, “The Intersection of Policy and the Nursing Workforce: Leveraging Resources for Stabilization.”  The health care system is completely reliant on “skilled, amazing, courageous, dedicated people” who give their all and more every day, said Cullison, vice chair of the House of Delegates Health and Government Operations Committee. Those in the nursing workforce have the power to affect policy changes that will improve outcomes for the state, she added. Cullison also spoke of the importance of legislators working with those in nursing. “I completely rely on you to inform me and my colleagues in the Legislature what factors affect your ability to practice at your highest levels and to practice effectively,” Cullison said. “There are 187 of us in the General Assembly, and most of us are open, have open doors, and listen.” The symposium also included two panel discussions: Analyzing Maryland Nursing Workforce Data: Insights and Trends and Navigating the Complexities of the Nursing Workforce in the Modern Health Care Landscape. Deborah J. Baker, DNP, AG-ACNP, NEA-BC, FAAN, senior vice president for nursing in the Johns Hopkins Health System and vice president of nursing and patient care services and chief nursing officer for The Johns Hopkins Hospital, gave the closing address, “Putting the Pieces Together: Building for the Future Through Collaboration.” Multiple participants took part in the morning panel about workforce data, including Kimberly Link, JD, a senior advisor for health boards at the Maryland Department of Health. Link, who was part of the Commission to Study the Health Care Workforce Crisis, broke down how the state is working not only to collect but also to analyze data regarding the workforce crisis across health care, nursing included.  “As we formed these groups and had meetings, it became very apparent that there's all this data out there from all of these different sources. How do we analyze that?” Link asked.  The workforce shortage is complex, she said, and there are many reasons that the state and the nation are in the position they’re in. Link said the commission realized answers would not come quickly or easily and set out to have findings shared with the Maryland Legislature to inform policy decisions. That’s where the work happens, she said, adding that the commission can collect and analyze data, but it needs to be shared with the Legislature, which develops the relevant laws and policies. Link also discussed some of the information the commission discovered that can help inform future policy. “Here’s a couple things that we found out. And again, there’s no lightning bolts here, no smoking guns. You know these things,” Link said. “The commission found that the workforce shortages in critical health care applications existed before the pandemic, and especially in nursing.” The commission also learned that while other states such as Virginia have made progress, Maryland has not returned to pre-pandemic workforce levels. And, she said, the shortages are most prevalent in the rural areas of the state. The biggest takeaway? “We need better data,” Link said.  “And we need a place to store it, to collect it, and to maintain it, not just to have a one-time study, a snapshot of what the nursing profession looks like at any point in time,” she added. “We need an ongoing repository of data from a lot of different sources so that we can address supply and demand issues.” The MNWC, which was established in 2018 by a Nurse Support Program II grant funded through the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, is hoping to address these concerns.  The center’s goals include providing access to and assisting with the analysis of nursing workforce data; understanding the areas of demand and the resources needed to meet those demands; and ensuring Maryland is meeting the recommendation set forth in the National Academy of Medicine’s 2010 Future of Nursing report that calls for improving collection methods of workforce data.

Stella was her mother’s name, said former Maryland Sen. Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, DPS (Hon.) ’23, DHL (Hon.), MAS, BSN ’80, RN, FAAN, an inaugural UMSON Visionary Pioneer, but it’s also what she called a pivotal character in her autobiographical book released this year, "Saving Stella: Notes from a Nurse Turned Legislator." The woman, a former patient during Nathan-Pulliam’s career as a bedside nurse, was “a change in direction for her career,” she said, when she began focusing on activism for health equity. Nathan-Pulliam addressed an audience of UMSON faculty, staff, students, alumni, and others close to the former senator, whose name graces the façade of the UMSON building in Baltimore, during a book-signing event May 21 for "Saving Stella" in that same building, hosted by the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion for its national award-winning Booked for Lunch book club. Yvette Conyers, DNP, RN, FNP-C, CTN-B, CFCN, CFCS, CNE, FALDN, assistant professor and associate dean for equity, diversity, and inclusion, moderated the discussion. The book is presented in three distinct parts — Nathan-Pulliam’s early career, her community activism, and her legislative activity — and Stella appears in the first segment. “When I met Stella, I was a team leader on a unit at Bon Secours Hospital,” Nathan-Pulliam recounted during the event. “As I was washing her arm, I felt her breast was hard as a stone.” Nathan-Pulliam went on to explain that Stella had no job and no money; she was waiting to secure a job to have the funds necessary to see a doctor.  This was distressing to Nathan-Pulliam, who came to the United States from England, a country with socialized health care, in 1960. “There, everyone was taken care of,” she said. “That kind of stuff stays with you. What upset me most is she had been in the ER and no one had felt that breast. She hadn’t been examined properly — that’s where the health disparity comes in.” Nathan-Pulliam also discussed her childhood in Jamaica, when she struggled with dyslexia. She couldn’t distinguish certain letters from others, and her father “called her a dummy” and embarrassed her at the dinner table because she wrote letters backwards, she said. When she eventually earned her Master of Applied Science degree from Johns Hopkins University, her father said, “Shirley, you can stop trying to prove me wrong,” she relayed.   Not wanting to stop and driven by the inequities she saw as a nurse, she ran for office as a state delegate in 1986 and lost. “Yes, I grew up in a third-world country, but where I saw real poverty and hunger was right here in Baltimore,” she said. “I had a burning sensation that there was something else that God wanted me to do.” In the year she ultimately won the election, 1994, five nurses ran for office, and four won, she recalled. During her nearly 25-year career as a legislator, ultimately as a state senator, she faced “political battles, strategic alliances, and landmark bills,” according to the description by Johns Hopkins Press, the book’s publisher, that “provide insight into the art of governance and politics and the power of courage, perseverance, and remarkable compassion in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges.” “Educating legislators who come from all over is critically important,” Nathan-Pulliam said during the event, recounting an occasion during which a legislator physician disregarded the importance of cultural competency. “I got so mad at him that we wound up in the chairman’s office,” she said (a response akin to winding up in the principal’s office). And yet, she said, doctors now have to complete courses in implicit bias before they take the boards. On another occasion, when Nathan-Pulliam was co-sponsoring a bill to allow nurse practitioners prescriptive authority, she was seeking support and backing from a fellow legislator. “I followed that poor man all the way up the steps,” she said with a laugh. “I went over all the things nurses stood for.” Now, Nathan-Pulliam said, we no longer have nurses in the Maryland Legislature. “We urgently need to get nurses elected,” she said, providing some tips for nurses to get involved: start local, at the city council; knock on doors; lick stamps; start learning about all the things nurses do; and have a message: five or six bullet points, short and to the point. But the most important thing anyone can do, she said, is vote; it’s the most direct way to promote health equity, which has always been her No. 1 issue. “I can say we’ve come a long way, but we still have a long way to go,” she said.    Following the discussion, she patiently signed book copies for a line of audience members that snaked through the auditorium, taking time to speak with each person and ask: “Are you a nurse? Will you run for office?”

Baltimore, Md. – Yvette Conyers, DNP, RN, FNP-C, CTN-B, CFCN, CFCS, CNE, FADLN, CWCN-AP, assistant professor and associate dean for equity, diversity, and inclusion, and three alumni, have been selected as a 2024 inaugural Fellow in the Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing (FADLN), a new academy sponsored by the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) to recognize nurse leaders for their significant and sustained contributions to advancing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) in nursing and health care. Conyers was selected as a “Distinguished ADLN Fellow” because of her noted JEDI expertise, according to NBNA President and CEO Sheldon D. Fields, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, CRNP, AACRN, FAANP, FNAP, FAAN. This group of inaugural fellows consists of individuals who have created innovative JEDI initiatives in nursing and have transformed nursing education, research, practice, policy, or administration. Conyers will be inducted at the inaugural FADLN induction ceremony on July 25 in San Francisco. "I am honored to be chosen as one of the inaugural ADLN fellows,” Conyers said. “At a time when EDI efforts are facing challenges, it's crucial to have dedicated individuals leading this vital work.” Three UMSON alumni join Conyers among the 176 inaugural fellows who compose this year's cohort: Sylvia Trent Adams, PhD, MS '99, RN, FAAN, president, The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth Veronica Clarke-Tasker, PhD '96, MBA, MPH, MDiv, RN, professor emerita, Howard University Stephan Davis, DNP, BSN '07, MHSA, FACHE, FAAN, executive director, inclusive leadership education; associate dean, inclusive excellence and belonging, Virginia Commonwealth University College of Health Professions. ADLN aims to recognize, support, and promote the significant work that has been done to diversify the nursing profession, focusing on advancing health equity, creating anti-racism policies, and strengthening antiracism health care practices. Cultivating this distinguished group of respected thought leaders with expertise in JEDI is a way of ensuring access to high quality, evidence-based knowledge and interventions that will support the health of all people.  Conyers, who joined UMSON in 2023, serves as the primary advisor to UMSON’s dean, senior academic leadership team, senior administrative team, and Diversity and Inclusion Council on operational and strategic goals related to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Additionally, she oversees UMSON’s diversity and inclusion initiatives and partners with colleagues across the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and Universities at Shady Grove locations to promote and execute efforts related to diversity and inclusion. Conyers also holds a faculty appointment as an assistant professor, teaching excellence tenure track. Through Conyers’ leadership, in 2023, UMSON was awarded a three-year grant, “Eliminating Structural Racism in Nursing Academia: A Systems Change Approach to Anti-Racist Nursing Education,” from the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation aimed at tackling systemic racial inequities in nursing education. UMSON is one of only 12 nursing schools in the country to receive the grant.  Also in 2023, UMSON was selected to participate in “Building a Culture of Belonging in Academic Nursing,” a national initiative to foster inclusive learning environments in schools of nursing. Founded in 1971, the NBNA represents 350,000 Black registered nurses, licensed vocational/practical nurses, nursing students, and retired nurses from the United States, the Eastern Caribbean, and Africa. Its mission is “to serve as the voice for Black nurses and diverse populations ensuring equal access to professional development, promoting educational opportunities, and improving health.”  ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – Kim Mooney-Doyle, PhD, RN, CPNP-AC, associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), and nine alumni have been selected as 2024 Fellows of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN), contributing their leadership and vision to shaping the future of nursing worldwide. The inductees will be recognized for their substantial and sustained impact on health and health care at the academy’s annual Health Policy Conference, Oct. 31 - Nov. 2 in Washington, D.C. Nine UMSON alumni join Mooney-Doyle among the 232 distinguished nurse leaders who compose this year’s cohort: Brig. Gen. Gwendolyn A. Foster, BSN ’95, CNM, FAANP, FACNM, director of staff for the U.S. Air Force surgeon general  Luz G. Huntington-Moskos, PhD, BSN ’99, RN, CPN, associate professor and director of Community Engagement Core, Center for Integrative Environmental Health Sciences, University of Louisville (Kentucky) Beth M. King, PhD, MS ’80, APRN, PMHNP-BC, associate professor, Florida Atlantic University Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing Wen Liu, PhD ’15, RN, FGSA, associate professor, University of Iowa School of Nursing  Patsy Maloney, EdD, MSN, BSN ’74, RN, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, CEN, teaching professor, University of Washington Tacoma School of Nursing and Healthcare Leadership  Gregory Raymond, DNP ’18, MBA, MS ’10, BSN ’05, RN, NEA-BC, vice president of nursing and patient care services, clinical practice and professional development, neuroscience, and inpatient psychiatry, University of Maryland Medical Center Angela Ross, DNP ’14, MS ’98, MPH, RN, PMP, DASM, PHCNS-BC, FHIMSS, assistant professor, Department of Clinical and Health Informatics, UTHealth Houston D. Bradley McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics Laurie Saletnik, DNP, BSN ’89, RN, CNOR, senior director of perioperative nursing and assistant professor of surgical nursing, The Johns Hopkins Hospital Anna E. Schoenbaum, DNP ’16, MS ’01, RN, NI-BC, FHIMSS, vice president of applications and digital health, Penn Medicine “We congratulate Dr. Mooney-Doyle on the honor of being recognized as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing,” said Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “It is a tribute to her commitment to excellence and her contributions to the nursing profession. Dr. Mooney-Doyle is deeply committed to teaching and service, and her ongoing research is expanding our understanding of how to best meet the needs of families experiencing serious illness, with a special focus on mitigating the long-term impact on all members of the family. We also warmly congratulate our nine very distinguished alumni for being recognized for their leadership and many contributions to nursing research, education, and practice.” Mooney-Doyle, who joined UMSON in 2017, conducts research based on her passion for understanding how best to promote the health of families and individuals during serious pediatric and adolescent/young adult illness, including pediatric cancer. Last year, she was awarded a two-year grant of $460,000 from the National Institute of Nursing Research to examine how understanding family communication during serious pediatric illness, from the perspective of adolescent siblings and parents, provides opportunities to prevent long-term distress. Nearly 200,000 children and adolescents in the United States have a sibling with a serious, life-limiting illness. Siblings face physical, psychological, and social risks including anxiety, depression, substance use, academic performance concerns, and emotional distress. These risks increase when the seriously ill child’s life is at significant risk or when illness management strains family time and routines. The newest AAN Fellows represent 37 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and 14 countries. Their expansive body of knowledge will soon bolster the collective impact of over 3,000 AAN Fellows who are experts in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia and who champion health and wellness. Fellows are selected from a competitive pool of applicants, representing a cross-section of nursing’s most dynamic leaders who are making positive change in their systems and communities to champion health and wellness.  ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – Five University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) faculty members have been awarded Nurse Support Program (NSP) II grants totaling $4.82 million. NSP II grants aid in increasing nursing capacity in Maryland by implementing statewide initiatives to grow the number of nurses prepared to serve effectively in faculty roles and by strengthening nursing education programs at Maryland institutions. Grants are funded through the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. The NSP II grants awarded to UMSON beginning in Fiscal Year 2025 include: Susan L. Bindon, DNP ’11, MS ’96, RN, NPD-BC, CNE, FAAN, ANEF, associate professor, associate dean for faculty development, and director of both the Institute for Educators and the Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions Certificate – Igniting Faculty Capacity for Competency-Based Education in Maryland ($481,000 over three years) The project’s primary goal is to enhance Maryland’s nursing workforce readiness through the increased integration of competency-based education (CBE) best practices in the state’s nursing programs. Recent evidence highlights the advantages of CBE for students, faculty, and employers alike, emphasizing student-centered learning outcomes and a partnered teaching-learning relationship over traditional teaching processes. The project seeks to support statewide nursing faculty in incorporating key CBE principles in their teaching approach. Leveraging the expertise of UMSON’s faculty team, including national CBE leaders and UMSON Institute for Educators faculty and staff, the goal is to prepare 200 nursing faculty members, representing 75% of Maryland’s 28 nursing programs. Crystal DeVance-Wilson, PhD ’19, MS ’06, MBA, BSN ’00, PHCNS-BC, assistant professor, director of the Maryland Nursing Workforce Center (MNWC), and vice chair of the UMSON program at the Universities at Shady Grove – Dedicated Education Unit ($485,000 over three years) and Maryland Nursing Workforce Center Continuation Grant ($1.85 million over four years.) The Dedicated Education Unit (DEU) grant aims to expand on the prior accomplishments of a pilot project that showed medical-surgical students who participated in a DEU (an immersive clinical model and academic-practice partnership solution for preparing prelicensure nursing students that extends the precepted model by creating a care “village”) completed more skills and were very satisfied with their clinical experiences when compared to the traditional model. The DEU model also focuses on coaching and mentoring preceptors to develop and refine their skills. The program creates pathways to employment for students and builds a well-prepared cadre of staff nurses who are ready to mentor not only student nurses but also new graduates. During the next three years, the focus will be on expanding the model to all Maryland regions, continuous quality improvement, and strengthening the infrastructure with the aim of future sustainability. The MNWC grant aims to sustain an aging nursing workforce. In Maryland, the median age of nurses is 51, compared to 46 nationally. Nurse recruitment has slowed, one in four nursing positions is vacant, and there are decreases in active license trends for RNs, LPNs, and CNAs. The MNWC, housed within UMSON, has expanded its focus to include advocacy, recruiting and pathways, retention, and nurse education while maintaining a primary focus on data collection, analysis, and dissemination. The continuation grant will allow the MNWC to implement its expansion plans, more closely align with workforce centers nationally, and leverage the resources and support of the National Forum for State Nursing Workforce Centers.  Bridgitte Gourley, DNP ’08, FNP-BC, associate professor; director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Family Nurse Practitioner specialty; and co-director of the University of Maryland, Baltimore Center for Interprofessional Education – Implementation of a Nurse-Managed Health Center ($1.17 million over four years) Clinical site shortages are the largest risk to academic nursing. The effect of the nurse and primary care shortages post-pandemic have impacted the number of entry-into-nursing and graduate-level nurses that can be precepted in these settings. UMSON has developed a nurse-managed health center model that simultaneously addresses capacity for clinical sites, faculty practice, and CBE while providing care to vulnerable populations in Maryland. The grant will be used to implement the nurse-managed health center model, called Health, Equity, Access, and Learning - University of Maryland (“HEAL-UM”) School of Nursing clinics. It will also establish a nonprofit entity for faculty practice, Nurse Faculty Incorporated (NFI), to allow reimbursement for clinical services provided by faculty and students. HEAL-UM will include four pillars to bring care to communities in need: Head Start, the Governor’s Wellmobile Program, a Universities at Shady Grove (USG) Interprofessional Education Center, and community-based partnerships. This model will build capacity for financially sustainable, competency based, clinical education opportunities and an innovative faculty practice to uphold nurses as full partners in developing health care solutions. Katie McElroy, PhD ’16, MS ’10, BSN ’98, RN, CNE, associate professor and associate dean for the baccalaureate program – Planning a Part-Time Program for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing ($76,000 for one year) The demographics and needs of contemporary nursing students have changed over time, and many students must dedicate substantial time outside of school to fulfill unavoidable work and family obligations. Limited options exist in Maryland for part-time entry-into-nursing Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students, although offering a part-time program could lead to increased student success, timely entry into the nursing workforce, and increased diversity in nursing students and the nursing workforce. This one-year planning grant seeks to gather and analyze data to confirm the need for a part-time BSN program and to design a pilot part-time BSN program for future implementation, with a focus on feasibility and sustainability. Amanda Roesch, DNP, MPH, FNP-C, assistant professor – Head Start Partnership to Expand Clinical Opportunities Continuation Grant ($756,000 over four years) UMSON seeks continued support to expand collaboration between education and practice to build its capacity to educate nurses. The project aims to augment UMSON’s partnerships with Maryland Family Network, Early Head Start, and Head Start programs to provide family-centered services at Family Support Centers. Building on past success, the model integrates entry-into-nursing, RN-to-BSN, and DNP/advanced practice registered nurse students in community-based clinical placements. It addresses critical gaps in pediatric and primary care clinical experiences to support increased enrollment at UMSON’s Baltimore and USG locations. The project also seeks to broaden the scope of services offered to include primary care for adults while continuing to provide access to required examinations and screenings for children.  ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. - The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has been awarded a five-year, $5 million Health Equities Resource Communities (HERC) grant from the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission (MCHRC). This grant builds on the success of the West Baltimore RICH Collaborative, an initiative supported by a $2.4 million Pathways for Health Equity Grant from MCHRC awarded two years ago. That effort focused on reducing social isolation and inequities in cardiovascular health in West Baltimore. As with the original initiative, the new project, West Baltimore Reducing Inequities in Cardiovascular and Mental Health Collaborative-Stronger Together (RICH 2.0), in collaboration with community, faith-based, academic, and health care organizations aims to reduce cardiovascular health disparities, improve health outcomes, improve access to primary care, and reduce health care costs. This project extends into three additional ZIP codes in West Baltimore and expands beyond social isolation to other aspects of mental health. The project is led by Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, with support from Janette North-Kabore, MPH, and Asunta Johnson, MSHCM, project directors.  Co-investigators on the project include:  Kelley Robinson PhD, CNM, CNE, assistant professor, UMSON William Mangana, DNP ’20, CRNP, FNP-C, assistant professor, UMSON Kelly Doran, PhD, RN, FAAN, associate professor and co-director, Biology and Behavior Across the Lifespan Organized Research Center, UMSON; director of health and wellness, University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Community Engagement Center Abree Johnson, MS, MBA, director, pharmaceutical research computing, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy (UMSOP) Laundette Jones, PhD, MPH, associate professor, University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Stacey Stephens, LCSW-C, clinical assistant professor, University of Maryland School of Social Work (UMSSW), director of B’More for Healthy Babies “Collective power is needed to advance health equity and its impact on community health,” Ogbolu said. “The West Baltimore RICH Collaborative - Stronger Together not only aims to improve health outcomes but also demonstrates that multisectoral organizations can work together toward eliminating health disparities. I am proud to be partnering with trusted community organizations and health equity promoters that are committed to collaborating to improve cardiovascular and mental health and address the social determinants of health so that communities are stronger, safer, and healthier.” The partner organizations composing West Baltimore RICH 2.0 include:  A Better Tomorrow Starts Today counseling agency American Heart Association Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital ATOSK Health Care Services, Inc. B’More for Healthy Babies The Community Builders, Inc. Coppin State University Helene Fuld School of Nursing Druid Heights Community Development Corporation LIGHT Health & Wellness Comprehensive Services, inc. Minister’s Conference Empowerment Center CDC Roberta’s House UMB Community Engagement Center UMSON UMSOP UMSSW UMSOM University of Maryland Medical Center (Downtown and Midtown) West Baltimore RICH 2.0 will integrate activities and resources across these multiple organizations to improve mental (social isolation, stress, and anxiety) and cardiovascular outcomes and social determinants of health (SDOH), such as food, transportation, and economic security. Its goals are to reduce cardiovascular and mental health disparities, improve access to primary care, promote primary and secondary prevention services, and reduce health care costs for West Baltimore residents. The program includes five strategic interventions: a health equity collaborative nurse-led clinics self-monitored blood pressure programs and mobile health programs primary and secondary events a community outreach worker model to support and address social determinants of health. Through the original West Baltimore RICH Collaborative, several UMSOM and UMSOP students worked with the initiative to gain skills and insight related to addressing SDOH barriers. Four community-based youth ambassadors were recruited to assist with community activities and learn about addressing complex community needs with wrap-around resources.  Over the past 13 months, the West Baltimore RICH Collaborative and its partners have: engaged with 7,725 residents attended 546 mobile health events enrolled 2,001 participants into the program distributed 925 blood pressure cuffs established four nurse-led clinics at the UMB Community Engagement Center, Coppin State University, McCullough Homes public housing, and Family NP at Garwyn Medical Center provided health screenings to 1,124 participants, of whom 96% reported at least one SDOH need and received immediate resources. Building on the success of the original project, West Baltimore RICH 2.0 will: expand partnerships with organizations to meet the need for mental health services and place-based care in senior housing facilities expand two mobile health programs for implementation in senior housing sites continue community outreach to address SDOH, with a central team at UMSON and additional support hired by and placed at partner sites maintain the nurse-led clinics measure community assets and strengths assessing perceptions of hope and their association with social isolation, mental distress, stress, and anxiety. By the end of the five-year grant period in 2029, 4,000 additional individuals will have been served. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. - Susan G. Dorsey, PhD ’01, MS ’98, RN, FAAN, professor, has been named by University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, as one of six 2024 Distinguished University Professors, the highest appointment bestowed on a faculty member at UMB. It recognizes Dorsey’s excellence, impact, and significant contributions to the nursing profession and practice.   “I am very humbled to have been appointed a Distinguished University Professor President Jarrell to receive the Distinguished University Professor, and it is a great honor to be recognized at the University level by the president and faculty colleagues,” Dorsey said. “I am extremely proud to have spent my entire academic career at the University of Maryland, Baltimore.” In addition to her appointment at UMSON, Dorsey is a professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and the Department of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and in the Department of Neural and Pain Sciences at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. She is nationally and internationally recognized for her research and scholarship related to chronic pain and for developing strategies for the use of multiomics (e.g., genomic, transcriptomic, epigenomic, metabolomic) methods to identify the biological mechanisms underlying symptoms and the self-management of symptoms. This work has led to new discoveries regarding genomic factors of neuromuscular weakness in muscular dystrophy and in the transition from acute to chronic pain across numerous conditions. The translational potential of her work — the interface between bench research and clinical care — has led to nearly $30 million in National Institutes of Health research funding as principal investigator or co-investigator and to numerous publications, honors, and awards. Dorsey has a significant record of publication in journals including Pain, PLOS Genetics, Journal of Neuroscience, Nursing Research, and Science Signaling. She is the co-editor of the 2020 book “Genomics of Pain and Co-Morbid Symptoms.” She has also worked to inspire researchers as they pursue their own multiomics research, innovation, and discovery.  Dorsey joined UMSON in 2004 and served as founding chair of its Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science from 2014 - 22. She was the founding co-director of the UMB Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research and assisted in securing funding from the National Institute of Nursing Research to create the center. Dorsey has been recognized by her peers with induction as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (2011) and the prestigious Friends of the NINR Welch/Woerner Path-Paver Award (2019) for mentorship. In 2015, she was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Researcher Hall of Fame. She earned her PhD and master’s degrees from UMSON and her undergraduate degree from West Virginia Wesleyan College. “Through her research and scholarship, her teaching and mentoring, and her service, she has brought national and international recognition and true distinction to the University,” wrote Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean, in her letter of nomination. “She is highly deserving of the honor.” Dorsey received her Distinguished University Professor medal from Jarrell, a blacksmith who created the medal himself, during UMB’s annual Faculty Convocation on Sept. 12. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. - In the newly released U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 “Best Colleges” Best Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Programs, the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) BSN program ranked No. 13 in the nation (tied with five other institutions), out of the more than 685 accredited nursing schools ranked. Among public schools of nursing, UMSON is ranked No. 8 in the nation (tied with four other public nursing schools). “It is gratifying to be recognized as one of the top baccalaureate programs in the nation. This is a testament to our faculty, staff, and students and all who support our efforts,” said Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “We are committed to addressing the critical shortage of nurses at all levels, not only within Maryland but also nationally. We are proud of our graduates, who are well prepared to serve as competent, compassionate, and trusted nurses meeting the needs of individuals, their families, and our many diverse communities.” UMSON’s BSN program encompasses an entry-into-nursing program and an RN-to-BSN program for already licensed practicing nurses. The program prepares students to excel in nursing careers across a broad spectrum of acute, chronic, and community-based settings. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN) 2023 New Graduate Employment Data indicates that 70% of employers express a strong preference for BSN program graduates, while one-quarter of hospitals and other health care settings require a BSN for employment.  This fall, UMSON admitted 250 entry BSN students, its largest class ever, between its Baltimore and Universities at Shady Grove (Rockville, Maryland) locations, reflecting the School’s commitment to responding to the demands of health care at a critical time of substantial nursing shortages. By increasing the number of students in each program at both locations, UMSON is playing a key role in bolstering the nursing workforce in Maryland. The School was among the first in the nation to launch an entirely revised BSN curriculum for incoming students in 2022, in alignment with AACN’s The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education, an updated framework for nursing education using a competency-based approach. The curriculum responds to the Essentials’ direction for curricula that respond to the changing face of health care, necessitating updates to how nurses are prepared; in that vein, the BSN curriculum includes courses focusing on evidence-based practice, public and community health, social determinants of health, disease prevention, and palliative care. Two clinical practice initiatives with the University of Maryland Medical System — the Practicum to Practice Program and the Academy of Clinical Essentials — provide students expanded and advanced clinical opportunities. “We are so proud to be playing such a big role in addressing the nursing shortage in Maryland by graduating so many passionate, competent nurses,” said Kathleen “Katie” McElroy, PhD ’16, MS ’10, BSN ’98, RN, CNE, associate professor and associate dean for the baccalaureate program. In addition to serving practicing nurses seeking a BSN degree, UMSON’s RN-to-BSN program boasts dual-admission partnerships with all 15 community colleges in Maryland that offer an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program, enabling a smooth transition for ADN students into UMSON’s BSN program. To date, nearly 280 students have transitioned from community college to UMSON’s BSN program via the School’s dual-admission partnerships. Rankings are determined by scores received from surveys of top academics and officials at nursing schools or departments at institutions nationwide that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. In addition, the institutions must be regionally accredited and have recently awarded at least 50 BSN degrees. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – Two University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) doctoral students have been chosen by the Jonas Center for Nursing and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) as Jonas Scholars for 2024 - 26. The scholarship program aims to improve health care by expanding the pool of PhD and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)-prepared nurses needed to educate the next generation of nurses. UMSON has been awarded a $24,000 grant to support the two scholars. Through the Jonas Scholars program, UMSON PhD students Anne O. Hagan, MSN ’21, BSN ’19, RN, and Alexandra Mora, MS ’14, RN, will be provided with financial assistance, leadership development, and networking support. They join a group of 61 other doctoral nursing students chosen for their passion for teaching, academic excellence, and research abilities. They will spend two years learning from nationwide nursing experts and developing new skills to transition into a nursing faculty role. Each scholar is paired with a mentor. The 2024 - 26 cohort of Jonas Scholars consists of doctoral students from 25 states, with 50% representing Black, Latino, and other communities of color, ensuring that these new nurse leaders reflect the patient population of their diverse communities. Together, the scholars are receiving more than $1 million in scholarship funds. Research interests among them include underserved populations in nursing, mental health, and veterans’ health. Hagan’s area of focus is gerontology while Mora’s is underserved populations.  “The Jonas Scholar Award is a prestigious scholarship program that supports future nurse scientists as they journey through their PhD program, and I feel incredibly honored and thrilled to be in the 2024 - 26 cohort,” Hagan said. “I am humbled that the University of Maryland School of Nursing has partnered with Jonas Philanthropies to invest in me as a future nurse scientist.” "I am deeply honored to have been selected as a Jonas Scholar,” Mora said. “This scholarship is instrumental in helping me achieve my goals of working with underserved communities and to continue teaching the next generation of nurses. With this opportunity, I am committed to making a difference in the field of health care." The mission of Jonas Nursing is to enhance the nursing profession by developing nurse leaders who will address the nursing shortage by educating the future nursing workforce and by investing in the health and well-being of our most underserved communities.  AACN is the national voice for academic nursing, representing more than 875 schools of nursing nationwide. AACN establishes quality standards for nursing education, influences the nursing profession to improve health care, and promotes public support of baccalaureate and graduate nursing education, research, and practice.  ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has once again been recognized for its outstanding commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, earning the Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine for the seventh consecutive year. This prestigious award is the only national honor recognizing health schools and centers that excel in promoting diversity and inclusion on their campuses. UMSON will be featured, along with 70 other higher education institutions, in the November/December 2024 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education.  “This year marks the seventh year of receiving the Health Professions HEED award. This year is special, as the recognition is a result of the collaborative efforts of the new staff in UMSON’s Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and of everyone’s hard work in creating an inclusive learning environment at the University of Maryland School of Nursing,” said Yvette Conyers, DNP, MS, RN, FNP-C, CTN-B, CFCN, CFCS, CNE, FADLN, CWNC-AP, assistant professor and associate dean for equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). “In light of the political challenges related to EDI, we as a University and School stand committed to equity, and this award highlights its importance.” The award recognizes U.S. health colleges and universities that demonstrate outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. The application is open to all accredited U.S. and Canadian health profession schools, including medical, dental, pharmacy, nursing, veterinary, and osteopathic medical schools. The HEED Award’s rigorous application process acknowledges an institution’s level of achievement and intensity of commitment regarding broadening EDI on campus through initiatives, programs, and outreach; student recruitment, retention, and completion; and hiring practices for faculty and staff.  UMSON’s initiatives, guided by its In UniSON anti-oppression position statement, focus on broadening EDI through programs, outreach, and recruitment of a diverse student body. More than 60% of UMSON students identify as racially and ethnically diverse, and 13% are male — both figures above the national average for nursing schools. Equity and justice are one set of core values at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and UMSON works to integrate these values fully and authentically into all aspects of its work and community. UMSON’s Office of EDI offers individual and departmental support with a focus on relationship and community building and advocacy, efforts aimed at ensuring equity in policies and practices at all levels. It has developed activities, events, and affinity groups to engage faculty, staff, and students in thinking more broadly about diversity and in working toward a more inclusive community. Highlights of UMSON’s ongoing EDI efforts include: strengthening relationships with student leaders to promote diversity efforts through the EDI Council, an elected body that encourages departments that encourages departments and units across UMSON to foster EDI as guiding principles, and the Restorative Justice program, which places UMSON at the forefront of fostering robust and healthy relationships across its campus and local communities supporting student-led organizations such as the Latinx Association of Nurses at the University of Maryland and the Black Student Nurses Association offering workshops focused on LGBTQ+ issues during Pride Month and training faculty and staff on anti-oppression practices organizing the Pathway to Nursing orientation program, designed to foster inclusivity and belonging among new students partnering with the Asian American/Pacific Islander Nurses Association for its 2023 Annual Conference, offering application fee waivers, and promoting UMSON programs as well as attending national conferences to recruit diverse students, including those hosted by the National Black Nurses Association and DNPs of Color hosting two documentary screenings along with panel discussions at each. In May, UMSON teamed up with the nursing schools at Coppin State, Johns Hopkins, and Morgan State universities for a screening of “Squeegee Kids: Understanding the Misunderstood.” In September, the EDI office and Office of Development and Alumni Relations presented a screening of “Everybody’s Work: Healing What Hurts Us.” Both films highlighted the need for inclusion and equity in underserved populations. hosting a Peace Vigil in response to the Israel-Hamas conflict, offering a space for reflection and community supportThis seventh consecutive HEED Award reflects UMSON’s dedication to integrating equity and justice into every aspect of its work, reaffirming its place as a leader in diversity within health professions. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Luana Colloca, MD, PhD, MS, first became fascinated with the placebo effect and pain management when she was in medical school. “I was captivated by the brain’s functions, especially how little we know about its role in healing and how it influences the perception of pain-related symptoms,” said Colloca, professor, Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), and University of Maryland MPower professor.   At the same time, she was becoming concerned about the opioid epidemic and wondered if there was a way to reduce the overuse and misuse of opioids in pain treatment by identifying patients who need the treatments and others who may not. “Some patients experience meaningful pain relief simply by expecting to be treated,” she said. “Placebo research has become a valuable tool for understanding brain functions. It is also highly relevant for the development of new treatments because the identification of the appropriate control condition is so critical.” This became the basis for Colloca’s work as she has conducted groundbreaking studies on the placebo phenomenon that have advanced scientific understanding of the brain’s ability to regulate the pain experience and led to the development of novel strategies to optimize therapeutic outcomes in clinical practice. Colloca is an international expert in the fields of placebo effect and nocebo effect — the opposite of the placebo effect in which instead of having a positive response, patients have negative outcomes to treatments that cannot be explained by the treatments’ pharmacologic effects — and mechanisms of pain modulation. She has secured multiple National Institutes of Health awards, including several R01 grants and an R21 grant. For her pioneering work, Colloca has been named the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) 2024 Founders Week Researcher of the Year. Colloca’s body of research, published in more than 200 papers in high-impact medical journals and cited more than 19,000 times, is closely aligned with the strategic research priorities of UMSON and the broader mission of UMB, says Barbara Resnick, PhD '96, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, professor, Department of Organizational Systems and Adult Health, Sonya Ziporkin Gershowitz Chair in Gerontology, and associate dean for research, UMSON, and Distinguished University Professor, UMB. “Dr. Colloca’s research over the past 10 years at UMSON has significantly advanced the field of pain and translational symptom science,” Resnick said in nominating Colloca for the honor. “Her innovative studies on placebo effects, immersive virtual reality, and pain modulation have influenced clinical practice and public policy, providing new approaches to pain management that reduce reliance on opioid medications.” Colloca’s work focuses on endogenous pain modulation mechanisms, patient expectations, and the learning processes that affect responses to treatments and overall health outcomes. “When someone expects to receive a pain-relieving treatment, their brain may release substances like endorphins, which can actually reduce or even eliminate pain. These responses are rooted in specific neural and other biological mechanisms,” Colloca said. Colloca’s key discoveries have included challenging the traditional framework of expectations versus conditioning as the primary explanation for the psychobiological mechanisms of the placebo effect, introducing observational, or social, learning as a trigger mechanism. Her work has also led to discovering that a neuropeptide — arginine vasopressin — is involved in pain modulation; understanding how dose-extending placebos can be harnessed to taper medications via pharmacological conditioning; and adding new genetic mechanisms as predictors of placebo effects. Working in Baltimore has allowed Colloca to explore the interplay between disparities and placebo effects, researching why some people respond to placebo treatments while others do not. “We’ve found that a combination of factors, including social disparities such as living in socioeconomically distressed neighborhoods and biological characteristics such as genetic influences play a role in these differing responses,” she said. She also has translated some of the mechanisms of endogenous pain modulation into clinical applications that can be used for relieving pain-related outcomes. “We demonstrated that the underlying mechanisms involved in virtual reality [VR]-induced pain reduction is due to a modulation of autonomic responses and mood regulation, which play a crucial role in VR’s action of increasing pain tolerance. We translated this knowledge into clinical applications,” she said. “For example, we have been providing VR headsets to patients with chronic pain at home, demonstrating that VR can improve clinical pain-related outcomes.” Her lab is currently conducting projects, supported by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, to uncover the neural mechanisms behind observation and socially induced analgesia. “We are focusing on social learning, a field where observing benefits in others can shape outcomes in the observers,” she said. Her lab also is researching predictors of placebo effects spanning gene expression in patients suffering from orofacial pain, supported by the National Dental Craniofacial Research, advancing the knowledge of this pain disorder and its management. Placebo Beyond Opinions Center Colloca serves as director of UMSON’s Placebo Beyond Opinions Center, which is committed to advancing interdisciplinary research and education on placebo, nocebo, and expectation effects, with a focus on addressing disparities, improving design of clinical trials, educating future clinicians, and incorporating placebo knowledge into medicine. Resnick said the center “has furthered interdisciplinary investigations into placebo phenomena locally and internationally and enhanced the educational landscape for future clinicians and researchers.” Resnick also praised Colloca, who holds secondary appointments as professor in the Departments of Anesthesiology and Psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, for remaining dedicated to mentoring and teaching. Colloca serves as the T32 pre- and postdoctoral training program director of the UMB Institute for Clinical and Translational Research’s Clinical and Translational Science Award and mentors MPower scholars. “Dr. Colloca has mentored numerous PhD students, postdoctoral fellows, and staff scientists, many of whom have gone on to achieve significant academic and professional success,” Resnick said. Colloca said mentorship is an opportunity to shape the next generation of researchers and clinicians. “When I mentor, I don’t just pass on knowledge — I help to promote curiosity, critical thinking, and a sense of purpose,” she said. “It’s incredibly rewarding to watch students grow and develop their own ideas and career paths. Our role as mentors is to help them gain the confidence to pursue their own research paths.” She added that mentoring helps build a supportive community. “It’s important to show students that research is collaborative and their contributions are valued,” she said. “I hope to inspire students to approach their work with passion and perseverance, and to make meaningful contributions to their fields and contribute throughout education to a better society.”  A Love of Learning Colloca said one of the reasons she enjoys research is because she loves to learn. “I love thinking, searching, and discovering. In many ways, I find rest through my work,” she said. “Today, being a researcher goes beyond studying — it’s about making a difference in how we think about pain management. It’s also about inspiring others to get excited about research. I’m constantly amazed by the power of collaborative minds witnessing our collective creativity in action.” She said she felt “a deep sense of joy and profound gratitude” when she learned she was named UMB Researcher of the Year, adding that she shares the achievement with those who have supported her: the School of Nursing, her team, and the UMB community. “I feel humbled, grateful, and honored,” Colloca said. “I think of the colleagues who have contributed in various ways and the students who may now look to me and the other recipients as sources of inspiration for their own careers.”

Baltimore, Md. - Charlotte A. Seckman, PhD '08, RN, NI-BC, CNE, FAAN, associate professor, has been named co-director of the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Nursing Informatics specialty and graduate Nursing Informatics Certificate. As co-director, Seckman will share responsibilities for leading the specialty with Cheryl Fisher, EdD, MSN, RN, associate professor. Seckman will support and oversee the nursing informatics curriculum. This includes guiding the programs for compliance with standards, recruiting new students, managing operations, and planning strategically for future growth. She also coordinates, develops, and teaches master’s and DNP nursing informatics courses, mentors and advises graduate-level students, and prepares future generations of nurses with informatics competencies for leadership roles in health care. Seckman joined UMSON as an adjunct faculty member in the Nursing Informatics specialty in 2000 and became a full-time faculty member in 2010. She retired in 2021, served as an adjunct in 2022 and then returned to UMSON in 2023 as an associate professor, teaching in the MSN Nursing Informatics specialty, bringing a wealth of experience from the practice setting, where she directed, designed, implemented, and evaluated numerous electronic health record-related projects. Her prior work at UMSON included coordinating and teaching informatics courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels along with mentoring Doctor of Nursing Practice and PhD students. “I am thrilled that Dr. Seckman has joined Dr. Fisher as co-specialty director for the Nursing Informatics MSN program,” said Lori A. Edwards, DrPH, BSN ’80, RN, CNS-PCH, BC, FAAN, associate dean for the Master of Science in Nursing program. “Dr. Seckman is not only a nationally renowned nurse informatician, she also brings extensive expertise as an experienced faculty member. Her deep knowledge of nursing informatics, curriculum design, and nursing education will undoubtedly be invaluable to the program. It is truly a pleasure to work closely with her, and I look forward to seeing the continued growth and success of the program under her leadership.” Seckman is a board-certified informatics nurse with more than 30 years of experience. Her work focuses on improving care using innovative and emerging technologies and is recognized nationally and internationally through numerous publications, presentations, and book chapters. At the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center from 1999 - 2010, she served as a project officer for the implementation of the Clinical Research Information System and director for EHR support, change management processes, informatics education, evaluation, and research projects. In collaboration with the National Library of Medicine, she was instrumental in the design and implementation of a prototype system for providing evidence-based resources for nurses at the point of care.  Her research interests focus on artificial intelligence, translating evidence into health care practices, developing personalized clinical decision support tools, optimizing EHR systems, reducing documentation burden, evaluating online learning modalities, and exploring informatics competencies to prepare a ready workforce. Seckman earned her PhD in Nursing from UMSON, her MSN in Nursing Education from the University of Pittsburgh, and her BSN from the University of Kentucky. She also holds a master’s certificate in aging and applied thanatology with advanced training in artificial intelligence. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. - Joan Carpenter, PhD, CRNP, ACHPN, FPCN, associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, has earned the 2024 Excellence in Research Award from the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association (GAPNA). Carpenter was honored at GAPNA’s annual conference in September in San Antonio. The Excellence in Research Award recognizes individuals who demonstrate a strong commitment to nursing research that benefits the geriatric community. The award highlights research as an essential element of nursing’s mission.  “Receiving the GAPNA Research Award is an incredible honor and a testament to the collective efforts of my mentors, colleagues, and the University of Maryland School of Nursing community,” Carpenter said. “I am deeply humbled to be recognized for the work my team and I do in partnership with nursing home communities to improve care for older adults living with serious illness.” A member of GAPNA since 2012, Carpenter leads a program of research focused on improving access to high-quality palliative care for seriously ill older adults.  Known for her expertise in gerontology, palliative care, dementia, clinical trials in nursing home settings, and implementation science, Carpenter has gained national recognition for her work. Nominations for the Excellence in Research Award are blinded, then meticulously reviewed by members of the GAPNA National Awards Committee following a standardized scoring process. “Dr. Carpenter was nominated by colleagues this year whose admiration and respect was evident,” said Brette Winston, MSN, AGPCNP-BC, committee chair. “Her vast contributions to the world of geriatric nursing research and their impact on patient care were indisputably clear, from local to international achievements. GAPNA is proud to recognize Dr. Carpenter as an outstanding nurse scientist with this year’s Excellence in Research Award.” According to the nomination, submitted by Elizabeth Galik, PhD ’07, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, professor and chair of UMSON’s Department of Organizational Systems and Adult Health, and other colleagues, Carpenter has made outstanding contributions to nursing science as principal investigator, co-principal investigator, or co-investigator on more than16 research grants funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Veterans Affairs, and private foundations, securing more than $9.5 million in funding. Her work has garnered citations across 159 journals and international platforms. Carpenter has published more than 60 peer-reviewed publications and has delivered over 50 conference presentations nationally and internationally. As part of her work, Carpenter evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of palliative care intervention in 12 nursing homes with community-based nurse practitioners. Results from the study indicate that the intervention is feasible and acceptable. To build on these findings, she is currently conducting a comprehensive qualitative study to examine palliative care consultations in nursing homes. This work will put forth a process model to guide researchers, clinicians, and policymakers to implement palliative care consultations in nursing homes. The nomination also praises Carpenter’s passion for mentorship. She provides research guidance to PhD students, undergraduate nursing students, pre-nursing scholars, and early-career faculty, supporting the next generation of nurse scientists. “Dr. Carpenter is a valued team scientist and actively contributes to interdisciplinary research groups. I enthusiastically submit this nomination to recognize her work and commitment to advancing impactful clinical research focused on improving care for older adults,” Galik wrote. Added Barbara Resnick, PhD ’96, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, professor, Sonya Ziporkin Gershowitz Chair in Gerontology, and associate dean for research, “Dr. Carpenter is the perfect candidate for this well-deserved award. She has truly been a leader in palliative care in the long-term care arena as well as serving as a model for doing implementation research in these settings.” Carpenter earned a PhD in Nursing Science from the University of Utah, a Master of Science in Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner degree from the Medical College of Georgia, and a Bachelor of Nursing Science from Pennsylvania State University. She received a postdoctoral research fellowship sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2018 and was awarded a prestigious career development award from NIH/National Institute of Nursing Research in 2019. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Before Brittany Corbin, BSN '14, RN, PCCN, CNE-cl, senior professional development and education support specialist in the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) Department of Partnerships, Professional Education, and Practice, joined the Institute for Educators as a graduate teaching assistant, she had only considered pursuing advanced practice as the next step in her career. “I knew little about the faculty role and hadn’t recognized the significant impact I could make as a nurse educator,” Corbin said. “After spending about a year with the institute, I decided to switch my major - a decision I haven’t regretted. As I learned more about the faculty shortage and the nurse educator's role, I realized how much I could contribute to the profession. Now, as I complete my practicum in leadership and management with a focus on education, I feel incredibly grateful to the institute for inspiring this meaningful career shift.” Transforming students into nurse educators for teaching roles in academic and clinical settings has been the hallmark of the Institute for Educators for two decades. Its 20th anniversary will be formally celebrated at the institute’s Nursing Education Conference, April 25, held in person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic forced such gatherings into the virtual space.  Founded in 2004, under the co-direction of Louise Jenkins, PhD ’85, MS ’81, RN FAHA, ANEF, professor emerita, and Carol O’Neil, PhD, RN, CNE, associate professor, the institute was created to address the critical and growing shortage of nursing faculty in Maryland and across the nation. It centralized nurse education resources to equip nurses with the essential knowledge and skills needed to assume educator roles in both academic and practice settings. The first of its kind in Maryland, the institute became a forerunner in specifically preparing nurses and other health professionals to become educators of their practice. The institute's work has been integral to the state's efforts to educate nurses, providing valuable support and resources, says its current director, Susan L. Bindon, DNP ’11, MS ’96, RN, NPD-BC, CNE, ANEF, FAAN, associate professor and associate dean for faculty development. Since its inception, nearly 800 graduate students have taken academic courses in the Institute for Educators' Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions Certificate. This 12-credit graduate certificate prepares nurses and other health professionals for teaching and faculty roles. “That’s in terms of numbers,” Bindon says. “In terms of impact, each one of those faculty members is able to educate more students, and with the nursing shortage, and now with the faculty shortage, I think we’ve been able to impact both of those avenues. Better faculty lead to better students who become better nurses, which in turn helps the state. As the flagship school for the state, we take that very seriously. The faculty shortage is one of the biggest concerns in nursing education right now.” To help develop, prepare, and support nursing faculty and educators in clinical settings, the institute offers professional development initiatives that include an annual conference, Teaching Grand Rounds, topical workshops, and networking resources. Supported initially by UMSON, the institute has received more than $3 million in total funding from federally supported grants and Nurse Support Program II grants from the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission, administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, to support its initiatives.  Pioneering Faculty Preparation When the institute began, it was staffed by just two faculty members — Jenkins, the founding director, and O’Neil. Bindon joined the team in 2011. Today, the institute has a team of six, with Bindon leading efforts since 2022 to expand the institute’s visibility, accessibility, and inclusivity. At its inception, the Institute for Educators was a pioneer in online teaching, long before the COVID-19 pandemic made virtual learning mainstream. Today's technology makes online learning seem routine, but the institute's early efforts were groundbreaking. “It was a significant innovation at the time,” Bindon says. The institute's early work included making courses asynchronous and online, catering to busy working graduate students. “That was really a great space for us to be in, filling that need to help prepare faculty for teaching roles, because there's nothing more disappointing than coming in as new faculty with all of this expertise in your specialty and stumbling in the actual endeavor of teaching,” Bindon says. “It's a special skill set, and just like anything else, one needs to practice to develop competence and confidence.” The Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions Certificate initially offered both online and classroom courses but eventually transitioned to online only due to higher enrollment. Filling an Education Gap In the 1990s, UMSON offered a Master of Nursing Education, but with the rise of specialization and a movement toward nurse practitioner careers, the program was eventually discontinued, leaving a gap in support for faculty untrained in teaching.  Around 2003, Jenkins and then-Dean Janet Allan, PhD, RN, FAAN, APN, now dean emerita, began discussing ways to prepare advanced practice nurses for teaching roles. O’Neil was part of these early discussions. “One of the strategies that was suggested was to increase the number of nursing faculty because if you increase the number of faculty, you can increase the number of students and have more nurses,” O’Neil says. “But you had these brilliant nurses with expertise in the clinical area who had no idea how to teach, and it became very frustrating for them. Dean Allan's idea was to look at how we can prepare advanced practice nurses to be educators. And that was the start of the Institute for Educators.” Adapting to Technological Advancements Jenkins and O’Neil developed the Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions Certificate program, which for 20 years has remained consistent, focusing on foundational courses of education. What has changed significantly are the program’s teaching methods, which include active learning strategies to help current and future educators meet their goals in online, classroom, clinical, and professional development settings.  “We have passed the test of time by focusing on the foundation of nursing education,” O’Neil says. Classes were originally taught in person in a seminar-type format, with the instructor providing a topic and students sitting around a table discussing that topic. “The students loved it, but they would have to come to campus,” O’Neil says. The institute began offering online and in-person classes (the term ‘hybrid’ would move into common language years later due to the pandemic), but eventually, enrollment in the classroom option dwindled, bringing the program solely online, where it thrives. “We have been online for at least 15 of the past 20 years,” O’Neil says. “We are building a community of educated professionals. Our alumni go out and flourish in the field of education.”

Nearly 1.5 million Marylanders suffer from hypertension or high blood pressure, including West Baltimore resident Cynthia Ward. Over the past three years, because of the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), Ward has been able stay on top of her health and get a handle on her blood pressure. “My blood pressure is now being monitored better today than before,” Ward said Oct. 22 at a press conference promoting the School’s work in the West Baltimore community. UMSON has worked with community, faith-based, academic, and health care partner organizations in Baltimore City to reduce social isolation and inequities in cardiovascular health through its West Baltimore RICH Collaborative, an initiative supported by a $2.4 million Pathways for Health Equity Grant from the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission (MCHRC) awarded two years ago. Now, thanks to a new five-year, $5 million Health Equities Resource Communities (HERC) grant from the MCHRC, UMSON will build on that success through the West Baltimore Reducing Inequities in Cardiovascular and Mental Health Collaborative - Stronger Together (RICH 2.0) initiative.  “We’re just so thrilled to have all of you join us today as we celebrate the kickoff of the West Baltimore RICH Collaborative 2.0,” said Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, at the press conference. “This is an initiative that is dedicated to reducing health disparities in cardiovascular health and mental health. “Heart disease stands as the No. 1 killer in Baltimore, with high blood pressure being a significant risk factor and contributor of heart disease,” continued Ogbolu, who serves as principal investigator on the grant. “Despite these alarming statistics, we know that many of our residents in West Baltimore have high blood pressure, and many of them don’t know that they have high blood pressure. It is hiding in plain sight.” Ward first connected with the original RICH Collaborative when the program came to her church during Heart Health Month. “After enrolling, I received a BP cuff to take home, and the community outreach team called me to check on me often and gave me advice on how to help my blood pressure. I am still checking my blood pressure every day, and I am thankful for the help that I got from the RICH program,” Ward said. In the two years the program ran under the original grant, the West Baltimore RICH Collaborative reached 7,000 people and enrolled 2,000 in the program.  With the newest grant, RICH 2.0 will be able to extend its reach from four to seven city ZIP codes, and in addition to focusing on cardiac health, it will also include assessments for mental distress. This means community outreach workers can refer individuals not only to primary care providers but also to mental health providers. RICH 2.0 includes an increased number of community, faith-based, academic, and health care partner organizations, including: •    A Better Tomorrow Starts Today counseling agency •    American Heart Association•    Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital•    ATOSK Health Care Services, Inc.•    B’More for Healthy Babies•    The Community Builders, Inc.•    Coppin State University Helene Fuld School of Nursing•    Druid Heights Community Development Corporation•    LIGHT Health & Wellness Comprehensive Services, Inc.•    Minister’s Conference Empowerment Center CDC•    Roberta’s House•    UMB Community Engagement Center•    UMSON•    University of Maryland School of Pharmacy •    University of Maryland School of Social Work •    University of Maryland School of Medicine •    The University of Maryland Medical Center (Downtown and Midtown) Matila Sackor-Jones, MS, HS-BCP, executive director of partner organization Roberta’s House, a family grief support center, said her organization understands the connection between grief, mental health, and physical well-being. “In the past year, we've supported hundreds of individuals and families dealing with the impacts of complicated grief and traumatic loss, including 227 homicide survivors,” Sackor-Jones said. “Over 60 individuals who are grieving cancer-related deaths and illnesses. Thirty-eight were grieving from overdose loss, and unfortunately, over 50 cases where grief and heart conditions like heart attacks and heart failure were intertwined. “Our partnership with the West RICH 2.0 Collaborative allows us to address these challenges holistically, targeting both mental as well as physical health. Research shows that chronic stress, like uncomplicated grief, increases blood pressure and heart disease risk. By providing mental health supports as well as ways to manage those stresses, we can help reduce the physical impacts of stress on our individuals as well as on our communities.” “We firmly believe that addressing the conditions in the environments where people live, learn, work, play, and age can reduce health disparities and foster social connections,” Ogbolu added. “By partnering with community-based, faith-based, and academic organizations, our collaborative has achieved a substantial collective impact far exceeding what any single organization could accomplish alone.” For further information about RICH 2.0, please visit www.nursing.umaryland.edu/rich. 

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON)’s Susan L. Bindon, DNP ’11, MS ’96, RN, NPD-BC, CNE, FAAN, ANEF, associate professor; associate dean for faculty development; director of the Institute for Educators; and director of the Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions Certificate, has been inducted as a prestigious National League for Nursing (NLN) Academy of Nursing Education Fellow.  Bindon and 26 other distinguished educators were recognized at the NLN Education Summit in San Antonio. The NLN Academy of Nursing Education recognizes leaders in nursing education who contribute to advancing excellence in teaching, research, faculty development, academic leadership, and community partnerships. “Being inducted as a fellow in the Academy of Nursing Education is a special honor,” Bindon said. “Throughout my career, I’ve been privileged to learn from incredible teachers, mentors, and colleagues in academic and practice settings. My professional goals are to support and develop nurse educators and to advance teaching excellence in nursing education at both local and national levels. This recognition is deeply meaningful, and I am grateful to those who have supported me along the way.” Bindon joined UMSON as an assistant professor in the Institute for Educators in 2011 and was promoted to associate professor in 2019. Prior to becoming the inaugural associate dean for faculty development in 2021, she served as director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Post-Master’s option, overseeing the core DNP curriculum and providing support to DNP students and faculty.  As director of UMSON’s Institute for Educators, Bindon bridges academic and clinical education, drawing from her own faculty practice in nursing professional development at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Her work supports the dual mission of the institute: to prepare future nurse educators throughout the state while offering ongoing education and professional development for UMSON’s own faculty and other educators. Her hallmark is utilizing a variety of creative approaches to design and deliver education. Bindon is also the director of UMSON’s graduate Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions Certificate, which prepares nurses for educator roles, ensuring they have the knowledge and skills to work effectively in academic and practice settings, whether in person or online. She also spearheaded the implementation of a new faculty residence program for new and novice UMSON faculty.  Bindon has received multiple grant awards through the Nurse Support Program II, funded by the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, focused on preparing and developing clinical nursing faculty across the state. Products of these grants have become components of essential faculty development statewide, including workshops that utilize standardized students (professional actors who portray students) to provide simulated experiences for faculty to practice their skills in guiding student learning in a safe environment.  Bindon’s work addresses ongoing nursing workforce challenges locally, statewide, and nationally; the necessity of increasing enrollments in schools of nursing requires expanding the number of nurse educators well prepared to teach and mentor the next generation of nurses in the classroom and in clinical settings. Bindon has worked to elevate nursing education as a practice specialty in both academic and professional practice settings and has focused on mentoring faculty to improve teaching, with a focus on effective teaching to meet the needs of today’s learners. Bindon has held national leadership positions as past president of the Association for Nursing Professional Development and co-editor of the Journal for Nurses in Professional Development. Academy of Nursing Education Fellows are selected through a rigorous application process, with the NLN Academy of Nursing Education Review Panel recommending candidates to the NLN Board of Governors. Selection criteria include contributions to innovative teaching strategies, nursing education research, public policy initiatives, and collaboration across educational and practice settings.  “Fellows proudly serve as mentors and resources for new educators and those in clinical practice who aspire to someday join the ranks of nurse faculty. We are delighted to honor the wisdom, experience and enthusiasm of the Class of 2024 and all the academy fellows who came before them,” said NLN President and CEO Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN. UMSON alumnus Stephan Davis, DNP, MHSA, BSN ’07, NEA-BC, CENP, CNE, CPHQ, CDE, FACHE, FNAP, FHFMA, FAAN, ANEF, joins Bindon in the new class of fellows. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing’s Hannah Murphy Buc, PhD, RN, assistant professor, Bachelor of Science in Nursing program co-director, and director of Restorative Justice (RJ), has been awarded the Maryland Nurses Association’s (MNA) Outstanding Pathfinder Award for her work in restorative justice. She also has been named one of 30 recipients of the 2025 Emerging Leader Award by the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation (HPNF). MNA’s Outstanding Pathfinder Award is presented to an MNA member who has demonstrated excellence and creative leadership that fosters the development of the nursing profession. Award recipients have been pioneers in nursing innovation or have developed creative approaches to further nursing’s agenda.  Murphy Buc was nominated for the Pathfinder Award by Veronica Gutchell, DNP ’13, RN, CNS, CRNP, assistant professor; chair of the Department of Partnerships, Professional Education, and Practice; and director of the Governor’s Wellmobile Program. “This individual has devoted her nursing career to issues of health equity, diversity, and inclusion,” Gutchell wrote in her nomination. “Her nursing career has spanned working on social justice for those unhoused, experiencing poverty, as well as those in the prison justice system. In academia, as an expert in palliative care, she developed a palliative care nursing curriculum for vulnerable populations.” Murphy Buc’s more recent efforts have focused on bringing the principles of restorative justice — relationship building, respect for all, responsibility for one’s actions, and repair of harms — to UMSON, Gutchell wrote. “She began by participating in RJ facilitator training in 2020 with several faculty and staff colleagues and immediately organized community-building circles and restorative conversations,” the nomination read. Community-building circles take place in diverse settings such as student classrooms, faculty and staff development programs, and department meetings to create an inclusive, welcoming working environment. Restorative conversations address interpersonal conflict or social concerns through compassionate communication that is curious and collaborative. Murphy Buc has trained RJ facilitators at UMSON, Gutchell continued; while faculty and staff facilitators have been offering RJ services at UMSON since 2020, a first cohort of 12 faculty and staff facilitators completed a facilitator training curriculum this past August that Murphy Buc created. This has increased the School’s capacity to resolve harms by building facilitator skills in RJ harm circles, which seek to repair relationships. RJ harm circles address the needs of the individual and provide the person who did the harm the opportunity to take responsibility for their actions.  A 2023 - 24 Gold Humanism Scholar, Murphy Buc received funding to develop a student RJ leadership program, which she implemented at UMSON this fall. HPNF 2025 Emerging Leader Award Recipients of the 2025 Emerging Leader Award are exceptional hospice and palliative care nurses who represent the future of the field, having demonstrated remarkable leadership, innovation, and dedication early in their careers.  Joan Carpenter, PhD, CRNP, ACHPN, FPCN, assistant professor, nominated Murphy Buc for the prestigious honor, explaining the ways in which Murphy Buc has demonstrated significant leadership in palliative care nursing over the past five years.  “She completed her PhD in 2023, which focused on highlighting the experiences of people with serious illness experiencing homelessness — a population frequently underserved by hospice and palliative care agencies,” Carpenter wrote. “Her important research was supported by a competitive grant from the Maryland Higher Education Commission, enabling her to contribute this much needed research to the field. “In January 2023, Murphy Buc helped launch a required undergraduate primary palliative care course at UMSON, shaping the curriculum, teaching the content, and advising students. She is now leading the faculty in the design and conduct of a longitudinal study examining the effectiveness of introducing palliative competencies early in nurses’ education.” Murphy Buc is also a member UMSON’s Serious Illness Scholars scholarship group, assisting PhD students and faculty colleagues with their scholarly endeavors. “Her leadership in research, education, and mentorship is critical to the future of palliative nursing,” Carpenter stated. As HPNF Emerging Leaders, recipients receive an annual Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association membership, a personalized plaque and pin, and special recognition during a dedicated virtual celebration showcasing their achievements and highlighting the bright future they bring to hospice and palliative nursing care. Murphy Buc joined UMSON in 2018 and initially served as a course coordinator in the BSN program. She earned a Master of Science in Nursing as an adult health clinical nurse specialist (with a palliative care specialty) and a post-master’s Certificate in Nursing Education from the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Clayton State University in Georgia and a Bachelor of Arts in Integrative Studies from Guilford College in North Carolina. Murphy Buc also holds a Trainer Certification from the End-of-life Nursing Education Consortium. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. - One year ago this month, LyAvia Patterson, BSN ’24, was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer.  It was a shock for the then 40-year-old mother of two, especially as she was deeply engaged in completing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), something she’d quit her job to do.  Finding out there was a mass in her colon, and that the cancer had spread to her liver, was shocking. But for Patterson, there was only one path forward.  “I've been pushing through — just persevering. It’s all I can do. I have children, I have a husband, I have family that I have to live for,” she said, later adding, “I don’t want sympathy. I want people to recognize that there are going to be challenges in life, you know? There will be adversity that you have to get through, that you just have to push. You have to push through for your goals, for your family, for your own self.” This week, Patterson celebrated her success at pushing through as she strode across the stage of the Hippodrome Theatre at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center, officially a graduate of the BSN program.  On Dec. 18, more than 250 graduates and their family and friends celebrated success during UMSON’s Graduation ceremony, during which 194 BSN degrees, 59 master’s degrees, three Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees, four Doctor of Philosophy degrees, and four certificates were conferred. Just shy of 200 entry-into-nursing students graduated, ready to enter the workforce. “We offer our very sincere congratulations to those of you who are receiving your first degree in nursing. You will begin your career at a time when nursing presents unparalleled possibilities,” said Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, The Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “No other profession offers such a diverse range of career paths and opportunities for professional development. Moreover, very few professions afford you the privilege of having a significant impact on the lives of individuals, families, and communities. On behalf of the School of Nursing, I hope you will be as happy and as fulfilled in your nursing career as I have been for the past 37 years.”    During the ceremony, Renz Mae Carbo, BSN graduate, and Brandi Nicole Ridenour, Master of Science in Nursing Clinical Nurse Leader graduate, received the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students. DAISY awards are given each fall and spring to two graduating entry-into-nursing students who demonstrate outstanding compassion and care to patients and their families. Kristin Bussell, PhD ’19, MS ’98, BSN ’84, CRPN-PMH, assistant professor, received the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty, which is given to nursing faculty in recognition of their commitment to education and for their inspirational influence on students.  Marc Salmo Llacuna, BSN ’24, gave the student remarks during Wednesday’s ceremony. He highlighted the unique path he took to get to nursing school, including a degree in engineering and more than a decade of U.S. military service. But after his time in the Army, Llacuna said he didn’t know what his purpose in life was anymore.  Nursing changed that. “You see, nursing is not only a profession, it is a commitment to compassion, to healing and to patient advocacy, and that’s why I’m so honored to stand in front of all of these brave men and women who have decided to join me on the front lines of health care and fight against disease and suffering,” he said in his address.  “I used the word brave because remember three to five years ago, everyone here began their journey, and three to five years ago, we were at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and droves of health care workers were leaving the field because they were worried about their health and well-being. They were overworked. But everybody in front of you stood up, rose their hand and said, ‘Take me. I'm ready to serve the American people.’ So, thank you. Thank you for your commitment. If that’s not brave, then I don’t know what brave is.” That theme of bravery, perseverance, and pushing through — especially when life gets hard — underscored the entire ceremony, including during the keynote address from Capt. Aisha K. Brooks, DNP, MPH, RN, FADLN, FAAN.  Brooks, a senior health policy administrator in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement Health Service Corps, has spent nearly three decades as a nurse. But it wasn’t easy getting there.  “I became a mother in high school at the age of 15, and with all the knowledge skills maturity of a 15-year-old, I became a mom again at the age of 16,” she said during her speech. “So, you can imagine that there were a number of people who did not believe that my life would amount to much. There were many people who created obstacles for me academically because they were certain that I did not have what it took to complete my education. What held me down, though, is not only a supportive family, but a sense of self and the fortitude to believe that my circumstances absolutely did not define who I was at that moment, nor who I would become.” For Patterson, if it weren’t for her diagnosis and this experience, she would not have known what area of nursing she wanted to go into.  Now, she’s sure.  “I knew I wanted to go back to school to be a nurse practitioner and treat patients in the outpatient setting, but after school, I didn’t have an idea of what I want to do,” Patterson said. “It’s the silver lining that I figured out what I wanted to do — I want to focus on oncology. That’s the specialty that I would like to go into.” She now has a deeper appreciation for what oncology patients are dealing with because of her own experience, Patterson said. She can empathize because she has been there herself.  “It’s going to really change how I treat my patients,” she said, adding, “I just want to be that person that they can rely on, be that person they can talk to, be that person that is going to advocate for them.” photo: LyAvia Patterson, BSN '24, waves to the audience as she crosses the stage in front of Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD '11, MS '05, BSN '05, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, immediately to Patterson's left. Patterson's husband, her invited pinner, is pictured at right. # # # The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.