College of Nursing graduate and Cleveland Clinic nurse, Eddairis Morales was featured in a Cleveland Plain Dealer article on Hispanics and college attendance. The full article can be accessed at http://tinyurl.com/28oa3nr
Dr. Cynthia Flynn Capers, outstanding woman, nurse and colleague, was recognized at this year’s Cameos of Caring ® Gala.
A visionary leader, Dr. Capers brought Cameos of Caring to the Akron region in 2002. Modeled after a similar gala originated at the University of Pittsburgh, Cameos of Caring has become one of the region’s strongest collaborative programs designed to collectively advance professional nursing practice. During this year’s Gala, we will be awarding our 100th Cameos statue to Dr. Capers in recognition of her ongoing support to the Cameo’s program and the College of Nursing, and her contributions to the nursing profession.
Her background as a bedside nurse, an advanced practice mental health nurse, an educator, and a nursing leader have shaped her career and positioned her to be one of the strongest nursing advocates today. This original crystal statue, signed by its creator – artist Judi Charlson – was commissioned for the first Gala in 2002.
We are honored to award it to Dr. Capers.
College of Nursing Alumna, Alisa Duncan was featured in a Cleveland Plain Dealer article on emergency room nursing, June 6, 2010. Duncan, a BSN graduate of The University of Akron, works in the emergency room at the Cleveland Clinic’s main campus. The full text of the article can be read at http://tinyurl.com/249tbyc
We would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to the College of Nursing employees that will reach significant employment milestones this year at The University of Akron.
Five-year Award
Bonita Byrd, Connie Chronister, Dr. Margaret Halter, Kathy Horning, Kim Kerr, Dr. Patrice McCarthy, Amber Murray, Pam Prunty, Brian Radesic and Carolyn Sutter.
Ten-year Award
Regena Ellis, Jackie Guhde, Meredith Kalapich, Karyn Morgan, Kelly Pond, Dr. Linda Shanks and Dr. Kathleen Tusaie.
Fifteen-year Award
Charles Barton, Marie Bright-Cobb and Dr. Tracy Riley
Twenty-year Award
Louise Cook, Jan Parish, Dr. Kathy Ross-Alaolmolki and Dr. Margaret Wineman
Twenty-five-year Award
Dr. Maryhelen Kreidler, Susan Bradford
The American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses (ASPAN) has recognized Jackie Ross with its 2010 Mary Hanna Memorial Journalism Award.
Her article, Improving Patient Safety by Understanding Past Experiences in Day Surgery and PACU, was among those selected by a review panel of the Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing. Every article published in the Journal during 2009 was eligible for the award. It was reviewed by a panel of perianesthesia nurses and a second panel of independent reviewers representing other specialties.
Selection criteria included: journalistic style, originality, clarity of expression, relevance of content to the specialty and overall contribution to the collection of published nursing knowledge.
Ms. Ross will receive her award during the opening ceremonies of ASPAN’s annual conference on Monday, April 19th in New Orleans. Congratulations!
Yesterday, (March 23, 2010) President Obama signed into law, sweeping health care reforms. The American Nurses Association has long been an advocate of change in our system of care. This link from ANA
http://www.rnaction.org/site/PageServer?pagename=nstat_HCRT_Resources
provides an historical perspective of nursing advocacy on the topic along with a comprehensive comparison of the legislation from the Kaiser Foundation.
On Friday, February 26, the College of Nursing held the Ribbon Cutting ceremony for its new Birthing Suite in the Learning Resources Center of the College. More than 200 people attended the program and open house including The University of Akron President, Dr. Luis Proenza and representatives of The Mary S. and David C. Corbin Foundation and The R.C. Musson and Katharine M. Musson Charitable Foundation, whose gifts along with the Ohio Board of Regents made the new space and high-fidelity simulation mannequins a reality.
State and local politicians including State Senator, Tom Sawyer; State Representative, Steve Dyer; State Representative, Todd Snitchler and Summit County Executive, Russ Pry were in attendance.
The College received significant media coverage of the event including reports in the Akron Beacon Journal, WKYC-TV and WAKR-AM. Links to the reports are available. http://www.ohio.com/news/85586032.html ; http://www.akronnewsnow.com/news/itemdetail.asp?ID=37913&;
http://www.wkyc.com/news/health/health_article.aspx?storyid=131470&catid=7
This year’s Distinguished Lecturer will be Dr. Bernadette Melnyk, Dean of Arizona State University College of Nursing and Health Innovation. She will be visiting the college on March 23 and 24, 2010. The College of Nursing and Health Innovation at Arizona State is nationally and internationally renowned for its local, national and global leadership in education, research, evidence-based clinical practice and health-care innovation. It has integrated programs in exercise and wellness; nutrition; and health sciences with the nursing programs.
The ASU approach creates unique interprofessional academic programs, supports innovative transdisciplinary research and comprehensive health services for the community. They have merged programs to create breadth and depth of collaborations. In addition to the lecture, Dr. Melnyk will spend time with various groups and individuals within the College of Nursing as well as the University.
Following the lecture will be a reception and student poster presentation.
Now in its eighth year, The University of Akron Cameos of Caring™ continues to promote excellence in nursing while supporting a scholarship endowment for deserving students within the College. Since Dr. Cynthia Flynn Capers brought the Cameos of Caring program to The University of Akron, 26 deserving students have been funded through this scholarship keeping the dream of a nursing career alive despite economic hardship.
One of the 2009 scholarship recipients, Megan Hinton, had this to say about her award, “When I was notified that I had been chosen to receive the Cameos of Caring scholarship it meant a lot to me. It was like another stepping stone that I needed in order to pursue my career in nursing. It let me know that someone other than my parents, relatives, and friends believed that I had a shot at being a nurse. The scholarship gives me the push that other people are counting on me, and they are willing to spend their time and money to help not only make my dreams come true but to help make this world a better place.”
Margaret Blough, RN, the second scholarship recipient, echoed her thinking, “I am thrilled and humbled to be a recipient of the generous Cameos of Caring scholarship. At the Gala, I was energized and inspired by the award recipients and their commitment to excellence in nursing. Cameos of Caring has helped reinforce my desire to continue my nursing education with the goal of one day working to educate and inspire more young men and women into becoming skilled, compassionate nurses of distinction.”
The 2009 Cameos of Caring Gala attracted almost 600 people and honored 14 nurses from 12 area hospitals and clinics. Families, friends and co-workers enjoyed an evening that celebrated excellence in bedside nursing.
The original Cameos of Caring begun at the University of Pittsburgh has served as a model for the successful program at The University of Akron College of Nursing. In addition to the 26 scholarship recipients that have benefitted from Cameos of Caring, 98 bedside nurses from the region’s key hospitals and clinics have been recognized for their contribution to patient care and for their role in helping nursing retain its role as the country’s most ethical profession.
Beyond the recognition, the Cameos of Caring Alumni in the Akron area have committed themselves to continuing the outreach they began as Cameos of Caring Ambassadors. Recognizing the power of their combined voices, these past winners have formed the Cameos of Caring Alumni group to extend the reach of nursing into more area schools and agencies in an effort to engage the next generation of nurses. These Alumni now meet regularly to help define its ambassadorship agenda for the region.
The University of Akron’s Cameos of Caring program has established itself as a positive force in promoting the area’s nurses and nursing profession. By helping enhance the visibility of nurses in Akron and throughout Northeast Ohio, The University of Akron College of Nursing is further committing itself to lessening the country’s critical nursing shortage.
“The University of Akron College of Nursing has focused our efforts in not only enrolling more students,” explains Dr. Margaret Wineman, Dean of the College of Nursing, “but in providing each of these potential nurses with the tools to transform the lives of their patients. This approach seems to be working for us. In 2009, our pass rate on the national nursing licensing exam, NCLEX exam was about 95%, while 100% of our Nurse Anesthesia graduates passed their certification exam. Our master’s level students in our nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist programs do equally as well.”
As the nursing shortage continues to manifest itself in Ohio and across the nation, The University of Akron College of Nursing will continue to make a significant contribution in helping to ease this crisis.