BridgesA J O U R N A L F R O M T H E I P F W D E PA R T M E N T O F N U R S I N G SPRING 2015

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Dear Friends, Colleagues, and Community Members,

Here in the IPFW Department of Nursing, we rethink old ideas and generate new ones to advance clinical care. This issue of Bridges honors our unique location (on Coliseum Boulevard) and celebrates the concept of place. What makes a nursing graduate of IPFW so special is access to premier employers in close proximity and, as a result, the unique opportunity for superior clinical partnerships.

IPFW Nursing doesn’t exist in a silo. We are neighbors with outstanding partners in Fort Wayne and with our academic colleagues at Ivy Tech Community College. Our Ivy Tech colleagues join us to provide baccalaureate nursing education for those holding associate degrees in nursing, and they support our efforts to foster graduate education for their academic staff and faculty.

Our IPFW Nursing faculty doesn’t work in isolation either. Members partner with experts at the Mirro Family Research Center to improve the hospital experience for patients and families. Clinical liaisons are being forged with administrative team members to co-create a Nurse Residency Program that will contribute to care excellence in health systems. Faculty members are designing new models for improving the care experiences of families, using interactive technologies. Our faculty members are creating highly-successful information systems to manage workforce data, and they are working with simulated

patient scenarios on campus, engaging nursing students and inter-professional teams with a myriad of creative teaching approaches.

Other nursing faculty members are harnessing the power and appeal of computers and smartphones to better serve vulnerable populations. And our nursing advisors are working with others on campus in powerful initiatives to prevent suicide—using text messages, for example, to coach our students to ask for help when they feel emotionally isolated and afraid.

Our nursing teams are engaging with the community in ways that are possible not only because of our place here in Fort Wayne, but also because of the incredible on-campus technology that enables us to invent and re-invent. We nurses are able to go beyond the conventional classroom experience and deliver information both online and face to face. We teach online and on the cutting edge and, as IPFW celebrates our 50th year anniversary, we are a thriving incubator of innovation in the Department of Nursing!

We invite you to join us in our continuing celebration of excellence.

Lee-Ellen C. Kirkhorn, PhD, RNProfessor and Chair of Nursing, Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne

from the ch ir

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cont nts

from the chair ...................2

panoramas .......................4

features ........................... 10

departmental updates ...25

spotlights ........................26

scholarly submissions ......36

donate! ........................... 37

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pan ramas

By Heather Krull

Clinical Assistant Professor, IPFW Department of Nursing

I was excited to be a part of the 2014 IPFW Fall Tour that took place October 12-14. During these three busy days, we took tours of the Eagle Marsh, the Oliver Winery, the I.U. Bloomington Campus, Beck’s Hybrids,

the Tipton Transmission plant, the Indiana Statehouse, and the Vera Bradley distribution plant.

We also had dinner at Purdue University President Mitch Daniels’ house and two meals with representatives of Indiana University. During the tour we were able to advocate for IPFW and discuss financial concerns with President Daniels, the Commissioner for Higher Education, and various members of the Indiana State Legislature.

In addition to establishing new friends from our campus, I have been communicating with Beck’s Hybrids to form a collaborative effort with IPFW. I have presented a plan to use IPFW nurse practitioner students to do wellness exams on, and provide educational programs, for their migrant workers. I have also contacted representatives of the

Spanish Department at IPFW and as a result they expressed interest in using their students to interpret. I am hoping this will be a yearly engagement to provide care to the underserved.

The Fall Tour was a wonderful way to meet new people at IPFW, learn about Indiana, advocate for IPFW, and form new collaborations. I hope you all will take the opportunity to experience the tour in future years.

IPFW Fall Bus Tour

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Insights on Chapman Scholarship and Nursing

By Lauren Fulk, IPFW Student and Chapman Scholar

pan ramas(continued)

My name is Lauren Fulk and I am currently a senior in the [IPFW] Nursing program. I have worked on 5-Surgical at Parkview Regional Medical Center as a patient care technician for more than two years now. I am also a Chapman Scholar, which has played an invaluable role in my life and career.

The key concepts of the Chapman Scholarship, funded by the wonderful Howard and Betsy Chapman of Fort Wayne, Indiana, embody the ideas of research, leadership, and civic engagement in the Fort Wayne Community. Scholars attend many Omnibus lectures and receptions, networking Lunch and Learns, community and volunteer events, group meetings, and etiquette dinners.

Junior year, scholars are expected to create a proposal and 20-minute speech detailing a project of their choice that has both a research and civic engagement component. Throughout the rest of junior and senior year, students are expected to implement their project, concluding with a 40-minute presentation at the end of the senior year, opportunities for publication, and the ability for

the project to continue under the leadership of another student. My project, completed in the midst of the semester containing Pediatrics, Obstetrics, Research, Informatics, and Trauma Healthcare courses, is titled Improving Access for Northeast Indiana to Quality Healthcare, and it has been a life-changing endeavor.

Improving Access for Northeast Indiana to Quality Healthcare started with the guidance of IPFW faculty member Linda Finke, Ph.D. RN, Professor of Nursing, Executive Director of Health Clinics and Special Projects. I knew that with the demands of nursing school, creating a project outside of my developing area of expertise would be impossible. I had always been curious about graduate degrees, specifically for nurse practitioners, but had never really been able to find out much information. Dr. Finke encouraged me to shadow at the IPFW Center for Healthy Living and the IPFW Lafayette Street Family Health Clinic, both of which are run by nurse practitioners, and the experiences I had at these clinics transformed my required, tedious capstone project into an exciting and beneficial opportunity, not only for myself but for all undergraduate nursing students.

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Improving Access for Northeast Indiana to Quality Healthcare explains the difference between roles of caregivers in healthcare and indicates a need for improved inter-professional education. Inter-professional education involves creating learning environments where all members of the healthcare team participate and learn together, therefore creating a culture of increased communication and improved patient outcomes. This may include dietitians, respiratory therapists, nurses, physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, physical therapists, and occupational therapists in a teaching forum.

Another key point in the project is to stress the need for more primary care providers. Allen County has a much higher ratio of patients per primary care providers than the rest of Indiana. Although physicians and physician’s assistants help to fill the demand for primary care providers, nurse practitioners are the key to improving access to care in northeast Indiana. A simple career search conducted December 2013 revealed 90 open nurse practitioner jobs within 25 miles of Fort Wayne; the same search conducted in May 2014 revealed 71 open jobs. With such an obvious demand for nurse practitioners in this community, the major goals of my project simply fell into place. The premise of the project is to encourage undergraduate nurses at IPFW to pursue graduate degrees, therefore producing more nurse practitioners to help alleviate the healthcare deficit in northeast Indiana.

My favorite aspect of the project involves discussing the experiences I had at both nurse practitioner-run clinics. Many people cannot

comprehend the idea of holistic care as a theme in primary care, but this concept becomes easily understood when considering one appointment that I witnessed in which a patient arrived to have an annual gynecological exam and ended up having her mental health, drug use, immunizations, dental health, eye health, smoking cessation, mammogram frequency, and physical health addressed by the nurse practitioner. Talk about patient-centered care!

Through the assistance of Dr. Finke, faculty at IPFW, and the Chapman Scholarship, I have been able to present my project to over 80 undergraduate nursing students and a dozen nursing faculty members, forward my presentation to the Fort Wayne Family Medicine Residency Program, create a voice-over presentation to be incorporated into Professional Seminar II, and be presented as a candidate for “Rising Stars” at the Sigma Theta Tau International Leadership Convention in Indianapolis.

The Chapman Scholarship has been nothing but a blessing in my life, and I could not be more thankful for the opportunities offered to me. Nursing is a field full of professionals with many options for research and advanced degrees. My future goals include becoming a nurse practitioner, working in the Fort Wayne area, and marrying my fiancé, a fellow Chapman Scholar.

Congratulations to the IPFW

Department of Nursing on receiving

the Chancellor’s Community

Engagement Award!

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I want to extend very warm and heart-felt thanks to all of you for your efforts toward making Healthy Cities very successful this year. Whether you came and volunteered, arranged for student volunteers, helped keep me sane with all the list making (thanks, Rachel), or just came by to see how we were doing, it was all deeply appreciated. We saw around 436 clients and had approximately 320 volunteers, including food service, clean up, and interpreters.

Your students were fabulous. They did any job we asked of them, and even did some non-nursing jobs, like parking lot duty, handing out coats, setting up, food service, the list goes on. We had some stellar leadership/community students, led by Liz Schwartz, who ran the front registration area like pros. We had students from three different colleges at one point, and they worked together like a team. Some stayed past their shift and helped clean up and put furniture away. We were out of there by 4:30 p.m.! That has to be a record. I am adding a note of thanks to your students (see Thank You box accompanying this article); please share this thank-you note through your course e-mail or announcements.

pan ramas(continued)

Halloween Howl: 2014 Healthy Cities Health FairBy Pamela S. DeKoninck MS, RN

Continuing Lecturer, IPFW Department of Nursing

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The Healthy Cities Health (HCH) Fair is an annual event that has taken place each October for the past 24 years in the central part of downtown Fort Wayne. The fair is encompassed under Fort Wayne Healthy Cities, Inc., a stand-alone organization that serves as part of an initiative of Indiana University School of Nursing in Indianapolis, the World Health Organization, and the City of Fort Wayne.

The mission of Fort Wayne Healthy Cities, Inc. is to facilitate healthful living for under-served populations that include uninsured and underinsured persons in the Fort Wayne area. Matthew 25, a clinic providing services for under-privileged populations, supported the mission and formed a partnership with the Healthy Cities Health Fair team. As a result of that partnership, the health fair is conducted annually at the Matthew 25 site in downtown Fort Wayne. Numerous organizations and volunteers make it possible for the health fair to take place each year. Over the past 24 years, thousands of people have attended the Healthy Cities Health fair and received diagnoses or treatments they might never have received.

The Healthy Cities Health Fair provides excellent service-learning opportunities for students from various colleges in Fort Wayne. IPFW students in nursing, dental, radiology, human services, and anthropology departments participate in providing healthcare services to diverse populations who attend the fair. During the past 24 years, students at IPFW have provided services that include blood pressure checks and education about hypertension; laboratory draws for cholesterol, glucose, syphilis, and cancer checks; foot exams; dental exams; vision testing; flu, pneumonia, and tetanus immunizations; mammography and breast exams; and depression screenings. Other offerings of the fair include health education, haircuts, podiatry care, a coat-and-sock drive, hygiene kits, and free meals and drinks, along with healthful snacks during the one-day health fair. Veterans receive job and benefits counseling in addition to the healthcare screenings, education and other available services.

Since its inception, under-privileged populations have benefitted from healthcare services provided at the Healthy Cities Health Fair at Matthew 25. Students working at the fair receive a glimpse of the challenges and complexities of serving the healthcare needs of the under-privileged. They demonstrate a spirit of inquiry and seem to find a deeper level of learning because of their experiences at the Healthy Cities Health Fair and the Matthew 25 clinic.

IN SUMMARY, the IPFW volunteers completed 251 cholesterol/HDL/blood glucose consultations, including summaries and referrals, at the 2014 Healthy Cities Health Fair at Matthew 25. It was wonderful to serve our community members in so many ways through this effort!

Editor’s Note: Please share the below thank-you note with your students who participated in Healthy Cities.

Dear IPFW Students:

Thank you so much to all of you who came out and helped make Healthy Cities very successful this year. We cannot do this every year without the great support of our students. Many of you didn’t know what to expect, and were very surprised at what it takes to provide health care to those who need it. You did any job we asked you to, from the hallway to the parking lot, from registration to the check-out area. I saw dynamic, caring students who were helping clients in any way they needed. I always see the best of our students at this health fair and it makes me very proud. Some of you stayed way beyond your shift to help clean up and put away. That deserves an extra thank you. Remember us next year and come back and join us. Even if you have graduated, come back as an RN. We’re glad to have you.

With great gratitude, Pamela S. DeKoninck MS, RN

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fe tures

W hile many professionals such as engineers, farmers, and architects “size up” a community in order to design buildings or prepare the ground for harvest,

community health nurses also gather information about the health of communities using a systematic process. Nurses with expertise in community and public health nursing are skilled investigators who gather health data in order to help community residents address their health concerns.

RESERVATION

IPFW CREATES A COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP WITH THE

LAC DU FLAMBEAU

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LAC DU FLAMBEAU

Nursing students pose with the IPFW Nursing NightDONgale

statue, a gift they presented to the Lac Du Flambeau tribe.

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Thirteen IPFW senior-level baccalaureate nursing students and two IPFW photography students, under the leadership of faculty members Jim Gabbard from the Department of Visual Communication and Design, and Denise Jordan and LeAnn Mayer from the Department of Nursing, spent their October 2014 fall break working in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. They were participating in a community assessment of the Lac du Flambeau Reservation and the members of the Ojibwa Tribe who reside there.

Just as nurses assess and evaluate the needs of individuals, community health nursing students have learned how to assess communities and formulate community diagnoses. Over fall break, their work and the work of our IPFW photographers provided important guidance to tribal members, assisting them with the resolution of health problems on the reservation.

In the words of nursing student Marissa Mueller: “It was SO rewarding to be able to present the Community Needs Assessment to the staff and see how much they truly appreciated all of our help. I loved learning about the culture and history of the reservation and my favorite part of the trip was the tour of the old boys’ boarding school house. Wow, what a story that house had to share! It was such a joy meeting so many wonderful people in this community and really trying to help develop a plan to better their lives. It was also educational to hear all about the history and why diabetes is so prevalent among the Native Americans. This was such a great cultural learning experience and will help me in my skills as a nurse in any community!”

According to Professor Denise Jordan, who co-led the IPFW nursing student experience with colleague LeAnn Mayer, “The descriptive approach to community assessment

enables students to collect information about communities. By investigating the physical, sociocultural, and economic conditions which affect those who reside there, nurses can use the strengths and abilities of individuals and assist them in the resolution of their health problems.”

The basis for this type of assessment, notes IPFW Nursing Chair Lee-Ellen Kirkhorn, is a view of health as a total life process—one that is continuous, dynamic, and influenced by the internal and external forces that are of a physical, sociocultural and economic nature. Communities use skills to manage their life processes based on the availability of resources and the ability to influence the various forces. Identification of these factors can give direction for adapting to new modes of action for improved quality of life.

Nursing and photography students left IPFW on Sunday, October 12, returning to IPFW on October 17. The reservation’s health and wellness center, dental clinic, hospice and home care, reservation schools and elder care sites—as well as special programs for women, infants, and children—provided opportunities for learning about the health needs of American Indians across their lifespan. Students worked in teams to provide age-specific assessment data.

During the students’ stay at the reservation, health teaching plans were shared with community residents. Working in partnership with Native American health officers provided the basis for determining the community needs and problems, and helped set priories for action. A partnership model of nursing care encourages community involvement, just as effective nursing care of an individual member of a family requires client involvement.

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As Dave Poupard, health manager for the Tribal Wellness Center notes, “Two key components of a national certification process for health care agencies include development of a CHA (Community Health Assessment) and a CHIP (Community Health Improvement Plan). IPFW nursing students helped the Lac du Flambeau Reservation obtain important certification through their participation in our CHA and CHIP.” IPFW students, in turn, gained invaluable skills in cultural competency that will make a big impact on their future practice as professional nurses.

In the words of senior nursing student Crista Sweeny, “During the long drive home, I was able to reflect upon my time at Lac du Flambeau. All in all, this was such an amazing experience. I truly felt that I made a difference. I know that we (as a team) made a huge impact on the community as we surveyed, interviewed, observed, assessed, and educated its members. Most of the residents of the reservation were very friendly and inviting as they recognized a need for various changes in their community—whether it be battling drug and alcohol abuse or the provision of more health care facilities.”

IPFW Nursing Professor Denise Jordan (left) with Dave Poupard, health manager for the Tribal Wellness Center at Lac du Flambeau

“The program will bring nursing students

together with Ojibwa children and families,

and will help them better appreciate

the many challenges American Indians face”

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IPFW, through the Behavioral Health and

Studies Institute, promotes suicide prevention

and programming on the campus and in the

northeast Indiana region.

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Suicide awareness and prevention are important in healthcare today.

Assessment for suicide risk is increasingly recognized as a critical component of holistic healthcare in today’s complex environment. According to current estimates, approximately 30,000 persons in the United States commit suicide annually, while 750,000 attempt suicide (Suicide, 2014). Suicide is listed by the Joint Commission (2010) as one of the top five sentinel events in non-behavioral health units such as medical-surgical floors, emergency rooms, and intensive care units. Insufficient or absent patient assessment is reported as the root cause in over 80 percent of suicide deaths in these reported sentinel events (Joint Commission, 2010). Joint Commission analysis has attributed these emergency-room and medical-

surgical floor suicide deaths to staff typically not feeling comfortable with suicide risk assessment and potentially-difficult conversations. Non-assessment is listed as the leading root cause of suicide for individuals receiving care, treatment, or services, or who are within 72 hours of discharge (Joint Commission, 2014).

Governing bodies have specific guidelines to raise awareness of the need for suicide risk assessment.

Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Joint Commission have called for suicide screening for all patients in health care settings (Silverman & Berman, 2014). Due to the high rate of suicide attempts among adolescents, the World Health Organization (WHO, 2014) stresses the need to

Suicide Simulation in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Education by Catherine Duchovic and Katrina Kessler

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identify students displaying potential signs of suicidal thoughts. In addition, WHO calls for a multi-dimensional suicide assessment to be implemented in academic, business, and health care settings. Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW), through the Behavioral Health and Studies Institute, promotes suicide prevention and programming on the campus and in the northeast Indiana region.

The Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) pre-licensure competencies include development of appropriate assessment skills in recognition of safety for patients in all health care settings (QSEN, 2014). Students are expected to demonstrate effective use of strategies to reduce risk of harm to self or others (QSEN, 2014). Learning outcomes identified in the IPFW baccalaureate-level Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing course include application of mental health nursing models and a holistic approach to mental health care. Students learn use of tools in the assessment and care of clients with mental health dysfunction

Simulation allows an environment for students to explore suicide risk assessments and practice potentially uncomfortable communications.

In an effort to provide experiences in a realistic non-threatening environment, simulations were developed for baccalaureate nursing students using a multi-modality approach. Students were required to view a short PBS film, Depression Out of the Shadows (Twin Cities Public Television, Inc., and WGBH Boston, 2008). Following the film, students wrote a self-assessment reflection

to elicit responses to viewing unsettling reports from persons recounting suicidal ideation and previous suicide attempts. In the next step, students and simulation personnel viewed a nine-minute suicide assessment scenario observing interviews of clients who have had suicidal ideation. The scenario utilized was from the Symptom Media Collection, allowing students and staff to observe assessment of a suicidal college student. IPFW Helmke Library staff members were instrumental in facilitating licensure of this collection from the Mental Health Education & Training Film Library of Symptom Media.

Simulation Experience

For the simulation experience, students entered a room in groups of five to have a conversation with a live model. The client was

modeled after the Joint Commission’s Sentinel Event Report of root analysis of suicide within 72 hours

of discharge from a non-psychiatric facility, including emergency rooms. Students were

debriefed immediately after the simulation. The following scenario was created:

Client: Nancy Rose is a 60-year-old who lives alone in her own home. She recently has been diagnosed with hypertension (HTN) and has a 30-year history of bipolar disorder. Nancy has worked in multiple secretarial jobs in

the past, but has been unemployed for two years and currently is receiving Oregon

Health Plan medical benefits. She recently was discharged from the hospital following a

syncopal episode that required 24-hour observation on the Telemetry unit.

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The case manager and home health student nurse had stopped in last week to teach Nancy about her HTN. They also set up her weekly pill administration box, drew blood for a lithium level, and assessed her vital signs and cardio-respiratory system.

Today, the home health student nurse is coming to check on Nancy. An assessment reveals that within the past four days, Nancy has been experiencing signs of depression, including feelings of hopelessness or pessimism, feelings of worthlessness, a loss of interest or pleasure in ordinary activities, difficulties in sleeping, and repeated thoughts of death or suicide.

Debriefing Questions and Feedback from students.

Questions and observations discussed with student groups included:

• What do you think was happening with your patient?

• How might this play out in the hospital setting?

• What other team members might be present?

• What plan of care may be implemented as a result of the current problem?

• What types of: assessment skills were used, biases existed, and emotional reactions occurred?

Students reported being impacted positively by this simulation experience. The role playing of the model patient created a realistic situation for students. Incorporation of mental health issues in other medical simulation scenarios may provide students with additional comfort level in holistic assessment.

Increasing exposure of nursing students to situations which feel uncomfortable is important for normalizing the risk for suicide for patients in a variety of health care settings. Students used

therapeutic communication skills to assess and interact with the patient in a crisis situation. Students were reluctant to say the “wrong thing” at first, but soon were asking difficult and personal questions required for a full suicide assessment. Many students reported, “We did not want to leave our client; it seemed so real and we wanted to help.”

References

The Joint Commission. (2010). Sentinel Event Alert. Retrieved from: http://jointcommission.org/assets/1/18/sea_46.pdf

The Joint Commission. (2014). Sentinel event data: Root causes by event type. Retrieved: http//www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/18/Root_Causes_by_Event_Type_2004-2Q_2014.pdf

Silverman, M. M., & Berman, A. L. (2014) Training for suicide risk assessment and suicide risk formulation. Academy of Psychiatry. 38, 526-537. doi: 10.1007/s40596-014-0200-1

Suicide FAQ’s. (2014). Retrieved from Suicide Prevention, Awareness, and Support:

http://www.suicide.org/suicide-faqs.html

Twin Cities Public Television, Inc., and WGBH Boston (Producer). (2008). Depression Out of the Shadows [DVD].

QSEN Institute (n.d.) Pre-licensure KSAS. Retrieved from:

http://qsen.org/competencies/pre-licensure-ksas/

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Learning about Ebola through Simulation

Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)—formerly known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever—

recently has become a global threat. EVD has been known to be spread

through direct contact with the body fluids of infected humans or animals,

including blood, saliva, sweat, tears, mucus, vomit, feces, breast milk,

urine and semen. Studies to date have not proven definitely whether

there are other possible methods of transmission, or for certain what is

the vector. Primates such as monkeys and apes have shown the ability to

become infected and to spread this disease, while fruit bats are capable of

spreading it and may possibly be the vector of EVD. To date, the natural

reservoir host has not been clearly identified (CDC, 2014).

Therefore, with a lack of current research and many unanswered questions

about Ebola, healthcare workers remain at risk when caring for patients

who are infected. In September, IPFW’s Disaster Preparedness for

Healthcare class performed a simulation to develop a plan in the event

of a pandemic EVD event. Students were instructed to use the Federal

Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) model and propose a plan to

contain, treat, prevent, and isolate IPFW during a potential disaster.

Currently there are 35 Ebola treatment centers in the United States

with trained staff and policies in place to treat and prevent the spread

of this virus.

By Katrina KesslerVisiting Instructor, IPFW Department of Nursing

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The campus was canvassed for food, medical supplies, shelter, and communication devices. One group worked on possible security

needs. Students developed a plan to treat victims, protect civilians on campus, and provide shelter until the disaster passed.

Educational information was developed to inform the public as well as health care workers about this disease. This was done the

day before the man from Africa brought EVD to the United States to an unsuspecting emergency room.

IPFW students then realized that they had become experts on this topic and were able to talk to other

healthcare workers about what they had learned.

This simulation reinforced the need to always be aware of what is happening globally

and to be active in disaster planning. Ebola first appeared simultaneously

in 1976 in both Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The

Ebola River ran near the village in the Democratic Republic of

Congo, giving the virus its name. Outbreaks of this virus have been

occurring since 1976, but 2014 proved to have the largest outbreak

to date. From March 2014 through year-end 2014, more cases and

deaths occurred from Ebola than all others years combined. As a result,

on August 8, this outbreak was declared a public health emergency by the

World Health Organization (WHO, 2014).

Also in August, the decision was made to transport humanitarian workers for

treatment at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. This would be the

first time that the virus was carried to the Northern American continent. Emory

University Hospital worked closely with the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC)

to contain and treat this deadly virus (Jonsson, 2014). Isolation protocols were in place and

continually monitored. Ebola was contained without incident at this institution, and treatment was

supportive of symptoms, including rehydration. At this point, there was no proven treatment available, with

survival dependent on early treatment of symptoms and the health of the victims (WHO, 2014). Healthcare workers

scrambled to understand this disease and be prepared for a potential pandemic.

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An outbreak in the United States could easily overwhelm the healthcare system. Quickly identifying potential patients and symptoms is

the key to containing and treating EVD. With an incubation period of 8-21 days, tracking potential victims is cumbersome. Symptoms

include fever, severe headache, muscle pain, weakness, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain and unexplained

hemorrhage. These symptoms are similar to other medical conditions, making a good health assessment

necessary. Every patient should be asked about recent travel and exposure to others who

may have traveled. Health care facilities should prepare for up to 96 hours of

evaluation and care for persons suspected of having EVD. Each healthcare

institution needs to evaluate patients to determine whether to treat them or

to transfer them to an appropriate facility (CDC, 2014).

For more information on this subject, visit the Ebola Resource Center website at http://www.aacn.nche.edu or one or more of the websites listed below:

Resources for Healthcare Professionals

Current Ebola Treatment Centers: http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/hcp/current-treatment-centers.html

World Health Organization: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/about.html

Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ebola-virus/basics/definition/con-20031241

American Association of Critical Care Nurses: http://www.aacn.org/wd/volunteers/content/ebola-virus-resources.pcms?menu=volunteers

References

Ebola (Ebola Virus Disease). (2014). Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/about.html

Ebola virus disease. (2014). Retrieved from World Health Organization: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/

Jonsson, P. (2014, 8 2). USA. Retrieved from The Christian Science Monitor: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2014/0802/First-Ebola-stricken-US-aid-

worker-arrives-at-Atlanta-hospital-video

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The process of becoming a professional nurse is dynamic and complex.

Nursing students must not only develop competence in their clinical skills and knowledge, but also in their behaviors, interactions, and attitudes. One important aspect of professional nursing is a strong commitment to public service. Imparting professional attitudes and a commitment to public service are two of the primary goals of the IPFW nursing program. This year, junior-level nursing students were given a unique opportunity to learn, hone, and demonstrate these important nursing qualities.

The Fall Gala began as a broadly-defined, semester-long class project. The project was designed to give students practical opportunities to enhance knowledge and skills related to professionalism, such as accountability, communication, problem-solving, leadership, adaptability, and teamwork. Students were given guidelines and assessment criteria for the project, along with the creative freedom to envisage the event.

Students formed committees based on their personal strengths in areas like problem-solving, interpersonal skills, and expertise. Each committee then assumed responsibilities for different components of the event and used the nursing process to guide their contributions to the project. As students moved through the phases of the group process, established goals, and engaged in decision making, the project gained momentum and ultimately evolved into the Fall Festival.

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Fall GalaFall Gala

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The Fall Festival took place on November 22 in the Classic Ballroom at the Walb Union. Children and their families participated in potato sack races, Plinko, football toss, pumpkin painting, corn hole, and face painting, and had the opportunity to have a family photo taken. Everyone enjoyed the silent auction and the delectable fall-themed food! In addition to having a wonderful time, children and adults alike were impressed by the professionalism displayed by the students. The pride was palpable as students observed guests entering the event, engaged in the activities and were able to recognize the magnitude of their accomplishment.

The Fall Festival proved to be a major success not only in the funds raised—over $2,000— but also in the students’ personal and professional growth and sense of pride in their achievements. The students learned more than just the functions and operations of organizing an event. In addition to gaining professional experience, they were engaged as active members of the community and gained an understanding of local resources.

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Students expanded on their understanding of what it means to be a professional and demonstrated attributes of professionalism in their pursuit of a common goal: accountability, leadership, decision-making, delegation, flexibility, adaptation, effective communication, and conflict management. Hidden talents were uncovered as students engaged in planning, organizing, and hosting the event.

In reflecting on the project, students also recognized personal strengths, as well as other areas in which they might enhance their nursing practice. Most importantly, these students recognized that

the art and science of nursing, including nursing skills, knowledge, and attitudes, are not developed and used only in the clinical setting, but can also be used to realize success in all aspects of life.

The Fall Festival proved to be a major success not only in

the funds raised—over $2,000— but also in the students’

personal and professional growth and sense of pride in

their achievements.

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departmental upd tesNursing Chair Honored at NLN Education Summit 2014

As co-author of a leading text and reference book in pathophysiology, IPFW Nursing Chair, Lee-Ellen (Copstead) Kirkhorn, loves to talk about disease processes. She and her co-author Jacquelyn Banasik recently were honored at the National League for Nursing (NLN) Education Summit, which took place September 17-20 in Phoenix, Arizona, where their textbook was featured prominently.

“Being a nurse educator, especially today, provides us all with opportunities for collaboration, lifelong learning, and innovation.” Kirkhorn says, adding that “The NLN’s Education Summit offers a venue to take full advantage. It was great to share Pathophysiology, 5th Edition (authored under my maiden name of Copstead), and to visit with other nurses at a ‘Meet the Author’ session, organized by marketing representatives of Elsevier Science.” Elsevier Science is the publisher of her textbook.

Pathophysiology 5th Edition explores the etiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and treatment of disorders. Units are organized by body system, and each begins with an illustrated review of anatomy and normal physiology. A discussion then follows on the disease processes and abnormalities that may occur with a focus on the pathophysiologic concepts involved. Pathophysiology simplifies a rigorous subject with practical learning resources.

Kirkhorn is already collaborating with her co-author on the next edition. “The 6th edition will break new ground with emphasis upon global issues,” she says. “Ebola is just one example of the need to understand epidemiological principles in disease transmission. The world is getting smaller, and with increased air travel, communicability [of disease] becomes increasingly likely.” She notes that the 6th edition will also be unique in that the IPFW nursing faculty will be invited to contribute content.

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As we all know, the IPFW Department of Nursing doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Nursing must be responsive not only to members of the university and to our students, but the Department must also be responsive to the larger health care community—from hospitals to community health agencies—and to all who stand with us in the provision of nursing education. In fact, a key

element in our upcoming nursing accreditation includes evidence of collaboration and responsiveness to community stakeholders.

On October 15, the Nursing Department hosted a gathering of members from the community who agreed to serve as advisory committee members. Leaders met together to learn about our graduate and undergraduate programs and to ask questions

seeking clarification about our future plans. A highlight of the evening was an engaging presentation by Dr. Michael Mirro, founder of the Mirro Family Research & Innovation Center, regarding his vision of innovation and excellence for the Fort

Wayne community in general, and for IPFW Nursing in particular.

The accompanying program summary covers our first gathering,

which included special curricular presentations by our undergraduate and graduate directors. Plans are already in place to include other key healthcare leaders in future meetings.

The Nursing Department intends to host two advisory committee meetings each year: one each during the fall and spring terms.

Nursing Establishes an Advisory Committee

Inaugural Meeting of the IPFW Nursing Advisory Committee

October 15, 2014

ORDER OF EVENTS

Welcome and Opening RemarksLee-Ellen C. Kirkhorn, PhD, RN

Chair of the IPFW Department of Nursing

Undergraduate Program HighlightsNila Reimer, PhD, RN

Director of Undergraduate Programs

Graduate Program HighlightsDeborah Poling, PhD, RN

Director of Graduate Programs Light Refreshments and Leadership Dialogue

Special PresentationMichael J. Mirro MD, FACC, FAHA, FACP

Clinical Professor of Medicine: Indiana University School of Medicine

Chief Academic-Research Officer: Parkview Health SystemParkview Physicians Group: Cardiology

Founder of the Mirro Family Research & Innovation Center

Closing Remarks

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departmental upd tes(continued)

Nursing Departments nationally seek to become accredited through a process that showcases their programs of study.

Not every program qualifies for accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. In fact, programs must actually apply to even be considered for accreditation by this prestigious organization. Back in September, the CCNE’s Director of Accreditation Services wrote the following to Nursing Department Chair Kirkhorn, which reads in part:

Dear Dr. Kirkhorn,

The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) has approved the application for initial accreditation of the baccalaureate and master’s degree nursing programs at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne.

Of course, all of us in the Nursing Department are delighted to learn that we qualify for application. But now that we qualify, the hard work of assessment and documentation begins.

Following notification of our application, the Nursing Department has slated April 13–15, 2016, as the dates for our CCNE site visit.

Beginning now, and through the fall of 2015, Nursing is engaged in a process known as “self-study,” which means that the department is examining and documenting all of its products and processes, collecting information in a serious and systematic way.

In late fall 2015, a document called the IPFW Nursing Self-Study will be submitted to a team of experts at CCNE. The team will digest the document in its entirety, and a small, focused group of site visitors will arrive on our campus in April 2016 to verify, clarify, and amplify all of the materials that are submitted, checking to be certain that our programs truly are as great as we say they are!

We understand from our Associate Vice Chancellors, Dr. Sternberger and Dr. Wilkinson, that results of yet another accrediting body—the Indiana Higher Learning Commission—will be made public early in 2016.

Keep on the lookout for more details and insights. And, don’t be surprised if you are asked to share your thoughts about IPFW Nursing. The process of teaching and learning is infinitely perfectible. And having accredited programs makes a powerful statement about their quality.

CCNE: New Applicant Status

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On September 10, the IPFW Department of Nursing took part in a Suicide Prevention Resource Fair that was conducted on campus to coincide with National Suicide Prevention Week. The event was put on by the IPFW Center for Healthy Living’s Campus Clinic and Wellness Resources programs and featured educational activities, free music therapy, de-stress sessions and a resource fair. The event was open to IPFW faculty, staff and students, as well as to the community.

At the SNI table, information was also given out about whom to contact if you are having suicidal thoughts. Two important resources are the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK, and Mental Health America of Greater Indianapolis, 317-251-7575. Mental Health America of Greater Indianapolis also has a texting line; text CSIS to 839863. The text message line is helpful for those who need to reach out for help, but are afraid to talk. The phone line and text messaging services are both confidential.

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among college students and is the second-leading cause of death for youth. Teens can reach out 24 hours a day and get help by contacting either the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or the Mental Health America of Greater Indianapolis.

At the SNI table, information was also given out about what friends and family members can do if they have concerns about someone close to them possibly being suicidal. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) website,

www.nami.org, family and friends can be most helpful in encouraging their loved one to seek treatment. Family members can go to the America Association of Suicidology website, www.suicidology.org, or call 1-800-273-TALK (crisis line) for more information.

At IPFW, within the College of Health and Human Services is the Behavioral Health & Family Studies Institute (BH&FSI). Alice Jordan-Miles, the assistant director of the BH&FSI, is a wealth of knowledge, having given suicide prevention presentations and trainings across Indiana. She can be reached at 260-481-4184, or via e-mail, jordand@ipfw.edu. More information also can be found on the institute’s website, www.ipfw.edu/behavioral.

departmental upd tes(continued)

Suicide Prevention Resource Fair

IPFW nursing students participate in September’s Suicide Prevention Resource Fair that coincided with National Suicide Prevention Week.

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Research Showcase of Xi Nu at-Large, STTI Honor SocietyThe IPFW Department of Nursing was well represented at the Xi Nu Research Showcase that took place on November 18 in the IPFW Walb Ballroom. Several presentations were made by IPFW nursing faculty and students, as listed below.

Dr. McMahan Receives Public Health Award

Congratulations to Deborah A. McMahan, MD, health commissioner for the Fort Wayne-Allen County Board of Health, who recently was presented with a prestigious national award, the Milton and Ruth Roemer Prize for Creative Local Public Health Work. The award was presented at the 142nd Annual Meeting and Expo of the American Public Health Association (APHA). The APHA expo, which took place in New Orleans, was attended by IPFW Nursing Chair Lee-Ellen C. Kirkhorn, who was on hand to congratulate Dr. McMahan upon her receiving the award on November 18.

Podium Presentations by Faculty

• “FortWayneInterprofessionalEducationConsortium Promotes Interprofessional Partnership” by Deb Poling with Dawn La Barbera, Kimberly Beran-Shepler, Mary Kiersma, and Sue Chubinksi

• “EmergingNursingStudentsinToday’sClassroom” by Becky Salmon, Cheryl Sorge, and Cheryl Rockwell

• “ThingsthatMattertoResidentsinNursing Homes and the Nursing Care Implications” by Nila Reimer

Poster Presentations by Faculty

• “ItisaBraveNewWorld:StudentsChampion QI Initiatives” by Sarah Beckman and Johnathan Liechty (won first prize).

• “InterprofessionalResearchGuidelines:A Community Research Consortium Approach to Implementing Research” by Deb Poling, Kimberly Beran-Shepler, Linda Finke and Meg Wilson

Graduate Nursing Student Poster Presenter

• “GlutenConsumptionandCognitiveDecline in the Elderly” by NP student Mary Bullis

In addition to the graduate nursing student poster presenter, three undergraduate nursing students also presented a poster called “Buckle the Babes.”

A poster on “Interprofessional Research Guidelines: A Community

Research Consortium Approach to Implementing Research” was

one of the presentations at the recent Xi Nu Research Showcase

that took place at IPFW.

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sp tlights

Retiring IPFW faculty member, Cheryl Bruick-Sorge, received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees with a major in nursing from Ball State University. In 1981, she started at IPFW as an associate clinical faculty member (now called limited-term lecturers or LTLs); and in 1989, she was hired as a tenure-track faculty member. Cheryl was tenured and promoted to Associate Professor of Nursing in 1995.

Cheryl’s passion while at IPFW has been medical-surgical nursing, teaching one of the major medical-surgical nursing clinical classes for the past 25 years. Part of this class involves having eight students in the clinical setting, taking care of patients every week. This is one aspect of teaching that Cheryl really enjoys. As a matter of fact, she plans on continuing to mentor students in the clinical setting in future semesters.

In addition to that class, for the past 10 years she has taught a critical thinking class that nursing students take prior to graduation. This is the class that prepares nursing students to take the board exams. She must be doing a good job of teaching that class, because IPFW students’ pass rates have consistently been above the national average.

While at IPFW, a focus of Cheryl’s research and scholarly work has been using the Neuman Systems Model (NSM) of Nursing in pedagogy. For many years Cheryl presented at professional conferences on NSM nursing theory-based teaching and its influence on achieving program outcomes from the associate degree program. Her dedication to the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) with a focus on the NSM earned her a 2013 NSM Education Award.

In turn, Cheryl will present at the 2015 NSM Symposium in Philadelphia, this time as an invited Education Award finalist. In addition to presenting at the Philadelphia symposium, Cheryl has presented to conferences of the Honor Society of Nursing’s Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI), as well as to inter-disciplinary audiences at the Lilly Conference on Teaching and Learning. Cheryl’s publication record includes articles in peer-reviewed journals and chapters in several books.

In Recognition of Retiring IPFW Nursing Faculty Cheryl Bruick-Sorge

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Reminiscing: What Her Colleagues Have to Say

Following are paragraphs written about Cheryl by a few of her colleagues:

“Cheryl and my path almost crossed a long time ago. Prior to teaching for IPFW, Cheryl taught at the Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing, where I attended. The semester that I was supposed to have her, she was on maternity leave and so I missed that opportunity. Little did I know that years later, we would be partnered to teach Medical Surgical Nursing together, and that partnership has lasted about 20 years. Cheryl has been one of my mentors here at IPFW. She was helpful to me in the classroom, but also with getting tenured and just adapting to the IPFW way of doing things. I will forever be grateful to her not only for her help but also for her friendship.” —Becky Salmon, Associate Professor

“Reflection on a quarter century: We “grew up” together. Cheryl and I started full time in fall 1989, both having experienced teaching part-time clinicals for IPFW. From 1989 to1995, we journeyed the path to achieve tenure and promotion. We collaborated on numerous teaching, research, and service projects. We are different in style and delivery, which benefited us as a working team in various areas—including presentation, publication, teaching, and right down to committee participation. Our research on spirituality (with Becky Salmon and Sanna Harges) created bonds with lasting effects. I am happy for Cheryl, but sad to see her go. She can hardly contain herself as she finishes her final full-time semester at IPFW with us. She earned my respect long ago, and it will continue as she parts ways into retirement.”—Sarah Beckman, Associate Professor

“Cheryl met me at the airport when I first flew from Wisconsin to IPFW. I remember thinking, ‘If everyone [at IPFW] is this terrific, I cannot wait to work here!’ What a great nursing role model and lovely colleague. All the best in retirement! —Lee-Ellen Kirkhorn, Professor and Chair of Nursing

We are all wishing you the very best in retirement! —IPFW Nursing

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tr cking the mast dons

Heidi Buffenbarger graduated from IPFW with a B.S. in Nursing in May 2013. She now is a nurse manager at Canterbury Nursing Home, responsible for coordination of the rehab unit. Heidi also is working on completing a master’s degree in nursing at IPFW in the executive track.

Amanda (Brown) Quandt chose to attend IPFW to pursue her Bachelor’s degree in nursing after graduating from Carroll High School in 2007. “I chose IPFW over other Indiana nursing schools, because I wanted to continue to live at home and it was my best choice financially. My parents and I split the cost of my schooling, and I am very happy and lucky to say that I have zero student debt,” she recalls.

“IPFW’s undergraduate program provided both very challenging and very rewarding experiences. I remember how difficult my Leadership in Nursing course was; and at that time, I felt nothing like a leader. After I finished my Quality Initiative project for the course, I gained a new inner confidence and realized that I possess the skills to be a future leader. At the end of the undergraduate program, I came to see my classmates as both friends and teammates. We held each other up when we were struggling and we cheered each other on in our successes,” she reminisces.

After graduating from IPFW in 2011 and passing her boards, she said she “applied to pretty much every type of hospital RN position, but I really hoped to work in the Emergency Department (ED).” Although she was unable to find an ED position, she received a job

Quotes from Current Graduate Students about the IPFW M.S. with a Major in Nursing Program

“I selected IPFW since I had received my BSN from there, and felt ‘at home’ with the program from day one. I had researched other programs and felt IPFW was the best choice since Purdue nursing programs are well respected in the area and throughout the country.” - Sherrye Long

“I chose IPFW’s graduate nursing program for the university reputation, online convenience, and highly- qualified nursing educators.” –Mollie McDaniel Mowery, Adult-Gero NP Student

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offer from Parkview Health to work in its Telemetry unit on the Randallia Campus. “I was hired at a very odd and busy time at Parkview due to the impending opening of PRMC [Parkview Regional Medical Center], so by the end of my orientation I was placed in a different unit called the Congestive Heart Treatment (CHT) unit. At the time, I had minimal interest in the heart, but that changed as I grew to love this patient population and my coworkers,” she recalls. The CHT unit has since moved out to the PRMC, where Amanda notes that it “has thrived. I have worked there for over three years now, and I am very proud of the high level of patient care we provide.”

Amanda’s positive work environment at PRMC, combined with her undergraduate experience at IPFW, led to a decision to go back to school to pursue a master’s degree. “I chose the IPFW grad program because of the excellent experiences I had as an undergraduate nursing student. I really appreciate the flexibility of the online courses which fit in with my home and work schedules. I am currently pursuing my Master’s for Adult-Gero Nurse Practitioner.”

In comparing undergraduate school with the graduate program, “I find that I have a greater appreciation of the learning experience now than I did as an undergraduate,” she said,

adding that “I really enjoy the level of autonomy and mutual respect that is evident between the professors and me.”

Amanda still works part time in the Parkview CHT unit, and she also works in the IPFW nursing lab as a graduate assistant. “I really enjoy watching the undergraduate students grow in their nursing skills competency, and I have found that I have a passion for teaching. I hope to eventually pursue my doctorate in nursing and become a nursing educator,” she said.

“I am unsure of what area I want to work in as an NP in clinical practice, but I have considered the type of classes I would be interested in teaching. I think I would really enjoy teaching the nursing classes that are not necessarily focused on disease processes, but more on holistic nursing skills such as leadership, communication, patient education, and ethics. I think the subjective, intangible aspects of nursing are critical to differentiating between just adequate nursing care and high-quality, transformative nursing care,” she believes.

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Scholarlysubmissions

Scholarly Submissions from 2014 Sarah J. Beckman (2014). Educational Techniques Useful in Teaching Abstract Ideas. Presented at Annual Nursing Research Day. Walsh University, North Canton, Ohio. Sarah J. Beckman (2014). The Neuman Systems Model and Curriculum Development. Presented at Aultman College Meeting, North Canton, Ohio. Mary Kiersma, Deborah Poling, Dawn LaBarbera, and Mindy Yoder (2014). Healthcare profession students view of interprofessionalism. Presented at 7th Annual Western Michigan Interprofessional Conference, Grand Rapids, MI. Deborah Poling, Kimberly Beran-Shepler, Linda finke, and Meg Wilson (2014). Interprofessional research guidelines: A community research consortium approach to implementing research. Presented at Xi Nu Research Showcase, Ft Wayne IN.

Deborah Poling, Kimberly Beran-Shepler, Dawn Lababrbera, Mary Kiersma, and Sue chubinski (2014). Fort Wayne Area Interprofessional Consortium Promotes Interprofessional Partnerships. Presented at Xi Nu Research Showcase, Ft Wayne IN. Deborah Poling, Mary Kiersma, Dawn LaBarbera, Mindy Yoder, and Veronia Gurguis (2014). Assessment of Health Profession Student Perceptions of Interprofessional Education. Presented at American Association of Colleges of Pharmacies, Houston, Texas.

Publication Submissions from 2013 Deborah Poling and Mary Kiersma (2014). A Unique Interprofessional and Multi-Institutional Education Series. Journal of Nursing Education.53 (6). Tammy R. Toscos, Ayten Turkcan, and Brad Doebbeling (2014). Patient-Centered Appointment Scheduling Using Agent-Based Simulation. American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) 2014 Annual Symposium.

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d nate!FOR 50 YEARS, Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne

(IPFW) has pursued its mission to provide a broad range of higher education opportunities for men and women through

an uncompromising commitment to academic leadership and the steadfast development of community resources to

foster a global impact.

Give to the IPFW Department of Nursing

Want to learn more about nursing at IPFW? visit ipfw.edu/nursing

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The generous support of alumni and friends truly makes a difference at IPFW. Each gift helps to make the dream

of a college experience a reality for many students. You can be sure your investment will pay off not only while these

students attend IPFW, but even more so as they go out to influence our world.

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