KU School of Nursing - University of Kansas Medical Center
KU School of Nursing - University of Kansas Medical Center
KU School of Nursing - University of Kansas Medical Center
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<strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong><br />
progress report
<strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong><br />
progress report 2009<br />
High Fidelity<br />
6<br />
Stepping into a simulator lab, it’s easy to forget that you’re<br />
still in a classroom. Every image, instrument and sensation<br />
students experience is geared toward creating a learning environment<br />
that feels exactly like a health care setting.<br />
12<br />
An endowed pr<strong>of</strong>essorship provides a lasting tribute to the values<br />
and beliefs <strong>of</strong> the donor. For more than 40 years, endowed funds<br />
at the <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>University</strong> Endowment Association have helped the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> attract and keep top-quality faculty members.<br />
Over(seas)<br />
Achiever<br />
16<br />
With a full-time job as a registered nurse at The <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Kansas</strong> Hospital’s Burnett Burn <strong>Center</strong>, a new marriage and a<br />
baby on the way, being a student required dedication.<br />
Inside:<br />
1 A Message from the Dean<br />
2 Preparing HIT-Ready Faculty<br />
20 Supporting Faculty Practice<br />
+ Providing Patient Care<br />
= Improving Health<br />
in the Community<br />
24 Home Sweet <strong>Medical</strong> Home<br />
28 DNP Rounds Out Advanced<br />
Practice Offerings<br />
30 Investing in the Future<br />
34 Emerging Researchers<br />
37 Current Faculty Research<br />
& Training Grants<br />
39 <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> at a Glance<br />
40 Vision for the Future<br />
42 Thank You for Supporting<br />
the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong><br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>
A Message from the Dean<br />
Dear Friends and Supporters<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>:<br />
One <strong>of</strong> my favorite leaders, Eleanor Roosevelt, once said,<br />
“What is to give light must endure the burning.” I believe that<br />
the global financial crisis <strong>of</strong> the past months has given all <strong>of</strong> us<br />
the chance to stand back and re-evaluate what is important in<br />
our lives and the direction <strong>of</strong> our future as individuals and as<br />
a nation. We are learning anew that those things meaningful<br />
in our personal and pr<strong>of</strong>essional lives are achieved with some<br />
measure <strong>of</strong> sacrifice, strength and endurance.<br />
This Progress Report from the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong><br />
<strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> describes our recent significant accomplishments.<br />
These are programs <strong>of</strong> education that have been<br />
created through the ingenuity <strong>of</strong> faculty and students and<br />
recognized for their innovation, academic excellence and<br />
commitment to the health <strong>of</strong> the people we serve. Today, the<br />
<strong>School</strong> has more students than ever before in its over 100-year<br />
history. As a public institution, the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> has<br />
tremendous obligations to the citizens <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> to educate<br />
students for the future needs <strong>of</strong> our region and the world, to<br />
provide services that promote the welfare <strong>of</strong> our communities<br />
and to contribute to the breadth <strong>of</strong> research knowledge that<br />
advances our society.<br />
You will know from this Report that talented <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> faculty, students and staff meet these obligations<br />
with enthusiastic success. Despite current economic challenges<br />
to our country, our state and to the <strong>University</strong>, <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Nursing</strong> graduates are prepared for current and future health<br />
care demands in an environment <strong>of</strong> continually outstanding<br />
learning opportunities.<br />
Thank you for your support <strong>of</strong> the <strong>School</strong> and its students.<br />
We look forward to a focused future “in the light” <strong>of</strong> the<br />
critical nature <strong>of</strong> our task and “enduring” passion for teaching<br />
and learning on behalf <strong>of</strong> our students, their patients and our<br />
global communities.<br />
Karen L. Miller, RN, PhD, FAAN<br />
A Message from the Dean<br />
1
Preparing<br />
HIT-Ready Faculty<br />
2<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>
To continue its tradition <strong>of</strong> creating innovative<br />
academic programs, the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> launched the Health<br />
Information Technologies Scholars (HITS)<br />
program in 2007. The <strong>School</strong> oversees the<br />
program with a $1.5 million grant from the<br />
Health Resources and Services Administration’s<br />
(HRSA’s) Bureau <strong>of</strong> Health Pr<strong>of</strong>essions and the<br />
Office <strong>of</strong> Health Information Technology.<br />
The HITS program is a collaborative faculty<br />
development project between the National<br />
League for <strong>Nursing</strong> (NLN) and three schools <strong>of</strong><br />
nursing - the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong>, <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
Colorado Denver and Health Sciences <strong>Center</strong>,<br />
and Indiana <strong>University</strong>. The grant, administered<br />
over five years, is anticipated to transform<br />
nursing education for the 21st century, and drive<br />
improvements in health care delivery through<br />
the integration <strong>of</strong> technology into academic and<br />
clinical practice.<br />
As part <strong>of</strong> the project, the NLN created<br />
a private e-community, which was used as a<br />
central database for sharing documents facilitating<br />
communication among the participating<br />
Preparing HIT-Ready Faculty<br />
3
faculty and administrators<br />
at the three<br />
schools <strong>of</strong> nursing.<br />
The NLN also<br />
provided the technology<br />
platform called<br />
Living Books that<br />
was used at the initial<br />
workshop to educate<br />
the scholars about informatics,<br />
simulation, telehealth and Web-based<br />
teaching.<br />
“The increasingly complex health<br />
care environment requires the use<br />
<strong>of</strong> electronic health records and<br />
other technology tools that support<br />
knowledge management<br />
and clinical decision making,<br />
as well as promoting quality<br />
and safety,” according to<br />
Helen Connors, RN, PhD,<br />
FAAN, associate dean <strong>of</strong><br />
integrated technologies.<br />
Connors also serves as the<br />
executive director <strong>of</strong> the <strong>KU</strong><br />
<strong>Center</strong> for Health Informatics<br />
and is the HITS project<br />
director.<br />
“Clinical training and education is<br />
seen as the crucial element for changing<br />
the culture <strong>of</strong> health care practices<br />
to support the national IT agenda, and<br />
provide quality, efficiency and effectiveness<br />
in our health care system,”<br />
Connors added. “We believe this<br />
education and training needs to start<br />
with faculty. The <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong><br />
is fortunate to have received this<br />
HRSA funding to be able to partner<br />
with our colleagues from Colorado,<br />
Indiana and the National League for<br />
“ The increasingly complex health<br />
care environment requires the<br />
use <strong>of</strong> electronic health records<br />
and other technology tools.<br />
”<br />
<strong>Nursing</strong>. Together, we can provide a<br />
quality program that reaches out to<br />
a diverse group <strong>of</strong> faculty across the<br />
country.”<br />
Educating faculty on the use <strong>of</strong><br />
technology and how to teach<br />
students is a goal <strong>of</strong> the HITS<br />
program. Connors is involved in<br />
another national initiative that<br />
shares a similar objective, the<br />
Technology Informatics Guiding<br />
Education Reform (TIGER)<br />
initiative.<br />
4 <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>
During its first year, 48 faculty scholars<br />
from 27 schools across the country<br />
participated in the HITS program.<br />
TIGER is a project<br />
funded in part from<br />
the National Library<br />
<strong>of</strong> Medicine, National<br />
Institutes <strong>of</strong> Health and<br />
the Department <strong>of</strong> Health<br />
and Human Services.<br />
Education is one <strong>of</strong> the seven pillars<br />
<strong>of</strong> the TIGER vision – to have a<br />
collaborative learning community<br />
that maximizes the possibilities <strong>of</strong><br />
technology toward knowledge development<br />
and dissemination, driving<br />
rapid deployment and implementation<br />
<strong>of</strong> best practices. The program<br />
involves a team <strong>of</strong> leaders within the<br />
nursing education and clinical arenas<br />
to ensure nursing students receive<br />
the education they need to practice<br />
in today’s high-tech environment.<br />
Programs such as HITS become<br />
important for reaching TIGER’s<br />
vision.<br />
During its first year, 48 faculty<br />
scholars from 27 schools across<br />
the country participated in the<br />
HITS program. Two <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Nursing</strong> faculty members, Sharon<br />
Kumm, RN, MSN, and Mary<br />
Meyer, RN, MSN, ARNP-BC, took<br />
part and their final project was the<br />
creation <strong>of</strong> videos for students to<br />
download to their PDAs. They<br />
called the videos Point <strong>of</strong> Care<br />
Instant Teacher Videos (POCiT).<br />
“Historically, videos have been<br />
a mainstay <strong>of</strong> nursing skills education,”<br />
Meyer said. The <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> already integrates the<br />
use <strong>of</strong> personal digital assistants in<br />
the undergraduate curriculum and<br />
requires the students purchase the<br />
PDAs.<br />
The procedures, available<br />
on video and accessible through<br />
<strong>KU</strong>MC’s online learning platform,<br />
included demonstrations on the<br />
insertion <strong>of</strong> intravenous catheter,<br />
tracheostomy care, tracheostomy<br />
suctioning, drawing blood from a<br />
central line and administration <strong>of</strong><br />
secondary IV piggyback.<br />
The <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> is<br />
now in the second year <strong>of</strong> the HITS<br />
program, with approximately 40<br />
new national participants that began<br />
in the fall <strong>of</strong> 2008.<br />
Preparing HIT-Ready Faculty<br />
5
High Fidelity<br />
On April 6, 2007, Maria Ruiz was given an accidental<br />
overdose <strong>of</strong> morphine in an attempt to relieve acute pain<br />
brought on by kidney stones. An improperly prescribed dose<br />
<strong>of</strong> morphine, 40 milligrams instead <strong>of</strong> the normal dosage <strong>of</strong><br />
4 milligrams, was added to Ruiz’s IV drip.<br />
At nearly 10 times the recommended amount, such a<br />
substantial overdose <strong>of</strong> morphine would usually bring on<br />
severe respiratory depression. Ruiz, however, was never<br />
in any real danger. Maria Ruiz, and all the aspects <strong>of</strong> her<br />
personality and physiology, was simply a construct – an<br />
assembled piece <strong>of</strong> a learning puzzle. Using high-fidelity<br />
simulators – programmable mannequins that effectively<br />
mimic the actions and ailments <strong>of</strong> live patients – instructors<br />
at the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> have been<br />
able to create a learning environment that looks, and feels,<br />
like the real thing.<br />
When students step into a simulator lab, it’s easy for<br />
them to forget that they’re still in a classroom. Every image,<br />
instrument and sensation that they experience is geared<br />
toward creating a learning environment that feels exactly<br />
like a health care setting. The lab is so realistic that many<br />
students gain a new sense <strong>of</strong> perspective after mistakenly<br />
delivering a morphine overdose to the simulator.<br />
“Had it been a real life situation, we would have put<br />
someone’s life on the line,” said Erin Wood, a senior in the<br />
<strong>KU</strong> nursing program. “A couple <strong>of</strong> us were even talking<br />
about quitting nursing school. We eventually got over<br />
ourselves, but we still took it very seriously that we had<br />
made such a big mistake.”<br />
Though it is not uncommon for students to become<br />
anxious at the conclusion <strong>of</strong> this pain management simula-<br />
6 <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>
A SIMULATED BLUR –<br />
The complexities <strong>of</strong> a high-fi delity<br />
simulator are enough to keep a<br />
nursing team in motion.<br />
High Fidelity<br />
7
tion, the point <strong>of</strong> the exercise<br />
is not to deliberately mislead<br />
participants. Instead, making<br />
an error in a simulated practice<br />
environment is <strong>of</strong>ten a<br />
turning point in a student’s<br />
education.<br />
On a list <strong>of</strong> responses<br />
compiled by nursing instructors<br />
after the simulation,<br />
students made statements such<br />
as, “I will never make that<br />
“From placing an instructor in the room<br />
to act like a frustrated family member,<br />
to making the simulator respond in an agitated manner,<br />
we’re able to transform a theoretical situation<br />
into a real-life one.”<br />
mistake again.” Their surprise<br />
and relief after the simulation<br />
exercise underscores the<br />
need for students to experience<br />
clinical practice in a safe<br />
environment.<br />
Mary Meyer, RN, MSN,<br />
ARNP-BC, director <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> Clinical<br />
Skills Laboratory, is well<br />
aware <strong>of</strong> the importance <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Maria Ruiz simulation and the<br />
impact it has on her students.<br />
“We know we can’t just<br />
throw our students into clinical<br />
settings where the lives <strong>of</strong><br />
patients are at stake and<br />
expect them not to feel overwhelmed,”<br />
Meyer said. “Here,<br />
in the simulation labs, we can<br />
watch and then critique their<br />
decisions, and then later ask<br />
them what they were thinking<br />
about during critical moments<br />
and what cues they picked up<br />
on.”<br />
The cues in question<br />
originate with the instructor,<br />
so there is little ambiguity as<br />
to their meaning. As students<br />
address the animated mannequin,<br />
they must be aware <strong>of</strong><br />
factors such as respiration<br />
and heart rate, blood<br />
pressure, as well as the<br />
patient’s needs.<br />
A speaking<br />
apparatus within the mannequin<br />
allows the instructors<br />
controlling the simulator from<br />
outside the room to speak for<br />
the patient. When considered<br />
as a whole, the mannequin is<br />
far from a static teaching tool.<br />
“We still prefer real-life<br />
patients for teaching interviewing<br />
and out-patient<br />
assessment skills,” Meyer<br />
explained. “But in the skills<br />
lab, with our high-fidelity<br />
mannequins, we can create a<br />
patient situation and make the<br />
physical examination match a<br />
specific disease.”<br />
8 <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>
Where the term “fidelity,” or “hi-fi,” was once used primarily<br />
to describe how accurately music could be recorded and then<br />
reproduced, its meaning has changed with the advent <strong>of</strong> interactive<br />
teaching tools. Now, a system is said to be high in fidelity if it accurately<br />
mimics a real life situation. Since the teaching lab mannequins<br />
are programmed and operated by faculty<br />
members, fidelity depends on instructors<br />
being able to manipulate a complex system.<br />
“Reflection papers from our students tell us<br />
that they perceive these scenarios as very real,”<br />
said Teri Thompson, RN, MSN, CPNP, an<br />
instructor and doctoral candidate at the <strong>KU</strong><br />
<strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>. “Once we decide what it<br />
is that we want to teach them, we’re able to<br />
create a full spectrum clinical situation that<br />
captures every aspect <strong>of</strong> the experience. From<br />
placing an instructor in the room to act like<br />
a frustrated family member, to making the<br />
simulator respond in an agitated manner,<br />
we’re able to transform a theoretical situation<br />
into a real-life one.”<br />
An integral part <strong>of</strong> the simulator experience<br />
is provided by a project called the<br />
Simulated E-hEalth Delivery System,<br />
otherwise known as SEEDS. A partnership<br />
between the Cerner Corporation and the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>Medical</strong> <strong>Center</strong>, SEEDS<br />
is a live-production, clinical information<br />
system that mirrors the electronic records and<br />
information technology students will encounter<br />
in a clinical setting. Additionally, SEEDS<br />
allows faculty members to use the learning<br />
tool to monitor and measure the performance<br />
<strong>of</strong> their students.<br />
Judith Warren, PhD, RN, BC, FAAN,<br />
FACMI, has used the SEEDS system to<br />
A TWO-WAY RELATIONSHIP –<br />
While the simulator derives its<br />
automation from programmers<br />
and <strong>KU</strong>’s nursing instructors, the<br />
information it passes to students is<br />
an invaluable teaching resource.<br />
High Fidelity<br />
9
go beyond traditional classroom instruction.<br />
Warren is the Christine A. Hartley Centennial<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>essor and director <strong>of</strong> nursing informatics at<br />
the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>Center</strong> for Health Informatics.<br />
“Just because we’re able to disseminate<br />
electronic health records to our students in realtime,<br />
it’s not very effective if they’re not used,”<br />
Warren said. “We’ve had students that missed<br />
cues in the simulator lab and when we access<br />
the SEEDS electronic health record, we’re<br />
able to get a very clear understanding <strong>of</strong> what<br />
happened. As students become more familiar<br />
with all the aspects <strong>of</strong> clinical care, they begin<br />
to trust the material they’ve learned and allow<br />
their critical thinking skills to develop.”<br />
While many students initially see the simulation<br />
lab assignments as play acting, they very<br />
quickly find out that there are serious implications.<br />
“Usually you have a teacher looking over<br />
your shoulder, so you’re more comfortable<br />
asking questions before you act,” said Jordan<br />
Bedford, a senior in the nursing program.<br />
“During the simulations, you only have your<br />
nursing student team with you. So, you have to<br />
ask yourself ‘what do I know, what can I find<br />
out and what do I do next’”<br />
It is this kind <strong>of</strong> self-reliance and enthusiasm<br />
that has instructors giving high praise to the sim<br />
lab mannequins.<br />
“It’s great to observe the students and<br />
understand what they take away from the simulations,”<br />
Meyer explained. “We’re able to see<br />
which students need more help and which ones<br />
are progressing with, or ahead <strong>of</strong>, the learning<br />
curve. Our current generation <strong>of</strong> students is<br />
very comfortable with a variety <strong>of</strong> high-technology<br />
learning methods.”<br />
With a team <strong>of</strong> only four students in the<br />
simulator labs at a time, the opportunities to<br />
interact with the high-fidelity mannequins are<br />
limited. In the past, instructors would not have<br />
had the time to shuttle teams <strong>of</strong> four through<br />
the labs over and over again. Thanks again<br />
to advancements in technology, instructors at<br />
the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> are able to broadcast<br />
simulations to classrooms so that nursing<br />
students can watch their classmates take part in<br />
clinical exercises.<br />
“I could stand up and give a lecture on pediatric<br />
diabetes … or I could conduct a near-life<br />
study and stream it to a classroom,” Meyer said.<br />
“Instead <strong>of</strong> just listening to me tell them what<br />
they need to know, students will watch their<br />
classmates and study the process so that when<br />
it’s their turn, they’re ready.”<br />
THROUGH THE LEARNING GLASS –<br />
Hidden behind a one-way mirror, Mary Meyer, RN,<br />
MSN, ARNP-BC, is able to stay out <strong>of</strong> sight while<br />
leading her students through simulated exercises.<br />
10 <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>
High Fidelity<br />
11
on the heels <strong>of</strong> celebrating the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Nursing</strong> centennial in 2006, the<br />
<strong>School</strong> achieved two other milestones<br />
with the announcement <strong>of</strong> the Christine A.<br />
Hartley Centennial Pr<strong>of</strong>essorship in 2007 and<br />
the E. Jean M. Hill Pr<strong>of</strong>essorship in <strong>Nursing</strong> in<br />
2008.<br />
Judith Warren, PhD, RN, BC, FAAN,<br />
FACMI, was named the Christine A. Hartley<br />
Centennial Pr<strong>of</strong>essor in April 2007. Helen R.<br />
Connors, RN, PhD, Dr PS (Hon), FAAN, was<br />
named the E. Jean M. Hill Pr<strong>of</strong>essor in October<br />
2008.<br />
Warren is a pr<strong>of</strong>essor in the <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong><br />
and director <strong>of</strong> nursing informatics at the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>Center</strong> for Health Informatics.<br />
In partnership with Cerner Corporation,<br />
she developed a program that adapts electronic<br />
health records to teach students about the<br />
management <strong>of</strong> patient data, the role <strong>of</strong> patient<br />
information in clinical decision-making and<br />
informatics competency.<br />
The pr<strong>of</strong>essorship’s namesake, Christine A.<br />
Hartley, Jackson, Wyo., has strong ties to <strong>KU</strong>.<br />
Hartley is a 1973 <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> graduate<br />
who obtained her master’s degree in 1986.<br />
She is a former intensive care nurse, critical care<br />
instructor for nursing programs and c<strong>of</strong>ounder<br />
<strong>of</strong> an independent consulting company. Her<br />
husband Ross is a 1974 graduate <strong>of</strong> the <strong>KU</strong><br />
<strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> Law. The endowed pr<strong>of</strong>essorship has<br />
an emphasis in organizational leadership, which<br />
Helen R. Connors, RN, PhD, Dr PS (Hon), FAAN, (left)<br />
and Judith Warren, PhD, RN, BC, FAAN, FACMI<br />
is something the Hartleys and Warren believe<br />
is an important characteristic needed <strong>of</strong> today’s<br />
nursing graduates.<br />
“The timing was right, and this is an important<br />
need for the school,” Christine said <strong>of</strong> the<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essorship. “Ross and I felt this would be a<br />
great way to give back to an institution that has<br />
enriched so many lives.”<br />
Endowed pr<strong>of</strong>essorships, unlike grants<br />
and other private funding, allow faculty to<br />
enhance his or her programs <strong>of</strong> research and<br />
expand pr<strong>of</strong>essional opportunities to contribute<br />
to the pr<strong>of</strong>ession. For example, Warren now<br />
has funding to attend specialized national and<br />
international conferences and to implement new<br />
projects. Endowed pr<strong>of</strong>essors can help to highlight<br />
excellence in specific domains <strong>of</strong> nursing<br />
for the benefit <strong>of</strong> students and colleagues.<br />
An endowed pr<strong>of</strong>essorship also provides a<br />
lasting tribute to the values and beliefs <strong>of</strong> the<br />
donor. Every time Warren signs her name and<br />
title she is reminded <strong>of</strong> the importance <strong>of</strong> the<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essorship. And, others take notice too.<br />
“When people see a pr<strong>of</strong>essorship title, the<br />
response is different because they understand<br />
your work is <strong>of</strong> the highest quality. You get<br />
that validation <strong>of</strong> your career’s work on several<br />
levels,” Warren said.<br />
In the first year following her investiture,<br />
Warren said she learned that there was only a<br />
small number <strong>of</strong> endowed nursing pr<strong>of</strong>essorships<br />
at schools around the country. Being one<br />
<strong>of</strong> the few to have a nursing endowed pr<strong>of</strong>essorship<br />
gives her the opportunity to talk about the<br />
12 <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>
Endowed Pr<strong>of</strong>essors Focus on Technology<br />
Excellence<br />
Highlighting Excellence<br />
13
importance <strong>of</strong> her work, which in turn opens new doors for<br />
her and the school.<br />
In October 2008, the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> invested its<br />
second endowed pr<strong>of</strong>essor, Helen Connors, with the E. Jean<br />
M. Hill Pr<strong>of</strong>essorship.<br />
Connors is the executive director <strong>of</strong> the <strong>KU</strong><br />
<strong>Center</strong> for Health Informatics and was recently<br />
appointed associate dean for integrated technologies<br />
at the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>. She<br />
most recently served as associate dean for<br />
academic affairs.<br />
E. Jean M. Hill, RN, MS, EdD, or<br />
Miss Hill as so many people knew her,<br />
was director <strong>of</strong> the Department <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Nursing</strong> Education at the <strong>University</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> from 1949 to 1963.<br />
Hill vastly improved the nursing<br />
curriculum and her push for higher<br />
standards resulted in the phasing out<br />
<strong>of</strong> the diploma program and the implementation<br />
<strong>of</strong> the first baccalaureate degree<br />
in nursing at <strong>KU</strong>. The nursing degree program<br />
was moved from the College <strong>of</strong> Liberal Arts to the<br />
<strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> Medicine in 1949, and the RN-to-BSN<br />
completion program for practicing nurses was established.<br />
It was during her tenure that the first male and the first<br />
African-American students were admitted to the<br />
<strong>School</strong>. Hill directed the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong><br />
as it received full academic accreditation<br />
from the National League for <strong>Nursing</strong>.<br />
Hill’s students had such fond memories<br />
<strong>of</strong> her that alumni from that era began<br />
the fund that resulted in this pr<strong>of</strong>essorship<br />
in her honor. Grace Harlow Chickadonz,<br />
PhD, RN, FAAN, class <strong>of</strong> 1958, is a<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essor emeritus and former dean <strong>of</strong> the Syracuse<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>.<br />
“Miss Hill was greatly respected by her colleagues and<br />
students alike,” Chickadonz said. “Many graduates remember<br />
her as a teacher and administrator who held the students<br />
to the highest standards, but was always available to provide<br />
By establishing a new<br />
endowed pr<strong>of</strong>essorship or<br />
donating to an existing fund,<br />
contributors can make an<br />
impact that will last<br />
for generations.<br />
14 <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>
MEDALLIONS engraved with the<br />
university seal are presented to<br />
the pr<strong>of</strong>essors during investiture<br />
ceremonies.<br />
support and encouragement<br />
to those who worked hard to<br />
achieve their goals.”<br />
As the E. Jean M. Hill<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>essor, Connors will<br />
continue to forge a path<br />
that Hill began through her<br />
innovative vision and ability<br />
to marshal change. Connors<br />
initiated the use <strong>of</strong> advanced<br />
information technologies<br />
for education and practice,<br />
established policy for telecommunications<br />
and telehealth,<br />
and has spearheaded activities that<br />
promote an informatics network<br />
for public health data across<br />
<strong>Kansas</strong>. Through her efforts,<br />
the <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> has<br />
developed academic<br />
and business partnerships<br />
with both public<br />
and private entities.<br />
These partnerships<br />
support and expand<br />
the use <strong>of</strong> electronic<br />
health care information<br />
and advanced communications<br />
technologies.<br />
Connors is internationally<br />
renowned for innovations in<br />
all levels <strong>of</strong> nursing education.<br />
“It is an honor and a<br />
privilege to be named the first<br />
E. Jean M. Hill Pr<strong>of</strong>essor,”<br />
Connors said. “I did not know<br />
Miss Hill personally; however,<br />
I have heard about her from<br />
my colleagues who had firsthand<br />
experience with Miss<br />
Hill. They described Miss Hill<br />
as first and foremost being an<br />
innovator in nursing education<br />
and secondly as being<br />
stern. There is no doubt in<br />
my mind that her passion to<br />
advance nursing education<br />
and the pr<strong>of</strong>ession <strong>of</strong> nursing<br />
during some very trying times<br />
took courage, fortitude and<br />
required her to stand firm on<br />
her ideals.<br />
“It is these qualities that<br />
brought the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Nursing</strong> where it is today.<br />
She established a vision for the<br />
school and a path for others to<br />
follow. I plan to do my utmost<br />
to carry on the vision she initiated<br />
so many years ago and<br />
the values that are expressed<br />
by those that knew her well,”<br />
Connors added.<br />
For more than 40 years,<br />
endowed funds at the <strong>Kansas</strong><br />
<strong>University</strong> Endowment<br />
Association have helped the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> attract<br />
and keep top-quality faculty<br />
members. These distinguished<br />
faculty members can draw<br />
outstanding colleagues to <strong>KU</strong>,<br />
along with excellent graduate<br />
and undergraduate students,<br />
thus improving the quality<br />
<strong>of</strong> education and research<br />
throughout the <strong>University</strong>.<br />
Having endowed pr<strong>of</strong>essorships<br />
at the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Nursing</strong> allow donors to show<br />
their support <strong>of</strong> the school and<br />
its mission. By establishing a<br />
new endowed pr<strong>of</strong>essorship<br />
or donating to an existing<br />
fund, contributors can make<br />
an impact that will last for<br />
generations. Faculty pr<strong>of</strong>essorships<br />
exist in perpetuity, with<br />
every gift making a difference.<br />
Highlighting Excellence<br />
15
Over(seas)<br />
Achiever<br />
For Robert Hafner, RN, the task <strong>of</strong><br />
completing his bachelor’s degree in<br />
nursing at the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong><br />
was already difficult.<br />
With a full-time job as a registered nurse at<br />
The <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> Hospital’s Burnett Burn<br />
<strong>Center</strong>, a new marriage and a baby on the way,<br />
being a student required dedication.<br />
Being recalled to active status by the U.S. Army<br />
during a time <strong>of</strong> war required something more.<br />
“There was never a question that I would finish<br />
my degree,” Hafner said. “It was just a question <strong>of</strong><br />
how I would make the most <strong>of</strong> the time that I had<br />
left stateside.”<br />
Having recently been married, Hafner decided<br />
to focus on his family and take a leave <strong>of</strong> absence<br />
from academia before he was deployed to serve his<br />
country. Even though he was only eight credit hours<br />
short <strong>of</strong> earning his degree, the decision was an easy<br />
one. The degree could wait.<br />
16 <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>
Above and Beyond – In addition to helping manage the<br />
burn unit at the Al-Asad military hospital, Robert Hafner<br />
completed his bachelor’s degree in nursing through<br />
online courses <strong>of</strong>fered by the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong>.<br />
In June <strong>of</strong> 2007, having spent four<br />
years away from active service, 1st<br />
Lieutenant Hafner reported for duty.<br />
While most people would be<br />
focused on their immediate surroundings,<br />
Hafner approached this<br />
deployment with a plan for the future.<br />
As his Army Reserve unit mobilized<br />
in Wisconsin, Hafner worked to find<br />
a preceptor who could help him earn<br />
his degree online. Luckily, Hafner<br />
was to be stationed with Captain John<br />
Redmond. Redmond’s bachelor’s<br />
degree in nursing, combined with his<br />
master’s in education, allowed him<br />
to be approved as an instructor by<br />
the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
Nurs ing.<br />
Vicki Ross, RN, PhD, a research<br />
assistant in the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>’s<br />
<strong>of</strong>fice <strong>of</strong> grants and research, worked<br />
with the Army to facilitate Hafner’s<br />
online education.<br />
“There was anticipation that the<br />
approval process would take a great<br />
deal <strong>of</strong> time,” Ross said. “Bob made<br />
Over(seas) Achiever<br />
17
“<br />
KA<br />
K<br />
ANSAS<br />
all the contacts and the military was<br />
very supportive. We were all very<br />
pleased that we were able to get Bob’s<br />
programs approved.” That September,<br />
Hafner arrived at the military hospital<br />
in Al Asad – a Marine-controlled<br />
airbase 280 miles west <strong>of</strong> Baghdad<br />
With wound care, you get to see<br />
the patient’s progress and feel<br />
that sense <strong>of</strong> accomplishment<br />
when you help them recover.<br />
– and was immediately pulled into<br />
action. As an <strong>of</strong>ficer, and the only<br />
nurse at the hospital with experience<br />
treating burn victims, Hafner quickly<br />
became Al Asad’s burn expert. With<br />
the next closest burn nurse at the military<br />
hospital in Tikrit, 350 miles to the<br />
north, Hafner was receiving a steady<br />
stream <strong>of</strong> patients who required his<br />
specialized skills.<br />
In addition to his clinical workload,<br />
Hafner was charged with making sure<br />
that his burn unit was fully functional.<br />
“There was a lot <strong>of</strong> on-the-job<br />
training,” Hafner said. “Because so<br />
few people had experience in burn<br />
treatment, we had to get their<br />
clinical skills up to par.”<br />
Hafner continued to work<br />
on completing his degree, despite<br />
all these challenges. In order to<br />
do so, he found himself utilizing<br />
a precious commodity – free<br />
time. Hafner not only shifted his<br />
work schedule to accommodate<br />
his studies, he also dipped into<br />
his own paycheck to purchase<br />
internet access.<br />
While the strain<br />
was noticeable,<br />
Hafner<br />
had someone<br />
he could rely<br />
on to get him<br />
through – his<br />
”<br />
wife Janelle.<br />
“Over half<br />
<strong>of</strong> the individuals<br />
in my unit<br />
had never been deployed before<br />
and didn’t have the coping skills<br />
to really deal with their surroundings,”<br />
Hafner said. “Luckily, I<br />
could call my wife. Being able to<br />
talk to your significant other is a<br />
great buffer for whatever you’re<br />
dealing with, no matter how far<br />
away they are.”<br />
Interacting with his classmates<br />
online also helped Hafner feel a<br />
connection to his studies; and he<br />
was able to <strong>of</strong>fer a unique perspective<br />
in a leadership course.<br />
“There were a lot <strong>of</strong> discus-<br />
18 <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>
sions on how to handle stress,” Hafner<br />
said. “I don’t think they realized where<br />
I was coming from at first, but I was<br />
able to point out some things to them<br />
and I think it was a great help. A lot <strong>of</strong><br />
my classmates let me know that I had<br />
really helped them with their outlook.”<br />
In May 2008, after being stationed<br />
overseas for nine months, Hafner<br />
earned his degree. One month later, he<br />
was able to return home to his wife and<br />
his new-born daughter Anya. Hafner<br />
also returned to a surprise celebration<br />
at the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>Medical</strong><br />
<strong>Center</strong> where he was presented his<br />
diploma by Karen Miller, RN, PhD,<br />
FAAN, dean <strong>of</strong> the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Nursing</strong>, and Rita Clifford, RN, PhD,<br />
associate dean for student affairs at the<br />
<strong>School</strong>.<br />
Hafner was not content to rest on<br />
his laurels. He followed this initial<br />
accomplishment by enrolling in the<br />
<strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>’s master’s<br />
program. Though additional studies<br />
will require additional sacrifices,<br />
Hafner’s up to the challenge.<br />
“With wound care, you get to see<br />
the patient’s progress and feel that<br />
sense <strong>of</strong> accomplishment when you<br />
help them recover,” Hafner said.<br />
“Everyday I’m on the job, it just makes<br />
me want to do it more.”<br />
Graduation, Take Two –<br />
At a surprise awards ceremony, Dean Karen<br />
Miller, RN, PhD, FAAN, and Associate Dean Rita<br />
Clifford, RN, PhD, presented Robert Hafner with his<br />
diploma. Due to his deployment, Hafner was unable<br />
to attend his on-campus graduation.<br />
Over(seas) Achiever<br />
19
+<br />
=<br />
Supporting<br />
Faculty<br />
Practice<br />
+<br />
Providing<br />
Patient care<br />
Improving Health<br />
in the Community<br />
more than 15 years ago, Eleanor Sullivan, RN,<br />
PhD, FAAN, then dean <strong>of</strong> the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Nursing</strong>, championed the first effort for<br />
faculty to continue a clinical<br />
practice while maintaining<br />
their teaching responsibilities.<br />
That venture, which began as a<br />
single faculty member serving<br />
a local community college, is<br />
now a multifaceted and everexpanding<br />
clinical enterprise<br />
known as <strong>KU</strong> HealthPartners,<br />
Inc. (<strong>KU</strong>HP).<br />
Sullivan, who served as dean<br />
from 1988-1995, enlisted Betty Smith<br />
Campbell, a community health nurse,<br />
who began developing clinical services<br />
contracts for <strong>KU</strong> nursing faculty. The first contract,<br />
which provided health services for Johnson County<br />
Community College students in 1993, is a contract <strong>KU</strong><br />
HealthPartners continues today.<br />
“The idea <strong>of</strong> faculty practice plans or clinical entities<br />
managed by faculty from schools is not new,” Dean<br />
Karen Miller, RN, PhD, FAAN, noted. “The challenge<br />
for faculty members engaging in clinical practice is to<br />
establish a business model that supports the costs <strong>of</strong> a clinical<br />
enterprise.”<br />
At other universities, similar programs have traditionally<br />
been grant funded. Miller explained that <strong>of</strong>ten these<br />
programs could not survive financial constraints that<br />
occurred once grant funding was no longer available.<br />
20 <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>
PARTNERS IN HEALTH –<br />
Through a <strong>KU</strong> HealthPartner’s program,<br />
Tai Chi classes are <strong>of</strong>fered (by <strong>KU</strong> faculty<br />
member Jacque Carpenter) to patients<br />
suffering from chronic conditions.<br />
Supporting Faculty Practice + Providing Patient Care = Improving Health in the Community<br />
21
Crafting a Partnership:<br />
A Timeline for <strong>KU</strong>HP<br />
1999<br />
Michael Bleich, RN, PhD,<br />
FAAN, hired & expands the<br />
<strong>of</strong>ferings <strong>of</strong> the organization<br />
This is not the case with <strong>KU</strong> HealthPartners.<br />
In fact, as <strong>KU</strong>HP has continued to expand<br />
its services, its ability to generate revenue has<br />
increased. Through the leadership <strong>of</strong> former<br />
Associate Dean for Clinical and Community<br />
Affairs Michael Bleich, PhD, RN, FAAN, <strong>KU</strong><br />
HealthPartners expanded its services and its<br />
reputation for clinical excellence.<br />
Originally incorporated in 1994 as <strong>KU</strong><br />
1993<br />
Faculty practice concept<br />
introduced to <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>; fi rst contract<br />
established<br />
1995<br />
1995<br />
The faculty practice<br />
incorporates as <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> Corporation<br />
“ As a <strong>KU</strong>HP provider, I <strong>of</strong>fer programs<br />
that enable people to incorporate healthy<br />
behaviors in order to live as well as possible,<br />
despite their chronic health conditions.”<br />
<strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>, Inc., <strong>KU</strong> HealthPartners<br />
reorganized in 2000 to become a joint enterprise<br />
<strong>of</strong> the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> and the <strong>KU</strong><br />
<strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> Allied Health, a school with educational<br />
programs in nine different health care<br />
disciplines.<br />
Partnership is the cornerstone <strong>of</strong> the enterprise<br />
in which the <strong>School</strong>s <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> and<br />
Allied Health work together to maintain the<br />
not-for-pr<strong>of</strong>it 501 (c)(3) corporation. Currently,<br />
<strong>KU</strong>HP is the faculty practice plan and sole<br />
entity through which clinical service contracts<br />
and direct care <strong>of</strong> patients is provided by faculty<br />
<strong>of</strong> both schools. The mission <strong>of</strong> <strong>KU</strong>HP is to<br />
provide clinical services that promote and<br />
support the educational, research and community<br />
service endeavors <strong>of</strong> both schools.<br />
<strong>KU</strong> HealthPartners’ interdisciplinary<br />
approach has captured the attention <strong>of</strong> many in<br />
the health care industry. On numerous occasions,<br />
Miller and other leaders at <strong>KU</strong>HP have<br />
been called upon to describe how their model is<br />
pushing the pr<strong>of</strong>ession to think differently about<br />
systems <strong>of</strong> care.<br />
“Our reputation for outstanding service is<br />
growing, and as a result we’re able to acquire<br />
more outside funding,” Miller said.<br />
In addition to grants, <strong>KU</strong> HealthPartners<br />
has acquired new contracts for consultation,<br />
management and specialized clinical services.<br />
Examples include faculty working with the<br />
American Stroke Foundation, Crittendon<br />
Behavioral Health <strong>Center</strong> and the Bethel<br />
Neighborhood <strong>Center</strong> in <strong>Kansas</strong> City, Kan.<br />
<strong>KU</strong> Clinical Assistant Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Jacque<br />
Carpenter, RNC, MS, PhD, leads three Tai Chi<br />
classes and one meditation and relaxation class<br />
as part <strong>of</strong> the <strong>KU</strong> HealthPartners contract with<br />
Turning Point. Turning Point is the only center<br />
in the <strong>Kansas</strong> City metropolitan area that <strong>of</strong>fers<br />
comprehensive programming for people with<br />
serious or chronic physical illnesses.<br />
22 <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>
2002<br />
<strong>KU</strong>HP named “Practice <strong>of</strong> the Year”<br />
by the National Organization <strong>of</strong><br />
Nurse Practitioner Faculties.<br />
2008<br />
<strong>KU</strong> HealthPartners<br />
generates $1.57 million<br />
in revenue serving more<br />
than 4,200 patient visits<br />
2000<br />
2005<br />
2009<br />
2000<br />
Reorganized to form <strong>KU</strong><br />
HealthPartners, Inc., to refl ect a<br />
joint venture with the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> Allied Health<br />
2006<br />
<strong>KU</strong> HealthPartners, Inc., acquires<br />
the management <strong>of</strong> Silver City<br />
Health <strong>Center</strong> in the Argentine<br />
community <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> City, Kan.<br />
“As a <strong>KU</strong>HP provider, I <strong>of</strong>fer programs that<br />
enable people to incorporate healthy behaviors<br />
in order to live as well as possible, despite their<br />
chronic health conditions,” Carpenter said.<br />
“I have the distinct privilege <strong>of</strong> developing<br />
many lasting friendships with members <strong>of</strong> the<br />
community, whom I might never have met, had<br />
I not participated with <strong>KU</strong> HealthPartners.”<br />
<strong>KU</strong>HP also <strong>of</strong>fers a full range <strong>of</strong> speechlanguage<br />
pathology and audiology services<br />
through clinics at the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong><br />
<strong>Medical</strong> <strong>Center</strong>. Specializing in prevention,<br />
detection, assessment and the rehabilitation <strong>of</strong><br />
hearing disorders, the clinic serves the needs <strong>of</strong><br />
the community and provides audiology students<br />
with a clinical experience.<br />
Through nurse practitioners, speechlanguage<br />
pathologists and audiologists,<br />
physical and occupational therapists, dietitians<br />
and nutritionists, <strong>KU</strong>HP is represented by a<br />
variety <strong>of</strong> health care pr<strong>of</strong>essionals practicing<br />
in the <strong>Kansas</strong> City metropolitan area and<br />
Topeka, Kan.<br />
“<strong>KU</strong> HealthPartners is an important part<br />
<strong>of</strong> our clinical service and education mission,”<br />
Miller said. “This unique entity owned and<br />
managed by the <strong>School</strong> allows faculty to practice<br />
and maintain clinical skills and students to see<br />
Supporting Faculty Practice + Providing Patient Care = Improving Health in the Community<br />
23
Home Sweet Home<br />
Med cal<br />
+<br />
A progressive model and a collaborative approach define<br />
the care patients receive at Silver City Health <strong>Center</strong> in the<br />
Argentine community <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> City, Kan.<br />
This innovative clinic saves lives and<br />
improves health care in an area <strong>of</strong> the community<br />
that has been medically underserved.<br />
“We’ve had patients say to us, ‘I think<br />
I would have died because I wouldn’t have<br />
known where to go,’” said Mary Virden, MSE,<br />
RN, the administrator at Silver City. “People<br />
feel like they’re coming to someone’s home to<br />
visit when they come here, rather than coming<br />
to an institutional place.”<br />
Patient Marilyn Martin agreed, noting<br />
the comprehensive, medical home concept<br />
employed at Silver City is a phenomenal benefit<br />
for the patients. When asked where she would<br />
be if it were not for Silver City Health <strong>Center</strong>,<br />
Martin said simply, “I’d be in trouble.”<br />
Like many patients, Martin said she would<br />
not know where to turn for her health care<br />
because she does not feel like she has many<br />
options. But under the patient-centered model<br />
<strong>of</strong> care established at Silver City Health <strong>Center</strong>,<br />
called a “medical home” or “primary care<br />
home,” patients can visit with a physician or<br />
nurse practitioner and have their care coordinated<br />
with other health pr<strong>of</strong>essionals all under<br />
one ro<strong>of</strong>.<br />
24 <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>
“ Silver City is <strong>of</strong> the community, located in<br />
the community, and we’re here to stay.”<br />
WELL CHILD –<br />
One <strong>of</strong> the many services<br />
that Silver City provides is<br />
well-child checkups. Working<br />
with patients <strong>of</strong> all ages<br />
has positioned the clinic as<br />
a full-service provider.<br />
Home Sweet <strong>Medical</strong> Home<br />
25
“The medical home model is a plus, and that<br />
is a fundamental part <strong>of</strong> everything we do here,”<br />
said Ed Galan, MSN, MA, FNP-C. “It is advantageous<br />
for any patient because it minimizes the<br />
need to send the patient elsewhere for services.”<br />
Galan is the director <strong>of</strong> clinical services at<br />
Silver City. The clinic is one <strong>of</strong> eight safety net<br />
clinics in Wyandotte County, but it is the only<br />
one with a documented, patient-centered model<br />
<strong>of</strong> care that <strong>of</strong>fers expanded services such as an<br />
interdisciplinary approach to diabetes care.<br />
Another noteworthy characteristic <strong>of</strong><br />
Silver City Health <strong>Center</strong> is that it is the only<br />
academic, nurse-managed clinic in <strong>Kansas</strong>. It<br />
is one <strong>of</strong> the clinics operated by <strong>KU</strong> Health-<br />
Partners, Inc., a joint clinical enterprise <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong>s <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> and Allied Health. It<br />
also serves as the practice plan for faculty in the<br />
schools, allowing them to maintain their classroom<br />
and research responsibilities while still<br />
having an opportunity to provide care and keep<br />
their clinical skills current.<br />
<strong>KU</strong> HealthPartners acquired the management<br />
<strong>of</strong> Silver City Health <strong>Center</strong> from the <strong>KU</strong><br />
<strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> Medicine in July 2006, and in February<br />
2007, moved to its current location in the<br />
Argentine community on the southern edge <strong>of</strong><br />
Wyandotte County.<br />
The move provided more than a suitable<br />
environment for a medical clinic. It reassured<br />
the community <strong>of</strong> <strong>KU</strong> <strong>Medical</strong> <strong>Center</strong>’s<br />
commitment.<br />
“Silver City is <strong>of</strong> the community, located<br />
in the community, and we’re here to stay,” said<br />
Dean Karen Miller, RN, PhD, FAAN.<br />
Virden shared in this sentiment, “When we<br />
signed a five-year lease at this location, that sent<br />
a pretty strong message to the community.”<br />
Real-Life Insight –<br />
Ed Galan, MSN, MA, FNP-C, director <strong>of</strong> clinical<br />
services at Silver City, works closely with nursing students<br />
to make sure their clinical experience includes<br />
a mix <strong>of</strong> hands-on evaluation and education. Thanks<br />
to the efforts <strong>of</strong> Silver City pr<strong>of</strong>essionals, students<br />
compete for the opportunity to work at the clinic.<br />
26 <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>
2480<br />
Patient visits<br />
in 2008<br />
Patient visits<br />
in 2007<br />
4200+<br />
The leadership team at Silver City routinely<br />
evaluates their patient population and services<br />
provided to determine what services are needed<br />
in the future. Virden and others examine the<br />
racial and ethnic mix <strong>of</strong> people, insurance and<br />
socioeconomic status <strong>of</strong> patients, and their top<br />
five diagnoses. In addition to well-child checkups<br />
and routine gynecologic exams, the most<br />
common conditions treated at Silver City are<br />
diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia.<br />
Virden said they have structured many <strong>of</strong> their<br />
activities and programs around this data.<br />
The majority <strong>of</strong> Silver City’s patients are<br />
uninsured or under-insured, so payment is<br />
based on a sliding scale. Galan noted the clinic<br />
has acquired a more varied payer mix over<br />
the past year, taking in more patients who are<br />
insured under Medicaid, Medicare and private<br />
insurance. Additional support for the clinic<br />
comes from external grant funding including<br />
the REACH Foundation <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> City,<br />
Wyandotte Health Foundation, the Health<br />
Care Foundation <strong>of</strong> Greater <strong>Kansas</strong> City, the<br />
Sunflower Foundation and the <strong>Kansas</strong> Department<br />
<strong>of</strong> Health and Environment.<br />
“We’re not just <strong>of</strong>fering care. We’re not just<br />
increasing access to care. We’re increasing access<br />
to high-quality, optimal care, and that to me is<br />
really important,” Galan said.<br />
Serving the community is paramount, but<br />
there is also a benefit to nursing, allied health<br />
and medical students who come to Silver City<br />
for clinical education. Students compete for the<br />
spots at Silver City, and the staff at the clinic<br />
strives to make it a high quality and enriching<br />
experience for them.<br />
“We have students in specific programs like<br />
physical therapy or nurse practitioner who need<br />
clinical opportunities that are not necessarily<br />
available in a traditional hospital,” Miller said.<br />
“Silver City <strong>of</strong>fers a nontraditional alternative<br />
for clinical practice with an emphasis on<br />
community based practice and care <strong>of</strong> diverse<br />
populations.”<br />
The pro<strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong> Silver City’s success is in the<br />
continually increasing number <strong>of</strong> patients<br />
served. There were 2,480 patients visits in<br />
calendar year 2007 and more than 4,200 patient<br />
visits in 2008. Miller views this as a tremendous<br />
accomplishment.<br />
“We’ve had great success in increasing our<br />
services in the Argentine community,” Miller<br />
said. “We’re involving more faculty and more<br />
students. The fact that we’ve been able to create<br />
a freestanding, direct patient care clinic in the<br />
community is just an outstanding achievement<br />
that is a source <strong>of</strong> pride at <strong>KU</strong>MC.”<br />
Home Sweet <strong>Medical</strong> Home<br />
27
DNP Rounds Out Advanced Practice Offerings<br />
As the country’s health care system becomes more complex, the need<br />
for highly educated health care providers with advanced clinical skills<br />
increases. To help meet this need, the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Nursing</strong> developed its Doctor <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> Practice (DNP) program.<br />
Historically, the master’s degree has been<br />
the degree for specialized advanced nursing<br />
practice. With the development <strong>of</strong> the<br />
clinical doctorate program, the DNP will<br />
become the preferred preparation for specialty<br />
nursing practice. The American Association<br />
<strong>of</strong> Colleges <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> adopted guidelines<br />
in support <strong>of</strong> DNP programs in 2005. And<br />
in 2008, the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> joined<br />
a number <strong>of</strong> schools <strong>of</strong> nursing across the<br />
country that have added a DNP program to<br />
its educational <strong>of</strong>ferings.<br />
The <strong>KU</strong> DNP curriculum prepares<br />
nurses for the highest level <strong>of</strong> nursing practice<br />
in patient care and for leadership in<br />
health care systems. The DNP <strong>of</strong>fers sophisticated,<br />
cutting-edge experiences that help<br />
nurses actively engage in a complex, dynamic<br />
and demanding health care field. Skills in<br />
collaboration, innovation and evaluation,<br />
complemented by advanced practice nursing<br />
skills will prepare nurses to shape the<br />
future <strong>of</strong> health care. Such advanced practice<br />
nurses will provide patient-centered care that<br />
is evidence-based, contribute to the development<br />
<strong>of</strong> evidence-based practice and pursue<br />
leadership roles in a variety <strong>of</strong> health care and<br />
educational settings.<br />
Sharon Bailey, ARNP, MSN, is a <strong>KU</strong><br />
DNP student. As the only adult nurse practitioner<br />
in a <strong>Kansas</strong> pulmonary and sleep<br />
specialty clinic, Bailey cares for hospitalized<br />
patients, plans and modifies care when<br />
needed, provides an integrated link to the<br />
physicians, teaches and serves as a resource for<br />
nurses at the bedside.<br />
“Being clinically focused, I see the DNP<br />
as an opportunity to continue to expand my<br />
knowledge base within my personal areas<br />
<strong>of</strong> clinical interest,” Bailey said. “I chose the<br />
DNP because <strong>of</strong> the clinical focus. The DNP<br />
allows for advanced clinical focus with a<br />
terminal degree that will be commensurate<br />
with the skills that we provide in the clinical<br />
arena,” Bailey continued.<br />
Initially, <strong>KU</strong>’s DNP program is admitting<br />
only post-master’s students and therefore,<br />
is designed to assist that master’s-prepared<br />
nurse in gaining more depth and breadth<br />
in the specialty area in which the individual<br />
completed the MS degree. It is not designed<br />
to educate the individual in a new specialty<br />
area. In certain leadership tracks there may be<br />
master’s level prerequisite courses which can<br />
be taken, prior to the DNP, that can allow a<br />
student to proceed to the DNP level courses<br />
in a new leadership specialty area. In the near<br />
future, the program will also accept postbaccalaureate<br />
students. These students will<br />
complete the courses, which have traditionally<br />
been in master’s level programs, plus courses<br />
leading to the DNP.<br />
28 <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>
The addition <strong>of</strong> the DNP rounds-out<br />
the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>’s doctoral degree<br />
options, as the <strong>School</strong> still <strong>of</strong>fers the online<br />
Doctor <strong>of</strong> Philosophy (PhD) in <strong>Nursing</strong><br />
program. Established in 1983, the PhD<br />
program is research focused. This program<br />
prepares graduates to function in faculty<br />
positions in college and university settings; to<br />
conduct independent research and scholarly<br />
endeavors in nursing; to generate and expand<br />
theoretical, empirical and philosophical bases<br />
for nursing practice; and to provide leadership<br />
to the pr<strong>of</strong>ession and interpret nursing to<br />
society.<br />
The nurse engaged in doctoral study in<br />
nursing is typically an adult learner with<br />
unique perspectives gained from personal,<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essional and educational experiences.<br />
Learning is achieved through independent<br />
study and research, as well as through<br />
completion <strong>of</strong> courses <strong>of</strong> instruction.<br />
“I chose the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> for<br />
its central location and great reputation for<br />
research,” said Kelli Kramer-Jackman, PhD,<br />
ARNP, FNP-BC, now a clinical assistant<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essor at the <strong>School</strong>.<br />
“I was instructed by some <strong>of</strong> the smartest<br />
and most caring people I have ever met – I<br />
loved it,” Kramer-Jackman said. “My PhD<br />
education was strenuous, but it was the best.<br />
Taking courses taught by people who actually<br />
experienced and participated in some <strong>of</strong> nursing’s<br />
more recent revolutions has been eye<br />
opening, and lets the learner feel the true<br />
impact <strong>of</strong> what nurse researchers<br />
really can accomplish.”<br />
The <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> DNP <strong>of</strong>fers nurses a variety <strong>of</strong><br />
specialty tracks within two majors:<br />
Advanced Practice Majors:<br />
• Adult-Gerontological Clinical Nurse Specialist<br />
• Adult-Gerontological Nurse Practitioner<br />
• Certified Nurse-Midwife<br />
• Family Nurse Practitioner<br />
• Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner<br />
Leadership Majors:<br />
• Healthcare Informatics<br />
• Organizational Leadership<br />
• Public Health<br />
Of the <strong>KU</strong> PhD graduates between the years <strong>of</strong> 1986-2007,<br />
72 percent have been employed in nursing education as faculty members, researchers and<br />
administrators. Employment categories for the remaining 28 percent include directors <strong>of</strong><br />
research in hospitals, hospital systems and other health agencies, pharmaceutical research,<br />
clinical practice settings, National Institutes <strong>of</strong> Health, consultation, pr<strong>of</strong>essional writing and<br />
nursing administration positions in hospitals and other agencies.<br />
DNP Rounds Out Advanced Practice Offerings<br />
29
30 <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>
Investing in the Future<br />
Anew program to enhance the<br />
faculty and staff development<br />
at the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong><br />
is more than just a passive sign <strong>of</strong><br />
support – so said Eldonna Sylvia, RN,<br />
MN, ARNP, FNP, a faculty member<br />
who teaches in <strong>KU</strong>’s nurse practitioner<br />
program.<br />
“It says, ‘we believe in you.’”<br />
Sylvia is a student in the first<br />
class <strong>of</strong> the doctor <strong>of</strong> nursing practice<br />
program (DNP) that began in Fall<br />
2008. As the lead faculty person at the<br />
outreach site in Garden City, Kan.,<br />
Sylvia decided to pursue her doctorate<br />
so she can be a model for her students<br />
and also to gain personal and pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
satisfaction.<br />
Sylvia is the recipient <strong>of</strong> a new<br />
tuition benefit that aids <strong>KU</strong> nursing<br />
faculty who wish to pursue a doctoral<br />
degree.<br />
“I am immensely grateful,” she<br />
said. “The <strong>School</strong> has been very generous,<br />
both with allowing me the time<br />
(to complete the DNP) and with the<br />
tuition benefit. I probably could not<br />
have done it otherwise, especially now<br />
in this economic crunch.”<br />
Investing in the future – The fi ve-year enhancement<br />
program that began last fall provides support for<br />
Eldonna Sylvia, RN, MN, ARNP, FNP, who is working<br />
toward her DNP. Sylvia’s role as lead faculty at the<br />
outreach site in Garden City, Kan., will help bring<br />
advanced nursing practice to rural areas <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong>.<br />
Historically, tens <strong>of</strong> thousands<br />
<strong>of</strong> qualified applicants are turned<br />
away from nursing schools each year<br />
due in part to faculty shortages. So,<br />
in an effort to develop more nurse<br />
educators, the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong><br />
launched an aggressive program to<br />
attract and retain talented faculty.<br />
The five-year Faculty and Staff<br />
Enhancement Program is a multifaceted<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essional development plan<br />
that provides doctoral studies opportunities<br />
along with other programs to<br />
enrich the work environment. The<br />
program began in the fall <strong>of</strong> 2008<br />
and includes resources dedicated to<br />
supporting current <strong>KU</strong> nursing faculty<br />
members who wish to pursue doctoral<br />
studies.<br />
The nation as a whole is expecting<br />
dramatic reductions in its nursing<br />
workforce as a result <strong>of</strong> retirement and<br />
other factors. As the general population<br />
ages, so does the population <strong>of</strong><br />
practicing nurses and nurse educators.<br />
The latest national projections from<br />
the U. S. Bureau <strong>of</strong> Labor Statistics<br />
indicate the need for more than one<br />
million new and replacement nurses<br />
within eight years. More nursing<br />
educators are necessary to meet that<br />
need. Since doctoral education is time<br />
consuming and costly, Dean Karen<br />
Investing in the Future<br />
31
$<br />
The Faculty and Staff Enhancement Program was<br />
budgeted for fi ve years and is supported through<br />
revenues from research and clinical activities.<br />
“<br />
Miller, RN, PhD, FAAN, decided on a plan.<br />
“Without a sufficient number <strong>of</strong> experienced<br />
teachers, we cannot educate enough nurses to<br />
meet the growing demand,” Miller said. The<br />
primary reason for developing an enhancement<br />
program was to attract nurses interested in<br />
teaching careers and provide financial support<br />
for their academic preparation.<br />
“It seemed timely to me to propose a plan at<br />
the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> to<br />
enhance the capacity <strong>of</strong> individuals to complete<br />
doctoral education in nursing,” Miller said.<br />
While other institutions and some states<br />
have implemented various forms <strong>of</strong> faculty<br />
incentive programs, the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong><br />
has taken a broader approach to the development<br />
and renewal <strong>of</strong> its faculty and staff. In the<br />
past five years, faculty and staff members <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>School</strong> have been dedicated to the development<br />
Creating opportunities<br />
for the pr<strong>of</strong>essional development<br />
<strong>of</strong> faculty and staff is an<br />
investment in the future<br />
<strong>of</strong> the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>,<br />
its students and graduates.<br />
<strong>of</strong> new academic programs, revising the master’s<br />
degree curriculum and developing the DNP<br />
program. The <strong>School</strong> has also acquired the<br />
management <strong>of</strong> a community-based patient care<br />
clinic, Silver City Health <strong>Center</strong>, and submitted<br />
over 100 research and service grant proposals.<br />
In addition, faculty members have served as<br />
clinical and organizational experts on numerous<br />
local, regional and national projects in nursing.<br />
“In my mind, the faculty and staff <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>School</strong> have been very busy and very successful,”<br />
Miller said. “I thought that it was time for<br />
us to renew ourselves with a focus on personal<br />
growth. These kinds <strong>of</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>essional opportunities<br />
enrich the work environment <strong>of</strong> the <strong>School</strong><br />
in ways that people find meaningful.”<br />
The enhancement program for doctoral<br />
studies invites current faculty members to<br />
apply for financial support in order to pursue<br />
a doctorate degree. In addition to the doctor<br />
<strong>of</strong> nursing practice degree, which began<br />
last fall, the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong><br />
currently <strong>of</strong>fers the traditional<br />
”<br />
doctor <strong>of</strong> philosophy program<br />
in an online format. Faculty<br />
members can choose to participate<br />
in one <strong>of</strong> the <strong>KU</strong> doctoral<br />
programs, or, if a more<br />
appropriate degree program<br />
is <strong>of</strong>fered elsewhere, they can<br />
enroll in a program at another<br />
institution and still receive the<br />
financial support.<br />
Once accepted as a “faculty<br />
scholar” <strong>of</strong> the <strong>School</strong>, the faculty<br />
member receives tuition support, along<br />
32 <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>
with a stipend for books and related materials,<br />
and adjusted work and teaching loads. The<br />
financial assistance is <strong>of</strong>fered for three years,<br />
and it does not have to be repaid so long as<br />
the faculty member continues to teach at <strong>KU</strong><br />
for two years after completion <strong>of</strong> the degree<br />
program.<br />
“The <strong>School</strong> will get back what they put<br />
into this program,” said Sylvia, who will start at<br />
least two or three more classes <strong>of</strong> NP students at<br />
the Garden City location.<br />
“I want to show my students that they can<br />
do this, too,” she said. “The NP students I teach<br />
will have the choice to go on to complete their<br />
doctorate, and I want them to know that it is<br />
valued.” Sylvia said she also feels compelled to<br />
complete the DNP so that she will be appropriately<br />
prepared to teach students at that level,<br />
and because it gives her personal satisfaction. “I<br />
like to learn. It is fun, challenging, and satisfying<br />
to think deeply and to write.”<br />
The enhancement program has four other<br />
components: cultural enrichment, pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
development funds, personal wellness opportunities<br />
and publication support. The cultural<br />
enrichment program is a grant-funded, longitudinal<br />
project that brings national speakers and<br />
unique learning opportunities to campus. The<br />
goal <strong>of</strong> the cultural enrichment program is to<br />
help faculty learn better ways to help prepare<br />
students for the changing cultural and ethnic<br />
diversity <strong>of</strong> the population <strong>of</strong> patients and<br />
students. The personal pr<strong>of</strong>essional development<br />
funds provide individuals a set amount <strong>of</strong><br />
money each year to use for pr<strong>of</strong>essional activities.<br />
This allocation may be used for continuing<br />
education, books and journals, pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
organization participation, and pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
travel, among other activities. Wellness and<br />
self-care opportunities are <strong>of</strong>fered on site in<br />
conjunction with physical therapy students in<br />
the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> Allied Health. And, to assist<br />
faculty members in writing manuscripts for<br />
submission to scholarly journals, a part-time<br />
consultant has been hired by the <strong>School</strong>.<br />
Since a substantial monetary commitment is<br />
necessary for the success <strong>of</strong> this type <strong>of</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
development program, funds have been<br />
allocated to subsidize the overall faculty and<br />
staff enhancement program for the next five<br />
years. These funds were accumulated over<br />
several years from non state-funded sources<br />
<strong>of</strong> revenue as a result <strong>of</strong> research, clinical and<br />
service activities. These funds are available to<br />
the school for discretionary purposes in support<br />
<strong>of</strong> the three missions: education, research and<br />
clinical practice and service to <strong>Kansas</strong> and the<br />
community.<br />
“Creating opportunities for the pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
development <strong>of</strong> faculty and staff is an investment<br />
in the future <strong>of</strong> the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>,<br />
its students and graduates,” Miller said. “The<br />
enhancement program is one approach to ensuring<br />
that the <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> will continue to<br />
have outstanding educational programs with<br />
excellent nurse educators to meet the needs <strong>of</strong><br />
potential students and people needing nursing<br />
care into the next twenty years.”<br />
Learn more about the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong><br />
Faculty and Staff Enhancement Program:<br />
www2.kumc.edu/son/fsep<br />
Investing in the Future<br />
33
Emerging Researchers<br />
Office <strong>of</strong> Grants & Research helps faculty<br />
navigate competitive grant environment<br />
Junior faculty members at research institutions<br />
<strong>of</strong>ten have their work cut out when trying<br />
to establish themselves as independent investigators.<br />
As such, the Office <strong>of</strong> Grants and Research<br />
(OGR) in the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> provides an<br />
important function by serving as both a launching<br />
pad for pilot studies and the infrastructure<br />
for established projects. Most importantly, the<br />
OGR can help new investigators develop the<br />
necessary research skills by providing internal<br />
funding and assistance in the process <strong>of</strong> submitting<br />
viable grant applications.<br />
“I can’t imagine conducting my research<br />
without the help <strong>of</strong> the OGR,” said Ubolrat<br />
Piamjariyakul, RN, PhD, research assistant<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essor.<br />
For the past eight years, Piamjariyakul has<br />
assisted on research projects in the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>. In 2005, working with Carol Smith,<br />
RN, PhD, as her mentor and collaborator, she<br />
received seed money from the OGR to develop<br />
methods that she would require for her own<br />
line <strong>of</strong> research – examining self-management<br />
<strong>of</strong> heart failure patients. She has since secured<br />
funding from the American Heart Association<br />
to continue her program <strong>of</strong> research. The grant<br />
application process she went through to obtain<br />
the OGR funding mirrored her experience<br />
applying for funding from the American Heart<br />
Association.<br />
34 <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>
GROWING OUR OWN –<br />
In working with her mentor Carol Smith, RN,<br />
PhD (right), Ubolrat Piamjariyakul, RN, PhD,<br />
research assistant pr<strong>of</strong>essor (center), benefi ts<br />
from the success <strong>of</strong> the Offi ce <strong>of</strong> Grants<br />
and Research by receiving internal funding<br />
to support her research. Piamjaryakul has<br />
developed her own line <strong>of</strong> research examining<br />
self-management <strong>of</strong> heart failure patients as a<br />
result <strong>of</strong> her work with Smith.<br />
“I learned a lot doing my initial focus group<br />
study,” Piamjariyakul said. “The process itself,<br />
determining the scientific merit and rigor, as<br />
well as establishing a methodology, the Office <strong>of</strong><br />
Grants and Research helped me with all <strong>of</strong> it.”<br />
Approximately 10 years ago, the OGR<br />
in the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> <strong>of</strong>fered a small<br />
grant <strong>of</strong> about $500 to a faculty member to help<br />
get her research <strong>of</strong>f the ground. Today, the<br />
OGR supports both nursing and allied health<br />
researchers and is able to <strong>of</strong>fer $36,000 in internal<br />
funding to nursing researchers.<br />
The staff in the OGR helps researchers<br />
navigate the complicated and time-consuming<br />
grant application process by setting up timelines,<br />
reviewing application materials, developing<br />
budgets, and serving as a liaison with our<br />
institutional <strong>of</strong>ficial, the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>Medical</strong> <strong>Center</strong><br />
Research Institute, Inc. The OGR also provides<br />
post-award support by helping with the logistics<br />
<strong>of</strong> securing space, coordinating technology<br />
needs, and monitoring expenses. Having these<br />
services centralized and coordinated in one<br />
<strong>of</strong>fice is a major benefit to faculty researchers.<br />
Since 2003, the <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> has<br />
increased its grant awards by more than $2<br />
million with multi-year funding over $6 million.<br />
In turn, this has allowed them to increase internal<br />
nursing grant funding from $6,500 in 2003<br />
to $36,000 in 2008.<br />
Marge Bott, RN, PhD, associate dean for<br />
nursing research, oversees the OGR.<br />
“As a result <strong>of</strong> this success, the OGR has<br />
gradually been able to <strong>of</strong>fer more institutional<br />
Emerging Researchers<br />
35
“<br />
grants to nursing faculty for<br />
pilot projects, feasibility studies<br />
and practice awards,” Bott<br />
said. Researchers such as Piamjariyakul are<br />
on the receiving end <strong>of</strong> those internal grant<br />
dollars, and that allowed her to go from working<br />
on other faculty’s projects to developing her<br />
own program <strong>of</strong> research.<br />
“I can’t say enough good things about the team in the<br />
Office <strong>of</strong> Grants and Research,” Piamjariyakul said.<br />
In 2008, the OGR assisted with 20 <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong><br />
grant applications and 26 <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> Allied Health<br />
applications, securing more than $13 million in direct<br />
costs. Since the OGR works with faculty in the <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Nursing</strong> and the <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> Allied Health, Bott said one <strong>of</strong><br />
the most useful aspects <strong>of</strong> her team is identifying potential<br />
collaborations.<br />
“Federal funders are looking for projects that involve<br />
multidisciplinary teams,” Bott said. “We can help identify<br />
co-investigators and other partners to collaborate on<br />
a project.” With anticipated cuts to federal funding, this<br />
is an important aspect <strong>of</strong> the services <strong>of</strong> the OGR since<br />
applications are more likely to be funded if an<br />
investigator can demonstrate that he/she is<br />
capitalizing on resources.<br />
Thanks to their successful efforts over<br />
the past five years, both junior faculty and<br />
I can’t say enough good things<br />
about the team in the<br />
Office <strong>of</strong> Grants<br />
and Research.<br />
experienced investigators in the <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Nursing</strong> can rely on the OGR team to help<br />
them in their research endeavors –even<br />
during times <strong>of</strong> fiscal constraint.<br />
0.2%<br />
21.6%<br />
11.1%<br />
65.3%<br />
”<br />
Sources <strong>of</strong> Grant Revenue, by Sponsor<br />
<strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>, 2008<br />
National Institutes <strong>of</strong> Health<br />
Other Federal mechanisms<br />
1.7%<br />
American <strong>Nursing</strong> Association<br />
<strong>Kansas</strong> Health Institute<br />
Private foundations<br />
36 <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>
Current Faculty Research & Training Grants<br />
Lauren Aaronson, RN, PhD, FAAN<br />
Sandra Bergquist-Beringer, RN, PhD<br />
Wanda Bonnel, RN, PhD, ARNP<br />
Marge Bott, RN, PhD<br />
A Randomized Exercise Trial<br />
for Wheelchair Users<br />
Sponsor: National Institutes <strong>of</strong> Health<br />
A CDSS (Computerized Decision Support<br />
System) to Translate Ulcer Prediction and<br />
Prevention to Home Health Care<br />
Sponsor: Agency for Healthcare<br />
Research and Quality<br />
Career Ladder, Adult-Geriatric<br />
CNS/Educator<br />
Sponsor: US Health Resources<br />
and Services Administration<br />
The Impact <strong>of</strong> Quality End-<strong>of</strong>-Life<br />
Care in <strong>Nursing</strong> Homes<br />
Sponsor: National Institutes <strong>of</strong> Health<br />
Cultural Change and Turnover<br />
in <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> Homes<br />
Sponsor: <strong>Kansas</strong> Department on Aging<br />
Rita Clifford, RN, PhD<br />
Helen Connors, RN, PhD, FAAN<br />
Nancy Dunton, PhD<br />
Debra Ford, PhD<br />
Advanced Educational <strong>Nursing</strong><br />
Traineeship Program<br />
Sponsor: US Health Resources<br />
and Services Administration<br />
Nurse Faculty Loan Program<br />
Sponsor: US Health Resources<br />
and Services Administration<br />
Nurse Educator Scholarship Program<br />
Sponsor: <strong>Kansas</strong> Board <strong>of</strong> Regents<br />
Health Information Security<br />
and Privacy Collaboration<br />
Sponsor: <strong>Kansas</strong> Health Institute<br />
KHI/<strong>KU</strong>MC <strong>Center</strong> for<br />
Health Informatics<br />
Sponsor: <strong>Kansas</strong> Health Institute<br />
Faculty Development: Integrated<br />
Technology into <strong>Nursing</strong> Education and<br />
Practice Initiative<br />
Sponsor: US Health Resources and<br />
Services Administration<br />
<strong>Nursing</strong> Faculty and Supplies<br />
Supplemental Grant<br />
Sponsor: <strong>Kansas</strong> Board <strong>of</strong> Regents<br />
National Database <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> Quality<br />
Indicators 2007-2010<br />
Sponsor: American Nurses Association<br />
National Database <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> Quality<br />
Indicators Report Development<br />
Sponsor: American Nurses Association<br />
National Database <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> Quality<br />
Indicators Methods Development<br />
Sponsor: American Nurses Association<br />
Data and Research Support for Study <strong>of</strong><br />
Electronic <strong>Medical</strong> Records and Nurse<br />
Staffing: Best Practices and Performance<br />
Impact<br />
Sponsor: National Institutes <strong>of</strong> Health<br />
Supporting Recruitment and<br />
Retention <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> Doctorates<br />
Sponsor: US Department <strong>of</strong> Education<br />
Nelda Godfrey, PhD, RN, CNS-BC<br />
Edna Hamera, RN, PhD, ARNP<br />
Karen Miller, RN, PhD, FAAN<br />
Moya Peterson, RN, PhD<br />
Adapting the Nurse Preceptor Academy<br />
and Nurse Mentoring Toolkit<br />
Sponsor: Health Alliance<br />
<strong>of</strong> MidAmerica LLC<br />
A Psychiatric Rehabilitation<br />
Approach to Weight Loss<br />
Sponsor: National Institutes <strong>of</strong> Health<br />
Improving Health and Health Care: A Bi-<br />
State Investment in <strong>Nursing</strong><br />
Sponsor: <strong>Kansas</strong> City Area<br />
Life Sciences Institute<br />
A Naturalistic Study and Video Essay on<br />
the Experiences <strong>of</strong> Adults with Down<br />
Syndrome and their Families<br />
Sponsor: Special Olympics International<br />
Current Faculty Research<br />
37
Current Faculty Research & Training Grants<br />
Ubolrat Piamjariyakul, RN, PhD<br />
Janet Pierce, ARNP, CCRN, DSN<br />
Carol Smith, RN, PhD<br />
Valmi Sousa, RN, PhD<br />
Multidisciplinary Education:<br />
Improving Elder Heart Failure Patients’<br />
Self-Management<br />
Sponsor: American Heart Association –<br />
Heartland Chapter<br />
Lung and Diaphragm Damage at Varying<br />
Oxygen Levels and Ventilator Modes Post<br />
Hemorrhagic Shock<br />
Sponsor: US Department <strong>of</strong> Defense<br />
Tri-Services<br />
HF (Heart Failure) Group Appointments<br />
Re-hospitalization Prevention<br />
Sponsor: National Institutes <strong>of</strong> Health<br />
Minority Supplement:<br />
HF (Heart Failure) Group Appointments<br />
Re-hospitalization Prevention<br />
Sponsor: National Institutes <strong>of</strong> Health<br />
An Instrument to Measure Perception<br />
<strong>of</strong> Risk Factors for T2DM<br />
(Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus)<br />
Sponsor: American Nurses Foundation<br />
Technological Home Care:<br />
Improving Caregiving<br />
Sponsor: National Institutes <strong>of</strong> Health<br />
Cynthia Teel, RN, BSN, MSN, PhD<br />
Noreen Thompson, RN, MSN<br />
Mary Virden, BSN, MSEd<br />
Robert Wood Johnson Executive<br />
Nurse Fellow Program<br />
Sponsor: Robert Wood Johnson<br />
Foundation<br />
Self-care TALK to Promote Alzheimer’s<br />
Disease Spousal Caregiver Health<br />
Sponsor: National Institutes <strong>of</strong> Health<br />
Non-Epileptic Seizure Patients:<br />
Support & Education at the Time <strong>of</strong><br />
Diagnostic Disclosure<br />
Sponsor: American Nurses Foundation<br />
Silver City Health Clinic Continued<br />
Safety Net Services<br />
Sponsor: REACH Healthcare Foundation<br />
Primary Care Clinic Grant<br />
Sponsor: <strong>Kansas</strong> Department <strong>of</strong> Health<br />
and Environment<br />
<strong>Kansas</strong> Department <strong>of</strong> Health and<br />
Environment Statewide Diabetes<br />
Quality <strong>of</strong> Care Initiative<br />
Sponsor: <strong>Kansas</strong> Department <strong>of</strong> Health<br />
and Environment<br />
Pediatric Obesity Pilot<br />
Sponsor: Department <strong>of</strong> Health and<br />
Human Services<br />
Core Operating Grant<br />
Sponsor: Health Care Foundation <strong>of</strong><br />
Greater <strong>Kansas</strong> City<br />
Support for Silver City Health <strong>Center</strong>:<br />
Primary and Chronic Care Services<br />
Sponsor: Wyandotte Health Foundation<br />
Karen Wambach, RN, PhD<br />
Promoting and Supporting<br />
Breastfeeding in Adolescents<br />
Sponsor: National Institutes <strong>of</strong> Health<br />
38 <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong><br />
Kristine Williams, RN, PhD<br />
Elderspeak: Impact on Dementia Care<br />
Sponsor: National Institutes <strong>of</strong> Health<br />
Phoebe Williams, RN, PhD, FAAN<br />
Therapy-Related Symptom Checklist for<br />
Children (TRSC-C): Systematic Monitoring<br />
<strong>of</strong> Symptoms to Improve Oncology<br />
Interventions<br />
Sponsor: Alex’s Lemonade Stand<br />
Foundation
<strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> at a Glance<br />
Growth in Enrollment 2004-2008<br />
2004 SON Enrollment<br />
720<br />
2008 SON Enrollment<br />
474<br />
298<br />
335<br />
321<br />
385<br />
142<br />
176<br />
Undergraduate<br />
Programs<br />
All Graduate<br />
Programs<br />
Master’s<br />
Programs<br />
Total SON<br />
Enrollment<br />
<strong>Nursing</strong> Undergraduate Pr<strong>of</strong>ile, 2008<br />
86<br />
Average GPA <strong>of</strong> students<br />
admitted to <strong>KU</strong>’s BSN program<br />
Percentage <strong>of</strong> students in current<br />
BSN class with <strong>Kansas</strong> residency<br />
3.7<br />
Average age <strong>of</strong> incoming BSN students, Fall 200824<br />
488<br />
128<br />
Total applications to the<br />
BSN program, Fall 2008<br />
Full-time students admitted to the<br />
BSN program from those applications<br />
<strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> at a Glance<br />
39
Vision for the Future<br />
Generating a renewed interest from our<br />
alumni in the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>Medical</strong><br />
<strong>Center</strong> (<strong>KU</strong>MC) is the top priority <strong>of</strong> new<br />
alumni Director Kimberly Huyett.<br />
“We want to make sure that<br />
people know who we are and what<br />
we’re doing,” Huyett said. “Especially<br />
in the nursing program,<br />
where the budget is geared toward<br />
enhancing the student experience,<br />
we want to show our alumni how<br />
their support furthers education<br />
and research.”<br />
Huyett has served the <strong>Kansas</strong><br />
City region in a number <strong>of</strong><br />
capacities. At the <strong>Kansas</strong> City Art<br />
Institute, Huyett<br />
was the<br />
Director <strong>of</strong> Auxiliaries and<br />
worked with affinity groups to<br />
raise money and awareness about<br />
the institution. Prior to coming to<br />
<strong>KU</strong>MC, she served as the senior<br />
director <strong>of</strong> alumni and constituent<br />
relations for the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
Missouri-<strong>Kansas</strong> City.<br />
Now, Huyett is ready to focus<br />
her talents on strengthening the<br />
alumni base <strong>of</strong> the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>Medical</strong><br />
<strong>Center</strong>. She has assumed the<br />
responsibility <strong>of</strong> making sure<br />
<strong>KU</strong>MC graduates feel as though<br />
they have a strong connection to<br />
their past – as well as a clear vision<br />
<strong>of</strong> the future. Huyett said she<br />
hopes all <strong>KU</strong>MC graduates will<br />
join the <strong>KU</strong>MC alumni association<br />
so they can be part <strong>of</strong> this<br />
institution’s success story.<br />
“There have been so<br />
many developments<br />
recently, I think<br />
people will be very<br />
surprised,” Huyett<br />
said. “In the short<br />
amount <strong>of</strong> time that<br />
I’ve been here, I’ve<br />
been very impressed<br />
by all the initiatives<br />
the alumni <strong>of</strong>fice<br />
Original <strong>KU</strong> Nurse’s pendant<br />
circa 1930<br />
40 <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>
a comprehensive list<br />
<strong>of</strong> graduates for an<br />
electronic newsletter.<br />
Titled “Connecting with<br />
<strong>KU</strong>MC Alumni,” the<br />
newsletter was sent to<br />
7,993 alumni in February.<br />
“This isn’t a typical<br />
newsletter,” Huyett said. “We<br />
want to <strong>of</strong>fer an inside look at<br />
the future <strong>of</strong> the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>Medical</strong><br />
<strong>Center</strong>. Our alumni should<br />
feel a strong connection to the<br />
association, and this newsletter<br />
is an opportunity to communicate<br />
all the great things that<br />
we’re working on. This publication<br />
comes to our alumni<br />
directly from the Executive<br />
Vice Chancellor, Dr. Barbara<br />
Atkinson, and is designed to<br />
ensure that all our alumni<br />
receive current news about our<br />
great institution straight from<br />
leadership.”<br />
Huyett’s desire to commustaff<br />
has been able to put into<br />
place.”<br />
Huyett indicated that the<br />
primary task is growing the<br />
alumni association’s membership<br />
so that graduates feel<br />
they are part <strong>of</strong> the medical<br />
center’s accomplishments. To<br />
do this, the alumni association<br />
is putting the finishing touches<br />
on a new Web site so graduates<br />
will be informed and thus<br />
get involved in their alma<br />
mater. Designed for old and<br />
new members alike, the site<br />
will assist with alumni affiliation,<br />
gift giving and event<br />
registration.<br />
To accompany the<br />
recently updated Web site, the<br />
alumni association compiled<br />
nicate with <strong>KU</strong> <strong>Medical</strong><br />
<strong>Center</strong> graduates extends<br />
beyond the newsletter. Alumni<br />
who want an up-close view <strong>of</strong><br />
progress have a standing invitation<br />
to stop by the alumni<br />
association <strong>of</strong>fice.<br />
“I want to give people a<br />
place where they feel comfortable<br />
stopping in and visiting,”<br />
Huyett said. “Our <strong>of</strong>fice is a<br />
resource – one that’s always<br />
open to our alumni.”<br />
Contact Us:<br />
Offi ce <strong>of</strong> Alumni Relations<br />
(913) 588-1255<br />
www.kumc.edu/alumni<br />
“Our <strong>of</strong>fice is a resource –<br />
one that’s always open<br />
to our alumni.”<br />
– Kim Huyett<br />
Director, <strong>KU</strong>MC Alumni Relations<br />
Vision for the Future<br />
41
Thank You for Supporting the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong><br />
“... it would not have been possible for me to be<br />
on this path without the help <strong>of</strong> scholarships<br />
and the kind people behind them.<br />
”<br />
For more than a century, the <strong>School</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> has worked to become a<br />
comprehensive nursing institution by<br />
<strong>of</strong>fering advanced programs <strong>of</strong> study, leadingedge<br />
research initiatives and a faculty and<br />
staff dedicated to providing service to the<br />
community.<br />
Gifts received from alumni and friends to<br />
assist in preparing future nursing leaders can<br />
be directed toward scholarships, research or<br />
other designated funds. Scholarships are a key<br />
component in attracting promising students<br />
and assisting those with financial need.<br />
Senior nursing student Sounithta Vilayvanh<br />
is a recipient <strong>of</strong> scholarships made<br />
possible through the support <strong>of</strong> donors and<br />
alumni. She said she is thankful for the generosity<br />
<strong>of</strong> the alumni and friends <strong>of</strong> the <strong>KU</strong><br />
<strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> because it has helped her<br />
on her path to becoming a nurse.<br />
“I cannot imagine a better gift than the<br />
opportunity to invest my life in becoming a<br />
nurse,” Vilayvanh said. “To me, nursing is a<br />
way <strong>of</strong> life, <strong>of</strong> caring for people and giving<br />
kindness. What is humbling is that I know it<br />
would not have been possible for me to be on<br />
this path without the help <strong>of</strong> scholarships and<br />
the kind people behind them.”<br />
Still, the shortage <strong>of</strong> nurses in the workforce<br />
continues to be a growing concern.<br />
Hidden behind this problem is a more<br />
troubling issue: a severe shortage <strong>of</strong> nurse<br />
educators. To ensure the best teachers are<br />
recruited and kept in the <strong>KU</strong> family, the<br />
Senior nursing students Sounithta Vilayvanh and Angela Mullis<br />
visit with Mani Mani, MD, and Rebekah Mani, MS, RD, <strong>School</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> donors, at the 2008 Dean’s Club reception. As a<br />
scholarship recipient, Vilayvanh (second from right) was the<br />
student speaker at the event.<br />
<strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> has established two<br />
endowed pr<strong>of</strong>essorships. These pr<strong>of</strong>essorships<br />
are possible because <strong>of</strong> generous gifts<br />
to the <strong>School</strong>. They provide necessary funds<br />
to support the <strong>School</strong>’s outstanding faculty<br />
members, adding prestige and attracting top<br />
students. The generosity <strong>of</strong> alumni helps to<br />
sustain these pr<strong>of</strong>essorships.<br />
Your contribution can make a difference<br />
in helping to <strong>of</strong>fset the rapidly increasing<br />
costs <strong>of</strong> tuition and operating expenses that<br />
are <strong>of</strong>ten unmet by state budgetary allocations.<br />
Supporting the <strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong><br />
provides critical resources that lead to best<br />
practices in nursing care and new scientific<br />
discoveries to improve patient lives.<br />
To learn more about opportunities to contribute to the<br />
<strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>, please visit the <strong>KU</strong> Endowment<br />
Association’s Web site at www.kuendowment.org or<br />
contact Stephanie Volk, <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> representative<br />
at svolk@kuendowment.org or (913) 945-6913.<br />
42 <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong>
<strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong><br />
progress report 2009<br />
Karen L. Miller, RN, PhD, FAAN<br />
Senior Vice Chancellor<br />
for Academic and Student Affairs<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>Medical</strong> <strong>Center</strong><br />
Dean and Pr<strong>of</strong>essor<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong><br />
Executive Editors:<br />
Rita Clifford, RN, PhD<br />
Associate Dean for Student Affairs<br />
<strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong><br />
Lou Loescher-Junge, PT, MA<br />
Assistant Dean for Administration<br />
<strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong><br />
Contributors<br />
Sally J. Barhydt<br />
Chris Deffenbaugh<br />
Jennifer Keeton<br />
Bridget Koan<br />
Lou Loescher-Junge<br />
Emily Willson<br />
Photography<br />
Chris Deffenbaugh<br />
Bridget Koan<br />
Mark McDonald<br />
Elissa Monroe<br />
Design & Graphics<br />
Terry Erisman<br />
<strong>KU</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong><br />
Mail Stop 2006<br />
3901 Rainbow Blvd.<br />
<strong>Kansas</strong> City, KS 66160<br />
soninfo@kumc.edu<br />
TEL: (913) 588-1619<br />
TDD: (913) 588-7963<br />
Visit us on the web:<br />
www2.kumc.edu/son<br />
Copyright © 2009 The <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong><br />
Produced by the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kansas</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> for distribution to<br />
alumni, donors, students, faculty, <strong>University</strong> personnel and friends. No part <strong>of</strong><br />
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