Legacy 2005 Spring - School of Nursing - University of Virginia

The Virginia Legacy is published twotimes a year by the University ofVirginia School of Nursing and NursingAlumni Association. Your comments,feedback, and story ideas are alwayswelcome! Please contact the editor.Thank you for your support.University of VirginiaSchool of NursingAlumni and Development OfficeP.O. Box 800782Charlottesville, VA 22908-0782(434) 924-0138(434) 982-3699 FAXE-mail: nursing-alumni@virginia.eduEditor:Karen Jordan RatzlaffEditorial Advisers:Reba Moyer Childress, ShannonMarshall Ikenberry, Lisa Kelley,Emily Eiwen Drake, Katie Cook,Dory HulseClass Notes & News Editor:Elisangela BlevinsDesign:Richard Montoya: designContributing Writers:Kathleen Phalen Tomaselli,Cathy Eberly, Dan Heuchert,Karen Ratzlaff, Dory Hulse,Mary Blair Zakaib, Anne BromleyPhotography:Tom Cogill, Jackson Smith,Kathy Kayser, Andrew Shurtleff,Michael BaileyThe Virginia Legacy is published usingprivate funds.University of Virginia School of NursingEstablished in 1901Main Switchboard: (434) 924-2743Admissions & Student ServicesToll-free: (888) 283-8703Visit us on the Web at:http://www.nursing.virginia.eduJeanette Lancaster, RN, PhD, FAANSadie Heath Cabaniss Professor ofNursing and Deancontents47812184 An Honorable Choice:Men in Nursing7Alumni in ActionLynn Dixon Palmer(BSN 1987)8Worth NotingNews from the School of Nursing12Nursing Research:From Discovery to Practice18Nursing Alumna ReceivesUniversity’s DistinguishedAlumna AwardDepartments2 President’s Letter6 Philanthropy20 Events in Review22 Class Notes and NewsBack Cover CalendarThe Virginia Legacy SPRING 2005 3

FEATUREAn Honorable Choice: Men in NursingOf the 241 studentsenrolled in the“traditional” four-yearprogram for studentscoming directly out ofhigh school, onlyfour are male.When he first consideredentering nursing, DanDavid heard it all. Friendswarned that he would spend his workdayslifting heavy patients. He saw sitcomsand movies where male nurseswere the butt of jokes that oftenstereotyped them as homosexuals.Now in his final year at the Schoolof Nursing, the 33-year-old father oftwo often senses surprise when he tellspatients he is a nursing student. Hecan almost see them thinking, “Isn’tnursing women’s work?”“It gets even funnier when they findout you’re a nursing student and theyask you if you want to go on to be adoctor,” he says.David, the president of U.Va.’s Menin Nursing organization, is comfortableenough to laugh off those comments,but it’s not hard to understandwhere they originate. While women arebecoming doctors in increasing numbers—theycomprise 67 of the 140students in the U.Va. School ofMedicine’s latest entering class—thefield of nursing is still overwhelminglyfemale.Of the 372 students working towarda bachelor’s degree in nursing at U.Va.,only 20 are men. The vast majority ofthe men are, like David, older studentsreturning to school for a seconddegree. Others are experienced registerednurses seeking to add a bachelor’sdegree to their resumes.Of the 241 students enrolled in the“traditional” four-year program for studentscoming directly out of highschool, only four are male.The second-degree students “aremore secure in who they are,” Davidsays. “It’s not easy for an 18-year-old4 The Virginia Legacy SPRING 2005

FEATURE [male] to go into a predominantlyfemale field.”But it’s not for a lack of persuasion.David has heard of some Southernnursing schools that recruit men atNASCAR races. Others seek out maleswho have had a service-oriented background,such as Boy Scouts or militarycorpsmen.Luring more men into the fieldwon’t necessarily alleviate a growingnational nursing shortage. Nursingschools generally have more thanenough applicants; addressing theshortage is more a question of increasingcapacity and retention rather thanrecruitment.Theresa Carroll, the chief undergraduateadmissions recruiter at thenursing school, says bringing moremen into nursing is a question of overcomingsocial stigmas that preventmen from pursuing a field where theymight flourish.“Each of us has our talents andgifts, and shouldn’t be excluded from afield because of gender,” she says,adding rhetorically, “Why do we needmore women engineers and womenphysicians?”Nationally, men make up 8.4 percentof baccalaureate nursing students,according to the American Associationof Colleges of Nursing. At U.Va., thatnumber is just 5.4 percent.The Men in Nursing group startedlast year. Its mission: to support malenursing students, to help recruit othermen, and to address health issues thatmay be more sensitive for men.U.VA. MEN IN NURSING20 current undergraduate students26 current graduate students274 male alumni (all programs)The Men in Nursing group started last year. Itsmission: to support male nursing students, to helprecruit other men, and to address health issues thatmay be more sensitive for men.One December morning, David satwith the organization’s vice president,Darroch Massie, in the lobby ofMcLeod Hall, and the two discussedtheir personal learning experiences.Massie worked as an emergencyroom technician about 10 years ago,and later went on to earn an associate’sdegree in science at Central VirginiaCommunity College in Lynchburg.Now 39, he said he never considerednursing as a field until about two yearsago, despite having worked with malenurses in his ER job and having a malecousin who is a nurse.“It was one of those things thatfinally clicked,” Massie says. “Peoplegave me encouragement to go intonursing.”David earned his BS in psychologyfrom the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, and then targeted a doctoratein neuroscience. But “I really didn’tlike the fact that I didn’t get to interactwith people,” he says. So he settled fora master’s in biomedical science fromthe University of Colorado and set sailfor nursing school.Both say they find the nursingfaculty “extra supportive” of men, evenif they occasionally slip up and refer toa generic nurse as “she.”“At first I felt uneasy,” Massie says.“I was much older, and the only guy.But they were very accepting. Beingthe only guy in class, they kind ofadopted me.”“I’m almost embarrassed,” Davidsays. “I’m a white male, and I’m aminority.”Once they hit the hospital floor forclinical training, they found that beingmale cut both ways with patients.Older men often are more comfortabletalking with other men about sensitivematters, Massie says, but “somewomen don’t want me to give them abath.”David often is conscious of hisresponsibility as a role model for boyshe encounters in the hospital. “Youwant to show a little of what you cando, just to show what the profession islike,” he says.The nursing shortage means thatfew nurses of either gender have troublefinding work after graduation.Neither man comes across as a barrier-bustingcrusader. Instead, they arejust two guys pursuing a career theyfind to be rewarding. But if their successcan break down stereotypes, allthe better.“In the field, I hear, ‘I had a malenurse once. He was excellent,’” Massiesays, smiling.The Virginia Legacy SPRING 2005 5

PHILANTHROPYAt Long Last: School of Nursing Prepares for ExpansionTHE FUNDING PICTURE(as of March 1, 2005)State Appropriation - $6 millionUniversity Challenge - $2 million*School of Nursing Reserves andProvost Returns - $1.1 millionGifts and Pledges from Donors -$2.6 millionTotal commitments to date -$11.7 millionGoal - $12–14 million*The University will match dollar-for-dollar everycontribution to the project up to $2 million.Every year for the past four years,the U.Va. School of Nursing hasbeen forced to deny admissionto an increasing number of qualifiedapplicants, simply because there is notenough space in McLeod Hall toaccommodate them. At a time whenthe shortage of nurses is reaching thecrisis stage in many communitiesacross the nation, it is more than a littleironic that this nursing school hasbeen unable to accept many qualifiedyoung women and men who want nothingmore than to become a nurse.As alumni know full well, a Virginianurse is prepared for leadership andpractice like few others.At long last, an expanded School ofNursing is well on its way to becominga reality, thanks to a major appropriationfrom the Commonwealth ofVirginia and a corresponding challengegrant from the University.The state endorsed the school’s planto construct a $12 million companionbuilding near McLeod Hall by approvinga $6 million appropriation to theproject during the 2004 legislativesession.The University responded with itsown endorsement: a $2 million challengegrant, payable when the School ofNursing raises an equal amountthrough private donations.“We are grateful for this extraordinarysupport, which will help us embarkon a venture that is vital to the futureof the School of Nursing and to thefuture of health care in the Commonwealth,”says Jeanette Lancaster, deanof the school.These new funding commitmentsand other gifts and pledges fromvisionary donors have enabled theschool to select an architect for theproject. Subject to approval by theUniversity’s Board of Visitors, theWashington, D.C., architectural firmBowie Gridley Architects could beginwork as early as April 1. The proposedthree- or four-story, 30,000 grosssquare-foot facility will be built justacross from McLeod Hall on 15thStreet. The location will increase theschool’s visibility from Lane Road andJefferson Park Avenue. The school’scurrent location, McLeod Hall, provides50,000 gross square feet, whichmust be renovated to achieve establishedgoals.Private support is essential to completeconstruction of the facility by thefall of 2008, according to David Black,head of development for the School ofNursing. At the same time, the schoolwill raise funds to renovate McLeodHall since a large part of the programwill remain in the current building.“Our alumni and friends recognizethe challenges the nursing professionfaces. By stepping forward now withtheir financial support, they will help toensure that their alma mater will remaina leader in the education of outstandingnurses for Virginia and the nation.”For more information on this importantproject, contact David Black at(434) 924-0138 or e-mail him atdcb6t@virginia.edu.With the addition of the companionbuilding, the school will be able to:• Increase undergraduate studentenrollment. Last year, 310 applicationswere received for the BSN program. Theschool admitted 51 and had to turnaway more than 50 fully qualifiedapplicants. Applications for 2005–06total 347. An expansion will enable theschool to graduate an additional 50 to60 bachelor’s-level nurses each year.• Educate increased numbers of doctoralgraduates. These highly qualifiednurses will become important additionsto the nation’s nursing faculty, themajority of whom are now more than50 years of age.• Provide more space for fundedresearch. The new building will providespace designed to facilitate the importantresearch that faculty conduct currentlyin woefully inadequate space.Faculty research answers many questionsabout how to more effectivelycare for patients.• Create larger, more innovative, andmore flexible teaching spaces. Builtin 1972, McLeod Hall was not configuredto accommodate the highly interactiveinstruction common in nursingeducation today. The new facility willbe designed to handle student groupsof varying sizes in traditional classroomsettings, as well as those engaged in awide range of health and wellnessactivities.• Incorporate the latest technologyinto the education process. The newbuilding will feature state-of-the-arttechnology to meet the needs of therapidly changing nursing field.• Create spaces designed for studentuse and leadership development.The new facility will include a StudentLife Center that will function as a “gatheringspace” where students can build astronger sense of community, currentlyunavailable in McLeod Hall.6The Virginia Legacy SPRING 2005

ALUMNI IN ACTION Lynn Dixon PalmerBSN Class of 1987As Lynn Palmer was applyingfor a clinical nursing positionat the University of TexasSouthwestern Medical Center in 1990,another job opening caught her eye.“I had no idea what the responsibilitiesof a senior research nurse intrauma and critical care would be, butI found out that very day,” says Palmer,who had already gained experience as acharge nurse, clinic manager, andpatient care coordinator in northernVirginia. Intrigued by what she learnedduring her interview, she accepted theposition, and was soon putting herskills to work as a coordinator of clinicalprotocols for a group of the university’smedical researchers.Her career move proved to be propitious.Palmer quickly mastered thenew job, which she followed with astint in a similar position for a majordrug company. Three short years afterLynn and her mother, Connie Cooke Dixon,Diploma 1950.moving to Texas, she and another veterannurse––armed with businesssavvy, management expertise, and theenthusiasm of true entrepreneurs––decided they had something special tooffer the medical research field. Thetwo colleagues launched MedTrials,Inc., a Dallas-based clinical researchconsulting firm, to help pharmaceutical,biotech, and medical device companieswith new product testing,regulatory approval, and commercialization.MedTrials entered what has inrecent years become an estimated$16 billion growth industry. The companyvies with more than 300 competitorsfor contracts with firms racing tomeet an ever-increasing demand fornew drugs and medical devices.“The national shift from inpatientto outpatient medical care and ouraging population have fueled explosiveexpansion in the contract researchfield, and there is no end in sight,” saysPalmer, who earned an MBA fromBaylor University after co-foundingMedTrials. She serves as the company’sCEO. “It can be a very cutthroatbusiness.”It’s a business in which MedTrialshas found success. “As nurses, webring something different to the table:a focus on quality training and relationshipmanagement, an in-depthunderstanding of the clinical process,and the ability to prioritize,” she says.“I learned these analytical, assessment,and communication skills at U.Va. andused them each and every day when Iworked in a clinical setting.”Even as a young girl, Palmer knewthat she would attend the University.“I guess it’s in my blood; I never reallyconsidered another school,” she says.A daughter of medical and nursingschool graduates, she followed a pathto Charlottesville that has also beentraveled by her brother, sister, nephew,and a brother-in-law.These days, MedTrials is expandingboth nationally and internationally.The company, which currentlyemploys more than 70 people, recentlyacquired a competitor and opened an“I am convinced that my nursing educationis at the root of my success, and I would not be whereI am today without it.”East Coast office. Through a three-waypartnership with the ClinTrust GlobalAlliance, it has also expanded its reachoverseas, joining companies that supportcontract research activities inEurope, the Middle East, and Asia.For her part, Palmer spends a greatdeal of time on the road—offering consultingand training services to clients,teaching in the Graduate School ofBiomedical Sciences at the Universityof North Texas, and serving as one ofher industry’s best-known speakers.The wife of a physician and the motherof two young children, she also makestime to stay involved with her belovedalma mater. She is a member of theNursing Ventures Advisory Board,whose members counsel DeanLancaster and the School of Nursingfaculty on the latest developments intheir field. As a participant in last fall’sinaugural Nursing Leadership Forum,she and other alumni led discussionswith students on leadership and careerissues.“I believe U.Va. prepared me well topursue a nontraditional nursingcareer,” Palmer says. “I am convincedthat my nursing education is at theroot of my success, and I would not bewhere I am today without it.”The Virginia Legacy SPRING 2005 7

Conversations inClinical EthicsSince March 2004, the School ofNursing has co-sponsored aseries open to all health care professionalswithin the U.Va. HealthSystem called Conversations in ClinicalEthics. Designed as an open forum todiscuss morally troubling issues withina safe environment, the series grew outof annual Nursing Worklife surveys thatidentified the continuing need for anopportunity to discuss morally distressingsituations. Sponsor partners for theseries are the U.Va. Health SystemEthics Committee and the Division ofPatient Care Services. The lead facilitatorfor the series is Associate ProfessorAnn Hamric, who works with a team offive other facilitators to manage themonthly conversations.In addition to providing needed supportfor health care professionals(including physicians, nurses, physical,respiratory and occupational therapists,social workers, and chaplains), the conversationsare also an opportunity forjunior nursing faculty and students tolearn how to facilitate ethical discussions.Doctoral student Beth Epstein andClinical Instructor Sarah Delgado are twoof the facilitators working with Hamricon the series.Conversations in Clinical Ethics meetsonce a month; issues such as do notresuscitate (DNR) orders, pain management,the nursing shortage as an ethicalproblem, OR utilization, caregiver stress,prejudice, and patient self-responsibilityhave been addressed. Attendance averages25 and participants have expressedappreciation for the open, honest discussionand the case presentations thatinclude possible solutions. Participantsalso noted that it has been helpful tohear from other disciplines, as they hearperspectives that they otherwise had notconsidered or understood.WorthNOTINGFaculty AchievementsPam Kulbok has recently takenon many new professionalroles. She assumed thePresidency of the Association ofCommunity Health Nursing Educatorsin June 2004. In November 2004 sheassumed leadership of the QuadCouncil of Public Health Nursingorganizations (bringing together leadersfrom four national public healthnursing organizations to create aforum for exchange and collaboration).She is also a member of the AmericanNurses’ Association, PublicHealth/Community Health Scope andStandards Workgroup, which was constitutedin summer 2004.KulbokInstructor in Nursing VickiSouthall (MSN ’85) recently completedwriting the “Guidelines forSpecialized Health Care Procedures,” a456-page publication that is currentlybeing distributed to every school andhealth department in the state ofVirginia. She was hired by the VirginiaDepartment of Health more than ayear ago to tackle the daunting project.Her thorough compilation of instructionswill help school and public healthnurses handle both basic and complexnursing procedures for those with specialhealth care needs. Southall wasalso recently profiled in the CentralVirginian for her ongoing work withstudents in rural Louisa County.Catherine Ratliff (BSN ’77) wasthe 2004 winner of the prestigiousPresident’s Award presented annuallyby the Wound Ostomy andContinence Nursing (WOCN) Societyto the person who has, either over thepast year or past several years, bestexemplified the ideals and values ofthe WOCN Society. Ratliff wasdescribed as “an unwavering andsteadfast advocate for advancing theevidence base for WOC nursing.”Sarah Farrell (BSN ’81, MSN ’83)was selected to participate in theAmerican Association of Colleges ofNursing “Leadership for AcademicNursing” program. The year-long program,supported by the Helene FuldHealth Trust, is designed to developand enhance leadership skills in newand emerging administrators in baccalaureateand graduate nursing programs.The program includes afocused assessment experience, twoleadership conferences, and an experiencedmentor.“Federal F314 Tag-Pressure Ulcers”may not mean much to you—unlessyou or someone you love is in a nursinghome. Courtney Lyder, U.Va.Medical Center Professor of Nursing,professor of Internal Medicine and8 The Virginia Legacy SPRING 2005

WORTH NOTING Geriatrics, andchair of theDepartment ofAcute &Specialty Care,played a pivotalrole in writingthe recentlyenacted(November2004) revisionLyderof Medicareregulations thataffect 17,000 long-term care facilitiesin the United States. The new federalguidelines provide detailed instructionsfor federal and state surveyorsresponsible for compliance. Lyder, whoenjoys an international reputation forhis expertise in gerontology/geriatricsand wound care, is being sought bystate regulators and facilities ownersacross the nation to consult on thenew regulations and their compliancestrategies.The Beta Kappa Chapter of theSigma Theta Tau International HonorSociety will honor Jeanette Lancasterwith their 2005 Distinguished NurseAward on May 6. The award is presentedto a nurse who receives local,national, and/or international recognitionas a nursing leader, who influencesleadership in nursing through visionaryand innovative approaches, whocreates an environment that enhancesthe image of nursing, and who participatesin the development of nursingleaders and leadership.Since her arrival at U.Va. in 1989,Dean Lancaster has worked diligentlyand creatively to advance the standingof the University of Virginia School ofNursing. Currently she serves as president-electof theAmericanAssociation ofColleges ofNursing and asassociate directorof ClinicalServices at theU.Va. HealthSystem.Lancaster is aprolific authorLancasterand co-editor ofthe widely used textbook, CommunityHealth Nursing, and she has a nationaland international reputation as aspeaker at conventions and workshops.School Accreditedfor WOCVirginia Auto Dealers Supporting NursingIn December 2004, the Schoolof Nursing became one of onlynine accredited training centersin the United States for Wound,Ostomy, Continence (WOC)care. Only one other is associatedwith a university and U.Va.’sis the only one integrated into amaster’s degree program (thenew Geriatric Nurse Practitionerprogram).A recent graduate of the program,Tara Spears (MSN ’05) isone of only four WOC nurses inthe entire U.S. Army.On February 18, 2005, representatives of the VirginiaAutomobile Dealers Association (VADA) delivered a childCPR manikin to the U.Va. Student Nurses Association (SNAV)chapter. This is the second time that SNAV has been therecipient of a VADA grant. Each year, members of SNAVteach CPR to more than 500 individuals.Shown here (L to R) JohnCates, VADA AYES statemanager; John Jessup,director of VADA EducationFoundation; Liza Borches,Volvo of Charlottesvilledealer; Doris Greiner,associate dean of AcademicPrograms; School ofNursing students MeganCates and Justine Mize;and Carol Lynn Maxwell-Thompson, faculty advisorand clinical instructor.The Virginia Legacy SPRING 2005 9

WORTH NOTINGVirginia Health Foundation:A New Bank in TownApproved by the University’sBoard of Visitors last year, therecently formed University ofVirginia Health Foundation supportsthe missions of the U.Va. HealthSystem, including the Schools ofNursing and Medicine, the MedicalCenter, and the Health SciencesLibrary. The foundation accomplishesthese goals by raising funds for priorityneeds across the Health System andby representing the philanthropicinterests of donors. The private foundationhas the ability to receive gifts insupport of the Health System and todispense funds in accordance withdonors’ intentions. Funds investedwith the foundation will be managedby UVIMCO, the University’s investmentarm.Student Nurses Assume State LeadershipDuring the Virginia Nursing Student Association (VNSA)convention in Charlottesville in February, four U.Va. studentswere elected to the VNSA Board of Directors.“Nursing alumni and friendscan be certain that any giftearmarked for the School of(L to R) Lindsey Jones, Betty Shumaker, Elizabeth Talley, Justine MizeNursing and deposited withthe foundation will benefit thenursing school, in accordancewith the donor’s wishes.”A volunteer board comprisingrepresentatives from each area (nursing,medicine, hospital) who hail fromthe private sector lead the foundation,and the deans of nursing, medicine,and the CEO of the medical centerserve as ex-officio members.Currently, private giving providesmore support for the University ofVirginia than the state itself provides.In managing these private funds for theHealth System, the foundation takes ona major role in the life of the institution.Elizabeth Talley (BSN ’06) was electedpresident, Betty Shumaker (BSN ’06) asfirst vice-president, Lindsey Jones (BSN’07) as secretary, and Justine Mize (BSN’07) as editor of the Torch, the newsletterof VNSA. U.Va. students also hostedthe statewide convention (see eventphoto on page 20).“Nursing alumni and friends can becertain that any gift earmarked for theSchool of Nursing and deposited withthe foundation will benefit the nursingschool, in accordance with the donor’swishes,” explains David Black, assistantvice president for Health SystemDevelopment–Nursing. “Essentially,the foundation is a new bank for someIn April 2005, fifteen nursing studentswill be attending the NationalStudent Nursing Association (NSNA)convention in Salt Lake City, Utah.Conventions give students a wonderfulopportunity to meet with other leadersfrom across the United States.School of Nursing accounts.” For thetypical nursing donor, there will be noimmediate change in how gifts aremade, received, deposited, managed,and/or stewarded at the University.If you have questions, call Black at(434) 924-0138 or e-mail him atdcb6t@virginia.edu.10 The Virginia Legacy SPRING 2005

Reunions 2005Come home to U.Va.May 16-18The Thomas Jefferson SocietyWe invite graduatesof the Classes of 1955 tocelebrate this 50th milestone.Much may have changed, but some corevalues remain the same! Reconnect withyour comrades, come see what theSchool of Nursing is like today, meet thedean, and hear her vision for an excitingfuture. Remember why you are so proudto be a Virginia nurse.Visit www.uva50.org.The registration packet you receivedby mail and the Web site provide acomplete schedule for both events.Questions? Contact HeatherHightower at the School of Nursing byphone at (434) 982-0645 or by e-mailat hightower@virginia.edu.June 3-5We invite graduates of 1960,’65, ’70, ’75, ’80, ’85, ’90, ’95,’00 to celebrate.Return to the school and see what haschanged—and what hasn’t. Reconnectwith your comrades over lunch and witnessthe presentation of nursing alumniawards. Relax in the charming garden ofPavilion II, home of Dean Lancaster, overbrunch. Remember why you are soproud to be a Virginia nurse.Visit www.virginiareunions.comThe Virginia Legacy SPRING 2005 11

COVER STORYNursing Research:From Discovery to PracticeNursing research isunique. In contrast tomedical research, it seeksto improve quality of lifeand patient health,rather than seeking tocure disease.Dr. Phyllis Verhonick instructs a nursing student in laboratory research skills.The effect of the murder of oneparent by the other, called uxoricide,on children is immediateand devastating. In a single act achild loses both parents—one dies andthe other is in custody or a fugitivefrom the law.School of Nursing researchers wantto know what happens to the childrenof uxoricide. They’re asking now-grownsurvivors, “Please, tell me your story.”“What happens to kids when oneparent kills the other is a very complexbereavement issue,” says Rick Steeves(FNP ’96), associate professor andprincipal investigator of the ParentalHomicide Study at the School ofNursing, funded by the NationalInstitutes of Health (NIH). Steeveshas spent his career researchingbereavement and anguish. “Nurses arein a unique position to explore thenature of human suffering.”Nursing research is unique. In contrastto medical research, it seeks toimprove quality of life and patienthealth, rather than seeking to curedisease.“A great deal of nursing research isfocused on promoting health, preventingillness, alleviating pain and suffering,and maximizing recovery,” saysJeanette Lancaster, Sadie HeathCabaniss Professor and dean of theschool. “It enables nurses to learn anddevelop best practices for care ofpatients; it is directly and imminentlyfocused on improved outcomes, interventions,preventions, and improved care.”Proven SuccessThe $750,000 Parental HomicideStudy was one of 521 NationalInstitutes of Health (NIH) fundedresearch endeavors undertaken bynursing faculty and students in thiscountry in 2003.Based on funding from the prestigiousNIH, the School of Nursing was16th in the nation for funded proposalsin 2003, up from 28 a year earlier.“We made a special effort to increasethe number of proposals to NIH…ourfaculty and students are very passionateabout their work and about makinga difference,” says Elizabeth Merwin,associate dean for research. “For example,obtaining funding for the RuralHealth Care Research Center thisyear—$1.4 million over five years—required a two-year investment upfront by many of our faculty members.”Merwin also points out the remarkablesuccess of the school’s doctoralstudents in obtaining NationalResearch Service Awards (NRSAs), afederally funded grant that requires asmuch time from the faculty mentor asany other grant she or he might receive.U.Va. students currently have thethird-highest number of NRSA fellowshipsin the nation, with one-fourth ofdoctoral students having received anaward.In the last five years, the school’sresearch and training programs havebeen awarded $10.3 million. “We’revery proud of the research we do at the12 The Virginia Legacy SPRING 2005

COVER STORYCSchool of Nursing. Our faculty involvegraduate and undergraduate studentsin their projects whenever possible,”says Lancaster. “Research should bethe foundation on which Universityfaculty base their teaching.” Thus, studentsbenefit from teachers who areresearchers and faculty benefit by generatingnew knowledge; grants bringresources into the school as well asrecognition and prestige. A school withactive faculty researchers helps toattract and retain strong faculty colleaguesand capable students, particularlygraduate students.The Next GenerationBeing able to learn about and conductresearch initially drew KathrynLaughon (BSN ’98, MSN ’99), nowassistant professor of nursing, to theUniversity of Virginia. But it was herpartnership with Barbara Parker whilean undergraduate student that set heron her current career path. Parker, professorand director of the doctoral program,passed on her knowledge andresearch interest––violence againstwomen—to Laughon when sheenrolled in a graduate-level researchcourse. “I asked her, as an undergraduatestudent, what can I do?” saysLaughon. Parker got her involved withthe school’s Southeastern RuralMental Health Research Center. Witha Nursing Alumni AssociationSummer Research Fellowship, Laughonbegan exploring the predictors of violence.She went on to earn a PhD atJohns Hopkins University andreturned to U.Va. last year.Now working together again as coinvestigatorson the uxoricide study,Parker and Laughon are trying to discoverhow people respond to this trauma.The Parental Homicide study beganlast January and is ongoing. Researchershave interviewed 47 adults who aschildren witnessed a parent die at thehands of the other. When one parentkills the other, the children fall intoResearch Centers at the U.Va.School of NursingCenter for the Study ofAlternative andComplementary TherapiesDirector: Dr. Ann Gill TaylorSoutheastern Rural MentalHealth Research CenterDirector: Dr. Emily HauensteinCenter for Nursing HistoricalInquiryDirector: Dr. Arlene KeelingRural Health Research CenterDirector: Dr. Elizabeth MerwinMore information is available at:www.nursing.virginia.edu/centerslegal limbo, neither victim norassailant. Often lost in a maze offunerals and warring families, the childrenare never asked to tell their story.“We find the majority have lived severalplaces after the homicide, movingfrom family member to family member,”says Parker.The researchers are asking theirquestions in hopes of finding out whatmight help. “At this point we don’t know.But I’m interested in the policy implicationsand how to improve systems,”says Laughon. “At some point, we maybe able to provide guidelines for decisionsmade around these children.”On the cover: More than 50 researchers and research staffare pictured, but they represent only a fraction of thoseinvolved in the nursing research enterprise at U.Va.Where it All BeganIn 1968 an Army Nurse Corps coloneljoined the nursing school faculty andthe seeds of this research legacy wereplanted. A researcher herself, retiredLt. Col. Phyllis Verhonick set the nursingschool on a progressive path, makingit one of the first schools in thenation to offer an undergraduateresearch course. First as director ofresearch then as acting dean, she gotstudents and faculty excited about newpossibilities.“The students loved her; she wasvivacious and funny,” says ProfessorEmeritus Barbara Brodie, associatedirector of the Center for NursingHistorical Inquiry. “She was one of thefirst fellows of the American Academyof Nursing to be recognized for hercontributions to nursing research,”says Brodie.How did this change nursing?It moved nursing from empiricalpractice to research-based. “It was amonumental step. Up to that time,nursing was task-oriented,” says Brodie.“Phyllis and her colleagues began toset the foundation for the doctoral program(later established in 1982) and toattract doctoral-prepared faculty. Sheput the school on a path of nursingresearch that would help documentwhat is effective and efficient clinicalpractice.”continued on page 14The Virginia Legacy SPRING 2005

Current DoctoralResearch ProjectsMary O’Laughlen—”ImprovingAsthma Outcomes in Children: A Pilot,”funded by an NIH fellowship and sponsoredby Dr. Patricia Hollen.Cheryl Dumont—”Blood Pressure andRisks of Cardiac Catheterization,” fundedby an NIH fellowship and sponsored byDr. Arlene Keeling.Irma Mahone—”Medication DecisionMaking by Persons with Serious MentalIllness,” funded by an NIH fellowshipand sponsored by Dr. Elizabeth Merwin.Deirdre Thornlow—”Relationship ofPatient Safety to Patient Outcomes,”funded by an NIH fellowship and sponsoredby Dr. Elizabeth Merwin.Sarah Anderson—”Evidentiary InjuryFindings after Sexual Assault,” funded byan NIH fellowship and sponsored by Dr.Barbara Parker.continued from page 13Changing LivesMany other U.Va. research projectsalso seek to improve lives and haveproven results. For a number of yearsEmily Hauenstein, director of theSoutheastern Rural Mental HealthResearch Center, has been workingwith rural depressed women. Since1994, Hauenstein and colleagues havebeen helping depressed women gain anunderstanding of the causes of stress,anxiety, and develop self-help skillsincluding cognitive restructuring andrelaxation techniques. “Hauensteinsends clinical specialists into thewomen’s homes,” says Merwin. “Herself-help tools for depression havebeen so helpful that the women arenow teaching their friends.” Currently,Hauenstein is funded by NIH toexamine treatment of mental healthproblems, factors that affect obtainingfields (PEMF) on reducing the symptomsof pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances,and depression in postmenopausalwomen with rheumatoid arthritis; andcranial stimulation for chemotherapysymptoms in breast cancer.“Dr. Taylor is studying interestingthings such as massage therapy andthe use of magnets to reduce pain,”says Merwin.Dr. Arlene Keeling, director ofthe school’s history center, has beenfunded by the National Library ofMedicine for a three-year study toinvestigate the history of prescriptiveauthority in nursing, 1900 to present.These and many other outstandingresearch initiatives have enhancededucational programs for the nextgeneration. Since Phyllis Verhonick’sfirst research class more than threedecades ago, the School of Nursing hassoared to become one of the mosthighly ranked nursing schools in theNancy Jallo—”Effect of RelaxationTapes on Maternal Stress: A Pilot,” fundedby an NIH fellowship and sponsoredby Dr. Ann Gill Taylor.Diana Taibi—”Effect of Valerian Rooton Sleep in Rheumatoid Arthritis,” fundedby an NIH fellowship and sponsoredby Dr. Ann Gill Taylor.Tusana Thaweekoon—”CommunityViolence on Adolescent AdjustmentProblems,” funded by an AmericanNurses Foundation fellowship and sponsoredby Dr. Pamela Kulbok.Karen Rose—”Effect of CranialElectrical Stimulation on ElderlyCaregivers’ Subjective Appraisal,Depressive Symptoms, and SleepDisturbances,” funded by an AmericanAcademy of Nursing scholarship andsponsored by Dr. Emily Hauenstein.For more details on these DoctoralStudent Projects, visit www.nursing.virginia.edu/centers/cnr/Ann Gill Taylortreatment, and comparing outcomes oftreatment to those who do not receivetreatment.Perhaps some of the most adventurousstudy is conducted by the Centerfor the Study of Complementary andAlternative Therapies. Researchers, ledby Ann Gill Taylor, go beyond theWestern model of allopathic medicine,exploring energy, herbs, and bodymanipulation. They explore the effectivenessof alternatives to traditionalpain relief like electrical stimulation onosteoarthritis of the knee; the effectsof low strength pulsed electromagneticRESEARCH AND TRAINING GRANTFUNDING SNAPSHOTOctober 2003–September 2004Faculty and Student Grants Funded: 30Dollar Amount of All Funded Grants: $3,906,646Faculty Grants Currently Funded by NIH:9 Grants among 6 Principal Investigatorsnation. Research brings resources andhelps improve the infrastructure of theschool.“In a palpable way, our research providesthe vital spirit that animates ourschool, though we are careful not tobecome complacent in our success,”says Lancaster. “To that end, theschool has begun concentratingresearch efforts in the areas of agingand oncology, two future directionsshaped in close alignment with our colleaguesin the School of Medicine andthe U.Va. Health System.”14The Virginia Legacy SPRING 2005

FROM THE BOARDROOM Apply for the AlumniScholarshipThe Nursing Alumni Association ispleased to fund a $2,500 scholarshipto support continued nursing educationat any institution. All U.Va. nursingalumni who are enrolled in adegree-granting program are eligibleto apply. Annual deadline: June 1.Funding for this scholarship ismade possible by the generosity ofalumni and friends who make gifts tothe Nursing Annual Fund.You can download an applicationfrom the Web at www.nursing.virginia.edu/alumniand click on“Alumni Scholarship.” Or call (434)924-0138 or e-mail nursingalumni@virginia.eduto request anapplication.Alumni Council ElectionVotes will be cast on June 4 at the annual business meeting ofthe Nursing Alumni Association for the election of the president.If you cannot attend the meeting but would like to cast your vote,please return this ballot by June 4 to the U.Va. School of Nursing,Alumni & Development Office, PO Box 800782, Charlottesvile VA22908-0782. Or e-mail your vote to nursing-alumni@virginia.edu.❒ PresidentCindi Colyer Allen, BSN 1970, Richmond, Virginia(re-election to a second three-year term)Allen has worked as a clinician and community volunteer and is amother of three. Over the years, she has contributed countless hoursto the Nursing Alumni Association in a wide variety of roles and forvarious projects. She has also been an active volunteer with BetaKappa Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau.Join the Cause!VOLUNTEER!If you want to get involved with the School of Nursing or NursingAlumni Association, consider these:• JOIN OUR LOCAL ALUMNI VOLUNTEER LIST(we’ll call on you when we need extra hands).• BECOME A CLASS ADVOCATE(network and communicate with classmates).• SERVE ON THE VIRGINIA LEGACY EDITORIAL BOARD(help plan the content of this magazine).• SERVE ON THE NURSING ALUMNI COUNCIL(determine the direction of the association).• SCREEN SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS, ALUMNI AWARDNOMINATIONS, OR SERVE IN OTHER CAPACITIES ON AD HOCCOMMITTEES OF THE ALUMNI COUNCILFor more information on any of these opportunities, visitwww.nursing.virginia.edu/alumni on the Web, e-mailnursing-alumni@virginia.edu, or call (434) 924-0138.The Virginia Legacy SPRING 2005 15

FROM THE BOARDROOMNurses and NarrativeWith 30-hour work weeks ontop of rigorous class schedules,nursing students havelittle time to process and analyze whatthey encounter on the units. That’swhy Jeanne Erickson, an oncologynurse who teaches in the School ofNursing, started a creative writing contestto give students “a place to ventand unload.”The contest has inspired prose andpoetry ranging from the comedic tothe tragic. They come from studentsof all ages, from 19 to 49.Now in its third year, the contestattracts the work of students who submitpoems and essays each December.Lisa Russ Spaar, director of U.Va.’screative writing program, and twonursing professors judge the work. Thecontest is funded by the School ofNursing Alumni Association.“The contest not only encouragesstudents to express themselves, butalso educates the public about whatnurses do on a daily basis,” saysErickson.And there’s an added benefit, saidJosie McElroy (BSN ’03, MSN ’05),whose essay won in 2003. “It fostersour ability to think creatively. We learnhow to apply that to become betternurses through reflection and throughour relationships with our patients andpeers. To me, that’s the real prize.”This year’s winners were LauraWatkins (BSN ’08) and MatthewSmith (BSN ’05), who took secondplace.To read the winning entries in theirentirety, visit www.nursing.virginia.eduand click on “current students” tab.Abbreviated version of Handwashing, by Laura WatkinsI sometimes find myself perplexed when I try to explain to people what itmeans to be a second-degree nursing student. “Well,” I say, “I’m getting myBSN, but I’m not really a true undergraduate, since I already have onebachelor’s degree.”“Ah,” say the people, “but you had a medical background in your firstdegree, so the BSN is at least building on that.”“Not really,” I reply. “Two months before I arrived at the School ofNursing, I was writing papers on poetic Romanticism and the role of deconstructiveliterary theory. …”The response to this revelation varies, from congratulations on myprogress to undisguised horror that ex-English majors are allowed to wanderthe hospital halls… Nonetheless, the next question invariably is, howdo second-degree students handle the transition? …In answer, I tell themthe story of my very first clinical day.The first clinical rotation for second-degrees is “Care of the ChildbearingFamily,” or in plain language, the OB floor. Now, understand that after twoweeks of intense class training, I went into clinic with an idealized notion ofmyself as Super Student Nurse. …On this first day, then, my entire clinical group worked on the postpartumsection, in order to allow our instructor to keep an eye on all of us.This excellent lady walked us through reports, and then began handing outpatient assignments. Mine was a 33-year-old lady who had just had herthird child and was reportedly very agitated, for the baby had been taken tointensive care for a suspected seizure. My confidence dissipated.“Oh wow,” I whispered to one of the RNs, as the patient treatment planswere printing. “I’m so nervous. This lady is already so anxious, and she’snot going to feel any better if I go in there and faint.”The nurse squeezed my arm. “Don’t get yourself in a panic before youeven go into the room. Take deep breaths, smile nicely, and if you get flusteredtake a little break to wash your hands. It’ll reassure the patient andgive you time to think about what comes next.” She gave me a little pushtowards the room. “Remember, you’re taking care of this woman. She wantsto trust you. Now get in there and get some vital signs.”I swallowed hard, took a deep breath, and pushed open the door. Thepatient was lying in bed watching TV, with her husband seated beside her.“Mrs., um, T?” I stammered. “My name is...” I blanked momentarily, thenrecovered. “...Laura. I’m a student nurse.” Mrs. T nodded, and looked atme expectantly. I remembered that I was supposed to get vital signs. “Ineed to take your blood pressure. Now then, where is that cuff?” It was noton the wall, as it had been in the model orientation rooms. I rummagedthrough the various wires and machines, without success.continued on page 1716 The Virginia Legacy SPRING 2005

FROM THE BOARDROOM continued from page 16“But before I do that,” I said brightly to Mrs. T, “I’ll washmy hands.” I crossed to the sink and flipped on the water.Mrs. T spoke up from the bed. “So, you’re a studentnurse? Have you been in school long?”“No, not too long.” I said, scrubbing furiously and scanningthe room for the missing BP cuff. “I just arrived inVirginia a month ago, as a matter of fact.”“Oh,” said she. There was a pause. “Do you like nursingso far?”The basin was filled with suds, and soap bubbles driftedthrough the air. I was running out of stall time. “Oh yes,” Isaid. “I love it.”The door creaked open, and the RN I had spoken topopped her head in. “Everything all right in here?”“Just fine.” I said, feeling as though I might drop at anymoment. “Just washing up. Gonna be nice and clean for thevital signs.” I laughed weakly.“Good thinking. Here, let me check and make sure you’reclean enough.” I wobbled to the door and held out myhands. “Very good.” she said, but she was not looking at me.I followed her gaze, and only then saw the vital signs cart,with thermometer and blood pressure apparatus, parkedagainst the wall. The nurse met my eyes and smiled.“Proper handwashing is essential.” she said, loud enough forMrs. T to hear. “Cleanliness is one sign of a good nurse.”She scooted the cart toward me with her foot. “And confidenceis another,” she said to me in a low voice. “Don’tworry, you’ll get some of that soon enough. Now fetch mesome vital signs.”She winked and was gone, and I opened up the Velcrocuff. “Hold your arm straight and at heart level for me,please. How is your pain? Are you feeling all right otherwise?”People always laugh when they hear this story, but in away, the humor falls flat for me. That paralyzed, overwhelmed,fish-out-of-water feeling is one I hadn’t felt in along time, and oddly, it’s one I hope never to forget. If I canfeel so terrorized after weeks of training, how must poorMrs. T have felt, not knowing what had happened to herbaby or what was being done to him? I was the lucky onein that room, because I had an intelligent and sympatheticmentor on hand to save my ignorant butt. My patient, however,had only me. She relied on me and trusted me to lookout for her, and with a little learning and a little luck, I wasable to do so.I cared for many patients throughout the course of thatclinical, and though they were different in their problemsand needs, I soon saw that they all looked up to and trustedtheir nurses. And at the end of it all, I came to realize thatto keep that trust intact, to warrant the faith and belief ofthe patient, is both the responsibility and the reward of thenurse.Library Resources for AlumniLicensed online books, journals and databases are restricted by vendors tocurrent U.Va. faculty, students, and staff, so the Claude Moore HealthSciences Library has created a Web page that includes links to various freelyavailable online resources.Responding to inquiries from both nursing and medical alumni and noting that“Learning never ends,” Linda Watson, the library’s director continued, “Alumnirelied on our library when they were students, and we want to continue the relationshipby providing a portal to help them find useful and freely available healthrelatedinformation on the Internet.”Information for visiting the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library is also provided.Visit the Web at www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/library/portal/alumni/.The Virginia Legacy SPRING 2005 17

FROM THE BOARDROOMNursing Alumna Honored by University2005 Distinguished Alumna Award RecipientDenise Geolot ShererSherer’s commitmentto excellence isreflected in herinternationalreputation, and themany ways she hasbeen honored.For the third time in the historyof the award, a nursing alumnahas been selected by theWomen’s Center to receive theUniversity’s Distinguished AlumnaAward.The 2005 recipient is Denise GeolotSherer (BSN ’70, ENP ’75), a leader innursing and health policy whoseintegrity, creativity, and expertise arerespected by all who know her. Formore than 30 years, she has helpedprovide a safety net of quality servicesthat are relied on by millions of peopleacross the nation. Denise Geolot significantlyshapes the quality and availabilityof health care provided to allAmericans.As director of the Division ofNursing in the Health Resources andServices Administration (HRSA),Geolot's work makes a daily differencein the lives of some of the UnitedStates’ most vulnerable individualsand families. The Division of Nursingplays a leadership role in ensuringthere is adequate supply and distributionof qualified nurses to meet thehealth care needs of the nation.She administers the Federal programthat provides comprehensive,flexible, and effective support for nursingworkforce development. Theprogram supports basic and advancednursing education programs, facultydevelopment, diversity programstargeting minority and disadvantagednursing students, grants to enhancepatient care and improve the workenvironment, scholarships, traineeships,loans, and nursing workforceanalysis.Her influence is seen throughnurses working in rural communities,where HRSA has established coordi-nated care systems to serve local residents.And it is felt at the earlieststages of life, where nurses work withindividuals to ensure healthy births,and to make sure that pregnant womenhave access to the health care theyrequire.Denise Geolot distinguished herselfas a leader in the health field early inlife. At the University of Virginia,where she received her nursing baccalaureatedegree with distinction in1970, she was a charter member of thenursing honor society, Sigma ThetaTau, Beta Kappa chapter. She obtaineda master’s degree at the Universityof Colorado and returned toCharlottesville as an instructor inthe School of Nursing.After establishing her credentials asan exceptional teacher and clinician,Geolot joined forces with Dr. RichardEdlich, a plastic surgeon on the medicalfaculty, to address a serious deficitin the medical system––emergencycare for critically ill and injuredpatients. In the early 1970s little wasknown about emergency medicine,hospital emergency rooms were poorlystaffed, and the practice of rotatingphysician coverage often left the ERnurses trying to cope with seriously illand injured patients until a physiciancould be contacted. They first focusedtheir efforts on the problem of how tosafely and quickly transport patients toa medical facility. Working closely withcommunities, physicians, and hospitalsin Central Virginia, Edlich and Geolotdeveloped an emergency medical systemthat has now been replicatedthroughout the nation.To ensure that each rescue squadworker was adequately prepared, theycreated new educational programs that18 The Virginia Legacy SPRING 2005

FROM THE BOARDROOM The Legacy Lives OnCommencement is just around the corner. If youhave not yet made a gift to the Nursing Annual Fund thisyear, please consider doing so in honor of the graduatingNursing Class of 2005.Gifts received by June 30, 2005 are used next year to support futuregenerations of nurses and help sustain our excellent faculty.The Nursing Annual Fund is composed solely of private supportby generous alumni, parents, and friends of the school. It is the onlyunrestricted resource available to the dean to fund emerging needsthroughout the year.Recent graduates (1997-2004) can join the Dean’s Circle giftclub with a donation of $250, which is usually reserved for $1,000 +contributions. To find out more, please contact Anca DiGiacomo at(434) 984-1589 or email her at Anca@virginia.edu.taught them how to quickly initiateemergency care to stabilize and transportpatients to medical facilities.To deal with the lack of qualifiedemergency medical and nursing staffin ERs, Geolot and Edlich developed afederally funded innovative EmergencyNurse Practitioner program that placednurses with advanced training in thecare and management of emergencypatients into understaffed and remotecommunity hospitals in Virginia andother states. This was the first university-basedEmergency Nurse practitionerprogram in the nation, andGeolot served as its director from 1975to 1977, and coordinated the school’sthree other nurse practitioner programs:Pediatric, Family, and Adult.Her sterling work gained her anational reputation, and she wasrecruited to serve as a consultant inthe government’s Department ofHealth and Human Services. Shequickly advanced, being named deputydirector of the Division of Nursing. In2000, Denise Geolot became one ofthe few candidates to be named directorof the Division of Nursing fromwithin the organization’s ranks.Currently, Denise Geolot is thespokesperson of nurses nationwide.She testified before Congress on thenursing shortage and she frequentlyconsults abroad. Her commitment toexcellence is reflected in her internationalreputation and the many waysshe has been honored. She received aLifetime Achievement Award from theNational Organization of Nurse PractitionerFaculties, and she is a fellow inthe American Academy of Nursing.An active alumna, Geolot was recognizedby the Nursing AlumniAssociation with a DistinguishedAlumna award in 1985, and aCentennial Heritage Award in 2001;the Raven Society inducted her in2000. She provides ample service tothe University of Virginia, as a formermember of the Health SciencesAdvisory Board, supporting theBarbara Brodie Scholar Awards andthe work of the Center for NursingHistorical Inquiry, and leading a partnershipof ten successful women toestablish the RN-BSN LeadersEndowed Scholarship to help nursesattain bachelor’s degrees.The award will be presented toGeolot on April 22, 2005, in theRotunda Dome Room.Two other nursing alumnae whohave been similarly honored areRebecca W. Rimel (BSN ’73) andretired Rear Admiral Mariann Stratton(BSN ’81).The Virginia Legacy SPRING 2005 19

EVENTSIN REVIEW1123DECEMBER 2, 2004 – An informal reception was organized by Susan Gregory Landin (BSN ’69) inRichmond, Virginia, to honor Antoinette Cheape Button (Diploma ’28), now in her early 90s.JANUARY 14, 2005 – Karen Donckers Doherty (Diploma ’63) hosted a lunch for nursing alumnifrom the Newark, Delaware, region. Shown here: Mary Beth Knight (School of Nursing), NancyProckiw (Diploma ’59), Karen Doherty, Elsie Craig (BSN ’60), Sharon Larson (BSN ’89), and AnneGates (BSN ’94).FEBRUARY 4–5, 2005 – The Student Nurses Association of Virginia (SNAV) hosted the VirginiaNursing Student Association (VNSA) Convention at the Omni Hotel in Charlottesville. More than300 students from across Virginia attended. Speakers from the School of Nursing and Health Systemincluded Dean Jeanette Lancaster, Dr. Ann Hamric, Dr. Valentina Brashers, Holly Edwards, PamCipriano, and Dr. Dorothy Tullmann.245FEBRUARY 19, 2005 – SNAV sponsored the first “Make a Wish” fundraising dinner at the Boar’sHead Inn in Charlottesville. More than 100 guests attended the dinner, where Dean JeanetteLancaster served as MC. Lindsay Adkins, a fourth-year nursing student, organized the successful event.FEBRUARY 18–20, 2005 – The School of Nursing hosted the first Diversity Weekend. Fourteen studentsfrom area colleges and universities and working nurses contemplating graduate study visitedU.Va. The event, co-sponsored by the Medical Center, the Office of Graduate Studies, and theschool’s Diversity Committee, included a welcome reception at Pavilion II, area tours, a jazz concertand other events in addition to formal and informal presentations about U.Va.’s graduate nursingprograms.267MARCH 15–16, 2005 – School of Nursing faculty and students said “thanks” to the alumni andfriends who support their work. Shown here: Emily Wood (BSN ’06) was one of 20 faculty andstudent callers who spent an evening on the phone. The next day, 38 students sent more than 300handwritten notes with a similar theme.MARCH 17, 2005 – U.Va. nurse practioners made new connections and reinforced existing ones atan alumni reception during the Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners conference in Williamsburg.One of the early nurse practitioner graduates, Myra Lindquist (PNP ’74) won the raffle for acoveted copy of “Mr. Jefferson’s Nurses.”34520 The Virginia Legacy SPRING 2005

The School of Nursing Invites You to Two Important PresentationsHuman Experimentation:From Tuskegee 1932 to Rural Virginia 2005”April 27, 20053:00-4:00 pmNewcomb Hall Theatrereception to followPark in the visitor parking garageon Emmet StreetSpeaker: Dr. Mary Starke HarperDr. Harper is a pioneer, scholar, researcher, policy maker, editor, and geropsychiatricresearch consultant/clinician. She is the last surviving health care memberof the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. Dr. Harper has been a moving force behindtoday’s greater protection of human subjects in research studies.Sponsored by the school’s Diversity Committee.For more information, contact Courtney Lyder at (434) 982-3298.The Catherine Strader McGehee Memorial Lecture“Story Medicine”May 2, 20052:30-3:30 pmMcLeod Auditoriumreception to followPark in the visitor parking garagenear the hospitalSpeaker: Dottie Kluttz, BSN ’66When we are born we are given our name and our very own life story. Retellingthat story has the potential to calm, to restore and even to heal. You can utilizethis healing art of story medicine in your profession by learning to listen withyour heart.Kluttz is the "story keeper" at Hospice Savannah in Savannah, Georgia.Building on her nursing education and career as an educator and clinician, she wasinspired to create this position by memories of her father telling stories, herinvolvement with the storytelling movement, and her research into the power ofstories to heal. She has presented her work at regional and national conferences.EVENTS IN REVIEW, continued67The Virginia Legacy SPRING 2005 21

CLASS NOTES AND NEWS1940s’44 Diploma Ruth ReedChitwood of Wytheville, VA, wasrecently honored by theWytheville Rotary Club with thePaul Harris Fellow Award recognizingher life of service to thecommunity through medicine,education, and church.1960s’63 BSN Virginia ChristianTierney of Waynesboro, VA, participatedin the first NursingLeadership Forum organized bythe School of Nursing onDecember 4, 2004. She retired asprofessor emeritus from thePiedmont Virginia CommunityCollege in June 2004.’64 BSN Anne DuVal Frost ofPelham, NY, participated in thefirst Nursing Leadership Forumorganized by the School ofNursing on December 4, 2004.She is an associate professor atthe College of New Rochelle andfounder and president of theNurses’ Network of America. Sheprivately practices psychotherapyand works in the community presentingprograms on eating disorders,effects of media violence,therapeutic storytelling, and parentingstrategies.’66 BSN Dottie Kluttz of TybeeIsland, GA, participated in thefirst Nursing Leadership Forumorganized by the School ofNursing on December 4, 2004.After 11 years working as aHospice nurse, Dottie created aninnovative position as “storykeeper” three years ago atHospice Savannah. She conductsinterviews with Hospice patientsto create written transcript andaudio recording for their families.’69 BSN Joan MacKechnie ofMemphis, TN, is a nursing professorat Southwest TennesseeCommunity College.1970s’70 BSN Carolyn C. Lavecchiaof Richmond, VA, participated inthe first Nursing LeadershipForum organized by the School ofNursing on December 4, 2004. Asan attorney at Williamson &Lavecchia, LC, she concentratesin the areas of medical negligenceand representation of health careproviders before the HealthRegulatory Boards. Prior to hercareer as a lawyer, she was thedirector of the Family NursePractitioner program at VirginiaCommonwealth University (formerlyMCV), and practiced as anurse practitioner for eight years.’74 BSN, ’81 MSN Norah S.Knutsen of Kents Store, VA, participatedin the first NursingLeadership Forum organized bythe School of Nursing onDecember 4, 2004. She is thefounder and president of MatureOptions, where she guides elderclients and their families throughthe health care maze.’74 BSN Michele TorranceTarbet of Rancho Santa Fe, CA,is CEO of Grossmont Hospital inLa Mesa. She was one of fourCEOs awarded an inauguralSURE Award for Supply ChainExcellence from HealthcarePurchasing News. The CEOswere honored for the way theysupport, understand, respect andencourage materials managementprofessionals. Michele is also amember of the School of NursingAdvisory Board.’76 BSN Kathryn L. Pierce ofAtlanta, GA, participated in thefirst Nursing Leadership Forumorganized by the School ofNursing on December 4, 2004.She is the director of ClinicalQuality Programs at CIGNAHealthCare Southeast Region.’77 BSN Patricia McClearyWang of Menlo Park, CA, participatedin the first NursingLeadership Forum organized bythe School of Nursing onDecember 4, 2004. She is a staffnurse on the Post AnesthesiaCare Unit at Lucile PackardChildren’s Hospital at Stanford.Patty travels to Nicaragua everysummer as a volunteer RN teammember of “Operation Rainbow,”an organization that does freeorthopedic surgery on children inLatin America.’79 BSN Aviva Zuk Share of FortLauderdale, FL, was among theattendees at the Stars and StripesBall for President Bush’s inaugurationat the Washington, D.CConvention Center in January2005.1980s’81 BSN, ’86 MSN, ’88 ANPKate Fitzgerald of Frederick,MD, participated in the firstNursing Leadership Forum organizedby the School of Nursing onDecember 4, 2004. She is seniordirector at The Advisory BoardCompany. Kate works directlywith hospital staffs throughoutthe nation, implementing bestpractices in operational efficiency,workforce management, clinicaloperations and strategy.CONTACT USNWRITE A LETTER / SEND A NOTE / SHARE YOUR NEWSON THE WEB: www.nursing.virginia.edu/alumniBY E-MAIL: nursing-alumni@virginia.eduBY FAX: (434) 982-3699BY MAIL:Use the enclosed envelope or send to School of Nursing Alumni & DevelopmentOffice, PO Box 800782 • Charlottesville, VA 22908-0782YOU CAN ALSO UPDATE YOUR ADDRESS ONLINE AT WWW.HOOSONLINE.COM’81 BSN Stacey Joyce of UpperMontclair, NJ, is a founding partnerat Health Help NJ, LLC, acompany offering assistance inthe management of a serious illness.In addition to disease managementservices, her companyhas developed The HealthHelper, a medical organizer inwhich patients can create, store,and manage their own medicalrecords.’83 BSN, ’86 FNP Dyan Aretakisof Batesville, VA, was recognizedby the Charlottesville DailyProgress as one of 12 “DistinguishedDozen” this year. Dyanis the founder and director of theTeen Health Center at U.Va. Thearticle featuring her work waspublished on December 26, 2004.’83 BSN, ’90 MBA Sherri J.Miller of Mechanicsville, VA, participatedin the first NursingLeadership Forum organized bythe School of Nursing onDecember 4, 2004. She iscurrently the vice president ofProduct and Market Managementat Health ManagementCorporation. She is responsiblefor strategic planning and implementationrelated to overall productand market strategies.’83 BSN Sandra BurwellNowell of Chester, VA, participatedin the first NursingLeadership Forum organized bythe School of Nursing onDecember 4, 2004. She is a qualitymanagement nurse at McGuireVeterans Administration MedicalCenter in Richmond, Virginia.She is also a consultant to Homeand Community Care, PrimaryCare & Emergency ServicesAreas, and Compensation andPension.’86 BSN Colleen L. Corish ofMount Pleasant, SC, participatedin the first Nursing LeadershipForum organized by the School ofNursing on December 4, 2004. Asa clinical director at theOncology/Medical SurgicalServices, Medical University ofSouth Carolina and HollingsCancer Center, she is responsiblefor six medical/surgical andoncology inpatient units, the22 The Virginia Legacy SPRING 2005

CLASS NOTES AND NEWS hemapheresis service, radiationoncology services, and theSupportive and Palliative Careprogram.’87 BSN Lynn D. Palmer ofDallas, TX, participated in thefirst Nursing Leadership Forumorganized by the School ofNursing on December 4, 2004.She is the CEO and one of thefounding partners of MedTrials,Inc., a clinical research consultingfirm that helps pharmaceutical,biotech, and medical devicecompanies research and developnew products. See profile onLynn on page 7.’88 BSN, ’91 MSN SusanCallicott of Bethesda, MD,graduated from John HopkinsUniversity with her MBA in 2004.1990s’96 BSN, ’00 MSN/MBAPamela Baker DeGuzman ofCharlottesville, VA, participatedin the first Nursing LeadershipForum organized by the Schoolof Nursing on December 4,2004. As the director ofMedical/Surgical clinics at theU.Va. Medical Center, she hasfiscal, operational, and regulatoryresponsibility for 20 outpatientclinics and more than 100employees. On February 3, 2005,she and husband Darryl welcomedtheir second daughter,Claire Elizabeth, who joins sisterZoe.’97 BSN Rick Carpenter ofCharlottesville, VA, participatedin the first Nursing LeadershipNeed Help Paying for Medical Expenses?Forum organized by the School ofNursing on December 4, 2004. Asa patient care services manager atthe Medical ICU, U.Va. Hospital,Rick is responsible for the leadershipand management of a 16-bedmedical ICU. He is also responsiblefor performance improvementactivities and maintains an activerole in clinical research.’97 BSN, ’04 MSN Tracey Turnerof Appomattox, VA, and husbandJohn H. Turner welcomed thearrival of their new baby, JohnBrayden Turner, on December 12,2004.2000sU.Va. School of Nursing alumni are encouraged to applyfor assistance from the Tabitha S. Grier Medical AssistanceFund. There are no age restrictions, but the funds must beused for personal medical expenses not covered by insurance,Medicare, or Medicaid. The annual deadline forapplications is August 1.You can download guidelines and an application from theWeb at www.nursing.virginia.edu/alumni then click on“Grier Medical Assistance Fund.” Or call (434) 924-0138or e-mail nursing-alumni@virginia.edu to request anapplication.’01 BSN, ’02 MSN BridgetKuczkowski Leary ofCharlottesville, VA, participatedin the first Nursing LeadershipForum organized by the School ofNursing on December 4, 2004.Currently a post-masters familynurse practitioner student, she isalso an adjunct instructor atVirginia CommonwealthUniversity for an undergraduatecommunity health nursingcourse. At U.Va. she also works asan assistant to Reba Childress,leading the skills lab for secondyearstudents.’03 BSN Melanie Denny, activemilitary, was one of five RNs whoserved at the 67th CSH, Mosul,Iraq, a post with more than 6,000U.S., coalition, and Iraqi soldiersand civilians. Over the course ofher time in Iraq, Melanie sent e-mails to the school describing herexperience. In January she wrotethat she was grateful to be returningsafely to Germany.’04 BSN Debra Brosnihan ofWashington, DC, was featured onher local NBC news affiliate stationin January 2005. She waspreparing to leave for BandaAceh, Indonesia, to be part of aTsunami relief effort withNorthwest Medical Teams.IN MEMORIAM’28 Diploma Maitland AylorBarksdale of Vienna, VA, diedFebruary 2, 2005.’38 Diploma Sarah CunninghamMann of Camden, ME, diedJanuary, 2005.’39 Diploma Roberta G. Justis ofHerndon, VA, died January 17,2005.’52 Diploma Jean P. Potter ofBethesda, MD, died January 16,2004.’56 Diploma Nancy V. Bock ofBridgeport, WV, diedDecember 9, 2004.’62 Diploma Loretta S. Griffithof Shreveport, LA, diedNovember 24, 2004.’64 BSN Jo Anne Powell ofSouth San Francisco, CA, diedJanuary 31, 2005.’66 BSN Martha D. Finnen ofCranford, NJ, died February 12,2005.’75 BSN Janice B. Martin ofMadison, MS died July 20, 2004.(Friend of Nursing)’34 BA, ’35 MAMortimer Y. Sutherland, Jr. ofNorth Garden, VA, died onJanuary 24, 2005.FACULTY PUBLICATIONSFarrell, Sarah P., & Rigney,Dawn B. (2005). From dream toreality: How a parish nurse programis born, Journal of ChristianNursing, 22(2) (Spring), 34–37.Hollen, Pat J., Gralla R.J., LiepaA.M., Symanowski, J.T., &Rusthoven, J.J. (2004). Adaptingthe Lung Cancer Symptom Scale(LCSS) to mesothelioma: Usingthe LCSS-Meso conceptualmodel for validation. Cancer,101(3), 587–595.Hollen, Pat J., Gralla, R.J., &Rittenberg, C.N. (2004). Qualityof life as a clinical trial endpoint:Determining the appropriateinterval for repeated assessmentsin patients with advanced lungcancer. Supportive Care in Cancer,12, 767–773.Hollen, Pat J., R.J. Gralla, R.J.M.G. Kris, M.G., McCoy, S., &Moinpour, C.M. (2005). A comparisonof visual analogue andnumerical rating scale formats forthe Lung Cancer Symptom Scale:Does format affect patient ratingsof symptoms and quality of life?Quality of Life Research, 14(3),807–818.Keyes, E. F., & Kane, CatherineF. (2004). Belonging and adapting:Mental health of Bosnianrefugees living in the UnitedStates. Issues in Mental HealthNursing, 25, 809–831.Parker, Barbara, & Steeves,Rick. (2005). The nationalresearch service award: Strategiesfor developing a successful proposal.Journal of ProfessionalNursing, 21 (January–February),23–31.Wenzel, J., Utz, Sharon W.,Steeves, Rick, Hinton, Ivy. &Jones, R.A. (2005). “Plenty ofsickness”: Descriptions byAfrican Americans living in ruralareas with type 2 diabetes. TheDiabetes Educator, 31(1), 98–107.Faculty names are in boldface.The Virginia Legacy SPRING 2005 23

HEADERCALENDAR OFEVENTSAPRIL22 U.Va. Women’s Center Distinguished AlumnaAward (see page 18)23 Alumni Council and Advisory Board Meetings27 Diversity Committee Presentation: “HumanExperimentation: From Tuskegee 1932 to RuralVirginia 2005” (see invitation, page 21)MAY2 Catherine Strader McGehee Lecture: “StoryMedicine” (see invitation, page 21)3 Classes End6 Beta Kappa Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau –Distinguished Nurse Award Dinner6–14 Examinations16–18 Thomas Jefferson Society Reunions for the Class of1955 and earlier21 School of Nursing Pinning & Hooding Ceremonies22 University’s Final ExercisesJUNE3–5 Reunions! Undergraduate classes of 1960, ’65,’70, ’75, ’80, ’85, ’90, ’95, ‘00AUGUST24 Classes BeginOCTOBER8 Alumni Council and Advisory Board Meetings8 Benefactor’s DinnerNOVEMBER2 Zula Mae Baber Bice Memorial Lecture19–27 Thanksgiving BreakDECEMBER6 Classes End8–16 ExamsInterested in Pursuing Your Masters?Want to specializein Geriatric nursing?GNP/Master’s and on-linePost-Master’s optionsSummer, Spring and FallAdmissionsSubstantial financial aid is availablefor full and part-time students.For more information, see our Website at www.nursing.virginia.eduor call toll-free (888) 283-8703.Legacy Publication Schedule ChangesA Note from the Editor:We will continue to publish the Virginia Legacy twice a year, but wenow produce this magazine in the winter and spring (January andApril). Each fall, you should receive the school’s annual report.Watch for us in your mailbox, and please share any thoughts,feedback, or ideas you have with the editorial staff!You can also stay abreast of timely news from the School ofNursing by subscribing to our new electronic newsletter, Charts &Paths, sent every other month via e-mail. Sign-up atwww.nursing.virginia.edu/alumni/ChartsPaths.Thanks for reading. We work hard to produce a quality magazine,and hope you enjoy what you see.Karen J. Ratzlaff, EditorE-mail: ratzlaff@virginia.eduPhone: (434) 924-0138Nonprofit Org.U.S. PostagePAIDPermit No. 232Charlottesville, VAMcLeod Hall, P.O. Box 800782Charlottesville, VA 22908-0782Change Service Requested