The Wisconsin Nurse - October 2018

Page 18 The Wisconsin Nurse October 2018
Nurses Foundation of Wisconsin
Varga Named Dean of JoAnn McGrath
School of Nursing and Health Professions
Milwaukee, (Aug. 16,
2018) – Patricia Varga,
Ph.D., MSN, RN, CNE,
has been named dean
of Alverno College’s
JoAnn McGrath School
of Nursing and Health
Professions, President
Andrea Lee, IHM,
announced.
Varga, an associate
professor of nursing
who has been at Alverno
since 2004, will lead the
implementation of the
college’s ambitious strategic plan, which seeks to
expand on its widely admired history in nursing
and make a significant contribution in the evolution
of health care to improve access, increase quality
and lower costs. Varga also will lead college efforts
as it makes final preparations for accreditation
renewal by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing
Education, the national agency devoted exclusively
to accrediting baccalaureate and higher-degree
nursing education. Previously, Alverno was granted
the maximum 10-year accreditation period,
extending from December 2009-December 2019.
Margaret Rauschenberger, MSN, RN, CCHP, who
has served as associate, interim dean and dean of
the JoAnn McGrath School of Nursing and Health
Professions since 2012, will return to the faculty and
assist in the leadership of Alverno’s strategic plan
initiatives. Lee named her dean emerita of Nursing.
Rauschenberger’s professional experience as
a mental health nurse will be particularly valuable
in the college’s work. Under Rauschenberger,
Alverno launched a doctorate of nursing practice; a
graduate clinical nurse specialist program, graduate
family nurse practitioner program, graduate clinical
nurse specialist program and graduate adult
geriatric primary care nurse practitioner program;
and RN to BSN program. Rauschenberger will
partner with Varga during her transition into the
dean’s role.
“We are thrilled to have a dean of Dr. Patricia
Varga’s caliber as the college expands its footprint
of excellence in nursing and health care,” Lee said.
“At the same time, we thank Peg Rauschenberger
for her years of principled, high-energy leadership
and are fortunate that she will continue her
excellent work at Alverno.”
Aspirus Wausau Hospital
has been a Magnet hospital
since 2005, affirming our
commitment to quality of
care, teamwork, patient
outcomes, staff development,
progressive leadership, and
research initiatives.
Patricia Varga
Great place to start your nursing
career to advance your skills,
deepen your experience and
make a real impact in a culture
that promotes excellence.
• Nurse Residency Program
• Stability of a growing system
• Commitment to quality
• Healthy work environment
• Culture that values education
• Continuous opportunity for advancement
Varga received her doctorate in nursing from
Marquette University. Her areas of expertise
include community health, nursing education
and leadership, and parish nursing. Her area of
scholarly research focuses on the factors impacting
diverse students in nursing programs. Working
with a team of Alverno faculty and students, she
served as primary investigator on a grant-funded
program through the college’s Center for Academic
Excellence. It extends the topic of her dissertation,
which proposed a new model and theory: the
Theory of Diverse Student Faculty Partnerships.
Using findings from these two studies, she
anticipates testing interventions aimed at attracting
students from diverse populations and successfully
retaining them through graduation.
“This is an exciting time at Alverno College,”
Varga said. “I look forward to building on our
strong history in nursing and embracing bold
approaches that address primary care needs and
engage in cutting-edge advances in access and
delivery for the community.”
About Alverno College
Alverno College promotes the academic,
personal and professional development of
its students in a collaborative and inclusive
environment. Undergraduate programs for
women are offered in more than 60 areas of study,
and graduate programs in education, nursing,
community psychology and business are open to
women and men.
A leader in higher education innovation, Alverno
has earned international accolades for its highly
effective ability-based, assessment-as-learning
approach to education, which emphasizes handson
experience and develops in-demand skills. The
College has consulted with three U.S. presidential
administrations on accountability and outcomes
in higher education and for the past eight years
has been ranked one of the top five schools in
the Midwest doing “the best job of educating
undergrads” by U.S. News & World Report. Alverno
is Wisconsin’s sole Hispanic-Serving Institution, a
national designation that provides access to federal
grants and scholarships to not-for-profit institutions
of higher learning that serve a significant
population of Hispanic students.
Based in Milwaukee, Wis., Alverno College is
a four-year independent, Catholic, liberal arts
college.
Learn about career opportunities
at one of our 8 hospitals and over
55 clinics in Central WI and Upper MI.
Visit aspirus.org/careers
For more information call or email:
Julie Riemer RN, BSN
Talent Acquisition Specialist
Phone 715-847-2383
Julie.Riemer@aspirus.org
What’s the Plan?
SueAnne TeStrake, MSN, RN-C
President Nurses Foundation of Wisconsin
It’s inherent, the day of admission the plan
begins for discharge. Every patient has a person
centered plan of care. There is a plan in place for
emergencies, triage, and staffing – everything
being contingent on the situation, circumstance
or condition at the moment. Planning is an
essential part of our nursing process, and
communication of the plan of care contributes to
smooth transition of care.
We also make personal plans in our daily
lives. Plans that include education, choice of
partners, vacations, travel, work place specialty,
finances, retirement, even our menu plans, are
also contingent on the situation, circumstance
or conditions at the time. Plans change and we
often need to be flexible and come up with a
Plan B. That picnic planned for Thursday just got
changed to indoor miniature golf due to rain.
Some of the more difficult plans to make are
the plans for our survivors. Life is a continuum,
none of us will live forever, the end comes
sometimes when least expected and even when
expected, it is still a traumatic loss.
It is beneficial for our survivors to know what
we want at the end of our days, both in care,
treatment and memorials. Thinking that far ahead
is challenging, more challenging than planning
your wedding or your retirement because it’s a
painful process, but such a necessary process for
yourself and your survivors. It creates a peace of
mind.
Establishing a living will outlines to medical
personnel your choices should you not be able
to express them at the time. Having a discussion
with your family and care provider before an
event is the most ideal, when the situation is not
overlaid with grief.
Establishing a trust or planning your estate
also contributes to a smooth transition for your
survivors. Outlining your wishes improves your
survivors’ chances to grieve without having to
be overloaded with making decisions. Putting
together a simple will is not expensive and it is
something that can be done through the Internet.
If someone dies without a will in Wisconsin,
the estate is handled via intestate succession.
(Chapter 852 of the Wisconsin Statutes).
I have learned a lot about trusts, wills, estates,
funeral planning, probate issues—more than I
ever wanted to know, in the past two years since
the loss of my son, my spouse and my Mother.
Learning what I have though, has helped me act
and put in writing plans for those who survive
me. I worked with an estate planner who was a
tremendous help getting things in order.
Nurses Foundation of Wisconsin (NFW) offers
for your planning, an opportunity to have the
Nightingale Tribute service along with the poem,
“She or He was there” read at memorial services
for nurses. We recite this Tribute at our annual
meetings to honor nurses who have passed that
year. We also offer the opportunity to donate
funds to the NFW in memory of a loved one, for
the purpose of nursing scholarships and grants.
Supporting the future of nurses in Wisconsin
supports nursing education and research and
enhances nursing’s’ impact of health care.
Wisconsinnurses.org/Nightingale Tribute
At our September meeting the NFW board of
directors will map out our strategic plan, appoint
a new president and continue our work of
increasing the visibility of the NFW.
HRADS-007