Florence Nightingale - "The Lady with the Lamp"

Celebrate National Nurses Week May 6-12, 2013

 

There are over 3.1 million registered nurses nationwide!  

National Nurses Week begins on May 6th and ends on May 12th, Florence Nightingale's birthday.  This year, the American Nurses Association (ANA) has selected "Delivering Quality and Innovation in Patient Care" as the theme for 2013.

During National Nurses Week, the ANA calls attention to registered nurses (RNs) and their contributions to the health care system.  The nursing profession plays an essential role in improving patient outcomes, increasing access, coordinating care, and reducing health care costs.  Nurses are at the center of health care transformation in the United States.

Join the ANA for a free webinar on Thursday May 9th!

Innovation in Nursing Practice: Are You Leading the Charge? 



Nursing by the Numbers  - The RN Workforce
Figures on nursing employment, demographics and education, from U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration and Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Senior Nursing Students - Volunteer at RICI Health Fair

On Thursday April 18th, 2013, six Ashland University senior nursing students participated in a health fair at the Richland Correctional Institution (RICI).  These students and their AU clinical instructor were invited to participate by Trinity Floyd, RN, HCA of RICI. 

Students participated in the health fair as part of their Community and Global Health nursing course.  Dr. Wanda Franklin, the course instructor, provided the students with materials for posters and educational resources.  The students made two posters: one to display normal blood sugar and the other blood pressure. 

Various disciplines were represented at the health fair including dietary, vision, mental health, and drug and alcohol abuse.  Ashland University nursing students provided various health screenings and education at RICI including: blood pressure, pulse, pulse oximetry, blood sugar, and health education.  Any abnormal readings were noted and the information was relayed to the medical team for follow up care.  The students were excited to participate in this event and enjoyed the experience immensely.

 

 Back Row: Caitlin Jones, Lucas Biddle, Lauren Hale, Nicholas Lanzer, Delia Felder

Front Row: Melessa Starnes Damoff (AU clinical faculty), Bridget Wagner

 

Minority Health Fair - Ocie Hill Community Center

The 16^th annual Minority Health Fair was held on Saturday April 27, 2013 at the Ocie Hill Neighborhood Center in Mansfield, Ohio.  Approximately forty-seven local agencies participated in the event providing the community with free health screenings and educational resources.  Various health screenings available to the community included: blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, breast cancer, vision, and hearing.

The Seventh Day Adventist church served a nutritious breakfast and lunch at the event.  Ashland University College of Nursing faculty and students helped prepare and serve meals as well as clean up after the event.   Over 535 meals were served to the community and health fair workers.  

Local agencies set up educational booths at the Ocie Hill Neighborhood Center.  AU nursing students assisted theses agencies by providing important information and resources at the various booths.  AU nursing students are engaged with our community and participate in a variety of service projects as part of a HRSA grant that was awarded to the College of Nursing.      

Thank You AU College of Nursing Volunteers:

Faculty: Patti Clayburn, Melessa Starnes Damoff, Dan Hellinger, Marje Silcox

Students: Kathy Aduddell, Lisa Deschner, Ky Gingery, Johnathan Horst, Wes Kyser, Cassandra LaBove, Lisa Linscott, Danielle Martin, Ahmed Mirza, Ali Polkinghorn, Elexis Shelton, Lana Surgener, Emily White

Dominican Republic - Medical Mission Trip

Ashland University nursing students traveled to the Dominican Republic March 9-13, 2013 on a medical mission trip.  Lisa Young, organized the trip through the Ashland University Religious Life Department and Partner’s in Christ, an organization already serving in the Dominican Republic.  

Back Row: Michele Funk, Steven Chittenden, Lisa Young, Dr. Aaron Young, Joe Maggelet   
Front Row:  Alyssa Coley, Danielle Hart, Cole Hunter, Rachel Brown, Tiffiny Ellenberger
(Not pictured: Miriah Keller)

 

The first part of the week was spent in Juan Tomas where the team worked side-by-side with the people already serving in this area.   Students teamed up with interpreters and completed initial assessments.  Following an assessment, the Dominican people would then see one of the physicians, Dr. Aaron Young (Lisa’s brother), Johanna (a Dominican doctor), or Lisa Young (Advanced Practice Nurse).    Approximately 670 people were seen at the clinic in those 3 days.  The team also spent two days at a clinic in Mal Nambre where they saw over 350 people.    

There was a great need for medical assistance and supplies in this area.  The team took almost 8,000 Vitamins and 10,000 tablets of Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen, all of which were gone by the end of the week.  The Dominican people were greatly appreciative of these little things that we often take for granted in the US.  The team also purchased anti-parasitics to give to the people.  Infection was a common problem and was frequently seen in tonsils, ears, and wounds.  

 

At the end of the week, the AU team shared gifts from the people in the states with the children in the mission school in Juan Tomas.  They distributed coloring books and crayons to the younger children, hygiene packs to the high school, and Children’s New Testaments (donated by Temple Christian School) to the fifth to seventh graders.   Nursing students also gave antiparasitic medication to approximately 100 of the school children.  

The mission trip concluded with a trip to Colonial City where students shopped and learned more about the Dominican Republic culture.  The AU team was sad to leave the Dominican Republic people.  They will always treasure the friendships that were made, the unforgettable experiences they had, and the knowledge gained while serving in the Dominican Republic.  

Sigma Theta Tau International - Rho Nu-at-Large

On March 24, 2013, the Ashland University (AU) Rho Nu-at-Large chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI), the Honor Society of Nursing, inducted 52 new members into the chapter in a ceremony held at the Mansfield Seventh Day Adventist Church.  New inductees were AU pre and post licensure students, Mount Vernon Nazarene University (MVNU) students, and community nurse leaders.  The Ashland University chapter, Rho Nu-at-Large, has applied to STTI to formally collaborate with Mount Vernon Nazarene University’s School of Nursing to support the at-large status.

Dean Grund with Ashland University nursing student inductees.

Prior to the induction, senior RN-BSN student and Rho Nu-at-Large member, Sarah Carpenter, was presented with a Rho Nu-at-Large Nursing Excellence Award for Academic Performance. Following the induction ceremony, several faculty members and students collaborated to provide a presentation, Mission Nursing. Two Ashland University College of Nursing and Health Sciences faculty members, Cindy Dowds, MS, RN, OCN and Sharon See MSN, RNC-OB, along with AU students Emily Thorne, Kelsey Thiel, and Jacoby Baab presented about their 2012 trip to the Navajo Reservation. Karla Adu, MS, RN, CNP, faculty member from MVNU, along with MVNU nursing students Samuel Couchenour and Chari Mault, then continued the presentation by sharing about their March 2013 mission trip to Haiti. A reception immediately followed the ceremony.

Jackie Owens presenting award to RN-BSN student Sarah Carpenter.

Jacoby Baab, Emily Thorne, Kelsey Thiel

The mission of Sigma Theta Tau International is to support the learning, knowledge and professional development of nurses committed to making a difference in health worldwide. The organization’s vision is to create a global community of nurses who lead in using knowledge, scholarship, service and learning to improve the health of the world’s people. Membership is by invitation only to baccalaureate and graduate nursing students who demonstrate excellence in scholarship and to nurse leaders who exhibit exceptional achievements in practice. There are currently 475 active SSTI chapters representing 90 countries globally.

CONHS Faculty Member Volunteers at "Give Kids The World Village"

Melessa Starnes Damoff

Melessa Starnes Damoff, a professional instructor at the Dwight Schar College of Nursing and Health Sciences is spending spring break volunteering at Give Kids The World Village.
    

Give Kids The World Village is a 70-acre, nonprofit “storybook” resort for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.  The resort is located near some of Central Florida’s most beloved attractions.  Children and their families are treated to weeklong, cost-free fantasy vacations, complete with accommodations, transportation, donated attraction tickets, meals, and much more.

At the Village, these precious children learn that dreams really do come true, as families are immersed in joy, hope, and nonstop fun for a few unforgettably happy days.

Since 1986, Give Kids The World has hosted more than 120,000 deserving families from all 50 states and more than 70 countries.

For more information, visit givekidstheworld.org

Nurses Day at the Statehouse 2013

On February 20, 2013 faculty and students from the Dwight Schar College of Nursing and Health Sciences joined nurses from across the state for “Nurses Day at the Statehouse” (NDASH) in Columbus, Ohio.

Throughout the day, sessions were held addressing legislative news and information pertaining to nursing and the healthcare community.  Participants learned how to effectively communicate with legislators and heard success stories from nurses in action.  One in every fifty voters in the U.S is a registered nurse.  There is power in nursing!

Ashland University traditional nursing students and RN to BSN students attended the day-long event.  RN to BSN students attended NDASH as part of their senior capstone course in “Legal, Ethical & Political Perspectives in Nursing.”  These students also attended a prearranged meeting with an elected official while at the Statehouse as part of their capstone experience.  

Faculty and students enjoyed the various informational sessions and were able to take a behind-the-scenes look at the Ohio Statehouse and its history.  

RN to BSN students with Program Director Jackie Owens

Lauren Hale and Caitlin Jones

Governor John Kasich