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Arizona Nurse Honor Guard Memorializes Former Dean Gladys Sorensen

March 25, 2021

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UArizona Nursing Dean Ki Moore joins the Arizona Nurse Honor Guard to pay tribute to former Dean Dr. Gladys Sorensen

When Dr. Gladys Sorensen, the University of Arizona College of Nursing’s second dean, passed away on January 3 the College lost one of its most iconic figures and consistent champions. Earlier this month, the Pima County chapter of the Arizona Nurse Honor Guard visited the College to pay tribute to Dr. Sorensen. The Arizona Nurse Honor Guard is a non profit organization offering nurses recognition and honor for those who have dedicated their lives to the nursing profession.


“She gave to so many student nurses as well as helped grow that nursing culture in our community that it feels like the very least we could do to give back to her," ~LeAnn Leslie-Larson, Pima County Chapter, Arizona Nurse Honor Guard


Watch the moving tribute here:

 

Dean Sorensen was the second dean of the college and helped guide the college in its earliest years. From 1958 until her passing, Dr. Sorensen was deeply involved in the College’s milestones and successes, wearing professional hats that included Professor (1958-1967 and 1987-1988), Dean (1967-1986) and Dean and Professor Emerita (1988-2021). Read more about her life and career here.

DAISY and SUNFlower Awards Celebrate Amazing UArizona Nursing Faculty and Staff

March 22, 2021

Seeking to honor and acknowledge the outstanding work conducted by UArizona Nursing faculty and staff, the College is continuing its DAISY and SUNFlower awards program.

Established in 1999, by the DAISY Foundation, the DAISY Award program has expanded to over 4,500 healthcare facilities and schools of nursing in all 50 states. The strategic impact of meaningful recognition, through the form of the DAISY Award, on nurses and their organizations is deep, affecting nurses' job satisfaction, retention, teamwork, pride, organizational culture, healthy work environment, and more.


“So often are we caught up in what we can improve, that we forget the many things we do well. The DAISY and SUNFlower awards allow the UArizona community to highlight and celebrate what we do right and make the ordinary, extraordinary," ~Timian Godfrey, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC, Clinical Assistant Professor


UArizona Nursing partnered with the DAISY Foundation beginning in 2020 and concurrently established its own SUNFlower Awards.  While the DAISY Award is specific to nurses, the college recognized that the faculty’s work could not be done without the College’s dedicated staff. The SUNFlower award seeks to recognize staff members who act as a role model or mentor and demonstrate enthusiasm for creating a successful learning environment, while also demonstrating respect for others.

The awards were strategized by Drs. Timian Godfrey and Lauren Shurson.  Post COVID-19 workloads have increased in conjunction with resource strain but even prior to the pandemic the College was aware of the growing literature that calls for a deliberate cultivation of a healthy work environment and the benefits of meaningful recognition.

Timian M Godfrey , DNP, APRN, FNP-BC

“Meaningful recognition reminds us that what we do daily, often perceived as ordinary, is actually quite extraordinary,” Dr. Godfrey says. “So often are we caught up in what we can improve, that we forget the many things we do well. The DAISY and SUNFlower awards allow the UArizona community to highlight and celebrate what we do right and make the ordinary, extraordinary.”

Research shows that meaningful recognition has been shown to be a powerful way to help that process. Drs. Godfrey and Shurson developed a proposal showing the strong clinical evidence base for the benefits of meaningful recognition, exploring the option of translating the positive effects from the clinical realm into our workplace. From there, key faculty and staff members (Cindy Rishel, Cheri Lacasse, Mary O’Connell, Andrea Fisher, Leslie Dupont, Peg Kearney, and Nikki Pikaard) were identified to create the GRACE meaningful recognition program comprising of the DAISY and SUNFlower awards at UArizona Nursing. Members included college leadership, alumni relations, junior faculty, faculty from differing programs (BSN, MSN, DNP, PhD), and staff leadership.

Feedback from last year’s awards – which recognized four outstanding faculty members and one stellar staff member -- has been enthusiastic, which speaks to the program that DAISY has built and the story that the SUNFlower Award is joining. As for the future, Dr. Shurson says, “We hope to extend the impact of meaningful recognition and the DAISY Award to students as the program continues to strengthen. It is important to note throughout the process, close guidance and mentorship is offered by The DAISY Foundation to make sure the program is successful.” So far, 25 nominations have been received for the May Award ceremony.

Nursing Faculty and staff may be nominated by colleagues, peers, patients, families, or alumni.  The award recipients are chosen by a selection committee at University of Arizona College of Nursing. The DAISY Award will be presented twice per year. Each Honoree receives a certificate, a DAISY Award pin and a sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe.

Nominations are open year round and are easy to submit. “You just need to put the name of the person you’re nominating and a brief story,” Dr. Shurson says.  “We wanted this to be something that was easy to do in the moment after you witness such an event in the passing of an ordinary day. Not only will you be able to make someone else’s day, but the many people have said that writing the nomination story is personally beneficial. It makes more aware of the bigger story that we are all a part of at UArizona Nursing.”

 Award recipients will be announced at the College Award Ceremonies on May 6th and December 10th.  The Award Committee will consider nominations received prior to the 1st week of November for the December Award Ceremony and nominations received prior to the 1st week of April for the May Award Ceremony. Access the DAISY Award nomination form here and the SUNFlower Award nomination form here

UA College of Nursing Rises in Blue Ridge Rankings of National Institutes of Health Funding

March 17, 2021

The Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research recently released its rankings for Colleges of Nursing funded by the NIH in 2020. The UA College of Nursing rose in the organization’s rankings to 33 in 2020, up from 39 in 2019.  UArizona Nursing accounted for $1,933,505 out of $139,881,044 that UArizona Health Sciences received. The BRIMR is the only organization that compiles NIH funding across colleges in the United States. The rankings are used as a measure of research productivity.

UA Nursing was able to increase its ranking between 2019 and 2020 due to several new NIH faculty awards, notably Dr. Aleeca Bell’s large-scale grant funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research to study an intervention aimed at improving mother-infant bonding, health, and well-being. Learn more about this study here.


“We are very proud that the efforts of our hard-working faculty are reflected in the Blue Ridge rankings. Our faculty have been extremely productive, and their innovative research will lead to advances in science and improved health and healthcare." ~ Judith S. Gordon, PhD, Associate Dean for Research


Judith S. Gordon, PhD, Associate Dean for Research

“We are very proud that the efforts of our hard-working faculty are reflected in the Blue Ridge rankings,” said Judith S. Gordon, PhD, Associate Dean for Research in the UA College of Nursing. “Our faculty have been extremely productive, and their innovative research will lead to advances in science and improved health and healthcare.”

The BRIMR rankings underestimate the amount of research being conducted by UA College of Nursing faculty, Dr. Gordon said, adding the rankings include only NIH funding to faculty members listed as principal investigators within the College. The rankings do not reflect faculty’s roles on grants funded to other colleges or universities or other types of extramural funding, such as the Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Defense, NASA or private foundations. 

The Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research is a nonprofit organization that ranks U.S. medical schools by NIH grant awards each year. The NIH is the largest public funder of biomedical research in the world. NIH-funded research has led to breakthroughs and new treatments helping people live longer, healthier lives, and building the research foundation that drives discovery.

The Blue Ridge Rankings track yearly NIH funding awards from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. The rankings are determined by the whole value of awards to a principal investigator’s institution and do not include research and development contracts.

Terry Badger Honored with Jimmie Holland Lifetime Achievement Award

March 15, 2021

University of Arizona College of Nursing Professor Terry A. Badger, PhD, RN, has been awarded the Jimmie Holland Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Psychosocial Oncology Society (APOS).

The Jimmie Holland Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honor conferred by the APOS. Presented annually, it recognizes an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the field of psychosocial oncology in leadership, training, research, clinical practice and service to the APOS. It is named in honor of APOS founder Jimmie D. Holland, MD, who was central to the establishment of psychosocial oncology, or psycho-oncology, as a subspecialty within oncology dealing with the psychological, social and behavioral aspects of cancer.


“I am humbled and honored to receive this award named after one of the pioneers in psycho-oncology. It is especially an honor because I knew Jimmie Holland. She was always willing to talk about research and supportive care for cancer survivors and their caregivers.  She was truly an inspirational leader in psycho-oncology," ~ Terry A. Badger, PhD, RN


“I am humbled and honored to receive this award named after one of the pioneers in psycho-oncology,” said Dr. Badger, Eleanor Bauwens Endowed Chair at the UArizona College of Nursing and chair of the Community and Systems Health Science Division. “It is especially an honor because I knew Jimmie Holland. She was always willing to talk about research and supportive care for cancer survivors and their caregivers.  She was truly an inspirational leader in psycho-oncology.”  

Dr. Badger, who is a Cancer Prevention and Control Program research member at the UArizona Cancer Center, is internationally recognized for her substantive research focusing on depression, symptom management and quality of life among cancer survivors and their families. She is a pioneer and leader in the field of psychosocial oncology research among cancer survivors and caregivers, and in reducing health disparities among Hispanic women with breast cancer and their caregivers.
 

The Jimmie Holland Lifetime Achievement Award

"This is an incredible honor, and Terry is most deserving of such a prestigious award," said Joann Sweasy, PhD, the Nancy C. and Craig M. Berge Endowed Chair and UArizona Cancer Center director. "She is a true leader in supportive care, research and training for cancer survivors and their caregivers. All of her colleagues at the Cancer Center are appreciative and proud of the lasting impact she has made in advancing supportive care for our patients.”

For three decades, Dr. Badger has tested psychosocial support interventions with the goal of improving the lives of the growing legions of cancer survivors and their informal caregivers. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, her research focuses on the management of psychological distress and treatment-related symptoms among survivors of solid tumor cancers and their informal caregivers.

She is the principal investigator and founder of the Symptoms, Health, Innovations, Equity (SHINE) research group, which seeks to improve symptom management and quality of life for cancer survivors and their caregivers. Her current research tests optimal personalized sequencing of interventions and determines if addressing depressive symptoms allows cancer survivors and caregivers to cognitively reframe beliefs regarding the efficacy of their actions towards symptom management.  

Dr. Badger has published more than 125 papers in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters, including landmark papers on the topic of interdependence of survivor and caregiver outcomes. She has developed an inter-individual model of distress, which provides sound theoretical grounding for psychosocial interventions between two individuals.

Since 2000, she has mentored nearly 50 PhD and doctor of nursing practice students as part of her commitment to nursing education and preparing the next generation of researchers and practitioners.

Dr. Badger, who is a past president and fellow of the APOS, was presented with the Jimmie Holland Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2021 APOS Virtual Conference on March 12. The award comes with a $1,000 honorarium, which she donated back to the APOS.

Wildcat Nurses Fighting COVID-19: Miranda Albright, Level 2 BSN-IH Student

March 8, 2021

Meet Miranda Albright, Level 2 student in UArizona Nursing’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing Integrative Health (BSN-IH) pathway.  Albright is one the dedicated student volunteers who lent a much-needed hand with the Banner Health PODs at the State Fairgrounds in Phoenix.

Why did you choose to pursue a career in nursing?

I chose to pursue a career in nursing because I wanted to make a difference and help people. It’s a pretty generic answer, but it’s true! It means a lot to me that I get to know these patients and help them. I crave that human connection with people, and I enjoy helping them meet their goals and improve their health. I can make people feel better and that makes me feel better too!


“It gives me a lot of pride to know that I chose nursing during a time when nurses are needed more than ever. I remember going into the hospital for the first-time once things opened up and thinking to myself ‘I made the right choice.’ I am part of a historical moment in healthcare, and I am really glad I am here," ~ Miranda Albright, Level 2 BSN-IH Student


What is it like to be on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Being on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic is a strange thing to experience. When I applied to the UArizona Nursing it was before the pandemic hit, and I was unaware of how things would change and how it would affect the school. It gives me a lot of pride to know that I chose nursing during a time when nurses are needed more than ever. I remember going into the hospital for the first-time once things opened up and thinking to myself ‘I made the right choice.’ I am part of a historical moment in healthcare, and I am really glad I am here.

Can you describe your work at the COVID POD?

Working at the COVID POD was exciting because we got to give injections and observe patients afterward for potential side effects. Some of the patients were nervous about getting the vaccine but most people were just excited. Some of the students would give injections while others were observing, then we would switch. While I was observing I had so much fun chatting with people and everyone was just so happy and positive it was a great experience.

What are your biggest takeaways from the work you’re doing there?

My biggest takeaway from participating in the COVID POD was how happy people were to be there and get vaccinated. It felt like everyone was relieved to finally have the vaccine and feel more protected. Everyone was really happy and grateful that we were there.

Can you share your perspective of the challenges you face as a student nurse during this crisis?

The biggest challenge for me while being a nursing student during the pandemic is getting clinical time in the hospital. During my first semester, the hospital wasn’t letting students come in so we had to do a lot of our clinicals online. We were really lucky that we had state-of-the-art simulation programs.

During these challenging times, what gives you hope and helps you stay positive?

The thing that has kept me positive during these challenging times is relying on my classmates for support. I think it’s super important to remember we are all in this together and are going through the same things. The first semester was really hard because we were all so busy and isolated but connecting with my classmates helped a lot. We would set up zoom meetings to study and chat and talk about how the pandemic made us feel and it made such a difference in how I approached school during the pandemic.

What does it mean to you to be a Wildcat Nurse?

To me, being a Wildcat Nurse comes with a special level of excellence and the expectation. The standard is higher for us and the college expects a lot out of us because they know we are capable of achieving higher standards in our practice. The College wants to make sure that when we graduate, we are the best nurses we can be so that we can pass on that quality care to our patients. Having that affiliation with the University of Arizona means people will expect a lot out of us and we take pride in providing really high quality care to our patients.

Dr. Heather L. Carlisle Recognized as Distinguished Educator in Gerontological Nursing

March 2, 2021

Heather L. Carlisle, PhD, DNP, RN, FNP, AGACNP, CHPN, clinical associate professor in the University of Arizona College of Nursing, has received the Distinguished Educator in Gerontological Nursing award from the National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence (NHCGNE). The honor is bestowed on experienced nurse educators with specialties in teaching, developing curriculum for, or overseeing aging or gerontological/geriatric nursing courses, professional development content or community education.


“Inspiring nurses to specialize in gerontological nursing requires those of us who are passionate about this specialty to impart that enthusiasm and knowledge to nurses, whether formally in the classroom or by mentoring new nurses at the bedside," ~ Heather L. Carlisle, PhD, DNP, RN, FNP, AGACNP, CHPN


“Inspiring nurses to specialize in gerontological nursing requires those of us who are passionate about this specialty to impart that enthusiasm and knowledge to nurses, whether formally in the classroom or by mentoring new nurses at the bedside,” Dr. Carlisle said. “I envision the day when we care for our older adult population the way we would want our children to be cared for in their old age.”

Dr. Carlisle has more than a decade of nursing experience, most of them in advanced practice as a nurse practitioner. Her clinical focus is older adults in acute and sub-acute settings, particularly palliative care and end-of-life care. As an educator, she teaches courses on gerontology and lectures on pain management. She developed a two-semester sequence in palliative care to educate future nurses about older adults and end-of-life issues. Additionally, to help future nurses be more comfortable with issues surrounding death and dying, Dr. Carlisle has contributed to a module on having conversations with elderly patients about end-of-life decision-making.

“I am optimistic that by inspiring nurses to embrace working with older adults, rather than shying away from them, we can greatly improve health care for future aging populations,” Dr. Carlisle said.

Dr. Carlisle’s clinical scholarship focuses on nurse practitioner education, palliative care and opioid safety in acute care settings. She received both master’s and doctoral degrees with an emphasis on gerontology from the College of Nursing. Previously, she earned a doctorate in geography from the University of California at Berkeley.

The NHCGNE is a collaboration of national and international schools and institutions committed to enhancing the capacity and competency of nurses to provide quality care for older adults. Their mission is accomplished through advancing gerontological nursing science, providing faculty development, facilitating adoption of best practices, fostering leadership, and designing and shaping policy.

Also recognized by the NHCGNE with this award was Cheryl L. Lacasse, PhD, RN, AOCNS, clinical professor and RN-MSN program coordinator for the College of Nursing. Drs. Carlisle and Lacasse join 2019 College of Nursing awardees Lorraine Martin-Plank, PhD, FNP-BC, NP-C, GNP-BC, FAANP, FNAP, and Janice D. Crist, PhD, RN, FWAN, FAAN, in their leadership as nurse educators working with students, faculty, providers and older people in diverse settings.

Wildcat Nurses Fighting COVID-19: Destiny Jones Level 2 BSN-IH Student

Feb. 24, 2021

Meet Destiny Jones, Level 2 student in UArizona Nursing’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing Integrative Health (BSN-IH) pathway.  Jones is one the dedicated volunteers lending a much-needed hand with the Banner Health PODs at the State Fairgrounds in Phoenix.

Why did you choose to pursue a career in nursing?

My goal is to give all I can to care for those who are sick and get them back to living a productive life. I greatly respect human life and have compassion for empathy and suffering, so knowing I can make a career out of helping people that are struggling medically has been my driving force. I have always been drawn to biological and physiological sciences, which is what developed my interest further into the medical field. Nursing allows me the opportunity to work closely with vulnerable patients to make a significant impact on their lives. There is nothing more rewarding than the feeling of bringing comfort to those in their darkest moments. Nursing is not simply a career but is my calling.


“Working at the COVID POD as a nursing student, I feel like we are finally starting to see some light at the end of this dark tunnel. I talk to the patients that receive their vaccine and I can feel the impact this pandemic has had on each of them. Being at the COVID POD brings a feeling of relief after so much sickness and suffering," ~ Destiny Jones, Level 2 BSN-IH Student


What is it like to be on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic?

I currently work in the portion of the medical field that supplies individuals with equipment such as supplemental oxygen, which has been the main weapon against COVID-19. Since Arizona has one of the nation’s highest rate of coronavirus hospitalizations, our oxygen supplies ran low. It was hard coming to work wondering if that was going to be the day we run out of oxygen and start turning patients away. Working in health care you never want to consider rationing care. Now with working at the COVID POD as a nursing student, I feel like we are finally starting to see some light at the end of this dark tunnel. I talk to the patients that receive their vaccine and I can feel the impact this pandemic has had on each of them. Being at the COVID POD brings a feeling of relief after so much sickness and suffering.

Can you describe your work at the COVID POD?

A typical day at the COVID POD lasts about ten hours. The first half of the day, I mainly oversee individuals that have already received their COVID-19 vaccine and have to wait 15 minutes to make sure no adverse reactions take place. During this time, I like to talk to my patients to see how they are feeling. I like to educate them to continue taking their prescribed medications and to expect some of the common symptoms such as injection site pain. Once the individual has waited their full 15 minutes, they are free to continue their day. During the second half of the day, I mainly give the vaccine to patients. We start the process by confirming the patient and documenting the administration of the vaccine in their medical record. Once documentation has been complete, we can administer the vaccine and the rest is history! Many of these individuals are so grateful for everyone that volunteers at the COVID POD and the work that takes place here is truly a one-of-a-kind experience.

Can you share your perspective of the challenges you face as a student nurse during this crisis?

There have been quite a few challenges throughout my nursing education during a pandemic. As a student we have a unique challenge related to our role and how this will help to develop the next generation of nurses. In March of 2020, our nursing program decided to remove students from clinical experiences, and we have just now been allowed to go back to clinicals in very small numbers. Even going back to clinical it has been a challenge as if we were to be exposed to COVID-19 we risk not only our health but our families as well.  The University has done an amazing job with minimizing this concern, as we are to avoid caring for patients with known COVID-19 positive tests.

During these challenging times, what gives you hope and helps you stay positive?

My program really emphasizes self-care so taking care of myself and being able to identify what my body needs at times has helped me stay positive. Taking care of myself is a priority for me as I really believe in caring for my mind, body, and spirit will ultimately make me a better caregiver. Having hope does not mean that you are being oblivious to what is going on in the world, however it is important that you acknowledge what is happening and be mindful how it makes you feel.

What does it mean to you to be a Wildcat Nurse?

I am very proud to be a Wildcat Nurse. With dedication and passion, being a wildcat nurse will pave the way for amazing opportunities, a rewarding career, and a network of people who support what you do. We have had a few families donate generous amounts of money and items to our program which have made transitioning to virtual learning a lot easier. Being a Wildcat Nurse, you learn how to become a leader, address healthcare obstacles, and educate the community while assuring those who are weak get the proper medical attention they need.

Faculty Spotlight: Jocelyn Nelms Reflects on her Career and the State of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Nursing Education

Feb. 22, 2021

In a national moment when racism has finally been recognized as a public health crisis, engaging in dialogue about ways to address issues of inequality in health care professions is essential. Since colleges are at the forefront of providing training that can help eliminate disparities related to a patient’s race or ethnicity it’s especially important to highlight the achievements of educators with an understanding of those goals.

In recognition of Black History Month, we reached out to University of Arizona Nursing faculty member and alumnus Jocelyn Nelms, MS, NEd, RN to hear about her career as well as her thoughts on the topic of equity, diversity and inclusion. A nurse for over 20 years and a nurse educator for over 13 years, Nelms earned her Masters of Science degree in Nursing with an emphasis in Nursing Education in 2009. Since then, she has become well-known for her passion for patient education and teaching the next generation of nurses -- including classroom, simulation, skills labs and clinical practicum. She has presented at local, national, and international conferences in Nursing and simulation education. She serves as course chair as well as a committee chair and is a member of the Arizona Simulation Network and the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. In addition she has achieved honors including UArizona Nursing’s Old Main Brick Award for faculty excellence, and was a nominee for the Athena Valley of the Sun’s Honoring Athena Inspired Leaders Award for amazing Arizona women making a difference in our communities.


“I know that one interaction can make a patient, family or community feel valued. I also know that if policies do not change, if resources are not provided, if awareness is not extended to action, then we will continue to see inequities in our ethnic communities and communities with poor socioeconomic status," ~ Jocelyn Nelms, MS, NEd, RN


Like many in the nursing profession, Nelms came to her passion at a young age. Although her father initially discouraged her from pursuing nursing because of the hurdles his mother and aunt faced in the profession, she took inspiration from her grandmother’s career. That experience included acting as a Labor & Delivery Nurse, a Community Health Nurse and general medical surgical nurse. While she worked in a variety of health care settings as a Licensed Practical Nurse and was looked up to by her community, barriers and limited resources prevented her from obtaining a Registered Nurse license. “I saw her as a positive role model, however, and I wanted to go further than she was able to,” Nelms says. “I made up my mind to pursue my Bachelor of Science in nursing and become one of the first people in my family to start and finish at a University and obtain my degree.”

Jocelyn Nelms receives the Old Main Brick Award

 As a UArizona Nursing student, Nelms was one of the few ethnic minority students in the cohort. She engaged with fellow students from various backgrounds and nationalities and built long-lasting friendships. At the same time, she lacked peers she could identify with and sometimes had to go outside the college for student support services. She credits faculty like Marylyn McEwen for making her feel heard and included. “These teachers assisted us in understanding that it was our job to reflect on those feelings, assess what is needed, and advocate for ourselves and our patients to obtain the resources that were necessary,” she says.

Nelms’ greatest role model is her father. A hardworking man dedicated to his family and his community, he faced challenges in his pursuit of higher education but overcame them to eventually earn his Associate’s degree and Bachelor’s degree. “He taught me to set goals, determine the path that you want to take to get there, create a plan B because barriers and road blocks will occur,” Nelms says. “Without my father encouraging me to study, being a sounding board when things got tough in college and reminding me of the goals that I had set, I am not sure I would have made it through nursing school.”

Jocelyn Nelms at Connect 2 STEM

Nelms’ path to her current profession began in her study groups in the University of Arizona College of Medicine library. Fellow students said she should consider becoming a nursing instructor because of her talent for guiding them toward success on exams. “This planted the seed in me to purse nursing education,” she says. She went on to obtain her Master of Science in Nursing with an emphasis on nursing education and once the opportunity presented itself she started teaching. “That’s still the best part of my job: when you can explain something to a student, especially when in a clinical rotation, and they get it and the ‘light-bulb' comes on.”

Despite the joy she gets from her work, Nelms is acutely aware of the inequalities that underpin society, especially in health care. “Racism, overt and covert, has permeated all areas of our society,” she says. “It is hard to see at times that your thoughts and concerns are not appreciated or listened to, or taken seriously all because of the color of your skin. This means that sometimes health care providers, loan officers, etc., might not explain things fully, omit important things, be afraid to care for people in certain areas leading to inappropriate or poor care, and decreased resources.” She stresses the importance of acknowledging racism and confronting the wounds and injustices of our past. Otherwise, she says, “We’ll keep ripping scabs every time ‘something’ happens. At some point, scars will be left as a reminder of the ‘healing’ that never happened.”

Nelms sees some improvements in classroom settings, although she stresses that social justice issues should be expanded to more than just Community Health courses. “One class might help address the existence of bias in relation to how we care for others, but more should be done. I appreciate the recognition of the problem but we often fall short of creating actual, sustainable change.” Change on a larger scale, she says, will take big alterations on a community and public policy level. “I know that one interaction can make a patient, family or community feel valued. I also know that if policies do not change, if resources are not provided, if awareness is not extended to action, then we will continue to see inequities in our ethnic communities and communities with poor socioeconomic status.”

The path toward improvement begins with acknowledging the existence of disparities, Nelms says. We must assess for health literacy, offer free classes where financially challenged community members can consult with health care providers, provide funding for follow-up visits and updated surveys to address cultural needs. She also believes it is extremely important for patients to see themselves in their health care providers as members of their community. “It can make a patient more adherent to recommended treatments, make a person feel more valued and cared for and make a person feel part of society at large,” she says.

For students of color who are considering a career in nursing, she is quick to offer encouragement. “I would remind them that the majority of their peers do not understand where they’ve come from or the amount of work it took to get here. If it was easy for you, then you’re privileged, and you owe no apology for that. If it was difficult, you made it, but more challenge lies ahead. Though you may have worked harder to get here, nobody owes you anything. You are not alone, though. Find a Mentor because racism exists within healthcare and yes, within nursing.”

Dr. Cheryl Lacasse Named the Third Anne Furrow Professor of Integrative Nursing

Feb. 19, 2021

University of Arizona College of Nursing Clinical Professor and Coordinator, RN-MSN program Cheryl Lacasse, PhD, RN, AOCNS has been named the Anne Furrow Professor of Integrative Nursing. Dr. Lacasse is the third UArizona Nursing faculty member to hold the Professorship, succeeding Mary Koithan, PhD and Dean Ki Moore, PhD, RN, FAAN.

The first integrative nursing professorship in the country, the Anne Furrow Professorship was created to assist the College in recruiting and retaining extraordinary faculty. Anne Louise Furrow, who earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from UArizona Nursing, was the first pediatric nurse practitioner licensed in the state of Arizona. She worked as a pediatric nurse at Pima County Health for 30 years in a career-long quest to better the lives of women and children. In 2011 she joined the College of Nursing Advisory Board and in 2015 she established the Anne Furrow Professor of Integrative Nursing. Originally created for pediatrics, it was later refined by Ms. Furrow to focus on integrative nursing.


“I am honored and humbled to be appointed. The professorship demonstrates the College of Nursing's commitment to advancing integrative nursing and integrative nursing education for clinicians and educators," ~ Cheryl Lacasse, PhD, RN, AOCNS


“I am honored and humbled to be appointed,” Dr. Lacasse said. “The professorship demonstrates the College of Nursing's commitment to advancing integrative nursing and integrative nursing education for clinicians and educators.”

As a leader in creating transformational change in the development of programs to train integrative nursing faculty, UArizona Nursing has demonstrated a strong commitment to establish curriculum for all levels of nursing education and determining core competencies required for national certification in the field. In 2016, the College started the nationally recognized Integrative Nursing Faculty Fellowship (INFF), a first-of-its-kind program designed to provide faculty with opportunities to learn the theory, science and practice of integrative health, and create applications to nursing education and discovery.

As the first Faculty lead for the program, Dr. Lacasse has a long track record of commitment to integrative health issues. She has more than 30 years of nursing experience in advanced clinical practice, managing complex care of cancer survivors and using integrative nursing therapeutics for symptom management and long-term health and wellbeing.

The whole-person philosophy behind integrative nursing has guided Dr. Lacasse throughout her nursing career. She is trained in the use of relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises, visual imagery, and progressive muscle relaxation, and she used mindfulness techniques in her oncology practice as a Clinical Nurse Specialist working with oncology patients with complex symptom management challenges. In addition, she has proficiencies in yoga and acupressure and has an interest in healthy learning and work environments.

“Integrative nursing and caring science align with my personal philosophy of caring, nursing, and nursing education,” Dr. Lacasse said. “Compassion-based care is an important part of the healing process across the care continuum. Equally important is compassion-based education, caring for student's body-mind-spirit to facilitate student growth, development, and self-care and longevity in the nursing profession.”

The role of the professorship is to promote health and wellbeing throughout the College through education, scholarship, and service. Initially Dr. Lacasse will work with the College's recently established BSN-IH program, with plans to ultimately work with faculty and students across all education programs.  She hopes to use the strong foundation of integrative nursing educational assets carefully built by Drs. Mary Koithan and Natalie Pool, among others, to continue to meet the learning needs of faculty regarding teaching and learning integrative nursing.  "I am looking forward to the challenges and rewards with the College community and the University of Arizona Health Sciences community in the future," she said. “It will be a joy to work with faculty across all programs to infuse integrative nursing and integrative health into curriculum in a meaningful way.”

Dr Lacasse believes that the foundations of the nursing profession are rooted in an understanding of humans as integrated beings in body, mind, and spirit. Integrative nursing includes this understanding in assessment, intervention and outcome evaluation with individuals, families, and communities. Integrative nursing education views students as integrative beings and the education process should model care and compassion while teaching core nursing knowledge.

Referring to her experience as Faculty Lead for the INFF as well as a 2020 alumnus of the Fellowship, she says that both experiences taught her about the importance of preparing both entry and advanced level nurses as providers of care that embrace the body-mind-spirit and deliver evidence-informed care. “Nursing faculty for all levels of clinicians are role models for their students in living the essence of caring and compassion for individuals with whom they work,” she said. “Integrative nursing faculty focus on the overall well-being of their students. They guide and support them to achieve outcomes of becoming caring and compassionate nurses who use best evidence to promote wellbeing of the individuals across the health care continuum.”

UArizona Nursing has become a leader in integrative nursing education.  In addition to the BSN-IH program and the Anne Furrow Professor, the College’s commitment to integrative nursing continues to grow and flourish in other ways. Looking to the future, Dr. Sue Roe, Chair of the College Community Advisory Board, and her husband Bill have committed a legacy gift to endow a chair in integrative nursing. Dr. Roe has dedicated her career to promoting and advancing integrative/holistic nursing education and practice. “Becoming a nurse was my dream career as a child,” Dr. Roe said. “I knew then as I know now, after many years as a nurse, being mindful of body, mind, and spirit of self and others is essential to caring, compassion, and nursing excellence.”

With Dr. Lacasse in her new role and the support of incredible alumus like Dr. Roe, the future of integrative nursing in the College is in great hands. 

All Hands on Deck: the UArizona College of Nursing’s Pivotal Role in Campus Vaccine Roll-Out

Feb. 15, 2021

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Banner POD BSN-IH Level 2 Students, Spring 2021

As the University of Arizona rolled out its intensive vaccination plan in January, the College of Nursing played an essential role in the implementation at the Point of Dispensing (POD) operations. When the University’s Incident Command System (ICS) team requested help, UArizona Nursing faculty, staff, and students answered the call.

Andy Fischer volunteers at vaccination site
Development Director Andrea Fisher volunteers at a vaccination site. Photo by Kris Hanning.

DNP program Director Allen Prettyman, PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP, FNAP, and Senior Manager, Operations Isabel Chavez, MEd, played pivotal roles in recruiting people to help vaccinate and support POD operations. Additionally, Chair, General Nursing and Health Education Division Connie Miller, DNP, RNC-OB, CNE, CCCE, was involved in recruiting faculty to aid in the effort, as well as giving vaccines at Tucson Medical Center.  Senior Director, Development Andrea Fisher has also lent her time, helping with traffic flow and direction.

Aiding the effort in Maricopa County is a crew of Level 2 Bachelor of Science in Nursing Integrative Health (BSN-IH) specialty students under the supervision of Clinical Instructors Tara Loghry, MSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, and Jules Leverenz, MSN, ACNP. The students have been administering Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at the Banner vaccine clinic at Maricopa County Fairgrounds.  “It's been fantastic to see their confidence grow as they have become more comfortable with injections,” said Leverenz, who estimates that students are administering between 10 and 30 injections on the day of their rotations. “Daily, the students recognize and love to discuss the importance of their role in this historic task of helping vaccinate a large patient population in helping to fight this pandemic. Banner, on average, has 1700-1800 vaccine appointments daily.”


“The University has done a great job with this. I have found that the organizers are receptive to feedback on the ways to improve the clinic and each week, things just get better and better. The people coming for their vaccines remark how organized things are and how smoothly things go," ~ UArizona Nursing Lecturer Kathleen Malkin


Destiny Jones, Level 2 BSN-IH student

Student Destiny Jones works in the portion of the medical field that supplies individuals with equipment such as supplemental oxygen. “Working at the COVID POD as a nursing student I feel like we are finally starting to see some light at the end of this dark tunnel,” she said. “I talk to the patients that receive their vaccine and I can feel the impact this pandemic has had on each of them. Being at the COVID POD brings a feeling of relief after so much sickness and suffering.”

Essential to the effort is Lecturer Sherry Daniels, MS, MPH, RN, who was called in by the Incident Commander for the Campus Health task force to help with the management of the POD ops for COVID vaccine on Campus.  Thanks to her previous role as Pima County Health Department (PCHD) director, she still has contact with many of the department’s staff and leadership. “Since I still have connections with the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, they reached out due to my leadership past and my experience with running large scale immunization events with Pima County: Measles in 2008 and H1N1 in 2009,” she said. 

Daniels is quick to point out that her efforts are part of a committed coalition of College nursing leaders, including graduates from the RN-MSN program like Sara Little and Karen Schwartz. She cites the importance of such diverse activities as managing the scheduling and registration of participants, training of personnel, screening, education and – most importantly – managing and administration of the vaccine itself.  “The nurse manager needs to reconcile vaccine usage, monitor adverse events, communicate with the state and other partners about operations, and plan for the next operational periods,” Daniels explained.  

Although the registration process was initially beset by unpredictability as well as vaccine scarcity, the process has smoothed out since the efforts began. Also of great importance is logistics aid provided by UArizona Facilities Management and vaccination help from colleagues like Lecturer Kathleen Malkin, who has years of experience planning, implementing, and evaluating large vaccination clinics while working with the Pima County Health Dept. “I know the amount of planning, effort and resources needed to operationalize a mass clinic,” Malkin said. “The University has done a great job with this.  I have found that the organizers are receptive to feedback on the ways to improve the clinic and each week, things just get better and better.  The people coming for their vaccines remark how organized things are and how smoothly things go. “

Daniels has high hopes for the future of the University’s broad vaccination efforts.  She points out that the College of Nursing’s participation will be essential moving forward, as the POD will be operating until at least May. “The community is nervous and anxious to get their shots,” she said, noting the importance of communication to both external and internal stakeholders in building a strong ICS structure. “We need more data collection for planning and long term approaches to our target communities. The need for nursing resources will be critical and is deep and long term.”