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Assistant Clinical Professor Lisa Kiser Receives 2023 AANP State Award for Excellence in Arizona

Feb. 14, 2023

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Lisa Kiser, DNP, CNM, WHNP (Left)

On January 13, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) announced the prestigious 2023 NP State Awards for Excellence recipients. In recognition of her excellence in clinical practice, University of Arizona Nursing Assistant Clinical Professor Lisa Kiser, DNP, CNM, WHNP, a certified nurse-midwife and women’s health nurse practitioner, is being honored by the AANP as the 2023 recipient of the AANP State Award for Excellence in Arizona. Each year, nurse practitioners (NPs) across the nation are nominated by their colleagues to receive this prestigious award.


I am truly honored to receive this award, as it represents the work that all nurse practitioners are doing to increase health equity in the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic again made clear that systemic inequities must be addressed to improve health outcomes in the United States. I am grateful for the opportunity to help educate the next generation of healthcare providers to be change leaders in our country," ~ Lisa Kiser, DNP, CNM, WHNP


“I am truly honored to receive this award, as it represents the work that all nurse practitioners are doing to increase health equity in the United States,” Dr. Kiser said.  “The COVID-19 pandemic again made clear that systemic inequities must be addressed to improve health outcomes in the United States. I am grateful for the opportunity to help educate the next generation of healthcare providers to be change leaders in our country.”

Dr. Kiser’s work in health equity includes increasing access to cervical cancer screening for uninsured and underinsured women, demonstrating her commitment to improving access to quality healthcare for all people. Her experience living in Central America solidified her passion in working with women and female-bodied people to partner in culturally relevant care. She greatly appreciates the opportunity to work with women across the lifespan and offers care to women from menarche (onset of periods) through menopause and beyond.

A Tucson native who has spent her career working in Arizona, Dr. Kiser recognizes the need for cultural humility in health care and supports individual and community autonomy for traditional and indigenous peoples. Dr. Kiser loves the Sonoran Desert and values being outdoors on runs, bikes, and hikes. Her understanding of wellness is one of balance and connection, and she sees her role as a health care provider as one of partnering with patients to build on their own capacity for well-being. Dr. Kiser currently provides care at United Community Health Center Continental Family Medical Center and Arivaca locations.

The AANP State Award for Excellence was established in 1993 and is given to an NP in each state who demonstrates excellence in clinical care. In 1993, the AANP Advocate State Award for Excellence was added to highlight the efforts of individuals who have made a significant contribution toward increasing the awareness and recognition of NPs. Awards are distributed to the recipients throughout the year, with recipients honored during the annual AANP national conference. AANP is the largest professional association for NPs of all specialties, with more than 121,000 members and headquarters in Texas and Washington, D.C.

New UArizona Nursing Sexually Transmitted Infections Course Primes Students to be Change Leaders in the Fight Against STI’s

Feb. 10, 2023

In fall 2023, the University of Arizona College of Nursing will launch a brand-new fully online course for the emerging adult population, ages 18-25. Designed to teach students about common sexually transmitted infections (STIs), NURS 151, Perspectives on Sexually Transmitted Infections, will prime learners to become peer resources on fact-based and science-based sexual health education.

Assistant Clinical Professor Robin J Poedel, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, who designed and wrote the course based on her longstanding clinical passion for STIs, says that the impetus for NURS 151 is rooted in the lack of education that the mainstream public has about the behaviors of STIs. And with numbers consistently rising every year for such infections as gonorrhea, chlamydia, and HIV, it’s more important than ever to educate young people about the dangers posed by these infections. “This course is a natural fit for the undergraduate population,” Dr. Poedel says. “Coincidentally, or not coincidentally, this population has the highest number of incidence and prevalence when it comes to STIs.”


“I want students to walk away from this course empowered with knowledge that they can not only commandeer their own body regarding sexual health, but they can then share this information as truth with their peers," ~ Robin J Poedel, PhD, RN, FNP-BC


Dr. Poedel has designed NURS 151, which will be available as a campus-wide elective, to be accessible to students with varying science backgrounds. “I want to give my class the bare bones, the foundational information,” she says. “We’re going to make it understandable. We’re not going to talk over anybody’s head with all the scientific jargon.”

The course covers the basics such as the anatomy and physiology of the male and female reproductive tracts, an introduction to STIs and their risk factors, diagnosis, and epidemiology of STIs, an explanation of the prevention and treatment strategies used to manage STIs locally and globally, and deep dives into the most common – and destructive -- STIs.

Robin J Poedel, PhD, RN, FNP-BC

“We make it easy to understand,” Dr. Poedel says. “We discuss what the terms mean, what the incidences mean, and what the prevalence is, so that when students look at statistics, they can understand the ramifications. By doing so, they’ll have a better idea of what they’re working with and what the risk factors are, and they get to understand why these organisms are so stealth, why they fly under radar repeatedly.”

One of Dr. Poedel’s ultimate goals for NURS 151 is to create cohorts of knowledgeable peer facilitators. “They’ll have scientific knowledge, presented to them in an easy-to-digest format, so that they can then explain things to their friends in a way that they were explained in my course,” she says.  “I want them to walk away from this course empowered with knowledge that they can not only commandeer their own body regarding sexual health, but they can then share this information as truth with their peers.”

Below are the top nine takeaways students will get from NURS 151:

  1. Describe the characteristics of the most common reproductive tract infections, STIs and HIV
  2. Compare and contrast bacteria, viruses, and other causative organisms
  3. Discuss the epidemiology of STIs/HIV and associated statistics
  4. Explain prevention and treatment strategies used to manage STIs/HIV locally and globally
  5. Understand the role of protective measures (ex. condoms) in the prevention of STI transmission
  6. Discuss the relationship between birth control and STI transmission
  7. Describe awareness of the relationship between STIs and sex trade (ex. sex for drugs), sex work, and sex trafficking
  8. Understand HIV/AIDS and not only how to prevent acquisition, but how to live life Positively if already HIV+
  9. Live every day as a peer facilitator and share your science-based knowledge with your peers in an effort to decrease the incidence and prevalence of STIs.

College of Nursing Holds Year’s First Clinical Immersion

Feb. 9, 2023

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(From left) Erin McMahon, EdD, CNM, FACNM, nurse-midwifery specialty coordinator, is handed a newborn baby manikin for skin-to-skin contact by nurse-midwifery students Julia Chan and Annie Giang. Dr. McMahon was wearing a birth simulator and Giang was “catching” the birth while Chan assisted.

The University of Arizona College of Nursing held the first of three yearly clinical immersion sessions for its Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students in early January. About 120 students from all DNP specialties participated in the immersion over five days. Many of the hands-on skill focused sessions were held at the Arizona Simulation Technology and Education Center (ASTEC) and with standardized patients in the Objective Structured Clinical Examination center.

Clinical immersions are designed to help DNP students develop specialty-specific clinical skills. College of Nursing faculty from all DNP specialties support the workshops, which are designed to develop essential clinical skill competencies. “Upon completion of the clinical immersions students are prepared to continue to enhance clinical skills under the supervision of preceptors in clinical environments,” said Hyewon Shin, DNP program coordinator.

“Clinical immersions are critical to the program success,” said Erin McMahon, EdD, CNM, FACNM, director of the nurse-midwifery program for UArizona Health Sciences and specialty coordinator for the College of Nursing. “Students come to campus and are able to develop skills and professional communication that they can bring to the clinical setting. The use of simulation allows us to send a stronger student out to our preceptors and clinical settings.”   

DNP nurse-midwifery student Annie Giang, RN, said the experience was helpful in preparing her for upcoming clinical rotations. “Having the simulations in ASTEC really helped me engage in my learning. I thought it was very helpful to have standardized patients to simulate a patient visit in the office. I am looking forward to the next clinical immersion,” Giang said.

New Faculty Profile: Get to know Lateefah Collingwood, PhD, NNP

Feb. 7, 2023

Meet University of Arizona College of Nursing Assistant Clinical Professor Lateefah Collingwood, PhD, NNP, who joined the college last semester. Originally from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Dr. Collingwood earned her nursing degree at the University of the Virgin Islands School of Nursing before getting her master’s in education from Florida State University, her master’s in nursing at Northern Arizona University and her PhD from the University of Phoenix. She moved to Tucson in 1993 to join a neonatal practice as a Nurse Practitioner (NP) and has called the Old Pueblo home ever since. A dual passion for education and nursing has fueled her career journey, leading to years of experience both at the bedside and in the classroom – and a unique perspective on the importance of compassionate care.

What drew you to a career in nursing?

I always knew that I was going to work in the health care field. At first wanted to be a doctor, but I ended up going to nursing school and then nurse practitioner school. My draw was always to help people. I always feel like a nurturer in some way and so that was the field that aligned with my way of being.


We must approach nursing and healthcare in general from a place of empathy. You have to be able to meet them where they are and help them feel special because your job is to help them heal. I tell students ‘We’re not dealing with things; we’re dealing with people,'" ~ Lateefah Collingwood, PhD, NNP


What led you to your work in higher education?

In college I did a dual major because I always liked education. I did a nursing major, but I took education classes from the beginning all the way through grad school. When I worked as a nurse and then an NP, I did a lot of training within the hospital and moved my way up to work as the hospital’s education director.

Tell us about your passion for teaching.

I really like to bring students to the ‘Aha’ moment. Working in nursing, it’s so important to be passionate about developing new nurses, especially with the nursing shortage that we continually face. We need people who are interested in developing the workforce of the future. I tell my college students in the hospital, ‘One day, I’m going to be on the other side of the bedrail, and I want to make sure that the person that I’m looking up at knows what they’re doing. When I look up I want to be able to just exhale.’

What is your teaching philosophy?

My teaching/learning philosophy is centered around experiential learning, and it’s based on the fact that it’s a relationship that’s born between the teacher and the learner. I believe that learning has to be active for it to stick. I love creating learning environments where students get engaged and where you can take them from total confusion to ‘Oh, wow.’

How do approach your role as a mentor?

It depends on the student, of course, because you would like to meet the student where they are. I try to be the person that can meet the needs that the students have at the time and help them think a little bit more broadly. Sometimes it’s just about being an ear that will listen to them and give them sound advice.

What are your research interests?

I’m really interested in the transition of new nurses into the workforce. I’m also interested in patient safety. My dissertation was all about the perspectives of nursing leaders at all levels and their responsibility for keeping patients safe, but I want to spread that research out to nurses as well.

Can you tell us more about your dissertation?

Working in a hospital setting for over 30 years, I was always baffled by the fact that we have so many strategies in place to keep patients safe and yet they still get injured. When it came time to engage in research, I wanted find out what’s happening at an initial level and then dig deeper later to find out what’s really happening. I started with the people that were responsible for the unit just to get a sense of how they think about things. Who do they think owns safety?

I expected to find that the leaders would say It’s the responsibility of nurses at the bedside, but I did a qualitative study and what I found was that there was mutuality. They thought that every person that encounters a patient has some responsibility for keeping that patient safe. As leaders, they acknowledged that they believe we all share responsibility. However, we work in a very complex system with a lot of variables. While we’re all in agreement about patient safety, there are a lot of other factors that prevent us from being successful. The next phase of my research will be to discover whether nurses feel the same way that the leaders do. I want to know how nurses view their responsibilities for nursing for keeping patients safe in their care environment.

What advice do you have for students considering entering the nursing field?

When I encounter new students, I always talk to them about their purpose. I tell them that number one, you have to like people. Because you’re caring for people in their most vulnerable state. They don’t feel well. They’re coming into a hospital setting with strangers, so you’re going to do things for them that they used to be able to do for themselves. We must approach nursing and healthcare in general from a place of empathy. You have to be able to meet them where they are and help them feel special because your job is to help them heal. I tell students ‘We’re not dealing with things; we’re dealing with people.’ There’s a human being on the other side of every decision we make, every short cut we take. When we excel, there’s a human being on the other side of that excellent care that we give. Everything we do impacts a human being. We may not know them. They might be just Mr. Jones in Bed Two to us but there might be a sister, a child, a grandchild, a wife that’s very worried about them, so we need to look at the whole patient and do things for the patient as a whole being and not just give a shot or change a dressing.

ADHS Awards $9.2M to Accelerate Nursing Degrees for UArizona College of Nursing Master’s Students

Feb. 2, 2023

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Lecturer Jocelyn Nelms instructs UArizona Nursing MEPN students

Nearly 160 students at the University of Arizona College of Nursing will be able to accelerate completion of their studies thanks to a share of $43.1 million in grants awarded by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) to five Arizona nursing programs.

The College of Nursing will use the funding, which was designed to address the state’s nursing shortage, to create 158 scholarships to cover the cost of tuition and fees incurred by students while completing the college’s graduate-level Master of Science in Nursing – Entry to the Profession of Nursing (MS-MEPN) program. The MS-MEPN program will help educate and train new Wildcat nurses who are desperately needed to fill an anticipated nursing shortage of almost 1 million nurses by 2030.

“We are thrilled at the additional support we are receiving from the State of Arizona,” said UArizona College of Nursing interim dean Kathleen Insel, PhD, RN. “These scholarships to our MS-MEPN program students will not only help address the ongoing nursing shortage, but also allow bachelor-prepared students in other fields to re-career as nurses, starting an exciting new career in a highly rewarding and in-demand field. It really is a win-win for the state, the students and the citizens of Arizona.”


These scholarships to our MS-MEPN program students will not only help address the ongoing nursing shortage, but also allow bachelor-prepared students in other fields to re-career as nurses, starting an exciting new career in a highly rewarding and in-demand field. It really is a win-win for the state, the students and the citizens of Arizona," ~ Kathleen Insel, PhD, RN, Arizona College of Nursing interim dean 


The ADHS provided the grant for scholarships to be used in programs designed to allow students to complete entry-level nursing degrees in 12 to 18 months. Both in-state and out-of-state residents are eligible for a full scholarship.  Recipients must agree to practice nursing in Arizona for at least four years upon completion of their degrees. The funding is made possible by HB 2863, approved by the Arizona State Legislature in 2022.

The MS-MEPN program is a four-semester, highly accelerated generalist master’s program tailor-made for students holding university degrees in other fields who want to become registered nurses.

“We look forward to implementing the program scholarships soon with our MEPN accelerated nursing program to expand the nursing workforce in Arizona,” said Connie Miller, DNP, RNC-OB, CNE, principal investigator for the ADHS grant and the division chair responsible for all prelicensure programs at the College of Nursing. “Master's level education strengthens the workforce by enabling nurses to lead health care teams to improve patient and population health outcomes in the state of Arizona. These nurse leaders will provide excellent, evidence-based nursing care and potentially use their graduate education as future faculty members to teach the next generation of nurses.”

The MS-MEPN program launched in 2011 as Arizona’s first accelerated master’s entry program and has since graduated 1,105 students. The college will offer 96 MS-MEPN seats each semester ­– fall, spring and summer – 48 in Tucson and 48 in Gilbert, Arizona. Previously, a total of 130 students were admitted once a year. The next cohort starts in May, and applications are opening soon for those interested in starting in August.   

The College of Nursing has been preparing to increase enrollments due to the current shortage of nurses to meet the needs of Arizona residents and the anticipated increased need for nurses in the state. The college’s Gilbert location recently doubled in size from 17,500 square feet to a total of 35,000 square feet of space in the University Building. This space will accommodate the increased number of MEPN students who will be enrolled every semester.

For more information about the scholarships, or to learn more about qualifying, please reach out to the College of Nursing Office of Student and Academic Affairs.

White Coats Presented to Doctor of Nursing Practice Students

Jan. 27, 2023

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Lindsay Bouchard, DNP, PMHNP-BC, RN, an associate clinical professor and the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner specialty coordinator, congratulates Mehdi Thomas after presenting him with his white coat at the UArizona College of Nursing white coat ceremony.

The University of Arizona College of Nursing held its 2023 white coat ceremony for Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students Jan. 13 at Crowder Hall. The tradition, which began in 2015, marks the beginning of the clinical phase of the program and allows students to affirm their commitment to providing compassionate, patient-centered care as future advanced nurse practitioners.

A total of 111 students attended this year’s ceremony, which included remarks from the dean and senior faculty, as well as a recitation of the student oath of responsibility. The oath is a reiteration of the values students have learned and their commitment to apply their knowledge, experience and skills to ensure optimal outcomes for their patients.

Kathleen C. Insel, PhD, RN, the interim dean for the College of Nursing, said in her opening remarks: “You are receiving an education that challenges you to think critically and tackle the issues that need to be addressed to improve health care. During your clinical education journey, look around and take note. Embrace the good and acknowledge the problems in our health care systems. Lead the profession and make us proud of your Wildcat effort.”

A video of the ceremony can be viewed online.

Made a New Year’s Resolution to Stop Smoking? We Can Help! Enroll in the UArizona Be Smoke Free Study

Jan. 25, 2023

There’s no better way for smokers to ring in the New Year than to stop smoking. Contributing to more than 480,000 deaths annually in the United States, smoking remains a problem nationwide.  More than 8,000 Arizonans die each year from smoking, and thousands more live with a smoking-related illness.  UArizona College of Nursing professor and Associate Dean for Research, Judith Gordon, PhD, is leading an effort to help adults quit smoking.

“Tobacco use is one of the leading causes of disease and death in the United States,” Dr. Gordon said. “There are still millions of smokers in the US. If you can help those people stop smoking, you’re going to greatly improve not only their health and wellbeing but also the health and wellbeing of people who are exposed to their secondhand tobacco smoke. There’s enormous potential for improving public health.”


“There are still millions of smokers in the US. If you can help those people stop smoking, you’re going to greatly improve not only their health and wellbeing but also the health and wellbeing of people who are exposed to their secondhand tobacco smoke," ~ Judith Gordon, PhD


Dr. Gordon and her research team are currently seeking people who want to stop smoking to take part in an innovative study to test two approaches to help people quit. The Be Smoke Free study is funded by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health and seeks to test an integrative health approach to stopping smoking.

Judith Gordon, PhD

The Be Smoke Free program is provided by phone and text, with no in-person requirements. The program will provide six weekly sessions with a trained quit coach over the phone plus four weeks of nicotine patches or lozenges at no cost. Participants may also receive up to $100 for completing all study activities.  

“Because the Be Smoke Free program is delivered entirely remotely, there is tremendous potential to reach smokers wherever they are, whenever they’re ready,” said Dr. Gordon. “Plus, we provide robust support to smokers who are ready to quit for good.”

People interested in learning more about the Be Smoke Free program can visit the project website at: https://besmokefreestudy.org, email besmokefree@arizona.edu, or call 520-621-0458 for more information or to enroll in the program.

UArizona Nursing Provides Life-Changing Support for International Health Effort in El Fuerte, Mexico

Jan. 11, 2023

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Associate Clinical Professor Dr. James Reed and DNP3 student Haley Simpson en route to El Fuerte, Sinaloa

In November, University of Arizona College of Nursing Associate Clinical Professor James Reed, DNP, MSN, BSN travelled to a health clinic in El Fuerte, Sinaloa, to take part in 22 life-changing surgical cases. The effort was launched by Liga International, also known as The Flying Doctors of Mercy, a philanthropic volunteer organization that has been providing medical, dental and eye care to impoverished people in rural Mexico since 1934. For four days, Dr. Reed and one of his residents, DNP3 student Haley Simpson, lent their Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist skills to operating room procedures that benefited residents of the surrounding community.

Haley Simpson (Left) and Dr. Reed (Right) with a colleague in El Fuerte, Sinaloa

“It’s a feel-good mission,” Dr. Reed says, citing the positive patient outcomes he and Simpson were a part of. “It was great seeing the patients get through these procedures safely and comfortably, and then feeling the appreciation shown for the efforts of the medical and nursing team. The patients we saw have chronic conditions that would be hard to manage without Liga International.”

This is the first time UArizona Nursing representatives have taken part in the Liga International mission, but Dr. Reed hopes to expand the college’s participation in the future to three missions per year. In addition to the personal satisfaction he received from improving the lives of his patients, Dr. Reed is excited about the potential learning advancements for UArizona Nurse Anesthesia students.


It was great seeing the patients get through these procedures safely and comfortably, and then feeling the appreciation shown for the efforts of the medical and nursing team. The patients we saw have chronic conditions that would be hard to manage without Liga International," ~ Associate Clinical Professor James Reed, DNP, MSN, BSN


“It’s important for the residents to get out of their comfort zone,” Dr. Reed says. “Many of them will be working in complete independent practices when they graduate. The innovation and the intellectual flexibility that’s required to do these things is value added for our residents’ educational experience.”

Patients wait for medical care at a health clinic in El Fuerte, Sinaloa

Amplifying that sense of innovation and flexibility, the Liga International mission came about because of the initiative of U.S. military veteran Haley Simpson. While volunteering at a University of Arizona-sponsored COVID vaccination clinic at the Douglas, Ariz. Point of Entry, Simpson coordinated the trip after meeting Liga International volunteer Ellen Paige, M.D. “Improving access to healthcare for underserved communities is very important to me,” Simpson says. “So, when I learned about Liga’s mission, I knew I had to present it to Dr. Reed.”

DNP3 student Haley Simpson

Dr. Reed, a Tucson native who is also a U.S. military veteran – a former Army medic deployed 12 times to war zones supporting counter-terrorism work – obtained his Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in 1992 from Uarizona Nursing, making him a proud Wildcat Nursing alumnus, backed by 23 years as a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA). He worked with UArizona Nursing professor Lisa Kiser, PhD, to successfully navigate the process of obtaining approval from the University for the Liga International trip, resulting in a private small aircraft trip across the Sonoran Desert to El Fuerte.

He and Simpson joined 25 other volunteers for two days of life-changing and life-enhancing surgeries for in-need patients. “The whole experience gave me an overwhelming sense of pride and it filled my heart with joy to be able to make such a great difference for so many people,” Simpson says. “Dr. Reed and I had to overcome several obstacles to ensure our patients received safe anesthesia and the volunteers in the Operating Room were not exposed to anything harmful.” 

DNP3 student Haley Simpson and Dr. James Reed in the operating room

The UArizona nurse anesthesia team quickly identified areas for improvement and decided it would be safest to avoid volatile agents due to lack of means for scavenging anesthesia gases. “Using all the skills I’ve learned so far, I formulated a plan to do most of the procedures via neuraxial anesthesia, MAC, or TIVA,” Simpson says.

During their two days in El Fuerte, Dr. Reed and Simpson delivered anesthesia for 22 patients between the ages of 18 months and 87 years old undergoing gynecologic, podiatry, and general surgery. “I felt very welcome in the community, and it was palpable how thankful the patients were for the service we were providing,” Simpson says, noting that many patients walked, rode the bus, and hitched rides on motorcycles to sleep outside of the clinic to receive lifechanging surgery the next morning.

Haley Simpson with patients at the El Fuerte, Sinaloa clinic

Dr. Reed has high praise for his Mexican health care colleagues, who were able to bridge language barriers by alleviating any concerns with the patients and to obtain informed consent. “They were so appreciative of us being there and I think in a lot of ways they were learning from us, too,” he says. “The whole experience was beneficial for everybody that participated.”

As for the future, Dr. Reed hopes that this inaugural mission will open the doors for more involvement from UArizona Nursing. Ideally, he would like to organize three or four trips per year during the clinic’s operational period – the first weekend of each month between November and May. He envisions bringing three nurse anesthesia students and one faculty member per trip, although he hopes ultimately to be able to include BSN students and Advanced Practice Registered Nursing (APRN) students to assist with primary care and intake procedures.

Dr. Reed displays Wildcat Nurse pride

Dr. Reed sees the mission as a differentiator between UArizona and other programs that adds value added to the student educational experience. “It's very exciting,” he says. “Our program is really fighting to create an entry level CRNA that can work anywhere independently, and that is focused on rural communities that lack access to anesthesia care. Having an experience like this where they have to innovate, all the while having a seasoned faculty member there with them to help guide them is one of the benefits of this activity."

Photos courtesy of Dr. James Reed

Nursing Celebrates Graduates During Fall Convocation

Jan. 10, 2023

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Assistant clinical professors Sharon Hom, PhD, MS, RN, (left) and Timian Godfrey, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, (right) celebrate with Angela Acuna, who completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.

The University of Arizona College of Nursing honored its fall 2022 graduating class at Centennial Hall on Dec. 15. A total of 221 Wildcat nurses celebrated the successful conclusion to their programs in front of family, friends and faculty.

Interim Dean Kathleen Insel, PhD, RN, delivered the opening remarks.

“During these challenging times, you are entering the profession at a time when the need for nurses is nearly unprecedented,” she said. “Your dedication to enter this field, dedicated to serve those who are in need, is inspiring. You will make a difference. Society is going to ask a lot of you. COVID-19 brought a myriad of unprecedented challenges, but challenges open the door for new opportunities to create compassion out of chaos, to make a difference for your patients, our profession and our society. You are needed, you are ready and you are determined.”

At the event, which marks the college’s 65th graduating class, the conferred degrees included 54 Bachelor of Science in Nursing, 66 Bachelor of Science in Nursing – Integrative Health, 22 Master of Science in Nursing, 74 Doctor of Nursing Practice and five Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing.

University of Arizona College of Nursing Alumna Elected as New American Nurses Association National President

Dec. 19, 2022

In June, the American Nurses Association (ANA) Membership Assembly elected UArizona alumna Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, as the association’s next president to represent the interests of the nation’s more than 4.3 million registered nurses.

Dr. Mensik, who earned her PhD in Nursing from UArizona Nursing in 2006, has more than 25 years of nursing experience in a variety of settings ranging from rural critical access hospitals and home health to hospital administration, and academia. She has served as President of the Arizona Nurses Association and 2nd Vice President and Treasurer of ANA.  Currently, she serves as an Assistant Professor at the Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing. Dr. Mensik’s term of service as ANA president will begin January 2023.

Although she has gone on to greater and greater career heights, she still pays her respects to her alma mater. “Being a Wildcat Nurse means being innovative,” she says. “Each of you, regardless of education or role, are innovators!” With that sentiment in mind, we recently caught up with Dr. Mensik to learn more about her nursing journey, her path to higher education and leadership, and

What brought you to a career in nursing?

When I was in high school, my mom was in a nursing program for her RN, and I enjoyed listening to what she was learning and doing. So when I was a sophomore, I decided to go into the nursing profession. I had decided to be a Nurse Practitioner at that point, but later I decided to switch paths after my BSN program.  I grew up in Washington state, and they have a program called Running Start, which allows Juniors and Seniors in high school to take local community college courses that apply to both high school graduation and college credit. I got my prerequisites completed by the beginning of my senior year and applied directly into the local Associate Degree in Nursing program (ADN).

What was your experience like in the UArizona Nursing PhD program?

I was one of the last cohorts to be in person. Since many of us lived in Phoenix, we were lucky to have courses tele broadcasted to the Phoenix campus. Half of us were in class in Phoenix, the other half in person in Tucson but we were able to interact with each other. The UArizona program has always been ahead of the curve on innovation and having tele broadcast like that was great 20 years ago. I also was very lucky to have been able to get my major focus in health systems. So many of our problems in healthcare are rooted in system issues, and that program focus gave us the educational background and expertise to be leaders nationally on so many issues. There is quite a group of us making a large difference.

Tell us about your career in nursing.

My nursing journey has been very nontraditional. I was never a front line nurse or middle manager in an acute care setting before moving into my formal leadership roles.  It’s about acquiring the leadership and management skills in any position you hold that can applied across any role. 

My career started 28 years ago when I worked in the local critical access hospital as a kitchen aide. I then moved into a nursing assistant and ward/unit secretary role. During my ADN program I was able to sit for LPN boards and worked as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). After completing my RN-BSN at Washington State University, I decided I didn’t want to be an NP.  I was much more interested in leadership articles, ones written by nurses with MBAs.

So, I moved to Phoenix after I graduated and obtained my MBA. During that program I realized the power nursing has in making real change. I decided to go back to school for my PhD in nursing at the University of Arizona. As I worked on my PhD, I then moved back into home health and hospice as a case manager.  During my dissertation time, I did move into a formal leadership role in home care, and then by time I graduated, I was the director of home health.  After a few years, I did move into a health system role, overseeing Clinical Practice and Research for numerous facilities in seven states. From there I have held numerous leadership roles in academic and nonacademic health systems, from Executive Director of Quality for UCLA, Administrator for Nursing and Patient Care Services at St Luke’s Health System in Idaho, and division director for care management.

What attracted you to a career in higher education?

I think as nurses, we are also all teachers. I have always taught students; however, teaching has always been an extra position for me in addition to my 9-5 position.  With the end in sight for the faculty shortage, I believe that as many of us who can should contribute what we can to helping prepare future nurses in all roles, even if only teaching part time.  Also, I learn so much from all of my students. It’s a great way to keep up current issues in so many different areas of nursing practice through discussions and assignments. 

Tell us about your research interests.

My current interests surround RN reimbursement for nursing and care coordination services, without a traditional qualifying provider, and how that impacts quality and other outcomes related to those services provided. We have had a program at OHSU for years under our care management department that has worked with Oregon Medicaid to allow RNs and LCSWs bill for community care coordination without an NP or MD.  Outcomes for these types of programs, measuring care coordination impact, is very different and needs to be measured over a long period of time. One of our programs was able to demonstrate statistical decrease in ED visits while increase primary care visits in a high-risk group when compared against a similar Medicaid population who did not get the intervention.

What are your priorities as the new national ANA President?

I look forward to sharing my priorities soon. In this role, I will represent the nation’s 4.3 million nurses, the largest group of health care professionals in this country who touch every part of our health care delivery system. This is a pivotal time for the nursing profession as they support COVID-19 recovery efforts, but also recover themselves from the physical and mental strain of the pandemic. Generations of nurses will feel the impact of COVID-19.  As ANA President, it is my duty set priorities that consider the profession today, and the future of the profession.

What advice would you give students considering entering the field?

Do it! I have never regretted being a nurse, and I am grateful for all the experiences I have had as a nurse. I could not have imagined where I would be today when I started out. But I rarely said no to an opportunity and had faith in myself to figure out things even if I didn’t have the answers or knowledge to start with.