• Wednesday, May 15, 6:00–7:00 p.m.
• Thursday, May 30, 6:00–7:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, June 11, 6:00–7:00 p.m.

RSVP appreciated.

Call 724-357-3269, or e-mail dkarcher@iup.edu.

For more information, call 724-357-2559 or visit Nursing and Allied Health Professions.

The proud godparents, President Michael Driscoll and Interim Dean Mary Swinker, will be in attendance.

Come vote on a name for the new SIM baby, and enjoy games and light refreshments. All are welcome!

Please note the location change to Putt Hall. This is a correction from a previous annoucement.

Nursing and Allied Health Professions 

The course will be taught in a workshop format on May 20, May 28, and June 11 from 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. in 208 Johnson Hall. Additional course time will be online. The course prepares educators to design, implement, and evaluate simulation scenarios. The simulation laboratories in Johnson and Putt Hall will be used for the course.

For additional information, contact Kristy Chunta at kchunta@iup.edu or call 724-357-2408.

Nursing and Allied Health Professions 

The WNC, organized by the Global Science and Technology Forum (GSTF), aims to explore advances in nursing practice, management and education in relation to health disparities as well as a breadth of other topics. Through networking and sharing, WNC will provide an opportunity for nursing practitioners and educators to exchange research evidence, models of best practice and innovative ideas.

Zidek and West developed a constructivist theory designed simulation activity whereby three student groups created a complex client simulation scenario in the community that improved student critical thinking, confidence, clinical judgment, and performance. Their project is titled, "An Innovative Approach to Complex Client Simulation in Community Health."

Zidek, West, and Crytzer did a research study with the senior-level community health students entitled, "Effectiveness of ReadyPA Emergency Preparedness Program in Rural Western Pennsylvania in the Event of a Prolonged Power Failure."

Gerwick and Gropelli presented on "Modeling Professional Behavior with Senior Level Team Leading Experience."

Gerwick presented on "Using Narrative Pedagogy to Enhance Clinical Problem Solving in the Senior Level BSN Student."

Gropelli and O’Harra presented on "Implementation of the QSEN Competency of Teamwork and Collaboration Using Peer Team Leading."

Gerwick used Professor Pat Benner’s model to do her study on clinical problem solving and had her photograph taken with Benner at the conference. She was mistaken for Pat Benner by a fellow conference attendee, upon which she quipped, “I told her I was Pat’s daughter.”

Congratulations, all!

STTI stated, “The abstracts submitted were exceptional! The presentations selected are an excellent reflection of current nursing research and timely issues.” STTI looks forward to Dr. Holmes’ participation in this prestigious event. The opportunity to collaborate with nursing scholars from around the world involved in the advancement of nursing science promises to be rewarding and stimulating.

Our inspirational speaker was Dr. Theresa Gropelli, who presented on 'Health Care in Mexico and the United States: Nursing in the Global Community.'

This year's ‘Nurse Excellence Award’ was accepted at the luncheon by Helen K. Burns PhD, RN, FAAN, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer of Excela Health.

A wonderful time was had by all!

Classes in this unique delivery method will be offered in an immersive workshop format with Friday/Saturday class meeting times. Each class will meet in person for two of these weekend sessions each semester during the academic year. The remainder of the class time will be done online. Students will take one to two courses each semester, thus allowing busy working professionals to enroll in classes and maintain their home and work commitments. During the summer, there will be two courses offered in an immersive workshop format.

Applications are currently being accepted for this cohort.

Watch for future announcements about upcoming information sessions. For more information, feel free to contact program coordinator, Teresa Shellenbarger, at 725-357-2559, or learn more about our program by visiting the website of Nursing and Allied Health Professions.

The award was presented on behalf of the Pennsylvania League for Nursing for outstanding leadership as a nurse academician in baccalaureate and higher degree programs in Pennsylvania.

The conference, Best Practices in Nursing Education, was held on March 22, 2013. Shellenbarger presented on the topic of “Innovation in Nursing Education.”

The yearlong Leadership Development Program for Simulation Educators, an initiative of the National League for Nursing, has a competitive application process. Supported financially by Johnson & Johnson, the program is for those interested in assuming a leadership role in the research or administration of simulation programs in nursing education.

At IUP, Greenawalt spearheaded the initiative to create and establish a high-fidelity simulation laboratory at IUP.

She will join the third cohort of the program, which includes 20 nurse educators from colleges and universities around the world, including a representative from Singapore.

The group will study for a year under the direction of Pamela Jeffries, DNS, RN, FAAN, ANEF. Jeffries is editor of the second edition of Simulations in Nursing Education: From Conceptualization to Evaluation and author of numerous scholarly articles on the subject. She is a professor in the department of health systems and outcomes and associate dean for academic affairs at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing and is nationally known for her research and work in developing simulations and online teaching and learning.

The intent of the leadership program is to help participants expand the science of nursing education while developing their personal leadership portfolios. The educators are engaged in varied activities that examine key issues related to simulation, and they then focus their efforts in an area of their choice.

Following an initial leadership conference in January, the group will participate in leadership development webinars, exchange ideas and best practices on simulation in private forums, review existing scholarly research, visit simulation centers around the country to evaluate resources and operations, consult with equipment representatives, work on a group project and post it on the Simulation Innovation Resource Center website, and attend conferences.

Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing is the premier organization for leaders in nursing education, offering faculty development, networking opportunities, testing services, nursing research grants and public policy initiatives to its 37,000 individual and 1,200 institutional members.

Ponzurick published an article in the February 2012 issue entitled “Selective Mutism: A Team Approach to Assessment and Treatment in the School Setting.”

Ponzurick graduated in December 2011 from the Master’s in Nursing Education track.

Nursing and Allied Health Professions 

Those interested in attending are asked to RSVP by e-mailing Tracey Poach at tracey.poach@iup.edu.

Nursing and Allied Health Professions 

Applications are being accepted for both the Education and Administration tracks. Students can apply online.

For additional information, please call 724-357-7647 or e-mail the program coordinator, Kristy Chunta, at kchunta@iup.edu.

Nursing and Allied Health Professions 

Thank you to the President’s Strategic Funding Award that supports this “special delivery”!

This fast-track program allows doctorate of nursing practice (DNP) applicants to complete Ph.D. coursework in half the time of the traditional doctoral program. Courses in this hybrid program meet every other Friday and can be completed in just four semesters.

Classes are scheduled to begin in the Fall semester 2013.

For more information, please contact Teresa Shellenbarger, doctoral program coordinator, at 724-357-2559 or tshell@iup.edu, or visit the Nursing Ph.D. website.

Graduates of the IUP baccalaureate program during this reporting period achieved a passing rate of 99.18 percent, with 121/122 students passing the exam on the first try! The pass rate for the state of Pennsylvania was 90.79 percent, while the national pass rate was 90.23 percent for this same report period. This is the highest the national pass rate has been in a while.

A 99.18 percent pass rate represents a significant accomplishment once again by all of our Nursing graduates! The department appreciates the dedication of all our Nursing faculty who so diligently adhere to our academic and progression standards in our Nursing program. This truly is a testimony to high-quality teaching by our faculty, persistent student preparation for the exam, and the effectiveness of the screening criteria for admission to our program as we strive for student success!

Department of Nursing and Allied Health Professions 

The article was titled “Using Technology to Promote Mobile Learning: Engaging Students With Cell Phones in the Classroom.”

Nursing Newsletter

Read all about it! October Newsletter.

Students are selling Homecoming t-shirts, cups, and memory bracelets in the Oak Grove all week as a fundraiser. Items can also be purchased by coming to the Nursing Department in 210 Johnson Hall between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Thank you for supporting our students in this worthwhile endeavor.

Read all about it!

Nursing and Allied Health Professions

The guest speaker at this time will be Zeta Lambda Secretary Lori Jo Bell, M.S.N., M.S.Ed., R.N.-B.C., P.N., N.C.C., who will present on her work as a Red Cross nurse doing disaster training/relief efforts across the United States.

Lori Jo’s presentation, “‘Ground Zero’ and Shanksville: A Red Cross Nurse’s Care Experiences post Terrorist Attack,” will be followed with a presentation by Daniel Sacco, director of Safety at IRMC, entitled “Institutional Disaster Preparedness: Planning and Care.” Local nurses, the campuswide community, and the general public are invited to attend this free event. Continuing Education credits are being sought for registered nurse attendees via IRMC. Light refreshments will also be provided.

Come early (5:00 p.m.) to attend a Zeta Lambda Research Poster Session. This year’s theme is “Crisis Care: Prevention, Intervention, and Management of the Client, Population, Community, or Environment.”

Our featured nurse speaker, Lori Jo Bell, received her master’s degree in Nursing Administration at IUP in 2003, her MS.Ed. in Counseling Education at Duquesne University in 1996, and a B.S. in Developmental Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh in 1984. Lori Jo has participated in numerous individual, local, national, and Red Cross disaster assignments, including multiple responses to fires, floods, microbursts, etc. as a member of the local Disaster Action Team in Pittsburgh and Washington, Pa. National assignments include the Flight 93 crash in Shanksville, Pa., and the 9/11 World Trade Center, or Ground Zero, site in Manhattan, N.Y.

Zeta Lambda is the IUP chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, the honor society of nursing.

Nursing and Allied Health Professions

Meigan Robb, doctoral candidate and teaching associate in the Department of Nursing and Allied Health Professions, published an article entitled “Managing a Large Classroom Environment: Simple Strategies for New Nurse Educators.”

Another publication in the same issue was written by Julie Decker (graduate of M.S. in Nursing) and Teresa Shellenbarger, faculty in the Nursing Department. Their article was entitled “Strategies for Nursing Faculty to Promote a Healthy Work Environment for Nursing Students.”

The Ph.D. in Nursing program is proud to announce the anticipated graduation of our first doctoral student in Spring 2012.

Cristina Perez Stearns successfully defended her dissertation, “The Relationship Between Familism and Help-Seeking With Hispanic Nursing Students,” on March 20, 2012. Cristina currently works for Ramapo College of New Jersey and traveled to IUP every other week for course work. She began the part-time doctoral program with the first cohort of students in Fall 2008.

The program is currently accepting applications for the next cohort of students that will begin in Fall 2012. For more information, contact Teresa Shellenbarger (tshell@iup.edu) or visit the Ph.D. in Nursing webpage.

If anyone would like to participate in events or in events planning for this momentous occasion, please contact Janice Holmes, ZL president, at Holmes@iup.edu.

Zeta Lambda (ZL) is the IUP chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International, the honor society of nursing. Forty applicants were recently accepted into ZL membership. Thirty-three juniors and seniors (undergraduate), six MSN (graduate), and one faculty (community leader), one of the largest groups ever, will be inducted by ZL on April 14 at the Rustic Lodge in Indiana.

A Pizza Party Spring Mixer is being planned for Wednesday, April 25, in Johnson Hall, room 208, from 5:00–7:00 p.m. for all ZL members, so save the date!

ZL’s fall Research/Education Program is being planned for mid-October 2012 (date/time/location TBA). Our guest speaker at this time will be ZL Secretary Lori Jo Bell, who will present on her work as a Red Cross nurse doing disaster training/relief efforts across the United States.

You can access information and updates on upcoming ZL events by visiting Sigma Zeta Lambda chapter’s website, which has moved to STTI’s “Circle.”

Department of Nursing and Allied Health Professions

Students can begin with the second seven weeks of classes starting on March 20, 2012, and can apply to the Nursing program online.

Students are also being recruited for an Education Track cohort to start at Monroeville in Fall 2012. Administrative Track admissions are being accepted on an ongoing basis.

For additional information, please call 724-357-7647 or e-mail the program coordinator, Kristy Chunta, at kchunta@iup.edu.

Induction Luncheon

Undergraduate, graduate, and community Zeta Lambda candidates for membership are now being solicited for an induction luncheon on Saturday, April 14, 2012, at 11:30 a.m. at the Rustic Lodge in Indiana, Pa. For more information and an application form, contact Edie West, Zeta Lambda newsletter and publicity chair, at edie.west@iup.edu.

If you would like to attend the induction ceremony in April, you can send the registration form with your food choice(s) in by March 14 to Johanna Boothby, ZL Treasurer. To get the induction luncheon registration form, please Edie West at edie.west@iup.edu.

Membership Meeting

Zeta Lambda’s next general membership meeting will be on February 29, 2012, from 10:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. in 208 Johnson Hall. If you are interested in running for office, please contact Zeta Lambda President Janice Holmes at Janice.holmes@iup.edu.

Research and Education Program

Zeta Lambda’s Research and Education Program, themed “Culture, Research, and Education: Creating Innovative Pathways to Better Healthcare,” was a big success, with 60 nurse, faculty, and student nurses attending the event on October 26, 2011. President Janice Holmes introduced guest speakers Annette Kostelnik, ZL awards chair, and Eileen Mueseler, D.O., who presented "A Mission Trip to Haiti: Fighting a Long Defeat."

Poster presentations included:

• Nina Kaktins, "Self-Silencing and Leadership: Case Studies of Women Chairpersons of Nursing Programs"
• Michele Varner and Joan Ponzurick, "Obesity, Education, and the Culture of Poverty"
• Kristy Chunta, "Using Evidence-Based Strategies to Prepare Patients for Surgery and Recovery"

Regional Excellence Awards

Janice Holmes, Zeta Lambda president, and Elaine Little, M.S.N., A.B.D., and vice president, were chapter delegates at the 41st Sigma Theta Tau biennial convention in Grapevine, Texas. The convention's theme was "People and Knowledge: Connecting for Global Health.‟ Holmes and Little accepted the 2009-2011 Biennium Regional Excellence Award Recognition at the convention. Little was also recognized for her efforts as a cochair of the Regional Membership Involvement committee.

Zeta Lambda, a Region 11 chapter at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, was recognized for meeting the following accomplishments as representing the spirit of the Presidential Call-to-Action laid out by Karen Morin's four areas for chapter recognition: Creating Welcoming Environments, Enhancing Knowledge, Resources and Network, and Contributing in Global Health.

Plans are underway for a Spring 2013 workshop with a Vulnerable Communities/Populations' Care theme.

The End of Life Program held at Kovalchick Complex featured guest speakers Kim Ondrizek, VNA-Hospice, and Michelle Hamula, Carol Pugh, and Roxann Burkey of Widber Medical Center. The program covered palliative care, pain management, symptom management, ethics, cultural considerations, communication, loss, grief and bereavement, and the final hours.

The IUP Department of Nursing and Allied Health Professions sincerely hopes to partner in the future with our neighbors to provide future programs for CEUs and certification. Thanks to Edie West, ZL newsletter/publicity chair, for coordinating the program, and many heartfelt thanks to all who participated in and attended this event.

If you have any suggestions for the upcoming workshop, please contact Edie West at edie.west@iup.edu.

A new education cohort will begin at the Indiana campus on January 24, 2012. Enrollment in this cohort will remain open until summer 2012. Classes will be offered via online, hybrid, and traditional formats.

If you have questions, please contact Dr. Kristy Chunta, master’s program coordinator, at kchunta@iup.edu, or call the Nursing Department at 724-357-7647.

Dr. Janice Holmes will serve as her mentor during this program. The NFLA has been developed by Sigma Theta Tau International in partnership with the Elsevier Foundation to enhance the personal leadership development of new nurse faculty in order to promote faculty retention and cultivate high performing, supportive work environments in academe.

This event will take place on Friday, December 9, 2011, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Tour the Nursing Suites, watch 3G SimMan in action, and participate in telehealth and electronic health record demonstrations!

Refreshments will be served.

The article was published in Nursing Education Perspectives, November/December 2011, and addresses findings from a three-year study that examined how teachers help and hinder students who struggle academically. Thirty nurse educators from eighteen schools of nursing shared stories of how they helped and hindered their academically at-risk students.

The information session will be held in room 208 of Johnson Hall on November 16, 2011, at 6:30 p.m.

Those interested in attending can RSVP to crball@iup.edu or call 724-357-7647.

Sigma Theta Tau International is the only international nursing honor society worldwide.  It is a global community of nurse leaders, with members belonging to 469 chapters who live in eighty-six countries.  Through this network, members lead in using knowledge, scholarship, service, and learning to improve the health of the world’s people.

Students can apply online.

For additional information, please call 724-357-7647 or e-mail the program coordinator, Dr. Kristy Chunta at kchunta@iup.edu.

The summit was held September 21–24 in Orlando, Florida.

Nina Kaktins, doctoral candidate in the Department of Nursing and Allied Health Professions, is co-chair of the EHTF and one of the conference presenters.

The conference, “Marcellus Shale: Unearthing Environmental Health Issues for Nurses,” will be held at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., on October 7, 2011.

Visit the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association website, then click on the “Marcellus Shale Conference” link to register for the conference, or click on “Submit today! Environmental Health Call for Posters” to submit a poster.

The award recognizes the special abilities and talents of nontraditional students, and supported attendance at the Association of Death Education and Counseling conference in Miami, Florida, in June 2011.

Department of Nursing and Allied Health Professions

She spoke at the Drexel University Nursing Education Institute in Atlantic City, N.J., on June 28, 2011.

They presented their poster at the Drexel University Nursing Education Institute in Atlantic City, N.J., on June 27–28, 2011.

Their poster was titled “Becoming Better Clinical Faculty: Using Simulation to Teach Teachers their Role in Clinical Teaching.”

Department of Nursing and Allied Health Professions

Dr. Teresa Shellenbarger, Taylor Edwards, and doctoral candidate Riah Hoffman presented “The Use of High Fidelity Simulation for Faculty Development: Addressing the Growing Issue of Student Incivility in Nursing Education.”

Robb’s poster was titled “An Integrative Review of the Concept Self-Efficacy in Narrowing the Theory-Practice Gap.”

Bilder’s poster was titled “Decision-Making: A Concept Analysis.”

Russell, who has been a flight nurse with Stat MedEvac since 2003, will speak to students in the NURS 101: Disaster Awareness course at IUP on April 27, 2011.

Dr. Amy Labant and Dr. Theresa Gropelli presented a poster on “Commitment to Student Success.”

Dr. Edie West, Mrs. Joann Thistlethwaite, and Dr. Theresa Gropelli presented a poster on “Student Representatives at Clinical Faculty Meetings: A Guide to Nurturing Innovative Leaders and Change Agents.”

Michele Crytzer presented a poster on “Designing a High Fidelity Home Health Nursing Simulation.”

Congratulations to all of the presenters.

Doctor Poorman discusses her work related to thinking skill development in students who struggle academically and her nursing education research.

The convention was held on November 17–19, 2010, in Lancaster, Pa. Over eight hundred nursing students from Pennsylvania were in attendance.

The student nurse challenge was held on the first day of the convention. Many schools of nursing entered a team of five students to compete against each other answering NCLEX questions. Elimination rounds occurred throughout the afternoon and evening.

The members of the winning team include senior IUP nursing students Courtney Stitzer, Rachel Brozewicz, Emily Balko, Natalie Avraham, and Britney Skedel.

Congratulations to the state champs!

Nursing and Allied Health Professions

The first article, “Helping Patients Adhere to a Gluten-Free Diet,” was written with a graduate of the Master of Science in Nursing program (Monroeville), Pamela DeGeorge. It was published in the September 2010 edition of American Nurse Today, the official journal of the American Nurses Association. The journal reaches over 175,000 nurses in a multitude of specialties and practice settings.

The next article was published with Cristina Perez Stearns, a doctoral Nursing student. Their article, “From the Classroom to Clinical: A Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Primer for the Nurse Educator,” was published in Teaching and Learning in Nursing.

Lastly, Shellenbarger published “The Lived Experience of Part-Time Baccalaureate Nursing Faculty” with Elizabeth A. Gazza. This was recently published in the November/December issue of the Journal of Professional Nursing.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Nursing had a 97.62 percent quarterly pass rate for students who have tested from July 1, 2010, to September 30, 2010. In addition, the yearly pass rate was 96.10 percent for first-time test takers from October 1, 2009, to September 30, 2010. The Department of NAHP board pass rate continues to be higher than the Pennsylvania state average of 86.59 percent and the national average of 87.56 percent.

Congratulations to the students for their success and to the faculty and staff for their commitment to excellence and high standards in nursing education!

Find more information under IUP News: “Nursing Students Achieve High Marks on Licensure Exam.”

Dr. Shellenbarger has extensive leadership with the NLN over the past few years. Some of her activities include:

• Member of the Board of Governors 2010
• NLN member since 1989
• Member of the NLN Nurse Educator Certification Commission from 2007 to 2009
• Served as a mentor for the NLN/Johnson and Johnson faculty
• Leadership and Mentoring Program during 2009–2010
• 2010: Reviewer for the NLN/Johnson & Johnson proposals for the Leadership and Mentoring program
• 2009–present: Manuscript reviewer for Nursing Education Perspectives, the official publication of the NLN
• 2009–present: NLN nursing research grant reviewer
• 2006–present: NLN nursing ambassador at IUP
• 2005: Served as an item writer for the NLN Nurse Educator Certification Exam
• Frequent presenter at the annual NLN Education Summit (2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2004, 2003, 2001)

• Summer 2011: Master of Science in Nursing Education Track at the Monroeville campus
• Fall 2011: Master of Science in Nursing Administration Track at the Indiana campus
• Spring 2012: Master of Science in Nursing Education Track at the Indiana campus

Please contact the IUP School of Graduate Studies and Research for application information at 724-357-2222 or graduate-admissions@iup.edu.

The following oral presentations were presented during the summit:

• “The Meaning of Grades: Stories of Undergraduate, Graduate, and Doctoral Nursing Students” by Dr. Susan Poorman.
• “Simulation: Not Just for Clinical Problems” by Dr. Teresa Shellenbarger and Taylor Edwards

The following posters were also presented during the summit:

• “Using Problem-Based Learning to Focus on QSEN Competencies in Clinical” by Dr. Kristy Chunta and doctoral student Liz Katrancha
• “Supporting and Retaining Returning Adult Students” by doctoral nursing students Shelly Moore, Paulette Dorney, Pamela Chapman, and Riah Hoffman

The grant will fund the purchase of simulation equipment to recreate a typical community dwelling of a rural patient with a common chronic illness. The technologies will enhance undergraduate nursing education with opportunities to practice nursing care with electronic documentation and telehealth services.

Students will undergo simulation scenarios in a structured laboratory environment. The equipment includes a high-fidelity simulation manikin, a simulated electronic health record/medical record system, telehealth monitoring equipment and nurse’s station unit, and peripheral devices.

The project will ultimately help to control costs and improve patient care and nursing administration by producing entry-level nurses who are better prepared to function in the community health environment.

The project is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The award is from the Health Resources and Services Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Dr. Palmer, the primary investigator, is the chairperson of the Department of Nursing and Allied Health Professions.

Dr. Greenawalt was instrumental in founding the Simulation Laboratory in the department in 2007. Renovated and expanded in 2009, it consists of a moderate fidelity lab with nine adult manikins, two adolescent manikins, one baby manikin, an IV haptic training unit and other task trainers, and a high-fidelity simulation suite with two simulated hospital rooms, a control/observation room, and the capability to broadcast to nearby classrooms.

Faculty member Dr. Kristy Chunta presented on “Determining Preoperative and Postoperative Predictors of Physical Health Status (PHS) in Open-Heart Surgery Patients.”

Doctoral Nursing student Nina Kaktins, MS, RN, presented on “Case Studies of Self-Silencing in Women Leaders of Baccalaureate Nursing Programs.”

The International Research Congress was attended by more than 740 nurse researchers and leaders from more than forty countries to share knowledge, make connections, and impact world health.

Her article is titled Drilling the Marcellus Shale: What's Coming through the Pipeline?

The newsletter is distributed by the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association.

Ms. Kaktins is a member of the Environmental Health Task Force in Pennsylvania.

Please contact the School of Graduate Studies and Research at 724-357-2222 or e-mail Dr. Kristy Chunta at kchunta@iup.edu with any questions.

Learn more about the benefits of earning your advanced degree in Nursing from IUP, program curriculum, format, admission, and applying.

We are still accepting applications for Fall 2010 admission.

• Date: Tuesday, July 27
• Time: 4:00 p.m.
• Location: IUP Monroeville Graduate and Professional Center 
  Penn Center East, 400 Penn Center Boulevard, Building 4, Ninth floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15235
• RSVP: By e-mail at KChunta@iup.edu, or by calling 1-800-845-0131
• Presenters: Dr. Kristy Chunta, M.S. in Nursing program coordinator, and Ms. Paula Sandusky, School of Graduate Studies and Research

We hope to see you at the information session next week. In the meantime, do not hesitate to contact Dr. Chunta with any questions at KChunta@iup.edu.

• Christina Silva, MSN, BSN, presented her poster on The Use of Simulation in Maternity Clinical.
• Theresa Gropelli, Ph.D., GCNS-BC, ACNS-BC, CMSRN, RN, NHA, presented her poster on Community Health Fair as a Service Learning Project in Adult Health.
• Teresa Shellenbarger, Ph.D., RN, CNE, ANEF, presented a poster on Demystifying the Doctoral Nursing Degree.
• Dr. Shellenbarger also copresented with Julie L. Decker, M.S., RN (MSN alumna). Their presentation was Investigating the Presence of Horizontal Hostility among Nursing Students.

There is still time to apply! Interested students can complete a “One Course Only Graduate Credit Application” form to be eligible to register for the first class, NURS 628–Advanced Professional Role Development, while their admission application is being processed. Please contact the School of Graduate Studies and Research at 724-357-2222 or e-mail Dr. Kristy Chunta at kchunta@iup.edu with any questions.

These awards have been made available by Highmark to recognize the achievements of graduate students in health-related fields. Successful recipients of the award must have demonstrated scholastic achievement and a commitment of service in the health-related profession and/or community.

The award is presented to first-time authors who are working as a school nurse. Ms. Prenni’s article was entitled “Caring for the Student with Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome” and was published in the Journal of School Nursing 25(5), pgs 327-332.

See Spring 2010 Graduate Nursing Information Sessions for more information.

Department of Nursing and Allied Health Professions

Cohorts in the Education Track are planned for the Summer 2010 semester on the IUP at Monroeville campus and for the Fall 2010 semester on the Indiana Campus. Information sessions will be held Monday, March 1, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 10, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. in 208 Johnson Hall, 1010 Oakland Avenue, IUP, Indiana, Pa. Please contact the Master of Science in Nursing office at 724-357-7647 or e-mail pedaci@iup.edu for additional information.

These are available for students who will be enrolled in the Summer 2010 Monroeville education track cohort and the Fall 2010 Indiana education track cohort. Complete the GA Application if you desire to pursue this excellent opportunity. Contact Dr. Kristy Chunta (724) 357-2408 or Elaine Pedaci (724) 357-7647 for additional information.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania had a 94.4 percent pass rate for first-time test takers from July 1 to September 30, 2009. In addition, the yearly pass rate was 92.2 percent for 102 first-time test takers from October 1, 2008, to September 30, 2009.

The Department of Nursing board pass rate continues to stand higher than the Pennsylvania state average of 87.9 percent and the national average of 88.1 percent. Congratulations to the students for their success, and to the faculty and staff for their commitment to excellence and high standards in Nursing education!

The program, which began in 2007, pairs five early- and mid-career faculty members with five NLN Academy of Nursing Education fellows who are recognized leaders in nursing education. The competitive and selective application process matches proteges and mentors based on their interests and experience.

Over a twelve-month period, Dr. Shellenbarger will be working with protege Dr. Linda Comer on individual leadership development as well as a group project to be presented at the 2010 NLN Education Summit. The program aims to help transform the future of nursing education by creating leadership opportunities for nurse educators and building diversity in the nurse educator workforce.

The article was published in Teaching and Learning in Nursing, 4(4), pgs 133-138.

Both programs received the maximum ten-year accreditation.

Both programs received the maximum ten-year accreditation.

Dr. Susan Poorman conducted a workshop entitled "Narrative Pedagogy: Application in Classroom and Clinical Settings.”

The following posters were also presented during the summit.

• "Successful Implementation of Standardized Testing" by Dr. Amy Labant
• "Helping the Practical Nurse Achieve Academic and NCLEX® Success" by Melissa Mastorovich, M.S.N., R.N., B.C., and Dr. Susan Poorman
• "Promoting Safe Clinical Placement: Lessons Learned from FBI Background Checks and Clinical Requirements" by Dr. Elizabeth Palmer
• "Taking Charge: Fostering Supervisory and Delegation Roles for Senior Nursing Students" by Dr. Elizabeth Palmer and Dr. Kristy Chunta
• "Analysis of Nursing Education Research Using Doctoral Dissertations" by Dr. Teresa Shellenbarger and doctoral candidate Colleen Sunday

Others in attendance were Dr. Julia Greenawalt and doctoral candidate Shelly Moore.

Shelly is a student in the Department of Nursing and Allied Health’s Ph.D. program. The article can be found in Teaching and Learning in Nursing (2009) 4, 122-127.

Her article, “Achieving Restraint-free on an Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit,” can be found in the Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 2009 Jan; 47(1): 34-40.

She will receive a plaque and an invitation to become a member of the JPN Editorial Board or the JPN Review Board.

The article can be found in the July 2009 edition of the journal.

Master of Science in Nursing: Choose from two tracks—Administration or Education

• Education Track: Now accepting applications for Fall 2009 at Indiana campus, and for Spring 2010 at Monroeville campus
• Program is part-time
• Attend class one night per week
• Complete your degree in two-and-a-half years
• Programs are fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)

For more information, contact 724-357-7647 or e-mail Kristy Chunta at k.s.chunta@iup.edu.

The conference was held in Washington, D.C., on June 11–13, 2009.

Suzanne Smith, editor-in-chief of Nurse Educator and the Journal of Nursing Administration, recently met with the Ph.D. in Nursing students for a scholars seminar on May 1, 2009, to discuss writing for publication in nursing.

Her proposal, submitted with co-project director Kevin McKee of the Department of Health and Physical Education, is entitled The Impact of Hatha Yoga on Anxiety, Postural Balance, Muscular Fitness, and Flexibility in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Pilot Study. 

Nina Kaktins’ poster was titled “A Concept Analysis: Integrating Environmental Health Into Nursing.”

Elaine Little’s poster was titled “Nurture: A Concept Analysis.”

The fair is planned from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at St. Thomas More University Parish, 1200 Oakland Ave.

Events begin with a step into spring walk along the Hoodlebug Trail. Registrants of all ages can choose a mile-and-a-half or three-mile walk and stop at fitness challenges along the way. Registration will be from 8:30 to 8:45 a.m. in the parking lot of St. Thomas More University Parish. The first fifty registrants will receive a free T-shirt.

Participants will be escorted to the Hoodlebug Trail and guided in stretching exercises by IUP Health and Physical Education students. Water stations will be set up along the trail. At the conclusion of the walk, participants will be escorted back to St. Thomas More University Parish parking lot.

All who complete the walk and return to the registration table will be eligible for one of three prize drawings. Adults will have a chance to win a three-month membership to the James Mill Fitness Center, located in Zink Hall on the IUP campus; the winner of the children’s drawing can choose either a $250 partial scholarship to the IUP Footlight Players or a full scholarship to the IUP Summer Kids Activity Camp; and one IUP student will receive a $100 gift certificate to the IUP Co-op Store provided by the parish.

“This event has become a tradition in our parish and is a wonderful sign of the collaboration that can occur between IUP and others in the greater Indiana community. Not only does it show that we can work together, but it shows that we are all truly committed to the health and well-being of the total person—body, mind, and spirit,” St. Thomas More pastor the Rev. William Lechnar said.

“The annual health fair and step into spring walk creates a bond in the community centering around the concern we share for those around us. We are proud to be a part of this event and encourage IUP students, residents of the community, and those, who in particular have health concerns, to come and be a part of this year’s activities.

“We thank parishioners of St. Thomas More University Parish, the faculty, staff, and students of IUP who have helped in any way with this endeavor, members of the health care and business communities who have made generous contributions, and especially the United Way of Indiana County for being so supportive and seeing the value of providing health awareness and education to the community at large.”

Highlights of the day’s health fair, which will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the parish hall, include:

• Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) screening, bone density screening, and “Diabetes in Real Life” program, conducted by nurses from Indiana Regional Medical Center

• Body mass index and blood pressure screenings, provided by Dr. Theresa Gropelli, PhD, RN and IUP nursing students

• A cooking class, “Appetizers and Desserts with a Healthy Flair,” presented by students in the community nutrition course, under the supervision of IUP professor Dr. Rita Johnson. This thirty-minute class will be offered at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

• “Yoga for Stress Reduction,” a forty-five-minute introduction to yoga offered at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. by Sunflower Yoga Studio

• Massage therapy, directed by Claudia Ager, RN, CMT, from 10 to 11 a.m., 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 1:45 to 2:30 p.m.

• Back strengthening exercises with Dr. Chris Sharbaugh at 10:15 a.m., 11:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m.

The United Way of Indiana County and the Zeta Lambda Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, the International Nursing Honor Society, are providing copies of Healthwise for Life: A Self-Care Guide for People Age 50 and Better and Healthwise Handbook: A Self-Care Guide for You and Your Family. One free copy will be given to the first sixty families who request the book.

The United Way of Indiana County has also provided funding copies of “Five Wishes” and “Next Steps.” “Five Wishes” is an easy-to-read legal document that lets adults of all ages plan how they want to be cared for in case they become seriously ill. A hospice representative will be on hand to discuss both of these resources.

In all, there will be more than twenty-four booths on a variety of health topics. Representatives from several community agencies will join IUP undergraduate nursing students to present information on various topics for adults, including the latest information on adult immunizations, the meaning of screening tests and when they are appropriate, information on the signs and symptoms of a stroke, and lifestyle changes that lower the risk for stroke.

Nutrition students will discuss the menus of some local restaurants, salt lowering strategies, and brain healthy foods. Participants will be encouraged to experience a Wii Fit exercise challenge.

Activities for children include information about the body, germs, and nutrition. Crafts and face painting will be offered by the Catholic Student Association.

Admission is free. Refreshments will be provided. Prizes, including tickets to an Altoona Curves baseball game, gift certificates to local restaurants, and prizes for the children, will be given away throughout the day. The grand prize to be offered during the day is a Schwinn bicycle.

Parking is free in the IUP parking garage and church parking lot.

The IUP Department of Nursing and Allied Health Professions is located in Johnson Hall. The department offers a bachelor’s degree in nursing and currently has 520 undergraduate nursing majors. The nursing program also offers a master’s degree in nursing in the areas of administration and education and a doctoral degree.

There are twenty-one graduate students on the Indiana campus, fifteen students at IUP at Monroeville, ten students at IUP at Northpointe, and twelve students at Memorial Medical Center, Johnstown. A total of eighteen students are currently enrolled in the first cohort of the Ph.D. program in Nursing.

The department also includes 239 undergraduate Allied Health majors in the areas of Respiratory Therapy, Nuclear Medicine, and Clinical Laboratory Sciences.

The Student and Faculty newsletters for January, February, and March are now available. Follow this link to view these and other past newsletters.

Apply for admission to IUP through the Admissions Office (724-357-2230) on line or on paper. Applications will be accepted beginning September 2009. Contact the Department of Nursing and Allied Health for additional information.

The article was co-authored with Melissa Mastorovich, Karen L. Molcan, and Cheryl A. Webb. It can be found in the Journal for Nurses in Staff Development, Vol. 25, No. 1, pp. 13–24.

The graduate and undergraduate nursing programs at Indiana University of Pennsylvania are undergoing an accreditation evaluation from March 30 to April 1, 2009. As part of this process, affected parties of the program are invited to provide written input into the deliberations of the evaluation team that will be visiting IUP. We invite written and signed third-party comments about the programs at IUP. Comments should address the program's compliance with the accreditation standards.

Information on the accreditation process, including documentation of the accreditation standards, can be found on the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education website.

Comments are to be submitted until 30 days before the visit to:

Ms. LiAnn Shepard, Accreditation Assistant
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
One Dupont Circle, NW
Suite 530
Washington, DC 20036-1120

LiAnn's phone number is 202-887-6791 ext. 252

Submissions are reviewed by CCNE and the evaluation team prior to the visit, but at no time during the review process are these comments shared with the program.

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) program report from April 2008 to September 2008 shows that IUP had a 95 percent pass rate on NCLEX, the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses. The national pass rate for this same period was 87 percent and was 88 percent for programs similar to IUP’s.

Congratulations to our graduates for representing the IUP Department of Nursing and Allied Health Professions in such a positive way. A very special thank you goes to all the faculty for their hard work and dedication.

Apply for admission to IUP through the School of Graduate Studies and Research, 724-357-2222. Contact the Department of Nursing and Allied Health Professions Graduate Nursing Office at 724-357-7647 for additional information on this cohort.

Flyer for the January Cohort

Wednesday, March 19 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 19 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 15 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday, June 3 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
 
All sessions will be held in 207 Johnson Hall.