Villanova launches new Doctor of Nursing Practice Program

Villanova University College of Nursing’s full-time Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program starts in June 2012 and is created exclusively for advanced practice nurses. The goal of the program is to prepare APRNs with advanced knowledge in evidenced-based practice, organizational leadership, and financial acumen to lead innovation in nursing practice and healthcare. The complex issues and changing landscape of healthcare have created a need for APRNs to respond effectively and implement solutions with interdisciplinary teams or independently in order to achieve positive healthcare outcomes for individuals and populations.

Led by Director Debra Shearer, EdD, MSN, FNP-BC, Villanova’s DNP provides students with a personalized experience - one of the hallmarks of a Villanova Nursing program. It integrates the convenience of an online DNP program with minimal on-campus visits. Villanova’s DNP is a practice-focused doctoral program that relates to the student’s work environment, with an emphasis on broad systems thinking in order to facilitate the design and implementation of models of patient care and clinical practice.

Villanova’s DNP is designed in four consecutive semesters with a unique, clinically-themed DNP Project supported by faculty and clinical mentors. Each DNP cohort will have a theme to direct the DNP Project as it relates to their individual practice environments. Each student will then use the theme as a foundation for their scholarly DNP Project.

APRNs who want to translate nursing science to clinical practice and improve health care outcomes can learn more about Villanova’s DNP program during an Information Session on November 30th from 5 to 7 pm. For APRNs who attend the session, the application fee is waived. Register online at www.villanova.edu/nursing/dnp .

Network with us on LinkedIn!

Looking to connect professionally with other members of the Villanova Nursing family on LinkedIn? First join the “Official Villanova University Alumni Association Network” group then join our subgroup "Villanova Alumni in Nursing" (note: you do not have to be a Villanovan or a graduate to join, though to first join the VUAA group, you need to be connected to Villanova in some way--alum, student, faculty, staff, parent, friend of the university) See you on LinkedIn!

VUAA group
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1833&trk=hb_side_g

Nursing group
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2804180&trk=hb_side_g

It’s all in the numbers: 80 + 225 = 20/20

Graduate nursing student Hannah Thomas tests the depth perception of a Philadelphia first grader while he wears “3D” glasses that should enable him to identify raised shapes hidden in blocks.

College of Nursing students have a t-shirt that says “Villanova Nurses” on the front and on the back “Cover your mouth. Wash your hands. Get your sleep. Take your vitamins. We’ll take care of the rest.” They proved their ability to have an impact on health when they mobilized for a September 23rd screening blitz at a South Philadelphia elementary school as part of the University’s 2011 Day of Service.

Eighty undergraduate, graduate and faculty volunteers headed to the school—one where the majority of families live below the poverty line. Awaiting their arrival were 1,000 children, a welcoming principal and staff, and one talented nurse practitioner. The goal? Screen as many of the youngest students as possible to identify potential vision and growth and development issues early in the school year so they can be addressed in time to have a positive, productive academic experience.

After a brief orientation, the school cafeteria buzzed with the efficiency of a beehive as students broke up into groups and in about two hours, screened over 225 Kindergarten and first grade students (the school’s well-regarded nurse practitioner says he would have needed over two months given his workload). The Villanova Nurses assessed the youngsters’ height and weight as well as near vision, distance vision, color vision and depth perception.

Another nursing student group visited eight Kindergarten and first grade classrooms and gave energetic health presentations featuring songs about learning and hand washing and a craft project to reinforce the topic for a lifelong healthy habit.

The vision screenings will have immediate results. For example, teachers said they would be re-configuring classroom seating so that children with impaired vision are closer to the front of the room while waiting for their follow up assessments. The screening identified enough children so that the Philadelphia Eagles' Flight for Sight van will be coming to the school to provide for the children further evaluation, free eyeglasses and, as needed, referrals for continuing treatment.

The College of Nursing has an ongoing relationship with the school. Associate Professor Carol Toussie Weingarten, PhD, RN, ANEF each spring has a group of senior nursing students there for their health promotion clinical practicum. She is also the advisor of the Villanova Chapter of the Student Nurses Association of Pennsylvania (SNAP) and works with students on volunteer projects at the school. This fall screening was organized by student leaders including SNAP President Megan Copel, Vice Presidents Brittany Beckmann and Hillary Dutton, and Coordinator Sarah Gross who worked long hours to ensure success.

Promoting medication safety with new simulation technology

Junior nursing student Jessica Lee scans a simulation medication as she uses a new medication dispensing cabinet in a clinical simulation. The technology, in addition to the nurse’s knowledge, promotes patient safety and is designed to decrease the occurrence of drug errors in a clinical setting.

Nothing replaces the “six rights” that nursing students learn as part of medication administration techniques—the right patient, drug, dose, route, time and documentation, plus the correct reason for its delivery. These checks are done before administering any medication to prevent potentially lethal drug errors. While the nurse’s clinical reasoning remains critical, technology also plays a role in safety today.

A major thrust of The Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals of 2007 includes the mandate for hospitals to implement a plan for executing a bar-code technology and medication delivery system. This “point of care” solution helps to automate medication administration including validation of the six rights of medication administration. Hospitals have invested in medication dispensing cabinets which store not only the day’s medication for a patient but also the prescriber’s orders and related drug information such as allergies that have an impact on patient safety.

The Learning Resource Center (LRC) at the College of Nursing has invested in patient safety as well, purchasing five medication dispensing cabinets for its clinical simulation labs. Students who are learning about drug administration, or are soon to start their clinical practica in acute care settings, benefit from hands-on practice with this technology. “Because medication safety procedures are critical to overall patient safety goals, the integration of these advanced medication systems allow faculty to provide more realistic and effective medication administration experiences in the clinical simulation lab,” says LRC Director Colleen Meakim, MSN, RN.

Each mobile workstation has a 15” touch screen with a Windows based operating system, barcode scanner and 24 drawers for medications, plus a cabinet for bulks supplies such as those required for intravenous therapy. It also includes a supply of Demo-Dose medications, prepackaged simulation drugs with accurate labels and barcodes just as the students would see in the clinical setting.

Students learn the principles of safe medication administration in the sophomore year followed by a more detailed experience in administering multiple types of medications and use of various routes of administration starting in the junior year. Student Jessica Lee used the new technology early in the semester before starting her medical-surgical clinical practicum at an area hospital. “Practicing on the med carts in lab helped me to think critically while in clinical,” says the junior from Albany, N.Y. She and her clinical group, guided by faculty, participated in medication administration simulation scenarios where the nursing students read their patient’s history and current status and check their patient’s orders for the shift. They log into the workstation, select their patient and the drug to be given, run through a series of checks and scan the drug barcode before administering the drug. The system alerts them to potential problems, such as allergies or an incorrect drug selection, thereby protecting the patient.

How does your garden grow?

Andrea Baxter, Lorna Brod, Gary Yam and Nancy Miao, second degree BSN students from the College of Nursing, assisted Philadelphia senior citizens this summer in growing a garden for health. “The community garden project was a great way to keep the neighborhood active and healthy,” says Yam.

A garden is a healthful thing, but as weekend warriors know, there can be hazards. Thanks to College of Nursing students at Villanova, there are Asian and African-American senior citizens who feel only the joy of their community garden in Philadelphia’s Logan section.

During the summer, students from the BSN program for adults with a college degree in another field worked with Assistant Professor Ruth McDermott-Levy, PhD, RN and the Nationalities Services Center (NSC) for their health promotion practicum. The 90 year old non-profit NSC provides social, educational and legal services to immigrants and refugees in the Greater Philadelphia area.

The garden is a project of the NSC so that the senior residents can participate in a meaningful outdoor activity of growing vegetables. Tara Schartzendruber-Landis, the Center’s Director, was instrumental in starting the garden and obtaining crops indigenous to the homelands of the immigrant senior citizens. Many of the Asian seniors were farmers in their home countries. They grow the vegetables to have at home, though there is also a garden for NSC to provide fresh produce for the Center’s lunches.

The nursing students spent time in the garden, and spoke with the seniors and NSC staff to determine what the greatest educational need was related to the garden. They then prioritized topics of importance. The students developed instructional materials related to body mechanics, healthy practices while gardening, nutritional choices of food grown, and the psychological benefits of gardening. The healthy practices extended to attention to sustainability with composting nearby and no pesticides were used. Springing forth from the garden were tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, radishes, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, cucumber, zucchini and herbs.

Student Gary Yam recommends that community leaders develop their own gardening projects. He notes, “The community garden provided the elderly population with an inexpensive source of healthy food, and exposure to healthy amounts of sunlight, while promoting outdoor exercise and active community participation.”

Telling an untold story

Dr. Carol Weingarten, at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC) in Germany, has volunteered nearly 300 volunteer hours over the last three summers working with ambulatory ill and wounded troops. She also initiated a nursing journalism project to tell the stories behind the excellence at LRMC.

Nursing students make cards for wounded troops at LRMC at a July 14th SNAP meeting and pizza party.

Summer 2011 found College of Nursing Associate Professor Carol Toussie Weingarten, PhD, RN, ANEF and her husband, Michael S. Weingarten, MD, MBA, FACS, a VSB alumnus, returning for their third annual two-week volunteer session at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. U. S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Reservists and National Guard serve together at LRMC (pronounced "larm-see"), the largest American military hospital outside the United States.

While Dr. Michael Weingarten served as a volunteer civilian vascular surgeon with the Combat Casualty Program, sponsored by the American Red Cross, caring for wounded American and Coalition troops airlifted from "down range" locations like Afghanistan and Iraq, Dr. Carol Weingarten was again a civilian volunteer working with ambulatory ill and wounded troops through the Chaplains' Wounded Warrior Ministry projects. She brought with her unique cards with sentiments of support and gratitude created by nursing students in the College’s accelerated second degree BSN program who are members of the Villanova Chapter of the Student Nurses’ Association of Pennsylvania (SNAP) for which Dr. Weingarten is advisor. The cards are a welcome addition to the Wounded Warrior project and the nearly 300 volunteer hours she has logged at LRMC.

The professionalism of the staff and the excellent care that Dr. Weingarten saw in different areas of the hospital during her 2009 visit inspired nursing journalism projects in 2010 and in 2011. “You see with ‘nursing eyes’ wherever you are,” she notes. Her interviews with military and civilian staff nurses and the nurse leaders of LRMC have already resulted in publications and presentations featuring the extraordinary individuals who ensure excellence in "an atmosphere of transition and diversity." “The articles are a way -- my way--of introducing other nurses to some extraordinary people who work in an extraordinary place,” she explains. This year’s profiles will be published in state- and international-level nursing journals, earning wide dissemination. Dr. Weingarten wishes that time would allow an even broader and deeper dive into each person’s fascinating story of nursing, courage and service, saying “I could easily write a book on each one.”

Nurse anesthesia students earn national awards

College of Nursing graduate nurse anesthesia students Lena Congo, Darolyn Milburn, Christopher Scott, Rachel Atkinson, Amanda Stewart and Jenna Fiorella-Bufkin bring Wildcat pride to the celebration of their national awards recognizing their superior anesthesia knowledge and public relations skills at the at the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists 78th Annual Meeting in Boston in August.

For the College of Nursing’s graduate nurse anesthesia students, it’s not who you know, but what you know…and how you promote it…that makes them recent winners at the national level.

Students from the rigorous 27-month program attended the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) 78th Annual Meeting in Boston in August. Not only did they expand their professional knowledge in their new specialty and network with colleagues from around the nation, they also came away with two awards.

The Villanova nurse anesthesia students won the AANA PR award for best public relations effort by an individual, small group, organization, or company not affiliated with a state association. The honor recognized their stellar efforts in running and promoting a highly successful food drive in January during Nurse Anesthetist Week that brought in nearly a ton of food to restock Philabundance, the Philadelphia region’s largest hunger relief organization.

Additionally, student Christopher Scott was the Villanova representative to one of the six AANA College Bowl teams who successfully competed in answering anesthesia-related questions to win the competition. His team also beat a team of nurse anesthetists.

Health Disparities - September 27th

The College of Nursing invites the community to attend “Health Disparities” with Calvin B. Johnson, MD, MPH on Tuesday, September 27 at 5:30 p.m. in the Driscoll Hall Auditorium.

Health disparities refer to differences between groups of people in terms of how frequently a disease affects a group, how many people get sick, or how often the disease causes death.

Dr. Johnson is formerly Secretary of Health for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for the Temple University Health System in Philadelphia. He is currently President of Altre Strategic Solutions Group. With a background including practice, service and government combined with national leadership roles, he brings a unique perspective to the conversation on communities and health disparities.

The lecture is free and is part of the College of Nursing’s 17th Annual Health and Human Values Lecture Series: Promoting Dignity through Global and Public Health.

Blood drive sponsored by the College of Nursing's Undergraduate Nursing Senate 9/13

Recycle yourself! Give blood on Tuesday, September 13th in St. Mary’s Gym during the Undergraduate Nursing Senate (UNS) Blood Drive from 11am to 5pm. Appointments preferred via www.redcrossblood.org, enter sponsor #2031.

For over 25 years, UNS has been sponsoring blood drives with the American Red Cross. That's a lot of lives saved by the Villanova community.

What happens to your blood? Blood may be used for whole blood transfusions or it is separated into its components including red blood cells, plasma, platelets, and antihemophilic factor. Each component can be transfused to different individuals with different needs. Therefore, each donation can be used to help save as many as three lives—among them premature infants, babies having open heart surgery, people with hemophilia, and trauma, cancer and burn patients.

You can help three people and give hope to their families and friends by being there September 13th!

Hazel Johnson '59 dies, first female African American general

Hazel Johnson, '59 BSN, seen here during a light moment as she delivered an address at the Alpha Nu brunch in 2003 during the College's 50th Anniversary gala weekend.


Hazel Johnson, Class of 1959, died on August 5. Hazel was the first African-American woman to hold the rank of General in the U.S. Army and the first African American to hold the position of Chief Nurse of the Army Nurse Corps. She was profiled in the Spring 2006 issue U.S. Military Nurses: A Special Salute to Leaders in Service of Villanova Nursing on pg. 3.

Following retirement from the Army, Hazel directed the Government Affairs office at the headquarters of the American Nurses Association, and taught in the graduate nursing program at George Mason University. She also served on the Villanova University Board of Trustees. Hazel was one of the first recipients of the College of Nursing Medallion for distinguished achievement, honored by her alma mater in 1984. A native of West Chester, Pa., she earned graduate degrees from Columbia University and her doctorate from The Catholic University of America. Over the last several years she has been in failing health and has lived in Wilmington, Del. with her sister, Mrs. Gloria Smith, who survives her. A leadership award is given in her name annually at the nursing convocation for graduating students.

Funeral arrangements are pending, however burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery for this pioneering Villanovan.

Success reins: A story of ribbons and relationships for Villanova Nursing equestrian alumna

Nancy Palombo Ehle ’81 BSN shows Albert (CH Out Go The Lights) in saddle seat competitions around the country. She has learned that balance in life is the way to succeed in her chosen sport.

It’s not unusual for family members to have similar interests, but when it comes to the Ehle family of Orefield, Pa., dedication comes in dual categories-nursing and horseback riding. Nancy Palombo Ehle ’81 BSN is chief financial officer at Lehigh Anesthesia Associates in Allentown, a practice owned and founded by her husband Bob, a nurse anesthetist. Nancy and Bob have supported and encouraged daughter Ally’s interest in equestrian events all the way to the international level. Ally, a junior nursing student at Villanova following in her mother’s footsteps, rides American Saddlebred horses and in August of last year won the Adult 5-Gaited Pleasure class at the prestigious World’s Championship Horse Show in Louisville, Ky.

While her daughter Ally is a world champion, Nancy is also an accomplished, longtime rider. She translates the cool control and quick reactions needed in her former career as a critical care nurse to equestrian events. In saddle seat competitions (a type of English riding), Nancy demonstrates the graceful, high trotting gait of her horse Albert, also known as CH Out Go The Lights, and with much success. In May, she placed second at The Bonnie Blue Horse Show in Virginia in the Adult Country Pleasure Division and also won two blue ribbons at The Raleigh Spring Premier Horse Show in North Carolina in March in the Novice Country Pleasure Division—impressive showings for an equestrian who has only been in the show ring for just over a year. “I am thrilled to be showing and competing,” Nancy notes. She continues to impress the judges this summer. In June, Nancy won the championship in Adult Country Pleasure at the 38th Syracuse International Horse Show held at the New York State Fairgrounds.

Underneath the elegance one sees in saddle seat is the sheer strength required to work so closely and precisely with a highly trained, 1200-pound horse. It is a connection that is vital. "Riding saddle seat is physically and mentally challenging,” explains Nancy. “I must stay on top of my game at all times to be competitive in this sport.” It is a demanding devotion but it seems this nursing alumna has the solution. “At times it is difficult because of all of the other things going on in my life: wife, mother, volunteer, etc…I find that balance is the key to success," she explains.

Now daughter Ally anxiously awaits results during shows as her mother competes, just as her Nancy does for her. Riding has added a special dimension to their lives both inside and outside the rail, one that Nancy hopes will endure, “Ally and I have a wonderful time being in this sport together and share a special bond that I feel to fortunate to have with my daughter. I hope we can continue to ride our beautiful horses for a long, long time.”

Cards for wounded troops project

SNAP's President Megan Copel has confirmed SNAP's interest in sending hand made cards to wounded/ill troops transported to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center(LRMC) in Germany. LRMC is the largest American military hospital outside the USA and the hospital where ill and wounded troops are transported from such "down range" locations as Afghanistan and Iraq.

My husband and I will be returning to LRMC for the third time. He again will be a civilian volunteer Vascular Surgeon with the Combat Casualty Program, and I will be a civilian volunteer with the Chaplains' Wounded Warrior Ministries (WWM). I am glad to bring the cards with me, as I did last summer. The cards were distributed to the wounded/ill troops through the WWM and were very much appreciated.

Please consider writing a card. A card can be as simple as a folded colored or white paper with some non-political good wishes. Envelopes should NOT be used, as for security reasons, cards are opened. The wounded and ill troops are male and female, American and coalition (Britain, Canada, Australia, Romania, Poland, etc.), so cards might be given to troops from the other countries; everyone is grateful. Troops come from various services within the military and come from all religious and other backgrounds.

Materials for making cards (paper, markers, pens, etc.) will be available at the SNAP meeting, Tuesday, July 12. People who cannot come to the meeting but would like to contribute a card or cards can bring them by July 12 to Ms. Susan Leighton who has been most gracious in offering a box for the cards to be collected. Her office is on the third floor of Driscoll Hall. Ms. Leighton herself has been recognized for her work with troops.

Wishing everyone a good summer,

Carol Toussie Weingarten, PhD, RN, ANEF
Advisor-SNAP-Villanova

Nursing students embark on summer externship in psychiatric-mental health nursing

Seniors Meagan Van Eerde and Chelsea Havelock (front row, 3rd and 4th from left) join other externs and Coordinator Dr. Ben Evans, RN APN (back row, right) in the Psychiatric Student Nurse Externship at Bergen Regional Medical Center.

Villanova, PA, July 7, 2011— Two senior students from the Villanova University College of Nursing, Chelsea Havelock and Meagan Van Eerde, are participating in the Psychiatric Student Nurse Externship in the Behavioral Health Division at Bergen Regional Medical Center in Paramus, NJ. This is the second year the externship has been offered.

The Villanova students joined 10 other nursing students who were selected from an applicant pool of students from Pennsylvania and New Jersey schools. This externship offers the students an opportunity to deepen their interest in the specialty of psychiatric-mental health (PMH) nursing. They spend 175 hours in the clinical setting working as part of the multidisciplinary team. Students have the opportunity to rotate through two different inpatient services during the summer as well as an observational experience in the forensic (jail) unit.

The externs work closely with the Unit RNs and assist in direct patient care, individual and group therapy and have the opportunity to attend relevant in-service education. Additionally, student externs attend a biweekly roundtable which offers the opportunity to hear from clinical experts on topics related to the field, such as the role of the psych nurse generalist, the role of the PMH Advanced Practice Nurse, ECT, dual diagnosis of addiction and mental illness and social work-nursing collaboration.

Dr. Joyce Willens is president elect of ASPMN

Joyce S Willens, PhD, RN, BC, has been elected President Elect of the American Society for Pain Management Nursing. She will serve one year in that role and then serve a year as president. She is an assistant professor in the College of Nursing.

Dr. Willens is a longtime advocate for pain management and a leader in ASPMN. She is the editor of Pain Management Nursing, the official journal of ASPMN published by Elsevier, and was previously on the journal’s editorial board. Dr. Willens is also one of two nurses in the nation selected from ASPMN to the Content Expert Panel for the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s new certification examination in pain management. She has authored many chapters on pain management and edited the 1996 AJN Book of the Year titled Pain management: an interdisciplinary approach. Dr. Willens has chaired ASPMN’s taskforce that completed the role delineation survey defining what pain management nurses do. This study was published in Pain Management Nursing and serves as a basis for test content outline.

Free CE Reunion Weekend!

Reducing Stress Through Financial Health
Christina Larson Kelly ‘74 BSN, MSN, RN, CFP™
President, Larson Financial Planning, Inc.
Member, College of Nursing Board of Consultors

Saturday, June 11
2:30-3:30 p.m.
Driscoll Hall Auditorium
1.2 contact hours


Nursing alumna Christina Larson Kelly combines her healthcare knowledge with years of executive-level experience as a financial planner. Tap into her expertise and discover ways to improve your financial picture while earning 1.2 contact hours at the same time!

This is a free event sponsored by Villanova’s Nursing Alumni Association.
Registration is required.
Visit www1.villanova.edu/villanova/advancement/alumni .

Submit a photo for J&J mosaic

J&J has been a huge supporter of nursing, promoting the profession as a recruitment tool and fundraising for scholarships, some of which have been awarded to Villanova nursing students.

They are creating a photo mosaic of nurses and are looking for images if you are interested in sending a file. Please see details below.

As the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing’s Future looks forward to celebrating its 10th anniversary in February 2012,we are taking the opportunity to thank and recognize nurses for their continued dedication and passion with several new and exciting initiatives. As part of this effort, the Campaign is launching The Art of Nursing: A Portrait of Thanks Mosaic Project to create a visual that depicts the impact nurses have had on the community over the last decade and which becomes a symbol of pride for nurses. Please join the Campaign by helping us create this historical image of nursing. You must be a nurse to submit a photo for this mosaic. We would love to as many nurses as possible join in this effort so feel free to tell other nurses or pass this email along to them.

To submit your photo just link to http://campaignfornursing.com/portraitofthanks/
The deadline to submit a photo is November 2011. The final mosaic will be unveiled in February 2012!

Nursing student and world class equestrian seeks clinical and competitive challenges

Underneath the derby, part of the formal attire required in saddle seat competitions, there is the mind and spirit of a nurse. Ally Ehle, a Villanova nursing student, earned a victory lap around the show ring in August 2010 after she and Tony (show name CH Titleist Right Tonight) were crowned World Champions in the Adult 5-Gaited Pleasure class at the World’s Championship Horse Show in Louisville, Ky.


Villanova University has claimed numerous world class athletes—well known in sports such as basketball and track to name just two. But look closely in Driscoll Hall and you’ll see another world champion in junior nursing student and equestrian Allyson Ehle. Ally, who is from Orefield, Pa., is a member of the Class of 2013 studying at the College of Nursing. As a former national champion and current world champion in saddle seat, Ally echoes Winston Churchill’s sentiment that “No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle.”

Developed in the United States, modern saddle seat is a style of English riding designed to show off the high trotting action of certain horse breeds. It is done on the flat, meaning there is no jumping (something Ally did when she first started riding at age seven). Ally started riding saddle seat at age nine and has competed on American Saddlebred horses in the 5-gaited class which includes the walk, trot, and canter, as well as a fast, showy gait and a slow gait.

Being an active sorority sister and student in a challenging major would be enough to keep anyone busy. Add in weekly three-hour round trip drives to the New Jersey barn where her horses are stabled, and you realize Ally is an expert juggler as well. “Balancing school and riding is difficult, especially during show season,” she admits, which luckily is mostly outside of the academic year. She is grateful to her professors for their flexibility and is as dedicated to her schoolwork as she is to training for competitions. Her commitment results in not only excellent grades but also blue ribbons.

“I am very fortunate to own and work with some of the greatest and most talented horses in the country and none of my accomplishments would be possible without them,” explains Ally. In 2009 at the National Championships in Kansas City, Mo., she and Winston (show name CH Sir Winston C) were named the Country Pleasure National Champions for riders 18-30. That same year, she and Tony (show name CH Titleist Right Tonight) were crowned the 5-Gaited Show Pleasure National Champions and Grand Champions for all adult riders. Through August of 2011, she and Tony carry the title World Champion which they won last summer in the Adult 5-Gaited Pleasure class at the prestigious World’s Championship Horse Show in Louisville, Ky. “It is an honor to even compete at the World’s Championship which is why winning there is one of my proudest moments to this day,” Ally notes. In October, she exhibited at the World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Ky., a competition held every four years with over 50 countries competing. She and Tony were invited to provide a saddle seat demonstration which was “pretty exciting.”

Ally credits her mom, Nancy Ehle ’81 B.S.N. as a major influence in her life. “She is one of the reasons I chose Villanova and nursing,” offers Ally, noting that her father is also in the profession as a nurse anesthetist. “My mom has been riding for years…We like riding and traveling to shows together.” Riding has had a positive effect on Ally’s growth, “I have developed a lot of patience through riding which I think helps my performance as a nursing student. I also think that over the years riding has contributed to my overall confidence as a person” which is an asset in patient care.

Ally’s devotion to her rigorous academic life means tough choices. She is missing a favorite competition this year, the local Devon Horse Show, so that she may enhance her global perspective and study abroad for five weeks through Villanova's Summer Program where she will take courses in medieval Catholicism and the history of Italian cities.

Ally looks forward to further challenges both in her career and in the show ring. She describes her goals, “In a few years, I hope to be working as a nurse in a Philadelphia-area hospital. The more experience I get with nursing, the more I think I would like to work with children but I've also considered becoming a nurse anesthetist. We'll see what the future brings.” No doubt it will include more blue ribbons.

Distinguished nurses honored by College

The College of Nursing recently honored three distinguished nurses with its highest award, the College of Nursing Medallion. The Medallions were presented by Connelly Endowed Dean and Professor M. Louise Fitzpatrick Ed.D., R.N., FAAN at the 22nd Annual Mass and Alumni Awards Ceremony on April 9 held in the St. Thomas of Villanova Church on the University campus. The event is co-sponsored by the College and its Nursing Alumni Association.


The 2011 Medallion recipients are seen above with Dean Fitzpatrick and University President The Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D. They are:

Mary Ann McGinley, Ph.D., R.N., Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, Medallion for Distinguished Service to the College of Nursing,

AnnMarie Young Papa ’77 B.S.N., ’95 M.S.N., D.N.P., R.N., CEN, NE-BC, FAEN, Interim clinical director, emergency nursing and clinical nurse specialist, emergency department, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania; president, Emergency Nurses Association, Medallion for Excellence in Clinical Practice,

Tara Siegal Cortes, ’67 B.S.N., Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, Executive director of the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing, professor and Mathy D. Mezey Chair, Geriatric Nursing, New York University College of Nursing, Medallion for Distinguished Contributions to the Profession

Four faculty honored for 25 years of service

The College of Nursing recently honored four faculty for 25 years of service: Professor Linda Copel, Ph.D., R.N., FAPA; Clinical Assistant Professor Deborah Wimmer, M.S.N., CRNP; Assistant Professor Marycarol McGovern, Ph.D., R.N.; and Associate Professor Carol Weingarten, Ph.D., R.N., ANEF (who was unable to attend but was represented by daughter Robin Weingarten, M.S.N., R.N.).

The recognition by Connelly Endowed Dean and Professor M. Louise Fitzpatrick Ed.D., R.N., FAAN, who discussed the contributions of each to nursing education, the students, University and profession, took place at the 22nd Annual Mass and Alumni Awards Ceremony. The April 9th event was held in the St. Thomas of Villanova Church on the University campus and was co-sponsored by the College and its Nursing Alumni Association.

Nursing events at Reunion Weekend

All Nursing alumni are encouraged to attend Reunion Weekend June 9-12! Don’t miss an update on the College and our future from Dean Fitzpatrick as well as a prescription for your financial health from alumna Christina Larson Kelly ‘74 BSN. If you haven’t yet been to Driscoll Hall, this is a terrific opportunity to see our state-of-the-art home.

Both events are complimentary, though registration is required. Please review the details below and register online. See you soon! https://secure.www.alumniconnections.com/olc/pub/VLN/event/showEventForm.jsp?form_id=69404


Saturday, June 11
Driscoll Hall Auditorium

• 9:00 a.m. Chat with Dean Fitzpatrick


• 2:30 p.m. Reducing Stress through Financial Health, 1.2 contact hours
Christina Larson Kelly ‘74 BSN, MSN, RN, CFP™
President, Larson Financial Planning, Inc.
Member, College of Nursing Board of Consultors
Sponsored by the Nursing Alumni Association

Nursing alumna Christina Larson Kelly combines her healthcare knowledge with years of executive-level experience as a financial planner. Tap into her expertise and discover ways to improve your financial picture while earning 1.2 contact hours at the same time!

Lynz Parker is 2011 Falvey Scholar from Nursing

Congratulations to Nursing's Falvey Scholar, second degree BSN student Lynz Parker who on Friday presented her research: Health and health care correlates of lower back pain and selected mental health alterations among adult respondents to the 2008 National Health Interview Survey. She represented us well! The Falvey Scholar award is an annual program established by Falvey Memorial Library to recognize outstanding undergraduate research. It is a collaborative initiative of the Library, the Honors Program, and the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships. Lynz's mentor was Dr. Nancy Sharts-Hopko, professor and director of the doctoral program.

SNAP-Villanova honored again

Congratulations to Villanova University's chapter of the Student Nurses' Association of Pennsylvania (SNAP-Villanova) for receiving the Most Nationally Recognized Award from Villanova University's Office of Student Development!

SNAP has received the university award in addition to being recognized for the following:
• the state SNAP's award for the Most Outstanding Chapter in Pennsylvania for the second consecutive year
• designation as a Stellar School by the National Student Nurses' Association. Only 10 schools in the United States hold this recognition.
• National Community Service Honorable Mention Award for SNAP-Villanova's dedication and work for the campus wide Andy Talley Bone Marrow Drive and Program.

SNAP-Villanova is one of the largest and most active chapters in the state. Each year it provides outstanding professional development opportunities to the next generation of Villanova Nurses, under the leadership of longtime advisor, Associate Professor Carol Weingarten, PhD, RN, ANEF.

Igniting interest in safety among children for National Public Health Week

College of Nursing student Eric Nowaczyk, along with Bridget Baker and Jackie Dunayevich, teaches Dobson 8th graders about fire safety.


Safety was the name of the game as students from the College of Nursing at Villanova University in Villanova, Pa. kicked off National Public Health Week on April 4th by teaching critical health topics to 7th and 8th graders at the James Dobson Elementary School in nearby Philadelphia. Given their age and compelling injury statistics for children, the nursing students focused on home and sports safety, preparing educational messages in line with the theme for the week “Safety is NO Accident: Live Injury-Free.”

The nursing students who participated are in the College’s traditional bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program or accelerated BSN program for adults with a college degree in another field. The students discussed sport safety in line with the Safety at Play theme of National Public Health Week in the 7th grade classroom. The students developed posters that will hang in the school gym to reinforce the content. They talked with the 8th grade students about fire safety. Discussion targeted having working smoke detectors in the house, making an escape plan with their parents, and knowing what to do in the event of a fire in their home. Games were used to spark interest and engage the youngsters in applying their new knowledge. Smoke detectors were awarded as prizes to the two students who found the most words in a home safety word search.

Having nursing students teaching the children had other positive effects, in addition to learning how to live injury-free. “The Villanova nurses are terrific role models for our students, having them in our school brings college closer to the students,” notes Dobson school counselor Lori Lertora, an alumna of the University.

Regardless of the degree program—the College has bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral level programs—students at Villanova have an ongoing focus on patient and community safety and the promotion of health. “Villanova Nursing faculty and students used the APHA week as a reminder of the important role nurses play in keeping individuals and communities safe,” says Kim Connolly, MPH, RN, clinical assistant professor and director of the College of Nursing’s Center for Global and Public Health. This focus cuts across all areas of practice. From discussing safety messages with patients in clinical settings—such as preventing falls at home or encouraging safe environments for infants-- to providing education in school settings, Villanova Nurses highlighted the importance of thinking about and implementing proactive measures at school, work, home and in the community.

College of Nursing’s anesthesia students respond to hunger emergency

Pain-free surgery and a full pantry—it’s all in a day’s work for the community minded anesthesia students from the Villanova University/ Crozer-Chester Medical Center Nurse Anesthesia Program. They don’t just deliver highly potent drugs to their patients; they also deliver food to those in need—nearly a ton of it.

In celebration of the 2011 Nurse Anesthetist week this winter, the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists (PANA) Public Relations committee, chaired by Villanova/Crozer’s Associate Program Director Jodie Szlachta CRNA, PhD, sponsored a successful statewide food drive. Approximately 203 students from eleven nurse anesthesia programs throughout the state participated in various community activities and supported statewide agencies to assist neighbors.

In the midst of their rigorous 27-month classroom and clinical education, the Villanova-Crozer junior and senior students focused just as much intensity on the service effort. Jennifer Venafra, SRNA who earned her BSN at Villanova in 2006 and Amy Arbushites SRNA, coordinated the 35 students and 3 administrators who participated from the Villanova-Crozer program. They solicited donations at 10 sites, including both stores and clinical sites. Students stood outside grocery stores in unforgiving weather and even encouraged people to use a texting option to donate if they could not give food. Their efforts paid off for Philabundance, the region’s largest hunger relief organization, which happily accepted multiple car loads of food—1900 pounds of it to be exact—as well as $100.

Philabundance reduces hunger and food insecurity in the Delaware Valley. It serves low income residents at risk of hunger and malnutrition, of which 23% are children and 16% are senior citizens. For those people, better nutrition means better health.

The students were energized by the experience. At the same time they advocated feeding the hungry and created a positive change in the community, the students were also able to promote nurse anesthesia as a vibrant part of the nursing profession.

Undergraduate Nursing Scholars Day

Long hours, research techniques, nursing knowledge, clinical experience and a big dose of drive came together as the scholarly work of undergraduate nursing students was showcased at the inaugural Undergraduate Nursing Scholars Day held April 12th in Driscoll Hall.

The campus community joined the College of Nursing for the poster presentations by students from the traditional undergraduate and accelerated second degree programs on such topics as lower back pain, intellectual disabilities, community health worker education, exercise programs, shared governance, breast feeding, collective bargaining and bipolar disorder. The faculty challenged the students who will graduate soon to find evidence based solutions for the clinical situations they will encounter in their practice and share them in a similar forum.

Additionally, senior nursing majors in the Community Health Nursing course developed and presented talks followed by Q&A on their Population Assessment Projects representing developmentally challenged populations, an ethnic population in Philadelphia, a South Philadelphia neighborhood, and a North Philadelphia population as well as a Kensington neighborhood, maternal /child populations in Philadelphia, adults in Conshohocken, international sites in Central and Latin America, and Chester County health problems. Each group had reviewed health statistics as well as the impact of economic, social and environmental factors on the morbidity and mortality of their assigned population. They further identified and prioritized health issues and multidisciplinary solutions to those problems.

College of Nursing Medallion

On Saturday April 9th, the College of Nursing will honor two alumnae with its highest award—the College of Nursing Medallion. The awards will be presented during the 22nd Annual Mass and Alumni Awards Ceremony to be held in the St. Thomas of Villanova Church. All are welcome to attend.

The Medallion for Distinguished Contributions to the Profession will be given to Tara Siegal Cortes ’67 B.S.N., executive director of the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing, professor and Mathy D. Mezey Chair, Geriatric Nursing, New York University College of Nursing. Dr. Cortes has also served as a member of the Villanova Board of Trustees. The Medallion for Excellence in Clinical Leadership is awarded to AnnMarie Young Papa ’77 B.S.N., ’95 M.S.N., interim clinical director, emergency nursing and clinical nurse specialist, emergency department, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania; president, Emergency Nurses Association .

A third Medallion for Distinguished Service to the College of Nursing goes to Mary Ann McGinley, PhD, RN, Senior Vice President for Patient Services and Chief Nursing Officer at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

Additionally, four faculty are being honored for 25 years of service: Dr. Linda Copel, Dr. Marycarol McGovern, Dr. Carol Weingarten and Prof. Deborah Wimmer.

Nurses promoting safety

“Safety is NO Accident: Live Injury-Free” is the theme for National Public Health Week April 4-10. The American Public Health Association is encouraging all Americans to think about how, by making just one positive change a day, you can prevent injuries and start living a safer life.

“Villanova Nursing faculty and students will use this week as a reminder of the important role nurses play in keeping individuals and communities safe,” says Prof. Kim Connolly, director of the College of Nursing’s Center for Global and Public Health. From discussing safety messages with patients in clinical settings—such as preventing falls at home or encouraging safe environments for children-- to providing education in elementary school settings, Villanova nurses will highlight the importance of thinking about and implementing safety measures at school, work, home, and in the community.

Why is patient safety an integral part of nursing care and teaching? Thirty million people are hurt seriously enough each year to go to the emergency room and injuries are the most common cause of premature death before the age of 65.

Here’s what you can do TODAY:
1. Buckle up
2. Stop driving while distracted or under the influence
3. Move cleaning supplies and medicines to higher ground, out of reach of children
4. Program emergency numbers, such as the Poison Control Hotline (1-800-222-1222), into your phone
5. Use car seats for children as directed
6. Have children use the bike helmet EVERY time
7. Check your smoke and CO detectors
8. Fix any risky areas in the house that can cause a fall
9. Ask your children about bullying in school or online
10. Find out who your children are talking to online

For more statistics and safety tips, visit http://www.nphw.org/nphw11/first1.htm.



 

Creativity in community health

How does a used plastic bottle save a life and the planet? Ask a Villanova nursing student. When senior nursing students travel to the Dominican Republic with faculty for an international pediatric nursing experience they perform health screenings and care for underserved children in the bateyes (shantytowns) surrounding the sugar plantations. They also educate volunteer community health workers (CHWs) about critical health topics for the region, such as asthma. Many young children have asthma yet when they need to have a dose of airway-opening medication from their inhaler, they are not able to synchronize the drug administration with their breath and don’t receive its benefits. Combining environmental safety principles with nursing ingenuity, the students recycle clean plastic drinking bottles to create a spacer—a tube attached to the inhaler that briefly contains the puff of aerosolized medicine near the mouth until the child takes a breath and inhales it.

Students teach the CHWs to safely cut off the bottom of the bottle to create the tube, line the edges with duct tape for comfort and tape the inhaler to the open neck of the bottle. The open bottom is placed over the child’s mouth area to create a seal, the medicine is dosed into the tube, and when the child takes a breath, he inhales the life-saving drug. Additionally, there are fewer plastic bottles littering the area, or being burned or buried and contaminating the environment.

Scenes from senior student spring international health experience in the Dominican Republic

April 6th Information Session: BSN/MSN Gateway Program for RNs

Are you an RN who wants a BSN? Learn more about our BSN/MSN Gateway Program for RNs at our April 6th Information Session! Join us from 5:30-7:00 pm in the Driscoll Hall Auditorium for Program overview • individual advisement • transcript review • student speaker • tours...register online for this free event at http://nurseweb.villanova.edu/surveys/Gateway/infosession.asp . Bring a friend!

Questions? Contact Dr. Patricia Haynor at patricia.haynor@villanova.edu or 610.519.7751.

Where nursing and engineering converge

Hemodialysis is just one of numerous examples of the nursing and engineering professions converging—even on Villanova’s campus. While Noelle Comolli, PhD, an assistant professor of Chemical Engineering in the College of Engineering was preparing for a freshman class project on the artificial kidney, she contacted the College of Nursing in search of a clinical expert. Answering the call was Tamara Kear, PhD, RN, CNN, assistant professor, who was then completing her doctoral dissertation at Villanova. Dr. Kear has over 15 years of clinical practice in hemodialysis with a variety of publications on the subject. She lectured to two engineering classes on renal failure and the clinical aspects of hemodialysis to aid in their understanding of the end-user experience. Theory met design in the burgeoning engineers’ projects. On March 11, the students presented their posters outlining their design of artificial kidney. In this photo, Dr. Kear is seen with two students from her lecture and their poster.

Hospice VP shares expertise with students

This morning, senior nursing students benefitted from the expertise of Terri Maxwell, PhD, APRN, vice president, Clinical Initiatives for excelleRx, Inc. — a company committed to palliative care pharmacy services for patients enrolled in hospice. Dr. Maxwell has an extensive background in hospice and palliative care. She has numerous publications and presentations at the national and international level and is a member of the editorial board for the Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy.

Dr. Maxwell discussed the purpose and scope of hospice, the role of the nurse, pain management for dying patients and physical and psychological signs of end of life. Her guest lecture was part of the course Community Health Nursing & Health Promotion taught by Assistant Professor Elizabeth Petit de Mange, PhD, MSN, NP-C, RN.

The Future of Muslim-Christian Relationships in the Middle East

The College of Nursing and the Center for Arab and Islamic Studies invite the campus community to hear Dr. Abdulrahman al-Salimi’s lecture “The Future of Muslim-Christian Relationships in the Middle East” on Tuesday, March 22nd at 4:00 p.m. in the Driscoll Hall Auditorium. Dr. al-Salimi is chief editor of al-Tasamoh (Tolerance) Journal, Ministry of Endowments & Religious Affairs, Sultanate of Oman.

Health Promotion and the Arab-American Community

Ruth McDermott-Levy, PhD, RN, assistant professor (center) with AACDC's Associate Director Zeina El Halabi and Americorps volunteer Wiam Mutan.

Newly arrived immigrants who settle in the Greater Philadelphia area frequently seek assistance from the Arab-American Community Development Cooperation (AACDC). This non-profit organization which the College learned about from Marwan Kreidie, M.A., adjunct professor in the Political Science Department and executive director of AACDC, seeks to provide services addressing health care needs, citizenship learning, English as a second language and immigration issues to the estimated 30,000 Arab-Americans living in the five county area. Under the guidance of Ruth McDermott-Levy ’96 M.S.N., ’08 Ph.D., R.N., assistant professor, senior nursing students have the opportunity to participate in a community health clinical rotation at this social service agency. This experience provides students an opportunity to address health promotion strategies with the consideration of the culture and Muslim religious practices. While on the campus of the AACDC, the students who participate in this clinical rotation experience a kind of cultural immersion without traveling abroad.

“Immigrant populations are vulnerable to many of the social determinates that influence health such as poor quality housing, income, education, being powerless, and discrimination. The way population health data is collected, the Arab immigrant community does not usually show up on the ‘health needs radar screen,’ but they are subject to many of the same problems of other minority groups,” explains Dr. McDermott-Levy. She further notes, “I am able to use my experience with Arab-Muslim students from Oman to understand cultural, religious, and health practices to help students address the needs of this important group. My opportunities led to my doctoral dissertation concerning Muslim women college students studying in the United States.”

For the past three years, the AACDC provides a rich setting for student interactions with the community. After completion of a comprehensive community assessment of the Center which offers an Islamic day school for children, a food bank for families, job skill training, health education programs, support services to refugees and scholarly programs from visiting professors (which are open to the public), the Villanova Nursing students develop a health promotion program to meet the needs of the community. Our students have worked with an English-as-Second-Language (ESL) tutor to teach breast health, healthy food choices, managing stress related to acculturation and an integrative pest management program. Nursing students provide information regarding health insurance options for adults and children as well as health lessons and health screenings for children in the adjoining Islamic day school. As a positive consequence of the Villanova presence, one member of the community now offers weekly exercise classes for Arab women which are modeled after a presentation by the Villanova students. The students may also observe an Islamic worship service and sample Arab food during their clinical rotations which enriches their understanding of the culture and daily life of the community.

The relationship with this clinical site has enhanced the development of needed services for this immigrant community while providing the opportunity for nursing students to learn community assessment skills, health education, and cultural and religious competence through cultural immersion. Students have also had the opportunity to work with native speaking interpreters which provides experience that can be transferred when caring for those from other cultures who are not English speakers.

This fall, Dr. McDermott-Levy shared her experiences of working with our students through a presentation “Teaching the Needs of Immigrant Populations and Cultural Competence through Community Partnerships" at the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Exhibition in Denver. In the future, Dr. McDermott-Levy hopes to expand health promotion opportunities on topics of occupational health in the work settings where many of the members of the community are employed.

The nursing students’ experience with this new immigrant population is one example of how the College of Nursing extends its reach to diverse cultural groups and populations in the Greater Philadelphia area.

Inspiring young minds about education

The importance of staying in school and meeting goals through education was the message on February 4th for 20 sixth grade boys from the Delaplaine McDaniel School in south Philadelphia. The energetic students, their teachers and chaperones were hosted on campus by volunteers from the College of Nursing’s chapter of the Student Nurses’ Association of Pennsylvania (SNAP-Villanova), and members of Villanova's football team along with Allison Venella who is coordinator of Student Services in Athletics. SNAP’s faculty advisor, Carol Weingarten, Ph.D., R.N., ANEF, associate professor, facilitated the day while senior Kaitlyn Singlemann and sophomore Sarah Gross coordinated the SNAP volunteers. Both nursing students are SNAP's special liaisons to Athletics and chair SNAP's projects with the McDaniel School.

This initiative was a natural extension of existing relationships. SNAP and the football team already co-sponsor and collaborate on service projects, such as those with middle school children and the Andy Talley Bone Marrow Donor Drive. The College of Nursing has an existing relationship with the McDaniel school as it is a site for health promotion practica for senior students as well as other SNAP volunteer activities. This was the first time McDaniel students visited Villanova. Their questions spanned a variety of topics, including how long it takes to graduate from college, how Nursing’s clinical simulation models work, where the football team plays and whether or not basketball players walk around the campus.

There was palpable excitement when the boys toured the Pavilion and Davis Center and learned about the lives of student athletes. Their excitement was just as high with hands-on experience in the College’s clinical simulation lab. Each student had an opportunity to feel pulses and check oxygen levels of the computerized human patient simulators as well as explore how nursing students learn to take care of patients. After the academic portion of their tour, the visitors enjoyed having lunch with members of SNAP and the football team and visiting the University Shop.

Villanova Nursing call for abstracts for educator conference

Baltimore’s Inner Harbor is the site for the 38th Annual National Conference on Professional Nursing Development, Advancing and Empowering Nurse Educators: Charting a Course for the Future hosted by the College of Nursing at the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel on October 21-23, 2011. Abstracts are currently being submitted for consideration – www.villanova.edu/nursing/ce/conferences . Deadline for abstract submission is April 30, 2011. Don’t miss this opportunity to discuss critical issues facing professional nursing education and development and network with international colleagues from all realms of nursing education.

Villanova Nursing selected for Peace Corps Fellows/USA Program

The College of Nursing at Villanova University announces that, after a rigorous process, it has been selected as a Peace Corps Fellows/USA Program site by the United States Peace Corps.

Through this exciting new partnership, the College will welcome returned Peace Corps volunteers to campus. The goal of the Peace Corps Fellows/USA program is to give the returned volunteers an opportunity as Fellows to continue working with underserved populations in a domestic setting while engaging in formal study to advance their own career. Fellows may choose nursing as a second career and enroll in the College’s accelerated bachelor of science in nursing program for college graduates with degrees in other fields. For Fellows who are already nurses with a bachelor’s degree, there is the option to enroll in the College’s Graduate Program in a specialty such as nurse anesthesia, nurse practitioner, nursing education or health care administration.

“I can’t think of a better way to honor the University and College commitment to human service and the nurturing of a global community than to initiate a Peace Corps Fellows/USA program here at the College of Nursing. Launching it during the Peace Corps’s 50th Anniversary year makes it even more exciting,” says Kim Connolly, M.P.H., R.N., director of the College’s Center for Global and Public Health and the new Peace Corps Fellows/USA coordinator. Connolly is a veteran of the Peace Corps, having served in Niger, West Africa.

The Fellows’ education is enriched by the internship serving an underserved population where they can continue to apply the experience they gained living and working overseas. The College of Nursing has a variety of collaborating community organizations to use as sites. In addition, Fellows will participate in professional seminars with other nursing student leaders, will present their Peace Corps experience to other Villanova students, and will partner with faculty mentors to achieve career goals.

For more information:
Kim Connolly, MPH, RN
Director, Center for Global and Public Health and Peace Corps Fellows/USA Coordinator
College of Nursing, Villanova University
kimberly.connolly@villanova.edu
http://www.villanova.edu/nursing/global
610-519-5902

Peace Corps information: www.peacecorps.gov