Promoting health in young girls

“I am very passionate about empowering young women and I hope that I am making a difference!” says senior Kelsey MacNaughton. In 2012, she traveled to Durban, South Africa with College of Nursing faculty for an international field study in nursing. Knowing that the young Zulu girls at St. Leo’s school were in “desperate need of information and knowledge” about puberty and health, Kelsey says she “jumped at the idea” to teach the topic, along with Villanova nursing students Grace Stack and Laura Quaresima. In an environment swirling with myths on the subject and students lacking resources and parental guidance, the 7th graders in Durban were in need of accurate and updated information about growing up which the nursing students delivered, while promoting the normalcy of the changes that occur and discussing hygiene and health. Based on her experience in South Africa, Kelsey decided to deliver the same topic to 7th grade African-American girls during her senior year health promotion clinical practica with Dr. Carol Weingarten at McDaniel School in Philadelphia. Her April 2013 teaching plan included a slide presentation, a video, pre/post-tests, a “question jar,” and supplies. Kelsey later compared her observations and experiences teaching the two groups of girls in the US and in Africa for the College’s Undergraduate Scholar’s Day on April 23rd.

Villanova nursing connects in Kenya

For two weeks in July, M. Frances Keen, D.N.Sc., R.N., associate professor and interim director, Center for Global and Public Health, was in Kenya building houses with a Habitat for Humanity Global Village team. Having expanded her construction skill set, Dr. Keen says, “It was an absolutely fabulous experience, and one that I will definitely do again.”

On a free day, Dr. Keen was able to meet with alumna Sr. Alice Wamara Wanjiku ’09 BSN, ’10 MSN (left), as well as Sr. Celestine who will be joining the College in August to earn her BSN. Sr. Celestine founded and runs a hospital in Bungoma, a town where Dr. Keen was located near Kenya's border with Uganda; and Sr. Alice traveled there to see her.

Villanova flag flies with CCATT

Dr. Carol Weingarten (center, left), associate professor, and  Capt. Elizabeth Hoettels, U.S. Air Force Nurse Corps (center, right) have forged a collegial relationship during Dr. Weingarten's volunteer summer trips to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. Capt. Hoettels is a Critical Care Air Transport Team (CCATT) Nurse and a Clinical Nurse in the Intensive Care Unit at LRMC.

The College of Nursing, through its Joining Forces initiative, hosted Capt. Hoettels last October when she gave a lecture on her military career and the work done at LRMC for the wounded in the Middle East. In turn, the College of Nursing has given lectures and shared archived lectures for the staff at LRMC.

On June 7th, the above photo was taken at LRMC shortly before Capt. Hoettels  and her colleague deployed as part of a CCATT.  Villanova's flag flew with them, bringing wounded and ill troops home.

Admiral Fallon visits College of Nursing

This spring, Villanova University hosted Admiral  (Ret.) William J. Fallon as its Scholar-in-Residence. After serving over 41 years, this 1967 alumnus retired from the U.S. Navy as a four-star admiral. His last military assignment was as Commander, U.S. Central Command from March 2007 to March 2008. During the week, he presented "American Roles in a Changing World." Admiral Fallon (front row, center) also visited the College of Nursing on April 24th to have lunch with Dean Louise Fitzpatrick; Dr. Lesley Perry, associate dean; Rose O'Driscoll, assistant dean for administration; nursing alumna Maryalice Morro who is a retired Navy captain and member of the College's Board of Consultors and University's Alumni Association Board; Naval ROTC nursing students, and nursing students from the Middle East.

Exploring nursing in Ireland

While studying in Ireland with fellow nursing students as part of an international field experience in nursing, junior Michelle Alemi (front row, 3rd from right) has had an "amazing" time. The group, led by Dr. Patricia Mynaugh (back, right) and Dr. Amy McKeever (front, right), is based at National University of Ireland (NUI) Galway.

"The faculty here is so warm and welcoming," says Michelle, emailing from across the Atlantic, "We listened to many different lectures about the Irish health care system." One of her favorite activities was a simulated code situation in a ward, which included a variety of roles and use of teamwork. "There were many factors we experienced that we were not used to and it was a great learning experience," she notes. Michelle and the rest of the Villanova Nurses will explore more of Ireland and its culture before returning home next week.

Politics and policy: A role for nurses

Kelly Nestor, MSN, ANP-BC knows the importance of nursing having a seat at the policy table. And yes, politics does have a role in nursing. She is “walking her talk” – most recently as the College of Nursing’s delegate to the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association’s Congress in Harrisburg on April 16th and, several days before, presenting a poster “Political Participation of Registered Nurses: Development of the Concept” at the Western Institute of Nursing Conference held in Anaheim, Calif., April 10-13th.

Nestor is a clinical instructor in the Adult-Geriatric Nurse Practitioner Program and is pursuing her doctorate in health policy at the University of New Mexico. She lectures on palliative care and health policy issues. Nestor is an experienced adult nurse practitioner who sees patients in her long term care setting practice where she has been practicing for the last four years in conjunction with Western Mainline Medical Associates.

Students learn legislative process

On Tuesday, March 12th, the state Student Nurses’ Association of Pennsylvania (SNAP) held their biannual Capitol Hill Step by Step program in Harrisburg. This day served to educate student nurses about healthcare policy and the importance of being informed about guidelines that shape the future of nursing practice. This year’s program featured Attorney General Kathleen Kane who spoke about her experience with nursing and her support for SNAP’s involvement in government policies.


Sophomore Liz Long, Legislative Coordinator for both the SNAP-Villanova chapter and the state SNAP, was one of the coordinators. Liz, shown above (left) with Kane and Ranck, is also a member of the chapter’s Resolutions Committee. 

Liz strongly believes in the need for student and professional nurses to be active participants in healthcare policy; she feels that nurses bring a unique, holistic perspective that must be present in order to create the best policies for the profession and its patients. With the current dynamic and progressive healthcare climate, this unique opportunity provided Liz and other student nurses with a more intimate education of the importance of healthcare policy and how as future nurses they have the power to impact such decisions.

Liz also served as a featured speaker at the first SNAP-Villanova meeting this semester and discussed nursing students' roles in legislative issues. She has formed and headed an enormously successful Resolutions Committee for SNAP-Villanova. Villanova's "Joining Forces...." resolution was passed by the House of Delegates at the state SNAP convention in November and will be presented at the upcoming NSNA convention in Charlotte, NC.

On March 16 and 17, SNAP-Villanova's Freshmen Representatives, Marianna Cesareo and Meghan Long attended the state SNAP's special LEAD workshop for freshmen/sophomore rising leaders. Liz Long, as state Legislative Coordinator, was one of the student leaders.

Bone marrow BASH

SNAP-Villanova members Erica Peters (front left) and Shannon Markert (second row left) volunteered with football Coach Andy Talley and members of Villanova's football team and cheerleading squad at the sold-out March 2nd Bone Marrow Donor Bash held at the Connelly Center. Members of Villanova's chapter of the Student Nurses' Association of Pennsylvania have been volunteering with Coach Talley and the football team for years at the Bone Marrow Donor Drive.

Dr. Carol Weingarten, SNAP-Villanova advisor notes, "Do consider volunteering at the upcoming event, Tuesday, April 9, Connelly Center. The Bone Marrow Donor Drive will take place from 9-5:00. It's a great day of painless (simple cheek swab) screening for potential donors and a great opportunity to be part of an awesome event for an important cause."

Learn more about Coach Talley's foundation and its endeavors here: http://www.talleybonemarrow.org .