Villanova's College of Nursing represented in groundbreaking Philadelphia mural project

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter addresses those gathered for the nursing mural dedication on October 2, 2010; below, Villanova's Nursing Dean, Dr. Louise Fitzpatrick (4th from left), joins other sponsors in receiving a commemorative mural photo with artist Meg Saligman (far left).

Nursing will once again have a prominent face for those in the busy Philadelphia thoroughfare of Broad and Vine Sts. On October 6th the latest mural The Evolving Face of Nursing was dedicated at that location with representatives of the Villanova University College of Nursing in attendance. The College sponsored the mural , along with other schools and corporate and community friends of nursing. The College is also represented in the mural through the faces of its faculty, students and alumni.

The Evolving Face of Nursing is a groundbreaking project of the city’s Mural Arts Program, the largest in the nation. Philadelphia, which has already earned international recognition as the “City of Murals” can now claim the only mural with embedded LED lighting. As part of the artwork, leading nurses from throughout the city were captured in portraits and these portraits were reproduced on a large scale by renowned muralist Meg Saligman. This classical, elegant imagery will be lit with LED lighting that will change color throughout the night. The faces will transform on the wall as they appear to glow and shift in color, drawing in the passing viewer. All aspects of the career of nursing are represented in the mural, from students and directors to home care and visiting nurses.

Those with College of Nursing ties who are associated with the mural include Elise Pizzi, MSN, CRNP, adjunct assistant professor; ’72 alumna Donna Torrisi, MSN, CRNP, network executive director of the Family Practice and Counseling Network; undergraduate students Jennifer V. Hoang, David Sauerhoff and Ellen Stoner; graduate student Lena J. Congo and international student Suhaila K. Al Subhi, a nurse from the Sultanate of Oman.

The Evolving Face of Nursing, which replaced an older mural of nursing, captures the voices and images of Philadelphia’s nurses, reflecting their commitment to the people they serve and highlighting their ever-evolving role at the center of the healthcare profession. Saligman researched and interviewed practicing nurses throughout Philadelphia, exploring what exactly they want to say about their profession. The mural is a narrative that begins with the bygone days of starched uniforms and hats, and moves to the story of present day nurses who take on increasing responsibility, practicing with knowledge, skill, compassion and care. This 6,500 square foot mural animated with lights is unlike any other piece of public art that has been created. The mural is one image by day, and a different one by night with the lights.

Wall preparations began in October 2009. Over the winter and spring of 2010, Saligman worked on the design, and the mural was painted on sections of cloth in the artist’s studio during the fall and winter. Installation of the painted cloth and the LED lights began in April 2010. Students at Philadelphia-area schools participated in the painting of the mural in September 2010. It will be lit every evening.

http://muralarts.org/explore/projects/evolving-face-nursing

Villanova Nursing to lead integration of disability content in NP curriculum

Nursing care of people with disabilities will improve in the future thanks to efforts stemming from a team at Villanova University College of Nursing, led by Elizabeth Blunt, Ph.D., R.N., APN, BC, assistant professor and coordinator of the nurse practitioner programs, and Suzanne Smeltzer, Ed.D., R.N., FAAN, professor and director of the College’s Center for Nursing Research. The College has received a three-year grant from the Advanced Education Nursing Program of the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for its project Preparing Primary Care Nurse Practitioners (NPs) to Care for Patients with Disabilities: Integration of Content into the Nurse Practitioner Curriculum. The purpose of this project is to improve the nursing care of a much underserved group in the United States: people with disabilities.

"Disability affects one in every fourth or fifth person in the U.S. This number is expected to increase because of the aging of the population, survival of many children with developmental disabilities and childhood illnesses well into adulthood, improved management of chronic illnesses and trauma, and adoption of healthy lifestyles by many,” notes Dr. Blunt, adding “Although nurse practitioners provide excellent primary care, many nurse practitioners are not as well prepared to work effectively with patients with disabilities as we would like.”

During the project, nurse practitioner teaching strategies will be identified and tested at Villanova’s College of Nursing and then shared nationally. Dr. Blunt, who maintains a clinical practice as a family nurse practitioner, describes some of the strategies, “We will be integrating individuals with disabilities in our classrooms and simulation labs to provide the same educational experiences for caring for individuals with disabilities as we do for all individuals. Additionally, when the grant project is fully implemented, nurse practitioner students in all tracks --adult, pediatrics, family--at Villanova University will complete a clinical practicum experience in a setting with individuals with disabilities." Currently, most NP programs do not include this sort of component in their curriculum.

“We hope to change the curricula of nurse practitioner programs across the country to include content related to disability so that future nurse practitioners are able to provide quality care to this population,” explains Dr. Smeltzer. She had led the College’s research and health promotion for people with disabilities through its Health Promotion for Women with Disabilities Project funded by a grant from the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation. Dr. Smeltzer, an internationally known scholar, researcher, educator and author, has served on disabilities-related committees and advisory groups and much of her research has addressed health issues of people with multiple sclerosis and other disabilities.

Why is this such a critical topic? There is strong empirical evidence that individuals with disabilities receive health care less often and are offered less effective and less aggressive treatment than their non-disabled counterparts. Based on the continuing health care disparities that affect people with disabilities, in 2005 the U.S. Surgeon General issued a Call to Action to Improve the Health and Wellness of Persons with Disabilities for measures to ensure accessible, comprehensive health care for all persons with disabilities so that they are able to have full, engaged and productive lives in their own communities. The Call to Action specifically identified the need for health profession education programs, including medicine and nursing, to teach students about disability.

College of Nursing honored for third time as Center of Excellence in Nursing Education

The Villanova University College of Nursing proudly announces its continued designation as a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing (NLN). It received the honor for the third consecutive time at the NLN’s Education Summit 2010 in Las Vegas on October 1st.

“The Center of Excellence designation reflects the quality and national distinction of nursing education at Villanova,” says M. Louise Fitzpatrick, EdD, RN, FAAN, Connelly Endowed Dean and Professor.

The Center of Excellence (COE) recognition identifies schools of exceptional quality and is separate from accreditation. Schools are reviewed in one of three categories of their choice. The College’s designation was related to its commitment to “Creating Environments that Advance the Science of Nursing Education.” The College was among the first three schools to receive the inaugural COE designation in 2004 and received it again in 2007.

In the spirit of its national leadership role in nursing education, the College advances the science of nursing education in numerous ways. It is committed to using and conducting pedagogical research. Students, and nursing education in general, benefit from the College’s dedication to a model of scholarship that emphasizes a robust faculty role and the importance of evidence-based models of teaching and learning. The College embraces its pioneering health promotion course where students become involved participants in community health and encourages student participation in international experiential immersion learning opportunities as part of required courses. The College also has a major initiative integrating the use of scenario-based learning experiences in its state-of-the art clinical simulation labs with related systematic inquiry and research in the use of simulation for teaching and learning.

These are just a few examples, complemented by a strong tradition of mentorship between faculty and students to enhance the learning experience, demonstrating the dedication at Villanova’s College of Nursing to advancing the science of nursing education.

Quality of life after breast cancer

As October once again brings breast cancer to the forefront of public awareness, Patricia K. Bradley, PhD, RN continues to contribute to the body of scientific knowledge surrounding African American Breast Cancer Survivors (AABCS).

Dr. Bradley, associate professor in the College of Nursing at Villanova University, has a career-long commitment to her research related to breast cancer. Currently, she is co-investigator with principal investigator Andrea Barsevick, PhD, RN, FAAN of Philadelphia’s Fox Chase Cancer Center to study Problems and Resources of African American Breast Cancer Survivors with a four-year American Cancer Society Research Scholar Grant.

“Our grant will focus on African American Breast Cancer Survivors because less is known about their survivor challenges or the resources available for dealing with these challenges. This study is unique because it will help us learn how African American women deal with stress after their breast cancer treatment has ended,” explains Dr. Bradley. She further notes, “Having women tell their stories and having women answer questions on a survey will give us a better idea of what it is like to be an African American breast cancer survivor. Our ultimate goal is to develop a product or program that addresses quality of life needs of AABCS and prepare for its evaluation in future research.”

Dr. Bradley, who has taught psychiatric and mental health nursing at Villanova since 1997, has been an active board member with Linda Creed, a non-profit breast cancer organization, for over ten years. She currently serves as president of the board of directors. She has an extended devotion to public awareness of breast cancer by developing training programs and materials that focus on the needs of the African American community. Dr. Bradley is the co-author of the award winning educational booklet Getting Connected: African Americans Living Beyond Breast Cancer. She is the 2003 recipient of the Elaine M. Ominsky Humanitarian Award from Linda Creed, honored for her many years of distinguished service in raising awareness, especially among African American women, about breast cancer. Dr. Bradley is also a national and regional volunteer with the American Cancer Society, and chair of the National Diversity Advisory Group. Her commitment to the improvement of women’s lives after breast cancer is evidenced by her selection as the 2004 recipient of the Inaugural Founder’s Award from the advocacy organization, Living Beyond Breast Cancer. Dr. Bradley is also the recipient of the American Cancer Society’s Southeast Region Volunteer Gold Achievement Award and their Sisters Surviving Breast Cancer Tribute Award for outstanding work in education, advocacy, and quality of life issues for African American women with breast cancer.

Dr. Bradley has been a faculty member for the Oncology Nursing Society’s Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Workshop for Nurse Educators in Minority-Serving Institutions and a Special Populations Investigator at Thomas Jefferson University’s Department of Behavioral Epidemiology where she conducted a pilot study of “Preparing African American Women for Breast Biopsy.” Her research interests include psychosocial responses to illness and trauma and developing strategies to adopt healthy screening behaviors.

Dr. Elizabeth Dowdell receives DOJ grant to study risk- and Internet-related behaviors in adolescents

Keeping youth safe on the Internet is not only a passion but a mission for Elizabeth Burgess Dowdell, Ph.D., R.N., CRNP, associate professor at Villanova University College of Nursing. She has been awarded a grant of nearly $314,000 by the Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention [OJJDP]. Dr. Dowdell is the principal investigator for the study “Self Exploitation and Electronic Aggression: High Risk Internet Behaviors in Adolescents." The award is for two years, beginning January 1, 2011 through the end of 2012.

“The primary goal of this research project is to examine the relationships between a range of risk-related and Internet-related behaviors,” says Dr. Dowdell whose research interests focus on Internet victimization of children, health risk behaviors and vulnerability across the lifespan, victimology, and nursing care of children.

This project will survey high school students about participation in self-exploitative behaviors and risky social networking behaviors (such as auto-pornography, “sexting” and Face Roulette) that may increase victimization. Assessment of student Internet knowledge and practice is vital to understanding what motivates some adolescents to create and distribute explicit photos of themselves or others. Questions will also be asked specific to electronic aggression, about what differentiates students who use the Internet to embarrass, harass, or bully others from the student victims.

Knowledge gained from a high school population will provide insights for designing developmentally appropriate strategies that have the potential to enhance existing Internet safety programs. “By better understanding patterns of creating and distributing explicit or inappropriate photos, precursors and correlates of risky Internet behavior, and motivators of electronic aggression, we will be better able to design prevention strategies to keep youth safer on the Internet,” explains Dr. Dowdell. Previous studies have looked at Internet behaviors and experiences of middle school students, high school students, their parents and a population of Internet offenders.

Dr. Dowdell is an expert in the area of forensic pediatric nursing and Internet safety. She shares her knowledge as a member of the editorial review panel of the Journal of Forensic Nursing, as well as scholarly publications, national presentations and expert commentary for the media.

Nursing alumna returns from Oman to study accreditation

This August, the College of Nursing welcomed nurses from the Sultanate of Oman who are studying for their BSN, MSN and PhD degrees. The College has nearly 200 alumni in Oman, the outcome of the 16-year relationship it enjoys with the Ministry of Health in Oman to educate Omani nurses to assume leadership positions in education and administration in their country.

Among the nurses arriving this summer was Samira Al-Rawahi, who is on a three-month Fulbright scholarship studying accreditation in the United States. She earned her MSN in 1997 at Villanova in nursing education. She was the first nurse educator in Oman and is currently the most senior person in nursing education in Oman. Her role is Education Advisor to Oman’s Institute of Health Science where she is involved with accreditation system and all activities dealing with education and quality.

“Accreditation has always been my interest. Oman is now establishing an accreditation system in Higher Education and I am also involved in implementing the system,” she explains. She is based at the College of Nursing analyzing the accreditation process for schools of nursing and Villanova University as well. She will also travel to Washington D.C. and to Atlanta, Georgia to meet key people affiliated with the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, respectively.

When Ms. Al-Rawahi returns to Oman in late October, she will make recommendations for improvements in the new accreditation system to those involved with the process.

College of Nursing on cutting edge of psychiatric simulation

Nursing students in their psychiatric nursing clinical practicum learn ways of helping people who hear distressing voices as they participate in a clinical simulation of auditory hallucinations. Here they are distracted by voices through the headphones and struggle to complete tasks as they undergoing cognitive testing and an evaluation by a psychiatrist in a simulated emergency department scenario, mimicking a patient experience.

With mental disorders being so common in the United States and around the world—one in four American adults or approximately 58 million people have a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)—the impact on nursing is significant. The weight of more serious illness is seen in about 1 in 17 of those affected. Mental disorders cross all age groups and cultures and are seen in all care settings. The Villanova University College of Nursing recently implemented an innovative new clinical simulation for second semester junior nursing students to increase their understanding of the patient experience for those with more severe disease which includes hearing distressing voices. Student Erika Clark calls it an “eye-opener.” “Understanding your patient's perspective is necessary for quality nursing care,” she notes.

Targeting the care of patients who hear distressing voices (for instance, those with schizophrenia affecting about 1% of Americans, according to NIMH statistics), College faculty and associate professors Patricia K. Bradley, PhD, RN and Gale Robinson-Smith, PhD, RN, along with consultant Colleen Meakim, MSN, RN, director of the College’s Learning Resource Center, applied for and received a University VITAL (Villanova Institute for Teaching and Learning) grant to implement the Hearing Voices That Are Distressing (HVTAD) experience with their undergraduate Psychiatric Nursing clinical students starting this fall semester. The HVTAD experience, which builds on the students’ previous classroom learning, has also been used elsewhere with first responders such as EMTs and police. “The College of Nursing is among the first nursing schools in the United States and Canada to use the simulation,” says Dr. Robinson-Smith.

“The HVTAD Program is a training and curriculum package that provides a simulation experience for undergraduate nursing students,” explains Meakim. Students are instructed in use of the headphones and the MP3 player recording and how the simulation will be conducted, as well as the location of a ‘safe zone” where they can adjust their headphones or seek assistance from faculty if they need to briefly step away from the immediate sensory experience. The students use headphones to listen to a specially designed recording which simulates auditory hallucinations as they perform a number of tasks at various workstations. They role play with “standardized professionals” (non-nursing students trained to act as mental health professionals) where they must participate in an evaluation interview with an emergency department psychiatrist, complete cognitive testing and interact while in a community day program activity. The simulation experience is followed by a debriefing and discussion period.

Dr. Bradley offers, “Through the simulation experience students increase their empathy and understanding of the lived-experience of psychiatric disability.” Student Shazi Khan recalls feeling “guarded and distracted” during his simulation period. A major objective of the simulation is for students to learn more effective ways of helping people who hear distressing voices. Classmate J. R. Beshore summarizes the impact of his scenarios, “I left the simulation with a deeper understanding and appreciation for what these patients live with, which will allow me to express true empathy when working with them. Every nursing student should have this experience.” Lauren Dornin agrees, “Regardless of their message, encouraging or degrading, the voices greatly impacted my concentration and overall sense of well-being. This was an invaluable experience and will allow me to better relate to and empathize with mental health patients in the future.”