New Nursing Chair

Dr. Susan Heady has been appointed as the new chairperson for the Department of Nursing. After 6 years of leading the Department of Nursing as Chairperson, Dr. Anne Schappe decided to resume her full time role as a faculty member effective Fall 2006. Dr. Heady received her BSN from Maryville University and her MSN and PhD from St. Louis University. She began teaching at Webster University in 1991 and was responsible for developing the MSN program at Webster. As the BSN and MSN Programs prepare for an accreditation visit in the Fall of 2007, Dr. Heady will keep alumni and students informed through Nursing Notes.

Newsletter Launched

The Nursing Department has launched its first email newsletter titled Nursing Notes. It will be published in the Spring and the Fall and be distributed electronically to alumni and current students of the BSN and MSN programs. Please forward any news of professional accomplishments to: davittdc@webster.edu

Text Box:

First Annual Alumni Event

The Department of Nursing held its first Annual Alumni Event on September 10, 2007. The date marked the 5^th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy. Diana Kraus RN, a graduate of the Webster BSN Program, shared her experiences and pictures of her work in New York following 9/11. Diana was part of the Disaster Medical Assist Team sent from Missouri to New York to assist in the aftermath of 9/11, an event that as Diana stated “changes the way you think about the world.” The event was covered by KSDK News Channel 5 where more details can be found. http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=103378

The Department of Nursing will continue to hold and Annual Event each Fall. Please keep us notified of any noteworthy events by YOU for inclusion this fall.

Nursing Goes Abroad Again…..

Every other summer (odd years) Faculty of the Webster Nursing Department lead a group of BSN and MSN students abroad to study Health in the International Community. With the ‘death of distance’ in the spread of disease and the delivery of health care, there are extraordinary risks and extraordinary benefits. Along with potential for rapid disease transmission, there is potential for dramatic improvements in health through knowledge transfer between cultures and health care systems. Nursing needs to address health care issues that result from globalization and nursing education must become more focused to disseminate information and to benefit from the multicultural experience. Students from the Kansas City and St. Louis campus have utilized this opportunity with past trips to Leiden, Netherlands and Dublin, Ireland. The 2007 trip led by Dr. Mary Ann Drake will be to Thailand June 9, 2007-June 16, 2007. Contact her for more detailed information. drakema@webster.edu

And to Calgary…

Joe Mazzola RN a recent graduate of the MSN program was highlighted in the in the Summer 2006 University of Calgary, Faculty of Nursing, Newsletter. In May of 2006 Joe attended the 20th Family Nursing Unit Externship I at the University of Calgary in Canada. Their Family Systems Nursing approach or “CFAM” is the clinical practice model used in our MSN program. This nursing approach was credited with, as Joe stated with “changing his life personally as well as professionally.” The externship is offered each May at the University of Calgary. Many of our MSN students as well as most of the Nursing Faculty have attended. The article can be viewed at:
http://www.ucalgary.ca/nu/nu/files/summer06.pdf

Student Highlights

Cathe Duehren RN a current MSN student was awarded the $5000 Edward J. Stiften Nursing Scholarship from BJC Healthcare. Kudos Cathy on winning the competitive scholarship.

Bonnie Hepp RN a current MSN student coordinates the first Volunteer Nurse Program at St. Anthony’s Medical Center.

Julie Nash, BSN 98 Is the manager of Trauma Services at BJC.

Mary Ann McCoy, BSN 85 is the founder of a non-profit organization called Children of Grace. The organization provides money and resources to the orphans and widows of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Uganda, working with the AIDS Orphans Education Trust.

Kansas City

Kansas City faculty and staff want to use this inaugural newsletter to say “Thank You” to all who recommend our BSN and MSN Programs to their friends and colleagues. Students and Alumni are our most effective recruiters. Over the last year, 54 new BSN students have begun the program which is a 35% increase over the previous year. In the MSN Program, two groups completed the degree with a Nurse Educator focus and three more groups are progressing through the program, one group in the Nurse Leader focus and two groups in the Nurse Educator focus. Again, thank you!

Scholarship Information

The Minority Nursing Website contains over 100 scholarship options for the BSN and the MSN student which may be helpful : http://www.minoritynurse.com/financial/scholarships.html#listings

Volunteer

Each Monday following the 11^th of the month finds Nursing Faculty and Students volunteering at St. Peter and Paul’s soup kitchen in Soulard. Students and Alumni are always encouraged to come and help serve food from 5-6PM. We are seeking hygiene items to be distributed to the homeless at the soup kitchen. Items needed are: toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant and combs. Donations may be left in the marked bins in the Nursing Lab WH 201. All donations are appreciated.

MSN Presentations

Each Spring and Fall, the MSN students from both St. Louis and Kansas City complete their program with an in-depth scholarly manuscript that synthesizes and integrates their learning experiences. Their results will be presented in St. Louis on April 26^th and May 4^th at the Emerson Library Conference Room. There will be one presentation in Kansas City for Spring 2007 with date TBA. All students and alumni are encouraged to attend.

Governor Holden Comes to MSN Class

Governor Bob Holden spoke on election night to the MSN students. The students were in the Policy and Politics in Nursing class, part of the core curriculum of the MSN program. He gave the class a look into the politics of elections as well as the health care needs of Missouri. Governor Holden has founded the Public Policy Forum at Webster University. http://www.webster.edu/holdenppf/about.htm

Dates to Remember

St. Louis :

March 12-16, 2007 Spring Break
April 3-5, 2007 Summer and Fall Registration
April 26, 2007 NURN 6000 Presentations (Library Conference Room) 4:00-6:30 PM
May 4, 2006 NURN 6000 Presentations (Library Conference Room) 12:30-3:30 PM
May 11, 2007 Baccalaureate
May 12, 2007 University Graduation

Kansas City :
March 12-16, 2007 Spring Break
April 4, 2007 Summer Registration
April 2007 NURN 6000 Presentations (Date TBA)
May 23, 2007 Graduation
July 2007 (Date TBA) Fall Registration